Vegas Series: Six-book Boxed Set (Hot Romance & Powerful Suspense)

by Mimi Barbour

  Jeff winked her way and answered. “Of course! Now look at that, how many boys get to have two dads? You’re pretty darn lucky, you know.”

  “I darn am and he’s coming to visit me today.”

  “So will you introduce me?” Jeff carried the boy into the living room and Lisa followed slowly, madly trying to smooth her hair after the fingers of a little boy used her curls to soothe himself.

  “Sure. I gotta go and get my phone camera cause he… What’s his name again, Auntie Lisa?”

  “Hank Beckman.” Lisa smiled with relief at the resilience of her nephew.

  “Hank likes taking pictures. Maybe we can get pictures together, you think Jeff?”

  “Sounds like a good idea, and if he’s too busy sometime, I can take you.”

  Noel glowed, his cheeks pink, flushed by the attention from his idol.

  The doorbell rang again. The two adults watched Noel as he stiffened and leaned against Jeff’s chest, snuggling, seeking protection.

  At the door, Lisa noticed how pale Hank was and smiled. Father and son were so much alike. “He’s waiting for you, wants to show you his pictures.”

  She led the way into where Jeff and Noel lingered. Hank stopped at the sight of the little boy in another man’s arms and took a second to nod at Jeff before he melted in a pool of fatherly adoration for the child who looked so much like himself. Taking the lead, Lisa went to Noel and lifted him into her arms. She felt his cheek on her neck as he hid his face as best he could.

  “Noel, I want to introduce you to Hank Beckman, your daddy.” Hoping he’d remember the lessons his mom taught him about introductions, Lisa waited and sent up a prayer. She wasn’t disappointed. Noel straightened and held out his hand. “How do you do? I’m Noel.”

  Half an hour later, Jeff was in the kitchen helping Lisa make coffee, among other naughtier activities. To stop his playfulness, she tried to get his mind off where his hands were roaming. “It’s such a relief to see those two getting along so well. You were right. Hank will be a wonderful addition to support Noel as he grows up. They’re already keen about doing photography together.”

  “Hummm.” Jeff nuzzled her neck and ignored her struggles to get away.

  “Auntie Lisa?” Noel ran into the kitchen, followed by an anxious-looking Hank. “Can we go to the park for a while and take some pictures?”

  Lisa shoved her hair to the side of her neck where only seconds earlier Jeff’s mouth had played havoc with her senses. She knelt down to be face to face with her little guy and watched to see if there were any signs of unease or hesitation. There were none, only gladness mixed with pride and anticipation.

  “You promise to take some pictures for me while you’re gone?”

  “Sure but you’re gonna come too, right?”

  Jeff yawned loudly and Lisa caught his hint. “Would it be okay if you went alone with your dad? He’d really like to have some time with you.”

  “Me and my dad? What about you and Jeff?”

  “We’re pretty tired, aren’t we Jeff?” She almost cracked up when she saw the speed that Jeff nodded.

  And he added, seemingly exhausted, “That we are. Look Noel, you have fun with your dad and while you’re gone, Lisa and I will have an afternoon nap. Then when you come home, I’ll take us all out for supper. Whaddaya say?”

  Hank’s evident gratitude almost made Lisa feel guilty because she hadn’t even taken into consideration how much he’d want to spend time alone with the boy who’d been kept away from him since birth.

  Almost!

  Chapter Fifty-One

  “So are you going to tell me why we had to bring the kids here to this park today?” Aurora stared Lisa down until she looked away.

  “Why not? Cory made me promise to take the day off. Hell, you’re still on your honeymoon, now that I think about it. I decided the kids needed some fresh air.”

  “Damn girl, it’s ninety in the shade,” said Aurora, grumbling.

  “Quit bitching. You know you wanted to grill me about Ham’s daughter, Francesca.”

  “I’m glad you made us stop by Mattie’s to meet her. She’s going to be a great addition to their team here in Vegas.”

