Players
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His parents had fallen in love with her on sight, and she and his mother had quickly become friends. His only hope was that she didn’t scare Candace off with all her badgering about how soon they planned to start having babies. His mom had a one-track mind.
“Who’s asleep? I’ve been lying here waiting patiently for you to wake up so I could jump your bones.”
“Why’d you wait, babe? You know you don’t need an invitation. You can jump my bones anytime and anywhere.” His voice was low and wickedly sensual.
“Really? Anywhere?” Her eyes stretched wide and sparkled with mock amazement and mischief.
He felt that familiar punched-in-the-gut feeling he always got when he looked into that beautiful sparkling well of brown and golden flecks.
“Don’t act like you’re surprised. I think it’s safe to say that our escapade in the elevator more than justifies that statement. Not to mention the kitchen counter, the dining room table—and let us not forget the hot tub in the backyard. If you want to try something different, why don’t we stay in the bed for a change?” He chuckled.
“You must have been reading my mind.” She grinned as she reached down and wrapped her hand around his shaft and felt it pulse and come alive in her palm. She gripped it firmly and stroked the length of it, letting her thumb slide across the head and make tiny circles over the tip. He groaned his pleasure, enjoying her soft touch. She leaned in and traced his lips with her tongue, insisting he open for her, and he complied. Once the kiss started, he took over and dominated her, taking it deep. He pulled her head back and skimmed her throat with his lips and tongue, and then spoke into her neck, his breath warm against her skin.
“Don’t you have somewhere to be?” he asked.
“Mm hmm.”
“You know, if you start this, I’m not letting you out of this bed until we’re finished.”
“So, stop talking.” She breathed in his ear. “Time’s a-wasting.”
“I’m just giving you fair warning, babe.” He covered her mouth with his, and in one swift move he flipped over onto his back and pulled her on top of him. She spread her legs, opening wide to allow his cock easy access to slide inside her wet, warm channel. The sensation made them both shudder and groan with pleasure, and they were immediately swept away and lost inside their self-made world of love and lust.
• • •
She raised her head and looked at the clock on the dresser, and her eyes grew wide with alarm. “Damn it. Look what you’ve done. I’m going to be late! Sarona and Joyce are going to kill me.” She jumped out of bed and hurriedly gathered her things. “They warned me not to spend the night with you because they knew this would happen. I can just see them now, tapping their feet and checking their watches. I’ll have to listen to them muttering ‘I told you so’ for the rest of the day.”
Brice looked at her with a satisfied grin. She might be frantic, but he was feeling pretty damn good.
“Hey, don’t blame me. I warned you.”
“I am not taking all the blame for this, mister. If I go down, you’re going down with me. Don’t just lie there. Get up! We’ve got a wedding to go to!”
“Go ahead and get in the shower. I’d join you, but we both know I won’t be able to keep my hands off of you. I’d only make you later than you already are. I’ve got a little more time than you.”
“Yeah, you’re right.” She gave him a hurried kiss on the lips and rushed into the bathroom to take a quick shower and dress.
He lay back with his fingers laced together behind his head, grinning like an idiot as he stared at the ceiling. He felt like the luckiest man in the world. The woman he loved was only a few feet away, and very soon, she’d be a permanent fixture in his life and in his home.
• • •
The wedding march sounded, and all heads turned to watch the bride’s approach. The groom was nervous but proud and sported a grin across his face from ear to ear. The bride was led down the aisle on the arm of her father, who smiled and proudly delivered her into the hands of her husband-to-be. When she took her place among the group, they stood in a row in front of the altar, the six of them, all friends. They had come together in a time of trouble and near loss, and now they stood together in a time of joy to bear witness to the blending of friendships and families. This union would make the bond between them tighter, stronger.
Brice looked across the narrow space that separated them all, and then stared at Candace. Her transformation from tousled lover to elegant beauty was breathtaking. She was the product of that wonderful magic women worked when the occasion called for something special. He couldn’t take his eyes off of her. The love he felt welled up inside and threatened to overflow, and he was completely consumed by a tidal wave of emotion. During the course of the ceremony, the minister’s voice resonated throughout the church as he spoke in reverent tones. But Brice was so focused on her face, her lips, and her eyes that the words were lost to him.
David poked him in the ribs. “Hey,” he whispered loudly, his voice rippling with repressed laughter. “Pay attention. Your turn will come soon enough.”
The minister repeated his question. “May we have the ring, please?” Brice grinned sheepishly and reached into his inside pocket to retrieve the wedding band and handed it to David. David turned and smiled at his lovely bride and repeated his wedding vow in a clear, strong voice. Brice listened to the words of commitment as he looked meaningfully at Candace, and she returned his stare with a look of understanding.
David was right; their turn would come soon enough. They had come a long way together. The evil villain had been thwarted, the beautiful maiden had been rescued, and the hero had gotten the girl. It was a happily-ever-after ending . . . after all.
To Antwan Burton and Angela Burton. A mother couldn’t ask for a better or more supportive son, or a more perfect daughter-in-law. The two of you belong together, and I’m so very glad you both belong to me.
To Cathy Ray, Patricia (Patty) Pugh, Denise Jackson, and Zaida Martin. Thank you all for your continued support and encouragement, and for giving me your time and helpful advice. And a special thanks to you, Patty, for pushing me so hard to work on this book and complete it. If not for your relentless insistence that I stop procrastinating, it might still be sitting on my hard drive.
To Kurt, my very enthusiastic friend and editor. Thank you for the male perspective.
Copyright © 2015 by Lotchie Burton.
All rights reserved.
This book, or parts thereof, may not be reproduced in any form without permission from the publisher; exceptions are made for brief excerpts used in published reviews.
Published by
Crimson Romance
an imprint of Simon & Schuster, Inc.
57 Littlefield Street
Avon, MA 02322
www.crimsonromance.com
ISBN 10: 1-4405-8908-9
ISBN 13: 978-1-4405-8908-9
eISBN 10: 1-4405-8909-7
eISBN 13: 978-1-4405-8909-6
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, corporations, institutions, organizations, events, or locales in this novel are either the product of the author’s imagination or, if real, used fictitiously. The resemblance of any character to actual persons (living or dead) is entirely coincidental.
Cover art © iStockphoto.com/LuminaStock
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