A knot caught in his throat.
Daddy.
Damn if he didn’t cry at hearing his son call him Daddy.
In the low light of the bedroom, Denae watched Nate sleep besider her on the bed. She didn’t want to leave him. What a God-awful day it’d been. Gently, she stroked his blond hair, so much like his father’s.
Weight behind her back caused her to shift.
Ethan worked an arm under her head. “De?”
She sighed, using him like a pillow. The hard planes of his body, the muscular contours molded to her. Oh, now this she could get used to. Her baby on one side. Her man on the other. Her man. Shyly she ducked her head. Yes, she could get used to this. Wanted to get used to having Ethan there with her.
“You all right, luv?” His protective strength warmed her up.
“I don’t know.”
Ethan grunted.
No words came to explain the turmoil she was going through. Though relieved to have her son safely back, the guilt still ate at her insides. Though Ethan had assured her it wasn’t her fault her heart still ached.
“You’ve been quiet.”
“I…I shouldn’t have come out here.” Because of her, Nate had been exposed to danger. She’d known what she was bringing him close to. Should’ve taken better care to protect him.
“Shh, luv.” Ethan’s arm tightened around her middle. “You’re not responsible for what those whackers did.”
“My parents…” Her limbs felt so weak. They had all day. “I knew what they were like.” Though she hadn’t ever imagined they’d steal Nate the way they had. “How could they have done something so horrible?” So frightening?
“Shh, put them out of your mind.” His thumb made soothing circular motions. “They’ll never get close to Nate again.” His breath warmed her ear. His voice confident. Determined. “Not ever, I swear it.”
“I know.” And she did know. A court would deal with them. All she had to do was get past the fear of what they’d put her through. What her baby had gone through. What they’d have done to Nate.
With Ethan at her side, she’d be able to put anything behind her.
With his strong arms around her, the trial ahead would be easy. With his…
Stop this…
You share a son with him. Nothing more. Well, besides the great sex they’d shared now and in the past.
“Luv?” Ethan eased away to lay her flat on her back. He braced himself on his elbow. “I want to show you something.” Using his free hand, he took a folded piece of paper from his pocket. “Take a look at this.”
Curious, she accepted the paper and unfolded it. Quickly, she scanned the information. It was an on-line brochure of a wedding chapel in Las Vegas.
Not understanding, she blinked up at him.
“Did you look at the date?”
“Hmm?” Again, she glanced at the paper. This time she peered at the date in the corner of the document. Her heart caught only to race a frantic pace. The paper had been printed during the time they’d spent together. “Ethan….”
“Wait.” A breath shuddered in his chest. “Listen, I never said this to you before… I’ve never said this…ever…”
“Ethan.” Denae shook her head. He couldn’t possibly feel the way she did about him. The way she’d always felt…
“I’ve been carrying that piece of paper around in my wallet.” His throat worked. “To remind me of what I’d lost. What I’d tossed away. I’d been bloody serious about you, luv.”
“Oh, Ethan.” Surely, he hadn’t…
“I love you, De.” His lashes lowered. “Before I had my pig arse moment I’d been planning to ask you to be my missus. I shouldn’t have let you go.”
Unable to speak, she looked at the paper. Tears blurred her vision.
“Everything had been moving so fast for us.” He caught her cheek in his hand. “But I knew in my gut it was the real deal. Christ, Mum spent our teen years warning us to be on the lookout for the real deal.” His thumb caressed her cheek. “You came into my life like a riptide. One I didn’t want to escape.”
“Oh, Ethan.” She couldn’t breathe and the man expected her to speak. Instead, more tears burned her eyes.
“I’m not letting you go again.” He pressed a kiss to her lips. “I gotta hear you say it, luv.”
She blinked again. “Say what?”
“Yes.” He kissed her again. His lips lingered over hers. So warm and gentle. “Yes, you want to be my missus.”
“Ethan.” Her mouth trembled into a smile. “Was that a proposal?”
“Eh, it was.” His nostrils flared.
