Lovers Unmasked: The Complete Series

by Nicole Flockton

  He reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out a circlet of gold. It was her engagement ring. Part of her wanted to reach out and snatch it back and place it on her finger. The other part was telling her she should want more. He needed to give her more than an apology.

  “I accept your apology, but why, Marco? Why did you think I could do that to you?”

  He scrubbed a hand down his face. “Because I was scared. I was too scared to believe in what I was feeling for you. What I really wanted for us. So I jumped on something someone said to me, and then I saw you with John. I made the whole situation into something much, much bigger than it needed to be.”

  “Who was the person who said something to you? And what did they say for you to not trust me so easily?”

  “It was Roger White. He was the client I had a meeting with the morning after you told me you wanted to get married again.”

  “Roger White is your client?” Phoebe couldn’t believe that Marco would do business with such a sleazebag like Roger.

  “Not anymore. He wanted me to do something illegal and I don’t work that way.”

  Phoebe tried to take in all he was saying. It seemed ironic that a few hours before his meeting, she’d told Marco everything about Mrs. White and what her son had done to her. She could believe Roger wouldn’t say anything nice about her. He’d always resented her presence in the house.

  “It still hurts that you could believe him over me. Especially after I told you how he treated me after Mrs. White’s death.”

  “I know, I know, and I don’t deserve your forgiveness. But I’m begging here, Phoebe. Please don’t give up on us. Please give me another chance.”

  “Why?”

  “Because I can’t live without you. These last two days have been hell. Worse than when you initially broke off our engagement.”

  She wanted more though. She loved Marco and she wanted him to love her back. It was like he was saying it in a roundabout way but she wanted the direct way.

  “But why can’t you live without me?”

  Anguish filled his eyes and he once again reached into his pocket and pulled something out. He kept his fist clenched as he got up out of his chair and came to kneel beside hers.

  He opened his fist and she gasped. “Because you have my heart. I love you, Phoebe. I love you, and I’ll say it again. I don’t want to live without you. I love you,” he finished on a whisper.

  She couldn’t hold back the tears, and as she looked down into his open hand she couldn’t believe what lay nestled in it. Mrs. White’s diamond heart pendant. She wanted to touch it but was too afraid to. What if it wasn’t real? It didn’t seem possible that Marco could have it.

  She reached out a tentative hand and touched the necklace with her finger. “Oh, Marco, how?”

  He didn’t say anything, just unclasped the necklace and placed it gently around her neck. Once he’d ensured the catch had taken he stepped away and gazed at her.

  “Beautiful, absolutely beautiful.” Somehow she knew he wasn’t talking about the necklace.

  The comforting weight of the heavy charm nestled between her breasts. She touched it lightly, still afraid that if she was too strong with it, it would disappear.

  “How did you get it?”

  A rueful smile broke out on his face. “It wasn’t easy. But it was worth everything that I had to go through to see you smile like that again. I would do it over again, too.”

  Somehow she knew Marco was telling the truth. She imagined that Roger had made him pay dearly to get the necklace.

  Marco reached out and took her hand. “I will say, Mrs. White did want you to have the necklace, Phoebe. There was a specific bequest made to you in the will. Roger was executor, though, so he was able to make sure you thought she hadn’t bequeathed it to you.”

  If at all possible, she fell even deeper in love with Marco at that moment. The way he wanted her to cherish her memories of Mrs. White by letting her know that the necklace was meant to be hers. That Adele White had loved her.

  “Thank you,” she whispered tremulously. “Thank you.”

  Marco leaned down and kissed her softly on the lips. She could feel the love he had professed to her. She returned the kiss, hoping that her love for him was reaching out. He reluctantly pulled away and squatted by her chair again.

  “I love you, Phoebe. Can you please forgive me for everything I’ve done?” He reached for her left hand, and picked up the engagement ring she’d forgotten all about in the excitement of seeing the necklace again.

