To One Hundred (#dirtysexygeeks #1)

by Melissa Blue

  She swiped at the tears that had started to fall. “So, Grady, will you take me broken?”

  He kept shaking his head but now he was walking toward her. “No, Eva. No,” he murmured.

  Oh, God. Her heart was shattering at his simple reply. “Okay.” Her voice wobbled. She’d be brave and leave and not beg, not just crumble to the floor.

  “No…” He quit talking, sighed and stopped right in front of her. He met her gaze, pushed out a breath and then cupped her face. He waited until maybe he was sure she was looking into his eyes.

  “Eva, I’m going to love you more when you feel broken.”

  She pushed her face into his chest because there was going to be a flood of tears and probably sobbing. It wasn’t going to be pretty. Grady wrapped his arms around her, holding her tight to him. No, he wouldn’t care. Yes, he’d hold her for as long as she needed.

  Eva lost track of time as she cried from relief and the awash of love, but apparently it was long enough. He pulled back, forcing her to meet his stare.

  He was smiling his lopsided smile. His eyes every shade of blue, piercing right to the core of her. And what he saw was beautiful.

  Still, this was Grady. “You’re slobbering all over my chest.”

  Her laugh was watery, but he just kept looking at her as though she was something precious. “Grady, I love you so much.”

  His gaze turned serious though the smile held. “Kind of picked up on that a few snot bubbles ago.”

  She put a hand to her face. “Oh, my God.”

  He laughed, pulled down her hand and kissed her. He kissed her so long she didn’t feel any of her jagged pieces anymore.

  Grady only stopped long enough to whisper, “I love you, too, Eva.”

  All in. Now she knew what it meant and not just in theory. It meant home and he was hers.

  ***

  “When you can’t run anymore, you crawl…and when you can’t do that—”

  “You find someone to carry you.”

  ~Firefly

  ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

  This book, this series requires me to thank a village of people. First and foremost, every geek out there who burn the kindle in fandoms to keep them alive. From Harry Potter to X-Files, and of course, Firefly. Keep making memes, T-shirts and loving something beyond reason. You make life awesome.

  Now in no particular order, I would like to thank:

  Allie Lindsay for telling me that wonderful story about how you met your husband. This geek plot bunny was already doused with gasoline but you were the spark. And that Justice League thing is so going into a book.

  Courtney thank you so much for taking this book on when it was under-cooked. A reader’s insight is one of the best and most valued. Thank you again.

  Chatzy. ZOMG. This book would not have been written with such zest if not for you guys cheering me on. You laughed at the right parts. You sniffled when things got all emo. You perved on Grady like champs. And if I hadn’t already decided to write Wade’s story, you would have campaigned. Smoosh hugs…and it’s all Sid’s fault.

  Jennifer Leeland you keep me sane. So very sane. And you also give me permission to lose my shit. I couldn’t do this writing thing without you.

  Amie Stuart you are the last defense against any and all wtfery. And emo. More emo, goddammit. You kick my ass and tell me to make you cry like a mutherfucker. You make me a better writer. Mwah!

  Sera Bright for being the first to volunteer to read this book, and the invaluable comments you gave me to make it better.

  Holley Trent and Susan Saxx get some mad love for the sniff test.

  Jennifer Duffey gets a big shout out for the edits.

  By no means is this list complete but it’s late at night and I can’t recall everyone who cheered and held my hand throughout this process. Thank you and forgive me.

  With that said, any flubs should not reflect poorly on any of them. They tried and they tried hard. Oh, lawd, how they tried.

  BIO

  Melissa Blue’s writing career started on a typewriter one month after her son was born. This would have been an idyllic situation for a writer if it had been 1985, not 2004. Eventually she upgraded to a computer. She’s still typing away on the same computer, making imaginary people fall in love.

