Stacey Lewis's Blog

If you’ve been following me for a while, you know there have been some huge changes in my life since May 2015 – I moved, my husband and I split up/divorced, I started quasi-dating again, my youngest went to live with him for a short time (he’ll be back after Christmas if not sooner), my oldest graduated high school and recently turned 18, I started a new full-time job, published a book with a publisher…it’s been a LOT.

Now that the relationship is over, the divorce has been filed, and my maiden name is now mine again, I kind of want to get as unassociated with my ex-husband as I can. Not because I hate him, but because it’s a bit of a fresh start for me.

So, in the spirit of that, there are some changes coming. the biggest one is – I’m changing the name on my books. I know…queue shocked faces. I’ve been using Stacey Mosteller since I first published Save Me From Myself in 2014. But, my maiden name is a LOT easier to spell, and I’d rather not look at that other last name every time I sign a book or visit my Facebook page. The new name I’ll be publishing under is Stacey Lewis

The Nashville Nights series will be coming down from all sales sites at the end of November in order to prepare for the changes. Along with the new name, the covers are getting a facelift, Everything I Shouldn’t & Everything I Need are being combined as are Pretending He’s You & Pretending She’s Mine – yes, you’ll be getting that soon. I’ll get to that in just a sec. Never Wanted More will also no longer be part of the NN series.

Save Me From Myself will be three years old on January 14th. To celebrate, in addition to the new covers, I’m adding 14 chapters from David’s POV. Never before seen stuff that will let you see a little of what was going on in his head when he was falling in love with Lyric. The feedback I get on the book the most is that the end wasn’t enough of an end, so there will be an extended epilogue there too. I’ll also be including the Valentine short story at the end of both the ebook and paperback as an added bonus.

Like I said up above, Everything I Shouldn’t and Everything I Need will now be one book instead of two, so it will now be a standalone. There may be a bonus scene or two added in – such as the Halloween scene posted in 2014.

Pretending He’s You and Pretending She’s Mine will also be combined into one book. I’m currently about halfway through PSM, so it will be releasing in January 2017 when the rest of the series rereleases. I’m also going to send all the books through another round of editing just to make sure they’re as polished as they can be.

That’s right…the series will rerelease with all updates in January 2017. I don’t have an exact date yet, but stay tuned for it!

There will also be some news to come on the Nashville U series and when you can expect the next books to be released, but that stuff isn’t finalized, so you’ll still have to wait for that.

In 2017, I plan to release a few other new books too. My Other Life, Deceive Me, and hopefully Anna’s book Everybody but Us to finish out the Nashville Nights series.

Gah, this was so much information. Hopefully you made it this far, and if you did, thank you for all your support! You guys rock so hard

It’s Halloween again. In case you’ve missed them, you can read previous Halloween scenes here and here.

 

Peyton rushes around her small apartment putting out bowls of food and bags of chips wearing a long, ice-blue, sparkly dress. In the month since I forced her and Max binge watch Disney movies with me, the nickname of the popular ice queen has caught on with our little group. Luckily, instead of plotting my murder, she’s embracing it this Halloween and dressing the part for the Halloween party she just had to have.

“I can’t believe you wore that for the party,” she complains, still frowning at me when she comes back to the kitchen.

I look down at my black t-shirt and black skinny jeans in confusion. “What? I’m dressed up.” My voice is defensive, because I know I put way almost no thought into my costume. I thought it was clever though – Kat being a cat for Halloween.

“You’re dressed like it’s any normal day,” Peyton says with a roll of her eyes. “The only difference is, you don’t usually look like a goth wannabe with cat ears.” She ignores my glare as she continues trying to make sure everything is perfect for tonight.

I don’t know why she’s so concerned, the only people who are going to be here are our usual crew. SarahBeth is out with her brother, his girlfriend, my sister and her baby daddy. Surprisingly, Livvie and Emmett are coming here instead, but they were the only unknowns aside from Annabelle. I’m still not sure if she’s coming. She hasn’t been much for parties as long as I’ve known her.

“Hey! I have whiskers too!” I say, pointing to where the black lines are drawn on either side of my nose. She waves me off in exasperation just as the first people arrive.

Wyatt is the first one to get to the door, and when I see who’s on the other side, I grimace. Clay walks in wearing a t-shirt and Meghan. She’s vapid and shallow. Peyton can’t stand her, but she’s been hanging all over Clay since football season started. She’s dressed in an extremely unsurprising “sexy” nurse outfit, complete with a skirt that barely covers her considerable assets, and hanging on Clay’s arm like she’s afraid he’ll desert her.

Max walks in behind them, thankfully alone, and pulls me into a quick hug when he sees me. He kisses my forehead, much like a favorite uncle would, before grabbing Peyton around the waist and smacking a loud kiss on her lips. Wyatt jerks him away from her with a scowl. “Get your own girl, asshole.” Max laughs at his possessiveness, but I can’t help but feel a little jealous. Peyton just got more romantic attention from Max than I ever have.

I watch them sadly, not noticing when Clay comes to stand beside me until I hear him laugh. “Aw, Kitty Kat, you look precious.” I turn to glare at him, and he’s grinning broadly. Reaching out a finger, he drags it along the tail attached to my jeans and smirks. “You know what would make this better?”

