Yours Always Series

His fingers ran through the hair just behind my ear and I shivered. How did he remember exactly where to touch me after all this time? Because he was Mason. Because this was the kid who had done research on how to make a woman come before our first time because he hadn't wanted me to be disappointed. "I'm not asking you for more than you're ready for. I'm back, okay? I'm here. Whatever you want, however you want..." My brain was telling me I was being an idiot for believing he wouldn't break my heart again. My heart was trying to remind me it hadn't been his fault he'd left. And my body? My body was starting to melt into his touch, wondering if after all this time he'd still do that thing with his tongue...   Ronnie Ten years ago, he left me sitting in a park with no explanation. You can imagine my surprise when, out of the blue, he comes to my rescue in a small-town bar. Why is he back? Where has he been? And why do I still care?   Mason Ten years ago, I broke her heart and I couldn't tell her why. When the dangers from my past come back to haunt her, it's my worst nightmares come true. Ten years ago, I left to keep her safe. This time, I'm staying even if it might kill me.

"Okay. Look." He blew a breath out of his nose. I raised an eyebrow at him. "I know we don't get on very well and god knows why Grimm picked me and not one of the other guys to pair up with you, but if we're going to be happy newlyweds, you might want to stop glaring at me." Oh, I knew why Grimm had picked him. Because the man was down right lickable. Thirty five years old, six foot two, with dark skin and amazing light blue eyes, he was going to have all those suburban housewives eating out of his palm. Asshole. I was going to have to spend a month pretending to be married to him while watching other women drool over him. Awesome.   Liam I should have said no to the assignment. I mean, who willingly takes a job where they're fake married to a woman who hates them. The thought of being alone with Nyssa without the rest of the team, though… maybe it's what we need to call a truce. The truth of the matter is, I've always had a thing for her, but it was always easy to stay away since she couldn't stand to be around me. Now? Now, I'm screwed because now, I'm touching her and now I'm kissing her and I can't figure out if any of it is real or if it's just part of our job.   Nyssa There's only one word to describe Liam. Asshole. I mean, the man picked me up and threw me in a rain barrel for crying out loud. Who does that? Assholes. When I get paired with him to go undercover as happy newlyweds, I decide I'm just going to keep my head down and do the job. Except that without the rest of the team around to act as buffer, I start to see a glimpse of who he actually is. Those kisses, those touches, those looks… I have to keep reminding myself it's all acting. Right?

"Why were you repeating the word small?" I prodded. He hesitated before starting to write. It's something I tell myself. It helps when people are around. "Helps with what?" If I think small, if I'm small, they aren't as… He took a few seconds to think about the word he wanted. Intimidated? He underlined the word twice and shrugged one of those massive shoulders. He inhaled deeply and his shoulders slumped. "Lukas." Those deep brown eyes met mine. I don't want you to be scared of me. My heart broke for him as I read the note. "I'm not scared of you." I should have been. After what I'd gone through with Dylan, I knew what uncontrolled anger turned into. I should have been terrified to be in this man's presence. I was fairly certain that not much would survive if Lukas Banks ever lost control of the fire storm that was burning within him. He watched me, looking for any sign that I might be lying. I moved my hand from his arm and pressed it over his heart. "Lukas, you don't have to be small for me."   Viv I've spent the past five years of my life with one thing on my mind: Franny. My daughter is my heart and soul. I'd never really had any interest in men since leaving her dad, but that changes the instant I see Lukas walk into my grocery store. The small mountain of a man who doesn't talk has a storm brewing in his eyes, yet I've never felt safer than when I'm with him. But someone out there doesn't want me to be happy and suddenly, my life is in chaos.   Lukas My entire life, I've been different; I've scared people. Ever since I've lost my voice, it's been even worse. When I walk into a grocery store and the gorgeous redhead at the till talks to me like I'm not a freak, I have to admit, I'm blown away. When she shows up with pie to check on me a week later, I have to tell myself not to be an idiot. Nice girls like her don't fall for monsters like me. Of course, it doesn't take long to fall for her and her daughter. They're amazing. When someone starts to threaten them, I make Viv a promise. I'll keep them safe. Because the waste of skin trying to ruin her life is wrong: those two little redheads aren't his… they're mine.

