by Mia Ford
That night, lying in bed next to her, I turned over and watched her sleep. I was such a lucky man to have a woman as beautiful as Ava, with a heart of gold, and a personality that could bring me to my knees. I never thought I would have another chance for a family, and I assumed that I would one day retire from MJ and live alone and quiet in my penthouse. Now, I had my soulmate to share my life with and that was immeasurable. I loved Ava Markus with everything in my body, and I was determined to put her first and protect her for the rest of our lives.
I never thought my life would have a fairy tale ending, but there I was, planning the rest of my life, with my partner and soul mate by my side.
The Valentines Day Proposal
Blurb
He’s the heartbreaker from my past,
Begging for a second chance.
And I am already dreaming about a future!
A future with him…
When Brandon left me a few years back,
I swore to God, I won’t fall for any man – no matter how handsome and nice he may seem.
After healing from a broken heart,
I was happy with my little world,
Until the handsome stranger showed up in my small town,
And turned my world upside down.
All I could do was think about the wonderful time we had together,
The way his lips felt on my body,
The way his hands comforted my shoulders,
The way his eyes scanned my curves…
It took a lot of time and effort to forget him.
And now, when I’m convinced that I’m done with Brandon, fate brings us together again.
Just that, this time I’m not letting him break my heart all over again.
Chapter 1 – Lola
I kick my red cowboy boots together anxiously as I stare up to the stage. It might only be a small little bar in a tiny little town at the moment, but I always imagine myself in Madison Square Garden with hundreds of people cheering my name as they love my music. Maybe it’s a bit of a far-off fantasy, but I always have been a bit of a dreamer. Plus, I don’t think that I’ll ever get anywhere in life if I don’t visualize where I would ideally like to be. What’s the point of doing anything if I don’t give it my all.
“You got your guitar there, Lola Boots?” asks Doreen, the friendly faced older bar maid that practically loves in this joint. I don’t think she helps my super star fantasies since she already treats me like I am on. “You look good today, girl. Those denim hot pants are going to kill the crowd. You’ll drive them all wild.”
I smile ironically at that comment. It’s been a long time since anyone looked at me like I’m someone desirable. I did have a long-term boyfriend in school, someone who was supposed to become my husband, but when the time came around for us to go off to college together, for me to do music and him business, my mother got diagnosed with life threatening cancer and I just couldn’t leave. We were supposed to stay together but despite that, I got overwhelmed with caring for my dying mother and he got sucked in by his brand new world. It just couldn’t work. We drifted apart and became two different people. It was sad, but not shocking. We both knew that it was coming for a long time before it did.
Still, we split up four years ago now, there’s no reason for me still to be alone. I’m sure Rory moved on a long time ago, but I’m still stuck here in the small town where nothing else changes. No new guys move here and everyone my age has pretty much gone. Maybe I should be gone too, but despite the fact that my mother died a while back I still have responsibilities here. I cannot leave at the moment, so I just need to accept my life as it is.
“Yeah, I think I’m just about ready. Should be fun, right?”
“Ooh, it always is.” Doreen grips onto my arm and she gives me an intense look. “We all enjoy your sets, you know that. Everyone says you should be on the big screen.”
“Maybe if I could afford to leave,” I joke, blaming it on my lack of funds rather than anything else. “Fingers crossed, hey? Maybe one day I will be.”
“Well, I suppose you spend most of your days so busy at the farm, it’s hard to find time for yourself.” Doreen knows why, but thankfully she doesn’t voice it. I don’t need that distraction while I’m just about to sing. “But I have to say you do a great job.”
“Yeah.” I nod enthusiastically. “That’s true. It is hard, but I’m trying my hardest.”
She rubs my arm and smiles reassuringly at me. “You’ll get there. I don’t know when, but you will do one day. We all believe in you, you know that, right?”
“I hope so.” I don’t know if it’s just a dream, it probably is. I can’t really imagine myself leaving this town and doing anything amazing, but I also can’t let go of the idea completely, just in case. “We’ll see. I appreciate all your support anyway, it means a lot to me.”
Doreen claps her hands loudly and grabs the attention of the few people scattered around the bar. They all turn to look at her, knowing what’s going to happen. Like I said, nothing ever changes in this town, it’s the same routine every single week.
“Right everyone.” Her commanding voice rings through the bar, grabbing everyone’s eyes. “It’s time for Lola so shut your ugly mouths and listen, will you?”
Everyone cheers and claps, making me feel amazing. This is why I do this, because it’s a boost. It allows me to live out just some of my fantasies without leaving my responsibilities. I step up onto the stage and smile around at everyone. The usual faces look back at me, the lonely old men who have lost their wives, the families out for dinner, the younger crowd out for a drink after a day on their own farm… the same people in the same bar, waiting for the same show…
Oh! As I scan my eyes I spot a brand new face. Any new people stand out a mile, but this guy is particularly attention grabbing. Not only is he tall, dark, and very handsome, he’s in a crisp business suit that doesn’t belong here. It makes him look a big city business man which we just don’t get here. Something about this new, exciting person causes a thrilling bolt to race through my system. I haven’t had anyone to be interested in for a very long time, so this is fun. I can almost feel my cheeks heating up as he stares into my soul.
