Happily Ever After: A Contemporary Romance Boxed Set

by Piper Rayne

  “That’s it,” I say, and thrust again. She takes me all the way in this time. I pause there, throbbing deep inside her, savoring this one moment of complete and total perfection. What I wouldn’t give to be buried inside her like this every night. A ghost of a thought whispers in and out of my mind—in two days we’ll be far apart. I grit my teeth and push the thought away. I won’t let those thoughts ruin the last hours I have with her.

  I grip Lori’s waist and drive slow and firm, lighting up every nerve ending.

  “How does that feel?” I ask.

  “Good,” she says.

  “But not great?” I ask, “not amazing?”

  “It’s…intense,” she says.

  “Too much?” I ask, pausing. It feels fucking incredible to me, but if she’s not into it, then we’ll scratch this off the list.

  She arches her back. “No.”

  “How about if I touch you?” I ask.

  She makes a little sound of surprise as I reach down to dip my fingers into her soft curls.

  “Oh,” she says. “Mmm.”

  I drive in slow pulses while I stroke her. She glances back at me, her eyes filling with need.

  “Caleb,” she whispers.

  “Yeah, doll?”

  “Don’t stop,” she says, her face tightening.

  Her tight heat grips me. I grit my teeth to keep from losing control. I stroke and thrust, listening to her body, giving her what she needs. There is nothing sexier than making her feel like this, watching her let go.

  Her fists tighten on the sheets and she arches her back. I swirl and pinch her clit as I thrust, moving with her until everything clenches tight. I give her clit one final tug and she cries out, bracing with her knees as I drive. She comes, the heart of her pulsing hard around me, her cries filling the room. I arch into her until her thighs tremble and she releases a soft sigh.

  After pausing to let her recover, I grip her hips. I glide back slowly, needing to feel every inch of her wrapped around me.

  She lowers her head to the sheets, giving me everything.

  I arch my hips and tug her close. Everything sharpens—the shadows in the room, her fast breaths, the soft curve of her ass pressing into my thighs, her wet heat griping me tight. It’s almost too good, this feeling of being so connected to her, of knowing what she needs and the way she gives herself to me in return.

  After holding back all night, I’m on the edge in minutes and come in a shock of sweetness that explodes inside me, shattering everything loose so that I’m weightless, floating in a billion little pieces.

  When I come down, panting, my cock still pulsing, I fold over her. Our damp skin melts together, connecting us even more completely. My heart hammers against her spine. I rest there for a long moment, barely believing this is real.

  She sighs softly.

  “I love you, Lori,” I say, kissing her shoulder blade.

  “I love you too,” she says, turning so our eyes lock.

  I roll us gently to our sides. Our bodies are still connected—I’m not willing to leave her just yet—and kiss the back of her ear. She shudders.

  “I never thought I’d like that,” she says as I wrap my arm around her middle.

  My hips give a little pulse. “I wouldn’t have done it otherwise.”

  “I’m beginning to think you can make anything feel good.”

  My dirty mind explodes with ideas. I kiss the back of her ear again.

  She squeezes me and I slip out. “Hey,” I say with a chuckle. “Not fair.”

  She giggles.

  After I return from the bathroom, she’s tucked under my covers. I join her and roll her to my chest.

  “You got any other moves you want to show me?” she asks, caressing down my chest.

  So much for sleeping.

  “Mmm,” I say, sliding down to tease a nipple. “Plenty.”

  * * *

  The next day we raft the South Fork with all the guides and their cargo—a mix of family and friends, then clean and store all the gear for the season. After that, it’s time to pick up the keg and drive to the river park where we unload everything on the broad gravel bar.

  I’m building up the bonfire when Delaney arrives with some other friends from school.

  From the other side of the fire where he’s stacking wood, Grady gives me a heads-up nod, as if to warn me. Usually, half the town comes to this party, so it’s not unusual for Delaney to be here, but I’m on edge.

  Lori has wandered over to where Annika and a few of the other raft guides have set up the snack table.

