Tempting the Crown

by Violet Paige

  My palm felt the tiny twinge hit her skin. “He’s up early.”

  “He doesn’t want to miss out.”

  My hand traced the gorgeous swell of her belly. Alexa was beautiful, but with my baby inside her she’d never looked more radiant. Her hair was thick and shiny. Her skin glowed. And her sexual appetite had ramped up to a whole new fucking nirvana. I couldn’t get enough of her.

  She moaned when my hand dipped below her belly.

  “I have a few minutes before I have to get in the shower,” I whispered.

  She nodded. “Charlie isn’t going to like it if you’re late to the camp.”

  I pushed my fingers between her legs. “A bunch of kids can wait for me to get to camp. I need to make sure my wife has what she needs before I go.”

  “Oh God.” She fisted the pillows.

  Pregnant Alexa could come at the flick of her clit. It was fucking amazing. She’d had more orgasms since she was pregnant than I knew was possible. And her tits were unbelievable. All of her. Her body was creating and growing my child. If she needed some morning attention, I could deliver that to her.

  Her knees fell to the side and I smiled. She gave me her full pussy. All of it, to touch and rub. Soak in her juices. Fuck. I was hard.

  She panted as the orgasm began to crest. I watched her nipples turn to hard peaks. Her clit throbbed. Her eyes sparkled.

  I licked my fingers, groaning. “Fuck, baby.”

  She nodded. “Yes, please.”

  I chuckled as I climbed on top of her, careful of her belly and slid my cock inside her. I fucked her with gentle strokes. Pushing until she gasped and then pulling out until she cried for more.

  I never thought I was the kind of man who could fuck one woman for the rest of his life. I never thought I wanted to be a father. I didn’t think I could do any of those things until I met Alexa. And now I was both. A husband and a father.

  I was the kind of man who protected his wife. Who did what he had to do for his family.

  “Oh yes,” she rocked her hips into me. I grinned, watching her pleasure. She was about to come again. Fucking epic.

  Sometimes I thought about where my life was a year ago. I was angry. I was pissed at life. Drinking my way through practices. Fighting with my coach. Ignoring my teammates. I didn’t give a shit about anyone but myself.

  And now my whole life was in my arms. Everything I wanted was this woman. This goddess. The temptress who lured me to love.

  My fingers curled through hers, tangling our hands together as I felt my release begin to seize me. I bit at her lips, sucking and kissing them while I came deep inside her. She whimpered with satisfaction, gripping my cock with one squeeze after another until the pulsing subsided for both of us.

  I looked in her eyes. “Good morning.”

  She laughed. “Good morning.”

  Alexa

  Five months pregnant. I looked down at my belly and rubbed my hand over it protectively. I was having a boy. A cute little rambunctious boy that was probably going to be more like his Daddy than his Mommy. Hopefully, he could sing better than his father though.

  I laughed and took a sip of tea.

  Luke walked up behind me and kissed me on the neck.

  “I’m going to be late to camp.”

  “I tried to tell you.”

  He had showered after our morning in bed. But I felt amazing. Pregnancy sex was incredible. I loved it more than any other kind of sex we had had. Having Luke’s baby had changed everything for us.

  I was going to be a mother. And I was a wife. I looked at the big rock on my left hand. There was no question who I belonged to. Luke would have tattooed his name on my back if I would let him.

  “I’ll be back by dinner I guess.” He filled a travel mug with coffee.

  “Ok. I’m going over the new cuts for the album today.”

  “That’s today? Shit.”

  “It’s fine. I’ve got it.”

  I had moved my headquarters to Austin. Nashville wasn’t the right fit for me anymore. Once the Mandy Brown story had broken, I had never fit in the way I had before. America’s sweetheart had crashed and burned in front of everyone.

  But I still had fans, and I could still make music. Austin seemed more accepting of what I wanted to say. I moved and never looked back.

