Authors: Dana Lorraine
She scooted onto the stool. “Can I help with anything?”
“Nope, casserole is in the oven and everything else is prepared.”
Jennifer opened the glass-fronted refrigerator searching its contents. “We’re
just waiting for Ian to return with the muffins and bagels.”
She assembled the ingredients for one of Melanie’s favorite
drinks and rested them next to champagne flutes arranged on the countertop. “So
I have the twins, Anders and Gage, with Ian. Marc and I have Lucas—he’s our
youngest.” She sighed. “I really need to stop referring to them as boys. All of
them have transitioned recently.”
“You mean they’re vampires now like Rook and Alec?”
Jennifer let out another heavy breath while she filled the
glasses halfway with orange juice. “Fangs and all. I’ll tell you, I always knew
they would someday become like their fathers but I’m still getting used to the
change.” She stopped preparing the drinks and looked thoughtfully at Melanie.
“Tell me, how are you really doing with all of this? I’ve
had decades to deal. You’ve only had a few hours.”
Her chest tightened as it always did when she tried to hold
back emotions. Melanie shrugged her shoulders, not sure where to start.
“Sometimes I’m feeling so much it’s like I can’t feel anything at all. Do you
know what I mean?”
“Absolutely. I remember being where you are right now.”
Jennifer sat down next to her. “Numb. It’s like you’re numb. The confusion,
apprehension, the anxiousness, even the pleasurable feelings like desire are so
simultaneous it’s hard to get a handle on any of the emotions to deal with
them.”
Was this woman inside her body right now? She grabbed
Jennifer’s hand, excited to be understood, and let out a relieved breath. “Yes,
that’s exactly what it’s like. So how did you deal with it? How did you know
you were making the right decision?”
Jennifer raised her eyebrow and her rich brown eyes
twinkled. “You mean the fact that I had two handsome men falling all over
themselves promising me a lifetime of devotion and amazing sex wasn’t enough?”
If only it were that easy. “I know, right, that should be
enough.”
“Seriously.” Jennifer patted Melanie’s hand. “I trusted and
focused on the one emotion that mattered. Love. And when I did, its intensity
overshadowed everything else. The worries about my parents and friends thinking
badly of me didn’t seem as important anymore. I’ve learned that when something
feels so right in your life you can’t believe anyone else when they tell you
its wrong.”
The woman was a living and breathing fortune cookie. She was
spouting wisdom Melanie had known but had to hear from someone else to
trust—someone who knew exactly what she was going through.
“Do Rook and Alec feel like they’re right in your life?”
Jennifer asked.
Not only did they feel right in her life Rook and Alec made
her life finally feel right.
The weight of indecision that had left her feeling encased
in concrete lifted with her instantaneous revelation. Finally she knew what she
wanted to do and now that she did, she wondered why she’d hesitated at all.
A chorus of rowdy male voices interrupted what would have
been a resounding yes in response to Jennifer. A tall, blond man with
sun-kissed skin entered the kitchen bearing a pink cardboard box. With his
easy, all-American good looks she could have him booked for a dozen major ad
campaigns in minutes.
“Sorry to interrupt. Alec told me he was under strict
instructions from you to keep Marc out of the food.” He placed the box on the
counter. ”If I stayed out there much longer Marc would have lightened my load.”
He nodded to Melanie and then made to leave as fast as he’d come.
“Wait, Ian.” Jennifer slid off her seat and went to him.
“Thanks for running to the bakery.” She kissed him on the cheek.
“Anytime,” he said, swiftly shifting his head to capture her
mouth in a lingering kiss.
That mushy feeling returned and a wave of happiness rolled
through, leaving goose bumps on her skin. Very soon this would be her life too.
Nice work if you could get it, indeed.
Jennifer parted from Ian and ran her fingers over her lips
but stayed by his side. “Melanie, I’d like you to meet my other husband, Ian
Morgan.”
“It’s a pleasure to meet you.” She scooted off the stool and
before she even had her hand raised to shake his, he wrapped her in a hug.
