MEGAN
“If you’re trying to hide, babe, then you’re failing. I can see you.” Aston’s words crawl over me in a smooth caress, making my throat dry up and my blood boil simultaneously.
“Why would I be hiding?” I sit up and look forward, determined not to meet his eyes.
He shrugs a shoulder carelessly, twirling a pen between his fingers. I catch his every movement from the corner of my eye. His eyes are burning into the side of my head - they’re begging me to turn, begging me to look.
“Because you want me so badly you can’t bear to see me,” he says in a dramatic tone with a touch of arrogance.
My back straightens. “Clearly someone has been feeding your ego again,” I reply dryly. “Because I don’t remember ever telling you I want you.”
His bicep brushes mine as he leans forward. “Is that so?” he asks, his voice low and barely perceptible.
I fight the urge to drop my eyes to the desk. “Damn right it is.”
A fingertip trails down the back of my arm, the tingling feeling making me fight against a shiver.
“I think you’re wrong,” he whispers. “Because I’m pretty sure you said you wanted me on Saturday night – right before you dug those nails of yours into my back and wrapped your pretty little legs around my waist.”
My head snaps round to him, and our faces are inches apart. His lips are curled in a slightly smug smile, and I hate the fact that’s where my eyes fell first. I drag them away from his mouth and across the sharp planes of his face until they meet his smoky eyes.
I remember why I didn’t want to look at him. His eyes have the power to entrance me and to break me. Right now it’s the former – the silvery hint at the edge of his iris pulling me in and holding me captive. I remember why, from the first touch of his lips against mine on Saturday night, nothing could have stopped us happening.
I brushed my lips across her neck again and watched as the world around us, spun. Her fingers twisted in my shirt and she pulled my body closer. “I didn’t expect you Araya.” I rasped against her ear and my fingers tangled in her hair, bringing her lips up to mine. Her breath was warm and sweet against my lips and I wanted to taste her so bad it hurt.{blurb}
Sean jogged over with the bat and held it out for me, grinning. “Pick your pitcher, Allie-O.”
The smirk on Ethan's face was a challenge, and I couldn't resist. “Ethan has the ball, he can pitch to me.”
He made a big show of stretching and winding up before he finally tossed the ball at me.
I smacked the ball over the pool house, and Sean started shouting and cheering, making me smile. Ethan shook his head, but he was smiling. He clearly thought I would be an easy out.
I made it all the way to the final round, kicking Sean and Jeff out of the game. I'd played softball and run track all through school to pad my transcripts.
“You gonna let her win, E?” Jeff called, winking at me from the picnic table where he sat drinking a beer.
Ethan chuckled, showing off those damn dimples. He looked down at the ball in his hands and back up at me with a grin. “If I do, will you let me take you out?”
I snorted, trying to look braver than I felt. “Not a chance.”
“Wait a sec. I like this. Let's make a wager,” he said.
The guys were all hooting and hollering at me, my face was no doubt crimson.
“What do I get if I win?” I bit my lip, feeling all their eyes on me.
“I'm thinking, hang on,” He held up his finger, his brow furrowed in thought. His eyes widened with excitement, and I knew I would regret whatever he had to say.
“If I win, I get a kiss.” If it was possible, my cheeks grew even redder. They were all laughing and making cat calls now.
“And, if I win?” I looked up at his face.
He looked at me for a second, considering. “If you win, I won't ever ask you out again.”
This earned a chorus of “Yeah, right” and “No way” from the guys.
My mouth fell open, I had not been expecting that, but his face was sober. The laughing around us fell away for a second, and I could only stare at him feeling the color drain from my face. His expression remained solemn, and he met my gaze head on.
I nodded stiffly, and swallowed. “All right.”
His grin came back in full force. “Oh, and Al?”
I raised my eyebrows at him.
“I won't lose.”
