Undercover Bodyguard
Page 20
“For you, I’ll try not to overdo it.”
“Good, because fall is coming, and it’s my favorite time of year.”
“Mine, too,” she murmured sleepily. Much as she wanted to go back to her full work schedule, she had to admit, seven hours had been too much. Her eyelids were heavy, her muscles warm and relaxed. She thought she could sit where she was forever, her head on Ryder’s shoulder, his hand sliding up and down her arm.
“I’m glad we agree, because now that I’ve taught you how to fire a handgun, I think it’s time for you to teach me how to make a cake.”
“That’s fair,” she responded, snuggling closer and closing her eyes. “What kind of cake do you want to make? Chocolate? Red velvet? Banana?”
“Wedding.”
“Wedding?” She straightened, suddenly wide-awake. “Do you know how difficult wedding cakes are to make? How much time they take? We should probably start with something simpler. A birthday cake or—”
“It’s not just any wedding cake I want to make with you.” He fished in his pocket, pulled out a blue velvet jeweler’s box and opened it to reveal a sparkling sapphire set in a simple platinum band.
“Ryder—”
“You’ve owned my heart from the first time I saw you smile. Almost losing you nearly tore me in two. You’ve been given a second chance. We’ve been given one, and I don’t want to waste a minute of it. Will you marry me?”
“I—”
“Say yes, girl. Or I’ll say it for you,” Dottie hollered, and Ryder smiled.
“If Dottie’s response is all I can get, I’ll take it, but I’d rather hear it from you. Will you spend the rest of your life with me, Shelby Ann?”
“Yes,” she whispered, tears sliding down her cheeks as he slipped the ring on her finger.
And then she was in his arms, every breath, every heartbeat in tune with his.
She slid her hands through his hair, loving the thickness of it, loving the velvety roughness of his jaw as her fingers trailed along warm skin, drifted along granite shoulders encased in crisp, cool cotton and settled over his heart.
“Don’t make me bring a broom out there,” Dottie called, and Ryder broke away, his breathing uneven, his eyes burning into Shelby’s.
“I wasn’t kidding about a wedding cake—a fall wedding cake.”
“This fall?” Shelby asked as he tugged her to her feet.
“Would you rather wait until next year?” He pressed kisses along the column of her throat, his lips warm and firm and wonderful, and Shelby sighed.
“No.”
“Good.” He smiled down into her eyes, offering her everything she’d ever wanted and so much more than she’d ever imagined she would have. Two paths had converged and merged, God guiding and leading, prodding and pushing Shelby and Ryder straight into each other’s hearts.
And Shelby was so very thankful that He had.
“Come on,” she said. “If we’re going to make our wedding cake together, we’d better start practicing now.”
She led Ryder into the kitchen, glad to see that Dottie had made herself scarce. The piping bags were still on the counter, and she handed Ryder the white icing. “Let’s get started.”
“We may not want to practice on your housewarming cake, Shelby Ann. I’m not sure how well I’m going to take to this,” he said, and she smiled, covering his hands with hers, guiding him as they wrote two words on the seat of the swing: Three Forever.
“What do you think?” she asked, looking into his dark chocolate eyes, seeing his love written there. True and real and selfless, the most wonderful gift any person had ever given her.
“I think,” he said, scanning her face, his gaze dropping to her white polo shirt, her faded jeans, “it’s perfect.”
“Absolutely perfect,” she responded, and he pulled her into his arms, kissed her until nothing else existed.
“So, how about we start planning this fall shindig? I’ve got a dozen bridal magazines. Let’s start looking through them.” Dottie slammed a pile of magazines on the kitchen table, and Shelby jumped back.
“Dottie!”
“What?” she asked with a sly smile.
“Do you plan to always have bad timing?” Ryder grumbled.
“Not always. Just until you two get to the I-dos,” she responded, and he laughed.
“What do you think, then, Shelby Ann? Should we hurry up and get there?” he asked, pulling out a chair and gesturing for her to sit.
“You know” she responded, grabbing a magazine, her heart racing with the depth of her love for him, “I think that we should.”
* * * * *
Dear Reader,
I used to believe that a smooth journey meant I was on the right road. When things were going well, I felt confident in who I was and where I was heading. When they weren’t, I doubted my path and worried that I was stepping outside of God’s will. That isn’t the way life works, though. Sometimes, the best path is the most difficult one. Sometimes, to find where we are meant to be, we must struggle and fight and persist through tough times. That is the lesson Shelby Simons must learn when her good friend is murdered and she becomes the next target. Shelby must depend on security contractor Ryder Malone to keep her safe, but she has been hurt one too many times, and trusting Ryder isn’t something she thinks she can ever do. The easy path means running from him and from the danger that is stalking her, but it is the difficult path that will bring her to the place she belongs.
I hope you enjoy the newest book in the Heroes for Hire series!
I love connecting with readers. You can visit me on Facebook or email me at shirlee@shirleemccoy.com.
Blessings,
Questions for Discussion
By the world’s standards, Shelby is successful. What are her thoughts about the way her life is going?
Why do you think Shelby has had so many bad experiences when it comes to love?
Shelby has always dreamed of having a forever kind of love, but every time she shoots for it, she’s disappointed. How does that impact her relationship with Ryder?
Shelby notices Ryder the first time he walks into her bakery, but she’s already made the decision to stay single. What has she based that decision on?
Do you think her reasons for giving up on her dreams are valid? Explain.
Ryder has stopped looking for love, but he’s not afraid to go after it when he meets Shelby. What is it about her that makes him think he might have finally found a person he can share his life with?
Shelby comes from a family of women who don’t hold much stock in marriage or relationships, but she has always wanted those things. Why do you think that is?
Nearly dying changed Ryder’s perspective on life and made him value family and relationships more. What experiences have you had that have changed the way you view life? How has that changed your relationships?
Shelby and Ryder are obviously physically attracted to each other. What are the deeper reasons that they are drawn together?
Sometimes our plans aren’t the same as God’s plans for us. Have you ever had to change your course to fall in line with God’s plan for your life?
How does Shelby’s relationship with God impact her relationship with Ryder?
How important do you think it is for two people to share a common bond of faith?
ISBN: 9781459226609
Copyright © 2012 by Shirlee McCoy
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