by K. K. Allen
If there’s one last piece of advice I can give you, it’s to never lose hope in a love that makes you feel so vividly. Embrace the ups and downs, and gain strength throughout the journey. Johnny is a lucky man to have you, and from what I can see, you’re lucky to have him too. I wish you two every bit of happiness.
I love you, dear girl. With my whole heart.
Rose
Tears spill from my eyes so fast, I have to move the letter so it doesn’t get wet. Way to make me cry when you’re dead, Rose. Infuriating woman.
“I thought you said you found this when you were looking through my mom’s things,” I say.
He smiles, helps me wipe my tears, then kisses the wet streaks on my face. “That’s not what I found. That’s the letter Rose wrote after I showed her what I found.”
I’m confused. “So what did you find?”
He takes a step back and releases his other hand from behind his back. When he opens his palm, I see a small black box. My eyes shoot up into his, panic struggling to sort its way through my chest. What is he doing?
Johnny’s eyes crinkle at the corners as he laughs then kisses me quickly on the lips. “It’s not what you think it is. I’m saving that box for another day,” he teases me.
I swat his chest playfully.
He grins and opens the lid, putting me out of my misery. A butterfly with a black body and blue wings lies there, unmoving.
“Johnny!” I cry incredulously. “It’s dead.” I’m mortified while he laughs.
“Exhale with me?” His expression is so adorable, I can’t refuse him.
I look up at Johnny, bewildered, then back down at the small creature as we both take in air then let it out slowly, my movements mimicking his. Air circulates in the space between us before landing on the wings of the butterfly. Almost instantly, its wings begin to flutter to life. It flies up and lands on Johnny’s waiting finger.
“How?” I shake my head, knowing that nothing should surprise me anymore.
“It’s an ancient Greek myth that if two souls are Fated, their love will be so strong it could bring a butterfly back to life. George and Rose found this butterfly during their travels in Greece and wanted to see if the myth was true. Apparently, it was. The butterfly will live out its lifespan then die again. It worked for your parents too.” Johnny seems just as amazed as I am. “And it just worked for us.”
“That’s amazing.” I wrap my arms around him and bat my lashes up at him. “Just so you know, I would have said yes.”
Johnny grins and picks me up, so I wrap my legs around his waist. “Well, I thought I would propose something else first.” He bites down on his bottom lip then brings his forehead to mine. “Sail with me for the summer. Just you and me. No destinations in mind. Let’s just see where the wind takes us.”
“Really?” I ask, lighting up at the images that start floating through my mind.
“Right after classes get out. What do you think?”
I touch my nose to his and close my eyes, breathing in his scent while enjoying the fullness of this moment. Memories rush over me as I think about where we started, the obstacles we overcame, and the magnitude of our feelings today. I’ve never been so sure of anything or anyone in my life.
I kiss him softly before whispering my response against his lips. “Yes, Johnny. I would love to sail with you.”
“I’ve already spent two summers without you. I can’t believe you’re making me miss another one.”
My arms are wrapped tightly around my mother’s waist as we stand on the dock of the marina. Meanwhile, Johnny is giving my dad a tour of his yacht.
“Mom, stop. Don’t make me feel bad. I purposely postponed this trip to the end of summer so that I could hang out with you all a little longer. Don’t be greedy.” With a smirk, I kiss her cheek and pull her an arm’s length away. “Besides, I hear you and Dad have plans of your own.” I’m referencing their trip to Savannah where they’ll start their search for her mom and Maddie.
She pouts, trying to hide the fact that she’s secretly excited for me and my sea adventure. Johnny completely won her over one night when he showed up with a dozen white roses for her and a single red rose for me. They had a lengthy chat where she interrogated him, and when she came out, she said, “I think you need to marry that boy.”
Now, on the dock as the warm summer sun kisses our cheeks, my mom sighs and swings our arms between us. “Call me every day. Don’t forget.”
