by Meg Ripley
“Okay, I think it’s good,” Rosa said. “Turn and suck it in.”
“Are you kidding me?” I gave her a look over my shoulder. “It’s fine, trust me. I’m still not showing that much.”
Rosa tightened the back of the dress, where laces crossed over my upper back. I’d found a dress with an empire waistline that would allow for a growing pregnant belly. When she was done, I stood in front of the mirror, inspecting myself.
A woman from the village had done my hair in piles of curls on my head. The dress was tight at my chest, making my swollen breasts look even bigger. Beading covered the bodice section, which sat above the long layers of satin. The bracelet on my wrist sparkled, but it didn’t outshine the light in my eyes.
I smiled with deep satisfaction and looked over my bridesmaids. In dresses of light blue, with their hair done up similarly, they looked beautiful. And impatient.
Isabella handed me my bouquet of desert wildflowers. “That’s the final touch!” She hugged Rosa and wiped a tear away. “Our little sister, pregnant and getting married.”
“And before both of us,” Rosa grumbled.
I bit my lip. “No fighting over the bouquet toss. I don’t care how badly either of you wants to be next.”
“¿Hija?” My mother’s voice called through the door. “Are you ready?”
“Yes, Mama. We’re coming.”
We left the room and joined my mother and brother in the living room.
“Oh, look at you!” I exclaimed when I saw Miguel. I could count on one hand the number of times I’d seen him dress up, let alone wear a suit and tie.
“Yeah, it’s not too bad.” He looked himself over. “But you look amazing.”
My mother put her hands on my shoulders. “Your father would be so proud right now.”
Tears came to my eyes. As happy as the day was, we all felt my father’s loss.
“He would have been a crying mess.” I laughed and carefully dabbed my eyes.
“True,” my mother said. She kissed both of my cheeks.
When it was time, my family and I stood just inside our back door, ready to walk down the aisle. The ranch had been transformed into a wonder of white decorations. Flower petals lined the aisle, and lights had been strung around every rock and tree across our ranch’s land.
The music began, played by several members of the village who had a small band. I stood behind my sisters with my mother on one side and Miguel on my other. It was the closest I could get to the person who should be walking me. One side of our guests was packed with the people of Boquillas. The other side was full of Big Bend’s Rangers. All of our family and friends had come to surround us with love.
My sisters walked down the aisle and took their place. Elijah stood, shifting his weight as he looked my way, but I was still partially hidden from his view. Elijah’s brother, Benjamin, and Sawyer stood beside him, dressed in suits with blue ties.
I reached Elijah and his smile was as huge as mine.
“You look like an angel,” he whispered to me.
I smiled and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek.
The minister began, saying all the things we’d practiced during the rehearsal. But then, he shifted focus and said something that I wasn’t expecting.
“Even on a day as precious as today, we are all still reminded of those who are no longer with us.”
I looked at the minister in surprise. He winked back at me. He’d been close to my father and had fought fires with the Demonios for years.
“The loss of Diego Benitez will be felt by us all for the rest of our days. Today, we honor his memory with a simple reminder of his presence, which is with us in our hearts.”
He gestured behind me, to the seat beside my mother. On the seat sat my father’s fire helmet, and tears filled my eyes.
Elijah leaned closer. “I wanted to make him part of our day somehow.”
“You did this?” I whispered.
He nodded.
“Thank you.” I dabbed my eyes again and the ceremony continued.
We’d said the vows we’d written and exchanged rings, and before I knew it, we were kissing and being announced as Mr. and Mrs. Elijah Tucker.
The group shifted closer to the stables, where we had tables and chairs set up for the reception party, and after dinner, Elijah and I had our first dance.
He held me close, swaying me side to side as he spoke softly in my ear. “This was the most perfect day. The only day that could have even come close was the day I met you.”
“And soon, the day our baby will be born,” I added.
“I can’t wait for that day.”
“It seems so far away. Five more months.”
“Five more months,” he agreed, “then we’ll meet our little cowboy or cowgirl.”
I rested my head on his shoulder and took in the warmth of his closeness. “I couldn’t ask for anything more.”
Preview Of Sawyer’s Mate
Werebears Of Big Bend
1
Madelyn
I looked up at the hotel standing tall before me as I turned into the parking lot. What they say is true: everything is bigger in Texas. I pulled my rental car up to the entrance and grabbed several bags from the trunk. A man came to help me and loaded them onto a cart. I’d never traveled with so much luggage before, but I wasn’t on a short-term trip. I would be there, in Big Bend, Texas, for an entire semester.
I headed into the hotel’s lobby and took off my cardigan while I waited. Even in January, the temperature was warm enough for t-shirts—nothing like the Januarys back home in New Hampshire, where the high was only 18 degrees that day. It was hard to imagine snow in this arid climate where the sun shone so brightly. But soon enough, I would be back home, with a fresh degree in paleontology from Harvard in my hand.
