Held by You Read online

  Despite being cleared of all chargers, life had changed forever for Hollie. She didn’t know that she could go back to her kindergarten class, much as she’d love to. Even though she was innocent, there was still a stain on her image from being dubbed the Killer Kindergarten Teacher. She knew that no one would look at her the same way again.

  Her students were no doubt confused by what had happened, and maybe even a little afraid. Maybe they wouldn’t be afraid of her, but they might be afraid because she could remind them of murder. She didn’t want her students to have those worries or fears, or any other student in the future to deal with that ambiguity.

  She spent the rest of the holidays before Christmas working through everything in her mind. What made the most sense? She loved working with children, loved teaching, and loved making the kids happy.

  It was true that she had so much to think about, so much to consider. She just needed to make the right decision—right for her and right for her students.

  For the time being she was staying with John, not wanting to go back to the ranch alone.

  Floyd was in jail for attempted murder. Even though he was a horrible person, she couldn’t help feeling bad for him, no matter how cruel he and his brothers had been to her. Floyd had lost a part of himself when his brothers had died, just like she’d lost a part of herself when her parents had each passed on.

  To make sure they were safe, she did bring her stash of money and her treasured photo album to John’s home. They’d gone through the pages of her photos together and she’d shared her memories with him. He’d dug out his own photo albums for older photos and shared newer digital photos on his iPad. She had few recent photos but treasured the ones she did have—a few with her students and several with her friends when they’d gone out together.

  They talked like they had never talked before. She shared her concerns about going back into teaching, and he’d shared his longterm desire to retire from the police force and take up ranching.

  Hollie had begun to heal from the injuries she’d sustained at Freddy’s and Dickey’s hands. The emotional injuries wouldn’t be as easy to heal.

  Still, with John around, she couldn’t help but feel a deep happiness in her heart and unconditional love. She loved John wholly and completely and couldn’t imagine a day without him.

  Chapter 26

  Christmas morning, Hollie woke in John’s bed to a soft kiss and the smells of pancakes, syrup, and coffee. She smiled up at John who gave her a sexy grin.

  “Happy Birthday and Merry Christmas, honey.” He nodded toward the tray in his hands. “Breakfast in bed for my princess.”

  “Merry Christmas to you, too.” Delighting in the fact that John had been so thoughtful, she smiled. “And thank you.”

  She scooted up in bed, inwardly wincing a little from the remnants of pain in her ribs. John settled the breakfast tray over her lap. On one plate was a mound of pancakes with butter and syrup, and a smaller plate held several sausage links. Also on the tray were a tall glass of orange juice along with a hot mug of coffee with a small pitcher of creamer and a sugar jar.

  He handed her a napkin that she placed on her lap. She insisted that he eat with her. He sat with her while he fed her the delicious pancakes and sausage links while taking a few bites himself.

  When she was settled in to eat, John got up off the bed and drew back the curtains.

  She caught her breath. “Snow!”

  He grinned. “I ordered it to snow just for you.”

  She smiled as she looked out at the beautiful winter scene. “It’s gorgeous. We’ll have to go and play in it later.”

  With a nod he sat back on the bed, close to her. “Now eat up.”

  “I’m happy to do just that.” Once she’d eaten all that she possibly could, John took the tray and set it aside on a trunk at the foot of the bed.

  She started to get up but he said, “Stay right there.”

  He stood, went to the bureau, and opened the top drawer. He brought out a square box that was about three inches by three inches, wrapped in gold paper. He returned to the bed, sat on the edge of the mattress, and handed it to her. “Your birthday present.”

  She took the gold-wrapped gift and tore off the paper, revealing a chocolate brown velvet jeweler’s box. She raised the lid and caught her breath.

  Inside was a beautiful heart-shaped gold locket with an intricate design on its face. She looked at John. “It’s gorgeous.”

  He smiled and nodded at the locket. “Open it.”

  From its velvet bed, she lifted the locket. She carefully opened the heart and her throat closed with emotion. On one side was a picture of her father, and on the other a picture of her mother.

  “John!” She looked at him in amazement and tears stung the backs of her eyes. “It’s beautiful.” She closed the locket and held it to her chest. “I’ll always have them close to me.”

  He brushed hair from her eyes. “I’m glad you like it.”

  “I more than like it.” She flung her arms around his neck and held on. “I love it.” She drew back and smiled at him. “But most of all I love you, John.”

  “I love you too, sweetheart.” He took the locket from her. “Hold up your hair.”

  She obeyed and he clasped the locket around her neck. She looked down at the locket lying over her silky nightgown and resting between her breasts.

  For a moment she wondered at how her life had changed. This Cinderella was finally free of her evil stepbrothers. Her Prince Charming had come to sweep her off her feet and had saved her in more than one way.

  He took her by the hand. “Santa came, birthday girl. Let’s see what he brought.”

  She laughed and climbed out of bed. She took a snuggly warm bathrobe off of a hook on the bathroom door and slipped into it before walking with John to the living room.

