Justify Me Read online

  I laugh. "No. And if the idea is to get lost with you, I have absolutely no motivation to learn it."

  "Good." He brushes a strand of hair off my face. "Shame on you for thinking I'd leave you alone on your vacation." Mischief twinkles in his eyes. "I really should punish you for that."

  "Absolutely you should," I say, pulling him down on top of me. "Spank me. Tease me. Punish me. And then make love to me. Slowly, please. And very thoroughly."

  "Sweetheart, I can't think of anything I'd rather do." He cups my face and looks into my eyes with so much intensity I almost can't bear the passion I see there. "Nothing except marry you, and I'm already planning to do that soon."

  "Yes," I say, hooking an arm around his neck and pulling him close, craving the feel of him against me, inside me. "Yes," I repeat before I lose myself in the magic of his touch. "You absolutely are."

  THE END

  I'm so grateful to Lexi Blake for letting my play in the world of McKay-Taggart, and I was sold on the concept from the moment Lexi told me about her vision of a superhero universe, where characters from one world crossover into another. I've always known Lexi was freaking brilliant, and I think this project just sealed the deal for me. Not to mention the bonus of being part of a collection with some of my favorite authors and friends!

  I love Riley and Natasha, and have since the moment they popped onto the page in Wicked Dirty. I hope you love them, too!

  XXOO

  JK

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  Featuring stories by

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  Close Cover by Lexi Blake

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  Remy Guidry doesn't do relationships. He tried the marriage thing once, back in Louisiana, and learned the hard way that all he really needs in life is a cold beer, some good friends, and the occasional hookup. His job as a bodyguard with McKay-Taggart gives him purpose and lovely perks, like access to Sanctum. The last thing he needs in his life is a woman with stars in her eyes and babies in her future.

  Lisa Daley's life is going in the right direction. She has graduated from college after years of putting herself through school. She's got a new job at an accounting firm and she's finished her Sanctum training. Finally on her own and having fun, her life seems pretty perfect. Except she's lonely and the one man she wants won't give her a second look.

  There is one other little glitch. Apparently, her new firm is really a front for the mob and now they want her dead. Assassins can really ruin a fun girls' night out. Suddenly strapped to the very same six-foot-five-inch hunk of a bodyguard who makes her heart pound, Lisa can't decide if this situation is a blessing or a curse.

  As the mob closes in, Remy takes his tempting new charge back to the safest place he knows--his home in the bayou. Surrounded by his past, he can't help wondering if Lisa is his future. To answer that question, he just has to keep her alive.

  Her Guardian Angel by Larissa Ione

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  After a difficult childhood and a turbulent stint in the military, Declan Burke finally got his act together. Now he's a battle-hardened professional bodyguard who takes his job at McKay-Taggart seriously and his playtime - and his playmates - just as seriously. One thing he never does, however, is mix business with pleasure. But when the mysterious, gorgeous Suzanne D'Angelo needs his protection from a stalker, his desire for her burns out of control, tempting him to break all the rules...even as he's drawn into a dark, dangerous world he didn't know existed.

  Suzanne is an earthbound angel on her critical first mission: protecting Declan from an emerging supernatural threat at all costs. To keep him close, she hires him as her bodyguard. It doesn't take long for her to realize that she's in over her head, defenseless against this devastatingly sexy human who makes her crave his forbidden touch.

  Together they'll have to draw on every ounce of their collective training to resist each other as the enemy closes in, but soon it becomes apparent that nothing could have prepared them for the menace to their lives...or their hearts.

  Justify Me by J. Kenner

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  McKay-Taggart operative Riley Blade has no intention of returning to Los Angeles after his brief stint as a consultant on mega-star Lyle Tarpin's latest action flick. Not even for Natasha Black, Tarpin's sexy personal assistant who'd gotten under his skin. Why would he, when Tasha made it absolutely clear that--attraction or not--she wasn't interested in a fling, much less a relationship.

  But when Riley learns that someone is stalking her, he races to her side. Determined to not only protect her, but to convince her that--no matter what has hurt her in the past--he's not only going to fight for her, he's going to win her heart. Forever.

  Say You Won't Let Go by Corinne Michaels

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  I've had two goals my entire life:

  1. Make it big in country music.

  2. Get the hell out of Bell Buckle.

  I was doing it. I was on my way, until Cooper Townsend landed backstage at my show in Dallas.

