MY FOREVER SUGAR
By Annabelle Anders
PROLOGUE
Isabella
A Remote Beach on St. Thomas Island
“Marry me, Isabella.”There isn’t a more romantic location in the world for a girl to hear these words. Gentle waves lap at the pristine sand as the sun casts its golden glow on the world. A gentle breeze lifts the hem of my dress, swirling it around my legs.
Hot breath warms the sensitive skin behind my ear.
“I don’t want this to end,” his thick voice whispers, though I hear the deep ache within.
Because of me!
This man. He does things to me I never could have imagined. Heart things. Feelings things. My hands explore the chorded muscles beneath the fabric of Tucker’s shirt. Earlier that morning I trailed my lips along the same line, sans shirt, of course.
He pulls away and emerald green eyes stare beyond my gaze– right into my soul. “I love you, Isabella. I didn’t come here planning to find this– to find you. And I know it seems crazy. I don’t want to try the long-distance thing. I’m not willing to take a chance on losing you. I love everything about you. I love the way you smile when I talk about my kids. I love the way you look out for everyone else. I love the way your eyes darken when I’m inside you. I need to breathe the same air you breathe. I don’t want to live the rest of my life without you. Make me happy again Isabella. Marry me?”
I met Tucker seven days ago.
Seven.
Days.
He lives on a ranch in Colorado. I live in California. I’ve never met his children, or his family. I know very little about his work, where he lives, or how he spends his days in normal life. We’ve spent all of one week together on this luxurious beachfront property, drinking mimosas, playing in the water, taking moonlight strolls at midnight.
But sometimes.
You just know.
He’s the one. Since meeting him I finally started living. I’ve found the other half of myself. It’s crazy. I know it’s crazy, but I love him so much! I’m not willing to take a chance on losing him either.
“Yes,” I answer and grin. “I love you Tucker! Yes. Yes. Yes!” He lowers his head and melts me with his mouth. And then I’m being swung around in circles. Strong arms lock around my waist, Tucker’s spinning us on the sand. The light of the sun fades from gold to a crimson rose.
Paradise.
I’ve found the man of my dreams in paradise.
CHAPTER ONE
Isabella
“Irefuse tosearch for a new roommate until after the ceremony.” Ashlee, my best friend has yet to come on board with the life changing decision I made while on vacation last month. Leaning against the door frame she watches me with her steady gray gaze. This wasn’t the way things were supposed to happen. I’m the careful one. She’s the red-headed crazy temperamental one, the girl who takes chances and fears nothing. I appreciate her worry but am getting a little irritated with her pessimistic comments. She approves of the three-carat rock Tucker gave me but is less enthusiastic about my decision to move a thousand miles away and marry him. “Just remember your room will be vacant for another month. For when you come to your senses,” she adds with a sidelong glance.
I remove the contents from my last drawer and stuff them into the second of my two oversized Louis Vuitton suitcases. My heart lurches. I hate that she’s planted a tiny seed of doubt inside me.
Not that I have reservations about Tucker. Or the love I feel for him. Since we parted at the airport on St. Thomas Island twenty-seven days ago, we’ve had one long ongoing text conversation. And we talk on the phone nearly every night.
He asks about my writing, the progress of my current book, what I did that day, if Ashlee has let up. Yes, he knows all about her cynical outlook for us. And, the thing is, he’s been totally cool. In fact, he says he’s glad I have a friend who cares so much about me.
The doubts creep in when I think of everything else. All the unknowns. Will his kids like me? What if I hate living on a ranch, hours away from a real city? And what about the rest of his family? He has, like, a zillion brothers and one sister. I’m sort of terrified for them to meet me.
And then there are all the animals! Cows. Horses. Bears?
Mountain roads.
