by Vivien Dean
A deep red flush crept up Gino’s neck as the attention shifted to him. “Still letting it sink in. I mean…it’s one thing for you guys to tell me about where you come from.” He glanced at the baggy T-shirt and shorts Maddy wore, and his color deepened even further. “It’s something else to see it in the flesh.”
Chuckling, Cash bent and pressed a kiss to the curve of Maddy’s neck. “You’ll get used to it all soon enough.” He stole a hand beneath the bottom edge of her shirt, splaying a warm palm across her quivering stomach. “Consider it a perk.”
“You can stay with me tonight,” Ava offered. When Gino’s eyes widened in surprise, she smiled and curled an arm through his. “Like I’d let my best guy be on his own his first night in a new place. We can figure stuff out like a job and where you live tomorrow.”
“What about you, Kate?” Maddy offered her friendliest smile. Now that they were back, she had to learn where she fit into Cash’s family’s life. “Are you staying in New York for a while, or are you flying back?”
“Wait a second.” Cash stiffened, drawing away from her. “Where’s Alonzo’s flunky?”
Kate looked less than happy. “Your guess is as good as mine. Since we got dropped back where we went through, I’d wager the same happened to him.”
“That could be anywhere.”
The further implication silenced the group. Cash’s enemy roamed free, and it was virtually guaranteed he was reporting back to Alonzo at that very moment. All their work to try to stop him back in the painting had been for naught.
“Why don’t we meet for breakfast?” Ava said.
The distraction was exactly what they needed, everyone jumping on the idea. Maddy watched the others leave, but when Cash began to follow, she caught his arm to stop him.
“You’re coming home with me, aren’t you?” she blurted.
Though his mouth curved into a gentle smile, there was definitely a shadow in his green eyes. “I wasn’t going to presume—” he started, only to be cut off by Maddy’s undignified snort.
“Since when?” Boldly, she looped her hands around his neck, pulling him down for a kiss. His lips were tentative, but the first swipe of her tongue across their seam had Cash groaning, crushing her against his chest while he devoured her mouth. Her feet left the floor as he lifted her up, sitting her on the edge of the table to make them more level, not once breaking the seal of their kiss. It was several long minutes before they stopped.
“God, I love you.” Strong hands cupped her face, holding her still while he kissed her one more time. “Don’t care where we go, so long as it’s together.”
When she shivered, it was as much from the chill of being in shorts in the storage room as it was from the deliberate caress of his hands along her ribcage. “My place,” Maddy replied. “You have no idea how much I’m looking forward to wearing my own clothes again.”
“Not as much as I’m looking forward to seeing you out of them.” Taking her hand, he pulled her from the table and led her toward the open door. “Let’s go.”
They were barely inside her apartment before Cash was tugging the baggy T-shirt up over her head, pressing her bare back to the closed door, attacking her neck with his mouth. Maddy moaned against the assault, but while she tilted her head to allow him better access, her fingers worked frantically to strip him of his own shirt. His muscles rippled beneath her fingertips, and every time it looked like she was finally going to get the garment out of her way, Cash shifted how he held her against the door and let it fall down again.
“No fair,” Maddy panted. His hand pushed past the lace of her bra to cup her breast, eliciting another moan. “This is so not fair.”
“Which part?” Cash rolled her nipple between his fingers, ignoring her attempts to squirm away. “It’s hardly my fault your clothing was begging me to take it off.”
“No complaints there.” She gasped when he nibbled along her shoulder, using his teeth to draw the bra strap out of his way. “It’s the me nearly naked, you not thing I have a problem with.”
Maddy squeaked as Cash suddenly stepped away, a hungry grin on his face. With a swift motion, he stripped the shirt over his head, toeing off his shoes at the same time. Though the apartment was still shrouded in darkness, the moonlight filtering through her blinds cast long shadows across his sculpted chest, outlining his bare arms in silver and black as the muscles there twitched. He was still smiling when his fingers moved to his waistband, but before Cash could undo more than the button, Maddy leapt forward and grabbed him by a belt loop.
