Authors: Ashlyn Chase
She stroked his cheek and a soft shimmer shown in her eyes.
“So, is that okay with you?” Ethan asked. “Do you want to make February 2
nd
our hand-fasting date?”
“Absolutely,” she said. “The sooner the better.”
“Excellent,” Hanna clasped her hands. “Now, I have an early gift for you.”
She and Fayleen shared a knowing smile.
“Independence,” Fayleen called.
The supernatural dog came trotting out, wearing a black bow-tie and he made a bee-line for Brigit. He jumped into her lap and began licking her face.
“Oh! He’s so cute!” Then her smile was replaced by a sad expression. “Oh, but we can’t keep him. Ethan is allergic.”
“He won’t be as soon as he drinks from the grail,” the dog said.
Predictably, Brigit gasped.
“As you can see, it’ll take a special couple to adopt this particular pet,” Fayleen said and winked.
Ethan chuckled. “With a ghost, a talking dog, and two supernatural witches in the house, our baby will have quite the unusual childhood.”
“Unusual or exceptional?” Fayleen asked.
“So, what do you say, babe?” Independence asked Brigit, as politely as he knew how.
Ethan sneezed.
Brigit moved the dog off her lap away from Ethan, but spoke to Hanna. “You’d better let Ethan take a drink from the grail first, and we’ll see if it works.”
Hanna rose and reverently lifted the grail half filled with water. She took it to Ethan and handed it to him with a nod.
“It’s yours if you want it,” she said. “We hope you will. Your skill at sea could help many a sailor who gets in trouble.”
He turned to Brigit and she nodded.
“Here goes nuthin’,” he said and took a long swig. He handed the cup back to Hanna and looked around the room, expectantly. “Now what?”
Fayleen chuckled. “There’s no lightning or anything, if that’s what you’re thinking.”
“Try patting the dog,” Brigit said. “See if your nose tickles.” She picked up Independence and plopped him on her lover’s lap.
Ethan patted, hugged and scratched Independence under his chin.
“Ahhh...” the dog sighed. “I finally have a master, and as long as it’s this guy, I’m okay with that.”
“Excellent!” Hanna said. “There will be a meeting of the supernatural coven in about a week. I’ll introduce you to them at that time. Meanwhile I’ll need to teach you how and when to use your new powers.”
“What new powers,” Ethan asked.
“I see a demonstration is in order,” Hanna said. “Where do you most want to be?”
He gazed at Brigit. “My heart is right here.”
Hanna and Fayleen smiled at each other and Fayleen snapped her fingers.
Brigit disappeared.
Ethan shot to his feet. “What did you do to her?”
“She’s fine. Relax.” Fayleen said.
“Just close your eyes and visualize Brigit,” Hanna added. “You’ll find her.”
Ethan disappeared.
After a brief pause, Dru asked, “Where did they go?”
Hanna shrugged. “Not very far. Fayleen placed Brigit on his tug boat.”
“Will they be coming back soon?” Rebecca asked.
Fayleen giggled “I doubt it. I put Brigit in a sexy negligee.”
Ten months later
“B
rigit? Where are my keys?” Ethan tossed the sofa cushions on the floor.
A disembodied tinkling laugh came from the kitchen.
Oh no. Not again.
“Come on, Charlotte. Don’t hide my keys. I have job, and they really need me this morning.”
“Huh? I didn’t have anything to do with your keys. I was laughing at Sarah.”
Ethan strolled into the kitchen to see his beloved Brigit burping their beautiful, healthy daughter over her shoulder.
“She let out quite a belch a minute ago,” Brigit explained.
“Phew. You should have been down here where I am,” the family talking dog said. “At least she didn’t spit up on me—this time.”
“You don’t have to sit right behind my chair, Independence,” Brigit answered.
“Of course I do. She loves to watch me wag my tail. See?”
He wagged it like crazy and little Sarah started laughing.
Ethan couldn’t help grinning like a fool and wishing he could stay home.
“Ah, there’s nothing like a baby’s laughter,”
Charlotte said.
“You got that right.” He paused long enough to place a kiss on top of Sarah’s downy dark hair. “But I really do have to leave soon. There’s a huge shipment of salt coming in.”
“But it’s not even five o’clock in the morning,”
Charlotte protested.
“And I’m supposed to be there at five sharp.”
“We need that salt for the roads this winter, don’t we, Ethan?” Brigit asked.
“Yup.”
“There could be thousands and thousands of accidents without it. Right?”
“You’re absolutely right,” Ethan answered.
“Oh, all right. All right. I just didn’t want you to miss out on all the fun,”
Charlotte confessed.
