Deadly Seduction (New York State Trooper Series Book 6)

by Jen Talty

  “Josh,” Jake yelled. “We need you and Delaney over here.”

  Josh tilted his head. “This conversation isn’t over.”

  Chapter 13

  Josh tiptoed across the bedroom, then eased himself into the chair in the corner and stared at the blond beauty sleeping in his bed. The sheet and comforter twisted around her body. The crinkles of worry on Delaney’s forehead hadn’t disappeared, though she’d relaxed into slumber the moment he tucked her in. After the week she’d had, she needed the rest.

  She rolled to her back with a sigh and a sweet moan.

  He loved her. No doubt in his mind, and he didn’t question it. He believed she loved him, too, though she’d been pushing him away ever since they left the cabin.

  “Josh,” she whispered. “Please, can you… Josh.”

  “I’m right here.” Quickly, he moved to the bed. All night long, he’d contemplated wrapping his arms around her, feeling her warm body next his, but he hadn’t wanted to disturb her. “You okay?”

  “What?” She turned her head, brushing the hair from her face. “What time is it?”

  “Five in the morning.” He fluffed a pillow and leaned back. He wanted to slip under the covers and make love to her, over and over again.

  “Have you slept at all?” she asked.

  “Some,” he admitted.

  “Please don’t tell me you slept in the chair all night.”

  “Okay, I won’t.” He kissed her nose. “Do you want me to make coffee?”

  She laughed. “God, no. I’ll wait for the restaurant to open, thank you very much.”

  “What did you want me to do?”

  “When?”

  “Just now. You were about to ask me something.”

  She scrunched her face as she got herself in an upright position. “I was sleeping until you woke me up just now. I didn’t ask you anything.”

  “So, you were dreaming about me.” The idea he’d entered her subconscious gave him a jolt of sorely needed confidence.

  “Maybe.”

  The bathroom lights seeped into the room, catching her blue eyes, which sparkled. “So, are you going to tell me the dream, since I was the star of it?”

  “I don’t remember it.” Her face flushed a rosy pink, just like her plump, kissable lips.

  He traced his thumb across her still swollen and bruised cheek, wishing he could have prevented it somehow. “You’re blushing, so I think maybe you do.”

  “It’s warm in here.”

  “I’d say it’s hot, but that’s because you’re in the room.”

  She smiled. “You really do have a way with words.”

  “What words can I say so you’ll tell me the dream?”

  “It’s a little embarrassing,” she said softly.

  “How so?”

  She covered her eyes with her arm. “It might have had something to do with stuff we did in this bed.”

  “Oh,” he said. His body sent his brain all sorts of wonderful and intoxicating messages. “It was a sex dream.”

  “You could say that.”

  He gripped her wrist and pulled her arm away from her beautiful face. “Was it good? Was I good?”

  She blinked open her eyes. “You could say that.”

  “What did you want me to do?” He inched closer, running his finger tentatively across the exposed skin between her neck and breasts. “In your dream.”

  “I think I’m going to keep that to myself, for now.”

  “As long as I know I performed well, that’s fine,” he said.

  Her smile made his heart race. She had to be the most perfect woman in the world.

  “You know, we never got to finish our talk after everything went down at Jake’s cabin.” When Josh looked at her now, all he saw was a sweet, kind, loving woman who would put herself on the line for those she loved, and she proved it the moment she pulled a gun on her own brother.

  “What talk was that?” she asked.

  “About us.”

  She frowned. “I don’t see how there is an ‘us,’” she said. “You’re up here, and I’m in New York City.”

  “That’s not going to make it easy, but I’m willing to give it a try.”

  “A long-distance relationship?”

  “Yes,” he said. She opened her mouth, but he pressed his forefinger against her lips before she could say anything. “I know we’ve only known each other a short while, but I care about you. I can’t explain it, but I won’t deny it, either.” He arched a brow. “Tell me you’ll give it a try.”

  “I need some time to sort things out. I don’t know what’s real or isn’t real.”

  “This is real.” He pulled her against his chest, wrapping his arms tight around her mid-section. He pressed his mouth against hers, swirling his hot, tender tongue in a sloppy, out-of-control kiss. The kind of kiss great love stories were written about. She didn’t hold back either, demanding more of him.

  He stroked her silky hair. “Be my girl.”

  “I’m not anyone’s possession.”

  “You know that’s not how I mean it,” he said, letting out a huff. “Come on, babe. What do you say?”

  “You’re so cute when you beg.” She cupped his face. “This entire thing is crazy. My head is spinning, between what happened at the cabin and what’s happening between us, which is moving too fast. I need to slow down.”

  He wrapped his fingers around her wrist, kissed her palm, then removed her hand. He understood exactly what she felt because the same battle raged in his mind. “The distance will force us to slow this down. It will give us both some space, and we can spend time getting to know one another better.”

  “You left the city because you hated it there.”

  “I didn’t know you then.”

  “Good line.”

  “That wasn’t a line. We’ll figure it out as we go,” he said. No way would he let her push him away now. “It’s less than four hours, and I go there often to visit my parents’ grave. You can come up here anytime you want, as often as you want.” He fanned his thumb across her bruised cheek.

