Sweet Talk Boxed Set (Ten NEW Contemporary Romances by Bestselling Authors to Benefit Diabetes Research plus BONUS Novel)

by Novak, Brenda

  He was sick of the back and forth with the local officials and the sudden demands for more infrastructure than had been in the original deal. He knew the whole country was hurting when it came to roads and bridges, but he didn’t think the solution to that should be to rip off a developer who was already being more than generous when it came to fulfilling those needs. Moreover, contracts had been signed at the beginning spelling out exactly what Mick’s company would provide for the new community and the surrounding area.

  Just about the time he usually called Emma to check in, his doorbell rang. Eager to make that call, he hoped he could put off whoever was at the door.

  When he opened the door and found the very woman who’d been in his thoughts standing there with a pile of suitcases beside her, his jaw dropped. Her hair fell in waves, just the way he liked it, and she was wearing one of those revealing camisole things under a white linen blouse and matching linen pants. He thought she looked like an angel, but that red silk and lace camisole that dipped low was pure wicked sin.

  “Surprise!” she said, her expression charmingly hesitant.

  Jaime couldn’t get a single word past the huge lump in his throat. He just reached for her and pulled her into a tight embrace. Immediately his restlessness seemed to ease.

  When he finally released her, she gave him a tremulous smile. “I guess you’re glad to see me.”

  “You have no idea,” he said. “Come in. How did you find me?”

  “Mick had a driver waiting for me.”

  Jaime laughed. “Of course he did. Did he fly you out, too?”

  She nodded. “I could probably get used to the whole private jet thing.”

  “It is a perk, that’s for sure.”

  He brought her suitcases in, but left them sitting in the foyer to be dealt with later.

  “Which do you want first, a tour or a glass of wine? Or something to eat? I have some salmon in the freezer. It’s fresh. Or rather it was, when I caught it. And there’s stuff for a salad.” He was babbling nervously, like a boy on his first date. Or maybe he sounded like exactly what he was, a man stunned to have his nightly fantasy turned into an unexpected reality.

  “Take the salmon out of the freezer,” she suggested. “And pour me a glass of wine. By the time we take the tour and catch up, maybe the salmon will be thawed enough to put on the grill.” She regarded him with amusement. “I imagine you have a grill.”

  “Of course I do. I’m genetically wired to barbecue.”

  He led the way into the kitchen, then listened with pleasure as she gasped.

  “This may be the most beautiful kitchen I’ve ever seen outside of a magazine. Is it wasted on you?”

  “Are you asking if I can do more than barbecue?”

  She nodded, even as she reverently touched the granite counters and ran her fingers over the six burners of a professional grade gas stove. She lingered in front of the oversized refrigerator.

  “You could cook for a really big family in this kitchen,” she said.

  “That was the idea.”

  “There’s even a huge eat-in area, plus a great room with a fireplace. You’ve taken the open concept to a whole new level.” She turned to him. “You designed and built this, didn’t you?”

  Jaime nodded.

  “It’s nothing like Chesapeake Shores and the homes Mick built there.”

  “I told you that every community is designed to fit in with its surroundings. Chesapeake Shores is all about cozy cottages, built with families in mind. Puget Village is about soaring windows and spectacular views. Not that we lack for creature comforts,” he added.

  “Amazing,” she said, awe in her voice. “Will the other homes be like this?”

  “In one variation for another. Some will be similar in size, others smaller. All will take advantage of the views. They’ll all come with top of the line appliances and fixtures.”

  “I can’t wait to see the rest of the house, the whole community, in fact.” She paused and tilted her head, studying him. “The crutches are gone. No cane, either?”

  “Depends on what I’m doing. Around the house, no. I manage.”

  “Then let’s take that tour, unless you need to get off your feet.”

  “I’m fine, but one thing at a time. Let’s take our wine onto the deck and relax first.” If he showed her the master bedroom right now, he was afraid they might not leave it. He owed her time to unwind before he put some of those wicked thoughts he’d been having into practice.

