Born to Be Wild (22 page)

She stilled. “Is that a proposal?”

He pulled her head to his. “That’s a promise.” His kiss was a physical avowal of his words.

When he let her up for air, she said, “Starting now?”

“Right now.”

Dara stepped away, and with a very wicked smile she tugged at the one and only knot holding up her sarong.

Zach choked on a laugh. “You keep doing stuff like that and we may not live long, but we’ll go out in a blaze of glory.” He reached for the waistband of his white beach pants, then groaned when she started to sway her
hips. “Oh God, you’re going to kill me even before the honeymoon.”

She moved in a circle, beckoning him with graceful movements of her hands. “You took hula lessons?” he managed to ask, his voice hoarse.

She smiled and continued her seductive invitation. “It’s not cliff diving,” she said, “but it’s a start.”

Zach stepped out of his pants and yanked off his floral print shirt. He grinned when her fluid motions jerked to a halt with a sudden shiver. “Somehow I don’t think I’ll be diving off as many cliffs in the future,” he said, and stepped closer. “In fact, I doubt I’ll be leaving home much at all.”

“And here I was all ready to ask you to take me hot-air ballooning.”

“I love you just the way you are, Dara.” She moved closer to him, and he could barely breathe. “Don’t ever do anything you don’t really want to.” His voice was more a raspy whisper.

She put her hands on his chest and let them slide downward. “Oh, I want to,” she said, her voice dark and husky. She looked up at him. “Thrill me, Zach.”

And he did.

They were married one month later in the middle of their field under the bright summer sunshine.

The bride arrived by motorcycle and wore an all-white off-the-shoulder formfitting gown. A very short gown. The groom wore black tie and tails and a huge grin.

The maid of honor wore hot-pink.

The best men wore white tails with matching hot-pink ties and cummerbunds. The one in the wheelchair only had eyes for the maid of honor.

The traditional wedding march boomed from the speakers, and Zach turned to watch his bride walk down the flower-strewn, makeshift aisle.

The last notes faded as Dara joined Dane under the white linen awning. Dane handed his sister over to his best friend, shook his hand, then turned to the minister. “I give this woman.” His strong face was full of pride as he answered the minister’s next question. “I’m her brother.”

Shoulders squared, his love evident to all, Dane bent and gave her a brief hug, then stepped back to join the small throng of friends and family.

Dara took a deep breath and peered through her veil at the most handsome man in the world. The man who in a few short minutes would be her husband. Her knees trembled, her body tightened in anticipation.

“You’re so damn beautiful,” Zach said in an awe-struck whisper.

“So are you,” she whispered back, her eyes shining.

“I love you,” they said at the same time, then reluctantly dragged their gazes away from each other to answer the minister’s questions and repeat their vows.

A short time later, the minister said, “I now pronounce you man and wife.”

Amid raucous cheering Zach lifted her veil. He grinned and leaned down. “Hi, wife,” he said softly.

“Hi, husband.”

Her smile was sweet and shy and sexy, and in front of God and everybody he kissed his new wife with all of the love and passion she so easily inspired in him, bending her back over his arm in his fervor.

The crowd wholeheartedly approved, as Shocking Blue’s rendition of “I’m Your Venus” boomed out of the speakers.

When he pulled her up to an unsteady stand, she held on to her headpiece and smiled up at him. “I love you.”

“Yeah, it’s incredible, isn’t it?”

“It’s perfect.” She breathed deeply, wanting this moment to last forever. But impatient for all the moments to come, she faced the group. “Ready?” she called out.

Everyone crowded forward as she turned her back.

“One, two, three!”

The bouquet landed on Frank’s thighs. His hand darted out quicker than a snake, and an instant later his lap was occupied by a spluttering Beaudine. Amid whoops and much cheering, Frank laid one on her. When he lifted his head, a dazed Beaudine was clutching the bouquet.

