Marilyn Lee

Unleashed Presents

Falling hard

A confession by

Marilyn Lee

Dedication: To the members of Love
Bytes. Thanks for your support. A spe-
cial thanks to Lavern, Kenya, and
Leigh for proofing Yours, Only And
Always.

Copyright 2010 Marilyn Lee

All rights reserved

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters,
places, and incidents are products of the au-
thor’s imagination or are used fictitiously
and are not to be construed as real. Any re-
semblance to actual events, locales, organiz-
ations, or persons, living or dead, is entirely
coincidental.
All rights reserved. No part of this book may
be used or reproduced electronically or in
print without written permission, except in
the case of brief quotations embodied in re-
views. Due to copyright laws you cannot
trade, sell or give any ebooks away.
This is a work of fiction. All references to real
places, people, or events are coincidental,
and if not coincidental, are used fictitiously.
All trademarks, service marks, registered
trademarks, and registered service marks are
the property of their respective owners and
are used herein for identification purposes
only.

3/200

Chapter One

I’ve always been suspicious of people who
say they’re not prejudiced. I mean if you’re
not, you don’t have to go around telling
everyone you’re not. Right? Having said that,
I have to say that I’m not prejudiced. Never
have been. But I still never expected to fall in
love with a black woman, no matter how
sweet or beautiful. That’s exactly what
happened to me—when I least expected it.

But I should start at the beginning instead of
in the middle of the love triangle I found my-
self mired in. As usual, it started with a prob-
lem I inherited from Jim. Just when I
thought things couldn’t get any worse, he
sprang his latest surprise on me.

He came to the garage where I worked to
drop the bomb on me. As soon as I saw him,
I sighed.

To my surprise, he cut right to the chase and
asked if I’d bail him out of his latest jam by
taking his pregnant girlfriend in while he left
the state in search of a tv career.

Having been burned once too often while do-
ing favors for him, I said no. Instead of ac-
cepting my decision, he lurched into the
second phase of his attack plan. He pulled
out what I thought of as the trust card.

“You’re the only one I can trust with her,
Tom.” Translated that meant Jim had
already used up all of his favors with his
friends.

“Really?” I continued working on the car en-
gine. I’d promised the boss I’d have it fin-
ished by the end of the day. It was nearly

5/200

four o’clock so I didn’t have much time to ar-
gue with Jim.

“Yeah. Haven’t I always said you’re as solid
as a rock?” He demanded.

“Yes. You say that every time you want a fa-
vor,” I pointed out.

“That is so unfair, Tom,” he protested.

I smiled. He actually managed to sound in-
dignant. He clearly had a career in front of
the cameras. “Life’s not fair,” I reminded
him.

“Which is why I need your help. So will you
do it?”

“No.” This was one Friday night I didn’t in-
tend to spend cleaning up another one of
Jim’s messes.

“Why not?”

6/200

“Because I have plans that don’t include
babysitting your latest hussy.”

“She is not a hussy!”

Hearing the genuine anger in his voice, I
shrugged. “Whatever.”

“She’s not a hussy, Tom!” He insisted, a hint
of steel in his tone.

She was either a hussy or an idiot since no
sane woman would have unprotected sex
these days with a man as commitment shy as
Jim was. Still, I wasn’t in the mood to argue
the point. “Okay. Fine. She’s not a hussy.
Now can we move on?”

“Yes—as soon as you promise to do this for
me.”

“Forget it, Jim!”

“Oh, come on, Tom! You have to do this for
me.”

7/200

As usual he said that as if the whole mess
was my fault. But it wasn’t. None of the bad
things that have happened to him were my
fault. It wasn’t my fault our father died when
we were kids, anymore than it was my fault
that we’d been placed in different foster
homes for nearly two years while Mom over-
came her grief. From that moment on, I gave
up all hope of going to college. As soon as I
turned eighteen, I took a mechanic’s course,
landed a job with the largest car repair shop
in town, and became Jim’s guardian.

But he never made any allowances for all the
sacrifices I’d already made for him. He just
kept demanding I make more. And idiot that
I was, I kept making them. Well, enough was
enough.

I finished tuning the engine, put the car hood
down, and turned to face him. I’d been res-
cuing Jim from one scrap after another ever
since I was nineteen and he was eleven. Now

8/200

nearly thirty, I was tired of being his keeper
and cleaning up his endless messes.

“You’re wasting your breath,” I told him,
moving around the late model sedan and
slipping into the driver’s seat. “Not to men-
tion my time. I have to test-drive this.”

Jim’s eyes narrowed, and a frown marred his
handsome face. “You mean to tell me that
now, when I need you the most, I can’t count
on you?”

“That’s about the size of it,” I said and star-
ted the car.

“Tom! Wait! Please, do this for me, and I
promise I’ll never ask another favor.”

“You mean until you need another one?” I
shook my head. “I’m not falling for that lie
again.”

“Tom, please.”

9/200

There was no denying the genuine distress in
his voice or his gaze. I frowned.

“She’s special, man.”

“I’ve heard that too.”

“But she really is! I can’t let her down. I
can’t.”

I’d never known Jim to really care about any
of his throw away lovers. While I wasn’t con-
vinced this one was special, I was convinced
he thought she was. And that in itself was
surprising. I’d long ago lost track of the num-
ber of women he’d bedded and discarded
without a care.

“I’m glad to hear you’ve finally met a women
you don’t want to let down.”

He sighed. “I knew you’d help.”

I shook my head. “Help? Not me, buddy.
While I’m glad you plan to stand by her, I’m

10/200

not bailing you out this time. This is just ask-
ing too much.”

“Come on, Tom.” he pleaded. “I really need
you to do this for me. It’s only for a few
weeks—two months max. And you’ll hardly
know she’s there. Honest, Tom.” He grinned,
revealing the dimple in his left cheek. It al-
ways amazed me how much he looked like
Mom when he smiled. “Surely you don’t
want to see your niece or nephew in a
shelter.”

My best friend Ryan was forever telling me
that Jim would be a better man if I allowed
him to sink or swim on his own. But how
could I leave him floundering when he
needed help? He was my only sibling and he
was younger. I knew Mom would’ve wanted
me to look out for him. So I’d done my best
to do that.

I bit back the urge to remind him I wasn’t the
one who’d knocked some hussy up. What

11/200

was the point when he’d hit me where it
hurt? I wasn’t going to see his child in a shel-
ter when I had an empty bedroom.

“Fine!” I snapped, caving. “But I am only
having her for a couple of weeks. And this is
the absolute last time I’m doing you a favor,”
I warned and then sped away before he could
even thank me.

I blasted the car radio, angry with myself for
my inability to insist he stop making me re-
sponsible for his problems. Jim was always
getting into trouble, knowing his big brother,
Tom, would come to his rescue. I’d spoiled
him in that respect, and in the process I was
ruining my own life. Not many women stuck
around once they realized they’d play second
fiddle to my younger brother.

But as Dad used to say: promises were made
to be kept. At the end of the work day, I
made a pit stop at my apartment. After a
quick shower and change, I headed out of

12/200

town to see this woman Jim said was so
special.

That’s what he says about all of them—until
he dumps them, I thought sourly as I drove
onto the interstate. He’d had far more girl-
friends than I’d ever had. I wasn’t jealous of
my brother’s ability to attract women. But I
didn’t understand his need for an endless
succession of women in his bed who meant
nothing to him.

I’d never wanted or needed a different lover
for every day of the week. I just wanted one
special woman I could spend the rest of my
life with. So far, such a relationship had
eluded me.

An hour later, I was in Delaware County. I
turned onto a quiet, tree-lined street and
parked the car in front of a small single
home. I reached into my pocket and pulled
out the address Jim had given me: 929 Juni-
per Lane.

13/200

The address above the door read 929. I’d ar-
rived. Great. Now to meet Ms. Special. I
stepped out of my truck.

I rang the doorbell quickly; half hoping
there’d be no answer.

But the door opened almost immediately.

Great. My bad luck was holding, I thought as
I found myself staring into a pair of warm,
brown eyes. The young woman looked about
fifteen, but what really startled me was the
fact that she was black.

Then the answer hit me. “I’m sorry,” I said
quickly, backing away. “I must have the
wrong house.”

“What address are you looking for?” She had
a soft, slightly husky voice.

“Nine twenty-nine…” I trailed off as my eyes
fell on the numbers above the door again.

14/200

Right number, wrong street, I reasoned,
“Could you please direct me to Juniper
Lane?”

“This is Juniper Lane.” She stared at me a
moment, then her eyes widened. “Tom
Martin?”

I nodded.

“You’re Jim’s brother?”

Her startled reaction didn’t surprise me.
Most of the people Jim knew were shocked
the first time they met me. I guess they were
expecting an older version of my dazzling
brother. We're both just about six feet tall
with dark hair and eyes. But he looks like he
just stepped off a movie set. I'm just an
average-looking guy.

“I’m Tom Martin and I’m looking for Tanya
Kimball,” I said, ignoring her question.

15/200

She grinned and extended her right hand.
“You’ve found her.”

I couldn’t help it. I just stood there staring at
her. This couldn’t be the Tanya Kimball I’d
agreed to let stay in Jim’s room while he was
in California trying to land a role on a new
sitcom.

“There’s b-been a mistake,” I stammered.

The smile left her face, and she bit her lip.
“He did tell you about me, didn’t he? That
Mrs. Ashton needs my room for her sister?
You’re here to take me back-with you. Aren’t
you?”

There was no way I was taking her anywhere.
But before I could answer, a middle-aged
woman with hard green eyes appeared in the
open doorway. She glanced at my truck,
parked at the curb, then; looked me up and
down. “So you’re the one,” she said with ob-
vious distaste. “A man your age should know

16/200

better than to go around taking advantage of
young girls.”

I blushed as I realized she thought I was
Tanya’s lover. “I’m not—”

“Well, come in and get her things,” she inter-
rupted. “She’s going to be carrying your bag-
gage for nine months. The least you can do is
carry hers.”

I had no intention of doing any such thing.
That wasn’t the deal. Jim never told me she
was a pregnant teen. This was his problem.
At twenty-two he was an adult. This was
between him and her. The sooner I got out of
there, the better.

I started to back away, but the woman pulled
two suitcases from behind the door and
pushing them onto the steps.

Tanya turned to look at me. “You’re not leav-
ing without me. Are you?”

17/200

I froze, shaken by the frightened and con-
fused look on her face. My options were lim-
ited—either I went through with the plan, or
I ran the risk of her ending up in a shelter or
worse on the streets where she’d be pray to
God only knew what.

Disgusted by my brother’s irresponsibility, I
grabbed the bags and threw them in the back
of my truck.

When Tanya climbed into the front seat, I
slammed the door behind her, got in, and
drove away.

She made several attempts at small talk as I
tore down the interstate, but I turned the
oldies station up and ignored her. I was too
angry to trust myself to speak.

She finally gave up her attempts at conversa-
tion and sat staring out the window.

18/200

The silent ride home gave me a chance to
think. Jim had gone too damned far this
time. As soon as I got home, I was going to
order him and his jailbait girlfriend out of
my house and my life. He could damn well
drag her to California with him. I really
didn’t care what he did with her—as long as
he got her out of my hair.

But Jim was long gone by the time we got
back to the apartment. I felt like punching a
hole through the wall as I read his message.

Don’t be angry, Tom, but I decided to leave
early for L.A. so you two can have some
time to get to know each other. I promise
she won’t be any trouble. You’ll hardly know
she’s there and I’ll be back to take her with
me before you know it. Tell her I love her
and I love you too for always being there for
me. Jim

How could I stay angry after reading that?

19/200

“Is that from Jim?”

I looked up to find her watching me. I
nodded.

She bit her lip. “He's gone. Isn't he?”

She looked and sounded so hopeless, I didn't
have the heart to tell her the truth. “He says
he loves you.” Weary and dismayed by my
predictions, I turned away. “I need a drink.”

“You drink?”

She made indulging sound like a deadly sin.
And since I wasn't in the best of moods, I
didn't bother answering.

I tossed her suitcases into Jim's room and
slammed into mine. In the morning, she'd
better come up with an idea of where she
planned to spend the next few weeks because
there was no way I was going to make myself
responsible for jailbait.

20/200

Chapter Two

I woke the next morning with a roaring
headache. I needed a cup of coffee and some
aspirin. I pushed the covers off the bed and
stumbled into the hallway and toward the
bathroom.

I shoved the door open and froze. Tanya was
on her knees, leaning over the toilet, her long
dark hair covering her face. “Oh, Jim! Why
did you leave me alone?” She sobbed like a
lost little girl.

Like most men, I don’t handle weeping fe-
males very well. For a long moment, I just
stood there. Why me? Why did every favor I
do for Jim yield nothing but problems and
regrets?

How was I supposed to cope with a hurling
teenager? She didn't appear to be aware of
my presence. I could quietly back out and--

Then I realized there was really only one
thing to do in the face of her distress. I wet a
hand towel and knelt beside her on the cold,
tile floor. “You’re not alone,” I said as I put
an arm around her shoulders.

She turned towards me, still sobbing.

I raised the towel and gently wiped her face.

She shook her head, her eyes filling with
fresh tears as she looked up at me. “I’m
sorry. I know you don’t want me here.”

Gazing down at her, I realized for the first
time just how beautiful she was with her
warm brown eyes, full lips, and soft, velvet
skin. I felt an unwanted stirring of desire,
and tried to remind myself that not only was
she black and God only knew how much

22/200

younger than me, but she was also Jim’s girl.
In addition, she was pregnant with his child.

I suppose it was at that moment, kneeling on
the floor with her soft, warm body pressed
against mine, that I decided to let her stay. I
rationalized that I was letting her stay for
Jim’s sake. Oh, I knew his leaving looked
bad, but I was convinced he really did care
about Tanya. After realizing how pretty she
was, I could see why.

She wasn’t the first girl Jim had gotten preg-
nant, but she was the first one he’d ever tried
to help after the fact. He’d convinced the oth-
er two girls to pay for their own abortions.
He'd held their hands through the proced-
ures and then dumped them.

That he didn't plan to do the same with Tan-
ya indicated that she was special to him. And
that meant I had to keep that in mind and
not allow myself to think of her as anything
but his girl.

23/200

I looked at her stomach. “How...pregnant are
you?”

She cringed under my stare and pulled away
from me. “Six months,” she murmured,
bending her head so that her hair hid her
face.

“How old are you?” I asked, gently lifting her
to her feet.

“I’m nineteen.”

“Nineteen? You look more like fifteen,” I said
skeptically.

Her head snapped up and she glared at me.
“Well, I’m not! I’ll be twenty in a couple of
months.”

So maybe she wasn't jailbait after all, but she
sure seemed to have a chip on her shoulder
she should save for Jim. Not me, the guy try-
ing to help her. “Then you should’ve known

24/200

better than to sleep around without taking
the proper precautions!” I shot back.

