Authors: Marie Force
Tags: #Romance, #Contemporary, #Literature & Fiction, #Contemporary Fiction
Love After Dark (45 page)
“We’re going to have to do something about your early hours,” he muttered without opening his eyes.
“Blame Ethan. It’s all his fault.”
“Speaking of Ethan, how early can we go over there and tell him the news?”
“We can’t go there at six in the morning.”
“Bet they’re up.”
“Too early.”
“Eight?”
“That’s more civilized.”
“Whatever shall we do until then?” he asked, rolling onto his back and bringing her with him.
“Is this the kind of husband you’re going to be?”
“What kind is that?”
“Insatiable.”
He moved his hands from her hips to cup her breasts, running his thumbs over her nipples, which tightened instantly. “Is that going to be a problem for my wife?”
She shook her head. “I have no problems. Not anymore.” Shifting her hips, she took him in slowly because that made him crazy, and she loved him that way. She loved knowing she did that to him.
“What’re you thinking right now?”
“Other than how in the world am I going to keep up with this guy?”
Smiling, he said, “Other than that.”
“I love knowing that if I go slow, it makes you crazy. I love knowing that if I do this,” she said, squeezing her internal muscles, “you’ll do that.” Predictably, he gasped and got even harder inside her.
“And I love knowing if I do this,” he said, stroking her clit, “you’ll do that.”
She came instantly, screaming from the pleasure that overtook her, leaving her trembling in his arms afterward.
“And I love the
hell
out of that.”
Hope laughed at the dirty way he said the words. “I love the hell out of you, and I’m so glad I can finally tell you that.”
“So am I, sweetheart.”
Hope kept him well occupied until eight, when they took a shower together, laughing and teasing and kissing. He would’ve said he was fully sated until her sexy, naked body proved otherwise.
“I can’t believe you’re leaving me in this condition on the first day we’re engaged,” he said as he drove them to Seamus and Carolina’s house.
“Sorry, but you broke me last night.”
“I’ll fix you later.”
She smiled over at him, and the peaceful happy glow on her face filled him with the kind of contentment he’d never expected to find. Then she reached across the center console for his hand and made it even better. “I can’t wait to tell Ethan.”
“Neither can I.”
They pulled into Seamus and Carolina’s driveway, where Ethan was in the yard with Jackson, Kyle and their dog, playing with a soccer ball. When Ethan saw them, he let out a happy cry and ran for his mother. She scooped him up and peppered his face with kisses. “Are you guys having fun?”
“So much fun.”
She put Ethan down and reached for Kyle and Jackson, who ran to her, too.
Her sweetness to the boys hit Paul right in the chest.
“I don’t hafta go home yet, do I?” Ethan asked.
“Not quite, but Paul and I wanted to talk to you.”
“Is something wrong?”
“No, baby.” Hope gathered him into her arms again. “It’s really good news. At least we hope you’ll think so.”
While Kyle and Jackson looked on, Paul squatted down so he could look Ethan in the eye. “How’d you like to stay here on Gansett?”
Ethan’s big eyes widened with glee. “Really?” He looked up at his mom, who nodded. “So we don’t hafta move away?”
“Last night, I asked your mom to marry me, and she said yes. Now I’m hoping you’ll say yes, too, so you guys will get to stay here with me.”
Ethan hurled himself at Paul, who managed to keep his balance as he hugged him.
“Should I take that as a yes?” Paul said, thrilled by Ethan’s reaction.
“We really get to stay forever?” Ethan asked his mother.
“Yes, honey.”
“And will you be my new dad?” he asked Paul.
The question hit him with the force of a gut punch. “If that’s what you want,” he said gruffly.
“It is.” Ethan broke free of Paul’s embrace. “Hey, you guys,” he said to Jackson and Kyle, “me and my mom are gettin’ married!”
Paul exchanged glances with Hope, her smile as wide as his. He held out his hand to help her up. As the boys ran inside to tell Seamus and Carolina the news, Paul hugged her. “I guess it’s official now.”
“No getting out of it.”
