Tears spilled over her lashes now and she drew in a ragged breath.
“If you’d just give me the chance. Will you, baby?”
“Yes,” she whispered, warmth exploding in her body and sending pleasure and a wonderful peace through her. “Yes, Craig. Of course I will.”
This was right. This is what she’d wanted and was too afraid to take a chance on. But now she knew there would be no regrets. Because if any man could convince her to fall in love—and deep down, she knew she already had—then Craig was that man.
He lifted his head and relief and heat burned in his gaze.
“I’m willing to take it slow. Go at whatever pace you want.”
“I don’t think I want slow anymore,” she admitted, surprising herself. “I spent too many years being afraid to love. And you’re doing a damn good job at changing my mind.”
“I’ve missed you, Phoebe. In more ways than one,” he murmured on a growl, tucking a curl behind her ear. “Is your room somewhere around here?”
“They placed me in a cabin not far from the main house.”
“A cabin. I like the sound of that. I need to touch you. Taste you. Hear you call my name…”
“Mmm. All of the above please.”
He issued a soft a laugh and lowered his mouth to just above hers. “But I should warn you I just got over a cold.”
“I should warn you…I don’t really care,” she whispered and sighed when his lips claimed hers.
About the Author
To learn more about Shelli Stevens, please visit www.shellistevens.com. Send an email to Shelli at [email protected] or join her newsletter for updates and contests. To sign up, visit www.shellistevens.com/contact/
Look for these titles by Shelli Stevens
Now Available:
Trust and Dare
Dangerous Grounds
Tempting Adam
Theirs to Capture
Anybody but Justin
Luck Be Delanie
The line between friends and lovers can get a little blurry…especially when you add tequila.
Anybody but Justin
© 2009 Shelli Stevens
A Chances Are Story
Gabby is serious about her search for Mr. Right, but no one can say she hasn’t had a good time looking. She enjoys her numerous dates and the sex that comes with them. Until she finds herself falling for the one man she vows to never love. Her best friend and roommate, Justin. A player in every sense of the word—and a reminder of her awful past.
One night, with the help of a bottle of tequila, things get a little too hot for comfort. She moves out, intent on removing him from the line of temptation.
Justin has different plans. The tequila did more than just change how he sees his good friend. It made him realize he doesn’t want to be just friends any more. He’s ready for something more intimate, and he’ll do whatever it takes to find out why she’s running. And convince her to stay.
Warning: This book has hot sweet lovin’ between friends who become lovers.
Enjoy the following excerpt for Anybody but Justin:
Justin’s heart thundered in his chest as the almost crippling desire he had for Gabby consumed him. She was going to let him make love to her. She’d given him the green light.
He slid his hands down to her ass, lifting her, and she immediately wrapped her legs around his hips.
His tongue plunged deep into the warmth of her mouth to explore the hot and moist interior.
The rub of her breasts against his chest had his cock hardening further, nestling snug against the softness of her bottom.
He moved them toward the bedroom, groaning when she sucked his tongue into her mouth and squeezed her thighs tighter around him. He kicked open the half-closed door to his bedroom, then kicked it shut again. He moved them toward his bed, stumbling over his work boots.
He fell onto the bed, rolling to take the brunt of the fall, which brought Gabby on top of him.
Straddling him, she tore her mouth off him and sat up. She reached for the hem of her shirt, jerking it above her head.
The V of her black satin bra pushed her breasts together to display an impressive amount of cleavage. His mouth watered and he lifted his hands to tug away the cups of the bra.
Her pert breasts fell free, the light pink tips already textured and hard for his mouth. She was so damn pretty, sensual in a subtle way. A way most men probably wouldn’t discover until they had her naked.
He opened his mouth, needing to tell her how sexy she was.
“What about Steven?” How the hell had he allowed himself to ask that instead?
She gave a soft laugh as she reached up to pinch her nipples lightly. His cock twitched and he drew in a harsh breath at the sight.
“I broke up with him.”
“You did? When? Why didn’t you say something?” he choked out.
“Last night.” She lowered her body downward, until her breasts were just above his face. “At dinner—”
He captured one pink tip between his lips, causing her to break off as he suckled her deep. Christ, she tasted sweet. He smiled, loving the way she gasped and writhed above him.
“At dinner,” she continued breathily. “Oh…told me why…oh God…oral sex could never be part of our relationship. He has a clitoris phobia.”
Her nipple popped from his mouth with a loud suctioning sound. He stared at her for a moment, astounded by her statement.
“Are you shitting me?”
She sighed and drew a finger down the center of his chest. “You think someone can make this stuff up?”
“What an idiot,” he growled and grasped her hips, rolling her again until she was beneath him.
Her green eyes narrowed slightly as she stared up at him and her tongue swept across swollen lips. “My sentiments exactly. So I immediately ended it.”
Justin drew in an unsteady breath, his chest tightening at the playfulness and desire in her gaze.
He ran the palm of his hand over her stomach, taking a moment to dip his finger into her navel.
“You should know that I’m nothing like The Suit, and am actually quite fond of the clitoris.” He skimmed his hand across the waistband of the jeans riding low on her hips.
Her stomach rose as she sucked in a breath, her lips curling into a challenging smile. “I know you are.”
“You do?” He dipped a finger below the waistband, smoothing it back and forth against her silky skin.
