by Levine, Nina
“Well, you did choose this dress, so I hope it’s doing it for you,” I tease him. He insisted on choosing my outfit and of course he chose a floor length dress. But I’ve got to give him credit; he chose a stunning black sleeveless dress that I won’t hesitate to wear again. And he also insisted I wear my hair the same way I had it styled for the red carpet event we attended in LA. He loved the way the hairdresser curled my hair and pinned it into an upstyle, particularly because it left my neck exposed to him.
“Do you know what’s turning me on the most?” he asks.
“Jett, your parents are just over there so I hope you’re not about to get your cock out and wave it around.”
He chuckles and moves his hand to his belt. “I could if you want.”
I slap my hand over his and drag it away from his pants. Fuck, boys will always be boys. Raising my brows at him, I ask, “Are you going to behave for the rest of the night?”
“Yeah, but only if you agree to something.” There’s a cheeky glint in his eyes that scares me. He’s up to something.
“What?”
“I’ve just spent all that time on stage watching you while performing and all I could think about was how much I want to spend the rest of my life with you. That’s what turned me on the most.” He pauses and the cheeky glint in his eyes is replaced by a look of complete adoration that causes my heart to speed up. “Marry me, Presley.”
I stare at him in surprise. It’s a good surprise, but he’s totally stunned me with this.
When no words fall from my mouth he says, “I know you’re still technically married, so we’d have to wait, but I want this ring on your finger now.” He pulls out a ring box and opens it to reveal a gorgeous engagement ring. It’s a stunning diamond with a band of channel set diamonds. So much glittery light shining in my face and my tummy flutters.
“It’s beautiful,” I say softly. He’s taken my breath away with his proposal and I’m having trouble forming cohesive words.
He tilts my chin to look in my eyes. “Is that a yes, sweetheart?”
Everything we’ve been through flashes in my mind. We’ve only known each other a short time but we’ve been through so much already. And I know deep in my bones that I want to spend eternity with him. Nodding, I smile at him, and say, “Yes, that’s a yes.”
He slips the ring on my finger and murmurs, “Jesus, you know how to make a man work for it, baby. I was a little concerned you were gonna say no just then.”
I slide my hand around his neck and pull his lips to mine so I can kiss him. “You should know by now that it’s not possible for me to say no to you.”
“That’s a good thing because it seems I keep fucking things up.”
I’m not sure what he’s referring to. “What have you fucked up now?”
“I had it planned to propose to you later. I’ve organised for a horse and carriage to pick us up and I was going to do the romantic thing for you, but fuck, I couldn’t wait any longer.” He pulls me in for another kiss and then says gruffly, “You have that effect on me.”
I love that because he has the same effect on me. “You haven’t fucked anything up, Jett.”
Smiling the smile that caught my attention the first time we met in that club, he says, “Thank fuck, because I want you to be the one I get to wake up with every morning, and the one I get to cook Sunday breakfasts for, and the one I get to argue with over domestic shit, and the one I drag along to boring ass things you’re not interested in, and the one who makes me sit through your shopping trips, and the one I get to make love to for the rest of our lives, and the one who has my babies. I want you to be my everything.”
I smile through my tears. “I want that, too.”
His lips come to mine again and he kisses me long and deep, and when he is done, he raises his arm with another fist pump. “Fuck yes!” he yells out.
Shaking my head, I laugh. “I do love you, Mr. Rockstar.”
He joins in my laughter and while he spends the next few minutes blessing my lips with more kisses, I thank the universe for sending me this man.
A man who fought for me and showed me how much I really wanted him in my life.
A man who showed me that he could be the one.
Thank you so much for reading Jett & Presley’s story.
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If you loved this book, please consider leaving a review for it on your favourite book site. I appreciate you helping spread the word about my books by reviewing and telling friends about them!
Acknowledgments
Firstly, I have to acknowledge that this book would not be what it is without my mother. Her journey and the way she has fought for her health brings me to tears every time I think about it (yes, I am crying now). I love you, Ma. Thank you for ALWAYS being in my corner.
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Secondly, this book would also not be what it is without Jodie O’Brien’s input. I told her my ideas for the plot and she was excited and very supportive. Then, while I was writing it and it was all getting too hard for me to do, I told her I was changing the plot. No way could I do to Jett what I did. She talked me around and encouraged me to stick to my original story. In hindsight, I realise the reason why it was so hard to write and it had nothing to do with Jett. He had to go on that journey, and I think I did, too. Jodie is also my PA and works tirelessly behind the scenes making sure everything runs smoothly in my business. Her positivity and enthusiasm for life is freaking contagious and she never fails to make me laugh. We work hard but we know how to have fun doing it! Thank you so much for everything you do for me, Jodie, and for your unwavering support. I even love your bossiness, babe. OH, and that phone call you made to me as soon as you finished reading BTO… thank you for doing that because I was doubting myself and to hear the emotion in your voice was all I needed to know it was going to be okay.