  Marco placed the ring at the tip of her ring finger. “Phoebe Fitzgerald, will you do the honor of marrying me for love now?”

  “Yes!” she cried. “Yes, I will marry you, Marco. I love you, too.” As he slipped the ring on her finger any doubts she had about him trusting her again were gone. As she looked at the ring on her finger and then touched the heart around her neck, she knew that nothing could get better than this.

  Marco clasped both her hands and raised them to his lips. “I know I don’t deserve your love but I want you to know I will do everything in my power to never abuse your love. I will cherish it, nurture it, and I hope together we can make it can grow.”

  “I know, Marco. I know and I trust you. How could I not? You are my world and you hold my heart too.” She pulled one hand away and once again touched the heart, this time with more confidence than before. “This necklace is proof of the longevity and strength of our love. It shines as brightly as the diamonds here. I love you.”

  “I love you too, sweetheart. I love you too.”

  At the café where only two days ago her world had fallen apart, Marco kissed her once again and she knew nothing would ever tear them apart.

  EPILOGUE

  Phoebe looked around the ballroom. The room sparkled, from the lights of the chandeliers to the dresses and jewelry the women wore. It was the hospital’s annual New Year’s Eve party.

  “Back at the scene of the crime — only this time with no masks,” Alex said with a laugh, which quickly turned into a groan when he received an elbow in the stomach from Sophie.

  “I didn’t realize that meeting me was a crime.”

  Alex brought Sophie close and gave her a long kiss. When they came up for air he spoke again. “It was the best crime of my life. I met the woman of my dreams who has not only given me a beautiful daughter, but a life I never thought I’d have. I love New Year’s Eve.”

  Phoebe couldn’t help it — her eyes welled up at the love that was bursting out from both Alex and Sophie. She tried to sniff quietly, but when a strong arm slipped along her shoulder and a crisp white handkerchief materialized in front of her she knew she hadn’t succeeded.

  She turned and smiled up at Marco, her husband. Even after a few months of marriage it still felt wonderful to say that word. “Thank you. Oh, I don’t know why I’m always so emotional.”

  Marco’s warm hand drifted across the small swell of her belly. “I’d say this little guy might have something to do with it.”

  Phoebe laughed and placed both her hands on top of Marco’s. She’d been a little shocked and excited when she’d found out she was pregnant on their wedding day. She’d known that their baby had been conceived when they had been reaffirming their relationship to each other. Marco had been over the moon when she told him. She shivered at how he’d shown his happiness on their wedding night.

  “I think you could be right,” she whispered and placed a soft kiss on his lips. “I love you.”

  Marco smiled down and touched the heart pendant she was wearing around her neck. “I love you too.”

  “Sorry we’re late, everyone.”

  Startled, Phoebe looked up. She’d forgotten that they were in a roomful of people. She saw Dawn and Andrew taking their seats at the table. They both wore big grins and the w
ay that Andrew was cuddling her close showed the depth of their love for each other. Phoebe was so glad that Dawn had found happiness again.

  “Hi, you guys, why the big grins?”

  Somehow Phoebe knew what they were about to say.

  “We’re pregnant,” they said in unison.

  A round of cheers sounded across the table and everyone got up to give the other couple their congratulations.

  “I guess we’ll be needing another NUM,” Alex said on a laugh.

  “Definitely,” said Dawn. She placed her hands on her stomach and gazed up at Andrew as he repeated her action. “I’m definitely being a stay at home mum this time.”

  “You sure are, honey,” Andrew said as he placed a soft kiss on Dawn’s lips.

  “I think I’ll change the chair, everyone who sits on it seems to get pregnant,” mused Alex. “Or hire a woman that’s got a family and isn’t planning on adding to it.”

  He comments brought a burst of laughter from everyone sitting at the table.

  Phoebe looked around at the happiness shining from everyone. In all her wildest dreams she’d never thought she’d ever be this contented or happy.

