Because You're Mine

by K. Langston

  The work I was doing there had so much more of an impact. We were changing lives.

  I ended up moving in with Holden right away. Everything with us moved at lightning speed since the moment we met, so I resisted his request at first. I didn’t see the rush. We were together now, and we could see each other anytime we wanted. That was enough, right?

  Wrong.

  After only two nights of being unable to pry myself away from him, I caved. Holden handcuffing me to the bed for nearly two days didn’t help matters either. I don’t think I’ve ever come so many times in my life. Holden’s methods of negotiations were mind blowing. I had to give him that. And of course, I loved him.

  God, did I love him.

  I switched off the engine to my brand new Jeep. Holden bought it for me for my twenty-seventh birthday last month. I was pissed at first. Yes, he had more money than he could spend in a lifetime, but I didn’t want him spending it all on me. He already took care of most of our bills, and he was always buying me little gifts here and there. So, when I got home from work to find a shiny black Jeep with a big red bow sitting in the driveway, I cussed him nine ways to Sunday.

  Then, he took me to bed and convinced me that I indeed needed a more reliable vehicle. Holden had mastered the method of persuasion when it came to me and my independent nature. Deep down, I loved it that he took such good care of me. He always made me feel so cherished and loved.

  I’d spent most of my day in court today. I was exhausted and my feet were killing me. All I could think about was a long, hot bath, a glass of wine, and crawling into bed with my man. Holden would surely find a way to work this tension out of me. I didn’t even make it up to the third step before he met me at the door. As he did each and every night when I came home from work, his arms wrapped around my waist pulling me to his chest. He laced his tongue with mine, showing me just how much he missed me. “How was your day, babe?” he asked, drinking soft kisses from my lips.

  “Long and hard.” I answered with a sigh.

  “Yes it was.” He pressed his long hardness right between my thighs, relieving some of that pent up tension. “C’mon.” Holden pulled a soft kiss from my lips before he took my brief case and purse from my hands.

  Dropping my things onto the new couch, he led me to the bathroom. Holden had let me decorate after I moved in. He went along with every piece of furniture and art I’d picked out. He told me that he didn’t care what I did with the place…as long as the bed stayed. I loved that bed. We had a lot of memories in that bed. The bed stayed. Pulling me inside the bathroom, Holden stopped me next to gigantic garden tub. Candles of every size rested on any surface that would hold them, illuminating the room with a soft glow. Steam billowed up from a lavender scented bubble bath as Holden began to undress me. He started with my blouse first. His big rough hands caressing the delicate fabric sent a shiver to rock down my spine.

  “This is my favorite part of the whole day.”

  Button.

  “Yes, I know. You tell me that every day.”

  Button.

  “I don’t want you to forget.”

  Button.

  “I won’t.”

  Button.

  How many damn buttons did this damn top have?

  “I know because I’ll never stop saying it.”

  Button.

  My lungs begged for air as my body temperature continued to rise. With the steam from the bath and the heat in Holden’s eyes, I thought I would spontaneously combust. His hands brushed the silky garment from my shoulders, and then his fingers found the clasp of my bra. My breast hung heavy and ached for his touch. I clenched my thighs tight in an effort to alleviate the constant ache, but it was a lost cause. The only thing that would soothe this burn was his touch. Every inch of my body burned for him, and he was in no hurry whatsoever.

  He took his sweet ass time removing my skirt and panties. Then once he had me completely bare, he held my hand as I stepped inside the tub. I eased down slowly, allowing my body to adjust to the hot water. Holding my knees to my chest, I watched as Holden undressed himself then stepped in to sit behind me. His large legs came to rest on either side of me, and I relaxed back between his muscular thighs.

  My arms were draped across the top part of his legs while his hands roamed the skin beneath my breast. I loved this. He always did sweet stuff like this. He was always letting me know how special I was. The intimacy that Holden and I shared on a daily basis reassured me that what we had was real.

  Forever.

  Holden grabbed my left hand, massaging my fingers. “Since the day we met, I knew you were the one for me. From the first time you smiled at me, I knew that all I wanted to do was spend the rest of my life making you smile like that. My only mission in life, from that moment on…was to make you happy.” I closed my eyes and sucked in a breath. Holden never had a problem finding the right words to express his feelings. No one could ever make me this happy. “You’re mine. I want the whole fuckin’ world to know that. I want God to know that.” I felt something hard and cold slip around my ring finger. My eyes flew open, and I watched as Holden pushed an antique cut diamond ring onto my finger. My breath froze in my chest. “Give me your hand, Maddie. I already have your heart, but I’ve gotta have your precious hand too. I want to walk through this life with you by my side. Your hand in mine. Forever.” Holden brought my left hand to his mouth, kissing my now ringed finger. It was hard to pull in a breath. Tears streamed down my face in deliriously happy rivers. “Marry me.” The sound of his pleading voice wasn’t the only thing that evoked the word from my mouth. It was the love and conviction in his voice. When I turned in his lap, I saw it in his eyes too. I saw it in the quiver of his bottom lip and the bob of his throat. This man would spend the rest of his life doing just what he’d said.

