After the unexpected death of her Dad
and the haunting manner in which he died Riley Shaw built invisible walls around her heart. Barriers she
created to protect her from splintering into broken pieces that couldn’t be repaired. She was unable
to move forward from her past letting the guilt of her parent’s mistakes dictate her own choices.
Dean Warren was safe. Being with him
was innocent and peaceful because she didn’t truly love him. His words held her captive in a false sense
of security. His eyes were deceptive and his promises of never pushing her beyond what she was willing
to give were broken leaving Riley Shaw in a state of regret and doubt.
Joshua Parker had the power to take what
was left of Riley’s splintered pieces and ruin her completely or make her whole again. He was her best
friend, her next-door neighbor - everything she wanted and settled on never having. Loving him was as
easy as breathing air. The fear of losing him forever was more real to her than the feelings she couldn’t
escape.
When faced with the very thing she feared
the most and in the arms she thought were safe Riley finds herself questioning every decision she has
made over the past two years. When she finally escapes the doubt in her head and accepts the truth in
her heart is it too late?
Is taking a chance with your heart worth
the escape or was it better to have never loved at all? Can forgiveness really set you free?
*Warning: This is a mature young adult
novel. Recommended for readers 17+ due to underage drinking, sexual content and adult language.
*This is book one in a series however can
be read as a standalone.
•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
Amazon: http://
tinyurl.com/ks3bt6j
Amazon UK: http://
tinyurl.com/nysqqft
Amazon CA: http://
tinyurl.com/on55pp9
•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
At school Dean approached me sitting on
the bench.
“You look so sad, Riley.” He said.
I shrugged, “well, I am.” I replied
truthfully.
He sighed. Probably thinking vainly that it
was all about him, his ego getting a boost
from my evident pain.
“We have been friends for a long time,
Riley. Even before we became more. We
were friends. Ya know? I miss you.” He told
me as he sat down and grabbed my hand.
I inwardly cringed and recoiled away from
him. However, outwardly—I did nothing.
“I know,” I said.
I didn’t miss him. I didn’t need him. In fact,
I resented him. So why was it that I
rested my head on his shoulder? I’m asking
myself that same thing as I stand in my
shower. Replaying that thought and the
image I saw on Josh’s face when he walked by—
looking at us—as though something was
there between us. There wasn’t.
I miss you, Josh.
I decide after my shower to toil without
respite. I wrap myself in a towel and walk
across the hall to my bedroom. I have my
head cast down, flipping through the playlist on
my iPod settling on, Wish you were here
by Incubus. I kick the door closed with my foot
and walk into my closet.
“We need to talk,” a voice says from my
bed. I jump, dropping my iPod on the floor
and nearly losing my towel as well. I step
out of my closet, stand in the middle of my
room, and narrow my eyes at my best
friend. Ex-best friend? Preslee’s baby daddy? Ugh!
“Damn it, Josh. You scared the crap out of
me. What are you doing here?” He drags
his eyes lazily up and down my body
before narrowing them on my face.
“I just told you. We need to talk. You won’t
answer your fucking phone, or return
my calls, or talk to me at school. So, here I
am,” he says dryly.
“Um, if you haven’t noticed I’m kind of
naked here. I uh, can you like shut your eyes
so I can put my clothes on? Then we can
talk?” I ask him feigning exasperated, when
actually I’m feeling flushed and nervous as
hell. I’ve missed him, his nearness, his voice,
and those eyes.
The way he is looking at me. It’s so intense;
I can’t help but feel affected.
He stands, and walks towards me. For
every step he takes, I take one away, until my
back is pressed to my shut bedroom door.
He is standing so close to me, I can feel his
breath whisper along my cheek. He puts
his hands on opposite sides of my head of the
door, caging me in. He is looking down at
me with such heat in his eyes that I don’t know
what to make of any of this.
“I noticed,” is all he says on a growl.
He trails his fingers along my cheek, down
my throat, to my collarbone, where he
pauses, and looks up into my shocked
eyes.
“Your pulse is racing, Riley. Am I making
you uncomfortable?” He asks, in a voice
that is almost foreign.
I shake my head back and forth, “no, yes,
no. I’m confused.” I sigh, and look down.
He tilts my chin up with his index finger. I
keep my eyes cast downward, not wanting to
look into his eyes. If I look into those hazel
eyes, I am afraid of what I will see. Of what it
will do to me.
“I see that, Riley. Look at me.” His voice is
soft, but demanding. I don’t want to look
at him, but I can’t get my body to listen to
my brain. I feel possessed. I meet his eyes just
as a tear rolls down my cheek, and then
another and another. Damn it. I am so weak. I
can’t do this.
