by Elisa Leigh
Copyright
Sweet Curves
By Elisa Leigh
© Elisa Leigh 2018.
All Rights Reserved
In accordance with the U.S. Copyright Act of 1976, the scanning, uploading, and electronic sharing of any part of this book without permission of the publisher is unlawful piracy and theft of the author’s intellectual property. This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the author except for brief quotations used in a book review.
This book is a work of fiction. The names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the writer’s imagination or have been used ficticiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, locales, or organizations is entirely coincidental.
The use of actors, artists, movies, TV shows, and song titles/lyrics throughout this book are done so for storytelling purposes and should in no way be seen as advertisement. Trademark names are used in an editorial fashion with no intention of infringement of the respective owner’s trademark.
This book is intended for adults only. Contains sexual content and language that may offend some. Suggested reading audience is 18 years or older. I consider this book as Adult Erotic Romance.
ASIN:
Cover created by Elisa Leigh
Picture purchased from Deposit Photos
Contents
Copyright
Contents
Sweet Curves
Dedication
Prologue
ONE
TWO
THREE
FOUR
FIVE
SIX
SEVEN
EIGHT
NINE
TEN
ELEVEN
TWELVE
EPILOGUE
EPILOGUE TWO
Meet the Author
Other Books by Elisa Leigh
Acknowledgments
His Sweet Treat Excerpt
Sweet Curves
Lanie gave up long ago trying to impress her family. Her looks don't fit their views of what a Crews should look like. She's made her peace. She's got good friends and an ice cream shop to run, she doesn't have time for their drama.
Wyatt came back from the war and pushed everyone away needing time to heal. He meets Lanie right when he's ready to start living, and he knows instantly that she's the one for him. Will he give her a chance to be the woman to own his heart or will his inability to trust get in the way of something that could last an eternity?
Find out what happens when Lanie and Wyatt learn what unconditional love means.
Join us this summer when four curvy women fall in love at the beach. Find out what happens when alpha men go bananas for their curves and all the craziness that follows.
This is an insta love romance with an HEA and is first in the Clearwater Curves novella series.
Suggested reading order:
Book 1: Sweet Curves by Elisa Leigh
Book 2: Fancy Curves by M.K. Moore
Book 3: Sharp Curves by C.M. Steele
Book 4: Delicious Curves by KL Fast
Dedication
To every woman with a little extra curve. We’re all beautiful. We all deserve love. Find your happy.
xoxo Elisa
Prologue
Lanie Crews
I can’t believe I listened to my mother and I’m going to a weight loss support group right now. I know she means well, but it still hurts. This only drives home how I’ve never been good enough for our family. Ever since I was born, I’ve always felt like I had to live up to the Crews name, but never really felt like I fit. My older brother Leo and sister Lydia always made sure to let me know I wasn’t a welcome addition to the family. Mom had me later in life, and they had already earned their right in the family, I guess I had something to prove.
When daddy died a few years ago, Leo took over the family business and made Lydia his right hand. I have to admit, they are a great team. They always look down their noses at me and never once asked if I would be interested in helping. I wasn’t, but it would have been nice to be wanted. Instead, I work at my Nana’s ice cream shop, The Ice Dream Shoppe. She’s owned it since the fifties, and it’s become a staple on the boardwalk in our beach town. Thank god for my Nana, because if it weren’t for her, I don’t know what I’d be doing right now. She is the one person I’m closest to in the family. It probably has something to do with the fact that no one takes us seriously since we’re both a little bit on the different side.
Whatever, I’m going to go to this meeting and see if they can help. It’s not like I eat too terribly awful and sit around all day. In fact, I’m usually on my feet all day at the shop and barely have time to eat. It doesn’t help that I’m surrounded by ice cream all day though.
Pulling into the parking lot, I can’t help but wonder why the hell I’m even here. I know my mom suggested it, but still. I should have stood up for myself. Why does it matter so much that I’m bigger than the rest of the people in my family? Does my existence really bother them that bad? Do my curves offend them? I roll my eyes and fight the tears that are threatening to fall. I’m going to give this meeting a chance.
Walking in, I’m not surprised to find women in all shapes and sizes sitting around waiting for the meeting to start. After checking in, I sit next to a pretty woman who looks to be around my age. I begin to fidget, not sure what to do with myself.
“First time here?” The woman I sit next to asks me.
“How can you tell?” I ask and shift to look at her.
“You seem nervous, kind of like you’re not sure if you should be here, kinda like how I feel.”
I let out a breath I don’t realize I am holding. “I didn’t even want to come. My mom found the place for me and made this big production of me coming. I promised I’d go at least once just so she’d leave me alone about it.”
“And here you are.” She smiles. There’s something about her that puts me at ease, something I haven’t felt from many people.
“Here are am.” I laugh. “I’m Lanie,” I say holding out my hand to her, and she shakes it.
“I’m Fancy. Don’t you work at The Ice Dream Shoppe on the boardwalk?”
