Bare Witness (20 page)

“Um…Sam mentioned you wanted the name of my stepfather.”

“Yes, I did ask him for that. I hope you don’t mind, but I needed to know, to help bring some closure to the past for you. I wanted to know the full story.”

Justine paced in front of him. “Do you doubt what I said?”

“No,” Nigel said, standing back up. He took her hand in his. “I wanted to make sure that I could protect you from any harm.”

“That’s silly, Nigel. I’m not the kind of woman who needs protecting.”

“I know that, but I’m the kind of man who feels the need to take care of you. I don’t know if you can understand that, but I have to do everything I can to keep you safe. The same way I do for Piper.”

“You’re saying I’m the same to you as your daughter?” she asked, unable to resist teasing him.

“The only way you and Piper are the same is that I love you both.”

That confession gave her a little thrill. “Nigel?”

“Yes, love?”

“I love you, too.” She wrapped her arms around him and rose up on her tiptoes. “My stepfather was Franklin Baron. He was Derrick’s father. I don’t know if Derrick blames me for his father’s death. I don’t believe they were close when Franklin was alive.”

Nigel took a step back, and then sat down again. “Franklin Baron?”

“Yes. I had a different name back then. I left the past behind when I walked out of the juvenile center.”

“Thank you for trusting me with this. I…I don’t know how our lives will be together, but I can’t just quit my job.”

“I’m not asking you to. I’d like to find a way to make peace with my past…I don’t know that it’s fair to say I’ll spend my life with you until I do.”

“Fair enough,” Nigel said. “How long do you think that will take you?”

She shrugged. “I’m not sure. I was already tired of running before I fell in love with you, but it’s not right to ask you to put your life on hold while I—

“Justine, I need you in my life. I need to have the woman I’ve come to love by my side. My life was so one-dimensional before you.”

“It wasn’t. You have a real life and a real chance at being normal, Nigel. With me in your life, you won’t have that. I’m never going to be one of those corporate wives. I can’t fit into that mold.”

“I’m not asking you to.”

She shook her head. “I can’t do that to you. You need a woman who will be home every night, and who can complete your family with Piper.”

“Justine?”

“Yes?”

“I’m not home every night, and Piper travels with me. We have made our own normal, and I’m asking you to be brave enough to come with me and be a part of our family.”

She didn’t want to say no, but she was very afraid of committing her life to Nigel. Of saying she’d be a part of a family. She hadn’t been a part of a real family since her father had died, and the next family she’d had had been so fractured…

“I’m scared.”

“I am, too. I have no idea how this is going to work. I only know I need you in my life.”

He drew her close, holding her in his arms. She heard the French doors open, and then Piper’s singsong voice calling for Nigel.

“Over here, Pip,” he said.

She came over to where they stood, and when Justine would have pulled away, Nigel’s grip on her kept her by his side.

“Are you going to be part of our family?” Piper asked Justine.

“I’m not sure. What do you think?” Justine wasn’t leaving the most important decision in her life to an nine-year-old child, but she couldn’t be a part of Nigel’s life without the consent of his daughter. She wouldn’t do to Piper what her mother had done to both her and Millie.

“I wish you would be part of our family,” Piper said.

Justine smiled down at the little girl, and Nigel opened his arm, beckoning his daughter to join them. She ran and jumped in her father’s arms, and Nigel lifted her up. Piper wrapped one arm around Justine, drawing them together as a family.

Justine took a deep breath and let it out. This was it, she thought. The change she had been looking for wasn’t going to be found in running away and starting a new life. It had been found in looking inward and accepting herself. Now she could start a new life with the man she loved, and his daughter.

Get in the holiday spirit with TO ALL A GOOD NIGHT, a sexy anthology from Donna Kauffman, Jill Shalvis, and HelenKay Dimon. Check out Donna’s story, “Unleashed”…

A
n hour later, she was quite thankful for the addendum maps, as she’d be hopelessly lost without them. Actually, even with them she’d gotten herself somewhat turned around, out at the end of the west wing—at least she was pretty sure it was west. Even the dogs had given up on the adventure and trotted off after some time, to God knew where. She was sure they’d find her when they got hungry or wanted to go out, so she wasn’t too concerned about that. But she was getting hungry herself and she had no idea how to get back to the kitchen, much less the garage, or the rooms she’d been assigned to stay in.

She was stumbling down a dark corridor, unable to find the hall light switch, when a very deep male voice said, “If you’re a burglar, then might I direct your attention downstairs to the formal dining room? The silver tea set alone would keep you in much better stealth gear for at least the next decade. At the very least, you’d be able to afford a flashlight.”

