Claiming Her

By Kelly Lucille

The third, and long awaited book in the Keeping Her Series.
Lucas Gibbs walked away from Miley Isabella Rose years ago for her own safety. Then was forced to mourn and regret the choice when she died unexpectedly. Only she isn't dead.
Miley is alive and has good reason to keep Lucas at a distance. But he's not about to blow this second chance to claim his mate. No matter what she says... or who he has to kill to keep her safe.
This book is intended for mature audiences only. Definitely has explicit sex.
This is a stand alone book but is better enjoyed within the series order.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Kelly Lucille
• Release date: Oct 2, 2014
• ISBN: 9781310631191

Kelly Lucille

Kelly Lucille was born in Bremerton, Washington. April 9th, 1974.She has a B.A. Degree in Creative Writing and Literature from Naropa University.Her first book "Keeping Her" published in July of 2013."The Dragon's Mage" was release August 2013"Loving Her" (Mac and Ben's story in the Keeping Her Series) just released on August 31st,2013.Still to come: "At Ones Pleasure." and "Web of Bones" the second in the Dragon Mage series.Also in the works:Two Fantasy/Paranormal Romance novels: "The Journeys End" and "Claiming Her"and a Contemporary Romance "Beatrice and Douglas."On a more personal note- I read my first romance novel: "Shanna" by Kathleen E. Woodiwiss when I was 13 years old. I still read it every year or so just to remember how amazing a really good romance novel can make you feel.Check out more of what's coming next at kellylucille.com

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Claiming Her

By Kelly Lucille

Published by Kelly Lucille

Smashwords edition

Copyright 2014 Kelly Lucille

All Rights Reserved

Table of Contents

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Chapter 21

Chapter 22

Chapter 23

CHAPTER ONE

Opening her door to the ocean was one of Isabella’s favorite perks of the job when she accepted it. The scent of the frangipani that bloomed all over A Bene Placito mixed with the salty sea air drifted through her windows to greet her each morning, and seemed to only sweeten and ripen when the sun went down. A step from her porch, ferns big enough to classify as palms stood with coconut trees and tropical blooms to form a solid wall of green. Kites, bullfinches and cuckoos met the sun each morning with raucous calls and bright fluttering wings. Everywhere you looked on the island hummed with life.

After two years, she could honestly say it still delighted her. Working and living on a private Caribbean island for the super-rich had few drawbacks as far as she could see. But a huge benefit was the use of a small cabin on the beach and the privacy to appreciate it. On this side of the island, far from the glittering throng of the well-to-do that came to A Bene Placito, it was just her and the sound of the surf at her back door.

Since she was assigned the farthest cabin just past most of the staff homes, she was relatively isolated. She assumed this was because the shifters who lived and worked the island didn’t want her too close to the action. As the only ‟mostly" human employed at the resort, she was always kept at just the slightest distance. It was a little isolating, but in her situation it was for the best. She was in no position to let someone get close enough to discover her secret. She had made that mistake, and was still paying the price.

Another huge benefit of working on the island was the commute. Even from the farthest section of isolated beach, it only took her about twenty minutes to walk to the resort. Nothing on the island was too far away, and it was no hardship to walk through paradise to work every day.

This far into the staff area rarely saw action. The rich shifters and full humans that came to the resort to play had their own private beach to frolic on, and the resort itself was like a small enclosed town bent on hedonistic pleasure. There were times when full humans were on the island and things were toned down to suit human expectations. Weddings, and other special events, but mostly it was a shifter run, shifter visited playground of anything goes as long as you left the staff out of it and paid through the nose.

No one was allowed in this section of the beach. If staff wanted to frolic with guests, they did it away from staff housing. So it was with some surprise that three feet down the path to the hotel a lion prowled.

Isabella stopped in her sassy skirt and heels just past one of the million coconut trees lining the path and stared. He was huge, even by lion standards, probably topped eight hundred pounds and all of that sleek deadly muscle. He took up the entire path with sensuous supple purpose. Golden, from gorgeous full mane to retractable claws. She knew that lion, and he looked hungry.

Oh, crap. He’s early.

Hey, Lucas, she cleared her dry throat, been awhile. She really hated that her voice squeaked, broadcasting her nerves, but this was Lucas Gibbs. He had always managed to unnerve her, though she had usually been able to hide it better than this.

Before she could say anything else equally mundane, he shifted in motion. Instead of a deadly lion stalking her, she had a naked six foot five golden haired Viking marauder moving toward her down the isolated path.

She lost every bit of breath in her body in one whoosh.

When she had worked as his assistant, she had the pleasure of seeing Lucas daily, in expensive custom suits, or amazing butt hugging jeans with t-shirts that bulged in muscled stud glory. Even swim trunks on a few memorable occasions that had fed her daydreams for years. But, naked was new.

Apparently, her imagination did not do the man justice.

He still looks hungry. She started backing up.

