Tempestuous Incessant Passions 2 by Nicole Morgan

Michelle Englehurst finally has her dream job working in a tropical paradise doing what she loves. A routine day at work proves to be more than what it seemed. Her new client Brad Conrad is charming, handsome, and causes a reaction in her like no other man has.

Brad is on a forced vacation by his father, who claims he’s overworked. Begrudgingly, he takes his sabbatical with no intention of enjoying himself. A chance encounter with a woman he can’t get out of his mind changes Brad’s workaholic ways. He finds himself extending his trip and doing everything in his power to spend more time with her.

For days and then weeks the two of them walk a fine line of casual friendship to lascivious intentions. With time working against the two, they are faced with two choices, take a chance or throw caution to the wind and be…tempestuous.

A Siren Erotic Romance



Available at Bookstrand and Amazon

Excerpt

 

 

With only a towel to shield him from her vision, Michelle could hear her subconscious screaming at her to reach out and yank the towel away. Her blush grew from her illicit thoughts. She quickly pushed her unprofessional fantasies aside and hoped the blush would only be seen as embarrassment from her clumsiness and nothing more.

“No, it’s okay…I’ve…Ouch!” As they both bent over to pick up some towels, they managed to butt heads. She didn’t know which had stunned her more, the sudden bang against her forehead or looking up to see his face, his lips just a whisper away. For a moment Michelle just stared at him. First his lips, then her gaze went up to his eyes. Their hazel color looked exotic. The mixture of bright green and rich brown reminded her of the feathers of a male peacock. It was nearly enough to hold her in a trance.

“Are you okay? I’m sorry. I hope you don’t get a bump,” Brad said.

He reached over and brushed his thumb across her reddened forehead. The gentle and innocent gesture made her nipples pucker. She wished that his fingers were caressing her breasts and not her face. Her naughty thoughts always got her in deeper with him, so she quickly moved away in an effort to increase the distance between them.

“Oh, I’m fine.”

Her hurried and less than graceful movements only made matters worse. Somehow, she managed to step on a bottle of lotion as she hurriedly picked up something else. The next thing she knew, he was muttering a curse word as she looked up to see a steady stream of white cream shooting in the air like a fountain as it landed right on top of his head. If the scene had been shown on America’s Funniest Home Videos, Michelle was sure she would’ve taken home the grand prize.

With wide eyes she apologized to him. “I’m so sorry, Mr. Conrad. I’m a complete klutz. I’m…”

He grinned, reaching over to place his index finger to her mouth. With a small smile, he said, “You’re human, Michelle. It’s no big deal. And look here, you’ve made the extra towels readily accessible for just such an occasion like this. Granted, I’d rather you had just handed me a towel, but I’ve gotta give you an A for effort.”

Michelle watched as he motioned to the mess on the floor and gave her a polite smile. He was so nice, so kind and understanding, that sometimes she forgot her body craved him. There were times, just like now, where she wondered what it would be like to date someone like him. He was confident, charming, sexy as all get-out, and so compassionate she wanted to reach out and grab on to him just so she could snuggle into his arms.

It took everything she had not to stare at him starry-eyed like he was some sort of movie-star heartthrob as he wiped the lotion from his hair with one of the towels. She could find absolutely no flaws in the man. He exuded sexiness, exhibited masculinity, and was so damn nice she could almost cry. Time and time again he tried to calm her nerves with casual chat. If only he knew what he did to her, there would probably be a giant, Mr. Conrad-shaped hole in the door as he ran for his life.

“Thank you. I’m normally not such a klutz.”

He shrugged. “No worries. Now, how about my massage?”

“Of course.” Michelle smiled, motioning toward the table.

She turned away to give him privacy. Although to be honest, she had to admit that it was as much for her self-restraint as anything else. If she caught a delightful peek at his ass once more or even a teasing glimpse of his cock, she might forget all her ability to walk and talk and turn into a drooling cave woman only able to make unintelligible sounds for communication.

Once he was lying comfortably on the table with his head down in the face cradle, only a tiny towel covered him. Michelle turned back and stared at him for a moment. His skin was tanned to perfection, and the gentle slope of his back leading down to his ass looked like it had been chiseled from the finest marble.

