“It was hard for me, but I should have known better. Our father was worse on Ty than he was on me. Ty was just sticking it out for our mom. But I couldn’t. I was so mad at her for letting it happen . . . for being so weak. I was disappointed in her and then in myself for being so cold. I thought I didn’t have a heart. Not until I fell for Sadie, anyway. And then I thought it was only limited to her.”
I feel a tiny nanoparticle of doubt sneak in. His mother was weak and I can be weak too. “You’re not worried that I’m like her, are you?”
He pulls away so he can see me better. “Are you kidding me? You’re the strongest woman I know.”
I laugh at his sorry attempt to placate me. “Ha, ha.”
“No, seriously.” He gets up on his side, propping his upper body on his bent arm. “You are . . . incredible. I mean, look at you.” He shakes his head, ignoring my reddening face. “You’re beautiful, yeah, but you’re you; you’re independent, smart, brave . . .”
I have to stop him right there. “Brave? No, Amber’s brave. I’m a lily-livered chicken poop.”
“Bullshit. You’re fierce. You do what needs to be done, and you don’t let fear get in the way. Someone who never has fear in the first place isn’t brave when they do things; they’re just being who they are. You take fear and make it your bitch. I admire the hell out of that.”
I giggle like a little girl. He really knows how to flatter me. “I was scared shitless when I thought Drake was at your door.”
“Yeah, sure, but you didn’t let it stop you, did you? You packed up and got the hell out of there instead of panicking and hiding in the closet. I get the fear, believe me. I know I didn’t help the situation by telling you he was after me. But it doesn’t matter anymore; he’s in jail now and he’s going to stay there. Patty sent me an email with the link to that news story, and I confirmed it with the detective on the case, so it’s done.”
“But they’re saying he killed someone.”
“Yeah. Another drug-dealing gangbanger who probably deserved it, and he got caught red-handed. The only thing that matters is we’re safe. Madison’s debts are not my debts, and the man who was claiming otherwise is gone.”
“He’ll get out eventually.”
“Maybe in thirty years if he’s lucky. They’re throwing the book at him. He’s a career criminal they’ve been trying to get off the streets for over a decade. Trust me, we’re fine.”
“I know we are.” I reach up to kiss him. “We have each other.”
“And we’re creating a family together,” he says, his voice dropping and his hand coming down to rub my belly. “I’m totally committed to you and our kids. And one day I want to marry you, but only when you’re ready.”
I want to weep with happiness. We have plenty of time for the marriage stuff. I’m still not quite believing the fact that I even found this man in the first place. “I love you, Sam. Thank you for helping me find my courage.”
“I love you more, Emerald Collins. Thank you for helping me find peace and love in my life.”
We move in closer and our lips touch. His tongue comes out to lick me and sends a spark right into my heart.
“You know . . . we have to get up really early to do the chores,” I say, smiling against his mouth. “We should probably go to sleep.”
“I can be quick,” he whispers, smiling back devilishly.
“Well, then, what’s stopping you?”
He leaps onto me and growls into my neck, sending peals of my laughter out into our bedroom. I am so in love with this incredibly talented, complicated, and emotional music man, and I’m overjoyed to have finally found my place in the world. I thank the Lord above and all the Fates with a hand in my destiny that my place—the place where I feel free and confident about who I am, the place where I will raise my own family and get to know the one I was denied for twenty-five years—turned out to be right here at Glenhollow Farms.
BRIGHT LIGHTS. BIG CITY. RED HOT LOVE.
A handsome stranger offers Rose some help. Does she risk accepting? What if he has ulterior motives?
Coming July 2018. Order now.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Elle Casey, a former attorney and teacher, is a prolific New York Times and USA Today bestselling American author who lives in southwest France with her husband, the youngest of her three children, and a bunch of cats, dogs, and horses. She writes in several genres, including romance, suspense, urban fantasy, paranormal, science fiction, dystopian, and action/adventure.
Elle Casey, Emerald
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