Hello lovelies!
I've decided to do something special for everyone and share the first chapter of
Unexpected. You know, because I'm a huge tease. *wink wink* Anyway, I hope you enjoy your first look at
Unexpected!
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– Alina –
It's been one of those days.
You know the kind—the one where you want to rename Murphy's Law after yourself. No matter how hard you try to make it better, it just gets worse. All you want to do is go home, crawl under the covers, and sleep through the rest of the day. That's right. Now it's known as Alina's Law.
The last twenty-four hours of my life have been hell. It started yesterday afternoon when I met up with my boyfriend, Drew, for coffee. When he told me to meet him at the Mocha Shack, he made it sound important. I thought maybe he got a raise or possibly promoted at work. Turns out, he asked me if we could put our relationship “on hold” for a little bit. His explanation—if you could call it that—was that he's too stressed with his job and doesn't want to upset me if he can't meet his boyfriend obligations.
This, unfortunately, isn't the first time he's done this to me. Before I left, I told him this is the last time I'm allowing him to play this card. Next time he asks for a break, it's going to be a break
up. He reluctantly agreed.
While I drove home, my irritation over Drew turned into outright anger. His previous “relationship breaks” happened not long after we started dating. We reached the six-month mark a couple weeks back and had even been discussing moving in together. Now he wanted to take a break? Again? As soon as I got home, I sent him a text message telling him he'll have to grovel for me to take him back.
Once I got out of my car, I was stomping as I walked to my apartment door. That's when I accidentally dropped my cell phone on the sidewalk, cracking the screen. It was a brand spanking new phone, too—only a week old. Practically straight out of the box. Since it was already too late in the day to get a replacement, I had to survive without it the rest of the night.
I couldn't find the obligatory pint of Ben and Jerry's ice cream in the freezer, so I settled on the chocolate chip cookies I made Friday night. I poured a glass of milk and watched a cheesy B-movie on cable. I tried to stay up to talk about what happened with my best friend and roommate, Victoria, but she must have stayed late at the sports bar where she’s currently working part time. I ended up going to bed before midnight to get enough sleep for my early shift at Geoffrey's Diner.
I barely got any sleep—I kept tossing and turning since I couldn't stop thinking. Then this morning when I went out to my car, my back right tire was flat. I had to wake up Warren, the neighbor from across the hall, to help me fix it. As if I wasn't late enough already, I was stuck for an extra five minutes at a train crossing once I got on the road.
Upon arriving to work, I discover my Monday shift had been given away to someone else. My jerk of a boss—
The Geoffrey of Geoffrey's Diner—told me I had no excuse and I should have called. I showed him my damaged cell phone, but he just shrugged and told me, “Sorry.” And what do I do in response? I quit my job on the spot. I stormed out the front door, and I may have flipped Geoffrey off as I was walking away.
It's now three o'clock on June first and we're approaching the twenty-four hour mark of the start of Alina's Law. Everything is hitting me all at once as I sit on my bed, replacement phone in my lap, the only good thing about today. What
happened? And what am I supposed to
do about it? It's too bad Victoria is still sleeping. I could use someone to talk to about this.
Leaning forward with my elbows on my knees, I weave my fingers into my hair. I wince at how greasy it feels. I took a shower this morning, but apparently changing the tire reversed the effects. I sigh and walk to the bathroom to take a second shower. When I flip on the lights, one of the three bulbs burns out with a spark that causes me to jump. “Really?” I say out loud to the universe, rubbing my hand over my forehead. I turn to go find a new one, but throw up my hands. I'm not in the mood to change it now. I'll take care of it later.
After stripping off all my clothes and throwing them into the hamper, I climb under the hot spray of the shower. I let the water wash over me, warming my body and rinsing the last twenty-four hours off my skin. God, this feels good.
When I'm done showering, I'm going to change into pajamas and relax on the couch with a good book. I have a few romance novels to catch up on anyway. Who wouldn't want the distraction from life if they went through what I just dealt with? I've met my quota of bad things for the day. It's probably best for me to avoid leaving the house at this point. Today can't get any worse if I do that, can it?
Out of the corner of my eye, the bathroom door opens. Despite the lack of light, I can make out Drew's silhouette through the shower curtain. Looks like someone's already changed his mind.
He better be prepared to grovel, I think, smiling. I expect him to say something, but instead he steps inside the shower behind me. My jaw drops. Drew usually saves the sexual stuff for the bedroom. Anytime I suggest something outside the box, he either refuses or makes excuses. Him coming in here with me? Now
that's how to grovel.
He touches my shoulders, tracing his fingers down my back to my waist. He steps forward, pressing his front into my back. The sudden feel of our naked bodies touching causes me to shiver. Both of his hands come around under my arms and up to my breasts. He caresses them, his thumbs teasing my nipples in slow circles as he kisses along my shoulder.
I'm entranced by his touch; I've never felt anything like it before. Melting into him, I reach behind me, grabbing his ass to pull him closer. His hard length presses against my backside, making him growl. Still holding on to me, he pushes me up against the side of the shower wall. My breasts touch the cold tile as the hot water slides over my back between our bodies
Damn, this is sexy.
One of his hands descends from my stomach, going lower. A finger slips between my legs and I open immediately to the invasion. He strokes my flesh as I let out a shivering breath. His finger slides inside me once...twice...three times...then slides out. I bite my lips when his expert fingers rub over my clit with featherlight touches. He doesn't increase the pressure; he knows what he's doing. I can feel the smile against my skin when he kisses my shoulder blade. His other hand comes up to stroke the edge of my breast. Such a light touch, and yet it's like lightning zipping through me.
Is it possible to feel
too good? Because this almost is. It's almost as though one of my romance novels has been brought to life to balance out the universe. I consider it a victory. Screw you, Alina's Law!
I want—no,
need—to have him inside me. Reaching back between us, I wrap a hand around his length, slowly moving up and down. He growls again, making me feel like a naughty girl. It's the first time I've felt like one with him, the first time he's allowed me to feel like one. Removing my hand, he spreads my legs apart a little, sliding himself between my folds. My mouth falls open as he rubs against my center, then directly on my clit. A low groan vibrates from his throat and I want to swallow the sound as I taste his lips.
He's never reacted like this, so wildly primal. It turns me on in a brand new way. In fact, ever since he set foot in the shower, everything has been a thousand times better than any other time we've fooled around. How can that be? I'm coming alive with every touch. I'm a butterfly discovering her wings after emerging from the cocoon. It's like he's a different person. I'm so close; I can feel the pleasure increasing, building to greater heights. It usually takes much longer for me to reach an orgasm. Yet I know the instant he thrusts into me, I'm going to explode.
It's obvious based on how roughly he pushes against me that he's losing a battle with his self-control. His breath is erratic and hot against my ear, turning me on all the more. When his teeth graze my ear and tug on my earlobe, a tiny cry comes from my throat before I can stop it.
“You're so goddamn hot,” he whispers, his hands sliding up my sides.
That's when I tense against him. That voice...it's not Drew. I gasp when the voice finally registers in my brain. “Ryan?”
He stops moving entirely, loosening his grip on my hands. “Alina?”
Turns out I was wrong before. Today could totally get worse.
~~~~~*~~~~~
Ever had one of those
days? Alina Lyons is having one. Everything keeps falling apart and
going wrong. Just when she thinks it couldn't get worse, it does. After a
case of mistaken identity and a broken heart, she finds herself
questioning the things she thought she knew. She wonders who she can
turn to or trust anymore.
An unlikely bond with her former best
friend's ex, Ryan Wilcox, sends her life in a new direction. He offers
her a place to stay while she gets her life back on track. His
friendship is exactly what she's been missing—what she's been needing.
Alina's never felt this alive. As time goes by, the dynamic of their
relationship becomes more than either of them expected. A few innocent
kisses could lead them in a new direction, but are they prepared for
what's on the other side?
Only one way to find out.
