by Larkin Rose
Tessa Dalton’s mission: be crowned the new wedding planner for one of the most prestigious resorts in Colorado by winning an event contest. All she has to do is get seven events safely under wraps in eight weeks and the crown is hers. She’ll stop at nothing to win, even if planning weddings for frequent flyer bridezillas has put a bitter taste in her mouth where love and commitment are concerned.
Marci Jones is not a people person. The last thing she wants is to be the liaison for the contest crew leaders, but when her best friend needs a favor, she can’t say no. If not for Wendy, she’d be in jail…or worse. Maybe the disruption will help her get over her cheating ex and she’ll be able to put her life back together.
Marci can’t believe her luck at a one-night-stand with a beautiful woman who refuses to give her name. That is until the mystery goddess shows up as one of the contestants…
What Reviewers Say About Larkin Rose’s Work
Breaking the Rules
“This is one hot steamy, raw, sexy and erotic romance. This is not a Princess Charming and her damsel in distress kind of story. These characters are way too strong-willed and opinionated for that. The story is bold, straightforward, and a good read.”—Rainbow Reflections
Visions
“Past intertwines with present in Rose’s (Kiss the Rain) charming new erotic romance. Fortunately, the seduction unfolds with enough spice and sweetness to keep readers satisfied.”—Publishers Weekly
“I howled, applauded, panted, and dabbed away the tears from pure pleasure while reading this book. This is a wonderful multi-layered love story, peppered with nearly devastating confusion, and practically undermined by misunderstood class collision. I think it would be divine to see this as a play or movie, but the remarkably pure sexual heat would definitely limit the distribution venue. What a shame. At least there is the written word and that has masterfully unraveled the intimacy and details allowing me to savor the humor, the women, and the monumental obstacles seeking to crumble the wishes and desires for the star-crossed characters. I unquestionably recommend this!”—Rainbow Book Reviews
Kiss the Rain
“In this story Larkin Rose has created two awesome leading women who in their own way tower over everyone. I was truly dazed at the beginning and continued to be astounded throughout the novel. …I can, without a doubt, recommend this book for the extraordinary strength and stunning depth that each noteworthy woman presented to me over and over again. Transcendent! [The conclusion] sent me soaring and believing in miracles. This book is like ambrosia and a nearly perfect kiss among Eve, Jodi, and the rain. Incredibly satisfying!”—Rainbow Book Reviews
“Even if you’re not a fan of erotica, Larkin Rose is an expert at knowing how to keep you turning the pages. Kiss the Rain is the story of what happens when Jodi and Eve meet during London’s Fashion Week. It also tells how lives can change in seven days. The sex is extremely hot, and the tension is high. This is an enjoyable read which is perfect for a beautiful spring day.”—Just About Write
Vapor
“This story possibly takes the ultimate award in having two people completely misconstrue each other. Plus, they never talk about it. Of course, with the super sizzling action between the sheets, on the staircase, in the washroom, who really has time to discuss anything? Brilliant, engaging, funny, tearful, and loaded with love, I was beguiled from the very beginning. Hats off to Larkin Rose, another Bold Strokes Books author, for masterminding this marvelous book.”—Rainbow Book Reviews
No Leavin’ Love
“This story feels like an allegory and from that viewpoint it soars, dips, spins wildly around its central theme, and certainly touched my own heart’s periodic desire and longing to go home. These are two powerfully impressive women, who pretty much met their match between them. I certainly recommend you stay the course, enjoy the wedding, and then discover when or how the loose ends get resolved. Marvelously pleasurable!”—Rainbow Book Reviews
I Dare You
“Oh my goodness. Well, this is quite a lovely leap and a jump from Ms. Rose’s first book. Gritty, sexy as all get-out, and broadcasting her leading women’s passions, doubts, and strengths all over the place. I wouldn’t want it any other way. Kelsey and Jordan are very strong characters and it is hard to imagine them not burning each other out or obliterating each other from the face of the earth. I found this pairing incredibly refreshing and provocative.”—Rainbow Book Reviews
“Rose’s well-crafted debut novel is erotica with benefits—plausible plotting, a fast pace, and well-defined secondary characters, including an engaging gay drag queen whose sturdy shoulder is always there when Kelsey needs grounded queer advice.”—Q Syndicate
All She Wants
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All She Wants
© 2019 By Larkin Rose. All Rights Reserved.
ISBN 13: 978-1-63555-477-9
This Electronic Original Is Published By
Bold Strokes Books, Inc.
P.O. Box 249
Valley Falls, NY 12185
First Edition: September 2019
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.
This book, or parts thereof, may not be reproduced in any form without permission.
