Hijinks Page 8

  Up the stairs, and past the spare bedroom, she entered her room. Her gaze swung to the item she needed.

  The three-inch silver bell sat on her nightstand where she always kept it. She picked up Alex’s gift by the stem and gave it a slight shake. The soft jingles filled her heart. Wherever you are, ring the bell, and I’ll come to you.

  She should’ve realized it wasn’t a simple bell, but a symbol of Alex’s love for her. He’d tried to show her that, no matter where they were, he loved her and would be with her. All she had to do was ring his bell.

  She quickly gathered the clothes she wanted to wear tonight, wrapped the bell inside the bundle and slipped everything inside a bag. Then she gathered her makeup and hair supplies and added them to the pouch.

  Alone in the house, she realized how quiet it usually was without Alex in her life, and she didn’t like it. Not even Domo filled the loneliness for her when Alex wasn’t here. She’d been so wrong.

  It wasn’t where she lived, or the sense of community that gave her security and contentment. She hugged her belongings to her chest. It was having Alex’s love. It was being able to tell him I love you whenever she wanted. It was letting him try to fix the lawnmower when it wouldn’t start.

  She wanted Alex, and everything that came along with him. Most of all, it included going wherever their life took them. Whether it was New York City or Seaport, California, she wanted to be right by his side.

  Chapter 12

  Shannon arrived downtown, across from the courthouse square. She stopped, taking in the sights. White lights twinkled along the trunks of the palm trees dotting the area. The historical courthouse sat in the backdrop, the spotlight shining on the large, round clock on the column.

  Quarter to midnight. She looked in both directions, and then crossed the street. For the last eight years, she’d joined Alex, Linda, and the rest of their friends at the southwest corner near the Pony Express statue. She hoped this year would bring the same tradition, and she could find Alex easily.

  Linda promised to make sure Alex showed up, and even called with an update a half hour ago informing her that Alex had left for the square. After making Linda swear to keep him there, she’d paced the length of her street waiting until the perfect time. It was important that she talk to Alex at the stroke of midnight.

  “Yoo hoo! Shannon!” Talia waved to her.

  She smiled and veered in the direction to say hi to Alex’s family. Charles sat in a lawn chair, his baseball hat pulled down, his arms folded over his round stomach. She leaned down and peeked beneath the bill of his cap, laughing when a snore sent his chest rumbling.

  Talia swept her up in a tight hug. “Happy New Year, dear.”

  “Happy New Year. Have you seen Alex?” She squeezed her back. “I have something important I need to tell him.”

  “I saw him about ten minutes ago making his way around the courthouse, heading toward the dock.” Talia studied her. “Are you okay? Linda told me you had trouble at your house with Alex. We had no idea. Alex was trying to...well, he asked us to give you both space, and we were hoping...”

  “I’m wonderful, excited, scared and nervous all at the same time, but I’m okay.” She kissed the woman who was more than a mom to her than her own mother. “I’ll be perfect once I talk to Alex.”

  “Go, dear. Remember if you need a place to stay, you can come to our house.” Talia pushed her away. “And, good luck with my son, dear.”

  “Thank you...for everything.” She hurried away, breaking into a half skip half jog.

  Most of the residents of Seaport sat scattered around in the grassy area in front of the courthouse, waiting for midnight, while listening to the high school band. She worked her way through the crowd and continued in the direction of the courthouse. Behind the three-story stucco building, the boat dock stretched out in front of her.

  She studied the long expanse of water. Without any direct light, it took her eyes a moment to focus. Where are you?

  She spotted Alex at the end of the dock, his back to her, overlooking the ocean. His tall frame, broad shoulders and presence took her breath away. She inhaled deeply and slowed down. Tonight was the perfect time to put away the old and welcome in the new. A time for changes. A new direction.

  She removed the small silver bell from her pocket. The same gift Alex had given her when they’d gotten engaged. The one she’d put beside her bed nine months ago with the hope he’d return to her someday. She’d been so wrong to send him away. During his absence, she’d learned more about herself.

