I looked back to see Kyle putting on his shoes.
“Let’s go check it out and then go to breakfast,” he answered while using his fingers to comb his hair into place. And of course, he was genetically gifted enough that the simple maneuver was all that was needed. “Curious to find out if the crew knows anything about the build.”
I stood there and blinked. “What are they going to know about it?”
He just gave me a wink. “C’mon,” he drawled, his Southern accent always stronger when he wanted something out of me. “Where’s your sense of adventure?”
I rolled my eyes and stomped over to my closet. “Fine,” I called out over my shoulder. “Let me throw something on.” Even though it was barely after eight o’clock, it was already getting too warm for me. But this was August in Northern Virginia. Former swampland turned suburban sprawl for the nation’s capital. So I chose a light cotton, pale-blue shift dress and some ballet flats. Then did a quick brush of my hair and teeth and went to find my man.
Walking into the main area of the house, I was surprised to find Jessica up as well, sipping her coffee and trying to keep some dumb-ass grin from spreading all over her face.
“What are you two up to?” I asked, my hands on my hips, reminding me in a heartbeat that my mama used to say and do the same thing with Jess and me. One look at my sister’s face and I knew she was remembering the same thing.
The moment passed quickly for her because she gave a slight shake of her head and barked out, “Well, good morning to you too! What a lovely way to greet your family first thing in the morning!”
“What are you even doing here? You’re usually out the door, working with Piper by now.”
“Now don’t you both start already,” Kyle interrupted. He took my hand and practically pulled me out the front door. “I haven’t got all day and I want to do this right.”
Suddenly, it hit me. Like a wheelbarrow full of bricks right on my head. I could feel my hand in his. I could sense my legs moving forward, following his lead. But I wasn’t fully in my body anymore.
I was in shock. Because I knew what was about to happen.
We were now standing in front of the construction site. Kyle gave a harsh whistle by blowing with his two forefingers between his teeth and, immediately, the crew stopped all their work. And it was totally quiet.
He took a step toward me, the gravel scratching under his feet as my heart pounded so loudly, I thought Kyle would be able to hear it. He took both my hands in his and started talking. And it took me a full minute to tune in to what he was saying because my ears were buzzing.
“I’m sorry, baby. I need you to say that again.”
He laughed and so did some of the crew. I blushed and looked to the side to see my sister, Jackson and Lauren, Max and his daughter, Piper, along with some other neighbors, all standing there, watching us. One of them even had a video camera.
“Can I get your attention for a couple more minutes?” he teased me. “Trying to propose to you, baby.”
I took in a big gulp of air and nodded. Tears were already flowing from my eyes down my cheeks. I was shaking too, my adrenaline spiking fierce.
“Knew I wanted in the first time I saw you onstage. Knew I was in love with you the minute I saw you with Patrick at that benefit. But I knew that I wouldn’t be able to live without you when you were taken away from me. That was the worst and the best day of my life, Samantha. Made a vow to myself once I had you in my arms that I’d spend the rest of my time here on earth making you happy. Keeping you safe.”
He shoved his hand in his pocket and took out a small black velvet box. Then he opened it to reveal a stunning round diamond, surrounded by smaller lavender stones.
“It’s-it’s beautiful, Kyle,” I whispered while he took my left hand and placed it on my finger.
“Had it made special for you. Wanted something to remind me of your eyes.”
I laughed and squeezed his hands, moved by his emotions and thoughtfulness.
“But there’s more,” he added.
I looked up, already overwhelmed and happier than I ever could imagine.
“Breaking ground here today. This is where you and I are going to build our dream house. Where you’re going to grow a garden and where you and I are going to make lots of gorgeous and brilliant babies.”
Then, just like out of a script, my man got down on one knee.
“Samantha Brooke Lockhart, will you be my wife?”
My tears went from charmingly sentimental to an ugly cry in point-two seconds. All I could do was nod my head, crouch down and throw my arms around him, burying my face in his neck. He chuckled and rubbed my back, and I heard the small crowd clap and whoop loudly, congratulating us.
I wiped my face with the back of my hand and received a ton of hugs and congratulations. The last one being Jessica, who was beaming as brightly as a thousand suns.
As she embraced me, I couldn’t help but ask her something. A question only she would have the answer to.
“You think Mom and Dad would’ve liked him?” I asked her after most everyone had gone back to their own homes and Kyle was chatting with Jackson and Lauren off to the side.
Jessica glanced over at Kyle, studying him with that penetrating schoolteacher gaze of hers. Then she met my eyes. “No, they wouldn’t have liked him, Sam-Sam.”
I quietly gasped, my mouth falling open. “What?”
Then her face broke out in another big-ass smile, which she covered with her hand as she laughed. “They would have loved him, sweetie! They wouldn’t have been able to help themselves.”
“And why’s that?”
She smoothed my hair with her hand and tugged at the ends, just the way she used to when she was a little girl. “Because you look at him the way Mom used to look at Dad. And when I catch Kyle looking at you? It’s like he can’t believe his luck. And that’s exactly what they both wanted for you.”
“For you too, Jess,” I added, wishing she could find someone as wonderful for her as Kyle was for me.
She bit her lip and her eyes snuck a peek over at Max and Piper, slowly walking back arm in arm toward the house they were renting from Lauren.
“Anything you want to tell me?” I asked, my tone coy and inquisitive.
Her gaze darted back over to me and she shook her head. “Oh please,” she answered, a bit too vehemently in my opinion. “Max is all wrong for me. He’s too…too…”
“Scrumptious?”
“No!” She slapped me on my arm, looking truly offended. “He’s just too rough around the edges is all. Although Piper is truly amazing. I have loved working with her this summer.”
“And what about Henry?”
She scrunched her nose, as if she smelled something funky. “Uh, no…Henry’s out of the picture.”
