Set Up for Love

by Virna DePaul

  She waited for him to say something, but he didn’t. Fearfully, she looked up at him. He stared back at her silently, his expression stoic. “You’re not going to say anything?”

  “Why? You already know what I’d say to that bullshit.”

  Frowning, she pulled back. “It’s not—”

  “Let me ask you something, Bryn. Does your sister blame you?”

  Did she? Carin had repeatedly told Bryn that what had happened wasn’t her fault, but she’d never taken her words seriously. And what did it matter what others thought? She’d known who was to blame.

  “Okay, I can tell by the mutinous expression on your face that you don’t find that argument persuasive. So let’s talk about something you will. Let’s look at the evidence. Where did this happen?”

  She shifted, feeling like she was suddenly being cross-examined. “At a local dance club.”

  “And how old were you?”

  “I was 23, she was 21.”

  “An adult.”

  “That doesn’t matter,” she began hotly.

  “And where was she when this happened? In the club? A place where there were witnesses?”

  She saw where he was going and tried to stop him. “She was in his car with him, but none of that matters. It doesn’t make what he did okay.”

  “Of course not, Bryn. What it does mean is that your sister was an adult who has to take responsibility for her own actions. And what that guy did to her was horrible and wrong, but she wasn’t to blame and neither were you. He was.”

  For the first time, the words held some sway over her. She didn’t believe them yet, not completely. But she wondered if someday—maybe—that would change.

  She pushed her thoughts away. She was here to comfort him, not the other way around. “Have you eaten?” she asked. “How about I make you something?”

  Bryn stood. Daniel clasped his hands behind his head and watched as she pulled on her white thong and lacy bra.

  “You know, if I’d known what kind of underwear you wore, Lady Justice, there’s no way I would have resisted as long as I did.”

  Bryn turned her back to hide her bitter smile and reached for her skirt. “Yeah, but what’s a week or two in the grand scheme of things. We’ve been working together for two years and you never even noticed me.”

  She hated the fact it still hurt. And that he could hear hurt in her voice.

  She heard Daniel rise from the bed, felt his presence as she straightened. He wrapped his arms around her from behind and just held her, resting his chin on the top of her head. Daniel kissed her ear. “I was an idiot. Completely fooled by that frosty exterior and those sensible heels. But now….” His lips trailed down her neck, biting the sweet spot that melted into her shoulder. “Now I see everything you are. Every. Nook. And. Cranny.” As he spoke, he slowly pressed his hand down her sternum, over the soft swell of her stomach, and into her panties. “And now I can’t get enough of you. I don’t think I ever will.”

  His finger searched through her pubic hair and nestled inside her wet folds.

  She turned her head and pressed her face against his strong forearm. When his fingers pulled at her nub, she bit his arm, then laved the small mark with her tongue. His arm squeezed her tighter. He walked her to the sofa. Pulled down her panties and bent her over. When he entered her from behind, her sore muscles resisted. He grabbed her thighs. Spread them wider. Kept pushing. He felt even bigger from this position. She grasped the bed sheets tightly and moaned.

  Once he was seated to the hilt, he began making shallow thrusts. His shaft rubbed aggressively against her tight folds, and all the while his fingers worked magic on her clitoris.

  Bryn moaned. Daniel groaned. He pulled completely out of her, spread her thighs even wider still, and started to lick her from behind.

  The pressure of desire climbed its way higher and higher in Bryn’s body until she exploded. He slid inside her, groaning at the way she clenched at him, and came less than a minute later.

  Kissing her shoulder, he eased out of her, then led her into the bedroom where he slipped with her under the covers, his large body cradling hers from behind.

  After a while, she managed to rouse herself. “Wasn’t I going to make you something to eat?” she murmured.

  “Who needs food when I’ve got you here? Besides, I figured I could show you that being wild isn’t a bad thing. Not when you’re with someone you can be safe with.”

  With her body still tingling, she twisted to look at him. “So you’re feeling better? No longer blaming yourself?”

