Carolyn sneaked a call to Goldie to let her know she was staying at least an extra week and told her all about what was going on. She was so happy she had to tell someone.
“You stay right there,” Goldie said. “A man like that doesn’t come along every day.”
“I just might do that, Goldie. Can you get the guys to take care of the farm?”
“Consider it done, honey. You go for it, girl!”
Arthur called Mac on the sly to fill him in, warning him not to tell Annie, and asked if he could start construction on the land he’d given him a few years ago. Mac agreed and couldn’t have been happier. “In my middle desk drawer is my phone book. Look up my contractor and tell him what you need. I’m sure he’ll get right on it. What does Carolyn think about all this?”
“I haven’t asked her yet but I’ve got a feeling she’ll love the idea.”
“I do too and Annie will be thrilled to have her close by. Keep me posted,” he said and hung up.
Feeling as though he was being a little deceitful, after breakfast Arthur asked Carolyn if she wanted to take a ride.
“I’d love to. Do you want to ride up to the meadow?”
“Not today. I have another place I’d like to show you. We can pack a picnic lunch and enjoy the day.”
“Sounds wonderful, I’ll make some sandwiches,” Carolyn said as she was about to sprint up the stairs to change and get her boots.
“Oh no, missy,” said Delia, Mac’s cook. “My week off is over and I’m glad ya’ll are hangin’ around. Lord knows I wouldn’t know what to do with myself with Mac and Annie gone away. I’ll pack ya’ll a dandy picnic lunch; I need somethin’ to do to feel useful. Now shoo!”
“Delia reminds me of pictures I’ve seen of my grandmother, flowered bib apron with pockets and her hair tucked up in a bun,” Carolyn said as she and Arthur walked slowly toward the stables. “Where’s she from?”
“She’s sort of everyone’s grandmother around here. She and her husband lived in the Smoky Mountain area of Tennessee for years. It wasn’t until her son got accepted to the university in Denver that they were persuaded to move. At luck would have it, or maybe it was fate, she happened to take a job washing dishes in one of Mac’s restaurants…”
“What? Mac owns restaurants?” Carolyn stopped in her tracks.
“Several upscale restaurants, and Delia, having no education to speak of, got a job washing dishes. One day after a dispute, the head chef walked out and Delia stepped right up to the task. After Mac tasted her food and as soon as he could hire a new chef, he brought her up here as his cook. That was about the same time I started working for him. Delia is a real saint. She watches out for everyone.”
“Wow, I learn more about Mac every day,” she said shaking her head.
By the time Arthur and Carolyn saddled up the horses, Delia came out of the house with the picnic basket. “Here ya’ll go, and you best be takin’ this here blanket to sit on. I got fried chicken, both potato and macaroni salad in there, two glasses and a nice chilled bottle of wine. Y’all go on now and have a good time. Oh, and the carrots in there are for the horses so don’t be eatin’ ‘em.”
“Thank you, Delia,” Carolyn said. “It’s so sweet of you to do this for us.”
“I just love cookin’ for people I care ‘bout. Shucks, ‘taint nothin’ sweet ‘bout me.”
“Oh but there is,” Carolyn said as she hugged her tight and then mounted her horse like a pro. Arthur followed.
“Where are we going?” she asked.
“Not far; just down the road a couple miles. There’s a little side road that leads to an area Mac had cleared a few years ago. You’ll love the view.”
The horses were in no hurry and neither was Arthur. “So, when do you think you’ll head back to Kansas?” he finally asked.
“I don’t know,” she said, hoping he would ask her to stay. “This will probably sound silly, but I’m hoping Annie gets pregnant on their honeymoon and I’ll have a grandbaby in less than a year. I know Mac’s parents will be thrilled too if that happened.”
“I don’t think it sounds silly at all.”
They were both deep in thought and the silence didn’t seem to bother either of them. Soon Arthur stopped. “We turn off here. It’s overgrown now but there really is a little road here.” He led the way and Carolyn followed.
“There are some deep ruts so I can see where the road was,” she said.
“The machinery used to clear the land made those. They can be paved in if need be,” he said.
About a half mile down they came to a big clearing.
“This is it. Looks a bit different from when I was last here.”
“Oh Arthur, this is a beautiful spot,” Carolyn said as she dismounted.
They walked to about the middle of the area and Arthur set the picnic basket down on a stump. Taking her hand, they began to walk the perimeter of the land that was flat. A small stream ran through the back of the clearing which was surrounded by towering evergreens. Just as he said, the view was majestic.
Carolyn was in awe. “This is as beautiful as Mac’s meadow. He could build a big house here and still have plenty of land for a yard and a garden.”
“I’m thinking a big house with a wrap-around porch and a swing.”
“Yes, a swing is required. And look, if the kitchen was over here with big windows, you could see…oh look, the mountain goats!”
“Hmm, if the house had two stories, the view from the master bedroom would be magnificent,” he added. “Of course, it would need several fireplaces but there’s no lack of wood up here.”
