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Authors: Tatiana March

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Rugged (18 page)

BOOK: Rugged
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Then she felt a hungry kiss on her neck, and excitement conquered her fear.

“Jed?” she whispered

“Yes,” he whispered back, his lips not leaving her skin.

Down her spine. Inch by inch.

“I’m sorry too,” she said. “I hadn’t realized that you weren’t the only one who needed to compromise. I have to change too. I’m bossy, and I don’t trust easily enough. And sometimes I can be a little stubborn.”

“Hush.” Jed kept on kissing her back. “I like you just the way you are.” His lips reached the base of her spine, moved to the side. His teeth closed over the crest of her buttock, took a teasing bite.

“Ah!” The cry of passion burst from her throat.

This time, Jed didn’t ask if he’d hurt her. He knew her responses by now.

“Did you learn that from a book?” Rachel asked, her voice a ragged gasp.

Jed moved up to nuzzle her neck. His low laugh sent a breeze over her damp skin.

“Yes,” he said. “And I guess you liked it.”

“I know what to get you for your birthday.” Rachel felt herself blush. “Some books…racier ones…perhaps one or two involving silk scarves and bedposts and—” Her words ended on a muffled cry as Jed stood up in the bathtub with a rush of water. He stepped over the edge, leaned in to scoop her into his arms, and carried her out to the bedroom, leaving a trail of puddles in their wake.

He laid her on the bed and settled over her, nudging her legs apart. “That sounds tempting, but it’s not the present I’m asking for.”

“Then what are you asking for?” Rachel watched him brace up on his arms above her, the muscles in his shoulders bunching and rippling.

Jed paused. For a moment, their gazes held. Moving again, he thrust into her, smooth and strong, and halted to allow her time to adjust to him.

“I’ll let you figure it out.” He started moving inside her. “There’s no rush. Nine months ought to do it, but I don’t mind if it takes a little longer. Or takes a bit more practice.”

And then he set out to make his dreams come true.

 
 

 

 

 

Chapter Ten

 

 

Rachel clasped Jed’s hand and watched her boss and coworkers pull up outside the log cabin that now included a two story extension with an office, a dark room, two more bedrooms and another bathroom.

“Hank is going to eat me up alive,” she groaned.

“We’ll defend you,” Ambrose called from the other end of the porch.

Nilesh said nothing, but strolled over and handed her a little white flag he’d made from a pencil and a silk handkerchief.

Philippe was checking the settings on his Cannon and Melvin was adjusting the video camera on a tripod, getting ready to film the wedding ceremony.

The minister, who seemed flummoxed by it all, stood listening in silence.

Hank slammed the door of the rented minivan and sauntered over, without waiting for the rest of his staff to get out of the vehicle. He was trying to look stern, but a big smile was fighting to break through. “I never expected you to be so irresponsible,” he bellowed. “I can’t believe you are going to have a baby in January. You were supposed to be in the office for the tax season.”

Jed moved to stand in front her, his broad back sheltering her.

Rachel peeked out from behind him and waved the white flag. “I will be.”

“What?” Hank snapped his head back. “Is something wrong?” He stared at her stomach that only showed a tiny swelling inside the white silk dress.

“No.” She smiled and stepped out from Jed’s shadow. “Jed will come to California and look after the baby while I’m in the office. He’s hiring a full time ranch manager to take care of things here. I’ll only miss a few days while I’m in hospital. I’ll promise you that I’ll be in the office as soon as I’m back on my feet.” Her mouth pulled into a tight line at the thought of the sacrifice she’d make, missing her baby’s first few weeks. She reminded herself that Hank had stood by her during her troubles. She owed him. “Only until the end of April, mind you,” she said sternly. “Then I’m going to take six months off to spend every second of the day with my child.”

Hank’s gaze shuttled between them. “The
Rugged Man
will be changing diapers?”

Jed grinned in response, a lazy grin that bore no anger or resentment over the prospect of humor at his expense. His shoulders rose and fell in an easy shrug inside the formal black suit.

“I’ve got it under control,” Ambrose cut in. “Market research says we need to soften his image. A baby will do the trick.”

“I’m not having this baby to improve your sales,” Rachel protested.

“Then why are you having this baby that you are having right in the middle of the tax season?” Hank grumbled.

“I’m having this baby because my husband-to-be told me that no disruption in his life will be too big if I go back to him.”

“That settles it.” Hank slammed the heel of his palm to his forehead. “Never promise anything to a woman.”

“Why is that?” Jed asked.

“Because they’ll remember,” Hank replied.

“Good thing too,” Jed said.

“Why is that?” Rachel asked.

Jed leaned over her and kissed her, full on the lips in front of everyone. When he spoke, he looked only at her, shutting out everyone else, but he didn’t lower his voice. “Because every minute of every day, I want you to know how much I love you, and if you didn’t remember, I’d have to repeat it so often that I’d never have time to say anything else.”

