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Christmas in the Cove

by Carol Ross

Adult Contemporary Romance

Mass Market Paperback & ebook, 384 pages

December 1st 2016 by Harlequin Heartwarming

A DEA stealth mission has brought coast guard Lt. Commander Eli Pelletier home. But when he ends up aiding rescue swimmer Aubrey Wynn during her own harrowing mission, powerful emotions reignite between them. Except Aubrey doesn’t want Eli’s protection. She wants answers.

Twelve years ago, Eli broke up with Aubrey without telling her the real reason he was leaving Pacific Cove. How can he try for a second chance if he’s forced to deceive her again? Amid suspected drug trafficking and a sabotaged Christmas contest, Eli must find a way to regain Aubrey’s trust without compromising his career or endangering the woman he loves.

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Excerpt:

Aubrey told herself she could do this. She was strong. She’d always been the strong one in her family, her sisters and her mom relied on her emotional support. She was the one who always kept it together. She was also the one who moved, who acted, who problem-solved and who made bad things better. Somehow, she promised herself, she would make Nina better.

“Stop fidgeting.” Eli wrapped an arm around her and pulled her close.

“You—”

“Don’t argue, please,” he urged. “Just try to get some sleep. I will wake you when the wind dies down.”

“I’m too tired to argue, but this doesn’t change the fact that I’m mad at you.”

“Believe me, that’s not something I can forget.”

“Eli—”

“Aubrey,” he interrupted, suddenly sounding tired himself, “we will talk about your…temporary break from duty later, okay? I will explain the situation as best as I can as soon as I can. Just get some sleep.”

“How am I supposed to sleep after that cryptic comment?” she asked grumpily. “You and Gale are like a couple of spies lately.”

His answer was to hold her tighter. But then he sighed and said, “You know what? You’re right.”

“I am?” she asked brightly.

“Yes. I realize how difficult this must be for you. So, for now, I can promise you it’s not as bad as you are thinking. You didn’t do anything wrong and you aren’t in trouble. But, the underlying situation that forced me to make this decision is also probably worse than you’re thinking. That’s all I’m going to tell you right now. Trust me. Please. Believe me when I tell you I had to do this.”

A part of her wanted to badger him for more information while another was relieved to hear even that much. Still another was irritated that he hadn’t told her that from the start. Although, she supposed he might have been trying to when he was texting earlier. Or he was going to tell her when he saw her, but then Nina… Yes, Nina. She closed her eyes and refocused on those vibes for her sister.

She finally drifted off. She didn’t know how many hours she’d slept when she awoke to discover that she was clinging to Eli like a desperate vine of ivy. She was lying mostly on top of him, chest to chest, her cheek resting near his shoulder. She stayed still a moment, listening to the slow, hard thump of his heart.

In the ensuing hours, he’d somehow managed to scoot them both down onto the floor. He was using a portion of his pack as a pillow while she’d apparently used him as a mattress. Her muscles were screaming in pain, so she knew his had to be, too, since his body was also absorbing the cold hard floor.

Moving slowly, careful not to wake him, she attempted to push herself up with one arm. Realizing her arm was asleep she shifted her weight more evenly. That hurt, so she brought up one knee, transferring some of her weight there. Essentially holding a one-armed push-up with Eli beneath her, she was deciding the best way to stand when his arms tightened around her.

“Good morning,” he said, his voice thick with amusement.

Her eyes darted to his to find his amused blue eyes staring into hers. His mouth was curling with a smile.

“How long have you been awake?” she asked flatly.

“Long enough to enjoy this little yoga routine you’ve got going.”

She released her arms and let her weight fall on top of him.

He whooshed out an “oomph” along with a chuckle. She sat up and glared at him.

“You slept.” He sounded pleased.

“Apparently. What time is it? Has there been any news?”

Carol Ross lives with her husband and one loveable miscreant of a dachshund in a small town in Washington close to both the ocean and the mountains. She adores the Pacific Northwest because it provides her with endless opportunities for the activities she loves—hiking, running, skiing, and spending time outdoors. Although she enjoys reading in many genres, she writes what she loves the most—romance, especially light-hearted stories about the fun, flirty, and often-tumultuous path toward a happily ever after.

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