Her eyes widened. She gave me a stricken
look, then pushed past me and hurried from
the bathroom.

I ignored my impulse to follow her. I wasn't
going to take any lip from any female silly
enough to get pregnant by a man who expec-
ted someone else to shoulder his responsibil-
ities. I heard her crying and shrugged. If she
were in love with Jim she'd better get used to
crying. He'd probably get some other woman
pregnant while he was in L.A.

I took two aspirin, brushed my teeth, and
washed my face. Then I walked to Jim’s
room. His bedroom door was half open, but I
tapped anyway before going in. Tanya was
dressed in a pair of baggy sweatpants and a
sweater. She was putting on the short jacket
she’d worn the night before. Lifting her two

25/200

largest suitcases from the floor, she turned to
face me.

Her eyes were glassy but tear-free. “These
are all I can carry. If you don’t mind, I’ll get
the other two later.”

I stared at her. “You're leaving?”

“Yes.”

“Where are you going?”

“I'm sure you don't care!”

My instincts told me she was nothing. Still, I
bit back the urge to agree with her.

She gave me an expectant look.

I stared back in silence. She'd better not hold
her breath waiting for me to try to convince
her to stay.

26/200

After a moment, she compressed her lips and
pushed past me. A couple of moments later I
heard the front door open and slam shut.

I didn't owe her anything. I'd given her a
place to stay for the night and I would keep
her other cases until she was ready to come
for them. If she needed a ride to a doctor's
appointment or money to help pay rent
somewhere, I'd help her. And that's all any-
one could expect me to do.

I tried to convince myself I was relieved to be
free of her. And I actually believed it--for an
entire minute. Then I realized I couldn’t let
her go. Even if she were almost twenty, she
clearly wasn't equipped to be on her own--or
she wouldn't be homeless and pregnant.

Besides, I'd promised Jim I'd let her stay for
a few weeks. And I always kept my promises.
Having convinced myself I was going to fol-
low her for noble reasons, I ran back to my
own room and threw on a pair of jeans and a

27/200

T-shirt. I grabbed my truck keys off the
dresser and left the apartment.

I stood outside my apartment building,
frowning. Where the hell was she? How far
could she have gotten in such a short time? I
ran to the parking lot to my truck. It wasn't
until I was in the driver's seat and couldn't
get my key in the ignition that I realized my
hands shook and my heart pounded.

I took a slow, deep breath before I finally
managed to get the key in the ignition. Why
was I feeling so desperate? I'd find her, bring
her back, and end this unexpected panic at-
tack. I tried to relax but I felt on edge as I
drove slowly through the early morning light,
scanning both sides of the street.

I felt myself getting more nervous by the
second until I finally spotted her getting off a
bus and heading into the downtown bus
station.

28/200

The relief I felt scared me. I took a few mo-
ments to calm down before I drove around
looking for a parking spot. I finally found
one half a block away. It took effort not to
run back to the station.

She was one of only four people inside. She
sat with her back toward me. I guessed she
must have already bought a ticket and
checked her suitcases because they weren’t
anywhere in sight.

I hesitated in the door, trying to persuade
myself to turn and walk away. The sheer re-
lief and ...joy I felt at seeing her told me I
needed to let her go. Nothing good could
come of taking her home with me. Not the
way I was feeling. Jim had already hurt her.
The last thing she needed was some older
guy lusting after her. Because that’s what
was driving me— lust. And that’s something
our small town wasn’t used to.

29/200

I'd almost convinced myself to leave when
she turned and caught sight of me. I couldn't
interpret the look in those incredible eyes of
hers but I couldn't look away. I was drawn to
her. Before I knew it, I'd crossed the floor
and sat beside her.

“Why are you here?”

Wasn't that obvious? “Please, come back
home with me,” I said awkwardly.

She shook her head. “I’m going home.”

“Jim said you had no home or money,” I re-
minded her.

“Jim said a lot of things that weren’t true,”
she answered softly, her eyes filling with
tears. She looked away from me, then
without another word, she got up and hur-
ried out of the station.

Okay. This running after her was getting old.
This time I should really let her go. Instead,

30/200

ignoring the stares of the few people around
us, I followed her. I caught up with her be-
fore she’d gone more than a few feet. When
she realized I was there, she stopped and
turned to look up at me.

“Will you just go away and leave me alone?”

I would if I'd have an ounce of common
sense and even a modicum amount of self-
preservation.

“I’m sorry,” I said. “I didn’t mean to take any
of this anger out on you.” I stopped. What
the hell was I apologizing for? What had I
done? “My problem isn’t with you. It’s with
Jim. There’s no need for you to feel that
you’re alone.”

“I am alone!” she said.

Not as long as I was alive. “You're not.”

31/200

She nodded. “I wanted so desperately to be-
lieve your brother when he said he cared
about me.”

“He does.”

“Then why am I standing on this corner
alone while he's off in L.A?”

“You're not alone. I'm on this corner with
you.”

“Don't try to take up for him. I was stupid
not to realize what he was after. He got that
and now I'm back where I was before I met
him--alone.” Her lips trembled. “I’ve always
been alone. Always.”

I should have known I was in over my head
when I found myself pleading with her.
“You’re not alone now, Tanya. You don’t ever
need to be alone again.”

She stared at me, tears in her eyes.

32/200

I offered her my hand. “Please. I promise you
can trust me.”

She shook her head and took a step away
from me. “You don’t want me there,” she
said.

I shouldn't, but God help me, I did.

“You think I’m some kind of tramp, too stu-
pid to keep herself out of trouble.”

At that moment, I didn't care what she was
or her level of intelligence. I just wanted her
to come back with me. “I--”

“So why are you here?”

I let my hand drop to my side. “I don’t think
that. I’m sorry if I gave you that impression.
It’s just that this whole thing has been a
shock. I didn't even know you existed until
last night.” And now I was so desperate to
get her to return home with me, I was beg-
ging. No wonder Jim had fallen so hard for

33/200

her. “I always thought I’d be a father before I
was an uncle.” I extended my hand again.
“Let me be here for you.”

For a long time she stood there searching my
eyes, wanting to believe, wanting to trust.

God only knew what my gaze revealed, but I
guess I'd managed to mask my interest be-
cause after several moments, she slowly lif-
ted her hand.

I took it in mine. I felt a rush of desire and
struggled against the impulse to lift it to my
lips and kiss it. I settled for giving it what I
hoped what a gentle and reassuring squeeze.

“Please, Tom…”

Sensing her vulnerability, I took her in my
arms and whispered, “I won’t let you down. I
promise.”

When she burrowed against me, it was all I
could do not to shudder. It was going to be a

34/200

long, long few weeks before Jim returned
home. But as I walked her back to the station
to get her bags and drove her home, I knew I
wouldn't have had it any other way.

She was quiet and withdrawn on the ride
home and I worried that she might suspect
how I felt. I wanted to reassure her that I
wasn't Jim and she'd be safe with me-but
feared scaring her off. I remained silent.

Back home, she went into Jim's room and
closed the door.

Great. So she'd be there but didn't want to be
bothered. Fine. I could do that, I thought and
turned away from Jim's closed bedroom
door. It wasn't as if I planned to become a
cradle robber.

* * *

35/200

Ryan was furious when he found out about
Tanya. “You’re asking for more trouble than
that brother of yours is worth!”

For once it would be nice if he told me
something I hadn't already figured out for
myself. “It wasn't my choice,” I reminded
him.

“Where’s her family, and why doesn’t she
have a job?”

“She doesn’t have any family. She and Jim
met at a dance sponsored by Adult Orphans.
And she does have a job. She’s a nurse’s aide.
Right now she’s out on maternity leave.”

“Why?”

“How the hell should I know why?” I deman-
ded. “Maybe she's having a difficult preg-
nancy. She has health benefits, but very little
money and no place to stay.”

36/200

“So what? Are you going to get stuck with
taking care of her until she has the baby?”

“It’s only for a couple of months.” But in my
mind I knew it was going to be the hardest
two months of my life. I'd spent the entire
weekend trying to hide my growing desire for
her.

“What makes you think Jim is coming back
for her at all?” Ryan demanded.

If Ryan had met her, he wouldn't doubt that
Jim would return. “He'll come back for her.”

“Why are you so sure of that?”

I shrugged. “I just am. He's already shown an
interest in her welfare that he's never shown
with any other woman.”

“Have you heard from him yet, Tom?”

37/200

“No, but he knows from past experience that
I’d need a week or two to cool off. I have no
doubt he’ll be back.”

“How do you know? Because he said so?
Come on, Tom. At some point you have to
stop trying to mop up his messes.”

Ryan and Jim had never really liked each
other but generally managed to be civil--un-
til Ryan felt Jim was taking advantage of me.
“Because he cares about her. If he didn’t he’d
have dumped her long ago.”

“Come on, Tom. Wake up! He’s conned you
again. This isn’t your problem. Why don’t
you try talking her into having an abortion?”

While I hadn’t balked at the other two girls
having an abortion, the thought of destroy-
ing a baby that was part of Tanya made me
feel sick. And Jim apparently feels the same
way, I reminded myself. You can't afford to

38/200

forget that. He will be back for her so don't
go get any ideas about her.

But at that point, it was already too late. Not
that I was ready to admit it then. During my
lunch break, I drove to the tiny florist shop
in the center of town and ordered a dozen
roses to be sent to the apartment. I hesitated
a moment, then paid to have a dozen sent
every week for the next couple of weeks.

“What do you want the cards to say?” The
clerk asked.

I thought for a moment. “To my special lady,
Tanya. Tom will take care of you until I get
back. Jim.”

The clerk looked at me.

She was pretty and young. I sighed. She
probably knew Jim.

Heading back to work, I had mixed feelings
about what I'd just done. I didn’t want to

39/200

deceive Tanya, but I also wanted to lift her
spirits. If letting her think Jim thought
enough of her to send her flowers on a
weekly basis helped it, so be it.

I knew I'd made the right decision when a
glowing Tanya met me at the door when I got
home that night.

“Oh, Tom! Look!” She held the roses out to
me. “You were right. Aren't they beautiful?”

I nodded, pleased she liked them.

“He does care about me!”

“Who?” I asked, taking off my jacket. “You
got a secret admirer Jim should know
about?”

“Don't I wish?”

Did she really wish? If she did, she only had
to look in my direction.

40/200

“They're from Jim! He sent me these beauti-
ful roses.”

Damn. The delight I saw in her face told me
Jim still had her heart. Lucky bastard. Even
as I smiled, I swallowed my disappointment
that she was so willing to believe that he’d
actually sent her the roses.

The sooner I realized fantasizing about her
was a waste of my time, the less likely I'd end
up with a broken heart.

She sniffed the roses and smiled at me. “You
look hungry.”

“I am, unfortunately cooking isn't what I do
best.”

“Then aren't you lucky that I'm pretty good
at it?”

“You can cook?”

41/200

She nodded. “Did you think I was just anoth-
er pretty face?”

I shrugged. “I'll be the judge of whether you
can actually cook or are just another pretty
face,” I told her.

She tossed her head, sending her hair cas-
cading around her shoulders. “Then go wash
your hands and then come into the kitchen
to see what delights I've prepared for you.”

After finishing in the bathroom, I followed
her into the kitchen where the table was set
for two.

She turned from the stove to smile at me.
“Sit down and get ready to enjoy.”

I sat. And since she had prepared a delicious
meal, I enjoyed both the meal and listening
to her.

42/200

The roses had really seemed to lift her spir-
its. She smiled frequently as she talked about
the future she hoped to share with Jim.

I swallowed hard. It really was uncool to be
jealous of my own brother. But seated across
from her, noticing the graceful way she held
her fork, and how her full lips barely touched
the rim of her glass when she brought it to
her mouth, made it difficult to keep my gaze
from lingering on her. But that's what I
needed to do because her voice was filled
with hope and excitement. Her eyes
sparkled.

She was so beautiful. I loved everything
about her and couldn’t think of a better way
to spend my evening.

“You're going to make Jim a very happy
man,” I told her.

“Do you think so?”

43/200

I nodded.

She reached across the table to grip my
hand. “I'm going to do my best. I know we
should have taken precautions, but I don't
regret having his baby and I'm looking for-
ward to being a mother and a wife.”

I doubted Jim had any immediate plans to
marry her, but maybe I was wrong. I smiled.
“I'm sure you'll be an excellent mother and
make Jim a very happy man.”

After dinner we washed the dishes together
and then sat in the living room watching TV.
Or rather she watched TV. I watched her
whenever I safely could. Later that night, I
took a cool shower and then lay in bed trying
not to think about her before I finally fell
asleep. I think knowing that she was thinking
about Jim and not me helped.

44/200

Chapter Three

I got better at hiding my feelings from her
and we settled into a routine. I spent my
days working hard and looking forward to
going home to her at night. We had dinner
together each night and sometimes watched
TV or a rented movie. On Friday nights, I got
to unwind by going for a long, moonlight
drive with her beside me after dinner.

After blowing off Ryan's attempts to get me
to spend the night at our favorite strip club
in the city, I arrived home one Friday night
to find her sitting in the darkened living
room. I left the overhead light off, but turned
on one of the floor lamps before kneeling on
the carpet in front of her. “Tanya? What’s
wrong?”

She shook her head. “Nothing.”

“You're sitting in the dark. Something's
wrong.”

She shrugged. “I’m just wondering.”

I glanced at the coffee table. A vase of roses
sat there. “Wondering what? You don't like
roses anymore?”

“I love roses.”

“Then what's wrong?”

“Oh, Tom,” she whispered. “Don't you
know?”

My heartbeat raced. What was she trying to
tell me? “Know what?”

She slipped out of the chair and into my
arms. “It’s been four whole weeks!”

Was she starting to feel something for me?
Had the long drives and the shared dinners

46/200

finally let her see me as a man instead of just
Tom's brother? “And?”

“Why doesn’t he call me?”

Jim. Again. Damn it! I didn’t want to talk
about him. And I sure as hell wasn't in the
mood to keep making excuses for him. How
was I suppose to explain why he hadn't
called either of us when all I wanted was
Tanya? I wanted to feel her...to move with
her...to love her.

Instead of surrendering to my need for her, I
tried to give her what I knew she needed--
comfort.

I pulled back from her, hoping the distance
would clear my head and enable me to think.
“He’s probably busy with—what do they call
them? I don’t know. Interviews? Auditions?”

47/200

She drew closer and grabbed me by the
shoulders. “How can he be too busy to make
a phone call?”

What can you say to that, Tom? He sure as
hell is finding time to ward off the loneliness
you're dealing with. There was no way Jim
was spending his nights sleeping alone.

She dug her fingers into my arms and at-
tempted to shake me before she pulled away.
“He’s not coming back for me, is he?”

I still believed he was coming back for her. I
didn't feel any particular need to try to cover
for him, but the sight of hope draining from
her wasn't working for me. “Of course he is,”
I tried to reassure her.

