Tempting Gray - Untouchables 02 (25 page)

Screaming, agony. So much pain. Everywhere it
hurt.

Shaking, the woman in the forest stood naked
and all alone. Shivering from the cold, she looked around for any sign of life
but found none.

Where was she?

How did she get here?

And, more importantly,
who
was she?

A howl sounded in the distance. Her ears
twitched with recognition.
But wait, I’ve never heard that sound before in
my life
. How did she know that? Better yet, how did she recognize that howl
as a Were when she’d never heard it before? It didn’t make any sense. None of
this made any sense.

The howl grew louder, coming nearer. She ran
the opposite way, away from the predator, her breaths sounding far too loud.
High above the tree line the full moon was a bright presence. She reached the
end of the forest and the next area was a valley of small hollows and hills
covered in weeds and grass and corn waist deep or taller. The howling continued
ever closer. She made the decision and ran into the fields. Barefoot. No underwear,
no name.

Heart racing, muscles tight, she realized her
knee ached as if she’d hit it hard. Or, maybe like there was something wrong
with it. Had she injured it before?

Trees shook behind her and she spun around to
see. In the distance she found not one but three Weres—large, massive creatures
that could rip a man’s head off with its mouth—at the clearing watching her.

Fear thick in her throat, the woman did the
only thing she could do and turned and ran into the night.

Seven
months later

“Come on, we’re gonna be late!”

“Then stop standing there and help me find my
damn shoes!” Arabella snapped at her oh-so-adorable, sometimes-infuriating mate
who was merely leaning against the wall watching her scurry around the house.

He sighed. “What do they look like?”

“High heels, black and sexy. I wore them the
other night when you took me out.”

He cocked an eyebrow at her and instantly she
blushed. “And do you remember what happened after we got home that night when
you wore those shoes?” he asked, his voice deep and sexy. He knew what that
voice did to her.

She shivered but marched past him with her head
held high. He followed her out of the bedroom, down the stairs, out the front
door to the side of the house by the garage door. There, in the grass, by the
hall to the front door was her pair of high heels.

He picked them up and held them out to her. She
snatched them and put them on all without looking at him and blushing. “I
believe they fell off when you threw yourself at me.”

She scoffed. “I’d hardly call it throwing
myself at you.”

“What would you call falling into my arms,
wrapping your legs around me, kissing me and whispering sexy little nothings
into my ears?”

She teetered in the heels. “Hmm, I’d call that…love?”

He tossed back his head and laughed. She joined
him, then once again fell into his arms, wrapped her legs around him, and
kissed him. “I love you, Grayson.”

“I love you, Arabella. Now are you ready to go?”

She grew serious. “Yes, but I’m ne7/3vous too.”

“It’ll be fine. We’ll do this together.”

“Okay.” She smiled and they kissed.

An hour later after she re-styled her hair for
the fourth time, Grayson and Arabella, newly bonded mates, arrived at
Blackmoore Estate. Dominic and Felicity had spent a considerable amount of
money and time fixing the mansion back to its former glory. But there were a
few changes. In honor of the memory of Beth, that part of the house was not
being rebuilt. Instead, they’d grown an incredible garden filled with the most beautiful
flowers. It was called Beth’s Garden and it was made in memory of her. Arabella
and Grayson had seen Lucas out there on many occasions. He just sat there
alone. It was hard for Arabella not to want to hug Lucas and comfort him.
Everyone had tried and continued to try, but he needed time. Whatever he felt
for Beth must have been deep.

When they arrived to the party, the mansion was
packed. Dominic had invited political players, friends, family, the works. The
conversation was loud, glasses clinked as toasts were made, violins played a
delicate, upbeat concerto in the background.

It was strange to be in the house again. “What
do you think?” she asked him.

He held her hand and waded them through the
piles of people toward his brothers at the front of the room. “Not bad.”

The place glowed with luxury and beauty. “That’s
an understatement.”

Over his shoulder, he grinned at her.

They reached the rest of the family and hugged
and kissed each other. “You’re here. Good, that’s everyone. Let’s start this
shindig,” Felicity said. Stepping forward, she grabbed a knife and tapped it
against her glass. The crowd grew quiet and turned to listen. “Thank you everyone
for coming to our reopening of Blackmoore Estate. After the massive destruction
caused by the attack, we’ve finally repaired what we could.” Her eyes watered
rapidly and Dom came to her side, wrapping his arm around her shoulders.

“As you know, we sustained heavy losses during
those dark times. Beth Hamilton, a close friend of the family, was just one of
them. For the guards and all those who lost their lives, please bow your head
for a moment of silence for the dead.”

The masses heads fell in unison, then lifted at
Dom’s queue. “As my
bruid
said, thank you for coming. Now commence with
the party.”

Arabella tugged on Grayson’s sleeve until he
looked down at her. “Will you dance with me?”

Smiling gently, he led her out onto the dance
floor and into a close, warm tempo. They danced, then danced some more until
the night drifted by and all the partygoers had left. They danced over trash
that had fallen on the floor.

