by Donna Fasano
Reece's gentle tone entered the fog floating around in her head.
"Are you okay?"
She didn't answer him, only studied his handsome face. He had told her he wasn't like Peter. He had tried to explain that his reasons for offering her his help were free and clear of any ulterior motives. Yet, she had refused to believe him.
Could it be that her domestic-affairs duties as a cop and then her experiences as a PI had warped her idea of what men represented? Had her experiences with so many dark and abusive personalities twisted her view of men in general? Damn, she was as bad as Reece. Worse, even. At least he'd recognized the fault and had begun doing what he could to rectify it.
"Maggie..."
Reece's whispery voice once again probed the haze of her thoughts.
"Talk to me."
But she needed time alone. Time to sort this all out. Time to clear her mind, and to ponder this mayhem she was going through. She shook her head.
"Not right now," she told him, her tone sounding distant to her own ears. She turned and took a step away from the men. "I'll see you at home."
"Wait, Maggie." Reece stopped her with a hand on her shoulder. "You shouldn't be alone."
Maggie blinked, and his face actually came into focus. She reached up and pressed her palm against his jaw. "I want to talk to you, Reece. And I will. I promise. I just need to be alone for a few minutes. I'll see you back at your house."
The night was still, the street quiet, as she walked toward her car. But then, the world could have fallen around her ears for all the notice she took.
Sheriff Arnor had every reason to blast Maggie. She'd been on private property. She'd taken pictures of his entering the widow's house—pictures that could harm his career. She'd accused him of cheating on Betty. Yes, the man certainly had enough reasons to vent his anger on her.
However, he'd remained calm and collected as he tried to discover her motives for being on Juliet Dean's property. And when Maggie's irritation had prompted her to taunt the man, when she'd accused him of having a mistress, Arnor's first thought had been for his wife. He'd expressed his distress that he'd caused her even a moment of worry. The man must be a wonderful husband.
When she put this information together with her agonizing confusion regarding Reece, his character and his motives, Maggie realized she had some serious soul-searching to do. Her generalizations where men were concerned were way off track and had nearly cost her everything. She was supposed to be an intelligent, free-thinking woman. How could she have let herself become trapped by such ideas? And how was she ever going to explain herself to Reece? And since she'd once again put him off, would he even be interested in listening?
The sound of footsteps on the sidewalk behind her caught her attention, and she stopped, intending to turn around. Before she could, hands caught her up like steel bands, hot fingers pressing against her mouth. Panic rushed through her body, tensing her muscles.
"There you are," a raspy voice whispered into the crook of her neck. "I've been looking for you."
The man's lips were so close to her ear that his words seemed to be shouted. Disjointed, fractured thoughts thundered through her head. Her gun. Tucked in her purse. Out of reach. Break away. Escape. Run.
"I had such a grand time playing with you. Scaring you. But then you left. I couldn't find you," he said, his spittle flecking her ear and neck. "You really pissed me off. But now I've got you."
His chuckle was cocky, and it seemed to boom into Maggie's eardrum so loudly that she flinched. That voice sounded familiar.
"I wasn't going to hurt you. Just mess with your head to teach you a lesson. But now she's dead," he went on. "And they arrested Russell, and it's all your fault. You're going to pay, you bitch."
Adrenaline pumped into her body, hot and frantic. She was in trouble. Deep trouble. She blinked, her mind whirling. Reece. His name echoed in her mind like a saving grace. Reece would help her. He would be there for her. Just like always.
Kicking out and twisting her body, ripping and clawing at the fingers clamped against her lips, Maggie was only able to pull them away a fraction. But it was enough.
Her scream slashed the black silence of the night.
The next few minutes passed in what seemed like slow motion. She fought the man who held her captive with everything she had, elbows, teeth, fingernails. She heard the shouts of Reece, his friends, and even Sheriff Armor.
"Joey!"
The man grabbed Maggie by the hair, viciously twisted both himself and her around to face the direction from which the other men came.
Reece had called the man's name, Maggie realized. Joey, he'd said. Then it dawned on her. Joey worked in Reece's office. The adjuster who had continuously rejected her claims.
"It's her fault, Reece," Joey shouted.
His voice took on a plaintive quality, and Maggie felt a hot tear scald her neck.
"Debbie is dead because of her. And now Russell's in jail."
"No, Joey." Reece inched closer. "Your sister-in-law is dead because of your brother. Russell killed Debbie, Joey. Let Maggie go. All she did was gather information on Russell. Information that Debbie paid for. It was a job for Maggie. That's all it was. A job."
Police sirens sounded in the distance, and Maggie felt the man's head jerk upright. Joey shoved her forward, hard, and then took off into the night.
Maggie crashed against her parked car, broken glass raining around her. Like a rag doll, she lay still, too stunned to even lift herself from where she had fallen in the gutter.
"Are you okay?"
Reece's gentle hands pulled her up and pressed her against his chest.
"God, please say you're all right, Maggie."
"I'm okay," she said. "Where is he? Where's Joey?"
