Mistress of Merrivale (38 page)
Read Mistress of Merrivale Online
Authors: Shelley Munro
He moved down her body and pressed a kiss to the swell of her abdomen. Her heart thumped extra hard on seeing his tender smile.
“I can’t wait to hold our child in my arms,” he said.
A rich rush of desire filled her, and she made a soft, yielding sound. Leo watched her while he swirled his warm tongue over her belly. The atmosphere thickened between them and pure need raged through her body.
“Leo.” His name signified surrender. If it weren’t for Hannah, she wouldn’t have doubted him, and he deserved a chance because he was an innocent man. Wasn’t she behaving just as badly as the people who were rude enough to comment on her looks?
“Do you trust me?”
Surprise shot through her at the question. “Of course.”
“Then believe me when I tell you I’m not interested in another woman. I don’t require the services of a mistress. All I want is my wife. You.”
“But, Leo. I know the perfect candidate for your mistress.”
He stilled, his lips and tongue ceasing the caress that sent sensations flaring through her quim, and lifted his head to glare. “I don’t want her.”
Jocelyn battled the urge to smile. “But she has experience.”
“I have you. My wife,” he said with satisfaction. “Cease your prattling about mistresses.” He shifted his weight, guiding his cock into her warmth. With a slow push, he sank to the hilt and halted, groaning at her heat surrounding him.
“Am I not mistress of Merrivale?” Jocelyn asked in a deceptively innocent voice.
His expression told her he understood. “You are indeed, my love. I’m a lucky man.” He plundered her mouth with a kiss designed to inflame her, consume her. With whimpers she couldn’t contain, he drove deep, pleasuring both of them. He claimed her with each touch until all she could do was clutch his shoulders and ride out the storm. Pleasure exploded deep within her and it felt as if she were flying.
Leo let out a cry, snapping his hips, stroking into her, then stilling to grip her tightly.
“Jocelyn, you are everything to me.”
She smoothed a lock of hair off his brow and smiled. “I believe you. I’ve loved you for a long time.”
“Why didn’t you tell me?” He rearranged their bodies and drew up the covers.
She bit her lip, before deciding to tell him the truth. “I feared rejection, and with all that was going on, there was a time when I wondered if I was married to a murderer.”
“Me? A murderer?” He laughed a little, searched her gaze and finally nodded. “Hell, there were times when I wondered, given the conviction of everyone accusing me. One thing you need to remember, Jocelyn. I picked you. When Melburn told me he had the perfect woman for me, I trusted his judgment. Once I met you, my decision was easy.”
“You wanted a wife so Hannah wouldn’t bother you.”
Leo sighed. “That’s true, and unfortunately, my decision forced Hannah to react.”
“What will happen to her?”
“She’ll probably hang for her crimes.”
“I feel sorry for her family.”
“They must have suspected she was unbalanced,” Leo said.
“If they did, they ignored her behavior. I can’t believe she murdered her sister. Jealousy is a terrible thing.”
“You have nothing to worry about. I’m happy with you. Very happy.”
“When you look at me that way, I feel loved and treasured.” Jocelyn smiled, happiness filling her despite the tinge of sadness at her mother’s unexpected death. Despite all her sisters’ words of doom, she was happy and fulfilled. She had a husband and stepdaughter and soon she’d have a baby. Three people to shower with love.
“You are loved.” His eyes glowed. “My wife. My lover. My mistress.”
“Mistress of Merrivale,” she whispered.
“Indeed,” Leo said, and he kissed her again, proving his love beyond doubt.
About the Author
Shelley Munro is tall and curvaceous with blue eyes and a smile that turns masculine heads everywhere she goes. She’s a university tutor and an explorer/treasure hunter during her vacations. Skilled with weapons and combat, she is currently in talks with a producer about a television series based on her world adventures.
Shelley is also a writer blessed with a VERY vivid imagination and lives with her very own hero in New Zealand. She writes mainly erotic romance in the contemporary, paranormal and historical genres.
You can learn more about Shelley and her books at
www.ShelleyMunro.com
. Also, feel free to drop her line at
[email protected]
or join her newsletter via the link from her website to hear more about new and upcoming titles.
www.facebook.com/ShelleyMunroAuthor
Look for these titles by Shelley Munro
Now Available:
Tea for Two
Seeking Kokopelli
Lone Wolf
Love and Friendship
The Bottom Line
Past Regrets
Never look back…unless that’s where your heart belongs.
Past Regrets
© 2013 Shelley Munro
Love and Friendship, Book 2
Julia Maxwell was a seize-the-moment party girl until the night she spent with up-and-coming rocker Ryan Callander. From that moment, she was a one-man woman. Pity he hasn’t kept with the program.
Tired of the secrets that have kept her out of the press and Ryan’s fans happy, angry with mounting evidence of infidelity, Julia is older, wiser, and determined to divorce his cheatin’ ass.
Ryan’s long European tour had more than its share of hard knocks—one of which landed on his head when he was mugged. Divorce papers waiting for him at home are a shock that fills in some of the holes in his sketchy memory. But it could be too late to salvage his marriage.
If Ryan thinks flirtatious smiles, seductive touches, and hot-and-heavy kisses are going to smooth things over, Julia’s got a hammer with his name on it. To her surprise, he picks it up, determined to rebuild a bright future for both of them. But the past is lurking with some missing pieces that could bring their hearts crashing down.
Warning:
Contains a pissed ex-stripper turned burlesque dancer, a bunch of nosy friends and a smooth-talking rocker with one thing on his mind. Stripper poles and skimpy costumes may be involved.
Enjoy the following excerpt for
Past Regrets:
“Are we in agreement?” Julia asked after running through the final items on the list she’d made during the day.
