Dying to Love Her

Dana
Lorraine

When Melanie Woodson joins Empriva
Fitness she expects to lose weight, not gain two sexy vampire personal
trainers. With an exercise regimen that includes passionate horizontal
workouts, fat-burning orgasms and lusty words of encouragement, she’s in serious
danger of forgetting their relationship is based on a business agreement and
not mutual attraction.

Alec Kosta and Rook Abernathy, best
friends and owners of Empriva, have waited over a century for the right
lifemate to come along. Now that they’ve found Melanie, with her endless curves
and quick wit, they’re ready to give up countless lifetimes to spend just one
with her.

But time isn’t on their side—they’ve
tasted her blood and now mere days are all they have to convince her their love
is real or risk losing their chance to be with her forever.

A
Romantica®
paranormal ménage erotic romance
from Ellora’s Cave

Acknowledgements

Jeff—I don’t think I could write about love if you didn’t
give so much of it to me. How did I get so lucky?

Thanks to my critique partner, Heidi Lynn Anderson, for
pushing me harder than I’d ever push myself and my friend Deborah for always
cheering me on.

Thanks also to Violet Hughes. You said no but it was your
advice that made this story better so Julie Naughton would say yes. Big thanks
for that, Julie.

Much love to my mom, mother-in-law and wonderful daughters.
Sorry, ladies, but I don’t want any of you reading this naughty book!

Melanie Woodson did a whiplash-worthy double take, her gaze
locking with that of the gorgeous guy in the limo. Her steps faltered in time
with her heart and she lost her ability to breathe. No way could that look be
meant for her. And then he smiled, all cocky and delicious. Dizzying warmth
swept through her body. The heat he sent her way left little doubt—he had
lowered his window to check her out.

The sides of her lips quivered and she worked them into
something she hoped resembled a smile.

Mr. Gorgeous, eyes as bright as the lights lining the city
street, responded with a seductive, hungry lick across his lips that
jumpstarted her stagnant steps.

She’d been without this kind of flattering attention too
long. Melanie swallowed down hard and fidgeted with her hair. Usually, she did
the sizing up as a booking agent for a premiere modeling agency. Men like him
only turned on the smoldering routine for her when they wanted something, like
a high-profile booking.

Rather, he gave off the vibe that he wanted to book a room
for them at The Ritz.

If she had any chutzpah she’d pull her v-neck sweater down
an extra inch or three, saunter over and show him that a hotel room wasn’t
necessary. The limo gave them plenty of room to get to know each other better.
But her hectic work days, the lonely nights and the extra pounds she’d packed
on during the last few years had robbed her of the energy and confidence to
kick her chutzpah back into gear.

Who am I kidding? The guy wears sex appeal like a second
skin.
I’ve probably got a yard of toilet paper stuck to the bottom of my
boot.
Melanie’s cheeks flushed hot. She gave her feet a little shake while
hurrying along the busy sidewalk, just in case and peeked over her shoulder one
last time.

His pucker-perfect lips launched a thousand fantasies. With
a wistful sigh, she entertained a particularly steamy one involving whipped
cream, her nipples and his tongue as she walked into Empriva Fitness, the most
exclusive fitness and weight-loss center in New York City.

The door flew shut behind her. Melanie rode out the
lingering sensations of desire as she approached the muscled man seated behind
the reception desk. She breathed easier taking note of the dark-paneled wall
that blocked the rest of the facility from view. Those gyms with the expansive
windows and wide-open lobbies intimidated her. No way could she exercise
knowing her spandex-covered ass was on display for the whole world to see.

Melanie signed in, bypassed the empty chairs and searched
through the assortment of magazines fanned out across a table. She grabbed a
mindless gossip tabloid, looked up and lost all interest in the celebrity cover
story.

Mr. Gorgeous stood by the entrance and suddenly the room
felt like the waistband of her skirt—tight.

He treated her to a devilish wink and her heartbeat sped
past its target rate to a cardiac-arrest pace in seconds. On the upside, she
might be burning calories.

Had he followed her inside?

The possibility made her tummy churn. She hadn’t flirted in
forever. Considering her dating track record, she’d never done it effectively
either. Melanie dropped the magazine, whipped around and hurried across the
room hoping with a little more space between them she might actually think of
something witty to say.

She didn’t need to see him to know he watched her every
move. The prickles of heat climbing her spine told her so. Self-consciousness
didn’t have time to settle in—not once she saw his picture hanging on the wall.
Curious excitement sharpened her nerves and she had to get a closer look.