“What do you say to the beach?” Grayson asked, whisking
Arabella’s mind out of a dreamy, sleepy fog.

“What about it?”

“I want to move there. Buy a house for us.”

“But there are no beaches near your family. You
don’t want to move away, do you?”

He whirled them around the dance floor, the
palm of his hand at her back keeping her steady. “Fair enough. I don’t think I
do. What about water, then, any kind of water?”

“Maybe a lake,” she offered, growing excited by
the idea.

“Yeah, I like that idea. Want to buy a house
together, love?”

“You know I do.”

They stopped dancing as he pulled her close for
a kiss. “Let’s get out of here. I want to make love to you.” He pulled her off
the dance floor nearly making her dizzy.

Laughing, she clung to his arms. “That’s never
a bad thing.”

He gave her a quick kiss then pulled back with
a smile. “I love you, you know.”

She smiled back with all the love she felt for
him shining in her eyes. “I know, baby. I know.”

Thank you for reading
Tempting Gray
. I hope you enjoyed it.
If you did, please help other readers to find this book:

1) This book is lendable, so send it to a friend who
you think might like it so she can discover me, too.

2) Help other people find this book by writing a
review.

3) Sign up for my monthly e-mail newsletter to receive
updates on my latest releases, contests, news, and more
here
.

4) Stop by and like my
Facebook
page.

Read on for a preview of

TAKE ME

The Untouchables book #1

Available now!

“You made the wrong choice, Felicity.”

Strong hands surrounded her, brought her body flush against his.
There was no mistaking the hard prod pressed into her back.

Felicity gasped, struggling to control the need burning inside her
like fire. “We can’t.” Long-fingered hands swept up to cup her breasts—the
touch possessive as Dominic Blackmoore molded the flesh. She shivered, her
knees nearly giving out. She might have fallen if not for his hold on
her.

“Yes we can, and yes we are. I’m not waiting any longer.” His
voice held no room for argument. He’d finally decided. This was really going to
happen. Could she stop it even if she really wanted to?

His hands released her and reason came flooding back with it, her
last chance to resist. No, they couldn’t do this. So many lives would be destroyed
including her own. She shoved hard against his chest knocking him off balance
with the action. She didn’t hesitate, but sprinted down the hall and away from
him. She had to get out of here. She had to get outside. If she could only make
it outside she could escape.

She slowed as she rounded through the kitchen, her stupid heels
slipping on the marble tiles. But she didn’t have time to damn her poor choice
in shoes because a hard, heavy body slammed into her back.
Rough hands caught hers, planted them above her head on the garage door. She
was already panting and he hadn’t even touched her yet. Her eyes squeezed
shut—this was so wrong and yet she craved his touch with every fiber of her
being.

“I’m done waiting. We end this torture now,” he said, a growl
covering the words.

A shiver swept down her spine, and she couldn’t catch her breath.
Her body burned like the sun blazed around her and her core was wet, aching.
She gave into him then—into his addicting caresses. It was so much easier than
fighting it. She shouldn’t do it, but she’d never wanted anything more in her
life.

“Dom,” she murmured. The name that had been haunting her for what
felt like an eternity. The name she hated as much as she loved.

Her skirt slid to her ankles at his touch. Her fingers curved into
the door as cool air touched her bare bottom; her underwear hid nothing from
his gaze. She could feel it burning into her skin like beams of light. Those
addicting hands caressed her bottom, squeezed, and plumped.

“You have the greatest ass, sweets.” He groaned deep in his throat
as he tucked his fingers inside her panties and sent the black satin fluttering
down around her ankles.

A heavy pulse beat between her legs. An equal weight beat in her
heart...for him. No matter wrong this was, she wanted it. She wanted him.

He swept her hair over one shoulder, baring her neck to him. A
wicked thrill shot up her spine and she arched her neck for him—a small taunt,
beckoning him, daring him to take from her. He growled so much louder, and she
heard the hiss of his zipper so loud in the quiet house.

“Don’t tempt me, Felicity. Not now. My control is at an end and I
will take your vein.” His voice was as deep as a pit.

Her body relaxed, a smile crossing her mouth, and her eyes
fluttered shut. “I trust you, Dom.” His voice always held magic over her and
like a wand he could cast it and make everything better.

Another groan, this one deeper and impatient. She wondered what he
thought of her words. Would he do it? Would he finally take from her?

Hot hands spanned her waist, sliding down to cup her hips and arch
her back towards him. It only figures that their first time would be like this
with her chest planted against the door and her back to him—so
submissive.

His hard shaft dipped over her drenched folds eliciting a moan
from her dry lips. This was it. This was the moment she’d craved from the very
first day she met him. She’d finally have him, finally know what it felt like
to have him moving inside her.

An eternity passed and then he found her entrance and slowly
pushed his way inside. He spread her, the pressure so intense it bordered on
pain. Her forehead fell into the door as her body adjusted around his length.
He glided inside her using her slick arousal from her traitorous body.