Credits
Editor: Cindy Cresap
Production Design: Susan Ramundo
Cover Design By Tammy Seidick
By the Author
I Dare You
No Leavin’ Love
The Pleasure Planner
Vapor
Kiss the Rain
Visions
Breaking the Rules
Dangerous Curves
All She Wants
Dedication
To Cindy, the coolest editor an author could ever have. That whip of yours, well, I kind of like it! *grin*
To Rad, because without her, BSB wouldn’t even exist. Thank you!
To the readers, as always, every word on these pages is for you.
And to Rose…another book, another year, and you are still the love of my life.
Chapter One
Tessa Dalton slid the client’s paperwork into a folder then dropped it into the filing cabinet and closed the drawer, eager to end her day of prepping for the upcoming wedding, the one for which she wouldn’t be present. She stood and shrugged on her jacket, hoping, yet not hoping, she could sneak past her sister Michelle on her way out the front door.
If she saw Michelle again before she left, she would give Tessa those blue puppy dog eyes, roll out her bottom lip, hang her head, and walk away without a word, continuing her almost perfect attempt to make Tessa feel guilty about leaving the company even though she was entering a contest that could change her life forever. God knew she was going to miss Michelle, helping her plan dream weddings and being part of a family team. But finding her own path in this thing called life was her ultimate goal. Going after her own future, her own dream of being a well-known wedding planner, maybe even owning a venue of her own, was the only thing she truly wanted. Not continuing to make Michelle’s dreams a reality.
Nor was it like she was leaving Michelle high and dry. Even if she did come out the other side of this eight-week adventure victorious, which she most certainly planned on doing, Michelle’s business was booming, clients l
ined up for many months for weddings, and the calendar was full of upcoming events. Michelle would be more than okay without her. She’d made sure of it. So no. Tessa had nothing to feel guilty about.
More than anything, she wanted her sister to continue her success. And as much fun as Tessa had helping her along every step of the way, she wanted something different for her own life. Yet something identical. In a different setting. In a whole new state.
A new life was waiting for her out there. In the mountains of Colorado. This contest was going to open that door for her, and fulfill another dream of hers, to one day live there, whether she conquered this quest or not. She was going to step through these next phases like a damn boss and dare anyone to stand in her way.
Tessa grabbed her purse and took a final glance around the office. There was a huge chance that she would never work here again. A chance that she wouldn’t have her sister in the office next door. Wouldn’t have their assistants to eat lunch with or help plan those fabulous weddings with.
In just a few weeks, this life could be over for her and a new one beginning.
The thought made her smile.
“Did you really think you were going to sneak past me today? Of all days?” Michelle leaned against the doorframe, thankfully, with her red tinged lips in place and not poked out like a pouting toddler.
“Just getting everything squared away for you.” Tessa pushed the chair under the desk and faced Michelle, wishing her older sister was more like their half sister, Monty, who couldn’t wait to drop Tessa off at the airport, eagerly pushing her to go grab the stars, beyond thrilled that Tessa was going to hang her hat on the moon. And if she made it to the final week, when only two teams were standing, she was going to join Tessa in Colorado and do just that. Help her hang her hat on the moon.
“I know I’ve given you shit the past few weeks about leaving me, because I’m going to miss the hell out of my sidekick, my admitted favorite sister, but you know I’m proud of you, right?” Michelle curled her lip out and angled her head to the side, spilling her blond hair over a shoulder. “I’m so, so proud of you.”
Tessa went to her and wrapped her in a tight hug. “I do know that. And I love you for it. And I’m really going to miss you, too.” She stepped out of her hug. “Speaking of sisters, Monty asked me to relay a message. She said to bite her.”
“The jerk.” Michelle chuckled. “And let me guess. You’re rushing out to meet her at that disgusting little bar where her disgusting twats gather to catch a glimpse of her. Or should we call it her favorite pickup fuck palace?”
“Be nice.”
Michelle had never bonded with their much younger half sister. She secretly blamed the “other” woman, Monty’s mother, for their parents’ breakup. As much as Tessa loved and adored their father, the blame rested solely on his shoulders. He was the married one. He was the one with a wife and children waiting for him at home. He was the one who was supposed to be loyal and true. Having an affair had been his choice and his choice alone.
The hostility Michelle carried after that affair had trickled down to Monty, the innocent result of their father’s mistake. The fling that rocked the sturdy ground beneath the Dalton family’s feet. Their parents had tried to salvage the marriage, to no avail. Truth was, that attempt was nothing more than a Hail Mary pass. Their relationship had been doomed long before their father admitted his guilt, or he wouldn’t have succumbed to weakness in the first place. Many moons before he hesitantly announced that he was going to be a father, again.
