by Nikki Winter
www.beautifultroublepublishing.com
Copyright © 2011 by Nikki Winter
All Rights Reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or shared in any form, including but not limited to: printing, photocopying, faxing, recording, electronic transmission, or by any information storage or retrieval system without prior written permission from the authors or holders of the copyright.
This book is a work of fiction. References may be made to locations and historical events; however, names, characters, places and incidents are the products of the author’s imagination and/or used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons (living or dead), businesses, events or locales is either used fictitiously or coincidental. All trademarks, service marks, registered trademarks, and registered service marks are the property of their respective owners and are used herein for identification purposes only.
Published by
Beautiful Trouble Publishing, LLC
PO Box 61
Colfax, NC 27235
www.beautifultroublepublishing.com
Cover Art: Marteeka Karland, http://www.marteekakarland.com/
Editor: Novellette Whyte
http://authorgurunovellette.blogspot.com/
Proofreader: Legacy Editing, http://legacyediting.com/
Formatter: Jim & Zetta, http://www.jimandzetta.com/
E-book Conversion: Jim & Zetta, http://www.jimandzetta.com/
ISBN: (e-book) 978-1-61788-250-0
And here we go again folks. I really don’t have the slightest idea how I ended up giving you guys a six part series (with more to come so calm down) out of one story but it’s been one of the best journeys I’ve ever taken. To see these characters come alive from one simple idea has been AMAZING and I appreciate each and every one of you who’ve been on this ride with me. Okay, enough with the mush. I also have no clue who legitimately has dibs on Felix but I do believe it’s Violette—aka Purple Rain. Now if she happens to waive her rights, then that means my Twin (who has been badgering me FOREVER for Felix) gets full claim to him. I know, I know, it’s not exactly fair but guess what? I’m Jayha’s Padawan, why would you expect anything I do to be fair? (Grin) Enjoy folks. —Nikki
NOTE ABOUT EBOOKS
eBooks are NOT transferable. Re-selling, sharing or giving away eBooks is a copyright infringement. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means without written permission of the author or Beautiful Trouble Publishing.
CAVEAT
This work of erotica contains adult language and sexually explicit scenes, which are smoking hot. This book is intended only for adults, as it is defined by the laws of the country in which the purchase is made. Keep this book out of the hands of under-aged readers.
There Are Moments
“Lena Nicole Ramos, get that pillow off your brother’s face right now!”
Twenty year old Lena looked up from the task of slowly smothering her older brother, Felix, but wasn’t exactly quick to get up. “But Mama-”
“Little girl…”
“He called me ‘wide-ass’ again,” Lena whined, ignoring the way Felix was starting to flail and kick.
Her mother sighed, leaned into the doorway of the den and looked over at a very calm Archer who seemed to be quite entertained by the fact that his best friend was close to death. “Did you even try to help him?”
He shot her his signature charming grin, the one that’d had him sitting at her dinner table for the past ten years with no problem. “Mama Mona, I would if I hadn’t warned him twice not to say it.” He shrugged. “He didn’t listen, so now he is suffering the consequences” Waving a hand at the pair, he sat back again.
Mona looked back over at her daughter. “How long have you had him under there?”
Lena shrugged. “I dunno. About fifteen minutes maybe. Every so often I let him up for a sip of air then push him back down again.”
Mona had been telling her boy for years that one of these days Lena would end him if he didn’t quit with the name calling. “I’ll give you five more minutes then you gotta let him up because he’s not fighting as hard as he was before—which means he’s losing consciousness.”
When the doorbell rang everybody stopped. Lena hopped up. “No need. Paige is here so my torturing is done.” She walked past Archer and popped his Stetson off because it was his favorite and she knew it.
He mumbled something that sounded like, “Brat” but she ignored him and headed for the front door of the house. She was too excited to pay the prick any mind or show concern for the fact that Felix was on the floor gasping for breath and calling them all psychotic and unstable. Not too long after that, she could hear her Daddy telling him, “Get off the floor and have some dignity boy. You insult Lena and you’re bound to get a foot in your ass.”
Lena giggled and swung the front door open. “Took you long enough to get here.”
One of Paige’s eyebrows rose over the rim of her glasses as she stated dryly, “I’m so sorry, oh ruler of the world, that I didn’t get here at the exact time you demanded.”
“Well as long as you’re repentant I suppose I can forgive the transgression.”
“Move outta my way before I kick you.”
Lena grinned and moved to the side. “Uh...Paige one warning...”
“What?”
“Felix is home.”
When Paige made a run for it, Lena was there to block her.
Breathing deeply and slowly, Felix stared across the dinner table at his sister’s best friend, Paige Matthews. Was there anything more uncomfortable than trying your damnedest to not get a hard-on in public? He really could kill Lena for letting Paige just walk in like that!
Gorgeous, smart-ass, mean as a diamondback, Paige. Those light green eyes always seemed to soften for everything but Felix. He couldn’t understand why but he could say that no matter how she looked at him she made him think bad, bad things.
