Detained (46 page)
“Do you think you could let me love you forever, Darcy Campbell?”
“Oh, God.”
“I’m not normally one for asking. Taking is more my thing, but will you please marry me? And fuck it, I don’t care if you take my comic book name or call yourself Catwoman. I’ll do pretty much anything to keep you in my life.”
Shallow breaths, fear or excitement, it was hard to tell. Will was on his knee looking at her with the same mix of emotions. She knew he loved her, even as expert as he was at pushing her away to protect her from him, but this was more of a commitment than she’d ever thought possible. “You’re going to work too much.”
“Probably,” he sighed, “but you’ll remind me to come home.”
“I’m not comfortable with the wealth.”
He shrugged. “Get used to it.”
“If I decide I don’t want kids?”
“We’ll negotiate. And if I lose, I’ll get over it.”
“I’ll want to work again.”
“I’ll be there to support you with whatever you choose to do.”
“You’re going to lie to me, and deceive me again. You’re going to break my heart. You almost did today.”
“No.” He said it with vehemence and stood. “I can’t do it again, or I know I’ll lose you.” The light in his eyes dimmed. “I hate to see you hurt, and I hate that I’ve been responsible for hurting you.”
“I don’t trust that.”
He nodded, sadly. “I deserve that.” He looked away, put his hand back in his pocket. He thought it was over.
“Will, there’s no Shanghai flight tonight.”
His eyes came back to hers. “Did I tell you I have a jet?”
She smiled. Of course he did.
“Are you saying you’d like to take a ride on it?”
“I’m saying I trust you enough to keep me safe.”
He frowned, eyes narrowed, trying to work this out. “That’s the pilot’s job.”
“It’s a husband’s job too.”
“You said, you didn’t...”
“I don’t trust you not to screw up again. You’ve been alone in your heart for a long time. It’s going to take practice to get loving me properly to work.”
“Are you saying you’re going to let me practice on you?” Hope flared, lifting his voice, speeding his words.
“Can you do that kneeling thing again?”
“I don’t know,” he considered, fighting a breaking smile, “that floor is hard, I’ve got a dodgy knee.”
“Shame. I was getting turned on by the thought of you prostrate at my feet. After what you did to me today, I think I deserve grovelling.”
“How about I do the knee thing, throw in a rock and you forget about the glass?”
He’d gone from defeated and miserable to Shanghai street trader. “You’re bargaining with me.”
He laughed. “I’m practicing loving you. That was an attempt at compromise.”
“You call that compromise?”
“Given what I want to do right now, fuck yeah.”
“What do you want to do right now, Will?”
He put his hand on the table and used his heat ray eyes to sear her skin through the suit he’d bought. Darcy’s, “Oh,” was involuntary, like the craving in her body for his touch.
“Is that a yes?”
“Yes.”
He took her hand and pulled her close. He went down on his knee, his other hand going to this pocket. This was how the next part of her life was going to start. With the man she loved detained in a police interview room on his knee at her feet.
Nothing about meeting and loving Will Parker had been simple or straightforward and little about building a life with him, and adapting to his world, would be either. But it was worth everything.
She went to her knees beside him. They’d be equals, with equal need to grovel from time to time.
He slid a thick diamond covered platinum band from its grey silk pouch. Not an ostentatious rock, not a loud, ‘look at me’ piece of jewellery she’d have felt awkward wearing. It was classily elegant, timeless and her.
“You’re going to make me cry.”
He took her hand. “I guess that means you like it.”
“If it fits, I’ll forget about the glass.”
He slid it on her finger, easing it over her knuckle till it rested in place—perfectly. She sucked in a breath and met his eyes, pirate raider, gun runner eyes.
He stood and pulled her upright; backed her into the table. Kissing her hard to claim her body after he won her heart, eased her mind, and tagged her finger.
A thump on the glass made her start. Will growled, momentarily distracted from the chain of kisses he connected down her neck. The thump came again. He looked up and over at the mirror, raised a hand and gave whoever was outside the finger.
Darcy laughed, hoping it was only Peter. “This jet of yours, does it have seats that lay back?”
He drew her off the table into a standing position flush against him. “It has a bedroom.” The heat in his body bathed her in desire. He kissed her, softer, thoughtfully. “Small, contained. Just our kind of place.” He released her and grabbed her hand, made for the door, and flung it open.
Pete said, “Good Lord, I was worried they’d get you for indecent exposure.”
Will grinned, clapped Pete on the shoulder. “Can you get us out of here?” He didn’t wait for an answer. He started off down the corridor, keeping her tight at his side.
Pete kept up easily. “You’re free. The statement just went out. But we’ll have to sneak you out through the underground car park to avoid the media.”
“Now why would I want to do that, Pete?”
“In the last hour you’ve gone from suspect to victim to urban legend. Enough good work for one day.”
Will stopped within sight of the duty sergeant’s desk at the entrance way. “Not quite.”
Outside the glass doors was the usual posse of journalists, photographers and news crews, chasing the story of the day. Darcy could see the Channel Five camera.
Will squeezed her hand. “I’d still rather read the news than make it, but I want one more headline before I go cold turkey on inviting the public into my private life.”
She read his mind. He was going to tell their story.
Pete chimed in, “‘Will Parker Certifiably Insane’.”
Will laughed. “No. ‘Will Parker Loves Darcy Campbell’.” He tugged her towards the door. Outside the posse came to life.
Pete groaned. “Aileen is going to hate this.”
Will turned to face her. “Are you ready?”
Darcy nodded. She was ready for anything with Will Parker in her life, even being on the wrong side, the opposite side, of the cameras, and the commentators.
Will kissed her once more deeply, lovingly, before he pushed the door open, and they walked out together to start work on the rest of their lives, and take a shot at forever.
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Or at Amazon.co.uk
King Hall
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Lily Ruckler is adept at one thing: survival. Born a Mystical hybrid, her mere existence is forbidden, but her nightmare is only about to start. Fluke, happenstance, and a deep personal loss finds Lily deeply entrenched with those who would destroy her simply for existing — The Mystical Kings. Being named future Queen of the Shifters shoves Lily into the spotlight, making her one of the most visible Mysticals in the world. But with risk comes a certain solace — her burgeoning friendships with the other three Rulers: a wicked Vampire, a wild-child Mage, and a playboy Elemental. Backed by their faith and trust, Lily begins to relax into her new life.
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Or at Amazon.co.uk
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Mackenzie Steel is devastated by his partner’s death in the crash, the only person with whom he shared his painful past. Now, as he confronts his own demons, he finds he has a new battle on his hands: his growing feelings for Abigail, a woman who’s as frustratingly naïve as she is funny.
Fate brought them together, but they’ll need more than luck to escape Kakadu alive. Could the letters of a dead man hold the key to their survival?
Or at Amazon.co.uk
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