"They're after him." He smoothed his hand over her hair. "Jason, Derrick, and the sheriff. Joey hasn't got a chance." Tucking his curled fingers under her chin, he lifted her face until their gazes met. "Let me look at you. You're sure you're okay? There's glass. The side mirror is broken. Are you bleeding?"
The concern in his voice, in his eyes, melted her heart. She'd suffered so much confusion about this man; however, the kindness and caring he poured on her was like a ray of sunshine burning up the haze. Her mind was suddenly clear, her thoughts like crystal.
"I don't think I'm bleeding," she told him softly. She looked down. "Oh, no," she groaned. "My camera. The lens is smashed to pieces."
"It's okay," he said. "As long as you're not hurt." He pressed a velvet kiss on her temple.
"Reece, it was Joey. He was the one breaking into my house."
He nodded. "When I read your files, I saw Joey's brother listed there, recognized the last name."
"It was a pitifully small file. I hadn't worked for Debbie long before her husband put on a little-good-boy act. Debbie fell for it. She wanted to save her marriage. I told her not to tell him she'd hired me." A cloud of sadness descended on her as she remembered. "But women often bare their souls in some misguided effort to fix what they think is wrong in their relationships." She looked up at Reece. "Russell beat Debbie so badly, he put her into the hospital only days after she'd hired me. Russell killed Debbie. He killed her."
Two police cars pulled up to the curb. Jason and the sheriff loaded a subdued Joey into a cruiser. Maggie watched the police officers talk with Jason and Derrick. She wanted to cry. The nightmare was over. A tear slid slowly down her face. Reece smoothed the pad of his thumb across her cheek, capturing the teardrop.
"Thank you for being here," she whispered. "I have so much to tell you. So much to say. I've been wrong. About you. About a lot of things."
His dark eyes turned to burnished silk. "I love you, Maggie."
The tears that flowed had nothing whatsoever to do with Joey and the nightmare she'd been living.
"I love you too," She searched his gaze. "I almost lost you because I was too afraid to trust you. Why didn't I realize that I could trust you with my life—?"
"Hush,
" he said. And then he kissed her softly, gently. "I had the same problem."
"But at least you admitted it. At least you wanted to change for Jeff."
"And for you."
Her heart swelled with a love so sweet, it was painful.
The sheriff approached them. "You okay?" he asked Maggie.
She nodded.
Arnor pointed at Jason, who stood back a couple of steps. "This guy did a fantastic job. He seemed to sense right where that guy intended to run."
Maggie smiled her thanks at Jason.
"We'll need a statement," he went on, "but that can wait until tomorrow when you're feeling better."
She nodded, and the small group of men began to walk away, but not before she heard Arnor say to Jason, "You've got a great reputation on the town force. You know, I'm going to be retiring in a couple years. You ought to think about running for the job...."
She looked up at Reece. "It really is all over, isn't it?"
"It sure is."
"And you were there for me through the whole mess."
He grinned. "I was, wasn't I?"
"And you really weren't looking for anything in return." She studied him a moment. "God, I love you so much."
Reece's lips were warm, heavenly, against hers. She pressed her palm against his chest, and he looked at her questioningly.
She bit her bottom lip a moment before she spoke. "Do you think my camera will be covered by my insurance?"
He rolled his eyes in mock frustration. Then he laughed outright. "I'll buy you a damned camera," he promised. Then his voice lowered to a sexy octave as he added, "As a wedding gift."
Epilogue
Maggie stood on the white sandy beach of Key Largo, Florida, and knew she was in paradise. Palm trees, warm sunshine, crashing waves, gentle breezes and the faint call of a sea gull.
She had never thought she would ever feel this happy, this content. She had just pledged to love, honor, and cherish Reece for the rest of her days, and he had done the same to her. And now she listened with quiet joy as the minister orchestrated the vows between her new friends Jason Devlin and Katie Wellingford. The old married couple of the group, Derrick and Anna Richmond, had come along on the trip to act as best man and matron of honor for both couples.
The double-wedding ceremony had been the brainstorm of the men of the group. Jason had been trying to get Katie to agree to a marriage date for months, but Katie's parents, Senator and Mrs. Wellingford, had continued to drive poor Katie half-crazy with their insistence on a large wedding.
Finally, Derrick, Jason, and Reece had decided that the three couples should take their brand-new sailboat, the Club II, on her maiden voyage, along the Intracoastal Waterway to the southern tip of Florida, where Jason and Reece could wed their brides. It would be the perfect solution for them all. So, having found sitters for all the children, they set off on their romantic adventure.
They had intended on having the ceremonies performed in Key West, Florida's southernmost point; however, Reece simply couldn't wait, and he'd stated that he'd wage mutiny if the group didn't agree to dock in Key Largo so Maggie could become his wife.
She smiled now just thinking about his impatience. She loved the man to distraction, and she knew that his love for her was deep, and real, and intimate. A love that would last a lifetime.
"I now pronounce you—" the minister suffered a moment of confusion over what words to speak as he gazed at the four of them, then he shrugged and smiled "—husbands and wives. You may kiss your brides."
Reece enfolded her in his arms. He tasted of sea salt and warm sunshine. She parted her lips for him, entwining her fingers in his thick black hair.