  Lisa knew Aurora was thinking about an FBI agent whom she’d disparage whenever his name came up, Alan Haynes. Steam came out of her nose like a dragon heating up for a battle the minute he appeared in any of their cases. Lisa glanced over to make sure that Noel was playing nicely with the other little boy in the sandbox and then agreed. “It floored me when she first appeared. Good thing Ham is such a fine-looking man since she looks like his female counterpart.”

  “Except for the red hair. Either she gets that from her mom, or Ham’s grey covers it now.”

  Noel, maybe sensing Lisa’s eyes were on him, ran over to where they lounged in the shade on a park bench, Lily asleep in her carriage nearby. “Auntie Rory, is Lily going to sleep all day?” He climbed up on Aurora’s knee and smooched her cheek, making the smacking noise they both agreed made for a much more interesting kiss.

  “She’s had a long trip with her grandparents who probably spoiled her silly and now all she wants to do is sleep. Maybe we should wake her up? Who cares if she’s tired? Right?” Aurora made a funny face while she hugged his small body.

  He pushed away from her, his expression serious. “You’re kidding. We can’t wake her up. Baby’s need their sleep. See, I’m a big boy, right Auntie Lisa? I don’t have to sleep in the daytime anymore? Right?” He leaned toward Lisa and pulled at her hand to get her attention.

  “What? Oh sorry, Batman. What did you say?”

  “I said I’m too old to sleep in the daytime. Only babies need to, and tired aunties and fi-an-cés sometime have to also, right?”

  Busted! “That’s right, kiddo.” Lisa reached for him but the little guy had noticed another friend approaching with a man, who she supposed was his father. Noel ran to say hello.

  “Aunties and fi-an-cés? Interesting.” Aurora’s grin forced one from Lisa, a telling one she couldn’t hide. Nor could she stop the flush from covering a face she wished she could turn away except that she wouldn’t give her wicked friend the satisfaction.

  “You’re so in love, admit it?”

  “Whatever!”

  “Not that I’d ever say I told you so but I believe I did mention what a great guy Jeff was during numerous occasions?

  “Yeah, yeah!” Lisa decided to play Aurora’s role. All the while, she kept her eyes on Noel and his new playmate. If she hadn’t been paying attention, she might not have seen the other child throw sand at Noel who ignored the playful shenanigans.

  Not so the man who’d brought the little fellow. He freaked, no other word for it. Stomping from his bench over to where the boys were playing, he reached in and hauled his son out with his hand gripping the boy’s arm, his fingers squeezing so hard the child let out a screech that caught Aurora’s attention.

  Oh, this is going to be good! Lisa knew the smile on her face was probably spiteful, but what the hell. She watched as her child-loving friend marched over to where the ignorant prick was shaking the shit out of his son.

  When Aurora reached the two, she stopped in front of them, so close in fact that it forced the guy to end what the hell he was doing and pay attention to her.

  “You got a problem, Lady?”

  Oh oh, not too smart. Lisa reached for Noel who’d run to her when he’d realized there might be fireworks and needed her arms around him so he wouldn’t feel afraid. She cuddled him on her knee and whispered, “Is that the dad you told me about who’s so mean to his little boy?”

  “Uh huh. He scawes me too.”

  “Okay, you know that the police help little children and that Auntie Rory is a policewoman, right? She can stop him from behaving that way. Are you okay with her punishing the dude?”

  “Will he stop being mean to Darrell?”

  “Auntie Rory can be pretty darn persuasive. Is Darrell your friend’s name?”

 
“Yes.”

  “Call him to come over to us and wait while Auntie Rory has a talk with his dad about his manners, okay pal?”

  Noel called and the poor little guy, tears pouring, ran toward them, his back turned so he didn’t see his Dad flying through the air or just how hard Aurora had backhanded him to start his flight.

  Chapter Fifty-Two

  Later that night, finally alone in her living room, Jeff brought up the subject he’d wanted to discuss but knew he shouldn’t in front of Noel. “So, Aurora talked the kid’s father into anger management classes?”

  “Yep, she has a way about her when it comes to persuasion.” Lisa’s pride rang clearly in the words she chose.

  “That she does. Kai will have his hands full with that woman, no doubt about at.”

