“Sorry it took so long. I didn’t take time to dry my hair.”
“It’s okay. Me and Roscoe here have been bonding.”
She chuckled, a soft tinkling glass sound that caused his insides to melt and his heart to hammer. “I hope you’re going to be okay giving him back to Kevin,” she teased as he opened her door for her.
“I’ll manage. And may I say, you do clean up well.”
Their eyes met. “Thank you,” she said softly.
“Just stating the facts, ma’am.”
He closed the door and berated himself all the way around the vehicle. That was not cool. She’d run if he pushed.
Her heart was clutched so tight that she had almost told him she would stay home. But she hadn’t been able to do that. So here she was, riding beside him across town to a neighborhood that was just a few blocks from the beach.
They didn’t need an address to know when they were at Kevin’s house. The little boy stood in the yard and Roscoe barked and howled as he saw him.
“I think these two belong together,” she said. “He must have just gotten lost and maybe was hunting for Kevin, because it’s obvious they go together.”
“I think you’re right.” He stopped the SUV and cut the engine. They got out as Kevin raced toward them.
His mother walked down from the porch. “Slow down, Kevin.”
But the kid wasn’t listening as Ryan opened the door. Roscoe dove from the car and met his human on two bounds.
Ryan stood beside her, their shoulders touching. She looked up at him. “So sweet,” she said. “Feels good, doesn’t it?”
“Yeah, it does.”
“Thank you, Ryan,” Kevin called as he looked up from hugging his huge dog. “I thought I’d lost him forever and forever.” The little boy came and wrapped his arms around Ryan’s knees. “You’re the best.” He looked up at Ryan. “I didn’t know you were a policeman.”
Ryan placed a hand on Kevin’s head. “I am. And I’m glad I could help you and Roscoe get back together.”
Kevin sniffed. “Thank you. My daddy gave me Roscoe when he was a puppy. He means the world to me. And I was just praying and praying God would bring him back to me. And you did.”
Ryan knelt. “Where’s your daddy?”
Kevin looked down. “He’s in heaven.”
“Oh,” Ryan said. “I’m real sorry.”
“Thank you. Do you want to play with me and Roscoe? I have a fort in the backyard.”
“Sure,” Ryan said without hesitation and then looked at her. “I’ll be back.”
“Take your time,” she assured him, reaching out and giving his arm an encouraging squeeze. He covered her hand with his and squeezed; then he followed the boy and the dog through a side gate and they disappeared around the house.
Kevin’s mother watched too. Her arms were crossed and she was very still. “Thank you both for bringing him home. We went to the beach and left Roscoe at home but the gate must not have been latched good. He was gone when we came home. Kevin loves that dog so much.” She had tears in her eyes. “It’s the only thing he has left of his daddy…”
“He has you too.” Jillian wrapped an arm around the woman, feeling as though she needed a hug. “I’m Jillian.”
“I’m Jessica, and I really needed that hug.”
“Me too. That was a tearjerker.”
“Ryan is amazing. Kevin has talked about him ever since Thanksgiving. He has no idea how much he helped Kevin that day. Your resort too. We had to leave our friends and family and move here for my job recently and it’s hard with the holidays. Coming out for the festival kept us busy.”
“Oh, I am so glad we could help. And Ryan is just Ryan. I think that Kevin can have a buddy any time he needs one.”
A few minutes later, Ryan walked back to them, with Kevin on his shoulders. Roscoe trailed them with his tail wagging.
“This is a great kid you’ve got here. I just started at the police department. Bring him by and we’ll give him a tour. I also told him I’d give him a ride in the police car.”
“Please, Mom.”
“Yes. Thank you, I’ll do it.”
Minutes later, they drove away. She and Jessica had made plans to go to lunch.
When Ryan reached the stop sign, he didn’t move. And then he turned left and headed toward the beach. He pulled to a halt in a parking space and then he reached across the car seat and took her hand. “Can we please talk?”
“I’d like that. I’d like that a lot.”
Ryan led Jillian across the sand to the edge of the water. They didn’t say anything as they walked but he felt a peace as he turned to her. “Jillian, I love you. I do. With all my heart. And I can understand if you’ve turned me down because you don’t love me. But I can’t take you turning me down because you think you could be depriving me of children.”
“But I saw you with Kevin. You need children of your own.”
“I need you. I want you.” He took her in his arms. “This is killing me. I’m not going anywhere. And one day we will have children. And we will love them, and cherish them no matter how we are blessed with them.”
Jillian stared up at him, her expression softening. And tears glistened.
