by Steph Nuss
“Really?” I asked, relieved.
“She wanted you dead, babe,” Maverick said, cupping my face. “My dad said that with the evidence they’ve found, the threats she’s made, and the journals she kept, she’ll likely get attempted murder in the first degree as well as a charge for planning the assault on Imani.”
Thank god. “What about the other guy?”
“He’ll get prison time, too.” He pressed a gentle kiss to my lips and then leaned his forehead against mine. “We won’t have to worry about her for the rest of our lives. The parking garage cameras caught the whole thing on tape.”
Tears of happiness welled in my eyes and I linked my hands around the back of his neck. “That’s really good news.”
“Yeah,” he said, smiling widely. “Yeah, it is.”
His lips brushed over mine with an endless amount of compassion he always gave generously, and a few tears rolled down my cheeks and he easily caught them with his thumbs. I poured all of the luck I had into that kiss, thankful to still be here with him, our baby girl, and our friends and family. He was the one thing that made everything in my life right—the true north on my compass. Even during dark times, he stood by my side and led me to light.
*
After we finished breakfast and I was discharged, Carter and Elly left for work, and Maverick changed into the clothes Elly brought him and then helped me into mine. She brought me panties and a bra as well as a gray matching La Perla hoodie and pant lounge set—the comfiest set I owned. I washed my face and brushed my teeth, and then I finally started to feel like myself again, even with the bruises and cuts.
When I came out of the bathroom, I found an unfamiliar man talking with Mav.
“Hey, babe,” Maverick said, waving me over. “This is Detective Collins.”
Walking over to him, I held out my hand respectfully, and he shook it. “It’s nice to meet you, detective.”
“Likewise, Ms. Jennings,” he said. He gestured for us to sit. “I’d like to talk about Diana O’Bannion.”
I nodded and crossed my legs, mentally preparing myself for his questions. “What would you like to know?”
“Everything,” he said, pulling a small notebook from his pocket. “From the time you met her up to last Friday when she attacked you.”
Taking a deep breath, I exhaled and told him everything I knew about the she-devil. I told him about the photo shoot we met at five years ago, and the numerous notes she’d sent that led to me filing a restraining order against her. I described the pictures she took of Max and me, and the threatening letter she’d sent to him regarding me. And then I finally rehashed her attack on Imani and me in the parking garage.
“Thank you, Ms. Jennings,” he said politely, closing his notebook. He stood from his seat and smiled down at me politely. “Ms. O’Bannion is in custody on numerous charges, and I have no doubt she’ll spend the rest of her life behind bars. I’m sorry for the pain and misery she’s brought you, but I want you to know, we’ve done everything in our power to make sure you’ll never have to worry about her again.”
“Thank you, detective.” I stood up, relieved, like the weight of her wrath had finally been lifted off my shoulders. “I really appreciate it.”
He nodded and smiled over at Maverick. “You both take care, now.”
“You, too,” Maverick said, walking over to my side. We watched the detective leave the room, and then Maverick maneuvered his arms around my waist and pulled me flush against his chest. “Let’s go home, baby.”
“Yes, let’s.”
*
On the elevator ride up to our place, I leaned back into Maverick, wearing a huge smile, happy to finally be coming home. No matter how polite the hospital staff was, nothing felt as good as coming home to my own surroundings and the bed I shared with the man I loved.
“What do you wanna do first?” Maverick asked, kissing my neck softly.
As turned on as I was by his sweet nothings and soft kisses, I was on strict orders from the doctor to take it easy for at least a week, which meant sex was completely out of the picture. “Well, we can’t do what I wanna do.”
“I know,” he laughed, pulling at the strings of my hoodie. “So, what’s your second choice?”
“Hmm,” I mused, thinking about all the possibilities. “Maybe we could order some pink stuff for the nursery?”
“The nursery does need some color,” he said, smiling against my skin.
“Internet shopping it is!” I cheered.
