Aliyah Burke

Alyse began to shake her head. “I don’t think that’s fair, not when the other pilots aren’t here.”

“Honey, that’s because Wild has no interest in any of the other pilots. He’s picked you. You’re family now.”

“Wh…what?”

Sarah laughed gently and lowered her hand from her cheek to take Alyse’s hand. “I knew one of my son’s was after you. The fire in your eyes and the way he’s trying really hard not to say anything as he stands over there, tells me it’s Wild. I’m glad to see he’s finally settled down. More grandkids is always a bonus.”

When Alyse’s gaze widened he stepped forward. “Mom.”

She shrugged without repentance. “Just calling it like I see it. Glad to see you made it, Wild.”

He kissed his mom and she walked out of the room whistling under her breath. Then he focused on Alyse. She looked positively stricken.

Wild reached out to touch her. “Are you okay?”

“No.” She stepped away from him. “I just had your mother…I can’t, nope, just can’t. I need to leave.”

“I just got here, sweetheart, where are you going?”

“Not in the mood, Wild.”

He held up a hand. “Okay, I’m sorry. My mom can be a bit straightforward in her speech. Don’t let it get to you.”

“Don’t let it get to me? She basically told me she’s waiting for me to pop out some grandkids for her.” She worked her jaw. “I work for this company, do you have any idea how it feels to have the mother of my boss tell me that?”

So he’d not thought about it that way. “Look, I’m sorry about that.”

“Right. Sure you are. You’re so used to having things your way, I’m sure you were really concerned how telling your family we slept together was something you gave a damn about.” She slashed a hand through the air. “I mean, why stop with the night in Belize. Did you also tell them about the night I ran into you here before my first flight with D.A.R.K. and all the sex we had then, or was that for your next family dinner?”

Lord, her fire, it had him so ready to do things to her that had no place for his family to even be in earshot. He sensed them behind him, listening avidly.

“I didn’t no,” he said, working hard not to smile. “I do believe, however, you just informed them of that.”

Color leeched from her skin and she looked around him, eyes growing wide again. “Shit,” she muttered. “I’m leaving.” Lifting her chin, she took a deep breath. “Thanks for having me.” She skittered to the door like a fawn running from something that scared it.

“Stop being an ass, Dean. He’s family and of course he will stay here.”

“I don’t consider him my family, Laila, and if you put him up, I’ll disown you.”

Laila’s gasp raked like talons through his chest. When her parents had died, Dean had welcomed her easily into his home, treating her as a daughter, not as a niece.

The other two—Chris and Tom, according to Laila—backed Dean. Furious on her behalf, Sam began to enter the kitchen. However, a new, unknown voice broke in. “Oh, for fuck’s sake, Dean. Don’t be such an ass. This isn’t even your house.”

Feminine and slightly raspy, the sound skated along his skin, making him hyperaware.

“Nor is it yours, Roxi, so keep it shut. Or else.”

Sam stepped through the doorway, unwilling to let a woman be threatened.

“Or else what, Dean? Or else what?” Her voice grew darker and he recognised the warning in it, even if Dean didn’t. She obviously didn’t need his protection. She gave a disgusted snort. “That’s what I thought. Laila, he can stay at my house, so your cousin doesn’t flip.”

Everyone fell silent and he glanced at the woman again. She was taller than Laila but still shorter than him. Her hair was pulled back and piled up, showing off a slender neck and making him unable to tell how long her hair was. Skin the hue of dark cocoa covered her lush figure. She wasn’t fat, she had the curves of a real woman, not a half-starved model.

She—Roxi—had silver piercings all along the ear he could see. Well-worn, medium-blue jeans and a hot-pink, tight T-shirt moulded beautifully to her body.

“Such a whore, Roxi. Don’t even know the man and you’re ready for him to be with you in your house.”

He ignored the young boy in him who had been thrown away and was still searching for something he knew would always be his. It wasn’t rational. Still, it was something he had to face. He focused on Dean and the hate spewing from him.

