Heart Raider (Heartthrob Series, Book 1) (23 page)

Veronique inhaled much-needed air into her lungs and said, “When I saw you working outside shirtless, I had to capture how hot you looked. I told you I wouldn’t take more pictures, so I filmed you instead.” She looked away from his searching gaze. “I didn’t know how much longer I’d have with you and I wanted to keep it as a memory. For my eyes only. I swear,” she said, her cheeks ablaze.

He leaned forward and gently kissed her head where it wasn’t bandaged. “It’s okay, I believe you, honey. I’m no longer upset about it. I’m, well… I’m flattered,” he said with a lopsided grin.

She expelled a deep sigh of relief. “You’re flattered and I’m mortified,” she said ironically, wishing her vivid blush would fade as she searched the room. “Where’s my purse? You needed the flash drive for the meeting.”

“Don’t worry, I sent it by courier and it got there on time.”

“What happened at the meeting?”

“Elizabeth got kicked out as CEO and was promptly arrested and hauled away in handcuffs.”

“Good!”

“She’s in jail. And I just got a text from Fred that the hit man was caught near the Canadian border.”

“Yay,” she said weakly. “I’d smile, but it hurts too much.” She looked around the room. “How long have I been in the hospital?”

“It’s four o’clock. The ambulance brought you in around ten this morning. Do you remember anything about this morning?” he asked earnestly.

“I do. The most important thing,” she said softly, her gaze tenderly roving his face.

“What’s that? Did you see the hit man’s face?”

“No, I meant when you shouted out that you loved me.” She drew in a tremulous breath, hoping he’d say it again.

“I do love you, Ronnie. I was too damned stubborn and too blinded by past hurt to admit it.”

“Really?” she whispered, deeply touched by his humble tone. Her heart expanded with happiness.

He loved her!

“Yes, really.” He smiled and shook his head. “When I saw you that first day through the window doing a happy dance in the rain, it occurred to me how dull my life had been the past six months. I don’t want to go back to Starfish Island alone. I want you beside me, making life beautiful. I can’t live without you, baby.”

Her heart nearly stopped with joy when he dropped to his knees again and she saw pure love reflected in his eyes. She held her breath and gazed into his beautiful eyes. He looked like he had something very important to say.

“I don’t have a ring for you yet, but I’m giving you my heart since you’ve already stolen mine. Marry me, Ronnie. Make my life complete,” Nick said, his voice hoarse with emotion.

She searched his tortured eyes. He looked so distressed, she could only imagine how guilty he felt over her almost getting killed. “You don’t have to do it out of guilt, Nick. None of this was your fault. I know how you feel about marriage—”

“Hush, now you’re making me upset,” he growled. “I need you more than the air I breathe. If it weren’t for those tubes you’re connected to, I’d show you just how much right now.”

“Oh, how I wish you would.” Her heart felt close to bursting with so much love, it was almost painful.

“Don’t worry, baby. I’ll make up for lost time when I bring you home with me. We have a lifetime of loving ahead,” Nick said, rising from the floor to deposit a tender kiss on her lips.

“A
whole
lifetime,” Veronique agreed. Happy tears welled up as she gazed at the wonderful man who raided her heart many years ago and never let go.

Epilogue

Two months later on Starfish Island…

Veronique sat next to Nick on the porch step with her white kitten asleep on her lap. Nick had bought her the kitten when they’d returned from New York. As soon as she’d stopped bawling like a baby that he’d brought her a kitty that looked just like Slinky, she’d promptly named her Abby.

Veronique had recuperated from the accident and her bruised body was healing nicely. The doctors had voiced their amazement that she hadn’t broken anything. She loved telling everyone it was hearing Nick say, “I love you,” that had made her bounce, rather than break.

The past two months, Nick had watched over her like a hawk, making sure she rested and ate healthily. It was a good thing too, because she would need the extra nutrition now. Maman was in a tizzy planning her wedding and her Heart sisters had assured her they’d drop everything to be her bridesmaids. They were all rejoicing that she’d be marrying Nick. Teddy had let out such a loud whoop that Veronique almost dropped the phone.

