by L. P. Dover
His gaze darted to his hand, then back up to my eyes, realization flashing across his face. I’d seen many emotions from him, but nothing could prepare me for what happened next. Picking me up in his arms, he pressed his lips to mine, a tear falling down his cheek. There were no words, but I didn’t have to hear them to know what he wanted.
Everything was going to be all right.
Brina
(Christmas)
It was Christmas day, one of the hardest days of my life, but this year was different. Instead of it being just me and my mother at the Wyoming cabin, we had a full house.
Wade’s arms snaked around my waist, his fingers rubbing circles around my belly. I was five months pregnant and loving every minute of it. The baby kicked and we both laughed. “Merry Christmas, sunshine.”
I flipped the last of the banana pancakes. “Merry Christmas to you, my love.”
He kissed my cheek and leaned against the counter, wearing the plaid flannel pajama pants I bought him, along with a white T-shirt. Ever since that day on the beach in Charleston, we hadn’t been away from each other for so much as a day. “Sleep okay last night? You tossed and turned a lot.”
My gaze turned to the spot on the floor where my father had died. “It’s still hard coming here.”
Trinity walked into the kitchen, her blonde hair in a messy ponytail. Josh was right behind her, heading straight to the coffee pot.
I leaned closer to Wade and smiled. “But it’s getting better. Having the whole family here has been amazing.”
Trinity sat down at the table, her eyes rolling into the back of her head as she breathed in the scent of breakfast. “I missed your banana pancakes, B.”
“So have I,” Josh replied with a wink.
The food was all done, so I covered it up while we waited on everyone else to get up. I grabbed a piece of bacon and sat beside Trinity, while Wade talked to Josh. “What are you doing up so early?”
Her eyes lit up. “It’s Christmas. I may be twenty-four years old, but it’s my favorite time of year.” She placed her hands on my belly. “Plus, I get to find out what this little squirt is! I can’t believe you don’t know yet. I would’ve already looked at the results.”
Giggling, I stuffed the bacon into my mouth. “Yes, I know. I have a little more discipline than you. Besides, Wade and I wanted it to be a surprise for everyone.” It was going to be a day full of surprises. Wade and I had a lot of good news. “As soon as everyone eats breakfast, we can open presents.”
She grabbed my arm and dragged me toward the food. “Come on then. That baby needs something to eat.” We fixed our plates, and mine was loaded with extra bacon. The things I craved most were avocados, peach tea, bacon, and chocolate-covered strawberries. I made sure the house was stocked with an abundance of them all.
Mom walked into the kitchen, followed by Noah and Renee. “The food smells delicious, sweetheart,” my mother gushed. She hugged me tight and wiped her tears away.
“Merry Christmas, Mom. It’ll be a good day, I promise.”
She fluffed my hair and smiled. “I know. It already is.”
The guys congregated together, drinking their coffee around the kitchen island, while the women sat at the table. Once I was done eating, I joined Wade and leaned into his warmth. “Is your father still coming?” I asked.
He glanced down at his watch. “He’ll be here with Ian and Reed in just a few minutes. Bryce is still away on a mission.” I could hear the tension in his voice, but he played it off in front of my family.
Bryce had been gone for months on an undercover mission involving the Irish mob. He was so deep inside, I almost feared he wouldn’t get out. But it was what he and Ian chose. They wanted a life out of the spotlight so they could focus on the FBI.
Reassuringly, I squeezed his arm before retreating to the living room, while everyone else finished eating. Trinity snuggled up beside me on the couch, and we stared at the eight-foot Christmas tree in front of the bay window. It was covered in sparkly ornaments, including the ones Noah and I had made as kids. There wasn’t enough room under the tree for all the presents, so they were scattered all throughout the room.
Trinity got up and fetched the main present, setting it on the coffee table in front of me.
“You are so impatient.” I laughed. “Besides, Wade and I want you all to open the presents we got you first.”
“Fine,” she gave in. “I just need to know what you’re having. I can barely stand it. And Nana’s been dying to find out too. It’s all she’s been talking about.”
