Devi's Bliss: Books 4-6
Table of Contents
Prologue
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Prologue
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Prologue
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Devi’s Bliss: Books 4-6
Mika Lane
Headlands Publishing
Contents
Devi’s Bliss: a story of Aurora
Prologue
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Devi’s Bliss: a story of Gaia
Prologue
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Devi’s Bliss: a story of Jewel
Prologue
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Contact Mika Lane
Also by Mika Lane
About Mika Lane
Copyright© 2017 by Mika Lane
Headlands Publishing
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Oakland, CA 94602
www.mikalane.com
Devi’s Bliss: Books 4-6 is a work of fiction. Names, characters, (most) places, and incidents are either the product of the author’s creativity or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.
All rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the publisher except for the use of quotations in a book review.
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Devi’s Bliss: a story of Aurora
Book 4
Prologue
Aurora couldn’t get Hale out of her head. Her attraction to him nibbled away at her like a little pest, throwing her off balance and leaving her thoughts a tangled mess.
There was something about him that was safe, an awareness that had eluded her since she had discovered—well, that whole sordid story left behind on the East Coast.
Devi’s Bliss: a story of Aurora
Chapter 1
Inhale…exhale.
Aurora Rose switched her cell phone to her other hand, only partly listening to the droning sound on the other end of the line. Flicking off the bathroom faucet, she watched the last couple drops of water roll toward the drain. Was it possible to jump into the sink and join them? And disappear?
During the time she’d very slowly and thoroughly brushed her teeth, her mother, three thousand miles away in New York, had covered five different topics. Among other exciting (to her) news, the Huttons were going to Hawaii for vacation and the Adlers to Kenya for a safari. Seems it never crossed her mother’s mind that since Aurora knew neither the Huttons nor the Adlers she might not be the least bit interested in their vacation destinations.
While her mother droned on, Aurora hung her hand towels, experimenting with folding them in halves, and then thirds. Stepping back to admire her handiwork, she settled on the halves.
What a way to pass the time…
She tapped the phone off mute to try to get a word in.
“Mother. Mother—”
But no luck. She was already on to the next topic, and it was the one Aurora had been dreading. And knew was coming.
“Oh, and we ran into Ben and Anna at the club last week. They were—”
Even though Aurora knew those names were going to be spoken at some point in the conversation, and they always were with her mother, the thud they made in her ears nevertheless resonated from one end of her being to the other.
“Mother!”
“Yes? Yes? Did you say something?”
She pictured the woman sitting at her bedroom vanity, coiffed like she was going to an award ceremony—beauty parlor hair, flawless red nails. Smiling.
“Do we have to discuss those people?”
“But, I just thought—”
“No, Mother, you did not. If you had, you would not have brought up their names.”
There was a deep inhale on the other end of the line. Impatience disguised as patience.
“Sweetie, we—your father and I—feel if we keep you up-to-date on all that’s going on here at home, you’ll be back on the East Coast before we know it. Speaking of which, how long is your little visit to California going to last?”
Aurora ground her teeth so hard, pain shot through her jaw. It was her turn to take a deep inhale. But instead, she managed only a strangled wheeze.
“Mother, this is not a visit. I love the San Francisco area, my job as a massage therapist, and my new friends.” Her fists clenched just like her gnashing teeth. Her job at Devi’s Bliss had actually saved her life, truth be told. She’d arrived in California a tattered mess. Devi’s had given her a reason to get out of bed every day.
“Darling, no need to get snippy. You know your father and I ask you about moving back only because we care about you—”
“If you cared about me, you wouldn’t be bringing up those people. And you wouldn’t discount my new life.”
“Sweetie, someday you’ll understand how it is to be a parent. You want only the best for your children. If you’d been a bit nicer to Ben, you might be on your way to being a mother yourself right now. But instead, Anna’s in that lucky position.”
Holy. Shit.
Fury seared through Aurora like a gasoline fire. The very name, Ben, said from clear across the country thanks to the miserable gift of long distance, still made her ill. Add Anna to the mix and the mention of the two in one conversation was a blow hard enough to kick off the blinding white lights of a dreaded migraine. She collapsed onto the edge of her bed. If she passed out, she wouldn’t have far to fall.
Her temples throbbed from her elevated heart rate. Nice people, that Ben and Anna. Her ex-boyfriend and ex-best friend. On their way to parenthood. Together.
And leaving her down by two friends.
“Mother. Those two should rot in hell! Can’t you see that? Do you not understand the magnitude of what they did?”
