Off Limits (Sparks in Texas Book 4)

by Mari Carr

  Lacy looked at Logan and shrugged, taking her time to reply. “I don’t…”

  Evan’s face turned murderous. “Don’t say you don’t know. I swear to God, if this is just a hookup, if you’re just using her to get your rocks off, I’ll fucking kill you.”

  Raindrops began to fall. Logan looked at Lacy, even as he spoke to Evan. “I’m in love with her.”

  Lacy’s eyes widened. “You’re in love with me?”

  “Of course I am. How could I not be? You’re everything I’ve ever wanted.”

  “Took you long enough to figure that out,” she teased.

  He pulled her into his arms. “I mean it, Lacy. You’re perfect for me.”

  “Then why did you leave last time?”

  The rain started to come down harder. He hadn’t intended to have the conversation with her outside, in front of her brother and—he glanced around—the seven people who’d opened their front doors in hopes of catching a fistfight.

  “Looks like the two of you have a few things to discuss.” Evan was giving them a chance to escape back inside.

  Logan nodded. “Evan—”

  “Later, man. We’ll talk it out later. Make things right with her first.”

  “Okay.”

  Evan sighed. “And do me a favor. Never, under any circumstances, talk to me about your sex life again. Promise?”

  “New bro code?”

  Evan’s eyebrows lifted as he considered that question. “If you fix things the way I hope, maybe the ‘bro’ part of that code could become a legal, binding, official thing.”

  Lacy interjected. “Dear God. It’s only been three weeks, Evan. Go away before you screw everything up.”

  Logan wrapped his arm more tightly around her shoulder. None of them bothered to seek shelter from the steadily pouring rain. “Technically, it’s been three weeks, plus a lifetime.”

  She twisted out of his arms and narrowed her eyes. “This better not be a proposal, Logan. I haven’t even had a chance to yell at you properly for breaking my heart.”

  “You broke her heart?” Evan asked, his scowl returning.

  Lacy threw her hands up in exasperation. “Go home, Evan. Turn that annoying overprotective nonsense of yours on Eryn. Poor girl.”

  Evan glanced at Logan, hesitant to leave.

  Logan reached out to put his hand on Evan’s shoulder. “I won’t hurt her.”

  Evan’s expression cleared. “Yeah. I know you won’t.” And with that, he walked back to his patrol car and climbed in.

  Lacy turned to look at him. “You told Evan you loved me before you told me.”

  He grinned. “He forced my hand. Guy packs one hell of a punch.”

  His words sent Lacy’s gaze to his left cheek. “I think you’re going to have a black eye.”

  “Great,” he said with a grimace.

  “Why did you leave last time?”

  He looked up at the dark sky. “It’s raining, Lace. Do we have to do this here?” They were both drenched.

  “Come on.” She accepted the hand he proffered and the two of them returned to her apartment. Once they were inside, Lacy went to the bathroom to grab them a couple of towels. He wiped off his chest as she used hers to dry her hair.

  “Here. You’ll catch a cold if you don’t get out of those wet things.” Logan drew her wet t-shirt over her head, forcing himself to keep his eyes on her face. Her breasts were his kryptonite, and they needed to talk before they continued with anything else.

  She peeled off her jeans as he did the same. They threw their wet clothing in a heap on the floor of her laundry room, and then returned to the living room.

  Lacy grabbed a fleece blanket and tossed it to him before getting a second one for herself. They curled under them on the couch. Lacy didn’t resist when he tugged her legs over his thighs so he could rub her feet.

  “Jane did a number on me.”

  She nodded slowly. “Yeah, I figured that much out. It’s just…you said you weren’t brokenhearted about her leaving.”

  “I’m not. That’s not what I mean. When we first started dating, I thought the two of us were compatible lovers. She seemed to enjoy my rough edge, although I’ll admit I didn’t…” He paused, trying to find the right words.

  “Unleash the Full Monty?” she supplied helpfully.

  Logan laughed. “Something like that. I didn’t want to scare her right out of the gate, so I took things slowly. However, the more I tried to introduce BDSM into our sexual relationship, the more she resisted. I was in love with her, Lace. So I held back.”

  “I’m not afraid of what we do, Logan.”

  “I know.”

  “Have you been holding back with me?”

  He shook his head and chuckled. “No. Not at all.”

  “Phew.” She pretended to wipe her brow. “That’s a relief. I’d hate to have to deal with twenty or thirty more orgasms every time we crawled between the sheets.”

  He playfully messed up her hair. “Smartass. You realize that’s just daring me.”

  “Good. That was my intention.”

  Logan took a deep breath and said what had been keeping him from her, though even as he said the words, he knew exactly how stupid he’d been. “I can’t do vanilla. It’s not in my nature.”

  “It’s not in mine either. Not anymore. Maybe not ever. You ruined me when I was seventeen.”

  “Do me a favor, Lace. Don’t tell your brother about that peeping Tom escapade of yours. He’ll punch me again.”

  She leaned closer and pressed a kiss against his cheek. “I love you too, Logan. I didn’t get a chance to say that outside.” She blushed and he wondered what she was thinking. “Of course, I probably didn’t need to say it. I haven’t exactly hidden my feelings from you all these years.”