Roxi, however, only laughed. Her amusement flowed like warm velvet over his skin. “Don’t be jealous, I don’t want your STD, Dean. Or is that STDs now? I have discerning tastes, you know, ones that don’t include you. And while everyone here knows I’d never let you in, I have no problem with this man staying with me.”

“You don’t even know him!” Dean thundered. “None of us do aside from Laila, and I think she’s enamoured with him.”

Roxi touched Laila’s arm softly. “Doesn’t matter,” she said. “He can stay with me.”

“Why?” Dean sounded strangled.

Roxi lifted her head and stared directly at Sam, unsurprised, as if she had known he’d been there the entire time. Her gaze went over him and he noticed the gleam of appreciation. Her eyes were coffee brown and steadfast.

“Because, Dean. Just because. It’s not anything you’d understand.”

But Sam did. Around her neck sat the eagle, anchor and globe, emblem for the United States Marine Corps.

“Semper Fi,” he said.

Everyone but Roxi jumped. She gave him a slight smile along with her nod.

Sure.

His large work roughened hands skimmed over her bare shoulders down across the tight top she wore during her exercise. He slid them down until they rested against the globes of her ass where after gripping and flexing twice he held her tighter to him. There was no way to ignore blatant ridge in his jeans not that she wanted to. The shrill ring of the house phone shattered the moment building between them. Even so, he didn’t spring away. His green eyes latched onto hers as he slowly ended the intense kiss, drawing out her lower lip in his until a pop free from his mouth. Even then he didn’t move until after he skimmed her lips with his thumb pad. His gaze dropped from hers to her lips and back again. The possession in his gaze burn straight through to her core. Never in her life had she ever felt so marked, so desired.

Five consultations and her rounds finished, Eva sat at her desk and groaned, leaning back.

“You okay, Doc?”

“Know what the worst thing about a vacation is, Michela? Coming back to work. I need a vacation from my vacation, just to recover.”

The nurse laughed.

Eva slanted her gaze to her. “I’m telling you the truth. I am still exhausted.”

“I’m sure you are. It was all that sex you were having.”

Her body flushed at the mention of sex. Cripes, she had to get a grip. “Something like that,” she hedged.

Michela snorted. “Oh, please. You came back looking all relaxed and sated. You can play it off if you want, but we all know the truth. You had your clock cleaned. Your world rocked. Tires rotated.”

She sat forward, hands out. “Please, stop. I get it. You think I had wild, crazy, amazing sex.”

Her friend crossed her arms and arched a finely plucked black eyebrow. “Tell me I’m wrong.”

She couldn’t, not even a little bit.

Michela knew it and laughed harder this time around. “May want to work on that before the others catch up to you. They’re going to want all the details.”

“And you don’t?”

“I plan on having them tonight at dinner. We’re still on, right?”

“Yes, I’m not saying no to one of your meals.”

“You just love me for my cooking skills.”

“At least I’m honest about it.” Eva shrugged with as much innocence as she could muster. To tell the truth, it wasn’t all that much.

“You’ve got it bad for him. I can’t wait to hear all about it. But not now. We have a party to get to.”

This time her smile was wide and full of happiness. Eva pushed to her feet. “Yes, we do.”

Kori leaned against the dresser and crossed his arms. The bathroom door cracked opened, and Lera’s voice filtered out.

“Rissa, come help me with this bandage.”

He licked his lips and strode to the door. “I’m not Rissa but I’m more than willing to help,” Kori said.

“Kori?” Her question was high-pitched.

“Expecting someone else?”

“No…I just…oh fine,” she huffed. “Get in here.”

He pulled the door open the rest of the way and promptly lost all the air in his lungs. Lera waited in black leather pants, heeled boots, and a white bra that split the enticing brownness of her skin. Not even the faded scars could detract from her beauty. His cock hardened and pressed insistently against his jeans. He could feel the call her figure gave to him, and it wasn’t easy to ignore.

“Well, don’t just stand there. I’m already self-conscious enough with you looking at me. Can you just fix the bandage?”

