Love Country (BWWM Romance)

Love Country

By Destiny Lewis

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Keeara was a successful journalist who always had to get to the bottom of every story. After the loss of the love of her life, she decides to move back to the country, her hometown in Tennessee. 

Craig was a cowboy who ran a small town newspaper on the side. When he meets Keeara he is absolutely thrown aback by her beauty and has to have her.

While their love for each other grows, they both realize they are a part of families that have been feuding for generations. The two families fight, but their love brings them closer together. Will Keeara uncover the truth of the feud and end it once and for all?

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This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author's imagination or are used fictionally. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or to actual events or locales is entirely coincidental.

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to your favorite ebook retailer and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

Copyright © 2015 Destiny Lewis
. All rights reserved. Including the right to reproduce this book or portions thereof, in any form. No part of this text may be reproduced in any form without the express written permission of the author.

WARNING: This book contains sexually explicit scenes and adult language. It may be considered offensive to some readers. This book is for sale to adults ONLY.

Please ensure this book is stored somewhere that cannot be accessed by underage readers.

Dedicated

To The Readers Supporting A New Author

Chapter 1

Keeara looked down at the dark hair on top of his little head. Suddenly the face turned up and she was the observer of a little toothless grin. She smiled back at the precious face and walked by him as she ran her hand back and forth through his hair, throwing it this way and that.

“Momma, when do we leave for Grandma and Grandpa’s?”

“In a couple days, little man. Calm down. We'll get there soon enough.”

“But Sunny had her babies and I don’t want them to get big before I get there.”

His little brown eyes were lit up with excitement about the puppies at her parents place. He was one big ball of energy as he bounded up from the table to run to his room.

“Lewis. Don’t you think you forgot something?”

“Oh yeah. Sorry.” He walked back to the table and quickly carried his bowl and cup to the sink. He was actually bouncing back to his room. He was so happy about going to Tennessee. She walked to the door and heard him talking.

“Guess what, Daddy? We're going to Grandma and Grandpa’s house. I wish you were here, but momma says that you're watching us from heaven and you have big huge white wings now. She says we'll see you again. I miss you. But you can see the new puppies with me from heaven. She said you can see us. I’m so excited. Me and Teddy we're going to have a long ride in the car and I can’t wait.”

Keeara leaned her head against the door frame as she listened to her son. Jonathan, her husband, had been gone for 3 years now. Her son had undergone one of the worst things a child could at the tender age of 4. Her husband of 5 years had been on his last tour in Kuwait when they had run over an IED in their jeep. All five men had been killed instantly. The worst part had been she wasn't even able to see her husband one last time before he died.

Jonathan was a Marine through and through and, except for his family, it was his top priority to fight for his country. She had been home cleaning the day they had come to her door. Tears ran down her cheeks as she thought of that terrible day. The man who had come to the door had instantly been alarmed when she had said nothing and slid silently to the floor. Thankfully, Lewis wasn't at home when she found out. It had been a Wednesday and one of his later days at daycare.

Her parents flew up the next day to comfort her and Lewis. Her father had taken Lewis fishing the next day as she screamed and cried herself to sleep in her mother’s arms. Nothing was the same since. She kept the house even though part of her wanted to sell it. Three years later, she finally decided to leave Virginia and head back home. She needed some time off. She was a journalist for one of the largest papers in the state and after 9 years, she decided to take a leave of absence to go home for a couple of months. She needed some time with her family and her son. Like her, her son loved the country and the mountains where her family home was.

She grew up there with her two older brothers. She laughed when she thought of the drama they had caused her during school. She didn’t think she would ever find a prom date with her older brothers threatening every guy in the school. That was, until she met Jonathan. He said that nothing would keep him from her. They had spent the last two years of school in each other’s arms and were pretty much inseparable. They both had decided to go to college close to each other. After graduation, they moved in together and got married. Within the year, she had her son. They had the perfect life and perfect family and started talking about having another child when she was offered the job as assistant editor at the paper.

She looked around at the home she had lived in for 8 years and shared with her husband. At 32 years old, she was ready for some time to herself. She needed time to relax and enjoy life a little. Wiping her face quickly, she went back to her room to finish packing her bags. They would leave the day after tomorrow. They had some things at her parents’ but it had been a couple years since she had been there. Her parents flew over every year and took Lewis home with them for a couple weeks and then brought him back. He always talked about the big plane for days after.

“Lewis, what would you like for dinner tonight?”

“Can we have pizza?”

“Pizza?”

“Yeah with extra cheese please.”

“Okay, little man.”

