She tasted like cider and cloves and something else sweet. Her hands moved over him, tentative at first but growing more confident as the kiss progressed.
She suddenly drew back and gazed up at him. “Jack?”
“Yes?” he whispered.
She ran a hand over his chest, lingering on the buttons of his shirt. “I have been considering something.”
He quelled a groan. He loved talking to her, but talking wasn’t exactly highest on his list right then.
She pressed close and wove her arms around his waist. “Some time ago, I passed by a shop window and . . . something drew my attention. Since then, it is all I think about. In fact, I can think of nothing else.”
He would agree to buy her just about anything right now if they could just continue what they’d been doing.
“I was not looking, you understand.” She slowly raised a brow. “But it caught my eye.”
And that’s when he understood. Jack pulled her closer, doing his best not to smile. Starting at the nape of her neck, he traced a feathersoft path down her back with his hand. “Is that so?”
She shivered and a promising look moved into her eyes. “If it is agreeable to you, Monsieur Brennan,” she whispered, “I would very much like to . . . buy a bonnet. One that was made especially for me.”
Jack tilted her face so her mouth would meet his. “That was made especially for us both, mon amour.”
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
To Jesus, your mercy is immeasurable, and my need for it—the same. To Joe, thank you for spending the better part of a day meandering through Cimetière de Montmartre with me. I’ll never forget that experience, and what came from it. Kelsey and Kurt, God gave you both to us, and I couldn’t be more thankful. It’s with eager anticipation that your dad and I look forward to the unfolding of your lives.
To Deborah Raney, your wonderful critiques are better than Iced White Chocolate Mochas! I love the way you push me. Don’t ever let up! To Lauren Miller Gonikishvili, thanks for sharing your knowledge of the French language. Blessings in your new marriage, and any mistakes in French . . . are my own. To Karen Schurrer, my editor, if books are “babies” then this one sure had a long birth, my friend. Thanks for your patience and for being open to my changes in the story upon my return from Paris. To Charlene Patterson, Jolene Steffer, Ann Parrish, and Sharon Asmus . . . your touches are all over this book, and your encouragement means the world to me. To Doug and June Gattis, my parents, my thanks for reading this manuscript in varying stages, and for always asking for more! To Dr. Fred Alexander, my favorite father-in-law, my appreciation for donning your editor’s cap once again. You wear it well! To Virginia Rogers and Suzi Buggeln, your comments while I write always challenge and encourage! To Naila Kling, my unofficial “Publicist Extraordinaire,” your “word of mouth” skills are unmatched, my dear! And your check is in the mail!
I offer my deepest thanks to you, my readers, who have written numerous letters and e-mails asking to know more about Larson and Kathryn Jennings, Matthew and Annabelle Taylor, and most of all . . . sweet Sadie. My appreciation for how you’ve embraced these characters and their stories. You could not pay me a greater compliment. Until we meet again in the next series (coming in 2008), I pray God’s richest blessings upon you and would love to hear from you!
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TAMERA ALEXANDER is a bestselling novelist whose deeply drawn characters, thought-provoking plots, and poignant prose resonate with readers. Having lived in Colorado for seventeen years, she and her husband now make their home in Tennessee, where they enjoy life with their two college-age children and a silky terrier named Jack.
Tamera invites you to visit her Web site at www.tameraalexander.com or write her at the following postal address:
Tamera Alexander
P.O. Box 362
Thompson’s Station, TN 37179
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