He nodded and sat back down in his chair. I turned and scampered back to the front of the room, not wanting to miss out on a single moment of Granny’s reception.
I thought perhaps today was the happiest I had ever seen Granny in recent years. She looked beautiful in her simple, white dress, adorned with pearls and sequins, but it was her smile that radiated her joy.
When she and Mr. Milton prepared to get in the limo, I lined up with the other guests, birdseed poised in my palm. Granny was ahead of us, though, and she popped open a dainty, white parasol, which she wielded like a shield, deflecting the birdseed. She and Mr. Milton slowly made their way to the limousine that waited to deliver them to the airport. Mr. Milton held the door open for her.
I ran to her and hugged her. “Have fun, Granny.”
“I will, honey. You take care while I’m gone.”
“I’ll be fine,” I promised.
They climbed in, and I waved as Mr. Milton swept his bride away to a seven-day cruise to the Bahamas for their honeymoon.
Stone was already gone when the reception was over. Dread churned in my veins as I wondered if he had changed his mind.
But when I pulled into the driveway at home, I parked beside his dad’s sports car. I found him sitting in the porch swing. He had already removed his jacket and tie, and the first few buttons of his crisp, white dress shirt were unbuttoned. His sleeves were rolled up just below his elbows.
I got out of the car, carrying my sparkly high heels by the ankle straps. I set them by the front door and walked to the swing, stopping in front of him.
“Hey, Dara,” he said, his voice low and gruff.
“Hey.” My voice came out in a squeak, revealing my nervousness.
He opened his arms, motioning for me to sit in his lap. I obeyed, my heart pounding furiously as his masculinity surrounded me. The smell of his cologne made me breathe a little deeper than normal.
His hand rested on my knee, his thumb caressing my skin. “I missed you,” he whispered in my ear, his warm breath tickling my skin. “I took your advice.”
“What advice is that?” I asked, staring at my hands folded in my lap.
“I talked to my father about the bookstore. I told him how much it means to me, and he agreed to give me at least six more months.”
I couldn’t help but feel relieved. I knew how important it was to Stone, and Tom would get to keep his job. “I’m glad.”
“Look, Dara. I’m sorry.”
“Is this where you tell me you can’t see me anymore?” Apprehension consumed me.
His warm fingers tilted my face, so that our eyes met. “No, baby. This is where I tell you how sorry I am that it has taken me this long to work through this. You know I’m no good at relationships.”
“I thought you were good at everything,” I countered, a small smile on my face.
He took my face in his palms, his thumbs continuing to caress. “I’m in new territory now. Dara, I don’t know how to love someone, but I’d like to learn to love you. I think I already do.” He kissed me lightly on the lips, his palm moving to my leg and sliding along my thigh, sending shivers of awareness cascading through my body. “I want you to be mine. Will you?”
I pretended to contemplate his question, not wanting to appear too eager.
“Come on, Dara. You’ve already admitted that I’m a sexy beast. How’re you gonna say ‘no’ to this?” he asked, his hands motioning down the length of his body.
I grinned and rolled my eyes. “You’re so conceited.”
“Conceited and a badass,” he whispered, nodding his head slowly as if that was the most magnificent combination on the face of the earth.
“What?” I asked, cupping my hand around my ear, pretending that I couldn’t hear him. “What did you say? Conceited and a….”
His index finger pressed against my lips, my intended insult silenced.
He slid his finger out of the way, replacing it with his lips. All coherent thoughts slipped from my mind as he gently cradled my face, kissing me as if I were something precious to be treasured.
“I need to make a correction,” he whispered, breathing heavily.
“You’re not conceited?” I asked.
“Oh, I’m definitely conceited, but I told you that I thought I was already in love with you. The truth is…I am. I am in love with you, Dara Golding.”
“How do you know?” I asked timidly, daring to hope that he could truly love me, that I had affected him the way that he had affected me.
“I know because I can’t stand the thought of you not being with me.” His hand encompassed mine, the heat from his palm seeping into my pores, and he gave it a gentle squeeze, emphasizing his words. “You make me want to be a better person, Dara, and I would do anything for you. I know I’m in love with you because I need you.”
A single tear slid down my cheek, and he wiped it away with his thumb. Besides my grandparents, no one had ever needed me. Not my mother. Not my father. Not even Chance.
When I first met Stone, he scared me. Honestly, he still did in some ways. But as I looked into his eyes, I knew he was telling me the truth. I could see it in his expression. I could hear it in his voice.
He loved me.
“Will you be my girlfriend?” he whispered, his question filled with hope.
As he caressed my face and kissed me tenderly, he made me feel like the most special person in the entire world. It was then that I truly understood what Granny had meant.
“Yes, Stone. I’ll be your girlfriend,” I whispered, barely finishing my sentence before he pulled me back to his lips.
Stone did more than pass the kissing test. He nailed it with absolute perfection.
Other Books
by
Suzannah Daniels
Young Adult
Ghostly Encounter (Ghostly Series-Book One)
Adult
Viking’s Embrace
Excerpt from Ghostly Encounter
Seventeen-year-old Mia Randall longed for someone to take her mind off her heartrending breakup with her first real boyfriend.
Benjamin Alexander Richards did exactly that.
There was only one problem.
He was a ghost.
__________________________
He continued to walk along the path. She noticed that his Rebel uniform seemed much more tattered than Josh’s. “Have you been reenacting for a long time?”
He stopped then and turned to look at her. A slow, sad smile spread across his handsome face. He studied her with those beautiful eyes. “Far too long.”
She watched as he pursed his lips, and she wondered what it would be like to be kissed by him. “You sound as if you don’t enjoy it. Why do you do it?”
He clenched his jaw and looked away.
“I’m sorry if I said something to upset you.” She went to touch his arm reassuringly and then she stared in frozen horror, her body locked in position as she gaped at him. Her hand had gone right through him as if there was nothing before her but the very air she breathed.
“Don’t be frightened,” he whispered.
She backed away.
“Please don’t go,” he pleaded, begging her with those brilliant, azure eyes. “I beseech you to stay with me, if only for a while.”
About the Author
Suzannah Daniels has had an affinity for words for as long as she can remember. She grew up in North Georgia with four brothers, so she learned at an early age to admire snakes and motorcycles. When she wasn’t pestering her brothers, she could usually be found reading or writing.
Currently, she lives in Chattanooga, Tennessee with her husband and teenage daughter. Her son lives nearby. The family pets include a black Lab mix, a Basset Hound, a Shih Tzu, and a sweet, little kitty.
She is the author of Viking’s Embrace, a historical romance, and Ghostly Encounter, Book One of the Ghostly series.
She loves to hear from her readers. Contact her:
Website: www.SuzannahDaniels.com
/> Email: [email protected]
Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/pages/Suzannah-Daniels/366971616695887?ref=hl
Twitter: https://twitter.com/SuzannahDaniels
Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/suzannahdaniels/
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