The Negotiator Read online

  “The coffee’s ready. I just made a fresh pot.”

  Andy smiled up at her from where he sat in a deck chair. “That sounds great, sweetheart.” He folded the newspaper closed and dropped it near his feet. “I just read the police out at Campbelltown cracked the gang of thieves who were burglarizing the houses along your street. The boys found a stash of stolen goods in an abandoned warehouse near Camden. You might even get your stuff back.”

  Cally smiled. “Wow, that’s great news. Not that Jack would ever want those old things back, but it’s good to know the people responsible have been caught.”

  Andy nodded and glanced over toward his son. “Jack, are you going to have something to drink?”

  Jack grinned at him. “How about a Coke, Dad?”

  Andy shook his head and grinned back at him. “Cheeky, boy. You know you’re too young to drink Coke. What about a Sprite instead?”

  “Yeah, that sounds good.”

  “I’ll get it for him,” Cally offered and opened the sliding glass door that led inside. She reached the refrigerator and pulled the door open. Bending over, she tugged out a can of Sprite. Andy came up behind her and put his arms around her, filling his hands with her breasts. She came upright with a gasp.

  “What are you doing, you naughty man?” she smiled.

  “Just checking your reflexes, sweetheart. I don’t want you going stale.” Taking the can from her hand, he set it on the counter and pulled her into his arms.

  “Jack’s right outside. Don’t you think you’d better wait—”

  Andy nuzzled her neck and shook his head. “I’ve been waiting all day to get you alone. It seems like every time I turn around, there’s someone watching.”

  His hand stole under her T-shirt and gently fondled her breast. When his fingers flicked over her nipple, she groaned. Desire kindled low in her belly, but she fought its tempting pull. It was broad daylight. Her son was a mere twenty feet away, separated only by a thin wall of glass. She and Andy might still be newlyweds, but some propriety had to be maintained.

  She tried to pull away, but Andy’s arms only tightened around her. He ground his hips into hers and his erection pressed against her belly, leaving her in no doubt about his intentions. He lifted her T-shirt and released the clasp on her bra. She gasped when his mouth found her nipple.

  “Andy, stop it! We can’t do this here! Jack might see!”

  “That can be fixed.” With one swift movement, he bent and lifted her into his arms. His lips claimed hers once again, silencing any further protests. He strode out of the kitchen and down the hall, kicking the door to their bedroom closed behind him and turning the lock. He lay her down on the bed and made short work of removing their clothing.

  “What about Jack?”

  “He won’t miss us for a few minutes.”

  Pressing her naked body against his, he sighed a deep sigh of contentment. “I love the way you feel in my arms. I’ll never get tired of this.”

  She cupped her face in his hands and kissed him on the mouth. Andy’s lips moved under hers and before long, he’d deepened the kiss until both of them were left gasping. Releasing her, he leaned down and sucked one of her nipples into his mouth, swirling his tongue over the hard nub.

  She closed her eyes and gave into the sensations that stirred once again inside her. “You’re very good at that,” she murmured.

  He moved his attention to her other breast. “I’m good at lots of things.”

  A smile tugged at her lips. “Is that so?”

  “Oh, yeah.” His hand slid down her flat belly and tangled in her curls. His fingers delved into her moistness. She moaned. He flicked her clit with the tip of his finger and then slid lower to tease at her entrance. Her legs fell open and she pressed against his hand, still amazed at her forwardness. They’d spent a week at the Whitsundays on the Great Barrier Reef—their hastily arranged honeymoon—and had done little but explore each other in bed and in the shower and in the…

  Andy’s tongue slid inside her and lapped at her soft folds. She gasped from the ecstasy of it and made a grab for his hair. Holding him still against her, she luxuriated in the sensations he created. Need burned deep inside her. She squirmed and whimpered and moaned, climbing toward her release. The relentless pressure of his tongue continued until she couldn’t stand it a second more.

  She cried out in relief from the sweet torture. Her orgasm crashed around her in waves of delight and release. Andy lifted his head and grinned at her. “I told you I was good at a lot of things.”

  With her body still shaky from her orgasm, she spread her legs wide in invitation. Andy’s eyes grew dark with desire and his cock sprang thick and hard from his groin. He positioned himself between her legs and plunged into her wet center. Hard and fast and furious, he pumped his hips in a frenzy of need until at last he groaned his release. He collapsed on top of her, panting hard.

