Franco's Fortune (Redemption Book 2) (23 page)

“You’re beautiful, Dorie,” he said.

She patted her stomach. “I’m fat.”

He laughed. “You’re always beautiful to me.”

Logan turned to Jo and held out his arm. Holding her
bouquet in front of her, she tucked her free arm into his. He
leaned down and kissed her on the cheek. “You’re beautiful too,
little one.”

“Don’t call me that.” Despite her words, she
couldn’t stop the laugh that bubbled up. He’d given her the
nickname in the Army and used it whenever he wanted to tease
her.

“Franco’s a lucky man,” he said.

“I know he is.”

Logan laughed as he and Jo lined up behind Anita and
Doriana where they waited at the church doorway for their cues.

When the bridesmaids were halfway down the white
carpet, the strains of
Here Comes the Bride
replaced
Canon in
D
. It was Jo’s turn. The butterflies in her
stomach stirred again, but she ignored them. Her arm in Logan’s she
felt as if she floated down the carpet toward the altar where the
priest waited. The guests watching with smiles on their faces
passed by in a blur. She recognized Judge Benjamin and his wife
Charlene, the couple who’d helped her when she was seventeen. When
she walked past Harris, he smiled and gave her a thumbs-up
sign.

Then all else faded when Jo spotted Franco. In his
dark blue suit with his hair swept back, he could have jumped from
the pages of a fashion magazine. But his vibrancy, his lust for
life, and the love shining from his blue eyes couldn’t be found in
any magazine. Joy blossomed in her heart and she smiled. He
returned her smile, and her heart pounded. Only Franco and she
existed alone in their private loving world.

When they reached the altar, Logan placed her hand
in Franco’s and gave her another kiss on the cheek. “Be happy,
little one,” he said before taking his place in the front row next
to Franco’s parents.

Franco’s blue eyes darkened as he took Jo’s hand. “I
love you,” he whispered into her ear. “You’re the most beautiful
and amazing woman I’ve ever known. My Jo. My love. My future and my
fortune.”

* Thank you for reading
Franco’s Fortune
.
Please turn the page if you’d like to read an excerpt from Cara
Marsi’s
Storm of Desire. *

***

by

Cara Marsi

S
amantha Greco yanked her
wet suitcase through the bedroom doorway, dropped it on the floor,
turned on the lamp and slammed the door. The sound reverberated
through the empty house. She hadn’t meant to take her frustrations
out on the door, but her white-knuckled drive up the coast from
Richmond, Virginia, to Fenwick Island, Delaware, had plucked her
last nerve.

Lightning flashed, illuminating the shadowed corners
of the room. The fierceness of the January storm had turned the
early afternoon to dusk. A sudden crack of thunder made her jump.
Damn nor’easter!

Shivering, she set her handbag on the night table,
then shrugged off her jacket and threw it on the bed. The soaking
rain had dampened her jeans. She sat on the bed and tugged off her
boots, then her jeans and the sweater she'd worn since early
morning. She unzipped her suitcase and rummaged for fresh jeans and
a sweater. Straightening, the clean clothes in one hand, she
loosened her hair from its clasp to let the damp tendrils swing
about her shoulders and down her back.

She started when she caught a glimpse of another
person in her peripheral vision. With a nervous laugh, she realized
she’d seen her reflection in the full-length mirror. She studied
herself and shrugged. Clad only in a red thong and matching lace
bra, her black hair falling loose and undone, she looked worlds
removed from the conservative corporate lawyer she presented to her
colleagues.

The lamp flickered, then went out, plunging the room
into semi-darkness. Samantha dropped the clothes onto the bed and
let her eyes adjust. The wind picked up, howling an angry song.
Scrub trees scraped the side of the house, a macabre accompaniment
to the wind. Anxiety snaked through her. “I should have stayed in
Richmond this weekend.”

Above the wail of the wind, she heard a door open
and close. Samantha froze. She must have imagined the sound. Or
maybe the cats were into something, or perhaps it was only a loose
shutter.

Footsteps echoed in the hallway.

Definitely not the cats. Not a shutter either.

Her heart raced.
Oh, God
.

