by Marie Harte
“Looks are a part of attraction.” He winked. “Faith, you’ve come such a long way. I’m proud of you.”
Remembering what a scared, insecure moron she used to be, she smiled and sat up straighter at his words. Hell, she’d even taken to visiting Dylan at his actual workplace instead of his home, no longer leery of anyone with the title Doctor. “Thanks. I’m kind of proud of me too. I’m going out with this guy for the right reason.”
“Which is?”
I’m friggin’ lonely. She cleared her throat. She trusted Dylan but didn’t want to appear a complete basket case in front of someone so capable. “I don’t want to be the butt of Sydney and Hailey’s cat-lady jokes anymore.”
“Faith.” Dylan coughed to hide a chuckle, but she heard it.
“Ha! You laughed. They all laugh at me.” She grinned. “But it’s good, because it made me realize it’s time to stop hiding. Like you said, time to take a chance.” She chewed her thumbnail. “I can do this. Besides, a date doesn’t mean I have to sleep with him.”
“No. You don’t.” Dylan sounded firm. “In fact, it would probably be a lot smarter if you didn’t. Establish a connection. Examine what you feel in an intimate setting.”
She raised a brow.
“By intimate, I mean that cozy dinner you mentioned you were going to.”
“Oh. Yeah. That.”
He laughed, and she sighed inside. Too bad Dylan, like the rest of his brothers, had already been nabbed. All the Warrens were handsome and genuine. She could only hope Brian Goode, her date the next evening, turned out even half as charming. Fingers crossed, she made small talk with Dylan about his brothers and their girlfriends—her best friends—and tried to ignore the way her heart raced at remembrances of Brian’s bright blue eyes and deep, husky voice…
The next evening, sitting in one of the nicest, priciest restaurants in downtown Augusta, Faith did her best to focus on the menu and not the blond god sitting across from her. The prices of the wines alone made her itch to be elsewhere, yet it was her attraction to Brian that had her second-guessing the date.
She hadn’t felt so drawn to a man since the last jerk she’d dated, and look at how that had turned out.
No. Think positive, Faith. Good energy. Stop being so negative.
She smiled at Brian, then pretended to look at her menu while she gave her surroundings a subtle study. The modern décor, a blend of urban chic and earthy wood accents, felt right at home with the smooth jazz crooning through discreetly placed speakers.
The waitstaff were dressed in black slacks and pristine aqua-blue polos and looked a little too pretty to be waiting tables. But whatever. If Brian wanted to impress her by going all out, she’d let him. From what Hailey had told her, he worked hard for his money. A regular guy, just like her, eking a living to get by. Even those of modest means deserved a night away from the humdrum of nine-to-five. God knew she needed it.
She glanced at Brian again, lured by his clear gaze and white smile. Damn, that square jaw is just killing me. She wanted to kiss him up one side of his face and down the other. Then find out if his chest really was that broad or if his button-down shirt just made him look that way. An image of Brian half-naked at Halloween appeared in her mind’s eye, and she swallowed a sigh. No, his chest really was that wide.
“I’m a breast man.”
Faith blinked. “I’m sorry?”
“I prefer white meat. It’s drier, but I like my chicken to not taste greasy.”
Her heart raced, and she realized she’d put a hand over her low-cut blouse—a pitiful defense against an imagined lecher.
To her embarrassment, Brian seemed puzzled. “Faith?”
“Oh, right. Me too. Grease…yuck.” Dummy. She realized he’d been talking about the items on the menu that she’d pretended to be so absorbed in. She had to stop reading into everything the poor man said. For once she’d found a decent guy. Time to relax and enjoy her date instead of waiting for the other shoe to drop.
“I like to keep healthy. It’s tough, because I have a bad sweet tooth.” He grinned.
She did her best not to sigh like a besotted fool over a face that could have graced any of the covers on her romance novels. Even without the face, he was swoon-worthy. She imagined the cover ending at his neck and just showcasing that fine body. Oh wow. Yeah, he was that hot. Nice, handsome and not a rich asshole. She’d truly scored. Now how do I not screw it up?
She swallowed hard and refocused on his words.
“…yeah, got a real hankering for tits and ass.”
“What?”
“You know, Smits and Plass? That new candy store downtown you mentioned earlier? Their window display is killer, especially with the chocolate-covered cherries front and center. I have a cousin who lives near Mt. Rainier out in Washington. The Chukar Cherries he sends me are the best.”
“Oh, ah, yeah. Me too. I like chocolate too, I mean.” Faith, could you be any more oblivious? But in her defense, Brian appealed to her on every level.
She’d always been a sucker for blonds. And looks. And charm. And hot, hot bodies. Gah. Valentine’s Day had turned her into a desperate woman, one who shouldn’t be looking for a casual hookup. She hurried to take a sip of water to soothe her parched throat.
The waiter arrived with the wine Brian had thoughtfully allowed her to select. Since her last boyfriend had insisted she be a little more educated when it came to the finer things in life, she’d accepted his tutelage and now knew what she liked. Nothing too showy… Unlike Dr. Jeremy Pichter, the conceited ass who’d demanded she better herself to suit him.
