Cryostorm (36 page)

I nodded, so ready to be with my Nate.
My
Nate.

Slowly he settled me back on the bed but propped himself beside me, caressing me with his gaze. I reached for his jeans and undid the top button. Boy did my hands shake, but hopefully he didn’t notice. Despite the frost I was causing in the room, my body was flaming hot. I knew only Nate could douse that, too. I needed him in every way, despite my fear.

With his help, I got him out of his jeans, then reached for his boxers. I tackled his mouth as I peeled away the last bit of fabric hiding him from my sight.
Oh, God.
He was beautiful.

As I touched him, he leaned into me, cupping my breast and kissing me so hard my lips stung. But it felt like heaven.

His hand scooted my undies down, and I wasn’t quite sure how he got them off, but in the next breath, he scanned a blazing hot look down my bare body. “I can’t believe you’re mine,” he whispered as he kissed my breast.

I buried my hands in his hair, and he leaned into me as his hand navigated down my stomach. A wave of heat stormed through my abdomen, and my body softened. Tingled at my core.

I rocked my hips toward him, anticipating his touch, the pleasure I knew would come from it. He buried his face in my neck and suckled the skin as he found his target. I sucked in a sharp breath as he went to work, readying me. Learning me.

My world tilted, slightly, but I just closed my eyes and went with it. Went with the feelings this amazing man drew to the surface. The heat. The love. A wave of warmth flooded through me, and I knew I was close to flying off the ledge.

As if he sensed it, Nate shifted, working his body between my legs. “You’re ready,” he whispered. “So ready.”

He grabbed the back of my thigh and guided it up. I clutched his neck and latched onto his mesmerizing eyes.

One gentle push, and I was his. Body, soul, and spirit.

A bite of pain at our connection had my body tensing. He nipped at my bottom lip, then sucked it hard, chasing the discomfort away.

His tongue slid into my mouth as he leaned more against me, his chest meeting mine. It was like his entire body encompassed me.

“Okay?” He gasped.

I curled my leg around his, and his eyes shot wide. He planted his elbows on either side of my head and settled even deeper.

I wasn’t sure we could get anymore connected.

“Mandy?” He brushed the hair on my forehead away.

“I’m okay.” My hands glided down his back and to his butt. I gave it a gentle squeeze, and he smiled.

I was getting the hang of this.

Ever so slowly, he eased back, and the sensation sent a jolt through my body. I drew him in for a kiss.

He thrust into me a little more urgently this time, and a flood of heat roared through me. I hiked up my legs and latched my ankles at the small of his back.

Staring into my eyes, he smiled as he picked up the pace. With one hand now propped beside my head, his other curved around my butt again and guided my movements.

That’s when my body went nuts. Heat and tension collided like Mack trucks, stealing my breath. My lungs felt too small to get enough air. I grabbed Nate’s shoulders and fell into his rhythm.

Bursts of white lights exploded along the sides of my vision as a bolt of energy shot through my body. “Nate!”

He claimed my mouth as his rock-solid body tensed against me. I melted beneath him, quivering in places I didn’t know could quiver.

After a few seconds, Nate collapsed against me, but he pushed up and fastened his gaze onto mine. “Now
that
was a first time.”

“Right back at you.” I smiled, remembering our first kiss, and how we’d said the same thing.

I was looking forward to a lot more
firsts
with My Nate.

“You okay?” He pressed his cheek to mine.

“Better than okay.” I hugged him tight, and my stomach roared. “Oh, and hungry.”

He laughed, and I couldn’t help but join in. I’d just had sex for the very first time in my life, and my stomach growls after? How embarrassing.

Nate pressed a quick kiss to my lips and said, “Let’s get you fed, because I intend to have a few more firsts with you tonight.”

Epilogue

“O
kay. Okay. Five minutes until the ball drops,” Electro Girl yelled.

I knew her name was Alisha, but she kind of took to Electro so we went with it. Maybe it was because I’d saved her life on our first mission together. But, whatever.

The twenty or so people who’d stayed on campus through the holidays had all gathered in the lobby of our dorm for an impromptu New Year’s Eve party. Punch bowl, streamers, noisemakers, and everything.

I stood in the makeshift dance floor clinging to my husband, swaying to the music. I couldn’t believe it was the start of a new year all ready.

One that held so much promise. Real college classes, along with those of the supernatural kind. Not to mention dorm food, late night study parties, and everything else that came with college living.

“Ready for classes next week?” Nate whispered into my ear.

“Yeah. Should be good. Now that Bev’s charged and looking to plea bargain and The Center’s gone for good, I’m ready to get on with some normal life-living. Well—um—if you can call attending Mutant University normal.”

“For us. Yeah. It’s normal.”

I rested my cheek on his chest as we swayed. “I like our normal. No flickering red eyes, no crazed programming, and lots of bed time together.”

Nate laughed. “I’m liking the bed time together, too.”

He leaned down and kissed me silly. Married for a little over a month, and I still couldn’t get enough of that guy. I might have to suggest heading back to our dorm apartment to bring in the year naked and in our bed.

“But there’s something I need to do.” Nate pulled me way from him, just a fraction.

“Uh, oh. Now what?” My heart fluttered. “Four weeks of debriefings, relaxing, getting settled into our apartment, I’d say that’s pretty normal.”

“Well, considering you’re dead and all.” He smiled.

“It takes a while to get undead, true.” I kissed his chin. “GEM’s working on it, though.”

He winked. “Yeah. They are.” He kissed my forehead. “And your brother and Jasmine should be here in a couple of months once they get everything closed out in Trifle.”

“Can’t wait.” It’d be great having them nearby. And Jasmine was going to love working with the army dudes here at GEM.

“Two minutes,” Electro shouted out.