  Although she was capable of living on her own and supporting herself, life was richer and meant more when she shared it with the man she loved. He owned her heart.

  Without hesitating, she held the bell by the stem and sent her signal to Alex. He turned at the sound of the ringing. No fear or worry was too big for her to conquer. Her home was with him, wherever he wanted to take her.

  His shoulder’s sagged in relief and he held out his arms. She never hesitated, but took off running. He swept her into his embrace. She locked her arms around his neck.

  She kissed him. “I love you. I love you so much.”

  “I love you too.” He twirled her around. “I should’ve told you sooner. You’re the reason I came back. You’ve given me the strength to realize what I need in my life.”

  She stroked his face. “I’ve been so stupid. I thought staying in one place was the only way for me to be happy, but I was wrong. You make me happy. I’ll move to New York City or Fargo, North Dakota or tour the world if you want, as long as I’m with you.”

  He set her on her feet and cupped her face in his hands. “Babe, my decision to move back to Seaport came after I realized I don’t want to go another day without you.”

  “Really?” She smiled.

  “I want the future we dreamed about together. I want our kids to go to school where they can experience the same love and community spirit we’ve found here in Seaport. There’s a whole town full of people who care about us. We belong here.” He stroked her cheek. “I came to your house the other day planning to ask you to marry me.”

  “You didn’t say anything.” She slipped her arms around his neck.

  “That’s because I was in such a hurry to see you, I left the ring on the seat of my car.” He laughed. “I wanted to ask you in a way you’d always remember, but the timing never seemed perfect.”

  He got down on his knee, reached into his pocket, and smiled up into her face. She clutched her hands together under her chin. Oh my God.

  “Shannon Johansson.” He reached for her hand. “Will you marry me? Please?”

  “Will you always love me?” she asked.

  “I’ll never stop.”

  “Will you promise to come to me if I ring the bell?” She grinned.

  “Anytime, anywhere,” he whispered. “I’ll always come to you.”

  “Oh, Alex. I love you.” She smiled through her tears.

  “Say you’ll marry me.” He held a gold ring with a round solitaire diamond between his fingertips. “Let me love you forever.”

  “Yes.” She ran her fingers along his jawline. “Yes. Yes, I’ll marry you.”

  He slipped the ring on her finger and rose, lifting her in his arms. She kissed him as the courthouse bells struck midnight.

  When the last bell tolled, they broke apart and he set her on her feet, not letting her go. She smiled tenderly. “Happy New Year.”

  He leaned his forehead against hers, their breath mingled. “This night was made for me and you. A new beginning to our life together.”

  Full of excitement, she bounced in front of him. “You know what I want to do?”

  He winked. “I have a suggestion or two.”

  “Before that.” She laughed. “Let’s go tell your family. I bet they’ll be surprised.”

  She’d finally have the family she wanted. Linda was going to be thrilled. They’d dreamed about one day being sisters in-law, raising their families together. She�
�d surprise Talia and be the designated person to supply the treats for their Sunday dinners. After she practiced more, that is.

  “Uh, about that...” He rubbed a hand across the lower half of his face, hiding a smile.

  “They know, don’t they?” She hugged him tight. “I love your family.”

  “They love you too.” He linked their hands. “Let’s go share the news.”

  They found his family as fireworks went off above their heads, lighting up the sky. She held up her hand and leaned against Alex, smiling. Tears filled her eyes as Talia and Linda rushed her. She accepted the congratulations and showed her ring to everyone who wanted a glimpse. Tucker hugged her and punched Alex’s shoulder before throwing his arm around his brother’s neck.

  Charles grabbed both her and Alex and kissed their cheeks. “Welcome to the Yager family, Shannon. I couldn’t be prouder to have you as my daughter.”

  She let the tears flow and threw her arms around Alex’s waist. “You have no idea how much this all means to me.”

  “I do, babe. I do.” He held her as they watched the huge explosion in the sky.

