Undenied

by Maya Banks

  Coming Soon:

  Amber Eyes

  The Cowboys’ Mistress

  Gracie Evans wants a Valentine’s she won’t forget. Luke Forsythe plans to give her exactly what she wants.

  Overheard

  © 2006 Maya Banks

  Gracie is tired of the men in her life never satisfying her in bed. None of her boyfriends have come close to fulfilling her vivid fantasies. When Luke overhears her talking about what she really wants, he’s stunned—and very turned on. So Gracie thinks no man alive can satisfy her? Luke aims to prove her wrong.

  Enjoy the following excerpt for Overheard:

  Gracie woke to the sun shining in the bedroom window. The space beside her was empty, and she smelled bacon cooking. She smiled. Luke must be in the kitchen making breakfast.

  She stretched and climbed lazily out of bed. Luke’s flannel shirt lay in a heap on the floor, and she reached for it. She slipped it on, leaving it unbuttoned down the front. His scent surrounded her, and she wrapped the shirt tighter around her.

  She padded barefoot out of the bedroom toward the kitchen, a wicked smile on her face. She’d tease him with a few glimpses of those nipple rings he loved so much. By the time breakfast was done, he’d be a walking hard-on.

  She rounded the corner, letting her shirt gape a bit wider and let out a squeak of surprise. She yanked her shirt closed and stared at Wes who was standing in the kitchen leaning against the countertop.

  She started to back up but Wes closed the distance between them.

  “I-I didn’t know you were here,” she sputtered.

  She gripped her shirt even tighter, sure her face was as red as a stoplight. To her surprise, Luke stood by the stove, his expression one of interest as he watched her.

  Wes stopped in front of her and reached down for her hand. He tugged her forward into the kitchen.

  “Come on now, Gracie,” he drawled. “You’ve seen me naked. Time for you to return the favor.”

  She shivered under his intense stare. “Is this a practical joke or something?”

  Wes ran his hand up the lapel of her shirt, nudging it aside until her breasts peeked around the edge.

  “No joke. We’ve been friends a long time, Gracie. I don’t want to make you uncomfortable, but I don’t think you are. I think you’re as turned on as I am right now.”

  She cocked her head in confusion and shot Luke a panicked look.

  “Quit dicking with her,” Luke said.

  “You want a threesome,” Wes said. “Luke and I want to give you one.”

  Her mouth rounded to an O and her eyes widened. Wes’s fingers brushed across her nipples, flicking lightly at the rings.

  She glanced back over at Luke again to see him staring intently at her.

  “If you don’t want this, just say so,” Luke said quietly. “We don’t want to do anything to make you uncomfortable.”

  “Wow,” she whispered. “I mean, I don’t know what else to say. You’re okay with this?” she asked Luke.

  He smiled. “Who do you think invited Wes?”

  “Holy shit.” She shook her head, unsure of whether or not she was dreaming. A threesome. Not with strangers. With two men she trusted implicitly. Two men who cared for her and would make it good. Not much to think about there.

  “What do you say, Gracie?” Wes murmured.

  She nodded. “Okay.”

  Wes nudged her chin up with his knuckle.

  “I don’t want things to be awkward for us. We’ve been friends too long for that.”

  He leaned in and brushed his lips across hers. His goatee rubbed softly on her chin. Bubbles of excitement took flight in her chest. She relaxed against him, and he deepened the kiss.

  Her shirt parted as his hands slid underneath the material and cupped her breasts. His thumbs worked over her nipples.

  Shedding her inhibitions, she wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him back, letting her tongue roam playfully over his.

  It was a different experience kissing Wes. He was more gentle than Luke but every bit as sensual. If she gave herself time to analyze the situation, she’d likely retreat in mortification, but it felt right.

  Wes wrapped his hands around her waist and hoisted her upward until she sat on the countertop.

  “Much better,” he murmured.

  Her breasts were now level with his mouth, and he took advantage. His tongue rubbed lightly over one nipple. It puckered and her muscles tightened in response.

  He cupped her breasts with both hands and held them up for his mouth to devour.

  “I never knew you had such a wild side, Gracie. I like it. The rings are hot.”

  She moaned as he sucked her nipple into his mouth, his tongue toying with the ring.

  “She needs to eat,” Luke interjected.

  Wes slowly drew away, and it was all Gracie could do not to insist she wasn’t hungry so they’d take her to bed. Her stomach contradicted her by rumbling.

  Wes lifted her down as Luke set a plate on the table for her. She walked unsteadily to her chair and sank down into it. She tugged her shirt tight around her, suddenly giving up the idea of making Luke crazy. He’d completely turned the tables on her.

