The Proposal

by Katie Ashley

  Emma laughed. “Poor thing. With you as her daddy, she won’t get to date until she’s thirty.”

  “And it’ll be a good thing because if she’s half as beautiful as her mother, she’ll have all the boys chasing after her.”

  Tears sparkled in Emma’s eyes at his compliment. “You’re so sweet.”

  “It’s the truth.”

  “But I do remember you saying you would bring some mighty fine genes as well.”

  “We’re a good baby-making pair, aren’t we?”

  Emma snorted. “In more ways than one.”

  Aidan laughed. “Who knew you would be so fertile and I would be so potent?”

  “That just means after this baby, we’ll have to be more careful or consider more options.”

  Aidan shook his head furiously back and forth. “Don’t even think about suggesting a vasectomy!”

  Emma rolled her eyes. “I was thinking either birth control pills or something for me. Don’t get your balls in a twist that I want to take your manhood or something.”

  Aidan couldn’t help sighing with relief. “That’s good to hear.”

  “But don’t think just because I’m going on birth control, I’m finished with baby-making.”

  He arched his brows at her. “Oh really?”

  “Mmm, hmm. I want a big family just like yours.”

  “Em, I don’t think I ever signed on to father five kids.”

  “Oh but you’re so good at it,” she teased.

  He groaned. “There goes you and that mouth again.”

  “Well, I’ll think of cutting myself off at three if you’ll shut me up and kiss me.”

  “I’ll be happy to oblige ma’am.”

  Aidan brought his lips to hers. Just as her warm mouth opened invitingly, a high pitched wail caused them to break apart. They watched as Jenny hustled a red-faced, crying Noah over to them.

  “What’s the matter, sweetheart?” Emma asked.

  “Muh! Muh!” he cried.

  Emma shook her head and grinned as she took Noah from Jenny. “I can’t believe he can say dada all day, but I get called ‘muh’!”

  Burying his face in Emma’s neck, Noah’s cries quieted as Emma hummed to him. Their food arrived then. “Wanna come to Daddy, Little Man, so Mama can eat?”

  Noah tightened his arms around Emma’s neck at the insinuation. “Come on now. Mama needs to eat for your little brother or sister.”

  When Aidan reached to take Noah, he screamed and clung to Emma. “Oh Jesus. He’s getting to be such a Mama’s Boy,” Aidan lamented.

  “There’s nothing wrong with that. I seem to recall another Fitzgerald boy who was one, and he turned out all right,” Emma replied, while rubbing wide circles across Noah’s back and kissing the strands of his strawberry blonde hair.

  Aidan nodded at her insinuation to him and his mother. She was right. He had been a Mama’s Boy and proud of it. “Well, that’s true, but did have some screw-ups until he found the love of another good woman,” Aidan replied.

  “Then we’ll just have to hope and pray Noah finds the same one day.” Emma smiled at him over Noah’s head. “And until then, he can be my Mama’s Boy.”

  Aidan grunted. “Come on, Little Man. You’re really a Daddy’s Boy, aren’t you?” he prompted. Peeking through Emma’s auburn hair, Noah grinned at Aidan. The small gesture caused Aidan’s chest to clench, and he fought to breathe.

  “Are you okay?” Emma asked.

  “I’m more than okay.” He leaned over to kiss Noah’s cheek before kissing her tenderly on the lips. “I’m fucking amazing.”

  Acknowledgements

  Thanks first go to God for the amazing blessings I’ve received with the publication of The Proposition as well as through every facet of my life.

  To every reader who picked up The Proposition I am forever in your debt. Your support, appreciation, your love of Aidan and Emma, your love of my supporting cast, your messages and emails, fan videos and Pinterest pages —it saved me. Words would be inadequate to express how much I appreciate and love you guys!! Big hugs and kisses—I’m a Southern gal, and we’re huggers!!

