Going with Josie downstairs, she saw Chris waiting there. He’d insisted on giving her away, since she and Trevor decided not to have attendants in the ceremony. She’d joked that she could have Sigmund stand beside them, though.
“See you out there.” Josie left them and entered the chapel.
Chris offered his arm, dapper in his black tux, with his blond hair and blue eyes. She slipped hers through the space beneath his bent arm.
“It’s my pleasure to give you away, Jocelyn. I’ve always looked up to my big brother.”
“He loves all of you more than you can imagine.” She knew that would be important for him to hear.
He smiled. “I know that now.”
“Good.”
They walked to the chapel entrance. “Allow me to be the first to welcome you to the family.”
She caught sight of Trevor, standing tall, dark and proud at the altar, hands clasped in front, dark gaze on her.
She had to breathe faster as she walked down the aisle. Officers in uniform, agents in suits and the rest of Trevor’s family stood in the pews, watching.
Reaching the altar, the minister—the same who’d married them in Vegas; Trevor had flown him here—said, “Who gives this bride to this man?”
“I do.” Chris smiled at his brother.
Jocelyn stepped up next to Trevor, unable to stop herself from smiling, either. He grinned in a sexy way, all the secrets they had speaking to her. Secrets in love.
“This is much different than the Mr. and Mrs. Smith outfits in Las Vegas,” the minister said.
A wave of curbed laughter spread over the crowd.
“You look lovely, Jocelyn,” the minister said.
“Thank you.”
Trevor took Jocelyn’s hands and held them in his palms, then hooked her arm with his. “Lovely indeed.”
“Ladies and gentlemen, we are gathered here today to witness the joining of this man and woman. If there’s anyone who objects, speak now or forever hold your peace.” He scanned the crowd.
No one objected.
“I might have objected in Las Vegas,” the minister said.
More brief chuckles spread.
“Let us begin.” The minister turned to Trevor. “Trevor Colton, will you have this woman to be your wedded wife, to love her, comfort her, honor and keep her, and forsaking all others, keep you only unto her, for so long as you both shall live?”
“I do.” He sounded much different than in Vegas. A lot more certain.
Smiling his approval, the minister turned to Jocelyn. “Jocelyn Locke, will you have this man to be your wedded husband, to love him, comfort him, honor and keep him, and forsaking all others, keep you only unto him, so long as you both shall live?”
“I do,” she said.
“Very good. Hold hands and repeat after me.”
Jocelyn removed her arm from the hook of his and he took her hands.
“I see I don’t have to tell you to face each other and hold hands this time,” the minister said to a few more chuckles.
“I, Trevor Colton...” the minister said.
Trevor looked deep into Jocelyn’s eyes. She felt his sincerity and his love.
“I, Trevor Colton, take you, Jocelyn Locke, to be my wedded wife, to have and to hold, for better or for worse, for richer or for poorer, to love and to cherish, from this day forward.”
“Now for the lady,” the minister said. “I, Jocelyn Locke...”
“I, Jocelyn Locke, take you, Trevor Colton, to be my wedded husband, to have and to hold, for better or for worse, for richer or for poorer, to love and to cherish, from this day forward.”
“Is there a ring?” the minister asked.
“Yes.” He took out the ring he’d given back to Jocelyn at the hospital.
“Please place the ring on the bride’s finger and repeat after me,” the minister said.
Trevor took Jocelyn’s hand, holding her gently and reverently, and slipped the ring onto her finger. Then he looked into her eyes again and said, “With this ring, I thee wed.”
“Is there a ring for the groom?”
Jocelyn opened her palm. Trevor had given her his ring before the ceremony.
She held his hand now, slipping on the ring. “With this ring, I thee wed.”
“Let these rings be given and received as a token of your affection, sincerity and fidelity to one another.”
They were given and received as a token of their affection, sincerity and fidelity. Jocelyn felt it to her core.
“By the authority vested in me by the state of Texas, I now pronounce you husband and wife.” The minister beamed a fond smile. “You may kiss the bride.”
Jocelyn put her hands on Trevor’s chest as he drew her against him. He lowered his head as she tipped hers up. He kissed her, soft, warm and long.
His brothers whistled and others hooted.
When Trevor moved back with happiness shining in his eyes, they turned together to face the crowd.
“Allow me to be the first to introduce you to Mr. and Mrs. Colton.”
Everyone applauded and she and Trevor made their way down the aisle. Her chest all but burst with love and excitement—for a future she dreamed of and now finally had at her feet.
Outside, people threw confetti as they made their way to the limo. Jocelyn stopped with her bouquet of flowers. Women gathered, female officers...and Josie.
