Her eyes narrowed marginally. He could tell she wanted to believe him but needed more. Fuck if he knew what that would be.
He nudged her over to the bed. He didn’t have a plan. Just needed her sitting comfortably and in a place with such damn good memories. “Sit down, Ella. Please.” She obliged without comment and only a slight stubborn chin.
Colby took a step back, took a deep breath, giving himself a moment to gather his thoughts. How did he convince the woman he wanted her, and was falling in love with her after such a short time together, and not sound like a complete loon? That the bet meant absolutely nothing to him. It was barely an afterthought.
“The night we met. The night in the Club. I wanted you the first moment I saw you. It was the flash of light that caught my attention. I watched as you and your friends passed around that ball of fire. When the music stopped and you were left holding it, damn, I was captivated. The flames highlighted your beautiful, smiling face. Joy and happiness poured off of you. You were…irresistible to me before we even met. Then when you looked my way, fuck, Ella, I’ve been smitten ever since.”
Her features relaxed a tick. He could see she worked to suppress the smile tugging at the corners of her mouth. “Then why the bet?”
“Because I’m an idiot. I’m a guy with an ego and ridiculous male pride. Holden started talking about how fucking sexy your ass was, and then I saw who he was talking about, Goddess, I wanted to punch him in the face. I flipped when he called dibs.”
Her eyes widened and her mouth dropped open. Her shock was a palpable thing radiating from her. “Dibs?”
“Yeah, he said he saw you first and insisted that meant he got a shot at you first. I told him it was wrong, that you didn’t do shit like that, and it was a horrible way to treat women. I’m pretty sure he laughed, and I refused to let him pursue you. The only thing I could think of was to agree to the bet. I figured my chances with you were pretty good, since I felt like we had a connection before Holden ever laid eyes on you.”
Everything Colby told her was true. Yeah, she’d been angry when she first heard about the bet. Fumed all the way from the spa to the bar. People who walked past her gave her a wide berth. She even heard one person murmur witch on a warpath.
Bianca had talked her off the ledge Claire shoved her out on, mostly; but she was still fuming about the entire thing. Deep down inside, she knew Claire would say anything to hurt her. Even lie about Colby just so she could somehow have him back. Which Ella knew would never happen, the man had been adamant about that one detail. And even if Colby hadn’t been into Ella, Claire would never get the man. Not that knowing that gave her any solace.
Ella lifted her hand and waved it above her head. “Evanescere,” she murmured, lifting the spell she’d cast earlier. A silver fog formed and swirled around the room before burning off in a quick ball of fire.
Colby’s blond eyebrow rose in question.
“Vanish,” she said. “I made the spell vanish. Now you won’t be compelled to tell me the truth or to do what I say.”
“Didn’t you trust me to be truthful?”
She did a one shouldered shrug and screwed her mouth up a little. “I did, but I wanted to be sure. For all intents and purposes, I’m a really strong woman, but I rarely date and when I do, it’s because I think the man is special. To think that something went on behind my back, hurt. Bianca said Holden would be behind everything and I have to admit, I kind of knew something was going on with him. The first time I met him, he told me he was giving a friend a shove.”
Colby dropped down in front of her, sliding his palms up her thighs. Heat seeped into her skin, warming her from the inside out. She loved his hands on her. The strength and feel as they skimmed her body, pressed her down, and manipulated her however he wanted. With only his hands touching her, her heartbeat raced and her breathing stuttered.
“This thing between us,” she motioned back and forth, “it’s more than I ever expected this early on.”
Colby nodded, a grin working up the corner of his mouth.
“And to have feelings for someone and hear there was a bet behind it.” She sighed and it broke his heart a little.
“Stop right there. The bet...complete afterthought. Actually, not even a thought.”
“But still there,” she insisted.
“And I should have said something from the get-go. Told Holden to go fuck himself and that you were mine. My only excuse…”
She frowned.
“Okay, not an excuse. My only reasoning behind it was to shut him up and get to you as soon as possible that day after the meeting.”
Ella was mostly mollified. His words rang true, and he’d never once told her silly lies or waxed lyrical with false compliments or words of flattery. She heaved a sigh. “It’s going to take a little time.”
Colby stood and pressed his hand on the bed next to her hips. He leaned in, brushing a light kiss against her lips. “And that’s fine. We have forever to figure this out.”
“Well, forever is a pretty long time. I’m hoping, at some point, we’ll move beyond figuring it out and start living it.”
Colby grinned and pressed his lips against hers again. Hard. More insistent. Like a promise of more to come. He leaned back marginally. “We will.”
Ella looped her arms around his neck and tugged, pulling him down on top of her. She flicked her tongue over his mouth. “Good,” she whispered right before getting lost in the feel of him against her. Lips pressed together, exploring, dipping and tasting.
