For Rachel, I think it took almost losing Mason to realize that who she was and what she had was enough for him. More than enough. The woman she showed to the world is the exact woman that Mason fell in love with, the one that I was certain he’d take down the aisle one day.
Finishing my coffee, I got out my stationery.
Mason,
Something you don’t know about me is that I don’t like goodbyes. They’re messy and uncomfortable, which is why I’m leaving you while you are sound asleep in the arms of the woman you love. The woman you were meant to love.
I’m honored that you chose me to be your pretend girlfriend. I had more fun this month than I’ve had in years. And I learned a few things. I’m going to take with me the knowledge that you should always put your best self forward and be open to the opportunities right in front of you. Taking chances toward finding your special happiness is important, and far too often people get stuck in the daily grind, or think that the life they are living just can’t get any better, even when they know they aren’t happy. You chose happiness and that came in the form of a sweet, beautiful blonde. Do right by her. She’s taking risks of her own by giving herself to you completely.
Rachel,
Take care of him. He needs a strong woman who won’t put up with his crap. I know you’re that woman.
I’ll miss you both and think of you often. Thank you for showing me how life could be if I’d only choose happiness. One day, I’m sure I will find what I’m meant to, and when I do, and the time is right, I’ll never let it go.
Don’t ever let one another go.
All my love,
~Mia
I left the note on the kitchen counter, rolled my suitcase out the door and down the stairs, where I met the taxi.
“Logan International Airport please.”
The city flew by as the sun started to slide up over the horizon lighting the sky in soft hues of blue and gold. It had been a good month. Between baseball games, hanging out with Mason, Rachel and the rest of the crew, I’d had a blast. I also had the opportunity to get my feet wet in planning a charity event. One that was beyond successful and would help a lot of women get the help they needed to fight breast cancer. Overall, I’d rate this month as one of many that I’d never forget.
The cabbie dropped me off at the airport, I checked into arrivals, went through security, and then found a Starbucks to sit at and have more coffee and a slice of lemon bread. Something kept nagging at me and the more I tried to push it away, the more the annoying thoughts crept up and prodded me.
I pulled out my phone and my heart stuttered to a halt. A text from Wes. We hadn’t spoken since I’d hung up on him over two weeks ago.
To: Mia Saunders
From: Wes Channing
Still friends?
For a long time I thought about those words. Still friends. Were Wes and I friends? Lovers, yes. Friends…before finding out that he was sleeping with Gina, I would have said yes. Definitely. Friends with benefits, absolutely. I thought about Gin and what made us friends. Trust. History. Commonalities. But ultimately, it came down to what would my life be like if she wasn’t in it. And that answer is horrible. I’d feel lost without the anchor of her friendship. Did I have that with Wes?
The answer unequivocally was yes. Yes I did. I knew for a fact that if I called Wes right now and told him I needed him, he’d drop everything, get on a plane, and be there for me. Same as Hector or Tony, or even Alec would. Definitely Mason. Because they were my friends. People I shared a portion of my life with that made an impression on my soul. They are now a foot print on the path in my life.
With quick fingers I typed back.
To: Wes Channing
From: Mia Saunders
Yes. We will always be friends. I can’t imagine my life without you in it.
I walked through the airport, picked out a magazine and then waited at the gate before my phone dinged with an incoming message.
To: Mia Saunders
From: Wes Channing
I feel the same. Is there still room for more or have I lost you?
To: Wes Channing
From: Mia Saunders
You could never lose me. For now we go our own way.
To: Mia Saunders
From: Wes Channing
Stick with the plan?
To: Wes Channing
From: Mia Saunders
Yes.
To: Mia Saunders
From: Wes Channing
When I can see you again?
To: Wes Channing
From: Mia Saunders
The next time you’re meant to see me.
With that last text, I turned off my phone and boarded the plane to Vegas. A quick couple days with my sister and best friend would be exactly what I needed to get me ready for a month in Hawaii. I could hardly wait. Sun, surf, and suntan lotion. Bring on the heat.
Mia’s journey continues in May (Calendar Girl).
Excerpt from May: Calendar Girl (Book 5)
Black tribal tattoos. Drool worthy, thick, corded muscles wrapped in intricate weaving designs, cascaded all over tanned, toned, male skin. From the top of his left shoulder, down his bulging bicep, over his ribcage, waist, dipped into the sarong that covered his male essence and beyond. The black ropes of ink scaled down from a tree-trunk sized thigh, along tight carved out calves, to stop bluntly at the ankle. I could barely feel the sand burning the soles of my feet as I stood there in awe of the magnificent creature before me. He turned sideways giving me a lick-able view of a strong well-formed back, one that could easily lift me and two friends, and toss us easily into the ocean just beyond where he stood. A camera clicked repeatedly and then he looked at me. No, he didn’t look at me. His eyes sought mine across the thirty foot expanse between us. Brown eyes, the color of the deepest, darkest cocoa bean sizzled as they took in every ounce of my form.
