Gena Showalter - Black and Blue

He loves me, too!

Joy swept through her. She wasn’t sure how she’d won the heart of the world’s most notorious playboy, but she was glad that she had. “I’m strangely okay with being glued to your side,” she said. “I even know a surgeon who’d be willing to do it, if the price was right.”

He gave a hoarse laugh. “I’ll pay double if he’ll make sure our parts are lined up properly. That way I can just stay inside you for the rest of our lives.”

Dirty-minded man. She loved that, too! “Come on. Let’s get you cleaned up, fed, and rested. I could use a nap myself. That way I’ll be at my best when I visit John.” She led him to the shower, stripped him, pushed the right buttons, and waited as the mist cleaned him.

Afterward, she drew him to the bed. Then, as he’d once done for her, she went to the kitchen and dug up some food. Wearing only a robe, she straddled his lap, facing him while they ate. He received the peep show of a lifetime.

“By the way, if I wasn’t clear with the whole surgical, stay-inside-you thing, we’re getting married,” he said, “and our prenup is going to stipulate that you have to do something like this every day.”

Married? Yes, please! She wanted this man legally bound to her. “Do you seriously think I’m going to let you have a prenup? I want everything you own, including your soul.”

“Princess, it’s already yours. To prove it, I want to do a human and an Arcadian ceremony. One with vows. One with blood. And before you start to panic on me, you won’t be a slave like Dallas is to the king. I will take your blood, too, and it will bond us. You will age slower, like my race, so I won’t have to live a single moment without you.”

Slowly she grinned. “You, Corbin Blue, are a sappy, sappy man.”

“But you love me anyway.”

“I love you always.”

He squeezed the tops of her thighs. “Since I’ll be Mr. Evangeline Black, you have to wipe out my bill.”

“I will . . . just as soon as you pay it.”

“Can I get a discount?”

She thought for a moment. “Well . . . I think you once mentioned paying in orgasms.”

“This is true.”

“Then no discount. You’ll pay every cent.”

He laughed. “Good.”

“Anything else we need to cover before you knock out a few dollars?”

“A few dollars? Ha! A good orgasm is worth thousands. But, yes, one more thing to cover. You once told me you were done with agenting when the case was over. Is that still the plan?”

“I . . . don’t think so. I liked getting back in the game, I admit it. But I also like being a doctor. So I’m not sure what I’ll do.”

“Maybe you can do both. I mean, you managed both with me. Every time I did something stupid, you were right there to patch me up.”

“True.” She nibbled on her bottom lip. “Yeah, I like the idea of doing both. Of working cases and patching agents.”

He toyed with the ends of her hair. “Thank you for everything. For being you. For saving me in every way.”

Warmth flowed through her. “You saved me, too. You gave me your strength and took my weakness, and as much as I love you for it, I will seriously hurt you if you ever do it again. I would rather die than lose you.”

“I will die if I lose you.” He traced a finger down the center of her robe, widening the lapels, revealing more of her breasts. “You are so beautiful,” he said. “So sweet. So soft. So perfect. So utterly mine. You could have done so much better than me, but I’m glad you didn’t.”

A slow grin spread across her face. She would never tire of his compliments. He made her feel beautiful and sweet and soft and perfect. “Silly man. I happen to think you’re the best there is.”

“Yeah?”

“Oh, yeah.”

“You’re making me question your intelligence, panda bear, but that’s okay, because I’ve always liked ditzy women.”

She gave a fist pump toward the ceiling. “Finally. I’m officially your type.”

His fingers wound around a thick lock of her hair, not stopping until he reached her nape. He pulled her down for a kiss, and when that wasn’t enough contact, when the heat sparked between them, he rolled her onto her back and loomed over her.

“My type is Evie Black. Everything I like revolves around you . You’re the best thing to ever happen to me. And before either of us takes another case, I want to whisk you away for the best vacation of your life. Sun, sand, and mandatory nudity. Then maybe I’ll spend my billions buying the world for you.”

“I’m on board with everything but the present. I’d like something I don’t already own, please.”

He snorted.

She had never thought she would end up with a guy like him. Had anyone suggested it, even a few months earlier, she would have laughed—and then maybe pulled a gun. But Blue burst into her life, infiltrated every aspect of it, and definitely turned everything upside down while he chased away the darkness inside her and ushered in the brightest of lights.

“Actually, as long as you’re with me,” she said, “I have everything I need.”

He grinned and challenged, “As long as I’m with you . . . or in you?”

She laughed, the sound genuine and tinkling like bells, surprising her. When had she become such a girl? “I’m greedy. How about both?”

“I can get on board with that.” He fit his hands on her hips. “So let’s get started, shall we?”

BESTSELLING AUTHOR

GENA SHOWALTER

“Passion, humor, pulse-pounding action and just plain fun . . . her books are always a refreshing escape!”

— New York Times bestselling author Lara Adrian

Applause for the first book in her Otherworld Assassin series

LAST KISS GOODNIGHT

“Showalter kicks off her new Otherworld Assassin series, addressing her signature themes: inner darkness, inner light, and the battles between good and evil waged both between people and within individuals’ souls. . . . Her fans will be eager to follow her into new adventures.”

—Booklist

“A fast-paced, intense paranormal romance that offers original, dynamic characters, vivid, compelling worldbuilding, and a powerful ‘love prevails’ narrative.”

— Kirkus Reviews

“This dark and edgy novel features two damaged protagonists trapped in a horrific situation with few options. Their growing relationship is tender and touching despite their circumstances and it really strikes a powerful romantic chord. Settle back and enjoy this truly fantastic read!”

—RT Book Reviews

“You get pulled into a dark world. . . . This one goes to the top of my Gena Showalter Personal Favorites list. Now I not so patiently wait for [ Black and Blue ], the next book in the series.”

— Night Owl Reviews

“A hero to die for.”

— Under the Covers

And praise for the Alien Huntress series

DARK TASTE OF RAPTURE

“A literal taste of rapture.”

— Fresh Fiction

“Showalter consistently creates compelling and action-packed tales where alien creatures are intricately woven into a believable futuristic world. But Dark Taste of Rapture takes it up a notch. . . .”

— RT Book Reviews

ECSTASY IN DARKNESS

“A glued-to-your-seat kind of book . . . Showalter is a master of creating unique, fun, and super-sexy characters.”

— RT Book Reviews