Claire knew he still didn’t approve of their relationship, but frankly, she didn’t care what Chris thought. She loved Dylan and Aidan, and had every intention of spending the rest of her life with them. Although no pregnancy had resulted from her night in Chicago with Aidan, and she was now on the pill, she definitely saw children in their future, and she wanted her kids to be surrounded by family. Whether she liked it or not, Chris was still Dylan’s family, and so she was making an effort for Dylan’s sake, and would keep doing it until his relationship with his brother returned to a place both he and Chris were comfortable with.
Aidan was in the same boat with his dad; although he’d forgiven Tim for keeping the truth about his mother from him, their relationship was still strained, but Claire was hoping that would change when Tim and Veronica visited them in San Diego next month.
“Claire?”
She froze when she heard a familiar female voice. Frowning, Claire turned around and found herself staring at none other than Barbara Valentine, her former boss.
As usual, Barb wore one of her tailored suits paired with expensive high heels, and her expression flickered with wariness as she glanced from Claire to Dylan and then back at Claire.
“Barb,” she said coolly. “It’s nice to see you.”
Not.
“Good to see you too, darling.” The older woman paused for a beat. “I heard you’re back in the consulting game.”
“Yeah, I’m starting up my own firm. It’s still getting off the ground, but I’ve already secured a few clients.”
“I’m glad to hear it.” Barb’s dark eyes shifted to Dylan, visible appreciation on her face. “Are you going to introduce me to your friend?”
“Boyfriend,” Claire corrected. “This is my boyfriend, Dylan.”
“It’s a pleasure to meet you.”
Barb practically purred out the words, and Claire couldn’t blame the woman for her blatant ogling of Dylan. He looked sexy as hell today in cargo pants and a snug green polo shirt that matched his eyes. With his blond hair slightly rumpled and his chiseled good looks, he made a seriously appealing picture.
So did Aidan, who chose that exact moment to stroll out of the shop with a bouquet of daisies in his hand. His dark eyes narrowed slightly when he spotted the willowy older woman in their midst. “What’s going on?” he asked Claire.
“Nothing, just catching up with my old boss,” she told him, fighting a smile.
“Hello,” Barb greeted him, her focus now on Aidan’s dark good looks and muscular body. “And you are?”
“Oh, sorry, I didn’t introduce you.” Claire shot the other woman a saccharine smile. “This is my boyfriend, Aidan.”
Barb looked startled. Her gaze moved from Dylan to Aidan to Claire. “Oh. I see.”
Claire’s smile widened. “Anyway, it was really good to see you, Barb, but I’m afraid we have to go. My parents are expecting us for dinner.”
She fluttered her fingers in a careless little wave. As she and the boys shuffled past Barb, Claire glanced over her shoulder, choked down a laugh at the envious expression on Barb’s face, and gave her former boss a wink.
Then she laced her fingers through Dylan’s, slid her other hand into Aidan’s waiting palm, and the three of them walked away.
About the Author
A RITA-award-nominated author, Elle Kennedy grew up in the suburbs of Toronto, Ontario, and holds a BA in English from York University. From an early age, she knew she wanted to be a writer and actively began pursuing that dream when she was a teenager. She loves strong heroines and sexy alpha heroes, and just enough heat and danger to keep things interesting!
Elle loves to hear from her readers. Visit her website www.ellekennedy.com or send her a note at
[email protected] You can also find her on Facebook or follow her on Twitter (@ElleKennedy).
Look for these titles by Elle Kennedy
Now Available:
Bad Moon Rising
Dance of Seduction
Midnight Encounters
Going for It
Red Hot Summer
Hot Summer Nights
Hidden Desires
Out of Uniform
Heat of the Moment
Heat of Passion
Heat of the Storm
Heat It Up
Heat of the Night
The Heat Is On
Hot and Bothered (print anthology)
Feeling Hot
Getting Hotter
Hot and Heavy (print anthology)
Welcome to Paradise
Welcome to Paradise
Take Me Home Tonight
Born to be Wild
Coming Soon:
Welcome to Paradise
Since You’ve Been Gone
A good bad boy is hard to find…
Getting Hotter
© 2012 Elle Kennedy
An Out of Uniform Story
Seth Masterson has been lusting over Miranda Breslin since the moment he saw her on a Vegas stage. Now that he’s been asked to watch out for her as she opens a dance studio in San Diego, he’s all over it, figuring it’s his chance to get her in his bed. Except the stubborn single mom seems determined to deny their crazy-sizzling sexual chemistry. In typical SEAL fashion, Seth makes it his personal mission to prove her wrong.
Miranda got over her attraction to bad boys about the time one of them knocked her up at the age of eighteen. Seth’s mocking gray eyes and military-buff bod, though, are pure and utter temptation. And when a flooded apartment forces her and her twins to move in with him, she can no longer resist the urge to set off some serious fireworks between the sheets.
But give him her heart? No, thank you. Any involvement with Seth will be strictly physical—and temporary. So when Seth decides permanent is what he wants, Miranda must steel her defenses before she does something incredibly foolish…like fall in love.
