Chasin' Eight: Rough Riders, Book 12

by Lorelei James

  Surprise and something else like…desire flashed in his eyes, which spurred her to keep going.

  “Sometimes when you’re talking to me? I’m so busy staring at your mouth, imagining your kiss that I don’t hear a single word you say.”

  With that, his surprise changed to recognition. So Brandt had noticed her attention to his lips whenever they were within kissing distance.

  “But know what really twists me into knots? Seeing the way you look at me now.”

  “And how’s that?”

  “Like you no longer see me as sweet, innocent Jessie. That if you ever got those big hands of yours on me, the last thing you’d be with me…is sweet. You’d get a thrill pushing past my boundaries, the ones I had before Luke and the ones I’ve erected since Luke. You’d derive great pleasure in showing me facets of sexual intimacy that I’ve been denied—or denied myself.”

  “Fancy talk.” Brandt cocked his head, as if he was trying to study her from a new angle. “I’ll admit, you’ve got me pegged better than I ever thought you would. With one exception.”

  “Which is?”

  “If we set this in motion, I’ll demand more than just physical intimacy from you. It ain’t only gonna be about scratching an itch, Jess, because I can get that any time I want.”

  How had Brandt picked up on her plan to prove to herself that she could experience sex without the pesky emotional ties?

  Because he knows you better than you’ve ever given him credit for.

  “I’ll expect a different kind of intimacy than what we’ve had in the past. A connection between us that has nothin’ to do with Luke.”

  She looked away.

  “What?”

  “It’s a nice thought, but this connection has everything to do with Luke and there’s no way we can ever get around that. Besides, you brought Landon into my life, Brandt, and he’s connected to Luke. We wouldn’t be in this situation if not for him. And maybe Landon’s presence has forced us to deal with this—” she gestured to the space between them, “—so I’m done denying the pull is there.”

  “Is this ‘pull’ something you recently realized? A proximity thing? I’m a man, I’m here, I’m good enough to fuck for a few months?”

  Jessie twisted her fingers together. “It’s more than that and you know it. After you made that pass at me, I convinced myself you were exactly like Luke—biding your time until your charm earned an invitation into my bed. You’d get your fill of me, work me out of your system and move on. And no, you can’t fault me for that mindset, because of my limited experience with men, and my experience with Luke in particular. Plus, I wasn’t so sure you wouldn’t be using me to settle a score with Luke.”

  “You really think that lowly of me?” he bit off.

  “You really think I’m a clichéd horny widow desperate to screw the first man who smiles at me?” She didn’t bother to bank the anger in her eyes when she met his glare head on. “If that was true, I wouldn’t have waited two goddamn years, would I? I wouldn’t be asking you to touch me, would I? I could’ve found another man to scratch that itch in the four months since we last saw each other. But I didn’t. Something held me back.”

  “Again, nice sentiment, but spell it out for me.”

  “I want no-strings sex for these four months we’re together. At the end of those four months, we’ll walk away.”

  “Just like that?”

  Be strong, be confident. “Can’t we try it and see?”

  “What do we tell people? Because you know my family, they’re gonna ask.”

  “We are living together, even if it’s temporarily. People are already gonna assume we’re sleeping together, especially in the gossipy McKay family.”

  “So if Skylar comes right out and asks you if you’re with me? Will you tell her that we’re just fuck buddies?”

  She couldn’t confess that Skylar encouraged her to get naked with him. “What would you rather I told her? That we’re attracted to each other, but we’re keeping our hands off each other because it’d be like Luke was in bed with us?”

  She’d struck a nerve with that. She hadn’t meant to but there was no sense in apologizing now.

  “I’m not Luke.”

  “Then stop acting like him,” she snapped. “Quit trying to tell me what I’m feeling is wrong. I’m being completely honest with you. I’m telling you this because I realized if we start this, I’d own my sexuality for the first time in my life. I want that. With you. Starting tonight.” Jessie took a breath, figuring she’d said enough. Too much probably.

