[Invitation to Eden 22.0] Delicious and Deadly Read online

  Oscar set down the empty beer bottle as Emma's pace slowed as she stopped before his steps. No matter how bad his own need was for her, he managed to cling on to enough common sense to keep himself from leaping down the stairs and hauling her into his arms.

  So he waited.

  During the walk on the beach Emma had been so sure the jumpy nerves in her belly would calm down. It was so hard for her, as a woman who'd been hurt, abused, to deal with the fear that clawed at her stomach and dried her throat. The horrible scene with her mother still tore at her heart. Not once since her mother had left had Oscar been out of her thoughts. Still Emma had gone through excruciating hours of self-doubt before she'd made the choice to come to him tonight. By choosing him over her parent, she was giving him something very precious that she'd never intended to lose again... her heart.

  With the moon behind her, she stood in front of him and looked up into his wonderful face, his dark eyes. He just stood there, dressed in jeans that fit in all the right places and a tight T-shirt. He didn't move. Because her legs were trembling so bad, she jerked up her chin as she climbed the wooden steps. And wondered where to begin.

  "I needed time to sort out how I was going to live my life. And I've felt so ashamed. No!" She shook her head when he moved towards her. "I understand that I don't need to be. But that's logic and logic has nothing to do with feelings. My mother is my responsibility. I've always felt that and it's something that can't be changed. I know you wanted to help me deal with her. But I needed to come to you without being loaded down with all that emotional baggage. She's gone," she told him.

  Oscar stayed exactly where he was, one hip leaning against the open door frame.

  "Good."

  "I don't know why I'm here," she stated as her eyes stayed on his. "Except I had to tell you that I blackmailed her to do the right thing."

  "To apologise to me?" he guessed.

  Her face flushed before her eyes met his.

  "Yes, and to send a message to Richard to leave me alone."

  "What sort of message?"

  Now her teeth were chewing on her bottom lip.

  And the suspense was killing him.

  "I told her I'd make it public that he was an abuser, and..."

  "And?" he encouraged.

  "He's impotent."

  Silence.

  Oscar couldn't say he wasn't thrilled that the man hadn't touched Emma sexually. To be honest he'd tried his level best not to think of Emma's private moments with her ex-husband.

  His stomach muscles tightened now as he looked at her.

  She was pale, too pale, but that wouldn't be enough to stop him from grabbing her.

  It was the quiver in her voice that held him back.

  "Where the hell have you been?"

  Her eyes went wide as she recognised the very first thing he'd ever said to her at the christening of her cousin's twins.

  "I've been so lost," she said in a soft voice.

  He shook his head.

  "Now you've been found. Come here."

  He didn't miss the little shiver as she stepped into him until her breasts brushed his chest.

  "I'm scared," she said.

  Well, that made two of them.

  His eyes scanned her stunning face, then he smiled.

  "Put your arms around me."

  Emma placed her arms around his waist, pressed her pelvis into his.

  "Better?"

  "No." He permitted himself to pull her close. "More."

  Her eyes stayed on his as she pressed every single part of her into him, so intimately the hard muscles of his body readily responded.

  His heart thundered against the rapid beat of hers.

  "I've come to realise that in life no one has a perfect life," she whispered into his mouth. "If we're really lucky we get perfect, magical moments. We're having one now."

  She rose on her tiptoes to set her mouth against his.

  "There's many more to come. Too many," he murmured against her lips as his hands skimmed her back, her sides, searching for a zip, for buttons. When he found neither, he ripped her dress. And found his hands filled with bare breasts.

  The sound of silk tearing and her scandalised gasp of excitement had fire streak through his belly.

  "You know, the very first time I saw you..." His breath was too short, too fast as he tossed the delicate fabric aside to find her naked except for a scrap of silk between her legs. "It didn't matter that we were in church, I wanted you. I wanted to do this."

  "Me, too," Emma said against his mouth. And then that mouth was on her breasts. "Amazing."

  Rejoicing in the feel of her nipple being sucked into his mouth, she arched her back.

  Faster, was all she could think. Faster, faster, as her hands swept up his sides to drag his T-shirt over his head. She needed skin to skin and she needed it now. His flesh, crushed against hers, was already hot and damp. He pressed his mouth to her heart and her hands clung to his hair to press him closer. She wanted more, demanded more. He slid down her body, his mouth trailing an erotic path down her belly to nuzzle the scrap of fabric between her legs. Her fingers dug into strong shoulders as she spread her legs and thrust her pelvis into his searching mouth.

  He couldn't seem to get enough.

  His plan had been to take it slow, to seduce, to make love to her in his big soft bed. But the plan had leaked out of his brain. All he could think of was Emma and how she smelled, how she tasted and how she sounded. God knew she owned him. Controlled him. The island might be magical, but no witch could have cast a spell to capture his heart, his mind, more completely than Emma. He ripped her panties, all patience lost. Because he needed to taste her, to see her. Every single part of her.