  To my late mother, Ginger Jackson Ashe: A posthumous thanks is needed for this amazing woman who gave me life. For twenty-three years, I was the main focus, the main joy, and the source of tremendous and unfailing love until she was taken from us far too soon. In every strong woman I write, in every mother whose entire world is her child, in every woman who deals with the hand life has given her—it is because of my mother. From the time I was a little girl and wrote my first story, she believed in me and my writing, although when she said I would be a Pulitzer Prize winner, I was quick to respond with “Dime Store Romance Novelist!” Her sacrifices and her love sustain me ten years later, and they are a blessing each and every day. I love and miss you, Mama!!

  To my late grandmother, Virginia Jackson: I never though I would be writing a posthumous thank you to this amazing woman whose unexpected loss in May 2012 shattered my world. Although a diminutive woman, she was coined Big Mama by cousin and myself, and it was a name that stuck for so many people. From the time I wrote my first few words, her support was unfailing. No matter how many rejections, no matter how dark the path to publication seemed, her belief that I would be successful and a star(her nepotism, lol) never wavered. Just like my mother, she is every strong woman, every amazing mother, and every sassy and tough talking gal—a true Steel Magnolia of strength, beauty, and courage. I love and miss you, Big Mama.

  To the best writer buddies and friends anyone could ever hope for: Kelli Maine, Michelle Valentine and Emily Snow. It has been an honor to trudge through the writing trenches with you the last three years. I wouldn’t be able to make it a day without you guys and your support. I owe a tremendous debt to your eagle eyes, your plot magic, and your cheerleading. LOVE YOU!! Thanks to Kristen Proby for your support and pimpage.

  To Hannah Wylie: I’ll never, ever forget what you have meant to me and my writing. From that first read through of The Guardians up until The Proposition, your support has been unfailing. You’ve been a cheerleader as well as one to commiserate in the bad times. Thank you again for being a critique partner and friend.

  Cris Soriaga Hadarly: Words seem inadequate to fully verbalize what you have meant to me and my writing. I couldn’t have hoped or asked for a better reader turned fangirl turned friend. Your love and support have been bright light in my life, along with that beautiful, infectious smile of yours. I thank God for it. I want the most amazing of 2013’s for you, my love!!

  Michelle Schultz Eck: I thank God for putting you in my life and putting us in close proximity geographically! For all your help and support on promotion for The Proposition as well as your eyes on the prize aka the sequel!! Your honesty and unfailing support has meant so much along with our bond of loss.

  Brandi McGee Polatty: Thank you so much for your friendship and support. I feel that you were put into my life for a reason as well as being geographically close!! Thank you for the amazing website. It rocks!!

  I wouldn’t have had the amazing success with The Proposition that I’ve experienced without the appreciation and support of some fantastic bloggers: Literati Literature Lovers, Aestas’s Book Blog, The Book Avenue Review, SUBCLUB Books, Flirty and Dirty Book Blog, Shh’s Mom’s Reading, Ana’s Attic, Into the Night Reviews, Holly Loves Indie, Lori’s Book Blog, Kindlehooked, Natasha is a Book Junkie, Three Chicks and Their Books, Sinfully Sexy Book Reviews, & The Rock Stars of Romance, and Tina’s Book Blog.

  Heather Gunter: Thanks for being an amazing reviewer and for being my partner in crime to get my first, and most likely only, tattoo!!

  Besides my Naughty Mafia ladies, thanks to my early eyes on the sequel with Denise Sprung, Marilyn Medina, Michelle Eck, and Lisa Pantano Kane. Thanks for telling it like it was and letting me know what was working or not working.

  Marilyn Medina: my sista from another mista and Golden Girls twinsie, I don’t know what I would have don
e without your support, friendship, and Eagle Eyes. I would have still be grabbing up things and missing ridiculous typos!! You donned your feathered hat and pimped me to the world, and I’ll never forget it or you, my love!

  Elizabeth Martinelli aka Mama Liz: I don’t know where I would be without your love and support. You’ve stood by me in the darkest times and been a friend and second mother to me. Your support of my writing has been unfailing. I am blessed and grateful to have you in my life.

  Paige and Enzo Silva: You’ve been the best IRL friends a girl could ask for. You stood by me in the good and bad, and I’ll never forget your love and support. You’ve been the best cheerleaders and the best “talk a gal down from the ledge” friends.

