The Sweetest Seduction, Breakaway Hearts

by Crista McHugh

  She turned her head to the side to find Patrick holding out a small velvet box. “Is that what I think it is?”

  Ben nodded. “Are you going to say yes or not?”

  “Yeah, the suspense is killing me,” Patrick added with a hint of dry sarcasm, “and I’m not even the one who’s proposing.”

  She laughed, shaking loose a few tears from her eyes in the process, and nodded. “Yes, Ben, I will marry you, but only after the games.”

  He smiled so brightly she could almost feel his joy. “Fair enough. I hope you like the ring. I had it custom made for you.”

  “You did?” She opened the velvet box and gasped. Instead of a diamond solitaire, he’d had it made into a replica of the Olympic rings using different colored gemstones. She slipped it onto her finger and stared at it in awe. “I love it.”

  “I thought you would. Enjoy the rest of the ceremonies, Hailey, and I’ll see you when they’re over. I’m sure our families can’t wait to hear the good news.”

  The screen faded to black, but it did little to darken her spirits. Patrick was the first to congratulate her, followed by other members of the team. The rest of the night passed in a blur until the moment she was finally able to reunite with Ben. She leaned into him and threw her arms around his neck.

  “I think this is a night neither one of us will forget,” he said as he pulled her closer and ran his finger along the single streak of blue she’d dyed in her hair as a reminder of the night they first met.

  “Agreed.” Desire sizzled down her spine as he kissed her, and their bodies pressed together. She doubted she’d ever grow tired of being in his arms. “I love you, Ben.”

  “And I love you, too, Hailey. I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for you, and I look forward to spending the rest of forever with you.”

  “Then let’s start with now,” she replied before he lowered his lips to hers once again.

  A Note to Readers

  Dear Reader,

  Thank you so much for reading The Sweetest Seduction and Breakaway Hearts. I hope you enjoyed it and look forward to Caleb’s story, Falling for the Wingman. If you did, please leave a review on the site where you purchased this book or on Goodreads.

  I love to hear from readers. You can find me on Facebook and Twitter, or you can email me using the contact form on my website, www.CristaMcHugh.com.

  If you would like to be the first to know about new releases or be entered into exclusive contests, please sign up for my newsletter.

  Also, please like my Facebook page for more excerpts and teasers from upcoming books. And, if you can’t get enough of the Kelly Brothers, please check out the series website, www.thekellybrothers.cristamchugh.com, for recipes, playlists, and other extras.

  --Crista

  Don’t miss the next book in the Kelly Brothers Series,

  Falling for the Wingman

  Air Force pilot Caleb Kelly has come back home with one mission in mind—to propose to the woman whose letters and lucky charm helped him survive his deployment in Afghanistan. But when he finds their apartment empty with a note saying she’s left him, he arrives at her mother’s house in rural Alabama less than a week before Kourtney is about to marry another man. Now, he’s out to win her heart again and gets some unexpected assistance from her younger sister, Alex.

  Alex Leadbetter has always thought Caleb was too good for her manipulative, social-climbing sister. She had assumed Kourtney’s identity to write letters to him and keep his spirits up until he returned home to the hard truth, never expecting to fall in love with him along the way. She convinces him that the best way to get Kourtney back is to make him think he’s fallen for someone new—her. But when a fake romance becomes all too real, her deception may leave them both grounded.

  Coming March 3, 2014

  Excerpt follows

  Excerpt from Falling for the Wingman

  “She really has you wrapped around her little finger, doesn’t she?”

  “Maybe,” Caleb said with a half smile and ran his hand over the good luck charm in his pocket. “Do you think you can help me win her back?”

  Alex choked on her beer. “Me?”

  “Yeah. After all, you said you know her better than anyone else.”

  “I think you need your head examined.”

  “Come on, Alex. Who would you rather have as a brother-in-law? Me or that prick?”

  She banged her empty bottle on the table. “Holy crap! You weren’t thinking of marrying her, were you?”

  “Should I show you the ring I bought her?”

  “No, no, no, no!” Alex massaged her fingertips into her forehead. “Why are guys so fucking stupid?”

  “And you were the one telling me to watch my language.” He took a sip of the raspberry-flavored beer, his mood lightening. He was wearing her down, and if he could get Alex on board, she’d help him find a way to get Kourtney back. “So, would you be willing to be my wingman?”

  “Give me one good reason why you’re so head-over-heels stupid for my Barbie-doll sister.” She reached for the last bottle in the bucket.

  “Are you going to be okay to drive?”

  “I live two blocks down the road. I walked over here.” She opened the bottle, catching the edge of the top against the table and smacking it firmly with her hand. She draped her arm across the back of her chair and crossed her boot-clad legs, doubt written all over face. “If you want my help, you need to convince me that you love Kourtney for more than just her double-Ds.”