Moments passed before they came up for breath.
Ella panted. “Just so you have the proper motivation. I will curse your ass if you ever pull a stunt like that again.”
He grinned and kissed her quickly. “Never again.”
Epilogue
Sept 21st - Monday
Chloe watched as Ella tugged Colby down on top of her with a happy sigh. She could feel their happiness. The tentative joy that would, hopefully, bloom into more.
She’d watched the couple every moment since she put her plan into motion, afraid it would get derailed again. There were too many variables. People who could get in the way. Chloe couldn’t count on them doing the right thing when it came to their relationship, and then there was that witch, Claire.
Chloe had seen it coming. The jealous glares and snide remarks. The way the woman harped and picked on Ella. Her insistence that Colby was hers, and the calculating gleam in her eyes when the man was near. Chloe was just pleased to see her witch had a backbone. That she wouldn’t put up with Claire’s horrid treatment, and went after the man she wanted, instead of simpering and crying in the corner waiting for him.
That was the kind of woman Chloe could connect with. Someone she would be proud to call a friend, if she ever did such a thing.
She didn’t think the couple was out of the woods yet though. They were falling in love, but Chloe didn’t think she could say, without a doubt, that they were in love.
The next couple of days would dictate whether the match was a success. She would continue her watch. Continue to monitor the situation.
She refused believe Eros had people falling in love left and right, exactly when he wanted them to. She had to think putting them on the path would be good enough.
Thane: January
Mystic Zodiac, Book 1
Fallen Angel Thane has been exiled to the realm of humans and Mystics for almost fifty years after what he considers a slight misunderstanding, too bad Zeus didn’t agree. After the blush of exile wears off, Thane dedicates his new life to helping those in need, all in the hope of impressing the imposing God.
* * *
A visit from his Watcher with one more task sets Thane up to finally get what he’s dreamed about for decades…his rightful place back on Olympus with his brothers. All he needs to do is keep one woman from “doing something stupid.” He determined to ignore his body responding for the first time in almost fifty years in order to go home.
*
* *
Amara Hope is desperate to bring her brother home, traveling into the heart of Viral City day after day putting her life at risk. As her last living relative, he’s all she has left. When a hunky Good Samaritan grudgingly offers help, she’s all too willing to accept. Once they get her brother home and begin spending more time together, the more Amara knows he’s the one for her.
* * *
What the two don’t know is that the Gods are playing games with their lives, and they’re on a collision course with love.
* * *
Word Count: 32,299 | Buy Now: Thane: January
Parvati: February
Mystic Zodiac, Book 2
Parvati Shiva, a true descendent of the Goddess of love and devotion, is fed up. She runs a successful dating site, connecting Mystics and humans all over the world with their one true love. The only she hasn’t been able to find love for is…her.
* * *
When a hacker gets into her network and website, shutting down her site in the height of the busy season, she calls on her cousin Jag for help, who in turn reaches out to an old friend.
* * *
Colin Patterson, IT guru and confirmed bachelor, quickly agrees to help his friend’s sister out with her computer problem, hoping it will be a long drawn out process. He’s eager to escape his mother’s matchmaking Valentine’s Day party. She’s invited all of the single women—and a few men—to jump-start his dating life, something he has no interest in at all.
* * *
One mistaken identity later, Colin ruins his chance with the beautiful Indian woman he’s instantly attracted to. Will he be able to prove he isn’t a boss bashing idiot, save Parvati’s company, and win her affections before he doesn’t have a reason to stick around?
* * *
Warning: This book contains a geeky hero who can’t keep his mouth shut, a strong willed businesswoman dealing in love, and an attraction that neither can deny.
* * *
Please note: This book has a hot M/M scene.
* * *
Word Count: 26,817 | Buy Now: Parvati: February
Gideon: March
Mystic Zodiac, Book 3
Gideon Deckard is finally getting a little time away from the Keystone Predator Pack to go wolf. All he has planned is a week of running wild through the Grand Canyon before the hiking season starts back up. Once it does, he'll go back to what he does best...being the Alpha he was born to be.
* * *
Ryder Sparks can barely contain her excitement. She's taking a week off from work at the family store, Sparks Sporting & Outdoors, and going on her dream vacation. A four-day hiking trip on a lesser traveled trek through the Grand Canyon. The season has opened early and she was the first to get the coveted pass. She's looking forward to pushing herself on her first solo trip and discovering who she was really meant to be.