“Brilliant,” Susan said with a trace of awe. “I love the idea of branching out into classes and doing hen’s nights is a stroke of genius.”
Christina nodded. “Are you sure the burlesque will work? Are there other places that do it or are they strictly strip clubs along K’ Road?”
“I did a bit of quick research online. There are no places offering burlesque performances in the area, but it’s big overseas. I thought burlesque might widen our appeal and get more women in the place,” Julia said. “What’s taking Connor so long?” She took two steps toward the door and came to an abrupt halt. Her pulse roared in her ears like a thundering train, shock threatening to buckle her knees. She staggered a couple of steps before reinforcing her shaking limbs enough to bear her weight.
“Ryan?” she croaked.
“Julia!” Ryan crossed the room in seconds flat and grabbed her into a tight embrace before she could react. His familiar scent rolled over her, masculine with a hint of spicy green and the outdoors. He pressed her head to his chest, apparently content to hold her against his trembling frame. For long seconds she let him, too stunned to react. Then her shock gave way to fury, and she lashed out with her foot, kicking him in the shin.
“Ow!” He released her abruptly, an aggrieved scowl distorting his pretty face. “What did you do that for?”
Cripes, she’d broken her foot, not that she’d admit it to him. She gathered the pain and hurled it back in harsh words. “You can’t come waltzing back after nearly a year and expect me to welcome you. Didn’t you receive the divorce papers?”
“I don’t want a divorce.” His blue eyes bored into her. Determined. Steady. He glanced at their avid audience. “Maybe we should take this somewhere private?”
Julia dug in her heels, feeling contrary. He had no right to burst into her life again. And as for orders—forget it. She squared her shoulders and glowered at him. “They’re my friends. They can hear anything you have to say to me.” Aw, heck. Ryan. She’d thought she’d hate him… No! She did hate him. “You cheated on me.”
“When did Julia get married?” Susan asked.
Curiosity buffeted Julia in waves, coming at her from all directions. Great. Just great.
She lowered her voice, steeling herself against his charisma. One look at his dark hair, blue eyes and strong runner’s body and her willpower seeped through the soles of her favorite high-heel pumps. Go figure.
“I can’t talk to you now. We should discuss this with our lawyers present.”
A total contradiction of her previous words. Off-balance, surprise and a tinge of outrage ran hotly through her veins, yet she wanted to grab him and lay one on his sexy lips. She wanted to lick along the tail of the dragon winding around one biceps and explore the scaled body tattooed on his shoulder. How could he do this to her?
“I’ve never cheated on you.” Her fault this was playing out publicly, his determined expression told her. He’d wanted to do this in private. The stubborn man didn’t move an inch, didn’t shift his intent gaze from her. “I haven’t slept with a woman since our last time together.”
“That’s a lie.” She’d seen the pictures of him with other women, heard the gossip. Hell, the husband-stealing slut had even spoken to her on the phone. Ryan’s cell phone. Anger and betrayal pumped through her again, the wound as fresh as the day he’d broken her heart.
“Caleb, tell her,” Ryan said, without moving his gaze off her.
Caleb stepped forward, tall and dark and so much like Ryan they were often mistaken as brothers instead of friends. Heat suffused her cheeks, memories of the three of them cavorting in bed blindsiding her.
Damn.
Julia closed her eyes, hoping the two men were a fanciful mirage.
Unfortunately, her life lacked magic. When she opened her eyes, Ryan and Caleb still stood right in front of her, silent, stubborn sentinels.
“Why would I believe him?” she demanded. “He’s your best friend. He’d lie if you asked him.”
“You haven’t met Neil and Jeff.” Ryan pulled out his phone and pushed speed dial. “Ask them your questions.”
“It’s true,” Caleb said. “Ryan acted like a monk for our entire tour. Now I know why,” he added. “We had no idea you were married.”
“Hey, Neil. It’s Ryan. I’m going to put Julia on the line. Can you answer her questions?” He paused. “You don’t need to know who she is.” Another pause. “Hell, I don’t know. It’s not multi-choice. Just answer whatever she asks you. Tell the truth.”
Julia accepted the phone from Ryan, humoring him. “Hello.”
“Go on. Ask them anything,” Ryan repeated.
She glared at Ryan as she spoke. “Is Ryan a man-slut?”
“Jesus, Julia,” Ryan snapped.
“Where’s the popcorn?” Maggie asked the room at large. “This is better than a movie.”
“Shush,” Connor whispered to his wife. “I don’t want to miss anything.”
Julia glowered at both of her friends and received unrepentant grins in return. “Well? Are you going to answer my question?”
“The truth?” a low, gravelly voice asked.
“Of course.” She wanted to know the truth, didn’t she? The pit of her stomach seemed to fall away in the few moments she waited for Neil to speak again.
“Before this tour, Ryan used to have a lot of women. Women are always throwing themselves at him. This tour was different. He still went to the parties, but he didn’t leave with anyone. He didn’t let any of the women drape themselves over him unless it was a publicity shot. Nothing too personal during the parties either, even before the mugging.”
“What mugging?” Julia asked.
Ryan reached for his cell phone. “Satisfied?” He studied her, silently enforcing his will. “Thanks, man. Yeah, I’ll explain when you get back to Auckland.” He ended the call.
Julia stared at him for an instant longer. “Who was mugged?”
“That’s what I want to know,” Christina said, nosy interest in her tone.
“I have never cheated on you. Do you believe me?” Ryan’s face was devoid of his normal humor, his eyes darker and more intense. She studied him doubtfully, taking in the details she hadn’t noted due to her initial shock on seeing him. He’d lost weight, his skin bearing a pallor that was in stark contrast to Caleb’s healthy tan. When she studied him more closely she noticed his jeans hung on him and the corners of his eyes bore lines she was sure hadn’t been present during their last meeting.