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  Table of Contents

  Excerpt

  The Princess of Isca

  Blurb

  Prologue

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Epilogue

  Preview another book by this author

  Note from Michelle

  eBooks by Michelle Hoppe

  Michelle recommends … Lila Dubois

  Excerpt

  Her hips swayed with each high-heeled step she took. The short white miniskirt set off the deep tan on her legs. Her long, red curls cascaded down her back, ending just above her waist. Dylan’s gaze was riveted by the sight of Valerie entering the hotel bar.

  Her eyes scanned the dimly lit room, looking for him. When she glanced in his direction, he gave a slight wave of his hand and smiled. Having caught Valerie’s attention, Dylan stood as she approached his table, pulling out a chair for her.

  Valerie’s smile widened. She reached out to touch Dylan’s cheek with a flutter of fingertips before she laid her purse on the table and slid gracefully into the offered chair.

  “Thank you.” Her musical voice flowed over him.

  “You’re welcome.” Dylan returned to his seat, reaching across the table to take her fingers in his hand.

  “I hope you didn’t have any plans.” Her voice held a hint of something Dylan recognized. She was saying all the correct words, but at the same time hinting that if he’d had plans, she’d be crushed they hadn’t included her.

  “No plans. I really was just watching television when you called.”

  Valerie smiled. God, Dylan thought, I could get lost in her smile. “Would you like a drink?” Dylan asked.

  “No.”

  “No.” Dylan was a little surprised.

  “Can we take a walk?”

  “Of course.” Dylan pushed his chair back and stood. Returning to the other side of the table he pulled out her chair and assisted Valerie to her feet. Dropping a couple of dollars on the table for the waitress, he took Valerie’s hand in his and led her from the hotel.

  The night air was warm. A gentle breeze stirred the fronds of the palm trees lining the boardwalk leading to the ocean.

  “How about a stroll on the beach?” Dylan inquired, without really expecting an answer as he’d already headed in the direction of the crashing waves.

  Valerie squeezed his fingertips and rested her head on his shoulder. Their legs moved forward at a slow, meandering pace, neither in a hurry to arrive at a destination.

  “Dylan?”

  “Yes.”

  “Why are you still here, on St. Kitts?”

  Dylan smiled. “I told you.”

  “Tell me again,” Valerie implored.

  “You.”

  “Yes.” She stopped walking and twirled her body in front of his to block his forward motion. “Now explain what you mean by that.”

  Dylan wrapped one arm around her waist, locking his elbow to hold her tight.

  Pulling her forward he cupped the side of her face with his free hand and lowered his lips to hers.

  The Princess of Isca

  Michelle Hoppe

  Published 2018 by Book Boutiques.

  ISBN: 978-1-946363-90-9

  Copyright © 2018, Michelle Hoppe.

  All rights reserved.

  No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, recording, or otherwise, without the prior written permission of Book Boutiques.

  This book is a work of fiction. Any similarity to actual persons, living or dead, locales, or events is wholly coincidental. The names, characters, dialogue, and events in this book are from the author’s imagination and should not to be construed as real.

  Manufactured in the USA.

  Email [email protected] with questions, or inquiries about Book Boutiques.

  Blurb

  When her mother decides it's time for her to get serious about finding a mate, Valerie rebels. Finding herself swept up in the world of a good-looking, fun-loving, human tourist, Val is determined to make the most of her time on land and the last few hours of Dylan's vacation on St. Kitts.

  Dylan wasn't expecting to find love on the island of St. Kitts, then he met free-spirited Valerie Richardson. From sun-drenched beaches to secluded gardens, he and Val explored the beauty of the island and each other. With his vacation almost over, Dylan had one last memory to create—making love to Valerie Richardson.

  Being a mother is not easy, especially with a headstrong daughter like Valerie. All Katherine wanted was the best for her daughter and an end to her dating humans, but it was a fight every step of the way. Tired of waiting for Val to get serious, Katherine takes matters into her own hands and signs up to an online dating site using her daughter's stats and pictures.

  Can Valerie find love in the human world before her mother marries her off to some pathetic loser from ParanormalMatch.com?

  Previously Published

  (2006) Changeling Press

  Acknowledgements

  Cover Artist: Valerie Tibbs, Tibbs Design

  Prologue

  Breathe, Katherine, breathe.

  Katherine felt a tingle start in her toes and travel at warp speed up her spine.

  Oh my stars in heaven, is he real?

  She glanced at her sleeping husband Edward to assure herself he still slept, before shifting the laptop on the pillow and glancing back at the picture of a perfect male body.

  A flush heated Katherine, slipping up her neck and settling on her cheeks.

  Stop. Get back to the business at hand.

  Katherine reluctantly scrolled past the picture of whitetail47 to concentrate on the printed words further down the home page of the online dating site and started reading quietly to herself.

  Welcome to Paranormal Match, where finding the love of your life is supernatural, super easy.

  Right. She’d already found the love of her life. Besides, all this late-night research wasn’t for her. Katherine continued to read.

  Tired of squeamish humans passing you over because blood is your beverage of choice?