“I’ve done a lot of thinking in the last two weeks and I believe you are protecting me. You would sacrifice your happiness for mine if you thought that’s what was in my best interest.”
She stiffened as he leaned forward and gently kissed her right jaw. “You can’t deny it, can you?” he murmured against her soft skin and then moved to kiss her left jaw. “Don’t keep me on hold, Jillian. Don’t keep our life together on hold.”
“Ryan,” she whispered. “I couldn’t live with myself if you ever had any regrets.”
His heart broke as he looked into her kind, sweet, loving eyes. “If you only knew how much I love you, you would know that the only regret I’ll ever have is if I have to live it without you as my wife.”
“Oh, Ryan.”
“Do you love me?”
“So much. I think I’ve always loved you.”
“And that makes me the luckiest man alive.”
Jillian’s heart thundered at Ryan’s words and as he lowered his lips to hers, she finally believed him…but she couldn’t help herself from asking one more time, “You’re sure?”
He laughed and swung her into his arms; she laughed. “Ryan.”
“Jillian, stop overthinking this. You and me are where our home begins, with our love. Now please tell me you’ll marry me. And marry me soon.”
“Yes, I’ll marry you.” A joy filled her and she knew everything he’d said was right.
“Thank you,” he yelled, looking heavenward, and then he kissed her like she’d never been kissed before…and she knew he was right. Their home and happiness began together.
Epilogue
Three days later Jillian and Ryan stood in the garden of the resort surrounded by her family and Ryan’s as they said their vows. Ryan hadn’t wanted to wait and she hadn’t wanted to put off marrying the man of her dreams one moment longer.
And now, as they held hands, gold bands glistening on their left fingers she saw his love for her shining in his eyes.
“Ryan, Jillian,” the pastor said. “I now pronounce you husband and wife.”
Jillian’s knees went weak as Ryan took her in his arms and then he kissed her as if she was a treasure. His treasure.
“Hello, Mrs. Locke,” he whispered, huskily against her lips. “Where have you been all my life?”
Jillian’s heart swelled with love, so very much love. “I’ve been right here,” she murmured and melted against him, feeling his heart beating with hers as one.
Just as they’d always been meant to beat.
Don’t miss the next Windswept Bay story WITH THIS RING, a very special wedding story coming January 24, 2017. Pre-order today!
More Books in the Windswept Bay Series
FROM THIS MOMENT ON (Book 1)
H
urt by her failed marriage and dashed dreams, Cali Sinclair returns home to Windswept Bay with her heart wary and closed to the dreams of true love she so desperately wanted. Determined to never again risk her heart, she throws herself into running the family’s small boutique resort on the Florida coast, a place so full of romance that it’s a reminder every day of what she’ll never have. But when renowned artist Grant Ellington shows up to paint a mural on the wall of the resort, she’s swept away by her response to the artist. Suddenly, every time he looks at her, Cali finds it harder than she ever thought possible to keep her heart protected.
Grant Ellington loves his ranch, his horses, and his life as a sought-after artist. But after walking away from a plane crash that killed his best friend and the young pilot, he’s still struggling with survivor’s guilt as he heads to Windswept Bay. Painting a sea life mural at the resort started out as a favor to his neighbor, but one meeting with the beautiful Cali and he feels alive again—and determined to spend time on the moonlit beaches with her in his arms…
But, like him, Cali has her own emotional scars—can they learn to trust the love that sparks between them and move forward from this moment on?
SOMEWHERE WITH YOU (Book 2)
Sassy, opinionated Shar Sinclair is passionate about the sea turtles she rescues in the Windswept Bay area and as needful of her freedom as they are. She’s content with her life, helping run the family resort and looking out for the wildlife around her. But sometimes she wishes she had someone to share her passion, and passions, with. But that might mean giving up some of her freedom and she’s not sure she could do that for anyone…
Gage Landcaster is a self-made millionaire used to getting what he wants, but lately there’s an emptiness and a restlessness to his life that he can’t seem to fill. While visiting Windswept Bay, he spies a beautiful woman on the beach, struggling to rescue a sea turtle tangled in fishing line, and goes to help. Gage is captivated by the fire and passion that radiates from Shar and he knows instantly he wants her. But this may be one time when what he wants might not be an option.
Sparks fly on the sunset beach and sparkling blue waters of the romantic Windswept Bay as Gage and Shar battle through their attraction. Gage is determined that this is one time he’ll do whatever it takes to get what he wants. But can Shar open her heart to him? Can he convince Shar that love doesn’t mean shackles...but a lifetime shared with the one you love?
