The VIP Room(40)

Without letting me say a word, he left, walking across the hall to his office and closing the door behind him. Deflated, and a little confused, I went into his room and did the same. Leaning back into the heavy door, I stared at Sam’s room with blind eyes. It looked wrong without him in it.

Something deep in my heart hummed at the thought. He should be here with me. This was wrong. My protests, though they’d been well intentioned, were wrong. I shook my head, trying to drive the idea away. It wasn’t the time to think about Sam. Not while Nolan was still missing and the rest of my life was upside down. I was under too much stress to consider making a choice that could ruin my life.

With nothing else to do, I went to the bathroom and turned on the shower. I’d taken one that morning, but the stale scent of cigarette smoke clung to my skin. Skin that still hummed from the arousal Sam’s kiss had begun. It looked like I wasn’t going to see how much better it could get. At least not any time soon. Resigned to a night alone, I climbed in the shower to clean up before I tried to sleep. Perversely, I used Sam’s body wash/shampoo instead of my own soap, wanting to smell him on my skin if I couldn’t feel his touch.

I brushed my teeth and dried my hair without thinking about it, my mind turning over the past day, trying to fit together the pieces of what was going on, both with Nolan and between Sam and myself. So much was changing, so much unknown. I felt adrift. And I wanted Sam.

Crawling into bed, I tried to sleep. My mind and my body refused. My body was still wound up, tense from worry and unfulfilled desire. My mind refused to settle, insisting over and over, no matter how I tried to work around it, that I needed to be with Sam. I couldn’t tell if I was trying to talk myself into it because my body desperately wanted the orgasm that had been hovering out of reach as he’d sucked my nipples, or if I truly had moved past my fear of a relationship with him.

None of my concerns had changed. If he decided to move on, I’d lose my best friend, my job, and my heart. It was too much to risk. But if it worked, every dream I’d ever had would come true.

With a frustrated growl, I turned over and punched my pillow. I’d chosen one of the nightgowns Lola had sent over, a mid-thigh length cream silk trimmed in pink lace. It was soft and silky on my skin, the slide of the fabric as I moved only reminding me that I was alone when I should be with Sam.

This was why I’d insisted he not try to seduce me. He was as bad as that piece of chocolate cake I saw at the bakery and ended up buying. I knew I shouldn’t have it, but one look, one memory of how good it was, and I convinced myself I needed it. Except that Sam was so much better than the best chocolate cake I’d ever had. And that was saying something. I loved chocolate cake.

Eventually, I broke. Had he known this would happen? That once he got his hands on me I’d lose the ability to say no? I shoved the covers back and got out of bed, storming for the door, so frustrated and annoyed I wasn’t sure if I planned to jump on Sam or yell at him.

I didn’t get the chance to do either. When I swung open the door to his office, it was empty. A quick search of the rest of the house showed the same. Sam was gone.



To Be Continued…





About Alexa Wilder





CONTINUE THE COURTSHIP MANEUVER

Book Two

Book Three



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Alexa Wilder has been a sucker for romance since she found her first Harlequin at a hospital rummage sale when she was thirteen. While she loves all forms of the written word (so much that she occasionally gets caught reading the cereal box at breakfast), love stories have always been her favorite.



She lives in the southern U.S. with her husband, two sons, an assorted menagerie of pets, and spends most of her time dreaming up sexy, domineering heroes and the feisty, strong willed heroines who will send them reeling.





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Mr. Blackwell: Part One





By Emilia Winters




All three parts available on Amazon!

Tristan was everything I’d ever wanted in a one night stand. He was panty-melting hot with a body chiseled by Greek gods and a lover of filthy dirty talk that left me gasping and begging. Better yet, he gave me the best wall-banging, scream-inducing sex I’d ever had in my life.

Then he completely humiliated me once everything was said and done…

When I found out that my sex god was none other than Tristan Blackwell, billionaire heir to the famous banking empire and a notorious playboy known for getting his way, I never wanted to see him again. Not in a million years.

Unfortunately, luck had never been on my side…

Note: This is the first part of a serialized romance. Each installment is 25,000 words long or 100 pages and ends on a light cliffhanger. For mature audiences only (18+).





Chapter 1





“Karen said that this is the place to find rich husbands,” my best friend, Larene, said.

The teasing note in her voice prevented one of my infamous eye rolls. Instead, I told her, “Karen sounds like my grandfather.” I was pleased that my voice didn’t tremble, considering how rapidly my heart was pounding. Staring up at the intimidating building framed against the dark, obsidian sky, I was struck by how out of character this was for me. But I was a woman on a mission. I was motivated. Yet, I was terrified.