SERVING TROUBLE
Second Shot #1
Sara Jane Stone
Releasing March 8th, 2016
Avon Impulse
The
first sexy contemporary romance in Sara Jane Stone’s brand new Second Shot
series!
Five
years ago, Josie Fairmore left timber country in search of a bright future. Now
she’s back home with a mountain of debt and reeling from a loss that haunts
her. Desperate for a job, she turns to the one man she wishes she could avoid.
The man who rocked her world one wild night and then walked right out of it.
Former
Marine Noah Tager is managing his dad’s bar and holding tight to the feeling
that his time overseas led to failure. The members of his small town think he’s
a war hero, but after everything he’s witnessed, Noah doesn’t want a pat on the
back. The only thing he desires is a second chance with his best friend’s
little sister.
Josie’s
determined to hold onto her heart and not repeat her mistakes, but when danger
arrives on Noah’s doorstep and takes aim at Josie, they just might discover
that sometimes love is worth the risk.
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*Chapter
18*
Josie understood grief. She could navigate the fog that
descended when the bad news bears arrived and delivered their doom and gloom
message.
Your brother has
been injured.
Your brother needs surgery.
She had heard those words and the haze had swallowed her.
There was no way out. She knew that. The bears stood guard, keeping her locked
in fear and anguish.
Until Noah kissed her.
One kiss from a man who was fighting the same fears
didn’t change a thing. But oh God, it felt so good. The touch of his lips, the
feel of his hands pulling at her shirt as if he needed to touch the skin
beneath . . .
Her body responded, demanding more, needing to feel more.
She ran her hands over the smooth skin of his broad back, down to his waist and
around to his chiseled abs. Her tongue touched his as she traced her fingers
over his six-pack. So much strength.
Gliding her hands upward, she pressed her palms flat
against his chest, dimly aware of his fingers toying with the button on her
pants. He tugged at her zipper, but didn’t bothering pushing her pants down
over her hips. He simply slipped his hands inside and drew her to him, keeping
a firm hold on her ass.
Groaning, she broke away from his kiss and tipped her
head back. His mouth trailed kisses over her jaw, down her throat, as if he
needed to taste every inch of her.
More. I need more.
She wanted to keep the fog of grief locked outside his
bedroom. She didn’t want to think. She just wanted to feel. She needed him
right now because she couldn’t step into that place where the world felt like
it was falling apart, spiraling out of control. Not yet.
“It’s not fair,” she murmured, her eyes open and staring
at the ceiling.
His lips hovered over her the swell of her breasts
peaking out over the top of her shirt. “Not much is.”
Oh no, don’t go
there.
“You’re naked and I’m not,” she said, drawing him back to
this place where physical desire dominated.
He let out a low laugh as his tongue glided over her skin,
licking just about the edge of her t-shirt. “Not fair at all.”
She broke
away from him and stripped off her clothes. Her movements were rushed and she
nearly fell over trying to get out of her pants. But she wasn’t looking to
seduce him. She wanted to take him, fighting her way to a mutual pleasure that
would block out everything else.
His brow knitted together as he watched her. “Are you
sure—”
“Shhh.” She placed her index finger over her lips. “I
need you, Noah. I’m not calling, sending a letter, or a pigeon. I’m right here
and I need—”
His lips captured hers, his hands on her hips, drawing
her close and then guiding her back. Her legs touched the bed and she lowered
down, sitting on the edge. She took him with her.
I won’t let go.
Noah
dropped to one knee, his hands moving to her breasts. She leaned back and he
followed, moving over her.
Wrapping her legs around his hips, she held him close. He
didn’t pull away, or try to second-guess her. He just slid inside.
“More,”
she whispered.
He stared
down at her, his cheeks still damp from his tears. But he wasn’t crying now, he
was looking at her as if she was everything he needed. And he was pumping into
her hard and fast. There was nothing gentle or careful about his movements. It
was as if he needed to take as much as he could, as if he was depending on her
. . .
I can’t be strong enough for both of
us.
She closed her eyes and let her hands roam. He had to
meet her halfway, rescue her just a little . . .
His hips slammed into her. His right elbow pressed into
the bed beside her shoulder and his upper body hovered over her. But his other
hand wandered, gliding over her torso, reaching between them. His thumb brushed
over the spot guaranteed to send her spiraling into pleasure. But then he stopped.
