Harlequin Romantic Suspense April 2021 by Karen Whiddon (interesting books to read for teens TXT) 📕

his hands slipped under her top, she reached down and lifted it over her head. Stanton unfastened her bra and her breasts were free for his appreciation and her pleasure as he cupped one in each hand, played with her nipples.

“Please, Stanton.” She nipped his earlobe, clung to his shoulders as the waves of her desire increased.

“Lie down.” He helped her onto her back on the fluffy rug, and she shimmied out of her pants. She went to remove her panties but he beat her to it, slowly taking off the silky pair with excruciating deliberation.

“Babe, now, I can’t take this.” She sat back up and helped him out of his button-down shirt, eased the sleeves from his arms. Kissing his bandaged upper arm, she noticed bruising that wasn’t there yesterday. “Your arm, Stanton...this has to hurt.”

“Not as much as I’m going to if we don’t make love.” He stood and quickly chucked his pants, giving her a beautiful view of his glorious nudity, before he rejoined her on the floor. “We can use the sofa or go to the bedroom.”

“This is way more fun. Unless your arm—”

“The heck with my arm.” His mouth was on hers again, and the kiss was one she’d always remembered. She savored each and every kiss, tongue stroke, the scent of Stanton as he drove her to the place she only visited with him. Pure freedom from all that ever worried her, freedom to enjoy the delight of being with the one man she loved more than any other. Even his pause to retrieve a condom seemed part of the dance of their sexual reunion, the few seconds just enough for her to position herself to welcome him fully into her.

They joined like the seasoned partners they were, his thrusts met by her hips with vigor and timing that bespoke of how well they knew one another. Just as she thought she’d never be able to relieve the insistent heat and tension that he caused, she broke apart and he shuddered with a force she could only attribute to love. Nothing less. No one else, only Stanton.

CHAPTER 14

Dominique woke in the cabin’s main bedroom under piles of quilts the next morning. The warmth that had allowed her to slumber so peacefully was gone. She reached her hand across the bed, under the sheets, to confirm what she knew—Stanton had left. The numbers on her phone told her it was almost seven. Two hours later than she usually rose. Sitting up, she stretched and yawned before padding to the window. The first glow of sunrise hit the surrounding woods, and she thought it would be nice to allow this image to stoke the hope in her heart.

Her body was pleasantly sore, and she grabbed her clothes, neatly folded on the nightstand, conveniently next to a small handgun that she knew wasn’t there by accident. Stanton’s work. She never worried about how she stored her clothes when she was camping or here in the cabin, and weapons weren’t something she bothered with. Except Stanton had insisted she learn how to fire a weapon and they’d gone to a firing range when they’d dated. The last time they’d been out here in these woods, they’d done target practice with his family’s shotguns. She acknowledged for the millionth time that Stanton never stopped doing his job. He was protecting her, even as he folded and neatly stacked the outfit she’d pulled out of her overnight bag and flung over the wooden rocker at the foot of the bed last night. The room had touches of Italia Colton everywhere, from the brightly hued quilts and bedding, to the fluffy towels in the comfortable bathroom, larger than normal for a cabin. Even though it had been years, this log house felt like a familiar pair of socks to her. Warm, supportive, secure.

A gunshot sounded and fear threw cold reality over her post-sex reverie.

“Stanton?” She shouted for him as she grabbed the weapon and scrambled to throw on her clothes. The shower would wait. Her hands shook as she pulled on her underwear and pants.

“Get down!” His voice thundered from the outer room and she complied, making certain she was out of view from the two windows in the room. “Stay away from the windows and take the revolver from the nightstand.”

“I am!” Didn’t he realize he’d taught her well? Her shirt on, she shoved into a thick sweater and pulled jeans over her leggings. If she had to run outside, she’d have to do it without her coat, still in the car.

More shots sounded, followed by deep voices. She froze in place, wondering if this was about to be her last minutes on earth. When she heard the front door open, she cried out and crawled forward. No way was she going to allow Stanton to launch himself into a gunfight against the cartel without her help.

Once at the bedroom’s threshold, she stood and ran into the living room. The sight of Stanton in the cabin’s front doorframe gave her momentary relief. He was still alive. But he wouldn’t be for long if he stayed where he was, so vulnerable to any shot.

She trembled in place as he spoke to their killers.

“Yeah, we’re here for a quick getaway. My girlfriend and I needed out of the city, ya know?” His voice was remarkably steady.

“Sorry to bother you, man. We were tracking a buck but scared him off.” A deeper, gruff voice. It sounded sincere, but how could they know who this was?

“There’s no hunting on private property. This stretches all the way down to the public grounds.”

“Yeah, we didn’t see the signs until we were up on your cabin. It won’t happen again.”

“Thanks.”

She allowed herself to catch her breath, all the while poised to step up and fire at anyone who threatened Stanton. But it sounded like hunters who’d gotten lost. It could be a ruse by the cartel, but she immediately dismissed it. If they were found here,