Sinful Resurrection (CSA Case Files 2) (30 page)

“I’ve heard all pregnant women get that glow.”  Connor shrugged
his shoulders beside him and Jax resisted the urge to shove him overboard.  Jax knew it was his partner’s way of lessening his nerves, but he didn’t need to.  Jax hadn’t lied.  There was nothing more right than what was about to happen.  “You know —”  

“Boyo, if you don’
t want to end up in that water…”

Connor chuckled, but remained silent as Jax returned to admiring the view before him.  Crest slowly walked Emily down the red
runner, each step bringing her closer to him.  He made a mental note to thank Crest for taking the initiative so that she hadn’t had to make the walk by herself.  Hell, he needed to thank every one of his friends for even making this possible.

“Did you set up everything I need on the yacht we’ll be taking out for the weekend?” Jax asked, wanting to assure himself that all was completed to his specifications.

“Yes,” Connor replied in a low tone as Crest and Emily were almost upon them.  “Although the person you rented it from thinks you’re going to burn his boat down.  I had to up your deposit.”

“I’ll repay the favor when you and Lauren decide to take the plunge.”  Jax held out his hand, loving the feel of Emily’s warm fingers slipping into his. 

“I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

If the Justice of the Peace thought that Jax could wait until the end of the ceremony to claim those perfect pink lips, he could join Connor overboard.  Dipping her at the waist, he caught her cry of surprise and too
k his fill.  She was fucking delicious. 

Neither one of them heard the hoots and hollers from their family.

Epilogue

Crest stood on the stern, watching the moonlight dance off of the wake of the boat.  Placing the fat cap of the Gurkha His Majesty’s Reserve into his mouth, he drew on the tobacco until his mouth was full of the spiced cognac flavor.  Savoring it for a moment, he parted his lips and released the smoke.  It was a picturesque way to end the evening.

The elite team that he’
d handpicked had survived an assignment that could have easily destroyed them.  They’d overcome not only emotional hurdles but the life threatening ones as well.  Life was particular in the challenges that it put in their paths.  The one thing they needed to take from this was that they worked better as a team than they did separately.  Crest had a feeling that they were going to need that solidarity in the future.

“That was a very sweet gesture,” Jessie said, her soft voice carrying on the wind. 

Crest knew that she was referring to walking Emily down the aisle, but he didn’t want to make a fuss about something that had just been common courtesy.  Unfortunately, he didn’t know what else to discuss with Jessie unless it was in regards to work and that shouldn’t intrude on such a night.

“The boat should be pulling into the dock at any moment.”  Crest didn’t bother to turn around to see
if he was right.  The moons location told him all he needed to know.  “Until I’m satisfied that we’ve mastered every last piece of this assignment, I’d like you to remain cautious.”

“Does that mean going with the group to
Masters?”

Crest h
eard the challenge in her voice but refused to rise to the level in which it was thrown.  She’d lose.  Jessie was too young to understand what kind of man he was and what made him who he was.  She should have the chance to maintain her innocence and he wouldn’t be the one to take it. 

“If that’s what you want to do.”  Crest made sure his voice didn’t
falter.  He paused long enough to take another draw on his cigar.  He should have had that scotch he’d been offered earlier.  “Just be safe, sane, and consensual.”

Crest’s
warning was three-fold.  Yes, he wanted her to be careful in her personal safety, but she also needed to know what she was getting into.  He was well aware that she was playing in the club and had no doubt she originally did it to get a reaction out of him.  He declined to be drawn into her little games.  If she kept pushing him, he might be tempted to show her that it wasn’t a game to him.  That would be bad for both of them.

“Goodnight, Gavin.”

Crest refused to place an emotion to the softness of her voice.  She was too young to know what she was feeling.  He felt the boat pulling into the dock.  Jessie walked away without waiting for a reply, joining in with Ethan and Kevin as they made their way to the wooden pier.  He let himself turn and watch her graceful figure step over the side.  It surprised him that she didn’t turn back to look his way, but then again, wasn’t that what he wanted?

The vibration of Crest’s phone kept him from exiting with the group.  Holding the cigar with his lips, he reached into the jacket of his suit and retrieved his cell.  Entering the proper code, he waited for the message to appear in the display.  Taking the cigar and placing it between his fingers, he read the words.  Kevin’s latest case had just taken a turn.

Hearing laughter drifting down from the marina, Crest slowly followed suit.  Tonight was a night for celebration.  He wouldn’t take that away from any of them.  Tomorrow could wait.

~THE END~

Cowboy Command

Cowboy Justice Association, Book One

Copyright © 2013
Olivia Jaymes

The waitress refilled their coffees and bustled away. Seth looked around the diner and then leaned forward in his chair. “That was Evan on the phone.”

