Dance of Desire (1001 Dark Nights) Read online

  Dance of Desire

  By Christopher Rice

  1001 Dark Nights

  Dance of Desire

  By Christopher Rice

  1001 Dark Nights

  Copyright 2016 Christopher Rice

  ISBN: 978-1-942299-24-0

  Foreword: Copyright 2014 M. J. Rose

  Published by Evil Eye Concepts, Incorporated

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any printed or electronic form without permission. Please do not participate in or encourage piracy of copyrighted materials in violation of the author’s rights.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, places, characters and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination and are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events or establishments is solely coincidental.

  Book Description

  Dance of Desire

  By Christopher Rice

  When Amber Watson walks in on her husband in the throes of extramarital passion with one of his employees, her comfortable, passion-free life is shattered in an instant. Worse, the fate of the successful country music bar that bears her family's name suddenly hangs in the balance. Her soon to be ex-husband is one of the bar's official owners; his mistress, one of its employees. Will her divorce destroy her late father's legacy?

  Not if Amber's adopted brother Caleb has anything to do with it. The wandering cowboy has picked the perfect time for a homecoming. Better yet, he's determined to use his brains and his fists to put Amber's ex in his place and keep the family business intact. But Caleb's long absence has done nothing to dim the forbidden desire between him and the woman the State of Texas considers to be his sister.

  Years ago, when they were just teenagers, Caleb and Amber shared a passionate first kiss beside a moonlit lake. But that same night, tragedy claimed the life of Caleb's parents and the handsome young man went from being a family friend to Amber's adopted brother. Has enough time passed for the two of them to throw off the roles Amber's father picked for them all those years ago? Will their desire for each other save the family business or put it in greater danger?

  DANCE OF DESIRE is the first contemporary romance from award-winning, New York Times bestselling author Christopher Rice, told with the author's trademark humor and heart. It also introduces readers to a quirky and beautiful town in the Texas Hill Country called Chapel Springs.

  READER ADVISORY. DANCE OF DESIRE contains fantasies of dubious consent, acted on by consenting adults. Readers with sensitivities to those issues should be advised.

  About Christopher Rice

  New York Times bestselling author Christopher Rice’s first foray into erotic romance, THE FLAME, earned accolades from some of the genre’s most beloved authors. “Sensual, passionate and intelligent,” wrote Lexi Blake, “it’s everything an erotic romance should be.” J. Kenner called it “absolutely delicious,” Cherise Sinclair hailed it as “beautifully lyrical” and Lorelei James announced, “I look forward to reading more!” He went on to publish two more installments in The Desire Exchange Series, THE SURRENDER GATE and KISS THE FLAME. Prior to his erotic romance debut, Christopher published four New York Times bestselling thrillers before the age of 30, received a Lambda Literary Award and was declared one of People Magazine’s Sexiest Men Alive. His supernatural thrillers, THE HEAVENS RISE and THE VINES, were both nominated for Bram Stoker Awards. Aside from authoring eight works of dark suspense, Christopher is also the co-host and executive producer of THE DINNER PARTY SHOW WITH CHRISTOPHER RICE & ERIC SHAW QUINN, all the episodes of which can be downloaded and streamed at www.TheDinnerPartyShow.com and from iTunes. Subscribe to The Dinner Party Show's You Tube channel to receive the newest content.

  Also from Christopher Rice

  Click to purchase

  Thrillers

  A DENSITY OF SOULS

  THE SNOW GARDEN

  LIGHT BEFORE DAY

  BLIND FALL

  THE MOONLIT EARTH

  Supernatural Thrillers

  THE HEAVENS RISE

  THE VINES

  Paranormal Romance

  THE FLAME: A Desire Exchange Novella

  THE SURRENDER GATE: A Desire Exchange Novel

  KISS THE FLAME: A Desire Exchange Novella

  Contemporary Romance

  DANCE OF DESIRE

  DESIRE & ICE: A MacKenzie Family Novella

  Acknowledgments

  Once again, a huge thanks to both Liz Berry and M.J Rose for inviting me to be part of this special project. (And Steve Berry for being the instigator.) Another huge thanks to Jillian Stein for making romanceland a better place with her personality, humor and social media saavy.

  Kimberly Guidroz and "Shy" Pam Jamison did a wonderful job of editing this one, as always. But Kim, in particular, deserves more thanks than one page can accommodate, for more reasons than I can list here. As always, Asha Hossain does a wonderful job with the Dark Nights covers. Two more big rounds of thanks to cover model Jamison Murphy and photographer Cathryn Farnsworth.

  For her friendship and general support of my romantic endeavors, I will always be grateful for the fact that Lexi Blake lives and breathes and is so generous with her knowledge and talent. And in the case of this particular novella, I'm eternally indebted to Liliana Hart, who not only invited me to write a story set in the world of her MacKenzie Family, she allowed me to crossover some of its characters into DANCE OF DESIRE.

