Dear Annie Wynter Daniels Sex advice columnist Dear Annie—aka Suzanne—shuns relationships after growing up in a dysfunctional family. She takes care of her sisters and her mother but refuses to indulge in pleasures of the heart. When she meets a man who makes her toes curl, she’s terrified of letting him hang around long enough for her to start caring about him. All Alan wants is a chance, but the blonde beauty keeps putting a time limit on their relationship. He charmed his way into her bed, but now must convince her to let him into her heart.
Ellora’s Cave Publishing
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Dear Annie ISBN 9781419939570 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED Dear Annie Copyright © 2012 Wynter Daniels Edited by Shannon Combs Cover design by Syneca Photography by Shutterstock.com Electronic book publication March 2012 The terms Romantica® and Quickies® are registered trademarks of Ellora’s Cave Publishing. With the exception of quotes used in reviews, this book may not be reproduced or used in whole or in part by any means existing without written permission from the publisher, Ellora’s Cave Publishing, Inc.® 1056 Home Avenue, Akron OH 44310-3502. Warning: The unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal. No part of this book may be scanned, uploaded or distributed via the Internet or any other means, electronic or print, without the publisher’s permission. Criminal copyright infringement, including infringement without monetary gain, is investigated by the FBI and is punishable by up to 5 years in federal prison and a fine of $250,000. (http://www.fbi.gov/ipr/). Please purchase only authorized electronic or print editions and do not participate in or encourage the electronic piracy of copyrighted material. Your support of the author’s rights is appreciated. This book is a work of fiction and any resemblance to persons, living or dead, or places, events or locales is purely coincidental. The characters are productions of the author’s imagination and used fictitiously. The publisher and author(s) acknowledge the trademark status and trademark ownership of all trademarks, service marks and word marks mentioned in this book. The publisher does not have any control over, and does not assume any responsibility for, author or third-party Web sites or their content.
D EAR ANNIE
Wynter Daniels
Chapter One Suzanne Weston reread the letter as she pondered how to respond.
Dear Annie, My boyfriend and I have been considering asking his friend to join us for a threesome. I’ve always been attracted to the friend and I’m afraid that having sex with him will awaken a dangerous passion inside me that’s been brewing for a while. But I can hardly say that to my boyfriend. Should I tell my boyfriend to find someone else for the ménage à trois or should I take my chances? Sincerely, Confused in Connecticut
Suzanne stretched her back against the padded coffee shop booth seat then placed her hands on the keyboard.
Dear Confused, Sounds to me like what you’re afraid of is discovering that someone might turn you on more than your boyfriend. If that’s the case, shouldn’t you explore that possibility? If you don’t, you might always wonder what could have been. Don’t do anything that makes you uncomfortable, but you know Dear Annie’s credo—if it feels good, go for it, baby.
She sipped her iced latte then set the plastic cup on the table. Glancing up, she noticed a tall, dark-haired guy making his way down the aisle.
His aquamarine eyes were fixed on her as he walked right into an elderly woman with a walker. “Oh God, I’m so sorry,” he told the lady. His voice was deep as a trombone. The woman shook off his apology. “I’m fine. I think you were a little distracted.” She tipped her chin toward Suzanne. “She’s awfully pretty.” The man threw Suzanne a crooked smile that made her feel as if she’d just downed a glass or two of champagne. After the older lady passed, the man offered Suzanne his hand but knocked her coffee over in the process. The flimsy plastic lid popped off and the thick, caramel-colored liquid spilled over her laptop. Suzanne’s heart seemed to stop. The screen went dead and she let out a gasp. “No! Oh please, no.” The man plucked a stack of napkins from the next table and started mopping up the sticky mess. “I don’t know what to say. Sorry doesn’t seem to cut it.” That was an understatement. She poked the power button but the machine refused to come back to life. “It was an accident.” An accident that cost her hours of work on her upcoming Dear Annie columns, not to mention the cost of a new computer. That was all she needed. Just when she thought she was going to get her head above water after paying her sister Laura’s college tuition payment and helping her mother with her mortgage payment. She shook her head. Going even a few days without a computer was out of the question. “Look, there’s an office supply superstore a few blocks from here. Let me buy you a new laptop.” He sat down beside her. The empathy in his expression made her chest squeeze. She set her hand on top of his and a zing of attraction rang through her. “You don’t need to do that. It’s not like you purposely broke it.” He shook his head. “I won’t take no for an answer. Plus I have a friend who might be able to retrieve whatever’s on your hard drive. It’s the least I can do.”
