Dalton, Shep’s youngest son, was almost twenty-nine. That meant Shep would be starting all over with the diapers, preschool, high school, college...practically everything. Like Roland, Shep had been locked up for fifteen years for a crime he didn’t commit, and if starting over in fatherhood was what he wanted, then Stonewall was happy for him.
When Joy ran out of people to discuss from the wedding, he kept the conversation going by telling her about his recent trips to Dubai, Australia, Thailand and Cape Town. His extensive travels were part of his job assignment to protect wealthy businessman Dakota Navarro, who preferred to be called Dak. Over the past six months, his and Dak’s relationship had moved beyond that of client and bodyguard to good friends.
Stonewall brought the car to a stop. “Well, here we are.”
He watched as Joy looked out the window before glancing back at him. “A private jet?”
He smiled. “Yes, and no, it’s not mine. It’s belongs to Dakota Navarro. He loaned it to me.”
She lifted a brow. “Loaned it to you.”
“Yes, he loaned me the plane and the pilot.”
“Why?”
Stonewall unsnapped his seat belt and smiled at her. “Because he’s aware of how I’ve been looking forward to finally taking you out on a real date. Dak’s also aware that jet-setting around the world protecting him is one of the reasons I couldn’t do so. He figured the least he could do was help our romance along.”
“Our romance?”
“Yes.” There was no need to tell her that romance hadn’t been the word Dak used. The international playboy and businessman considered each date with a woman as a conquest of the most sexual kind.
“And just where is this jet supposed to be taking us?”
“Martha’s Vineyard. I’ve made reservations for dinner.” Anticipating her next question, he added, “And I promise to have you home before midnight.”
CHAPTER TWO
DINNER FOR TWO? On Martha’s Vineyard? And they would fly there on a private jet owned by Dakota Navarro?
Although Joy had never met the man, she’d heard about him. Who hadn’t? And she was well aware Stonewall had been working as Navarro’s bodyguard. But still...
She switched her gaze from Stonewall to the sleek jet. On their first official date, he planned to whisk her away on a private jet from Charlottesville to Massachusetts?
She glanced at Stonewall only to find him staring at her with the same intensity he’d looked at her with from across the room the night they’d met. The desire in his eyes was easy to read. It said, I want you.
Drawing in a deep breath, she broke eye contact with him to look out the window again, to make sure the jet was really there. When she glanced back at Stonewall, the deep desire that had been in his eyes just moments ago had been replaced with something else. Amusement. However, there was that seriousness she could always detect, even when she figured he was working hard to keep it hidden.
“I don’t know what to say,” she said against the lump in her throat. And honestly, she didn’t. She had been excited that after six months he’d finally arrived at her house to take her somewhere, even if the destination had been to their mutual friends’ wedding.
“You can start off by saying that you’ll fly away with me. Quasar was quick to remind me today that kidnapping is a federal offense. Jail time is something I don’t want to do again.”
Joy swallowed tightly. There it was. Anyone who knew her would find it surprising. That someone who was as straightlaced and by-the-book when it came to upholding the law as she, would even consider dating an ex-con.
But she was a believer in second chances. Stonewall had served his time, and since his release over eight years ago, he’d become a model citizen. She didn’t know his story, but she hoped he would eventually trust her enough to tell her.
Joy was convinced that, considering everything about him, there had to be a reason she was so attracted to him. At least a reason other than the obvious. And the obvious was that the man was so drop-dead gorgeous, he could take a woman’s breath away, literally. She might be a cop, but around him her hormones boldly reminded her she was also a woman.
And Stonewall Courson had the ability to make her want to be all woman whenever she wasn’t busy arresting criminals. That was one of the reasons for this short, sexy, lacy dress she was wearing. She’d seen it in the store months ago and had imagined it on her when she would be with him. That had been months before she’d received an invitation to Striker and Margo’s wedding.
“So, do I kidnap you or do you come willingly?” he asked, breaking into her reverie.
She smiled over at him. “I’ll come willingly, Mr. Courson.”
The smile that curved his lips from corner to corner was sexy as hell, just like the rest of him. In his black tux he looked scrumptiously delicious. It had been hard to keep her eyes off him during the ceremony, and more than once she’d checked out his broad shoulders, commanding biceps, muscled arms and firm thighs.
“Give me a minute so I can check with the pilot, and then we’ll be on our way. And like I said, I’ll have you home before midnight.”
He opened the door and got out, and she watched him walk away. He moved with long strides and a swagger that she doubted he realized he possessed. And because of the way his slacks fit him, she could see the thick muscles in his thighs with every step he took. Like always, whenever she ogled him her wild, needed-to-be-censored imagination would kick in. When he entered the building and closed the door behind him, she drew in a deep breath. Be still my hormones.
It had turned out to be a beautiful day in June, the perfect day for a wedding. The sun was shining brightly through the windshield, nearly blinding her. She decided to close her eyes for a moment, and when she did, memories of the night six months ago when she and Stonewall met floated through her mind...
