Stolen Seduction (41 page)

“I didn’t before.” He braced a hand on the wall near her head, trapping her. “But you changed

things.” His other hand landed gently on her belly, and he looked down where he touched her as

warmth spread up his arm and into his chest. “You changed everything, Hailey. I love—”

“Shane, don’t.” The pleading in her voice and the use of his first name cut through his playful banter, and he focused on eyes so blue, he felt like he could see forever. “Don’t say things you can’t

take back.”

His smile faded. “I’m not. I lo—”

“No.” She ducked out from beneath his arm before he could stop her and moved two steps away

from him, toward the next set of stairs. “I know why you’re here. Because you feel guilty for the

way things ended and because you want to make amends, but that’s not love.”

“Hailey—”

“Two weeks, Shane. It took you two weeks to call me. That’s not love, that’s guilt.”

“There were…things I needed to do before I could see you again.”

She shook her head. “You’re a protector. It’s why you made a good cop. Why you make a great

brother and son. You’d do anything for the people you care about, and I know I fall into that category because we have this…connection. But that’s not love. Not the kind I want or need.”

His heart squeezed tight, and for the first time since he’d hatched this plan, a sliver of doubt crept

in. “You’re wrong—”

“No, I’m not. We both know you don’t want a wife or a child, not really, and this is starting to feel

way too much like Jamaica, like you swooping in to save the girl. Well, that’s not love, either, and

it’s not any reason to get married. I don’t need you to save me. I never did. I’ve spent my whole life

settling for things, and I’m not going to do it anymore. I’m not going to sit around and pretend you

love me, then wait for the day you realize you made a mistake and walk. I deserve more.” She put a

hand on her belly. “We deserve more.”

Panic rose in his chest. “Hailey, wait—”

She took a step away. “I won’t try to stop you from being involved with this baby when it’s born, if

that’s really what you want. But we both know it’s not. So I’m hoping you’ll just make things easier

for all of us and go now. If you care about me at all, Shane, you’ll do this one small thing for me.”

He should have gone after her, but he was still too stunned to move, even after she disappeared up

the steps and around the corner. One floor up, the stairwell door opened and snapped shut with a

deafening clap.

The heat he’d felt at seeing her flickered and went out. All that hope he’d been carrying around the

last few weeks crumbled at his feet. He’d waited too long, spent too much time getting himself and

his shit together before coming after her, and now it was too late.

Baby. She was having his baby. And he’d screwed things up so bad with her, she didn’t want him to

be involved. Ever.

He stood where he was for a moment, just listening to the sounds around him as an empty, cold

space grew in his chest. Finally, because he didn’t know what else to do, he made his way down the

stairs and out into the early morning sunlight.

He’d left his sunglasses in his car, but he barely noticed the glare. As he took his time crossing the

parking lot and slipped his hands into his pockets, he realized he didn’t itch for a Tic Tac or hear

that irritating voice in his head anymore. She’d changed all that for him, too, and she didn’t even

know it.

“Maxwell, hold up.”

The sound of her voice hit him like a blast, but he didn’t turn. Really wasn’t up to seeing the hurt on

her face again. At least not until he figured out what he was going to do next. “Yeah, I know. I’m

leaving, don’t worry.”

“Who’s Dr. Robinson?”

That stopped him. He turned slowly to look at her. “Who?”

She crossed her arms over her chest, looking pissed and sexy all at the same time. “Rafe’s planted

himself in my office and says he won’t leave until I ask you two questions. Since Lisa seems to be

backing him up on this one and I want both of them gone, I’m asking. Who’s Dr. Robinson?”

“Jackass.” Shane glared across the parking lot toward the building. He was gonna kill Rafe. And his

meddling twin.

“Well?”

It’s not like there was a reason not to tell her now, right? He shrugged. “A counselor.”

Silence. Then she said, “You’re seeing a shrink? But you…I thought you didn’t like psychiatrists.”

Okay, yeah. Seriously killing his loose-lipped brother-in-law. “I didn’t like the one my department

used. Guy was always trying to get into my head. This one’s all right, I guess. For a head doc.”