Ever since my mother branched out on her own and started doing things for herself, I could see a spark of life inside of her. She was a completely different woman. It’d been a long time coming.
“Trust me,” I said, patting her leg. “You’ll want to open your other present too.”
“Can’t wait.” Her gaze caught the magazine on the coffee table and she gasped. “Oh, did you hear about Chris? He’s engaged now.”
I nodded. “Noah told me. Judging by the pictures I’ve seen, he looks happy.” I couldn’t be happier for him. He deserved a woman who could love and take care of him.
“He is,” she admitted. “And Sarah’s nice. I met her about a month ago.”
“That’s good. How are things with you and Josh?”
“So good. I can’t imagine life without him.”
“Think you two will ever get married?”
A wide grin spread across her face. “I hope so. We’re moving to Charleston next week. The spring semester starts soon. After college, there’s no telling what’ll happen.”
I nudged her in the side. “I’m happy for you. Wade and I will be in Charlotte for another couple of months, but then we’ll be back in Charleston.” I rubbed my stomach where the baby kicked. “I want to make sure I’m close to my doctor when I go into labor.”
“I can’t wait,” Trinity squealed. “I’ll be there every step of the way.”
With us being so close in age, I thought of her as more of a sister than a niece. The doorbell rang and I was about to get up, but she patted my leg.
“I got it.” She hurried over to the door and it was Glenn with Wade’s brothers.
“Hey, guys,” I called out. I stood and held out my arms.
Grinning from ear to ear, Glenn hugged me and kissed my head. “You’re glowing, my dear. We’re not too early are we?”
“Nope. Just in time. We’re about to open presents.”
He let me go, then Ian put his arm around my shoulders. I waved at Reed as he walked past. “Merry Christmas, B,” Ian said, sneaking a glance over at Trinity.
Trinity shook her head, hands on her hips. “I’m the only one who calls her that, Chandler.”
They’d begun picking on each other like brother and sister. It was funny watching them interact. Ian was the total opposite of Wade, always joking around, yet serious when he had to be. It was hard to imagine him being an assassin.
Chuckling, I sat back down on the couch. “Play nice you two. And just so you know,” I said to Ian, “You might want to watch yourself. She’s been training with Josh.”
Ian scoffed, his eyes twinkling. “Not scared in the least.”
Trinity mumbled something under her breath, then sat down beside me. “He’s going to regret that. After we open presents, it’s on. I’m taking him down.”
I snickered. “Can’t wait to see that.”
Wade walked into the room and sat down on my other side. “Almost time,” he whispered in my ear.
Everyone came into the living room and sat down wherever they could find a seat. My mom stood by the tree and scanned the crowd. “All right. Are we all ready to open presents?”
I scanned the room and everyone nodded, their smiles making me even more nervous.
Wade stood and held his hands out to help me up, so we could pass out the presents we got for everyone. While they opened the gifts, Wade and I waited. Of course, Trinity was the first one to find out
what was inside.
Her eyes lit up as she held up her plane tickets. “A paid trip to Hawaii? This is awesome. I’ve been dying to go there.” She came over and hugged me and Wade. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome. But as you can see, you’re all invited.” Once everyone opened their presents, I smiled. Wade held me close. “Wade and I have some good news to share. As you know, he’s been helping me get Endless Summer off the ground. It turns out, we have enough funds to open more stores.” I nodded toward everyone’s presents. “The first one will be in Hawaii. Wade and I will be staying there for about four months next fall to get it ready.”
Hoots and hollers erupted in the room and my mother rushed over. “Oh, honey, that’s exciting. I’m so happy for you. I’d be honored to be there when it opens.”
I held up my hands to get everyone to quiet down. “That’s not all.” I laughed, looking over at Wade. “Want to tell them?” His smile made everything inside of me tighten. Damn pregnancy hormones.
“We’re getting married,” he announced happily.
“And what better place than Hawaii,” I added. “We wanted to wait until after the baby was born.”
