Wish List

  Wish List

  By K.A. Mitchell

  Blindfolds. Handcuffs. Submission.

  There’s so much Jonah Kendrick hasn’t tried, and so much he wants to explore. But just before Christmas he finds a ring box in his boyfriend’s desk. Jonah panics. He loves Evan and their sex is hot, but how can Jonah be ready for forever, when there are so many items on his Naughty Bucket List? Desires that might drive Evan away.

  Evan’s noticed Jonah has been distant. His usually talkative and cheerful boyfriend is preoccupied. The seemingly straitlaced Evan stumbles across Jonah’s wish list of sexual kinks, and Evan realizes he may not have to hide his true nature from Jonah after all. The Dom in him wants to see Jonah on his knees, begging, submitting, but Evan isn’t sure Jonah’s ready to accept what being Evan’s sub would mean.

  The two lovers must figure out how to share their hidden desires with each other before their secrets permanently damage their love.

  26,000 words

  Dear Reader,

  I love the month of December when it comes to releases at Carina Press. This is our third year of publishing our special holiday collections, and I’m fortunate to be the one to edit the collections. It’s become our tradition to do three separate anthologies and this year we chose to do contemporary romance, science-fiction romance and erotic contemporary romance collections.

  Each of these three collections is amazing in its own right (not that I’m biased or anything), showcasing the talent of the contributing authors. In our contemporary romance collection, Romancing the Holiday, Jaci Burton wraps up her Kent Brothers trilogy with the story fans have been waiting for: it’s finally time to see Brody and Tori’s combustible attraction on page and cheer them to their happily-ever-after in The Best Thing. We’ll Be Home for Christmas by HelenKay Dimon returns readers to Holloway, West Virginia, as she gives us Spence’s story. Lila is more than a match for the delicious Spence and sparks fly when they go toe-to-toe. Last, but certainly not least, is newcomer to the collection, Christi Barth, with her delightful friends-to-lovers novella Ask Her at Christmas. And if you haven’t already checked out Christi’s full-length novel, Planning for Love, now’s a great time to treat yourself to this funny, emotional, captivating book.

  Heating up the pages, and I do mean heating up, are the three novellas in Red Hot Holiday, the erotic contemporary romance collection. If you’re looking for stories that are going to make what goes on under the mistletoe even more interesting, you’ll want to read this collection. I Need You for Christmas by Leah Braemel features a strong-willed, career-driven Mountie—and the sculptor who molds her to his will in the bedroom. In Wish List by K.A. Mitchell, Jonah discovers his lover, Evan, may be the one who can deliver the BDSM wishes on Jonah’s naughty list. And Anne Calhoun brings to the collection a stunningly powerful erotic romance that’s both deeply erotic and deeply emotional, with Breath on Embers.

  A Galactic Holiday is the third of our holiday collections, showcasing three science-fiction romance novellas with incredible world building and incredible characters. In How the Glitch Saved Christmas, author Stacy Gail takes us to our future, with bod-mods, enhancements, tech, artificial intelligence…and a growing love between two rival detectives investigating the case of the...appearing gifts. Traveling off world, Anna Hackett’s Winter Fusion delivers a story that’s also of two rivals. Rival negotiators Brinn and Savan must come to an agreement on behalf of their respective planets during the cold of Yule, and amidst the danger of a force that wants to stop their negotiations. Galileo’s Holiday by Sasha Summers takes us into deep space. Riley’s tugger has just been destroyed, but will she still have reason to be thankful as her relationship with Leo gives her a future to look forward to?

  In addition to these nine incredible holiday novellas, four fantastic novels release in December, each one the first book in a new seriesfrom the respective authors. For fans of Regency romance, Wendy Soliman kicks off her Forster series with Compromising the Marquess, in which the enterprising heroine supports her family by writing for a scandal sheet, placing her on a collision course with a marquess. In her steampunk romance The League of Illusion: Legacy, Vivi Anna begins a dangerous journey for three brothers. Each will find love while two brothers battle deception, jealousy and ruthless rivals to find and rescue the third.