  “I know it’s only been three weeks, but when I look at you, Lacy, I see a very long future.”

  “Forever?”

  He nodded. “I hope so.”

  “I’d like that, but I’m going to need a promise from you.”

  “In addition to the ‘I Do’ one?”

  She rose from the couch and grasped his hand, pulling him to his feet as well. “Yep. I want you to promise me that nothing…and I mean nothing…is ever off-limits between us again.”

  He laughed, shook her hand. “Deal.”

  * * *

  Twenty years earlier…

  Logan looked over and caught sight of Lacy sitting in the stands with one of her little friends playing with dolls. Her hair was pulled up in pigtails and she gave him a toothless grin. She waved, so he waved back.

  “See that boy over there?” Lacy pointed to a fourteen-year-old Logan, currently standing on first base.

  Justine Matthews laid her Barbie doll on the bleachers and looked. “Yeah.”

  “His name is Logan Grady, and I’m going to marry him one day.”

  Be sure to check out other books in the Sparks in Texas series.

  Keep reading for excerpts from the first 3 books.

  About the Author

  Writing a book was number one on Mari Carr’s bucket list and on her thirty-fourth birthday, she set out to see that goal achieved. Too many years later, her computer is jammed full of stories — novels, novellas, short stories and dead-ends and she has nearly eighty published works.

  Virginia native and high school librarian by day, Mari Carr is a New York Times and USA TODAY bestseller of contemporary erotic romance novels.

  Join her newsletter so you don't miss new releases and for exclusive subscriber-only content.

  Find Mari on the web at www.maricarr.com | Facebook | Twitter | Email: carmichm1@yahoo.com

  Excerpts from the Sparks in Texas series

  Sparks Fly

  Sparks in Texas, Book 1

  I Do is the easy part. Happily ever after? Not so much.

  Evan and Annie are deeply in love, but that hasn’t stopped tension from creating cracks in their relationship. Determined not to fail his wife, Evan takes act
ion before those cracks become craters, damaging their marriage irreparably. Over the Fourth of July weekend, he’ll reignite Annie’s passion with his own brand of fireworks.

  Stand back and watch the sparks fly.

  Please enjoy this excerpt from Sparks Fly. Available now.

  “Are you searching for something special, officer?”

  The breathless quality of her voice let him know she’d finally caught up with him.

  “I need to be sure you aren’t carrying any concealed weapons.”

  She looked over her shoulder and gave him a flirty smile. “Oh, I’m packing heat. But you aren’t looking in the right place.”

  He fought to restrain a groan. Annie was a master at dirty talk. Then it occurred to him that this fantasy—the cop and his criminal—was one they’d never played out. Which was strange considering his occupation and the fact he had all the right toys.

  “Face forward, Ms. Iser. I don’t think you understand the seriousness of this situation.”

  Annie held his gaze a few seconds longer before looking away. Her hips wiggled seductively as he moved his “search” lower. He didn’t take the bait. He had a definite strategy for how the night would unfold and it had everything to do with his pretty criminal submitting to his authority.

  “Have you been drinking, Ms. Iser?”

  She lifted her shoulders casually, unconcerned, unrepentant. “I may have had a glass of wine earlier. It is a holiday, you know.”

  Annie wasn’t much of a drinker, even on the holidays, so he wondered about the wine. Was she feeling the same pressure he was? Had she been looking for a way to relax before seeing him again? That thought made his chest ache. He pushed it away. Hopefully, tonight would help them mend the rifts they’d unconsciously let grow.

  He reached for her upper arm, dragging her upright and turning her until she faced him. “Drinking and driving?”

  “You don’t really expect me to confess to that, do you, officer?”

  “Lieutenant.” The mischief in her eyes told him she was purposely refusing to acknowledge his rank. “And I don’t need your confession. I have a breathalyzer.”

  She didn’t pretend to be worried. He loved her spunk, the challenge in her posture. She crossed her arms, allowing them to push up her breasts. The move drew his attention to her hard nipples. His mouth watered for a taste of them, but it was far too early for that. If he started taking off her clothes, the game would end too fast.

  For months, he’d viewed sex as a chore, the two of them going through the motions with very little passion or foreplay. As he looked at her flushed face, as he watched her chest rise and fall with breathless expectation, he wanted to kick his own ass for forgetting how good it could be between them.

  “Don’t I have to consent to the breathalyzer?”

  He shook his head. “I’m not giving you a choice.” He cupped her face in his hands, pulling her closer. “Are you ready?”

  He didn’t give her a chance to respond before placing his lips on hers. He pressed them open, touching his tongue to hers. He couldn’t detect even the faintest hint of wine on her breath. Regardless, he kept kissing her, tasting and breathing her air. Evan didn’t need alcohol. He could get drunk on Annie.

  Finally, after several minutes, he forced himself to release her, working overtime to maintain control, to stay in character. “You realize you’re in quite a bit of trouble, Ms. Iser.”

  She feigned a contrite smile that didn’t fool him for a minute. “Maybe there’s some way I can convince you to forget all this and let me off with a warning?”

