Protecting His Heart (A James Family Novel Book 1) Page 16

  Angelina couldn't figure out why she was so mad at Logan, but the truth was she was livid. On the other hand, it wasn't like they had any real ties. She was in trouble, he saved her life. Multiple times, the same thing any decent lawman would have done. He didn't owe her anything. No, he didn't owe her a single thing. If anything, she owed him. Big time.

  If only her body would listen to the reasoning her brain was doing. Logan's close proximity had her nerves buzzing and her pulse humming. Still, she refused to make eye contact with the man sitting beside her. The hemorrhoid commercial morphed into a diaper advertisement. Angelina focused all her attention on the adorable little toddler wobbling across the tiny screen. For a moment she imagined herself holding a baby, a sweet little boy with cornflower blue eyes and shaggy blond hair just like his father. There was no doubt that Logan James would make beautiful babies. Angelina shot a sideways glance at the man but he was busy studying the floor pattern. Closing her eyes, Angelina let out a long sigh. It was obvious he was looking for a way to exit the conversation and her life.

  Logan was quiet for so long, she almost wondered if he left the room without her noticing. Finally, he spoke, "New York City is nice this time of year."

  At the name of her hometown, Angelina turned her head to glare at Logan. "I remember. Thanks for reminding me."

  Logan's blue eyes glinted. "Aren't you even at all interested as to why I was there?"

  "Not really. You don't owe me an explanation. We barely know each other."

  He leaned forward and took her hand in his. Angelina tried to pull away but he wouldn't let her. Stormy blue eyes searched hers intently. "I'd like to change that."

  "Change what?" Angelina whispered.

  "Change the status of our relationship. I want to know everything about you. Everything." He winked conspiratorially.

  Despite the warmth that filled her at Logan's implication, she smiled sadly. "It won't work. As soon as I am out of here, I will have to go back into witness protection."

  "I don't think so. That's part of why I was in New York."

  Angelina eyed him suspiciously but said nothing, so he continued.

  "I did a little poking around while you were recovering."

  "Hmm… so that's why you never came back when you said you would."

  "I'm here now." He lifted her hand and lightly kissed the back of it. "I should have come sooner, I know, but I couldn't. Not until I could tell you that you were safe."

  "Am I? Safe, I mean?" Her voice broke on the last word.

  "As safe as a baby in her mama's arms." He leaned over and kissed her forehead, rubbing his thumb gently down her cheek before he straightened up. Angelina bit her lower lip in her effort to resist the desperate urge to kiss him—really kiss him. She refused to throw herself at him. If he would just take her in his arms, she would never leave him. Never leave Virginia. The realization struck her hard, knocking the very breath from her lungs.

  "How did you do it, Logan?" The idea that someone had tried to kill her was still really hard to wrap her mind around. That Logan had fought so hard for her was humbling. All the months she spent with Sal Junior thinking she had fallen in love with him. There was no way Sal would have done for her what Logan and the rest of the James's had.

  "It wasn't hard, actually. Jack Mulholland sang like a bird in a cage. Gave up everyone he ever did business with in exchange for avoiding the death penalty. The feds weren't at all happy with him and Jack will go away for a very, very long time. Looks like Salvatore Ricci, Salvatore Junior, and their little posse of hit men will never see the light of day again either. That's why I was in New York—to give a deposition and tie up the loose ends." He was outright grinning by the time he was done.

  Tears rolled down Angelina's cheeks. "It's really over then? I can go home?"

  Logan's expression turned somber. He let go of her hand. "Yes, if you want to."

  For months she had dreamed of going home, seeing her family, and getting back on the job. All of a sudden though, looking at Logan through tear-filled eyes, she wasn't at all sure if she really wanted to go anywhere.

  "Thank you."

  "There's no need to thank me," Logan replied gruffly. "I was just doing my job."

  Angelina searched his eyes for the truth. "Really? Is that all? Just doing your job?"

  Logan nodded, refusing to meet her eyes. He looked at his watch. "I've got to run. The L.T. expects to debrief me. I came straight here after I got off the plane. Figured you would want to know as soon as possible."

  Without another word, he stood up and walked out of her room. Angelina watched him go, wanting him to stay, but unable to find the words to stop him from leaving.

  Logan had just said he wanted to really get to know her and now he was running from the hospital like she had Ebola.

  Angelina fell back against the pillow and sighed heavily. Everything was such a mess now. Logan said she could home but would she ever really be safe in New York City? The Ricci family control was strong and far-reaching. Someone was bound to seek revenge on her for putting their beloved godfather in prison.

  There was more to it than that though. She hated teaching, and she missed the city, but the idea of leaving Logan twisted a knot in the pit of her stomach. Closing her eyes, she could almost feel the heat of him as he stirred up desires she hadn't known she possessed.

  "I don't want to go back to New York," she whispered to the empty room.

