by Vivian Arend
“Here.” She tilted her head toward Damon. “I won the bet. I told him you’d turn down his gift. So now? Lady Luck is mine forever, which means she’s yours too.”
There should have been a playbook offered with this conversation. “I… You won Lady Luck? But Damon brought her here…”
Damon laughed. “She’s way better at bartering than you, dude. Called me up the other day and suggested we do an all-or-nothing for ownership of Lady Luck. Pointed out you and I didn’t need a reason to get together to do crazy things—we can do that without involving the coin. So here was the deal—I offer you the coin. If you turned me down, she won. If you accepted, you got to keep Lady for the year and then she’d legally become mine forever.”
She’d gambled on him valuing her more than the trinket. Jim stroked her cheek softly. “I love you.”
“I know. And you don’t need any lucky coin to be happy.” She rubbed her cheek against his hand, and this time when he pulled her closer she didn’t refuse, rising to meet him and accept his kiss.
“And…that’s my cue to take my bags to my room. You got Netflix in this place? I feel the need for a marathon of zombie movies. Or an apocalyptic Day After Tomorrow ice age washes over the earth and leaves the place looking like—well, surprise, surprise. Look outside,” he exclaimed. “Just like that.”
Jim brought Lillie to her feet at his side, laughingly bumping his friend. “Movie marathon if you want, or we take out the snowmobiles. Freak out the local mountain lions—have some fun.”
Damon offered a hand. “You’re a good man, bro. You deserve to be happy.”
Like old times, Jim clasped his friend’s hand firmly. “This isn’t goodbye forever. You’ll be out for our wedding in the spring.”
“And you need to meet Addie—she’ll be coming out then as well.” Lillie could pull off beseeching like whoa.
“I’m defenseless against your united assault.” Damon pressed a hand to his chest. “Of course I’ll be here to support you. But now? I’m gonna wipe you both off the mountainside.”
Jim let his friend get ahead of them, holding Lillie back until they had privacy. She waited for him to speak, her happy glow turning her into a shimmering human statue.
“You trusted me an awful lot with that bet.” Jim caught her hair in his hand, tugging her face toward him.
“Maybe, maybe not.” Lillie wrapped her fingers around his neck. “I already trusted you with my heart. There’s not anything bigger than that.”
And that was true, and she was right.
And this was just the beginning of forever as far as he was concerned. “So, there’s only one thing left to say.”
She raised a brow expectantly.
“What do I win when I beat you on the trail today? I think a dirty massage works.”
Lillie laughed. “With my tongue?”
Oh fuck. Jim adjusted his stance, his cock instantly reacting in a Pavlovian response. “Shit.”
She danced out of reach. “Deal. I’ll even be naked the entire time. Hmmm, I might use the music I did the pole dance to in the club. Remember? I’ll play it in the background.”
Then she turned, her hips swaying vigorously as she hummed the dirty tune, passing Damon in the front room as Jim walked awkwardly, hindered by his body but hopelessly and utterly in love with his lady.
His luck had come home forever.
MORE FROM VIVIAN AREND
I hope you enjoyed Jim & Lillie's story! If you'd like to see how they're doing a few months down the road, they are featured in Diamond Dust, part of the Takhini Wolves series. That complete series is Black Gold, Silver Mine, Diamond Dust, and Moon Shine. (Books stand alone- you can begin anywhere!)
If you'd like to know what new books I have coming, and stay up to date with releases, please sign up for my newsletter!
If you'd like more novellas like Copper King to enjoy, the Granite Lake Wolves are the place to start. Sarcasm, sexy-times...come join the pack!
Robyn might be deaf, but she's more than capable of heading alone into the great outdoors. The big, hunky Keil announcing she's his mate, and a wolf-shifter? That's a little more unexpected! WOLF SIGNS
In WOLF FLIGHT, Missy's on the run from a dangerous man. Tad wants to be her savior—and far far more
Time for the premier wolf sporting event in the North—WOLF GAMES introduces the gentle giant Erik to his stubborn mate, Maggie
Clumsy TJ grows up in time to court his very human mate, Pam—although kidnapping her might not have been the best idea. WOLF TRACKS
WOLF LINE brings you a wolf with a secret, a cruise ship, and a case of mistaken identity. Kari is sure Jared is her mate, so why is he avoiding her?
In WOLF NIP, Mark straight-out announces to Tessa that they're mates, but she's a cat, and cats don't do instant-mates
Want to try a bit of WOLF SIGNS? Read on for an excerpt.
* * *
Talk about getting your signals crossed…
Robyn Maxwell doesn’t care that her brother has to cancel out on their backcountry ski trip. She can do it alone. The fact she’s deaf doesn’t make her survival skills any weaker. The chance to get away from it all and relax in the Yukon wilderness is just what she’s been craving.
Meeting wilderness guide Keil at the cabin starts cravings of another kind. Keil’s one hot hunk of ripped, tasty male. Now she has to deal with raging hormones as well as strange questions about wolves and mates and challenges to the death. Keil was trying for a nice reflective retreat before challenging for the Alpha position of his Alaskan pack. He wasn’t planning on meeting the woman destined to be his mate, or finding out she’s not aware she has the genes of a wolf.
