Trouble. Danger. Stay away.
“Hello, Rory. It’s so nice to meet you, I’ve heard lots of things about you.” Ah, so he also had his brother’s dirty sense of humor. He shook my hand and almost crushed my fingers with his calloused hand. Then he turned to Sloane and I waited for the fireworks.
“Hi, I’m Sloane.” She said it slow and low before she got up and walked forward. Ryder watched her the whole time and I wanted to scream at Lucah. Sloane was working it and he was taking her in.
“Sloane. Very nice to meet you. I can’t say that my brother has mentioned you. Or if he did I wasn’t paying attention. I am now.” She giggled and I knew that laugh. She only laughed like that around a cute boy. Oh, Sloane. Lucah had been right about this guy, he looked like he was only going to bring her heartache. Not that I could judge just from the five minutes I’d seen him in person, but Lucah had told me plenty of stories that backed up my initial impression.
Lucah started picking up boxes, stepping right between Sloane and Ryder. Good boy.
Then he shoved one at Ryder and told him to take it down the hall. Ryder gave Sloane a lingering look and she ducked her head and hid a smile. Seriously?
Lucah gave me a look and I gave him one right back. This was his fault. Making things forbidden made them more attractive.
I knew I was being a hypocrite for not wanting Sloane to be with Ryder when I’d had a forbidden relationship with Lucah and she’d been so supportive. But I didn’t want anything bad to happen to her. I didn’t want her heart to get broken. I couldn’t take that.
“He’s fucking hot,” Sloane hissed at me while Lucah followed Ryder down the hall.
“Be careful,” I hissed back, but I could see by the look on her face that she was going to take my advice with a grain of salt.
By the time we got most of the stuff moved, it was late, I was exhausted and Sloane and Ryder had eye fucked each other way too much.
“Well, I think I’m going to head out. Unless you need anything else?” Ryder said and I knew there was a double meaning behind that.
“No, I think I can take it from here. Thanks for the help,” Lucah said, patting him on the shoulder.
“Oh, you’re welcome. Anything for my big brother,” he said with a wink at Sloane.
“Really, thank you,” I said, interrupting more eye fucking. “It was so nice to meet you.” He said good-bye and I think Lucah breathed a sigh of relief when he was gone.
“Oh my GOD,” Sloane said, slumping against the kitchen counter. “That is your brother? Holy hell.” She fanned herself and Lucah shook his head.
“I told you. I told you. I told you,” I said to him. “There’s no stopping it now.”
“It was bound to happen eventually. No sense putting it off any more.” He shrugged and went to the fridge to grab a beer.
“Oh, you like beer now?” I said as he popped it open.
“Sometimes in life, you just need a beer. This is one of those times.” He sighed and went to sit on the couch.
I sat next to him, putting my head on his shoulder.
“Hey.”
“Hey.” He gave me a tired smile and I kissed him on the cheek.
“We’re moving in together. We need to buy furniture. Aren’t you excited about that?” I said.
Finally he really did smile. Sloane skipped off to her room to give us some privacy.
“Buying furniture. That’s a big step. You ready for chairs and ottomans and maybe even a few lamps?”
“I don’t know. Ottomans are pretty serious.” He leaned his face forward and I knew what kissing him would lead to, even though we were both gross from moving stuff and exhausted and I had to work the next day.
“There’s only one piece of furniture I want to talk about right now and that’s your bed,” he said, getting up and pulling me up after him as he lead me toward the bedroom.
“Hm, I’m not sure if I know what you’re talking about. You’ll have to show me.”
“Oh, I will show you how best to use a bed, Miss Clarke.”
“Looking forward to it, Mr. Blythe.”
The next week the hours when I wasn’t at work were spent with Lucah buying furniture and moving furniture and boxes, boxes, boxes.
And any other time I had free from that was spent with Sloane. I was literally moving a hallway away, but I felt like we weren’t going to have as much girl time now that I was living with Lucah.
“So is he just going to be a bum now?” Sloane said on Thursday night when Lucah was out getting groceries.
“No, he is not going to be a bum. He’s looking for a job. His actual résumé is pretty impressive, so I think he’ll be fine.” I wasn’t worried at all.