She shook her head. “You know he isn’t!”

“He is coming back.”

“Then why haven't I heard from him?”

48/200

Good question. “I know he plans to return
for you.”

“But?”

“But even if he doesn’t return, there’s no
problem.”

“If he doesn't return, I'm screwed!”

“No you're not.” I stood up slowly, lifting her
to her feet as I did. “You don’t have to
worry,” I told her softly, caressing her cheek
with the back of my hand. “Not about any-
thing. I’ll always be here for you, Tanya.”

I saw her eyes widen, and heard her catch
her breath. She shook her head and backed
away from me.

Great. I’d given myself away. Now she'd be
afraid of me.

“Your dinner is in the oven...I'm going...I
don't think a drive tonight would be...I'm not

49/200

in the mood to do anything but just stay in
my room and read.”

* * *

Determined not to give her a chance to hu-
miliate me, I avoided her as much as possible
after betraying my feelings. I got up too late
to have breakfast with her, worked as much
overtime as I could, and instead of going
home for dinner, I spent my nights hanging
out at strip clubs with Ryan.

I got aroused watching the dancers and even
had a few lap dances, but still arrived home
wanting Tanya. I was too old to waste my
time longing for a woman who belonged to
Jim so I started dating Karen, the bookkeep-
er at work. It was all a ploy to keep my mind
off Tanya, and for a while it seemed to
work—especially when Karen invited me to
spend the night on our third date.

50/200

The relief from that night of meaningless sex
was short-lived. When I went home the next
morning, Tanya pounced on me demanding
to know where'd I been all night and why I
hadn't called. I didn’t like that she made me
feel like a cheating hubby caught with his
pants down.

“I'm an adult, Tanya. I don't need your per-
mission to spend the night with my woman.”

“Your woman? You have a woman? Jim said
that you...he said you weren't seeing
anyone.”

“You're old enough to know better than to
believe everything he tells you,” I said and
walked away.

She followed me to my bedroom. “Why
didn't you at least call? I thought something
had happened to you.”

51/200

It would be a cold day in hell when she wor-
ried about anyone but Jim. I went into my
bedroom and closed the door in her face.
Chew on that, Tanya.

Needless to say things between us was a little
on the chilly side after that. But I took it in
stride. We still hadn't heard from Jim, but I
knew he'd return for her sooner or later. So
there was no point in minding that she was
pissed at me. Soon she'd be out of my life
and I could concentrate on forgetting her.

* * *

She and I were just getting back to being able
to hold a civil conversation when she woke
one night with premature labor pains. I
rushed her to the hospital. Listening to her
soft sobs, I prayed that she and the baby
would be all right. As I paced in the waiting
room, I was afraid I was about to lose the
only woman I'd ever really loved. I wanted

52/200

the baby to survive too, but if only one of
them made it, it had to be her. There could
be other babies but never another Tanya.

I can't begin to describe the relief I felt when
Jim Jr. (J.J. for short) was born eight hours
later, four weeks ahead of schedule.

“Oh, Tom, isn’t he beautiful?”

As I stood by her bed, watching her cradle
my small nephew, I knew I was looking at
the two most important people in my life.
“How could he be anything but beautiful
with you for a mother?”

She looked up at me with her warm, beauti-
ful eyes filled with love and wonder. Then
she clutched my hand in hers and pressed it
against her lips. “Thank you, Tom.”

I glanced at the bouquet of flowers I’d
ordered that sat on her bedside table. “Oh,
you mean for the flowers?”

53/200

“Yes. For all of them.” She smiled.

“All of them? It’s only a small bouquet.”

She squeezed my hand. “I mean for all the
roses you’ve sent me over the past weeks.”
She smiled at my surprise. “You didn’t really
think I thought they were from Jim, did
you?”

“Well, I—yes. I did.”

“Okay, maybe I still had enough stars in my
eyes to think the first bouquet was from him.
But when the second one arrived and I still
hadn't heard from him...” She sighed. “I
knew they were from you.”

“I just wanted to lift your spirits.”

“And you did.” She squeezed my hand. “You
have done so much for me.”

“It was my pleasure,” I admitted.

54/200

“I don't see how it could be—given the
situation.”

I decided it was probably best not to ask
what situation she meant.

She sighed. “But enough is enough.”

“What?”

“You've done far more for me than you
needed to and I'm so grateful.”

“And?”

“And as soon as I’m released, I’ll be out of
your hair.”

“What?” I stared at her. “You're not planning
to leave.”

She nodded. “Yes.”

“No. I'm not going to have you and the baby
homeless.”

55/200

“We're not going to be homeless. I talked to
Mrs. Ashton last week. My old room is free
again. So the baby and I will go there
when—”

“No!” I snatched my hand away from her.
“No! There’s no need for you to go back
there.” I turned away from her and shoved
my hands into my pants pocket. I didn’t want
her to see them shaking.

“Tom? Tom, please. Look at me.”

I shook my head and walked over to the win-
dows. I struggled to control the feeling of
panic radiating through me. “Just tell me
you’ll stay with me, Tanya. Please.”

“I can’t. I have—”

“Why?” I swung around to face her. I no
longer cared that I was exposing my feelings.
I couldn't bear the thought of her leaving a

56/200

moment before she had to. “Why can’t you
stay?”

“Because it’s not right. You deserve to have
your life back.”

Why couldn’t she see that I had no life worth
living without her? “Stay,” I pleaded. “And
let me worry about my life.”

“If I don’t go back to work soon, I’ll lose my
job. I don't have a car so I need to be near
work. Mrs. Ashton's is only a few blocks from
my job and she's agreed to watch the baby
until I can arrange daycare.”

“You're not going back there.”

“I have to.

“No you don't. I’ll take care of both of you.” I
walked across the room and took her hand in
mine. “Tanya, don’t make me beg.”

57/200

She pulled her hand away. “What will your
woman think about that?”

“I don't have a woman.”

“You slept with her!”

Was it my imagination or did she sound just
a little jealous? “Once, but it didn't mean
anything.”

“I think that's kind of how Jim viewed his
time with me.”

“He loves you.”

“No he doesn't.”

Even if he didn't, I did. Of course I couldn't
admit that. There was no way she'd stay if I
stopped pretending I thought of her as Jim's
woman.

She sighed. “Oh, Tom! I’d have been com-
pletely lost without you.”

58/200

“But? There’s a but in your voice.”

“No there isn‘t. If you really want us to, we’ll
stay for a while.”

“You will? You'll stay until Jim comes
home?”

“I don't think he's coming back—at least not
for me, but I'll stay awhile. I can use the time
to get on my feet.”

And I could use the time to reconcile myself
to losing her.

* * *

I brought Tanya and J.J. home a week later.
There was no more overtime, strip clubs, or
dating. I wanted to spend all my free time
with them. I couldn’t get home fast enough.

Tanya seemed to enjoy the time we spent to-
gether in the evenings. She always had

59/200

dinner ready and looked so pretty she left me
speechless. I spent hours watching the baby
sleep. He was a miniature version of Jim, but
he had Tanya’s sweet disposition and beauti-
ful eyes. When he looked at me with dark
eyes so like hers, I knew I'd do anything for
him--just as I would for his mom.

I felt so privileged to be able to spend the
first months of his life with J.J. One day, Jim
was going to look back on what he'd missed
and curse the day he'd walked away from
Tanya when she needed him most. In the
meantime, I enjoyed getting to know him.

“I think there’s something you should know
about the baby, Tom,” Tanya said one night
as I watched her put J.J. in his crib.

“What?” I asked, without taking my eyes off
him.

“I hope you don’t get angry.”

60/200

I frowned. “About what?”

She kissed his cheek before she turned to
face me. “We can’t keep calling him J.J.”

“Why not?”

“Because it’s time you knew his real name.”

“Jim Martin, Jr. Right?”

“Not quite.”

“You mean you’d rather he take your family
name?”

She placed her hand on my back. “No, that’s
not it.”

“He has a middle name you'd rather use?”

“No. I want to use his real name.”

“Which is?”

“Thomas Martin.”

61/200

“Thomas...you named him after me?”

She nodded. “I know I should’ve asked you
first, but I just couldn’t call him Jim. Not
when you were the one who was always there
for me. I hope you’re not too angry, Tom.”

“Angry? I feel like I’ve just won the Super-
bowl,” I shouted.

“That's a relief. I hope he'll be half the man
you are, Tom.” She placed her hands on my
chest and leaned forward to kiss my cheek.
“Thank you for all you've done and continue
to do, Tom. Without you...thank you.” She
brushed her lips against the corner of my
mouth.

After four months of trying to hide my feel-
ings for her, feeling her lips near mine, was
too much temptation. I lost it. I swept Tanya
into my arms and started kissing her. First
on her face. Then on her eyelids, her cheeks,
the tip of her nose, her chin.

62/200

When she didn't protest, I captured the
prize—her full, warm, sweet, sweet lips.

To my delighted surprise, her lips moved
against mine. She slipped her arms around
my neck and kissed me back.

I wanted to whisper tender love words
against her mouth. Instead I heard myself
chanting, “Tanya. Tanya. I want you. I want
you.”

“I want you too, Tom,” she whispered, strok-
ing her fingers through my hair.

I lifted my head and stared down at her. “Are
you sure?”

She nodded, lowering her lids.

I wasn't certain she was really sure, but I was
too far gone to do anything other than to
pick her up.

63/200

She lay her cheek against my chest.

When I bent to kiss her lips, she kissed me
back.

That was about as much checking as I was in
any condition to do. I carried her to my
bedroom.

As I started to undress her, I told myself I
had to stop because sleeping with her would
be a betrayal of the trust she'd put in me. But
the last four months of longing for her felt
like a lifetime.

When she was naked, she stood shyly before
me.

I couldn't take my eyes off her. She had
large, beautiful breasts, a flat stomach, long
legs, and a round padded behind I'd been
longing to touch for weeks. The thought of
lying between her parted legs and slipping

64/200

inside her got me aroused and naked in re-
cord time.

When we were both nude, she put one hand
over her breasts and cupped the other
between her legs.

“Oh, no, honey. You're too beautiful to hide
your body.” I took her hands in mine and led
her over to the bed. I sat on the side and
drew her between my legs. I slipped my
hands around her body to cup her butt. Her
skin felt smooth and warm. I squeezed her
cheeks.

She trembled and leaned forward so that her
breasts were just a tongue stroke away.

I drew her right nipple into my mouth and
twirled my tongue around it.

“Oh...Tom!” She wrapped her arms around
my neck.

65/200

I kissed my way across to her other nipple
and sucked it into my mouth.

She slipped her fingers in my hair and
ground herself against me.

I dragged my mouth from her breasts and
fell back against the bed on my back, pulling
her on top of me.

She settled between my legs with her breasts
pressed against my chest.

I could feel her pubic hair against mine,
making me harder. I rolled her over onto her
back.

She caught her breath, parting her legs for
me.

When I slipped between her thighs, she
pushed against my shoulders. “Oh, no,
honey. Please don't tell me you're changing
your mind.”

66/200

“Condom,” she whispered.

I'd never wanted to go raw more, but she was
right. We had to use protection. I rolled off
her long enough to reach in the top drawer of
my nightstand. It seemed an eternity passed
before I managed to get the condom on.
Then, afraid I would come before I'd satis-
fied her, I lay on my stomach between her
legs.

The first taste of her against my mouth and
tongue sent me into a frenzy. I slipped my
palms under her butt, lifted her hips and
slipped my tongue inside her. She tasted as
good as she smelled and I ate her slowly, sa-
voring her cries of pleasure. When she
bucked her hips and gasped as she came, I
slid up her body, positioned myself between
her trembling thighs, and pushed inside her.

The first few seconds of feeling myself buried
deep in her wet warmth was nearly enough

67/200

to make me come immediately. I gritted my
teeth and held myself still.

She wrapped her arms and legs around me,
tightening her vaginal muscles around me.

Oh, god, that felt good. I devoured her lips
and took her quickly, driving myself as deep
inside her as I could. Each time I pushed
back inside her, she made a small sound of
pleasure and tightened herself around me,
driving me closer to my climax.

When slid her hands down my back to cup
my ass, I groaned, and came.

She held me, kissing my hair and whispering
softly as I shuddered through one of the
most intense climaxes of my life.

Afterwards, I collapsed on top of her, feeling
totally content and happy. I fell asleep in her
arms. I didn't sleep long. After a nap, I woke
her up and we tumbled in each other's arms

68/200

and made love to each other late into the
night.

69/200

Chapter Four

The baby’s cries woke me early the next
morning. I reached out for Tanya, but she
wasn’t there. I got up, slipped on a pair of
briefs, and went down the hall to Tanya's
bedroom.

Tanya sat in the rocking chair by the window
that had belonged to mom, breastfeeding
Tommy.

She looked so sexy; I just stood staring at
her.

She glanced up then looked away without
meeting my eyes. “Did his cries wake you?
I’m sorry.” Her voice sounded strained and
unhappy.

She’s probably feeling guilty. I probably
should have too, but I didn't. I bent to kiss
her cheek. “I hope you're not regretting last
night, Tanya.”

She drew away from me. “I am, but not for
the reason you think. I don’t want you to
think I’m easy.”

“I don’t,” I said quickly. “I never thought you
were.”

“How could you not? I've slept with you only
two months after having your brother’s
baby.” She looked up at me with tears in her
eyes.

I knelt next to her and rubbed my cheek
against her leg. “I was kind of hoping Tho-
masie could be ours—yours and mine.”

I felt her stiffen and looked up to find her
peering down at me. “You don’t think I’m—”

71/200

“I think you’re the most beautiful woman
I’ve ever met. I know I’m eleven years older
than you, but I was hoping... would you stay
with me?”

She touched my hair with her free hand. “For
how long?”

“Oh, I don’t know.” I shrugged. “How about a
nice round figure? Say, for the rest of your
life?”

She smiled but shook her head. “Nope, that's
too long. I can’t commit myself to you for
more than fifty, maybe sixty years tops. After
that I’m outta here.”

“Well, if that’s all you have to give, I guess I’ll
have to make do with it.” I stood up, and
then bent down to kiss her lips.

After a moment of locking lips, she pushed
me away.

“What? You're tired of me already?”

72/200

“In case you haven't noticed, I'm breastfeed-
ing here, handsome.”

Handsome? Damn. Things were definitely
looking up. She kissed her cheek. “I'll go
make breakfast.”

“And while you're at it, put some clothes on
or...”

I turned at the door. “Or what?”

“Or I can't promise to keep my hands off
you.”

I grinned. “Then I am definitely not putting
any clothes on.”

I smiled at the sound of her laughter as I
headed towards the kitchen to make
breakfast.

