Hearts a Plenty: Vintage Love, Book 1

By Rosemary Gunn

Welcome to Awry, the sleepy Midwest town where family roots run deep and friendships deeper; where passion burns white-hot and secrets are everybody’s business.

Claire and Jared’s love affair is intense before Mark arrives in town for the Thanksgiving holiday. The three spend the week partaking in each other, expressing their gratitude and the spirit of sharing in the most erotic and physical way possible. But when the lovers must gather around the festive family table to celebrate and give thanks, will their newly expanded relationship be met with approval or shame? Claire loves both men and they are indeed her lovers. Mark is also something more. Will they have the courage to fight for the love in their hearts?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Rosemary Gunn
• Release date: Jun 28, 2013
• ISBN: 9781301437597

Rosemary Gunn

Word Addict. Author of erotic romances.

Book preview

HEARTS A PLENTY

Copyright ©2013 Rosemary Gunn

www.rosemarygunn.com

Smashwords Edition, License Notes

This e-book is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This e-book may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

This e-book contains sexually explicit scenes and adult language.

Expanded version of work originally published in 2010

Books by Ms. Gunn

available at

www.rosemarygunn.com

Erotic Romance

Open Proposal

Vintage Love

Hearts A Plenty, Book 1

Tattered Hearts, Book 2 [Coming Soon]

Salvage My Heart, Book 3 [TBA]

Reclaim Her Heart, Book 4 [TBA]

Bedtime Stories

[titles stand alone]

The Letter, Book 1

How Does Your Garden Grow?, Book 2

Nonfiction

A Long Crawl: My Journey Through Guillain-Barre Syndrome

Hearts A Plenty

Welcome to Awry, the sleepy Midwest town where family roots run deep and friendships deeper; where passion burns white-hot and secrets are everybody’s business.

Claire and Jared’s love affair is intense before Mark arrives in town for the Thanksgiving holiday. The three spend the week partaking in each other, expressing their gratitude and the spirit of sharing in the most erotic and physical way possible. But when the lovers must gather around the festive family table to celebrate and give thanks, will their newly expanded relationship be met with approval or shame? Claire loves both men and they are indeed her lovers, but Mark is also something more. Her stepbrother. Will they have the courage to fight for the love in their hearts?

Dedication: To Mom

Acknowledgments: Thanks to Jennifer Skullestad, Carrie Clemons, and Jessica Ritchey for always being there, daring me to do more. To Lynne Anderson for helping to bring this one to fruition the first time. I would also like to thank the wonderful people at Materials Unlimited for their patience and expertise as I hammered out final details.

Chapter One

Of course, I’ll be there. I’m dying to see Jill and Trent’s baby. I know you are thrilled to be Grandma and share the baby. You and Daddy have been gone for weeks. I can hardly wait to hear all about your trip. That was the truth. Since Miles Mason had married Dorothy Pierce last year, he didn’t seem to have any compunction about leaving the family business in the competent hands of his offspring.

Claire Mason wandered around the condo as she talked on the phone, a habit that Jared Young had enjoyed watching during their many months of dating. He listened as she made her way through the kitchen into the living room then back down the hall toward the entry. He was surprised the floor didn’t show signs of wear from the circular route she typically traveled.

As part owner of an architectural salvage business, Claire’s place had an eclectic blend of many different eras. The brass-and-stained-glass light from the early twentieth century in the entrance illuminated a rough strip of barn wood lined with metal hooks and the jackets hanging there. In the hallway leading to the entry, an antique cherry-picking ladder attached horizontally to the wall provided the perfect complement for the black-and-white family photos showcased between the rungs.

The furnishings she used to create her home provided some insight to her quirky tastes and passion for her business, but none of it really mattered to Jared. He’d been content in the office/living area above his restaurant before more of his stuff started staying at her place than his. Besides, his tiny quarters had become decidedly cramped after the addition of a roommate six months ago. He couldn’t dismiss Stella’s unpredictable shenanigans since her return to Awry either and figured it was better for both of them if he stayed at Claire’s. Otherwise, he’d probably end up strangling his long-time friend with his bare hands.

From his vantage point he could see Claire’s reflection in the ornate floor mirror by the front door. Strain pulled at her soft lips and tightened the delicate curve of her jaw. Her sadness tugged at his heart. She stopped and leaned her forehead against the wall. The lavender in the old metal newspaper box that was secured upright usually helped to calm her, but it wasn’t working tonight. She closed her eyes and shook her head; maybe hoping some of her denial to whatever Dorothy was saying would travel telepathically through the phone.

Jared had been stretched out on the vintage sofa watching Claire as she talked to her stepmother, but he now went to her and wrapped his arms around her waist from behind. She wore a white tailored blouse with a classy high neck, unbuttoned just enough to hint at the delicious upper curves of her breasts, and a tan wool skirt hugged her hips. Just like her home decor, it made no difference to him what she wore; she always looked beautiful. She’d worked at the shop and attended a meeting today, but her T-shirts and jeans got him riled up as well. He’d like it if she’d wear just nothing at all. He didn’t have any problem wrapping his body around her curves and keeping her warm on the cold Michigan nights.

She settled against him. He heard and felt the steadying breath she took, knowing she drew strength from his touch. He had a feeling about where the topic had turned, which was confirmed by her next words.

And Mark knows of this proposed arrangement? Jared smoothed his hands up her sides over her ribs, feeling the soft shiver of awareness flutter through her. His own body tensed as he waited for Claire’s side of the conversation. He cupped the fullness of her breasts, rubbing the hard peaks through the crisp cotton and thin lace covering them.

"I realize that we’re family, Dorothy. Emphasis obviously being repeated, though Claire’s words had a breathless quality that Dorothy Pierce-Mason’s had probably lacked. That doesn’t necessarily mean that Mark is going to feel comfortable staying at my place while he’s here." Another silence as Claire listened. Jared’s heart had settled somewhere in his throat as his mind quickly sifted through the many possibilities in the near future.

Jared took his time unbuttoning the blouse, dragging his fingers along the deep cleft of her breasts, wanting to run his tongue along the heated, scented flesh. She wore a sexy musk perfume that never failed to wind him up. He could feel the heavy thumping of her heart against his hand and also where his chest rested against her back. His own heartbeat kept pace with hers.

One by one, he released the small steel buttons. She lifted her hips slightly; finding the hard line of his cock and thrusting gently back against him.

Jared was always ready for Claire. She walked into the room and his senses heightened even as his brain ceased to function.

As he brushed her heavy mass of rich mahogany waves away from her neck and feathered his lips against the rapid pulse beating there, he thanked whatever God was listening for the woman he held.

He slid his hands to her hips and squeezed through the long wool skirt, grinding the solid bar of his cock into the cleft of her butt. She gasped and continued her sensual gyrations against him, her cheek pressed to the wall. Her involuntary reaction to his hard hands on her hips punched him in the chest as usual, his heart tripping over. She moaned softly, covered it by clearing her throat, then apologized into the phone.

No, no. I’m fine. Mark is always welcome in my home, Dorothy. You know that, just as he does. More silence. "Okay then, that’ll be fine. I’ll expect him