Love, Laughter, and Happily Ever Afters Collection (122 page)

I inhale the scent of our bodies loving one another. His lips find mine again, our tongues gently twisting in a motion that brings peace to our erratic heartbeats. We hold onto one another so tightly it’s almost painful, silently begging the other to never let go, until are bodies betray our desires and we orgasm together.

It’s amazing what the body can feel when accompanied by the heart. It’s like a perfect symphony of feeling, of emotion, of a love you thought was impossible; until suddenly the impossible becomes inevitable.

Our breathing calms, and my mind opens to the depth of this moment for me. Brad leans in and kisses my face again, and again, and again. The wetness on my cheeks causes him to look up at me with concern. “You’re crying, baby. Did I hurt you?”

The words don’t come right away, only the tears. “I’m fine. It’s just that…I almost lost you…and I love you, Brad…I love you so much.”

His joy-filled brown eyes surround me as he brings his fingers up to caress my cheek. “I love you, too, Gabby. Fate led me to you. It will always be you.”

I lay awake and listen as Brad’s breathing slows and lulls him into a peaceful sleep. I don’t sleep, though. I don’t want to close my eyes for fear that this is all a dream. I push up on my elbows and watch him. I love him so much, and feel so grateful that he somehow managed to find his way through…through all the clutter, all the disappointment, all the pain, to finally find
me
. The real me. He loves me. Not who he wants me to be, not who he expects me to be. Just me, and that’s all I’ve ever wanted.

I’m thankful now for every moment that has led me to this point. For all my life lessons, and the people who taught me them along the way. Without them, I would never have walked down this gravelly, uneven road. The road that led me here, to Brad. This is where I’m supposed to be, and my heart knows it because I can
finally
feel it.

EPILOGUE

BRAD

ONE YEAR LATER

“ARE WE REALLY doing this?” Gabby asks me anxiously as we make our way to the top.

“What do you mean? Of course we are. It’s on your list.”

I grab hold of Gabby’s hand. As much as she wanted to do this, she seems extremely nervous now that we’re here. We’re making our way up in the elevator at ten miles per hour, and were told by the guide that the trip takes all of 41 seconds. Wild. I’m pretty excited because I’ve never done anything like this before, but even more excited that I’m doing it with my girl.

When we arrive at the top and step out, I’m in awe. The pictures and movies I’ve seen about the Space Needle don’t compare to how absolutely breathtaking it really is. You can see everything. The downtown Seattle skyline, the Olympic and Cascade Mountains, Mount Rainier, Mount Baker, even Elliott Bay.

Gabby seems completely dazzled. She looks over at me. “Wow, babe. This is simply amazing. I never imagined it would be so extraordinary.”

While Gabby goes back to admiring the view, I take a moment to admire
her
. She’s so beautiful. Her shiny chestnut hair reflects the sunlight, blowing gently off her shoulders with the light summer breeze. Her blue eyes penetrate my soul. The curve of her neck so subtly connects itself to the rest of her sculptured body. Her spirit is so full of life. The life she fills me with every day.

I walk over to her and wrap my arms around her slim waist. She instantly leans back so I can cradle her head under mine. Contentment is the only thing I feel.

Gabby tilts her head back and I stare into those gorgeous blue eyes, then move in to grab a little slice of heaven from her lips. After, she settles again under the warmth of my chin.

I have to shake myself because I can hardly believe I’m here with this girl. The girl who stepped out of my dreams and into my heart. I don’t remember ever smiling so much, feeling so much, or loving so much. She took everything I ever thought about love and turned it inside out. She turned me inside out.

“So I’ve been wondering something,” I say nervously.

“Hmmm...mmmm.”

“About your list.”

“Yeah. What about it?” she asks curiously.

“Is marrying the man of your dreams on there?”

She whips her head around, her eyes as wide and blue as the sky. I take Gabby’s delicate hand in mine as I lower myself to one knee. The tears are already beginning to form in the sweetness of her eyes.

“Gabby. Before I met you, the air surrounding me was stale; I was gasping for something...anything. But then you crashed into me and I swallowed a big gulp of life. You helped me breathe again....You made me
want
to breathe again. That moment you spilled your coffee in my shop, and you looked up at me with those embarrassed blue eyes, something inside me clicked. You awakened my heart. You got it beating again, so I could really feel it. I love the way it feels. I love the way
you
make me feel. You’re the most beautiful person I’ve ever met, not just on the outside, but on the inside, where it counts. I want to spend every single moment of my life making you happy, making you smile. Gabrielle Willis…will you do me the honor of marrying me and spending the rest of your life with me?”

Tears run slowly down Gabby’s cheeks as she stares into my eyes. Her lips move, but I don’t hear anything, so I lean in closer. The word “yes” squeaks out in a whisper through her tears. I slip the engagement ring onto her finger and she pulls me to her. The only place I want to be.