{about the book}
I froze, too afraid to move. The steps began to get louder as each second passed. My heart was pounding to its own quick rhythm. A hand grasped my shoulder and I squeezed my eyes shut expecting the worse. I began to quiver uncontrollably, wanting to scream, to run as hard as I could, but my feet were frozen. I could only stand there as my tears mixed with the rain pouring over me.
The grip was released, and suddenly an arm snaked around my back turning me in the opposite direction. I couldn’t muster up the courage to look at the person helping me. I could only assume it wasn’t Aaron. Whoever it was had too gentle of a touch. Yet instead of feeling relief a sense of nausea washed over me. Granted, I was momentarily safe, but the emotions coursing through me had made it—for a brief moment—feel like it was happening all over again.
I didn’t want to be vulnerable in front of anyone who could take advantage of me. With my heart going 100 miles per hour in my chest, I tried to push away from the person and nothing happened. They didn’t budge and their grip around me was too strong. After many deep breaths, I got the courage to glance up into eyes the color of emeralds—eyes filled with concern. My legs gave out and I sagged in his arms. Steve didn’t hesitate. He slowly lowered me to the wet asphalt and sat there while I sobbed into his already wet shirt.
Synopsis: Subject to change, unedited.---
Daxton James holds the world in the palm of his hands. He finally met the love of his life and was more than ready to start a family with her and her precious daughter, Abby. He had the best friends that anyone could ask for, a career doing two things he loved the most-music and helping people and his family piecing themselves back together, slowly but surely. Everything had fallen into place in his life and he couldn't be more happy about it.
There is only one problem---He can’t remember any of it.
Daxton was involved in a serious accident which has left him fighting for his life, while his loved ones wait in the midst, unsure if he is even going to come out of it alive. Thankfully he does, but his short term memory can’t say the same. He only remembers the Daxton he had been years previous. The playboy, the rock star and hopelessly devoted to a woman that is not Avalynn Wright.
The doctors tell Avalynn to just let his memory come back on it’s own and to not push him too much, fearful that forcing his memory will cause permanent scarring and trauma. Avalynn is so thankful to have Daxton alive, that if letting him go will keep him happy and healthy, she will do just that, even if it means killing off herself; bit by bit. Avalynn struggles to grasp on what is a reality and what is created by the stresses of her life causing her to downwards spiral, with nobody to break her fall.
Will Avalynn and Daxton make it through this or is their relationship built only as strong as a House of Cards, ready to crumble at any moment?If you haven't read In Spades yet head on over to Amazon and get your copy now!
Jason grins. “I’d never miss your birthday. Remember last year?”
“Ugh! I thought I’d never thaw out after we went skiing in a blizzard. We were stranded for three days in that cabin we found in the woods.”
“Aw, come on, you didn’t even get frostbite. I took care of you.”
“At least I didn’t end up with any broken limbs. That time.”
“I still can’t believe we went snow-boarding on East Pillar Mountain Loop. That’s a tough trail, and then you broke your arm slipping in the parking lot on the way to the truck.”
My muscles were exhausted, and carrying my board on my shoulder, I wasn’t watching where I was going. I didn’t see the patch of ice. “Remember when you took me spelunking?”
“I had no idea that bear was in there.”
“I can’t remember ever being that scared.”
“But it was fun! Come on. We can’t break tradition.”
{about the author}
{about the book} |
| Bonded |
 |
| Secrets |
James stood and put his right hand into the air separating our bodies. I looked at it and snapped back up in alarm. “What do you want me to do with that?” My heart started to race. We couldn’t touch. What if he could sense how he affected me? He could do whatever he wanted then and he could just tell Troy and Stephen I’d gone willingly to the slaughter. It would be easy to get me to mirror his thirst.
“I will shield you myself and take it down a little at a time as you learn to pick it up your own. But I will need to know how your ability functions to better work with it. I sense people’s talents, but need to touch you in order to do so. Each person’s is different. I cannot help you to contain or manipulate yours if I don’t know the peculiarities of it.” He held his hand out palm up and wiggled his fingers playfully at me, a grin crept back into his eyes. “You will have to trust me.”