“Not here,” she said, dragging him toward her bedroom. “I don’t want to have to try moving you when you drop dead asleep after we’re done.”
He let himself be towed, stroking her forearm with feathery strokes. “When have I ever fallen asleep on you afterward?” he said, pretending to be hurt.
Maddy didn’t answer. She was in too much of a hurry to have him kissing her again, and at that moment, she wanted to be stretched out on her own bed when it happened.
Cash closed the gap between them as she came to a halt at the foot of the mattress, settling his hands on her hips to pull her firmly back against his erection. “Why am I not surprised that you’re a neat freak?”
She glanced around the room, noting the made bed, the carefully positioned pillows, the books organized by author on the shelves. “It’s not that bad. It’s—”
“Very much you,” Cash finished. One of his hands slipped inside the waistband of her shorts, past the elastic of her underwear, to brush through the wiry curls of her mound. “Wouldn’t have it any other way.”
Fire leapt through her as he slid a finger inside. Closing her eyes, Maddy leaned back, reveling in the sensations of his soft strokes, but when he fumbled awkwardly with his jeans with a single hand, she reached behind to help.
“I could get used to this,” she murmured. Together, they pushed the denim down his hips, allowing his heavy cock to slip free and nuzzle against the small of her back. “We’ll have to figure out sleeping arrangements tomorrow. I can’t see either one of us being happy about having to run back and forth for clothes and stuff for too long.”
It had been said in jest, but the way Cash stilled against her was far from funny. His body was warm where it met her bare flesh, but when his hand retreated from between her legs, the chill she felt extended far below her skin.
“What’s wrong?” She twisted to face him. The lack of light had seemed romantic out in the living room, but now, it frustrated her as it hid his features from her scrutiny. “What did I say?”
“It’s not…” He stopped and exhaled, long and low, running a hand through his hair to muss the curls even further. When he tried to step away from her, his jeans tangled around his ankles, and he grumbled as he reached down to pull them the rest of the way off. “I was going to do this tomorrow,” Cash said, picking up the jeans to drape them over the chair. “But since you’ve brought it up now…”
Fear made Maddy stiffen. Folding her arms over her breasts, she stared at him and said, “What is it?”
“Us. Me. The fact that you never answered me about going to England.” He took a deep breath. “I can’t stay here, Maddy. I have to go.”
Her head whirled. So much had happened in such a short period. She’d asked for time to consider his request, but she’d never expected to run out of it so soon. “Let’s lie down and talk about this, okay?”
He followed her onto the bed as easily as he’d followed her into the room, stretching out on his side next to her with his head propped up on his hand. His shadowed gaze drank her in for several seconds before he rested his free hand along her midsection.
“I’ve been doing a lot of thinking ever since the night I got into the fight with Mack.” His voice was hypnotic, the circular strokes of his fingertips on her bare stomach even more so. “Not just about us, but about who I am, what I’m doing.”
“I know.”
“Alonzo knew how to find me,” he went on. “Going on, preten
ding I can continue to run away from my past…it’s pointless really. Because he’s not going to give up. He might even be successful next time, if I’m not prepared. So…I’ve decided to ask Kate to remove the dampening on my magic. At least that way I can defend myself and whoever he tries to target.”
“Good. I know how much you liked having it back.”
His fingers entwined with hers, his palm warm against her stomach. “It’s who I am. I need to stop running from it. But that doesn’t change the fact that I still want you with me.”
His decision made sense, and more, Maddy was glad of it. “It’s a big move for me. Both figuratively and literally.”
“I know. I’m asking you to take a huge risk.” His head bent, and his lips brushed across hers almost delicately. “I think we’re spectacular together.” Another kiss, just as soft, trailed across her brow. “And I’d like nothing more than the chance to show you the world if you let me. I can’t promise it’ll be easy, but I can swear it’ll be interesting, and you’ll never have to fear I won’t protect you with everything that I have.”