Kori stepped to her side, and the fresh scent of Lera swarmed him. Her breathing became shallow and fast, her nose flared, and her pupils dilated. “Never feel self-conscious about your body, Lera.” He reached for the bandage and quickly tied it along her upper arm. Finished, Kori didn’t move; he just held her gaze.

“Thank you,” she said.

“By the gods, you are beautiful,” he murmured, skimming her cheek with his knuckles.

Immediately, he saw the walls go up around her, and he could feel her retreating from him. Oh, Lera. I wish I could take away all your painful memories and replace them with nothing but good. He dropped his hand, reached behind him for her shirt and gave it to her.

Lera tugged it on over her head, hiding her succulent body from him. Not that it stopped the desire he had for her. Instead of backing up and giving her more space, Kori closed the distance between them.

“Lera,” he uttered. Her eyes, haunted, met his. “Anáil de mo anam.” Kori kissed her. Allowed his touch to tell her things he wasn’t sure how to voice.

Her whimper tore at his heart. It didn’t take long and she kissed him back. He could feel the desperation in her kiss. The need for a memory of something other than pain.

Back and forth along her tongue his stroked. Kori slid his hands down to cup her ass and pull her tight against him. Lera mewled in the back of her throat and rubbed along his hard shaft. The flames grew to raging within him. She reached up and around his neck, intertwining her fingers into his hair and pressing their mouths together even more.

With a growl, he backed her up to the wall and increased the intensity of the kiss. He nipped at her invading tongue and shuddered when she returned the favor. Moving his hand to the hem of her shirt, he’d just slid beneath it when he heard the door to the room open behind him. This time, his growl was one of frustration. Tamping back his craving for the woman in his arms, Kori removed his hand and ended the kiss. Her gaze met his, a mixture of frustration and need within the brown eyes.

“Rissa’s back,” he whispered.

She licked her lips and nodded. “Tha…thank you for fixing my bandage.”

He raked her with his gaze. “My pleasure.” Kori allowed his fingers to trail over her full lips briefly before he stepped away and walked out to where both Rissa and Cavan were.

In the kitchen, Erich took a drink of water and turned when he heard footsteps. Not Bliss, Mateo. He gave the young man a nod.

“Do you have a minute?” Mateo asked looking over his shoulder briefly.

“Sure. What’s up?”

One more glance behind him and Mateo moved a bit closer. “I wanted to talk to you about…being a pilot.”

“Okay, what do you want to know?”

“What’s it like?”

Erich smiled. “The most incredible rush in the world. To me anyway. And my brothers. They’re pilots too.”

“I know it helps to have people write letters to get into a military academy. Would you consider writing one for me?”

Wow. Erich leaned against the countertop. “You want to join the military?”

“Yes sir. I want to be a pilot.”

I know that look. My brothers and I all had that look. “I understand that calling.”

“Do women find pilots attractive?”

Erich hid his smile. I remember thinking like that when I first became one. “I’m sure there are some who go after pilots specifically.” A statement he knew to be fact. Mateo smiled and Erich knew the young man was pleased and so kept his mouth shut about making sure you became a pilot for a reason other than to impress women.

They chatted a bit more about what Mateo wanted to do and Erich answered some more questions. After a while, he added, “I’ll be happy to write a letter for you. You let me know to whom it needs to be addressed and I’ll get it written up for you.”

“Thank you. With your recommendation I may have a shot of getting in.” Mateo’s smile seemed almost too large for his face. He went to the patio door and slipped outside.

Erich shook his head and took another sip of water.

“How dare you!” Bliss hissed from behind him. “How fucking dare you.”

Turning quickly, Erich was stunned by the fury in her expression and the venom in her voice. “How dare I what?”

“Encourage him to be a pilot.”

Didn’t expect that as a response. He raised an eyebrow, unsure of what just happened. “What’s wrong with that?” Erich placed his cup back upon the clean countertop and ran his gaze over the freshly scrubbed woman before him. Damn, she was stunning. Even in her rage, her skin glowed and her eyes sparked in a way he didn’t believe he’d ever forget.

“Look here, I’ve done a damn good job of raising him and I don’t need you coming in here putting ideas like that in his head.” She slashed a hand through the air.

