by Desiree Holt
“You’re better off without them.” His voice was edged with anger. “They’re the fools for losing something very special. But their bad luck is my good fortune.” He finished his coffee and pulled her beneath him on the couch. Opening her bathrobe and pulling up her sleep shirt, he kissed her left breast, trailing his tongue around it in circles.
“I’m going to heal your poor battered heart, honey. And make sure it will never break again. I’m so sorry I gave you a painful holiday. You’ve had enough of those. I want to make it up to you. Do you think you could put up with someone like me?”
Her heart banged against her ribs, and she could barely breathe with excitement. “For as long as you want.”
“I have no Christmas present for you. I’m sorry.”
“You’re my Christmas present. I don’t need anything else.”
“I love you, Nina. Will you…will you marry me?”
Her laugh was giddy. “I thought you’d never ask.”
He kissed her so thoroughly her blood burned and every pulse point throbbed.
“If you want me to have the plastic surgery, I will. It seemed pointless before.”
She placed her hands on his cheeks. “If it will make you feel better or improve your health situation. Otherwise, do only what you want to.”
“Grange said I should at least talk to the doctors.”
“Sounds like a plan to me. We can go together.”
He kissed her again. “We. I like the sound of it. God, I love you so much. And every Thanksgiving and Christmas from now on will be very special holidays for us.”
“You should think about your role with the ranch,” she reminded him. “I can open a book store anywhere.”
“You mean it? You’d really go to Texas with me?”
“Of course. You own my heart. Wherever you go, I go.” She cupped his cheeks. “I think to make the holiday complete you should call your sister and brother.” When his muscles tightened she brushed her mouth over his. “It’s time to heal all the way, Blake. Really. And you can use my phone.”
“Honey, it’s barely four in the morning. Oh, wait.” He grinned. “It’s five o’clock there. Practically the middle of the day.”
“Do you really think they’d care what time it is if you’re the one calling? I promise.” She brushed her mouth lightly against his. “Trust me on this.”
She pushed away from him but only long enough to get the cordless.
“Here.” She thrust the phone at him. “Go ahead. It’s already been too long.”
“Okay.” He took the instrument from her. “But I want you right here on my lap while I do this.”
He dialed a number with shaking fingers then wrapped his arm tightly around her while he waited for someone to answer.
She knew the phone had picked up on the other end when he drew in a deep breath.
“Holt? I guess I woke you. Sorry.” Another deep breath. “Guess who this is. Yeah, you’re right. It’s me.”
Tears formed and rolled down his cheeks unheeded. Nina found herself crying again, but good tears this time.
“Yup,” he went on. “Finally found a reason to keep on living. I’m bringing her home for you to meet.”
He glanced at Nina, and she nodded her head.
“I’ll call you back and let you know which dates, okay? Let me talk to Jennie.”
She was still crying silently when he finally finished the call. His own tears ran unchecked in tracks along his face. He pulled Nina into a tight embrace, burying his face in her hair.
“Thank you for giving me back my life. For loving me. For making me believe in Christmas again.”
“Me, too,” she whispered. “You mended my heart and made it whole again. I’d say this calls for a celebration.”
“Me, too.” He rose, sweeping her up in his arms. “And I know just what kind to have. Which way’s the bedroom?”
~ABOUT THE AUTHOR~
Desiree Holt’s writing is flavored with the rich experiences of her life, including a long stretch in the music business representing every kind of artist from country singer to heavy metal rock bands. For several years she also ran her own public relations agency handling any client that interested her, many of whom might recognize themselves in the pages of her stories. She is twice a finalist for an EPIC E-Book Award, a nominee for a Romantic Times Reviewers Choice Award, winner of the first 5 Heart Sweetheart of the Year Award at The Romance Studio as well as twice a CAPA Award for best BDSM book of the year, winner of two Holt Medallion Awards of Merit, multiple winner of the Whipped Cream Book of the Week Award and is published by five different houses. Romance Junkies said of her work: “Desiree Holt is the most amazing erotica author of our time and each story is more fulfilling then the last.”
You can visit Desiree at:
www.desireeholt.com
Joy Ride
Emma, the good girl poster child, is running from a life she suddenly sees as gray and suffocating—a life where she’s successfully buried all her hopes and secret dreams. Until the night she wanders into Aftershock and is immediately drawn to the hot bass player. The electricity of his performance, the powerful music he coaxes from his guitar, the heavy vibration of each note reaches out to something deep inside her and wakes an Emma she didn’t even know existed.
Marc doesn’t much care for the groupies who hang around the band. He needs a woman he can create a future with that’s a counterpoint to the craziness of the rock music business. When he sees Emma for the first time, something inside him cracks wide open. Just one sizzling glance between them, and he’s sure he’s found the woman to complete his life.
But as the relationship grows, there’s a huge stumbling block: Emma won’t tell him her name. The sex is fabulous but he wants more…. Although Emma is finally finding her true self, her fear of everything falling apart builds a barrier she can’t seem to cross. Marc is taking her on the joy ride of her life, but will her own insecurities destroy everything?
Table of Contents
Title page
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
~ABOUT THE AUTHOR~
