Must Love Frosting: Must Love Diamonds Series, Book 1 Read online

  Stop that line of thinking right now.

  “As entertaining as this is, it sounds like you two have some stuff to work out,” Officer Parker interjected. “I, on the other hand, would like to get home sooner than later. You okay for me to leave?” he asked Peyton.

  She reached out to touch his arm. “Of course. Sorry, Shane. I’ll just grab my bag so you can go.”

  “That’s all right, I’ll get it.” His boots thumped on the stairs on the way to his squad.

  Confusion bounced Clay’s gaze from the cop to Peyton. “Hold on. Grab your bag?”

  Her expression questioned his mental I.Q.

  Casting another quick glance toward where the officer pulled a brown and tan piece of luggage from his back seat, Clay asked in an undertone, “This wasn’t about back at the bakery?”

  Her mouth stretched in a smug little smile. “Only in a roundabout way.”

  “So, he’s not here to arrest me?”

  “Unfortunately, no.” She glanced around the yard before shifting her cool gaze back to his. “What’s the deal? Do you work here, or live here?”

  The haughty question reminded him of his ex and curled his hands into fists against the side seams of his wet jeans. “Both. This is my mom’s place.”

  “Of course it is.” She shook her head with another humorless laugh like back at the bakery. “This day just keeps getting better and better.”

  Officer Parker set her bag down next to Clay and gave him a good-natured clap on the shoulder before backing toward his vehicle. “Good luck, man. Sounds like you could use some.”

  “Thanks again for the ride,” Peyton called out.

  “Wait. No.” He whirled around to face the retreating cop. “Where are you going? Don’t leave her here.”

  The guy grinned and reached for his door.

  “I’m a paying guest.”

  Clay spun back to Peyton. “What?”

  “Butch Walsh made the arrangements just a little while ago with Ginger Westfield.” Her eyebrows arched skyward again. “Your mommy, I presume?”

  The mocking taunt flexed his fingers. “You can’t stay here.”

  “Aw, shucks. There goes my ride.”

  He whipped around one last time to see Officer Parker already backing out of the drive. Short of chasing after the man like a desperate idiot, he was stuck with her.

  No. He wasn’t.

  Clay grabbed her luggage and strode over to toss it into the back of his truck.

  “Hey,” she protested. “Careful with that. It’s Louis Vuitton.”

  Geezus. She sounded just like his diva ex. He opened the passenger side door and motioned her forward. “Let’s go.”

  She strolled to the edge of the porch steps to look down her nose at him, one hand braced on the curve of her hip. “Where exactly would we be going?”

  “I don’t care. I’ll drive you wherever you want to go, as long as it’s anywhere but here.”

  “Like I’m going to get into a truck with you.”

  “You stayed here alone with me, so I’m guessing you’re not too worried,” he shot back.

  She stiffened slightly and glanced toward the house. “Your mother’s not inside?”

  “Nope.” When her gaze met his again, he raised his eyebrows in silent challenge.

  But she didn’t back down. “Then I suggest you call her, because I’m not going anywhere.”

  “If you stay here, the place is going to be crawling with cameras. I’m not dealing with that again.”

  “No one knows I’m here. That’s the whole point, otherwise I’d be at home with my family.”

  He shook his head. “There’s got to be somewhere else you can go.”

  She leaned her hip and shoulder against the support column and crossed her arms over her chest. Stubborn and determined, and so damn sure of herself. He had the urge to go pick her up and toss her into the truck like her precious Louis Vuitton luggage.

  But, obviously, that was not an option.

  Get your copy of SUMMER SCANDAL today!

  Romancing Wisconsin, a USA Today bestselling series from NY Times bestselling author, Stacey Joy Netzel. (All books in the series are standalone.)

  * * *

  Love is always in season...

  * * *

  Starting with Christmas/Winter, then moving on to the rest of the seasons, this bestselling, heartwarming series is set in small town Wisconsin, where hope springs eternal for each happily ever after. Sexy military heroes, runaway brides, surprise babies, single parents—meet the Rileys, the Walshes, the Sullivan sisters, and friends. Best of all is Butch...a.k.a. Santa Butch. The mischievous matchmaker makes a cameo in each story—adding a touch of magic to the lives of everyone he loves, and even those he’s just met.