* * *

73/200

The first few days after we made love felt like
a beautiful dream. I woke in bed with her
each morning thinking things were too per-
fect. I was happier than I’d ever been. Tanya
seemed thrilled, too. Thomasie was a happy,
healthy baby. I loved coming home to them
each night after work. We felt like a family.
And I wanted to keep things that way.

“Have you ever considered not returning to
work?” I asked her as we had dinner one
night.

“Yes and then reality rears its head and I
have to think about Thomas's and my
future.”

“Why don't you let me do that, honey?”

She put her fork down. “You?”

“Yes. Me”

“You already work a difficult job.”

74/200

“I like my job so it's not difficult and I'm
happy to get a part time one so you can stay
home and be a full-time mom.”

“That's a big step, Tom.”

“I know, but it’s what I want to do. Will you
think about it?”

“I don't have to. I want that too...if you're
sure.”

I reached across the table to hold her hand.
“I'm very sure.”

“Then so am I, but I don't want you working
any second job. I'll get a part time one.”

“That's not necessary. I—”

“Let's do that and then neither one of us will
be too tired to enjoy our time with Tommy
and each other.”

75/200

“Okay, you can start looking for a part time
job in a few months. For now, stay home
with Tommy.”

She nodded. “Deal.”

I squeezed her hand. “And in the meantime,
let's start looking around for a house.”

“A house? Tom..a house?”

I nodded. “Ryan and I have been talking
about opening a garage of our own for a
while. Now I think it's something we really
want to do.” I had other plans I wasn't ready
to discuss with her yet. Plans to marry her. I
felt pretty sure she cared for me as deeply as
I did her.

But I wanted to surprise her. So one
Saturday I told her I was going fishing and
spent the day in the city visiting jewelry
stores until I found what I thought was the
perfect ring for her. I rented a cabin by the

76/200

lake and arranged to take a week off from
work.

When I told Tanya about my week off, she
was thrilled, and immediately planned each
day. “It'll be the best week ever,” she
whispered as we lay in bed together.

“Oh, I don't know about that.” I rolled her
onto her back and settled between her
thighs. “The last ones we've shared had been
pretty good.”

“And this one will be better if you make love
to me,” she said.

Mom didn't raise any fools. I slipped on a
condom and slipped into the sweet heat that
would soon belong exclusively to me. Al-
though we had never actually said I love you
to each other, the way she welcomed me into
her body and moved with me as we made
love gave me hope that her feelings were as
real as mine.

77/200

* * *

Jim had been gone for eight months by the
time I knew I wanted to marry her. Though
he sent an occasional postcard from Califor-
nia assuring me that he was fine and planned
on coming back for Tanya, I no longer be-
lieved he’d ever cared for her.

If he had, he wouldn't have stayed away from
her for so long. Hell, he'd never even called
to ask how she and the baby were. For all he
knew and cared she could have a new man in
her life--like me.

Imagine my surprise when he called the
apartment the night before we were leaving
to spend a week at the cabin I'd rented.

“Tom, you’ve been a prince, but I know you’ll
be pleased that I’ll be coming back home
tomorrow.”

78/200

I felt as if I’d had the air punched out of my
lungs. “What for?” I asked him.

“For Tanya and the baby. Boy or girl?”

He was a piece of work. It took him six
months to ask the sex of his child. “A boy,” I
heard myself murmur.

“It’s Jim Jr., then,” he said smugly. “Where’s
Tanya?”

“She's at the market.”

“Damn. I can't wait to see. Tell her, I’ll be
there some time after five tomorrow night.”

“Yeah? Well, what makes you think you can
just waltz back into her life after eight
months of silence?” I demanded.

“I don’t think, Tom. I know. She’s mine, and
so is the baby.”

Not any damned more she wasn't!

79/200

“Look, I know the effect she has on men so I
can imagine what’s been going on.”

I swallowed hard.

“But it’s over, Tom. She’s mine and I want
her and my baby back.”

“Then where the hell were you when she
needed you?”

“I couldn't take care of her. I had to put my-
self in a position to give her and our baby
what they deserved. I'm coming home for
her, Tom.”

“She’s not yours anymore.”

“The hell she isn't. I know I put you two in a
difficult situation so I'm willing to overlook
what I know has been going on. But I'm com-
ing back for her so you need to get over her.”

80/200

“You weren't here for her when she needed
you most. I was.”

“And I'm grateful for that, Tom.”

“Keep your gratitude and keep your ass in
L.A. because I’ll be damned if I let you take
either one of them from me, Jim.”

“Why don’t we let Tanya decide which one of
us she wants?” he asked, his voice full of con-
fidence. “I’m willing to abide by her decision.
Are you?”

“Go to hell!” I said and slammed down the
phone.

I hated to admit it, but my weasel of a broth-
er was right. Tanya would have to decide
which one of us she wanted to be with. After
spending four months as her lover, I should
have felt confident enough to be sure she'd
pick me.

81/200

But I wasn't. I knew I should’ve told her
about his call when she came back from the
market, but I couldn’t. She seemed happy
enough with me, but perhaps that was only
because she thought she couldn’t have Jim.
With him back in the picture, there was no
way she would choose me over him. I
couldn’t give her and Tommy up without a
fight.

That night, afraid we might be sharing a bed
together for the last time, I couldn't get
enough of her. After eating her to a climax, I
slipped between her legs and made love to
her. After I groaned and pumped my way to
an orgasm, I lay trembling in her arms.

She held me close, kissing my hair. “What's
wrong?” She asked.

“Nothing.” I rolled away from her, replaced
the soiled condom with a new one, and
slipped back between her thighs. “I just need
you again.”

82/200

She slipped her arms around me. “Then take
me again because I'm yours, Tom. All yours.”

“All mine,” I said and pushed into her.

She slid her palms over my butt and offered
me her lips.

Sucking her tongue into my mouth, I held
her close and we moved together, loving each
other until we both came. Then I did
something she'd never allowed me to do be-
fore. I pulled out of her, discarded the con-
dom, and thrust back into her.

She gasped, clutched me close, and squeezed
her vaginal muscles around my cock until I
groaned, and spilled my seed as deep into
her as I could. Then we kissed, cuddled, and
fell asleep in each other's arms.

Just before dawn, I woke to find her strad-
dling my hips, about to impale herself on me.

83/200

I pushed my hips up and groaned with pleas-
ure as my cock slipped up into her.

“Oh...so good...you feel so good,” she
moaned and began to ride me slowly.

As I held her hips and enjoyed the feel of her
bucking and rocking herself to a climax on
my cock, I told myself she couldn't possibly
want to do this with anyone but me. If only I
believed that, I would have been straight
with her.

* * *

“What’s the matter, Tom?” Tanya asked as
we loaded up the mini-van I’d rented for our
trip the next morning.

“Nothing. I’m just a little tired after last
night.”

She bit her lip. “Do you regret last night?”

84/200

“No! Why would I? It was the most incred-
ible night of my life...do you regret it?”

“No.”

“Why would I?”

“Because we were reckless and we shouldn't
have been.”

“Last night was the best sex I've ever en-
joyed. In fact, it was more than sex to me. I
could never regret it.”

“Then what's wrong?”

“Nothing. I'm just anxious to get on the
road.” I stared at her. I wanted to trust her
enough to explain the reason for my anxiety,
but couldn't face the thought of losing her
any sooner than I had to.

She linked her arm through mine. “Then let's
get this party started, handsome.”

85/200

“Sounds like a plan.”

We finished loading the mini-van and left.

Once we hit the highway, I breathed easier. I
knew Jim would find us sooner or later, but I
intended to savor each moment of our re-
maining time together.

We spent the first few days of our vacation
walking the trails, going horseback riding,
and sitting together quietly. But at night, the
moment Tommy was asleep, I was all over
Tanya. I couldn’t get enough of her and spent
most of the nights buried balls deep inside
her.

On our fourth night, with half our time at the
cabin gone, a feeling of panic set in. I woke in
the middle of the night and reached for Tan-
ya. “No!” She pushed me away and
scrambled out of bed.

86/200

She turned on the light and I saw her stand-
ing in the middle of the floor, clutching her
bathrobe around herself. “What’s the matter
with you, Tom? I’m tired and I need to rest.
I’m going to sleep in the baby’s room.”

I sat up in bed. “No, Tanya. Please.”

“I’m not in the mood to be treated like your
personal slut tonight! I’m tired of you paw-
ing at me all night long. You’re wearing me
out!”

I think that’s when I knew that I didn’t have
to worry about losing her to Jim. How could
I lose someone that I never really had? She
didn’t love me—never had and never would.
No matter how much I loved or wanted her,
it would never be enough to make her feel
the same way about me.

“It's useless. Isn't it?”

87/200

“I have no idea what you're talking about,
Tom. I only know I'm tired.”

And not in love with me. I sighed and told
her about Jim's call.

For a long time she stared at me. Then she
shook her head. “You mean he was coming
for me and Tommy the very day we left on
vacation?”

I nodded.

“And you didn’t tell me?”

“Apparently not.”

“How dare you! How dare you make de-
cisions for me!”

I shrugged.

“You had no right to try and come between
us, Tom. None!”

“Well now you know.”

88/200

“You...how dare you?”

“You're repeating yourself,” I said and rolled
over onto my stomach.

I heard her leaving the room, but I was too
busy trying to control the tears that stung my
eyes to try to stop her. Besides, she'd clearly
had enough of me. It was just too bad I
hadn't had nearly enough of her.

We left for home the next day. I felt I should
apologize, but the words wouldn’t come.
Maybe because it felt wrong to apologize for
loving her. The only thing I regretted was
that she didn’t love me—that she still wanted
Jim after all the time we’d spent together.

We didn't talk on the way home and I'd nev-
er felt so alone. Or afraid that I was spending
my last hours with her.

I wasn’t surprised to find Jim at the apart-
ment when we arrived home that night. I

89/200

watched as my younger, far more handsome
brother took the woman I loved into his
arms, and kissed her passionately.

I turned away and carried Tommy into his
room. My hands shook as I undressed him
and put him to bed. By this time tomorrow
he and his mother would be out of my life.
What was I supposed to do without them?

I was standing over Tommy‘s crib, looking at
him when I heard the bedroom door open
behind me.

“Tom? Jim and I are going for a ride. We
need to talk. Will you babysit for a while?”

I nodded without turning to face her. I knew
if I took one look at her I’d start begging her
not to leave me.

“Isn’t there anything you want to say to me,
Tom?”

90/200

“No.” As much as I wanted her, I wasn’t go-
ing to beg.

“Fine,” she snapped. “I’ll see you whenever
we get back.”

I tried to wait up for them, but after the long
drive and stress over Jim’s return, I was too
tired. I stretched out on the floor beside
Tommy’s crib and fell asleep.

It was morning when I woke. Tanya stood on
the other side of the room, packing her
clothes.

I stood up. “So you’re going?”

“That’s what it looks like,” she said glancing
in my direction. She slammed the suitcase
shut and turned to lift Tommy out of his crib.
He was wearing the blue denim overalls and
the baseball cap I’d just bought him.

I felt so raw inside. I started to tremble, and I
couldn’t stop the tears from rolling down my

91/200

cheeks. I turned away and stared out the
bedroom window, hoping she’d discover at
the last moment that she couldn’t leave me.

“Where will you be staying?” I asked, trying
to lengthen our time together.

“Not that it’s any of your business, Tom, but
we’ll be staying with Mrs. Ashton for a
while.”

I wiped my cheeks and turned to face her.
She was standing in the doorway with her
suitcase by her feet, and Tommy clutched
against her chest. She looked as miserable as
I felt.

“Mrs. Ashton? I thought the three of you
were. . .” I frowned. “Where’s Jim?”

“How the hell should I know where he is?”

I could tell she was fighting back tears. I
didn’t understand why she was so upset. I

92/200

was obviously missing something. “Isn’t he
waiting for you?” I asked.

“No.”

I took a long, deep breath. “Why not? That’s
why he came home, to take you and Tommy
back with him.”

“I know. That’s what the two of you decided
on, but neither one of you bothered to ask
me what I wanted. Well, I don’t need either
of you Martin men telling me what to do with
my life!” She glared at me. Then she sank
down on the floor and started crying as if her
heart was broken.

I crossed the room to kneel beside her. I
gently removed Tommy from her grip, and
put him back in his crib. Then I knelt on the
floor next to her.

“Isn’t that what you wanted, Tanya? To be
with him?”

93/200

“No.” She moaned and buried her face in her
hands.

My heart started pounding so fast that I
could hardly breathe. I reached out a hand to
comfort her.

She sucked in a breath, flung herself into my
arms, and sobbed uncontrollably.

I held her for a long time, gently stroking her
hair. “I don’t understand,” I said, helplessly.
“Where’s Jim?”

She pulled away from me, but didn’t stand
up. “He left in a huff when I told him that
Tommy and I weren’t going back to Califor-
nia with him.”

“Why didn’t you go with him?”

“Why do you think?” She banged her fists on
my chest.

94/200

“I don’t know what to think.”

“Because I don’t love him! I never did.”

“What?”

“Oh, I thought I loved him. But then I got to
know you, Tom.” She lifted a trembling hand
to touch my face. “You stood by me when I
needed you most. You didn’t have to, but you
did. You sent me roses and gave him the
credit. You held my hand. You made me be-
lieve that everything was going to be all
right.”

She dropped her hand away from her face.
“And then when little Tom was born and you
and I well...you were such a different type of
lover than Jim. You were gentle and consid-
erate, but still exciting. Each time you
touched me I could feel how much you loved
me. At least I thought you did. But now—”

“But now what?” I demanded.

95/200

She lifted her head and looked at me, her
beautiful eyes filled with tears. “You weren’t
even willing to fight for me. You were just
going to let us walk right out of your life. I
don’t mean any more to you than I did to
Jim.”

I grabbed her hands and placed them flat
against my chest, so she could feel the
pounding of my heart. “That’s not true, Tan-
ya. When I tried to keep you away from him,
you told me I had no right to make your de-
cisions for you. So what was I supposed to
think except that you were angry with me be-
cause I’d tried to keep you from the man you
loved?”

“But I don’t love him!” She snatched her
hands away and buried her face in them.

I gathered her hands in mine and placed
them against my chest again. “I didn’t know
that,” I said softly. “I only know that I love

96/200

you more than I’ve ever loved any wo-
man—more than anything. Your happiness
matters to me. I was letting you go, because I
was doing what I thought you wanted.”

She gaped at me in astonishment, and I
thought I’d made a mistake by telling her
how I felt. Then she took my face in her
hands and looked deep into my eyes. “Oh,
Tom! Do you really mean it? Do you really
love me, too?”

“Too? You mean…oh, Tanya! Wait— wait
right here.” I scrambled to my feet and ran to
the rocking chair. My coat was draped over
the back of it. I searched frantically through
each pocket, and then finally found what I
was looking for.

I returned to the doorway and knelt beside
the woman I loved. I opened the small box
and offered her the ring. “Tanya, I love you
and Tommy with all my heart. There’s noth-
ing more in the world that I want than for us

97/200

to be a family. Will you make my dream
come true? Will you marry me?”

