Weekend Collision Read online

  Table of Contents

  Title Page

  Copyright

  Other Books by C.A. Szarek

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Sneak Peek of Collision Control!

  About The Author

  WEEKEND COLLISION

  A Crossing Forces

  HEA Story

  By

  C.A. Szarek

  Weekend Collision

  C.A. Szarek

  A Crossing Forces HEA Story

  All rights reserved

  Copyright © February, 2018 C.A. Szarek

  Cover Photo © Lindee Robinson, Lindee Robinson Photography

  Models: Daria Rottenberk, Garrett Pentecost

  Cover Design Copyright © December, 2017, Just Write.Creations, Jo-Anna Walker

  Paper Dragon Publishing

  North Richland Hills, TX

  Names, characters and incidents depicted in this book are products of the author’s imagination, or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, organizations, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental and beyond the intent of the author or the publisher.

  No part of this book may be reproduced or shared by any electronic or mechanical means, including, but not limited to printing, file sharing, and email, without prior written permission from Paper Dragon Publishing or the Author.

  eBook ISBN: 978-1-941151-37-2

  Paperback ISBN: 978-1-941151-38-9

  Published in the United States of America

  First eBook Edition: February, 2018

  First Print Edition: February, 2018

  Other Books by C.A. Szarek

  Crossing Forces—Romantic Suspense

  Collision Force (Book One)—Coming soon to Audio!

  Cole in Her Stocking (A Crossing Forces Christmas)—FREE read!

  Chance Collision (Book Two)

  Calculated Collision (Book Three)

  Collision Control (Book Four)

  Weekend Collision (A Crossing Forces HEA Story)—FREE read!

  Superior Collision (Book Five)

  Incendiary Collision (Book Six)—Coming soon!

  The King’s Riders—Epic Fantasy Romance

  Sword’s Call (Book One)—Also in Audio!

  Love’s Call (Book Two)—Also in Audio!

  Rogue’s Call (Book Three)—Also in Audio!

  Fate’s Call (A Novella from the World of the King’s Riders)—Also in Audio!

  Highland Secrets—Historical Fantasy/Time Travel

  The Tartan MP3 Player (Book One)

  The Fae Ring (Book Two)

  The Parchment Scroll (Book Three)

  Highlander’s Portrait (A Highland Secrets Story)—Coming soon to Audio!

  Highland Valentine (A Highland Secrets Story)—only .99

  The Princess and The Laird (A Highland Secrets Prequel)

  Highland Treasures—Historical Fantasy/Time Travel

  Highland Oath (Book One)—Coming January 2018!

  Highland Essence (Book Two)—Coming soon!

  Anthologies

  Deep in the Hearts of Texas—FREE read!

  Story: Promise (A Crossing Forces Companion)

  Chapter One

  The toddler’s giggle had Mel pausing in the doorway, her palm hovering over her lower stomach. Envy made her ache from the inside out.

  Or is that just cramps?

  She frowned and forced her feet into the living room.

  Jared’s deep chuckle had her grinning, despite the dark thoughts.

  Her husband’s long muscular form lay stretched out on their couch, his partner’s two-year-old perched on his middle, as if he was the sofa. He didn’t seem to mind as the little boy played with a large stuffed red airplane, waving it back and forth.

  Shiny silver fabric sewn in the front ‘windows’ caught the light of the lamp behind them. Micah made engine noises as he ‘flew’ the plane, tugging on the soft wings.

  “Buddy, if people are on that plane, you’re rattling their brains.” Jared laughed.

  “No!” Micah announced.

  His mother had assured them the word was his new favorite.

  Seeing her man with the child hurt in a way it never had before.

  The toddler’s dark hair curled at the ends, and could have him passing as Jared’s kid, if it wasn’t for Andi’s eyes. Then again, Mel had blue eyes, too. Just lighter in hue.

  Her husband was great with kids, especially Cole and Andi’s little boys.

  He’d make a great dad.

  Someday…

  Her chest burned and her heart skipped.

  When they heard her, both males grinned up at her, and it was hard not to be sucked into Micah’s big sapphire eyes.

  Jared’s smile faded as he gave her a onceover. “What’s wrong, baby?”

  Mel plastered on a return smile. “Nothing.” She took her previous seat in the recliner facing the TV and pretended not to feel his gaze. Forced a breath and glanced at the man she loved.

  Her husband’s dark eyes reflected disbelief.

  She never could lie to him and get away with it.

  “Aunt Mel, look.” Ethan, the elder of the two brothers, at six, scrambled off the floor, a tower of Legos in both hands. “I made a castle.”

  Saved by the kid, thank God.

  “That’s awesome!” She paid proper attention and inspected the multi-colored blocks, smiling and commenting until the little boy returned to the pile of scattered toys on the floor.

  The Minions Movie played on the TV, but neither child seemed interested.

  She sighed and slid back into the microfiber chair she loved. Then reached for her cup of hot cocoa on the end table and took a sip. Needed to drink it before it got cold.

