by Shelly Bell
She couldn’t let a little rainstorm stop her from her destiny with Drake.
She’d allowed fear to dictate her life for as long as she could remember, and she refused to permit it to continue. Breathing deeply, she embraced the woman she’d become—Tornado Allie. Even if he rejected her, at least she’d taken the risk.
She exited the highway and, at a stop sign, reread the directions. Continuing to drive, she was thrilled to see signs for the state park every mile. When she made the final turn, she couldn’t help smiling, excitement zinging through her body.
Drizzling steadily, the severe weather had dissipated, leaving behind beautiful bubble-like mammatus clouds, formed by sinking air, the sky various shades of orange and pink.
And there, underneath it all, was Drake.
Three minivans sat idle by the side of the road, Cole, Jack, and Drake talking animatedly. Symptoms of Drake-a-titis returned with a vengeance as she parked behind the vans. With shaky hands, she unwrapped a cherry sucker and popped it in her mouth before she slid out of the car and strode toward Drake.
It took him a moment to notice her, but when he did, her stomach dropped. He stared at her stonily, and she couldn’t read his reaction. Was he happy to see her?
Cole and Jack greeted her. She suppressed the urge to ask Jack about his marriage to Taryn and put it on the back burner for now.
“The van’s fine. So…we’re gonna go,” said Cole. “See you at the hotel in Norman.”
“Take your time, man,” added Jack with a grin, slapping Drake on the back before he and Cole got into their vans.
Drake’s brows pinched together, deep creases forming on his forehead. “Allie? What are you doing here?”
Standing right in front of him, she plucked the candy from her mouth. To keep from smoothing away those creases, she dug into her pocket and pulled out a tissue that she used to wrap around the sucker. Then she stuck it in the pocket of her jeans. “I couldn’t leave you thinking I didn’t care.” He smelled so good, she couldn’t stop herself from throwing her arms around him and burying her nose in the side of his neck. “Because I do. I care more than I thought possible.”
When he pressed his lips to her temple, she seized the opportunity, tilting her head to steal a kiss on the lips. The kiss was soft and tentative, his confusion and indecision evident. She slipped her tongue in the seam of his mouth and raked her hand through his rain-damp hair, tugging gently.
He hissed as he backed her to the hood of the van, trapping her against its heat and his. He caught her wrists in his hands and wrenched them behind her back. Her nipples beaded, pressing against her shirt, and her pussy tingled.
“I understand you’re afraid. You created a bucket list of risks. Chasing tornadoes. Sky diving. Mountain climbing. But those are physical. It’s much harder to risk your heart. To fall in love.”
Love was something she never thought she’d get to experience until she met Drake. It brought her to tears. “You’re right. That’s why I wanted to protect you.”
He frowned and released her wrists to caress her cheek. “Me? Why do I need protecting?”
She focused on the feel of him against her, strong and controlled, and admitted her darkest fear. “What if the cancer comes back? Do you really want to start something when I could relapse at any time?”
He bent and rested his forehead on hers. “I’d rather spend one more night loving you than a lifetime with someone else.”
She stood on her tiptoes and kissed his lips. The warmth of relief permeated through her chest, but she still had more to disclose. “I’m not sure if I can have children. The doctors swear the treatments shouldn’t affect my chance of getting pregnant, but they can’t be one-hundred percent certain.”
“That’s okay. We’ll travel the world instead. Think about how much money we’ll save from not having to buy overpriced diapers and formula. Oh, and we’ll escape the torture of all those kiddie shows with singing dinosaurs.”
“Don’t you want kids?”
He smiled. “If the time was right, and my partner and I both agreed.”
She took a deep breath. “And if I was your partner, the time was right, and I wanted kids?”
“Then we’d adopt.” He stroked his fingers up and down her bare arm. “The point is neither one of us can anticipate the future. A tornado can drop out of the sky and wipe out my apartment building as we sleep, or we could stop to have a picnic on a clear day and get struck by lightning.”
She laughed. “You really know how to comfort a girl.”
He hugged her close. “Allie, you learned a lesson when you were way too young that life is precious and you shouldn’t take it for granted. I learned it too when you left me behind in the hotel. I don’t want to waste my life playing it safe.” He dipped his head and slanted his lips over hers, his hands drifting down her back to cup her ass.
Like a thunderstorm, sparks of electricity darted to her nipples and moisture gathered between her thighs. “Me neither.” She wanted him desperately, and she didn’t want to wait to get to the hotel. “I can’t believe you’re my station’s new meteorologist. That could get awkward.”
“Why?”
She nibbled on his earlobe. “Because we still have everything on your naughty list to accomplish.”
He lifted her and deposited her onto the hood of the minivan, situating himself between her legs. “Ever make love on the hood of a van in the middle of Oklahoma?
She shivered. “I can’t say I have.”
“You won’t be able to say that an hour from now,” he said in that husky voice that set her on fire. He drew her shirt over her head and kissed her neck. “Let’s say we get started working down my list.”
It was a risk making love outside in the light of day, but they took it.
Together.
About the Author
SHELLY BELL is the author of the popular Benediction and Forbidden Lovers series. Her book, Blue Blooded, received a Top Pick from Romantic Times Book Reviews and was nominated for an RT Award. At His Mercy, the first in her Forbidden Lovers series, was named a Top Pick from Romantic Times and received a starred review from Publisher’s Weekly. When she’s not working her day job, taking care of her family, or writing, you’ll find her reading the latest romance or thriller. Shelly is a member of Romance Writers of America and International Thriller Writers.
Join her Facebook Insider’s Group for all the latest news, exclusive excerpts, chats, giveaways, and insider secrets.
Shelly Bell’s Insiders Group
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About the Author
SHELLY BELL is the author of the popular Benediction and Forbidden Lovers series. Her book, Blue Blooded, received a Top Pick from Romantic Times Book Reviews and was nominated for an RT Award. At His Mercy, the first in her Forbidden Lovers series, was named a Top Pick from Romantic Times and received a starred review from Publisher’s Weekly. When she’s not working her day job, taking care of her family, or writing, you’ll find her reading the latest romance or thriller. Shelly is a member of Romance Writers of America and International Thriller Writers.
Join her Facebook Insider’s Group for all the latest news, exclusive excerpts, chats, giveaways, and insider secrets.
http://bit.ly/ShellyBellsInsiders.com
To keep in touch, sign-up for the Shelly Bell Newsletter.
http://bit.ly/ShellyBellMailingList
Also by SHELLY BELL
FORBIDDEN LOVERS
AT HIS MERCY
HIS TO CLAIM
FOR HIS PLEASURE
BENEDICTION
WHITE COLLARED, PART ONE: MERCY
WHITE COLLARED, PART TWO: GREED
WHITE COLLARED, PART THREE: REVENGE
WHITE COLLARED, PART FOUR: PASSION
RED HANDED
BLUE BLOODED
BLACK LISTED
INSPIRING A GREEK BILLIONAIRE
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SWAY WITH ME
STIRRING UP TROUBLE