Before I could protest, he popped to his feet, bringing me upright with him. He grasped my hand and tugged me into the bedroom.
My eyes went wide. “When did you do this?” Rose petals covered the bed, tons of flowers graced the dresser, the scent of lilies stood out above all, and candlelight flickered around the room. I went over to the bed and picked up a handful of petals, soft and silky.
Webb’s woodsy scent announced his closeness before his body was flush against my backside. His hands came around to my stomach, and his lips settled on that sensitive spot behind my ear. “You deserve more than this.”
I turned in his arms to find the vampire completely mesmerized. I didn’t have to ask him why. A simple touch of his hot skin, and I was in his head, seeing every image he wanted me to see. He took me on a walk down memory lane when he’d first laid eyes on me in Principal Jackson’s office at the human high school. He’d never banked on how beautiful I would be. He’d thought that I would be ordinary.
I angled my head. “Ordinary?” We shouldn’t have been talking, especially when his hardness was poking against me. But I had to know.
“You don’t blend in with a crowd, angel. You sucked me in when I looked into those silver eyes of yours. It was that day I knew I would marry you.”
My hands coasted up his arms. “So you married me,” I teased. “Now what?”
He guided me backward. When my legs hit the bed, all I could do was sit. He trapped me in between his arms as he pressed his hands on either side of me on the bed. Then he licked the seam of my lips, begging for access. Instead of opening for him, I scooted to the middle of the bed, the rose petals soft against my bare skin. He followed me like a true predator, crawling slowly as though he was ready to pounce, and I had no doubt he was ready.
Butterflies winged through my stomach as he sucked one nipple into his mouth.
“You taste sweeter than ever.” His voice was husky, his touch electric.
Sparks of ecstasy popped in the air until he entered me. Then an inferno took shape when I clenched around him. All of a sudden, his hands were on my butt, pulling me to him as though I wasn’t close enough. My belly spun into a web of tingles that tightened each time I met his thrust. Then his pace picked up, his hands clenching my hips, our eyes locked together, our hearts beating as one, our breathing shallow, our minds in sync. The world around me disappeared. The earth could shatter, and as long as I was with Webb, I didn’t care if the hotel burned down. I was right where I belonged.
Sweat coated our bodies, making our union slick. He slowed his pace before sliding his fingers between us to settle on my tiny bundle of nerves. I swallowed thickly when he moved his finger around once then twice before a million stars burst behind my eyelids. I rode out the explosion that took place inside me as he pummeled into me hard and fast, grunting and groaning until his mouth crashed into mine, pushing his tongue in, taking everything he could. Gone was the gentle vampire. In his place was a man on a mission, who wanted nothing more than to love the woman of his dreams—the woman he wanted for eternity. Our bodies glided against each other. Then he broke the kiss and roared my name, his body shaking, his chest heaving. It was a beautiful sight to see how I affected him.
He rolled off me then tugged me into his arms so that we were facing each other. “Are you all right?” His breathing slowed.
I buried my face against his chest. “More than all right. You?”
“Perfect, angel.”
It was perfect. I would’ve never imagined that my life would turn out this way—married to a vampire, a gorgeous man with a bright future that involved a little girl who would be our daughter. Even though I was only eighteen, I wouldn’t trade one moment of what had happened for anything else in the world.
Webb’s heart thumped in my ear. “Words can’t describe how much I love you.”
I’d lost my humanity because he was my destiny, and even though we had flitted on the edge of misery for a brief time, we had an eternity to show each other that our love was infinite.
On that note, I lifted up and kissed him like I’d never kissed him before. I nipped, bit, took, tasted, and got lost in him, in us, and in the perfect future ahead of us.
Dear Reader
This series has been so much fun to write, and it’s bittersweet that Webb and Jo’s journey has come to an end. It seems like yesterday when I was plotting the first book in the series, On the Edge of Humanity. The good news is while Jo and Webb have had their happily ever after, you might see other characters struggling and fighting for theirs.
Thank you from the bottom of my heart for taking a chance on me. I hoped that you enjoyed the final installment as much as I enjoyed writing it.
When you have moment, a short review would be greatly appreciated. Your help in sharing this wonderful series would mean the world to me.
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More titles by S.B. Alexander
To find out where to purchase all books visit: http://sbalexander.com/books
Have you met the Maxwell Boys? If not, turn the page to read Chapter 1 in Dare to Kiss.
The Maxwell Series:
Dare to Kiss – Book 1
Dare to Dream – Book 2
Dare to Love – Book 3
Dare to Dance – Book 4
The Maxwell Series Boxed Set – Books 1-3 (e-book only)
Dare to Kiss Coloring Book Companion
The Vampire SEAL Series:
On the Edge of Humanity – Book 1
On the Edge of Eternity – Book 2
On the Edge of Destiny – Book 3
On the Edge of Misery – Book 4
Do you like romantic comedy? If so, keep turning the pages. Chapter 1 of Breaking Rules is located at the end.
