Just One Look (Women of Substance)

by Lee, Marilyn

  During the course of the next hour both of them walked me out on the patio to tear off the few pieces of skin their father had allowed me to retain.

  It was clear to me that none of her family was thrilled about meeting me. I thought they were prejudiced but she heatedly denied it. Although a little annoyed by the lack of warmth in their welcome, I was determined to show them I loved her and would take good care of her. And they needed to know that no matter how unpleasant they were, nothing would change how I felt about her.

  Still by the end of the night I couldn’t wait to get out of there.

  Neither one of us talked much on the return drive. The first thing I did when we got home was have two beers.

  She sat watching me drink them in silence before she finally spoke. “About tonight, Andy.”

  “What about it?”

  She sighed. “Your mother was very gracious and Manny is shaping up to be the best brother-in-law in history. I’m sorry my father and brothers weren’t more welcoming tonight.”

  Neither was your mother. “That’s one way of putting it.”

  “They’ve always been very protective of me. They just want the best for me.”

  And that couldn’t possibly be me?

  “I know they were rough on you tonight, sweetie.”

  “That’s putting it lightly.”

  She bit her lip. “I hope they didn’t discourage you too much, Andy,” she said.

  Noting how tense and unhappy she looked, I shook my head. “Don’t worry, honey. I admit they pissed me off. Hell, your father made me feel like a pauper and your brothers…”

  “What about my brothers?”

  They had really fucked me off by informing me that if I ever laid a hand on her they’d break every bone in my body—twice. “Never mind.”

  “They threatened you. Didn’t they?”

  Her brothers clearly loved her and she them. And I guess if I had a younger sister, I’d be overly protective of her as well. “No. They both gave me a promise that was totally unnecessary.”

  She bit her lips again.

  “The point is that although they annoyed the hell out of me, I know they have your best interest at heart. They didn’t discourage me at all. You’re my woman and I’m your man. It would have been nice if they liked me but I’m not marrying any of them. We’re going to be very happy together, honey. Right?”

  “Right,” she said, laying her head against my shoulder. “And once they get to know you they’ll love you almost as much as I do.”

  “I seriously doubt that,” I said, recalling the deep freeze I’d felt from his father and brothers.

  “Maybe love is too strong a word but they’ll definitely like you if for one other reason than you make me happy.”

  I kissed her. “Let’s go to bed. I need a fuck.”

  “I need to give you one,” she said, rising and taking my hand in hers.

  I stared up at her in silence for several moments.

  “What’s wrong?” she asked.

  “I’m engaged to a beautiful woman I love. Not a damned thing is wrong in my life.”

  “Oh, Andy Prescott. I love you so much.”

  I rose and slipped my arm around her. “Take me to bed and prove it. Then I want to get married very soon.”

  “How soon?” she asked.

  “Like yesterday.”

  “Yeah?”

  “Yeah. How do you feel about that, honey?”

  “I think it’s pretty damned awesome, Andy.”

  I laughed. “You’ve been spending too much time with that brother of mine,” I said and led her into our bedroom.

  Despite the pressure from her family for a big wedding, we married during a small ceremony two months later. Just after our sixth month anniversary, we celebrated the confirmation that she was two months pregnant and we were soon going to be parents.

  Finally, her family warmed to me. When we had family dinners her mother always hugged and kissed me when we arrived and left. Her father welcomed me into his man cave. When her brothers were there, we shot hoops. They even insisted Manning come to their monthly dinner when he was free.

  The night our son Anderson Manning was born was one of the most important nights of my life. My mother and stepfather flew in from Paris. Manning was there, as well as Candi and Rena’s family. He came into the world surrounded by a group of people eager to welcome him and already devoted to him.

  When I held him for the first time and then bent to kiss his lovely mother and my beautiful wife, I felt as if nearly everything was right in my world. Once Manning fell in love and settled down, then everything would be pretty damn awesome.

  Loving Large—Yours, Only And Always Excerpt

  By Marilyn Lee

  Published by Marilyn Lee Unleashed

  “Don’t despair. When you least expect it, the hurt from Sam will dissolve and you’ll fall head over heels in love again. It could happen at any time in any place. Just make sure you’re ready to accept and embrace it when it happens.”

  Autumn Walker’s mother’s words flashed into her mind the moment she walked into the condo association meeting and saw him.

  The man who caught her attention was tall, with long legs, wide shoulders, a narrow waist, and a taut ass. He might have stepped right off the cover of one of the Native American capture romances she and her friends had devoured as teenagers. She could easily imagine him bare-chested with long, very dark, silky hair pulled back from his face and hanging down his back as he sat astride a horse without a saddle.

  Two women, who she suspected were more interested in spending time in his bed than they were in discussing proposed changes in condo fees, commanded his attention.

  She stared at him, feeling herself going wet. What woman wouldn’t want to be up close and personal with a man who was so sexy just the sight of him generated capture fantasies?

