Well then, step right over and get your copy of Dante’s Angel!
What is Dante’s Angel?
Dante is one of Damiano Leone’s co-workers on Gambler’s Folly. When Dam and his mate, Karianna, return to Earth for their church wedding, Dante, Marco, and Paulo go with them to be members of the wedding party.
But Dante has never been off of Gambler’s Folly, and is most decidedly single, a fact which is brought home more strongly by his friend’s wedding. He’s been told he could be Damiano’s little brother, but his looks don’t seem to do him much good. Besides, woman make him tongue-tied. He hasn’t even been on a date for a month.
But all this changes when he meets Angela, Damiano’s cousin. With her, his mouth seems to have developed a mind of its own. And while both of them find the other irritating at their first meeting, their first kiss later on in the evening sizzles.
How can they be soul mates when they’ve just met?
DANTE’S ANGEL—a Paranormal Fantasy Romance, sequel to award-winning Gambler’s Folly!
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/738377
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B073SJYN67/ref
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/dantes-angel-mellie-miller/1126709987
Excerpt:
Dante had waited as long as he could before he left for the shuttle. He’d never been off-planet before and was homesick before they even left. The rest of the party was already on board and enjoying the amenities before he even got to customs.
On top of it, the whole reason for the trip was the wedding, yet another reminder that he was single and had no prospects at the moment. And here was Damiano, with everything in the world going for him, going to Earth to marry his mate, his bond-mate. It just wasn’t fair.
What was wrong with him? He glanced at his reflection in one of the large plate windows. All right, he wasn’t as tall as Damiano, Marco, or Paulo, but he wasn’t a midget. He was six feet tall and around one hundred eighty-five pounds, with no fat to spare. Dark hair and dark eyes completely the look, from his Mediterranean heritage.
He’d been told he could be mistaken for Damiano’s younger brother, but it didn’t seem to do him much good. He was awkward in crowds and women tied his tongue in knots before he even started talking. He hadn’t had a date in over a month, and now he was going to a wedding on a planet he’d never seen.
Sighing deeply, he answered the questions at the customs desk, handed over his papers, jumped through all the hoops, and finally boarded the shuttle.
“May I help you?” the older man asked.
“Yes. I’m trying to find my berth,” Dante said.
“Ah! Take the lift to the fourth level, turn right, and it will be on your right.”
“Thanks.”
Trudging to the lift, he followed the instructions, used his pass card on the door, and took a look around.
His suite was nearly as big as his apartment, he decided. He’d have to thank Damiano for his generosity. Of course, they would be on the shuttle for a week. At least he wouldn’t go stir crazy. He stowed his luggage in the wardrobe and checked the time.
Pushing the button on his communicator, he checked in with Marco.
“Did you have any trouble, Dante?”
“No, sir. Just huge crowds of people. But I’m in my room now, so everything is good.”
“All our rooms are across the hall from yours. Damiano suggested we all get together for dinner, around seven this evening. But until then, relax and enjoy the trip.”
“When do we lift off?” Dante asked.
“In about an hour. They’ll make an announcement. Follow the instructions and you’ll be fine. It’s much like flying, but the take-off is a little stronger. Don’t worry, amico. I’ve done it several times.”
With nothing else to do, a nap sounded like a good idea. Slipping out of his shoes and jacket, he dropped onto the bed and closed his eyes. Maybe he could at least dream of happy times.
****
“Marco, is everything all right with Dante?” Karianna asked.
“Sì, signora. He’s a little nervous about leaving Gambler’s Folly. He was born here and has no family on Earth. He’ll be fine once we’re underway.”
“If you’re sure,” she said reluctantly. The first time she’d left her home planet, she’d been lost on a bet, divorced from her husband, and married to the strongest of the underworld syndicate bosses—Damiano Leone.
“Should someone go check on him?” she asked.
“Cara mia, he’ll be fine. He’s probably taking a nap. We’ll see him for dinner this evening,” Damiano assured her.
It wasn’t long before the lift-off announcement was made. As far as Karianna was concerned, this was the worst part of the trip. Flying always affected her in the same way. Too much imagination.
At least it didn’t last long. Marco called to check on Dante after lift-off. He chuckled as he ended the call.
“So, how is he?” she asked.
“Dio! He’ll be fine. He swears he’s never doing it again, though how he plans to return to Gambler’s Folly without it, I don’t know.”
“I didn’t think it was that bad,” Karianna reflected. “The one from Earth to here was worse.”
“Don’t worry so much, cara,” Damiano told her. “Why don’t we send these guys on their way and see what there is to do?”
Knowing her mate, she had a good idea what he meant.
Their friends took their leave, so she was soon alone with her husband.
“So, cara, I think it’s time to enjoy this most comfortable bed, don’t you think? And from what I’ve heard about your last trip, I doubt you’ve ever been loved on an intergalactic flight.”
“Time for a first then, isn’t it?” she answered as his hands unzipped her dress, before they corrected the oversight.
Karianna showered after their lovemaking and decided on a nap before dinner. Later, when she tried to stretch, she was wrapped in Damiano’s embrace. Snuggling deeper into his arms, she drifted off once again.
“Karianna, cara. Time to dress for dinner,” she heard. The kiss did more to wake her up.
“I suppose we should go to dinner,” she said, as her stomach rumbled. “Unless you want to come back to bed.”
“Now, cara, you know we’re all meeting for dinner this evening. We can go back to bed later.”
“Promises, promises.”
“You want promises, cara?” Damiano asked her. “I promise you, before I finish with you later, you’ll be begging.”
“You’ve got rather a high opinion of yourself,” she teased.
A fierce kiss and swat on her bottom told her the night was going to be exciting.
“Now, come on. Put on some clothes before I change my mind.”
When they finally arrived in the dining room to meet the rest of their party, Karianna was still slightly flustered. Damiano’s friends had made an effort this evening. Even Dante was well dressed for dinner. Why he never seemed to have a girlfriend, Karianna couldn’t figure out. He was good-looking, intelligent, and had plenty of money.
“To the most beautiful woman in my world,” was Damiano’s toast to start off the evening. She’d finally gotten used to his flattery. Her first husband never made her feel pretty, let alone beautiful.
Dinner was tasty and the atmosphere around the table relaxed. These four men had worked together for a long time, through dangerous situations. But they had welcomed her into their circle and made her feel safe, even though “safe” could be a relative term around Damiano and his business.
“Dante, are you settling in all right?” she asked.
“Sì, Signora. The lift-off was sort of tense, but I’m fine now.”
“Are you ready for your first look at Earth?”
“I’m not sure. I don’t know what to expect. Everyone tells me it is special, but how can it be any better than Gambler’s Folly?”
“I think it’s the history of humanity there,” she explained. “I haven’t been back since I left nearly two years ago. I want to find out how I react to coming home again.”
“I’ve never been anywhere but Gambler’s Folly. Everyone else here has ties to Earth but me. I feel like an outsider, in a way. Everyone else is coming home, but I have no home to go to.”
“Dante,” Damiano said. “My home is yours. We’re all brothers here—except for Kari, of course. And once Mama meets you, you’ll have trouble leaving.”
“If you say, Damiano. If you say.”
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