Captured Moon: Lunar Mates 6
Blurb and Excerpt
When her marriage ended, Abby retreated into herself to lick her wounds and rebuild her life. She’s found satisfaction and some success writing, and she’s happy. Mostly. Who wouldn’t welcome a little R&R?
Her favorite fantasy and many of her stories revolve around two men modeled after real life werewolf twins Rule and Lawe. When two of her friends talk her into participating in a local auction, fantasy and reality begin to mix. Rest and relaxation never felt so good, but is reality more than she bargained for?
Available June 27, 2008!
Excerpt
God, she couldn’t believe her own libido. A familiar awareness coursed through her just thinking about them. Rule and Lawe made her want wicked, sinful things. Things she’d never wanted with any man, much less two. It seemed so taboo, forbidden, especially considering she’d thought of them as her own brothers for years.
There were other considerations, though. Deep fears. Good reasons not to explore the passion she was sure could ignite between the three of them. That kind of thing tended to lead to mate bonds and the last thing she wanted was to be mated to a Panhandle werewolf. Or two. Sighing, she pushed those worries from her mind. It wasn’t like they’d showed that kind of interest.
She focused on the open doorway leading to the stage. The waitress at the entrance was hissing at her. Time to go on. She wondered how she was supposed to stroll across the stage without literally showing her ass. After walking out, it took her a moment to get her bearings. She’d never seen the bar from this angle.
“A yummy morsel, don’t you think, gentlemen?” Bill asked the crowd. “And I have to say, she’s just as lovely under the mask. Now, where should we start the bidding? Fifty? Do I have any takers?”
She shot him a horrified look. Was he crazy? No one was going to pay fifty dollars to go on a date with her! To her amazement, someone took the offer, then someone else countered. Before she knew it, the total was one hundred and fifty. She assumed that was the limit until she heard one of the dark, honeyed voices that fueled her dreams and fantasies up the bidding again.
Rule’s voice sent shivers down her spine. She longed to hear it in the darkest depths of night against her ear, whispering of the decadent things he was going to do to her and filled with the tenderness she ached to receive from him. Because as physically alluring as she found him, she wanted more. She wanted the steadiness, the strength of character, the caring and gentleness he’d shown her during the last year as she’d struggled to accept her divorce and the loss of her family.
But she only wanted a few nights. She wanted to be able to walk away. She tried to ignore a taunting internal voice. Yeah, right. Just a few nights.
After her parents’ deaths a little over a year ago, she’d taken the plunge and filed for divorce. Why she’d ever imagined a werepanther would be the same faithful, loving family man her werewolf father was escaped her. He was a cat, after all.
The loss of her parents had been horrific, but it had also been a wakeup call. She’d moved out within the week and started the long process of licking her wounds. Alex hadn’t fought for her. No, instead he heaved a sigh of relief and confessed he’d found someone else, someone he insisted was his mate even though, in her experience, werepanthers didn’t believe in life mates.
That was a week of changes. Maggie and Marilyn, who’d left for college and only returned for summer visits, moved back to Florida, and within a few, days the twins had come home too to take over their family’s bar. They were all together again. Sort of.
The twins switched responsibilities. Every couple of months, one would take over the bar, and the other would leave. She had no idea where they’d disappear to or what they did while they were gone. They’d both been gone for a few weeks in December, returning just in time for Christmas. They’d worked out some kind of part-time arrangement with the Hunters, but Marilyn had told her earlier in the evening that Lawe would be back soon and they were both done. Retiring.
Her pussy clenched at the thought of his return, and she tried to ignore the memories that rose. Lawe was something else entirely. Wild. Untamed. They’d grown close a few months ago, and she’d almost felt pursued as if he were hunting her, as if he were going to take that next step and ask her out. Or take her to bed. Then he’d backed off, and Rule had come home to take over. Maybe Lawe had sensed her desires and disapproved. Or just didn’t reciprocate.
And now Rule was bidding on her. Why?
She searched the crowd for him and groaned when she saw him standing at the rear of the bar. Unfortunately, it wasn’t a sound of pleasure, not even the small enjoyment she got scoping Rule out anonymously behind the mask, because standing next to him were Lawe and her ex, Alex.
She ignored Alex and concentrated on the twins. They looked so much alike, most people couldn’t tell them apart. Tall and fit, with matching green eyes and long dark hair, they turned heads. In personality, they were polar opposites. Where Rule was calm and collected, Lawe was a force of nature, always volatile and in motion.
Now, his brows were drawn down in a scowl, and he glared daggers at his brother before turning to gaze at her. The look didn’t soften when aimed in her direction. He recognized her. Did he not approve of his brother’s interest? Like this fiasco wasn’t bad enough, they both had to witness it?
With impatience, she waited for Bill to call an end to the bidding—she wanted to escape and fast—but before he could, the bid was upped again. The voice that called out one hundred seventy sent shivers up her a spine, and not in a good way. Ripping her gaze from the twins, she turned to the corner booth where Gage, the Alpha, held court. His lips turned up in the slightest smile and he lifted his beer to her in salute.
Her stomach flip-flopped. What the hell was he up to? The last thing she wanted was to come to the attention of the Panhandle Alpha. No way, no how. Thank you very much.
She whipped back around to Rule and Lawe. One of them had damned well better raise the bid. She was tempted to do it herself, but didn’t dare do anything that might embarrass Gage. He ruled the pack with an iron fist. As an unmated female associated with it, she was allowed a certain amount of latitude. But publicly opposing him… She shuddered. She didn’t want to know how he’d respond. Thankfully, Rule countered with two hundred. Gage held his gaze a long moment, nodded once, and let the bidding end.
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Christmas Moon now available at Cobblestone Press
Rules of Engagement now available at Cobblestone Press
Fireworks now available at Samhain Publishing
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