Glass Ceilings

by A. m Madden

  “There’s only one thing I love, Angela. It has nothing to do with work, and everything to do with you and my son.”

  She didn’t respond, but instead placed a soft kiss on my chest. Using a fingertip to tilt her chin up, I looked at her before asking my own question.

  “You don’t believe me?” I continued to watch her carefully.

  “I want to,” she admitted with a small shrug of her shoulders. “It’s just that your job is such a big part of you. I know what you do terrifies me, but that’s my issue. I never want you to feel you have to give it up for us.”

  I shifted so we were lying side by side, face-to-face. Burying my hand in her silky hair, I held her head to ensure she met my gaze. The green and gold flecks in her eyes shimmered, coming alive before my very eyes. I ran the pad of my thumb across her bottom lip, and they parted at my touch.

  “I need you to listen to my words, okay?”

  She nodded slowly, waiting for me to continue.

  “Baby, I learned a lot about myself recently. The most important thing I realized, being an FBI agent was my job and not my life. You and Nicholas are my life. I won’t deny that before you guys came back to me, I needed the thrill, the danger, to fill a huge void. I most definitely used my job to distract myself from what I was missing. I now know, I don’t need it to fulfill me anymore, because I have you to do that.”

  “I’m going to ask another obvious question.”

  “Okay.”

  “Do you really forgive me for hiding Nicholas from you?”

  “I do,” I said immediately. “But…I’m not going to pretend all that I missed doesn’t haunt me. I’ll just have to revel in each and every memory we create together, and all the new ones we’ll create in our future.”

  “Tell me what you’re most looking forward to.”

  “Getting you pregnant. Watching our baby grow inside you. Being there every minute of every day until he or she arrives. I can’t wait for that.”

  She buried her fingers in my hair, running them through the strands repeatedly. I loved when she did that, and pulled her closer as a response to my arousal.

  “Me, too.”

  That all too familiar charge we first felt almost two years ago zipped between us, not having lost any of its intensity. Staring into her green eyes affected me as much today as it had the first time I saw her at The Dump. Tasting her sweet lips reminded me of that moment at midnight when I first tasted them. Feeling her pressed against me was just as thrilling now as it had been the first night we made love at Eve’s townhouse.

  Much had changed over these past two years, but the one thing that hadn’t was our connection. I knew it then. That night we parted, I just knew that she’d forever affect me, and I’ve never been more right about anything in my life as I was about her.

  It wouldn’t matter where our lives took us once we got back home. It wouldn’t matter where my career led me, or even where we decided to live. As long as we were together, that’s all that mattered.

  “I can’t believe all that has happened these past few weeks. I have to keep pinching myself as a reminder it’s all real, that everything I dared to dream of all those days in Ohio is actually real now.”

  I moved a hand and pinched her ass causing her to squirm in my arms. “I’ll do the pinching for you,” I said teasingly. Keeping my hand on her butt, I pulled her even further into my body, pressing my hard-on against her. “I’ll do a lot more than that to remind you this is real, I’m real, and my love for you is very, very real. I’ll remind you every day, for the rest of our lives.”

  “Remind me now,” she whispered, while our eyes remained locked on each other in a trance-like state.

  And so, I did…

  Through my kisses, I showed her how real it all was.

  Through my caresses, my lips on every inch of her skin, I showed her how real it all was.

  Through staring into her eyes as I slid into her warmth, mouthing how much I loved her, I showed her how real it all was.

  Through our climax, as we clung to each other while we were completely connected in every possible way, I showed her how real it all was.

  We spent the rest of our night in paradise making love, slowly, tenderly…and it was pure heaven on earth.

  Even once we got back to New York, back to our everyday lives, I reminded her what we shared at that moment in Bermuda was our new reality, no matter where we ended up.

  The three of us as a family was our new real.

  Epilogue

  Nick

  “She’s turned it into a circus!”

  My eyes flew to my wife, and I couldn’t help but laugh at the look on her face.

