Summer Heat

  Biting her lip, she decided nothing had ever felt more important to her than what she would say next.

  “I love you, Liam.”

  There was a moment of silence, and she realized that she felt like a weight had been lifted from her chest after saying the words.

  His smile grew, and for a moment, she thought his eyes glimmered with tears. “I love you too.”

  Her heart soared. Her wishes had come true.

  “What now?” she asked.

  He stood up and gathered her in his arms. “Whatever it is, whether we stick around here in this place or build our own home near the campgrounds, we’ll do it together.” He kissed her, and she felt her heart almost burst in her chest. “Which reminds me.” He leaned back and pulled out a small box from his pockets.

  She held her breath as he frowned down at it. “Zoey gave me this . . . to give to you. She told me to give it to you tonight, that you’d know what it meant.” He held it out. “I didn’t look, but I think I know what it is.”

  She relaxed slightly and took the box from him and opened it slowly; then she smiled down at the unicorn ring. The stupid thing was laughing at her as she slipped it on her finger.

  “She said that now, she has a different one to wear. So it’s your turn to have this,” Liam said.

  She met his eyes. “Yes, it is my turn.”

  He pulled her closer to him and kissed her until her knees buckled. “This is how I imagined it would be. How it would feel like,” he said, then leaned in and placed a soft kiss on her lips. “Just like this, with you.”

  “I . . .” She shook her head. “I never imagined having someone, something, this . . . perfect before.”

  He chuckled. “I’m far from perfect.”

  “No.” She took his face in her hands. “You are—you’re perfect for me.”

  He nodded. “I never imagined I’d fall in love with a princess. Never thought I’d fall in love, until you came along. I love you,” he said again, causing her heart to flutter.

  “I love you.” She reached up and kissed him. “You’re everything I ever wished for and more.”

  He kissed her as the hot summer breeze floated through the treetops and the branches and leaves swayed in the summer night’s wind.

  ABOUT THE AUTHOR

  Photo © 2019 Leelee Three Photography

  Jill Sanders is a New York Times, USA Today, and international bestselling author of sweet contemporary romance, romantic suspense, western romance, and paranormal romance novels. With over fifty-five books in eleven series, translations into several different languages, and audiobooks, there’s plenty to choose from. Look for Jill’s bestselling stories wherever romance books are sold.

  Jill comes from a large family with six siblings, including an identical twin. She was raised in the Pacific Northwest and later relocated to Colorado for college and a successful IT career before discovering her talent for writing sweet and sexy page-turners. After Colorado, she decided to move south, living in Texas and now making her home along the Emerald Coast of Florida. You will find that the settings of several of her series are inspired by her time spent living in these areas. She has two sons and has offset the testosterone in her house by adopting three furry little ladies that provide her company while she’s locked in her writing cave. She enjoys heading to the beach, hiking, swimming, wine tasting, and playing pickleball with her husband, and of course writing. If you have read any of her books, you may also notice that there is a love of food, especially sweets! She has been blamed for a few added pounds by her assistant, editor, and fans . . . donuts or pie, anyone?

  You can connect with Jill on Facebook at http://fb.com/JillSandersBooks, on Twitter @JillMSanders, and on her website at http://jillsanders.com.