  “You being here helps. More than you can ever know. How about you?”

  She thought about it. Reached out and twined her fingers with his. “It helps,” she echoed.

  “Then we make a pretty good team, don’t you think? Even if you are a prosecutor and I’m a defense attorney.” He looked at her with anxious eyes, and that expression of insecurity melted away all her final defenses.

  Nothing was perfect. Their jobs were complicated. What motivated people to hurt others and what motivated others to believe in redemption was complicated. Nothing about today had made Daniel or Bryn’s guilt disappear. Maybe it never would completely.

  Even so, together they had so much more to look forward to than if they were apart.

  They could rely on one another and help each other be the best they could be. And when they made mistakes, they could remind the other how special they were.

  How treasured.

  How loved.

  Bryn pulled Daniel’s mouth down for a kiss. “We’ll make a great team. The best.”

  “Of course, we have our friend Tam to thank. For seeing how special you are and enabling me to see it, too.”

  “Hmm,” she purred with contentment. “And for sending you to my house that night. For pushing me to take what I wanted, despite my fears.”

  “She’s good at that,” Daniel agreed. “And so am I. But I’m good at giving, too. I’ll give you everything you’ve ever wanted, Bryn. All you’ll ever need.”

  Her eyes filled with tears and she hugged him close, holding on tight. “You already have.”

  THE END

  ABOUT VIRNA DePAUL:

  Virna DePaul is a former criminal prosecutor who enjoys writing about people willing to overcome extraordinary odds for love. Her debut paranormal romantic suspense series, the Para-Ops Novels, launched with Chosen By Blood in May 2011 by Berkley Publishing Group. She also writes contemporary romantic suspense stories for Harlequin Romantic Suspense and HQN. Find her on the web at http://www.virnadepaul.com

  Other books by Virna DePaul:

  Chosen By Blood (Book 1 in the Para-Ops Novels):

  Five years after the Second Civil War ends, humans and Otherborn— humanlike creatures with superhuman DNA—still struggle for peace. To ensure the continued rights of both, the FBI forms a Para-Ops team with a unique set of skills.

  Leader of an Otherborn clan, half-breed vampire Knox Devereaux would do anything to find a cure for the anti-vamp vaccine slowly starving his people into extinction. When the FBI contacts him about leading a team of hand-selected Others on a mission to reclaim the stolen antidote, Knox accepts. His new assignment places him in direct contact with Special Agent Felicia Locke, the beautiful human he’s craved since their very first meeting.

  Excerpt

  To order from Amazon: JUST CLICK HERE

  Chosen By Fate (Book 2 in the Para-Ops Novels):

  Although he keeps company with a vampire and a were, human Shaman Caleb O'Flare can definitely hold his own. But neither his psychic ability nor his healing powers can help his sexy-as-hell teammate, Wraith-a ghost with no memory of her human existence, who cannot experience touch without pain. No wraith has managed to exist past its tenth year, so her time is about to run out. She wants only two things before accepting her fate: to learn her human identity, and experience one night with Caleb...

  Chosen By Sin (Book 3 in the Para-Ops Novels):

  The
longest life isn’t always the happiest one…

  Five years after the Second Civil War ends, humans and Otherborn—humanlike creatures with superhuman DNA—still struggle for peace. To ensure the continued rights of both, the FBI forms a Para-Ops team with a unique set of skills.

  For now, werebeast Dex Hunt serves on the Para-Ops team, but his true purpose is to kill the werewolf leader he blames for his mother’s death. Biding his time, Dex keeps his emotional distance from his team members and anyone else he might care for, including a mysterious vampire he met in L.A.

  As a doctor, vampire Jesmina Martin has dedicated her immortal life to healing others. As a scientific researcher, she’s trying to prolong life spans, in particular those of her adoptive dragon-shifter family and the werewolf who saved her as a child. Her greatest hope lies with Dex, a werebeast she believes can gift immortality to others.