  Not only did she receive the family she’d always desired, but also the man who’d captured her heart all those years ago. She glanced up at Alex. She had no idea where life would lead them, but she had a feeling whatever happened, they’d always be together. Without him, all the things she thought were important were material things that couldn’t compete with how full her heart was at this moment. It was rather simple when she thought about it. She loved him.

  “Shannon!” a voice called in the dark.

  She turned without leaving Alex’s embrace. Bart Conrad jogged toward her.

  “Shannon. I finished.” Bart stopped and caught his breath. “It’s safe to go back into your house.”

  “That’s great.” She smiled. “What was wrong?”

  Bart hung his head and grimaced. “The wall I installed. It seems when I wired the electricity for those outlets, I connected them to the original wires running into the main part of the house instead of keeping it separate. Typically, this is how it’s done. And, although it’s up to building code, it interferes with the connections going to the mainframe.”

  “I don’t understand.” She shook her head.

  “Basically, the domobotics were shorting out and causing the computer to throw out random commands for no reason because the signals were getting crossed. The charge of the electrical currents interfered with the processor.” He hooked his thumbs in the straps of his coveralls. “I stayed at the house while the technicians ran every test imaginable from their remote location. The doors, windows, electrical problems are fixed. There’s one minor glitch, but it shouldn’t cause you any problems with staying in the house while the technicians keep working on it. Although, you could do one thing to make the problem bearable.”

  “What?” she asked.

  Bart chuckled. “Buy a dog.”

  Alex groaned.

  She covered her mouth and turned in his arms. “Is he serious?”

  “If Domo wants a dog...” He nodded, grinning. “I’ve always wanted a dog.”

  “Oh, Alex. Maybe we should have the Smart House disabled.” She wrinkled her nose. “Domo will drive you crazy.”

  “Don’t you dare.” He kissed her forehead.

  “Are you sure?”

  “Believe it or not, he kind of grew on me after a while.” He framed her face with his hands and whispered, “Besides, anything that helps me get you naked isn’t all bad.”

  She kissed him. “Let’s go home.”

  Sneak Peek at Chapter One – Aching To Exhale

  Chapter One

  Close to twenty motorcycles, parked in one perfect line, took up the sidewalk outside High and Dry Lounge. Crystal Rose hesitated for a heartbeat before continuing to walk through the parking lot. The eleven months since losing Raul Sanchez and the Lagsturns Motorcycle Club had reduced her to paranoia.

  Every biker driving by left her weak. Men of Latino descent caused her to take a second look, half hoping it was Raul, and panic at the thought it could be him.

  It was never him.

  Crystal hurried through the double doors into work. She'd stayed too long in one place for her comfort. That had to be the reason why her legs shook and her nerves were raw and on edge. She hefted her bag over her shoulder. In two more weeks, she'd have enough money to move on.

  "Crystal, you're late." Dean, her boss, hurried out from behind the bar and pushed her through the lounge toward the back dressing room.

  "I'm twenty minutes early." She glanced behind her as she walked. "I took the number three bus to make sure I arrived before my first set."

  "I switched your schedule with Ella. Her kid's sick and she's not going to make it in to open the show. I would've called, but you haven't left a phone number in the office." Dean planted his hand on her back and catapulted her through the swinging door to the dressing room. "You've got five minutes to get on stage and make the men happy."

  "Shit," she mumbled, throwing her bag down.

  She stripped out of her old baggy Jimmy Hendrix T-shirt and black yoga pants she'd bought at Goodwill when she'd arrived in Palm Springs. Staying in the rough part of town forced her to take precautions with her appearance. She dumbed down her style to make sure no one followed her to the job or back to the motel after work. Dancing for money was a filthy job, but she was good at what she did.

  In a desperate need to hide against the reality of her life, she stood in front of the mirror, applied heavy black eyeliner, and sprayed her hair out so far from her head Whitesnake would hire her over Tawny Kitaen for their next video. Then she dressed in her skimpy two-piece, deep purple colored bikini she'd altered with silver sequins and black tassels.

