by Carew, Opal
To Allie,
Thank you
for the love, support,
creative discussions, and
kick-ass character names!
“For Helpers see the anguish of a dream that’s never freed,
So they find the dream’s creator and they gently plant a seed.”
Acknowledgments
I’d like to give a special thanks to my wonderful editor, Rose, for her patience and enthusiasm for my books, and especially for arranging this wonderful book cover!
Thanks to Emily, my great agent, for inspiring ideas and keeping me on track.
Thanks to Mark and Colette for their love, support and quality assurance.
Thanks to Allie for helping me get unstuck with helpful, creative conversations, for some great ideas for character names, and especially for her warm and generous nature!
Contents
Title Page
Dedication
Acknowledgments
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty-one
Ad card
Copyright page
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One
Sloan Granger hung up his uniform and closed his locker. He was still getting used to life on the police force in the beautiful town of Kenora, Maine. He’d moved here two months ago and didn’t regret his decision to leave L.A. at all. It was quieter here and more relaxed, which meant he could focus on more important things than the stresses of the job.
Derek Jameson, still dressed in his own uniform, walked into the locker room.
“Hey, Sloan.” He opened his locker a few down from Sloan’s, then sat on the flat wooden bench and untied his shoes. “Any big plans for the weekend?”
“Not really. You have something in mind?”
He and Derek had gone out for beers and worked out at the gym a couple of times.
“That depends. Are you seeing anyone right now?”
Sloan raised an eyebrow at the question. “No. I’ve been too busy settling in.” But Sloan knew exactly whom he intended to start dating. Derek didn’t know it—none of his new friends did—but Janine was the reason Sloan had chosen to move to Kenora.
Janine and Sloan had history. They’d grown up together and, if things hadn’t gotten screwed up because of devastating events, they would be in a relationship right now. But fate had kicked them both in the butt and sent them in different directions. Janine had moved to Kenora six years ago. Mostly to get away from Sloan. He knew that, and he was here to fix it.
“Great. I was wondering if you were free on Friday night.”
“Are you trying to fix me up with someone?” Sloan asked. “Because I’m really not interested.”
“First, this isn’t a fix up … exactly … and second, if you’re not interested in what I’m about to suggest, you need to have your head examined.”
Sloan sat down on the bench, too. “Okay, I’ll bite. What’s on the table?”
Derek leaned toward him. “I go out with this really hot woman and … she really likes pushing the envelope, if you know what I mean.”
“So you’re suggesting what, exactly?” Sloan hadn’t been with a woman in quite a while—how could he since all he could do lately was think about Janine? He intended to win Janine’s heart, but a wild, no-strings-attached hookup with Derek’s woman sounded hot. He had to admit, he was tempted.
“She has this fantasy of having sex with a stranger. We’ve done it where she’s had a blindfold on and we pretend she doesn’t know me, but she’d like to try the real thing. I told her I could find someone I trust, and who would be discreet.”
“So it would be just her and me?” That would be a bit weird. Making out with a total stranger, knowing she was Derek’s girlfriend.
“No, I’ll be there. Watching. And getting involved if that seems comfortable once things get started. She’ll be blindfolded, at least at first, to heighten the situation. That should make things less awkward, too.”
“Sounds like you have this all planned out. You do this a lot?”
“Not the stranger thing. This is the first time. But we’ve done threesomes before.”
“Wow, you’ve got a really hot one there.”
Derek grinned. “Hot in attitude and looks.” He pulled his wallet from his pocket and flipped it open to a picture of a beautiful blonde with an angelic smile.
Sloan’s heart stopped as he stared at the picture of Janine.
* * *
Sloan’s heart thundered in his chest as he climbed behind the wheel of his car then sat staring out the windshield at the gray brick wall of the police station.
Derek was dating Janine. Worse, Derek shared her with other men. Sloan’s stomach twisted. His sweet, wonderful Janine.
God, she’d always pushed the boundaries as a teen. Staying out late. Trying to get attention from Ben and from Sloan. Of course, she’d always had Sloan’s attention, but she had an impish side that required her to torture Sloan as best she could. Or so it had always seemed to him.
Later she always seemed to have a lot of guys around, but he’d never dreamed …
She’d never appeared to get serious about anyone. He’d always hoped it was because she was waiting for him. If things had been different … If Ben hadn’t—
His throat closed and he shook his head, scattering the painful memories before they settled into his mind again, dragging him through hell.
Sloan’s hands tightened around the steering wheel. God damn it. Things should have gone differently. She should have been his. If only he hadn’t been such an idiot and delayed pursuing a relationship with her for so long.