“I love you.” She caressed his darkened jaw line. “I’ve loved you since you first asked me to dance.” Inhaling, she tried to relax. “But I’m…I’m scared.”
“Afraid of what?”
“I don’t know exactly.” She shook her head. “I guess I still have things to deal with.”
“I’m here, De.” He turned his head to kiss her palm, sending a shiver through her. “Through anything. We’ll face whatever comes up together. I know where my loyalties are now.”
She moaned as he placed a second lingering kiss on her skin.
“You love me, right?”
“Yes.” She nodded. “Yes I do.” Her heart swelled with how easy the answer had come. “Not only do I love you…I’m in love with you.” She’d always been.
“I’m a bloody lucky bloke.” He groaned and kissed her once more before lifting his head. “Forgive me for what I’m about to do.”
Denae stared, mouth agape.
“Mum!” His voiced carried through the house.
Nate shifted in his sleep.
Realizing his intent, she gasped. “Ethan! Don’t you dare.”
A sexy grin flashed her way just before his chest heaved. “Mum!”
“I’m coming!” Footfalls neared.
She moaned, pushing at his chest.
“What is it?” Maree stopped at the side of the bed. Her hands rested on her hips. “Were you trying to wake Natey?”
“No, Mum.” Ethan snatched the paper from De’s trembling hand and passed it over to Maree.
Denae gasped, watching as Maree’s eyes widened.
“Mum, can you believe this is where De wants us to marry?”
Oh, this needed payback. At the moment she could do no more than blink in shock.
Maree shook her head. “This will never, never do.” A happy smile spread across her face, softening some signs of aging. “A wedding. This is excellent news.” Maree leaned over and kissed Nate, then Denae. “I’m so happy for you. For us all.”
What could she possibly say? So De smiled and admitted the truth. “Me too.” She was going to marry the man of her dreams.
“I’ll have to call Alba right away.”
“Wait, Maree…” She pushed up on her elbows. “I need a favor.”
“Anything.”
“Earlier in the week, Miller started a fight with Ethan.” It was a half truth. Though the bloke had fully participated in the brawl.
Maree sucked in a breath. “He didn’t.”
“He did. I couldn’t go through with this wedding knowing I’d somehow come between them.”
“Oh, you just leave Miller Eugene to me.” Maree patted her chest over her heart.
No sooner did Maree clear the doorway than Ethan laughed. “Christ, sheila, do you know the trouble you’ve caused M?”
“Yes, I do.” She remembered Maree’s personality. The woman loved her boys. She wouldn’t put up with dissention between them. Especially not with a coming marriage.
Resting back on the bed, she huffed, “And do you know what kind of trouble you’ve just caused us?” Maree would want to handle every little detail of their wedding. Of course, Maree would be involved in ways that her own mother never would have. A slight smile tugged at her mouth. Maybe it wouldn’t be that bad.
“So, luv, you’re agreeing to be my missus?”
She laughed,
pulling him down for a kiss. “Yes, I am.” Denae Thorn sounded lovely. “But you’d better know I’m going to get Paige involved.” Paige would intercede on her behalf and keep Maree from spinning too out of control.
“Oh, luv.” He groaned. “Maybe we should sneak off to Vegas. Imagine an Elvis impersonator marrying us.” He waggled his eyebrows.
Denae sighed as liquid heat spread along her skin. “Do you think we can? I’ve always wanted to cross the pond.”
Ethan dipped his head, his hair fell forward. His greedy mouth settled over hers, teasing her senseless.
“Mummy?” Nate interrupted a kiss.
Detangling herself from Ethan she rolled over to face their son. “Sorry, we didn’t mean to wake you.”
“I like Daddy.” Nate grinned, before snuggling close.
“Same here, mate.” Ethan ruffled Nate’s hair. “Same here.”
“I’m so glad you do.” She held Nate close with Ethan’s arms wrapped around them both. Nate had already drifted back to sleep. But Ethan’s lips heated the side of her neck.
