Labor of Love Anthology: 10 Anecdotes of Love and the Struggles Within Read online

  LABOR OF LOVE ANTHOLOGY

  10 Anecdotes of Love and the Struggles Within

  Aliyah Burke, Angela Kay Austin, Benson Jacobs,

  Callie Fletcher, Cordelia Michelsen, Dahlia Rose,

  Hadley Raydeen, Leila Lacey, Raven Starr, Reana Malori

  Labor of Love Anthology

  Copyright © 2017 by Aliyah Burke, Angela Kay Austin, Benson Jacobs, Callie Fletcher, Cordelia Michelsen, Dahlia Rose, Hadley Raydeen, Leila Lacey, Raven Starr, Reana Malori

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means without written permission of the authors.

  Writing is a labor of love and also an act of defiance, a way to light a candle in a gale wind.

  -Alice Childress

  Table of Contents

  Operation- Ball N’ Chain – Aliyah Burke……………………….. Page 2

  Beale Street Blues -Angela Kay Austin……………………......... Page 41

  Dirty Mechanic – Benson Jacobs……………………………… Page 76

  Love Between the Lines – Callie Fletcher……………………... Page111

  The Mend - Cordelia Michelsen……………………………… Page 147

  Fall from Grace- Dahlia Rose………………………………... Page 197

  For You I Will- Hadley Raydeen…………………………….. Page 237

  Something to Build On- Leila Lacey…………………………. Page 268

  Broken Soul- Raven Starr…………………………………….. Page 310

  Promise Me- Reana Malori…………………………………… Page 322

  OPERATION-BALL N' CHAIN

  Aliyah Burke

  Introduction

  Hello to all the wonderful readers. I do hope you enjoy this collection of shorts. I just wanted to give you a bit of backstory for mine. This short read takes place after Intensity which is book 6 in my Cottonwood Falls series.

  Thanks so much for picking this up and I do so hope all y’all enjoy the stories.

  Happy reading,

  ~Aliyah Burke

  ~Sensuality in Romance~

  Chapter One

  The entire display crashed to the floor seconds before not so muttered curses filled the air. Grey exhaled loudly and waited. Sure enough moments later, his charming bride-to-be stormed into view. Her dark eyes spat fire as she ate up the ground in is direction.

  “Things going well?” he asked, doing his best to hide his smile.

  He loved this woman so much. Even as pissed as she was, to him there wasn’t a more beautiful, sexy woman in the world.

  She paused and glared at him. “I’m going to kill her.”

  Then she was gone, out the door in a flash. It rattled with the force of her closing and shook items on the walls. He held his breath, hoping that those tiny little ceramic figurines would stay put.

  Who the hell put them up on the wall so close to a door anyway?

  His mother-in-law to be rounded the corner and stopped short when she spied him there.

  “Where is she?”

  Grey had some ideas as to the location Sarah jetted off to but he wasn’t about to share them with her mother. “She didn’t tell me where she was going.”

  She glared but brushed by him in a similar manner her daughter had just done. He exhaled slowly and shook his head before nearing the toppled over display case. Rolling his shoulders, he bent and picked it back up to where it should have been. Then he crouched down and began picking up the objects that had once occupied those shelves.

  Footsteps neared and he glanced over the pearlescent tile floor to see a woman with insane heels coming near. He peered up and smiled.

  Cassandra Finder had an exasperated expression until she realized he was down there. Her face smoothed out and she pasted on a smile.

  “Hi Grey.”

  She went to her knees across from him and began gathering more of the figurines that lay scattered.

  “Cassandra.” He coughed. “I’d say I think this is going to be difficult but I’m guessing you already know this.”

  “This is why I left the big city and came home.” She brushed some loose ends of her blonde hair back from her face. Her skin heated with the blush that skated over her cheeks. “I shouldn’t have said that, I’m sorry. I don’t mean to imply your fiancée is a difficult woman.”

  He snorted and barely stopped the laughter from escaping. “Cassandra, she is a Marine, she’s going to be difficult and stubborn. Then there’s her mother.” Running a free hand through his hair, he took a deep breath, her perfume overtaking the soft scent that had been around Sarah. He pushed to his feet and carried the items he’d picked up to the shelves and sat them down.

  “I’m so grateful and I know this is a huge deal for the town. Navy SEAL and Marine from same hometown getting hitched. Everyone is going to turn out. But…”

  He turned back to her when she didn’t finish. “But what?”

  “One of them is going to have to give. They can’t agree on anything. And I mean anything. Mrs. Mallery is making this about her and not her daughter. Oh my God, I can’t believe I just admitted that to you.” She started to get up and wobbled on her heels, he was there to help her. “Thank you,” she breathed.

  “Sure.” Grey took the items from her and set them on the shelf as well beside the ones he just put there. Turning back to the door, he saw Sarah standing there, looking in.

  Without another word, he headed for the door and yanked it open to face her. “Sarah?”

  “Where is she?”

  He knew who she asked about. “I don’t know, she left looking for you.”