Emma let out a strangled yelp as her heart leapt straight to her throat, then she froze in the darkness. Except for the animals, she was supposed to be completely alone. Not so much as a valet or sous chef was to be on the premises for the next twelve days. Of course, the notebook did say that Cicero had a lengthy and amazing vocabulary. But he was at least two floors away. And she doubted he knew how to use the house speaker system. Armed with the notebook and not much else, Emma decided offense was the best defense. “Please state who you are and how you got in here. Security has already been alerted, so you’d best—”

Rich male laughter cut her off. “You must be the sitter.”

“Which must make you the burglar, then,” she shot back, nerves getting the better of her.

More laughter. Which, despite being sexy as all hell, did little to calm her down. Because, though she’d been joking, the idea that she’d been on the job for less than two hours and had already allowed a thief into the house was just a perverse enough thing that would actually happen to her.

The large shadow moved closer and she was deep into the fight-or-flight debate when a soft click sounded and the hallway was illuminated with a series of crystal wall sconces. Emma’s first glance at her unexpected guest did little to balance her equilibrium.

Whoever he was, he beat her five-foot-nine height by a good half foot, which made the fight thing rather moot. Flight probably wasn’t going to get her very far, either. He had the kind of broad shoulders, tapered waist, and well-built legs her defensive-line-coach dad would recruit in a blink, and charming rascal dimples topped by twinkling blue eyes her Irish mother would swoon over as she served him beef stew and biscuits.

Emma, on the other hand, had absolutely no idea what to do with him.

There’s nothing better than a hero who’s HOT AS HELL. Keep an eye out for HelenKay Dimon’s latest, coming next month from Brava….

O
nly one thing—one person—hovered in her mind. Noah. Desire whipped through her with an intensity that threatened to knock her backward. The craving swamped all of her good sense, beat down her firm resolve to keep Noah at a distance and replaced it with a burning need.

She blamed the lust simmering inside her on the shot of adrenaline she experienced this evening. The mix of shock at seeing a dead body and terror over everything that came after.

No matter what the cause, all she wanted to do was jump on top of Noah and wipe the memory of the terrible night out of her mind. Which was why she entered the room and then stood as far away from him as the small space would allow.

She had hoped the passing minutes would kill the Noah need bouncing around her belly. But the longer she watched him turn his hands over and stare at the invisible spot on the floor, the more she wanted him focused on her.

Breaking off their engagement destroyed a part of her. The aftermath was even worse. Cleaning Noah out of her head and her heart proved impossible. As long as he lingered in there, what could one, or two, lovemaking sessions hurt? They both needed the release. They were there, adults and still attracted.

And making a move served another purpose. Hard for Noah to quick fire questions at her when he was under her.

“Are you done hiding?” His husky voice ripped to the very heart of her.

“I’m standing right here.”

“Then are you ready to talk about Henderson?”

Oh, she was ready for something.
“No.”

He sighed. “Of course not.”

“I’m done talking about Henderson.”

Noah glanced up at her with a blank expression. “Because you can’t come up with a believable lie?”

“Because I don’t want to talk.”

This was going to happen. Her. Him. Them. Bed. She missed the feel of him, his touch and kiss. Her blood surged through her at the thought of him running his hands all over her again.

“I want to help you,” he said.

“Good.” Because that is exactly what she had in mind. Him helping her out of this dress and into the bed.

“You have to know that I don’t care what you did or didn’t do.”

She believed him on that score. He did not pass judgment. Did not insist that everyone live by his code. He took people as they were. Now it was time for him to just plain take her.

She closed the curtain. “That’s very accommodating of you.”

“To figure out the best plan of attack, you have to level with me.” His dark eyes flashed with determination. So serious and worried.

She could see his confusion in the wrinkles around his eyes. The controlled anger in the way he balled his hands into fists.

“I have a better idea.”

His eyes narrowed. “That’s what I’m afraid of.”

“Oh, I think you’ll like this one.”

“Hard to imagine how that’s possible.”

“Trust me.” She walked over and stopped when her knees touched his.

The position forced him to lean back and gave her the superior power she wanted. Having him vulnerable to his needs and her wants. Hovering over him until he had to look up to see her face. Perfect.

“Lexy?”

“We could talk and talk, but you know what, Noah?”

“Uh, no.”

She crouched down with her palms on his knees until they were face to face. “I’d rather sit on your lap.”

“
What
?”

“Kiss you all over.”

She felt him tense. Saw a flush creep over his skin. Watched every bone in his body snap to attention.

He blinked a few times. “You’re saying—”

“Feel you slide inside me.”

He grabbed the bedspread behind him with both hands. “I sure as hell hope you’re talking about sex.”

“Hot, sweaty, fantastic sex.”

Heat replaced the confusion in his eyes. “With me?”

The idea of letting another man touch her left her cold. “Only you.”