Read Kelly's Jellyfish Romance (Romantic Short Stories) Online
Authors: Kristina Belle
“Lance, all this time you really have been watching out for
us!” Ami springs from her chair to embrace him. Gently Tony holds her back. “I
tried but not well enough Ami. I couldn’t stop your father from gambling or
keep you from all that hardship. Then I screwed up. My family in New Jersey… they
are not good people. They found out I had been spending family resources
on you and your sister. They decided to send me a message. They rigged that
card game. I’m afraid they may have also killed your father. I tried to take on
the debt to protect you but…”
“But they won’t forgive the debt, or the money Tony has been
spending on you, unless it’s owed to a family member.” Mick said from the
doorway. “You aren’t family unless the two of you get married. So we came up
with a plan to get the Godfather in Jersey off your back.” Mick went on to
explain they had purposefully set her payments too high, to force her to come
to Chicago to negotiate. The show downstairs had been for the benefit of a
member of the New Jersey family, who was there to ensure Tony carried through
on his word to marry Ami and settle the debt by making her a family member.
Tony looks at Ami apologetically. “Once we’re married, all
is forgiven, according to my uncle. I’m sorry, I couldn’t think of any other
way. I swear I will make you happy.” Hushing his apologies, Ami kisses
him, at first tenderly, soon with intense passion. Relief swells into
gratitude, and gratitude into longing as the kisses deepen. Mick clears his
throat. “I will set up the appointment with the judge in the morning then,
Sir?” Tony confirms that will be fine. “Nice seeing you again, Ms. Ami.” As
Mick walks away, Ami finally remembers him; the security guard from the casino.
Left alone, Tony and Ami renew their relationship in the king sized bed. Years
of pent up passion and desire are soon happily realized.
In the morning, the two sign their marriage certificate and
are married by a judge. Mick and Don serve as witnesses. As the newly married
couple kiss, Ami realizes for the first time in her life, she is finally safe
in the arms of a man who loves her. Tony not only protected her from danger, he
is giving her a chance at a wonderful new life. Ami has been in love with her
husband since she was a teenager. The Lance she once knew is now her Tony. The
dream that kept her going through all the bad times isn’t a dream at all. It’s
her destiny.
Simple Country Farm
By Kristina Belle
Simple Country
Farm. Copyright 2013.
All rights
reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by
any means, electronic or mechanical including photocopying, recording, or by
any information retrieval or system without express written permission from the
publisher.
Table of Contents
Kate Rider is alarmed. She knows as soon as she pulls on to the
winding country road she made a mistake. Visiting her friend Roger for a
relaxing winter weekend in the country seemed like a great idea when they made
the plan. She hadn’t taken a break since her dad suddenly died eight months
ago. It seemed to help to ease her grief by staying busy with work. The pain is
still there but while working is muted a little. Roger is an old childhood
plutonic friend. It would be fun to spend a weekend chilling out with him.
She certainly could use the time away from life in the city.
They made plans for the getaway weekend two weeks ago, long before the weather
forecast called for a raging snowstorm. When she left her apartment that
morning Kate expected the four hour drive to her best friend’s country house
would be accomplished long before the snow started to fall. She was wrong. She
really should have cancelled the trip.
Now she was nervously driving on a narrow country road in
blowing snow so thick, she could barely see past her headlights. Under terrible
driving conditions she fears she will miss her turn. Kate desperately searches
through the blinding snow for any sign of her turn off. There, a little blue
road sign half covered in snow comes into view. She is missing her turn! Kate
jams on the brakes trying to slow down to make the turn. Her wheels hit an ice
patch hidden under the snow. Her car spins wildly out of control. The last
thing Kate sees is a whirl of white snow and brown earth. She hears a crunch
and then lights out.
Kate regains consciousness to find herself staring through
her shattered car window at the face of an angel. A male angel framed in white,
upside down, wearing a… wait is that a cowboy hat? “Am I dead?” Kate groans
out. “No ma’am.” The kind faced angel says, “But it sure seems you came close.
Let’s get you outta there”. She hears the angel say something “yee!” With a
crunching of metal her car door slowly opens. Big strong but gentle hands
unbuckle her seat belt and pull her from the wrecked car.