Unfortunately, I still needed an assistant. I’d had no luck finding anyone and with the recent scandal at Clarke Enterprises, the qualified applicants were even fewer than before. I’d called a few people in for interviews, but no one seemed right. I’d have to try again with an advertisement and hope for the best. I fucking needed an assistant.
I didn’t ask Sloane about Ryder. He’d been back once more, and I’d caught them talking, but Sloane hadn’t said anything about him, which meant that she really, really liked him.
I was adopting a “wait and see” attitude. I’d talked to Lucah about it, but he just got mad whenever I brought it up, so I made a note to not do that very often. Eventually we were going to have to deal with it, but for right now, things were still in the beginning stages. Yup, wait and see . . .
On Friday at work, Lucah texted me to come out to the elevators. I quickly messaged him back, asking what was going on, but he didn’t answer. I called him, but there was no answer. So I locked my computer, got up and went out, where I found Mrs. Andrews beaming at me from her desk, and Lucah standing and looking very pleased with himself.
He had the suit on that he’d worn when he’d first come in for an interview, complete with his diamond stud earring.
“Well, Mr. Blythe, you look very dapper. What are you doing here?” He’d obviously been waiting for me to say that.
“I work here, Miss Clarke.”
My mouth dropped open.
“You’re kidding.” His smile got even wider and Mrs. Andrews laughed.
“You’re looking at the newest member of the research and development team. Which means I am part of the Clarke Enterprises family, but not in your department. In case you were wondering if that would be a problem with us moving in together.” I really wanted to throw my arms around him and squeal in delight, but there was no way I would do that in the office where everyone could see. So I just stood there and said, “That’s wonderful, Mr. Blythe. I can’t imagine how you swung that, but I’m happy that you are employed.”
“I had a recommendation from the president, so I think I was a shoo-in.” My mouth dropped open again.
“Dad?”
“He did. And now that I’m a member of the company, that automatically gives me an invitation to the ball. I just don’t know who should go with me.”
“Oh, I don’t know. I can’t think of anyone who would want to go to a Ball with you. Let me check—“ I was silenced by Lucah closing the space between us and lifting me off my feet.
“You. I’m going with you and I’m not taking no for an answer, Miss Clarke.”
I sighed dramatically.
“Well, then I guess I have no choice but to go with you, Mr. Blythe.” And I kissed him right there in front of the elevator. I was sure there were people who saw us, but I finally stopped caring. If I wanted to kiss my boyfriend, I was going to kiss my boyfriend.
“You got that right, Sunshine,” he said, setting me down. “Come on, I’m taking you for coffee.” The tone of his voice told me that he wasn’t talking about the kind you made and put in a mug.
“Coffee sounds perfect.”
I stood at the top of the stairs in my unbelievable black gown and it was a bit like a dream. I looked down, but everyone was busy with their own conversation
s. So much for everyone being in awe of my beauty.
But there was one face that was staring right at me, and looking completely captivated.
I inhaled quickly as I saw that he was wearing a white tux complete with white shirt and a pale silver tie. I’d never used the word breathtaking to describe a man, but he was. I ascended the stairs and saw the three other people who were happy to see me. Sloane, in her black and white flowered dress, who was already attracting attention from some of the married and unmarried men. Marisol, stunning in a black dress that was gathered on one side and cut to reveal a white underskirt with Fin in a black tux by her side, looking at her as if she’d hung the moon. Chloe, who had a mod creation with a white panel down the front and black panels on the sides. They looked awesome and I waved as I started walking.
I glanced around and found my parents and they were beaming at me, and Mom made a motion to tell me to stand up straighter. No matter how old I was, she’d always treat me like her little girl. Dad tipped his glass in my direction and I gave him a thumbs-up. That wasn’t exactly ladylike, but I wasn’t going to put on a front just because I was here.
I walked until I was standing in front of Lucah and dipped slowly into a curtsy as he gave me a deep bow.
“May I have this dance, Miss Clarke?”
“You may, Mr. Blythe.” He took my hand and led me to the black and white checkered dance floor as the quartet started playing a waltz that sounded an awful lot like the song “Clarity”. His hand went to my waist, the other stayed in my hand and then, with a nod, we danced.
