Fixated On You (Torn Series #5)

by Pamela Ann

  They say that fairytales don’t exist, that life was full of pain and ugliness all around. True, I could vouch for that, but with pain and ugliness, one could fully appreciate the beauty of happiness.

  My love for Emma was complicated. There were times that I thought that I was ready to give up, but sometimes if you take reasoning out of the picture and let yourself feel—you can see where you’re missing out. Had it not been for my anger, I could’ve seen what was right in front of me. But sometimes, we only see what we poisoned our minds to see. But as my best friend has said to me several times, fighting is reason, fighting is purpose.

  So go find your reason, your purpose and let love reign.

  Best,

  Bass Cole

  ~ THE END ~

  Take a sneak peek at Pamela Ann’s next novel; Pieces Of You & Me…also, snippets of Remember Love by Riley Rhea and It’s Him by MGM Villar…

  Chapter 1

  Liv

  Hi Sweetie!

  Can’t wait to see you in a couple of days! How are things holding up with Liam? I’m sure you two lovebirds will work it out just fine. He can always come and visit you, you know.

  Spend as much time as you can with your dad. You won’t see him for another year, sweetie. Try not to be too hard on him. He loves you dearly.

  By the way, remember that guy I mentioned I met a week after you left? Well, I want you to be the first to know, but I’m engaged!!! What a nice surprise right? I’ll tell you all about it when you get here.

  P.S. And no, I haven’t lost my mind, hun. I’m in love :)

  I love you,

  Mom

  When mom mentioned “surprise”, I never had thought I’d get the surprise of a lifetime.

  As expected, mom was at the airport waiting on me with a huge grin on her face. I spent my entire summer in Sydney with my father. He moved out there after he and mom got divorced two years ago. Bizarre really, ‘cause I left my summer to head to winter. It wasn’t all that bad after I started dating Liam Hollingsworth, who was a freshman in University of Sydney. We promised to try and work things out, but as much as I liked him, I knew long distance relationships were hard work. So we decided to see how it’d be for a while, basically measuring the difficulty ahead of us—or if it was even worth trying.

  So I was unofficially single, if that makes sense at all.

  Mom didn’t unfold her secret until we were all alone. This whole bomb landed on me the second we got onto the freeway.

  “Okay, I don’t want to keep you waiting ‘cause I know you might be dying to know who the man is, but don’t freak, okay?” My mom glanced at me sideways before looking out to the road ahead with a large beaming smile playing across her face.

  Well, if her smiles were always this huge, then I didn’t care if she married a preacher—okay, maybe a little—but seriously, watching her now, seeing how happy she was, made me realize how lonely she might’ve been for the last two years. It was drastic for her to get engaged to someone so quickly, but if it was what she wanted, then who am I to come in between her and her prince charming? Well, here’s hoping that he was one after all. Hell—I have yet to meet him.

  “Seriously, who is your mystery man? You’re killing me smalls.” Pulling out my strawberry lip salve, I popped the tin open before I dipped my pinky in and applied some to my lips.

  “It’s Brett Edwards,” she said with a pained—almost sour—face.

  I dropped my lip salve along with my jaw. “You’re kidding, right?” Please, please, please, tell me that you are. I was praying to the gods—or whoever was listening--to help me salvage my senior year in high school.

  Mom exhaled a long sigh; a big indicator that she was darn serious. “This was why I never mentioned it to you because I was afraid of this—that you might change your mind and never come back here, Liv.”

  She was imagining the extremes. Come on, really? It was no big deal. Sure, I was a grown up. I could deal with this. “But Brett, Mom? Really?” That did not come out right. Personally, I had no problems with Brett…but his only child on the other hand… Greyson…Ugh. Kill me now.

  He was your typical asshole. Thinking about him was a waste of energy. Enough said.

