Cuffed & Claimed

by Lori King

“You’re talking about who asked who for the divorce. I’m talking about the emotional leaving. Matt left you high and dry after the miscarriage. He should have been there as your shoulder to cry on.” Colby groaned as he tried to push himself into a seated position. “Let’s get one thing straight before we go any further. You love me, and I love you, and I’m not going anywhere. If you’re as sure of this as I am, we’re in it for the long haul. Agreed?”

  “Agreed,” she said instantly, a smile curving her lips. “You’re kinda bossy, Deputy. I like it.”

  He winked, waving her closer. “You know my leg might not be in working form, but the rest of me is.”

  “Dr. Gillian said no crazy activity for the next couple of days while we wait for the swelling to go down. That air cast isn’t much protection for your broken bones right now,” Elizabeth scolded, resuming her place on the bed next to him. This time in a horizontal position that put her head right on his chest where she belonged.

  “What’s Mark know? He’s just a doctor. Sex is the best medicine for any man,” Colby protested. “It’s been two weeks since I’ve held you in my arms and made love to you. I’m suffering here, Bethie.”

  She giggled. “You’re just going to have to suffer a little longer…” she paused, and then he heard her mutter, “Cheeto.”

  Groaning loudly, he shook his head. “Oh, my God, you’ve been talking to Abby.”

  “Well, I did have to check with her to make sure bringing you here was the right choice for everyone. She’s got your mom to worry about until next Tuesday, so I didn’t think she needed another patient around to wait on hand and foot. Or leg in this case.”

  “What’s next Tuesday?”

  Elizabeth lifted her head. “Dr. Gillian was able to get your mom into that facility he recommended. They’ll transport her next Tuesday.”

  Relief washed over him, and he hugged her tightly. “I’m telling you; today has been the perfect day. That’s almost the best news I’ve ever heard.”

  “Almost?”

  He gripped her chin, and lifted her face so he could meet her eyes, “The best news of my life was that you loved me, Bethie. We might have started out as lovers, but you’ve quickly become the love of my life. I’ll never let you go as long as I live.”

  “Kiss me, Deputy.”

  * * *

  The End

  About the Author

  Best-selling author, Lori King, is also a full-time wife and mother of three boys. Although she rarely has time to just enjoy feminine pursuits; at heart she is a hopeless romantic. She spends her days dreaming up Alpha men, and her nights telling their stories. An admitted TV and book junkie, she can be found relaxing with a steamy story, or binging in an entire season of some show online. She gives her parents all the credit for her unique sense of humor and acceptance of all forms of love. There are no two loves alike, but you can love more than one with your whole heart.

  With the motto: Live, Laugh, and Love like today is your only chance, she will continue to write as long as you continue to read. Thank you for taking the time to indulge in a good Happily Ever After with her.

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  Find out more about her current projects

  @LoriKingBooks

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  lorikingbooks.com

  Also By Lori King

  Crawley Creek Series

  Beginnings

  Forget Me Knot

  Rough Ride Romeo

  Claiming His Cowgirl

  Sunnyside Up

  Hawke’s Salvation

  Handcuffed by Destiny

  * * *

  Fetish & Fantasy

  Watching Sin

  Submission Dance

  Mistress Hedonism

  Masquerade

  * * *

  Surrender Series

  Weekend Surrender

  Flawless Surrender

  Primal Surrender

  Broken Surrender

  Fantasy Surrender

  * * *

  The Gray Pack Series

  Fire of the Wolf

  Reflections of the Wolf

  Legacy of the Wolf

  Dreams of the Wolf

  Caress of the Wolf

  Honor of the Wolf

  * * *

  Apache Crossing

  Sidney’s Triple Shot

  * * *

  Sunset Point

  Point of Seduction

  * * *

  Tempting Tanner

  * * *

  www.LoriKingBooks.com

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  House Arrest by Lynne St. James

  A Willow Haven Novella Book 1

  Ethan Price thought a job as a small-town police detective in Willow Haven would be easy after five years as a pilot in the Air Force. Then a rash of break-ins put the entire department on alert and the woman he loves at risk.

  * * *

  Anna Taggart is smart, stubborn, independent, and doesn’t think she needs anyone. Having her heart broken before, she refuses to give in to her feelings for Ethan no matter how hard he pursues her.

  * * *

  Will Ethan be able to convince Anna life is too short not to love?

  For all of those who have loved and lost and learned to love again.

  * * *

  For T.S., I love you.

  1

  Anna Taggart pulled up in front of 3232 Seashell Lane and double checked the paperwork she’d brought with her. Double checking was her thing, maybe it was her undiagnosed OCD or maybe it was just her, she never knew. But it didn’t matter. She always had to check and cross check for as long as she could remember.

  The house was a pink seashell stucco and a typical old-time Florida bungalow right down to the bright yellow hibiscus blooming in the front yard. Anna couldn’t have asked for a more perfect setting for an open house. Now she just had to hope that the inside was in as good a condition as the outside, and she might be able to sell it today. Making sure the house was clean, a comfortable temperature, and smelled great were her trade secrets. Not that she kept the information to herself, it was one of the first things she shared with her new real estate agents when they came on board. That and the trick about baking cookies. Nothing like the scent of cookies fresh out of the oven to tempt a buyer.

