by Lori Foster
Lifting her hands, Judd stared at her skinned palms, and his eyes narrowed. “I think you should go to the hospital to get checked over.”
After flexing her shoulders, still sore from the way Mick had held her and the impact on the hard floor, Emily rubbed her knees. “No. That’s not necessary—”
“Dammit! For once, will you just do as I tell you?”
Her heart finally slowed, in fact it almost stopped. He sounded so angry. She supposed he had the right. After all, she’d really messed things up and nearly gotten them both killed. You might as well begin apologizing now, Emily. From the looks of him, it’s going to take a lot to gain his forgiveness. She reached out to take his hand. “Judd, I—”
He came to his feet in a rush and his eyes went over her, lingering on the dark slacks. He ground his jaw and looked away. An ambulance sounded in the distance, and when Emily looked around, she realized the man who’d been about to shoot her was very seriously wounded. Donner looked as though he wasn’t feeling too well, either. He’d been close enough to receive some of the blast from the gun, and he bore a few bruises and bloody gashes from his struggle with Judd.
A passing officer caught Judd’s eye, and he was suddenly hauled over to stand before Emily. Judd seemed filled with annoyance. “See that she gets to the hospital. I want her checked over.”
“Yes, sir.”
Remarkably, Judd started to walk away. Emily grabbed for him. Her hands shook and her heart ached. “Judd? Will I see you later at the house?”
He didn’t look at her. “I already got my stuff out. Your house is your own again. Go home and rest, Em. We can question you later.”
She watched him walk away, not quite believing her eyes, not wanting to believe it could end so easily. And then it didn’t matter anymore. She wasn’t giving up. She may have been a fool, but she refused to remain one. She wanted Judd, and she’d do whatever it took to get him.
* * *
He cut her cold. Emily tried numerous times to reach Judd. Three weeks had passed, and the police no longer needed her as a witness. Evidently, Judd no longer needed her...for anything.
She had no reason to seek him out, but she still tried. He’d remained at the small apartment. She’d been there several times, but he either didn’t answer the door, or he was so distantly polite, asking her about her brother, wishing her well, that she couldn’t bear it. They might have been mere acquaintances, except that Emily felt so much more. She loved him, and even though her parents tried to convince her not to make a fool of herself, she couldn’t give up.
She had tried apologizing to him for mucking things up. That had made him angry all over again, so she’d refrained from mentioning it further. John had gone to him once, to see how he was doing. Judd received her brother much better than he’d received her, and Emily felt a touch of jealousy. It bothered her even more when John claimed Judd was “absolutely miserable.”
“He wants you, Emmie. I know he does. He just doesn’t realize you want him, too.”
Much as she wanted to believe that, she couldn’t allow herself false hope. “I’ve made it more than clear, John. I can’t very well force the man to love me.”
But John had shrugged, a wicked grin on his face. “Why not? At least then you’d settle things, one way or another.”
She thought about that. How could she “force” a man who was nearly a foot taller and outweighed her by ninety pounds? She decided to try talking to him one more time, and went directly to his apartment. His old battered truck sat out front, and as Emily passed, something different caught her eye. At first, she had no idea what it was, and then it struck her.
She bent next to the driver’s window and peered inside. The black lace that used to hang so garishly from his rearview mirror had been replaced by the tie from her dress. Emily vaguely remembered that night when Judd had shoved the pale strip of material into his back pocket moments before they’d made love.
And now it had a place of prominence in his truck.
It was ridiculous how flattered she felt by such a silly thing, but she suddenly knew, deep in her heart, that he did care. At least a little.
She remembered the day he’d allowed her to indulge her fantasies. He’d said he had fantasies of his own, and he’d whispered erotic suggestions to her while they made love, wicked things about her really stripping—performing for him. She had been mortified and excited at the same time. Some of the things he’d suggested had been sinfully arousing, and she’d promised herself, once she could gain the courage, she’d fulfill every single one of his fantasies.
But she hadn’t. She’d let inhibitions get in her way, even though she knew how wild it would make him. But maybe it wasn’t too late. Maybe she could still set things right between them, and show him how much she loved him by giving him everything she possibly could.
She started away from the truck, her confidence restored. But she stopped dead when a little old lady blocked her path.
“What were you doing there, girl?”
“I...” What should she say? That she was admiring an article of her clothing, strung from a rearview mirror like a masculine trophy? That she intended to seduce a man? Get a grip, Emily. “I was just about to call on my...brother. I see his truck is here, so I know he must be—”
“He ain’t home. He’s taken to walkin’ in the park every evening. Usually picks up a few necessaries for me while he’s out.”
“I see.” Emily’s disappointment was obvious.
“I’m the landlady here. You want me to give him a message?”
“No. I had hoped to...surprise him.” Her mind whirled. “It’s his birthday today. And since he doesn’t have any other family, I thought maybe I could make this day...special.”
“His birthday, you say? Well, now we can’t let it go by without a little fun, can we? I could let you into the apartment, if that’s what you’re wantin’.”
Already Emily’s pulse began racing. “Yes, that would be wonderful. And I promise, he’ll be so surprised.”
