Mistaken Trust (The Jewels Trust Series) (62 page)

Snickering, “Jeez, you don’t know how hard it was for me not to blow my cover.”

Sniffling, Jewels brightened, looked up. “When?”

“Pretty much every time I had to manhandle you, restrain you, or force you to do something against your will.”

“Really?” Jewels’ voice raised an octave with delight.

Nodding, “More than once I considered, seriously considered, telling you the truth I was undercover then absconding with you before Hines got you.”

“That’s why you kept saying,
Trust me
,” Jewels enthusiastically exclaimed. Not letting Marshall reply, “And you
knew
Theodore was behind this all along?” she asked, her voice serious, reporter-like.

Sighing, “Oh, yeah. We’ve had our eye on him for some time. Not only for his tie to Jefferson’s Warriors, but for his
amazing
ability to bust crimes with no suspect ever living to tell about it.” Shaking his head in regret, “I just wish we could have taken him down before you got involved.”

“But if you had, I would have never met you...,” she said, her voice fading. Stuffing her hands into the back pockets of her Rocky Mountain jeans, she jiggled her right leg, bouncing on the ball of her foot like a little girl who had to go pee really bad, but was forced to hold it.

More awkward silence.

“Did you guys catch Tank yet?” she blurted out, ceasing to jiggle her leg.

“Nabbed his cohorts, but Tank’s still out there. No doubt we’ll get him.” Marshall said with confidence, rubbing the back of his neck.

Despite everything they had been through together, they acted like nervous teens on a first date.

The radio station announced they’d be playing a sexy Latin song by Pitbull.

Stroking his imaginary beard, Marshall took stock of the impressive entry and expensive, but inviting, country furnishings of the adjoining rooms. “Nice place you have here.”

“Thanks.” Jewels removed her hands from her back pockets to nervously twist her wedding ring around her finger, while nibbling on the inside of her cheek.

Suddenly “I Know You Want Me” was radiating in surround sound from the Bose speakers.

Jewels listened. How apropos. The lyrics expressed exactly how she felt about Marshall right now: she wanted him! Goosebumps of excitement embellished her arms.

Marshall cleared his throat.

Jewels arched her back.

Simultaneously, they both began to talk.

Chuckling, “I’m sorry, go ahead,” Marshall said, shaking his head, taking a step toward her.

Waving her hands in front of her as if shooing a swarm of pesky mosquitoes, “No, no. I’m sorry,” Jewels said, taking a step toward him.

They both laughed.

Marshall sucked in a deep breath.

Getting her flailing hands under control, she took another step toward him. “What were you saying?” Her Nordic blue eyes sparkled like glistening snow crystals in the sun as she gazed into his dark eyes.

His eyes locked onto hers. Stepping closer, now within arms length reach of her, “I was just going to say how I ... how much I’d like to, uh, how very much I want to—”

“Want? What?” Jewels interrupted, stepping closer to him, her heart pounding triple-time, eyes dancing with eager anticipation.

“How much I really want to kiss you!”

Beaming a knowing smile while longingly gazing up at the studly cowboy, “Then kiss me, Marshall Watters,” she said slowly, her voice lowering to a sexy tone.

Swiftly responding, Marshall enveloped her shapely body in his thick arms and pulled her tightly against his iron chest, pressing his lips against hers in an all out kissing assault.

Throwing her arms around his neck, she squashed her breasts harder into his chest, returning the blistering invasion, stabbing her tongue deep and vigorously into his mouth while moaning in extreme pleasure.

They kissed long and hard.

Never had she felt such passion. His kisses were commanding. Scorching. Hypnotic.

Finally he released his embrace, took a small step back, readjusted his Stetson that had gotten pushed back on his head then gently rested his hands on her shoulders.

Jewels stood spellbound, her big blue eyes blinking and mouth gaping. Then the helium balloon sensation hit her again.
Oh, God, not now!
Her body swayed slightly, but she bit her lip, really hard, to keep herself from fainting.

Concern wiped his face. “Jewels, are you okay? You’re not going to faint on me, are you?”

Smiling blissfully, “No, I’m okay, I just haven’t been kissed like...,” her voice trailed off as she continued to stare at him.

Grinning: “You don’t know how long I wanted to do that,” he confessed, tenderly caressing her cheek with the back of his hand. “From the first moment I saw you charging me in handcuffs, blonde hair wildly flowing behind you like a cape, the most gorgeous blue eyes I’d ever seen brimming with fiery determination ... right then, I
knew
I had to learn more about this fearless little fireball.”

Dreams really
do
come true ... and not just in Disneyland! This was the welcome home present she had fantasized about for two long weeks in rehab, except it was better than she imagined humanly possible.

Snickering, he shyly admitted, “You don’t know how many cold showers I’ve had to take just
imagining
kissing you.” Widening his eyes and exhaling deeply, “And that show you put on for Hines in your bra and panties, I thought I was going to pass out,” he confessed.

Devilishly, “Good, because I did it for
you,
” she said, flashing a sexy smile.

Marshall’s face turned serious. “I know. I never thanked you for what you did for
me
at Hines’ cabin. Jewels, you saved my life and paid a heavy price. I’m sorry for everything that lunatic made you do, but,” eyeing her adoringly, “I appreciate it. You’re as tough and trustworthy as any man on my team and I mean that in the most positive and sincere way.” Brushing her hair over her shoulder, “Julia, you really
did
save my life and I’ll never forget it.”

Jewels beamed. “And you, mine.”

“All part of the job,” he swiftly replied with a wink.

“Regarding that
show
in my bra and panties...,” a naughty grin blossomed, “you know I did it for you, not only to keep Hines from torturing you, but I actually did it
for
you.” Her fingers smoothly brushed across his chest. “I imagined you and I were alone and I was luring you in...,” she said, sensually licking her lips.