  He raked his fingers through his hair, unsure how much he should reveal from those deeply personal letters. “Can’t you just take my word for it?”

  “Nope.” She grinned before raising the fresh bottle to her lips.

  “Fine, you win.” He took a drink to steel his courage before spilling his guts. “Afghanistan wasn’t a fun place to be, especially in the middle of a war.”

  “No shit. My friend J.T. still has nightmares about that place.”

  “Then you have some idea how it was over there. I saw things I never want to see again. But no matter how dark it got, your sister always had something to say to bring me back into the light. Whenever I felt like there was nothing good left in this world, I’d always find an email from her that reminded me that things weren’t as bleak as I imagined them to be. That’s why I fell in love with her.”

  Alex’s face blanched, making her freckles stand out more than before. She finished off her bottle like a college student trying to set a funneling speed record and squeezed her eyes shut afterward. Her face tightened in pain, drawing her shoulders up toward her ears. A full minute ticked by before she finally said, “Damn it. I wish you hadn’t said that.”

  “Now you know why I want her back.”

  When Alex opened her eyes, a mixture of grief and pity shimmered from their brown depths. “But what if she doesn’t want you anymore?”

  Caleb swallowed hard. It wasn’t something he was ready to consider. Not yet. “All I need is a chance to speak with her alone, to find out what changed while I was gone.”

  Alex stared at the floor and chewed her bottom lip, the empty bottle in her hands rocking from side to side. “I think I’m going to need another drink.”

  He eyed the collection of empty bottles on the table. “I think you’ve had enough, Alex.”

  She shook her head. “If you’ve had the day I’ve had, you’d need a six pack, too.”

  But she set the bottle on the table and smoothed her dress over her lap. “So, all you want is a chance to talk to Kourtney alone?”

  “Are you agreeing to help me?”

  She finally met his gaze, her eyes sharp and clever as though she hadn’t had a single drop of beer. “Maybe.”

  “Maybe?” he asked, arching a brow.

  “I’ll need a favor from you in exchange, as well as your complete cooperation with my plan.”

  He crossed his arms and leaned back. “What are your terms?”

  A mischievous smile curled her lips.
“First off, if I’m going to be your wingman, you will never, ever, refer to me as ‘Goose.’”

  For the first time since he’d left home, a full-bodied laugh erupted from his chest. “Agreed. We’ll have to come up with a unique call sign for you.”

  “Second, how long can you stay in town? If my plan is going to work, we’ll need a few days.”

  This sounded promising. “I can stay until Sunday morning. Even though I’m on my post-deployment R&R, I have to report back to Eglin so I can meet the movers Monday morning.”

  “Plenty of time. Where are you staying?”

  Uh-oh—the first hiccup in his hastily thrown together plan just revealed itself. He’d been so certain he’d be able to coax Kourtney back that he hadn’t even thought about overnight accommodations. Hell, he hadn’t even packed a suitcase.

  And Alex knew it, judging by the “I thought so” expression on her face. “Let me make a phone call.”

  She pulled out her cell and punched in a number. “Hello, Miss Martha, how are you this evening?” After a few uh-huhs and a “You’re so sweet,” she continued. “Do you have any rooms available at your B&B? My date for the wedding just got into town, and he needs a place to stay.”

  Her date for the wedding? A moment of panic kicked his heart into high gear, but Alex just kept on going as though nothing was wrong with this scenario.

  “Well, I would invite him to stay with me—once you get a look at him, you’ll understand why—but I don’t want to set tongues wagging.”

  Oh, she’d definitely have one wagging tongue—his. Not to mention her sister’s.

  “You only have a room available until Wednesday morning, huh?” She slid her gaze back to him, her drawl becoming more syrupy by the second as she twirled her hair around her finger. “That should be fine. Perhaps by then, I won’t care about my reputation.”

  He could almost hear the other woman on the line giggling with Alex.

  “That’s so sweet of you. I’ll send him over in a bit. Thank you again.” She ended the call and set her phone on the table. “I’ve got you a room at the Honey Bee Bed and Breakfast for the next three nights. Miss Martha’s a great cook, so you’re in for a treat.”

  “Back up a minute, Alex. What’s this about me being your date for the wedding?”

  “That’s where my plan comes into action. Mama and Kourtney have been harping on me for weeks because I don’t have a date for the wedding, so if you pose as my date, that gets them off my back for a few seconds.”

  “Just one problem—I’m here to convince your sister to marry me, not sit beside you as she marries that asshole.”

  She reached for his half-drunk bottle of Purple Haze and helped herself to a drink from it. “Just hear me out. As my date for the wedding, you’re automatically invited to all the pre-wedding bullshit, meaning you’ll have more access to my sister.”

