by Lea Hart
“We’re going to give it a hell of a try, cara.”
“All right, if you say so.” He kissed her head, and she looked out at the Red Rock Canyon and prayed they had a chance at making all their dreams come true.
***
Gio walked over to the pool and saw Valentina doing laps and waited until she hit the wall. Bending down, he watched her face come out of the water. “Good morning, mi amore.”
“Hi.” She wiped her hair out of her face and leaned back. “What’s up?”
He swept his arms over and nodded to the table. “Rosa has breakfast ready, so come out and eat.”
“All right.” She hauled herself out and shook the water out of her ear and felt a robe go over her shoulders. “Grazi.”
“I’m having a row of trees planted around the terrace, so we have some privacy because none of my men need to see you in your swimsuit.” When she didn’t say anything, he decided that her silence was agreement.
Which probably was the furthest thing from the truth.
He took her hand and led her over to the table and pulled out a chair. “Coffee?”
“Please.”
He poured two cups and then handed her one. “Papa has invited us for dinner tonight.”
“Why does that sound so ominous?”
“Not sure.” He shrugged and sat back in his chair, sipping his coffee. “He wants to see you, nothing more.”
She slid her sunglasses on and pursed her lips. “Okay.”
He lifted the cover off their plates and then handed her a fork. “Let’s eat.” She gave him a suspicious look and then ate some of the eggs. “Rosa wants to spend some time with you later to go over the menu for next week, so she can include your favorites.”
“But, I’m not…”
He shook his head and held up a finger. “Yes, you are.”
Sliding the paper out of his pocket, he pushed it across the table. “This is for you.”
“What is it?”
“Read it and find out.” Watching her unfold the paper, he held his breath as her eyes read over the document quickly. When her mouth dropped open and formed a big O, he let out a laugh. “I believe in your dreams and want you to know I take them seriously.”
“This is the deed to the property adjacent to the Red Door.”
“I know, cara. I had my lawyer prepare it.”
Shaking her head, she pushed it across the table. “I can’t accept it.”
“Did you mean what you said last night?”
“Which thing?”
Seeing her eyes drop to the table, he tamped down his frustration. “Do you love me, Valentina?”
Her eyes lifted slowly. “Oh, that thing.”
Digging for patience, he nodded. “Yes, that thing.”
“Well, it seems that I do.”
“Say it.”
Twisting her hands, she let out a groan. “Fine.” She leaned forward and took his hand. “I love Giovanni Zanetti with my whole heart, and it’s always been you.”
“That wasn’t so hard,” he said before pressing their mouths together. When he was satisfied he’d given her a proper kiss, he released her mouth. “I love you with every breath in my body. I fell for you when I saw you the first time, but as a grown man, I’ve walked into love with you. I’d choose you in a hundred lifetimes, in a hundred worlds. No matter what, I’d find you and choose you.”
When tears slipped down her cheek, he pulled his other gift out and slid it on her finger. “This was my grandmother’s ring and was given to me when she passed.” He lifted her hand and kissed her finger. “My grandparents had sixty years together and made a union that was filled with love, passion, trials, and tribulations, and I’d like that very much with you.”
Valentina looked up and nodded. “I’d like that too because it seems I’ve been ready to love you from the first moment I saw you.”
Taking her hands, he put them against his heart and nodded. “Then I suspect we have an extraordinary life in front of us.”
“I agree, mi amore.”
Seeing Valentina’s eyes filled with love let him know that his castle finally had its queen, and that made him the luckiest man in the world.
If you would like to see what happens next, look for Alessi and Zach’s story; Rascal. It will be the second book in the McCallan Brothers Series and available in September.
If you want more of Gio, grab Rogue the first book in the series and see how he helps Cole and Kelly find their happy ever after.
INSPIRATION
Every story has a playlist and here is the one for Chaos
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STAY IN TOUCH
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I write stories about sassy, smart women and the alpha men who fall for them.
Lea Hart is the home for all of my military and romantic adventure books.
Ivy Hart is the home for all of my sweet and steamy romantic comedies.
BOOKS BY LEA HART
CORONADO SERIES
The Coronado Series are fun, sexy contemporary military romances that are set in San Diego, California. These stories are fast-paced, emotionally satisfying, and feature bad-ass SEALs who fall for their girl…almost instantly.
Alpha heroes crash to their knees in love and lust when they finally meet their match.
So…if you enjoy a fast-paced, sexy adventure with hot heroes and sassy heroines then this is the series for you.
Latched
Betrayed by her ex–fiancé, Birdie James decides a sexy fling will give her the excitement she needs without the problems of a relationship. Luckily for her, Mr. Right Now is gorgeous, interested and curls her toes with one look. There’s just one problem.
Lieutenant Commander, Mark Frazier sees Birdie, and he only wants one thing. Her, forever. As a SEAL, he flourishes beneath both trials and adventure. However, changing the mission directive of this woman may be the biggest challenge of his life.
