by Dana Mason
“I’m not sure how to feel right now. It’s an odd sense of grief and relief at the same time. Similar to how I felt after losing my dad. I was terribly sad that he was gone, yet so relieved he was no longer in pain.” After saying this, she turns to face me and I’m surprised again by her clear, bright eyes. “Michael, I’m sorry I let her do this to us… and I know you’re going to say it wasn’t my fault. I might not have been able to change things all those years ago, but I can promise, I will never let anyone come between us ever again.”
She leans in and kisses me with the lightest touch and I’m so proud of her. I’m so proud of how she’s handled herself today with her mother… and impressed with her resilience. “Rachel, we need to let her go and move forward, okay? We have the rest of our lives together and she can’t fuck with us anymore.”
She nods and I can see the moisture in her eyes, but I give her a minute to get past it. When she gets up, I’m not sure what’s happening but then she starts to strip out of her clothes. “I need this horrible feeling to go away.” I strip down too and lay next to her. I want to feel her, skin on skin, and I know it’s what we both need. We hold each other for a long time and I realize this is how I medicate now. Rachel is all I need and I’m what she needs. I press my lips to hers and taste her, enjoy her. The longer I kiss her, the more responsive she becomes.
She’s emotionally exhausted, I am too, but I need her as close as I can get her. When she’s pressed against me, and slips her tongue between my lips, I slide my hand down between her legs and find her wet. It’s all the encouragement I need.
I hover over her and watch her. Waiting for what, I don’t know. We’re quiet and her eyes are soft, but then her voice breaks the silence. “I don’t want to know how different things could have been. How we could have had this for all these years.”
My body’s now aching with the need to be surrounded by her warmth. Pushing inside her, I watch as her expression changes from sad to smoldering and that’s exactly what I wanted. “Baby.” I hold myself firmly within her and wait as she lifts closer to me. “Don’t think about what’s lost. Think about what’s to come.”
She smiles seductively and so do I, now thrusting against her in an effort to make her forget everything but me. Our eyes are locked on each other as I move slowly, but even at this pace it doesn’t take long for her need to gain in urgency. That’s when her eyes begin to close and her body tightens around me. “I love you, Rachel.”
That’s all it takes. “Oh, God, Michael…” Her body lifts off the bed, arching closer. Watching her come, I fight not to lose control of my own release. When her gaze is back on mine, that’s all I need to let go.
As our racing pulses slow to a normal rhythm, I pull her to me and keep a tight hold on her. She holds tight to me too. It’s almost as if we’re both afraid the other will disappear.
“I love you too,” she finally whispers. “And I like you here.”
“I like me here, too.”
With a clear and strong voice, she says, “Will you stay?”
I nod against her. “As long as you want me.”
“Forever.” She lifts her head so that we’re nose to nose. “I mean, permanently. I want you to move in with us.”
I smile when I hear this. I know it’s fast, I know she knows it’s fast, but when you put our relationship in perspective, it’s really not. I’ve loved her for more than half of my life.
“Are you sure you want that?”
“I’ve never been more sure of anything in my life. I don’t want to waste another day… another hour.”
I plant a kiss on her forehead and say, “I will move in here permanently on one condition.”
“Anything, I’d do anything for you.”
“Marry me.”
Her eyes stretch wide and her mouth breaks into the biggest smile I think I’ve ever seen on her. But as quickly as her smile spreads, it fades. “Are you sure?”
“You’re not?”
“I am!” she says it loudly, as if it’s the dumbest question I could have asked her.
“I am too.” I stare into her deep blue eyes and say, “So… will you marry me?”
With another big grin, she says, “Yes!”
Epilogue
Raegan
My dad’s best friend is getting married today. Dad’s pretty happy about it. Actually, he’s pretty happy all the time these days. I like it. I’m having a fun time with him and my mom. Our house is a happy one and for that, I’m thankful.
I’ve never seen my mom smile so much in my entire life. I always thought she was just reserved… sort of how my grandma always was. That she liked to keep to herself and she enjoyed quiet time. Now I know she was sad. Not anymore. She’s always laughing now, she’s always smiling.
I sit in one of the pretty white chairs and wait for my mom to sit next to me. She finally rushes over and takes a seat. She’s been helping Isla, but she’s also supposed to be a guest. It’s a nice day. The east garden at The Sutter is the perfect place this time of day. It’s cool in the shade but it’s midday in November so the sun isn’t that hot. It’s bright and warm, perfect for a wedding.
