Savor
Page 22
He looks back at me and drops the hammer.
“Fuck. You sure?”
“Yeah, I am. Can we, um, maybe call Suzie before we tell Ryder, because I have a feeling he’s going to panic more than me?”
“I’ll call her. Where’s your bag?”
“Bedroom.”
Jace disappears and five minutes later, he reappears with my bag in hand.
Before he can move toward me, the apartment door bursts open and Ryder dashes through.
“She’s coming,” he says, breathless.
“She is.”
Epilogue ~ July
Ryder
Our beautiful daughter arrived an hour ago, and I don’t think it’s actually sunk in yet. I’m responsible for the little bundle currently being cleaned up along with her mama.
Faith Louise Stone, let her presence be known the minute she left Dahlia’s body. Her tiny face had been scrunched up, her fists clenched as she screamed her lungs out. Frightened the shit outta me. The nurse reassured us that it was a good thing while she passed our daughter to her mama.
Both Dahlia and I smiled through our tears of joy as Faith settled down and took on a somber expression. She’d been doing some looking of her own¸ her eyes wide as she took in this strange new world.
My heart feels so full of love for both my girls that I think I might be in shock or something. I can barely move from the spot in the waiting room where I’m supposed to be making some calls, having already got my call to an excited Max out of the way, while they transfer Dahlia and Faith to a private room.
I’m a father, who’d have thought?
“Do you think he can hear us?” Jace asks, waving his hand in front of my face, which brings my attention back to him.
“Don’t be a dick.” I knock his hand away.
I’m good really, although I’m not sure if my legs will still hold me up if I tried. Not only am I exhausted from not sleeping throughout the night, but, holy fuck, I’m a daddy.
I grin, which I’m sure looks wrong, when Jace gives me a strange look.
The door opening distracts me, and Mom and Dad come into the waiting room.
I don’t move.
Mom looks at me, and frowns before turning to Jace, “What’s wrong with your brother?”
He smirks, the bastard.
“I don’t think he gave much thought as to what happens to Dahlia’s body for the baby to come out, and the fact that he’s had his mouth down—”
“Do not continue,” I growl.
Mom turns away, embarrassed.
Jace laughs, while Dad hides his mirth behind his hand.
Before Jace can open his mouth again, I pull myself together and get to my feet, sighing in relief when I don’t fall back.
“Thanks for coming.” I hug Mom before turning to Dad.
“So, what’s Faith like?” Mom asks.
“Cute,” I say at the same time as Jace says, “Beautiful.”
“I want to know more,” Mom says, her eyes filled with tears of happiness. “Is Dahlia, okay? Who does Faith look like? What color hair does she have?”
“Mom stop. You’re making me dizzy . . . She has a head of dark hair and Dahlia’s nose, while she has my eyes and chin.”
I glare at Jace, daring him to comment on the fact that my daughter has features similar to mine.
Jace shakes his head. “I’ve no comment for that.” He pulls me in for a hug. “I’m proud of you, little brother.”
Damn.
Rapidly blinking before he catches the emotion his words caused, I turn and look out the window.
I’m itching to get back inside with Dahlia and to cuddle my daughter. The thought of holding Faith is terrifying with her being so tiny, but I’m not going to be able to stop.
“Ryder,” the nurse calls. “Can you come through, and your family can follow in a short while. The new mama is feeding one hungry baby.”
Dahlia
Holding my daughter in my arms is a miracle.
Twelve months ago, I never thought I’d be here, a mama and married to the sexiest guy I’ve ever seen.
Before the nurse went to find Ryder, she helped me to get Faith latched onto my breast. To both our surprise, she latched on quickly and started to guzzle; the soft mews she makes while she nurses, causing my heart to swell with even more love.
While she’s nursing, Ryder walks in and soon as he sees us, his eyes swim with unshed tears.
I hold my hand out to him, which he takes.
He settles his hip on the bed beside me and strokes Faith’s little cheek as she continues to nurse.
It doesn’t take long for her to drift off to sleep as my nipple slips from her little mouth. I cover myself before placing her into a sitting position with one of my hands supporting her face as I rub her back. A soft burp escapes her sweet lips.
