by Anya Nowlan
She imagined it would give her a lifetime of work, but for a goldsmith there was no greater joy than to learn and appreciate the fine craftsmanship of artists that had come before her. Even Devon had taken to the idea. It meant having her with him whenever he went to inspect the caverns, and her company was something he couldn’t seem to get enough of. The feeling was entirely mutual.
“Tired already, my love?” Devon’s voice called, his strong, limber body coming up the hillside with effortless steps, as if he hadn’t been dancing the night away for the past ten hours. Dawn was almost breaking over the mountains, the first pinkish-yellow rays peeking over the horizon.
“No, just thought I’d take a breather,” Gemma admitted, smiling to her husband. Devon crouched down on his haunches next to her and kissed her gently on the lips, the way he often did. She smiled and rested her hand on his knee, feeling his taut muscles underneath the black fabric. The emerald and sapphire bangle around her wrist jangled a little as she moved her hand, and reflexively, she brought her hand up to the sapphire pendant that hung around her neck.
Feeling the cool stone under her touch soothed her. Just like the dragon stone before it, she knew that it would always bring Devon to her. Without fail.
“I think your parents are taking quite a shine to me,” Devon boasted, chuckling. Gemma snorted.
“You’re a Bluewing. I don’t think it takes much for them to give you the title of ‘Best Son-In-Law Ever’. They loved you before they knew you. As does all of Gold Valley.”
“I’d like to think they’ll love me more now that I am with you.”
“You mean now that you’re not being a complete jerk?”
“And that, sure,” Devon admitted, smirking slightly. Gemma giggled at the face he made. Yes, Devon Bluewing was certainly easier to love when he wasn’t being a complete bastard. She was the first one to attest to that, though she had to admit that the bad boy side of him held a certain charm to it.
Devon took her hand in his and kissed it. Heat spread where his lips met her skin, and she shuddered a little as the flames reached her spine and then down to her core. It seemed physically impossible to not want him. Somehow, coming back to Gold Valley had given her all the things she thought she had lost for good – a sense of purpose, something to strive for and to look forward to. No longer was she the odd one out, always searching for where she belonged.
Now, she knew. She belonged next to her dragon, guiding him when he couldn’t see straight, supporting him when he couldn’t go any further. And though she had thought that her life was not destined to be spent with gold and the fine craft of her family, here too had she been proven wrong. And she was glad for it.
“It’s a beautiful sunrise,” Gemma remarked softly, gazing at the skyline. Devon leant back next to her and sat down as well, snaking an arm around her. She leant against his touch, resting her head on his shoulder, on her dragon’s shoulder.
“Never as beautiful as you,” Devon said, kissing her honey-gold curls. Gemma smiled, squeezing his palm. Who could have thought that happiness, while so hard to find, felt so easy to hold on to? Whatever happened, Gemma was safe in the knowledge that together, they could face any odds and overcome whatever challenges in their way. And, hell, she didn’t mind a few challenges – it kept her on her toes, and a little rebellion was good for the soul. That much she had learned.
BILLIONAIRE DRAGON’S MATE EXCERPT
“Another, please,” a deep voice said next to her, causing her to spin around to face the owner of such a damn sexy voice. And there he stood, the most damnably hot man she’d seen in a long, long time. He was tall and built like a wall, but still had a certain catlike grace to his movements. Wide shoulders and a tapered waist led into narrow hips and she had to physically stop herself from allowing her eyes to trek any lower. Though they wanted to.
Damn, she thought, wetting her lips and turning away to eye her drink again. It hadn’t been fast enough though. He’d noticed her looking at him. Her heart beat harder in her chest and she could feel a blush coming to her lips as he seemed to take her in from head to toe, his mesmerizing green eyes considering her like she was the tastiest treat and he was a man long left unfed. When Cable wore a look close to it, it made her cringe with disgust, but when this guy gave him that bedroom look… well, let’s just say she immediately wondered where the closest quiet corner was.
Joe the barkeep handed the mystery man his drink and he picked it off the bar.
