“Um . . . princess, what’s up?”
I look up briefly. “I need you to fuck me so I know that this is real, and you’re here.” When he continues to stare at me, I add impatiently, “A little help would be good right about now.” That seems to spur him into action, and in almost a blink of an eye, we’re both naked, and I’m in his arms. “You know I was thinking we could do this on the sofa or somewhere nearby. I haven’t made my bed in days, so it’s a bit messy.”
I point at a nearby doorway, and he stumbles in the dark before laying me on the bed. Actually, part of my body is hanging off, but luckily, it’s only my legs. He curses as he trips over something before locating the lamp and clicking it on. “Holy shit, babe, it’s like an obstacle course in here. When’s the last time you cleaned this floor? I think there might actually be a person buried under these shoes.”
I roll my eyes and grab one of his legs. “If you’re finished whining about my housekeeping, Martha Stewart, I have more pressing matters for you to take care of.” I pause suddenly, wondering if he’s been with another woman while we were apart. I look up at him with a question in my eyes, and he picks up on it immediately.
““No, princess. There has been no one else. I love you and only you.” There’s no doubting the sincerity of his words, and I feel an overwhelming sense of relief. His cock is bobbing just inches away from my mouth now, as if begging for my attention, and even though I’d like to tease him, I can’t resist. So I wrap my hand around the base and lean forward to lick the tip. “Fuck yeah, princess,” he hisses as my tongue laps at the pre-cum leaking from his slit. I finally take mercy on him and take as much of his length in my mouth as I can. I look up at him while I’m doing it because I know that drives him wild. He’s pushing against the back of my throat and my eyes water as I try to ignore my gag reflex. I pump my hand up and down in tempo with my mouth, allowing my teeth to graze him on each thrust. “Suck me, baby, take it all,” he cries as a flood of warm liquid shoots down the back of my throat. I struggle to swallow as stream after stream comes out. Dear God, the man has been saving this stuff up. When it’s over, I suck on the sensitive head of his cock for a moment before releasing it with a pop.
I fully expect him to pounce on me now—because that’s how it usually goes—so I’m surprised when he steps forward and scoops me in his arms once again before laying me down in the center of the bed. He crawls up next to me and lies down on his side. When I give him a questioning look, he runs a finger across my lips before trailing it down my neck. “We’re always in such a hurry. I don’t think I’ve ever taken the time to discover every inch of your gorgeous body. Hell, when you’re naked, I lose my mind. But tonight, I want to make love to you. Let me worship you, beautiful, as you deserve to be.”
What woman wouldn’t melt at those words? A part of me wants to make a sarcastic quip because the intimacy of the moment is so intense, but I can’t. He’s showing me that this is a turning point for us, and I need to do the same. “I’d love that,” I whisper as I relax. He kisses and touches my face and neck, not leaving an inch of skin undiscovered. But when he reaches my breasts, I freeze. He’s touched me there before, but he didn’t know then. I want to cover myself, to pull away and hide, but the look in his eyes stops me. I see understanding but no pity. I don’t think I could have taken it had he felt sorry for me. His fingers are whisper light as he gently traces the contours of my reconstructed breast. He finds the tiny scars, and I flinch. Instead of the revulsion I feared to see on his face, nothing but love appears as he lowers his head and kisses the silvery lines. I feel tears trickle down my cheeks as he worships every part of my body. I’m panting and begging him to take me when he finally moves to join our bodies together. His fingers thread through mine as he makes love to me slowly and tenderly. “I love you, Aidan,” I cry out as my orgasm washes over me.
“I love you too, princess,” he groans as he finds his release as well. We stay joined for a long while, neither of us wanting to be apart. Finally, he leaves the bed to clean up and brings a warm cloth back to take care of me. I’m so tired that I manage to barely mumble my thanks. As I’m drifting off to sleep, I hear him whisper against the top of my head, “Please stay with me, princess.” And I know that he’s not talking about tonight. Little does he know that I made the decision to have the biopsy the moment I gave myself to him again. I can only pray that he hasn’t given his heart to yet another woman who will leave him. Not only do I not want to leave him, but I would hate to be the cause of more pain in this amazing man’s life.
15
Kara
Aidan’s knee bounces rapidly as we wait for my name to be called at the radiologist’s office. I’d phoned my doctor the next morning, and he managed to get me in right away. When I told Aidan my decision to have the biopsy, he’d been happy but also determined to be by my side every step of the way. I told him that my parents could accompany me, but he wouldn’t hear of it. Truthfully, I was afraid that it would be too hard for him with his mother’s death still so recent, but he assured me that he loved me and was with me no matter the pain it might cause him.
“Kara Jacks.” Both Aidan and I flinch when the technician says my name. He gets to his feet first and gives me a bright smile. He puts his hand on the small of my back and directs me to where the nurse is waiting. She indicates a nearby door, and I enter behind her with Aidan on my heels. She gives me a paper gown and tells me to remove everything above the waist including any jewelry. Then I’m told to lie on a table where they’ll use ultrasound to find the exact location of the lump and accurately insert a needle into it for the biopsy. “If you’ll open your gown, we’ll begin administering the local anesthesia,” the nurse says. “You’ll feel a pinch, but the area should numb quickly.”
