STORY EXCERPT

Jamie sat at the end of the small jetty on the edge of Strawberry Reservoir, just a ten minute walk from the estate. As Jamie looked out over the slow, rippling water, caused by a gentle breeze, and saw the reflection of the colored sky and setting sun, she found solace, her place of peace. It was important for every warrior to have a place that was their escape, a place where they found tranquility in a life of battles and war.

“Hey, shorty, I thought I’d find you here.”

Jamie sighed contently. That voice was like music to her ears. It washed over her like a balm on her soul. His presence just enhanced the perfection of the moment.

She turned to look up, from where she sat on the jetty of Strawberry Reservoir, at the man who had dominated her thoughts and her heart for the best part of a decade.

To her, Conrad Quin was magnificent. Amazons were descended from the Greek god of war, Ares, but Conrad could be the son of Adonis himself. He was just that gorgeous. He had wavy blond hair that just touched his shoulders with blue eyes the color of sapphires. He stayed clean shaven as if to highlight his strong male features. The man was tall, strong, and powerful with the ability to make her weak at the knees with a single glance.

Jamie knew he would never see her as more than a friend, the girl he grew up with, but she would always hold out hope that one day he would see her the way she saw him.

Jamie managed to give him a quick glance over her shoulder, a fleeting smile, and a halfhearted nod in greeting.

“That’s it? That’s all I get?” Conrad asked in confusion as he sat down beside her.

All she had really wanted to do was jump up from the jetty and throw herself into his waiting arms. That’s how she always greeted him when he came back from assignment, and it had been so long since she had felt the comfort of his embrace, but she couldn’t bring herself to do it.

“Things change.”

“Things change, but you don’t,” Conrad said sternly, sounding annoyed at her. “So, what is it?”

Jamie knew she shouldn’t have been surprised by Conrad’s insight. He knew her better than anyone, other than Jordon.

Jamie shrugged as she nonchalantly stated, “I’m tired.”

“Bullshit,” was Conrad’s eloquent response, almost making her smile.

Sighing in frustration and defeat, Jamie begged, “I want to be alone, Conrad. Please leave.”

Jamie dared a glance toward his face to see a mask of hurt, anger, and determination. Jamie knew from experience that that mask was one to fear. When Conrad Quin set his mind to something, he made sure it happened.

“Make me.” Conrad sounded so fierce as he stood to his full six-foot-seven height, towering over her. God. Just the power and presence in his voice had the ability to turn her on.

“What?”

“You want me to leave, shorty? Make me!”

“No.” She turned away from him. She was not doing this with him here, now.

“What, you can beat up your sister, but you can’t spar with your best friend?”

Jamie stood so fast Conrad stumbled back a step. She couldn’t hide her smirk before she managed to school her features and glared at him.

“Don’t do this, Conrad.” Jamie implored as she started to feel the fire in her belly and the fight in her blood. He was goading her, trying to piss her off, trying to get her to fight.

And it was working.

“Unbelievable. You’re an Amazon warrior who won’t even fight to protect her honor or pride? What are you? Weak?”

Oh no he didn’t.

That did it. Her anger and annoyance overtook all her self-doubt and worries. All she wanted was to be alone, and he had just pissed all over her and her fucking oasis.

Jamie was going to kick his ass.

As Amazon women were stronger and faster than Amazon men but trained with equal skill, it was not uncommon in Amazon tribes for men and women to fight. Jamie and Conrad, especially, fought all the time. Mostly they were kidding around, but right now she didn’t feel like playing.

She spun on her left leg and jumped as she lifted her right leg to land a solid kick to the side of Conrad’s handsome face. Such a shame. He hit the deck of the jetty facedown, just stopping himself from falling into the cool evening temperature of the water.

“I know what you’re doing. You’re pissing me off so I’ll fight you, and eventually, when I’m tired and worn out, you expect me to spill my guts about what’s wrong with me. Well, you’re only going to get half of what you want, a fight.”

ADULT EXCERPT

When she looked down at Conrad, the smile was gone from his face. Jamie would have felt a little insecure if she hadn’t caught the awed look on his face as he stared at her ample breasts.

