Cherished (Adam & Ella) (19 page)

The vacation home in Newport hadn’t changed at all. It was as impressive as Ella remembered. But there was one thing that was new. When she walked into the dining room, Adam’s wood-grained surfboard was still there. But there was a second one next to it, shorter and smaller, and she realized it was a duplicate of the one he’d given her in Brazil. His caretaker must have taken delivery.

Ella turned to Adam. “You got this for me?”

“Of course, you told me to.” He grinned.

“It’s beautiful.” Wrapping her arms around him, she hugged him tight. “I hope you do everything I tell you to.”

“I might.”

The first night, Ella sat on Adam’s lap in a lounge chair by the pool. They sipped beer and watched the designer waterfall. The weather was warm, and they stripped, swimming naked in the pool. When they got hungry, they went inside to eat some of the food the cook had prepared. Laughing and hugging, they moved to the other room to listen to music.

Ella was unexpectedly overcome with emotion. There on the sofa, where they’d been that first time, it was a special moment. Sliding to the floor, she lay on her back, the familiar rug underneath her; the rug where she’d fallen asleep the time she’d missed Adam so desperately. Opening her arms, Adam came to her, and they made love. It was sweet, tender, and impossibly sexy.

“You are mine, sweet Ella. We will never be apart again.” Adam’s eyes were soft, his naked body chiseled and strong, his words were like poetry.

“Never.” And she kissed him deeply, longing for him, never able to get enough.

*****

Not wanting to leave Adam’s side, it was days before Ella ventured out by herself. Accustomed to guards, it was odd to walk freely and go where she wished. Encouraging her, saying he had some emails to catch up on, Adam said she should go see
Kaiyla. She was sure he could tell she missed her.

He handed her keys to the red Ferrari, and she balked. “It’s just a car,” he said. “Go. Enjoy yourself.” That she did. Driving the powerful, expensive car was a thrill. But it would take some getting used to.

Kaiyla met her at a burger place near Beach Beauty, and as soon as Ella saw her friendly face, she broke into a wide grin. Hugging and giggling, they chatted away, trying to catch up. Kaiyla told her Cameron and Lori had moved in together.

Zoe wanted to do some traveling, so Cameron was now the manager at the bookstore. He still pursued photography in his spare time, and appreciated all the pictures Ella had sent him. Then the conversation shifted to Ella’s adventures in Brazil.

“So I don’t have to keep all that security equipment?”

“Nope.
It’s over,” Ella said.

“I did notice that burly guy that followed us everywhere, our bodyguard, hasn’t been around recently.”

“Not needed anymore. You are safe. I promise you.” Ella filled her in on everything that happened in Rio, watching Kaiyla’s reactions. It was unbelievable, and Ella wouldn’t believe it herself if she hadn’t been there. She even told her about wearing the black hat and veil as a disguise to get by Miguel.

Hearing the story,
Kaiyla started to laugh, and then Ella did too. They laughed so hard, tears rolled down their cheeks. “I would have loved to see you in that getup,” Kaiyla said when she caught her breath. “And what about your romance novel?”

Ella grinned. “None of the publishers were interested. All I got were rejection letters.
So…I self-published. I figured I’d let the readers decide. Maybe it’s not what the publishing firms are looking for, but that doesn’t mean it’s no good. My plan is just to give the book a chance, see if readers like it or not.”

“Well, if it’s anything like your real life, it’s some amazing story…and heart-wrenchingly romantic. Your readers will love it.”

Ella pulled a book from her bag and handed it to Kaiyla. Under the title “Dare To Love” was Ella Walker, printed big and bold. Inside was a personal inscription:
To Kaiyla, my special friend. Wishing you romance in your life, now and always. Love, Ella

“Thank you so much. I can’t wait to read it,”
Kaiyla said. “I know it will sell.”

“It already is.” Ella grinned again. “I published last week. Adam helped me with the technical stuff, and he designed the cover using graphics software. It’s been available for six days. And I’m already making sales. Can you believe it? I’m a published author!”

Kaiyla clinked her beer bottle against Ella’s, toasting to her success. “You are one smart, resourceful girl, Ella Walker.”

It was especially satisfying to share her success with
Kaiyla. Knowing how Ella had struggled with esteem issues, and lack of confidence, her friend would appreciate what it took to see her dream through. Writing a novel and publishing required Ella to push past her own uncertainties—doubts that her writing was good enough, doubts that anyone would want to read what she wrote. But she’d changed; she’d grown. And Kaiyla was proud of her. That meant a lot.

She hated for lunch to end, and promised to call
Kaiyla soon. They arranged to meet for dinner on the weekend, and Ella was looking forward to seeing Steve. It would be fun for the four of them to get together. Steve was interning at one of the major hospitals, and working hard with the goal of setting up his own medical office. Kaiyla bragged about him, and rightfully so. She assured Ella that once he made it through the internship they’d get married and buy a house of their own. They’d already discussed it.

