River of Love

by Melissa Foster

  River of Love

  The Bradens

  at Peaceful Harbor

  Love in Bloom Series

  Melissa Foster

  This is a work of fiction. The events and characters described herein are imaginary and are not intended to refer to specific places or living persons. The opinions expressed in this manuscript are solely the opinions of the author and do not represent the opinions or thoughts of the publisher. The author has represented and warranted full ownership and/or legal right to publish all the materials in this book.

  RIVER OF LOVE

  All Rights Reserved.

  Copyright © 2016 Melissa Foster

  V1.0

  This book may not be reproduced, transmitted, or stored in whole or in part by any means, including graphic, electronic, or mechanical without the express written consent of the publisher except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

  Cover Design: Natasha Brown & Elizabeth Mackey

  Cover Image: David Hickey Photography. Jenna Chapple and Kevin Thomsen

  WORLD LITERARY PRESS

  PRINTED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

  A Note to Readers

  I had so much fun watching Sam and Faith learn and grow and inevitably fall in love; they’ve climbed right to the top of my favorite couples list. I hope you love them as much as I do!

  Sign up for my newsletter to keep up to date with new releases and to receive an exclusive short story featuring Jack Remington and Savannah Braden. www.melissafoster.com/NL

  The Bradens are just one of the series in the Love in Bloom big family romance collection. Characters from each series make appearances in future books so you never miss an engagement, wedding, or birth. A complete list of all series titles is included at the end of this book.

  - Keep track of your favorite characters with the essential

  Love in Bloom Series Guide

  Visit Melissa’s Reader Goodies page for…

  - Download Love in Bloom series list, reading order, checklists, and more.

  - FREE Love in Bloom ebooks

  Love in Bloom Subseries Order

  Snow Sisters –Book 1 FREE

  The Bradens –Book 1 FREE

  The Remingtons –Book 1 FREE

  Seaside Summers –Book 1 FREE

  The Ryders

  Wild Boys After Dark

  Harborside Nights

  For Elise, because our crazies have such fun together

  Table of Contents

  A Note to Readers

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Chapter Seventeen

  Chapter Eighteen

  Chapter Nineteen

  Chapter Twenty

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  Chapter Twenty-Seven

  Chapter Twenty-Eight

  Chapter Twenty-Nine

  Chapter Thirty

  Chapter Thirty-One

  Epilogue

  Chapter One - Touched by Love

  Chapter One - Bad Boys After Dark: Mick

  BOOK LIST

  Chapter One

  A MAN COULD take a wedding for only so long before he drank too much booze or left with a warm, willing woman to wash away all that purity. Sam Braden stood with a drink in one hand and a greedy itch in the other, debating doing both.

  “I’ll take the redhead if you want the brunette.” Ty, his youngest brother, lifted his chin in the direction of the bar. In addition to being a world-renowned mountain climber and photographer, Ty was also Sam’s carousing partner. “Unless you’re double-dipping tonight, in which case I’ll go for one of the Staley sisters.”

  Sam scoffed. Been there, done them.

  He spotted two blondes slinking across the dance floor toward them. He’d hooked up with the one who was currently eye-fucking him last month, and the redhead Ty had been ogling moments ago had joined them in their hot, sweaty romp. His gaze shifted to the sexy brunette standing by the bar looking like she wanted to jump over it and hide behind it but she couldn’t quite figure out how. Faith Hayes. He’d been trying not to look at Faith all night, but he was losing that battle. Faith worked in Sam’s brother Cole’s medical practice. She was sweet, and good, and smart, and… Sam should not be thinking about laying her on the bar and doing dirty things to her gorgeous body.

  No. He definitely should not.

  Every time he looked at her, every time he thought of her—which was every damn day—that feeling of wanting more than a few quick hookups resurfaced. He not only wanted to lay her down on the bar, but he wanted to take her home. That was bizarre, too, since as a rule Sam never took any woman to his cabin. But half his visits with Cole at his office were merely made-up opportunities to get a glimpse of Faith. He didn’t fully understand his fascination with her, considering he usually preferred the kind of woman who wanted to jump him and damn well knew how, but there was no denying the stirring inside him every time she was near. He forced himself to look away and focused on the dance floor, where Cole, their eldest brother, danced with his new wife, Leesa, and just beyond, their younger brother Nate and his fiancée, Jewel, were gazing into each other’s eyes. Weren’t they always? Sam used to get hives just thinking about being tied down—unless, of course, it was to a bed. But he couldn’t deny how happy his brothers seemed since they’d fallen in love, and lately he’d begun feeling as if he were missing out on something.

  The tall blonde sidled up to Sam, blocking his view of Faith and blinking flirtatiously, while her friend joined Ty. “You boys look lonely.”

  “Ladies,” Sam said smoothly, bringing his attention back to the pretty girls who definitely knew how to use their bodies for the good of mankind.

  “Care to dance?” she asked, and like a puppy with a bone, Sam followed her out to the dance floor.