Ginny opened the door, her eyes widening at the sight of me. "What are you doing here?" she asked as she stepped out and shut the door. Shit. I'd got it wrong. She was the one blowing me off. "I got that text and it sounded like maybe you thought I was going to blow you off after last night, but now I'm thinking that maybe you're the one who was doing that to me…" Her jaw dropped. "Look, Ginny. I didn't spend every minute at the park that I could, watch your kids, admit that story about Liz, and tell you I wanted to hang out today just so I could get laid. I mean, it's been a while, but I'm pretty sure there are easier ways to do that. You're not some rebound fuck. I like you. A lot. I think your kids are great. So, no. I'm not blowing you off. Nothing is going to come up." I took a deep breath. "Unless you want something to come up, in which case, I'll leave." She licked her lips nervously and I tried not to think how they'd felt against my skin last night. Around my… "I'm sorry, I…" I smiled and nodded. At least she was being honest and wasn't going to string me along for two years. I bent and put the drinks and pastries on deck. Her hand on my arm stopped me as I turned to leave. "That's not what I meant. I meant I'm sorry I had doubts about your intentions this morning. I woke up and in my head, it didn't make sense." I frowned. "What didn't make sense?" "Just you. Wanting me. Why the hell would a gorgeous single guy who could walk into any building in town and walk out with a harem want to be with a widow with two kids?" I started to laugh. "Ok. First of all, a harem sounds exhausting." She smiled and shrugged.   Ginny It's been three years since I lost my best friend, the love of my life, the father of my children. My life since then has been all about my work and my kids. So when Logan Banks starts hanging around, I try not to think too much about it. I mean, why would he be interested in a single mom when he could have any of the women in this town fawning over him.   Logan My entire life, I've only ever really wanted one thing. A family like the one I'd grown up with. A woman I love and who loves me back, a couple of kids… At one point, I'd thought I'd found the one who would share those dreams with me, but it all blew up in my face. When I meet Ginny when we move to Granger Springs, I'm not looking for anything more than a friend, but the woman is amazing and the next thing I know, all I can think about is spending time with her. Now, all I need to do is convince her she's the one I want to share my dream with.

I pressed a kiss to the top of her head for the benefit of our audience. "Ready? "For you?" She ran her fingers along my jaw. "Always." She stood on her tippy toes and placed a soft kiss on my neck. A shiver spread through my entire body. Jesus. I took a hold of the back of her neck and turned her head up gently. I made sure the kiss was slow, tender. This was most likely the only time I'd get to do this and I was going to make it last. She melted into me with a sigh. When I pulled back, her eyes were half lidded, her breathing hard. If she looked like that after a kiss, what would she look like after… No. Bad Ray.   Mary I have a problem. My best friend joined a cult and it's been a while since I've been able to get a hold of her. You'd think since my brother is a partner at Daisy Security, a company that helps track people down, I should have no problem finding her. Except that Jack seems to think I'm overreacting. That leaves me no choice but to go behind his back and ask a member of their sister company for help. When Nyssa introduces me to Ray, I have to admit, I'm more than a little surprised by the feelings he brings forth with his soothing promises and calming touches. I didn't come to Granger Springs to find love. I came here to find Tara. But maybe… maybe I can find both?   Ray I've spent the past two years of my life working as Pup Security's rat. I'm the guy who tracks down the leads and makes sure they're solid before the team moves in. I'd have been perfectly happy doing the same for the rest of my life, so when they offer me a partner position, I'm floored and beyond thankful. Then, I meet Mary and promise to help her before I know what I'm getting into. I can't help myself. All it takes is one look into those amazing eyes. The Daisy and Pup teams have a strict no secrets or lies rule and by the end of this assignment, my life as I know it will be done and it will be back in the gutters with the actual rats. So, falling for Mary? It's a bad idea. It's a terrible idea. But, lately, I'm the king of terrible ideas...