There she sat, toffee skin glowing, hair freshly cut in a pageboy style that framed her pretty heart-shaped face, wearing a sundress that made him question exactly how much control he had. The damn thing wasn’t even overtly sexy it was just that the yellow color against her skin looked so good he wanted to lick her...and other stuff.
Felix shifted in his seat and tried to focus on everything but Paige.
Baseball...Bass fishing...the time you got a broom taken to your ass for ruining your Mama’s bed of tulips! Think man! Think!
After dinner everyone just kind of disappeared, because they had plans, leaving Felix and Archer to clean up the kitchen since it was their night. Well Felix cleaned while Archer watched.
“If you scrub that plate any harder you’re gonna break it.” Archer teased.
Felix just flipped him the bird over his shoulder but kept cleaning.
“Dude, you got it bad.”
“Shut. Up.”
“I’ve never seen you like this over some chick.”
Felix swung around, one arm snapping out to point at his best friend. “Paige is not just some chick and if I ever hear those words come outta your mouth again I’m shoving both my boots so far up your ass that I’ll be tap dancing on your kidneys. Got me?”
Archer didn’t respond, just smirked.
Sudden realization dawned and Felix’s shoulders slumped. “She’s in the doorway isn’t she?”
“She was, before she took off running about five seconds after your declaration of violence,” his best friend drawled with a wide grin.
“Asshole.”
Felix tossed the dish towel at Archer’s head and took off after Paige. Knowing her, she was gonna hop in her car and spit rocks getting home.
She heard her name being called but she didn’t dare turn around. There was no way in
hell she was going to face him after that. No, no, no. Hell no!
Paige kept going as far as her sandal clad feet would carry her.
“Paige would you please stop!”
“No!”
“Dammit Paige!”
She could hear him sprint into a full run and she tried to go faster but her foot hit a slab of uneven pavement and she was going down before she knew it. She put her hands out, waiting for an impact that never came.
That’s when she heard his chuckle and felt it rumble through his chest as his strong arms caught her just a few seconds away from breaking something important.
“You can open your eyes, sweetheart. I got you.”
She did, very slowly and felt herself being righted until her feet were firmly back on the ground. Looking up at Felix, she stepped back a few feet. “Thanks.”
“What’re you doing out here, you almost ruined your pretty face.” One big hand came up to fix her glasses but she slapped it away and moved back.
Felix frowned. “Wanna tell me where you were going?”
“Home.”
“Why?”
“Because...because...”
“Waiting here, sweetheart.”
“Because of that!” Paige threw up her hands.
Felix frowned even harder. “Because I call you sweetheart?”
“Yes and baby, and that weird Latin nickname and every other endearment you can. Cut it out would you?”
His head cocked to the side. “You’re angry.”
Her face grew hot. “No, I’m not.”
Stepping closer, he pressed his index finger to her forehead, smoothing the wrinkles. “Yes, you are. Why? Because I call you sweet names?”
“I...that...that’s not what makes me angry.”
“Okay then, so what does exactly?”
She rubbed her temples. “Going through the motions with you.”
He frowned. “The motions?”
“Yes,” Paige nodded. “The motions. This game of dancing around each other until we finally sleep together. It’s pointless.”
“Who said all I wanted to do is sleep with you and why do you think it’s pointless? The motions, I mean.”
She let out a frustrated little growl. “I know it’s pointless because I don’t want you.” She was lying and she knew it. Paige wanted him so bad that it scared the shit out of her. She’d seen what that kind of love could do to a person; make them slaves to their emotions, completely eradicate their identity, and all for what, to prove themselves in love? No, she’d watched her mother do it and she’d be damned if she would repeat the cycle with Felix.
“Oh.” His brows lifted. “Oh.” A sly grin replaced the confusion on his face. “So you’re saying you’re not attracted to me?”
Paige froze. Felix had an effect on her, making butterflies flutter around in her tummy whenever he got near, and a minute ago when he’d caught her… Shaking her head, she backed away. “No, I’m not.”
He stepped closer. “I think you are.”
“Well what you think and what is, are two different things.” Sighing, she tried a different approach. “Listen, you’re great Felix, you really are but I’m not...I can’t...”
“You know, I have a favorite pastime besides annoying Lena.”
“And that would be?” She questioned, not really wanting to know. The gleam in his eyes told her everything.
Leaning down, Felix whispered, “Exposing a liar.” Then his lips were on hers, his tongue sliding easily into her mouth, tangling with hers. Paige found herself reaching for him but she came away wanting because he broke the kiss. His dark eyes twinkled as he stared down at her. “Tastes like a lie to me.” He grabbed her hand and linked their fingers. Paige didn’t pull away because she was too dazed. “Now,” he said tugging her along, “let’s go back before Lena goes kamikaze and comes looking for you.”
Paige just followed behind, wondering exactly what the hell had just happened.
Where
Ten years later...
“I’m risking my life for you. You owe me!” Oh she was crazy if she thought he’d be paying his debt like this. There was no way in the deepest, darkest, dankest, recesses of hell he was doing this.
He shook his dark head and faced her glare straight on. “No. Hell no.”
