by Elle Casey
I laugh. “Stick around? What makes you think I’m going anywhere?”
He shrugs and looks down at the ground. “When I love people this much, they go. Forever. They go away forever.”
I grab him to me and hug him so hard I almost strangle him. “I’m not going anywhere.” I kiss his neck loudly. “Come on. Let’s go baptize this monster.”
Before I know what’s happening, he sweeps me up into his arms and carries Colleen and me over to the priest and the silver bowl.
“Well, special delivery, I guess,” the priest says, chuckling. He holds his arms out for the baby and I pass her over. Taking out a silver seashell from the bowl, he gently dips it down into the water, collecting some in the bottom of it.
The priest raises the shell of water up over the baby’s head. “I baptize you, Colleen …” Quin and Teagan join him in a chorus of voices, “…Teaquin Benson!” The priest continues on his own, letting the water run out of the shell and down Colleen’s head. “In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.”
The entire group finishes the ceremony all together. “Amen!”
CHAPTER SIXTY-ONE
THE DAY WAS LONG AND although everything went off without a hitch, with no one punching anyone’s lights out, I’m happy to be in bed for the night, snuggled under the covers with my two most favorite people in the world. Colin and Colleen.
“You happy?” Colin asks.
“Yeah, I’m happy.” I could stare at his face forever and never get tired of it. I reach out and touch his eyebrows, smoothing them down a couple times before pulling my arm back inside the warm covers.
“Think you’ll ever want to marry me?” he asks.
I’m stunned into silence. For about three seconds. Then I reach out of the covers and smack him.
“Hey! What was that for?” He’s laughing.
“That is not how you ask a girl to marry you, you big dope.” I’m angry and thrilled. He is too much. I never know what he’s going to do or say next.
“I was just checking for indications of interest.” He ducks under the covers before I can get him again.
“Indications of interest?” I grumble. “I’ll give you an indication of interest…
He crawls under the covers and grabs me around my waist.
“Hey!” I whisper-shout, trying to wriggle away. “Stop! You’ll wake the baby.”
His head pops out of the covers by my stomach. “I’m putting her in her crib.”
A hot jolt of excitement runs through me. Baby in the crib is totally code. “No, you’re not.”
“Oh, yes I am. Just for thirty minutes.”
I can’t help but smile, feeling really naughty. “Why? You got plans?”
“Yeah, you know it, baby.” He buries his face between my legs, and I squeal with surprise. “Fine! Put her in her crib,” I whisper. “And hurry up. She’s going to wake up soon.”
Colin hurries to put her down, tucking her in with blankets, before doing a flying leap back into the bed.
I squeal again, this time with anticipation.
“You love me,” he says, grabbing me into his arms and flipping me over on top of him.
“Yes. I do.” I’m lying on his chest staring down at his face.
“You just said I do.” He grins.
“Oooh, no you don’t. It’s not going to be that easy, trust me,” I say, using my most evil grin.
“Oh, yeah?” He flips me over and then starts going down below the covers. “We’ll just see about that.”
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Elle Casey is a prolific, New York Times and USA Today bestselling American author who lives in Southern France with her husband (who sometimes wears a kilt), three kids (who never stop moving), Hercules the wonder poodle (who sleeps next to her side for every word typed), Monie the bouvier (who also never stops moving), and a few other furry creatures (don’t ask). Her favorite things are red wine, pretty much anything with sugar in it, and sexy books. If she has all three around her at the same time, please do not disturb … the writer is busy creating. In her spare time she writes new adult and young adult novels (you can find her Women’s Fiction work under the pen name Kat Lee.) She publishes about one novel per month and has been accused of being a cyborg for her ability to consistently turn out captivating stories with characters that stay in readers’ heads long after the book is closed. She neither confirms nor denies this accusation.
A personal note from Elle …
If you enjoyed this book, please consider leaving positive feedback on Amazon, Goodreads, or any book blogs you participate in. More positive feedback means I can spend more time writing! Oh, and I love interacting with my readers, so if you feel like shooting the breeze or talking about books or your pets, please visit me. You can find me at …
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OTHER BOOKS BY ELLE CASEY
*= Coming Soon
NEW ADULT ROMANCE
Shine Not Burn
By Degrees
Don’t Make Me Beautiful
Rebel
Hellion
Trouble
Trainwreck*
Hold Me Down*
YA PARANORMAL ROMANCE
Duality, Volume I (Melancholia)
Duality, Volume II (Euphoria)
YA URBAN FANTASY
War of the Fae: Book 1, The Changelings - FREE!
War of the Fae: Book 2, Call to Arms
War of the Fae: Book 3, Darkness & Light
War of the Fae: Book 4, New World Order
Clash of the Otherworlds: Book 1, After the Fall
Clash of the Otherworlds: Book 2, Between the Realms
Clash of the Otherworlds: Book 3, Portal Guardians
My Vampire Summer
My Vampire Fall*
Aces High (co-written with Jason Brant)
YA DYSTOPIAN
Apocalypsis: Book 1, Kahayatle
Apocalypsis: Book 2, Warpaint
Apocalypsis: Book 3, Exodus
Apocalypsis: Book 4, Haven
YA ACTION ADVENTURE
Wrecked
Reckless
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Thank you, readers! I delivered this book 24 days late. I’ve never done that before and boy, I hope never to do that again. For 2 years I published a book every month for my readers, meeting every deadline and pushing myself to the limit. Well, December 2013 rolled around and things got crazy. I spent 2 weeks overseas, I fell off a horse, my entire family got sick, and about twenty other things happened that just kept interfering in the writing process. Luckily, with all the support and motivation I received from my readers, I pulled through and finished this puppy. I really hope you’ve enjoyed it. Thanks for investing so much of yourself in my work!
To my crack team of editors and beta readers, thank you! I know this book had more than its fair share of typos. Seems like the longer I take to write something, the rougher it comes out. Weird, huh?
Hugs to all the bloggers out there who share my work with their readers. I’m so lucky to have you by my side.
To my family who has been beyond patient with me and my stressful days. This book was a bear for all of us. I love you and appreciate you so much. Even being a writer, it’s impossible for me to adequately express that in words.
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