“I’ve been looking forward to this massage all morning,” he said.

So have I. She was glad that her voice didn’t betray her and say the words aloud.

“I’ll pick up the rest of this later. Just give me a moment to turn on one of the relaxation CDs and I’ll get started. Do you have any particular preference today?”

“Actually, can you leave it off this time? It’s always nice in the background, but I like it better when we just talk.”

“Oh, of course. Whatever pleases you, Mr. Conrad.”

She made an attempt to sound casual but feared that she failed. The thought of actually pleasing him sent liquid heat through her body, starting in her womb and radiating outward in waves of urgency.

Get your head right. She reached for the bottle of coconut oil—his oil of choice—and then applied a generous amount to her palm. She worked it between her hands and realized she needed more. Reaching for the bottle she began squirting more when his words stunned her.

“Are you trying to kill me with anticipation? Put those magical hands to good use and start rubbing already.”

Impetuous (Incessant Passions 1) by Nicole Morgan

The Callaway Corporation recently bought the high-end resort property Jenny Jacobson manages. In that time, they have micromanaged both her and it into the ground. With no budget for repairs, she does most of the work herself. She proves to be pretty handy with most of the daily mishaps, until she meets the mysterious drifter Thomas Beck.

In the middle of a plumbing emergency, Beck comes to her rescue and fixes the problem, saving her from further disaster and costly repairs. Despite her best attempts, she cannot seem to get away from this man who shows up at every turn.

Regardless of her cold treatment toward him, he turns on his charms. Will his cocky arrogance mixed with his sexy smile break down her tough exterior? If so, what secrets is Beck keeping that could ultimately ruin any chance they have to find happiness together?

Note: This book was previously published with another publisher and has been extensively revised and expanded.


Available at Bookstrand and Amazon

Excerpt

 

 

She wanted to see him again, but had no idea if she ever would. He could have already moved on and be long gone. Without so much as a good-bye, this morning may have been the last time she’d ever see the mysterious man who came into her life out of nowhere to seduce her.

The truth was, she wanted to do much more with him again than just lay eyes on him. She wanted to feel his touch, his kiss, the way he felt when he was thrusting inside of her. The memory, the images in her mind, it was all too much for her libido to handle. Her nipples pebbled in the confines of her bra and her panties became moist, dampened with her body’s ache for more.

“Ugh…stop it, Jenny,” she mumbled to herself, annoyed at her inability to get a single thing accomplished since she’d managed to make it to her desk, much later than she usually did.

“Excuse me?” Marianne said from the doorway.

Jenny jerked her head up. She had been so completely lost in her thoughts that she hadn’t even heard her come in, much less seen her standing there.

“Yes, oh, I’m sorry, Marianne. I didn’t even see you there. What can I do for you?”

“Oh, that’s all right. We had a complaint about the television in the main lounge. I was just wondering if you wanted me to call Beck and see if he would take a look at it.”

Jenny sighed. “No, Marianne. Do not call Beck.”

She wasn’t sure why, but she felt a sudden pang of annoyance at Marianne’s question. She had been running this hotel just fine until Beck had come along. She didn’t need him to come to her rescue every time something was broken. Having him in her bed was incredible, but having him prove her incapable of handling things was another thing entirely.

“Are you sure? I would’ve called him myself, but I wasn’t sure if he had a walkie-talkie yet.”

“A walkie-talkie? Why would I—” She sighed. “Never mind. It doesn’t matter. I’ll take care of it myself.”

“Well, okay, if you’re sure. I just figured it would be a quick fix for someone of his expertise—”

Jenny abruptly cut her off. “His expertise, Marianne? Really, with all due respect, I appreciate that he helped us with our plumbing problem, but he is hardly an expert on maintenance.”

“I certainly didn’t mean to upset you, but he does seem quite capable, and since you hired him and all I figured it was a no-brainer. Besides, he was more than willing to help this morning with the Jacuzzi issue. So, naturally I assumed that—”

“Excuse me?” Jenny asked her, unwilling to allow Marianne to even finish her sentence. Curiosity-filled anger plagued her from the news that she had apparently hired Beck and he was already off fixing Jacuzzis. Obviously he had been doing things under her nose, and she didn’t care for being undermined, especially in front of her staff. Whether they knew what he was doing or not.

