by Lauren Wood
So I made the decision to get back to school and not even worry about anything else. I needed to focus all of my attention on that and see what happens. The problem was that I took it a bit too far. I forgot to sleep and eat with my appetite gone as my life became messier by the minute. I must have collapsed because I woke up the next day in the hospital, not sure how I got there. The first person that I saw was Chris and I didn’t know what he was doing here.
“What are you doing here?”
“You didn’t have any ID on you Stacy. All you had on you was your phone.”
I was still a little fuzzy and my eyes had to adjust to the bright fluorescent light overhead. I didn’t remember what I was doing the last time I remember anything. The last thing that I remembered right off the bat was that I was in between classes or maybe I was going to a class. Either way, it appeared that I hadn’t made it. I felt a rush of embarrassment run through me and I didn’t even want to look over at the man beside me.
“So what are you doing here?”
“Well they called me last night because I was the phone number that was on your phone. I guess they didn’t think that the fact that it was all missed calls seemed to matter. I am glad that you are okay and that they called me. I didn’t know who else to call, so I went through your phone a little bit, but finally just called Ashlyn. She doesn’t want me here, but I told her that I wasn’t leaving until you woke up.”
“Don’t go.”
He turned to me and I looked away. I can’t believe that I had said that out loud, but I had and I meant it. I wanted to see him and now that he was right here, the last thing that I wanted to do was to watch him go. We had to talk and I didn’t know how I was going to say it out loud what I felt inside.
“I am not going anywhere. Where have things to talk about Stacy, a lot of things.”
“Like what?”
He gave me this half-cocked look and smiled. “Well the doctor came by. Do you know why you passed out?”
I told him that I didn’t know. It could have been a multitude of things that caused it. I knew that I wasn’t taking care of myself like I was supposed to and I hadn’t eaten much that way. That was the conclusion that I had come to while I was laying here. I don’t know if I was wrong, but it seemed like if I didn’t know, he knew and I was not sure if I wanted to hear it or not.
“Because you are pregnant Stacy, but you knew that already, didn’t you?”
I shook my head that I did. “I was going to tell you eventually, but I didn’t figure you would care either way.”
“You really think that I wouldn’t care?”
“Why would you?”
“Because I love you Stacy and I have been a wreck since you left. Your aunt refused to tell me where you were and it has been driving me crazy. I thought you had gotten another phone. Why didn’t you ever answer?”
“I wanted to forget about you Chris. I knew that you were going to break my heart and I didn’t want to let you.”
“I understand why you think that way. I have had a lot of time to really think about it and I know that I wasn’t the best man before. But all of that is going to change, it already has changed. I am so happy you are back and we can finally really be together. There is nothing that I want more than that.”
I looked up to the IV stand that was beside me and I figured that there was some really good stuff in there and that was why I was seeing Chris here. He shouldn’t be here, so why was he here?
“Do you not have anything to say about what I just said?”
I didn’t know what to say and the more I thought about it, the more I was sure that I had heard it all wrong
“I love you Stacy and we are going to be together. You and the baby.”
It was the last thing that I remember before I went back to sleep again. I dreamed about a life with just me and Chris and I woke up with this sadness because none of it was true. When I looked over and the chair next to me as empty, I was sure that I had seen it all in my mind. I relaxed back into the bed when I realized that he wasn’t coming. I don’t know what I was thinking. A man like Chris would never really love me, not really.
“Stacy, you are up. I was just getting something to drink. I knew if I left I would be gone when you woke up.”
“What are you doing here Chris?”
He smiled at me and shook his head. “I told you Stacy, I am not going anywhere.”
I closed my eyes, the tears that had threatened to fall were now doing so. Chris looked alarmed. “Why are you crying Stacy. Are you hurting? Do you want me to get the doctor?”
His concern just made me even sadder. I didn’t know wat to say. “I thought you were a dream.”
No, afraid not. I am really here and you are really mine Stacy.”
He moved into the bed with me and I knew that he was real. I needed to do was feel the touch of him on my body and I knew. Chris wasn’t a dream or he was rather and I had been lucky enough to find him.
THE END
***
I hope you enjoyed BE MY PRINCESS. For more enjoyment, I have included some bonus stories along with previews of my other books. Please check the table of content to choose what to read next.
And don’t forget to read Exclusive Steamy Romance "FILTHY Neighbor”. A HOT Never Before Published Full Length Novel
***
PARANORMAL ROMANCE
CHASER
Chapter One
Sage West took a deep breath as she stepped out of the bus. She’d decided to run until she hit the mountains, and the small mountain town of New Loveland was definitely the end of the line. It meekly admitted to a population of only several thousand, but the tourists flocked to this town that enjoyed a breathtaking mountain view and a clear and clean river that ran straight through town. As soon as she had both feet on the ground, she knew that this could be home.
