“Oh, that’s right. You’ve never held him. Here.” Rio tucked the little boy into the crook of Kate’s arm and slid an arm around her shoulders.
For a moment she couldn’t speak, her heart overflowing with her good fortune. A man, a baby, a family. Instead of feeling burdensome, it was oddly freeing. She swallowed back the emotions crowding to the surface and broke the awkward silence with the first thing that came to mind. “My, he’s heavier than I expected.”
“Healthy eater,” Dean responded with an unabashed grin and lifted the shoulder of his shirt where a small wet spot marred the surface. “Respectable burp for a little guy, but he’s a little messy. We’ll have to work on that.”
Dean brushed against the tree while trying to get back to his plate of goodies. The movement dislodged a tiny package from its position on a branch and it tumbled to the floor.
Margaret’s indrawn breath drew everyone’s attention to its position on the carpet, but it was Rio who retrieved it and stuck it in his pocket.
“If they’re falling off the tree, it must be time to open presents. Let’s sit down.” He took A.J. from her, knelt to strap him into his carrier and sat it within her reach. Instead of rising, he remained on one knee and offered Kate the little package. “I believe this one is for you.”
Now that it was in her hand, she could see that it was ingeniously wrapped so that the recipient only had to remove the ribbon to open the box. She did so, revealing a tiny, leather-covered jewelers case.
Rio took it from her and raised the top, revealing an impressive diamond engagement ring. “Marry me?”
Kate was nodding her head before he finished the question. “I believe I will.”
As Rio slid the ring on her finger and pulled her in for a kiss, they were treated to more approval, family style.
Margaret issued orders to the boys and they began piling presents beside each person in the room.
Rio sat beside Kate and leaned in close. “Don’t worry, we’ll work out the college thing. I meant what I said about you not having to give up your dream.”
“I believe you, but speaking of giving things up, I sublet my place and packed up all my stuff. My car is loaded. As for college, I’ll try to enroll in the spring semester at Metro as soon as their office reopens, but if it’s too late, I can start with the summer sessions. It’s a commuter college. Now all I need a place to live. You wouldn’t know of anything, would you?”
His gaze dropped to her mouth. When he looked up again, the fire in them almost scorched her eyebrows. “I do, actually. It’s roomy, but you’ll have to share with a couple of guys. One of them doesn’t take up much space, but he can be noisy. The other one takes up a lot of space and sometimes snores. What do you think?”
“It sounds perfect. Merry Christmas, Rio.”
“Merry Christmas, babe.”
To My Readers:
I hope you enjoyed Kate and Rio’s story and will take a few moments now to write a review at your favorite retailer. A review is simply your honest opinion regarding the story. Your review will help others find independently published works that are professionally written, edited, designed and carefully formatted.
Whether you leave a few words or a lot, your opinion is valued by me and helps other readers like yourself discover an enjoyable book. Thank you!
Carol Burnside
About The Author
CAROL BURNSIDE: SIZZLING ROMANCE WITH HEART AND HUMOR
Carol is an award-winning author of Sweetwater Springs, a series of contemporary, small town romances with serious sizzle and a generous dose of southern charm. She enjoys a second-chance-at-love story with her husband of over thirty years. A native Texan, Carol's love of travel coupled with a history of living in her share of small towns and metropolitan areas gives her a broad range of settings to choose from. She admits that as long as she has her hubby and dogs with her and a generous supply of sweetened tea, she can make her home almost anywhere.
Writing as Annie Rayburn, she produces alternate reality, soft sci-fi and lite paranormal erotic romances.
Carol blogs on her website at www.CarolBurnside.com.
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Carol Burnside
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Annie Rayburn
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Website and blog: http://AnnieRayburn.com
Books by Carol Burnside
A Suitable Wife: (Sweetwater Springs Series, #1)
ISBN: 9781310069949
Sam Moreland is desperate to keep his daughter out of the clutches of her abusive mother seeking custody. He resists legal advice to provide the court with a complete family unit because past relationships have soured him on love.
Though she yearns for children, Rosie Baxter knows a failed pregnancy has likely left her barren. She remains single rather than bring her problems into a marriage and concentrates on her business with its financial woes.
A temporary marriage pact means Rosie provides Sam with the illusion of family in return for an influx of cash into her store. But kisses for show become all too real. When outside threats shake their growing bond, each must trust the other with their darkest secret or lose their best chance for love and happiness.
What others are saying about A Suitable Wife
“This story tugs at the heart strings. Mrs. Burnside produces a perfect afternoon read not to be missed. You not only fall in love with the characters but the town of Sweetwater Springs!” – Susan May, 5 star Amazon review
“I thought I would take a quick look at the first chapter... Before I knew it, I was more than halfway through the book... This book was well worth the sleepy morning.
A Suitable Wife has it all. Passion, friendship, a villainous ex (or two), picturesque settings, heart touching back-story, dedicated family, and some great love scenes. Sweetwater Springs is a place where anyone would feel welcome. Carol Burnside has created a community that I hope to visit often. I can’t wait to read the next book in this series.” – 5 star Amazon review
Her Unexpected Family: (Sweetwater Springs Series, #2)
ISBN: 9781310836886
Former bad boy, Travis Baxter, has a reputation to live down, a job to do fast, and one woman he can’t seem to avoid. He’s starting a 24/7 renovation flip on Claire’s beauty salon when a surprise appears at his door . . . a three-year-old son. Immediate custody brings Travis a major problem. He needs a nanny.
