by Mary Hughes
Before she knows it, Linda becomes sex-crazed over Richard. Between wine, skinny-dipping and nights of incredibly imaginative bliss, the two of them explore delights neither could have anticipated.
However, as the meetings come to a conclusion, there’s one more surprise in store for Linda. And it involves an April Fool…
Enjoy the following excerpt for Fringe Benefits:
Linda was transfixed. She didn’t realize she was staring, her nipples hard, or the fact that he’d woken up and was watching her gawking at him.
“My name is Richard by the way, but you can call me Dick if you’d like.” He smiled and fixed his shorts. He groaned, scratching his short black hair and rubbing his scalp.
Linda’s face turned a bright shade of red. She dropped her head and water dripped down her burning face.
“Sorry, I…uhh. I was just looking at your…umm, tan. Yes that’s it, your tan,” she said and couldn’t help but giggle like a schoolgirl. She leaned sideways to squeeze the water out of her hair. Her bathing suit accentuated her body.
Richard stared at Linda. She was a beautiful woman and he appreciated beauty. He also appreciated bathing suits, and breasts and… “I like your suit. It looks good on you.” He wondered what it looked like off her.
Linda sat down on the chair beside him to take in a little sun and they began to chat.
“I’m here for an important business restructuring meeting at the hotel. I missed my morning meeting because the damn flight was delayed.” He rubbed his head, finally getting some feeling back in his scalp.
His firm in San Francisco was here for a meeting with another company. He had a nasty hangover from the airline drinks. Mixing drinks on a redeye flight was a bad idea. Partying with his buddies in the airport bar made it worse.
“Tequila, beer and airline peanuts don’t mix well,” he mumbled. His bloodshot eyes and throbbing headache were proof.
In spite of his condition, he noticed Linda’s body becoming tense as his gaze caressed her skin. He again found himself staring at her. There was something intoxicating about her. Maybe that or the warmth of his blood rushing through his veins to his groin area.
“Well, I’d take a hangover instead of the crappy trip here in a car with a man I’m uncomfortable with.” She shifted on the chair.
“Don’t be so sure. The flight was short but I feel like I chipped my tooth on a bad peanut.” Richard smiled and shook his head, laughing at his stupid jokes. “I’m pitiful at this small talk. Isn’t this weather great?”
They both burst into laughter.
“Hey Linda, um, can I have you for dinner? Uh, I mean will you have dinner with me?” Richard grinned at his stupid remark. “I’m such an idiot.” It was true that he wanted nothing more than to eat her for dinner but he wanted to ask her out first.
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Heart Mates
Witch plus wolf? They’re allergic. Except no one told their hearts.
Coming April 28, 2015
© 2015 Mary Hughes
Pull of the Moon, Book 1
Shifters and witches? Forbidden on pain of death. Might as well stick a fork in a light socket. Yet those are the kind of sparks witch princess Sophia Blue feels when she meets wolf shifter Noah in her aunt’s bookstore.
But Sophia is stuck. Her aunt is missing and Noah, the last person to see her, is Sophia’s only hope. If not for that and her aunt’s new, cute little doggie, Sophia would run as far as she could from the sexy, hard-hewn alpha.
Noah’s stuck too. Before disappearing, the aunt hit him with a hex gone horribly wrong—he’s the doggie. By day he’s fifteen pounds of yippity-yip, and with five anti-alpha wolves nipping at his heels, that’s deadly dangerous. Only Sophia can help him, but she has lost her magic.
Then an evil mage from Sophia’s past shows up with murder on his mind, and all Noah’s instincts shout to protect the woman his misguided heart thinks is his mate.
Warning: Sinfully sexy alpha thrown together with a hot witch in a small town. Sass, sparkle, a meddling aunt, snafus, growling, fighting, and oh yeah, sex. Might want to get up to date on your shots.
Enjoy the following excerpt for Heart Mates:
Sophia, looking for her missing aunt, seeks alpha wolf Noah at beta Mason’s garage.
Any words forming in her brain never made it to her mouth as his lips claimed hers.
Male. Exciting. He dazzled all her senses, the scent of crisp cotton and fresh outdoors, the taste of dark and wild magic. His lips caressed her, soft and sweet, while the spear of his tongue blazed. Her sighs were underscored by his pleased growls.
Awash in him, her heart thudded and her blood sang. Bursts of pleasure sparkled like firecrackers. She lifted on her toes for more.
