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Chapter 14
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Exposure Chapter 15
A week later, with an Elements exhibit starting in twenty minutes, Raven turned away from the door in her office and sat on the edge of her desk, listening to her mother blubber about a recent breakup. She cradled the phone in one hand and plucked dead blooms from her potted plant with the other.When there was a pause, Raven said, "I thought you were seeing someone named Daniel."Her mom sniffed. "Oh no. Daniel was weeks ago. I thought things with Richard were going so well."They always did, until a few weeks passed and Willow Crowne fell head over heels. Surprise, surprise, it ended shortly after that. Raven had had this conversation so many times, but it still pained her that her mom was hurting. "I'm sorry.""Me, too." She blew her nose. Loudly. "Enough about me. How are you? Are you seeing anyone? Why are you calling me on a Friday night?"Her mother liked Noah, but the two of them were a temporary thing, so no sense in telling her because it would only get her hopes up. The
Exposure Chapter 16
Noah held the door for Raven and slid into the back of the limo after her. Once they were underway, he closed the partition so Max couldn't hear their conversation. He had two goals and two goals only tonight: to find out what her mother had said to upset her and to make her forget in as many creative ways conceivable.But first- "Here." He pulled a box out of his coat pocket and handed it to her."What's this?""Open it."She lifted the lid and gasped at the watch. Silver and gold, the face was small and the band adjustable. It also had a tracking device inside, just in case."I love it. Thank you."He removed the watch from the box and clasped it around her wrist. "Do me a favor and wear it whenever you're away from the condo."Her finger traced the face. "Why?"Staring at her profile, he decided not to lie. "Because if something happens to you, I can find you if you're wearing it. The trace inside links to an app on my phone."Her gaze slid to his. "You scare me when you ta
Exposure Chapter 17
How fitting her and Noah's last day together be Valentine's-a holiday they both despised and was the epitome of everything they rejected about romantic love. In the past, no matter who they'd been dating, she and Noah spent Valentine's Day together, usually watching an action movie in her apartment. Except this year, he demanded they do something different.She glanced down at the dress laid out on her bed. This morning, she'd packed up her things and told Noah she'd return to her apartment after work. Their time was up. Other than a clench of his jaw and a tight nod, he had no response. She'd come home from the gallery to find the dress and a note. She'd tried to sever the physical aspect of their relationship cleanly, just as he'd wanted-as she'd wanted, even though a tiny part of her hoped-Wear this tonight. I'm taking you out. How did he even know the right size? And shoes, too. A thin slip of a dress, it was ankle-length and dark red, with the neckline coming to a V between h
Exposure Chapter 18
Noah followed Raven into her apartment and shut the door with Max on the other side to stand vigil. Wordlessly, she went down the hall toward her bedroom, so he plopped on the couch with his head in his hands. His shaking hands.Ten years and he'd taken every precaution to avoid this exact moment. Looked like his FBI contact was right. There was a hit out on him. But why taunt Raven by following her instead of just taking a shot? Not that he wasn't grateful.And he hadn't been with her. Max Gerard was the best, Noah wouldn't have hired him if he wasn't, but shit-he hadn't been with her. That little incident could've been something much more than a tail. Tonight was just a warning. Something could've happened to her, and he wasn't fucking there. He'd stood in his condo this morning like a dumb fuck and had said nothing as she packed, despite how everything inside his head screamed not to let her walk. He thought he was being irrational, clouding the friendship line with sex, so he'd
Exposure Chapter 19
To HaveRaven grabbed the armrests of her seat and pinched her eyes closed. She'd been in Noah's float plane before, but this was different. The helicopter didn't offer the same smooth ride or peace of mind. Sure, she was being silly, but with her stomach in her throat it was hard to think rationally.After his rather cryptic announcement back at her apartment, Noah had told her to change into comfortable clothes and then ushered her out the door. God. He had a helicopter. His own helicopter. At his disposal. They'd taken off in Anchorage and were heading to destinations unknown somewhere north. He refused to tell her where.She wondered what he meant by meeting his family. Having been introduced to his parents a few times in college before their fatal car crash, she'd known he had no other living relatives besides some distant cousins on his mother's side. What could he possibly have meant by that statement?From the seat beside her, Noah patted her hand. "You okay, baby?" His voi
Exposure Chapter 20
With Raven leaning against the doorframe, Noah pulled a blanket up to Aubrey's chin and leaned over the bed to kiss her forehead, reassuring her he'd be there come morning. Her blonde hair spread out over the pillow, her blue eyes sleepy, he had to resist not rubbing the ache in his chest. His whole adult life had been about protecting this precious little girl, when he'd barely been of adult age himself. And she needed her sleep. "I love you." He rose and headed for the door."Love you more. Does she like coloring?" Aubrey asked through a yawn.Noah lifted his brows, pleased Aubrey was sending out feelers for Raven. In no time, they'd be past the awkward phase and Aubrey would love her to no end. That's how she rolled. Her trust was never-ending. "Raven's a master colorer."Aubrey laughed. "That's not a real word."Raven smiled, exhaustion in her features. "I don't know about master, but I can hold my own. How about we get right on that after breakfast tomorrow?"Leaving Aubrey
