Passing businesses and houses along the way, Jayde couldn’t help notice the unusually high number of CLOSED signs in the windows. On a Friday evening the place should be packed with tourists and locals alike, spending their money on things they needed for the coming week, as well as things they probably didn’t need. Instead, the street seemed almost empty, with only a few people passing by every now and then.
“Where is everyone?”
“I don’t know for sure, but I would guess either getting laid or doing everything they can to get laid.”
Her steps faltered. “That is so not funny.”
“It wasn’t meant to be.” He started walking again, pulling her gently along with him.
“Please, Aidan, not you too.”
“Me too, nothing. If you don’t like the answers, then don’t ask. You have to make up your own mind about all this. That’s the whole point, anyway.”
“What do you mean the whole point?”
“Not my place, Jayde, not my place. Stay here for a minute, okay?”
They had stopped in front on a small house a few feet from the sidewalk. It was tiny, resembling a child’s playhouse, but it was well cared-for with pretty flowers blooming in every inch of the front yard. “I want to go in and check on Beth. She didn’t look so good when she headed for home.”
“Oh, this is Beth’s house.” It made more sense now. “I should go with you; maybe I can help.”
“No, I can handle it. Enjoy the fresh air and consider what you came out here to think about.”
She nodded as he disappeared behind the wooden and wrought-iron gate, wondering what the hell she should believe. Between Marc demanding she listen to what he said and Aidan giving her the quiet, reasonable approach, she was more confused than ever.
Not in her wildest dreams could she have imagined what would happen to her when she arrived back in Hickory Falls. She’d always considered it a boring little town she couldn’t wait to get away from.
“Hello, Jayde.”
She whirled to find the man she’d met at the bank, the one who’d taken her to the safe-deposit box room, standing only a few feet behind her. God, what was his name? She racked her brain trying to remember, embarrassed that she’d forgotten. What a difference a week made. Had it only been a week since they’d met?
“Hi there.” She hoped he wouldn’t notice her failure to use his name.
“Bob, from the bank. I helped you with your grandmother’s safe-deposit box.”
Embarrassment flooded her. “Of course, Bob, I remember you.” She held out her hand to shake his, but instead of shaking it, he brought her fingers to his lips and kissed them...lingering there... The inappropriateness of the gesture shivered through her, making her skin crawl.
Bob stepped forward into her personal space, so close that his chest brushed against her breasts. Jayde tried to take a step back, but Bob wrapped his arm around her waist. He pulled her tight against his body and ground his hard cock into her pelvis.
The wild-eyed look on Bob’s face terrified her. How could she not have noticed the leer when he’d first spoken? She fought against his hold, pushing against his chest with her free hand, but he was much tougher than his pudgy, conservative look gave away.
“Please...stop.”
“Come on, sweetheart. You know you want this as much as I do. It’ll be so good, I promise.” She recoiled at the stink of his breath, as well as his intentions.
“Get off of me, before I yell for help and have you arrested.”
“I don’t see anyone around here, do you?” He clutched at her waist and hand tighter, to the point she could barely breathe, let alone kick or hit him. When his lips slammed against hers in a brutal kiss, and his tongue forced its way against her own, she did the only thing she could think of. She bit down on him, hard.
His head reared back, but he didn’t loosen his hold. “You bitch.”
She spat at him, not caring about his anger when she couldn’t see past her own. In a split second, things changed, and he released her hand, raising his own. She squinted her eyes and steeled herself for a blow that never came.
Something shot between their bodies, halting his hand in mid-swing. She stumbled backward when she was abruptly let go, and the sound of bones crunching punctuated the quiet evening, followed by a piercing howl of pain.
Getting her bearings again, she saw Bob down on his knees, Marc looming over him. He had wrenched Bob’s hand and arm in a painful, unnatural direction, a hold obviously designed to keep him from moving. Bob’s face twisted in agony, followed by bellows of pain that would surely wake the dead.
“You’re lucky I don’t kill you right here and now. Not only is Jayde mine, but you should know better than to treat any woman like that.”
“I’m...I’m sorry. I don’t know what got into me. I couldn’t help myself.”
“Is it going to happen again?”
“No...I...uh...don’t think so.”
Marc released his hand and shoved Bob to the ground. “If it does, you won’t live through it.”
He turned and stalked toward her. The relief she felt shriveled up inside her at the look in his eyes. The anger. The impatience. Hell, were his eyes red? She closed her eyes and shook her head. I’m seeing things. Not possible. Not possible. Not possible.
“Let’s go.”
“I’m waiting for Aidan.”
“That’s why I’m here. He wants to stay with Beth tonight, and he didn’t want you to walk back home alone.”
“Oh. Is Beth all right? Shouldn’t I go check on her?” She looked toward the house Aidan had disappeared into.