“What? I was just saying that—”

Jenny shook her head and stood up from her desk. “Yes, I heard you, Marianne. What I don’t understand is why I am just now hearing about a problem with a Jacuzzi in a hotel that I am quite clearly the manager of.” She picked up her wooden desk name plate to prove her point.

Marianne stood there staring at her. She gave no response, which only made Jenny more furious. Damn it, Beck! Not only had he fixed something else, but apparently he let on that he was now on the payroll. Well, he would be in for quite the surprise if he actually expected a paycheck. What was it with him? Did he not think she was capable of running this hotel without his help? What the hell was it with men, anyway? She was very capable. Extremely capable, not to mention sick and tired of men trying to steamroll over her.

With an annoyed sigh, Jenny asked Marianne to leave her office. She went into her office closet and retrieved her small bucket of tools. On her way to the main lounge frustration consumed her as she kept thinking about how her whole life she’d had to prove she was capable of accomplishing anything a man could. When would it be enough already?

She rounded the corner of the lobby and entered the main lounge to see Beck standing in front of the very television that Marianne had just notified her about. He was reaching his hand behind the wall-mounted flat screen while laughing and speaking with their concierge about some football game that was apparently the upset of the year. He couldn’t fit into the stereotypical cliché of male species anymore if he tried.

“Beck!”

Jenny’s shout resonated in the cozy sitting area. A flush of embarrassment covered her face when everyone in the room turned to stare at her, including her staff members.

“Yes?” Beck’s answer as well as his expression showed Jenny he was just as surprised by her rather sharp tone.

“I—what are you doing? I came to fix that.”

Beck’s amused grin did nothing to curb her anger. It wasn’t bad enough that he pushed her to the limits of her sanity, making her lose all professionalism, but now he was going to stand there with that shit-eating grin on his face?

“Right. Well, now you don’t have to worry about it.”

His arrogance wasn’t helping her mood. “I’ll be the judge of that.”

Intimate Seductions (Intimate Temptations 3) by Nicole Morgan

[Siren Allure: Erotic Cowboy Romance, older hero, HEA] Warren Murphy spent his adult years working for Leroy Jenkins, the local cattle baron. He loved his job almost as much as he did women. He was loving life as one of the most sought-after bachelors in the county.

Amber Jenkins is the only heir to the Jenkins fortune and the apple of her granddaddy's eye. Years of growing up around Warren turned her teenage girl fantasies into a love that she couldn't ignore. Despite her attempts at seduction, he pushes her away and out of his life. Tragedy soon strikes and the two are face-to-face with one another on a daily basis.

Warren finds it increasingly hard to deny his attraction toward Amber and is left with a choice. Does he give in to something he craves so desperately? Or does he let her go, knowing that he has never known a seduction as intimate and sweet as hers?

** A Siren Erotic Romance

Available at Bookstrand and Amazon

 

Excerpt

-->

 

Warren stumbled into his bedroom. Having shared in one too many congratulatory shots of whisky in honor of his friends, Derek and Sandi’s, news of upcoming nuptials, he was a bit more drunk than usual. Thankfully, Ann and Quinn had driven his sorry ass home. He had to admit the good old Travis boys had lucked out in the woman department. Ann was a goddess, and Sandi was an angel. No matter how happy he was for his old buddies, he was glad it was them and not him. The last thing he needed was to be stuck with one woman his whole life. He was very satisfied with bachelorhood.

“Hi, handsome.”

He flipped the light switch on and was met with the image of a nearly naked, but gorgeous redhead lying in his bed. The only thing covering her was a tiny pair of green panties. He’d always prided himself on his practicality in any situation. Some questions just need to be asked.

“Hey there, sweetheart. Pardon me for asking, but do I know you?”

The brazen bombshell seemed hurt by his question. “Well, not really, but I thought I left a bigger impression than that.”

He scanned his memory for any indication of her. Surely, he hadn’t slept with her. Something like that he would remember. That ruled out any chance that he’d taken her out on a date, since all of his dates ended in sex.

“Sorry, sugar. I’ve had a few too many shots of whisky tonight. Help me out?”

