Momentous Kisses: Love in Sandy Beach (12 page)

Monday morning Russell returned to Chicago. While taking a break between patients, he called the hospital director in Milwaukee and they instantly hit it off. They talked for a long time and Russell expressed his desire to open up a plastic surgery department at the regional hospital for accident victims.

“I think that’s a brilliant idea and much needed in this area.”

“Well, it’s what I want to do.”

“You realize the pay wouldn’t be anything like what you earn now?”

“Not a problem. I want to help people and I’m willing to compromise on the salary.”

They agreed to meet in person after his return from Angola, and make more in-depth plans.

A few days later, he celebrated his final day at the clinic, and while everyone was sorry to see him go, many of them understood his reasoning. Even Dex seemed to be in support of his newfound calling.

He was just clearing out the last of his desk when his cell phone rang. “Hello?”

“Russell, Cole here. I’m afraid I have bad news. A civil war broke out in Angola and we’re pulling all of our staff and resources out of the country. It’s way too dangerous at the moment.”

“What exactly does that mean?” Russell asked, afraid to hope.

“Well, it means your mission has been cancelled. Indefinitely. Now, I can relocate you to another project if you like, but it wouldn’t be for the next few months, maybe longer.”

Russell grinned from ear to ear and struggled to sound suitably concerned when he spoke. “That’s bad news. I hope none of your staff was hurt. Let me get back to you about another assignment. I‘ve already made plans for the time after Angola, and that would make me unavailable a few months from now.”

“Sorry to hear that. But that’s how life sometimes has its twists and turns. Hopefully you can work for us at a later time. We also offer short-term assignments of two to four weeks. Many doctors do them during their annual vacation.”

“Thanks. I’ll let you know.” Russell hung up and wanted to shout in glee.

He called Allison right away. “Sunshine, I have good news. A civil war broke out in Angola.”

“Russell. Since when is a war good news?” she demanded in a harsh voice.

“Uhm…well…I mean…no, of course the war itself isn’t good news. But because of it, my mission has been cancelled. I can move to Sandy Beach in a couple of weeks.”

“Oh, Russ, that is good news. I’m so happy for you. For me. For us!”

“Me too, Sunshine. Me too. I have some more good news for you.”

“Did you meet a fortune fairy?”

Russell chuckled. “The facility manager has had so many patients asking for your paintings, he’s ready to purchase ten of them with an opportunity to let you display more and sell them via the clinic for a small commission.”

“That’s amazing. To tell you the truth, with everything that’s been going on, I almost forgot about the paintings in your clinic.”

“I need to go, but I had to share my news with you. I love you, Ally.”

“I love you too, Russell. So much. Bye.”

Russell made another call to the hospital director in Milwaukee and told him his plans had changed and he was available almost immediately. The man was ecstatic; they agreed to meet next weekend in Sandy Beach.

***

A few days later, Russell met with Toni and her fiancé Douglas. Douglas had recently taken over as CEO of the family-owned business
Stronger Constructions
, and while his company only did huge buildings, he had plenty of friends who built small houses.

Russell had done some research about patches of land near Allison’s favorite spot on the lake. As it turned out, one of the properties was for sale. He’d discussed the idea with Douglas, and had asked him to investigate the property and see if it would be a good place to build a home.

Douglas gave him the green light and in no time at all, Russell was the proud owner of a lakeside property near Sandy Beach.

He thanked his brother-in-law to be for the help and left with Toni, who’d offered her assistance to pack up his stuff. Together they made short work of loading his belongings into boxes.

He had decided to keep his apartment in Chicago for the time being; he was in no hurry to sell it since he didn’t need the money.

“So it’s just going to sit here empty?” she asked, eyeing the place curiously.

“Well, I don’t need the furniture, and Ally never liked it to begin with. So…yeah…I’m just going to leave the furniture here for now.”

“I’m glad you finally found a woman you love. It’s good to see you so happy. And I’m excited to become an aunt.”