  Loving me.

  “Yes.” I breathed. Cradling his rough, handsome face in my hands, I found his eyes. The ones I fell heart first into the first time I saw them. The moment I knew this man would change my life forever. “I love you so much.” I mumbled between soft kisses.

  I moved to straddle him as my tongue dove deep inside his mouth. My wet breast pressed against his hard chest, and my nipples pebbled at the contact. Greedy hands roamed my body, cupping my ass, and squeezing my breast.

  Holden never knew just where to start. That’s why he always took it all. Every time he kissed me, made love to me, fucked me. He took it all…every last part of me. Because I was his. And he was mine.

  THE end

  Please continue reading for a sneak peek at Chapter 1 of Until You’re Mine (Mine #2)

  Coming Spring 2014

  From the Author…

  Thank you so much for reading Because You’re Mine

  Bringing you Holden and Maddie’s story would not have been possible without the help of my phenomenal family and friends. I am so very fortunate to have such a strong support system, the foundation being my amazing husband. He has put up with so much since my journey began, it’s a wonder he still likes me. I know he must definitely love me; otherwise he would have surely left my ass now. He’s endured a lot, and taken care of most all of our daily responsibilities so I could dedicate as much time as possible to writing. He’s not only my husband, but my best friend and biggest ally. There is no way in hell I could have done this without him. I love you. Always.

  To my amazing kids who can’t read this until they’re 18…my life would suck without you. I love you both very much. I thank you from the bottom of my heart for putting up with a part-time mama while I followed my dream. And if I taught you anything during my pursuit…it would be to follow your dreams and never give up.

  To my beautiful sisters Randi and Kelly, thank you for always being so supportive and believing in me. Thank you for your honest suggestions, and for loving my characters as much as I do. I love you both dearly.

  To my parents, who have supported me from the very beginning and encouraged me along the way. Your unconditional love has
given me the courage to spread my wings, even when I was terrified to fly. I love you both very much.

  To my amazing editor and friend Shelbi, I will never be able to thank you enough for your helping me make this book the best it could be. Your suggestions and insight have helped me grow as a writer. Thank you for loving Maddie and Holden as much as I do. I am grateful for your friendship, and that I have someone I can trust with my work.

  To Heather, thank you for being my beta reader and such a good friend.

  To the rest of my friends and family, thank you all from the bottom of my heart for supporting and encouraging me along the way. This has been an amazing experience and one that I hope leads to more opportunities. I love to write, and without the love and support of my family and friends, I would not be able to do what I love.

  Just Booked-Thank you so much for believing in me. I am so happy we got to share this first together. I will forever be grateful for your hard work and dedication in making my blog tour a success.

  Two Crazy Girls with a Passion for Books- From the moment I liked your Facebook page on that fateful day, I knew I was getting a special kind of crazy. But I had no idea that I would meet two beautifully, crazy women who shared my passion for reading, life, and fictional characters. I am so honored to call both of you dear friends, and I look forward to many years of continued private messaging. *wink*wink*

  Books, Coffee & Wine-You all have been amazingly supportive as well, especially, Tracy. Thank you my Scottish friend, you made my teasers hotter and nudged my ass constantly to push publish.

  HUGE THANKS to all of the Bloggers who have shared my Facebook page, my book, teasers, or anything else that may have gained me a reader. THANKS to all of the bloggers that signed up for my blog tour or asked me for an ARC just so they could review my book. Without you, no one would even know who the hell I was. I can never thank you enough.

  To Arijana at Cover It! Designs, thank you for making my cover better than I could have ever imagined. I look forward to working with you again soon.

  To Author Felicia Lynn, thank you for all of your help and support along the way, and for inviting me to my first book signing. I am so ready to throw down in Hotlanta!

  To my readers and followers: I’ve met some pretty amazing people throughout this journey, people from around the globe who have supported me and encouraged me along the way. Your faith in me has been inspiring.

  Thank you.

  Also, please leave a review on Amazon, Goodreads, or Facebook. Good or bad, I would love to hear your feedback.

  Because You’re Mine is book #1 of the Mine Series. Until You’re Mine (Katy & Archer’s Story) will be released early 2014.

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  Pinterest/Because You’re Mine: http://pinterest.com/klangston19/because-youre-mine/

  Here’s a sneak peek at Chapter 1 of Until You’re Mine. Remember, unpublished work is subject to editing and can change at any time.

  Enjoy,

  K.

  CHAPTER one

  Thousands of white twinkling lights dangled from the rafters of the old barn, coating the rustic walls with a soft glow. Beautiful center pieces, made up of white daisies and candles, adorned each of the twenty or so round tables surrounding the dance floor, creating the perfect romantic setting. Reckless Heart sang a familiar melody, but I couldn’t remember the name of the song. It rested just on the tip of my tongue.

  But that’s how it always was. Any time I was wrapped up in his arms like this, I had trouble thinking…sometimes speaking.

  With a skill I never knew he had, he led us around the dance floor slowly. His masculine scent wafted through my nose while his peppermint breath tickled my ear. Arousal flooded between my thighs, and I clenched at the sensual assault.