But when the elevator doors opened up to our foyer, there stood our friends, all wearing big grins and holding different balloons that either welcomed me home or congratulated us on the news of our baby girl. Imani and Max stood among the group, as well as a very excited Axel, who had a pink balloon tied to his collar. We stepped out of the elevator, and tears instantly blurred my vision; I was completely overwhelmed by their everlasting loyalty. Most of them should’ve been at work, but they were here for us.
“Welcome home, baby,” Maverick said, kissing my neck.
“It’s good to be home,” I replied, swiping away a tear.
Our friends gathered around us, chatting nonstop as usual, as each one of them gave me a hug and told me how happy they were to see me.
At the beginning of the year, I’d had no idea my life would end up here. Here, with a healthy baby girl growing in my belly, and a wonderful man who continually supported me and showered me with love. Our future awaited. And I was beyond excited to find out which fantasy we turned into reality next.
Chapter Twenty-Three
Three Weeks Later
Maverick
I found her in the nursery with her sketchbook. Seated on the gray and white rocking chair, she was curled up and studying whatever she was drawing with care. Last night, I let her fulfill her fantasy of drawing a nude picture of me after sex. It wasn’t in her studio like she imagined, but in our bedroom, which made for an even more erotic scene. She stayed completely naked as she sketched me, making it difficult for me to stay still. Her eyes would light up whenever her pencil touched the pad, and she had this smoldering look on her face as she studied me. It was the sexiest thing I’d ever seen, and afterward, I had my way with her again. My woman had immense talent with that sketchbook of hers, and it was a fucking turn-on.
Leaning against the doorway, I gazed around at our little girl’s room. The walls were a light gray and the furniture was all white. Pink bedding lined the crib, and the pink and gray afghan Mom knitted was draped over the railing. After finding out we were having a girl, pink took over the gray and white nursery. Pink curtains hung from the windows, and a pink and gray rug was centered over the dark hardwood floor. A mobile Harper made of pink paper lanterns in different shades and sizes dangled in the corner above the crib. Pink picture frames lined the white shelves, waiting to house photos of baby girl Jones. A lamp with a pink shade sat on the table next to Harper, and a pink chandelier with white lights hung from the ceiling to light up the room.
When my eyes drifted back to Harper, I smiled. She was showing a little now, and as I watched her admire a sketch while rubbing her hand over her bump, I couldn’t help thinking back to last night.
“Checking out the sexy man you drew last night?” I asked, grinning proudly.
She looked up at me and laughed, and then crooked her finger at me. “Now I am. He’s much better in person than in my drawing.”
I kissed her and sat down in front of her on the ottoman. “What are you sketching?”
She sighed and looked around the room with a playful grin on her face. “Clothes.”
“Oh yeah?” I laughed, trying to sneak a peek at her book.
“For the baby,” she said, running her hand over her belly again. “I know I’m taking a break from work, but I think it’d be fun to design baby clothes and clothes for little kids.”
“So design them,” I said, encouraging her dream. It wasn’t just her sexual fantasies I wanted to turn into realities
; I wanted all of her dreams to come true.
“Yeah?” she asked, excitement sparkling in her eyes.
“Yeah.” I nodded and took her sketchbook out of her hands. Sliding my hands up her thighs to her hips, I lifted her into my lap, and she straddled my waist. “Watching you sketch totally turns me on.”
“You’re always turned on,” she laughed, sealing her lips over mine.
“Can you blame me?” I asked against her heavenly mouth.
“No.” The warmth of her breath traveled down my throat and straight to my cock, turning me on even further. “But we have to leave if we’re going to make it to the airport on time.”
It was Thursday morning, and Elly and Carter’s wedding was in a couple of days. We were supposed to meet everyone at the airport in thirty minutes to leave for Dallas.
“We have plenty of time,” I said, kissing her neck. I slipped my hands under her shirt and trailed my fingers up and down her beautiful back.
“I want to,” she moaned, grinding her hips into my groin. “But I still need to pack a few things.”
She pushed away and stood up, but I wrapped my hands around the backs of her thighs before she could walk away. I pressed a kiss to her small baby bump and smiled up at her. “Now that everyone knows we’re having a girl—”
“They’re going to want to know if we have a name picked out,” she finished, hooking her hands around my neck.