After I checked in and got my key card, I followed my luggage up to my room. I was pleasantly surprised; Harvard had said the accommodations would be first-class, and they certainly were. The room was actually a suite with a bedroom and bathroom on one side and a small kitchen on the other. A living room was nestled in the center, where a large TV hung over an electric fireplace.
The bellhop finished unloading my luggage, and after I handed him a tip, he thanked me and padded off. I was alone, and for a moment, I felt overwhelmed. Not only was I far from home and my family, I was also far from school and my classmates. I hoped my new partner, whoever she was, would be pleasant and that we’d become friends. It’d be nice to have at least one person to hang out with while in town.
As I unpacked my things, I thought about what this semester would be like. Long days in the extreme heat, digging in the dirt, hoping to unearth bones or fossils. I needed to find something in order to write my master’s thesis and graduate. That final semester, where everything I’d learned so far would come into play in a real-live dig site inside Big Bend National Park, was going to provide part of the research needed for my paper.
I pictured the hot days, the cool showers and air conditioning afterward, and my evenings spent writing or seeing the town. A few months of that and then I’d be moving back home. I’d likely live with my parents for a few months while I found a job and a place of my own. Then, I’d be on my way into a new career—and a new chapter in my life. It was so close, I could taste it.
It would be great to be near family again. The two years it’d taken to complete my coursework had flown by, but felt long at the same time. What made it worse was that my niece was born just a month after I’d left. I’d never been able to spend a lot of time with Allison, and was looking forward to getting to know her while making up for lost time with the rest of my family. Alli’s angelic little face popped into my mind and I smiled.
Someone knocked on my door and I was unsure of who it might be. But when I opened it, a man stood there—a rather good-looking man. He wore a sport jacket, hanging open to show off his button-down shirt. He looked like he had money and dressed accordingly. His short, dark hair was
so glossy and sharp that it looked untouchable. He was stylish, no doubt. But I had no idea who he was or why he was there.
“Can I help you?” I asked.
He looked confused. “Room 521?”
“Yes?”
“Are you a Harvard student?”
My confusion mounted. “Yes…”
“Here on a dig at Big Bend National Park?”
“Yes…”
“And there are still only two students coming this semester?” he asked.
“As far as I know.”
“Then it seems that there’s been a mistake. I’m your partner.”
How could that be? We were supposed to have partners of the same sex, not co-ed. I would be spending a lot of time with my partner and we’d be working together closely. Neither I nor the department head wanted any distractions in the way of romance.
“We’d better check our paperwork,” I said.
He held up his hand with his papers in it.
“Come in.” I stepped back to let him in and then went to find my own papers. According to my information, my partner was to be in room 520, across the hall.
“Are you in room 520?” I asked him as I pointed to the room number on the sheet.
“I am. But I think I’ve found the problem.” With his index finger, he traced a circle around his name. “I’m Julian Kensington, the fourth.” He held his hand out proudly and I shook it. “Not Julia.”
“Julia-n. Oh. Seems there was some sort of mistake.”
“One little letter makes a world difference.”
“You’d think they would have given more information than just a name.” I’d have to make some phone calls to get this straightened out.
“It’s no big deal, really.” He grinned and stuck his hands in his pockets. “Besides, I sure wouldn’t mind looking at you for the next few months.”
My mouth went dry and I swallowed hard. “Thanks…I…really am here to focus on my schoolwork, though. I have a thesis to write.”
“Don’t we all? We can work together, you know? Help each other out.”
I didn’t need help from a fellow student, but it would be too rude to say that. “I’m sure as we work together, we’ll help each other plenty.”
“I look forward to it. You have a good night.”
“You, too.”
I felt relieved when I closed the door and locked the chain. What a nightmare it could have been if he’d turned out to be one of those people who just hung around all the time and didn’t get the hint when you wanted to be left alone. Maybe it’ll all work out. Hmm…he is quite good-looking…
No, that would never work. I picked up my phone and called my program advisor.
“We have a bit of a situation,” I explained to her. I told her about Julian’s name being incorrect on the paperwork.
“I do see that,” she confirmed. “What a mix up.”
I chuckled. “I’ll say. I knew we could get this straightened out.”
“Well…” I could hear her keys clicking through the phone. “I do have someone in line for the program who is definitely female.”
“Perfect.”
“However,” she continued, “she is in classes this semester, finishing her coursework.”
My stomach dropped. “There’s no one else?”
“Everyone has been assigned already, I’m afraid. And anyone who hasn’t would be enrolled in classes. I’m terribly sorry about this. We’ll understand if you’d like to wait a semester to be partnered with a female.”
Wait a semester? And do what, just hang out for months, waiting for a new partner, waiting to start my life? “No, I can’t do that. I’ll just deal with it and hope this doesn’t cause...problems.”
“Well, if it does, be sure to call me. There’s no room for unacceptable behavior, just because you’re not on campus. Both of you must represent Harvard well.”
“I want nothing more. Thank you.”