  He studied her more intently than she was used to. With an edgy stillness that seemed totally foreign to him.

  The longer she stood before him, the more her paranoia built.

  Finally, Brandt pushed to his feet. His dark eyes remained on hers as he deftly skirted the coffee table and the pile of Landon’s toys. He stopped in front of her, his big hands clenched at his sides. “Starting tonight, but especially this first time, I call the shots. All of them. I own your sexuality. We clear?”

  Talk about being the big, bad wolf. Jessie nodded.

  “Say the word so there’s no misunderstanding between us.”

  She swallowed and said, “Yes.”

  Brandt slanted his mouth over hers. But he didn’t kiss her with lust-fueled passion. He drank her in—with his eyes, with the short, choppy breaths he pulled into his lungs.

  Although Jessie was pretty sure he wanted to take a possessive kiss, he didn’t, which indicated his monumental control.

  His tongue darted out and slid along the plump inside curve of her bottom lip. A leisurely, sensuous glide across the sensitive flesh that caused her mouth to tremble even as her lips parted in invitation. But he didn’t dive in for a greedy, openmouthed kiss. He lightly swept his damp lips over hers. Repeatedly. Male hunger and hot breath, tempered with softness that was unlike anything she’d ever experienced.

  He gauged her responses and inched closer, but didn’t allow their bodies to touch. Heat shimmered between them.

  Jessie actually felt dizzy from want. What would he do if she fisted her hands in his T-shirt and just took the kiss she craved? His warning, This first time, I call the shots, forced her to truly surrender to him.

  And that’s when Brandt kissed her.

  Stuck between a rock-solid man and a hard place…

  Rising, Freestyle

  © 2011 Vivian Arend

  Xtreme Adventures, Book 2

  Melanie Dixon’s body may have recovered from a horrific climbing accident, but her nerve is long gone. So is the natural enthusiasm for life she took for granted. Tired of being scared, beyond ready to conquer her fears, she pulls up stakes and moves to her brother’s new hometown to start over. Her first step is the most terrifying—to tackle the wall at the local climbing center.

  Derrick James is mesmerized by Melanie’s dark beauty, and equally impressed with her climbing abilities and determination. Watching her retune rusty skills spurs a desire to partner with her—on and off the ropes. Melanie’s a compelling mix of wit, sensuality and vulnerability, and it’s his delicious task to convince her the scars on her body are no match for the heat rising between them.

  Then a man from Melanie’s past shows up, pushing their relationship to the edge. Nathan King wants photographs for a “where are they now” series, but his side agenda is more personal in nature. A proposal that brings her out of her sensual shell and onto a precarious sexual ledge. Where trust is crucial…and too easily shattered.

  Warning: This book may cause heart-pounding, body-shaking adrenaline attacks—and that’s before they leave the climbing gym. Contains blindfolds, ropes and a healthy dose of voyeurism. Go on—you know you like to watch.

  Enjoy the following excerpt for Rising, Freestyle:

  If she was going to show off to the world, she needed Derrick’s help. She didn’t want to have a crutch in her life. Not a thing, not a person, but giving up his comforting touch and presence right now w
as impossible. “I can only do it with you there. Is that possible? I know it’s a huge imposition, but if you’re present it will help. So much.”

  He pulled back to stare into her eyes, his gaze thoughtful as he examined her face. The caring lover she’d grown to appreciate over the past months—he was probably considering what was the best for her. Derrick nodded slowly. “How about this. If you and Nathan can work around the hours the climbing gym is closed, you can use the place to do your shots. There will be no distractions and no audience.”

  Extreme relief shot through her. Oh God, she hadn’t even thought about that part. She hugged him close, burying her face in the vee of his neck, loving the way he created a wall of protection to hide behind.

  “Thank you.” And the rest? She sat back quickly, catching his gaze again. “And you’ll be there?”

  “As long as you want me.”

  Wasn’t that a loaded question? She shifted, straddling him to be able to reach his lips easier. “I want you. I want you now.”