The stranger’s gaze slid over me like a burning caress, so heated I fanned my face trying to remove the searing feeling that encapsulated my skin. An Italian accented voice called out some commands and finally Mr. Tattoo looked away, releasing the hold he had over me. I was freed, but felt and odd niggling sense of loss instead. The way this man looked at me was a calling, a beacon of desire needling at my psyche. One I was all too familiar with as the space between my thighs swelled and softened. I stood and watched as the man behind the camera took a dozen more photos then abruptly made a slashing gesture with his hand.
“Finito!” he said then followed it up with a, “Perfetto.”
Ripping my eyes away from the overly delicious male, I watched as the photographer twisted around, his face turned toward me. He had on a woven brown fedora style sun hat, cargo shorts, a white linen shirt that was held together by a single button that did nothing to hide the svelte body underneath it. He smiled wide and trudged over to me, sand kicking up with each step. As he came closer, I could see a soft smile, white teeth, and small wrinkles at the edges of his eyes kind blue eyes and more around his mouth. It was a handsome face that showed he’d aged well, his salt and pepper hair spiking out from under the hat.
“Bella donna,” he said grasping my shoulders, leaning forward and air kissing both cheeks. “I am Angel D’Amico, and you are more beautiful than I anticipated when my wife said we must have you for our campaign.”
At the mention of his wife, a statuesque Latina exited a white tent, her brown skin glimmering in the sunlight. A fiery red sarong style halter dress wrapped around her curvaceous form and flapped in the breeze. Her dark hair was long and whisked out as if she had a personal fan blowing directly on her to accentuate her features. Talk about beauty. This woman had loads of it. Angel clapped his hands as the woman headed our way. “Ah, my wife. Takes away breath, yes?” He asked me, and I nodded because she did steal my breath, she was that stunning.
A huge smile split across the woman’s lips. “Mia, it is so lovely to have you as part of our project.” She, too, leaned forward and air kissed both
sides of my cheeks. Now that she was close, you could see she had also been kissed by age, but it did not take away from her beauty. Aunt Millie told me that the designer and his wife were around fifty. These two could easily pass for early forties. “I am Rosa, Angel’s wife. We are excited to have you here.”
I tugged my bag up my shoulder and pushed my hair off my head. “I’m happy to be here. The island, well, what I’ve seen of it coming from the airport, is beautiful.”
“It is. You can take the next couple days getting acquainted with it. We just shot Tai and will plan to do singles of you.” Angel looked over his shoulder as Mr. Tattoo pounded a bottle of water and grabbed a shirt from someone that looked like an assistant. “Tai, come, meet your partner for the month.”
Partner? Millie didn’t say anything about having a partner. Just as I was about to question his comment the man they called “Tai” moved to meet us. When I say moved, really the entire Earth might as well have split open and separated carving out a path for him. All sound seemed to disappear and the entire environment zeroed in on nothing but this man’s progression across the sand. He was breathtaking. The muscles in his giant thighs pulsed and tensed with each step. A fine layer of abdominal squares rippled, the skin indenting around each shape with his movements. His chest shone like an opal, smooth, swirling with colors. Then again that could be the heat and my vision ebbing around his shape.
When he reached the small huddle we created with our three bodies, the addition of his giant frame had me almost stepping back because now the space seemed far too small. Hell, the beach was far too small when you had such animal magnetism and male perfection standing on it. The ocean probably cried its salty tears wishing he’d grace it’s silky depths with his presence.
Angel stretched out a hand in front of me. “Tai Niko, meet Mia Saunders. She’s going to be staying in the bungalow next to yours and doing all the couple shoots with you this month. We’re presenting you as the tropics couple for the “Beauty Comes in All Sizes” campaign.”
Tai’s brown eyes locked onto mine. He licked his plump bottom lip seductively then made a sound as though he were kissing his teeth before those fat pieces of pink flesh pursed. I did my best not to swoon but the heat that generated off this man pumped so hot around me it was like a wall of fire. He sucked in a slow breath, his nostrils flaring as his eyes swept all over my body. I didn’t say anything. Couldn’t even move or breathe under his scrutiny. “She’s radiant. I will enjoy working you,” he said, but his eyes said far more than “working” with me. Wait…what?
“You mean working with me?” I clarified shaking my head.
Once more his head tilted down and his gaze started at my feet. In that moment I just realized he was lacking hair, as in all of his hair. He had a scruff on his dome, much like the way “The Rock” kept his lack of locks. Looking him over, he very much resembled the actor “The Rock.” Huge, latte colored skin darkened even more by the suns tropical rays, tattooed, only Tai seemed far more traditional in his Samoan features and heritage.
