“Do you really like it, Monkey?” He held his breath until she reached up and pulled his mouth back to hers.
His sigh of relief was lost in their kiss. “I bought this house for you and me. I can’t promise that you’ll never be in a situation like you were with little Mikala again or even little Fiona. I can promise that you’ll be safe here with me.”
“You bought this home? You did this for me, Jared? You’d leave everything behind? What about your job?” Barely able to see him through her tears, she looked into his eyes trying to determine the honesty of his answer.
His hands gently moved to her cheeks as he lowered his forehead to hers. “Sweetheart, we live in a digital world. I can have video conferences and do research from my home office. I may have to go to Phoenix once in awhile, but not often. And besides I’m the boss.
“Oh, Monkey, don’t you know I have nothing without you? Haven’t you learned that yet? You’re the meaning in my life. Before you, I had nothing at all.”
Jared guided her to a table where a bottle of champagne chilled and a small black box rested beside it. A gasp escaped Jody’s lips. Her hands flew to her mouth as she started to understand the implications of the gesture before her.
“You’ve changed my life, Monkey. I can’t go back to the man I was before I met you. You’ve given me more in the few short months I’ve known you than anyone has ever given me before. You make me feel like a whole man for the first time in my life. You’ve given me love and family. I need you by my side, Jody. Will you marry me? Will you live your life with me here in our own little forest?”
Shock reverberated through her. She searched for the words she didn’t want to say but needed to be said. “Jared, I can’t ask you to give everything up for me. I’ve been so selfish when it comes to you. It’s not fair to—”
Jared pulled her to him so rapidly she almost lost her balance. “I’m not taking no for an answer, Monkey. If anyone is selfish, it’s me. I can’t live my life without you. I’m not going back to that bleak existence. I love you too much, and I’ll never let you go.”
Tears of happiness ran down her face as she molded her body to his. Struck speechless by his beautiful proposal, she could only acknowledge him with sloppy sobs of joy, a runny nose, and an excited nod.
Giving in and letting him take care of her, she allowed Jared to wipe her nose with a tissue, and her tears with his fingers. They sealed the moment with their first passionate kiss on the balcony of their safe haven, looking out at the beauty of their forest.
A few moments later, Jared guided Jody to a bench and sat her down. Opening the little black box, he revealed the most magnificent diamond ring she’d ever seen. Sealing the deal, he slipped the ring on her hand and kissed her forehead.
After popping the cork on the champagne, he offered her a glass and held his up as if to toast. “I have something else for you, Monkey.” He stalled by taking a sip of his bubbling wine. The sexy smile he offered held promises of a passion filled evening in their new home. If she were lucky, maybe even right here on the back deck.
Jody’s heart sped up and did an excited little pitter patter as his fingers moved seductively to his mouth. The ease with which he turned her on amazed her. Instead of doing something completely erotic with those fingers and tongue, he startled her when a shrill whistle escaped his lips.
As if he hadn’t just broken her eardrums, he raised his glass and toasted. “To us.”
“What have you got up your sleeve now?” She clinked her glass to his. “To us.”
Suddenly, the patter of little feet running toward her could be heard. She turned to find two beagle puppies, ears flopping with each bound, heading straight for her. Dropping to the ground, she patted the deck, enticing the cute little munchkins to her side. The puppies landed in her lap, almost knocking her backward. Jared’s laughter rang out as he sat down on the floor of the deck next to her.
He reached out and grabbed a puppy. “This is Fred, and that’s,” he pointed to the puppy licking her face, “Wilma. I know how badly you’ve wanted dogs, so I thought we should have a few new additions to our little family. They shouldn’t be bothered by any stray spirits here.”
Scratching the puppy’s back, Wilma joyfully licked Jody’s face. At no time in her entire life had she ever known the kind of happiness Jared offered her. She brought his hand to her mouth and playfully nipped at his fingers. “Jared, what have you done?”
“Let’s call the house a wedding present and the puppies a prelude to children.”
“You were pretty sure I was going to say yes, weren’t you?”