WITH THIS KISS (Book 3)
A Windswept Bay Short Story
A kiss is just a kiss…or so some say. But I disagree…this kiss, can change a life. It did mine.
YOU are officially invited to the wedding of Shar Sinclair to the man of her dreams, Gage Lancaster…if the groom ever makes it to the wedding.
Where is Gage?
There’s only an hour until the wedding ceremony and no one has heard from Gage, and he’s not answering his phone. Now, Shar’s ready to go looking for her man, because something just doesn’t feel right.
After Gage receives the message he’s been waiting for from a private investigator, Gage can’t help but make a life-changing stop on his way to his wedding.
But, things quickly spiral out of control and everything about this wedding day is about change…
FOREVER AND ALWAYS (Book 4)
Publicist Olivia Sinclair has been away from Windswept Bay for years busy helping the Hollywood elite get out of one scandal after another. But now, she’s in the middle of a scandal herself, involving a big name actor and suddenly, coming home to lay low in Windswept Bay is her own best advice to herself.
Life has just gotten complicated for charter boat captain, Brandon “BJ” McCall. He’s recently learned he has a brother and he’s inherited half of a multi-million dollar corporation that could alter life as he knows it. Finding a beautiful, shorty pajama clad female, frozen in fear on the roof of her house is a complication he doesn’t mind at all.
Terrified and stuck on her roof…and in only her pj’s and being rescued by a stranger who could rival any of her Hollywood clients isn’t exactly what Olivia had planned. She’s trying to get off the cover of the gossip magazines—not hold her spot for eternity! Falling into the arms of a stranger, who turns out to be the long lost brother of her sister’s husband—and is a walking news worthy scandal in his own right, is not a smart PR move.
Not to mention the family complications it could make if things didn’t work out between them. Plus, she has plans to go back to Hollywood the minute she thinks the smoke has cleared.
It’s all just too complicated.
But, on the beaches of Windswept Bay romance is in the air and love is a complication that just might be undeniable.
WITH THIS RING (Book 6)
After her small son, Kevin, asked both God and Santa for a new daddy for Christmas, and then didn’t find him under the tree, school teacher, Jessica Lyons is starting the new year out with a very unhappy six year old on her hands. Kevin can’t understand that she’s only been a widow for 2 years and she can’t imagine marrying again—not yet at least. But, unknown to her Kevin has a plan and has decided that if God and Santa won’t give him what he wants then maybe the police can!
When the very handsome Chief of Police, Levi Sinclair shows up as Kevin’s Show-and-Tell he believes, as does Jessica, that her son has asked him there to show him off as the "police chief"—it’s a little awkward when Kevin introduces Levi as his next daddy!
Things are getting a bit complicated on the shores of Windswept Bay! Come join the fun in With This Ring book 6 of this captivating series. You’ve watched the four Sinclair sisters fall in love now it’s time to watch the five Sinclair brothers find the women of their dreams.
About the Author
Bestselling author Debra Clopton has sold over 2.5 million books. Her book OPERATION: MARRIED BY CHRISTMAS has been optioned for an ABC Family Movie. Debra is known for her contemporary, western romances, Texas cowboys and feisty heroines. Sweet romance and humor are always intertwined to make readers smile. A sixth generation Texan she lives with her husband on a ranch deep in the heart of Texas. She loves being contacted by readers.
Visit Debra's website at www.debraclopton.com
Sign up for Debra's newsletter
Check out her Facebook at www.facebook.com/debra.clopton.5
Follow her on Twitter at @debraclopton
Contact her at [email protected]
If you enjoyed reading Holding Out For Love, I would appreciate it if you would help others enjoy this book, too.
Recommend it. Please help other readers find this book by recommending it to friends, reader's groups and discussion boards.
Review it. Please tell other readers why you liked this book by reviewing it on the retail site you purchased it from or Goodreads. If you do write a review, please send an email at [email protected] so I can thank you with a personal email. Or visit me at www.debraclopton.com.
Holding Out For Love
Copyright © 2016 Debra Clopton Parks
ISBN: 978-1-941491-27-0
This book is a work of fiction. Names and characters are of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to an actual person, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law. For permission requests, please contact the author through her website:
www.debraclopton.com
-webkit-filter: grayscale(100%); -moz-filter: grayscale(100%); -o-filter: grayscale(100%); -ms-filter: grayscale(100%); filter: grayscale(100%); " class="sharethis-inline-share-buttons">share
Holding Out For Love (Windswept Bay Book 5) Page 10