He watches my tears fall, and drags the
pad of his thumb under my eyes to wipe
them away. I can’t stop them from
falling.
He seems just as lost as me in this
moment, looking back and forth at each of my
eyes. Studying me. Breaking me. “I’m sorry,
baby.” He rests his forehead on mine, his
dirty blonde hair tickling my eyes.
I begin to shake uncontrollably. “I… I… I
can’t do this, Josh. You need to leave,
please. Please, leave me alone.” I stutter as
I tremble.
“I can’t. I can’t leave you alone.” His eyes
flick to my mouth, and very slowly he
places his left hand on the door and raises
his right hand to my face. He slowly pads his
thumb along my bottom lip that is
quivering now.
I can’t help but shut my eyes and let my
head fall back to the door. I feel dizzy. My
breaths are coming shallowly, and my
heartbeat feels like a marching band has taken up
residence inside my chest. Thumping so
loudly, that I know he has to hear it. I’m losing
control. I want him to stop, to never stop.
What is wrong with me?
He lowers his head to my shoulder, his
breath so hot on my neck. “Riley?” He moves
his hand away from my lips and is now
tickling his fingers up and down my arm, leaving
a tingling sensation and goose bumps in
there path.
“Hmm?” I didn’t know what to say
anymore.
He slowly lifts his head, dragging his nose
along my cheek until our lips are almost
touching. His mouth is only a breath apart
from my own. I see a million emotions shadow
his eyes as he looks down at my face. His
breath is minty and tantalizing me. He presses
his chest into my own, causing me to gasp.
I look into his eyes, locking into a silent
debate of will. He wraps his hand around
the nape of my neck, his other hand cups my
cheek, and I am certain he is about to kiss
me. I don’t have the strength, or desire to stop
him.
If I lean in, we would kiss. One last taste
would put me in my coffin. Be my poison.
I’m addicted to his poison, though. I want
it on my tongue, inside my mouth. Kiss me.
He doesn’t kiss me, though. He steps back,
and stares at me for the longest time.
“I’m sorry. I can’t think straight with you
like that. I’ll shut my eyes so you can put
clothes on, and then we need to talk.” He
says, gesturing to my towel wrapped body, and
turns his back to me. It’s not up for
question. We are going to talk.
I dress quickly in white shorts and a teal
camisole. My mind is reeling of airing all of
this with him. What was he going to say?
How would I respond in hearing it? What
should I say?
I walk over to my bed where he is sitting
with his elbows rested on his knees, his
head in the palms of his hands. I place my
hand on his shoulder, and he looks up at me
with wary eyes. I place my body in
between his legs looking down at him.
His eyes are indecisive and full of worry. I
rub my index finger along his brow line
to smooth it. “Do you remember when
things used to be so easy between us? When we
used to laugh together? When you would
climb through that window just to annoy me?” I
ask looking at the glass that holds so many
good memories.
Tears are brimming his eyes, “I remember
every fucking minute ever spent with you,
Riley.”
He interlaces our fingers, watching
mesmerized as he does. I look at our intertwined
hands and back to his face. I bite my lip
nervously. His eyes look to my lips and then
back to my eyes.
“Are you getting back together with
Dean?” He asks abruptly.
My mouth falls open in shock. What’s he
smoking? For real? Seriously! Like, I
would ever do that. Doesn’t he realize any
of this?
•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
Andrea Michelle was born and raised in
Louisiana. She spent years in Tennessee and in Texas and made it full circle back to the boot she loves
so much and is currently living in Baton Rouge. She is a mother to three beautiful daughters and married
her best friend at the young age of nineteen. She is a new self published author with a debut novel in
the mature young adult contemporary romance category. She is a dreamer, a true Gemini at heart and
has a fascination with love stories. She finds inspirations in all things (friends beware) and loves poetry
and music. Her writing journey began as a young teen where she used to escape into a world of fiction
and poetry just to cope with emotions she didn't understand. She wasn't an avid reader until her adult
years and then her addiction to the one clicker became an obsession that cannot be tamed. She is not
genre specific as a reader and she will not be genre specific as a writer. "I am not writing to tap into a
niche but writing whatever my heart feels is the story to tell. Each WIP I create will have it's own voice.
Some may thrive and some may not." When Andrea isn't writing you will find her reading, listening to
music or spending time with her precious family. She is excited yet nervous to share her passion with
you but looks forward to the journey ahead. She loves to hear from her readers and is eager to make
new friends. Links below so you can friend, like, follow and support her.
•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
Hosted by:
No comments:
Post a Comment