River's Redemption: Blackwater, Book 5 (15 page)

River’s eyes grew wide. “So now you don’t trust me? You think I would manipulate you?”

Jeanette gave him a knowing look. “When you want something, River Jennings, you tend to move heaven and earth to get it.”

Heat filled his slow grin. “You do have a point.”

Lucy patted River on the hand. “It’ll be okay. Jeanette’s tough. I’m sure everything will work out fine.”

Since Lucy had given birth to twins, Jeanette considered the words a true compliment. Jeanette sat up straighter and took a sip of her water. “Thank you. At least
someone
believes I can do this.”

“Besides, if things get scary, we’ll just hog-tie her and force the doctor to our way of thinking.” She shrugged. “Shouldn’t be too difficult.”

“Lucy!” Jeanette screeched, not liking the gleam of satisfaction on the other woman’s face. “I thought you were on my side.”

“I’m on the baby’s side, girlfriend, and you know it. Whatever the baby needs, the baby will get.”

“Hear, hear!” River shouted, putting in his own two cents.

Then it was Wanda’s turn to lend her weight, and for a small woman, she could really lend a lot of weight. “I think you should listen to them, daughter. Having babies naturally can’t be easy.”

“How about we just wait and see how it goes,” Jeanette offered, knowing they were wearing her down. “Does that make everyone happy?” They all gave nods of agreement, and Jeanette suddenly wanted to cry.

Oh God, she loved them all so much. She felt incredibly lucky to have them in her life. It was just too much sometimes. After her parents had died, she’d been so alone. If not for River, she didn’t know what she would’ve done. Now she had an entire family to love and cherish.

“I’m seriously the luckiest woman alive,” Jeanette said softly, putting her thoughts into words. Everyone grew silent and gazed at her with affection. River leaned over and kissed her cheek gently. “We’re the lucky ones, sunshine.”

River stood tall and proud under the rose-covered arbor in the backyard of their family home. Love welled in his chest as he watched his sweet Jeanette walk toward him. Her pale yellow dress set off the wavy mass of her long, shiny, dark brown hair beautifully. He was a lucky man. Since the moment he’d met her, when she’d been a freshman in high school, he’d been blessed.

River was glad he’d held firm about having a small outside affair. Only their close family and friends were in attendance. Reilly stood next to him as his best man, with Brodix and Vance as groomsmen. Sammy had offered to give Jeanette away. The gesture had forced River to hold back a flood of emotion. Lucy was the maid of honor with Shayla, Sarah and Julie as bride’s maids. His mom sat in the front row with the twins watching on. Yes, a small affair was a good idea. It would make it easier for him to sneak off with Jeanette later. Damn, he couldn’t wait to have her all to himself.

His soon-to-be wife fairly bloomed beneath the warm, summer sun. With the family home as the backdrop, it was the perfect spot to say their vows and start building a future together. Her hips swayed as she walked, driving him wild with thoughts of what he’d be able to do to her once he had her alone. She was nearly three months along, and her body was already beginning to show the signs of pregnancy. She was still as slim as ever, but River noticed that her breasts and hips were fuller, which only made her that much more irresistible to him.

As she reached him, River held out his hands. A jolt of possessiveness shot through him as she placed her own delicate fingers in his, trust and love shining in her eyes.

He hadn’t had the best start in life. And he still battled inner demons. Hell, he probably always would. But knowing Jeanette would be by his side, loving him, made it easier to bear. That she hadn’t given up on him was the real miracle. And River intended to spend the rest of his life proving to her that she’d made the right choice. No doubt, it was sure as hell a better ending than any he could write in one of his novels. He looked forward to every second of their future together.

About the Author

Anne grew up in a small town in central Ohio the only girl with three rowdy, older brothers. When she wasn't playing tackle football with them she could be found tucked away in her mother's book room getting lost in mysterious worlds created by authors such as Martha Grimes and Andrew M. Greeley. She's had a variety of odd jobs including Chiropractic Assistant, Frame Stylist, Restaurant Hostess, and Nail Technician.

Anne now lives with her fabulous husband, two gorgeous teenage daughters, two ornery dogs, three snooty cats, a tree frog named Gus, and a snake named Salizar. When Anne's not dressing, feeding, cleaning or spending time with them, she can be found at the computer writing stories hot enough to make your toes curl!

Anne loves to hear from her readers. You can find her on Facebook at
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Look for these titles by Anne Rainey

Now Available:

Haley’s Cabin

Seduce Me

Burn

Turbulent Passions

Dare Me

A Little Bit Naughty

Vaughn

Touching Lace

Tasting Candy

Taking Chloe

Tempting Grace

Cape May

What She Wants

What She Craves

What She Needs

Blackwater

Sam’s Promise

Breaking Brodix

Vance’s Rules

Reilly’s Wildcard

The most potent lover she’s ever had…and the morning sickness to prove it!

Reilly’s Wildcard

© 2013 Anne Rainey

Blackwater, Book 4

Lucy Rice knew that a night of uninhibited passion with sex-on-a-stick Reilly Jennings would leave a lasting impression on her body. But never in a million years did she expect to see a plus sign appear on that little white stick.

Pregnant? She can’t believe her eyes. When a second test confirms it, Lucy admits the truth. She’s about to be a one-night-stand mommy. How’s that for luck?

Reilly never wanted the responsibility of fatherhood, much less tie himself to an infuriating, headstrong woman like Lucy. Still, his sense of honor won’t let him abandon his baby like his biological parents abandoned him. Yet it isn’t long before he’s captivated by the coming baby—and the mother carrying it.