Russell glanced at his sister and noticed the hidden longing beneath the joy on her face.
She does want to have a baby of her own.
He’d never given it much thought, because Toni and Douglas both worked sixty-plus hours a week and travelled a lot.

He hugged her and then kissed her cheek. “I would never have thought it, but the idea of becoming a father evokes such strong emotions. My love for that little baby I haven’t even seen yet is already as big as or even bigger than my love for Allison.”

“I can see that,” she said.

“You’d be a great mom. And my kid’s going to need cousins to play with. You and Douglas should start practicing.”

She punched him in the biceps but smiled at him, and he could tell he’d struck a chord with her. Who knew? Maybe he wouldn’t be the only one bringing a new baby into the world.

Allison was dying from curiosity. It had always been one of her weaknesses, and Russell had taken advantage of this, dropping little hints and remarks for days about the huge surprise he had for her.

She’d been so caught up in the suspense, she’d even resorted to calling her sister and all of her brothers – including Ethan, who currently lived in London – to see if they knew anything. Of course her siblings hadn’t offered anything useful; on the contrary, they’d dropped enticing remarks to heat up her curiosity even more. They were detestable.

As a last resort, she’d called Toni, but Toni only laughed and told her to wait.

When Russell finally arrived in Sandy Beach, she tackled him: “So what’s my surprise?”

“Whoa! Slow down there, Sunshine.”

“No. You’ve been teasing me for days.”

Russell captured her lips in an attempt to stop her from talking, but she broke away from him. “Spill it, mister.”

He grinned at her and pretended to be hurt. “I thought you loved me, but no, you just love the surprise.”

“You know that’s not true, but you’ve been teasing me for days and I can’t wait anymore. Tell me.”

“How about we take a walk instead?”

Allison wanted to refuse, but he had that look in his eyes that told her he wasn’t going to tell her anything until he was good and ready. “Fine.”

They walked hand-in-hand until they reached her favorite spot on the lake and he told her, “This is my surprise.”

Allison’s face fell. “What?” She looked around her, feeling deflated.
This isn’t a surprise. I come here almost every day.

Russell took her shoulders and turned her away from the water. He pointed at the land and asked, “Do you like it?”

She shrugged. “Sure I like it here, but why do you have me looking at that flat land?”

“I bought it.”

“What?” she asked him.

“I bought this piece of land. We’re going to build our house here.”

“Russell, no more joking. I want to know my surprise.”

He wrapped his arms around her from behind and rested his chin on her head. “I’m not joking. You love this spot on the lake so much, I did some checking around. The property was for sale, and Toni’s fiancé said it would be a great place to build a house.”

“Douglas?” she asked him, excitement replacing her earlier disbelief.  When he nodded his head, she started walking around the property. “This is really yours now?”

“Ours,” he corrected her.

He watched her, her mouth moving a mile a minute as she told him all of her plans for their future home. When she finally started to wind down, he reached into his pocket and handed her the business card of a builder Douglas had highly recommended.

She looked at the card and asked, “Who is this?”

“That is the man who is going to build our house. I guess you should get started drawing up the way you want it to look.”

“That’s an awesome idea. I need to go get my paints.” She grabbed his hand and hurried him back to the small apartment, but once there, all thoughts of returning right away disappeared.

Russell saw his portrait and his emotions welled up inside of him. He kissed her tenderly, but one kiss led to two, which led to three. Soon, they were pulling at each other’s clothes and tumbling into her bed.

She looked into his eyes as she moved her body with his, their timing perfectly in synch. “I love you, Russell.”

“I love you too, Sunshine. More than I ever dreamed was possible.”

Loving her was the best thing he’d ever done, and he never wanted to go back to that dark and lonely place where he’d been afraid of his emotions. As her body tightened around his, he felt a sense of unity and belonging.
She’s mine. I won’t ever let her go again.

***The End ***

This was the first book in the
Love in Sandy Beach
series.

