“Darling, you’ll be safe here. I'll be right back.” Creighton kissed her forehead softly and hurried out the door behind the others.“This is insane,” Cathy snapped. “You need to go back to Kansas. At least there, the only thing to worry about is tornados.”“I’m not leaving,” Sandra said softly, wiggling her cold numb fingers. “This is my home now and I’m not running away. Creighton will protect me.”“Where was he a few minutes ago when a crazed ex-con walked into his parents’ home and up the stairs without being seen? He has a man hunting him down, Sandra, and he wants revenge. You’re the one he’ll be able to get to the easiest. Creighton has security guards and bodyguards to protect him, what do you have?”“I have Creighton,” Sandra snapped, her anger warming the cool fear and making her feel more alert. “He wasn’t here because he was getting ready for our wedding and he has guards to protect me as well. I am not leaving him because of one crazy person, so stop trying to talk me int
“We really shouldn’t be doing this,” he moaned again as she began to lift herself up across him and back down. “We don’t have much time.”“It won’t take much, trust me,” she whispered while he filled his hands with her buttocks, lifting and lowering her over him quicker, thrusting into her harder. Sandra’s fear and frustration of the morning began to melt away with the quick pace of their conjoined bodies. The familiar dizziness found its way into her mind, her heart pounding fiercely between her ears. Her fingers curled around the strong arms that held her, her head leaning back as she moaned again.Sandra felt the hard erection inside her become thicker and she smiled, then gasped when his thumb began to caress and massage the sensitive flesh of her clitoris. It took little more than a heartbeat before she found herself clinging to him, gasping at the need that filled her. He growled savagely, his hands pressing her down across him harder, dipping her into the realm of release a li
“What caterers?” Sandra asked with a frown.“Creighton insisted that we have supper catered, since so much was already happening. Sometimes I admire how people jump when he calls.”“He has a way of making things happen,” Sandra said with a wide smile.“You have no idea,” William assured her with a warm chuckle, sounding much like his son as he walked out the door with Papa to talk with Clark.The group eagerly stepped into the large black limousine. Everyone except for Sandra was dressed for the wedding. Emma insisted the bride dress at the church to prevent her gown from becoming soiled, so she remained dressed in her yellow sundress, minus her panties. Papa and William were dressed in black tuxedos, yellow vests and ties, while Nana and Emma wore matching dresses of dark orange. Mandy and Traci Ann were in ruffled yellow and white dresses while Spencer wore a black and yellow tuxedo, like his uncles and grandfather. Sandra couldn’t help but smile. Creighton knew she liked the color
“The police found your jewelry yesterday and released your belongings back to you. Creighton arranged to have your mother’s earrings delivered here in time for you to wear,” Emma explained as the young woman slipped the diamonds into her lobes.“There’s something else,” Kristin said with a warm smile. Blinking away the moisture, Sandra glanced down at the box to the silver chain with a single teardrop-shaped sapphire, surrounded by a circle of diamonds.“Something old,” Nana began. “That would be your mother’s earrings. Something new would be your beautiful dress.”“Something borrowed,” Emma said pinning a diamond and gold floral design brooch onto her shoulder. “This was my mother’s. I wore it on my wedding day as she did on hers.”“And something blue,” Nana said, looking at the necklace her granddaughter fastened around her throat.“We need to get this show on the road,” Kristin said, struggling to stand back up. “The flowers are outside in the foyer and the men are ready in the cha
PREVIEW“If I had a brain, I would have sent you back to Kansas. At least you would have been safe there.” Sandra snorted a half laugh and leaned into him, caressing his cheek with the tips of her fingers.“You do remember where I lived, right?” she asked him. “Kansas is part of Tornado Alley. Trust me, a few displaced animals and a couple of threats are nothing compared to what I grew up with. I know things are crazy right now, but it will get better. The worst thing I could have done was leave you.” Creighton smiled, or attempted to, but he knew it was because of his past that she was in harm’s way now.“Listen to me,” she continued. “You told me once, if I left you, I took everything you have of worth. You said I would take your heart and your soul. Do you still feel the same way?”“More today than the day I told you,” he said, the twinkle in his dark eyes told her the love was still there, only hidden behind a wall of fear.“You’ve always told me to trust you, well I still do. I
Creighton and Sandra stood silently on the steps of the church, hand-in-hand while Chang instructed Miing to arrange the wedding party for photos. It had been a wonderful ceremony, and Sandra was very happy that her new husband insisted it be recorded, because she wasn’t sure if she could remember everything that happened. Her mind was racing, her heart was pounding, and she acted methodically, repeating word for word what Reverend Keller told her, though she wasn’t sure if she had spoken them in the proper order.“One last picture,” Creighton insisted, sighing deeply as he looked at Sandra. They had been standing on the steps for nearly forty minutes, moving this way and that, having their picture taken with this family member and then another, with his parents and then with Nana and Papa, siblings, wedding party, Reverend Keller and finally alone as a couple. The limousine was parked at the curb with Clark behind the wheel and Harvey standing nearby watching silently. Creighton an