It seemed the happiest of all was Nick’s mom, Susan. From the moment Veronique met Susan, she felt an affinity with her. A warm, affectionate woman, she’d pulled Veronique into her arms for a tight hug. When she’d stolen a moment alone with her, Susan had said, “You’ve made my son so happy, I love you already, Ronnie!”

Nick was happier than ever these days. The missing funds had been returned to the Cameron Hope Foundation and he was at the helm as CEO again. His next project was to fund a shelter in Miami for abused women hiding from their violent partners. Veronique was already planning a series of articles to bring awareness to their plight.

She was relieved Elizabeth was in jail awaiting trial. Vying for a lenient sentence, the hit man had pleaded guilty and confessed to killing Slinky and targeting Veronique to kill her on Elizabeth’s orders.

“Look at her.” Nick’s voice stirred her from her musings and brought her to the present as he nodded at the tiny white kitten curled on her lap purring softly. He petted Abby’s head and said, “You’d think she was attached to your lap.”

“She’ll have to make room for another soon,” Veronique said happily.

Nick’s hand went still on Abby’s head as he looked up. “What do you mean?”

“Contrary to what you might think, you are not infertile, Nick Cameron,” she said, grinning broadly.

“You mean?” His beautiful blue eyes searched hers with wonder.

“Yes! You’re going to be a daddy.”

His eyes widened as his jaw dropped. “Are you sure?”

“Yes, I’m sure,” she said proudly.

“You’ve made me so happy!” He took Abby off her lap and set the kitten on the floor. Lifting Veronique in his arms, he carried her inside, huskily murmuring in her ear, “I’m going to show you just how happy.”

And he did until she was speechless with bliss.

The End

Excerpt - Heart Melter (Heartthrob Series, Book Two) by Sophia Knightly

Chapter One

“You’re flat,” Simon called out from the third row of the dark theatre.

“No, I’m not.” Natasha White gritted her teeth and raised a challenging eyebrow at the director. Her hands curved on the waist of her fawn satin teddy as she tamped down her simmering temper. Simon Worth was referring to her pitch, not her breasts, although he had spent most of the morning ogling them while she danced. It was the third time he’d rudely interrupted her song, and he’d made Freddie the choreographer change her tap number so many times, her muscles were screaming in protest. But she ignored the pain; it was worth having the starring role of Legs LaRue in “The Bee’s Knees”, a new roaring twenties musical sure to be a Broadway hit.

Simon was pushing hard during dress rehearsal—unfairly so. But what else could she expect from the control freak who had written the songs and lyrics of “The Bee’s Knees” and was also directing it? The thirty-nine-year-old musical genius was temperamental and rude, but that wouldn’t have stopped Natasha’s mother, legendary Broadway diva, Anitra White, from letting loose a rant that would have singed Simon’s bushy black brows. Where her acerbic mother would have screamed, Natasha held her tongue, even if she felt like strangling Simon. She didn’t want any comparisons with her drama queen mama, not now, not ever.

“She was pitch perfect,” her accompanist, Bruce, said instantly. Her white-haired defender pushed his horn rimmed glasses up on his high-bridged nose and glared at Simon. Bruce was an experienced, old school Broadway accompanist and nobody dared contradict him, not even Simon.

“Sounded gorgeous to me. Piss off, Simon.” Freddie the choreographer’s jaw clenched beneath his trim salt-and-pepper goatee as he sent a supportive nod Natasha’s way. He had already had a meltdown this morning over Simon’s intrusive meddling in his choreography. His compact dancer’s body was coiled tightly, ready to spring on the director if he continued to bully Natasha. Not that she needed protecting. If she could handle her mother’s tough criticism all those years growing up, she could certainly endure Simon’s.

“Thanks, guys,” Natasha said, blowing them kisses. She alternately rolled her neck and shoulders, and then peered into the theatre, her gaze zeroing in on her understudy, Lisette Raye, who watched with rabid ambition.