  Mom reached out and gave my arm a tight squeeze. “He’s amazing, Liv. He treats me like a queen. Not only that, but he makes me feel wonderful. I did promise you that I wouldn’t marry again until I’d found my Mr. Darcy. Well, I believe with my whole heart that he is, Liv. He loves me—well, he’s been in love with me for decades—that’s why he never got married.”

  That got my attention. Pride and Prejudice was our all-time favorite film. For her to mention Mr. Darcy was major deal. “What do you mean? How long have you known him?”

  “Since high school and then college, but he left to live in Chicago after we graduated. But as you know, I had dated your dad since I was seventeen—so he never stood a chance.”

  My mom’s story was disheartening, but at the same time, inspiring. I suppose if mom and Brett would be happily married and in love, my feelings about Greyson had nothing against true love.

  “I also forgot to mention it to you, hun, but we’ll be moving in with them. Greyson lives in the pool house—so you’re in the clear. I promise.” My mom rushed to add that teeny bit of information.

  Inhale, exhale, Olivia. The world wasn’t ending. This was my chance to give mom her happiness, so I dared not ruin this for her. Living with the Edwards—of course! Brett and mom were now married. “I need a moment to digest this tidal crap of information, Mom.”

  “I’m so sorry to do this to you, Liv. I wanted to warn you, but I was scared you might not come back home.”

  “You’re being silly. Of course I’d come back, but I would’ve appreciated a little adjustment time, you know? This is a lot to take in, Mom. The crazy major upheaval kind, but if you’re happy then I’m happy. That’s all I want.”

  My mom looked misty eyed before she gave me a grateful smile. “Thank you, sweetie.” She sniffed, wiping the sides of her eyes. “This means a lot to me. I expected screaming or even an attempt at it, so thank you for not putting me through that. You’re the best daughter a mom could wish for.”

  She always gave me too much credit, but she was my mom, right? They always tend to do this even if their kids were horrendous. “Thank me after a week and I haven’t scratched Greyson’s eyes out.”

  “He’s a good kid, Liv. Just give him a chance. Trust me.”

  Yep, that’s what my mother said.

  But not a chance in Hell I’d trust that douche. All he did was make snide remarks whenever he was in my vicinity.

  This belief was reinstated that very same night after Brett and Mom chatted with me a couple hours after dinner; talking about Liam, my undecided college plan, my goals and so forth. As Mom had assured me earlier, Brett was a good man—a man who thought the world of my mother. It was icky and amazing at the same time when they were next to each other.

  I was jet-lagged and the last thing I needed was to unpack in a new bedroom that I didn’t have any attachment to. My childhood home was sold after my parents got divorced, so Mom and I moved into a leased townhome.

  She did all of the moving while I was gone, so all of our things were in Brett’s home.

  It was going to take a lot of getting used to, but I was willing to try for my mom. Besides, this was my senior year—my last year in high school—no man was going to ruin it for me. Even if his name was Greyson Edwards.

  It was a warm night and I wanted to have a quick dip in the pool. It was almost midnight, so instead of diving head first, I had to resort to using the steps, careful not to disturb anyone.

  My thoughts were occupied of emailing Liam or not as I approached the azure pool that was slightly illuminated. A soft moan escaped when my body bathed in the cool refreshing water. I was smiling, floating as I stared at the twinkling stars when I heard the first thump thump sound.

  “Harder, Grey!” a woman’s voice demanded, c
oming from the pool house. Then the loud sound went erratic—jackhammer loud. “Shit!” the woman screamed.

  What the hell! Could they get any louder?

  Greyson was having sex. He didn’t care if anyone was around to hear it. He just did his own business just because he could. He was a total douchebag.

  The last leg—the finale—was even worse. I thought the woman was being cut open and gutted. I was cringing and gasping as she rode out her orgasm. I stared at the slightly lit pool house, wondering if she was all okay.

  Five minutes later, I was still struck, appalled and in deep shock.

  I watched, paralyzed, as Greyson and his latest girlfriend emerged from the door. He was escorting her out while she kept her hand glued to his ass.

