by Vi Keeland
“But they’re good tears, not bad tears.”
“Still. It kills me to see any tears on your beautiful face.”
I smile. He lifts the locket from between my cleavage. “I like where it falls,” he grins devilishly while fingering the heart on the chain where it dangles.
“I have another present.”
“Another one?”
He reaches into his other pocket and pulls out something. “Happy Birthday.”
“Is that…?”
“Yes.” He smiles. “Oh my god. How did you know where to find it?”
“Ashley mentioned you sold a ring your Aunt gave you. So I made your Aunt go to every pawn store in the area to help me find it.”
My Aunt. I feel badly for disappearing on her, even though she kept so many secrets from me. “How is Aunt Claire?” I ask.
“Worried about you. She’s really pretty broken up over you finding out and her not being the one to tell you.”
“She could have told me herself.”
“I know.” He kisses me gently on the lips. “It doesn’t mean she doesn’t love you and hasn’t been worried. She needs to explain it to you herself, but she was trying to protect you.”
The sunlight gone, a northeast wind blows strong at the top of the tower. The breeze makes me shiver. “Come on. Let’s get out of here. I’ll call Keller to come get us.”
“Keller?”
“Yeah. He decided I invited him on this road trip.”
“Did you?”
“No.”
We both laugh. As we turn to descend the narrow steps, Zack slips a folded piece of paper into my hand as he takes it. Today I don’t wait to read it until he leaves. I stop and open it smiling up at him. I missed you. Looking deep into his eyes, I tell him, “I missed you too.”
Chapter 44
Nikki
Zack wasn’t ready to turn around and drive the twenty hours back to California and we needed some time alone. So we decided to stay in Texas a few more nights. In the end, I spoke to Aunt Claire and decided to go back to California to live with her. Texas wasn’t my home anymore, no matter how hard I wanted it to be before Zack showed up.
So tomorrow we’re leaving. Oddly, Keller and Ash have hit it off pretty good. I never would have guessed the two of them would like each other. But there’s something more than friends brewing between them. We’re already planning on her coming out to California this summer.
That brings us to tonight. Zack rented rooms for Ashley and Keller so we can be alone finally. I’m more ready to be with him than I ever was and my heart swells with a heady combination of love and lust as he walks toward the bed from the bathroom. He’s wearing skin hugging grey boxer briefs and I can tell he’s just as ready.
“I like you in my t-shirt,” he says with a wicked grin, reaching for my locket. It’s become his new toy; he seems to need to touch it multiple times a day. He doesn’t even pretend it has anything to do with jewelry anymore. He trails his knuckles up and down my breasts, the locket dangling in the palm of his hand. “I like you out of my shirt even better.” He reaches for the hem of his t-shirt and lifts it up and over my head.
The room is still and I can hear his breath speed up when he sees me in my pink lacey bra and panties. We’ve fooled around before. A lot. We’ve even seen each other fully naked. But tonight is different and we both know it. Everything is about to change.
He stands at the edge of the bed looking at me, taking his time to graze his eyes up and down my body. The desire I see makes my body break out in goose-bumps. “Last chance to change your mind,” he says, searching my eyes. He wants to be sure I’m ready. I love that about him. Always putting my needs first.
I shake my head and crawl to him at the edge of the bed. He undresses me painstakingly slowly. I’m nervous but I know he likes when I take the lead sometimes, so I pull him to me, covering his mouth with mine, and we both get lost in a kiss that makes me glad I’m not standing. I slip down his underwear and he groans as my hand grazes his hardness.
He centers himself over me, our mouths entwined in a kiss that feels like it would physically hurt to disconnect. He reaches over to the end table and grabs a condom, disconnecting only briefly to put it on. Instinctively, I wrap my legs around him and he pulls his head back. He’s positioned perfectly over me but he stills.
He laces our fingers together and lifts our entwined hands over my head. “I know it will feel amazing to be inside you, but that’s just a bonus. I need to be inside you so we can be connected even more.”
“I want that too,” I respond in a whisper. He kisses me gently as he pushes into me slowly. A burst of pain makes me gasp, but the pain eases almost as fast as it hit me. Our mouths find a rhythm that synchronizes with the rock of his hips as he gently pushes in and out. He goes slow, inching his way in a little at a time, until he’s fully seated. Settling, he gives me time to adjust to the full but incredibly wonderful feeling of him being inside of me.
Breaking our intense, languid kiss he draws his head back to check on me before moving. “You okay?” he whispers.
I nod.
“You sure?”
“I would be if you would start moving a little.” His eyebrows arch in surprise and he lets out a raspy chuckle. But the laughter is quickly replaced by something more sinister. He buries his head into my neck and nips and kisses his way from my collarbone to my ear. His rhythm increases as the gentle kisses turn to sucking and his light nips become more forceful.
My body matches his rhythm, thrust for thrust, and together we rock back and forth, completely and utterly connected in every way. Mind, heart, soul and now body. It’s beautiful and breathtaking and the only thing I regret is not being able to see every inch of us joined as we become one for the first time.
