by Hart, Alana
"Are you sure you don't want to go out?" I asked, knowing most of his teammates were going to be celebrating for many more hours.
Cade smiled at me. In fact he hadn't stopped smiling all night. He shook his head.
"Nope, Ellie. There is literally nowhere else I want to be on earth than right here, right now."
"Me neither."
"Ellie!"
"What?"
He jumped up from the table and did a little impromptu, fist-pumping dance.
"We won the Stanley Cup!"
I grinned and then surprised myself by immediately tearing up. Cade came over and knelt on the floor beside me, laying his head in my lap.
"Don't you start that Ellie. If you start, I'm going to start."
I sniffled and laughed, running my fingers slowly through his hair and across his stubbly cheek.
"Ha! I'm sorry, I know. I can't help it, Cade. I'm so happy. This is the cherry on top for you, isn't it?"
He looked up at me, thinking about it for a minute.
"No, not really."
"What do you mean?"
"I mean this is awesome. But I didn't need it. Not the way I used to think I needed it, you know?"
I looked down at my husband. He looked tired and happy. Everything was right. Everything had fallen into place. The Stanley Cup was a bonus, an extra little piece of sweetness for our family, all of whom knew exactly how lucky we were.
"Yeah," I said, leaning down and kissing him, "I think I do know."
About the Authors
Alana Hart
Alana Hart is an American romance writer who decided that writing with friends is better than writing alone. Hartfelt Books brings together a huge group of sweet and steamy romance authors, collaborating on a new line of books that will have your heart pounding.
When she’s not skyping and sharing her latest collaboration on googledocs, she’s typing away in her local coffee shop with a hot chocolate, complete with marshmallows and extra whipped cream, on hand. She claims it makes her happy ever afters that much sweeter!
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Jessica Lake
Author, baking aficionado and connoisseur of the broad-shouldered but tenderhearted alpha male, Jessica Lake lives in the not-really-frozen north (Vancouver). Her favorite things include Golden Retriever puppy snuggles, the way the house smells when something delicious is in the oven, the smell of her boyfriend's chest and strong, masculine men who know how to treat their ladies right.
Jessica loves to write about real men and women and all the serendipitous, maddening and ultimately wonderful things that happen when love decides to grab us by the heart and not let go. She believes in happy endings, intense eye-contact and the little thrill that dances up your spine when the one you love touches the back of your neck.
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Romance collaborations from the Hart
Also in the SECOND CHANCES series.
Kiss Me Again - http://www.amazon.com/dp/B014U3NAB8
Back Where We Belong - http://www.amazon.com/dp/B015AKY8S4
Saving Her Bear - http://www.amazon.com/dp/B01513ZIOS
Keep reading for an exciting excerpt from 'Kiss Me Again,' another book in the Alana Hard 'Second Chances' romance series!
'Kiss Me Again' By Alana Hart & Emilia Beaumont
A twist of fate ripped them apart. Can a second kiss make them whole again?
“I believe there is a booking in the name of Lucy Rivers, for two?”
The concierge looked me up and down critically. Clearly I passed some kind of test, as he then deigned to check in the book for our reservation.
“Follow me sir,” he finally said in a high-pitched voice. I was a little surprised by it; he was quite a large man, built well. But I did as I was told. He showed me to a table, tucked away in an alcove. The restaurant was buzzing, filled with a few intimate couples, a rowdy group or two as well. It was clearly very popular and I loved the brick walls and simple décor throughout. It felt honest and looking at the colorful and aromatic food that was emerging from the kitchen I could see exactly why Lucy had suggested it.
I sat down with my back to the door. I didn’t want to scare her away too soon. My stomach was roiling with nerves. I felt like I had swallowed a whole cave full of bats and they wanted out. It was now or never, I thought.
Everything I had hoped for with all those crazy trips up and down the country, to every college and university except, ironically, those in Massachusetts and Rhode Island, and it had all come down to this single night. Would I be able to convince her to stay, to hear me out? Would she see this as yet another manipulation or betrayal? Would she give me the time to explain?
