by JoAnn Durgin
“You’re a good man. Do you have room for one more?” Tugging on the lapels of his coat, Amy moved her gaze upward to meet his.
“Depends on who’s asking.” A smile upturned his lips.
“Me.” She rested her gloved hand on his cheek, her eyes filling with tears. How she loved this man. “I’m not only talking about today.”
His eyes softened and he nodded. “I know. I’ll always have room for you, Amelia. Come with me.” Scooping her in his arms as if she weighed nothing, he hurried with her back to the plane.
“Wait! My suitcase!” She waved her hand toward the bag on the ground. He sighed, turned and marched back toward the small terminal, lowering her so she could retrieve it. “That’s a Louis Vuitton. You can’t leave something that valuable sitting on a runway.” Curling her fingers around the handle of the case, Amy held onto her hat with her other hand as Landon hurried with her back to the waiting plane.
“Funny thing,” he said, amusement coloring his voice. “I was thinking the same thing about you.” He ducked as he stepped onboard with her in his arms. Lowering her, he secured the door and then helped her out of her coat, hat and gloves.
Unable to resist, she gave him an impish grin and raised her brows. “Hoping to see me again, were you?”
“Not at all,” he said, tossing his coat and hat aside. “Hoping to do this again.” In a split second, his arms circled her waist and he captured her lips in a hard, passionate kiss of pure possession. When he pulled back, his eyes were damp. “You don’t know how much I’ve missed you.”
Smoothing his brow, Amy pulled his head down and planted a gentle kiss on his scar. “I kind of missed you, too.” She cried out as the plane lurched forward.
Scrambling into the nearest seat, Landon tugged her down beside him. “Never had a woman chase my plane down a runway before. Pretty heady stuff.” He helped her buckle in before doing the same.
“I’ve never done it before, and I never plan on doing it again.”
“No need,” he said, settling back in his seat. “You’ve already caught me.” Lifting her hand, he traced a line across her ring finger. “So, let’s get back to that question from a long time ago. You wanna go steady?”
Amy laughed. “I’m thinking we should date for a while first. Get to know each other better.”
“As long as you don’t believe in long periods of courtship or engagement.” Leaning close, he captured her lips again as the plane taxied down the runway.
She pushed herself up straighter and tried to concentrate on anything but how his kisses affected her. “You drive a hard bargain. Answer a couple more questions first.”
Collapsing against the seat, he laughed. “Talk about driving a hard bargain. If you must, go ahead. Then back to the passionate kissing. I have one question first: did you read my article?”
“I did. It was beautifully written. Very persuasive. You once mentioned one thing a woman can’t say no to. What’s that?”
His smile was blinding. Leaning over, his lips warm against hers, he whispered, “Will you marry me?”
Closing her eyes, she shook her head.
“Please don’t say that’s a no. I have your mother’s permission.”
“You what?” Her eyes fluttered open.
“She gave it to me when I visited her last month and asked permission to marry you. She’s lovely, Amy, as I knew she would be. I thought I might have an uphill battle, considering my unseemly behavior, but I groveled and she gave us her blessing.”
“And Mitch?”
“He couldn’t be happier. Of course, he only wants to borrow the plane. This is only the beginning, sweetheart. I want you to wear my Stetson. I want to buy you cowboy boots and sexy lingerie, make up bad country songs and sing them to you, maybe get a puppy and teach you to cook. Bring you daffodils in winter. But most of all,” he said, pulling her closer, planting a kiss on one cheek and then the other, “I want to snuggle in bed with you every night, talk Texan with you—fun and kinda naughty Texan,” he said, his low, husky voice making her heart soar—“and make at least two or three stubborn, intelligent and very articulate children with you.”
“I like the way you think,” Amy said, flushed with joy, “but who told you I can’t cook?”
“Mitch, of course.”
She laughed. “First rule of business, you need to stop listening to my brother. I want to fix him up with Cassie one of these days and then he can worry about his own love life, not mine.” With a small smile, she tugged on his red sweater. Bringing him closer, she gave him a long, deep kiss guaranteed to make him forget his name.
“So, I take it that’s a yes to my offer of marriage?”
“That would be a definitive yes. Of course, I know you’re only marrying me for my money.”
His eyes danced. “Right. And you’re only marrying me for my mind.”
“No, I’m only marrying you because you’ll be handy around the house and can screw in a light bulb or two. I predict we’ll be doing the Sunday crossword together within a year.”
“Are you kidding? Six months, tops.” Landon nuzzled her nose and cheeks, those lips soft and warm before he nibbled her lower lip, stealing all rational thought.
“What made you change your mind?” he asked a few glorious minutes later.
Her smile was wistful. “Prayer, friends, your TeamWork involvement, your Boys Club work, the fact you flew me back down to Texas on your plane and then followed with Winnie and Chloe, you comforted me when Tam was inside the clinic . . .” She ran her finger along his jaw, and he leaned into it, kissing the side of her hand. “Your mama raised you right.”
She watched, wide-eyed, as he unbuckled his seat belt and reached across the aisle for his coat. Pulling a small velvet box from the outside pocket, he handed it to her.
With a catch in her throat, Amy looked at him with wide eyes. “You’ve already—”
“Open it.”
Doing as he asked, she smiled. “The locket. You just happened to have this in your coat?”
“What can I say? I prayed you’d come back to me one day, and I wanted to have it ready when you did.”
