Текст книги "Damsel In Danger"

Автор книги: Olivia Jaymes

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Текущая страница: 14 (всего у книги 14 страниц)

“I tried,” Barnes declared, a tad too loudly. “But by the time I heard Aunt Gail had put the house on the market it had been sold. She never would have sold to me anyway. Bitch.”

It was all suddenly too much for Brinley. She fell into one of her dining room chairs with a soft groan of frustration. So many people dead or injured because of one man’s greed.

“So you killed your stepmother for money, right? Then you killed Roger Gaines and tried to kill Anita Hazlitt because you thought they were closing in on you. And finally you tried to kill me for a gun and some jewelry and to stop any renovations on the house. Do I have all this clear?”

Damian said something she couldn’t quite make out but it sounded like a few rude words. Jason had obviously had enough because he grabbed Damian’s arm, and with West on the other side they escorted Barnes to a waiting squad car.

“What happens now?” Brinley slumped in the chair and watched as the police officers slowly dispersed.

Logan nodded toward the front door. “West will take Barnes to the station and book him. They’ll hold him there until he can be arraigned. They’ll also question him and get a full statement for the record. I doubt he’ll get bail, having admitted to a double murder and two other attempted murders. In fact, if I were him I’d take a deep breath of fresh air right now because I don’t think he’ll be seeing freedom for a long time—if ever.”

A thought wouldn’t leave her alone. “Do you think his father knew?”

“Hell, that’s a good question. Maybe he did and maybe he didn’t. Or maybe he knew on some level but couldn’t allow himself to say it out loud.”

Jared stepped forward and placed his hand lightly under her elbow. She’d just met him a few days ago but already she liked him as much as Logan, although he had a very different personality. Quieter. More cerebral where Logan was loud but intense.

“Brinley? Why don’t I take you back to Jason’s house and we can let Logan lock up over here when the cops are done? You look like you could use a stiff shot of whiskey.”

“Wrong. I need at least two. Let’s go.”

She let Jared escort her out of her dream home that had turned into a nightmare, through the side yard, and straight into the home of her dream man. If she had to choose between the two, she’d choose her man every single time.

Chapter Thirty

‡

Brinley had finished her first shot of whiskey when Jason joined her in his kitchen. He pulled down a highball glass and poured himself a generous dollop of the single malt scotch before knocking it back in one gulp.

“West took him to the station and they’ll get his statement.” Jason refilled his glass and held out the bottle to Brinley and Jared but they both shook their heads. It turned out Brinley didn’t like the taste of whiskey in the least.

Jared patted her hand and then stood from the table. “Unless you need me I’m going to get on the road to the airport. I can get a flight out and be back home to Misty and Lizzie Rose mid-morning.”

Jason held out his hand to Jared. “I couldn’t have done this without you. I promised you no dangerous assignments when you partnered with me and I guess I lied. I pulled you away from your computer and into field work.”

Jared’s rich laughter filled the room as he slapped his hat on his head. “I was never in any danger. Just this young lady.” He gave Brinley a smile. “And she handled it like a champ. She’s a keeper, Anderson.”

Brinley giggled and shook her finger at Jason. “That’s right. I’m a keeper.”

Jason rolled his eyes and took another drink from the glass. “I’m well aware, honey. Believe me.” He turned back to Jared, who was fishing his keys out of a bowl on the kitchen counter. “What about Logan? Is he leaving with you?”

“I’m heading next door right now to help him lock up. Then he’s driving me to the airport before getting on the road back home. With any luck he’ll be eating pancakes with Ava and the twins in the morning. And we should all get a good night’s sleep in our own homes.” Jared slapped Jason on the back and grinned. “I think we’ve all earned it.”

Jason walked his friend and partner to the car while Brinley lounged on the couch. Now that Damian – or Greg – had been captured and the mystery solved, she and Jason had a great deal to talk about. They’d never truly discussed what the future held for the two of them.

She couldn’t stop her pulse from accelerating and a zing of excitement shot up her spine. The nightmare was finally over and she and Jason could just…be together.

He came back into the house and pulled his boots off, setting them by the door before coming to sit beside her. Tugging her into his arms, he ran his hand up and down her back, lying close and not saying anything for a long while. It felt amazing to simply be close to him.

“I’m real proud of you, honey. Jared’s right. I don’t know too many people who would have handled the pressure of all this as well as you did. You’re something else.”

