Only Her Undercover Spy
Page 14
Someone shut off the light and closed the door.
“You do realize you’re going to have an awful night’s sleep in the hospital, and they’re going to interrupt our cuddling session for an MRI, and I’ll probably snore and push you off the bed at some point?” Devon asked.
“I don’t care. All I care about is being with you.”
He pulled her in closer, and she gazed up at him. His blue eyes were suspiciously bright as he said, “You’re miraculous, Iris. I love you.”
Then he kissed her softly. He lay back and within seconds was asleep. Iris cuddled in close and listened to the rhythmic beating of his heart and the monitors in the darkened room. She loved him. He loved her. She’d left her valley for him. She’d do anything for him. Devon was the miracle in her life.
Epilogue
Iris stood at the top of a twenty-foot cliff overlooking a small, clear pool. They were in Rincon, Costa Rica, for the day, exploring waterfalls and adventure parks before they went back to their seaside villa. It was the perfect honeymoon, just her and Devon, two weeks of traveling through this incredible country. At home they had two feet of snow, but here it was a warm, tropical paradise.
Maybe she could understand her dad wanting to stay in the warm beauty of the Caribbean, but she could never understand him checking out on life and never coming back to those who loved him. Devon’s parents and family had taught her the meaning of devotion and family over the last five months. She adored all of them as much as her own brothers, Cat, Grams, Uncle Jay, and Cruz. Everybody but her dad had been at her and Devon’s gorgeous Christmas wedding at the resort.
Devon treaded water below her, the sun sparkling off his broad shoulders and his hair darker and slicked back with water. “Come on, love, you’ve jumped much higher than that.”
“Is that water sanitary?” she asked.
He chuckled at the Tarzan reference. She’d taken to calling him Tarzan as they’d zip-lined through jungles, climbed through adventure courses, swum through waterfalls, and jumped off more cliffs than she’d ever imagined. Her little lake back home was gorgeous, but she really loved the ocean and bodysurfing as well as all the adventures they’d had in Costa Rica. Most of all, she loved her handsome husband. He hadn’t quit espionage completely, but he had only taken a few jobs over the past five months. Usually, he was focused on fixing up the cabin he’d bought half a mile south of Uncle Jay’s, learning how to fish, and—most of all—being there for Iris.
“Really, is it deep enough to dive?” she asked.
“Yeah. I didn’t hit bottom.”
“Sweet.” She launched herself off and dove into the pool. The water was warm as she slid through it. She loved swimming in all this warm water. Not that she’d ever love anywhere as much as Mystical Lake, but overcoming her fears and being able to travel with Devon had truly been a gift from above.
She surfaced and pushed the water from her eyes and her hair back out of her face. Devon was right there, wrapping an arm around her and tugging her to a spot where he could touch. She wrapped her arms and legs around his muscular back and held on.
“Nice dive,” he said.
“Thanks.” She cuddled in close and sighed. “This is really paradise, isn’t it?”
He shook his head. “Not this place.”
“You don’t think so?”
His blue gaze traveled over her face. “You’re paradise, Iris. We could live in a shanty in Africa, and it would be paradise with you.”
She smiled and kissed him softly. “I love you.”
He kissed her more passionately. “I love you, Mrs. Berkshire.”
She grinned every time she heard that name. She pressed against him and kissed him again. Footsteps approached, but Iris had no desire to pull away from her husband—paradise—wherever Devon Berkshire was. That was the truth.
Mystical Lake Retreat Romance
Only Her Undercover Spy
Only Her Cowboy
Only Her Best Friend
Only Her Cowboy - Excerpt
Meredith looked across the park toward Main Street. Cat didn’t know if she was avoiding her gaze and her questions but something had caught her gaze. She whistled low and murmured, “Hot cowboy at your six o’clock.”
Hot cowboy? Cat’s blood ran hotter, even as cold chills pricked her skin. There was only one hot cowboy in this town and she didn’t want to look at or talk to him, ever. She slowly spun, and there he was. Stetson Stillwater. She’d make fun of his too-typical cowboy name. If it wasn’t so sexy and didn’t fit him so well.