“Not a single one,” she smiled. “I am extremely happy you are a perverted stalker, and I’m thrilled I won your contest.” “Ever think about where we would be now if I had been able to make your acquaintance two years ago?” he asked her, kissing her lips gently, setting free the tingles to travel along her nerve endings.“Things happen for a reason.” Sandra closed her eyes as he kissed her cheek and the corner of her mouth, feeling the heat of desire waking inside her. She lifted her chin, so he had further access to her neck and throat, giggling when he leaned into her, pressing her against the back of the seat. Creighton branded her delicate skin with the touch of his hot mouth, sending the familiar sensations surging through her veins like melting chocolate, warming and enticing her until she moaned softly.“I can’t wait to get you alone,” he whispered in her ear, his large hand cupping her swollen breast through the material of her wedding gown and bustier.“I have a secret,” she
The feelings of desire began to grow again. She knew it wouldn’t be long before they were both experiencing the joy of orgasm. No sooner had she thought it, then it happened, the thrusting grew more urgent, quicker, harder, deeper as the fullness of him inside her began to grow thicker, taking her over the edge once more. She clung to his shoulders, pulling him down to lie on top of her as she cried out his name, feeling the overwhelming dizziness embrace her once again. Creighton joined in her release, pinning her slender frame to the seat with his weight, growling savagely next to her ear while he spilled his hot seed inside her.They lay there for a few minutes, panting, until Creighton slowly lifted onto his elbows, smiling down into the face of the woman he adored. The love he had for her shined in his eyes and Sandra could not resist smiling back. Her heart felt full, and she wanted him to know how much she loved him, but words alone couldn’t express the depth of her feelings.“
Sandra hung up the phone with a slam, then glanced to her grandparents who were sitting at the kitchen table. She was starting to get angry with all the rejections and dead-end avenues. She called Davies and told him she wanted him to get the plane ready to go to France, only to be told the police had restricted his flying. They were concerned that whomever it was that had killed her husband would try and sabotage the jet.She was getting frustrated and felt like she was being held back. If she didn’t know better, she would think she was being placed under lockdown. She could understand the police’s concern, but she had more men around her then they had at Fort Knox, and she would be willing to take all of them with her if she needed to.“I can’t leave the house, I can’t go to France, I can’t even gather eggs,” she grumbled as she joined the older couple. “What am I supposed to do? I can’t sit here and wait until doomsday to find out what happened to my husband.”“Honey, you’re going
The room was warm as the setting sun shone through the blinds. Two detectives sat on the sofa, watching as the man continued to pace the floor. Trying to keep him calm was growing increasingly harder with each hour.Creighton could only assume the horror his family was going through, not to mention Sandra. They had been having difficulties, but this made all of that seem trivial. He had to call her, he had to contact her somehow and let her know he was alive, but the police were refusing to allow him the chance. They had to keep him concealed for the time being, though it was steadily becoming impossible. The man was acting like a caged animal, anxiously trying to find a means of escape.“How much longer do we have to sit here?” he growled, looking to those gathered around.“We need you to remain patient for a little longer,” a bald-headed man told him. “Monsieur Ashford, we understand what you’re going through…”“Like hell you do,” Creighton snapped. “I have a pregnant wife at home w
“I know she’ll be happy when it’s over,” Emma said, returning to the room, her eyes red from the tears she’d been wiping away. “She can’t let Brandon go to school, and she has to keep the children inside instead of letting them go out to play.”“I’m sure they are going stir crazy,” Cathy said with a frown. “Especially Grace. That little girl is used to having the freedom of the farm to run and play.”“The only good thing is the weather,” William told them. “It’s been really wet, and she doesn’t like getting her dresses dirty.”“Sounds like her aunt,” Andrew said with a soft chuckle.“Maybe we should take this meeting over to my sister’s,” Cathy suggested with a sideways grin.“Let me call Derek and Kristin,” William said, standing and walking to the phone on the wall. “They wanted to know what you found out.”“Just have them meet us at Sandra’s,” Andrew told him. “We can discuss this all there.”“I thought Sabrina and Irena would be here,” Cathy said, looking at Emma who was wrapping
Parker and Harvey held off the reporters for as long as they could alone, then eventually had to call NHT’s security. Within a few short hours, there were enough burly looking men to scare off anyone trying to get near the house. Sandra kept her children inside, though it really wasn’t difficult. The rain had eased by supper, but just like the past several days, it picked up again this morning.Max growled as he laid of the entry. The noise of cameras clicking, and the soft hum of voices mingled among the breezes of the day. She had tried to watch television, but every station was reporting on the accident. Eventually, she had no choice but to surrender and put on Grace’s favorite princess movie. At least it kept them from listening to those who insisted that there was no hope in finding any answers this soon.Sandra drew a deep breath as she wiped the moisture from her forehead. She had decided to keep herself busy and baked two apple pies, along with nearly a hundred sugar cookies.