* * *
A run in with a massive grey wolf has Ryder stumbling and getting knocked out. When she wakes up, she's back in her tent and there's a hunky man there to help her get back on her feet. When she finds out he's a wolf-shifter instead of freaking out, she decides to go on the adventure of a lifetime with him. Now all she has to do is convince Gideon to give her a chance to be his one and only Luna.
* * *
Word Count: 36,270 | Buy Now: Gideon: March
Lisa: April
For three years Lisa Cannon has been at Jack Morgan’s every beck and call. As his executive personal assistant it’s in the job description, except she’s beginning to think she’s gone above and beyond the call of duty. She hasn’t had time off in so long she’s pretty sure her nymph side is dying a slow death inside. After arranging for a week away, she’s set to feed her nymph with every sexual fantasy that comes to mind. If they happen to all revolve around the man who keeps her tied to her desk, that’s all for the better.
* * *
Jack knows he shouldn’t do it but does anyway. He cancels his assistant’s vacation…again. He can’t stand the thought of her unleashing her nymph side on anyone but him. Over the past three years he’s slowly fallen in love with the petite beauty that keeps his personal and professional life running smoothly.
* * *
When Lisa goes on vacation anyway, Jack knows there’s only one thing to do. He needs to find a way into the Mystic-only club and claim the woman who has stolen his heart.
* * *
Word Count: 31,720 | Buy Now: Lisa: April
Celeste: May
Mystic Zodiac, Book 5
Celeste Kincaid is on a mission: Find the injured deer in the woods near her home and heal it. Once she does, she can get back to her real job; healing animals brought into her practice and teaching the next generation of faerie healers. She can also get back to dipping her toe in the dating scene. But from the onset of the task, she gets the feeling something isn't right. When she finds the injured deer, which ends up being a sick fawn in the back yard of the sexiest Wood Elf she’s ever seen, she knows something is up.
* * *
Owen Foster is in love, well, at least lust at first sight. The blonde-haired goddess standing in his backyard is every man's fantasy come true; until she opens her mouth and accuses him of being a crappy elf. He can overlook that misguided belief as he helps her care for the fawn, but when her youngest sister shows up and acts like they're together, he'll have to go to desperate measures to prove they aren't.
* * *
A meddling mother dabbling with faerie magic, the worst storm they've ever seen, along with a bear and a fawn—will these two be able to turn their instant attraction into a love of a lifetime?
* * *
Word Count: 32,915 | Buy Now: Celeste: May
Willow: June
Mystic Zodiac, Book 6
She’s a witch looking for the love of her life…
* * *
Willow Davies is pinning all of her hopes on the Summer Solstice Celebration. She calls to the Goddess Aphrodite in the light of the moon to help find the love of her life, the man who is meant to complete her heart and soul, and Aphrodite answers. But Aphrodite warns that love can be surprising and by the Gods she meant it.
* * *
He’s the warlock she’s always seen as her nemesis…
* * *
Cedric Stone is ready to claim Willow as the love of his life, except she still considers him the enemy. They’ve known each other all of their lives and after a blind date gone horribly wrong, thanks to him, he realizes he’s in love with her. It’s his good fortune when he shows up on her doorstep and sees her wearing an enchanted moonstone, a gem known to be worn by those looking for love. It’s the perfect way into her life.
* * *
What happens when he becomes the one she can’t live without?
* * *
As the days go by and they spend more and more time together, Willow begins to wonder how much of Cedric’s attention is because he truly is in love with her or because she’s wearing an enchanted moonstone.
* * *
Word Count: 35,163 | Buy Now: Willow: June
Amber: July
Mystic Zodiac, Book 7
She’s isn’t looking for happily ever after…
* * *
Amber Thompson is a Siren. A love-em and leave-em, let’s have some fun for a little while kind of woman who isn’t looking for a long romance, let alone a happily ever after. It just isn’t part of a Siren’s DNA. She loves her life in the small town of Summerset and loves working at the Mystics Only bar, Ecstasis D. Taking home a sexy as sin wolf for a night of fun shouldn’t change that.
* * *
He didn’t know he was looking for a change…
* * *
Andreas Stathos is a bored, business suit wearing, drowning in paperwork, wolf-shifter. His company, A Shift in Style, is doing great and he couldn’t be happier, except the spark he used to feel is missing and has turned into obligation. It doesn’t help matters that he can’t remember the last time he had a date
or took the time to go wolf. At a friend’s urging, he gets out of town for the long weekend hoping to get in touch with his wolf and with a little luck, find a woman to heat up his nights.
* * *
Maybe together they’ll find something more.
* * *
As soon as he steps into the bar, Amber and Andreas both know their lives will be changed. But how much depends on one stubborn Siren and one wolf’s ability to convince her they have a future together.
Word Count: 35,163 | Buy Now: Amber: July
Colby: September Page 9