Danube Adele's Blog

GREETINGS, FRIENDS!!!

It’s that magical time of year where I wear sweaters, even when the temperature is only in the 70’s; popcorn and hot cocoa mix are stored in the cupboard religiously, and sentimentality rules the house with every decoration that gets put up. At this point, my kids don’t even eyeroll anymore. They know that when I pull out that art project they made in kindergarten or first or second, etc., I have to tearfully hug them close because I still see them as those adorable five-year-olds even though they are now twenty. They are identical twin boys.

My biggest achievement? I accomplished the impossible. It only took 22 years of marriage, but my husband can be called a holiday movie addict who now loves Christmas. It’s his crack during this time of year, particularly the ones that have Santa magic in them. The big, bad biologist, the scientist that relies on data points, looks for Santa magic in his Hallmark Christmas movies. Isn’t that adorable? For that reason, new Hallmark movies are lovingly DVR’ed so as not to miss favorite ones. And yes, there are favorite ones.

Some final BIG NEWS.…drumroll please…I HAVE A COVER REVEAL! KEEP SCROLLING TO SEE IT! Coming out December 29th is DIAMONDS ON THE WATER, Hermosa Beach Memoirs, #3. I’m so excited because this last year was one of the hardest I’ve lived through in my life. I don’t say that lightly. I wasn’t sure I’d get this book finished, and yet, here it is.

I wish you all a restful holiday season, and part of that rest might include a new book boyfriend named Magnus. See for yourself! HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!!

All my best,

Danube Adele

I hate Magnus Johanson. He’s a rude, grumpy, boss-tyrant who’s never satisfied with anything I do at the bar

Yes, he’s got big, delicious muscles that I would normally want to squeeze like I was testing fruit at the grocery store. Fine, his arm tattoos are hot and make me wonder what else he’s got going on under the T-shirt that’s stretched taught across his pecs. And, whatever. His sharp, gray eyes are sexy, particularly on the rare occasion they’ve turned smokey and tracked me across the bar. Doesn’t channge anything. He still sees me as who I was and not who I am. So why do I fantasize about climbing his big, sexy body?

Bethany Roman is the perfect poster child of spoiled entitlement. Princess. Diva. And capable of pissing me off like no other.

I may have noticed that she has warm, rich, chocolate doe-eyes that sometimes hint at a deep vulnerability when I catch her off-guard. And for some reason, when she gets ticked and goes toe-to-toe with me, it makes me hard, so I piss her off at every opportunity. Of course, I’ve noticed she’s got a body that would rock a swimsuit edition of Sports Illustrated. But she’s only ever cared about herself, and I want no part of that.

Except I can’t ignore this driving need to claim her. Make her mine.

Happy Holidays! It’s officially BLACK FRIDAY, and to kick off an awesome holiday season, I wanted to offer a FREE BOOK! It’s a three-day event to celebrate the joys of the season! Friday through Sunday, on 11/25, 11/26, and 11/27, you can click one of the links provided and get your copy for FREE!

Mason is ex-military with PTSD and torturous secrets that are forever locked in his mind. He isolates himself from attachments at the same time that his dark, brooding gaze tracks Layla, the girl he’s silently obsessed with. Then one day, she comes to him with a proposal. 

Layla is fiercely single, a survivor of her own past, but when a single look from Mason makes her body burn with newfound desire, she finds the courage to approach him. Her offer? Sex with no strings, no hearts, no flowers. Definitely no commitment.

It seems the perfect arrangement, unless their hearts decide they are perfect for each other.

This book is hot, hot, hot with steamy scenes! Lots of good feels. No cheating and guaranteed HEA. Heroine has a few short moments where she remembers past abuse, so if you find this to be a sensitive topic, it may not be the book for you.

CLICK HERE TO GET YOUR COPY!!!

I’m so excited to bring this book out into the world!

I wasn’t sure it was going to happen. My family is going through a challenging time, and I was certain I would have to put this off indefinitely. To be honest, it’s been a pretty rough couple of months. We’ve been working to handle some heavy issues over here. Luckily, the book was far enough along, and with enough late nights thrown in there (who needs sleep, right?), I managed to push on through. I would love to know what you think.

Happy Holidays!

Danube

WHO DOESN’T LIKE A STEAMY READ?

