Taylor “Ty” Synclair, bass player for British rock band, ShadowsForge, has enjoyed six years of musical success. He believes there has to be one woman, somewhere, who will love him for who he is, not the package sold to the public.
Alexis Rivers worked hard to gain her freedom from an abusive relationship. Her only desire is to be alone, to live life on her own terms. The problem is her heart doesn’t agree with her decision, a decision that crumbles fast after literally running into Ty Synclair in the middle of a blizzard.
Can two cold hearts spark a fire, when they collide on a snowy mountain road and spend three days alone together in a snowbound cabin?
Ty lowered himself carefully down the hillside to the driver’s door and found a dazed young woman behind the wheel. Blood trickled down the side of her face from a cut across her forehead. Her lap belt was snug around her heavy lavender coat. She was looking around, quite confused.
“Bloody hell,” Ty exclaimed, at the sight that met his eyes.
With the fender pushed back over the seam of the door, it took several tries to get the door opened. Ty wedged his boot against the edge of the fender, gripped the door handle, and pushed as hard as he could. The metal screeched in protest before it crumpled out of the way. Ty was thankful that he found the strength, thinking it had all drained from him in tonight's performance.
He searched through her car, trying to locate something to press to her bleeding forehead. Seeing nothing, he unbuttoned the bottom of his jacket long enough to rip the tail from his yellow shirt.
With the door open and the windshield broken, the warmth from the interior was quickly escaping. Ty unbuckled her lap belt and gently moved her over. He slid in beside her, pulling the door closed to preserve what heat he could. She proved to be very light as he settled her, getting her to lean her head back. He carefully brushed a few strands of blue-black hair from her delicate face and pressed the cotton material against the cut, trying his best to remember what to do for a head injury. Her eyes searched the ceiling of the car, wandering aimlessly.
“Do I look like a bleedin’ Boy Scout?” Ty spoke to himself, attempting to calm the anxiety that was creeping up, trying to overwhelm him. “They’re always prepared. I’m not. Come on, Synclair, stay calm.” He moved closer to her. “Miss?”
Ty hoped to bring her back to coherence long enough to find out who she was or where she was coming from. Hopefully she didn’t live too far away. If he could get his car up on the road, he could at least get her some help. Or walk there if it wasn’t too far.
The mobile phone.
Duh.
He quickly searched his jacket pockets with one hand. Gone. Must have fallen out when he hit the trees. Have to check when I get the bleeding stopped. He pressed firmly against the material held to her brow.
A moan escaped her lips, startling Ty from his thoughts. He shook back his thick hair, placing his mouth close to her ear. “Miss?”
“Oh, Lord.” She turned toward him. “You’re up already?”
The girl stared at him with deep, brown eyes. But in those dark pools, Ty saw something he didn’t like.
Terror.
She gave a startled cry, sliding from his touch, pushing his hand away as she grabbed the handle of the passenger door, tugging franticly. Her knit gloves would not allow her to get a good grip on the handle, her hands slipping continually from the metal lever.
“Calm down, lady.” He tried to hold her, fearing she would hurt herself further as she pulled with futility at the door handle.
“Don’t hurt me, Les.” She screamed in breathless terror, using the last of her strength to pound her fist on the glass. Panic quickly overcame her. She slipped from consciousness.
Excerpt #2:
Alexis stroked the back of his neck lightly, her hands now buried beneath Ty’s hair. Here it comes. Lord, how maddening this is. As he moved closer, she contentedly slipped her hands over his shoulders, encouraging him to move closer still, until she could hear him breathing slightly above her. She wondered about the strange sensations coursing through her.
“Ty?” Her voice, like her emotions, wavered somewhere between excitement and fear.
Hmmm?” he answered, sure she was going to stop him, knowing that she should.
“Why do I feel this way?” Her dark eyes searched the face they could not see. How she wished she could see him, look into his eyes, to know what he was thinking by his features.
Alexis hoped he didn’t think her a complete idiot, never having experienced this emotion, this gentleness, before. His tenderness was new and exciting to her.
Ty wasn’t sure what to say. “What way do you feel?” he ventured, leaning forward to touch his forehead carefully to hers.
“For the first time in my life, I feel — wanted. Cared for. Not just owned. Not just used,” she stated, with a trembling smile.
Oh, Girl, you are definitely wanted.
He asked, “Has no one ever made love to you before?”
“Made love? Is that what this is? I thought making love was — um — well…”
“Alexis, if I may,” Ty said, feeling slightly awkward. “There is the physical thing, having a good shag — having sex — hit and run, no deeper meaning to it than self-satisfaction.”
He paused before lightly kissing her forehead, then her eyelids, stroking her cheek gently with the back of his fingers as she responded to his touch. He placed her palms against his chest so that she was sure to feel the beating of his heart, stroking her arms tenderly.
“Then — there is — making love.” His velvety voice and light touch sent a warm sensation through her.
Alexis shuddered, drawing in an excited breath as she felt him brush his lips along her throat, placing feathery kisses as he moved. She hadn't expected it, and it frightened her a bit. She could feel his thundering heartbeat through his shirt. She wondered if he was as aroused as he was making her. His warm breath on her neck was awakening responses that she didn't know existed. Half of her emotions were screaming for more while the other half where trying to throw out a grappling hook to stop her from falling right into his hands. So much for being in control.
“No one has ever touched me like this before. Ty?” she said breathlessly. “Would you…”
“What ever you want,” Ty whispered, answering before the question was asked. His fingers explored the curve of her jaw, caressing her throat, feeling her quickened heartbeat. His chest pounded as if he were a schoolboy waiting for his first kiss, and he realized that he was falling into his own trap.
“Would you kiss me?” Alexis asked hesitantly, looking hopefully into his face. Her emotions were winning, and if Alexis didn’t do something fast, she would succumb to this man’s will, whatever that might be. She had no idea why she asked him to kiss her if she needed to stop. All she knew was that the desire was strong to fully explore the mystery that was Ty Synclair.
“Are you of consenting age?” Ty asked, laughing nervously, trying to stop, or at least slow, the soul-stirring roller coaster that he was on. That walk in the cold had been a complete waste of time. And if he didn’t do something, this was going to end up the same as most other nights. And, damn it, he didn’t want that to happen. If that was all he wanted, he could have stayed at the hotel.
Alexis smiled. “Would it make a difference?” she asked, lightly dragging her nails across his shoulders, causing him to shudder.
Without another word, Ty turned Alexis, laying her back in his arms. He saw a frightened, yet anticipating look in her eyes as he hovered above her.
“Are ya sure ya want me to be kissing ya?” he felt compelled to ask, using an Irish accent. “Ya don’t know where ‘ah been,” he confessed.
Alexis smiled. “No, but I know what you’ve done,” she said, lightly brushing her hand up his arm, across his shoulder and lacing her fingers through his mane.
Ty leaned forward, lightly touching his lips to hers, testing her reaction. Alexis’ hand caressed from his throat to his chest during the short duration of the kiss. Ty found it difficult to leave it at that. He leaned down once more, pressing his mouth firmly over hers, knowing she could feel the pounding of his heart. He quickly realized that they were both caught in the tide of rising passion.
ShadowsForge 1: Three Times A Hero
Available online at
bravenet.com