She wanted to look away, claim he was definitely not a hot cowboy, but there was only so much lying and depriving oneself of staring at such perfection that a girl could do. She stared, clutching her ice cream cone, and licking her lips. Stetson tipped his hat to Mary Penrose, Doc’s wife, and her two young daughters. The girls gazed up worshipfully at him and his cheek and eyes crinkled as he gifted him with his slow grin. That smile. Those eyes. Those crystal blue eyes that seemed to see straight through her animosity and right into her girlish dreams about him. She loved and hated those eyes so much.
He said goodbye to yet another group of female worshippers and walked on. His strides were purposeful and his body was well-built, showcased far too well in that t-shirt and nicely-fitted jeans, and dang it if he wasn’t the most beautiful creation the good Lord had ever put on this earth. Why did he have to look so good, when he ticked Cat off so completely?
It appeared he was angling for Meredith’s ice cream shop, but he suddenly glanced around as if he could feel Cat’s gaze on him. He met her gaze and the world disappeared around her. Cat tried to swallow but her throat was too dry. Stetson stopped walking completely, in the middle of Main Street, staring into Cat’s eyes.
She licked her lips and against all that was right or smart, she smiled at the son of a gun before she could stop herself. His answering grin yanked the oxygen from her lungs and the resistance from her body. He was going to march over here and ask her out and she was going to forget her anger and protecting her own heart and join the throngs of women who knew exactly how it felt to be kissed by the “hot cowboy”.
Her heart started racing as he did exactly as she’d hoped and strode her direction. She put a hand to her heart and prayed for help and strength. She’d hated Stetson Stillwater for six years now. He’d been a little slow to join her angry parade but he was a smart guy and he caught on when she avoided him, regularly hid sacks of fish guts in his truck and tractor, and was more poisonous than snake venom when she saw him. Over the past few years they’d settled into a comfortably toxic relationship. She regularly took digs at him at church, potlucks, any time he came into the resort or she saw him in town, but dang him being so appealing, and always responding to her digs with kindness. Her biggest fear was she’d fall susceptible to his charms and go the way of her mother.
He was almost to her and she had no clue how she was going to keep resisting him if he kept looking at her like that. Then his gaze shifted and he said warmly, “Meredith. How are you?”
Meredith? Cat shook her head, coming out of her Stetson-induced fog and remembered her friend was sitting right next to her. Meredith stood and took the hand Stetson offered. “Great. How are you?”
“Good. I had to run some errands and I wanted to thank you for the bread and jam. It was delicious, reminded me of Mama’s.”
Cat felt a small lurch of sympathy for Stetson. Despite herself, Cat still loved Stetson’s mama. Brenda had been an angel and almost as close to Cat as her own Aunt Lucy. Of course the two angelic women in her life died. Grams couldn’t be called angelic, too feisty, but Cat adored her.
“I’m glad you liked it,” Meredith said, looking at him with those large, dark eyes that Cat was certain could pull any man in. Well, sadly any man but her brother. Stupid Cruz. Why wasn’t he with Meredith? Why was Stetson looking at Meredith as if he were interested in her?
Meredith and Stetson. It couldn’t be. A horror and sick
ness rushed through Cat. No! Meredith was meant for Cruz and Stetson was meant for … well not Meredith that was for dang sure.
She stood, feeling awkward and out of place but wanting to break up this flirting, or whatever this was. “You brought him bread?” she accused Meredith with.
Meredith raised her hands innocently. “He fixed the leak in my roof and wouldn’t take payment for it.”
Cat’s eyes narrowed at Stetson as he stood there smiling at her like he knew exactly where her traitorous thoughts had gone thirty seconds ago. She looked back at her friend, well maybe her friend, and lowered her voice, “The Stillwaters are the sworn enemies of the Chadwicks.”
Meredith looked confused and embarrassed while Stetson let out a hearty laugh. Cat turned to glare at him.
“Only of you, beautiful Catalina,” Stetson said, still laughing.
Had he really just called her beautiful? She rolled her eyes at herself. He probably called every woman beautiful. Like father like son.
“I get along perfectly well with Cruz and all of your cousins,” Stetson said. “You’re the only one who thinks of me as the ‘sworn enemy’.” His voice lowered and she crazily thought a flash of pain went through his blue eyes, “For something I had absolutely no part in.”
Cat’s eyes widened. Had he really dared go there?
“You’re dripping ice cream all down your arm,” Stetson pointed out.
