Ethan nodded approvingly. “Good for you, Parker. It’s about time.”
Parker actually agreed with his sibling. He also believed they’d come to an understanding about staying out of each other’s personal lives or choices unless asked or invited in.
That didn’t mean the others shouldn’t look over their shoulders, he thought wryly.
“So that’s my news,” Parker said. “And I wanted to share it with the people I love. And the ones I’m going to miss. So you’d all better plan on visiting us in Colorado.”
He only hoped there would be an us when he arrived.
* * *
Emily was arm deep in flour, baking bread. Not angry baking. Not hurt baking. Just very emotional baking because she needed the release. She wore her Kiss the Cook apron, had her hair pulled into a floppy, messy ponytail, nixed the makeup because she wasn’t leaving the house and she didn’t wear much on a regular day anyway, and flipped on music.
Because she was feeling sentimental, she picked Queen, the same album she and Parker had listened to on their way to the resort, where they’d shared an amazing couple of days. Not letting her mind wander there, she focused on the music and found herself singing to “Crazy Little Thing Called Love.”
Just wonderful, she thought to herself. Then again, what had she expected when she’d chosen these songs? She kneaded the bread, then rolled the dough with the ceramic rolling pin, her mind never wandering much past Parker.
It had been two weeks since she’d seen him. Two weeks since she’d heard his voice. Felt his strong arms around her. Nope, she wasn’t over him yet. Not by a long shot. But she didn’t regret telling him not to keep in touch. Without a doubt, she knew she couldn’t handle idle chitchat about their lives without falling apart and begging him to come back. And let’s face it. If he wanted to be here badly enough, he’d have found a way to make it work.
Just like she could have asked to join him in New York?
She pinched the bridge of her nose, wondering not for the first time if she’d made the ultimate mistake not broaching the subject. Of letting herself consider moving to Manhattan to be with the man she loved.
Her dad would always be her dad. Her sister lived in Florida and they were all still close. As for Harper? Her best friend in the entire world would understand. Emily just hadn’t been brave enough to even let herself consider the idea, and now she was knee deep in architectural plans and she owed Parker money that she could only pay back by building the property and making the shop a success.
God, what a mess she’d made of her life.
She was alone here for the afternoon. Her father was at lunch with Dr. Carlysle in town. As for the inn’s future, they had plans in place. Emily had chosen the wallpaper, carpet, and furniture through an online site that offered decoration help and they should be up and running within a few months.
Once they were ready, they’d place an ad with the local paper in their print edition they left at all businesses and their online site for housekeeping and cooking help. They anticipated the renovations to continue through the summer, then a slow fall season with more of a soft opening until they could get a website up and running and word out about their accommodations.
As for Emily and Harper, the architect brought them plans they’d loved and approved. With the town being small, permits should be approved quickly and construction should start soon. Harper would be able to keep the coffee shop open for a good part of the work. Meanwhile they were doing research on what they wanted for décor. It was exciting. Invigorating. Or should be, if she could share it with Parker.
She blew out a deep breath and began to cut the dough into the right size when the front door opened. “Hello?” she called out.
Now that Rex had been arrested and because he was considered dangerous, not given bail, she was comfortable going back to the unlocked, visitors-welcome policy they’d had before.
Nobody answered, so she wiped her hands on her apron and started for the entryway, stopping short when she laid eyes on Parker. She let out a startled gasp, then blinked a few times to make sure she wasn’t dreaming or conjuring him up because she wanted it to be him so badly.
“Parker?” He’d trimmed his scruffy beard, keeping the overall effect that he’d achieved while not shaving during his time in Colorado, and he wore a navy Henley and a pair of jeans, and the red light down jacket he’d bought at Caleb Benson’s.
“In the flesh.”
She tipped her head to the side, her heart pounding hard in her chest. “Why?” she asked, that damned lump that was always in her throat still there, only bigger.
“Because I missed you.” His blue eyes sparkled with mirth and happiness.
They still stood feet apart but she needed to know more before getting her hopes up. “So you came for a visit?”
“Actually I packed up my car and drove across the damned country. I’m back for good.” He shook his head. “I’m back for you. Forever.”
She finally let herself believe.
Breathe.
With a squeal, she ran for him, jumping into his arms and peppering kisses all over his face. “Oh my God, I missed you. I didn’t know how I was going to get through losing you. I was contemplating moving to New York, but I was so entrenched here with the coffee shop and renovations–”
“Emily?”
“Yes?”
“Shut up and kiss me,” he said with a grin.
And then her lips were on his, her tongue in his mouth, and all was right in her world. He kissed her until she was dizzy and gasping for air. It was only when she lifted her head and looked into his eyes that she realized something important.
“I never told you,” she said.
That blue gaze held on to hers. “I know.”
She pressed her hands against his cheeks and said, “I love you, Parker Knight. And I never want to be without you again.”
Something akin to relief crossed his face as he slid her down his body. He reached into his pocket, then to her utter shock, he lowered himself to one knee.