  He poured her glass of wine, then brushed her fingers as he handed it to her. Sparks flew.

  “I’ve missed you, Emma,” he said, holding her gaze. “More than you can possibly imagine. Even more than I’d expected to.”

  “I’ve missed you, too. And I’m sorry I was so stubborn about not coming for a visit. I don’t know if I thought you wouldn’t really want me here, or if I was hoping you’d hurry up and come home faster, if I stayed away, or what. I wasn’t exactly thinking clearly.”

  “It’s okay. You’re here now. I’m still a little stunned by that.”

  “But in a good way, right?” she asked, searching his face as if she needed proof even now that she hadn’t intruded.

  He took away the glass he’d just handed her and set it aside. Then he stepped closer, brushed a wayward curl off her cheek, then lowered his head until his lips were on hers. It was like coming home. Suddenly his world, which had been upside down for a few weeks now, righted itself. His life made sense again.

  “I swore I wasn’t going to rush this, that I was going to give you time to settle in here, but I want you, Emma. I’ve missed being with you even more than I’d expected to.”

  Her eyes filled with light. She tucked her hand into his. “Then I guess you’d better lead the way to the bedroom, because I absolutely refuse to make love with you on one of these shiny countertops.”

  “You sure about that?” he teased.

  “I don’t even want to know why you’re so eager to give it a try,” she said. “But I want to see your bedroom, Jaime. I want to see for myself if you designed it for two.”

  He laughed at that. “There’s an empty walk-in closet just waiting for you and a spare sink that I promise is all yours. No sharing with the messy man in your life.”

  “King-size bed?”

  “Of course.”

  Her expression faltered slightly. “Right this second, I’m actually thinking a single bed holds a lot of appeal. I don’t want to be that far away from you.”

  He put his arm around her as he led the way to the master suite. “Believe me, the bed could be the size of the ocean and I’d still keep you close to me.”

  There were more sweeping views from the wall of glass in the bedroom, but Emma barely seemed to notice now. Her gaze never left his face as she began to unbutton her blouse, then slipped the straps of her camisole off her shoulders and let it fall. Jaime’s heart began to thud in anticipation. The silk caught on the tips of her breasts.

  “You’re taking too long,” he said, finishing the job with a sharp tug that had delicate silk and lace tearing.

  At Emma’s gasp, he murmured, “I’ll buy you another one tomorrow. I’ll buy a dozen, in every color they come in, though I’m suddenly awfully partial to red.”

  Against the backdrop of a splashy orange sunset, she looked spectacular. Her skin glowed, and her eyes flashed with heat. She was everything he’d remembered, everything he’d ever need.

  “I don’t want to be separated again, Emma.”

  “Me, either.”

  “Then we’ll always work it out. We can split our time between here and Chesapeake Shores or wherever I’m working. I’ll make sure you have an office in every house.”

  She grinned at him. “And inspiration like this twenty-four/seven?”

  “That will be my pleasure.”

  “Good, because I sent my book off to my editor three days ago. It’s good, Jaime. At least I think it is. I won’t know anything right away, but it
’s never too soon to start coming up with a fresh idea, maybe something set in the Pacific Northwest this time.”

  His eyes darkened. “Then you wouldn’t mind living here?”

  “Wherever we can be together is home, though I do hope we won’t ever leave Chesapeake Shores behind completely.”

  “That will never happen,” he promised. “I’ve already spoken to Mick about buying Bayside Retreat. I know I wasn’t happy about being stuck there, but I have some pretty fond memories of it now.”

  “Me, too,” she whispered.

  “What about your place? Would you rather keep that as home base?”

  “I’m not attached to it. For one thing, it doesn’t have a view. More important, it’s not where all this started.” She snuggled closer. “I love you, Jaime. I don’t know how it happened, how you managed to slip past my defenses, but you did. The most amazing part to me is that you didn’t give up.”