  He narrowed his eyes. “Are you attempting to bribe a police officer?”

  She reached out to run her hand along his chest, toying suggestively with his badge. “I didn’t say anything about a bribe.”

  He moved so quickly she didn’t have time to counter or retreat. Evan turned her toward the car, grasping her wrists and tugging them behind her back. She had just begun to struggle when he slapped on the handcuffs. Then he bent over her, pressing her against the hood of the car, letting her helplessness sink in.

  “What did you have in mind?” he murmured in her ear.

  He’d taken her off-guard. It took her a few moments to regroup.

  “I…” She swallowed heavily when he ground his cock more firmly against her ass. “I…” She paused again. Finally she said, “What do you want?”

  Evan chuckled. Annie was rarely at a loss for words. It felt good to shake up the self-assured woman. “I want it all, Ms. Iser. Your total submission. For the entire night.”

  Waiting for You

  Sparks in Texas, Book 2

  How do you protect the woman you love…when the greatest danger is sleeping in her bed?

  Sydney Sparks can’t remember a time when Chas wasn’t part of her life—from childhood playmates, to high-school sweethearts, to long-distance friends. Now, after twelve long years, Chas is leaving the Marines and coming home. Sydney’s thrilled to have him back on American soil, safe and sound, even if his return is doing funny things to her heart.

  The second he stepped off the plane and locked gazes with Sydney, Chas refused to waste a minute more on their “just friends” status quo. Together again, it feels as if they were never apart, the love they’d shared as innocent teens now vastly more intense as adults—with a sexual hunger to match.

  However, despite his newfound happiness, Chas can’t seem to shake the memories of his tours in the Middle East, of the firefights, the killing…the deaths of his friends. When the flashbacks grow stronger, Chas struggles to hide his increasing lack of control, terrified of losing everything he’d just regained—including Sydney.

  Please enjoy this excerpt from Waiting for You. Available now.

  Sydney stood next to Gran, who was flanked by Julian on the right. The three of them were standing at the international arrivals gate, grinning like fools as they held the banner Sydney had made. Chas’ flight had landed and her heart was racing a million miles an hour. She’d seen him just a few months earlier over the holidays. They’d exchanged small gifts and consumed a bottle of eggnog together. Chas had even told her a little bit about two friends he’d lost in combat, the story breaking her heart.

  Chas had ended up sleeping on her couch that night, while she’d tossed and turned in her bedroom, fighting the urge to go out and comfort him. However, there had been something in his eyes—some dark, unfamiliar sadness—that had stopped her, that had told her to keep her distance.

  Several more people walked through the gate. Sydney watched as relatives reunited with hugs, laughter and sometimes tears. She loved coming to the airport, loved the energy and the atmosphere, the hustle and bustle. It was a hotbed of emotions unlike any other place.

  Gran captured her attention with a nudge of the elbow. “There he is.”

  Chas strolled through the doors in jeans and a t-shirt. It would seem so weird to see him dressed in civilian clothing rather than his fatigues from now on, and she wondered if he’d give up the crew cut he’d kept for so many years and return to the longer style of his youth. He looked around the area, searching for them. Sydney smiled and waved when his eyes met hers.

  Chas walked faster then, laughing when he read their banner. Sydney took it from Julian and Gran, stepping back so that Chas could greet his family.

  She was shocked when he bypassed both of them and walked right up to her. He tugged the banner out of her hands and dropped it to the floor a split second before he grabbed her in his embrace and kissed her.

  His mouth was demanding, forcing her lips apart so he could stroke her tongue with his. Sydney fought off a wave of dizziness and disbelief. Even a bit of embarrassment when she recalled his grandmother was standing less than five feet away from them. She put her hands on his shoulders, intent on pushing him away, but Chas only gripped her tighter, one of his hands rising to cup the back of her neck, his fingers lightly stroking the sensitive skin there.

  She was a goner. Sydney stop
ped giving a shit who was there and what they were seeing. Chas was home. And he was kissing her.

  Twelve years melted away into a haze of nothingness. He was home. Finally.

  Something Sparked

  Sparks in Texas, Book 3

  Jeannette's life is...nice. Great job in the family restaurant, cute house, sweet cat. All very nice...and boring...and maybe a little lonely. But she'll suffer that price for the safety she desperately covets. Now, if only something could keep her safe from the temptation that is Luc and Diego. The gorgeous firemen are a danger to her libido, if not her heart.

  Lovers Luc and Diego have had a hunger for the pretty cook at Sparks Barbecue since they rolled into town three years ago. But everyone knows Jeannette doesn't date, so the men's lust seems destined to go unslaked, no matter how much they want her in their bed. If friendship is all she's willing to offer, Luc and Diego will greedily take it.

  That changes quickly when an arsonist throws Jeannette in harm's way, forcing her to find security and comfort in Luc and Diego's arms. But the trio's simmering heat is barely a flicker before the men learn Jeannette has secrets that run dark and deep...presenting them with a challenge unlike any they've yet to face.

  Note: This book contains a scene of abuse from 16-year-old Jeannette's past.

  Please enjoy this excerpt from Something Sparked. Available now.