How very lucky she’d gotten. “I love you, Ethan.”
About the Author
To learn more about Melissa Lopez, please visit www.melissa-lopez.com. Send an email to Melissa at [email protected] or join her Yahoo! group to join in the fun with other readers as well as Melissa! http://groups.yahoo.com/group/From_Alpha_To_Omega
Look for these titles Melissa Lopez
Now Available:
Boomerang Love
Dark Sentinel
Dark Chance
Coming Soon:
True Blue Love
Do you believe in chance?
Dark Chance
© 2008 Melissa Lopez
Absolution Book One
A book of Netherworld.
Olivia Sutcliff is a lost soul who has endured the tortures of Netherworld for more than a hundred years, but now she’s given one chance to get out—on a task set by the Dark Prince himself. She must use her sexual wiles to help damn an innocent man, and failure means a fate worse than hell.
FBI special agent Malin Cross has devoted every waking moment to catching the killer who haunts his nightmares. Until he meets the woman of his dreams. She’s a perfect submissive, one who anticipates his every fantasy. But she also asks too many questions, leaving Malin to wonder if she’s as innocent as she seems…or if she’s bait to lure him into the killer’s web.
As Olivia entices Malin deeper into a world that wants him destroyed, her second thoughts grow into a desire to save him from making a damning mistake.
But as the forces of light and dark collide, their lives—and their souls—hang on the one sacrifice that could destroy them both.
Enjoy the following excerpt for Dark Chance:
Doing her best to hold back the trembling, Olivia huddled in her suspended cage. Her breathing hitched. Even after all the time she’d spent in this horrid place, her tormenters could bring her to her knees.
The pain in her head brought about from Alastor’s snide remarks had disappeared, but her reprieve from Netherworld was over. She was home.
She’d been so stupid to step out of line! But she’d wanted to protect Malin so badly. Now she’d never get to see him again.
Below her, the slithering snakes’ hissing grew fiercer.
Her need to urinate intensified. How she hated the torture of the snake dungeon. How many times had they already inflicted death? She’d lost count.
The room went eerily quiet. Along with Olivia, the lost souls sharing her punishment held a collective breath.
Olivia whimpered at the sight of the Dark Prince. He held a chain, attached to the jeweled collar of his mistress, Sienna. Since her arrival in Netherworld, Olivia had only been in the Prince’s presence one other time. And that’d been when he’d inspected her for his harem. To this day, she gave thanks she’d been found lacking.
Alastor followed behind their Prince.
The serpents separated to allow them to walk through the wiggling mass covering the dungeon floor.
A female lost soul nearby started to cry when the Dark Prince stopped under her cage. He moved to stand at the opening.
Without being asked, the slave scooted forward so her pussy and ass now settled over the slot on the bottom of the cage.
His tongue darted out as he tasted her. After several long licks, their Prince stepped back.
Olivia shivered as stark fear crawled up her spine. She shook her head at his smile. Then watched in terror as he waved his fingertips to a large, coiled snake. The creature uncurled itself, rose up on its body until its eyes were level to its Master.
Satan stuck his tongue out and allowed the snake’s to caress his. Once finished, their lord faced Olivia’s direction and smiled. His amber gaze glowed to match the fires he ruled over.
Olivia’s head swam. How could someone so truly handsome be so completely cruel? Her mum had been right. Beauty was only skin deep. Like many of the nobles of her time, Satan abused his power.
The snake turned its head to the blonde lost soul the Dark Prince had been tongue fucking moments ago. Ever so slowly, the serpent moved to the woman’s cage.
She screamed in fright and scooted as far back as possible in her prison. There was nowhere for the condemned woman to escape.
Olivia closed her eyes.
At her cage the Dark Prince tsked, “Pet, do you want the same fate? I know how you love to play with my serpents.”
Olivia cringed as the lost soul screamed. She didn’t dare look. Tears clogged her throat. “Please, Master… I’ll be good…” Her bladder pained her as a sob tore its way up from her stomach. Please keep the snakes away from me.
