For Her Eyes Only (McCormack Security Agency)
Page 33
“Why?” The word was out before he could stop it.
Adam frowned. “Why not? You’re one of us now. How else are you going to race in our Fourth of July family regatta?”
“But...” he touched the rose-tinged wood. Nobody had ever done anything like this for him. He didn’t know quite what to say.
“But nothing. Now get some shoulder action into that shaping. Good stuff doesn’t just happen, son. You have to work hard for it.” Adam slapped him on the back. “And that applies to both boats and women. Remember that.”
Son. He’d called him son. One of them. Ryan started again with the plane as Scott hammered at the framework in his section and Jason donned his goggles before starting the band saw. They worked in companionable silence, swing music and carpentry noises in the background as Ryan tried to process what was happening.
He was building a boat with his soon-to-be in-laws. Not just a boat. His boat. He looked up for a moment, and met Adam’s eyes across the hull framework. Adam gave him a silent toast with the beer bottle and a quick wink. Ryan smiled and continued with shaping the wood. Apparently it was a family thing.
* * *
Later that evening, after the dinner dishes had been cleared, Ryan leaned against the living room doorframe as Jason pulled out his guitar and started tuning it. He’d learned that all of the Hastings family members were good singers, and he settled in for another impromptu concert. Vicky came over and handed him a glass of mulled wine. She smelled of cinnamon and spice, and put his arm around her and hugged her close. He couldn’t help the contented smile that drifted across his face. Mulled wine warming him from the inside, and sexy woman warming him on the outside. Snuggle Factor. He loved it.
Jason started with a Christmas carol, and Kai and Kyran instantly joined in, along with their father and grandfather.
On the subject of Snuggle Factor...he drew Vicky slowly out into the hall, the rest of the family oblivious to their disappearance.
“What’s the matter?” Vicky asked as he took her glass and put it with his on the hallway table.
Ryan shook his head. “Nothing. I just wanted to do this.” He gently held her face and lowered his head to kiss her.
Vicky opened her mouth, and he slipped his tongue in to rub against hers. He pulled her closer, sighing as her breasts pressed against his chest. He could feel her nipples tightening between them, little nubs that sent an answering shot of desire straight to his groin. He hardened at the thought of getting closer, getting naked.
Hot. Instant. Always.
That’s what it was like with Vicky. Like a slow combustion stove, always smoldering, ready to spark into flame at the smallest encouragement. He lifted his head slightly as the family in the living room started to sing “Jingle Bells.”
“Oh, this is so not boring,” Vicky panted against his lips.
Ryan arched an eyebrow. “Boring?” No, he’d never have used the word “boring” to describe this.
“Oh, not you, I mean the kiss of—” Vicky raised her gaze to his. “Forget it. Just kiss me again.”
He smiled against her lips. “So damn bossy,” he murmured, before taking her lips in a slow, carnal kiss. He could feel her relax against him, as though her bones had melted. He loved her surrender. Her trust. It both humbled and strengthened him.
His hands drifted down her back to cup her butt, and he growled softly as she tightened her arms around his neck. He bent slightly, lifting her so that her legs wrapped around him, her thighs cradling him.
“What about your arm?” she murmured in between kisses as he started to walk toward the stairs.
“It’s fine.” He was enjoying a textbook recovery.
“Good. Hurry.”
“So damn bossy,” he said, kissing her again, grasping her butt and pulling her even closer, so that he could rub himself against her with each step. God, she was sexy. He quickened his pace as he climbed the stairs.
“Don’t trip this time,” she warned him, and he chuckled against her lips. He stopped laughing when she arched her back, straining against him. He groaned. His cock hardened, and all he could think about was getting her to the closest horizontal surface.
“I love you,” he whispered as he shouldered his way into her room.
“I love you, too,” she whispered back. “Don’t forget to close the door.”
“So damn bossy,” he muttered, kicking the door shut. The tune downstairs changed to one that even he had no trouble recognizing as he set her down on her feet.
“Oh, they’re singing ABBA,” she breathed as she kicked off her shoes and slid her jeans down to her ankles. He stripped, carelessly, quickly. He was not going to let ABBA distract her.
“I’ll make you sing,” he said, picking her up and tossing her onto the queen-sized bed.
She laughed as she bounced on the mattress. She lifted her top over her head and threw it carelessly. He ducked to avoid it. Her hair was tousled, her cheeks rosy. Her lilac-colored underwear revealing a lush, feminine body that aroused him, humbled him. To him, Vicky was beautiful. She was his anchor. His friend. His family.
Her laugh changed to a high-pitched squeal, followed by a throaty moan, as he followed her down onto the bed.
She had to admit, he was right. He did make her sing.
* * * * *
The suspense builds in this fast-paced
series from Shannon Curtis.
Get the first two installments of the
McCormack Security Agency series, available now!
Guarding Jess
Jessica Pennington’s work as an etiquette coach requires her to be polite and proper at all times, especially now that she has a book coming out. The only thing that rattles her reserve is the increasingly violent emails and texts from her persistent stalker. With the book launch in jeopardy, she reluctantly hires a bodyguard.
Noah Samuels hates stuck-up, prim people like Jessica. He’s more the blunt, straightforward type. After a near miss on his first day on the job, Noah realizes that the stalker isn’t just hype cooked up to sell books—the threat is real. As the stalker escalates from letters to letter bombs, Noah sees a vulnerable side of Jessica that rouses more than just his protective instincts. But can she let down her guard long enough to trust Noah before it’s too late?
Viper’s Kiss
Librarian Maggie Kincaid yearns for excitement—but being accused of espionage is not what she had in mind. Wanted by the police, the FBI and the criminal element, Maggie goes on the run—and runs straight into sexy Luke Fletcher. Unfortunately, when Luke pulls out the handcuffs, it’s not because he has something kinky in mind...
Security expert Luke is intent on seeing the murderous spy known only as Viper brought to justice. Just as they give in to lust, new evidence convinces Luke that Maggie’s not as innocent as she claims to be. Devastated by Luke’s inability to trust her, Maggie runs again. She’s determined to clear her name, and if that means tracking down a notorious spy even Interpol can’t seem to locate, then that’s exactly what she’ll do...
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About the Author
Shannon Curtis has worked in diverse roles such as office admin manager, customer service rep, logistics supervisor, distribution coordinator, dangerous goods handler, event planner, switch bitch and betting agent, and decided to try writing a story like those she loves to read when she found herself at home after the birth of her first child. Her first two books were shortlisted for Favourite Romantic Suspense of 2012 by the Australian Romance Readers Association.
Now she spends en
tirely too much time daydreaming about hunky heroes and malicious murders—for her books, of course! She loves reading, loves writing and loves hearing from her readers!
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ISBN-13: 9781426897313
FOR HER EYES ONLY
Copyright © 2013 by Shannon Curtis
Edited by Megan Records
All rights reserved. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the non-exclusive, non-transferable right to access and read the text of this e-book on-screen. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, down-loaded, decompiled, reverse engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of publisher, Harlequin Enterprises Limited, 225 Duncan Mill Road, Don Mills, Ontario, Canada M3B 3K9.
All characters in this book have no existence outside the imagination of the author and have no relation whatsoever to anyone bearing the same name or names. They are not even distantly inspired by any individual known or unknown to the author, and all incidents are pure invention.
This edition published by arrangement with Harlequin Books S.A.
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