Warning: This book contains a bad boy SEAL who knows what he wants and will go to any lengths to get it. Expect some graphic language, hot sex, seduction, hot sex, dirty talk, hot sex, a little man-on-man action, hot sex. Oh, and hot sex.
Enjoy the following excerpt for Getting Hotter:
He walked over to the simple wooden dresser under his window and grabbed a pair of black track pants from the bottom drawer, along with thick wool socks. “The pants will be baggy, but there’s a drawstring so at least they won’t fall off.” He paused. “You want some boxers too?”
Her cheeks took on a pinkish hue. “No, it’s okay. Just the pants will do.”
His groin tightened as he wondered whether she planned on going commando. From there, the most mouthwatering image flashed in his mind, one involving Miranda’s bare sex, his track pants, and a whole lotta friction.
“What’s wrong?”
He met her concerned eyes. “Why do you ask?”
“You got this look on your face, like you were in pain. Are you all right?”
A choked laugh slipped out. “I’m fine.”
“What’s so funny?” Suspicion colored her tone.
“You’re completely oblivious to the effect you have on me, aren’t you?”
She let out a startled breath. “What?”
Releasing a breath of his own, he eliminated the distance between them, lifting one arm over Miranda’s shoulder so he could close the bedroom door. Her eyes widened at his nearness, and her cheeks turned redder.
“What are you doing?” she demanded.
“Giving us some privacy.”
Her slender throat dipped as she swallowed. “We don’t need privacy. I wouldn’t mind some, though, so I can change out of these damp clothes.”
“That can wait a few minutes.” He locked his gaze with hers. “You asked if I was in pain. Well, I am.”
She blinked in surprise. “But you just said—”
Before she could finish, he grabbed her hand and placed it directly over the bulge in his sweatpants.
Miranda gasped, her mouth falling open. “What are yo
u…oh my God. Jesus, Seth!”
And yet for all the lady’s protests, she didn’t make a single move to yank her hand away.
Seth’s pulse kicked up a notch, his cock growing even harder beneath Miranda’s palm. She didn’t stroke him. Didn’t cup or caress or move her fingers in the slightest. She just kept her hand over the erection straining against his sweats, her lips parted, her pupils dilated.
“Feel that?” he murmured.
Her gaze slowly met his. She looked almost mesmerized as she nodded.
“That’s what I’ve been walking around with since the moment you moved to town, baby.”
“Seth…” Reluctance crept into her voice. “Stop. Just…stop.”
And then her palm moved. A fraction of an inch. A torturous glide over the hard ridge of his cock.
He groaned softly. “Do that again.”
Her fingers froze. Her expression conveyed shock, as if she truly hadn’t realized what she was doing.
“This is insane,” she mumbled, and then, to his extreme disappointment, she withdrew her hand.
But the sexual awareness zipping back and forth between them refused to dissipate. It thickened the air and made his skin burn with anticipation. Christ, he wanted this woman so badly he couldn’t think straight anymore. Every time he saw her he turned into a sex-crazed caveman whose sole purpose in life was to claim his female.
His gaze focused on her mouth, that sexy mouth he’d been fantasizing about for so long.
“One taste.” The words slipped out before he could stop them, his voice full of gravel.
“W-what?” she stammered.
“Let me have one taste. One kiss.” He brought his hand to her mouth and swept his thumb over her plump bottom lip. The breath she hissed out warmed his fingers. “Please, Miranda.”
Oh Christ, he was actually begging.
Begging to kiss a woman.
If his entire body wasn’t overcome with pure agony, he might have been disgusted with himself, but at the moment, he couldn’t focus on anything other than Miranda. The intoxicating scent of her, vanilla and roses and something soft and feminine. The way her long, damp hair curled at the ends. The fullness of her breasts beneath her T-shirt.
He stroked her lower lip again, then let out another groan when her tongue came out to taste the pad of his thumb. She looked as surprised as he was by her actions.
But he wasn’t complaining. Hell no. He just capitalized on that tiny sign of surrender by cupping her chin and lowering his head to take possession of her mouth.
The kiss rivaled the storm that raged outside the house—powerful and all-consuming. Her lips were soft, warm, and he could feel them trembling as he rubbed his mouth over hers in a fleeting caress. There it was, his one taste, and it wasn’t enough, not by a long shot. Miranda must have agreed, because she didn’t pull away, didn’t protest when he coaxed her lips open with his tongue and licked his way inside.
She let out the sexiest little moan he’d ever heard when their tongues met. He swallowed the sound and angled his head to deepen the kiss, letting their tongues swirl and explore.
The only contact between them was their fused mouths and his hand resting lightly on her jaw. Her arms didn’t come around his neck. His other hand didn’t explore her sweet curves. Their lower bodies didn’t collide.
And yet it was the most erotic kiss of his entire life.
Disappointment slammed into him when Miranda abruptly tore her mouth away. Her hazel eyes shone with arousal and uncertainty, and she was breathing hard, her chest heaving.
“There,” she said. “You got your taste.”
He knew she was trying to sound casual, but her wobbly voice betrayed her.
“And you got yours,” he answered, lifting his eyebrows in challenge. “So let’s hear it.”
To her credit, she met his gaze head-on. “Hear what?”
