Desire: A Cariad Romance Three Book Bundle Read online

  Desire

  A Cariad Collection

  OFF THE SHELF

  by Lucy Felthouse

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  THE LORD OF SUMMER

  by Jenna Bright

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  ELLIE’S GAME

  by Jeff Cott

  Part One

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Part Two

  Chapter One

  Part Three

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Part Four

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  OFF THE SHELF

  by Lucy Felthouse

  Chapter One

  Pushing the “on” button, Annalise moved the vibrator down between her parted legs and eased it inside her eager pussy. As the ears of the Rampant Rabbit slid into position on her clit, she groaned with pleasure and rolled her hips, desperate to get more delicious friction. Then she pressed another button on the toy’s control panel to ramp up the power another notch. As much as she’d prefer a slower build-up to her orgasm, she just didn’t have the time. She had to leave for the airport in a couple of hours, and she hadn’t even packed her case. A quick knee-trembler would have to suffice.

  As the vibrator buzzed away between her thighs, Annalise closed her eyes and tried to empty her mind of everything but the pleasure she was experiencing. After a brief flirtation with the thought that she’d much prefer a hot man between her legs bringing her to orgasm, Annalise simply enjoyed the feeling of her impending climax. The busily-vibrating bunny ears pressed tightly against her sensitive flesh soon had her pussy fluttering. Then, without warning, Annalise was quickly yanked onto her pleasure plateau and immediately pushed off, leaving her writhing and shouting on the bed as a powerful orgasm overtook her body.

  She arched her back as waves of pleasure crashed over her, and her pussy clenched and grabbed at the toy buried deep inside. Her swollen clit throbbed, quickly becoming too sensitive for the unrelenting stimulation from the vibrator. Switching it off and pulling out, Annalise dropped the toy onto the mattress by her side and gave a satisfied moan as she rode out the remainder of her climax. Finally, when the twitches and spasms had abated and her heart rate and breathing were almost back to normal, Annalise grabbed the Rabbit and rolled across to the side of her bed where the toy box was kept. She made short but thorough work of cleaning it, then reluctantly put it in its case, popped it into the small bedside cupboard and shut the door.

  Annalise hated leaving her favourite toy behind when she went away, but she just wasn’t brave enough to take it with her. She usually only took carry-on luggage, and the very thought of the distinctive shape of the Rampant Rabbit popping up on the screen of the airport scanners made her shudder. It would be bad enough for the staff to see it on their monitors, knowing what it was and giving her knowing looks; imagine what would happen if they decided to check inside her bags! She would want to curl up and die of embarrassment, she just knew it.

  No, it was much better off staying here. She could make do with her right hand for a few days. Even better, she might meet someone. Annalise smiled. She’d had some pretty steamy encounters on her travels: the desk clerk in Dubai; the gym manager in Turkey; the waiter in Corfu ...

  Annalise shook herself. This wasn’t the time to let her mind wander down that path and get herself all worked up. She had to go and get ready now. There’d be plenty of time for daydreaming later, when she was in long and boring queues, and on the flight.

  Just as she was about to head into the bathroom, Annalise’s phone rang. Retrieving the handset from its cradle on her bedside cabinet, she glanced at the caller display before putting the phone to her ear.

  ‘Hi, Mum,’ she said, trying to keep the exasperation out of her voice. Her mother often called when she was short of time, and it was always a struggle to get her off the line without upsetting her. ‘You all right?’

  ‘Yes, dear. Everything’s fine. I’m just calling to wish you a safe journey. Where is it you’re going this time?’

  ‘Portugal, Mum. Just for a few days.’

  ‘Portugal. Lovely. I expect you’ll get a nice tan.’

  Annalise rolled her eyes. She’d given up trying to explain to her parents that she wasn’t going off on free holidays all the time. It was work. Granted, it was very nice work, getting to travel all over the world and write about hotels, holiday destinations and tourist attractions for a living, but nonetheless it was work. She didn’t have time for lying around on beaches and sunbathing. She could see the article now:

  Such and such hotel complex is sublime. Spacious, clean and luxurious, it deserves each one of its five stars. The restaurants and foods are wonderful, and the spa is a total haven of relaxation. The beautiful sandy beach is a suntrap and has umbrellas and sunbeds, and its own bar.

  And that would be pretty much it. Naturally, each of Annalise’s projects varied, but on the whole she was expected to go somewhere and write a piece on the complete package; the location, accommodation, and surrounding area. How on earth could she pen an emotive piece about the monastery high up in the hills if she never left the beach? She was good, but not that good.

  ‘Yes, Mum, I expect I will.’

  ‘And you might even meet a man. Portuguese, eh?’ She paused, and Annalise gritted her teeth ready for the inevitable onslaught. ‘Oh yes, very loyal the Portuguese. Family orientated. Wonderful marriage material.’

  It took every ounce of self control Annalise had not to start banging her head on the wall. They had this chat on a regular basis. Well, actually, Annalise’s mother had this chat at Annalise on a regular basis. She lived in eternal hope that her daughter would come home from one of her trips with a man in tow, following a whirlwind romance, and they’d declare they couldn’t live without each other and were to be married as soon as possible.

