She reached up and brushed her fingers against his cheek. He leaned into her touch wanting so much more than the simple connection. He wanted to kiss her and hold her in his arms. He wanted that every day of his life and couldn’t believe it had taken them this long to see it.
“You know I love you,” she whispered. “I’ve always loved you, Ethan.”
He scooped her up in his arms and held her tight against his body. Bending his head, he claimed her mouth with his, kissing her fiercely with every bit of emotion he had in his soul.
He recalled the words his mother used when talking about his father. There starts to be a point when you can't imagine yourself with anyone else.
“I love you,” he whispered against her ear. “I don’t know how I’ll live another moment if you’re not with me, Maddie.”
“You know, I’ve always heard that the right woman could tame a wild man’s heart.”
He laughed and spun her around. “Well, you certainly did that to me. Marry me, Maddie. I never want to know what it’s like to not have you with me.”
“I guess we’re going to have to finish the Wounded Veterans Center real soon,” she said, looking at him directly.
“Why?”
“Because there are a lot of McKinnon weddings lined up waiting to happen there.”
“Does that mean I can take your answer as being yes?”
“You bet,” she said, wrapping her arms around him. “On one condition.”
“What’s that?”
“We go to Sturgis.”
Confused, he said, “I thought you wanted nothing to do with Sturgis?”
“I didn’t. But that motorcycle is too beautiful not to show off. Look at it, it’s incredible. We have to go show it off. We’ll just drive up there and ride down Main Street once, just to say we did it.”
“Denny would have liked that.”
She kissed him. “I think he would have liked us being together, too. But let’s not do it for him. Let’s do it for us.”
Minutes later they climbed on the motorcycle and headed up the highway toward Sturgis. Maddie sat on the back of the bike with her arms wrapped around Ethan. Along the way, other motorcyclists passed them and stared. But Maddie didn’t stare back. She knew she had the best of the bunch.
The End
Dear Reader:
Thank you so much for reading WILD DAKOTA HEARTS. So many of you have written me telling me how much you love the McKinnon brothers and want their stories to continue. When I first decided to write this series, I only envisioned writing 5 novellas. But so many people have asked me if I am going to write a story about Ian, cousin to the McKinnon brothers, that I feel like he needs a lady love. So I will be writing and releasing DAKOTA WEDDING this fall, where at least one McKinnon finally ties the knot and Ian has a life changing experience finding love. In the meantime, the McKinnons are going to get the surprise you’ve all been waiting for. The oldest brother, Wade, who was presumed dead, comes back to Rudolph, South Dakota to reclaim his life and the love he left behind. The love of his life is none other than Skylar Barnett who you first met in HER DAKOTA MAN. I’ve included a blurb of HIS DAKOTA BRIDE below.
Many thanks to all my readers who’ve emailed me to tell me they love the series. Look for DAKOTA WEDDING this fall.
Please also check out my other series TEXAS HEARTS, featuring the Gentry brothers of Texas.
All my best,
Lisa Mondello
Ebooks by Lisa Mondello
Dakota Hearts
Her Dakota Man
Badland Bride
Dakota Heat
Wild Dakota Heart
His Dakota Bride
Texas Hearts Series (Contemporary Western Romance)
Her Heart for the Asking - book 1
His Heart for the Trusting - book 2
The More I See - book 3
Gypsy Hearts - book 4
Leaving Liberty – book 5
Texas Hearts Box Set (Books 1-3)
Fate with a Helping Hand Series (Contemporary Romance)
All I Want for Christmas is You - book 1
The Marriage Contract – book 2
The Knight and Maggie’s Baby – book 3
Tempting Fate Box Set (books 1-3)
Material Witness - book 1 (**Named one of Kirkus Reviews Best Books of 2012)
Nothing But Trouble (Contemporary Western Romance)
HIS DAKOTA BRIDE by Lisa Mondello
Coming March 17!
Her heart had always belonged to Wade McKinnon. . .
When single mother, Skylar Barnett, came to South Dakota, she thought her life was just beginning. Newly pregnant, she waited for the love of her life, Wade McKinnon, to join her so they could start their life near his family. But her joy quickly shattered after learning Wade was presumed killed during a tsunami that hit the small Asian island they'd both worked on in the Peace Corp. She'd spent the last four years making peace with her decision to marry a man she didn't love so her baby would have a father. But marrying the wrong man when her heart belonged to Wade was the biggest mistake of her life.
Secrets and circumstance kept them apart. . .
No one in Wade McKinnon's life knew that his work with the Peace Corp. was just a cover for his real job in a secret military agency. Not even Skylar, the woman he'd fallen hard for the moment he'd laid eyes on her. But when his mission in Asia suddenly became too dangerous and all agents in the field were ordered to disappear, using the tragic events of the tsunami on the island where they'd met seemed like the only way to keep Skylar and their unborn baby safe until the situation cooled down. As much as it killed him, Wade stepped aside when he learned Skylar had moved on with another man. But now that she's free, he's determined to do everything he can to win back her love and claim the life they'd dreamed of sharing.
Order HIS DAKOTA BRIDE by Lisa Mondello
Wild Dakota Heart (Book 4 - Dakota Hearts) Page 8