“Cold, even for her.”
“Yes, to her marriage meant only as long as Dad could keep her in high style. I hope Carl isn’t hurt by her vision of forever. It’s only as long as the money holds out.”
“He has enough to last even her, I think.” He framed her face with his hands. “But I’m truly yours forever, Princess, with or without the marriage certificate, with or without the money.”
He gave her that crooked grin she loved. “You know, for better or worse, in sickness and in health, the whole thing.”
“When do you want to get married?” She moved her fingers across the stubble on his chin and admired the strong line of his jaw.
He kissed her fingers then looked at his watch. “Guess it’s too late to tie the knot today, isn’t it?”
She laughed. “How do you feel about Valentines’ Day?”
“Way too long a wait for me, but I’ll agree to anything you want. And I swear we’ll keep the fires of love burning for the rest of our lives.”
He kissed her deeply and she reveled in his touch. When at last he broke the kiss, he nodded toward the view of the lake.
With no wind, the large snowflakes had built up to create thick layers on every flat or slanted surface. Only the red strip where the water lapped at the shore gave color to the icy fairyland. Safely inside with the man she loved, she agreed with him. The fire that burned in the fireplace was no match for the one that warmed her heart.
He caressed her cheek and his emerald eyes twinkled. “We could get snowed in again. Hey, we might be stuck here alone for days.”
She smiled and slid her arms around his neck. Her heart filled with love and hope and trust. “Oh, I hope so.”
***
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Caroline Clemmons writes Romance and Adventure. Her earliest made up adventures featured her saving the West with Roy Rogers, but she now writes romance and mystery. Her career has included stay-at-home mom (her favorite job), newspaper reporter and featured columnist, assistant to the managing editor of a psychology journal, and bookkeeper. She and her husband live in rural North Central Texas with a menagerie of rescued pets. When she’s not writing, she enjoys spending time with family, reading, travel, browsing antique malls and estate sales, and genealogy/family history.
Caroline’s Online Links
Website http://www.carolineclemmons.com
Blog http://carolineclemmons.blogspot.com
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Twitter http://www.twitter.com/carolinclemmons
Smashwords http://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/CarolineClemmons
Caroline loves to hear from readers at mailto:HYPERLINK mailto:[email protected] [email protected]
Watch for more books from Caroline Clemmons soon on Smashwords!
Table of Contents
CHAPTER ONE
CHAPTER TWO
CHAPTER THREE
CHAPTER FOUR
CHAPTER FIVE
CHAPTER SIX
CHAPTER SEVEN
CHAPTER EIGHT
CHAPTER NINE
CHAPTER TEN
CHAPTER ELEVEN
CHAPTER TWELVE
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
SNOWFIRES Page 19