Book two features Reese Paxton and Nikos Petridis. In BILLIONAIRE KISSES they meet during vacations in Northern Australia. Their relations is off to a very bad start, worse when it turns out he’s the only person who can give her a ride across Australia to her brother Chase’s kitesurfing competition. Now she’s stuck in a camper van with the hottest, most arrogant man ever.

Coming soon…..
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BILLIONAIRE KISSES

Wondering what else happened at Grant’s beach house where Allison and Russell met? Read EXPLOSION OF LOVE, a story of friends to lovers. Grant Paxton and Samantha Armstrong have been friends forever, until she comes running to him for consolation. Heat rises and soon they’re confronted with a totally different kind of relationship.

EXPLOSION OF LOVE

Thank you for taking the time to read MOMENTOUS KISSES. If you enjoyed it, please consider telling your friends or posting a short review. Word of mouth is an author’s best friend.

Thank you,

Please enjoy a preview of the story of Samantha and Grant

EXPLOSION OF LOVE

The Armstrongs, Book Six

Jessica Gray

Samantha Armstrong grabbed another handful of tissues from the box in a futile attempt to get a grip on her running nose and her streaming eyes. The box fell to the floor with a bang, and she left it lying there. She had bigger problems to worry about than a stupid tissue box. Her world had just turned upside down, in more areas than one.

At the age of twenty-four, the world should be her oyster. She was a highly sought-after top model in New York, but today, she’d probably lost it all because of her temper, and the underhanded dealings of someone who’d said he cared about her. A
fter today’s debacle, you’ll be lucky if you can land a job advertising dog food.

She gave in to her tears for another few minutes and wallowed in self-pity. But if she was honest, she had to blame herself and her lack of self-control for what had happened. She pushed away that insight and dug through the pile of magazines, receipts, and other contents that had spilled from her purse, in search of her cell phone. Why did that stupid cell phone always have to hide somewhere?
The whole imbecile world is conspiring against me!

When she located it, she scrolled through her contacts until she found the one she wanted, her best friend Grant Paxton.

“Hello, Sammie. Long time no talk.” Grant answered the phone with a smile in his voice.

He was the only person in the world she let get away with calling her
Sammie.
Not even her brothers were allowed to do that. But with Grant, she actually liked the way he pronounced it, sweet and fun at the same time. Just like him.

“Hi, Grant.” Samantha heard his cheerful tone, but it didn’t penetrate though her sadness and despair. Not today. She struggled not to unload her sorrow on him right then and there. He’d take it in stride, but it wouldn’t make her feel any better. She needed a hug in the worst way.

Making a rash decision, she told him, “I’m coming to Chicago. Can you pick me up at the airport?”

After a slight pause Grant replied, “Sure, Sammie. When do you arrive?”

Sam mumbled something into the phone, while opening her laptop to search for a flight, and trying to dry her tears at the same time.

“I didn’t catch that. What time does your flight arrive?”

“I’m working on it.”

“What do you mean? You haven’t scheduled your flight yet?” Grant asked in disbelief.

As he spoke, she booked the last remaining seat on a flight leaving in over an hour. “I’ll be there around 6:40 tonight.”

“Say that again. Sorry, I dropped the phone and only caught the last word.”

Samantha repeated the time of her arrival, a little louder this time, but there was no way to disguise the huskiness in her voice, left behind by her tears. She’d just given herself away.

Grant’s sigh echoed over the phone line. “What is it this time?”

Damn, I can’t hide anything from him.
Sam blew her nose and answered his question on the verge of breaking out into tears: “I broke up with Craig.”
And I need you to make me feel better.

“Again?” Grant asked.

This wasn’t the first time she’d called him after breaking up with the slime bag, but it would definitely be the last one. She felt stupid because she hadn’t seen through Craig before. How stupid could a girl be and go back to the same unworthy guy time and again?

“Yes. But this time it’s for good.”