Her brow drew together, and she dropped her arms. “What…what did he say?”

He took a deep breath and figured what the hell? It wasn’t like any of this was going to change anything. “He says I’ve got some form of post-traumatic stress disorder. PTSD. I don’t know, I mean,

it’s not the same as what the guys coming back from the Gulf are dealing with, but apparently it only takes one event to trigger this kind of thing and after everything that happened with Julie…”

He let the words trail off because he didn’t know what else to say. And when she didn’t respond he

knew, yep, it didn’t change a thing. “Look, I’m just gonna go—”

“Hold on,” she said. “Who are you doing investigative work for?”

His irritation rose. He’d pretty much spilled his heart at her feet, and she’d made it completely clear

she didn’t want him, but now she was peppering him with questions just to ease her curiosity?

“Why the hell are you asking me this? If Rafe’s up in your office, then you damn well know I’m

working at Odyssey doing background research. Not much different from what I used to do, except

now I’m working with antiquities instead of dead bodies.”

The color drained from her face. “Oh, my God.”

His frustration had reached its peak, but it ebbed when she reached for the hood of a car to steady

herself. That protective instinct of his she hated so much clicked into gear. “What’s wrong?”

“You…You’re working at Odyssey? With a crook and a thief?”

“They’re reformed. Or so they say. Do you feel all right? Is it the baby?”

“No. I…oh, my God.” Her eyes shot to his. “You really do love me.”

His brow wrinkled. “I told you that already.”

“Yeah, but I didn’t really believe it. You don’t even like Rafe.”

“Not anymore,” he said with a scowl. Her color was still pale, but she didn’t look sick, just shellshocked. But why—

“Why didn’t you tell me? About Odyssey and the counselor?”

“Because it doesn’t have anything to do with you and me.”

“Yes, it does. It has everything to do with us. I thought you were here out of guilt. And that you

were avoiding me after what happened in Jamaica because I didn’t really mean anything to you.

And that you only offered to marry me because I told you I was pregnant. But this…” She lifted her

hand. “This proves I was wrong.”

A flicker of hope ignited in his chest. “It does?”

She eased forward to stand in front of him. “Are you really working for Rafe and Pete?”

“With them. I refuse to admit I’m working for either one of those guys.”

Slowly, her lips curved into the sweetest smile. One that sent warmth through his chest and into his

limbs. And that flicker flared into a full-blown flame. “I don’t want you leaving law enforcement,

not for me.”

His heart thumped so hard, he was sure she had to hear it. “I’m not. I left for me. And just so we’re

clear on something else, I’m not seeing the shrink for you, either. I’m going for me.”

He shifted uncomfortably, but knew this was important, and part of the reason he hadn’t told her

about his sessions in the first place. “I’ve got a long way to go, and I was a hothead before, so

there’s no telling if I’ll ever be completely right in the head, but…I’m working on it. I didn’t stay

away from you because I wanted to, Hailey. I stayed away because I didn’t know if I could make

this work. And because I didn’t want to hurt you any more than I already had.”

Her eyes softened. “The only thing that hurts me is when you shut me out. Don’t you know that?”

“I do now. I’m working on the rest of it. That’s why I came here now rather than waiting until my

treatment’s done.”

She moved into him so suddenly, it stole his breath. Then her arms were sliding around his waist,

her chest brushing his, her fingertips grazing the scar on his side. But the only memory her touch ignited was the one from Puerto Rico where she’d used her lips and tongue to kiss each of his scars

and every inch of his body. Not the one from Chicago, not the one with Malcolm that had haunted

him so long.

He slid his fingers into her hair and tipped her face up to his, just before lowering to take her lips in

a kiss he hoped she knew came from the very soul of him. And when he eased back to look down,

his heart swelled to find her smiling.

“I want a prenup, Shane.”

“I don’t want your money, Roarke.”

“Not like that,” she said. “I want a prenup that says if you do decide to bail on us, I get one free shot

at you.”

