“Jess told me last night.” Kyla sat up, moved closer to him. “I’m so, so sorry, Decker. There just aren’t words.” She put a tentative hand on his shoulder, and to her relief, he reached up and took hold of it, hard.
They sat in silence for a long moment, and then Decker took a deep breath and reached toward a rolled-up piece of paper he’d brought with him. “I want to show you something.”
“Okay.” Kyla nodded slowly. “Is it my refund certificate?”
Decker laughed softly. “No.” He unrolled it slowly, laying it across the blanket in front of them. “It’s just some silly dreaming.”
Kyla took a deep breath as she looked at the drawing before her. Decker stayed silent beside her, watching her view the plans. “Oh, my God, Decker. This is incredible. You designed this for right here, didn’t you?” She looked down at the plans, then up to scan the view in front of her. The house he’d sketched had windows upon windows, huge rooms, fireplaces. It was a dream house.
“Yeah, I did.”
“These look like almost-real plans. Like you’re really going to build this.” She put the papers down in her lap. “Are you?” And are you, by any chance, going to ask me to share it with you? Please? Even though we’ve only known each other for two weeks and that would be completely, utterly insane?
“I don’t know.”
“Is the city calling you back?” Please say no.
“No more than it’s calling you.”
“You want to stay, don’t you?” Kyla was quiet, willing him to look into her eyes.
Finally, he looked up. “I do.”
“Then you should.”
“Easier said than done.” He scrubbed his fingers through his hair.
“Why? You have a partner, right? Can’t you figure out a way to make it work if you stay here and he handles the L.A. end of things?” Even to her own ears it sounded ridiculously simplistic. Of course he couldn’t just up and leave his thriving L.A. business and move back to the family ranch.
He sighed. “I’ve actually had another offer.”
Kyla’s heart sank. So that’s why he couldn’t stay. He’d probably been offered some high-powered job designing glass office buildings in Tokyo or something. “Where’s the other offer?”
“Here.”
Here? Really? “You mean for Ma?”
Decker shook his head. “Nope. It’s a design job. Good money, excellent partner, real houses.”
“That sounds like a dream.”
“Would be.”
“But?”
He turned toward her, then pulled the plans out of her lap. He found the sheet with the floor plan and pointed at a huge room on the second story. “Do you see this?”
Kyla looked down. Unfortunately, she wasn’t very well-versed in architectural drawings, so she wasn’t entirely sure what she was looking for. “I see it, but what am I looking at?”
“That’s the master bedroom.”
Kyla gulped. “Wow. It’s huge. Is that a fireplace?” Decker nodded. “And there are what, eight windows? Good God, it’d be like you’re practically outside.” He nodded again. “I’m pretty sure I don’t see a problem, Decker. It’s gorgeous. You should build it.”
“I want to.”
“But?”
He turned toward her suddenly, holding his hands in front of him like he had an invisible bowling ball. “Kyla, this isn’t a plan I’ve had in my head for years. This is a plan I drew up last night while I was taking care of Kismet. When you were still at the hospital with Jess and Hayley.” He reached out tentatively to hold her hands, and she felt tingles from her pinky toes to her eyebrows. “But I can’t build this house, Kyla.”
In a voice so small she could barely hear it, she said, “Why not?”
“Because you’re leaving tomorrow. And for some absolutely insane reason I still can’t understand because I am not the kind of guy who goes under this hard and this fast, I don’t want this house unless you’re in it.
“Every room I drew, I imagined you walking through. Every window, I wanted the view to be just right for you. Every wall I drew and erased, I knew I wanted this house to be a place where you were never out of my sight. The rooms on the second floor? I wanted a little girl in this one and a little boy here.” He pointed at the paper. “And I imagined this little barn here full of baby sheep and ponies for the kids.”
“Are you sure you’re not the one suffering from smoke inhalation?” She strove to keep her tone light, but knew the spots on her cheeks were probably giving her away.
“Very funny. I’m trying to be serious here.”
Kyla’s heart was beating so fast she was sure he must be able to hear the pulse thumping in her ears. “Decker …”
He put a hand up. “Don’t say it, Kyla. I know it’s a silly dream. I’ve only known you for two weeks, and it’s a sure mark of insanity that last night I sat and drew us a house. With kids in it. I’m sure you’d be hightailing it down the hill if you could walk right now, so please, don’t say anything.”
