Under His Skin

by Stacey O'Neale

  Earth girls are never easy. But they’re worth it.

  Bakery owner Annabelle Sparks’ business is booming ever since she won reality TV’s Cupcake Wars. The one thing deflating her happy soufflé? The extremely sexy Kaden Chance only sees her as a best friend–and Annabelle wants so much more. After waiting a year for him recognize their chemistry, she’s giving up and dating other people.

  What she doesn’t know is Kaden’s heart doesn’t actually beat. He’s not human. Heck, he’s not even from Earth. To retain his intergalactic immunity, no one can ever know he is an extraterrestrial. But when Annabelle starts dating, something strange happens to Kaden’s unmoved heart: it begins to beat. Now he faces an impossible choice—tell Annabelle the truth and be deported–or lose his last chance at love.

  Table of Contents

  Dedication

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Chapter Seventeen

  Chapter Eighteen

  Chapter Nineteen

  Chapter Twenty

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  Chapter Twenty-Seven

  Chapter Twenty-Eight

  Chapter Twenty-Nine

  Chapter Thirty

  Chapter Thirty-One

  Chapter Thirty-Two

  Epilogue

  Acknowledgments

  About the Author

  Discover more paranormal romance titles from Entangled… Her Sexy Sentinel

  Protecting His Witch

  Ghost of A Promise

  Hunter of Her Heart

  This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead, is coincidental.

  Copyright © 2015 by Stacey O’Neale. All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce, distribute, or transmit in any form or by any means. For information regarding subsidiary rights, please contact the Publisher.

  Entangled Publishing, LLC

  2614 South Timberline Road

  Suite 109

  Fort Collins, CO 80525

  Visit our website at www.entangledpublishing.com.

  Covet is an imprint of Entangled Publishing, LLC.

  Edited by Candace Havens

  Cover design by Louisa Maggio

  Cover art from Shutterstock

  ISBN 978-1-63375-424-9

  Manufactured in the United States of America

  First Edition September 2015

  This book is dedicated to my Keurig coffeemaker. Without you, none of this would’ve been possible.

  The course of true love never did run smooth.

  A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Act 1, Scene 2

  Chapter One

  She’s probably knee-deep in sugar and sprinkles by now.

  As the Monday morning sun rose, Kaden Chance ran through the empty Main Street of Germantown, Maryland. A sheen of sweat covered most of his skin by the time he reached her bakery, aptly named Yummy. Cinnamon and vanilla wafted from the exterior vents, and his stomach growled. Inside, his human friend Annabelle hurried to prepare the pastries for the morning rush. Patrons would line up around the block within the next hour. While it had nothing to do with him, he was proud of her success.

  He stood in front of the large store window and waited for her to notice him. She worked diligently, bent over the flour-covered counter, pouring batter into rows of miniature cupcake pans. Beneath a pink apron, she wore a tiny white tank top and steel-blue cotton shorts. From this angle, he admired the curve of her luscious bottom and muscular tanned legs. So many times he imagined taking her into his arms and kissing her pouty lips.

  His blood warmed, his body working against him, urging him to break the rules he created. Rules that kept his family safe.

  No, he had to bury those thoughts. Annabelle could never be his, no matter how badly he desired her. A knock on the glass pulled him from his thoughts. Annabelle waved at him with her oven-mitted hand; her smile was wide and cheerful. Noticing a smudge of purple icing on one of her cheeks, he held back a chuckle. She became embarrassed easily, so he ignored it.

  A sweaty piece of hair fell into his face, and he quickly tucked it back into place. She watched him curiously with a doe-eyed look that confused him. But that wasn’t surprising. After two years in his human form, he still struggled to understand his own human emotions.

  Her green-eyed gaze moved down to her apron, then back at him. He tapped on his watch, and she playfully rolled her eyes. She was always running late, but by some unknown magic managed to open the bakery on time every day.

  When she resumed her preparations, he let out a breath and returned to his morning routine.

  Annabelle bit her bottom lip, her stomach filled with anxiety. Somehow she had sensed Kaden standing outside her window, watching her. She liked to pretend it was their connection, but really, it was because he always came by to greet her during his morning workout. There was nothing between them other than friendship. That wasn’t her choice. She had been sending him smoke signals for almost a year, but he never showed any interest. Half of her hoped he might change his mind. The other rational half was screaming for her to snap out of it.

  What did the book say again? Right! Look happy to see him, but don’t appear too eager. Okay, okay, it’s no big deal. Just look up and wave.

  Her eyebrows furrowed.

  His baby blues had stared in her direction, but his mind appeared to be somewhere else. If only he was thinking of her. She’d knocked on the glass. He startled and then smirked.

  Don’t get nervous, just play it cool! A wide grin stretched across her face as she waved at him with her oven-mitted hand.

  A few strands of black hair had fallen over his eyes. He quickly tucked them back into place while inadvertently displaying one of his perfectly cut biceps. Her heart pounded in her chest like a drum. The man owned so many of those tight sleeveless muscle shirts. He must have stock in Under Armour. Today’s color was hunter green.