I narrow my eyes at him, sure I’m not going to like whatever it is he says. “What?”

“If this tail was a little more … attached.” He winks, but I don’t get his meaning. When he sees my confusion, he laughs. “I mean; I’d be more impressed if there was a hole right here.” He pokes the seam of my jeans, right where the tail is pinned on. “A cat tail plug would be way more fun to tug.”

It still takes me a second to get his meaning, but when I do, I gasp, my eyes going wide as saucers and my face bursting into flames. “You’re so gross, Clay!” I slap him on the arm and scrunch my nose up in disgust. “That’s disgusting.”

He starts to laugh, and soon he’s bent at the waist and gasping for breath. “Oh my God,” he wheezes, “you should have seen your face.” Clay laughs harder and I cross my arms over my chest, turning so he can no longer see my tail.

For the first time tonight, I notice what he’s wearing. “What are you supposed to be?” He’s wearing a pair of loose jeans and a yellow t-shirt with big white buttons and a cowhide vest printed on it. It looks familiar, but I can’t place it.

Looking entirely too proud of himself, he says, “I’m Woody. Get it?” He’s such a child.

This time I’m the one to roll my eyes. “How old are you, three?”

“Nah, I’m eight … inches.” He gives me an exaggerated wink.

Meghan laughs before she tugs on his hand, prompting both of us to look at her. It’s obvious neither of us remembered she was even there, and that makes me feel crappy. “I’m hungry, Clay,” she says, pushing out her bottom lip and twirling a lock of dark hair around one finger. I start to snort, amused by her actions, but I manage to hold it in.

“Hey Meghan, I like your costume.” It’s a total lie, but I’m trying to be nice. She just stares at me, not saying a word. For some reason, she disliked me immediately. It’s like she thinks I’m out to take Clay from her, something that couldn’t be further from the truth. Clay lets her lead him away, leaving me standing in the middle of the room alone.

Thankfully, I don’t stay that way for long. “Kat!” a voice shrieks before a whirlwind of red and black wraps her arms around me and hugs me tight.

“Hey Scar,” I say when she pulls back, letting me see her full costume. She’s dressed in an almost obscenely short dress that matches her two-toned hair. Red horns are perched on the top of her head and the grin on her face shows her for the devil she is. “Where’s Annabelle?”

The smile falls from her face, and I wish I hadn’t said anything. “She’s at the dorm. I tried to get her to come; I even went so far as to offer to do her homework for the next two weeks. She wouldn’t take it though.” I laugh, understanding why that wasn’t a good bribe. Scarlett barely does her own homework, let alone anyone else’s. I don’t get the chance to reply because Peyton’s yell grabs my attention.

“Okay, y’all. It’s movie time!” Shuddering inwardly, I wonder why I agreed to this. Scary movies are my least favorite thing ever.

Somehow, I end up sandwiched between Clay and Scarlett on the smaller couch where we’re packed in like sardines. Peyton and Wyatt are on the couch along with Max, and Emmett and Livvie settle in on the floor. Peyton starts the movie, and I look around for Meghan. When I don’t see her, I lean over so only Clay can hear me to ask, “Where’d your girlfriend go?”

He gives me a WTF look before answering. “Meg isn’t my girlfriend. Her sorority is having a big party with Sigma Phi, so she just came in for a minute to say hi and grab something to eat on her way over.”

“Oh,” I say dumbly. He turns back to the television and when I look over, I groan loudly. Peyton has a sick sense of humor. When we were at the store looking at movies, I mentioned that my mom wouldn’t let me watch the Nightmare on Elm Street movies. She was adamant I stay away, even when my friends were all watching them. Once, when I was about eight, I told her I was going out to ride my bike when I was actually sneaking over to my best friend Laura’s to watch the movies. She found me out and came right over to drag me home again. I was mortified.

Not even halfway through the movie, I’ve decided I’m never falling asleep again. Every time one of the characters falls asleep, they’re chased by a madman. The first time someone dies, I practically jump into Clay’s lap, causing him to laugh. Embarrassed, I slide back into my seat, but the next attack has me grabbing his arm and shrieking.

“Calm down, Kitty Kat,” he cajoles. “It’s just a movie.” His shoulders are shaking with his laughter, but I’m beyond caring.

Hiding my face in his arm, I mutter, “I don’t care. I hate scary movies.” I sound just as pouty as Meghan did earlier, but right now, all I can concentrate on is the bloody visual in my head. Still chuckling, Clay pulls his arm away from where my fingers are digging into him, but before I can protest, he drops it over my shoulder and pulls me into him. I burrow closer, burying my face in his side and squeeze my eyes shut. I cover my free ear with a hand and try to calm my breathing. Clay’s hand strokes my arm from my shoulder to my elbow, relaxing me slowly and all too soon, he’s shaking me awake.

“Hey sleepyhead. Movie’s over.” Once I’m sitting up, he stands, stretching his arms over his head. His shirt rides up, showcasing his taut abs and trim waist. I look away quickly, meeting Scarlett’s grinning face. She says nothing, raising one eyebrow as she looks between Clay and me.

“Don’t even start,” I tell her sharply.

