Authors: Jennifer Faye
His tongue moved in and out of her mouth as though their tongues did an intimate dance of their own. Everywhere he touched her, an electrical charge zapped through her needy body. If this was a dream, she never ever wanted to wake up. This was everything that she’d ever hoped for and yet so much more. Her heart swelled with love for Tony.
A tap on her back caused a groan of disappointment to rise in her throat. She pulled back from Tony. She swung around to find Johnny standing there. She swallowed down her frustration as she ran a shaky hand over her tender lips.
“You and Uncle Tony dance good together.” The boy grinned at them. “You should have had all tens.”
“Thank you, Johnny,” she said, trying to hide her embarrassment.
Carlota came up behind her grandson. “I agree.”
Just then the president of the school board walked past them. He quickly retraced his steps. “Ella, I’m so glad I ran into you. I’ve been meaning to call you, but with school being canceled all week because of the fire, I’m behind with everything. Anyway, I wanted to give you the good news. You’ve got the job.”
Ella grinned. She had to be dreaming. At last, the pieces of her life were falling into place. “Thank you so much.”
“I’ll get back to you next week so we can iron out the details. I better go before my wife hunts me down. Good luck tonight.”
“Thanks again,” she called after him.
“Congratulations,” Tony said, bending over to give her a big hug. “Things are going our way.”
“Almost,” she whispered in his ear. “There’s still the adoption.”
“I told you we’d deal with it together. I promise everything will work out.”
“Just think, when they get married,” Johnny interrupted, “Ella will be my aunt and Patch will be my puppy again.”
They pulled apart in time to see his huge grin.
“Slow down,” Carlota said. “We don’t want to rush them. Although I’d love a chance to help plan a wedding.” She sent them a wistful look. “Come on, Johnny. Let’s check out the competition.”
Ella hoped the thought of wedding bells and making everything official didn’t have Tony rethinking his proclamation of love. After all, she didn’t expect him to drop down on one knee, although the notion made her heart swoon. It was enough that he loved her.
“We should head inside,” she suggested.
On the way to the table, Tony excused himself. Thinking he’d headed to the men’s room, Ella was surprised when she spotted him conversing with the judges. Her chest tightened. What was he up to?
He soon returned to her side, just in time for their next performance. Tony held out his arm to escort her. Out on the dance floor, she turned to him to assume their positions, but he stepped away. Tony pulled a microphone out of his back pocket. This wasn’t part of their performance.
A
ll eyes were on them.
Heat rushed to Ella’s cheeks as she stood there in the spotlight. She still hadn’t figured out what Tony had in mind. A hush fell over the audience. The breath caught in Ella’s throat as she waited for him to speak.
“I’ve never been a man of many words.”
Tony knelt down on one knee, making her stomach twist in a nervous, excited knot. “Tony, get up,” she whispered. “What are you doing? This isn’t what we rehearsed.”
He pulled a ring from his shirt pocket. It wasn’t her grandmother’s heirloom ring, but that was okay. The one thing she’d learned up on the mountain was not to cling tightly to material possessions because there were other more important things in life.
Ella’s eyes misted over with tears of joy as Tony took her hand in his. “Ella, I haven’t always been easy to put up with, but you’ve never given up on me. You’ve changed my life and taught me to trust again. I love you, and I’d be honored if you’d agree to be my wife. Will you marry me?”
“And me,” Johnny piped in as he rushed to his uncle’s side.
Realizing she was holding her breath, she exhaled the words, “Yes! Oh, yes. Yes. Yes.”
“I love you.” Tony stood up.
“I love—” His lips pressed to hers, smothering her words.
His tender kiss caused her heart to swell with love. Her arms slipped around his neck, pulling him closer. Their kiss deepened, cementing their lifetime commitment to each other.
The host cleared his throat, and they parted. “Everybody, please give them a round of applause.” Once the place quieted down, the announcer continued, “Now, I know all of you spectators are dying to kick up your heels after the competition, so we’ll get this contest moving.”