  His jaw fell lax. He hadn’t considered that.

  “Furthermore, I know my sister, remember? I know for a fact she always wants what she can’t have. If she sees the two of us together, she’ll want you even more, especially if she thinks you’ve moved on to me of all people.”

  “Are you sure of that?”

  “Do I look like I’m trying to pull a fast one on you?”

  No, Alex had never been one to beat around the bush. She was frank and direct, more one of the guys than some girl who got off on playing head games with men. And as crazy as her plan sounded, it might actually work. “What’s the rest of your plan?”

  She dragged her chair to his side of the table and beckoned for him to lean in closer as she dropped her voice. “Starting tonight, we’ll show up in places where I know the town gossips will be and act like we can’t keep our hands off of each other. It’ll get back to Kourtney, and when we show up at Mama’s house on Wednesday afternoon to help with the reception favors, Kourtney will be so crazy with jealousy that you’ll have her in the palm of your hand.”

  It almost seemed too easy, except for one small problem. He’d have to pretend to be crazy about Alex when all he could think about was her sister. “And you’re okay with me using you like this?”

  He didn’t miss the flicker of pain in her eyes or the way her smile tightened. “It’s not like guys haven’t done it before. I’m used to them pretending to like me only to get closer to Kourtney.”

  That was the only hitch in her otherwise perfect plan. Alex was a nice girl, one he’d consider introducing to his brothers. She was fun, no-nonsense, always grinning. Hell, if he hadn’t met Kourtney first, he might have considered dating her. “Listen, Alex, I don’t want to hurt you—”

  “Who said anything about me getting hurt? This is my idea, after all. And I know going into it that you have your heart set on my sister, so there’s no deception or anything on your part. Just do me one favor, though.”

  “What’s that?”

  “Just don’t call me by her name.”

  Books by Crista McHugh

  The Kelly Brothers

  The Sweetest Seduction, Book 1

  Breakaway Hearts, Book 2

  Falling for the Wingman, Book 3 (Mar. 2014)

  The Heart’s Game, Book 4 (July 2014)

  The Soulbearer Trilogy

  A Soul For Trouble

  A Soul For Chaos

  A Soul For Vengeance

  The Elgean Chronicles:

  A Thread of Magic

  The Tears of Elios

  The Deizian Empire:

  Tangled Web

  Poisoned Web

  Deception’s Web

  Shattered Web

  The Kavanaugh Foundation:

  Heart of a Huntress, Book 1

  Angelic Surrender, Book 2

  “A High Stakes Game”, Book 2.5 (a free read)

  Kiss of Temptation, Book 3

  Night of the Huntress (Print Anthology of Books 1 and 2)

  Other titles by Crista McHugh

  The Alchemy of Desire

  “A Waltz at Midnight”

  Cat’s Eyes

  “More Than a Fling”

  “Provoking the Spirit”

  Eight Tiny Flames (part of A Very Scandalous Holiday Anthology)

  Author Bio:

  Growing up in small town Alabama, Crista relied on story-telling as a natural way for her to pass the time and keep her two younger sisters entertained.

  She currently lives in the Audi-filled suburbs of Seattle with her husband and two children, maintaining her alter ego of mild-mannered physician by day while she continues to pursue writing on nights and weekends.

  Just for laughs, here are some of the jobs she’s had in the past to pay the bills: barista, bartender, sommelier, stagehand, actress, morgue attendant, and autopsy assistant.

  And she’s also a recovering LARPer. (She blames it on her crazy college days)

  For the latest updates, deleted scenes, and answers to any burning questions you have, please check out her webpage, www.CristaMcHugh.com.

  Find Crista online at:

  Twitter: twitter.com/crista_mchugh

  Facebook: www.facebook.com/CristaMcHugh

  Newsletter Sign-Up: http://bit.ly/19EJAW8

  The Sweetest Seduction

  Copyright 2014 by Crista McHugh

  Edited by Gwen Hayes

  Proofreading by Victory Editing

  Cover Art by Sweet N’ Spicy Designs

  All rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the author or publisher except for the use of brief quotations in critical articles or reviews.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, places, businesses, characters and incidents are either the product of the author's imagination or are used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, actual events or locales is purely coincidental.

  ISBN-13: 9781940559919

  Breakaway Hearts

  Copyright 2014 by Crista McHugh

&nb
sp; Edited by Gwen Hayes

  Proofreading by Victory Editing

  Cover Art by Sweet N’ Spicy Designs

  All rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the author or publisher except for the use of brief quotations in critical articles or reviews.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, places, businesses, characters and incidents are either the product of the author's imagination or are used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, actual events or locales is purely coincidental.

  ISBN-13: 9781940559926