* * *
Judd dragged himself up the steps to his apartment. The weather had been considerably milder lately, and he wore only a T-shirt with his jeans. The early-evening air should have refreshed him, but he still felt hollow. He’d felt that way ever since Emily had been endangered—by his own design.
His drive, his need to see Clayton Donner sent to jail, had clouded his reason and cost him his heart. He’d thought losing Max had been the ultimate hurt, but knowing he’d endangered Emily, knowing he’d risked her life, used her, loved her, was slowly killing him. He couldn’t bear to face himself in the mirror.
He also knew he’d love her forever, and it scared the hell out of him. Time and distance hadn’t helped to diminish what he felt. But what could he do? Ask her to forgive him, to spend her life with him? How could he? She deserved better than him. Her grace was always with her, whether she was working at the soup kitchen, or sneaking into a warehouse full of danger. She was elegance personified, and he was a man who went to any extreme to get what he wanted, to see a job done, including stripping off his clothes for a pack of hungry women.
Self-disgust washed over him. He rubbed his face, wishing he could undo the past and be what Emily deserved.
Mrs. Cleary met him in the hallway, a huge smile spread over her timeworn features. Struck dumb for a moment, Judd stared.
“Did you fetch my bread and eggs?”
“Here you go, Mrs. Cleary. Are you sure you don’t need anything else?” Judd had taken to the older woman with her gruff complaints and constant gossip. He figured she was probably every bit as lonely as he was.
“No, I got all I need. Now you run on home. And happy birthday.”
Judd blinked. “But...” She winked at him, and he decided against correcting her assumption. Age could be the very devil, and if she wanted to believe it was his birthday, for whatever reason, he’d let her. “Thanks.”
When he reached his apartment and stepped ins
ide, he knew right away that something was different. He could feel it. All his instincts kicked in, and he looked around with a slow, encompassing gaze. His bedroom door was shut.
That seemed odd. Then odder still, music began to play. He recognized the slow, brassy rhythm as one of his favorite CDs, and his instincts took over. Without real thought, he inched his way to the cabinet where he kept his Beretta, slowly slid it into his palm, and crept forward.
The beat of the music swelled and moaned, and Judd flattened himself beside the door. Then, with his left hand, he slowly turned the knob and threw it open.
He waited, but no bodies came hurdling out, and he cautiously, quickly, dipped his head inside then jerked back to flatten himself against the wall.
No. It took his mind a second to assimilate what he’d just seen, and still, he didn’t believe it. He blinked several times, then peeked into the room again.
Yes. That was Emily.
Standing in the center of his rumpled bed.
He moved to block the doorway, his gun now held limply at his side. The black leather jacket he’d used as part of his stripping costume hung around her shoulders, the sleeves dropping past her fingertips. It wasn’t zipped, and he could see a narrow strip of bare, pale flesh, from her black lace bra to her skimpy lace panties. Her navel was a slight shadow framed by the zipper and black leather.
Max’s hat sat at a rakish angle on her head. She grinned.
Sweat on his palms made it necessary for him to set the gun aside. He stumbled to the dresser, then took two steps toward her before he stopped, unsure of himself, unsure of her.
With her eyes closed, her hips swayed to the music. As he watched, her face blossomed with color—and the jacket fell away.
He licked his lips, trying to find some moisture in his suddenly dry mouth. It had been three long weeks, three endless weeks, since he’d made love to Emily. She lifted her arms over her head, her nipples almost escaping the sheer lace, and he felt his body harden. His erection grew long and full, pressing against his suddenly tight jeans.
She turned on the bed, not saying a single thing. Judd breathed through his mouth as his body pulsed, his eyes glued to the sight of her small bottom encased in black lace. Her hips swayed and his erection leaped, along with his heart.
Emily reached behind her back to unhook her bra. He took another step closer. He wanted to ask her what this meant, but he was afraid to speak, afraid she’d stop—afraid she wouldn’t. When she turned around, she tossed the bra to him.
It hit him in the chest and fell to the floor. He couldn’t move. He couldn’t blink. He could barely force air past his restricted lungs.
The hat fell off when she bent slightly at the waist, hooking her thumbs in the waistband of her panties. The blush had spread to encompass her throat, her breasts. Her pointed nipples flushed a dark rose. The music picked up, hitting a crescendo and crashing into a final, raging beat.
Emily released the panties and they slid down her slender thighs, landing against his disheveled covers and pooling around her feet.
Judd stared at the triangle of dark glossy curls and his nostrils flared. He started toward her.
She raised one hand and he stopped. “We need to talk, Judd.”
“Talk?” His mind felt like mush, his body, like fire.
“I realized desperate measures were necessary to get your attention.”
“Believe me, Em. You have my attention.” It was an effort, but he managed to force his gaze to her earnest face.
She lifted her chin. Her lips trembled for a moment. “I hope you’ll understand. Sometimes we have to do outrageous things to meet our ends. Just as you had to strip to trap Donner, well, I had to strip to...trap you.” She clenched her hands together, and then she blurted out, “I love you.”