  Fan favorite Dana Marie Bell’s new series, The Nephilim, begins with All for You. He’s not just the guy next door, he’s the angel next door. And it’s just become his job to protect her—while trying not to fall in love, or into bed.

  And this month we’re thrilled to introduce debut author Alison Packard with her debut contemporary romance title, Love in the Afternoon. When I grabbed Alison’s book from the slush pile to put on my eReader for the weekend, I had no idea I was in for such an amazing story. Though I’m not one to watch soap operas, Alison sucked me into the world of soaps and made me fall in love with Kayla and Sean. Soap opera stars, maybe, but characters you root for, relate to and want to turn the pages faster for so you can see them fall in love, definitely. If you’re a fan of Shannon Stacey, Victoria Dahl and Jill Shalvis, be sure to give this new author a try.

  I hope you find time to pamper yourself during the crazy holiday season. And if that pampering takes the form of a great Carina Press December release, even better!

  We love to hear from readers, and you can email us your thoughts, comments and questions to [email protected]. You can also interact with Carina Press staff and authors on our blog, Twitter stream and Facebook fan page.

  Happy reading!

  ~Angela James

  Executive Editor, Carina Press

  www.carinapress.com

  www.twitter.com/carinapress

  www.facebook.com/carinapress

  Dedication

  For Kathy

  Contents

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  About the Author

  Copyright

  Chapter One

  Tape. Where was the goddamned tape?

  Jonah dug through a couple of drawers in the kitchen. He could have texted Evan, but beside the lie Jonah had told about already having wrapped the stupid action figure for Evan’s cousin, he knew what Evan’s answer would be. Same place it always is, babe.

  It wouldn’t be such a crisis if Jonah wasn’t already late. Hadn’t he promised he’d be ready to go at six? But he’d gotten home late, then he couldn’t find where he’d stuffed the present. Then he’d had to find wrapping paper. Hell, he hadn’t even packed yet.

  Jonah’s gaze lit on Evan’s desk, a desk with paper and pens and neatly organized bills, since Evan insisted on quaintly paying stuff like the mortgage and his car with paper checks instead of online. Lately, Jonah had been wondering if someone had taken the sexy, fun guy he’d fallen for and replaced him with a staid sixty-year-old.

  Digging through the top drawer, Jonah found a computer printout receipt. That wasn’t like Evan, to get something online that he’d need to hang onto a receipt for, especially not something that looked like it had a bar code on it, like an advance movie ticket. As Jonah got a better look at it he realized it was for a train ticket. Two train tickets. To New York, on December 30. Under that was the printout of a hotel reservation, the Marriott in Times Square. For the thirtieth through the first—New Year’s Day which meant—

  Evan was taking Jo
nah to New York for New Year’s Eve.

  Every bit of irritation vanished on a giant wave of excitement. Evan had been hinting about a big surprise for Jonah’s birthday. But this—this was something he’d been dreaming about most of his life. Ever since he made the paper as the first local New Year’s Baby, he’d been telling everyone that the big party was for him. Growing up less than three hours from New York put the biggest New Year’s party in the world tantalizingly close, but somehow Jonah had never made it.

  How could Evan have managed to get a reservation? Jonah had heard the rooms were wildly expensive and booked years in advance.

  Shit, he hoped he wouldn’t blow the surprise. It wasn’t like he’d been snooping. Once, his mom had taken back the Transformers set that was all he’d wanted for Christmas because Jonah had “accidentally” found it in the closet. This really had been a mistake. Yeah, that excuse hadn’t worked with his mom. Evan wouldn’t be a jerk like that, but Jonah hated the idea of ruining this for him. Evan got such a kick out of the whole present-giving thing, had given him something small every month for the first year they were together.

  Jonah folded the papers the way he’d found them and was about to slide them back into the drawer when he saw the box. A jewelry box. Heartbeat loud in his ears, because this really was snooping now, he drew the box out. Why would Evan have a jewelry box hidden in his desk?