“Actually, I think I’ll just be leaving.” She got up from the bed and reached for her clothes.

As she bent over, he got an incredible view of her ass. Instantly, his dick became hard, and the idea of her leaving was not something he was going to let happen.

“Hey now, don’t be like that. Of course, I remember you. I was only teasing, babe.”

She flung her long red locks around and put her hands on her hips. “Oh, really?”

He gave her his best smile. The one that always made the women fall to their knees. “Really. Now why don’t you come here and let me make it up to you?”

She came toward him slowly, her beautiful, round tits all but begging to be sucked on. He had no idea who the hell she was, but he couldn’t wait to get her back in his bed.

She was only a couple steps away from him when he grabbed her and pulled her into him. Her ass was so round and soft, he wondered if she bathed in creams and lotions.

He wasted no time as he brought his mouth down to hers and swept his tongue inside hers. There was a brief moment of hesitation on her part, like she hadn’t been expecting him to be so aggressive. It only took a couple seconds to coax her to give into him. He was used to women who needed a little help relaxing. She was a gorgeous woman, definitely worth his patience.

“Oh, Warren. I’ve wanted you for so long.”

She had? Who the hell was she? Nothing about her seemed familiar. He very rarely forgot a pretty face and never forgot a hot body. His curiosity was getting the better of him, and he was dying to ask her who she was, but he didn’t want to risk her trying to leave again.

“Me, too, sugar.” It wasn’t a total lie. He’d wanted her for the past five minutes. For dogs, that was a very long time. Lord knew he had been compared to a dog a time or two.

She pulled away from his kiss. “You have?”

He couldn’t exactly burst her bubble. She looked so happy to hear him say it. “Yeah, sweetheart. Really.”

“Oh, Warren, make love to me.”

Their mouths locked together again. This time, she was not timid. Her mood had changed, and she seemed eager to play. He could hardly wait as he undid his jeans while she was ripping open the front of his shirt. He knew she’d broken some buttons and heard them hit the floor, but he didn’t care. He wanted to bury himself inside this sexy mystery woman. Figuring out who she was could come later.

Intimate Confessions Intimate Temptations 2 by Nicole Morgan

When Derek met Sandi, all the pieces of his life fell into place, but the young and inexperienced Sandi wanted desperately to discover who she was and pushed Derek away in search of something she was missing.

Devastated from losing Sandi, Derek arrives at Pleasure Seekers, an estate which specializes in play of the adult variety, anxious to start his new life. A chance encounter with the very woman he was trying to forget brings his plans to a screeching halt.

Angry and wanting nothing more than to hurt her the way she had him, he sets out to do just that. Only Sandi has changed in their time apart and is willing to do anything to get him back in her life again.

Old wounds and intimate confessions come to the surface as the couple faces the choice of forgiving or forgetting the only person they’ve ever loved.

A Siren Erotic Romance

Available at Bookstrand and Amazon

Excerpt

 

 

Sandi remained motionless for several seconds after she heard the door close before turning her head to see if Derek had really left. Once she looked over her left shoulder and didn’t see him, she quickly spun her head around to survey the rest of the room.

Was he still in the room with her, but waiting to see if she reacted? She wondered, but as soon as she asked the silent question to herself, she already had her answer. Derek had in fact left the room. She was handcuffed to the bed and alone with nothing else but her thoughts. 

Instinct made her want to cry. She wanted to scream at the top of her lungs and beg him to come back. Instead, she bit back her tears and tightly squeezed her eyes shut. She knew very well that she wasn’t entitled to her sadness.

There was no one else she could blame for her current situation other than herself. Two years ago she had pushed Derek away. He was the only man who had ever treated her with respect, kindness, compassion, and love. He was the only man that she had ever loved, and rather than cherish that, she had thrown it away, all for some obsession, some elemental need she thought she had to have.

She hated that after two years she still hadn’t found a way to fulfill those unexplained desires. No one that she had met over the past two years had even come close, not even Tony, the one she was foolish enough to leave Derek for. Just remembering the man who had introduced her into this world made her cringe. She detested him for making her think she wanted this kind of lifestyle.

