SEDUCTIVE SUPERNATURALS: 12 Tales of Shapeshifters, Vampires & Sexy Spirits by Sheri Whitefeather, Maureen Child, Caridad Piñeiro, Erin Kellison, Erin Quinn, Lisa Kessler, Chris Marie Green, Mary Leo, Cassi Carver, Janet Wellington, Theresa Meyers, Elisabeth Staab Page B
Authors: Sheri Whitefeather, Maureen Child, Caridad Piñeiro, Erin Kellison, Erin Quinn, Lisa Kessler, Chris Marie Green, Mary Leo, Cassi Carver, Janet Wellington, Theresa Meyers, Elisabeth Staab
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birthday.”
“When’s your birthday?” Reilly asked, his deep voice abrupt in the surprised silence.
Analise frowned at him. “Next week,” she said, “But I’m going to be in Orange County for the Newspaper Club convention. We get to go to Disneyland.”
“How old are you?”
His sharp tone confused Analise, but Gracie knew exactly why the demand had such an aggressive edge.
“She’s sixteen, Reilly,” Gracie answered flatly. “Any other questions?”
“Give me a minute.”
Stiffening, Gracie turned away and rubbed Analise’s back. “So you lied to me about staying with Karen,” she said.
Analise nodded. “I’m sorry.”
“Why did Brendan think a trip to Diablo Springs would be a good birthday surprise?” Eddie asked.
“He knew I was curious about where my mom came from. Who my dad is.” She glanced at Gracie and quickly away.
Gracie fought the urge to look at Reilly, but the pull was too strong. She didn’t have a clue what he might be thinking. Hell, she didn’t have a clue what she was thinking. Reilly snagged her gaze as soon as she lifted it but he didn’t give anything away. His features might have been carved from stone, his eyes from ice.
Tears burned Gracie’s eyes, but she didn’t let them go. She’d known that Analise was curious about where her mother came from, who her absent father might be. Gracie had lied and said there’d been several boys and she’d never known which one was the father. The fabrication of her promiscuity had fit nicely with the truth of how Grandma Beck had shipped her pregnant granddaughter off to live with strangers until the baby was born and then never let her come back home.
All the other questions Analise asked, Gracie managed to answer with as much honesty as she could, sharing the bare minimum, glossing over the rest. She’d never guessed that Analise had kept digging, searching for more. In retrospect, that was a big fail on her part. She should’ve known an overachiever like Analise would never settle for half-truths and lies.
“Analise, I didn’t realize how important it was to you.”
“You didn’t think knowing my dad was so important?” Analise shot back, astonished.
Yeah, Gracie deserved that. “So you came here thinking you’d miraculously find him?”
“I thought Grandma would tell me.”
Grandma Beck wouldn’t have given up that secret under torture. She’d have turned Analise around and sent her home so fast, the kid would have been dizzy.
As for Reilly, well he’d packed up and hit the road before she’d even known she was pregnant and by the time she’d learned his whereabouts . . . Well, she’d been too hurt and betrayed to hunt him down. He’d promised her a future and left her without a word, her life in ruins. At first, her pride wouldn’t let her ask him for anything, not even help with his child. Later, when maturity and distance had given her perspective, there’d been other reasons not to tell him. That didn’t make it right or fair, but few things in Gracie’s life had ever been right or fair.
She glanced at him again. She couldn’t help it. Even after all this time, having him in the same room was like sitting next to a power line. She felt him beneath the skin, a low frequency hum that made her hyperaware and jittery.
He wore a T-shirt that couldn’t hide the thick, corded muscles of his arms and chest. His faded Levi’s hung low on lean hips, drawing her eye down and stirring memories she didn’t want to wake.
A black and white tattoo covered his right forearm, and a series of colorful ones wrapped his left bicep. His hair was just shy of shaved and a five-o’clock shadow darkened his jaw. At eighteen he’d been walking, talking sex appeal. At thirty-five, he was potent enough to make her swoon. He looked older, harder. A lot less boy, a lot more man. But it was working for him.
With a start, she realized he’d been watching her, watching him. A hot blush heated her face and she
“When’s your birthday?” Reilly asked, his deep voice abrupt in the surprised silence.
Analise frowned at him. “Next week,” she said, “But I’m going to be in Orange County for the Newspaper Club convention. We get to go to Disneyland.”
“How old are you?”
His sharp tone confused Analise, but Gracie knew exactly why the demand had such an aggressive edge.
“She’s sixteen, Reilly,” Gracie answered flatly. “Any other questions?”
“Give me a minute.”
Stiffening, Gracie turned away and rubbed Analise’s back. “So you lied to me about staying with Karen,” she said.
Analise nodded. “I’m sorry.”
“Why did Brendan think a trip to Diablo Springs would be a good birthday surprise?” Eddie asked.
“He knew I was curious about where my mom came from. Who my dad is.” She glanced at Gracie and quickly away.
Gracie fought the urge to look at Reilly, but the pull was too strong. She didn’t have a clue what he might be thinking. Hell, she didn’t have a clue what she was thinking. Reilly snagged her gaze as soon as she lifted it but he didn’t give anything away. His features might have been carved from stone, his eyes from ice.
Tears burned Gracie’s eyes, but she didn’t let them go. She’d known that Analise was curious about where her mother came from, who her absent father might be. Gracie had lied and said there’d been several boys and she’d never known which one was the father. The fabrication of her promiscuity had fit nicely with the truth of how Grandma Beck had shipped her pregnant granddaughter off to live with strangers until the baby was born and then never let her come back home.
All the other questions Analise asked, Gracie managed to answer with as much honesty as she could, sharing the bare minimum, glossing over the rest. She’d never guessed that Analise had kept digging, searching for more. In retrospect, that was a big fail on her part. She should’ve known an overachiever like Analise would never settle for half-truths and lies.
“Analise, I didn’t realize how important it was to you.”
“You didn’t think knowing my dad was so important?” Analise shot back, astonished.
Yeah, Gracie deserved that. “So you came here thinking you’d miraculously find him?”
“I thought Grandma would tell me.”
Grandma Beck wouldn’t have given up that secret under torture. She’d have turned Analise around and sent her home so fast, the kid would have been dizzy.
As for Reilly, well he’d packed up and hit the road before she’d even known she was pregnant and by the time she’d learned his whereabouts . . . Well, she’d been too hurt and betrayed to hunt him down. He’d promised her a future and left her without a word, her life in ruins. At first, her pride wouldn’t let her ask him for anything, not even help with his child. Later, when maturity and distance had given her perspective, there’d been other reasons not to tell him. That didn’t make it right or fair, but few things in Gracie’s life had ever been right or fair.
She glanced at him again. She couldn’t help it. Even after all this time, having him in the same room was like sitting next to a power line. She felt him beneath the skin, a low frequency hum that made her hyperaware and jittery.
He wore a T-shirt that couldn’t hide the thick, corded muscles of his arms and chest. His faded Levi’s hung low on lean hips, drawing her eye down and stirring memories she didn’t want to wake.
A black and white tattoo covered his right forearm, and a series of colorful ones wrapped his left bicep. His hair was just shy of shaved and a five-o’clock shadow darkened his jaw. At eighteen he’d been walking, talking sex appeal. At thirty-five, he was potent enough to make her swoon. He looked older, harder. A lot less boy, a lot more man. But it was working for him.
With a start, she realized he’d been watching her, watching him. A hot blush heated her face and she
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