Aidan takes a seat on my other side and holds my hand in his. “I’m right here, princess,” he assures me quietly. “Just look at me.” He laughs softly as he says, “Remember that day in Charleston when you met my neighbor Brandy?”
I narrow my eyes at him, unable to believe he’s going there now of all times. “Oh, I remember her,” I huff. “Such a lovely young lady.” I feel a twinge of pain as my breast is poked and prodded, but I’m too busy glaring at my boyfriend to pay it much attention.
“Admit it, baby, you were jealous. When I looked up and saw you coming down the beach, I thought you were going to mow down the poor girl. She was so generously offering to teach me to surf, and you were thinking of ways you could do her bodily harm.”
“I so was not jealous. I didn’t care at all that you were out there flaunting your abs for everyone to see. I mean, of course, you couldn’t be bothered to put a shirt on before going to the beach. In a way, it was really your fault and not Brandy’s.”
“Oh, come on, princess.” He laughs. “You knew even then that you were madly in love with me, and you were plotting to overthrow Brandy and steal me away.” As I lie here sputtering indignantly, he winks and adds, “It’s understandable, really. I am pretty hot, right?”
“Oh, my God,” I say in amazement. “Could you possibly be any more vain? You’re like the president and only member of your own fan club. I can’t believe I’m in love with such an egomaniac. And for your information, I was nowhere near loving you back then. There was some lust involved—a lot of it—but that’s it. Okay, maybe a few times I was confused about my feelings. I certainly liked you and thought it was possible that something was there. But with the kind of sex we were having, it was hard to be certain. Plus, with all the spankings you were giving me, it wasn’t as if I had much of a chance to focus on the warm fuzzies. And let’s not forget you tied me up several times—”
A throat clears nearby and then an amused male voice says, “I think we’ve got what we need, Kara.”
I blink in surprise as I end my rant and become aware of my surroundings once again. Oh, my God. What the hell have I been saying? Aidan so skillfully sidetracked me that I completely focused on him and not what was happen
ing. “I—you’re already finished?” I ask in shock. The technicians assisting my doctor all appear to be fighting grins as they begin clearing their supplies away. I turn to Aidan, who is giving me a sheepish grin. “You did that on purpose, didn’t you?”
It’s impossible to be mad at him when he runs a finger down my cheek before helping me sit up and cover my breast once again. “I knew you were nervous and wanted to take your mind off what was happening.”
“Thank you, babe,” I say sincerely as I get to my feet and dress while he waits. The doctor says he’ll have the results from the lab in a few days and that he’ll give me a call. They give me the ice pack to prevent swelling and tell me to take it easy for the rest of the day. I didn’t say what first popped into my mind: “I know. Been there, done that.”
Soon, we’re back in Aidan’s car, and instead of going toward my office, we’re heading in the opposite direction. When I question him, he takes my hand and raises it to his lips. “We’re taking the day off so I can spend some time with my girl.” I’m thrilled when we take the exit for Biltmore House, and he pulls into the long entrance.
I’m bouncing in my seat as I squeal, “I love it here! I can’t believe we’re doing this.”
“I’ve never been, but I remember you mentioning it being one of your favorite places. So get ready to be my tour guide.” A few minutes later, we’re parked, and instead of taking one of the buses, we use a nearby path and walk to the house. It’s just as beautiful and majestic as ever, and I find myself seeing it through new eyes as I show Aidan around. After we’ve spent several hours in the gorgeous Vanderbilt home, we walk through the gardens and find a private bench away from the crowds. I have my mouth full of the pastry we’d purchased from the outdoor bakery when Aidan suddenly drops to a knee in front of me with a velvet box perched on his open hand.
“What?” I mumble before I start coughing as the bite goes down the wrong way. He stands, thumping me on the back.
“Baby, are you okay?” he asks in concern as he hands me a water bottle.
I wave it away and look around frantically for the jewelry box I just saw. Surely, I didn’t imagine that. When he doesn’t say anything or make a move to return to his former position, I blurt out, “Was that a ring? I mean if it was, have you changed your mind? I’m not saying it was an engagement ring. It could have been a necklace.” Although I’m not sure why he would give me another necklace. When he refastened the gorgeous heart pendant around my neck last night, I felt balanced somehow. Cherished. I squeeze my eyes shut before opening them again. “I know what I saw. It was real, right? Oh God, did you drop it when I choked?” I start to get to my feet when I realize he’s bent over laughing.
“And that right there, princess, is one of the reasons I love you so much.” Suddenly, the box is in his hand once again, and he flips the lid open to reveal a gorgeous princess cut diamond surrounded by smaller stones. It sparkles brightly in the midday sun as if motioning me closer. Aidan is on his knees for a second time as he removes the ring from the box. “Kara Jacks, I love you more than you’ll ever know. I’ve come to realize that you’re my soul mate and absolutely the one I was always meant to find. Please say you’ll marry me and keep me on my toes and the edge of my seat for the rest of our lives.”
