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BOOK 6
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Being Yours BOOK 6
'Is there anything I can do, Jill?’She turned around at Eunice’s soft question. Eunice had come into the kitchen, probably anticipating Jill’s desire that everything be just right for her folks and Jill appreciated her thoughtfulness.‘I think we’re in excellent shape. Since you baked up those pies yesterday, and I’d frozen some casseroles, there really wasn’t much left to do except set the table.’Which she’d done yesterday, knowing that her parents would arrive about an hour and a half after church today. She knew she’d feel more relaxed if everything was pretty much ready, so putting Holly’s basket in the formal dining room and enlisting Joey’s assistance with laying out the tableware, Jill had been busy. All that was left to do was warm the casseroles as the chicken had been roasting since early this morning.‘You’ve done a marvelous job.’Jill smiled at Eunice’s compliment. ‘I like to cook, especially for my parents. I really haven’t had much chance to.’Peace with her past had
Being Yours BOOK 6
Silently, Dustin walked away from the door. Of course, he should make certain she didn’t need any assistance. But knowing Jill, she’d be plenty furious if she knew that her private moment of suffering had been witnessed.Dustin went down the stairs, promising himself that if she wasn’t down in five minutes, he was going to make Jill let him in. Or at least, reassure him that she was going to be okay.Exactly four minutes forty-five seconds later, according to Dustin’s watch, Jill came down the stairs. She walked into the parlor with a smile on her face and Holly propped up on her shoulder, looking like a madonna to Dustin’s worried eyes. Jill didn’t look like a woman who’d just been heaving her insides. He shot a critical eye over her body, but all he could see was shiny blond hair waving gently at her chin, emphasizing her sparkling smile. Her skin perhaps was a trifle paler than normal, but her blue eyes were as large and luminous as ever. But still, after she finished kissing her f
Being Yours BOOK 6
Eunice’s face was unconcerned as she picked up an empty cup to put away. ‘Lana, your strawberry bread was wonderful.’Lana’s face relaxed into a genuine smile. It was obvious that her parents’ problem wasn’t with Eunice, but with the grim-eyed rancher who’d sat and stared at Jill for most of the meal. She walked into the parlor to gaze out the window at the two men leaning against the fence rail. She’d been able to feel Dustin’s stare on her on several occasions, and could only wonder about it. Not once had he smiled at her, though he wasn’t prone to doing that, anyway. Still, he’d seemed very remote, a fact her parents had obviously picked up on.She sighed, patting Holly’s back in a soothing motion. Touching this baby was a wonderful experience. All the soft skin and fat-padded appendages soothed Jill whenever she held her. Joey sat in front of the tree coloring in a cartoon book, and Jill smiled. He was a good boy, another source of contentment for her. Plainly, Dustin was discover
Being Yours BOOK 6
Her movements stiff and panicked, Jill snatched her keys from her shoulderbag as she tried to walk as normally as possible toward her worn-out car. There had to be a way to get Holly into her car seat without giving that sinister looking man a chance to grab her. The stroller could be abandoned if need be.Telling herself to be calm and not to overreact, Jill shuffled the bag of bread and her purse down to her wrist as she unlocked the car door. Too frightened to look up to see if she’d been followed, she tossed her things to the car floor. Swiftly, she picked Holly up and fastened her into the car seat, all the while acting as though she weren’t petrified out of her wits. Risking a quick peek, she saw that the man had gone into the bakery and was locked in confrontation with the shop girl. Jill could see her head moving back and forth in an emphatically negative response to whatever the man was asking her. He glanced toward Jill’s car, pointing purposefully. Jill grabbed the stroller
Being Yours BOOK 6
‘What was that?’ Sadie gasped.Her mother didn’t reply. She stared at the window. ‘Did you lock the front door when you came in, Sadie?’‘I don’t know. I was so upset I might not have.’ She couldn’t bear not knowing what was outside her window. ‘You go check the door, Mama.’‘Okay.’ Vera ran from Sadie’s room. She stood, slowly going to the window. Cautiously, she pulled back the second-hand curtain her mother had bought at a garage sale.Curtis jiunped up from his hiding place under the ledge. Sadie bit back a scream, knowing he was deliberately trying to frighten her.‘What do you want?’‘You, babe.’ His laughter came through the thin window pane, mean and calculated to hurt.‘Mama’s calling the police. You get out of here and don’t come around anymore.’He held his hands up to his heart, faking fear. ‘I can only stay a minute, babe. Just wanted to let you know I found our little girl, safe and snug as a bug in a rug up at the Reed Ranch. You really didn’t think I’d let that skinny-
Being Yours BOOK 6
Dustin awakened to the sound of pounding on the front door. He’d spent an uncomfortable night in front of the fireplace, which was now letting in drafts of cold air. Cursing to himself, he got up to open the door.‘I should have known it’d be you. You’re going to have to get your own eggs and sausage out of the kitchen. I’m not cooking, and nobody else is awake,’ Dustin grumbled at Marsh.‘Breakfast sounds good, but actually I need to talk to you. You look like hell. Didn’t you sleep last night?’Dustin scrubbed a hand over the prickly growth on his chin. Lord, he needed a shave and a shower. ‘No. Orange juice?’Marsh glanced into the parlor as he walked by it. Dustin knew he hadn’t missed the blankets on the floor. He went into the kitchen, mentally bracing himself for Marsh’s question.‘Heat go out upstairs or something?’‘No,’ Dustin growled. ‘I spent the night in front of the fire because I thought it was a cool thing to do.’‘Hm.’ He looked at Dustin closely. ‘Why do you have pin