Kyla let go of his hands and pulled the drawings back to her own lap, shaking. She forced herself to speak in as calm a voice as possible. “Where’s the kitchen sink?”
Decker looked up. “What? Where’s the what?”
“The sink, Decker. The kitchen sink.”
He looked at her like she was the crazy one now, then pointed at a spot under a window. “It’s right here.”
“Is it one of those farmhouse ones with the big white front?”
He cocked an eyebrow. “I don’t know, really. Can’t say I’d gotten quite that far.”
Kyla nodded, then rolled up the plans and tucked them back under the thermos. “Well, I want one of those big white sinks. If I can’t have that, then no deal.” Decker blinked slowly, looking at her like she’d just woken up from another concussion and he wasn’t sure she was really with it.
Kyla waved her hands in front of his eyes, then snapped her fingers. “Oh! And can we have a sleigh bed? I’ve always dreamed of a king-sized sleigh bed in front of a fireplace. Just like a B&B, only it’s your own home. How dreamy would that be on a winter night?”
Laughter bubbled out of her as Decker leaped the distance between them and collapsed her in a bear hug. They rolled from side to side for a few moments, laughing, and then he pulled away, suddenly serious. “We can take it slow. I know I’ve put you through hell since you got here. This is crazy. Totally crazy. But God, I think I love you.” He brushed her hair back from her face and looked into her eyes for a long minute before he leaned in to brush her lips with his, exquisitely gentle.
“You think? Decker—” She pushed him away gently.
“You can’t change your mind that quickly. Please, no.” He grinned as he stroked her face.
“There’s only one problem, really.”
“Name it. We can fix it. I don’t even care what it is. We’ll figure it out.” His words were so tender, his eyes so intense, Kyla could barely breathe.
“Do you know how to build bunk beds?”
Decker’s forehead furrowed. “I suppose I could figure it out. Why? Do you have a secret batch of kids, too?”
“No.” Kyla laughed. “But I want a whole houseful of them. At least two of each.” She raised her eyebrows in challenge. “I don’t want anyone in our house to ever be alone.”
Decker grinned as he laid Kyla back on the blanket. “A whole houseful?” He kissed her forehead, her nose, her lips.
“Mmm-hmm,” she murmured.
He found the top button on her blouse and popped it through its hole. “Should we get started right away?”
“Oh, yes. Definitely right away.” Kyla moaned as his lips moved lower.
Decker paused his hands and pulled back to look into her eyes. “But right now, right here, I want just you and me.”
Kyla smiled as she pulled him close. “Definitely. Just you and me.”
Acknowledgments
Huge thanks go first to my fantastic agent
, Courtney Miller-Callihan. Her unwavering support and dedication make her truly a gem.
To Sue Grimshaw and the entire Loveswept team, thank you so much for making this first ride such a grand adventure. I’m thrilled to join the Loveswept family!
To the incredibly talented ladies of NHRWA for all the hugs, cheers … and chocolate, and especially to Tam-Tam, who brought me to my first meeting, and despite my best efforts, never lost me in NYC.
To the extraordinary, fearless Bartlett Bunnies—your fabulosity knows no bounds. I’m lucky to call you friends.
To Ken and Kelley Robie for sharing their equine expertise. Any mistakes are mine and mine alone!
To my family … for giving me space to grow, for making me laugh, and for putting up with way too much pizza for dinner. I promise to learn to cook. Someday.
And lastly, I’m lucky to call the brilliant, hilarious Jennifer Brodie my friend and critique partner, and am ever thankful for her keen eye, her delightful Scottish accent, and her supersized scissors. Chop-chop!
MAGGIE MCGINNIS started writing when her twins were infants and she was desperately seeking sanity. The fact that she found it only with imaginary people makes her a bit concerned, but at least they do what she tells them to … usually. She lives in New England, though she spends an inordinate amount of time on Arizona real estate sites in mid-January. While snow piles up to her windowsills, she cyber-stalks the blue skies and pink houses of the Southwest. It’s cheaper than therapy …
She used to be an English teacher, a certified black belt, and a cool-car driver. Then … twins. Now she swills caffeine while driving the one vehicle she swore she’d never own: a minivan. It sort of hurts even to admit it.