“First, I need to do this.” Tony held out the ring and slipped it on her finger. “Perfect. Just like you.”
They both knew that wasn’t quite true. But if he wanted to send compliments her way, she wasn’t about to argue. Not a chance. He was pretty perfect himself.
Ella struggled to remember her proper starting position.
“I love you,” Tony mouthed.
Her face was frozen in a permanent grin. Concentrating on her footwork became increasingly difficult. All she wanted to do was stare into Tony’s eyes and ask him to repeat those three magical words. She’d never tire of hearing them.
When the dance finished, he escorted her to their seats.
“You’ve earned my vote,” came a female voice from behind them.
They both turned to find Ms. Sorkin.
“I didn’t know you were coming,” Tony said.
“Your future wife invited me. After speaking with her at the house, I couldn’t resist a chance to observe you two together.”
“About that,” he said. “I meant to tell you. It just happened so quickly.”
Ms. Sorkin’s face remained expressionless. “I’ve also talked to Johnny. He had a lot to tell me.”
Ella held her breath, waiting and wondering what the woman made of all of this information. “I really care about Johnny. He’s such a sweet and intelligent boy.”
“There’s also the matter of him rushing into a wildfire to save a puppy.” Ms. Sorkin’s brow arched as she eyed both of them, making Ella want to squirm in discomfort. “He assured me that he learned his lesson. I’m hoping you two as his parents will put tighter reins on him.”
“We will.” Tony’s tone was solemn as his fingers tightened around Ella’s hand. “I’ll never let anything happen to him.”
“Johnny did mention how both of you chased after him and worked together as a family to get to safety. I think that speaks a lot about the both of you. I just thought you’d want to know my report to the judge will recommend that you both will make good parents for Johnny.”
A huge grin pulled at Ella’s lips as the grip around her lungs loosened. If all went well, Johnny would soon be theirs in every way. They thanked the woman and shook her hand before she disappeared into the crowd.
Tony leaned over, and with his lips teasingly close to Ella’s ear, he said, “I told you it’d work out. And I always keep my word.”
When the smile slipped from his lips, she asked, “What’s wrong?”
“I was thinking about where we’ll live. Due to some unexpected expenses on the ranch, I don’t have quite enough money to break ground on a new house until fall at the earliest.”
“Don’t worry,” she said, thinking of the money from the sale of her grandmother’s ring and the insurance money from the cabin. “I have an idea or two.”
Nearly every person in the room came by their table to congratulate them. Carlota beamed with pride and gave Ella a welcoming hug.
While they prepared to announce the winners of the dance competition, Ella longed to go home and celebrate with Tony, alone. She leaned over to him and whispered a plea to leave.
He smiled and squeezed her hand. “We will. First, let’s hear who the winners are. We don’t want to come across as bad sports.”
Ella applauded for the third-place couple, Melissa and Moe, but the light dancing off her engagement ring kept distracting Ella. She continued to smile as her gaze moved to her brand new fiancé, and she thought of the incredible husband he’d make. She was the luckiest woman in the universe. She could only hope to make him just as happy.
Tony took her hand. “Come on.”
She grabbed her purse from the table and hurried behind him. Finally, they could go home and celebrate in private.
Realizing he’d led her onto the dance floor, she stopped. “What are we doing out here?”
He glanced over at her and chuckled. “Too busy daydreaming about our private celebration?”
“Sort of,” she said sheepishly.
The host handed her an engraved plaque. “Ladies and gentlemen, please give a round of applause to our runners-up, Tony Granger and his future wife, Ella Morgan.”
When Cord and Alexis accepted the first-place trophy, Ella vigorously applauded. She was thrilled for her new friends. Everyone was walking away a winner this evening.
Tony whispered, “Now we can go home and celebrate.”
Ella looked up as he leaned down and planted a kiss on her eager lips. They might not have received the beautiful trophy, but she’d already gained the most important thing of all—Tony’s love.
