by Aliyah Burke
Table of Contents
Legal Page
Title Page
Book Description
Dedication
Trademarks Acknowledgement
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
New Excerpt
About the Author
Publisher Page
A Totally Bound Publication
Alone With You
ISBN # 978-1-78184-932-3
©Copyright Aliyah Burke 2014
Cover Art by Posh Gosh ©Copyright January 2014
Edited by Rebecca Douglas
Totally Bound Publishing
This is a work of fiction. All characters, places and events are from the author’s imagination and should not be confused with fact. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, events or places is purely coincidental.
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any material form, whether by printing, photocopying, scanning or otherwise without the written permission of the publisher, Totally Bound Publishing.
Applications should be addressed in the first instance, in writing, to Totally Bound Publishing. Unauthorised or restricted acts in relation to this publication may result in civil proceedings and/or criminal prosecution.
The author and illustrator have asserted their respective rights under the Copyright Designs and Patents Acts 1988 (as amended) to be identified as the author of this book and illustrator of the artwork.
Published in 2013 by Totally Bound Publishing, Newland House, The Point, Weaver Road, Lincoln, LN6 3QN
Warning:
This book contains sexually explicit content which is only suitable for mature readers. This story has a heat rating of Totally Sizzling and a Sexometer of 2.
This story contains 197 pages, additionally there is also a free excerpt at the end of the book containing 16 pages.
Interludes
ALONE WITH YOU
Aliyah Burke
Book two in the Interludes series
A construction worker and a security expert tangle beneath the heated skies of San Antonio.
Pierce ‘Tuck’ Carter has been in love with his neighbour from across the hall pretty much since she moved in over there. They’re good friends and do many things together but he wants to take it to the next level. Friends with benefits for starters, then beyond.
Ariel Greene is secretly crushing on her neighbour. One night after drinking she wakes the next morning in his bed and flees. Has she just crossed a line they can’t recover from?
Tuck pursues her, wanting more. However, his ex, each of their jobs and his intense dislike of her putting herself in danger don’t make the road an easy one. Will Ariel and Tuck learn to work it all out before something else happens, or will it take the near loss of one to make the other realise what had almost been lost forever?
Dedication
To all my readers, thank you from the bottom of my heart for your amazing support.
To my husband, I don’t know how it is possible but I love you more every day.
And as always, to the men and women who serve this country, thank you for your selflessness, sacrifice and all you do to keep us safe. To you and your families, I thank you!
Trademarks Acknowledgement
The author acknowledges the trademarked status and trademark owners of the following wordmarks mentioned in this work of fiction:
Nelson Wolff Stadium: Nelson W. Wolff Municipal Stadium
VIA Metropolitan Transit: VIA Metropolitan Transit
San Antonio Missions: Elmore Sports Group
Corpus Christi Hooks: Ryan-Sanders Baseball
Spurs: National Basketball Association
LR3/Land Rover: Jaguar Land Rover
Cadillac Escalade: General Motors Company
SeaWorld: SeaWorld Entertainment, Inc.
iPod: Apple, Inc.
Ferrari 458 Spider: Ferrari S.p.A.
Hard Rock Café: Hard Rock Café International, Inc.
K-Y: Johnson & Johnson
SIG: SIG Sauer GmbH
MP-5: Heckler & Koch GmbH
Rambo: David Morell/ Orion Pictures
Starbucks: Starbucks Corporation
Chrysler 300: Chrysler Group LLC
Alone With You: Catt Gravitt, J. T. Harding and Shane McAnally
ADT: The ADT Corporation
Coke: The Coca-Cola Company
Chapter One
Ariel Greene trudged up the steps to her fourth floor apartment after completing her early morning run. Fighting off a yawn, she dug for her key and unlocked the door. Once she’d showered and dressed in shorts and tank top, she went to her coffeemaker gratefully looking forward to that first cup.
There was none. No hot java brew set to make her a nice person and capable of facing her day.
“What? I thought I pre-programmed it.” The moment she opened the filter’s cover, she knew why the pot sat empty. Someone had forgotten to buy coffee upon their return. “Good job, Greene.” Sure, it had been late when her plane landed, but to forget to swing by a twenty-four hour store and pick some up…egregious error on her part.
After swiping her favourite mug off the counter, she headed for the door. Six-thirty in the morning. If one was to be awake, coffee—and never any of the decaffeinated type, which in her eyes was sinful and disgraceful—was a must.
Across the hall, she turned the knob and let herself into the apartment. The thick, aromatic scent of coffee greeted her like a familiar friend and she nearly groaned in orgasmic pleasure.
The man behind the island—who’d glanced up as she entered—gave her a smile. “Morning, Ariel.”
“Hey, Steve.” She hefted her cup, brushed some hair back from her eyes and yawned for what seemed to be the umpteenth time in two minutes. “Need coffee.”
He tucked some blond hair behind his left ear. “Help yourself. I thought you might be by.”
