Twelve Truths and a Lie

by Christina Lee

  When she thrust upward, her lips parted, her cheeks a rosy flush—something seemed to grasp an even firmer hold on my heart.

  There was a tightness in my chest that I never felt with anybody before. Like I wanted to break down into tears and growl in triumph at the same time. Because I had handed this girl my heart—my trust—and I knew she’d be careful, she’d treat it as a treasure, she’d tuck it away for safekeeping. And that meant the world to me.

  My thumb left her neck to loop lazily down her chest and over her tight buds.

  “Oh,” she moaned, her head sinking against the pillow. “Feels so good.”

  My mouth replaced my thumb and my tongue circled over her firm nipple, matching the slower pace of my thrusts. When I moved to her other breast, her fingers tightly gripped my hair, driving me wild.

  She panted in shallow breaths, and I could feel the warm air caressing the back of my neck. My thumb trailed down to her very wet clit as she moaned and writhed beneath me.

  My balls were slapping against her ass as I pumped more solidly, and her feet braced firmly against my waist. When her fingers reached up to outline my lips, her eyes blissed out, my balls drew up tight and I knew I was close.

  “Cameron,” she cried out, her lips trembling. “I’m gonna come.”

  I nodded and drove harder. “Let me see you, Aurora.”

  She whimpered noisily before letting loose, her hand gripping my thigh forcefully.

  And then she completely came apart at the seams, her chest a wash of color, her thighs quivering, and her eyelids fluttering.

  I followed right behind, pants and curses flowing freely from my lips. I slowed to gentle but erratic thrusts as my orgasm swelled over me in pulsating surges, whiting out my brain for one magnificent moment. Everything became a blur in the background—except Aurora’s eyes, which had remained fixed on mine, staring at me in wonder.

  I collapsed and then rolled, bringing Aurora with me. Still semi-hard inside her, we lay wrapped in her tangled sheets, as she placed a gentle kiss on my jaw.

  How it was possible for one person to fulfill me in every way, I didn’t know, but I wasn’t about to let her go. I planted a soft kiss on her lips, on each of her cheeks, and then each of her eyelids—because fucking hell, I loved this girl.

  Ours legs remained entwined and our arms clasped firmly, as we breathed into each other’s necks. So completely overwhelming. Yet so fucking right.

  Neither one of us moved or even uttered a word for quite some time, completely sated and content, and I just wanted to remain that way, buried deep inside of her for as long as she’d let me.

  35

  Cameron

  Work had been good this week. Darius was back in the classroom, and we were running a tight ship. The day he returned, we had taken the time to talk about what happened as a group. Sandy agreed the class felt more cohesive, the boys were even developing friendships, which would be crucial for their health and maturity in the long run.

  Though my job was still up in the air, I officially turned down the suburban teaching position and the decision felt right. I was paving a future with Aurora and had I moved away, I would’ve regretted not giving us a shot every single day.

  We walked hand in hand into Flanagan’s tonight and when Michael, Nicole, Maddie, and Sydney spotted us, they whooped and hollered, making Aurora’s cheeks brighten to a soft pink.

  “What did I miss?” a guy who I recognized as Maddie’s co-worker asked.

  “Long story,” Maddie said. “But these two belong together.”

  It was such an uncharacteristic thing for Maddie to say, that my eyes darted to his as I pulled a couple of chairs from the next table over so that Aurora and I could sit down. But Maddie wouldn’t meet my gaze, focusing instead on the beer in front of him.

  Michael poured Aurora and me our drinks from the pitcher on the table and we settled into our seats. It was strange to finally be here as a couple, but also so incredibly kick-ass to be able to hold her hand and touch her in public.

  “Call me crazy but I kind of miss Chastity Club,” she whispered in my ear. “It was quieter and more intimate.”

  “We could always change the name to the Sexy Times Club and invite Richard as an official member,” I whispered back. “Member, get it?”

  Aurora’s shoulders shook with laughter, and she buried her head in my neck. I grinned over her hair at our friends, feeling lighter than I had in weeks.

  “You look good being in the right relationship,” Nicole said, smiling at Aurora, who wiped at her eyes. “You’ve got a glow. Even kilt guy is checking you out.”

  Sure enough, the bouncer at the door was giving us a sideways glance.

  “He’d better keep his hands to himself,” I muttered into my beer glass.

  Aurora snorted. “Okay, Tarzan, I didn’t think you had a jealous bone in your body.”

  My lips met her ear. “Maybe I never had anything I wanted to protect so fiercely.”

  My own words hit me in the gut, and as Aurora’s eyes rose to meet mine, I could tell she understood my meaning. We both had things we viciously wanted to guard.

  For me, it was the sanctity of my relationship with Aurora, which was already special in more ways than ever before.

  For Aurora, it was the independence and individuality from her year of being alone. Her twelve truths, she called it. I would never do anything to jeopardize the freedom she had found in becoming her authentic self. Besides, that was the woman I had fallen so helplessly for.