“I thought you’d never ask, Tom!”

“Will you?”

She nodded, her eyes sparkling as I slid the
ring on her finger and kissed her.

“Look at that—a perfect fit.” I winked.

She drew me into her arms and whispered, “I
love you so much, Tom.”

And so Tanya chose me. Sometimes I lay be-
side her in bed, afraid that I’ll wake to find
it’s all been a dream. At those times, my life
seems too perfect to be real. Then Tanya
wakes up and snuggles close to me. Or she
might reach up to kiss me. That's when I
know it’s no dream. It’s real. I’m married to
the woman I adore, and together we’re rais-
ing our son.

98/200

My only regret is that Jim’s not happy. He’s a
rising star now, and he always has beautiful
women hanging around eager to catch his
eye. But there’s no one he really cares about.
As it turns out, he really did love Tanya. He
claims that’s the reason he stayed in Califor-
nia. He wanted to get a job making a lot of
money so he could give her everything he
thought she and the baby deserved. Unfortu-
nately for him, by the time he did that, Tanya
and I had already fallen in love.

With any other woman, I would have
stepped aside, but not with Tanya. For the
first time in my life, I put my happiness
ahead of Jim’s. Mom had loved me, too, and
she would have wanted me to look out for
myself once in awhile, and let my little broth-
er grow up to become a man.

99/200

Naughty Girls,

Inc—No Commitment

Required Excerpt

Copyright 2010 by Marilyn Lee

Published by Marilyn Lee

All rights reserved

While I was still impaled on his cock, won-
dering if it would look too shameless if I in-
stigated another fuck, his office door opened.

I gasped and tried to rise.

Josh tightened his arm around my waist and
kept me seated on his lap. “It’s all right,” he
said softly before raising his voice. “Richard,
this is Nila Black.” He spoke in a normal
voice, but his cock twitched inside me and I
stared at him. Was he getting off on having
me sitting on his lap, full of cock in front of
someone else?

I heard footsteps crossing the room and bur-
ied my face against his shoulder in an agony
of embarrassment. So much for being
shameless, huh? How had I gotten myself in-
to this embarrassing mess?

Josh stroked his hand over my shoulder and
down my back, sending a tingle of lust
through me. “It’s all right,” he whispered
again, his lips against my ear. After a mo-
ment, he lifted his head. “Nila, this is
Richard Reardon, my best friend.” He gently
nudged me away from his shoulder.

101/200

My face felt like it was on fire. “Tell him to
wait outside while I…while we…”

“Sssh. There’s no need for shame. Richard
and I have no secrets from each other.”

So he, Richard, and I should have no secrets
from each other either? What was the use of
hiding my face when it was clear I was im-
paled on Josh’s luscious cock and loving it? I
sucked in a deep breath and lifted my head.

When I opened my eyes and looked at the
man standing behind Josh, I found myself
gazing into a pair of beautiful, blue eyes. The
charm around my neck pulsed, sending a
gentle, but unmistakable jolt through me. I
caught my breath. That had never happened
before.

I stared at Josh’s friend, Richard. He was a
tall, muscular blond with wide shoulders, a
narrow waist, long legs, and an intimate

102/200

smile. He looked several years younger than
Josh.

As his gaze locked with mine, the smile play-
ing around his sensuous lips vanished, he
sucked in a quick breath, and touched his
hand to his upper chest. I watched his
Adam’s apple bob up and down before he
spoke. “Hello, Nila.”

If they weren’t embarrassed, why should I
be? I lifted my chin and gave myself a mental
shake in an effort to recover from the shock
of meeting Richard. I frowned. Why should
meeting him shock me? “Hello.”

“Nila is going to move in tonight, but she has
a few things she might need help with. Are
you free?”

“I’m dateless and eager to help.” Richard’s
blue gaze moved from my face to linger on
my exposed breasts.

103/200

I only just resisted the instinctive urge to
cross my arms over my chest. The time for
false modesty had long since passed. Besides,
there was something about this Richard that
totally disarmed me.

Josh smiled. “Great. You’ll make sure she
gets back here sometime tonight with as little
trouble to her as possible?”

“I’ll do my best.”

“Good.”

Richard looked at me, tiny lights dancing
deep in that beguiling blue gaze of his.
“Here, let me help you.”

I blinked up at him, slowly starting to enjoy
myself. I hadn’t actually fucked Josh in front
of him, but I was sitting on Josh’s cock in
front of him. This seemed to be the day for
living my fantasy. “Help me do what?”

104/200

To my surprise, Richard put his hands
around my waist and lifted me. Josh’s dick
came out of me with a plopping sound. My
newfound sexual abandonment fled and I
was consumed with embarrassment. My
body felt as if it were on fire from the top of
my head down to my toes.

Richard set me on my feet by the desk.

I glanced down and saw Josh’s cock, semi-
erect, was covered with our combined fluids.
I sucked in a breath and then let it out on a
squeak when Richard pushed his hand up
my skirt and palmed me.

Josh frowned and tilted his head. “What’s
the matter?”

“Nothing,” I muttered, staring at Richard in
shock.

He grinned at me and slipped two of his fin-
gers inside me.

105/200

I could feel the fluids inside seeping from me
into his palm.

Keeping his gaze locked on mine so that I felt
unable to look away from him, he stroked his
thumb against my clit.
I trembled and swallowed a gasp of delight.

“Richard? Nila? What’s wrong?”

Richard kept his gaze trained on mine.
“Nothing. Nila and I are saying hello.”

“Yeah?”

Richard nodded. Keeping his thumb against
my clit, he thrust his fingers in and out of me
with a slow heat. “Oh, yeah.”

I closed my legs and shamelessly humped his
fingers.

Josh smiled. “Good.”

106/200

Richard rubbed his thumb against my clit
again and I had to bite my lip to keep from
moaning.

“Then I’ll see you later tonight, Nila.” Josh
slapped my ass with enough force to send my
hips forward. Richard’s grin widened as his
fingers slid further into me.

Trembling and hot, I pushed his hand away
and reached down to snatch my panties up
from the floor. As I bent over, I felt a big,
warm palm caressing my ass. I straightened
and swung around in time to see Richard
withdrawing his hand.

Ignoring his amused gaze, I stepped into my
panties and pulled them up over my wet
pussy.

Without another word, I turned and hurried
from the room, my heart racing. I heard the
office door opening and closing. I didn’t look
back.

107/200

A big hand closed over my arm.

I jerked away and turned to face Richard.
“What do you want?”

He smiled. “I’ll drive you back to your place
and help in any way I can. Josh is eager to
have everything go smoothly so you can re-
turn as soon as possible.”

I pulled away from him. “Thanks, but I can
manage without your help.”

“Are you sure?”

“I’m positive.”

“Then you might want to put those dark
beauties away before you go outside,” he
said, his gaze on my breasts, which were still
exposed.

I attempted to stuff them back into my bra
with trembling hands.

108/200

He spoke after a short pause. “Allow me.”

There was something about this Richard that
shook me to my core. I was afraid of my reac-
tion if he touched me again. “No!”

Ignoring my protest, he brushed my hands
away and gently cupped my breasts in his
palms.

109/200

Marilyn Lee Unleashed

Presents

Loving Large–Yours, Only

And Always

By

Marilyn Lee

Dedication: To the members

of Love Bytes. Thanks for your

support. A special thanks to
Lavern, Kenya, and Leigh for
proofing Yours, Only And
Always.

Cover Design by Kelly

Shorten

ISBN 1452895503

EAN-13 9781452895505

Copyright 2010 Marilyn Lee

All rights reserved

111/200

All rights reserved. No part of this book may
be used or reproduced electronically or in
print without written permission, except in
the case of brief quotations embodied in re-
views. Due to copyright laws you cannot
trade, sell or give any ebooks away.
This is a work of fiction. All references to real
places, people, or events are coincidental,
and if not coincidental, are used fictitiously.
All trademarks, service marks, registered
trademarks, and registered service marks are
the property of their respective owners and
are used herein for identification purposes
only.

112/200

Loving

Large—Yours, Only

And Always Excerpt

“Don’t despair. When you least expect it, the
hurt from Sam will dissolve and you’ll fall
head over heels in love again. It could hap-
pen at any time in any place. Just make sure
you’re ready to accept and embrace it when it
happens.”

Autumn Walker’s mother’s words flashed in-
to her mind the moment she walked into the
condo association meeting and saw him.

The man who caught her attention was tall,
with long legs, wide shoulders, a narrow
waist, and a taut ass. He might have stepped
right off the cover of one of the Native

American capture romances she and her
friends had devoured as teenagers. She could
easily imagine him bare-chested with long,
very dark, silky hair pulled back from his
face and hanging down his back as he sat
astride a horse without a saddle.

Two women, who she suspected were more
interested in spending time in his bed than
they were in discussing proposed changes in
condo fees, commanded his attention.

She stared at him, feeling herself going wet.
What woman wouldn’t want to be up close
and personal with a man who was so sexy
just the sight of him generated capture
fantasies?

What she wouldn’t give for the courage to
strut across the room and join the two wo-
men clambering for his attention. She
sighed. If only she were tall and slender with
mounds of flowing locks like the women vy-
ing to hold his interest. But the handsome,

114/200

sexy male who looked as if he’d just finished
posing for the cover of a romance novel
wasn’t likely to be impressed with her five-
foot, five-inch plump body or her dark brown
skin. He probably preferred the tall, slender,
blue-eyed blondes gazing so adoringly up at
him.

Almost as if he felt her eyes on him, he sud-
denly turned his head, glanced briefly in Au-
tumn’s direction, looked away, and then did
a double take. He arched a brow and locked
his gaze with hers.

Embarrassed at having been caught staring,
Autumn still couldn’t look away from his
dark, sexy, probing gaze. Her heart raced
and the erotic imagination she’d struggled to
control since her divorce quickly flooded her
mind with visions of standing naked before
him while he ran his big hands all over her
body. Her cheeks burned at the delicious
thought of feeling his smooth palms

115/200

spanking her naked, dark ass cheeks until
they burned with heat.

Oh to feel him lubing her up before he
gripped her hips and fucked her ass, slow
and deep. She bit her lip, going wet as she
mentally savored the thought of him cupping
his hands over her breasts as he thrust in
and out of her rear.

She wore a pretty pink dress with a skirt that
ended just below her knees. He could easily
push it up to expose a hot pink thong. Once
he pushed that skimpy piece of fluff aside
he’d have easy access to both her ass and her
pussy.

He arched a brow while the corners of his
sensual lips slowly curved upward into an
appreciative smile. His gaze shifted down to
her breasts for several long moments before
he looked into her eyes again.

116/200

Autumn caught her breath. Was she imaging
things or did she detect a hint of interest in
his gaze? He had definitely checked out her
breasts.

Both blondes glanced at Autumn. One then
touched his arm. The other placed a hand
against his chest.

I guess they’re telling you he’s off limits. As if
you need that warning.

The object of all three women’s desire turned
his attention back to the women at his side.

Autumn released a sigh of disappointment,
still unable to tear her gaze away from him.
He was so sexy.

He spoke briefly to the two women before
turning his attention back to Autumn.

She swallowed and stared into his almost
hypnotic eyes. He must be interested in her.

117/200

The women spoke to him again, seemingly
determined to reclaim his attention.

Briefly turning his gaze back to the women,
he flashed a smile and spoke to them.

Autumn watched in amazement as he then
quickly strolled towards her, ignoring the
women’s efforts to keep him at their sides.

She swallowed and moistened her lips while
her heart hammered against her ribcage.

He stopped a foot or so in front of her. He
extended his hand. “Hello.” He had a deep,
sexy voice.

“Hi.”

“I’m Seneka Elkhorn.”

Seneka Elkhorn. Nice name. Nice voice. Nice
body. Sexy as hell man.

She held out her hand.

118/200

A shiver of anticipation danced down her
spine when his fingers closed over hers. She
imagined him whispering sweet nothings in
her ear in that deep, velvety voice as he
caressed her bare skin with the big warm
hand cradling hers.

“And you are?”

She blinked. “I’m sorry. What?”

“What’s

your

name?

Mine’s

Seneka

Elkhorn.”

Get a grip, woman and stop gawking as if
you’ve never met a drop-dead gorgeous
hunk. “Autumn Walker.”

His eyes lingered on her bare left hand. “Au-
tumn is my favorite time of the year.”

“Oh…is it?”

119/200

“Oh yes.” He smiled. “I see you’re not wear-
ing a ring, but is there a Mr. ‘She’s All Mine
So Back Off’ lurking somewhere?”

She’d never been happier to be divorced and
commitment free. She shook her head. “Not
anymore.”

His smile widened. “No? This must be my
lucky night.”

His lucky night? Lost in a haze of erotic
fantasies, she racked her brain for some
witty remark that would titillate and enter-
tain him while making him want to get to
know her.

She stole a glance at his left hand. Bare.
Thank God.

The association president went to the podi-
um. “Good evening, everyone. We have a
number of issues on the agenda so please
find seats so we can begin.”

120/200

Autumn stifled a groan. Why did the blasted
meeting have to start on time? She reluct-
antly withdrew her hand from his. “I guess
I’d better find a seat.”

He slipped a hand under her elbow. “Yes.
Let’s do that.”

His fingers on her bare skin sent a tingle
through her. She turned back to face him,
hoping she’d managed to conceal her emo-
tional turmoil from him. “I see a seat—”

“A seat?” He nodded toward two empty seats
on the other side of the room. “There are two
over there. Join me?”

She hesitated. Contemplating flirting with
him as they waited for the meeting to start
was one thing. Sitting with him might be too
close to a line she’d never crossed before.
Her divorce from Sam still stung. The reason

121/200

he’d divorced her hadn’t changed enough to
make a difference in her life.

“Autumn,” his fingers tightened on her el-
bow. He leaned down until his lips were a
breath away from her ear. “I won’t hurt you,”
he promised softly.

She stared up into his dark eyes. Why did she
feel as if he’d read her mind and knew of her
hurt? “What?”

“You can trust me, Autumn.”

Trust didn’t come easy. Sam had broken her
heart, injured her pride, and damaged her
self-esteem. When Sam left her, she’d de-
cided lost love hurt and that love in general
was overrated. Since then she had managed
to remain romantically unscathed by chan-
neling all her time and energy into preparing
her students for careers in math and science.

122/200

Some of her students had done very well. She
found satisfaction in celebrating their tri-
umphs with them. Her life wasn’t exciting. It
was safe. Safety was important.

He caressed her elbow. “You can trust me,
Autumn.”

Her desire to accept his word and trust him
gave her pause. She knew nothing about him
except that she found him more sexually ex-
citing than any man she’d ever met. He
seemed to want to spend at least an hour or
so in her company. An hour wouldn’t make
much difference to him but it might act as a
balm to her wounded ego.

