Married by Christmas
The time has come for Italian tycoon Marco De Luca to avenge Claudia's betrayal of four years ago. He'll bed her once more, then coolly cast her aside as she did him!What Marco's not prepared for is the powerful effect Claudia still has on him. One night with her isn't enough to satisfy the demanding Italian's needs. How many nights will it take to get her out of his system? Especially now that Claudia may be innocent after all… .
Читать Married by Christmas онлайн беплатно
An inconvenient wedding
Wherever Caleb OâMalley goes, trouble follows, and trouble is the last thing Rebecca Thurston needs. But when Caleb appearsâgravely woundedâat Rebeccaâs Smoky Mountain cabin, she canât turn him away. His life depends on her kindness, but she never anticipated it would lead to an unwanted proposal.
Caleb never forgave himself for the accident that ended Rebeccaâs engagement and destroyed her life. He doesnât want to hurt her again. But after a week recuperating at her cabin, there is only one way for Caleb to protect both their reputations from scandal. Neither of them wants to tie the knot, but as Rebecca and Caleb spend time together, will they find thereâs more to their marriage than convenience?
Smoky Mountain Matches: Dreams of home and family come true in the Smoky Mountains
âWhat youâre suggesting isâ¦
Well, itâsâ¦â Crazy. Deranged. âImpossible,â Rebecca whispered.
A muscle ticked in Calebâs jaw. âIs there someone else youâre set on marrying?â
âNo, of course not.â Unable to sustain his demanding gaze, she stared into the fire.
He dipped his head, bringing their cheeks side by side. âThen why not marry me?â The movement of his lips near her ear snagged strands of hair. Rebecca pulled back, mortified by what his nearness was doing to her equilibrium.
âWhy would you do this?â She stared deep into his eyes.
âItâs my fault weâre in this mess, and I want to make it right. Fix it for you the only way I know how. â
âYouâd be miserable.â
âSo would you,â he shot back. âBut your sister wouldnât, would she?â
Caleb reached out and skimmed Rebeccaâs sleeve. âTake some time to think about it. Iâm in no rush.â
âYeah, well, he is.â She nodded toward the table as the reverend cast them another furtive look. âAlong with everyone else in town.â
KAREN KIRST
was born and raised in East Tennessee near the Great Smoky Mountains. A lifelong lover of books, it wasnât until after college that she had the grand idea to write one herself. Now she divides her time between being a wife, homeschooling mom and romance writer. Her favorite pastimes are reading, visiting tearooms and watching romantic comedies.
Because of the Lordâs great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail.
They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.
âLamentations 3:22â23
To my closest friend, Lorie Hedrick. Thanks for the homeschooling powwows at Starbucks and for providing a godly example of what a wife and mother should be. I cherish your friendship.
Contents
Gatlinburg, Tennessee
December 1881
If the bullet hole in his leg didnât kill him, the snowstorm would.
Caleb swayed in the saddle, stiff fingers clinging to the horn as Rebel stumbled in a drift. âEasy,â he breathed, the slight sound swallowed up by fat, white tufts dropping in a thick curtain all around him. Ears flicking, Rebel righted himself. Caleb clamped his jaw tight to smother a moan.
He didnât know which was worseâthe incessant pain slowly stealing his consciousness, the bone-numbing cold or the knowledge that he was being hunted.
Hopefully the heavy snowfall would cover his tracks and the trail of blood.
Fighting off a wave of dizziness, he tried to get his bearings. The weakness claiming his body wouldnât be put off much longer. Concentrate, OâMalley. Find shelter.
By this point, heâd lost all sense of direction, the towering trees and sloping landscape a white blur as the clouds overhead continued their silent assault. Frustration pounded at his temples. He knew these mountains like the back of his hand. No way could he be lost.
The forest tilted crazily, and he slumped onto Rebelâs neck, gulping in frigid air that seared his lungs. âSorry, boy,â he choked out, âdoesnât look like weâre gonna make it outta this one.â
Images of his family flashed against closed lids. His parents. Brothers. Cousins. All the people he loved but wouldnât let close. Josh and Kate were about to make him an uncle for the first time. And from the way Nathan and Sophie acted around each other, they couldnât be far behind. Unlike him, his older brothers were solid. Responsible. Theyâd be amazing fathers.
And heâd miss all of it.
Would they ever discover what happened to him? Or would they be forced to forever wonder?
Regret flickered in his chest, igniting a tiny flame of resolve. He couldnât give up. Heâd brought them enough pain to last a lifetime. If he was going to kick the bucket, the least he could do was give them closure. Caleb eased upright. Urged the big black into motion with a nudge of his boot heel.
