“Jobs and cars don’t make things perfect. It took my papa to tell me that. Money helps but it doesn’t bring you happiness. It’s the people you spend time with.” He watched her in silence before saying, “My family would like you.”
“Does that matter now?”
“It matters a lot to me. So do the things I do that may affect them.”
“Family is important and I know, they mean a lot to both of us.” Kyra drew her hair up and wound a tie around it. “The last time I called, I didn’t want to bug you, I just wanted to thank you for what you did.”
“What was that?”
“I think you know. You’re not that sneaky.” She couldn’t help but smile. “You put money into Brendon’s family’s bank account. He asked me if I’d done it. He said the deposit was from the Camellia Holdings Firm. I remembered that’s your mother’s name. I knew it had to be you.”
“Damn, and I thought I was being devious. Brendon doesn’t know does he? I had a letter drafted saying there was insurance money that was refunded to the family. Billing made a mistake.”
“He doesn’t know. It was only a little white lie and your secret’s safe.”
“I didn’t want them to think it was charity. The kid’s done everything we asked. He and his family deserved a break. It’s only money. I also offered him a part-time job.”
“Another one? For you? How’s that?”
“Working with me at my new shop. He’s good―mind you, not as good as me―but he’ll learn. And when he puts his knowledge into a legit business, he’ll go far.” Mateo grasped her hands and drew her to her feet. He rubbed a thumb across the backs of her knuckles. “I changed in the time I spent here. You were right, I guess I do have a small town heart.”
“I knew that.” She squeezed his hands. “What do you mean by your shop? And what’s with the truck?”
“It’s mine. You like it? I traded in the BMW.”
“Nice ride.” She tipped her head in acknowledgement of the slightly worn pickup. “Why did you trade your ‘girl’?”
“She wasn’t a girl, she was a car, and anyway, I couldn’t drive the BMW around Sunset Beach, there are too many potholes on the side roads. The BMW would bottom out and ruin the undercarriage. I turned it in to the dealer the same day I gave my two weeks’ notice at work.”
Kyra stepped back and gawked at him. “You…you quit your job?”
“My first day back, my anxiety returned. I tried to ignore it for another week, but it only grew worse. Then when my boss laid a new, large project on me, I knew I wouldn’t last through it. I did some soul-searching and also thinking about what I wanted. I called my papa. I needed to know if they would be disappointed if I changed everything in my life for my happiness. He said I’d be crazy if I didn’t. I quit my job, my condo’s on the market, and I’m moving to Sunset Beach.”
“You’re…wait, staying? You’re moving here?”
“I guess I’d better. From the cash buyout I got for the car along with a chunk of my savings, I invested in the future. Just like you and your friends did. Back in New York, I tried to come up with what Sunset Beach didn’t have.”
“And?”
“Well, Sunset Beach already has a knockout advertising person, but it doesn’t have a computer repair or Internet store. Gadgets. What I love.” He waggled his eyebrows. “I know it will be a drastic cut in pay, but I’m thinking that the cost of living around here might be a little less than - New York City. I bought the empty appliance store on the corner of Main and Virginia. I believe this town is a gold mine with the tourist trade your resort will bring in and the locals. I can grow along with the town.”
“What about us?” She didn’t want to get her hopes too high.
“I know I was a jerk when I didn’t return your calls, but this is where I want to be. I want to live here because you’re here. Sunset Beach has you.” Mateo stepped closed and brushed a finger down her cheek.
“I know what I said about not wanting more from you, but I’ve been miserable since you’ve been gone,” she admitted.
“I’m happy to know it wasn’t just me.” He smiled. “When I’m with you all of my worries - fade away. No more anxiety. Life seems in its place and simple, something I haven’t felt in years. This is what I want and if you’ll take me back, I want this with you.”
“It won’t be hard for you coming back to a small town?”
“Not when the person I’ve fallen in love with is here.” He stepped closer, looked down at her, and his gaze softened. “I love you, Kyra.”
Tears of happiness filled her eyes. “I love you, too.”
He captured her mouth and kissed it with such intensity her toes curled in her shoes. When she groaned into his mouth, he wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her to his chest. The heat of his kiss went into overdrive.
Kyra ran a hand up the muscles of his chest. They were both out of breath. “I’ve missed you so much.”
“Now that I’m around full-time, you won’t be sick of me?”
She shook her head. “I don’t think I’ll ever get too much of you. I love you too much.” She laughed. “Who would think that I needed to move back to this sleepy little town to find the things I’ve searched for my whole life?”
Kyra dragged Mateo into the resort. She waved to Alivia and Fiona who were behind the front desk as she called out, “I’ll explain everything later…a lot later.” She laughed as she and Mateo headed up the stairs to the honeymoon suite.
Kyra and Mateo were out of their clothes and into each other’s arms in a minute. “I’ve got good news for you,” Kyra said as she gazed up and then down his naked body.
“More good news? I’m not sure I can take it today.” He shot her a sexy grin as her ran his hands up her body from thighs to breasts.