Jocelyn turned her back and threw the bouquet. When she looked back, she saw Josie holding it with wide eyes.
Trevor’s brothers and sisters laughed and Sam said, “Oh, you’re next, little sister!”
With people clapping and talking and laughing, Jocelyn and Trevor got into the limo. Seated in the middle, she snuggled close. When he turned to her, he kissed her.
Picture-perfect.
Epilogue
Trevor put the file down containing the latest murder investigation he’d just begun working. Jocelyn, still not showing her pregnancy to the ordinary onlooker, opened the file and began reading. She’d kept her promise and resigned, but she still took an interest in his caseload. Stepping behind her, he put his hand over the tiny mound of her stomach. He loved going through this with her. He took pictures almost every day so he knew the exact moment she began to show.
Proud father only touched the surface of how he felt.
“Trevor, let me read.” She leaned over the kitchen island of their new home. They’d just moved in and had planned a delayed wedding reception so they could hold it here.
“I am letting you read.”
“I’m not going to want to read in a minute.” She turned her head and he kissed her. “Stop that.”
He chuckled and moved back, going into the kitchen for a bottle of water. Then he went to stand on the other side of the island, a safe distance and with structure in the way so that he wouldn’t be tempted to touch her.
She came to the photos and drew back at the sight. Flipping through those, she came to more of the report.
The crime had occurred three nights ago. A woman had been strangled to death in her own bedroom. No sign of a break-in. No sign of a robbery. The husband had been questioned. He denied everything and claimed to have been at a local bar during the time of his wife’s murder.
“You think the husband did it?” she asked.
“Yes. His alibi doesn’t check out. No one can say they saw him at the bar and he can’t produce any receipts. Claims to have paid cash.”
“Any life insurance?”
“Five hundred thousand.”
“Any kids?”
“No kids.”
Jocelyn closed the file. “That’s open-and-shut.”
He nodded. “Gathering evidence would be the most challenging. H
e was having an affair that he neglected to mention during questioning.”
“And here I thought I had it so bad.” She moved around the island and looped her arms around him.
“Since when?”
“Before this.” She rose up and kissed him. “Do we have time before everyone gets here?”
“A few minutes. But what about the caterer and the band?”
The doorbell rang.
“Doesn’t matter anyway,” he amended.
She fanned her face as he withdrew with a grin. He went to open the door, and in came the Coltons.
Ethan and Lizzie entered first, Lizzie carrying their tiny newborn baby, who had begun to put up a fuss. She went to the living room and took a chair to begin feeding.
Sam and Zoe went into the kitchen.
Zoe saw the backyard decorated for the reception through the window. “It’s so festive!”
Jocelyn and Trevor had rented a party tent big enough for their family. White-linen-covered tables, one with a moderately sized cake, didn’t quite fill the space. Strings of lights would allow them to celebrate into the night. The caterer worked behind the buffet table, getting ready to serve gourmet surf and turf. The country-western band finished their sound checks and had just begun playing.
Ridge and Darcy arrived a few minutes later, followed by Jesse and Annabel, and Chris and Holly.
Ethan joined his wife in the living room. Trevor watched them awhile, seeing how his brother couldn’t take his eyes off the infant. He’d be the same way when his own baby was born. He already felt that way. Amazing. What a miracle.
“Let’s leave them alone.” Jocelyn hooked her arm with his and he went with her to the back, where everyone else had gone.
Zoe the librarian in tortoiseshell glasses talked to Darcy. Trevor had told her Darcy was Ridge’s high school sweetheart and her parents had split them up. Love couldn’t keep them apart. They’d found each other again, now a doctor and a search and rescue hero instead of students.
Jesse and Annabel started a two-step and Chris and Holly joined them on the small dance floor.
“Where’s Josie?” Sam asked.
“Right here.” She held up two bottles of champagne. “Those of us not nursing or pregnant are required to share a toast with me. And, hey, I’m the only person here without a significant other or spouse, so you have to do as I say.”
Trevor chuckled and leaned in to peck a kiss on his sister’s cheek. “You caught the bouquet. You won’t be single long.”
“I don’t believe in that old wives’ tale. And neither do you.”
“I believe it now.” He winked at Jocelyn.
“Well, that will have to wait.” She put the bottles down on the counter and Jocelyn took them to the refrigerator. “I’m leaving in the morning for Brush Valley.”
“You’re going to go look for the watch?”
Jocelyn came to stand next to Trevor, putting her arm around his waist. “As much as Matthew strung all of you along, you shouldn’t feel obligated to do anything he asks.”
Trevor held her, too. “If she doesn’t, then I will. I want to know what’s in that watch that makes it so special to him.”