It was no secret Lisette was hot for the starring role—and the director. The pushy twenty-one-year-old actress and Simon were already sleeping together. Once he’d plowed through the ensemble and slept with most of them, Simon settled on Lisette, who eagerly pleased him in
all
areas. Well, she could have the pompous gasbag. Musical genius or not, he didn’t appeal to Natasha, and she’d be damned if she’d sleep her way to the top. She’d seen too many failed “showmances”—mostly hook-ups that thrived during shows, but rarely made it past the last curtain call. Hanging around backstage as a child during her mom’s Broadway shows had taught her to steer clear of romances in the business. It had also toughened her enough to let Simon’s insults slide and not affect her performance.

“Let’s take it from the top, and this time make sure your E makes me weep,” Simon drawled caustically, ignoring the collective groans from Bruce and Freddie.

An hour later when Elisha, the stage manager, called lunch break, Natasha fled the theatre intent on grabbing a bite to eat and taking her Pomeranian puppy, Evita, for a quick walk. Evita was a gift from her childhood friend, Ronnie, and Ronnie’s gorgeous new husband, Nick Cameron. They’d given her the puppy before leaving on their honeymoon. The moment the puppy emitted a melodious, crooning howl while Natasha sang, she promptly named her Evita, after the musical.

Natasha hurried across Times Square, her nerves frayed from Simon’s heedless interruptions and unwarranted criticisms. Something wasn’t right; she could feel it in her bones. Thinking back to her horoscope this morning, maybe she should heed Sydney Taggert’s advice:
Keep an eye on your back and an eye toward the future.

She zipped her tan leather jacket against the blast of ice cold air swirling around her. A bit early for such frigid weather in October, but everything this month seemed off. She usually made her way home at a brisk trot, but today her leg and butt muscles quivered from the morning’s repetitive variations of the same dance. She was used to grueling workouts, but Simon had gone overboard. It was almost as if he were trying to push her to the breaking point. Well, it wasn’t going to happen. He had underestimated the kind of grit she had developed over the years. She wasn’t about to relinquish the plum role of Legs LaRue to a greedy newbie like Lisette.

With her head bent forward and her heavy dance tote slung across her chest, Natasha wove through the teeming crowd of tourists. She was two blocks away from her apartment when she felt a firm jerk on her dance bag. As she grappled to hold onto it and not lose her footing, a sharp pain sliced across her outer right thigh.

“Ouch!” She craned her neck to the side to see where the jab had come from. A quick glance at her leg made her gasp at the slash in her jeans and the long red line on her skin revealed by the gaping fabric. Within seconds blood rose to the cut’s surface. With shaky hands, Natasha pulled her long knit scarf off her neck and tied it tightly around her upper thigh, forming a tourniquet to stop the bleeding.

She stepped onto the curb and frantically hailed a taxi. Within seconds, a cab drove up and she clambered inside.

“Where to?” the driver asked, turning to stare at her when she didn’t answer right away.

Natasha could barely breathe, let alone speak as she stared at the driver. She swallowed and said through trembling lips, “Take me to the closest emergency clinic.”

No, that wouldn’t do.
If she went to an emergency clinic, she’d be there all day. With Simon’s foul mood and Lisette itching for her starring role, Natasha had to get back to rehearsal ASAP.

When the driver turned on 40
^th
Street onto 6
^th
Avenue, she remembered Ian’s medical clinic was on that street. Her heart leaped at the thought of seeing her ex-fiancé again and it brought an onslaught of painful memories. Given the way they’d split up seven years ago, would he even agree to see her? At this crucial moment, who cared? She needed his expertise and who better than brilliant renowned cosmetic surgeon, Dr. Ian MacGregor, to treat her wound and not leave a disfiguring scar?

Knowing Ian, he’d take care of her too. He was a doctor first and foremost. Years ago, he’d been strong and protective of her…and they’d been passionately in love. Did she really want to go there after struggling for seven years to get him out of her heart? How would he react to her unexpected visit? She’d soon find out, she thought, quaking inside as she made a rash decision.