A glimmer of hope lightened her gloom. “I’ll tell you what. If your friend can get my work off the hard drive, great. But I insist we go halvsies on the new computer.” Without a word, he stood then offered her a hand up. Again, his touch started a riot of arousal inside her that spread to every nerve ending. How could she say no when they had such obvious chemistry. “I’m Alan,” he said as he gathered the soaked napkins and the sticky cup. “Suzanne.” She picked up her dead computer and wiped the bottom. They left the coffee shop and Alan led her to a late-model pickup truck. He opened the passenger door and she brushed past him to climb inside, breathing in his evergreen scent. Maybe she wasn’t meant to finish writing her column today. Suddenly there was something—or someone—she’d much rather spend the day doing.
***** Alan handed the cashier at the office supply store his credit card despite Suzanne’s protests. “We agreed we’d split the cost,” she said. Her lovely pale-blue eyes sparked with determination. “You agreed. I overrode you.” He had to stifle a laugh when her jaw dropped. Her eyes grew huge. “Over…overrode? Did you really say that?” Grinning, he signed the electronic signature pad and the cashier handed him a receipt. He promptly gave it to Suzanne then grabbed the computer box from the counter. “I did. Let’s go.” She huffed, a gesture he found completely adorable. Without waiting for her rebuttal, he headed toward the door. Her heels clicked on the polished floor as she marched behind him. “You seem to think you’re somehow in charge of this…this transaction. I’m not one of those women who allows a man to control her. No sir. I watched my father walk all over my mother until she finally threw the bastard out. So don’t think just because you paid for my new
computer, you own me. You don’t. I’ll bet you’re used to making all the decisions just because you’re big and obviously strong with all those…muscles and that deep voice. I’m just speechless at your gall.” He chuckled. “Obviously you’re not.” She bristled as he let her in the truck. There was something so feisty and fun about her. She was going to be a challenge. He didn’t want their time together to end. “My computer geek buddy lives in Falls Church. Mind if we stop for lunch on the way?” He shut the passenger door before she had a chance to answer. He got behind the wheel. “What do you say?” “Do I have a choice or are you going to make another executive decision?” A hint of a smile played on her rosebud lips. He turned toward her and slung his arm over the back of the seat. “I’d never force a lady to have lunch with me.” He couldn’t keep his eyes from roaming over her body— full, high breasts and small waist. And those legs, Christ. Long, shapely, tan and made for sin. His pants grew decidedly tighter in front. “But I might beg.” Her slender neck bulged with a swallow. She parted her lips and dropped her gaze to his mouth. He slid a few inches closer. “Say I did beg. What would your answer be?” He toyed with a strand of her blonde hair, wound the silky lock around his finger. She licked her lips. “W-what are you begging for?” “I think it might have been lunch a few minutes ago. Now? A taste.” The softest moan slipped out of her. She moved toward him, so close he could smell her vanilla scent, feel the heat of her breath on his skin. He’d never experienced such a quick connection with a woman. Something about her—or maybe everything about her—drew him like an oasis did a thirsty desert nomad.
Need quickened his pulse as he covered her lips with his. Then her hands were on his chest, his head, her fingers tangled frantically in his hair. She opened to him and he seized the opportunity to plunder her mouth. She tasted sweet, like coffee and chocolate and desire. God, he couldn’t stop kissing her. Yet he didn’t want it to be just a kiss. Need flared to life. His cock strained against his pants and he had to shift to accommodate its growing size. He broke from her lips and trailed his tongue down the column of her neck, tasting the sweet, soft skin, nibbling when he yearned to devour. But he didn’t want to rush through the moment. She deserved more and so did he. Forcing himself to back away, he broke free and grasped her shoulders. “I live less than twenty minutes away.” She shook her head and his hopes crashed to the ground. Suzanne straightened her blouse, smoothed down her hair. She cleared the dust from her dry throat. “My apartment is closer, just a few miles from here.” Alan nodded and the relief was evident in his smile. She didn’t normally take home a guy she’d just met, but her hormones were screaming for relief. It had been months since she’d indulged in a fling and she instinctively knew this one would be amazing. His bossy nature combined with his boyish charm and hulking size made him a mass of walking contradictions. Nothing about Alan seemed predictable. She loved for a man to keep her guessing, not that she kept any around long enough to bore her. Hell no. After watching her parents’ train wreck of a marriage, all she was interested in was the here and now. “Take a right at the end of the street,” she told him. “Here, the blue building on the corner.” He parked around the back and she led him inside, a little embarrassed that she lived in such a tiny place in not the best part of town. But how was she supposed to help her younger sisters if she paid any more for rent? She knew someday her column would be picked up by more newspapers and she’d be able to afford a better apartment, maybe even buy a house.