  Flanagan’s had become packed, and as usual, the server was nowhere to be found, so Maddie offered to grab a couple of pitchers for the table. He jumped up without waiting for a response and as my gaze tracked him, I noticed how he headed the opposite direction of the bar, toward the restroom.

  Sydney had gotten up a few minutes prior, and it was as if he was attempting to catch her at the pass.

  I wasn’t stupid. I knew Maddie had a thing for her and I also figured out that the upset friend Aurora had mentioned at the reunion had been Sydney. I just didn’t know how it all fit together.

  I hadn’t called Maddie on it yet. It was only a matter of time.

  But as we talked for another hour at the table, those two remained planted against the back wall in what appeared to be a serious conversation. Maddie never did return with our beers, and Michael kept throwing me knowing glances.

  It was the same with Nicole and Aurora, though their gazes were filled with apprehension, and I had a feeling I’d know the full story soon enough. Maddie had no business starting something up with Sydney, but I had a feeling he couldn’t help himself. There seemed to be a natural connection between them, and I figured things were about to get a whole lot messier.

  A few minutes later, Aurora announced that she needed to go home and let out her new puppy. She had affectionately named her Gigi, which was completely girly and French, and I liked that she hadn’t even consulted me about it.

  She had her on a tight schedule, and the puppy hadn’t had an accident in the house since those first few days.

  “How domestic you’ve become,” Nicole said, smirking and waving goodbye.

  36

  Aurora

  I woke up the following morning with Cameron in my bed. His large, warm, and sleep-heavy body was planted firmly against mine, his arm wound tightly across my abdomen.

  We hadn’t made his staying overnight a habit, even though it was becoming increasingly harder to be away from him for too many days in a row. So this was a novelty for the both of us.

  Gigi was fast asleep on her dog bed in the corner of the room, but I knew as soon as I began stirring, the puppy would as well. She was totally in-tune to my every move.

  I flipped to my back, careful not to wake anybody unintentionally. I watched Cameron sleep for a couple minutes more—his inky lashes fluttering over his smooth cheeks, his matching black hair spiking out in every direction.

  I couldn’t help myself as my thumb reached out
to trace over his plump bottom lip.

  Heat washed across my face as I remembered how those same lips had licked practically every bare inch of my skin the night before. How they rested against my mouth as he professed his feelings. I might never tire of hearing him tell me he loved me and wanted to build a solid relationship with me.

  We planned on road tripping it to North Carolina this summer so I could finally meet his family, though I’d already spoken to his parents by phone. Cameron claimed my natural charm came through and that they’d adore me just as much in person. It would probably be the same with my brother and sister-in-law, because Cameron was just that awesome. That perfect. For me.

  Cameron blinked his eyes open, adjusting his groin against my hip, and I bit back a moan at the contact. Maybe he’d be up for that shower he’d mentioned last night. I nearly snorted out loud. What an insatiable horn dog I’d become.

  “Hey,” he whispered, in that sleepy, groggy voice that I cherished. The covers had slipped below his waist, and my eyes mapped the smooth skin around his stomach.

  “Hey yourself,” I replied, kissing his temple as he wrapped his arms tighter around me.

  I stretched my arms in order to burrow my fingers in his hair. “I like having you here.”

  “I like being here,” his voice rumbled. My chest thumped hard.

  As I bit my lip, his sluggish eyes met mine. “Do you want to, um…hang out this weekend?”

  I never took anything for granted when it came to Cameron, so any time he gave away freely, I accepted without reservation. “I would love nothing better than to hang out with my girl.”

  I skimmed my mouth over his lips as my heart beat double time. “I like when you call me that.”

  He clasped his fingers around my neck and pulled my mouth more firmly to his. “It’s an honor to call you mine, Aurora.”

  I sighed as I wiggled my way further inside his warmth so we were hip-to-hip, chest-to-chest, heartbeat-to-heartbeat. And madly in love. That was a truth I would willingly tuck into the deepest pocket of my soul.

  THANK YOU for reading TWELVE TRUTHS AND A LIE!

  I hope you enjoyed it!

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  Reviews help other readers find books. So if you feel compelled one way or another to leave a sentence or two on a retail site, I appreciate it!

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  Read on to view a short excerpt from ALL OF YOU, the New Adult Romance from my Between Breaths series.

  About the Author

  Once upon a time, Christina Lee lived in New York City and was a wardrobe stylist. She spent her days getting in cabs, shopping for photo shoots, eating amazing food, and drinking coffee at her favorite hangouts.

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  Now she lives in the Midwest with her husband and son—her two favorite guys. She’s been a clinical social worker and a special education teacher. But it wasn't until she wrote a weekly column for the local newspaper that she realized she could turn the fairytales inside her head into the reality of writing fiction.

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  She’s addicted to lip balm and salted caramel everything. She believes in true love and kissing, so writing romance novels has become a dream job.

  Where to Find Christina Lee

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  Visit my WEBSITE.