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To my daughter – you have no idea how amazing you are. None. Have you noticed that everyone I introduce you to loves you? That’s because you are awesome. Thank you for plotting with me and letting me whinge and moan to you when I thought it was all shit. Seriously though, how can you not love the same kinds of characters that I do?? I mean, who doesn’t love a freaking ROCKSTAR?? *sigh* are you sure you’re my kid?? Promise me you’ll write a book one day. Even if it’s just for me to read… I think you’d write an EPIC book. ILY xx
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To my gorgeous editor, Karen - *sigh* I promise to stick to my next deadline!! Thank you so much for sticking by me and editing BTO after I stuffed you around. You make my words so much better!
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To my Team Levine girls – there are no words. None. You girls are amazing and I can’t even begin to tell you how much I love you all. It blows my mind the level of support you give me. And I’m excited for what’s ahead of us. I shared my dream with you and the way you all jumped on board and threw your support behind it was awesome. Thank you from the bottom of my heart xx
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To my STORMCHASERS – thank you for your friendship and support. I’ve loved meeting some of you around the world this year and can’t wait to meet more of you soon!!
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To my readers – thank you so much for reading my books. I’ve been publishing now for about 18 months and I’m still amazed that so many people around the world connect with my characters and my stories, and keep coming back and buying the next book. Thank you for believing in my stories xx
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To the wonderful bloggers who share my books – I’m sending you a very special thank you because I know how hard you work and the hours you put into what you do. You are good people. If there is ever anything I can do to help you, please email us at [email protected] and we will always do whatever we can to support you as much as you support me. Xx
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To my girls – you know who you are. Thank you for your friendship and support. This world we work in gets a little hectic sometimes but I always know you’re
there for me whenever and however I need you.
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One last special mention – Natalie Gayle, are you happy now? *raises a glass* Here’s to motherfucking full length novels! Thank you for being a wonderful friend. There’s some people you meet and just click with and I feel that way about you, babe.
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Oops, one last mention – Jodie O’Brien, are you happy now?? ;) On a side note, you might have gotten to cry, but I got to write a book I’m really proud of. Thank you for pushing me. xx
Copyright © 2017 Nina Levine
Published by Nina Levine
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All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the author, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law. For permission requests, write to the author at the email address below.
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[email protected]
www.ninalevinebooks.com
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This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are a product of the author’s imagination. Locales and public names are sometimes used for atmospheric purposes. Any resemblance to actual people, living or dead, or to businesses, companies, events, institutions, or locales is completely coincidental.
Hurricane Hearts
Hurricane Hearts
She walked away from me five years ago.
She ran and took my heart with her.
Now I want it back, and hers too.
She can tell me no.
She can try to hide.
She can take her time.
But I’m a man on my knees.
Birdie Beaumont will be mine again.
* * *
My first lie had been to save us.
My second lie had been to save him.
My third lie broke me.
I still love him just as much as I did when I left him.
But I can’t have him.
Not after what I did.
Not after keeping it from him all this time.
Winter Morrison will never forgive me for what I did.
* * *
A second chance alpha romance from USA Today bestselling author Nina Levine.
To Anthony & Leanne,
You never gave up
You’ll never know what an inspiration you are to me
Love you both always
xx
Prologue
Birdie
* * *
I slid the photo from his wallet and stared at it in surprise.
He kept me there all these years?
Looking up, I found him watching me intently.
“Come home with me tonight.” He said the words I hoped he wouldn’t.
A shiver raced across my skin. His voice had always done that to me. “No,” I said, when I wanted to say yes and chase him to the ends of the earth. I’d always wanted to chase him there. I’d spent years making plans and dreaming all the dreams of a life together. But life had a way of beating the dreams out of us. Of forcing us to let them go even when we clung hard.
The taxi we shared from the airport slowed to turn a corner.
God, what were the chances of running into your first love after you’d both returned from different corners of the world? “Share a taxi with me,” he’d said after we’d caught up over a few drinks at the airport bar. I should have said no then because, with every passing minute, he drew me further into his orbit.
His fingers laced through mine. “If I could change the way shit went down with us, I would, Birdie. Fuck, I’d take back all my choices and make better ones.”
