Authors: Lori Foster
Up In Flames (27 page)
Mick leaned down to kiss her. “You.”
“Me?” He nodded, and Del said, “But I didn’t save you.”
The awful nightmare of the car wreck, of Mick’s head injury and her dousing in the river was two weeks old now, but she still shivered whenever she thought of how close she’d come to losing him.
Angel sidled up behind the couch, too, and hugged Mick. Celia joined her, resting her hands on Alec’s shoulders. Zack and Josh twisted in their seats to face Del. She felt hemmed in by them all—but now the feeling was nice, sort of comforting.
She was surrounded by friends and family.
Mick smoothed his hand over her hair, something she was now more than familiar with. “Of course you saved me,” he said. “You love me, right?”
“Absolutely.”
“There, you see?” Alec chimed in, nudging her with his rock-hard shoulder. “You saved Mick from being a cynical fool who didn’t believe in love.”
Del looked at Mick again. With the way these people adored him, she found that hard to believe. “You didn’t believe in love?” she asked skeptically, but at the same time she thought it probably explained his reticence in admitting his feelings to her. Now, of course, he told her how much he cared in a thousand different ways—including the simple words
I love you.
Mick just smiled.
Dane nudged her next, almost knocking her into Alec’s lap. “You saved him from being a control freak, too.”
Del righted herself and laughed; Mick was still very much a controlling man, and she doubted that would ever change.
Zack said, “You saved him from living his life like a monk.”
With a very slight blush, Del said, “Okay, you got me there.” Everyone laughed.
Mick was a voracious lover, and he couldn’t seem to keep his hands off her. Which she appreciated because she loved when he touched her. He’d also become a voracious reader. He’d devoured her books and claimed he couldn’t wait for the next one. She’d been nearly beside herself with his praise.
Josh tossed back a drink, then asked, “So when is this wedding we’re all anticipating?”
Mick frowned at his friend, but said, “I just got the church reserved for the first Saturday of next month.”
“You’re all invited,” Del announced, “as long as you know it won’t be too fancy. No tuxes, and definitely no long white lace gowns.” She pulled her jeans-clad legs up onto the couch and hugged her knees. “I hate dressing up.”
“I’ll be lucky to get shoes on her,” Mick teased, and Angel promptly corrected him. She’d been with Del when the dress
and
matching shoes were bought.
Del noticed Josh heading for the kitchen, his head down, his hands shoved into his pants pockets. She smiled at Mick, rose from the couch and went to her friend. She found him standing at the sink, watching the children play through the window. “Josh?”
He turned to her, but said nothing.
“You’re happy that Mick’s marrying me, aren’t you?”
He looked surprised, then wary. “Why?”
“Because you’re one of his best friends. I don’t want to come between you.”
That made him laugh. “You belong between us, honey. Mick’s a lucky guy, and yeah, I’m happy for you both.”
“I hesitate to point this out, but you don’t exactly look happy.”
“No?” He studied her face, his green eyes dark, his slight smile crooked, chagrined.
She shook her head. “
Morose
might be a better word.”
Mick’s arms slid around her, lacing over her stomach. “
Defeated
might work, too,” he said gently.
Josh snorted.
Mick tightened his hold, surprising Del, then said, “There are plenty of women out there, Josh.”
“Yeah?”
Zack stepped up. “That’s right, and I intend to find one.”
All eyes turned to him. Del grinned. “You’re bride hunting?”
“Why is that such a surprise?”
Josh said, “Because you seldom date? Because you’re the quintessential bachelor? Because no woman will ever come before Dani?”
Del slugged Josh, making him jump and rub his shoulder while grumbling.
Still frowning, she said, “No
good
woman would want to come before his daughter! Children should always be first. At least until they’re self-sufficient. Besides,” she added, patting Zack’s chest and smiling, “Zack has enough love for a wife and several children.”
“One daughter is enough! All I want now is the wife to complete the set. After all, Dani is crazy about you, Del. It made me think about what she’s missing.”
“Like what?” Mick asked. “You take great care of her.”
“I try,” Zack admitted, “but she needs a female role model. Someone quiet and intelligent and sincere.”
“And sexy?” Mick asked.
Zack shrugged. “I’d rather she was domestic, if you want the truth.”
“I wish you luck,” Josh said with mock sincerity.
“I don’t need luck, because I already have a plan. And I’m starting tomorrow.”
Mick and Josh groaned, but Zack just smiled, confident in himself and his eventual success.
The rest of the family filed into the kitchen, including the children. Zack scooped up his daughter, hugged her tight.
“Time for us to go,” Dane announced. “Tomorrow is a school day.”
There were kisses all around, and everyone gradually left except Zack and Josh. Zack’s daughter had fallen asleep on his shoulder, her blond curls disheveled, her mouth smooshed on her daddy’s shoulder.
Zack pulled Del close with his free arm and gave her a smacking kiss on the mouth. “Congratulations again on the engagement,” he whispered. He patted her cheek and stepped aside.
Josh set down his drink and reached for Del, catching her shoulders in his hands. He gave her the softest look she’d ever seen from him, leaned forward—and Mick’s hand was suddenly between them, covering her mouth.
Mick bared his teeth at Josh and said, “Out.”
Laughing, Josh pushed him aside and kissed Del on the forehead. “Your future husband is a jealous lout, did you know that?”
She waved his comment away. “Nonsense. He knows I’m crazy about him.”
Josh and Mick exchanged a certain look that Del didn’t understand in the least.
Shaking his head, Josh gave her a squeeze. “I’m glad you’re so happy.”
Holding his daughter to his shoulder, Zack grabbed Josh’s collar and hauled him toward the door. “Let’s go. Dani is starting to snore, and you’re pressing your luck.”
After they’d gone, Del asked Mick, “Okay, what was that all about?”
“What?” he asked, pretending innocence.
“That business with Josh. What’s wrong with him?”
Mick looked briefly harassed. “Nothing that he won’t get over,” he said, and it almost sounded like a threat.
Before she could ask any more questions, he took her hand and herded her toward the bedroom.
“What do you think about Zack wanting a wife?” she asked.
Mick lightly pushed her down on the bed, then covered her with his body. He touched her cheek, her chin, the corner of her mouth. “I think he’s a little jealous, too.”
“Too?”
Mick kissed her. “Everyone knows I’m the luckiest man alive. When I think about the fact that you’re mine, I almost can’t bear it, it’s so incredible. I want to tell the whole world.” He smiled. “I love you, Delilah Piper.”
“I’m lucky, too,” she said softly. “I have you. And I did tell the whole world.”
Startled, Mick leaned back. “You did?”
“Wait until you see the dedication in my next book. It’s to my very own hero, the finest man alive.” She cupped his face. “And everyone knows that’s you.”
Mick frowned for just a moment, then his frown lifted and he shook his head. “Damn, I do feel like a hero. After all, the hero always gets the girl in the end, right?”
Del laughed. “In my books, he sure as heck does.”
* * * * *
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ISBN-13: 9781460330128
Copyright © 2014 by Harlequin Books S.A.
BODY HEAT
Copyright © 1999 by LORI FOSTER
CAUGHT IN THE ACT
Copyright © 2001 by LORI FOSTER
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