  The two men sat down on either side of her and proceeded to polish off their plates of food. She managed to nibble down a small amount, but her stomach was in full somersault mode, and she didn’t do justice to her food.

  “If you’re done picking at that, I know something we could be doing that’s a whole lot more fun,” Wes said.

  When she breaks free from the bondage of her past, he’ll be waiting.

  Understood

  © 2006 Maya Banks

  Jake made the ultimate mistake—falling in love with Ellie, his best friend’s wife. Distance was the only solution, but it prevented him from seeing what a bastard his friend turned out to be. Now Ellie is free from the bondage of her past, and Jake waits. Needing, wanting, and ready for her when she spreads her wings.

  Enjoy the following excerpt for Understood:

  Jake Turner glanced around at the gaudy Christmas decorations adorning the interior of Zack’s Bar and Grill and suppressed a grimace.

  He motioned for another beer and ignored what his buddy next to him was yammering about. Things were always lively at Zack’s close to Christmas. Jake could never figure out if people were getting out to celebrate the season or if they were all just lonely and searching for another human being to connect with.

  “Earth to Jake. Come on, man, you’re in another world over there.”

  Jake blinked then scowled at his friend, Colin. “What the hell do you want?”

  Colin nodded toward the door. “Isn’t that Ray’s ex coming in?”

  Jake’s pulse quickened, and he yanked his gaze toward the entrance. All his breath left his body in one hard rush. What the hell?

  His gaze came to rest on Ellie Matthews as she stood just inside the doorway. Only it wasn’t Ellie as he was used to seeing her.

  She took a hesitant step forward then stopped and scanned the room, her eyes wide. Her bottom lip worked between her teeth, a sure sign of her nervousness.

  Long soft curls spilled over her shoulders, hair that a man would itch to thrust his fingers into as he thrust into other parts of her body.

  But what had his blood pressure soaring was her get-up. Despite it being the middle of December, she wore a top barely held up by the spaghetti strings over her shoulders. The neckline plunged, and the material cupped her breasts in all the right places.

  Her miniskirt, if you could call the scrap of denim barely covering her ass a skirt, rode so high up on her thighs that Jake knew if she moved wrong, the entire bar would get a glimpse of her pussy.

  She had a fuck me ensemble going on complete with ride me hard shoes. He’d never seen her in high heels once, and yet she teetered unsteadily toward the bar in three-inch, fire-engine red heels.

  “Jesus, I had no idea she was so damn hot,” Colin muttered.


  Jake rounded on Colin with a ferocious glare. “Shut the hell up,” he growled.

  Colin raised an eyebrow in surprise but kept silent.

  Jake turned his attention back to Ellie, who stood at the bar. The bartender plunked down a shot which she promptly drained before motioning for another.

  There wasn’t a single male eye that wasn’t riveted to her. Two men sauntered up to the bar and stood close to Ellie. She smiled at them flirtatiously, and Jake was struck with a sudden realization.

  She was taking the plunge.

  A surge of red hot jealousy spilled into his gut. She was finally breaking free of the hold Ray had on her, only this wasn’t the way it was supposed to happen. Jake had waited a long time for her. He’d thought she needed more space. He was supposed to be the one she came to when she was ready to take that leap.

  He gripped his beer bottle until his knuckles went white. What the hell did she think she was doing? His eyes narrowed when she downed another shot. When she turned her attention back to the crowd of admirers at her elbow, he saw the fear in her eyes.

  It was then he understood what it was costing her. This whole take-me-home-and-fuck-me attitude was all a brave act. She was scared to death, and the only way she had a hope of carrying through with it was by getting thoroughly drunk.

  Over his dead body.

  He was striding across the room even before he realized he’d gotten up from his table. In two seconds flat, he shoved by the group of men panting over Ellie and stood beside her at the bar.

  She turned unfocused blue eyes up at him, the fear that shadowed her gaze disappearing as she realized who he was.

  “What the hell do you think you’re doing, Ellie?” he demanded.

  Panic flitted across her face, and the fear returned.

  Without waiting to hear what she had to say, he bent, pushing his shoulder into her belly. He stood back up, slinging her over his shoulder, his hand resting possessively on her ass.

  He turned to glare at the men who’d surrounded Ellie. “She’s mine,” he said in his most menacing voice.

  They backed off quickly.

  He started for the door, Ellie’s upper body swinging against his back.

  “Jake?” she said in a small voice. “Where are we going?”

  God, he hated that sound. The fear. The uncertainty. It made him want to put his fist through the wall.

  “Home,” he bit out.