  This gorgeous, rugged, man of few words was one cowboy I couldn't afford to let distract me. But with his slow smile and rough hands, I just couldn't keep away.

  Now, there are outside forces conspiring against us. Maybe we should've known better? Maybe not. Even with the protection from Wade Rycroft, bodyguard for McKay-Taggart, I still don't feel safe. I won't let him get hurt because of me. All I know is that I want to hold on, but know the right thing to do is to let go...

  His to Protect by Carly Phillips

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  Talia Shaw has spent her adult life working as a scientist for a big pharmaceutical company. She's focused on saving lives, not living life. When her lab is broken into and it's clear someone is after the top secret formula she's working on, she turns to the one man she can trust. The same irresistible man she turned away years earlier because she was too young and naive to believe a sexy guy like Shane Landon could want her.

  Shane Landon's bodyguard work for McKay-Taggart is the one thing that brings him satisfaction in his life. Relationships come in second to the job. Always. Then little brainiac Talia Shaw shows up in his backyard, frightened and on the run, and his world is turned upside down. And not just because she's found him naked in his outdoor shower, either.

  With Talia's life in danger, Shane has to get her out of town and to her eccentric, hermit mentor who has the final piece of the formula she's been working on, while keeping her safe from the men who are after her. Guarding Talia's body certainly isn't any hardship, but he never expects to fall hard and fast for his best friend's little sister and the only woman who's ever really gotten under his skin.

  Rescuing Sadie by Susan Stoker

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  Sadie Jennings was used to being protected. As the niece of Sean Taggart, and the receptionist at McKay-Taggart Group, she was constantly surrounded by Alpha men more than capable, and willing, to lay down their life for her. But when she visits her friend in San Antonio, and acts on suspicious activity at Milena's workplace, Sadie puts both of them in the crosshairs of a madman. After several harrowing weeks, her friend is now safe, but for Sadie, the repercussions of her rash act linger on.

  Chase Jackson, no stranger to dangerous situations as a captain in the US Army, has volunteered himself as Sadie's bodyguard. He fell head over heels for the beautiful woman the first time he laid eyes on her. With a Delta Force team at his back, he reassures the Taggart's that Sadie will be safe. But when the situation in San A
ntonio catches up with her, Chase has to use everything he's learned over his career to keep his promise...and to keep Sadie alive long enough to officially make her his.

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  A Stark International Novella

  By J. Kenner

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  Aspiring actress Jamie Archer is on the run. From herself. From her wild child ways. From the screwed up life that she left behind in Los Angeles. And, most of all, from Ryan Hunter--the first man who has the potential to break through her defenses to see the dark fears and secrets she hides.

  Stark International Security Chief Ryan Hunter knows only one thing for sure--he wants Jamie. Wants to hold her, make love to her, possess her, and claim her. Wants to do whatever it takes to make her his.

  But after one night of bliss, Jamie bolts. And now it's up to Ryan to not only bring her back, but to convince her that she's running away from the best thing that ever happened to her--him.

  That, I think, was one hell of a party.

  I am standing with my back to the Pacific as I watch the efficient crew break down the lovely white tents. The leftover food has already been packed away. The trash has been discarded. The band left hours ago, and the last of the guests have already departed.

  Even the paparazzi who had camped out on the beach hoping to snag a few choice pictures of my best friend Nikki Fairchild's wedding to multi-bazillionaire and former tennis star Damien Stark are long gone.

  I sigh and tell myself that this vague emptiness I'm feeling isn't melancholy. Instead, it's an aftereffect of staying up all night drinking and partying. I am, of course, lying. I'm melancholy as shit, but I figure that's normal. After all, I've just watched my best friend get married to the one man in the entire universe who is absolutely, positively perfect for her. Great news, and I'm really and truly happy for her, but she found him without trolling through the entire male population of Los Angeles.

  Compare that to me, who's fucked approximately eighty percent of that population and still hasn't found a guy like Damien, and I think it's safe to say that Nikki got the last decent man.

  Okay, maybe not the last one, I amend as I catch sight of Ryan Hunter coming down the walking path that winds from Damien's Malibu house all the way to the beach where I'm now standing. Ryan is the Chief of Security for Stark International, and he and I have been the de facto host and hostess for this post-wedding soiree ever since the bride and groom took off in a helicopter bound for marital bliss.