Taking a sip of coffee, I watched as he took a spoonful of soup. His groan had me laughing. "Right? Best hecking soup ever." "That's amazing." He dunked his bun into it and I almost spilled my drink as he took a bite then licked his lips. I remembered that kiss against my truck. I thought about the sweet one by the generator. My mind moved to the mindblowing night we'd spent together after the bar. I wanted to feel him relax under my hands. I wanted to hear those noises he made. I wanted those shy yeses to reach my ears when I asked him if what I was doing was okay. Having said that, I wanted him to stick around so I could try and get to know him better. I should probably just focus on quiet movie time. I finished my soup and sat back with a sigh. His eyes were on me and I cocked my head in question. I could see his anxiety slowly climbing. "Close your eyes, Trap." I smiled when he did and instantly relaxed. My lips found his and he leaned into it. I pulled back. "What do you need?" He kissed me again. "A shower." I started to laugh. "So have one." His grin made my heart kick. Why the hell had a shower almost sent him running? He stood and held his hand out to me. Oh.   Taylor All it takes is a few moments of sitting on the deck with Kit and, suddenly, he's all I can think about. It doesn't take long to realize that someone in his past hurt him badly, but for some reason, he trusts me. Until he doesn't. Every time we start to get close, the man runs and disappears. Now, the question is: am I willing to risk my heart in an attempt to heal his?   Kit I can't be loved. It's not something I dwell on, it's just something that is. I've learned the hard way that there's something about me that drives people away. I've come to terms with it. It is what it is. So, I have a rule. I don't go home with anyone I might ever see again. Then, I meet Taylor. The man just won't leave my mind and the next thing you know, I'm finding my way back to him. I know one thing: I can't give him what he wants even if it's the one one thing I want too.

"Who the heck are you? The sign says 'closed' for a reason." I turned and found myself looking into the barrel of a rifle. Holding it was a woman, though I was too busy trying to figure out if I could get the gun away from her before she could get off a shot to notice what she looked like. "I'm looking for Britt." "Why?" "Why don't you put that gun down before you hurt yourself." Her eyebrows shot up before loading the weapon like a pro. Right. "I'll ask again. Why are you creeping around here at night?" "First of all, it's evening. Second, the door wasn't locked. I knocked, but I figured no one heard me and that Britt was probably here in the shop." "Britt is in the shop. You still haven't told me why you're looking for me." I blinked. Britt was a woman. Yep. I was a dick for assuming. "Bleeping Rat. He said he'd give you a heads up." The rifle lowered slightly and moved just off center. "Ray sent you?" I let out a deep breath and ran my hands over my face. "Yeah. He said, 'go to the shop. Britt is there and can get you the part you need.'..." She took the cartridge out of the chamber and set the gun down. "Bleeping Ray. Maybe we can start over. Hi. My name is Britt." I took her hand and shook it. "Hi. I'm Jack." She raised an eyebrow. "Just Jack? No team nickname? I thought the world at large got the nicknames first." I grinned. "You've already pulled a gun on me. I think we can skip right to my actual name." She laughed and holy shit, it was amazing. "I'm so sorry about that." I shook my head. "It's fine. I'm glad you can take care of yourself." Wait. That had sounded strange. "That came out weird." She was staring at me, clearly trying not to laugh. "Want to try again?" I opened my mouth but snapped it shut before I could say, 'I'm glad I don't have to worry about anything happening to you.' What the hell, Jack. "Nope. I'm just going to stick with that one." This time, she did start laughing.   Britt Living in a small town is hard on the dating life and dating apps aren't much help these days. You see, I have a pretty specific plan in mind for my future and I'm not willing to settle for anything less. It doesn't matter how many men tell me there's no way I'll find a guy who will agree to my terms. I don't care what they say, I've always thought that when I met the right guy, I'd know. When Jack walks into my shop after closing and offers to help me with the storm shelter after the alerts go off, I start to think that maybe, just maybe, this man might be the one I've been waiting for…   Jack Once upon a time, I thought I had it all; a job I loved, my little sister to raise, and a wife I adored. We were happy. Or at least, I thought we were. It's been ten years since those divorce papers were signed and I've pretty much resigned myself to the fact that I'll never find anyone who wants the same future as me. When I meet Britt, I have to remind myself that it doesn't matter what I feel, things always work out the same way and I don't think my heart can survive being broken again.

