Chrissy whistled. “This is some place. Are you sure you’ve been given the right address, and it’s not a wind up?”
Fear struck her insides and tied them into knots—surely Josh wouldn’t mess her around like that, would he?
Just then the large double front doors opened, and Josh stepped out. He saw the car outside the gates and urged Nicole to drive through them.
“That’s…” her mother began before her jaw dropped open.
“Yes, Mum. It’s Josh Holland,” Chrissy announced, amusement running through her voice.
Nicole drove through the gates, wondering if the crunching gravel would cause damage to her worn-out tyres.
Josh opened the rear door on her mother’s side and shook hands with her shocked mother. Nicole jumped out of the car and opened the back door so her daughter could get out. Sammy Jo was in awe of their surroundings.
Nicole said to her, “Come on, darling, look on it as an adventure. Don’t be shy. I want you to meet Josh. He’s very special to me.” And to you.
“How come you’ve never spoken about him before, Mummy?”
“I’m not really sure, sweetheart. You’ll think he’s great though, I’m sure. Come on.”
Nicole shut the door behind Sammy Jo. Josh kissed Chrissy on the cheek before moving towards Nicole. He bent down to shake Sammy Jo’s hand and introduced himself, not as her father, just by name.
Sammy Jo half hid behind Nicole until they walked through the magnificent house and ended up on the patio at the rear of the property. Her little face lit up when she saw the infinity pool. Open-mouthed, she glanced up at Nicole. “Mummy, it’s beautiful. Can I have a swim?”
“Maybe another day, sweetie. Mummy forgot to bring your costume. Go and dangle your feet in…is that okay, Josh?”
“Of course it is. Go to that end, okay? It’s the shallow end. We’ll keep an eye on you. Anything special you want me to throw on the barbecue for you?”
Sammy Jo’s brow furrowed as she thought about his question. “Sausages and a burger would be nice.”
“Your wish is my command.” Josh swept down into a theatrical bow, and Sammy Jo laughed.
The happy girl skipped over to the pool, and under their watchful gaze, she took off her trainers and her ankle socks and sat on the edge of the pool. Once or twice, she glanced at them and smiled a toothless grin, accompanied by a little wave of her fingers.
In between sneaky kisses, Nicole and Josh turned the food on the grill and prepared the salads as more people turned up.
Nicole nudged Josh. “Hmm…look over there. I think your Kyle seems pretty keen on Chrissy.”
“You’re not kidding. He’s almost drooling in his beer. Are you happy?”
She openly kissed him, feeling more and more comfortable in her surroundings. When they broke apart, Nicole surveyed the crowd and spotted her mother grinning broadly and heading their way.
“I’m so glad to see you happy for a change, Nicole.”
“I’m always happy, Mum. I hardly walk around with a glum face all the time, do I?”
Her mother pecked her on the cheek. “I know. But I really can’t remember the last time I saw you this happy, it suits you. Josh, I’m glad you came back. Now, when are you going to make an honest woman of my daughter?”
“Mum!” Nicole was shocked at her mom’s comment.
Josh was not.
He got down on one knee and produced a red velvet box. “Damn, my secret is out. Nicci…er, sorry…Nicole, would you do me the honour of becoming my wife?”
“What? Are you serious? You hardly know me.”
“Nonsense. I’ve loved you my whole life and regret ever leaving the way I did. Hey, and don’t forget my new hero status. If you refuse to marry me, I’m sure I can attract the attention of another girl in need of having a real-life hero in her life.”
“You’re incorrigible.” She bent down and placed her hands on either side of his face and kissed him. His hand reached up and captured her left hand in his, and he slipped the two- carat diamond on her wedding finger.
“Mummy, mummy!” Sammy Jo ran across the grass and rested her head against Nicole’s stomach. “Are we getting married, Mummy?”
The crowd roared with laughter. She knelt alongside Josh. “Sammy Jo, I want to introduce you to your father.”
Her daughter’s eyes lit up, and her mouth dropped open. She turned and hooked her arms around Josh’s neck and said, “Really? You’re my long-lost Daddy?”
Josh stood up and pulled his daughter into his arms. “Yes, darling, I’ve come home to my family.”
“Neat. Can we live here?”
Nicole laughed. “A girl after my own heart.”
Josh smiled, the proudest, broadest smile Nicole had ever witnessed adorning a man’s face.
“Yes, this will be our new home. Together forever.”
Thank you for reading the first book in the Temptation series; Book Two, Lost Temptation, is also available now. Books Three and Four will be released in July and August 2014.