Her smile widens. “Wasn’t gonna.”

 

Looking for Trouble

Stacey Mosteller

(Nashville U #1)

Published by: Swoon Romance

Publication date: September 20th 2016

Genres: New Adult, Romance

She’s:

Uptight

Sheltered

Allergic to fun

He’s:

Cocky

Crude

Unapologetic

He’s all dirty jokes and curse words, while she’s quiet and shy. She blends into the background, while he is the center of everyone’s attention.

Clay Mitchell never expected to fall in love. Especially not with a girl he’s known all his life and one who’s always been off-limits.

Opposites might attract, but in this case of explosive chemistry, someone’s heart is bound to be shattered.

As enemies become friends and friends morph into more; Clay has definitely met his match.

Goodreads / Amazon

—

EXCERPT:

Kat

“Little brother forgot about you?” Hearing his voice again makes me grit my teeth in annoyance. I stare straight ahead, shoving my phone back into my pocket and crossing my arms over my chest. I refuse to give him any attention after what just happened. When he realizes I’m not going to respond, he sighs. “C’mon, let me give you a ride. Max probably just fell asleep or something.”

He reaches for my elbow, and I jerk out of his reach. “No, that’s okay. I’ll just go back to my room and wait for him. He’ll probably be there by the time I get there.”

Clay makes a noise in his throat, but I’m not sure if he’s agreeing with me or not. “Or, you could just come with me and yell at him sooner.” “You know you want to,” he continues to cajole me. “Just think how bad he’s going to feel knowing you had to bum a ride from me. When you finally forgive him, he’ll be ready to promise you anything. Hell, that assmunch will probably give you his car if you want it.” He bumps shoulders with me, a hopeful grin on his face.

I can’t stop the answering grin that crosses mine. “Please, like anyone would want the Great Pumpkin.” My face flames as soon as the words leave my mouth. I clap my hands over it like it’s enough to bring them back, but it’s too late. Ohmigod! I’ve never told anyone my secret name for Max’s car. He’s going to kill me if he finds out.

Clay doubles over laughing, muttering, “Great Pumpkin. Holy shit, that’s funny. Great Pumpkin!” I’ve never seen him laugh so hard. He’s almost in tears. Once he calms himself down, he looks over at me, a huge smile on his face. “That’s classic. I can’t wait to see his face when I tell him what you call his precious baby.”

“No!” I shriek, dropping my hands from my mouth and holding them out towards him. “Clay. Seriously. You can’t tell him! He’d be so mad. You have to promise. Please! I’ll do anything!” Shit! I didn’t mean to say that.

Clay looks over at me, his grin even wider. I didn’t think it could get bigger than it already was. “Anything? Hmm, that could be interesting.”

He looks like he’s considering his options, so I hurry to clarify, “Anything that isn’t sexual, illegal or immoral.” Clay’s face falls, and swear to God, he pouts.

“Well, you’re no fun.”

I roll my eyes. “No, I’m just not stupid and I don’t want to end up expelled or in jail or the health clinic because you gave me the Clap.”

“The Clap?!” Clay puts a hand over his heart, gasping like he’s wounded. “I can’t believe you’d think that of me, Kitty Kat. I always, always wrap my guy. No STD’s here.” He runs his hand down his stomach, resting it on the button of his jeans as he leers at me. “Don’t be shy, little kitten. If you want to see, you just have to ask.”

Cringing away from him, I make a gagging sound. “You’re such a pig. I wouldn’t touch you if you were the last guy on Earth, and it was up to us to procreate.”

 

Author Bio:

Stacey is the New York Times & USA Today Bestselling Author of Second Chances and Shadows of the Past (co-authored with H.M. Ward), the Nashville Nights, Two Sisters and Nashville U series (coming late 2015 from Swoon Romance).

She is also a wife, mother, writer and self-professed bookwhore – not necessarily in that order! As the mother of three growing boys, her Kindle has become her temporary escape from the insanity of boys, dogs and her husband. Stacey can usually be found curled up with her iPad when she’s supposed to be writing or creating endless Spotify playlists!

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter

 

GIVEAWAY!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

I just wanted to give an update on things that are going on.

First, all the currently available books in the Nashville Nights series are free for the entire month of June! Make sure you pick them up if you haven’t already because that will end 6/31.

Second, Looking for Trouble is DONE and has been edited (it’s currently in final proofreading), so that will be coming out … wait for it … October 25th! Finally! I’m so excited for you to really get to know Clay – I kinda love him. Well, no kinda about it

Welcome to New Adult Scavenger Hunt! This bi-annual event was inspired as a way to give readers a chance to gain access to exclusive bonus material from their favorite authors…and a chance to win some awesome prizes! At this hunt, you not only get access to exclusive content from each author, you also get a clue for the hunt. Add up the clues, and you can enter for our prize–one lucky winner will receive one book from each author on the hunt in my team! But play fast: this contest (and all the exclusive bonus material) will only be online for 72 hours!

Go to the New Adult Scavenger Hunt page to find out all about the hunt. There are THREE contests going on simultaneously, and you can enter one or all! I am a part of TEAM BLUE–but there is also a red team and a purple team – giving you the chance to win two different sets of books!