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  OTHER TITLES BY MELISSA BLUE

  Under His Kilt, Under The Kilt

  Jocelyn Pearson is determined to spend her last month as a twenty-something doing everything she’s too busy or scared to try. Her imagination runs wild and then fixates on Ian Baird. He’ll be working at the Langston Museum for a short stint as a consulting curator. He’s Scottish. He believes sex is fun to be had. He’s the perfect choice for a fling. She only has to get him break his rule about sleeping with co-workers. Seducing a man was on her bucket list…

  Ian is no one’s fool and knows exactly what Jocelyn wants―him. If she didn’t work for the Langston Museum, he’d be more than happy to oblige any and every fantasy she desired, but she’s the curator. She’s sweet, inexperienced and well liked by everyone including the museum owner and director. Ian can’t risk losing such an important contact for his consulting business. Not even when everything within in him craves a taste of her.

  When Jocelyn sets her sights on him, there’s no way Ian can deny her. They agree their affair will end in thirty days. No emotions, no entanglements, just sex. The closer the end date looms, they start to question if it’s possible to walk away. They’ll either have to come to terms of what they’ve become or stick to their original agreement.

  Her Insatiable Scot, Under The Kilt

  Keri Pearson is currently between jobs, so there’s nothing to lose when her cousin promises her a glowing recommendation from a top expert in their field in exchange for a small favor. All she has to do is lie about who she is and pretend to be married to a charming Scot for three hours. Her sexy-as-hell pretend husband makes it too easy to play the part of newlyweds. The last thing she should do is trust him or the genuineness of his lust or adoration, but his touch ignites an unexpected desire.

  Tristan Baird turned his back on his past with plenty of regrets, but when his brother blackmails him, Tristan can’t say no. Given his brother saved his neck, an afternoon doing what he does best doesn’t seem like too much to ask. And it’s for a good cause. Doing the job right guarantees his brother and new wife will have the home of their dreams. But his stunning accomplice complicates the job. She is everything he always wanted and couldn’t have. The kind of woman who is too smart to ever trust a former conman.

  The three-hour commitment stretches into five sexually charged days as they fight the explosive connection. As each day passes, Keri must remind herself what is true and what is false, but the lines are blurring. Tristan can only hope his past doesn’t come back to ruin their future.

  Kilted For Pleasure, Under The Kilt

  Callan Baird used to laugh more than he frowned, but that was before his wife died. Now his life is duty, debts and a general apathy for anything else. And then Victoria Burke burst into his life. She’s everything he wants to corrupt.

  Victoria has two choices: agree to a grouchy, sexy Scotsman’s extortion or call her boss to explain why she can’t do her job. Since she’s spent the last three years rebuilding her career as antique appraiser, and this one commission could make or break it, the decision is a no-brainer. Except everything about Callan is complicated.

  He sees no problem turning their work relationship into a sexual one. She refuses to break her boss’ no-fraternization rule. He’s the one thing she wants and the one thing she can’t have. He’s had his one great love, and doesn’t want a replacement. His heart doesn’t agree, because she’s everything he desires.

  Callan will have to let go of his past if he wants Victoria to be in his future.
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  Kilt Tease, Under The Kilt

  Kate Campbell promised to have an affair with a Parisian, says yes more than she says no and sin so she can actually have something to repent on Sunday. As a way to honor her grandmother’s wishes, she takes a job as a traveling nurse so that she can see Europe—a trip they had once planned on taking together. She never bargained on meeting a sexy Scot who makes bad look so, so good, and he needs her help.

  Quinton Baird, a retired, high-profile rugby player, has spent over a decade surrounded by people who all want something from him. From his former coaches to the groupies. He now has two rules for anyone he deals with: Don’t talk to the press. Don’t talk about him to anyone. Ever. His rules are the only way to protect himself from people wanting him to be their meal ticket. No matter how much he likes the sweet, sassy nurse, he can’t believe she’ll help him while asking for nothing in return.

  The deal between them is simple. All Kate has to do is pose as Quinton’s girlfriend in public. In exchange for helping him salvage an important business deal, Kate gets many opportunities to say yes—in bed and out of it.

