Whispers of Winter: A Limited Edition Collection of Winter Romances

by Nicole Morgan

  “That was Wilson, my nine-month-old rescue puppy and early Christmas present to myself.”

  “Beautiful dog but apparently in a hurry huh?”

  “Yes, I’m so sorry about that. He’s really been barking up a storm the last few weeks. I have no idea what’s driving him so crazy out there but I hope he catches whatever it is.”

  Standing at the front door, Grant and Melanie both looked down the hallway when they could hear Wilson going nuts from the direction of the back of her apartment.

  “I have the window open in my bedroom just a crack so I can hear him. He never leaves the area, he’s really good about that. He just barks a lot. She didn’t used to so I’m not sure what’s gotten in to her.”

  Grant rubbed his hands together, blowing into them to alleviate some of the chill.

  “Oh gosh, I’m so sorry, please come in.”

  She held the door open wide for him and he kissed her as he walked past.

  “I hope you don’t mind I stopped over. I know it’s late but I just had to see you again.”

  He was overjoyed at the pleasure in her smile.

  “Not at all, I’m glad you did.”

  Melanie shut the front door, turned and folded right into Grant’s waiting arms for another of his soul melting kisses.

  Chapter Six

  “Grant, I haven’t been able to think of anything else but you since I left work. I don’t even remember driving home.”

  He continued to kiss her neck and other places with reckless abandon until they both reluctantly parted, looking at each other questioning the frantic barking from outside the apartment.

  “Are you sure he’s okay back there?” Grant moved closer to the window but could only see darkness.

  “Well, he has been up to now but he’s never barked that much. It is starting to worry me a little. If he’s not careful, I could get in trouble from the office for him barking, especially at night.”

  “I’m sure he’s just chased a squirrel up a tree or something. I can go out and look just to be on the safe side. Is that okay?”

  “That would be great actually but I’ll just throw on my books and go with you, just in case he decides to be ornery and run from you. He does it to me sometimes. He probably thinks it’s funny but I hate going out there in the cold to chase him.”

  Grant and Melanie headed out the front door and walked through the accumulated snow to the back of the apartment where Wilson was barking continuously. Melanie approached him, grabbed him by the collar and tried to shush him.

  “I don’t know what’s wrong with him.”

  “Seems kind of weird that he’s looking at your bedroom window. Did you open it that much?”

  “Actually no, I only slid it open an inch or two.”

  As she walked closer to the window, she stepped on something. When she looked down she was alarmed to see her window screen.

  “Melanie don’t touch anything.”

  Grant dug his cell from his front pocket and dialed 911. When the operator answered, he gave the address and explained where they were currently and what had happened with the screen on the ground. He was concerned that someone had gotten into her apartment from her bedroom window.

  When he hung up the phone, Grant quietly moved Melanie and her dog Wilson closer to the evergreen trees for protection and they stayed in that tree line until they reached his car. He put her in and locked the car from the inside, then went back to the tree line again so he could watch the window until the police arrived.

  They didn’t have but a few minutes to wait and Grant had stayed on the line with the police dispatch until he saw one of the officers approaching him.

  “Mr. Summerlin, are you okay?”

  “Yes, I’m fine. My friend Melanie, the one that lives in this apartment, is sitting in my car with her dog. I didn’t see anybody come back out since I’ve been here.”

  “Okay, we’ll take over from here. If you could go back to your car and wait. I’ve got officers at the front door and I’ll be right here at the window. Myself or one of the other officers will find you when it’s all clear.”

  Melanie was getting more nervous by the second until she saw Grant coming near his car. She unlocked the door by hand and he climbed in the driver’s side.

  “What’s going on out there? Is someone in my apartment?”

  He put an arm around her, pulling her closer to him.

  “I’m not exactly sure what’s going on but they think someone could have gotten in. They have the place staked out and officers are going in the front. He’ll come find us when they know more.”

  “I can’t believe this is happening. I’ve been opening my window for months so that I can hear Wilson playing outside. He’s never run off. He’s never chased animals. He just walks around and sniffs. I try to keep an eye on him.”

  “Didn’t you say he’s only been barking the last couple weeks?”

  “Yeah, just a couple weeks. I noticed he was barking one day when I came home and he’d never done that before. I’ve been yelling at him a lot to be quiet so my neighbors don’t report me.”

  “Have you seen anything out of the ordinary inside your apartment lately?”

  “Not at all, other than my bathroom trash dumped all over the floor but I’m pretty sure that’s Wilson playing.”

  “Well, all we can do is sit and wait for now. They will get things figured out.”

  Grant and Melanie sat in his car with Wilson for an additional thirty minutes, talking about each other and making plans for the holiday together when they saw a police officer approach the car. Grant rolled the window down.

  The officer explained there had been a break-in, where she had the window cracked open and that they have apprehended the man. He was found stuffed in the linen closet outside of the bathroom. They can only assume he’d been waiting for her to come back toward her bedroom.