“Drinking to your engagement?” he asked, a chuckle in his voice. Well, there it was. All her girlish excitement flung straight out of the window. Ruby barely suppressed a groan and threw him a look that could freeze hell over, but he seemed positively untouched by it. If anything, his amusement deepened and that devilish smirk he wore curved a bit at the corner of his mouth. He wore a black tank and a worn leather jacket with dark jeans that clung to his muscled legs and boots that roped up all the way.
The only stand-out oddity about him were the thick gold cuffs he wore on his wrists and the several slim gold chains around his neck. She could spy the colored corners and edges of a few tattoos, but he looked a lot cleaner cut that most of the ruffians at The Rusty Nail. Definitely handsome. Definitely a heartthrob. Definitely off-limits. Wasn’t that just life for you? He didn’t help his case by stepping on that festering boil on her soul called her engagement, either.
“Sure,” she offered noncommittally, raising her shot glass to him.
“Salut,” he said, and his soft, deep timber voice rumbled through her, making her core pulse. She’d given up hope of seeing anyone that really caught her interest near Cable, but here he was, in all his gruff, slightly unwashed but incredibly sexy glory. A bad boy right after her own taste. They both kicked back the drinks and put the glasses back on the counter, where Joe snatched them up before anyone else got the bright idea to smash his wares.
“Again,” the mystery man said, throwing some bills on the counter.
“No, man, I don’t think you should be drinking with me. And in any case, I don’t need you to buy for me,” Ruby said, glancing at him from under lowered lashes. His reddish-brown hair fell slightly on his forehead and it looked so soft she just wanted to run her fingers through it. Probably not a good idea. Unless she wanted to get his ass kicked by Cable & Co.
“Let me decide what I want to do, hmm, sugar?” he said, the way he purred the last word making the hairs on the back of her arm stand up in excitement. Where was he when she was looking for her adventure, huh? Ruby could bet he wouldn’t want to wed her to prove a point!
You really need to improve your taste in men, Ruby. Like, take this guy. He’d piss daddy off and he wouldn’t sell you to the Mexicans if you pissed him off. Best of both worlds. She grinned at the thought. Though, as things stood, she thought she had learned her lesson. Better to toe the line a little but not quite cross it than to end up in a mess like this. And all for what? To rebel a little? She was a grown-ass woman for heaven’s sake! With a degree in medicine to boot! She didn’t need to be running around, making a fool of herself in skirts far too tight and men far too idiotic to tolerate for more than an evening. But, as ever, all of those realizations came to her a tad bit too late.
“I’m not your sugar,” she retorted absently, receiving the shot from Joe. He paused long enough that she had to look at him to see if he’d heard. He wasn’t paying attention at all, instead he had turned around, leaning against the counter with his elbows, scanning the room. Ruby narrowed her eyes a little. It wasn’t just the casual observations of a bored man at a dreary bar. No, there was purpose to him. His gaze was calculating, strict, even though that twinkle of amusement in them could have fooled most onlookers.
A mystery man…
“Did you hear me?” she asked, cocking a well-groomed brow at him. He met her gaze and that despicable smirk was back on his lips.
“I did. I don’t agree.”
“Don’t agree with what?”
“I thi
nk you are my sugar, sugar. But we can argue about that later. In private. How does that sound?” He spun around and grabbed his drink, clinking it against hers.
“I think you sound suicidal!” Ruby said, but she couldn’t keep the laughter from her voice. Hey, every court needed a daring jester, right?
“Could very well be.”
This book is out now!
Billionaire Dragon’s Mate
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Hearts Laid Bear
Kacey Green is a curvy woman whose had just about enough of men who think she should worship the ground they walk upon. While she will fight tooth and nail for her patients, the curvy nurse rarely finds the courage to speak her mind when it comes to matters of the heart. At least that's how it has always been. Until a handsome, mesmerizing man contacts her on SassyDate, a shifter-human dating app, and turns her world upside down. Suddenly, Kacey doesn't want to settle anymore. She is hungry for all life has to offer and it better include one hot werebear cowboy!