Steve Yost was a lean man. Sweet as the dickens and totally not her sexual type. Which was a pity, for she could use a friend with benefits—one who lived across the hall, even better. He was, however, a great neighbour and friend. His roommate, on the other hand, had her panties wet just by walking in the room.
She fixed her coffee then propped a hip against the platform where Steve worked and blessedly took that first life-giving drink. Hot or not, she couldn’t function without this stuff. “How have you been?”
“Busy. Good, though. You?”
“Obviously not well enough to remember to bring coffee home after a trip so I have some in the apartment.”
He smiled, a flash of straight white teeth against tanned skin. “How was Seattle?”
“Damn sight cooler than here, for one.” She drank some more java and purred in contentment. Things were aligning right in her world. Today could be a good day now that she’d had some caffeine.
“And the wedding?”
She flexed her fingers about the mug. “Absolutely perfect. Roxi made such a beautiful bride.” A grin. “Sam was pretty hot as well. So were the rest of the Marines standing up with him. And the ones in the audience.”
Her friend, Roxi Mammon—now Roxi Hoch—had got married this past weekend. She and Roxi had served together in the Corps and Sam—her new husband—still did.
“Thanks for getting my mail,”
she said, falling silent when a leggy blonde strolled into view. One eyebrow rose and she knew exactly what room that woman had come from.
“This your girlfriend, Steve?” The question was asked with a thick Texas drawl.
“Nope. Our neighbour.”
“Oh.” Her smile came sugar-sweet. “I’m Daisy. Spent the night with Tuck.”
Daisy? Of course you are. “Congratulations?” Ariel did her best to keep her emotions subdued. Hard to do when she longed to punch her in the nose. I have no reason to be jealous. It’s not like he’s mine or anything.
Before little Ms Daisy could say another word, the man himself ambled around the corner. Tuck Carter. Construction worker. Hot as sin. Not to mention the star player in many personal fantasies that had her reaching for the drawer that held a few toys.
Bronzed skin, jet black hair and brown eyes that could turn her to mush. He wore jeans—currently unbuttoned—that formed tight to his body, and nothing else. A smile split his bow-shaped lips when he spied her.
“Ariel. You’re back.” He poured himself some coffee and sat on a counter. “How was your trip?”
“Great. Looks like you’re having fun.”
His grin was intoxicating as usual and her panties dampened. Also, as usual.
“You know me.”
“Not as well as some in this room,” she tossed out casually.
“You have people just walk into your apartment?” Daisy asked, sidling up to Tuck and leaning against him, as if trying to put her claim on him.
“Ariel’s not just anyone, she’s our neighbour and yes, she does,” Tuck said without looking away from Ariel. “Jealous, Ariel?”
Hell yeah! She stood upright, lifted her mug and toasted him. “You wish.” Attention on Steve, she gave him a smile. “Thanks for the elixir, hon. You saved my day. Catch ya later.”
Then she walked out and back across the hall to her apartment where she sat on her couch and began opening her mail. The knock on her door wasn’t all that unexpected. “It’s open,” she called out. An act she followed by taking a deep breath.
It was a good thing too, for in stepped Tuck. Still clad in only jeans, he filled her doorway with the width of his shoulders.
“You okay?” He sauntered in the apartment. In doing so, her pulse and core temperature skyrocketed.
“Why wouldn’t I be? Got what I needed.” She lifted her mug to show him.
He watched her intently before making himself comfortable on the love seat across from her. Lord, the man had muscles on muscles. A six pack was his abdomen and she had fantasies—numerous—about licking them. Licking stuff off them, trailing her tongue over the dips and swells.
His thighs, encased as they were in those jeans, were powerful and drool-worthy. If I don’t want to make a fool of myself, I better not keep this up.
Closing her eyes, she took another deep breath. He hadn’t moved and she was okay with that. Art, after all, should be appreciated. And the man before her—a masterpiece.
“Just checking. You making breakfast?”
“Sure. You covered the coffee.” She placed the stack of mail on the end table. “I ain’t feedin’ your…overnight guest, though.”
His deep laughter rolled from his gut and he pushed to his feet. “Babe, you’re all the woman I need. I’m just waiting on you to give me the green light.” He leaned close, bringing along the rugged masculine smell that always surrounded him. That panty-soaking, pulse-accelerating scent.
Lord help her, those lips were right there. “Isn’t that what the blonde did?”
“A few times. Wanna hear deets?”
Not even if hell froze over. “Wow, although oh so tempting,” she drolled, “I don’t need your adventures. I’m a big girl. I’ve had my own. Thanks, though.”
His gaze narrowed slightly as her cell rang.
She smiled at the name on the screen. “’Sup, Helter Skelter? Give me a sec, okay?” Turning the phone slightly, she focused back on a now scowling Tuck. “Tell Steve thirty minutes. Thanks.”
“How are you?” she asked into the phone. “I just left you a few hours ago.” She walked to the kitchen. “Surely you couldn’t miss me already.”
Her apartment door slammed a bit harder than necessary and she grinned. Josh ‘Helter Skelter’ Jones was a Recon Marine who served with Sam and the two of them had hit it off right away. She talked to him the entire time she made breakfast, ending the call when a sharp knock preceded Tuck and Steve’s entrance.