  “Hey,” I say when she approaches. “Sorry I haven’t been able to stop by. I tried the Bear a couple of times.”

  Her face looks pale, or maybe it’s the fading light. “I … haven’t been feeling well,” she says.

  “I’m sorry to hear that,” I say, stacking more driftwood on the growing fire.

  “Can we talk?” she asks, drawing in a stiff breath.

  Squinting into the flames, I adjust one of the logs. “Sure,” I say. I’ll be a good listener, then the party will get underway and I can enjoy myself. Tomorrow I will drive Lori to Boise and her flight, then continue on to San Diego. We’ve already made our first date weekend, a camping trip to the coast.

  Delaney hugs herself while staring into the crackling fire. “Okay,” she says in a shaky voice. She rubs her arms up and down.

  I watch her carefully. What on earth is going on? I tick through the possibilities: Her parents kicked her out. She’s finally ready to address her mental health issues. She has AIDS.

  Swinging red lights cut through the darkness from the clearing above us, drawing my attention away from Delaney’s pinched face.

  In my peripheral vision, Pete is striding toward the lights. I hurry to join him. Why the hell are the police here? We’re not breaking any laws, and we always pick up our trash.

  “What did you do now?” Pete hisses under his breath.

  “I tee-peed his house,” I say.

  “Tell me you’re kidding,” Pete says as we climb to the level of the cruiser.

  “Nice entrance,” I say to Officer Bill Tucker, who stands next to his car with his thumbs tucked into his sizable toolbelt. I wonder if it compensates for his puny dick. “Go ahead and light up the entire canyon.”

  “One of you boys needs to come with me,” Bill says to us, seemingly unphased by my sass. “And talk some sense into her.”

  In the back of Bill’s cruiser, a girl with an oval face stares into the night with defiant eyes—eyes like my father’s. My heart stops.

  It’s my sister, Leah.

  25

  Caleb

  Annika scrambles up the bank. She utters a small moan when she sees Leah in the back of the cop car.

  “What happened?” Annika asks. She steps toward the car, but Bill stops her with his hand.

  “She was shoplifting at the Food and Deli.”

  Annika gasps. “No,” she breathes.

  Pete exhales a hard breath and puts his hands on his hips.

  I just stare at my sister, my gut churning. It’s a Friday night. What the hell is Leah doing out so late, shoplifting at a convenience store? Where are Vonnie and Dylan? Where’s Mom?

  “Which one of you?” Bill asks, his cold eyes shifting from me to Pete.

  “I’ll do it,” Pete says.

  “We’ll all go,” I say.

  Both Pete and Annika give me a surprised glance.

  “What?” I say. “She’s my sister too.”

  “What about the party?” Annika asks, glancing at the people below milling around the bonfire. Laughter and conversation mix with the rush of water and crackle of burning wood. Delaney is watching us, her lips tight. Lori is too, from the other side of the crowd. My heart quivers—I’ve sheltered my crazy family drama from her, and it’s now about to blow up in my face.

  “I’ll go let Grady know what’s up,” I say. “I’ll meet you guys at the station.”

  Annika and Pete
hurry to their cars and Bill slides into his cruiser. I drop down the lip of the riverbank and hurry to where Grady is tapping the keg while behind me, three vehicles roll out of the clearing, sand crunching under their wheels.

  “Got a situation that needs the Morgan clan,” I say.

  Grady lifts his chin to the riverbank. “Everything okay?”

  “We’re going to find out,” I reply, not willing to air Leah’s plight in front of half the town. They’ll find out soon enough, but maybe by then I’ll have answers. Right now, my mind is on spin cycle.

  “Can you hold down the fort here?” I ask.

  He stands tall, like a lieutenant taking orders. “It would be an honor.”

  Gratitude rises through my worries like a hot air balloon. We fist bump. “Thanks, man.”

  “No problem,” he replies. “Let me know if there’s anything else I can do.”

  Lori comes up next to me. “Is something wrong?” she asks, sliding her hand into mine.