  “That’s something else I’ll never get tired of,” he mumbled against her hair.

  “You and me, both,” she whispered and meant every word she said.

  EPILOGUE

  Eight months later

  Cally groaned when another contraction seized her, twisting her belly in fiery torture. She held onto the side of the bed with a death grip.

  “Come on, Cally; you can do it,” the nurse urged. “Take a big breath now and push!”

  Cally put her head down on her chest and pushed as hard as she could. The pain was excruciating.

  “That’s it, Cally. Good girl! You’re doing great!” The young midwife with the glossy curtain of brown hair leaned over her, smiling encouragingly. “Not long now. Another push like that one and we should be able to see the head.”

  The contraction eased. Cally looked up at Andy and offered him a weak smile. His face was pale and there were beads of perspiration on his forehead. He swiped at them with the back of his hand.

  “You’re doing great, sweetheart. Just great,” he murmured, sounding as though he was trying to convince himself as much as her.

  Much too soon, another contraction seized her. She reached for his hand and squeezed it while she tried to breathe through the pain.

  “Keep going, Cally. That’s it. You’re nearly there. Come around here, Dad. In a few minutes, you’re going to meet your baby.”

  At the nurse’s urging, Andy moved to stand at the foot of the bed. He gazed down upon her and his eyes widened in shock and delight.

  Groaning again, she clung to the edge of the bed and leaned forward while yet another contraction tortured her belly. A sharp stinging sensation burned between her legs.

  “That’s it, Cally. Push! Push! Push! Here it comes, here it comes. Good girl! The head’s out now, Cally. It’s nearly over.”

  Cally gasped and pushed with all her might, determined to get it over with. A last ditch effort, and it was finally over. Her body surrendered. The baby slid from her body and Cally cried out in relief.

  “It’s a girl!” The midwife laid the squalling red mass of humanity on Cally’s chest. and she cuddled the tiny body against her.

  “Hello, little Grace Mary,” she whispered. “Welcome to the world.” She pressed a kiss against her daughter’s tiny cheek and looked up at Andy with a love that almost overwhelmed her.

  “Come and meet your daughter, Daddy.

  * * *

  Cally watched Jack carefully lift his little sister out of the pram, his face a picture of concentration. The baby gurgled and waved her arms, already taking note of her surroundings. She wasn’t even a fortnight old. Andy told everyone he came in contact with how advanced she was for her age.

  Jack took a seat on the couch beside Cally and cuddled Gracie close. “She’s so cute, Mom and so tiny. She looks just like one of Jimmy’s sister’s dolls. I’m so glad to have a sister, like Jimmy does. I’m going to be the best big brother, ever.”

  The earnestness on his young face filled Cally’s heart to overflowing. This was what being a family was about. This was what s
he’d been missing. Her thoughts drifted to her father and she gave a little sigh. He’d sent the biggest pink teddy bear she’d ever seen. It took up one corner of Gracie’s bedroom. She’d call him soon and thank him and maybe, she’d invite him over to meet his new granddaughter.

  Her husband strode in from the kitchen, a skillet in one hand and a plate of bacon in the other. “Would you like me to whip up some breakfast? I went down to the shops early with Gracie. We bought bacon and eggs and warm crusty bread and if that doesn’t suit, we also have pancakes.”

  “Yay! Pancakes,” Jack cheered and then laughed when the baby in his lap waved her arms.

  “I guess pancakes it is,” Andy smiled and moved over closer to Cally. Mindful of the things in his hands, he leaned down and pressed a kiss on her cheek. “Mm, you smell good,” he murmured, “but then again, you always do.”

  She turned her head until her lips met his in another lingering kiss. “Have I told you this morning how much I love you?”

  “Yes, but feel free to say it again. I’ll never get tired of hearing it.”

  NOTE TO READERS

  I do hope you have enjoyed reading Andy and Cally’s story. Please feel free to leave a review for The Negotiator. Every review is appreciated and really helps a new author like me.

  Click here to sign up for my newsletter if you would like to receive news on upcoming Munro Family stories, release dates, book launches and other snippets. I love to receive feedback from my readers. Please feel free to contact me at [email protected] Let me know who your favorite Munro family member is.

