Tears streaming down her cheeks, she sniffed and managed a nod. Travis slipped the ring on her finger, handed her the roses, and got to his feet.
He took her in his arms and pressed his lips to hers, bringing the cheering crowd to their feet. Then, before she could blink, he ushered her backstage. As they passed behind the curtain, they were encased in a crowd of models, with Suzanna taking center stage. Rachel wanted to give her a tongue-lashing, but her shaken nerves could only muster a smile.
“Apparently, I need to do everything for you.” Suzanna winked. “And to think, you almost let this one go.”
Rachel opened her mouth to answer, but Travis pulled her from the crowd and wrapped her in his arms. She buried her face in his tux, not even caring about the smudges of makeup she was leaving on his starched white shirt. He felt too good to let go.
“I love you, Rachel,” he said huskily, rubbing his thumb over the line of her jaw. “I wanted to come back and tell you that so many times.”
“I love you too,” she murmured, tightening her arms around his neck.
“I’ll go anywhere you want. We can move to New York,” he started, but Rachel cut him off.
“I don’t want to go to New York, unless you do. I just want to be with you, and no matter where that is, I’ll be happy.”
“Sorry to break this up.” Darin Mortensen’s voice broke over her shoulder. Rachel turned and wiped the tears from her cheeks. “I just needed to tell you that I want a signed contract before you leave on your honeymoon.” He winked. “And I expect an invitation to the wedding.”
Travis extended a hand. “Thanks for your help.”
Darin laughed. “Are you kidding? My wife is such a romantic, this will be the talk of the country club for years. You’ve rendered me to hero status.”
As Darin walked away, Rachel cocked her head curiously. “And how do you happen to know one of the biggest buyers in the country?”
“I may be a detective, babe, but you keep forgetting I’m wealthy.” He grinned. “There are times when money comes in handy, remember?”
“I don’t care about your money, Travis.” She stood on her tiptoes and pressed her lips against his smooth cheek. “I only care about you.”
Still grinning, he lowered his head and kissed her. Then he pulled back, eyes twinkling. “Come on, let’s get out of here,” he grumbled. “After that production, I need a really stiff drink.”
With a little laugh, she kissed him once more, and then took his hand in hers. Oblivious to the crowd of models and well-wishers gathered backstage, they headed for the door. She didn’t know where they were going and she wasn’t sure she even cared. All that mattered was that Travis loved her, and that for the first time in her life, Rachel felt as though she had truly come home.
About the Author
A RITA-award-nominated author, Elle Kennedy grew up in the suburbs of Toronto, Ontario, and holds a B.A. in English from York University. From an early age, she knew she wanted to be a writer, and actively began pursuing that dream when she was a teenager. When she’s not writing, she’s reading. And when she’s not reading, she’s making music with her drummer boyfriend, oil painting, or indulging in her love for board games.
Elle loves to hear from her readers. Visit her website www.ellekennedy.com or send her a note at [email protected].
Look for these titles by Elle Kennedy
Now Available:
Out of Uniform
Heat of the Moment
Heat of Passion
Heat of the Storm
Bad Moon Rising
Dance of Seduction
Midnight Encounters
Going for It
Red Hot Summer
Hot Summer Nights
Coming Soon:
Heat It Up
Beauty vs. power—a dangerous game with the heart as the prize…
For His Eyes Only
? 2009 Avery Beck
Jacey Cass radiates confidence and sensuality just once a year, when she meets her rich and powerful lover for a night of anonymous sex. The rest of her calendar is filled with the daily struggle to survive. Her cashier job at Insomnia, Miami’s hottest lingerie shop, doesn’t go far toward college tuition, but she’s determined to rise above her mother’s freeloading legacy.
Alex Vaughn is one promotion away from realizing his life’s ambition. For years he’s been forced to stand by and watch his father systematically destroy the values that made Insomnia great. Now, with an expected vacancy in the summer catalog, he takes a chance. He’s never formally met the fascinating woman he takes to bed every year, but he knows a marketable body when he sees one. The last thing he expects is for her to turn the opportunity down flat.
Jacey won’t consider a handout—even from the man whose white-hot caress is the one bright spot of her life. Then a modeling competition’s prize money lures her from behind the register and into the blinding spotlight, unaware of what the cost could be to her heart…
Warning: This title follows a young woman’s journey from fear of intimacy to trust in love, with frequent, explicit descriptions of the sensual lessons learned on the way.