Exposure Chapter 21
Noah swallowed and turned away from Raven, facing the window and the view, but not truly seeing it. He shoved his hands in his pockets and tried to prepare himself for what rehashing his past was going to do to him, to her."My mother had a daughter through a previous marriage when she met my dad. Fresh on the political circuit, they got married quickly and had me. Melissa was eight years older than me and spent a lot of time with her dad, so we weren't exactly close. Neither of us harbored any resentment, there was just such a big age gap."Pressing his palm to the frame, he leaned into his hand and hung his head. "She married Mario Francesco when I was ten, and none of us had any idea he was a legal aid for Rizzoli. My father was part of the Democratic Party and went up against Rizzoli in a few elections. Mario found out about misused campaign funds, but that was the tip of the iceberg. When the feds dug deeper, they found money laundering and drug pushing out of New Jersey. We did
Exposure Chapter 22
Not knowing what else to do, Raven encouraged, and then forced, Noah into the bathroom. He preferred to shower at night and, after such a long, stressful day, a bath was a decent way to unwind before crashing. The room was just as generous as the one in his condo, but the color tones were dark blues and grays instead of mossy green. The shower wasn't as luxurious, but the tub was big. The room smelled like him, like spice and comfort, even though they'd just arrived, and she realized, after a moment, that it was from oils he'd dripped into the water.He climbed in and she followed, sitting behind him and urging him to lean against her. Since making love, he'd been silent, and she suspected the guilt was eating away at him. The desperation, the sheer frustration rolling off him afterward, was heart-wrenching.Tears threatened when she thought about everything he'd been through, been forced to endure by no fault of his own. Lesser men would have let his parents take the girl or had t
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Exposure Chapter 53
Raven closed her eyes and lifted her face to the sun, basking in the glow of summer that was too short-lived for Alaska. Brine and cut grass blended with the lingering scent of rain to remind her how much life was around her. Letting the warmth consume her, she tugged Aubrey closer to her side and fought the small wave of insecurity that sometimes still rose.It had been four months since she'd almost died, but she'd come a long way. The nightmares from her kidnapping had become infrequent. Noah was always there when she woke with a soothing voice or his solid arms enveloping her to quash the fear. Fear didn't belong in happily ever after, and today was an ever after day.The ceremony had been short, with her and Noah reciting their own vows. Only about twenty people had been invited, and they were currently lingering on the other side of the island. It had turned out to be such a great day, but it wasn't about the wedding. Not to her. No, it was about all the wonderful things that w
Exposure Chapter 52
"Sir, you came in hypothermic. You need to lay back."Noah withdrew his arm from the nurse's clutches with barely restrained homicidal impatience. "Someone fucking tell me something! Is Raven okay?"Sighing, the nurse relented. "Let me cap off the IV and I'll go find out."Gnashing his teeth, he jerked a nod.She removed the tubing from his arm, flushed the part still inserted in his vein, then taped the exposed portion. "All set. I'll go hunt up a doctor for you."As she stepped out of the cubicle, Hintz strode in and tossed some clothes and shoes on the foot of the bed. "They don't know anything yet, sir."Now that he was detached from the IV and heart monitors, Noah rose from the bed. Pain shot up his stiff legs, but he managed to keep upright. Shoving into the sweatpants Hintz brought, Noah shucked the hospital gown and pulled the tee over his head."It's been two hours." Noah fisted his still damp hair. He couldn't focus on anything but getting to Raven, seeing her with his
Exposure Chapter 51
Max cut through the southern strip of town and onto the port access. The SUV screeched to a halt several yards before the bend where the road ended. Noah got out and met McCannon at his car behind theirs. The rest of his security team followed.McCannon's gaze swept the perimeter. "It's up that hill?"Noah nodded. "If you follow the curve, the shack should be visible."They ran in silence to the dead end and crouched at the base of the hill. Lowlight peeked through the slats of the shack, but he couldn't make out any sound or movement.McCannon looked at his agent. "You go in from that end," he said, jerking his chin toward the open expanse just left of the location. Trees and boulders would offer them some cover. He pointed at one of Noah's guards. "Take him. Stay low. No shots, no one moves, unless I command."The two men, veering left, climbed the hill in a low crouch and ran for the cover of rock.McCannon pulled out his cell. "Cops and medics are on the way." He shoved the p
Exposure Chapter 50
