Christmas Tsar (Blood and Thunder 1)
Page 11
“All or nothing,” Amber insisted firmly.
“Then, let it be everything,” Alexei said, throwing up his hands in complete surrender. “Welcome to the Blood and Thunder team. You are hereby inducted into the hardest, fastest, most successful team on the face of the earth.”
Taking the box from her hands, he took Amber on the ride of her life.
Epilogue
There was no reason why the hardman of Russia couldn’t have a romantic wedding. In fact, Alexei had insisted on a romantic ceremony when Amber had suggested they could just as easily hold the ceremony at a registry office in the heart of London.
When the sun rose on another beautiful day in Isla Celeste, she knew he was right. She had insisted on riding to her wedding on the difficult mare she had befriended on her first visit to the island. Maybe it took one stand-up female to understand another, Amber thought as she mounted sidesaddle and rode out to meet the man she loved.
The number of guests that had gathered on the shore surprised her. Alexei was waiting barefoot in the sand in a pale linen suit, beneath an archway of chamomiles specially imported from Russia. The fat white daisies with their golden hearts echoed the simplicity of their outfits. Amber had chosen to wear a slim-fitting dress in the flimsiest of fabrics that clung to her like a second skin. In the palest ivory, it set off her vibrant red hair, which she’d left loose as per Alexei’s request. The slim column of silk had floating panels in the skirt that lifted and flew behind her as she cantered down the shoreline to where Alexei was waiting to help her down from the horse. They kept their guests waiting a good few moments while Amber slid into his arms and they whispered their own love messages to each other and kissed.
“For us, for the future, and for all the Christmases to come,” Alexei murmured, staring into her eyes.
“For love,” Amber replied. “And because I need a challenge going forward.”
Their mouths touched as they laughed.
“I’ve got another surprise for you,” Alexei informed her. “You remember Celina?”
“Of course,” Amber exclaimed, whirling around to follow Alexei’s glance.
“Meet your bridesmaids.”
Amber hugged Celina first. The young girl looked so much better than the last time she’d seen her. She was rosy-cheeked, with gleaming, waist-length black hair, and the pretty ankle-length bridesmaid’s dress in ice-blue lace really suited her.
“Next I’d like to introduce you to Rose, our latest recruit.”
“Irish,” Rose announced, her black eyes sparkling with laughter. “With brothers.” She grimaced. “And I take a job here, where the island is overrun by fierce feens—men,” she explained to Amber, pulling a comic face as she tweaked her pale blue dress into some sort of order. “There are far too many men here.”
“Apologies, Rose. I can only hope you’ll tame one of them.”
“One of them? No thank you. None of them would suit me.” Rose huffed good-humoredly as she shot a warning glance at the tall Argentinian, Dante. “We haven’t made the best of starts,” she confided in Amber.
“Well, come and have a chat with me if you have any trouble with him—”
“Trouble?” Rose exclaimed. “We’d better postpone the wedding and have that chat now.”
“I’ll do what I can,” Amber promised as both girls laughed. “And I’m very pleased to meet you, Rose.”
“Likewise,” Rose said, standing back so the next bridesmaid could step forward.
“Mica. Our Krav Maga specialist,” Alexei announced as he introduced the statuesque blonde with a no-nonsense urchin cut.
“Mica.” Amber felt as if she was being given a shrewd assessment, but for some reason, she liked the tall, slender blonde on sight.
“I look forward to knowing you better,” Mica said warmly.
“Me too,” Amber agreed.
“And we mustn’t forget your maid of honor,” Alexei said, drawing a woman out of the crowd.
Amber’s mouth dropped open. “Dana?”
“You didn’t think you could escape your deadline quite so easily, did you? Or to put it another way, you’ve got the something new.” She glanced at Alexei. “You’ve got the something borrowed.” She angled her head toward the skittish mare. “And now you’ve got the girls in blue. So I guess that leaves me—the something old?”
“But you’ve still got it,” Amber whispered.
“Just no one to use it on,” Dana lamented.
“Stick with me, kid,” Rose cut in, shooting a challenging look at Dante, who was looking as stony-faced as only a member of the Blood and Thunder team could, prior to being reconstructed by a strong woman. “I’ll find us both a man, if we have to swim to the next island.”
And on that promising note, Alexei led Amber forward to stand in front of the minister who would bind them together for life.
“For my lovely wife,” Alexei said as he placed a diamond-studded band on Amber’s finger.
“For the husband who will ensure I’m never short of stories to tell,” she teased him, smiling as she placed the simple platinum band Alexei had requested on his wedding finger.
“Stories to tell our children, I hope you mean?” Alexei suggested.
“You guessed?” Instinctively, Amber touched her still-flat stomach. She hadn’t even confirmed the pregnancy yet.
“I hoped,” Alexei repeated as he drew Amber into his arms for a kiss.
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About The Author
Susan Stephens is a USA TODAY best selling author, translated into 23 languages and published in 114 international markets around the world with sales of more than 8 million books.
Susan was a professional singer and television presenter before meeting her husband on the tiny Mediterranean island of Malta. In true romance style, they met on Monday, were engaged that Friday, and married three months later.
Susan’s menagerie consists of dogs, cats, horses, a donkey, any stray animal that pops by for a cuddle or a longer stay, together with a wonderful husband, three terrific children, and five edible grandchildren.
Susan enjoys entertaining, travel, and going to the theatre. To relax, she reads, cooks, plays the piano—and when she’s had enough of relaxing, she throws herself off mountains on skis, or gallops through the countryside singing loudly.
Other Books by Susan Stephens
Coming soon in the Blood and Thunder series...
Book 2 Argentinian Billionaire
Book 3 Spanish Gold
Book 4 Cold Cache
to be continued...
Harlequin Presents...
In The Brazilian’s Debt
At The Brazilian’s Command
Brazilian’s Nine-month Notice
Back In The Brazilian’s Bed
Bound To the Tuscan Billionaire
In The Sheikh’s Service
A Diamond For Del Rio’s Housekeeper
Coming soon in Harlequin Presents...
The Sicilian’s Defiant Virgin
The Secret Kept From The Greek
The Ladies Club series...
Christmas At The Ladies Club
Valentine’s Night At The Ladies Club
Hot Spring Nights At The Ladies Club
The Bride Wore Red At The Ladies Club
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