His kiss slanted and deepened, the wild taking of the wolf but also the mastery of the man, one who knew how to give a woman what she wanted. Her mouth opened and his tongue plunged. His fingers threaded in her hair to pull her closer. Their bodies melded like two candles dripping hot wax.
Mason cleared his throat.
Noah stiffened. Lifted his head with a soft sigh.
Without the liquid caress of his hot, expert mouth, Sophia’s sanity returned. What had she done? Witch and shifter…no, not, never. She gathered enough tattered willpower to step out of his arms.
“I’m sorry…” Her voice was breathy. Damn singing hormones. She tried again. “I’m sorry that happened.”
He stepped back too. “Why?” He crossed his arms, his biceps and pecs bulging. “I’m not.”
She swallowed her tongue, totally forgetting why she should be sorry. Oh yeah, shifter/witch taboo—but he wouldn’t know she was a witch. And even if he did, he wouldn’t care. Most shifters pretended the Witches’ Council didn’t exist.
“Hey,” Mason said. “I didn’t want you two to stop. I just wanted to let you know that if you’re going to get friendly—” Mason’s grin was so big Sophia wanted to punch him, “—I’m heading out now. There’s a couch in the office. Lock up when you’re done.” He lumbered off.
“Stars,” she said. “What was that all about?”
“He’s encouraging me to find a wife.” Noah grimaced.
Noah wasn’t mated. Yes. No. None of her business.
But poor Noah. He had his own Aunt Linda, nagging for the pitter-patter of little paws. Although with the confident way he stood there, bigger and badder than anything, it was hard to feel too sorry.
Noah thrust his hands in his pockets. It framed all that was glorious. “I should go too.”
“Wait. I wanted to talk with you.”
“Why?”
“Why? Um, well, the reason I wanted to talk with you is…” What had she wanted to ask? Are you dating? What’s your phone number? What size condom do you wear? She rubbed her eyes. “My aunt. Linda.” She dropped her hand and met his silver gaze. “I think you were the last person to see her. Do you know where she went?”
“I’m sorry, no. She left the bookstore when I did, but she didn’t share her plans with me.”
Disappointment gnawed Sophia’s gut. “Can you at least tell me if she was okay?”
“Yes.” His response was immediate and reassuring. “Don’t worry about your aunt. She was fine. A little flustered, but fine.”
He’d seen her worry and didn’t hesitate to comfort her. He must be a very good alpha.
“I’m relieved to hear it. What about that boy my aunt called you in for? Was he still in the store at that point?”
“Marlowe? The boy is my responsibility. I can assure you he will be punished and your aunt reimbursed. In fact, if you want to get repairs going, I’ll personally vouch for the funds.”
“Thank you.” All that muscle, and responsible too. Some little she-wolf was going to be very lucky someday. “But that’s not what I meant. I’d like to talk with him. Do you know where he lives?”
Something shuttered in Noah’s gaze. “The boy left before I did. He knows nothing.” The reply
had “back off” stamped all over it.
As if that would stop her. She gave a mental shrug. She’d have to get the boy’s address another way. “I’d better get back to the bookstore. If you think of anything, come see me, okay? The sign will be Closed, but I’ll be there.”
“You and me. Alone.” His molten gaze ran over her, chasing a shiver from her head to her toes and back again, lingering on her lips so long she had to work not to lick them. Finally he said, “Let me get this straight. You want me, a stranger, to come to the bookstore, where we’ll be alone—after what just happened between us?”
Put like that, reinforced by his hot all-over gaze, it sounded like an invitation to ravish her. “Uh…yes?”
He shook his head, more disbelief than a no. “You’re temptation on a stick. I’m not quite that masochistic.”
“Me? Have you been chewing Viagra?” She considered herself, banker chic in navy-blue pants suit, pumps and pearls. “I’m no cover model.”
“I’ve never cared for eau de airbrush. Believe me, your real beauty is far more alluring.” His eyes fired white-hot on her, a beastly hunger that was pure wolf.
That look promised instant ravaging. Hot, hard, animal sex.
She swallowed all the way to where she was wet. She wasn’t completely certain she’d stop him.
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Table of Contents
Biting Serendipity
Dedication
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Cast of Characters
Norwegian profanity
About the Author
Look for these titles by Mary Hughes
Double Dare
When the Lights Go Out
Fringe Benefits
Heart Mates