Tessa had remained neutral through the whole ordeal. No matter how sad she’d been, no matter how enraged she’d felt, she still loved her daddy. Even at only thirteen, she knew she had to continue to share that love between both her mother and her father. Actually, their mother had encouraged as much. She’d done the exact thing any mother should want for her children and did everything in her power to make sure they remained bonded to their father. But Michelle had refused to even speak to him. She wouldn’t take his calls. Wouldn’t answer his texts. And didn’t lay eyes on the baby until Monty’s first birthday. Even that was awkward, with Michelle standing in the distance, blank facial expression. But she’d gone, reluctantly and extremely verbal about her dislike of being made to go, but her appearance was a tiny step in the right direction and that was all Tessa could ask for.
Monty had been a happy, curious little thing, sharing Tessa’s and their father’s striking green eyes. She always wanted Tessa with her. Her love for Tessa kept her close, and their bond only grew stronger over the years.
While Tessa took pride in having another sister, Michelle refused to have any part of her. Even to this day, years away from that drama, her relationship was rocky with their father, and practically nonexistent with Monty except to exchange playful insults, and occasionally Monty would steal a hug. Their father had eventually married Monty’s mother, and although their mother had come to grips with the outcome of her marriage, that it was over, that he had moved on, that she would do the same, Michelle just couldn’t find the same peaceful conclusion.
Tessa doubted she ever would.
Michelle shrugged. “Like father, like daughter. Neither knows how to keep their dick in their pants.”
Tessa couldn’t argue with that. Monty had gained a reputation for being the town playboy. She dated no one, but fucked anyone. Married or single. Green, brown, black, or white. Monty had no partiality to the women she carried to her bed. A fact that drove Tessa insane. Color and creed were unimportant to Tessa as well. But that married thing. Absolutely not.
Monty was the opposite of the Dalton girls, or rather, the original Dalton girls, who were loyal, devoted, and were fairly picky when it came to relationships.
But Tessa couldn’t love Monty more even if she hated that one ugly trait. That she was basically a slut who never asked questions because the answers mattered not.
“Hug me again, mean ass. I promised Monty I would meet her for a celebratory drink.” Tessa squeezed Michelle as she stepped into her arms. “I’ll update you every week, every day, and every chance I get. I promise.”
Michelle faked a sniffle. “I want you to go rip all their heads off. Show them who the hell runs Colorado.”
Tessa giggled. “I was taught by the best so they don’t stand a chance.”
Thirty minutes later, Tessa walked into the bar. Monty’s second home. Hopefully, she wouldn’t have to run off the eager beavers looking to be Monty’s arm candy tonight. She wanted to spend some time with her without having to swat blatant invitations away.
This was a world she didn’t understand. The women. She just couldn’t understand them. It was like Monty had some magic aura around her that drew women, all women, married or not, right into her web. It was disturbing, actually. They just moved toward her, drawn to her perfect smile, hypnotized by Monty’s daunting eyes.
It was sick. Especially the married ones. They made Tessa’s blood boil. And sometimes, a lot of times, so did Monty.
As expected, she found Monty at one of the high-top tables, wearing her normal jeans and T-shirt, ball cap turned backward, and a group of women forming a semicircle around her.
Tessa sighed and made her way across the room. Without apologies, she eased onto a stool and took Monty’s drink from her hand. “Sorry to interrupt your ‘eeny, meeny, miny, moe’ decision-making moment, but I only have a few hours to spend with you and I absolutely refuse to spend that time watching grown women beg to be the notch on your bedpost.” She cut her sights on the women and let her gaze walk over each of their faces. “In case none of you understand my sarcastic comment, what that means is you’ll have to come back later.”
Grown, beautiful women. Well dressed. Appeared to have their shit together. Yet the fact that they were circling Monty like vultures proved they didn’t. Whatever was wrong with them? Didn’t they have self-respect? Didn’t they care about love? Didn’t they know that they were jostling for the attention of a well used fucking machi
ne?
Yes. That was her sister. Monty. A fucking machine. And she was damn proud of it sometimes. She didn’t care if she broke hearts. She didn’t care if she busted up marriages. She just didn’t care.
That part ate at Tessa the most. That Monty didn’t care. That she could lay her head on her pillow every night and sleep like a baby knowing she’d slept with a married woman and that woman was going to go home to her wife and act like she hadn’t just fucked a stranger. Nothing really mattered to her. She was out for one person and that person was herself.
God help her, but Tessa loved her anyway. No matter what. She had from the second her daddy carried Tessa to the hospital to meet the brand new tiny addition to their family. Tiny little fingers. Tiny little toes. Cute little button nose. And a head full of black hair. She was the cutest thing Tessa had ever laid eyes on, and she vowed to always be her friend and protector.
Problem was, she couldn’t seem to protect Monty from herself. Especially when Monty didn’t see anything wrong with the way she lived her life. With the many bar fights that had ensued from her careless behavior.
“Sorry, ladies.” Monty gave each of them a sexy smile. “My sister appears to be a little grouchy tonight. Can we catch up later?”
The women gave sweet smiles to Monty then cut fuck you glares on Tessa as they slowly moved away.