STORY EXCERPT

Determined to put Rafe and Linc out of her mind, she focused on her mother and the memories of the past and happier times.

During the next hour, her mother’s breathing slowed even more.

Krystal focused on each breath, each time wondering if it would be her mother’s last one, sucking in another breath each time her mother did.

It hurt, but she didn’t cry.

She didn’t even know if she could anymore.

She’d known this time would come, but now that it was close, she felt so distant from it all, as if she dreamed it.

She pinched her own hand several times over the next few hours, half believing that she was dreaming and would wake up to see that her mother had woken from her nap.

She ached for Rafe and Linc, but she vowed to herself that she wouldn’t call them until she’d settled somewhere.

The doctor appeared again, using his stethoscope to listen to her mother’s heart. “Are you all right?”

Nodding, Krystal ran her thumb over the top of her mother’s hand. “I’m fine.”

“I’m sorry. You’ve been so strong.”

She felt like a fraud. She wasn’t strong at all. Lifting her gaze to his, she shook her head and forced a polite smile. “I wish I was.”

Dr. Smith smiled and lightly patted her hand. “You are. Most people wouldn’t do what you’ve done.”

“She’s my mother.”

He gestured toward her mother’s tray. “It looks like Maggie brought you some soup.”

Krystal barely glanced at it. “That was nice of her.” Turning back to her mother, she eyed Dr. Smith. “Is there any chance?”

Straightening, he tucked his stethoscope into his pocket, his sympathetic smile bringing a lump to Krystal’s throat. “I’m sorry.”

Forcing another smile, Krystal nodded. “Thank you for all you’ve done. You’ve been very kind.”

Minutes after the doctor left, Krystal’s mother drew her last breath.

Krystal waited, expecting her mother to take another as she had for the last several hours, but it didn’t come.

Her mother had passed away.

Still holding her hand, Krystal sat there, wondering why she didn’t cry.

Time stood still for her, her mind blank.

She stared at her mother’s hand in hers, suddenly feeling completely alone.

When thoughts of Rafe and Linc started to creep in, she ruthlessly pushed them back, her throat clogged with the tears she couldn’t shed.

She needed Rafe and Linc more than she’d ever needed anything in her life, but she wouldn’t call them.

Calling them would be the most selfish thing she could have done, and she wouldn’t burden them any more than she already had.

They would come if she called. All she had to do was pick up the phone and they would be on their way.

Knowing that made it even more difficult to resist calling them.

The feeling of having her entire life ahead of her hit her hard, the enormity of it overwhelming.

She couldn’t let herself think of anything except the next step.

She had to finish taking care of her mother.

She’d already pre-paid for her mother’s funeral and had only to make the arrangements.

Her mother had lost contact with all of her friends when Krystal’s father had been sick, and she didn’t really expect anyone to come.

She would get a taxi and go to the funeral home. She didn’t relish the thought of lugging her three suitcases along with her purse, but she would just have to figure out a way to do it.

She kissed her mother’s cold hand and tucked it under the covers, just as Maggie appeared on the other side of her mother’s bed. “She’s gone.”

“Yes.” Maggie tucked her mother’s other hand under the covers. “She’s at peace now.”

“I hope so. She’s earned it.”

Her mother would finally be with her father again, the man she considered her soul mate.

Krystal had never believed in such a thing, but after experiencing the kind of happiness she hadn’t known existed with Rafe and Linc, and the empty loneliness since she pushed them away, she wondered if it could be possible to have two soul mates.

“So have you.” Maggie smiled and wiped away a tear that Krystal couldn’t shed. “I hope you find the happiness and peace that you deserve.”

“Thank you.” Krystal glanced at Maggie and started to stand, surprised that her legs wouldn’t support her. “I have to go to the funeral home and make final arrangements.”

Maggie frowned and shook her head. “I wish you would call those men of yours.”

Krystal shook her head, glancing at the three suitcases that stood in the corner, dreading the thought of trying to carry them. “They’re not mine anymore.”

“We beg to differ.”

 With a gasp, Krystal spun, her knees giving out at the sight of Rafe and Linc striding into the room toward her.

ADULT EXCERPT

Krystal instinctively closed her legs on his hips and gripped his shoulders, the pleasure so intense she trembled with it. “Linc!”

Linc slid a hand under her bottom and lifted her slightly. “I know.” His gravelly voice and the way his body shuddered against hers a testament to his own passion. “Nice and slow. You’re killing me. You know that, don’t you?”

