A Christmas Delivery

By Akoya Rayne

A motherless child, a lone-parent father, and a mother’s matchmaking skill to unite all three.

Nicara Elms has been living her life her way without a man for the past seven years. Hidden away in her peaceful cottage after the loss of her daughter, she shies away from the public eye and the high society lifestyle her parents live for. However, everything changes when she meets her next door neighbor’s handsome son.

Tobias Ellis has moved back in with his mother and young son following the break-up of his marriage. Giving into his mother's demands, he finally agrees to meet the girl next door, and Nicara is blown away by what she feels for him the first time he holds her in his arms.

With Christmas fast approaching, something wonderful is about to happen, and a special delivery will bring these two lovers even closer than they could ever have imagined.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Akoya Rayne
• Release date: Feb 14, 2018
• ISBN: 9781370169405

Akoya Rayne

Akoya Rayne/Dakota-Luise Wolf/ Tawny Leigh is the pseudonym of a stay-at-home mother, when she’s not writing; she’s raising her children and fur babies.She is an avid reader of most genres of romance and loves getting wrapped up in a good book. When she isn’t reading and writing on her next book, she’s doing crafts, gardening or movie time with her family.She breathes stories, she dreams them, and she can’t escape them – for her there everywhere, which is why she writes – she writes to bring her emotions and thoughts into this crazy world, and she loves to share them with so many people as she can.Her books can be found in every major ereader library, including Amazon, Barnes and Noble, iBooks, Kobo, Sony, Google Play, Drafts2Digital.

Book preview

Prologue

Nicara

Five years earlier….

---

"N icara, you’re sixteen years old and pregnant, my father bellowed throughout our up market mansion. You have to be reasonable. You didn’t terminate when you had the chance, and I think adoption is the only way for you to go ."

I will never do that to my child, no matter how her innocent life was conceived, Father. I sat in the leather arm chair with my back straight and stiff. There was no way I was going to let my father take my daughter away from me.

Nicara, please be reasonable... my father began, but I began to shake my head.

Father, please listen, I began trying to keep my emotions in check. When I told you eight months ago what your so-called friend did to me, you flat out refused to believe me, but believe me when I tell you that the only person that will raise my daughter will be me and me alone. I stood up, feeling dizzy. I needed some fresh air. Excuse me, Father. I‘m going to get some fresh air. You can shout at me all you want, but this is my decision to make and no one else.

Ileft my father’s study with him shouting my name, but I ignored him, and continued to walk toward the entrance. Tom, our butler, opened the door, and stepped in was the very person I never wanted to see again .

Nicara.

Falon, I said distastefully through gritted teeth.

I see that your father hasn’t got you to agree then?

Never. You can stay away from me and the baby; you are nothing but a monster, I said, backing away as he came toward me.

Nicara, I am not a monster.

You took advantage of me when I was ill, I replied. I was in and out of consciousness, and you raped me.

I made a run through the open door as he made a grab for me, and I escaped my father and Falon Donovan, the monster that changed my life forever.

Iwalked with no particular destination in mind. I was angry that my father was still friends with that snake, and that he didn’t believe me. I let the tears fall, while people passed me and didn’t utter a single word. At least I had my cottage that I could move into soon, and mother and Jeff were there now setting everything up so that I could disappear from the limelight and all the shame that I’d caused for my parents, and raise my daughter in peace and as far away from Falon as I could possible get .

I wasn’t aware of where I was or the world around me as I stepped out onto the road, and the next thing I knew, there was a loud nose and screeching, and then everything went black. As the darkness closed in on me, my only thought was my unborn daughter.

Chapter 1

Nicara

Present day…

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It was finally a warm spring Wednesday, after a harsh autumn and winter of continued rain, sleet, hail and a couple of thunderstorms to boot, and I am knee deep in my gardening .

The winter snow and spring rains had been so severe that it made the gardening hard to do, and now that the weather was fine and warmer, I decided that it was time to attack the overgrowth from the meadow at the end of my garden and see if I could find my five-foot brick wall beneath the wild ivy and brambles.

My face was smeared with sweat and dirt from where I had wiped it away.

I hate you horrible things, I said as I cut more away from my wall as I got caught by the brambles for the hundredth time in the last hour.

Well, that's not a nice thing to say, a strange male voice said suddenly. You don't even know me.

Startling me, I dropped my clippers and lost my balance on my step ladder and started to fall. I screamed, but fell in to a pair of strong arms. I opened my eyes and came face to face with the vision of an immortal god. He was sexy, and had an alluring presence about him that made me feel as though my knees would buckle from underneath me if he didn’t already have hold of me. And I didn’t want to leave his warm embrace.

