Total pages in book: 77
Estimated words: 75907 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 380(@200wpm)___ 304(@250wpm)___ 253(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 75907 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 380(@200wpm)___ 304(@250wpm)___ 253(@300wpm)
So, I do as she asks. I sit on the couch and close my eyes, and I can hear her bustling about, rustling here and there.
Finally, she takes my hand.
“Don’t open your eyes; just stand up.”
She leads me to what feels like the center of the room, facing away from the beach, and then says, “Okay. Open them.”
And when I do, my heart skips a beat.
Sitting on an easel is a watercolor painting. With blues and grays, it’s an overcast day on the beach, with crashing waves. It’s moody and thought provoking.
Absolutely beautiful.
But what steals the breath from my lungs is the couple on the sand, dancing.
“Sarah.”
“I hope you like it,” she whispers. “That moment on the beach when we danced was really special to me, and I wanted to capture it for you.”
I step closer and examine the brush strokes, the love that she poured into the piece, and then I turn back to her and scoop her up into my arms, carrying her to the bedroom.
“Does this mean that you like it?”
“I don’t have words,” I admit as I set her on her feet and strip us both bare, and when we’re finally in the bed, I take both of her hands in one of my own and pin them over her head on the mattress.
A smile tickles her lips.
“What’s so funny?”
“We talked about this last night.”
I narrow my eyes. “About what?”
“The whole hands-pinned-over-the-head thing.” She bites that lip again, and I lean down to brush my tongue over it. “It’s hot, in case you didn’t know.”
“Why do you think I do it?”
She lets out a laugh, but when I nibble along her collarbone, she sighs and squirms under me. I can’t stop kissing her, can’t stop exploring every inch of her shoulders and chest, and when I dip lower, I have to let go of her hands.
Her fingers dive into my hair and hold on tightly as I move over her.
“I need you,” I whisper against her ear as I move between her legs and slowly, inch by inch, sink inside of her.
“Oh, hell yes,” she moans. “Oh, God, it’s so fucking good.”
“Every time.” I brush a strand of hair off of her soft cheek. “Thank you for that incredible gift, Sarah.”
“I’m so happy you like it.”
I pull my hips back and then push back in again, making her gasp.
“You really like it.”
“I really do.” I kiss her, soft and slow, as I make love to her, and when we both reach our climax, I hold her close, reveling in her as the shudders move through us both.
“I love you,” I whisper.
“Same.” Her mouth spreads in a satisfied smile. “Definitely same.”
Belle Lovejoy is the youngest sister to Amaryllis and Indigo, and she’s been a private investigator for five years, after spending four in the military police with the Navy.
She’s one badass woman.
“It’s good to see you, Tanner,” Belle says after shaking my hand and turns to Sarah. “And you probably don’t remember me.”
“I remember you,” Sarah says. “You were just a kid when I left town. I’m closer in age to your older siblings.”
“I always loved seeing you at Gordy’s when you worked there as a teenager,” Belle admits with a smile, and brushes her long dark hair over her shoulder. “I thought you were the prettiest girl in town.”
Sarah’s cheeks flush. “Well, thanks.”
“But that’s not why you’re here,” Belle continues. “Tell me what’s been going on.”
And so, we start from the beginning and tell her everything, from the break-in to the flat tire and everything in between.
“I think it’s a lot of coincidence,” Sarah says when I finish. “Bad luck.”
“Maybe,” Belle says, looking up from her notes. “I don’t like that someone left a note. If not for that, I’d be more inclined to agree with you.”
“Perhaps they were just trying to scare me,” Sarah continues, but Belle just blinks at her, and she sighs. “Or not.”
“I think we should do more digging. I love our cops here in Huckleberry Bay, and get along well with all of them, but sometimes they can’t devote the amount of time needed in cases like these. I’d like to start right away, making calls and such. If you’d like to hire me, that is.”
“We would,” I reply immediately. “I think we’re both ready for some answers here. It’s been several weeks, and Sarah just can’t keep living her life constantly looking over her shoulder.”
“I really would like to relax,” Sarah admits. “I’d also like to be alone once in a while, just because I can.”
“No one wants to feel like they have to have a chaperone all the time,” Belle agrees. “Sarah, do you have any self-defense training or a concealed carry permit?”
“No and no,” Sarah replies.
“Well then, I think that it’s wise that you stick close to someone else until we get some answers. There is safety in numbers, you know?”