Sugar and Spice (13 page)

“I love you,” she said before he could formulate his next question.

He frowned, confused. She loved him. She’d run away from him and hidden— twice. Now she was lying in his bed like some candy man’s wet dream telling him she loved him.

“I don’t—”

She cut him off. “I heard you talking to Anderson Monday night. I heard what you said about us being a mistake and I—”

“I never said that,” he retorted quickly. What the hell was she talking about?

“You said you’d screwed up. That you couldn’t marry me. I wanted to prove that you’re wrong.”

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Sugar and Spice

She’d heard only a small part of his conversation with Anderson and had obviously taken everything he’d said completely out of context. Ryan was relieved and furious at the same time. Once again, she’d run off before he could explain.

Or had she? What was she doing in this bed?

“I’m wrong?” he asked.

“We’re perfect together, Travers. Absolutely, positively perfect in every way and I don’t care how long it takes or what I have to do, I
will
prove that to you.”

“And this,” Ryan pointed to the candy adorning her body, “is your proof?”

She offered him one of her breathtaking smiles and he felt his heart expand at the sight of it.

“Everyone knows you have a sweet tooth but I know you also like things a bit spicy, so I thought I’d give you both.”

Ryan laughed. “God, I love you.”

Her eyes widened. “You do?”

“Yes. If you’d stuck around to eavesdrop on the rest of my conversation with Anderson, you would have heard me say so. Ginny, I love you. I. Love. You. Dammit, you’re an impulsive, headstrong, demanding little thing. And I’m crazy about you.”

She grinned at his name-calling. “Oh yeah? Well, you never take anything serious, you’re too controlling and you’re always late.”

“Like you said, we’re the perfect couple,” he joked before swiftly placing a kiss on her lips.

“Ryan—”

“Marry me, Ginny Brooks. I’m getting too old to keep chasing your boyfriends off.”

“Is that what you’ve been doing?”

“Isn’t it? Say you’ll marry me. Say the words.”

“Isn’t it supposed to be a marriage
proposal
, not a marriage demand?”

“Ginny…” he answered, his voice gruff and commanding.

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Mari Carr

“Fine. I’ll marry you. I mean, let’s face it, it’s not like anybody else could put up with—”

Ryan captured her lips with his, silencing her words. When he felt her fall into the kiss, he pulled away, his mouth lightly touching her own as he spoke. “I love you, Ginny Brooks. You’re my sugar and spice all rolled into one delicious package. Now— can I have some candy?”

The End

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About the Author

Some people fall apart on their 30th birthday, others on their 40th. For Mari Carr, 34

was the year that took her down. After she spent the day crying and saying, “I haven’t done anything I thought I would,” her husband finally asked what was left undone.

Her answer was simple—she hadn’t written a book or decorated her house. “So do it,”

he said.

Five years later, the house is sparking with fresh paint and new furniture and her computer is jammed full of stories—novels, novellas, short stories, and dead-ends. The lesson: it’s never too late to achieve a goal or two!

High school librarian and English teacher by day and mother of two busy teenagers, Mari Carr fiinds her time for writing by squeezing it into the hours between 3

a.m. and daybreak when her family is asleep and the house is quiet.

With the publication of her first book, her latest goal—publishing before 40—has been achieved with a couple of years to spare. Phew!

The author welcomes comments from readers. You can find her website and email address on her author bio page at www.ellorascave.com.

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Also by Mari Carr

Covert Lessons

Kiss Me, Kate

Retreat

Discover for yourself why readers can’t get enough of the multiple award-winning publisher Ellora’s Cave. Whether you prefer e-books or paperbacks, be sure to visit EC

on the web at www.ellorascave.com for an erotic reading experience that will leave you breathless.

www.ellorascave.com