“Gotta tell you, I never thought I’d see Rook mated in my
lifetime.” Ian stepped back. His huge smile accentuated his square jaw. “You’re
costing me a few hefty bets if you agree to be his lifemate but don’t let that
stop you. It’ll be the happiest I’ve ever been parting with money.”
Jennifer swatted at his arm. “Ian, stop talking right now.”
“No, it’s okay,” Melanie giggled. Rook knew his way around a
woman for sure. She didn’t doubt he’d been a very prolific bachelor. Lucky for
her she could reap the benefits. “Ian, Jennifer told me how much work you put
into the kitchen and it shows. It’s beautiful.”
“I can’t take all the credit. Marc did start the fire. He’s
really the one who got the ball rolling.”
“A fire? Was anybody hurt?”
“No, most of the damage was contained to the stove, hood and
cabinets above it.” Ian leaned against the counter of the island. His
expression tightened in mock seriousness. “Let me warn you now—if Alec is
anything like his brother, keep him out if the kitchen.”
“Oh, by the way.” Jennifer grabbed the bottle of champagne.
“Ian sweetie, can you open this for me?”
“What, the bottle we polished off last night wasn’t enough
for you?” he smirked.
“It’s for the mimosas. Now just open it please and then be
on your way. I want to talk to Melanie for a few more minutes and then I’ll
serve brunch.”
Ian ripped the foil, popped the cork with an expert touch
and poured some into the glasses already filled with juice. He handed one to
his wife, one to her and then filled an empty flute for himself. As he walked
out of the kitchen, he raised his champagne. “Something tells me we’re going to
have a reason to toast later.”
Melanie tapped her glass against Jennifer’s and took a sip
of the bubbly drink. “You have two wonderful husbands. I think it’s safe to say
you have no regrets.”
“They are that but there is one thing—although it would
never make me want to change the best decision I made years ago.” Jennifer
rested her glass on the countertop and sighed. “I would have liked to have
grandchildren.”
“You have three sons. Why wouldn’t you have grandkids?”
“Vampires are sow-their-oats kinds of creatures. Many of
them don’t look for their lifemate until they’ve lived for decades past a
human’s age span. I’m healthy, but I don’t think I have another hundred years
in me to see my boys settle down.”
“Oh, I see.”
Jennifer looked up from under her long lashes. She nervously
fidgeted with one of the two sliver cuff bracelets hugging her wrists. “This
might be presumptuous of me, but if you do become Alec and Rook’s lifemate I
thought maybe I could be like a grandma to your little dumplings if you three
did decide to have kids.”
Tears welled in her eyes. Jennifer, a perfectly coiffed
version of her mother and sister all rolled into one, was that little something
extra that made finding Alec and Rook that much sweeter. “I’d really like
that.”
“And the baby showers. I want to throw those too.”
Melanie laughed while her stomach did its best impression of
a tumbling routine.
This is really happening.
Her life would never be
the same once she walked out of this kitchen and into Alec’s arms.
Maybe she should run.
Alec abandoned his kitchen guard duty and fished his phone
out of his pocket. Where the hell was he? He fired off another text. All his
patience was reserved for Melanie. He didn’t have any left for Rook.
Ian returned from the kitchen with a glass raised in his
hand. “You and Rook are going to be very happy men. Should I offer my
congratulations now?”
He looked up, his brow tense, and shoved his phone back into
his front pocket. “Thanks but I think it’s premature.”
“You’ve met our wife Jennifer, haven’t you?” Marc wiped
crumbs from his shirt,,destroying evidence of the contraband muffin Ian had
snuck him. “By now she’s probably got Melanie picking out china patterns.”
Jennifer was a force to be reckoned with but Melanie was no
pushover. Alec didn’t see her being talked into anything unless she wanted to
do it. “Just because you and Ian can’t say no to her persuasive ways doesn’t
mean everybody else is powerless against your wife’s charms.”