  I lead her into the darkness away from the bonfire. “There’s a family situation I gotta take care of.”

  Her eyes cloud with concern. “Do you want me to go with you?”

  “This is the best party of the year. You’d miss it to hang out at the police station?” I problem solve on my feet. “Grady can take you home later if you want to stay. Or I could come back. It might not take that long.”

  She raises her eyebrows. “I’d rather go with you now.”

  I take a huge gulp of air. “It’s likely a mess. You sure?”

  “Of course, Caleb.”

  I give Grady a quick nod goodbye, then Lori and I walk hand in hand toward the clearing. When we get to my bike, I remember Delaney, and scan the group of people, but she’s not there.

  Inside the police station, Peter’s yelling thunders from inside one of the rooms. From past experience, I know what that little room feels like, and how yelling only makes the walls feel tighter.

  Before I can bust down the door and stop Pete from making the situation worse, he storms out, with Annika and Leah in tow. Bill saunters out behind them and closes the door.

  “We’re going home,” Pete says as he passes. “Family meeting tomorrow night.”

  Annika’s eyes are red and swollen. Leah doesn’t look at me.

  “We’ll see you for community service next Saturday bright and early,” Bill says to Leah, his eyes narrowing.

  Leah’s shoulders slump, but she continues toward the door.

  “You want to pay the fine?” Bill says to me as they exit the building. “Or are you going to contest?”

  “Well, did she do it?”

  “Zach caught her red-handed.”

  I coax a breath deep into my lungs. “How much?”

  “Two hundred and fifty. And that’s only because Zach went easy on her.”

  I raise my eyebrows. “What’d she take?”

  “Nail polish and cough syrup,” he says in disgust, settling behind his large desk, which is devoid of any personal effects and so neat it’s hard to imagine him working there.

  I slide out my wallet—a new one that does a much better job hiding my newest fake ID—and pull out the wad of cash we collected from partygoers.

  Bill’s eyebrows arch. “You always travel with so much cash?”

  I shake my head. So typical. He’s tried to bust me for dealing before. As if I would ever do something so shitty. “Roofies sold well today,” I say to bait the fucker.

  “You want to spend a little time in the tank tonight?” Bill grits out. “That can be arranged.”

  I count out two hundred and fifty dollars and tap it down on his desk.

  Bill stands as I grab Lori’s hand and turn to go. “It’s good Pete was here tonight. I suggest you let him handle this.”

  I press my lips together to hold back my retort. It’s no surprise he’s favoring Pete. Everyone always does. Him or Wyatt. “Yeah, because yelling fixes everything,” I manage.

  Outside the station, I inhale a giant breath of cool, night air. “You want to go back to the party?”

  She shrugs, her gaze filling with kindness. “Not really.”

  I sigh in relief. Facing all of those people when I have no real answers does not sound like a good time. “Could we just ride for a while?” I rub the back of my neck.

  She steps into my arms. “Of course.”

  I wrap my arms around her and sigh, trying to let go of my worries. But they seem to expand with every minute. How can I help Leah while Pete’s being Mr. Hardass? What’s going to happen to her, Vonnie, and Dylan once summer ends and the rest of us leave? Pete said he’d talk to Mom. Has he? Will she get her shit together and be the parent they need?

  I coast to the exit and turn south, toward Galena Pass. The broad river valley makes for easy riding, and the views of the rolling foothills to the east create a stark contrast to the jagged Sawtooths to the west. Maybe the wide-open country will put my mind at ease. That and having Lori’s warmth close.

  By the time we pull up outside my house, it’s past midnight. Grady’s truck isn’t there, and I send him a silent thanks for handling the party and all the cleanup after for me tonight.

  The ride helped soothe my jangly thoughts, but I’m not tired. I take my energy out on Lori, who seems as keyed up as I am, and it’s almost two AM by the time we finally collapse in a tangled heap.

  “Do you … want me to stay longer?” Lori asks after our breaths have softened.

  “You mean, like not go home tomorrow?” I ask, caressing her shoulder.