She smiled up at him. “Okay.”

“Great.” He gave her a slow, warm smile be-
fore he led her over to the two empty chairs
on the other side of the room. Once she was
seated he sat so close to her, his thigh
pressed against hers.

123/200

She attempted to draw her thigh away from
his.

He responded by shifting in his seat in a
manner that allowed him to press his thigh
against hers again.

She inhaled sharply and glanced at him.

He arched a brow and ensured she was even
more aware of him by sliding an arm along
the back of her chair. He leaned so close she
felt his breath on her cheek. “Relax, Autumn.
I don’t bite—at least not in public.”

She blushed and turned her attention back to
the front of the room. If he touched her, she
wasn’t sure how she’d respond.

He didn’t.

Nevertheless, she spent the entire meeting
wondering if he were as aware of her as she
was of him. His thigh pressing against hers

124/200

seemed to indicate he was yet each time she
stole a glance at him, his attention was on
the podium. Later, she couldn’t remember
how she’d voted on the proposed condo fees.

After the meeting ended, he turned to look at
her. “So you’re all for increased condo fees?”

“What makes you think that?”

He shrugged. “You raised your hand when
the president asked for a show of hands of
those in favor of the higher fees.”

“I did?”

His lips twitched. “You did.”

“Oh…hell!”

He laughed. “It would probably have passed
anyway. Now for a really important question,
do you have any plans for the rest of the
night?”

125/200

“No.

“Will you have a drink with me?”

The thought that she might somehow parlay
the drink invitation into a night of wanton
and uncommitted sex, excited her senses and
helped relax her inhibitions. “I’d like that,”
she admitted.

“So would I.” He smiled.

He smiled a lot and lord what a warm, intim-
ate smile. He was so handsome it was diffi-
cult not to stare at him.

“Are you ready, Autumn?”

After three years of celibacy she was more
than ready to subject herself to any situation
that would increase the possibility of their
ending up in bed for the night. As improb-
able as she’d thought it before the meeting
started, she was now convinced he shared
her sexual interest.

126/200

She nodded. “Yes, I’m ready.”

“Great.” He rose. “Do you have any objec-
tions to Patty’s?”

Patty’s was an upscale bar two blocks from
their condo complex. She’d had drinks there
twice with friends. “No, I don’t.”

“Do you mind walking?”

Walking would extend their time together.
“It’s a nice night for a walk.”

He nodded. “It’s a very nice night, Autumn.”

The steady glance he gave her left her in no
doubt that he felt her presence increased the
beauty of the night. She smiled.

He extended his hand towards the exit.
“Then let’s go.”

* * *

127/200

They walked to Patty’s without speaking.
Surprisingly, she felt comfortable with him
and with the silence.

At Patty’s, he escorted her to an empty booth
with a view to the entrance. He asked her
what she wanted to drink before going to get
their drinks.

She watched him walk to the bar. She’s al-
ways had a thing for men with long legs and
tight asses. Seneka Elkhorn had both. And he
certainly looked good in a pair of tight jeans.

He returned to the table with a martini for
her and bottled water for him.

“You’re not drinking?”

He shook his head. “I need a clear head.”

She, on the other hand, wanted help lower-
ing her remaining inhibitions. “Why?”

“Because I find you incredibly…interesting.”

128/200

Oh, hell, yes! She smiled and sipped her
drink.

He propped his elbows on the table, a slow
smile curving his firm, sensual lips. “How
long have you lived at Oak Gardens,
Autumn?”

“Just over a year. You?”

“I’ve lived here for the last two years. Why
haven’t I seen you at any of the other
meetings?”

“I’m usually too busy grading papers to at-
tend them.”

“Grading papers? What do you do for a liv-
ing, Autumn?”

His steady regard allowed her to return his
scrutiny without embarrassment. “I teach
math at Community College.”

129/200

“At last! A woman I can talk numbers to and
have her really understand. This is indeed
my lucky night.”

She laughed. “What a wonderful man you
must be, Seneka Elkhorn.”

His smile turned into a wide grin. “Discern-
ing as well as pretty.”

“Pretty?”

He nodded slowly, locking his gaze with
hers. “Very, very pretty.”

A warm glow spread through her. “Thank
you.”

“You’re welcome. So you’re discerning, very
pretty, and modest. That’s quite a heady
combination in one woman, Autumn.”

“And very full-figured.” There. She’d stated
the obvious. If he had a problem with her

130/200

weight, she wanted to know upfront before
she lost herself in his smiling gaze.

He frowned. “You make that sound like a bad
thing.”

She moistened her lips. “It is for some men.”

He shrugged. “Different strokes for different
folks.”

She liked the turn the conversation had
taken. “Oh?”

“I can’t see how a woman having an ample
amount of curves is anything but a plus.” He
grinned. “Besides, you’re discerning enough
to realize I’m rather wonderful. How did you
know? Does it ooze through my pores?”

She smiled, feeling completely relaxed with
him. “Only a natural born charmer could
make the ability to understand numbers
sound like a compliment or make being full-
figured sound like a plus.”

131/200

“Oh but it is a plus to men who prefer wo-
men with lots of curves.” He took a sip of his
water. “I take it your ex didn’t?”

She sucked in a breath and slowly shook her
head. “No. He didn’t.”

He glanced at her left hand. “Were you
married?”

“Yes, but I’d rather not talk about him.”

“Okay. What would you like to talk about?”

“Seneka Elkhorn.”

“Me? Dull subject.”

She shook her head. “I doubt that.”

“All right. What would you like to know,
Autumn?”

She’d never liked her name, but he almost
made

it

sound

like

an

endearment.

132/200

“Elkhorn…is that…?” She paused. How did
one ask a Native American what tribe he was
from?

“My parents were Cherokee.”

“Your parents were Cherokee? That’s a
unique way of stating your heritage.”

“I suppose it is.”

“What about you? Aren’t you Cherokee too?”

“Not so you’d notice.”

“You look…”

“My brothers and I are mainstream
American.”

“Because of where you were born or for an-
other reason?”

“At the time, our parents felt we’d do better
if we strove to be Americans instead of

133/200

highlighting the fact that we’re Native
Americans.”

“Where are you from?”

“My parents were born in Oklahoma.”

“Were you born there?”

“No. I was born in California.”

“So you’re Cherokee?”

His lips twitched. “Yes, Autumn, Cherokee.
Were you hoping I was from more movie
famous stock like Comanche or Apache?”

“No!”

“No?”

She bit her lip and then laughed, but quickly
sobered. “I’m sorry, Seneka. I meant no
offense.”

134/200

His smile held no trace of offense. “None
taken. My brothers and I have grown used to
non-Native women who read…what do you
call them? Capture romances and then went
on to weave fantasies of becoming a sex slave
of a Comanche or an Apache warrior.”

Was he reading her mind?

He arched a brow. “Apparently such women
suffer under the delusion that they make bet-
ter captors and or lovers.”

She sipped her drink before she responded.
“Do they?”

“Hell no.” He grinned. “Anytime you’d like
proof, I’d be delighted to take you captive
and make you my sex slave.”

The muscles in her stomach tightened and
she swallowed hard. “Your sex slave?”

135/200

“My sex slave.” He shrugged. “Or maybe
you’d like to turn the tables on me and I’d
wind up being your sex slave.”

“My sex slave?”

He shrugged. “I’m a modern man—open to
trying almost anything. Either way, count me
in any time you’re in the mood to
experiment.”

Take him up on his offer before he changes
his mind or one of those blondes find a way
to recapture his attention. She parted her
lips. Did she really want a one-night stand
with a man who lived in her complex that
she’d have to worry about avoiding the day
after?

Why worry about that when you’ve never en-
countered him in over a year? Take a chance
for once in your life.

No. Go slowly.

136/200

She cleared her throat and tore her gaze
from his. “What do you do for a living,
Seneka?”

“Not feeling very adventurous tonight?”

Her cheeks burned. “I’ve never been particu-
larly adventurous.”

“A certain level of reserve, like lush curves,
can be a charming quality in a woman.”

Oh, damn, but he was smooth.

He gave her a reassuring smile. “But I don’t
want you to be uncomfortable with me. I’m a
CPA. My partner and I—”

“Your partner? Are you married or involved
with anyone?” He didn’t wear a ring, but
then married men on the prowl often didn’t.
The unasked question had plagued her from
the moment she set eyes on him.

137/200

He shook his head slowly. “No. By partner I
meant my business partner. We’re both
CPAs.”

He appeared to be in his thirties, which was
well past the time when most men married.
“Why aren’t you married, Seneka?”

“I haven’t met anyone I want to marry.”

“Never?”

He sighed, sitting back in his chair. “I was
married.”

“What happened?”

“I married my college sweetheart after
graduation.”

“You’re divorced too?”

“No. I’m a widower.” His Adam’s apple
bobbed and he raked a hand through his
hair.

138/200

Hearing the pain in his voice she decided his
loss must be recent. “Can you talk about
her?”

He sighed again. “She died a little over two
years ago of lung cancer. It felt so unfair.
Hell, neither of us even smoked.”

“Oh, I’m so sorry, Seneka.”

His jaw clenched. “Thanks. She was the love
of my life. It’s been difficult trying to pick up
the pieces without her, but she made me
promise that’s what I’d do. I’ve finally
learned to accept her death and to be thank-
ful for the time we had together.”

“How long were you married?”

“Fourteen years.” He shook his head. “That
wasn’t nearly long enough with her.”

Autumn suppressed a surge of jealousy. It
must have been wonderful to be so loved

139/200

your partner still mourned your death two
years later. “Do you have any children?”

He shook his head. “No. We married young
and were so in love with each other we
thought we’d wait until we were both estab-
lished in our professions and some of the
luster wore off our relationship.”

“What happened?”

“The luster never wore off. I loved her even
more the day she died than I did on our wed-
ding day.”

Damn. His wife had been a lucky woman.

“By the time we decided we were ready to
have a family…” He paused, his Adam’s
apple bobbing again.

She reached across the table to brush her
hand against the back of his clenched fist.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to raise what are
clearly painful memories for you, Seneka.”

140/200

He gripped her hand and inhaled slowly be-
fore he responded. “It’s all right. When we
were ready to start a family, we found out
she had inoperable cancer.”

“Oh…no.”

“She wanted to try anyway, but I wasn’t will-
ing to share her for the time we had left. I’m
no longer sure that was the right decision.
I’ve always wanted kids and having a child
might have made the last two years less
lonely. And I would have had something that
was a part of her.”

“I’m so sorry. What was her name?”

“Kelli.” He hesitated. “Would you like to see
a picture of her?”

What a strange question to ask on what was
hopefully a first date. “Yes.”

He released her hand. “Yes?”

141/200

It was just as well to see the type of woman
he liked. She nodded. “Yes.”

He rose, removed his wallet from the back
pocket of his jeans and sat down again. He
opened his wallet before he passed it across
the table to her.

Autumn stared down at a headshot of a
gorgeous, green-eyed, smiling blonde.

“There’s another one underneath.”

She flipped the picture over. The second
photo showed the blonde in a beautiful white
lace and satin wedding gown that compli-
mented her plus-sized figure so well it must
have been made especially for her.

Yes. He liked blondes, but he also clearly
liked full-figured women. She closed the wal-
let and handed it back to him. “She was
beautiful.”

142/200

“In body and spirit.” He shook his head. “But
gushing over Kelli is hardly the way to make
a good impression on a first date.”

“It’s all right.”

“No, it’s not all right. My propensity to whip
out pictures of her and get maudlin might
explain why there’s no one special in my life
at the moment.”

“How long have you been dating?”

“I was very happily married to Kelli. I miss
her and I miss being married, but I’m not in-
terested in casual relationships, Autumn.”

So despite his talk of taking her captive and
making her his sex slave, he wasn’t inter-
ested in spending the night with her. Great.
“Oh. Does that mean…what does that mean,
Seneka?”

“I’m thirty-seven.”

143/200

Thirty-seven was the perfect age for a nearly
perfect man. “And?”

“And I still want to have kids so I don’t have
time to pursue casual relationships.”

“How long have you been dating?”

“Including tonight?”

She nodded.

“One night,” he said.

“One night?”

“You’re the first woman I’ve asked out since I
accepted the fact that it was time to move on
with my life.”

She tensed as the two blondes walked in and
took seats at the bar. She briefly locked gazes
with the more stunning of the two before
turning her attention back to Seneka. “I am?

144/200

What about the two women you were talking
with tonight?”

“What about them?”

“They seemed interested in getting to know
you and you didn’t seem to mind. Are they
friends?”

“No. We met tonight.”

He must have made a hell of an impression.
“Are they likely prospects?”

“The blondes?”

“Yes. The blondes.”

“You’re the one I asked out, Autumn.”

She nodded. “I know, but they’re stunning.”

“You think so?”

“Don’t you?”

“I suppose they’re pretty enough.”

145/200

“But?”

He shrugged. “But they’re a little too slender
for my personal preferences. I like women
with lots of curves.”

She moistened her lips. “Oh.”

He arched a brow. “Oh? That’s it? No more
questions? You know, you can ask me any-
thing you like.”

She wanted to ask about her chances of
spending the night with him, but couldn’t
muster the courage. Despite his stated pref-
erence for full-figured women, his wife had
been a blonde with very fair skin like the two
blondes staring in their direction. Autumn
had dark skin. “Thanks, but I think one or
both of the blondes are determined to get
your attention.”

“What makes you think that?”

146/200

“Because they’re seated at the bar staring
this way.”

He turned to look towards the bar.

Both women smiled and waved.

He inclined his head and turned back to her.
“They’re persistent if nothing else, but I’m
not interested in discussing them. Let’s talk
about you.”

“You have questions?”

“Yes.”

She smiled, pleased that he was interested
enough to ask questions. “Shoot.”

“I know it’s very indelicate to ask, but how
old are you?”

“I’m thirty.”

“And very pretty, but I’ve already said that.”

147/200

“So? You can say it as many times as you
like.”

He laughed. “Do you want kids?”

She nodded. “I’d like one or two.”

“Tell me about your ex. What happened with
him?”

Knowing he liked plus-sized women made
her confession easier. “He wasn’t happy with
my weight.”

“What?”

“I managed to lose some weight through diet
and increased exercise, but it wasn’t enough
to please him.”

“Were you so…deliciously shaped when you
married?”

So deliciously shaped? “I’ve never been par-
ticularly slender, but when we married he

148/200

called me voluptuous. By the time of our di-
vorce, he considered me…he’d lost all sexual
interest in me.” She pushed her tongue
against her teeth and glanced away from
him.

He reached across the table to place his hand
over hers.

She felt a shock of delight.

“I’m sure it must have hurt to have someone
you love feel that way. You did love him?”

Bringing her gaze back to his, she nodded,
willing herself not to cry. “Yes. I did.”

“So you didn’t want the divorce?”