Ian took another swig from his glass and let out an appreciative
sigh. “You’ve got that wrong. She might think she wears the pants in this
family but that’s just because we like the way her ass looks in them. We can
say no to Jennifer all day long—”
“But why the hell would we want to?” Marc chimed in. “When
Jenn’s happy, we’re all happy.”
Alec braced his hands on his hips. Judging by the
self-satisfied smirks on their faces, she’d been getting her way for years. He
hoped to be sporting a similar grin soon.
Three hard knocks on the front door pulled him out of the
conversation and across the room.
About damn time.
“I’ll get that. I
told Rook to meet us here.”
Alec jerked open the door, huffing. “Any reason you couldn’t
take a few seconds and text me back?”
Rook smiled like Alec had just welcomed him with open arms.
“You told me where to be and when.” He walked around him, shrugged off his
overcoat and laid it across the banister. “I didn’t think you needed a reply.”
Nothing riled Alec more than Rook’s cool composure. It was
ironclad. He always ended up looking like a dick compared to him.
“Aww, will you look at that,” Marc said teasingly. “It’s
already like they’re an old married couple. How sweet.”
“You two girls would know,” Rook shot back. He crossed the
room, pushing up the sleeves of his crisply pressed oxford shirt, and shook
first Marc’s then Ian’s hand.
Alec shut the door and caught a glimpse of Melanie and
Jennifer at the edge of the kitchen, arms affectionately linked as they entered
the hall. The pounding in his chest hammered in his ears as loudly as Rook’s
knocks on the door had a moment ago.
He could watch her like this—when she didn’t know he was
looking—all day long. He devoured her effortless beauty from head to toe with a
greedy, lingering gaze.
Melanie turned her head, laughing at something Jennifer
said, and it brought her face into full view. What he saw rooted him to the
floor. Her vibrant eyes, the bounce in her step, the heart-stopping way her
smile bloomed when she finally caught him staring…Melanie looked like a woman
with a glorious yes waiting to fall from her lips.
“Where’s Melanie?” Rook asked.
She tore her gaze from Alec’s and stepped out of the
hallway. “Right here.”
Rook spun around and whisked her into his embrace, kissing
away her gasp of surprise.
Alec went to her, moving faster when he heard his name
escape the passionate kiss as a breathy sigh. She extended her hand from Rook’s
hold and reached for him. He turned her palm upward, ignored the throb of his
unreleased fangs and kissed the soft flesh of her hand. Desperate, he tasted his
way up her wrist and forearm until Rook released her, stepping aside so Alec
could take her mouth.
The liquid slip of her tongue seeking his ignited the embers
of his lust. Heat shot through him in a violent burst and he fisted his fingers
in her shirt, wishing he could rip the fabric off her body. Wanting more than
the moment could give, Alec pulled away to momentarily quell his need before it
consumed him. Not here and not now but soon he wouldn’t have to stop.
He, Rook and Melanie stood their catching their collective
breath while their entertained audience seemed to be holding theirs. Ian
cleared his throat and waved his glass. “I wish I hadn’t finished my champagne
because that kiss deserves a toast.”
“Or a round of applause,” Marc murmured.
“What, no shouts for an encore?” Rook tucked Melanie under
his arm and kissed her on the top of her head. “I’d be happy to oblige.”
“Me too.” Alec slipped his arm around the other side of her
only to be pushed away by a teary-eyed Jennifer eager to give Melanie a hug.
“That’s a resounding yes if I’ve ever seen one. Call me if
you need help later this week, Melanie. Dealing with transitioning vampires is
not the kind of honeymoon women dream of.” Jennifer relinquished her hold on
Melanie, rolled her eyes and smirked. “Men are such big babies. It’s enough to
make you wish they’d turn back.”
“Really?” Melanie turned and glowered at them. Her skin
still ablaze from their kisses, she arched her eyebrow and he knew they were in
for it. “Were you two going to mention my nursing duties to me?”
