Lost Perfect Kiss: A Crown Creek Novel

by Theresa Leigh

  “Where are you?” came a voice, distorted and faint.

  I could barely hear over the rush of the creek and the water in my ears, but I pulled myself higher on the branch, ignoring the scrape of the twigs on my arms. “Here! I’m here!” I shouted. There was an ominous crack and the branch dipped lower in the water. I screamed.

  And then I was being pulled through the water. The current tugged at me, dragging me down and not wanting to let me go, but I was being wrenched upward as I clung to the branch. “Hold on, Everly. For god’s sake, don’t let go.”

  “Gabe?”

  “Can you reach my hand?”

  My vision swam with water and tears, so he appeared out of nowhere, a blurred shadowy shape of a man. But I’d know that voice anywhere.

  I forced myself to let go of the branch and reach out my shaking hand. His fingers clamped down on my wrist. “I’ve got you,” he cried. “Let go of the branch.”

  “No!” I shouted in panic. The fingers of my other hand were so cramped up, I couldn’t have let go if I tried. “No, I can’t!”

  “You can.” He sounded calm. So calm. The darkness was near total now, but it was almost as if I could see his eyes looking down at me, more green than hazel, and feel his lips brushing across mine. “I’ve got you,” he said. “But you have to let go of the branch so I can haul us both back up here. Come on, Everly. Trust me.”

  I let go of the branch.

  In one motion he swung his other hand up, bracing himself by grabbing on to the tree, and hauled me upward with the other hand. The branch swirled, caught in an eddy, then got sucked out into the current as my foot landed on the muddy, shifting bank. Gabe yanked me up, then wrapped his arm around my waist. I clung to him as he leaned hard against the tree. The sound of our panting, gasping breath was almost as loud as the creek itself.

  Gabe held me, murmuring with his lips against my forehead, until my breath came easier. Then he pushed off against the tree and gave me a shove up the steep bank. With the last of my strength I clawed my way up to level ground and flopped onto my stomach. The rain pounded my back and washed the tears from my face.

  “What the hell were you doing?” Gabe had climbed up after me and was now crouched down at my side. There was still light enough to see his face, but not enough to read his expression, and I couldn’t tell from his voice whether he was scared or angry.

  “Saving you,” I croaked.

  Chapter Thirty-Nine

  Gabe

  I stared at this wild, stubborn, hysterical girl lying mud-soaked and shaking on Taylor’s back lawn, and all I could think of was how much I wanted to kiss her.

  But I was too busy shaking my head. “You were saving me? Baby, I think the exact opposite happened.”

  She didn’t seem to notice the endearment. She sat up and hugged her knees to her chest. “Gabe, you can’t do this. I don’t care if you don’t love me anymore. You can’t go back.”

  My heart stalled. “How’d you find out about the show?”

  She tilted her head to the side. “The show? No, I’m talking about the pills. The drugs. You can’t go back to that. You’re better now!”

  I was falling. Head over heels and tumbling right back in love with her. If I was honest with myself, I’d never not been in love with her. I’d only been too chickenshit to deal with what that meant for us both. “Baby, no.” I pulled my shaking, shivering, soaking wet girl into my arms. “I’m not on pills again. I’m not.”

  “Rachel said that—at this party—”

  “There were some people scoring here. But I wasn’t one of them.” I pressed my lips against her forehead. “Was that really why you decided to wade into a creek during a flood warning? To knock the pills right out of my hands?” My heart was so big it crowded my chest.

  “I was going to try and reason with you first, at least,” she protested, burying her face into my chest.

  “God, I love you so much,” I sighed.

  Her face tilted to mine and I covered her mouth and kissed her with all of my love. She wrapped her arms around my neck and kissed me back the way only Everly could. “I love you too,” she sighed against my mouth. “Clearly.” I felt her smile. “I wish I could see you right now.”

  “We’re getting really good at kissing in the dark.”

  She hummed, a little noise of remembrance, and pulled back from me. “But why did you break up with me? I’m sorry I freaked out about Noelle. I’m sorry I didn’t believe you. That was me. I see that. It was my own insecurity and I put it on you. But then—” She gulped back a sob. “You let me go so easily.”

  “That was me,” I said quickly. “My insecurity.” I held my breath and let it out again in a rush. It was time for the truth. She deserved it after wading into a flood to make sure I was safe. She deserved it after taking a risk like that for me. “I was breaking up with you then so you couldn’t break up with me now.”

  “Why would I break up with you?”

  “Because I was about to leave to start filming King of Pain again.”

  “When?” I couldn’t see her face, but I could hear the horror in her voice.

  I was the biggest piece of shit on the planet. “Tomorrow.”

  “What the fuck? Gabe! Are you seriously going back to doing that daredevil shit?”

  “That daredevil shit helped drag you out of a creek just now,” I pointed out. “But who are you yelling? You went charging off into a flood to save me instead of, oh, I dunno, calling my brother or your housemate and asking them if I was okay.” I grinned like a fool. God, I loved her so much. “Which one of us is the real daredevil?”

  “But Gabe…tomorrow?”

  I kissed her.