  “It’s not funny. A simple party was all I wanted with our friends and family surrounding us. A casual get-together to celebrate all we were thankful for. Instead, we have this.” Angela waved her hand at the chaos that was ensuing below. We stood on a small balcony, overlooking one of the smaller ballrooms at the Waldorf. Tables were adorned with fine linens, crystal, and china, directly contradicting my wife’s request for casual.

  The band that played instrumental soft-rock hits, the fancy food and alcohol being served, and even the photographer Eve had hired for our wedding in the park was present, making sure to capture every minute of the day for posterity.

  “At least she kept it to under a hundred people.” Angela threw me a deadpan, unamused look, making me laugh again. “She just can’t help herself. The only thing we can do is to amuse her, babe.”

  “Amuse her? She’s out of control. Do you know she threw a fit because she wanted us apart last night? Claimed you shouldn’t be seeing me, bad luck or something.”

  “Well, that’s dumb.”

  “Ya think? Even after reminding her we were already married, and this was merely a party, she wouldn’t stop harassing me.”

  “The best way to handle Eve is to let her be. You know that.” Gathering her in my arms, I fingered the diamond pendant that hung around her neck. She insisted she didn’t want a traditional engagement ring, since nothing about our relationship was traditional. So instead, I bought her a diamond infinity symbol representing our never-ending future.

  Eve’s voice in the distance caused Angela to groan. “Hide me.” She stood behind me, attempting to hide from her very bossy cousin.

  “You!” She stalked closer, with her finger pointing at me.

  “Crap,” Angela said from behind me. My body shook from laughter, and Angela nudged me to stop laughing.

  Eve stormed toward us looking like she was fit to be tied. “Can you please cooperate? Would it kill you to do what I ask for one day?” At Angela’s silence she added, “I can fucking see you! Get back to your room and wait there until I tell you to come out.”

  “You’re ruining my Thanksgiving,” Angela said, the words muffled because her face was buried in my shirt. I reached behind me, pulling Angela out into Eve’s view and ignoring the green lasers shooting from my wife’s eyes.

  “Tell her what you told me.”

  Eve folded her arms expectantly while I nodded, encouraging Angela to speak.

  “Eve, I appreciate it all, I do. But I really just wanted a casual Thanksgiving lunch. Please don’t be mad at me?”

  Eve narrowed her eyes and waited a beat. “Once you make your grand entrance, I’ll back off. Deal?”

  “Deal.”

  “Good luck to you,” Eve said sarcastically. “She’s a joy to deal with.” Turning with a huff, she walked away leaving Angela with her mouth hanging open and me unable to hide my grin.

  “Traitor,” she grumbled, shoving me playfully.

  “No way, I’m on your side.” I grabbed her and brought her into my chest, wrapping my arms around her possessively. She looked up into my eyes, and I pressed my lips firmly against hers. “I’m just selfishly thinking of ways to move this day along so I can get you home, unzip this little white dress you’re wearing, peel off your bra and panties, and eat your breasts and pussy like it�
��s my last Thanksgiving meal.”

  Angela’s eyes widened, and she pressed herself against my hard cock. Suddenly, she looked around, glancing behind us. “Come with me,” she said while dragging me toward a door in a corner of the balcony. Slowly opening it, she pulled me into a small closet and shut it firmly behind us.

  “Your cousin will come looking for us.”

  She reached over and turned the lock on the doorknob and flipped on the light. “Let her.”

  Like a woman possessed, she unbuckled my belt, unbuttoned and unzipped my pants, and slid her hand in to hold my throbbing cock. With each stroke, I hardened further in her hand until the pressure became unbearable. In a flash, I lifted her, forcing her legs around my waist. The fabric of her short full skirt gathered around her hips to expose her lace panties. The heat in her eyes and her smile caused me to crush my lips to hers; I turned us around so she was now pressed up against the wall.

  “Don’t make a sound,” I said against her lips. Reaching between us, I skimmed my fingertips over her damp panties. I slid the fabric aside to touch her, feel how ready she was for me. Without warning, I plunged in deep, hard, and fast.