Stand-alone Books
Breaking Rules
Dare To Kiss - Chapter 1
The ball left my hand and zigzagged on its way to home plate, missing Tyler Langley’s glove. I kicked the dirt in frustration as he yelled something back at me—what, I couldn’t say. The buzzing in my ears masked all sound around me. I usually got this imaginary bee in my head when I was upset or angry with myself or even when I was nervous. I didn’t know why it happened. My psychiatrist said it was a way for my body to protect me. It sounded like a bunch of crap, but what did I know about my brain?
Tyler came running out to the mound, waving his catcher’s mitt at me. His mouth was moving, but the little bee zipping around in my head was still loud. When he reached the pitcher’s mound, he tipped up my chin with his gloved hand.
Embarrassed at my performance, I looked away. I hated myself right now.
“Look at me.”
I shook my head.
“It’s okay, Lacey. You’re just tired. You have both your fast pitch and curveball ready. The slider isn’t that important for tryouts. It’s only high school baseball.”
My head snapped up, and I met his soft blue eyes that had helped to lessen the constant noise in my head. “Easy for you to say. This is important to me.” I pushed him away.
What was I doing? I didn’t mean to be such a bitch. He’d been patient with me over these past few weeks, helping me practice. He’d given up some of his summer fun in between his football practice, and here I was giving him attitude.
“I know it is, but you have two excellent pitches, and the coach is only requiring two for tryouts.” He enfolded my hand with his callused one.
A small twinge of jealousy hit me. Things came easy for Tyler, it seemed. Whenever he’d thrown a few pitches to me to show me how the curveball looked, my mouth would always fall open at how perfectly he pitched. He’d played on the baseball team his first year in high school, but gave it up when the football coach asked him to concentrate on football. He’d agreed because he loved the game more than baseball, and it g
ave him better scholarship opportunities.
“I’m sorry. You’re right. I’m just tired.” I pushed the envy aside. It was stupid of me to feel it in the first place. My performance had nothing to do with Tyler’s talents. I was just extremely hard on myself. I strove for perfection. I had to make the team. Everything I’d wanted was riding on this year, my senior year, and my last chance to show the scouts at Arizona State University that I was worthy of a scholarship. They’d seen me play at my old school, Crestview High in California, and were so impressed that they sat down with me to discuss a potential offer to play for their school.
They gave me two stipulations. One, I had to continue to improve my pitching skills, and two, keep up my grades. If I met these requirements I had a shot at not only a scholarship, but at being the first female to grace an all boys’ college baseball team—or at least ASU’s.
“It’s getting late. Why don’t we call it quits? You need to rest your arm.” Tyler tapped my ball cap.
I nodded. I did need my arm loose if I was going to continue to practice hard up until tryouts next week. I prayed I could regain my skills. I’d gone a whole year without picking up a baseball. My hands started to shake as I thought about Mom and my sister Julie.
“Are you okay?” He wiped a tear off my cheek.
“Yeah.” Not really.
Almost a year after Mom and Julie’s deaths, I wasn’t sure I had the confidence to face a new life in a new school and a new home. Did Dad and I make the right decision to move clear across the country? My psychiatrist, Dr. Meyers, had recommended it. The memories and the pain had been too much for my dad, my brother Rob, and me. We weren’t healing. We weren’t even living. I’d abandoned my friends. My dad moped around, hiding in his home office. My brother Rob turned down his dream of playing for the LA Dodgers.
Tyler flicked his head toward home plate. “Come on. Pack up.”
We walked over to the dugout in silence. Once inside, I packed my bag, removed my cleats, and slipped my feet into a pair of flip-flops.
As Tyler changed into his tennis shoes, he said, “I’ll get the lights and meet you at your car. We can go get a shake and fries before you head home. I know you like dunking your fries into your shake.” He grinned. It was the same cocky grin that made the girls I’d seen watching us occasionally swoon over him, especially with his blond locks that had a way of curling around his ball cap, and, of course, his ocean-blue eyes.
He was sweet, trying to cheer me up. We’d met when I’d barged into Coach Dean’s office right after I moved here in July. I wanted to talk to him about tryouts and the schedule. I didn’t think the coach would be busy. After all, it was summertime, and baseball didn’t ramp up until tryouts in the fall. Boy, how wrong I’d been. I’d walked into Coach’s office without knocking, and interrupted a meeting between Tyler, Coach Dean, the football coach, and a scout for a large university. Immediately, Coach jumped out of his desk chair, yelling at me for my lack of manners, and to get out. As I slumped my shoulders, cowering like a turtle retreating into her shell, someone in the room had snorted. As I scurried out, I caught a glimpse of Tyler with a grin on his face. Since that day we’d become friends, mostly hanging out on the ball field for practices.
I wasn’t sure if Coach Dean put him up to it or if Tyler just felt sorry for me because Coach humiliated me. In either case, it didn’t matter. I’d made one friend, and to me an important one. He knew the game of baseball well. Maybe the fresh start was panning out.
“Okay” was all I said as Tyler grabbed his bag and ducked into the tunnel.
Then I lifted my Van Halen T-shirt and tied it into a knot to let the night air cool my sweating skin. The style wasn’t the best-looking fashion statement, but I didn’t care. It was approaching nine p.m. Who would see me at this time of night? Then I remembered Tyler wanted to grab a bite to eat. I shrugged. I’d make myself presentable before we got to the restaurant.