  When I found out I was pregnant I had just thrown up Thanksgiving dinner. Luke and I looked at each and we knew immediately it had nothing to do with turkey and everything to do with our future.

  That day I had told him the truth. The day he promised to give me a baby—was the day it had happened. I think he was upset we didn’t get to practice more, but I loved the pregnancy sex. Even when I had morning sickness it was the one thing that made me forget how terrible I felt.

  But I was past all of that now. I felt healthy and strong. I had music I loved. A husband I loved even more and a baby that was going to be spoiled to death.

  “I don’t want you to overdo it.” Luke looked worried.

  “I’m going to listen to music. Can’t possibly overdo it.” It was cute that he wanted to watch over me. “Helena will be there too so you can text or call her.”

  “Good. I’m glad she finally moved down here so I’m not the only one keeping you in line.” He pinched my ass playfully.

  “She does not keep me in line,” I explained.

  He leaned down and kissed my belly. “Be good while I’m gone.”

  I looked up at him. “You know you’re adorable.”

  “I’m not adorable. Save those words for the baby. I am a football player. The Warrior QB.” He scrunched up his face.

  “Right,” I teased. “Ok fine. Have fun with the camp kids. Tell Charlie and Linc hello.”

  He groaned. “Don’t get me started on them.”

  “I think they’re cute together. It was like they were meant for each other or something.”

  I was a fan of my brother-in-law and manager seeing each other. My husband hadn’t warmed up to the idea.

  He eyed me. I took the warning.

  Eventually he would see how they complimented each other. That Charlie had a way of being a softer version of herself when we weren’t at work. Sometimes she and Linc would come over for dinner. I would catch him doing the little things I loved that Luke did. Kissing her neck. Refilling her drinks. Making sure she had a blanket if we were out by the campfire. Linc was always more openly warm and loving than his younger brother, but I knew I had cracked every wall Luke Canton put up.

  I had torn them down with a sledgehammer. And we built new walls together. The ones that sealed us inside a world with just the two of us and our baby. I knew when he asked me to marry him the road was going to be harder before it got easier.

  Charlie had to work some kind of witchcraft to convince the Warriors to let the fallout from my scandal blow over. But she did it.

  The biggest turning point came when she convinced me to do an exclusive one-time interview with Sports Now. A country star had never done anything like that before. Sports fans loved music, sure, but they weren’t my audience.

  But her idea was brilliant. The Warrior fans rallied around me when they realized how quickly I had been slaughtered in the Nashville press. It made Luke instantly likeable that he stood by me. Even more that he asked me to marry him.

  “Can we have them over for dinner?” I suggested. “And Helena and James?”

  “Are we running some kind of match-making business on the side?” he groaned.

  I looked at him from the corner of my eye. “It’s family. And friends. And if they all end up hooking up there is nothing we can do about it.” I shrugged my shoulders.

  “Fuck,” he growled. “James is going to think I’ve adopted him or some shit.”

  “Love you, babe.” I smiled. “I’ll get everything ready. You just show up with beer and your brother.”

  “Love you too.” He snaked an arm around my waist.

  I inhaled sharply. His eyes raked over my lips and
I knew what was coming next. It didn’t matter that we were married. It didn’t matter he had kissed me so many times it wasn’t possible to count. All that mattered was that he stole my breath every time he did it.

  His mouth covered mine and I moaned softly as his tongue slipped between my lips, curling with expert flicks.

  He eyed me. “If you didn’t invite all these damn people over tonight I could take that kiss a lot further when I got home.”

  I pulled his lips back to mine, clinging to his neck, begging for more. The passion rolled between us. The fire stirred under my skin.

  “Fuck, Alexa,” he whispered.

  I looked into his eyes, trying to steady myself. God, he made me spin. He lit every fuse I had.

  “Ten minutes?” I asked.

  He growled, but I knew exactly how we would spend the next ten minutes. I smiled at him as he lifted me on the kitchen counter.

