Stacey Joy Netzel Boxed Set

by Stacey Joy Netzel

  Well, let her keep wondering. If he kept the little klepto off balance, it might be easier to protect the Morgan’s while gathering solid evidence to expose her scam.

  Britt walked toward the foyer. “Joel, I’ll stall them while you show Kendra the guesthouse so she and Noah can freshen up.”

  “I’ll take her,” Colton offered.

  A flash of dismay in her eyes confirmed she didn’t like that prospect one bit.

  “That would help.” Joel turned to Kendra. “Do you mind?”

  Colton’s direct gaze dared her to object. After a visible swallow, she shook her head no.

  “Thanks.” Joel walked by Colton and gave him a clap on the shoulder. “Don’t have to tell you how the Coopers are.” Pausing at the door, he looked at Kendra. “We’ll all have dinner tonight, after you’re settled, okay?”

  She offered a weak smile of agreement, and then Joel’s boots echoed across the floor with his departure. The moment they were alone, Colton braced his hands on the table and leaned forward.

  Her wide gaze met his, full of apprehension. In a moment of distraction, he thought how very pretty her brown eyes were.

  As she reached for her coffee cup, her tongue appeared and swiped nervously across her lips. A jolt of awareness took him completely by surprise.

  Colton shoved back from the table. She jumped, then took a drink as if everything were normal.

  Colton forced any thoughts of pretty or sexy from his mind and managed to sound relatively normal when he asked, “Ready?”

  She took her time setting the cup down before standing. He pushed his hands into his front pockets when she picked up the two dusty leather duffle bags near the entry between the kitchen and the foyer. He’d be damned if he’d offer to carry them, but then found himself holding the back door open.

  “You’ll like it here,” he said, hoping to lull her into a false sense of security. She cast him a quick glance as they walked toward a house set back near the trees, halfway between the main house and three barns.

  “Colorado is very pretty,” she finally replied.

  He flashed a brief smile. “I meant the ranch. Joel and Britt are great, and they’ve got some of the best horses in the state.”

  She nodded, shifting the bags in her arms. A glance at his empty hands told him she was annoyed that he didn’t offer assistance. Hah. As if he owed her any courtesy at all.

  “Where’re you from?”

  After a distinct hesitation, she supplied, “New York.”

  “The city or just the state?” he pressed.

  “City.”

  “Hmmm. This is a far cry from New York.”

  A small smile curved her lips. “You can say that again.”

  “This is a far cry from—”

  “I didn’t mean it literally.” Her smile widened.

  The situation demanded he laugh with her, but he forced his attention off her smile. Once on the porch, he opened the door and stepped inside ahead of her. Then he waited. For the sound of her footsteps. For the thump of her bags hitting the floor. For the click of the door to assure privacy.

  “I wanted to—”

  When he turned, she halted mid-sentence. Her apologetic expression gave way to an alarmed squeak when he grasped her upper arms and pushed her up against the wall. The bulk of his body gave her no room to move.

  “Who the hell are you?” he demanded.

  Stark fear dilated her pupils until her brown eyes were nearly black. Her breathing grew shallow, and she gulped twice before stuttering, “Y-you know w-who I am.”

  He tightened his grip on her shoulders, then became aware of how delicate they seemed under his large hands and forced himself to ease up. “I don’t believe it. You’re up to something, and you’ve got about five seconds to tell me what it is.”

  “H-honestly, I’m n-not.”

  Colton scoffed. “So, it’s merely coincidence that you robbed me this morning and then show up here claiming to be some long lost relative?”

  “It’s nothing more than cruel coincidence—I swear to God.”

  “Don’t you dare do that. I don’t buy one word of it.” He leaned closer, ignoring her trembling beneath his hands. “Who are you? What do you want with Joel?”

  “He told you, I’m his sister. Please…all I want is a place to stay until my…until we get back on our feet. We have nowhere else to go.”

  He caught her hesitation, saw a brief flash of panic, and wondered what she’d been about to say.