And they dined on red velvet wedding cake, toasted each other with Dom Pérignon, danced to Mozart and the Moody Blues, and flew kites by the light of the moon.

Welcome to Loveswept!

Next month, Loveswept is offering our first ever historical e-original title: Samantha Kane’s
THE DEVIL’S THIEF
. We’re incredibly excited about this sexy tale of wicked passion, where the clever wit and engaging banter shine through in the most captivating way. We believe Samantha Kane is an author to watch — and after reading
THE DEVIL’S THIEF
, I think you’ll agree. Look for the next book in her Saint’s Devil’s series,
TEMPTING A DEVIL
in 2013.

We also have a great selection of incredibly sensual and endlessly entertaining classic romances for you to enjoy.

PARADISE CAFÉ
 … Beloved author Adrienne Staff’s sensual story of reckless desire.

THE PERFECT CATCH
 … Linda Cajio’s playful book about the sexy game of love.

TEASE ME
and
BAYOU HEAT
 … two sizzling novels from Donna Kauffman.

And if you’re already anticipating the holidays, don’t miss Debra Dixon’s
DOC HOLIDAY
, a touching and humorous story about the magic of Christmas.

If you love romance … then you’re ready to be
Loveswept!

Gina Wachtel
Associate Publisher

P.S. Watch for these terrific Loveswept titles coming soon: December brings these fantastic releases: Juliet Rosetti’s charming
ESCAPE DIARIES
, Juliana Garnett’s enchanting medieval
THE MAGIC
, and four more breathtaking stories from Donna Kauffman:
BOUNTY HUNTER, TANGO IN PARADISE, ILLEGAL MOTION
, and
BLACK SATIN
. We start 2013 with a fantastic new e-original from Wendy Vella,
THE RELUCTANT COUNTESS
, Donna Kauffman’s captivating
WILD RAIN
, Karen Leabo’s moving
MILLICENT’S MEDICINE MAN
, and three fantastic titles from Linda Cajio:
SILK ON THE SKIN, HARD HABIT TO BREAK
, and
THE RELUCTANT PRINCE
. Don’t miss any of these extraordinary reads. I promise that you’ll fall in love and treasure these stories for years to come.…

Read on for excerpts from more
Loveswept
titles …

Read on for an excerpt from Elisabeth Barrett’s

Blaze of Winter

Of all the possible pranks a person could pull in the Star Harbor Library, putting a dead fish in the heating vent ranked high on the list of ones to try. And Theodore Grayson would know. He’d played that very trick twenty years ago, with his brothers Cole and Seb as his partners-in-crime. Still, the risk—considerable, given that every wall vent in the main room was visible from the circulation desk—had been worth the payout. His large frame tucked into a carrel at the very scene of his youthful misconduct, Theo smiled at the memory.

They had done the deed in the middle of one of Star Harbor’s coldest winters, and with the heat on full blast, it had taken precisely thirty-seven hours for the smell to become overpowering. Even better, he and his brothers had all been present to witness the prank’s outcome—the unholy stench, a furious search for the source, and finally, a full evacuation of the library. And as any good trickster—Theo himself included—would acknowledge, a key component of every good prank was the payout.

The payout. The completion. The end. If only he could achieve the same with this damned book he should be writing. His smile faded fast.

“What the hell am I doing back in Star Harbor?” he groaned, shoving his chair back from the desk and abruptly standing up. An octogenarian seated on a nearby love seat flipped down Wednesday’s edition of the Boston
Globe
and gave him a disapproving look from beneath her tightly curled blue-tinted locks. In return, he gave her a dirty grin, and she let out a small gasp as her head disappeared in a rustle behind the Arts section.

Glancing around the library, he noted that nothing much had changed in twenty years. Same taupe walls, same signs over the reference desk, same green-shaded banker’s lamps on each long table. Only the posters displaying the covers of the latest bestselling books were different. Wryly, he noted that his own book wasn’t represented. Theodore Grayson, better known as T. R. Grayson—Star Harbor’s native son, bad boy made good.