Kate hurts all over from bruises and scrapes. She finds
herself lying down on a rough woolen blanket. The angel’s head is surrounded by
swirling snow. “Name’s Brett, ma’am, Brett Williams. I’d like to say it’s
nice to meetcha. Right now though, I need to make sure you aren’t too hurt.
Sorry about this. It may hurt a little. ” Kate feels gentle hands carefully
touching her body being careful not to press too hard. She really must be in
heaven; the last thing she remembers is an awful crash. The cowboy hat wearing
angel asks her to wiggle her fingers and toes, than asks about her head and
neck. Kate mumbles her head hurts. “You must have a concussion. From the looks
of it you took a nasty blow breaking that windshield with your head. We need to
get you inside and out of this snow storm.”
Kate is gently lifted up into the angel’s strong muscular
arms. Behind her a huge golden colored horse walks calmly, following them like
a faithful dog follows its’ master. Before long she sees an old farm house come
into view through the snow. She had never once thought heaven would look a
country farm, or that angels had horses and wore cowboy hats. Kate is brought
inside and carefully placed on an old leather couch. “Now don’t you fall asleep
on me, Ma’am. I have to take care of Molly. I’ll be right back to fix you up
and make you some hot tea. You hang on. Won’t take but a few minutes”.
Kate looks around the room. There is a crackling fire in a
huge stone fireplace. The smell of cheerfully burning hardwood fills the air.
The furniture is worn but handsome and manly. Over the fireplace mantle is a
six point buck’s head. She slowly realizes she is in an old fashioned farm
house. It’s not heaven after all but has all the comforts of a real home. The
kind her grandparents lived in all their lives. When the cowboy returns
carrying a first aid kit, she can’t help but blurt out “You’re not an angel!”
The man stops in his tracks, gives her a rueful grin. “No, I’m definitely no
angel. That’s for sure.” Brett the cowboy begins to expertly tend to her minor
scrapes and cuts.
As Brett tends to Kate, the last of her confusion begins to
drain away. She realizes she is alone, with a strange man, in his home, in the
middle of nowhere. But what a man. His green eyes look at her with an intensity
that is unsettling. He is lean and obviously fit, like a man used to hard
outside work. Suddenly nervous, she asks if he can locate her cellphone so she
can call her friend. Sensing her nervousness and reservations, Brett hastens to
reassure her that she is safe; he means her no harm. He goes outside to see if
he can find her cellphone and recover the rest of her belongings from her car.
“It’s a bit of a hike to your car so don’t get nervous. I’ll be back in a few
minutes.”
Ten minutes later Brett returns with Kate’s purse with the
phone inside. Kate manages to call Roger and tell him what happened. When Roger
hears Kate was rescued by Brett Williams, he tells her how lucky she is. Roger
has known Brett for several years. Not only is he handsome, and trustworthy,
he’s a single man to boot! Roger has Kate put Brett on the phone.
The three of them make a plan. Kate will stay with Brett
until the storm stops and the roads are plowed. Then Roger will
drive
down and pick Kate up. When it stops snowing Brett will see if anything can be
done with Kate’s car. Roger leaves Kate with some parting advice: “Enjoy your
visit over there. He’s a good guy!”
As the blizzard rages and snow continues to pile up Kate
spends the afternoon curled up on Brett’s couch. As they talk, she begins to
learn more about her handsome rescuer. He lives alone on a farm he inherited
from his grandparents. His small business is raising horses and growing hay for
the surrounding area. “That’s how I met Roger.” He tells Kate in his soft but
masculine voice. “I’m their hay man.” Kate finds herself completely charmed by
the forthright cowboy. He makes his simple country life with his horses sound
so appealing; a far cry from her stressful life working in an office in the big
city.
As the grey light outside falls into the black of night
Brett builds adds wood to the fireplace and begins to cook dinner for Kate.
“You rescue damsels and cook?” She teases him. “Well not usually. This is my
first time rescuing a damsel. I’m lucky I started out with a pretty one. But I
do make a pretty mean stew.” Brett smiles back at her from over the
stovetop. As he gives her the tasting spoon their fingers touch. Kate
feels a thrill of heat. She is surprised at how intense a small accidental
touch makes her feel. Brett has been the perfect gentleman but now she is
wishing he would take an interest in her other than attending to injuries. The
chemistry continues to sizzle as the two eat dinner. Kate can’t decide which is
hotter, the piping stew in her bowl or the smoldering glances her rescuer is
sending her from across the table.
