"She could have come here to live with us." Serena offered but smiled as Alec lifted his head and stared in disbelief at her. "All right, so maybe she could not have stayed with us, but why did he have to marry her?"
"I asked him the same thing, he only said that he was not going to ruin the reputation of the only woman not related to him that was strong enough to wash his naked unconscious body and not be tempted to have their wicked way with his manly form. Not in those exact words, I filtered them to protect your ladylike ears my love," Alec laughed as she gagged aloud.
"Ugh, disgusting. I think my pregnancy sickness is officially back thank you very much!"
Holding a hand over her belly, Serena worried that her body may be a bit off putting to her husband. Her belly was larger than it should be at this point in her pregnancy. A result of too many of Mrs. Wyatt's extra spicy pickles she was sure, but Serena felt like one of her brother's cows. Only five months along, and she already looked as big as Melody did at seven months! People in town kept giving her sly looks. She knew they thought that she and Alec had planted their 'little seed' before they had said their vows. They probably had, but only by a few hours so, the joke was on them.
"A lifetime with you and our son is going to be an adventure," Alec said while turning her attention away from her insecurities and back to his attempt at love making.
He did not have long before he was needed back at his office, and he wanted to get to the good stuff before he had to grab a quick bite and go back to supervising the boys on the city council. They had themselves another project in mind, and Alec had a real fear this one might be too hard to control if he did not put a stop to it right now.
"It may be a daughter Alec," Serena giggled as Alec tickled her.
"If only. A man would have to be blessed to have two beautiful red headed women in his life," he joked "especially if she gets her mama's temper."
"Well consider yourself blessed Mr. Mayor because I am going to make sure this baby is a girl."
"I love you woman... now stop teasing me and help me get these pants off," he ordered her with a slight tap to her now naked rump.
Alec never did make it back to the office in time to stop the council from cooking up another scheme. In fact, the council had been bold enough to recruit both Mrs. Wyatt and his very own mother out from under his nose. As he was busy making love to his wife, those scoundrels had descended upon his office like a pestilence and infected the good sense right out of the women in Alec's household.
When Alec had, complained loudly over dinner that there was no way on god's green earth he was going to let, 'his mama' get hurt in one of those rascal's schemes, to his horror his mother burst into tears, which earned him a sharp smack from both Mrs. Wyatt and her son, Oscar. Oscar's smack was more like punch and left a large bruise on his side.
Hunter had shouted at Alec to apologize to their mama. She could join whatever damn scheme she wanted to! Bethany tried in between sobs to explain she was just so happy he had finally called her 'mama' after all of these years, but the men continued to shout at each other over her attempts.
Serena just sat back in her chair rubbing her belly and smiled serenely. For she knew, that Alec had finally found the family he had so desperately yearned but was too afraid to hope for. She was so very glad she had taken a gamble on the stubborn man... he was worth every bit of trouble.
The End.
Look for Trudy and Mathias's story. What happens when an angry, crippled rancher agrees to marry the woman who he feels is responsible for his injury? When Mathias Sinclair plans to teach spoiled Trudy Bixby a lesson in humility, could it be he that learns the most important lesson of all... the lesson of love?
The Bride Least Wanted
Available December 2013.
Books also available on Amazon
A Bargain Bride
By
Rebecca De Medeiros
In a time when the west was wild...and the men were wilder... There came a challenge in the small town of Liberty, Texas. The objective in mind: Marriage. Bets are placed, and a race to the altar begins.
Rough and tough rancher Gabriel O'Malley had never met a challenge he could not handle... until now. Fed up with his grandson's brooding ways, "Pops" O'Malley takes matters into his own hands, and orders a mail order bride for him. Besides wanting the best for Gabriel, there was a little matter of a bet going around that the old man was determined to win. The only problem was, his stubborn grandson was digging his heels "spurs deep" in and holding onto his bachelorhood ruining all of his grandfather's well laid plans.
Gabriel, furious at his grandfather's conniving ways, was determined to rid himself of his unwanted "bride". He was going to live his life on his own terms come hell or high water, and settling down was not something he planned to do. Even, if he did lust after the woman who shows up on his doorstep.
After the death of her parents, Melody Williams was left with nothing but her baby sister to raise and an eviction notice on her door. She thought that finding the advertisement for a mail order bride was her lucky break. That is, until she meets her groom. Statues are friendlier than this hombre. But Melody is also stubborn. No one is going to stop her from making a home for her sister, least of all the sexy, grumbling rancher she has come to marry.