He started the car and put it into gear, then pulled out of the parking lot and turned left on Jarvis Street. He’d told Derek he’d let him know later. But for God’s sake, how could he show up out of the blue as Janine’s fantasy stranger? When she saw him, she’d …
He turned on Bloomington Street. What would she do? She was an experienced woman, pushing the sexual envelope. She thought nothing of having sex with more than one man at a time, or of having sex, blindfolded, with a total stranger. His fingers tightened around the gearshift as he shifted into fourth.
What would she do if she took off the blindfold and saw Sloan?
His groin tightened at the thought of Janine lying naked beneath him, a blindfold covering her eyes, his swollen cock gliding inside her. He sucked in a deep breath. God, he wanted so badly to make love to her. To experience that with her.
The stranger thing was her fantasy. Would it be so wrong to suggest to Derek that he agree to do the fantasy as long as she kept the blindfold on the whole time? That way she’d never know it was him and he’d get a chance to do what he’d always wanted to do with Janine. Make intense, passionate love to her. Even if she didn’t know it was him.
On the other hand, if he didn’t do it, Derek would find someone else, and that thought drove Sloan crazy. He didn’t want another man touching her. It was bad enough that Derek made love to her on a regular basis, but some stranger …
God damn, the fact that she was in a relationship with Derek …
How serious were they? He turned from Bloomington Street ont
o Carriage Drive, a beautiful tree-lined street of large, stately houses.
Given that they invited other partners into the relationship, he would guess they weren’t all that serious. If they were, they wouldn’t be looking for excitement outside the relationship.
That meant he just had to wait it out.
Maybe he could find a way to become a regular third in their bed, since she seemed to be okay with that kind of thing. Then when her relationship with Derek waned, Sloan would be right there.
He’d had a chance to have her in his life—to love her and be loved by her—but he’d blown it. Now nothing would stop him from winning her love. He would convince her he was the right man for her, the one to make her happy for the rest of her life.
Somehow he would convince Janine to marry him.
But this Friday night, he would be her fantasy stranger.
* * *
“What do you think of this?” Janine stood in the doorway to the kitchen wearing her sexy leather harness, which covered nothing of importance.
Derek’s gaze shifted from the newspaper he’d been reading at the kitchen table to her. A wide grin spread across his handsome face, lighting up his chocolate brown eyes. She wanted to run her fingers through his thick, black hair and kiss those full, sexy lips of his.
“Sensational.” He stood up and walked toward her, his gaze wandering the length of her body.
He looked incredibly sexy in his dark blue police uniform. Six foot two, thick muscular arms, broad shoulders, and a solid chest. Her nipples rose, tightening, sending tingles through her. He tucked his fingers under the swell of her breast, then lightly stroked her sensitive flesh.
“I can’t believe I’m saying this, but I think you should cover these up.”
Her eyebrows arched. “Really?”
His hand stroked over her breast, then tweaked her nipple, sending sharp sensations spiraling through her.
“Well, I think it will be too much for my friend all at once.” Derek’s hand glided down her belly, then cupped her mound. “This, too.”
His finger stroked her, then pushed in a little.
She grabbed his tie and tugged him forward, then thrust her tongue into his mouth as their lips merged.
“If you keep doing that”—she sent him a fierce smile as she cupped his balls through his pants and squeezed—“then I’m going to pull out that big cock of yours and fuck you right on the floor.”
Derek chuckled and drew his hand from her moistening slit, but she noticed the bulge in his pants had extended. He loved it when she acted aggressive and talked dirty.
“When is your friend coming over?” She unfastened the strap around her neck, then turned her back toward him. “Would you get the snaps at my waist?”
He unfastened them. “Not that I’m complaining, mind you, but you did these up on your own when you put it on.”
“Sure. But this is way more fun.”
The harness fell away from her body and he handed it to her.
“He should be here in about half an hour.”
“Okay.” She turned to face him, then ran her fingers over the black leather pouch attached to his belt. “I see you have your handcuffs.”
“Yep. I always carry them when I’m with you. Though I don’t know why I bother. You have at least two pairs of your own.”
“Yeah, but mine aren’t real police handcuffs like yours.”
“Actually, they are. Except the pink ones.” He grinned. “Well, they are, too, but not ones any cop I know would carry around.”
She shrugged. “But mine haven’t been used by real police to keep people captive.” For some reason, the thought that his handcuffs had actually been used to restrain people always turned her on. When Derek snapped them around her wrists, she felt like he was really taking her prisoner.
His brown eyes darkened and he dragged her naked body against his and plundered her mouth. “The thought of my handcuffs is making you hot, isn’t it?”
She grinned up at him. “You know it.”
“Since you like dating men of authority, you’ll love my friend.”
Derek hadn’t told her the guy’s name. That would ruin the game they wanted to play—Janine having sex with a handsome stranger. Derek had assured her his friend was extremely good-looking. Not that it mattered as long as he knew how to treat a woman and liked sex.
Hot, wild sex.
