by Mia Ford
End of Main Story
For your reading pleasure, I have included an exclusive Never Before Published Romance Novella - HEATED MOMENTS inside this book and it starts from the next page
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Heated Moments - An EXCLUSIVE NEVER BEFORE PUBLISHED ROMANCE
Blurb
Karen Page had never ventured too far out of her comfort zone. She has her eyes on her five-year plan and nothing is going to interfere. Coming home is an eye-opening experience. Latham Rogers is her neighbor. He’s the older bad boy and has grown into a fine specimen of a man over the last 10 years. She spies him after a decade of being away and wonders what lurks underneath his tight jeans.
Latham Rogers has a secret and is keeping it from his family. He stayed to look after his mother. His time in the military has left him scarred with memories he doesn’t want to talk about. Karen dresses to make him yearn for something he shouldn’t. He tries to resist, but her perseverance leaves him at a loss for words. They will learn that time means nothing when the heart is on the line.
Chapter one
Karen
I was walking from the bus station intent on surprising my family by showing up early. It was interesting to be back after a decade. I had my five-year plan and nothing was going to derail my rise to journalistic greatness.
My hometown was what you would expect it to be.
Everything was exactly the same except for one glaring exception on the side of the road on the way into town. The diner had changed hands. It had taken on the guise of the fifties. It was a throwback to a different era. I could see through the windows. The girls were dressed to mimic the style back in the day. They even had them on roller skates for takeout service.
My world consisted of the day to day grind of schoolwork. College wasn’t easy, but nothing in life worth doing was ever easy. My father was known to pile on sage advice from time to time to keep me on the straight and narrow.
My long blond hair had been exchanged for a pixie cut. It accentuated my long neck and added extra emphasis to my endowment. I was blessed more than others in a certain department.
It had come on me rather suddenly a year after I had left home for college. I was no longer the same girl looking for the approval of the opposite sex. I could bat my eyes and show some skin to get them panting after me like a dog in heat.
I was unassuming at 5’2, 120 pounds with the kind of piercing blue eyes to make you look at me like a sexual object. My blood flowed with passion, but I had yet to find anybody to match me in the bedroom. I had left them out of breath and staring at me lifeless from the mattress after I was done with them.
There was really only one man who I had measured everybody else against. None of them came close to the specimen that lived across the street.
Latham Rogers was a name that lingered on my lips during those twilight hours. I had high expectations and wanted every man to be him in some regard. They had no idea what kind of Herculean task it really was.
“Karen…Karen Page…why would you come back to this one horse town. How long has it been?” Julia Cameron had been my best friend since childhood.
“I had a few days to kill after midterms. I thought I didn’t get enough criticism from my parents on the phone. This way I can cut out the middleman and make it easier for them to crucify me in person.” They were on me constantly to find a good man to settle down with, but the one I wanted had gotten away.
“I’m not going to let my best friend come home without having a party in her honor. Do you remember how we used to blow off steam on the beach? It will be fun to get the gang back together again. Get in and I will take you the rest of the way.” Julia had settled down with her Prince Charming and the little baby to follow.
She driving a nondescript minivan and I felt sorry for her. She looked happy with her mom dress and children’s cup sitting in the holder. I could smell what appeared to be burnt popcorn and found it scattered on the seat behind us.
I had on a custom blue denim shirt unbuttoned to show the swell of my breasts. I was no stranger to the concept of flirting to get what I wanted. Life was about sacrifice. Climbing the ladder wasn’t easy without making the best out of every opportunity. I had gotten an internship last summer at the Chicago Tribune. There was a job waiting for me after I graduated.
The leather skirt was a little scandalous. Bending over at certain angles could give a guy the wrong idea. My long legs were a focus for the male gender. It was a little awkward being home, but it felt like an old shoe I had lost and found again.
“You know it was hell on them when you decided to leave for college 1000 miles away. Having children gives you a new perspective. Wait and see. One day you will have children of your own.” I was an only child living with helicopter parents hovering over my every move.
I felt like I was twice my age with an old soul in my 25-year-old body. I was self-sufficient at a young age. My childhood was more about responsibility than playing.
“I got away from them living vicariously through me. It was time for me to take those next steps on my own. Cutting the apron strings and spreading my wings was necessary for my emotional well-being.” My shape was like an hourglass and I could make men burn with desire.
“They still talk about you on Sunday in church with pride.” Religion had been crammed down my throat with the threat of damnation over my head.
I didn’t lose my virginity until I was 18 on the eve of leaving for college. I didn’t even remember the guy’s name. He was a drunken idea in the back seat of my father’s roomy sedan. It wasn’t the life changing moment of my life. It was somewhat disappointing and over with way too soon. It wasn’t like I had anything to compare it to.
“I still have my faith, but I don’t prescribe to the collection plate. Everybody has to worship in their own way.” Julia had turned into a pen pal friendship, but being in close proximity made me realize how much I had missed her.