  “On you? How could I? You’re my heart.” A simple declaration, but oh, so true.

  And then he set out to show her not only how much he’d missed her, but how happy he intended to make her for the rest of their lives.

  Epilogue

  The Chesapeake Shores annual Fall Festival at the end of October drew hundreds of neighbors from around the region to town. Businesses were swamped and the booths set up on the town green were doing a brisk business. An Irish band was tuning up on the bandstand when Nell joined Jaime and Emma on a bench under an old oak tree that was shedding leaves of orange, gold and brown.

  “It’s the best festival ever,” Nell said, clearly pleased. “I have the two of you to thank for that.”

  “How can you say that?” Emma protested. “We’ve both been clear across the country for most of the past month. It was the worst possible time for us to abandon you. You’ve done all the heavy lifting to make sure this came together.”

  “And haven’t we talked at least once a day?” Nell countered. “Haven’t you both made phone calls and used your powers of persuasion to make things happen? I believe in giving credit where credit’s due. You came up with the fresh ideas that put us on a new track.” She gestured toward a nearby booth. “The kissing booth is doing a very brisk business.”

  Jaime grinned proudly. “I told you it would. Emma, when’s your shift?”

  She frowned at him. “You actually want me to take a turn kissing a bunch of strangers?”

  “I’m thinking a very brief shift that earns the church a very big donation,” he corrected.

  Nell chuckled. “You could just hand the money to me right here and I’ll wander off and leave the two of you alone.”

  Jaime shook his head. “If we start kissing over here, it would probably violate some rule about public displays of affection. Come on, Emma. Let’s go show these amateurs with their little pecks on the cheek how it’s done.”

  “If you do it right, maybe Dillon and I will take a turn, too,” Nell said.

  Jaime led the way to the kissing booth, whispered something to the girl who was currently working it, and Emma took her place. He handed over a hundred dollar bill that had the girl’s eyes widening. Then he beckoned Emma closer.

  “Come here, love.”

  “That was a lot of money. What if I can’t deliver the kind of kiss you’re looking for?” she teased.

  He laughed. “You haven’t failed me yet.”

  He leaned into the booth and put his hands on her shoulders, drawing her closer. When their lips met, fireworks went off. It was getting to be pretty darn predictable every time he touched her. When he finally let her go, they were greeted by applause.

  Jaime looked around, clearly pleased with himself. “And that, my friends, is how you kiss a woman to let her know you love her.”

  Emma felt heat climbing into her cheeks when she saw her mother watching the two of them. She had on her stern librarian’s face as she marched in their direction.

  “Uh-oh,” Emma said, nodding in her direction.

  Jaime was quick to take the hint. “Mrs. Hastings,” he said happily. “How are you?”

  “I’ll be a lot happier when I understand the meaning of that display just now,” Jessica told him, though to Emma’s surprise there was a twinkle in her eyes that belied her tone.

  “Just staking my claim,” Jaime said.

  “Branding my Emma as yours?” she questioned.

  He smiled. “I suppose you could put it that way, yes.”

  “There are more appropriate ways of doing that, young man.”

  “Mom!” Emma protested..

  Jaime stepped in. “No, sweetheart, she’s absolutely right. There is a better way. I’d intended to wait until tonight when there’s a full moon shining and music in the background, but now seems as good a time as any.”

  Emma wasn’t sure who was more startled, her or her mother, when Jaime dropped to one knee, uttering a faint groan as he did so. That recently-repaired leg of his wasn’t always as cooperative as he wanted it to be.

  “Emma Hastings, I know we’ve been talking about the future we want, and that there are still a lot of things to work out, but there is one indisputable fact we’re agreed on. Whatever that future is, we’re in it together. I love you, Emma. I need you in my life, by my side, wherever we are. I need you -- not Mick -- to remind me when it’s time to take a vacation. You’ve proved yourself to be pretty good at making time off even more appealing than work.” He reached for her hand and looked into her eyes. “So, what’s it to be, Emma? Will you marry me and take on the task of reforming me full-time?”

