“It’s perfect. I love it,” she breathed, coiling her arms around his neck. “I love you.”
“I love you ten times more.” He stood and enveloped her in a heart-tingling embrace. “And I have one more surprise for you.”
“More?” She couldn’t handle more. Drake had already given her everything she’d ever wanted.
Picking up an opened bottle of Château Lafite from the wine barrel beside them, Drake poured two glasses. “A toast…using the wine that started it all.”
Emelia laughed, eyeing the bottle, remembering how bitter she’d been that night at the party. “That’s so sweet.”
Drake offered Emelia the fuller of the two glasses. She took it, tasting the wine’s mint aroma before a drop of it passed her lips. Its aroma was robust without being overpowering. She swirled the dark liquid around the bottom and wondered how she’d tell Drake that she didn’t want a single drink of it.
“To the past, present, and future,” he said, clinking his glass against hers.
“To our future,” Emelia said, and watched him tip back the glass.
When he noticed she hadn’t drunk anything, Drake said, “What’s wrong?”
“I’m not drinking tonight.” She tried to keep her thoughts quiet so he wouldn’t read them.
“Come on, Emie, it’s Christmas. Have a drink with me.”
“Well, that’s part of my present to you,” she whispered.
His eyebrows hitched as confusion set in. “You’re staying sober…as a gift to me?”
Slowly, she brought her hand to her stomach. “I’m not supposed to drink in my condition.”
“In your—your what?” His eyes went wide as a smile teased the corners of his full lips. “Are you pregnant?”
She nodded, bursting. “Four weeks. I know it’s early, but I’ve taken, like, ten tests and they all came out positive so…” She couldn’t hide her elation. Could Drake see her glowing? “Merry Christmas!”
“Emelia!” Drake swept her into his arms and swung her around, then stopped as if he realized he could hurt her. “That’s great—that’s amazing, I’m—I’m going to be a father!” He dropped to his knees, wrapped his arms around her hips, and kissed her stomach through her sweater. “Hear that, little one? I’m your father.”
Emelia swooned, brushing her hands through Drake’s dark hair. Would their baby have hair like his? Coarse and thick? Or would its hair be blond and wispy like hers? Would their baby’s eyes be wild and blue or dark and mysterious? She couldn’t wait to find out.
“I’m going to love you more than anyone else on this earth,” Drake whispered against her. “Well, I’ll love you and your mother equally. She’s a very special woman, your mother,” he said, “and I’ll be right here to make sure you treat her right.”
Her heart exploded, right then and there.
Drake rose to his feet and planted a kiss on Emelia’s lips that spoke to her soul. They’d be together now and always.
As Drake pulled away, brushing his hands lovingly down Emelia’s cheeks, she sensed a mild wave of panic brewing within him.
“What is it?” she asked.
“I might be jumping the gun, but do you need to sit down? I mean, what do you need? I want to make this pregnancy as smooth as possible for you. Do you want to find someone to take over some of the workload at the office? Or maybe hire someone to take over extra duties at the Knight Owl?”
“No,” Emelia laughed. “I’m fine. I can do everything that I could do yesterday. At some point I think I’ll probably need to stop working such late hours at the office with you, but I can’t cut back, not yet, anyway. There’s something I have to find first.”
“Something you have to find? What are you talking about?” His hand brushed down her back, and stopped above the round of her backside. His touch warmed her, tingling her in places he’d just visited a few hours ago.
“When I first started working at Wilder Financial,” she said, “there were some important documents that I…um, accidentally shredded that I need to locate in the computer system, reprint, and file.”
“That was you?” He spanked her playfully. “What a bad secretary you are.”
She smiled. “I’d like to make it up to you.”
“Now we’re talking.” He kissed her, pulled back the collar of her sweater, and continued scattering kisses across her shoulder. “If you work your shift really hard, I think you just might make Secretary of the Year.”
“Mr. Drake Wilder, I do believe that’s something I would say!” Emelia laughed at the thought that she was rubbing off on him. What would his business associates think?
He smiled, a devious twinkle in his eye. “Frankly, my dear, I don’t give a howl.”
Acknowledgements
First and foremost, I have to thank the savvy ladies at Entangled Publishing. I’m so thrilled to be a part of your publishing family. Liz Pelletier and Kaleen Harding, my editors: you two are brilliant beyond words. Thank you.
As always, thanks and hugs to Nalini Akolekar, my lovely agent, for knowing what I want for my career before I do. For the record, you were right about…well, everything.
My work would be unintelligible mush without the input of my fabulous critique partners and early readers: Aggie Smith, AJ Larrieu, Lisa Sanchez, Vanessa Kier, and Virna DePaul. Thanks ladies, from the bottom of my heart.
Hugs and kisses to my family and friends who help out when deadlines loom and the words just won’t flow without a last-minute plotting session. You keep me on track. You keep me sane and make me laugh until my cheeks hurt. I don’t know where I’d be without you.
To Justin, Kelli, and Gavin: you three are my everything. Love, love, love, and heartfelt thanks for supporting me while I chase down my dream.
About the Author
Kristin Miller has had a passion for language and literature her whole life. Born and raised in Northern California, she often made up stories about faraway places and edge-of-your-seat adventures. After graduating from Humboldt State University, Kristin taught high school and middle school English, married her college sweetheart, and had two beautiful munchkins. In 2008, she took time off from teaching to raise her children and started writing while they napped.
Her first novel released in 2011, and since then she has had six paranormal romances published. She is the author of the dark and gritty Vampires of Crimson Bay series, and the short but steamy Isle of Feralon novellas. You can find more information about Kristin and her work on her website.
www.kristinmiller.net
Table of Contents
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty-One
Chapter Twenty-Two
Acknowledgements
About the Author
Gone with the Wolf Page 19