by Mallory Rush
Epilogue
The flowers hadn't arrived yet. Chance checked the clock again—noon. Maybe he should call the florist to make sure they hadn't forgotten.
There was something about anniversaries that sent even guys like him straight down memory lane. A knock sounded, and Chance went to answer it, immediately greeted by flowers. The wrong ones.
"I didn't order these," he said, gesturing to the big white basket filled with baby's breath, daisies, pastel carnations and a stuffed bunny. "I asked for a fancy, tropical arrangement. Without a card. There's even a card attached to this."
The delivery boy shifted the basket in his arms and rechecked the address.
"This says it's for Chance Renault. Wrong person, right address. Sorry, I'll take these back."
"Wait a minute. I'm Chance Renault."
"Oh. Then I guess these are for you after all. Your order must have been mixed up with someone else's. I'll take it back and get the problem straightened out."
"Don't bother with it, Theo. You've delivered exactly what I requested."
Theo looked beyond Chance to Micah.
"Ms. Sinclair! It's been a long time. And you've moved. How are you doing?"
"Just fine." She smiled and took the basket. "Wonderful, in fact. But you can call me Mrs. Renault now. I've changed more than addresses in the last two years."
Chance cleared his throat. "I hate to break up this reunion, but if you don't mind, I'd like to speak with you, Micah. Alone."
Micah pressed a tip into Theo's hand and bid him good-bye. Chance pulled her inside and closed the door.
"Why did you change my order?" he demanded. "I had something special picked out, something you'd—"
"Chance." Micah pressed her fingertips against his lips. "I didn't change your order. I didn't even know you were sending me flowers."
"No? Then what's this?"
He glanced at the basket, puzzled.
"For you," she said, smiling. "Happy anniversary, darling."
"Happy anniversary," he returned, reaching for her instead of the card.
Micah stepped just out of his reach, and nodded to the envelope. "Go ahead," she urged. "Open it."
Chance grumbled something about her depriving him of his husbandly rights but complied.
While he worked the envelope open, Micah reached for the stuffed bunny and wound the key attached. A music box version of Brahms' Lullaby began to filter through the room as Chance scanned the card.
"Congratulations," he read aloud. "The rabbit died."
His hand suddenly seemed unsteady, and he stared at Micah as the card sailed awkwardly to the floor.
"Congratulations," she whispered, draping her arms around his neck, "Daddy."
"Micah," he murmured. "Oh, Micah." Chance swept her into his arms, and headed for the stairs, his voice lodged somewhere between his heart and his throat. Another knock sounded at the front door but he ignored it as he moved purposefully toward the bedroom.
"Aren't we going to get that?"
"What for?" His voice sounded a little choked, and he brought her closer to his chest. "It's only some flowers. Flowers with the most important part missing."
"A card?" She smiled, and cuddled closer.
"More than a card. A message. One that says how lucky we are." He laid her down on their bed. "Besides, I think you know how it ends."
"Tell me anyway," she whispered.
"Enough talk," he said, pulling her into his arms. "Just kiss me now, ma cherie. Kiss the man who loves you."
The End
Want more from Mallory Rush?
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HURTS SO GOOD
Excerpt from
Hurts So Good
by
Mallory Rush
Bestselling, Award-winning Author
"You don't think I can hurt, do you?"
"Can you?"
Neil frowned and uncapped the flask. There had been a sudden eagerness in her question that smacked of a newshound sniffing his tracks. Those story-mongers couldn't get it through their shifty heads that Neil Grey was old news. Tilting the flask to his lips, he paused. As many times as he'd been burned by the press, he wasn't taking chances. He'd make nice with Andrea, maybe tantalize her a tad, and find out in his own way whether she was up to no good.
"Make you a deal, I'll tell you. For a price."
She suspiciously eyed the flask that he'd extended.
"Name your price, and I'll decide if knowing's worth it."
"Best deal you ever cut, chere. I want four things from you. One: Join me for a drink. Two: Quit calling me Mr. Grey. Three: Tell me what brought you to the Big Easy when that accent of yours pegs you as a damn Yankee. And four: I could go for a good-morning kiss. Then, after that kiss, I'll answer your question. Deal?"
"The first three are fine, but that last one..."
