by Marie Force
He kissed from her lips to her neck, nibbling on her soft skin. “You’ve got me extremely hot and bothered here.”
“You seem to be having the same effect on me.”
“Let’s take a swim and cool off.” He got up and extended a hand to help her. “Don’t look at it,” he said of his obvious erection. “That only makes it worse.”
Victoria laughed at the face he made at her.
In the water, they splashed and played and ended up wrapped up in each other again. As he kissed her, he cupped her breasts under the water and dragged his thumbs over her stiff nipples.
“Shannon,” she said, sounding as desperate as he felt.
“Is tú grá mo chroí,” he whispered in her ear.
“What does that mean?” He’d spoken to her in the words of his homeland before, but she’d never heard that particular phrase.
“‘You are the love of my heart’ in Irish, or you might call it Gaelic. We call it Irish at home.”
“It’s lovely. Say it again.”
He said it over and over and over again, holding her close to him as he whispered words of love in the language of his home. “I want to be inside you so badly.”
She clung to him with her arms around his neck and her legs wrapped around his hips. “I want that, too.”
“Should we go home?” Pausing, he said, “No, wait. You said you wanted time, and I shouldn’t pressure you—”
She kissed him. “Shannon?”
Dazzled by the way she looked at him, he said, “Yes, Victoria?”
“Take me home.”
* * *
On the short ride, Victoria told herself she was doing the right thing taking him back and deciding to have faith in him. Their brief breakup seemed to have had a profound impact on him, and he’d come back to her with answers to her questions and the words she needed to hear, some of them said in a language and accent that set her blood to racing.
Shannon drove the bike into the driveway and cut the engine, the silence stark after the roar of the bike. He got off and then helped her, removing the helmet with fumbling fingers that she took as a sign of his eagerness. With his hand warm and firm on her lower back, he guided her inside, closing the door and locking it behind him.
When Victoria turned to him, he scooped her up and into his arms, walking toward the bedroom as he kissed her hungrily.
He put her down on the bed and removed his T-shirt as well as the cover-up she’d worn to the beach.
She had a brief moment of worry about getting sand in their bed, but then he kissed her again, and sand became the last thing on her mind.
“This bikini makes me crazy,” he said gruffly as he ran his hands over her ribs and up to cup her breasts.
As she looked up at him, another question occurred to her, one that rocked her to the core and one she probably had no right to ask. But it could be the most important question of all.
Apparently, he sensed her withdrawal. “What is it? What’s wrong?”
“I have another question, and I’m sort of afraid to ask this one because it’s not a fair question but one I still want to ask.”
“Whatever it is, you can ask me.”
“I wondered if you might ever love me as much as you loved Fiona.”
“Ah, Vic,” he said on a sigh. “I already do, but it’s a different sort of love I feel for you. It’s more grown up and mature. Fi and I were so young and stupid and still figuring out life. You and me… We’re past all that nonsense, for the most part.”
“Are we?”
“Yeah, we are.” He gazed down at her, using his fingers to brush the hair back from her face. Then he tipped his head and kissed her neck on his way to her chest. He untied the bikini top and removed it, leaving her breasts bare to his ravenous stare. “You’re so damned beautiful. All I could think about last night is how I would bear to live without you, without your smile and your joyfulness. I need that so bad. I need you, Vic.”
“You have me. I’m here, and I’m going to be here for as long as you need me.”
“Forever?”
“That’s an awfully long time.”
“Won’t be long enough.” He kissed down the center of her, tugging at her bikini bottoms and helping her out of them.
“Hurry, Shannon,” she said, sounding as breathless as she felt. “I want you.”
His hair fell over his forehead and his cheeks were flushed the way they got when he was turned on. She loved knowing that about him, and other things, too, like how to arouse him to the point of madness.
Victoria held out her arms to him.
He removed his shorts and came down on top of her. “I wanted to take my time,” he said.
She smiled up at him. “We have all day.”
“Mmm, I like the sound of that. All day to love you and hold you and kiss you.” He entered her in one deep thrust that had her arching into him, wanting to be as close to him as she could get. “Vic…”
Victoria held him tight against her as their bodies moved together in the perfect harmony they’d had since the beginning. “Tell me again, Shannon, in your words.”
“Is tú grá mo chroí,” he said. “The love of my heart.”
She closed her eyes against the burn of tears. “Is tú grá mo chroí,” she said, tightening her hold on him. “Always.”
* * *
Thank you for reading Victoria and Shannon’s story, the first of the new Gansett Island Episodes novella series that will allow me to spend more time on past characters who have additional story to be told or those, such as Victoria and Shannon, who haven’t had the spotlight on them yet. I really enjoyed writing this novella, and I hope you loved reading Victoria and Shannon’s story and catching up with some of your favorite Gansett Island characters. The next Episode will feature Kevin and Chelsea. I don’t yet have a release date for that one, but if you are on my newsletter mailing list at marieforce.com, I will let you know as soon as I have more information.
To chat about this Episode, join the Facebook Gansett Episode Reader Group where spoilers are allowed and encouraged. Keep up with the Gansett Island Series here!
* * *
Many thanks to Team Jack, the ladies who keep me organized and make it possible to write as much as I do: Julie Cupp, Lisa Cafferty, Holly Sullivan, Isabel Sullivan, Nikki Colquhoun, Cheryl Serra, Ashley Lopez and Courtney Lopes. To my crack editorial team of Linda Ingmanson and Joyce Lamb, as well as my beta readers, Anne Woodall and Kara Conrad, I appreciate you all so much. I couldn’t imagine releasing a book without all of your eagle eyes on it first.