I feel like I’m plunging a knife into my heart as I say, “But shouldn’t we wait for the results? We don’t know what’s going to happen.”
He slips the ring on my unresisting finger. “It doesn’t matter what the test says. I vow to love and cherish you for the rest of our lives. Time has no meaning or place in those words. I’ll love you until I die. In sickness and health, I’m here for you. Fuck the tests. Before Mom died, she told me something very true. Something I only understood because of you." He pauses, and I can see him struggling as he recalls her words. He must miss her so much. "She said that I’ll know the woman for me as she’ll make me laugh, smile, and argue with passion. We do all of that, my beautiful Kara. That's how we love. Fuck the tests. We’ll face any and everything together, and we’ll do it as husband and wife.”
“Yes,” I cry, “my answer is yes a million times over.” And in that magical garden where so many have walked before us, I pledge my heart and my life to the man who I once thought I could never have. And I finally understand that although cancer has taken so much from me, fate stepped in at just the right time and gave me back more than I could have ever imagined. I have no idea what tomorrow will bring and how long we have together, but I’ll no longer allow my fear to keep me from living my life to the fullest with the one man who pushed away the dark and brought me into the light.
* * *
The End
Epilogue
Aidan
I smile like the besotted sap I am as Kara runs toward the finish line. She’s dressed in pink, as are the other participants competing in the fun run to raise money for breast cancer research. After her biopsy results came back negative, we’d both been overcome with relief. But it also ignited something inside her. Instead of standing fearfully on the sidelines, she is now determined to do all she can to spread the word about early detection and yearly mammograms before the age that most doctors recommend. When she told Lee she wanted to organize a yearly charity benefit with Falco Industries as the sponsor, he’d been completely on board. I also discussed it with Lucian who’d been more than happy to add Quinn Software as an additional sponsor. This first event had raised over fifty thousand dollars for the Hope Women’s Cancer Center with additional funds pledged in the future.
She comes running straight for me after crossing the finish line, and I swing her up in my arms before twirling her around. “You were amazing, baby.” I smile. “Plus this sweaty body is doing big things for me.”
“Is that so?” She grins as she rubs against me.
“Better be careful, princess. Your dad is glaring at me. Unless you want to lose a part of my body that you’re really fond of, you need to cease and desist.”
She giggles before allowing me to put a few inches of space between us. “I’m beat.” She grimaces as I hand her the bottle of water I grabbed earlier.
“I’m proud of you. You worked your ass off on this.” I’m kissing the tip of her nose when I see the last person cross the finish line. I look away only to jerk right back. “Oh no,” I whisper disbelievingly. “How—”
She gives me an innocent look that I know is complete bullshit. Then I spot Lucian shaking his head as he stands beside a grinning Lia. “I thought Misty was a good friend of yours.” Kara giggles.
“Aidan! Is that you, sugar?” Misty is bearing down on us now, and I panic.
I grab Kara’s hand and start running. She’s trying to protest but laughing too much to be coherent. “If you love me at all, you’ll move your ass.” Then we’re sprinting for my car as we ignore Misty’s shrill cries for me to stop. As my gorgeous fiancée jumps in the car and I slide around the front, it hits me. My mother was absolutely right. The one who makes me laugh, smile, and even argue with passion is absolutely the love of my life and the one I am meant to be with for all time. And I firmly believe she is looking down at me right now because there’s no way Heaven could ever keep her from getting the satisfaction of knowing she was right all along.
Acknowledgments
A special note of thanks to my wonderful PA Amanda Lanclos.
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A thank you to Kim Killion with Hot Damn Designs for the wonderful cover. And to my editors: Marion Archer and Jenny Sims with Editing4Indies. Love you ladies!
* * *
And to my blogger friends, Catherine Crook with A Reader Lives a Thousand Lives, Jennifer Harried with Book Bitches Blog, Christine with Books and Beyond, Jenn with SMI Book Club, Chloe with Smart Mouth Smut, Shelly with Sexy Bibliophiles, Amanda and Heather with Crazy Cajun Book Addicts, Stacia with Three Girls & A Book Obsession, Lisa Salvary and Confessions of a Book Lovin Junkie.
COMING NOVEMBER 1, 2016
The last book in the
Danvers series,
Wishing For Us Available NOW for pre-order.
Please turn the page for a special excerpt.
CHAPTER ONE
The relentless pounding in her head was what finally woke Lydia Cross from a sound sleep. Her mouth felt like she had been chewing on a dirty gym sock and her eyes were glued together so tightly it took several attempts for her to pry them open. She lay in a darkened room, attempting to get her bearings. A quick glance at the clock on the bedside table had her sitting up too quickly—which turned out to be a big mistake. Her stomach immediately staged a revolt and she struggled to free herself from under the covers—then promptly smacked into a hard surface. What the hell? Who’d moved the wall in her bedroom? She rubbed her smarting nose and inched along with half-closed eyes until she reached a doorway. She fumbled before locating the light switch and flipped it up. The bright glare that filled the unfamiliar bathroom temporarily blinded her.
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