by Gephart, T
That’s all I needed to hear. Shit was already in motion, and I couldn’t stop it if I tried. “You know where she is?”
“I do, but before I give you that information I need to know what you plan on doing with it.”
I fished my phone out of my pocket and texted TJ to bring the car around. We were out of here.
“There’s no plan about it. I love her and I’m getting her back.”
“I’m really glad you said yes.” Rob gave me a satisfied smile and gentle hug as he walked me to his car.
Megs had given him the stare down at the door, not even pretending to try and like him and given me the eye roll when he showed up with a single red rose. It was cliché and maybe a little boring but still sweet nonetheless.
I nodded, not able to think of anything to say in response. “I’m really glad I said yes, too,” wasn’t coming out of my mouth. I was with him and I was smiling and that was about as glad as I was going to get tonight. Though I really hoped this production we were heading to didn’t bore me to tears. I never did fake enthusiasm well.
“This is me.” The lights flashed on a navy Chevrolet Impala. It had just been cleaned. The fact I noticed shiny chrome on the car, but couldn’t tell you what my date was wearing was already a red flag. Damn Dan Evans. No man would ever compare.
“Great.” My smile tightened as I mentally kicked my own ass. I’d gone exactly ten minutes without thinking about my ex-boyfriend. We were already off to such a stellar start.
Rob opened the car door and I ducked inside, trying to calculate how many dates it would take to convince myself this was fun. Maybe I need to reward myself with chocolate, build up some learned psychological response. Go on a date with Rob, treat myself a box of Godiva. My mood improved just thinking about the promise of the gold box, so maybe it was a viable option.
The drive was quiet and slightly awkward. He didn’t seem nervous at all, which annoyed me a little. He didn’t have to be so cocky. I hadn’t agreed to sleep with him yet, and that sure as hell wouldn’t be happening tonight.
“Are you hungry? We can grab a bite to eat before the show.”
“Sure.”
What I meant to say was, no, I’ve changed my mind. I don’t think this is going to work out, so let’s get me that box of chocolate and I’ll get back to my solitude. Maybe I could wait until intermission, and fake a headache. That was about as cliché as the rose he’d brought me, but I figured we were reading from the same playbook, so not entirely unexpected. I still got chocolate though, right? Half dates most definitely counted.
Dinner didn’t yield any surprises. A quaint little café near the theater. Trendy and overpriced. Nuevo French cuisine. It helped me learn about myself that I really didn’t like French food. Who knew? Well at least the date hadn’t been a total loss - the lesson in self-discovery and the promise of Godiva rewards.
The conversation was just as contrived as the meal I hadn’t been able to finish. Rob asked about college, family, and my hometown, but it felt more like a survey than actual interest. I reciprocated, even nodded and smiled in all the right places. Proof the performance had started well and truly before the scheduled show. I was so fucking bored.
A short walk later and we were standing in front of a small playhouse theater, and I was looking for a sharp object I could stab myself with. Even the allure of Godiva wasn’t cutting it. My planned headache replaced by a mid-performance bathroom dash, where I’d-obviously-eaten-something-bad-and-needed-to-go-home. It’s not like it couldn’t happen. People got food poisoning all the time.
Rob put his arm around my waist as he walked through the doorway and suddenly the idea of being sick wasn’t so much of a hypothetical. My stomach gurgled uncomfortably. There was a lot to be said for psychosomatic. Megs could totally do a case study on me.
“Hey, babe, I think you’re lost,” a voice whispered into my ear. “Unless you are looking for douchebags, and then you’ve totally come to the right place.”
“Dan?” I turned around to see him standing behind me.
He looked good. A little more tired than usual, like maybe he hadn’t sleep, but other than that, he was perfect. He was wearing a pair of jeans, heavy boots and Black Flag T-shirt, his inked arms on display. My mind barely registered the fact he wasn't wearing a jacket. I was too overwhelmed to be standing before him. He didn’t even flinch at the attention he was attracting, not sure if it was because he looked out of place, or if the crowd had guessed who he was. He didn’t even acknowledge them as he moved in closer, getting so close to me I could feel my skin tingle. My stomach doing some Olympic-inspired flip as he refused to take his eyes off me.
“Listen, Dan. Let’s not make scene.” Rob tried to step in. Oh, he was still here? “Ashlyn doesn’t need the drama right now. Why don’t you give her some space?”
“See, hearing stuff like that convinces me even more what an asshole you are.” Dan turned to Rob. “You know nothing about her, and you know even less about what she needs. So how about you don’t embarrass yourself any further, and you let me make shit right with my girl.”
