Walking around the side of the house, I come to a stop and smile when I see the love of my life relaxing in the hammock with his drink of choice in his hand and a book open on his stomach.
“You’re a sight for sore eyes, baby. Come and join me,” he invites, smiling.
How can I refuse my sexy guy?
Getting settled with him in the hammock, I wrap my arm around his stomach and snuggle into him. He’s so comfortable that I’m not sure I’ll be able to move later. I love coming home to him and never want that to change. He makes me giddy with the love I have for him and the love he throws at me all the time.
Bending my knee, I bring it up on to his lap, which is my usual position. And as usual he’s hard for me. I hope that never changes as I wiggle a bit closer.
He groans. “Stop that. I want to enjoy holding you for a while. I missed you this afternoon.” He kisses me on my forehead.
“I missed you as well, but it was worth the trip. I got you a fantastic present, which you can’t have until tomorrow.”
He hates surprises.
“You’ll tell me before then.”
“No I won’t.”
“Yes you will. Because I can play dirty and refuse to let you come until you’ve told me,” he smirks.
“You always play dirty and I love it.” I rise up slightly and kiss him on the lips. “I never knew what dirty sex was until I met you. You have a lot to answer for.”
“You complaining?”
“Never,” I chuckle. “I’m planning on getting down and dirty with you in the morning to celebrate your birthday in style.”
“Mmm. Sounds good babe. Are we still going to meet the guys and their wives tonight?”
I pinch him. “That was a quick change of subject.”
“I need to think about something else, otherwise we won’t be going anywhere.”
“I should have known, and yes, we’re meeting them later at Kix.”
Which reminds me. “When I dropped Dahlia off at Kix there was an older woman we haven’t seen before. As Ryder walked down the steps out front to come over to us, she climbed out of her car and threw herself into Ryder’s arms. From the shocked look on his face she was unexpected. I couldn’t decide whether the hug looked innocent, like perhaps she was his Mom, or whether she was someone Dahlia needed to worry about. Dahlia looked nervous, but insisted I head back to you. I feel as though I should have stayed with her. That she might be in need of some support.” I shrug. “But I really didn’t know what to make of it. Has he said anything to you?”
I move to straddle him—my favorite position.
His eyes narrow.
“He has only ever mentioned that his past is screwed up, which is preventing him from being with Dahlia. He seemed torn up about it because he really wants to be with her. And what are you doing?” he asks as I start rocking against him.
“I need you.”
“Hmm.” Donovan pulls me down so he can reach my mouth and kisses me. “If we’re going out, we need to shower and change.”
“Shower?”
“Trust you to pick out that one word.”
I smirk, wrapping myself around him as much as I can in the hammock and bury my face in his neck. “Thank you for making me so happy. For loving me. I love you so much Donovan.” I finish nibbling on his earlobe.
“Stop that.”
As I start to rise back into a sitting position, he cups my face in his hands and tells me, “You’re everything to me, Mara. Don’t ever forget that.”
“I won’t,” I reply, tears in my voice.
The End
Sneak Peak at
Savor
Bad Boy Rockers #4
Draft – Subject to Change
Prologue
Ryder
At the carnival…
Watching Dahlia walk towards me, my heart practically leaps out of my chest. She’s beautiful with her sexy, long legs going on for miles in her little shorts and cowgirl boots. Her snug tee shirt in the purple silk makes my mouth water with the way it caresses over her perfectly sized breasts.
As she comes to a stop in front of me, she passes me a coke.
“Thanks,” I reply, hoping to make eye contact with her.
She meets my gaze and seems to be waiting for some kind of signal from me, which I give with a smile. Letting her know we’re good. Even though it was me being a dick before that caused her to get bent outta shape.
I really need to talk to her, but I’m not sure what the hell to say—to explain why we can’t be involved. For the first time in my life I’ve met someone I want a lot more from, but I’m too damn honorable to do anything about it.
I’ve met other women in the past who have tempted me, but I never followed through with them. I’m a guy and get urges, which I take care of with my hand, and have done for a hell of a long time.
Dahlia is different though. I want her with a passion I’ve never known, and knowing that torments me like nothing ever has before.
Donovan nudges me, breaking into my thoughts. “We’re heading back to the hotel. We’ll see you guys tomorrow.”
