“Damn good job you had the sense not to go with her,” Steve said with a serious frown. “You could have ended up anywhere, and we’d have no way of knowing.”
Summer felt Nathan hold her a little tighter as the realization hit them all.
“I didn’t trust her. Then I didn’t know if I was being fooled by the note. Nathan wasn’t here, so I guess someone was just playing a trick there.” Summer frowned thoughtfully. “I wonder who sent the note.”
“The same person who sent me the prank call, I guess,” Nathan said, handing his cell over to Ratner.
“Hmm, did they speak to you?”
“Yeah. It was a guy. Vaguely familiar, I think, but I’m not certain. It was a bad reception, so I took it in one of the offices downstairs.” Nathan pouted, obviously quite pissed at being duped.
“Did anyone see you take the call?” Steve asked, narrowing his eyes.
Nathan’s eyes widened. “Yeah. Mandy from HR was hanging around the foyer when I went through. I didn’t think anything of it.”
“OK, we’ll look into it. I’ll let you know as soon as I find out anything. In the meantime, enjoy your afternoon.” Steve gave Nathan a knowing wink and put his notebook back into his pocket. He saluted Summer before leaving.
No sooner had he left the room than Brad and Cerys came in. Nathan huffed.
“Take the rest of the day off, Cerys. You did great today,” he told her.
“Thanks.” Cerys grinned.
“I’ll take you home,” Brad offered as she went back into her office and grabbed her purse.
“Come on, let’s get out of here too,” Nathan murmured as soon as they’d left the room.
Summer giggled as he led her out of the office and carefully locked the door behind them.
They sped off, but didn’t go straight back to Nathan’s house as she had expected. Instead they veered off and went up a country lane.
“It’s no good. I can’t wait any longer,” he said, pulling up in a secluded spot by some trees. “The thought of you sitting there with no panties on is driving me wild.” He took her hand and led her over to a large tree, where he pinned her against the soft bark. Taking her mouth in a hard kiss, she heard him moan and felt herself weaken in his hold. Surrounded by him, she could only surrender to his masculinity and melt in his embrace. Nathan took both of her arms and held them in one of his large hands above her head.
Summer felt her breasts thrust toward him, and he devoured them through the fabric of her shift dress. His breath was hot, and his tongue drenched her as he deliciously teased her sensitive nipples to two hard nubs of pure sensation. She gasped as she felt his other hand trail down to the hem of her dress, hitching it up to her waist. The cool afternoon air wafted around her damp pussy, and she had never felt so wanton. Pressing her mound against his rock-hard erection, she moaned as her breathing became more erratic and her passion accelerated.
Suddenly she heard the sound of his zipper being unfastened and felt his velvet skin nudge her outer labial lips. Her breath hitched, and she could feel his ardor as he clamped her to the tree trunk with his whole body while his leg came between hers, forcing them wider apart.
With his one free hand he pulled a foil wrapper from his pocket and tore it open with his teeth. As soon as he was sheathed she felt his finger dip into her juices, gently grazing her clit, before lubricating the rubber. Summer felt a burn deep inside her stomach, and she licked and kissed his neck as he lined himself up against her.
“Tell me you want me, sugar.” His rasping voice hissed desperately, and she could feel the tension in his body as he restrained himself.
“I want you,” she assured him.
That was enough. With one deep thrust he was inside her, pushing his massive length right up her soaking channel, reawakening the nerves that danced for joy as they worshipped his manhood. Summer couldn’t resist pressing herself against him, eliciting every last sensation from their conjoined bodies. The inferno inside her swept through her bones, and she felt herself tremble with excitement as she reached her peak. Screaming his name, she clung to him for dear life as wave upon wave of ecstasy consumed her body and soul. She was rewarded by his guttural grunt as he released his boiling cream into the pocket of rubber, which deprived her once again of his seed. In that second she felt that she was handing herself over to him, completely and unconditionally, and she felt his hold on her even stronger than ever.