My heart squeezed, and the pain that had never left roared to life. “Don’t say that. We know you wouldn’t. And I wouldn’t have wanted you to. Those choices were you, and I loved that about you.”
His features darkened. “You loved that I chose war over us? That every time I said I was done, I changed my mind and let you down?” The bitterness in his words slashed through the air. “Don’t bullshit a bullshitter, baby. I fucked it all up. Call it for what it was.”
Five years worth of my own guilt twisted deep in my stomach. He thought this was all on him when that was as far from the truth as you could get. I had my own stake in our ending, but it would kill him if he knew the truth. Or maybe I was more concerned it would kill me for him to know. For him to hate me for what I did.
He’d always wanted a child. Being a daddy had been higher on his list of goals than fighting for his country. And I’d fucked that up for us. Walking away from him had been for him, not about him. I wanted him to be the daddy he’d always dreamed of, and I couldn’t give that to him anymore, so I’d stayed away when he finally came home.
“I can’t do this….” My voice cracked, and I gulped hard as tears threatened.
If I could take back my choices and make better ones, I would. My choices had been far worse than his.
He moved closer, taking my face in his hands. Before I knew what was happening, his lips were on mine, claiming the kiss that could be my undoing. Because God knew, I’d thought about his kisses every single day I hadn’t had them. His kisses were everything, and this one was no different.
He set me on fire like he always had, and I felt myself falling down the abyss of need he’d always had a way of creating.
I still wanted him just as much as I had when I’d first fallen for him.
But I couldn’t have him.
Not anymore.
Not after what I did.
I pulled my mouth from his and pushed him away, thankful when I realised the taxi had pulled up outside my house. Ignoring the torment in his eyes, I said, “We can never go back,” and exited the taxi as fast as I could. Stumbling up the path to my front door, I prayed he wouldn’t come after me. My resolve wasn’t as strong as I wished, and if he pushed for this, I could crumble.
As I stepped through the door, I glanced back at the cab. He stood beside it watching me. I held his gaze for what felt like forever, but neither of us moved.
When I finally closed the door behind me, I sagged against it and slid down to the floor.
Love was agony.
The choices I’d made that had ultimately destroyed us had been made for love.
The first choice had been to save both of us.
The second one had been to save him.
Both had broken me in the process.
1
Birdie
3 months later
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I lifted my cocktail and smiled at my bestie. “Here’s to a long and happy marriage, and all the sex you can handle.” I lifted the glass a little higher. “And for the love of God, let that sex always be as good as it is now.”
Cleo’s mouth spread out into a huge grin as she nodded. “Hell fucking yes!”
We both took a long swig of our drinks and then Cleo broke out laughing. I had no idea why, but it wasn’t an unusual occurrence for her.
“Okay spill, dude. What’s so funny?”
She took another long drink, her laughter increasing. “I was just thinking about him fucking me this morning. We were going for it, and he almost had me there when he got a leg cramp. He lost his footing and knocked a heap of shit off the kitchen table and then it was one crazy thing after another. You had to be there, but fuck, I love him so hard. He makes every day fun.”
I smiled so big for her. Cleo had been through some assholes, so I was happy she’d finally found Mark. “I love that, babe. You guys are perfect together And I’m so glad your honeymoon was amazing.” She and her husband, Mark, had just returned from Fiji where they’d spent a week.
Her smile eased a little, a serious expression crossing her face. “You’re gonna find your forever guy, Birdie.”
Cleo and I had been BFFs since h
igh school so she knew me and my life inside out. She’d cheered on every one of my successes and cried with me over every heartache. She knew I’d screwed up my forever love years ago, but she still chose to believe another one would come along. I wasn’t so sure.
Eyeing the rest of our friends who were out on the dance floor, I said, “You wanna go dance?”
She squeezed my hand. “I know what you’re doing and I get that you don’t want to think about your love life, and I’ll support that choice right now because we’re all about the fun tonight, but I will never ever give up on finding the right guy for you.” She threw me a grin. “Just so you know.”
“I love you, lady, but if you continue this matchmaking thing you’ve got going on, I’m gonna have to seriously reconsider our friendship.”
Her eyes widened in mock surprise, because Cleo knew I was so not on board with her mission. “What? You don’t like the guys I’ve been sending your way?”
I smiled as I shook my head. It was hard to get mad at her because she was the kindest and most thoughtful person I knew. I drank some more of my cocktail and said, “Well, that last dude you found on that dating website did have a hot ass. I’ll give him that.”
“How do you know that? Did you meet him and not tell me?”
“No, he bombarded my inbox with photos of it.”