Hearing him call me his girl knocked the air right out of my lungs. I wanted to be mad at him. I wanted to yell at him and tell how much he hurt me. But I also wanted to wrap myself around him, and lose myself in his kisses, until nothing else existed. If it was a vote, the last option was most definitely winning.
“Dan.” I found that I could actually open my mouth, and words showed up to the party.
“I’m not…” There was no way I could finish that sentence, not convincingly anyway. “Maybe we…” Nope, that wasn’t going to work either. “What are you doing here?”
“Doing what I should have done weeks ago.” He threaded his arm around my waist, pulling me closer, and my body of its own volition moved against him. It was like I had no control of it. I wanted to stop but I just couldn’t. It. Felt. So. Good. We ignored the crowd and moved outside the theater. I left Rob open-mouthed and red-faced in the lobby. A better person would have been more concerned about him—my date—but I wasn’t that person. Not today.
I followed Dan silently into the alley that separated the old brick buildings. I thought if I spoke this would evaporate, so I kept my mouth shut, needing to see where he would lead me. The Suburban’s flashing lights marked the end of the alley. Troy was leaning against the doorframe of the truck until he saw us, and then he disappeared into the dark cabin, leaving us relatively alone.
“I’m sorry, Ashlyn. I’m sorry I was an asshole, and I didn’t tell you the whole truth. I should never have kept shit from you. You deserved better than that but I don’t regret helping you. I don’t regret giving you an opportunity to be happy, even if it meant I would lose you.”
“Dan—”
I wanted to speak but I wasn’t sure what I wanted to say. Whether I would ask him to keep going or ask him to stop. But he took that choice out of my hands.
“No, wait. Let me get this out.” He held his hand gently over my mouth. “You don’t want to be with me, I’ll hate it but I’ll accept it. What I won’t fucking accept is you settling for anything less than perfect. Being with him ’cause you think you should, ’cause it conforms to this idea in your head, this plan? It’s bullshit and I won’t let you do it yourself.”
“Dan—”
“Ash, I’m not done.” He cradled my face with his hands. “I don’t deserve you. I never did. I’ve fucked a lot of women, some I didn’t even know their names. It was something to do, a distraction, and I never really thought about the consequences. I can’t change what I did, or who I was back then, but I can only tell you that now, that man no longer exists. I never thought in a million years I’d meet someone whom I wanted to be with forever, so I never cared enough about what I was bringing to the table. I never cared enough to stop myself from giving it away. There’s only one piece of me that all those girls I’ve slept with have never had. And that’s my heart. Only you, and whatever happens now, that shit is not go
ing to change. I know I can’t quit loving you even if I tried. I’ve been trying, and I’m not even close to being able to stop.
“I love you. I am in love with you, and I’m going to love you until the end of time. We’re not done. We’ll never be done. There isn’t anything in this world that will convince me otherwise, and I’ll do whatever I need to do to make this right. ’Cause now that I’ve got you in my arms, I ain’t never letting you go.”
He brushed his finger gently along my jaw. Being that close to him, having him touch me, and to be intoxicated by his delicious scent, it overwhelmed me. I knew I was fighting a losing battle, my body had stopped fighting the minute I had heard his sexy voice. Looking into his beautiful eyes, seeing how much this had hurt him and how much he still loved me, tore away at any of my remaining defenses.
“Shut up and kiss me already.” I had barely got the words out before he sealed my lips with his. The world fell away beneath me. Nothing else existed. Just us in that perfect moment where the man I couldn’t live without, couldn’t live without me. And I loved him. So much. So whatever we needed to work through, we would get past, because being apart wasn’t an option. We’d tried it. We both failed. We belonged together.
I had spent my life up until this point planning for perfection, avoiding the extraordinary, and playing it safe. I thought it would make me happy and give me a good life. What I couldn’t have planned for, was meeting a man who was so exceptional it would redefine my expectations.
Life isn’t about the perfect plan. It’s about the perfect storm that engulfs you when you’re busy living it.
The thank you part is always the hardest because I’m always worried I’m going to leave someone out. I am lucky to be surrounded by an amazing support team, one that makes all of this worthwhile. There aren’t enough words to express my gratitude. I love you fiercely, and without limits, and here is my humble attempt in acknowledging how you changed my world.
To Gep, Jenna, Liam and Woodley - I could never overstate how much you mean to me. Thank you for allowing me to follow my dream, and sticking with me while I jump off the cliff into the unknown. I’m nothing without my wolf pack.
To my amazing friends who keep me laughing, listen to my crazy rants, humor my insane ideas and who love me unconditionally. Sam, Mini, Juzzie, Golf, Nat, Shell, Kylie, Jo, Grace, Bec and Kirsty – you are the best cheerleaders ever, a million thanks.