“I know, I know.” I smile and squeeze her again, just as Johnny and my dad jump onto the dock.
With one glance at the tall hunk of boyfriend I call mine, my nerves go haywire, failing to transmit signals of calm to my brain. We’re about to spend three months cruising the open seas, and the anticipation has been a torment for both of us. He flashes his half smile, the one reserved just for me, and my cheeks warm. He’s just as excited as I am, if not more so, for our adventure ahead.
My dad wraps an arm around my shoulder, squeezing me tight and kissing the side of my head. “If you need me for anything, call me. I put an extra phone in the safe in case something happens to yours. It’s off, but it’s fully charged. I’ll be checking in too. Johnny knows to contact me if anything goes wrong.”
I turn into him and nod, pleading with my eyes for him to stop worrying so much. “We’ll be fine, Dad. I’ll call you tonight.” I rise onto my tiptoes and plant a kiss on his cheek before hugging him again.
Johnny’s hand engulfs mine, pulling me through the entrance of the yacht to the captain’s seat and immediately wrapping his arms around me. The ridiculous grin on his face aims straight for my core. “Finally,” he says, touching his nose to mine.
“What are you so eager for, Pierce?”
His eyes narrow and darken considerably while his smile remains. “You, Summer.” He brushes his lips against mine and sighs. “I finally get to share my ocean with you.”
I practically melt into his arms as he holds me to his drumming chest. “What are you waiting for, then?”
He grins and releases me, turning his attention to maneuvering us out of the marina. “Why don’t you head up to the observation deck, and I’ll meet you there in a few to watch the sunset?” he suggests.
“Sounds perfect.”
On the bridge, I take in the sunset, loving the fact that this will be our view every day for the next two months. It’s funny. For the longest time, I struggled to make a home for myself in Apollo Beach. Now, I’m struggling to leave it, even for a short period.
Cheerful shouts shake me from my daydreams. I turn to see my parents grinning with their arms snaked around each other. This sight might just be more beautiful than the sunrise. My parents are a testament to true love and overcoming the most difficult of obstacles. It didn’t take long for them to fall back in love with each other—crazy, madly, deeply in love. The circumstances that kept them apart for twenty years no longer exist, especially with Erebus now locked away in the energy plant.
Leaning against the rail, I close my eyes and bask in the warm wind as it whips against my face. When I hear Johnny approach behind me a minute later, a smile immediately pushes up my cheeks. I turn around to greet him, but he’s not standing me like I expect for him to be. He’s kneeling.
Piercing blue eyes gaze back into mine as a slow smile spreads on his face. “Hi.”
My mouth has already fallen open, and my heart feels like it’s pounding in my throat. I’m not even sure if I can find my voice. “Johnny.” His name leaves my lungs, but nothing but air escapes. I’m utterly speechless.
“The moment I laid eyes on you, you jolted me to back to life. I’d given up. A future was never something I dreamed of sharing with anyone. And then you captured me, in every way imaginable. My heart, my body, my soul. You brought my dreams back to life, and with you, I found my purpose. You’re my lifeline, Katrina Summer. Being Fated to you simply isn’t enough. I want your forever, and I want to promise you mine. Will you marry me?”
My
eyes are blurred from tears as I cup my mouth with my hands and nod. “Yes.” The word bursts from my tightened chest, then I’m on my knees with Johnny, pressing my lips to his.
“There’s one more thing,” he says against my lips. He leans back, holds up a white velvet box, then opens it to reveal a stunning ring.
I gasp when I realize it’s not just any jewel. I would recognize the vintage halo diamond and rose gold band anywhere. “That’s my mom’s.”
Johnny nods. “Your dad said he was holding on to it for you, and that he and your mom are ready to make new memories. They both insisted this belonged to you.” He pulls the ring from the box. “May I?”
