by Ruff, K. S.
Kadyn’s voice was soft as he interrupted my silent debate. “It seems you are at a bit of a crossroads. Hopefully, this marks the end of a very difficult road.”
I turned around and perched on the end of the lawn chair so I could look at Kadyn’s face. “The road I chose was a bit broken, but I still believe it was the right one.”
“Why do you say that?” he asked as he tucked a strand of hair behind my ear.
I smiled, reflecting on how the lyrics to a song could so accurately capture my life. “Because it led me straight to you.”
Kadyn quietly considered my response. His face was impossible to read.
I looked down and reached for his hands, no longer able to look into his eyes. “If you don’t mind, I’d like to stay on the same road as you.”
Kadyn reached up and lifted my chin, so he could look me directly in the eyes. “I think that sounds like a very good idea.” He kissed me softly, then leaned back in the chair.
I stared out over the ocean as I tried to gauge how I was feeling about the decision I had just made. We sat quietly awhile longer, both lost in our own thoughts.
Again, Kadyn broke the silence. “Who do you dread telling most?”
I considered the question for some time before answering. “Charlie,” I finally responded.
“Charlie?” Kadyn asked, clearly surprised.
I smiled. “Yeah, Charlie.”
He looked mildly amused. “Why?”
“Because he knew all along how this fellowship was going to end.” I shook my head in wonder, then changed the topic. “Hey, you got any paper on you?”
Kadyn glanced at me curiously. He handed me the white paper bag our food had been in. “Only this. Why?”
I smiled innocently as I reached for the bag. “I need to make a list. You got a pen?”
“No, but you could use this.” He handed me a small plastic container full of pasta sauce, looking anything but innocent.
“I can’t write with this!” I threw the pasta sauce at him and made a mad dash for the ocean. Kadyn scooped me up before I reached the waves. Then he threw me in.
Within seconds he pulled me from the waves and folded me back into his arms. “You saucy wench,” he scolded playfully.
“You’re the saucy one!” My head fell back as I laughed at my own joke.
Kadyn just rolled his eyes. Then his face turned unexpectedly serious. His voice cracked as he pulled me closer. “Thank you.”
“For what?” I asked, completely baffled by his change in mood.
Kadyn’s arms tightened around me. “For giving us a chance.”
“I can be pretty determined when I have my heart set on something.” I smiled as I repeated the words he had spoken on our first date.
A huge grin spread across Kadyn’s face. “Then we’re golden.”
I hugged him a little closer. “Hey, if you could kiss anyone in the whole entire world, who would it be?”
Kadyn didn’t bother answering. He simply crushed his lips against mine.
The waves washed over us as we lost ourselves in the kiss, oblivious to the raven haired man who stood seething on the shore.
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About the Author
I live in Northern Virginia with my football-crazed husband, two beautiful daughters, two psychotic Shih Tzus, and two freakishly large goldfish. I teach courses in international relations, foreign policy, peacekeeping, and human security at the American Military University. I also work as a reading tutor at my daughters’ elementary school. What can I say? I still love school. Reading has long been my passion, so I belong to not one but two book clubs, which I fondly refer to as my “good girl bookclub” and my “bad girl bookclub.” Suffice it to say the “bad girl bookclub” is the one that decided to read Fifty Shades of Gray.
I’ve been writing for as long as I can remember. In my childhood, I loved writing poetry, song lyrics, and short stories. Somehow, this morphed into supreme court briefs, government reports, congressional bills, journal articles, and op ed pieces as I grew older. And now? I’m writing romantic suspense novels. God only knows why.
Thanks for reading this first book in the broken series. Keep reading for more information on book two in the series. I love hearing from my readers, so please stop by ksruff.com, drop me a note, and let me know what you thought about the book!
Additional books by K.S. Ruff
beautifully broken
book two in the broken series
How many times can one woman be abducted? That’s the question burning Kristine Stone when she finds herself staring down a dark and dangerous man from her past. When she refuses to leave with him, he forces her hand by threatening to kill the man she loves, along with thousands of others. Kristine fears his terrorist connections will enable him to make good on this threat, so she complies. She thinks she has it all figured out. If she takes the path of least resistance and does everything this man asks, he will eventually tire of her and let her go. Despite this well intentioned plan, Kristine discovers just how seductive this man can be. She is forced to choose between the love of two men and stands to lose everything in the end.