Meet Blessing Mendoza: chic geek, badass game designer, unapologetically irreverent, and a fiercely loyal ride or die kind of friend.
Her RPG (role playing game) is her heart and soul. It’s been years in the making. She designed the art, developed the story, and completed the coding. It’s beautiful, ethereal, magical, steampunk fantasy, and already, rumors about it are spreading in the tech world.

Meet Ian Patrick: tall, dark, sexy AF, and ruthless when it comes to the business of game design.

He’s moved in next door with a plan to negotiate for the rights to the game that will solidify his control of the company he works for, Gamecon, Inc. The only problem is she refuses to engage. She disdains the company he represents, seeing it as a soulless entity lacking any integrity. And he knows she’s right.

A complication? He might be falling for her. A further complication? He might want to jump ship and join her team.

LEARN MORE!

Happy Holidays!

It’s that time of year again. Hopefully you are gearing up for a lovely, relaxing time with the meaningful people in your life. And, if you’re anything like me, you are also setting aside some time to curl up and read something fun and sexy. It’s my pleasure to help with that goal! To be honest, I wasn’t sure I was going to meet my deadline for this book. Due to some serious, personal, family health issues, I very nearly needed to reschedule the release date. Fortunately, the book was close enough to completion that I was able to squirrel away some time and finish. So, here we are! I’m counting down the days until the book goes live.

DECEMBER 18TH! PREORDER NOW!

FIERY BLESSING

Meet Blessing Mendoza: chic geek, badass game designer, unapologetically irreverent, and a fiercely loyal ride or die kind of friend.
Her RPG (role playing game) is her heart and soul. It’s been years in the making. She designed the art, developed the story, and completed the coding. It’s beautiful, ethereal, magical, steampunk fantasy, and already, rumors about it are spreading in the tech world.

Meet Ian Patrick: tall, dark, sexy AF, and ruthless when it comes to the business of game design.

He’s moved in next door with a plan to negotiate for the rights to the game that will solidify his control of the company he works for, Gamecon, Inc. The only problem is she refuses to engage. She disdains the company he represents, seeing it as a soulless entity lacking any integrity. And he knows she’s right.

A complication? He might be falling for her. A further complication? He might want to jump ship and join her team.

PREORDER NOW!

The setting of my new series, Hermosa Beach Memoirs, takes place in Hermosa Beach, which is a real place in southern California. It is seriously my favorite beach to go to. It’s gorgeous, the water is a beautiful blue, particularly when the sky is clear, and during the week, there are not many people out. In the book, the places, are made up, but if you haven’t been here, I hope you take the chance to splash around and lay out under the sun to dry.

The Pacific Ocean is not as warm as you might wish it to be, but when it is a million degrees inland, a cool dip feels amazing. The trick, and if you have a pool you know this to be true, is to master the technique of a controlled freeze. Right? You have to be cold to be warm. Let the frigid water do what it will, rush up into all your nooks and crannies, and stand in the chilly air for a minute. You have to be wet and extra cold. Then, the magic happens. The water suddenly feels lovely.

That’s how I found myself diving through the waves a few weeks ago with my family. Due to COVID, I had not been to the beach in a long while, but it is one of my favorite places to be in the summer. It’s the inspiration for my book: One Breath to the Next.

HERMOSA BEACH MEMOIRS, #1 One Breath to the Next

TO KNOW MASON IS TO LOVE HIM!

Meet Mason: military vet with PTSD – gym owner. Layla is the girl he can’t live without – the catch? She’s fighting a past that’s left her feeling burned, but she’s just as obsessed with him. Her offer? Sex – no hearts, no flowers, no strings. How could he say no?

This is a steamy read with a military vet who doesn’t believe he deserves to find happiness, and a woman who could inspire him to try. They may just be perfect for each other.

LEARN MORE HERE!

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Have you ever had those friends – those ride or die kind of friends – the kind that are your chosen family? This is the second book in the series Kiss and Tell that shows a group of exactly those kind of friends – friends who know you, love you, and accept you for who you are. In Truth or Dare, the steamy holiday merriment continues with Topher and Simone. They are ride or die friends who’ve each been orphaned in one way or another by their families, who have come to rely on each other, trust each other, but maybe, they have even more going on.