  What she wouldn’t give for the courage to strut across the room and join the two women clambering for his attention. She sighed. If only she were tall and slender with mounds of flowing locks like the women vying to hold his interest. But the handsome, sexy male who looked as if he’d just finished posing for the cover of a romance novel wasn’t likely to be impressed with her five-foot, five-inch plump body or her dark brown skin. He probably preferred the tall, slender, blue-eyed blondes gazing so adoringly up at him.

  Almost as if he felt her eyes on him, he suddenly turned his head, glanced briefly in Autumn’s direction, looked away, and then did a double take. He arched a brow and locked his gaze with hers.

  Embarrassed at having been caught staring, Autumn still couldn’t look away from his dark, sexy, probing gaze. Her heart raced and the erotic imagination she’d struggled to control since her divorce quickly flooded her mind with visions of standing naked before him while he ran his big hands all over her body. Her cheeks burned at the delicious thought of feeling his smooth palms spanking her naked, dark ass cheeks until they burned with heat.

  Oh to feel him lubing her up before he gripped her hips and fucked her ass, slow and deep. She bit her lip, going wet as she mentally savored the thought of him cupping his hands over her breasts as he thrust in and out of her rear.

  She wore a pretty pink dress with a skirt that ended just below her knees. He could easily push it up to expose a hot pink thong. Once he pushed that skimpy piece of fluff aside he’d have easy access to both her ass and her pussy.

  He arched a brow while the corners of his sensual lips slowly curved upward into an appreciative smile. His gaze shifted down to her breasts for several long moments before he looked into her eyes again.

  Autumn caught her breath. Was she imaging things or did she detect a hint of interest in his gaze? He had definitely checked out her breasts.

  Both blondes glanced at Autumn. One then touched his arm. The other placed a hand against his chest.

  I guess they’re telling you he’s off limits. As if you need that warning.

  The object of all three women
’s desire turned his attention back to the women at his side.

  Autumn released a sigh of disappointment, still unable to tear her gaze away from him. He was so sexy.

  He spoke briefly to the two women before turning his attention back to Autumn.

  She swallowed and stared into his almost hypnotic eyes. He must be interested in her.

  The women spoke to him again, seemingly determined to reclaim his attention.

  Briefly turning his gaze back to the women, he flashed a smile and spoke to them.

  Autumn watched in amazement as he then quickly strolled towards her, ignoring the women’s efforts to keep him at their sides.

  She swallowed and moistened her lips while her heart hammered against her ribcage.

  He stopped a foot or so in front of her. He extended his hand. “Hello.” He had a deep, sexy voice.

  “Hi.”

  “I’m Seneka Elkhorn.”

  Seneka Elkhorn. Nice name. Nice voice. Nice body. Sexy as hell man.

  She held out her hand.

  A shiver of anticipation danced down her spine when his fingers closed over hers. She imagined him whispering sweet nothings in her ear in that deep, velvety voice as he caressed her bare skin with the big warm hand cradling hers.

  “And you are?”

  She blinked. “I’m sorry. What?”

  “What’s your name? Mine’s Seneka Elkhorn.”

  Get a grip, woman and stop gawking as if you’ve never met a drop-dead gorgeous hunk. “Autumn Walker.”

  His eyes lingered on her bare left hand. “Autumn is my favorite time of the year.”

  “Oh…is it?”

  “Oh yes.” He smiled. “I see you’re not wearing a ring, but is there a Mr. ‘She’s All Mine So Back Off’ lurking somewhere?”

  She’d never been happier to be divorced and commitment free. She shook her head. “Not anymore.”

  His smile widened. “No? This must be my lucky night.”

  His lucky night? Lost in a haze of erotic fantasies, she racked her brain for some witty remark that would titillate and entertain him while making him want to get to know her.

  She stole a glance at his left hand. Bare. Thank God.

  The association president went to the podium. “Good evening, everyone. We have a number of issues on the agenda so please find seats so we can begin.”

  Autumn stifled a groan. Why did the blasted meeting have to start on time? She reluctantly withdrew her hand from his. “I guess I’d better find a seat.”

  He slipped a hand under her elbow. “Yes. Let’s do that.”

  His fingers on her bare skin sent a tingle through her. She turned back to face him, hoping she’d managed to conceal her emotional turmoil from him. “I see a seat—”

  “A seat?” He nodded toward two empty seats on the other side of the room. “There are two over there. Join me?”

  She hesitated. Contemplating flirting with him as they waited for the meeting to start was one thing. Sitting with him might be too close to a line she’d never crossed before. Her divorce from Sam still stung. The reason he’d divorced her hadn’t changed enough to make a difference in her life.

  “Autumn,” his fingers tightened on her elbow. He leaned down until his lips were a breath away from her ear. “I won’t hurt you,” he promised softly.

  She stared up into his dark eyes. Why did she feel as if he’d read her mind and knew of her hurt? “What?”

  “You can trust me, Autumn.”

  Trust didn’t come easy. Sam had broken her heart, injured her pride, and damaged her self-esteem. When Sam left her, she’d decided lost love hurt and that love in general was overrated. Since then she had managed to remain romantically unscathed by channeling all her time and energy into preparing her students for careers in math and science.

  Some of her students had done very well. She found satisfaction in celebrating their triumphs with them. Her life wasn’t exciting. It was safe. Safety was important.