I threw my bag over my shoulder as I walked off the baseball field of Kensington High in Ashford, Massachusetts. Dad and I had chosen this school because it had a better academic program, and a better coach than the other schools we researched. I hoped for the umpteenth time that we had made the right decision.
Once at my car, I fished my keys out of my purse. I drove a beat-up Mustang, compliments of my dad. He was trying to restore it. But time was non-existent for him. He had recently opened a new nightclub in the heart of Cambridge, a city known for college kids and a vibrant music scene. He also owned a nightclub in LA managed by Rob, my twenty-two-year-old brother. He had offered to stay in LA and run the business for Dad. In addition to his nightclubs on both coasts now, Dad also owned and managed Eko Records, a well-known label that had signed many top-ten bands and pop singers. The flexibility of the business afforded him the opportunity to work from anywhere.
I took off my ball cap, running my hand over my long brown ponytail. I threw my bag in the backseat and slid into the driver’s side. Dad had said to let it idle a few minutes to get the oil circulating before taking off. I inserted the key into the ignition and turned. The click, click, click sound wasn’t good. I tried again. Nothing.
Shit! I banged my hands against the steering wheel. Damn car. Dad and I needed to have a talk about better transportation.
Heaving a sigh, I got out of the Mustang, looking around. The sports complex stood slightly to my right with the ball field on its left. Aside from Tyler’s SUV, the only other vehicle was a black truck, which sat under a tree in the far corner of the parking lot. I glanced out at the field, but didn’t see anyone. What was taking Tyler so long? The lights to the stadium were still on, which meant he must’ve gotten tied up with something.
Ducking half my body back into the Mustang, I lifted my purse off the seat when a loud thump on the back of my car startled me. My heart rate kicked into overdrive.
I jerked my head up. Some guy I didn’t know stood behind my car. Panic set in. Since the police hadn’t found the creeps who had invaded our home and murdered my mom and sister, I’d been extremely paranoid.
I opened my glove compartment, grasped the handle of my nine-millimeter handgun, then slowly got out. The stranger seemed frozen. He stared at me as though he were contemplating his next move. I released a quiet breath, placing my free hand on the roof of my car and the other behind my back then met his gaze. All sense of where I was vanished in that moment. The copper eyes staring back at me made my whole body quiver and my brain seize.
Calm down. Calm down. Yeah, right. Between the sudden panic attacks that had become normal for me and trying hard to keep from blacking out, I was screwed.
Forget the tingles. My freaking belly had a thousand butterflies fluttering inside. I swallowed in order to get the saliva to coat my dry throat. Jeepers, I needed one of those five-gallon jugs of ice cold Gatorade that a team usually throws over the winning coach.
After a few more swallows, I decided to give my voice a shot. The last thing I wanted to do was show fear. Once I showed any sign of it, I was afraid he would grab me with those muscular arms and drag me screaming into the nearby woods, where he would kill me the way they killed my sister and mom.
“You…have a problem?” I asked. I didn’t think this guy was going to hurt me, but I couldn’t be sure. Regardless, I had the gun in my hand, and I was committed now.
“You need help?” the stranger asked as he stepped around the car toward me.
“I wouldn’t come any farther,” I warned. My fingers wound tightly around the handle of the gun. My muscles were tense enough to burst at any second.
When we moved to Massachusetts, I begged Dad to let me learn gun safety and how to shoot. Reluctantly, he’d only given in because I was going to be by myself on most nights, since he would be working at the club. So we joined the local gun club. No, I wasn’t supposed to be carrying a gun. I forgot to remove it from my car after practice this morning. If Dad found out, I’d be in a load of trouble.
“What are you doing out
here all by yourself?” The guy stopped at the back edge of the car and turned his head left then right in quick succession.
The parking lot lights hit his face at just the right angle to illuminate his copper eyes with lashes so long that I shivered. Butterfly kisses. I imagined the light touch of those lashes skimming over my face or anywhere on my body. I didn’t want to take my eyes off of him, but just that thought made my gaze wander slowly down his entire muscular body. His blue—or was it black?—T-shirt stretched tight over his broad chest, emphasizing the word Zeal. I didn’t know if it was just a word he liked, or if it was the band my father had signed. I continued my obvious assessment, holding the gun as steady as my trembling hand would allow while my eyes landed on his faded, worn jeans that hung low on his hips, tattered at the knees. “None of your business. What do you want?” I asked.
He took one step closer, and I whipped my hand around, aiming the gun at him.
He backed away, raising his hands to shoulder height, and as he did, his T-shirt lifted, exposing a small area just above his belt that made me suck in air.
“I’m not going to hurt you. I was just looking for my brother. He said he would be down here practicing.” His voice was calm, and his relaxed shoulders told me he wasn’t frightened at all.
I slanted my head to one side and a bead of sweat slid down my temple.
“I’m serious. Put the gun away. I’m not going to hurt you. I go to school here,” he said in a husky tone.
On the Edge of Infinity (A Vampire SEAL Novel Book 5) Page 19