“No, it’s about assuming you knew what I would want. You did this, claiming it was for us when it was for you. You can’t stand the idea that your little sister has something you never would. It was bad enough when I felt like I was competing with Creighton for your attention, but now I’m watching you compete with Sandra for the mother of the year award.”“Stop comparing me to Sandra!” Cathy screamed. “It’s not my fault she’s perfect. She’s always been everyone’s favorite. I can’t tell you how many boyfriends I’ve dumped after I found out they were using me to get close to her. I didn’t want Creighton, but after he chose her over me, it made me angry. I was competing with her again, and she was too stupid to realize it. He chose that simple, no makeup, no fuss girl over me. She shares his bed, when I’m a better lover then she would ever be. She has his money, his admiration, your parents’ admiration, even my grandparents enjoy spending time with her over me. She even has a perfect body
“Maybe Michelle heard from him,” the boy said hopefully.“I haven’t spoken with her, but I want to call in the morning. She may know something more than the police do.”The two were silent for a long time as they considered their own thoughts, until Sandra realized the tea was gone. She looked to Brandon who looked like he was finally able to fall asleep, then stood and took the cups to the sink.“Come on, son,” she told him, wrapping her arm around his shoulders. “Let’s see if we can get some sleep.”“Mum, can I come sleep with you?” Brandon asked once they reached the second floor of their house.Sandra smiled and hugged the boy, nodding as he looked up to her.“You can sleep on your daddy’s side,” she told him. “Just don’t tell him I let you in our bed. He may get jealous.”Brandon smiled as he walked with her into the bedroom. Sandra helped him between the covers and tucked him in, then left to check on Grace. The house was silent and soft snores of her little girl could be heard
Sandra paced her bedroom trying to stop her mind from racing through the events of the day. Derek had come home after his mother called him, insisting on picking up Brandon from school. Sabrina called to say the reporters were going crazy with the news of the Tornado’s fire and that she and Giovanni would be home as soon as they could get there.Irena spoke with her parents and insisted on calling in a prescription for Sandra’s nerves, though she refused to use it. She needed to stay alert and concentrate in order to determine what was going on. The last thing she needed was to surrender to the effects of a drug.After speaking with Andrew, William informed the rest of the family about Cathy’s surgery, though he wouldn’t go into detail. He assured them he would check into the reports from his end and stay abreast of the investigation. Once Cathy felt like traveling, they would drive out to Yorkshire to be with the family.Nana tried to get Sandra to let her stay overnight, but she was
Sandra opened her eyes and looked around. She was in her bedroom, yet she couldn’t remember laying down. The house was silent and the soft pattering of rain outside reminded her that the dog had made a muddy mess of the entry. Then she remembered her grandfather and William coming over, and slowly began to piece together the last thing she remembered.There had been an accident on the Tornado and three bodies were found. She knew in her heart it wasn’t Creighton. She couldn’t even begin to guess who would have been on their ship, or how it ended up at sea, but she knew her husband wasn’t the one killed. Now all she had to do, was convince the others into believing her.Sandra stepped down the stairs to hear Grace talking to her great-grandfather, the dog running from one room to another as he chased his rope and the smells of food drifting out of the kitchen. She stepped into the living room and saw Papa sitting beside Grace, one of her own books open in front of him as he listened to
Sandra stared at the two men for a long moment as their words began to sink in. When she spoke with her husband earlier that morning, he was still at the hotel. He didn’t mention having plans of returning to the yacht. Why would he go back there when he told her he was packing to come home?Then she thought about the bodies found. One was female. Who was it? Did Creighton lie to her about not being involved with Garcon’s assistant? Had he gone there to meet with her, perhaps a final rendezvous before coming home to his family?“Did you hear what we said?” Papa asked her.“It’s impossible,” she began, her anger taking over her words. Sandra looked down at Grace who was trying to wipe the muddy water from her little dress. She hadn’t understood what her grandparents were saying. All she cared about was her soiled outfit.“Sweetheart, go upstairs and find a clean dress,” Sandra told the little girl. “Put that one in the hamper and warsh your hands. We’ll make lunch when you’ve finished.