  To my second parents Jimmy and Joy Stephens, along with my adopted sister, Missy Mulkey: Words are inadequate to give thanks for what you have meant to me my entire life, especially in the last year. I thank God daily for your love and your support and for giving me parents again when mine were lost.

  To Elizabeth Harper for her love and pimpage of The Proposition when I was just an unknown Indie writer. Thanks as well as to Mersina on Goodreads for her fantastic GIF whored out review of The Proposition! I still smile when I look at it!!

  To Raine Miller for her business savvy and talking me down from the ledge as well as her amazing books! Drinks on me in Vegas!

  To the ladies of The Smutty Book Whore Mafia for giving me lots of support, but most of all for the laughs, naughty conversations, and “shiny” pictures—as well as growlers or my own personal “howlers”!! You gals rock!!

  Other rocking gals that need thanks are the gals in The Rock the Heart fan group for all your support, laughter, and naughty talk!

  Coming Soon from Katie Ashley

  Music of the Heart

  For Abby Renard, the plan was supposed to be simple—join her brothers’ band on the last leg of their summer tour and decide if she’s finally ready for the limelight by becoming its fourth member. Of course, she never imagined stumbling onto the wrong tour bus at Rock Nation would accidentally land her in the bed of Jake Slater, the notorious womanizing lead singer of Runaway Train. When he mistakes her for one of his groupie’s, Abby quickly lets him know she sure as hell isn't in his bed on purpose.

  Jake Slater never imagined the angel who fell into his bed would resist his charms by promptly kneeing him in the balls. Of course, the fact she seems like a prissy choir girl makes her anything but his type. So he is more than surprised when after betting Abby she wouldn’t last a week on their tour bus, she is more than willing to prove him wrong. But as Jake’s personal life begins to implode around him, he finds an unlikely ally in Abby. He’s never met a woman he can talk to, joke with, or most importantly make music with.

  As the week starts comes to a close, neither Abby nor Jake is ready to let go. Can a sweetheart Country songstress and a bad boy of Rock N Roll actually have a future together?

  Drop Dead Sexy Summer 2013

  For Olivia Sullivan, love is more a four letter curse word than a sentiment. Growing up as the daughter of a small town mortician, guys didn’t warm to the fact there were dead people in her house. At thirty, taking over the family business and becoming the town Coroner helped to cement undateable status. Of course her past sex history didn’t help matters either.

  Attempt number one with her first love ended before it got started with a horrific latex allergy hospitalization. Attempt number two had him coming and then going with an undiagnosed heart condition. For the past three years, Olivia has closed up shop for fear of what might happen next in the bedroom.

  After being forced to go single to her mother’s lingerie shower, Olivia stumbles into an out of town bar with one intention: find an able bodied stud to go home with to end her losing sex streak. Enter Holden Caulfield Mains aka Catcher, who earned his nickname not just from the book he was named for, but for the fact he was sure to catch the attention any woman who came with a five mile radius. Waking up after a night of the most mind blowing sex she could have ever imagined, a horrified Olivia runs away thinking she’s Catcher behind.

  When Olivia’s small town is wracked by its first murder, she never could have imagined her one night stand would reappear in the form of the GBI’s lead investigator. To her mortification, Catcher isn’t ready to let go of their sizzling chemistry, and he doesn’t understand the meaning of no. As things start to heat up between them, the body count starts to rise, and they’re led on a wild goose chase from back woods mountain Nudist Colonies to altercations with the Dixie Mafia.

  Do Not Go Gentle: NEW ADULT Summer 2013

  Maddie and Allie had been best friends since Pull-ups and Pre-K. Raised on the same rural road and with their parents close friends, nothing had ever come between them. But the summer after graduation changes everything. When Allie’s dad starts spinning out of control with his PTSD, an altercation leaves her black and blue. Maddie never could have imagined that acting on a whispered accusation would lead not only to a friend’s broken trust, but to a fiery midnight blaze that took Allie and her mother out of this world at her father’s hands. Maddie is left with a gaping hole in her soul and the unimaginable guilt that she was somehow to blame.

