by Avery Aster
Malcolm stepped in, closed the space between them and took her face in his hands.
“Kylie, I—”
She silenced him with a finger on his lips. “I’m glad it wasn’t Marcus I fell in love with that night. Because I could never have forever with him. Not like I can with you.”
“You fell in love?”
She smiled and her nod was the most beautiful thing he’d ever seen. “I did. And after this week here with you, I just have one more question for you.”
“What’s that?”
She leaned in and took his lips with a kiss. When she pulled back and left him longing for more, she said, “What the hell took you so long?”
Instead of answering her, he kissed her again. This time, all the passion and love he’d built up for years came through. Her answer was just as intense, and soon Malcolm’s hands slid up under her t-shirt, tugged it off and over her head. Her fingers worked at the button on his shorts and they dropped to his feet in the sand.
Malcolm ran his hands down her smooth skin, palmed her breasts—there’d be time later for worshipping her body the way it deserved, but now was the time to claim what was his. What had always been his. With a yank, he pulled her shorts down and lifted her so her luscious legs straddled his body.
Gently, he lowered her to the ground. But that was the last thing he did gently. His mouth ravaged hers, alternated between exploring her mouth and leaving trails of kisses that he hoped would leave love marks on her neck, while his hand reached into the pocket of his shorts and produced a condom.
Without ceremony, he sheathed himself, and plunged into her warm, welcoming body. They were made for each other, and together they moved quickly, riding to a quick and hard climax. He knew the exact moment Kylie toppled over the edge into a shattering orgasm. She tightened her hold on him and moaned his name into the night air. Moments later, it was her name on his lips, as they came undone together.
* * *
Kylie lay in the crook of Malcolm’s arm. The warm sand tickled her bare skin and she’d never felt happier. Finally all the truths were out in the open and everything was okay. It was all about trust. And she trusted Malcolm with her life. Now that she had him, she didn’t plan to ever let him go again.
But she’d have to. The thought crossed her mind and as much as she tried to push it away, it kept creeping in. Malcolm must have sensed the shift in her because he tightened his grip on her, and stroked her thigh with his free hand. “What’s wrong?”
“It’s nothing.”
“Except it’s something,” he prodded. “Tell me. What are you thinking of?”
“What are we going to do?” She pulled away from him slightly. Just enough to look at him and not be distracted by his touch. “We can’t stay on the island forever.”
“We can’t?”
An image of Jenna and Caine living their fantasy, and the couple from the shipwreck, the same couple who shared their initials, popped into her head. Maybe they could run away from everything and live on Eden.
“I’m kidding.” Malcolm laughed and the fantasy evaporated. “But I don’t plan to let you go again.”
“I know…and…” Panic started to creep into her reality as she realized she didn’t want to move from Cedar Springs. It was her home.
Malcolm scooted closer in the sand and pulled her into him again. His hard body pressed up against her and she instantly felt calmer from his presence. “There’s one more thing I didn’t tell you yet.”
Kylie narrowed her eyes and glared at him, but Malcolm only laughed.
“I promise, you’ll like this.” He didn’t release her, but ran his fingers along her spine. Ripples of pleasure thrilled down her spine and to her core. “Remember old Bear Mountain?”
She nodded. Of course she remembered. It was where she’d met the Stone boys. It’s where everything had all started. When it closed down shortly after Marcus took off, she’d been disappointed to see it close its doors, despite the memories.
“Well,” Malcolm continued. “I bought it. I’ll be spending a lot of time in Cedar Springs to turn it into the next destination ski resort. So…if you’ll have me, I’ll—”
The rush of relief and joy that flooded through her was so intense, the only answer she could come up with was a kiss. Not that Malcolm objected. How could she ever have mistaken the passion and chemistry she had with Malcolm for his brother? It seemed impossible to her now. What she felt with Malcolm was second to none. The kiss grew in intensity until Kylie was underneath him once again; the sand pressed into her back and his gorgeous, hard body was poised over her. But instead of entering her, the way her body screamed out for, he hopped up to his feet and grinned.
“I’ll be right back.”
Kylie pounded her fist into the sand beneath her. She shook her head and closed her eyes to force her breathing to return to normal.
“Keep your eyes closed.”
His voice surprised her, but she did as she was told.
“Now hold your hand out.” She did so but when Malcolm pressed the tiny, cool metal in her hand, her eyes popped open.
“What is this?”
“I meant to give it to you days ago.”
Kylie turned the ring around in her hand. It was a gorgeous delicate band with a blue stone, maybe a sapphire, set into the gold. It was obviously an antique. In the dim light of the moon, she could see the initials engraved on the inside. K&M forever and always.
She looked up at him in wonder. “The shipwreck?”
He nodded and sank to his knees in the sand next to her.
“It’s beautiful.”
“Let me put it on your finger.” She nodded and let Malcolm slide it on her left ring finger. It felt right. More than right: it felt as if she’d waited forever for just that ring.
“A perfect fit.” He entwined his fingers in hers. “Like it was meant to be.”
“Well.” Kylie laughed. “The island knows what you need.”