  Do you long to indulge in intimate moonlit jaunts with a potential Pet Smart Companion? Are your fins fed up with the goldfish bowl of dating?

  Katherine smiled. Goldfish bowl is exactly what Valerie thought she was stuck in. If only I could get her to at least look at these pictures, she thought. But no, her daughter was strong willed. An I don’t need your help finding a mate type of girl. Well, too damned bad. Katherine truly believed it was a mother’s right to intervene if her children were making the wrong life choices.

  After glancing again to assure herself Edward still slept, Katherine returned to reading the information on the home page of www.ParanormalMatch.com.

  Did the devil make you give up on ever finding your soul mate? Long to soar to the heavens with the match of your dreams?

  Katherine smiled.

  Fill out our in-depth entry form. Browse thousands of profiles from paranormals just like you! Make new friends—find the immortal man or woman of your dreams with just one easy click.

  This last line of text was followed by more pictures to tempt those not yet convinced by the clever writing. Katherine scanned them quickly, and then looked again. Interesting. Using her touch pad, Katherine scrolled back up the page and confirmed her observation. All the pictures on the home page of www.ParanormalMatch.com were of males.

  Vampires, werewolves, mermen, and more. All neat little thumbnails with a username printed below. Eye candy, for sure. Katherine wondered why only pictures of men were disp
layed. Not that it mattered. As a woman, she was more than happy to look at the flesh laid out before her.

  Scrolling back down to her place in the advertising, Katherine resumed reading.

  Let us help you find the paranormal match of a lifetime at www.ParanormalMatch.com—where meeting the perfect match can be out of this world! Don’t wait—join with our special offer for a free trial basis now. Choose the membership that best suits your search for the perfect paranormal mate!

  A loud snore, followed by gasping, startled Katherine. She quickly lowered the laptop lid, weakening the glow of light from the screen.

  “Katherine,” Edward croaked out, “why are you still awake?”

  “I’m reading about this dating site.”

  Edward twisted his body so he faced her hip. His eyes were still closed and his voice sounded hoarse from snoring. “You looking to replace me, dear?”

  “Of course not.” Katherine laid a hand on his shoulder. “I’m getting a membership for Valerie.”

  Pushing his head deeper into his pillow, Edward seemed to have drifted back to sleep. Katherine opened the cover on the laptop to continue, when his voice once again startled her. “That’s nice, dear.”

  Katherine stopped thinking about Edward. He won’t even remember this conversation in the morning, she assured herself. Finding her place, she clicked on the Join navigation icon and was quickly whisked to another page on the site.

  Thumbnails of half-dressed male bodies waited to be ogled. Katherine was in a hurry now to get Valerie a membership so she could access some of these pictures and read profiles.

  Scrolling past more pictures, she finally came to the options for joining the site.

  The Heavenly Membership looked interesting. Katherine read quietly to herself, trying to keep her voice barely audible so she didn’t disturb Edward.

  Allows you unlimited on-site e-mails to and from your own personal e-mail account.

  Send and receive as many e-mails as you’d like to find and communicate with the paranormal partner of your dreams! Upload as many as four pictures to the site—a premium mate-seeking tool! Our Heavenly membership also brings with it full access to all of the Paranormal Match member profiles and additional features such as “vibes”—the ultimate way to express your interest!—and Instant Messaging. Purchase a three or six-month Heavenly membership package. The three-month package is loaded with features and available for only $29.95 per month or get crazy and take our value package for six months for just $22.95 per month!

  So basically, thirty dollars a month for three months. Surely, I can find Valerie a mate in three months. Katherine clicked the correct icon to start the application process. Once her credit card information was accepted, she received her username and password confirmation, via email.

  Not bad for a night’s work. With sleep heavy in her eyes, Katherine saved all the necessary information to a file, added ParanormalMatch.com to her favorites list and logged off the computer.

  With a last look at her sleeping husband, she closed the laptop lid, set it on the nightstand, and soon drifted into peaceful slumber.

  Chapter 1

  “Tracee,” Valerie shouted over the pounding music. “We can’t go yet.”

  The dance floor vibrated from the deep bass of drums, sending rattling tingles up her legs with each tha-thump of the drummer’s sticks. The voice of the singer was indistinguishable from the off-key tones of the dancers surrounding her.

  Valerie had a slight headache, but she didn’t want to go home. Tracee, her best friend, was usually up for a wild Friday night on the tourist side of the island.

  “Come on, Val,” Tracee whined, “I’m tired. It’s two a.m. and I need some sleep.”

  The look on Tracee’s face didn’t leave a lot of room for Valerie to argue.

  “Half an hour more,” Valerie pleaded.

  “Okay. But that’s it.” Tracee turned, yelling a parting shot over her shoulder.

  “I’m leaving in thirty minutes with or without you.”

  Valerie watched Tracee walk away.

  Shaking herself mentally, Valerie turned around to find her dance partner still waiting. Smiling up at him, she started to move in time to the music, her hips swaying in natural harmony with the mournful cry of guitar strings.