  He caressed her elbow. “You can trust me, Autumn.”

  Her desire to accept his word and trust him gave her pause. She knew nothing about him except that she found him more sexually exciting than any man she’d ever met. He seemed to want to spend at least an hour or so in her company. An hour wouldn’t make much difference to him but it might act as a balm to her wounded ego.

  She smiled up at him. “Okay.”

  “Great.” He gave her a slow, warm smile before he led her over to the two empty chairs on the other side of the room. Once she was seated he sat so close to her, his thigh pressed against hers.

  She attempted to draw her thigh away from his.

  He responded by shifting in his seat in a manner that allowed him to press his thigh against hers again.

  She inhaled sharply and glanced at him.

  He arched a brow and ensured she was even more aware of him by sliding an arm along the back of her chair. He leaned so close she felt his breath on her cheek. “Relax, Autumn. I don’t bite—at least not in public.”

  She blushed and turned her attention back to the front of the room. If he touched her, she wasn’t sure how she’d respond.

  He didn’t.

  Nevertheless, she spent the entire meeting wondering if he were as aware of her as she was of him. His thigh pressing against hers seemed to indicate he was yet each time she stole a glance at him, his attention was on the podium. Later, she couldn’t remember how she’d voted on the proposed condo fees.

  After the meeting ended, he turned to look at her. “So you’re all for increased condo fees?”

  “What makes you think that?”

  He shrugged. “You raised your hand when the president asked for a show of hands of those in favor of the higher fees.”

  “I did?”

  His lips twitched. “You did.”

  “Oh…hell!”

  He laughed. “It would probably have passed anyway. Now for a really important question, do you have any plans for the rest of the night?”

  “No.

  “Will you have a drink with me?”

  The thought that she might somehow parlay the drink invitation into a night of wanton and uncommitted sex, excited her senses and helped relax her inhibitions. “I’d like that,” she admitted.

  “So would I.” He smiled.

  He smiled a lot and lord what a warm, intimate smile. He was so handsome it was difficult not to stare at him.

  “Are you ready, Autumn?”

  After three years of celibacy she was more than ready to subject herself to any situation that would increase the possibility of their ending up in bed for the night. As improbable as she’d thought it before the meeting started, she was now convinced he shared her sexual interest.

  She nodded. “Yes, I’m ready.”

  Loving Large: Yours, Only And Always is available from Marilyn Lee Unleashed

  Soul Mates Excerpt

  Prologue

  “Trey! Trey, help me! Please!”

  Her screams for him shattered the still of the night and sent Trey Brandauer bolting up in bed from a deep sleep. He tossed the bed covers aside, nearly tripping in his haste to get out of bed and rush to the window.

  His room overlooked the back road leading to the slave quarters. Looking out the window, he saw his father’s overseer, Joshua Wilton astride his big stallion. A small slender figure sat in front of him on the horse with her face turned up towards the house.

  Trey’s heart thumped with fear as he recognized the female’s beautiful dark skin. The sweet smile he’d never been able to resist was missing. Her brown eyes held a look of fear.

  “Carlee!”

  When she saw him, she reached out with a trembling hand. “Trey! Please help me!”

  Trey tossed the window open and leaned out. “Wilton! What are you doing with her on your horse?”

  The overseer cast a brief glance in Trey’s direction before he brought his riding crop down hard on the horse’s flank, sending the animal into a fast trot.


  Trey whirled away from the window and quickly pulled on his trousers. Running from his room and down the hall, he leapt down the stairs. Surprised to find it unbolted, Trey yanked open the side door. He rushed onto the side veranda. The stable was behind the house. He prayed that he could get his horse, Danton, saddled and on the road in time to rescue Carlee.

  He could still hear her calling out to him. “Trey! Please help me, Trey!”

  “I’m coming, Carlee. I’m coming!”

  He jumped off the veranda and ran towards the stables, ignoring the pain as his bare feet encountered various bits of stones. The big doors were open. He rushed inside and collided with a tall, well-built man exiting the stables.

  The collision with his father sent him sprawling onto his back. “Father!” He scrambled to his knees and grabbed his father’s legs. “Wilton has Carlee! He’s taking her away! You must stop him!”

  His father didn’t respond.

  Bounding to his feet, Trey ran for his horse. He had his saddle in his hands when his father turned him around.

  One look in his father’s eyes and he knew why the side door had been unbolted in the middle of the night.

  “He’s taking her with your permission, Father?”

  “Yes.”

  Trey swallowed a wave of rage at the terse word from his father. “Well not with mine!” He jerked away and tossed his saddle aside, deciding to ride bareback. Before he could mount his horse, his father grabbed him and pushed him against the side of the stall. He could no longer hear Carlee’s cries. His heart thundered and fear tightened his throat. “Get out of my way, Father!”

  “I sold her, Trey.”

  “Sold her? But you gave her to me! You can’t sell her. She’s mine!”

  His father’s hands tightened on his upper arms, holding him still. “That happened when you were seven and I never expected you to fall for her. In this family, we do not bed our slaves, boy!”