by Codi Gary
Val understood her frustrations but was personally done trying so hard.
Gus followed behind her as she cleaned up the house, deep in thought. The last month and a half seemed unbelievable, and yet she had never been happier than with Justin. She loved him and he wanted to spend his life with her. Why was she hesitating?
Maybe because when Cole had asked her, they had only been dating for three months and were married six months later.
But you never loved Cole, were never sure about him. Aren’t you sure about Justin?
She wanted to be, lord how she wanted to be, but the logical side of her brain was still unsure about marriage and love. Did it really last or did people get stuck together?
A hard knock on the door brought her up short and she went to answer it, finding Caroline standing on her porch, smiling grimly.
“Hey, sis.”
“Is everything okay?” Val asked, immediately thinking of her father.
“Yeah. I was just on my way to talk to Gemma Carlson about renting the studio above her bookstore and wanted to swing by, see how you were doing.”
Val had spent hours on the phone with her sister, but it was still new, having her there in the flesh. “I’m okay. Just cleaning up.”
“Can I come in?”
Val stepped back and let her sister in, unsurprised when Gus hopped around excitedly. Her sister was petite like her, but her face was more oval, she was a few inches taller, and her skin had a natural olive tone to it that helped her tan easily. Her dark hair was swept up in a loose bun, and as she sat down on the couch, she gave Val a look so serious that she squirmed.
“What’s up?”
“I just wanted to make sure you were okay. I know you’ve been down about Dad and all that, but he’s just an ass, Val. He’ll get over his issues or he won’t, but that’s on him, not you.”
“Has Ellie been running her mouth?” Val asked, wishing her little sister would learn to mind her own business.
“Of course, but it doesn’t take a genius to see you’re hurt.”
“What about you? Any progress with Dad?”
“Oh no. In fact, I think his first words to me were ‘get out,’ so I see a very long, turbulent journey of reconciliation for Dad and me,” she said, sounding casual, but Val thought it probably hurt them in the same way. “Anyway, I’m just glad you have someone like Justin in your life. You’re a very lucky woman.”
Val sighed and sat down on the couch. “He asked me to marry him.”
“What?” Caroline cried, before sobering. “What did you say?”
“I haven’t said anything yet. He said to take my time, but when a guy asks something like that, it’s not like I can really just ignore it for months, right?”
“Well, was there a ring?”
“No.”
“Down on one knee?”
“No.”
“What kind of proposal is that?”
“It was actually really sweet—”
“I don’t care if he recited Corinthians and had roses coming out of his ears . . . wait, was this proposal after sex?”
“Kinda.”
“Jackass. Okay, here’s what you say to him. You say you need more time, and that the next time he decides to offer marriage, it better be on one knee, ring in hand, with no hanky-panky afterglow.”
“I’m not telling him that.”
“Fine, I will.”
ANOTHER WEEK WENT by, but Val still hadn’t mentioned his proposal. Justin knew her world had shifted on its axis recently, but he thought she’d have said something by now.
They were lying in bed, playing with each other’s fingers, when he finally decided to broach the subject again.
“So, I haven’t wanted to push, but have you thought about what I asked you?”
She stopped moving, and he waited several minutes before she sat up. “I love you, but—”
“Uh-oh.”
“Just let me say this,” she said pleadingly and took a deep breath. “Up until a year ago, my life had never been my own, and since we started seeing each other, we’ve hit one bump in the road after another. We said we wanted to see how far this thing would go, but I don’t think we need to rush getting there.” She lay back down with her chin on his chest and whispered, “I rushed into a marriage before that I knew wasn’t right and regretted it. Deep in my heart, I know you’re it for me, and if you feel the same way, I just want to enjoy being us before we take on any more changes. Is that okay with you?”
He had to admit that the romantic side of him was a little disappointed, but he understood. Tucking her hair behind her ears, he teased, “I tell you what. When you’re ready to take the next step and make an honest man of me, I’ll be waiting.”
“Are you saying you want me to propose to you?”
“And it better be romantic. I want all the bells and whistles.”
“So demanding,” she teased, sliding up his body to kiss him.
“White doves and rose petals and—”
“Shut up.”
Chapter Twenty-Four
* * *
August, five months later
JUSTIN WIPED THE sweat from his brow as he went inside the house and grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge. He barely recognized the two-bedroom since Val had started moving her stuff in, but he had to admit that whatever reservations he’d had about her choice of furniture sure didn’t outweigh the benefits of coming home to her every night. She’d kept her shop but was renting her house to her sister and Jenny Andrews, who had just graduated high school and had been looking to get out from under her mother’s thumb. Both girls were going to school in Twin Falls, and so far Ellie had been staying on the straight and narrow. Val thought the younger girl was a good influence on her sister.
Justin headed back out, saw dark clouds rolling in from the south, and cursed the summer storms. His dad’s truck passed by and Fred waved out of the window at him, heading into town for his AA meeting. Justin returned the greeting as he headed to his truck. Since their big fight, Fred had been making an effort to get better, attending his meetings and staying on the restricted diet his doctors had put him on. He griped and grumbled but for the most part had proven to Justin that he could change. The effort had allowed Justin to start forgiving his dad.
