Heart on Fire (23 page)
Authors: Brandy L Rivers
“Yes, well, red is more your color,” he teased, loving the way she blushed. “Though I bet you look tempting in pink too, but it suits Cherish better.”
She nodded with a crooked grin. “Come Halloween, are you going to be the Phantom again?”
“Do you still have your devil costume?”
She nodded. “In a box in the attic. I won’t swear it still fits though.”
He wrapped his hands around her waist and pulled her tight. “It’ll fit. You feel exactly the same.” He leaned back and grinned. “We have our costumes covered. Maybe you’ll marry me Halloween night?”
“What?” she whispered, breathless.
He pulled out a small black velvet box. “If it’s too fast, I’ll understand, but I’ve been thinking about how to ask since before I found out about Cherish. I was toying with the idea, knowing I would have to wait, but then everything fell into place.”
“Oh, Kyle.” She smiled. “Really?”
He nodded.
“Yes.”
Grinning he opened the box, and she looked down.
Her mouth fell open. “Kyle, it’s gorgeous.”
Taking her hand, he slid the platinum ring with a princess cut diamond on her finger. “This was why I didn’t call. I wanted to find the perfect ring, and surprise you.”
“You have, Kyle. I love you.”
He kissed her softly, and caressed her face. “We can announce it at the barbeque. Have a small wedding on Halloween, and then the reception can be a costume party.”
“Oh god, you are too perfect, yes. Okay, yes.”
He kissed her, loving the way she melded into him, even as he pulled her clothes off, and she managed to get rid of his. “I love you, Mila Day.”
“I love you, too, Kyle.” She pushed him onto the bed and climbed into his lap.
“Make love to me.”
She took him, slow and steady. He splayed his hand across her ass with one hand, fisted her hair with the other, much like they did that first night together. It was so right, and he never wanted to let her go. She made his dreams come true.
Epilogue
Halloween day
“Mommy, you’re so beautiful.” Cherish beamed up at her. “Like a fairytale princess.”
“Hold still, Mila.” Barb giggled. “I almost have the veil in place.”
Mila couldn’t stop smiling. “Thank you, Cherish, but you’re the princess. Look at you in your dress. It’s so pretty.”
“I wish it were pink.” She pouted.
Mila laughed. “Yes, well, it’s a wedding and you’re the flower girl. You have pink roses in your bouquet. That will have to be enough.”
“All right.” She batted her lashes, twirling a dark curl around her finger. “At least I get to wear pink for the party.”
“Yes, you do.” Mila took her daughter’s hand.
Mom walked in, and picked Cherish up. “Are you excited?”
“Yes, I can’t wait to sprinkle the petals,” she answered.
Mila was going to get weepy, everything was so far beyond her best fantasies.
Her mother smiled at her. “I’m so pleased for you. Everything worked out.”
“It did. My own fairytale come true.”
“And Kyle is a wonderful man. I like his family. I’ll miss you being close, but I understand.”
“It was time for me to move on, and I’m glad I did. I wouldn’t have found him if I hadn’t.”
Barb cleared her throat. “You’re ready. We better hurry, so we don’t keep everyone waiting.”
* * * *
“You ready, Kyle?” his father asked before he went to stand at the altar.
“Never been more ready for anything in my life. I love her, Dad, so much, and Cherish.”
“I know, son, I’m happy for you. She is a wonderful woman, though I still find it amusing you fell for the devil when she is such an angel.”
“My angel.”
“And that little girl of yours has stolen my heart. I may have to move back to spoil my granddaughter rotten.”
“You should. We went off birth control. We want another baby.” Kyle couldn’t contain his grin.
Gavin signaled it was time. Kyle was so excited he could hardly breathe. He had the woman of his dreams, an amazing daughter, and he felt whole.
His mother-in-law turned out to be a sweetheart. Misguided, perhaps, but now that Mila was happy, she was too.
She spent the whole trip from the airport apologizing for calling Paul. Kyle could do nothing but forgive her.
The bridal party consisted of Barb as her maid of honor, and Gavin as his best man. They were keeping it simple. Cherish was acting as flower girl and ring bearer. Gavin and Barb walked in first. Then Cherish. And finally Mila and her mother came down the aisle.
He couldn’t tear his eyes away from the woman who held his heart. Her smile was radiant, dark curls spilled around her, and her big, pale blue eyes were bright and shiny. Simply breathtaking.
Never had he seen a more beautiful sight as she walked down the aisle. He was entranced. Once she took his hands, the ceremony commenced. His father was ordained and the one heading it. The service passed so quickly, he hardly noticed because he was so full of love. Mila and her smile brightened his entire life. Cherish never stopped beaming at them.
“You may now kiss the bride,” his father said, and he did, slow and sweet, until he had to pull away or risk embarrassing her.
“I love you, Mila Blake,” he told her and then scooped Cherish up. “I love you, Cherish Blake.”
“I love you too, Daddy.” She hugged him back.
* * * *
They were up in their room, changing. “You sure this isn’t too risqué for a wedding reception?” Mila asked as she came out of the closet, feeling slightly self-conscious in the little red outfit.
It still fit like a glove.
“You look great, and you are covered. And you do make one sexy devil.” He pulled her against him, and she grinned.
“I always loved
The Phantom of the Opera
. In fact, it was the first musical I took Cherish to.”