Her eyes fluttered shut when she felt his tongue trace the outer shell of her ear. His next words made her breath catch in her throat.
“Let me show you how magical you are,” Cash breathed. “And I give you my word you’ll never have the opportunity to think loving me is a mistake.”
She turned her head without hesitation, catching his lips with her own as her arms pulled him onto her. His cock rested heavily against her thigh, swelling again as their kiss deepened, and Maddy lifted her other knee in order to rub it against his hip.
Her decision was made. Maybe it had been when he’d first asked the question, or maybe it had always been a foregone conclusion, but there was no way she could let him go anywhere without her right there at his side.
“Aaron will hate us,” she murmured in between kisses. “He’s going to lose half his restoration team.”
“I’ll get Kate to sell him on the idea.” His eyes twinkled when she looked at him in confusion. “What? You didn’t see how he followed her around like a puppy while we were there? I’m surprised she didn’t make a bigger deal of it, actually. Kate hasn’t encouraged anybody’s attentions since her divorce.” He paused. “Was that a yes? Because that’s what it sounded like, but I’m just knackered enough at this point to start hearing what I want to.”
Maddy smiled. “It’s a yes.” She was still smiling as he rolled on top of her, spreading her legs and hooking them around his hips. It didn’t matter what the world around them looked like. It could be the museum, or old New York, or the English countryside. Their lives were now inextricably linked, bound together by music meant only for their ears.
They loved each other.
It was time to show everyone exactly what that meant.
About the Author
Vivien Dean has had a lifetime love affair with stories. A multi-published author, her books have been EPPIE winners, Romantic Times Reviewer's Choice Nominees, and reader favorites. After spending her twenties and early thirties traveling, she has finally settled down and currently resides in northern California with her husband and two children. For more information about Vivien and her books, visit her website at www.viviendean.com.
Look for these titles by Vivien Dean
Now Available:
Walk Among Us
A bootlegger will save her life. A debutante will steal his heart.
A Safe Harbor
© 2010 Moira Rogers
Building Sanctuary, Book 1
Joan Fuller enjoyed a privileged life—until her wealth and connections garnered her the wrong sort of attention. Her rejection of a textile heir’s proposal comes back to bite her when he turns out to be a werewolf on the prowl for a mate.
She may have been turned against her will, but now that she’s part of his pack she sets out to protect all its women. Even if that means joining forces with a witch and a vampire—and leaving the comfort of Boston.
Former bootlegger Seamus Whelan has cleaned up his act, but when his old partner Gavin comes to him for help, he can’t say no—no matter how deadly the threat. Escorting some female wolves to safety should have been easy, except their leader is a prim ex-debutante with enough power to challenge Seamus himself.
Her courage captures his interest, and her first hesitant kiss ensnares his heart. But before they can build a haven for their kind, they must free themselves of the past—and the powerful man who’s out to teach her a lesson she may not survive…
Warning: This novella contains a rakish werewolf bootlegger forced to join forces with a teetotaling ex-debutante as they fight epic battles, engage in criminal activities and eventually give in to inappropriate passion on a kitchen counter.
Enjoy the following excerpt for A Safe Harbor:
Seamus barely managed not to smile. She was sneakier than she gave herself credit for being, and he liked it. “I think you’ve got a bit of a rogue bottled up in you too, sweet Joan.”
She finally looked up, and her eyes glinted with amusement. “Women have been using men’s vices against them since men discovered vice.”
“Mm-hmm.” He cracked two more eggs into the bowl. “And what did they use against them before that?”
“Why would they need to? Men were angels. Now I’m thinking they might have been a bit boring too.”
“Men have never been angels, sweetheart.”
“I suppose not.” Her pen scratched against the paper again, more idle doodles. “I’ll enjoy learning about your vices, as long as I’m numbered among them.”