Grant said nothing, but she envisioned the eye-roll her comment produced.
He might not believe me right now, but I’m serious this time.

“So, how long are you staying?” Grant asked, moving away from the subject of her breakup. He’d made his opinion of the man known a time or two, and now she wished she’d listened to him – or to her brothers. If she wasn’t so stubborn, she might have taken their advice and kicked that guy to the curb years ago.

“I’m not sure…”

“You’re not sure.” Grant repeated her words as if there was a mystery he needed to solve. “Aren’t you a busy supermodel, who’s booked out for weeks in advance?”

“Yeah, but not right now.”
And maybe never again. I more than likely ruined my career. After my temper tantrum today, nobody will want to work with me ever again.

“Well, you know I love seeing you. Text me your flight number and I’ll pick you up. Take care.”

Samantha hung up the phone with a small sense of relief. Grant always had that special way of making her feel good. Secure. She didn’t spend much time analyzing it, but given the choice between running home to her family, or to Grant, she would always choose Grant.

The thought of her family had her trying to remember where all of her siblings were, and she sighed in relief at the realization that only one or two of them were in Chicago at the moment.

Whew! I don’t need them breathing down my neck right now.
Sure, they’d be sympathetic to her plight, threaten bodily harm to Craig for his actions, but it wouldn’t stop there. No, it would continue, becoming more than she was willing to put up with in her frame of mind.

She wasn’t up for the lectures she would more than likely receive from her brothers. They had never liked her ex-boyfriend, and as much as she hated to admit it, they’d been right all along. She just hadn’t wanted to see it or to listen to anyone. But today, she couldn’t handle even one “I told you so” from them. Getting her nose rubbed in her failures was the last thing she needed.
I need a shoulder to cry on and someone to make me feel good about myself. I need Grant.

Before rushing off to the airport, she tossed a few clothes into her suitcase, packing the essentials and nothing else. She needed out of New York, and away from the possibility of running into her ex. Fast. That douche bag had just officially ruined her career. As far as the fashion world was concerned, she was as good as dead now.

Samantha put on her huge sunglasses and hailed the first taxi to pass by her building, instructing the driver to take her straight to the airport. She’d been lucky enough to secure a seat on the last flight to Chicago this afternoon, and hoped it wouldn’t take her too long to get through airport security. With one carry-on bag, and already checked in online, she should be able to make it in time for boarding.

It’s not like you’re prepared for any instant photos anyway. If the media gets wind of what went down today, you’ll be sought after, but for the wrong reasons.

That unpleasant notion had her rehashing recent events in her mind. Again. It seemed that was all she’d done for the last few hours: replay the events of earlier today over and over in her mind. No matter how many times she rehashed things, they didn’t make her actions look any better the twentieth time around.

It hadn’t been enough for Craig to put his needs before hers. No. He’d had to destroy her in the process.
Lying piece of…

Samantha started sobbing again, drawing the attention of the taxi driver. Thankfully the driver was too occupied with rush-hour traffic, navigating the numerous cars trying to get out of the city and home for the evening, to start a conversation with her.

When the taxi arrived at the airport, she attempted to mop up her face with the soggy tissues in her hand. She swallowed several times before she stepped out of the taxi, taking the suitcase the driver was holding for her and handing him a roll of cash. “Thanks.”

She entered the terminal, eager to get on the plane and home to Grant.

Grant would know what to do. He always knew.

They had been friends for as long as she could remember. As they grew up and became adults, their friendship had stayed strong. She trusted him. He’d always had her best interests at heart, even though his brutal honesty was often a lot to cope with. Especially when he pointed out things she knew but didn’t want to admit. Like her lack of self-control, or that Craig wasn’t the right guy for her.

Their close friendship had been one of the things she’d missed most in New York. Since she’d left the Windy City four years earlier, they’d seen each other once or twice a year, at the most, and she’d missed him. A lot.

(End of Sneak Peak)

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EXPLOSION OF LOVE