  He would love me until we both drowned in our fever. And when he was done and I let him walk out of my arms, I would stroll to the front window to watch him drive toward the city.

  I never would have thought the first time I drove to this ranch in the middle of the night that this would be the place I would raise my family. I thought it was a bachelor pad. The home of an egotistical womanizer. And maybe back then it was. But now it was where Luke and I loved each other.

  It was where he whispered dirty things in my ear that made me quiver with want. It was where we stayed up all night and binge-watched TV shows. It was where we decorated the nursery for our baby. And invited our friends to be a part of what we had built together.

  It was the place where my husband could make me come one more time on the kitchen counter before he left for work. Where I could tell him I loved him. Where we made our future. The walls were filled with music and football. Sports and art. Love.

  I didn’t miss Nashville. I didn’t miss the mansion with the infinity pool, or my five-car garage. This was where I was meant to be. Because every time Luke was home I knew I was with the other half of my heart.

  For the next ten minutes everything else would fall away. I would be his and he would be mine.

  “You drive me completely crazy, you know that?” His gaze pierced me.

  I nodded. “You drive me crazier.” My chest heaved with anticipation.

  “Let’s make it fifteen, Mrs. Canton.” The hunger filled his gaze and I knew I had stoked more than I realized.

  I bit my bottom lip. I had it so bad for my husband. For Luke Canton. For the man who had turned my life into a perfect country love song.

  Naughty Notes

  Y’all, Luke and Alexa’s story has been with me for so long I can’t believe I’m actually finished writing their HEA. Handing characters over is not the easiest thing to do. I get used to them. They become a part of my world—I’m not kidding. I wake up wondering how Alexa would handle something. I see something I know would completely piss Luke off and it makes me laugh. This is what happens to writers. We get in deep!

  But I have to let them go and give them over to you so you can fall in love just like I did. So many people helped me work through this story and pushed me when I was worried I wouldn’t be able to get it right. Because that’s what matters to me—writing something that makes the readers feel. Something fun and sexy with twists of emotions here and there. And who are we kidding … we want that super hot guy. We want Luke Canton!

  I have to share this memory because it seriously shapes my love for Texas guys. One of my all-time favorite nights when I lived there included this guy I was seeing. He was an artist, loved to two-step, had his share of tattoos, played baseball, loved country music, and was broody as hell. Oh, and the longest most beautiful eyelashes I have ever seen on a guy. He was not doting or super romantic—nothing like that, but one night he led me outside with a huge pile of blankets and spread them out in the backyard. He had a few of those famous Texas beers and we hung out and watched shooting stars and drank beer. It was simple, sweet, and just one of those moments a girl doesn’t forget.

  Somewhere in the back of my head I think Luke would do the same thing for Alexa.

  Seriously, everyone involved in this book (you know who you are) you rock! Thank you! I couldn’t do it without my family, friends, and the super awesome readers who have supported me this year. Thank you, thank you, thank you!

  ###

  Enjoyed Turn Over? Read on for a bonus novel, Beauty and the Billionaire Bachelors.

  BEAUTY AND THE BILLIONAIRE BACHELORS

  1

  Abby

  Abby pressed her ear to the door. The sounds were muffled, but she could hear enough of the conversation to know all hell was about to break loose. Her hell. She realized they didn’t care if she overheard them. They didn’t whisper. They didn’t use code words. The fear shot down her spine. They didn’t care about her at all. When had they?

  Abby shook her head in disbelief when she picked up the remnants of the conversation. They mentioned her as if she were some kind of bargaining tool. She listened harder, straining to make out what Cal said.

  He had never respected her. Never treated her as an equal in the family, even though they were the same age. Once he became the head of the Mantellis he forgot all the years they had grown up together. He didn’t remember Christmases or birthdays. He forgot their mothers were sisters. None of it mattered to him.

  “She needs to be delivered this morning,” he stated. “As soon as possible.”