“What happened?” I asked, feigning concern, but I was secretly thrilled. Henry was a putz.
She bit her lip and looked toward his house again. “Remember I was staying with Max for a while?”
“Uh, yeah. Of course I do. It was because of that…well, you know.”
“Right, well…”
“Well? What?”
“Max kinda chased him off.”
I raised both my eyebrows. “He chased him off.”
“Um…yes.” Jess nibbled her lower lip, and I could tell she was desperately trying to appear peeved by Max’s action. But that glint in her eye didn’t lie.
“Oh no,” I answered, starting to laugh from deep in my belly. “This is too much.”
“Forget about Max,” she ordered, waving her hand as if she could discard the notion of him that easily. “It’s you who’s getting married. And you’ll be right across the street from me!”
“Just like we always talked about when we were growing up.”
“Exactly like we talked about
.”
Movement caught my attention, out of the corner of my eye, and I noticed Kyle, with his golden skin and green eyes sparkling, sauntering over to me. Like there was nowhere else he’d rather be.
Jess leaned close, wrapped her arm around my waist, and whispered so only I could hear her. “Can’t believe it,” she said, almost like she was talking more to herself than to me.
“What can’t you believe?”
She chuckled and shook her head. “My sister. The player.”
“Jess,” I warned.
“The man-eater.”
“Careful,” I cautioned.
“The heartbreaker…is getting married! Next thing you know, Dorothy’s house is going to fall on my head and we’ll be getting weather reports that hell hath frozen over!”
“You having a good time? This fun for you?”
“What’s fun for her?” Kyle asked while draping his arm around me and squinting at us because the morning sun was in his line of vision.
I rolled my eyes. “Nothing, honey. Jessica just can’t believe I’m settling down. Acting as if the end of days are upon us.”
He pulled me tightly to him and I was surprised to see his expression grow serious. “No, Sam,” he answered, his gaze transfixed with mine. Like he couldn’t believe I was real. As if he couldn’t wrap his head around his good luck.
The same way my dad used to look at my mom.
“It’s definitely not the end of days. It’s only the beginning.”
About the Author
Born in California and raised in South Florida, Ms. Kincaid has moved around like a gypsy with a bounty on her head ever since. Along the way, she worked as a community organizer, a professional matchmaker, an art teacher, a popular blogger and a crisis counselor (to name a few). All the while, longing to have the guts and follow-through to do what she really wanted: to write and become a published author. That wish has finally come true.
When not writing, Ms. Kincaid loves indie, lo-fi complaint rock played on vinyl, wearing black, the theater, well-informed optimism, happy endings (both kinds), and making those close to her laugh ’til they snort. She’s a self-admitted change junkie, loving new experiences and places, but has now happily settled in the cutest li’l town, Vienna, Virginia.
She is also on social media and loves “meeting” readers. Feel free to stalk her at:
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Look for these titles by Harper Kincaid
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Rule Breaker
If you loved this book, then you’re sure to love these Samhain favorites as well!
Just one more can’t hurt…right?
Break on Through, Book 1
Re-belle-ious, free-spirited Lauren Renwick has decided it’s time to trade her wings for roots. That means no more bad boys, no more foolish choices. Yet when she’s stood up on New Year’s Eve, her resolution to stick to her Mama’s Rules for Dating weakens. Especially when she spots sex-in-leather-and-tattoos, Jackson Sullivan.
One look at Lauren, and Jackson is hell-bent on getting her on the back of his Harley and riding straight for his bed. Their night together is an erotic rush that has a new word popping up on his horizon—forever.
Lauren tries to convince herself he’s just one last fling to get bad boys out of her system, yet she finds herself falling hard and fast for a man with a stalker ex and a meddling Irish family. Plus, he has zero chance of passing her uptight parents’ inspection.
Jackson has Lauren’s back, but if she wants all of his heart, she’ll have to meet him halfway—by ditching rules that hold her prisoner, and learning to stand up for what she really wants.
Warning: Contains several highly practical rules for dating—all of which will be broken in the most wicked ways possible, thanks to a domineering alpha male who knows what he wants and isn’t afraid to go after it...rules be damned.
He’s determined to change her mind…through her head, through her bed and through her heart.
Home is Where the Heat Is, Book 1
Miya Jackson always believed life had more to offer outside Dead End, Texas. So when circumstances turned her life upside down, she took her chance to break free. A few years—and some brutal doses of reality—later, her little sister’s wedding brings her back to the hometown she left behind.
The last place she expects to end up is in the arms of the man she’s tried and failed to forget. One scalding, passionate night is all it takes to make her rethink her damn good reasons for leaving.
Shawn Dalton always hoped this day would come. Hell, he and Miya have a history, and any misunderstandings can be fixed if she’ll only stay in one spot long enough. Now that’s she’s back, he’s determined to make her see that she belongs in Dead End. With him.
Her obstinate nature is intact, but he can deal with that. It’s the cold, detached woman she’s become that worries him. Melting that wall—and reminding Miya of her roots—is going to take every hot, sinful moment he can wrangle.
Warning: Cowboy up has never had so many meanings. This cowboy is hell-bent on rekindling a lost love…even if he has to fight dirty.
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This book is a work of fiction. The names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the writer’s imagination or have been used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, actual events, locale or organizations is entirely coincidental.
Samhain Publishing, Ltd.
11821 Mason Montgomery Road Suite 4B
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Heart Breaker
Copyright © 2015 by Harper Kincaid
ISBN: 978-1-61922-996-9
Edited by Jennifer Miller
Cover by Angela Waters
All Rights Are Reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.
First Samhain Publishing, Ltd. electronic publication: July 2015
www.samhainpublishing.com
Heart Breaker (Break on Through) Page 17