I stood too, wiping my now sweating palms on my pants, glad I had picked the jeans. They hid the marks so much better than khakis. I raised my right hand and held it palm down a few inches from his. Our bodies were little over a foot apart and my heart started hammering in my chest. My stomach was fluttering and I felt the sweat beading on my back and under my arms. I thought I was having an anxiety attack.
His face was calmly watching mine like this was the most normal thing. “You must learn to settle yourself, we haven’t even tried our first experiment yet.”
“Give me a moment.” I closed my eyes so that I couldn’t see him, then I concentrated on my breathing. With all of my issues I had spent a good amount of time practicing deep breathing and meditation. Taking this moment to “find my breath” as my books had instructed, I found my heart rate coming down and my body responding to my wishes. I reopened my eyes, my body firmly back under control.
James stood exactly as before with a pleased expression. “That was good, Claire. Are you ready to begin then?”
Too frightened to speak, I merely nodded and licked my suddenly dry lips.
Much like my earlier confession, I watched his hand moving toward my own except I felt like it was someone else’s. Mine was some stranger’s body and I was standing beside her, seeing this from the outside. When our palms were about an inch apart, I felt the hum begin, lower and quieter than I was used to. He was different than a human.
My eyes sought his. They quickly became my gyroscope, helping me balance here in this strangest of situations. He saw my surprised reaction to his feel.
“I will be easier to work with because I am not human. My emotions are much more fleeting and almost feel...” Here he became uncertain for the first time since I had met him. “I guess you would say that my body has been dead for so long that my human emotions have dulled. They are in my head, but do not affect my body as your kind’s do.”
Hmm, that was curious. I felt it building, the unstoppable urge to touch him. He’d said no harm would come and that he would help shield me, plus I had to put my hands on his. Again I felt that inexplicable pull toward him, but now it was total. The tug was in my head, in my stomach. I could feel it even in my very skin.
Dropping my resistance, I brought my hand down onto his, lightly then more firmly. I knew instantly that it was too much too soon. His feelings rushed up to me. They were so fast and fleeting that it was hard to focus on what I was getting as they flooded into me. With an incredible sense of relief I also found that with them shifting so quickly they were easy to block. It was like I had a box of his emotional “thoughts” and they were wrapped up with enough cotton that I could choose which one I wanted to grab and analyze once I got used to the pace.
I caught glimpses of faces and places from different times go flashing past me. Fascinating. Would I be able to do this when my training was complete?
Almost as rapidly as I had begun to read him, James pulled his hand back and put it in his pocket. He was breathing hard and his eyes were dark again.
“I don’t understand. That was great! I was able to separate each emotive thought you had and if I had more time, I could have read them.” It was hard to contain my exuberance. This was more than I had ever hoped I would be able to do. It was like mind reading, but more than words, I could feel flashes of what he felt about each person and place though too complex to understand in the glimpses I’d been exposed to. Realization struck me then and I felt the guilt over what I’d done.
“James, I am sorry, that was intrusive, wasn’t it? I should have warned you. You said you’d shield and I figured I would just go for it. Like ripping off a band-aid.” I couldn’t meet his eyes out of embarrassment.
Just then, the teakettle whistled making both of us jump to our feet. Carefully, so that we didn’t touch again, James carefully stepped around me before turning to go to the kitchen. “Have a seat, I’ll be right back with your tea.”
“I’ll help.” I wanted something to do with myself to help dissipate the awkwardness.
“No,” he said too harshly and too quickly, holding up his hand to me.
The rejection and humiliation burned hot. He offered to help me and when I wasn’t offending him, I bowled him over like an overeager Labrador. I worried this time I’d pushed him too far and now he would take me home.
He seemed to understand how I was feeling. His voice was meant to soothe as he broke into my thoughts. “Claire, you have a stronger ability than I was ready for. It took me by surprise is all. I will be better able to help you if I eat before we continue.”
Instantly, I felt the color drain from my face. My heart leapt into my throat. He was going to eat? Me? No, Stephen said he didn’t do that.