All thoughts of her sisters flew out the window when Alan wrapped his strong arms around her and pulled her against the wall of muscles that was his chest. “Cute place. Not half as adorable as you, though.” He nuzzled her neck and a pleasured shiver rolled over her skin. “It’s a dump, but it’s home for now.” He ran his hands up and down her back, inciting a needful ache between her legs. He reeled her in for a blistering kiss that made her knees weak. “Bed,” she managed. He lifted an eyebrow. “You’re sure? I don’t want to rush you into anything.” She smiled at his sweet gesture. “I’m a big girl. I know what I’m doing and I know what I want.” The atmosphere between them grew even more charged. He followed her to the small bedroom and she wondered if he’d fit on her bed or if his feet would hang over the mattress. Not that it really mattered. He wouldn’t be staying long enough for it to bother him. She wondered if she’d be bothered more than usual when he left. Shoving aside the negativity, she faced him and started undressing. “Whoa. Slow down.” He took her wrists. “Let me help.” She dropped her hands to her side as he unbuttoned her top then slid it off her shoulders. Her nipples puckered and hardened under the lace cups of her bra. Alan sucked in an audible breath as he looked down at her. He met her eyes, asking for permission to go on. She sat on the bed and he kneeled on the floor facing her. “Who’d have thought today would have turned out this way? I’m sorry about your laptop, but in a way, I’m not.” He pressed a soft kiss to the skin just above the front closure of her bra. Then unhooked the garment and peeled away the fabric. “Beautiful.” Cupping her right breast, he rolled the peaked point between his fingers. A jolt of intense desire made her gasp.
Alan licked circles around her areola, getting closer and closer to the needy erect point. Then he scraped his teeth over her taut flesh. She moaned and sank her fingernails into his shoulders. Ravenous cravings stormed through her. She eased herself back onto the bed and waited as Alan stood then slowly opened his shirt, one button at a time, his eyes never releasing hers. His chest and shoulders and arms were everything she’d imagined and more—tan and cut. His strength and power was evident in his imposing stance. He reached for her, pushed her skirt up to her waist and smiled down at her, turning her into a quivering mass of hormones. She caught her bottom lip between her teeth, her breath ragged and her heart thudding loudly. Alan skimmed his big hands over her thighs. She bit back a sigh at his gentle dominance. “I hope you didn’t have any plans the rest of the day because I’m going to take my time with you. I want to see you come again and again. And again.” A squeak broke from her lips. She cleared her throat. “Um, yeah, I’m free all day.” He lowered his hulking form to her, settled half on top of her, half next to her and kissed her deeply, thoroughly. Pushing the heel of his hand between her legs, he rubbed her through her panties. Heat spooled through her, from her core outward and inward, pulsing with a beat she knew well. The hard bulge in his pants shifted along the side of her hip. She tried to twist toward it but Alan was completely in control and he held her where he wanted her. He hooked the elastic string on the side of her underwear and stole his hand underneath, against her skin. He rolled her panties lower then ripped them right off her. A calloused thumb strummed her cleft, right where she needed. She fisted her fingers in his hair and moaned her longing. He stroked a deft finger through her moist folds, sliding through the slippery confines. Then he pushed deeper until he had two fingers inside her. She arched against him, encouraging him farther inside. The lush sensations were almost too much. Oh God, he’d found The Spot. She bit back a gasp as she exploded in a
whirlwind of ecstasy. Wave after wave of joy crested as he stroked and rubbed and touched her exactly as she needed, as if he’d lived in her head forever. He used his clever tongue to carve a trail down her neck, over her breasts. She whimpered with helpless need, her orgasm refusing to subside. Finally, her climax ebbed, leaving her panting and breathless. “Whoa.” “Not bad for the appetizer. But there’s a lot more to come. I hope you’re hungry.” He scraped his teeth over her pebbled nipples, covered her mound with his hand and continued to rub her. The pleasure never completely died down before he’d brought her to the edge again. He shifted so he was on top of her then slid his erection over her, only his pants separating them. She tried to grab at his belt buckle but he pushed her hands away. “Not yet, babe. I told you, you’ll have to be patient.” Suzanne had had her share of sexual encounters, but none of the men seemed half as interested in her pleasure as Alan did. He rolled her over then unzipped her skirt and yanked it off. Then he massaged her back, her shoulders, and smoothed aside her hair to get at her neck. He climbed on top of her and fitted his hard-on along the crack of her ass. Rocking over her, he kissed her skin and touched her everywhere. He fisted his hands in her hair, yanking the strands taut as he bit at her shoulders and licked a line down her backbone. Finally, he removed his pants. She looked over her shoulder at his nakedness and what a sight he was. His cock was long and thick, the head like a perfect plum. She licked her lips at the thought of tasting it but before she could make a move toward it, he was on top of her again, this time sitting on her backside. He kneaded her upper arms, bending to kiss her every few moments. “You’re spoiling me, you know.” She sighed with satisfaction.
