At the pride in his voice, a tiny girlie sigh ran through her mind. She’d be damned if she let it fall from her lips. He’d been investigating her. They’d had sex!
“Unfortunately, that’s exactly why you had to go.”
“What?” Fuck. Seriously? Why couldn’t she stop saying that? It was as if her brain had been fried and she was doomed to sound like an idiot for the rest of her life.
“All those dinner offers and veiled sexual passes, they were all attempts to get you alone. With you out of the way, he could bring in a new member of his choosing. The higher the production, the more hits completed. It meant more money for all involved.” It wasn’t as if she was surprised the doctor intended to harm her. That ship had sailed at dinner. However, the rest of his story was a different matter. Everything she believed to be the truth wasn’t. She latched onto one thing at a time in an attempt to remain rational.
“You keep saying ‘we.’ Who is we?”
“C.C.A.”
The oxygen left her lungs. The Central Cybernetics Agency. How was it possible? Miles was an artificial clone. She’d known of their existence, of course. Everyone did. They were the only real line of defense between humans and machines. She’d never seen one. Well. It seemed that wasn’t true. She’d more than seen one, hadn’t she? The air seemed too thin, making it hard to breathe. He took a step toward her. Alexia threw her hand up, stopping him.
“So many lies,” she said more to herself. Miles’ expression remained blank. A terrible thought snuck in. She didn’t know his real name. As an android, he’d accept whatever name she’d chosen to give him, but he’d been born human.
“What is your name?” She hated the vulnerable note to her voice.
“It’s Miles.”
Alexia huffed. “I mean before you came here.”
“My name is Miles,” he repeated, refusing to back down.
Her temper snapped. “Goddamn it! You know what I’m asking. What’s listed on your birth certificate? When people speak to you, how do they refer to you?”
He glanced down at his hands before crossing his arms over his chest. It was the first time she’d ever seen him fidget. Finally, squaring his jaw, he met her gaze once more. “On my birth certificate, I am listed as Subject 624. My team members call me Cyborg One.”
It was as if someone was sitting on her chest, crushing her heart and lungs. He was a person, at least in part. Why didn’t he have a real name?
“How did you become like this?”
“I was part of a secret program. The best genes were spliced together in hopes of creating the perfect soldier. Born and raised in a government facility, my youth consisted of field and weapons training, which unfortunately exposed a flaw in their plan when I stepped on a land mine. It was autonetics or nothing. I chose this.”
“Show me.”
At Alexia’s command, Miles stripped off the remainder of his clothing. He went slow, holding her gaze. The deliberate motion of his hands left her wondering if he meant to tease. No matter his intentions, her nipples hardened. Once nude, he beckoned her to move closer. Reaching for her hand, he drew it against his skin, urging her palm to his left thigh.
“This is all synthetic.” Keeping her hand covered with his, he transferred her touch to his right thigh. “This is me until you reach the knee.” She didn’t drop her gaze from his eyes as he spoke. However, she did take mental notes on the differences between the two appendages. She was also painfully aware of how hard his cock was between them. Drawing her hand upward, Miles controlled exactly how and where she touched him. Her fingers slid to the apex of his thighs, shaping his balls. A hint of heat entered his voice. “This is me.” Urging her higher, he added, “As well as this.” She couldn’t help but to curl her fingers around his erection. The sensation of soft skin over hardened steel slid across her palm as she continued her upward track. He pressed her hand flat against his body once more, giving her the freedom to enjoy feeling the cut of his abs without guilt. “All me,” he said, almost sounding smug. Alexia was positive he’d earned any pride he felt over the deliciousness of his stomach. Therefore, she let it slide. Heading north, she traced the hard pads of chest. “Still me,” Miles confirmed. His words sounded a bit strained now. Stepping even closer, Alexia clasped his shoulders, clinging to him with both hands. He continued staring into her eyes, as if cataloging her every reaction. “Both arms, from the shoulders down, are synthetic.” A tiny grin touched his lips. “Almost everything from the neck up is the real me, with a few modifications to the brain, and of course the eyes. I lost those in the explosion. It was the hardest variation to accept. The flashing data running across the inside of my retinas left me off-balance and motion sick. Now, it is second nature.”
Alexia’s heart ached. She couldn’t begin to imagine her body going through what his had endured. Yes. It had been repaired, but if it were her, she’d always feel pieced together, never whole. “I think your eyes are beautiful.” The confession came out in a whisper, half from the pain of his loss and half due to her competing lust. The way he watched her, as if she was more intriguing than anything else in the world, was empowering. His body’s reactions to her fed hers.
She encircled his neck, closing every gap between them. “What is the data showing you right now?”
“The woman of my dreams.”
Her nose stung and her throat burned. “I have more questions.”
“I have time.”
“Later,” she promised.
“Later,” Miles agreed.
In the aftermath of everything that had happened, she had almost forgotten the team of men who’d burst into her home earlier. “Are we alone?”
He dipped his chin in way of answer. “Your home has been set to rights and my men have cleared out.”