Cat looked down, shocked that she still held a melted ice cream cone and pink stickiness was all over her hand and arm. She glared at Stetson as if it were his fault and stomped to the nearby garbage can. A wasted ice cream, all because she couldn’t stop staring at, and fighting with, that infuriating man.
Find Only Her Cowboy here.
Also by Cami Checketts
Mystical Lake Retreat Romance
Only Her Undercover Spy
Only Her Cowboy
Only Her Best Friend
Jewel Family Romance
Do Marry Your Billionaire Boss
Do Trust Your Special Ops Bodyguard
Do Date Your Handsome Rival
Do Rely on Your Protector
Do Kiss the Superstar
Do Tease the Charming Billionaire
Do Claim the Tempting Athlete
Do Depend on Your Keeper
Strong Family Romance
Don’t Date Your Brother’s Best Friend
Her Loyal Protector
Don’t Fall for a Fugitive
Her Hockey Superstar Fake Fiance
Don’t Ditch a Detective
Don’t Miss the Moment
Don’t Love an Army Ranger
Don’t Chase a Player
Don’t Abandon the Superstar
Steele Family Romance
Her Dream Date Boss
The Stranded Patriot
The Committed Warrior
Extreme Devotion
Quinn Family Romance
The Devoted Groom
The Conflicted Warrior
The Gentle Patriot
The Tough Warrior
Her Too-Perfect Boss
Her Forbidden Bodyguard
Cami’s Collections
Jewel Family Collection
The Romance Escape Collection
Cami’s Firefighter Collection
Strong Family Romance Collection
Steele Family Collection
Hawk Brothers Collection
Quinn Family Collection
Cami’s Georgia Patriots Collection
Cami’s Military Collection
Billionaire Beach Romance Collection
Billionaire Bride Pact Collection
Billionaire Romance Sampler
Echo Ridge Romance Collection
Texas Titans Romance Collection
Snow Valley Collection
Christmas Romance Collection
Holiday Romance Collection
Extreme Sports Romance Collection
Georgia Patriots Romance
The Loyal Patriot
The Gentle Patriot
The Stranded Patriot
The Pursued Patriot
Jepson Brothers Romance
How to Design Love
How to Switch a Groom
How to Lose a Fiance
Billionaire Boss Romance
Her Dream Date Boss
Her Prince Charming Boss
Hawk Brothers Romance
The Determined Groom
The Stealth Warrior
Her Billionaire Boss Fake Fiance
Risking it All
Navy Seal Romance
The Protective Warrior
The Captivating Warrior
The Stealth Warrior
The Tough Warrior
Texas Titan Romance
The Fearless Groom
The Trustworthy Groom
The Beastly Groom
The Irresistible Groom
The Determined Groom
The Devoted Groom
Billionaire Beach Romance
Caribbean Rescue
Cozumel Escape
Cancun Getaway
Trusting the Billionaire
How to Kiss a Billionaire
Onboard for Love
Shadows in the Curtain
Billionaire Bride Pact Romance
The Resilient One
The Feisty One
The Independent One
The Protective One
The Faithful One
The Daring One
Park City Firefighter Romance
Rescued by Love
Reluctant Rescue
Stone Cold Sparks
Snowed-In for Christmas
Echo Ridge Romance
Christmas Makeover
Last of the Gentlemen
My Best Man’s Wedding
Change of Plans
Counterfeit Date
Snow Valley
Full Court Devotion: Christmas in Snow Valley
A Touch of Love: Summer in Snow Valley
Running from the Cowboy: Spring in Snow Valley
Light in Your Eyes: Winter in Snow Valley
Romancing the Singer: Return to Snow Valley
Fighting for Love: Return to Snow Valley
Other Books by Cami
Seeking Mr. Debonair: Jane Austen Pact
Seeking Mr. Dependable: Jane Austen Pact
Saving Sycamore Bay
Oh, Come On, Be Faithful
Protect This
Blog This
Redeem This
The Broken Path
Dead Running
Dying to Run
Fourth of July
Love & Loss
Love & Lies
About the Author
Cami is a part-time author, part-time exercise consultant, part-time housekeeper, full-time wife, and overtime mother of four adorable boys. Sleep and relaxation are fond memories. She’s never been happier.
Join Cami’s VIP list to find out about special deals, giveaways and new releases and receive a free copy of Rescued by Love: Park City Firefighter Romance by clicking here.
cami@camichecketts.com
www.camichecketts.com