He leaned down and spoke next to her ear. “And I’d like to keep spoiling you. What do you think?” She froze. What did that mean? Maybe he just meant today, perhaps tonight and tomorrow at most. “Um, that sounds good.” “Glad to hear that.” With that, he turned her over, took her face in his hands and kissed her. Then he reached for the condom he’d set on the night table and tore open the packet. Carefully, he rolled it over his shaft. Suzanne propped herself on her elbows and studied his perfection. Dear Annie definitely approved. But something inside her grew sad at the notion of him being merely for the day. No, she wouldn’t go there. Entanglements weren’t what she was about. She licked her lips as Alan pushed her legs apart with his knee. He settled there and she breathed in the strong scent of soap mixed with his cologne. He slid over her, back and forth, pressing his cock against her sex, building her desire to a frenzied peak. She needed him inside her. “Please, Alan.” She lifted her hips, encouraged him closer. He nodded down at her then entered her one delicious inch at a time. Her intimate confines stretched to accommodate him. She automatically tightened around him as he started stroking. A sweet ache grew inside her as her pleasure rose. Erotic friction heated her up and drew her closer to another peak. Alan’s eyes grew glassy. She yearned to watch his orgasm unfold. But he held on to his control, no doubt waiting for her. He thrust deeper and she could feel the tension in his every stroke. His body shook with restraint that rolled off him in waves. He shut his eyes and moaned. The muscles in his neck corded and his skin grew red and sweaty. As her climax neared, she dug her nails into his back and waited a moment before the bliss washed over her. She screamed with delight as she fell over the edge into ecstasy.
Alan finally allowed himself to let go. He clenched his teeth but didn’t hold back a deep, primal groan. He stroked a few more times, spilling everything inside her, giving it all to her. She held him tightly, knowing this time was all they had. Other people might be perfectly content to try out relationships, but she was destined to fall into a painful, troubled one and she refused to risk it. She’d have to be content with sex and thankfully this was pretty awesome sex. Alan lay flat on his back, still breathing hard. “Wow.” She headed to the bathroom to take a shower. Sometimes guys took advantage of her absence to leave, which suited her fine. The quicker they disappeared, the less opportunity she had to form any sort of silly, sentimental bond to them. But she had to admit, she might be a little disappointed if she came out and found Alan gone. She turned on the water then stepped inside. “What, you don’t believe in any post-coital cuddle time?” She wiped the water out of her eyes and found him standing next to her in the shower. Despite herself, she grinned. “Cuddling is for lovers. We’re more…” He took the soap and rubbed it over his chest and shoulders. Then he turned her around so she faced away from him and he started washing her back, massaging and kneading with slick, wet hands. “What?” She moaned at the relaxing sensations. “I don’t know…fuck buddies, one-timers.” He stopped what he was doing and spun her toward him. He wasn’t smiling anymore. “You’re serious, aren’t you?” She shrugged. “Let’s not make this more than it is.” The hurt in his eyes gave her pause. “Does that mean you’re not willing to make this a beginning? I was hoping it would be the start of something special, rather than an end.” He took her hand. “I like you, Suzanne. I’d love to get to know you better.”