  Only Dex knows nothing about his gift or the fact Jesmina wants to harness it. After a passionate night together neither expects to see the other again. Weeks later, they are reunited in France and forced to acknowledge a fragile miracle—a new life struggling to survive. At the same time, they must stop a group of rebel shape-shifters hoping to unleash every demon in hell. But before Dex and Jesmina can save their child or the world, they must relinquish their secrets, face their fears, and open themselves to love.

  A Vampire's Salvation (Book 1 in the Beyond Human Novellas):

  Jacob La Costa Rios is the head of the California governor’s security team; he’s also a vampire who wants the governor, a presidential hopeful, to support the peaceful integration of vampires into human society. Unfortunately, there are others who oppose Jake’s plan. Plus, Jake’s a little distracted by discovering his one true mate, the human female who can give him everything he’s always wanted: love, children, and continuing immortality.

  Excerpt

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  Dangerous To Her (Harlequin Romantic Suspense):

  For years, court reporter Mattie Nolan kept her child a secret. The man she once loved chose his dangerous job—undercover cop—over her. But now, Sacramento detective Dom Jeffries is all that's standing between her and the drug kingpin set on revenge against everyone who put him away. Including Mattie.

  Though teetering on the edge of burnout, Dom goes undercover as a bailiff in Mattie's courtroom. While he pretends not to remember her, thoughts of her touch, her smell and the smile that had been his alone keep resurfacing. Then he uncovers the secret she's protecting. To save the daughter he's never known and the woman he's never forgotten, Dom's ready to sacrifice not just his job, but his life…

  This Magic Moment (Book 1 in the Dalton Brothers Novels):

  Entomologist and adjunct professor Melina Parker has always excelled in two things: research followed by hands-on application. She prides herself on being a lady in public, but after she’s dumped yet again for being a lady in the bedroom, she’s ready to go back to school. Determined to find her inner sex diva, she enlists her childhood friend, Max Dalton, to tutor her after hours. Instead, she ends up in the wrong bed and gets a lesson in passion from Max’s twin brother, Rhys Dalton, a man Melina’s always secretly wanted but never thought she could have.

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  BONUS SHORT STORY:

  MY LAST BLIND DATE

  by

  Susan Hatler

  * * * * *

  The only thing worse than having a blind date on Valentine’s Day is having no date at all. Well, that’s exactly where I stood. I, Rachel Price, was dateless. Unless I chose what was behind Door Number Two.

  The blind date option had just come from my friend and co-worker, Ellen Holbrook. She’d stopped by my cubicle at work and dropped the bomb. An exciting opportunity to meet the love of my life? Doubtful. With three failed set-ups courtesy of Ellen already, I dreaded dealing with another dating disaster.

  Dateless or blind date? Decisions, decisions….

  “So?” Ellen strode to my desk and fiddled with the stapler, making it click click click. She wiggled her brows and smiled at me hopefully. “Should I make the call? ”

  An actual date on Valentine’s Day had tempted me, but with Ellen’s track record, it’d be safer ordering take-out.

  “No dice.” I reached up from my chair and gave her a hug. “But, thanks for the offer.”

  My phone rang and I wondered who would be calling about software sales at four forty-five in the afternoon on the big Hallmark holiday. I snatched up the receiver. “Rachel Price. Hello?”

  Heavy breathing.

  Lovely. I slammed the receiver down.

  Ellen gestured toward the phone. “Who was it?”

  “The universe telling me all the non-psychotic ones are taken.” I swiveled in my chair and logged off my computer, knowing I wouldn’t get any more work done today. “Don’t worry about me, Ellen. Just promise when I keel over, old and alone, you’ll bury me in the backyard next to Chester. He’s the only one who’s ever really loved me.”

  Ellen rolled her eyes like I was hopeless. “I love you, Morbid Girl. When are you going to admit you’re using your dog as a substitute boyfriend?”

  She made it sound like a bad thing. Seemed like a smart move to me. Chester always greeted me at the door, liked to cuddle, and let me pick the side of the bed. What more could I ask for?