  Moisture dotted her palms. She glanced down to wipe them on her apron and cringed—stained with flour, naturally. Here she had an Adonis in front of her and she had her brown hair ponytailed and zero makeup on. No wonder he’d never shown any interest. She should’ve woken up earlier and made an effort. It’s not like she didn’t know he was coming.

  But what she saw in him was much deeper than his good looks. He was beyond generous, taking time out of his schedule to help her around the bakery, and on several occasions, even making her dinner when she was too exhausted to cook. It seemed like whenever she needed someone, he was there. And when he wasn’t helping her in some way, he was making her laugh with the silly texts he sent her or stories he would tell her about his brothers. Many times, they would talk for hours. They were so close, she considered him one of her best friends.

  He had tapped on his watch, and she’d rolled her eyes. He enjoyed pointing out when she was behind schedule. She made her way toward the back counter where she’d left her cell phone—one hour before opening. When she returned to the front of the store, Kaden was gone. Her stomach sank in disappointment.

  If Hilar
y could see her now, she’d probably offer to smack her on the back of her head. For the last two months, her friend had been pushing her to let go of her Kaden fantasy and get out into the dating world. She’d even offered up some accountant at her firm who she swore was really cute and fun. Maybe it was finally time to take her up on the offer.

  The phone rang, and she picked up the kitchen cordless. “Thank you for calling Yummy Bakery. How can I help you?”

  No response, only heavy breathing.

  “Hello?” she repeated, aggravation in her tone.

  The breathing got louder.

  It was the third prank call in a week. Seriously, the teenagers around this small town must be bored to tears if they’ve resorted to these antics. “Really? Am I supposed to be frightened by your breathing? Get a life, kid.”

  Rolling her eyes, she hung the phone back on the receiver.

  The oven timer buzzed, letting her know the fruit-mince cupcakes were ready to come out. Her eyes widened. The buttercream frosting wasn’t prepared. She pulled the cupcakes from the oven and placed them on the cooling rack. She quickly grabbed the milk carton she had left by the sink and the butter by the cutting board. Perfect, both had reached room temperature. She found the powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and vegetable shortening in the top cabinet above her head. With all the different measurements for the recipe locked in her mind, she began to pour the ingredients into a large bowl and stirred.

  Once the icing was thick enough, she transferred the mix into a pastry bag and attached a decorating tip. She squeezed the bag, circling the buttercream frosting on top of each cupcake, all the while trying to think about anything other than Kaden Chance.

  Winded, Kaden strolled up the concrete driveway and stood on the front porch of the two-story colonial he shared with his brothers. Located in a gated community less than five miles outside town, the home provided the level of seclusion he preferred. It was important to blend in with the humans, but at a safe distance.

  He wiped the perspiration from his brow with the edge of his shirt hem. His leg muscles had tightened after the eighth mile, but he never slowed. The exercise nourished his human body, reducing his longing for Annabelle to a manageable level. But lately, the workouts weren’t helping his growing desire. Even his nightly dreams were littered with visions of their entangled bodies, naked, writhing, moaning. He closed his eyes as he reimagined her cries of pleasure.

  He heard someone scream, “Oh, God, yes!” but it wasn’t Annabelle’s voice.

  And it wasn’t happening inside his head.

  The mystery woman screamed again, and he opened his eyes. The noise was coming from inside the house. Kaden cursed as he fiddled with his keys.

  “Right there, don’t stop!” the female cried.

  He barreled down the hallway, following the sounds of heavy panting into the kitchen. His fists clenched. On the counter, a woman sat naked with her back arched and her legs splayed. He leaned to the side and saw his brother Cam nestled in her core. Was this really happening? He couldn’t believe his brother had a naked human writhing around on their kitchen counter. Had he forgotten all the rules, which clearly stated their entertainment had to take place outside this house? And if he was willing to do this in here, where else had they been? Sickened, he tried not to think about the bodily fluids that were likely all over the surfaces. He had planned to make a sandwich after his long run, but he no longer had an appetite. As soon as this female was gone, he would order his brother to bleach every inch of these countertops.

  “Camden,” he said, covering his eyes. “We need to talk.”

  “There’s no need for talking,” the human female responded. “Why don’t you join us instead?”

  Totally disgusted by her suggestion, Kaden had no words as he continued to look in any direction other than theirs. He put his fist over his mouth and cleared his throat.

  “Kaden,” Cam acknowledged bitterly. “What an unwelcome surprise.”

  He knows the dangers. How can he behave so recklessly? He turned to face his brother. “I assure you, this doesn’t register on the highlight reel for me, either.”

  Cam pulled his lover into a sitting position. “Why don’t you go take a shower upstairs? I’ll join you in a minute.”

  Running her finger over Cam’s bottom lip, she said, “Don’t make me wait too long.” He held out his hand, helping her off the counter. Even though Kaden had no interest in her, she tried to get his attention. Her body was impressive, but she was nothing compared to Annabelle.