“Emily Ann Stevens, will you spend the rest of our lives making me the happiest man alive? Will you marry me?”
She gasped as he revealed a very large ring by her small-town standards, but a tasteful and gorgeous ring with a round stone and two rubies on either side.
“The rubies are for your mom. So you’ll always know she’s with you.”
She blinked, forcing the tears that had been welling in her eyes to fall. “I can’t believe you thought about that. I love it.”
“Well?” he asked. “Before my bad knee gives out?”
“Yes!” she squealed, pulling him to a standing position before wrapping her arms around his neck and kissing him hard.
“Did she say yes yet?” Her father’s voice sounded from outside.
Laughing, Parker pulled her against him as they turned to face the front door. “Come in, James. Harper.”
She and Harper hugged, squealed, and did the girl thing. Then she turned to her dad. “You knew?”
“I wasn’t going to ask you to marry me without your father’s permission,” Parker said, pressing a kiss to the top of her head.
“I can’t say it was easy to keep a secret, either, not with you moping around here,” James said with a huge grin.
Emily turned to Harper. “You knew?” she asked in shock.
“Oh hell no,” Parker muttered. “I called her on my way here. I didn’t trust her not to give away the surprise.”
Harper pouted but she was laughing.
And Emily had everyone who mattered with her at the most important moment in her life. Best of all, she had the man of her dreams.
“What are you going to do here?” she asked.
He swiped at her nose. “Flour,” he said with a grin. “I have plans, baby. Big plans.”
“As long as they include me, I’m happy.”
And she was. Unbelievably, incredibly happy and she never intended to take one day with P
arker for granted.
Epilogue
Parker packed away his skis in the garage of the house he’d built on land he and Emily had purchased not long after he’d moved to Colorado. They weren’t comfortable living with her father and Parker wanted a place of their own. The house wasn’t far from the inn where James lived and ran his bed-and-breakfast, making Emily happy.
After settling in, he’d wanted to make things legal with Emily quickly and had flown his entire family out to join them for the wedding. Emily loved his siblings and their spouses … well, everyone but Ethan, who she still watched warily but tried to win over with her delicious baked goods.
Parker knew that once Ethan moved on from what had happened with Mandy and returned to being the man he once was, he and Emily would get along fine. She said she wasn’t giving up on him despite his surly disposition. Her words, and they fit.
At the urging of both Emily and Caleb, his new partner, he’d begun to ski again, for fun. To his surprise, he found he missed it more than he’d realized or let himself acknowledge. It was a big part of him at one time and he’d cut himself off from it completely. He was grateful to have it back, and he couldn’t help but feel he had Emily to thank for opening his heart again. To so many things.
He walked into the rustic home and immediately inhaled the familiar scent of Snickerdoodles, the cookie she’d begun to bake for him every time he went out to ski. He’d come home and she’d greet him with cookies, sipping her hot chocolate as he devoured half the plate at one sitting.
She and Harper had opened their business and it was a huge success. They’d hired a cake baker, which enabled them to cater parties as well. They had a good, reliable staff and things were going well for them. He was extremely proud of her.
She stood in the kitchen, rinsing off the mixer beaters. He loved watching her do the basic things she loved, knowing she got pleasure out of baking and making their house a home while running a business she loved.
“Hey, gorgeous,” he said, immediately reaching for the cookies waiting for him on a plate.
Catching sight of him, she wiped her hands on a towel and walked over, giving him a kiss.
“Hey, yourself.” She smiled. “I’m glad you’re home. There’s something I’ve been dying to tell you.”
He raised his eyebrows. “What’s that?”
Grasping his hand, she pulled him out of the kitchen, a state-of-the-art room he’d given her as a gift, and led him to the bedroom.
“Sit,” she said, bracing her hands on his shoulders and lowering him to the mattress on the bed.
“Now close your eyes.”
Last time he’d told her to close her eyes, he’d left. But trusting her, he warily shut his lids.
He heard footsteps, then she said, “Open.” In her hand, she held out a pregnancy test with two distinct pink lines. “Congratulations, Daddy.”
“Holy shit.” Seriously holy shit. They knew they wanted kids but they hadn’t discussed how soon.
“Remember that bout of strep throat? Apparently antibiotics lessen the pill’s effectiveness. We weren’t thinking about that when we…”
Laughing, he rose and tossed her gently onto the bed, coming down on top of her. “I didn’t think you could make me any happier but you just did.”
Her wide smile told him she was relieved at his reaction. “I wasn’t that worried but … you never know.”
He kissed her forehead, her nose, her lips. “Now you know for sure.” And then he went on to make love to his wife.
The soon-to-be mother of his child.
Life truly couldn’t get any better.
Next up in The Knight Brothers Series is DARE ME TONIGHT, Ethan’s story:
ORDER your copy of DARE ME TONIGHT by clicking HERE.
Read an EXCERPT of DARE ME TONIGHT HERE.
DARE ME TONIGHT
What happens when a Knight Seduces a Dare?
New York Times Bestselling author Carly Phillips returns to her fan favorite Dare family with an all new steamy Dare/Knight crossover standalone, DARE ME TONIGHT.