Mammoth Lakes, California is the setting for this set of holiday There’s no way to read just one book, right? The friends – chosen family – who get together for the holidays in the series Kiss and Tell are having a fantastic time celebrating life and love. This can be read alone if you have not read book 1 Winter Heat, but if you already read Beck and Cat’s story, then you know its time to find out what happened next with Topher and Simone. Let me tell you, it is totally hot, but with all the love.

I do have a friend that is requesting a prequel on this – you now who you are, and I’m thinking about it. (:

How much fun is it to rent a place in the mountains with your best friends for a holiday weekend? Some of my absolute favorite memories are exactly that. Renting a cabin in Yosemite, Mammoth Lakes, or Lake Tahoe, during the winter, is an absolute blast. Cooking together, goofing on each other, cutting loose as you can only do with your best friends is part of what makes life good.

Seeing as how it’s starting to get hot out there, I thought we could cool off by celebrating Christmas in July. Kiss and Tell is the the series that takes you back to those times. It begins with Winter Heat, and a misunderstanding that results in Cat being handcuffed to Beck until she faces the truth. They could only ever belong to each other. The idea for this came partly because a friend of mine actually went through a similar situation while in college. It was a game they signed up for – (there’s a plot bunny, right?) – and they were handcuffed to someone for a period of time. Yowza!

It sounded like too much fun, so I turned it into a steamy read with lots of feels. Happy Reading!!!

Who was going crazy this last year being stuck in the house? Me! Who is ready to see the world get back on a more normal trajectory? Me! Who is ready to let loose and have some vacation time? Me, me, me! I imagine a lot of us are feeling the same way. It’s time to look for adventure. It’s time to let loose. It’s time for some fun. One way to have that fun is to pull out a steamy beach read. If you can get to the beach, SCORE! If not, the next best thing is to read something that takes place at the beach.

I started a new series called Hermosa Beach Memoirs, and the first book is One Breath to the Next. If you like sizzling heat combined with heartfelt sweetness, you are going to love meeting Layla and Mason.

What kind of Valentine’s Day day lights your fire?

Do you look for sweet sentiment or a sexy encounter with a great big wow factor? I’ve gotta say, the best way to celebrate this holiday is to have a bit of both, wouldn’t you agree? As my husband’s friend used to say, make sure to have your “date” before you go out to have your dinner whenever possible.

If you’re lucky, you might end up a sweaty mess, wearing his t-shirt and ordering a pizza rather than going out because let’s face it. Sex has to be messy if you’re doing it justice, right? Of course, all of that delicious spontaneity hits pause when you have teenagers roaming the house. Sometimes, life dictates if you’re going to get sugar or spice.

However, having said that, I have to tell you, I’m working on an erotic holiday romance series called WINTER HEAT that will come out later this year, and it’s making my imagination rev on overdrive. Characters are playing Truth or Dare – the adult version – and it is hot, hot, hot. I’ll include a short excerpt so you can catch my drift, but it gets me thinking about other games that might be fun to create with your valentine. What about a modified version of spin the bottle? Create a series of erotic suggestions with some juicy verbs and sexy nouns spaced around a circular pattern, an empty bottle set it in the center and a glass of something bubbly. Oh! Be sure to dress appropriately (wink, wink) and spin for some playful, exciting foreplay. Wouldn’t that be fun? Get as wild, or not, as you’d like. Don’t forget the toys. You know which ones I’m talking about? The make-you-feel-good kind of toys.

Am I going too far? If I haven’t scared you away yet, keep reading for a taste of what I’ve got on the back burner. And, there’s a giveaway link at the bottom you don’t want to miss!

The excerpt is the first couple of pages of my novela (still a work in progress) titled TRUTH or DARE. A group of friends get together in a cabin up in the Sierra’s for some holiday cheer, but two of these friends might be ready to acknowledge the attraction they’ve both been secretly hiding from each other:

TOPHER

I followed her down the hall, surprising her when I called her name. “Simone.”

            She whirled around nearly through the bedroom door. I could see the bed was unmade, the sheets rumpled and looking all too inviting. I wanted to walk her backward until we both tumbled down and wrapped up in those sheets.

            “Topher.” Her eyes were wide, the vein in her neck
jumping. She swallowed, pursing her lips the slightest bit as she did so.
Fucking edible.

            I tore my gaze away to look back into her eyes. “I wanted
to talk about last night.”