I smile and nod. “I manage it for my Nana.”
“Oh my fucking God, I love that place!” Another woman says, sitting down beside me. “Must be why I’m in this place,” she mutters under her breath making me and Fancy laugh.
“Thanks. I’m Lanie, this is Fancy.”
“Avery. But seriously, that place is sin in a bowl. I go by sometimes after work. I’m a server at Sean’s Crab Shack.”
All three of us sit and talk until the meeting begins. I’m actually enjoying myself, but everything she’s saying are things I’ve heard and tried before. A few minutes later a stunningly beautiful woman, dressed impeccably, walks into the meeting and sits beside Fancy. “Sorry, I’m late. I had a client that took a while.”
“Oh that’s okay Stella dear-” The leader says, but is interrupted by another woman. “The meeting started fifteen minutes ago.”
This woman looks like she should be leading a spin class and drinking a kale smoothie. No offense to people who enjoy those things, all I’m saying is I’d be surprised if she ate sugar let alone need to be at a meeting like this. That’s not what bothers me though, because to each their own, but it’s the look she’s been wearing since I saw her when I walked in tonight. She’s been looking down at all the women in here as if she’s better because of the way her body looks.
“I said I was sorry, I’m not going to repeat it.” The woman sitting next to Fancy replies.
“Preach it sister,” Avery adds in making me laug
h.
“That’s the problem with you people.”
“She did not just say, you people. Tell me I’m hearing things and this bitch isn’t starting something she can’t finish.”
Crossing her arms, the woman walks towards us. “You want to know why you’ll never look like me?”
“Not really,” Fancy says looking pissed.
“It’s people like you who sit on your fat asses every day, binge eating carbs, complaining about your bodies and never doing anything about it that proves my point. Fat people are lazy and gross. You make me sick.”
Seconds later, Avery punches Brittany, who’s laying flat on her back, holding her face, screeching.
“Listen up cunt bag. I’m proud of my “fat ass.” You have no idea who I am or what you’re dealing with, so watch yourself.”
A few minutes later Avery, Fancy, me and Stella are out in the parking lot laughing about what just happened.
“I can’t believe you hit her,” Stella says.
“I can’t believe you called her a cunt bag.” I snort, tears filling my eyes from all the laughing I’m doing.
“I hate bitches like that. How’s your hand doing by the way?” Fancy asks.
“Meh. I need a taco and a margarita. Who’s in?”
“What about your hand? You need to get it looked at.” Stella says, sounding concerned.
“I’ll be fine. This isn’t the first time I’ve hit somebody, probably won’t be the last.”
So instead of taking Avery to the clinic to get her hand looked at, we do the irresponsible thing and go get tacos and margaritas. We never did make it back to any of the meetings. Avery agreed to not say anything to people about what one of their leaders did if Brittany didn’t press charges. All in all, it worked out for everyone and the curvy girls of Clearwater became best friends. Kinda like some grown-up curvy version of “The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants.” Except instead we share margaritas and not jeans.
ONE
Wyatt Thompson
God, I love my brother, but he needs to give up on this. He comes over every week, giving me shit about what a hermit I am and checks in on me. Today is no different, he’s been here for the last twenty minutes telling me I need to get out of my house. I pour us each a glass of water and push his towards him as I take a drink.
“Drew, give it up man. I’m happy here. I’ve got everything I need. Why would I leave?” I tell him, picking my phone up to read an email that just came in from work.
He sighs and runs his hands through his hair and down his face then looks at me. “Mom’s worried about you. She made me promise not to say anything, but I think it’s the only thing that might wake you up.”
I put my phone down and look at him. This is the first time I’ve heard they are worried. “She’s really worried?” I’m a hardass with almost everyone, but when it comes to my mom and dad, I’d do anything for them. It kills me I have them concerned.
“Look at it from their perspective Wyatt. All you’ve said since you were a kid is that you wanted to be a Marine and retire as a Marine. That didn’t happen. Now you’re thirty-three years old and living alone in this big house without any neighbors.”
“I have neighbors,” I say, thinking about the older couple, Mr. and Mrs. Cannon, who lives a couple miles away.
Drew rolls his eyes and crosses his arms. “Dude, you work from home and have your groceries delivered. When was the last time you went and saw Mom and Dad? Hell, when was the last time you went to town and did something fun?”
Leaning against my kitchen counter, I look away thinking about how long it has been since I’ve gone to my parent’s house. Honestly, it’s been a while.
“Look, Tom and I would love to have you over for dinner. Maisie and Sarah miss their uncle. Now that it’s almost summer time they will have loads of free time. They keep asking to see you.”
I smile, feeling proud of my brother and the family he has built with his husband, Tom. They adopted the girls when they were babies, and I hate that I haven’t spent much time with them since I got home from the middle east.
“Fuck, why do you have to be right?” I ask, glaring at him.
He laughs. “It was the girls, wasn’t it?”
“Look, I’m sorry I’ve been a lo-”
“Loser uncle and son?”
