Oceans Apart (Ocean Dreams Book 1) (35 page)
Read Oceans Apart (Ocean Dreams Book 1) Online
Authors: Emma Fitzgerald
“Don’t leave me hanging, Nashville.”
Annie giggled through her lips before opening them to speak. “Don’t be so impatient. We’ll have the rest of our lives together. So just enjoy the moment.”
“So is that a yes?” He looked at her nervously, his brow furrowing a little in his anxiety.
“Yes. That’s a yes,” she whispered as the contained tears overflowed.
“Oh, thank fuck for that,” Cam exclaimed before dropping the box in her lap and grabbing her head between both of his hands and fiercely crushing his lips against hers with a hungry urgency. He feasted on the sweetness of her lips as he absorbed her intoxicating essence. Annie returned his passionate kiss with as much enthusiasm as he and both lost themselves in the heated moment.
Cam pulled back, his heart thumping inside his chest, and looked at Annie in complete amazement. “I love you, Annie. You are the sunrise and sunset to my days. Forever and always.” Picking the box up, he took out the sparkling gem, and before he placed it on the ring finger of her left hand, he showed her the inscription on the inside of the band.
“Together Forever,” she read. “It will be forever, too. Oh, Cam,” Annie said before squealing loudly as her new fiancé jumped up and whisked her up into his arms. He stepped down off the platform and walked to the ocean. Not stopping at the edge, he waded in up to his knees. Annie held her grasp firmly around his neck and shrieked in anticipation.
“What are you doing?”
“I thought going for a swim might be the perfect way to end the night,” he said with his cheeky grin and naughty glint shining brightly in his eyes.
“Cam, you can’t.”
“Can’t I?” he replied as he threw her up a little, Annie still grabbing on for dear life.
“Cam, no! Noooo! Don’t you dare!”
“Well, okay then.” He turned back to face the beach but changed his mind and slowly let himself fall backward into the water with his fiancée still holding on.
Spluttering and splashing, they both found their feet and stood up with the water lapping at their knees. Cam thought for a moment Annie was going to lose her shit and yell at him; but she was in a fit of giggles that made his heart soar. He lurched forward, pulled her waist to him, and kissed her so intensely that Annie pulled back from him, her breathing ragged and fast.
“I didn’t notice earlier, but I see we’re at your beach,” she said with a shy smile on her lips.
“Yeah…so?”
“So,” she replied as a pink blush graced her cheeks, “I think we should put that delicious food back in the ice chest, find that blindfold you so lovingly wrapped around my eyes earlier, head up to the house, and put it to good use.”
Cam’s mouth dropped open a little with her wicked suggestion but he took her hand in his and charged back to the beach. The mission had been put forward to him and he had accepted it with gusto.
Annie was running behind him, trying to keep up with his long strides. “Slow down. Why are you in such a rush?” He stopped and they smiled at each other. Annie drew closer to Cam and placed her hand on his arm, caressing it softly. “We have forever, Cam.”
Taking her in his arms again, he kissed her forehead and lifted her chin up so he could stare into her deep brown eyes. He had never felt as much happiness as he did in that moment. He had the woman he loved more than life itself, and she returned his love.
“That we do, Nashville.” He kissed her soft pink lips tenderly. “Now, it’s time to get a start on that promise I made of keeping you happy.”
Annie looked into the eyes of her Aussie Surfing God and could see he meant every word of his promise. “Sounds perfect to me.”
As Cam picked up Annie in his arms and carried her back up to their house overlooking the water, Annie closed her eyes and smiled. If life could get better than this, then she was truly one lucky lady. She had crossed an ocean and found her forever.
This has been a long and crazy ride over the last two years and I couldn’t have done it without all of these people.
Mel from Sassy Mum Book Blog: Thanks for all of your hard work that you put into promoting my book before, during and after my release. We will be forever bonded by our great taste in books and even better taste in men!
Rebecca Berto: Thank you for your amazing talent in creating the perfect cover for my book. I knew what I wanted and you were able to create it. Job well done.
Peggy and Becky from Hot Tree Editing: You were there when I needed you most and I thank you from the bottom of my heart for taking this ‘newbie’ in.
Thank you to the many people who have been a part of my bucket-list dream. Some are still riding along with me while others are not. You all helped in some way, big or small, and it will always be very much appreciated.
My Beta Team: Velvet, Kristy, Kristine, Aleya, Vicki, Lucy, Kathy, Anne, Alissa and Jennifer. Thank you for reading through my story, picking it apart and brainstorming with me to make it a better story. I couldn’t have done it without you all.
My support crew! Em’s Entourage started just as a group of my friends who were helping me get the word out about my book and grew into a great team of people who loved to get the word out about Cam & Annie!
Marion Archer. Where do I start? You have been the most supportive friend and mentor. Always there when I needed and not just when I had a book problem. Thank you for being you.
To a very special group of ladies who have taken me under their wings and given me advice, laughs and lots of love while navigating this scary new world! Ladies of TGNAFN...You all ROCK and I love you all HARD!
To two very special ladies. I don’t remember how or when we became friends, but I will always be thankful that I have you both in my life. VR & KL…Love you both.
Thanks also to:
Ruth Cardello: For telling it like it is, doing it with love while being supportive and reminding me not to giveaway my pizza.
Danielle Stewart: The special note that you sent me, sits above my desk and I look at it everyday. You will never know how much that means to me.
Jennifer Domenico: Your friendship and trust has meant so much to me. I have been privileged to watch and support you in your journey as an author and I always look forward to our chats.
Finally, I could not have done this without the love and support from my closest family and friends.
Carmen, you have been my best friend since day one (literally!). Being able to share this with you has been wonderful and I couldn’t imagine not having you in my life or as a part of my crazy dream to be a writer.
Thanks to my parents.
Mum, you were the one who encouraged my love of reading. You also showed me what true love really is and that there is a soul mate out there for everyone. What more can a daughter want from her Mum.
To my three children…Thank you for putting up with a lot while Mummy follows her dream. You are all so very special and unique and I hope that one day I can support you in your dreams, as you have with mine. I love you all.
Finally, to my husband…You put up with crazy moods, kept me well fed and always made sure there was chocolate somewhere, just in case my characters weren’t behaving. You have been my rock and unwavering supporter throughout this whole journey. It’s been a rough road (for all of us) but you always made sure I never gave up. You’ve always been by my side and I never would have realised my dream without you. I love you Simon.
Emma Fitzgerald is a lover of words.
The way they are weaved and worked to make people and places come alive and how they can draw the reader into worlds their imagination had never even dreamed of.
Emma has loved reading and writing ever since the day her life was first touched with the gift of a 100-year-old copy of 'Emma' by Jane Austen. She soon discovered that the written word could transport her, not only across the world, but also across time.
Emma loves a 'Happily Ever After' and has found her own HEA with her amazing husband. They and their three children live in Southern Australia.
Emma would love to hear from readers who enjoyed her book.
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