  “Have you thought about what we discussed?” he asked softly.

  Archer’s mouth was so close, every time he spoke…his lips brushed the shell of my ear. Chills rushed down my spine, spreading outward in the wake. “Yes.” One word responses were all I could manage when his hands and mouth were on me.

  “And?” His sucked lightly, nipping then biting at my lobe

  “No.” I said into his shoulder, my nails scraping at the coat of his tux.

  Removing his mouth from my ear, Archer pulled back. Emerald eyes flecked with specks of brown and gold gazed back into mine, freezing me in place. “You better have a damn good reason.”

  His fingers dug hard into my hips, and the look on his face switched from inquisitive to possessive. This side of him turned me on even more…his dominate side. The side of him that always took what he wanted. How the hell I’d managed to keep my panties on around him this long was beyond me.

  Archer and I had been going round and round about this for weeks now. Hell, we’d been playing cat and mouse for months. Stealing fire starting kisses in his office. Finding any excuse to touch each other. The connection was there. It was strong and physical on his part, but for me it was more. A lot more.

  I was in love with him.

  I loved Archer Brooks with a heart that had been broken and shattered so many times, it was a wonder it still beat. It was a wonder that blood was still able to pump through the bludgeoned organ properly after so much damage.

  Archer wasn’t built like me. He wasn’t built for love. He’d told me numerous times that he didn’t believe in it. I was starting to believe he never would. I removed his hands from my hips, taking a step back.

  Finally able to find my voice, now that all physical contact had been severed, I gave him his answer. “It’s wrong.”

  “That’s your daddy talkin’, and you know it. What do you want, Katherine?” Archer demanded, taking back my step.

  “I want you. All of you. I want you to be mine.” I confessed.

  “I will be yours.”

  “Heart and soul?”

  He retreated. “We’ve already discussed this. That is not an option.”

  “Then I can’t be what you need. Yes, I want my mouth to touch more than just your lips. Yes, I want to memorize and worship every inch of your body. I am dyin’ to have you inside me. But if I let you in, I have to give you my heart. And I want yours in return. I won’t be just your play thing, Archer. I deserve more than that.”

  “You’re right. You do. I just can’t give it you. The only thing I can offer is my flesh. The rest is non-negotiable.”

  “Then this conversation is over.” Tears pricked the back of my eyes. I swallowed hard trying to hold them back. I had to get out of here.

  With my palm to my mouth, I fought through the swarm of dancing bodies. I felt like I was going to be sick. I knew he would say that in response to my confession. I thought I’d prepared myself for it. But hearing the words out loud only made it hurt worse. He would be my biggest heartbreak, and we’d done nothing more than exchange passionate kisses.

  Bursting through the exit door, I struggled for air. I couldn’t leave yet. Not without saying goodbye to the bride and groom. But first I needed a moment alone. I needed a moment to reflect, and remind myself that I had made the right choice. My heels dug into the soft ground so I removed them. The dewy grass felt good beneath my feet, putting me back on solid ground. I found solace on the side of the barn. I’d never craved a man so much in my life.

  Lust.

  It’s one of the seven deadly sins. The bible didn’t call it that for nothing.

  Morals and scripture had been instilled in me since birth. Being the daughter of a preacher had not been easy shoes to fill. All of the tattoos and piercings in the world couldn’t cover up what had been ingrained into my heart…into my soul. I was far from a saint, but I still had my faith. With everything that I’d been through in my life, my faith was all I had left.

  Leaning against the barn wall, I looked up. Stars dripped from the sk
y like rhinestones. The autumn moon hung low, igniting the darkness around it. There had to be a God to create something so beautiful. It was with that unwavering faith, that I knew he had a plan. Sucking in a deep breath, I sagged back into the wall. I turned twenty-eight yesterday. I should be married by now with at least two kids. That was my plan. But instead, I worked at a bar and lived alone. My happily ever after was nowhere in sight.

  “There you are. What the hell are you doin’?” My heart took a nose dive as Archer stalked toward me. He’d removed his tie and coat. His crisp white button down had two buttons undone at the top, gifting me with a peek at the tan skin beneath. Hovering over me, he stared down into my eyes. The moon hanging above his head was like a halo, casting a shadow across his hardened face. He looked like a dark angel.

  “I wasn’t done with you yet.” he said, resting his hands on both side of my head.

  “Well, I’m done with you. No more kissing, touching. None of that. You can’t just take what you want leaving me with nothing, Archer. I’m not built that way.”

  One hand found my cheek while the other found the back of my neck. “I know that. I know exactly how you’re built.” His solid thigh rubbed between my legs, sending warmth to dampen my panties.

  Oh God.

  He always did this. He completely dominated me. He overloaded my senses until I was unable to make a sound, make a rational decision or form a coherent thought. As I said before, it was amazing that I had not succumbed to this temptation before now. He continued to weaken my defenses with every encounter we had. Pretty soon, I would not be able to fight him off. Deep down, I was almost certain that I didn’t want to.