Tai pursed his sexy lips together and smirked. “No, that’s not at all what I meant.”
Damn. This month was going to be one helluva ride. Hopefully that ride included being on top or under a six foot Samoan godlike man named Tai.
Purchase May Calendar Girl (Book 5) today!
Books and Coming Soon by Audrey Carlan
The Falling Series
Angel Falling
London Falling
Justice Falling
Trinity Trilogy
Body (Book 1)
Mind (Book 2)
Soul (Book 3)
Calendar Girl Serial
(A twelve month serial. New installments will be released every month throughout 2015)
January (Book 1)
February (Book 2)
March (Book 3)
April (Book 4)
May (Book 5 - Estimated Release 5/2015)
June (Book 6 - Estimated Release 6/2015)
July (Book 7 - Estimated Release 7/2015)
August (Book 8 - Estimated Release 8/2015)
September (Book 9 - Estimated Release 9/2015)
October (Book 10 - Estimated Release 10/2015)
November (Book 11 - Estimated Release 11/2015)
December (Book 12 - Estimated Release 12/2015)
The Indulgence Box Set - (Estimated Release 6/2015)
“A million words of romance” box set that has something for everyone. Fifteen best-selling authors with fifteen full length novels all compiled together to give every romance reader something they are looking for.
Acknowledgements
To my critique partner, Sarah Saunders, you make it easier to do what I do. Having someone who just gets me, gets my characters and understands the complexities of my process is such an incredible gift. I can’t imagine how other authors do it without someone like you to bounce things off of, vent to or just bitch-slap the muse when she gets fickle. Thank you for always being there for me.
To my editor Ekatarina Sayanova with Red Quill Editing, LLC, I am beyond happy that I found you. It’s hard to find an editor that just suits you. You suit me. Red Quill Editing, LLC is presently accepting new clients. (www.redquillediting.net)
To my personal assistant Heather White, I am so excited about this journey we’re going to take together. Thank you for choosing me! Love you girl.
Any author knows they aren’t worth their weight unless their story is backed by badass betas. I have the best!
Jeananna Goodall - I love the way you experience my stories. The emails, texts, and feedback I get from you always makes me happy. Every time I see your name pop up in one of my feeds I am elated. You’re so good at sharing your thoughts and emotions about the reading experience and it soothes me, making me believe that the masses might just like it too!
Ginelle Blanch - Just when I think I found every screw up of your and you’re and than and then you prove me wrong. You are such a goddess at finding my quirky errors. However, I should note I am learning…there weren’t nearly as many! Sure do count on you honey and you never let me down. Thank you for being you. Because you’re pretty damn great!
Anita Shofner - You will rid the world of bad tenses and comma errors one book at a time. For this, I have no doubt! I’ve given up trying to be good with commas. I figure that’s why I have editors and awesome betas! You Anita have a gift. Thank you for sharing it with me and making my work just that much better!
Christine Benoit - Oh my lovely Canadian Angel. I am beyond thrilled that I have an expert to go to for my French. As my Editor Saya would say, you cannot count on Google Translate. You have definitely proven that! Thank you for being a vital resource in making sure my Alec Dubois’s language comes out as beautiful as I intend it to. Thank you.
Thank you to the ladies at Give Me Books and Kylie McDermott for spreading this book far and wide into the virtual social world! They do amazing release day blitz and are very affordable. Look them up on Facebook.
To the Audrey Carlan Street Team of wicked hot Angels, together we change the world. One book at a time. BESOS-4-LIFE lovely ladies.
About Audrey Carlan
Audrey Carlan is a multiple times Amazon and Kobo bestselling author. She lives in the sunny California Valley two hours away from the city, the beach, the mountains and the precious…the vineyards. She has been married to the love of her life for over a decade and has two young children that live up to their title of “Monster Madness” on daily basis. When she’s not writing wickedly hot romances, doing yoga, or sipping wine with her “soul sisters”, she can be found with her nose stuck in book or her Kindle. A hot, smutty, romantic book to be exact!
Any and all feedback is greatly appreciated and feeds the soul. You can contact Audrey or her personal assistant Heather White below:
Email: [email protected]
Personal Assistant: [email protected]
Facebook: www.facebook.com/AuthorAudreyCarlan
Website: www.audreycarlan.com
Twitter: @AudreyCarlan
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7831156.Audrey_Carlan
Table of Contents
Dedication
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Excerpt from May: Calendar Girl (Book 5)
Books and Coming Soon by Audrey Carlan
Acknowledgements
About Audrey Carlan
April (Calendar Girl #4) Page 12