"That's how I knew it was you." Nicole grinned and sipped her champagne. "Raven would never let anyone but you see her that vulnerable." She pointed with her flute to the displayed photo in front of them. "I won't tell anyone."Noah shoved his hands deep in his pockets. "I appreciate that." He wasn't adverse to coming out as Hoan now that the trial was over, but he'd rather things settle down first and allow the feds time to catch Soreno.She sighed wistfully. "Such a shame, though. I harbored a secret crush on you. We would've had such beautiful babies."He couldn't help but laugh. Just in case, he skimmed his gaze over her to avoid insult or hurt feelings. "You are quite lovely, Nicole. But I'm taken." Completely and without bounds. Would this night never end?"I was only kidding-" She trailed off, eyes rounding.He tracked her gaze. Two FBI agents followed McCannon through the front door. One stayed there while McCannon and the other strode across the room to Max near the rear
Exposure Chapter 49
Raven had finally broken free of a few customers and was determined to rescue Noah from his conversation when Nicole stepped in her way. Raven fisted her phone in her hand, banking down the irritation."Two things." Nicole flipped her hair over her shoulder. "First, the caterer is asking for more small serving plates. Which I'll go get from storage in a moment."When she paused, Raven lifted her brows, unable to hide her amusement. Nicole's cheeks were flushed and she had an uncanny twinkle in her eye. Which had nothing to do with caterers or plates. "And second?""I find it interesting that Hoan is Noah spelled backwards. Or almost. A nice anagram." Her eyes narrowed playfully.Briefly closing her eyes, Raven fought a grin and failed. "I'll get the plates from storage. I need a break from the crowd anyway." An hour into the showing, and they were back to back with people. "As for the other thing, do keep it mum. He has a pen name for a reason.""I knew it," Nicole ground out, eye
Exposure Chapter 48
Jet-lagged, Noah folded himself into the chair behind his desk and glared at all the messages. When he'd started his business, it had been out of love for the outdoors and being in the elements. Nature soothed. Took no prisoners. Never pretended it was something it wasn't. Since all the success, he'd spent more time behind a desk than out doing what he wanted. Being Hoan on occasion allowed for reprieve, but it wasn't the same. Maybe it was time to sell.He scrubbed his hands over his face and leaned his head back. Ten days away from Raven on his recent photo shoot had done nothing to alleviate his need for her. He thought some distance would clear his head or offer up some direction. It hadn't. He still didn't know what the fuck to do.For a decade, he'd lived in fear, had his life whittled down to a skeleton and doing little more than going through the motions of existence. The women, the cameras, his company-nothing filled the void.And then he'd had Raven. In his bed, his home,
Exposure Chapter 47
Her throat closed, but she picked up her glass and forced a sip of water to cool it.Mom blathered through the rest of the meal about her current boyfriend, and by the time Raven got back to the gallery, she'd been so shaken she didn't even say hello to Nicole. Walking past her assistant, she climbed the steps to her office and sank behind her desk, shaking. She had no idea how long she'd been staring at her blank monitor when Nicole strode in later."You have a lot of explaining to do, missy."Raven looked up, taking in Nicole's blonde locks and green eyes. Now that was the kind of woman Noah deserved. Nicole was kind and gave her all in everything she set about doing. She loved hard and often, was pretty and sweet. And she was talking to Raven, but she hadn't heard a thing."I'm sorry. What were you saying?"Nicole sighed. "I said Michael Hawthorn dropped off Hoan Dwell's photos for next week's exhibit. You never mentioned you were one of his models. You little skank." She grinn
Exposure Chapter 46
Raven closed her computer program and flagged Max outside her office door. "Ready for lunch with my mom?"Her bodyguard's eyes narrowed a fraction, but his lips curved in what passed as a smile. "I'll sit off to the side, Miss Crowne, if it's all the same to you."She patted his shoulder as she passed him. "Smart man."He chuckled as they descended the steps. At the bottom, he held the door for her and scanned the sidewalk before falling into step with her.The restaurant was only a couple of blocks away and she needed the air. By the tension in Max's gait, he didn't like her out in the open, but she wanted a clear head for lunch with her mom. Plus, her recent troubles with Noah were bothering her, so best to walk it off.After they'd made love last weekend and he'd taken her to incredible new heights, Noah had-shut down. There was no other word for it. He'd mentally vacated and hadn't come back. She had no idea what had spurned the shift, and when she'd hinted at the freeze, he'd
Exposure Chapter 45
He picked her up and set her in the middle of the bed, then grabbed what he needed from the nightstand and joined her. Leaving the items next to her hip, he rose over her and kissed her. It took restraint not to plunder and seize. What he was about to do, where he was going to take her, required time and patience. If done right, the reward would be worth it, for both of them.She met him, deepening the kiss and arching her back so that the rosy peaks of her nipples grazed his chest. Her fingers clutched his hair, tugging in desperation. One of many reasons why he loved her was her response to him, his touch. No man before him had been allowed, and it left him humbled. Honored.Kissing his way down her throat, he stopped to suck her nipples on his descent. With every lash of his tongue her breathing grew more shallow, needy. He settled between her thighs and stared at her plump folds."Already so wet for me." He met her gaze and flicked his tongue over her opening.She bore down, th