  He searched her expression for any kernel of truth to her words.

  In the space of a heartbeat, he became aware of the heat of her vibrating body. If he leaned down a few inches, their lips would meet. His pulse thrummed. The urge to do just that was so great it left him shaken as he stared into her eyes. She was an untrustworthy, lying, thieving, scheming con artist.

  And he’d never felt an immediate attraction like this in his life.

  ~*~

  ***What reviewers are saying:

  You Gotta Read Reviews ~ “Trust in the Lawe was truly one of the best books I have read this year. It's fun, suspenseful, filled with misunderstanding and characters that you will fall in love with. The plot line was tight, very well crafted and every question I may have had throughout the book was answered. I have a great respect for Stacey Joy Netzel and the way she can write a romantic story with sizzle and spice that kept me absolutely addicted. From the moment I started reading, it was as though my real life just floated away and I was drawn into Trust in the Lawe. Honestly, you won't be able to put this book down. If you are not a Stacey Joy Netzel fan yet, just pick up this book and you will find you want to read all of her books. To sum it all up, Outstanding book, not to be missed. I HIGHLY recommend this book.”

  Night Owl Reviews Reviewer Top Pick: “This book is fantastic on so many levels. Ms. Netzel crafted characters that were easy to fall in love with and were so well-rounded that they felt like friends of mine as I was turning the pages. If you're looking for a read that has intrigue, love and deception all wrapped together in a pretty package, than look no further because Ms. Netzel's story will instantly win you over. This is another keeper I'm adding to my library that's written by a wonderfully talented author who knows what readers want to read.” ~ Diana Coyle

  Shattered Trust (Book 2)

  Sweet twenty-seven and never been kissed. Well…no one’s ever accused Marley Wade of being sweet. Raised in the world of construction by her rough-and-tumble father, Marley knows what it takes to succeed as a general contractor in a man’s world. The last thing she needs is an employee who makes her feel soft and feminine.

  New co-owner of Hunter Construction Justin Blake goes undercover on Marley’s crew to discover the truth behind his grandfather’s death. But he didn't count on an instant attraction to his boss—or for it to develop into deeper emotions. When a blackmailer threatens to expose the twenty-five-year-old secrets that link his family and Marley’s, Justin realizes the truth could not only shatter a future with Marley, but his entire family as well.

  EXCERPT:

  “Are you sure your field measure is correct?”

  Her brow creased as she tucked the hair back. “I double checked the measurements myself.”

  His irritation spiked at her doubt. “I suggest you triple check them.”

  She drew herself up straight as a board. “I suggest you go back to what you’re supposed to be doing and quit doing my job.”

  Her quiet order jolted him. Shit. He’d forgotten himself. Lips pressed together in a tight seam, he turned and strode across the plywood floor of the house. Over the next ten minutes, Justin did his job, careful to avoid watching her re-measure.

  Would he have to reveal his identity and fire her? Given the circumstances of the company right now, and the way he’d been distracted by her presence over the past couple days, not to mention Granddad, it might be for the best.

  “You were right.”

  Justin spun around. Loud enough for
everyone in the general vicinity to hear it over the noise of the boom truck, Marley’s husky admission came as a complete surprise. She met his gaze without flinching, even though he read in her eyes how much she hated being wrong.

  “The rafters were ordered off previous blueprints, before we adjusted for the extra insulation the owner insisted we put on the outside wall.”

  A rookie mistake, even if it was an honest one. Unfortunately, because of the size of the house, it would now cost Hunter Construction thousands of dollars in new lumber.

  Marley turned away as the boom began to lower a rafter for a different section of the roof. Justin glanced up the ladder where Nate used a rope to guide it into place, then his gaze returned to her retreating back.

  “You realize you’ll need to reorder the entire set of rafters for that section,” he called.