  “I’ll be out at Turbin Park.” She didn’t say another word, just spun on her boot heels and strode to her bike. With a loud rumble, she raced away and out of town.

  He followed. There wasn’t any doubt he would. He climbed in his truck and drove to the park that they’d grown up biking out to and spending their days. Parking beside her motorcycle, he killed the engine then climbed out. She was off to the left sitting on top of a picnic table.

  Hands in his pockets, he made his way to her side and sat next to her.

  “I love you,” he said, staring around them at the impressive grove of cottonwood trees that helped give the town its name.

  “I know you do,” she replied, her entire body relaxing. “But I can’t do this. Can’t we just skip the ceremony and have a party? I mean we’re already married.”

  He smiled and wrapped an arm around her. “I know that and so does your mother but she wants this.”

  “I know but I want it my way, not hers.”

  “Any hope of a neutral meeting ground?”

  She gave him an exasperated look from narrowed eyes. “Not likely.” Sarah leaned into him. “We can’t even agree on a dress. She wants me dressed up like a princess, a fucking princess.”

  He smiled, confident since her head was buried in his shoulder.

  “Stop smiling you asshole,” she snipped.

  “You’re not supposed to be able to see me or my expressions. If I was making any.”

  “Marine trumps Navy any day.”

  “I’m not going to rise to the bait because you’re having a bad day.” He brushed his lips over her temple. “Look, we can get through this. It’s two months away.”

  “I’m not going to get through today much less two more months of this.�
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  Grey hopped off the table and stood between her legs, pulling her close enough that his cock rested against her pussy. “Are you giving up, Marine?” He bent his head to her ear. “Have you hit the wall and can’t go any further.”

  “Fuck you,” she snapped. “I’m not in the habit of giving up, Navy man.”

  He touched the tip of his index finger to her chin. “There’s my woman. We just need a battle plan.”

  She captured her plump lower lip in her mouth. “You don’t have to worry about any of this. I have fittings and all that shit. You don’t. I have to sit through all these damn decoration ideas that aren’t at all what I want.”

  “It’s a labor of love.”

  She punched him and damn it, that hurt. Rubbing his shoulder, he clucked his tongue at her. “That’s going to cost you, wife.”

  Sarah wagged a finger before his nose. “Sorry, there will be none of that before the wedding.”

  Suddenly all the humor at this entire situation disappeared in a puff. “What the fuck are you talking about?”

  “Just another of my mother’s rules. She said it’s two months away, apparently we can stop with that horizontal mambo. I’ve been ordered home to sleep.”

  “I don’t like this at all,” he groused.

  “I’m sure there will be a happy medium for you somewhere at night. With your lotion and dreams.” She tugged him closer by his shirt. “Not so fun now is it?”

  “We will just not have sex at night.”

  “Sorry, no sex until we’re married.”

  He narrowed his eyes a bit. “You’re already my wife.”

  “Yes, but you are the one who agreed to this. So you can deal.” She pressed her lips to his. “Like you said, a labor of love.”

  So not at all what he meant.

  Chapter Two

  Sarah sighed as she paused on her childhood porch. She didn’t want to go in here nor did she want to face her mother. Truly I just want to go to Grey’s house and sleep with him. but she’d given her word which is why at this time of the night, she was standing on her porch.

  Turning the knob, she walked in then closed the door behind her. Only the hall light was on and she released a breath she wasn’t aware she’d been holding. No confrontation.

  This is shameful. I’m fucking Recon Marine trained and assigned to Special Forces and here I am scared to walk in a house where I may have to talk to my mother.

  Shoving her nerves under control, she locked the door and continued on her way to her bedroom. Nothing from her mother the entire way so she shut off the light as she passed the final switch. She stripped down to her sleeping attire of a ripped t-shirt and a pair of Grey’s boxers. After brushing her teeth, she rubbed the back of her neck as she retreated back to her room.

  A groan left her as she slipped between the cool sheets. This day had completely exhausted her and she wanted nothing more than some good sleep. Drawing up the bedding, she burrowed down and wished.

  “Damn it, I want Grey.”

  “I want you, too, Sarah. Always.”

  She started slightly only to shake her head as her husband slid in the bed beside her.

  “What are you doing here?” she whispered even as he drew her tight to him.

  “Breaking all kinds of rules, I’m sure. But I never promised to keep my hands off you.”

  “This is my mom’s house.”

  “Kinky, isn’t it.” The warm air from his words moved along her skin, causing goosebumps to kick up all over her neck and shoulders.

  She sucked a deep breath as he skimmed his rough, calloused hands along her belly. Somewhere in her mind, she was firmly aware this shouldn’t be happening, that this was her mother’s house. However, that bit of knowledge was silenced by the touch of the man beside her in the double bed of her childhood.

  “You’re not supposed to be here.”

  “I missed my wife.”

  “You sound like you’re pouting.”

  “I am.” He tightened his arms around her.

  “It’s not even been one night,” she whispered.

