Sometime later, ensconced on the couch in front of a roaring fire in the fireplace and the tea she’d made steeping in the pot, she sighed happily as he leaned back into her fingers where she massaged his shoulders. “You’re so good to me,” he murmured.

“Pffft. No more than you deserve. Now, about my present?”

He laughed, settling back into her so she could wrap her arms around him and hold on tight.

“I know we both normally spend Christmas at Kelly and Max’s house.” Kelly was Rori’s sister and she was married to Max, Jude’s brother. They’d all grown up together and spent the holidays as a family since Rori had returned to Oakley some years before.

“This will be our first Christmas as a couple.” He paused and she kissed the top of his head. “So I thought we could, you know, get away for a few days. Make our own holiday celebration.”
She smiled but he couldn’t see it so she kissed him again. “Really?”

“There’s a place in Highlands. In North Carolina. A few hours drive from here. It overlooks the valley. High enough to get snow sometimes the owner said. Our own cabin at … read more ->

“I’m gonna dance,” she said, waving to one of the other women in their group who was motioning at the dance floor.

As it happened, one of her favorite dance songs came on, Whitney Houston’s, It’s Not Right. Smiling, she headed out, people all around her, the music throbbing, the crowd bobbing. There was no fear, only the joy of moving and enjoying the music.

A man sidled up behind her and she moved away, hating that aspect of going out dancing. But he followed, so she spun and found herself facing the aforementioned game-haver, Andrew Copeland. Well, all right then, that was a totally different thing than some stranger trying to rub his dick all over her in the dark. Her heart jumped and did a cheer with the rest of her body, all for him. Damn he was ridiculously hot.

She smiled and he gave her one in return, easing back into the space he’d ceded when she thought he was just some dude trying to cop a feel in the dark.

Women seemed to be drawn to him like he was a magnet. They crowded in, trying to get his attention, but he never took his gaze … read more ->

You can come home again.

Bittersweet memories overwhelmed Rori as she pulled her packed sedan up her sister’s the tree-lined driveway. From the moment she’d approached the outskirts of town, the memories had rushed back.

For longer moments she’d been that girl. The fit of the self-loathing and hesitant girl who’d escaped Oakley, Tennessee as quickly as she could a decade before, had been awkward. Awkward enough she was able to finally accept that demon was finally exorcised.

She was back. For good this time. Older. Wiser. Stronger.

Her sister’s pretty pale yellow two-story house loomed at the end of the drive when Rori pulled to a stop. It didn’t take more than a minute to turn the car off and get out, slowly and a little stiffly.
The wet heat of late spring grabbed her in a bear hug as she stretched. Twelve hours in a car two days in a row was more than enough. She didn’t want to drive more than ten minutes for at least a week or two.

“Rori? That you?” The sound of her name being called pulled her out of her thoughts and she turned around with a smile for her sister as … read more ->

She was right, there was no threat outside. Still, Max shadowed her as she moved, giving her the space to work, but keeping close enough to protect her if it was necessary. He didn’t hide his smile. He messed with her concentration? Every breath Kendra Kellogg took messed with his concentration. Even now as she did her magick mojo thing, moving around the yard efficiently, spilling that vibrant red-golden, warm magick in her wake, she took up every bit of his imagination and attention.

She was spirited, a huge turn-on for him. He loved women with an attitude, smart, strong women who didn’t take any shit. He liked her sense of humor and the way she stood up to him.

His cat loved her strength. She was fierce, the kind of woman a man could trust.

It probably wouldn’t have been as bad if he hadn’t scented her. Twice. That was more intimate than the brief kiss of a few nights ago. Now her scent lived in him. God in heaven she smelled like sex. Like sex and comfort, like strong, sexy witch, and his cat practically kneaded his insides to get to her.

No one had affected him the … read more ->

Standing, Kate took a deep breath and smiled tightly at the other women in the house. ‘I’m going to go and read for a while. Good night, everyone.’

Adrienne, Dix’s younger daughter, ignored her, continuing to chatter to her mother who’d ensconced herself on the couch, right where Kate had been sitting for the last four days. Yes, Eve, the girls’ mother. Still, Kendall, the older daughter got up and hugged her. ‘Night, Kate. Sure you don’t want to watch this movie with us? Gerard Butler, tiny leather undies? Come on, what’s to say no in that?’

Kate laughed, liking Dix’s oldest a lot. Still, even her secret celebrity boyfriend in leather undies wasn’t enough to keep here in this wood paneled room filled with memories and Eve Dixon who’d just shown up a few hours before.

Dix looked up from his paper, surrounded by the women in his life and met her eyes. He had that look in them. Oh no he did not even think she was fucking him now!