***

Keeara looked out at the big white house just as her parents walked out the door. Lewis bounded out of the car and ran into his grandmother’s arms. Her father looked out at her.

“Good to see you, honey. I’ll get your bags in a minute.” He laughed down at Lewis as the boy held his hand trying to drag him to the barn. They all knew that would happen.

She walked up to the woman on the porch and was instantly wrapped into her embrace. “Hello, honey. I'm so glad you decided to come stay with us for a little bit. Come on. Let’s go in and get some coffee. It’ll be quiet right now until your brothers get here.” She laughed. “Your father figured he would let you know that the Gazette is looking for journalists. Both of the old journalists eloped together and apparently aren’t coming back. Just in case you get bored. You’re like your father that way. Can’t sit still for too long. He thought that with your knowledge and expertise you might want to help them out a little while you’re here.”

Keeara smiled up at her mother. “That would be great. I was wondering what I was going to do with all my time. I know Lewis is so excited about spending time on the ranch. I’ll see if I can work in the early mornings or late evenings so you won’t have him too much.”

“Don’t be ridiculous. I love having my grandson. I don’t see you two enough. Don’t get me wrong, I love my other grandchildren but Lewis isn’t here that much. You take all the time you need but promise me you won’t get stressed out and you will enjoy yourself. You're supposed to be taking time off.”

At her mother’s stern look, she agreed quickly. With Jonathan gone so much, she had to take care of their son alone. It was rough sometimes but she worked it out and wouldn’t trade her son for anything in the world. She quickly called the number and was ecstatic when they told her they could interview her the following morning. She came through the back bedroom just as she heard the commotion in the front room. Keeara was the baby and was the second one to have children. Her oldest brother Scott married his high school sweetheart Suzanne when they got out of school and they soon had Richard. Then they had Stacey the year before Lewis was born. When Keeara walked through the door, she saw that the whole family was there and she looked down to see the youngest of the group, baby Betsy. She was only 22 months and was crawling across the floor to her daddy.

Keeara smiled as she saw her oldest brother snuggle the little girl close to him. Richard stood in the doorway leaning against the frame and reminded her of her father. He was now 12 and his younger sister Stacey, at 9, was picking on him from the other side of the room. She smiled as Suzanne yelled at her daughter for sticking out her tongue. It was good to be home.

The door swung open and she was almost jumping up and down when she saw her other brother Michael stride into the room. He was a high-end chef who had gotten his own television show and toured the world trying new things. The three older kids ran to his side with little Betsy trailing behind on her unsteady legs. Keeara knew what they were after as her brother wrestled them to the ground. He always brought them gifts back from different faraway lands he had travelled to. He walked over to her and gathered her in a huge hug.

“Good to see ya, sis. ‘Bout time you came home for a little bit. Ah I see you brought the little rascal with ya too.” He ruffled the top of Lewis's head as he sat down on the floor with his duffle bag in front of him. The children gathered around him like it was Christmas and he quickly started withdrawing packages that were wrapped and handed them out.

“Oh wow. Look, Mom, I got a toy gun.” Michael looked up at Suzanne sheepishly when she gave him a glare. Scott just laughed at her and commented on how it was time Richard learned to shoot.

“Oh, Uncle Mike, it’s beautiful.” Stacey held up a dress made of silk. It was a sarong type in bright colors.

“That came from Africa as did Richard’s pistol but little Miss Betsy’s came from Italy.” Betsy held up a wooden toy that rattled. She squealed as she shook it. “Looks like she likes it. And yours, Lewis, is something special.” He handed him a package and waited as the little boy opened it. He found a wooden box that had the United States Iwo Jima engraved on the top. “I ran into some people who knew your dad and they had a few things for you.” Inside was a picture of 8 men, including his father, in camouflage. They were all in uniform. All of the men had signed the picture with the exception of his father. Also included was a wooden sign with his name and Commander on it. It had been engraved by hand. “That was on your father’s bed. And this was his knife as well as his baseball hat that he wore at camp. This is also something that the men said he looked at every night and talked to before settling into bed.” It was a picture of Lewis and Keeara together.

There wasn’t a dry eye in the house as he turned and looked to Keeara for approval. At her nod, he smiled at the boy and gently wiped his tears away.

“Thank you, Uncle Mike. This is the best present I think I've ever gotten.”

“Even better than the bike we got you last year?” Josh Murray stood with his hands on his hips smiling down at his grandson.

“Yeah. Sorry, Grandpa, but you’ve been outdone.” The whole house started laughing at that.

“Well, who’s hungry?” It was hard to tell who yelled the loudest, the kids or the men, as all three women walked to the kitchen to start dinner.