A breath whooshes out of me as I hold up my hand, palm down. He slides the ring onto my finger, and I’m speechless yet again. It’s the perfect ring, the perfect fit—I look up—and the perfect man. I throw my arms around Johnny’s neck and let the tears fall freely down my face.
“She said yes!”
I whip my head around to face the marina dock, where my parents still stand, waving. I laugh and wipe my cheeks before throwing up a hand to wave back at them then cup my hands around my mouth like a megaphone. “We’re getting married!”
A rush of emotions washes over me as Johnny and I ride off into the sunset, and I know that although they may be fading into the distance, I’ve never felt closer to them.
“So what will it be, my soon-to-be-wife? Vanilla or chocolate?”
Johnny anchored the yacht before nightfall somewhere near the Florida Keys. It will be our first night at sea, so he wanted me to get acquainted with the movements and noises of the waves before really settling in.
I eye both tubs of ice cream carefully as if I’m making a life-or-death decision. Glaring in mock frustration, I look up at Johnny and frown. “Why do I have to choose?”
He chuckles. “Fine. Scoop of both it is, but only because we’re celebrating.” He winks and takes the tubs back to the kitchen as I rest my head on the couch, watching him work.
Johnny moves with confidence, revealing strength in every task. It’s incredibly appealing. As he dips the spoon into one of the tubs, my eyes drift up his arm and bulging bicep. I gulp, and a wave of heat rolls through my core.
“You okay?” The couch shifts as he sits beside me, entrapping me with his arms, locking them together with a bowl of chocolate and vanilla. “Daydreaming of me again?”
I smile instantly. “Something like that.” Breaking our stare, I reach for the spoon and devour the first bite of ice cream. I can’t remember the last time I felt heaven in my mouth quite like this. “Hmm,” I moan.
He tries to take the spoon from me, but I hold it away. “Wait. You can have some, only if you tell me what you told my mom the night you came over with those flowers. She fell in love with you that night.”
He glares at me. “That’s unfair to hold the ice cream hostage just because you failed to use that great hearing of yours.”
I press my lips together firmly, keeping my grin at bay. “I’m celebrating my engagement. I can hold the ice cream hostage if I want to. Besides, you promised you would tell me one day.”
He chews the inside of his lip as if debating if now is the time to fess up. “Well, it’s our engagement, and it’s nothing you don’t already know. Your mom asked what my intentions were with you and our relationship. I told her the truth—that I loved you and my only intention was to be with you forever… and that I couldn’t wait to start a family with you, but that I would wait until we were both ready.”
I swoon like a fool listening to Johnny, and he takes advantage of this by ripping the spoon from my grip. “Hey,” I say, reaching for the spoon.
“Story time is over. Time to share.” He takes a bite and mimics my moan from earlier.
“Give that back!” I say, trying to snatch it from him, but he’s too fast.
“Open up.” He grins and digs into a large scoop of chocolate ice cream.
My eyes grow wide. “No way! Don’t you dare.”
The look on his face is pure wickedness as he brings the spoon closer to my face even though my lips are pressed together. “Open up, Kat. I’m not stopping.”
A second before the ice cream touches my lips, I throw open my mouth and close my eyes. He misses his target completely, smearing the ice cream onto my cheek and down my neck. I gasp, opening my eyes wide in shock. “You did not just do that!”
He chuckles, practically throwing the bowl onto the coffee table before tackling me, pressing my back into the couch as he licks my face like a dog. I wrestle him, but he’s too strong, and he doesn’t stop until he’s licked the ice cream gone.
I wipe my face with my hand. “Gross, Johnny. Dogs have less slobbery tongues.”
He grins, eyeing a remaining bit of ice cream on my neck. “Let me try that again.”
“No, stop!” I laugh, trying to break free of him, but the moment his mouth touches my neck, I relent, my eyes rolling back into my head.
When his teeth scrape against sensitive skin, I’m wax to his burning flame, melting into myself and all around him. He’s kissing me, working his way up my neck, toward my ear, and I shiver from the hot breath on my ear before he bites it gently.