If only she knew then what she knew now, she would have never left Derek and their life together for a life she clearly didn’t want.

A gut-wrenching pain tore through her heart when that thought made her realize that in all these months over the past two years she hadn’t felt even the smallest amount of pleasure from all the acts she had participated in. She hadn’t gotten any enjoyment from any of it. That was not until moments ago when Derek had been inside of her, taking her from behind, while she was handcuffed to a headboard in a place where she asked for only punishment.

Oh God! she thought to herself. Was Derek the missing piece to the puzzle of her desires? Was he what she had been searching for this whole time?

She knew the answer to the question already. The one man who she had tossed aside so carelessly two years ago was the only man who could ever truly make her happy.

She jerked her mind back to reality when she heard the door open. She spoke before she was able to stop herself.

“Derek?” Disappointment washed across her face when she saw it was Zach.

“No, Sandi. Derek has gone to his room. I came to make sure you were okay.”

She didn’t respond to him as she waited for him to finish unlocking the fur-lined cuffs which had her wrists attached to the bed.

Zach’s arm grazed her exposed bottom, and for some reason at that point she became very aware of her nakedness. Nervous emotions overcame her, making her face flush and heat from embarrassment.

When the last cuff was unlatched, Zach gently took her shoulders and brought her body back down to a sitting position.

“There, you must be sore from being in that position and on your knees for so long. Is that better?” he asked her while handing her a small satin robe which had been hanging on the bedpost.

She nodded uncomfortably, not really sure what to say to him.

Zach brushed a stray lock of hair away from her eyes and smiled at her. “Please don’t be embarrassed. I promised you when I found you that I would give you happiness.”

Her heart began beating much too fast. “I know you did. But I still don’t understand what that means. Or how…Derek, I know him.”

A robust laugh came from Zach, which almost startled her at first.

“Did you know that I knew him?” She almost whispered the question, but the smile on his face gave her the answer before she had a chance to finish asking it.

He held up his hand in a gesture to silence her. “Sandi, does it really matter if I knew? Does it really matter that you knew him, or he knew you?”

He hesitated for a moment before he continued. “No, Sandi. None of that matters. All that matters is that you are here, Derek is here, and you both want something that I have the opportunity to give you. Just let whatever fate brings your way happen.”

She wanted to say something. She wanted to question his motives, or how he knew of their connection to one another, but she realized that his reasons and the circumstances didn’t matter. He was right. She wanted Derek. She loved him and needed him.

Intimate Persuasions (Intimate Temptations #1) by Nicole Morgan

[Siren Classic: Erotic Cowboy Romance]

Ann moved to Oakdale for a fresh start, and when she met Quinn, a sexy cowboy, she instantly fell for him. Unable to deny herself the need to have him, she gives in to a secret fantasy, only to fear their relationship will end before it truly starts. Quinn soon realizes Ann means more to him than he ever could have imagined. He feels a connection with her that's much deeper than physical, but he has secret desires he keeps to himself, afraid to scare her with what he wants most. Will they find a way to show each other their true selves and finally love each other completely? And if so, will Ann give him a part of herself she has given to no man before?

** A Siren Erotic Romance





"I wrote Intimate Persuasions because I feel it addresses an issue that many couples today don't confront — their own sexual desires. All too often, we ignore what we truly want for fear of embarrassment or rejection. This story will hopefully show you that with the right person there is nothing so taboo that two people can't share with one another." ~ Nicole ~



Available at Bookstrand and Amazon

Excerpt

Frustration overcame her and she kicked the tire. In retrospect that wasn’t the best idea, seeing as how she was wearing open toed, small-heeled sandals. Hobbling and cursing, she caught sight of a car pulling up behind her. Biting her bottom lip on the pain she stood up and looked at the man coming towards her.

“Oh great,” she whispered under her breath. The man had ‘ride me’ written all over his face. If this was going to be another one of those ‘I’ll help you if you help me’ sort of things then he could forget it.

“Well, hello there pretty lady.” He spit the toothpick out of his mouth and continued, “Need a little help, do ya?”

Be nice, maybe he’s not as sleazy as he seems. “Yes, I’m afraid I have a flat tire and I don’t know how to change it.”

