His Pregnant Princess Bride

by Catherine Mann

  Chapter 18

  This is homecoming, Sienna thought as she was quickly consumed by the hungry onslaught of Dane’s kiss. All the hurt and anger she’d felt for six months was being replaced by passion of the most heated kind. All she could think about was the desire she was feeling being back in the arms of the man she loved and who loved her.

  This was the type of communication she’d always loved, where she could share her thoughts, feelings and desires with Dane without uttering a single word. It was where their deepest emotions and what was in their inner hearts spoke for them, expressing things so eloquently and not leaving any room for misunderstandings.

  He pulled back slightly, his lips hovering within inches of hers. He reached out and caressed her cheek, and as if she needed his taste again, her lips automatically parted. A slow, sensual acknowledgement of understanding tilted the corners of his mouth into a smile. Then he leaned closer and kissed her again, longer and harder, and the only thing she could do was to wrap her arms around him and silently thank God for reuniting her with this very special man.

  Dane was hungry for the taste of his wife and at that moment, as his heart continued to pound relentlessly in his chest, he knew he had to make love to her, to show her in every way what she meant to him, had always meant to him and would always mean to him.

  He pulled back slightly and the moisture that was left on her lips made his stomach clench. He leaned forward and licked them dry, or tried to, but her scent was driving him to do more. “Please let me make love to you, Sienna,” he whispered, leaning down and resting his forehead against hers.

  She leaned back and cupped his chin with her hand. “Oh, yes. I want you to make love to me, Dane. I’ve missed being with you so much I ache.”

  “Oh, baby, I love you.” He pulled her closer, murmured the words in her twisted locks, kissed her cheek, her temple, her lips, and he cupped her buttocks, practically lifting her off the floor in the process. His breath came out harsh, ragged, as the chemistry between them sizzled. There was only one way to drench their fire.

  He stretched out with her in front of the fireplace as he began removing her clothes and then his. Moments later, the blaze from the fire was a flickering light across their naked skin. And then he began kissing her all over, leaving no part of her untouched, determined to quench his hunger and his desire. He had missed the taste of her and was determined to be reacquainted in every way he could think of.

  “Dane...”

  Her tortured moan ignited the passion within him and he leaned forward to position his body over hers, letting his throbbing erection come to rest between her thighs, gently touching the entrance of her moist heat. He lifted his head to look down at her, wanting to see her expression the exact moment their bodies joined again.

  Chapter 19

  Sienna stared into Dane’s eyes, the heat and passion she saw in them making her shiver. The love she recognized made her heart pound, and the desire she felt for him sent surges and surges of sensations through every part of her body, especially the area between her legs, making her thighs quiver.

  “You’re my everything, Sienna,” he whispered as he began easing inside of her. His gaze was locked with hers as his voice came out in a husky tone. “I need you like I need air to breathe, water for thirst and food for nourishment. Oh, baby, my life has been so empty since you’ve been gone. I love and need you.”

  His words touched her and when he was embedded inside of her to the hilt, she arched her back, needing and wanting even more of him. She gripped his shoulders with her fingers as liquid fire seemed to flow to all parts of her body.

  And at that moment she forgot everything—the Beast from the East, their limited supply of food and the fact they were stranded together in a cabin with barely enough heat. The only thing that registered in her mind was that they were together and expressing their love in a way that literally touched her soul.

  He continued to stroke her, in and out, and with each powerful thrust into her body she moaned out his name and told him of her love. She was like a bow whose strings were being stretched to the limit each and every time he drove into her, and she met his thrusts with her own eager ones.

  And then she felt it, the strength like a volcano erupting as he continued to stroke her to oblivion. Her body splintered into a thousand pieces as an orgasm ripped through her, almost snatching her breath away. And when she felt him buck, tighten his hold on her hips and thrust into her deeper, she knew that same powerful sensation had taken hold of him, as well.

  “Sienna!”

  He screamed her name and growled a couple of words that were incoherent to her ears. She tightened her arms around his neck, needing to be as close to him as she could get. She knew in her heart at that moment that things were going to be fine. She and Dane had proved that when it came to the power of love, it was never too late.

  Sienna awoke the following morning naked, in front of the fireplace and cuddled in her husband’s arms with a blanket covering them. After yawning, she raised her chin and glanced over at him and met his gaze head-on. The intensity in the dark eyes staring back at her shot heat through all parts of her body. She couldn’t help but recall last night and how they had tried making up for all the time they had been apart.

  “It’s gone,” Dane said softly, pulling her closer into his arms.

  She lifted a brow. “What’s gone?”

  “The Beast.”

  She tilted her head to glance out the window and he was right. Although snow was still falling, it wasn’t the violent blizzard that had been unleashed the day before. It was as if the weather had served the purpose it had come for and had made its exit. She smiled. Evidently, someone up there knew she and Dane’s relationship was meant to be saved and had stepped in to salvage it.

  She was about to say something when suddenly there was a loud pounding at the door. She and Dane looked at each other, wondering who would be paying them a visit to the cabin at this hour and in this weather.