            “Last night?” Her voice hit a high note, a falsetto with
a quick flash of a shiny, plastic smile. “What is there to talk about? We were
just having a little fun, right? No big deal.”

            I wasn’t surprised she was going to play it like this,
but I was ready for it, countered her question with a grin that called bullshit
on what she was trying to say. Moving closer, I lowered my voice. “I think we
have a lot to say. Or are you too chicken?”

            That caught her off-guard. Her smile died and her
stubborn came out with a chin thrust. “Not at all. I don’t have anything to be
afraid of.”

            “Truth or dare, Simone?”

            She laughed but shook her head with disbelief. “I’m not
drinking with you.”

            “No drinking involved. I want you sober.”

            “C’mon. It was a silly game when we were all drunk.”

            “Then you are
scared.”

            “No, I’m not scared.” Her exasperation was plain. “I just
think this is silly.”

            “I’m talking about our own personal truth or dare game.
We start it just between us right now.”

            That took her a moment to process. Then her eyes narrowed
the slightest bit, searching my face for hidden motivation or meaning, likely,
before murmuring, “Just us?”

            “We don’t tell the others.”

            Her teeth pulled nervously at her bottom lip, worrying it.
Then her eyes dipped to linger on my lips, maybe remembering the kiss in the
hot tub, a fire smoking in their depths. Still, she hesitated, her tone a
damper as she murmured, “Topher—”

            I didn’t let her think too much. I moved into her space
and whispered my demand. “Truth or dare.”

            She met my eyes, the fire burning hotter. As much as she
might not want it to be true, this game excited her. It took a moment for her
to figure out her response. Almost hesitantly, she said, “Dare.”

            “I dare you not to wear panties for the rest of the day. Take off the ones you’re wearing and hand them to me. Now.”

~ ~ ~ ~

Thanks so much for stopping by! I’d love to hear your thoughts on the excerpt, and what kind of cool and amazing Valentine Day hijinks you’ve managed to pull off. Or maybe, you have a funny tale to tell of something that didn’t go so well? Maybe you have a great plan you can share with the rest of us!

In any case, have a great Valentine’s Day, and make sure to treat yourself!

Don’t forget to join my newsletter to get the latest deals, excerpts, and news about what I have coming out. Currently, there is a fabulous giveaway where you could not only win a copy of my newest release Dreams of a Fierce Heart, book #4 of the Dreamwalkers series, but you could win BIG with 45 novels and an eReader thrown in besides! Click on the link below.

My new book is out, and I’ve been dying to share it with you. This is Dreams of a Fierce Heart, Book #4 in the Dreamwalkers series, and it’s all about Cynthia and Nick’s story. She’s fed up with trying to play by the rules, and he’s determined to do everything he can to keep her for himself.

This all began with my first book, Quicksilver Dreams, and the wonderful characters, Taylor and Ryder, who walked me through my first creative writing process. They were very patient with me while I figured everything out from the bottom up. There is a fantastic interview about this first book at:

https://manybooks.net/featured-authors/danube-adele-sci-fi-action-and-a-lot-of-romance

Manybooks has been a wonderful hosting sight for adds as well as promoting me for an author spotlight. I hope you add them to your list of sites to check out, and hopefully, find your way there. And now for the excerpt! Please have a read and let me know what you think. You can find the book links below.

Prologue

Step one, be spontaneous.                                                            

            Check.

            He had no idea what was coming, since I’d transferred
into his bedroom secretly.

            Step two, be confident and enthusiastic.

            Check, check.

            The article said confidence was sexy and a way for your
man to become addicted to you. I loved the sound of that, and wasn’t I here?
Ready to be adventurous? Ready to show him he was the one for me? I had this
covered.

            Step three, wear something he’s going to want to rip off you.

            Check, check, and check.

            I actually looked womanly, maybe not in a Marilyn Monroe,
spilling out of my bra cups, voluptuous sort of way, but in a sleek, athletic
way. For the first time in seventeen-and-a-half years, I was totally ultra-feminine
and not like a young boy.

            My legs were miles long, covered in white thigh highs
that were attached to a white garter belt with delicate pink bows. A matching
pink thong framed my butt, my surprisingly rounded butt, considering I was
taller than average and had been unavoidably thin during my adolescence. Pink,
lacy demi cups gathered my breasts in soft silks, giving me the best cleavage
I’d ever had in my life. No one would call me busty, but there was a small
handful of soft-looking, milky skin peeking up over the cup of my new, secret
lingerie. Wasn’t it a waste to have too much?