If you’d like to find out more about the hunt, see links to all the authors participating, and see the full list of prizes up for grabs, go to the New Adult Scavenger Hunt page.

***THE SCAVENGER HUNT***

Directions: Below, you’ll notice that I’ve listed my lucky book number. Collect the lucky book numbers of all the authors on Team Blue, and then add them up (don’t worry, you can use a calculator!).
Entry Form: Once you’ve added up all the numbers, make sure you fill out the form here to officially qualify for the grand prize. Only entries that have the correct number will qualify.
Rules: Open internationally, anyone below the age of 18 should have a parent or guardian’s permission to enter. To be eligible for the grand prize, you must submit the completed entry form by May 1st, at noon Eastern Time. Entries sent without the correct number or without contact information will not be considered.

***RASHELLE WORKMAN***

Start the series that’s sold more than a million copies! BLOOD AND SNOW, book one is FREE.

RaShelle Workman is a bestselling hybrid author with books published through Curiosity Quills and her own company, Polished Pen Press. She loves baking, coming up with new taco recipes, and spending time with her family. Currently, she lives in Utah with her husband, three children, and their three dogs.

Her writing motto is: Love Hurts. Love Heals. so Love Hard! And it shows in the many different genres she writes.

Check out all of her books at: www.rashelleworkman.com. Or, sign up for her NEWSLETTER to receive the latest updates HERE.

Connect With RaShelle

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Email: rashelleworkman(at)gmail(dot)com

***BECAUSE OF YOU***

There’s a first time for everything… and sometimes that means a first time at a second chance.

It’s been seven years since Maddie Martin’s parents died. Their killer wasn’t just a random stranger, but her best friends’ father. Kyle Hadley. The boy she’s been in love with since she was old enough to understand the emotion, the boy she promised all of her firsts to. Worst of all, Kyle’s father got away with it, and Maddie hasn’t seen Kyle since.

That changes on her first day of college. Seeing Kyle again brings back all of her childhood feelings of friendship and love for him, but it also brings back the anger, sorrow, and pain she’s been trying to bury because of his father.

Kyle Hadley has no idea why Maddie quit talking to him, especially when he needed her most. But he got over it, refusing to waste his life mourning the only girl he ever loved. There are too many women, too much of life to experience to bother thinking about Maddie. Except he does. And when he sees her again, he knows it.

But there are problems beyond Kyle and Maddie and their old feelings. The two of them are in danger and one or both might end up dead.

***EXCERPT***

The room is full of smoke and a strange smell. Two guys are sitting on the lower bed of a set of bunks, holding a python. It must be ten feet long. Its slithery body is trying to coil around one of the guys’ thighs. A couple of girls are in chairs across from them. They’re laughing. One girl passes a pipe to the guy getting his leg throttled. He takes it, inhales, and holds his breath. The girl across from him stands and places her lips on his. As he exhales, he rubs one of her breasts over her shirt.

They notice me and the guy whose thigh isn’t being strangled says, “Come on in.” He gives me a lopsided grin, showing off a dimple.

“That’s okay.” I close the door and head down the stairs. My sticky shirt is going to remain sticky—at least until I get back to my room.

This house reminds me of a fun house at a carnival, and it’s exhilarating. Every step, every turn is filled with strange and thrilling horrors.

I carefully make my way back to the living room and search for Gina. She’s talking to a couple of guys. They laugh. A coy smirk flashes across her face and she places a hand on each guy’s chest.

“Gina! Gina!” I wave, but the party is too loud. Moving past people, I make my way toward my roommate.

Another set of girls is being couch tipped. It’s like a weird ritual. I can’t help but stare. Which is bad, because that means I’m not watching where I’m going.

I walk into a hard body.

“Hey,” he says, his voice low. “Watch it.” He smells like fresh laundry and beer. The kind my dad used to drink.

Glancing up, I’m about to utter an apology but the words freeze on my lips. His eyes are brilliant blue. Twin glaciers. Bright. Cold.

“It can’t be.” I step back, falling into someone. My heart is pounding against my ribs, dying to break free, to run like wild horses. It’s in my throat. He’s here. Kyle. Right now. In front of me. He’s here.

Kyle catches me and pulls me against his chest. I know I should twist out of his arms, ignore the way his warm fingers ignite memories I thought I left behind. Instead, I cling to him. We promised each other all of our firsts. “Kyle,” I whisper, smiling against his shirt. Smiling like I haven’t smiled in seven years.

He pulls me from the stranglehold I have on him. I blink and realize what I’ve done. How long was I holding him like that? He’s grinning. “If you’d care to join us, I’m sure we can make room.” Sexy lips form a bigger smile, showing his straight white teeth. Last time I saw him he had braces. Kyle glances to his left and I follow his gaze. Two girls, both with perfect chestnut hair and over-done faces, look at me like I’ve slaughtered a lamb.

I peek at him. Surprised. What is he asking? Doesn’t he remember me? I take in all of him at once. He’s probably two feet taller than the last time I saw him. Dark, wavy hair, a little on the longer side, hangs in his eyes. He keeps flipping it. His body is lean but muscled, like he plays a sport. He always liked basketball and hockey. His skin is tanned, but then, it always was. His eyes are the same, as is the way his lips form a smile.