  She wanted to be held and caressed. Distracted from the heavy burden in her brain. He kissed her with just the right touch of compassion and rising lust, and her body softened. Warmed in all the right spots. He ran his fingers down her back, and she arched against him, breasts growing heavy with anticipation.

  He kissed her jaw, held her firmly, yet tenderly. A wave of need swept past, followed by guilt. She’d been turned on back at the climbing wall as well, and that had nothing to do with Derrick.

  She pulled away. “Oh damn.”

  A low rumble of discontent escaped his throat as he paused. “What?”

  “Oh damn, I need to tell you…” Sure, how was she supposed to say this? Mortification hit hard, and the heat flushing her face was more from shame than the expectation of Derrick’s lovemaking.

  She didn’t realize she’d dipped her head until his fingers under her chin brought her gaze back to meet his. “Mel? What? Is this something to do with me watching the shoot? Is that going to embarrass you—?”

  “Oh hell, no. I’m just trying to tell you…” She’d sworn to be honest in her relationships, and she wasn’t the type to let a situation start that could cause them trouble down the road. “I need to tell you about Nathan and me.”

  One brow snuck upward, his expression highly amused. “You mean the fact he wants to get in your pants, or the fact he turns you on?”

  Her jaw must have hung open for a full minute before she found her voice. “You’re kidding. You figured that out how?”

  Derrick grinned. “Sweetheart, I’m not stupid. I know a guy putting on the moves when I see it. And your response? You have this little habit of flushing right here—” He dragged a finger down her throat and over her chest. “When you get excited, it shows.”

  She was so embarrassed. “I had a crush on Nathan from the time I was about thirteen. I followed him around Katy’s and his house one entire summer. He must have been so freaked at having a teenager dogging his heels.”

  Derrick stroked her back, smooth and even. Tantalizing circles that pulled her a tiny bit closer to him on each rotation. “And did you do anything about that attraction?”

  “I was fifteen, he was like twenty. Of course not.”

  “So, you’ve got the object of your teenage crush hanging around.” Derrick linked his fingers with hers. “Mel, I’ve been enjoying our time together, a lot. I don’t think the fact the guy turns you on is bad, it proves you’re human. Call me crazy, but the fact he’s attracted to you is okay with me as well. Maybe that’s a guy thing—I’ve got you, he doesn’t. You know, caveman attitude.”

  Melanie laughed softly. Sexy, kind and understanding. She’d have to have her head examined to give this up. “You are who I want to be with. Not him.”

  His grin lit the room. “Then I don’t mind if he gets your motor running, as long as I’m the one in your bed.”

  He cupped her face in his hands and kissed her.

  Melanie grabbed him by the shirt and clung to him as their lips meshed. A gentle caress of mouths, with no teeth, no frantic moving to the next stage. Almost as if they were exploring each other for the first time.

  It was an offering, a sacrifice. Something to affirm that while having Nathan show up created a new situation between them, the foundation they had built was solid and worthwhile.

  Derrick rolled her under him on the couch, working his way down her body. Removing her clothes, kissing all the tender spots he’d discovered over the past months. His fascination with her breasts made her smile.

  “I still can’t believe you like them that much.”

  Derrick hummed happily. His palms forced her nipples upward so he could more easily suckle one, then the other. “More than a mouthful is too much.”

  She laughed. “Barely a mouthful. Oh, that’s good.” She held on to his head, keeping him close. His lips surrounded one tip, his fingers pinching and drawing the other nipple tight and ready for his hot mouth to lick. Circles followed by long, slow licks. A shiver raced along her spine and she pressed harder to his lips, looking for a little more.

  The soft fabric cradled her torso as he tugged her toward the end of the couch. She laughed as he pulled her yoga pants from her in one smooth practiced move. Somehow he caught her panties at the same time, and she lay sprawled totally naked before him.

  He stared at her, his gaze intent, hunger on his face. “I know why Nathan wants you.”