  She settles her cheek higher on my chest. “I don’t have to be on campus until next Friday.”

  “But you’ve got all kinds of things to do before then. And I’m sure your family wants to see you before you jet off to college.”

  “Yeah, but I could stay a few more days.”

  “I think it’s best if my family tackles this alone. I’m not sure what’s going on with Leah.” There’s also the topic of my mom, but my head’s too mixed up to explain it.

  “Okay,” she says.

  “I’m excited for our camping trip,” I say.

  “Me too,” she replies. “You’ll love Half Moon Bay.”

  “We should try surfing.”

  “Ha,” she says. “The waves there are like twenty feet high.”

  “Okay, maybe not.”

  “But there’s sea kayaking inside the bay. It’s really beautiful.”

  I tug her closer. I’m going to miss her warmth, her limbs draped over mine. I tell myself it’s only temporary. We’ll be together soon. We’ll have time for all kinds of adventures.

  * * *

  The next morning, a roaring truck engine accelerating down my street wakes me. I yawn and though I’d rather stay in bed with Lori, I’m afraid I’ll get restless and wake her, so slide from her sleep-heavy frame and tug on a pair of jeans.

  I prepare for a lazy morning and make a large pot of coffee, then thaw a slab of bacon. I’ll make Lori a hearty breakfast before our drive.

  When the coffeemaker finishes gurgling, I pour a cup, stir in honey, and take it to the only patch of sunshine at this hour, on my front porch. The crisp bite of the approaching fall pricks my skin as I lower onto the stoop.

  I sip my coffee, wincing when it burns my tongue. When I go to set the mug down, I notice a white envelope tucked under the mat.

  Curious, I set my coffee down and slide the envelope open.

  What falls out stops my heart.

  It’s a square, grainy image in sepia on glossy paper. While what’s captured is a blur, I’ve seen ultrasound pictures of my younger siblings enough times to know what I’m staring at.

  Attached to the back is a yellow sticky note scrawled with large block letters I recognize.

  Call me today

  -Delaney

  * * *

  How will Caleb and Lori cope with this surprise? Get a sneak peek of Falling for my Fling (Again) HERE.

  You’ll also get two sexy short stories
and tons of reader bonuses for joining my reader community!

  Acknowledgments

  Thank you so much for reading this book and giving me a chance. I hope you enjoyed Caleb and Lori’s story! I’m excited to bring you their duet coming in March!

  While you’re waiting, you might also enjoy my angsty friends to lovers trilogy, Entwined Hearts, featuring professional athletes Colby Fox and Anya Templeton.

  Also check out my action & adventure/erotic romance series of stand-alone titles in my Wild Hearts books. These are fast-paced novellas, all featuring different couples, but set in the rugged coastal town of Storm Harbor, Alaska.

  Many thanks to my tribe of beta readers and fans of my Facebook and Instagram pages for encouraging me to publish this sexy new series.

  Thank you to my editor, Deliaria Davis, for your patience and keen eye.

  A huge thanks to every reader, fellow author, or blogger who has recommended or commented on my books. Your support is such a gift. Thank you.

  I also wanted to thank the wild mountains of the West for inspiring me. There is truly no place on earth as beautiful or inspiring, and revisiting the meadows, peaks, and rivers in my stories is nothing short of magical.

  Don’t forget to grab your FREE short stories by joining my author community.

  CLICK HERE to claim these reader goodies!

  About the Author

  Contemporary romance author Dakota Davies writes sexy love stories featuring hardworking, broken heroes and the feisty women who break down their barriers. She writes about the ways that love can heal us and help us find our true selves.

  By day, she’s a swim team mom and happily married to the love of her life. But behind the person packing kid’s lunches and going for a run with the dog is an alter ego with a wild imagination.

  If you like your stories steamy and oh-so-dreamy, you’re in the right place!

  For insights into her writing, awesome giveaways, free stories, and exclusive sneak peeks at upcoming releases, plus get a free book, Join Here.