Tupelo Gold: Sweeter than Honey (Eclipse Heat Book 4) (7 page)

Christmas morning Hamilton woke to the sound of the kids sneaking around in the front room where the tree stood. He started to roll from the bed, but Comfort stopped him, drawing him back to her side. 

She murmured softly, “Let them play for a time. They’ve not had enough Christmas magic yet.”  He settled back in Comfort’s arms and left the kids to discover the toys and gifts Santa had left for them.

When they finally crept into the living room to see the children, Sally and Jacob sat on the floor, amidst the unopened packages, patiently waiting for the adults to rise. 

Hamilton grinned at Comfort when she sank down to her knees and began handing out the packages and urging the children to unwrap their gifts. 

A game of checkers for Jacob and three new outfits for Sally’s baby doll were the most prized presents until Hamilton carried in the puppy he’d gotten for his daughter.

“Jacob has his horse. I figure you need something to take care of too.” Sally cuddled the spotted puppy, stroking her fur and giggling when the pink tongue lapped her face. 

She whispered, “Thank you, Pa.” She looked at him shyly and then grinned. “I’m naming her Honey, because honey’s the sweetest thing in the world.” 

“No it’s not,” Hamilton corrected her as he pulled on his new boots and checked their fit. He stood up and stomped his foot seating it better as he smiled smugly. 

“Sally,” he said, “Honey’s a fine name for your pup. But make no mistake about it, your mama’s sweeter than honey. And God bless the day I found a sweet woman like her to put up with a man like me.”

*

Comfort stood at the side of the room, surrounded by riches beyond any she’d ever dreamed possible when she’d been a poor Parker relative from Perry County, Alabama.

“Sally,” Comfort told her daughter, “we need to take Honey for a walk.” Comfort paused to ruffle Jacob’s hair, before planting a kiss on Hamilton’s cheek.

When he caught her around the waist, ready to claim more, Comfort laughed and leaned against his big frame.

“Hungry?” he teased, nibbling on her earlobe. “I am.”

She blushed. Even though they’d made love twice during the night, she suspected his hunger wasn’t for food.

“I’m hungry, too,” Jacob informed them from where he’d crouched next to the pup on the floor. “Will breakfast be ready soon?”

“Merry Christmas, brother,” Sally said, grinning at Jacob as he scratched her puppy’s belly.

How did I ever miss seeing it? Of course they’re twins.
Comfort watched as the brother and sister wore identical expressions of glee.

“Guess you’re wondering what present I got you, Jacob,” Sally teased. “Mama said we should give you something you’d never forget.”

She hooked the leash to Honey’s collar and gave a tug. “Ready for our walk, Mama?”

“Absolutely,” Comfort nodded and slipped on her jacket.

“Wait.” Jacob held up his hand as if to stop them. “Before you go outside, give me the present I’m never going to forget.”

“Well as to that,” Sally’s grin grew big enough to include Hamilton this time. “You’ll have to share with Pa. Mama said we’re giving you both the stove for Christmas.”

While Hamilton and Jacob wrangled over who’d scramble the eggs and who’d peel the spuds, Comfort and Sally slipped outside into the unseasonably warm, Texas sun.

As Sally played with Honey and watched her roll around in the grass, Comfort gazed at the bright sky and whispered a silent prayer.

Thank you, God, for sending me children to love and giving me Hamilton Quince—a husband more precious than gold. 

The End

Book Five, Eclipse Heat, the series

When Sam McCallister faces Eden Pace across a poker table, the lady gambler is all set to clean out his pockets. The lady is the prettiest woman and the best card sharp Sam’s ever met. But he has a few cards to play Eden’s not expecting.  She’s wanted for murder and he’s the bounty hunter planning to bring her in.

Eden’s doing her own outlaw hunting. She’s on the trail of the man who killed her husband and though she’d like to forget the past and let Sam McCallister give her a reason for a future, she can’t do it. She’ll bring her husband’s murderer to justice or die trying. Seduction becomes her weapon of choice. Eden uses Sam’s attraction to her to free herself from the handsome bounty hunter who’s been dogging her steps.

But Eden’s got more trouble chasing her than Sam McCallister. The most dangerous outlaw in Texas, wants her dead. And it will take both Eden and Sam playing a high-stakes poker game to find the master criminal manipulating Texas justice and organized crime.

Sam watched Eden kneel beside the shimmering bubbles as she tested the water—expecting, he was sure, to find it frigid. Instead, he knew heat pulsed under her touch, water as warm as the bath she’d taken in Wichita Falls.

“Are we in for the night?” she asked without taking her eyes off the pool.

“Yep.” His one-word answer seemed to be enough this time.

“What do you plan to do with me?” Eden asked over her shoulder as she disrobed. Sam could see that she didn’t intend to play shy around him. That was good, because if she was waiting for him to look away, she’d be an old woman when she gave up.

“Plenty.” He worked the one word through lips almost as stiff as his cock. She was a sight to see and she knew it, standing there flaunting her wares at him.

“All right,” she huffed. Her words were filled with irritation as she stepped out of dress and chemise in one fluid motion. “Is that what this is about?” She sounded genuinely surprised when she asked, “You’re not interested in the bounty?”

Eden turned to face him as she gathered her long mane of hair, re-pinning it on top of her head. She stood naked on the rim of the rock pool, surrounded by torchlight.

Jesus, the woman's trying to kill me
.  Savoring the creamy skin covering her slender curves, he followed the lift of her arm and watched her rounded breast tilt upward. Licking lips suddenly gone dry, Sam let his eyes center on the patch of dark curls at the V of her thighs.

“You were on the top of my wanted list as soon as I set eyes on you. Handbill or not, I’d have claimed you,” he admitted gruffly.

“Ohhh, this is wonderful.” Her soft moan of pleasure echoed in the cave as Eden walked around the hot spring and followed the ancient steps down into the pool.

His voice sounded pretty rough to his own ears when he called over to her, “You plannin’ on fuckin’ me senseless again so you can escape?”

Her laughter bounced off the walls, followed by her answer. “Yes.”

If there was one thing Sam enjoyed more than the chase, it was the challenge of keeping the prey once caught.

“Give me a minute to get us settled for the night, pretty lady. Then you can commence your getaway attempt.”

End of Excerpt

Historical Westerns

Eclipse Heat series:

Quincy’s Woman

Intimate Strangers

Wolf’s Tender

Tupelo Gold

Five Card Stud

Breed True

Trouble in Disguise

Whispering Grace

Unlikely Gentlemen series:

River’s Edge

Outrageous Pride

Cerise Amour

         Stand Alone Titles:

                            Staged Affair

                            Pinch of Naughty

Historical Paranormal

              Jinx series:

              Cat Nip

              Blood Stoned

Contemporary Paranormal

              Bitter Creek Holler series:

              Call Me Miz

              Miz Spelled

              Ursus Horribilis

Contemporary Romantic Suspense

              Smoke, Inc. series

              Cowboy Burn—Ring in a Cowboy Anthology 2015

              Rhythm (Coming soon)

Hi. I’m Gem Sivad and I live in the southern part of an enchanted kingdom where I write paranormal, contemporary, and historical romance.

No matter the genre, my characters find their happily ever after through love and laughter (even though a few trials may stand in their way).

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Gem Sivad