Unfortunately, it’s not me doing all those things and it’s all because I’m a dumb fuck who thought with his dick and screwed up the best damn thing to ever happen to me. When Brooke came into my life, she was so sweet and loving. She reminded me so much of Sam that I thought with her, I had a chance to have it all. I never thought Sam would have left Aiden for me. I waited so damn long to hear her say those words. Too bad the timing of them was complete shit.
Time. All I needed was some time before Sam and I could be together. I didn’t realize the night I pushed Sam away and asked for more time, it would be the last real chance I got to be with her. If I knew then what I know now, things wouldn’t have gotten so out of control. Hind sight is always twenty-twenty.
I pound back the last of my bourbon, listening to the ice clink against the glass and echo into the silence.
These days I crave the silence. This is the time when I can sit alone and remember. The time when I can close my eyes and smell her, feel her warm, soft skin and hear her magical laugh. I can pretend we’re lying on the couch together, wrapped up tightly while watching a game. Or that we are snuggled in bed after a bout of really hot, mind-blowing sex. It’s also the time when I can read her words and surround myself in the warmth of the time we spent together. My memories are all I have of her now.
I’ve read her book at least a half dozen times. I love reading about how much she loved me. And I love sitting back and remembering our time together. It’s always wild to hear the stories being told from her point of view. It’s also validating to know that she felt our connection as well, and was as crazy about me as I was about her.
What I don’t like is hearing how lost she was after I hurt her. How my betrayal aided her downward spiral to what she calls her rock bottom. I could kick my own ass for hurting her so badly. If only I could tell her that our “love square” wasn’t actually a square at all. If only I could tell her that I love her with an intensity that is destroying me inside.
I had my chance at happily ever after, though. I held a precious, beautiful butterfly in my hands but let it get away. I could never do what every fiber of my being is begging me to do. I could never tell her how I feel and potentially cause her more heartache. They say if you love someone enough, you need to set them free. And I love Sam enough to step back and let her build the life she deserves with Aiden. That isn’t me being a good man… because I’m not. It’s me giving her the one thing I have to give.
I flip the pages of the book until I come to one of my favorite parts of the story, when fate handed me the perfect chance to reconnect with my one true love.
Excerpt from Sky Cowboy
By Kasey Millstead
Release Date: October 15, 2013
© Kasey Millstead
Eight Years Earlier
I was twenty and devastated; looking to drown my sorrows. My horse, Jarrah, had passed away during the night. I’d had her since I was five and she ten when my dad bought her. It was old age and for the best; she’d been riddled with arthritis. Even though I knew it was coming, it still hurt like a mother bitch. Mid-afternoon, I took myself off to the local pub, The Cow and Calf, to wipe myself out. I walked in and sat myself up on a wooden bar stool next to Skip. Skip is an older man who’s lived in Pine Creek his entire life. He got his nickname because he’s fondly renowned for skipping in and out of the bar many times during the day to grab a beer or two.
“G’day Ava, how’ve you been?”
“Been better, Skip. What about yourself?”
“Same old, same old,” he mutters in reply.
“What can I getcha, Ava love?” Doreen asks. Doreen is the owner of The Cow and Calf. She’s also a born and bred local and has the huskiest voice on a woman I’ve ever heard. She’s one of the nicest and most sincere women I know.
“Hey Dory, I’ll have a shot of tequila and keep ‘em comin’,” I demand.
“Bad day?” She replies, cocking an eyebrow.
I nod my response.
“You got it.” She hurries off to get the alcohol and then places the bottle and a shot glass on the bar in front of me. I set a fifty dollar note on the bar and begin to annihilate myself with good old Patron.
I’d managed to down about half the bottle by the time Jeremy strolled in looking as edible as always. Dark wash Wrangler jeans covering his bottom half, black, collared shirt with Wrangler written down his left side. Scuffed high top boots on his feet – his jeans not tucked in. Usually a man wearing his boots un-tucked annoyed me. I thought it looked ridiculous. But on Jeremy Henley it looked fucking delicious.
“Hey, Jeremy,” I slur. The alcohol was definitely bringing out my inner bravado.
“Hey Ava.” He smiles at me and I melt. I feel like I could slide right off the stool and pool on the floor in a big alcoholic puddle. “What’s going on?” He says nodding towards the Patron.
“Nothing much.” I slur again and then use my fingers to shove my tongue back in my mouth and wipe away any escaping drool at the same time. “Want some company?” He grins cheekily and all I can do is stare at his mouth; hypnotized. I’m pretty sure my tongue is hanging out but I can’t do anything about it. My reflexes are too slow and besides, Jeremy is just too delicious.
He chuckles, snapping me out of my reverie, and slides onto the stool beside me.
As we finish off the bottle of tequila together, we start to flirt. Harmlessly at first, but then things start getting heated. I shift in my seat as he blows in my ear and whispers something that I can’t make out. It doesn’t matter though, it’s still hot as hell.
“I need to pee,” I slur. Wobbling as I stand, I make my way slowly outside, towards the ladies room. Once there, I use the facilities and try to give myself a pep talk. I need to calm down. Focus. Sober up a bit so I can enjoy Jeremy and actually remember having this time with him in the morning. I wash my hands and walk out, running smack bang into a hard wall of warm solidness.