“No, Aidan will take care of her. He’s sure she and the baby are fine. He just doesn’t think she should be alone tonight. Aidan is so protective of her. We both are.”
“Because she’s alone?”
Marc stared down at her. “Yes. She has no family or support here. I think Beth relied on your grandmother more than she’d admit.”
Jayde nodded. She could understand not wanting to be alone. She too feared being alone again. Her hand clutched at the moonstone, worried what would happen if she gave it up, and equally as worried about what would happen if she didn’t. She brushed herself off and moved to the sidewalk, heading back home. Home. Was this home now? What about her life in San Francisco? God, she didn’t want to go back to her empty apartment, but she didn’t think she could bear being here without them.
She and Marc walked in silence, with the occasional brush of arm against arm. Regardless of the tension between them, every small touch made her want to reach out and grab him. To explain to him her fears of losing him and Aidan if she gave up the stone. But if the incident with Bob was an example of what happened because of the stone and the box, then she would have no choice. Save the town, lose the love...
Her thoughts had slowed her pace, and she didn’t realize Marc had stopped until she slammed into his solid-as-a-stone-wall body.
“What the—” She followed the direction of Marc’s gaze and froze. Stunned.
The front window of the bakery had been shattered, and the door to their home stood open.
“Wait here.”
“No, Marc, it’s not safe. Let’s just call the police.”
“Did you not see the police here buying your fudge earlier?” He pointed to the empty patrol cars they’d left at the curb hours ago.
Her heart sank as more of the truth hammered into her. “Right.”
Marc strode through the door and into the shop while she watched from the street. The store had been ransacked, and from the outside, everything looked broken. Her breath caught in her throat when Marc disappeared into the kitchen. Time slowed, and her heart raced, waiting...
When a crash and the sound of more breaking glass sounded from deep inside, Jayde rushed in. No way in hell would she just wait out here while Marc faced God knew what. She forced the kitchen door open so hard, it slammed into the wall behind it. There on the floor were Gary and Ray fro
m the repair shop down the street. They looked dazed while Marc stood over them, waiting for them to move.
“What the hell?”
“They were looking for more fudge.”
Jayde grabbed at the necklace, shocked at how out of hand things had gotten. “Doesn’t anyone have any self-control left in this town?”
When Marc started to speak, she held up her hand to stop him. “No, don’t bother. I already know what you’re going to say.”
She ran out of the room and up to her apartment. Her lungs burned from the burst through the shop and up the two flights of stairs as she locked the door behind her. She sat down on the bed, gulping in air, desperate to catch her breath. She looked at herself in the mirror behind the dresser. Her hair stood out in a riot of curls, and her skin flushed red and sweaty from her fear and her exhaustion. She did not look her best.
Sometimes when she looked in the mirror, she could still see the pudgy, plain little girl she had been, but not anymore. She’d come to terms with her ample figure, and she knew how much she was worth, even if Aidan and Marc didn’t see it without the stone’s power to show them. They claimed to be immune but she highly doubted that. They were simply to good to be true.
Tears tracked down her face as she spied the reflection of the box behind her, sitting on the nightstand beside the bed. She reached for the clasp to unhook the necklace. There was no choice. She had to do right by her grandmother and do the right thing. The warm stone settled in her hand as the tears continued to fall. She’d never known what love would be like with one man, let alone two. Somehow, the memories would have to be enough.
She pressed the lock on the box and pulled the lid open. When she’d opened the box the first time, it had been a seductive lure. Now it repelled her. Her limbs turned cold and achy the closer she got to placing the necklace inside. Her heart hurt, but she knew her grandmother watched her with pride.
“For you, Gran, I will protect the legacy of the box and all that it contains. I love you.”
She dropped the necklace onto the velvet and slammed it shut, locking the puzzle pieces once again until the last of the tumblers fell into place. The deed was done, and she’d made her choice.
Chapter Ten
One week later...
“Are you about ready to close up for the day, Jayde?” Beth looked miserable and desperate for a break.
“Why don’t you go on home, and I’ll handle it on my own.”
“Are you sure?”
“Definitely. There’s not much left to do. I’ll tidy up the kitchen, and then I’ll be heading upstairs myself. I’m beat.”
“I hear ya. I’ll just grab my purse, then, and head on home.” Beth gathered her things and headed for the door, stopping at the entry table to pick something up. “Someone left a package here for you.”
Jayde glanced up to see Beth holding a present wrapped in brown shiny foil paper and tied with a red satin bow.
“For me?” She moved around the counter to see.
“It’s from Aidan and Marc.”
