Celeste St. Angelo left the bright lights and big city for the mountains of North Carolina to open the next phase of her flourishing Angel Therapy business, a healing and wellness center. With the grand opening looming she has no time for distractions, especially love.
When divine timing sparks an unexpected romance, will Egan and Celeste be able to leave their troubled pasts behind and find the courage to have a little faith in love?
He went to the kitchen and washed out their wine glasses, placing them in the drying rack. He grabbed two large Mason jars and filled them with water, then headed back to the great room. “Mind if I light your fire?” Egan asked.
Celeste burst out laughing. He hadn’t realized what was so funny until she said, “I bet you say that to all the girls!”
Egan grinned, his mouth turning up at one side. “I don’t usually ask . . . it just happens naturally.”
Celeste rolled her eyes, a smile still lighting them from within. Damn. If Egan could only make her smile like that all the time.
He loved the serious side of Celeste, but he loved her funny, lighter side even more. He’d never met anyone he could laugh with and cry in front of whom he also wanted to grab by the waist and dip into a serious kiss. God, that mouth. He would be dreaming about it tonight. He could feel himself staring, so he shook his head to clear it. He flipped on the switch for the gas fireplace, watching it spring to life. He settled back down on the couch next to Celeste. This time, he sat a little closer. He turned toward her, adjusting his leg, and brushed hers in the process. He felt the electricity shoot through his gut and straight into his heart. He wanted to hug her, protect her, and slide inside of her, all at the same time.
“What?” Celeste asked, using a small hand to gently turn his face toward hers. “You have such an intense look on your face right now. I don’t know what you’re thinking.”
“But you know what I’m feeling, don’t you?” Egan couldn’t stop himself if he’d wanted. He leaned his head to the side and melted his cheek into the softness of her hand. It felt so right there, cradling his strong jawline. He knew his five o’clock shadow would feel scratchy against the incredible smoothness of her skin. He couldn’t help but wonder how that hand would feel tracing down his chest and over his abs. How it would feel to have it smooth over the muscles in his thighs. His groin tightened at the thought of her fingers trailing over him, touching him, taking him. He leaned his head back against the couch and groaned.
“Perhaps this isn’t the best idea, Celeste,” he whispered.
“It’s definitely not a good idea, Egan.” But instead of pulling back, she leaned further into him, settling into the crook of his shoulder as she rested her head against his chest. “You smell so good. What are you wearing?”
Egan wrapped an arm around her shoulder, pulling her closer. “Um, soap?”
Celeste took in a deep breath again. “That cannot be just soap.”
“Soap and the natural scent God gave me.”
“Mmm,” she replied. “Lucky you.”
“Well, I don’t exactly sit around smelling myself, Celeste.”
“Yeah, that would be awkward.” She smiled when she looked at him, sitting up a little straighter on her feet, which she had tucked beneath her.
Her eyes were dark, but more. Flecks of amber kissed the brown that swirled around in her irises. He could lose himself in those eyes. Hell, I’m lost already. Who am I kidding?
She leaned forward, her eyes never leaving his. They were inches apart, and Egan had to clutch his fingers in a fist to stop himself from devouring her.
“Celeste,” he moaned, “if you start this, I might not be able to stop.”
“If I start this, I wouldn’t want you to stop,” she whispered.
Celeste burst out laughing. He hadn’t realized what was so funny until she said, “I bet you say that to all the girls!”
Egan grinned, his mouth turning up at one side. “I don’t usually ask . . . it just happens naturally.”
Celeste rolled her eyes, a smile still lighting them from within. Damn. If Egan could only make her smile like that all the time.
He loved the serious side of Celeste, but he loved her funny, lighter side even more. He’d never met anyone he could laugh with and cry in front of whom he also wanted to grab by the waist and dip into a serious kiss. God, that mouth. He would be dreaming about it tonight. He could feel himself staring, so he shook his head to clear it. He flipped on the switch for the gas fireplace, watching it spring to life. He settled back down on the couch next to Celeste. This time, he sat a little closer. He turned toward her, adjusting his leg, and brushed hers in the process. He felt the electricity shoot through his gut and straight into his heart. He wanted to hug her, protect her, and slide inside of her, all at the same time.
“What?” Celeste asked, using a small hand to gently turn his face toward hers. “You have such an intense look on your face right now. I don’t know what you’re thinking.”
“But you know what I’m feeling, don’t you?” Egan couldn’t stop himself if he’d wanted. He leaned his head to the side and melted his cheek into the softness of her hand. It felt so right there, cradling his strong jawline. He knew his five o’clock shadow would feel scratchy against the incredible smoothness of her skin. He couldn’t help but wonder how that hand would feel tracing down his chest and over his abs. How it would feel to have it smooth over the muscles in his thighs. His groin tightened at the thought of her fingers trailing over him, touching him, taking him. He leaned his head back against the couch and groaned.
“Perhaps this isn’t the best idea, Celeste,” he whispered.
“It’s definitely not a good idea, Egan.” But instead of pulling back, she leaned further into him, settling into the crook of his shoulder as she rested her head against his chest. “You smell so good. What are you wearing?”
Egan wrapped an arm around her shoulder, pulling her closer. “Um, soap?”
Celeste took in a deep breath again. “That cannot be just soap.”
“Soap and the natural scent God gave me.”
“Mmm,” she replied. “Lucky you.”
“Well, I don’t exactly sit around smelling myself, Celeste.”
“Yeah, that would be awkward.” She smiled when she looked at him, sitting up a little straighter on her feet, which she had tucked beneath her.
Her eyes were dark, but more. Flecks of amber kissed the brown that swirled around in her irises. He could lose himself in those eyes. Hell, I’m lost already. Who am I kidding?
She leaned forward, her eyes never leaving his. They were inches apart, and Egan had to clutch his fingers in a fist to stop himself from devouring her.
“Celeste,” he moaned, “if you start this, I might not be able to stop.”
“If I start this, I wouldn’t want you to stop,” she whispered.
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This sounds like a fun and emotional story and I just adore this cover. Very eye catching!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful cover!
ReplyDeleteSounds so good.
ReplyDeleteSounds good.
ReplyDeleteI love the cover
ReplyDelete