  “I think a toast is in order,” Marco said as he lifted up his glass of wine. Phoebe reached for her sparkling water. “To friends, babies, and … ” He paused and looked at Phoebe. Her breath caught at the love burning out of his eyes. “Love.”

  “Cheers,” they all said together and clinked glasses in unison.

  Copyright © 2014 by Rachel Cross, Debra Kayn, Nicole Anne Flockton, Holley Trent.

  All rights reserved.

  This book, or parts thereof, may not be reproduced in any form without permission from the publisher; exceptions are made for brief excerpts used in published reviews.

  Published by

  Crimson Romance

  an imprint of F+W Media, Inc.

  10151 Carver Road, Suite 200

  Blue Ash, OH 45242. U.S.A.

  www.crimsonromance.com

  ISBN 10: 1-4405-7999-7

  ISBN 13: 978-1-4405-7999-8

  eISBN 10: 1-4405-8000-6

  eISBN 13: 978-1-4405-8000-0

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, corporations, institutions, organizations, events, or locales in this novel are either the product of the author’s imagination or, if real, used fictitiously. The resemblance of any character to actual persons (living or dead) is entirely coincidental.

  Cover art © istock.com/mlashcorp

  Contents

  Copyright Page

  Trapped by Cupid

  Dedication

  Acknowledgments

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  About the Author

  Trapped by Cupid

  Nicole Flockton

  To my beautiful niece, Michelle.

  I’m so glad that you’ve discovered the love of reading and I’m so thrilled that it was my books that led the way.

  Acknowledgments

  To my fellow authors, Debra Kayn, Holley Trent, and Rachel Cross, I’m honored to be included in this anthology with you.

  Tara Gelsomino, thanks for your insight on how to make this story stronger and making me dig further into the characters to find out what makes them tick.

  My street team, Nicole’s Ninjas, thanks for always being there to support me and cheer me on. Your friendship means the world to me.

  The girls on WWR, it’s so good to have a group where we can share our ups and downs and have an abundance of support, which makes this journey so much easier to deal with.

  To my readers, I wouldn’t be continually trying to improve myself and write more stories if it weren’t for you buying them. Thank you.

  Jason, thanks for always listening to my ramblings and for helping me to sound out ideas with you.

  Chapter One

  Lisa Wheeler looked up from her pile of towering charts and paperwork, took in the institutional green walls, and wished she were anywhere but here. It was just her luck to get stuck doing a night shift at the hospital on the most romantic day of the year—Valentine’s Day.

  Not that she had anyone special to spend the evening with. She hadn’t been on a date in months. Her plans had been to sit on the couch, munch her way through a packet of Tim Tam cookies and watch her favorite romantic movies, Love Actually and then Notting Hill.

  But instead, due to a last-minute shift change, she was now going to be spending the evening cleaning up puke, helping to stitch up the bloody heads of people who thought standing on a balcony and declaring their undying love was romantic … until they fell and ended up in the ER. She’d heard all the stories and wasn’t looking forward to what the evening was going to bring.

  Sighing she picked up her pen and started making notes again on the chart, ignoring the latest squeal of delight when yet another flower delivery arrived. Was this what it was always like in the ER on Valentine’s Day? Being a romantic at heart she couldn’t help but wish that maybe one of the deliveries could be for her. From whom she had no idea, but she could dream.

  “I’m sure your delivery is just moments away.”

  Was the comment directed at her? Had she said spoken out loud? She looked up, spying two people standing a couple of feet away from where she was working. Nope, it definitely was not for her.

  The high-pitched giggle belonging to Charlotte, one of the other nurses on duty, grated on Lisa’s nerve endings. She gripped her pen a little tighter, tamping down the desire to stab it hard into the paper.

  “Oh, Noah, there’s only one delivery I’m waiting for. If you know what I mean.”