  Half-mad, his mouth sucked the glistening folds, tasting the sweet honey. He kissed her, there. And somehow, through the roaring in his ears, he heard the moan escape from her throat. Now his fingers slid through her wet, slick heat. Her body, so tight, so wet, pulsated around two fingers. And all the while she shuddered, quivered, as her head fell back in pure female abandonment as, eyes closed, she rode his hand searching for the ultimate release. God, he was rock hard, loving watching her come while his tongue licked and stroked and sucked the swollen little nub. Even after her body clutched around his fingers, as her scream rent the air, he gave her more and more again until she was collapsed on her back on the bare wood.

  How could she have known, Emma wondered, that pleasure could be so delicious and deadly to her heart? Or that she would demand more of him. All of him. Every single part of him was inside her now. She wound her legs around his hips and took every single inch of him deep inside her. The sound of his first gasp made her smile, the last one ended in a cry. And now she opened her eyes to find his darker than they'd ever been before and fixed on hers as he shifted his hips to fill her, stretching her so good. Then he moved fast, his big body slapping against hers and she kept pace with him. Lost in a tornado of utter pleasure, she heard nothing but the joyful cry of her heart as they flew over the edge together.

  "You can't be comfortable," Oscar murmured into her neck minutes, or it could have been hours, later.

  "Hmm?"

  "I'm too heavy."

  "Are you? I can't tell since I can't feel my body."

  He rolled off her and propped on an elbow to look down at her. She appeared to be asleep, or unconscious, except he knew better. Her breathing was slow and easy and her eyes were closed. Her legs and arms lay spread, like a ragdoll, on the bare wood of the deck. She didn't move a muscle.

  Now he frowned and hoped to hell she didn't have splinters in her tight little butt.

  "You look as if you've been hit by a truck."

  Her lips curved.

  "You ran me over and destroyed me."

  Because he could, he bent down and pressed a hard kiss to her mouth.

  "Plenty of life left in you yet."

  She half-opened one eye.

  "You cried my name, twice."

 
; She was right, he admitted, and didn't give a damn.

  "The plan," he said now as he pressed fast little kisses all over her face, her neck, her breasts. "Was to use the bed, except you were in a hurry."

  Now two eyes half-opened and he caught the gleam shimmering there like emeralds.

  "Excuse me? Who was it ripped my best silk dress off my body?"

  "I'll buy you another one."

  With a heartfelt groan, he moved to sit and then to stand.

  "Oh my, now that's view a girl doesn't see every day."

  Her eyebrows wiggled as she stared at his package, licked her lips.

  Naughty girl.

  She shrieked as he lifted her into his arms and tossed her over his shoulder.

  And shrieked again as the flat of his hand smacked her bare bottom.

  She didn't put up a fight, she just fell limply over his shoulder and slapped his ass.

  "No physical abuse."

  Shit.

  He stopped dead.

  How could he have forgotten?

  Oscar slid her down his torso until she was standing in front of him.

  Her laughter ended when she saw his face.

  "I'm sorry," he said.

  "Come on, Oscar." Emma smiled. And swore to get rid of the guilt, the concern, in his dark eyes. "I was joking."

  Brushing aside her laugh, he turned her around to inspect her bare bottom and she heard him swear. "It's red and your back's been rubbed raw on the deck. Jesus, Emma..."

  Over her shoulder, she could see his jaw tense and instead of stroking it, she punched him on the arm, hard.

  "You're being ridiculous, I used to spar with Bronte and Alexander and I'm tougher than I look."

  "If I ever get my hands on that son-of-a-bitch, I'll..."

  "Stop it." Now she slapped her hands on either side of his face. "Do not bring him into our now or our future. Please don't do that to us, Oscar."

  He nodded, but his jaw was still tense.

  Now she tugged him down onto the bed and said nothing until they lay, legs and arms entangled.

  "I didn't mean to..." he began.

  She slapped him smartly on the ass, let out an unsteady huff.

  "You seriously need to learn how to lighten-up and have fun."

  "And you need to learn to wait until I've completed a sentence before you swat me. Okay?" He kissed her, hard and hot. "I was going to take it easy with you, especially after all the shit your mother's poured on your head. I was going to seduce you, not rip your clothes off and toss you on the deck and screw your brains out."

  "Yes, but I..."

  "You needed tender loving care. I knew you'd be sad and hurt. I think I took advantage of you and I want to say I'm sorry."

  Emma counted to sixty before she spoke.

  "You're an idiot, Oscar. And you're making me very angry."

  "I don't want to make you angry. Jeez, all I want to say is... to be honest I don't know what the hell I want to say," he swore, and tried again. "Look, I should have tossed you on the bed and not on the deck."

  Now Emma rose above him and Oscar stared up into eyes that were narrow green slits. Her face got right into his. "Know what? I loved the deck. LOVED it."

  His heart soared as he read the sincerity, the annoyance, and the love for him in those eyes.

  He felt a hell of a lot better now.

  Oscar wasn't in the habit of taking care of fragile women, it wasn't his style.

  Emma might look delicate, vulnerable, even. But she was one tough cookie and just right for him.

  "You ripped my clothes," she reminded him.

  "I did. Wanna wear something of mine and I can rip it off you again? Seems only fair."

