by Nina Lindsey
“I want more than friendship from you.” His blue eyes darkened. “I want to marry you.”
His confession lodged in the hollow ache right at the center of her soul. Disentangling her hand from his, Callie took a deep breath and tried to smother her rising fear.
“I can’t imagine a more exciting, lovely life than one in which we’re married.” She picked up the wadded napkin and twisted it between her fingers. “I also can’t see how it would work with such different lives. To me, marriage is about being together. I don’t want only part of you, and I don’t want to give you only part of me. I know we can travel to see either and all that, but the fact is that now I have an even greater responsibility to the college, and I would never stop you from making whatever film you—oh!”
Before she could take another breath, Jake grabbed her and hauled her against him. He pressed his mouth to hers in a hard, hot kiss that sent heat zinging through Callie’s veins and melted the lingering cold around her heart.
With a muffled moan, she speared her hands into his hair, parted her lips, and returned the kiss with a greedy hunger that matched his.
By the time he lifted his head, they were both breathing hard, and flames were firing up in Callie’s blood. He rested his big, warm hand on the side of her neck, a suffusion of love and tenderness radiating from him.
“Callie, I’m moving to Bliss Cove. If you’ll have me,” he added quickly.
“You’re what?”
“I quit the Birch movie.” He shook his head, his mouth compressing. “I’ll tell you all about it later but, suffice it to say, he’s a scumbag. I don’t want to work with him.”
Callie stared at him, hope nudging past her fear. “So you’re not doing another movie?”
“Not right away.” A hint of worry flashed in his eyes. “I never want to stop making movies, but I’m taking an indefinite break to write my own screenplay.”
“Jake, that’s wonderful!” She smiled, thrilled at the discovery that he was about to take a step toward telling his stories his own way. “What are you going to write about?”
“I don’t know yet, but I think it will have something to do with my father.” He moved his fingers gently over her collarbone. “How his leaving forced me to grow up…maybe before I was ready to. However it turns out, it’ll be personal and mean something to me. I have a lot to learn, and I have no idea how long it will take, but I want to live in Bliss Cove while I figure it all out. I don’t know what’s going to happen after that, but I promise you I’ll never take a role or start any kind of project that will interfere with us.”
“Jake, I—”
“Let me finish.” He pulled in a breath. “I want to take you to visit my mother and sister and eventually my nephew. I want us to have dinner together and sleep in the same bed every night. I want us to take road trips, watch movies, have fun. Whatever happens over the years, I want to be with you. I can’t imagine not being with you. It’s like my life was in black-and-white before we met, and then those elevator doors opened and I stepped into a world of color, like in The Wizard of Oz.”
A smile started in Callie’s heart and made its way to her lips. “I’m your wizard?”
“You’re my color.” He slipped his hand to the back of her neck. “You’re my everything. Please tell me you can live with the uncertainty of life with an action-movie star who has delusions of wanting to be a writer and a director.”
Winding her arms around his neck, Callie shook her head. “I can’t live with that.”
“You can’t?”
“I want to live with that. With you. I wouldn’t want to live any other way. Welcome back home, Jake.”
His smile creased his eyes at the corners and lit up the entire auditorium. Tightening his grip, he planted another kiss on her. Callie responded with increasing fervor as shooting stars spilled through her veins.
“No making out in the mezzanine!” Gus Mortimer’s gruff voice ordered from down below.
With a laugh, they pulled away from each other.
The old theater owner grinned up at them. “You get what you wanted, son?”
Jake hugged Callie to his side. “More than what I wanted, Gus. I’ve got more than I’ve ever dreamed of.”
“Then you’re one of the lucky ones.” Gus gave them a little salute.
She smiled up at Jake. “Isn’t that the truth?”
He lowered his head, and they shared another warm kiss. Colors and light lifted her heart. For so long, she’d felt as if she needed to hold on tight to everything because she was fearful of what might happen if she let go. Uncontrollable fate so often turned things to chaos, but she’d forgotten that it also created indescribable beauty.
Though Callie would always believe that there was most assuredly a time and a place for holding on, she now understood the vast importance of letting go. All the things she’d secretly believed in and longed for—deep, all-consuming love, lifelong passion, even good luck and outright fun—had always been waiting for her.
As it turned out, all she’d had to do was release her grip and let all of life’s wonders fall into her open arms.
Epilogue
Two months later
“The façade is based on Spanish Colonial architecture.” Gus Mortimer led Callie and Jake across the faded carpet of the Vitaphone theater. “But the interior is kind of a mishmash of different influences—Spanish, Italian, Art Deco. Did you know this old place started as an opera and vaudeville theater? Turned into a movie palace in the 1930s when movies started becoming popular.”
“You told me that once.” Jake glanced at the older man as they stopped in the auditorium. “You said it was meant to make people feel like royalty.”
“Sure enough.” Gus gazed wistfully at dusty chandelier. “Can’t imagine the care they took building this place. There’s a name for the mural painting technique, too. Martha’s got some books on it.”
“Sgraffito.” Jake touched one of the wall panels. “Colored plaster applied to a wet surface.”