  She spun around. “I’m not a complete idiot. I’ll have you know—”

  A snap reverberated in the air and Justin saw the boom arm jerk. The ominous sound of the steel cable slipping unrestrained through the iron hook reached his ears as the rafter fell straight toward Marley.

  He lunged forward. Hooked an arm around her waist and dove to the side. The crack of splintering wood accompanied their bone-jarring impact with the ground. Justin lay dazed for a moment, until Marley’s soft curves registered beneath him. No blinding pain—and he was still breathing. So was she.

  Or at least she tried to. His weight on the landing had knocked the wind out of her. Voices surrounded them and hands grabbed his arms. He shook them off, concentrating on shifting his weight from Marley. She stared up at him with wide eyes as she sucked oxygen into her lungs.

  “You okay?” His gruff voice barely rose above a whisper.

  She nodded, but her lashes drifted shut.

  “Are you hurt anywhere?”

  Her arms and legs moved. “I’m okay.” The unsteady words preceded another deep breath. She blinked a few times and looked at the men surrounding them. Dismay flooded her expression. “I need to get up.”

  A slight tremor shook her body. Knowing she’d need a moment to compose herself, he cautioned, “Easy. Take your time.”

  Furious fire sparked in her green eyes. “Let me up,” she demanded.

  Okay, then, screw composure. He took hold of her hand and elbow and hauled her to her feet. She swayed a bit with his release, and her hand reached to steady herself, making contact with his bare arm. A second later, she snatched it away and stiffened her spine.

  Nate pushed through the others and grabbed her close. “Thank God, Mar.”

  “I’m fine, Nate.”

  “You didn’t see what I saw.” He held her at arm’s length. “If he’d been a split second slower…”

  The care and concern in Nate’s expression amazed Justin. So far he’d seen the guy give his sister nothing but grief.

  Chuck clapped Justin on the shoulder. “You okay, man? I can’t believe how fast you moved.”

  That drew some of the attention off Marley, but Justin didn’t want the recognition of what he’d done.

  Either one of them could’ve been killed. Just the thought of it turned his stomach. Memory of another accident threatened to surface, but he forced it away and focused on the present.

  “Someone want to tell me what the hell happened?”

  ~*~

  ***What reviewers are saying:

  Miraculous Blog Review ~ “Stacey Joy Netzel’s way of composing honest, amiable characters, but not consummating their love for each other until the final pages, keeps my heart, as a reader, skipping beats. The electrifying action is a whole nother story in its entirety. Packed with climactic anticipation, and heartfelt, head-over-heels emotions, Shattered Trust is my kind of story. One that I think too much about, even after finishing, and one I look forward to reading all over again.” ~ Stephanie

  Single Title Reviews ~ 5 Stars ~ “Book two in the Colorado Series. Shattered Trust has everything a fantastic book should have, romance, suspense, betrayal, and humor in all the right places. I absolutely adored this book, I sat down planning to read a couple of chapters and did not move until I finished, Stacey Joy Netzel continues to work written magic in this new book. A must read.” ~ Emily

  Shadowed Trust (Book 3): —available October 2011

  Ad-Man Jordan Blake believed image was everything—until his parents were convicted of murder, the family company went bankrupt, and his excessive drinking and arrest fueled the tabloids. When lawyer David Barnes offers representation in exchange for assistance in reopening his Colorado mountain resort, Jordan has no choice. It’s help or jail.

  Hollywood wild child Lexie Sinclair disappeared by changing her name, joining the army, and marrying a soldier. One night, her husband wrapped their car around a tree, killed himself, and left her permanently injured. For the past few years she’s been content to live in peaceful obscurity as caretaker of David’s defunct resort.

  Jordan’s arrival exposes Lexie’s true identity and brings her dead husband’s ‘friends’ calling. Jordan offers to help, but the shadow of his drinking leaves Lexie reluctant to trust. Can they conquer their fears and find the courage to face the criminals—and the world—together?

  EXCERPT:

  “There’s a heated pool in the rec hall, if you want to use it, and a hot tub.”