But perhaps not good enough to warrant a place on the hallowed walls of the library.

No one met his eyes as he glanced around, so he sighed and slouched back down into his seat, pulling it forward until his fingers were once again aligned with the keyboard of his laptop. Then he took off his glasses—the stylish frames had been a gift from his publicist—and rubbed his eyes, willing the thoughts, phrases, and sentences to come.

They didn’t.

What the hell was wrong with him? In a few short months he’d gone from literary darling to feeling like a hack. He was in a funk, unable to make the stubborn words emerge from wherever they were hiding in his brain. A change of scenery—more accurately, a change of coast—hadn’t made a whit of difference. Trying to plot and write his latest book was just as slow-going here as it had been in San Francisco.

Worse yet, it wasn’t just the writing. He couldn’t quite put his finger on the problem, but it was obvious he was in some sort of a slump.

Over Labor Day weekend, Cole had mentioned that he might be able to find renewed inspiration in Star Harbor. At the time, he’d thought his brother’s idea was brilliant. Ditch his bohemian, intellectual lifestyle in San Francisco and reconnect with his roots by spending the fall in Star Harbor. It was the most beautiful time of year in his hometown, and he’d been certain it would give him the fuel he needed to write his book. Plenty of stimulation, ideas, and solitude.

But he hadn’t made it to town until just before Thanksgiving. Now it was December, Star Harbor was freezing, he hadn’t written a word, and the quiet was beginning to weigh on him like a millstone around his neck. Plus, he was bunking down with his brothers Val and Cole on Val’s small houseboat, which didn’t help matters at all. He’d known it would be a far cry from his spacious artist’s loft in San Francisco’s Mission district, but he hadn’t realized quite how bad it would be. How was he supposed
to think, let alone write, when he couldn’t get a decent night’s sleep in that tiny berth? The two months he’d planned to stay in town suddenly seemed like a life sentence.

“Crap,” he said a bit too loudly.

He glanced up, expecting the old lady to cluck at him again. Instead, he found himself face-to-face with Emma Bishop, Star Harbor’s librarian and his friend Jimmy’s new wife. She and Jimmy had gotten married a couple of months before, but Theo had missed the wedding due to a book tour commitment. Emma looked good—shiny russet hair, sparkling blue eyes, and wire-rimmed glasses perched on a pert nose. Dressed in a tweed skirt and silk blouse, her small figure reminded him of an elegant little bird.

Before she could say anything, he raised his hand in apology. “Let me guess,” he said. “I’ve been reported.”

“You could say that,” she confirmed, shooting a quick glance at the love seat. The old lady had her face buried in the paper. Though Emma looked apologetic, there was a little twinkle in her eye. “Could you please keep it down? I’d hate to—”

“Kick me out?” Theo laughed. It wouldn’t be the first time. Except now he was thirty-two, not twelve.

“I don’t think it’ll come to that,” she said. “You’ll behave.” This was said with the hint of a smile. She knew how to handle him, all right. No surprise, given that her husband had been almost as much of a troublemaker as the Grayson boys back in the day.

Theo sighed and rose, stretching his arms up over his head. He knew his size was intimidating, but to her credit, Emma didn’t even blink. Being married to Jimmy, whose nickname was—appropriately—“the Bear,” must have inured her to intimidation by large men. He jerked his head in the direction of the lady. “You can tell my good friend over there that I’m leaving for the day.”

“I think I’ll leave well enough alone,” Emma said without rancor as she tilted her head at him. “But I hope you don’t mind my saying that you look tired, Theo.”

He began to pack up his laptop. “Let’s just say I haven’t gotten a full night’s sleep in over a week.”

“Out on Val’s boat? I’d imagine not. Are you sharing a cabin with Cole?”

Theo nodded. “Yep. As if the tiny berth wasn’t uncomfortable enough, I have my big brother in there to keep me company.”