  The temptation to vomit was huge. Could she be any more obvious in wanting the one man every single woman in the hospital wanted? Charlotte might as well tweet it out for the world to see, I want to date Dr. Sexy Green Eyes #ValentinesDay #dreamdate #sexydoc.

  Aware their conversation was being observed, Dr. Noah Collins suddenly turned his piercing green eyes onto her. Mischief lit their depths and he took a couple of steps until he was leaning against the counter she was working at. “How about you, Nurse Wheeler? Are you expecting any deliveries this evening? Or maybe you’ve already received some?”

  She clenched her jaw at the emphasis he placed on her name. He probably thought he was teasing her. He wasn’t. “Not that—”

  “Oh, Lisa’s too busy establishing her career to worry about dating, isn’t that right?” Charlotte cooed in that super sickly sweet way she had. “I’m pretty sure romance is the last thing a newly graduated nurse has on her mind.”

  Lisa had never really got on with Charlotte, and now she was reminded why. She wasn’t about to confess her secret desire to be swept off her feet by a handsome stranger for her and Dr. Collins to cackle over. She had hoped Cupid might decide this year was her year, but it looked like he was ignoring her again. Maybe he was sitting this one out on the couch watching Love Actually too.

  “Oh yeah, I’m under no illusion about romance,” she replied, feeling her inner snark coming out. “There’s no handsome, rich knight in shining armor on my horizon, only full bedpans.”

  Noah laughed but Charlotte’s eyes narrowed in irritation.

  “Not a romantic, hey Nurse Wheeler?” Noah asked, leaning over the counter. His spicy scent tickled her scenes. “You have heard that this isn’t an ordinary Emergency Department,” he continued. “It’s the main hub of romance for the lonely staff of Perth’s largest ER. We don’t just fix people up. We fix people up.”

  Indeed, Lisa had heard the stories. It had all started with the ER Registrar and Nursing Unit Manager, Alex and Sophie, getting together. Lisa had been doing her final training at the hospital with Dawn Granger, when the woman had found love with one of the local paramedics that was always bringing patients in. And the buzz had gotten even more intense when another nurse, Phoebe, had gotten married, to Alex’s best friend.
<
br />   “So I’m led to believe,” Lisa replied sardonically. “I’ll be sure to be careful so I won’t need fixing up.”

  “See I told you she’s not into romance.” Charlotte said, clearly not impressed she wasn’t Noah’s sole focus anymore. “Anyway I wanted to tell you, Noah, that your dad is amazing, I heard about the miraculous surgery he performed yesterday. No wonder he’s rated the best surgeon in the state, you must be so proud to be his son.”

  Why did everyone fawn over Noah when it was his father doing all the good work?

  “Yes, he’s very good at what he does.”

  Something in his tone had Lisa looking up at Noah. His eyes had lost their earlier glint and his mouth, instead of always smiling devilishly in a way that tempted even the sickest of patients, was set in a firm line of annoyance. Was he annoyed at being compared to his father all the time? He never gave the impression it bothered him. He always seemed to enjoy the attention the other nurses lavished on him.

  “Do you have plans after your shift, Noah?”

  Lisa collected the folders she was working on. She didn’t need to hear the gushing anymore. She had better things to do than watch Charlotte and Noah organize a date.

  As she went to walk past them, a hand halted her progress. The warmth from his fingers radiated through her, increasing her heart rate, making her momentarily forget how much he annoyed her.

  “Yes?” If he asked again if she had received a flower or chocolate delivery today, she was going to stomp on his foot.

  “I wanted to say thanks for the way you handled that impalement we worked on a couple of days ago.” A construction worker had fallen on site onto some exposed steel rebar and gotten critically wounded. Lisa wasn’t sure she’d ever seen so much blood before in her life. It was one of the toughest shifts she’d worked, but it was also one of the most rewarding ones. “You were cool under pressure and anticipated my every need, which made it so much easier to save the man’s life. A more experienced nurse couldn’t have done better under the circumstances, Lisa.”