There are flowers everywhere. The trellis over the altar is covered in blooming clematis and the lawn is plush and bright green. Every time I come here, I feel a sense of pride in my mom and her work. She loves this place and it shows in the beauty of it all. I hope I have a job one day that I love as much as she loves hers.
Mac, the groom, is the guy from the radio. He’s walking around greeting people, and when he approaches, I hold my breath. He’s so good-looking and I always freeze up when I have to talk to him. It’s the closest I’ve ever been to a celebrity and I never know what to say.
He leans in and hugs my mom and thanks her for coming—for the beautiful set-up, and for her work on the wedding.
She smiles widely and, of course, takes zero credit. “Thank you, but it was all Isla’s doing. She’s so great, isn’t she?”
“I know you had a hand in it too and I appreciate it.”
“My pleasure, Mac.” When the music begins playing, she turns quickly. “You’d better get in place, it sounds like they’re starting.”
He rushes back up to the altar where his friends are standing. Mac’s best man is a woman, which is a little funny, but if she’s his best friend, it’s understandable. She’s his partner on the radio show, and she’s super pretty. Probably too pretty for radio, just like Mac.
My dad is Kelley’s… I’m not sure what to call it. I guess he’s her best man, but I know they’ve been friends for a long time. He took the job seriously too, helping her with all the arrangements and planning.
It makes me wonder when Mom and Dad are getting married. I reach over and play with my mom’s diamond ring. My dad surprised her with it a few weeks ago. They were already talking about getting married, but he made it official with a proposal and everything. My mom cried. When she feels me touch her hand, she glances over with a smile. All she does these days is smile.
“I can’t wait until you and Dad get married,” I say.
She shifts a little so that she can see me fully. “I can’t wait either… and I wanted to ask you something.”
“What, Mom?”
“Would you be my Maid of Honor? Stand up for me in our wedding?”
My mouth falls open in surprise and my eyes tear up. “Yes… I would love that, but don’t you want to ask Isla?”
“Isla can be a bridesmaid, but I’d love it if you were next to me when I marry your dad.”
I nod and hug her really tight. Then the Wedding March starts and we jerk away fast so we can watch Kelley walk down the aisle. When she does, I almost gasp at how beautiful she is. I turn quickly to look at Mac and he has a huge smile on his face and he’s crying. It makes me choke up again so I turn away and then see my dad, walking behind Kelley.
He’s wearing a black suit with a purple tie and he looks so handsome. He looks so happy too, and it makes my hea
rt lighter to see him. When he walks by, he winks at us and that makes me blush for some reason, but I don’t care. I’m proud he’s my dad, and even prouder that he loves my mom.
Did Accidental Secrets leave you breathless and wanting more sizzling, scorching, too-hot-to-handle action? Don’t miss where it all began, in Accidental Groom, book one of Dana’s phenomenal Accidental Love series. In it, you’ll meet a sexy-as-hell hero and a feisty AF heroine.
Get it now!
You won’t regret it.
Accidental Groom
Bad boy. Player. Commitment-phobe. Husband?
I’m Mac.
But you already know that, right?
You probably recognize my voice…
I’m the radio host with a f***-me-now baritone who sends a shiver down your spine when you sip your morning coffee – along with the rest of Sacramento’s female population.
If there’s one other thing you should know about me, it’s that I’m a lone wolf.
Hell yeah, I get my fair share of the ladies. Plural.
But I’ve never been a one-woman man.
Not since my last screwed-up relationship.
Not since the drama, all the guilt, that has haunted me ever since.
These days, there’s only so much hurt I’m willing to give or take.
On the outside, I might seem perfect: blue eyes, built, a brave, alpha attitude.
But every day is another battle with my demons. A struggle to stay afloat.
And yeah, that fight’s a whole lot safer on my own. For everyone.
But then I saw Kelley. She was alone, crying at the bus-stop.
From that moment, I knew she needed me.
I knew I needed her.
Full, sexy lips. Long chestnut hair. A dancer’s body.
She’s a work of art.
Next thing, our clothes are lying in a heap around us.
She’s moaning in my arms.
She’s screaming my name.
She’s shivering in pleasure.
Before I know it, we’re waking up naked. Except on my left-hand is a shiny, gold ring.
Kelley’s not just a hot-as-hell one-night stand.
She’s my wife.
I can’t deny that I’m glad she’s mine.
But knowing me, I’m not husband material.
Knowing my track-record, I’m bound to screw things up.
So how long is this thing going to last?
This is a full-length, standalone romance with some hot-under-the-collar action, no cheating and a guaranteed HEA. For fans of R.S. Grey, Whitney G. and Vi Keeland, Accidental Groom features a sexy AF alpha and a steamy will-they-won’t-they love story that will have you completely hooked.
