STORY EXCERPT

She tucked her foot under her bottom and was entranced in the scene where the tall dark stranger now known as Kyle and his cousin, Derek, insisted that they should fight over the love of Fantasia. Fantasia of course refused to come between the two cousins and decided it was best to call things off. Just as Fantasia was walking away, a car came zooming down the road and nearly hit her. Fantasia was lying on the blacktop, bruised but not seriously injured.

Alexa turned the page with one hand while she kept her other hand over her heart. She felt her pulse increase, and being so enthralled in the story, she hadn’t heard anything but her own thoughts. Tonight she would go back and highlight the pages that she loved most. Especially the love scenes and how romantic and in tune to the woman the men were. She also loved when the heroines were strong and empowered. She wished she had those qualities.

“Good book?” someone asked, and she nodded her head and mumbled a yes, not even bothering to look up to see who it was.

Then she felt the large figure behind her, and she hurriedly pressed the book to her chest in fear that someone might see what she was reading. She glanced up and gasped. Michael Phillips? Oh God he is so good looking. When did he return from one of his secret assignments? She had heard the gossip around the club about a large group of Marines and their assignments. Michael and Chad were part of the group.

He raised one eyebrow at her, his dimples so visible they were practically winking at her. He held her gaze. His big blue eyes sparkled as he crossed his arms in front of his massive chest. He was wearing a T-shirt. Was he crazy? It was very cold out here.

She swallowed hard.

“It must be, because you didn’t even hear me approach, Alexa. You need to be more careful and aware of what’s going on around you.”

She furrowed her eyebrows at him. Gosh, he was so uptight and bossy. Who did he think he was anyway?

She looked around them, realizing that they were practically alone. Only an older woman and man walking hand in hand were near the small lake in the center of the park. She pulled her sweater tighter against her chest.

“I don’t think I’m in any danger, Michael. I’m in the park in Delite. What could possibly happen?” she asked as she placed her bookmark then closed the book and tucked it into her small bag. She stood up and realized just how huge and tall Michael was.

“You look cold. The fall and winter can get pretty brutal around here. Don’t you own a warm jacket?” he scolded. She pulled her sweater around her, but she felt the chill. She wasn’t certain it all stemmed from the temperature. He sounded bossy, and was that her belly that quivered in approval of his tone? Yikes, she was definitely reading too many romance novels.

“I’m fine. What about you? You’re wearing a T-shirt.” She got lost in the sight of his massive chest of muscles and the way the cotton of the shirt stretched across them. The man was a work of art. Throw in the dark camo pants he was wearing and he looked edible. She swallowed and knew she needed to focus on reality. This man was not a character in a book. He was the real deal. And after the way Chad looked about to kill her last night, she knew they were dangerous men. She’d had enough of dangerous men. Plus she was twenty-three and still a virgin even though her uncle’s men tried to take that from her, too. She shivered.

“Come on, let’s get you inside where it’s warm. I’ll buy you a cup of coffee,” he stated then reached for her. She stepped away, afraid of him grabbing her, touching her, making contact with her, and she nearly fell over the bench.

She stumbled, dropped her bag, then quickly picked it up and used the bench as a barrier between them.

“I’m good really. Thanks anyway. Enjoy the park.” She practically yelled over her shoulder as she hurried away from him.

She crossed the distance between the park and the street quickly and hurried into Stella’s Boutique. She looked out of the front window and watched as Michael made his way to the café. Two women were walking down the street, and their faces lit up from seeing him. Of course they did. She had the same reaction. He was gorgeous.

“Found something you like?” Sally whispered next to her ear as she placed her arm around her shoulder.

Alexa jumped and gasped, and Sally chuckled.

“Busted!”

ADULT EXCERPT

“Come here,” Michael barked at her with a fierce expression on his face.

She hesitated and wondered if she should climb right in and slide over or if she should crawl seductively over toward him. She was following her feminine instincts and hoped it worked out right.

She felt like a seductress as she held his intense gaze with one of her own. She inched her hands across the bench seat, her ass was in the air behind her in Chad’s face and she felt like a lioness about to pounce on the so-called alpha male.