  Five minutes later, she sauntered out onto the unlit stage. She looked below the dim lounge lights at the men crowding the stage, and raised her gaze to the darkened shadows standing in the back. Everything appeared normal, if not a bit quieter than usual for a Saturday night.

  Grabbing the pole, she waited for the lights operator to put the spotlight on her. Prepared for the onslaught of blindness, she swung into her routine with practiced ease. Her show was simple, really.

  She pretended she was alone. The pole was Raul. He'd often stand in the middle of the room at the club and let her dance circles around him. Too tough, too smooth, too guarded to let himself have fun in front of the other bikers, but there was always something about the way he watched her when she danced for him that told her he enjoyed what she was doing.

  She could almost feel the soft denim of his worn jeans in her mind. She hooked her calf around the pole. The warmth of his body, rock solid, standing there, soaking her all in. She let her head fall back as her hair swept the floor. How many times had he whispered 'mi vida' with his silver tongue, knowing it made her wet for him?

  Her circular momentum stopped and she straddled the pole. She reached above her and pulled herself against the apparatus. Hand over hand, the pole warmed to the touch by the lights shining on her gave the illusion it was alive. Raul always put up with a lot from her, but the moment she finished dancing, he'd hook her neck and pull her in for a kiss.

  God, the man could kiss. He made love with his tongue, caressing her soul, and she was powerless to deny him anything he wanted. She turned and leaned her back against her prop, reached above her, and slid into a squat.

  The music quickened, and she grasped the pole with both hands, took two running steps, and held herself horizontal to the floor as she descended. Around and around, until her foot skimmed the floor and the lights went out. She lay there, dizzy.

  She should've eaten today.

  She pushed herself off the floor and straightened. Three steps toward the back of the stage, she ran into a solid wall. She braced her hands against the barrier and clutched leather. She inhaled. Sweet mint and leather with a hint of tobacco curled her toes.

  Adrenaline flooded her veins, fear stole her
breath, and despite her fight or flight response, her fingers sprawled against his chest, grabbing as much of him as she could before she escaped. She pushed. "Let me go."

  "Not this time. Scream or fight me and every man in here will wish he hadn't come tonight." Raul slipped her hand into his, holding her solidly in place and led her off the stage.

  She tugged on her arm to get away, but he never budged and he wasn't letting go. A scream built in her chest, but stayed locked inside of her. For how much she feared being in the hands of the Lagsturns MC again, she couldn't make herself bring trouble down on Raul's head.

  Outside in the parking lot, she jerked her hand out of his grasp and faced him under the glow of the streetlight. The only man who could cause her heart to stop beating stood in front of her, his eyes blacker than death. Her chest tightened, making her ache to exhale. Raul Sanchez's appearance back into her life meant trouble wasn't far behind.

  Confident, on the verge of cocky, Raul rocked back on the heels of his biker boots, slipped his fingers into the pockets of his faded black Levi's and gazed at her intently, waiting her out. She dropped her gaze to his chest. A white T-shirt with the arms cut off to fit his muscular frame—he hated the tightness across his shoulders—and the Lagsturns' cut proved she wasn't dreaming. She swallowed in distress, but the way her stomach tightened at seeing him called her a liar for being afraid.

  His Latino charm and drop dead sexy good looks made her a devote believer in what could only be described as her cult-ish love for him. Her breath hitched in her chest and her tongue stuck to the roof of her mouth.

  She soaked in the man who'd owned her for nine months, treated her better than he did his Harley Davidson, showed her the world from his eyes, and set her body on fire—in the best possible way.

  Then he'd changed.

  "Are you done?" He lifted his brow.

  She straightened her back and crossed her arms, suddenly aware she only had on three triangles of purple material and sequins, and he'd caught her ogling him. "I have two more shows."

  "That's not what I'm talking about and you know it." He stepped forward and lowered his voice. "I can make you come with me or you can relive old times and climb onto the back of my bike, plaster yourself against my body, and love doing it."