  A small pile of presents wrapped in cheerful Christmas paper was under the tree. She sat beside the tree and John knelt next to her. He handed her a present wrapped in green paper with glittering red and white ornaments on it. The first gift was a pair of feather and turquoise earrings she’d admired at the Sedona arts festival.

  He handed her a red-wrapped present. When she opened it, tears sprang to her eyes. It was a beautiful wooden music box inlaid with abalone and silver. “Thank you so much.” She hugged him tightly. “It’s gorgeous.” The music box was different than the one that had been her grandmother’s, which her stepbrother had broken, but just as beautiful. The fact that John gave it to her made it as special as her grandmother’s had been to her. “You are an amazing man.”

  She opened the music box and smiled as it played a sweet tune, and she set the earrings he’d given her inside. She closed the lid and held the music box in her lap as she handed him a small oblong box wrapped in silver and gold paper.

  He carefully tore off the paper, leaving him holding the simple brown box. He raised the lid and inside was the turquoise inlaid pocketknife she had picked out for him at the arts festival. He gave her a smile. “I love it.” He planted a kiss on her forehead and hugged her.

  When they finished unwrapping presents, Hollie took John’s hand. “I want to talk with you about something.”

  He gave a nod. “All right.”

  “I’m not going back to the school when the next semester starts.” She shook her head. “After everything that’s happened, I think it’s for the best.” She felt a twinge of sadness, but she’d made up her mind.

  He studied her. “I understand.”

  “I want to go into counseling and work with kids, especially special needs children,” she said. “I double-majored in college, so I have a degree that makes me qualified to be a counselor.”

  He smiled and rested his arm around her shoulders. “You’ll be great at it.”

  “You’ve talked about going into ranching after you leave the police force.” She bit the inside of her lip before continuing. “What would you think about taking over my ranch and running it? The pla
ce needs some work but I’ve kept it up for the most part and all we’d have to do is buy some livestock and necessities to get it back up and running like it was when my dad was alive. We could work on a plan together.”

  John studied her. “I need to think on it, but truth be told, I know it’s something I would enjoy doing with you at my side.”

  She felt a thrill go through her belly as he said the words. The fact that he wanted to do it at her side made her feel warm inside.

  “Oh.” He reached under the tree for a large box wrapped in paper with candy canes on it. “I almost forgot.”

  She took the box from him when he offered it to her. She glanced at him before tearing off the paper and opening the big box. When she looked inside, nestled in a bed of bubble wrap was a small red velvet box. Her lips parted as she picked up the small box and set the large box aside.

  “Go ahead,” he said. “Open it.”

  She slowly raised the lid and caught her breath. It was a diamond with tiny emeralds and rubies at two corners. They looked like tiny holly berries.

  Heart pounding in her throat, she looked at John. He took the ring box from her and slipped out the ring.

  “You are the woman I want to spend the rest of my life with,” he said with a look in his eyes that told her of unfathomable love. “I can’t imagine life without you.” He grasped her left hand and raised it. “Will you marry me, Hollie?”

  For a moment she was too stunned to move. It was so soon…but it felt like they’d already lived and loved a lifetime.

  Tears bit at the backs of her eyes and she nodded. “Yes. Absolutely yes.”

  He slid the ring on her finger and she flung her arms around his neck and held onto him. When he drew back he wiped the tears from her cheeks with his thumbs. “You have just made me the happiest man in the world.”

  Her lips trembled as she smiled at him. “I love you, John. I can’t wait to spend the rest of my life with you.”

  He cupped the back of her head and kissed her, the first of many in their new life together.

  Also by Cheyenne McCray

  “Riding Tall” Series

  Branded For You

  Roping Your Heart

  Fencing You In

  Tying You Down

  Playing With You

  Crazy For You

  Hot For You

  Made For You

  “Rough and Ready” Series

  Silk and Spurs

  Lace and Lassos

  Champagne and Chaps

  Satin and Saddles

  Roses and Rodeo

  Lingerie and Lariats

  Lipstick and Leather

  “Altered States” Series

  Dark Seduction

  “Dark Enforcers” Series

  Night’s Captive

  Lexi Steele Novels

  The First Sin

  The Second Betrayal

  The Temptation

  ~Romantic Erotica~

  “Seraphine Chronicles” Series

  Forbidden

  Bewitched

  Spellbound

  (Spellbound includes bonus novella, Untamed)

  Possessed

  From St. Martin’s Press:

  “Night Tracker” Series

  Demons Not Included

  No Werewolves Allowed

  Vampires Not Invited

  Zombies Sold Separately

  Vampires Dead Ahead

  “Magic” Series

  Forbidden Magic

  Seduced by Magic

  Wicked Magic

  Shadow Magic

  Dark Magic

  Single Title

  Moving Target

  Chosen Prey

  Anthologies

  No Rest for the Witches

  Real Men Last All Night

  Legally Hot

  Chicks Kick Butt

  Hotter than Hell

  Mammoth Book of Paranormal Romances

  Mammoth Book of Special Ops Romances

  Excerpt… Made For You

  Cheyenne McCray

  Reese broke the kiss and Kelley found herself breathing hard as his gaze held hers. He cupped her face with one hand and brushed his thumb over her cheek. “You are something else, Kelley.”