He pulled back and gazed at her, love shining in his deep brown eyes. "So," he whispered softly so only she could hear, "how does it feel to finally be Mrs. Newton?"
She smiled at him warmly. "It feels wonderful, Mr. Newton."
"Congratulations!"
Maggie turned to see Anna, Derrick's soft-spoken wife. A smile lit her beautiful, serene face, her colorful scarf and matching gauzy skirt gently flapping in the tropical breeze.
"Thanks," Maggie said.
Anna was a schoolteacher, a woman who adored children, a woman who, unfortunately, couldn't have children of her own. However, all along the trip south, she had talked of raising "oodles" of boys and girls, as many as she and Derrick could adopt. Maggie was certain her new friend would do just that.
Derrick wished her well and kissed her on the cheek, then he shook Reece's hand. He did the same to Katie and Jason.
As soon as she saw that Katie was free, Maggie went to her. "Well," she told Katie, "we did it. We took the giant step."
Katie smiled and hugged her. "That was the biggest step I ever took."
"But it got you right where you wanted to be, didn't it?" Maggie asked.
Katie just beamed.
Maggie had been a little frightened of Katie at first. When Reece had told Maggie that Katie was a debutante of sorts, the daughter of a United States senator, Maggie had expected the woman to be difficult to get to know. But she'd been pleasantly surprised to find Katie warm and very down-to-earth.
"Congratulations, lady."
Smiling up at Jason for a moment, Maggie then gave him a quick hug. "Same to you," she said.
Jason was a special man. He had spent lots of time with her and Reece during the terrible ordeal of Joey's trial. Together, they had learned how Joey and his brother, Russell, had suffered terrible physical abuse at the hands of their parents; however, the judge had proclaimed that that fact didn't make the men any less responsible for their actions. Russell would remain in prison for the rest of his life. Joey, on the other hand, had a chance to fare better—if he took advantage of the mandatory counseling that went along with his jail term. Maggie was relieved that the ordeal was finally over.
A loud pop startled her.
"Champagne, anyone?" Derrick called.
"Ooh, my favorite," Anna said.
Katie lifted her glass toward the bottle with a laugh. "Mine too."
Maggie hurried to join them. "Don't forget me."
Reece heaved a sigh. "Did anyone think to bring some beer?"
"Yeah," Jason chimed in, "I'd like a cold one myself about now."
Derrick handed them both glasses of champagne. "We will not toast your weddings with beer, gentlemen. Drink this and like it."
Both men gave in with good-natured shrugs and took the wine.
"Now," Derrick said, "the Single Daddy Club is definitely no more. The question is, do we dissolve the club altogether—" there was a collective gasp all around that had Derrick grinning "—or do we simply rename the club."
"Rename the club!"
"Hear, hear!"
They stood there a moment, everyone holding on to their wineglasses waiting for a suggestion.
"Well," Maggie shyly said, "how about just... The Club?"
A cheer burst from them, and then everyone talked at once.
"To The Club!" Reece lifted his glass, and the others followed his lead. A multitude of tings rang out as crystal met crystal, and then they all enjoyed a sip of pale, sparkling champagne.
Reece pulled Maggie to him, and she flattened her palm against his broad chest.
"I can't believe you're all mine," he whispered seductively.
"Well, believe it, mister." She grinned. "And you're all mine."
He pressed his lips close to her ear. "I have a gift waiting for you back at the boat."
Sentiment glittered in her gaze. She suspected his gift was the new camera he'd promised her.
"How about a walk on the beach?" he suggested. "Just the two of us."
"I'd love it."
He wrapped his arm securely around her waist, as though he was afraid someone might take her away from him. She loved this protective instinct of his. It made her feel warm. It made her feel loved. And it was a feeling she wanted to savor forever.
As they walked on the pure, white s
and toward the sapphire water, they heard Jason complain, "Didn't somebody think to toss a beer into that wicker basket? Not even one?"
Reece and Maggie shared a long and loving laugh, and she knew it was only the first of many.
The End
If you enjoyed these books, please look for other books written by Donna Fasano. Connect with Donna on the web by visiting her blog: www.DonnaFasano.com. She's on Facebook and Twitter too, and she loves to hear from her readers.
Other titles by Donna Fasano:
The Merry-Go-Round
His Wife for a While
Mountain Laurel
Taking Love in Stride
Return of the Runaway Bride
Nanny and the Professor
Take Me, I'm Yours
Her Fake Romance (with bonus recipes)
Look for Donna's book in audio and listen on the go!
Meet Donna Fasano
Donna Fasano is proud to be a recipient of the HOLT Medallion, an award honoring outstanding literary talent. Seeing her work appear on bestsellers lists such as the Kindle Top 100 has given her a great deal of joy and satisfaction.
Reading is one of Donna's favorite ways to wile away a rainy afternoon. She loves to hike too. Another hobby added to her list of fun things to do is traveling. She fell in love with Europe during several trips abroad and plans to return often. Oh, and Donna still collects cookbooks, but as her writing career grows, she finds herself using them less and less.
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