The Love List

THE LOVE LIST

By

Jean C. Joachim

Copyright 2012 Jean C. Joachim

Smashwords Edition

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Copyright © 2012 Jean C. Joachim

Edited by Katherine Tate

Cover Design: Jean C. Joachim

Dedication

To Lisa George

This book would not have been written without
your urging and constant support. Your love for Grey and your
belief in their story encouraged me to continue. Thank you so
much.

Acknowledgment

Thank you to my friends at Tuesday Tales for
your unfailing support and good humor. Also to Catherine Harding,
my researcher partner, Marilyn Lee, Diana Finegold and Sally
Gallagher, my beta readers, my editor, Kate Tate, and Larry Joachim
for your love and support.

Other Books by Jean C. Joachim

New York Nights Series

The Marriage List

Champagne for Christmas

The Dating List (coming soon)

The Moonlight Series

Sunny Days, Moonlit Nights

April's Kiss in the Moonlight

Under the Midnight Moon (coming in 2012)

Now and Forever Series

Now and Forever 1, a Love Story

Now and Forever, 2, the Book of Danny

Now and Forever 3, Blind Love (coming in
2012)

Preface

Grey Andrews and Carrie Tucker's story began
in
The Marriage List
. This book is a continuation of their
story.

Grey made his fortune by renovating
townhouses in New York City and investing his profits wisely. At 34
years old, he had been looking for a wife for three years. He
wasn't seeking a run-of-the-mill wife, but one who has all three
qualities on his "marriage" list. Finding a woman who could meet
his standards appeared to be wishful thinking until he went to a
writer's conference. There, he bumped into beautiful Carrie Tucker,
an aspiring mystery writer.

Carrie, an advertising copywriter,
twenty-nine years old, was seeking a publishing contract, not love.
Declaring the city full of losers, she turned away from men and
focused on getting ahead. But Grey Andrews was not a man to be
ignored. He pursued her, wooing her with his charm, affection and
generosity. Carrie succumbed.

Their mutual attraction led them into a
torrid affair. Grey had never been happier. In his heart he knew
Carrie was the woman he had been searching for and now he had to
convince her he was the right man for her forever.

Their sizzling relationship grew into love
within a few months and they became inseparable. Though job
pressures and uncertainty swirled around Carrie, she found a haven
with Grey, a supportive and affectionate lover. Drawn to Carrie
like a bear to honey, Grey decided he had met the woman of his
dreams and prepared to settle down with her.

Grey's hopes went out the window when
unforeseen circumstances blasted them apart. Carrie was faced with
a difficult decision. Soured on marriage since her first,
short-lived adventure into matrimony had ended in heartbreak,
Carrie left the City at Thanksgiving. She spent the holiday with
her beloved aunt, Delia Tucker, hoping to sort out her life.

Their engagement didn't surprise those close
to them. Everyone who knows Grey, knows he doesn't give up when he
wants something and he wanted Carrie. Grey, a handsome man about
six feet with a dazzling smile and Carrie, about five feet six made
a handsome couple.

Their story continues here as they wake up
the day after Thanksgiving at Grey's parent's house in tiny Pine
Grove in upstate New York. The easy love and kidding of Grey's
close family envelopes them. His two sisters, Barbara who is older
and Jenna, who is younger and the one closest to Grey and one
younger brother, Colin, welcome Carrie.

Put away the orange blossoms and cupids, Grey
and Carrie still have hurdles to clear and challenges to face. He
must learn how to have a committed love relationship since this is
his first. And gun-shy, independent Carrie needs master patience if
she wants this man.

Chapter One

Saturday, November 28 – Pine Grove, NY

Carrie rolled over in bed and placed her
palms against Grey's bare chest.

"Good morning," she murmured, unwilling to
disturb the quiet in the house.

"Good morning," he replied softly back.

The warm caress of his large hand sliding
down her side and over to squeeze her rump stoked her desire for
him. She spread her fingers to extend her reach to more of the hard
muscle under his soft hair and skin. She wanted him.

"We can't…everyone will be up soon…but
tonight…" she whispered.

"We can linger here a moment and remember."
He sighed, his fingers combing her hair.

Carrie giggled and buried her face in his
neck. Grey pulled her naked body close to his for a hug, holding
her against him. She lay there for ten minutes, eyes closed,
enjoying the feel of him against her, daydreaming about making love
with him before he stirred.

"Come on, let's take a walk before the
insanity starts."

"Insanity?" She opened her eyes and raised
her eyebrows.

"You've never been to breakfast with eight
other people jabbering at you before you've had your second cup of
coffee, have you?"

Oh my God, noise in the morning. I hate
that! Being part of a big family, can I do it?
She shook her
head.

Grey peeled the covers down on this side of
the bed, careful to leave her covered. Once out of bed, he yanked
the blankets up to their original place. "Time to move."

He got up and quietly put on his warmest
clothes, tossing clothes to Carrie. She struggled into her
underwear underneath the down quilt, to avoid the chill in the
room. Once her thermals were on, she ventured out of the bedclothes
into the icy air of the bedroom.