The familiar row of mailboxes along the side of my street had me all aflutter. I was getting close to the threshold of where I had felt like I was suffocating. The only saving grace was the stretch of private beach along the properties. The ocean was steps away from my door. Skinny dipping at midnight was a delicious moment of rebellion.
“Wait until everybody hears that you’re back in town.” I wasn’t ready to scream it from the rooftops.
“I would like for you to refrain from telling them anything until I reveal it myself.” The one very lonely green duffel bag with whatever I could carry was sitting at my feet.
The smell of a multitude of flowers assaulted me from those backyard gardens. The fragrance adorning each stem was making me smile despite my misgivings about coming home for a few days.
“I like the way you think. Can you imagine their look of astonishment when you step out from the shadows? I do have a few appointments with some interesting buyers in the city. Evan is away on business and my little one is staying at their grandparents’ house for the weekend. This party is going to happen. I’m not taking no for an answer.” She was a real estate agent with a fine reputation behind her.
The scenery when I stepped from the minivan was a sight I knew too well.
The white paint was still peeling with the cracks in the sidewalk leading up to the front door. The black 65 Mustang was my father’s pride and joy. He sometimes tinkered in the garage for hours.
The garage door was open with him under the hood. I didn’t want to disturb him, but I didn’t want to give him a heart attack either. I took a few small steps forward when I heard the spray of a garden hose at work.
I turned on my black boots to see Latham Rogers without his shirt on. Washing the car with droplets of water splashing against his skin was giving me a hot flash. I was lost in a sea of memories, but they couldn’t hold a candle to how he had developed into a man over the last ten years.
My mouth was open and my palms were sweating. I swallowed hard with this overwhelming need to reach out and touch him. T
he water outlined his muscles and made him this tasty little morsel to be savored with each bite. The man’s hair was military cut. Those years protecting the country had made him an example to others.
He hadn’t seen me and I didn’t want him to. Being tongue-tied and unable to speak was not an attractive quality. I was well on my way to getting several accolades in journalism. Speaking in public wasn’t an issue.
Latham’s jeans were molded to his frame. He was making me lick my lips with the anticipation of what was hiding underneath the pronounced zipper.
I bypassed my father and found the door in the back open as usual. I stood on the deck looking at the water. A deep breath made me sigh with contentment. The salt water was lapping seamlessly against the shore. It was nice to be back.
Chapter two
Latham
I saw her out of the corner of my eye. She was a breath of fresh air, but I wasn’t interested in anything permanent. Fleeting moments in the bedroom wasn’t out of the question. Women were puzzles and I could figure them out after a few stiff ones. They weren’t the problem.
“I have to say having you home these last couple of months has been a godsend. It wasn’t right for me to ask you to stay. Losing your father put a strain on me financially. He left a lot of things undone with one project after another unfinished.” My mother was good at manipulating me, but what she didn’t know wasn’t going to hurt her.
“I lost my best friend. That is a void that nobody is going to be able to fill. My father taught me everything there was about being a man. I will always have a special bond with you, but the time I spent with him is never going to be forgotten.” I had finished washing the car, but I did have enough time to admire the swing to Karen’s hips.
“I have been a basket case. Having you here with a shoulder I can lean on kept me from losing it. Dinner will be ready shortly. I decided to take a shot at making your father’s ribs for old time’s sake.” I turned rather abruptly and found her smiling knowing full well the men of the Rogers Clan was responsible for making the ribs.
“You had me there for a second. I will need a few special ingredients for the sauce. I’ll go across the street and borrow what we don’t have.” My father’s recipe had been passed down from one generation to the next with him imparting on me the same tradition inherited in his will.
“I don’t know how many times I’ve mentioned to your father how he could make a fortune on the open market. He has always claimed the recipe will live and die within the family.” It could’ve been quite lucrative, but I couldn’t bring myself to sell off the family legacy.
“I will never go against his wishes. There’s no amount of money that could possibly convince me to sell.” The only way the family recipe was going to die was on the premise that I wasn’t going to have any children to pass it on to.
The very idea of raising a child sent a shiver of fear down my spine. I was 6’2, 230 pounds of solid muscle and could run into a hailstorm of bullets without blinking an eye. My men depended on me in the heat of the moment to protect them. I was responsible for giving them the courage to stand strong against the enemy.
With all of that, children were my Achilles’ heel with this belief the next generation didn’t have a chance. Seeing the horrors had awakened something inside of me. It was lying dormant until the strict discipline of the military brought it out in me. Killing for any reason shouldn’t be easy. Death is final. There is no coming back when the light is turned off.
I made my way across the street and knocked on the door with no answer.
The black mustang with its hood open was mocking me. Getting my hands on the steering wheel had become a guilty obsession. It was tempting to ask Mr. Page to let me take it out for a spin. I knew what his answer was going to be. I didn’t take rejection very well.
I went around back and opened the back door. There was something cooking on the stove with a medley of different spices including onions and peppers. It smelled fantastic. I grabbed the handle and pulled back the lid. It was on a slow simmer.
