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passed out on the floor when she got there…or worse.

He’d been sitting in that very chair, slumped, but rosy cheeked, looking up at her with his sad, puppy dog eyes. He’d coughed, raised a limp hand up to her. Then she’d

known. Her father would never go down easy. He’d fight his own death…to the death.

“How do you feel now?” she asked through gritted teeth.

“A little better. The aspirin helped, I think. Thank you.” His voice was faint, barely above a whisper. The man was never going to win an Academy Award for his performance. Honestly, he really was a pathetic liar. He was a

master at manipulation in the courtroom, but she knew him all too well. She saw right

through this act for exactly what it was—a way to separate her from Jake.

Somehow he’d

known she was with Jake and he’d had to pull this dying act to get her to come home.

Though a part of her wasn’t one hundred percent certain that was true, so here she was,

playing nursemaid for what she was almost sure was no good reason.

“It means so much to me to have you here by my side, Lucille. I don’t know what I would have done if you hadn’t been here.”

Fumed that his ploy hadn’t worked, no doubt. Then strategized a full blown stroke.

Or set the house on fire. “You have a house full of servants, Father.” He shook his head, raising his hand in a weak attempt to brush it through his hair.

“It’s not the same thing. You’re the only family I have. If something had happened and I

would have…passed on without seeing you…”

She turned away and rolled her eyes, then sat with her father for another hour while

he read the financials. She watched the clock until he finally decided to go to bed, then

she said she was going to bed, too. She went up to her room, closed the door, and waited

another hour, even creeping over to her father’s wing of the house to make certain his

light was off.

It was only ten. She was irritated, pent up and angry at her father for ruining what would have been a very special evening with Jake. She picked up her cell phone and

hesitated only a few seconds before pressing the button. Jake answered on the first ring.

“How’s your dad?”

She smiled. “He’s fine. False alarm.”

She heard him exhale. “That’s great news.”

“I think he faked it to get me home.”

Jake paused. “Seriously?”

“Yes. I can’t be sure, but I have my suspicions.” She waited, a bit nervous about inviting herself back over there. It was a Saturday, and he might have plans for the next

day.

“So, can you sneak out without Daddy catching you?” She giggled, feeling like a teenager. “Yes, I think so. Are you sure you want me to come back?”

“We need to finish what we started. Don’t get a ticket speeding over here, but hurry

the hell up.”

She hung up, feeling a thrill of excitement and warmth as she changed clothes, brushed her teeth and tiptoed out the back door toward the garage. The thirty-minute

drive to Jake’s house seemed like hours. Thankfully, the rain had stopped, leaving a

glassy sheen on the roads. But that also meant she had to slow down. It didn’t stop her

pulse from racing, though.

By the time she pulled into his driveway, her heart was jackhammering and her palms were sweaty. He opened the front door before she’d even started up the walk. She

held her breath at the sight of him leaning against the doorway, an open bottle of beer in

his hand and a half-smile on his face. God, he was so sexy. And he was hers.

For tonight, anyway.

“Took you long enough.”

“I was trying not to get a ticket since I practically broke the land speed record on the

way home.”

He moved out of the way to let her inside, then shut and locked the front door, leading the way into the living room. “Sorry he put you through that.” Lucy sat on the sofa, kicked off her sandals and ran both hands through her unruly hair. “I’m used to it.”

Jake arched a brow. “He has fake heart attacks a lot?”

“No. He manipulates me to get his own way.” She shifted to face him. “But I couldn’t take the chance that something might be seriously wrong with him.”

“I understand. You’re a good daughter.”

She shrugged. “He’s in bed now. He’s fine. And I’m here, with you.”

“Yeah, you are. Thanks for coming back.”

“Thanks for letting me.”

Lucy suddenly felt awkward, which made her even angrier at her father. Things between her and Jake had been perfect earlier. He had taken her to a magical place. There

had been heat and passion brewing between them, and with one phone call her father had

put this invisible wedge between her and Jake that she wasn’t sure how to remove.

“Stop thinking.”

“What?” she asked.

“You’re still angry at your dad. He’s interfering. Push him out the door.” Jake was right. Her father was still winning. She refused to let that happen. She pulled her legs up on the sofa and leaned into Jake. “Then kiss me until I can’t think

anymore.”

Apparently he didn’t need to be asked twice, because he dragged her into his arms

and kissed her. Deep, and with the same mind-boggling passion he’d shown her outside

earlier. In a matter of minutes Lucy was fully involved in Jake, all thoughts of her father

scattering away.

Now all she knew was Jake’s mouth, the way he moved it over hers in a soft but insistent way. The way he coaxed her lips to part, sliding his tongue inside so she could

sample the tangy flavor of beer that still lingered there. He pulled her onto his lap and his

hands dove under the sweatshirt, warm and palming the skin of her stomach. She melted

into his embrace, settling against him as he widened his legs.

His erection pushed against her hip and the fact that he could be turned on—by her—

was a heady, exhilarating experience. It gave her a