To my outstanding Beta readers who read my raw work, laugh at my typos, and give me valuable feedback. Sam, Kelly and Amy. Nipples could have still worked in place of Nibbles - as Dan would say, it’s all in the telling. It is without a doubt that you made this a better book. Thank you x
Thank you to the amazing authors who have welcomed me into their world, or more accurately, just not ejected me when I crashed in, uninvited. KM Golland, TJ Hamilton, JB Hartnett, Rachel Brookes, Lili Saint Germain, Lilliana Anderson, CJ Duggan, Skyla Mardi, JD Nixon, Kylie Scott, Joanna Wylde and Kim Karr. I believe I owe few of you pie, feel free to collect anytime. Thank you for supporting me and accepting me into the sisterhood. You are all stuck with me now. *insert maniacal laugh here*
Thank you to the amazing Hang Le, who makes scorching hot teasers and design pretties for me. You nail it each and every time.
Thank you my brother Gian for his repeated design prowess on my covers. You are the man. I’m so glad you decided to become a designer instead of a chef, although those almond biscotti were pretty bad-ass.
Thank you to Angelique Ehlers for cover photography.
Thank you to the bloggers and blogs who have supported me and continue to support me. Helen S- Kinky Book Klub, Kelly O- Kelly’s Kindle Konfessions, Marie M- Surrender to Books, Jodie O- Fab Fun and Tantalizing Reads, Rebecca and Nicole – Author Groupies, Tammy M- A Slice of Fiction, The Book Nuts and The SubClub, Francessca W – Francessca’s Romance Reviews, Rose and Tash (even though Tash is gone) Forever Me Romance, Mel L– Sassy Mum book Blog, Debbie O- Hard Rock Romance, Tash D- Book Lit Love, Stephanie G – The Lemon Review, Kristine B- Glass Paper Ink Bookblog, Karen H- A Thousand Lives Book Blog, and sorry to anyone I have forgotten. I love you all.
Thank you to my outstanding T Gephart Entourage girls. I love your enthusiasm, naughty pictures and fights over my characters. If ever I’m having a down day, our little group is the perfect shot I need.
Thanks to the Fictionally Yours, Melbourne 2015 crew- Penny, Mel and Simone. #WordWizard
Thank you to my editor, Marion Archer, for making sure my manuscript is perfect. I’m not the easiest person to edit and I appreciate your effort and patience even if you kill my five hundred exclamation marks!!!!!!!!!!!! ( Here are some of their grieving cousins.) PS. I used brackets as well.
Thank you to Max Henry from Max Effect for formatting and making my pages beautiful.
Lastly, thank you to the readers who have welcomed my words and characters into their lives and into their imagination. Your love for these guys floors me, each and every time. I love meeting and interacting with you and I will never take you for granted. Thank you so much. In my book, you are all rock stars!
T Gephart is an indie author from Melbourne, Australia.
T's approach to life has been somewhat unconventional. Rather than going to University, she jumped on a plane to Los Angeles, USA in search of adventure. While this first trip left her somewhat underwhelmed and largely depleted of funds it fueled her appetite for travel and life experience.
With a rather eclectic resume, which reads more like the fiction she writes than an actual employment history, T struggled to find her niche in the world.
While on a subsequent trip the United States in 1999, T met and married her husband. Their whirlwind courtship and interesting impromptu convenience store wedding set the tone for their life together, which is anything but ordinary. They have lived in Louisiana, Guam and Australia and have traveled extensively throughout the US. T has two beautiful young children and one four legged child, Woodley, the wonder dog.
An avid reader, T became increasingly frustrated by the lack of strong female characters in the books she was reading. She wanted to read about a woman she could identify with, someone strong, independent and confident and who didn't lack femininity. Out of this need, she decided to pen her first book, A Twist of Fate. T set herself the challenge to write something that was interesting, compelling and yet easy enough to read that was still enjoyable. Pulling from her own past "colorful" experiences and the amazing personalities she has surrounded herself with, she had no shortage of inspiration. With a strong slant on erotic fiction, her core characters are empowered women who don't have to sacrifice their femininity. She enjoyed the process so much that when it was over she couldn't let it go.
T loves to travel, laugh and surround herself with colorful characters. This inevitably spills into her writing and makes for an interesting journey - she is well and truly enjoying the ride!
Based on her life experiences, T has plenty of material for her books and has a wealth of ideas to keep you all enthralled.
tgephart.com
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THE LEXI SERIES
Lexi
A Twist of Fate
Twisted Views: Fate’s Companion
A Leap of Faith
A Time for Hope
THE POWER STATION SERIES
High Strung
Crash Ride (Coming Soon)
Back Stage (2015)
