by Violet Paige
Table of Contents
Epilogue
Epilogue
Epilogue
Keep in touch with Violet
Brett
Gretchen
Her Dirty Doctor Katerina Cole
Lilly
Barrett
Tempting the Crown
Untitled
Damon
Molly
Turn Over
Luke
Alexa
Don’t Tell
Kaitlyn
Cole
Excerpt from Don’t Lie
Not Husband Material
Jeremy
Evie
Preview: Not Daddy Material
Delta’s Baby Surprise
Violet Paige
Head Over Heels Press
Copyright © 2018 by Violet Paige
All rights reserved.
No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.
Contents
Keep in touch with Violet
1. Brett
2. Gretchen
3. Brett
4. Gretchen
5. Brett
6. Gretchen
7. Brett
8. Gretchen
9. Brett
10. Gretchen
11. Brett
12. Gretchen
13. Brett
14. Gretchen
15. Brett
16. Gretchen
17. Brett
18. Gretchen
19. Brett
20. Gretchen
21. Brett
22. Brett
23. Gretchen
24. Gretchen
Her Dirty Doctor Katerina Cole
1. Lilly
2. Barrett
3. Lilly
4. Lilly
5. Barrett
6. Lilly
7. Barrett
8. Lilly
9. Barrett
10. Lilly
11. Lilly
12. Barrett
13. Lilly
14. Barrett
15. Lilly
16. Barrett
17. Lilly
18. Lilly
19. Barrett
20. Lilly
21. Barrett
22. Lilly
23. Barrett
24. Lilly
25. Barrett
Epilogue
Tempting the Crown
Untitled
1. Damon
2. Molly
3. Damon
4. Molly
5. Damon
6. Molly
7. Damon
8. Molly
9. Damon
10. Molly
11. Damon
12. Molly
13. Damon
14. Molly
15. Damon
16. Molly
17. Damon
18. Molly
19. Damon
20. Molly
21. Damon
22. Molly
23. Damon
24. Molly
25. Damon
26. Molly
27. Damon
28. Molly
29. Damon
30. Molly
31. Damon
32. Molly
33. Damon
34. Molly
35. Damon
36. Molly
37. Damon
38. Molly
39. Damon
40. Molly
Epilogue
Turn Over
1. Luke
2. Alexa
3. Luke
4. Alexa
5. Luke
6. Alexa
7. Luke
8. Alexa
9. Luke
10. Alexa
11. Luke
12. Luke
13. Alexa
14. Luke
15. Alexa
16. Luke
17. Alexa
18. Luke
19. Alexa
20. Luke
21. Alexa
22. Luke
23. Alexa
24. Luke
25. Alexa
26. Luke
27. Alexa
28. Luke
29. Alexa
30. Luke
31. Alexa
32. Luke
33. Alexa
34. Luke
35. Alexa
36. Luke
Epilogue
Don’t Tell
1. Kaitlyn
2. Cole
3. Kaitlyn
4. Kaitlyn
5. Kaitlyn
6. Cole
7. Kaitlyn
8. Cole
9. Kaitlyn
10. Kaitlyn
11. Cole
12. Kaitlyn
13. Cole
14. Kaitlyn
15. Kaitlyn
16. Kaitlyn
17. Kaitlyn
18. Cole
19. Kaitlyn
20. Cole
21. Kaitlyn
22. Kaitlyn
23. Kaitlyn
24. Kaitlyn
25. Cole
26. Kaitlyn
27. Cole
28. Kaitlyn
29. Cole
30. Kaitlyn
31. Cole
32. Kaitlyn
33. Cole
34. Kaitlyn
Excerpt from Don’t Lie
Cole
Not Husband Material
Not Husband Material
1. Jeremy
2. Evie
3. Jeremy
4. Evie
5. Jeremy
6. Evie
7. Jeremy
8. Evie
9. Jeremy
10. Evie
11. Jeremy
12. Evie
13. Jeremy
14. Evie
15. Jeremy
16. Evie
17. Jeremy
18. Evie
19. Jeremy
20. Evie
21. Jeremy
22. Evie
23. Jeremy
24. Evie
Preview: Not Daddy Material
Keep in touch with Violet
Make sure you download the exclusive Violet Paige short, available here!