  As CEO of Willow Haven Realty, Anna didn’t usually spend her Saturdays holding open houses, they were usually spent at her desk going through the mounds of paperwork that seemed to multiply faster than bunnies. But today she was doing a favor for Adria, the agent who’d listed the house. She’d found out last minute that her son’s soccer team made the finals, and the game was today.

  The memory of meeting Adria for the first time still made her smile. She’d come into the office just before closing on a Tuesday evening. No experience, tons of enthusiasm, and a great personality convinced Anna to give her a chance. It wasn’t until a few months later that she had learned Adria’s husband had been shot down over Iraq. Hard to believe it was four years ago, and now they were best friends

  Grabbing her “go-bag” as she liked to call it, and an open house sign from her back seat, she got out of the car mumbling a prayer while heading to the front door. With about an hour to spare, she should have just enough time to make sure the house was clean, pop a batch of cookies in the oven and put out the fresh flowers and candles she had in her bag.

  After unlocking the lockbox, she opened the front door and stepped inside still hoping that the house would be in good shape. The realtor gods were smiling down on her for sure, and she would have done a fist pump if her hands hadn’t been full. Not only was it clean, but it was also adorable and the perfect house for snowbirds or a young family. Adria had said the sellers were anxious because they’d been transferred overseas, and if her luck held she hoped she’d be able to make a sale today.

  The buzzer sounded, and she grabbed the cookies out of the oven. Placing them on a platter on the dining room table so everyon
e was sure to see them as they came in to the house, she figured it was time to put up the sign on the front lawn. The house was as ready as it was going to get.

  With another quick pass through the house, Anna was satisfied it was ready, and it was time to put out the sign. Stopping at the front door and turning to check on last time at the view the prospective buyers would have as they entered, she pulled open the front door and stepped outside and face first into a rock hard t-shirt clad chest. Backing away on instinct alone, it took her brain a moment to register that she knew that chest. Very well, in fact.

  “Hi, sweetheart.”

  “Damn it! Ethan. You scared the crap out of me.”

  “Sorry. But I didn’t expect you to open the door as I was about to knock.” He might be saying he was sorry, but his wide-ass grin told her otherwise.

  “How did you even know I was here?”

  “I stopped by the office. Jenny said you were covering Adria’s open house. Don’t you have enough on your plate already?”

  “It’s not a big deal. And you know Adria would do anything for me. Scotty’s team made the finals. I thought I told you last night?”

  Ethan Price, ex-Air Force Pilot, Willow Haven Police Detective and Anna’s boyfriend, rolled his eyes and shook his head. She knew the look. It wasn’t the first time she’d seen it, and it definitely wouldn’t be the last. “You run yourself ragged.”

  “It’s my company.”

  “No, it’s your father’s company. He just lets you do all the work.” He was right even if she didn’t want to hear it. Her parents had semi-retired four years earlier and left her in charge as they hit every golf course in the world.

  “That’s not entirely true.”

  “C’mon, it’s true, and you know it.”

  With a sigh, she pushed past him to set up the sign. She didn’t have the time or the desire to rehash their standing argument. She had work to do, whether he liked it or not.

  “Why are you here, anyway? Damn, that sounded harsh, sorry. I thought you were working today too.” Every inch of his six-foot three-inch frame oozed sexy as he leaned against the doorway.

  “Nope, this is my weekend off. Which is why I figured we could sneak in a little afternoon fun. Or I did until I realized you weren’t in the office.”

  “Oh, you did, huh? What makes you think I’d have time for some afternoon nookie?”

  “Hmm. I think I’d have found a way to convince you.”

  Seeing the gleam in his steel-blue eyes, sent a shiver of desire racing down her spine. Damn. She’d tried so hard to keep him at arm’s length, but he was just too—everything. Everything she wanted, everything she needed, but also everything she was afraid of. After Ryan’s death, she promised herself never again. It just hurt too much.

  His quick smile proved he knew how he affected her. “So, I brought lunch. We both know you never remember to eat, and I figured since I couldn’t have you, we could at least have lunch together. You do have to eat.”

  Unable to resist his smile, she grinned. “Oh well. You win some, you lose some.”

  “I consider this a win; I still get to spend time with you.”

  “I don’t have a lot of time. Buyers could show up at any minute, and it’s not really professional to be eating on the job.”

  “Then I guess you’ll have to eat fast. Jenny said you should have time.”

  “Good thing I don’t employ Jenny to keep secrets.”

  “She just can’t resist my charm.”

  Snorting, she shook her head. Yeah, I’m sure that’s exactly why.”

  “Hey if you don’t want what I’ve brought…”

  “What did you bring?” She couldn’t see the writing on the bag but from his huge grin she’d bet anything he’d gone to Dixie’s.

  “I stopped at Dixie’s. You know you can’t turn down one of her roast beef sandwiches.”