“And do we?” We’d started talking about baby names weeks ago, after Harper was discharged from the hospital. Clicking through baby name websites became a daily task for both of us. She would like a name, and I would veto it. I’d pick something, and she’d dislike it. It was a never-ending dispute, but a few nights ago, while we were lying in bed, she came up with a name I instantly loved. It was unique and beautiful, just like I imagined for our daughter. But Harper wanted to think it over a little more before officially deciding.
Now I was leaving it up to her. We either went with her choice or continued searching.
Her smile grew and she nodded eagerly. “Yes! We have a name!”
“Oh, thank god!” I said, jumping up from my seat. Lifting her into my arms, she hooked her legs around my waist and pulled my mouth onto hers for a hot, savage kiss that had me striding out of the nursery and across the hall into our bedroom, determined to take her one more time before we had to leave.
She pulled back, smiling at me with a devious look in her eyes, her lips bruised from colliding with mine. “But let’s keep it a secret until she arrives.”
THE END
Acknowledgements
Turning the fantasy of becoming a writer into a reality has been a crazy, awesome journey that I’m grateful to be on every day, and I’m happy to say I’m not alone. These people are along for the ride, too, and I’m thankful for each and every one of them:
Adrienne Frances and Amanda Maxlyn: I feel like you two know my characters almost as well as I do because we talk about our books all the time. I love the friendship we’ve created. Thank you for keeping me sane during the writing process and always being there for me!
Jillian Dodd, Beth Suit, Kenzie Dodd, and everyone else in the Bandit Publishing family: I’m so thankful to have such an awesome publishing family who believes in me. Thank you for your endless support in helping continue the wonderful world of the Love in the City gang. Our phone chats, messages, and brainstorming sessions are three of my favorite things. They make this journey the fun, smooth-sailing ride that it is!
Michelle Preast at Indie Book Covers: Your work is perfection! Thank you for another beautiful cover, girl! I’m so thrilled it’s mine.
Aimee, Georgette, Holli, Krista, Leslie, Mandie, Mandy, and Melissa: Thank you for beta reading Fantasized By You early on and giving me such wonderful feedback. I appreciate you all taking the time to be part of this wonderful process, and I hope none of you ever have imitation vanilla sex lives.
Book Bloggers: Thank you for all of the hard work and time you put into running your blogs. I know you do it all for the love of reading, without asking for anything in return, and I’m so grateful to each and every one of you who has helped spread the word about my books. You’re the best pimps a girl could ask for, and I’m truly blessed to have you all as part of my team.
The community of Russell, Kansas: Special thanks to the people of my hometown for their continuous support and encouragement of my dreams. I’m so lucky to come from a town that continues to support its people no matter where their lives may take them. Thank you for always cheering me on!
My family and friends: Thank you for listening to me babble on and on about my characters even though they’re imaginary people who I sometimes put before the real people in my life. You all mean so much more to me, and you always will, because I love you. Thank you for your infinite love and support.
Gunner: You’re so much more than a dog. You’re my writing companion, and because of your incessant need for three walks a day and adorable puppy-dog eyes, you remind me to take breaks, which usually help fuel more writing. Thank you for being the greatest four-legged son a mom could ask for.
To you, the reader: There are millions of books out there, so the fact that you chose to read mine still blows my mind and excites me. The fact that I have readers is still so surreal to me, and I don’t know if I’ll ever get used to it, but I love all of you for investing yourselves in my work and my characters’ lives. Some of you even pimp me and my books out on social media, and every time I get a notification from you, I wish I could hug you because it truly means the world to me. Thank you for taking the time to let me share Maverick and Harper’s story with you. Now, go turn some of your own fantasies into realities!
About the Author
Steph Nuss was born and raised in rural Kansas, where she currently resides with her black Labrador son named Gunner. She grew up with a passion for reading and writing. When she’s not immersed into the land of fiction, she enjoys listening to music that came before her time, watching movies and reruns of her favorite shows, and hanging out with her family and friends. She also has a bachelor’s degree in psychology that she’ll never use…unless she’s profiling her characters of course.
Steph’s Website