“I was going to say loner, mother fucker. I can’t believe Tom puts up with your shit.”
He smiles, and I can tell he’s thinking about his husband. They met in college and have been together ever since. Drew is two years older than me and came out to us in middle school, but it didn’t surprise us. I’m proud he was able to live his life honestly and have faith we’d love him no matter what. His strength pushed me at times in my career to be a better man and ultimately helped me decide to leave the Marines to come home.
“Are the girls out of school tomorrow for the Memorial Day?”
“Yeah, Mom and Dad are watching them while Tom and I work, then we’re all having family dinner.”
“How about I pick them up tomorrow from Mom’s and spend time with them? I’ll even take them into town and do something fun.”
He smirks, the ass. “I’m telling them when I get home. Don’t punk out and break their little hearts. They’re five and seven, you don’t want to be responsible for making them cry. Then Tom will be here instead of me.”
I think of my brother-in-law and wonder if I could take him. At six foot four, he’s probably got another inch on me and twenty pounds more muscle than I do. Yeah, I could probably take him, but it wouldn’t be easy. “I’ll be there, I promise.”
✽✽✽
“Uncle Wyatt!” My nieces scream when I walk into my parent’s house the next morning.
“Come here and give me some hugs.” They run to me, and I pick them up in each arm, squeezing them to me tight. I walk to my mom with them in my arms and lean down to kiss her on the cheek. “Hey, momma.”
“Go get your shoes on and go help your granddaddy out.” She tells the girls, and they groan but eventually do as she says. Once they are outside, she lays into me.
“It’s been too long since you’ve come over. I missed you.” She says, smacking me in the arm.
I rub my arm giving her a hard time. “Ow, damn.” She glares at me for cursing, and I smile. “I missed you too momma. Sorry I’ve been a little busy at home. I need to have you and dad over soon so you can take a look at the place now that it’s finished.”
She sits down on the couch. “Drew told us you finally completed the remodel. You know, when you bought that old house I wondered how long it would take. If you would have let us help it could have gotten done much faster.”
I sit down next to her and wrap my arm around her shoulders. “I know momma. It’s something I had to do on my own. It helped me work through some stuff I needed to deal with.”
“Over there kind of stuff?” She asks.
“Yeah, over there kind of stuff.” I agree after a minute.
“You know I still have those cards if you want to talk to somebody. I’ll go get them out of my purse, hold on.”
Before she goes to stand, I grab her hand. “I’m good Mom, really. Thank you for putting up with me. If I feel like I need to talk to someone, I’ll let you know.”
“You promise Wyatt? Promise me you’ll talk to someone if you need to. I hear about all these soldiers coming home that can’t deal with being back because of what happened over there. You stay out there all on your own, and I can’t help but wonder what you’re going through. It’s not like you talk to us. I wouldn’t be able to live with myself if something happened and I could have helped.”
I pull my mom into a hug as she cries into my chest. I didn’t come here and expect her to tell me any of this, but now that she has I feel like an asshole for letting her believe that I was worse off than I was.
“I’m okay mom. I promise you. I promise if I need to talk to someone I will. It’s just easier for me to be on my own. The crow
ds are a bit much for me sometimes, that’s all.”
She looks up at me, and I dry her tears. “And you’re sleeping all right?”
Fuck, why did she have to ask me that? I’ve never been able to lie to my parents, hell I can’t lie to anyone. “Most nights are better than others.”
She sighs and gives me a sad smile. There are reasons I couldn’t finish my Marine career. I beat myself up for it daily, thinking I took the pussy way out. Then I think of my family and know that if I didn’t leave I would have never come back the person I left as.
Maisie, my five-year-old niece, comes running into the living room and launches herself into my lap. “Uncle Wyatt, Uncle Wyatt!”
“Maisie, Maisie.” I tickle her until she can’t stop laughing and is rolling around all over the floor.
Sarah walks in and looks down at us on the floor like we’re crazy. She’s the quieter one of the two, but I can tell she wants to play just as bad. “Help me, Sarah! Maisie is getting me. Help me!” She comes running over, saving me from her sister by tickling her too.
A few minutes later all three of us are laying on the floor, tired from all the tickles and laughing. Maisie pops up. “So, what are we doing today Uncle Wyatt?”
I look over at my mom, and she just laughs and shakes her head. It’s good to be home and around my family. I didn’t realize how much I missed this.
“Who wants to go to the aquarium?” I ask, and the girls cheer.
“Be back in time for dinner. Dad is grilling tonight.”
“You making pie?”
She smiles. “Only your favorite, peanut butter.”
“Count me in. We’ll be back before dinner. Call me if you need me to pick something up for tonight.”
Mom kisses my cheek. “I will. Go have a nice time today.”
TWO
Lanie
Oh my god! I cannot believe the stuff Avery is sending us right now. My cheeks burn looking at the three naked pics of guys she posted in the group chat over the past few minutes. She’s always doing stuff like this. Just one of the many reasons I love her.