  And I'd be remiss if I didn't also give shout outs to my good friends and general support network, Eric Shaw Quinn, Becket Ghiotto, Christina Barnett, Karen O'Brien and my mother. And of course, all my Texas relatives who inspired the finer parts of this story.

  Discover 1001 Dark Nights Collection One

  Click here to explore

  FOREVER WICKED by Shayla Black

  CRIMSON TWILIGHT by Heather Graham

  CAPTURED IN SURRENDER by Liliana Hart

  SILENT BITE: A SCANGUARDS WEDDING by Tina Folsom

  DUNGEON GAMES by Lexi Blake

  AZAGOTH by Larissa Ione

  NEED YOU NOW by Lisa Renee Jones

  SHOW ME, BABY by Cherise Sinclair

  ROPED IN by Lorelei James

  TEMPTED BY MIDNIGHT by Lara Adrian

  THE FLAME by Christopher Rice

  CARESS OF DARKNESS by Julie Kenner

  Also from 1001 Dark Nights

  TAME ME by J. Kenner

  Discover 1001 Dark Nights Collection Two

  Click here to explore

  WICKED WOLF by Carrie Ann Ryan

  WHEN IRISH EYES ARE HAUNTING by Heather Graham

  EASY WITH YOU by Kristen Proby

  MASTER OF FREEDOM by Cherise Sinclair

  CARESS OF PLEASURE by Julie Kenner

  ADORED by Lexi Blake

  HADES by Larissa Ione

  RAVAGED by Elisabeth Naughton

  DREAM OF YOU by Jennifer L. Armentrout

  STRIPPED DOWN by Lorelei James

  RAGE/KILLIAN by Alexandra Ivy/Laura Wright

  DRAGON KING by Donna Grant

  PURE WICKED by Shayla Black

  HARD AS STEEL by Laura Kaye

  STROKE OF MIDNIGHT by Lara Adrian

  ALL HALLOWS EVE by Heather Graham

  KISS THE FLAME by Christopher Rice

  DARING HER LOVE by Melissa Foster

  TEASED by Rebecca Zanetti

  THE PROMISE OF SURRENDER by Liliana Hart

  Also from 1001 Dark Nights

  THE SURRENDER GATE By Christopher Rice

  SERVICING THE TARGET By Cherise Sinclair

  Table Of Contents

  Book Description

  About Christopher Rice


  Also by Christopher Rice

  Author Acknowledgments

  Discover 1001 Dark Nights Collection One

  Discover 1001 Dark Nights Collection Two

  Foreword

  Prologue

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Epilogue

  Discover 1001 Dark Nights Collection Three

  Discover the World of 1001 Dark Nights

  An excerpt from DESIRE & ICE: A MacKenzie Family Novella, featuring Danny Patterson

  Special Thanks

  One Thousand And One Dark Nights

  Once upon a time, in the future…

  I was a student fascinated with stories and learning.

  I studied philosophy, poetry, history, the occult, and

  the art and science of love and magic. I had a vast

  library at my father’s home and collected thousands

  of volumes of fantastic tales.

  I learned all about ancient races and bygone

  times. About myths and legends and dreams of all

  people through the millennium. And the more I read

  the stronger my imagination grew until I discovered

  that I was able to travel into the stories... to actually

  become part of them.

  I wish I could say that I listened to my teacher

  and respected my gift, as I ought to have. If I had, I

  would not be telling you this tale now.

  But I was foolhardy and confused, showing off

  with bravery.

  One afternoon, curious about the myth of the

  Arabian Nights, I traveled back to ancient Persia to

  see for myself if it was true that every day Shahryar

  (Persian: شهریار, “king”) married a new virgin, and then

  sent yesterday’s wife to be beheaded. It was written

  and I had read, that by the time he met Scheherazade,

  the vizier’s daughter, he’d killed one thousand

  women.

  Something went wrong with my efforts. I arrived

  in the midst of the story and somehow exchanged

  places with Scheherazade – a phenomena that had

  never occurred before and that still to this day, I

  cannot explain.

  Now I am trapped in that ancient past. I have

  taken on Scheherazade’s life and the only way I can

  protect myself and stay alive is to do what she did to

  protect herself and stay alive.

  Every night the King calls for me and listens as I spin tales.

  And when the evening ends and dawn breaks, I stop at a

  point that leaves him breathless and yearning for more.

  And so the King spares my life for one more day, so that

  he might hear the rest of my dark tale.

  As soon as I finish a story... I begin a new

  one... like the one that you, dear reader, have before

  you now.

  Prologue

  Then

  Amber resists, but finally opens her eyes.

  Caleb really is kneeling next to her bed, whispering her name.

  This isn’t just another one of the sexy, grown-up dreams she’s been having about the boy since summer started. Dreams in which he traces the curves of her body with his fingertips and gazes into her eyes with that serious expression that always makes him look so manly and handsome.

  He’s really here, his breath soft against her cheek as he whispers her name.