She tore her gaze away. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to lead you on. I’m just not interested in a relationship.” He exhaled loudly. “Oh. Are you involved with someone?” “No, it’s nothing like that.” She rinsed off then stepped out of the shower and wrapped herself in a towel. She wished Alan would leave. A man like him was too tempting. If she wasn’t careful, she might start liking him too much. The shower shut off and seconds later Alan wrapped his damp arms around her. “Would you at least give me the rest of the week to try to win you over?” When she didn’t answer, he went on. “It’ll take my friend a few days to work on your old laptop. Give me until then, please?” “How about I agree to reevaluate tomorrow? If things are still good between us in twenty-four hours, I’ll agree to another day with you, if you want to spend the time with me, that is.” “So you have me on a daily plan, is that it?” “It sounds awful when you put it like that. I just can’t commit to more than a day at a time.” “I’ll take what I can get. Not like you’re giving me any other choice. But do this for me. Make it two days at a time, then…reevaluate, okay?” She softened against him. How could she refuse when he felt so strong and sexy and comforting? “Okay.” He grinned as he held her at arm’s length. “Good. Now, back to bed with you. I told you I wasn’t through with you yet.” She started toward the bedroom, letting a giggle slip out when he gave her ass a hard slap. Why not indulge in a little more fun time. Her feel-good batteries needed charging. But as soon as she got back her computer, she’d have to put an end to their time together.
Chapter Two Suzanne slipped out of bed three days later and headed to the kitchen to start a pot of coffee. Although spending yet another glorious day making love, watching movies, cooking and eating with Alan, she had to pay attention to real life. Real life meant rewriting the column Alan’s techie friend had yet been able to rescue, earning money to pay the rent as well as send her mom and sisters some cash. She startled when Alan came up behind her and wrapped her in his arms. He smelled like her soap and her shampoo and it turned her on that he did. He sneaked his hands inside her robe and cupped her breasts. “Good morning, beautiful.” She twisted out of his grasp. “Nope. I need coffee and then I have to get to work on my column. It’s due later today and I hate taking my deadlines down to the wire.” He held up his palms in surrender then backed against the counter. “What kind of column do you write?” She filled the reservoir of the coffeemaker with water then found a filter and set it in place. “I’m Dear Annie. I give sex advice.” He bellowed a laugh. “I knew I’d found a gem in you. I love it.” She measured out grounds, scooped them into the machine then turned it on. “That doesn’t scare you off, hmm?” “It takes a lot more than that.” The direction of the conversation was making her skin itch. “So don’t you have a job? Or are you a millionaire playboy?” “I wish. I teach biology at Northern Virginia Community College and this week is spring break. What amazing luck, huh? I think we were meant to bump into each other.”
His smile was so warm and genuine she had to turn away. But he scooped her into his arms. “Why do I get the feeling I’m not winning this battle?” She centered a hand on his chest and gave him a gentle push. “It’s not a war. And it’s not going to continue past this week. I told you that from the start.” He clasped her shoulders. “I know what you said. It’s the why that I don’t understand.” He’d told her about his big happy family, his two brothers and twin sisters. How could he relate to her abusive, dysfunctional mess of a family? He wouldn’t get her aversion to anything more than sexual liaisons because he hadn’t lived through the nightmare she and her sisters had. “You wouldn’t get it, Alan.” “Try me.” But before she could reply, her cell rang. She grabbed it from the kitchen counter and immediately answered when she saw Wendy’s name on the display. “Hey, what’s up?” But she couldn’t understand a word her youngest sister said through her sobs. “Honey, what is it?” “Paul…cheating…” She sniffled and wailed into the phone. Suzanne collapsed into a kitchen chair and listened to the teenager’s breakup story. Alan got her a cup of coffee and fixed it how she liked with extra cream and four spoonsful of sugar. Maybe it wasn’t such a bad thing that he was getting to witness part of the mess that was her family. If he were smart, he’d take the opportunity to run. Alan settled into the sofa and pretended to read a magazine he’d found on an end table. Suzanne seemed so patient with her sister, assuring her everything would be okay, her cheating boyfriend didn’t deserve her. Only a minute of two after she got off the phone with Wendy, another sister, Laura, called.