Kyle, I think, my heart smashing itself to pieces. Have I really changed so much?

Something like recognition flickers in his eyes. “Or it could just be you and me,” he whispers enticingly.

I blink several times.

The girls to his right let out a string of expletives.

My body is saying yes, yes, yes. Another first. With Kyle, the boy I’ve loved since I was nine.

My mind remembers why I haven’t seen him in seven years. Even with all the alcohol, I snap back to reality. And pull myself from his grasp.

“Sorry.” I move away. The smoky air, the stench of sweat and perfume, and the loud music—it twirls my stomach in knots.

“Hey,” he calls after me, but I don’t turn back.

I can’t.

Because of You sounds like an amazing book, and I just added it to my 11 page long TBR. Now that you’ve met RaShelle and learned a little about her newest novel, click over to Marnee Blake‘s page and continue the hunt!

Oh, and before you go… Enter below to win one of three prizes!

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Hello Everyone! Hope you are excited as I am, because we have less than a week until the Spring 2016 New Adult Scavenger Hunt begins!

Here are the Spring 2016 #NewASH teams:

TEAM BLUE

TEAM RED

TEAM PURPLE

I hope you all are as excited as I am! The New Adult Scavenger Hunt begins at Noon Eastern Time on Thursday, April 28th and runs through Sunday, May 1st. Be sure to visit https://newadultscavengerhunt.com/ for more information and the prize listings.

Attention all awesome people! This month is a cool time to be a reader. 101 of your favorite authors contributed to one massive giveaway! Giveaway rules are listed on the rafflecopter. International peeps can play! Got any questions? Feel free to ask. There are 100 ways to enter for a maximum possible 500+ entries per person. The giveaway lasts the entire month of April, so come back every day and hammer away at a few more entries until you’re all done!

ONE PERSON WILL WIN $3,000 USD! That’s the biggest giveaway I’ve seen recently! Tell your buds! Don’t miss out. You’ll kick yourself if you miss this one.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

Terms & conditions are listed on the rafflecopter. Read it for full details. The winner will be chosen on May 1, 2016 and contacted via the email address they used to enter. CHECK YOUR EMAIL! The winner’s name will also be posted on the rafflecopter widget above.

Participating Romance Authors:

101 different authors came together to make this giveaway possible. If you’ve been looking for a new book boyfriend, or you’re literally famished between your fave author’s releases, check out some of my peeps! They write in various hot romance genres including contemporary romance, new adult romance, erotic romance, steamy romance, urban fantasy romance, dystopian romance, historical romance, futuristic/ sci-fi/ fantasy romance, Teen/ YA romance, inspirational romance and time travel romance!

Big Romance Author $3,000 Spring Giveaway April 1-30th, 2016

H.M. Ward

Kim Golden

Drew Jordan

Christi Caldwell

Scarlett Metal

Chris Almeida & Cecilia Aubrey

Heidi McLaughlin

Jenny Gardiner

Stacey Joy Netzel

Merry Farmer

Mallory Crowe

Julia Kent

Jean Oram

Vella Day

Meli Raine

Sherri Hayes

Jayne Rylon

Sarah M. Cradit

Erica Ridley

Christine Zolendz

Beverly Preston

Marquita Valentine

Melissa Storm

Dana Marton

Amy Bartol

Michelle Fox

Magan Vernon

Ainsley Booth

Venessa Kimball

Sidney Bristol

K.M. Scott

C.C.Wood

J.M. Miller

Zara Keane

Eliza Knight

L.P. Dover

Sadie Haller

Patricia McLinn

Suzanne Rock

Katherine Lowry Logan

Erin Richards

Tori Scott

Danielle Stewart

P.T. Michelle

Suzan Tisdale

T.M. Franklin

Evelyn Adams

S.E. Hall

Lauren Hawkeye

Josie Bordeaux

Melanie Marchande

Raci Ames

Catherine Gayle

Sam Cheever

J.M Cole

Brooke Blaine

Ella Frank

Allison Bell

Cristin Harber

Jacki Delecki

Tawdra Kandle

Sydney Logan

Laura Kaye

Laura Kamoie

Evie Harper

P.J. Fiala

Taylor Law

Pamela DuMond

D.L. Roan

Jenni Moen

LG Castillo

Rachel Schurig

Nina Levine

Rachel Hanna

Cheryl Bradshaw

Jessica Scott

Beth Yarnall

J.T. Geissinger

Stacey Mosteller

Kylie Gilmore

Maryann Jordan

Cari Quinn

Lauren Royal

Renea Mason

Christine Bell

Felicia Tatum

Fabio Bueno

RaShelle Workman

Nana Malone

Annika Martin

Sophia Knightly

Nikki Lynn Barrett

Marian Tee

Sarah Castille

Allyn Lesley

Ambrielle Kirk

Jami Davenport

Bonnie R. Paulson

Laura Stapleton

Kennedy Layne

Have you read part 1, part 2, part 3, part 4 and part 5? If yes, continue below.
Lyric

David rushes me through a quick — solo — shower so he can take his own while I get dressed. We have less than thirty minutes before the dinner reservation he made, but thankfully, it’s close by. I’m still in shock over how quickly he planned all this; down to packing the black dress I bought right before Christmas to wear out to dinner with my mom and stepfather … the ones who didn’t bother to call to say they weren’t coming until the day of.