He shook his head in confusion. “Wait, you’re mad at me because I said I would write him a letter of recommendation? Isn’t that a good thing? I mean, I’m helping him shouldn’t you be happy about that?”

“That’s my brother. Mine! He’s all the family I have left in the world and you try to get him to not just join the military but to be a pilot. Get out.”

Erich tipped his head to the side floored by her demand. “What?”

“Get. Out.”

Her face was set in a mask and Erich’s heart fell. “Okay. I’ll call you tomorrow, darlin’.” Moving to her side, he tried not to let her stiffening when he leaned down to kiss her bother him, but it did. A lot. “For what it’s worth, Bliss. I only thought I was helping.”

She stared beyond him at something only she could see. With uncertain steps Erich grabbed his suit coat and headed to the door. He paused at the handle and looked back toward the kitchen. She wasn’t in view. What the hell did I do? At his car, Erich stole one more glance back at the white villa and knew that was where his heart belonged. Bliss was where his heart belonged.

“Bliss,” he muttered, climbing into his car and driving away. Maybe I should have stayed and pleaded my case. All sorts of scenarios moved through his mind and he liked none of them. “Tomorrow. She’ll calm down and we can talk about it tomorrow.”

Damian couldn’t believe it. He almost reached up to his face just to make sure he wasn’t standing there with his mouth hanging open. She was, after all, the daughter of the most respected man on Egyptian artefacts and mythology. To say he was shocked was the understatement of the year. Was it possible to be standing before the daughter of a man he idolized so much?

“Amon Seini? I am honoured to meet his daughter.” Damian nodded in a show of respect. He knew that name very well and longed for the day he got to meet him. He was surprised he hadn’t made the connection when they were first introduced. “That would explain your name.”

“What do you mean, Damian?” Angela asked.

“Her name is a form of Amon,” Damian explained, simultaneously wishing that Angela would disappear.

“Be careful what you wish for, Damian.” The sultry voice intruded into his head.

Eyes wide, he glanced over at Amenitré. She watched him intently but there were no telltale signs that she had said anything to him. “I would love to see your collection of artefacts,” he blurted.

“Wonderful,” Amenitré purred. She held out her hand, and clasped in her fingertips was a card. “Here is my number, call it and we will set up a time. If you will excuse me, I need a word with the mayor before I take my leave.” A polite smile left her face for Angela and her eyes warmed considerably when she glanced back to Damian. “I look forward to hearing from you.”

“Nice to meet you,” Angela said.

“I will call soon,” Damian promised.

“Good. Have a wonderful evening, both of you.” She turned and walked off.

“You’d better, Damian.” Those words rang in his head as he watched the seductive sway of her red-clad hips. He swallowed. His body was so coiled right now; it was all he could do to stop himself from following her and kissing her.

“She seemed pretty interested in you,” Angela observed.

Damian looked down at Amenitré’s card. His eyes narrowed as he looked at the hieroglyphics on the small rectangular paper. He may be horny as hell because of the woman who just left his presence, but he still knew how to read hieroglyphs. And what was on this card was identical to what was on her necklace. Sekhmet.

“Damian.” Angela pulled on his arm.

“Huh?”

“Do you find her attractive?”

“Yes,” he blurted out.

Her green eyes narrowed. “I’m ready to go now, Damian.” He watched as she shot an evil glare at the back of the woman who snared his attention.

Mentally groaning at the memory of them riding in the same vehicle, Damian sighed. “Okay. Just let me say goodbye to the curator.”

Angela nodded. The longstanding friendship between Damian and the curator of the museum was well known to all. “I’ll be by the door. Don’t be long, lover.” Her hands trailed familiarly over the body she had loved earlier that evening.

His skin crawled at her words. “I’ll be right back,” he agreed.

Quick movements took him over to where Jonas Bottomley stood speaking to a group of people. The small, rotund old man never failed to bring a smile to Damian’s face. Jonas had a huge handlebar moustache that was as white as the hair on his head.