Another long sigh traveled over the radio waves. And this particular sigh confirm
ed her mother either didn’t have a clue—or didn’t give a shit—about the enormity of the betrayal that had taken place.
Or maybe her obtuseness was a combination of the two?
“It’s not a matter of understanding or not understanding, Aurora,” her mother said in slow and measured tones. “It’s a matter of practicality. When you move back, you’ll be running into Ben and Anna all over town. It would do you well to learn to forgive and forget. And think of all the beautiful clothes you left behind here.”
The breeziness to her mother’s tone sounded like she was pointing out nothing more than a pretty cloud in the sky. And it was the last straw.
No amount of slow, deep breathing was going to help. Not now. The wounds were too raw, too painful, even nearly a year had gone by. Ben knocking Anna up back home in Rye, New York was, plain and simple, the stuff of soap operas. And, according to her mother, all her fault. All her fault that Ben had strayed. If only she had tried harder…dressed nicer…lost a little weight…been more supportive…
Something clicked. Actually, it was more like detonated. Aurora could no longer hear what her mother was saying. There were words being spoken, make no mistake. But they were just white noise.
She pushed her remaining energy into surviving the conversation. Just surviving. And as it dragged on—like roadkill towed along by a car’s undercarriage—her fury reached a peak. Her hands shook and heart pounded. Tears were moments away.
Dammit.
“Mother.” She spoke in a tight voice in an effort to keep her trembling disguised. “I have no plans to move back.”
“Oh, sweetie, you know your life is here in New York. You’ll be back before long. We want you here. We need you here. You’ll meet a nice boy, settle down, and at last give me some grandchildren.”
The inevitable tears she’d been fighting finally breached her eyelids and slithered down her face. They stopped at her trembling lips, flooding her with the tastes of salt and sadness.
“Mom, I need to go. I have a busy day ahead. I’ll talk to you later.” All efforts to hide her shaky voice were failing.
“All right, sweetie. It was nice catching up. I’ll send your love to your fath—“
Aurora swiped the phone closed, her head dropping into her hands as her fury was finally unleashed. No longer restrained by pride, it ripped through her in flood of emotion. Which was more heartbreaking—the betrayal she’d suffered, or her mother’s callousness?
Arriving at work, Aurora burst through the heavy front door of the famed spa, Devi’s Bliss. A sensible-looking older woman with close-cropped hair sat at the reception desk, scrolling through a computer and scribbling notes.
“Devi!” Aurora cried, rushing to her boss. The older woman, owner and namesake of the spa, had been away for weeks since her heart attack—and fortunate discovery on the floor of the spa.
Aurora threw her arms around Devi and squeezed. “I’m so glad you’re back. We missed you so much.”
“Hey, take it easy,” her boss said with a twinkle in her eye. “I have a bad ticker, you know.”
Were those tears in the eyes of the unshakeable Devi?
“Sorry ’bout that.” she sniffled. “Ever since all this went down, I’m always on the verge of tears. The heart attack must have turned me into a softy somehow. Who knew my cold heart could be melted? I’m like Scrooge, getting a second chance.” She dabbed her eyes with a tissue.
“I’m very fortunate Isabella found me. It could have been the end of the line for this old broad.” She turned her emotion into a bellowing laugh that ricocheted off the spa walls, comforting Aurora to no end with its happy sound.
“You were missed, Devi. I was scared to death when I heard the news. Ruth was so calm, but the rest of us were a mess.”
Devi smiled at the mention of Ruth, her partner of many years. “Yes, that’s my Ruth, always a rock. It’s amazing she’s put up with me all these years.”
“Was the hospital okay? You were there for so long.”
“Well,” Devi said. “I don’t know what Marin General is like for most people, but when your partner is head of surgery like my Ruth, it’s not bad. Not quite the Ritz, mind you—not that I’ve ever been there—but I wasn’t wanting for much.”
Devi surprised Aurora by squeezing her hand. “I did miss this place, though. And, of course, all you goofballs,” she added, referring to the rest of her staff.
“I knew it!” Aurora landed a peck on her boss’s cheek. “I knew you missed us.” She looked at her watch. “Hey, I’m off to get ready for a client.”
“That’s right, young lady. You have one in fifteen minutes. You’d better skedaddle.” Devi’s put-on firmness was a constant source of amusement among her employees. The woman ran a tight ship. But the truth was, everyone loved her like a mom. And she loved them right back.