I frown at my reflection in the mirror, mentally berating myself for even bringing my mom into tonight, when I should be focusing on spending time with this amazing man who loves me more than I ever thought anyone could. Honestly, I don’t even need a night in a fancy bed and breakfast or an expensive dinner to prove it. Smiling just a little, I focus on my makeup, not wanting it to be too much, but also wanting to look nicer than I normally do.

He comes out of the bathroom fully dressed just as I’m applying mascara. I don’t know how I don’t poke myself in the eye or mess up the rest of my face because David in dress pants and a button down shirt? There’s nothing comparable. Normally, he’s all about jeans and t-shirts, so it’s not often I get to see him like this.

I’m not the only one who stops to stare. David’s in the process of buttoning the cuffs of his shirt when he must feel my eyes on him. He looks up, and his eyes travel from the top of my head to my shoeless feet. Heels and I are a dangerous pair, so they’ll go on just before we leave the room.

Grinning when he sees my bare toes, his eyes travel back up to meet mine, and he whistles low. “You look edible, darlin’.” My face heats, but I smile, returning his compliment. He just shakes his head, slipping on first his shoes, then the matching suit jacket I didn’t even notice resting on the back of one of the two chairs in our room. David shrugs into it, and grabs my coat too, holding it out so I can put it on. “We need to get going, or we’re never going to leave this room.”

“Would that really be a bad thing?” I ask him, because honestly, I could so go for that right now.

Shaking his head, he shakes out my jacket, lifting one eyebrow to say silently, “let’s go.” I sigh a little, but let him help me. Then, he takes my hand and leads me out of the room. We pass another couple as we walk down the stairs, and even though he’s normally the most friendly guy I’ve ever met, he only nods in response to their hello. He’s focused single-mindedly on getting us out to his car and to wherever we’re eating.

The ride is fairly short, and soon we’re pulling up to a valet stand. I practically plaster myself to the window to see where we are, because even when I asked on the way over he refused to tell me. I see the name of the restaurant just before the valet opens my door, extending a hand to help me out. It’s the same restaurant we were supposed to come to back in December, on the night that I’m refusing to think about. I was so upset that night, partly because they didn’t come, and partly because it was a place I really wanted to try. David offered to go anyway, but the thought was just too depressing at the time. However, now that I’m somewhat over what happened, I’ve been dropping hints about coming. Taking the hand offered, I let the valet help me out, though he doesn’t have me long before David’s right there to take over.

He leads me into the restaurant, and in no time at all, we’re sitting at a table in the low-lighted room. The place is fancy, with soft tablecloths and cloth napkins, a candle on the table providing a more intimate setting than glaring lights all over the room. There are a few interspersed throughout, but everything about the large room screams class. It’s a place I would normally feel out of place, even after growing up the way I did, but with David, I always feel like I belong. It’s a wonderful feeling.

The waiter comes to take our drink orders, and David orders a bottle of wine, grinning at the fact I’m staring at him with wide eyes. I just can’t believe he’s done all of this for me. As soon as the waiter walks away, David reaches across the table to take one of my hands in his, rubbing his thumb across my skin slowly. His touch makes me burn, the desire for him I felt earlier never having really left.

“Are you happy?” he asks, voice quiet, but I can tell he’s worried about the answer. My happiness is the most important thing to him, and I’m quick to tell him that yes, I’m more happy than I ever thought I could be. “Good,” he says, his grin widening. “That’s what this —” he gestures around the restaurant with his free hand “— is all about.”

Dinner goes smoothly. The wine is fantastic, the food tastes amazing, and the low music and hum of people talking around us makes it all feel so weighty. David keeps glancing up at me, and I get the feeling something is about to happen. I start to get anxious the longer we sit here and nothing happens, and then, finally, dinner is over and he stands to lead me out of the restaurant. One side of his mouth is lifted in a smirk, and I know he’s messing with me now. Getting me all excited for nothing to happen is cruel, because the thought that’s been going through my head all evening has been “is he going to propose?”

Once we’re back in the car, I expect him to go back to the B&B, but he doesn’t. Instead, he drives closer to downtown, then pulls over into a dark parking lot. I look around, trying to figure out where he’s brought me. It’s dark, and cold, and if I were with anyone else, I’d be trying to figure out an escape plan, sure in a horror movie-esque twist I was about to be murdered.

I turn back to look at him, and he’s holding a pale blue box, his eyes intent on mine. “What?” I manage to ask through the sudden lump in my throat. My hands come up to cover my mouth, and I can only stare at the closed box in disbelief. If that’s a pair of earrings, I’m going to be heartbroken.

A faint blush rises on David’s cheeks, and he says, “I figured doing this here might mean more.” I must look as confused as I feel, because he goes on to explain, “Do you remember the night we went to that art show?” I nod, because that was day he asked me to be his. Oh my. He nods when he sees I get it. “You told me here that you were mine, even though the word boyfriend made me feel like I was back in high school. It seems only fitting I ask you this here too.”