Her body stiffened in response. She’d almost forgotten why she was in this town. It was easy to forget as she became more involved in her new life and less enmeshed in the old. Tampa seemed very far away at the moment.

“What did he want?” She waited for the answer. Just when she thought her life was her own again, something came along to disabuse that notion.

“He said they’re ready to convene the Grand Jury. They’re ready to indict Simon. They need your testimony.”

This was why they were protecting her. She’d always known that fact. She sipped her coffee and tried to appear nonchalant. “When and where?”

Seth was gazing at her, his eyebrows raised. It was clear he wasn’t convinced she was as calm as she looked.

“Tampa Federal Courthouse. December tenth. He gave me the name of a hotel for us that will have their protection. We can fly you in and out quickly.”

She nodded. “They get what they want and I get my life back. It’s a fair trade.”

Seth fiddled with his spoon. “Evan didn’t say anything about you being released from protection.”

“Did you ask?”

“No,” Seth admitted. “I was busy getting the logistics for getting you in and out of Tampa.”

“Out? Evan said back out then?
”

“He did.” Seth nodded. “I can call him back for you if you like.” She shook her head, holding her coffee cup with both hands an
d
letting the warmth of the ceramic seep into her cold fingers. “There’s no need. It sounds like he made things clear. It appears the plan is for me to come back here, at least for a little while. I just want to get this over with. I’m not sure I know anything that’s going to help them.”

Disappointment at having to come back to Harper warred with happiness at getting more time with Seth. When the time came, she had to admit she would miss him. She genuinely liked him and there weren’t many men she could say that about.

Seth sipped his coffee. “Did you see anything that made you wonder what was going on? Anything at all?”

Presley felt a flash of annoyance. If she said no, she was an oblivious idiot and if she said yes, it made her look foolish and weak. It was a stupid, no-win question and she didn’t like it at all.

“How do you want me to answer that, Seth? Would it be better if I was totally ignorant or if I suspected something but did nothing? Which is better to you?”

Seth scraped his hand down his face. “I’m not accusing you of anything, honey. It was just a question.”

“It was a trick question. Like if I asked you if my butt looked big in these jeans. If you say yes, well, then I have an oversized load and you won’t get sex for the foreseeable future. If you say no, well, do I have a big, fat ass and it just looks small in these particular jeans or do I not have a big butt? Either way? You’re not getting laid.”

That got a peek of a smile out of Seth. “I promise no matter which way you answer, I’ll have sex with you.”

She thought about kicking him in the shin but she wasn’t the violent type. “I don’t think I know anything. I clearly remember the invoices and emails, but I never saw anything that looked out of place. I’m going out on a limb here as I’m not a criminal, but I doubt they’d leave a paper trail of their illegal activities.”

Seth nodded. “I’ve found that criminals are rarely very bright but I’ve never dealt with something like selling arms to terrorists. How does one even do that?”

Presley shrugged. “I have no idea. Nothing I saw in email or paper even hinted at something like that.”

Seth stroked his chin. “I bet there were a lot of emails, though. It would be hard, if not impossible, to remember details like that months later.”

Presley pushed away her empty coffee cup. “I have a good memory, Seth. I didn’t see anything that raised any flags. Besides, the longer I worked there, the more Randall had me working on personal things. He was having his house renovated and he asked me to manage the project. It was practically a full time job. I wasn’t in the office much the last four months.”

She’d only worked for him for six. The fact was she hadn’t spent much time at all in the office learning the business.

Seth picked up his hat. “My job is to make sure you get to Tampa safe and sound, not to try and figure out this case. That’s Evan’s job, thankfully. Are you ready?”

Presley pulled on her coat and gloves. “Where are we going?”

“To the store to buy a turkey, then to Mom’s to tell her why we bought her a turkey.”

Presley felt her face get warm. “Why don’t you let me buy the turkey since it’s my fault and all?”

“No way, honey.” Seth laughed. “It wasn’t your fault. It was mine. I should have known better.”

He was taking the whole turkey hunting thing much better than earlier. “I still think you should let me buy the turkey.”

“I have another way you can pay.”

She heard the promise in his words and felt her body get very warm indeed. “Oh yeah? What did you have in mind?”

Seth leaned down and whisper raunchy, filthy suggestions in her ear. “Do we have time before your shift?” she asked.

He glanced at his watch. “If we buy a turkey, and visit with Mom for a little while, I’m thinking we’ll have the entire afternoon to explore those ideas.”

Presley grinned. “Let’s get this show on the road, Sheriff.”

She let Seth lead the way and watched the sway of his very fine ass in front of her. The day was turning out much better than it had started.

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