  “And you think you won’t with me?”

  Jeff reached over, pulled her onto his lap and nibbled at her neck, making her giggle. “You can fill my hands anytime you want to sweetheart. It’ll make me the happiest man in a town brimful of happy people.”

  Before his kisses could lead to them making love, Lisa drew away and took a calming breath. “Stop! We need to talk.”

  Anxiety had hovered like a menacing shadow over her all day and she couldn’t dispel what needed to be discussed. “We can’t live in your hotel, right?”

  “Okay!” He kissed her ear lobes and blew gently over her damp skin. “We’ll buy a house with a big yard so Noel can have a dog or a pony, or for all I care, a flaming dragon.” His whispered words made her body tremble. He still hadn’t looked into her eyes to see the toll this conversation was taking. “Where would you like to live?”

  The vicious worry ramped up to where her heartbeat thumped heavy-like in her chest. Oh God! Please don’t let me down. She gulped and replied. “I guess my main consideration would be that our home is close enough to the precinct so I won’t have too far to commute.”

  Lisa felt Jeff stiffen. She braced herself. Tears on the verge of flowing that she knew she’d have to swallow. She couldn’t give this man up, not now, not ever. But what about her job? She loved her work.

  “You can’t mean that?”

  “Mean what?” She played for time so her broken heart could start again.

  “That I wouldn’t have taken your career into consideration? What kind of a jerk do you take me for? Keeping you as close to your office has to be the one of the main requirements when we buy our home, right?”

  “Oh dear Lord, you are so ri… perfect!”

  Afterword

  Thank you so much for reading The Vegas Series.

  I loved writing this stories and I hope you enjoyed reading them. If so, I would ask you for a favor. If you purchased this series at Amazon, please take a few minutes and leave an honest review.

  Authors enjoy hearing that readers like their stories, and hopefully, others will read your words and choose to buy the series because of your sentiments.

  Amazon Review Page

  A word from the Author:

  You will have noticed that I introduced a new heroine in this story Special Agent, Francesca Donovan.

  John Hampton had no knowledge he had another child, let alone a grown woman who followed her domineering mother into a career with the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

  This delightfully complex character will be starring in the first book of my new series being released in spring 2014 called “Undercover FBI”.

  Excerpt from Book #1 “Special Agent, Francesca”:

  Just as Detective John Hampton thought he could relax, out of the blue and into his heart walked a daughter he’d never known existed. From first sight, she captured such a huge space that he’d die for the beauty. Temptation, beyond his control, dragged his thoughts back to the years he’d spent loving her mother, Kathleen Donovan. It had taken him days and a good stern talking to from his now wife Mattie to clear the animosity he’d felt for that woman. Mattie, who understood him better than anyone else in the world, knew just the words to help him remember her clearly instead of the image of the unspeakable bitch he’d been envisioning.

  His memory took him back to the time when, as a lovely young girl, Kathleen had enticed him into loving her with all his heart and then played him for a fool. He’d been so infatuated that at first when she’d sent him packing, he hadn’t believed her. But she’d possessed a strong will and an even stronger drive to make something of herself beyond being the daughter of a Mick cop in New Jersey.

  Plans to become “a person of importance” in the FBI agency drove every choice she made. Once her goal took over, nothing else mattered, most of all their relationship. Ham held her back and he had to go… as simple as that.

  If only he knew for certain that the day she sent him on his way, carrying his broken heart in his shaking hands, was before she’d discovered her pregnancy. Somehow, looking back at the image of her determination; stubborn chin, hard eyes and the inflexible stance, he had to believe that a lie so repulsive hadn’t been part of her repertoire of deceits.

  One day he’d hash it out with her, ask her why she’d let him live his life without the joy of knowing his first-born, but not too soon. He couldn’t trust himself not to throttle the woman. And since she’d realized her dream and had become a muckety-muck as the director’s special assistant at FBI Headquarters in New York City, while he worked as a lowly detective in Las Vegas, he doubted that they’d run into each other any time soon.

