by Ashlyn Chase
“She let out quite a belch a minute ago,” Brigit explained.
“Phew. You should have been down here where I am,” the family talking dog said. “At least she didn’t spit up on me—this time.”
“You don’t have to sit right behind my chair, Independence,” Brigit answered.
“Of course I do. She loves to watch me wag my tail. See?”
He wagged it like crazy and little Sarah started laughing.
Ethan couldn’t help grinning like a fool and wishing he could stay home.
“Ah, there’s nothing like a baby’s laughter,” Charlotte said.
“You got that right.” He paused long enough to place a kiss on top of Sarah’s downy dark hair. “But I really do have to leave soon. There’s a huge shipment of salt coming in.”
“But it’s not even five o’clock in the morning,” Charlotte protested.
“And I’m supposed to be there at five sharp.”
“We need that salt for the roads this winter, don’t we, Ethan?” Brigit asked.
“Yup.”
“There could be thousands and thousands of accidents without it. Right?”
“You’re absolutely right,” Ethan answered.
“Oh, all right. All right. I just didn’t want you to miss out on all the fun,” Charlotte confessed. “I’ll put them back.”
“Thank you.” Ethan cupped Brigit’s chin and gave her a kiss. He knew the keys would be right on the peg where he kept them in a moment. Instead of striding off, he kissed her again—a little longer this time.
“Don’t you two start that again,” Independence warned.
Ethan pulled away reluctantly with a sheepish grin. Then he patted his two dogs, Goldie and Independence.
“Will you be home for lunch?” Brigit asked.
“If I can. I’ll call you either way,” he said. He strode over to the peg board between the kitchen and dining room and grabbed the keys he needed. He cast one last long look at his happy family. Brigit had Sarah cradled in her arms now and began singing softly.
I must be the luckiest man on earth. And to think, he had almost said ‘no’ last year when she first approached him with her cockamamie idea.
“I love you,” he called over his shoulder as he tore himself away.
“We love you, too,” Brigit said.
He reflected on the word, ‘we’ as he strode to his SUV. He had a full-fledged family. A year and a half ago he had thought his life couldn’t get any better. A different woman every Saturday night. No strings. No commitment. Man, was I wrong.
Even with all the craziness that came with a hand-fasted mate, a talking dog, and now a beautiful baby who woke them for two o’clock feedings, he couldn’t wait to do it all again.
Appendix
I hope you enjoyed Tug of Attraction! Because this book is the sequel to The Cupcake Coven, it wouldn’t be complete without a unique cupcake recipe. Here are the cupcakes April made.
Impossible Pumpkin Pie Cupcakes
15 oz can pumpkin puree
½ cup sugar
¼ cup brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
¾ cup evaporated milk
2/3 cup all purpose flour
2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
¼ tsp salt
¼ tsp baking powder
¼ tsp baking soda
Substitutions for special diets. Gluten free flour may be used in place of regular flour.
Coconut, almond or soy milk may replace regular milk for those who avoid dairy. An egg can be replaced by ½ banana. Stevia can replace sugar.
Good news! In Brigit’s case, all of these replacements would help her endometriosis.
Preheat oven to 350 drgrees.
Line 12 cup muffin tin with silicone liners, or just spray the cups with cooking spray.
Paper cupcake liners will be difficult to remove after cooking.
Mix the pumpkin, sugar, brown sugar, vanilla extract, eggs and milk. Add the flour, pumpkin pie spice, salt, baking powder and baking soda. Beat well.
Fill each muffin cup ¾ full.
Bake for 20 minutes and let cool for at least 20 minutes. Remove to plate and let chill in refrigerator for 30 minutes.
Top with whipped cream. You can sprinkle a little more pumpkin pie spice on top and serve. Makes 12 cupcakes.
More Books by Ashlyn Chase
Gods Gone Wild, Imagination Unlimited 7/8/14
The Cupcake Coven, Brick City Publishing 5/7/14
Kissing with Fangs, Sourcebooks 3/4/14
How to Date a Dragon, Sourcebooks 9/3/13
Flirting Under a Full Moon, Sourcebooks 4/2/13
Immortally Yours, Ellora’s Cave 1/13/12
The Vampire Next Door, Sourcebooks 8/1/2011
The Werewolf Upstairs, Sourcebooks: 2/1/2011
Strokes, Ellora’s Cave: 8/3/2010
Strange Neighbors, Sourcebooks: 6/1/10
Dear Sexy Lexie, Ellora’s Cave: 3/17/10
Green Card, Total-e-Bound: 12/14/2009
Love Cuffs, Ellora’s Cave: 9/28/ 2008
Death by Delilah, Ellora’s Cave: 4/11/2008
Quivering Thighs, Ellora’s Cave: 2/8/2008
Demolishing Mr. Perfect, Ellora’s Cave: 8/15/2007
Wonder Witch, Ellora’s Cave: 6/15/2007
Being Randy, Ellora’s Cave: May 2, 2007
Heaving Bosoms, Cerridwen Press: (Now Blush) 3/15/2007
Vampire Vintage, Ellora’s Cave: 3/14/2007
All my book links: http://www.ashlynchase.com/books.html
Biography of Ashlyn Chase
Ashlyn Chase describes herself as an Almond Joy bar. A little nutty, a little flaky, but basically sweet, wanting only to give her readers a satisfying experience.
She holds a degree in behavioral sciences, worked as a psychiatric RN for several years and spent a few more years working for the American Red Cross. She credits her sense of humor to her former careers since comedy helped preserve whatever was left of her sanity. She is a multi-published, award-winning author of humorous erotic and paranormal romances, represented by the Seymour Agency.
She lives in beautiful New Hampshire with her true-life hero husband, and they’re owned by a spoiled brat cat.
Where there’s fire, there’s Ash
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