Read Online Defying Desire by A. C. Arthur - Free Book Online Page A

to Trent weekly. It was she who would wait on the third Sunday of every month at precisely six o’clock in the evening for his phone call. Only she knew of the times he’d doubted himself and how best to kick his butt into gear. She was one of his best friends and the only honest woman he’d ever known.
    Late Tuesday afternoon he’d decided to go and see her, to get her take on the information he’d found on Tia.
    “She’s having a girls’ night with Camille, Jade and Noelle. They’re talking about that baby shower again,” Linc said with a sigh and a shake of his head in answer to Trent’s question as to where their mother was. “Man, I’ll be so glad when Jade delivers. Don’t get me wrong, the most beautiful sight a man could ever see is his wife pregnant with his child. But damn, I can’t take these mood swings much longer.”
    Adam and Henry Donovan laughed as they sat in the pool room at the Donovan estate. Trent had heard them talking and come in, asking where his mother was.
    “I can’t wait for Camille to get pregnant,” Adam said rubbing his hands over his legs. “Camille is going to be a great mother.”
    “Slow down, son,” Henry chuckled. “Enjoy some alone time with your woman first. I tried to tell this one that but he was too fast for me. Once those babies get here, Jade won’t remember your name.”
    Linc looked horrified and Trent couldn’t help but chuckle himself. They all looked happy and content, talking about their women and babies and such. Trent felt like an outsider, but then he’d always felt that way. So different from Adam and Linc he’d always been. While theywere college and business suited, Trent was more hands-on, physical and dominating.
    “So what brings you by, Trent?” Henry asked. “We don’t usually see you during the week.”
    “Yeah, when’s your next assignment?” Linc asked as he unhooked his cell phone and looked at it. Probably checking for a call or text message from Jade.
    His big brother was so whipped, Trent almost laughed again. “I’m free of assignments for a while.”
    “After Connecticut you should be taking a hiatus. I heard that was a close call with the explosion and shooting at Bennett Industries, then the arrest of the stalker lady and that lieutenant from the Marines,” Adam added.
    “I read about that.” Henry lifted one of his favorite cigars out of the box and stuck it in his mouth. He would keep it there, unlit for at least fifteen minutes before eventually lighting and smoking it. “Terrible shame. I hope the family’s doing okay.”
    “They are,” Trent said. “I spoke to Sam last night.”
    “Really?” Linc looked up from his phone. “Did you also talk to his sister?”
    Trent shook his head. His brothers didn’t forget a thing. “No I didn’t talk to Lynn because we have nothing else to talk about.”
    “My boys,” Henry shook his head. “Just over a year ago all of you were breaking hearts across the nation. Now only one remains. When are you going to settle down, Trent?”
    “I’m not,” Trent answered quickly, adamantly.
    Adam was first to laugh while Linc went back to whatever he was doing with his cell phone. “He just hasn’t been caught yet,” Linc mumbled.
    “Or has he?” Adam asked, his annoying chucklingfinally ceasing. “Camille was pretty upset when she couldn’t find Tia after the party Saturday. She called her house a couple of times but didn’t get an answer.”
    Trent wisely kept his mouth shut.
    “Who’s Tia?” Henry asked taking his cigar out of his mouth to study it.
    “She’s the model,” Linc chimed in.
    “When Camille spoke to her on Sunday she said Tia sounded strange but assured her she was all right.”
    “So.” Trent stood, going to the patio door and opening it. Although it was March, it was almost sixty degrees in Vegas and getting warmer as the topic of conversation was going in a direction Trent didn’t want.
    The previous topic, his military career and how