STAY THE NIGHTExcerpt.docx

STAY THE NIGHT

An Erotic Military Romance Novella from

NY Times and USA Today Bestseller

Caridad Pineiro

He was the kind of man that every woman would want . . .

Sexy and handsome Rafael Castillo was a star athlete and honor student. Everyone knew Rafe was going places and would make his hometown proud. Elena Martinez dreams of the day that the friendship she shares with Rafe will turn into something more. When that moment comes she doesn’t hesitate to grab it, and Rafe, with both hands.

She was the woman he’d dreamed of and whose life he’d ruined . . .

Rafe has been in love with Elena since the fifth grade when she stood up for him and stopped bullies from teasing him for being different. In the years since then, Rafe has watched Elena grow into a smart, beautiful, and desirable woman. He had hoped Elena would be a part of his future and was determined to show her how special she is to him.

Can they forget the past in order to build their future?

A fateful night of passion will change the future both Elena and Rafe had envisioned. Forced into marriage by an unexpected pregnancy, they find themselves separated by the demands of impending parenthood. Rafe enlists in the Navy Seals to support his new wife and the child who is on the way, but Fate is determined to throw them another curve. After Elena’s miscarriage and years of separation during Rafe’s tours of duty, have they grown too far apart or is love still possible between them?

Chapter 1

Elena Martinez had snagged the one man in town that every woman had wanted.

Rafael Castillo was strong, handsome, smart, and honorable. It was why after an long awaited night of passion and an unexpected pregnancy he had done the honorable thing and married her.

Everyone had known he was destined to go places and he had.

Coronado Island for BUD/S training. Virginia Beach for more training before heading out to Iraq and Afghanistan on his first two deployments. Back to the States for more training before a return to Afghanistan for more deployments.

It was a far cry from the future both of them had originally planned.

God laughed at men who made plans, Elena thought as she stared at the simple gold wedding band on her finger and wondered how different things might have been if she hadn’t gotten pregnant. Or if it wasn’t only honor that had kept Rafe from divorcing her when she’d miscarried in her sixth month.

Rafe had been away at training by then, but he’d arranged for leave to come home and be with her.

She’d been inconsolable about not only the loss of the baby, but about the lives they’d given up for it and the plans they’d made that would never be. Through it all, Rafe had comforted her and been her bedrock until duty called and he’d had to leave.

They hadn’t talked about what their future together would be during that awful time because it had been too painful to consider all that they’d lost.

In the nearly five years since then they hadn’t discussed it. Hadn’t shared more than a few short weeks together whenever Rafe had stand down. Although those times, as brief as they were, had been wonderful. Full of hot steamy nights and lots and lots of passion. Just thinking about them caused a skitter in her center and warmed parts of her deep inside.

Now he was coming home again only she wasn’t so sure any more that was where Rafe wanted to be. He’d sounded and looked distant during their last video call. Hesitant.

Was it because he’d found someone else? she wondered as she rose from the wrought iron chair on the patio of the small home she’d bought barely six months earlier. She’d gotten tired of living in apartments and knew Rafe wasn’t a fan of them either.

He’d always wanted his own home and stability, things he’d lacked in his early life. They’d often talked about the kind of place they wanted during the brief times that Rafe had been home. So she’d scrimped and saved from her own salary and the monies Rafe sent in order to give him the home he’d always wanted.

Only she wasn’t so sure he’d be happy coming here.

In the kitchen, she rinsed out her coffee cup and placed it in the dishwasher. She glanced at her watch and realized she had to get moving in order to make it to work on time. Especially if she was going to leave a little early in order to meet Rafe at the airport.

She was nervous about seeing him again, but also excited about being with him. Making love to him. A blast of desire worked through her as she imagined how they would spend their first night together in this new home.

Passion had never been an issue between them, but the little voice in her head asked, “But what about love?”

She had loved Rafe at one time. She still did. She had no doubt about that. Okay, maybe a little doubt since he wasn’t the same man that she’d married.

As she grabbed her keys and headed off to work, she worried that Rafe was having the same doubts. If he still loved her or worse, if he had ever loved her.

I’ll find out soon enough, she thought.

Dear Reader

I am truly enjoying the challenge of exploring the relationships and emotions between the military heroes and their loved ones in the Take a Chance series. There is something really rewarding about crafting the stories and developing the relationships between the hero and heroine that draws me into the romance and has me eagerly looking forward to the happily-ever-after for the couple. It also has me thinking about what will be the next story in the Take a Chance Series.

In this story and One Last Night, you hear about Bridget Sullivan, Maggie’s older sister who is in the Army. I think it’s definitely time for another story with a female military hero and I’ll be working on Bridget’s story soon. Look for One Night of Pleasure in the Spring of 2015.

Thank you for all your support for this series!

Other Novellas in the Take a Chance Series:

TAKE A CHANCE Box set, November 2014

ONE LAST NIGHT, October 2014

ONE SPECIAL NIGHT, August 2014

JUST ONE NIGHT, June 2014

Sale of this book without a front cover may be unauthorized. If this book is coverless, it may have been reported to the publisher as “unsold or destroyed” and neither the author nor the publisher may have received payment for it.

This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead, is coincidental.

All rights reserved. Except for use in any review, the reproduction or utilization of this work in whole or in part in any form by any electronic, mechanical or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including xerography, photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, is forbidden without the written permission of Caridad Piñeiro Scordato.

All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the non-exclusive, non-transferable right to access and read the text of this e-book on-screen. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, down-loaded, decompiled, reverse engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of publisher.

