Full Moon (17 page)

Once they were naked, Jake pulled back the sheets. Josie lay down, lifting her arms. Jake joined her, lying on top of her.

She felt his strength as she ran her hands over his arms, her fingers tracing the tattoos on his skin. She felt his love as he kissed her lips, her cheeks, her closed eyelids. She felt his need, when his cock sought entrance to her body.

She opened her legs, welcoming his slow, easy glide inside. When he was seated to the hilt, he paused and waited until her gaze met his.

“I love you, Josie.”

She lifted her head to kiss him, never breaking the connection of their eyes. “I love you too.”

Jake thrust inside her, his pace gentle at first, then growing harder, rougher. His passion took over, washing over her like a waterfall, encapsulating her, rocking her to her core.

They came together, finding their perfect harmony at last.

Jake wrapped her in his arms as they lay side by side, sleep coming to claim them fast. Josie’s eyes were just about to drift closed, when something bright and beautiful outside captured her attention. She raised her hand, pointing to the window.

“Full moon.”

She could hear the smile in Jake’s sleepy voice when he kissed her forehead. “Best night of the month.”

She laughed softly, then they both fell asleep.

Epilogue

Jake’s Howl List—New Year’s Eve

1. Make love to Josie until she agrees to marry me.

“I’m having the best New Year’s ever,” Josie said, taking the last sip of her drink and leaning over the bar at Blue Moon. The place was packed. Rob had reunited with his band, Express Train, for a special show. Given the popularity of the band, Josie thought it was safe to say every person over the age of twenty-one in town had squeezed into the club. “Should you be worried about the fire code?”

Jake laughed, mixing her another drink. “Sam’s manning the door and keeping a head count. So far, so good.”

Josie was feeling the effects of the alcohol. She wasn’t drunk, but she was definitely knocking on tipsy’s door. She was warm, relaxed, happy. “Rob’s song to Zoey was so beautiful. Can you believe he proposed?”

“Yeah, that was great. Although I think he sort of stole some of my thunder.”

Josie frowned. “What do you mean?”

Jake motioned to the other bartender that he was taking a break. She watched him make his way around the counter to her.

“Here.” Jake handed her the piece of paper.

“What is it?”

“My Howl List for this year.”

Josie grinned as she unfolded the single sheet. Then she frowned. “This is your list? There’s only one thing on it.”

Jake shrugged. “I figure it might take me a few months to make it happen.”

Josie read his fantasy. She crinkled her nose. “Marriage?”

He laughed. “Told you. I know you’re happy with the status quo, our occasional sleepovers and such, but I don’t think it’s a good thing for Tommy.”

She narrowed her eyes. “Are you really going to go there? Use my son against me?”

He took her hand. “Is it working?”

“Yeah. Dammit. He’s crazy about you. Asks all the time why you don’t just move in with us.”

“The feeling’s mutual. I love that kid. Josie, I’m tired of stealing a night here and there, living for Thursdays and every other Saturday. I want us all to live together, to become a family. I want to be a father—to Tommy and to—” He paused. Josie’s breath caught when he finally continued, “And to whoever else might come along.”

A baby? He wanted to have a baby? With her? Memories of the night Tommy was born assailed her. It had been the best night of her life. Josie closed her eyes as she remembered the doctor placing Tommy in her arms. His face was scrunched up, bright red, and he looked as tired as she felt. She’d kissed the top of his head, telling him how long she’d been waiting for him and how much she loved him. Tommy hadn’t cried at all. Instead his eyes met hers and held, the two of them locked in a bond nothing would ever break. She longed to share that with another child. Josie imagined a little girl with Jake’s blue eyes and brown hair.

Jake had unlocked a dream she hadn’t dared to let herself dream until this moment.

“I’d like that. More than I can say.”

Jake’s eyes shone with hope. “You would?”

“Oh my God, yeah.”

He smiled, then picked her up, spinning her around and kissing her. “I love you, Josie.”