“You look ravishing, Sunshine,” he said in my ear.
“You don’t look so bad yourself.” I looked at his face and he gave me a wink before sticking out his tongue to show me that he had the silver barbell in.
Some things never changed.
Signed Sealed Delivered ~ Stevie Wonder
Sooner Surrender ~ Matt Nathanson
Let’s Get It On ~ Marvin Gaye
Fat Bottomed Girls ~ Queen
Total Eclipse of the Heart ~ Bonnie Tyler
Brighter Than Sunshine ~ Aqualung
Beyond the Sea ~ Bobby Darin
Bohemian Rhapsody ~ Queen
Make You Feel My Love ~ Adele
Don’t You Forget About Me ~ Simple Minds
Howlin’ For You ~ The Black Keys
It’s De-Lovely ~ Cole Porter
Rumble and Sway ~ Jamie N Commons
Starlight ~ Muse
Secret Lovers ~ Atlantic Starr
Clarity ~ Zedd (feat. Foxes)
The Noctalis Chronicles
Nocturnal (Book One)
Nightmare (Book Two)
Neither (Book Three)
Neverend (Book Four)
The Whisper Trilogy
Whisper (Book One)
Fall and Rise
Deeper We Fall (Book One)
Faster We Burn (Book Two)
My Favorite Mistake
(Available from Harlequin)
My Sweetest Escape (January 28, 2014)
For Real (November 14, 2013)
This is my first foray into Adult Contemporary Romance, and there are quite a few people I have to thank for going with me along this new journey.
First to my family, Mom and Dad especially. I’m sorry I wrote a book that I used dirty words and wrote about sex. I hope you can forgive me.
To my friends who have inspired me (even if they don’t know it): Caroline, Colleen, Liz, Rachel and Meridith. You are my reality check.
To my beta readers, Magan and Laura, thanks for catching my (numerous) errors and inconsistencies and helping make this book better. I couldn’t do it without you.
To my editor, Jen Hendricks, who must be sick of me forgetting the difference between dessert and desert.
To all the authors who have held my hand (mostly online and via text message) during this process and offered their advice and (figurative) shoulders: Chelsea Fine, Tiffany King, Gennifer Albin, Heather Self and Karina Halle. Thanks for putting up with my crazy.
To all the book bloggers and other online friends who have ridden the roller coaster that writing this book was. I couldn’t mention all of you. It would take too long, but I lovers all of you.
To my FABULOUS publicist, Jessica from InkSlinger PR, I wouldn’t know where my head was if you didn’t text me and remind me it was atop my neck.
To YOU. Yeah, In know it’s cliché to thank you, but I’m going to do it anyway. You all deserve WORLD’S GREATEST READER mugs. And shoes. I’d get you all red shoes.
Chelsea M. Cameron is a YA/NA New York Times/USA Today Best Selling author from Maine. Lover of things random and ridiculous, Jane Austen/Charlotte and Emily Bronte Fangirl, red velvet cake enthusiast, obsessive tea drinker, vegetarian, former cheerleader and world's worst video gamer. When not writing, she enjoys watching infomercials, singing in the car and tweeting. She has a degree in journalism from the University of Maine, Orono that she promptly abandoned to write about the people in her own head. More often than not, these people turn out to be just as weird as she is.
Find Chelsea online:
chelseamcameron.com
Twitter: @chel_c_cam
Facebook: Chelsea M. Cameron (Official Author Page)
Table of Contents
Cover
One
Two
Three
Four
Five
Six
Seven
Eight
Nine
Ten
Eleven
Twelve
Thirteen
Fourteen
Fifteen
Sixteen
Seventeen
Eighteen
Nineteen
Twenty
Twenty-One
Twenty-Two
Twenty-Three
Twenty-Four
Twenty-Five
Twenty-Six
Twenty-Seven
Twenty-Eight
Twenty-Nine
Thirty
Thirty-One
Thirty-Two
Thirty-Three
Thirty-Four
Thirty-Five
Thirty-Six
Thirty-Seven
Epilogue
Playlist
Books by Chelsea M. Cameron
Thank You
About the Author
Sweet Surrendering Page 29