  As the officer explained the procedures that were happening, two other officers walked a cuffed man out of her front door. They could see his face plain as day and were shocked at who they saw.

  “Grant, did you see that man? It’s Mr. Schwartz.”

  “Officer can I have a word with that man?”

  “Do you know him?” The officer took on a different tone when he realized they knew the burglar.

  “I do, he’s one of my accountants.”

  “Personal accountant?”

  “No, business. I own Summerlin Advertising and he’s one of two I have employed.”

  The officer wrote in his notebook then told Grant he would need him to come down to the station tomorrow.

  “It’s late tonight. All is clear in your apartment now. We’ve done a wide sweep so you’re welcome to head back in now. Someone will call you tomorrow with the details and have you stop by and sign some papers but otherwise you folks can enjoy your holiday.”

  Grant confirmed that they would both be there tomorrow. The police officer left then and Melanie and Grant headed back inside.

  Grant had Melanie sit on the couch with Wilson while he went back to the bedroom and shut and locked the window. The rooms was chilled from being open so he checked the thermostat before returning to her.

  “I don’t understand. Why would Ed Schwartz break into my home?”

  “Melanie, I don’t have an answer for you but I can guarantee we’ll be finding out more tomorrow. He won’t be returning to work either. I’ll make a call to Mrs. Applebaum in HR and give her a heads up. I’m sure the police station will need more paperwork on him so she might need to help out with that.”

  “I’m just in shock. He’s such a creepy guy. Now that I think about it, he’s been coming around my office a lot more lately.”

  “I can only guess he’s been coming around your apartment lately too. I’ll bet money that’s what Wilson has been barking about.”

  “I know it’s a lot to ask but do you think you can stay here with me tonight? I really don’t want to be alone.”

  “I would
be glad to keep you company. Although, I’m pretty sure that Wilson would give any criminal a run for their money.”

  “I think you’re right but thank you. How about we find something to eat?”

  “I like the sound of that.”

  Epilogue

  …three weeks later

  Melanie sat on her couch all curled up in her Grammy’s homemade afghan, her puppy sound asleep at her feet. That is until Grant plopped down beside her, crunching on the popcorn he’d just popped.

  The puppy tried to climb into his lap several times, even though he was far from the size of a lap dog.

  “Do not give him any more of that buttery popcorn. It’s not good for him.”

  “You worry too much.”

  He kissed her cheek and pushed a fluffy popped kernel in her mouth. She swatted his hand before the next kernel made it into her lab’s drooling mouth.

  “Can you please tell me what Chief Matthews said today so we can get this movie started?”

  “Sweetheart, all you need to know is that I won’t ever leave your side again okay?”

  In the past three weeks, they made several trips to the police station to sign paperwork and get updates on Grant’s former accountant. Apparently, he’d been stalking Melanie for some time and had been staking out her place so that he could sneak in and surprise her. He’d camped out in the trees every night so he could memorize her nightly routine and the schedule with her dog.

  Melanie had made the decision pretty easily to press charges and eventually they would have to appear in court but those things took time.

  She was pretty proud of Wilson for detecting that something was wrong and, in the future, they would both definitely take more seriously, his changes in behavior.

  Melanie and Grant had officially become a couple and he spent as much time at her place as possible but they’d both agreed when her lease is up, she would be moving into his apartment. Then when they were ready, he promised they could find a house in a sub-division somewhere so Wilson could have room to run.

  Melanie had heard it many times but never experienced it herself til now but finding love was a pretty special thing.

  The End

  Coming Soon

  Christmas in July—A Christmas Crush #2

  The Chicago streets were packed with people so what better place for Amber Holiday to open her new business, which she’d named Christmas in July. It was her favorite time of the year and she couldn’t think of an easier way to celebrate than sell seasonal items all year long.

  Branch Porter has always hated Christmas. The holiday, the time of year and everything that went with it so when a new store opens next to his brew pub, he will stop at nothing to see it closed down.

  Can Branch and Amber find common ground or will they both wish they’d never met?

  About the Author

  Krista Ames is an International #1 best-selling author of

  contemporary romance, including several sub genres.

  Western Romance is her failsafe and she loves a man in

  uniform but Paranormal is starting to be her new go-to.

  Born and raised in Indiana, she is now a Northern Lower

  Michigan transplant and married to the love of her life.

  They have 4 children and a few fur babies. She is a full time stay-at-home mom and pursues her writing career

  when she’s not running her kids every which way.

  She finds her inspiration in the love of her family and

  binge watches romantic and scary movies.