  The Christmas Vigil—a Munro Family Series novella is the next book in the Munro Family Series and is Duncan and Marguerite’s story. Duncan and Marguerite are the parents of the Munro children. You will catch up with all the siblings you’ve met already and some that you haven’t.

  Here’s a sneak peek:

  When former New South Wales District Court judge, Duncan Munro, is found lying unconscious in a hotel room surrounded by evidence incriminating him in an affair, his close knit family are rocked to their core.

  Marguerite Munro is unwilling to believe her husband of forty years has been cheating on her, but the evidence doesn’t lie. Roses, champagne, massage oils, lingerie…it’s obvious he was expecting a woman and she knows darn well it wasn’t her.

  When the distress call goes around the family, they gather together in shock and disbelief. No one wants to believe their father is an adulterer, but the Munro siblings have law enforcement running through their veins. They’ve learned to look at the facts and draw logical conclusions and all of the evidence is pointing toward their father’s guilt…

  Will Duncan regain consciousness and provide the explanation they’re praying for, or will this be the end of Marguerite’s marriage and the Munro family as we know it…?

  The Christmas Vigil will be released on 1 December, 2014 and is AVAILABLE NOW for pre-order from Amazon.

  ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

  As usual, no book comes into being without a lot of help and support by my friends and family. A world of thanks must go to my friend and fellow author Angela Bissell, critique partner extraordinaire, and a girl who loves the Munro family as much as I do.

  To Pat Thomas, the best editor in the world. I love working with you. You turn my humble offerings into something truly amazing. I couldn’t do it without you. To Detective Superintendent Michael Kilfoyle, thank you for lending my story credibility. Any mistakes are wholly my own.

  To Alisha of damonza.com, thank you for yet another fantastic cover. To my sister, Nicole Guihot, thank you for your excellent editorial comments and suggestions. Nic, I hope you like the final result.

  To Amy Atwell and her dedicated staff at Author EMS who are so much more than book formatters. Amy, once again, thank you for your magic.

  To the fantastic writer organizations such as Romance Writers of Australia, Romance Writers of America and Romance Writers of New Zealand for all the help, support and encouragement they offer new and aspiring writers, including me.

  To my readers, thank you for your support and love for the Munro family. Your encouragement and enjoyment make this journey all worthwhile.

  And lastly, to my friends and family, especially my husband and children. Thank you for putting up with late dinners and even later conversations as I’ve emerged day after day from the sometimes scary but always enthralling world I’ve created on my computer.

  ABOUT THE AUTHOR

  Chris Taylor grew up on a farm in north-west New South Wales, Australia. She always had a thirst for stories and recalls writing her first book at the ripe old age of eight. Always a lover of romance and happily-ever-afters, a career in criminal law sparked her interest in intrigue and suspense. For Chris to be able to combine romance with suspense in her books is a dream come true.

  Chris is married to Linden and is the mother of five children. If not behind her computer, you can find her doing the school run, taxiing children to swimming lessons, football, ballet and cricket. In her spare time, Chris loves to read her favorite authors who include Richard North Patterson, Sandra Brown, Kathleen E Woodiwiss and Jude Devereaux.

  You can find out more about Chris and sign up for her newsletter at her website:

  http://www.christaylorauthor.com.au

  Follow Chris on Twitter at:

  https://twitter.com/christaylorbook

  Join Chris on Facebook at:

  http://www.facebook.com/christaylorwriter

  COPYRIGHT NOTICE

  Copyright © 2014 by Chris Taylor

  (All Rights Reserved)

  LCT Productions Pty Ltd

  18364 Kamilaroi Highway, Narrabri NSW 2390

  ISBN. 978-1-925119-10-7 (Ebook)

  ISBN. 978-1-925119-11-4 (Print)

  This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only and may not be re-sold or given away to other people. The scanning, uploading, and distribution of this book via the Internet or via any other means without the permission of the publisher is illegal and punishable by law. Please purchase only authorized electronic editions, and do not participate in or encourage electronic piracy of copyrighted materials. Your support of the author’s rights is appreciated.

  The Negotiator is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, brands, media and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales, is entirely coincidental.

  Table of Contents

  Prologue

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Epilogue

  Note to Readers

  Acknowledgements

  About the Author

  Copyright