His large hand came up quickly, wrapped under her hair, his forearm against her neck as he drew her to him. He covered her mouth and somehow she wound up on his lap.

Her skirt felt tight against her thighs as she kneeled over Michael’s lap. They were dueling over control of the kiss, his hands gripping her hair using his position to take control. She felt so feminine and aroused. One hand came up and cupped her breast. It was a rough, hungry grab, and she moaned into his mouth as her pussy came alive with need.

She felt the other hand move behind her between her legs and was shocked at the finger that stroked over her panties.

“Fuck, Michael, she’s wearing a thong and she’s really wet,” Chad stated. He maneuvered his finger around the thin material and found her pussy lips. Alexa moaned again as Michael continued to make love to her mouth. He would plunge his tongue deeper then grip her hair tighter. She felt the chills run over her body, and something magical erupted inside of her. She felt Chad press a finger up into her pussy, and she jerked from the sensation.

“Fuck, she’s tight.” Chad continued to press up into her pussy.

She was shaking with anticipation, and then Chad added a second digit as he used his other hand to caress her ass and something came over her. She pulled her mouth from Michael’s. They both panted for air and her body shook. She moaned against his shoulder as her first orgasm occurred in the cab of Michael’s truck.

Chad pulled his fingers from her pussy as Michael hugged her to him.

“Holy shit, Alexa, that was incredible.”

She continued to try to catch her breath, and then embarrassment overtook her.

Chad lowered her skirt.

“Damn, you sure are responsive. I’m about to come right here, too, sweetness,” Chad told her, but she couldn’t look at him.

She lifted her head up as Michael maneuvered his hands under her chin to cup both her cheeks.

“Baby, look at me,” Michael whispered.

“What’s wrong? I didn’t hurt you, did I?” Chad asked. He sounded so concerned.

“I’m sorry.”

Michael squinted his eyes at her, and she tried lowering her eyes, but he gave her face a little shake. “Sorry for what?” Michael asked.

“For that. I couldn’t help it.”

Michael glanced at his brother, and Chad didn’t look like he understood what was happening here.

“Baby, that was beautiful. Haven’t you ever had an orgasm before?”

“That was my first,” she told him.

He held her gaze, and she hoped that she didn’t have to say the words.

“Are you a virgin, baby?”

“What?” Chad asked as he placed his hand on her shoulder.

She nodded at Michael.

His blue eyes sparkled, and before she knew if he was upset or happy he pulled her face closer and kissed her passionately.

When he finally released her lips, he leaned his forehead against hers. “You’re amazing, baby, a real gift. We’re going to be your firsts,” Michael whispered.

“And her only.”

She turned toward him as Michael released her face he held gently between his hands.

“Come on over here, darling. I want to hold you while Michael drives us home.”

Chad lifted her onto his lap. He opened his thighs, her rear fell between the gap, and he held her securely around her back and waist. He cupped her cheek with his free hand and tilted it up toward him. Her breath caught in her throat. Chad’s blue eyes sparkled but looked rather intense.

“This blouse is really pretty.” He lightly tugged on it with his fingers. She felt the weight of his hand against her belly muscles and the tiny vibrations that traveled beneath her skin. He moved his fingers under the material of her blouse, over her belly, then to her bra. He lifted her a little higher with his arm. “Kiss me, baby. I want to taste those beautiful lips again.”

She tilted her head up, and as their lips touched, he cupped her breast with his hand and massaged it as his tongue explored her mouth. In a matter of seconds she was pressing her breasts firmly against his hand and moaning into his mouth. She reached up and ran her hands through his hair and somehow straddled his waist.

They were wild and hungry as they dueled for control of the kiss. She lifted up and down while his large hands caressed her thighs and lifted her skirt higher. He was grabbing at the material then moved his hands over her waist, up her ribs, under the blouse and to her breasts.

Chad pulled his mouth from hers as she held his shoulders. They locked gazes, and he looked as wild as she felt.

“Get this off now.”