He barked out a laugh, pulled her close. Snarky, smart and so damn tough she could hold her own

with him and anyone else. Had he thought she needed him to save her? Man, he’d been so wrong.

She’d saved him. Right from the very beginning. “Stop it, would ya? You’re turning me on. We’re

in public.”

She smiled against his neck. “It’s only my employees. And my family. And your bosses. No one

will get the wrong idea.”

“Everyone’s had the wrong idea about us from the very beginning,” he said into her hair, loving the

way she said his name. “But not me. Not anymore.” He pressed his lips against the soft, soft skin of

her neck. “I’ve finally got the right one. I’ve finally got you.”

“You do,” she whispered. “For as long as you want me. Us,” she corrected, reminding him he was

getting a package deal.

He slid one hand down to her tummy. “What do you think about the names Tommy and Gina?

Seems fitting, don’t you think?”

She laughed so hard, he felt it all the way in his toes, then up into his chest to melt the last bit of ice

around his heart. “I think…I’ve never loved anyone more than I do right now.”

He knew he hadn’t. Ever. He squeezed her tight. “Tommy and Gina it is, then.”

Every once in a while a book takes you by complete surprise. That was this book. Big thanks go out

to my running partner, Connie Dingeman, for brainstorming with me back when this book was only

an idea. To her husband, Lieutenant Mike Dingeman with OSP, for his wealth of knowledge and

stories and for just letting me “listen.” To Todd Van Hee for his medical expertise, the “Poison Lady,” Luci Zahray, for answering all of my pharmacology questions and to Rita Van Hee, Tonia

Wubbena and Lisa Catto for catching the little things I always miss. Thanks also to my agent, Laura

Bradford, for all her hard work, my editor, Leah Hultenschmidt, for helping to make this book all it

could be, and the entire crew at Dorchester for everything they do to take a manuscript from computer screen to something tangible readers can hold in their hands.

I’d also like to send a special thanks to the medical staff at the Salem Hospital who, during the production of this book, not only cared for me in my time of need but also saved my life.

And finally, I have to thank my husband, Dan. Babe, I love you for a million different reasons, but

mostly because every day you remind me why I write the books I do: because happily-ever-afters

really do exist.

PRAISE FOR ELISABETH NAUGHTON’S STOLEN SERIES!

“Wow, what a roller coaster ride! Naughton nails her debut with a hot hero, a sassy heroine and a

plot with more twists than a pretzel! Well done!”

—Karin Tabke, author of Jaded

“A rock solid debut…Naughton’s intelligent adventure plot is intensified by the blazing heat that

builds from Lisa and Rafe’s first erotic encounter.”

—Publishers Weekly

“Naughton deftly distills deadly intrigue, high adrenaline action, and scorchingly hot passion into a

perfectly constructed novel of romantic suspense.”

Chicago Tribune

“When a tough-as-nails and slightly repressed archaeologist meets a charming bad-boy thief, they

test each other’s limits, narrowly escape danger, and fall in love. While it’s a familiar plot (think

Romancing the Stone), Naughton creates an action-packed and satisfying storyline. She also delivers one very charming and sexy hero-with a heart of gold.”

—RT Book Reviews

“Stolen Fury puts an intelligent, spirited heroine together with a mischievous hot-blooded rogue.

The sparks fly! Danger threatens at every corner as these two race around the globe and delve into

the secrets each keeps from the other.”

—Merrimon Book Reviews

“This is an exciting romantic suspense thriller that starts off hot and…from there turns up the heat

and the action.”

—Midwest Book Review

“Stolen Fury has a complex plot with more twists than a pretzel, a sassy independent heroine, and a

lush Latin hero. What more can one ask for in a romantic suspense novel?”

—Romance Junkies

“Elisabeth Naughton can spin a tale to captivate the reader and take them for a ride.”

—Coffee Time Romance

“Stolen Heat is an awesome combination of deadly suspense, edgy action and a wonderful romance

with characters that you’ll laugh, cry and yell with.”

—Night Owl Romance