“Right everyone,” I say into the microphone with a bit of a stammer. He’s making me nervous, even though I don’t know him at all. It has to just be his new face. “It’s good to see you all again.” Someone whoops. “Thank you, Lenny,” I say gratefully, especially because it breaks the ice and makes me feel a little less uncomfortable. “It’s good to see you all again, I appreciate your support as always. So here we go.”
I take my seat and glance down at my guitar, trying to lose myself in the music. Usually I’m fully immersed, this is my only form of escapism, but today I have something else that wants my attention and I desperately want to see him again.
But I can’t. I need to focus. I can’t let this stranger distract me.
My shaking fingers move over to the guitar strings and I suck in a few deep breaths to calm myself down before I begin playing. The last thing I want to do is make a fool out of myself in front of this awesome new person. Just because he’s new, I want him to like me.
“A midnight stroll,” I finally burst into song. There’s a bit of a tremble in my voice, but I quickly get over it as I delve into the country song that I wrote a long time ago when I was a lot happier and more content. “And I’m only with you. Your hand in mine”
Singing a love song is hard when I’ve been single for so long. As I’m writing I remember the thrilling sensation of falling deeply for someone, but the rest of the time I’m numb to it all. It’s just something that I’ve given up on for the time being. I’m sure the time will come around when I feel like I need to find someone again, but for now I’m okay just doing me.
But then my eyes drag upwards and I find him again. It’s like there’s a magnet between us, drawing me in. His eyes are only on me and he’s looking at me like I intrigue him, which is nice. I h
aven’t had anyone show me even a glance of interest, so this is incredibly exciting. I continue to sing, luckily I can do that on autopilot without thinking much, but my mind is all on him. He’s consuming me in every way possible.
Of course, being the dreamer that I am, my mind conducts a brand new fantasy. Only this one has absolutely nothing to do with my career. It’s more the sort of thing that would happen back stage, in the dressing room. My eyes fall closed as I picture me grabbing him and pulling him into my private room without even asking his name. I continue to sing as I think about what it would feel like to kiss him. It’s been so long since I’ve kissed someone who’s sparked such a passion inside of me. Since Rory, I’ve kissed a couple of frogs, but that’s been out of boredom than anything else and it’s never gotten any further.
I sing louder as I picture his hand slowly trailing up my leg. A shiver tears up and down my spine, as I almost feel him edging closer and closer. In my fantasy my head rolls to one side and my eyes fall closed. My breaths are desperate and needy as he roughly tugs my panties to one side. He takes me, he claims me, he has complete control of me and I’m more than happy to let him do so. This sexy stranger has me as putty in his hands and I love every second of it. I’m jelly, I’m a mess, and he’s making me feel this way.
I hope that I’m still performing well as I imagine the man at the bar spinning me around and slipping into me from behind. His fingers wrap around my hair and he pulls my head back towards him so he can kiss me all over the neck. I have to cross my legs underneath my guitar because I’m afraid that the obvious desire that I’m feeling inside will become clear o the audience, but that doesn’t stop my mind from reeling. The man at the bar sends me wild, he has my heart pumping faster, my lungs squeezed tightly and my body buzzing with sheer desire. I can almost feel myself driving towards the point of orgasm just from my crazy mind. It’s insane and something I cannot have happening while I’m in front of so many people. People I’ve known my entire life. That’s wrong on so many levels.
I really need to get laid. Either that or I need some time alone so I can touch myself. Maybe once I’ve finished this set I’ll race off to the bathroom for some ‘alone time’.
Once I glance up again, I meet his eyes once more and judging by the way he’s biting down on his bottom lip he can see the thoughts racing through my mind. My entire body heats up, like a fire has been lit inside my belly. In his eyes, there’s a cheekiness there, which makes me wonder if he’s thinking something similar. I wonder if he’s imagining thrusting into me from behind, just like I am him. I wonder if he’s imagining what my body will feel like. I want him to be, in all honesty, I want to feel desirable.
Then again, he probably isn’t. He doesn’t look like the sort of desperate freak that I am. He is absolutely, overtly gorgeous and obviously he comes from somewhere else where there are probably women in their hundreds. He probably gets laid all the time. He’s probably got a girlfriend or a wife and hundreds of lovers too. I’m just a random red haired girl from the middle of nowhere. There’s no way I’m pretty enough for him.
I fix my eyes on the guitar and try to concentrate. I need to lose the fantasy, but I can still feel it there inside me, swirling through my whole body. I haven’t realized how much I’ve missed a man’s touch until this very moment, now I’m craving it desperately like a drug addict who needs a fix. If I could, if I didn’t think it would make me the craziest woman alive, I would run across this bar and jump into his arms. I’d let him hold me until he got absolutely sick of me, but of course I can’t do that.
I have to behave.
I need to sing, that’s what I’m here for. He’s just a fleeting thing, this singing gig is my permanent.