Brett is equally surprised. He spends most of his time alone
and isn’t used to getting worked up over a female. His horses have provided him
with all the company he wants. That is until now. Looking into Kate’s
dark brown eyes, like pools of dark chocolate, is marvelous but unsettling. A
brief touch of her fingers, listening to her gentle voice, is stirring up
passions he thought he would never experience again. Ever since his childhood
sweetheart was killed in a car wreck five years ago he stayed mostly to
himself.
After dinner Brett leaves the table to tend to the horses. A
horseman’s work is never done. Kate doesn’t mind cleaning up. She begins to
realize this life of country living and domesticity has an appeal she never
expected. She hasn’t felt this comfortable or happy since before her father
passed away. After putting the everyday dishes back in the cupboard Kate finds
what has become her favorite spot on the sofa; right in front of the
comforting, romantic fireplace. Brett returns from his chores covered in snow
to tell her the weather report on the radio is calling for the storm to last
well into the next day. Odds are the roads won’t be plowed until tomorrow
evening, possibly the following morning. Kate doesn’t worry. She is comfortable
and in no rush to leave.
Brett goes right to work and makes up the spare bedroom for
Kate. She thanks him and as he says goodnight Kate musters up her courage and
steals a kiss. She’s totally amazed she is so forward. The kiss turns searing
and Brett struggles to pull himself away. He would much rather stay but still
cautious of complications retreats to his own bedroom. Kate is disappointed.
Feeling a little rejected she collapses onto the bed and falls asleep.
Kate wakes up much later, just as the darkness of night is
beginning to lighten to gray. She hears a pair of boots approach the bedroom
door. Her hearts pounds a mile a minute in her chest as she hopes the door will
open. As the knob begins to turn, she hears Brett mumbling. “Get a hold of
yourself man! Leave the poor woman alone. She’s already had enough trouble.”
With a frustrated deep sigh, Brett walks down the hall to begin the day’s
chores.
Kate stifles a moan of longing and tries her best to go back
to sleep. After unhappily lying in bed for an hour she forces herself up and
goes downstairs. A simple breakfast is waiting for her. She is not happy to be
eating alone. After finishing breakfast she spots Brett working out in the yard,
hauling hay through the falling snow. Determined to be useful, Kate runs
upstairs, quickly washes up, and puts on her winter clothes. Once outside, she
finds Brett still hard at work. Kate calls out to him. She wants to help.
Looking surprised but pleased Brett says, “Hey, glad to see you’re a worker”
and puts her to work feeding the horses.
By the time they finish, they’re freezing. The couple
warms up inside over cocoa. When Brett asks Kate if she would like to see the
rest of his farm on horseback, she eagerly agrees. Embarrassed, Kate has to
tell Brett she is a city girl; she doesn’t know how to ride a horse. Chuckling
Brett tells her no problem. She can ride double with him on Molly. They mount
up on the huge golden Belgian mare Kate saw the day before. For the next hour
Kate rides next to Brett around his farm, pressed in the saddle closely behind
him. Without thinking anything of it Brett ends the tour at the hay barn. He
wants to proudly show off a few of his other horses. As he helps Kate dismount
the huge mare she somehow falls right into his arms. The dual passion that had
been building all morning explodes. The two make love first in the hay barn,
and then move inside to the cozy house.
The afternoon flies by in a blur as passions unleashed they
alternately make love and complete a few necessary chores around the farm.
Roger calls Kate that evening to see how she’s doing. He is delighted to learn
that Kate and Brett have been staying warm and cozy by staying close to each
other. Then Roger drops a bombshell. “It’s a real shame Brett won’t be able to
stay on his farm much longer. The bank is planning to foreclose early next
month.” “He’s going to lose his farm? The life he loves!” Kate blurts out
incredulously. Horrified she realizes Brett is standing in the doorway and must
have heard her. Embarrassed, Brett turns around and walks quickly out of the
house into the still falling snow.