“This is so much fun,” Carolyn said as she picked some wildflowers. “We’re walking around and building an imaginary house.”
They’d walked the fairly level area of the three acres when Arthur asked her if she was hungry.
“I am, but it feels like I just finished breakfast. It must be the mountain air.”
They strolled back to where the picnic basket was and Carolyn began to take out the food while Arthur spread the blanket on the ground.
“Wow, Delia is a gem. She even remembered to put a corkscrew in here.”
“I’m glad she sent both salads; I like them and can never decide which I like best.”
“Me too,” Carolyn said as she bit into a crispy and still warm chicken leg. “Mmm, this is delicious; I’ll have to get her recipe.”
“Good idea, then you can make it for me before you leave.”
She nodded. Maybe he wasn’t going to ask her to stay, but she managed to keep the conversation light.
When they finished eating, Carolyn fed the carrots to the horses, packed up the basket and set it aside. Arthur stretched out and patted the blanket beside him. Without hesitation, she curled up next to him and felt so secure and relaxed she dozed off.
About thirty minutes later, she opened her eyes. “Are you asleep,” she murmured.
“No, I’m holding you in my arms, loving every minute of being here with you, and I’m wide awake. Remember when I said we could have some firsts outside too?” he asked.
“Yes,” she said, as a puzzled look swept her face.
“Well, we are outside.”
“Oh Arthur, you don’t mean…”
“I most certainly do,” and he began to take off his clothes.
“But Arthur, people could see us.”
“What people? Carolyn, there’s no one around for miles.”
“Are you sure?” she questioned as he walked to his horse and removed the pink and blue containers from the saddle bag. “Oh my god, you are serious!”
“I don’t remember when I’ve been more serious. This will be another first for both of us.” He winked at her as he stood there buck naked.
“Oh Arthur, the things you’ve talked me into,” she shook her head and laughed as she took off her clothes.
“And you’ve loved every minute of it.”
She knelt down on the blanket and let her breasts dangle j
ust above his lips. “I’d be lying if I denied it.”
He added some pink lube to his hand and slid it between her legs as he latched onto one of her nipples and drew it in hard. Sinking two fingers deep inside her, he coated her well as she rocked her hips. Without letting go of her nipple, he opened the blue lube and covered his erect shaft with it.
His fingers slid out of her and began rubbing fast and furious over her nub until it emerged and swelled. When he slipped between her legs and the tip of him touched her still sensitive clit, she jumped. He knew then they could experience an orgasm together.
Letting go of her nipple, he flipped her onto her back. Hard as steel, he was quick about it. With both her legs over his shoulders, he thrust deep into her, filling her. He could feel her contract and squeeze tight around him. He pulled out slightly and eased the head of his shaft in and out several times before filling her again, thrust after thrust, harder and faster.
She bucked against him taking in all he had to offer and the tingling sensation of the lube excited her as it began to heat up. “Oh yes!” she yelled several times and didn’t care if anyone heard her.
He could feel the lube heating up too and it drove him harder and deeper. He lowered her legs and wrapped them around his waist so his fingers could graze her clit as he pistoned into her. Capturing her hips tight with one arm, he felt her legs begin to shake, heard her moans, and she screamed his name, plunged one final time spilling his liquid fire into her.
Reaching up, she pulled his shoulders down and embraced him. With her core still tightening around him, she drained him of every drop.
Without withdrawing from her warmth, he rolled on his side, swung one leg over her, and brought part of the blanket up to cover them. It was perfect, she was perfect, and he never wanted to let her go.
The sun was no longer directly overhead and filtered through the tips of the evergreens.
“We should get back,” Carolyn said.
Arthur helped her up and they dressed. As Carolyn was folding up the blanket, he put the lube back into the saddle bag.
“One more short walk around?” he asked.
“I’d love to; this is a beautiful place. I wonder why Mac never built anything here.”
“He thought about it for a while but that was years ago. At that time he was too busy building the big house.”
“Well, I suppose he still could. Anyone in their right mind would love to live here. Annie’s asked me to move out here more times than I can count and now that grandchildren will be coming along, I think I might. He could build me a little bungalow right here.”
They walked around; Carolyn taking it all in for what she feared was the last time.
“Actually, no he couldn’t.”
“Why not?”
“Because he deeded this land to me and any house I want to build on it is included.”
“You own this beautiful piece of land?”
“I do, Carolyn, and I’d like to share it with you. I believe we’re standing on our wrap-around front porch.”
Her knees grew weak at the sound of his words and she sank onto a stump. “Arthur, what are you saying?” she asked, looking up at him.
He went down on one knee in front of her and pulled out a small box from his pocket. A ray of sunlight danced on the silver in his hair and then reflected off the diamond when he opened the box. He took her left hand and placed the pear shaped diamond on her ring finger. It fit perfectly.