"Was it this cold in here when you were
growing up?"

"Yup. I learned to dress quickly."

Carrie slipped on fleece pants, cashmere
socks and a flannel shirt that matched Grey's, an early Christmas
gift from his sister, Jenna. Once she was dressed, they crept
downstairs trying to be as quiet as possible. In the kitchen the
faint aroma of cooking turkey from the Thanksgiving feast two days
before lingered in the air. Grey filled the coffee maker and turned
it on, pulling down two mugs with brightly-painted roosters on
them.

Once the coffee was made, they took it into
the living room and went to the window. On the way they passed a
healthy Christmas tree about seven feet tall covered with glass
balls and a hodge-podge assortment of ornaments gathered over the
years. Fran marshaled the family to put up the Christmas tree on
the day after Thanksgiving, while she had all her children
together.

Carrie stared at her left hand. The
brand-new, three-carat diamond resting on her fourth finger
twinkled its brilliance and clarity at her, reminding her of her
engagement, now three days old. Grey sat on the window seat in
front of a bird feeder and pulled her onto his lap.

There's food in the feeder. Are there still
birds this far north in November? Haven't they all migrated by
now?

Neither one spoke but Grey slipped his arm
around her waist, steadying her and she rested her head against his
shoulder.

"Come on," he said, easing her off his lap,
taking her hand and leading her to the back door.

They pulled on down parkas and gloves, Carrie
tucked her shoulder-length streaked blonde hair under a knitted
hat. The early risers trudged out into the cold where their shoes
crunched on the thin layer of hard snow. Their breath hung
suspended in the frigid air. Grey took her hand again and she
followed him down a well-worn path to the lake. The bright sunshine
bouncing off the frozen water peeked through gaps in the trees,
blinding her temporarily. She could see the thick ice on the lake
and a smile came to her lips.

"Let's go," she said, pulling on Grey's hand
to increase their speed and moving out onto the frozen surface.

A sudden sharp tug on her hand pulled her
back with a jerk.

"No!" Grey hollered at her, folding his arms
around her so she couldn't move.

Carrie looked up at him and raised her
eyebrows. "Grey? What the…"

"Don't go there." He tightened his grip, his
mouth set in a grim line.

"But it's frozen solid. And it's so much fun
to walk on."

"It isn't frozen solid."

"It is. Look," she said, squirming to get
away but unable to shake off his firm grip.

"No, no, no Carrie." His eyes shone as he
held her still, and she watched him blink back tears.

"What?"

"The ice, it's wrong. It looks frozen but it
isn't. When I was eight, my best friend, Tom, dared me to go out on
the ice. I refused and tried to keep him from going but he wouldn't
listen. He fell through and died before I could get help."

Carrie hugged him, her cheek on his chest.
She moved back a step and looked into his eyes, catching a glimpse
of the frightened little boy he was on that horrible day.
What a
terrifying experience!
Her heart melted.

"I'm so sorry. I won't go there. I
promise."

He leaned his head on hers and closed his
eyes. "I couldn't stand to lose you, too. I love you so much," he
whispered.

"I love you, too." She snuggled more tightly
into the comfort of his embrace.

They held onto each other while the sun
melted the ice coating the tree branches and the air began to warm
up. Cold water dripping down on them from trees above forced the
lovers to move.

When they returned to the house, other family
members were up and about. Noise began to build in the once quiet
old Victorian as Grey's brother, sisters and parents awoke to make
their plans for Christmas together. Refilling their mugs, Carrie
and Grey sat cross-legged on the living room floor enjoying the
Christmas tree and the cacophony of chatter and laughter all around
them.

****

December 23 – Four P.M. New York City

Grey inched his Jag XK into traffic and moved
slowly toward the West Side Highway along with the other drivers
anxious to start their Christmas holiday. Thrumming his fingers on
the steering wheel, impatience tugged at his nerves; he wanted to
get home.

Stupid asshole accountant.
Grey had
spent the week going over every entry in the company books for the
whole year with a by-the-book accountant. Digging out paperwork to
support every accounts receivable, every accounts payable entry, he
was totally out of patience. At three o'clock, the maddening man
finally left and Grey was more than ready to begin his five days of
Christmas bliss, starting with a tasty meal cooked by his gorgeous
fiancée, Carrie, to be followed immediately by passionate
lovemaking. He was hungry, hungry for more than food.

At the red light, he texted Carrie he was on
his way home. He knew she was at their townhouse redecorating.
How did I ever find her? Damned lucky. Painting in the bedroom
today? The bedroom…
A grin broke out on his face as a vision of
her stripped bare lying on their bed filled his thoughts.

Carrie had clued him in on her elaborate
plans for converting his bachelor-pad townhouse into a comfortable
home for them. He was sometimes too distracted by business concerns
or desire for her to pay close attention to the details. He
expected when it was finished their house would be like a palace
compared to when he'd lived there alone. The chime from his phone
interrupted his thoughts. It was a text, probably from Carrie, he
figured, but the cars began to move so he couldn't check it.