Change of Heart Read online

  “Oh, yeah. And midnight pizza.”

  Turning, Chelsea put her arms around Eli’s neck. “I think that was the nicest thing I’ve ever seen anyone do. Do you know that I love you?”

  “No,” he said softly. “I don’t. Before I believe it, you’ll have to tell me every day for the rest of my life.”

  “I will,” she said and kissed him. “I promise.”

  Eli smiled at her, took her hand in his, and led her out the door, through the parking area, and to the football field.

  “I think we should see to Nolan and Grace,” Chelsea said. “They’ve had a traumatic evening and they came with us. How are they going to get home?”

  “I gave Nolan my car keys,” Eli said.

  “Then how—?” She didn’t finish because Eli gave a whistle. “I didn’t know you could whistle. When did you—?” Her eyes widened.

  From the dark of the goalpost came a horse, a magnificent creature as black as a moonless midnight. It wore a black saddle emblazoned with silver that caught the light and threw it back.

  The horse stopped by Eli, bowing its head to him. In one quick leap, he vaulted into the saddle, then with a smile, he bent and offered his hand to Chelsea. “Together,” he said.

  “Yes. Together,” she answered, then took his hand and let him pull her up behind him. The slit in her gown parted, exposing her bare leg almost to her hip. Her face was pressed against his back, her arms tightly around his waist.

  Eli gave one long, lingering caress to her skin, then he nudged the horse forward, and they rode away into the still darkness of the night. Together. Forever.

  About the Author

  Photograph © Kim Jew

  Jude Deveraux is the author of more than forty New York Times bestsellers, including the novels in her Edilean series: Moonlight Masquerade, Stranger in the Moonlight, Moonlight in the Morning, Heartwishes, The Scent of Jasmine, Lavender Morning, Days of Gold, and Scarlet Nights. There are more than sixty million copies of her books in print worldwide. She lives in North Carolina. Visit her interactive website at www.jude-deveraux.com or check the Jude Deveraux Fan Page on Facebook, where she posts daily updates about her writing.

  FOR MORE ON THIS AUTHOR: authors.simonandschuster.com/Jude-Deveraux

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  SimonandSchuster.com

  BOOKS BY JUDE DEVERAUX

  The Velvet Promise

  Highland Velvet

  Velvet Song

  Velvet Angel

  Sweetbriar

  Counterfeit Lady

  Lost Lady

  River Lady

  Twin of Fire

  Twin of Ice

  The Temptress

  The Raider

  The Princess

  The Awakening

  The Maiden

  The Taming

  The Conquest

  A Knight in Shining Armor

  Holly

  Wishes

  Mountain Laurel

  The Duchess

  Eternity

  Sweet Liar

  The Invitation

  Remembrance

  The Heiress

  Legend

  An Angel for Emily

  The Blessing

  High Tide

  Temptation

  The Summerhouse

  The Mulberry Tree

  Forever . . .

  Wild Orchids

  Forever and Always

  Always

  First Impressions

  Carolina Isle

  Someone to Love

  Secrets

  Return to Summerhouse

  Lavender Morning

  Days of Gold

  Scarlet Nights

  Scent of Jasmine

  Heartwishes

  Moonlight in the Morning

  Stranger in the Moonlight

  Moonlight Masquerade

  We hope you enjoyed reading this Pocket Books eBook.

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  Pocket Books

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  This book is a work of fiction. Any references to historical events, real people, or real places are used fictitiously. Other names, characters, places, and events are products of the author’s imagination, and any resemblance to actual events or places or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

  Copyright © 2014 by Deveraux, Inc.

  All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce this book or portions thereof in any form whatsoever. For information, address Pocket Books Subsidiary Rights Department, 1230 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10020.

  First Pocket Books paperback edition November 2014

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  Interior design by Leydiana Rodríguez-Ovalles

  Cover photograph by Aleksandar Nakic/Getty Images

  ISBN 978-1-4767-7972-0

  ISBN 978-1-4767-7973-7 (ebook)

  Contents

  Acknowledgments

  Part One

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Part Two

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  About the Author