  Maybe it was something for Evan’s mom, but then why wasn’t it wrapped and ready to go? Jonah had never been particularly interested in jewelry. He had both his ears pierced, but wore only small squares of cubic zirconia now that he had a wear-a-tie job, and a leather and silver cuff he sometimes wore when they were going someplace dressy.

  Maybe Evan had decided to give him an upgrade to the real thing. The idea gave Jonah an unexpected rush of warmth in his stomach. A big trip, diamond earrings—Evan wasn’t scraping by, but he wasn’t rolling in cash either. His ad work paid a lot more than Jonah’s IT job with the school district though.

  Guilt soured Jonah’s stomach. He’d gotten Evan a few fun gifts, an adventuresome lube that was supposed to tingle on contact, but it didn’t amount to much in the face of the trip to New York and diamond earrings. If he knew what was in the box, he could be ready. And maybe pick up something extra for Evan. He had a few days and a little breathing room on one of his credit cards.

  He flipped open the lid. It wasn’t earrings. It was a ring. Rings, actually. Everything south of Jonah’s belt got uncomfortably high and tight until he was damned sure his balls were trying to climb into his body to get away from the scary things in that box.

  Wedding rings.

  Interlocking bands, one white gold with yellow gold accents, the other the reverse. An arrow over lapping at the point with a diamond to make up the circle of the male symbol made it clear they were intended as gay wedding bands.

  The grating, grinding sound of the garage door shook Jonah out of his stare. He slid the box back where he’d found it, shut the drawer and bolted out of the room and up the stairs.

  At least he could be sort of packed.

  Jonah was stuffing an extra pair of jeans in his suitcase when Evan came in, waving the half wrapped package.

  “Thought you wrapped this?”

  “Yeah. Ran out of tape. Couldn’t find any.”

  “It’s in the left bottom drawer of my desk.”

  Jonah couldn’t remember what drawer those rings had been in. He shut his eyes for a second. Oh. The top.

  “Did you pack a tie for Christmas dinner?”

  “Yes, Mom.”

  “Just trying to help.”

  And Jonah wouldn’t be acting like this if he didn’t feel so guilty and terrified about what those rings meant.

  “Sorry. I’m just—traffic—and—I’m sorry I’m not ready yet.” Jonah turned away to zip up the case.

  “Babe.” Evan wrapped his hands around Jonah’s neck and pulled him into a kiss, hot enough, wet enough that Jonah forgot what was making him so miserable. “It’s okay. I figured we wouldn’t leave until seven or later. Told the folks not to wait up.”

  “Oh.” The fact that Evan wasn’t pissed off, was actually being nice about the fact that Jonah couldn’t get his ass in gear to get anywhere on time, only made Jonah feel worse.

  “Yeah. The place was dead so I left early. Figured I’d come home and help you pack.”

  “Pack” was what Evan said, but the way he said it sounded like something else to Jonah’s dick.

  Great. Now he was guilty, nervous and horny.

  Jonah sidestepped the hand reaching for his crotch, heading toward the bathroom to scoop up shaving stuff.

  “Did you just blow off sex?” Evan followed him.

  “I don’t know. Was that actually an offer?”

  Would Evan do it now? Here? Was that the plan? Come home early, fuck, then down on one knee for a different reason? Was the box now in Evan’s back pocket? Maybe Evan was hoping to surprise his family with their—Jonah choked on the word—engagement.

  Oh sweet fuck. Evan wouldn’t do it in front of his family, would he?

  Evan tipped his lips in a half-smile and arched a brow. “It was. A firm offer.”

  Jonah had to backtrack to find the source of the dry humor in Evan’s voice. Usually Evan’s smutty puns made Jonah laugh. And want to jump him.

  “Right, well, I was thinking that traffic’s gonna suck the whole way, so we should get it over with as soon as possible.”

  “The sex?” Evan’s wry expression didn’t shift at all, but Jonah knew him well enough to read the flash of surprised hurt in his eyes.

  “The drive.”

  “Fine.” Evan went back into their bedroom and scooped the half wrapped box and Jonah’s suitcase from the bed. “I’ll finish this and load the car.”

