by Bree Verity
Desiree’s tentative trust in Jack grew by the day. She wasn’t exactly sure why, but she was certain in her bones that Jack would remain true to his word. Not that he had given her reason to doubt. They had been inseparable for months.
She liked the feeling of being secure, of knowing that whatever happened, he had her back. And vice versa.
They would need each other in the months to come. Desiree’s mother was not improving, and Susan had started proceedings to try to wrestle custody of the children away from Jack. There would be a fight. But Desiree would stand beside her man, as he would do for her when it was needed. Whatever tests life threw at them, whatever she decided to do, it was pleasant knowing she had support.
Of course, she had the support of her friends as well, who had unequivocally approved of Jack when they met him. Although their blessings were not required, Desiree was still pleased that her best friends got along with her boyfriend. It just made life that much more comfortable.
Desiree smiled, and licked her lips, tipping her head back a little so Jack could hear what she said.
“Did you notice while you were down there that I have no underwear on?” she murmured, and then chuckled at his groan.
“That ain’t fair, ma’am.” He nipped her shoulder with his teeth, and she spun in his arms.
“Ow! That hurt.”
“This hurts too.” He vaguely motioned toward his crotch, before suggesting with a cheeky grin, “Maybe you just need to kiss it better?”
“Well, maybe I do.”
They settled into a comfortable silence, Jack’s arms wrapped protectively around her.
“I wish we could just stay like this forever,” breathed Jack into Desiree’s hair.
To her surprise, Desiree agreed with him.
With Jack, forever wasn’t scary or intimidating. Forever was a forest of possibilities and potential and promise. She knew she had found herself a man that wouldn’t misuse her, that wouldn’t prey on her love for him. She could be herself – the new Desiree who had come out from under her protective shell, and she knew she could trust Jack to treasure her.
Forever.
And Desiree was looking forward to forever.
She turned in his lap so she was facing him. “I love you, Jack Duncan. Forever.”
He stared back into her eyes for a long moment, before replying, “And I love you, Desiree Jackson.”
And they sealed the deal with a long, sweet kiss.
THE END
Hello again!
Troubled by the Texan is my sixth book, and I have probably been more troubled by the Texan than Desiree ever was!! However, I’m pleased with the result, and I hope you were too.
If you enjoyed, please leave me a review on Amazon.com - or another site if you aren’t on Amazon.com. Reviews give authors that little bit of heart feels that we need to keep the engine running to write the next book. Also, they affect our sales. Stupid, but true. The ‘Zon promotes books that people talk about more than ones that people don’t talk about. What I mean by that is, even if you didn’t think the book was AMAZING, a quick 3-or-4 star review will work better for me than if you say nothing. Tell the world what you didn’t like! People who read reviews like that.
There is one more book in the works for the Perth Girls series at the moment - In the Spotlight, which is Penny’s book. She is, by far, my favorite of the Perth Girls, so I hope you enjoy her story.
There’s a sneaky peek preview on the next page…
Marc has had a crush on Penny for ages. Penny has never really noticed, until now, and she’s flabbergasted, and kind of pleased all at the same time to finally have worked it out.
Suddenly, they can’t keep their hands off each other, and backstage at the theater seems to be an awesome place for making out.
But all is not as it seems at the theater, as things start to go missing, and the apparent presence of a theater ghost starts to freak everyone out.
Can Penny solve the mystery of the theater ghost?
And when Penny’s hidden past comes back to haunt her as well, will Mark’s love overcome his own demons from the past?
Preview next page…
It was cool and quiet outside. The only sounds were the dim buzzing of the carpark lights, and the crunch of their shoes against the asphalt as they walked. Approaching Penny’s car, she and Marc didn’t talk. They had reached that stage in their friendship where they could be silent together and there was no weirdness. Still, Penny wondered what Marc was thinking about. She didn’t need to wonder for long.
“That attack you had?”
She heard the hesitation in his voice, saw the way he thrust his hands into his jeans pockets and hunched his shoulders. He seemed unsure if he should talk about it. Penny could admit to herself that she preferred that he didn’t, but since he had started the conversation, she should let him have his say.
“Yeah?”
“I’m worried about you.”
Despite his words, Penny had to smile. “Aw. Thanks.” She nudged him gently with her elbow and in the yellowed light of the carpark she was pleased to see a slight smile cross his face as well. But he continued with his serious words.
“No, I mean it. You should see a doctor to make sure it’s not your heart or something.”
She sniffed. “I don’t have time to go to the doctors. Besides, it was nothing. Just… I don’t know, a blip.”
They reached Penny’s car and Marc turned to face her. “Seriously, Pen, that kind of stuff – palpitations and sweats and things – that screams heart attack to me.”
“But I’m fine now.” She pushed all the force she could into the words, even though she had spoken softly. With a smile, she put a hand up to cradle Marc’s cheek, and forced him to look into her eyes. She was conscious of the tenderness of the gesture, but she needed to reassure him she was okay, that he didn’t need to worry. “If it was a heart attack, I’d still be on the floor in the wings.”
“Pen.” Marc’s voice was a harsh whisper, and he turned his head, his lips resting in her palm. His eyes closed and his brows drew together. She saw his chest rise and fall quickly. Penny realised with rising alarm that her gesture had affected him more than she thought it would.
But his velvet lips and the scrape of a day’s beard growth against her palm kept her from saying anything, his uneven breath warming her fingers before dissolving in the night air too intoxicating to ask him to stop. Penny tumbled from one thought to another – should she tell him to stop? It felt so good letting him continue, letting his lips and his breath electrify every nerve ending in her body. There had always been a current between them – Penny could admit to that. But they had never acted on it. Perhaps they should have.
Marc must have felt her shiver through her fingers, or perhaps he heard the shuddering breath she released. He grasped her hand, taking it away from his face and holding it loosely between them. His eyes burned into Penny’s—in the half-light, they looked almost black, glinting with blue fire from within. Spellbound in his gaze, Penny was acutely aware of his lips descending toward hers and she tilted her head to receive the kiss.
“Pen, I…”
A burst of conversation and laughter followed a group of tipsy people out of the door of the tavern, breaking the spell. Penny dropped Marc’s hand and took a step away. Both of them were breathing shallowly, and Penny knew Marc’s hungry gaze was matched in her own expression.
But it wasn’t a good idea. Her and Marc. She didn’t do well in relationships. Not since… well, not ever, really. She just didn’t seem to be able to take that step, the one that cemented the relationship for the long term. And she didn’t want to start something with Marc that might end shortly and badly. Their friendship meant too much, and Penny loved working backstage with Marc – something that would be uncomfortable and awkward as hell in the small confines of backstage if they were broken up.
Her thoughts whirling, she gave Marc a tentative smile. “Goodnight Marc,” she said
softly, knowing that she should say more, but not knowing how to articulate her thoughts.
As she turned to her car, Marc said, “Pen, wait,” stepping in and closing the car door even as she opened it. His arm stretched out beside her, lightly resting on the car, his bicep brushing against her arm.
“Don’t,” was all she needed to whisper, even though she longed to say more, wished she had the guts to say, “Kiss me,” or “Let’s make out in the backseat.” He let his arm drop away from the door, and Penny opened it, climbing quickly into the driver’s seat. She started the engine and drove away, not looking at Marc for fear that she might see something in his face to make her change her mind.
He didn’t deserve someone like her.
Coming early 2018.
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