  “Really?” Jordan pictured her slim body slicing through the water and had to work to swallow his food.

  “I’ve been too busy to look around much, I figured it was for reunions or something.”

  “I can show it to you after dinner, if you’d like.”

  He’d definitely like. “Sure, that’d be great.”

  After dinner, half-past six, she fit a key into the lock and opened the rec hall door. Jordan stepped through after her, and reached back to shut the door as his gaze swept over a number of dining tables near the large windows that faced the lake.

  To the left he noticed a kitchen, and to the right, beyond the tables, couches and chairs were arranged around a large screen TV. One wall held three plastic-covered computer stations, a couple phones and a copy machine. Further to the right of all that, in front of a glass wall that revealed workout equipment in the next room, various game tables were set up.

  “Wow. This is quite the facility.”

  “The pool and hot tub are beyond the workout room,” Lexie informed him. “I check the chemical levels every day, so you don’t have to worry about that.”

  Jordan strode forward to look through the glass. Even from across the exercise room, the glimpse of water on the other side beckoned his sore body. And a soak in the hot tub sounded like pure heaven. He rolled his shoulders, imagined the jets kneading his aching muscles, and bit back a groan.

  “Why’d David stop renting this place out?” He hooked his thumbs in his jeans pockets as he ambled over toward the computers. A flat screen monitor, printer, digital camera and docking station graced each desk. David Barnes had provided deluxe amenities for the guests that used to fill this place, but now it all sat idle.

  He realized Lexie had yet to answer his question and turned. She stood by the bank of windows overlooking the lake, her back to him, but he knew she was aware of his scrutiny by the way she shifted her weight from one foot to the other.

  “You’ll have to ask David that,” she said.

  Well, that answered part of his question. It had something to do with her, but her clipped tone conveyed her unwillingness to talk about it. Yeah, he’d have to ask David, then. He was suddenly very curious, because though a lot of her life story had been in the paper, the last twelve years remained a mystery. How did someone as well known as she’d been just disappear?

  She turned abruptly and limped toward the door. “I’ve got work to do up at the house so you can lock up when you’re done. I’ll see you at breakfast.”

  He didn’t want her to leave, but could hardly ask her to stay and talk, no matter how much he’d enjoyed the last couple hours. Shoving his hands in hi
s pockets and biting his tongue, he turned to face the workout room and the pool beyond when she reached for the door. The water beckoned once more.

  Lexie’s sudden gasp spun him back around. She stood with a hand on her chest and the door open. Jordan found himself staring into the piercing blue gaze of the sheriff.

  “Lawson, you scared me,” Lexie exclaimed.

  The lawman’s gaze delivered a steady accusation at Jordan. “Sorry, Lex. I’m here on official police business.”

  *Chapter 7

  Lexie’s pulse lurched. She glanced back at Jordan, anxiety churning in her stomach from Lawson’s grave statement. Jordan didn’t back down from Lawson’s stare, but his gaze did flick to hers for a split second. Then he stepped forward, lips twisted in a sarcastic sneer.

  “Harry called you, didn’t he?”

  Harry? Lexie thought.

  Lawson voiced the question out loud. “Who’s Harry?”

  Jordan shrugged, hands still in his pockets. “That guy who owns Oleson’s. All I did was park on the street and get a couple hours sleep. That against the law?”

  “You mean Tom Oleson?”

  “Tom, Dick, Harry…pick one, any one will do,” Jordan muttered.

  “I’m not sure what you’re talking about,” Lawson said, “but no one called me.”

  “Then what the hell do you want?”

  Lexie shifted her weight from her right leg. It was going to rain again tonight, and the increasing dampness in the air, along with her tension, made the damaged muscles ache like the devil. Her anxiety raised another notch with the realization the two men were now squared off, her in between. Jordan had pulled his hands from his pockets to clench his fists at his sides.

  Lawson cast Lexie a glance. “I think it may be best if we all sit down and talk.”