Tears are already overflowing in my eyes, so much so I can barely make out the sparkle of the ring in the box when he opens it. He takes a deep breath, then says, “Lyric, I know it’s only been a year since we met, but in that year, you’ve become everything to me. You’re my best friend, my lover, my partner in all things. I want to be your husband. I want you to be my wife. I see you with Amelia, and all I can imagine is seeing you with our child. I want all those firsts — and all the lasts — with you, forever.”

I’m sobbing by the time he stops talking, unable to stop the tears from falling. This, being with him, marrying him, is the only thing I want. I want everything he just described. Without giving him the chance to ask those four all-important words, I throw myself at him, wrapping my arms around his neck and whispering “yes” over and over against his skin. The hand not holding the ring box wraps around me, holding me close, and I can feel him chuckle against me.

When I finally get enough control of myself to pull back, he’s smiling at me, his eyes full of the love I know he feels for me. “You know,” he says, “you’re supposed to at least let me ask you before you say yes.” I laugh, and though it’s watery, it’s a happy laugh.

“Well, you better ask me then,” I tell him, trying to sound snarky, but my voice is too shaky.

His voice shakes too when he starts to speak, so he clears his throat and tries again. “Lyric Faith Hayes, will you marry me?” As soon as the word “yes” leaves my mouth … again … he slides the ring on my finger. Before I get the chance to study it, his hands grab my waist and pull me over the console so I’m on his lap. His mouth crashes into mine and my hands automatically go back around his neck. Suddenly, I don’t give a damn about the ring. All I can feel is him.

© 2016

***From Stacey: I hope you’ve enjoyed this short little Valentine’s story. At the end of the week, it will be packaged into an ebook that will be offered free on Amazon – with a little extra added in (think sexy times LOL) Check out the cover below:

Have you read part 1, part 2, part 3 and part 4? If yes, continue below.
David

Amazingly, even though it was almost last minute, I was able to get a reservation for the night at a B&B just outside Nashville. It helps that it was for February thirteenth instead of fourteenth too. What Lyric doesn’t know is I already packed for her and we’re going straight there.

Not that it takes long for her to figure it out. I pass the turn for our neighborhood and I can almost feel her mind working. “Where are we going?”

I look over at her, and one side of my mouth lifts in a smirk just thinking about my plans for tonight. “I told you, for the next twenty-four hours, you’re all mine.” Her mouth drops open, and I continue. “If I take you home, you’ll be too easily distracted trying to get the house baby-proofed when you know good-and-hell well she’s only six weeks old and won’t be moving around.” Lyric huffs, but she knows I’m right. In fact, she likely has a list of things she wants to buy just for that exact purpose.

Thankfully, since it’s early afternoon, traffic in Nashville isn’t as bad as it would’ve been if I’d waited until she got off, but it still takes us close to twenty minutes to reach the Bed & Breakfast that Sam, one of my bartenders, told me about. We pull into the tree-lined drive, and it feels more like we’ve driven to a plantation than a B&B. We pull up in front of the house, which has a circular drive much like my parents old house and I park quickly, eager to get her inside.

Because I did most of the check-in process online, it only takes a few minutes to get our key. When we walk into our room, Lyric stops dead in front of me, covering her mouth with her hands just as she lets out a huge gasp. I set the two bags from the trunk of the car on the ground and she turns to face me. Her eyes are wide and glassy, the first of her tears falling down her cheek. Stepping closer, I cup her cheek in my hand and wipe away the tear. “Hey sweetheart,” I murmur, “what’s with the tears?”

“I just …” she stops, taking a shaky breath to try to steady herself, but it doesn’t work. Her arms wrap around my waist, she buries her face in my chest, and I have to strain to understand her mumbled words against me. “No one’s ever done anything like this for me before.”

The disbelief I can hear in her muffled voice coupled with the way she’s shaking against me makes my heart squeeze in my chest. Once again, I’m reminded of why I would gladly end that fucker she was engaged to. He didn’t appreciate what he had with her, and part of her is still expecting me to do the same. One day she’ll know exactly what she means to me. “You deserve all this and more, darlin’”

I wrap my arms around her carefully, taking care not to squeeze too tightly, and rest my chin on the top of her head. We stand in the middle of the room, just enjoying being together for longer than I’d like to admit, but finally, her shaking stops and she pulls away enough to look up at me. “I love you,” she says, her voice low and earnest. “I love you so much, David.”

“I love you too, baby. Always will.” Her eyes go soft at the word ‘always’, and I can’t stop myself from pressing my lips to hers.

As soon as our mouths touch, she melts back into my embrace and her arms tighten around my waist. One of my hands travels up her back to tangle in her red hair, pulling just enough to make her gasp, giving me the opening I need to stroke her tongue with mine. We make our way blindly backwards toward the bed, and my last thought before she follows me down onto the bed is that I should have made our dinner reservations for later in the afternoon. We just might miss them. Then, Lyric’s hands move to my belt buckle, and I stop caring.

© 2016

Have you read part 1, part 2 and part 3? If yes, continue below.
Lyric

Anna’s been bouncing in her seat all day. She keeps grinning at me, and even for her, it’s weird. But, as much as she’s giving me funny looks, she’s also avoiding me when I try to go talk to her. Every time I’ve tried to walk over to her desk, she’s disappeared by the time I get there. Then, as soon as I sit back down, she returns. Finally, when we leave to go eat lunch, I get the chance to ask her.

