Dirty Lies Page 26
She grinned and did as I asked. I took her champagne glass and set it on the table alongside mine. I tried to be silent as I reached into my pocket. Sitting on my knees, I opened the box containing a two-carat diamond flanked by two sapphires in a platinum setting. My hands shook.
"Apri gli occhi. Open your eyes."
Her gasp was followed by tears. I swallowed a lump in my throat and spoke in a hoarse voice.
"Skylar, I love you. Ti amo. Will you marry me?"
I took the ring from the box. Skylar trembled as I slipped the ring over her finger.
"Yes. Yes, yes, yes!" She held her hand out to admire the diamond's sparkling beauty. Tears rand down her cheeks as she crawled into my lap. "Did I say yes? Yes. I love you too."
She nestled her face in the hollow of my neck, and I could feel her shaking. I hugged her tight as she softly sniffled and laughed.
"Amore, we don't have to get married anytime soon, so don't feel any pressure to plan a wedding. We can do it anytime and any way you want. You just focus on your new job and I'll focus on taking care of you."
She pulled back to look at me, cradling my face in her hands. Her eyes went from me to the ring, then back to me. She kissed me sweetly.
"Is this our fairytale ending?"
"Amore mio, I love you. This is our fairytale beginning."
As the diamond sparkled in the firelight and Skylar covered my face with kisses, I knew risking everything for love was the best story of all.
THE END
Want to read the next in the series, about another couple on Palmira Island with mysterious pasts? ONE-CLICK HERE to read DIRTY SECRETS.
DIRTY SECRETS
A wounded vet. A grieving young business owner. Can they overcome tragedy for a second chance at happiness?
Leo Villeneuve returns to Palmira with serious baggage. The wounded vet wants to forget his past while remembering exactly what he did during a terrifying PTSD fugue state. But when he runs into the one who got away, Leo wonders if his beautiful ex-girlfriend could possibly love him for who he's become.
Jessica Clarke's plate is too full to mourn. In the wake of her mother's passing, she's determined to keep the family B&B afloat. Despite the five years since she last saw Leo, her passionate memories still burn for the tattooed, muscular Marine.
As their relationship rekindles, secrets come to light that could wash their second chance away. Can Leo and Jessica overcome the sins of the past to resume their walk along the beach forever?
Dirty Secrets is a standalone contemporary romance novel in The Burning Secrets Series. If you like tropical beaches, heroic war vets, and complex heroines, then you’ll love Tamara Lush's multicultural tale of pasts and passions.
Click here to read Dirty SECRETS on Amazon!
* DIRTY SECRETS was originally published in 2016 under the title INTO THE HEAT. This new version has undergone significant edits and changes.
CRAVING MORE STORIES?
Did you adore DIRTY LIES? If so, you’ll probably love my other book, CONSTANT CRAVING! One-click on Amazon today!
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About the Author
Tamara Lush writes steamy and emotional contemporary romance stories set in tropical locations. Her recent book, Constant Craving, was a 2018 RWA RITA® finalist in erotic romance.
She's married to an Italian and lives near a beach in Florida. For many years, she was an award-winning newspaper journalist. In 2017, she was one of 24 writers chosen by Amtrak to ride around the United States on a train and write fiction.
Tamara's a fan of vintage pulp fiction book covers, Sinatra-era jazz, 1980s fashion, tropical chill, kombucha, gin, tonic, seashells, iPhones, Art Deco, telenovelas, coloring books, street art, coconut anything, strong coffee and journalism.
She loves connecting with people on social media. Sign up for her newsletter if you’d like details on new releases, exclusive content and adorable photos of her dogs.
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