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Loving You at Christmas
Kristin Wallace
Hello! I’m so happy & honored to be part of the FOURTH Sweet
Christmas Kisses box set. This has become an annual tradition and it’s always
exciting.
LOVING YOU AT CHRISTMAS is part
of my Shellwater Key Tales series.
In fact, it’s the final book in the
series. The series started out as a trio of books revolving around 3 childhood
best friends who return to their hometown in Florida (Left Turn At Paradise, Straight On Toward Paradise, Last Stop At
Paradise) and become involved in reviving the old Paradise Dinner Theatre. Then
the series grew to include a companion novel to Book 1 (Coming Home To Paradise), which I developed from scenes I’d
removed from the original draft. I also published 2 holiday novellas (Finding You At Christmas & Falling For
You At Christmas).
When I launched Last Stop At Paradise earlier in the year, I really thought
that was the end. It even said “Last
Stop” in the title. Then I realized I needed to write another holiday novella
for Sweet Christmas Kisses (cue ironic laughter). I wasn’t ready to launch a
new series, so what to do? Thankfully, I also realized I had one more character floating around the
Shellwater Key universe. Annaliese
Matheson showed up in Left Turn At
Paradise, but along the way I kind of lost track of her. She’s a former
Broadway star and friend of director Grayson Kendall who comes to Shellwater
Key to star in the first show. Annaliese has a bit of a tragic history. Her
beloved husband Matthew – who was also a Broadway star – died suddenly right in
front of her. Devastated by the loss, Annaliese left the stage behind. It’s
only when Grayson asks her to star in his show that she reluctantly returns.
I loved the idea of giving Annaliese a happily ever after. Of course, I
needed a man for her…and oh boy…did I
come up with a good one. Enter John-Luke
(Duke) Evans, former pro football player. It’s hard to think of two people
who could be more different than a stage actress and an athlete. Duke is sooooo different from her first husband.
How could she fall for someone who is such a polar opposite? Well…sometimes it
just works and the differences are things that make them stronger as a couple.
It doesn’t hurt that Duke Evans is SUPER hot. I mean, really…he’s delicious and sexy. I think you’ll love him, too.
Here’s an excerpt with just a
taste of their chemistry:
When Annaliese’s cell rang later that evening, she knew
who it was without glancing at the screen. She took a couple of breaths,
deliberately letting the phone ring a few times, before answering. “Hello?”
“Meet me at the parking lot on the south end of The
Strip.”
Such arrogance. She wasn’t going to make it that easy for him. “Who is this?”
Duke Evans’ husky laugh sent fingers of sensation running
all over her body. Maybe she shouldn’t go. This kind of chemistry might be
dangerous, especially coming off such a long period of…nothing. Especially when
the man in question was so different from Matthew in every single way. It
wasn’t logical or reasonable.
“Annaliese, I’m too old to play games,” Duke Evans said,
though the thread of amusement remained in his voice. “I need to see you.”
Okay fine, no games on her end, either. “I’m not sure
that’s wise, Mr. Evans.”
“Who said we need to be wise, Ms. Matheson?”
Arrogant, sure, but he was also charming, and smart. It
was an intriguing combination. “I don’t think I’m ready. My husband died and—”
“It’s a stroll on the boardwalk, surrounded by hundreds of
people who will be focused on the Christmas lights and whatever senior-citizen
musical group Shellwater Key can put together.”
“Now who’s playing games?” she countered. “I don’t know
that I can handle this…handle you.”
She heard the quick, indrawn breath on his end. “You
really shouldn’t say things like handle
me, Ms. Matheson. I might get ideas.” His voice had grown even huskier.
“Listen, I’ve been surrounded by little girls for the last six months. There’s
a chance I won’t know what to do with you.”
Annaliese laughed at such an outright lie. “I’ll believe
that when Hell freezes over, but all right, I’ll meet you in thirty minutes.”
“Ten minutes.”
“Twenty-five.”
“Fifteen.”
Annaliese glanced in the mirror, caught a glimpse of the
ecstatic grin on her face, and quickly readjusted her expression. She also
noticed her wrinkled clothes and unkempt hair, a result of a full day of
extreme nervousness and pressure. “I’m a wreck. I don’t know what I can
accomplish in only fifteen minutes.”
“You could show up wearing a potato sack and I wouldn’t
care,” he said, sounding impossibly arrogant and commanding and so sexy she
almost whimpered. “And don’t you dare touch your hair. Be there in fifteen
minutes.”
“I don’t think I like it when a man tells me what to do.”
“Annaliese.” He laughed again, sounding both frustrated
and amused. “Just be there in fifteen minutes or I’ll come to you.”
“You don’t know where I live.”
“This is Shellwater Key, I can find out your address in
about five minutes,” he said. “If you’re scared of being in public with me,
just think about having me in your place.”
The thought of having
him anywhere made her blood sizzle, and she did whimper this time. “You
shouldn’t say things like that, either.”
“Fifteen minutes, Annaliese. That’s as long as I’m
prepared to wait.”
Want to read more?
Buy your Sweet Christmas Kisses 4 today and discover LOVING YOU AT CHRISTMAS, along with the other sweet holiday
romances in the set. I know you won’t be disappointed.
***GIVEAWAY***
SHARE this post on Facebook or Twitter and be entered to win a $10
Amazon Gift Card. Reply that you’ve done it with a link back or screen shot and
you’re entered! For Twitter you can just include my handle @KWallaceAuthor in
your post.
Plus, since it is “almost”
Christmas, I’d like to offer you a little gift for your stocking (or your e-reader).
Sign up for my newsletter https://www.instafreebie.com/free/wMWhn and download FINDING YOU AT CHRISTMAS FREE!
Kristin Wallace is a
USA Today Bestselling author of
inspirational and sweet contemporary romance filled with “love, laughter and a
leap of faith”. She is the author of two bestselling series,
Covington Falls Chronicles
(inspirational romance) and
Shellwater
Key Tales (contemporary romance).
Contact her at:
Website: http://kristinwallaceauthor.com
Facebook: http://facebook.come/KristinWallaceAuthor
Twitter: http://twitter.com/KWallaceAuthor
Instagram: http://instagram.com/kristinwallace_author
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