by Lindsey Hart
“What?” Nina’s mouth dropped open. “Really?” Standing in the bathroom, his t-shirt still on from bed time, her hair half curled, her makeup half done, she was entirely gorgeous. She was striking, captivating, as enchanting as ever, even half put together. She could have gone to her grad like that, with a t-shirt that hung to her knees, messy hair and no makeup, and still been the most beautiful woman there.
“Yes. Really.”
“You booked time off? Just to take me somewhere?” She blinked hard. Her eyes studied him, as though searching for some kind of angle, like she didn’t fully believe that he’d done it just for her. Or maybe she thought he was full of bullshit. He probably teased her way too much.
“Yes. You and the dogs. Although, I might have needed the time too. The past two years have just been crazy.”
“I know. I was there with you through it all. I keep telling you to cut your wait list back and just take bookings for two months ahead.”
“I know, I know.”
“So, the dogs too, huh? What kind of place lets you bring dogs on an adventure? We clearly aren’t going somewhere tropical.”
“Maybe not yet.”
“Not yet? What’s that supposed to mean?”
Chet was hit with a hard rush of adrenaline. His chest actually hurt, and his stomach sloshed around. Right there, standing in the bathroom doorway, he reached into the back pocket of his pants and produced a ring box.
“Tell me that’s a necklace,” Nina gasped. “Or some earrings.”
“Nina… we’ve been through a crazy ride these past two years. It was wild. It wasn’t easy, and it wasn’t always fun-”
“Speak for yourself.”
He let out a tight chuckle. Leave it to Nina’s dry humor to try and poke fun at herself, even as the light of understanding started to dawn in her eyes. She knew full well it wasn’t a necklace or earrings in that box in his hand. To offer proof, he popped the lid open. Nina’s eyes widened.
“Oh my god. It really is a ring. Are you seriously asking me to marry you?”
“Why does that sound like you think it’s the worst idea ever?”
She giggled softly. “It’s not.” She stepped forward, her hands easing the box from his. She took the ring off the little grey cushion and tried it on. It was gold, the raw kind that still had the hammer marks, which suited the raw pink stone. He didn’t know anything about rings, but he remembered Nina showing him something like it a few months before, as a passing thought. Just as jewelry she kind of liked the concept of. Something raw and untamed and wild in its beauty. Kind of like her.
“It’s not the worst idea ever?”
“No. No, it’s not. We didn’t even talk about it though. Getting married.” Her eyes flicked back to his face, the ring still captured between her thumb and index fingers.
“We talk about it all the time.”
“We do not.”
“So, when you say you can imagine spending lots of time with me or you tell me that you always thought I was the right guy or you talk about fate and destiny or about soul mates, you don’t think that means that we should get married?”
“Not at all. But if you’re asking, I might say yes. So, you better be sure.”
“Oh, I’m sure. It’s you that’s the wild card.”
“I’m the wild card?”
“I don’t know. I honestly thought you would have said yes by now.” He was rewarded with a beautiful smile. The love reflected in her eyes was bright and undeniable. “What I was trying to say before is that I love you, Nina. These past two years have been the craziest, wildest, busiest ride. We’ve been through setting up the new shop and finding people and moving in together, twice, to these two amazing dogs… we’re not going to break up. At least, I can’t see it happening. Even before that day at the diner, I knew I’d never leave you. People can’t promise for the future, but I want to. I want to promise to be there for you for as long as you’ll have my ass.”
“That’s pretty romantic,” Nina whispered. Her eyes swam with unshed tears. “Maybe we should make that our wedding vows. No ‘til death do us part for us. It’s for as long as you’ll have my ass.”
“So, is that a yes?”
“It’s a yes.” She slid the ring onto her finger, though it fell off right away since it was far too big. He made sure, so it could he sized properly. She laughed and placed it on her thumb instead. In the next instant, she hurtled herself against him, wrapped her arms around his neck and tugged his face down to hers. “It’s always going to be a yes,” she whispered between kisses.
When she stepped back, she was even more beautiful than he ever remembered seeing her. Her face was radiant, glowing, the fire in her eyes unmistakable.
“So where are we going?”
“What?”
“You said you were going to take me somewhere. Where would that be?”
“Oh.” He couldn’t keep a straight face any longer. “I really did book a week off, but I didn’t pick a place. I thought you might want to do that. We can go anywhere in the world. We can bring the dogs or get a dog sitter. It’s up to you. Anywhere, as long as you are with me, is the best place on earth.”
“A week together, just you. No one else around. No one else to share you with. I might get used to that.” Nina reached up and caressed his cheek. “I’ll think about it. I’ll pick somewhere you haven’t been.”
“That might be difficult.”
“Maybe we should just stay here. In our bed, and never leave. Could you live with that?”
“Live with that? I think it’s the most exciting idea you’ve had. I’ll take you anywhere, but if you want to stay here, I can make that happen.”