Mr. Gorgeous hadn’t posed for the photo alone. In a vibrant
trance, she skimmed her fingers over the glass-covered image of the magnificent
man beside him. Dark sensuality radiated from his hard-edged smile, so different
from the playful sexiness of Mr. Gorgeous. Both flavors of masculinity whet her
appetite and she licked her lips wanting to sample both.

“Perhaps if you’re nice to me I’ll arrange for you to touch
the real things.”

She stilled, transfixed by the way the smooth voice slipped
over her body like rich velvet. Melanie turned and found herself face to chest
with a skyscraper of muscled flesh. Mr. Gorgeous looked even better up close.
Lively eyes, bedhead-sexy hair and a boyishly handsome face almost too perfect—she
didn’t know where to not stare first.

His lips, do not stare at his yummy, edible lips.
She’d want to kiss him if she did. Her fingers twitched. She clasped her hands
together before she embarrassed herself and reached out to see if his brown
hair felt as luxurious as it looked.

“Have we met before?”

“Unfortunately, no.” His brilliant sapphire eyes darkened.
“But I’ve been anticipating this meeting for quite some time, Miss Woodson.
That is, we both have, Alec and me.” He held out his hand. “I’m Rook Abernathy,
part owner of Empriva and one of your consultants.”

Disappointment settled in the pit of her stomach. He hadn’t
followed her in here because he was interested. He worked here. The man was
just flirty, not actually flirting. She straightened her sagging shoulders and
thrust her would-be adventurous hand into his.

Warm at first, his touch calmed but with each passing second
her skin burned hotter until the blaze tore through her body. Obviously it
didn’t care about his intentions. Her body lusted after him all the same.

“Since we’re going to be getting to know each other better,
may I call you Melanie?”

Her name had never sounded so sexy on a man’s lips. “Sure,”
she squeaked out, the air trapped in her lungs.

He smiled and motioned his head at a set of doors. “Melanie,
why don’t you and I head to my office where we can discuss in private my plans
for you?”

She nodded, breathing again when Rook finally released her
hand and headed toward a keypad set into the paneling of the wall. He punched
in a code and the pocket doors parted and slipped from view.

Natural light seemed to stream into the gym and bounce off
the white walls and mirrors despite there not being a window or skylight in
sight. Men, mostly shirtless and all jaw-droppingly hot, worked their rock-hard
bodies on various pieces of fitness equipment.

Well, they
had
been working out until stopping to
look at her.

Melanie rubbed the side of her neck. There and everywhere
else, her skin tingled under their naked appraisal. Rook looked back and the
sensation deepened, causing intimate muscles to ache..

Her cheeks warmed. She was much more comfortable doing the
scrutinizing. If she didn’t shake off her nerves, her pale skin would turn the
same fiery shade as the highlights in her hair.

“Melanie, is there a problem? I could carry you if you
like.” Rook flashed her a playful smile, pulled up the sleeve of his
body-hugging black t-shirt and flexed his biceps. “Let me show off a little and
prove they work as good as they look.”

“No, no,” she stammered, remembering the time her
ex-boyfriend had thrown out his back picking her up. She didn’t want to relive
that humiliating experience again. Of course Rook looked capable of lifting a
small armored vehicle. “Just lead the way. I’ll follow.”

Melanie launched herself through the doors committed to
getting her weight back under control before it dictated the course of her
life. The next time a man like Rook offered to take her in his arms, she’d leap
without hesitation.

This wasn’t only about the pairs of tight jeans wasting away
in her dresser hoping to see the light of day again though. Her heart clenched
when she thought of her sister who’d died last year after she’d suffered a
heart attack. Weight had been a major contributor in her death. Melanie didn’t
want to see her own health declining with her growing curves.

Grace had been older, Melanie the oops baby born fifteen
years after her sister—but still, they’d had a close relationship. Every
weekend they’d talk for hours, sometimes watching movies together over the
phone. She’d rarely made a big decision without getting Grace’s advice. Now she
had no one, not even her parents who’d passed within a year of each other
before Melanie had turned thirty.

At this point in her life she hadn’t expected to be so
alone.

She caught up to Rook and they fell in step together. He was
considerate enough to shorten his stride to match hers, which was too bad
because the view from behind had been sensational. Melanie tried to keep her
eyes ahead of her, but they kept finding their way over to Rook. With him
around, all the other man-candy melted into the background.

Rook caught her staring and a crafty smile cut across his
face. “Your other consultant will be my business partner Alec Kosta. When you
two meet, you’ll recognize him from the photograph in the lobby. He’s sorry he
can’t be here but a slight strategic miscalculation on his part has delayed
him.”