  Then reality, and the press, threaten their fictional romance. Quinton will have to trust that Kate’s feeling for him are genuine or risk losing her for good.Kate Campbell promised to have an affair with a Parisian, says yes more than she says no and sin so she can actually have something to repent on Sunday. As a way to honor her grandmother’s wishes, she takes a job as a traveling nurse so that she can see Europe—a trip they had once planned on taking together. She never bargained on meeting a sexy Scot who makes bad look so, so good, and he needs her help.

  Quinton Baird, a retired, high-profile rugby player, has spent over a decade surrounded by people who all want something from him. From his former coaches to the groupies. He now has two rules for anyone he deals with: Don’t talk to the press. Don’t talk about him to anyone. Ever. His rules are the only way to protect himself from people wanting him to be their meal ticket. No matter how much he likes the sweet, sassy nurse, he can’t believe she’ll help him while asking for nothing in return.

  The deal between them is simple. All Kate has to do is pose as Quinton’s girlfriend in public. In exchange for helping him salvage an important business deal, Kate gets many opportunities to say yes—in bed and out of it.

  Then reality, and the press, threaten their fictional romance. Quinton will have to trust that Kate’s feeling for him are genuine or risk losing her for good.

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  EXCERPT FROM DOWN TO ASH

  Ash asked, “Are you going to answer my question?”

  “You’ve asked about forty-million since I picked you up. Did I answer any of those questions? I take that back. When do I ever answer you?”

  “Never, but it’s still worth a try. And how long have we known each other? You should know by know I’m a shot glass half-full kind of person.” She scooted the whiskey back over his way. “The seasoning is perfection. I’m really impressed.” She went in on the rice and moaned. “I’m either drunk or this is the best food ever.”

  “Both,” he said and then swallowed back a laugh so he wouldn’t smile again.

  She broke the gaze to stare at her plate. “I know why you don’t smile. I just want to hear it from you.”

  The laugh died in his throat. “I’m going to choke Porter.”

  “Not him. It’s just that Grady…you know. He’s the one that takes care of everyone. For a while, he was a hawk around you. And you were…”

  Whatever she thought Victor was when he had come home wouldn’t be close to the reality. He put his fork down and leaned back in the chair. “As he would say, we all have our own shit.”

  “What’s yours?”

  “What’s yours?” he parroted back.

  She put her fork down, opened her mouth to speak and stopped. Finally, she whispered, “I want my brother’s friend. More than anything and he acts like he can’t even see me.”

  His amusement at her drunkenness slowly fell away. She saw too damn much. Kept too little to herself. She didn’t hide from anything, no matter how destructive. But she wasn’t all impulse, Ash picked her moments. They were alone and maybe this was the exact situation she’d waited for to pounce.

  And worse, so much worse, he could almost taste her yearning. He can’t even see me. For too many years to count, he’d struggled not to see Ash, but Porter’s little sister. Not see the tight low-cut shirts. Not get dragged into a conversation. At one time, not even reply back to her letters. All because Victor knew if he ever gave in, a tidal wave of pent up emotion would drown them both. Sitting with her like this, even for a moment, was enough for that wave to beat at his skull.

  Victor refused to give. Too much would be lost.

  He reached over and edged her plate closer. “Eat.”

  She laughed. The bitterness in the tone sapped any mirth from it. “Exactly.”

  Her hurt expression that followed dug into him. He had to look away, move away from her or else he’d do something dumb like comfort her. He picked up the bottle, took another swig and rose to put it back in the cabinet.

  The whiskey didn’t burn that time and that should have worried him. And still that wouldn’t stop him from going home. He’d walk if he had to because another minute in her space just might be the death of him.

  When he turned around, there she was. Her eyes wide and he could see straight through to her every emotion—hurt, anger and…lust. He had too much to drink if he couldn’t block the last one out.