And like that, her mood soured.
Thoughts about good old Dr. Pain In My Ass had her reconsidering her presence here tonight. Again.
Instead of settling in with a good book or watching reruns of Snapped—about women who’d offed their significant others—she was on a date. She’d sworn off men for the past six months, and her friends still gave her crap about it, even though she’d had every reason to be wary.
But a nice night out with a man not interested in loving-and-leaving her or using her for arm candy at some gala appearance? Priceless. She could do this—enjoy a man’s company and maybe take their friendship to a deeper level. But not tonight. Tonight they’d get to know each other, remain platonic friends.
Or so she kept telling herself.
Too bad she hadn’t foreseen her libido waking up and taking notice of everything about the man. Nothing harmless about Brian Goode or his sexy-as-sin smile. At all.
He and the waiter watched as she sampled the wine. Once she did and gave her approval, the waiter poured them both full glasses and left again.
After a sip, Brian nodded. “This is nice.” He sounded surprised.
“You prefer a jammier wine?”
“I have no idea. I’m a beer guy, actually. I just know what I like.” His flirtatious wink made her blush. “How about you?”
“I like it. I prefer a milder taste, to be honest.”
“Ever try really expensive champagne? I have.” He leaned closer and confessed in a low voice, “Excuse my French, but it tasted like shit. And for three hundred bucks a bottle, I’d have expected more.” At her raised brow, he explained, “Friend of mine got a big promotion and put on a dog and pony show. Me? I went because I’d heard there’d be tons of hors d’oeuvres. I guess that makes me shallow.”
She grinned, liking him more and more. “Yeah? Well, I accepted this date because I heard there would be an amazing dinner in it for me. So I guess I’m shallow too.” She met his raised toast and laughed.
After another sip, he set his glass down. “I have to know. What finally made you say yes? I figured for sure I’d be three strikes and out.” He shrugged. “As much as I may seem like a stalker, I’m really not. I saw you at the Halloween party last October and couldn’t get the sexy schoo
lteacher hanging by the punch bowl out of my mind.”
Oh boy. Not a great night to be remembered. She’d had way too much fun smacking her friends around with her oversize ruler. “Oh. Well. I’m not really a schoolteacher.” Faith, he knows that. Could you be any lamer?
He chuckled. “I’m not really Tarzan either.” His costume the night of the party. As if she could forget it.
The barely there loincloth and chest strap had warned her to tread warily around the man. Because the sight of so much muscle had made it hard to remember how much she hated men.
But after a long stretch of celibacy, therapy and, hell, loneliness, she’d figured she was due for a real night out on the town. She’d earned it, and she trusted herself. Mostly. And okay, Brian had a sexy dimple she was dying to trace with her tongue.
“You made a good Tarzan,” she reminded him. “But you were missing Cheetah.”
He chuckled. “With the way Derrick was behaving around Sydney that night, he made up for my missing chimp.”
She shook her head. Her friend Sydney had become engaged to said chimp. Not to mention Hailey, Faith’s best friend, was soon to marry the chimp’s younger brother. Something to be said about those Warrens. First Gage, then Derrick. Had Dylan not been her therapist and otherwise attached, she might have made a play for him herself. But then she would have missed out on Brian.
She smiled at him. “You really want to know why I decided to go out with you?”
He nodded.
Recalling how Hailey had promised that Brian wasn’t like all the others Faith had dated—rich, obnoxious, and entitled—she teased, “For your millions.”
Two men, one woman, and a romantic vineyard. Summer’s never been this hot…
Summer Wine
© 2014 Jess Dee
Tastes of Seduction, Book 1
Angus Lowe feels like he’s just stepped onto the set of Lifestyles of the Rich & Famous. He’s checking out a luxurious boutique hotel and winery, lured by the possibility of landscaping the gardens. And he’s crazy mad about the woman giving him the tour.
Problem is, Lily Hemington is way out of his league. Not only does she live the lifestyle of the rich and famous, she is also crazy mad about the owner of the hotel, Blake Seymour.
Issues get cloudier—or could that be steamier?—when Angus meets Blake. It’s clear Blake has deep feelings for Lily, but it’s also obvious he can’t take his eyes off Angus. While Angus doesn’t find this at all unpleasant, he’s painfully aware Lily and Blake are perfect for each other, and that he doesn’t belong in their perfect world.
Now it’s up to Lily and Blake to convince Angus the only world that counts is the one they all create together.
Warning: This book should be enjoyed with a bottle of chilled white wine. You’ll need it to cool down when the heat among these three characters burns out of control.
Enjoy the following excerpt for Summer Wine:
It took every ounce of strength not to rip the dress from her body. Instead, he tugged at the zip at the back, pulling it down. Lily shook the dress over her arms, and it landed in a pile at her feet. She kicked it out of the way.
The woman was more stunning than he’d imagined, her body curvy and lush and made to be touched. Adored. Her breasts were high and firm, and her nipples were pebbled, pushing against the cups of the silky, light-pink bra that matched her panties. He let his hands wander over her satiny flesh, practically imbibing the feel of her.
