She opened her eyes, lowered the gun. The voice. It was unmistakable, its effect on her, its timbre. “Cody?”
“Fucking hell!” He was scrambling to tear a fabric of his shirt to cover his wound, which was seeping red all along his right arm.
“Cody?” she screeched, dropping the gun to the ground. “Ohmigod, what have I done!” She took a tentative step forward, then halted, doubting herself, what she was seeing. That blue tie …
She glanced at Cody, dead, sightless, on the ground.
“Come here and kiss it better, damn it, stop looking at that asshole unless he’s better-looking than me.”
“Why is he wearing your clothes!” she protested angrily, then went to help him rip his shirt open. She was relieved to note the bullet had hit his arm and not his chest, but was still so shocked at what she’d done she considered using the gun on herself.
Cody grabbed her with one hand and kissed her like a starved man, sloppy tongue and panting breaths and everything, which, lucky for her, meant he probably was not near death. “He wanted a new life—to kill me, and make it seem like he’d died, while he became me. Just the thought of him laying a hand on you enrages me…”
She scowled. “Nobody’s laying a hand on me, and if we don’t get you to a hospital soon, neither will you.”
“I’m fine, baby. Just a scratch,” he assured.
With wide, unblinking eyes, she stared dazedly at his wound as they knotted his shirt around it. “I almost killed you,” she whispered.
The soft reproach in her voice made him raise his eyes. He covered her little hands with his, squeezing reassuringly. “You should have, Meg, I’m no good for you.”
“You are good, you’re the best, you’re my everything.”
“Then you’re a fool, Meg.” He grabbed her cheeks and kissed her again. “Thank God you’re a big, silly fool.” He deepened the kiss, and dragged her with effort to his lap. “You’re mine, do you hear me? Forgive me for not explaining that to you sooner. No one touches you. No one kisses you. No one drives you nuts but me. Got that?”
“I didn’t get the last part…” she said sheepishly.
“You’re not getting me to say I love you again.”
“And if I threaten to shoot you again?”
“I’ll deny it.” He hugged her to him, kissing her neck while she kissed his. “But you’re mine, never doubt that, and if you run, I’ll catch you, on my word.”
“Hmm.” She smiled and snuggled against him slowly, afraid to hurt him. “Then I better stay put.”
“Police! Hands over your heads!” a set of voices yelled in the background, but Meg remained right where she was, and before all hell could break loose, Cody grumbled at them over her shoulder.
“I’m a little busy here, partner, as you can see.”
Meg turned to see Zach approaching, scowling menacingly at the corpse, then even more menacingly at Cody. “So how am I supposed to know it’s you, man?” he asked, annoyed.
“Because, moron, Megan’s with me.”
Anthologies from St. Martin’s Paperbacks
THE BODYGUARD
CHERRY ADAIR
GENA SHOWALTER
LORIE O’CLARE
MEN OF DANGER
LORA LEIGH
RED GARNIER
ALEXIS GRANT
LORIE O’CLARE
RESCUE ME
CHERRY ADAIR
LORA LEIGH
CINDY GERARD
This is a work of fiction. All of the characters, organizations, and events portrayed in this novel are either products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously.
LEGALLY HOT
“Sheila’s Passion” copyright © 2012 by Lora Leigh.
“Deadly Dance” copyright © 2012 by Cheyenne McCray.
“Caught” copyright © 2012 by Red Garnier.
All rights reserved.
For information address St. Martin’s Press, 175 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10010.
ISBN: 978-0-312-38913-0
St. Martin’s Paperbacks edition / January 2012
St. Martin’s Paperbacks are published by St. Martin’s Press, 175 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10010.
eISBN 978-1-4299-8587-1
