Tempting the Ringmaster (17 page)

“I love you too,” Graham said, and the words sent a shiver of excitement down her spine. They had the rest of their lives to get to know each other, and she couldn’t wait to start. “But I’ve got a reputation to maintain,” he interjected. “I’m not just another one of your fly by night town boys. I’m a police chief. I’ve got a position in the community.”

“I know. I’ll have to learn how to behave. Dress better—“

“Sweetheart, it doesn’t matter what you wear. I plan on keeping you naked most of the time anyway,” his voice was a low rumble that touched her soul. “But people are going to talk. They’re going to say we’re living in sin. Word will get around. You haven’t experience gossip until you’ve lived in a small town—“

“You should try living in the circus.” She kissed him again. The rest of the performers were getting closer now. Close enough so she could make out the look of relief on their faces. She should be jumping up on the hay bale—explaining what had just happened—but she couldn’t bring herself to stop kissing Graham. “I’ll get an apartment in town—“

“Like hell. If you’re going to stay, you’re going to marry me.”

Marriage. Belle felt woozy. It was a good thing he was holding her up because otherwise she’d fall down. “Yes,” she shouted, not caring who heard her. “Yes! Of course, I’ll marry you!”

And the crowd went wild.

*
              *              *

Graham’s entire bedroom was the size of Belle’s trailer. Hell, his king sized bed with the crisp cotton sheets that smelled like sunlight and sex was practically bigger than her trailer. Belle snuggled deeper under the covers, enjoying the warmth of his body beside hers. It had been ten days since Graham’s proposal in the elephant pasture. Ten days of finalizing arrangements for the California rescue to take Tiny off their hands and working out a deal for Keith and Blue to buy the circus together. She still couldn’t stop smiling.

It didn’t hurt that Graham had surprised her with a diamond ring that glittered in the sunlight, or that they’d had amazing, mind-blowing, sex every night. But it was more than just jewelry or sex.

It was him.

The man was intoxicating—smart, funny, and full of life—if they both lived to be a hundred then she’d still never get enough. She gave the blankets a sharp tug, pulling them away from his body, allowing her to drink in the line of his body. Hard muscles bulged in the sunlight.

“See something you like?” he asked, sleepily.

“Just admiring my ring,” she lied.

“Uh huh.” Graham reached over and grabbed the blanket back. Surprisingly modest for a man who’d chased her around the old farmhouse naked the night before. “Tiny’s getting picked up today?”

“Right.” Which meant that the circus was going to leave town tomorrow. Belle’s stomach churned at the thought. The Black Shadow Circus was in good hands, and she was going to spend the rest of her life with the man she loved. Everything had worked out perfect.

She’d still be sorry to see them leave. Being the ringmaster had been fun, and working with the circus again had been worthwhile. She couldn’t imagine finding another job that would give her the same sense of satisfaction, magic, and absolute wonder.

Graham was staring up at her, blue eyes wide. Lips that were made for kissing turned up into a soft smile. He was naked underneath the blanket, and if she lifted it up then she could have another peek.

“We’ll make our own circus,” she said. She wanted children, she’d realized a few days earlier when she was watching Petra and Trevor play in the yard. Kids with her crazy curls and Graham’s pale eyes. “A boy and a girl. I’ll teach them all my tricks.”

“Sounds like a plan.” He laughed, moving one hand up her bare knee. “But not quite yet. You’re going to be busy.”

“Busy?” She frowned. “What are you talking about? I’m unemployed. The next thing on my calendar is helping Kelly make cookies on Wednesday, and I’m just planning to eat the dough.”

Graham sat up straight and began ticking items off on his fingers: “Busy settling the circus into their winter home, working out new acts, planning next year’s show.”

“The circus is leaving—“

“They’re staying right here,” he said, and his grin was even brighter than the ring on her hand. “I talked it over with Keith and Blue. Why send the circus off to look for a place to stay, when I’ve got all this land.” He nodded towards the bedroom window. “Take a look.”

Belle bounded onto her feet so fast that she forgot all about the blankets. The sun warmed her bare skin as she stepped up to the window. Outside, trailers were settling into place and children were racing in the sunlight. All the chaos of jump day contained in Graham’s apple orchard.

“It’s beautiful,” she marveled.

“You’re beautiful.” Graham joined her at the window, wrapping a sheet around them both. His hand rested easily on her hip. “Blue and Keith, they think the partnership’s a good idea, but they’ve got a problem. If the two of them disagree, they’re going to need a tie-breaker. They were hoping you’d think about coming back.”

“Of course!” Belle’s heart leapt into her throat. “But I thought you wanted the circus gone—“

“It’d be a lot cleaner without them here, less noisy, but—“ He squeezed her close, “it would also be a whole lot less fun. The circus is a part of you—a part of what I love—and I’d never want that gone. I figure, you’ll stay here all winter, and in the spring I might just take up traveling again. I can take my hours at the police station down to part time, hire someone to cover the phones if there’s an emergency. That is if you’ll have me.”

“For better or worse.” Belle turned and kissed him, not caring when the sheet that covered them slipped to the ground. Her heart felt like it was going to explode. This was it. Everything she’d always wanted. A man who was
willing to take her on her own terms and love her to the depths of his being because of it. “Forever and always.”

She leaned against Graham’s chest as she surveyed her small slice of heaven, the peace of the moment broken by dogs barking and a man shouting. Just another day at the circus. She wouldn’t change it for the world. A blink of surprise.

“It’s all here,” Belle said. “How’d you get everything moved so fast?”

Graham’s laughter was warm, bright. “You’d be surprised what you can do with an elephant.”

The End

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~ Aleah Barley

About the Author

Aleah Barley writes smart, sexy, funny (she hopes) books while living in Detroit, Michigan. She’ll do anything for a piece of chocolate or a good review… really, try her. Her first two books are Too Hot to Handle and Leaving Las Vegas. Her fondest hope is that her cat and her dog start getting along. Barring that, she’d like world peace and an end to global warming.

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