The Private Serials Box Set(66)

The coastguard has confirmed a tourist boat that was rented by an  American family has been found crashed just miles off the shore of  Athens. The boat careened into a rocky beach, exploding on impact, and  all four of the people on board, two adults and two children, are  presumed dead. The coastguard is searching the nearby waters, hoping to  find survivors, but based on the wreckage, I'm being told the chance of  survival is slim.

Lena looked over to me. "It worked," she said, sounding astonished. "It  actually worked." Her finger came up to pull at her bottom lip as she  watched the television in fascination.

I stepped out onto our terrace and called Parker, knowing a text  wouldn't give him any satisfaction. He answered sounding worried, his  greeting rushed.

"Preston? Is everything all right?"

"Hey, everything is fine. It all went according to plan."

"I don't want to know any details. I'm just glad you're all right. And Lena?"

"She's fine too."

He breathed a sigh of relief and I knew he was slumping, all the anxiety leaving his body.         

     



 

"Listen, I don't know where we're headed, or what we're up to next … ." My  words trailed off because I didn't know how to tell my brother I didn't  know when I'd see him again.

"I understand, Preston. I get it. Like I said, I'm just glad you're both safe."

"I'll let you know as soon as we nail down some plans."

"Sounds good. Give your girl a hug for me."

"Will do."

We disconnected after our goodbyes and I took in a deep breath, trying to ready myself for one more phone call.

"Preston, I assume you're calling me with good news."

"Good news for you, perhaps, Edgar," I responded.

"Did you do as I asked you?"

"It's done. And I have your money for you."

There was a pause from Edgar's side of the line, then a booming laugh.  "I knew you could do it." He laughed, a big whooping laugh, then  chuckled until he could speak again without interruption. "You're a  gem," he finally said. "I'll expect the money in my account by the end  of the week."

"Then both Lena and I are cut loose, right? This is it, Edgar. We don't owe you anything ever again."

"I believe those were the terms. You get me my money, kill Derrek, and  you're both off the hook. I'll forget all about you as soon as the money  is in my account."

"You'll have it ASAP."

"It's been nice dealing with you." He paused and then asked one more question. "Was Derrek's death at least a little painful?"

I swallowed hard, hoping I could lie well enough to fool him. "Don't worry, he definitely suffered."

The evil laugh which emanated from him nearly made me hurl. I was glad I'd never have to see him again.

"Thank you for your patronage," he said, his evil laugh continuing. Then  I heard the line go dead, and I relaxed against the railing, looking  out to the picturesque Greek cityscape below me. I thought about  everything that had happened in the last few weeks and suddenly I was  overcome by so much tension leaving my body, I nearly collapsed. So much  had been riding on this, so much of my life had been on the line, and  it was finally over. I heard the French doors open and I smelled Lena  before I felt her arms wrap around me from behind.

"Everything work out?"

My hand came up to smooth over hers and I sighed. "Yeah. Edgar bought  it, really believes Derrek is dead. It's over." Before I knew what was  happening she was in front of me, her dark eyes peering up into mine,  her lips pulled up slightly at the corners.

"I know you did this for me."

My hands slid up her arms, loving the feel of her skin under mine. I  loved watching her eyelids flutter at the sensation of me touching her. I  cupped her cheeks and looked right in her eyes.

"Everything I've done since the first day I saw you outside that bar has  been for you. Everything I do until the day I die will be for you.  You're it for me, Lena. You're the reason I wake up each morning, the  reason I'm standing here breathing. Whatever you need, just tell me, and  it'll be my mission to get it for you."

She smiled and moved forward slightly until our noses touched. "What if everything I've ever wanted is standing in front of me?"

The corners of my lips pulled into my first genuine smile in almost two  days. "Then that makes my job pretty easy." She laughed as I pressed my  mouth against hers. I teased the seam of her lips with my tongue and, of  course, she opened for me. She moaned against my lips and all I wanted  was to pull her back to bed, to feel her beneath me and around me.

"Oh, wait," she said, pulling back and bringing her hand to her mouth.  "I need one more thing." Her face was suddenly very serious, and she  looked nervous. "I need you to look up how to say ‘pregnancy test' in  Greek so I don't sound like a bumbling American at the pharmacy."

I'd never experienced how truly empty and cavernous my stomach could  feel before she'd said those words. My stomach dropped, my heart pumped  ferociously, and my eyes blinked wildly.

"You think you're …  You need a …  How late … " I couldn't have completed a  sentence in that moment if my life depended on it. I couldn't find the  right words as one million of them were crashing through my mind faster  than the speed of sound. She started laughing at me and brought her  hands to my cheeks.

"Breathe, Preston," she said between giggles. "You're turning purple."

"You're pregnant?" I was impressed not only with my inference skills,  but also my ability to put two words together. Three technically if you  count the contraction.

"I think so," she said shyly. "Either that or I'm a week late for some other reason."

I picked her up, my arms wrapping around her waist, and I spun her  around while hugging her to me. We were both laughing, and she was  crying happy tears, and I couldn't think of another moment in my life  where I'd been so ecstatic. When I finally put her down, I cradled her  face and kissed her senseless.

"I think you're the only woman on the planet who could take possibly the  worst day I've ever lived through and make it the best day of my life."

"Well, I'm glad you're excited," she said, smiling and wiping a few  stray tears away. "But, Preston, I was totally serious. I need you to  tell me how to say ‘pregnancy test' in Greek."

I laughed and pulled her closer to me, feeling her heartbeat through her chest pressed up against mine.

"I'll give you anything and everything you've ever wanted," I said, my  lips pressed against her hair. And I'd never spoken truer words.





Epilogue

Lena

I knew I only had a few minutes to accomplish my goal, and even though  speed was not always a friend during sexy times with one's husband, in  this situation, speed was imperative. I opened the door to our master  bathroom slowly, so as not to make any unwanted creaking, then quietly  peeled off my clothes and climbed into the shower.

It was always a struggle not to stop and admire my husband's beautiful  body, even more so when soapy water was cascading down all the firm  ridges and valleys of his muscular back. So it was no hardship on my  part to put my hands on said gorgeous back and feel the hardened skin  slippery under my fingers.

"Jesus, Lena. You scared me," he said right after he'd nearly jumped out of his skin.

"Hmm," I replied as I ran my hands around his waist, up over his ribs,  then right back down again to find him hardening in my grasp. "But it's a  good surprise, right?"

"Definitely." He spun in my arms and suddenly I was pressed up against  the wall of the shower, his big hands under my thighs, lifting me and  pressing me back. His mouth found mine and I groaned as my stomach  flipped with his kiss.

Years.

Years later and his kisses still gave me butterflies.

I knew I would never tire of Preston, or what he could do to my body. I  loved that he could still make me feel like a teenager experiencing my  first love all over again. It was a quality I was sure you couldn't find  in just any man. No. It was special to my man. And I wouldn't trade him  for anyone else.

With one hand wrapped tightly around my waist, his other hand found my  breast, kneading and palming it with gentle yet firm pressure, fingers  pinching my nipple, eliciting more moans from me.

"I hate to be a buzz kill here, babe, but we don't have all the time in  the world." I gasped again as his mouth found my neck, internally  rolling my eyes because I knew his mouth would leave a mark there-it  always did-but outwardly not caring because, well, I just didn't. If  Preston wanted to mark me with love bites, I wasn't going to be the one  to stop him. His parents sometimes avoided looking at me when I showed  up with a hickey, and Piper always rolled her eyes, but I simply didn't  care. Everyone knew how passionate we were about each other and  sometimes I had the marks to prove it.