* * *
Janine disappeared into the master bedroom and opened her overnight bag. She riffled through the outfits she’d brought, then pulled on a sexy leather bra and thong. Silver chains cascaded from the bra and short links of chains adorned the front of the thong. Anticipation spiked through her as she glanced at the clock. Fifteen more minutes.
She walked down the hall to the second bedroom, where Derek stood waiting for her.
He smiled. “Very nice.”
He led her to the wall, where there were sturdy metal loops mounted just above her shoulder height about two and a half feet apart. Metal cuffs dangled from chains attached to the loops. Derek had installed the loops specifically for this kind of play, and when they weren’t being used for bondage, he removed the chains and hung candle sconces from them.
He grasped her lower arm and lifted it, then snapped one of the cuffs around her wrist. The feel of the cold steel against her skin sent her hormones dancing. He took her other wrist and fastened the other cuff around it. She stood with her back to the wall, her arms hanging from the cuffs.
He stepped away and smiled. “You look incredibly sexy standing there, totally helpless.”
Of course, she wasn’t totally helpless. If she told him to release her, she knew he’d do it in an instant, and she had her safe word in case she wanted to stop things anywhere along the way.
Still, she felt helpless. He could touch her any way he wanted. Strip off her clothes. Do whatever he wanted to her, and she couldn’t stop him. Not physically.
She had to trust that he’d actually stop if she told him to.
His friend, this stranger she’d never met and whom she wouldn’t even see tonight, could do whatever he wanted, too. He would see her. All of her. Naked. Flushed. In the throes of passion. His big hands would caress her. His fingers would slide into her. His cock would fill her.
The doorbell rang.
She sucked in a breath. Oh, God, she was nervous—and extremely turned-on.
“Showtime,” Derek said as he slipped the satin eye mask over her face.
The elastic held it firmly in place. She could see nothing.
She heard Derek’s footsteps cross the room, then go down the hall. A moment later, she heard the front door open, then two pairs of footsteps retracing Derek’s steps.
She could feel the stranger’s presence the moment he walked in the room. She didn’t know who this man was, but knowing he stood close, looking at her, sent a quiver through her. She stood very still, trying to keep her breathing even.
The total silence dragged on interminably.
Finally, Janine pulled at the chains on the wall. She heard his footsteps as the stranger walked toward her. He stopped and she could feel the heat of his gaze caressing her body. She almost gasped when she felt his hand brush over her shoulder, then graze the tops of her breasts, where they swelled from the black leather bra.
Her skin tingled at his touch, goose bumps dancing across her flesh. Then his hand stroked up her neck and his fingers spiked through her long, straight hair as he cupped her head. She felt his heat as he moved closer. His lips brushed hers and an electric sensation quivered through her.
She hadn’t expected him to kiss her. She thought he’d be interested in her only below the neck, but his mouth meshed with hers and his lips moved gently. The tip of his tongue glided along the seam of her mouth and she opened. His tongue slid inside and she met it with hers. They tangled, and he pushed deeper, filling her, his mouth mastering hers.
He released her lips and she sucked in air. God, what a sensational kiss.<
br />
His fingers stroked her hair and continued down her chest, stopping above her breast. She waited for the feel of his big hand cupping her, then squeezing, anticipating it with eagerness. His finger dipped between her breasts. He stroked lightly, then his hand enveloped one mound of flesh.
His hand was so hot, so big. Her nipple pushed forward. She longed to feel bare flesh on bare flesh. She arched forward, wanting him to rip the bra from her body and ravage her breasts with his mouth.
“Oh, God, I can’t do this,” a masculine voice grated.
She froze. His voice … Oh, God, it couldn’t be.
“Sloan?”
* * *
Sloan stepped back, away from the lure of her delectable, nearly naked body. Away from the first chance—serious chance—he’d ever had to fulfill his deepest desire to make love to the woman of his dreams. Janine.
He’d wanted her for years. And she’d known it.
When Sloan had called Derek to accept the invitation for this fantasy night, Derek had clarified that his relationship with Janine was more of a close-friends-with-benefits kind of thing. Apparently, she dated other guys, too. That meant Sloan could actively pursue her, and he fully intended to do so. Hopefully, he hadn’t just ruined his chances for good.
Derek unfastened one of her wrists, then the other one as Janine reached for the blindfold. Sloan wanted to flee, but he wouldn’t. He always faced his demons. Even a spitfire blonde with the eyes of an angel and the heart of a hellcat.
She tugged the black satin eye mask from her face, revealing those beautiful blue eyes of hers, the same color as the turquoise blue topaz ring on her right ring finger that her brother—and Sloan’s best friend—had bought for her graduation day. Now those eyes blazed with emotion, though whether anger or something else he couldn’t tell.
“What the hell are you doing here?” she demanded.
Ah, anger.
He grinned, knowing that would throw her off-kilter.
“Is that any way to greet an old friend?”