“Sorry,” I giggle before looking up into the hypnotizing clear blue eyes of Jeremy. He grips me around the waist and pushes me back into the wall. His hand travels down my leg, pausing at my knee to lift up. Automatically, I curl my limb around his waist. He leans in and I smell his sweet, warm, alcohol induced breath as it mingles with mine for a split second before he touches his lips to mine. I moan involuntarily and then gasp as he grinds his hardness against my softness. His tongue sweeps in and teases mine in an erotic dance. My hands dive into his soft chocolate brown hair and I grip and tug causing a deep groan to rise from his throat.
“Get a room, Henley,” a voice calls as they walk by. I immediately drop my leg and push him back slightly. We’re both panting heavily. I try my hardest to focus. I’m so turned on its unbelievable. I would have let him take my virginity right then and there if we hadn’t been interrupted. But, we were. I take a deep breath and stumble back inside ignoring him calling my name.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Selene Chardou is a world traveler and the alter-ego of Elle Chardou.
Ms. Chardou’s writing is all about hot romance and exciting times with the wild, damaged, out of control and/or rich and famous set in the New Adult realm.
She is currently working on The Will To Love, the second novel in the Scarlet Fever Series, which will conclude the relationship between Will Cullen and Laurel Munsen, and Deadly Seduction, the first novel in The Rough Riders Series.
Ms. Chardou has lived abroad in Stockholm (Sweden), Manchester (England), Los Angeles, the San Francisco Bay Area and Portland. She currently resides in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Contact & Resources
Blog: The Realm of Selene Chardou
Goodreads: Selene Chardou Author Page
Join Selene. Chardou’s Mailing List for early notification of New Books HERE!
Follow Selene Chardou on Twitter
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If you would like to email Selene Chardou, she can be reached at: [email protected]
Published &
Upcoming Books by Selene Chardou
One More Night Trilogy (New Adult/Contemporary Romance/Women’s Literature)
Falling Into Lust
Falling Into Us
Falling Into Love
The Lovers Duet (New Adult/Romantic Mystery & Suspense/Contemporary Romance)
Out From Under
In Too Deep
Scarlet Fever Series (New Adult/Contemporary Romance/Women’s Literature)
Rock My Heart
The Will to Love (November 15, 2013)
Lust & Faith (January, 2014)
Grant’s Muse (March, 2014)
The Rough Riders Series (New Adult / Romantic Suspense/Contemporary Romance)
Deadly Seduction (Gisela Jackson & Cillian “The Killer” Cox’s story) [December 23, 2013]
Dangerous Temptations (Maeve “Misty” Cox and Evan “Babe” Hughes story) [To Be Announced]
Deadly Embrace (Jillian Hughes and Quinn “Tech” Cox’s story) [To Be Announced]
Dangerous Attraction (Geri Connery and Ronan “Puck” Cox’s story) [To Be Announced]
Young, Rich & Talented Trilogy (New Adult/Contemporary Romance/Women’s Literature)
Rock Me Out (Chyna Bleu’s story, To Be Announced)
Rock Me Sideways (Damian Phillip’s story, To Be Announced)
Rock Me In (Ava Martin’s story, To Be Announced)
Novels & Novellas by Elle Chardou
The Ties That Bind Trilogy (Contemporary Romance / Romantic Suspense with erotic and BDSM elements)
Killing Time
Killing Heartache: A Novelette (Book 1.5)
Killing Time (The Bonus Collection)
Killing Desire
Killing Me Softly
The Ties That Bind Omnibus Collection
Seasons of Love & Lust (Contemporary Romance / Contemporary Women/ New Adult)
A Summer to Remember
Falling for Autumn (November, 2013)
Winter’s Regret (January, 2014)
Spring Fling (March, 2014)
Exploitation of Love Series (Contemporary Romance / Contemporary Women)
Reckless Behavior: A Prequel Novella (2014)
Indecent Behavior, A Novel (2014)
Undertow Trilogy (Contemporary Romance / Contemporary Women / New Adult)
Undertow
Falling Under (Coming Autumn/Winter of 2013)
Drowning in You (Monika & Dylan’s story, Coming Winter of 2014)
The Atonement Series (Contemporary Romance / Contemporary Women)
Atonement, A Novel
Only Love
Only Time (Caitlyn & Liam’s Story, To Be Announced)
Only You (Drew & Aubrey’s Story, To Be Announced)
Crazy in Love (To Be Announced)
The Vamp Saga (Paranormal Romance / Urban Fantasy)
Mortal Death: Book I
Immortal Lair: A Novella (A Prequel to Death Wish)
Better Off Immortal: Book II
Queen of the Immortals: Book III
Immortal Dawn (Autumn/Winter, 2013)
The Vamp Saga Omnibus Collection (Re-issue To Be Announced)
The Hart Family Saga (Paranormal Romance / Urban Fantasy)
Hart Attack
Troubled Hart: A Novella (Book 1.5) [To Be Announced]
Change of Hart (To Be Announced)
Superstar Marriages Novella Series (Contemporary Romance)
Lara & the City of Angels
Jenna & the City of Light (To Be Announced)
The Supernaturals Novella Series (Paranormal Romance / Urban Fantasy)
Darkness Rising
The Dawn of Darkness
The Supernaturals Collection No. 1
Darkness Awakened
The Cloak of Darkness
The Theft of Darkness
Cling to Darkness (To Be Announced)
The Plague (Dystopian Romance / Horror)
The Beginning: Book I
Apocalypse 2013: Book II (To Be Announced)
In Too Deep (The Lovers Duet) Page 18