Malcolm laid over her again, his body perfectly molded to hers. “And the only thing I need is you.” He kissed her, and as their bodies came together again, Kylie heard the words float on the air: forever and always.
# # #
If you enjoyed Second Glances by Elena Aitken, read more of Malcolm and Kylie in Summit of Desire. Sign up for Elena’s newsletter at http://bit.ly/Kk8opU so you don’t miss a thing. Keep in touch using the following links:
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To skip directly to the next story, click here.
About Elena Aitken
Like a lot of my readers, I’m a busy wife, friend, mom and…well, it often feels like life is pulling us in a million different directions, which is why I love to write romance!
There’s nothing better than knowing you have an escape waiting for you at the end of a long day in the form of a good book.
I’m lucky enough to live in the shadow of the Canadian Rocky Mountains in the foothills of Alberta, where I can write the stories I love. Whenever I get the chance, I escape into those amazing mountains and I can usually be found sitting with my feet in the lake, working on my next book.
As well as contemporary romance novels, I also like to write women’s fiction and my collection of stand alone novels are all part of the Escape Collection. I’m always trying something new, so stay tuned to see what’s next!
Other Books by Elena Aitken
The Springs Series
Summer of Change-FREE
Falling Into Forever
Winter’s Burn
Midnight Springs
Second Glances
She’s Making A List (A holiday novella)
Summit of Desire
Summit of Seduction (Winter 2015)
Summit of Passion (Spring 2015)
Castle Mountain Lodge Series
Unexpected Gifts
&n
bsp; Hidden Gifts
Mistaken Gifts
Secret Gifts
Goodbye Gifts
Tempting Gifts
The Escape Collection
Nothing Stays In Vegas
Drawing Free
Sugar Crash
Composing Myself
Betty and Veronica
The Escape Collection
Halfway to Nowhere
Halfway in Between
Now for Some Excerpts of Elena Aitken’s Books...
Summer of Change
Elena Aitken
With the Springs resort set to open in mere weeks, Trent Harrison needs to stay focused and see to every detail. The last thing he needs is a complication, even one that comes in the form of sexy bar owner, Samantha Burke.
Samantha loves her quiet close-knit community of Cedar Springs, just the way it is. The addition of a fancy new resort as well as its arrogant owner, and the change they’re both sure to bring, is certainly not welcome.
With Trent pushing his way into her town, and her life, Samantha’s resistance to him wavers in the face of the passion and heat they share. Change is inevitable, but can either of them drop their guard long enough to accept it when there’s so much on the line?
Excerpt
“Are you coming?” Samantha turned around and called to him before she faced the water again.
He had his mouth open to reply, when she pulled her t-shirt over her head and rendered him speechless. She was gorgeous. Her hair, released from the ever-present elastic, fell in dark waves over her bare shoulders. Recovering his senses, he jogged the rest of the way to where she was standing in nothing more than a red bikini top and her jeans.
“Where’s your suit?”
Trent looked down at his black dress pants and buttoned up shirt. He hadn’t thought of a suit.
She shrugged. “That’s too bad.” She smirked before turning her attention to the button of her jeans. Trent had to fight the urge to take care of the task for her. And when she slid the denim down her hips and shimmied out of her pants, leaving them in a pile at her feet, it was all he could do to keep his hands to himself.
She was delectable, with her body curving in all the right places. Dangerous places that encouraged every dirty thought he’d ever had to flood his mind. He looked to the lake, and then back at Samantha. Suit or not, he was getting in the water with her.
“Who needs a suit?” Trent almost laughed out loud at the look of horror on her face.
“You can’t…it’s a…” Her gaze drifted down the length of him, and Trent could only imagine the dirty places her own mind was going. He’d like nothing more than to go there with her.
He slowly unbuttoned his shirt, and pulled it from his arms. He folded it and placed it next to her messy pile of clothes before looking at her. There was heat in her gaze as she checked him out, and Trent took his time, relishing the fact that he wasn’t the only one affected.
“You can’t skinny-dip.” She finally found her words. “It’s a public beach.”
Trent raised his eyebrow and slid the leather of his belt through the buckle.
“Trent.” Samantha put her hand on his before he could unbutton his pants. The heat of her hand had an immediate and very dramatic effect on him, and there was no way she could have missed it. She snatched her hand away and stared at him as a blush crept over her. “You…you can’t.”
“Relax.” He attempted to apply the same advice to himself. “I’ll swim in my shorts.”
“Oh.” Her face pinked further, the blush spreading to her chest, and dipping between her breast. “Of course.” She dipped her head and before Trent could say anything else, Samantha ran into the water, where she pointed her arms over her head and dove gracefully beneath the surface.
He wasn’t going to let her get away that easily. Grateful she was already in the water and couldn’t see his very obvious arousal, Trent stripped his pants and ran to join her. He imitated her dive, only when he broke the surface, the air was sucked dramatically out of his lungs, leaving him breathless. When he surfaced, he struggled to regain his breath and composure.
“It’s…it’s…friggin’ freezing!”
