"How could I ever go on without her..."
RYAN'S LOVE
Author: C.A. Harms
Series: Sawyer Brothers #1
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Publisher: Limitless Publishing
Release Date: August 11, 2015
- SYNOPSIS -
One of the hardest things I have ever had to do was bury my wife.
One of the hardest things I have ever had to do was bury my wife.
The second hardest thing would be watching my 12 year old daughter fall to her knees as they lowered her mother into the ground to rest.
A heart wrenching vision that will forever be etched in my mind.
Claire was my best friend, she had been since we were barely old enough to talk. I always knew, one day, I would marry her. I think I may have even told her that a few times while we were growing up.
Never did I think I would lose her so suddenly.
I knew at that moment…
Our life would never be the same again…
I couldn’t contain my happiness. Hell, I had forgotten what it was like to hold a woman close. To hold her hand in mine or to bury my face at the base of her neck, just where it meets her shoulder. The comfort of having a woman in my arms was something I thought I’d never have the pleasure of again.
Amber was different than any other woman I had met over the years. She was so sweet, shy, and compassionate. She was so easy to talk to, and the way she listened to me made me feel like she was hanging on my every word. The way she looked at me also made me feel like I’d hung the moon. It was reassuring to have someone I could share time with, someone that didn’t know me during the darkest part of my life. She gave me the chance to let a little of the old me shine through. I had really missed the old me.
“Climb up,” I said from behind her as she stood staring up at the horse only a few feet from her with a look of panic on her face. I was more than positive this was the closest this city girl had ever been to one.
She peered back over her shoulder, and I almost laughed at how overwhelmed she looked.
“I’m from the city,” she said with wide eyes, emphasizing her loss at what to do. “Ryan, you do understand that we have subways and taxis, right? We do not have horses that are the size of SUVs. I’m going to need a little help if you expect me—” She pointed toward her chest, then spun around to point at the horse. “—to get up on that thing.”
Now I did chuckle. It was impossible not to. She was damn near panicking at the thought of how she would mount and then ride the horse.
I stepped up behind her, my chest fitting flush against her back. Gripping her hips, I leaned my head closer and grazed my lips over her ear. Her body relaxed against mine, and she tilted her head to the side, opening up her neck to me.
As I placed a kiss at the base of her neck, she shuddered in my arms. “You have to put your foot in the stirrups,” I whispered before kissing just below her ear. “I’ll lift as you pull yourself up.”
She nodded with her eyes closed as her chest moved up and down in small pants.
“Go on,” I urged.
I lifted her as she gripped the saddle, and she yelped when I firmly placed her atop Storm, my father’s Oldenburg stallion. Jackson held him steady as I pulled myself up and took my spot behind Amber. Our bodies were so close together I could feel her ragged breaths as she shifted against me with each one.
Earlier, I’d been worried about bringing her to my parents’ house. I wasn’t sure how they would feel about seeing me with another woman after all this time. When I stopped by last night for dinner, I wanted to make sure it was okay, and their answers shocked me. My mother cried and assured me that moving on was for the best. She then admitted she had worried I would never truly be happy again and that imagining me alone without someone to love me broke her heart.
My father gave me one of those manly hugs and said he looked forward to meeting the woman who was bringing back his son. His words rang true as I too felt Amber was allowing me to feel alive again. She had returned my desire to feel, to love.
Jackson, on the other hand, just kept commenting on how good-looking the girl that caught my attention was. He made sure to throw in the fact he met her first and had already been inside her apartment. The cocky son of a bitch was so full of himself, he chose to leave out the part about only being there to move furniture. Noah, of course, was more of the silent type, yet his eyes showed he was pleased with my choices.
“You ready?” I asked Amber while wrapping my arms around her waist and grabbing the reins.
She nodded, and I looked over one last time to see Jackson grinning from ear to ear.
Amber was different than any other woman I had met over the years. She was so sweet, shy, and compassionate. She was so easy to talk to, and the way she listened to me made me feel like she was hanging on my every word. The way she looked at me also made me feel like I’d hung the moon. It was reassuring to have someone I could share time with, someone that didn’t know me during the darkest part of my life. She gave me the chance to let a little of the old me shine through. I had really missed the old me.