“Those better be happy tears.” He wiped them away with a smile. “Because you have me forever, now and always.”
“They are, and you look so damned sexy in that costume. Let’s go though, before they wonder where we went. We have the whole weekend to ourselves.”
“I’m going to miss Cherish.”
“Me too, but she’ll have fun with Aunt Dee and Mom, and we’ll have our own entertainment.”
“We can work on making her a brother or sister,” Kyle teased.
“Mmm, perfect plan. I can’t wait.”
About Brandy L Rivers
Brandy L Rivers is the author of the Others of Edenton and Others of Seattle paranormal romance series. There are more Others of Edenton and Others of Seattle books in the works.
As an avid reader, Brandy has always loved writing. She became serious about it as a stay-at-home-mother. She has a file full of manuscripts she plans to edit and put out there eventually.
She lives in Western Washington with her husband and three kids, where she is already working on future stories in each of the series and several other projects.
If you are interested in receiving emails about future book releases, please sign up for her email distribution list by visiting her site at:
You can also find her on Facebook at:
https://www.facebook.com/brandylrivers
And at Twitter:
https://twitter.com/brandylrivers
Also by Brandy L Rivers
Others of Edenton
Others of Seattle
Coming Soon
Others of Edenton
Winter 2014
Others of Seattle
Accepting Fate
Spring 2015
To keep up with upcoming releases and news visit me at
www.facebook.com/brandylrivers
Acknowledgments
Mom, you’re a rock star, and I love you.
Kristin Mayer, you know I love my favorite Slater stalker. You’ve always been one of the best beta readers.
Rebecca Brooke, you are amazing, and I appreciate all your suggestions. You helped make this book so much better.
Felicia Tatum, thank you for convincing me to publish a contemporary. I had the story, but you talked me into putting it out there.
To my Dauntless Indies ladies, you rock. Sarah, we’ve already hung out, but we’ll have a blast. Felicia, Shawn, Michelle, and Michele, I can’t wait to meet you face-to-face.
Shirley Williamson, thank you a million times over for beta reading, giving me something to think about, and for encouraging me to do a contemporary romance in the midst of my paranormal.
To my extra beta readers, thank you again, Melinda, Diane, Wendy, and Jenni.
To my street team, Rivers Others, you all are incredible, I can’t thank you enough.
Tara Shaner, you rock. I think I may have told you that a time or two, but there it is again. Even when we butt heads and it seems I’m being a P.I.T.A, I’m taking in everything you’ve said, possibly asking more questions, and then figuring out a way to improve the story even more, thanks to your brilliance.
And to my readers, I love you all. I am overwhelmed by your support. You are the best readers.
Preview
:
Healed
By Rebecca Brooke
Book 3 in the Forgiven series
Emily Halliday and Andrew Bentley spent the last few years doing what every couple does. Meet, date, fall in love, and finally getting engaged. Life seemed pretty perfect. So what happens when the unthinkable unfolds testing their relationship and everything they built together?
The fighter that she is, Emily does everything in her power to save what they once shared, but will it be enough? Can Andrew overcome his fear to love Emily the way he always has?
Can love
heal
everything?
Prologue
Andrew
The first time I asked Emily out, over a year ago, I did it simply because of her looks. Almost every guy on the team was trying to get her to go out with them. Damn, were they pissed when I finally got a “yes” to take her out on a date. That night was a wake-up call for me. I wasn’t the manwhore like other guys on campus were, but that didn’t mean I was looking to fall in love either. For me, was college a time to hang out with my frat brothers and my teammates. A time to drink and party, and not worry about girls. Not that I was immune, there were just so many other things I wanted to get out of college, and screwing a different girl every night wasn’t one of them.
Then I had that date with Emily and there was something so different about her. She wasn’t shy or overly girly, and she had no problem telling it how it was. It was a date unlike any other, and I knew I had to see more of her.
At first it wasn’t about love. We had fun together and that’s what I’d come to college for. But over time that connection developed into something else entirely. It took me a while to figure it out . . . and even longer to tell her. For a while there things got a little rough. I was so freaked out by my feelings for her that I acted like an ass a lot of the time. Eventually, a friend of mine, Josh, set me straight and I decided to tell Emily how I felt. Turned out, she loved me as much as I loved her. It was time to take our relationship to the next level. Everything about her called to me and I wanted to make her mine.
Emily was my life.
My forever.
Preview: Trust Me
by Kristin Mayer
A difficult year filled with loss and heartache leaves Allison Scott withdrawn and emotionally disconnected. When she is finally ready to move forward with her life, she embarks on a getaway vacation to Miami, determined to find healing from the painful memories in her past.
Damien Wales also has a tragic past that has left him a cold and distant person. However, the moment he sees Allison, he’s inexplicably drawn to her, and he is a man who will stop at nothing to get what he wants.
A sunset stroll brings the two together. Allison feels an undeniable attraction to Damien, but she’s hesitant to get close to anyone. Damien will do everything he can to keep Allison in his life, but his overprotective and domineering demeanor might just push her away. When Damien’s dark past begins to collide with his present, Allison’s life is put in danger. Damien must keep her safe, but some things are just out of his control.
Trust Me is the first book in the Trust Series. All three books in the Trust Series are now available.