Gus raised his eyebrows. “You’ve been doing your research, son.”
“I have, indeed.”
Callie smiled. Research wasn’t a strong enough word. After he’d finished his move to Bliss Cove—and into Callie’s house—Jake had spent the past few weeks immersing himself in the history of movie theater architecture. He’d been in touch with numerous experts across the country, and he’d secured an architect and a cinema historian to oversee what would be the meticulous work of restoring the Vitaphone theater to its original glory.
Jake was donating the full cost of the restoration to Hunter and Aria’s Monarch Enterprises, with extra funds allotted for years of upkeep and to ensure that the Mortimers could retire whenever they wanted without worrying about the theater’s future.
It was a perfect project for Jake—giving new life and a new chapter to the elegant old theater that had ignited his love for storytelling.
They wandered around the auditorium for another hour, discussing the details of interior design and making notes about further assessment and a timeline.
After Jake had jotted down several pages of notes, he and Callie left and walked down Mariposa Street to his car. Sunset light spilled over the cobblestones, and a salty breeze freshened the air.
People sat outside the pizza parlor, gobbling large slices of cheese and pepperoni, and through the window of Meow and Then, the Cat Lounge was half-full of customers drinking coffee and playing with the cats.
Farther down the street, Callie caught sight of Destiny leaning on a sawhorse in front of the former Bloom Room florist shop, where Metalworks owner Joe was replacing a rotted windowsill. As he slipped a chisel back into his tool belt, he turned and said something to her. Destiny smiled. Callie would have bet that astronauts on the international space station could see the other woman’s glow.
She and Jake returned to her house, where the Cat Formerly Known as Kit jumped off the back of a sofa to greet them. Callie bent to scratc
h his ears, and he butted his head against her leg.
After the combined pressure of Aria’s persistence and Jake’s newly discovered belief that cats were “good for the soul,” Callie had finally agreed to adopt Kit under the condition that she would be allowed to rename him. So Ripley had come to live with them the same week that Jake had moved back to Bliss Cove.
Though Jake’s hometown return hadn’t been without a few bumps, overall it had gone as well as either he or Callie could have expected. He occasionally stopped by Title Wave to see if it was open and if Sam needed any help stocking books. Callie didn’t think Sam had any actual friends in Bliss Cove—at least, she’d never seen him hanging out with anyone—but if he did have a friend, then Jake would come pretty close.
Overall, Jake kept a low profile in town, but he never turned down a request to help, whether it was visiting the children’s hospital or volunteering his time at a breast cancer fundraiser. The Bliss Cove residents were increasingly protective of him, however, and any hint of paparazzi or an invasion of his privacy brought both the police and Mayor Bowers out in full force, often backed by the other members of the Ground Hogs gardening club.
After Callie fed Ripley, she and Jake settled into the evening routine that had come naturally and easily to them—dinner, a discussion of upcoming plans, a bit of work and brainstorming about both her next book and his screenplay. This was followed by a lengthy and exquisite lovemaking session that left them both sweaty and enormously satisfied.
Her body still humming from their passion, Callie rested her head on Jake’s shoulder and skimmed her fingertips over his hard abdomen. A few short months ago, she’d never have imagined that he’d come back into her life, much less find his way into the very center of her heart.
Life was both unpredictable and deeply magical. The creators of myths had certainly known what they were talking about.
Jake pressed his lips to Callie’s forehead. “Now that you’re on summer break, let’s go away for a while.”
“Away where?”
“Anywhere we can get married.”
A breath stuck in her throat. She rose on one elbow to stare at him. He was watching her with a suffusion of love and tenderness filling his blue eyes.
“Y-you’re serious?” she stammered.
“No, I’m joking.” He grinned and tugged a lock of her hair. “Of course I’m serious. I love you like Superman loves Lois Lane. I want to marry you right this second, which I would totally do if there were a preacher somewhere nearby.”
“But…so soon?”
“It may seem like it’s soon, but we’ve known each other for a long time.” He rested his hand on the side of her neck, his gaze steady on hers. “I want to live the rest of my life with you, but I get it if you need time to think about it. I can wait. Or we can elope to an exotic island somewhere and get married in secret on the beach.”
Callie’s heart raced. She wasn’t a spur-of-the moment woman. She didn’t jump into things with both feet. She didn’t elope with the man she loved.
Or maybe she did.
With a laugh, she took Jake’s face in her hands and kissed him. “I don’t want to wait. Let’s elope and get mar…oh, wait. My mother and sisters would be upset if I didn’t tell them.”
“So we’ll fly them out to wherever we are for a surprise wedding.” He ran his hand down her side to her hip. “No one else will know.”
“We will.”
His smile creased his eyes. “Is that a yes?”
“It’s an oh yes, please.”
Jake chuckled and rolled them both over so he was on top of her, his weight pressing her deliciously into the bed. He kissed her. “I love you, Professor.”
“I love you, Heartthrob.”
Desire sparked, hot and swift. As they fell again into the blissful pleasure of each other, Callie’s entire soul filled with gratitude and love.