  Chapter 20

  Sienna, like Dane, had quickly gotten dressed and was now staring at the four men who were standing in the doorway...those handsome Steele brothers. She smiled, shaking her head. Vanessa had evidently called her cousins to come rescue her, anyway.

  “Vanessa called us,” Chance Steele, the oldest of the pack, said by way of explanation. “It just so happened that we were only a couple of miles down the road at our own cabin.” A smile touched his lips. “She was concerned that the two of you were here starving to death and asked us to share some of our rations.”

  “Thanks, guys,” Dane said, gladly accepting the box Sebastian Steele was handing him. “Come on in. And although we’ve had plenty of heat to keep us warm, I have to admit our food supply was kind of low.”

  As soon as the four entered, all eyes went to Sienna. Although the brothers knew Dane because their families sometimes ran in the same social circles, as well as the fact that Dane and Donovan Steele had graduated from high school the same year, she knew their main concern was for her. She had been their cousin Vanessa’s best friend for years, and as a result they had sort of adopted her as their little cousin, as well.

  “You okay?” Morgan Steele asked her, although Sienna knew she had to look fine; probably like a woman who’d been made love to all night, and she wasn’t ashamed of that fact. After all, Dane was her husband. But the Steeles knew about her pending divorce, so she decided to end their worries.

  She smiled and moved closer to Dane. He automatically wrapped his arms around her shoulders and brought her closer to his side. “Yes, I’m wonderful,” she said, breaking the subtle tension she felt in the room. “Dane and I have decided we don’t want a divorce and intend to stay together and make our marriage work.”

  The relieved smiles on the faces of the four men were priceless. “That’s wonderful. We�
��re happy for you,” Donovan Steele said, grinning.

  “We apologize if we interrupted anything, but you know Vanessa,” Chance said, smiling. “She wouldn’t let up. We would have come sooner but the bad weather kept us away.”

  “Your timing was perfect,” Dane said, grinning. “We appreciate you even coming out now. I’m sure the roads weren’t their best.”

  “No, but my new truck managed just fine,” Sebastian said proudly. “Besides, we’re going fishing later. We would invite you to join us, Dane, but I’m sure you can think of other ways you’d prefer to spend your time.”

  Dane smiled as he glanced down and met Sienna’s gaze. “Oh, yeah, I can definitely think of a few.”

  The power had been restored and a couple of hours later, after eating a hefty breakfast of pancakes, sausage, grits and eggs, and drinking what Dane had to admit was the best coffee he’d had in a long time, Dane and Sienna were wrapped in each other’s arms in the king-size bed. Sensations flowed through her just thinking about how they had ached and hungered for each other, and the fierceness of their lovemaking to fulfill that need and greed.

  “Now will you tell me what brought you to the cabin?” Sienna asked, turning in Dane’s arms and meeting his gaze.

  “My wedding band.” He then told her why he’d come to the cabin two weeks ago and how he’d left the ring behind. “It was as if without that ring on my finger, my connection to you was gone. I had to have it back so I came here for it.”

  Sienna nodded, understanding completely. That was one of the reasons she hadn’t removed hers. Reaching out she cupped his stubble jaw in her hand and then leaned over and kissed him softly. “Together forever, Mr. Bradford.”

  Dane smiled. “Yes, Mrs. Bradford, together forever. We’ve proved that when it comes to true love, it’s never too late.”

  * * * * *

  NEVER TOO LATE is part of Brenda Jackson’s FORGED OF STEELE series. Don’t miss the latest story, POSSESSED BY PASSION, available March 2016 from Kimani Romance.

  And be sure to pick up the other stories in FORGED OF STEELE:

  SOLID SOUL

  NIGHT HEAT

  BEYOND TEMPTATION

  RISKY PLEASURES

  IRRESISTIBLE FORCES

  INTIMATE SEDUCTION

  HIDDEN PLEASURES

  A STEELE FOR CHRISTMAS

  PRIVATE ARRANGEMENTS

  Available from Kimani Romance.

  Keep reading for an excerpt from HOW TO SLEEP WITH THE BOSS by Janice Maynard.

  We hope you enjoyed this Harlequin Desire story.

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  How to Sleep with the Boss

  by Janice Maynard

  One

  “I want you to push me to my limits. So I can prove to you that I can handle it.”

  Patrick stared across his paper-cluttered desk at the woman seated opposite him. Libby Parkhurst was not someone you would pick out of a crowd. Mousy brown hair, ordinary features and clothes at least one size too big for her slender frame added up to an unfortunate adjective. Forgettable.

  Except for those eyes. Green. Moss, maybe. Not emerald. Emerald was too brilliant, too sharp. Libby’s green eyes were the quiet, soothing shade of a summer forest.

  Patrick cleared his throat, absolutely sure his companion hadn’t intended her remark to sound provocative. Why would she? Patrick was nothing more to her than a family friend and a prospective employer. After all, Libby’s mother had been his mother’s best friend for decades.