The keys usually on the rack by the door were mysteriously absent. It dawned on me that they were going to have a special dinner for Karen. I could easily procure an invitation. Karen was no longer the little girl across the street spying on me with her friends. She was a dish better served hot right from the oven.
I heard the sound of the shower. It was a stupid thing to do, but my body and mind were at odds.
The door to the bathroom down the hall was slightly ajar. I stood with my hand on the door leading to the girl that had captured my interest. The right thing to do was to announce my presence, but I couldn’t bring myself to do it. Steeling myself for more than I bargained for, I pushed open the door to witness a sight worth more than 1000 words.
She was under the hot water and the silhouette of her body was clearly defined. Those mountains were enough to release my inner fantasies. She was born to be naked under the careful watch of my eager eyes. This woman was a heartbreaker.
“There’s no reason to be shy.” Her response startled me and I took a step back thinking that a discreet exit was in order.
“I have to apologize and this is no way for a military man to behave. I came over to borrow some spices. I couldn’t help myself when I heard the shower. I hope you can forgive me.” I was concerned she was going to make this a problem between both of our family’s.
“My mother and father went out earlier. It seems only fair for you to get a chance to look at me. I did enough of that growing up with my binoculars on you.” I was stunned by how easily she opened the glass enclosure stark raving nude.
“I need to leave.” I felt her hand grabbing my wrist and my fingers came in contact with her nubile flesh.
“I never said you had to leave. I don’t know how much time we have, but we should make the best out of it.” I didn’t have to see her to know what part of her body I was touching.
Those nipples were hard enough to cut through glass. Her smooth skin was soft to the touch. I didn’t dare look. It was in bad taste to take advantage of her in her current undressed condition.
My mouth was dry and my jeans had filled out with the bulge of my little soldier at full salute.
“Are you trying to… seduce me?” I stuttered and my words sounded like a prepubescent teenager cracking under the pressure.
“It’s up to you to find out.” My fingers were feeling the heat of her mound.
She had recently shaved and those lips sheltered the heaven I wanted to taste. She directed the action and I was soon penetrating her tight glove of persuasion. It sank into the first knuckle with the warmth and the wetness giving me ideas.
“Please…you don’t know what you’re doing to me. Karen, I didn’t intend for any of this to happen. You have to believe me." I desperately wanted to turn around, but it was erotic to play with her body like a blind man does with Braille.
“I know exactly what I’m doing to you. This is what I call home field advantage. I’ve been thinking about this day for longer than you can imagine. You were the fantasy that was out of my reach. It doesn’t look like you are a figment of my overactive imagination. Just to be sure, I should pinch you to make sure you’re real.” I was prepared for her to grab my ass, but that wasn’t what she had in mind.
“I can’t believe I have my finger inside you.” She reached around and I saw her painted pink fingernails drawing a line along my waist.
“It feels amazing. I don’t see any reason why I shouldn’t return the favor.” She expertly undid the button on my pants.
That same hand found the heated column of my excitement inside my briefs. She grabbed it in its flesh and blood state. Stroking me to the same rhythm of my finger was daring me to cross a line. Her hot breath was on my neck and she was obviously on her tiptoes to reach me.
“I am this close to pinning you up against the wall.” I saw a flash in my mind’s eye of this young fresh face screaming in terror.
“I don’t kno
w why I was hesitant to talk to you when I came home. This is the universal language. There can be no mistaking what I want from you.” My appendage jumped in her fist with the vein down the back throbbing with an incessant need to fire off indiscriminately.
“You don’t have to paint me a picture. I don’t deserve you. I won’t make the same mistake again.” The blood was still on my hands and the look on ‘her’ face was a noose around my neck.
“Relax…there’s no reason to say something you can’t take back. You can tell me this isn’t what you want, but I’m not going to believe you. Cum with me. Don’t hold back. Let me feel the hunger you have for me.” Her words were having the desired effect with my manhood at its full potential.
“You are a bad girl for putting me in this position.” The flicker of flame between her legs was burning the tip of my finger.
“I don’t think I’m the one that is in need of a shower. You are a dirty boy for coming in here without asking for permission. I’m glad you did. I doubt anything would have happened had you not felt compelled to see me.” I heard the catch in her throat and it was a telltale sign of her arousal getting the best of her.
Her fingernails were scratching the length of my shaft with the other one digging into my shoulder. She was moaning underneath her breath. I prolonged her orgasm by using my thumb to elicit the same uncharacteristic response from touching her clit. She was squeezing my equipment and I was close to the moment of sweet release.
I heard the clang of their family car with the muffler hanging on by a thread. I pried her fingers from my cock. I left her standing there and didn’t bother to look back on my way out the door. I had the semblance of mind to grab a few spices on the way out.
I was able to skirt being discovered by going around to the other side of the garage. It was a little disappointing that I wasn’t able to finish with her. It was probably better that way.
