My Forever Valentine: New Zealand Happy-Ever-After Romance (Due South: A Sexy New Zealand Romance Book 5) by Tracey Alvarez Page A
Authors: Tracey Alvarez
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want to spend three hours in a jeweler’s shop with me?”
“You know me too well.”
Ben extended his hand, and Kezia placed her palm in his. He slid the ring onto her finger.
“I know you’ll kill me if I quote ‘ditto’ from that Patrick Swayze movie you love, so I’ll try to be a little more original, even though you’ve completely blown my freaking mind.”
Laughter rippled through the crowd, but the love and tenderness shining in Ben’s gaze faded the background noise to a low buzz. Nothing else mattered but the way he was looking at her now.
“I love you, Kezia Marie Murphy,” he said. “The kind of love Westley had for Buttercup.” He glanced away from her to wink at Zoe and Jade.
Hot tears stung her eyes, and her chest constricted, leaving her breathing with tiny gasps. For so long he’d struggled to say the words, but she had no doubt—none at all—that he meant it. His hot gaze switched back to her, and he captured her other hand.
“I love you with the kind of love Mr. Darcy has for Elizabeth, and even the kind poor, dead Patrick Swayze had for Demi Moore. But more than the people in those books and sappy movies you insist on watching, I’ll love you with everything I am, with everything I’ve got, and I’ll never stop. I also promise to love you, care for you, make you smile—and probably cringe at times—and although my lasagne is almost inedible, I promise to pick twigs out of your hair when you’ve been gardening, and buy you chocolate whenever you need a fix.”
More laughter from their guests and a loud round of applause.
Ben twisted to glare behind him. “Hey! Keep it down; I haven’t finished.”
“Most I’ve heard you say since your mum made you apologize to me for stealing a chocolate cake out of my kitchen when you were nine,” Mrs. Taylor shouted and rapped her walking stick on the floor. “Shut up, you lot. The boy’s not done.”
Muffled snickers and the squeak of people shifting in their seats finally tapered off. Ben turned back to her again, and her stomach went all light and floaty.
“You’re an amazing woman, Kezia. You’re everything I’ve ever wanted, and I’m the luckiest guy in the world to have you and our two lovely girls in my life. Thank you, amore mio , for everything you are, and for making us a family.”
Overcome with emotion, she continued to gaze at him, his fingers gently squeezing hers.
Wally cleared his throat. “Well, I guess that concludes the vows part. I can see young Ben here is keen to get on with it, so as far as I’m concerned, you’re now husband and wife, and you can kiss your bride.”
The crowd hooted and hollered as Ben dragged her flush against him. Sliding her hands up over the soft knit of his tee shirt into his paint-speckled hair, Kezia fought the equal urge to laugh and cry, bubbles of joy exploding in her stomach.
“One minute, remember,” Ben whispered against her lips as he dipped her over his arm.
“ Maledizione , that’s not long enough! Let’s be scandalous and go for two.”
Then Kezia kissed her man until everyone in Due South was well and truly scandalized.
###
Read Kezia & Ben’s full story…
Melting Into You (Due South Book 2)
Big, sexy men who don’t relate well to kids need not apply…
Kezia Murphy plays her widow card well. When you don’t trust people not to let you down, it’s easier to not get involved—and getting involved with a man who makes her skin sizzle just by looking at him would be una pazzia—crazy! Four years ago while Kezia’s daughter, Zoe, battled leukaemia, a tragic accident stole her husband’s life. Starting over in the little town of Oban where she’s adopted into the close knit community on Stewart Island, Kezia and her daughter are all the family the other needs. Except Zoe yearns for more.
New Zealand’s worst candidate for instant fatherhood…
Ben doesn’t do gooey emotional stuff. He doesn’t do cosy
“You know me too well.”
Ben extended his hand, and Kezia placed her palm in his. He slid the ring onto her finger.
“I know you’ll kill me if I quote ‘ditto’ from that Patrick Swayze movie you love, so I’ll try to be a little more original, even though you’ve completely blown my freaking mind.”
Laughter rippled through the crowd, but the love and tenderness shining in Ben’s gaze faded the background noise to a low buzz. Nothing else mattered but the way he was looking at her now.
“I love you, Kezia Marie Murphy,” he said. “The kind of love Westley had for Buttercup.” He glanced away from her to wink at Zoe and Jade.
Hot tears stung her eyes, and her chest constricted, leaving her breathing with tiny gasps. For so long he’d struggled to say the words, but she had no doubt—none at all—that he meant it. His hot gaze switched back to her, and he captured her other hand.
“I love you with the kind of love Mr. Darcy has for Elizabeth, and even the kind poor, dead Patrick Swayze had for Demi Moore. But more than the people in those books and sappy movies you insist on watching, I’ll love you with everything I am, with everything I’ve got, and I’ll never stop. I also promise to love you, care for you, make you smile—and probably cringe at times—and although my lasagne is almost inedible, I promise to pick twigs out of your hair when you’ve been gardening, and buy you chocolate whenever you need a fix.”
More laughter from their guests and a loud round of applause.
Ben twisted to glare behind him. “Hey! Keep it down; I haven’t finished.”
“Most I’ve heard you say since your mum made you apologize to me for stealing a chocolate cake out of my kitchen when you were nine,” Mrs. Taylor shouted and rapped her walking stick on the floor. “Shut up, you lot. The boy’s not done.”
Muffled snickers and the squeak of people shifting in their seats finally tapered off. Ben turned back to her again, and her stomach went all light and floaty.
“You’re an amazing woman, Kezia. You’re everything I’ve ever wanted, and I’m the luckiest guy in the world to have you and our two lovely girls in my life. Thank you, amore mio , for everything you are, and for making us a family.”
Overcome with emotion, she continued to gaze at him, his fingers gently squeezing hers.
Wally cleared his throat. “Well, I guess that concludes the vows part. I can see young Ben here is keen to get on with it, so as far as I’m concerned, you’re now husband and wife, and you can kiss your bride.”
The crowd hooted and hollered as Ben dragged her flush against him. Sliding her hands up over the soft knit of his tee shirt into his paint-speckled hair, Kezia fought the equal urge to laugh and cry, bubbles of joy exploding in her stomach.
“One minute, remember,” Ben whispered against her lips as he dipped her over his arm.
“ Maledizione , that’s not long enough! Let’s be scandalous and go for two.”
Then Kezia kissed her man until everyone in Due South was well and truly scandalized.
###
Read Kezia & Ben’s full story…
Melting Into You (Due South Book 2)
Big, sexy men who don’t relate well to kids need not apply…
Kezia Murphy plays her widow card well. When you don’t trust people not to let you down, it’s easier to not get involved—and getting involved with a man who makes her skin sizzle just by looking at him would be una pazzia—crazy! Four years ago while Kezia’s daughter, Zoe, battled leukaemia, a tragic accident stole her husband’s life. Starting over in the little town of Oban where she’s adopted into the close knit community on Stewart Island, Kezia and her daughter are all the family the other needs. Except Zoe yearns for more.
New Zealand’s worst candidate for instant fatherhood…
Ben doesn’t do gooey emotional stuff. He doesn’t do cosy
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