Authors: Samantha Ann King
Sharing Hailey
Sharing Hailey
By Samantha Ann King
Hailey Anderson’s deep, dark secret? She’s been madly in lust with her overprotective brother’s two best friends for years. Gorgeous woodworking artist Mark Allen and sexy doctor Tony Adamo have no idea they star in her fantasies every night.
After a nasty breakup with her abusive boyfriend, Hailey’s looking for a little distance. Headed for a two-week Hawaiian vacation with her brother and his hot friends, Hailey can’t wait to feast her eyes on Mark’s and Tony’s rock-hard, ocean-slick bodies. Even if she can’t touch.
But instead of treating her like their little sister, Mark and Tony have a surprising proposition: a monogamous ménage à trois. The three of them—and no one else. Both men want Hailey and have agreed to share her. The red-hot reality is even better than the forbidden fantasy. Until Hailey’s ex threatens their newfound happiness…
86,000 words
Dear Reader,
Inspiration comes from the strangest places. Every month, I whine a little when my coworker in charge of production, Jenny Bullough, emails to tell me it’s time to write a new Dear Reader letter. “But, but, I don’t know what to write about,” I say. This month, I added to my whine, “People have been telling me they actually READ these letters. Now there’s PRESSURE.” To which Jenny replied:
My usual offer still stands ;)
Dear Reader,
Angela is busy sunning herself on a beach somewhere; we’ll return to our regularly scheduled dear reader letter in August. Meanwhile, enjoy this book!
~Jenny Bullough
Unfortunately, since I write these letters months in advance, while this particular letter is going in the July books, and you’re perhaps reading this during the summer, the truth is, right now I’m dealing with allergy season, and not beach season. Though I did get to visit a beach in Florida a few weeks ago during a conference. Ahhh, memories…
But I hope, for your sake, as you’re reading this, you are sunning yourself on some beach. With a tropical drink or frosty beer in hand. And a good-looking cabana person of your choice serving it. Oh, and no biting insects (our beach has biting insects and they hurt!).
Still, I thank Jenny for the offer, and the inspiration to help me start off this letter. I have to admire the dedication of our authors who, every month, use their inspiration and write such fantastic stories that make great companions on the beach, by the pool, or even in your favorite reading spot indoors. This month, we have another creative and diverse group of releases for your reading pleasure.
Kicking off the month is a sweeping historical romance from Laura Navarre.
By Royal Command
offers everything you’re looking for in a great historical read: rich historical details, sweeping passion, intrigue and, I don’t think I’m giving anything away by saying this, an amazing happy ending! Joining Laura in starting off our month of releases is debut author Kait Gamble with her fascinating science-fiction romance
Liar’s Game.
Meanwhile, KC Burn keeps readers in the detailed science-fiction universe of
Spice ’n’ Solace
with her follow-up super-hot-and-spicy erotic m/m novella
Alien ’n’ Outlaw.
Longing for a particularly delicious erotic romance to turn up the heat inside, while it’s hot outside? We’ve got you covered this month. In addition to
Alien ’n’ Outlaw,
check out erotic romance offerings from Delphine Dryden and Karen Erickson with
The Theory of Attraction
and
A Scandalous Affair,
respectively. And we’re proud to announce debut erotic romance author Samantha Ann King with her ménage novel
Sharing Hailey,
and debut author Zaide Bishop with her erotic historical novella
Eliza’s Awakening.
Meanwhile, Michelle Garren Flye offers a compelling and emotional contemporary romance,
Where the Heart Lies.
Also this month, join Allegra Fairweather in another paranormal adventure in
Island of Secrets
by Janni Nell. And make sure you check out Jeffe Kennedy’s
Rogue’s Pawn,
which kicks off her new fantasy romance series!
Other returning Carina Press authors this month include Natasha Hoar with
The Ravenous Dead,
the next installment in her Lost Souls series; Dee J. Adams’s
Dangerously Close,
which continues the high-octane Adrenaline Highs series; Anne Marie Becker, bringing you another slightly creepy and very suspenseful romance in
Avenging Angel;
and Hunter Raines with the paranormal m/m romance
Sight Unseen.