“Our home.”
“What?” She smiled at his question. It seemed it was catching. Reaching between them, she grasped his cock, gently stroking him.
“You said my home. I was reminding you it’s our home.” A terrible thought struck her, and she added, “Unless you plan to leave, or will they take you away from me?”
He growled, taking her by surprise with his venom. “Never. I am a free man, allowed to go where I please.” Cool air touched her thighs as her dress inched higher. “You belong to me.”
“Yes,” Alexia said, knowing it to be the truth. He did own her. His hands circled her waist. The shock of skin on skin lasted only long enough for his fingers to slip beneath the waistband of her boy shorts. It was uncanny the way he kept his expression completely blank even as he seduced her. The inability to decipher his emotions would make it that much sweeter when she pushed him over the edge. When her panties disappeared, a drop of moisture rolled down her inner thigh. Her body had never reacted so strongly to another man as she did this one. The realization caused a badly timed surge of adrenaline to hit her bloodstream. Her body shook.
“I could have died.” The air squeezed from her lungs as her feet left the floor. She found herself nose to nose with Miles. Gripping her ass, he left her no choice except to wrap her legs around his waist.
“I had one eye on him at all times. No one will ever be allowed to harm you.” He meant it. It was obvious in his every line.
“Make love to me.”
“I already am.”
His words brought a ridiculous smile to her face. “I meant,” she began, but he readjusted his hold. The head of his cock probed at her entrance.
“I know what you meant,” he said, easing his way inside her. The pleasure almost caused her eyes to fall closed. Until she realized what he’d said.
“Wait.”
He laughed. The deep rumble distracted her. She captured his lips with hers with the insane hope she’d be able to taste the sound. With him buried to the hilt and the flavor of his tongue dancing along her taste buds, Alexia decided she had the rest of her life to force him to admit he’d said he loved her. Of course, then she’d spend a few months getting her revenge for the whole
investigation thing by refusing to admit she felt the same. He lifted her higher, dragging her clit across his abdomen before pumping deeper once more.
She moaned. “I love you, Miles.” Or she could tell him now…whatever worked.
Look for book two in the “Cyborg” series: Intact.
About The Author
Charity Parkerson is an award winning and multi-published author with Ellora’s Cave Publishing and Punk & Sissy Publications. Born with no filter from her brain to her mouth, she decided to take this odd quirk and insert it in her characters.
* 2013 Readers’ Favorite Award winner
* 2013 Reviewers’ Choice Award winner
* ARRA Finalist for Favorite Paranormal Romance
* Five-time winner of The Mistress of the Darkpath
* Named one of the top 10 best books by an Indie author in 2011 – Paranormal Reads Reviews
* Best Paranormal Romance of 2012 – Paranormal Reads Reviews
* Quoted in the Sydney Morning Herald as an authority on Independent Publishing.
Connect with her online:
Website:
charityparkerson.com
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facebook.com/authorCharityParkerson
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twitter.com/CharityParkerso
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Finding Home
Lacey Wolfe
FINDING HOME
Copyright © 2012, Lacey Wolfe
Publisher: Southern Girl Press, Second Edition
Edited by Megan Fisher
Cover by Lacey Wolfe
All rights reserved. Without limiting the rights under copyright reserved above, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise) without the prior written permission of both the copyright owner and the above publisher of this book.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, brands, media, and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. The author acknowledges the trademarked status and trademark owners of various products referenced in this work of fiction, which have been used without permission. The publication/use of these trademarks is not authorized, associated with, or sponsored by the trademark owners.
www.laceywolfe.com
About Finding Home
Julie Miller has returned to her home in Brookfield, Wyoming after discovering she is pregnant. All she wants is her mother to comfort her after her boyfriend told her to either have an abortion or leave. The only problem is, when she gets to her mother’s house, she doesn’t find her mom—she finds a half-naked man cooking breakfast.
Mark Thomas has moved to Brookfield to escape his past. He needs a fresh start to try and forget the things that haunt him, and Brookfield seems like the perfect place.
As if it isn’t bad enough that Julie doesn’t find her mother, a blizzard buries the town, and she is snowed in with Mark. Leaving them no choice, they begin a friendship while trying to resist the attraction they feel for one another.
Once the snow melts, Julie is free to leave. Will she choose to start a life in Brookfield or run back to New York? Meanwhile, Mark struggles to let go of his past and, if he does, is Julie his future?
Dedication
To my mother. Thank you for always being there with a shoulder to lean on.
Chapter One
Welcome to Brookfield, Wyoming. We hope you enjoy your visit.
Julie Miller rolled her eyes as she passed the sign that welcomed her back to her hometown. It had been a long time since she’d been back. It was one of those places that never changed, and its people would take you back anytime with their arms wide open.
As she drove down Main Street, she took note the town was almost the same. Just a fresh coat of paint on many of the stores. The street lights that lit the darkened streets had all been replaced and now had a more modern look to them.