Her hips lifted slightly against his light touch. Further aroused and amused by her response, he moved his hand to cup her pussy through her jeans.
“Mmm. You told me.” Her lashes lowered, veiling her gaze. “And I heard you once or twice…with other women. It certainly sounded like you knew what you were doing.”
She’d heard him. The idea of it both intrigued him, and yet sent a rush of regret through him.
“Yeah? You didn’t get weirded out?”
“No. I got horny,” she admitted bluntly with a soft laugh. Her lashes fluttered upward again. “And then later I got jealous.”
He's lured her to paradise...and she's about to discover the price
Luck Be Delanie
© 2009 Shelli Stevens
A Chances Are Story
Long ago, Delanie made one gigantic mistake. Or committed one small felony, depending on how you look at it. Stealing a coin from a sexy stranger was just a prank to help a sorority sister get revenge. The sleeping with him part was totally unplanned. Yet she holds the memory of that one intense, passionate connection close to her heart—like the coin she still wears around her neck.
Six years later, she’s invited to a beautiful resort in the San Juan Islands to not only accept a donation for an abused women’s shelter, but to consider a job opportunity as well. Instead, she finds herself face-to-face with her past.
Grant has always suspected Delanie stole his rare, lucky coin. He just never knew why—or why she disappeared the morning after their hot
night together. After spending years looking for her, he’s lured her right where he wants her. He’ll have his answers, come hell or high water.
And, if things go his way, he’ll have Delanie, too.
Warning: This book contains lost lovers reunited, male masturbation, “You could have died” sex, and overall hot lovin’.
Enjoy the following excerpt for Luck Be Delanie:
“I’d rather you tell me how I ended up at your resort.”
Delanie bit her tongue the moment the words were out. Her stomach flipped as he lifted an eyebrow and gave a low, sexy laugh.
She hadn’t planned on going straight for the attack, but seeing the tender scene he’d set up had rattled her nerves.
“Perhaps some wine first?”
He went to work filling both glasses and her gaze dropped to his hands, which were wrapped around the wine bottle.
Those hands had given her more orgasms in one night than her last two boyfriends combined.
“Here you are.”
She took the glass he held out to her, annoyed to find her own hand trembling. Perhaps a little wine first would be good.
She lifted the glass to her lips and took a sip of the sweet chardonnay.
“Was I just a one night stand to you?”
His sudden question made her choke on the wine. Jeez. How the heck did she answer that question? She set the glass back down, and cleared her throat.
“How could it be anything but? Technically, we did only have sex that one night.”
She lifted her gaze, not sure what she’d see. His expression was both curious and strangely intense, which unsettled her.
“That could have been remedied had you stuck around in the morning.” He sighed and took a drink of his own wine.
“Look.” She drew in a deep breath before plunging on. “If you brought me out here to get me into bed again, it’s not going to happen.”
“I didn’t.”
“Because I’m—you didn’t?” She blinked, her stomach sinking with a disappointment she didn’t want to acknowledge. You’re being an idiot, Delanie.
He shook his head and then winced. “Well, it wasn’t my initial plan. Although I admit after seeing you again…”
Something occurred to her, something she hadn’t even considered. “Oh my God. Was it all a ruse? The job offer? Getting me out here with the offer to make donations to our shelter?”
“No.” His mouth thinned. “Of course not, Delanie. I’m not a complete asshole.”
Her smile turned a little bitchy. “But you do admit to being a partial one? I won’t take it you know.”
“The job?”
She nodded.
“We’ll see.”
Irritation flared at his cockiness.
A woman carrying two plates walked into the room and set them down in front of them.
“Here you are, kids. Enjoy.”
Kids? Delanie’s mouth twitched as she watched the older lady hurry back out of the room.
She looked down at the food before her and her mouth watered. A salmon filet rested on a bed of rice, next to it a skewer of shrimp and steamed broccoli.
“This looks amazing.” She picked up her fork and speared a chunk of salmon, lifting it to her mouth. “Mmm.” She chewed the bite and swallowed. “Wow. That is so much better than crackers.”
He wasn’t eating. When she lifted her gaze, she found him watching her, a pensive look on his face.
“What did I do to you?” he asked softly, shaking his head. “To make you get up in the morning, walk out of my house, and then basically disappear off the face of the planet?”
Her hunger diminished with the sudden question, and she set her fork down, considering her response.
“Besides call me Janie?” she asked with the only defense she had. And it was rather paltry.
“We met in a bar. It was loud when you introduced yourself to me. So I got the first letter wrong.” He reached across the table and pulled her hand into his. The contact radiated warmth up her arm and throughout her body.
“I know it must have made you feel terrible. But I have a hard time believing you would throw away that night we had together over my small fuck up.”
It had hurt. And fortunately that hurt had been the spark to ignite her into action. Meeting him that night in the bar all those years ago had never been an accidental occasion. It had been the first step in a hastily laid plan.
She’d been on a mission that night. A mission spontaneously suggested by her sorority sister. What was her name…Bridget?
Liking him was an inconvenience she couldn’t have predicted. God knows what would have happened if he hadn’t called her the wrong name. She might have stayed in bed all day and confessed her real reason for being there.
“Delanie.” His thumb traced circles over her palm, and her breath hitched. “Did that night really mean so little to you?”
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Protecting Phoebe: A Chances Are story Page 10