A small moan escapes my lips and it ratchets up both our needs even more. I feel his sweat-slick body tense and I know he must be close. He pulls his head back, his face filled with so much need, but again he stops to put me first. “I love you, Nikki.” His voice is raw and intense and any doubt I had left is erased. My eyes fill with tears of happiness.
“I love you, too.”
He swivels his hips a little and his body finds a new way to pleasure mine that I didn’t even know was possible. My breathing hitches, my eyes roll into the back of my head and shudders rack through me.
“So beautiful,” he whispers, his eyes keenly focused on watching me give whatever is left over to him. He pumps into me hard a few more times; the groan coming from deep in his throat is the sexiest sound I’ve ever heard.
Even as we slow our rhythm and eventually stop, he still kisses me with more passion than I ever imagined could be real.
We spend hours exploring, learning each other’s bodies, until we finally pass out from exhaustion. The last thing I remember is feeling like I’m home again. I always knew home wasn’t a place, I just didn’t know I could find it with a person who would be so deeply raveled in my life before we ever met.
EPILOGUE
Nikki—
Valentine’s Day— 3 years later
I wake to Zack’s grumbling when he trips over a box. Yet again. I smile in the dark as he tries in vain to quietly slip out to his early morning class. Instead, a low string of curses litter the room as he limps toward the bed, muttering something about a broken toe. I don’t let on that I’m awake when he leans down and kisses my forehead, slipping something under my pillow.
I wait till I hear the front door close, then slip the note out. He hasn’t left me one in a while. Even though I miss getting them, it makes his little vignettes that much more special. I unfold it. Will you be my Valentine, Birthday Girl? Like a fourteen-year-old schoolgirl, I hold it against my chest and cherish it for what it is. A note from the cutest boy in school, who I have a mammoth size crush on. Only we’re starting our last year of college now.
Two weeks ago, we finally took the plunge and moved in together. A small apartment near campus— the Waldorf,
it’s not— but I love it as much as if it were some fancy penthouse. It’s funny, the last three years we spent four nights a week together, so I didn’t think it would feel that different when we actually lived together. Yet it’s totally different. And it has nothing to do with Zack not having to sneak out before Aunt Claire gets home either. I’d told him Aunt Claire wouldn’t mind, but he insisted on doing it until the day I moved out— he didn’t want to rub it in her face that we were sleeping together. Although there is no way that she didn’t know.
After I came back from Texas, Aunt Claire and I spent a lot of time talking. I knew before I met her that she was keeping secrets from me, but my heart was still wounded that she didn’t tell me about Emily.
I found out she’d stayed in Long Beach her whole life to keep an eye on my sister. And she kept tabs on Mom and I, too. Growing up, I remember we would get these big deliveries once a month — fresh fruit, vegetables, yogurt — I loved the day the delivery man came each month. Mom never mentioned who sent the groceries, I cried for an hour when Aunt Claire told me it was her. For seventeen years she loved me, Mom and Emily from afar — a guardian angel watching over us. Now Aunt Claire and I have each other, and our guardian angels are Mom and Emily.
It didn’t take long for me to forgive Aunt Claire for her not telling me about my dad and Emily. She was only trying to protect me. I just needed to see things clearly. These days, I think of her like a best friend. Although I’d never tell Ashley— she still holds a bit of a grudge against Aunt Claire for the things that happened three years ago. That, and Ash would be crushed if she knew that my relationship with Aunt Claire rivaled ours.
And then there’s my dad. I kept away from him the first few months I was back in California. It was all too much to deal with. But Zack eventually convinced me to meet Dr. Bennett for lunch one day. I’ll never forget walking into the restaurant that Saturday afternoon. I saw him sitting at the table and our eyes locked. He stood and suddenly I was five years old again and he was Mike. If Zack hadn’t been standing next to me, I would have fallen on the floor when I saw my dad break down and cry. He handed me a single purple lily before I left that day.
I look over to my nightstand, finding a fresh purple lily. He’s brought me one every week since that lunch. Somehow I know I’ll always have one. Over the last two and a half years, we’ve spent a lot of time talking about Mom. He loved her with all his heart, he really did. But it’s complicated…
So much has changed over the last three years. I look around the room. It’s littered with boxes, but I’ve made progress. My tan musty cardboard has been upgraded. They’re now pretty boxes, colorful shades of pink, courtesy of the Box Store. I like to think they give the apartment a shabby chic look, but I’d venture to guess Zack has other choice words to describe my neurosis. Although he’s never complained once about them being all over the place.
***
Friday is Zack’s long day. He’s been at school since seven this morning and it’s nearly seven in the evening now. I expect him any minute. He’s usually wiped out and sore after four classes followed by hours and hours of grueling football practice. But something tells me he’ll get a second wind when he gets a look at his Valentine’s Day present. My new red nightie, a form fitting halter corset made of gorgeous lace with a satin tie front. It fits like a second skin. Which is good, because second skin matches with all the skin that shows when I turn around; the matching G-string leaves little to the imagination.
Hearing his keys in the door, I open it, knowing his hands will be full with all his equipment. It clanks loudly on the wooden floor when he lets it drop without a word and comes straight for me. Laying my palm to his chest, I stop him before he pounces. I hand him a folded-up note, the first one I’ve ever given him, and he arches an eyebrow. Neither of us speaks while he unfolds it.