"You still haven't told me why." "Honestly? I don't know why. I saw you by the van at your parents' and… Jesus, Angel, even if we hadn't gone to the shed, I'd have ended up here anyway. She blushed and her freckles disappeared. "You're stuck in my head, Hanna, and I can't get you out of it." Taking a sip of her drink, she smirked. "Do you have some weird daddy complex?" I burst out laughing. "No. I can't say that I do." "Savior complex?" I grunted. "Don't most people in my line of work?" Those amazing eyes were on me. "Is that really why your name is Ghost? Because people disappear in the middle of the night?" I shook my head. "I mean, I can do that, but that's not why. I'm quiet. In and out. I'm good with computers too. You know… hacker stuff. Not as good as my friend Sneak, but I'm better than most." "Wow. You're so modest." She grinned. I shrugged. "I know what I'm good at." "I remember something else you're pretty good at." She licked a drop of coffee off of her lips. Jesus. "That was my first, ah…" My heart dropped. Please, for the love of anything and everything, please don't say first time. Had I known that, I'd have done things differently… "My first orgasm." Thank God.. Wait. What? "You'd never had an orgasm?" "Well, I mean, I've given myself some, but that was the first time a guy managed to do it." My brain was about to explode. It didn't know if it should focus on the fact that I'd been the first one to make her come, or on the mental image of her getting herself off. "If I tell you to do it again, will you?" I hesitated. This wasn't why I'd come here. She came to stand between my legs, those amazing eyes on me. "You made me feel good. I want to feel good." She pushed my baseball hat off of my head and ran her fingers through my hair. There was a quiet plea in her gaze and I nodded. I could do that. I could make her feel good.   Hanna I've always been different. Just the short girl with too many curves and messed up eyes. I'm used to the stares and the whispers. Then, I meet Dean and he stares too, but the look in his eyes sets me on fire. Unfortunately, he's not the only man's attention I've caught and I disappear from Dean's life without an explanation. When I reappear a year later, I know there's no way he'll ever want me again, but I hope he can forgive me just enough to help me.   Dean What do you do when the love of your life disappears without an explanation? You forget about her (yeah, right). When Hanna phones me asking for help a year later, I go to her for a couple of reasons. One, I want to find out what happened. Two, I've never been able to tell the woman no and it seems that's still a thing. When I find out why she disappeared, I make her a promise: I will help her, people will die, and she'll remember that above all else, I will always love her. **Readers please be aware that this story has elements of human trafficking and sexual assault though they are not described in detail.

I woke up to Callie draped over me, her thigh wedged between my legs, her head on my chest, her hand on my bicep. Carefully, I started to move her to the side. She was about to wake up to the product of a very inappropriate dream I'd been having about her. "Hmmm. Don't move," she mumbled. I did as she said. She pressed her thigh down and I couldn't stop the groan. I heard her breath hitch softly in her throat as she shifted against my hip. Holy shit. Was she… Her grip on my arm tightened. She went still again for a moment before moving again, this time, a little harder. I swore. Maybe she was still asleep? I mean, I wasn't complaining. If she wanted to get off, I was more than happy to help. This was hot as hell. Having said that, I wouldn't mind being more involved in the process if she'd let me. "I was dreaming about you," she whispered.   Callie Three years ago, my life imploded after I lost my sister. Unable to stay where everyone insisted on speculating and gossiping about what happened, I moved to Granger Springs to start over. It's been a good three years and I'm happy. Then I meet Morgan. Team leader for Daisy Security, the man is all growls and frowns. I have no idea how to take him. He looks so annoyed by everything I do, but every time I turn around, there he is. And I'm not going to lie, I really like it…   Morgan "You're really grumpy, Uncle Morgan." I have to admit, my tiny niece is right. I've been one hell of a grump lately. It's been five years since my wife Daisy passed away and the thought of moving base to Granger Springs and leaving our house behind has me in a bad mood. When I find Callie stranded on the side of the road, I don't know what to make of her. She's… bubbly. Smiley. Happy. Nice to everyone. The woman skips, for crying out loud. She confuses the hell out of me. Just as I'm starting to figure out how I feel, someone from her past shows up thinking he's going to take her from me. What he doesn't realize is that I've only ever loved two women, and I'm not willing to give up the one that's still alive...