The small picturesque buildings were painted in bright colors, and the sidewalks were packed with people. Sage had read that this place attracted people year round from their annual autumn harvest festivals and Christmas decorations to their spring flings and summer exploring expeditions. She was ready to shed her old life, and there was no better place to sell her unwanted possessions than the eager town of New Loveland.
She pulled up the email on her phone and glanced at the address. The woman she’d been talking to was situated in the 400 block of Main Street, and the bus stop was on the 200 block of Main Street. Glancing at the numbers, she turned herself around and headed to the rental office.
“Welcome! Welcome!” a little old lady toddled out of the back and came to greet Sage warmly. “You must the lovely Ms. West. It’s been so exciting talking to you these past few weeks. I just love the idea of picking up and starting somewhere new! So adventurous!”
Sage cringed as the woman touched her. It wasn’t so much an adventure as it was a necessity. Her old life had nothing left to offer her. “It’s been a long few days. I’d like to go ahead and get my key so I can get settled,” she said softly.
“Of course! You’ll just need to sign the rental agreement. Even though the apartment and shop are in one building, Mr. Weathers used to loan it out separately, so you’ll need to sign both agreements.”
Sage picked up the pen and signed her name in big loopy letters. “Will I need to send you two separate checks for the properties?”
“That’s something you can discuss with Mr. Weathers. Since he lives next door, I’m sure you could just drop the money off with him. He probably won’t mind one check.” The woman hesitated for a moment. “He’s usually fairly agreeable, but if he gives you any trouble, you can simply do all of your transactions through us. He’s actually quite attractive. You might enjoy getting to know him!”
Sage denied herself the pleasure of rolling her eyes. “I’m here because of men,” she said. “I’m not really in the mood to get to know a new one.”
The rental lady clicked her teeth sympathetically before handing her the keys. “Okay, you�
��re all set. You can, of course, walk to it from here, but there is a car rental place just down the street.”
“Walking is fine. I wanted a place where I could walk everywhere.”
“Excellent! Well if you’ll just walk towards the mountains until you get to Sara Beth’s Diner, and that’s where you’ll fine the best meal around, take a left, you’ll find your street just another block or two past that. If you have any questions or you get lost, don’t hesitate to call! We’re always excited to get some newcomers moving in here!”
Sage nodded. She wanted to shy away from any warm welcomes, but she needed a presence within the community if her shop was going to be successful. “Oh! One other thing. I had some boxes shipped here. Do you know if they’ve arrived?”
The woman’s eyes widened, and she nodded quickly. “Yes. Mr. Weather was…erm…gracious enough to keep the boxes in your new place. That’s quite a bit that you had shipped over.”
“Inventory,” Sage said with a smile. “Okay, well thank you for all your help. I’m sure I’ll have some questions about the town as I get going.”
“Good luck settling in and let us know when the store is up and running!” The woman waved energetically as Sage stepped cautiously out of the office.
She exhaled slowly. Talking to new people was exhausting, and that woman would have kept here there for hours if she’d let her. She followed the woman’s directions until she finally came to a beautiful empty shop encased in glass that was two stories tall. She inserted the key into the store and felt herself shiver with excitement as she entered it. It was completely bare, but it was the right size for what she wanted. With a few shelves and display cases, this would make a great start.
She ran her fingers along the wall as she moved up the stairs to check out the apartment. There she found a man lounging in the hallways, studying her.
She shrieked. “Christ. You scared the shit out of me,” she accused him.
He had dark brown hair that curled at the nape of his neck and beautiful golden flashing eyes that immediately gave him away.
Shifter. He was a shifter. She felt herself stiffen, and she prayed that this wasn’t her landlord. She’d had enough experience with shifters to last a lifetime.
“Davis Weathers,” he said gruffly. “I’m your landlord.”
Crap. She tried to give him a small smile. “Sage West.”
“I know. Why did you send all your crap here before you moved in? I could have left it out on the street to rot,” he muttered.
Irritation flashed through her. “The lady at the rental office said my things would be taken care of if they arrived before I got here.”
“She doesn’t own this place. I do.”
“I didn’t have your number. I had hers,” Sage snapped back. “Are we going to have a problem here? All I wanted was a nice quiet place to live and set up a small store. If you’re unable to provide that, please let me know now before I get settled in. I hate packing.”
An amused smile played out on his lips. “Welcome to New Loveland,” he said softly. “Rent is due on the first of each month.”
“Thank you,” she said coldly. She turned and froze when she saw two doors. “Why are there two entrances to the apartment?”
“The one on the left is my apartment. The one on the right is yours.”
She whirled around. “You live above the store? They said you lived next door. I assumed they meant a different building.”
“You assumed wrong. Are we going to have a problem, Ms. West?”
Desire coiled like a snake slowly inside her as she stared at those lips. She didn’t know whether she wanted to slap that smile off his face or kiss him. Unnerved, she shook her head. “It’s fine,” she muttered. She shoved her key in the lock and felt a little relief when it swung open. She didn’t even say good night as she slammed it shut.
God. The gorgeous shifter shared an actual wall with her. But it didn’t matter. She was done with them. All she wanted now was to be alone.
