Dirty Little Secrets: Romantic Suspense Series (Dirty Deeds Book 2)

by AJ Nuest

  And he’d hated himself for it ever since.

  But bottom line was, if Charlie found his actions unforgivable, he wouldn’t blame her one damn bit. She was the only woman he’d ever loved, and she’d earned every happiness life had to offer. If she chose to leave, he’d let her go…and say goodbye to his heart in the process.

  She slowly turned, her brow creased, lips compressed in a hard slash. Damned if the hint of a smile didn’t tug one corner of her mouth, and he frowned. “You cheated? That’s your big secret?”

  A knock sounded from the hall, and he flinched.

  Eden. Bringing Charlie’s lunch.

  He released her and shoved back on the bed to go answer the door, maybe ask Eden to come back at a later time, but his blond addiction beat him to the punch. “Come in.”

  He shot a dark scowl at Charlie. What was she doing? To him, tapping pause on their conversation came off somewhere along the lines of stapling his tongue to the roof of his mouth.

  The knob twisted, and Eden popped her head inside. “Sorry that took so long. I was waiting on the bread.” Easing a loaded tray in front of her, she strode into the room. “I also included this morning’s Trib in case either of you were interested. Lead article on page one is all about how a team of high-level FBI agents arrested Thomas Ryan the second he landed back on US soil. And then there’s the story buried on page four. Something about a team of scientists at MIT and how they’re nearing a breakthrough in curing a strain of persistent viruses. Good call dropping the formula to them in an anonymous email, X. I’m sure they appreciate the help.”

  Well, hooray for them because Byrne sure had been none too happy. Even though he’d kept his grumbling to a minimum since he already had his hands full cleaning up the fast one Loretta Swinehart had pulled on his team. “Not my doing. The credit belongs to Charlie.”

  Eden slid the tray onto the dresser and faced the bed with a smile. “I stand corrected.” A sharp glance between them, and her shoulders fell. “Uh-oh. Trouble in paradise?”

  “Depends on your version of paradise, I guess.” Pushing to her feet, Charlie crossed to the tray and lifted a steaming tea cup to her lips. “Xander just told me he cheated in the competition.”

  Jesus, really? His stomach shriveled to the size of a fist.

  Admitting what he’d done so he could beg Charlie’s forgiveness was one thing. Facing down two Dirty Deeds women was another.

  “You don’t say.” Eden crossed her arms, eyeing him with a shrewd brow. “He cheated, huh?”

  “Yep.” Charlie turned at Eden’s side and, for a split second, Xander considered whether his odds of survival might be better if he dove out the second-storey window.

  “Hmmm…” Eden fiddled with the ends of her auburn coils. “Guess that makes two of us.”

  Charlie dipped her chin. “Or three.”

  Xander’s spine wrenched at the same second Eden snorted a laugh. “We all cheated, X. Hell, it was practically a requirement.” She frowned, but one side of her mouth quirked in a clever smirk. “You didn’t know the files on Malcolm’s laptop were faked? He was old school, remember? Kept the real stats locked in one of his desk drawers.”

  Hiking his chin, Xander slid a squint toward Charlie. “Yeah, I seem to recall something about hard copies, but I assumed the information was the same.”

  She pressed the tip of her index finger to her lips, but that didn’t do squat for hiding her wicked grin.

  “My mistake.” Plastering on a smile, he stood. “Won’t happen again.”

  “Okay, then.” Eden pivoted for the door. “Let me know if you get hungry. I’m happy to bring up another tray.”

  “No, no, I think I have everything I need.” Or he would in about five seconds. Placing his hand on her back, he escorted her into the hall. “Thanks, though. You’re a real pal.”

  “Hey, back atcha…pal.” Her soft laugh was a combination of yeah, right and that-man-done-lost-his-mind. “Oh, and Charlie.” She peeked around the jamb. “Before I forget, Trey was asking about you, and the way the two of you connected sorta got Kelly and me talking.” She lifted one shoulder in a shrug. “We had an idea you might be interested in. Working with kids like Trey to help them adjust, get a fresh start. You have a special knack for that and we’d love it if you’d consider helping us out. We’d pay you, of course. You could name your price.” She glanced at Xander and blanched. “We’ll talk later.”

  “Anything you need, E.” Charlie toasted Eden with her cup. “Happy to help however I can.”

  A nod to them both, and Eden disappeared down the hall.

  Xander pushed the door closed and slipped the lock, leaning back against the wood. Jesus, all the time he’d wasted. He met Charlie’s eyes. Stared at the love of his life and saw that same emotion reflected in her gaze. All the years he’d lost simply because he’d held back the truth.

  In many ways, he supposed it served him right. In others, he’d learned his lesson hard enough he wasn’t about to waste another second moving forward. “Item number one. Non-negotiable. We’re staying.”

  Charlie fluttered her lashes. “Are you offering me terms, Xander?” Eyes narrowed, she pursed her lips as if mulling over his proposal. “Fine. Primary residence in Chicago, with the option to visit New York once a month or as needed.”

  “Done.” Pushing off from the door, he took one step forward. A grin threatened, and he cleared his throat as she did the same. “Item two, we’re getting married. Also non-negotiable.”

  She held her finger in the air. “Under the condition I get to set the date.”

  “Okay, but six months, tops.” They’d already waited long enough to start their happily ever after. And starting right now, that’s exactly what they were going to be.

  Another long stride, and he chuckled as she scampered forward two to match the distance. “From this point on, no more secrets.”

  “Absolutely none.” She slashed her hand through the air. “And the only people we cheat are those who got it coming.”

  “Agreed.” One last step, and their bodies met, but with that layer of bulky fleece between them, she wasn’t anywhere near close enough for his liking.

  He tugged the belt at her waist and the sides of her robe fell open. Snaking his arm around her waist, he hauled her against his chest.

  “Final item.” The cushion of her breasts warmed his skin, and he bit back a groan as her soft belly nestled his cock. Threading his fingers through her hair, he ran his thumb along the edge of her jaw and brought her in for a kiss. “I get to tell you you’re beautiful as many times a day as I see fit.” He flicked his tongue along the sweet swell of her full bottom lip, angling her head for better access. “And you have to believe me.” A light brush back and forth, and he nibbled each corner. A whimper caught in her chest, and she melted against him as he swept a kiss down her throat. “Non-negotiable.”

  “Is that so?” Her palms skimmed his biceps as he eased back. Arms resting on his shoulders, she raked her fingers through his hair. “I gotta say, negotiating with you these next sixty years promises to be very interesting. And as for believing you?”

  His knees nearly gave at her knock-out smile. The one that could’ve outshone the sun.

  “I do.”

  Meet the Author

  Multi-published, award-winning author and editor AJ Nuest resides in Northwest Indiana with her loving husband, two beautiful children, and a bevy of spoiled pets. Her four-part serial fantasy romance, The Golden Key Chronicles, was named the RONE Time Travel Romance of 2015 by InD’Tale Magazine, and her contemporary romantic comedy, She’s Got Dibs, won First Place in the Heartland Romance Author’s Show Me the Spark! Contest, 2013. For more information, please visit her at ajnuest.com.

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  Series (Dirty Deeds Book 2)