            I read that in the article, too. It had been in the
magazine Couture and was titled “How
to Keep Your Man Satisfied.” Olidia and I had pored over it, cover-to-cover,
which was also where I’d seen a vintage picture of Marilyn Monroe, my new
feminine icon. She’d become my new obsession, my need to find all things
Marilyn an added goal in my search through secret smuggled products transferred
from Earth on the black market. It was rare that we were able to come upon such
fantastic finds in the Sunan Market Place, but we knew who to see for the
pirated loot.

            The prevailing culture amongst the citizens within the capital
city of the Sunan nation, Milak, was harshly reserved and overly protective of
the women. All I knew was that mindset somehow came from a horrible tragedy. So
things like my lingerie and the magazine definitely had to be snuck in with a
shipment from Earth of other goods. At this point, I had the article memorized.

            My pose was picture perfect. I was reclined on Nick’s oversized
bed amid the soft sheets and plush blankets, surrounded by the warmth of his
masculine cavern décor. A light, delicate citrus lotion perfumed the air since
I’d slathered it over my body, and I’d been careful to use minty mouthwash.
Everything was ready, including every nerve ending on my body.

            I took a deep breath. A surge of feminine power was
making me feel bold. That and the instant, powerfully liberating reaction of my
body to the small amount of alcohol I’d consumed—no more than a half cup—had me
suddenly feeling like this wasn’t just a good idea; it was a great idea.
Already, my skin was doing a strange, stimulating, tingling thing, and I had to
fight the urge to rub my legs along the soft blankets.

            In an out of the way, closed off, dusty compartment of my
mind was the knowledge that what I was doing was dangerous to my reputation and
to my family, but I was just as equally certain there was no way I could be
found out in this. And with the sweet, delicious effects of the alcohol, durma,
circulating through my system, only the thrill of the moment had adrenaline
pounding through my body. There wasn’t even a hint of worry or fear of
discovery. In fact, I decided durma was my new favorite beverage as my body
buzzed and warmed from its effect. It rejected all things negative, so the
world felt floaty, safe, peaceful, and filled with happiness where nothing bad
could occur.

            Everything was going exactly as planned.

            According to the article, if I’d done everything right,
Nick wouldn’t be able to help himself. He was supposed to get an eyeful of me,
then come across the room and…well…I wasn’t exactly sure. Kissing and touching
would be involved. I hadn’t done this before, but it was going to be great.
Amazing. It was going to be the start of something beautiful. Earth-shattering.
Life-changing.

            When Olidia—my good friend and co-mastermind of nearly
all things mischievous that we got in trouble for—had expressed concern at the
end of the celebration, small fits of doubt had begun poking me sharply in the
gut. Her voice sounding more timid, hesitant even, and with eyes rounded with
some alarm while watching me drink the durma, she’d asked, “Are you sure this
is the right thing to do, Cynthia? It just seems that maybe this is a big
decision to make on your own, without him knowing, just because you were both
flirting with each other tonight.”

            I had an instant mental block, rejecting her words. She
didn’t understand. This wasn’t just about our flirting earlier. This was a
night years, years, in the making.

            It was because I’d worshipped him from afar, watching
from secret hiding places when he came to our home when I was a child. As my
oldest brother’s good friend, he was always around. Though he was nearly ten
years older, he was always kind and patient whenever he caught me peeking out, giving
me a smile and a wink. He was as beautiful as I imagined the gods being: tall
and broad, golden-skinned from secret excursions to the lake, but with hair as
blond as my own.

            Once, he brought me a flower from the lake. It was pink
with soft petals, and he presented it to me secretly, touching a finger to his
lips like it was our little secret. My little heart soared. For weeks I rode
that high. I stuck the flower in the pages of my school reader. I’d been eight
at the time. To this day, I still had it.

            It was because of the way he touched me only two weeks
ago in the Market after an absence of years. His pale, granite eyes, rimmed in
dark slate, snapped to mine with a hint of confusion the moment our hands
touched in a simple greeting. The look on his face made my heart jump; it was
like he was seeing me in a new light after all this time. His golden brows had
drawn a sharp V over the bridge of his nose, all the while hot tingles danced a
path up my arm, making me shiver with a feeling I’d never before experienced.