With tears streaming down her cheeks, my mom hugged me again. “This has seriously been the best Christmas ever. Your father would be so proud of you.”
Closing my eyes, I tried not to cry and failed. “Thanks, Momma.”
“All right, it’s baby time!” Trinity shouted. She waved me over to the couch and I sat down with Wade by my side. Clapping excitedly, she handed me the present off the coffee table. The results of the ultrasound were inside, tucked in an envelope. It’d taken all I had not to peek at the pictures when the nurse handed them to me.
Taking a deep breath, I turned to Wade. “Ready?”
He brushed a strand of hair behind my ear. “I’ve been ready.”
As much as I wanted to share the moment with everyone, I blocked them out and focused on Wade. His blue eyes sparkled as I opened the present and pulled out the envelope. I held it out to him and he opened it, sliding the stack of pictures out. I already knew the very bottom picture was the one that’d reveal it all.
“Oh my God, there’s our baby,” I cried, staring down at the pictures. There was one of just the foot and several with a side view, so we could see the baby’s whole body.
Heart racing, I waited for Wade to flip to the last picture, and when he did, I slapped a hand over my mouth. Wade looked down at it with the most radiant smile I’d ever seen.
He held the picture up. “It’s a girl.”
My mother reached for it and passed it around, but all I could focus on was the man beside me. Cupping my face in his hands, he pressed his lips gently to mine, whispering, “I know I’ve retired my guns, but if our daughter looks anything like you, I’m bringing them back out.”
Shaking my head, I snickered. “She’ll have you wrapped around her little finger.”
He kissed me again, then leaned down to kiss my stomach. “She already does.”
AIM : A Circle of Justice Novel
(Ian’s story) – coming August 2017
New York Times and USA Today bestselling author L. P. Dover is a southern belle living in North Carolina with her husband and two beautiful girls. Before she began her literary journey she worked in periodontics, enjoying the wonderment of dental surgeries.
She loves to write, but she also loves to play tennis, go on mountain hikes and white water rafting, and has a passion for singing. Her two youngest fans expect a concert each and every night before bedtime, usually Christmas carols.
Dover has written countless novels, including her Forever Fae series, the Second Chances series, the Gloves Off series, the Armed & Dangerous series, the Royal Shifters series, and her standalone novel Love, Lies, and Deception. Her favorite genre to read and write is romantic suspense, but if she got to choose a setting in which to live, it would be with her faeries in the Land of the Fae.
L.P. Dover is represented by Marisa Corvisiero of Corvisiero Literary Agency and Italia Gandolfo of Gandolfo Helin & Fountain Literary Management for dramatic rights.
ALSO CHECK OUT THESE EXTRAORDINARY AUTHORS & BOOKS:
Alivia Anders ~ Illumine
Cambria Hebert ~ Nerd
Angela Orlowski Peart ~ Forged by Greed
Julia Crane ~ Freak of Nature
J.A. Huss ~ Tragic
Cameo Renae ~ Hidden Wings
A.J. Bennett ~ Now or Never
Tabatha Vargo ~ Playing Patience
Beth Balmanno ~ Set in Stone
Ella James ~ Selling Scarlett
Tara West ~ Visions of the Witch
Heidi McLaughlin ~ Forever Your Girl
Melissa Andrea ~ The Edge of Darkness
Komal Kant ~ Falling for Hadie
Melissa Pearl ~ Golden Blood
Alexia Purdy ~ Breathe Me
Sarah M. Ross ~ Inhale, Exhale
Brina Courtney ~ Reveal
Amber Garza ~ Falling to Pieces
Anna Cruise ~ Maverick
Keep reading for a sneak peek at Roped In (An Armed & Dangerous Novel) by L.P. Dover.
Hadley
“Hadley! Hadley! Hadley!” the crowd cheered.
I blew a kiss and waved. “Thank you for joining me tonight. I love the energy here in Los Angeles! I have to say, I’ve missed this place. Make sure to listen to the radio this week for the debut of my new song, Whispered Words.”
