Read Second Chance Bride (A Sapphire Bay Novella) Online

Authors: Sandra Edwards

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Second Chance Bride (A Sapphire Bay Novella) (5 page)

BOOK: Second Chance Bride (A Sapphire Bay Novella)
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“Maybe we’d better sit down,” he said, guiding her toward the sofa on the terrace.

Uh oh
. She drew a deep breath and prepared to let her logic come pouring out. “You know, I’m not going to try to deny that there’s something very real and powerful between us.”

He nudged her closer to him on the couch. “I believe it’s called love at first sight.”

“I don’t know what it’s called.” She shook her head. “I just know that my life’s going to be pretty empty without you in it.”

“It doesn’t have to be that way. You and I can choose to spend the rest of our lives together.”

“Okay.” She nodded. “But where will we live? Here? Back on the mainland?” Frustration and a sense of hopeless desperation pounded through her. “But shouldn’t we look as this logically? Where can we make the most comfortable home for ourselves?”

“Do you like this penthouse? Would you like to live here?”

He flashed her a tempting smile, and Genie tried hard to ignore it as she shook her head in denial.

“No?” he asked as if he didn’t believe her.

“This has been a fantastic day and a wonderful evening. A lot like a fairy tale.” She blew out her exasperation in a sigh. The fairy tale had to end, and soon, didn’t it? “But the reality is that we’re here under false pretenses. The night manager is your friend and he let you into this empty suite. “It’s hard to build a life when you’re hopping around in the vacant hotel rooms, and in secret.”

“Okay!” His voice boomed as he straightened and stiffened. “There’s something you need to know.”

“All right,” she said cautiously. She couldn’t imagine what could be worse, but he had grown uptight and that always meant
worse
.

“The night manager is not my friend…exactly.” His gaze withered away with his confidence. His voice was whiskey rough as he forced out the words, “He’s actually my employee. I own this hotel.”

Chaos churned the thoughts in Genie’s head. Her heart pounded against her chest. He owned the hotel? All this time, she’d thought he was simply an employee. How he must have laughed at her when she showed concern that he might lose his job over the liberties he was taking with the resort. What a fool she’d been. He
owned
the hotel.

She stiffened and moved to slid away from him.

He tightened his embrace and pulled her back against him. “Don’t do this?” he said in an almost-pleading tone. “I’m still the same guy you haven’t been able to stop staring at since we met. I’m still the same guy who held you while we danced tonight. I’m still the same guy who’s fallen in love with you.”

EPILOGUE

Six Months Later

DONNIE HAD WANTED TO GIVE GENIE
the perfect wedding day, and he was confident that he’d succeeded. He’d brought her parents, her sisters, and all her friends to celebrate with them.

It had been a grand day and the reception was filled with love, laughter and opulence at Sapphire Bay Resort’s new
party terrace
. Donnie had it constructed on the south lawn, at Genie’s suggestion, and he had to agree with her idea to cater to newlyweds and those celebrating milestones such as anniversaries, graduations, and other lifetime events.

It was fitting that he and Genie had danced the very first dance under the stars on the terrace’s dance floor. And they were still dancing long after their guests had disappeared into their own plans for the evening.

“I’m glad you talked me into staying,” she said.

“I’m glad you let me.” Donnie chuckled.

“Well, you’re very persuasive.”

“I have something for you,” he said.

“You really don’t have to keep giving me all these presents.”

“This one you’ve earned.”

“I earned?” she said warily.

“She wouldn’t be what she is today without you.”


She?
” Her voice was edgy, but the smile tipping her lips said she was amused.

“Would you like to meet her?”

“Okay,” she said, a bit reserved. “What’s her name?”

“Funny thing, her name is Genie, too,” he said in a cool tone. “We’ll have to take a drive.”

With a raised eyebrow, she said, “this better be good, Taylor!”

Fifteen minutes later, they arrived at the Sapphire Bay Marina. It took a lot of trust, Donnie decided, for Genie to let him lead her along the pier blindfolded. He stopped her, keeping his hands on her shoulders. “Okay. You can look.”

She eased the blindfold up to see a familiar-looking ship with the name:
Glamorous Genie
.

“She’s all yours,” he said with a sweeping gesture. “With all the changes you specified when we went on that dinner cruise. Our first date.”

“This is the ship?” she asked. He nodded. Her smile broadened in approval. “And you bought it? You own this thing now?”

Donnie shook his head. “
You
own it.”

“Me?”

“It was your assessment of what was wrong with the ship—which was spot on, by the way—that made me realize you were not only beautiful but incredibly smart as well.” He pulled her into his arms and gently stroked a strand of her chocolate hair from her face. “That’s when I knew.”

“Knew what?” she asked. Her gaze completely absorbed in his.

“That I’d be a complete idiot to let you walk out of my life.”

Her face eased into a smile. She went up on her toes to kiss him, her lips soft and luscious, before she whispered against his mouth, “I think I’m the lucky one.”

One thing was for sure, life with Genie Wainwright Taylor was not going to be boring. Donnie intended to see to it that Genie never regretted her decision to leave the mainland behind to build a life with him.

*Thank you for reading
Second Chance Bride
, an introduction to the new series,
Sapphire Bay
. If you enjoyed this book, please think about leaving a review at Amazon and/or your favorite online retailer. Look for the next Sapphire Bay installment, Christmas Bride, during the 2014 Holiday Season.

Sign up for my NEW RELEASE ALERT to be the first to hear about what’s coming up, gain access to sneak peek previews and entry into exclusive giveaways!
bit.ly/1k31XDr
*

Books by Sandra Edwards

Crazy For You

Sara’s Song (A Crazy For You Novella)

Incredible Dreams

Secondary Targets

Forgotten Soul (Soul Searchers: Book 1)

Vegas, Baby (Soul Searchers: Book 2)

Staked (Time Brokers: Book 1)

Saving Katya

The Memory Bouquet (A Prequel to The Lonely Hearts Club)

Trading Up

California Girl (West Coast Girlz: Book 1)

Glamour Girl (West Coast Girlz: Book 2)

Party Girl (West Coast Girlz: Book 3)

The Marriage Bargain (Billionaire Games: Book 1)

The Marriage Caper (Billionaire Games: Book 2)

The Marriage Fix (Billionaire Games: Book 3)

Summer Breeze

Second Chance Bride (Sapphire Bay: Book 1)

Coming Soon

The Marriage Promise (Billionaire Games: Book 4)

Christmas Bride (Sapphire Bay: Book 2)

The Lonely Hearts Club

About the Author

NEW YORK TIMES & USA TODAY Bestselling Author Sandra Edwards writes award-winning romance in a variety of subgenres such as paranormal (mostly time travel and reincarnation), contemporary, and suspense. She lives in the U.S. (west coast) with her husband, two kids, four dogs and one very temperamental feline. Sandra’s books often push the envelope and step outside the boundaries of conventional romance. For more info on Sandra’s books, visit her website at
SandraWrites.com
.

Sandra’s on Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/SandraEdwards.Author
.

Sign up for Sandra’s NEW RELEASE ALERT to be the first to hear about what’s coming up, gain access to sneak peek previews and entry into exclusive giveaways!
http://bit.ly/1k31XDr
.

BOOK: Second Chance Bride (A Sapphire Bay Novella)
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