  ‘Yes, Mum.’ Annalise replied, no longer bothering to keep the boredom out of her voice. ‘Anyway, I’d better go. I need to pack. Call you when I’m back.’

  ‘Now, don’t take that tone with me. I’m only looking out for your interests. You’re not getting any younger, are you? You don’t want to be left on the shelf.’

  ‘Bye, Mum. Love you.’

  Dropping the phone back into its cradle, Annalise pulled a face at it before walking into the bathroom and turning on the shower. As she waited for the water to reach temperature, she couldn’t help but think about her mother’s words.

  Her whole family were the same. They constantly asked when she was going to settle down, get married and have children. She was utterly fed up with the comments about “not getting any younger” and being “like Bridget Jones”. She couldn’t seem to make them understand that she did want to do all of those things. Of course she wanted someone to share her life – and her bed – but she needed to meet someone first. Unfortunately, just as her job didn’t leave much time for sunbathing, it also didn’t le
ave much time for meeting men. Ones suitable for something more than a one-night-stand, anyway.

  At least they’d stopped setting her up. After a chain of absolute disasters and many sharp words, there’d been no more random sons, brothers, work friends and the like turning up at family get-togethers. Annalise was grateful for this small mercy. Some of them had been so horrific she was offended her family had even thought they would be suitable for her. Was she really that undesirable?

  It didn’t assuage her annoyance at the whole situation, though. It frustrated the hell out of Annalise that she was 35 years old and had a very successful career that she’d worked hard to build up, and yet, rather than praising her for what she did have, her family just constantly picked up on what she didn’t have. Well, stuff them, Annalise thought. I’ve got a bloody good job and I’m proud of what I’ve achieved, even if they aren’t. And when I do eventually meet someone, it’ll be for me, not them. I’d rather be stuck on the damn shelf forever than end up lumbered with some total tosser. Mr Right will come along at some point.

  He has to.

  Chapter Two

  Walking through the scanner, Annalise heaved a sigh of relief as she reached the other side without a hitch. She knew the airport checks were in place for a reason, and she certainly didn’t begrudge them, but it didn’t stop her dreading going through. She lived in fear of being the one to set the alarm off, being pulled off to one side and checked over while everyone looked at her accusingly. She never did set the scanners off, but she was sure that one day it would be her turn.

  Dashing to pick up her belongings from the conveyor belt, Annalise pulled her watch, bracelet and shoes back on, then grabbed her carry-on and made her way towards the departure lounge. She made a conscious effort not to walk too fast, thinking she’d look suspicious if she did. She knew it was utterly ridiculous, but the whole damn process made her feel guilty of something, even though she wasn’t.

  She walked past the shops selling clothes – who on earth bought clothes at the airport anyway? – toiletries and duty free, and made her way into her safe haven – the book shop.

  As she stepped over the threshold, Annalise did what she did every time she entered a bookshop: she took a deep breath. The delicious smell of new books always had a calming effect on her, which was why she was glad the shop was so close to the damn airport security. Her travel schedule was always the same: arrive at airport; check in; go through security; get stressed; dash to bookshop; alleviate stress before boarding flight.

  Today was no exception. Annalise moved deeper into the store, wondering where to go first. A glance at her watch told her that she’d got through check-in in record time and had some time to kill before her flight. She smiled – extra time in the bookshop was never a bad thing. She knew it was sad, but hey, everyone has quirks, right?

  Annalise made a beeline for the travel section, but just before she got there she was stopped in her tracks. Impeding her entrance to the aisle was a man. And, judging by the flutter of her heart and the heat coming to her face, a very attractive one. Annalise watched him as she waited for her rational thoughts to catch up with what her body was telling her.

  Seconds later, it became apparent they were in total agreement. The man – who, judging by his attire, was a member of staff – was indeed cute. He looked to be around Annalise’s age. He was taller than her, even though she wore heels, and he had a slim build. His long curly hair was tied back, and something about the way he was cradling a book in his hands made Annalise suspect she’d found a kindred spirit. He wasn’t the usual tall, muscular type she went for, but she hadn’t had much luck with those guys, anyway, so looking at someone a little different couldn’t do any harm, could it?

  She continued towards the travel section before someone saw her acting like some kind of weird bookshop voyeur. Annalise figured the guy was new here. She came into this shop often enough to know the staff, and she’d never seen him before. She’d definitely have remembered him.

  He looked up as she drew close, a pair of intelligent green eyes behind dark-rimmed glasses adding to the guy’s bookish appeal. His lips curved into a smile and he shuffled forward to let her by. Annalise gave a polite nod of thanks, moved past him and put her bag down at her feet.

  Standing next to him as they both perused the shelves, Annalise caught the scent of his cologne. She had no idea what it was or how to describe it, but she did know it smelt totally divine. Almost mouth watering. Could this guy be any more appealing?