Get it here!
Hear more from Dana
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Books by Dana Mason
Accidental Groom
Accidental Lies
Accidental Secrets
Available in audio
Accidental Groom (available in the UK and the US)
Accidental Lies (available in the UK and the US)
A Letter from Dana
Thank you so much for choosing to read Accidental Secrets. If you enjoyed it and want to keep up to date with all my latest releases, just sign up here. I promise I won’t fill your inbox, but I’ll keep you updated on what’s happening with my books. Your email address will never be shared, and you can unsubscribe at any time.
Since first writing about Mike in Accidental Groom, I knew I wanted to share his story. I love these characters and I’m so glad I’ve been able to give them their second chance. I really hope you love them too. Thank you for choosing this series and my books. Your support has been amazing and I’ll never be able to thank you enough.
I hope you loved reading Accidental Secrets as much as I enjoyed writing it and if you did, I’d be very grateful if you could write a review. Just a few words and a star rating go a long way toward helping new readers discover my books for the first time, and I can’t wait to hear what you think.
There’s nothing better than hearing from my readers! Thank you for all the wonderful messages telling me how much you’re enjoying the series. I encourage you to reach out to me anytime you want to chat. You can find me on my Facebook page, through Twitter, Goodreads or my website.
Thanks,
Dana Mason
danamasonromance.com
Accidental Lies
It was only meant to be a vacation fling…
Three blissful weeks on the beautiful island of Maui are exactly what I need… Hula dancers, Mai Tais with cocktail umbrellas, and golden beaches – what more could I want?
Then I see her, and I realize she’s exactly what I want.
She was locked outside of her hotel room, all buttoned-up in a suit definitely not appropriate for a vacation, and wearing a fierce take-no-shit stance. But I couldn’t help noticing the pain behind her eyes…
Four Mai Tais later, the chemistry between us is hotter than the Hawaiian sun, and we decide to spend the rest of our vacation unwinding, undressing, and getting to know each other a little better…
We have just two rules:
1) No talking about our lives outside Maui.
2) This is just a vacation fling.
That means I can’t tell her about the heartbreak that haunts me, and the secret I have back home. It means I can’t ask her about the sorrow in her eyes, and why she has such a wall up – a wall I’m determined to bring crashing down.
When the sun sets on our trip, can I say goodbye to this gorgeous blue-eyed beauty? Or am I going to be tempted to break the rules?
And if I do decide to be a rule-breaker, will she even want me when she finds out who I really am?
This is a full-length, standalone romance with some hot-under-the-collar action, no cheating and a guaranteed HEA. For fans of R.S Grey, Whitney G. and Vi Keeland, Accidental Lies features a hot AF alpha and a sizzling will-they-won’t-they love story that will have you totally addicted!
Get it here!
Acknowledgements
I want to thank all my friends and family for your constant support and understanding. Jim and Trevor, thank you for picking up the slack when I’m working on a deadline. To all of my extended family and friends, I’m sure it gets annoying when my promo posts keep popping up on your Facebook feeds, but you share them anyway. I appreciate you! Thank you so much. Please keep sharing and spreading the word. I couldn’t do this without you.
To the ladies who read everything I send them, Lisa, Katie, Nancy T, Paige, Nancy G and Linda, thank you so much for your valuable feedback and for answering my never-ending questions. You ladies are my ride or die! I hope you know that. Katie and Lisa, you’re both saints for listening to my whining and for soothing my doubts. Thank you for always, always listening, advising, and pushing me.
Thank you, Jennie and Craig Moore and the Benicia CrossFit family, you’re a bunch of crazy-ass warriors, and I’m so impressed by what you do. Raegan Moore, you have a beautiful yet fierce spirit, just like your mom. Thank you for sharing it with me.
Christina Demosthenous, and the rest of my Bookouture family, you’re amazing! Thank you for your support! Vicky Blunden, thank you for helping me clean this up. It’s a better story because of you. Kim and Noelle, you’re the best cheerleaders a girl could have. Thank you for always standing on all the rooftops and shouting about my books.
Published by Bookouture in 2019
An imprint of Storyfire Ltd.
Carmelite House
50 Victoria Embankment
London EC4Y 0DZ
Uniter Kingdom
www.bookouture.com
Copyright © Dana Mason, 2019
Dana Mason has asserted her right to be identified as the author of this work.
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in any r
etrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the publishers.
eBook ISBN: 978-1-78681-858-4
This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, organizations, places and events other than those clearly in the public domain are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events or locales is entirely coincidental.