  Her teeth chewed her bottom lip but the dimple flashed.

  "You drive me crazy," she said.

  "Your body drives me crazy."

  And that was God's truth.

  Now her green eyes went serious as they stayed on his.

  "I love you."

  Those three little words made his heart do a crazy skip and shiver.

  He rolled her under him, caged her between his arms, his legs.

  "Thank you for saying it."

  Her arms wound around his neck.

  "I love you so much it hurts," she said.

  "I love you, sweetheart, so much. I want you in my life, Emma. Forever."

  He saw the dark cloud pass through her eyes before they cleared to sparkle into his.

  "I'm not sure I can do forever anymore."

  His kiss was hard, possessive.

  "That's okay because I've got enough forever for both of us."

  For an eternal moment those eyes searched his.

  She nodded once.

  "Okay."

  "Okay? Does that mean yes?"

  Her eyes went wide and very naughty.

  And Oscar wondered what was coming next.

  The dimple flashed.

  "It means yes I want to be in your life forever. But... there's just this one little thing I need from you..."

  His smile split his face.

  He'd do anything for her.

  "I'm not sure you'll be exactly happy to help me."

  His brows rose as his nose nudged hers.

  "Anything."

  She bit her lip.

  "Well... it's to do with my book."

  "Name it."

  "The baddie in my book is a top chef. Very charismatic. Fantastically creative. And I was thinking that since you're an award winning chef, you'd be the perfect person to ask how poison could be slipped into food..."

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  Chapter One - A Film Star, A Baby, And A Proposal -

  A Ludlow Hall Christmas Story

  (Available Now)

  The theme tune to the movie 'Jaws' swam through exhaustion to penetrate Matt's comatose brain.

  He seriously hated that freaking music. Every time he heard it he got the heebie jeebies. And his agent damn well knew it. His hand slid out from under his pillow smacked the cell phone hard then tossed the big white to the floor. That was the second attempt to kill the shark this week. But just like the movie that bastard was hard to kill, and the music started up again, this time from somewhere under the bed.

  He slung his arm over the side. Long fingers explored the glossy surface of solid oak until finally he gripped the cell and pulled it under the duvet.

  "Unless someone's died, you're sacked," he growled.

  "Har, har. I was about to tag Nico to see if Ludlow Hall had a famous dead person in the penthouse suite. Actually, if you were found dead the film would make even more moola."

  With the duvet over his head, Mathias Carter groaned at the voice thundering in his ear, then yawned hugely. "It's nearly Christmas. Get a fucking life, Tobin."

  "My wife, and yeah I love saying that so suck it up, says she had visions of you lying drowned in the bath."

  "Bed," Matt grumbled and nuzzled deeper into his pillow. "In bed. Sleeping. Bye."

  "Hold it! Hold it right there, sunshine. I've sent you a surprise, something nice."

  "Nope. Sleeping. Eighteen hour flight. Tired."

  "The reviews of the film are stellar, pal. Stellar," Tobin said with something like glee.

  In his head Matt could see his agent doing a bum boogie.

  "Fucking don't care."

  "Not to worry," his friend yelled in that permanent happy clappy voice he had these days. And Matt was genuinely pleased for him, he was. But all this
falling in love shit was pitiful. It was spreading like flu. Every single one of his friends had been hit hard by the love bug. Dimly he heard Tobin continue, "I care enough for the both of us. The surprise will be there in an hour. Shake a leg, shave and shower."

  "Yeah, yeah. Happy Christmas to Sophie for me."

  Matt turned the phone to silent, tossed it on the floor, burrowed deep under the duvet and sank like a stone into the land of nod.

  Excerpt - A Daddy for Daisy – A Ludlow Hall Story

  (Due 2015)

  'Can She Find The Courage To Love Again?'

  A Daddy for Daisy

  Janine Faulkner is a woman who lives life by her own rules. After the death of her husband, she's thrown herself into raising her baby daughter, and then into her work as Chief Operating Officer for Sweet Sensations...

  Janine likes life just as it is. She's not looking for love. Not even with gorgeous Joshua Erichsen, the Architect she hired to bring her family home, The Grange, back to life. His charm and ruthless good looks invade her every waking moment, but she's wary of a man who seems too good to be true...

  Joshua Erichsen is drawn to the beautiful single mother right from the start. But Janine's past hides horrific secrets that have returned to haunt her... And it seems someone is determined to keep them apart, forever...

  I learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it. The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he, who conquers that fear.

  NELSON MANDELA

  "Hey, how's my best girl?"

  Joshua Erichsen crouched down to look into blue eyes that danced into his. Boo's little fists, wrapped in cute sheepskin mitts, batted his cheeks as he kissed her. The kid gave a happy laugh and blew bubbles from her tiny rosebud mouth. His eyes rose to the woman gripping the handles of the stroller and he didn't miss the way she'd gone absolutely still.

  Shit.

  He thought they'd gone past that. His eyes slid over the slim figure wrapped up in a quilted jacket the exact colour of her fabulous blue eyes. Those eyes met his and he recognised the usual wariness. As if he was the big bad wolf.