  Dylan joined her and they continued to dance, the music ebbing and flowing around their bodies as the crowd on the dance floor did the same.

  Valerie’s eyes fixed on her partner, drinking in his well-toned body, the cargo shorts and open front shirt doing little to hide his physique. Dylan was over six feet tall, with nice, broad shoulders, curly blond hair and the skin on his body deeply tanned from lying in the golden sun of St. Kitts’ beaches. His blue eyes were always dancing with delight. The last two weeks spent in his company had been the best of her life.

  She’d met Dylan one day on the beach. Tracee had convinced her to join a volleyball game and she’d ended up on Dylan’s team. He was so athletic and looked damn good in swim trunks.

  Later in the day, after winning three games, Dylan invited her to join him in the bar for drinks. They’d talked into the night, discussing the history of St. Kitts and the finer points of beach volleyball.

  Dylan delighted her with his wit and charm and when he’d asked her to join him the following day to explore the island, she’d agreed.

  They’d done the island, so to speak. Explored white sandy beaches, hiked into the deep tropical foothills of St. Kitts’ dormant volcano, and spent endless hours snorkeling.

  Valerie realized there was something different about this man. Something she’d not experienced with other men she’d dated. Dylan was self-assured, intelligent, and very romantic.

  More than once, Valerie found herself daydreaming about having sex with him.

  She knew from his kisses he would be great in bed and by the end of the first week she wanted to volunteer to be his sex toy.

  Every day, Dylan’s kisses became more ardent, his hands bolder, and Valerie found her resistance faltering.

  She knew he was leaving in the morning and sensed Dylan expected her to join him for what remained of the night. All day he’d been hinting his desire to take her to his hotel room and make her scream with pleasure. He’d reminded her several times it was their last chance to make love.

  Make love, Valerie thought. Why do men always call it that? Do they really think adding the word love makes a difference?

  “What’s the matter?” Dylan’s shouted question interrupted her train of thought.

  Shaking her head Valerie leaned in close to his ear and spoke loudly to be heard over the music. “Nothing.”

  Dylan reached for her hand and pulled her toward the open doorway at the back of the club. Valerie followed him without pause, her head pounding a little harder as the headache settled behind her eyes.

  The air outside was clean and crisp, unlike the warm, stale air of the club. Valerie allowed herself to be gently pulled in the direction of a dark, secluded corner of the garden. Walking around empty tables, her hand held in his strong grip, she followed Dylan into the shadows. He didn’t speak, simply stopped and with a quick movement of his arm, pulled her close to his body.

  “Dylan,” Valerie started to say. His lips locking on her mouth effectively stopped any protest she might be ready to make. His fingers explored the sides of her face, gently cupping her cheeks as he tilted her head slightly. Valerie could feel the edges of his fingernails resting against her ears. His tongue pushed past her lips, diving over her teeth to circle her cheeks.

  Valerie allowed her body to meld with his, her hands gently fingering the top of his shoulders before tentatively sliding up his neck, tracing along his flesh. Pressing her breasts tightly into his chest, Valerie returned his kiss. Her tongue mingled with his, pushing it back into his mouth so hers could follow to trace the moist flesh of his inner cheek. A moan escaped Dylan’s throat and echoed around them as his hands moved to her lower back. She felt his fingers worki
ng up inside her blouse, finding the clasp on her bra, and with a deftness born of long practice, undoing it to free her breasts from their tight constraints.

  Dylan’s mouth released hers as he pushed slightly back, his fingers working their way around her body, lingering on hot skin as he stroked his way to her breasts. The soft touch of his skin on her nipples sent a shock wave through Valerie’s body and she couldn’t suppress the moan of pleasure escaping from deep inside her lungs. Dylan’s hands massaged her breasts while his lips planted soft, wet kisses along her neck.

  Valerie was aware of his hands moving lower, gliding along the waistband on her skirt before stopping at the side to work the button and zipper he found there. Her hands moved to his chest, applying soft pressure as if to signal her desire for him to stop. A silent war raged inside her. She knew he had to stop. Yet her body wanted to allow him more access. She wanted this. Wanted to find comfort and release in his arms.

  Pushing harder, she pulled away from him just as the zipper on her skirt gave way to his efforts and the lightweight material floated to the ground at her feet. “I can’t” were the only words she could push past her lips.

  “I want you,” Dylan purred.

  “I know.”

  “And you want me.” It wasn’t a question. Somehow, he just knew.

  “Yes.”

  Dylan’s eyes scanned down her body and Valerie felt her muscles contract as she stood almost naked before his gaze. Yes, damn it. I want you to touch me. Kiss me. Make love to me.

  Valerie wanted him to take control. Not allow her a choice. Make love to me, she whispered over and over in her head.

  Dylan took a step forward, bringing her body back in contact with his. “Your lips say no, but your body says yes, Valerie.” One finger slowly stroked down her breast.

  Valerie couldn’t speak. The pulsating need in her pussy demanded release.

  “Do you really want me to stop?” Dylan’s finger floated lightly over her stomach.

  “Yes,” her lips said as her body sought contact with his.