  The boys and Jared had already finished theirs.

  Suddenly, the weight of Mel’s trip to the bathroom crashed down on her shoulders and made her heart stutter.

  She’d started her period.

  Again.

  She didn’t want to tell Jared. Didn’t want to see disappointment in the dark eyes she loved so much.

  I’m still not pregnant.

  They’d only been trying a few months, and she’d been on birth control for years, so it wasn’t abnormal. Only natural it might take a while. There was nothing wrong. Rational, as well as medical answers floated in her head.

  Dr. Hayes, her OBGYN, had told them how everything worked. Google and WebMD had verified.

  Obsessed much?

  Andi, the boys’ mom, and a police detective like Jared and their dad, Cole, had told her she was worrying too much. Told her to take a breath, stop trying to try so hard.

  Mel hadn’t shared the extent of her worries with her husband, because she was embarrassed.

  ‘There’s nothing wrong with you,’ Andi had told her just that afternoon when they’d dropped their sons off for a rare weekend away.

  She was having a hard time believing it.

  That was before she’d answered Mother Nature’s knock.

  Mel loved the boys; she really did. Loved kids, in general. They were her job, her life.

  She’d had Ethan in her kindergarten class last year. Missed him this year, though she enjoyed her new students like always. She was lucky to still have Ethan in her life, although in a different capacity. She was Aunt Mel, not Miss Nash—Mrs. Manning—this year at school.

  She and Jared had been married nine months now, and the school year had been going since the second week of August.

  Thanksgiving was just around the corner—in two weeks.

  They were s
upposed to have waited until the previous June to marry, but after getting engaged Christmas Day, they’d impulsively flown to Vegas when the wedding planning had become too stressful.

  Valentine’s Day weekend—when everybody and their brother had had the same idea.

  Couples had been lined up in all the chapels.

  When it’d been their turn, Mel hadn’t seen anyone but Jared.

  “Hey.”

  His voice pulled her from memories and her eyes locked onto his.

  “Talk to me, baby. What’s wrong?”

  She gestured to their weekend charges. “Nothing.” She swallowed and made her smile wider. “I’ll talk to you later.”

  “Do I need to be worried?”

  She shook her head. “Nope.”

  Jared nodded, but his expression called her a liar.

  The credits started to roll on their large flat-screen, farewell music accompanying the scrolling words.

  “Uncle Jared, can we watch another movie? I want more minions!” Ethan’s red curls shifted as he cocked his head to one side.

  “Sure, dude. Anything for you.”

  Mel got up and ejected the Blu-Ray from their player.

  “I can do it myself!” The little boy jumped to his feet and carefully pulled the disc out, then handed it to her.

  She thanked him and gave him the second movie, which’d been sitting on top of the player. “Do you want to put it in?”

  “Yes! I can do it!”

  She supervised, then returned to her seat as the previews for Pixar’s upcoming stories started to play. “Good job, Ethan!”

  He grinned, flashing the gap of his missing teeth. That afternoon, he’d proudly announced he’d received a twenty dollar bill under his pillow just that morning for losing the pair.

  Cole had grumbled something about the tooth fairy being tired, but Andi had elbowed his arm when he’d offered to hold onto the money for his son.

  She’d told him it was a natural consequence of not paying attention—half-asleep or not—and they’d all laughed.

  Mel laughed again.

  “Something funny?” Jared asked, one corner of his mouth lifting.

  “Just remembering the tooth fairy’s mistake.”

  Her husband chuckled. “Right. Cole meant to give him a fiver.”

  “Shhh, he’ll hear you.” However, one glance at the child told her Ethan had abandoned the Legos on the floor and was glued to the movie.

  Micah buzzed his stuffed plane and crashed it into her husband’s chest.

  “Ohhhh, owwwww.”

  The toddler fell into a fit of giggles as Jared clutched his supposed injury with both hands.

  Mel shook her head, but she couldn’t stop watching them together. Sadness and fear washed over her.

  What if that would never be them?

  Her eyes swept the living room. Toys the boys had brought were strewn all over, and it brought a smile to her lips. One afternoon was all it had taken for Ethan and Micah to hijack their place.

  It looked…natural.

  Their things…belonged.

  She swallowed. Blinked to clear her vision and looked away from her husband so he couldn’t catch on.

  Mel wanted Jared’s baby in her belly, then in her arms. So they could play, like he was with his partner’s son on his lap.

  Chapter Two

  Evening faded into night, and Mel read to Ethan as Jared put the baby to bed after a bath. They fell into a normal rhythm as if they had the boys all the time.

  He didn’t like the look on her face when he joined her in their bedroom.

  Something is wrong.

  She sat on the end of their bed, freshly showered and dressed for bed in a feminine pink tank top and matching boxers. She combed her light brown waves out so they wouldn’t tangle.

  “Why didn’t you wait for me?” Jared stuck his lip out, trying to get a smile.

  They often showered together. He wished she would’ve waited so he could’ve held her, or at least coaxed her to tell him what was up.

  He wouldn’t have had to keep his hands to himself either way.