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  My private Facebook reader/fan group: THE SWOON ROOM.

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  A private Facebook Group with six other male/male romance authors: THE M/M DAILY GRIND.

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  Acknowledgments

  I will forever be grateful for my years as a social worker and special education teacher. My experiences taught me about life and humanity. About empathy, vulnerability, and the resilience of the human spirit. That everyone—regardless of race, gender, orientation, socio-economic status or circumstances—deserves to be treated with dignity. To feel safe and be loved and to have the same opportunities as everybody else. If only we’d see each other—really see each other—maybe then we could close the distance between us. Not only as a society or a nation, but also as a human race.

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  To Pragya and Keyanna: Thank you for being my perceptive eyes and making sure I handled subject matter with the upmost sensitivity. I hope I did this book justice.

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  To the real life Maddie: I hope you’re as happy now as you were on your wedding day.

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  To Stina, Deb, and Kate: Thank you for reading and offering your fantastic feedback because it made this book that much stronger.

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  To Prema Editing and Judy’s Proofreading: Thank you for sprinkling your magic fairy dust to help whip this book into shape.

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  To Nina: for always being so kind, funny, and ready to offer a helping hand.

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  To Greg and Evan, for not complaining when I have to disappear to work at odd hours of any random day. I don’t want to be in any other place in the world except right next to you, every single night.

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  To my family and friends for your constant, unwavering support. I love you.

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  To the amazing book bloggers and reviewers: please know that I appreciate all the work you do—all on your own dime—for the simple love of books.

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  Last, to the readers: THANK YOU for taking a chance on my books and reaching out to talk to me about them. For an author, there may be no better feeling.

  EXCERPT from ALL OF YOU

  Book One in the New Adult Between Breaths Series

  Love was like a loaded gun. You slid your bullet inside the cold metal chamber as a safeguard for the inevitable day that everything went to shit. At the first sign of trouble, you blew your opponent to pieces, long before their finger found the trigger. At least that’s what my mother’s string of failed relationships taught me.

  I downed the warm beer and scanned the frat party from my armchair perch. The low moans drifting from the next couch over awakened a longing inside me. My best friend, Ella, and her boyfriend were going at it again. Our other friend, Rachel, an even bigger player than me, was in the far corner making out with another university jock. And I wasn’t about to be the only one leaving empty-handed tonight.

  Guys were easy to figure out—at least in the hormonal sense. You needed only appear helpless or horny, and their pants instantly dropped to their ankles. Except none of the guys here tonight appealed to me. Maybe I’d text Rob for a booty call on my way home. He was always good for one, unless he’d already hooked up with someone else.

  My gaze landed on the guy entering the back door through the kitchen. A red baseball cap was slung low on his head and inky black curls escaped beneath it. His arms were muscular, and his charcoal T-shirt hugged his lean chest. He was Grade A Prime Meat and probably knew exactly how to put those full lips to good use.

  I watched as he high-fived one of the guys and then propped his forearm against the counter. His smile was magnetic, and I pictured him using it on me in another five minutes, when he sweet-talked me. I stood up and straightened my shirt so that it revealed more of my cleavage—the little I had—and strode toward the keg with my plastic cup.

  As I drew nearer, I saw how alarmingly gorgeous this guy really was. The one hand fisted in his pocket tugged at his jeans, revealing a small sliver of a taut stomach. The trail of baby-fine hairs leading downward made heat pool low in my stomach.

  I tried catching his eye, but he wasn’t going for it.

  His friend was a different story, though. He practically growled in my direction.

  The friend was cute, too, but paled in comparison to Hot Boy. But maybe his friend was my ticket in. Too bad I wasn’t the type to take on both of them—that might be entertaining.

&nbs
p; Bile scorched the back of my throat. Hell, no. Two meant more testosterone, less power. No telling what might happen, even if I thought I was in control. There was a reason I only did one willing guy at a time.

  When I stopped at the keg, I overheard Hot Boy telling a friend that he was moving in the morning. Hopefully not out of state. No matter; I only needed him for tonight. His voice was low and gruff, sending a ripple of satisfaction through me.

  Hot Boy’s friend reached over and grabbed hold of my cup. “Let me help you with that.”

  Hot Boy looked up and our gazes meshed for the first time. Warm chocolate eyes pinned me to my spot. They raked over me once before flitting away, sending my stomach into a free fall.

  He pushed aside the messy bangs hanging in his eyes and resumed his conversation.

  I wanted to run my fingers through those unruly curls at the nape of his neck. I made a mental note to do that later, when he was lying on top of me.

  His friend handed my cup back, filled to the brim. Hot Boy didn’t look my way again.

  “Thanks.” I clenched my teeth and worked to keep my lips in a neat, straight line.

  “So, what’s your name?” he asked as he stepped closer. His breath was sour with beer and cigarettes and I knew I could’ve taken him oh-so-easily. As simple as the arch of my eyebrow.