Between dealing with his accident-prone younger brother, a deaf mate with an attitude and an impending duel to the death, his week—and his bed—is suddenly full.
Far from the relaxing getaway any of them had in mind…
Warning: Gives a whole new meaning to the phrase ‘talking with your hands.’ Includes dangerous use of sarcasm and hot nookie in a remote wilderness sauna.
* * *
Robyn came back into his line of vision and Keil's brother stopped her. “Good morning, Robyn. How do you say that in sign?”
She paused. She flipped him a thumbs up, and placing her left hand by her right elbow, lifted her right hand in an arc.
TJ copied her. “Oh, cool, like the sun rising. Hey, Keil, look,” and TJ signed good morning to him.
A chuckle from Robyn made them both turn and regard her with amazement.
“You can laugh?” TJ asked.
Her smile fell away and Keil swore inside. She wrote a fast note and disappeared out the door. He checked to make sure she was just headed for the outhouse before reading the message.
I’m deaf, not mute. Lost hearing as a child. Virus. I have an ugly voice. Two sugars, please.
TJ gave a soft whistle. “Man, oh man, is she going to be a handful. I’m glad she’s your mate and not mine. Did you two fuck—?”
Keil hit him. Not hard enough to do permanent damage but hard enough to make his eyes register the shock of it. After picking himself up off the floor, TJ carefully exposed his neck to his brother.
“You will use that brain of yours to remember to be polite when you speak to and of my mate. Understood?” Keil drawled the words as he poured the coffee and prepared Robyn’s cup for her. “Even though it’s none of your damn business if you were thinking straight you’d already know the answer. Use your bloody nose. No, we have not mated yet. Yet for some insane reason she let me kiss her and hold her, and while I’m pleased to report that yes, she’s officially my mate, I have no idea why she doesn’t seem to know a thing about wolves.”
He sat at the table. “So I don’t want you making any stupid remarks until we figure this out. Got it?”
TJ shrugged. “I’ll behave. I figured it might be kinda freaky to be told something like ‘Hey, didn’t you know you’re a werewolf and, oh, by the way, you’re my mate. Oh
, and there’s going to be a challenge to the death next weekend for the leadership of our pack and I’m one of the headliners for the match.’ I think telling it all upfront might be the easiest way.” He turned back and flipped the ham. “Besides, there’s nowhere for her to run while we’re here. Gives you two time to work it out.”
For the second time in as many days, the door behind them slammed open and Robyn charged in, her face red and her eyes blazing. She glared back forth between the two of them, her nostrils flaring slightly.
For not knowing she was a wolf, she had the evil-eye thing down pretty good, Keil thought as a shiver ran down his spine. He watched TJ struggle to keep his feet.
She surprised them by speaking. Her voice was gravelly and harsh but very powerful. Keil had heard a few Alphas over the years and she ranked up there with the best of them.
“Who is my mate?”
Like a flash TJ pointed to Keil. “Crap, has she got my number. I hope she doesn’t tell me to go jump off a bridge or something because I—”
Robyn stormed up and grabbed the pad of paper. Keil read over her shoulder as she wrote.
If you don’t want to be overheard don’t talk where a lip reader can see you.
Werewolf?
Mate.
Challenge. To the death.
What the HELL are you talking about?
She pulled away from the table but stopped to add, Where is my coffee? And it had better be strong.
WOLF SIGNS is available now
BIOGRAPHY
Vivian Arend has been around North America, through parts of Europe, and into Central and South America, often with no running water. When challenged to write a book, she gave it a shot, and discovered creating worlds to play in was nearly as addictive as traveling the real one.
Now a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of both contemporary and paranormal stories, Vivian continues to explore, write and otherwise keep herself well entertained.
JUMP TO...
Copper King by Vivian Arend
Marked by Temptation by Deanna Chase
Rumpel's Prize by Marie Hall
Tank by M. Malone
Shattered Web by Crista McHugh
Caged Wolf by SM Reine
Collateral by Roxie Rivera
Beyond Solitude by Kit Rocha
Blue Roses by Mimi Strong
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Marked by Temptation
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
Epilogue
More From Deanna Chase
MARKED BY TEMPTATION
USA Today bestselling author Deanna Chase brings you MARKED BY TEMPTATION, a novella set in the Jade Calhoun Bourbon Street world. Mati Ballintine is a sex witch looking for a hot one-night stand to bolster her power, and sexy Vaughn Paxton is cocky enough to make her work for it. But when their one night turns into more than they bargained for, one life is changed, another threatened, and suddenly there's a whole lot more than lust at stake.
CHAPTER ONE
MATISSE
“I think your sex-witch pheromones are broken.” Ashley smirked and took a long sip of her hurricane.
Glancing over her shoulder at Mr. Tall, Dark, and Holy-Shit-He’s-Hot, I frowned. Had I gone too long between one-night stands? As a sex witch, I could usually have the pick of a club without even trying. All I had to do was put the intention out there, and the next thing I knew, I’d have him eating out of the palm of my hand. This one, though? He hadn’t even looked twice.
