Family & Fortune by Tracy Ellen Excerpt

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Hello Readers! If you are new to The Adventures of Anabel Axelrod ongoing series, read the first book, A Date with Fate for FREE.

Prepare for laughter, sighs, tears, and shocking surprises in Family & Fortune, Volume V in the dangerously delicious ongoing series, The Adventures of Anabel Axelrod.

Floating on drama-free air, Anabel and Luke are reveling in their time spent together like a normal couple over the holidays before the Las Vegas weddings. But their sensual idyll can’t last forever, especially when contrary to all the promises made in the ads, what happens in Vegas starts in Northfield. As the family weddings draw nearer, so does trouble. Anabel has to be on her toes like never before when confronted with a blackmailing ex-cousin, troubling behavior from her niece, strangers asking strange questions, an irritatingly consistent foretelling of her future, wedding havoc in the family, Vegas gangstas, jealous girlfriends, and a seriously freaky fan boy who may be more bite than bark.

If Anabel doesn't play her tarot cards right, not even the talented Mr. Tricky can alter the fortune destined to take her breath away--for good!

Excerpt:

I found Luke at the kitchen island dishing scrambled eggs onto our plates.

He didn’t look up. “There you are. I thought I was going to have to come haul that sweet ass of yours in here.”

I paused in mid-sashay. Not that a man with his saturnine features and slashing, devilish brows could ever be described as adorable, but Luke came pretty close. He had a white kitchen towel tossed over one broad shoulder and was whistling softly under his breath.

Something about men doing domestic chores got me hot. Luke was shirtless and his jeans rode low on his hips. My eyes ate up the expanse of smooth, olive skin. Like an arrow made specifically to taunt me, my eyes followed the narrow band of silky black hair on his chest downwards over ripped abs until it disappeared and I hit the bulging jackpot. Involuntarily, my breath caught. I seriously wondered in that microsecond if I had crossed into nympho territory.

Luke moved and the best biceps in America flexed. That was it. I wanted to bounce Luke off the fridge, drag him to the floor, and watch him vigorously do pushups over me. Okay, and push ins, too.

‘And a violent nympho at that. Exercise some control, girl!’ The mean mommy voice exclaimed in alarm.

The sex kitten’s tinkling laughter and deep purring were loudly approving.

To cover my lustful pause, I lifted my bare foot and peered down, as if I stepped on something. I wouldn’t put it past Mr. Tricky to be able to read my body language and then my mind. It would not be a good thing for Team Anabel if Luke knew I was so sexually besotted that I envisioned kitchen floor sex over breakfast--my favorite meal. I may be getting used to sharing the love, but no man should have that degree of totalitarian sexual power over their woman. That’s how monsters get created.

Nonchalantly, I walked close by Luke’s bent head to reach the fridge. “Mmm, smells good enough to eat in here.”

I pretended not to notice his momentary stillness when my seven-eighths exposed right breast passed within his field of vision. If he’d made any sudden moves, my right nipple, hard and pointy from his little chest and arm display, would have poked him straight in his eyeball.

Aware I had his undivided attention; I opened the fridge and leaned forward to peer inside. Humming tunelessly and wiggling my butt a bit, I took my time to find the bottle of orange juice. Next, I did my counter bouncing routine to reach the juice glasses up on the second shelf in the tall cupboard.

“I see that jumping move works even better for you with no panties on.”

“Is that all you saw?” I asked with a straight face.

“Of course, what else would I have seen?” Luke used his foot to pull out a stool for me.

Giggling at his dry tone, I carried our juices to the island. “Well, your keen observation adds valuable data to my scientific test. I was determining if the decrease in my weight by wearing no panties increased my ability to jump higher.”

My peripheral vision detected that tonight’s jeans jackpot had grown even bulgier. I was pleased at the measurable result of my little butt wriggle, but stayed strong and focused on my task ahead--stuffing my face.

Luke slowly raised a brow. “As long as it’s for science, I could be available for further data gathering.”