He nodded smugly. “That’s all right darling. I’ll fix you up right good.”

You have got to be kidding me. The way that he was leering at her was giving his statement all sorts of alternate meanings. “Listen, I just need help with the tire. I really don’t need help with anything else.”

Not getting the hint, he came toward her. “Oh come on darling, after I fix your tire, you can thank me properly.” He grabbed her.

Ann had been ready. She’d met his type before and knew that his Neanderthal persona was merely lurking beneath the surface. She struggled against him and made her first attempt to knee him in the groin. He had been ready for her also though and swiftly moved out of the way, laughing at her attempt. Her eyes widened at the thought that he might actually be able to overpower her.

He pushed her against the side of the car and ground his hardness against her. Muttering lewd things in her ear, he attempted to grab under her shirt. Struggling against him, she gave her knee another hard and swift thrust upward. She was startled and thrown off balance as her knee was met with complete air. Where did he go?

“Leave…the…lady…alone! Got it?” A tall and muscular stranger who had dark hair peeking out from underneath a Stetson shouted to the man who was now lying on the ground.

 Ann stared at him, mesmerized by the glorious sight of his back side.Damn did he look hot! And that cowboy hat. Yeehaw, ride ‘em cowboy. And how tall was he? At least six and a half feet. She was interrupted from her mini fantasy as he shouted at the man again.

“I said to leave the lady alone. Did you not understand that?”

Stuttering the man shuffled to his feet. “Yeah, I’m sorry. I’ll go.” He got up and ran to his car.

The mysterious and sexy stranger walked to the man in three strides, “Apologize to the lady, and then get your sorry ass out of here!” He was now grabbing onto his shirt and inches from the man’s face.

“S-Sorry ma’am.”

“Good, now get your ass out of here!”

He waited for the man to drive away before turning to face her. Oh my, if she would have gone to a sketch artist and described her ideal man she couldn’t have done a better job. He was complete perfection in the masculine form. And the cowboy hat added to her fantasy about tenfold.

“Are you all right?” He walked toward her as he asked the question.

He was talking to her right? She should say something. Yeah, definitely. Say something, anything.

“Ma’am?”

He was closer to her now and she was fairly certain that the temperature had risen a good twenty degrees. “I ah, I’m fine.”

He gave her a half smile. “Men can be real assholes sometimes, huh?”

She laughed, she couldn’t help it. He was right. Men could be real assholes sometimes. And how nice of him to be so astute to that fact. It was, after all, partially why she had left that jerk Larry and moved here. Oh no, she suddenly remembered. The reason she was on this god forsaken dirt road in the first place. The Roadhouse. She was going to be late for her interview.

“Can you change a flat?” She asked him abruptly.

“Yes I can. You got a spare?”

A spare? What the hell is a-- oh, a spare. “Yeah, it’s in the trunk.”

“All right then.” He walked to the back of her car and waited for her to unlock the trunk. Not even giving her the chance, he reached in and hauled the tire out. “You got an iron, a jack?”

“Huh?”

He laughed at her, “Never mind. I’ll be right back.”

She watched him as he walked away. Boy did she watch him. Shouldn’t it be illegal for an ass to look that good?

 

Sweet Affliction (Sweet Awakenings 4) by Nicole Morgan #NavySEALS

After spending years serving his country as a Navy SEAL, Commander Nick Slater is ready for retirement. Mercenaries hired to kill him ambush him, and his plans take a drastic turn.

AJ Harwood is facing one of the most difficult times of her life. A chance encounter with Nick Slater is the last thing she wants, yet she is thrust into his world and trapped in its surroundings.

AJ is Nick's only hope as he tries to find out who is out to kill him. With each passing day, more secrets are uncovered, and the reason behind the attack is revealed. Nick joins forces with his former teammates to find the person behind the high-priced hit put on all of their heads. As precious time ticks away, Nick and AJ are faced with the possibility that after finding each other, they may lose everything in an instant.



Note: 10% of the author royalties on this book will benefit nonprofit organizations dedicated to providing educational assistance and support grants to families of wounded and fallen United States Navy SEALs.

Available at Bookstrand and Amazon

Excerpt

 

 

“Nick.”