The Crown Short
Stay connected with Violet’s Vixens
www.violetpaigebooks.com
One
Brett
I threw my pack on the bed, looking around the dusty room. I lifted the blinds. The light filtered through in sharp beams. It should feel good to be home, but it didn’t. Everything about it seemed foreign. As if I was a stranger in my own home. I eyed the pillow and folded quilts suspiciously. A couple years ago I would have seen them as rustic hand-me-downs. Now they looked like expensive luxuries.
I didn’t want to be here. I shouldn’t be back home. I wouldn’t be if the Army hadn’t forced me to take leave. After two years in Razastan and a failed mission that almost cost me my entire team, I was back in the U.S., unwilling and restless.
Nothing about it felt right.
I should be with my team. I should be serving my country. Not stuck here as if I had been sentenced to house arrest.
I tried to remember what it was like to live under a roof. The desert sky had been my ceiling for so long I didn’t know how I was going to sleep in a regular bed again. The conditions were rough, but I liked being outside. I was trained in the worst conditions. The men around me were just as tough and fearless. They had to be to be part of Delta Force. Anything less would get us all k
illed.
That was the price of war. That was the price I was willing to pay to keep everyone else safe.
I closed the bedroom door behind me, inspecting the cabin as I moved room to room. It didn’t look as if anyone had been here since I deployed.
The bathroom door creaked open. I turned the faucet and the pipes squealed. For a second, I thought the cabin was without running water, but it sputtered and coughed, dumping a splash into the drain. I let the water run in the sink until the bits of silt and stale water had run through. I splashed it on my face, using my palms as a small basin.
I looked at my reflection in the mirror. I barely recognized myself. My skin was tanned from the sun and my beard had grown in. I reached for a towel and dried off before heading to the living room.
I hadn’t made any calls. I didn’t want a big welcome home party, but I knew it wouldn’t be long before my family knew I was home. Eventually, I had to face the obligations I had to them. Maybe I could have a night to myself before that happened.
I opened a cabinet door in the kitchen. It was bare. As much as I hated it, I was going to have to drive into town for groceries. I slammed the cupboard, scattering dust around the kitchen. There were a lot of things I could live without, but food wasn’t one of them. I lived too far outside of town to order pizza. Fuck. It would be good to drink a beer right about now. I stuffed my keys and wallet in my back pocket and let the screen door close behind me.
I walked to my truck, slid into the driver’s seat, and started the ignition. I could make a quick trip into town to pick up a few basics.
I threw a box of cereal, a huge steak, and a case of beer in the shopping cart. I couldn’t shake the feeling that the other customers were watching me. Maybe I was used to being paranoid. It didn’t matter what city or village we were in during the war, I had to stay focused all the time. There was never a break. Everyone in Razastan was a suspect. Even children carried bombs. I didn’t look at people the same way as everyone else. As far as I was concerned they were all walking weapons. They all the ability to kill or to take out civilians. I couldn’t shake the feeling now that I was buying groceries at the market. I knew it was fucked up.
I tossed a few loaves of bread into the cart on top of everything else and wheeled it to the register.
The clerk rang up the items, scanning them one by one. I reached into my wallet to pay for the bags of food.
The woman smiled at me. “Let me guess…you are back with that unit at Fort Helix back from overseas. I know an Army man when I see one.”
“How did you know?” I asked. I was immediately suspicious.
She ran the items over the glass scanner. “Well, your haircut for one.” She started placing the food in paper bags. “And I saw on the news last night a lot of the soldiers came home. I thought I’d ask.”
I rubbed the back of my neck. I didn’t like talking about the Army. I sure as hell never told anyone what I did in the military. Delta Force was off limits for any conversation. End of story.