Keep in touch with M A Comley at:
Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Mel-Comley/264745836884860
Websites:
http://melcomley.blogspot.com
http://melcomleyromances.blogspot.com
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OTHER BOOKS BY M A COMLEY
A Time To Heal (A Sweet Romance)
A Time For Change (A Sweet Romance)
The Temptation Series
(Romantic Suspense/New Adult Novellas)
Past Temptation
Lost Temptation
True Temptation (coming July 2014)
Just Temptation (coming August 2014)
If you’re in the market for a gritty thriller you might also like the following:
The Justice Series
Cruel Justice
Impeding Justice
Final Justice
Foul Justice
Guaranteed Justice
Ultimate Justice
Virtual Justice
Hostile Justice
Hero Series
Torn Apart (Hero Series #1)
End Result (Hero Series #2)
Intention Series
Sole Intention (Intention Series #1)
Grave Intention (Intention Series #2)
Find M A Comley’s books on Amazon
Table of Contents
BODY OF EVIDENCE ONE
TWO
THREE
FOUR
FIVE
SIX
SEVEN
EIGHT
NINE
TEN
ELEVEN
TWELVE
THIRTEEN
FOURTEEN
FIFTEEN
SIXTEEN
SEVENTEEN
EIGHTEEN
NINETEEN
TWENTY
TWENTY-ONE
TWENTY-TWO
TWENTY-THREE
TWENTY-FOUR
TWENTY-FIVE
TWENTY-SIX
TWENTY-SEVEN
TWENTY-EIGHT
TWENTY-NINE
THIRTY
THIRTY-ONE
THIRTY-TWO
THIRTY-THREE
THIRTY-FOUR
THIRTY-FIVE
THIRTY-SIX
THIRTY-SEVEN
THIRTY-EIGHT
THIRTY-NINE
FORTY
FORTY-ONE
FORTY-TWO
FORTY-THREE
FORTY-FOUR
FORTY-FIVE
FORTY-SIX
FORTY-SEVEN
FORTY-EIGHT
EPILOGUE
AUTHOR’S NOTE
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
HER SANCTUARY ONE
TWO
THREE
FOUR
FIVE
SIX
SEVEN
EIGHT
NINE
TEN
&nbs
p; ELEVEN
TWELVE
THIRTEEN
FOURTEEN
FIFTEEN
SIXTEEN
SEVENTEEN
EIGHTEEN
NINETEEN
TWENTY
EPILOGUE
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
TWENTY-EIGHT AND A HALF WISHES ONE
TWO
THREE
FOUR
FIVE
SIX
SEVEN
EIGHT
NINE
TEN
ELEVEN
TWELVE
THIRTEEN
FOURTEEN
FIFTEEN
SIXTEEN
SEVENTEEN
EIGHTEEN
NINETEEN
TWENTY
TWENTY-ONE
TWENTY-TWO
TWENTY-THREE
TWENTY-FOUR
TWENTY-FIVE
TWENTY-SIX
TWENTY-SEVEN
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
LOOSE ENDS PROLOGUE
ONE
TWO
THREE
FOUR
FIVE
SIX
SEVEN
EIGHT
NINE
TEN
ELEVEN
TWELVE
THIRTEEN
FOURTEEN
FIFTEEN
SIXTEEN
SEVENTEEN
EIGHTEEN
NINETEEN
TWENTY
TWENTY-ONE
TWENTY-TWO
TWENTY-THREE
TWENTY-FOUR
TWENTY-FIVE
TWENTY-SIX
TWENTY-SEVEN
TWENTY-EIGHT
TWENTY-NINE
THIRTY
THIRTY-ONE
THIRTY-TWO
THIRTY-THREE
THIRTY-FOUR
THIRTY-FIVE
THIRTY-SIX
THIRTY-SEVEN
THIRTY-EIGHT
THIRTY-NINE
FORTY
FORTY-ONE
FORTY-TWO
FORTY-THREE
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
LOVE AND SMOKE ONE
TWO
THREE
FOUR
FIVE
SIX
SEVEN
EIGHT
NINE
TEN
ELEVEN
TWELVE
THIRTEEN
FOURTEEN
FIFTEEN
SIXTEEN
SEVENTEEN
EIGHTEEN
NINETEEN
TWENTY
TWENTY-ONE
TWENTY-TWO
TWENTY-THREE
TWENTY-FOUR
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
PAST TEMPTATION ONE
TWO
THREE
FOUR
FIVE
SIX
SEVEN
EIGHT
EPILOGUE
Crimes of Passion Page 153