She returned his kiss with one of her own. “I love you too.”

“Hand me that pen.”

Josie reached for one on the counter and handed it to him, laughing as he drew a line through the only item on his Howl List.

1. Make love to Josie until she agrees to marry me.

“Damn,” she said. “I gave in too easy. I didn’t even make you coerce me with sex.”

Jake grabbed her waist, pulling her close enough that she could feel the erection growing beneath his jeans. “Sweetheart, the sex part was a given. What do you say we sneak out of here and do a little howling?”

Josie laughed. “I say Arwhoooooo.”

About the Author

Writing a book was number one on Mari’s bucket list and on her thirty-fourth birthday, she set out to see that goal achieved. Now her computer is jammed full of stories—novels, novellas, short stories and dead-ends. A
New York Times
and
USA TODAY
bestseller as well as winner of the Passionate Plume, Mari found time for writing by squeezing it into the hours between 3 a.m. and daybreak when her family is asleep and the house is quiet.

You can visit Mari’s website at
www.maricarr.com
.

She is also on
www.facebook.com/pages/Mari-Carr/104162059662687
and
https://twitter.com/MariCarr
.

She blogs at International Heat (
internationalheat.wordpress.com
) and hangs out on the Heat Wave Readers Yahoo group:

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Heat_Wave_Readers/join

Look for these titles by Mari Carr

Now Available:

Just Because

Because of You

Because You Love Me

Because It’s True

Just Because

Second Chances

Fix You

Black and White Collection

Erotic Research

Tequila Truth

Rough Cut

Happy Hour

Power Play

Slam Dunk

Learning Curves

Dangerous Curves

Wicked Curves

Compass Brothers

Northern Exposure

Southern Comfort

Eastern Ambitions

Western Ties

Love’s Compass

Compass Girls

Winter’s Thaw

What if love can’t heal all wounds?

Fix You

© 2012 Mari Carr

Second Chances, Book 1

After too many years of secretly loving her best friend, Zoey realizes she’s been shortchanging herself. It’s time to take action. This New Year’s Eve heralds the year she’s going to tell Rob the truth. Even if he is on the road, reaching for musical stardom with his band.

Her plan is derailed when she discovers a lump in her breast—and it’s
not
“nothing to worry about”. How can she ask Rob to take a chance on love when her future is so uncertain?

Rob has spent his entire life chasing his dream, but the moment he hears Zoey’s voice on the phone, he realizes he’s been running the wrong race. Zoey never sounds like she’s been crying. Ever. Without a second thought, he books a flight for home, determined to give her everything she needs. A shoulder to cry on, a hand to hold…and nights of intensely emotional, passionate sex. 

His biggest challenge, though, is convincing his best friend that he’s in it for the long haul. Because he finally knows what he wants, and it’s not fame and fortune. It’s her—and her love.

Warning: This book runs the emotional gamut between scorching-hot passion and the pain and fear associated with cancer. Keep a box of tissues next to your glass of ice water.

Enjoy the following excerpt for
Fix You:

Rob stared down at Zoey’s face as she slept. Her eyes were still puffy from last night’s tears. Neither of them had moved from the couch. Instead, he’d lain down next to her and held her as she silently wept. Pinpricks attacked the arm he’d wrapped around her, his hand numb from lying in the same position for so long. He didn’t bother to move. It felt too good holding her like this.

Some truths were crashing down on him. He’d been an ass, living his life like he had all the time in the world. Their time on this planet was far from infinite, and yet he’d squandered years of it, working on his career, focusing solely on making it big.

For what? Fame? Money? Why the hell did he need that shit?

He’d always taken it for granted that Zoey would be here for him. How the fuck was he supposed to go on without her? The moment she’d told him about the cancer, the light had gone on.

I’m in love with her. Christ. I’ve been in love with her since the first day I laid eyes on her.

Zoey stirred. Rob’s heart began to race as her eyes opened slowly. He wasn’t wasting a second more. He couldn’t. He just couldn’t.