Being Yours BOOK 6
Dustin couldn’t believe what he was hearing. His mother was well-recognized in Lassiter as an upstanding pillar of society, a model for other women to follow. Why would anyone suspect her of having an affair?A soft knock kept him from unleashing the harshedged question whirling in his brain. He flung open the door.‘What is it?’ he demanded. Jill jumped, obviously alarmed by his tone.‘Um, would you like me to take Joey downstairs?’ She peered around the door. ‘And Holly, too?’The baby was sleeping, totally unaware of Dustin’s fury. He glanced at his son, who had nestled up against Eimice, in either a protective or lookingfor-protection stance. Sighing, Dustin held the door open further. ‘If you wouldn’t mind. Holly can stay in here, though.’Jill’s gaze flew to Joey. She gestured to him, and he went to her without hesitation. Quietly, the door closed. Dustin could hear footsteps hurrying downthe stairs. His temper had definitely made an impression on his housekeeper. His mouth thi
Being Yours BOOK 6
Whatever minor easing of tension they’d managed to achieve had reverted to friction again. She couldn’t help thinking that the Reed Ranch might not be her home much longer.It was a very painful thought.Dustin was letting Rooster pick his way along a stream when he heard Marsh’s loud whistle. He returned the signal, then waited for his friend to appear. Moments later he did, astride one of Dustin’s geldings.‘You must have news or you wouldn’t have ridden out here to find me,’ he said.‘Yep. And I’m a damn good friend to do it, too.’He pulled his hat a little further down over his eyes to shield them from the light. Marsh had managed to park himself in the path of west-riding sun. ‘Give me the bad newsr.’‘They’re gone, Dustin. Sadie and her mother have left town. They’ve had their mail routed to a post office box and canceled their newspaper.’‘Where did they go?’Marsh shrugged. ‘No one seems to know. Or else they’re not telling. Would your mother have an idea of where any of Vera
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Being Yours BOOK 9
Lohano Tiki drove his bright yellow Ferrari up the long gravel incline and parked in front of the huge pillared portico that was the entrance to the Black Orchid Palace.He climbed out of the car, and quickly ducked down to check his hair in the wing-mirror.Good. Nicely wind-ruffled and carefree.A handsome, square-jawed face looked back at him, tanned a deeper colour by the desert sun.By the Nevadan desert sun, to be exact.His shirt was dazzling white and casually opened at the throat to reveal a strong dark column of neck and the first few wisps of dark chest hair.His jacket was white linen, faultlessly tailored, his slacks a dark green. His loafers came from Rome. His only piece of jewellery was a modest, leather-strapped watch from Switzerland.He was dressing to impress Koki’Hana as much as his rebellious and strong-willed granddaughter.He sprang lithely up the four rounded steps, that were spread out like a fan and led to the huge, impressive, carved oak doors of the palace
Being Yours BOOK 9
George Dixon watched the large crocodile of people emerge from the intermediary house by the east wall.As the owner of fifteen per cent of the Orchid House, he’d been asked to attend the full day’s festivities, of course, but he’d only just decided to put in an appearance.It was three-fifteen p.m.The extra waiters and waitresses hired for the lunch had been circulating in the grounds all afternoon, laden with trays of champagne, fruit juice and little nibbles. He hijacked a waiter and grabbed a glass of cold Moet et Chandon and a few smoked salmon pastries that melted in the mouth.He was lounging against the fountain that was the centre-piece of the outer grounds. Round, made of stone, and full of fish and water-lilies, it shot a fountain of water nearly thirty feet into the air.It was cooler there.George didn’t much like the heat. He was a small but very fat man, with a round belly and short, stocky legs. He could only imagine what the heat must be like inside the hot-houses.G
Being Yours BOOK 9
King Koki’Hana reached the end of the welcoming line, and finally shook hands with the last person to be presented - a tall, thin Portuguese man, whom Electra had introduced as their head groundsman. It was his job to keep the gardens outside the glasshouses looking good.Koki’Hana quite liked meeting the people who made businesses tick. Oahu, like all the islands, was a large ethnic mix of people - Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Filipino, Polynesians, Portuguese and American. Here at the Orchid House, he was pleased to see that Electra Stapleton’s only criterion for picking her staff was their having the right qualifications for the job. He operated a similar policy where his own business affairs were concerned.‘Well, Alii Koki’Hana, I’m sure you can see now why the Orchid House is such a success,’ Electra said quietly. ‘My staff are simply the best in the world.’ She said with it quiet pride but total sincerity.King Koki’Hana nodded. ‘So I see. And you are rapidly expanding, I underst
Being Yours BOOK 9
