Ashes, p.20
Ashes,
p.20
“It was a one-time thing,” Luna says as she walks up to Dylan and Sal and stares down at her new nephew. “He’s beautiful.”
“Where’re Mom and Dad?” I ask, surprised the room isn’t full of people by now.
“They nodded off in the waiting room, and I didn’t have the heart to wake them. Plus, I was being selfish, wanting a few minutes with my twin before our lives change forever and the insanity starts.”
I lift my arm, motioning for her to come sit with me. “Some things will never change, Lu.”
She leans into me, placing her head against my shoulder. “You’re a mom now, Ro.”
“You will be someday too.”
“Fuck you,” she whispers. “Don’t curse me like that.”
“You have to settle down sometime,” I remind her because the years keep ticking by faster and faster.
“I do not. There’s so little time and so many men.” She peers up at me with a devilish smile. “I’m not done wreaking havoc on the opposite sex, babe.”
“And when you are finished?”
“I don’t know if that’s possible.”
We laugh like old times. “Lord help the man who finally catches you.”
“He better be a strong one because I’m not going to make it easy,” she says softly.
“I wouldn’t expect anything less.”
“But when I finally find him,” she says, looking toward Dylan and Ian, “I hope he loves me half as much as that man loves you, sissy.”
“He’ll love you, and you’ll love him more than you ever thought possible.”
“I won’t go easy.”
The obstetrician walks in, and the air inside the room shifts as he locks eyes with Luna. “Ms. Gallo,” he says, holding my chart in one hand as he stops walking.
“Yes,” Luna and I say in unison.
He blinks, gawking at my sister, and I recognize the look in his eyes. He’s smitten. Something Luna is able to do to most men.
She sits up, brushing her hair away from her shoulder, all needy for a man she just met, while a man she just fucked stands across the room.
Oh sweet Jesus.
My sister is something else. Her ability to jump from man to man astonishes me, but it shouldn’t. I’ve watched her do it since the day she realized her tits had superpowers.
“I’m Luna,” she says, extending a hand to the man who had his face so close to my vagina he could legally be my husband in many countries. “Rosie’s twin.”
“It’s a pleasure to meet you,” he says, taking her hand in his.
Luna’s entire being moves toward him like she’s drawn to the handsome doctor by an invisible force.
“You too, Doc.” She smiles, lifting one shoulder, being super flirty.
They stare at each other, the air crackling with electricity and hope. I’ve witnessed the behavior more times than I can count from men, but I’ve never seen my sister reciprocate it until now.
Oh boy.
I lean over, putting my mouth near her ear as she finally lowers her ass back to my bed. “Do not fuck my doctor,” I whisper so only she can hear.
“I can’t make any promises,” she says back but not quietly and with her eyes still on the tall, dark, and handsome man standing in scrubs. “He’s too delish.”
Dr. Sinclair smirks, staring right at her and not put off by her forwardness one bit. This is going to be trouble. My sister will no doubt wreck this man, and I’ll be in search of a new doctor before I’ve barely settled in at home with Sal.
“I just wanted to check on you and the baby before I headed out for the evening.”
“I’m sure your wife is waiting for you,” Luna says, casting her reel and fishing for a man right after banging the last.
“No,” he says, the smile on his face widening because players always recognize the game. “No wife.”
“Shame,” she says with a small pout.
I roll my eyes.
“We’re great, Doc,” I interject, ready for the two of them to stop the virtual eye-banging they’re doing to each other. “All good to go.”
He dips his chin at me, snapping my chart closed. “Great to hear. If you need anything, don’t hesitate to call,” he says, but those words are spoken while his eyes are pinned on Luna and not me.
“Fucking hell,” I mutter under my breath before I clear my throat, trying to break up their fixation. “Thank you, Dr. Sinclair.”
“I may be in need of your services,” she says to him.
“Your sister has my cell. Feel free to call me if you need anything.”
“I will,” she says, winking at him.