  The second they disappeared; I swam back to shallow water and climbed out of the pool. Deep in thought, I squeezed the water out of my hair, sighing. I was walking toward the table where I had left my towel when he spoke behind me. "Were we loud? Sorry. I didn't know we had an audience. If I had, I would've made a better show of it."

  Funny, he didn’t sound a bit sorry at all. “Don’t bother,” I gritted out, loathing his cockiness.

  He laughed like he was being tickled.

  Fucker. I rolled my eyes and continued ignoring him.

  But even with my indifference, the idiot remained.

  “So, how was Australia? I heard that you slept your way around all summer long. I’m curious; do you prefer American or Aussie dicks? Or are they all the same? A dick is a dick, right?” I heard him snort, which angered me some more.

  “Yes, they’re all juicy, Grey.”

  “Mine is oozing, Liv. Keep that in mind, will ya? Might come handy to you if you need to get some workouts done.”

  I spun around and glared at his grinning face. “Dream on, Greyson.”

  “Always, Liv.” He started to walk backward, still facing me as he tapped his chest a few times. “Sweet dreams, pooh.”

  Pooh. Winnie the Pooh was my favorite… back in third grade. I didn’t need another reason to stay and banter with him. I left the pool area in a flash, needing to erase that mocking laugh that irritated me to no end.

  That night, my dreams weren’t sweet. In fact, they were nightmares of Winnie the Pooh.

  The terror of douchebaggery had begun.

  Chapter 2

  Grey

  Pooh.

  I hated Winnie the Pooh with a passion because of one person. Olivia.

  She looked so angelic… like a beauty that never gets old. Every guy in school wanted her. I did too, but I’d rather get hit by a fifteen-wheeler than admit that. Fuck that.

  When it came to her, I got all hot and cold. Literally. My body’s reaction to her added more to my contempt when it concerned her.

  I knew she was beautiful. Hell, sometimes I got so awestruck that I forgot why I hated her to begin with. I remembered gasping when I first saw her in our third grade class.

  She knew how she affected men, and she used that to her benefit. She toyed with men; paraded them in front of me. The only thing I could be grateful for was that none of my guy friends took a chance on asking her out, nor did she seek them out, knowing how I’d react.

  Everyone that went to school knew about our extreme dislike of each other.

  Olivia Taylor…

  Was…

  My first crush.

  My first kiss.

  My first love.

  My first heartbreak.

  Things fell apart during fourth grade and it hadn’t stopped since. I remembered the hate started when I received her letter. It was how she broke up with me.

  Roses are red

  Violets are blue

  When I flush the toilet, I think of you.

  To this day, I hated roses—or anything red or blue. The letter was of course burned with a match light in my backyard. Everything I felt for her then went to ashes.

  It started little at first. A little teasing here and there, or a snide remark whenever she passed by, then it got to spitting showdowns. Summers without her here were pretty quiet.

  Now my disruption was back. Living in my own home. Wonder what kind of gimmick she’d create to rile me up?

  I didn’t have to do anything, not really.

  I knew for a fact that having me breathe the same air as her already made her furious.

  All I had to do was keep my smug, cocky, sexy smile in place and it was guaranteed to drive her crazy.

  Easy.

  Torn Series:

  1. Scornfully Yours (Emma)

  1.5 Scornfully Hers (Carter Mason)

  2. Frayed (Trista) out now

  3. Blasphemous (Emma #2)

  3.5 Undeniably Yours (Bass Cole)

  4. Scorned (Lindsey)

  5. Fixated on You (Emma #3)

  6. Unveiled (Lindsey #2) Coming in 2014

  7. Crushed (Amber) Coming in 2014

  Chasing Series:

  Chasing Beautiful

  Chasing Imperfection

  Chasing Paradise

  Chasing Forever (Lucy + Toby) Coming Winter 2014

  Chasing Memories (Kyle Matthews) Coming in 2014

  ~

  Lily’s Mistake (out now)

  Loving Lily Spring 2014

  ~

  Formula Men Series

  Coming 2014

  Monza Luca di Medici

  Nice Jacques Bertrand

  Barcelona Andrès Franco

  Upcoming Stand-Alone Novels:

  My Summer in Venice 2014

  Pieces of You & Me Fall/Winter 2013

  Havoc (Dark Erotica)

  Bartered (Dark Erotica) Coming in 2014

  The Woman In The Closet Coming in 2014

  Follow me for chats, updates and sneak previews for upcoming releases on Facebook or Twitter.