  The smell of his cologne is as strong as all the other woodsy smells inside her father’s lake house. A few hours ago, they’d both gone to bed at the same time. He in one room, she in another. So did he spritz himself before appearing at her bedside? The idea of him doing a little grooming before calling on her in the middle of the night makes her face feel tingly and hot.

  The brand is probably Ralph Lauren Polo, but never would she ask because then he’ll know just how much she likes it. Every whiff makes her envision the parts of his body that have become impossible to ignore, no matter how many times she tries to avert her eyes from his new biceps and his suddenly thick and powerful legs. That cologne is the aroma of his undeniable manhood. And the smell of it at her bedside makes her head spin.

  They’re only fifteen, but already the son of her father’s best friend is over six feet tall, prompting her dad to cry more than once this trip, “Boy, you don’t quit growin’, you’re going to be brushing the clouds by the time you’re a man.” That’s the Caleb she’s started to dream about, a powerful giant of a man, his back ridged with muscle, his solid arms powerful enough to lift her off her feet and make her feel like she's flying.

  She whispers his name. But that’s all she says. She doesn’t want to scare him away.

  Late night television drones in the living room downstairs. Her dad must have nodded off in front of the thing again.

  Was that what Caleb was waiting for? For her father to fall asleep?

  “It’s happening,” he says, taking her hand in his. “Come see!”

  He tugs on her hand as she stumbles out of bed, stops long enough for her to slide her flip-flops on without releasing his grip. He waits patiently, making her feel even warmer inside.

  Together they pad silently down the carpeted stairs, through the living room lit only by television flicker.

  She was right; her father’s out cold in his favorite recliner.

  Caleb opens the sliding deck door, then once they’re outside, kissed by warm air and surrounded by cricket song, he slides it shut behind them with barely a squeak. The whole time, he doesn’t let go of her hand. Amber’s not sure what’s making her heart race—his persistent grip, or the sight of him so cheerful and excited in spite of all the trouble that’s descended over his family that summer.

  She doesn’t know the whole story, but she’s overheard some of her father’s phone calls these past few days. He’s used words like detox and rehab and men who can’t come back from over there. She knows over there means Iraq, and she’s pretty sure the man in question is Mr. Tim, Caleb’s father, her dad’s closest friend from the Marines. Things must’ve gotten bad lately. Her father plans these lake house trips weeks in advance, especially if Caleb and his dad are coming.

  This trip was last minute. This time they only brought Caleb.

  Whatever it is, Caleb’s not talking about it.

  He’s not much of a talker in general and when he does open his mouth, it’s usually to give soft-spoken lectures about stuff he’s seen on science shows, like how volcanoes form and birds migrate. Sometimes the topic doesn’t interest her that much. What interests her is how Caleb gazes into her eyes while he explains another nerdy factoid. It’s like he needs for her to listen, needs for her to know what he likes. Needs for her to look into his eyes too. Just the other day, he placed one hand between her shoulder blades because he didn’t want her to miss the sight of a duck skimming the lake’s surface as it came in for a landing. She didn’t want him to stop touching her so she just kept nodding and watching, as if landing ducks were the most interesting things ever.

  They keep walking through the dark.

  He’s taking her to the lake.

  Last spring her father replaced the steps leading down to the boathouse, and when the air is thick with humidity, like tonight, the waft of cedar comes off them in overpowering waves. The closer they get to the shore, the faster Caleb goes and the harder she has to work to keep him from pulling her off her feet.

  Whatever he wants her to see, it’ll be gone in a few minutes if they don’t hurry.

  When
they reach the tip of the boathouse, he releases her hand. He’s behind her suddenly, gripping her shoulder in one hand, pointing to the night sky with the other. A full moon, bursting with light, sends rivulets of ivory across the lake’s black surface. This is exactly the scene he described to her earlier when they were pretending to sunbathe on the dock while sneaking looks at each other’s half-naked bodies.

  “What time was it last night when you saw the moon?” she’d asked him.

  “Past midnight.”

  “But you only went to bed at eleven.”

  “I couldn’t sleep.”

  They both knew what thoughts were keeping him awake, thoughts of his father’s drinking and of how crazy his mother was going trying to rein it all in.

  “Wake me up next time,” she’d told him. “I’ll keep you company.”

  Such simple words, but she’d felt like she was jumping off the edge of a cliff when she’d said them. Instead of answering, Caleb gave her a long look as he fiddled with the leg of his shorts. She’d silently cursed herself, called herself an idiot and worse.

  Caleb was just a friend. Honestly, he wasn’t even that, was he? Circumstances had thrown them together, that was all. He was the son of her father’s best friend, so they were basically like distant cousins, only with no shared blood in their veins. Crazy of her to think there might be more there.

  If her friends could see her now, they’d probably laugh at her; the same friends who’d swooned that day her father had picked her up from school with Caleb in the passenger seat of his truck, and Caleb, wearing a Stetson that was about a half-size too big for his head, had given them a cocky grin, looked right into her eyes and said, Afternoon, pretty lady. Not afternoon pretty ladies, even though she’d had about four other girls standing on the curb next to her when he’d said it.