  Oh, yeah. Romance, marriage, children….

  “I’m telling you to listen to your best friend and let me set you up tonight. This guy could be your Henry.” She’d pulled out her ultimate enticement. Ellen and Henry had met, fallen in love, and married all in the last six months. They were sickeningly sweet, but I’d bet Henry leaving his balled up socks by the living room recliner day after day wouldn’t be so endearing by their first anniversary.

  “Look, El. I appreciate the thought. Really. If the last three set-ups you planned hadn’t made me want to stab myself repeatedly with that letter opener, I’d totally be all over it.”

  She glanced at the silver letter opener in my pencil holder, and then pointed a finger at me. “I knew you were holding a grudge against me for Wayne. How was I supposed to know he wasn’t over Sharon?”

  “It’s not just Wayne, and you know it.” My bad blind dates blipped through my brain:

  Blind Date #1: Cute, successful, and charming. Until dessert, when he suggested we head back to his place for some “whipped cream fun.” Claimed his nickname was Rock because he could rock a woman’s world.

  Blind Date #2: Late, disheveled, and talked about his ex-wife the entire night. He cried at the end, announcing he didn’t think he was quite ready for dating. Uh, you think? Wayne now attends bi-weekly therapy sessions trying to figure out how to win Sharon back.

  Blind Date #3: Salesman who spent an hour explaining my good fortune that he’d yet to tie the knot. He gave me his top ten reasons why he was a stellar catch. To end the date, I gave him my top ten reasons for cleaning out my doggy’s litter box.

  I shook my head. Ellen’s heart was in the right place, but the nuts and bolts of her screening process needed serious tightening. “I’d rather watch Sex and the City reruns with Chester tonight than suffer through another bad date.”

  “Trust me, this one will be different. Henry’s friend is in his softball league and he sounds like a Ten. If I weren’t already taken, I’d go for him myself.” Ellen sat on the small filing cabinet next to my desk, stared me straight in the eye, and softened her voice. “I think you’ll have a fun time with him. Fourth time’s a charm, Rach.”

  “Charm doesn’t last.” I sighed. It’d been a year since Jeremy and I’d broken up. After two years of trying to make it work with him, he’d started seeing my hairdresser behind my back. I’d known her special haircut/highlight price was too good to be true. Nope, love just wasn’t in the cards for me.

  The door to Noah Peterson’s office opened. Ellen and I p
eered over my sparsely decorated cubicle.

  Noah had been with the company for two months now. He had the best sales record of all the VPs, the friendliest personality in the software biz, and the most gorgeous blue eyes I’d ever seen.

  Yes, I’d noticed Noah. It was hard not to. He paused outside his office, leaned against the doorjamb, and scanned something in the open file he was holding.

  “Hey, Noah.” Melinda Morgan, our lead customer service rep, swept in and sidled up next to him in her tight v-neck sweater.

  Ellen and I exchanged a look. Melinda worked out two hours every day, and had the body to show for it. She’d dated two of the VPs already, and it was only a matter of time before she latched her red-painted talons into Noah.

  I marveled at Melinda’s skillfully applied make-up. In the morning, I barely had time to make coffee and throw my hair into a twist before I ran late for the office. As for the gym, forcing myself to a yoga class once a week seemed enough of a return on my monthly membership dues.

  “Happy Valentine’s Day.” Melinda told Noah in a way that breathed sex. Jealousy surged up my spine.

  “Valentine’s Day.” Noah batted the manila file against his forehead. “So, that’s what’s up with all those flower deliveries today. Here I figured we had a horticulture department I didn’t know about.”

  I choked on my laugh and Ellen coughed to cover hers. Add a sense of humor to what made Noah number one on my wish list.

  “Hmmm.” Melinda didn’t appear to get the horticulture joke and seemed perplexed as to whether or not he’d gotten the hint to ask her out. “Do you have plans for tonight?”