She groped for the sweater she’d thrown down.
Sweater in hand, she looked frantically around for something to use
as a weapon.

Her bedroom door flew open and hit the wall with a
loud bang. She screamed. A tall man, brandishing a baseball bat,
stood silhouetted in the doorway.

She threw the only thing she had in her hand at
him--her sweater. He smacked it to the ground with the bat. The
light suddenly came back on. She blinked as recognition dawned.

“Who the hell…?” he shouted above the thunder and
the wind. His dark blue eyes widened and he sucked in a breath.
Frowning, he lowered the bat. “Sam? I saw the car and wondered. But
you? Why are you here?”

She couldn’t breathe as his hot gaze raked her.
She’d never forgotten those eyes or that thick brown hair, or the
dimple in his cheek when he smiled. She'd never forgotten that
night five years ago either, that incredible night. Almost naked,
feeling vulnerable, she folded her arms across her chest as if she
could protect herself from the memories.

“Aiden.” Her voice shook. Warmth curled in her
stomach and wound lower, leaving her breathless from fright and
remembered heat.

He set the bat against the wall and glared at her,
making her wonder if she’d imagined the desire in his eyes a second
ago. “Sam, what the hell are you doing here?”

No one but Aiden called her Sam.

The unexpected harshness of his voice brought her to
the present. She scowled back at him. “What are
you
doing
here? In my mother’s house?”

He pushed fingers through his hair, sending droplets
of water flying, and studied her with eyes that sparked blue fire.
This time there was no mistaking his desire. His gaze made another
leisurely sweep of her body. “My God, you’re beautiful,” he
whispered. “And still sexy as hell.”

Despite the embarrassment of her near-nakedness, her
nipples pebbled under his scrutiny. He was smokin’ hot, and
impressions flashed through her mind, as quick as the lightning
outside--the feel of his lips on hers, the rough skin of his palms
against her breasts.

She should tell him to leave; she should get
dressed. But caught in the sensual heat of her memories, she
couldn’t move.

He broke the contact and looked away. When he turned
back to her, his eyes were cool. “Get some clothes on, Sam. I’m a
man, not a saint.”

“Maybe if you hadn’t charged in here scaring me half
to death, I would have had time to dress.”

She glanced down and saw her short terry robe
hanging out of her suitcase. She grabbed it and pulled it on, tying
the belt around her waist. Feeling armored, she propped a hand on
her hip. “You didn’t answer my question. What are you doing
here?”

“I promised your mom I’d take care of things while
she’s away. I drove over from Rehoboth to check the house and get
the cats. I would have been here sooner but the storm's made
driving a mess.” He gave her a pointed look. “As you know.”

She ignored his jab. “You’re the friend who’s
watching the cats?” At his nod, she said, “Well I’m here now. I’ll
take care of them. You can leave.”

A muscle twitched in his jaw and he moved into the
room. “Yeah. Right. You’re here now. Get dressed, Sam. We need to
leave. All of us.”

At the seriousness in his eyes and voice,
apprehension dashed up her spine. She pulled on the ties of her
robe again, fighting her unease. “What are you talking about?”

“The storm. We don’t have time to argue. Let’s find
the cats and get the hell out of here.”

“Are you nuts?”

“You’re the one who’s nuts if you stay here.” He
jutted his chin toward the windows. “Do you hear that? The storm of
the decade and it’s only going to get worse. The Coastal Highway is
taking on water. They’re evacuating everyone inland. Didn’t you
notice cars going out but none coming in?”

“It’s January. There’s never much traffic here in
January. Besides, I’ve been through plenty of nor’easters.”

“Then you know what happens when the highway
floods.”

A clap of thunder shook the house, as if to
punctuate his statement.

Aiden reached out and turned her toward her
suitcase. “We don’t have much time. Have you seen the cats? I don’t
want to leave them alone. We don’t know when the authorities will
allow us back in.”

She stepped away from him, then rubbed her arm as if
she could erase the heat of his touch. “The cats ran past me into
Mom's room a little while ago.”

“I’ll get the carriers. Get dressed, then we’ll get
the cats.”

“Don’t order me around.”