It was a ghost town though. Then again, what did she expect? It was eleven at night, and this was the small town of Brookfield. Nothing stayed open late. Everyone was home, nestled up warm in their beds. She had debated on going straight to her mother’s house, but she was coming unannounced. It would be best to arrive in the morning.
At the stop sign, Julie took a right onto Steeple Lane and headed toward Honeycreek Bed and Breakfast. She pulled up to the beautiful cabin like house. The front porch was lit up. It was as if they knew she was coming. As she shut off the car, she sat a moment to compose herself. Returning here was more difficult than she’d expected. Soon everyone would be asking questions about why she was here and, even if she could avoid answering, they would all be able to see why.
Julie placed her hand on her belly. A tear trickled down her cheek as she remembered.
Pacing back and forth across the bathroom, Julie waited. Deep down she knew what that stick was going to say, but all she could do was pray it wouldn’t. As if she even had that control at this point. What was done was done, and there was no changing it.
The timer on her cell phone went off. Biting her bottom lip, she turned toward the test. It was time to find out if what she feared was true. She had laid the box over the stick, and she now had to remove it to see if it would confirm her fear. As her arms shook, she pushed the box aside and stared down at the results.
“Shit,” she said. “I’m pregnant.”
Well, she had no other choice now. She was over three months late, and she had to tell Jeremy. She was scared to tell him. They’d never discussed children. Things were getting serious between them. She had just recently moved into his apartment since she was here all the time anyway.
She found him in the living room like usual.
“Jeremy,” Julie said softly, feeling a lump in her throat.
“Huh?” he responded.
“We need to talk.”
“Right now?”
“It’s important,” she said, starting to feel frustrated.
“Fine. What?” he snapped and then muted the TV as he turned toward her in his recliner.
She took a deep breath and blurted out, “I’m pregnant.”
“You’re what?” His voice was loud now.
“Please don’t make me say it again.”
“This is just great! I move you in here, and you get yourself knocked up.” He shook his head, now noticing the test in her hand. “You’re going to have to take care of that.”
Julie hoped he wasn’t asking her to do what she thought he was. “You don’t mean…”
“Damn right, I do. I don’t want to be a father.”
“What if I don’t want to do that?”
He pointed toward the door.
“I have to leave?” Julie couldn’t believe what was happening.
Jeremy didn’t say anything to her. He turned the volume back up on the TV and returned to his show. Julie stood there, dumb-founded. Was this really happening? Not only had her life been turned upside-down by an unexpected pregnancy, but her boyfriend had just told her to have an abortion or leave.
Doing her best to hold it together, Julie went back to the bedroom. She had a decision to make.
And here she was. She had chosen the baby. Jeremy hadn’t even given her a second glance as she’d left.
She grabbed her small suitcase from the back of her car and headed in to check into Honeycreek Bed and Breakfast. As she stepped up the stairs, the front door opened, and Claire Stevens greeted her.
“Julie Miller, is that really you?” Claire said.
“It’s me.” Julie smiled, hugging the woman in front of her. “What are you doing here?”
“You’re looking at the owner.”
“I heard the news, and I’m sorry about your loss.”
“Thanks.” Claire paused a moment, and Julie wondered if the pain
was still fresh. “So, tell me, what brings you here?” Claire asked.
“I need a place to crash for the night, so I’m hoping you have a vacancy,” Julie said.
“You’re in luck. Come on in and let’s get you settled. You must be tired after that long drive from New York.”
Julie followed the petite blonde inside. It was warm and felt like a home away from home, which she was sure was just how Claire wanted her guests to feel.
Claire fiddled around behind the desk then came over, dangling a key in front of Julie. “I’ll show you to your room.”
“Do you need a credit card or something before I check in?” Julie reached into her purse.
“Your night’s on me.” Claire smiled and squeezed Julie shoulder. “There’s a story as to why you’re home, and I want to know it.”
If only you knew. “Well, thanks. I appreciate it.”
Claire opened the door to the room Julie would stay in. Julie glanced around, taking in the beautifully decorated room. The furniture was all made of dark wood. The bed had a gorgeous yellow quilt and tons of pillows. Ah, the pillows. She yawned, ready to snuggle in. The last few days had been long and tiring.
“I can see you’re tired. So I won’t get the details tonight, but we will play catch-up soon,” Claire said.
“Definitely.”
“Breakfast in the morning?”
Julie shook her head. “I think I’m going to get up early and head out to Mom’s. Looking forward to her cooking.”
A mischievous grin crossed Claire’s face, and she looked as if she had something to say, but Julie was too tired to figure out what.
“Well, get some rest. Holler if you need anything.” Claire shut the door behind her as she left.
Kicking her shoes off, Julie wasted no time getting out of her clothes and climbing into the fluffy bed. Turning off the lamp, she pulled the covers up and nestled in. Without even a second thought, she drifted off and had one of the best nights of sleep she’d had in a long time.
What to Read After FSOG: The Gemstone Collection (WTRAFSOG Book 3) Page 153