  Music and dancing ranked right up there with white-water rafting in Sam’s book. As the owner of Rough Riders, a rafting and adventure company, he rarely slowed down, but a strong beat calmed his internal restlessness. And Sam was always a little restless.

  The blonde moved sensuously in his arms, reminding him of all the reasons a woman should win out over booze tonight. On that thought, his eyes drifted back to Faith, still standing by the bar, holding a drink he’d bet was soda, and nervously running her finger up the side of the glass as she…watched him? Sam’s lips curved up and Faith’s gaze skittered away. She became adorably flustered whenever he visited Cole at the office, and though he probably shouldn’t, Sam got a kick out of flirting with her.

  Cole stepped into his line of sight, blocking his view of Faith and casting a threatening look at Sam, sending the message, Don’t even think about it.

  There were no two ways about it, Sam loved women and everyone around him knew it. He loved the way they smelled, the feel of their soft bodies against his hard muscles, their delicate features, the sounds they made in the throes of passion. But his mind refused to play the any woman game these days. It was drenched in thoughts of Faith, and he wanted to experience all those things about her firsthand.

  “Sam!” Cole chided.

  He shook his head to clear his mind, laughing under his breath, as he turn
ed his attention back to the woman he was dancing with. His hands sank to the base of her spine. Mm. She felt good. His eyes were drawn to Faith again, who was staring into her drink. Bet you’d feel even better, was his first thought, but it was the second—I wonder what you’re thinking—that took him by surprise.

  **

  I SHOULDN’T HAVE come to this wedding. Faith checked her watch for the hundredth time that evening. She’d told herself she had to stay for an hour after dinner. That was the respectable thing to do at her boss’s wedding, even though she’d rather leave right this very second. Work obligations outside of the office were uncomfortable enough, but now she was not only surrounded by people she barely knew, but her stupid hormones were doing some sort of I Want Sam Braden dance. God, she hated herself right now. Look at him, getting all handsy with the town flirt. He’d been dancing all night with every other woman in the place. They practically lined up to be near him. Why shouldn’t they? He was not only nice to everyone, but he was tall, dark, and distractingly handsome. The kind of handsome that made smart girls like Faith forget the alphabet. His arm was the most coveted spot in all of Peaceful Harbor, and damn it to hell, she did not want to be there.

  Too badly.

  I seriously need to dive into a tequila bottle. Or leave. Since driving home after drinking a bottle of tequila posed issues, she decided leaving was a better option.

  She had the perfect excuse to cut out a little early, too. She was hosting a car wash tomorrow to raise funds for WAC, Women Against Cheaters, an online support group she’d started for women who had been cheated on.

  By guys like Sam.

  Sam glanced up and—Oh God, shoot me now—caught her staring. Again. She turned away, hoping he hadn’t really noticed, even though his eyes were like laser beams burning a hole in her back. Of course he saw her. How could he not? She was practically drooling over him. She didn’t want to have this stupid crush on the man who, if she believed the rumors, had slept with most of the women in Peaceful Harbor. If she took away his devastatingly good looks, he was the exact opposite of the type of man she wanted or needed.

  Unable to resist, she stole another glance, and like every other set of female eyes in the place that weren’t related to him, she was drawn in like a fly to butter. He was gorgeous. Manly. Rugged. And that smile. Lordy, Lordy. She fanned her face. His smile alone caused her toes to curl. All the Bradens were good-looking, but there was something edgy and enigmatic about Sam. Dangerous.

  Too dangerous for her, which was okay, because she didn’t really want him. Not in the try to keep him sense. A man like Sam couldn’t be kept, and she wasn’t about to be the idiot who tried. She’d be happy with leering and lusting, and pretending she wasn’t.

  Except, oh shit, he was coming over. He moved across the dance floor like he owned the place, confident, determined, focused, leaving the blonde, and a dozen other women, staring after him. If looks had powers beyond the ability to weaken Faith’s knees, Sam would have eaten her up before he even reached her. His dark eyes were narrow, seductive, and shimmering with wickedness. His broad shoulders looked even wider, more powerful, beneath his expensive tuxedo. The top buttons of his shirt were open, giving her a glimpse of his tanned skin and a dusting of chest hair. He looked like he should be lounging on a couch with women fawning over him. Godlike.

  Godlike? I am pathetic.

  Faith was not a meek woman without a man in her life. She was single by choice, thank you very much. She stunk at choosing men, and besides that...men sucked. They cheated, they lied, and eventually they all tried to put the blame back on her. Ever since JJ, her last boyfriend, made good on the unspoken All Men Must Cheat promise their gender seemed to live by, she’d confined her dating pool to include only boring, slightly nerdy men.

  “Faith.”

  Sam’s deep voice washed over her skin and nestled into her memory bank for later when she was alone in her bed, thinking about him. She hated that, too. Why, oh, why, did he have to be a player? Couldn’t he be like his brothers Cole and Nate? Loyal to the end of time?

  He touched her arm, burning her skin.