I’ll always be your Valentine. Thank you for giving me so much more than I could have imagined. I love you.
He looks up at me, gazing into my soul with his blue eyes that tell me everything I need to hear without saying a word. Scooping me up, he cradles me gently in his arms. So different than how he’d probably planned to have me just moments ago when I opened the door. Tonight is about love. There’s a time for crazed and frantic— heck, I love it every way with Zack. But tonight…tonight will be slow and sweet. My favorite.
He walks into the bedroom with me in his arms and stops short, taking in everything that isn’t there. The boxes. They’re all gone. Every last one of them. When his eyes finally find their way back to mine, I say the words I’ve waited twenty-one years to feel.
“I’m finally home.”
Dear Readers,
Thank you for taking a chance on something different with me! I loved writing Left Behind and getting the opportunity to explore younger characters. It was an incredible experience and one I thoroughly enjoyed co-writing with Dylan Scott!
My next series will be a return to contemporary romance in early 2015. Please take a sneak peek at Throb, coming late January 2015!
Click here to Sign up to receive Chapter 1 of Throb!
And please add Throb and Beat to your reading list!
www.goodreads.com/book/show/23155597-throb
Acknowledgements
Thank you to all of the bloggers that take time away from their family and friends to support Indie Authors! Without your help, the Indie community would not have flourished to what it is today.
A special thank you to some amazing ladies that have done so much to help us bring Left Behind to fruition. Nita, Sommer, Lisa, Caitlin, Carmen and Dallison— Thank you for beta reading, editing, making kick-ass trailers, beautiful covers, and letting us drive you nuts with changes!
Thank you to all of the Ashby ladies! Evette, Maya and Jenna— for family beta reading so we could get feedback from two generations of readers! Your opinions and feedback helped to shape the story into what it is today.
Finally, thank you so much to all the readers. We love your notes, emails and reviews! Today, more than ever, you have so many choices and we are thrilled you picked us to spend some time with!
Much love,
Vi & Dylan
Vi's Bookshelf
MMA Fighter Series
Worth The Fight
It didn't matter that the ref called it a clean hit. Nico Hunter would never be the same.
Elle has a good life. A job she loves, a great apartment, and the guy she's been dating for more than two years is a catch and a half. But it's boring...and she strives to keep it that way. Too many emotions are dangerous. Her own past is living proof of what can happen when you lose control.
Then Nico walks into Elle's office and everything changes...for both of them. But what can the tattooed, hard-bodied MMA fighter and the beautiful and always steady attorney have in common? A lot more than they bargained for.
***Author's note*** THIS IS A STAND-ALONE NOVEL. Due to strong language and sexual content, this book is not intended for readers under the age of 18.
* * *
Worth The Chance
Meet Liv Michaels
It may have been seven years, but I'd know him anywhere. Sure, he's grown, filled out in all the right places, but his captivating blue eyes and cocky grin are exactly the way I remember. Even though I'd much rather forget.
Liv Michaels is almost there. She's smart, determined and weeks away from landing the job she's dreamed about for years. Time healed old wounds, even her broken heart from the devastation of being crushed by her first love.
Meet Vince Stone
Women love a fighter, especially a good one. Lucky for me, I'm damn good. But there's one woman that isn't interested. Not again, anyway.
Vince 'The Invincible' Stone is every woman's fantasy...strong, sexy, confident and completely in control. Growing up surrounded by chaos, he's learned never to get too attached. Love will drag you down. He adores women, treats them well, puts their own needs before his own...for the night anyway. With the biggest
fight of his life coming up, his focus should be on training.
When fate brings Vince & Liv back together again, there's no denying the chemistry is still there. But can Vince erase the old scars their past left behind? Or will Liv hurt him instead?
***Author's note*** THIS IS A STAND-ALONE NOVEL. Due to strong language and sexual content, this book is not intended for readers under the 18.
* * *
Worth Forgiving
They say men like a lady in the living room and a whore in the bedroom. I never knew the sentiment was reciprocal. Until I met Jax Knight. A gentleman in public, a commanding, dirty talking rogue in the bedroom.
Daughter of legendary fighter “The Saint,” Lily St. Claire knows firsthand how fighters can be. As the owner of a chain of MMA gyms, she’s no stranger to aggressive, dominating, and possessive men. That’s why she’s always kept her distance. But the day Jax Knight walks through her door she’s captivated by his charm. Stunningly handsome, well mannered, Ivy League educated, and confident, he shatters all the preconceived notions she’d come to think were true about men who trained to fight.
But falling for someone so soon after her breakup wasn’t something she’d planned on. And definitely not something her ex plans to allow.
* * *
Cole Series
Belong To You
My honeymoon was almost everything I dreamed it would be, a tropical paradise, turquoise water, romantic walks on the beach, and loads and loads of mind shattering sex. The only thing missing was the groom.
After seven years of coasting through a relationship with Michael, my senses were numb. A week of passion with a stranger was just what I needed to clear my head and take back control of my life. But how do you move on when the man that was only supposed to be a fling somehow seeps into your soul and steals your heart?