You can find Maggie blogging at www.maggiemcginnis.com and on the Romance at Random site (www.romanceatrandom.com), or tweeting away (@Maggie_McGinnis), but she has thus far resisted the siren call of Pinterest because she knows herself, and fears there is no coming back from that place. Write to her at [email protected]. She’d love to hear from you!
THE EDITOR’S CORNER
Welcome to Loveswept!
I’m always excited when we have new e-originals to share with our wonderful readers, and this month is no exception. We have four fantastic books coming up in October and I wouldn’t want you to miss any of these amazing reads.
… like Maggie McGinnis’s superb Loveswept debut, ACCIDENTAL COWGIRL, where a feisty city gal and a dreamy cowboy clash … in all the right ways. Or check out Megan Frampton’s WHAT NOT TO BARE, a super witty and red-hot historical romance. Then there’s Katie Rose’s delightful MISTLETOE & MAGIC, an intriguing read set in Victorian New York City. And we also have a nice holiday treat for you: HEATING UP THE HOLIDAYS, a sexy and enchanting 3-story bundle from talented authors Lisa Renee Jones, Mary Ann Rivers, and Serena Bell. And if you’re loving New Adult as much as I am, you’ll adore our new Flirt release, ISN’T SHE LOVELY, Lauren Layne’s new adult take on Pygmalion—with an edgy twist!
And of course, we have some terrific reissues for you, too: Connie Brockway’s dazzling stories, DANGEROUS MAN and MY DEAREST ENEMY, Ellen Fisher’s memorable THE LIGHT IN THE DARKNESS, Ruth Owen’s riveting works, SMOOTH OPERATOR and SOMEONE TO WATCH OVER ME, Iris Johansen’s delicious ACROSS THE RIVER OF YESTERDAY, Julie Orton’s exceptional DRIVE ME WILD, and three wonderful books from Sandra Chastain, THE MORNING AFTER, FOR LOVE OF LACEY, and GABRIEL’S OUTLAW.
If you love romance … then you’re ready to be Loveswept!
Gina Wachtel
Associate Publisher
P.S. Watch for these Loveswept titles coming soon: November arrives with three e-originals: Sharon Cullen’s sizzling LOVING THE EARL, Serena Bell’s enthralling YOURS TO KEEP, and Samantha Kane’s ultra-sexy DEVIL IN MY ARMS, plus classic romances like Connie Brockway’s utterly romantic AS YOU DESIRE, Jean Stone’s poignant BIRTHDAY GIRLS, Fran Baker’s captivating THE WIDOW AND THE WILDCATTER, Iris Johansen’s exhilarating STAR-SPANGLED BRIDE, Ruth Owen’s sensual SORCERER, and Sandra Chastain’s scintillating reads TOO HOT TO HANDLE, REBEL IN SILK, and THE SILVER BULLET AFFAIR. December brings in these great new originals: Lauren Layne’s charming LOVE THE ONE YOU’RE WITH, Cassie Mae’s splendid SWITCHED, and Juliet Rosetti’s irresistible CRAZY FOR YOU, as well as Adrienne Staff and Sally Goldenbaum’s brilliant GREAT AMERICAN BACHELOR, Iris Johansen’s absorbing WINTER BRIDE, Ruth Owen’s unforgettable stories, TAMING THE PIRATE and THE LAST AMERICAN HERO, Sandra Chastain’s scorching reads, HANNAH’S HUNK and IMAGINARY LOVER, and Connie Brockway’s breathtaking trilogy, MCCLAIREN’S ISLE: PASSIONATE ONE, MCCLAIREN’S ISLE: RECKLESS ONE, and MCCLAIREN’S ISLE: RAVISHING ONE. Don’t miss any of these extraordinary reads. I promise that you’ll fall in love and treasure these stories for years to come.…
Read on for excerpts from more Loveswept titles …
Read on for an excerpt from Lauren Layne’s
After the Kiss
Chapter One
Julie Greene had built a career out of falling in love. Staying in love? Not so much.