I gasp, and he reaches beneath my dress, tickling the sensitive space between my thighs. He moves my panties aside and pushes his fingers deep inside. Just when I think he’s going to build me up with the flick of his fingers, he lowers his mouth and swipes me with his wicked tongue.
Johnny has always been a gentle lover, never in a rush, and always asking permission. But there’s something different about him tonight. Maybe it’s the fact that I’ve promised to be his forever, or maybe it’s the fact that we’re together alone in his favorite place, but the man emerging tonight reminds me of the growly man I first met at Island Grille.
He’s ravenous as he devours me with his mouth, drinking me in like I’m rain in a desert and he’s been lost for too damn long. His hooded gaze is lost in me, focused on my pleasure, while gripping his erection in anticipation. And when I burst for him, my release imploding and sending convulsions through my entire body, he’s already pushing himself inside me.
There’s no restraint as he torments me with his length, the friction of our energy building me up as he takes just as much as he gives. He’s an unleashed beast, and I’m all too eager to be his prey.
He pulls me up so that he’s sitting and my knees are spread apart above him. His palms grip my ass, moving me, controlling our pacing as he pushes deeper inside me than he’s ever been before. Our pace quickens, our breaths collide, and in a final thrust, we shatter together. And I’ve never felt more whole.
He kisses me, his breathing finally steadying. “So, this is what forever looks like, huh?”
I touch my forehead to his and smile. “Yup. You think we set the bar too high?”
He chuckles and shakes his head. “No way. Our story is only beginning.”
I tilt my head, fully in agreement. “It’s only up from here.”
Thank you so much for reading the Enchanted Gods trilogy. This story is near and dear to me, so the fact that you’ve read this far means the world. If you would like to share a few words about Taken, I would be forever grateful! You can write a quick review HERE.
Surprise! Don’t miss the BONUS SCENES that were removed in the final edit. I couldn’t bear to part with them completely, so you can read them HERE.
OR, keep reading for an excerpt of Up in the Treehouse, the award-winning new adult romance story that was inspired by the Enchanted Gods trilogy (originally titled the Summer Solstice Series).
Thank you again for reading!
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Up in the Treehouse (Excerpt)
Prologue
The best kind of love is one that stems from friendship. One that grows as it's nurtured with patience and kindness, blossoming at just the right time. All it has to do is withstand the forces of nature that threaten to drown it, plu
ck it, blow it, and burn it until it withers back into its soil. As if it never existed at all.
Chapter One - Mistakes
His face twists, resembling an old string of holiday lights most would have given up untangling years ago. It's a messy, broken, and hopeless jumble of old memories . . . one that, for some reason, I can't bring myself to throw out. Just like my relationship with Devon Rhodes.
Devon raises every red flag that exists, yet he could charm the pants off you and make you forget the difference between a red flag and a white one. He’s the type of guy who bends and breaks the rules because the rush is more than worth the risk. The one who’s always sworn he would never be in a committed relationship because—well, what's the point? The kind of guy—with his million and one problems, his dangerously good looks, and his strength that terrifies me—who somehow chose me. Now he's my string of hopeless holiday lights to deal with, but I can't seem to drum up the strength to untangle them again. Or maybe I just don't want to anymore.
Anger rumbles from his chest and his nose flares as he spouts in my direction, “What the hell is this, Chloe?” Yellowed pages of my journal flap through the air with each flick of his wrist, taunting me from across my bedroom.
How did he find that?
Beer sloshes from a blue plastic cup that I know is not his first—or his last. As the liquid splashes on the old wood floors I can already imagine the stale but sour stench I'll be wrinkling my nose to in the morning. It should have been a fun, celebratory night filled with bad dancing, neighbors threatening noise violations, and possibly some skinny-dipping. The drunken mess standing before me is the wrong kind of bad I wanted to experience tonight.