“No. No, I didn’t.”

“I hope you can take comfort in the know-
ledge that there are men who will view his
loss as their gain.”

149/200

She sucked in a breath, recalling the many
nights she’d cried herself to sleep after Sam
refused to make love to her. “Are there? I
haven’t managed to meet any of them since
my divorce.”

“You have now.”

150/200

Marilyn Lee Unleashed Presents

Marilyn Lee

© 2011 Marilyn Lee

All Rights reserved

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters,
places, and incidents are products of the au-
thor’s imagination or are used fictitiously
and are not to be construed as real. All ser-
vice marks, registered trademarks, and re-
gistered service marks are the property of
their respective owners and are used herein
for identification purposes only.

152/200

All rights reserved. No part of this book may
be used or reproduced electronically or in
print without written permission, except in
the case of brief quotations embodied in re-
views. Copyright laws prohibit trading,
selling, and or giving away ebooks.

153/200

Blue Desert Tales:

Courtesan Seduction

As soon as he saw her, Delsin knew why he’d
made his last job his first on this God-for-
saken world he’d left so eagerly years earlier.
In this wild corner of the Blue Desert where
his lawless brethren ran rampant, fierce
winds took one’s breath away one moment.
Then

seconds

later,

scorching

heat

threatened to deflate and then sear one’s
lungs together, making breathing almost un-
bearable. Whatever ancient fool had said
there was no place like home, had clearly
never tried monogamy in the fuck-until-you-
drop Blue Desert. Home? This world had
never felt like anything but Hell for him be-
cause here he’d always been considered
unnatural.

Yet, he couldn’t deny a strange yearning
from the moment his cruiser had touched
down here. Returning so close to a full moon
had probably not been the wisest decision
he’d ever made. He’d need to remain vigilant
and to keep a tight rein on his feelings. No
easy task while on a hunt. To make matters
worse, the irritability Renas had been exhib-
iting for nearly a week, had increased two-
fold since their arrival on the world they’d
once both called home. Nevertheless, he’d
handle this job with the swift, brutal effi-
ciency that had earned him a reputation of a
hunter who always got his quarry. Always.
This time would be no different.
Then he saw her seated at a private booth at
the back of the crowded shifter’s den. The
sight of her made nonsense of all the rigors
of the trip and of any possible complications
hunting on his home planet for the first time
might present.

155/200

He slammed the door against the biting
winds and leaned against it, feeling almost
winded. Despite myriads of naked, fucking
couples surrounding them, looking anywhere
but at her was out of the question. She wasn’t
particularly pretty. Yet she managed to com-
mand his immediate attention. He’d long
since come to appreciate that beauty only
went so far in a woman. In fact, in this harsh,
unforgiving environment pretty quickly
faded.

Character,

sensual

allure,

and

feminine self-assurance were far more en-
during and exciting than a mere pretty face.
And damn if her piecing dark gaze and those
full pouty lips didn’t raise his blood pressure
and harden his cock.
With his nostrils filled with the scent of sex,
he dismissed the other inhabitants of the den
as not worth his time or attention. With their
gazes locked, he and his unexpectedly delect-
able quarry were the only two people
present.

156/200

Small wonder this magnificent woman chose
to call herself a courtesan rather than a sexu-
al or sensual empath. Many of the latter two
classes slept with anyone with enough cred-
its to pay their outrageous fees. This magnifi-
cent woman surely was more selective when
deciding with whom to share her alluring
charms.
Inhaling slowly, Delsin allowed his gaze to
slide down from her face to her neck. He
could hear her heart beating. The longer he
stared, the harder her heart raced. Shifting
his gaze again, he watched her chest rise and
fall with her breathing. Tilting his head, he
envisioned slowly peeling off her clothes.
Her large breasts would provide the perfect
cushion for his face as he drove his cock deep
inside her body.
Her eyes narrowed and her full, sensual lips
tightened. Then she smiled and he felt as if
she’d reached out, wrapped her hands

157/200

around his heart, and snatched it out of his
chest.
She had beautiful white teeth. They looked
strong and straight. They would feel good
nibbling at his ear, his lips, his nipples, and
finally his balls before closing around his
aching cock.
He understood why the client, plagued with
tiny, pale women with no ass or breasts
worth mentioning had been so willing to pay
a premium to possess this totally voluptuous,
sensuous woman with mounds of warm,
dusty skin. He’d always found a woman who
didn’t depend on fleeting, outward beauty to
captivate a man irresistible. This woman’s
beautiful, lush skin would command her
man’s attention until the day he or she died.
Her smile conveyed one thought: hot, end-
less sex. And then even more sex. Oh, hell
yeah. The thin veneer of civility he’d spent
years cultivating since he fled Denhari van-
ished, exposing all the rampant hungers

158/200

inherent in those born with his bloodline.
Moving away from the door, he stalked
across the crowded room, pushing people
out of his way. A number of the shifters
growled, but none attacked. He suspected
they either knew of his clan ties or might re-
cognize him. Some were vaguely familiar but
none was from his clan.
If his luck held, he’d take care of business
and leave the Blue Desert before his clan
mates knew he’d been on-world. Of course,
that assumed any of them would care, which
was doubtful. He’d been gone too long and
had committed the unforgivable sin of ques-
tioning the way of life into which he’d been
born. At this point, he doubted if even
Daylon or Daria would care. Both had been
his closest cub mates and been ardent in
their defense of his right to be different.
Daylon and Daria had pooled the credits
they’d saved for years to help him buy the
cruiser on which he and Renas lived.

159/200

He tore his thoughts away from his clan
problems and the two shifters for whose
companionship he still longed for after so
many years. Instead, he refocused his atten-
tion on his bounty. With just four feet separ-
ating them, she shifted along her seat and
deliberately unbuttoned the long duster she
wore.
His cock stirred.
She’d exposed mounds of smooth dark, deli-
cious skin and a shaved pussy with soft pink
lips that would grip him tight and make him
pour a torrent of seed inside her. With his
cock roaring to attention, he was hard
pressed not to leap the rest of the way to her
booth and ravish her repeatedly as only one
of his kind could.
That’s when she revealed her true nature,
closing her legs and lifting a large caliber
weapon from her side.
With his own weapon strapped to his right
thigh, he came to an abrupt halt. She clearly

160/200

knew of his purpose for being there. And she
clearly didn’t intend to accept her fate
without a fight. So be it. Her surrender, once
he’d overcome her resistance, would be all
the sweeter for his having to conquer her.
Still smiling and training her weapon on his
chest over his heart, she parted her legs
again.
His nostrils flared as he inhaled the wonder-
ful scent emanating from between her long,
sleek thighs. Oh, hell that was one pretty
pussy. But, unlike many of his uncultured
brethren, he’d struggled for years to ensure
his sexual hungers didn’t enslave him. Her
weapon wouldn’t deter him, nor could he al-
low himself the pleasure of overindulging in
a good, pussy-destroying fuck.
A fuck? The blood thundered through his
cock. One fuck wouldn’t be enough. Hell, one
night probably wouldn’t be sufficient to
quench the rampant hunger she inspired in
him. In that moment, surrounded by

161/200

rapacious shifters doing what they lived to
do—fuck—his own sexual needs roared to life
in a way he could no longer deny.
Despite all of his training to the contrary, he
would allow himself the time to fully explore
the delights of this sensual courtesan. If he
claimed ship trouble and took the long route
back to Telmira, he could spend the next sev-
en days buried balls deep inside all her allur-
ing openings.
He had a moment when he thought what a
waste it would be for this sensual woman to
spend the rest of her life as a slave to some
rich, decadent female who would expect to
satisfy her with a dildo. Damn it, no. She de-
served a real cock, wielded by a skillful lover,
sliding inside her every day. Only a male cap-
able of pleasing her should sample her de-
lights. To foul her pussy with mating toys
would be criminal.
Snap out of it, Delsin. You’ve never failed to
capture and deliver a bounty. You’re not

162/200

going to start with her. Despite the admoni-
tion, the thought that she deserved at least
one more opportunity to explore sex with a
male whose bloodline made him fully quali-
fied to please a woman with her abilities
haunted him. She deserves to have a male
like you mating with her at least once,
Delsin.
Like him? What the fuck! He tore his gaze
away from hers and sucked in a breath,
aware that she had nearly seduced him
without a single word. Get a grip, hunter. It
will be a calm day on this God-forsaken
planet before you allow your bounty to cost
you your rightful commission.
After giving himself a moment to regain his
balance, he met her gaze again. Seeing resig-
nation in the dark depths of her lovely eyes,
he knew she was aware that he’d managed to
wrestle his lust under control.

163/200

Keeping her weapon trained on his chest, she
quickly glanced from side to side before
looking at him again.
From the look on her face, he suspected she
realized what he already knew, that none of
the den’s patrons would offer her any assist-
ance. That was about the only saving grace of
hunting in this lawless corner of the Blue
Desert where any and everything went. No
one interfered—no matter what happened.
He cast a quick, warning look around the
den. None of the shifters showed any interest
in assisting his bounty—as expected. What
was unexpected was their apparent lack of
sexual interest in her. Why hadn’t he found
at least two or three of them sexing her at the
same time when he arrived?
A quick frown marred his brows. Something
wasn’t quite right here. He turned his atten-
tion back to the woman whose obvious de-
lights he planned to fully explore. With his
cock pulsing along one thigh, he walked up

164/200

to her table and nodded to the empty seat.
“Do you mind?”
Her finger tightened on the trigger as she
rose. “Yes, I do.” She spoke in a low, sultry
voice that sent a jolt of desire through him.
Her duster was still open, revealing all her
charms and damn if she wasn’t the most sen-
sual woman he’d never seen. Her large
breasts stood at attention with the nipples
hardened. Nestled between her warm, dark
thighs, her pussy beckoned to his cock. There
was a delicious contour to her belly that
made him wonder how sexy it would look
swelling once his seed had found its’ mark.
Did courtesans possess the same ability to
control when and if they conceived that sexu-
al and some sensual empaths did?
The thought of the contrast of his tanned
skin and her luscious dark one blending to-
gether as they fucked and his seed possibly
finding its mark made breathing difficult and
rational thought almost impossible.

165/200

Shake it off, Delsin. Shake it off and take
care of business. She is clearly very good at
her job. If you allow it, she’ll subvert your
will and enslave you. You are not going to
sink to the level of the out of control shifters
in here and fuck her. You’ll take her to
Telmira and collect the rest of your commis-
sion. Then you can find a woman and settle
down far away from this God-forsaken
place. Fucking her even once is out of the
question.
He dragged his gaze from her glistening
pussy and compressed his lips. “Then let’s
cut to the chase, shall we? You know why I’m
here.”
She glanced down at his thigh where he
knew she could see the clear outline of his
fully aroused cock. ”Do you want to discuss
it?”
About to reply that there was nothing to dis-
cuss, his cock pulsed, and the sexual hungers
he’d spent years wrestling under control

166/200

overwhelmed him. Surrendering to the pull
of the fast approaching full moon and his in-
nate needs, his thought process changed.
Why rush to deliver her to a fate she’d prob-
ably hate while depriving himself of a pleas-
ure he’d earned at the same time? The wo-
man before him possessed all the qualities
he’d long sought but never found in a pos-
sible mate. Growing up in a culture that cel-
ebrated and encouraged sexual polygamy,
he’d always felt out of place because he envi-
sioned a life spent with one woman capable
of generating enough passion in him that
he’d happily settle into a mutually exclusive
and monogamous relationship with her.
Unfortunately, this woman was a bounty.
Finding her gave him hope he’d find another
he could take as his bond mate. But he
couldn’t lose sight of the fact that he com-
manded such high fees because he always
delivered. Even though he found the thought
distasteful, he’d deliver her to Telmira as

167/200

promised—but only after he’d fucked her out
of his system.
He smiled down at her, his gaze on her ex-
posed body. “Over a drink?”
She nodded.
He glanced at her side arm. “Is that invited?”
After a brief hesitation, she placed her
weapon on the bench seat beside her.
He slipped onto the bench on the opposite
side of the table, his heart racing with
anticipation.
She resumed her seat and deliberately closed
the long, cream-colored duster that provided
the perfect complement for her lovely skin
tone. Unfortunately, she cut off his view of
the loveliest rack he’d ever seen. But if things
went as planned, he’d get to know them—up
close and personal. “What did you want to
discuss?” he asked, making no effort to look
anywhere but at her cleavage.

168/200

“I want to discuss what we can do to improve
the chances of this situation not getting out
of hand.”
He decided not to point out that things had
progressed too far to worry about that. The
situation had careened out of his control the
moment he set eyes on her. Now all he
wanted was her lying naked and aroused un-
der his equally nude body. He glanced
around, noticing several males staring in
their direction. All had obvious erections.
None had better come anywhere near her or
he’d show them why males of his clan were
feared by those from lesser clans.
“Why don’t we discuss that in the comfort of
my cruiser?” he invited.
She slowly dragged the tip of her tongue
along the contour of her full lips before re-
sponding. “Isn’t the idea of comfort and a
bounty cruiser mutually exclusive?”
Her sultry voice sent waves of lust thunder-
ing through him. He smiled. Should he

169/200

bother to point out that he didn’t plan to give
her time to worry about anything but how
many times he fucked her before they both
passed out from sheer exhaustion? “I’m sure
you’ll find my private quarters adequate.”
Eager to totally possess her, he rose and ges-
tured toward the door. “Join me?” And let
me spend every waking moment of the next
week in your arms.
She nodded, rose, and opened her duster.
Her side arm quickly rose from the bench
and disappeared inside the duster moments
before she quickly closed it.
Delsin suppressed a surprised exclamation.
Damnation. Small wonder he’d been paid
such a large down payment. Her sentient
side arm would make taking her next to im-
possible—for a hunter with less skill and
experience.
He placed a hand in the middle of her back
and escorted her to the door. He should have
been thinking of ways to get around her

170/200

sentient side arm. Instead, holding and lov-
ing her dominated his thoughts.

* * *

The palm in the middle of Parmia’s back felt
almost hot enough to sear her skin through
her duster. She cast a quick, surprised look
up at the tall male at her side. It wasn’t often
that she encountered a male with almost
blue-black hair and golden brown eyes deep
enough for her to dive into and lose herself
in. Too bad they were meeting in a shifter
pleasure den. Too bad he had no idea what
was in store for him. Under other circum-
stances…she gave herself a mental shake as
he held the door open. The situation was the
situation. What was the point of wasting
valuable time engaging in baseless fantasies
about situations that didn’t exist? The com-
mission she earned from this last job would
ensure her life as a reluctant courtesan
ended with him.