  * * *

  Romancing Wisconsin Series

  Mistletoe Mischief

  Mistletoe Magic

  Mistletoe Match-Up

  Mistletoe Rules – short story

  Autumn Wish

  Autumn Bliss

  Autumn Kiss

  Autumn Glimmer – short story

  Spring Fling

  Spring Serendipity

  Spring Dreams

  Spring Spark – short story

  Summer Scandal

  Summer Bride

  Summer Secrets

  Summer Wager – short story

  ABOUT THE AUTHOR

  New York Times bestselling author Stacey Joy Netzel is an avid reader of heartwarming, sexy, pulse-pounding romance, and she loves all movies with a happily ever after. She lives in Wisconsin with her family, a horse and some barn cats. She enjoys hiking, canning, and visiting her parents in Northeastern Wisconsin (Up North), at the family cabin on the lake. Travelling anywhere to the mountains to do some hiking is a bonus she wishes she could do much more often than every couple years.

  * * *

  She writes steamy romantic suspense, small town contemporary romances, and paranormal ghost stories with sexy, rugged heroes, and strong, resilient heroines. Colorado, Wisconsin, and Italy are favorite settings, and you can find them in her Must Love Diamonds, Romancing Wisconsin, Italy Intrigue, Welcome to Redemption Series, and Colorado Trust Series.

  Here are all the places you can find me online:

  * * *

  Website

  * * *

  Newsletter

  * * *

  BookBub

  * * *

  Facebook

  * * *

  Twitter

  * * *

  SJN eBook Store

  * * *

  Books+Main

  * * *

  Hearing from readers is a very special thing for any writer, so pop in and say “Hi!” at any of the above locations. And once again, reviews are always appreciated.

  * * *

  Thank you, and happy reading!

  ~Stacey~

  OTHER TITLES BY STACEY JOY NETZEL

  MUST LOVE DIAMONDS

  Must Love Frosting

  Love Loyal and True (July 23, 2019)

  Love You, Baby (late 2019)

  To Love and Protect (2020)

  * * *

  ITALY INTRIGUE SERIES

  Kidnapped*

  Betrayed

  Conned

  *2012 Write Touch Readers’ Award Winner as Lost in Italy

  * * *

  COLORADO TRUST SERIES

  Evidence of Trust

  Trust by Design

  Trust in the Lawe

  Shattered Trust

  Dare to Trust

  Vow of Trust

  Illusion of Trust

  * * *

  WELCOME TO REDEMPTION SERIES

  A Fair to Remember, Book 2

  Grounds For Change, Book 4

  The Heart of the Matter, Book 6

  Hold On To Me, Book 8

  Say You’ll Marry Me, Book 10

  (books 1,3,5,7,9 written by Donna Marie Rogers)

  * * *

  ROMANCING WISCONSIN SER
IES

  Mistletoe Mischief

  Mistletoe Magic

  Mistletoe Match-up

  **Mistletoe Rules – short bonus story

  Autumn Wish

  Autumn Bliss

  Autumn Kiss

  **Autumn Glimmer – short bonus story

  Spring Fling

  Spring Serendipity

  Spring Dreams

  **Spring Spark – short bonus story

  Summer Scandal

  Summer Bride

  Summer Secrets

  **Summer Wager – short bonus story

  * * *

  STAND ALONE ROMANCE TITLES

  More Than a Kiss, contemporary romance

  Chasin’ Mason, contemporary western romance

  Ditched Again, high school reunion novella

  Dragonfly Dreams, Christmas novella

  Nina, Beach Brides sweet contemporary novella

  * * *

  PARANORMAL ROMANCE TITLES

  If Tombstones Could Talk, paranormal novella

  Beneath Still Waters (Part One), paranormal novella

  Rising Above (Still Waters Part Two), paranormal novella

  * * *

  FREE READ

  Holding Out For a Hero

  * * *

  PUZZLE BOOK

  Passion & Puzzles

  a Word Search and Crossword Puzzle Book of Stacey Joy Netzel Romance books

  Must Love Frosting

  Must Love Diamonds Series, book 1

  Copyright © 2019, Stacey Joy Netzel

  Love Loyal and True – excerpt

  Copyright © 2019, Stacey Joy Netzel

  Summer Scandal - excerpt

  Copyright © 2017, Stacey Joy Netzel

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales, is entirely coincidental.

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without the written permission of the author, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews.

  Editor: Stacy D. Holmes

  Cover Art: Cover Couture

  ebook ISBN: 9781939143723

  Print ISBN: 9781939143730

  Table of Contents

  Must Love Frosting title page

  Contents

  Introduction

  Dedication

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Chapter 27

  Chapter 28

  Chapter 29

  Chapter 30

  Chapter 31

  Chapter 32

  Chapter 33

  Epilogue

  Recommended Read

  About the Author

  Other Titles By Stacey Joy Netzel

  Copyright