Harlequin Desire June 2020 - Box Set 1 of 2
Page 30
Reese picked up her sunglasses and book and shoved them into her beach bag, then lifted it up.
“What do you say?” he asked.
What did she say? Josie shook her head, as if that would somehow put all these jumbled thoughts back into place.
Melissa thought she and Reese looked in love; her ex-husband had said the same. Reese professed his love and Josie…was confused.
“Something wrong?” he asked. “If you don’t want to come, no pressure. We can tell them about this whole friend thing. Believe me, they’re discreet with secrets, so they won’t say anything until we can make an official statement.”
Josie continued to stare at him. “That’s it? Less than forty-eight hours ago you said you loved me and now you’re good with being friends?”
“I do love you,” he informed her without hesitation. “I also respect your decision. What do you want from me?”
The question was, what did she want from herself? She wanted to be able to trust her feelings, to trust that if she took this leap, he’d be holding her hand the entire way. She’d been slowly moving toward this moment, and now she was going to reach for the life she wanted…the life they deserved together.
“I want it all,” she murmured before she could stop herself.
Her eyes dropped to her feet as a wave of fear coupled with relief washed over her.
She’d let out her true feelings, but now what?
Reese’s fingertip slid beneath her chin as he forced her to meet his gaze. “Say that again, Jo. I didn’t quite catch it.”
She closed her eyes.
“No,” he demanded. “Look at me. I’ve waited for this for a long time.”
“How long?”
His smile softened. “Probably since I met you, but at least a few years.”
Years? How had she taken so long to catch up?
“Tell me what you’re thinking,” he told her. “I don’t want any confusion.”
He still hadn’t reached for her, so she reached for him. She placed her hands on either side of his face and stepped into him.
“As much as I love our friendship, I love you more,” she told him. “All of you. I want to be with you, but I’m terrified.”
“You think I’m not?” he asked with a laugh. “I just know that never having you again sounds like pure torture and I need you, Jo. I need you in my house, in my life, as more than a friend.”
“What happens if we can’t—”
He covered her lips with his. Her bag slipped to the ground, landing at her feet as he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her flush with his body.
“We don’t fail,” he murmured against her lips. “That’s not who we are, and we love each other too much.”
Her fear melted away little by little. He was right. They were both so strong, they’d always held each other up and she knew going into a deeper relationship would be no different.
“So do we get the ring back on this finger?” he asked.
Josie nodded. “Yes. Let’s go back to your house since your family is waiting on you.”
“Our family,” he corrected. “They’re our family now, Jo, because you’re mine.”
EPILOGUE
Six months seemed like a long time, but in the grand scheme of things regarding legal doings and commercial sales, it was lightning fast.
Reese smiled. Lockwood Lightning was now officially under new ownership. Sam, Nick and Reese were in the moonshine business.
“This has been a hell of a ride,” Nick stated as he poured five glasses of moonshine and one glass of apple cider for his very pregnant fiancée.
The guys had signed papers yesterday and this morning they were making things official. Rusty had been so strapped for cash between the embezzlement, the lawyer fees and back taxes he’d “forgotten” that he’d had no choice but to sell. The guys offered more than anyone else would have and now they were all starting this new chapter as one unit.
“I’m glad I could be part of it,” Reese said, sliding his arm around Josie’s waist.
Since that day she’d come home with him six months ago, she hadn’t left. She’d sent for her things, moved in and they were officially planning a wedding. The weekly blogs were getting to be exhausting, but she was loving every minute of it and he wanted nothing more than to see her happy.
Nick doled out all of the glasses as they stood in a circle in the main tasting area of Lockwood Lightning.
“To new beginnings,” Sam declared as he raised his tumbler. “This is just the start of a new dynasty.”
“And with the resort opening in a few weeks, we are slowly taking over Tennessee,” Nick added.
“I’ll drink to that,” Sam laughed.
Silvia gasped. “Oh, no.”
Everyone turned to see her holding her side.
“I think I’m having a contraction.” She grimaced. “I mean, I think I’ve had them all morning, but this one seems strong.”
“All morning?” Nick asked. “And you’re just now telling me?”
She scrunched her face and handed over her glass. Josie quickly reached for it before it dropped.
“I knew this was such an important moment for you guys,” she defended. “But I’m pretty sure I need to get to the hospital.”
Reese nodded. “Go. We’ll take care of things here.”
Nick ushered Silvia out the door and Reese turned, catching Josie’s eye. She smiled and something he didn’t quite recognize glinted in her eye.