  “Oh God!” she said a bit too loudly, as her head hit the wall behind her with a thump.

  “Shh.”

  She ignored me, getting louder and louder with each one of my thrusts. I had to cover her mouth with mine to muffle her groans. When she came around me, I could feel every part of her come undone. And when I came inside her, it was her turn to muffle my groans.

  Once we calmed, and her breathing returned back to normal, she said, “Okay, now I can play nice with Eve for the rest of the day. Thank you, Mr. Farley. I needed that.”

  “Anytime, Mrs. Farley.”

  I pulled a handkerchief from my pocket, and watched her face as I cleaned her up. With a smirk, I patted her dry, adjusted her panties, and winked when I folded it into a neat square and placed it back in my pocket.

  My wife’s eyes darkened, and I knew I just worked her back up to go again.

  “We can’t,” I said, taking on the role of responsible adult she usually assumed.

  “You don’t play fair.”

  “This is just the beginning, my wife.”

  When we emerged both looking freshly fucked, Jase was waiting on the other side of the door. He bent over hooting with laughter. I had to bribe him with a hundred bucks to keep it from his wife. It was the best money I ever spent, except for maybe the night I paid Mugs a grand so I could kiss Angela on New Year’s Eve…the night when it all began.

  To my three kings, you rule my world.

  Acknowledgments

  Always first and foremost I want to thank my family for putting up with me and all my OCD tendencies. Your support is unwavering. I love my three men more than anything on earth. I’m blessed to have them in my life, and in my corner. J~A~R, you are my lifelines.

  Sue Grimshaw, editor at large, Penguin Random House: Thank you so much for your guidance during this journey. In such a short time I’ve learned so much from you, and look forward to continuing our journey with the rest of my True Heroes. Thank you, Madeline Hopkins, for finding those little things that most wouldn’t notice, but in every case had me thinking, “Oh thank you, Madeline!” To say I’m thrilled to be part of the Loveswept and Penguin Random House family would be a huge understatement. I look forward to creating more True Heroes for hopeless romantics to discover.

  My beta readers, my chicks, my hos, and my groupies have all become a huge presence in my life. Some I’ve met, others I haven’t yet. I feel as if I’ve known these women for years and years. I love them all very much.

  BFF Angel, we are #boundforlife. JoJo, te amo.

  My cover model, Joe Connors. I am so glad I approached you on our beautiful beach. Thank you for bringing Nick Farley to life.

  Matt Heasley—thank you for capturing Joe perfectly for my awesome cover.

  Finally, my biggest thank-you goes out to my readers. My appreciation is immeasurable, and it often causes me to fumble with my words. “Thank you” is simply not enough. You all continue to rock. I hope I can continue to rock your worlds with my stories. Love you all so very much!

  Thank you to all the bloggers who have supported me since my first book, and all the new bloggers who discover me with each release. You guys make it possible for all the wonderful, faithful, passionate readers to find us.

  One last thing: After you’ve read a book, please take a few moments and post a review. It’s the single best way to thank your authors.

  xoxo

  BY A. M. MADDEN

  True Heroes

  Stone Walls

  Glass Ceilings

  Dark Corners

  The Back-Up Series

  Back-Up

  Front & Center

  Encore

  Backstage

  The Devil’s Lair

  The Shortstop

  A. M. MADDEN is a wife, a mother, an avid reader of romance novels, and now an author. A self-proclaimed hopeless romantic, she loves getting lost in a good romance book.

  ammadden.com

  Facebook.com/​AuthorAMMadden

  @ammadden1

  The Editor’s Corner

  Swing into spring this May with Loveswept! We’ve got something for everyone, so take your pick from these fabulous romance books.