“A graduation and an engagement. How are you ever going to top this?”
Chet laughed. “I guess our wedding will have to be pretty fantastic.” He paused. “Now, you better hurry and finish getting ready. I still have to take you to bed.”
Nina’s eyes changed. They became dark and dangerous and filled with anticipation. “Why would I get ready before that?”
“So, I know exactly how much time I’ll have.”
“In that case,” Nina said, reaching for her curling iron and her mascara at the same time, “I had better hurry. I don’t want to waste a minute.”
LIST OF BOOKS
By Lindsey Hart
The Roommate: A Sizzling Stepbrother Romance
Beastly Love Boxset
A Husband for Beauty
Beautiful Encounter
Captivated by The Beast
Jordan
Scars of Love
Free & Wild
Burning Touch
Against His Will
Her Captor
BEASTLY LOVE BOXSET
A Romance Collection
FREE in KU
An amazing retelling of your favorite fairly tales in Modern Contemporary with guaranteed HEA!!
LINDSEY HART
Book 1 – Captivated by The Beast
She was going to be spending one whole month alone with this man. He was the artist and she had been paid to be his model.
But what secrets was he hiding? Why was he living here in this mansion all by himself?
Did he really need her here just to paint her portrait?
Book 2 – Beautiful Encounter
A modern-day retelling of The Little Mermaid.
She had been there on that day when he nearly drowned. She'd watched as he gave his heart away to her best friend. But now he was back again.
Book 3 – A Husband for Beauty
He was her husband. That's what everyone said. But she has no memories whatsoever of having married this hunk.
Exclusive Content!
Book 4 – Beauty & The Jerk
Stephane Hayes.
A Billionaire. A Hunk. A Playboy. And a Huge Jerk!
Mia still remembered that time he called her an ugly little duckling. Admittedly, they had been kids but that comment still rankled.
/> Meeting him again thirteen years later had not changed one thing. She still hated him.
And she hated even more seeing him flirt with her sister.
"Why don’t we play a little game?” he asked.
“What sort of game?”
“A challenge,” Stephane said, his eyes glittering. “I’ll stay away from your sister. But only if you can resist me for the rest of the trip.”
The nerve of him. Well, she was about to show him just how much of a loser he was. He thought he was God’s gift to woman. Time for a rude awakening. There was no way she was going to be letting herself be seduced, come hell and high water!
THE ROOMATE
Available in the kindle store HERE
My number ONE complaint: He walks around butt naked.
My number TWO complaint: He also saw me butt naked.
My number THREE complaint: He is my new STEPBROTHER!
And now, we are stuck together for the next two weeks in a cabin sharing the same living space.
It would be the vacation of a lifetime, my mom said. It will help me get to know my new stepbrother, she said.
Well, I admit I did get to know right off the bat how well-endowed he was in all the right places. Wait, no ... that's not it.
What I found out after our first meeting was how much of a gorgeous jerk he was.
He called my mom a gold-digger ... so I "accidentally" dropped scalding hot coffee on his willy.
SCARS OF LOVE
Available in the kindle store HERE
Forbidden Love … to heal all Scars
Della
I’m in love with my twin sister’s fiancé.
Don’t worry … I have not told anyone … not even after seeing him go through the year-long painful recovery after a devastating accident left him burned, scarred and bitter.
I thought my sister Evie would always be there for him.
But I was wrong! She did not hesitate to walk out on him at a time that he needed her the most.
So, what did I do … I switched places with her.
I told Evie that we would keep the pretense only till he gets his life back on track. And then I would slowly break off the relationship.
At least that had been the plan … until he touched me …
BURNING TOUCH
Available in the kindle store HERE
Luna James knew from the second the handsome, larger than life stranger walked through the door of her tattoo shop requesting a cover up, that he was trouble. Her brutal track record with men should have taught her to stay away from him but somehow, she just couldn’t manage to forget his haunted eyes or the burning feel of his skin beneath her fingertips.
Knowing it was going to be pure torture, she accepted to work her art on his naked body at nightfall.
But the night held more secrets and danger than maybe she was prepared for. And it did not help either to have sparks fly left and right with her every touch of his naked skin.
HER CAPTOR
Available in the kindle store HERE
Cameron Spade is used to making it on his own. He built his entire empire from nothing and earned the reputation of being a black hearted devil for ruthlessly dealing with anyone who got in his way. His only soft spot is his younger sister, Veronica, who is all he has left in this world. Cameron would do anything to protect her … even if it implies striking back by kidnapping the sister of the man blackmailing Veronica.
The deal was fair. Sarah Redden in return for those racy pictures of his sister.
What was supposed to be even easier was keeping his little prisoner captive on his private island. What he never expected was to have a wildcat bent on escaping at each and every turn.
And what was even worst … he could not resist her. The more she battled him, the more attracted he was with his fiery little prisoner. But she was so off-limits … he did not sympathise with the enemy. EVER.
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