“Your speech about how you didn’t feel anything, the kiss was no big deal, it doesn’t change your mind about going to bed with me, et cetera, et cetera.”
Miranda sighed. “I’m many things, Seth, but I’m not a liar. I did feel something, and trust me that kiss was a big deal. It was a huge deal, actually.”
She might as well have pulled out a two-by-four and smashed him in the gut, that was how shocked he was by her frank admission. Pure triumph soared through him—only to fizzle out like a wet candle when Miranda kept going.
“But you’re right. It doesn’t change my mind about going to bed with you.” Before he could respond, she spun around and grabbed hold of the doorknob.
“Miranda.”
She went still. “What?” she asked without turning.
“What the hell is it going to take for you to give in to this?” The echo of defeat in his voice surprised him as much as the next question he posed. “What do I have to do to win you over?”
He was her best friend…until he became her fantasy.
More Than Friends
© 2013 Jess Dee
Lucy Lawson’s got it bad. Bad as in stunned speechless by the situation she’s in, by the feelings sitting on her chest, ready to explode. She’s in love…with her best friend.
Problem is, telling Sebastian Blackford could destroy the best thing in her life, but the longer she keeps her feelings under wraps, the stronger the need to spill her secret.
The last thing Seb suspects is that his best mate is madly, wildly in love with him, or that he’s the star of her seriously dirty fantasies. Worse, he’s just started seeing someone he’d like to see again—and Lucy knows it.
So why does her confession hit him like a runaway train? And why can’t he get her explicit description of her fantasies out of his mind? They’ve never been more than friends, but now that he knows how Lucy feels, everything is out of whack.
Seb figures it’s up to him to get their relationship back on track. He’ll do it too, just as soon as he establishes which track is the right one.
Warning: After reading this, you may just be tempted to jump your best friend. It’s recommended you keep your partner on speed dial or a toy with fresh batteries on standby.
Enjoy the following excerpt for More Than Friends:
“Okay, if you space out on me one more time, I’m going to start thinking it’s personal.”
Lucy blinked and brought her attention back to the man sitting opposite her. Not that she’d ever lost her focus. Nope, her attention had been on him the whole time. Maybe just not on what he’d been saying.
“Loo, that’s about the tenth time you’ve zoned out. You haven’t heard a word I’ve said in the last five minutes. You gonna tell me what’s going on?” He set his tea down on the table.
She shook her head as she looked at his cup. “You realize you are the only man in Sydney, maybe in the world, who drinks Earl Grey?” The cup seemed small and dainty beside his strong, tanned hand.
He shrugged. “I like it, as you well know. Now forget about the tea and tell me what’s bothering you.”
Her gaze drifted from his teacup to his chest, and she admired the way his T-shirt sat snugly across his shoulders. How was it possible she’d never appreciated the broadness of those shoulders? Had his hair been so long it had hidden their extraordinary proportions?
She sighed. “You wouldn’t believe me if I did tell you.”
Seb shot her a strange look. “When have I ever not believed something you’ve said?” He took a chip from their shared plate, dipped it into tomato sauce and popped it in his mouth. Then he repeated the process, only this time he popped the chip in Lucy’s mouth.
It was all she could do not to close her lips around his fingers and trap them there. But then trapping fingers, a chip and a dollop of tomato sauce in her mouth was hardly sexy, now was it?
She chewed thoughtfully and swallowed, desperate to open up with the truth and admit her feelings, yet paralyzed by the prospect. For the first time ever, she had trouble voicing her thoughts to Seb.
“You know, I’m a pre
tty good listener.”
She smiled, trying to keep the mood light while her insides were so heavy. “Then why do you always complain that I never stop talking?”
He grinned. “Maybe because you never stop talking.”
“I’m not talking now,” she pointed out.
“Which leads me to believe there is something very wrong, ergo my willingness to listen.” He dipped another chip and offered it to her.
She shook her head. Her stomach was queasy and trembling, and though she and Seb always shared a plate of chips after seeing a movie together, she suspected fried food would do no good whatsoever. “I’m full.”
“Full of shit, maybe. C’mon, Lucy-Loo. Out with it. What’s bothering you? You fidgeted the whole way through the movie and haven’t been able to hold a simple conversation since it ended.” He gestured to the people sitting around them, enjoying a meal or a drink in the trendy little café in Newtown. “Everyone else here is chatting away. The only one not talking is you.”
“Okay, so you talk to me. Tell me how your hot date went the other night.”
The strange look was back on his face. “I spent the last five minutes telling you about it.”
She stared at him, dismayed. “You did?”
Seb nodded. “I did.”
Lucy gave him an apologetic look, staring into his eyes, willing him to forgive her.
Seb said something, but Lucy missed it, mostly because staring into his blue eyes dazzled her senses and once again took her breath away. A feverish flush seeped into her skin, heating her flesh. Just like that, Lucy was lost in a haze of desire, lost in the realization that her body was responding to Seb’s proximity. Being this close to him made her heart pound and her pussy clench. She wanted him fiercely. In a way she’d never desired another man. In a way she’d never desired a friend. In a way she had no place desiring a friend.