There was so much to be dazzled by in the universe—epic stories of heroes and monsters, rose quartz, the overwhelming power of good, fried deep-dish pizza, new beginnings, and One True Loves. You only had to open your eyes and look up to see all the comets spiraling across the sky.
Thank you for reading AND I LOVE HER.
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A singing fish, a pretend date, and lots of gummy worms all lead to a sizzling hot attraction in LOVE ME TENDER, Book 3 in the Bliss Cove series!
Love Me Tender
Bliss Cove #3
Chapter 1
Can’t wait to have you on board, hot stuff!
The email message was followed by a winking smiley-face emoticon with its red tongue hanging out.
Rory Prescott wanted to punch through her 27-inch, ultra-high-def 5K computer screen, pinch the little winkey-face between her fingers, and squish it to death.
Instead she typed “Never call me that again,” resisted the urge to add “asshole,” and hit the send button.
She pushed away from the desk and shoved her feet into her ratty old boots. Grabbing her jacket, she strode out of her one-room apartment and into the fall evening. The crisp, salty ocean air, as familiar as the smell of home-baked cookies, washed over her. A gray layer of marine fog covered the sky.
Tugging her long black hair from her jacket collar, she walked swiftly toward Starfish Avenue. With the start of fall, the tourists had all departed from the coastal northern California town of Bliss Cove, while students of the private Skyline College had returned for the new school year. Now that October was approaching, the town had settled into its usual autumn rhythm of cooler days, busy students, and preparations for the upcoming Harvest Festival.
She turned off Starfish Avenue and walked to a cluster of wood-and-stone buildings located near a redwood grove that spread out into the surrounding forest. White lights twinkled over the ivy-covered main building, which bore a crooked sign reading Mousehole Tavern. Inside, people clustered around the red-and-white checkered tables, laughing and chatting. “Stairway to Heaven” drifted from an old jukebox, and a fire crackled in the stone hearth dominating one wall.
Pulling off her jacket, Rory tossed it onto a coat rack. Her boots clomped on the worn wooden floor as she made her way across the room. She scanned the crowd before her gaze landed on Grant Taylor, the owner of the Mousehole, who was mixing a drink behind the bar.
The tension in her shoulders eased a bit. Though Grant’s back was to her, the sight of his big, solid frame was a welcome reminder that some things in life, and some people, were constant.
“Scotch, straight up.” She slapped her hand on the bartop.
“Whoa.” Grant turned from setting a drink in front of another customer and squinted at her. “What’s wrong?”
“Why does something have to be wrong? I just want a scotch.”
Grant tossed a towel over his shoulder, his eyebrows pulling together beneath his wavy brown hair. Though at thirty-five, he wasn’t that much older than Rory’s thirty, he’d always had a penetrating way of looking at her, like a wise old owl who saw more than he let on.
Sometimes she didn’t mind it because no one got past her shield if she didn’t let them, so it didn’t matter what Grant thought he saw. Other times, she wished he’d just give her what she asked for and go away. She liked knowing he was always here, but she didn’t want him getting too close.
“Five years I’ve owned this place,” he said, “and you’ve never ordered a scotch.”
“How would you remember that?”
He tapped his temple. “It’s my job.”
“Scotch. Straight up.”
With a shrug, Grant poured her drink and set it in front of her. Somewhat unnervingly, he stood there watching as she took a swallow. The liquor burned down her throat.
“What?” she snapped.
He folded his arms over his broad chest. “You okay?”
“Of
course I’m okay.” Rory pulled her phone out of her back jeans pocket. She was always okay. As the middle sister of three, she was the independent one, the peacekeeper, the sister who didn’t need anything.
Acutely aware of Grant’s stare, she ducked her head and pulled up an app on her phone. He turned and walked away. At least the phone trick always worked to get rid of him. Technology was to Grant what DEET was to mosquitos.
Rory scrolled the local apartment listings. None of them would offer her a short-term lease. All of the B&Bs and the Outside Inn had been booked up for weeks, thanks to the influx of students, the upcoming parents’ weekend at Skyline, and then the Harvest Festival.
Tossing her phone down, she swallowed more scotch. She could leave Bliss Cove early, but she needed to give her mother time to find and train a replacement at the Sugar Joy Bakery. And truth be told, Rory needed time to get used to the idea of leaving again.
Two years. She had moved back to Bliss Cove from San Jose after her father had died almost two years ago.
She’d expected to stay for a couple of months. She’d help her older sister Callie deal with the paperwork, support their devastated mother, and work to keep Sugar Joy open when Eleanor Prescott wanted to shut the bakery down for good. Then their sister Aria left town, and Rory had felt obligated to stay for just a little longer.
“A little longer” had turned into two years. Rory had been working part-time at Sugar Joy and spent the rest of the time writing technology articles and staying up-to-date on all the changes in the high-tech industry. She’d taken online courses and completed several remote contract jobs.
Now Sugar Joy was thriving, and Eleanor was involved in a relationship with a very nice man, Henry, whom she’d met last spring. Aria and Callie were both blissfully happy in their work and personal lives. The pain of Gordon Prescott’s death was giving way to life again.