She opened her eyes and looked up at him. I promise I won’t turn into a idiot, calling
out professions of love.
“Ready?” he demanded. “Because I can’t hold back.”
“Yes,” she gasped.
He thrust into her again, his thumb offering one more
teasing touch as plain old missionary pushed her over the edge. She took the
sweet relief, holding tight to the pleasure. She did not love this man. She
refused to hand over her heart.
But she loved everything about this orgasm.
“Noah, oh Noah.” She chanted his name as if it would
prolong the escape.
But one more thrust and he groaned, his face contorting
as he came. His lips curled back and he looked as if was growling, a pure
animalistic reaction to taking her, claiming her, and oh God—
“We didn’t . . .,” she said, her hand pushing at her
chest, trying to get him off her. It was too late. She knew it was too late.
“Oh, God, Noah.”
“Hmm,” he murmured, obeying her frantic scrambling to get
him off her. He withdrew from her body and collapsed on his back, his legs
dangling over the edge of the bed. They’d been in such a rush to feel something
other than pain, to push away the tears, that they fallen sideways across the
full-size bed. And they’d forgotten the most important thing.
“We didn’t use a condom,” she said.
He rolled onto his side and propped his head against his
hand, his elbow pressing into the rumpled bedding. “Shit, I’m sorry,” he said
his voice hoarse. Concern shown in his blue eyes. “I wasn’t thinking straight,
sweetheart. I can promise you I’m clean. I wasn’t a saint these past five
years, but I didn’t screw around like some of the other guys.”
She shook her head, not wanting to picture him screwing
anyone else. Not right now while she was lying naked beside him, after he’d
come inside her.
“I stopped taking the pill,” she said, her voice hollow.
How could she let this happen? “I figured I wasn’t great at remembering it
anyway seeing as I got pregnant. I meant to get an IUD. But I looked up the
cost . . .”
“It’s going to be okay.” Noah drew her into his arms and
she went, resting her head against his chest. He felt so strong, the muscles in
his arms taut as they laid on the bed. “The changes are slim—”
“I can’t loose another baby,” she whispered.
“You won’t.” His hold tightened as if he could physical
force the possibility away. “You could always take a morning after pill before
you leave for Germany.”
“I could.” But despite the bubbling fear, she couldn’t
bring herself to go to a doctor and ask to wipe away the possibility of a
child. She couldn’t loose another baby, not to a pill or an early delivery.
Of course, she wasn’t in a position to have child. But
still, after fighting so hard for her baby to live, she couldn’t erase another
before he even had a chance . . .
“But,” she began.
“You don’t have to take anything, Josie. Whatever
happens, we’ll get through it. And you don’t need to send a pigeon this time.
I’m not going anywhere. And I’ll be here when you get back from Germany.”
She nodded, the fear she’d pushed away for a few blissful—and
potentially disastrous—minutes, returned. Her brother might be dying. She might
never get to hear him laugh, or give her shit for well, just about anything.
And she might never get to see his expression when she told him she’d gotten
naked with his best friend.
“It’s going to be okay, Josie,” he said as if he could
make everything—Dominic, her potential pregnancy—A-Okay through sheer
willpower.
“Maybe.”
She closed her eyes. You
can do this. You can face anything.
She might
be lying to herself. But she didn’t have a choice. She needed to be strong
because Noah couldn’t rush in a play the hero this time. She’d found him
reduced to tears, his emotions raw when she entered his room. He was in this
with her.
With her
head still resting against his chest, she wrapped her arm around him and held
tight.
I’ll be your anchor if you’ll be mine
because if we send out a pigeon, I don’t think anyone will rush to our rescue.
Enter to Win a Print Set of
Sara's Independence Falls Series, including,
FULL EXPOSURE, CAUGHT IN THE ACT,
HERO BY NIGHT and WILD WITH YOU
After several years on the other side
of the publishing industry, Sara Jane Stone bid goodbye to her sales career to
pursue her dream-writing romance novels. Sara Jane currently resides in
Brooklyn, New York with her very supportive real-life hero, two lively young
children and a lazy Burmese cat. Join Sara Jane’s newsletter to receive new
release information, news about contests, giveaways, and more! Visit
www.sarajanestone.com and look for her newsletter entry form.
********************
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the FREE Prequel Novella
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