I hadn’t told Mom or Tom. I didn’t want to get their hopes up and to have it all go wrong again. I hadn’t even told Jake or Callie that she’d finally agreed to a date. I wanted her all to myself for just this one night. I wanted to see how it went, without the potential pity or over-excitement that my friends or family might add to it all. I just wanted to see her face, in the flesh, once more.
I tapped at the table with the chopsticks, anxiously drumming as I watched the clock above the kitchen door tick closer to eight p.m. Why had I come so early? Being here fifteen minutes beforehand so I could ensure I wasn’t easily spotted before she even got into the restaurant had seemed like such a good idea. Maybe I should have gone with the making her wait, but then she would have been mad at me for being late, as well as everything else.
Fuck, this had been such a stupidly crazy idea.
Finally, after what had felt like an absolute eternity, I heard footsteps behind me.
Instinctively I knew this was it. These footsteps didn’t belong to a passing waiter or another customer; no, behind me, in the very same room was my Lucy and my whole body vibrated with anticipation.
“Apollo?” a tentative voice enquired.
I took a deep breath, stood up and turned round.
Lucy looked amazing. She was wearing a cute kimono styled dress, cut so short that it made her fabulous legs look like they went on forever. But all that didn’t matter as our eyes met and I took her in.
Her face was as perfect as I remembered it, a tiny smattering of freckles across the bridge of her nose, and that thick, curly auburn hair that made her resemble a wild woman. And then, there were the flashing eyes that had started off so soft and yielding, that were now blazing daggers at me.
“Cole!” she spat, frown lines creasing her now-furious face. Lucy stepped forward and for a second I thought she was about to hug me. But then her arm arced through the air and she slapped me, hard across the cheek.
Whoa, I had not been expecting that, I thought, as I palmed my stinging cheek. I shook my head to try to regain my composure, but I was already too late to put out a hand to try and stop her. She stormed back out through the restaurant as if a tiger were on her tail. I threw a couple of tens on the table and raced after her.
Fuck, fuck, fuck.
I had screwed it up, all over again. I had hurt her, lied to her and why on earth had I ever expected her to sit down calmly and just talk it all out? Stupid, Cole, really stupid idea!
I craned my neck to see her, looking left and right, and finally glimpsed her hightailing it down the street, her cloud of hair bobbing behind her.
“Lucy!” I yelled. She turned to l
ook at me over her shoulder but instantly turned away, running even faster.
I chased after her, realizing pretty suddenly just how unfit a summer in the DA’s office had left me, but there was no way I was going to let her go. Not now. I was soon panting trying to keep up with her. She was in great shape, her pert derriere seemed to dance along the street, always just out of reach.
“Lucy, stop. I just want to talk!” She ignored me.
Gritting my teeth I put in a final burst of speed. My thighs burned as I ran and slowly but surely I managed to get level with her.
I grabbed her arm and dragged her into the nearest alleyway. I couldn’t say what came over me as I muscled her against her will, kicking and screaming, further in where we wouldn’t be seen and used my body weight to pin her up against the wall. I am in no way a violent man, but I had to make her talk to me, had to get her to hear me out.
“Let me go, Cole. Or I’ll scream!”
I was frantic, and could see from her eyes just how frightened she was. Coming to my senses I loosened my grip a little, but not enough that she would be able to get away from me.
“Lucy, I don’t want to hurt you, I promise. I just need to talk with you, to know you’re okay.” I pleaded with her, as her vivid green eyes threw nothing but pure hatred my way. I sagged with disappointment at how badly I had screwed everything up. Again.
Seconds passed by as we caught our breath.
God, we were so close and it felt like my every brain receptor was on overload. I could hardly process that she was here in front of me, my hands touching the bare silky skin of her arms, my torso against hers trapping her. A waft of her sweet vanilla perfume mingled between us, making the bulge between my legs thicken, hardening with desire.
She swallowed. I knew she could feel my cock pressing up against her, but still she wanted to be set free.
“Cole,” she sighed. “Let me go.”
“No, not until I say what needs to be said.”
Buy it now at http://www.amazon.com/dp/B014U3NAB8
Coming soon…
The next series from HARTFELT BOOKS is 'HALLOWED LOVE'
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