They slumped against each other, panting for air, unable to speak, hardly capable of coherent thought as their sated bodies gradually returned to earth.
“I love you,” she whispered at last.
Nathan’s gorgeous face pulled back from hers slightly, his eyes still black with desire. A light sheen glowed across his skin, and his breath was still rasping a little as he gave her a sultry grin.
“I love you, sugar,” he told her, staring into her eyes. His lips encased hers once more as he took her in a languid, sensual kiss, which had her gasping for breath.
“Let’s go fetch your things,” he said with a wink when they finally composed themselves and headed back to the car.
“There’s nothing I’d like more,” she assured him.
It didn’t take long to get back to the apartment and gather her belongings, as most of it was still packed from last night.
On their way out of the house Nathan set the intruder alarm.
Summer frowned. “I don’t understand why you had that installed when you wanted me to come stay with you anyway,” she commented.
Nathan looked surprised. “I know you. You’re an independent woman. You might not have wanted to live with me. I wouldn’t take a thing like that for granted,” he told her.
Summer thought about it as they sped off to his place. She was glad he felt that way. He was her Dom and knew what was best for her, but he wasn’t going to try to take over her life. She was pleased that she was still able to make her own decisions. She snuggled into him as he drove down the freeway. Every minute she spent with him she seemed to fall in love with him a little more.
It was a delight to put her things away in the closet and bathroom of his master bedroom. Where they belonged, she thought. She went back into the lounge to hear Nathan speaking on the phone. He beckoned to her to sit beside him on the couch while he listened to the caller. He frowned.
“OK, buddy, thanks for letting me know.” He finished up, replacing the receiver.
She looked up at him questioningly.
“That was Steve Ratner. It seems Mandy Burrage finally came clean about what she’s been up to. She’s had a relationship going with Darren Hall who, incidentally, she moved in with recently. She managed to keep it under the radar because he works for us too, so it wasn’t actually picked up as a new address. Also, working in HR meant she was better able to hide the fact. She was also two-timing Hall by seeing that guy who showed up at the club today. I knew I recognized the voice on the phone.”
Summer frowned. “Darren Hall? Isn’t that the sommelier?”
“Sure is. The guy Dominic suspected of getting another job. Well, he sure did. He was working for Alex Ross. That’s why he was seen in a bar across town. He wasn’t serving wine though. He was dealing drugs.” Nathan was visibly seething.
“Darren? Oh my God!” Summer’s jaw almost hit the ground. She hadn’t actually met him, as he hadn’t been into work since she started, but she’d heard a lot about him.
Nathan held her a little closer. “The big guy at the club was called Hayden Monk. He also worked for Ross. Do you know him?”
Summer’s eyes widened, and she felt herself go hot. “Of course—Monkey! He was a friend of Colin’s back in West Palm Beach. I knew I’d seen him before.”
“Well, it turns out that Mandy was sleeping with both him and Hall. She had told Monk about this new girl at the club—just pillow talk, you know—and Monk mentioned it to Ross. Cromer had already told Ross that you’d fled the area, so he had his ear to the ground and managed to ad
d two and two. Hall was just small fry, but Ratner’s dead chuffed to have picked up Monk after long last. They’ve been trying to get him for a while, but he keeps moving up and down the coast whenever anyone gets close. He’s quite a brutal bastard by all accounts.”
Summer shuddered. Looked like another lucky escape!
“So how come your spies didn’t know that Mandy was seeing Monk or that Darren was involved with Alex Ross and his gang? I thought they knew everything.” She frowned. “And another thing. Why did Mandy send that note telling me to meet you in the office and then say you were outside instead?”