“I’m saying you’ve always had the right dream, Carolyn, and I want to be the right man. Stay with me. I want to spend the rest of my life with you. Please be my wife, marry me.”
“You are the right man and you’ve made my dreams come true. I love you too. Yes!” Tears trickled down her cheeks as she jumped up and threw her arms around him.
“No regrets about leaving home?” he asked as he held her tight.
“Oh Arthur,” she whispered as her lips brushed his. “I am home.”
Keriann McKenna writes both sweet and steamy romance. On the steamy side, you might like the Fall River Ranch Series. Book 4, On Loving a Woman is a stand-alone.
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The Princess and the Player - Jennifer Lewis
Foreword
The Princess and the Player
Carolina Leone left sexy street musician Amadou Khadem for a royal marriage. Now she’s widowed and in Paris on the night of his big concert—and this time the music star is determined to win her back.
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This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events or locales is entirely coincidental.
Copyright 2017 by Jennifer Lewis
All Rights Reserved.
Published 2017 by Mangrove
25883 N Park Ave
Suite 521672
Elkhart, Indiana, 46514
USA
Without limiting the rights under copyright above, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise), without prior written permission of the copyright owner and publisher of this book.
The scanning, uploading and distribution of this book via the Internet or via any other means without the permission of the publisher is illegal and punishable by law. Please purchase only authorized electronic editions and do not participate in or encourage electronic piracy of copyrightable materials. Your support of the author’s rights is appreciated.
Chapter 1
“You may be a widow, but you’re not dead.”
“I’m well aware of that.” Carolina Leone didn’t want to show her daughter how much her words stung. “I have a very full life.” They walked along the Rue Faubourg Saint-Honoré in Paris, ostensibly looking for a birthday gift for her. Her scientist daughter, Callista, had been too busy to shop for one before now. “Running the palace is a full-time job, especially since your brother has moved into the castle in the village.”
“Mom, you’re not a building caretaker. And Dad’s been gone for nearly a year now. You should go on a date.” She winked one of her pretty green eyes.
“Lord, no.” Lina almost shuddered. The prospect of dating again seemed as laughable as climbing Mt. Everest.
“I’m serious, you’re still young, you’re gorgeous, you have a lot to give. I’ll be very ticked off if you wall yourself up in that palace and say goodbye to life.”
“I have all of you to keep up with. Just traveling to visit my children all over the world could take most of the year.”
Callista cocked her head, sending her auburn curls cascading over her shoulder. “Mom, you can’t live through your children. And we’re all busy.”
Lina flinched. Was her daughter bored and annoyed by her presence here? She didn’t think so, but still…. “I don’t need a gift, darling. I have everything I want. Let me buy you lunch instead.” She knew her daughter needed to get back to her lab.
“We could go to Carlo’s,” Callista turned down a side street. “I am hungry. We’ll find you something awesome later.” The sidewalk narrowed as they walked past a construction site. They had to pick their way past a pile of broken concrete, and at one point Lina put her hand out to steady herself on the temporary plywood wall.
The wall was covered in pasted posters for various events around the city, but when she saw the one her fingers rested on, she stopped and stared.
Amadou Khadem at The Olympia, May 10! His face stared right at her, dark eyes as intense and piercing as ever. Tickets almost sold out!
“Mom, are you okay?”
“Oh, yes, I’m fine.” She dragged herself away from the poster with some effort. May tenth was tomorrow. But she’d never go
see it. She didn’t even remember the last time she’d been to a concert that wasn’t a classical concerto.
But she couldn’t resist sneaking one last look at the poster.
“Mom, what are you…? Hey, isn’t it that guy you met once?”
“What?” Had she told Callista about him? She couldn’t have—could she? Callista had a frighteningly good memory. She came out with stuff that no one else remembered.
“Yes, you said you met him long ago, before you had us. Before you met Dad, even. And look, the concert’s tomorrow. Let’s go see him.”
“Oh, no. I don’t think so.” Panic surged through her. She couldn’t even imagine being in the same space with him. Just seeing his face again was a shock. “It’ll be too noisy.”
“It’s music, Mom, not noise. And I love his sound. It’ll be fun.”
“I’d really rather not.” Thankfully Carlo’s was only a few steps away, and soon she was able to fuss over whether to sit inside or out and whether to get an appetizer, and could drag her attention away from the man she’d had to work very—very—hard to forget all those years ago.
But that evening, alone in her hotel room—her daughter shared an apartment with two other female scientists and there was no spare bed—she pulled out her laptop and opened a browser.
It couldn’t hurt just to look up his name and see what he’d been up to. Could it?
It had been years—decades—since she’d seen him. She was curious to see what Amadou looked like now, and the poster had been an extreme close-up of his face so it was hard to get an overall impression.
She Googled his name. She’d always liked his name and the way it rolled off his tongue, in that deep, French-accented voice of his. He was probably here in Paris right now, with the concert so soon.
Hot Silver Nights: Silver Fox Romance Collection Page 30
