“Oh, babe.” He brushed another kiss across her soft lips. “Our life together is just beginning.” He took her mouth with his, and she tasted like warm coffee and cranberry pecan scone. Her kiss grew deeper and more intimate until she melted against him like she always did when they were alone and could show their true feelings for each other.
A throat cleared behind them.
Langston broke the kiss and leaned his forehead against hers.
“We seem to have forgotten we’re in public.” Nice. Their relationship would never be a secret again.
“Um, so I take it you’re not interested in the job at the ISA?” asked Mr. Carlisle.
Sandra stepped out of Langston’s embrace, but stayed at his side. “I’m sorry, but no, I’m not. I’d love to coordinate any winter sporting events your association wants right here, though. I’m happy to be your go-to person in Red River.”
“I understand,” said Carlisle. “I won’t lie, though. I’m disappointed. You’d make a great addition to our team.”
“Thank you for the vote of confidence, Mr. Carlisle.” She glanced around the crowd. “But I love it here. Can you give me a second before we get the ribbon cutting ceremony underway?”
He nodded and walked away.
Sandra turned back to Langston. “I love you.”
He encased her beautiful face with his hands, pressing a kiss to her forehead. “I love you, too.”
“You’re sure you want to be stuck with me?” She laughed, nuzzling her nose against his cheek.
“Damn sure,” he said. “I want to be stuck with you forever. Will you finally make an honest man out of me?”
She nodded, a smile so bright that he felt it deep in his soul. “Yes.”
“Good.” He placed another kiss on her cheek, then used his teeth too pull off one glove, then the other. He tossed them into the snow alongside the walkie-talkie. Then he withdrew the velvet box he was still carrying around in his pocket. He’d called himself a schmuck for still putting it in his pocket every morning after he’d found out she’d planned to leave town.
His schmuckery was paying off, though.
He dropped to one knee and opened the box. “Sandra Edwards, will you mar—”
“Yes!” She grabbed the front of his jacket with both hands and hauled him to his feet. “Now get up here and kiss me and make it official.”
“Sure thing, boss.” He laid the hottest, sexiest, open-mouthed kiss on her, until she sighed into his mouth and had to lean into him for support.
Cheers and more clapping rang out from the crowd.
She tilted her head back to look up at him. “After years of wanting to keep us a secret, we’re making out in front of the whole town with national broadcasters recording us.” She smiled up at him, and he knew she was as lost in him as he was her. “And it feels perfect.”
It was perfect.
He notched his chin toward the group of ISA members who were starting to look impatient. “Now that we’ve got forever to be together, we can take this up at home.”
He didn’t think it was possible for her smile to get brighter, but it did.
“Go get ‘em, tiger.” He released her and watched as she joined the fray.
Now that he finally had her—fully, completely—he really would rather take her home and celebrate their new engagement in private.
But they did have forever. Forever was a long time, and he planned to make every minute of it count.
* * *
Thank you for reading IT’S IN HIS FOREVER, the fifth book in my Red River series of STANDALONE novels and novellas.
Want more Red River Valley stories? Dylan and Hailey’s story is coming soon in IT’S IN HIS SONG! About IT’S IN HIS SONG, the next steamy standalone novella in the Red River Series:
They’re both back in Red River for good, and the chemistry is stronger than ever. But will her secret tear them apart all over again?
Dylan McCoy is restless to take over Red River’s favorite watering hole—Cotton Eyed Joe’s—when his Uncle Joe retires. First, he’s got to prove that he has what it takes to carry on Joe’s legacy. Finally able to put the painful scars from his days working in L.A.’s trendy music scene behind him, he sets out to host a weekend workshop for song writers. He calls in a favor and lines up some of the biggest musicians in the biz to attend. Life is good. Until the business owners who occupy the commercial space next door threaten to ruin his establishment right before the rock star lineup of attendees are scheduled to blow into town.
Hailey Holmes left Red River six years ago with a secret. Now—as a seasoned hairstylist who’s made her own way in the world—she’s back in town to help her cousin expand her salon. Unfortunately, the renovations aren’t going as planned and draw fire from the saloon next door. When she comes face to face with her ex, Dylan McCoy, sparks fly. Can they mend the damage done because of how they parted ways? Or will her secret cause them both to get burned again?
If you haven’t read the rest of the series, One-Click IT’S IN HIS HEART and see where it all began!
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And don’t miss my DARE ME Series! Set on the picturesque vacation island of Angel Fire Falls, it’s a sizzling series about secrets and second chances.
One-Click DARE ME ONCE!
Do you like more steam in your romance novels? Try my super sizzling series of erotic rom coms. Book 1 in my Checkmate Inc. series is just 99¢! Download FOREPLAY now.
About the Checkmate Inc. Series:
Leo Foxx, Dex Moore, and Oz Strong spent their youths studying a chessboard, textbooks… and women, from afar. Now they’re players in the city that never sleeps. Gone are their shy demeanors, replaced with muscle, style, and enough sex appeal to charm women of all ages, shapes, and cup sizes. They’ve got it all, including a multimillion-dollar business called Checkmate Inc.—a company they founded together right out of college.
Some guys are late bloomers, but once they hit their stride, they make up for lost time.
And the bonus? The founding partners of Checkmate Inc. didn’t become successful and smokin’ hot by accident. They were smart enough to surround themselves with guys who helped them transform into the men they are today. So get ready for more stories about the hotties who are connected to Checkmate Inc.
A fun, flirty, and dirty contemporary series in which the sizzling hot players associated with Checkmate Inc. meet their matches.
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Also by Shelly Alexander
Shelly’s titles with a little less steam (still sexy, though!):
The Red River Valley Series
It’s In His Heart – Coop & Ella’s Story
It’s In His Touch – Blake & Angelique’s Story
It’s In His Smile – Talmadge & Miranda’s Story
It’s In His Arms – Mitchell & Lorenda’s Story
It’s In His Forever - Langston & His Secret Love’s Story
It’s In His Song - Dylan & Hailey’s Story (2019)
The Angel Fire Falls Series
Dare Me Once — Trace & Lily’s Story
Dare Me Again — Elliott & Rebel’s Story
Dare Me Now — TBA
Dare Me Always — TBA
Shelly’s sizzling titles (with a lot of steam):
The Checkmate Inc. Series
ForePlay – Leo & Chloe’s Story
Rookie Moves – Dex & Ava’s Story
Get Wilde – Ethan & Adeline’s Story
Sinful Games –
Oz & Kendall’s Story
Wilde Rush - Jacob & Grace’s Story Coming 2019
About the Author
Shelly Alexander is the author of contemporary romances that are sometimes sweet, sometimes sizzling, and always sassy. A 2014 Golden Heart® finalist, she grew up traveling the world, earned a bachelor’s degree in marketing, and worked in the business world for twenty-five years. With four older brothers and an older sister, she watched every Star Trek episode ever made, joined the softball team instead of ballet class, and played with G.I. Joes while the Barbie Corvette stayed tucked in her closet. When she had three sons of her own, she decided to escape her male-dominated world by reading romance novels and has been hooked ever since. Now she spends her days writing steamy contemporary romances while tending to two toy poodles named Mozart and Midge.
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Copyright 2019 by Shelly Alexander
A Touch of Sass, LLC
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law.
This book is a work of fiction. All names, characters, locations, and incidents are products of the author’s imagination. Any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, things, locales, or events is entirely coincidental.
Cover design by Fiona Jayde Media
Editing by Alicia Carmical
ISBN: 978-0-9979623-3-8
Created with Vellum
It's In His Forever (A Red River Valley Novel Book 5) Page 9