“Damian,” the man cackled as the others wandered away. “Good to see you here, son. I called you earlier this evening to see if you wanted to get in here tonight, but you didn’t pick up. Then, when I saw the woman you walked in with, I understood.” He laughed robustly at his joke.

Damian shook the withered hand, not even attempting to stop the grin from crossing his face. “Jonas, good to see you. Truth be told, I would rather have come with you than who I did. She is ready to leave and there is so much more I want to see.”

The thinning white hair moved as he nodded. “I understand. A woman like that would get bored especially once the attention was off her. What is her interest in?”

“Greek history. I thought…hoped this would interest her more.” Damian shrugged. It was her damn decision to come here anyway.

“There is a Greek display, downstairs. Perhaps she would like to see that.”

“I’ll tell her. Thanks, Jonas.”

“Well, it wouldn’t do for you to chase after Ms. Seini with another woman around.” The old man had a calculated gleam in his watery eyes.

That stopped Damian. “What are you talking about?”

“Please, a woman here whose father is one of, if not the leading Egyptologist in the world. Why wouldn’t you be interested in pursuing her? Not that her looks don’t help your decision.” Jonas slapped him on the back. “She walked upstairs. You follow her and I will tend to your date and take her to the Greek display.” The man cackled again and walked off.

He turned her in his embrace so that they were face to face. His eyes were dark and smouldered with desire. Her heart pounded out of control—this was her weakness, this man here. Giovanni Cassano.

“We shouldn’t,” she murmured as his head closed the distance between them.

“Nope.” He kissed her lightly, dragging his tongue along her lips.

“We could get in trouble for it.”

“Big trouble,” he agreed, nibbling on the side of her neck as his hands lifted her shirt.

Her breaths were ragged as he removed her shirt and bra. Bare chest to bare chest, he gathered her close and stroked his fingers down the small of her back.

“Against regulations.”

“Agreed.” He lifted her and carried her to her bed, laying her there and tugging down her pants.

“It’s foolish.”

“Absolutely,” he agreed, shucking his own clothes and sliding on a condom.

“Really, really shouldn’t be doing this.”

Gio rose up over her and settled between her legs. “Career killer,” he mumbled before he sank home inside her with a single powerful stroke. Jaydee closed her eyes and forgot everything else.

Lian gave a smile, which was more a baring of teeth. “I disagree. You see when I met her last night, she wanted to kill herself. Not me. She was bleeding and has proof of abuse on her body. I can only imagine what you have done to her mentally if you did what I saw physically . I won’t let you take her.”

For the second time in a long time, she was met with a feeling of hope. Whoever this man was could he, would he, truly help her?

Exhaustion consumed her and her legs began to shake. They wouldn’t hold her up any longer and Ricky’s fingers dug in tight as she collapsed. He jerked her up.

“Stand up, damn it!”

Lian’s head snapped in their direction. A bolt of lightning sank into a tree near them and thunder boomed simultaneously. Everyone but Lian jumped. She focused on his eyes, even as Ricky muttered behind her. Lian’s gaze had brightened and she wondered if the lightning hadn’t come from him.

Whatever they gave me is fucking with my head because that’s just insane. Why would lightning come from his eyes? Doesn’t make sense.

dialgoue

Climbing down the stairs, she wished for some sunglasses. The entire house was bright, which normally didn’t bother her. Quite the opposite actually. Right now, she wanted to hiss and scurry to the closest, darkest corner and never leave so long as the sun shone.

She pinched the bridge of her nose, took a deep breath, and walked into the living room. Standing behind the handmade wooden sofa frame was Dustin. A moan of desire almost escaped as she took him in. Black shirt—tight black shirt—hugged his powerful arms. His jeans only emphasized the leanness of his waist and the muscled legs which more oft than not were around a horse.

Lucky damn horse.

She knew he wore cowboy boots. In all the years she’d known him, the only time he hadn’t was for football. Wiping her hands along her jeans, she went to her father’s side and kissed him.

“Sorry you had to come get me, Daddy.”

He patted her hand. “Mr. Kane was just telling me how pleased he is with the work you’ve done on his horses.”

Flushed, she ducked her head. “You taught me all I know, Daddy.”