  Other Works by Mimi Barbour

  The Vicarage Bench Anthology

  A Three Book Set

  Imagine having to share your body with an invading time traveler.

  Dr. Tobias Andrews, guardian of the magic, assists each trapped spirit—

  but not until every story’s happy ending is assured.

  In She’s Me: chubby, shy Lucy McGillicuddy who lives in a small English village in 1963 is forced to share herself with 2006 top model Jenna McBride. This experience teaches them both valuable lessons that enable them to finally accept true love.

  In He’s Her: schoolteacher Carrie Temple has to make space for Vegas casino owner Rhett Parks, whose spirit invades her heart as well as her mind, and won’t leave. At first she desperately wants him to get out, but soon she can’t bear for them to be apart.

  In We’re One: Vegas nightclub star Crystal Davis wants nothing to do with men until she’s seduced by Ashley Parks while they flee from a killer. Ashley traps her spirit inside of him to keep her safe, but she soon convinces him to trust her—it’s his safety they need to worry about.

  Three soul mate stories to that just keep getting better.

  To purchase The Vicarage Bench Anthology on Amazon, click here.

  Angels with Attitudes

  My Cheeky Angel - Naïve and love-starved, Annie will soon to be celebrating her big 3-0. Something needs to be done! Celi, her ‘down-to-earth’ guardian angel appears to help kick-start Annie’s big change—her looks, her job, her whole life. By taking a managerial position with a sophisticated shoe manufacturer, Annie becomes embroiled with her new associates and hooked on the power of big business. Unfortunately, her exhaustion from overwork forces her to ignore old friends. And her lapse places someone she cares about in terrible danger.

  Tyler, a Social Worker and a woman-hater previously hurt in two relationships, only wants Annie in his life as a good buddy. Oh yeah! And to help with his mixed-up street kids. Perversely, once her life alters, he misses her like hell. In one sweet night of loving everything changes. But, due to an overabundance of nightcaps, she doesn’t remember the night he can’t forget.

  His Devious Angel - Without the angel forcing him to brake, Liam could have killed the gorgeous girl who ran in front of his car to save a little boy. He owed the rescuer big time and would pay his debt no matter that she acted cranky and became more difficult with every meeting. After all, how hard could it be to walk a bunch of mangy mutts?

  Men are scum and no one can tell Sadie any different. It’s why she stays away f
rom them. Until a crazy, hotshot soldier runs her down with his convertible. Now because she’s bruised and sore, she’s stuck having to accept his help in her elite dog-walking business. Just her luck that some of the expensive pets go missing, and Liam decides the puppy-mill rumour needs to be investigated. And once they’re forced to spend more time together, mutual attraction spirals out of control.

  Lovable Christmas Angel - Christmas in Hawaii! How lucky can a girl get? Except Leilani is bringing her mother’s ashes home to Waikiki and has an urgent plea for help from an aunt she’s never even met. After winning two free nights in prestigious Hotel Jordan, things take a turn she never expected. First, she is stuck in an elevator with the prickly, but luscious Mr. Jordan. Secondly, her aunt is a sick woman and only held on for one reason. She wants to pass on her most precious possession… her five-year-old grandchild. The same prickly little fellow that takes one look at Leilani, slaps his fist on his hips and yells, “Go away!”

  Kale is the owner of the Jordan Hotel Chain and he can’t believe his rotten luck. He broke up with a spoilt brat of a girlfriend and now he’s stuck in an elevator with a big-eyed, effusive tourist. How in the world can a guy who’s so worldly be hooked on a lively beauty with more dilemmas than anyone he’s ever met?

  To purchase Angels with Attitudes on Amazon, click here.

  Mimi’s Mix

  A book from each of Mimi’s Series

  Partners:

  When attractive Las Vegas detective Aurora Morelli makes a friend, she takes the relationship very seriously…and if anyone hurts that person, they’re going down! While Aurora may be slim and dainty on the outside, she has the heart of a lion, and when angry, the manners of a she-cat. The sick schmuck who dared attack her partner is now her prime target, and nothing or no one will stand in her way—except maybe her new partner who arrives in town seeking vengeance on the same culprit.