Before going back, Ella stopped to visit her mother at the home of the friends she was staying with. It was an older home, and the stairs creaked as Ella stepped up to the door. It felt different seeing her mother. Jeanne
Dufort Walker looked thinner, and older. The aloofness that was just part of her personality was still there. But she hugged Ella, and told her she was glad to see her.

They sat at the kitchen table and drank iced tea. Ella filled her in on why she went to Brazil, skipping over most of the details. Her mother didn’t need to know about all that. Instead, she focused on the food and the culture. She talked in detail about the places she’d visited, and how much she adored the Brazilian people.

They talked about her sister, Julianna. Her mother had been to see her a few times, and they’d gone out to lunch. It had been pleasant. “Adam and I are going to drive to San Diego to see her. We’ve been emailing each other recently. Sounds like she is doing well in school, and she got a promotion at the art gallery,” Ella said.

Ella told her mother about Adam. It was strange. Growing up, Ella never talked about her dates or who she was interested in. The discussion always centered on her mother’s current boyfriend. Jeanne listened, not saying much, and it made Ella sad. She wished her mother had found someone who truly cared about her. And felt immensely lucky to have found Adam.

Looking at her mother, Ella reflected on how she’d needed her mother’s love for so long. Now she’d found love. With Adam, there was a wealth of love in her live, she had some to spare. “I love you, Mom,” she said, squeezing her mother’s hand.

Jeanne gave her a tight smile. “Maybe we can go shopping some time.”

“Sure, Mom. We will do that.”

*****

The next day, Adam took Ella to the yacht club. He planned to cruise the harbor and lounge in the sun on deck. As they walked along the pier, Ella spotted his yacht and a couple his crew making preparations. Holding her hand, Adam led her to the boat. And there, stenciled in big blue letters on the side of the hull were the words
Adam & Ella

“Adam,” she gasped.

“I thought you’d like that. It’s our boat now.” He leaned down to kiss her, his lips soft, his tongue brushing hers. Adam smelled so good, so male, and he tasted amazing. Ella melted in his arms, kissing him back. “I love you, amore mia,” he whispered, then guided her onto the boat.

The crew threw off the ropes, and the yacht made its way away from the dock. Once they were underway, the chef served platters of fruit, cheese, and bread. He placed a bucket filled with ice next to the table. Popping the champagne, he poured some for each of them, and left them to enjoy it. A soft breeze caressed them as the boat navigated the harbor.

“To us,” Adam said.

“To us.”
Ella clinked her glass against his, and they took a celebratory sip. “It feels good, doesn’t it, to know that it’s over. We are free. Your father will never torment you again.”

“It does feel good, very good.”

The chef returned, placed a silver-domed dish in front of Ella, and left. “Dessert?” she asked, raising her brows.

“I know you are fond of dessert.”

“I’m fond of having dessert with you,” she said, then ran her tongue seductively over her lower lip.

Lifting the silver dome, Ella gazed at the plate, her hand still mid-air. Her eyes were seeing it, but she couldn’t believe it. A diamond ring sparkled in the bright afternoon sun.

“Adam,” she breathed, barely audible.

Then, shocking her even more, Adam dropped to one knee beside her and took her hand in his. “You are special, beautiful Ella. You are a sensitive, brave, brilliant woman. And the sexiest woman I’ve ever known. Your passion has brought joy to my life and love to my heart.

“You are my friend, my soul mate, and the only woman I’ll ever love. I want to be with you always, and share my life with you. I’m asking you to be my wife. Will you marry me?”

Ella would have said “yes” instantly, if she could talk. That was Adam, pure poetry. Tears of joy welled in her eyes, and her throat choked tight with emotion, preventing her from speaking.

Adam pulled her to her feet, and kissed her hard, raking his hands through her hair wildly. “Yes. Yes,” she gasped when he released her. “I will marry you.”

Lifting her in his arms, he carried her down to the stateroom and began undressing her. “I want you, Ella. I need you. And you’ve made me a happy man by agreeing to marry me.”

“There was no other answer but yes. I was made for you, Adam. And also…”

“Yes?” Adam stopped undoing her buttons, waiting for her to finish.

“I can’t wait to see you in a tuxedo again.”

Adam grinned. “So you can take it off of me?”

“Yes…and very slowly.”

***************

Dear Reader,

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Cherished (Adam & Ella #3) by Emily Jane Trent ©2013
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About the author:
Emily Jane Trent writes steamy romances about characters you’ll get to know and love. The sex scenes are hot, and the romance even hotter! If you are a fan of stories with a heroine that’s got spunk and a hunk of a hero that you’d like to take home with you, these stories are what you’re looking for. These romantic tales will let you escape into a fantasy, and you won’t want it to end—ever.

Note
: This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are the products of the author’s imagination. Any resemblance to actual events, locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher.