Broken Truth (39 page)

Since then, the turnover of the Manchester boutique has increased drastically, requiring Charlie to expand her staff levels.

“Sorry we are late, but the queue was crazy!”

Charlie looked up to see Amelia and Lucy rushing through the door with cups of tea and doughnuts. She chuckled to herself knowing that her friends were the worst for time keeping, even for their jobs. Thankfully their impeccable taste in fashion was more than enough to keep them coasting along.

“Where’s my Godson?” Lucy asked, peeking into the empty car seat.

“He is out the back with Callum,” Charlie replied, helping herself to a doughnut.

“You are so lucky you’re pregnant,” Amelia sighed, smoothing her hands over her flat tummy as she eyed the calorie laden piece of evil.

Taking a bite, Charlie sighed with satisfaction.

“When are we planning Cameron’s first birthday party then?” Lucy asked as she took a sip of her coffee. “He will be one in less than four weeks you know.”

“Don’t worry, I’ve left it in Callum’s safe hands,” she reassured, licking icing from her fingertips.

Getting up off of her stool, Charlie walked towards the boutique door to change the sign to open. “Fuck,” she suddenly cursed, turning around to face her friends. “My water just broke,” she said, glancing at the wet patch that was spreading dramatically over her maternity trousers. “I’m not even due for another three weeks.”

“Thank the Lord,” Xavier cheered. “Get that baby out, so I can give my girl a hug without that big arse bump in the way.”

“Avi,” Amelia scolded. “Don’t just stand there like an idiot. Go and get Callum out of the back,” she shouted as she guided Charlie over to a seat.

 “I’ll take Cameron while you both go to the hospital. Are you feeling any pain?” Lucy asked, squatting down in front of her.

“Not yet, but I’m sure it will come,” she replied, focusing her eyes on the backroom door.

A couple of seconds later, Xavier emerged with a smiling Callum in tow. Rubbing his hands together in readiness, he dipped his head to press a kiss against his wife’s lips. “Clearly somebody is a little impatient. Are you ready to pop this little bugger out, Baby?”

Charlie felt a sudden jolt in her lower abdomen, but it wasn’t enough to wipe the smile from her face. “Come on, Daddy, time for child number three.”

The End.

Acknowledgments

This is kind of surreal that I am writing acknowledgments for a book. I never in my wildest dreams ever imagined that I would be doing this and that my dreams would come true.

To my amazing husband, I can’t even put into words how thankful that I am to have you. You have put up with me being a complete and utter failure as a wife for the past year while I have been pursuing my dreams. I promise that there will be plenty of time for me to make it up to you and I will start doing the washing and cleaning again... Maybe. Thank you for allowing me to follow my dreams and being as supportive as you could be. I love you more than anything in this world.

I want to say a massive thank you to my wonderful mum who has supported me continuously throughout this journey. I love you so much and I can never thank you enough for reading through and being my idea guinea pig from the outset. Roll on book two, hey?

Thanks to my amazing Smut Sisters:  Adriane, Alexis, Amy, Dympna, Jill, Joan, Summer, Teri and Terri! I have no idea what I would have done without you girls. You guys have been my absolute rock throughout this process and I love you all. Bring on Edinburgh 2014!!!

To Michelle (PimpSmut), you have been amazing over the past few weeks and I am so glad that we found each other. Roll on the Midland meet-up in March and then Scotland!

Thank you to my Wolfpack: Hayley, Nina, Sarah and Sinead. I love you girls and your awesomeness!!

A big thank you also goes out to all of the guys at work who have listened to my constant moaning over the past year. There are too many of you to list here, but you all know who you are and that I am extremely thankful to each and every one of you.

And finally, big thanks go to YOU as the reader. I am so grateful that you took the time to read my book and are able to share on this ride with me.

Thank you so much!

<3

Beth Ashworth

Beth Ashworth was born in Manchester in 1990, but shortly moved to the modest city of Coventry where she was raised and still resides now.

As a vivid reader from a very early age, Beth has always been keen to put her words onto paper. As a child she was always found with either a book in her hand, a pen and notepad or a computer games controller.

Starting off by initially writing alternate endings to her favourite Jacqueline Wilson books from around the age of ten, Beth has continued to grow and love her passion for books.

Eventually, after many unfinished books and short stories, she finally decided to follow her passion and write books that she hopes people will love.

When she isn’t reading or writing, Beth loves to spend time with her husband and friends.

Find me on Facebook at
facebook.com/BethAshworthWriter

Follow me on Twitter at
twitter.com/Beth_A_Ashworth

Add me on Goodreads at
goodreads.com/author/show/7338255.Beth_Ashworth

Please turn over for an excerpt from
In The

Firelight
by Sibylla Matilde.

In the Firelight

by Sibylla Matilde

“I don’t think it’s
all
about the ski hill. I think there’s something else going on here.”  Shea’s breath caught in her throat and her pulse raced. With a slight pull at her arm, she slowly turned around, first focusing on the woven pattern of the thermal shirt he wore. Slowly, her eyes rose to the neckline where a faint sprinkling of hair could be seen. Then up to the deep blue of his eyes, almost black in the low light, as he stood so close to her. Towering over her. "The thing is, honey, I think you kind of like me," Rhys murmured as the flickers of firelight danced in the darkness around them.

She scoffed at him, rolling her eyes. "You? Just because you're all like hot and sexy with your broad shoulders and dark hair and blue eyes.”  She purposefully kept her eyes turned to the side, her last bit of armor against his nearness, but was unable to keep her gaze from his for long.
Keep it together, Shea. He’s only a man. An unbelievably gorgeous, God-like man, but a man nonetheless.
With increasing effort, she continued to rail at him. “I mean, yes, you're gorgeous. But every chick in this town has been making goo-goo eyes at you since you got here.”  She dropped her gaze to his chest. It didn’t really help, but it felt safer than looking him in the eye. “I've never been one to get caught up in the latest fads."

"So, then," he moved a little closer, obliterating her personal bubble, causing her body to clench deeply. A whiff of soap and pine and fresh air hit her senses, and without meaning too, as though it were completely against her will, she inhaled deeply, infusing his presence in her mind. "What you're saying is that you don't like me?" His eyes were inches from hers, the steady blue depths holding her captive.

Her voice caught in her throat as she attempted to drop her gaze...
Oh, there were those lips. Oh my.
Her mind flashed to the kiss he'd given her a few days before. The soft brush of his tongue that had coaxed her breath away. The way he had cupped his hands around her face. And he was so close again. A slight arch up onto her toes and she could taste his kiss once more.

His fingers brushed against her hip, skimming the waist of her pants beneath her thin sweater. A slight tremor quaked through her as she breathed out a soft gasp. It had been so long since anyone had really, truly touched her. And there had never been anyone like him.

"Is that what you're saying, sweetheart? You don't like me? You don't want me?" His voice was deep and thick with the same desire that burned in his blue eyes.

"I don't want to want you," she murmured halfheartedly. "You're trouble for me."

He nodded, and his thumb slipped under the hem of her sweater, grazing the bare skin low on her stomach just above the low waistline of her pants. "Well, I think we're kinda fucked, then. Because I don't want to want you either." His lips lowered towards hers slowly, and he stopped a hair's breadth away. With every word he breathed into her, each nerve ending in her body began to come alive. "But I'm afraid I do anyway."

The first touch of his lips was soft, gentle, almost magical. Barely a touch, yet electrifying and powerfully magnetic. A whisper of a kiss that ghosted across her lips. His hands moved from her hips to migrate around her waist, gently urging her to press more fully against him. So like that first kiss. But then it changed, and…
Oh my goodness.

He slanted his head to claim her lips, to plunder and seduce. A groan rumbled from deep in her chest and her shaking fingers traced the thick muscles of his biceps and shoulders. Up into his hair that curled so slightly over the edge of his collar. Her breathing grew choppy and rushed. His body forced her back a step until she was up against the counter with him pressed tightly against her.

"Fuck, you're so damn sweet... I just want to devour you," he murmured as his lips trailed along the curve of her jaw, the rough scrape of his unshaven chin leaving a tingling path in its wake. Her head arched back, drawing him down her neck to nip at her collarbones. "Why does it have to be you that does this to me?"

"This is a bad idea, you know," she exhaled. "This has the potential to really fuck things up."

"I know," he mumbled against her skin as his lips traveled up the side of her neck inching their way back to her own. "But, right now, I don't really care..."

"Me either," she whispered as she stretched against him, aching for another kiss. Their mouths fused together, and the need to get closer coursed through her. Of their own accord, her arms tightened over his shoulders as her body molded into his. Every taste and caress ignited her need that much more.

His fingertips began to dance along her ribs, causing her shirt to ride up and reveal the soft skin underneath. This set off a tremor that ran through her body, up through her arms and causing her fingers to clench against the solid muscle of his shoulders. A moan rumbled through his chest, and the knowledge that he was affected like she was set her on fire.

Her fingertips began to gather the soft fabric of his thermal, tugging the shirt up to bare the smooth, hot skin of his abs and back. His hands released her for just a moment to allow her to pull it over his head, but his hips held her steady as they pressed her against the counter. She drew back to look at the hard, defined chest before her, and her fingertips lightly caressed his pectorals and down his ribs. They tickled the dusting of dark hair covered the skin of his chest and then gave a little tug.

With a deep moan, he slid his hands deep into her hair and guided her mouth back to his. He gripped her firmly and his tongue ran along her teeth, coaxing hers into his mouth. Breathlessly, she followed his lead, aching and smoldering with want. Her lips would pull away to suck a deep breath of oxygen into her lungs, and then drew back to his of their own will.

My God! What was she doing? This wasn’t like her at all.

Rhys began to slide one strong hand down her back, pressing her against him fiercely as he explored the curve at the base of her spine. The thick muscles in his arms tensed with a fiery need, pulling the desperation from deep inside her. The heat of his bare chest scorched her, but she only wanted to be closer, to be a part of him.

His other hand left her hair and joined the first, reaching for the bottom of her sweatshirt and lifting it up over her head. Just the sensation of having her skin bare before him reignited her desire. The touch of his fingertips on her bra clasp wrenched a desperate gasp from her lips. A quick flick of his wrist, and her bra was lying on the floor.

He pushed her torso back onto the cool slate of the counter, keeping his hips tightly pressed against hers as he curved her backwards, and his callused fingers began to explore along the faintly visible prominences of her ribs. Gooseflesh immediately rose again all over her body, both from the chill at her back and the intense heat of his strong, rough hands slowly working their way towards the soft fullness of her breasts. Her nipples ached, painfully tight, and every muscle in her body seemed to vibrate with the need for him to touch her. The rough pads of his fingers skimmed down her sides as he gazed at her below him with a palpable gaze.

“Jesus Christ, you’ve got gorgeous tits, sweetheart,” Rhys breathed heavily, and Shea trembled at the fierce sound of his voice and the crude seduction of his words. “I’ve been dying to get my hands on you since the night you found me in the snow.”

Shea closed her eyes. He was so fucking beautiful standing before her, pressed against her, staring down at her. It was too much, it was almost painful. Tormenting and forceful. And then she felt the warm wetness of his tongue at the peak of her breast. A loud cry ripped from her throat as his tongue laved over the hard nipple. He drew on it deeply, and her fingernails dug into the skin on his arms as her entire body clenched tightly. The intensity of his touch pulled her torso high, arching her back.

“Fuck!” she sobbed. “Rhys…”

His mouth was magic as he licked and sucked and nipped at her breast.

“Oh, fucking hell, smooth and soft and sweet,” he murmured against her sensitive skin as his hand rose to massage the other breast, kneading it firmly and pinching slightly at the nipple ever so slightly. Every pull of his lips increased her desperation, made her temperature rise. Made her body tremble with a mad desire for more. Her fingers threaded through his thick, dark hair and held him close as he continued to worship her breasts.