All’s Fair in Love and Chocolate
Page 19
“And I come bearing gifts.”
He held up a bottle of frosty champagne. Robbie sniffed, still obviously not willing to let him totally off the hook. “Is it French?”
“Is there any other kind?”
“Well why in hell are you still standing on the doorstep?” She stood aside. “Can’t you tell your woman is badly in need of French champagne?”
Reuben glanced across the room at her, his gaze hungry. “It’s why I’m here.”
Viv leaned forward on the brushed-pewter counter and smiled. He strode toward her, his uniform fitting him to perfection with that long-legged swagger of his and her ovaries exploded like firecrackers in her belly. But it was the look of love in his eyes that caused a bloom of heat and love in her chest that sucked her breath away.
It seemed like it got bigger every day.
When he reached the other side of the counter he slid his elbows on top and leaned in, claiming her mouth in a mind-melting kiss. Viv’s heart fluttered, knowing she had a whole lifetime of these kisses in her future.
“Don’t mind me, I’ll just take this,” Mackenzie said as she relieved Reuben of the champagne. “No telling how long you two will be at that.” She glanced at Robbie. “Shall we?”
Robbie grinned delightedly. “Heck yeah.”
They disappeared into the kitchen as Viv broke off the kiss and he pressed his forehead to hers. “I missed you today,” he murmured.
“You miss me every day.”
“You better get used to it. I’m going to be one of those horny eighty-year-old guys who gropes you inappropriately in public.”
Viv laughed. “Lucky me.”
“How many days until your next trip again?”
“I’m here all month and you know it.”
Viv hadn’t gotten on that plane to Houston on New Year’s Eve but she had gotten on it two weeks later. She went for two days, did what needed to be done and had returned to Marietta. They’d been the longest two days of her life and ever since then she’d been leaving every few weeks to go to the next place but always returning.
She had the best of both worlds now, she still got to travel but she’d finally realized what Reuben’s mother had said—it was okay to want to settle somewhere at some stage—was true. And she got to decide her path. Because surely that’s what true freedom meant—the choice to go or stay or even to do both.
But for this month, there was no traveling. She was helping out at the revamped store and then she was starting a whole new direction in her career with Delish. She was taking over all their social media content. She’d never thought she’d change direction so completely in her career but when a spur-of-the-moment video she’d taken while cooking in the Houston store with one of their staff had gone viral on the Delish Instagram account, a whole world of possibilities had opened up.
Harriet had been so impressed she’d offered Viv her new position if she wanted it and Viv had embraced the opportunity. She’d always loved that the company had supported her and given her chances to grow and this, as far as Viv was concerned, was another opportunity she was going to grasp with both hands.
The best thing was that it could be done mostly remotely. Sure, there’d still be regular travel for meetings and to collect content but by and large she’d be able to manage everything from Marietta. And with Reuben requesting permanent transfer to the Marietta Sheriff’s Department and moving in to the Bramble Lane cottage with her, everything was pretty damn perfect.
Okay, she’d never get to live in every state in America but she sure as hell could visit every one of them still and she and Reuben would work on that together.
“You guys want some of this or are we going to drink it all?”
“Let’s let them drink it,” Reuben murmured as he nuzzled her ear. “I have a second bottle in the fridge at home I plan on licking off you ASAP.”
Viv gave a husky laugh. That sounded pretty damn good to her. But. This was Robbie and Mackenzie’s day too so she and Reuben could cool their jets for a little while. “One drink,” she said. “Then we’ll go. That okay?”
He gave her a gentle smile, as he cupped her cheek. “Anything. Anything for you.”
Viv smiled, her heart so full she didn’t know whether she wanted to laugh or cry. “I love you, Officer Price.”
“I love you, too, Vivian Catherine Dawson.”
“Let’s go drink to that,” she whispered.
And Reuben took her hand and led her into the kitchen…
The End
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Acknowledgements
As always, getting a book into the hands of readers extends far beyond the writer and I’d like to thank everyone at Tule Publishing for all they do to bring great stories to the shelf. They are such a delight to work with and the continued care, support and creative freedom they give to their authors is truly wonderful.
Specifically, from Tule, I’d like to thank Jane Porter for first approaching me about writing this book—well, for a lot of things really but, for the purposes of these acknowledgements, I’ll stick to this book . She wanted to shake things up in Marietta and a rival chocolate shop was born! I’m sorry I ruined any Christmas movie potential by the sex thing in chapter 1 (#notsorry ). Also Meghan Farrell, who granted me a couple of extensions on this project. I’m sorry for bringing this in so close to the wire and making extra work for you to reshuffle things—bad Amy! I’ll try and do better next time. And to my editor, Sinclair Sawhney, for loving the book enough to point out its weaknesses and help me make it stronger.
Lastly, big thanks to Sue Evans who came up with Delish for the chocolate shop’s name—it’s perfect! Big love to you and that hunky hubby of yours!
If you enjoyed All’s Fair in Love and Chocolate, you’ll love the next book in the….
Marietta Chocolate Wars series
Book 1: All’s Fair in Love and Chocolate
View the series here!
Book 2: Coming soon!
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Welcome to Jumbuck Springs – a small, Aussie town in the midst of sheep country. They breed them tough in the outback, none more tough than the Weston family who have called Jumbuck Springs home for generations. Little sister Lacey who wants to be a famous fashion designer. Youngest brother Garrett, a fire fighter who bleeds red dust. Middle brother Marcus, a paramedic and the larrikin of the family. Eldest brother, Ethan, head of the family and the police officer in charge at Jumbuck Springs. Follow this smokin’ hot series as all the Weston’s find their HEA’s in a blaze of outback heat.
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Book 2: Some Girls Don’t
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About the Author
Multi-award winning and USA Today bestselling author Amy Andrews is an Aussie who has written fifty romances from novellas to category to single-title in both the traditional and digital markets for a variety of publishers. Her first love is steamy contemporary romance that makes her readers tingle, laugh and sigh. At the age of 16, she met a guy she instantly knew she was going to marry. She just smiles when people tell her insta-love books are unrealistic because she did marry that man and, twenty odd years later, they’r
e still living out their happily ever after. Amy works part-time as a PICU nurse and spent six years on the national executive of Romance Writers of Australia where she organized two national conferences and undertook a two year term as president. She loves good books, fab food, great wine and frequent travel – preferably all four together. She lives on acreage on the outskirts of Brisbane with a gorgeous mountain view but secretly wishes it was the hillsides of Tuscany.
More from Amy:
Visit her website at AmyAndrews.com.au
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