For Your Love #1
By: Shannyn Schroeder
Releasing June 28, 2016
Zebra Shout
Under Your Skin
Zebra Shout
Under Your Skin
For Your Love Series
Blood Is Thicker Than Ink. . .
Norah O'Malley has been alone for a long time. It's been ten years since her father and four brothers shipped her off to be raised by her aunt. Seven months since she's seen the guy who got her pregnant--who still doesn't know. And it's two weeks since she came home to Chicago and discovered none of her family wants to talk--or listen.
She never expected to walk into a tattoo shop seven months pregnant and get her socks knocked off by instant attraction. She can't even see her socks. But Kai Ellis is big and gruff and sexy as hell, and if he has a past, well, so does she. Even more, Kai knows how to listen so that Norah feels just a little less alone . . .
All the chemistry in the world can't help Norah make her decisions. And no sizzle of desire will make Kai believe in happy endings. But a little time with someone who understands might just change everything . ..
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“Before
you leave, can you start a load of laundry for me? I don’t think
Kai would feel comfortable touching my unmentionables. There’s a
small basket in my bedroom.”
Norah
narrowed her eyes. Although she hadn’t gotten a grand tour of the
house, she hadn’t remembered seeing a washer and dryer either.
“Where are the machines?”
“In
the basement.”
“Okay.
I’ll start that and then go to the store.” Leaving her purse on
the chair, she gathered the dirty laundry and found the door leading
to the basement. She picked her way down the wooden steps carefully.
A bare bulb dangled at the bottom lighting her way. A clink
caught her attention. This was like a scene out of a bad horror
movie.
She
pushed on. At the bottom of the stairs, she saw the source of the
noise: Kai lying on a bench lifting weights. He was shirtless. His
bronze skin glistened with the effort of his workout. He continued to
lift the bar and his arms bulged and flexed. A tidal wave of
testosterone crashed through the room and into her.
She
swallowed hard and moved another step before he caught her staring.
Then she saw he had earbuds in, so he couldn’t hear her. She moved
as silently as she could to the washer. A loud clunk made her
jump and she dropped the basket. Turning, she saw Kai sitting up.
He
yanked the earbuds from his ears. “What are you doing?”
Her
heart thundered. “Your mom asked me to do a load of laundry.” She
pointed at the basket at her feet as if he didn’t know what dirty
clothes looked like.
He
stood and walked toward her. A patch of dark hair rode across his
pecs. She stared at his body as he moved. Tattoos decorated his skin.
Across his ribs, on his upper arm, his shoulder. Without looking, she
knew she’d find more on his back.
Standing
in front of her, he was close enough that she could trace a bead of
sweat that trailed down into the waistband on his shorts. His
breathing was slightly faster than normal. At least he had the excuse
of lifting weights. All she’d done was walk down the stairs and
ogle him. He bent and she shivered as his body lowered.
He
grabbed the basket and held it to the side. She tilted her face up.
He stared into her eyes, but then his gaze traveled over her whole
face, landing on her mouth. The look was so intense that she could
almost feel the phantom pressure on her lips.
He
jerked back. “You shouldn’t be carrying this. You’re pregnant.
It’s not part of your job.”
God
damn she hated hormones. She’d almost had herself convinced he was
going to kiss her. All he really wanted to do was yell at her.
Typical.
She
inhaled deeply. Then she snatched the basket from his hands before
speaking. “You hired me to take care of your mom. She asked me to
do a load of wash. This basket weighs less than the groceries I
carried in yesterday. I’m fine.”
Turning
her back to him, she walked to the washer and started dumping clothes
in. She couldn’t wait to have this baby so she could have her body
back. She’d never had a problem controlling her hormones around
guys. If she was attracted to a guy, it was usually mutual. There
were signals, for crap’s sake. This whole pregnancy thing
threw everything out of whack.
Even
now, as she messed with the dials on the washing machine, she felt
like he was staring at her. When she turned, he was.
“I’m
not trying to be an asshole. I don’t want you to hurt yourself or
the baby doing stuff around here.”
“I’m
fine. I don’t overdo it, which should be evidenced by the fact that
I fell asleep on your couch last night.”
“Okay.
You know what you’re capable of. Don’t do too much on account of
us.”
His
words did all sorts of new things in her. To have a man trust that
she was smart enough to take care of herself meant something. He
didn’t view her as a weak, inferior being as she often felt her
brothers did. She smiled. “I’m going to the store. You want me to
get you anything?”
“Nah.
I’m good.” He returned her smile and the tension between them
dissipated.
“I’ll
be a while since I have to go get books for your mom too. Do you know
what kind of books she reads?” She didn’t know why she said it,
but her mouth got away from her.
He
shook his head.
“She
reads romance. And not the longing looks from across a ballroom and
maybe some hand-holding kind either.” Norah leaned a little closer
and lowered her voice. “She made me read a sex scene to her last
night.”
The
look on Kai’s face was priceless. Even under the golden hue of his
cheeks, a blush rose. “Christ, I’m sorry.”
Norah
bent over on a peal of laughter. “If you could see your face . . .”
Those were the only words she could handle because laughter stole her
breath. She laughed until tears streaked down her cheeks. Her stomach
grew tight and a little uncomfortable, so she straightened. Rubbing
both hands on her belly, she took slow, deep breaths. “Sorry. I
just had this image of her asking you to read to her before bed.”
In
truth, the deep, rumbly sound of his voice would be enough of a
turn-on regardless of the words he read. Suddenly, she wanted the
audiobook of that.
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