  “Okay, but we start over,” she said. “I want you to bring me flowers. Take me on dates. Of course, I’ll expect them to top the first few we had.”

  “I’ve got some ideas up my sleeve,” he said, tucking a strand of her hair behind her ear. “Does starting over mean I can’t do this?” He tucked his hand under her shirt, easing his way up to the swell of her breast.

  She smiled. “If you ask nicely, maybe.”

  “What about this?” He rolled on top of her, settling between her legs, letting her feel his intention.

  “I would not call this taking things slow.”

  “Understood. I’m a patient man.”

  As he lifted his body from hers, she wrapped her arms and legs tightly around his body. She smiled. “It’s normal for people who date to have sex.”

  “If that’s what you want.”

  “That’s what your girl wants.”

  Epilogue

  Three months later

  Josh leaned against the back door of Reese and Patty’s kitchen. The foot of snow that had fallen the evening before glistened under the sun.

  “That’s not going to make her get here any faster,” Patty said.

  “Come back to the party and have a beer.” Reese slapped him on the shoulder, shoving a cold one under his nose.

  “She should be here by now.” He pulled a chair out, angling it so he could see the long, winding driveway as Patty set a plate of cheese and crackers on the kitchen table. “She was supposed to be out of work early today, but some meeting came up.”

  Patty looped her arm around Reese. “How’s her job hunting?”

  Josh rubbed his thigh, making sure the ring was still in his pocket. “Not good,” he admitted. “She hasn’t been able to find anything worth taking up here.”

  “She’ll find something,” Reese said.

  “I told her I’d move back to the city. Even asked
Jared about a transfer.”

  “That’s a big step.” Reese leaned into the table, resting both forearms on the wood. “Did you contact your old station sergeant?”

  Josh nodded.

  “You’re going to uproot a life you’ve worked hard to achieve up here for Delaney?” Reese’s voice took on an overprotective big-brother tone.

  Patty smacked her husband’s arm. “She was willing to do it for him, so why wouldn’t he do it for her? Besides, they’re in love.”

  “I do love her,” Josh said, still fingering the ring. “I don’t want to lose her.”

  “I think she’s here.” Reese nodded toward the door.

  Josh stood. He couldn’t think back to a time in his life where he’d been more nervous. He yanked open the door to let Delaney in, wondering why he’d brought the ring to a gathering that would include his best friends, half the station, and their spouses. “There’s my girl.” He quickly unzipped her parka, looping his hand around her waist and giving her short, passionate kiss.

  “In the flesh.” She leaned in and brushed her plump, rosy lips against his one more time. “I missed you.”

  “I missed you more.” He wanted to toss her over his shoulders and take her back to his place. Screw this party.

  Screw his friends.

  “Hold this for me, please.” She shoved a flower-patterned computer case at him.

  “Let me take your coat,” Reese said, maneuvering around Josh. “Then we’ll give you two a little alone time.”

  “Who else is here so far?” Delaney asked.

  “Jake, Kenzie, Jared, Ryan, Stacey, and Doug. Frank and Lacy will be late. Tristan is working, as usual. We really need to find that kid a woman,” Patty said.

  “Stop playing matchmaker.” Reese looped his arm over Patty’s shoulder. “Let’s get back to the party. See you two shortly.”

  “You are all smiles,” Josh said, setting her case on the table and pulling her tight against his body.

  “I have some exciting news.”

  “What’s that?”

  “I want to show you,” she said, pulling away from him. His skin chilled the moment she left his embrace.

  “Once everyone knows you’re here, we won’t have a second alone until we go back to my place. Show me later, because I want to kiss you now.”

  She shook her head as she dug into her case. “I’ll do more than kiss you tonight. This can’t wait.”

  “When you put it that—”

  “Read it.” She shoved an envelope against his chest.

  “Tell me what it says. I’d rather listen to your voice.”

  “Okay.” Her smile widened. “It’s a book contract.”

  “You sold your book?”

  “I sold the series! My agent pitched it that way and got two offers.”

  “That’s great. I’m so proud of you.” He lifted her up and twirled her around. “What did you get for it?” He set her down, holding her as tight as he could. She fit perfectly against his frame.

  “Enough that I feel comfortable quitting my job and taking the part-time job at the advertising agency up here. Things will be tight, but it’s manageable, as long as I have some money coming in outside of the advance.”

  “What?” He blinked a few times, hoping, praying he’d heard her correctly. “You can move up here?”

  She nodded like a little girl in a dress shop, her eyes wide and her smile as big as they came. “My lease is up in two months, and I plan on giving my notice on Monday. That is, if you’ll still have me.”

  “Hell, yeah,” he said. “Let’s blow this party off.”

  “No.”

  “Why not?”

  “It would be rude, and besides, in a couple of weeks, we can start moving my stuff up here. My landlord said she would let me break the lease without penalty if she found someone before it was up.”

  He took a small step back. Proposing in Reese and Patty’s kitchen had not been on his list of places to pop the question, but why not? “I love you,” he said.

  “I love you more.”

  He stuffed his hand deep in his pocket then pulled out the ring as he knelt on bended knee.