In addition to Samantha Ann King, Kait Gamble and Zaide Bishop, we’re proud to introduce another debut author, R.L. Naquin. If you enjoy your urban fantasy with a cheeky edge and a sense of humor, while offering the urban fantasy and romantic elements you love, make sure to check out Naquin’s debut novel,
Monster in My Closet.
I hope you these July 2012 releases as much as we do. And that you really do have a cabana person to wait on you ;)
Remember, we love to hear from readers, and you can email us your thoughts, comments and questions to
[email protected]
. You can also interact with Carina Press staff and authors on our blog, Twitter stream and Facebook fan page.
Happy reading!
~Angela James
Executive Editor, Carina Press
www.carinapress.com
www.twitter.com/carinapress
www.facebook.com/carinapress
Dedication
To my parents, who taught me that anything is possible.
To my husband, whose steadfast support allowed me to explore those possibilities.
To my children, who help me discover new possibilities every day.
Contents
Chapter One
Hailey stood in the line at Phoenix airport security flanked by her brother’s two best friends, aka serious drool material. As if she hadn’t been able to figure that out for herself, every woman in the vicinity and a few of the men reminded her. Even mothers busy with babies and toddlers managed to sneak in wistful glances at them.
Tony Adamo and Mark Allen. Too bad she had a crush on both of them—had had a crush on both of them since she’d learned that boys were good for something other than playing ball and tag. Too bad they thought of her as a little sister. Oh yeah, and there was that tiny, little detail about them being her brother’s best friends.
Yes, she was vacationing with her brother and his wife and her brother’s best friends. How pathetic was that? Her boyfriend hadn’t wanted to go. And why was a thirty-two-year-old woman using the term “boyfriend,” as if she were still in high school?
Nix that. She no longer had a boyfriend. After a year and a half, she’d finally broken it off with him two days ago. Well, technically a day and a half ago.
Which reminded her…
Surreptitiously, she swept the area with her gaze just to make certain Daniel hadn’t followed her. No sign of him. Just a few families going on vacation and a lot of business people with their carry-ons in one hand and BlackBerries in the other. She pulled her cell phone from the back pocket of her jeans and checked for messages.
One from her brother saying he and Nikki had arrived in Hawaii and to “get her rear in gear.” She automatically deleted the message and then the phone number in the log of incoming calls, leaving it empty. She checked her outgoing log to make certain it was empty then stopped herself.
Daniel was history. No more arguments over who called her or whom she called. No more fights over whom she lunched with. No more defending her meetings with clients. No more put-downs or subtle threats.
She should have been relieved. She wasn’t. Daniel hadn’t taken the breakup well.
Once again she scanned the crowd, more carefully this time.
“You lookin’ for someone?” Mark asked, his voice so close to her ear that she startled and her heart skipped a beat.
Hailey slipped the phone back in her pocket as she shook her head. “No.”
He rested his arm across her shoulders, and Tony ruffled her hair.
“Hey, sunshine, you’re on vacation. What’s got you so jumpy?” Tony asked, his dark eyes serious.
Hailey tried to clear her throat so her voice didn’t sound so rough. It was too damned early in the morning to talk. “Nothing,” she lied, but her next statement was the truth. “I didn’t sleep well last night. I’m just tired.”
Tony looked over her head at Mark and shrugged his shoulders. He obviously didn’t believe her. His frown and the lines between his dark eyebrows told her as much. One of the drawbacks of knowing each other for so long.
Mark moved his hand to her neck, slipped it under her hair and began a slow massage with just enough pressure to relax her. She sighed, closed her eyes and let her head drop forward. Mark had the best hands—callused and strong from working with wood, but gentle too.
Tony took her hand and pulled her a few steps forward as the line moved, and Mark continued the massage. She loved the way their individual scents combined when they stood close to her. Familiar, yet incredibly sexy. Unfortunately, they’d never crossed the line of friendship, had never even been tempted to cross that line. And she’d never tried to coax either of them across it. Because the simple truth was, she couldn’t decide which one she wanted.
Yeah, it sucked.
Their voices soothed her as they talked about bowl season. Mark stood close enough that she could feel the vibrations of his deep voice against her back. Other voices blended to a low hum, occasionally punctuated by announcements over the PA system.