  Jonah thought about calling him back, apologizing, but he wouldn’t be apologizing for the right thing. This weird tension felt all too familiar lately. Like they were both always trying to say something they weren’t sure they were ready to spit out.

  Maybe now he had an idea of what it was Evan wanted to say.

  Chapter Two

  After Evan neatened up the half-assed wrapping job Jonah had started on Matt’s toy and finished wrapping and tagging it, Evan snuck in a quick check of his breath and deodorant. In the almost two years they’d been dating, Jonah had turned down sex exactly once. Evan had only discovered later that Jonah’s vague “not feeling up to it” was the result of a 103 degree fever and strep throat, so a hygiene inspection was a reasonable precaution.

  But Evan also knew Jonah didn’t have more than a nodding acquaintance with tact. He was likely to rear back and fan the air with a “Dude, onions” or “When’s the last time you showered?”

  Evan would check him for a fever later. But that wouldn’t explain how insanely jumpy Jonah had been since Evan got home. Jonah had been himself when he’d run off late to work this morning—assuming, once again, that because he could make the trip to Clifton Park in thirty-eight minutes under optimal conditions, he always would.

  The weird didn’t stop when they got in the car. At the end of the driveway, Evan braked, but didn’t pull out despite the lack of oncoming traffic. “Do you want to stay here?” Privately he though the expiration date on objections to the trip had passed a week ago, but he would never drag Jonah into anything. Evan pasted on a wide smile. “Three days is a lot of Murphy togetherness. You could drive out on your own later if you change your mind.”

  “I love your family. God, you think I want to spend Christmas with mine?” Jonah shuddered.

  Evan’s family loved Jonah back. They would have for Evan’s sake, but no one could resist that bright wide grin. It still knocked Evan flat on his ass every time he saw it, and he said this as a guy who always had to break down and d
o something with the science experiments passing for dishes that Jonah insisted on leaving in the sink with the dishwasher only a few steps away.

  No reason not to be direct. “You seem jumpy.”

  Jonah shrugged. “Traffic, holidays, general stress.”

  “I won’t mind if you’d rather—”

  “I’m fine.”

  “Okay.” The tires spun a little as Evan tore out of the driveway, then he eased off the accelerator.

  Jonah didn’t keep stuff to himself; even when he said he didn’t want to talk about something, Evan could count on him puking it out in about five breaths. Ten passed by. Then twenty.

  Evan sped up the ramp to the interstate and Jonah still hadn’t burst out with his usual “All right. What really—”

  Jonah didn’t hook up his phone to begin streaming pop through the car’s speakers. Evan liked quiet, it gave him time to think, but as the only sound was the hum of the tires and the whoosh of passing cars, it started to get on his nerves. He missed Jonah’s chatter. His random generation of opinions and ideas. Missed Jonah, though his boyfriend was sitting right next to him.

  Checking for a fever probably wouldn’t put Jonah in a better mood. As they neared the rest stop outside Lee, Massachusetts, where as usual it was snowing, Evan asked, “Did you eat?”

  “Not hungry.”

  Evan tried not to arch his brows. A not hungry, not interested in sex, quiet Jonah was so far out of the norm Evan thought he needed a brand-new analysis, which he couldn’t do while driving. “I am.” He took the ramp into the rest stop, peering through the thickening flakes for an empty spot in the crowded parking area.

  “There.” Jonah pointed.

  Evan swung into the spot. “Nice teamwork.” He could have sworn Jonah flinched.

  Chapter Three

  The thing about wondering if you were ready to spend the rest of your life with someone, Jonah realized, was that suddenly every other guy looked like an option Jonah would be missing. Any other day, he wouldn’t have looked twice at the bearish guy with the inked neck and knuckles sticking out from under the heavy black leather jacket. But now Jonah could imagine those thick muscled arms, dark with ink and hair, wrapped around Jonah’s waist, the heavy beard rubbing into Jonah’s neck as the guy slammed into Jonah from behind, panting whatever sorts of things a leather daddy grunted in those situations.