  His stomach dipped when Mel didn’t even look at him.

  “Sorry, with the boys here, I thought it’d be better.” She shrugged.

  “They’re two and six. Like they’d know the difference. Besides, they’re both fast asleep.” Jared sighed when she still didn’t spare him a glance.

  She didn’t say anything, so he closed the door and crossed the room.

  “I told Ethan to come right in if he needed us. Micah curled up right next to big brother on the bed. Cole said they’ve been doing the toddler bed thing for a few months, so I’m not so worried he’ll roll off and get hurt.”

  “Yeah, they’ll be fine. Ethan has that ridiculously huge bear they both love. They’ll sleep well.” Mel finally looked at him. A soft smile curved her delectable mouth, but it looked sad.

  “Hope so.” He waggled his eyebrows and tugged his gray tee over his head.

  “I started today,” she blurted.

  Oh.

  Jared tossed the shirt into a basket and knelt in front of his wife. Pulled the comb from her limp fingers and put it on the bed. He took both her hands, spreading kisses all over her knuckles. “That’s what you’re upset about?” His heart skipped when she nodded. Her beautiful crystal blue eyes misted over.

  “I’m sorry.” Her whisper was wobbly.

  “What the heck for?” He pushed off the floor and sat next to her on their king sized bed. Made her look at him.

  She swallowed.

  He wanted to kiss her throat.

  She lowered her lashes. “I…”

  “Mel.”

  His wife turned her face away, but not far enough he didn’t notice how she sucked in her bottom lip.

  “Mel. Look at me.”

  A tear rolled down when she obeyed.

  Jared cupped her cheek and thumbed it away. “I love you,” he whispered.

  “I love you, too.” Her words shook, so he drew her into his arms and sighed.

  He never felt more like a stupid guy than at moments like these. Didn’t have a clue what to say. He wanted kids, yeah. But he wasn’t stressed about it.

  It’d happen for them when it was supposed to. He sure as hell didn’t mind the attempts. Would rather not keep his hands to himself where Mel was concerned.

  Jared pressed a kiss to her temple and squeezed her tight when she burrowed into his chest.

  “I don’t know what’s wrong with me.”

  Her statement was muffled against his skin, but her warm breath sent a tingle down his spine.

  “Nothing is wrong with you, Melody Renee Manning.” He shook her lightly and she looked up at him.

  She sighed. “I don’t mean physically. I mean emotionally. I’m a wreck for no reason.”

  “Well, it is that time—”

  Mel smacked his chest. “Don’t you dare.”

  He smirked. “You said it.”

  She narrowed her eyes and mock-glared. “Do you want to sleep on the couch, Detective Manning?”

  He chuckled. “Don’t do that to me when the boys are here. Ethan’ll tell Cole and then there’ll be questions about arguments in front of the children.”

  A smile played at her lips and Jared couldn’t help it.

  He dipped down and claimed her mouth. Told himself not to get lost to her, but he did, like always.

  Conscious thought faded as their tongues danced, and someone moaned. His cock jumped in his jeans, letting his zipper take a bite.

  Mel finally pulled away, but they both panted. “I can’t…”

  “I know, baby.” He cupped her face and ran his thumbs back and forth over her cheekbones. Her beauty stunned him, like always. Especially with her lips kiss-swollen and flushed pink.

  “I feel like a failure.” Her pretty eyes watered, making the hue shine.

  Even that was beautiful, although he hated when she cried.

  “You’re not
a failure. These things take time. You know how long it took Nikki and Pete. Yet, they have little Brenna now.”

  She nodded in his grip, then grabbed his wrist and squeezed. “I’m still sorry.”

  “Then you’re silly. We’ll have kids, Mel. Even if we have to buy one.”

  She laughed and tugged away gently. “That might be a little illegal.”

  “Happens all the time.”

  His wife smirked. “I thought you already skirted the law one time too many, Detective.”

  “Don’t remind me.” Jared’s mirth faded a bit when he thought about his older brother in prison, even though Joe had turned himself in.

  Prison was still better than getting killed by the bastard that was still on the run.

  “Sorry, I don’t want to upset you…”

  He shook his head. “No worries. Listen. I love you. That’s all that matters. And next week, when you’re done, we can practice making babies again.”

  Mel grinned and his stomach fluttered. “Promise?”

  “Like I could keep my hands off you.”

  She laughed and Jared kissed her again.

  “Let’s go to bed, there are two little boys here that don’t really sleep in much,” she whispered against his lips.

  “Right. Especially with a promise like a trip to the zoo.”

  She groaned. “It’s going to be a long day.”

  “Yeah, but fun.”

  “Hey, Ethan can spend the tired tooth fairy’s gift.”

  He chuckled. “That he can.”

  “Thanks for making me feel better.” Mel smiled softly.

  “Anytime, baby. Anytime.” He kissed her one last time before ditching his jeans and crawling into bed.

  Chapter Three

  Micah ooohhed and awwwed when Jared hiked him higher in his arms.