She was tall. Davis normally found himself with shorter women, but he loved that fact that she could meet his eye. She had curves in all the right places, an ass that would nicely fit in the palms of his hands, and thick red hair that he wanted to twist his fingers in.
Damn. He hadn’t known that his tenant was going to be a knock out. Or that she’d come with such an attitude either. He’d felt the vibrations between them as soon as he laid eyes on her, and he had a sneaking suspicion that this woman might be more than just a pretty face to him.
Davis had been second-in-command of his lion pride five years ago, but when he’d bedded the alpha’s wife, he’d been kicked out. It wasn’t his fault. He didn’t know his alpha had brought a wife home from his vacation, and although he’d ousted the woman as a shifter addict, his alpha was still none to pleased.
Two years ago, his alpha had finally found and married his mate, and he’d reached out to Davis and asked him to come home. Davis had refused. It wasn’t that he was angry with his alpha, but here, he didn’t have to worry about being in charge. He had a sense of freedom that was rare for him.
He was unattached, and he loved it.
He wasn’t the only shifter in the community. There was a wolf, a cheetah, several owls, an otter, and even a bear, but they were all submissive. He was the only alpha shifter in the town, and he found it irritating when the other shifters came to him for advice. They needed a leader, and he wasn’t willing to step up to the plate. The community begged him to help control them. The shifters, away from their packs, were often temperamental and difficult. Davis was no different, but he wasn’t here for that. He was here to be free.
He should avoid Sage West. It was clear that the beautiful woman would probably cause trouble, and he didn’t want trouble. He should have kicked her out when the first ten boxes arrived, but instead he’d hauled them in and carefully stacked them so they wouldn’t get damaged.
Even their conversation just now proved that he should end this business relationship. She clearly had a chip on her shoulder, and he didn’t need to deal with that, but instead, he’d let it go. He’d even been amused when she snapped back.
People rarely talked back to him.
So he’d keep his distance. He didn’t need trouble. He certainly didn’t need trouble from a beautiful woman.
Chapter Two
She slept soundly for a solid twelve hours. The past few weeks had been filled with gut wrenching sobbing, screaming, packing, and traveling. It wasn’t until Sage’s head hit the pillow in the furnished apartment that she finally realized what she’d done.
She’d left Connor. After two years of dating and an engagement announcement, she’d finally realized what had happened. She’d been swept up in all this talk of mating that she hadn’t even realized that she wasn’t in love with him. She never had been. She’d jumped from a shifter she loved who had never loved her to a shifter who simply loved to control women.
He’d proclaimed her his mate on day two, and she’d been swept away by his declaration. It wasn’t until she realized how many other women he’d been screwing to realize that he’d been lying to her. She wasn’t his mate, and if she’d taken the time to analyze the situation, she would have realized it.
Of course, Connor still wanted to marry her. He’d devoted his best years to cultivating their relationship and making her the perfect woman. So she’d packed in the middle of the night and left. If she didn’t, she knew she’d never leave him. He knew all the right things to say to make her stay.
She was long gone by the time the wolf had woken up, and although he threatened to come find her, she knew he wouldn’t. He had too much pride to drag her back. He’d find a new woman and who knows? Maybe the next one would actually be his mate.
When she’d finally woken up in the strange room, she was alarmed. She hadn’t slept that well in a long time, and she had no idea where she was. But the smell on the strange sheets lured her back into comfort, and she snuggled in them as
she tried to decide what to do next.
The landlord, Davis, had agreed to furnish the apartment, but she wanted her own things. That would be step one. Buy her own furniture. Connor had been loaded, and he showered her with gift throughout their relationship, and now she was going to use those gifts to buy her own life.
He, at the very least, owed her that.
She was so excited by the thought of her own freedom that she decided to get started right away. She tossed the unfamiliar sheets aside and put on her slippers before padding down the stairs. As she surveyed the boxes with a sense of glee, she didn’t even think to check the time. Under the silvery glint of the moonlight, she began to unpack her things.
The sound of a drill woke him up. He was instantly alert as he rolled over and checked the clock. Three o’clock in the morning.
Someone was breaking in.
Thinking of all of Sage’s possessions in the store downstairs, he was immediately on his feet and creeping down the stairs. The sight startled him.
She was bent over a box, dressed in black yoga pants and a blue tank-top, and he could see her heavy breasts swinging as she dug through it, muttering to herself.
A shock of desire went through him as she swept her hair to the side, and he stared that the beautiful curve of her neck. He wanted to trace his lips over it and taste her.
“What the hell are you doing?” he roared instead.
She shrieked and immediately held the drill like it was a gun. Seeing that it was only Davis, she relaxed. “Why do you keep scaring me?”
“It’s the middle of the night. Why are you drilling into my store?” he growled.
“What? You’re not a nocturnal shifter?” She shrugged. “Sorry. I wanted to get started right away.”
“I’m a lion,” he said softly. “Do you have a problem with that?”