“That’s fine. I’m sure he’s very busy.” She let out a shaky
breath remembering Alec’s stubble-covered chiseled jaw, rich black hair and
those exotic eyes that were difficult to turn away from. Goose bumps prickled
across her skin.

Melanie mentally shook off the impromptu daydream beginning
to take shape involving her, Alec and Rook making interesting use of the
fitness equipment. “Did you two start Empriva Fitness?”

“Yes we did. We’ve been friends for ages. It seems fate and
friendship has kept us forever bound together. Just as you are now too,
Melanie.”

“Excuse me?”

His eyes darted away. “Bound to us at Empriva Fitness that
is.” He closed his fist over his mouth and cleared his throat. “My office is
just down the hall. It’s the frosted-glass door on the right.” He placed his
hand on the small of her back, guiding her. His touch was like a gust of wind
whipping through her body, making it hard to catch her breath.

Already her panties were damp. Melanie hadn’t ever responded
to a man so sexually. She’d have to settle for vibrating away the sudden
craving tonight when she got home. Hopefully, she had a brand new batch of
batteries at the ready.

She passed one of the many closed doors lining the hall and
a muffled sound had her slowing her stride. Moaning—it most definitely sounded
like a woman moaning. The possible cries of passion were all the more suspect
when she stepped into Rook’s contemporary office. Her steps faltered and she
bit back her question before blurting it out.
What in the world is that
doing in here?

A bed covered in sumptuous white linens and pillows
dominated the corner of the room. Swaths of sheer fabric hung from above and
cocooned the king-sized fantasy bed.

Melanie glanced back at Rook, at his full bottom lip and the
clever quirk of the thinner top one. Imagining the feel of them against her
skin had her licking her own. She looked back at the bed. There must be a
reasonable explanation.

“So, your work keeps you here late at night?”

“I’m lucky enough to enjoy what I do.” He stepped in close
behind her. Rook brushed his hand along her shoulder as he passed. “I wouldn’t
exactly call it work.”

She had no words in response, only thoughts. Very naughty
thoughts. Melanie bit at her bottom lip because suddenly she was starving and
the only thing in the room that would satisfy her hunger would be him.

Or not. She couldn’t tell with him. The man was obviously a
seasoned flirt. No one had sent these kinds of signals her way in a long time.
She didn’t trust herself to read them anymore.

“Why don’t we sit down?” Rook paused behind a leather chair.
“I think it best if we get the business portion of our meeting out of the way
before we lose ourselves in the pleasure of getting to know each other better.”

Melanie slipped by him and perched herself on the edge of
the stiff white cushion. She was already lost, the undeniable pleasure of just
being near him overpowered her.

What the hell was wrong with her? Was it possible to become
obsessed in minutes? If he asked her to strip and lie down on the bed for an
intimate workout session she might do it. That was an exercise program she
could wholeheartedly commit to.

Rook gave her shoulder another delicate brush then settled
himself behind his desk. “Did you bring the contract and confidentiality
agreement?”

“Oh yes.” She opened her purse and removed the manila
envelope. “Here it is. Everything’s signed, notarized and I’ve included my
payment too.” Her gut gripped thinking about the hefty cost.

He took the packet and placed it on his desk unopened. “You
understand we take our privacy and yours very seriously here? The penalties for
speaking about our methods are substantial.”

“I understand the agreement.” Not that she’d read it word
for word. It went on for pages and some of it looked like it was written in
Latin. But she’d gleaned the most important parts—like guaranteed results.

“Good.” Rook sat back against his chair, appearing
satisfied. “Now we can talk frankly. Let’s start with why you want to lose the
weight?”

Melanie took a deep breath and surprisingly, didn’t hesitate
to open up. “Both of my parents died prematurely due to weight-related health
conditions. My sister too. I don’t want to find myself facing the same health
issues in a few years. I’ve always been a little on the curvier side but now
that I’m thirty-five it seems like the extra pounds creep on faster and faster.
I want to do something about it before it’s too late.”

“I’m sorry to hear that.” He leaned onto the desk, his eyes
meeting hers. “Losing the people you love is hard. My parents are gone too and
I miss them every day. But I’m glad to see you’re channeling the loss into
making a healthier future for yourself. Have you thought about what your
weight-loss goals are?”

Melanie didn’t want to talk about herself anymore. She
wanted to know more about him, his life. Did he like short, curvy women with
dimples and auburn hair? Then she reminded herself this wasn’t a date. He was
asking these questions because she was a client, not because he really wanted
to get to know her.