The broad grin he brandished lit his face with amusement. Jared’s happiness had her heart soaring higher than it ever had before. Nothing else mattered. He was her true gift, and she thanked her lucky stars for him.
In response to her question, he playfully shrugged his shoulders. “When you finished reading your latest literary masterpiece, you left it lying on the table next to the bed. I picked it up and started reading. I learned a few things from the mighty Highlander. I figured if you said no, I’d do what the brawny Scotsman did. I’d sweep you off to my castle, take your clothes off, and tie you to the bed.” Leaning in a little closer, he whispered seductively in her ear. “I’d speak in a thick Scottish brogue, and prance around flexing my bronzed, moistened muscles. You’d have no choice but to beg for my throbbing manhood.”
His fingers snapped in the air with attitude. “Nothin’ to it!”
She let loose with gut-busting laughter.
“Can anyone join this party?” Jody jumped when she heard Nathan’s voice. She couldn’t believe her eyes when she turned and saw both Nathan and Terry walking toward them, each sporting shit-eating grins. Neglecting the chaise lounges, they grabbed the bottle of champagne and sat on the deck floor next to the new family.
“You know, there are plenty of chairs. I’m not sure why we’re all sitting on the ground,” Nathan joked.
Jody reached out and kissed her two best friends. Before she could pull away from Nathan, his demeanor turned serious. Looking deeply into her eyes, he asked, “Are you happy, baby doll?”
She glanced at Jared and beamed. “Oh yeah.”
“Then we’re happy.”
“Wait just a damn minute,” Terry interrupted, surprising the people around him and garnering everyone’s attention.
“I’m happy that you’re happy.” He spread his arms to encompass Jody and Jared. “But there’s one thing that’s got to happen before I’m happy.”
Not having a clue what he could possibly be talking about had Jody’s brow moving up a fraction of an inch. “What is that supposed to mean?”
Instead of Terry answering her question, Jared leaned in to explain. “In exchange for his help with this place, I promised him something.”
“Okay.” Expecting more information, Jody purposely lifted her shoulders to prompt him to continue. When Jared blushed, she cringed. “Oh God! What did you promise him?”
“Since he didn’t get to keep Solitude—” Terry interrupted by loudly clearing his throat. When he had everyone’s attention, he mocked, “Stick to the script.”
Embarrassed, Jared bent his head in shame. “Fine. Dammit. Since Solitude was stolen out from under him, I owe him. He wants to show people what real love looks like. He insisted on using us as the subject matter.”
Looking at Terry’s winning grin, she whispered under her breath, “Should I tell him there’s no way in hell he’s going to get to keep that portrait either?”
Jared kissed her head and murmured into her ear. “Nah. Don’t spoil it for him.”
The sound of his easy chuckle filled her with joy.
Jody lifted her glass to toast. “To troubled spirits. I will be forever grateful to you for bringing Jared and I together. May you all rest in peace.”
A word from the author…
I’ve been an avid reader for years. To my husband’s dismay, I have bookshelves full of books, rooms
full of books, boxes full of books. My cars have books in them. I just can’t seem to get rid of them after I read them. You just never know when you will want to read it again, right? When my husband bought me a Kindle, it cut down on our need for storage, but it opened me up to books that I might never have experienced otherwise.
The biggest transition in my relationship with books occurred, however, when I, much to my surprise, became an author. I had started having dreams about people I didn’t know. I started looking forward to my dreams every night. Then I realized that I was daydreaming about these people as well. I’d just be sitting there, and these people and their antics would pop into my mind. Finally, I gave in and began writing their story down, something I had never dreamed of doing. My books invariably feature strong women.
My husband, Michael, and I have raised two strong daughters, Pilar and Shandelle, and they inspire the characters in my stories.
I’ve had fun with all the books I’ve written. Inserting real events into my books, things that have actually happened in my family’s lives, is like having a private joke.
My romance novels always contain a paranormal twist. I imagine my future writings will always contain romance, strong women and men of character, events that reach beyond what we consider normal, and perhaps seasoned with a little touch of whimsy.
http://sandywolters.weebly.com/
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