It surprised her when his name came across her lips in a whisper. Her subconscious had betrayed her by saying aloud what her mind was thinking.

He took her single word as an invitation. His lips slid across her mouth and pressed against hers. It was impossible and pointless to try and fight something she wanted and felt so good. He surprised her this time. He didn’t slide his tongue inside her mouth and explore her mouth with urgency. Instead he kissed her with a tender patience. It reminded her of the kind of kiss a girl would get on her first date when she was sixteen years old, sweet and full of emotion.

The kiss lasted for maybe a minute, but even when finished he didn’t pull away from her. He dropped his forehead to rest against hers. She opened her eyes and was surprised to see his closed. Seeing him like this, so gentle and compassionate, so considerate of her feelings, was such an incredible contradiction. Just yesterday he was bold and aggressive with his actions, yet now he seemed like he would do anything to make her feel at ease. It was like he actually cared for her.

She tried to erase the thought from her mind. The notion that Commander Nick Slater, US Navy SEAL, could have feelings of that nature for her was ludicrous. Oh, but it would be so easy to lose herself in him, just for a day or two, and forget about all the pain she was feeling. She recollected her thoughts, refusing to get caught up in the moment. Just losing her father was enough. She couldn’t allow herself to fall for him and get hurt when he walked away from her. Losing two men she loved was too much, way more than even she could handle.

Her eyes widened, and she pulled away from him. Love him? What?

“AJ, what’s wrong?”

Why did he have to look so concerned about her? That wasn’t helping her rational train of thought.

“Nothing. I just…” Think, AJ. Distract him and change the subject. “Did you find the phone I bought?”

“Yes I did. You shouldn’t be worrying about that though. Let me fix you something to eat. Lie down while I…”

“No.” She scooted across the bed as fast as she could away from him, needing to break the feeling of safety he gave her.

“Where are you going?”

“I’ll make something to eat for us. You were on the computer before. Finish whatever it was you were doing, and I’ll let you know when it’s ready.”

She didn’t wait for his answer and all but ran from the room. A quick stop in the bathroom to freshen up was what she needed. She would wash up, brush her hair and teeth, and snap out of whatever she felt whenever he was too close to her.

She washed her face with first warm and then cold water, hoping to shock herself back to reality. Her hair was a tangled mess. After finally ridding it of the snarls, she wet the brush and smoothed out the bedhead look she was sporting. She ran her fingers under each eye. They were both puffy and red. If she had cried any more she might’ve looked like a prize fighter. The dark rings only added to her haggard appearance. Once her teeth were brushed she felt a bit better. At least she was more awake and ready to face Nick without feeling completely helpless to his touch.

She opened the door from the bathroom, and every thought she just had about reality and snapping out of the warm feelings of comfort he gave her diminished in a second. He stood there in the doorway. His large frame loomed over her as each one of his hands was on either side of the doorframe.

“Nick…I…is everything okay?”

He shook his head at her. “No, everything’s not okay.”

She tried to swallow the lump of nerves that was building in her throat but found it literally impossible.

“What’s wrong?” she asked, not entirely sure she wanted to know the answer.

“You.”

“Me?”

“Yes, you. Damn it, AJ. I care about you. Please stop running from me every chance you get.”

“I’m not…”

She started to deny it, but the stern look in his eyes told her it would be pointless. This would be an argument she would lose. That and she knew he was right. She had run from him three times in the past two days. It was foolish to even try and claim she had no idea what he was talking about.

She sighed. “I guess I am. I just don’t know what to do.”

“What do you want to do? Right now, what do you want?”

He asked her the easiest question in the world. She didn’t have to think about her answer. She knew what it was. What worried her was what that answer would bring. She struggled with the words, wanting to say them but for some reason afraid of saying them aloud and bringing them to life.

“AJ, please. I’m right here. What do you want?”

His eyes. They were the deepest shade of blue, like the ocean on a moonless night. She could swear she saw the surf in them, calling to her and urging her to give in. How much she wanted to look into those eyes when they didn’t know they were being watched. She wondered what emotions she would find lurking beneath the tough exterior he tried to put on.

“I’ll ask you again. What do you want?”