Jamie put her hands on the ground, one on either side of his head, putting her breasts in close proximity to his mouth.

“You like?” she said with a sly grin on her face. Conrad wasn’t the only one who could be cocky.

That little statement pulled Conrad’s attention away from her chest and back to her face. When he saw the look on her face, he squinted at her, knowing he’d been caught gawking.

Next thing Jamie knew, she was once again on her back as Conrad rolled them toward the shore of the reservoir. She could feel the gentle caress of the water on her side.

Conrad leaned down and devoured her left breast. Jamie’s back arched, and she moaned as she tried to get closer to the amazing feeling of Conrad’s mouth on her. He flicked his tongue over the very tip before sucking it into his mouth. After what felt like an eternity, Conrad moved over to torture the other peak in the same way.

Jamie had always known she had sensitive nipples, but until that moment she never considered she might be able to come from that feeling alone.

“Oh, my God, Conrad, stop!” She almost sounded pained. Conrad must have heard it in her voice, too, because he quickly pulled back.

Jamie lay there panting, trying to stave off her impending orgasm.

When she had enough oxygen in her lungs, she opened her eyes to look at Conrad, a smug grin spread across his face. He must have realized what had caused her outburst. It wasn’t pain at all but the threat of premature ecstasy.

“Seriously?” Conrad asked in sensual wonder.

“Apparently so.” Jamie sighed in answer.

“You’ve never come that way before?”

If only he knew.

“No, and I don’t want to come that way now. I want you inside me.” It wasn’t a question or a plea. Jamie was demanding that she came that way.

“Yes, ma’am,” he said seriously before he smiled and stood over her, bracing his feet on either side of her hips.

Jamie watched Conrad pop the button on his jeans and pull down the zipper before hauling the material down and off his legs. The moment seemed to pass by in slow motion, but logically she knew it had only been a few seconds.

She looked up at Conrad and his magnificent body, absolutely dumbstruck. She braced herself on one hand and reached up to ghost her fingers from his muscled thighs, over his defined hip bone and across to his hard-as-steel cock.

It fascinated her.

Jamie explored every inch of his length with her hand, and there was a lot to explore. She had never believed a guy’s cock could get so big. There were weapons used in battle smaller than Conrad’s dick. Jamie was amazed at just how silky the hard cock felt.

She was so distracted by her wonder that when she heard someone clearing their throat, she felt as if someone was intruding and was annoyed by the distraction until she realized it was Conrad.

Jamie looked up to see a mixture of confusion and worry on Conrad’s face.

“Jamie? Are you all right with this?”

God, yes!

How long had she been staring and studying his cock to cause that reaction? Jamie was embarrassed when she figured it must have been a while.

Jamie lowered her head, wanting to hide the blush coloring her cheeks. Again!

Jamie was too mortified to speak.

So instead she moved her hands from his cock to reach for the hem of her shorts. Jamie lay back down to lift her hips and push the last of her clothes from her body. They were now both completely naked.

This seemed to take away Conrad’s concern but also made everything feel deadly serious. Neither of them spoke or even smiled. They just stared at each other intently as Conrad bent to retrieve his wallet from his jeans. Jamie was confused and almost insulted as Conrad started rummaging through his wallet, that was until he tossed the wallet aside and she noticed he held a shiny foil package in his hand. Jamie breathed a sigh of relief. She had been so caught up she had completely forgotten about protection.

She stared in rapt fascination as Conrad removed the condom and slowly rolled it down his impressive dick before he lowered himself down between her now-spread legs, silently giving him an invitation into her body.

Conrad reached down with one hand as he braced himself with the other by her shoulder.

Jamie inhaled sharply as she felt Conrad’s fingers move between her pussy lips, and then she bit her bottom lip as she realized just how wet she was. She looked down to see Conrad’s now-glistening fingers wrap around his cock, coating himself with her slippery juices.

Her head fell back, as she knew what was coming next. All she could do was wait and breathe.

Jamie felt pressure pushing against her opening as Conrad lined himself up to enter her.

The anticipation was killing her. She knew it was going to hurt—how could it not with the size of the damn thing—and she wanted that part over with, so she said the only thing she could think of.

“Just do it.”