What happens when a woman whose life is based on certainty targets a Navy SEAL who thrives on the unknown? Can Mark find a way to overcome her stubborn mindset and convince her to give them a chance? Or is her heart latched against him?
Snatched
When a stalker targets Rory Basso, she thinks she can handle the situation on her own. Then it escalates. Fearing for her safety, she takes the advice of her best friend and hires a security professional to help her track down and eliminate the threat. But Max is more than she expects.
Max Bishop hasn’t met a target he can’t acquire or a mission he can’t complete. Until Rory. As a retired Navy SEAL and CEO of Security Alliance International, he has spent most of his life in charge. Now his mission is to convince this headstrong woman that he can protect her….and love her.
Can Rory trust Max with her safety and her love? Will he convince her to place her protection and heart in his hands? Or will the person terrorizing her snatch the opportunity away?
Attached
Cary Simmons is a kindergarten teacher. Her boring life leaves her craving a summer of adventure, a kick start into an exciting future. However, when her car breaks down in the middle of the California desert, she decides to make the most of it. After all, a biker bar holds some pretty adventurous men, right?
Travis Mathers can’t believe his eyes when a pretty little thing walks into the roughest bar in Ripley wearing a flowered sundress. Instantly, the retired Navy Seal knows this woman needs his protection, and he’s going to give it whether she wants it or not. Besides, who could possibly have more to show her about adventure?
Can Travis convince Cary that he can turn around her boring life? Can Cary fight the allure of a risk-taking alpha male? How long can they resist becoming attached?
Catch
Rachel Miller made a mistake. A year later she is still paying the price. Too embarrassed to ask for help, she tries to manage it on her own. Until, that no longer i
s an option.
Retired Navy SEAL, Chris Iceman Ellis has spent his whole like protecting people. When he discovers that the woman he’s had his eye on for a year is being threatened, he steps in immediately. Whether she wants it or not.
Can Chris persuade Rachel to accept his protection and convince her that he will always be there to catch her?
What happens when a mighty warrior falls for a woman and becomes her hero… and she becomes his saving grace.
Match
This is a collection of short stories about the couples, that didn’t get their story told in the first four books.
What happened when Birdie matched Ed up with her friend Amelia?
Also, what about Frank and Cat? Does he win her over and prove that he’s a good man?
And, please let Derick find someone. Maybe Birdie’s friend Gracie would be perfect.
Then of course, there’s Laird and Lexi…can he win the heart of a woman who has so much going on in her life?
And, finally David…sweet lord, please let this man find someone who will make him cookies.
All is revealed in this collection.
CORONADO II SERIES
Bewitched
Paige Bennett finds herself in the hands of terrorists in northern Jordan. Not completely unexpected considering her career in the diplomatic corps, but not welcome, either. She and a fellow diplomat need the cavalry, and they need it now.
Unfortunately, their captors’ talk of executing them is increasing rapidly, so the chances of a rescue are slim to none. Unless Lieutenant Commander Blake Carmichael and his fire team get there in time.
Blake and his team find themselves faced with the usual dangers in the hills of Sakib as ISIS makes a play for the region. The one danger he didn’t see coming was the tiny tornado from Texas.
A routine snatch and grab turns into the mission of his career as he finds himself captivated by a woman who works her magic on him without even trying.
Watch what happens when a SEAL finds himself bewitched by a diplomat. Will he surrender to the spell she’s cast, or will she disappear from his life forever?
Hitched
After six months working in the Dar es Salaam camp, Brooke Foster is ready for McDonalds and downtime. The dangers of war-torn Africa have made her rely on the military to keep her safe. But as the daughter of a rear admiral, she swears she’ll never get involved with anyone from SPEC OPS.
Until…she runs into Frisco.
Navy SEAL, Frisco Jones is on assignment in Chad, and sees a picture of Brooke on a friend’s tablet, and is smitten instantly. With all the tenacity that has insured his success on the Teams, he makes sure he has a chance to meet...the girl of his dreams.
Unfortunately, she’s resistant to his charms and it takes herculean efforts for her to see he’s more than his job.
A night under the African moon changes things for both of them and Frisco is determined that what they’ve started in Africa will continue when they get back home to San Diego.
Will Brooke’s struggle with the appearance of an old threat end things?
Or will they conquer them and find a way to get hitched?
Switched
Daphne Ross is enjoying her career success in Naval Intelligence and doesn’t expect anything to take her off track.
Until a certain Navy SEAL crosses her path and makes her think otherwise.
Lt. Bryce Andrews is on his third deployment with the Teams, and all his focus is on becoming the best SEAL he can be.
Until he meets a CIO in Djibouti that makes him realize there’s more to life.
Will these two find a way to mesh their naval careers when they both end up at NAB in Coronado or will find themselves at cross purposes? Watch what happen when two tenacious people go after what they want.