  "Good," a familiar voice responded quietly. "I don't want you to either."

  Her eyes snapped open. "I thought you left."

  Logan stood in the doorway looking a little sheepish. "I did, but I couldn't get on the elevator."

  "Why not?"

  "Because I forgot to do this." He strode across the room and bent over her placing his lips firmly against hers. Angelina's arms threaded up around his neck and pulled him closer, reveling in the heat that flooded her veins.

  A soft moan escaped her mouth against his lips. Logan seized the opportunity, deepening the kiss. Angelina cursed the tubes and wires that crisscrossed the bed, wanting nothing more than to pull Logan down into the bed with her. Just when she thought she might, Logan pulled back slowly and straightened up.

  "Why did you stop?" she whispered, feeling the loss of his touch immediately.

  "Believe me, I didn't want to, but what I want to do to you just isn't going to work in a bed with wheels." He motioned to the hospital bed all the while eyeing her hungrily.

  Angelina laughed. "Yeah, I'm not exactly looking the part today either."

  "You look absolutely beautiful to me."

  "Nice of you to say but we both know it isn't true."

  He leaned over and kissed her again, lightly this time. "Did you mean it when you said you didn't want to go back to New York?"

  She studied him for long moment before replying. "No, I really don't think I do. Virginia's not such a bad place after all."

  Due to unexpected infection, Angelina spent another five days in the hospital during which Logan spent every moment he wasn't at work by her side. They shared childhood memories—the good and the bad, discussed their hopes and dreams, and danced lightly around the idea of a future together.

  As she sat on the edge of her bed waiting for the doctor to discharge her, Logan left to return a call to his boss. Swinging her feet above the floor like she had done when she was a child, Angelina smiled to herself. Despite nearly dying, she was happier than she had ever been in her life.

  The phone by the bed rang, startling her from her thoughts of Logan. Nothing could have prepared her for what happened next.

  "Hello?"

  "Angelina? Is that really you?"

  The familiar voice brought on tears immediately. "Mom?"

  "It is you!" It had been well over a year since she had heard her mother's voice. The older woman was sobbing into the phone. "Oh, Angie! I thought… they said you were dead! All this time…"

  "I'm so sorry, Mom! They had to tell you that!
If anyone knew I was still alive witness protection wouldn't have worked."

  "I… can't… believe… it's… you!" Her mother managed between sobs. "Oh, my baby! My little girl is alive! You don't know what it was like!"

  "I missed you so much, Mom. Daddy, too. How is he?"

  Her mother didn't say anything for so long Angelina began to fear the worst. Finally, she said, "He will be fine now. He has not been himself since you… since you left. This will change everything. I wanted to come to you but your father can't be alone anymore.”

  "Why? What's wrong with him?"

  Floria sighed sadly. "The night of your funeral, he had a stroke, Angie. The doctors said it wasn't terrible but he has refused to get better. He sits in his chair all day and stares out the window with a picture of you in his lap."

  "Oh, Momma, I am so sorry you have had to go through all of that."

  "It doesn't matter anymore. You are alive! I can't wait for your father to see you again. He will get well now, I know it. When will you come home, Angie?"

  "Well, I…"

  "Ah….," Her mother broke in with a knowing chuckle. "It's the handsome young detective, isn't it?"

  "How did you know about Logan?"

  "He came to see me. That's how I found out you were still alive."

  "He what?"

  Her mother cleared her throat. Lucy imagined her dabbing her nose with a lace handkerchief. Floria never went anywhere without one.

  "He told me the whole story, promised me you would call when you could, but I had to hear your voice for myself before I could believe it. Angie, you are alive!"

  "Logan didn't mention he went to see you."

  "Don't be upset with him, dear. That boy loves you deeply."

  Angelina smiled into the phone. "You really think so?"

  "You know I have the gift of matchmaking, Angie. I know love when I see it."

  "I don't know, Mom."

  "Well, I do. It's so nice to hear your voice, Angie." The older Ferrara woman's voice cracked slightly.

  "I know. I was going to call you, Mom, I just didn't know how to do it. I mean, how do you call someone and say, 'It was all a lie. I'm not dead. Let's do lunch.'?"

  "Just like that, I suppose."

  "I really missed you, Mom. The last months have been so hard." Angelina fought back the tears that threatened. This was not a time to cry but a time to celebrate. She could have her family back!

  "I'm coming to see you. My plane leaves in the morning. Aunt Millie is going to stay with your father for a couple of days."

  The tears came then, in a rush of salty water. It took a moment before she could compose herself enough to speak again. "I can't wait to see you, Mom."

  "Me too, Angie. I love you."

  "I love you too, Mom. See you tomorrow."

  The doctor entered the room then with a stack of discharge paperwork to go over. Angelina bid her mother goodbye and hung up the phone. Logan didn't return until after the doctor had left and a nurse was settling her into a wheel chair.