“Hey,
Rugged Man
can’t talk like that,” Nilesh shouted.

Rachel paid no attention.

She was too busy standing on tiptoe and kissing Jed back.

 

 

 
 

 

About the Author

 

Tatiana March writes contemporary and historical romance, as well as romantic suspense.

In her spare time, Tatiana enjoys hiking and camping, particularly in Arizona where some of her historical novels are set.

Tatiana lives in Buckinghamshire in the UK.

You can read more about Tatiana and her books on
tatianamarch.com

 

 

 

 
 

Also Available from
Resplendence Publishing

 

Home for a Soldier
by Tatiana March

Grace Clements is unemployed, lonely and broke. When she agrees to marry Rory Sullivan before he ships out to Iraq, she expects nothing but a Las Vegas wedding, a key to his New York apartment, and a divorce two years later. Instead, she gets a three-day honeymoon and a heart full of dreams of what could be... if he loved her.

Ten years ago, Rory Sullivan lost someone he loved. He gave up a life of wealth and privilege and joined the army. Hiding behind a wall of isolation, he avoids all emotional ties - until injury sends him home to recuperate. Home to Grace, whose quiet dignity and gentle concern break through his defenses. As Rory fights his feelings, his gruff resistance drives Grace away.

But even when he believes she has betrayed him, he can no longer forget her. Can he make peace with his past in order to win back his wife?

 

Wrong Side of Town
by Cindy Spencer Pape

Zach Shannon is back in town, and tiny Hawthorne, Texas will never be the same. When the local military hero comes home and starts working for his father, the sheriff, one of his first cases is a string of minor fires that everyone seems to blame on a handful of teens from the wrong side of town. Even worse, Zach is rapidly falling for Laney Burroughs, a quiet librarian whose Goth nephew is the suspected ringleader. Their attraction deepens, but both have too many responsibilities and too much baggage to make it easy, especially with Zach’s wealthy family, Laney’s nephew, and the entire town looking on.

 

Blood of His Fathers
by Michelle Chambers

Sinners and Saints Series, Book One

Alexander McCormack has secretly orchestrated Jessica’s life for the past fifteen years. Decisions she’s deemed to have made are an illusion. Even her marriage proves to be nothing more than elaborate manipulation.

Jess is no longer content with a life that brings her little joy and no passion. With divorce comes unexpected danger for her and her young son, and her only recourse for safety lies in the unlikely savior of Alexander’s son, Jason McCormack.

A hidden backdrop of age-long deceit, hatred and murder slowly manifests as Jessica finds herself drawn physically and emotionally closer to the man her every instinct—and cold hard fact—tells her she should avoid at all costs.

 

Coming Home
by Jessica Jarman

Angel Lake Series, Book One

Coming home for Gabe Monroe isn’t a joyous occasion. He returns to say goodbye to his father, and he stays to honor his father’s final request—take care of the family. He’s completely unprepared for the attraction he feels for his sister’s best friend and blames his grief when he gives into it. Gabe tries to put things right. Kate is practically family, and he promised his father he’d take care of her. However, Gabe is pretty sure taking Kate hard and fast against any ready surface wasn’t what his dad had in mind.

Kate Pearson thought she was over her childhood crush on Gabe, but his return has all those feelings rushing back. Add in the toe-curling, mind-blowing sex…and Kate is well on her way beyond just a crush. Despite his constant meddling and insistence that they need to keep things platonic, he makes her tremble with desire and yearn for forever with him.

Even as Gabe begins to accept their blossoming relationship, Kate's past casts a shadow over their future as they realize he isn't the only one who’s come home.

 

Secrets of the Heart
by Jannifer Hoffman

Nicole Anderson owns a successful costume design business, has a wealth of small town friends and sleeps in a lonely bed haunted by demons from the past. She’s convinced herself her life is exactly the way she wants it and has shot down every marriageable man within a fifty-mile radius.

When Hunter Douglas is assigned the task of delivering a deceased friend’s children to their aunt, he must first convince the belligerent Nicole Anderson that she actually had a sister.  Though forced to take his two charges to Minnesota, Hunter fully intends to persuade Ms. Anderson to allow the children to return to New York with him —without sharing his own little secret. The last thing he wants to do is fall in love with a woman who lives in a small Midwest town with neighbors who seem to know every move he makes.

As the heat index between Nicole and Hunter rises, a bizarre puzzle begins to unfold involving false birth certificates, a stolen suitcase, odd pictures, an elusive stalker, and a grandfather’s legacy that could turn deadly.

 

The Bargain
by Desiree Holt

BOOK: Rugged
8.54Mb size Format: txt, pdf, ePub
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