by Abby Gaines
“What’s with your sudden passion for letter-writing?”
“It turns out I can write my feelings down better than I can talk about them.”
“Amazing.” She started to open the envelope.
He covered her hand with his. “Cindy, I know I’m not the guy you imagined ending up with.”
Thank goodness.
“And if my prison record is going to stop you getting that job, then maybe we need to wait until you’ve got the job before we—”
“Aren’t they still looking for a judge in Stonewall Hollow?” she interrupted.
“Well, yeah, but you don’t want…do you?” A slow smile broke over his face.
“Hey, these are the first people who ever liked me,” she said. “That’s a powerful draw.”
“Everyone likes you,” he chided her.
“Well, there’s a certain pigheaded, sexy rancher whose opinion matters more than most…” She kissed him.
Ethan growled low in his throat. “I haven’t finished telling you how I feel. I’ve got so many lyrical words waiting to get out.”
She laughed. “Save them, we have the rest of our lives.”
He grabbed her by the arms. “Does this mean you’ll marry me?”
“Oh, yeah.”
Their kisses turned combustible.
“I want a closet like this in our home,” he said raggedly. “I’ll build one.”
“Great idea,” she panted. She moved around to sit next to him, back to the wall. “Did I mention there are two conditions to my coming back to Stonewall Hollow?”
“Name them,” he said. “I’ll do whatever it takes. Even if I have to bare my heart to you every damn day.”
“Mmm, that’s good,” she said. “Three conditions, then.”
He swatted her. “What are the other two?”
“One, I never have to judge a cake contest again.”
“Done. I’ll tell Jackson the good news. What else?”
“I want a lock on my chambers door.”
“I’ll fit it myself,” he said. “When you and I are making love in that broom closet, we don’t want anyone walking in on us.”
She kissed his chin.
“Okay, Your Honor.” He put up his hand, as if he was swearing an oath. “Are you ready to make an honest man of me?”
“You’ve made a very compelling case, Mr. Granger,” she said. “I sentence you to a lifetime of marriage to me.”
“Whatever you say, Your Honor,” he murmured, before his mouth covered hers.
ISBN: 978-1-4268-4674-8
HER SURPRISE HERO
Copyright © 2010 by Abby Gaines.
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This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events or locales is entirely coincidental.
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