“You...” He’d been engrossed with her odd comparison, and the fact she’d evidently understood his motives all along. And she hadn’t blamed him for doing whatever needed to be done. He’d been wrong about that.
But now his thoughts crashed down. She couldn’t have said what he thought she’d said. “You...love me?”
“Yes. I love you. I want you. Forever. I realize I’m not quite what you had in mind for a...a woman.”
“A wife?”
“Well, yes. That would probably be the most logical thing, considering how I feel.”
“You love me?”
She made an exasperated sound and propped her fists on her naked hips. His body throbbed.
“Didn’t I just say so? Twice?”
“I believe you did.”
“Well? Do you think you can come to love me? I realize this is probably not very...fair of me. To try to seduce you—”
“You passed ‘try’ when the music began.”
“Oh. I see. Well, then, you should know, I expect everything. Our...reactions to each other are...very satisfying, but I want more.”
“You want me to marry you?”
She tromped over to the edge of the bed, bringing her breasts a mere foot from his face. He swallowed, then gave up trying to keep his gaze focused.
He put first one knee, then the other on the bed and wrapped his arms around her, pressing his mouth to her soft naked belly. “I love you, too, Em. God, I love you.”
Her fingers clenched in his hair. “Really?”
“I was afraid to love you, but it happened, anyway.”
“You were afraid?”
He nodded, then nuzzled one pointed nipple. “You deserve so much better.”
Her fingers tightened and pulled. Wincing, he looked up at her. “Don’t you ever say that again! You’re the finest, the most caring man I’ve ever known.”
He saw her intent expression, her anger, and felt himself begin to believe. “Our backgrounds—”
“Damn our backgrounds!”
Judd blinked. Cursing from Emily? He felt shocked, and ridiculously happy.
“You rose above your upbringing, Judd. Despite all your disadvantages, you’re a hero.” Her fingers tightened again and she brought his head against her. “You’re my hero.”
“No.”
“Yes! I’m not giving you pity, because you don’t need it. I’m only giving you the truth. I love everything about you.” She swallowed hard, then gentled her hold on his hair, smoothing her hand over his crown. “And you make me feel loved. Nothing else matters. We can work out the rest.”
“The rest?”
“I love my house, Judd. I’d like us to live there.”
“I’d...I’d like that too. But Emily, I’m not a pauper. I’ve never had anything to spend my money on, so I have a hefty savings—”
Her fingers touched his mouth. “I never thought you were helpless, Judd. And we’ll support each other, okay? That is, if you can tolerate my parents. They do seem to be trying.”
He pulled her down until she knelt in front of him. “Marry me, Emily.”
Her eyes, those huge, eat-a-man-alive eyes, fairly glowed with happiness. She kissed him, all over his face, his ear, his shoulder. “Yes,” she shouted, “Oh, Judd, I love you.”
As they both began trying to wrestle his clothes from his body, Judd said, “Promise me you’ll strip for me again later. You took me so much by surprise, I think I might have missed something.”
Her blush warmed him, and she smiled. “Whatever you say, Detective.” And then he made love to her.
* * * * *
Keep reading for an excerpt from NO LIMITS by Lori Foster.
“A red-hot page-turner.”
—#1 New York Times bestselling author Kresley Cole on When You Dare
If you loved Charade, be sure to catch these other pulse-pounding titles by New York Times bestselling author Lori Foster:
No Limits
Hard Knocks (novella)
Dash of Peril
Getting Rowdy
Bare It All
Run the Risk
Back to Buckhorn (novella)
When You Dare
&nbs
p; Trace of Fever
Savor the Danger
A Perfect Storm
What Chris Wants (novella)
These, and other Lori Foster titles, are now available in ebook format. Be sure to download all of them today!
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CHAPTER ONE
COILED TIGHT WITH TENSION, Cannon sat in the leather chair and faced the lawyer’s desk with loaded impatience. From head to toe, his battered body ached, but at present his mind focused on less-physical issues. After finally landing back in the States, he’d planned to spend the day in the hot tub, and the night in bed—with enough female company to help him forget how close he’d come to losing his last fight.
Three days ago he’d taken on the biggest challenge of his career, his most publicized bout on the main card for the Supreme Battle Championship—in Japan with a packed house and a lot of expectation from the organization.
Though he’d taken plenty of hits himself, he’d been beating his opponent on points...and then he’d fucked up.
After catching a kick to the liver, he’d lost his air, bent double in excruciating pain, and was going down. Only pure instinct had helped him throw one last punch when his opponent had charged in for the kill.
That punch had landed dead center on the Pit Bull’s glass jaw. Lights out.
He’d struggled to stand upright while the other man came back around, and the fight had ended with him as the winner. But damn, it had been close, and being the winner didn’t negate the hits and kicks he’d absorbed. He needed some R & R.
However, all his plans for taking it easy had gone awry when he’d gotten summoned back to Warfield, Ohio. It was a three-hour drive, and usually when he made the trip, he visited friends first thing.
This time, though, he waited around as a stuffy lawyer flipped through paperwork and a female assistant gave him the eye.