Sparks will fly, tempers will flare, kisses will be had and shoes will be thrown...As the battle of the sexes begins. Can love blossom? With the help of a bunch of wily old men, the town of Liberty is counting on it.
But not everyone is hoping for a happily- ever -after for the couple. From the shadows, evil lurks waiting to strike the ranch. Will it all be destroyed before their new life together can even begin?
Running Scarred
By Jackie Williams
For three years Ex Special Services soldier, Patrick Reeves has avoided his once comfortable world. Unable to accept his terrible injuries he moves to a secluded cottage in France and hides from everyone, most of all himself. But when a bright, beautiful woman, who stirs his blood and steals his heart, discovers the ruined Chateau and estate in which his home stands, it is more than his unerring control can bear. For her to flinch from his wounds would be terrible, but for her to pity him would be the final insult. His only option is to ensure she never sees him at all. Ellen doesn't give a damn what Patrick looks like, one glimpse of his shaded figure, one hint of his masculine scent and she is his forever.
She breaks off her engagement and follows her heart, buying the fabulous Chateau to fulfill an idea that has been her greatest wish since her brother was blown up in Afghanistan. If she can capture the elusive Patrick at the same time as attain her goals, her world will be complete. But she is devastated when Patrick abandons her for a flame haired beauty and when her ex-fiancé reappears, determined that he is neither surrendering her or her fortune, Ellen discovers that she is in danger of not only losing her lover but her life too. Can Patrick free himself in time to save the woman who loves and accepts him exactly as he is or will she be lost to him forever while he has been Running Scarred for far too long? Running Scarred is an easy read love story, gently exploring emotions stirred by war disabilities. Suitable for young adult upwards
The Boy who Lit up the Sky (The Two Moons of Rehnor)
By J. Naomi Ay
Lydia Kalila, the Princess Royal of Mishnah, is forced into marriage with the son of her country's mortal enemy for the sole purpose of producing an heir. Duty comes before personal choice for a princess especially when her country has been at war for more than a thousand years. Lydia's pregnancy removes her brother and new husband from their respective lines of succession placing her yet unborn infant at the head of the both queues. No one is happy about this, especially Lydia who dies during childbirth from wounds caused by the talon-like toenails of her very strange newborn son.
Grief stricken at the loss of his daughter, the Mishnese King hastily sends Senya, his infant grandson off to a decrepit inner city orphanage with the intent to retrieve
him much later when things got sorted out. At the orphanage, Senya is protected by the invalid Sister Meri who instantly falls in love with the little fellow. She's not bothered at all by his strange telekinetic and telepathic powers, flickering pupil-less silver eyes or wicked clawed toenails. The House Father takes a shine to the lad too and when Senya is six years old, he is summoned to the Father's chamber. The Father ends up in flames forcing Meri and Senya out into a snow storm running for their lives.
Thus begins the tale of Senya, a prince created to be king of a planet but then tossed aside until his twelfth birthday when Lt. Taner, a Royal Guard detective is sent to retrieve him. It is unclear to all whether Senya is the product of something good or something evil but in either case, it is very apparent that he is something more than just Lydia Kalila's son.
Table of Contents
Prologue
CHAPTER ONE
CHAPTER TWO
CHAPTER THREE
CHAPTER FOUR
CHAPTER FIVE
CHAPTER SIX
CHAPTER SEVEN
CHAPTER EIGHT
CHAPTER NINE
CHAPTER TEN
CHAPTER ELEVEN
CHAPTER TWELVE
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
CHAPTER NINETEEN
CHAPTER TWENTY
Epilogue
Table of Contents
Prologue
CHAPTER ONE
CHAPTER TWO
CHAPTER THREE
CHAPTER FOUR
CHAPTER FIVE
CHAPTER SIX
CHAPTER SEVEN
CHAPTER EIGHT
CHAPTER NINE
CHAPTER TEN
CHAPTER ELEVEN
CHAPTER TWELVE
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
CHAPTER NINETEEN
CHAPTER TWENTY
Epilogue
Table of Contents
Prologue
CHAPTER ONE
CHAPTER TWO
CHAPTER THREE
CHAPTER FOUR
CHAPTER FIVE
CHAPTER SIX
CHAPTER SEVEN
CHAPTER EIGHT
CHAPTER NINE
CHAPTER TEN
CHAPTER ELEVEN
CHAPTER TWELVE
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
CHAPTER NINETEEN
CHAPTER TWENTY
Epilogue
A Betting Bride Page 21