His greatest vice, and he proved it by not being able to stop himself from crossing to the table to slide his fingers through her hair. “Tell me something.”
She tilted her head back and smiled up at him. “Anything.”
He nuzzled her cheek and relished the scent of her. “What are your vices?”
“I don’t know.” The pen clicked against the table and her hands smoothed along his cheeks. “I never allowed myself to have any, except pride. That’s not a very fun one.”
“Mmm, I’m partial to lust, myself.”
Her lips found his ear, warm breath skating against him as she spoke. “You inspire lust in me.”
“Better than wrath.” He bent his head licked her earlobe gently.
Her breath caught on a tiny, startled noise and released on a sigh of pleasure. “You inspired a little of that too. Is it wrong to admit it makes the lust…sharper?”
“Wrong? No.” Seamus closed his teeth on her ear. “A little naughty, yes.”
That elicited a satisfyingly breathless gasp. Her fingers slipped down to curl in his shirt and her voice grew huskier. “I’ll have you know, I am never naughty.”
“No?” He couldn’t resist the soft curve of her throat, so he dropped his lips to it. “Not ever?”
“Maybe once. Or twice. I might have to concede that our antics in the bathtub last night were a little outrageous.”
Just thinking about having her under him again made his blood heat. “Outrageous enough for you to need more time to recover?”
Joan laughed as her hand edged under his shirt, her nails dragging lightly over his skin. “If you don’t stop treating me like I’m weak, we’re going to have to detour into wrath. I can feel how strongly the magic burns in you. Can’t you feel me?”
“Yes.” Her magic soaked into every pore of his body, vibrating inside him as they spoke. “But what sort of lover would I be if I didn’t concern myself over you?”
“Lover.” Her voice turned the word into a caress. Her teeth closed on his ear, mirroring the way he’d nipped at her, and pleasure shuddered up his spine.
Seamus leaned over, trapping her against the wood. “Lover.”
Joan eased her hand free and slid both up to hook under his suspenders. “I’m fine, Seamus. I’m aching for you.”
He could tell. The scent of her body, earthy and aroused, tickled his nostrils and stirred his ow
n body. “Tell me what you want.”
She guided his suspenders down. “Everything.”
There were plenty of things he could do to her, things she might never have heard of, but would love all the same. He grasped her hips, lifted her and turned to drop her on the counter. “Lean back.”
“Bossy.” She’d donned a loose men’s shirt and a flowing skirt, claiming she wanted to be ready if they had to shift. Now she smiled wickedly as she lifted her fingers and tugged the top button of her shirt open, then the second, revealing the smooth curve of her breasts. “Do women just do whatever you tell them to?”
“Sometimes,” he admitted.
The third button gave way, and the shirt slipped from her shoulder. The fabric caught on her breasts, snug enough to show how tight her nipples were. “Do you like it when a woman does whatever you tell her to?”
He didn’t bother to hide his feral grin as his hand grazed her inner thigh. “Sometimes.”
Joan drew her legs together, trapping his hand, then leaned forward until her lips hovered over his. “That sounds like submission,” she whispered, every word like a teasing kiss. She licked his lower lip and laughed. “I’ve listened to the gossip. I know that giving in to our instincts can make sex more…primal.”
“You want primal?” Her shirt was like paper under his hands, and he tore the fabric free of her body, though he left it wrapped around her arms. “Say the word, sweet Joan.”
She dragged in a breath and leaned into him, pressed her breasts to his chest with a shaky moan. “What word? Primal? Please?”
He chased her back until his body was stretched out over hers. “The word…is yes.”
“Yes.” Her head fell back, and she didn’t struggle, even though she could have easily torn her arms free of the tangle of her shirt. “Yes, yes, yes—”
She wore only plain cotton panties under the voluminous skirt, and Seamus tugged at them. “What other gossip have you heard?”
Wildness filled her eyes as she watched him. “That finding a man with a clever tongue is of paramount importance.”