Lucy is rocked with all sorts of conflicting feelings for the father of her child. Unfortunately, she’s been down that road before, and it left her a blubbering mess. Not again. No way, no how. Except Reilly seems hell-bent on keeping her close. Maybe it’s the hormones, but Lucy’s beginning to forget why that’s a bad idea…

Warning: This title contains a tender and romantic man bent on proving he can be more than a good time, and a woman in serious need of the love of an honorable man.

Enjoy the following excerpt for
Reilly’s Wildcard:

Lucy reached out to him, and a familiar warmth seeped into her. What was it about Reilly that made her feel as if she’d known him her entire life? “Annabelle was too young to go through what she did. The older I got, the angrier I became. At first I was mad at my mom for dying on us and leaving us with Dad. Irrational, I know.”

“I think it’s a natural reaction, given the circumstances.” A beat of silence filled the air before he asked, “Where is your dad now?”

Reilly’s calm, gentle voice and feather-light touches over her fingers relaxed her the way nothing else ever had. She couldn’t remember a time when she and David had talked like this. Why was it so easy with Reilly? It scared her that she was opening herself to him so quickly.

Lucy thought of his question and cringed. “We don’t really speak. After Annabelle joined the army and I went off to college, Dad pretty much washed his hands of us. I tried to reach out at first, but you can’t make someone love you. They either do or they don’t.”

Reilly frowned. “His loss, if you ask me.”

“That’s pretty much the way I look at it.” Her voice trembled. The emotional topic or Reilly’s nearness? She had a sneaking suspicion it was a little of both.

He leaned closer and murmured, “I’m glad you came to the restaurant tonight.”

“Me too,” she whispered as her breathing increased and her temperature spiked.

Reilly angled his head and touched his lips to hers. It was a barely there caress that had Lucy craving so much more. She moaned and pressed more firmly against his mouth. A growl emanated from his chest; then his tongue teased at hers. Lucy closed her eyes and drifted into the kiss, tasting the delicious flavor of Reilly. She cupped his lean jaw in her hand, relishing the roughness of his five o’clock shadow against her palm.

He lifted an inch and said, “God, you are so beautiful, Lucy.”

She wanted to reply, but he stole her words with another scorching mating of lips. Her pulse beat a wild rhythm, and she suddenly took control, sliding her tongue into his mouth, licking at the wet warmth she found there. Reilly groaned and pulled away. Had she done something wrong? When he stood and stared down at her, dark desire etched into the rugged features of his face, a thrill of excitement raced up and down Lucy’s spine.

“Are you sure about this?” Reilly asked, his hands fisted at his sides.

As an answer, Lucy took hold of the right strap on her dress and tugged it downward. The left one went next. Soon her lace-covered breasts were exposed.

“I must be dreaming,” Reilly murmured as his hot gaze traveled her length. “That’s the only explanation.”

“That goes for both of us,” she replied. As Reilly licked his lips, Lucy’s nipples tingled and pulled into tight peaks beneath the see-through fabric.

She stood and slid the side zipper down, watching as Reilly froze in place. A blazing inferno roared out of control inside her. For the first time in her life, Lucy felt desirable and uninhibited. She let the dress fall to the floor and stepped out of it. Reilly slowly moved closer. He reminded Lucy of a great, prowling leopard.

“How can you say that your sister is breathtaking when you’re standing in front of me in nothing but a pair of baby-blue lace panties and bra? Sexy high-heeled shoes and all that dark, shiny hair spilling down your back, caressing your pretty ass?” He shook his head. “Not touching you is killing me here, sweetheart.”

His words tore away the last of her reservations. “So touch me.”

He cursed under his breath and seized her hips, pulling her close. Lucy lost her balance and tipped forward, landing against him.

“I want you so bad it hurts,” he groaned.

“It’s the same for me,” she confessed as she flung her arms around his neck and nestled her pelvis into the rigid length beneath his jeans. “But I don’t even know where to start. It’s been too long, and I’m…” Lucy didn’t know how to put into words the fact she felt that this was all so new to her. The relationship she’d had with David had never been terribly passionate. The sparks flying between her and Reilly now were in a class all their own.

He hummed his approval. “That’s okay, because I’ve got plenty of ideas. Hell, you have no clue what I want to do to you right now,” he whispered against the shell of her ear. “Be sure, Lucy.”

“Please,” she protested, “if you stop now, I just might clobber you.”

He chuckled. “Not a chance.” He dropped to his knees in front of her and rubbed his face against her belly. “Mm, your skin is silky soft.” Reilly slipped his arms around her and cupped her ass in his hands, squeezing and fondling. He effectively held her still while he plied her tender flesh. “You’re so goddamn sexy.” He reached up and pinched her nipple. Lucy whimpered. “I could come in my pants just staring at you.”

As he looked up at her, Lucy’s cheeks heated. Reilly slipped his fingers under the waistband of her panties and inched them down over her hips. When they pooled at her feet, she stepped out of them, her thigh muscles quivering as her need mounted. She released a breath she hadn’t even known she was holding and asked, “Shouldn’t we take this to the bedroom?”

“Soon,” he answered. “First, spread your legs for me. Show me how much you want me.”

Lucy did as he commanded. There was no possible way she could deny him. When Reilly touched a finger to the dark curls at her cleft, Lucy nearly exploded.

“Ah, that’s it, sweetheart.” Reilly stroked her clit. “Damn, you are hot for me, aren’t you? So nice and wet.” He looked deep into her eyes, as if desperate for her to submit to him entirely. She nearly begged him for more, but his fingers searched and parted her sex, and Lucy’s thoughts scattered. When he slipped a finger inside her wet heat, Lucy flung her head back and cried out, helpless to the craving this man provoked in her. She abandoned all sense of modesty, dug her fingers deep into Reilly’s hair and pulled him closer still.