  "Just in time." The pretty young nurse batted her heavily mascaraed eyelashes at Logan. "Your princess is in her chariot awaiting her prince."

  Logan leaned down and kissed Angelina lightly on the lips. "I like the sound of that. I just got off the phone with Lieutenant George. Seems like the department is looking to hire a few new officers. He was thrilled at the idea of taking on one of New York City's finest. How about it, Angelina, you interested in working with me?"

  "Angelina," she whispered her name with a smile. "I like the way it sounds when you say it."

  "Well, Angelina, I will be thrilled to say it over and over again as many times as you wish. And in as many… places… as you wish." He winked at Angelina with a sexy gleam in his eyes making her flush.

  "I am sure I can come up with a few places."

  The nurse just watched them in amusement as she waited patiently. Logan lifted her bag off the bed and followed the nurse as she pushed Angelina's wheel chair to the elevator.

  Logan reached out and pushed a stray curl back behind her ear. It seemed to be one his favorite things to do. "The only thing that would make you more beautiful, Angelina Ferrara, would be if you loved me as much as I love you."

  She looked up at him, searching for a sign that this was all a dream or a bad joke but all she found in his clear blue eyes was an emotion that seemed an awful lot like love.

  "I think I do love you, Logan. Seems a little crazy after only a few weeks of high speed car chases and gunfights though, don't you think?"

  "Not crazy at all. All the best love stories start out that way."

  "It does make a pretty good story, doesn't it?" Angelina smiled at Logan. "Virginia turned out to be an okay place after all. Certainly not the seventh level of hell I thought it was."

  Logan and the nurse both laughed.

  "So how about it, sweet Angie, want to be my partner?"

  "Are we back to talking about work?" Angelina asked.

  The nurse cracked a small smile but said nothing.

  "Of course. What else would I be talking about?" Logan winked at the nurse over her head. Angelina caught the exchange and grinned. For the first time in forever, the grin felt real. She actually felt happy.

  "We do make a pretty good team, don't we?" she asked.

  "The best."

  Setting the bag on the floor, he scooped Angelina out of the seat of the wheelchair and held her close against his chest. He nodded at the nurse. "I got it from here, miss. Thanks for the ride this far." The young nurse giggled as she walked away pushing the chair with her.

  "I guess I could get used to working with you." She leaned her head against Logan's shoulder and sighed. "It would sure feel good to wear a badge again, that's for sure."

  The elevator door slid open. Logan snagged the duffel bag and threw the strap over his shoulder, carrying Angelina into the elevator. As the door closed, he pressed a kiss to her lips. The kind of sweet kiss that held the promise of a real future together. Reaching for the button to the ground floor, he smiled down at her with love in his eyes and pulled the elevator stop button.

  "What are you doing?" Angelina asked confused.

  "I am sure you will be totally sexy with a gun on your hip and I look forward to seeing it but…"

  "But what?" Angelina whispered.

  Logan leaned down and kissed her softly, slowly. Angelina's pulse picked up immediately, sounding loudly in her ears. Every time Logan touched her, fireworks set off in her veins. When he finally pulled away, he stared at her intensely for half a second before speaking, his voice husky. "I want to you to be my partner both at work and in life. Will you marry me, Angelina Ferrara?"

  A million reasons why she should say no flashed through her mind, but she ignored every last one of them.

  "Yes. I will marry you, Logan James."

  "Partners?" he asked.

  "Partners!" She wrapped her arms around his neck as she pulled his lips back to hers.

  THE END

  Securing His Love

  Carolyn Lee

  After a major breakup turned her life upside down, Katie McCoy just wanted a peaceful Friday night at home with pizza and some comfy pajamas. Apparently, that was too much to ask. Instead, masked men stormed her apartment and carted her away as a “matter of national security.” She wasn’t at all prepared for the questions that awaited her… or for her interrogator to be young, sexy, and clad in a tuxedo.

  Homeland Security agent Kaiden James is less than thrilled to be called away from his best man duties to deal with a domestic terrorism case. Then he gets a look at the pajama-clad suspect—the nurse who had been the subject of his hottest fantasies since he got shot last year.

  Kaiden has a job to do, but Katie’s no terrorist. After several attempts on her life, it’s clear that she’s tangled with the wrong people though and Kaiden’s determined to keep her secure. He turns to the only people he knows he can trust. From his mother’s secluded survival compound,
Kaiden and Katie face not only terrorists, but something far more dangerous—falling in love.

  Get it here.

  About the Author

  Science teacher by day, writer and mom by night, Carolyn Lee lives near the ocean with her husband, two boys, rescue puppy and two cats. She loves baseball, books, food videos and trying new recipes. The beach is her happy place and snow has become her arch enemy after years of living in New England.

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