  “Oh, my God. What are you doing?” she whispered.

  He had no fast retort. All he had was raw emotion. “I love you.” He slipped the ring on her finger, making sure the diamond sat perfectly in the center. “I wish I had one of those one-liners you love so much, but all I’ve got is the standard. Will you make me the happiest, proudest man on earth by letting me be your husband?”

  “That is anything but standard,” she said softly. “I want you for my husband, but I have one condition.”

  “What’s that?” He stood, kissing her ring finger, now sporting a diamond that didn’t sparkle anywhere near the way she did. Nothing could outshine her.

  “You let everyone know I’m your girl.”

  He smiled. “How about we go into that party and see who’s the first one to notice that ring on your finger?”

  “Hell, yeah,” she said. “Thank you.”

  “For what?” he asked.

  “For letting me take the time I needed. For slowing things down.”

  He took her hand, knowing for that the first time since his mother died, he had a safe place. “One day at a time, I will love you forever,” he whispered.

  THE END

  Excerpt from WHEN A STRANGER CALLS

  BOOK SEVEN IN THE NY STATE TROOPER SERIES

  ****PLEASE NOTE THIS IS AN UNEDITED ADVANCED READER EXCERPT****

  PREORDER TODAY!

  Fifty years ago…

  Rusty Fowler stared at the infant sucking at his wife’s breast, his little fisted hand resting against her chest.

  “He’s beautiful,” he whispered. “And so are you.”

  Ashley looked up at him with a bright smile and tears in her eyes. “Are you sure you want to keep this charade up?”

  “It’s not a charade and I’ve never been more sure of anything in my life.” He sat on the edge of the hospital bed. “I told you seven months ago that I loved you and can’t live without you.” He’d meet his Ashley at the local corner store. It didn’t bother him that she’d already been pregnant. He loved her at first sight and she loved him back.

  “But the baby isn’t yours.”

  He kissed Ashley’s temple and then touched the baby boy’s cheek. “But he’s yours and I love anything that’s yours.” Rusty would have been crazy not to worry about resenting this child, considering he couldn’t have any of his own, but the moment he laid eyes on the boy, he knew that somehow he’d make this trio a family.

  “Are you okay with the father giving us that money? I think he was worried I’d start trouble and I don’t want that, nor do I want him, but I don’t feel guilty taking his hush money.”

  “If you want the money, then we can take it, but I don’t want to ever speak of this man again, whoever he is. I am this boy’s father. The only father he will ever know.”

  Ashley let out a guttural sob.

  “Don’t cry, baby.

  “I don’t deserve you.”

  “It’s me who doesn’t deserve you.” He kissed his Ashley on the lips. “What shall we name our son?”

  “Our son,” she whispered. “Russell, after you of course.”

  “And his middle name?”

  “You pick.”

  He thought about it for a long moment. “Merriman. Your maiden name.”

  “Russell Merriman Fowler. It’s perfect.”

  “Just like his mother.”

  She smiled, staring at her son, tears still gliding down her cheek. “I want to quit my job and stay home with our son. I was thinking I could start a catering business.”

  “Sounds wonderful.”

  Rusty leaned over and kissed his son. No one could take that away from him now.

  Chapter 1

  Brooke Fowler stared at her late grandfather’s will, which left everything to her. Everything included a rundown house in Lake
George, fifty-thousand dollars, and an old brass key with an illegible note. She wiped a single tear that rolled down her cheek, swallowing the primal need for revenge. Finding out her live-in boyfriend had been cheating on her with her own assistant sent her over a cliff she wasn’t sure she could ever recover from. She balled her fists just thinking about it. She should regret having tossed an expensive on-of-a-kind painting at Debbie, her assistant, landing the slut in the hospital, but Brooke didn’t feel bad about that. She didn’t even regret trashing her office, then storming off to the eight floor where all the VP offices were located, trashing her boyfriend’s office along with tossing a mug at him, though the bastard ducked and she missed.

  Getting fired, that sucked. Big time.

  But finding out her grandfather had died sucked more. He was all she had in the world and now he was gone. She never got a chance to say good-bye and standing over his tombstone was not a proper way tell him how much he’d meant to her, even when she didn’t always show it.

  “Sorry to have kept you waiting,” Jessica Holden, her grandfather’s attorney said.

  “I kept my grandpa waiting and he died.”

  “Excuse me?”

  Brooke blinked and looked around the lawyer’s office decorated in modern white furniture with wall to wall bookcases, housing thick, old law books. Whoever decorated this place should be shot.

  “I canceled a visit with him to go to a stupid party with my boyfriend, only I didn’t even get to go to the party.” She thought about continuing the ugly story, but what would be the point. Instead of going to the one person she could always turn to in times of need, she spent the night in county lock-up. No amount of good mascara would make for a good mug shot.

  “Mr. Fowler was eighty.”

  Brooke narrowed her eyes. “A spry eighty, thank you very much.” Though, she’d been begging him to go to the doctor for a physical. Turned out he had a heart condition. The doctors told her that even if the condition had been caught a few months ago, he still might have had a massive coronary anyway. Still didn’t make her feel any better.