“It’s nice to see you home.” She smiled. “Makes me feel good when our boys are back.”
I nodded. “Thanks.” I shifted uncomfortably on my feet.
“Did your family plan a big welcome home?” she asked, loading cheese and pasta into a paper bag.
“Here.” I handed her the money. “No. Not really their thing. It wasn’t a planned leave.”
She opened the register to give me change. “It’s nice when our soldiers come home. I love the banners and the flowers. I wish we could have a parade for you.”
“That’s not necessary.” I knew I sounded gruff, but she was quickly getting carried away.
“Do you at least have a girl waiting for you? Someone to cook you a hot meal?” she pestered.
This woman was damn nosey. “No, ma’am.” I took the receipt from her.
“Well, I’m sorry to hear that. It’s not much, but thank you for your service. I appreciate what you do. Or did. So, thank you.”
I tried to smile, but I felt eyes on me, and I didn’t like the attention the conversation was drawing. I didn’t do my job for thanks or praise. I did it because I wasn’t built for anything else. It was in my DNA. It was who I was.
I nodded at her as I left the store.
I loaded the bags in my arm and deposited them in the back of my truck. I couldn’t peel out of the parking lot fast enough. I wasn’t comfortable in the store. I wasn’t comfortable talking to the clerk. And I sure wasn’t comfortable giving her any information about my military status.
I threw the truck in drive and headed back to the cabin. At least there I would have solitude. A place to stay clear and focused. A place that was isolated. Until all hell broke loose and my family figured out I was back.
Two
Gretchen
I looked at the clock. It was close to midnight. I rubbed my eyes with the back of my hand. My shift was almost over. The fluorescent lights overhead made everything look washed out. I wondered why hospitals still used them. They didn’t make the staff happy and they certainly weren’t good for the patients. I wished they had been outlawed.
I walked to the nurses’ station. “Any new patients?” I asked.
“No, you better get out of here before that changes,” the night nurse warned. “It’s quiet for once around here. And you know what that means.”
“I think you’re right.” I smiled. “I’ll be in the doctor’s lounge if that changes in the next ten minutes. I hope we didn’t just jinx it. Maybe I can sneak out.”
She laughed. “Good luck, doc.”
I walked down the hall past the patient rooms and pulled the stethoscope from my neck, letting it dangle in my hands. I massaged the back of my shoulders. I had been on my feet for twelve hours. The only thing I could think about was a hot shower, preferably at home. I needed to get one of those special spa foot massagers. I didn’t know what hurt worse after these long shifts: my back or my feet.
“Hey, you clocking out?”
I turned to see Dr. Mors filling his coffee cup at the break bar. He was a legend at the hospital. I was afraid to ask how old he was, but it had to be close to retirement age.
“I’m trying to get out of here before I get paged.”
He chuckled. “Famous last words. You better turn off your pager and your cell phone.”
“I know. I know. I have the next three days off. I’m going to sleep through all three of them,” I answered, pulling my bag from my locker.
“Didn’t you sign up for the Help a Hero Program?” he asked. He stirred in half the jar of sugar.
“Shit. I did. My day is tomorrow, isn’t it? I completely forgot about volunteering. I can’t believe it,” I groaned.
He took a sip of his coffee, his long nose dipping in the cup. “Yep. You better pick up your list on the way out. Every doctor has an assignment. Great program. One of the best organizations we’ve worked with.”
“Any chance these soldiers sleep in?” I whined.
He laughed. “The ones I worked with were up before the sun. They like their early morning workouts.”
I sighed. “What are the chances I’ll get the ones that are more nocturnal? You know, same schedule as me?” I checked the clock over the door. Finally, midnight.
“You remember what they said in our veterans training about disrupted sleep patterns,” he added. “They are dealing with internal clocks on desert time and they have no interest in adjusting. They either can’t sleep or sleep too much. Their sleep habits are all over the place.” He threw his hands in the air.