  “What?” she asked, her voice low and breathy.

  “You’re so special to me.” He lowered his head and their lips met again.

  She could almost swear fireworks sparked behind her closed eyelids as he kissed her. It was a kiss like nothing she’d ever experienced before, a kiss she never wanted to end.

  He scooped her into his arms, catching her off guard. She clung to his neck and he swept her out of the kitchen and down a hall, his stride long and deliberate. When he reached what she guessed was the master bedroom, he pushed the door open and set her on her feet on a hunter green rug next to a rustic four-poster bed. He swept aside the pillow from the top of the plaid comforter and pulled the comforter back with one hand.

  Her insides tingled and then he was kissing her again while exploring her body with his fingertips. His touch was gentle when it came to her shoulder, but he pulled her tight up against him so that she felt the hard ridge of his erection against her belly.

  He picked her up by her waist and set her on the edge of the mattress. She watched him, hunger growing within her as he knelt in front of her and tugged off one of her leather shoes and then the other. His gaze met hers as he peeled off each of her socks.

  When her feet were bare, he caressed then before sliding his hands up her calves, over her jeans, on up to her thighs. The heat of his palms burned through the denim to her flesh. His hands continued on to the button of her jeans.

  She couldn’t take her eyes off him, her heart pounding faster with every movement he made. She braced her hands on the mattress and leaned back. Butterflies skittered through her belly as she raised her hips so that he could pull her jeans down.

  Her breath caught in her throat as he removed her jeans, leaving her in her black panties. Still on his knees, he pressed his big body between her thighs, pushing them apart.

  “Your skin is so soft.” He skimmed his palms along her legs, causing goose bumps to rise up on her flesh. “I didn’t know how much I wanted to touch you until this moment.” His blue eyes held hers. “And now I don’t think I can get enough.”

  She shivered as he said the words and he moved his hands over her hips, sliding over the silk of her panties to the hem of her white T-shirt.

  “Is your shoulder going to be okay if we take this off?” he said as he paused.

  She raised her arms. “My shoulder is fine now.”

  Still, he carefully eased the T-shirt over her head and arms. When the shirt was off, he set it aside, and he looked at her, taking in her black panties and matching satin and lace bra.

  She bit her lower lip as he traced the line of her bra, skimming her breasts with his callused fingers. Her entire body grew sensitized, his every touch making her want him that much more.

  He watched her as he cupped her breasts and ran his thumbs over her satin-covered nipples. They tightened and ached and she wanted nothing more than to feel the warmth of his mouth on them.

  Unable to move her gaze from his, she arched her back, pressing her breasts against his palms. His eyes seemed to burn like blue flame as he reached behind her and unfastened her bra. He slid the straps down her arms and bared her breasts.

  Excerpt… Hot For You

  Cheyenne McCray

  She had just finished her third mojito when Cody asked her to dance. He took her by the hand and led her to the dance floor. She felt a little tipsy and warm inside but was still steady on her feet.

  It was a slow song, and Cody brought her in close to him as she put her hands on his shoulders. A fluttering sensation batted around in her belly and her heart beat a little faster as she felt his body heat even though there was a good inch between them.

  His beautiful warm brown eyes studied her. “Enjoying yourself?”

>   She hoped he couldn’t see the sudden nervousness that gripped her. “Yes. I like your cousins and their wives.”

  The corner of his mouth tipped up. “There’s plenty more where they came from.”

  She smiled in return and he brought her in closer so that their bodies were touching and she caught her breath. She linked her hands around his neck as he moved his own hands to her hips.

  Heat rose inside her and her throat grew dry as their gazes held. He looked at her lips as if he wanted to kiss her. She wanted him to more than she’d ever wanted a kiss before. Her tongue darted out to touch her lips and he brought her body flush with his.

  The hard ridge of his erection pressed against her belly. An ache grew between her thighs and her nipples grew taut. She had the sudden desire to take him by the hand, lead him out of the club, and tell him to drive home as fast as possible.

  She wanted him. And she wanted him now.

  Someone ran into her from behind and she fell forward against Cody. She looked over her shoulder but the couples around them seemed to be paying attention only to their partners. It was the second time that night that someone had run into her, but this time there wasn’t a guy trying to apologize to her.

  “Don’t get me wrong,” Cody said as she looked back at him. He was grinning as he held her tight. “But you don’t have to throw yourself at me.”

  Heat warmed her cheeks. “Someone bumped into me.”

  He just smiled, a slow sensual smile that curled her toes.

  The slow song was winding down and she didn’t want it to stop. Without realizing that she was doing it, she moved up onto her tiptoes and he lowered his head.

  When his lips met hers, it was like fireworks went off in her belly and in her mind. Vaguely she was aware that a faster tune had started playing, but still Cody kissed her. It was a long, slow kiss that sent thrills from where their lips met straight to her toes.

  She was breathing hard when they parted and she looked into his eyes that glittered in the low lighting.