* * *
JOY GLANCED AT her watch. Less than five more minutes and she would be free to leave the charity ball. When an informant had gotten word to Police Chief Harkins that an organized pickpocket ring would be working the unsuspecting crowd here tonight, several law enforcement officers were enlisted to work undercover. She was one of them.
Already three individuals had been arrested without incident and without anyone in attendance knowing they’d been targeted. All in a day’s work, which for her would be coming to an end in three minutes and two seconds she concluded, glancing at her watch again.
Unlike some of her fellow detectives, she hadn’t griped about being chosen to come here tonight. She supported Chief Harkins’s belief that every member of the police force should be flexible, regardless of whether they were uniformed officers or detectives sitting behind a cushy desk. When you were needed, you stepped up. Plus, working an undercover gig that actually required wearing something other than her dark slacks and plain button-up shirt? She’d enjoyed getting dressed up for tonight’s event. She’d even called her neighbor, Cherish Greenleaf, to help do something with her hair. She hadn’t expected Cherish to take the scissors and whack it off, though. But then, Joy had to grudgingly agree that the shorter style looked good on her.
When she had arrived tonight, several of her fellow male officers had blinked more than once to make sure it was her. Even her former partner, Darrin Chadwick, had told her she looked good, and had even gone so far as to ask her out on a date. Seriously, Darrin Chadwick? The man who’d been a thorn in her side since she’d arrived in Charlottesville for work almost two years ago? He’d thrown a hissy fit at having a woman for a partner and more than once had tried making things hard for her. She’d survived all Darrin’s BS and felt she was an even better cop because of it. Rumor had it that Chadwick had applied for a lieutenant position in Ohio. Personally, she hoped he got it. She would do the good-riddance dance all over the precinct if he did.
She glanced at her watch again. Less than a minute to go. She might as well grab another one of those delicious treats off the snack table on her way out the door. One thing about doing a gig like this—you definitely wouldn’t leave hungry.
Joy chose a couple of chocolate fritters. She couldn’t resist anything chocolate. She bit into one and closed her eyes. Delicious.
She opened her eyes and found herself staring across the room at a stunning man while thinking the same thing. Although she couldn’t see his face, from his profile he appeared as sinfully delicious as the fritter tasted. He was tall, his hair was cut low on his head and he had broad shoulders with a nice physique. She couldn’t help wondering who he was.
She studied the people around him and recognized the Grangers. Sheppard Granger had made news a little over a year ago when, after serving fifteen years for a crime he hadn’t committed, he was exonerated as the case was solved. And it had been solved in a big way, with the bust of a computer network fraud scheme that resulted in several CEOs and politicians being indicted. Presently Sheppard Granger was making his rounds on the talk-show circuits, pushing for prison reform.
Included in the group were three men she recognized as Sheppard Granger’s sons, along with their wives. Joy knew Jules Bradford Granger, who had married the youngest Granger a year ago. Jules, who used to be a street cop and detective while living in Boston years ago, was now a top-notch private investigator. One of the best the city of Charlottesville had to offer. Joy had gotten to know Jules when they’d collaborated on a cold case that resulted in a murder from five years ago getting solved.
Joy could only assume the remaining people in the group were friends of the Grangers. Her eyes found their way back to the one man who, even from across the room, was sending flutters of heat all through her, seeping into her every pore. How was that possible when he hadn’t even looked her way?
She stopped staring at him long enough to check her watch. She was officially off work and could leave. That meant going home to an empty house with hopes of getting a good night’s sleep without any interruptions. However, as a homicide detective, it wasn’t unusual to be awakened in the middle of the night and summoned to police headquarters because of some murder case she’d been assigned to.
Joy decided to take one more quick look at that man before leaving. Nothing like a good drool before going home.
She released a slow, deep sigh, and as if the sound carried across the room, he suddenly turned his head and looked right at her. She knew she should have looked away, broken eye contact. It wasn’t nice to stare. But it was as if their gazes were locked and she couldn’t break the hold. She practically forced air into her lungs. He had to be the most gorgeous specimen of a man she’d seen in long time. A very long time. Just looking at him had her heart racing at top speed in her chest. What in the world was wrong with her? She’d never in her life been this affected by a man.
Everyone appeared to fade into oblivion except for the man whose gaze was holding her captive in the most delectable way. Then his gaze began scanning over her, boldly checking her out from head to toe, returning to look into her eyes every so often as if daring her to look away. His silent and bold appraisal filled her with heat of the most intense kind. Suddenly her dress felt too tight. It was obvious her nipples had hardened and were stretching against the material.
She could see more of him now that he’d turned his body. Like the other men present, he was wearing a black tux, and she definitely appreciated the way it fit him, defining all those muscles. He had a very handsome face, and even from where she was standing, she liked the shape of his lips. Even more, she appreciated the neatly trimmed beard that covered the lower part of his face, making him even more handsome. From the distance separating them, she could only speculate about the color of his eyes. Were they black or dark brown? Either one worked in such a gorgeous face.