Claire Larkin glimpsed a rare and appealing side of Travis during one ill-fated date, but her personal policy is no involvement, no strings. Not even a pet until she’s pronounced cancer free. With free time until her salon is done, Claire pitches in to help the grieving little boy and stunned father. Despite her best efforts to resist, she and Travis succumb to their attraction.
When it appears Claire’s cancer has returned, she pulls away and Travis is faced with a seemingly impossible decision. Protect his son from another loss or support the woman he’s come to love?
What others are saying about Her Unexpected Family
“a well thought out story that gets you involved and keeps you turning pages until the end” – 5 star Amazon customer review
“Ms Burnside's books are alway fun, always carefully crafted to maintain the readers interest and keep the pages turning.” – S.Weeaks, 5/5 star review, Amazon
“Well written characters meshed with a well developed plot for true reading pleasure. Real page turner. I look fo
rward happily to the next book in the series.” – Shirley Buchanan, Romance Book Haven 5/5 star review
“I recommend this read for readers that don't mind pulling out the tissues and looking like a fool when crying over a book and if you don't mind laughing out loud in the middle of nowhere whilst reading.” – Desere, Goodreads 4/5 star’s
“Be prepared to have tissues at hand. This is one roller-coaster of an emotional story. It is tender, heart-warming and at times heart-breaking. But I loved it.” – Laura 5/5 star’s
His Small Town Princess: A Sweetwater Springs Novel (#3)
Coming 2015
J.T. Baxter is having a very bad year. As if adjusting to widower status and caring for two sons, weren’t enough, he has a landscaping business to keep afloat with a loan coming due. The last thing he needs is the town princess waltzing into his life with a business proposal he can’t afford to refuse.
Cassandra Bing feels adrift after her father’s death, a nasty broken engagement and enduring a job she loathes. She’s searching for her niche, something that would’ve made her dad proud and will bring her fulfillment. But gardening is a hot, dirty business, and soon she’s wishing she’d made a different sort of proposition to the sexy dad.
As attraction escalates between J.T. and Cass, tensions grow in a house where secrets fester. Can her presence begin to heal the Baxter household, or will their tender feelings become a casualty of the impending emotional storm?
Home for Christmas (A FREE short story and sample chapters)
ISBN: 9781311988591
Writing as Annie Rayburn
Imagine our world today with a humanoid race very much like us (Crainesians) living peacefully among us here on Earth and searching for their life-mate. They have the ability to communicate telepathically, can project visions and share dreams. Can you imagine? Not just phone sex, but dream sex? Annie writes contemporary, alternate reality erotic romance with soft sci-fi and lite paranormal twists. Talk about cross-genre sizzle!
Insight, a Crainesian short story
ISBN: 9781452462622
When Sela Marin encounters Jonavon Wyatt outside a mall, she’s surprised by the instant, powerful attraction and her ability to read his thoughts so clearly. Realizing he is her life-mate, she makes a bold move in the tradition of all female Crainesians, and is surprised to learn he has a fiancé. Confused by his ability to resist her advances, but hoping his insight along with their mind-mating and dream-sharing will bind him to her, Sela gives him three days to succumb to her pheromone lure.
But Jonavon is half Human and untrained in Crainesian ways. So, what's a strong Crainesian woman to do when her life-mate is too clueless to follow when beckoned? Seduce him with his own desires, of course!
Phantoms & Fantasies, a Crainesian novella
ISBN: 9781452472201
After a devastating trauma, Zeenie attended a college mixer and experienced powerful Crainesian pheromones between herself and Turk. Unprepared for the life-mate call, she panicked and fled. Turk has waited and yearned for Zeenie for years while staying dialed in to her recovery. Finally, rumor says she’s ready to date again, and he’s determined to make her short list, even if it means resorting to a little trickery.
Zeenie’s plan is to ease back into the world of dating, not dive in heart first. Especially not with the hunk who’s supposedly bedded half the women in Dallas since she rejected him. On a blind date, he surprises her with patience and maturity when she fights against their pheromone bond, then shows tenderness and consideration when phantoms of her past arise.
As she learns more about Turk, Zeenie entertains heated fantasies of what could be and makes tentative forays into his sensual world. But her initial rejection broke with Crainesian custom and continues to cast a dark shadow on their future. Can she embrace her sexuality and summon enough courage to claim her man in true Crainesian style, or will their growing love be tainted forever?
Bittersweet Obsessions, a Crainesian novel
ISBN: 9781603106481
When it comes to love, they believe in one perfect mate,
but putting the centuries-old belief to the test
could bring them everything they desire.
In a culture where it’s believed each person has only one life-mate, what happens when yours is beyond your reach? Teriza feels the mating call to a man married to a Human. Unwilling to be the cause of infidelity, Teriza distances herself from her mate after an intense pheromone-charged encounter that leaves her in precarious health. She requires treatment and is sent to a clinic in Switzerland, where sexual surrogates are employed to heal such conditions.
After Paul Craddock’s life-mate died, he turned to surrogacy to ease the pain of loneliness. His reaction to Teriza surprises him by being more than a casual attraction. He’s intrigued to discover she feels the same. They experiment with the Human way of courtship, but the ultimate bond that Crainesians experience eludes them.
Teriza fears Paul cannot be content with her since he’s experienced heartglow during his previous marriage. Paul worries that the existence of Teriza’s life mate makes him the consolation prize, good enough, but not her first choice.
Though they are falling in love, they’re in uncharted territory without the engulfing pheromone storm of life-mates to guide them. Will they learn to trust their feelings and listen to their hearts before it’s too late?
Copyright 2014 Carol Burnside
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