  No. No, he couldn’t do this. How was this happening? Who in the hell did he think he was?

  “When will she be ready?” the other man asked her cousin. He had shown up this morning. She’d never seen him before.

  “You can take her now,” Cal responded. “The sooner I get this debt paid, the better.”

  Abby paused in shock. Did he just say that? Did he actually trade her for money?

  “I told her to wait for our meeting to be over. She should be in the hallway.”

  Shit. The panic almost paralyzed her. She looked for a place to hide. There wasn’t enough time to make it to her car. The hall closet was her only option.

  She whipped open the door and pushed the winter coats aside. She huddled in the back of the closet, stilling her breath. She inhaled the scent of heavy cologne. It had seeped into her cousin’s wool coats. She turned her head toward the wall.

  Maybe if she squeezed her eyes tighter the heavy footsteps she heard would keep walking. This was insane. She shouldn’t be hiding in a closet. But Cal had promised her to the brute in his office and she knew logic didn’t apply when it came to the family business. The footsteps grew increasingly louder.

  “Where is she?” he barked.

  Cal was only feet away from the closet. “I told her to wait here. She’s in the house. The alarm is on, so I know she didn’t leave. I’ll check upstairs.”

  “If you back out, Cal my clients are going to fuck you over. Big time.”

  “I won’t. She’s here. I’ll find her. You can take her with you. Just calm down.”

  Abby’s chest hurt from keeping the air in her lungs. They were burning. God, this was a nightmare. She looked through the crack where the door met the floor. Her view was blocked by a shadow.

  Oh shit.

  The door flew open. The light hit her between the eyes as a pair of rough hands grabbed her shoulders and yanked her to her feet.

  “Hey!” she screamed, trying to wiggle free. The heels on her boots gave her a disadvantage, not to mention this guy was a giant. She teetered on her feet, desperate to get some kind of leverage against him.

  “Got her!” the man yelled up the stairs.

  “Let me go.” Abby pushed off his chest, but it was like a wall of granite. “Get your hand off me.”

  “Not going to happen,” he seethed. “You’re coming with me. I have orders to deliver you.”

  “Deliver me where?” She knew what kind of men Cal gambled with. The men who invested in his shady business ventures. No
thing good could come from this.

  Cal ran down the stairs. “Come on, Abby. You were hiding? You were never good at the game when we were kids.”

  She glared at him. “I heard what you were talking about. I’m not going with him.” She looked at her captor. “You have no right, Cal. You are way overstepping your authority.”

  He looked past her at the man who held her. “She’s yours now. You’ll deliver her today?”

  He nodded. “I’ll take her immediately.”

  “Good.” Her cousin looked satisfied. “I want my debt paid. I don’t need him breathing down my neck.”

  “I’m standing right here, Cal. Don’t talk like I’m not in the room. You can’t do this.” She continued to struggle, no matter how useless it was to fight the man responsible for finding her. “I’m not your property. Or his.”

  Cal walked to the door that led to the basement. “You can take her out back. Less eyes on you. Especially if she keeps that up,” he explained.

  “Good,” he grunted. Abby doubted he had much of a vocabulary.

  “There is no way I’m going anywhere with this asshole.” Abby dug her heels against the hardwoods, but it only made it easier for the man to slide her toward the door.

  “Come on, the bosses are waiting.” In a single lunge, the man swung her on to his shoulder and dangled her as if she weighed the same as a bag of sugar.

  She kicked harder, her feet ramming into his chest. She beat her fists into his back. Nothing fazed him.

  “Cal! Don’t do this!” She jerked her head forward to grab his attention. “Cal! Don’t let this happen.”

  The last thing she saw as she descended into the Mantelli family basement was the smirk on her cousin’s face.

  2

  Cole

  “Deacon, this is even shitty for you.” Cole glared at his business partner.

  “Why? Did you have a better idea?” Deacon poured a glass of bourbon and dropped two ice cubes in the middle.