Chance of Rain (16 page)

She wasn’t smiling anymore, wasn’t glowing. She looked worried, and he supposed that was because he was too dumbfounded to say anything yet. Lord knew if this had ever happened to his father, he would have been spitting rocks by now.

There was no other word for what had happened here; it was a coup. They had prepared for battle and taken him by surprise. He should have been angry, betrayed, but instead he felt...humbled. Natalie looked concerned, Lucy looked downright militant. Why should friends have to work so hard to help him?

A Navy SEAL relied on his teammates. No shame in that, working together was mandatory. The whole was stronger than the parts, which was why he’d embraced it so well after a lifetime of near-solitary confinement in his own home. Even though he had his resignation letter printed out, that was part of who he was. Always would be, just like he’d always be a native of Dearling, Texas.

He pulled her in for a kiss, this beautiful woman, his wife. She startled at first, but softened against him. It drove him crazy every time, the way she melted and pooled in his arms, liquid sultry sex.

But later. Right now he had a farm to win back and a new ragtag team to help him do it. He looked out at the border of his land. It would take them weeks, even with help, but he didn’t doubt the word or work ethic of these men and women. His people. Just like the story, he realized with a certain amount of wonder, he now had two kingdoms, the one he had earned and his birthright restored.

His words came softly. “Looks like I found my happy ending.”

In her white dress and veil, Natalie smiled saucily. “Not yet. Wait until you see the lingerie set I picked up in Austin.”

He chuckled, hoping the tux hid his burgeoning erection. Ruefully, he realized his plans for the rope in his closet would have to wait until tonight. Their friends were already at work on his land. He couldn’t abandon them to have sex.

Wait, could he?

Nah.
He affected his best southern drawl, knowing she liked it. “Darlin’, you keep that thought. I might be gone for weeks. Maybe days. Probably just a couple of hours. But however long I’m gone, don’t forget me.”

“As long as you come home,” she said softly.

“Always.” He rested his forehead against hers. “Wherever you are.”

* * * * *

About the Author

Amber Lin married her high school sweetheart, birthed a kid who’s smarter than she is, and picked up a passel of pets along the way. She spends her days avoiding laundry and her nights writing down her dirty thoughts. In other words, life is good. Amber writes sexy, emotional romance in which her characters start out broken and end up slightly less broken.
RT Book Reviews
gave her debut novel 4.5 stars and called it “truly extraordinary.”

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ISBN-13: 9781426897320

CHANCE OF RAIN

Copyright © 2013 by Amber Lin

Edited by Angela James

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All characters in this book have no existence outside the imagination of the author and have no relation whatsoever to anyone bearing the same name or names. They are not even distantly inspired by any individual known or unknown to the author, and all incidents are pure invention.

This edition published by arrangement with Harlequin Books S.A.

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