He surmised from the conversation that Laura was a college student who couldn’t graduate until she passed a speech class. But apparently, Laura found the idea of speaking in front a group akin to facing a firing squad. Suzanne’s warmth and reassurance touched him. Before ending the conversation, she promised Laura she’d make the girl’s next tuition payment before the end of the month. When Suzanne dragged into the living room, he wanted to hug her, tell her what a wonderful job she’d done consoling her sisters, how impressed he was at she was handling all she had on her plate. But he sensed his best move was to keep quiet, let her talk only if it was her idea. Without uttering a word, she sat on his lap and laid her head on his shoulder. He rubbed her lower back. After several minutes of cuddling, she got up and set her hands on her waist. “Enough of my pity party. I need to get to work.” When he made no move to go anywhere, she lifted an eyebrow. “Do you think you can check on my old computer? It’d save me some time if I could get back the columns I saved on my—” Her phone interrupted. She rolled her eyes. “Excuse me.” She hurried to the kitchen to answer. “Hey, Diana.” Could it be yet another family member? “Oh, honey, that’s wonderful. Congratulations…absolutely, it sounds like a terrific opportunity… No, of course you can’t. We’ll move you this weekend…it’s no problem at all.” After she hung up, she returned to the living room and gave him a sheepish grin. “You wouldn’t consider letting me borrow your pickup for the weekend, would you? I know it’s a huge thing to ask and we hardly know each other at all, but I’ll give you my car in the meanwhile. You see, my sister got this great job. In New York. She starts on Monday. She has a friend she can move in with but she’s got to be there in a few days.”
He couldn’t hold back a chuckle. “How do you talk so fast without even breathing? And did you really just say you think we hardly know each other?” He shook his head and grinned but if she really thought that, his feelings were a little bruised. “I know you really well.” He took her hand and wound her into his embrace. “I know where you’re ticklish—the smile lines under your adorable bottom, the backs of your knees and that sweet spot behind your right ear.” He nuzzled her neck and delighted at her pleasured shudder. “I know how to make you come with my fingers, my tongue and my cock.” She bit her lower lip and he nearly came unglued. “I know that you love it when I scrape my teeth over your nipples and that you enjoy giving me head almost as much as I love receiving it. Almost.” Her peaches-and-cream complexion reddened. “But I’m not letting you take my truck.” She narrowed her eyes. “I thought you just said—” He cut her off with a kiss. “Moving someone is a big job. I’ll help.” When she started to shake her head, he grasped her arms. “I’m big and strong and I won’t take no for an answer.” He felt all the tension slip out of her. “Really?” she asked. “Really.” “That doesn’t mean I’ll agree to prolong things between us, you know.” “We’ll see.” Suzanne was obviously the sort of person who helped her family until she had no more to give. The least he could do was to pitch in. And buy himself more time with her in the bargain.
*****
Suzanne woke in time to see the Welcome to Virginia sign. She’d never been much of a car sleeper, but leaning against Alan combined with two solid days of moving furniture and boxes had wiped her out. Not to mention sixteen total hours of drive time. She’d crashed the moment they’d hit the highway on their return trip. “The way you snore is so cute.” Alan adjusted his sunglasses. Damn, but he looked hot in them. She rubbed her eyes. “I don’t snore.” He snickered. “Oh. Okay. Must have been my imagination.” “I rarely sleep very deeply. I learned at an early age that I might have to get up and go hide with my sisters at a moment’s notice.” She straightened, unsettled both by the memory and the fact she’d shared it with a man. “What were you hiding from?” “Our father.” She swallowed back a bitter taste. “I was the oldest. If I hadn’t protected them, there’s no telling what he might have done.” “He was abusive?” She didn’t answer. It wasn’t something she normally—or ever—spoke about. “And you’re still taking care of them. Says a lot about the kind of person you are.” He lifted her hand to his lips and kissed it. She was growing way too attached to him. Lord, she could fall for the man and that was the worst thing in the world. “Alan, I really appreciate all you did for me this weekend. But…well, I think we should cool it. Nothing against you, but like I told you, I’m not into relationships.” “I gather that. And if you telling me wasn’t proof enough, I’ve sampled your columns. They paint quite a picture or a woman who’s terrified of actual feelings.” “You’ve read my columns?” She glanced across the seat at him but saw no malice in his expression. “I’m sorry, Alan. That’s just how I roll.”
