Prologue
“I’m
game if you’re game,” Nellie said, staring at him anxiously.
A
man’s burning urges often ignore all logic. Abel Ayala knew this was all this
was. A day of sipping on cocktails and lying around the deck of a cruise ship
watching scantily-clad bikini-wearing women giving him the go-ahead smiles had
done it to him. But now he stood here staring into Nellie Gamboa’s eyes, a
divorcee eight years older than he was who from what he’d heard was still
carrying a load of emotional baggage—probably still held a torch for her ex as
well. She was someone he would not and should
not be thinking of in terms of releasing some sexual tension, damn it.
The
fact that she’d turned her life around after what had been hailed by his
friend’s wife and Nellie’s best friend, Roni, as one of the most grueling
experiences any woman could go through didn’t help. She’d gone and shaped up
and did a complete makeover from the mousy woman he once remembered her as. If
he didn’t know it, he’d never even guess this sexy-as-hell woman would be
hitting thirty soon. The sexual tension between them had been a living
breathing thing and going on for months now. Only up until now he thought he
might be imagining her requited feelings of lust.
His
twenty-two-year-old ass had no business with a woman her age—no business
getting involved with Roni’s best friend—especially knowing full well that he’d
never take a relationship with her seriously. But this changed things. Nellie
was telling him she was all for a no-strings-attached relationship. She was as
interested in anything serious as he was. Coming off what she called the
divorce from hell, she said she wanted to live it up now. He was glad for the
liquid courage Nellie’s wine had provided. She said she was all for a
fun-and-run experience and she’d had her eye on him for some time.
It
was still a risk, his brain reasoned. Things could sour. This could even cause
a rift between him and his good friend’s wife if any hurt feelings came from
this. But the already throbbing parts of his body said otherwise.
She
tilted her head in that sexy way she did so often with curved lips that
practically called out for his. To hell with logic! Pulling her delicate frame
against his immediately released some of the pent-up tension that had been
building every time he’d been around her lately.
Swallowing
hard, he stared at those lips—lips he’d wondered far too many times what they
must taste like. “Hell yeah, I’m game,” he said as he took her mouth in his.
Feeling a desire like none he’d ever felt before, he kissed her deeply, sucking
her tongue, her lips. Damn, he wanted to eat her up.
He’d
been fighting it—over thinking it—for months. This was just his ever-so-curious
body’s reaction to finally giving into a longing that had peaked tonight as
they’d enjoyed a few friendly dances. That’s all it was. But he needed more
than just a kiss now. God he wanted so
much more, and since she was game . . . He pulled away from her just long
enough to catch his breath and take a look around the almost-empty deck.
“I’d
invite you back to my room, but Hector and Charlee might—”
She
tugged his hand and was already on the move. “Let’s go back to mine.”
The
second the elevator doors closed, Abel pushed her against the wall, pulling her
by the waist to him, and his mouth and tongue sucked at every inch of hers. She
panted softly, running her fingers through his hair as he moved down to her
soft neck and sucked softly then a little rougher.
As
the moving elevator came to a stop, Abel tore himself away. No sooner had the
doors opened when they were out in a rush to her room. They turned the corner
down the long corridor of rooms.
“How
far down?” Abel asked.
“All
the way to the end,” she replied, taking even longer strides.
Feeling
crazed with anticipation, Abel’s eyes searched for the ice/vending machine room
like the one on his floor. The moment he saw it, he pulled her in it.
He
answered her confused expression with a kiss as he closed the door and pushed
her against it. “I need to refuel.”
All
right, he needed to get laid more often. This was ridiculous. Obviously he’d
been spending too much time training and not enough socializing, because he’d
never felt this kind of urgency. Duly noted—he’d move a few things around in
his schedule. She lifted her leg, bringing it around him.
“Careful,”
he warned, biting her lower lip, “or I may just finish you up right here.”
“Do
it,” was her only response and he froze.
Pulling
back to look in her eyes, he could see she was serious. “Right here?” He asked,
his hand already traveling down under her dress.
She
nodded as his fingers felt the dampness between her legs and how hot she
already was, pushing his heart into overdrive. He squeezed his eyes shut as he
leaned his forehead against hers. “Sweetheart, don’t play with me.”
“I’m
not,” she assured him breathlessly.
Abel
opened his eyes, looking down at her big brown eyes. Up until that moment, he’d
never noticed the golden specks that were sprinkled throughout. The desire he
saw in them now was as urgent as his own, although he didn’t miss the slightest
bit of apprehension. He couldn’t blame her. Anyone could walk in on them,
though he was certain he’d be able to hold the door closed against the force of
any one person or maybe two if they pushed against it. At least until he was
sure she was decent. But he didn’t want her doing anything she wasn’t completely
certain about.
