With This Ring, I Thee Kill: Valentine Mystery Book 3

"Love love love this series." ~ Amazon Reviewer

This product is an EBOOK compatible with any modern digital device:

• Kindle Tablet or Kindle Reader
• Apple Books
• Google Play Books
• Nook
• Kobo
• Native e-readers on Apple and Android products
• Microsoft Surface and Tablets of all kinds
• iPads, iPods, iPhones
• Android phones and devices

How does it work?

• Purchase from the author, Jenna Harte, direct and $ave!
• Follow the download link on the order confirmation page (links also sent by email)
• Read and enjoy!
  

Excerpt 

Tess walked up the steps of the large country home. Her home. She'd finally settled on the idea that Jack's home was hers as well. It had taken nearly losing him, once because he'd had enough of her craziness and once because he'd been shot, for her to realize that as scary as love could be, it was worse trying to live without him.

Tess entered the house to the sound of Etta James' "I Just Want to Make Love to You" wafting down from upstairs. That could only mean one thing-- Jack was in a romantic mood. Her heart skipped a beat at what he might have in store for her. She headed up the stairs and into their bedroom. She half expected him to be posed naked on the bed, perhaps with a box of chocolate hiding his real treasure. But the bed was empty. The music continued to flow. She followed it, walking through their room to the sun porch. The sweltering heat of the June day was subsiding. With the ceiling fan, the porch was nearly comfortable.

Jack sat next to a table, a bucket of ice with champagne rested by his side. When he saw her, he smiled; and as always, it sent her heart soaring. He had the most amazing smile, with a single, beguiling dimple. The only thing that could distract from it was his unique blue-green eyes.

He stood, took her in his arms, and greeted her with a thorough kiss that sent her blood racing and her bones melting.

"How was your day?" He nuzzled against her neck.

"Huh?" Not much could get through the fog Jack's kisses created in her brain.

He laughed. "Everything okay down in Deputy Dan land?" He referred to her friend, and Jack's sometimes nemesis, Detective Daniel Showalter.

"All is well. I think I should charge them more, though."

"I'm sure you're right. You've only helped solve two cases for them in the last few weeks."

Tess hadn't officially decided to work as a legal consultant. She'd been willing to work for free when Jack's former lover, Liv Danforth, involved him in murder. Tess played a significant role in solving the crime and since then had been asked to consult on two cold cases. This time she charged a fee. While she didn't need the money, she didn't want to be idle, living off Jack or the more than ample trust fund from her grandparents.

"What's going on here?" Tess scanned the romantic scene he'd set. "Are we celebrating?"

"Every day."

Although it was schmaltzy, Tess' insides always went gooey when he talked like that. He made her feel like the center of the universe. She had slowly come to believe him.

"I have something for you." He took her hand, leading her to the table where he picked up a small bakery box.

"Raiding my confections again?"

"I prefer your bonbons."

Tess lifted a brow. "Naughty."

"I did snatch one truffle." He handed her the box.

"You're giving me a truffle I made?"

He nodded. "Generous, aren't I?"

His eyes twinkled with happiness and something more. Intrigued, she opened the box. Sitting on top of the truffle held by piped frosting sat a heart-shaped sapphire and diamond ring. Her eyes immediately went to his.

He smiled, taking the ring from the top of the truffle. "You already said yes."

Tess swallowed the lump in her throat. She had indeed said yes when he'd asked her to marry him as he lay bleeding and dying weeks before. She hadn't expected a ring, as she didn't feel she needed one. But it was something he would do. Of the two of them, he was the more romantic.

"I thought we should make it official," he finished, wiping the remnants of frosting off the ring and sliding it on her finger.

"It wasn't official before?" She looked into eyes as brilliant as the gems he'd just put on her finger.

"Yes. But you need a ring."

"It's beautiful."

"It took me forever to find the right ring. I've been looking for weeks."

"The right ring?"

"I couldn't get you just any ring. You have to wear it for the rest of your life, hand it down to our children. It needed to be special."

Tess smiled at the idea he chose a ring not just to represent love and commitment, but as something enduring. An heirloom. "It's perfect."

He pulled her to him, kissing her as if it were the first time, the last time. A kiss for all time. It ended only because they needed to breathe. He stared at her in a look she'd come to recognize.

"We're not having champagne now, are we?"

"No." He swept her up in his arms and carried her to their bedroom. "I want to consummate this deal before you have a chance to change your mind."

"That only works once we're married."

"It should be binding on engagements too."

"I'll have to look that up in my law books."

"Later." He tossed her on the bed. "Much later."

She was alright with that. It's not like consummation was a hardship. No, far from it. Jack was the epitome of alpha male, with his tall, lean body, charm, and over-confidence that made him endearing more than annoying. It still amazed her that he'd chosen her. That he loved her so deeply. And now he was promising to love her forever.

Their lips fused, only parting when necessary in the removal of clothing. They rolled on the bed until Tess got the upper hand. She straddled his hips and then took an inventory using sight and touch. She dragged her fingers down his muscular chest, smiling when his breath hitched.

Her fingers stopped over the small scar that now branded his abdomen. It was a reminder of how close she'd come to losing him. At how much losing him would have cost her. It had been her fault he was shot, so guilt intertwined with her feelings. She leaned over, brushed her lips over the scar, a penance that didn't seem quite enough.

"Hey." Jack's soft voice called to her. "It's not your fault. Liv was the one with the gun."

Of course he'd know what she was thinking. She'd had nightmares that the day he was shot hadn't turned out so well. Then there was the constant replaying of the situation in her mind, knowing if she'd acted differently, he wouldn't have been shot at all. If she hadn't tried to knock the gun out of Liv's hand at that moment or in that way, maybe it wouldn't have gone off and struck him.

His hands on her cheeks brought her back to him. "You know, if I hadn't been shot, we might not be here right now."

She frowned. "I told you in New York that I was all in. That I was committed to you and our relationship."

"I know. But maybe we wouldn't be engaged. Just because you were all in doesn't mean you were ready for marriage."

She supposed he was right.

"I can't tell you how many times in New York I wanted to ask you, but I thought it was too much, too soon. After all, days before, our relationship was practically over."

"I guess you're right."

It was his turn to frown. "Are you sure about this? I asked you to marry me when I thought I might be dying and you said yes, probably just to make me feel better."

She shook her head. "I meant it when I said yes. I didn't like the timing, but I wasn't giving in to a dying man's wish."

"Are you sure?"

"Absolutely. You're right that maybe we wouldn't be engaged right now if you hadn't been shot, but the shooting only sped up the inevitable. It put everything in perspective. I love you. I want everything you've always said you wanted for us. My fears had me putting the brakes on, to slow things down. But I was always heading in this direction." She smiled. "You can't get out of now, Valentine. I'm going to marry you."