“May I?” Taking it out of the box, Landon fastened it around her neck. “Back where it belongs. I love you, my beautiful Daydreamer. Like I said in the article, with God’s help, I’ll spend the rest of my life making you happy.”
“You do, and I kind of like you, too. As in I love you like crazy, and I plan on doing it the rest of my life.” His gorgeous smile reached the remaining places in her heart not already overflowing with love for this man. “Can I call you Cooper every now and then? Just for fun?”
“You can call me whatever you like, sweetheart, as long as it’s flattering.”
“Be good and it will be.”
He laughed. “Are you going to tell me now what was number one on Dona’s list of ten reasons why you should forgive me?”
“Number one—” she laced her fingers through his— “because Landon Cooper Jared Warnick is the husband of God’s choosing for Amelia Madelyn Jacobsen.”
“I’m so glad I hired that woman. And so thankful God gave me you.”
With a smile that promised a thousand tomorrows, Landon kissed her soundly before clasping their joined hands over his chest, above his heart.
“Let the adventure begin.”
THE END
Moonbeams
Book Description
Mitch Jacobsen’s younger sister, Amy Warnick, has tried to pair him off with her fellow TeamWork Missions volunteer, Cassie, for a couple of years. The tragic loss of his best friend on 9/11 left him floundering, but his life is finally back on track again. Established in his career, Mitch is no longer opposed to the idea of marriage, but there are a hundred reasons why a relationship with the lovely, Alabama-born Cassie will never work.
Cassandra Thorenson wants nothing to do with a man who spends his life working with money and contributing to corporate greed. She’s content with her life as a Ho
uston caterer, and dating a powerful Wall Street broker—no matter how handsome, funny or compassionate—is the last thing she needs. So, why do her TeamWork friends seem so determined Mitch is God’s chosen mate for her? Surely, the Almighty must have a better plan.
When Amy invites Mitch to attend a TeamWork reunion at the Houston home of her friends, Sam and Lexa Lewis, he reluctantly accepts. During the eventful Valentine’s Day weekend, Mitch and Cassie discover they have more in common than they’d ever imagined but devise a scheme to turn the tables on all the matchmakers. Their plan quickly derails and sends the entire TeamWork crew reeling. Let the sparks and the tempers fly! Faced with circumstances they never expected, the pair is forced to confront past heartaches, the consequences of a rash decision, and an uncertain future. Can Cassie and Mitch find God’s will in the midst of the chaos they’ve created?
Moonbeams is a story of discovering God’s perfect will in the most unexpected ways. You won’t want to miss this one!
Available now on Amazon!
Enchantment
Book Description
Sam and Lexa Lewis and their TeamWork Missions volunteers are together again! A two-week mission brings them to New Mexico—the Land of Enchantment—as they work on a church building alongside their new friends in the One Nation under God congregation of Native American Christians. Outside forces, both unseen and overt, impede and threaten their efforts. But with faith to guide them, and the strong bonds of friendship to sustain them, the crew faces the challenges together as they persevere for the Lord’s glory.
Eliot Marchand hopes the mission in Albuquerque will finally give him the opportunity to pursue a relationship with the beautiful Marta Holcomb. With his dangerous assignments around the globe, and little time to spend with her, is a relationship worth the risk to both their hearts?
Successful business owner Dean Costas wants to get to know the lovely Sheila Morris better, but his court-appointed charge, Felipe Hernandez, might cause trouble after he takes a liking to Sheila’s pretty 14-year-old daughter, Angelina. Will Dean have time to romance the shy widow or will they need to focus their energies on chaperoning the teenagers?
Bringing together every couple and familiar characters from the previous books in The Lewis Legacy Series—including the TeamWork children—Enchantment will sweep you away! Love is in the air, so join the fun with the crew for Albuquerque’s International Hot Air Balloon Fiesta, a one-of-a-kind TeamWork Talent Show, revelations and updates in the lives of the close-knit crew, the introduction of one new TeamWork volunteer, and even a surprise visit from two beloved characters.
Enchantment. Visit with old friends, make new ones, and fall in love all over again!
Available now on Amazon!
Prelude
Book Description
What’s a guy to do when he comes home to stay and the girl he wants can’t wait to leave town?
On April 24, 1962, U.S. Air Force Captain Samuel J. Lewis returns home to small Rockbridge, Texas. Six years older, Sam is the boy who moved four houses down when Sarah Jordan was ten. A teenager who nicknamed her Tomboy and teased her like an older brother. That boy is now a handsome military man who makes her heart race, but what does she know of love or life?
After his years away, Sam finds himself drawn to Sarah. The sassy, funny girl he used to tease has grown up into a beautiful charmer with wit and intelligence who challenges him like no other woman. Sarah’s frequent reminders that she’s leaving Rockbridge to attend nursing school, along with her encouragement to date other girls in town, unsettle him.
During the eventful summer of 1962, their friendship grows deeper and blossoms into love. Sam knows he can’t hold Sarah back from achieving her dreams. When an unexpected financial gift gives her the needed funds to enter nursing school, they face saying good-bye earlier than expected. Are Sam and Sarah destined to be together or go their separate ways?
The exciting prequel to the popular contemporary Christian romance series, The Lewis Legacy Series, Prelude is the love story of Samuel J. Lewis and Sarah Jordan, parents to the core character of the series. Prelude lends insights into the Lewis family history in this heartfelt story of family, friendship, and love. A story of never letting go of our dreams, and how faith, sacrifice, and trusting our lives to the Lord’s guidance will always triumph over our human fears and temptations.