by Iris Abbott
She finally stopped the vehicle at the end of the long and curvy drive. A valet opened the door for her. “Welcome,” the man greeted. “May I see your invitation please.”
Rose glanced at the man and thought he looked familiar. She remembered that Gannon Security worked the ball to keep the attendees safe. She handed him the elegantly engraved invitation for inspection.
The man glanced at the square piece of paper and handed it back to Rose. “Enjoy your night, Ms. Banks.”
Her heart skipped a beat as images of Justin filtered through her mind. She was only in New York a total of a week. Just long enough to tie up loose ends and meet with the board members of Banks Pharmaceuticals. It was painful to relay the news of her attempted murder and the person behind it. But it was something that had to be done.
She also met with her personal and company attorneys. There was something that had to be put to rest, namely her life in New York. She belonged in Enigma by Justin’s side, and she couldn’t wait to join him.
She stepped out of the car and turned a slow circle absorbing the sights and sounds around her. It was a magical place for an enchanted evening. She could hardly wait to be reunited with Justin.
She accepted Justin for what he was. She had no reservations and planned to be a permanent part of his life. Their weeklong separation only served to clarify and strengthen her feelings for him. She just had to find Justin and make sure he still felt the same way too.
She drove for most of the day, but tiredness faded away thanks to the excitement that fizzed in her blood. Justin was behind the large, imposing doors. She just had to find him and stake her claim. She patted her hair, hoping it didn’t look tired and flat after the long drive. She smoothed her palms over the dress, flattening wrinkles as she went.
She sucked in a deep breath and ran up the broad, stone steps that led to the main entrance. Another familiar looking man stood guard there. She handed him the invitation and stepped inside.
The noise was almost deafening. There had to be a hundred or more people milling around the vast, open area where the party was centered. Rose furtively glanced around, trying to find someone she knew.
That was easier said than done because just about everybody except for the security and catering staff wore masks. Rose remembered her friends telling her it was a masquerade ball. That little tidbit of information slipped her mind. And it was no wonder, with everything she had to deal with the past several days.
She delicately shrugged her shoulders. So what if she didn’t have a mask? She came for one reason. She wanted to lay her soul bare in front of the man she loved, which included proclaiming her love for him and claiming her place by his side. She didn’t need a mask for that!
****
Justin slowly walked the perimeter of the party. He was officially off duty. Unfortunately, some habits were hard to break. He took a slow sip of champagne from the flute he grabbed from a passing waiter. The little bubbles fizzed in his mouth and throat as he swallowed. It reminded him of Rose’s touch and the electricity that seemed to flow between them when they were together.
He missed her, and he didn’t know when or even if she was coming back. Yes, she had urgent business to take care of, but it was torture to watch her leave. He almost volunteered to go with her, but deep down he knew she needed time alone to process everything she learned. He knew he did the right thing even if it made him feel like crap.
He glanced at his watch for what had to the hundredth time. The party was in full swing. People began arriving over two hours before. Where was Rose? He refused to believe her feelings weren’t as strong as his were for her. His stomach turned at the thought of her not showing. He needed her and he would for the rest of his life.
A glimpse of rose-colored fabric caught his attention. His heart leaped with joy, and he took a step forward! Even without seeing the face of the woman wearing the dress he knew it was his Rose. His eyes traced the form-fitting dress over curves that he’d memorized after only one time of making love. They came to rest on the beautiful light brown eyes that reminded him of pools of melted chocolate, thick, rich, and sinfully delicious chocolate.
The corners of her mouth turned up to form a smile bright enough to light the room. His heart skipped a beat. She started running toward him, and his heart soared. He opened his arms, spread his legs, and embraced for impact.
She collided with him, and Justin pulled her into the curve of his body and pressed her close. Hard nipples stabbed into his chest, and he knew the attraction between them hadn’t waned in the days they were apart. “Never a prettier sight have I seen,” he whispered into her ear. “I missed you so much it hurt.”
He cupped her face with both hands and brushed his lips across her rose-tinted ones. “Mmm, you taste good.”
He covered her lips again, but instead of a light brush, this kiss was deep. Justin was a starving man, and it was a hunger only Rose could appease. He nipped her bottom lip, urging her to open up for his exploration. His tongue swept forward teasing and tasting as it went. He finally pulled away. “Let’s get out of here. I have a surprise for you at home.”
“Home is wherever you are, and I can’t wait to share it with you.”
He closed his fingers around her delicate hand and powerwalked his way to his vehicle. Justin used the earpiece he wore even though he wasn’t on duty. By the time he and Rose reached the front door, his SUV was waiting for them.
“What about my car?” Rose breathlessly asked. “I had to buy a new one while I was in New York. I made sure to buy something more suitable for driving in Maine. I drove it back today,” she explained.
He opened the passenger door and helped her inside. “Don’t worry. I’ll leave word for one of the Gannon Security employees to drop your car off for us.” He kissed her one more time before shutting the door and then speaking a few words to the man who drove his car around. In no time at all, he was behind the wheel and trying really hard not to break every speed record known to man on the drive back home.
****
White silk sheets and a fluffy down comforter were spread on the hardwood floor near the fireplace in Justin’s bedroom. Rose petals of various shades started a path at the door and adorned the comfortable looking bedding. It was beautiful, and it was special. Something Justin did just for her.
Her hands flew to her mouth and covered a gasp. “Justin…” She stopped talking. She didn’t really have the words to tell him how much this meant to her. She threw herself into his arms and hugged him as hard as she could. Lips met lips in a deep kiss that left them both gasping for air when they broke apart.
Clothes started flying. Justin’s jacket hit the floor first. It was quickly followed by everything else he wore.