Wha . . . That was as far as she got before he lunged and lifted her off her feet, startling an ‘eep’ out of her when she found herself pressed against all that glorious golden flesh over muscle. A foot taller than her, he held her dangling in his arms so that she was left blinking stupidly right into golden cat eyes.

Normally, Lucas had cerulean blue eyes that penetrated every defense anyone tried to erect. The man saw everything. When they turned cat, you knew you were in trouble. Looking into hungry cat eyes, Isabella froze.

Hello Miley, Lucas growled out, and she felt the rumble beneath his skin all down their pressed bodies. It also did not escape her notice that he might be angry, but he was also undeniably happy to see her, if the steel rod pressing against her hip was any indication.

Lucas lifted his nose and sniffed, then started walking towards her cabin.

She licked dry lips and wondered inanely if that was the nerves or the sorry fact that every drop of moisture in her body was traveling directly to her sex and pooling there. The sexy growling he was doing certainly wasn’t helping that situation.

Isabella cleared her throat again. You’re probably wondering what I’m doing here? Under a different name?

Later, he ground out between his teeth. He took the steps to her porch and shouldered his way through her unlocked door.

Later? Wait, what? The door slammed with finality when he kicked it closed.

Then, before she could figure out what the hell was going on, he took her to the bed.

Following her down, he pushed open her thighs so that he lay between them, her skirt rucked up to her hips, his wide chest pressing her down against the soft mattress.

She wedged both hands against his hard jaw. At her touch, he stilled utterly, and Isabella had the inane thought that all that gold hair falling forward and brushing the back of her hands was, incredibly, as soft as it looked. She had always wondered about that. Finding out now was a little unexpected, to say the least.

Not once the whole time she worked for him, for nearly two years, had he ever hinted that he saw her as a woman. Then for no explicable reason, he had fired her and they parted ways. So, this was understandably confusing. What are you doing?

He took his time answering, studying her face, reading who knew what in her hazel eyes. He pulled in a long breath through his nose, and Isabella blushed, knowing exactly what he must be scenting. She was unbelievably turned on, and still . . . confused as hell. Lucas?

He stopped any further questions by cupping his big hands around both sides of her face, his long fingers digging softly into long honey brown hair. God, those hands.

I'm doing what I should have done the first fucking second I met you. Every word was growled with intent. His eyes went to her lips and fired. A stubborn, wicked look came over his face, and the steal core behind his words dared her to deny him. Mine.

Then for the first time ever, Lucas Gibbs kissed Miley Isabella Rose . . . and everything changed.

How many endless hours had she dreamed about kissing Lucas Gibbs? She thought briefly of demanding he stop and give her an explanation for his weird and out of character actions, but what if he actually listened?

His lips were soft on hers, his tongue rough as it rubbed friction against all her taste buds. What the man could do with that mouth should be outlawed. She pulled back for a breath, her lungs working like she had just run a mile. He growled and nipped her lips before pressing her down further into the mattress. One of those powerful hands left her hair and caressed down to her neck, cupping her pulse point. His fingers wrapped possessively around her delicate neck while he rubbed his bristled jaw down the soft skin of her cheek. For a second, he stilled with her life literally cupped in his hand, that big powerful frame of his seemed to shudder all along her length.

Suddenly he threw back his head and roared, making Isabella yip out an involuntary scream, her eyes scrunching closed, her ears ringing, her heart tripping in sudden adrenaline laced fear. Her hands had moved to protect her face from a possible lion mauling.

Oh, shit! Oh, shit! Oh, shit! She lay there panicking, trapped beneath eight hundred pounds of solid muscle and predatory instincts. Her heart was trying to beat its way out of her chest. Then a few seconds passed and nothing happened. She bravely opened the fingers of one hand so that she could peek with one eye at the crazy ass shape-shifter. She heard him chuckle just when she realized, despite the evidence to the contrary, that he was not losing his mind and was not about to eviscerate her. Instead, he was looking down at her as if she was doing something adorably funny.

Isabella suddenly wanted to do some growling of her own. Are you out of your mind? It came out more of a squeak, but she cleared her dry throat and tried again, her voice growing in volume. "What the hell was that?"

The humor left his face while she watched. His hand still wrapped around her neck gave it a light squeeze, and the bones in his jaw became more pronounced. I thought you were dead. His voice was little more than a gritty grumble. His face dropped so that his nose pressed at her neck right above his hand. He breathed her in, gave another one of those full body shudders. His voice deepened, Never again. Then with a vicious growl that had her gasping, he reared back and grabbed the neck of her top in two fists, and ripped it down the middle. He didn’t stop ripping until he had her completely naked and spread out beneath him. As quick as that Isabella found herself naked with Lucas Gibbs, his eyes devouring her as if he was about to lay siege.

Lucas? Her voice was shaky, she knew it, but the adrenaline spikes were as strength sapping as the desire pooling in her sex. She honestly had no idea if she was more turned on or frightened by his actions. His eyes snapped from her breasts to her face when he heard her say his name. Are you in there? She knew just by looking that he was more cat than man right now. She licked her dry lips, and his eyes immediately tracked it. Please, Lucas, I need to know that I am safe with you.