She tipped back the cider that had been Silvia’s and handed him her moonshine.
“You might want to do another toast to new beginnings,” she told him. “And I’ll take another cider.”
Her statement, her actions, finally hit him.
“Jo?”
Her smile widened and she nodded. “About ten weeks now.”
“Ten weeks?”
“Surprise,” she exclaimed.
Maty laughed and turned to Sam. “Don’t look at me. I have no news, but I wouldn’t mind getting a puppy.”
“Deal,” Sam agreed.
Reese took the empty glass from Josie and handed it to Sam. He pulled her against him and couldn’t help the tears that clogged his throat. All these years he’d thought about a family, but never knew where to start.
Now he knew.
The woman he’d been waiting for had been in his life for so long. She’d agreed to marry him for real six months ago and now they were going to start a family. Nothing could have made him happier.
“I love you,” he whispered into her ear.
“I love you, baby.” She held on to him and he thought he heard a little sniff. “We’re going to kill this parenting gig.”
He eased back. “We are,” he agreed. “But can we not tell your editor? I’m afraid of what she’ll have us do next for the magazine.”
Josie eased back, her eyes filled with unshed tears as she smiled. “We’ll hold her off as long as possible.”
Good, because Reese needed his family all to himself for now. He’d waited a long time and he finally had everything he’d ever wanted.
* * * * *
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ISBN: 9781488062964
Scandalous Engagement
Copyright © 2020 by Jules Bennett
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.
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A reunion he never saw coming…
When one impulsive moment leads to another…
Though it has been nine years since Finn Murphy’s marriage combusted, his attraction to art dealer Beah Jenkinson has never dimmed. When work obligations throw them together in a London hotel, Finn hopes a casual affair will satisfy his yearnings. But as events lead them from Europe to Boston to plan their best friends’ wedding, he quickly discovers he and his ex have a lot of unfinished business…
“Who’s the guy?”
Hell of a thing when your mouth no longer obeyed your brain.
“None of your business,” Beah replied. And it wasn’t; it really wasn’t.
“Are you sleeping with someone else?” Finn asked, trying to sound casual but missing by a thousand miles.
“Would it bother you if I was?”
“Damn right it would. I don’t like sharing.”
He turned his head and caught Beah’s nod. “I don’t like sharing either so, fair enough. Just for the record, I’m not sleeping with anyone else.”
Finn felt the monster retreat. “Okay.” He waited for her to explain and then waited some more. But no explanation came.
Crap. He didn’t, he discovered, like being kept in the dark. Not about her. And he knew, at a gut level, whoever was on the other end of the call was damn important to Beah.
Who? Why? What was she up to?
* * *
Back in His Ex’s Bed by Joss Wood is part
of the Murphy International series.
Dear Reader,
Murphy International, the world-famous auction house, is owned and operated by the Murphy brothers: Carrick, Ronan and Finn. In One Little Indiscretion and Temptation at His Door, I introduced you to Carrick and Ronan Murphy, two of the three brothers.
Back in His Ex’s Bed is Finn Murphy’s story. Shortly after college, Finn met and, after a whirlwind relationship, married Beah Jenkinson, an intern at Murphy International. But their relationship and marriage crashed and burned. Within a year they were divorced, and Beah left Boston to work for the London branch of Murphy International. Without any help from the brothers, she climbed up the corporate ladder to become Murphy’s most important art adviser and client liaison, dealing with superwealthy art collectors.
After nearly a decade of having minimal contact and avoiding each other, Finn and Beah are forced to have dinner with a wealthy client, and their always lava-hot chemistry bubbles over and they sleep together. Their lives, and their intention to keep avoiding each other, spin rapidly out of control when Beah is ordered back to Boston to help the brothers prepare for the sale of a generation and when Beah agrees to help Finn organize a wedding for a terminally ill friend.
I loved writing a strong, ambitious heroine, and my daredevil, Finn, is a hero I won’t soon forget. I really hope you enjoy the conclusion to my Murphy International series. Connect with me on Facebook (JossWoodAuthor), Twitter (JossWoodbooks) and BookBub (joss-wood).
Happy reading!
Joss
Xxx
Back in His Ex’s Bed
Joss Wood
Joss Wood loves books and traveling—especially to the wild places of southern Africa and, well, anywhere. She’s a wife, a mom to two teenagers and slave to two cats. After a career in local economic development, she now writes full-time. Joss is a member of Romance Writers of America and Romance Writers of South Africa.