We place our usual orders at Ruby’s and after the waitress leaves, I pounce. “What is your deal today? Are you hopped on caffeine? Decided to try out cocaine?”

“What are you talking about?” she asks, eyes wide and trying to look innocent. Spoiler alert — she fails. If anything, she looks even more guilty. I narrow my eyes in a glare and she pouts, but doesn’t answer my question. Instead, she gets defensive. “For your information, there’s no such thing as too much caffeine. Starbucks is the drink of the gods.” I snort, but it doesn’t stop her. “And, please. Ecstasy is way more likely to be my drug of choice then cocaine. I’m a lover, not a crackhead.”

The offended look she gives me makes it impossible not to laugh. Only Anna would be offended by the type of drug I insinuate she’s on. “Yeah, yeah. That still doesn’t explain why you’re acting like a spaz.” She raises an eyebrow, but doesn’t say anything else, so we just stare at each other across the table. “C’mon Anna. I know there’s something going on.”

“My lips are sealed,” she says, miming pulling a zipper across them and throwing the imaginary key over her shoulder. Then she says something I can’t understand with her mouth closed. It’s all hums and mms. I know she just said whatever it is knowing none of it will make sense and I want to strangle her. Between her caffeine-over-dosing act and David’s weird demeanor last night and this morning, all signs point to them planning something together. Add in him telling me he’d pick me up after work tonight so we can celebrate Valentine’s a day early, and it’s even more obvious.

“Anna,” I whine, pitifully. “You have to tell me. I promise I’ll act surprised. Please?” She smiles, eyes sparkling as she leans across the table like she’s about to spill all her secrets, and I think this is way too easy. My suspicion is confirmed when the waitress places a plate on the table in front of me. Damn her. She saw her coming. Anna sits back with a smirk and waits for the waitress to set her plate down too.

Ignoring my hard stare, she takes a huge bite of her burger and chews so slowly. I can tell she’s counting in her head, and with a sigh, I focus on my food. She can’t hide behind her plate forever. Eventually, it will be empty and I’ll have another chance to grill her. Maybe once her belly is full, she’ll go into a food coma and answer without thinking. Probably not, but it’s the only hope I have.

Normally, I’m the slow eater of the group, the last person finished, and everyone has to wait on me. Anna? Well, she’s normally the one who shovels it into her mouth like she thinks someone is going to come by and take it before she’s finished. Not today though. Today, I’m done with my food a full fifteen minutes before she is. By the time she wipes her mouth and puts the napkin on her empty plate, even she looks irritated with herself. With the amount of chewing she just did, I don’t think her stomach will have to do much work to digest. Gross, but true.

“Are you finished?” I cock my head to one side and give her a look that screams I know you did not just ask me that. “What?” she asks defensively, then makes a show of looking down at her watch. “Oh, look at that. We have less than ten minutes to get back to work. We better hurry.” Before I can tell her she’s full of shit, she grabs the check and jumps out of her seat. When I meet her at the register, she looks at me sheepishly, but continues playing her role. “Lunch is on me today.”

“Fine,” I say with a shrug. “But, since you’re paying for lunch, I get to ask you anything I want, and you have to answer.”

That literally makes no sense, and Anna just laughs. “Whatever, Crazy-pants. I don’t have to answer anything I don’t want to.” When I cross my arms over my chest and glare at her, she sighs. “Look, Lyr, just chill out and enjoy.” The girl at the register hands her some change, and she turns to head for the door. As we walk back to work, she says, “I swear to God, I’d tell you if I could, but I don’t want to spoil the surprise. David has everything planned out for tonight, and I promise you’re going to love it.”

This time, I’m the one who sighs. “I’m trying!” Anna scoffs, and I explain, “It’s the truth! You know ‘surprises’ haven’t gone well for me in the past. He’s acting all weird and you’re acting like you’re hopped up on sugar. What am I supposed to think?”

“Uh, maybe you should think that this is David. Has he ever done anything to make you doubt him?” Instead of waiting for me to answer, she does it herself. “No, of course not. Stop acting like a psycho and trust in your man.” At those words, I look down at my feet, embarrassed, because I do trust him … I was only worried because they were both acting strange.

“Well,” Anna drawls, “speak of the devil.” I look up, and David’s standing just outside the entrance to the magazine.

He looks just as surprised to see us as I am to see him, then cocks an eyebrow at Anna’s devil comment. “Devil?”

She shrugs. “You are a handsome one.” He laughs, and she gives me a quick hug. “PS – you’re off for the rest of the day. I already cleared it with Bastian.” Then, she walks inside, leaving me standing on the sidewalk with David.

“Hey darlin’,” he says, leaning in to give me a quick kiss. “Happy Early Valentine’s Day.” I lean into him, and he wraps his arm around my shoulder, leading me over to where he’s parked. Opening the door, he helps me in, then goes around to get in the driver’s side. Starting the car, he turns to grin at me, and I can almost see the dirty thoughts going through his mind when he says, “For the next twenty-four hours, you’re mine.”

© 2016