“Perfect timing.”
Unfortunately, Tuck had put on a shirt. He remained quiet through the meal, which worked. His voice did things to her, so it was just as well he didn’t participate much in the conversation.
Steve left shortly after he finished, having to get to work. Tuck remained. He sat on the arm of her couch and braced against the back.
“Who’s this Helter Skelter?”
She wiped down the table. “Marine who was at the wedding.”
“And you gave him your number?”
She paused and stared at him “Why the interest?” Hope he can’t see the jig I’m dancing on the inside.
“Just trying to look out for you.”
“Thanks, but I’m fine.”
Tuck grunted and began playing toss with one of her throw pillows from the couch.
“How long have we known each other?”
“Going on two years, why?” He stopped and looked at her.
“Just wondering if I’d needed looking after in that time?”
“No.”
She raised an eyebrow in his direction. “Okay then.”
He made another noise, very similar to a grunt. “Point taken.” He stood. “I’m off to work as well. See you later.”
“See ya.” She watched him leave and when the door shut behind him, she lowered her head. “God. He’s hell on my libido.”
She gave herself a few before she got back to cleaning. Tuck… She shook her head. Nope, it’s not a good idea. It’s just not.
Ariel had just finished when the door popped back open and Tuck’s dark head ducked in again.
“I forgot.” He pointed at her. “Got us tickets to the baseball game. You in?”
“Absolutely!” She loved baseball. “What time?”
“Let’s leave about five. That way we can watch some of the pre-game stuff.”
“I’ll be ready.”
His wink sent tremors through her. “See you then.”
And just like that, he was gone.
“I should really spend the day in bed with my vibrator just so I can have the edge taken off.” She chuckled. If only. If only that would work.
* * * *
Pierce ‘Tuck’ Carter watched his friend and neighbour from his periphery as they rode the bus to the game at Nelson Wolff Stadium. It wasn’t uncommon for them to ride on VIA Metropolitan Transit—they didn’t have to worry about parking or drinking at the game that way. While there wasn’t a major league baseball team in their city, they enjoyed watching the San Antonio Missions, a minor league team.
Ariel had her dark brown hair in a ponytail and drawn through the back of her baseball cap—a Missions hat. She also proudly displayed a black Missions shirt. Her long, toned legs poured out from a cock-hardening pair of light grey shorts.
He’d had fantasies about those legs. Wet dreams, which ended in him needing to wash his sheets. He longed to have her legs wrapped around him. Waist. Neck. Ears. All. Any.
The rest of her was to die for as well. Ariel was fit and active, something he liked. He wasn’t the sort who stayed inside a lot. He preferred to be outdoors.
A scowl crossed his face at the thought of that call she’d got earlier in her apartment. That look of joy on her face had been like a dagger to his heart. Then he’d grown pissed.
No man should make her smile like that.
“What’s wrong?” she asked, nudging him with her shoulder. “Were you supposed to be with blondie tonight?”
She say
s it so casually, as if it doesn’t bother her in the least. He shook his head and glanced at her. Her eyes sparkled with trouble and he nearly leaned in and kissed her.
“No way.”
“One you needed to have get lost, ASAP?”
“Clingy,” he admitted. “Was talking about our next date even before she rolled out of my bed.”
“Shouldn’t bring them home. Supposed to go to their place.”
He took her hand and stared at the back of it. Her skin was smooth and supple. Spinning her black tungsten band with the laser engraved Celtic design that graced her index finger, he asked, “Is that what you do?”
“Pretty much,” she replied easily.
He didn’t like her response but he was glad she didn’t pull away from his touch. She wore a few rings like that, all black bands with designs on them. Both hands, some on her thumbs.
“You know, you could always tell them it was time to leave if you have a problem with that whole cuddling thing after.”
“Don’t you think that would be rude?”
“No worse than you avoiding their calls and trying to pretend you don’t see them when you meet out in public a few weeks later. Not to mention trying to get them out of your apartment in the morning. Daisy seemed pretty content there.” She took her hand back.
He smirked at the way she drew out Daisy’s name. Leaning close, he inhaled her scent. Lilacs. That’s what she smelt of. Like when a huge bunch of lilac trees and bushes are in full bloom and the scent is in the air, surrounding you and teasing your senses.
“See, it’s comments like that which have me thinking you’re jealous.”
Her laugh was light and cheerful. “Good thing you’re not arrogant or anything.”
He rolled his eyes and dropped his arm around her shoulder, glaring at the two men sitting across from them who stared at her.
“You’d know, babe,” he said louder, so his words would reach those two. “You know I am well deserving of my arrogance—at least that’s what you scream at night.”
She rested her head against his shoulder. “All that and more, sweetie. All that and more.”
His cock snapped to attention as she pressed her lithe body into him. Lord, he was ready to take her right there. To hell with that law about doing such things in public view. The bus slowed and he stood before helping her to her feet.