“The note was from the receptionist, Sandra. She and Mandy got their wires crossed. A last-minute change in the plan that didn’t get passed on. And Mandy did a good job keeping quiet about Monk because she didn’t want Hall finding out she was cheating on him. We knew Hall was up to something, but no one suspected him of getting into anything as big as this. He hasn’t worked at the club for long, and most of the time he’s been on the payroll he’s been off work, supposedly sick. We hadn’t got much on him yet, but we were working on it. That’s how we came to find out he was in that dang bar downtown. Turns out he’d only just got involved with the gang in the last few days, anyhow.” Nathan looked frustrated that they hadn’t got the intel on him sooner.
“Unlucky for him,” Summer said, pursing her lips thoughtfully.
Nathan must have caught her uneasy expression. “Still want to work at Collar and Cuffs?”
She looked up into his gorgeous face and smiled. “Definitely. Seems like the safest place on earth.”
Nathan kissed her cheek with a smile. “I’m glad you said that, sugar. It seems like we’re going to be keeping you mighty busy over there for a while. What with the finance job, waiting on, and now a sommelier’s position to fill, I reckon you’re gonna be rushed off your feet from now on.”
“It’s not my feet I’m worried about,” she told him with a salacious wink.
END
~ About the Author ~
Bella Settarra began writing for a living after having to give up her full-time job due to the after-affects of breast cancer. She has always had a positive outlook and saw this as an opportunity to do what she really wanted to do with her life - write.
She has always enjoyed writing but had never actually submitted anything for publication before. After undergoing a rather gruelling and depressing medical procedure, her husband agreed to take her to a reader-writer event, which is where she met lots of authors who encouraged her to try writing for a publisher. The event, aptly named ‘Smut by the Sea’ was mainly for authors of Erotic Romance and Erotica, something Bella had never contemplated writing before. However, on the long journey home she started to write a short story which grew into a novella. An author-friend offered to critique the first chapter for her and told her to send it to a publisher as she thought it was really good. The book was accepted shortly after and ‘Last of the Sirens’ became the first of a series of six!
After that series, ‘Sirens and Sailors’, she went on to write Cowboy Romances, which she loves. She currently has two cowboy series, ‘The Men of Moone Mountain’, and the more conventional ‘Midnight in Montana’.
Although still writing her cowboy stories, she wanted to write a story about people who work in a restaurant, which is a subject close to her heart. When she was younger, Bella wanted to go to away to University to study English in order to become a writer, but was told she couldn’t go, so was persuaded to go to the local Catering College instead. Although she didn’t much enjoy cooking, she loved working in the restaurant and went on to get several waiting on jobs before running a restaurant herself. She loved the camaraderie of the staff, and the ‘pomp and circumstance’ of waiting on. She has finally combined both her loves by writing a series, ‘Collar and Cuffs’ which follows the staff working in the restaurant of a swanky BDSM club – sex and food, what more can you ask for? LOL ;)
She hopes you enjoy reading her stories as much as she enjoys writing them, and would love readers to connect with her at http://bellasettarrabooks.blogspot.co.uk
~ Also by Bella Settarra ~
Ménage on Moone Mountain
The Men of Moone Mountain Book One
Bella Settarra
Her legs can run, but her heart can’t hide.
While on the run from a violent ex-boyfriend, Brooke finds herself being looked after by Travis and Kent, two gorgeous bi-sexual cowboys. While every instinct she has tells her to keep running, the pull that these men have on her is so strong that she hesitates...and gives in. For now.
Travis Beaumont and Kent Freeman enjoy a loving relationship on Moone Mountain. But when Travis rescues the beautiful young Brooke Adams, both men end up falling for her. They’ve almost given up on their dream of adding a submissive girl to their “family” to make a ménage relationship. However, she refuses to tell them much about herself, although her nightmares and scars are a sure indication that the girl’s in big trouble.
When Brooke’s ex catches up with her, he’s intent on wreaking revenge. Can the love of her two cowboys give her the strength necessary to overcome his torment? And can the skill and courage of the two men lead them to save her before it is too late?
Reader Discretion: Contains BDSM elements and male/male love
Red-Light Wrangler
The Men of Moone Mountain Book Two
Bella Settarra
Can a bad reputation hide a good heart?