  “Oh. Hi, Sam.” That sounded casual, right? He was so big, standing this close, and he smelled like man and sunshine and heat all wrapped up in one big delicious package.

  Great. Now I’m thinking of your package.

  “Would you like to dance?” he asked.

  Yes. No! Stick to your boring-man rule, Faith.

  Sam was anything but boring, taking every outdoor risk known to man and out carousing every night of the week. Nope, she wanted no part of that.

  “No, thanks.” She sipped her drink, wishing it were tequila instead of Jack and Coke. Wishing she were home instead of standing beside the human heat wave.

  His brows knitted. “You sure? I haven’t seen you on the dance floor all night.”

  “Have you run out of girls already?” Holy Jesus, did I say that out loud?

  An easy smile spread across his face, like he wasn’t offended, but…amused? He looked around the room and said, “No, actually. There are a few I haven’t danced with.” Those chocolate eyes focused on her again. “But I want to dance with you.”

  She downed her drink to keep the word Okay from slipping out and set the empty glass on the bar. “Thanks, but I’m actually getting ready to leave.”

  “Now, that would be a shame.” His eyes dragged slowly down her body, making her feel vulnerable and naked.

  Naked with Sam Braden. Her entire body flamed, and he must have noticed, because his eyes turned midnight black.

  “You look incredibly beautiful tonight, and it’s Cole and Leesa’s big day. You should stick around.” He leaned in a little closer. “And dance with me.”

  It wasn’t like her jelly legs could carry her out of there anyway. Incredibly beautiful? Faith had been told she was pretty often enough to believe it, but incredibly beautiful? That was pushing it. That was smooth-talking Sam, the limit pusher.

  She had to admit, he had this pickup thing down pat. His eyes were solely focused on her, while she felt the gaze of nearly every single woman in the place on her like they wondered what she had that they didn’t—or maybe like they wanted to kill her. Yup. That was probably more accurate.

  “The wedding was lovely,” she managed. “I’m happy for Cole and Leesa, but I’m hosting a car wash at Harbor Park tomorrow afternoon. I should really get going so I have time to prepare.”

  Sam stepped closer. His fingers caressed the back of her arm, sending shivers of heat straight to her brain—and short-circuiting it.

  “Harbor Park?” The right side of his tempting mouth lifted in a teasing smile. “Surely you won’t turn into a pumpkin this early. You can’t leave without giving me one dance. Come on. Think of how happy it’ll make Cole to see you enjoying yourself.”

  He was obviously not going to give up. Maybe she should just give in and dance with him. She had no desire to be another in the long line of Sam’s conquests, but it was just one dance, and then she could leave, and he’d go back to any of the other women there. That idea sank like a rock in her stomach.

  Her stupid hormones swam to the surface again. You did ask nicely. Maybe she was reading too much into this dance. It was just a dance, not a date.

  But his eyes were boring into her in that I want to get into your panties way he had. She’d seen him give that look to several other women tonight.

  Several. Other. Women.

  Ugh! Why was she even considering this?

  It was his hand, moving up and down her arm, making her shivery and hot at once. And those eyes, drawing her in, making her feel important. She wasn’t important to Sam. She knew that in her smart physician assistant brain, but her ovaries had some sort of hold on that part of her brain, crushing her smart cells.

  Faith glanced at the dance floor and caught sight of Cole whispering something in Leesa’s ear. They were such a handsome couple, and Cole was such a kind boss. Maybe she should stay a little lo
nger. She didn’t have to dance with Sam. She could just talk with him until he got bored and moved on.

  Cole’s eyes turned serious, and Leesa looked over, too. He said something to her and headed in their direction with a scowl on his face and an angry bead aimed at Sam. Shit. This was not good. He was her boss.

  Oh my God. What was she thinking? She shouldn’t dance with her boss’s brother!

  “Actually…” Panic bloomed inside her chest as Cole neared. Cole respected her, but she knew he’d noticed the way she got flustered around Sam. He’d seen her turn beet-red with Sam’s compliments when Sam visited him at the office. She didn’t need him seeing her all swoony-eyed over him now.

  “I really have to go, but thanks for asking, Sam.” She spun on her heel and hurried away before she could lose her nerve.

  Chapter Two

  “STOP BEING A rebellious kid and focus on someone or something else,” Cole seethed at Sam as Sam watched Faith slip out the door.

  Sam was baffled. Women rarely turned him down for anything, much less a dance, but Faith saying no did something funky to his gut. The urge to go after her was stronger than anything he’d ever felt, but he was hemmed in by Cole breathing down his neck.

  And maybe his conscience.

  “Chill, bro.”

  “Chill? Sam, she’s my employee. She’s a smart, professional woman who happens to be excellent at her job. The last thing she needs—the last thing I need—is you screwing up her career.”

  Sam scrubbed his hand down his face with a heavy sigh, wishing he understood all the reasons he was so consumed with Faith. Sure, she was hot, but so were plenty of other women. Maybe he was just being rebellious, because the feelings gnawing at his gut were definitely out of character for him.