  Tracy March brings you another enchanting novel set in Colorado, with book two in her Thistle Bend series, Just Say Maybe. Brenda Rothert releases her first Loveswept book, Blown Away, a sensual, emotionally charged novel of love and loss in which a tender affair gives two daring storm chasers the strength to overcome shattered dreams and the courage to build a future together. Then we go from extreme weather to the world of extreme sports with Zoe Dawson’s pulse-pounding Mavrick Allstars series debut, the steamy Ramping Up. Bestselling author HelenKay Dimon makes her Loveswept debut with Mr. and Mr. Smith. Moving on from the suspenseful to the sensual is a novel of pleasure and persuasion revolving around a high-stakes business deal in which the rules of negotiation are defined by desire in Shawntelle Madison’s Bound to You. New York Times bestselling author Noelle Adams introduces a notorious tech mogul who makes a mild-mannered woman an offer she can’t refuse and gets in return a battle for control—and a million-dollar affair—in Fooling Around. The Hunt Club continues with Pamela Labud’s A Most Delicate Pursuit. New York Times bestselling author Erin McCarthy follows Nashville’s hottest country music duo as they fight for love in a city where dreams often cost a broken heart in Heart Breaker. And New York Times bestselling author Sawyer Bennett proves that vengeance is sweet—but seduction is to die for—in Sugar Daddy.

  Wait—there’s more! Gina Gordon’s White Lace series continues in book two with lots of sizzle and heat in Reason to Believe. A. M. Madden continues the True Heroes series—hot hero alert!—with Glass Ceilings. Two tortured souls share an unbreakable bond even as they break taboos, as Laura Marie Altom does it again with a fabulous stepbrother romance in Stepping Over the Line. Back in the sporting world, Stacked Up continues the Worth the Fight series from USA Today bestselling author Sidney Halston. And Interference continues the Pilots Hockey series from Sophia Henry, where a young single mom falls for a damaged coach pulling double-duty as a cop.

  It’s a great month for relationships, so follow us on Facebook and Twitter and let the romance begin!

  Until next month ~Happy Romance!

  Gina Wachtel

  Associate Publisher

  Read on for an excerpt from

  Dark Corners

  True Heroes

  By A. M. Madden

  Available from Loveswept

  Chapter 1

  “You drive.”

  “Nope.”

  “Come on. I drove the last run.”

  “And I drove the two runs before that.” I didn’t give him a choice, and walked over to the passenger side of the Humvee.

  “Suck my dick, Cavello,” he said, still standing behind the
hatch pathetically waiting for me to take the wheel.

  “I prefer pussy, but thanks.” Gunner looked down at me from his perch, failing to hide his grin. I grinned back, got into the passenger seat, and settled in. Confident he’d be over it before we hit the first zone of action, I watched as he moved around toward the driver’s side, still shooting me dirty looks as he did.

  When I laughed at him, he said, “I fucking hate you, Cavello.”

  “Aww, is that any way to talk to the love of your life, Randall?”

  Private First Class Bartholomew F. Randall was my best friend in that hell we were in. If it weren’t for me, he would’ve gone postal by then. I was his voice of reason, the logic that the desert heat baked right out of his skull. The little voice in his head that constantly said, “Don’t fucking do it, dude,” as his finger itched on the trigger.

  “If I have to drive then it’s my music.”

  With an arrogant smirk, he flipped on the radio to his god-awful rap music crap. Determined to not give him the satisfaction, I returned an arrogant smirk of my own.

  We wordlessly waited for the rest of our caravan to position behind us. It was hot as fuck. The sweat poured down my body, making my fatigues so wet and my skin so damp that goosebumps riddled every exposed surface. You know the kind of heat that just ripped at your flesh, making it feel like you stepped into a blazing furnace? When the air was so thick, each breath you took felt like smog from a toxic fire?

  Like being in hell?

  As Randall closed the distance between base and the hot box we were heading to in Baiji, I gripped the helmet on my head in an attempt to control the migraine that instantly began to pound behind my eyes. It was always the same pounding pain that came on suddenly from the combination of the heat, the mission, the fact that it all could end at any moment.

  The place was a shithole that we’d call home for the next four days. Our mission: secure the area for the officer convoy traveling through from Baghdad to Mosul, and stay alive while doing it.