After realizing everyone he has been with only wanted him for his money, Rich Buchanan, the billionaire’s son, gives up the dream of a serious relationship and gets his kicks sleeping around. He prefers men, but he only brings home women, since his father would be horrified to find out Rich was gay. But secrets are hard to keep among the rich, and his antics soon earn him the nickname “The Red-Light Wrangler” when people discover that money exchanges hands whenever he sleeps with a guy.
When Nate Walker starts work as Assistant Foreman at the Buchanan Ranch, his good looks and gorgeous body immediately pique Rich’s interest. And despite the gossip, Nate can’t help falling for him, either. But when Rich’s cousin Joey decides to blackmail Rich to pay off his debts, he soon realizes he could get much more out of the situation. Outing his gay cousin and causing a rift between Rich and his father could be just the thing to secure his own position as Frank Buchanan’s sole heir.
Rich has no one to turn to but his lover. But Nate has secrets of his own, and his reasons for being at the ranch are not entirely honorable...
~ More Romance from Etopia Press ~
Hers to Own
Anne Lange
The Vault Series
The McBride Men: Kade
He’ll teach her to love her body…one spanking at a time.
Brienna Morgan has worked hard to look good. Ten years ago she stuck to the shadows, watching the popular kids, wishing she could be one of them. But when they weren’t calling her cruel names, nobody noticed the smart overweight girl with the glasses.
So when she braves her high school reunion and runs into Kade McBride, the boy she loved from afar, the last thing she wants is for him to remember her. It’s bad enough she still sees that girl every time she looks in the mirror. But Kade does remember—and he makes it impossible for Brie to refuse to go out with him. She’s not convinced it’s a good idea, but she can’t pass up the opportunity to be part of the in crowd.
Kade had no desire to go to his high school reunion. As far as he’s concerned, he’d rather forget those days. Especially the day he screwed up and left his best friend to pay the ultimate price. But when he sees the gorgeous woman enter the gym, he’s immediately drawn to her. Regardless of her claims that she’s not the girl he thinks he remembers, Kade realizes maybe he’s been given a second chance to right at least one wrong from his past. And he’s determined not to throw this opportunity away, even if he has to tie Brienna to a spanking bench to prove his point.
Reader Discretio
n: contains light BDSM, spanking
Phoenix Flying
Phoenix Trilogy Book Three
Kaitlin Maitland
Only when we shed our inhibitions do we truly fly.
Gabriel knows there are perks to being a bouncer at the wildest bar in town. The Phoenix Rising is known for being the place to go for a beer and a side of down-and-dirty sex, and Gabriel has seen his share of the action. Anything goes as long as both parties are willing, and when Anne walks in smelling like repressed passion, Gabriel is intrigued.
Anne is tired of being a perpetual wallflower. After divorcing the cheating ex, she heads to the one place in town guaranteed to help her find a good time—The Phoenix Rising. She can’t believe the gorgeous bouncer is attracted to her in spite of her plus-sized body. Being with him is like nothing she’s used to, and he makes her feel like so much more than just a dress size. But Gabriel has secrets. The former British Marine won’t talk about why he’s working as a bouncer in an American bar. Worse, he’s perfectly happy to tell her he doesn’t do long-term commitments. But now that Gabriel has taught Anne what it feels like to fly, how will she ever be able to walk away?
Contains BBW, ménage, voyeurism, and exhibitionism elements
Valentines Heat IV
Erotic Romance and Ménage Anthology
Anne Lange
Nikki Dee Houston
Arianna Archer
“The Perfect Moment” by Anne Lange
The Vault Series: Friends & More, Book 1.5
Angela O’Neil has been waiting for the perfect moment to share a secret with her two husbands, and Valentine’s Day is it. But things take a turn for the worse when she sees red. Is she about to lose the one thing that would complete their three-way bond?
Waiting on Summer Page 16