Closing his eyes, he breathed in deep, then a second time. When he finally opened them again, he looked at her with blue eyes that had lost none of their heat.

Always. His voice was still that half-animal growl, but he was making the effort. You are always safe with me, Miley. It assured her enough that some of the fear left, making room for the desire.

It was her turn to study that big gold body as he knelt between her legs like some Viking conqueror set to pillage. Her turn to shudder out a breath as desire hit her core so hard she quaked from just looking at him. Isabella pulled herself up and buried her face in his chest, wrapping her arms around his waist; she took her chance to breathe him in. He smelled like he always had to her, wild grass lands, and sunshine. Her own personal sex fantasy come to life. He wrapped her up in those big arms and held tight, his cheek pressed against her hair.

I don’t want to scare you, he said, rubbing his chin against her hair.

Okay. That sounded good to her.

But, I’m holding onto my control by a thread here, baby. I need to be inside you more than I need my next fucking breath, and it’s not going to be soft or sweet.

All her breath rushed out again. Okay then. She leaned back so that she could look in his eyes. They were back to lion gold, his jaw tensed. In fact, every muscle in his body seemed to be granite, including the impressive erection that felt like a brand of heat against her stomach. All that control he was exerting for her sake looked painful and flipping hot.

She licked her lips and took a steadying breath for courage. You know, Lucas . . . in all the sex dreams I’ve had about you, there was less talking. More doing.

He growled, the fire in his eyes ignited and she watched it happen. Heck, she lit the fuse. A second later, she was pushed down on her back, all that was Lucas Gibbs was lifting her knees up and back to make room for his gargantuan thighs between her legs. With one more growl, he grabbed her waist yanking her farther down the bed and up towards him, so that her back arched, her hair spread out behind her as if she was some pagan offering of carnal pleasure. He pressed the head of his cock inside her. As hot and wet as she was from wanting him, he was still overlarge for the area he was attempting to fill, and she wiggled to try to get a better fit. He growled and held her still, then pulled her closer, impaling her just that little bit more until the feeling of being stretched by him was almost painful. She arched her neck with a gasp.

Look at me, Miley. His growl was all command. They were both breathing heavily. From this position, she had to look down her stretched body to see him kneeling between her thighs. He was right, there was no soft anywhere on him. I’m claiming you. I’m keeping you.

She had the time to think a very intelligent, Huh? Wait. What?

With the first powerful thrust, he invaded, with the second he seated himself fully. Then he did exactly what he said he would, he claimed her, and it wasn’t soft, but a branding of flesh on flesh. While he pounded himself in and out with powerful thrusts that she felt all the way to her tingling toes, he held her suspended over the bed, completely in his control so that all she could do was accept him. He searched for and found the spot inside her that built up the tension so fast the pleasure hit her like a freight train coming out of nowhere. For the first time in her life she screamed in pleasure. He thrust harder, hard enough that her headboard banged the wall with each thrust. He watched it all with an utterly implacable look of possession until, with a rush of heat she felt deep inside, he threw back his head and roared.

This time she recognized it for what it was, a lion male claiming his territory.

I am in so much trouble.

CHAPTER TWO

Isabella was trying to catch her breath. Impossible with Lucas still on top of her, amazingly still hard inside her and nuzzling her neck. Which all felt really good, especially when his warm rough tongue leisurely lapping at her collarbone as if he could not get enough of her taste.

If this is a sex dream, she said breathlessly, her eyes on the ceiling fan, it’s a good one.

Lucas chuckled, his nose nuzzling her neck affectionately before he raised his head and smiled down at her. Have many sex dreams about me, do you? His voice was practically a purr.

Wowza. Determined to ignore his question, even though the truth was written in the blush across her cheeks, Isabella cleared her throat, and went for nonchalance. Sooo, what brings you to the island?

He stilled above her, his eyes narrowed on her face, he let out a little chuff of irritation. His voice gruff and low, Is that really how you want to play this, Miley?

So much for nonchalance. I don’t actually want to play anything with you, Lucas, she said with a sigh. That would be all kinds of stupid. She pushed against his shoulders. Would you let me up?

Why?

She blinked up at him. Why? Why do you think? She pushed again, and he just raised an arrogant brow and ignored her attempts to push him away. One, I actually have to get to work. That was where I was going when you decided to enact caveman fantasy #26 and haul me off to bed. And two, no way am I going to be able to have a coherent conversation when you’re naked and I’m impaled on your massive cock.

For a reply, Lucas pulled out of her until only the head of his cock was still inside her, and then he thrust back in, hard. Isabella gasped and clutched at his arms, her eyes rolling back in her head at the dominating friction of him. What are you doing?

Making sure you’re late for work. He pulled out slowly and thrust hard again, and Isabella threw back her head and groaned. He took that as