EXCERPT – Spiritual Noelle, A Sister Leashed Story

Spiritual Noelle cover It’s called “A Sister Leashed story” because the story takes place in the Leashed universe but it’s not Meg, Michael and Rudy. It’s about Noelle, Meg’s sister, and the two men she’s interested in. Daniel, a witch, and Jake, his leashed shifter.

BLURB:

The army called the Grand Dame of the Northeast US for help with a spirit witch whose powers had grown out of control. She sent in the best spirit witch she knew, her daughter Noelle. For the past three months, Noelle has worked with Daniel and they made great progress. But then Noelle went and fell in love with him. Which would be bad enough, but she also fell in love with his leashed shifter, Jake.

Daniel is a pretty man, there’s just no getting around it. Jake is a bear of a man, and Daniel’s leashed shapeshifter, bound to protect him at the cost of their lives. To Noelle, they are the most handsome, most wonderful men on the face of the earth and she wants both of them.

Now Noelle has set herself a Christmas task. Build a relationship with Daniel and Jake, but first she’ll have to convince Daniel there’s something between them and get him over the notion there’s nothing more between him and Jake than friendship first.

If her sister Meg can have two men, why can’t she?

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No sooner had I settled my butt on the rug than Daniel leaned forward to grab my arms and shake me.

“Don’t sleep with him!”

I blinked, completely caught off guard. “Excuse me?”

He knelt before me, eyes narrowed. “I’ve watched you. I figured it out. You came back to sleep with Jake!”

“No, I didn’t …” Not entirely.

“You’re attracted to him. I can understand that. It’s just …” He closed his eyes, swallowed, a look of pure anguish passing over his exquisite features. His fingers squeezed my arms, and I’m not sure he knew he hurt me. “Just don’t. Please. Not now. Not …” He shook his head.

I leaned into his grip, staring intently into his face. “Daniel.” When he didn’t open his eyes, I bent my elbows to grab his forearms and shook him slightly. “Daniel.”

Sharp brown eyes opened to me.

“Tell me why.”

He frowned. “Why?”

“Why don’t you want me to sleep with him?”

He released me and sat back on his heels, but I pushed forward to kneel, keeping my grip on his arms.

“Tell me why, Daniel.”

He tried to act cool, brushing my hands off. His eyes darted away from mine. “Because I don’t want to be around the two of you acting all lovey dovey.”

I ducked my chin and tilted my head, trying to reestablish eye contact. “No, there’s more to it than that.”

“No.”

“Yes. I told you, you’ve got to be open with me if I’m going to help you.”

He scowled. “This has nothing to do with the spirits.”

“This has everything to do with the spirits. It has to do with your peace of mind.”

He frowned, blinked, stared at me. He wanted to deny it; I saw it in his face. But he couldn’t. “I am being honest. I’m asking you not to … I …” His voice got steadily softer as he went on until the last was barely a whisper. “I don’t want to see you with him. I couldn’t handle it. Not … now.”

“Why? Because you want to sleep with me?” I paused just a second, wondering if the next sentence was wise. Instinct told me I had to. “Or because you want to sleep with him?”

Anger flared, coloring his alabaster cheeks. He reared up on his knees, grabbing my arms to yank me nose to nose with him. “I’m not gay!”

“Are you sure?”

“What the hell is that supposed to mean?”

I was committed now. “I’ve seen you around Jake. You guys are so close –”

“We’re close, so that means we’re gay?!”

“Daniel, that’s not all there is. The way you two …”

His nostrils flared. His eyes went wide, then narrowed. Quick as a viper, he hauled me up to his chest and forced his lips on mine.

I’d known this was a possible reaction. I’d be a hypocrite to say that a part of me didn’t want it. The few touches I’d been allowed on that beautiful body hadn’t done anything to lessen my desire to rub against him like a cat in heat. I probably should have backed away and forced him to talk to me, but oh, even if his kiss did mash my teeth into my lips, he felt good.

At first he was punishing me, pressing his lips to mine and holding me pinned. I think it was when I clutched his waist, or maybe it was when a happy little moan escaped my throat, that the kiss changed. He backed off from the hurt and tilted his head for better access. I went with him, opening my lips to suck in his bottom lip. It was his turn for a little moan as he opened his mouth on mine, disengaging his lips to make room for his tongue to plunge in. Finally he released the harsh grip on my arms, sliding one hand up to cup the back of my skull and slipping the other around my waist to hold me up against him. Sweet Goddess! His chest was hard and his arms were strong and he tasted so darn good. I cursed the layers of clothing that prevented me from feeling his hardness against my bare skin.

I wrapped my arms around his neck and desperately devoured his mouth.

He bent a bit and wound an arm around underneath my rear end. He lifted me slightly so he could tilt my body and gently lower me to the rug, without ever breaking the kiss.

I gratefully accepted his weight as he settled on top of me, arms coming up under my back to hold me. I parted my legs and threw them around his waist, that eager to hold him close.

He managed to pry our lips apart, but had to bring a hand up to peel my arm from around his neck to do it.

I whimpered, switching my lips to his neck. I folded my fingers with his to keep his hand from pushing me away. When I bit his earlobe, he groaned.

“Noelle …”

“Please, Daniel, please.” I heard the begging in my voice and didn’t care. I wasn’t above begging for this. “Please.”

“We can’t …”

“We can.”

“Jake …”

“You could call him back.”

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