Rose took her cue from him. She unhooked the halter-top of her dress. The harsh grate of the zipper being yanked down seemed unusually loud in the tension-filled room. Finally, she had room to maneuver, and over her head the dress went. The light rose lacey bra and panty set quickly followed.
They came together once more in a tangled heap of arms and legs. This time was much more satisfying as naked flesh pressed against naked flesh. Rose shuddered when Justin licked her neck and sucked hard. Her toes curled from the delicious sensations shooting through her body. A tortured moan slipped past her swollen lips.
Rose felt the softness of the bedding behind her. She had no recollection of moving from the center of the room to the makeshift love nest. She was too wrapped up in Justin and the incredible sensations he made her feel. Her breath hitched as she reclined backward and opened her arms to welcome him into her body.
Justin’s jutting erection proved his readiness. However, he didn’t join her right away. Instead, he stood, staring at her.
“Is something wrong?” Rose scrunched her forehead and gave him a questioning look.
“No, honey, everything’s finally right. I was struck by your beauty and wanted to commit the moment to memory. If I were an artist, I would defini
tely want to sketch you right now just the way you are.”
Heat sweep through her. She adored the man before her and couldn’t wait to spend the rest of her life with him. Life would never be boring that was for sure. “Justin,” she begged. “Please don’t make me wait any longer.”
Justin kneeled beside her and cupped her chin in one hand. “You need to be sure, Rose. There’s no walking away after this. I gave you the choice of having your memory wiped and forgetting about me or committing yourself to a lasting relationship by joining me at the Valentine’s Day ball.”
Rose reached out and pressed a finger against his lips to silence him. “I’m sure, Justin. I love you, and I want forever with you.”
Justin gave her a wicked smile that showed most of his teeth. “I love you too. Let’s see what we can do about the forever part.” He fluffed up a pillow and placed it in the middle of the comforter. “Lie on this face down,” he instructed. “Make sure the pillow is under your pelvic area,” he added.
Rose arched a brow but did as he said. Her experience was limited, and her past two lovers were not the adventurous types. The missionary position was the only thing she’d ever tried. Delicious anticipation of what was to come had her shivering with pleasure.
She held her breath, waiting for him to make his move. He wrapped the fall of her long brown hair around her arm and moved it away from her back. He kissed her neck and shoulder. He made a trail of wet kisses all the way down to the hollow of her lower back.
Sparks of pleasure flared through her body. She squirmed. The pillow pressed into the tiny bundle of nerves above her core which excited her even more.
She felt Justin moving above her. He inserted a knee between her legs, spreading them further apart, then he slid into position. His erection found her slick core and slowly penetrated her sensitive sheath.
They both let out mutual groans of pleasure as his body slid deeper inside hers.
Justin inched his way inside her. When his erection was completely buried inside her, he froze. Rose gasped at the feel of his aroused body deep and snug inside of her.
Her fingers grasped the bedding, and her hands clenched into fists. She wiggled. The double sensation of being filled along with the friction that rubbed against the sensitive and swollen pearl of nerves was almost too much. Yet it wasn’t enough. “Justin, I need more!”
He slowly withdrew and plunged back inside again and again. Each thrust came a little bit faster than the last until he found a pace that made Rose scream out her pleasure. He moved in and out of her until both bodies were tensed in anticipation of the pleasurable release that was soon to come.
Her core quivered and clenched around his erection. Both were on the edge, stretching and grasping to reach and fall over the precipice into the void of intense sexual satisfaction. Justin pressed his face into the curve of her neck and shoulder and sucked the flesh into his mouth. Rose felt the bite the same time her body exploded into a million tiny pieces.
Her whole body shook with waves of pleasure. She screamed from the sheer pleasure that engulfed her. Justin freeze and his erection pulsed inside her. She clutched him to her, holding on tight. He moaned her name and collapsed on the bed next to her.
Rose turned onto her side and snuggled into the body of the man she loved. She touched the bite mark on her neck. “You bit me,” she accused.
“You’re my mate, Rose.” Justin slowly caressed his hands up and down her body. “Wolf shifters have powerful cells in their blood and saliva that rapidly grow and aid in the healing of wounds and the destruction of disease. As a result, we have prolonged lives, much like vampires. Biting a chosen mate transfers some of the cells to her.”
Her mouth dropped open, and she stared at him for several seconds. “I better not start sprouting fur.”
“You won’t. Shifters are born not made. Humans can’t replicate the healing cells themselves, so wolf shifters have to bite their mate at least once a month to inject more of them into her body. So expect to get bitten often.” He bathed the mark on her neck with his tongue.
“I didn’t share this part with you until I knew for sure you could handle my life and wanted to be a permanent part of it. I knew as soon as I saw you at the Valentine’s Day ball that I was going to claim you and give you the added protection of my healing cells. I can’t picture a life without you, Rose.”
Rose threw her arms around Justin and held him tight. “I am so happy you did! I love you, Justin.” Sated, she snuggled into Justin and started to drift off to sleep.
“I love you too, Rose.” He snuggled next to his loving Valentine with a satisfied smile.
Justin showered tiny kisses on and around her love bite, the mark that bound them together forever. It was the last thing she remembered before falling into a deep sleep where she dreamed about their future together. It was a beautiful and loving future that didn’t include anymore lonely Valentine’s Days. It was suddenly Rose’s favorite holiday.
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Table of Contents
LITTLE RED VALENTINE
ONE
TWO
THREE
FOUR
FIVE
SIX
OCEAN'S LOVING EMBRACE
ONE
TWO
Three
FOUR
FIVE
SIX
SEVEN
EPILOGUE
A GUARDIAN’S LOVING CARESS
ONE
TWO
THREE
FOUR
FIVE
SIX
A WOLF’S LOVING VALENTINE
ONE
TWO
THREE
FOUR
FIVE
SIX
SEVEN
EIGHT