I close my eyes, both praying for patience and out of sheer mortification.
“Good night,” he says to us.
As soon as he’s gone, I turn to her and shake my head.
“What?” she asks, jerking her head back.
“You seriously just fucked Ian, and now you’re trying to get in the pants of my doctor,” I whisper and tick my head toward Dylan and his brother. “How do you think he feels right now?”
Ian laughs. “Pretty fucking good, actually. What your sister and I had was beautiful and special…”
I snort at the ridiculousness of the two of them.
“But we made no promises of love to each other. We were just passing time and having some fun,” Ian continues, but I don’t believe a word he’s saying. I see the way he looks at my sister, and if any man is in love, it’s him.
“I pass time by reading a book,” I tell them, but I shouldn’t be surprised by their behavior or their words.
“You really missed out on a lot of fun, Ro.”
“Nope. I’m happy she’d rather bury her face in a book than…” Dylan winces, no doubt recoiling at the thought of me with another man. “She missed out on nothing.”
“Your loss.” Luna shrugs and then nudges me with her shoulder. “Now, I’m going to need that phone number.”
“You’re such a…”
Luna raises her eyebrows. “I’m sure that man knows a woman’s body like the back of his hand. A girl has to explore and experience everything.”
“Thank God I have a son,” Dylan says, walking back toward the bed and sitting on the opposite side from Luna. “I don’t think I’d survive a daughter.”
I lean over, resting my head on his shoulder as I stare down at our baby boy. “You better brace yourself, honey. I want a girl someday.”
“Fuck,” he hisses. “You want to torture me, don’t you?”
“There’s nothing like the love a little girl has for her father.”
He kisses the top of my head and murmurs, “I’ll miss you.”
I peer up at him. “Where you going?”
“I have no doubt I’ll land in prison before she’s eighteen. Too many assholes in the world.”
I chuckle, relaxing back into him. “Not all men are bad.”
“Yeah. We are, and I don’t think anyone will be good enough for my children.”
“You’ll let go eventually,” I tell him, yawning longer this time as my eyes grow heavy.
“I’m never letting go of my family,” he says as I close my eyes, allowing the sleep and happiness to take me under. Life doesn’t get any better than this.
Thank you for reading Ashes. Are you ready for more Men of Inked Heatwave? Luna Gallo never does anything the easy way and that includes love. Don’t miss her crazy sexy tale in Scorch. Learn more at menofinked.com/scorch
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When an unlikely force pushes Luna and Nevin together, the attraction is electric, and the connection is explosive. But can the opposites find common ground, or will their love be more destructive than a wildfire? Tap here to get your copy of Scorch.
Letter from Chelle
Dear Gallo Girl or Guy,
Thank you for reading Ashes, Rosie Gallo’s story. I hope you love Dylan and Rosie as much as I do and I hope you’re ready for more Gallo goodness because there’s so much left to be told.
It’s been an interesting few months and I’m utterly and completely exhausted. We moved back to our hometown in Ohio after living in Florida for the last fifteen years. With this move I realized I’m no longer a young person, but older, slower, and weaker than at any other point in my adult life.
I’m tired. So so tired, but I’m happy to be back home, surrounded by my family and maybe able to take another nap soon.
We had our first snow fall last week and it was beautiful. The wonder of the puffy flakes floating to the ground will wear off on me super quick. Watching it from the comfort of my home is one thing, but going out in it…is another.
So goodbye sunshine. Hello gray skies.
I’m busy setting up my new office because I’m ready to write. I need to write. The Gallos are calling to me and they’re not a group that can be ignored.
By the time this book releases Christmas will be over and we’ll be a few days into 2022. I hope this year will bring you peace, happiness, and prosperity. After the last two years, we deserve a damn break.
Take care of yourself my old friend. Be kind to yourself and make time for you.
Much love —
Chelle Bliss xoxoxo
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
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Chelle Bliss, Ashes