He drove back across the field to find Gus sitting alone in front of his tractor, a wide grin on his ugly face. Justin looked around, but there was no sign of Val, who usually took Gus to work with her. “Hey, buddy, where’s Mama?”
Gus lifted up his paw, dragging his nails across Justin’s jeans, and he noticed there was something attached to the dog’s leg. Bending down, he pulled off a bungee cord with a white piece of paper on it.
Opening it up, he read: WILL YOU MARRY ME, FARM BOY?
Laughing, Justin hollered, “I said I wanted roses and romance.”
Suddenly, rose petals began raining all around him, and he looked up to see Val hanging off the side of his tractor, an empty white bucket in her hand.
“You call that romance?” he said, helping her down, unable to keep the sappy grin off his face.
“Hell yeah. Plus there’s a present waiting for you on the seat of your tractor.”
“Is it my ring?”
“No, I have your ring,” she said, taking his hand and slipping a simple white gold band over his ring finger. “Justin Mathew Silverton, will you be my husband and let me love you until I can no longer laugh or likely control my bladder?”
“And they say romance is dead,” he teased, pulling her body into his as he kissed her, drawing out the moment until she broke away.
Val whispered, “Well?”
“Yeah, why not, I’m already shacking up with you. Might as well marry you and make you a tad bit respectable.”
Slapping his arm, she pulled away. “Go open your present and I’ll see you in a few minutes.”
She started walking away and he yelled, “It’ll be longer than a few. I have work to do.”
<
br /> “We’ll see.”
Justin climbed up into the cab and saw a white box wrapped with a multicolored ribbon. Sitting down, he pulled the package into his lap and opened the card.
“Congratulations?”
Smirking, he opened the box, expecting a slinky teddy or maybe even some massage oil, but his jaw dropped when he saw what was nestled beneath the tissue paper:
A simple white baby onesie with a green-stitched tractor on the front.
Below, in green, it said FUTURE FARMER.
VAL HEARD JUSTIN yelling her name and grinned, stopping at the edge of the field to wait as he jumped off the tractor and ran toward her.
She didn’t really believe in Eastern medicine and all that, but when Stephanie Brown had mentioned going to a naturalist, Val had tagged along and told the woman about her fertility issues. After seeing her for nearly a month, Val began to feel queasy in the mornings, and after two months, she’d finally gotten up the nerve to take a test. The pink plus sign had stopped her heart cold. Still not believing it, she’d gone to the doctor, who’d confirmed it, although she’d warned her there was a chance of miscarriage up to twelve weeks.
She had passed the twelve-week mark six days earlier and had an appointment to hear the baby’s heartbeat next week. And she couldn’t imagine not having Justin there with her. She wanted to share everything with him.
Justin didn’t even stop his momentum as he grabbed her around the waist, lifting her off the ground and spinning her. She hadn’t really believed it was possible, that it could happen, but she’d known he’d be just as excited as she was.
Settling her back on her feet, he asked, “How long?”
“Three months.”
His smile lit up his amber eyes like sunshine. “Is that why you decided to marry me?”
“No. I want to marry you because you are my one. You are my better half, my soul mate, and I want to experience everything life has to offer with you. I just waited because I wanted to make it extra special,” she said, leaning into him and kissing his chest.
“I thought you didn’t believe in true love and soul mates.”
“Let’s say you helped change my mind.”
Justin caught her mouth with his, lingering over her lips as the first drop of rain hit her cheek. Pulling back slightly, he whispered, “Let’s go home.”
And as he swung her up into his arms, Gus huffing along beside them, Val knew she was already there.
Want more Rock Canyon romance?
Keep reading for an excerpt from Codi Gary’s
THINGS GOOD GIRLS DON’T DO
Now available from Avon Impulse
An Excerpt from
THINGS GOOD GIRLS DON’T DO
For Katie Conners, being a good girl just isn’t worth it anymore. One evening, after a bad day and one too many mojitos, Katie starts making a list of things a girl like her would never do . . .
When local tattoo artist Chase Trepasso finds Katie’s list in a bar, he’s determined to help Little Miss Uptight check off a few items. Especially the ones on the naughtier side . . .
KATIE FINISHED HER last appointment and headed to the grocery store to do some shopping. She drove past the Local Bean and Chloe’s Book Nook, and looked to the left at Chase’s place, Jagged Rock Tattoo Parlor. She was still fuming about him coming into her salon and playing with her, even if he had apologized. Telling her he could help her out with anything on her list. Of all the conceited, high-handed, jerky things to say. He obviously hadn’t been too sorry, since he made that outrageous proposition. And after she had just started to think he wasn’t that bad of a guy.
Who did he think he was, Iron Man? That he could just ooze charm and she would fawn all over him because he was handsome, successful, and single?
Like she would ever really do anything on that list, and for him to suggest it made her feel cheap. Like he had no respect for her, or maybe it was just women in general. Was he one of those guys who thought all women were easy prey, just waiting for some big, handsome guy to move in with a few suggestive ideas and they would just drop their panties and say, “Come on, big boy . . .”?