* * *
A special thank-you to Sarah Spate Morrison, Family Nurse Practitioner, for keeping me straight on the medical details in my books.
* * *
And to my dear friend Michelle Farrell in Ireland, a huge thank-you for your help in “Irishing up” the dialogue in this novella. A little side story about Michelle… Several years ago, she got in touch to tell me she and her sister, Susan, would be traveling from Ireland to tour New England to see the places I write about. She asked for some recommendations of places to stay in Newport. When I heard the reason they were coming, I had to meet them! We had a fabulous (and funny) dinner together while they were in Newport, and then Michelle and Susan attended Reader Weekend the following year. Michelle and I have kept in close touch ever since. I was one of the first to hear when she met a new guy named David, who was special from the first time they went out. I’ve had a front-row view of their wonderful romance and celebrated with Michelle when they got engaged last year. As you read this novella, I will be on my way to Ireland with my husband to attend Michelle and David’s wedding—in an actual castle! This will be my first trip to Ireland, and as a Sullivan from Newport, RI, I couldn’t be more excited to take this trip of a lifetime with Dan. I’m so honored to be invited to Michelle’s wedding and to have made a friend on the other side of the “pond” through my books. I wish Michelle and David, who is a hero right out of a ro
mance novel, the best of everything. I’ll post pictures from the wedding and the trip in the McCarthy reader group, on my main page and on Instagram.
* * *
As always, a special thank-you to my wonderful readers, who have embraced my Gansett Island Series from the beginning. I’m thrilled to hear from so many of you every day that you want more of our magical island. As long as you want more, I’m delighted to continue this series. Much more to come!
xoxo
Marie
* * *
Join Marie’s newsletter mailing list to never miss a new book, a giveaway or other exciting news!
* * *
Be the first to know when Marie’s next book is available! Follow her on BookBub to receive new release and discount alerts.
* * *
Other Books By Marie Force
Download A FREE Sample of Books by Marie Force
* * *
Love Always Boxed Set, First Books in Four of Marie’s Bestselling Series
* * *
Contemporary Romances Available from Marie Force
* * *
The Gansett Island Series
Gansett Island Boxed Set, Books 1-10.5
Gansett Island Boxed Set, Books 1-3
Gansett Island Boxed Set, Books 4-6
Gansett Island Boxed Set, Books 7-9
Book 1: Maid for Love
Book 2: Fool for Love
Book 3: Ready for Love
Book 4: Falling for Love
Book 5: Hoping for Love
Book 6: Season for Love
Book 7: Longing for Love
Book 8: Waiting for Love
Book 9: Time for Love
Book 10: Meant for Love
Book 10.5: Chance for Love, A Gansett Island Novella
Book 11: Gansett After Dark
Book 12: Kisses After Dark
Book 13: Love After Dark
Book 14: Celebration After Dark
Book 15: Desire After Dark
Book 16: Light After Dark
Episode 1: Victoria & Shannon
* * *
The Green Mountain Series
Book 1: All You Need Is Love
Book 2: I Want to Hold Your Hand
Book 3: I Saw Her Standing There
Book 4: And I Love Her
Novella: You'll Be Mine
Book 5: It's Only Love
Book 6: Ain’t She Sweet
* * *
The Butler, Vermont Series
(Continuation of Green Mountain)
Book 1: Every Little Thing
* * *
The Treading Water Series
10th Anniversary Treading Water Boxed Set
Book 1: Treading Water
Book 2: Marking Time
Book 3: Starting Over
Book 4: Coming Home
* * *
Single Titles
Sex Machine
Sex God
The Single Titles Boxed Set
Georgia on My Mind
True North
The Fall
Line of Scrimmage (New Edition Coming Soon!)
Love at First Flight (New Edition Coming Soon!)
Everyone Loves a Hero (New Edition Coming Soon!)
* * *
Books from M. S. Force
The Quantum Series
Quantum Boxed Set, Books 1-4
Book 1: Virtuous
Book 2: Valorous
Book 3: Victorious
Book 4: Rapturous
Book 5: Ravenous
Book 6: Delirious
* * *
Romantic Suspense Novels Available from Marie Force
* * *
The Fatal Series
One Night With You, A Fatal Series Prequel Novella
Book 1: Fatal Affair
Book 2: Fatal Justice
Book 3: Fatal Consequences
Book 3.5: Fatal Destiny The Wedding Novella
Book 4: Fatal Flaw
Book 5: Fatal Deception
Book 6: Fatal Mistake
Book 7: Fatal Jeopardy
Book 8: Fatal Scandal
Book 9: Fatal Frenzy
Book 10: Fatal Identity
Book 11: Fatal Threat
* * *
Single Title
The Wreck
About the Author
Marie Force is the New York Times bestselling author of more than 50 contemporary romances, including the Gansett Island Series, which has sold nearly 3 million books, and the Fatal Series from Harlequin Books, which has sold 1.5 million books. In addition, she is the author of the Butler, Vermont Series, the Green Mountain Series and the erotic romance Quantum Series, written under the slightly modified name of M.S. Force. All together, her books have sold more than 5.5 million copies worldwide!
Her goals in life are simple—to finish raising two happy, healthy, productive young adults, to keep writing books for as long as she possibly can and to never be on a flight that makes the news.
Join Marie's mailing list for news about new books and upcoming appearances in your area. Follow her on Facebook, Twitter @marieforce and on Instagram. Join one of Marie's many reader groups. Contact Marie at [email protected].