“Felix—”
“Forget it Lena. I love you and I appreciate what you’re doing to help me but I refuse—and I do mean refuse—to do that.” He waved a hand at the disgusting and disturbing task before him.
“If your stupid-ass plan succeeds then you’ll be doing this a whole lot more than just this once, genius. So get to it.” His little sister snapped her fingers and pointed at the wiggling baby boy that lay on the changing table.
Felix gagged at the smell wafting from the diaper. He gave Lena his saddest look. “Why are you doing this to me?”
“Because you have to learn and if you think for one second that Paige is gonna birth your big headed babies and be saddled with the constant job of changing every diaper you’re in for a Texas sized disappointment down the line. Now,” Lena waved her hand towards baby Liam, “do what I showed you and do it quickly before he starts screaming.”
He turned panicked eyes her way. “Screaming? Why would he scream?”
“Well if your diaper was full of shit, needed to be changed and you had two adults perfectly capable of doing it but one of them was too scared to handle the small task when you knew and understood that they could, you’d scream too because you’d realize that was the only way to get the dumbass’ attention.”
“You owe Abby’s swear jar like ten bucks.” Felix pointed out.
Lena smirked. “I don’t see Abby around any—” Her words slowly stopped as her daughter scooted from under Liam’s crib—where she’d been hiding—and held out her jar with a wide grin, her golden eyes twinkling.
In the sweetest little voice she said, “You owe me money, Ma. Ten bucks just like Uncle Felix said. I’ve been under there the whole time.”
Lena scowled down at the miniature version of herself. “Your Daddy told you it was a good idea to hide under there, didn’t he?”
Abby’s grin got wider. “Yup and he gave me this too.” She reached under the crib and pulled out a small recorder that—Felix was guessing—would play back every cuss word Lena had let loose in the last twenty minutes.
His sister’s jaw clenched before she reached into her pocket and pulled out a twenty. She dropped it in the jar and Abby frowned up at her. “That’s a twenty, Ma.”
Lena gave a tight smile and said, “Keep the change because Mommy has some things she needs to say to Daddy.” She pointed at Liam. “Get to it Felix. I’ll be back.” Then she made her way out of the room bellowing, “Archer!”
Felix looked down at his niece. “You just got your Daddy in a lot of trouble, baby girl.”
Still she held that grin. “I know but I’m rich now!”
He smiled back. “And that’s all that matters.” He stuck out his fist and waited for her to bump knuckles with him before he straightened and stared down at Liam’s face—which was getting redder by the second. “Go ahead and scream kid. I have a feeling after I open this diaper I’ll be screaming right along with you.”
The small, bright grin his nephew gave probably should’ve been his first warning that something was really wrong.
“Sweet baby Joseph Johnson on a Christmas Sunday morning!” Lena stopped cussing Archer, after the bellow, long enough to watch Felix practically sprint from the nursery with Liam held out a good foot in front of him and diaper-less. Her brother looked two seconds away from hitting the floor.
“Dude, green is so not your color,” Archer said.
Felix simply handed over Liam to her and flipped his brother-in-law the bird. “That child,” he said pointing to the toddler “is not human. I don’t care what you say. Nothing human can produce what he did in that room.” He gestured towards the nursery. “I have seen some really disturbing sh
it in my day but that...that was just wrong!”
Abby materialized with her jar held up towards her Uncle and one brow slightly raised. Felix’s jaw clenched as he took out a buck and stuffed it in the jar. “Little miser,” he muttered. Tossing a disgusted look at Liam, he shook his head. “And you...I hope they get you help for whatever your problem is kid.” Then he stormed pass them all and out the front door.
Archer looked at her. “See? I’m not the only one who feels that way about your son’s diaper changes.”
She rolled her eyes. “Yeah but he didn’t faint.”
“I keep telling you I got light headed and I had to sit down, dammit.” He growled.
Lena waited for their baby girl to stick the jar out towards her father but she just stood there, counting the tens and twenties. “Um, little girl?”
Abby’s eyes focused on her. “Yes, Ma?”
“Your Daddy just cussed. Aren’t you gonna charge him?”
Their daughter shrugged and answered, “Nope, he’s allowed. Uncle Felix says that cussing is the least he can do while married to you.” With that she flounced off and Lena had never wanted to stick her foot out and trip a kid more than she did right then.
“Don’t you dare,” her husband said.
“What? It’s not like she has far to fall. She’s only like three feet tall.”
“Lena...”
“Alright but I’m telling you I’m gonna start charging that kid rent.”
Archer waved his hand. “Forget that. What’re you gonna do about Paige and Felix?”
“Oh well, we have a plan.”
One of his brows went up. “And that would be?”
A slow smile formed when she retorted, “A nice family vacation that goes just a little bit wrong.”
Crazy female. Did Lena not know that he could give Paige more than enough incentive to change every diaper their kids would ever wear? Felix shook his head as he packed his suitcase. Even though their plan for him to get Paige was worth it, this would be the last time he asked his sister for a favor. He always had to pay her back in some life scarring way. And no he was not being dramatic even if he’d felt the need to run all one hundred yards to the house he’d had built on his and Archer’s ranch a year ago, just to escape!
