Animal Prints: Sweet Small Town Contemporary Romance (Michigan Moonlight Book 1) (33 page)

“I drove him back to Chicago. He’s promised to stay away from you and the property forever.”

“Do you think he’ll keep his promise?”

“I don’t know, but I think he and I had the most honest conversation we’ve ever had. It’s strange to realize at thirty-two that I don’t know him at all. I never knew any of his history. I don’t think anyone did.”

“It’s not too late to know him now.”

“I hope not. I’m never going to have the kind of family you have, but at least I’ve realized that Dad and I have some shared traits.”

“You mean the relentless drive and the single-mindedness of purpose?” Although her question sounded tough, she felt herself starting to soften.

Ian sighed. “Yeah. It might be a character flaw, but sometimes it gets me what I want. And I want you.” He knelt in front of her and took her hands, squeezing them tight between his. “I have nothing to gain but your love, Colette. I knew weeks ago you weren’t going to sell. The only reason I stayed is because I fell in love with you. I want to spend the rest of my days with you. Maybe the twisted history of our families brought us together. Call it fate. I don’t know, but you’re all I want.”

“You told me once you didn’t believe in fate,” she reminded him.

“One of the many things I’ve been wrong about in my life, but I’m not wrong about you and me. We’re meant to be together.” His face pleaded with her. Gray eyes trapped hers with the intensity of his gaze, but she had to be sure.

She pulled her hands from his abruptly and stood, nearly knocking him over. “I need some time to think.” She went through the swinging door into the dark kitchen. The sun set and twilight passed while Ian had talked. She rested her head against the cool glass of a window.
 

The sky was solid black with tiny pinpoints of bright light for the stars. Before she even had time to consider what Ian said, a green line shot across the northern sky. Another immediately followed, and the dancing streaks turned pink and purple, then reverted to green. They waved and moved, illuminating the night sky.
 

“Ian! Come here! You’ve got to see this,” she called spontaneously. And at that moment she knew: her first instinct was to call for him to join her. She wanted to share this magical moment with him, and there was a chance for many more such moments over the coming years.
 

He burst through the swinging door. “Are you all right?”

“Have you ever seen the Northern Lights?” she asked, turning to him with a breathless smile.

“What?” He scanned her face.
 

“Do you have your camera?”

He bumped against the table in the dim room. “Damn. No.”

He came toward her, stopping a few paces away. His eyes asked wordless questions and the moment stretched out like twilight on a summer’s evening. His restless fingers moved as though they were working his camera, but still he waited. “No camera,” he finally said, “for the first time in ten years, I’m not hiding behind a lens.”
 

“You were never hiding. You were capturing the memories you wanted to have. Making memories like this one. Look.” She pointed out the window. When he stepped close to look, she wrapped her arms around his neck and buried her face in his shoulder for a moment. A small pent up sob escaped her.

His arms tightened around her. She took in a deep breath and leaned back to see his face. “We’re going with the best case scenario. The one with the happy ending. I love you, Ian. I want to share my life with you.”

“I love you, too.” He kissed her upturned face. “Is this where I formally propose?”

Laughing, she said, “Definitely. Do you have a ring?”

“About the ring.” He grimaced. “You’re going to have to help me out with that.”

“Does this have something to do with my mom and sister?”

“Uh-huh. Your mom offered me your grandmother’s ring.”

“She did? Oh…how wonderful.” A pang of joy went through Colette’s heart. “What’s the problem?”

“I don’t know if I can get past the female defenses.”

“Does that mean the men in my family have opened the gates?”

Ian grinned, pulling her a little closer. “How do you think I got here?”

“Those traitors,” she said, smiling.

“They want what’s best for you. I’ve never seen a family with so much love.”

“Just wait,” she teased.

“Until what?”

“Until you see ours.” She tapped his chest with her finger. “Remember, you’re the one who asked for it in your best case scenario. Kids, animals, family.”

Ian leaned back, releasing his hold on her and making a square with his hands. Colette was in the middle of his frame. “I can picture it now,” he said, bending down to kiss her.

The Northern Lights sparkled and danced over the cottage on the shore, crowning it with love.

Loved Animal Prints?
 

Enjoy more of the Michigan Moonlight Series.

Snow Prints

Book Two in the Michigan Moonlight Trilogy

With a successful career, and his dream house under construction, the only thing missing from Adrien Peterson’s life is love. Since high school, Adrien’s heart has belonged to the irresistible Gracie Sinclair. If only he could make her see it…

Single mother Gracie’s worked hard for everything she’s got. Between her son, her nursing job, and violin playing, she’s built a life that, if not a dream, is something she can be proud of. She’s had enough lovers and family walk out on her to know not to want more. But then Adrien moves next door while his house is being built, bringing with him a tempting charm she remembers all too well.

