‘If you don’t like it we can choose a different one. Maybe I should have let you choose it. I’m sorry—as proposals go I totally messed that one up.’
‘No, you didn’t …’ She could hardly make her voice work. ‘It was perfect.’
‘I forgot the ring and I forgot to go down on one knee,’ he said dryly. ‘What was perfect about it?’
‘It was perfect because it was real. It came from the heart, not from a script. If you’d been fluent I would have thought you were acting.’
‘Really?’ His voice was raw and there was uncertainty in his eyes as he looked at her. ‘In that case is there any chance of an answer some time this century?’
‘Yes!’ The word flew from her heart to her lips. ‘Of course yes. I love you. You know I love you.’
Nathaniel rose to his feet and this time his kiss was hard and possessive. When he finally tore his mouth from hers, her head was spinning. ‘Now you’re wearing the ring and you can’t back out, I need to break the news about my family. If you’re hoping for conventional, then you might want to rethink. Jacob is determined to bring us all together so you’ll be meeting them all over the next few months and you’re going to wonder what you’ve got yourself involved in.’
‘So will you …’ Katie wrapped her arms around his neck, unable to contain the happiness that bubbled up inside her. ‘There’s something I haven’t told you about myself.’
‘You’ve been keeping secrets?’ He started to laugh. ‘You hypocrite—’
‘Paula Preston is my sister.’
‘Paula Preston?’ He frowned. ‘The super model?’
A horrible thought entered her head. ‘Have you—? Did you ever—?’
‘No. I definitely haven’t. She’s not my type. I assume she’s the reason you wear brown and are a late developer.’
Katie bit her lip. ‘It wasn’t easy having her as a sister.’
‘I can imagine. I met her once. Utter nightmare. But it’s good to know I’m not the only one with colourful relatives. I think our wedding is going to be interesting.’
‘You still want to marry me?’
‘Of course. Why wouldn’t I?’
‘Paula is the beautiful one. People always make comparisons.’
He hauled her against him. ‘There is no comparison. You’re sweet, she’s not. You care about people, she walks over people. And the biggest difference of all—’ his smile was slow and sexy ‘—is your bottom. She doesn’t have one and yours is every man’s erotic fantasy. Want me to prove it?’
Katie blushed. ‘If she comes to our wedding, she’ll probably try and seduce you. None of your relatives can possibly be as embarrassing as my sister.’
‘Don’t you believe it. My brother Lucas doesn’t think there’s any point in going to a wedding if he can’t try and have sex with the bride,’ Nathaniel drawled. ‘He will definitely try to seduce you at our wedding. Women love him, but I warn you that if you cast one look in his direction you’ll be spending the rest of your life on Wolfe Island with just me for company.’
Katie slid her arms around his neck, feeling as if she were floating. ‘An exotic island and the sexiest guy in the world? That sounds like a perfect ending to me.’
‘In that case—’ a smile touched the corners of his mouth and he lowered his head to kiss her ‘—it’s a wrap.’
1992: Jacob leaves Wolfe Manor …
After the devastating events that took place at Wolfe Manor, Jacob knew he had to get far away from everything—and everyone—he loved. Too overwhelmed to think more than a day or so ahead, he left England for France, and a succession of jobs to make ends meet. But, after just a few weeks, restless Jacob would always leave and travel onwards. And, as Jacob travelled, he wrote endless letters to his beloved siblings that he never quite found the courage to send …
Behind the scenes at Wolfe Manor …
Share a secret about Nathaniel or Katie?
Nathaniel Wolfe has a few big secrets tucked away but I wouldn’t be much of a friend to him (or you) if I gave them away without his permission, so I’ll share a small one—he’s not good with deep water.
Who is the biggest, baddest Wolfe?
That’s a difficult question because they’re all big and bad in different ways. For undiluted shocking behaviour and for seducing anything female, I suppose it has to be Lucas.
Which Wolfe brother did you most fancy?
Definitely Nathaniel. He’s the world’s hottest movie star, ferociously talented and the very best at what he does. Yes he’s damaged and has a very dark side, but he has real strength and I find that incredibly sexy. And he’s scorching hot!
Which is Nathaniel’s favourite room in Wolfe Manor?
Given all the things that happened to him during his childhood, Nathaniel isn’t a lover of Wolfe Manor. If I had to pick one room it would probably be the main hallway because it was the quickest route out of the house.
How did Nathaniel pop the big question?
Nathaniel has proposed to plenty of women in his movies but his words have always been taken from a script. He’s a talented actor, capable of making every word sound heartfelt without meaning anything he says. So when it came to proposing for the first time in real life, he had a challenge on his hands. He had to convince Katie that this time he meant what he was saying. I think it’s a very romantic scene because Nathaniel finally stops playing a part and reveals his true self to the woman he loves.
SARAH’S WRITING SECRETS …
What do you enjoy most about writing as part of a continuity series; how does it differ from writing a single title?
Writing is a solitary job. When you’re writing a single title, you’re on your own with your story and your characters all the way through. Being part of a continuity means having contact with other writers. Although you’re still writing the book on your own, you have the opportunity to share those ups and downs that come with every book and you couldn’t find a better bunch of people to share those moments with than the Modern™ authors. We started an e-mail loop so that we could voice any thoughts and ideas and ensure that what we were creating individually also made sense as a whole. Working with them and having that extra contact was great fun.
What do you think makes a great hero/heroine?
For me, a great hero has to have strength and bravery and by that I mean the ability to face up to anything life throws at him. I want to know that if things get tough he’s going to be right by the heroine’s side fighting for what they share, not walking away.
I like a heroine who can take care of herself and doesn’t allow herself to be pushed around, but also someone who enjoys being a woman and isn’t afraid to show her feminine side.
When you are writing, what is a typical day?
I start by checking my e-mails and dealing with anything urgent that has popped into my inbox overnight. Then I look at my schedule and check whether I have any other commitments in terms of blogging, etc. I don’t have my own blog so I blog in other places, but that means remembering to keep track of where and when so that I can be around to comment and chat with people.