The loving teasing in his tone eased some of her nervousness, and when he began to withdraw, she cried out in frustration and tightened her legs around him. “Don’t go.”

“I’m not going anywhere, baby. Nothing on earth could make me leave you now.” With another groan, Linc stared into her eyes and slid deeper. “You feel so good, but I’m gonna take this slow if it kills me. I want it to last.”

His shallow strokes pressed at a spot inside her that had need coming back in full force. His body surrounded hers, the heat and strength of it like coming home.

A sob escaped before she could prevent it, and she couldn’t help but smile when Linc stilled, his eyes widening. “It feels so good to be with you like this. I can’t believe how long it’s been since I felt so warm.”

Linc’s muscles relaxed, his slow grin making her heart beat faster. “Then hang on, baby, because it’s gonna get hotter.”

Gathering her wrists in one hand, he raised them over her head, his eyes narrowed again. “Your pussy’s milking me already. Take more.”

“Yes.” Lifting up to him, she took him deeper, crying out at the full, stretched sensation.

“Easy, baby.”

“No.” The feel of his hot, bare chest against her nipples had her writhing beneath him for more. “Take me. I need to feel this. I need to feel alive.”

Linc cursed under his breath, his body stiffening again. “Stop wiggling. It’s hard enough to go slow.”

“Good.” Pressing her heels into the backs of his thighs, she rocked her hips. “I’m not a virgin, Linc. You’ve taken me before.”

“It’s been a long time.” His voice had deepened, becoming ragged. “I don’t want to hurt you.”

“You’re killing me. Take me like you mean it, damn it!”

Linc abruptly withdrew, releasing her wrists. “No.” Rising to his knees, he gripped the back of hers, parting them wide and lifting them high. “You’re gonna take what I give you.”

Stunned by the change in him, Krystal gulped as she took in his hardened features. “Linc?”

He thrust into her again, a little deeper than before and started to move, his thrusts coming faster, but not going any deeper.

“I missed this. I missed your tight pussy gripping me like this. You’re even more passionate now.”

“Oh God!” Krystal tried to rock her hips in time to his thrusts, but his hold didn’t allow for much movement at all.

“I can only imagine how tight that ass is gonna be.”

Her bottom clenched at the memory of their play there as they got her used to having her bottom breached and the one time they’d taken her together.

Thrusting deeper, Linc slowed. “I see you remember. I was the one to take your virginity there. Rafe and I can’t wait to take you together again.”

Just the thought of being taken in both openings quickened her pulse and had her clenching on him again. “Please.”

Each slow thrust took him deeper. “Your pussy and ass remember who you belong to.” He began to thrust faster, the friction and press of his cock against her inner walls sending her senses soaring. “Now we just have to remind the rest of you. Look at me.”

Krystal’s eyes snapped open at his sharp demand, the possessiveness in his hard look arousing her even more.

“Keep those eyes open and on me.”

His demanding tone sent a thrill through her, the possessiveness and hunger in his eyes filling her with a sense of feminine power that heightened her arousal even more.

He thrust faster, his gaze holding hers. “Yeah. You can take more, can’t you?” He stopped thrusting briefly, watching her eyes as he slowly slid deep. “Take it all, baby. God, you feel so good.”

Krystal gasped, a whimper of shock and incredible need escaping as he withdrew slightly and thrust again. “Linc! It’s so deep. Oh God!”

“Fuck! Christ, you’re incredible.” His eyes narrowed even more as he slightly withdrew again. “Do you like knowing what you do to me?”

Some instinct had her lifting her arms above her head, and she couldn’t help but smile when his gaze narrowed and his cock jumped inside her. “What do I do to you?”

Her nipples tingled hotly under his gaze, the pure male hunger in his eyes heightening her sense of feminine power.

Sliding a hand to her breast, he tugged her nipple, his eyes flaring at her gasp of pleasure, narrowing when she lowered her hands to her breasts. “You make me crazy. I want you even more than I did before, and that was enough to make me wait three years for you to be free. You’re not going anywhere. Put your hands above your head and keep them there. Next time I’m going to restrain you.”

Bracing a hand on either side of her head, he waited until she obeyed him before moving again. He withdrew almost all the way and thrust deep, his thrusts coming harder and faster. “Come again for me. I want to hear those cries of pleasure again.”

Caught up in the pleasure, Krystal cried out his name, gripping the edges of the pillow to keep from reaching for him. “Oh God! Linc.” Overwhelmed, she let her eyes close as the tension built, the awareness in her nipples intensifying the pleasure. “Ohhhh!”