“Never was good with compliments, this one.” Her father rose and moved from the room. “Good to see you again, son.”

“You too, sir.”

His voice, so mesmerizing, had her biting the inside of her lip. They were alone in the room, and she slowly met Dustin’s gaze. He watched her, amusement on his face.

“Rough night? Or has it been that long since you’ve drunk so much?”

She sat on the arm of the nearest chair, unsure how long her legs could hold her. “You come all the way out here to ask me about my drinking habits?” Rubbing her temples, she wished the pounding would ebb. An easy grin lifted the corners of his entirely-too-kissable mouth.

“Nope. I thought you might like a ride to retrieve your truck.”

Her truck. Crap. Still parked outside Denim & Spurs, alerting to everyone she went home with someone. More specifically, Dustin Kane, as he took her out of the establishment. She groaned. “You sure you don’t mind?”

“Not at all.”

She pushed up and yawned. “Let’s go then.” He nodded once, sharply. “Back in a bit, Daddy, and I’ll take care of the horses.”

“Need some help?” Dustin asked as she shut the door behind her.

“With what?” Why couldn’t she focus on something other than how amazing his ass looked in that denim, or how he moved, smelled, anything like that?

“Horses,” Dustin said.

“I only have to throw out some hay.”

“I’ll help. Let’s go.”

She found herself headed in that direction before she realized he’d issued an order and she’d followed it.

“How many bales?”

“Six.” She started the Gator and pulled it up to the hay shed. “Damn,” she muttered, watching Dustin stride down with a bale in each hand. Flashes of being in his arms as he carried her up the stairs hit her. Then came the recollection of her asking him to sleep with her. Oh, God. I can’t believe I did that. How the hell do I go forward from here?

Dustin didn’t say a word about it to her, just put the hay in the back and went for more bales. Didn’t take them long to load the Gator and head for the pasture. He got the gate and easily hopped back into the utility vehicle beside her. She watched him in her periphery as she drove to the first stop where they’d set out some hay. How did he manage to smell and look so good?

“Sorry about waking you.”

She slid out, met him at the back where he flicked open his knife and sliced through the twine with ease. They each took two flakes and spread it around.

“I needed to be up anyway.” They progressed along the next spots, the horses coming up at a slow trot. “Did I do anything last night I need to be worried about? Or apologize for?” He grinned at her over the remaining hay. Her belly tensed as what felt like a thousand head stampeded through. It was a grin that boasted a secret of sorts. Something private. “You’re enjoying this, aren’t you?”

He shrugged easily. “A bit.”

They spread out the final hay and left the pasture. Dustin wasn’t what anyone would call chatty and normally neither was she, but she found herself craving the sound of his deep melodic voice.

In his truck, after disposing of the twine and parking the Gator, her body calmed a bit. Not a lot but in her state she’d take anything. Soft strands of country music poured through the cab. She wasn’t surprised. He had country on in his barns as well.

He had a dark green F-350 King Ranch, and she shifted along the smooth brown leather. A standard—like she had—and she observed him surreptitiously as he maneuvered them down the nearly deserted road.

“You plan on answering me?” She rested her head against the seat and closed her eyes.

“Before or after the kiss?”

That soft-spoken statement caught her attention. She jerked up only to cringe and take a sharp breath at the exploding pain in her head. “Kiss?” she croaked.

A sexy smile flirted with the corner of his mouth. “You don’t remember?” He stared at her, making her take a sharp breath for an entirely different reason. Those eyes, those incredible eyes burned with heat that singed her.

She thought she’d dreamed kissing him.

“No dream, beautiful. It happened right at Denim & Spurs.”

Can’t even keep my mouth shut for an internal thought. Yet, her girlish side latched onto the fact he’d called her beautiful.

“I kissed you?”

“Long and passionate.” He winked as they slowed, entering town. “Rocked my world. I’m hurt you don’t recall it but guess that means I’ll have to ensure next time it’s memorable for you. I’ll never forget it. The feel of your lips, the intoxicating taste of you, a moment I’ll never forget.”