He pressed hot open-mouthed kisses over her neck while his tongue
sucked and teased her. He did not move but kept himself buried hard and full
inside her. A shocked cry tore from her throat, one mingled with pain and
pleasure. And his hands, those cursed, wonderful hands, entwined with hers on
the door, securing her place in his arms. Caging her so she couldn’t run.

Then he started moving. Gentle, but unforgiving in long, pounding
strokes that dragged through her tight muscles, awakening warmth and erotic
pleasure she’d never felt before.

“Dom.” Her breathing hitched.

Each stroke she felt down to her soul. Her heart had never beat so
fast, and when her body couldn’t burn any hotter, couldn’t handle any more of
the wet hard glide quickening inside her, it locked tight around his cock. With
a rush of bittersweet pleasure, she exploded around him.

Vision fled, thoughts fled. She was suspended in a moment of time
as he plummeted into her again and again.

He cursed in a ragged voice. “Felicity, fuck. I can’t,” he said in
gasps. He landed deep then grinded his hips against her. “I can’t stop.”

Before she knew what he meant, he broke the skin of her neck with
his fangs. The two sharp points sank inside, breaking skin. Strange warmth
flooded the surface around the wound like a little sunburn yet it did not hurt.
She could feel his mouth working against her and the sensation crashed into her
shooting out her own fangs. Her fading pleasure spiked once more and her body
bowed into his until they were in perfect sync: him commanding her body and her
submitting to him.

He surged inside her faster, harder until the sounds of pounding
flesh and ragged breathing echoed in the room. Growling deep, he wrapped his
hands around her waist to hold her to him.

She shouldn’t like it. It was all so very wrong. But she never
wanted him to stop.

Then his warm mouth locked tight to the wound on her neck, and he
planted his cock deep spurting his release on a husky growl. His fangs
dislodged then as his tongue licked at the wound to seal it. That quickly it
was over.

They caught their breaths as the aftermath started to creep in.
Felicity’s mind still hadn’t returned to normal. She knew she should be running
right now, but she wanted this so badly—these few moments of them together,
closer than they’d ever been. Her heart was leaping in her chest reminding her
of how deep she had it for this man.

“So beautiful,” he said, kissing her shoulder. “So perfect.”

He caressed her collarbone. His touch was gentle, lingering. He
reached down and cupped one breast then the other before caressing her stomach
and trailing down until his fingers curled around where he was still planted
deep and firm inside her. His fingers caressed her wet swollen flesh, dipping
and sliding along her lips and bud.

The sound of the front door opening and slamming closed was like a
bucket of ice water thrown on her face.

In a flash, Felicity righted her clothes but she couldn’t quite
keep the tears of hurt from coming to her eyes.

“How could you?”

It took even less time than she would have expected to see regret
flash across his face. That alone made her flinch like she’d taken a punch to
the gut. His head jerked towards the front of the house at the sound of high
heels coming their way.

“You know how I feel, Felicity. God damn it!” As if that made any
of this better. As if that erased her shame or changed anything.

He pulled his pants up and with a little adjusting managed to make
his suit look neatly pressed as if he’d just put it on. Even his hair looked
freshly combed and smooth, not a single hair out of place. She had no doubt how
she looked though—like she’d just been fucked against a door.

He knew where this would lead them, how this would hurt her. Yet
he did it anyway, he touched her. A tear she couldn’t contain slid down her
cheek. He wiped it away with his thumb, his face softening.

“Don’t cry, sweets.”

She couldn’t stand the endearment. Not now, not when her whole
heart was breaking.

The footsteps came closer for which she thanked the stars. It
helped her to get her bearings and move, no easy feat after feeling him inside
her body for the first time.

“Don’t ever touch me again,” she said, not meeting his eyes. She
meant it and she knew he heard the conviction in her voice. He’d never touch
her again after that. She was done.

Quickly, she slipped in the garage door. She knew she should flee
but some sickness inside her made her pause outside the door. She stayed silent
and listened.

“Ah, there you are. I didn’t know if you were here yet,” a warm,
feminine voice said.

“Julianna, it’s good to see you.” She could hear the smile in
Dom’s voice and knew it was forced. The sound of kissing was like a lethal blow
to her heart. She staggered back a step as her heart stopped beating for one
agonizing moment. She’d bet money that Julianna didn’t know that his smile was
forced, the kiss not real.

She probably didn’t know anything about him and, if she did, it
didn’t matter because no one loved Dom like she did. No one. Not even his
Julianna, the woman he was to mate with—his bruid.

Another tear slid down her cheek. She wanted to sob but first she
had to escape. She could never be around Dom again; no matter how much she
loved him or what he promised. Yet, a part of her knew the thought was
fruitless. He would never leave her alone now. He’d find her. He wouldn’t give
up on her. It was in his nature.

But he didn’t love her.

And he was mating with another woman.

Click
here to find TAKE ME
at
All Romance
eBooks!