Ugly Ducklings Finish First (20 page)

“I...” She could believe in him, couldn’t she?

Her heart rang with every beat.
Yes
,
yes
,
yes
...

“Tell me,
please
,” he insisted, giving her a little shake. “Whatever the hell I have to do to convince you that you can believe in me, I’ll do it.”

“You’re going to have to marry me.” The words came out with surprising calm, but that made sense. For the first time in what seemed like forever she was at peace with the world. She believed in him. As she looked into his eyes, stormy with frustration and worry and love, she couldn’t do anything else.

He slanted her a dangerous look. “Wait. Is this a test? Because if it is, you are doomed to disappointment.”

“It’s no test.” She twined her arms around his neck and stretched, flattening her breasts against the wall of his chest. A satisfied sigh escaped her at the delicious sensation. “Do me a favor and kiss me before you pass out.”

“Wait, just... Wait.” His voice had changed, growing deeper, rougher. She knew that voice well, and it made her smile. “Do you understand what just happened?”

She gave it a moment’s thought. “I believe so.”

“What just happened?”

“You proposed.”

“And you accepted. Didn’t you?”

“If that’s what you want.”

“Payton, we
both
have to want it.” A shudder rippled through him when she lifted a leg and caressed his flank with her inner thigh. “Tell me you love me. Now.”

“Okay. I love you.”

He made an agonized sound. “Oh God, Payton,
please
stop torturing me. Do you love me?”

“Yes.” With a laugh, she brought his mouth down to hers for a fierce, too-quick kiss, then smiled up at the man who, despite everything, had become her world. “I love you and want you and need you, especially now.”

“Yeah?” A smile started in his eyes as he was convinced at last, and he nipped gently at her lower lip. “It just so happens I have a few needs of my own.”

“Not only are your needs not possible without you passing out on me, my needs are far more pressing. I need a good lawyer to get me out of my contract.”

Surprise came first, then a low, appreciative laugh. “I’ve got that all figured out, actually.”

“How did you manage that?”

“You emailed me your contract, remember? There’s a stipulation that releases you from your partnership should any unforeseen personal event arise. Like marriage, for instance.” His smile was a little on the woozy side as he lowered his head once more to the curve of her neck. “Do you want me to release you, Payton?”

She had to give him credit. The man still had just enough Coyote in him to talk dirty even while semi-conscious. “Sounds like a plan.”

“Good. I’ll send you my bill.”

“You’ll find I’m a good client.” In the distance she heard the wail of a siren, and she resigned herself to being caught in a somewhat compromising position once the EMTs arrived. “I’ll be an even better wife.”

“My wife.” Just when she thought he was ready to drift off, Wiley lifted his head and smiled so sweetly it brought a warm flood of moisture to her eyes. “You’re my everything, you know. Our life together is going to be beautiful.”

As the sound of activity grew in the front room he kissed her, and it was a kiss filled with a passion and love and promise that made her heart complete.

* * * * *

These angels are not exactly normal...

Check them out in Stacy Gail’s Earth Angels series, available now!

Nobody’s Angel

Investigative journalist Kendall Glynn is horrified when a friend and colleague signs off permanently during a live newscast, jabbing a pen into his jugular. Kendall’s no expert, but judging by the strange white veil in the anchorman’s eyes, she would swear he was a man possessed.

The closer Kendall gets to the truth about the rash of murder-suicides, the more danger she’s in. Fortunately, a sexy and mysterious masked stranger keeps swooping in to the rescue. Kendall’s life depends on finding who or what is responsible for the killings, before it finds her.

Savage Angel

Feel nothing.
Sara Savitch’s personal mantra has been hard to live by ever since her torrid one-night stand with army doctor Gideon Mandeville. Descended from the Seraphim, angels known as heaven’s soldiers, Sara may be an expert fighter, but she’s an amateur when it comes to relationships.

As Sara works to build an impenetrable fortress around her client, she yearns to tear down the one around Gideon’s heart. With his bitter rejection of warriors, will he ever be able to accept her true nature? Sara must find a way to trust Gideon with her secret as the killer closes in...

Wounded Angel

A descendant of the Angel of Vengeance, Nate da Luca was gifted with an uncanny ability to find things. Personal trainer Ella Little paid a hefty price for her life—now all she wants is to live it in peace. Then a sexy hulk of a man turns up in her gym, reigniting desires she thought she’d left behind along with her real name and hair color.

Before he can convince her the attraction is mutual, Nate’s going to have to earn Ella’s trust. But a demon is playing for keeps in the world of humans, using Ella as bait, and the last thing they have is time...

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About the Author

A competitive figure skater from the age of eight, Stacy Gail began writing stories in between events to pass the time. By the age of fourteen, she told her parents she was either going to be a figure skating coach who was also a published romance writer, or a romance writer who was also a skating pro. Now with a day job of playing on the ice with her students, and writing everything from steampunk to cyberpunk, contemporary to paranormal at night, both dreams have come true.

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ISBN: 978-14268-9589-0

Copyright © 2013 by Stacy Gail Shoeman

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All characters in this book have no existence outside the imagination of the author and have no relation whatsoever to anyone bearing the same name or names. They are not even distantly inspired by any individual known or unknown to the author, and all incidents are pure invention.

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