I vaguely hear him as my attention is still on Dahlia. The way her mahogany hair falls down her back and over her shoulders to the tips of her breasts. She has freckles over her nose and her cheekbones, making her look like the girl next door. She takes my breath away every time I look at her. When we first met, my opinion of her wasn’t all that good, but that soon changed when Reece put me straight.
All we are ever going to have is friendship, if I don’t screw that up. I screw everything up.
Six years ago, I was still in the marines and should have known better. I screwed my life up and now I have to live with it, when all I want to do is build something with the woman standing in front of me.
“You really are beautiful,” I blurt out.
Her eyes widen in surprise before sadness crosses her features. “Don’t Ryder. Just don’t okay? It was a mistake before so let’s just forget it. I don’t have many friends and I don’t want to lose you.”
Fuck!
“I don’t have anything to say other than I’ll try. My life’s so screwed up.”
She slides her hand into mine.
“So is mine. C’mon. Teach me to shoot.”
Dahlia
Taking Ryder’s hand has me scared in case he refuses me, but to my relief he doesn’t.
The kiss we shared not too long ago was hot and I didn’t want it to end, but he quickly pulled away and apologized for kissing me. It hurt a lot when I’ve dreamed of him kissing me since we first met.
There’s something about Ryder that calls out to me. He seems lonely, which first attracted me to him. Not that there’s anything wrong with the rest of him. His muscular chest, and six-pack abs are drool worthy with his tight buns and strong legs making up the rest of his body’s attributes. He might be cute as well, but we won’t mention that.
Sometimes he looks at me as though I’m the only one he sees. The way Reece looks at Callie. But he never does anything about it. He’s hinted more than once that he has a screwed up past, but he won’t say anything else.
I’d be lying if I didn’t say I was curious. Who wouldn’t be? I just wish he’d tell me so I knew why he won’t take our obvious attraction to the next level.
As we approach the shooting range, his thumb is caressing mine, and I don’t think he realizes he’s doing it. I’m not about to complain though because the pleasure his touch gives me makes my heart beat faster. I have no wish to let go of him, but as the guy looking after the stalls approaches us, I’m not going to have a choice if I want to have a chance at winning one of the large bears. My shooting skills aren’t that bad, thanks to Reece, but I might have to do some acting and hopefully I’ll get Ryder’s arms around me as he shows me the proper stance to shoot those ducks.
“How many?” the guy asks.
“Just my girl,” Ryder replies, and my heart does a leap of joy. Just my girl! Is this how
he thinks of me?
He pays the guy before turning his attention back to me. “Do you know what you’re doing here?”
A little white lie is okay, right? “Not really. Will you show me?”
I hold his gaze while he decides whether or not I’m being serious, but he gives in with a sigh.
“C’mon. Take hold of this.” He passes me the gun. “Now relax.” He steps in behind me and runs his arms from my shoulders to my hands. He keeps one hand around mine on the weapon and his other hand rests on my hip.
Everyone else disappears as my senses take over with the feel of his heat surrounding me.
“Dahlia,” he whispers against my ear.
I turn my head to face him, and not realizing just how close he is to me, my lips brush against his. My eyes immediately shoot up to his as Ryder’s hand tightens on my hip…
Chapter One
Ryder
Six weeks later…
Watching my mom climb out of her car at the same time as I notice Mara’s car pull up, sends my day straight to hell.
All afternoon I’ve been looking forward to Dahlia’s return because I’d missed the hell out of her while she’d been out shopping with Mara. Apparently, she needed a new dress to wear on our first date tonight after I’d finally thought ‘to hell with the past’ and asked her out to dinner. Now seeing my mom with a huge grin on her face running towards me, fear rips through my chest.
Up until now I’ve managed to keep my past just that, but my mom isn’t known for her tact, which means within the hour Dahlia is going to know everything there is to know about me.
Throwing herself into my arms, I try to hide the shock and fear on my face from her.
“It’s good to see you,” she says squeezing the life out of me.
I’m still in shock at finding her on my doorstep, to reply.
What the hell is she doing here?
“I can see I’ve surprised you.” She pulls away and looks me over. “You look good... Ryder for goodness sake, say something.”