“Don’t speak too soon. I might fall apart in the morning when I realize we don’t have to question suspects or comb through police files anymore.”

Brinley was pretty sure the moment when all this was going to hit her hadn’t happened yet. But it would and she hoped it wouldn’t be too bad. Maybe some crying or a couple of glasses of wine. Or several pairs of new shoes.

“School will start soon. You won’t have much time to dwell on this.”

She had to report for pre-school year activities in three weeks. It was time to move on and this was why she’d left Chicago for a fresh start.

“I still have some time off. Maybe we could go somewhere.”

Brinley held her breath waiting for his answer. He’d said the day of her accident he loved her but he hadn’t said it since and she didn’t want to assume anything. The fear thing might have returned in full force.

“I’d like that too. Just the two of us. I think I’d like the opportunity to prove to you that I was telling you the truth.”

She didn’t think Jason had ever lied to her so his statement seemed strange. “Tell me the truth about what?”

His rough fingers lifted her chin so she was looking up into those sexy green eyes. He had a goofy, mushy look on his face that made her insides tumble and dance and he brushed his lips against her own once, then twice until she thought her heart might burst with love.

“About how much I love you. I’m not sure I was convincing enough. I intend to remedy that in the next week and into the future. By Christmas I hope that you’ll know how I feel deep down in your bones.” His palm pressed against her chest. “And in your heart. You’ve brought me back to life. I was half living until you came along. I was playing it safe. It took someone remarkable to shake me up and set me straight.”

She wrapped her arms around his neck in delight and couldn’t keep the smile from her face. They were perfect for each other. “I was doing the same thing. Afraid to take chances. I think that’s why I wasn’t angry with you when you pulled away. I could see myself in you. I bet you saw yourself in me too. But we both took a wild chance and look at what we’ve found.”

“Love.” Jason leaned down to capture her lips in a kiss that said so much about how he felt. More than words, his actions spoke volumes.

“Love.” She could only agree. No arguments.

Brinley had found the kind of love she hadn’t been sure existed. All from the boy next door.

Love thy neighbor?

Don’t mind if I do.

Epilogue

‡

Jason patted the ring in his pocket for the twentieth time that day. It was another Sunday dinner with the Anderson family but today was going to be a little different. He was planning to propose to Brinley and damn if he wasn’t nervous and jumpy. Brinley loved him and he loved her so he was pretty sure she was going to say yes, but he wasn’t going to take it for granted.

In the past several months she’d become an integral part of the Anderson clan and his parents adored her. Brinley had helped his mother prepare Thanksgiving dinner. The two of them had baked cookies and pies for Christmas. They’d even teamed up to collect toys for some of the needy children so they would have something from Santa under the tree.

His parents hadn’t said a word to Jason but he could tell that they not only wholeheartedly approved of Brinley but were wondering when he was going to ask her to marry him. On Christmas Eve West and Travis had both come right out and asked him what he was waiting for.

West strode into the living room and headed straight for the bar, barely glancing at Jason and Travis who were already sipping a fine whiskey.

“Who put the bee in your bonnet, little brother?” Travis strolled over to the bar, only limping slightly now, his hip healing more every day.

“I signed the papers this morning. I did it.” West threw back the shot of whiskey and then slapped the glass down on the bar. “I can’t believe it but I did it.”

Jason couldn’t hold back the laughter at his brother’s comical expression of angst. “It’s not that bad. You’re now officially running for mayor. It’ll be great. We’ll vote for you.”

West refilled his glass. “The only reason I’m doing it is that Cavendish is evil incarnate. We have to get him out of office before he ruins this town. He’s only out for himself and his cronies.”

“Just relax. I know the perfect person to run your campaign.” Travis lifted the glass from West’s hand. “Pace yourself. The day is young.”

Brinley and his mother came into the living room chatting about the upcoming snow festival and he was sure Marie Anderson had roped the younger woman into volunteering. Luckily Brinley was social in nature and didn’t seem to mind.

He quickly crossed to her and put his arm around her shoulders. “Mom, do you mind if I borrow Brinley for a few minutes?”

His mother laughed as she hugged West. “Have her back for dinner. Fifteen minutes tops.”

Jason led Brinley through the kitchen and into the large walk in pantry. It wasn’t exactly candlelight and roses but that wasn’t really the type of people they were. Brinley was more about the little things than grand romantic gestures, which was a lucky thing for him. She appreciated it when he brought her coffee in bed in the mornings or when he rubbed her feet while they watched television. He was always looking for new ways to show her how much he loved her.