In her spa uniform—a kimono robe, simple and white—Aurora passed by potted bamboo plantings scattered throughout the zen-like spa. Their skinny leaves twittered in the overhead fans’ breeze, which distributed the perfume of essentials oils warming in small vessels. She paused for a moment outside the door to the Heart Chakra massage room, where her first client of the day waited on the other side. Taking several deep breaths, she centered herself, as she always did before kicking off a session. Nothing was more important than ensuring clients had ninety minutes of pure heaven during their time at the spa.
They paid a lot for the privilege of an appointment at the world-famous Devi’s Bliss. If they desired, consenting adults could take the massage to a sensual level, thanks to open-minded county laws. Any sexual contact was up to the discretion of the therapist. Devi’s, steeped in the serenity of a Balinese spa, was a dream come true for someone like Aurora who loved massage almost as much as she loved sex.
Calm and collected, she entered the room and kicked her flip-flops to a corner. The rough tatami floor mats shocked her feet into wakefulness, and the flickering light of the votive candles danced up the walls and across the ceiling.
She rested her hand on her client, who was face down on the massage table. Her fingers smoothed over the white cotton sheet covering him.
“Mr. S, how are you today?”
“Mmmm. Good, how are you?” His words were muffled by the massage table’s face cradle.
“I am wonderful, thank you for asking.”
And she was. Aurora was always wonderful when she was in the haven of Devi’s Bliss. Any aggravating conversations with her mother, or anyone else for that matter, were long forgotten. At least for the duration.
To warm up Mr. S, Aurora ran her hands up and down his back, on the outside of the sheet. Swaying, she worked from his neck down to the curve of his lower back, along his strong thighs to his rock-hard calves. As her hand smoothed the sheet, she found a very buff and masculine man underneath. A grin spread across her face as she touched the prominence of a nicely muscular ass.
Thank goodness he’s lying face down.
She could admire without being seen.
Mr. S’s state of relaxation deepened. He settled into the massage table, breathing slow and deep. Time for the next, more intimate stage—hands on bare skin.
But she needed to check in with him first. “Shall we begin, Mr. S?”
“Mmmm.”
Always a good sign when they can barely speak.
Folding down the sheet, her heart slammed against her chest and the lightest perspiration broke out along her hairline. She uncovered a strapping, broad-shouldered back, nearly giving herself away when she gasped at it. But it seemed Mr. S was in his own zone; lucky for Aurora, he seemed not to hear a thing.
In the center of his back, up by his shoulders, was a unique tattoo of crisscrossed checkered flags. Aurora had seen similar pennants gusting in the wind when she drove past the racing and motorsports complex just north of San Francisco, on the way to wine country.
A car nut, perhaps?
Warm massage oil dripped into her palms. She rubbed them togethe
r with vigor, filling the room with a light citrus scent. To distribute the emollient, she placed her hands on the checkered tattoo and began making increasingly larger concentric circles. He fidgeted, adjusting to the pressure as she fanned her fingers up and around his shoulder blades. She kneaded her way down to his upper arms to work his biceps with her strong grip. She’d not worked on someone so muscular in a long time, and while it took all her strength, it also vitalized her—straight through to her sex, which would need its own attention in due time.
With a deep inhale, she ran her hands back up to his shoulders to rest on his neck; she continued this sequence until his breath matched her rhythm. Her trained fingers found the hard knots of his tight trigger points, and he squirmed when she tackled the cantankerous muscles on the sides of his neck. He seemed to relax into the pain as blood rushed to the area and began its healing magic.
She moved on to scrape her oiled fingers through Mr. S’s thick black hair, lightly scratching her nails over his scalp. He twitched while goosebumps erupted across the back of his neck, culminating in shudders that made Aurora smile.
Pausing, she took a moment to check in. “Mr. S, how are you feeling?”
“Good. Great. Thank you.”
His deep, gravelly voice caused Aurora her own little twitch. “May I move on to your lower back?”
Code word for ass…
“Please do.” He readjusted himself on the table—most likely to make room for a growing erection.
She was taken by Mr. S’s rock-hard ass as she folded the sheet all the way to his ankles. Along with a view of one supremely amazing male body, she now had access to the large muscles of his butt, thighs, and calves. Shifting his legs apart by a couple inches, he gave her improved access to—and a lovely view of—the real estate between them. In contrast, she squeezed her own thighs together to intensify the heat building there. Her hands progressed to his feet and then returned to his lower back, kneading the hills and valleys of his impressive muscles. Thanks to the massage oil, his smooth golden skin shimmered in the candlelight.