“A few days ago they finally figured out the problem with the plumbing. And we took the mattresses back to the company and they replaced all of them. The springs don’t squeak on these new ones.”
“I’m the kind of guy who needs to test theories out for myself.” He scooped her up and tossed her onto the bed, then jumped on her. “So far so good. Quiet as a mouse in church. Let’s put it to the real test.”
“Very good,” Kyra was barely able to say before he kissed her passionately again. Mateo turned her core molten.
“No…perfect. Now, I have a perfect life.” Mateo sighed as he pressed inside her.
She’d grown up in Sunset Beach, but there was something missing. That something was Mateo. He was right, now their lives were perfect.
About the Author Jennifer Conner
Jennifer Conner is a best-selling Northwest author who has sixty short stories, books, and audiobooks. She writes in Christmas Romance, Contemporary Romance, Paranormal Romance, Historical Romance, and Erotica.
She has hit Amazon’s top fifty authors ranking and her books have been #1 in sales.
Her novel Shot in the Dark was a finalist in the Emerald City Opener, Cleveland, and Toronto RWA contests.
Jennifer is an Associate Publisher for the indie e-book publisher, Books to Go Now who resides in the Seattle area. They pride themselves in helping new authors get their foot in the door with well-edited manuscripts, professional covers, and platforms uploads.
She lives in a hundred year old house that she grew up in. Her semi-small town holds an interesting mix of resident hillbillies, yuppies and Navy Seals. And of course Seattle, only a few miles away, is the birthplace of Starbucks so coffee is always on the check list. She blows glass beads with a blow torch, (which relieves a lot of stress and people don’t bother you) and is a huge fan of musicals.
She loves to hear from her readers. Please email her at [email protected]
For Updates about new releases as well as exclusive promotions, visit Jennifer’s
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Look for the other stories in
The Sunset Beach Romance Series
Sunset Kisses
Story 1
Alivia Jones yearned for success, or so she thought. A full scholarship to Columbia took her out of the small dull town she grew up in. There she left her childhood sweetheart Jacob Adams broken-hearted and never looked back; until an invitation for her tenth reunion arrived.
On her climb to success on Wall Street she sold her soul to the CEO of Financial Freedom, Brent Atwood. Rich, successful with a body no woman could deny; he wanted Alivia and she wanted his signature on her paycheck. Her emotional struggle to stay with him tore her apart until she finally realized and admitted that he did not own her. His threat to ruin her on Wall Street no longer scared her. She quit her job, ended her arrangement with Brent and left to meet her best friends in Sunset Beach for their reunion.
Her hesitation to see Jacob again disappeared with a reunion under the tall oak at sunset. One sunset, one kiss reunites a love that never left her heart. Will sunset kisses and one crazy idea keep Alivia in Sunset Beach?
Sunset Nights
Story 2
Fiona Paxton left Sunset Beach the day she graduated from High School and never looked back. Working as a fashion designer in Los Angeles was all she ever wanted. Fiona was studying fashion in LA when a doll designer came to one of her classes. A friend convinced her to show them her sketchbook, and after she graduated, they offered her a job to design doll clothes. Now, she owned her own design studio. All the top doll companies requested her designs.
Ten years later, Fiona wanted more than money—she wanted a caring man. Not one who cared more about how white his teeth were, or if his fake tan needed a spray touch-up than about her.
On look at Fiona and Trip Slater was hooked. Her California blonde hair and blues eyes sparkled when she talked about the Sunset Beach Resort renovation. Trip’s catering company was providing food for the construction workers. He’d give anything if she’d look at him the way she does at the sunset every night.
Sunset Waves
Story 3
Mateo Medina has the perfect job in New York City, the perfect condo and the perfect car, so why are his anxiety attacks getting worse by the day? All he needs is a short vacation and a few days off in the sleepy little resort town of Sunset Beach. Then everything will go back to normal. His Perfect Life.
Kyra can’t believe that things can get any worse. The first guest has arrived at the Sunset Beach Resort and they aren’t even open for business. Someone’s hacked the resort’s website. She has to make things work for their guest, it’s not his fault. She also has to make sure to stomp on the feelings she’s having for him. He’s going to be gone in a few days and she has too much work to do to prepare for the resorts opening.
Mateo and Kyra need to work together to resolve the resorts problems. Will they both find that there is more to life than work…can there possibly be love?
Sunset Surprise
Story 4
Summer Whitney’s life is spinning out of control. After the death of her fiancé, she closed her successful tattoo shop and travelled the world searching for something or someone to hold on to.
A reunion at Sunset Beach brought about a hasty decision to move back home seeking reconnection with her friends and family. But a surprise visit from ex love Kimon Galanos brings shocking news of the past – and the present.
Will Summer remain long enough in Sunset Beach to rekindle love and finally find the last happiness that has eluded her all of her life, or will she run away again, this time forever?
Sunset Waves Page 5