Adrien is determined to break down the walls around Gracie’s heart. When she reluctantly agrees to a six-week trial relationship, he has one shot to show her just what a dream love can be…

Finger Prints

Book Three in the Michigan Moonlight Trilogy

Police detective Gabe Sinclair sees broken laws and broken lives every day. The last thing he needs to add to the list: a broken heart. To avoid being burned again, he holds himself to a personal law: never let a romance get serious. So when Gabe hears the word “love” he calls the relationship off—even though the word is coming from the enchanting Sylvia O’Shea.

When Gabe abruptly walks out on her, Sylvia struggles to push the handsome detective from her mind. She tries not to think about what might have been and dedicates herself to nurturing her organic farm.
 

Months later an investigation brings Gabe to Sylvia's farm. He can't resist her charm again and offers a no-promises relationship. But no-commitment works both ways. Can Gabe bring himself to break his law…before it's too late?

Chapter One - Snow Prints

In his headlight’s glow, the driver’s door of a dark-colored car opened. A leg appeared, its shapely curves ending in
a pair of black, high-heeled, sling-back pumps. By the time Adrien parked and cut his engine, the owner of the sexy leg was leaning down into the back door of her car. The rear view made him warm all over, and he groaned.

Gracie Sinclair’s curvy little figure had filled his dreams since high school. Just when he thought he could act like an adult around her, here she was, in a form-fitting black dress with a thigh-high slit. He grabbed the takeout bags from the seat of his truck and climbed out. Tonight would be the night. He wouldn’t avoid her the way he’d done so carefully over the past few weeks, waiting for the time to be right.

He’d long recognized that his future happiness hinged on the woman in front of him. He’d been pleased when he finished his doctorate a few months ago and returned home to Petoskey, found work, and found her still single as well. After years of studying, he should be satisfied with finding a position in his field so quickly and in the place he intended to live. And he
would
be satisfied, as soon as he convinced Gracie that she was as essential to him and he was to her.

Enough waiting
. He slammed his truck door shut. After wanting her for more than ten years, it was time to start his pursuit. A pursuit that only had one end in his mind—happily ever after. He stopped in a place outside the apartment building where she would have to speak with him. As she rummaged around in her car, his heart picked up speed like he was entering the final stretch of a bike race. He’d failed before with Gracie. Cataclysmically, he remembered with a slight wince.

Not this time.

She swung a tote bag over her shoulder and pulled a violin case from the seat, bumping the door shut with her hip. The little sideways movement of her backside nearly made him drop his dinner on the sidewalk.

“Date?” He called to her, but he knew damn well she’d been playing with her string quartet. His sisters, ever trying to push him to success with her, kept him well informed about Gracie’s whereabouts, often in not very subtle ways.

“Wedding tonight.” She shrugged and walked toward him.

God help him, the front view was better than the back. The dress dipped in a deep v-neck, accentuating her generous breasts. A wide band of shinier fabric around the middle made her waist look tiny. He should compliment her appearance, but he couldn’t get his tongue unstuck from the roof of his mouth.

When he blinked himself back to reality, she stood in front of him with her head cocked to the side. Her dark, bouncy curls were up in a sophisticated style, but a few strands escaped to brush against her neck. He’d give anything to pull the pins out and run his fingers through her hair.

“Adrien, are you okay?” Her lips curved up in a half-smile, evaluating him. She’d known him long enough to read his expression, and he probably looked like a fourteen-year-old boy worshipping Miss America.

“Yeah, fine.” He managed, then stupidly added, “I’m just getting home.”

“I can see that.” She gestured to the lab coat still flapping around him in the slight breeze. “I didn’t know biologists put in such late nights.”

“I was waiting for an experiment to finish.” Brilliant, he thought, possibly the lamest thing to say to a beautiful woman late on a Friday night.

“Was it successful?”

“What?”

“Your experiment,” she prompted.

“I think so.” His ability to be logical this close to Gracie, in that dress, was seriously compromised. “Won’t know for certain until next week.”

“I hope so for you, but I better get inside.” She moved to go around him. “My babysitter will be wondering where I’m at.”

Her dedication to raising her son while working hard to finish her education to better their lives had long earned his admiration, but it was the tip of the iceberg when it came to his feelings for her. He’d admired her perseverance when dealing with her mother’s antics back when they were both in high school, her strength and tenacity in raising a child alone, and her fierce independence. Now, he wanted more than to admire her from a safe distance. He wanted to be an active part of her life.