Wild Card: Boys of Fall (18 page)
Read Wild Card: Boys of Fall Online
Authors: Mari Carr
W
ant more steamy Southern romance
? Check out Mari’s Sparks in Texas series.
W
aiting
for You
Sparks in Texas, book 1
H
ow do
you protect the woman you love…when the greatest danger is sleeping in her bed?
S
ydney Sparks can’t remember
a time when Chas wasn’t part of her life—from childhood playmates, to high-school sweethearts, to long-distance friends. Now, after twelve long years, Chas is leaving the Marines and coming home. Sydney’s thrilled to have him back on American soil, safe and sound, even if his return is doing funny things to her heart.
T
he second he
stepped off the plane and locked gazes with Sydney, Chas refused to waste a minute more on their “just friends” status quo. Together again, it feels as if they were never apart, the love they’d shared as innocent teens now vastly more intense as adults—with a sexual hunger to match.
H
owever
, despite his newfound happiness, Chas can’t seem to shake the memories of his tours in the Middle East, of the firefights, the killing…the deaths of his friends. When the flashbacks grow stronger, Chas struggles to hide his increasing lack of control, terrified of losing everything he’d just regained—including Sydney.
S
omething Sparked
Sparks in Texas, book 2
J
eannette's life is
...nice. Great job in the family restaurant, cute house, sweet cat. All very nice...and boring...and maybe a little lonely. But she'll suffer that price for the safety she desperately covets. Now, if only something could keep her safe from the temptation that is Luc and Diego. The gorgeous firemen are a danger to her libido, if not her heart.
L
overs Luc
and Diego have had a hunger for the pretty cook at Sparks Barbecue since they rolled into town three years ago. But everyone knows Jeannette doesn't date, so the men's lust seems destined to go unslaked, no matter how much they want her in their bed. If friendship is all she's willing to offer, Luc and Diego will greedily take it.
T
hat changes
quickly when an arsonist throws Jeannette in harm's way, forcing her to find security and comfort in Luc and Diego's arms. But the trio's simmering heat is barely a flicker before the men learn Jeannette has secrets that run dark and deep...presenting them with a challenge unlike any they've yet to face.
N
ote
: This book contains a scene of abuse from 16-year-old Jeannette's past.
E
xcerpt from Something Sparked
…
T
hroughout the dance
she’d shared with Luc, she had been aware of Diego’s eyes on them. Somehow knowing he’d been watching had excited her, though she was hard-pressed to understand why. It was as if she wanted Diego to know how Luc was making her feel…because she sensed that made Diego happy.
Which was bizarre, because she had no idea if that was true or not.
Diego took her into his arms, tugging her until her breasts were pressed firmly against his chest. He didn’t ask, didn’t hesitate. He simply took. While that idea should terrify her, it didn’t. Instead, he had a way of making her feel cherished, safe, protected.
Like Luc, Diego was a skilled dancer. With subtle pushes and pulls, he guided them, taking over so that she could just enjoy the moment.
“You liked Luc’s kiss.”
It wasn’t a question, but she answered anyway. “Yes.”
“I liked watching it.”
“I know,” she whispered.
“Do you understand now?”
It was a vague question, but Jeannette didn’t need clarification. She knew what he was alluding to. She nodded.
“You feel it to. I can see it in your eyes. Even though you’re dancing with me, focused just on me, you know he’s there watching us. It makes you hot and shivery inside, doesn’t it?”
She swallowed, struggling to find her voice. “It does, but—” She tried to stop herself, tried to beat back the fears. It appeared Nettie refused to go down without a fight.
“But nothing.” Diego tightened his grip. However, this time she couldn’t sink into the embrace. Her back stiffened as self-preservation and years of running away ganged up on her.
He loosened his hold, tipping her chin up, forcing her to face him. “We’re going to take this nice and slow, Jeannette. But we’re not stopping.”
“I can’t…do…” Again, the words died. She couldn’t go where they wanted to take her. But damn if she didn’t want them to try anyway.
“You can’t tonight. I can see that. But we’re not going to stop trying. We’ve got as many nights as we need, all the time in the world.”
She frowned and asked the question that had tormented her since they’d pulled her into the park and insisted on this date. “Why would you go to all that trouble?”
“If this weren’t our first date, I’d take you home and turn you over my knee for that. Even now, I’m sorely tempted.”
Had he seriously just threatened to spank her? And was she honestly disappointed he was resisting? God, this whole night was confusing. And maddening. And sexy as hell.
Regardless, her spine stiffened. “All I’m saying is, you and Luc could basically have your pick of women around here. I’m not sure why you’d want—”
Diego placed his finger over her lips. “I’m going to advise you to stop while you’re ahead. If I hear one more self-deprecating comment come out of those pretty lips of yours tonight, I won’t be held responsible for my actions. And believe me, angel, as much as you might want to tempt me on that, you aren’t ready for it.”
Jeannette wasn’t sure how to reply. Diego’s thumb stroked her lower lip, his gaze glued to her mouth like a starving man eyeing a steak.
Though the slow music continued to fill the air, couples swaying back and forth around them, neither of them moved. Instead, they stood there, on the edge of the floor, and looked at each other.
Diego didn’t seek to close the distance between them. In fact, it seemed as if he were waiting for something. Waiting for
her
.
“Kiss me,” she whispered.
He smiled at her request. He had been waiting for an invitation. “That wasn’t so hard, was it?”
W
riting
a book was number one on Mari Carr’s bucket list. Now her computer is jammed full of stories — novels, novellas, short stories and dead-ends. A
New York Times
and
USA TODAY
bestseller, Mari finds time for writing by squeezing it into the hours between 3 a.m. and daybreak when her family is asleep.
You can visit Mari’s
website
at www.maricarr.com. She is also on
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and
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.
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