Chapter 2 – Brandon
As soon as I arrived in this town I knew I wasn’t going to like it. It’s small, boring, full of tiny minded people with even less to do. I’m used to the big city, I like the busyness, the lights, the noise, the activity. I’m much more at home in a place where I can get a Chinese at two in the morning. I don’t even know what they have to eat here. It seems like the sort of place where there’s only a dirty diner, and that’s it. Not for me at all.
I even called up my father and demanded that he change his plans to develop in such a small place, but as always, he believes what’s the best. He runs the company, I’m just a manager within it. I might be powerful in front of everyone else, but to him I’m just another minion. It’s a difficult relationship, but I do my best to survive it. It makes me stronger… I think.
With an angry sensation coursing through my veins, I left the only motel in town and headed to the only bar I could find for a drink, not knowing what I was about to head into. Now I find myself in the middle of a sexually charged stare off with the sweet, innocent red head who’s singing her heart out on the little stage.
“She’s good, isn’t she?” I mutter to the lady behind the bar. “A great singer.”
“The best in the town,” she replies smilingly. “We’re all very proud of our little Lola Boots. She’s grown up to be a beautiful young woman despite all the hardship she’s faced.”
I’m not sure why, but this intrigues me so I turn to face the bar maid head on. “She has?”
I’m never usually interested in people, not like this. It’s not that I don’t care, it’s just that I have my own stuff to worry about. I might have had a lot of success handed to me on a plate because of my father, but I’m still only twenty four years old. I have to work hard to prove myself on a daily basis to be taken seriously. I do all of that to end up not in the middle of these shitty jobs… yet here I am anyway. Doing the worst job ever.
“Yes, she has. She’s suffered death, stress, and responsibilities that no one her age should have to.” She looks up at Lola with nothing but respect in her eyes. “She’s strong. She’s also suffered heart break in the middle of all of that, and she stands strong.”
A moment ago, I was only thinking about this girl in a highly sexual way. I don’t have time for anything serious, I never have done, but I certainly enjoy my time with women. I make sure they know it’s only for a one time thing, or maybe a fling if they’re lucky, but that’s all it is. I don’t find out anything about them other than their name because what else do I need? But now, I know things about Lola and I’m actually intrigued by her.
“Wow, that’s tough.” I shift on my seat and turn my eyes to look at her again. “She doesn’t look like she’s been through all of that.”
“So what about you…” the bar maid says expectantly. It takes me a moment, but I suddenly realize that she’s prompting me and that she wants to know more.
“Oh, Brandon. Brandon Heath-Smith.” In the city, in my circles, that name is big news but this small town obviously means no one knows who I am. “I’m a property developer.”
“Oh.” Realization crosses her face. “Are you here about the land at the edge of the woodlands bit? The new starter homes, isn’t it?”
“That’s it.” I puff my chest out proudly. I love talking about what I do, even the bits I don’t love. “And a shopping mall too. The hope is to turn this town into more of a destination place. Bring in more people to keep the businesses running better.”
“Well, I think we’re all doing just fine.” She shrugs at me with a blank expression on her face. “But I suppose you probably know better, right?”
I don’t know if that’s a question that wants an answer or not. Developing property often comes with people disagreeing with the plans set up for them, but in my experience, they soon come around once they see what’s happened at the end. They don’t like the idea of change, but they love it when it’s done.
Instead, I turn away from her and I focus on the red head instead. She isn’t like the girls from the city at all. She’s got long legs under those incredible denim hot pants, and kick ass cowboy boots that bring out all sorts of fantasies in my mind. I would love to see her wearing nothing but those boots. Maybe some sexy lingerie a
s well, but definitely the boots. That would drive me insane. Especially with that hair of her spilling down her back.
She has a checked shirt which is tied into a knot just above her belly button. It cups some round breasts that actually look real, which is something I’m not used to. To be fair, my ‘dates’ are usually models or socialites who have had a lot of work done. I can’t actually remember the last time I touched a real boob and the idea causes a stirring in my pants. Then I move up to her heart shaped face which contains the bluest eyes that I’ve ever seen. They’re so stunning, I could actually fall for her… if I was that sort of man.
“So, Lola Boots.” I can’t resist, I turn back to the bar maid because I need her advice. I can’t go into this blind. “What’s her current situation? Is she single?”
The bar maid runs her eyes up and down me and as she meets my eyes again I can tell she isn’t impressed with what she sees. “I meant what I said,” she tells me firmly. “She’s a good girl and we all love her. She doesn’t need some slick city boy breezing into town and breaking her heart.” She slams her hands down on the bar and leans in closer to me so I’ll hear every single word. “Unless you’re going to marry Lola, I suggest you stay away.”
Oh God, she has no idea what she’s just done to me. She’s made Lola even more attractive because now she’s something taboo, something I need to stay away from. And to be honest as I look at her I don’t think she wants to be married herself. She looks like she’s been lonely for a while now and she wants someone to just make her feel incredible. She needs someone to corrupt her, and I’m the one who can do that.