“Um…What are you doing here?”
She rolls her eyes and turns back towards her car, but Dahlia’s approach has snagged her attention. She looks back at me before turning back to watch Dahlia.
Her brain is probably going ten to the dozen wondering what’s going on.
Over my mom’s head, I meet Dahlia’s gaze and my heart drops to my feet when it hits me like a brick that she’s never going to be with me.
As soon as she finds out about my past and the reason why I’m constantly pushing her away she’ll be gone, and I’ll be left more alone than I’ve ever been in my life.
Since I’ve become friends with Dahlia, she’s given me a reason to get out of bed every day. She made me want to go on.
What do I have if she walks away from me? Nothing.
Dahlia
Sending Mara off back to Donovan isn’t one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. As I approach Ryder and the older woman I’m starting to get a really bad feeling in the pit of my stomach. Who is she? Something tells me she’s about to bring the bubble that I’m in with Ryder crashing down around my feet.
Since the carnival, when we kissed, our relationship has started to head in a new direction—that of friendship. Ryder hasn’t kissed me on the lips since although he’s always pulling me into him for a hug and kissing me on the top of my head. We spend practically all our time together and for the past week I’ve been living above Kix with him. We have separate bedrooms, but I’m starting to get frustrated, and I think he is as well. Sometimes he looks at me as though I’m the only one he sees, which fills my heart with hope.
But now I’m approaching him he looks as though his best friend has died, which causes a hitch in my step, as I get closer to him.
“Ryder? Who is this?” the woman asks.
Ryder clears his throat and looks damn uneasy. “She’s a friend,” he finally answers, but doesn’t make a move towards me.
“Well, if she’s a friend don’t you think you should introduce us?”
“No,” he replies.
Why is he being so rude?
The woman shakes her head and holds her hand out towards me.
“I’m his mom. Please call me, Ellen. And you are?”
My tongue feels frozen to the roof of my mouth. His mom. Oh God!
“I’m Dahlia.”
“Oh what a lovely name. Do you live around here?”
Now Ryder shift’s and takes hold of his mom by her elbow. “Why don’t we go inside?”
“Oh, stop. I’m not ancient yet. I’m talking to your friend.”
I frown wondering why his mom would put emphasis on the your. Is she thinking that there is more going on than what he’s telling her? Or is her meaning completely escaping me?
Ellen turns back to me. “So… Do you live around here?”
“I live above Kix with Ryder,” I finally answer, not ashamed to acknowledge the fact.
Ryder closes his eyes as his mom gasps.
“But—”
“Mom, let’s go and talk.”
Ryder turns his back on me and tries to usher his mom inside Kix while ignoring me.
What the fuck is going on? What am I missing?
“Stop!” Ellen pulls her arm free of Ryder’s. “What is going on? Why are you living in sin?” she asks him.
“Sin,” I blurt out.
“My son is married,” she clarifies.
“Fuckin’ hell,” Ryder cusses, looking like he’s about to hurl and all I can hear is the blood rushing through my ears.
Married. Married. This cannot be happening to me.
I start backing away from them just needing to be alone. Needing the throbbing in my head to disappear and for it to be morning again before Ryder’s mom came for a visit and destroyed what was left of my life.
Turning, I start to run towards the road and hear Ryder’s foot falls as he runs after me, shouting my name.
Savor, Bad Boy Rockers #4
Coming soonish
Savor, Book 4
Ryder and Dahlia’s story
Coming end 2014/early 2015
Cover Model – Arron Solie
Image Copyright – Golden Czermak, FuriousFotog
Cover Designer – Robin Harper, Wicked Cool Design
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About the Author
I was born in Bolton, Lancashire within the United Kingdom, where I lived, and worked at the University of Bolton. In 2010, I moved to Ireland with my husband, four kids and pack of animals.
I'm a NY Times and USA Today Bestselling Author of Devour, and International Bestselling Author of Seduce and Sizzle.
My time is spent writing when I can get away from Facebook, and chasing after the kids and animals.
One of my all time ambitions is to visit Mount Everest base camp in the Himalayas.
Thank you to each and every one of you for your continued support.
http://www.lexibuchanan.net
@AuthorLexi
[email protected]
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