“Mati?” Ashley waved her hand in front of my face. “I don’t think staring is helping.”
I blinked and then met her pale green eyes. “Do you think he’s a witch?” That would explain it. He could have cast a protection spell of some sort that would make him immune to my magic.
She shook her head. “I don’t think so. There’s no magical signature, but I wouldn’t say he’s mundane either.”
I gave her a confused look. “What does that mean? Is he an angel or intuitive or something?”
Ashley was a witch of a different sort. She couldn’t cast spells. Her talent was in reading those with supernatural abilities. Not only could she sense a witch, but she could tell what kind of witch a person was or if they were an angel or psychic, et cetera.
“I’m not sure. I’ve never encountered his energy before.” Her brows pinched as she concentrated. “It’s so odd. Not a witch or an angel. Definitely not a demon.”
I let out a small sigh of relief. That was a very good thing. Demons were nasty business. If he was a demon, I’d be obligated to send him back to Hell, and that would seriously ruin my plans for the evening. “So an intuitive then?”
She shrugged. “Probably, though I don’t know what kind. So be careful once you decide you’re done waiting for him to come to you.”
“You know me too well.” I grinned and tilted my beer bottle up, taking a swig of my Abita Purple Haze.
“If you’re lucky, he won’t know what hit him.”
I laughed. “He’s the one who’s gonna get lucky.”
She rolled her eyes. “Right. Like you don’t enjoy yourself at all.”
“Well…” I shifted my skirt so the slit landed in the middle of my thigh. If I needed to have sex to build up my powers, I sure as hell was going to enjoy it. I mean, right? How else was I supposed to deal with that?
Still, trolling for one-night stands in a bar sometimes meant ending up with under performers. There was nothing more disappointing than unwrapping the hottest guy in the place, only to find out he was a dud. Especially when I had spells to cast.
“What’s the latest mission?” Ashley asked. Her careful, nonchalant question was so calculated I couldn’t help but hide a giggle. Poor thing. She was dying to be more useful to the Witches’ Council, but she’d never be more than an administrator. Her powers just weren’t there.
“Special project for my sister.”
“Oh.” Ashley stared at me with interest but didn’t ask any more questions. My sister was the head of the Angel Council. Any work for her was strictly confidential, which was unfortunate, because I could really use someone to talk to about it.
“Yeah.” I downed the last of my beer and slammed the bottle on the table. “Time to get down to business.”
“He’s doomed.” She raised her glass in his direction and saluted him.
Gods, I hoped so. I needed a power fix, and this guy was outshining everyone in the club. Smoothing my long hair back, I gave Ashley a tiny wave and sauntered across the bar. My target wasn’t even watching me, but that didn’t matter. The attitude was more about getting myself ready for the battle.
Just as I was about to make my move, a tiny waif of a blonde slid next to him and wrapped her arm around his waist. She cocked her head, swinging her long ponytail over her shoulder as she gazed up at him. Well, that made things more interesting. Competition had never stopped me before. His lips turned up in a slow seductive smile as he ran his fingers down the back of her exposed neck.
“No date?” she asked him.
He shook his head. “I’m not looking for one either.”
Her lower lip jutted out into a sexy little pout as she said something about him needing the gentle touch of a good woman.
Oh Lord, help me. How desperate can you get? I squeezed between two tall, muscle-bound jocks and cast them each a flirty smile before turning my attention to the bartender.
“Matisse. Ready for that shot? Tequila?” Sally Ann gave me a knowing smile. She�
��d seen my routine a dozen times before.
“Rum this time.” I was in the mood to mix it up. Casting a glance at Mr. Tall, Dark, and Too-Hot-to-Handle, I said, “New Orleans, Cajun spice.”
She glanced at my future one-night stand and grinned. “Spicy indeed.”
I laughed. Hopefully.
Sally Ann poured two shots, set one in front of me and held the other one over her head. “Time for body shots!”
A cheer went up through the bar. I turned around, holding my shot in front of me, letting them all know I was the prize. It was a well-known bar game that was supposed to be thrust upon unsuspecting patrons—usually bachelorettes—where the dude of the bartender’s choice gets a free shot only if he performs a body shot and wins the approval of the crowd.
They never said no. Too much pressure.
Sally Ann scanned the bar twice, never once making eye contact with the obvious target. On her third pass, she slowed and then stared right at him, holding the shot out. “Do you think you can handle it?”
There was that seductive, confident smile again. “I think I’ve got it covered.”
Sally Ann grinned. “We have a volunteer, folks. Now step back. Give him some space.”
The crowd parted, forming a half circle around him and me. I set my shot on the counter and leaned back, waiting for him to make his move.
He accepted the rum from Sally Ann and placed the shot glass next to mine while he took a long perusal of my bare thigh. Then he gazed at my cleavage before finally meeting my eyes. “Any preference?”
“Any place that’s already accessible,” I replied, lifting my foot and resting my stiletto on the lowest rung of a bar stool so that my skirt inched higher.