“Oh.” Jayde turned away. She’d avoided them since she locked up the necklace, instead putting all her energy into cleaning up the shop and learning how to cook good fudge on her own. And it was good. Customers weren’t clamoring for it like they had for the obsession-laced version, but she had a good, steady clientele coming in every day for her treats. “Why don’t you take it, then? I don’t want it.”
Beth sighed. “How long are you going to avoid them?”
“I’m not. I’ve just been busy.”
“Uh-huh.” She looked liked she wanted to say more but decided against it. “I’ll leave the package right here on the counter. Why don’t you open it? Give them a chance.”
Jayde couldn’t do it. She was afraid their direct rejection would be more than her heart could bear.
She finished her cleaning and started turning out the lights one by one. The shiny brown package sparkled in the soft glow remaining from the lighted fudge cases. Unable to resist, she picked it up and carried it up the stairs with her. Passing by their apartment night after night without knocking was a damned difficult thing to do, and she wondered how long this would continue. How long before they made her talk to them, to listen to the truth?
She entered her apartment, anxious to be alone and away from temptation. She stared at the package in her hand.
Oh what the hell?
Sitting on her bed, she untied the ribbon and carefully unwrapped the gift. She pulled out the card. To Jayde, with much love and fun. Marc and Aidan.
The label on the box read, Chocolates: Indulge Yourself.
Jayde’s eyes opened wide as she saw the actual package contents. Oh dear, they’d given her a chocolate vibrator set. There was a delicious-looking, multispeed egg, a delectable seven-inch vibrator, and a decadent chocolate waterproof pocket rocket! And to top it all off, a bottle of chocolate body spread.
Her skin tingled with the sensation of what dessert could be like with this set.
“I couldn’t resist it when I saw it. It had your name all over it.”
She jumped at the sound of Aidan’s voice behind her. She scrambled to cover the package in spite of herself.
Turning to face him, she found both Marc and Aidan staring down at her. She opened her mouth to say something and had no idea what to say.
Marc cupped her chin. “We aren’t going away, Jayde. We’re all connected, and not just by the box.”
Jayde shook her head. “I don’t understand everything about magic and the curse yet, but I know enough to recognize obligation when I see it.”
Together they walked in front of her and knelt down.
“You’re wrong. Yes, we’ve sworn an oath to protect you no matter what happens. But that isn’t all you are to us. We need you, Jayde. In our lives. In our bed. In our hearts. Will you have us?”
Her chest clenched at their words. Was she dreaming again? They waited for her to say something, but denying them was impossible. She loved them far too much to even consider anything else.
She flung herself into their arms, letting the tears of relief streak down her face. She was home after all.
“Is that a yes?” Aidan grinned.
She looked at the gift on the bed and then back to them, flashing a sly grin. “What do you think?”
*****
****
About the Author: Eliza Gayle
Eliza Gayle is the NY Times and USA Today Bestselling Author of over 25 contemporary and paranormal romance books. She lives on a small island in the Pacific Northwest and spends her days writing romance, wandering the beach or making faces at her husky named Nanna who begs constantly for attention.
Before her writing career began, she served in the Marine Corps and lived a crazy life of adventure. Then she read her first erotic romance novel and everything changed. She'd finally found her niche. So after years of thinking about writing she finally grabbed her laptop and wrote.
To sign up for Eliza's FREE newsletter go to: http://eepurl.com/dYvij
or visit her website at http://elizagayle.net
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Breaker’s Point Rogue by M.G. Morgan
CHAPTER ONE
The road wound around and around on itself and Stuart swung the wheel to keep the car moving in the direction he wanted and not off the edge of the cliffs. The sea battered itself against the rock and he contemplated pulling over and letting the wind drive the torturous thoughts from his head.
An image of Carrie haunted his every waking moment, and every time he closed his eyes he could see her smile. All he’d ever wanted was her smile and it was the reason he was now on his way up to Breaker’s Point. She had David and the last person she needed around, messing everything up, was him.
Of course, knowing she had David didn’t make it any easier for Stuart to walk away.
Stuart sighed and punched the edge of the steering wheel. Riley had promised him work up here... Work, and lots of rich, single, bored women searching for distraction. The last part made Stuart a little uncomfortable, since he had no intention of just being someone’s distraction. That was definitely more Riley’s scene.
Stuart slowed the car as he crossed the town’s outer limits and the streets began to narrow. It had been a long time since he’d been here, and since he’d last been here it seemed the centre of town had become a rundown ghost town.
He pulled the car into a parking space directly in front of what seemed to be the only open diner on the street.
Stuart sat for a minute, his fingers idly tapping on the steering wheel. He could just keep driving, since Riley didn’t live too far outside Breaker’s Point. There’d be plenty of opportunities to get food there and yet Stuart found himself pushing the car door open and stepping out onto the asphalt.
Curves for Him - 10 Delicious Tales Page 81
