by J. S. Scott
She’d had a big plan with nursing and Will, and had stayed with it because she’d feared there was nothing else out there for her. She’d believed Will was her one chance at happiness and marriage.
Now she knew better.
She kissed Nash on the lips and smiled. “Thank you, Nash. You’re the best thing that has happened to me in a long time.”
“Anything for you, Katie bear.”
“Did you really just call me that?”
“Whatever it takes to get you to the city with me, until we are both ready to come back to Blueberry Springs.”
“Moving rather fast, aren’t you?”
“I told you I like fast. Are you going to have a problem with that?”
She swung around so she was straddling his lap. “Not at all.”
“I know what I want, Katie. I want to date you. You are the reason I came back to Blueberry Springs. I could have spent the days off with my parents, so remember that if you ever doubt me and my intentions. I couldn’t get you—” he clutched her chin, ensuring she was listening, his voice gentle, yet demanding “—out of my mind.”
Katie paused, her chest tight with emotion. She rested a hand in the dip below his shoulder. She loved this man. And not just because he was saying things she’d always longed to hear. “Thank you for joining my family for the holidays.”
“I’d like to again next year.”
Katie pushed herself to standing. She needed to get her brain on track. When she was this close to him, everything he said sounded good. Easy. She let out a laugh. “For once I am thinking of not planning my life, and here you are, planning it. Believe it or not, you might be moving too fast for me, Nash Leham.”
* * *
Katie slipped into the kitchen, the light above the stove casting a quiet glow over the room. A shot of something strong would be nice to settle her nerves right about now.
A figure moved at the table. Beth.
“Can’t sleep?” Katie asked, digging through the cupboard for peppermint schnapps.
“I’m pregnant, so of course not. It’s like my body is telling me to get used to it. Driving me crazy.”
Katie sat with her friend, who was clutching a cup of hot chocolate.
“Remember when you lived with Nash and his pretentious coffeemaker?”
Beth smiled wanly.
Katie had been angry with her for living that high on the hog with Nash. But mostly it was misdirected anger at her friend for changing. For daring to want something more from her life and for being brave enough to take it. For knowing she deserved to be happy, and claiming it any way she could.
How silly and immature Katie had been.
“So? Are you going back to Dakota with him?” Beth asked, breaking the peaceful, middle-of-the-night silence.
“I am going to talk to his friend who is a decorator, but I’m not…I’m not moving in with him, if that’s what you are asking.”
“He’s a good man.”
Katie nodded. “I know.”
Beth scrunched her big brown eyes shut, let out a breath, then opened them again. “You should date him. Really.”
“Is this Pregnant Beth talking or Whatever is Good for My BFF talking?”
Beth let out a tinkling laugh. “Everyone but your pigheaded brother agrees you two are a good fit.”
“Won’t it be weird?” To know that her best friend had been with the man who held her heart. Would Katie ever be able to let the twinges of jealousy go?
“We dated some of the same guys in high school.”
“Yeah, because there was no selection. You had to share men and then stay friends with them after dumping their sorry selves, because there was nobody else in town.”
“Is that why you stayed with Will for so long? Lack of selection?”
“Lack of understanding myself, too.”
“You need to do this, Katie.” Beth reached across the table. “The two of you are a better fit than we ever were. He came into my life for a reason, but it wasn’t to marry him. Maybe he’s come into your life for a bigger, longer-term reason.”
“You’re putting the cart before the horse here, don’t you think?”
Everyone was moving so darn fast!
“Shh. Quit fighting. You’re finally getting what you want.”
“What if it’s wrong?” Katie whispered. “What if I am on the rebound? What if…” She tried to think of more excuses. None were coming.
“What if you are being a big chicken and need to follow your heart? You were never scared with Will, and you want to know why? Because you always knew he wasn’t ever going to break your heart. And you know why?”
Fierce Beth had come to town. “Why?” Katie asked in a feeble voice.
“Because you never loved him! He can’t break your heart if he doesn’t have access to it!”
Katie sat back, the news hitting her so hard she had trouble breathing.
“Now go in there and tell Nash you love him. That you can’t live without him and you want to have hot monkey sex with him.” Beth swiped at her damp eyes.
“Beth? I think the hormones might be controlling the mother ship.”
Her friend slammed a fist on the table, her cheeks pink. “Shut up and claim him already!”
Chapter Eight
So this was it.
Nash was heading back to the city. Blueberry Springs had been dug out overnight and the roads were open once again.
The day felt like a big letdown. The holidays were officially over. All that prep and then boom. Celebration finished. Life resumed as normal.
Only this time life was no longer normal. It was as though Katie had finally received the pony she’d been wishing for. She wasn’t left sitting by the tree among the shredded wrappings, wondering why Santa had bypassed her once again.
She had the pony and, as a result, her whole world had opened up. All she had to do was walk out into the yard and claim it.
Claim her new career. Claim the man she’d carefully sidestepped all last night while she mulled over Beth’s advice, her own feelings, his words.