‘I’ll come too.’ He stood, putting the paper down.

Kate took a step away from him. ‘No. No, it’s fine. You don’t need to and I’m going to … read more ->

Chapter One

Even at the close of the day, the sun was enough to make the ride home from work totally perfect. He took the scenic route, settled onto the seat of the Harley he’d splurged on the summer before at Ben’s urging. Best impulse buy ever.

The joy of it was enough to bring him the long way home, down surface streets, a bit south and then back north again. He leaned back, the weight of his body balanced just so. The warmth on his thighs, against his back, eased him away from work and into leisure. The light of the often absent sun after the darkness of winter gave him an easy mood. Happy. Satisfied. The thrum of the engine vibrated, humming into his bones.

Late spring in Seattle and people began to emerge from their squall jackets and endless layers. The city came alive with color as flowers burst from ground that had been barren for months; the trees exploded with leaves and blossoms.

Other than early autumn, this was his favorite time of the year. He loved the glimpses of feminine skin as women started going bare-legged again when they wore skirts; loved the emergence of … read more ->

Four days after they’d finally left Philos safely, they were no closer to Federation territory. He’d had to put them on super-slow and off the basic path transports, crisscrossing back and forth to keep from attracting too much attention. It was tedious progress; he itched to get her back, to be assured she was safe. He had to run like hells before he did something monumentally stupid like fucking her.

Carina Fardelle and her big, sexy eyes, her constant questions and the way she was strong and so fragile all at once. She’d relentlessly thrust herself into his space whenever she could. He realized she’d begun to understand her effect on him, but there were times when she charmed him. Some little thing she’d do or say would leave him disarmed and pleased all at once.

She looked beautiful. Even as she was supposed to be some riffraff, ranging around looking for work, she looked gorgeous doing it.

Damn it. She’d trimmed her hair this time. But whatever she’d done had left it curly instead of straight. It took all his strength not to touch it.

Instead, he worked on keeping his gaze sharp for their contacts and pretended she … read more ->

Jack looked at her, and laughed. “Nervous?”

“Are you fucking kidding me? Of course I’m nervous. I don’t know who you are or what you mean to me or my life. I don’t know why I can’t stop thinking about you or why the way you smell makes me sort of forget what I was saying.” Whoops, tequila setting in.

Jack leaned in and took her hand. “Sweetheart, there’s no easy way to bring this up as we sit here at the table you share with your husband and all.” He looked to Galen for a moment and then back to her. “I’m your mate. That’s why you can’t stop and neither can I. That’s who I am and what I mean to your life. I don’t know how else to say this.” He looked to Galen and she turned her head to see. Challenge hung in the air, but it sharpened into expectation.

“I’m her mate.” Galen didn’t raise his voice, didn’t get up. He sat there, very, preternaturally still for so long she began to wonder if she could see him breathing. His gaze locked with Jack’s as they stared each other down. Galen put his hand … read more ->

Todd took a pull from his beer, one leg bent as he leaned against the window sill, looking out toward the street. There she was, getting out of her beat up van. He had no idea why the hell he did it, but since he’d moved to day shift he found himself at his window every night at six- fourteen to watch her make the walk from car to door.

She was so not the woman who usually caught his eye. Still, his fingers gripped the sill as he greedily took in the way she moved. Like she couldn’t care less if people watched. Or worse, got off on it.

Long and lean, her gait ate up the walk, her dredlocks swinging to her ass. A fine ass it was in those faded jeans. If he looked close enough, he saw the threadbare spots just beneath the pockets. Reflexively, he tightened his hands into fists as tension hummed through him. Anticipation and a sort of need filled his gut as he watched her.

He snorted at what an idiot he was being. Dredlocks. What woman wore dredlocks? Not his sort of woman, that was all there was to it.

Time … read more ->

Her door beckoned, bright gleaming red. She unlocked it and waved him inside, locking up behind herself.

Eamon filled her small entryway with more than just his physical presence. His heat, his vitality took up every inch of the place, sliding over her skin, seeping into her pores. The man was potent. Caitlin hesitated, unable to remember if he’d always been so. She seemed to recall his sexuality had been more casual, playful. Then again, hers had too. Four years had been a lifetime for her. In that time he’d lost his father and had taken on a new life’s path. That would change anyone, deepen their focus. It worked on him, she decided after taking a long look.

He put his bag down—he’d told her earlier it contained his camera—and hung his coat up before taking hers.
“I like it here,” he murmured, drawing her into the main room. “I don’t suppose I’d have imagined you in a room with these deep purples and golds. And yet, looking at you now, here, it works. It’s regal.” He stood in front of her, the bed only steps away. He drew the backs of his fingers down her cheek and she … read more ->