Warren Sawtooth is a man of simple pleasures. Work has always been enough to keep him busy, but lately, he's been missing something else. Or a someone else. Preferably a sassy, curvy bride. When the Alpha of his former clan gives him an ultimatum that could make Warren leave behind everything he has built, he knows there's no time to waste. He has been given one chance at happiness and he'll be damned if he messes it up!
If you want to get the whole Sassy Shifter Brides series in one bundle, check out the following anthology, including all five books in the series for cheaper than they are individually!
Sassy Shifter Brides: Complete Series
Find Her Bear: A BBW Werebear Romance
Tess Laurelton, PhD, likes things wild and unexpected. She's curvy, smart and not the kind of woman to let life stand in the way of adventure. Her career as a well-respected grizzly bear expert should have given her plenty of adventure, but instead, she's camped up inside a research lab. When she is given the opportunity to find out why the grizzly population at Cabinet Mountains in Montana is suddenly booming, she jumps at the chance. What she doesn't know is that the innocent trip will be a lot more primal and untamed than she could have ever imagined.
Jackson Arder might be known as a reserved forest ranger, but he is first and foremost the powerful Alpha of a prominent werebear clan. His clan has come under attack by a man he thought of as his brother, Ryder Hunt, throwing his life in turmoil. When Tess shows up on Jackson's doorstep, looking like a sassy, curvy treat made just for him, Jackson knows life is about to get a lot more heated than he was prepared for. How can a bear wage war when all he wants to do is claim the sexy, whip-smart woman who strolled into his world as if she belonged there?
As danger surrounds them, Jackson finds himself falling fast and hard for Tess. But with war at his door, can he give his heart to someone who doesn't know about his true nature? Can Tess love both the man and the bear or will she run for the hills when she finds out the truth?
If you want to get the whole Montana Wild Bears series in one bundle, check out the following anthology, including all five books in the series for cheaper than they are individually!
Montana Wild Bears: Complete Series
Smutty Shifter Shorts: Books 1-5 Bundle
5 hot, sizzling shapeshifter shorts sure to make you need a cold shower!
The Smutty Shifter Shorts series is all about bringing the naughtiest, sexiest werewolves right to you! Each story is a standalone short, but three of them can be read as a series.
If you want your werewolves growly, determined and hungry for more and your women curvy and sassy, this is just the boxed set for you! Expect some twists and turns and plenty of steam!
This anthology of bestselling shifter shorts includes the following books:
The Mate
The Chase
Outcast's Claim
Outcast's Pride
Outcast's Mate
The Bond: Bound to the Bear
A werebear can have only one mate and often, he doesn't find her. Will she find him instead?
Caleb thought he had found the one woman who was just right for him. One disastrous evening and he fears he has lost her forever. But will the invisible bond between werebear and mate bring the two together?
Missy, a curvy and fiery-haired waitress, has set off on a daring adventure to find the only man who has ever made her feel like she could love and be loved. Finding him is no easy task, but the heart wants what it wants. The sight of his muscled body and soulful eyes makes her stomach flutter and she can't say no. She has to find him, whatever it takes.
Will the brave woman find her bear and will the eldest Walker brother be blessed with a sexy mate?
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Anya Nowlan loves sex and writing about it. The sexier and naughtier the better. She mostly writes paranormal and fantasy erotic shorts, focusing on shifters and their lucky mates. Her stories are bite-sized, just what you need to soothe that craving for brave women and growly alphas with a big side-order of smutty sex.
Anya lives in Boston with her boyfriend and several dogs of varying sizes and levels of mischief. She can't go through a day without chocolate and has an unhealthy addiction to purses, but every girl is allowed her little vices, right?
If you have enjoyed her shorts or want to just shoot the breeze a little, don't hesitate to contact Anya via e-mail: [email protected]
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/anyanowlan
Twitter: https://twitter.com/AnyaNowlan
Homepage: http://www.anyanowlan.com
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Thank you for reading!
Table of Contents
A TASTE OF WHAT’S TO COME…
TABLE OF CONTENTS
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
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
CHAPTER NINETEEN
CHAPTER TWENTY
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
EPILOGUE
BILLIONAIRE DRAGON’S MATE EXCERPT
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR