Fall Into Me (31 page)

The Thorns, Book 2

Rescue swimmer Ethan Thorn is used to pulling people from the swirl of the ocean, but he never expected to pull a woman straight out of his past. Denae Button was the first woman who meant more to him than great sex, until he realized she was his brother’s fiancée. Now the one woman he hoped never to see again is back—with the three-year-old son he never knew he had.

Denae knows she’s made her share of mistakes, especially when it comes to the Thorn brothers. Royally screwed up by her religious-zealot parents, now she just wants to be a good mother. She doesn’t want anything to do with Ethan—and she knows the feeling is mutual—but she can’t deny him a chance to know his son. Even if facing the Thorn family means confronting a past she’d rather leave behind.

A resurging riptide of love drags Ethan and Denae back into each other’s arms. But exposing the secrets that nearly destroyed the Thorn family could tear them apart for good.

Enjoy the following excerpt for
Riptide Love:

With her sexy legs bare, she stepped over his outstretched legs and climbed into the small bed with Nate. The boy rolled over to press his face into De’s body.

They made a nice picture.

It was a few minutes before De lifted up partway. “He’s asleep.” She eased over her son to stretch a foot to the floor. When her second foot touched down, he caught her hand in his. Though he acted to help her over him, he wanted to drag her down to the floor with him.

A thrill rolled though his bloodstream as the touch lingered. His prick hardened. Pressed against the confines of his pants.

“Oh.” She let out a gasp alerting him to the fact she felt the heat between them.

He had trouble catching his own breath. It’d been like this for them before… Instant combustion.

Steady once more, De jerked back. “Sorry about that.” She wiped her hand on the long T-shirt she wore. “Well, he’s asleep for the night.”

“Yeah.” Enjoying the quick rise and fall of her breasts, he pushed to his feet.

“Well, I guess we’ll see you tomorrow then?”

“Eh, you bet.”

De’s arms folded under her breasts. Watching her nipples pebble caused arousal to tingle in his balls. Sweat coated his palms. It’d been a while since he’d fucked. Maybe that was the deal with his increased reactions to her. It had to be.

Still he wanted to know. Needed to know. And no time like the present to find out. Using two fingers, he reached out and caressed the pulse in her graceful neck and slowly ran them down along the vee in her night shirt.

His fingers slid across to drag over a single nipple.

On a moan, her hips arched, her breasts thrust forward.

He stepped into her space to press his stiff prick into her.

De whimpered.

He inhaled roughly, enjoying the feel of her along his body.

Christ, she smelled good. Damn good. He inhaled again. Nuzzling her temple, his mouth buzzed a kiss. He shifted impossibly closer. Lips trailed a line of kisses to her mouth. Greedily he played over her lips. He groaned at the feel of her mouth under his as she opened for him. Her sweetness made him drink. His thirst for her shuddered through him.

It’s been too damn long
.

The fire for her that’d stayed kindled nearly brought him to his knees at the feel of her hands on his chest.

The craving, the yearning he’d always had for her erupted on a groan. He deepened the kiss. His tongue and lips explored, teased hers. His rigid prick throbbed in need.

It’s been too damn long.

“I missed you, De.” He relished her sweet taste.

The soft sounds she made caught in his mouth. His balls drew up in warning.

“I missed you so damn bad.” No one had ever compared to her. Not ever. He wanted her back. What she’d done to him. The way she’d made him feel.

Groaning, he slid a hand down her body to cup her hip. He pressed his hard prick into her.

Focus, mate. Ignore your own growing need for release.

He eased back to allow his hand to trail under the nightshirt she wore. Her panties were wet to his touch.

She gasped into his mouth.

“I missed you, luv.”

De whimpered on an arch of her hips.

His free hand caught the back of her neck to keep her anchored to him. Her pussy was hot as he worked her clit through the cloth.

With a turn of her head, she broke the kiss off. “Ethan.” Her hand pushed at his chest.

He stilled. A new type of tension sank into his muscles.

Nervously she pressed her hand over the heartbeat in her neck. “Ethan…”

“Yeah?” He eased back to look into her gaze.

“I’ve already experienced this…move of seduction.” She motioned between them. “And I have the proof to show it.”

Cold water washed over him, through him. What the hell had come over him? Trying to seduce De? What was he thinking? He hadn’t. Unless it was with the head below his waistline.

No. It’d been more than his prick thinking. She’d been hot for him too. He’d felt it. But he’d abandoned her. Hell, he’d not only abandoned her… She’d never been his. She’d belonged to his brother. A bloody fine mate. A second chance wasn’t something he deserved. Guilt and a rising tide of insecurity caused him to step away to give her space.

“I have to be at work early tomorrow.” She led the way from the bedroom to the entryway. “You’re welcome to visit Nate. We’ll be here by five most days. But…but…” Her arms went back under her arms. “I’m a mother, and the last thing I want to do is become involved with a player again.”

Ethan’s teeth clenched. He hadn’t been a player since she’d walked out his door.

“What we had was a fun time…”

Fun time? His arse. She’d bloody well had the time of her life. He’d made sure of that. Hell, what they’d shared those two weeks had been the best of his bloody life…

She turned away from him to pull the door open. “It was no more than sex.”

Only sex? He’d thought he’d suffocate from wanting her. Even after he’d tried to forget her. De had gotten into his system. She’d affected his life just as his calling for a career as a rescue swimmer had.

When she faced him, her face held tight lines. “Let’s stick to being friends for Nate’s sake.”

Muscles along his back bunched. Rejection wasn’t something he’d ever experienced before. She’d just rejected him and he disliked it. Disliked being compared to the man he once was.

“Sure, for Nate.” He forced a smile. “Goodnight, sheila. I’ll see you both tomorrow.”

“Hooroo.” She closed the door before he left the steps.

Christ. What had gotten into him? And why did he want to prove he’d changed?

Tessa Brooks is dated. Not dated as in going out with men—having dinner and light conversation in poorly lit restaurants in hopes of finding someone with whom she can get naked. No, Tessa is dated. And the year she seems stuck in is 1988. The year her life changed.

With her twenty-year high school reunion coming up, Tessa’s daughter has surprised her with a makeover on the Jade Star television talk show. However, that’s not the only surprise. Enter Matt Toler, the best mistake she ever made. Tessa might not feel a ribbon of panic tightening around her neck if Matt had spoken to her again after their one-night sexual encounter…and if knew he had a daughter.

He had long fingers with dark whorls of hair over the knuckles. They were hands of a man. Not the boy who had given her one night of teenage passion twenty years before, but hands she imagined drifting higher on her smooth thigh, slipping beneath her dress and seeking her heated folds.

Wetness dampened her panties. She squeezed her thighs together and shifted her knees.

Matt lifted questioning brown eyes and her breath caught in her throat, making swallowing difficult. She’d seen those same eyes often over the years. Matt had been starring in her nighttime fantasies since their magical encounter on that warm spring night.

“I’m sorry about all this. I thought it was a makeover show.” She clasped her hands in her lap. If only the couch could open up and swallow her whole. Mortification heated her cheeks. “I’m surprised too.”

She’d forgotten the lopsided smile that disarmed and could disrobe a girl in thirty seconds flat.

“Surprised is a good word. Tessa, it’s not an unpleasant surprise…just unexpected.”

He leaned back and settled more comfortably in the loveseat. His hip still rested against hers, sending alarming heat into her core. She hoped he couldn’t feel her temperature because she felt like a nuclear reactor with the red warning lights blazing and emitting dangerous levels of sexual radiation. Overexposure could lead to fried brain cells. Clearly hers had already been damaged. Had it been that damn long since a man had heated her to the point of meltdown from innocent skin contact? Well, okay, there was one memory, most likely distorted with age, supplying the fuel.

Damn, why did he have to look so good?