Books by Joss Wood
Harlequin Desire
Murphy International
One Little Indiscretion
Temptation at His Door
Back in His Ex’s Bed
Love in Boston
Friendship on Fire
Hot Christmas Kisses
The Rival’s Heir
Second Chance Temptation
Visit her Author Profile page at Harlequin.com, or josswoodbooks.com, for more titles.
You can also find Joss Wood on Facebook, along with other Harlequin Desire authors, at Facebook.com/harlequindesireauthors!
Dedicated to my own “Wilfred Seymour,” my dad.
You taught me to love books and writing
and that there’s always a plan to be made.
I miss you every day. Love you always.
CONTENTS
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Epilogue
ONE
Beah Jenkinson exited the black taxi at the swanky entrance to Claridge’s, grateful for her long vintage cashmere coat. Ignoring the light drizzle, she paid her fare, tucked her designer clutch bag under her arm and sucked in a deep breath.
She could do this; she had to do this…
It was only dinner with one of the most important and elusive art collectors in the world.
And her ex-brother-in-law Carrick.
And her ex-husband, Finn.
Who also happened to be two of her three bosses. Not a big deal.
Liar. It was such a big deal…
“Good evening, madam.”
Beah returned the black-frocked doorman’s greeting with a distracted smile and walked through the doors and into the lobby of the impressive hotel. Allowing her coat to swing open, she resisted the urge to turn and check her reflection in the glass doors, to reassure herself that her off-one-shoulder, tight-fitting cobalt blue cocktail dress with its ruffled hem was suitable.
She knew she looked fine; she always did, and her dress was a perfect combination of business chic and dinner sexy. As per usual, she’d pulled her Orphan Annie curls into a tight chignon and she’d covered her much-hated freckles with expertly applied makeup.
She was thirty years old and looked like what she was, a woman confident in her body and her looks. She had an amazing career, a wonderful life. It was only when she was faced with meeting Finn Murphy that she felt like the insecure, clingy, desperate-to-be-loved young woman she’d been nine years ago.
So annoying.
Needing a minute to regulate her breathing, to slow down her over-fast heart rate, Beah ducked into the plush ladies’ room and sat on the edge of a velvet-covered stool, staring down at her classic nude heels.
Resting her head against the wall, Beah closed her eyes.
You can do this, Jenkinson. It’s just business.
Nee
ding reassurance, Beah pulled her phone out of her clutch bag and hit one on her speed dial. It was early afternoon in Boston, but if she was lucky, her best friend would answer her call. Beah held her breath as the phone rang. And rang. Dammit, Keely was busy; she wouldn’t be able to talk Beah down from this ledge.
“Hi, Bee.”
Beah’s heart settled as air flowed into her lungs. Keely’s voice, as it always did, steadied her, made her feel connected. She’d met the small blonde through the Murphy brothers and they’d instantly clicked. When Beah and Finn announced their divorce, Keely had rocked up on her doorstep with wine, pizza, chocolates and open arms.
“Why are you here?” Beah had asked her, tears streaming down her face. “I thought the Murphys gained custody of you in the divorce.”
“Finn has his brothers. You need someone.”
That’s what Keely had told her as she swept into her life. Although they lived on either side of the Atlantic Ocean these days, they were as close today as they’d ever been.
“Bee? Talk to me, honey.”
Beah straightened, leaned back into the chair and tipped her face up to look at the molded ceiling. “I’m sitting in the ladies’ room at Claridge’s.”
Keely waited for a beat. “Would you like to tell me why?”
Beah turned her head to the right, saw her reflection in the massive mirror and wrinkled her nose. She looked as pale as a ghost. “I’m about to have a working dinner with Finn, Carrick and Paris Cummings.”
“Ah. Are you feeling nervous?”
Not exactly. “Off-balance, maybe. I’m good at my job, Keely, and I meet clients all the time. And I speak to Carrick and Ronan a few times a week. Finn…”
“Finn what?” Keely asked, sounding amused.
“Finn—”
“Hold on a sec, Bee. My PA has a question…”
It was a temporary reprieve, but it gave Beah time to think. Memories tumbled as Beah waited for Keely to return her attention to their conversation. She’d been twenty-one and had left London for New York, excited to work in a new city. With honors degrees in both economics and fine art, she secured an internship at Murphy International—a world-renowned art auction house. Within days, she’d she met the brilliant, terribly sexy Finn Murphy, a stunning combination of geeky nerd and sexy jock.