“I’ll put them back.”
“Thank you.” Ethan cupped Brigit’s chin and gave her a kiss. He knew the keys would be right on the peg where he kept them in a moment. Instead of striding off, he kissed her again—a little longer this time.
“Don’t you two start that again,” Independence warned.
Ethan pulled away reluctantly with a sheepish grin. Then he patted his two dogs, Goldie and Independence.
“Will you be home for lunch?” Brigit asked.
“If I can. I’ll call you either way,” he said. He strode over to the peg board between the kitchen and dining room and grabbed the keys he needed. He cast one last long look at his happy family. Brigit had Sarah cradled in her arms now and began singing softly.
I must be the luckiest man on earth.
And to think, he had almost said ‘no’ last year when she first approached him with her cockamamie idea.
“I love you,” he called over his shoulder as he tore himself away.
“We love you, too,” Brigit said.
He reflected on the word, ‘we’ as he strode to his SUV. He had a full-fledged family. A year and a half ago he had thought his life couldn’t get any better. A different woman every Saturday night. No strings. No commitment.
Man, was I wrong.
Even with all the craziness that came with a hand-fasted mate, a talking dog, and now a beautiful baby who woke them for two o’clock feedings, he couldn’t wait to do it all again.
I
hope you enjoyed Tug of Attraction! Because this book is the sequel to The Cupcake Coven, it wouldn’t be complete without a unique cupcake recipe. Here are the cupcakes April made.
Impossible Pumpkin Pie Cupcakes
15 oz can pumpkin puree
½ cup sugar
¼ cup brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
¾ cup evaporated milk
2/3 cup all purpose flour
2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
¼ tsp salt
¼ tsp baking powder
¼ tsp baking soda
Substitutions for special diets. Gluten free flour may be used in place of regular flour.
Coconut, almond or soy milk may replace regular milk for those who avoid dairy. An egg can be replaced by ½ banana. Stevia can replace sugar.
Good news! In Brigit’s case, all of these replacements would help her endometriosis.
Preheat oven to 350 drgrees.
Line 12 cup muffin tin with silicone liners, or just spray the cups with cooking spray.
Paper cupcake liners will be difficult to remove after cooking.
Mix the pumpkin, sugar, brown sugar, vanilla extract, eggs and milk. Add the flour, pumpkin pie spice, salt, baking powder and baking soda. Beat well.
Fill each muffin cup ¾ full.
Bake for 20 minutes and let cool for at least 20 minutes. Remove to plate and let chill in refrigerator for 30 minutes.
Top with whipped cream. You can sprinkle a little more pumpkin pie spice on top and serve. Makes 12 cupcakes.
Gods Gone Wild, Imagination Unlimited 7/8/14
The Cupcake Coven, Brick City Publishing 5/7/14
Kissing with Fangs, Sourcebooks 3/4/14
How to Date a Dragon, Sourcebooks 9/3/13
Flirting Under a Full Moon, Sourcebooks 4/2/13
Immortally Yours, Ellora’s Cave 1/13/12
The Vampire Next Door, Sourcebooks 8/1/2011
The Werewolf Upstairs, Sourcebooks: 2/1/2011
Strokes, Ellora’s Cave: 8/3/2010
Strange Neighbors, Sourcebooks: 6/1/10
Dear Sexy Lexie, Ellora’s Cave: 3/17/10
Green Card, Total-e-Bound: 12/14/2009
Love Cuffs, Ellora’s Cave: 9/28/ 2008
Death by Delilah, Ellora’s Cave: 4/11/2008
Quivering Thighs, Ellora’s Cave: 2/8/2008
Demolishing Mr. Perfect, Ellora’s Cave: 8/15/2007
Wonder Witch, Ellora’s Cave: 6/15/2007
Being Randy, Ellora’s Cave: May 2, 2007
Heaving Bosoms, Cerridwen Press: (Now Blush) 3/15/2007
Vampire Vintage, Ellora’s Cave: 3/14/2007
All my book links:
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A
shlyn Chase describes herself as an Almond Joy bar. A little nutty, a little flaky, but basically sweet, wanting only to give her readers a satisfying experience.
She holds a degree in behavioral sciences, worked as a psychiatric RN for several years and spent a few more years working for the American Red Cross. She credits her sense of humor to her former careers since comedy helped preserve whatever was left of her sanity. She is a multi-published, award-winning author of humorous erotic and paranormal romances, represented by the Seymour Agency.
She lives in beautiful New Hampshire with her true-life hero husband, and they’re owned by a spoiled brat cat.
Where there’s fire, there’s Ash
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