“There’s one more thing, though, that would be a perfect way to start out the new year.”

“I’m game. What’s up?” I leaned back so I could see his eyes more clearly. Four weeks had passed since I’d last seen the red glow, but I still looked as often as I could into his chocolate eyes. I’d never get tired of them. Ever.

He slid his hand into his jeans pocket and pulled out a box.

A little black box.

My heart slammed against my chest. He held it up between us and leaned forward, resting his forehead against mine. “I got you the wedding ring, but the
other
Nate got you the wedding band. Sure, I put it on you when we got married, but it wasn’t one I’d picked out.” With his thumb, he flicked the box open.

His arm around my waist tightened, holding me close to him.

The lights above sparkled off the diamond band. Were those tiny snowflakes?

“One minute,” Electro shouted above the music.

Tears stung my eyes as I held out my hand. “Should I take the other one off?” I was torn, though. Sure, Robo Nate had picked it out, but My Nate had put it on during our wedding ceremony.

“I say wear them both.” He grinned. “It’ll always be a reminder of what we went through and who we defeated to be together.”

“Maybe we could even have an
official
ceremony once all the snow thaws.” I smiled. “It’d be pretty.”

“Scott could walk you down the aisle.”

“It’s a date,” I whispered.

He pulled the ring out of its spot then closed the box and shoved it back in his pocket.

“Five,” Electro called out.

“I love you,” he said.

“Four.”

“I love you, too.”

“Three.”

He slid the ring over my finger and tears sprung from my eyes.

“Two.”

I pushed up to my toes and touched noses with him.

“One.”

“Happy New Year, Mrs. Ashcroft.” With that, he sealed his proposal with a kiss.

Now
that
was a way to start off a new year.

Thank You

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Acknowledgements

This book wouldn’t exist without the help of so many people. A big thank you to the following: Kristen Yard, Courtney Krueger, and Lisa Hamilton, thank you for your eagle eyes; Michele Trent, my best friend and my biggest supporter; Jeannie Ruesch, an amazing and talented cover artist.

A special thanks to Brittany Hiester for coming up with the title for this frosty trilogy:
Touch of Frost
. And to Rhianna Walker for dreaming up Cryostorm’s tagline:
They made his body, she’ll awaken his soul…

Bloggers and Reviewers: You are so special. You work so hard promoting us. I know your time is limited, and I thank you for taking that precious time to help get my stories out there!

Thank you to my street team, The Rock Stars, for helping spread the word, beta reading and being all around rock stars: Julie Jewels Bromley, Carly Rose, Felicia Filion, Lisa Hamilton, Kat Smith, Tanya Gaunt, Crystal Woodmancy, Cassandra Jones, Mary Gurney, Katrina Whittaker, Rhianna Walker, Heather Graham, Danica Couch, Samantha Adams, Annme Splby, Stacey Nixon, LaLani Delk, Zee Hayat, Jennifer Swiger, Debbie Suzuki, Pam Rushen, Deby Wilson, Ch’kara SilverWolf, Christina Madison, Laura Howard.

~~~

Thank you, readers, for joining me on Mandy’s frosty adventure. These characters came to life in my mind, and were super fun to write, but you’ve helped them come to life even more by reading them. I thank you all so much for the kind words you’ve sent my way and all the support you’ve shown for the series.

I’m forever grateful.

Lynn Rush

About the Author

Growing up in the land of 10,000 lakes and cold, snowy winters, Lynn Rush (also known as Reese Monroe) has been known to weave a little of that cool Minnesota climate into her stories, but these days, she much prefers desert living. She resides in Phoenix, Arizona with her husband, and when she’s not busy writing her next trilogy, she can be found pounding the pavement, training for her next endurance event.

Connect with Lynn on Twitter (@Rush_Monroe), through Facebook (Facebook.com/LynnRushWrites) or her website LynnRush.com.

By Lynn Rush

Touch of Frost Trilogy

Frostbite
(Touch of Frost #1)

Absolute Zero
(Touch of Frost #2)

Violet Night Trilogy

Violet Midnight
(Violet Night #1)

Violet Dawn
(Violet Night # 2)

Violet Storm
(Violet Night #3)

Wasteland Trilogy

Wasteland
(Wasteland #1)

Awaited
(Wasteland #2)

Tainted
(Wasteland #3)

By Reese Monroe

Bound by Hades Trilogy from
Entangled Publishing

Forged by Fate
(Bound by Hades #1)

Marked by Hades
(Bound by Hades #2)

Copyright

This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are products of the author’s imagination or have been used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, actual events, locale or organizations is entirely coincidental.

Copyright © 2014 by Lynn Rush. All Rights Are Reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews. Ebooks/Books are not transferable. They cannot be sold, shared or given away as it is an infringement on the copyright of this work.

The author acknowledges the copyrighted or trademarked status and trademark owners of the following wordmarks mentioned in this work of fiction: Mustang, Barney Rubble, Facetime, M&Ms, Jeep Cherokee, Skechers, Honda, Colgate, Doritos, Cherry Coke, Irish Spring, Ninja, Thriller, Michael Jackson, Envy Cologne, Pepsi, Facebook, Twitter, Twizzlers, Red Vines, M&Ms, Big, Young and the Restless, Acura, Coke, Dr. Phil, Jedi Master, Dairy Queen Blizzard, Days of Our Lives, Calgon, Scooby, Rambo, iPhone, iPod, Ricki Lake, Gore-Tex, Jeep, iPad, Humvee, GI Joe, Rambo, Little Orphan Annie, Titanic, Cribs, Cadillac.

Cover Art: Jeannie Ruesch

Author Photo: Bonnie Adams

Editor: Courtney Krueger

Proofreader: Kristen Yard