"Aw, c'mon, be a good sport." He leaned in close and considered ditching the promised preliminaries if she was actually naïve enough to believe, "It's just a kiss."
Hurts So Good
by
Mallory Rush
~
To purchase
Hurts So Good
from your favorite eBook Retailer,
visit Mallory Rush's eBook Discovery Author Page
www.ebookdiscovery.com/MalloryRush
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Page forward and continue your journey
with an excerpt from
JUST A LITTLE LIE
Shades of Deception
Book One
Excerpt from
Just a Little Lie
Shades of Deception
Book One
by
Mallory Rush
Bestselling, Award-winning Author
Sol fingered his black eye patch self-consciously. "When you said 'I do,' this wasn't part of the bargain."
Mariah wasn't aware of her action until she'd actually gripped his wrist. It put her hand close to his eye patch. The strip that held it in place slashed his dark, frowning brow and looped behind his white dress cap.
Sol was too still; she wanted to move from his pinpoint glare, but fought the urge. The moment was too crucial for her to back down.
"I think that patch bothers you, Sol, a lot more than it does me."
"I don't doubt it, because it bothers me a helluva lot." He gazed hatefully at his crutches. "They say I'll never walk without these."
"Do you believe it?"
"I don't want to."
"But do you believe it?"
"No."
"Then neither do I." Somehow, she found the courage to find out exactly where she stood with him. "If you want out because you married me with the idea we'd never meet, or if I'm less than what you'd hoped for—"
"I didn't say that!"
"No, but that doesn't mean you didn't think it. If that's the reason you're trying to run me off, why you'd rather spend your time glaring at me instead of... of kissing me, then fine. We both know you bought into this marriage without either of us certain what we were going to end up with, and, and—" Her voice caught on a sharp emotional chord, her doubts rolling out before she could stop them.
"Mariah, please, don't do this."
"No, you please be quiet and just listen to me." She couldn't believe her own words, but she was glad to have them said and done with. "If you want out, consider yourself out. But if you expect me to jump ship because your body's taken some abuse, then you've got a lot to learn about the woman you took as wife, Mr. Standish."
Just a Little Lie
Shades of Deception
Book One
by
Mallory Rush
~
To purchase
Just a Little Lie
from your favorite eBook Retailer,
visit Mallory Rush's eBook Discovery Author Page
www.ebookdiscovery.com/MalloryRush
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Page forward and complete your journey
with an excerpt from
LOVE SLAVE
Outlaws and Heroes
Book One
Excerpt from
Love Slave
Outlaws and Heroes
Book One
by
Mallory Rush
Bestselling, Award-winning Author
"I want to buy you, Ms. Tinsdale."
"Of course," Rachel said, wishing her gun was in her hand instead of in her purse. "Did you have a payment schedule in mind, Mr. Slick?"
"You can name your price. And while you're at it, just call me Rand." Abruptly standing, palms flat on her desk, he leaned over the flimsy bit of safety the wood separating them offered. "I need a woman with guts and looks. You've got both. But they won't do me any good unless you're willing to stand on an auction block." His gaze raked a path from her head to her breasts, and she was shocked to feel an electric reaction. Instinctively she crossed her arms over her chest. "Good," he said. "The more innocent you appear, the better."
"What are you talking about?"
He came closer to her face. His breath was warm and she inhaled the subtle fragrances of bay and night spice. "Three words," he said in a low, uninflected voice. "White slave trade."
Love Slave
Outlaws and Heroes
Book One
by
Mallory Rush
~
To purchase
Love Slave
from your favorite eBook Retailer,
visit Mallory Rush's eBook Discovery Author Page
www.ebookdiscovery.com/MalloryRush
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Mallory Rush, aka Olivia Rupprecht, has been published by Bantam, Doubleday, Harlequin Books, and Dorchester Publishing. Her many titles have frequented bestseller lists. Mallory is also the series developer for True Vows, the first reality-based romance line from HCI Books.
You can visit Mallory at www.malloryrush.com.
Table of Contents
Cover
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Epilogue
Excerpt from HURTS SO GOOD by Mallory Rush
Excerpt from JUST A LITTLE LIE - Shades of Deception, Book 1
Excerpt from LOVE SLAVE - Outlaws and Heroes, Book 1
Meet the Author