He moved closer, invading her senses with his heat.
His hair had begun to dry and curled softly over the collar of his
black leather jacket. The dim light from the lamp touched his sharp
cheekbones and full lips.

“Listen, princess, if we don’t get out now, we might
be stuck here for days.”

Remembering the pleasure he’d given her with that
mouth, she licked her suddenly dry lips. “Stuck here? With
you?”

His eyes darkened and his gaze lingered on her
mouth. “The two of us. Here. All alone.”

*I hope you enjoyed this excerpt of
Storm of
Desire
by Cara Marsi. If you’d like to read the book in its
entirety, please check with your favorite online retailer for
availability, or visit Cara’s website at CaraMarsi.com for purchase
info.*

***

Praise for Cara Marsi’s Books

“
Logan’s Redemption
has all the elements that
keep the pages turning: passion, romance, thrills and suspense…”
~Fallen Angel Reviews.

“
Logan’s Redemption
by Cara Marsi is a great
read, plain and simple~My Romance Story Reviews

“
Logan’s Redemption
is riveting. Ms. Marsi is
an excellent author and I’ll definitely look for more of her books.
I highly recommend this one!”- Romance Junkies

Murder, Mi Amore

2012 EPPIE finalist for best romantic suspense.

2012 Finalist Oklahoma Romance Writers First Annual
International Digital Awards

“Action, suspense, hot men and a sweet girl caught in
the crossfire. Buckle up, this one gets wild…Enjoy!” The Romance
Reviews

“
Murder, Mi Amore
is an exciting adventure.
Top notch romantic suspense” - Siren Book Reviews

Cursed Mates

… “I couldn’t find anything needing improvement. The
conflict keeping Kyla and Nick apart is valid, the resolution
believable, ” - The Pagan & The Pen Reviews

“
Cursed Mates
has a lot within to appeal to
romantic suspense readers who enjoy stories with paranormal flair.
It entertains, astounds and even gives a few goose bumps along the
way” - Long & Short Reviews

Loving Or Nothing

2012 Finalist The Gulf Coast Romance Writers of
America Silken Sands Star Contest

Semi-Finalist The Kindle Book Reviews Best Indie
Books of 2012

4 Cups from CBLS Reviews:

"Overall,
Loving or Nothing
is a sweet and
tender romance mixed with some intense love scenes."

A Catered Romance

… “Cara Marsi has created a romance that speaks of
forgiveness and second chances in a way that will make your heart
warm.”...Storm Goddess Book Reviews.

Storm of Desire

“Cara Marsi wrote a touching story about a woman and
her fears and the man who makes her face them and the love they can
have together…”Guilty Pleasures Reviews

“…If you like a story that takes you into a time of
sensuality and passion even for just a short period of time, this
is for you.…” The Romance Reviews

***

BOOKS BY CARA MARSI

A Cat’s Tale and Other Love Stories

A Catered Romance

A Cinderella Christmas

Accidental Love

Cursed Mates

Franco’s Fortune

Logan’s Redemption

Loving Or Nothing

Murder, Mi Amore

Storm of Desire

Read excerpts at
CaraMarsi.com

All books available at Kindle and Nook and other
online booksellers

Loving Or Nothing and Murder, Mi Amore are also
available in print

***

All About Award-Winning Author Cara Marsi

I’m a former corporate drone and cubicle dweller
with a romantic soul. I crave books with happy endings and I love
to write about independent, feisty women and the sexy, strong guys
who love them. I also love to put my characters in dangerous
situations and situations that are merely dangerous to their hearts
and watch them fight for the happy endings they deserve.

I credit my love of romance to the old Thirties and
Forties romantic comedies I watched on late night TV growing up.
I’m published in contemporary romance, romantic suspense,
paranormal romance, and I’ve also published numerous short romance
stories in national magazines. My husband and I enjoy traveling and
I love to write about the places we've visited. We share our house
with a fat black diva of a cat named Killer.

I hope you enjoyed
Franco’s Fortune
. I really
appreciate your purchase. Find out more about me and my other books
at my website at CaraMarsi.com.

I’m on Goodreads and Facebook. I’m always interested
in meeting new friends.

***