  I kissed her slow enough and long enough that the rain started to lighten. When I finally pulled back, it was with new clarity. “I won’t go,” I declared.

  “Of course you will,” she said. “But not tomorrow.”

  “What?”

  “Can you give me ’til I re-take my boards?”

  “Everly?” Hope thudded in my chest.

  “If you’re gonna risk yourself like that, you’re gonna need a nurse. I’ll come with you once I have my license.”

  I felt so light I could float away. I was higher than I’d ever been before. “Seriously, baby? You can do whatever you want as long as you say you’re mine.”

  “I’m yours,” she said, pressing her hand to my heart. She smiled against my lips. “Glad you finally noticed,” she said, and kissed me again.

  Epilogue

  Everly

  * * *

  I passed my boards.

  It was strange how that was almost the least exciting part of those hectic weeks. Gabe’s producer was none too pleased about having to reschedule the crew a second time, but Gabe managed to placate him by agreeing to do a few viral promo spots for free. Which meant I had to watch my boyfriend go hurtling across the muddy dirt track outside of town where he’d apparently broken his arm last winter, and I had to bite my tongue when he and Finn went kayaking down the flood-choked creek while a crew filmed them from the bridge in the middle of town.

  Instead of hiding my eyes behind shaking hands, I found myself waving and cheering with the rest of the town as the two King brothers shot under the bridge and came out the other side.

  Then there was the flurry of preparing to leave home for months on end. Rachel refused to sublet my room, wary of who would end up taking it. There had been whispers that the Chosen were pissed that she was living openly in town, “flaunting” herself the way she was. So I ended up fronting her two months of my half of the rent and making Beau promise to keep an eye on her. He agreed in his usual solemn way, even though the two were still fighting about how much of the secular world Rachel should be allowed to experience.

  Then came informing my family that I was leaving the country to go travel the world with my daredevil rockstar boyfriend. Maybe I was chicken for telling all three of them via a Skype call instead of stopping by the house,
but I had the satisfaction of seeing my mother sneer on one side of the screen while Abriella whooped and hollered on the other.

  My Dad told me to watch out for Godzilla.

  Then there was only one thing left to do before Gabe and I headed off for the two months of shooting.

  “You know, this bar has seen pretty much every important night in our relationship, and you don’t even drink,” I observed as Gabe and I sat in the Crown Tavern and accepted everyone’s well-wishes. Our going-away party was in full swing, and I was giddy with excitement.

  “Yeah, baby. We need to branch out a little.” Gabe squeezed my hand.

  “Isn’t that what we’re doing tomorrow?”

  “Damn straight.”

  “Riding dune buggies in the Sahara,” I sighed. “That’s gonna be a switch.”

  “Yeah, maybe we’ll finally get out of the rain,” Gabe said wryly.

  “It was sunny today,” I reminded him. “It finally came out to see us off.”

  “Hey, guys!” Rachel shouted. She held a drink in her hands. From across the room, Beau watched her, his expression unreadable. “I can’t believe you’re leaving, Everly!”

  I laughed as she squeezed me tight. “You know I’ll be back. It’s only a few months.”

  “But who’s going to teach me about secular life?” she moaned dramatically.

  I gently took the drink from her hand. “I’m clearly a bad influence. How much have you had?”

  “Nothing! It’s just iced tea!” she slurred.

  Gabe and I exchanged a look. “What kind of iced tea?” Gabe asked Rachel.

  “Shit,” I muttered, catching Beau’s eye. “Watch her,” I mouthed.

  He nodded and I sagged against Gabe. “I feel like a bad friend. I’m the one who gave her her first drink.”

  “Beau’s watching out for her,” he said, lifting my hand to his lips. “Believe me, my brother is really good at watching out for people.”

  I pressed my lips together as Rachel stumbled to the front door. Beau was off his chair like a shot, hurrying after her. “I like your brother,” I said.

  “You like my brothers in general, I think,” he teased, elbowing me in the ribs.

  “Ass,” I said, shoving him back. “I think I picked the best one.” I grinned at him. “Eventually.”

  He threw back his head and laughed. “Told you—you have terrible taste in King Brothers.”

  “I have the best taste,” I protested.

  His hazel-green eyes met mine. “You’re spectacular, you know that?”

  “I do because you keep telling me.”

  “I’m gonna keep telling you every day from now on. Life is an adventure, baby, and we’re gonna share it. Are you ready?”

  I wrapped my arms around him, my heart dancing with excitement. “Ready as I’ve ever been.”

  * * *

  THE END

  Thank you for reading Lost Perfect Kiss! I hope you loved Gabe and Everly’s story. And if you’re wondering where Beau and Rachel are headed, you can find out in Beau’s book, Soft Wild Ache!! Download it NOW>

  Where do Gabe and Everly head first on their adventure? Sign up to my newsletter and get an exclusive bonus epilogue to Lost Perfect Kiss by clicking HERE!