  Thank you!

  http://www.facebook.com/pamela.annauthor

  https://twitter.com/PamelaAnnAuthor

  pamelaannbooks.blogspot.com

  Remember Love

  by

  Riley Rhea

  Prologue

  Closing and zipping my suitcase, I look around my apartment. I’m almost ready to spend a weekend at home. Then it’s back to finish my last month of school. I can't believe how fast it’s gone by. I’m so close that I can see the finish line. By this fall, I could be teaching history. I didn't have to move to Louisville to get my teaching degree. I could’ve gone to Western. After all it’s much closer to home. But then I would have been expected to live at home with my mom. I needed to get away and out into the world.

  I grab my suitcase off the bed and head to the front door. Looking around to make sure I didn't forget anything, I see my sunglasses on the counter. I would’ve hated forgetting those. I may not need them now, but I will tomorrow. Now I am ready to go. Because it’s time to head home, I lock up behind me and head over to my Xterra.

  Pulling out of the parking lot, I head toward the interstate. I wonder what this trip will bring. For some reason, I have a feeling that something is going to happen that may change me or my plans. I just have no idea what that could be.

  One thing I hate about living in Louisville is the traffic; there are always so many cars on the road. At home, heavy traffic consists of being behind a tractor, bus, or Amish buggy with a line of cars trailing you.

  Being from a small town isn't all it's cracked up to be. Everyone knows you and your business. You’re judged on what they think they know more so than what you really did. I hate it, but that is just the way it is.

  Don't get me wrong, I love where I grew up. But sometimes you just need to get out. Besides my family, there was no reason to stay, so I left. Going home this close to graduation gets my brain working. I wonder if it will help me decide where to pursue my career. My hometown or here where I call home now?

  Who knows, maybe I’ll roll into town and be swept off my feet by my knight in shining armor. More like a country boy in Redwings and Wranglers.

  Even when
you forget, I’ll always remember.

  I’ll be the keeper of our memories.

  ~ Author Unknown

  Chapter One

  As I roll into town, I decide to stop at Minit Mart to gas up my SUV and grab a snack and a drink. I pull in to the pump and go inside to prepay and get my items. As I'm standing in line, I hear the door open. Naturally I turn to see who it is. I’m stunned. I haven't seen this person in what seems like forever and, oh boy, has he changed. The gangly boy I used to play with is gone. Tucker Wade is all man now. I self-consciously wipe my chin to make sure I hadn’t drooled on it.

  I turn away quickly because, of course, I would run into the one person that I actually like, looking as though I just rolled out of bed. No makeup, hair in a messy bun, yoga pants, a long sleeved t-shirt, and flip flops.

  I feel him behind me and can tell he’s really close. Tucker inhales deeply before his deep voice rumbles close to my ear. It’s deep and smooth and has the ability to make my knees weak.

  Do not lock your knees, do not lock your knees, Brenna. No need to make myself pass out.

  “Well, if it isn't Brenna James. Come back home, finally.”

  I look over my shoulder at him and his face is right beside mine. Why is Tucker standing so close to me? I turn around completely so he has to take a step back. I look him up and down, the same as he is doing to me. Starting at his booted feet, I can’t help but to notice how damn good he fills out his well worn jeans. Then my eyes land on his shirt and I snort.

  Attractive huh?

  “Tucker Wade, I see you still bleed blue.”