She leans back and smoothes the hair from my eyes. “Thank you,” she says.

“For what?”

Gabby takes my hand and lays it on her chest, her heart beating rapidly. “For being the one to hold my heart.”

Her lips find mine and her sweet breath fills my lungs, our tongues dancing together tenderly. Wrapping my arms around her neck, I trail a path of sweet kisses from the corner of her full lips to the curve of her throat and smile as a soft moan escapes. I come back to her lips and slide my tongue inside, tasting her, breathing her. Time stands still until we pull back, lost of breath, but full of life.

THE END

* * * * *

Read Fran's Story in
Scarred Beautiful

OTHER TITLES BY BETH

Scarred Beautiful

Lovely

Finding Autumn

Rex

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

http://www.bethmichele.com

Beth Michele is the author of Love Love, Lovely, Scarred Beautiful, and Finding Autumn. She is a Connecticut native who loves spending time with her husband and two children. If you can't find her, though, she's probably hiding out with her kindle somewhere quiet, preferably a spot overlooking the ocean. She has an affinity for Twizzlers, is a hopeless romantic, and a happily ever after fanatic.

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GETTING OUT OF HAND

By

Erin Nicholas

© 2014 Erin Nicholas. All rights reserved. Except as permitted under the U.S. Copyright Act of 1976, this book and any portion thereof may not be reproduced, scanned, transferred, or distributed in any print or electronic form without the express written permission of the author. Participation in any aspect of piracy of copyrighted materials, inclusive of the obtainment of this book through non-retail or other unauthorized means, is in actionable violation of the author’s rights. This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, media, brands, places, and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used fictitiously. The author acknowledges the trademarked status and registered trademark owners of all branded names referenced without TM, SM, or (R) symbols due to formatting constraints, and is not claiming ownership of or collaboration with said trademark brands. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or events is purely coincidental.

BOOK DESCRIPTION

Genius scientist Mason Riley can cure world hunger, impress the media and piss off the Vice President of the United States all before breakfast. But he’s not sure he can get through his high school class reunion.

Then he meets the new girl in town.

Adrianne Scott loves Sapphire Falls. The sleepy little town has been the perfect place to escape her fast-paced, high stress lifestyle. Her only plans now include opening her candy shop and living a quiet, drama-free life.

Until Mason Riley bids four hundred dollars just to dance with her.

Mason sure doesn’t look—or kiss—like a genius scientist geek. In fact, he makes Adrianne’s heart pound like nothing she’s ever experienced. Passion like this with a guy who travels the world and parties at the White House should probably be a red flag for a girl who wants a simple boring life.

Good thing no one falls in love in a weekend.

CHAPTER ONE

MASON RILEY studied his best friend’s tight butt and long legs and reflected, not for the first time, on how much easier his life would be if they were attracted to one another.

“Oh, you’re going,” Lauren said, as she turned from retrieving the garlic bread from the oven.

“I’m not going.”

“You have to.”

“No, I definitely do not.”

“Come on. It’s your hometown.”

Initially, Mason had thought he was attracted to Lauren, but they had a hard time spending any time together that didn’t quickly divert into work talk. They’d tried. But they were too compatible in their work life to ever get beyond it.

And then there was the small detail of Lauren being a lesbian.

Technically, she was bisexual, but of her last three lovers, two had been women and those two relationships had spanned almost a year.

“I’ve lived happily for the past eleven years without spending time in Sapphire Falls. I can’t imagine why that would change now simply because they need something from me,” he said.

Lauren slid the bread into a basket and handed it to him.

“Mason Riley, your hometown needs you.”

He frowned as he carried the bread and wine to the table. “Too bad.”

“You inherited that land what, two years ago? You haven’t even seen it.”

“Not true. I spent hours and hours on that land growing up.”

“You haven’t seen it since you’ve owned it.”

“It’s a big old farmhouse, a barn and three hundred and sixty acres of fields. I imagine it looks much like it did when I last saw it.”

“You should be
doing
something with it. Or letting someone else do something with it,” Lauren said.

He glanced at the letter lying conveniently in the center of the table. “They want to build on top of it.”

Lauren set two plates of chicken parmesan on the linen placemats and took her chair. “It’s a legitimate offer. You have land that you’re not using and they need land to build on. Why shouldn’t they ask you?”

“It’s a town of twelve hundred people. What could they possibly be building that’s worth investing in?”

“Why don’t you go find out?

He took a bite of chicken.

“It’s your hometown,” she tried again.

That really didn’t matter. It might mean he was an ass, but it really didn’t matter that it was where he had grown up.

It didn’t make him feel special, or intrigued, or flattered to be on the list of five
specially selected
possible investors. He knew the other four men on the list. Too well. They’d been in high school with Mason. They’d all done well enough to be included on the list, but he knew for a fact that he was worth three times what the other four were—put together.