An image of Melanie leaning over with her breasts spilling
out of a naughty nursing uniform had him wanting to milk his change back to
human for all it was worth. He shrugged his shoulders and grabbed her hand.
“It’s a week or two tops. And the transition is different for every vampire.”
Rook cocked his chin. “I’m sure Marc and Ian were a handful
but Alec and I—we’re badasses.”
“You’ve got the asses part right,” Ian snickered.
Marc scoffed. “Just wait until your aches and pains have
aches and pains of their own. The only thing that got me through was Jennifer’s
homemade chicken soup and her special sponge baths.”
Alec let go of her hand, ran his fingers through her hair
and cradled her soft cheek in his palm. “Don’t worry.” The corners of his mouth
burned as he held back a smile. “Canned soup is fine but the sponge
baths—they’re non-negotiable.”
“Watch it.” She settled her hands on her hips and challenged
him with a fiery look. “Or Rook will be the only one getting them.”
“Keep saying stupid stuff, Alec. I like the way this is
playing out,” Rook chuckled.
He couldn’t get enough of this spirited side of Melanie.
Like a newly smitten schoolboy he gave in to the urge to tease. “You don’t mean
that. I know you can’t resist me.”
Melanie swallowed down hard. Her eyes were as bright as the
crystal chandelier that hung above them. “Is that so?” She patted Rook on the
chest. “And here I thought Rook for obvious reasons was the cockier of you
two.” She lowered her eyes to Alec’s crotch. “I stand corrected.”
Alec could practically taste his desire to bend her over the
entryway table, rip her pants down around her ankles and playfully spank her
until she begged to give him a sponge bath. If it weren’t for the roomful of
family he’d have given in.
“What, no comeback?” Melanie taunted him, a satisfied grin
on her face. The stubborn set of her shoulders and the jut of her hip excited
him. His tight-fitting jockey shorts were keeping his dick from pitching a tent
in his jeans.
“Oh it’s coming, I promise.” Alec slid his finger under her
chin and tipped her face up. “I just didn’t think you’d want to end up naked on
the floor in front of your future family.”
She dragged in a shaky breath. “How thoughtful of you.”
“Don’t get us confused, I’m the thoughtful one.” Rook
dragged Melanie against him and stole a quick kiss.
Alec had wanted that kiss for himself. He licked his lips,
preparing to take one the minute she was in kissing distance again.
“It would take a lot more than you three naked on the floor
to surprise us.” Jennifer waved her hand dismissively. “We’ve hosted newly
bonded lifemates in our home before.”
Marc groaned and bumped his shoulder against Jennifer’s.
“Remember Vincent, Edmund and Alexi when they first brought over Eliza?”
She shook her head and cradled her forehead in her hand.
“How could I forget?”
“I really liked that couch,” Ian said with regret. “I wish
you hadn’t made us replace it.”
Melanie scrunched up her nose. “I don’t think I want to
know.”
Her comment garnered more than one chuckle, including one
from him. With all eyes on her, Melanie crossed her arms and shrugged her
shoulders. “Do you think we could have a few moments alone? I’d like to talk to
Alec and Rook and I promise there’ll be no need to remodel the foyer when we’re
done.”
Alec looked over at Rook, who was sporting a grin that
suggested they were thinking the same thing. She had an awful lot of faith in
them to make such promises. Hadn’t she felt the same explosion of desire as
they had? Sparks surely had flown.
“Sure, we’ll be in the kitchen putting out brunch.” Jennifer
was chipper. Her eyes shone as bright as her smile. “You’ve got ten minutes and
then I’m checking on you. I’m fond of that Persian rug you’re standing on and
I’d hate to have to get rid of it.” Jennifer grabbed Marc’s hand and with Ian
following behind, they didn’t waste a minute getting out of there.
“Are you getting us alone so you can finally have your way
with us?” Rook teased and ran his fingers along her arm.
