Title: One More Time Author: S. Van Horne Genre: Romantic Suspense Expected Release Date: July 12, 2016 Hosted by: Lady Amber's Reviews & PR
Blurb: Len-
I have been in love with Dante since the day he knocked on our door to walk with my brother to their first day of their freshman year of high school. Right after they graduated high school I overheard them talking of joining the Navy Seals. I also heard something that crushed me. I decided it was time to get over Dante, time to move on and stop being the stupid, awkward, innocent, annoying friendâs sister. Nine years later, I am being stalked. I had to go to my brother for help. I didnât know that included Dante in the mix. Once I saw him I knew I still loved him. Maybe now he will see me as the woman I always wanted him to see, even if I still am a virgin.
Dante-
I have had a great life. Amazing family, brothers, kick ass best friend and more women I knew what to do with⦠well that isnât true. When Neil and I decided to become Navy Seals I figured I could finally meet someone to take my mind off the one person I knew I could never have, my best friends little sister. Nine years later we get word she is being stalked. I am in a rage to protect the only woman who means more to me then my family. It is time to claim her and show the world that they messed with the wrong woman, damn the consequences.
Can these two finally come together and become what they were destined to be? Or will family, feelings and a stalker be too much to face and destroy what their destiny should be?
S. Van Horne was born and raised in the small town of Belton, Missouri, which is a part of the Kansas City metropolitan area. She is from a very large family and is the oldest of six. Growing up she did not have the easiest life. She learned quickly that family means everything, even if it is the type that you get to pick for yourself. She met the love of her life at the early age of 20 and was married just after nine months of meeting him. Shortly after marriage, her husband rejoined the U.S. Navy and they moved from Kansas City and started their journey together. Currently they have two amazing children, a boy and a girl, and are still enjoying the Navy life. They are looking forward to retiring shortly to the great state of Washington to be closer to their God daughters/nieces and their parents.
She spends her days being a Navy wife, homeschool mother, reading books, writing her latest novel, watching her beloved Kansas City Chiefs or Kansas City Royals play, watching movies, hanging out with family and friends and having girls days at least once a month.
Author Links: Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/15257770.S_Van_Horne Twitter: https://twitter.com/smvh79 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Authorsvanhorne/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/svanhorne/
Scared doesnât even begin to describe what Iâm feeling right now. Looking at my shaking hands, at the note left in my box at work, Iâm not sure what to think. Iâm trying to figure out who would send it. I have never lead a guy on. How could I when Iâm still stuck on the one guy who thinks of me as his best friendâs annoying little sister. Hearing those words spoken from him broke my heart, but what shattered it was when Iâd heard them talk about becoming Navy Seals. Not only was I losing the one guy I had loved since I was twelve. I was losing my brother as well.
Donât get me wrong, I support my troops, but I was so scared that they were going to die in combat. Iâm not dumb, being a Navy Seal is a big thing. I knew that meant dangerous missions without knowing if they were okay. I did all I could in supporting them. I sent care packages, wrote letters, and helped with charity events to raise funds. I visited my brother when he was stateside, a difficult task with me being in school, then in college, and then during my residency to become a doctor. Now that Iâm an ER doctor at Center Point Medical Center, Iâm even busier.
It helps that my family moved back to Kansas City when I went to college. Even Momma Gio and Papa followed along with the boys in tow. They said they were ready for a change and wanted to join their second family. Now, Neil is done with the Navy and has opened his own security business. Dante joined him in the business.
I havenât seen Dante since his return. I havenât seen him in nine years. I have no clue what Iâm going to say to him. I donât want it to be weird, but I know it will be. Ever since the day they left, I had to re-evaluate my feelings constantly.
The chaste kiss he had placed on my lips had not only scared me, but had given me hope. It would have with any sixteen year old girl who had just had her first kiss. But then letters from my brother about the crazy crap they were pulling well and the woman that Dante was screwing, well that changed everything.
âNeil will be with you shortly, Len,â Sara, my brotherâs receptionist, tells me as she walks back to her desk.
âThank you, Sara.â I go and take a seat then look back at her and add, âWe really need to set up that girlsâ night we keep talking about. I miss hanging with you guys.â
âYouâre the one whoâs always busy at work. Call Ashley and tell her your schedule. Then weâll see about getting you in the club and finally getting you a man. We both need a man. We really need to get laid!â she says and then rolls her eyes at the outburst that comes from Neil who is in the next room.
âWhat the hell are you talking about? I donât ever want to hear about my sister getting laid,â Neil growls out as he joins us.
I donât miss the look of heat he shoots Sara. I start giggling because I know Neil wants and she wants him; however they are both so oblivious of each otherâs wants. I stand up with the letter in hand and walk over to him.
âAw, there, there, care bear, that doesnât concern you. Iâll do what I want, when I want. Iâm twenty-five years old, not twelve. If I want to sleep with a man I will,â I say, giving Sara a mischievous wink.
She knows Iâm a virgin, he doesnât and I donât plan on telling him. I just love teasing him.
âI donât want to hear that. Iâll tell Pops if you donât stop. I swear to God Iâm going to be in jail for murder.â
âIf you donât want to hear about things like that then I suggest you shouldnât ease drop.â I end up laughing at the look of disgusted on his face as he leads me to the conference room.
âIt isnât ease dropping if what was spoken wasnât practically being yelled out.â He growls out at me.
âSo letâs drop this conversation and you tell me what is so important that you couldnât wait until I was finished with work,â he says as he sits.