“Sing it now!” one of the fans shouted. It was a little girl with blonde braids and freckles, sitting on her dad’s shoulders. She reminded me of myself many years ago, when I stood in almost the exact same spot, watching my idol, Martina Hill perform. One of these days, I was determined to do a duet with her.
I winked at the little girl and shook her tiny hand. “I wish I could, sweetheart, but it has to be a surprise.” Then I lifted my gaze to the thousands of fans in the stands and waved again. “I hope you all like it. Goodnight, everyone.” They went wild and I laughed as I ran backstage.
Waiting for me at the edge of the stage with a huge smile on his face was the love of my life, Nick Meyers. No one could resist his tousled, chocolate brown hair and gorgeous green eyes. The ladies loved him, almost as much as they hated me for having him.
“You were on fire tonight,” he shouted.
Rushing off stage, I jumped in his arms and squealed. “What are you doing here? I thought you weren’t going to be able to make it.”
Cameras flashed and he grinned, his eyes twinkling mischievously. “I can leave if you want,” he joked, releasing me from his grasp.
I gripped his arm and pulled him back to me. “Definitely not. What would the press think?”
Chuckling, he bent down to kiss me, knowing the reporters were taking note of our every move. “Was that a good enough kiss, or do I need to make it more convincing?” he asked, whispering in my ear.
Rolling my eyes, I playfully pushed him away. “I think you need a cold shower.”
“Care to join me?” he quipped, waggling his brows.
“Right now, we have work to do. Get your head out of the gutter.” We faced the reporters and he held me close as questions were thrown at us in rapid fire. A lady with bright red hair and huge glasses, pushed through the crowd and held out a recorder. “Miss Rivers, we’ve heard rumors you and Mr. Meyers are engaged. Is that true?”
Nick smirked down at me and I held back a snicker. It was crazy how rumors got started out of nowhere. The next thing I knew, we’d be married and having a baby. “If she was engaged,” Nick began, “I would definitely be letting the world know.”
We answered several more questions before it was time to go. I knew I was going to have a gazillion autographs to sign on the way to the dressing room. Relaxation was something I needed to schedule now, or it would never happen. I had to get home and get rested up before my early flight to Texas.
Nick was always patient with me when dealing with the press, but I did the same for him too
; he was just as famous. I was a rising, country starlet with one of the best hockey players in the country as my boyfriend. Unfortunately, our romance was all for show, but we played the parts beautifully.
Once we were behind closed doors, I breathed a sigh of relief. “The questions keep getting more outrageous don’t they?”
“Same shit show, different day.” He helped me pack up my things and stuffed them into my bag.
“I thought you were busy with the team tonight?”
“I was, but I made sure to get away early. I missed my buttercup.”
I rolled my eyes, nudging him with my elbow when he pulled me into his arms. “You have a life too, Nick. I don’t want you sacrificing everything to be with me. You should’ve stayed with the team.”
“Trust me, baby, I’m not sacrificing a single thing. I enjoy every minute of it.”
“Even if you don’t get anything in return?” I asked, lifting my gaze to his.
For the last four months, he was mine, but not really. It was his and his sister’s idea for him to be my fill in boyfriend. His sister, Felicity Myers, was also my agent and the one who’d introduced Nick to me. I guess they were right, it was safer for people to see me with someone, instead of single and living alone. And I enjoyed having him with me, but I didn’t want to drag him into the danger surrounding my life.
His smile faded, his gaze serious. “I get plenty in return, Hadley. I’m happy where I’m at, even if I have to steal your kisses. It’s not that bad being with me, is it?”
“Are you kidding? You’re gorgeous and could have any woman you want, but yet you choose to be stuck with me. It makes no sense.”
“It does to me,” he murmured.
“I’ve asked you this before, but I need you to be honest with me.” He sighed and nodded for me to continue. “What did Felicity promise you? Surely you didn’t just agree to be with me for nothing in return.” I had often thought about what it would be like to take things further, but I didn’t want to ruin our friendship. When I met him two years ago, we instantly clicked. I considered him more of a best friend than a lover.