He suddenly broke eye contact with her when one of the men with him said something and regained his attention. That was her cue to exit. She needed to get home and turn up the air as high as it could get to cool her off while she drank a glass of wine.
She moved toward the exit, which would put her in closer proximity to the hottie, but there was no way of getting around it if she wanted to leave. She felt flutters move inside her once more and knew his gaze was back on her. Although she was tempted to take one last look, she refrained from doing so.
Joy kept walking, determined to make it to the door, when suddenly she heard someone call her name. She stopped, her heart nearly in her throat when she realized the person calling out was Jules Granger.
Jules was all smiles as she walked toward her. “Joy, how are you?”
Joy returned Jules’s smile. “I’m fine. What about you?”
“I’m doing great. You’re leaving already?”
“Yes.” She wasn’t at liberty to admit she’d been working undercover.
“It’s still early. Come over and join us for a minute. I’d love for you to meet everyone.”
Joy knew that meant she would also be meeting the guy who’d caught her staring. Mr. Oh-So-Fine-And-Sexy. It would be easy to tell Jules that she really had to go. But instead, she heard herself say, “Okay.”
Jules hooked their arms together as she led her back over to the group. “Everyone, this is Joy Ingram, a homicide detective here in the city.” She then introduced her to everyone, including the man who had so intrigued her. “Joy, I’d like you to meet another good friend of the Grangers, Stonewall Courson.”
He was even more handsome up close. His dark brown eyes were striking, and she felt a tightening in her midsection when a pair of flawless lips eased into a smile. “Joy, it’s nice to meet you.”
Joy thought he sounded delicious, as well. His deep, throaty voice sent pleasurable shivers up her spine. “Nice meeting you, too, Stonewall,” she said, taking the hand he extended. The touch suffused her with heat. When she was about to pull her hand back, his fingers tightened their grasp, holding her hand captive even as she was introduced to the next two guys.
“And these two are also family friends, Quasar Patterson and Striker Jennings.”
She smiled up at the two men. “Quasar. Striker.”
“Nice meeting you,” both men said. Although he didn’t say anything, the one named Quasar showed a hint of a grin when he saw Stonewall still holding her hand.
* * *
“YOU’VE FALLEN ASLEEP on me?”
Joy opened her eyes to find Stonewall sitting beside her again in the car. She hadn’t heard him return. “Not asleep. Just blocking the sun from my eyes.” There was no way she would tell him what she really had been doing. “Is everything okay?” she asked him, feeling excited about their first official date.
A smile crinkled the corners of his lips. “Everything’s fine. The pilot is filing our flight plans. Ready to go?”
She couldn’t help returning his smile. “Yes, I’m ready.”
CHAPTER THREE
STONEWALL HAD FLOWN on this jet many times over the past four months with Dak, but he doubted he’d ever enjoyed it more than he was now with the exceptional woman sitting across from him. He’d seen the way her eyes had lit up the minute he’d escorted her on board. Dak’s jet was impressive, to say the least. However, what impressed Stonewall the most was Joy.
He recalled the night they’d met. It was the same night Roland was shot. He and everyone in his group had immediately left the charity event to go straight to the hospital.
To Stonewall’s surprise, Joy had followed them to the hospital in her own car, and he was grateful that she had. He’d discovered that night that having a police detective in your corner could cut through a lot of red tape. She’d been able obtain information quickly, about both Roland’s condition and the attempted carjacking.
It had been a long night, and although she h
ad never met Roland, Joy had stayed at the hospital with them, throwing her weight around as a detective to get updates whenever she could. It had been close to four in the morning before they’d gotten word that Roland had survived surgery and would be okay. Everyone had thanked Joy for her help, and Stonewall had walked her to her car. Even now he remembered that night as if it had been yesterday...
* * *
THE NIGHT AIR was cold as they walked beside each other in the hospital’s parking garage. The sexual chemistry that had pulled them together most of the night had taken a temporary back seat while they’d awaited word on Roland’s condition. Everyone had let out a sigh of relief when the doctor appeared to announce Roland had come out of surgery and was on his way to the ICU, where his condition would be monitored.
“I’m glad your boss will be okay,” Joy said, breaking into his thoughts.
He glanced over at her. “Roland is more than just my boss. He’s a good friend.”
“I gathered as much tonight. It’s obvious that he’s special to a lot of people.” She didn’t say anything for a minute and then, “You didn’t have to walk me to my car, you know.”
In truth, Stonewall didn’t know anything. The only thing he was certain about was the fact he wasn’t ready for them to part ways. “It’s the least I could do for all your help. Getting information from those cops was like pulling teeth. You didn’t have to do what you did, and we’re grateful for your intervention.”
They walked slowly and in silence for a few moments. “So, how long have you been a cop?”
“About five years. I entered the police academy right out of college. I did my time as a beat cop before being promoted to detective.”
“I understand you’re new to the city.”
“Yes. I’ve been here for almost two years now.”
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