  Miles away at college, Will thought he could escape the impending chaos at home. At twenty-one, he never could have imagined the entire world he knew would go up in smoke, leaving him orphaned and without his little sister and confidante, Allie. With the life he once had in ashes, Will can’t see the way ahead, nor can he shake the crippling grief that threatens to consume him. No one makes him feel alive again or want to embrace the uncertain future except Maddie.

  In Will, Maddie has someone to help her pick the pieces of her shattered life without Allie. He’s the only one who understands what she’s going through. Her old friends, her boyfriend of two years, none of them seem to comprehend what her dark world is like. The more and more time they spend together, the more they depend on each other. But everything they have is threatened when the lines between friendship and lovers start to blur.

  The Pairing: A Companion Novel to The Proposition and The Proposal

  Pesh’s love story with Megan—Aidan’s niece and baby Mason’s mother.

  Katie Ashley writing as Krista Ashe in Young Adult

  Jules the Bounty Hunter—Currently Available

  High-speed car chases, hiding out in overgrown bushes, nabbing the bad guy—all in a days work for Julianne aka Jules St. James. Sure growing up with a bounty hunter for a father was a little unorthodox, but she wouldn’t have it any other way. After all, how many sixteen-year-old girls can take a man down with her bare hands, fire an assault rifle, or become a chameleon by using fake identities to nab bail jumpers? On her father’s Texas ranch, she’s just one of the guys with her older, twin brothers, Remington and Colt.

  So when Jules’s father insists she spend the summer with her absentee mother—a former Savannah debutant and current member of high society, she is more than a little pissed off. Jules has had little use for her mother since she blew out of town six years ago to trade garden parties and black tie affairs for being a bounty hunter’s wife. A summer in Savannah with Mommie Dearest means having refinement and culture shoved down her throat while styling the latest haute couture fashion.

  But Jules’s father has another reason behind sending her to Savannah. The society family of Emmett Marshall, a white-collar bail jumper resides there. The mission is for Jules to get close to Marshall’s teenage son, Jackson, thus trying to unravel any clues about his father’s whereabouts. Locating Marshall could mean a hefty payoff —enough for Jules’s freshman year of college.

  Since she's better at taking down a guy than hooking up with one, Jules feels like she's in over her head. Enter Wyatt Deluca. Working for Jules’s bounty hunting cousin, Wyatt's suave services are enlisted to help her reel Jackson in. The tattooed, motorcycle riding bad boy is a 180 from sweet, cultured Jackson, but the more that Jules hangs around with Wyatt, the more con
fused she is about her true feelings and her ability to do her job.

  The Guardians: Currently Available

  Got Wings?

  Elijah and Cassie aren’t your old-school angels chilling in the heavens and strumming harps. They’re members of the Guardians, an elite force of angels masquerading under the guise of high school teens.

  Their newest mission is no walk in the clouds. In an effort to seek out troubled teens, they, along with fellow angels, Rafe, Sophie and Gabriel, will pose as a family of adopted brothers and sisters and enroll in high school. Along with their gift of “emotional divination”, which is to take on the pain of those who are suffering, they experience their own roller coaster rides of teenage emotions.

  Accustomed to working with children, shy Elijah is overwhelmed when he is assigned to Abby, an honor roll cheerleader. When she discovers she is pregnant and her boyfriend abandons her, Abby turns to Elijah for support. As his feelings for Abby intensify, Elijah also struggles with the desire to be a guardian to Abby’s unborn baby. However, as Elijah is trying to do good, a dark force hovers over him in the form of Lucius—one of Satan’s demons. Things escalate when Elijah threatens Lucius. It will come to a fight to the finish with Elijah either being defeated or damning Lucius back to Hell.

  Song bird Cassie sings her way into the lead of the school musical and into the life of Zach, a guitar-strumming lost soul. After constant beatings from his step-father drive Zach to a suicide attempt, Cassie must teach him about hope and faith. However, a dark force in the area leads Cassie to mistakenly interpret that Zach is her assignment. Instead she was meant for Lauren, her musical rival and the girl who has an intense crush on Zach. Cassie must somehow find a way to befriend Lauren, help her along and continue to help Zach without destroying Lauren in the process.