Her laughter rang out, and if he hadn’t been experiencing some form of shock, he would have taken offense. A splash of water hit him in the face. He wiped his eyes and looked to the source. Her hair was slicked back, the water giving her an exotic quality that had Trent’s body reacting once again, despite the frigid water.
“Don’t be such a baby,” Samantha said. “It’s not that cold.”
“You’re crazy. It’s like ice in here.”
“If you don’t want to swim, go back to the beach.” She turned away from him and dove under before she surfaced and glided into easy, long strokes that took her away from him.
Hell no. There was no way he was getting out. Not when that exquisite water nymph was only a few feet away. Accepting her challenge, he dove under, kicking hard, and pursued her.
His years in swim club as a child paid off, and it wasn’t long before he’d caught up with her. Before he could overthink it, he grabbed her slippery leg and pulled her back, using his strength to bring her close.
“What the—”
Trent brought his mouth to hers, kissing away her protests. He let his hand slide down her smooth back, resting on her buttocks and the tiny scrap of fabric between him and her skin. Just as she had the other day, Samantha’s body responded to his kiss, and soon the temperature of the water was not an issue because there was more than enough heat between them.
Her hands gripped the hard muscles in his back and one slick leg wrapped around him, locking her to him. A primitive groan came from his throat and he pulled her up against him, hard. He let his free hand travel down her body and cup the swell of her breast before moving to the base of her head, deepening the kiss. He wanted her closer still. Needed her closer.
Damn, he needed a lot more than that. He’d never felt a need so deep and all-consuming with another woman.
Samantha was the one to break the kiss, pulling back so suddenly that Trent lost his grip on her, and she deftly turned and dove under the water, putting distance between them.
Unexpected Gifts
Elena Aitken
Cozy up to the Castle Mountain Lodge in the middle of the remote Canadian Rockies for Unexpected Gifts.
Christmas represents everything Andi Williams is supposed to have, and doesn't. Running away to a remote mountain lodge in the Canadian Rockies sounds like the perfect way to escape, until a mix-up finds her sharing a villa with sexy, rough around the edges, Colin Hartford.
Colin's determination to enjoy the holiday he's missed for the last five years sweeps Andi into a season of joy that she's not sure she's ready for. Can Andi open herself up to everything the holidays have to offer...including love?
Excerpt
Andi let out a sigh of relief, and asked, “What’s wrong with you?”
“Pardon me?” Colin sputtered after choking on his drink.
“Sorry.” Andi tried to suppress a giggle. “What I meant was, why are you still single?”
“Oh.” Colin put his glass down and moved toward her. He put his hands on her thighs and despite the hot water, shivers thrilled through Andi’s body. “I guess because I hadn’t met you yet.” He inched closer to her mouth.
“That’s such a line.”
“Did it work?” Colin’s mouth turned up into a grin.
She struggled to keep her breath even. It was a losing battle. “We should probably get to bed,” Andi whispered. “It’s a big day tomorrow with the ball and—”
His mouth locked on hers, and not for the first time that night, thoughts of her self-imposed dating rule flashed through her head and almost just as fast, she came up with a dozen reasons why it didn’t apply. She pressed her body against his and closed the gap between them. Her drink spilled into the water as Andi reached around Colin’s back and pulled him closer. He tasted of the rich
wine, and she drank him in.
Andi wrapped her legs around his waist. The feel of his bare, slippery skin on the inside of her thighs caused the pressure to build into a flaming center of molten heat. Colin secured his hands on either side of her legs; they slid up and over her bikini bottoms. His fingers teased the ties that secured her bathing suit closed, before he plunged them under the fabric to squeeze the flesh beneath.
She pulled her mouth away from his, gulped a breath and let out a moan as Colin moved his mouth to the top of her breast that was just peeking out of the water. She groaned again and tipped her head back to give him better access to her chest. Colin responded by lifting her up to expose more of her body from the water. With one hand still holding her bottom, his other hand deftly untied her bikini top and swiped it to the side. He grasped her breast and squeezed with just enough pressure to liquefy her resolve.
The cold air bit at her skin, but Andi hardly noticed as Colin’s expert hands caressed her, while at the same time his mouth explored her bare skin. The combined sensation built up in her until Andi thought she’d scream out with pleasure. One second before she could do just that, Colin released his grip on her and gently pushed her back to the bench so she was once again covered by the hot water.
“I’m sorry,” he said, when he met her gaze.
“Sorry for what?” she breathed. “I wasn’t complaining.”
“No.” He chuckled. “You most certainly were not. But because of your little rule, which I respect,” he added quickly, “I think I might be complaining sooner rather than later, if you know what I mean?”
“About that rule—”
“No, no,” Colin cut her off. “I respect it. And I respect you and—”
Andi threw herself forward in the water and smashed her chest into his. She met his mouth with a ferocity she wasn’t even sure she possessed. Blaine certainly had never brought out the level of want and desire that Colin had ignited in her. She kissed him deep, wrapped her arms around his neck and entwined her fingers in his wet hair. Andi couldn’t remember a time when she’d ever been the aggressor in a relationship. Perhaps it wasn’t her. It was the man. And this time, the man in front of her was certainly worth the aggression.