A MOMENT ON THE LIPS
A Whistle Stop Romance, book #3
Piper Noble is whipping up delicious treats at the Poppin’ Fresh Bakery. She’s worked really hard to make her business a success and to earn the respect of everyone in Whistle Stop. She wants the town to see her for her strengths and not her weaknesses. But her plans to expand her business grind to a halt when competition moves in next door. The very sexy Joe Montoya is opening a coffee shop, Fill-It-Up Joe. And when the matchmaking matron sets them up to work together on the fundraiser for the town square, things get a bit sticky.
Return of the Italian Tycoon
Tough tycoon Angelo Amatucci must return to the Tuscan village of his childhood. With a lot of work to do, he brings his unswervingly professional assistant Kayla Hill with him. Beautiful Kayla instantly falls for the village's picturesque charms, and she also discovers a new, very attractive, side to her demanding boss—working together to secure a wedding contract is blissful torture! Especially as Kayla can't help but wonder what it would be like to be Mrs. Amatucci…!
Best Man for the Bridesmaid (The DeFiore Brothers – book #2)
Planning her sister's Italian wedding only reminds Jules Lane of how far away she is from finding her own true love. And worse, she's doing it alongside the brooding, mouthwateringly handsome best man, Stefano DeFiore. Having seen the destructive power of love, Stefano has no time for weddings—but Jules's smile is captivating. Making her feel like the most beautiful woman in the world is one thing, but can he give this blushing bridesmaid a happily-ever-after of her own?
The Playboy of Rome (The DeFiore Brothers – book #1)
Lizzie Addler's dream of working in Italy is about to come true—that is if she can convince passionate Italian chef Dante DeFiore to keep his side of their bargain. Dante might be hotter than the Italian sun, but he's as cool as ice toward Lizzie. Dante hasn't the time to pander to Lizzie's dreams of culinary fame—he has a restaurant to run! But as Lizzie proves herself to be a spectacular addition to his kitchen—and to his life—Dante wonders…can he keep her forever?
Prince Alexandro Castanovo arrives in snowy New York intent on protecting his royal family from scandal. And when Reese Harding—down-to-earth and heart-stoppingly beautiful—finds room for him at her inn, it seems like the perfect twist of fate. Not long ago Reese's world came crumbling down, shaking her foundations. But this enigmatic stranger intrigues her! She's learned to be wary of secrets…but when she discovers Alex's true identity, might there be enough magic in the air to make this regular American girl a princess by Christmas…?
Being promoted should be a dream come true, only it means working closely with Cleo's childhood crush, Jax Monroe. Jax may no longer be the rebel she remembers, but he still gets her heart racing like no other. Jax cares too much about Cleo to let her get too close—but keeping his distance is proving impossible! As Jax reveals the extent of what he's been through, will Cleo show him that some things are too precious to put off until tomorrow?
When billionaire Lucas Carrington returns to his New York mansion, he never expects to find beautiful stranger Kate Whitley making herself at home. Invited by his aunt to stay, he soon discovers she's a woman in need. She's raising funds for her sick daughter, so he agrees to let her stay—temporarily! Kate may not belong in Lucas's high-society world, but she sees there is more to this tycoon than the headlines suggest. Yet with so much at stake, can she trust herself and her heart with New York's most sought-after bachelor?
It has been seven long years since Kara Jameson last saw Jason Greene. Returning home as a wounded war hero, Jason looks a shell of the man she once knew. Yet her heart still skips a beat as if it was yesterday. Stepping back into civilian life, Jason looks to Kara for help. But there's too much water under the bridge—not to mention too much lingering attraction. But it seems that the mountain weather has other ideas, and when Kara and Jason end up snowbound together they are forced to confront the ghosts of Christmas past.
Jilted at the altar, celebrity chef Meghan Finnegan flees the scene – and the baying press–only to run straight into the muscled torso of Cash Sullivan. The former rodeo champion knows what it's like to have your life crumble in the spotlight, so he offers Meghan a place to lie low at his ranch. Fresh air, no paparazzi and the brooding rancher's lazy smile are making Meghan not want to leave her sanctuary. But she and her unborn baby can't stay here forever...can they?