Melanie shrugged his hand away and huffed out an exasperated
breath. “You two have to stop touching me and you definitely have to stop
kissing me,” she scolded. “I don’t want Jennifer to be reminding me someday of
how she came in here and found us swinging from the chandelier.”
“Are you crazy?” Rook blustered, pointing up. “How would we
get up there?”
She groaned and rolled her eyes at him. “You know that’s a
saying, right?”
“And you know that if the only way we could make love to you
today was to get you up there on that chandelier,” Rook countered, licking his
lips and edging closer to her, “Alec would be running to get a ladder as we
speak.”
“Hell no. If it comes to that, you’re getting the ladder,
not me.”
“Forget the ladder, forget the chandelier. I’m being
serious.” She whipped around.
He followed the sway of her hips as she put some distance
between them. She didn’t even have to try to be seductive. Her body was just
built that way.
“Tempt me enough right now and I might do anything you
suggest.” She turned and shoved her hands through her hair. “I think that’s a
problem.”
Alec’s gut tensed low. He had suggestions in droves. All of
them involved Melanie losing her clothes.
“I think your definition of a problem is considerably
different from ours.” Rook’s grin waned in direct proportion to Melanie’s bristling
stare. Thankfully for him, her eyes actually couldn’t inflict physical damage.
Otherwise he’d be hurting.
Rook clamped his hand over his mouth, dragged it down his
chin. “I’m an idiot, I know. You don’t have to tell me.”
“Does that mean I can’t tell you?” Alec’s smug smile got
Rook’s glare in return.
He went to Melanie. “I know you said no touching, but can I
hold your hand?”
Melanie invitingly nipped at her bottom lip. “Okay.”
Alec took her fist in his hand and coaxed her fingers out
from her palm. Back and forth he rubbed his thumb across the ridges of her
knuckles. There would not be one part of her body he didn’t have memorized
soon.
“I should be embarrassed carrying on in front of your family
like this…but I’m not, at least as not as much as I should be,” she admitted.
“They understand.” Alec tried to soothe her with his voice.
“They’ll also understand if we slip out that front door.”
“Do you think they’ll mind? I don’t want to be rude.”
“I think Marc and Ian will be more than happy to have Jennifer
all to themselves again. And I promise as soon as we get into that elevator
I’ll text our apologies.” Alec needed to be doing something with his hands,
otherwise they’d be all over her.
“The three of us do need to talk. Make sure you explain that
in the text.”
“Should I leave out Rook’s and my plans to feast on your
lush curves?”
Alec hadn’t thought his harmless tease was all that bad but
Melanie’s expression went flat and then her eyes widened.
She pulled her hand away. “I just realized. This will be the
last time either of you takes my blood. Right?”
Still vampire for one more day, he couldn’t wait to gorge
himself on a sweet, thick mouthful of her satisfying blood. He fixed his eyes
on her delicate neck. Suddenly his throat closed. Alec imagined Melanie locked
between him and Rook as their fangs pierced her flesh one last time.
Fuck, it was going to be amazing.
Marc had assured him the desire for her blood would cease
the minute the transition began. He licked his lips, finding that hard to
believe.
With his typical swagger in full force, Rook walked toward
them. “You’re going to miss those instantaneous orgasms, aren’t you? I promise
Alec and I will do our best to replicate them.”
“You don’t get it.” Melanie pointed aggressively at herself.
“No more miracle weight loss for me. I’m going to be stuck like this, all lumpy
and bumpy.”
“If you don’t realize by now that we are fond of all those
lumps and bumps, we haven’t been doing something right.” Alec looked her up and
down, giving in to his baser instincts. If she couldn’t see how his body
responded to hers she was blind. Maybe if she felt what she did to him she’d
understand better?
Alec closed in on her until his feet flanked hers. He
grabbed her irresistible ass and pulled her flush against him, trapping his
growing erection between them. Melanie’s hands were perfectly placed on his
chest to push away, but instead, she pressed her hips forward. He clenched his
teeth, biting back the urge to thrust and curse. “You’re perfect just the way
you are.”