“Are
you sure about this?” He slipped his finger under her panties, her moisture
inviting him all the way in.
She
gasped, closing her eyes at his touch and nodded. “The kiss on the deck,” she
said, her eyes remaining closed. Abel stared at her lips as she continued to
speak a little more breathlessly with every caress of his finger to her silky
wet skin. “The elevator . . . This . . . It’s exciting. I’ve never done
something so . . .”
Nellie
stopped to swallow, licking her lips, and Abel kissed her before she could
finish. She didn’t have to. Suddenly the need to make this happen for her, make
this experience with him be one she’d never forget, took over. It was just an
ego thing. Nothing more. What guy didn’t like knowing they were a woman’s first
anything?
Abel
reached for his wallet, but his lips never left hers. She kissed him back just
as urgently, her hands grasping the front of his shirt. She gasped harder at
the sound of his zipper opening. So he stopped and looked at her wide eyes.
“I’m sure,” she said before he could ask again, pulling him to her, and he
groaned against her mouth.
Working
fast, he got the condom on and reached under her sundress, pulling her panties
down. When they hit the floor, he lifted her easily off the ground. “Wrap your
legs around me.”
She
did and he adjusted her, groaning loudly as he entered her. Kissing her harder
now as he fucked her against the door, he tried in vain to stifle his moaning,
but it felt so damn good to be inside her. Here he’d been under the assumption
that women who had been married, especially for several years, wouldn’t be this
tight. She was tighter than some of the younger women he’d been with, and it
felt just too damn good to finally be doing what he could only fantasize about
up until now—so good it was almost
alarming.
With
her arms tightly wound around his neck, she began to pant with every thrust,
and he went even harder, her panting growing more frantic as he felt her begin
to pulsate around him each time he slid into her. Just as her entire body began
to tremble with pleasure, he felt her arms tighten around his neck as she
pulled her mouth away from him to breathe and cry out. Abel couldn’t hold it
any longer either. Groaning again, he came in an explosive climax. Sinking deep
inside her, he pushed his body against hers, burying his face in her sweet
neck. Nellie clung onto him for dear life, gasping for air.
“We’re…”
Nellie started to say before stopping to catch her breath, “still going back to
my room, right?”
Abel
smiled, squeezing her naked behind and looked up into her somewhat embarrassed
eyes. “You bet this hot little ass we are. That was just an appetizer. I hope
you have all night, because what I have in mind is gonna take that long.”
Her
eyes sparkled now with excitement and she nodded. Hot damn! She was going to be
more fun than he’d expected.
About me? Well, I was born and raised and continue to live in sunny
southern California. I'm married and have two wonderful teens. My
love for writing began when I was just a kid though, I never really had
any dreams or aspirations of doing it for a living. Then along came
the age of eReaders and I saw an opportunity to get my writing out for
the world to read without jumping through hoops and getting past the red
tape of trying to get traditionally published.
For Funsies: 11 things about me:
1. I'm considerably tall for a woman about 5'9 and I love wearing HIGH
heels. Though I don't so much lately. But I used to do the Valerie thing
when I was younger BIG shoes! Good thing my husband is 6'3. =)
2. I chew my nails. *sigh* a habit I've sadly never been able to break out of.
3. I love to sing. Yep karaoke is a good friend of mine.
4 . Like in so many of my stories I married my first love. And we're still together after almost 18 years. Unlike most of my stories we've NEVER broken up. Not even for a day. And yes ladies he is an alpha through and through. =)
5. My first job was a cashier at Kmart. My first real job (and by real I mean I was counting on it to pay the bills) 411 operator for the phone company. "What city please?" lol
6. I own and love Great Danes. And yes Diesel was the name of my first one. He's passed now =( but now we have Dexter.
7. In case none of you have guessed it by now. I have quite the potty
mouth. Writing Manny and Max's and Romero's dialogue was much easier for
me than you guys would imagine. In fact toning down the language in my
books is actually harder for me. =/
8. I LOVE the holidays! And I mean LOOOOVE the baking, cooking,
decorating, shopping, wrapping, playing the songs, choosing the perfect
tree you name it. I'm always a little down in January every year when
it's all over. =(
9. You may have noticed my characters are always grubbing. That's because I love to cook. Most of the dishes mentioned in my books are some of my specialties. =)
10. I'm a tree nerd. BIG time. I have a half acre backyard and I love spending time out there planting more and more trees. =)
11. I love deviled ham and crackers. Unsalted tops please.
Keith
Rossetti grew up the hard way--fleeing from his older sister's fists and
finding addiction at a young age. It's a miracle he was able to make it into
the FBI, and he fiercely guards his relationships with a handful of close
friends.