A feeling of terror hits me as I remember why Iâm here. Handing him the note, I take a seat as well. Neil and I are very close. He isnât going to take this threat well. Iâm scared of what heâs going to do or say.
Looking at him, watching him read the note, I see the change come over his face immediately. He looks up at me and I am struck with what I see. His blue eyes that have a hint of green in them are now full on green with the fury tightening his jaw and his nostrils flare as he takes in a harsh breath. He picks up the phone off the conference room table and barks three words into the receiver, âConference room. Now!â
I stare down at the receiver in confusion before I hang it up in the cradle. Lucky isnât one to let his temper get the best of him. Thereâs only been a handful of times Iâve seen this side of him. The only thing that can get him this worked up is when his family or one of the guys is being harmed or when we have a sensitive case we are working on. A sense of dread washes over me as I start to get up.
As I turn towards the door, the overhead light gleams off the photos lining my bookcase. My eyes immediately go to the one picture I canât seem to avoid.
Lens beautiful smile makes me catch my breath. She is the one woman that I canât get out of my head. Iâm looking forward to seeing her again at the party this weekend.
Over the years, I got letters and care packages from her. I wrote her back and sent her things I bought from places all over the world. She never sent a picture and when she came to visit Lucky, I would make myself scarce because I knew that if I were to see her, I wouldnât be able to stop myself from making her mine. I didnât want her to be waiting back home not knowing if I was ever coming back. So when they would skype, I would go into the other room. I also couldnât chance Lucky knowing that I had fallen for his kid sister.
It had hit me when she was sixteen. She was already such and amazing woman and she hadnât even finished growing yet.
I knew I would run into Len since I made the choice to move to Kansas City with Lucky and start Seal Security. I wasnât giving up the opportunity to work with my brothers and the guys from our troop even if that meant I couldnât avoid her.
We arenât your average private investigatorsâ. We specialize in security systems, bodyguard work, missing persons, and stalking. We work a lot with the Kansas City Police Department.
We also have our own motorcycle club that we started. Not one of those one percent MCâs which are considered an outlaw MC because they donât follow the laws. Weâre just a bunch of guys who love to ride bikes, but also, we help with charity drives, special victims, and help around the community. Well, we havenât officially started, but that is what we are planning. Right now, we just ride together.
I head out of my office and down the hall to the conference room. I hear Sara talking on the phone to one of her girlfriends. It has to be Ashely because out of all the girls those two are the closest.
âYes, we need to have a girlsâ night asap. We need to find some men. I need to get laid and we need to get Len laid too. She needs to give up that v-card already.â
That stops me in my tracks. Holy Shit, sheâs still a virgin. Thatâs going to make this weekend even harder when I see her. You would think it would make me want her less, only, it just makes me want to claim her all the harder.
Shaking my head, I walk into the conference room. The first thing I notice is the back of a small woman being comforted by Lucky.
He looks up at me and then leans down to whisper into her ear. The man is seriously hung up on Sara, so I know gesture isnât sexual since heâs hung up on Sara. Shifting slightly, he looks at me again.
âWe have a problem.â
He nods to a piece of paper on the table. As Iâm picking it up, I shoot him a odd, sidelong glance.
âSquirt, go to the bathroom and wash up, okay? Iâm going to fill Dante in on the situation. Come back when youâre better. Donât worry about anything. Weâll never let anything happen to you.â
My head jerks up and Iâm caught in a pair of amazing blue eyes. The same eyes that have haunted me every day since I was eighteen. Sheâs even more beautiful than the last time I saw her and my body takes notice. Iâm harder than I have been in ages.
Her hair is a brighter blonde then I remember and lies over her shoulders. Sheâs in a light dress that hugs her curves just right. Her dress has a V neck that shows off her full breasts. Her legs are tan and long, and I want them wrapped around my waist as I pound into her. Sheâs wearing these fuck me shoes that I can almost feel pressing into my back. I can just assume that the rest of her body that I canât see because of her sitting down is going to be just as hot. My gaze travels back up her body to her eyes where I can see the fear that is running deep in her soul.
âHey Dante, long time no see. I wish it was under better circumstances,â Len says as she smiles at me sadly, then she looks back at Neil. âIâll be back in a second.â
She stands up and walks towards the door. Damn, she has an ass that wonât stop. Seeing the sway of her body has the air knocking out of my lungs. There is no way Iâm going to be able to stay away from her now. Lucky is going to kill me.
I look over at Lucky. He seems pissed and I pull myself together.
âWhatâs up, Lucky?â
âLook at the note. As I said, we have a problem.â
I look down at the note and what I see has me seeing red.
LEN,
IF YOU THINK YOU CAN FLIRT WITH ANY MAN THAT WALKS IN HERE, AFTER YOU HAVE GIVEN ME YOUR HEART? YOU BETTER THINK AGAIN. STOP FLIRTING WITH DR. SMITH, OR IâLL KILL HIM AND PUNISH YOU.
YOURS ALWAYS.
Oh, problem is not a big enough word to describe what Iâm reading. Whatâs in my hand ⦠calls the beast in me to come to the surface. All I see is blood, and it isnât mine. Shitâs going to hit the fan, heads are going to roll, and someone is going to die a very slow and painful death. Nobody threatens my woman and lives.
Lucky must have seen the thirst for blood in my eyes, because he goes from rage, to shock, to something Iâm unable to distinguish. I know what heâs seeing. Iâve been trying to hide it from him and the world for years. Now, itâs time to let them all know that little Len belongs to me. Damn the consequences, because no one can protect her better than the man who is willing to die or kill to keep her safe.