A
Home for Christmas
Ann
Vaughn
Publication:
November 28, 2013
Synopsis
Single
mom, Jenna Blackwell wasn’t having a very good start to the
Christmas season; her purse got stolen on Black Friday. She’s
cursing her luck and herself for even being out in the Black Friday
madness when the store manager brings in Riley Stanton, a former Navy
SEAL who chased down the thieves and recovered her purse. Jenna is
blown away by Riley: his looks, his smile, the fact that he ran down
the purse snatchers, everything.
Riley
Stanton had no idea when he chased down the kids who stole a few
purses that he would walk into a room and have his life changed
forever. He looked into the eyes of Jenna and saw a strength in her
that he found intriguing.
Riley
soon learns that Jenna is everything he ever wanted in a woman. He
falls for her and for her son harder than he expected to. Jenna is
cautious but welcoming and hopes that she and her son can give Riley
the one thing he hasn’t had in years, A Home for Christmas.
Excerpt:
Riley
came over every evening after work. He helped Cam with his homework.
he got there before she did on Wednesday and he and Cam had dinner
ready by the time she got home. Jenna had to fight tears as she sat
at the table. It had been so long since someone had cooked for her.
To be honest, other than her mother, she didn't think anyone ever
had. Wade, her ex, certainly never did. Watching Cam work so closely
with Riley, having Riley there filling the role that Wade had
abandoned, even sitting at a table with candlelight and roses and
food she hadn't had to prepare...it was a lot for her to handle. She
was barely hanging on by a thread and when Riley had initiated the
blessing, she lost it. "Mom?" Cam asked, uncertain of what
was happening. Jenna covered her face with her hands, silently
crying. She heard the scrape of a chair and then suddenly Riley was
there, his arms around her, lifting her from the chair. She heard him
say something to Cam and then he carried her from the room.
He
sat on the sofa and cradled her in his lap and just held her while
she cried. After several minutes, when her tears had subsided
somewhat, Riley reached down to cup her chin in his hand and lift her
head so he could look into her eyes. "I'm sorry," she
whispered. "Nothing to be sorry about," he said, smoothing
his hands over her cheeks to wipe her tears away.
"Mom?"
Cam asked again, drawing her attention. "You OK?" "I'm
good, bud, I'm sorry." Riley looked up at Cam and made eye
contact with him. Jenna wasn't sure what passed between them, but Cam
got up and left, leaving her there with Riley. "Look at me,"
he said, softly. When she raised her eyes to meet his gaze, he lifted
her hand and kissed her knuckles. "What's going on?" She
took a deep breath. "It's just...no one's ever done something
like this for me before." "Like what? Take care of you?"
She nodded. "Better get used to it, babe. I'm not going
anywhere." She squeezed his hand, tears falling down her cheeks
again. This time, Riley leaned forward and kissed them away before
touching his lips to hers. For the first time, Jenna didn't hold
herself back.
Maybe
it was because Cam was just down the hall and she knew it couldn't
get out-of-control. Whatever the case, she turned in his arms and
wrapped her arms around his neck, deepening the kiss. "Thank
you, Riley," she whispered when they pulled apart, pressing her
forehead to his, and placing her fingertips against his lower lip. He
nipped her fingertip lightly, then ran his tongue around her finger.
"Anytime," he replied, "and I mean that. You don't
have to do it all alone any more." "Riley," she
whispered, kissing him, "please don't make promises you can't
keep. My heart is fragile enough, but Cam..." He kissed her
back. "Quit while you're ahead. Don't piss me off." She
smiled and combed her fingers through the hair at his nape. "I'll
try." "Good. Let me take care of you, Jenna.
Dream Cast:
About
the Author
Ann
Vaughn is a Native Texan now living in Oklahoma. She's been writing
since the seventh grade (many MANY moons ago) when she and her
friends were obsessed with the Sweet Valley High series. Back then,
access to books wasn't as easy as it is now, so to tide her over
between SVH releases, she began writing her own, Texas versions of
SVH, full of lots of Texas Friday Night Lights and pitfalls and
perils of teenage life in the 80s. Writing has always been a comfort
and a release for her, though she never expected to be published. It
wasn't until a conversation with her husband about the rise of eBooks
that she decided to try her hand at self-publishing. It was scary and
exciting and ever since the release of her first book, Long Way Home
on August 7, 2013 she has been on a wild roller coaster ride that she
wouldn't trade for the world.
Contact
Ann:
thanks for posting today! Happy Thanksgiving :)
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