  “I appreciate your willingness to step outside your comfort zone, Libby,” he said. “But I think we both know this job is not for you. You don’t understand what it involves.” Patrick’s second in command, Charlise, was about to commence six months of maternity leave. Patrick needed a replacement ASAP. Because he had dawdled in filling the spot, his mother, Maeve Kavanagh, had rushed in to supply an interviewee.

  Libby sat up straighter, her hands clenched in her lap, her expression earnest and maybe a tad desperate. “I do,” she said firmly. “Maeve described the position in detail. All I’m asking is that you run me through the paces before I have to welcome the first group.”

  Patrick’s business, Silver Reflections, provided a quiet, soothing setting for professionals experiencing burnout, but also offered team-building activities for high-level management executives. Ropes courses, hiking, overnight survival treks. The experience was sometimes grueling and always demanding.

  The fill-in assistant would be involved in every aspect of running Silver Reflections. While Patrick applauded Libby’s determination, he had serious doubts about her ability to handle the physical aspects of the job.

  “Libby...” He sighed, caught between his instincts about filling the position and his obligation to play nice.

  His unwanted guest leaned forward, gripping the edge of his desk with both hands, her knuckles white. “I need this job, Patrick. You know I do.”

  Libby had him there. He’d witnessed in painful detail what the past year had been like for her—as had most of the country, thanks to the tabloids. First, Libby’s father had been sent to prison for tax fraud to the tune of several million. Then eight weeks ago, after months of being hounded by the press and forced to adopt a lifestyle far below her usual standards, Libby’s emotionally fragile mother had committed suicide.

  Quite simply, in the blink of an eye, Libby Parkhurst had gone from being a sheltered heiress to a woman with virtually no resources. Her debutante education had qualified her to host her father’s dinner parties when her mother was unable or unwilling to do so. But twenty-three-year-old Libby had no practical experience, no résumé and no money.

  “You won’t like it.” He was running out of socially acceptable ways to say he didn’t want her for the job.

  Libby’s chin lifted. She sat back in her chair, her spine straight. The disappointment in her gaze told him she anticipated his rejection. “I know your mother made you interview me,” she said.

  “I’m far past the age where my mother calls the shots in my life.” It was only partly a lie. Maeve Kavanagh wielded maternal guilt like a sharp-edged sword.

  “I don’t have anything left to lose,” Libby said quietly. “No home. No family. No trust fund. It’s all gone. For the first time in my life, I’m going to have to stand on my own two feet. I’m willing and able to do that. But I need someone to give me a chance.”

  Damn it. Her dignified bravery tugged at heartstrings he hadn’t tuned in ages. Why was Libby Parkhurst his problem? What was his mother thinking?

  Outside his window, the late-January trees were barren and gray. Winter still had a firm hold on this corner of western North Carolina. It would be at least eight weeks before the first high-adventure group arrived. In the meantime, Libby would surely be able to handle the hotel aspects of the job. Taking reservations. Checking in guests. Making sure that all reasonable requests were accommodated.

  But even if he split Charlise’s job and gave Libby the less onerous part, he’d still be stuck looking for someone who could handle the outdoor stuff. Where was he going to find a candidate with the right qualifications willing to work temporarily and part-time?

  If this had been an emotional standoff, Libby would have won. She
never blinked as she looked at him with all the entreaty of a puppy begging to be fed. He decided to try a different tack. “Our clients are high-end,” he said. “I need someone who can dress the part.”

  Though her cheeks flushed, Libby stood her ground. “I’ve planned and overseen social events in a penthouse apartment overlooking Central Park. I think I can handle the fashion requirements.”

  He eyed her frumpy clothing and lifted a brow...not saying a word.

  For the first time, Libby lowered her gaze. “I suppose I hadn’t realized how much I’ve come to rely on the disguise,” she muttered. “I’ve dodged reporters for so long, my bag-lady routine has become second nature.”

  Now he was the one who fidgeted. His unspoken criticism had wounded her. He felt the taste of shame. And an urgent need to make her smile. “A trial period only,” he said, conceding defeat. “I make no promises.”

  Libby’s jaw dropped. “You’ll hire me?”

  The joy in her damp green eyes was his undoing. “Temporarily,” he emphasized. “Charlise will be leaving in two weeks. In the meantime, she can show you how we run things here at the retreat center. When the weather gets a bit warmer, you and I will do a dry run with some of the outdoor activities. By the end of February, we’ll see how things are going.”

  He had known “of” Libby for most of his life, though their paths seldom crossed. Patrick was thirty...Libby seven years younger. The last time he remembered seeing her was when Maeve had taken Patrick and his brothers to New York to see a hockey game. They had stopped by the Parkhurst home to say hello.

  Libby had been a shy redheaded girl with braces and a ponytail. Patrick had been too cool at the time to do more than nod in her direction.

  And now here they were.

  Libby smiled at him, her radiance taking him by surprise. “You won’t be sorry, I swear.”