“Money, that’s what. If the watch isn’t worth a fortune, something it contains is,” Josie said. “No, I’m going. Eldridge Colton is Matthew’s distant cousin. I’ll start with him.”
“Whatever makes you happy.”
“I am happy. Happy to be free of the kingpin, and happy to be out of witness protection. I finally feel safe.”
How safe would she be chasing after a mysterious watch that belonged to Matthew Colton? Trevor would worry about his sister while she went on her adventure, but he’d keep his concern to himself. One of them had to go or Matthew would never leave them alone. Until he died.
Matthew had sent him a letter congratulating him on his wedding, but in the last paragraph, he mentioned the watch and stated, “I hope you and Josie will make good on your promise.” If someone didn’t go search for the watch, he’d keep badgering them. The sooner Trevor could erase that man from his life, the better.
“Just be careful, Josie.”
“I’ll be careful, big brother. And I’ll add that I’m happiest of all to be back here with all of you.”
“We all are.” Glad he didn’t have to deal with Matthew anymore, Trevor steered his wife toward the music. “Let’s give you a proper send-off tonight.” And he and Jocelyn properly celebrated the beginning of a really great life.
* * * * *
Keep reading for an excerpt from
DELTA FORCE DESIRE by C.J. Miller
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Delta Force Desire
by C.J. Miller
Chapter 1
Kaitlyn “Kit” Walker was not rocking the slinky, glittery red dress. On the hanger, it had looked great. On her, it was garish and borderline indecent. Kit had left her bedroom wearing it only because her sister Marissa had insisted she blend with her model friends. One problem with that: Kit wasn’t a model. She didn’t even photograph that well.
Kit felt awkward and uncomfortable. She was certain she looked like a sausage stuffed into a too-tiny casing, bulging in the wrong places. All she needed was for the seams or zipper to pop and make her humiliation complete. At least no one was looking at her. She was about seven inches too short and thirty pounds too heavy for anyone at the party to be staring at her when so much eye candy was prancing around her, giggling and taking selfies.
Kit preferred to fly under the radar of the constant clicking of cameras on smartphones. She wasn’t anything to post about on social media, and she liked it that way. She preferred to remain out of the public eye.
Kit only had to stay at the swanky rooftop party until they sang happy birthday to her sister and cut the cake—the thousand-dollar, perfectly decorated cake Marissa and her friends wouldn’t touch. Some celebrity baker had prepared it. Would he be insulted if no one bothered to eat it?
It was nearly dusk and the terrace was aglow with silver spherical lanterns. The serving bars were illuminated with fluorescent green. The whole party was not Kit’s scene.
At least their brother seemed to be having a good time. He was flirting and talking with the beautiful women. Their mother was i
n her element. A former Miss California, sipping champagne, wearing a couture gown, and talking to Marissa’s agent, her mother was all toothy smiles.
Kit’s phone was tucked in her clutch. Her fingers stretched toward it. She had promised Marissa she would socialize and not type on her phone the entire time, but no one was speaking to her, and it was unlikely anyone would. She had nothing in common with actors and models and photographers. She was probably the only woman on the roof who wasn’t regularly featured in the gossip columns. She couldn’t be in the gossip columns; her life depended on it. If someone saw her picture and recognized her as anyone other than Kit Walker, she was screwed.
Kit swirled the lemon-lime cola in her wineglass. She would have drunk it straight from the can, but the bartender had given her such a look when she requested it, she decided she would use a glass.
A light breeze blew, and Kit shivered. Was being cold an excuse to leave? It was July in Southern California and no one else seemed uncomfortable, but Kit wasn’t accustomed to being half-naked. Her legs were bare. Her arms were bare. Her shoulders were bare. How did people relax when they were dressed like this?
Goose bumps formed on her arms, and she turned, sensing someone watching her. She pasted on a smile in case it was her sister. Kit could pretend she was enjoying people-watching. Watching beautiful people seducing and flattering each other was an activity that didn’t involve her phone. After the party was over, these beautiful people would go home with companions as attractive as they were.
Kit would go home alone, water her plants and go to bed. That was okay. She didn’t want someone coming home with her.
She didn’t see her sister, but a man was watching Kit drink her soda. A good-looking man. Was he trying to place her? Wondering why she was at this party? He had the smoldering, sexy look down pat. He must be a model or an actor. His hair was longer, reaching to the tops of his ears, and he was dressed in a black T-shirt, dark blue jeans and boots. Though his expression was serious, he almost seemed amused. Her defenses heightened. She wasn’t in the mood to be teased. She’d heard every joke in the world about being the ugly sister to supermodel Marissa.
A Baby for Agent Colton Page 23