Her thoughts drifted from Tony and Mark and returned to Daniel. Why was she worried about him showing up? He’d made it clear he didn’t have time for a two-week vacation. He’d told her to go on without him. She’d thought he’d meant it. He knew she hated the cold weather and short-on-sunshine days of winter. Something in her DNA. She couldn’t even wear wool. She was allergic to it. A woman allergic to wool shouldn’t have to deal with the cold—and this winter had been particularly brutal. As far as winters went, Albuquerque’s were usually pretty mild, although not near as mild as her native Houston. But they’d had at least two feet of snow in the week between Christmas and New Year’s. Normal winters always sent her into a funk, but this year she’d been desperate for Hawaii’s long, warm days.
When Daniel had learned that she’d made airline reservations, he’d slammed her against the dining room wall, knocking the air out of her. When he’d let go, she’d crumpled to the floor, stunned, desperately trying to suck air into her lungs.
Oh, he’d been quick to apologize, had said it would never happen again. And he’d seemed sincere. But she hadn’t been so sure. She’d been tiptoeing around him for a month…until she’d ended their relationship on New Year’s Eve. Well, actually New Year’s Eve morning, over brunch at
The Range.
Yeah, the timing had been bad. But she’d wanted to get it over with before she went on vacation. And she hadn’t had the guts to do it earlier. Desperation had finally given her courage. It had been a chicken-shit thing to do, but that was her. Chicken. She’d have felt worse about it if Daniel hadn’t been treating her like shit.
She rubbed her upper arms, stoically refusing to flinch at the tender bruises beneath the sleeves of her leather jacket. He hadn’t touched her in the restaurant, but afterward in the parking lot, he’d grabbed her, shaken her, knocked her against her car, trapped her there with his hand against her throat. And then a middle-aged couple had walked by. The man had asked if everything was okay, and Daniel had stalked away. How far would he have gone if they hadn’t been in a public place? Would he have choked her if that couple hadn’t said something to him?
She’d gone home, picked up her suitcase and spent the night at Mark’s house, afraid of being alone. Surprisingly, he hadn’t had a date for New Year’s Eve. Neither had Tony. They’d spent the night watching movies, staying up just long enough for a glass of champagne at midnight. The three of them had left Albuquerque the following morning.
When they’d headed out of the city, she’d been lethargic and moody. But as they got closer to Phoenix, just the thought of those warm days had perked her up.
Still, she was jumpy. She’d feel better once the flight took off and she didn’t have to worry about Daniel.
Safer.
Her stomach flip-flopped. He’d never hit her…if she didn’t count that slam against the wall. Maybe got in her face, maybe grabbed her a little rougher than necessary. But he’d never hit her.
Still, she’d been scared. All the time. The simple truth was, she’d been afraid that he
would
hit her. And that he wouldn’t stop.
Last night she’d lain awake in the hotel room after the drive from Albuquerque to Phoenix, afraid. Afraid he might come after her to hurt her. Afraid he might call to apologize, to tell her that he’d changed his mind and would meet her in Kona. Both scenarios had kept her from sleeping. She’d been staring at the shadows on the ceiling when her alarm went off at the ungodly hour of five-thirty this morning.
“Wake up, babe.” Mark slid his hand to the small of her back. His touch, his voice vibrating through her, and the endearment sent tingles through her body. “ID time.”
She sighed, wishing she really was his “babe.” So much for women’s lib.
She opened her eyes as Tony led her to one of the TSA agents checking IDs. She handed the woman her passport and boarding pass. A few scribbles later, she was waiting on Tony and Mark to finish the procedure. Standing six foot two with broad shoulders and narrow hips, both men turned women’s heads. Their T-shirts, both white against tanned skin, were tight enough to show off their sculpted biceps. She didn’t have to imagine the six-packs underneath. She’d seen them often enough. Tony was a little darker than Mark—everywhere. Olive complexion. His hair almost black. Mark’s hair and skin were a couple of shades lighter. Their worn blue jeans hugged their hips and asses. Despite the cool Phoenix morning, they both wore sandals. She shivered and stared at her own shoes—brown leather clogs over heavy cotton socks. She couldn’t even wear wool socks to keep her toes warm.
They both had brown eyes, but Mark’s were a caramel brown. Tony’s dark chocolate. Chocolate and warm caramel. Delicious. Her stomach growled. She hadn’t been hungry when they left the hotel, but now she was starving…and not just for food.