Julie’s boss apparently hadn’t gotten the memo.
“I’m confused,” Julie said slowly, leaning forward with a placating smile. “You want me to write what?”
Translation: You’re confused. I don’t write that shit.
Camille Bishop leaned back in her chair and studied Julie with puzzled eyes. “I’d have thought you’d be jumping at the chance to have such a simple assignment after last month.”
Julie pursed her lips together and considered. Last month’s assignment had been exhausting. Documenting the seven kinds of first kisses had required a lot of research.
Pleasant research.
But this? A two-page spread, to be called “How to Take Relationships to the Next Level”?
What was Camille thinking? This was Stiletto magazine, not Dr. Phil. Stiletto was sex and high heels, not companionship and freaking clogs.
The rocky post-honeymoon period just wasn’t Julie’s scene. Which is not to say she didn’t have plenty of other skills.
The first date? She had men begging for it.
The first kiss? An art form she’d long since mastered.
The first time you lost your panties in his sheets? Soooo not a problem.
This wasn’t to say that Julie had perfected only the major, most obvious dating milestones, however. She also knew how to finesse the subtler moments—those key moments where the breath caught and you thought, Yes, this. Julie could explain every single nuance, from the toe-curling euphoria when his hand brushed yours to the tingle when eyes held for just a beat too long. And then there was her personal favorite moment: the bone-deep satisfaction when you made him laugh for the first time—a real laugh.
Most women thought these moments just happened. Julie Greene knew better. These moments were created.
As for what happened after all that good stuff?
Julie couldn’t care less. She had no need for the first fight, no desire to meet the parents. No interest in finding dirty boxers in her hamper or making room in her bathroom for a man’s razor. That was all a one-way trip to Julie’s personal vision of hell: couples movie night.
Julie had found that the women of New York City erroneously used movie night as a yardstick of how close to the altar he was. After all, if he was satisfied to spend a Friday night at home instead of at a strip club, he must be whipped, right?
Wrong. So wrong.
Movie night was just another way of saying that you didn’t want to bother dressing up for him and that he didn’t care. Julie lived in fear of the moment when fancy dinners and cocktail parties would be a thing of the past, and the highlight of the weekend would be lounging in yoga pants and watching car chases or beautiful people making out on-screen.
The sexiest part of that scenario was the butter on the popcorn.
She shuddered. Julie Greene didn’t do movie night.
“Camille, look,” she tried again. “It’s not that I don’t respect your
suggestions …”
“Oh?” Camille tilted her head, making her chemically straightened bob sway ever so slightly, and Julie froze. Over the years, Julie had come to think of Camille’s usually immobile hair as her “tell”—when it moved, someone’s life was about to get really messy.
Up until now, it had never been Julie’s life.
In the six years that she’d been working for Camille as a full-time columnist, this was the first time Julie had received a direct order on a story topic. Even when Julie had been fresh out of college with nothing but a handful of internships under her belt, Camille had given her wide latitude on what to write about.
Julie knew that Camille trusted her judgment. So what was with the sudden power trip?
It didn’t make sense. Julie was one of Stiletto’s best columnists, and they both knew it. And Camille had always encouraged her writers to play to their strengths. Julie’s niche was the single readers with the dream of falling in love. After that, they were on their own.
Julie sat up straighter. Wait, no. That wasn’t entirely true. Readers did have someplace to go once they got past the fun part of dating.
Grace Brighton.
“Why not have Grace do it?” Julie asked excitedly. “She’s your relationship guru.”
“And here I thought you and Grace were both my relationship gurus.”
“We are,” Julie agreed quickly. “It’s just that we each have our own expertise. Anything having to do with long-term relationships is Grace’s.”
Camille pursed her lips, painted today in a rather shocking coral. “And how would you describe yourself?”
Julie’s heel jittered beneath the desk in frustration. Camille knew full well what Julie’s expertise was. Everyone at the Stiletto office did. Heck, half the women in Manhattan knew Julie by name. Knew what she stood for. Stiletto was the magazine to work at. The Dating, Love, and Sex department was the department to work in. And Julie, Grace Brighton, and Riley McKenna were Dating, Love, and Sex, respectively.
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