This was a woman worth savoring. A woman worth taking his time over.
A woman in love with another man.
He slid his finger into her panties, his mouth finding her lips as his fingers discovered her pussy. Her very wet pussy.
His chest heaved in satisfaction, brushing against her breasts. “I’ve checked, Duchess.” Christ, talking was hard in his current state.
“And?”
“I can’t tell for sure. Gonna have to keep my hand there a little longer.”
She sighed dramatically. “Take as much time as you need.”
He did, stroking her plump, damp folds as their lips met in a long, slow kiss that scalded him all the way down to his toes.
“Okay,” he said a million years later. “I can confirm that you are still wet down there. Very wet.”
“I’m not convinced, Angus.”
“Then maybe I’ll just keep checking.”
“Good idea.” A flush stole over her cheeks.
“So, how does it feel, Duchess?” he asked. “Kissing another man in Blake’s hotel?”
She peeked at him from beneath heavy lids, her cheeks deliciously pink. “Truthfully?”
“Always.”
“Naughty.” Lily rubbed herself against him, her pussy lips slipping over his finger. “And freaking sexy.”
“You look freaking sexy.” Aroused and uninhibited was a good look on Lily.
“Ya know, I’d feel sexier if your finger was inside me.” She twisted her hips as though seeking to impale herself. “That way you’d be able to tell for sure if I really am wet.”
Angus hesitated a heartbeat. “I have a better method of checking.” He dropped to his knees, curled his hands around her thighs and urged her to widen her stance. Then he pushed her panties aside, took a minute to inhale her musky scent and ran his tongue along her slick folds.
Lily screamed.
He licked her again, relishing the hot liquid that spilled from her pussy.
“Angus!”
He spent a long moment licking her, tasting, gorging as she writhed before him. Then reluctantly, he stood once again and replaced his tongue with his finger. He leaned in and kissed Lily, pressing his chest against hers and slipping his tongue into her mouth, feeding her a sample of her own nectar.
“Proof positive,” he said at last, “that you are indeed very, very wet.”
She didn’t answer, just stared at him with huge eyes and nodded.
“Now I’m curious about something else.”
She rubbed herself sinuously against his hand. “And that is?”
“Just exactly whose finger you want inside you, Duchess. Mine…or Blake’s?”
She looked at him through passion-darkened eyes. “Kiss me again and I’ll tell you.”
Hell, who was he to refuse, especially when her lips were all pouty and parted, waiting for his tongue? As their mouths met, he softly tapped her clit. Her responding purr urged him on.
Lily kissed him harder, chasing his tongue with her own when he withdrew and inviting him back. For long moments, their mouths and lips tangoed as his hand played to his heart’s content.
She pushed up his shirt and flattened her palms against the skin on his back. Then her hands were all over him, trailing along his spine, clinging to his shoulders, edging back along his sides down to his waist. A frustrated moan escaped her throat, and she tore her mouth from his, dragged his T-shirt over his shoulders and dropped it to the floor.
Lily buried her nose in Angus’s neck. Her breath tickled, and the sensation of her skin against his sent another powerful surge of lust through him.
“Truth time, Duchess. Give me a name. Angus or Blake.”
She bit his neck, hard enough to hurt and gentle enough that desire jolted his dick. “Truth time,” she agreed and bit him again before answering, “Angus.” Then, a heartbeat later, “And Blake.”
Angus’s vision darkened momentarily. From resentment…or excitement?
“Both of you. Separately and together,” Lily said in that husky voice of hers, the one she only used when aroused. “Your fingers and your cocks.” She nibbled her way up his neck to his ear. “That, for me, would be the ultimate. The first prize. Alone, you’d each drive me wild. Together… Mmmm. Heaven.”
A combination of pain, pleasure, frustration and need hit him hard in the gut, making hi
m grimace.
Lily bit his earlobe. “Does that shock you?”
Did it? “Yeah… But it also turns me the fuck on.” Because if he were as honest as Lily, he’d acknowledge that kissing Lily in Blake’s hotel was fucking sexy. It left him hungry for more, hungry for things he’d never contemplated before. Things like seeing Blake’s finger in Lily’s pussy. Blake’s cock too.
And, Christ, it made him hungry for a taste of Blake’s mouth too. And his cock.
It made him want Blake all wrapped around him—just the way Lily was all wrapped around him. Jesus fuck, being here, in Blake’s place with Lily, just made him want. End of story.
“It shocks me too.” The voice that spoke was neither Lily’s nor Angus’s—and it sent hot chills all the way down Angus’s spine.
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This book is a work of fiction. The names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the writer’s imagination or have been used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, actual events, locale or organizations is entirely coincidental.
Samhain Publishing, Ltd.
11821 Mason Montgomery Road Suite 4B
Cincinnati OH 45249
Bending the Rules
Copyright © 2014 by Marie Harte
ISBN: 978-1-61922-359-2
Edited by Noah Chinn
Cover by Kendra Egert
All Rights Are Reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.
First Samhain Publishing, Ltd. electronic publication: July 2014
www.samhainpublishing.com