Will they succeed or will the switch stop them dead in the water?
SAI SERIES
Are you ready for a sexy adventure?
If you are then the SAI series may be for you.
The books in this collection are about hot alpha heroes and resourceful heroines that end up on a sexy roller coaster ride. The stories are filled with risk, danger and heat, so if you enjoy a bit of intrigue with your romance, then you’ll want to meet the men and women in these stories.
Vortex
Vivi DuMond’s clinic is caught in the crossfire of a turf war that threatens both her life and livelihood. Can the NOPD and Feds handle it or does she need more?
Joel McDade runs the Florida office of SAI and he’s been roped into protecting Vivi as a favor to his old client Ronnie DuMond. As much as he would like to refuse, he knows he can’t.
Can the retired Navy SEAL protect the good doctor and her clinic? Or…will the vortex of events make that impossible?
Watch what happens when two people are caught in a whirling mass of threats outside of their control. Will they be pulled in together or will the mass of conflict pull them apart?
Whirlwind
Sara Montgomery is being targeted by one of the United States’ most feared organized crime groups. What options does she have when the Outfit decides they want to bring her in? Will the FBI provide enough protection or will she need more?
Grady Merrick is a partner in the Florida office of SAI and discovers the threat and knows he has no choice but to protect his neighbor. His sexy, beautiful neighbor. This is one assignment he’s going to enjoy.
Watch what happens when two people find themselves in the throes of a violent and destructive force.
Will they survive the events or be caught in the whirlwind?
Tempest
Sparks fly and so do bullets
Ivy Bellows’s life explodes when a family tragedy erupts, and she finds herself caught in a storm of powerful events. Can she handle it alone…or is it time to ask for help?
Retired Navy SEAL Ryan Cordell has spent his career protecting people, so when he discovers the woman he’s falling for has been threatened, he acts immediately.
Will the violent commotion swirling around them pull them together or fling them apart?
Watch what happen when opposites don’t just attract…but explode.
Besiege
Stazi Ivanov is an art conservator and about to embark on the most exciting project of her career. The opportunity to be part of the group that’s authenticating Amedeo Modigliani’s paintings is a career changer and one she wants to take full advantage of. Despite the fact, it won’t give her an extra minute for anything…including romantic entanglements, she’s beyond thrilled to be a part of the team.
Retired Navy SEAL, Hank Coleman runs the Chicago office of SAI and is immediately smitten when he meets Stazi on the steps of the Art Institute. Not one to let anything get in his way, he lays siege to her objections and talks her into spending together. Which turns out to be a blessing, when a Ukrainian oligarch and the Russian mob become interested in Stazi and her activities.
As violent forces surround them, spending together is no longer an option but completely necessary, as Hank protects Stazi from threats besieging her.
Will he and the SAI team succeed? Or…will they find themselves overwhelmed by the malicious miscreants?
Watch what happens when Hank and Stazi find themselves not only facing mobsters, but their very real attachment to one another.
Barrage
Lucky Santorini, SAI's Director of Intelligence, is smart, fearless, and one of the best hackers in the world. Elemental in bringing down the head of the Russian mafia in Chicago, she takes it personally when another member of the Bratva slips into the void left behind.
Deciding to do something about it, she does the unthinkable and allies herself with the fed who made her life miserable the first time around.
Sam Barton, Special Agent and war hero, knows he should have handled his interaction with Lucky differently, and he intends to change her opinion of him by bringing down the mobster corrupting their streets. First, though, he needs to prove to his boss that the
mission isn’t chasing ghosts and show the woman of his dreams that he won’t run scared—of her.
Will Sam’s barrage of information and affection win her over to his side? Or will Lucky stop his onslaught and forge out on her own?
Can these two operators come together for one more job—to see if they’re compatible for life?
Beguile
Coming in October 2018
TITAN SERIES
This collection of contemporary romances is set in the world of Private Military Contractors.
We meet the men who comprise the elite privatized answer to world’s most difficult questions.
These are passionate romances set in exotic locals that promise sweeping adventure and satisfying endings.
If you enjoy strong romantic connections and sizzling sexual tension then this is the series for you.
Tumult
Audrey Barnes is about to take on the biggest challenge of her life as she heads to Syria to interview the courageous women who are battling ISIS. With civil war raging inside the borders, she knows that private security isn’t a luxury but a necessity, so she does her due diligence and looks for just the right man.
Unfortunately, the one that fits the bill is a bit bull-headed and cantankerous.
Carrick Young is a retired SEAL who works for one of the premier Private Military Contractors, and the last thing he wants to do is take on guard-dog duty. But like so many things in life, he doesn’t have a choice and knows he’s the best man to keep Audrey out of the hands of ISIS.
The day before they embark on their trip, ISIS’s last caliphate falls along with their illusions that their relationship is going to remain professional.