“Is something wrong?” Brinley was frowning at him and he reached up to smooth her forehead.

“Nothing at all. I just wanted to talk to you.”

Now that the moment was here all the words he’d practiced flew right out of his head, leaving him a tongue-tied, nervous idiot. He rubbed the back of his neck with a suddenly sweaty palm. He’d rehearsed this a hundred times but maybe he should have done it a thousand.

“You wanted to talk to me,” Brinley prompted, her hazel eyes wide with concern. “Go ahead. I’m listening.”

“It’s just…Well, I was thinking…Hell…I love you so much, honey…You have no idea how you’ve changed things…”

She’d made everything better. He didn’t have as much trouble sleeping at night and when that nightmare showed up she held him all night long.

“I love you too,” she whispered, a smile spreading across her beautiful face. “Do you want me to help you, babe?”

He didn’t have a clue how but he’d take whatever he could. No one had told him that proposing was this fraught with tension. He tugged at his too tight collar and tried to speak over the lump in his throat.

“I love you, Jason Anderson.” She slid her arms around his waist and pressed her curves against his more than willing body. “And yes, I want to spend my life with you. Yes, to kids and everything. Just yes. Does that help?”

A huge surge of relief made him sag against the shelves. “I feel so stupid. How did you know? Was I that obvious?”

Laughter bubbled from her full pink lips and he couldn’t stop himself from kissing her a few times before she answered.

“You were not obvious at all,” she finally said when he let her up for air. “In fact, I never would have guessed if it hadn’t been for the time you tried to measure my finger when you thought I was asleep. That wasn’t a tip off at all. Neither was the time when you asked me if I thought women looked better in white gold, yellow gold, or platinum. That was completely in character for you.”

He should have known his woman was too smart to be fooled. After all, she’d helped him catch a killer.

“So you’ve known for weeks? Why didn’t you say something?”

“And ruin your plans for a proposal?” Her hazel eyes were twinkling with love. “No way. I wanted to see how you’d do it.”

He looked around the utilitarian, unromantic kitchen pantry and pulled a face. He’d never be the hearts and flowers type no matter how hard he tried. “I guess I screwed it up. This sounded like a much better idea in my head than it was in reality.”

Brinley shook her head. “A house brought us together although that home is currently for sale. I think this is just fine. We can share this with your family. I think they’ll be happy for us.” She stood back and clasped her hands together. “Do I get my ring now?”

Chuckling, Jason drew it from his pocket and held it up for her inspection. He’d spent hours at that damn jewelry store looking for just the right ring. If she didn’t like it he’d take it right back and get something else.

“It’s a heart-shaped stone set in platinum with baguettes on each side.” He shuffled his feet and looked down at his boots. “I picked it out because, you know, you have my heart.”

When he looked up her eyes were bright with tears and he felt that lump in his throat grow to monster size while a vise squeezed his chest until he almost couldn’t breathe.

“It’s beautiful. Will you put it on me?” She held out her left hand. It trembled slightly, but then so did his own as he slid the ring on her dainty finger. He didn’t let go, instead bending down to press a kiss in her palm.

“I’m not going to want to wait long,” he warned. “I want to marry you as soon as possible.”

“I think between your mother and I we can make it happen on the first day of summer vacation. How does that sound?”

Perfect. Heavenly. The snow might blanket the ground but Brinley would always be his summer girl, kissed golden by the sun.

She’d brought light to the darkest part of his soul. She’d brought love to his world.

The End

Thank you for reading Danger Incorporated – Damsel in Danger

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About the Author

Olivia Jaymes is a wife, mother, lover of sexy romance, and caffeine addict. She lives with her husband and son in central Florida and spends her days with handsome alpha males and spunky heroines.

She is currently working on a series of full-length novels called The Cowboy Justice Association. It’s a contemporary romance series about lawmen in southern Montana who work to keep the peace but can’t seem to find it in their own lives in addition to the erotic romance novella series – Military Moguls.

Visit Olivia Jaymes at:

www.OliviaJaymes.com

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Cowboy Command

Justice Healed

Cowboy Truth

Cowboy Famous

Cowboy Cool

Imperfect Justice

The Deputies

Military Moguls

Champagne and Bullets

Diamonds and Revolvers

Caviar and Covert Ops

Emeralds, Rubies, and Camouflage