I hung up, but my stomach hadn’t settled. I didn’t like the idea of working closely with a man. And the fact that he was attractive and had already flirted with me made it even worse. I’d have to keep my focus and not let him or anything else get in my way.
If you enjoyed this preview of Sawyer’s Mate, you can check out the remainder of the story HERE. Available with Kindle Unlimited.
Preview Of Damien’s Nanny
Beverly Hills Dragons
1
BEVERLY HILLS, 1984
Damien Van Buren tipped back in his black leather chair to look at his daughter. Stephanie was playing peacefully in the corner of his home office, her toys scattered around her on the beige carpet. He might just get away with making a phone call, and he certainly had plenty to do. He picked up the receiver and dialed.
“Mike, it’s Damien. How are we today?”
“The Damien-meister!” Mike was always a little too casual, no matter what was happening. “I’m fantastic, man!”
“Great.” Damien cast another quick glance at Stephanie, happy to see that his sweet dragonling was still occupied. “I just wanted to check with you and see if you have that demo recorded for me yet. I’m anxious to see what this band can do.” Damien had recently been turned onto a band that he thought might have a great new sound for his label. As director of A&R, it was Damien’s job to find new talent. As thirsty as society seemed to be for music those days, it was a continuous job.
“Dude, they just wrapped up a couple of hours ago, and they’re awesome! I should have the tape ready in a couple of days.”
“Wonderful. I’m glad to hear it.” And he truly was. Even if his personal life was in shambles, at least his professional life was still going strong. He had a good feeling about this band.
“Hey, are you free tonight? Me and a few other guys are heading out to see Red Dawn.”
Damien pressed his lips together and glanced over his shoulder at Stephanie again. At one time, it would have been easy for him to slip out to the theater with his coworkers. But there was no chance of it happening tonight, and he was surprised to find that he actually didn’t mind. The only thing he really wanted was quality time with his daughter. “I really can’t, but thanks. Just make sure you send that tape over as soon as you can. Have the courier bring it to my house, since I’ll be out of the office for a few days.” Damien winced and looked down as he felt something hard smash into his knee. Stephanie was standing next to his chair, holding onto the arm with one hand and putting her toys on his lap with the other. She grinned at him.
“Yeah, I heard. Phew, that’s rough. Divorce is tough on anybody, but I always thought you and Linda were the ultimate power couple.”
Damien swiped a hand down over his face. It seemed that no matter who he talked to or what they were supposed to be talking about, the conversation always turned to his divorce. With both he and Linda being involved in the entertainment industry, it had been somewhat of a high-profile affair. That was only exacerbated by the fact that Linda had been sleeping around with every man—and every coke dealer—in Hollywood. “It’s fine. I’m adjusting to it.”
“Well, my condolences, anyway. I’m never going to get married. I’ll just be single for the rest of my life, and then I’ll always be happy.”
Stephanie was trying to leverage her way into Damien’s lap. “Good luck with that, Mike. I’ll talk to you later.” He hung up the phone and hoisted his daughter up easily, smiling as she patted his cheeks with her little hands. “I guess you’ve decided it’s time for me to call it quits for the day, huh?”
The little girl grinned again. She was a gorgeous child, with dark, curly locks and brilliant blue eyes. “Daddy!” she squealed.
“What?” He tickled her ribs, getting a kick at the way she thrashed around in response. It was a simple way to play, but it was one of his favorites because it always ended in snuggles. “What’s the matter with you? Why are you acting so crazy?”
Stephanie squealed with delight. “Daddy!”
Damien scooped h
er up and stood, carrying his daughter under his arm as he headed for the kitchen. He wasn’t the world’s best cook, so fortunately, there were several containers of leftovers from when the cook had been in. Damien had reduced her to part-time to help make up for his alimony payments, and he hoped he wouldn’t regret it. “What do you think?” he asked as he held open the fridge door. “Lasagna?”
“Yucky!” the little girl replied.
“Okay, how about some pork steak?”
“Steak?”
“Um, no. It’s a little bit different than the kind we usually have. But there might be some beef steak in here.” That was one thing he did know how to cook. He set Stephanie down so he could dig through the fridge more easily, but couldn’t find it.
The phone rang, so dinner would have to be put off for a few more minutes. He grabbed the cordless off the kitchen counter. “Hello?”
“Well, I hope you’re happy,” seethed a bitter voice from the other end.
A row of shimmering spikes emerged along the back of Damien’s neck. Rubbing his free hand over his forehead, he paused to collect himself before responding, and the spiny projections slowly melded with his human flesh once again.
If you enjoyed this preview of Damien’s Nanny, you can now read the entire Beverly Hills Dragons series in one collection!
In the decade of excess, four of Hollywood’s most elite dragons have everything their hearts could desire–except their mates.
Grab Your Copy HERE
Available With Kindle Unlimited
Also Available In The Shifter Nation Series
Werebears Of Glacier Bay
Alaska can be harsh and unpredictable—especially when it comes to finding a mate. But even in this most remote place, these bears are searching for a love that will warm their frigid hearts.