“Climb up,” I said from behind her as she stood staring up at the horse only a few feet from her with a look of panic on her face. I was more than positive this was the closest this city girl had ever been to one.
She peered back over her shoulder, and I almost laughed at how overwhelmed she looked.
“I’m from the city,” she said with wide eyes, emphasizing her loss at what to do. “Ryan, you do understand that we have subways and taxis, right? We do not have horses that are the size of SUVs. I’m going to need a little help if you expect me—” She pointed toward her chest, then spun around to point at the horse. “—to get up on that thing.”
Now I did chuckle. It was impossible not to. She was damn near panicking at the thought of how she would mount and then ride the horse.
I stepped up behind her, my chest fitting flush against her back. Gripping her hips, I leaned my head closer and grazed my lips over her ear. Her body relaxed against mine, and she tilted her head to the side, opening up her neck to me.
As I placed a kiss at the base of her neck, she shuddered in my arms. “You have to put your foot in the stirrups,” I whispered before kissing just below her ear. “I’ll lift as you pull yourself up.”
She nodded with her eyes closed as her chest moved up and down in small pants.
“Go on,” I urged.
I lifted her as she gripped the saddle, and she yelped when I firmly placed her atop Storm, my father’s Oldenburg stallion. Jackson held him steady as I pulled myself up and took my spot behind Amber. Our bodies were so close together I could feel her ragged breaths as she shifted against me with each one.
Earlier, I’d been worried about bringing her to my parents’ house. I wasn’t sure how they would feel about seeing me with another woman after all this time. When I stopped by last night for dinner, I wanted to make sure it was okay, and their answers shocked me. My mother cried and assured me that moving on was for the best. She then admitted she had worried I would never truly be happy again and that imagining me alone without someone to love me broke her heart.
My father gave me one of those manly hugs and said he looked forward to meeting the woman who was bringing back his son. His words rang true as I too felt Amber was allowing me to feel alive again. She had returned my desire to feel, to love.
Jackson, on the other hand, just kept commenting on how good-looking the girl that caught my attention was. He made sure to throw in the fact he met her first and had already been inside her apartment. The cocky son of a bitch was so full of himself, he chose to leave out the part about only being there to move furniture. Noah, of course, was more of the silent type, yet his eyes showed he was pleased with my choices.
“You ready?” I asked Amber while wrapping my arms around her waist and grabbing the reins.
She nodded, and I looked over one last time to see Jackson grinning from ear to ear.
- TEASERS -
- ABOUT THE AUTHOR -
CA Harms
C.A. Harms is like any other addicted reader. She enjoys happy endings and HEA love stories. She hasn't always been a lover of Romance and had once been addicted to a good Mystery. Just recently she has taken on a new liking and now is a full blown Romance novel addict.
She lives in Illinois and enjoys spending time with her husband and two children. You will always find her with her kindle or paperback in hand as it is her favorite pass time.
Twitter: https://twitter.com/charms0814
Limitless Publishing: http://www.limitlesspublishing.net/authors/c-a-harms/
NEWSLETTER: http://bit.ly/1xsgHCS
5 STARS
Ryan lost his wife and in turn lost himself. He spent three years grieving and the only that that kept him going was their daughter Olivia.
He focused solely on raising her the best way he could and the closeness they shared was inspiring. He was a father and a friend, he cherished his daughter and each day that past she became a little more like her mother. It was bittersweet and Ryan struggled with moving on.
When Amber moves to town for fresh start from the life she had grown to hate, she never expected to stumble across Ryan or his beautiful family.
She quickly grew to love not only him but his brothers and his daughter.
It was not easy, there were struggles.
A young girl who felt like she was losing the last memories she had of her deceased mother as her father decided to begin dating again. Olivia began to rebel and in turn this caused struggles for Ryan. He knew what he wanted and what he was beginning to feel for Amber was something he wanted to explore, yet the anger and hurt in his daughters eyes made him question his choices.
Amber was selfless and truly an amazing character. She was the perfect fit for Ryan and exactly the kind of woman that Olivia needed.
I can't wait to read the next installment of this new series because the heat between Bailey and Jackson is scorching. I have a feeling their'e will be a page turner.
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