  She hesitated. Why was he bringing up Nate?

  Derrick rose to his feet, looming tall and muscular over her. He still wore all his clothes, and she realized with a start she wasn’t embarrassed in the least to be completely naked before him.

  “You have no idea how beautiful you are.” He rasped out the words—lusty and low.

  “Right.”

  He squatted beside her, shaking his head slightly as he drew a finger down her body. “Your body is powerful. Slim in the right spots, curved perfectly in others.”

  His palm cupped her hip for a second before slipping back to cradle her ass.

  The expression on his face, even more than his words, stroked her. “I’m glad you like how I look.”

  He grinned wickedly. “And the way you smell.”

  “Oh my God.” He had picked up her legs and draped them over his shoulders, and her sex clenched. Wanting something to grasp, to fill her. She didn’t have long to wait. Maintaining eye contact, he lowered his head and breathed in deeply.

  “The way you taste.”

  Revenge can be sweet. Forgiveness is sweeter.

  Welcome to Paradise

  © 2011 Elle Kennedy

  Welcome to Paradise, Book 1

  Singing sensation Charlotte Hill can’t wait for her high school reunion. She’s out to give Nate Bishop—the man who walked away with her virginity—the sexiest ride of his life. Then give him a heaping dose of the same medicine he gave her fifteen years ago.

  Stomp all over his heart as she walks out the door.

  Nate has never forgotten the green-eyed redhead who set his body on fire, the one girl who saw past his bad reputation. The heat of those memories still warms his thoughts, even after all these years. After he did the right thing and let her go, rather than let his love chain her to a town she despised.

  Now she’s back in Paradise looking sexier than ever, and Nate finds himself powerless to keep his distance. And Charlotte, in spite of her resolve, can’t believe she’s so easily falling under his spell. Yet mind-blowing sex doesn’t bury the past. It unearths painful emotions too long buried. Emotions that could stamp out rekindled love before it catches flame…

  Warning: Contains a reformed bad boy and a newly minted bad girl with revenge on her mind, feuding families, dirty little secrets, and a lot of dirty sex.

  Enjoy the following excerpt for Welcome to Paradise:

  There was something different about her. Nate couldn’t exactly put his finger on it, but something about Charlotte and the way she was looking at him brought on
a spark of unease. She hadn’t said much since they’d gotten into his beat-up black pickup truck, and as they neared the B&B, Nate was rethinking his decision to be alone with Charlotte.

  He wanted her so badly he could taste her. Her perfume, an intriguing combination of roses and honey, sent his senses into overdrive. He breathed her in each time he inhaled, his cock growing harder by the second.

  Yet this didn’t feel entirely right. She’d claimed that she was over everything, that their past didn’t matter, but her sudden aloofness didn’t sit well with him.

  “You okay?” he asked, pulling up to the curb and killing the engine.

  Charlotte blinked, as if coming out of trance. “I’m fine,” she said lightly, already reaching for the door handle. “Let’s go inside. I’m a little cold.”

  Nate got out of the truck and followed her toward the porch, unable to stop himself from admiring her perfect ass. She was all grown up, all right.

  His apprehension continued to climb as they headed upstairs. Though it was only nine-thirty, the house was bathed in darkness. The Andersons lived in a small suite on the main floor, and they must have turned in already. Nate’s pulse sped up when Charlotte opened the door to her room and gestured for him to come inside.

  He hesitated in the doorway. “What are we doing, Charlie?”

  Her mouth quirked. “Catching up.”

  A little alarm went off in his head. “Why don’t you want to talk about what happened between us?”

  “Because it’s in the past. I told you, Nate, I got over it a long time ago.” Her green eyes twinkled. “Are you just going to lurk there in the doorway?”

  He took a step forward then halted again. “Are you trying to seduce me?” Both anticipation and dread accompanied the question.

  “Would it bother you if I was?”

  The teasing look on her beautiful face made his cock twitch. “I don’t know.”