Th... thank you, I replied nervously. I realized that the stranger must have jumped over my wall to catch me so quickly.

That's alright, he said. I think that it is my fault for startling you more, but I did try ringing your doorbell. I'm Tobias. He hasn't released me. Not that I was complaining, as there was something comforting about being held in his arms. Even though he was a complete stranger to me, there was something very familiar about him.

I'm Nicara. And, yes, you did frighten me. I'm not use to anyone walking around my garden, as I’m pretty much secluded, I replied.

I figured that you weren't saying that you hate me, he replied with a devilishly handsome grin.

Urm... could you let me go, please? I asked.

I was starting to feel a stirring of desire for him, which made me feel a little uncomfortable with myself. As all I wanted to do was reach up and kiss him, which was totally unlike me, and I felt defenseless against the attraction that I was beginning to feel towards him.

Umm…Oh yes. Of course I can, he replied as he realized that he still had hold of me.

As I stood upright, he didn't take his eyes off me. He was truly a breathtaking sight to behold - totally irresistible and gorgeous. His eyes were the deepest blue I had ever seen. I could stand and look straight into them and never worry about anything. His hair was short and brownish blonde, and I wished I could just run my fingers through it. He was well built; I could feel his muscles in his arms when he held me.

No, I wasn't, I replied as I blushed bright red. I was attacking the hedge to find my wall and ledge again and I kept getting caught by the brambles. He kept his arms around my waist.

Ah, I can see why you hate them so, Tobias replied with a little chuckle as he saw all my cuts and scratches on my hands, arms, and neck. You are alright, though? I mean, you’re not hurt, are you?

How sweet. He was a true gentleman. So charming and concerned that I might be hurt, though I was a complete stranger to him.

I'm fine. Just my pride that is in tatters at my feet, I replied as I wiped my forehead again as realizing that I had soiled his clean grey t-shirt when he caught me in his arms. I am sorry that I ruined your shirt.

It will wash, but I'm glad that you are alright. I hadn't meant to startle or alarm you, Tobias said. And you look fine to me.

I began to wipe the dirt from my hand on my jeans.

Tobias towered over my five feet seven inches. Likely over six foot. The sun setting behind him made him every painter’s dream. He was perfection personified. If only I could draw like Michelangelo; I would make a fortune if Tobias were my model.

If you don't mind me asking, what are you doing here? I asked as I started to gather my scattered wits. There isn't another house for half a mile, and there are no footpaths except for my private driveway. I began to wonder where he came from.

There's no need to be alarmed, Tobias replied as my eyebrow immediately arched up, wondering if I was truly safe with him. I have just moved into the house that you have as your nearest neighbor, and I wanted to introduce myself. I have often walked these meadows between our houses, but there was no-one living here last time I was here for any length of time.

Oh, I hadn't realized that Mrs. Ellis had sold her lovely family home. I shall miss her, I replied, wondering why Elena hadn’t mentioned it to me last week.

Oh no. You misunderstand. She hasn't left, Tobias responded. She’s my mother. I have moved in with her for the time been until I can find a place that I like.

I felt like a fool. I knew that Elena had a son, but I didn't realize that he was that young.

Oh. How is your mother doing? I asked.

I was friends with her, and she was a wonderful woman with a charming personality. She could also be a bit of a matchmaker at times, but hadn't mentioned that her son would be returning anytime soon. Was she up to something?

She's fine. She said to say hello, Tobias replied with a little chuckle, and I laughed with him. And that I am not allowed to take no for an answer, as she has invited you around for dinner this evening. I knew from past dinners with Elena that you never said no. She took it as an insult to her cooking.

That does definitely sound like your mother. I would be honored to come for dinner, but I need to get cleaned up first. Would you like a coffee while I get cleaned and changed?

Coffee would be great. Thank you. Tobias said as he followed me to my back door.

Tobias

---

C ould you please close and lock the door behind you? She asked as she walked through the door on her right .

I closed and dead bolted the back door and followed her through, which lead to the kitchen, I discovered. It was a neutral light oat color with pine cupboards, silver appliances, beige curtains and wooden blinds at the two windows. There were two other doors leading off from the room – the one on the far right, which I guess led to the living-room and front door, and one on the far left which led upstairs. Nicara was busy filling up the kettle then put it on to boil. When it whistled, she prepared two cups, and I wondered how she knew how to make my coffee.

How do you know how I like my coffee? I asked politely.

You have coffee, two sugars, and milk just like me, Nicara replied. In case you were wondering, your mother mentioned it to me when she first made me a coffee.

Ah. That explains why you hadn’t asked me.

That’s alright; would you like to finish making our drinks while I get cleaned up, please?

Alright. I will, and I'll phone my mother and let her know that you accepted her dinner invitation, I said with