When Mark and Tony finished with the agent checking IDs, Hailey purposefully chose a screening line with male agents. Normally, she was only mildly irritated when women flirted with them, but today she was in a hurry to get on the plane, and lack of sleep had made her bitchy. She didn’t want to hang around security while some TSA agent tried to give them her phone number.
She’d seen them accept hastily scrawled numbers as well as business cards, then throw them in the trash when the women were out of sight. It wasn’t that they didn’t date. They did. Although Daniel had told her they were gay and used women as a cover, she didn’t believe it. He’d been angry when he said it, when he’d learned she was going to Hawaii without him and they were going too.
She slipped off her shoes and put them in a gray plastic bin with her purse. Tony helped her off with her jacket and put it in a second bin for her.
Maybe Daniel was right. Maybe they were gay. God knew straight men didn’t help a woman with her coat. But Tony and Mark were always doing things like that for her. Opening doors, even car doors, holding her chair when she sat down. And they didn’t limit their consideration to her. They extended the same courtesies to other women and elderly men. Of course, they’d been raised in Texas like her and her brother.
She wondered if all Texas men still had such old-world manners.
After exiting security, they headed toward their gate, Tony and Mark on either side of her. Both of them rested a hand at the small of her back. The gesture touched her. They’d known her more than twenty-five years. They knew not to talk to her this early in the morning, but somehow they sensed that she needed them close.
“I’ll meet you at the gate,” Mark said before peeling off to the left.
Tony didn’t miss a step as they continued down the terminal. When they reached their gate, he found a row of empty seats. They sat next to each other, and Tony reached into his backpack and grabbed the
USA TODAY
he’d picked up in the hotel lobby.
“Here you go,” he said, placing the newspaper in her hands before draping his arm across the back of her chair.
Hailey’s “thank you” was heartfelt. He’d even left the sports section intact.
Tony’s grin deepened his dimples and the laugh lines around his dark eyes. “I know you’re a bear until after your breakfast and newspaper.”
When Mark reappeared five minutes later, she was engrossed in the front page, but not so far gone that she could ignore the scent of bacon he brought with him. He handed her a Styrofoam box and a bottle of orange juice. She opened the box to find a bacon and egg croissant. Her mouth watered. Sure, it was airport food, but it was better than nothing.
“Thank you, Mark. You read my mind.”
“Not too hard with your stomach growling,” he teased.
Daniel was right. Mark and Tony were gay. Straight men just weren’t this thoughtful. They didn’t take care of you. You had to take care of them. And she had to admit, she liked a man who took care of her. She’d really resented having to wait on Daniel after working all day. As a grant writer, she worked from her house. She’d learned early on that she had to keep regular hours. Otherwise the temptations at home made it impossible to get any writing done. Daniel thought that since she worked from home, she wasn’t really working. At least, that’s what he’d told her. But even on the rare occasions when she’d been gone all day visiting clients, he’d expected her to wait on him. And it wasn’t give and take. He’d never brought her a drink or fixed dinner or planned dates. She’d done it all. And if she’d asked him to do something for her, he’d complained or ignored her or fucked it up so badly that she’d never asked again.
She inhaled the breakfast sandwich and finished her orange juice while Mark and Tony picked up their bowl game conversation where they’d left off. Hailey would have added her two cents if the Aggies had played a decent season, but they’d gone to the Holiday Bowl and, worse, they’d lost. Instead she started thinking about how good a cup of coffee would taste. Mark and Tony could use some too. In fact, she was surprised Mark hadn’t brought them all coffee when he got her breakfast. She stood and put her newspaper on the seat.
“Don’t get up.” Already searching for a coffee vendor, she added, “I’ll be right back.”
Mark hooked a finger in the belt loop on the back of her jeans. When she craned her head over her shoulder so she could see him, he shook his head. “No coffee. It’ll keep you awake on the plane.”
She snorted. “You know I can’t sleep sitting up anyway. If I don’t get my coffee, I’m going to make you miserable.” It wasn’t a threat, just a fact. “I’ll get y’all some too.”
“We’ve got three seats in the middle of the plane. You’ll have plenty of room to stretch out.”