171/200

The male beside her looked as if he could
take care of himself—it was in his blood.
Besides, he’d manage to escape the Blue
Desert once. He could do it again, if he
wanted. Dismissing the last remnants of re-
grets she felt, she stepped out into the sear-
ing heat of the pre-evening desert.
The male with her whistled.
A huge, magnificent black stallion with an
auburn mane trotted around from the far
side of the den.
Parmia caught her breath and slowly ap-
proached with her hand extended. She
glanced at the male with her. "May I?"
After a quick glance at the stallion, he
nodded.
She slowly stroked the stallion's mane before
sliding her hand along his flank. "What's his
name?"
"Renas."

172/200

She leaned close to rub her cheek against the
horse’s big, sleek body. “Renas? You’re as big
and regal as a Centaurian Stallion.”
He is Centaurian, Markes said. And I don’t
think his name is Renas.
Although surprised, she accepted the word of
her sentient side arm, Markes. She had never
seen one of the fabled Centaurians in person
while he had served with at least one.
The stallion turned his head and gently
brushed it against her body.
She impulsively linked her arms around his
big body and kissed his mane.
He made a soft, encouraging noise.
She smiled and kissed his mane again before
looking at the male who stood staring at
them. “And you?”
“And me what?”
“What’s your name?” Of course, she knew his
name but he didn’t know that.
“Delsin Adarinas.”

173/200

Delsin Adarinas; famed and feared bounty
hunter to the rich and infamous. He always
delivered his bounty. Yet he seemed unaware
that this time the target was on his own back.
“Aren’t you going to ask my name?”
He shook his head. “Parmia Leeosa, courtes-
an to the rich and discerning.”
She gave him a surprised look. He’d just
made the profession she practiced with re-
luctance and shame sound honorable and ex-
clusive. “Yes.”
Adarinas mounted the horse and then leaned
a hand down to her. “Join me?”
He made it sound more like a request than a
semi-command—as if he actually intended to
give her a choice. Placing her foot over his in
the stirrup, she offered him her hand. Clasp-
ing it in his, he pulled her up onto the horse
in front of him. She drew up her hood and
adjusted the sun shield before she settled
herself against him. She liked the feel of his
big, male body behind hers.

174/200

Judging by the way he shifted his body closer
and brushed his fingers against her breasts,
he liked her proximity as well.
So far they were on the same page—at least
for the moment. And to her surprise, the
possibilities excited her. Of course, once he
found the tables had been turned on him, all
that would surely change. Until then, she in-
tended to fully enjoy what was happening to
her.
When he pushed her duster aside, she felt
Markes tense.
“It’s all right,” she told her sentient side arm.
Markes subsided until the hunter placed his
palm on the inside of her thigh. Then she felt
the almost silent buzz he made before he
attacked.
“No,” she told him. “Don’t.”
“I don’t like when they touch you.”
Generally she didn’t either but her father’s
unexpected death had left her with nothing
but her latent sexual abilities and Markes.

175/200

After several weeks of grieving and a few
more struggling to survive, she’d come to the
painful realization that she needed to make
the most of her meager assets. Now, five
years later, all the distasteful sexual dalli-
ances were over. Well, almost.
“This will be the last time, Markes. Stand
down unless I’m in danger.”
Markes obeyed and she shivered as the big
palm slid up her thigh. Warm, insistent fin-
gers touched her slit. She immediately
creamed. The strange, wonderful feeling en-
veloping her must be the reason so many wo-
men enjoyed doing this for a living. She felt
alive and hungry to experience what she felt
would be the ultimate delight with him.
While the big stallion trotted across the hot
sands, Adarinas slipped a finger inside her
pussy and rubbed his thumb against her clit.
She sank her teeth into her bottom lip in an
effort to control her desire. It didn’t work.

176/200

The thumb rubbing her clit made her shiver
in anticipation.
Allowing the stallion’s reins to fall, he slid his
other hand inside her duster to cup over her
breasts.
She leaned back, only just resisting the urge
to rub her rear against his groin.
Then he flicked her nipples until they
pebbled.
The intimacy that she usually found intrusive
and unpleasant lit a fire in her and stirred
emotions she’d never felt with any other cli-
ent. The flame that ignited in her belly
quickly singed its way down to her pussy. He
pinched her nipples and slipped another fin-
ger inside her.
Overwhelmed by her body’s unexpected re-
sponse to him, she tossed her head back
against him and arched her back, driving her
wet slit onto his fingers. With the hot sun on
her body and the motion of the horse provid-
ing an added stimulus, she ground herself

177/200

against his thrusting fingers. She did that
with a wild heat until a rush of delight shook
her body and shut out the rest of the world as
the most incredible feeling of bliss swept
over her. Lost in the allure of pleasure, she
cried out as she experienced her first orgasm.
Bending his head, he nipped and licked her
neck and ear as he continued to finger her
flooded channel and rub his thumb against
her clit.
Overcome with emotion and pleasure,
Parmia enjoyed multiple orgasms, each one
more intense than the one before. Totally
lost in a feeling of bliss she’d never experi-
enced, her concept of time and place dis-
solved. The world consisted of his magical
fingers, the warm lips pressed against the
side of her neck, and the husky voice filling
her ears with strange words that nonetheless
heightened her passions.
With her heart racing and her body on fire,
she tried to steel herself for the moment

178/200

when he would lift her hips and slide his
cock deep into her erupting pussy. But
strangely, he seemed content to give her
pleasure without regard for his own.
Finally, with her senses on overload, she sur-
rendered all efforts at rational thought.
When her senses returned, she found herself
seated alone on the stallion outside a huge
transport hangar. The hunter reached up to
lift her down from the horse’s back. His
strength and the ease with which he did it
surprised her. Not many men could lift her
and none had given her even an ounce of the
pleasure he had. If they had, the last five
years might not have been so unpleasant.
Instead of releasing her once her feet
touched the ground, he slipped his arm
around her waist before allowing his palm to
brush against her rear.
She inhaled and suppressed the urge to lean
against him. Embarrassed by her inability to

179/200

control herself with him, she glanced away
and reached down to fasten her duster.
“Oh, no. Don’t do that,” he said, gently push-
ing her hands away.
She moistened her lips and allowed her
hands to drop to her sides.
He lifted her chin and smiled down at her.
She gazed up at him, unable to look away.
His smile was as seductive as his fingers
stroking inside her.
He slipped a hand inside her duster briefly to
caress her bottom. Expertly parting her neth-
er cheeks, he pushed his thumb against her
anal cavity.
Parmia trembled. She hadn’t allowed any of
her clients the privilege of reaming her ass
for a long time. Feeling his thumb worrying
her tight opening, she knew she’d welcome
anal sex with him. After the pleasure he’d
given her, she couldn’t imagine objecting to
anything he wanted to do to or with her
body.

180/200

He slapped each cheek before he took her
hand in his.
With her ass stinging, she eagerly walked in-
side a rather nondescript cruiser with him.
Markes gently probed her thoughts. “Are you
all right? You didn’t answer on the way
here. You just kept moaning. I almost killed
him.”
She trembled with terror at the thought. “I
don’t want him hurt, Markes!”
“Why not? You don’t like it when men put
things inside you. He did it several times
and made you moan.”
“And yet you didn’t kill him. Why not?”
She felt his confusion before he answered.
“You were making sounds but I didn’t feel
any pain or distress from you. I didn’t think
you’d be pleased if I killed him. If I killed
him, I’d have had to kill the Centaurian as
well.”
“And that would bother you, Markes?”

181/200

“Yes. I served with a Centaurian who was
very like this one. He was valiant and loyal.
He died in a battle saving your father.
Killing one of his brethren would have been
ungracious. But my first duty is to you. If I
erred, I can kill them both now that we don’t
have to worry about being stranded in the
desert.”
“No! No. I don’t want either of them hurt or
killed. Especially not Adarinas.” She glanced
at the man standing looking down at her.
The look in his golden gaze filled her with
anticipation. For the first time in five years,
she would enjoy a night spent with a stranger
instead of dreading every moment of pawing
that seemed never ending. Our client didn’t
pay so well to have him injured or worse.
The cruiser doors slid open.
With his hand on her waist, Adarinas guided
her into a long corridor. He nodded to the
right. “My private quarters are at the end of
that passage. Will you go inside and make

182/200

yourself comfortable while I take care of
Renas?”
Parmia stroked the stallion’s mane. “And
when you have?”
He brushed the back of his hand against her
cheek. “When I have, I’ll be ready to join you
in my quarters, close out the galaxy, and
settle down to get to know you.”
Her lips curved in a spontaneous smile.
He bent to press a quick kiss against her
neck before he picked up the stallion’s reins
and turned away.
“Aren’t you afraid I might leave while you’re
gone?” she asked.
He walked back to cup one hand between her
legs.
His touch made her burn with need. She
moistened her lips.
He stared down into her eyes. “Your pussy is
wet and ready to receive my cock. No. I’m
not afraid you’ll try to leave-at least not until
I’ve cocked you a few times.”

183/200

She sucked in a breath; her channel flooding
at the pleasure his words conjured in her
mind.
Smiling, he pinched each of her nipples. “But
even if you tried, you should know that I’d
track you down and bring you back here.”
Something in his tone and expression stirred
her emotions and made her wonder if she’d
managed to stir him as well. “To turn me
over to your client?”
He slid his palm down from her breasts to
finger her pussy. “To slide my cock as deep
inside you as possible and then to ravish you
until we’re both limp with pleasure.”
His words, spoken in a brusque voice filled
with passion, sent a tingle of anticipation
through her. Should she quietly submit? Or
should she run and force him to track her
down? She liked the idea of him tackling her
so that his big, hard body completely covered
hers. Running might be fun—except that it

184/200

would lessen the time they had together.
Running was out of the question.
Almost as if he’d read her mind, he suddenly
bent his head and deliberately closed his lips
over her right nipple. He sucked so hard and
deep, her legs shook and her pussy gushed.
Hungry for more, she shivered and leaned
into him.
He transferred his warm lips to her other
nipple, laving it with his tongue and nipping
at it with his teeth until it pebbled.
She slid her hands up his chest to link
around his neck. As if they had a mind of
their own, her fingers stroked through his
hair.
He lifted his head to press a long, heated kiss
against her parted lips.
She curled her fingers in his hair and re-
turned his kiss with a passion that matched
his.
He thrust his tongue in her mouth to stroke
hers.

185/200

They kissed and caressed each other until
she became aware of the stallion neighing
impatiently.
Only then did Adarinas step away from her
to reclaim the stallion’s reins. “I’ll be back to
claim my pussy,” he told her.
His pussy? Oh, yes! Definitely his. She
watched him and the horse until they turned
into a corridor that concealed them from her
sight. Then she felt almost bereft. What was
happening to her?
“Do you like him?” Markes asked.
Did she like him? Like was too tepid a word
for what she felt for him. But she wasn’t
ready to admit that—not even to Markes. She
shrugged. “He makes me feel and think dif-
ferently about mating than any other man
ever has.”
“Is that good or bad?”
“I don’t know and I don’t know what I feel
beyond the physical reaction his touch cre-
ates in me,” she admitted. Since she’d never

186/200

mated before she became a courtesan, she
had nothing to compare her present feelings
to.
“I don’t like him,” Markes said.
Parmia sighed. She feared she liked him all
too well. She turned and walked down the
hall. Maybe she’d feel differently once she’d
refreshed herself with a shower. Recalling
his touch, she shook her head. She doubted
there existed a sonic shower powerful
enough to vibrate away the effect he had on
her. And strangely enough, she didn’t want
to wash the feeling away.

187/200

Marilyn’s booklist

:

Marilyn Lee Unleashed

Books

A Cheating Situation
Marilyn Lee Omnibus I
Primal Lusts
In Blood And Worth Loving 2—Lost Without
You
Blue Desert Heat I
Blue Desert Heat 2
Blue Desert Tales: Courtesan Seduction
Fantasy Knights
Fantasy Knights 2—Endless Love

Naughty Girls, Inc—No Commitment
Required
Loving Large—Yours, Only And Always
The Quest—Hunter’s Passion
Daughters of Takira—One Night In Vegas
Daughters of Takira 2—Kyla’s Awakening
Daughters of Takira 2—Revelations
Soul Mates
Beauty Is Alisha Hoover?
My Mother’s Man
Secondhand Girlfriend
Any Time Any Place
Large, Shy, And Beautiful
Marilyn Lee Sampler
Marilyn Lee Sampler 2
Falling For Sharde

189/200

Nice Girls Do
Some Like It Male
Yesterday’s Secret Sins
The Dare

Coming Soon:
Loving Large 2—Yours, Now And Forever
A Cheating Situation

Red Rose Publishing

Sister’s Keeper
Finding Love Again
Betrayed By Love
Song of Desire
It Had To Be You

190/200

Tempting Neal
In Blood And Worth Loving
Eye of the Beholder
Night Heat
Summer Storm
Skin Deep

Ellora's Cave

Night of Sin

Bloodlust series:
Mikhel Dumont
The Talisman
Taming Serge Dumont
Forbidden Desires

191/200

Nocturnal Heat
Midnight Shadows
All In The Family

Moonlight series:

Moonlight Desire
Moonlight Whispers

Long Line of Love series:
Night of Desires
Love Out Loud
Only One Love

Teacher's Pet
Trina's Afternoon Delight
Branded
Road To Rapture

192/200

The Fall of Troy
Full Bodied Charmer
Breathless In Black
Playing With Fire
White Christmas
Quest II—Divided Loyalties
Quest III—Return to Volter

Changeling Press

Moonlight Madness
Bloodlust—Nighttime Magic

Loose Id, LLC

193/200

Dream Lover

194/200

Marilyn’s

homepage:

http://www.marilynlee.org

Email:

[e-mail]

Marilyn’s Bio:

Marilyn Lee lives, works, and writes on the
East Coast. In addition to thoroughly enjoy-
ing writing erotic romances, she enjoys
roller-skating, spending time with her large,
extended family, and rooting for all her ho-
metown sports teams. Her other interests in-
clude collecting Doc Savage pulp novels from
the thirties and forties and collecting Marvel
comics from the seventies and eighties (par-
ticularly Thor and The Avengers). Her favor-
ite TV shows are forensic shows, westerns
(Gunsmoke and Have Gun, Will Travel are
particular favorites), mysteries (loves the old
Charlie Chan mysteries. Her all time favorite
mystery movie is probably Dead, Again), and
nearly every vampire movie or television
show ever made (Forever Knight and Count
Yorga, Vampire are favorites).

Marilyn has won numerous writing accol-
ades, including a CAPA award for Bloodlust:
Conquering Mikhel Dumont and the
following Lub-Dubs Awards for 2009: Life-
time Achievement Award, In Blood And
Worth Loving (Best erotic novel and best sci-
fi/fantasy/paranormal Award.
She loves to hear from readers who can
email her at [e-mail] or who
can visit her website,

ht-

tp://www.marilynlee.org

. She has a Yahoo!

Group called Love Bytes that readers can
join by sending an email to: marilynlee-sub-
[e-mail]

198/200

199/200

@Created by

PDF to ePub