It was time to step out of her pre-pony days and become the girl she’d always dreamed of being.
She didn’t need a life plan; she was living it this time. Eyes open. Arms out wide. Ready to grab it all.
Nash was hers. She’d known it in her heart as soon as her eyes had opened this morning. The hollow spot within her had been filled and she couldn’t wait to see him.
And right now, that was all that mattered.
Stretching, Katie walked to the living room’s bay window and took in the snowy scene. Her mother’s yard decorations were still buried under massive drifts, the street invisible behind the piles of snow the plows had left. In a while, Katie would go home to her basement suite and call Nash’s friend Monica, then start figuring out what she needed to take with her to the city. But first she was going to help her mother put on the best post-Christmas buffet in the history of the Reiter household. A little something to try and help stretch out the holidays for her mom.
As Katie turned from the window, something caught her eye. What was that? It looked like the roof of a silver BMW squirreling its way to a stop in front of the house.
She knew only one person who drove a Beemer. She flung open the front door, slipping into her father’s winter boots on her way out. She clunked up to the car, sliding to a halt as the driver’s door opened.
“Nash!”
He wrapped her in his arms, breathing her in as if they hadn’t seen each other in months. “Katie.”
Her name sounded amazing tumbling out of his rumbly chest, with her body clutched against his.
“I missed you already.” She laughed, tipping her head up to smile at him. His nose was red from the cold. “You are going to have to buy a more rugged vehicle if you move back, you know. One with a good heater.”
“Maybe you can keep me warm.” He kissed her in a way that made the need for a winter coat unnecessary. “I missed y
ou, too,” he murmured, his lips warm against hers. She sagged into him, allowing his strength to support them both.
“I love you.” She blinked and took a sharp breath. She hadn’t meant to say that.
But it felt right. Scary, it was so right.
“Good.” He squeezed her against him, his voice thick with emotion. While he seemed so strong, possibly he needed someone like her in his life. Someone who was strong enough to be his anchor. And when it came to anchors, not just anyone would do. But she would.
She smiled, knowing she would one day be the woman he came home to. The woman who, starting now, would hold him strong against the current.
“I love you, Katie Reiter,” he whispered in her ear. “Be mine.”
“It’s not Valentine’s Day, silly man,” she teased, her eyes filling with gratitude and love.
“I know, but I want you today and every day until then. And then beyond. Much beyond.” He held her face so he could meet her eyes. “Can you handle that?”
“Challenge accepted, Nash Leham. Challenge gladly and wholeheartedly accepted.”
The End
The Blueberry Springs story continues! Keep turning the pages for more about this lighthearted series…
Psst! You can enjoy more great reads from Jean Oram by joining her newsletter: www.jeanoram.com/signup.
Books by Jean Oram
The Blueberry Springs Series
Champagne and Lemon Drops (Book 1)
Will Beth be able to win back her fiancé when he asks for a break? Or will the process of winning him back teach her things about herself that will ultimately lead her to another man?
Whiskey and Gumdrops (Book 2)
Will Mandy be able to sort out who she is and what she wants in time to save not only her friendship with Frankie, but get what her heart has always wanted?
Rum and Raindrops (Book 3)
Will Jen be able to prove she didn’t start the forest fire threatening Blueberry Springs as well as face her past in order to get the man of her dreams?
Eggnog and Candy Canes (Book 4)
This book!
Vodka and Chocolate Drops (Book 5: Coming 2015)
After her boyfriend’s betrayal, will tell-it-like-it-is Amber be able to keep her mouth shut long enough to allow others to tell their side of the story, including the one that reveals not only her own past, but also that of her one true love?
* * * PLUS: A FREE Blueberry Springs short story surprise is coming February 2015! Sign up for my newsletter to find out how to get it: www.jeanoram.com/signup
NOTE: While it is not necessary to read this series in order—all the books are stand-alone novels—they do spoil each other’s endings, so it is advisable to read them in order.
The Summer Sisters Series
Love and Rumors (Book 1)
Love and Dreams (Book 2)
Love and Trust (Book 3: Coming January 2015)
Love and Danger (Book 4: Coming 2015)
About Jean Oram
Jean Oram grew up in an old schoolhouse on the Canadian prairie. She didn't realize she wanted to write until one day she sat down, giggling, and declared, "I'm going to write a novel!" And she did. But this isn't it. That one was kind of a disaster because she didn't even know how long a novel should be, but she learned a lot and had fun. You can discover more about Jean and her hobbies—besides writing and chasing her two kids and various pets around the house and the great outdoors—on her website: www.jeanoram.com.
Do you have questions, feedback, or just want to say hi? Connect with Jean!
Become an Official Fan Girl: www.facebook.com/groups/jeanoramfans
YouTube: www.youtube.com/AuthorJeanOram
Twitter: www.twitter.com/jeanoram
Facebook: www.facebook.com/JeanOramAuthor
Website & blog: www.jeanoram.com
Email: [email protected]
I'd love to hear from you!