“You’ll be the first guy I ask.”

“I’ll be the only guy you ask.”

I laughed, and kissed Luke’s single dimple before removing his roving hand from my butt to sit on the stool.

Observing the steaming plate of cheesy eggs, buttered toast, and some sort of crispy potato patty flecked with greens, I carefully draped a napkin over my lap. I saw Luke smile faintly at that move, but I hadn’t done it for modesty’s sake. I wasn’t about to take any chances hot cheese would singe the Bermuda Triangle.

I rubbed my hands together and nodded yes when Luke graciously offered the black pepper grinder. “Wow, thanks. I didn’t even know I had enough food to make breakfast, much less this bounty.”

“I’ve cooked for myself for years,” Luke reminded me, peppering his eggs next. “I can scrounge with the best of them.”

“Do you know that I worship the ground you walk on?”

“Join the end of a long, long line, baby.”

I giggled again at his smarmy growl.

Maybe it was the knowledge our troubles were finally solved and the future stretched out brightly ahead of us, or maybe it was simply the result of our incredibly passionate schtup fest, but both of us were clearly in ebullient moods.

We shared a grin and then I blew on a forkful of hot eggs.

Chewing slowly, I closed my eyes.

I tasted a flavorful burst of chives, a slight nuttiness, a little green onion, and as I swallowed, a nice edge of heat. “Wow again. Mmm, what cheese did you use and why have I never used it in scrambled eggs before? Was that jalapeño I tasted? Because I’ve got to tell you, Chef Iron Chest, normally I’m not a huge fan of hot peppers in eggs,” I kissed my fingers, “but that was magnifico!”

I opened my eyes to find Luke watching me with an intense expression.

He didn’t answer my questions, instead saying softly, “The earrings look beautiful on you. What are your thoughts on pierced nipples?”

Startled, one hand unconsciously flew up to touch one of my birthday presents while the other clutched protectively at my girls, fork included. His glance followed my hand up and then lowered lazily to my breasts. I swear heat scorched my skin all along the way.

The sex kitten voice moaned, but I almost gagged.

“Careful, Princess, so you don’t fork yourself,” Luke warned teasingly.

‘Said the man who wants me to pierce my breasts,’ I thought in resentful terror.

Piercing meant needles, which meant no freaking way. I looked down at my full plate, appetite ruined. The words “pierced” and “nipple” should never, ever be said in the same sentence, especially during a meal. If wearing dangling earrings while letting a rosy nipple poke out impudently here or there gave Luke such horrifying ideas, then my jumping, bending, bare-butt-in-the-air days were definitely over.

The scrambled eggs were paste in my suddenly dry throat. Trying not to choke, I eyed Luke’s raised black brows and cruel mouth while I slowly forced the food down my throat.

Looking down from that penetrating gaze, I forked at the potato patty. My mind raced for a way to nip the subject in the bud, so to speak.

“Hmm, nipple piercing,” I drawled out slowly, stabbing the patty viciously to break it up into bite-size pieces. I glanced up with a bland expression. “Well, my first thought, as you very well know, is ouch.” Ignoring Luke’s growing grin, I went on musingly, “If you’re worried what people will think, I don’t believe it is true only gay men pierce their nipples these days.” I shrugged a shoulder. “I like hoops of any kind on my man, large or small, so my second thought is go right ahead and do your nipples.” I smiled cheerfully up into Luke’s glittering eyes. “Hey, you have my support to pierce Big Jim and the twins, too, if you want.”

I shoved the forkful of potatoes into my dry mouth and considered the subject closed.

Luke threw back his head and laughed. I kept chewing while his broad shoulders shook beside me. On a final chuckle, he put his arm around my shoulders and pulled me close. This time, he kissed my cheek.

Perhaps I should have been nervous when Genghis said no more on the subject, but I cuddled next to his strong, warm body and let it go. After all, try and train me as he might, this chick would never willingly agree to pierce her ta tas or her cha-cha.