Without really thinking about what she was doing, she pulled around the corner and parked. She slammed her door and marched into the parlor just as he was coming out of the back with a sterile tray. His pleased, lazy smile only added fuel to the fire.
“Hey,” she said, “I don’t appreciate you coming into my salon and baiting me with things you really know nothing about.”
Setting his tray down slowly, he said, “Actually, I know quite a bit about tattoos, and let’s see . . .” He pulled something from his pocket and unfolded it slowly. Recognizing the bar napkin, Katie lunged forward and tried to grab at it, but he held it out of reach, reading, “Sex shops, stealing—although I don’t recommend that—drinking, skinny-dipping, flirting, and oh yeah . . . one-night stands.” He brought his arm down and she snatched the list from him. Before she could move away, he reached out and grabbed her wrist, running his thumb over her skin slowly.
Attempting to pull away from him, she cursed the tingles his warm hand caused. Glaring, she tried to sound firm. “Let go of me. I’m tired of your games. I don’t know why you think it’s funny to play with someone’s emotions, but I’ve never done anything to you and I find it humiliating that you would make fun of me over something I did when I was having a bad day. It makes you a bully, and I want you to leave me alone.”
Chase didn’t release her, just reached out with his other hand and started to pull her toward him. Her heart pounded as all that mouthwatering muscle drew closer to her and he slipped his arm around her waist. She might think Chase was lower than pond scum, but her hormones sure didn’t agree.
Katie stopped struggling and tilted her face up just as he said, “I can’t do that.”
Letting her wrist go, she froze as he trailed his hand up her arm slowly, making every single cell in her body scream to get closer, but a lifetime of good breeding and manners kept reciting, Good girls don’t . . . good girls don’t . . .
Still, the part of her that hadn’t been held by a man in a long time wanted him to kiss her until her brain shut up.
He didn’t kiss her like she wanted him to, though.
Chase ran one hand through her hair and cupped her cheek with the other. “Sweet Katie, the last thing on this earth I’d want to do is upset you, but I have to say, it is really hot to see you all riled up.” He slipped his thumb over her bottom lip and continued, “Your mouth purses when someone irritates you and you’re trying not to say anything. I’ve noticed you do that a lot. But your eyes heat up when you’re ticked off, and that’s hard to miss. Like now.”
Katie was holding her breath as she swayed toward him, and he whispered, “Do you know what you want?”
Did she? “Yes.” She drifted a little closer, like she couldn’t resist him. It was his eyes. No, the way he smiled. Maybe . . .
“Do you know where you want it?”
His words were penetrating the fog of desire and she blinked at him. “What?”
Sliding his hand from her lip to over her shoulder, he asked, “Do you want it here?”
It finally registered what he was asking and she said, “I don’t want a tattoo.”
“Are you sure?” he said teasingly. “’Cause I have a binder full of things you might like. Of course, there are some things we could check off the list that don’t involve binders, needles, or tattoos. Let me think . . .”
She needed to move away from him so she could think. She took a breath, but that was a mistake. He smelled amazing, and she was so tired of being good all the time. She was thirty years old and the man she was supposed to spend the rest of her life with had picked someone else. Maybe if she had been more daring and less rigid, Jimmy wouldn’t have dumped her. She would never know now. She couldn’t change the past, but she could let go now, just this once.
Slipping her arms up around his neck and ignoring his wide-eyed exp
ression, she said, “Chase, if you want to kiss me, will you just do it already?”
About the Author
* * *
An obsessive bookworm, CODI GARY likes to write sexy small-town contemporary romances with humor, grand gestures, and blush-worthy moments. When she’s not writing, she can be found reading her favorite authors, squealing over her must-watch shows, and playing with her children. She lives in Idaho with her family. You can find her online at www.codigarysbooks.com or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/CodiGarysBooks.
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By Codi Gary
Bad Girls Don’t Marry Marines
Good Girls Don’t Date Rock Stars
Things Good Girls Don’t Do
“The Trouble with Sexy” in Kiss Me: An Avon Books Valentine’s Day Anthology
Give in to your impulses . . .
Read on for a sneak peek at two brand-new
e-book original tales of romance from Avon Books.
Available now wherever e-books are sold.
Falling for Owen
BOOK TWO: THE MCBRIDES
By Jennifer Ryan
Good Girls Don’t Date Rock Stars
By Codi Gary
An Excerpt from
Falling for Owen
Book Two: The McBrides
by Jennifer Ryan
From New York Times bestselling author Jennifer Ryan comes the second book in an unforgettable series about the sexy McBride men of Fallbrook, Colorado. Reformed bad boy Owen McBride will do anything to protect his beautiful neighbor when she gets caught in the crossfire between his client and her abusive ex.
Claire woke out of a sound sleep with a gasp and held her breath, trying to figure out what had startled her. She listened to the quiet night. Nothing but crickets and the breeze rustling the trees outside. A twig snapped on the ground below her window. Her heart hammered faster, and she sucked in a breath, trying not to panic. Living in the country lent itself to overactive imaginings about things that go bump in the dark night. The noise could be anything from a stray dog or cat to a raccoon on a midnight raid of her garbage cans, even an opossum looking for a little action.