“You understand our time constraint?” His could barely be heard over the other woman’s terror.
“Yes, Master.” Desperate, she nodded. She didn’t understand anything other than they wanted to hurt Malin, but she nodded again. No one questioned the will of the Prince. “Yes, Master.”
“There’ll be no trouble from you?”
“I promise, Master…”
Satan spared Alastor a glance. “Give her some space. Send a minion to keep watch.”
“Yes, Master.” The demon bowed.
The Dark Prince clasped Sienna’s hand to guide her away from Olivia’s cage. He held Sienna’s collar loosely in his other hand. “Olivia, dare fail me and my friend will also know you intimately.”
The caged blonde’s screams had turned hoarse.
“Yeesss…yes, Master.” Olivia barely had time to nod.
On a gasp, she returned to her body cradled in Malin’s arms. “Olivia?”
She blinked in utter relief and threw her arms around his neck before he could straighten up from the bed.
“You all right?” His strong arms went around her back. “You fainted, but I no sooner had you settled on the bed than you came to. How do you feel? Still lightheaded?”
Such kindness, such concern from him. A moan slid through her lips. She’d never be able to do him harm. She didn’t want to. Looking into his gaze, she knew what had to be done. No matter the cost, she’d try and save his soul.
“I’m well.” She hugged him as if her life depended on the embrace. “Only lightheaded from not eating.”
“Damn.” He caressed her from her hips to shoulders. “Of course, you’re hungry.”
With sure motions, he continued to massage the length of her back. She moaned as warmth spread through her limbs. An unexpected craving hit her middle. Not one for food but for his touch. His caresses provoked something delicious deep inside her center. Nothing had ever felt so good. She moaned arching into his hard body.
His breath quickened, exciting her all the more. Deep brown eyes darkened as she watched. Thick lashes lowered to shield his gaze.
Moistening her lips, she regarded his mouth. She’d never noticed a man’s lips before. For decades she’d gotten used to cruel slurs being hurled from between them but Malin’s… Well, just
the sight of his made her toes curl.
A rush of liquid heat wet her pussy. She gasped at the pleasant feelings he caused. She ached to arch her body along his. To rub herself against his hard muscles. Her breasts swelled, her nipples tingled delightfully.
His head lowered ever so slightly.
Olivia closed her eyes in wonder. “Oh yes, Master.” Kiss me.
One hot summer night and a scorching balcony interlude light the fuse of hidden attraction between neighbors Jill Reed and Cole Adams.
One Night on a Balcony
© 2007 Samantha Lucas
Jill Reed has spent her entire life denying her sexuality, but living next door to Cole Adams the past few months has made it near impossible.
Cole is fresh off his third divorce and considers himself a one-man relationship train wreck. He purposefully keeps his lust for Jill in check because, after all, she’s the kind of woman a man keeps.
Jill and Cole have been denying their bone-deep attraction for months, but one night on a balcony, passions ignite, an adventure starts and everything is about to change—forever.
Warning, this title contains the following: explicit sex, sex in a public place, graphic language.
Enjoy the following excerpt for One Night on a Balcony:
“Where are we going?”
“Someplace private.” His voice was tense and he held her hand like it was precious treasure. She followed along without a word. She was burning up and wanted him with such ferocity it scared her. They circled around alongside a fast-food restaurant until he dragged her into the side opening of the castle. He stopped for a second, long enough to kiss her breathless again, then yanked her through the entrance and up a narrow staircase as regal-sounding music sang from secret speakers that seemed to be all around them.
It was dark and cold and he kept tugging her past windows that held dioramas depicting castles and dragons and princesses. The dolls in the windows appeared to be the only other people in there. “Why isn’t anyone else here?”
He pushed her into an alcove where they would be all but invisible should anyone actually come by. “Because this exhibit is duller than bird shit and the parade’s on. We’ll have privacy for at least a half hour.”
Riptide Love: The Thorns, Book 2 Page 12