            Had he felt it, too?

            The question had balanced precariously on my tongue,
ready to spill forth, but had become frightened and slid back into my throat,
frustrating me, though I’d maintained a serene smile.

            He hadn’t been back from Earth for years, not since my
oldest brother died, and was likely as surprised to see me at the Market Place
that day, picking out fresh fruit from the new shipment for my mother. He’d
called to me hesitantly, maybe unsure of who I was, and reached out to shake my
hand. Here’s where it got even more interesting. With new, stimulating tingles
still racing up my arm, he’d looked down at our clasped hands like he was
trying to puzzle out the sensations while his thumb slowly rubbed a caressing
circle on the skin around my knuckles. My heart had skipped a few beats, but I
tried to keep my breathing regulated, like nothing special was going on.

            You’re all grown up, Cynthia.

            A lot happens in seven years. I
was proud of that comeback. My voice had sounded a bit deeper, sort of husky,
more like a woman. How are your studies
going?

            They went fine. I finished recently.
Now we’re working to discover and map where the mylunate ore is located on
Earth.

            Sounds like a big job.
Mylunate was the substance that allowed us to travel instantly, not only short
distances, but also millions of light years between planets in just moments. It
was powerful. Its side effects allowed those of us in Sunan who grew up
surrounded by rich deposits of it to mindread and dreamwalk, or enter the
dreams of another person. With enemies vying for this resource, knowing where
it was located, and controlling those areas, was crucial.

            It is a big job. He
nodded his head, withdrawing his hand slowly from mine. You look beautiful. I almost didn’t recognize you. I guess I still
expect to see you with pigtails.

            His deep voice poured over me like warm rays from the sun
on a lovely spring day. I gave him a small smile. Things change.

            The memory faded, but my smile grew.

            Tonight was happening because this evening, I’d looked
around the ballroom, scanning the crowd of people all enjoying the annual
Spring Celebration, to find him already watching me from across the room, his
beautiful eyes narrowed on me, like he was still trying to figure me out, was
caught by some strange, invisible dark energy. I couldn’t look away. Olidia was
chattering in my ear, pointing out this person or that person’s formal wear,
but I couldn’t tear my eyes away from him. He was wearing a dark dress suit,
shoulders broad, looking tall and strong, his eyes created a link, something
personal between just the two of us.

            Nick. Always Nick.

            He’d come across the room with deliberate, unhurried
steps, never breaking eye contact. He’d bent to my ear and told me in that
rumbly voice of his that evoked the tickling feel of fizzy bubbles popping in
my stomach, that I looked lovely. Then he’d placed a kiss on my cheek, the
memory of which still had the ability to make my heart beat erratically several
hours later.

            I’d felt elegant and sophisticated. My mother had
relented when I’d begged to have the evening gown for the event. A dark
chocolate that set off the gold in my lighter, toffee-colored eyes. It was
strapless, fitted and with a slit that flashed some length of my calf—not much—within
the flaring legs of the gown that could almost pass for a skirt. Women didn’t
wear skirts in our culture, which didn’t make much sense to me. It seemed like
I remembered a time when we used to.

            In that moment, with his lips near my ear, Nick asked me
to dance. For the rest of the evening, we talked and laughed, danced, and
flirted. The scent of him became part of me, the freedom to lay my hands on him
divine. It was like a dream made real. We were a unit. It was like we were on
the same wavelength, our thoughts parallel to each other in so many ways. We
understood each other.

            I learned more about his experiences on Earth, the
process of identifying mylunate, and the painstaking process of mapping it. He
was working in a place that had an ocean. I was eager to hear more about it. I
told him I wanted to study marine life in Sunan and be able to compare it to
oceans around the universe. I loved the ocean, lived within the ocean in a
sense, considering where we lived in Reethan. Spent most of my time there. He
had questions for me, was interested in knowing more. My heart was smiling with
a feeling of exhilaration. He was giving me all his attention.

            Then the evening had come to an end. He told me he was
going back to Earth the next day and kissed my cheek. There was a hint of
sadness there. I’m sure I saw it reflected back at me. It felt like goodbye. My
heart ached, knowing it might be years before he was in Sunan again. When would
I ever have the chance to share my feelings for him? Maybe knowing my feelings
would bring him back sooner and more frequently. My heart burned to hold him
here, tighter, longer.