  Want to find out when I have new releases and sales? Want freebies and bonuses you can’t get anywhere else? Sign up for my newsletter at https://www.subscribepage.com/TheresaLeighList

  Follow me on BookBub to be notified about freebies and sales! Click here >

  I’m on Facebook at facebook.com/booksbytheresaleigh

  Join my Facebook group Theresa Leigh’s Lounge for exclusive giveaways (every Wednesday!) and sneak peeks of future books.

  Turn the page for an excerpt of Soft Wild Ache….

  Excerpt of Soft Wild Ache

  Chapter One

  Rachel

  Everything hurt. My head hurt. My stomach hurt. My hair and my eyelashes somehow even hurt.

  I tried to open my eyes and moaned when I finally succeeded. The sun was like a knife driven right into between my eyebrows. I tried to clap my hand over my face, but the motion made the room start spinning. "Merciful God," I groaned and shut my eyes again.

  There was a soft sound of footsteps outside my bedroom door. I must have woken Everly. "Hey," I croaked, licking my parched lips. "Would you mind getting me a glass of water?"

  "If you have water right now, you're just going to puke," came a deep, sleep-clogged voice.

  I shot straight up in bed and stared at Beau. Merciful heavens, what was he doing there, standing in my doorway all shirtless and rumpled and looking like every kind of sin I'd been warned against? I stared at him just long enough for his mouth to kick upward into a smile...

  And then everything hurt again. I wondered if I had the flu. My little sister Miriam had said it felt like this when she got it. Everything hurting,

  I fell back onto the bed, feeling like I'd been kicked in the stomach by a cow. "Dear Lord above," I panted.

  "Do you have any juice in the house? I'll mix you up something to help your electrolytes."

  I had no idea what he was on about, but I nodded weakly. "In the fridge." Talking felt like dying.

  I heard his step on the floorboards as he walked back down the narrow hall that separated my room from Everly's.

  Everly who had left for Gabe's house early this morning.

  Everly was not here.

  But Beau somehow was?

  I squeezed my eyes shut - even that hurt somehow - and tried to piece together how it was that Beauregard King was in my house right now. We’d become friends once Everly and Gabe started dating, but there was no way anything more had happened. He was famous in the secular world. He’d want a girl who didn’t seem so sheltered and naive. He wasn't... oh heavens no, he hadn't been in my bed last night… right?

  A flutter of terror in my stomach made the contents rise. For all his sweetness, Beau was from a family steeped in worldliness. And while I didn't follow the laws of the Chosen anymore, I couldn't shake the warning voice inside of me. He was in a rock and roll band, it hissed. Satan's music.

  And he had stayed the night. Where? In here?

  I clapped my hand over my mouth and rolled to the side, noting with muted surprise that there was a garbage can already sitting there at the ready. "Oh no," I breathed, touching my lips, my body, checking, checking...

  Everything felt fine. Normal even. Flu aside of course.

  I swallowed hard and willed my stomach to settle. Beau - terrifying, fascinating Beau - was in my house, but it seemed like he had... slept on the couch?

  Why?

  I grew up a sheltered, good girl. I knew the outside world was wrong.

  Living on the compound, I was hidden away from the rest of the town. And away from the temptations of books, music and men.

  * * *

  Especially men like Beau King.

  * * *

  He’s famous. A rockstar. One of the wild, scandalous King Brothers that put our small town on the map. Hidden behind the walls of the compound, I heard whispers of what he was…

  * * *

  Everything I’d been warned about.

  Hazel eyes. Tempting voice. And a body made for sin.

  * * *

  I was supposed to stay away.

  So I ran. But he chased me. I fell. And he caught me.

  And then we kissed...

  * * *

  Heaven help me.

  * * *

  I want his mouth on mine, and his hands in forbidden places.

  I want to confess the wild ache in my heart to him.

  * * *

  But even after I leave the cult behind, I still can’t escape. I’ve cast off its chains, but I am not free. I want a forever with Beau, but my family is in danger. I know my place. I know if I don’t return, I’ll never be forgiven.

  * * *

  But if falling from grace means I’ll land in Beau’s arms, then it might just be worth it.

&
nbsp; * * *

  This book has all the feels. Goodness, I teared up a time or two! - Brenda, Amazon reviewer

  Download NOW>

  Excerpt from Fool Me Once

  Autumn

  Egg nog is disgusting.

  There. I said it. Maybe this time I’ll remember and not try to gag it down when it’s offered to me.

  But my mother believed that Christmas wasn’t Christmas without a cup of her homemade eggnog in hand. After a marathon cookie-baking session, she opened her fridge and let out such a cry of despair over the lack of eggs for eggnog that my oldest-daughter-guilt kicked into overdrive. “I’ll go grab some,” I promised her, shoving my arms into the oversized parka I inherited — or to be more accurate, stole — from my father.

  “Really? Oh, Autumn thank you!” She stole a worried glance out the steamy kitchen window. “But it’s getting worse out there.”

  I kissed her cheek. “Didn’t you teach me how to drive in the snow? I’ll be fine. Drink your noxious potion and I’ll be right back.”

  My mother’s eyes gleamed at me from over the chipped candy cane mug that was her nog-receptacle of choice. The rum was already coloring her cheeks. “Would I be a bad mother if I told you to hurry?” she asked as she took a healthy slug.