Visit Caridad’s website at www.caridad.com.

Manufactured in the United States of America

About the Author

NY Times and USA Today Bestseller Caridad Pineiro is a Jersey Girl who just wants to write, travel, and spend more time with family and friends. Caridad is the author of over 40 novels/novellas and loves romance novels, super heroes, TV and cooking. Caridad writes dark and sexy romantic suspense and paranormal romances for those who live to love on the edge. Her sweet, but still naughty side, Charity Pineiro, writes contemporary romances packed with emotion and humor. For more information on Caridad/Charity, please visit http://www.caridad.comor http://www.rebornvampirenovels.com. You can also find Caridad/Charity on:

Twitter at https://twitter.com/caridadpineiro
Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/Caridad.Author
Pinterest at http://pinterest.com/caridadpineiro/
Goodreads at https://www.goodreads.com/Caridad_Pineiro

Caridad also sends out a newsletter to her friends! To subscribe, please visit http://bit.ly/CaridadNews.

Additional Books by the Author

Additional Books by the Author Writing as Charity Pineiro

NOW AND ALWAYS June 2013 ISBN 1490362770

FAITH IN YOU July 2013 ISBN 1490412697

TORI GOT LUCKY December 2013

THE PERFECT MIX March 2013

TO CATCH HER MAN April 2014

SECOND CHANCE AT PERFECT October 2014

Additional Books by the Author Writing as Caridad Pineiro

Books in The Gambling for Love Romantic Suspense Series

THE PRINCE’S GAMBLE November 2012 ISBN 9781622668007 Entangled Publishing

TO CATCH A PRINCESS August 2013 ISBN 9781622661329 Entangled Publishing

Books in The Sin Hunter Paranormal Romance Series

THE CLAIMED May 2012 ISBN 978-0446584609 Forever Grand Central Publishing

THE LOST August 2011 ISBN 978-0446584616 Forever Grand Central Publishing

STRONGER THAN SIN November 2010 ISBN 0446543845 Forever Grand Central Publishing

SINS OF THE FLESH November 2009 ISBN 0446543837 Forever Grand Central Publishing

Other Novels by Caridad

THE FIFTH KINDOM July 2011 ISBN 9781426891885 Carina Press

SOLDIER’S SECRET CHILD Dec 2008 ISBN 0373276109 Silhouette Romantic Suspense

Novellas

GHOST OF A CHANCE, paranormal short story November 2012 ISBN B00AUGV89G Caridad Pineiro Publishing

HER VAMPIRE LOVER October 2012 ISBN 9781459242289 Nocturne Cravings Novella

NIGHT OF THE COUGAR June 2012 ISBN 9781459231153 Nocturne Cravings Novella

THE VAMPIRE’S CONSORT April 2012 ISBN 9781459222731 Harlequin Nocturne Cravings Novella

NOCTURNAL WHISPERS February 2012 ISBN 9781459221437 Harlequin Nocturne Cravings Novella

AMAZON AWAKENING December 2011 ISBN 9781459282766 Available Harlequin Nocturne Cravings Novella

WHEN HERALD ANGELS SING novella in A VAMPIRE FOR CHRISTMAS October 2011 ISBN 0373776446 HQN

AZTEC GOLD January 2011 ISBN 9781426891045 Carina Press Novella

Crazy for the Cat in MOON FEVER Oct 2007 ISBN 1416514902 Pocket Books

Books in THE CALLING/THE REBORN Vampire Novel Series

VAMPIRE REBORN, April 2014

DIE FOR LOVE, December 2013, Entangled Publishing

BORN TO LOVE, November 2013, ISBN 9781622663705 Entangled Publishing

TO LOVE OR SERVE, October 2013, ISBN 9781622663477 Entangled Publishing

FOR LOVE OR VENGEANCE, September 2013, ISBN 9781622662937 Entangled Publishing

KISSED BY A VAMPIRE (formerly ARDOR CALLS) October 2012 ISBN 9780373885589 Harlequin Nocturne

AWAKENING THE BEAST Collection featuring HONOR CALLS October 2009 ISBN 0373250940 Silhouette Nocturne

FURY CALLS March 2009 ISBN 0373618077 Silhouette Nocturne

HONOR CALLS February 2009 ISBN 9781426828362 Nocturne Bite

HOLIDAY WITH A VAMPIRE December 2007 ISBN 0373617763 Silhouette Nocturne

THE CALLING COMPLETE COLLECTION October 2008 ISBN 9781426807657 Silhouette Includes Darkness Calls, Danger Calls, Temptation Calls, Death Calls, Devotion Calls, and Blood Calls–as well as the online read Desire Calls.

BLOOD CALLS May 2007 ISBN 0373617631 Silhouette Nocturne

DEVOTION CALLS January 2007 ISBN 0373617550 Silhouette Nocturne

DEATH CALLS Dec 2006 ISBN 0373617534 Silhouette Nocturne

TEMPTATION CALLS Oct 2005 ISBN 0373274602 Silhouette Intimate Moments

DANGER CALLS June 2005 ISBN 0373274416 Silhouette Intimate Moments

DARKNESS CALLS Mar 2004 ISBN 0373273533 Silhouette Intimate Moments

Romantic Suspense Series

SECRET AGENT REUNION Aug 2007 ISBN 0373275463 Silhouette Romantic Suspense

MORE THAN A MISSION Aug 2006 ISBN 037327498X Silhouette Intimate Moments