His patient voice with persistent questions was just another example of the contradiction that was Nick Slater. Maybe that was what drew her to him. He seemed to be one thing but then appeared to be the exact opposite entirely. She wondered why she was even trying to deny the comfort he offered her.

“I want you to hold me.”

Sweet Vengeance (Sweet Awakenings 3) by Nicole Morgan #NavySEALS

 Adam Collins is just beginning to put his life back together when he meets Chelsea, his sweet and beautiful next door neighbor. As the two spend more time together, an attraction between them builds.


A nightmare from Adam’s past, that he thought was long ago dead and buried, comes back to life and places him and Chelsea in danger. Enlisting the help of two of his former Navy SEALs team members, Adam must find a way to keep them both safe.


As the danger mounts and passions ignite, one question will remain. Who will be left standing after Sweet Vengeance is served?

Available at Bookstrand and Amazon

Excerpt

 

 

Adam watched her, and studied her face as it became flushed while her lower lip trembled. He wanted to laugh. The little minx who stood before him, yelling at him, was scared. She was trying to give the appearance of being tough and in control, but she was actually afraid of him.

“Why are you smiling? Do you think it’s funny to almost hit someone with your…your…ridiculously fast car?”

This time, he did laugh. He couldn’t help it. “Ridiculously fast?” He doubled over in hysterics. “You’re a fine one to talk, lady. What do you call that Charger sitting over in your driveway?”

He saw she was about to open her mouth to argue but must have thought better of it because she abruptly shut it. He was right, and she obviously knew it.

“What’s wrong, honey? Cat suddenly got your tongue?” He rested his forearm on the door frame and leaned into her, placing him only inches from her face, her eyes, and her mouth.

Her eyes widened at his close proximity. She took in a breath and seemed to almost swoon. He was never much of a cologne guy, but women in the past had always told him how good he smelled.

Adam was enjoying tormenting her. He found it quite the boost he needed on such a crappy morning to know that he was stirring her emotions up so much she couldn’t speak.

They both stood there, staring at one another, until Chelsea looked away. She made a cursory glance around the room before he touched her chin with his thumb and forefinger, forcing her gaze to return to his.

“What was that you were saying? You wanted a ride in my car?” He whispered the words to her, his lips almost touching hers as he spoke.

“I…um…” She tripped on her words.

He smirked up one side of his mouth at her nervousness.

“Well…I’m waiting. You want to take a ride in my car, sugar?” He used his thumb to brush across her cheek as he whispered the words to her even quieter than before.

Her discomfort seemed to turn to annoyance when she responded by reaching up and slapping his hand away, pulling herself away from him. “I am not your sugar.” She quickly turned on her heel and started to walk down his front porch steps.

“Hey, sugar?” Adam called to her in a mocking tone.

Chelsea quickly spun around to face him. “What?” she snapped.

Adam walked out the door and leaned over his porch railing down at her. “I was just wondering what you came over here for in the first place. Was it just to borrow a cup of sugar?”

She just shook her head at him. “Just slow down, speed demon? I’d like to live to see my next birthday, okay?”

Adam grinned at her, liking the way she was nervous but trying to remain assertive. “Are you sure that’s what you want?”

She glared at him. “No, thank you. I am quite sure that all I need from you is to just slow down and stop trying to run me over with your car every chance that you get.”

He watched her for a moment as she did the same to him. “Okay, I’ll slow down.”

“Thank you.”

She turned to leave and was nearly across his portion of the lawn that connected their two properties when he stopped her.

“Just so you know, though, I do like to go fast.”

Chelsea turned her head and looked back at him. “Duly noted.”

She then headed toward her car. Once behind the wheel, she reached over to close the door when her hand met with denim.

She looked up at him as he was leaning down and surrounding her, invading her personal space. The look of surprise on her face looked incredibly sexy.

“What? she asked in a curt tone.

He chuckled when she blushed after realizing her hand was touching his inner thigh.

“You sure have a problem with getting your thoughts out, don’t you?”

“No, I don’t. What do you want?” Her tone was filled with her anger.

He laughed at her spunkiness. “Nothing. I don’t want anything, at least not right now. Remember, though, I told you I liked to go fast.” With that being said, he moved away from her door and closed it.