Marshall swallowed hard.

Leaning in closer, “By the way, you don’t know how long it took me to recover from that classic bodybuilder pose you teased me with in your bare chest after rescuing me from Tank,” she whispered, stroking his jaw line, her fingertips wandering to lightly dance over his lips.

“So you like muscles, huh?” he said, running his hands down her back to rest at the top of her buttocks.

“Kiss me again,” she said, her tone demanding, as she threw her arms around his neck and once again smashed her full breasts against his muscular chest.

The feverish kissing resumed. Continued as he scooped her into his arms and carried her to the sofa in the living room, gently laying her down.

After several minutes of torrid necking, she planted her hands on his iron chest, firmly pushing him away. Her nipples were hard. Femininity oozed in moist anticipation. She was nearly breathless. Felt faint. Was it the tiny pill or...?

Gazing upon her Aphrodite face, Marshall softly smoothed her silky long hair. His eyes full of tenderness. And want. “Jewels, you’re the most amazing woman I’ve ever met—”

“Shhhhh,” she said, placing a single finger over his lips to quiet him. Tossing his Stetson on the floor, she raked her fingers through his wavy dark brown hair. Unbuttoning the snaps of his fancy western shirt, slowly, one at a time, “Make love to me, Marshall Watters. Right now. Right here,” she said, her fingers grazing the muscular details of his well-defined bare chest and abs.

His eyebrows raised in pleasant disbelief.

Smiling archly, Jewels teased, “And then you
have
to tell me how you got out of those handcuffs without a key back at Hines’ cabin.”

I HOPE YOU WERE ENTERTAINED
reading my debut work of fiction,
Mistaken Trust
. If you have a moment, and especially if you enjoyed this novel, I’d really appreciate your review.

I must confess, I had an absolute ball researching, writing, proofing, and rewriting this story (a zillion times thanks to awesome suggestions by my dear friend and fabulous editor, Peggy Beach). My hope is you had as much fun reading
Mistaken Trust
as I had creating it.

If you’re ready for the next novel in this
Jewels Trust
series, a preview of
Ultimate Trust
follows.

For more information about the
Jewels Trust Series
, please visit my website,
www.ShirleyASpain.com
where you can also sign up for my mailing list.

Again, thank you for reading,
Mistaken Trust
.

Born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, (yes, she’s a Steelers’ fan) and uprooted to Utah by her family when she was only twelve years old, (talk about a culture shock) she quickly adapted to the western lifestyle with the help of her horses (yup, she was even a barrel racer). Married at age twenty to Curtis Spain, their children ended up four-legged critters, rescued from animal
kill
shelters in the Salt Lake area to live out their days lounging on the couch or bed, or wherever they darn well please in the Spain home (yeah, her pets
are
her “babies” and they’re pampered).

Over the years she became politically active, focused on the gun rights issue and is an advocate of firearm ownership (with proper training, of course). As the former publisher of
American Gun Review,
she had the opportunity to meet and learn from some of the most respected defensive firearms experts in the industry.

As a former certified personal trainer, land aerobics instructor and current water fitness instructor, her personal exercise preferences are weight lifting and Spinning (yes, she has her own gym-quality Schwinn Spinner).

Of late, writing is her passion, almost an obsession. She enjoys the variety of “research” opportunities her stories offer, including police “ride alongs,” interviews with law enforcement experts regarding matters such as escaping handcuffs (forget the paperclip idea) and “dead man switches” for bombs. And you might be surprised at the experiments she has done on herself (for novel research, of course) involving handcuffs, duct tape, chains, rope, the trunk of car.... Hmm. Knowing this, when you read her novels, you may wonder how many of the stunts described in the story she might have tried on herself!

KNOWN AROUND TOWN
as the creepy Scarecrow Man, Marty was desperate. Life had dealt him a losing hand. Never-ending and insurmountable challenges seemed to be his lot in life. He was broke. Unemployment benefits ended weeks ago. House in foreclosure. Mouths needed fed. His wife was on her deathbed. And he hadn’t had good old fashioned sex for nearly two years.

Newspaper images of a beautiful rich woman in town had captured his attention months ago. He had become fixated on her. Mesmerized. Obsessed. Jewels represented everything he was not. Good looking. Influential. Famous. Wealthy. Sexy. Adored by the public ... the list was painfully long. And for that, he hated her.

To the rescue Butch, Marty’s “alter ego.” Money would solve all of his problems and he knew just how to get it: Jewels would be taken. Held hostage. Savagely restrained. Brutally gagged. Agonized at will. All for public viewing on TV. His magnificent
bomb chair
was the key. If the explosion didn’t kill her, the assault rifle rigged to fire a bullet into the back of her skull would. There would be no hope of escape. Or rescue. The dead man’s switch anchored to his wrist was the guarantee. Her super cop husband, Marshall Watters, would be powerless and f
orced to give in to every demand, otherwise helplessly watch Jewels endure his torturous wrath.

Or will he?

Marty and his alter ego could not amply prepare for Marshall’s knack for solving tough hostage situations, often unconventionally. Nor could they comprehend the depth of his love for Jewels. Factors that may ultimately become a huge disadvantage.

Yet orchestrating a flawless extraction of Jewels from the well thought out and deadly bomb chair won’t be easy. Marshall will have to outwit Marty—and Butch—to save Jewels before the bomb explodes or her head is blown off. Such a feat may appear doable. But there’s a bigger problem: Jewels’ strong will and defiance. And her relentless pursuit to free herself. Jewels’ disobedience to her captor and failed escape attempts rapidly escalate the danger to her, Marshall and the others assembled to help.

Will Jewels survive the explosive intentions of this desperate family man driven to madness? And if she does, what will be the consequence of her freedom?