“Relax,” he assured with a small grin. “My supply is in my refrigerator. If you would have a seat and give me just a few moments, I will take care of my needs and return with your tea.”
“Oh, okay. That’s, um, thoughtful.” Well, that was arguably the weirdest conversation I’d ever had. Feeling better about a lot of things, confused about others, I sat down on the couch and pulled my legs up underneath me to wait while James went about his business. Left to my own nosiness, I took the time to look around. What had seemed so clean and streamlined about the house initially I now saw as sterile.
Most people have pictures around their house showing hints of who they are. Pictures of their hobbies, people they know and love, places they’ve been. I hadn’t noticed it at first, but figured out in the lack of what I was seeking that I was hoping to learn more about my handsome tutor. He spoke formally at times, so I thought he was from at least the turn of the century when English got more mixed and slang became more acceptable. Or, maybe he wasn’t American initially and had learned it later. The foreign exchange students I had met in high school had learned what we called “British English” which was way more formal than our own American version. Of course I was also looking for evidence of a girlfriend. She would have to be pretty amazing to get this guy and, I assumed, she would have to be a vampire too, or it wouldn’t be fair because she would be too scared to break up with him.
I had put the cashmere throw on my lap while I was deep in thought about the hottie in the other room who was quickly becoming an incredibly fascinating person. Uh oh, double trouble. Great to look at, better to talk to.
Switching gears for my own safety, I looked around me. This was a comfortable house, I was tired and it was safe here. Relax, I thought as I closed my eyes for just a minute. I could return myself to a steadier place while I waited, thinking we could work that much better when he returned.
It couldn’t have been more than a few minutes that I had been asleep when I awoke to his voice in my ear. “Claire, I should bring you home.”
I sat up with a start, nearly smashing into his face in the process. He must have been right in my ear. Good thing he moved so fast or we’d both have serious goose eggs on our foreheads; well, I would anyway. “No, I’m alright. Please, I’ll be fine after I have some caffeine.”
He didn’t look convinced, but I wanted a chance to prove myself after the earlier debacle. We couldn’t end our session like this or it would be our last. “Are you certain? I warned you these practices can be draining. If you are already tired, I don’t want you to pass out on me.” He grinned teasingly and I felt my stomach flip. His color was closer to human, feeding must give him color as well as warmth, which explained the difference I saw in his pallor earlier as well.
“Let me have a cup of tea and I’ll be among the living again.” I froze and shot a look at him unable to read his reaction. Not sure if I had done damage or not, I concentrated on my tea.
After a few sips I put the cup down, pushed the blanket aside and stood up. “Okay, let’s try this again. I’m ready.”
He stood as well, so gracefully it was inconceivable, mesmerizing even. “Yes,” he agreed cautiously. “But this time, you hold still and I will come to you.”
We both put our palms out again but this time, obediently, I held perfectly still. When we touched, it was not like before. He was completely shielded and I had my first feeling of just someone’s hand. This was just touch. I felt the solidness of his palm, the coolness of his skin. I felt him. I was unprepared for what it would do to me. Before I realized it, I was weeping; uncontrollably weeping.
James instantly pulled his hand back and I heard the confusion in his voice. “I was shielded, you shouldn’t feel anything.”
That just made me cry harder. I couldn’t look at him. Through my sobs, I tried to speak. “I don’t. That’s it; I’ve never felt...nothing before.”
He understood that and closed the last step between us. As I saw his arms coming up, I jerked my face up to his and he saw my panic.
“Trust me. You’ll be safe.” James put his arms around me, letting his shields block out everything and give me peace. I finally felt what it was like to be comforted by an embrace. I wept for everything I’d never had, for the fear that made me cringe from a hug instead of lean into one. I felt him lift me up with one arm, sweeping my legs up with his other and without the slightest indication of exertion, he sat on the couch pulling me up into his lap. I tried to tell myself he’d seen it all before working with people like me and then cast that aside, preferring to think this first embrace was special for more than just me.
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