BlackJack (A Standish Bay Romance Book 1) by Christine Donovan Read Free Book Online

hair ever felt better? “When we have some
time, I’d like to hear about your writing and how it all came about. Meanwhile,”
he whispered, “what are your plans for tomorrow?” Shannon’s eyes were closed
and her lips slightly parted as he continued caressing her hair.
    “Hmm, I have a
book signing at Copley Place from twelve to three.”
    He leaned in
close and placed soft, silky kisses along her neck and up to her ear, causing
her to moan. “Would you mind if I stopped by?”
    “Hmm ... oh,
no, I mean yes, please do.”
    He grinned at
her as his hands cupped her face, and he kissed her gently. “Goodnight, Shannon
Gallagher,” he murmured.
    As he walked
away, he heard her soft reply, “Goodnight, Cole Jackson.”
    ***
    When she
stepped inside her hotel room, she saw Cameron asleep and sighed with relief. She
didn’t want him seeing her all ... all what? Acting like a lovesick teenager
and floating on top of cloud nine as though she’d been kissed for the first
time? Smiling, she touched her fingers to her lips and twirled around. Cole
Jackson was quite a man. She never would have thought in her wildest dreams,
well yes, in her dreams, but not in real life, that she would ever meet Cole
Jackson, never mind kiss him. Never mind lose her heart to him in a matter of
hours. Damn, her stomach had butterflies swarming inside it. Her whole body tingled
with...something indescribable, nerves, excitement, terror, longing, both
emotionally and physically.
    Shannon didn’t
believe Cole killed his wife. Being a romantic at heart, she couldn’t help but
bleed for the man convicted of his wife’s murder. At the time every picture
depicted of him told a heartbreaking tale. His eyes were so incredibly sad. You
could tell he had truly loved his wife and grieved deeply for losing her.
    Nothing Shannon
had heard all those years ago would make her believe one of her biggest rock
idols committed murder. She remembered exactly where she was when she’d heard
the guilty verdict. Sitting at her kitchen table eating lunch with her son and
she cried as she listened as each juror voiced the words guilty. Cried as they
handcuffed and leg shackled a stunned Cole Jackson who had tears streaming down
his handsome face. And here she was, so many years later fancying herself in
love with him.
    It had been so
long, actually never, since she felt this way and it unsettled her considering
who her feelings were for. Not because he had been to prison, but because of
the man himself. She headed into the bathroom and took an extra-long hot shower.
Dressed in shorts and a T-shirt, she climbed into the nice soft bed, burrowed
deep into the covers and fell asleep dreaming about Cole. She’d dreamed about
him before, but it was the first time her dreams were based on reality, and
reality far surpassed the imagination.
    ***
    Cole lay awake
in bed arguing with himself about this thing with Shannon—whatever it was. Hoping
he wasn’t making a mistake starting something with her when his life was in
shambles. Not to mention, he hadn’t befriended nor slept with a woman in almost
fifteen years, and in his book it put him out of practice. Well, not exactly true.
Two days after his release from prison, he had hired a high-priced call girl
from an escort service in New York. He’d hired her for the entire night as he’d
wanted to feel a warm body sleeping beside him. His twelve hours with her set
him back a pretty penny, but it had done wonders in bringing back his manhood
and some of his self-esteem. Other than the call girl, and this would come as a
shock to most people, especially considering what his lifestyle had been like,
Lindsey was the only other woman he’d ever been with. They had lost their
virginity together.
    There had been
plenty of opportunities for other women. Women came backstage all the time
offering to give all the band members blow jobs. Since no one else in the band
was married at the time, they took the sex offered. Cole would