He kissed her and then kept his arm around her as they followed the boys into the house. “No worries about that, sweetheart. I’m in.” He stole one more kiss while he could. “I’m
all
-in.”
READ TO WIN!
Take a quick 20-question quiz on the content of
Love After Dark
by Saturday, August 22, at midnight EDT to be entered to win the GRAND PRIZE of a trip for two to the 2016 Reader Weekend.
Take the quiz here
and read about two more chances to
READ TO WIN in 2015 here
.
Author’s Note
Wow, book 13, and it’s still
so much fun
to write the Gansett Island Series! It’s like a vacation for me to go back to Gansett! I can’t thank you enough for continuing to show up for every new book—even when I make you wait ten long months. I look forward to every minute I get to spend on my fictional island with people who feel like family after writing them for so many years. If you’d like to chat about
Love After Dark
with other readers, please join the
Love After Dark Reader Group
.
I plan to keep writing Gansett books as long as you keep telling me you love them. If you do love them, help other readers discover the series by leaving a review at the retailer of your choice and/or Goodreads. And make sure to tell your friends that book 1,
Maid for Love
, is FREE!
Slim and Erin will headline the next full-length book, but I have a surprise for you before then (see below). Make sure you don’t miss announcements about new books by joining my newsletter mailing list at marieforce.com (left side where it asks for your name and email address),
subscribing to my blog
and joining the
McCarthy Reader Group
.
I’m so blessed to work with a dedicated, fun group of women, including Julie Cupp, CMP, Lisa Cafferty, CPA, Holly Sullivan, Isabel Sullivan, Nikki Colquhoun, Cheryl Serra, Ashley Lopez and Courtney Lopes. Thank you all so much for everything you do for me every day. And thank you to my husband, Dan, who runs our lives so I can write as much as I do. Thank you to my amazing editorial team of Linda Ingmanson and Joyce Lamb, who make themselves available to me whenever I need them. Thank you, ladies! And a big thank-you to my beta readers Anne Woodall, Ronlyn Howe and Kara Conrad for always being willing to read for me when I need you! Special thanks to Sarah Spate Morrison, Family Nurse Practitioner, for keeping me straight on all things medical.
Julie’s friends (and now my friends, too) Ashley and Bryan Lopez were such great sports about modeling for the cover of
Love After Dark
. I can’t say enough about how much I love this cover that Ashley’s twin sister, Courtney Lopes, designed after the photo shoot done by my photographer friend, Pam Sardinha, assisted by her husband, David, and Julie. What a family affair, and the end result is gorgeous, just like the couple who posed for us! Thanks, guys!
Love After Dark
is part of our Read to Win promotion in which readers can take a quick 20-question quiz on the content of Love After Dark and be entered to win an all-expense paid trip for two to my 2016 Reader Weekend in Newport, RI. You’ll have two other chances to win before the end of the year with the release of
Fatal Frenzy
, Fatal book 9, on September 15 and
It’s Only Love
, Green Mountain, book 5, on November 3. Find all the details at
marieforce.com
.
Turn the page to read chapter 1 of
Celebration After Dark
, a SURPRISE Gansett Island Novella, featuring Big Mac and Linda McCarthy, out on December 1! View the cover and read the first chapter of
You’ll Be Mine
, Will and Cameron’s Green Mountain wedding novella, which is out on October 20.
Finally, I’m so thankful for the readers who make this the most fun “job” I’ve ever had. Thank you so much for your support and enthusiasm for my books. Love you all!
xoxo
Marie
Special Announcement!
I’m very excited to announce here for the FIRST TIME that
Celebration After Dark
, a novella featuring Big Mac and Linda McCarthy’s 40
th
Anniversary—with a look back on how their romance first began—will be released on Tuesday, December 1! Readers have been asking for Big Mac and Linda’s story for years now, and I thought their anniversary was a great opportunity to get their story out there.
You’ll also hear more from each of the five McCarthy kids in this new story, as well as updates on several other Gansett Island favorite couples. I’ve had so much fun writing this new Gansett Island story this summer, and I can’t wait to get it out you. Have you wondered what winter is like on Gansett? Wonder no more!
Celebration After Dark
is out on December 1.