Dark hair, cut neat and clean around the ears, was left longer on top, enough so that the bit of natural curl tempted a woman’s fingers. Tessa clasped her hands in her lap before she reached up to comb a stray lock from his forehead with her fingertips.

Awkward silence stretched between them. Pressure built behind her eyes and her heart pounded hard and heavy. God, she felt like a fool. Her daughter had brought her one and only one-night stand to daytime talk.

“So where are you living these days?” Not that she needed to ask. He lived in Chicago. At least he had the last time she
Googled
his name.

“Chicago.”

More silence.

“Matt.” She adjusted her position so that she faced him directly. “This is awkward. Let’s just make the best of the situation. This has to be over soon. Exactly how many hours of footage do they need for a one-hour show?” She smoothed her dress, trying to inch it down her thighs. Had she known she’d be sitting with the one who had gotten away, she’d have chosen something more conservative.

The hot Hollywood starlet needed to go back to wardrobe. The sexy clothes were pickling her brain. Sexy clothes, sexy new look—however, she was too scared to play sexy kitten. She needed out of the situation. Rehashing the past would raise certain questions she wasn’t ready to answer…would never be ready to answer.

“Relax, Tessa.”

She hated the way he said her name. Okay, so she loved it. His voice was deep and smooth like fine brandy. She wanted to savor a sip. More than a sip, she wanted to get drunk. All of which posed a huge problem.

Mentally beating her libido into submission, she focused on the priority, getting through the show.

“We’re supposed to be getting reacquainted. I assume you aren’t married. At least, I hope the show wouldn’t try to set me up with a married woman.”

He smiled and her stomach swooped. Just as he had in high school, he turned her knees to jelly. Matt Toler had been her ideal for a boyfriend—too bad he’d always had another girl on his arm. Even if he hadn’t been the guy all the girls lusted after, they didn’t belong to the same cliques. Matt had been Mr. Popular and she’d just been…Tessa.

She laughed nervously. “I’m not married.”

“Divorced?”

She shook her head. “I never married.” She realized he might wonder about Brianna. Anyone could tell they were mother and daughter. But that’s not all they’d notice. Brianna was a perfect blend of her mother and her father. Tessa groaned.

“What’s wrong?”

Tessa snapped her eyes to his. “Oh nothing.” Just that she intended to keep as much distance between Brianna and Matt as possible. With her luck, Jade would notice the family resemblance and Tessa’s entire world would collapse around her.

As if she’d conjured the woman, Jade approached. Her smile widened. “Looks like our high school sweethearts are getting along.” She spoke into her microphone, at the same time keeping eye contact with the camera. “We have another surprise.”

Tessa didn’t think she could handle another surprise. All she’d wanted out of the show was a new haircut. If this day taught her anything it was to never procrastinate. If she’d taken the time to update her look, her daughter wouldn’t have had a reason to call the show. Lesson number two: never go on a talk show.

Matt stood and held a hand out to help Tessa. She slipped her hand into his. Warm strong fingers closed around hers. The heat moved up her arm. Tingles tightened her nipples beneath the silk of her dress. “Thank you,” she said, a bit breathless. High heels didn’t help the wobble in her knees.

Matt wrapped an arm around her waist and supported her against his side. He leaned in close, his breath tickling her ear, and whispered, “Let’s have some fun and make it good for the cameras.”

Make it good for the cameras, what’s that supposed to mean?
“Matt—” He stopped any further words by dragging her close. She caught sight of his devious grin a moment before he captured her lips. His mouth covered hers and her heart fluttered. Firm lips confidently moved against hers. This was nothing like she remembered.

This was better. A perfect kiss, lips to lips, tantalizing textures to tempt and to hint at the promise of passion given a more private setting. He didn’t try to part her lips, deepen the kiss, although she ached for a taste of his tongue.

Cheers of approval penetrated through the mind-numbing fog. Tessa slipped her hands between their bodies and pressed her palms to his chest. With a slight push she broke the kiss.