“She’s so precious. Thank you.” He kisses my lips.
“Here, cuddle your daughter.”
“Let me get on the bed.”
“The nurse will shout.”
“Let her. I want, no I need, to cuddle you both.”
The bed swamps me, so he goes around to the opposite side and snuggles into me. He places one arm around my shoulders and sighs with pleasure as I rest against his chest. His other arm goes under mine on my stomach and we both hold our daughter.
“Thank you for giving me such a precious gift,” I whisper, tipping my face up to his.
“Oh, babe,” he pauses, overwhelmed with emotion, “I don’t think I’ll ever be able to tell you what you and Faith mean to me.”
He places a soft kiss to my lips before we both look back at our sleeping daughter.
She was worth every bit of pain I suffered bringing her into the world, and I can honestly say that I have no regrets.
But I do have one request.
“Ryder, will you sit on the chair, right there, and hold your daughter?”
He tenses against me before he relaxes and climbs from the bed.
“You won’t drop her . . . I trust you,” I say and I mean it. I know what an amazing father he’ll be to her.
He looks so scared, but he needs to see that he can hold her and get past his fear of hurting her.
He inhales, and reaches out as I pass our sleeping daughter to her daddy.
Ryder snuggles her close and practically drops into the chair behind him. He seems to sag, and then he’s holding her close with one hand as his other caresses her cheek. Tears leak from his eyes and the soft smile on his lips is filled with love.
My whole heart is right here in this room.
The End
Sinful, Bad Boy Rockers #5
Coming Summer 2015
Model – BT Urruela
Image Copyright – Photographer Eric Battershell
Cover Design – Robin Harper, Wicked by Design
Sinful ~ Synopsis
Former Detective, Jace Stone’s life has been spiraling out of control since he was gunned down in the line of duty five years before.
When his Captain suggests he tutor a second grade class on the softball field as a favor to his niece—their teacher—he thinks why not? Life can’t get any worse.
What he doesn’t expect is their teacher to be a hot, little red head, with curls all the way to her round bottom. He quickly finds her teasing his dreams, leaving him hot, hard and craving just one taste of those sexy red lips . . .
Savannah is relieved when her Uncle Ned finds a softball coach to teach her class the meaning of teamwork.
What she doesn’t expect is to be faced at every lesson with a six-foot mountain of a man who looks like he just climbed out of bed. His heated glances cause her female parts to sit up and take notice, but it’s his sexy five o’clock shadow and sinful mouth that keep her tossing and turning the night away.
The more time Jace spends on the field the more he feels that he’s finally beginning to heal and get his life back on track. The fact Savannah makes his heart feel lighter doesn’t ha
ve anything to do with his new outlook on life . . . or does it?
A Detective who’s been through hell and a teacher who’s engaged to someone else, come together on the softball field, but soon find their tutoring starts to extend beyond the field . . .
Renovation of the Heart
Coming Soon
Model – Bobby Creighton
Image Copyright – Photographer Eric Battershell
Max gets his own story!
Renovation of the Heart
Synopsis
At twenty-nine, Max has had enough of city living and being around people who think they can dictate how he lives. After coming out to his family and colleagues, trouble at work and familial heartbreak ensue. After spending months in Portsmouth, he finally relocates to Elizabeth Cove in search of healing, not realizing his life is about to change in ways he never expected.
Elijah returns home to help his dad renovate the Victorian his grandmother left to them. The finished portion of the old house is being rented out to a newcomer to their small town of Elizabeth Cove. No one in his town is aware of Elijah’s secret, especially his mom. A quick errand to the property leaves Elijah with a stunning scene he can’t get out of his head and the fear that his secret will be discovered.
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About the Author
I was born in Bolton, Lancashire within the United Kingdom, where I lived, and worked at the University of Bolton. In 2010, I moved to Ireland with my husband, four kids and pack of animals.
I'm a NY Times and USA Today Bestselling Author of Devour, and International Bestselling Author of Seduce and Sizzle.
My time is spent writing when I can get away from Facebook, and chasing after the kids and animals.
One of my all time ambitions is to visit Mount Everest base camp in the Himalayas.
Thank you to each and every one of you for your continued support.
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