Filthy Gods (American Gods 0.5)(36)
My fingers trailed along the bottom of her spine and upward and she leaned into my touch, moaning.
“This is why I didn’t want you to touch me,” she gasped when my fingers reached the back of her neck, bending it so my mouth met hers. “I’m horny—because of you.”
“I’m a bastard, I know, sweetheart,” I whispered and kissed her softly, my fingers massaging her scalp delicately.
I stroked her tear-stained cheek chasing the touch with another kiss. “Don’t worry about the wedding. Don’t worry about whatever we had planned, Juliette.” My hand fell to her chest, palming just above her breast. “You’re my future. The only one that matters. You know that. And now this one,” I said, hand flat on her stomach. “Is part of that beautiful future, too and I couldn’t be happier.”
Redness filled her eyes and she broke out in a sob, kissing my face madly over and over and over and I smiled at her affection.
“I love you, I love you, I love you—you bastard,” she whispered between kisses.
“Then marry me tonight,” I muttered into her lips.
Her eyes widened and her mouth opened, but I pressed a hand over.
“Listen, please.” Her mouth relaxed under my touch and I breathed out deeply. “We don’t need a big wedding, not what my mother and her socialite friends have been planning for us. We just need us. You and me.” My hand slid between us and stroked her flat stomach. “I love you now. I love you always. Marry me tonight. I’ll make an honest woman out of you before we scandalize my mother any more than we already have. Calling you Mrs. Radcliffe will make me one happy bastard.”
She laughed into my palm, tears rolling freely down her cheeks until they hit my hand.
When I let it fall, she jumped onto her tiptoes and kissed me, letting her actions speak the words between us.
Tonight, she’d become Juliette Radcliffe.
And no family name, political agenda or amount of money was worth being able to love Juliette every single day—until the day I died.
First off, I would like to thank every single reader who takes a chance on me and reads my books. Each and every one of you helped make my dream possible of becoming a published author.
I would love to thank my parents who this book is dedicated to. For always supporting me and filling my life with so much love and hope and dreams and helping me reach for the stars and moon and everything in the universe. I love you both so much and could never ask for better parents.
I would love to thank Marjorie, my editor and friend who supports me and cheers me on through everything in my life. I have said this a thousand times to her, but she is the best editor I’ve ever had and a good friend. We drive each other mad because we’re both Taurus, but we’re fierce and loyal and stubborn and I love that!
Stephanie and Gabby, you girls, along with M, are my rocks. When the river gets rough and stormy, I can always depend on you guys to catch me and help me in any form. I know that’s cheesy, but it’s the truth. You girls heard my doubts and my worries and lift me up. I can’t express how important you guys are to me and that I love you both so much.
OH MICHELLE. I LOVE YOU. So much. You took a chance on my books and then made it your mission to help me. Your support and encouragement mean the world to me. I’m left speechless at all your kind acts and messages and I’m still in shock (LOL!).
And SERENA! I can’t thank you enough for beta reading this book and loving Nathaniel as much as I do! Your support is so amazing. Even before you read any of my books, you reached out and went beyond my wildest dreams of getting more people to take a chance on me and I can never thank you enough. Both you and Michelle amaze me with how you give and give to so many authors out of the kindness of your hearts and the love of reading and that is truly a gift to us authors. Thank you both for having such beautiful souls!
Thank you to Breanne, Megan, and Caley for always supporting me and listening to me talk about books and characters nonstop. You guys are the best friends a girl could ask for and I love you all so much.
Giana, my soulmate friend, I don’t think I’ve ever had such a connection to another author like I do you. You’re the sweetest, most genuine person I’ve ever met (and we haven’t even met in person LOL) and your support from sending me hot Italian men since I can’t be in Rome with you to listening to my fears of jumping into Contemporary Romance is so precious to me. One day soon we will meet and bake pies and search for hot men and I promise we’ll attend a signing together so we both don’t freak out! I love you!
To all the amazing beta readers, Sarah, Annette, Allie, Paige, Kelly, Julia, Ann, Jodi and Elizarey, thank you for taking the time out of your busy schedule to read and give me feedback on a brand new series and a new genre I had never published before. Just having your thoughts and notes helped me so much. You guys are the best!
To Ellie, for always fitting me in and making my words shine and catching any last minute typos and errors, thank you girl!
To Regina, for listening to me change every single detail of the cover a hundred times and giving me suggestions to make it beautiful and amazing! ALSO huge thank you for the amazing photo-shoot. Seriously, wait until you see the rest of the series’ covers. You’re all going to die!
Thank you to all the awesome fellow authors that support me. Sarah Green, for being an amazing friend and always listening to my random talks! Lylah, my gorgeous Canadian friend, thank you for always making me laugh and cheering me up and sending me hot pictures of shirtless men. Love you! Charleigh Rose, for always listening to my worries and concerns and making me laugh. Ella Fox, for always reading my books and giving me amazing feedback! Autumn Grey, for always being so positive and kind and true, I love you girl! Lucia Franco, for being maybe more excited for the American Gods series than I am and for listening to my questions and giving me feedback AND SAVING MY LIFE! K Webster, for always cheering me on and being so sweet and helpful all the time! Ella Fields, for always making my day and talking about hot Fae men! All of you have helped me and supported me and I can’t express how grateful I am for having you in my life.