Sparks fly when a Knight seduces a Dare.
Sienna Dare is forbidden.
She’s too young and she has an overprotective brother whose business Ethan Knight can’t risk losing.
He’s on the rebound and overcoming his deceased wife’s betrayal.
But at a black tie event, their mutual desire flares.
Passion between them can’t be ignored.
And one hot night changes everything when Sienna finds herself tied to Ethan for good.
ORDER your copy of DARE ME TONIGHT by clicking HERE.
Chapter One
Sienna Dare walked into her half-brother, Ian’s office in the Miami Thunder stadium, still in awe of the fact that she had any kind of relationship with Ian at all, given their crazy dynamic. It had taken him years to accept her part of the family in his life, considering Sienna’s mom had been their father’s mistress. In true soap opera tradition, Robert Dare had two families. But they’d been working on making their peace as adults, and here they were now.
Considering how much she needed Ian’s advice on her future, Sienna was grateful. She’d normally ask her older brothers for help but Alex was away with his wife Madison on a business trip, and Jason was in New York City, running his nightclubs.
Her parents? Her father hadn’t been around much lately and her mother seemed wrapped up in whatever drama followed her father now. Sienna refused to think much about her parents’ personal lives. She had enough to worry about on her own.
She knocked on the door and knowing Ian was expecting her and stepped inside.
“What the hell did you do to your hair?”
She’d barely had a foot in the door when Ian had raised his voice. And to think, she’d wondered if he’d even notice the change.
“Don’t you like it?” She pulled on the long ponytail, grinning at the dark strands she saw in her peripheral vision.
Ian scowled. “You were blonde last time I saw you.”
“And now I’m not. I dyed it.” She sat down on the couch across the room from his desk, not put off by his typical bluster.
Maybe when she’d first met Ian he’d frightened her with his gruff exterior, but she’d seen him with his sisters – his full blooded sisters, Olivia and Avery – and knew there was a heart beneath the brusqueness. And lately, he’d extended that… she wouldn’t call it sweetness… more like caring to her, as well. It helped that Alex worked for Ian at the Thunder, too. The family was coming together. Considering she was the reason they’d been torn apart, the rapprochement made Sienna happy.
Ian was still frowning at her dark hair.
“Well, I like it,” she informed him. “It’s part of me finding myself,” she said, not willing to be steamrolled.
He pushed himself to a standing position, looking imposing as ever in his suit and tie, and walked over, joining her on the couch. “Look, I understand you graduated college and you’re confused about what to do with your life.”
She swallowed hard. “You can say that again. I’m twenty-three years old. I lost a year of school when I was sick so I’m really old enough that I ought to know what I want. But I don’t.”
He tapped a pen on the table in front of him. “You have good choices ahead of you though. You’re an extremely bright woman. You graduated Summa Cum Laude in management and business, and you have an offer for a full scholarship to attend Columbia’s exclusive Digital Business Strategy program. And I happen to know you’ve received an invitation to attend their NYC Weekend Scholar’s Social starting this Saturday.”
She raised an eyebrow at her half-brother. “I can see why Avery says you know all and see all.” She’d been avoiding RSVP’ing to the weekend event and she’d let the due date to reply lapse because she’d known then she’d have to make a decision on the program.
He shrugged. “I make it my business to know about my family and those I care about.” He lowered his voice, as
he said, “You’ve become one of those people, Sienna.”
She shifted uncomfortably. “Because I was the sick one? The baby with childhood Leukemia?” She’d been in remission since she was seven thanks to the generosity of Avery’s bone marrow donation.
Her dad, Robert Dare, had gone to his legitimate family, told them about his mistress and family on the side, blown their worlds and his marriage sky high and asked the kids to be tested to save Sienna. Her mother had known about the other wife and family all along. The kids had learned when the fallout happened. Not so for Ian and his side of the family.
“No, not because you were once sick,” Ian said with a definitive shake of his head. “Because you’re you and you’ve been nothing but good and kind to my siblings. And to me even when I was a jerk.” His lips twitched, as much of a smile as Ian Dare gave. “So about the weekend in New York. I think you should go. It will give you good perspective on what to expect from the school and an idea about whether you’d like living in Manhattan.”
She pulled her bottom lip between her teeth. “I umm let the RSVP lapse.”
He rolled his broad shoulders, dismissing her concern. “And I took care of that for you. I told the school you’d be coming and I did you one better. I called an acquaintance of mine who is going to be your escort for the weekend.”
“Ian!” He was so presumptuous and pushy. But wasn’t that why she was here? So he’d help her make decisions?
“The school would have assigned you to someone anyway. This way you get someone I trust. Ethan Knight’s company gives major donations to the school and to this program in particular,” he went on, ignoring her outburst. “He’ll escort you to the formal the first night and give you an upscale tour of Manhattan the next day. By the time you leave, you’ll have a good idea of whether the program is right for you. No pressure. And I know you’ll be in good hands,” he said, sounding very pleased with himself.
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