He set a hand on her thigh and erotic energy zinged her just like the very first time they’d touched almost a week before. “I’m asking you to give me a chance.” Her chest tightened. She’d never felt so comfortable with a man, nor had she ever had such amazing sex. Each time was exponentially better than the last. God, she wanted to keep him around, to open her heart to him, but something inside her lodged a protest. “I’m sorry, I can’t.” She folded her arms. “I understand how you’d be gun shy after growing up witnessing abuse, but, baby, I’m all about elevating you on the highest pedestal, giving you the best I have to offer.” His voice broke. “I’d never hurt you. All I’m asking for more time.” He pulled off the road, shut off the engine then faced her. “I’ve seen you give and give and give to your family. It’s high time you snag a little happiness for yourself. Take a chance on me, Suz. Please.” She wiped away tears. “We’re all screwed up. Diana’s like me. She won’t let a guy close. She stays so focused on her advertising career that there’s no room left for a man. Laura’s so painfully shy, I’m afraid she’ll never so much as get a date. And Wendy’s still in high school, but she’s so desperate for male attention that she falls head over heels for any boy who pays her any attention at all.” He laid a hand on her thigh. “I can’t begin to know what advice to give your sisters, but I want you to open yourself to having me around for a while, as long as you’ll let me. I come with a double-your-money-back guarantee.” His smile loosened a few of the tight knots inside her. She sucked in a breath for courage. “I’ll try. A week at a time, no more. I’ll reevaluate every Sunday. No promises.” “No promises.”
Wynter Daniels
Epilogue Three months later Alan slipped into bed beside Suzanne and burrowed under the covers until he was between her legs. He loved waking her like this on the weekends. Every Sunday for months he’d dreaded that she’d tell him goodbye, but two weeks had passed without her making any mention of her reevaluation, as she called it. She purred her approval as he pushed her thighs apart, careful to never break contact. Her skin was like satin and he couldn’t get enough. He cupped her mound, pressed the spot that always got her going. Then he started rubbing flesh over bone. She lifted her hips in rhythm with him and he knew he had her. She threw back the covers. “You are a naughty, naughty man.” Her voice was deep and raspy with disuse and it drove him crazy with lust. “Thank you.” He slid a finger along her damp furls and she rewarded him with a throaty moan. He couldn’t wait to taste her. He’d just touched the tip of his tongue to her clit when she backed away. “Why don’t I take a shower first? Get all freshened up.” She tried to close her legs but he held fast. “No way. I want you like this, tasting like a woman.” He felt the shudder that ran through her. He dipped his head to her again and stroked his tongue inside her. He took her close to the edge, but he yearned to be inside her when her climax hit. Acting fast, he sheathed himself, rolled her onto her side, then entered her from behind. She was so tight. They made a perfect fit as he eased inside her. He grasped her
22
Dear Annie
hips, pulling, guiding their movement. Reaching one hand around her, he massaged her pussy until she gasped and cried out her bliss. “Oh yes, yes.” She tightened around him. Her pleasure elevated his. He flipped onto his back and lifted her on top of him. He pistoned in and out of her and his delight rose higher and higher. Her face contorted in familiar concentration. As another orgasm hit her, he allowed himself his own ecstasy. Suzanne sank her fingernails into his chest. The bite only heightened his satisfaction. She collapsed on top of him, her skin damp with sweat, her heart pounding against his chest. “I think we can go to the month-to-month plan.” He grinned. “A whole month, huh? Maybe you’ll even let me leave more than a toothbrush here now since I’ve been spending every night, huh?” “Don’t push it, buster.” She snuggled closer. “Okay, you can bring two pairs of underwear and some socks…and a shirt. I’ll reevaluate next month.” He didn’t argue. He had her right where he wanted her and that was where he planned to keep her.
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Wynter Daniels
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About the Author Wynter Daniels is the multi-published naughty alter ego of contemporary romance author Dara Edmondson. She lives in Florida with her husband of more than twenty years and their two nearly grown children. They are all the slaves of two very demanding cats. Wynter enjoyed careers in marketing and the salon industry before her wicked prose begged to be set free. She hopes you enjoy her steamy stories.
Wynter welcomes comments from readers. You can find her website and email address on her author bio page at www.ellorascave.com.
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Also by Wynter Daniels Belle Behind Bars Blackout Burning Touch Customer Service Getting Even with Warren Horsing Around Long and Hard 1: Sizzle at Sea Long and Hard 2: Loose Lips Long and Hard 3: Crescendo Rude, Nude and Socially Unacceptable The After Party Tropical Exposure Tropic of Trouble
Discover for yourself why readers can’t get enough of the multiple award-winning publisher Ellora’s Cave. Whether you prefer ebooks or paperbacks, be sure to visit EC on the web at www.ellorascave.com for an erotic reading experience that will leave you breathless.
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