  “That’s so not fair!” Her mouth watered just thinking about the thin-sliced rare roast beef, provolone, fresh tomatoes from Dixie’s garden, and of course, the homemade sour dough bread she’d have made that morning. Dixie’s food was like a little slice of heaven.

  “Why not? I promise I won’t tell the boss.” Anna laughed. She couldn’t help it. His eyes sparkled with mirth. Yup, he was trouble with a capital “T” and he had been from the first time she’d met him. He was the first man who had even gotten close to breaking down the brick wall she’d erected around her heart after Ryan was killed in action. Between his death and Tag’s injuries she’d made the decision focus on her work.

  “Fine. But we have to make it quick. People could show up any minute, there’s no way I’m going to be picnicking while they are trying to look at the house. I do have a reputation, you know.”

  “Yes, ma’am, I’m very aware of your reputation,” he answered with a salute and a grin. “Where do you want to eat?”

  “The kitchen table, I guess. Please try not to make a mess. I have everything set up to make a perfect impression.”

  Nodding, he flashed her a bright white smile and disappeared around the corner into the kitchen. The house was ready; she was ready—well except for the unplanned lunch break. A quick check of her watch told her she could probably eat at least half of the deliciousness, but that’s all she usually ate anyway. The open house was supposed to start at one, and that meant she had fifteen minutes before “show time.”

  * * *

  Ethan unpacked the food, as he glanced around the kitchen. He tried to pick out what she’d added to help with the sale versus what was already there. He’d gotten good at finding her “special touches.” She had a knack for making every home look welcoming, which was probably why she was the most sought after realtor in Willow Haven.

  He was glad he’d trusted his gut and brought lunch. He knew she wouldn’t have eaten. It was her standard argument—she was too busy. As a bonus he’d be able to check things out without her getting suspicious. As he unpacked the bag, his mouth watered. Iced coffee for her and sweet tea for him, two roast beef sandwiches, potato salad, and brownies for dessert.

  “Are you coming?” he yelled for her as he finished unwrapping the food. If she waited much longer, he was sure she wouldn’t eat at all. Not that he’d mind eating the rest of what she didn’t. But that defeated the whole purpose. Since he had the day off, he’d gone for a ten-mile run on the beach before the summer crowds gathered for the day. He loved the peacefulness of a sunrise run, just him, pelicans diving for fish, sandpipers digging for food, and the gentle lap of the waves against the shoreline.

  “Why are you yelling?”

  He looked up to see her standing in the doorway watching him. How long had she been standing there? From the way the skin was wrinkled between her eyes, she’d been thinking hard about something. He wished she’d just let go and live again.

  “C’mon. Stop stalling.”

  “I’m not. I was just admiring the view.”

  He laughed and shook his head, as he pulled out a chair for her.

  “Thank you, Ethan,” she said as she lifted half of the sandwich and sniffed. Her look of pure bliss almost made him jealous, almost. It still didn’t come close to the look on her face when she came apart in his arms. Just thinking about it made him squirm in his chair as the zipper of his jeans pushed against him. He could not get enough of her, and he doubted he ever would even if he spent every day of the rest of his life with her.

  They ate in silence. He was happy she hadn’t tossed his ass out and just kept the food. It had been debatable as to whether she’d let him stay, and he was glad she had. It hadn’t been easy to win her over. She was a hard nut to crack, and he’d done everything he could think of to try to get past the brick wall she’d built around her heart. From the first time he’d seen her, Ethan knew he had to get to know her. At first, he was convinced it was lust, but it didn’t take long for him to realize how special she was.

  They’d met while he was volunteering at the rehab clinic at the military hospi
tal. After serving five years as a pilot in the Air Force, he couldn’t just walk away from his brothers and sisters and volunteered as much as his schedule would allow. But he’d needed to get out. Too many close calls and too many friends killed, convinced him it was time to walk away before he lost himself. There were things he’d seen he’d never be able to share with anyone, and they’d left permanent scars on his soul. But at least he could sleep again without nightmares.

  One afternoon, she’d wheeled her brother Tag through the door. He’d been a real son of a bitch then, but he hadn’t been out of the hospital for long and was still learning how to deal with the loss of his leg and arm. Ethan had been working with another Vet when Anna told Tag he needed to get over himself, and she’d had enough of his bullshit. He mouthed off, and she’d turned around and left him in the middle of the check-in area and told him he could figure out another way home because she was too busy for his crap. He’d had to turn away to hide his laughter. She’d known exactly how to handle her brother—no pity, just telling him like it is, giving him the love he needed without babying him. Adjusting to losing a limb let alone two was never easy, but pity parties only made it worse, and Anna seemed to know that.

  After that, he’d checked to see when Tag’s sessions were and made sure he was there as often as possible. He made a point of talking to her each time and getting to know her. The more he learned, the more he wanted to learn. It had taken two months before she agreed to a date. He knew he had Tag to thank for it, too. A year later he still couldn’t get her to move in, and God forbid he should ask her to marry him. She’d probably get him booted out of town.