A Promise for her Love
by Elaina Lee

BLURB
Christmas is supposed to be the most joyful time of year. Instead,  Caylie Abrahams finds herself consumed by doubts and misgivings as her wedding date to Rick Marshall approaches. From two different walks of life, Caylie fears Rick’s family, and his money, will be too much to handle. Matters don’t improve much when Rick is forced to give her a prenuptial agreement.

Knowing the marriage contract may be the last straw for Caylie, Rick has to find a way to show his bride-to-be the agreement doesn’t mean their marriage is doomed. Not only does he need to make sure her worries are addressed, but the pressure of keeping his hands to himself until their wedding night is proving more difficult than he anticipated.

EXCERPT
Caylie Abrahams checked her suitcase one more time, pointing to the neatly packed compartments and mentally checking off things she’d already put inside. Butterflies danced in her stomach. She tried not to think too hard on the evening to come.

For the first time since they’d become a couple six months ago, she and Rick Marshall were going to spend the night together. Alone.

Taking a deep breath she raced to the bathroom and then quickly filled a cup with water. Hands shaking, she gulped down the cool fluid. Deep, loud laughter drew her attention away from what felt like prom night.

She set the cup on the counter, debating whether to keep packing or to make sure her brother would be fine for the weekend without her. Eighteen now, Kyle didn’t need to be watched over. However, he still lived under her roof, and she expected him to follow the rules.

A little reminder here and there about what she expected never hurt, so she headed down the hall to his room. At his door, she lifted her hand to knock. His muffled voice sounded through the slivered opening, and she paused. Pressing a hand to the frame to steady herself, she leaned closer, wondering if she’d heard correctly.

“Look, it’s not that I don’t want to do it, I just…No, hey, come on Gloria, that’s not fair.” He laughed again.

Caylie considered rushing down the stairs and snatching up the other phone. What little vixen was trying to demoralize her brother? She’d been down that path before with Kyle; she didn’t want to deal with bad influences again.

“See, here’s the deal,” he said, his voice turning somber. “My sis and her fiancé are waiting until after they’re married to do it, and I was thinking about it and, I think that’s right.”

Blinking, Caylie backed away from the door, heart pounding. The diamond on her ring finger glittered in the dying light of day. She had to call Rick. Before she could make it to her room—and her phone—a heavy pounding sounded on the door downstairs. On the way down she shouted to Kyle that she had the door.

The thick shadow on the other side of the front door glass made her heart skip. Nervousness and excitement collided, causing her hand to pause over the doorknob. Inhaling deeply, she yanked the door open and couldn’t stop the smile, her eyes settling on the face she never grew tired of seeing.

“Hey, gorgeous,” Rick said, his voice low and silky, causing a wonderful shiver to race up her spine.

He wrapped his arms around her waist, and she let loose a squeal as he scooped her against his firm body. The door banged closed. In a split second, he pinned her to the wall. Breath rushed from her lungs. Feverish and demanding, his lips sought hers and Caylie didn’t deny him.

For over a week they’d sufficed with phone conversations, texts and emails—all difficulties of a semi-long distance relationship. On the weekends, they stayed at each other’s house, in separate rooms out of respect for Kyle. Their weekdays were spent dealing with their individual lives; they were only able to support each other over a phone line. Caylie couldn’t wait for the day when they would be together for good.

The thought made her remember Kyle’s words, and with frustration, she pulled away. Pushing her hands on his chest to keep him from advancing again, she shook her head. Breathless, she said, “We can’t go alone to the lake this weekend.”

Confusion etched his handsome face, and he pulled back slightly. “What are you talking about? Why?”

Dryness suddenly coated her throat, and she swallowed. Unable to look at him, she focused on his shirt buttons. “I overheard Kyle talking to his girlfriend. He thinks we’ve made the choice not to sleep together until we’re married.”

“So?”

She met his stare. “So, he’s decided to make the same choice, because of us.”

“But we didn’t make that choice…did we?” The desperation straining his voice almost made her laugh. However, the same pent-up desire guided her body too, and it was screaming for her to forget what she’d heard.

Ignoring the heat coursing through her veins, she patted his chest and whispered, “I have.”

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