  Ryan is not among the eighty-percent, and that is truly a shame. The man is seriously hot, with piercing blue eyes and chestnut hair worn in a short, almost military style that accents the hard lines and angles of his face. He's tall and lean, but strong and sexy. I've seen him now in both jeans and a tux, and the curve of his ass alone is enough to make a woman drool.

  We've gotten to know each other over the last few months, and I consider him a friend. Frankly, I'd like to consider him more, and I think he feels the same, even though he has yet to make a move.

  I've seen the way he watches me, the heat that flares in his eyes when he thinks I'm not looking. Maybe he's shy--but I doubt it. He's got a dangerous edge that perfectly suits his job as the head security dude for a guy like Damien and an enterprise like Stark International.

  Nikki once told me that there was nothing Ryan liked better than chasing monsters. I believe it, and as I watch him stride down the walking path, his movements a combination of grace and power, I can imagine him in battle and am certain that he would do whatever it takes to win.

  No, I don't believe that Ryan Hunter is shy. All I know is that he's never made a move on me, and that's a damn shame.

  And now, of course, it's too late. Because I'm heading back home to Texas tomorrow as part of my newly implemented life goal of getting my shit together. And, as part of the whole Repair My Life plan, I've put the kibosh on sleeping around. I'm focusing on Jamie Archer. On figuring out who she is and what she wants, and step one of The Plan is to not do the nasty with every hot guy who crosses my path.

  Honestly, men are so five minutes ago.

  So far, The Plan is going pretty good. I found a tenant for my Studio City condo a few months ago, then went home to live with my parents in Dallas. It's hard being a twenty-five-year-old actress in Los Angeles, especially one who has yet to land a decent gig. There are too many guys who are prettier than me--and who know it. And way too many opportunities for a fast fuck.

  Texas is slower. Easier. And even though it's hardly the acting capital of the universe, I've already had a few auditions, and I think I may even have a decent shot for a job as an on-air reporter at a local affiliate. I'd auditioned right before flying out here for the wedding, and I'm hoping to hear back from the programming director any day now.

  And, yes, true, I'd also auditioned for a commercial here in SoCal, but I didn't get the job. I tell myself that's a good thing because I would have taken it and stayed in Los Angeles, because I love Los Angeles and my friends are here. But that would have put me right back on that hamster wheel of auditioning and fucking, and then starting the whole destructive process right over again.

  The Plan is good, I tell myself as I watch the crew finish the job. The Plan is wise.

  As a dozen workmen haul the last of the tent poles to a nearby truck, the supervisor approaches me with a clipboard and a pen. He takes me through the list, and I duly check off all the various items, confirming that the final details have been attended to.

  Then I sign the form, thank him, and watch as he climbs into the truck and drives away.

  "So that's it," Ryan says as he approaches me. He's still in tuxedo pants and the starched white shirt, but the cummerbund is gone, as is the jacket. He really does look sexy as hell, but it's his bare feet that have done me in. There's something so damn devil-may-care about a guy in a tux barefoot on the beach, and I can't help but wonder if there really is a bit of the devil in Ryan Hunter.

  And if there is, will I ever get to peek at the wickedness?

  "No more cars in the driveway," he continues, as I try to yank my thoughts back to reality. "And I just signed the invoice for the car park company. I think we can safely call this thing a wrap. And a success." His smile is slow and easy and undeniably sexy. "It really was one hell of a party."

  I laugh. "I was just thinking the same thing." My stomach does a little twisting number, and I tell myself it's hunger. After all, champagne isn't that filling, and I'm sure all the dancing I did during the night burned off the three slices of wedding cake I'd devoured.

  I'm lying again, of course. It's not hunger that's making my stomach flutter. It's Ryan. And as I stand there silently wishing he'd just touch me already, I'm also getting more and more irritated. Because why the hell hasn't he touched me already? We've spent time together. We've even danced together during various club outings with friends. Not touching, maybe, but close enough that the air between us was thick with promise.

  And once, when Damien had a security scare, he sent Ryan to check on me. I'd been wearing a tiny bikini with a sheer cover-up, and I looked damn hot. But he hadn't made a move. We'd ended up talking for hours, which was great, and I even made him eggs, which is about as domesticated as I get.

  I'm certain I haven't been imagining that sizzle between us--and yet never once has he made a move. I can't fathom why, and the whole situation grates on me.

  Except I'm not supposed to care--Ryan is not part of The Plan.

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