  Jessica gasped, then clamped a hand over her mouth as her eyes filled with tears. “Emma,” she prodded, when Emma couldn’t seem to get a word out.

  “Married?” Emma whispered. “You really want to get married?”

  Jaime smiled. “Did you think I intended to keep you living in sin for the rest of our lives?” He glanced at her mother. “No offense, Mrs. Hastings.”

  “None taken,” she said, clearly enjoying being in on the big moment.

  “Emma, could you maybe give me an answer before my knee cramps up and I land on my butt? This is supposed to be a romance, not a comedy.”

  She knelt down facing him. “Do you mind if I laugh just a little, not at you, but because I’m happier than I’ve ever imagined being again? Yes, I’ll marry you.”

  Then she was in his arms and the crowd around them seemed to drift away to give them at least a tiny bit of privacy.

  “I love you, Jaime Alvarez.”

  “Right back at you,” he declared.

  He pulled her to her feet. “Now, if we’re going to dance at our wedding, we’d better get out on that dance floor and start practicing. The band’s just starting. I want you to be able to keep up with me.”

  “Is that a challenge?”

  “It is,” he said solemnly. “You up for it?”

  “As long as we’re together, I can handle anything,” Emma declared.

  And for the first time since she’d walked out on her disaster of a marriage to Derek, she believed it was true. She was ready for anything that came her way! In fact, she could hardly wait to see what might come next.

  About Sherryl Woods

  With two other careers to her credit before becoming a novelist and four states in which she's lived for extended periods of time, Sherryl Woods has collected friends and memories, along with way too much unnecessary junk.

  "The friends are the only things I've brought with me through the years that really matter," she says. "I could probably live without one more chintz teacup, another tin-litho sandpail or another snowglobe, but I need those friends."

  Author of more than 100 romance and mystery novels, Sherryl Woods grew up in Virginia. Over the years she had lived in Ohio and Florida, as well as California. Currently she divides her time between Key Biscayne, Florida and Colonial Beach, Virginia, the small, river-front town where she spent her childhood summers.

  A graduate of Ohio State University School of Journalism
, Sherryl spent more than ten years as a journalist, most of them as a television critic for newspapers in Ohio and Florida. For several years she also coordinated a motivational program for the more than 8,000 employees at the University of Miami-Jackson Memorial Medical Center.

  Her first book, RESTORING LOVE, was published in 1982 by Dell Candlelight Ecstasy under the pseudonym of Suzanne Sherrill. Her second book, SAND CASTLES, under the pseudonym of Alexandra Kirk, was published later that same year by Bantam. She began using her own name when she moved to the Second Chance at Love line at Berkley Publishing. In 1986, she began writing full-time and also began her long career at Silhouette Books with the Desire title NOT AT EIGHT, DARLING, set in the world of television which she covered for so many years.

  In addition to her more than 75 romances for Silhouette Desire and Special Edition, she has written thirteen mysteries — nine in the Amanda Roberts series and four in the Molly DeWitt series.

  When she's not writing or reading, Sherryl loves to garden, though she's not at her best on a riding lawn mower. She also loves tennis, theater, and ballet, even though her top spin has long since vanished, she's never set foot on a stage, and she's way too uncoordinated to dance. She also loves baseball and claims anyone who's ever seen Kevin Costner in "Bull Durham" can understand why.

  Find Sherryl here:

  http://www.sherrylwoods.com/

  https://www.facebook.com/pages/Sherryl-Woods/157107747648506

  The Memory Journal

  ABOUT THE MEMORY JOURNAL

  As a pediatrician with Doctors without Borders, Charlie Hunter’s passion is to save children’s lives and hopes that one day she’ll make up for not being able to save the life of her little brother. Everything in her life seems to finally be coming together, until she gets a phone call that changes everything.

  With her sister mourning the loss of her husband and child, Charlie is helpless as she watches her sister’s carefully structured world fall apart.