Bevis expertly aligned the small light aircraft with the portable runway lights Electra had lit ten minutes ago, and lightly touched down. He taxied neatly to the end of the runway, turned, and then parked the plane near a stand of hua trees, where it was partially hidden.He went through his checklist, making sure all the systems were shut down, then locked the cockpit, grabbed his overnight bag, and jumped lithely to the ground.At thirty-eight, he looked a good ten years younger, and still retained the well-built but fat-free body that would be the envy of many men his age. His short hair was still as dark as a raven’s wing, with not a hint of grey at the temples.He gathered up the landing lights, turning them off as he went, and stowed them away in their small wooden shed, hidden in the small copse of trees, padlocking the door after him.During the short walk to Electra’s luxurious bungalow, ‘Makai Hale’, he ran a tired hand through his hair. It was good to have a break from the
Being Yours BOOK 9
Electra stroked the damp copper hair off his forehead and looked around desperately. There was only the diminishing storm, darkness and fear. She couldn’t move him - she wasn’t strong enough to get him into her car. Besides., she didn’t know if she should move him, and wished she knew more basic First Aid.She felt as if she’d been cradling the stranger in her arms forever, but it had actually been less than five minutes since the lightning strike.The rain had been gradually dwindling, and now had stopped altogether, but she could still hear the distant rumble of thunder, away to the east, as the storm headed out to sea.Suddenly another sound began to impinge on her mind, and she looked up hopefully as a small set of lights dipped and disappeared in the distance.A car! At last!Coming from the same direction as she had been. Somewhat belatedly, she realized her own car was still blocking the road, and she carefully lowered the stranger’s head to the ground and got to her feet.Her
Being Yours BOOK 9
Hawaii, or the Big Island as it was known to the locals, played host to fewer tourists than its sister island Oahu, but boasted similar moutainous lush greenery, great surfing and multi-cultural dining, all with the added bonus of spectacular black beaches, courtesy of the volcanoes.A mountainous land of plantations, myth and Polynesian mystique, it slumbered like a giant emerald in the vast blueness of the Pacific ocean.However, Hilo, its major city, was as big, busy and cosmopolitan as any city in the developed world.The Big Island, like all those in the chain, also had its fair share of hotels and tourist resorts, but, unlike Oahu, it still relied heavily on the more traditional sources of money, such as fruit plantations and coffee, to fill its coffers.Near the pretty village of Kailua, set well back in the coolness of the hills, away from the hustle and bustle of hotels and shops, lay the impressive and sprawling edifice of the Black Orchid Palace.No higher than two storeys,
Being Yours BOOK 9
Electra Stapleton turned the last page of the contract she was reading, and initialled it in the right-hand corner. She’d made a few important changes, and she made a mental note to herself to get one of her lawyers to draw up a revised draft.Not that Nationwide Flowers Inc. would complain. She’d given them all they wanted, but had cleverly slipped in a few little goodies that would be beneficial to the Orchid House too.For instance, ensuring that their chain of florists used one of the Orchid House’s flowered wrapping sheets whenever they sold one of their orchids. The free publicity that would generate would save her hundreds of thousands of dollars. And cost Nationwide Flowers not a penny.She was a bit worried about the shipment date, though; it was rather tight. She reached for her computer keyboard and punched up the details on the company’s regular transporters. Before she’d taken over, the Orchid House had had only one - a privately owned aeroplane company that had shipped a
Being Yours BOOK 9
Haldane Fox glanced up as the oddly melodious 4 ping 5 echoed around the cabin.‘Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen. We are now beginning our descent to Honolulu Airport. Please observe the “No Smoking” signs, and “Fasten Seat-belts” signs. Your cabin crew will be around to help anyone having difficulty with their belts. I trust you enjoyed your flight with us, and wish you all a pleasant stay on Oahu. Aloha'Haldane sighed wearily and reached for his seatbelt. It had been a long flight, from London to New York for a short stopover, then on to LA for yet another stopover before the long haul across the mighty Pacific Ocean to the fabled Hawaiian Islands.He yawned widely, trying to shrug off the fast-approaching affects of the dreaded jet-lag.A stewardess, the same one who’d been serving him throughout the flight across the pacific, lingered by the side of his seat.‘Everything alright, sir?’The soft voice made him spin his head and look up. The stewardess’s smile caught in her th
Being Yours BOOK 8
By the time they arrived at the hotel, the security gate had been forced open, and a fire engine and two police cars were in the parking area. Apart from the fact that the firemen had broken down the main door, to all other outward appearances the Alcaszar appeared to be untouched. It wasn’t enough to stop Matt from leaping from the car and running across to the main doors where a group of firemen was standing, though.By the time Alex joined them, however, he appeared to be calm. “It’s only damaged the courtyard,” he told her. “Apparently it started among the wood that was stacked there, probably caused by a careless cigarette butt. They say it’s probably been smoldering for hours.”From the tone of his voice Alex knew immediately that he didn’t believe it was accidental but that he wasn’t prepared to talk to the police about his suspicions. She glanced up at him. His eyes had darkened to the steely gray that she now knew from experience was a sign that he was very angry. She took hi