            And because I wanted more, something that could stay with
me longer than just this light flirtation, I made the decision to surprise him
in his bedroom after the ball. This was right. I knew it. I wanted him. And he
was a man, not a boy. He was used to more than just a handshake from his women,
I was sure, and I had a plan to be his woman.

            Starting tonight.

            I’d waited all my life for this. This was the gods
telling me it was time. It made sense that we were fated. That’s when I grabbed
a cup of durma, our national alcoholic drink, and took a few sips for courage,
ignoring Olidia’s panicked warnings, fully aware that I was playing a risky
game with a dangerous substance, something that my body reacted to chemically.
It fired me from the inside, making a burning path through my veins, turning me
lightheaded and exhilarated instantly, and shutting down the inner voice that
questioned this decision.  

            With some reluctance, Olidia gave me a cover story for my
mother under the condition that I would be careful and give her all the details
in the morning. A giggle tickled my lips as I thought about it, looking around
his room. This was going to be a night I would never forget.     Ever.

            Blinding blue transfer light filled the room, bringing me
back to the moment. I looked down to protect my eyes from the brilliant
illumination, my heart jumping in my throat. I could hear it pumping fiercely,
nearly drowning out my own thoughts. When I looked back up, he was there…with
another woman wrapped in his arms.

            Nick. With another woman. Her hands were locked around
his head, threaded through the blond locks that I’d coveted while his hands
were cupping her more than ample bottom, pulling a thigh up high on his hip.
They were grinding against each other.

            The pain was harsh, stabbing, cutting through the
alcoholic effects in an instant. Who knew your heart could actually feel like
it had been physically damaged? What…

            I must have gasped, because he jerked away, and it only
took a fraction of a second for him to see me on his bed and go from lust to
fury.

            What the hell do you think you’re
doing?

            I could only shake my head, unable to comprehend who this
angry person was when just an hour before, he’d been charming and playful. How
could he?

            Cynthia? Oh…gods! You have a thing
for children, Nick? A peal of feminine laughter rang out
across the room, startling me out of my confused stupor. He’d come home with
none other than the evil bitch who’d plagued my life for years. Playing dress-up, Cynthia? The cups will fit
in a few years. I hope.

            The heat crawling up my neck was inescapable.

            Raya, a few years older than me, bosomy, exotic and
vicious, capable of shredding a fragile feminine ego in nothing flat, had
smeared her lipstick over his mouth, obviously having been invited to do with
him what I’d been planning to do tonight. Somehow, it looked obscene. It was
the clear-cut evidence that he didn’t want me. There was no way to filter the
tide of humiliation that engulfed me, from the tip of my toes all the way to
the roots on top of my head. I almost felt like my body was burning with
embarrassment.

            What are you doing here? Nick
growled, pulling away from the wretched she-beast.

            I thought, after tonight…I
hated that my voice was so hurt, but it was. I couldn’t control it. I didn’t
have the sophistication to play things off.

            What about tonight? I thought we
were friends.

            Friends?
How absurd. When had we ever been friends? We
danced all night.

            I told your brother I’d watch out
for you. He made me promise before he died. I only wanted to make sure you were
doing well.

            He made you promise?
The ball of emotion burning my throat threatened to choke me.

            His eyes scanned my body and grew cold. What are you thinking? You’re a child,
Cynthia. Besides that, you’re like—he raked fingers through his short hair—you’re like a sister to me. The sister I
never had.

            Oh, poor thing. Raya
covered her mouth but still let out another giggle. She was getting all kinds
of enjoyment at my expense. There was an evil sort of glee to her excitement,
her eyes suddenly calculating. You have
us lining up for you Nick.

            I started pulling the sheet up for cover, wanting nothing
more than to die on the spot, but pride had me pushing it aside instead. I
stepped out of bed as gracefully as I could, flipped my long blond hair back
with one of my hands, and struck the Marilyn Monroe pose from the magazine I
coveted, with my hand on my hip, knowing that if nothing else, I would leave
with some dignity intact. A shade of innocence had been ripped away from me,
but I’d never show it.

            His eyes widened, did another, quick, reluctant scan. His lips tightened as he met my gaze. I cocked my head to a flirtatious angle and gave my best coquettish Marilyn Monroe smile. In a husky murmur, I said, My mistake.

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