  “Are you saying you weren’t missing me?” He pushed one hand down below the waistband of her boxers. “Nothing else but these? Damn you woman, you’re going to kill me.” Sucking on the side of her neck, he pushed two fingers between her swollen lips up into her pussy.

  “Oh God,” she whimpered, arching into his touch.

  “Shhh.”

  His thumb on her clit, he rotated it while he drove his fingers back and forth deep in her core. He slid his other arm under her and angled his hand so she could suck on his fingers. While it helped, it wasn’t close to what she wanted.

  She gripped his cock in his jeans and squeezed. He nipped her neck in return. Deftly she undid his zipper and took hold of the warm shaft in her hand. His groan was music to her ears.

  “Shhh,” she uttered around his fingers. “The last thing I want is for my mother to come in here because you are making too much noise.”

  “Me? How about you?”

  He added another finger to her slit and she bit her lip to keep her cry of pleasure contained.

  She shifted on the mattress and froze when it squeaked. No way it would take his hard strokes without screeching the raw metal to the world. Fisting his dick, she flexed her fingers around him once more.

  “Off the bed,” she said on a gasp as he made her come.

  “Whatever my princess desires.”

  “Don’t forget what I’m holding,” she warned as he pulled his fingers from her body.

  “I’d never forget.” He slipped her to the floor and followed, covering her with his larger form. “Plus, I love your touch. Want a blanket?”

  “I don’t care about that, I want you, inside me.”

  Without another word, Grey took down her boxers and settled between her thighs, pushing inside her with a smooth motion. She buried her face into his shoulder to muffle her cry of pleasure.

  He stretched her out beneath him and gave her what she needed. Him in every way possible including the most intimate allowed. Deep into the night and on into the early morning he made love to her. Both intense and gentle.

  When she woke the next morning, she noticed two things. One, she was in bed instead of on the floor and two, she was alone. Well, three things and the third was that she’d never heard him leave.

  Stretching her body, she smiled at the aches even as she sat. with a yawn, she got up and made her bed before swiping some clothing and taking a quick shower. Her mom was fixing breakfast downstairs when she walked by the kitchen.

  “You need to eat, Sarah.”

  “I was going to grab something on my way to see Grey.”

  “You don’t have time to go see him. We have other things to take care of today. I hear from Mrs. Carole that you haven’t even made a decision on what type of cake you want. I thought you wanted the cream cake with the orange flavored frosting.”

  It truly was too early in the morning to have such a headache. “I don’t now nor have I ever liked orange flavor so no that’s not the one I want and I’ll take Grey with me to figure it out. This is his day and mine.”

  “Mrs. Carole is meeting us in less than an hour. Eat and be ready to go.” She set the plate down in front of her with more force than necessary.

  A throbbing began at the back of her neck and she rubbed it while she ate. Before the day was over, she would figure out one way or another a way to get her mother off her back. Her phone buzzed and she reached for it to stare at the screen. Grey.

  Swiping her finger over the screen she read his text and smiled.

  GOOD MORNING MY LOVE. CAN’T WAIT TO SEE YOU.

  Sarah finished her food and leaned back to reply.

  SORRY, SPENDING THE DAY WITH MY MOTHER. NOT SURE WHEN I WILL BE FREE. I’M FIGHTING ORANGE FROSTING.

  After she hit send, she stood and took her plate to the kitchen sink and cleaned up what was rest so her mother didn’t have to do it later.


  “I’m waiting, Sarah.”

  “Couldn’t possibly have that now could we,” she muttered, drying her hands off. “On my way,” she said in a much louder voice. She met her mother outside the door and forced a smile on her face. “Ready.”

  “See you fix your face before you get to Mrs. Carole’s. she’s wanting to make this day perfect for you.”

  “Yes ma’am,” she replied, choking back her instinctive reply.

  This was going to be the day from hell.

  Chapter Three

  Grey punched the heavy bag seconds before delivering a back-spinning kick to the worn material. This is getting insane. I can’t even spend time alone with my wife and now I’ve been sent away to handle something for Tungsten. Not that I mind having the work but damn it all, I am supposed to be planning a wedding with Sarah. I can’t do that from this far away.

  “Everything okay?”

  “Not even close, Jeb,” he said delivering another combination of punches and kicks before wiping the sweat off his brow. Facing the man who’d just walked in the room, he crossed his arms. “What’s up? Time to go?”

  “Nope, Cade’s not gotten back to us yet. I just came to see how you were doing.”

  Staring at the man, he sighed. This wouldn’t have happened if he were still in the Navy. Ross “Jeb” Connelly was enlisted and he had been an officer. These kinds of interactions rarely happened.

  Sure, if they’d been on the same SEAL Team there would have been a bit different relationship but the man wouldn’t have walked up and asked him how he was doing. He liked that they felt he was part of the family enough to ask.

  “I should be fine but I’m not.” He began unwrapping his hands. “I’m getting married in less than a month and I’ve not been around for most of this planning. Hell, I don’t even know if I’m going to have a wedding when I get home, much less if I will have a wife.”

  “I thought you and Sarah were already hitched,” he said in his low drawl.