Thanks for reading,
Jean
WRAPPED
A Contemporary Romance
FOR THE BILLIONAIRE’S PLEASURE
by
Evelyn Adams
Digital Edition
Copyright © 2014 Evelyn Adams
All rights reserved
The distribution of this work without the express permission of the author is illegal and punishable by law. Please purchase only authorized electronic editions, and do not participate in or encourage electronic piracy of copyrighted materials. Your support of the author’s rights is appreciated.
Chapter One
Julie Blake leaned back so the pretty server could set an assortment of small sweet bites on the charger in front of her. She smiled and thanked her, grateful for the chocolate fortification on the plate. Sitting across from her, Brad didn’t stop talking long enough to even acknowledge the server and barely drew breath before digging into the petite bowl of salmon colored custard. He’d talked through the entire meal, but thankfully hadn’t required more than occasional nod or murmur of approval. It was a good thing because sitting in the dining room of Eric Auxtres’s flagship restaurant, she was so distracted; she doubted she could have managed more.
She still didn’t know how she’d let Brad talk her into going to Comme Ci for dinner. Well yes, if she was being honest, she did. She needed the Smithfield account and Brad was the gatekeeper to the company. It’s the only reason she’d been putting up with his endless stories and wandering hands all day. If she could hold it together for a little while longer, she could take the train home, knowing she’d done everything she could to secure the account. If her brother screwed it up after that, it was on him. And anyway, what was the chance that Eric would be working in the dining room on Christmas Eve? Surely being a celebrity chef got him out of the more mundane work, especially on a holiday.
Thinking about it, she wasn’t sure whether to be happy or disappointed. It had been over ten years since she’d seen him. More than enough time to get over the feelings she’d had for him, or at least it should be. It wasn’t. She pushed back the deep sense of longing she felt, sitting in the restaurant created by the first man she’d ever loved.
Over the years, she’d wondered how he was, wondered if the celebrity changed him. Maybe it had, but the man she’d known was still there. She could see him everywhere in the details of his restaurant, the cool grays and creamy whites and the dishes that manage to be sophisticated but not fussy. Eric shone from all of it.
Julie forked up a taste of some kind of glorious dark chocolate cake. She was letting the creamy almost fudge like bite melt in her mouth when she realized it had gotten awfully quiet on the other side of the table. She looked up from her sampler of desserts just in time to see Brad licking the back of his spoon in a suggestively creepy way. She fought a shudder, but if he saw, he wasn’t deterred. He ran his tongue over the smooth metal, flicking it slightly when he reached the tip.
Crap.
He wasn’t a bad looking guy. He had a small paunch and was softening around the middle, but he still had hair. Although it looked like he used more product than she did. He was over the top, but even if he hadn’t been, Julie wouldn’t have been interested. She didn’t want a relationship. She wanted to help her dad and her brother get settled, and then she wanted to move on with things. She’d had more than enough of the men in her life. She had no intention of adding to the list.
“I hate to hurry things,” she said, making a point to check her watch. “But I should probably get going. I don’t want to miss the last train out of the city.”
Brad leered at her with an expression that made him look a bit like Sylvester when he’d come up with a particularly inventive trap for Tweety.
“Listen,” he said, leaning across the table. “I know you’re in the city alone and no one should be alone on Christmas Eve. I took the liberty of getting us a room at the Westin. I’ll order a bottle of champagne, and we can take it up to the room and celebrate the holiday together. I’ve got a package, I’d be
happy to let you unwrap.” The double entendre laced his words, and she had to fight the urge to add a wink wink nudge nudge to the end of his offer. But he didn’t seem like the kind of guy who would appreciate the humor, especially where his package was concerned.
“I’m sorry,” she said, planting a demure, repentant smile on her face – one that she hoped telegraphed it’s me not you. “I think there’s been a misunderstanding. I’m not interested in anything personal right now. Not with anyone.” Please, let him think it was her fault and not be offended. Her family needed the account and she hated to think the unending tiresome day had been a waste.
“No,” he said, his expression turning smug and steely. “I think you misunderstood. You want the account, don’t you? I put the room on my credit card. It’s non-refundable.”
The way he said it made it clear he wasn’t just talking about the credit card. Unfuckingbelievable. He was actually trying to blackmail her into sleeping with him. She loved her brother – at least she thought she still did. She didn’t want to see him lose everything, especially because it would blow back on her dad. But there was no way in hell she was having sex with some creep to save her brother’s sorry ass. No account was worth that.
“I don’t know what you imagined was going to happen, but I am not going to bed with you.”
“Bed, floor, up against a wall. We can be flexible.” He reached for her hand, gripping it like a vise. “If you want the account.”
Julie yanked her hand away and jumped to her feet, knocking over her chair in the process.
“Not a chance in hell,” she said and then turned and fled.
*****
“That’s it.” Eric Auxtres flipped the last ticket and smiled at the tired cooks behind his line. “Go ahead and break things down.” With murmurs of yes chef in the background, he slid out of his soiled coat and into fresh chef whites.