  “Ash—”

  “I’m not your sister, Vic.” She threw the words at him like they were a damning accusation.

  She was close enough he could smell her again. The peaches and cream was mixed with strawberries and alcohol. Slowly, the rest of his body became aware of the small amount of space that separated them.

  Didn’t take long for his brain to latch onto what he was trying to ignore. Her last foray into her bra had stretched the dress tight against her breasts. He could make out the lace, the hard points of her nipples. It wasn’t cold, so that only left aroused—aroused by him. Fuck. Fuck. This shit was going sideways. She was smart, cunning and pissed. Stubborn. Not a good combination for his plan to take care of her and leave—that and only that.

  “Step back,” he said, his voice gruff and sharp.

  Anyone else he’d see as a threat and would act accordingly, but this was Ash poking at him. He’d let her in close, assuming she was too drunk to do any damage.

  “You think I don’t know,” she said, sounding surprised. “You might as well pull my pigtails and call me ugly names.”

  “You’re not making any sense.” His stomach tightened at just how close to the truth she was skirting. “This right here, right now is why I treat you the way I do. I’m trying to make sure you’re fed, that you don’t make an ass out of yourself and what do you do? You start talking in riddles and accuse me of…what? I’m not even sure. What would Porter think about you acting like this?”

  “You know exactly what I’m talking about. And what am I doing? I’m making you look at me, really look at me. And Porter…” She lifted her chin and glared at him. “I love him. I do. That’s—This thing between us is driving both of us crazy. We argue, we laugh, we bicker. Nothing feels right because we pretend that this tension doesn’t exist. So…look at me, Vic.”

  And he was. His gaze was eating up every inch her dress revealed. She took another step and the heat of her almost engulfed him.

  He balled his fists to keep from dragging her closer. Or burying his hands in her hair. Grabbing her face and kissing her until she melted.

  “You’re drunk.”

  “Tipsy, but so are you. So don’t worry, when I say yes, I’ll mean it.” She tilted her head, her gaze sharp.

  He couldn’t touch her so pushing her away was out, but retreating would put his back into a corner. What he could do if that happened woke him up in
a cold sweat at night.

  “What do you want, Ash?” he asked, his jaw clenching.

  She blinked, looking surprised at the question. Then she narrowed her eyes. “A kiss.”

  It was his turn to blink. “What?”

  “Kiss me. Get me out of your system,” she said like it could ever be that simple. “Then maybe you’ll stop being a dick whenever I’m around.”

  The idea of putting his lips on hers, well on her anywhere, held too much appeal. His dick thought it was the best idea in the history of ever. “Go back to the table and eat, for fuck sake.”

  She took another step and tilted her head back. “Kiss me, Vic. I won’t live up to whatever fantasy you’ve had of me. We’ll know that, and finally we can be real friends or at least friendly.”

  If he put his mouth on her they damn sure wouldn’t be friends. “That argument makes no sense. And you just said—”

  “What did I say, huh? I want to hear you say the words.”

  The kiss wouldn’t just be for his benefit. She wanted him too. Maybe if he wasn’t such a hard ass something would have happened a long time ago, but that part of his personality is likely why he was still alive. It’s definitely why he still had a friendship with Porter. So he wouldn’t give into her demand.

  She pressed against him. Fuck. He would have to touch her. If she stood this close for another minute, she’d know just how pretty he thought she was. He grasped her arms just as she made a disgruntled noise. By the next blink her lips were on his.

  It was a quick peck that still walloped him. Her mouth was soft and warm. She fucking tasted of strawberries. He glared down at her, very close to…hell. He didn’t know what he would do. The heat of her mouth left him branded.

  “See,” she said, breathless and flushed again. “Now get over it.”

  His hands were still wrapped around her arms. He pivoted and pushed her against the fridge. Shit. He was going to lose control if he didn’t stop touching her, but he couldn’t let her go, not while she still had that intent determination bright in her eyes.