She was disoriented for a moment before she lifted her gaze and smiled.

With his free hand, he stroked her face softly. “Zoey.” Her name fell from his lips on a hushed whisper, his chest constricting under the weight of every emotion under the sun—love, fear, happiness, panic, a raging case of nervousness.

What if she didn’t feel the same way?

“Yeah?”

He took a deep breath. Fear wasn’t going to hold him back another second longer. “I’m going to break my promise.”

“What promise?”

He didn’t respond. Instead, he bent his head and kissed her. Time froze as their lips met. Rob was transported back to that day in the park, to the truth that should have been obvious all those years ago. He’d been a blind, inexperienced boy back then, but now…his eyes were wide open.

It was her. Zoey. For him, it had always been her.

The kiss was a gentle touch at first, but when Zoey’s lips softened and accepted his, he deepened it. Her small hand cupped his cheek, exploring his face hesitantly before growing bolder, stroking it.

The smell of cinnamon enveloped them, her candle still burning from the night before. He knew in his heart that from now on, that scent would always make him think of her. Of this moment.

His heart lodged in his throat when he realized the magnitude of what was happening, of what he wanted to happen next. He was kissing his best friend. And she was kissing him back.

Encouraged, he opened his mouth, stroking his tongue against hers. The kiss grew harder, hungrier. For several minutes—hell, it could have been hours for all Rob knew—they simply kissed, learning each other’s taste, texture. Her skin was soft beneath his fingers as he caressed her delicate cheek. Her breathing grew heavier, the heat of it warm against his skin.

When he finally moved away, she was there, looking at him, studying his face. Hers was the picture of confusion, wariness…and desire. He latched onto the last like a dying man clinging to life. She wanted him.

“Still weird?” He needed the joke, needed to get his bearings. His emotions were too raw, too new, too close to the surface.

She shook her head slowly. “No. Not even close.”

“Good. I’ve been practicing.”

She laughed uneasily. “You’re insane. What the hell prompted that?”

He knew her. Knew she’d try to twist this into something innocent, funny. He wouldn’t let her. He ran his hand through her dark hair, overwhelmed by the need to touch her. “Just figured it was past time. You mind if we talk about this after?”

“After what?”

He let his body answer the question. Turning so they lay face to face on the couch, he placed his lips back on hers. He didn’t want to push her. After all, she’d just received life-altering, horrible news. He’d keep things easy, let her set the pace.

She didn’t resist his kisses. Her hand traveled along his shoulders and down his arm before landing on his chest. Her lips pressed against his harder. Then she moved away, an infinitesimal distance.

“Touch me,” she whispered, her hand fisting in the cotton of his shirt.

He didn’t need to be told twice. His hands roamed along her sides, drifted beneath her T-shirt.

She shivered when he caressed the bare skin of her waist. He stoked her arousal, kissing her harder as he explored every bit of bare flesh he could reach beneath her shirt. He forced air into his lungs, fought to keep his hands steady as he touched her.

The slight tremor in his hands seemed to distract her. She was the first to pull back. “Robbie, are you sure—?”

“After,” he repeated. He gripped her hip, dragging her closer. There was no way she could misconstrue how far he’d go if she was willing. His cock was hard, ready.

She bit her lip and he could sense she was struggling to make a decision. He wouldn’t force her into anything she wasn’t ready for. Hell, he’d be perfectly content to spend the next dozen years or so simply kissing her. Making up for so many wasted years. “Zoey—”

She shook her head and closed her eyes, but not before he read the hungry need there. Then she lifted one leg and wrapped it around his thigh. She thrust closer. It was an outright invitation. “After,” she whispered, her voice steadier than he expected.

Six nights to remember, six days to forgive…

Six Naughty Nights

© 2013 Serenity Woods

Love in Reverse, Book 2

Esther is grateful for the strong arms that saved her and her young son from an earthquake. But she wishes their rescuer was someone else.
Anyone
other than the man who left her pregnant after a holiday fling.