  Reaching forward, Annalise grabbed a book from the shelf in order to distract herself before she got into trouble for sexual harassment. The two of them flicked pages in silence for a few minutes, until the quiet was suddenly broken by the sound of his voice.

  ‘Do you know,’ he said, quietly, as though they were in a library, rather than a bookshop, ‘I’ve quite forgotten myself. I’m supposed to be working here, and here I am browsing books and completely ignoring the customers.’

  He closed the book he was looking at and slid it back into place on the shelf. Turning to Annalise, he held out a hand. ‘I’m Damien. I’m so sorry, I’ve only just started working here and I seem to keep forgetting that part. I blame the books. They distract me.’

  Annalise looked down at his outstretched hand and thought how odd it was that he was introducing himself. Bookshop staff – nice as they usually were – didn’t often make a habit of approaching customers and partaking in formal introductions. Not to mention the fact he was wearing a name badge, so telling her his name was completely redundant. She slipped her hand into his and shook it anyway, not wanting to appear rude.

  ‘I’m Annalise.’ She couldn’t think of anything witty or interesting to say to follow that, so she dropped Damien’s hand as soon as was polite and wondered whether she should grab her bag and head over to the fiction section until he’d gone. Before she could move, though, he said, ‘Sorry. I’m not crazy. I just talk rubbish when I’m nervous. And I guess I was just being overly nice to stop you from going to my manager and grassing me up for reading on the job.’

  Annalise struggled to suppress a smile at Damien’s rambling. He was blushing, and kept touching his hands to his ears as if tucking his hair behind them, then remembering he had it tied up. She found it completely endearing, and the movement of his hands drew her attention to them, highlighting the fact that he wasn’t wearing a wedding ring. It didn’t mean he was unattached, of course, but at least she could plead ignorance if it did turn out he was with someone.

  Finally allowing her smile, and a soft laugh, to escape, Annalise put poor Damien out of his misery.

  ‘I’m not going to tell your manager anything. I’m a fellow book lover, I totally see the attraction.’ She lowered her voice and leaned towards Damien a little, as if imparting a secret. ‘And to be honest, they distract me, too. Why do you think I’m here? It’s not exactly the most hip and happening place in the airport, is it?’

  The two of them poked their heads out of the end of the aisle and looked around, noting the fact there was only one other customer in the shop. Aside from the bored-looking young girl on the till, that was it. Ducking back into the travel section, they laughed together, the ice thoroughly broken.

  As Annalise watched Damien compose himself, she had a realisation. Despite the fact he wasn’t her usual type and that he was, well ... a little odd, she really liked him. And he was hot. The dimple that appeared in his right cheek when he smiled cemented that fact. Annalise resolved to find out if they had more in common than their love of books. After all, she thought, how does the saying go? “You’ll meet someone when you’re least expecting it.” Or was that something her mum said? Oh, whatever.

  ‘So,’ Damien said, his colour back to normal, though a cheeky glint remained in his eyes, ‘I work here. What’s your excuse for being at the airport?’

  ‘Oh,’ Annalise had been trying to think of a line of conversation, and he’d beaten her to it, ‘I’m on my way to work, I guess. I
’m a travel writer.’

  ‘Really?’ he replied. ‘That’s so interesting. Where are you off to?’

  Annalise realised she still had the book she’d been flicking through in her hand and held it up so he could see the cover.

  ‘Portugal. I’ve been before, but there are so many different areas and resorts ...’ she tailed off. She didn’t want to bore Damien with the details.

  ‘So, if you’re already booked into a no doubt very posh hotel with all the arrangements taken care of, what are you expecting to find in that book?’ He didn’t sound accusing, but genuinely confused.

  ‘I don’t just write about the hotels. I like to write more rounded articles, aimed at different people. Granted, all some people care about is the hotel, the weather and the food, and are content to sunbathe all day. But others want to get out into the country and experience the culture, see some tourist attractions and stuff, you know?’

  ‘Sure,’ Damien replied, nodding enthusiastically. ‘I’m definitely one of the latter. I like to go and check out what’s off the beaten track – the quirkier, the better.’

  ‘Exactly!’ Annalise replied, a little too loudly. She was lucky it was a bookshop and not a library, otherwise she’d have stern “Shushes” ringing in her ears. Her excitement at Damien’s comment had got the better of her. Quirky is exactly what she usually looked for, and she told him so.

  ‘Which is why,’ she continued, ‘I always like to come and check what new books you have in stock, just in case I find any snippets of new info. Course I do my research before I go, and ask locals when I’m there. But you never know where or when you’re going to unearth that little gem of information. And when I uncover the gems, I like to go and check them out for myself and encourage my readers to do so, too. Providing they’re worth seeing, of course. And they usually are.’

  ‘Makes sense to me,’ Damien said. ‘It sounds like you make each trip a thorough adventure, rather than just a perfunctory visit. Good on you. What’s your last name? I’ll have to keep an eye out for your articles in ...’ He paused for a second, then said, ‘Actually, do you write for books, magazines, newspapers or websites?’