“Hard to believe my mother’s been sober for four months. I think that’s some sort of record for her. Even Dr. Emerit is shocked at how well she is doing.”
A loud “woof” followed by the thumping of four feet barreling in through the open patio doors distracted them. Frank, soaked from head to paw, began shaking his body and sending a spray of water all over the living room.
“Frank,” Rayne yelled, and went running to catch his collar.
Trent laughed at her attempt to curtail the dogs zealous shaking.
“He’s ruining the furniture,” she roared to Trent. “Don’t just stand there, grab a towel.”
“It’s fine, Rayne, let him enjoy himself.”
“But the furniture?”
Trent came up to her and removed her hand from Frank’s collar. “It’s just furniture.”
Frank went flying out the back door, heading down the steep deck steps and back to the pool.
She tossed her hands in the air. “How can you be so calm about this?”
He placed his arm about her shoulders. “Never mind that. I have a surprise for you.”
She warily examined his features. “What kind of surprise?”
He ushered her toward the kitchen. “A moving in surprise.” He led her to his built-in refrigerator. “Open it.”
“My surprise is in the refrigerator?”
“Yep,” he answered.
When she opened the heavy door, she was greeted by row after row of orange juice cartons.
“So when you come home from the stables, you will always have your orange juice waiting for you,” Trent declared.
She threw her arms about his neck. “Thank you. That is the best moving in present I could hope for.”
“Well, wait, baby. I have one more thing for you.”
She stepped back from his embrace. “Another surprise?”
“But first….” He took a carton from the fridge. “We have to have a toast.”
Retrieving two iced tea glasses from the cabinet overhead, he handed one to Rayne and placed the other on the stone countertop. Trent then unscrewed the top of the juice carton and nodded to her glass. “I want to ask you something?”
Rayne held up her glass, waiting for him to pour the juice. “What is it?”
He positioned the carton over her glass, and Rayne watched, a little bewildered, when not a drop of juice came out. Then, a light clang echoed in the kitchen. When she peered down into her glass, she saw a diamond ring.
“Will you marry me, Rayne?”
After the first instant of shock wore off, tears collected in her eyes. “Yes,” she proclaimed. “Yes, I will marry you, Trent.”
With the glass in her hand, she leapt into his arms. She kissed his cheeks, his neck, and hugged him tight.
When he set her down on the floor again, he held her back, frowning. “I know women love planning weddings, but when I mentioned I was going to propose to Tyler, he insisted he and Monique have the wedding at their house. I told them I would talk to you first. I’m not trying to—”
She touched her fingers to his lips. “I don’t care where we have it as long as I get to officially make you mine.”
“Yours? I think I’ve been yours since the day we met.” Trent took the glass from her and tipped it over until the ring fell into his hand. “You were so stubborn and so damned distrusting. I never thought I could win you over.” He slipped the engagement ring on the third finger of her left hand.
Rayne admired the two-carat, emerald-shaped solitaire diamond. “And I was convinced you were an arrogant ass.”
“Still think of me that way?”
She cocked her head to the side, debating her answer. “I can’t really say, since you’re still my boss and all.”
“I’m your fiancé now, darling, not your boss.”
Rayne ran her hands up his chest, pleased with the way the diamond glistened on her left hand. “But you’re still the riding master of Southland Stables.” She nestled closer to him. “And I’m one of your instructors.”
He touched his forehead to hers. “So?”
Her lips skimmed along his jaw as her hand pressed into the crotch of his jeans. “That means you’re my riding master, and my boss.”
“Your riding master?” Trent lifted her onto the kitchen counter. “I think I like the sound of that.”
She slowly unzipped the fly of his jeans. “So how ‘bout you take me for a ride, riding master?”
As she wrapped her legs about his waist, he uttered a contented sigh. “I think I’ve finally tamed you.”
“You never tamed me, Trent.” Rayne happily smiled into his exquisite gray eyes. “You simply gained my trust. Once we had trust, only then could we find love.”
The End
About the Author
Alexandrea Weis is an advanced practice registered nurse who was born and raised in New Orleans. Her first novel, To My Senses, introduced readers to the world of Nicci Beauvoir and garnered numerous awards and rave reviews. Her popular second Nicci Beauvoir novel, Recovery, won the Gold Medal for best romantic suspense from The Reader’s Favorite Book Awards 2011, was named best Romantic Suspense novel by the Spring 2011 NABE Pinnacle Book Awards, and was a Finalist in the ForeWord Magazine Book of the Year Awards in 2011. Her fourth novel, Broken Wings, won best Contemporary Romance by the NABE Pinnacle Book Awards in 2012, was a finalist in the USA Book Awards for Romance in 2012, and was a finalist in the Reader’s Favorite Book Awards for Contemporary Romance for 2012. Her sixth novel, Diary of a One-Night Stand, was released in August 2012 and was named a Paranormal Romance Guild’s Best Reviewed of 2012. A permitted wildlife rehabber with the Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries, Weis rescues orphaned and injured wildlife. She lives with her husband and pets in New Orleans.
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