  She’s always thrilled to hear from readers so please

  find her at any of the following locations:

  www.KristaAmes.com

  www.bookbub.com/authors/krista-ames

  www.apassionforromance.blogspot.com

  www.twitter.com/kristaames

  www.facebook.com/kristaamsauthor

  www.pinterest.com/kristaames

  email at: krista@kristaames.com

  Other titles by Krista Ames

  Recon Strong (The Elite 1) (Omega Team Novella)

  Neighborhood Watch (The Watchers 1) (Phoenix Agency Novella)

  Security Breach (The Watchers 2) (Phoenix Agency Novella

  Mine for the Taking (Lone Wolves 1) (Paranormal Dating Agency Novella)

  Bearly Sassy (Bearly Tolerable 1) (Sassy Ever After Novella)

  Take Me Home, Cowboy (Home series 1)

  In A Cowboy’s Arms (Home series 2)

  Harper’s Wish (Montana Series 1)

  Sisters (Montana Series 2)

  Morgan’s Mountain (Montana Series 3)

  Whiskey’s Sweet Revenge (Nothing but Cowboy 1)

  Love Takes the Cake (Cooking Up Love 1)

  Her Fate, His Mate (Wolves of Windsor Woods 1)

  Surf’s Up

  Their One Right Thing

  An Unexpected Twist

  More Than Friends

  Rescuing Alix

  Making Waves

  Out with the Old

  Coming Soon:

  Wolf at the Door (Wolves of Windsor Woods 3)

  Ranger in Danger (The Elite 2) (Omega Team Novella)

  Falling for the Nanny (Breaking the Billionaire 2)

  All Tied Up (Home series 3)

  Fall for Him (Seasons 1)

  Winter Without Him (Seasons 2)

  Spring Free (Seasons 3)

  Summer of Love (Seasons 4)

  When the Lights Go Down (Afterthought 1)

  Touchdown Dance

  Carma Haley Shoemaker

  About the Story

  Dance is my first love. Will you be my last?

  Raised by her grandfather, Peyton Brooks hasn’t had an easy life. After a career-ending accident, she steps away from her love of dance and opens a tea shop with her best friend. She soon realizes that the thing she is most missing in her life is love. But who could ever love a broken dancer with OCD?

  Austin Mathey’s career is over. After an injury on the field, he’s looking for a quiet life and someone real to share it with. Meeting Peyton at physical therapy caught him by surprise, but he’s determined to open her eyes to her true worth, and to the possibility of love, no matter what her doubts.

  When Austin’s past interrupts their holiday season trying to convince him to re-enter the game, Peyton distances herself. She can’t compete with his fame, or his fans. But having lost her own dream career, she refuses to be the reason Austin resigns his. Will Austin convince Peyton that she’s the only woman he wants? Or will Peyton’s past keep her from the future she’s dreamed of?

  For My Fellow Spoonies

  Chapter One

  I stood at the big picture window staring through the sputtering snowflakes and down the street at the new steak house that opened last week. The green and white letters on the glass only partially blocked my view. The soft bizzing of the neon OPEN sign over my head only distracted me for a moment. The last thing this town needs is another steak restaurant. I felt resentment for that place, for that building, for that restaurant, and I had never even set foot inside.

  I counted the motion of my hand as it glided slowly, up and down and over the smooth glass. The discolored white towel repetitively followed the same path. Eighty-eight. Eighty-nine. Ninety. The dampness squeaked against the clean surface, snapping me back to the task at hand. I’m supposed to be cleaning. I squeezed the trigger on the plastic bottle and the wiff of glass cleaner assaulted my senses. Moving slightly to the left, I repeated the process on a new section of the large picture window.

  The cloth in my hand again brushed up and back against the glass. Silently, I started counting once more. One. Two. Three. Four. Five. This was not one of my normal counting routines, but I was stressed. And more stress meant more counting.

  “Peyton,” Jesi said. I heard my friend calling, but her voice sounded distant, far away. Almost inaudible. I didn’t respond. “Peyton!”

  I heard her that time. Jerking around to face Jesi, the bottle of window cleaner slip
ped from my hand and fell to the floor with a bopple. I looked down at the clear plastic, watched the blue liquid slosh back and forth, and then slowly glanced up at Jesi.

  “How far did you get?” Jesi asked.

  “That time? Or just in general?” My voice rang with notes of sarcasm to hide my embarrassment. Jesi knew about my OCD and didn’t judge me, think less of me, or most importantly, try to fix me.

  “In general.” Jesi stood from her chair, exposing her rounded pregnant belly, and waddled her way across the floor in my direction.

  “Three hundred. Then one hundred. Then ninety.” I fidgeted with the towel in my hand as I talked. Even though my OCD wasn’t a secret, there were times when I had a hard time discussing it. This was one of them. “Then I started over. I’d only made it to five when you so rudely interrupted me.” I released a nervous chuckle.

  “I think the window is clean, don’t you?” Jesi picked up the now dented bottle of glass cleaner from the floor and held out her hand. I reluctantly handed her the cloth. As I released my grip on the dirty, damp, discolored material, I felt the stiffness in my fingers. I took in a deep breath. It’s okay. I’m okay. I let the air out of my lungs slowly. I’m okay.