  Kaden turned his attention back to his brother. He had planned to wait until he heard the shower water start before he spoke, but Cam beat him to it. “She’s quite eccentric, that one,” he said casually. “During foreplay, she asks me to scold her and spank her over my knee. Hayden will be most intrigued.”

  “You know the rules, Camden. We do not bring guests into our home.”

  “Never mind your endless list of rules. I uncovered something amazing just now.” He rubbed his hands together, and the tips of his fingers glowed white. “I surged her nucleus accumbens and successfully elevated her orgasm.” He wiggled his eyebrows as if he expected Kaden to be impressed by his discovery.

  “Are you out of your mind?” Camden’s ability to manipulate electronic pulses was meant to be used as a defense mechanism. “You don’t know what damage you could’ve done to her brain!”

  Their powers were one of the few things they didn’t share with their FBI handlers. If they found out, he feared they would see them as a threat. Or they would try to use their abilities for their own purposes.

  “Oh, relax. Hayden taught me how to do it,” Cam said.

  Well, of course he did. Hayden, their middle brother, saw everything as a potential science experiment. Who knew what types of daily trials he was conducting at the secret government lab in Washington, D.C.?

  “I’ll deal with Hayden later. But you, Cam, how can you be so stupid? What if she discovers us, then what?” Kaden put his hand up before Cam could respond. “No, I’ll answer. They’ll lock us up and experiment on us like lab rats. Is that what you want?”

  “I want to live my life!” Cam slammed his fist into the counter, cracking a portion of the granite. He stared at the broken piece of slab and then relaxed his tone. “We’ve followed their rules, we’ve taken on these identities, and we’re blending in.”

  Cam couldn’t understand the severity of the situation. He was young and never thought of the consequences of his actions. Since his first taste of female humans, he’d preferred to spend his waking moments in as many of them as were willing. And from what Kaden had witnessed, there were many eager participants.

  “Don’t you see that this can all be taken away?” In exchange for their knowledge of science, medicine, technology, and the universe, the brothers were allowed to remain on Earth. To keep them hidden, the FBI put them in the witness protection program with new identities, a house, and a monthly allowance. “We have to follow their rules. If anyone discovered the truth, there would be mass panic, and we don’t know how the government would react.” He came to stand next to Cam, putting his hand on his shoulder. “Protecting this family is my number-one priority.”

  “You are protecting us, but at the same time, you need to let your guard down every once in a while and have some fun.” Cam peered over his shoulder at the empty staircase and grinned. “These human females are amazing. Their bodies are so sensitive to even the slightest touch. And when you enter them”—Cam visibly shivered—“it’s unlike any other sensation.”

  Kaden had often wondered what sex would feel like in his human form. His fantasies starred Annabelle in all kinds of scenarios. “No, thanks.”

  “If you want Annabelle, tell her. It’s obvious that she’s into you. Her lust radiates off her every time I see the two of you together.”

  Kaden’s chest ached. One of the conditions of their intergalactic immunity forbade marital unions with humans, and since he would never be satisfie
d with a sex-only relationship with her, he had no choice in the matter. He must maintain only a friendship with Annabelle.

  “Go on.” He motioned for Cam to go upstairs. “Enjoy yourself, but keep a close eye on her while she’s in this house.”

  Cam shook his head and quickly started up the steps. “You don’t know what you’re missing, bro.”

  That was the problem for Kaden. He knew exactly what he was missing, and his lust for it grew more dangerous with each passing day.

  Chapter Two

  “It took me twenty minutes to finally make it to the front of the line,” Mrs. Dansbury whined, pushing her glasses higher on her nose, scanning the hordes of people parked in every available seat of Annabelle’s bakery. “You really need to get some more help in here if you can’t handle this many people.”

  Mrs. Dansbury always found something to complain about. When Annabelle first opened the bakery, she usually griped about the temperature in the store. After Annabelle won Cutthroat Cupcake on the Food Network, then it was the long lines, even if she only had two or three people in front of her. Annabelle wanted to be appreciative of her loyal business, but why did she have to make it so hard?

  “You could always call ahead.” She handed her a menu and pointed to her phone number on the bottom. “I’d be happy to put your order together in advance.”

  “Oh, honey, that’s so sweet”—she smiled as if it was painful—“but it’s a miracle that I have time to come here, let alone call ahead.”

  As usual, Mrs. Dansbury was in a hurry to get to work. Each weekday, Annabelle rushed to prepare breakfast platters for her while she fiddled through her briefcase and talked on her cell phone. She always spoke of her importance in the company that she worked for, but Annabelle had found out a few months ago she was a receptionist at a local car dealership.

  She handed her a box of assorted pastries, bagels, and muffins with a smile. Mrs. Dansbury snatched up the container and hurried out the door. Annabelle leaned up against the back counter, closed her eyes, and rubbed her temples. Mrs. Dansbury was correct—her business had doubled in the past few months and it was becoming too much for her to handle on her own. She debated internally about how many people she should hire. She figured at least one cashier would be nice as well as a baker. Someone cleared their throat. Hilary, her best friend, stood in front of her.