This is Living (Living #1.5) (16 page)
Read This is Living (Living #1.5) Online
Authors: Melody Dawn
Never would I have dreamed that this is the path my career would take. I was so focused on working in emergency medicine, but events happened, priorities shifted, and everything fell into place.
Chloe now works part time as a social worker and wants to keep those hours until Bella starts school. Brendon and Braxton are in second grade and they are at the age where they think dad is the coolest…not that I’m complaining. And my diva daughter, well she has us all wrapped around her tiny finger…I’m not complaining of that either.
My musings are interrupted by my wife dropping down next to me on the sand. She leans her head on my shoulder and we sit there in silence like we often do. I lean down and find her lips…ones that are so familiar, but are no less exciting.
After a long kiss, she asks, “What was that for?”
There is so much I want to say, though I don’t know how to put it all into words.
“I was just thinking about how our life has changed over the years with the kids and our jobs. Even how I love you more than ever.”
She smiles brightly at me in a way that makes the sun look dim and says, “I know what you mean; our life is pretty freaking perfect.”
I know exactly what she means, but since I’m a guy, I answer with a grin, “It really fucking is.”
Immediately, she gives me a stern look and I laugh. Looks like I will be making a donation to the swear jar.
Thank you so much for coming back to finish Jayson and Chloe’s story. I thought I had given them their HEA in To Live Again, but as I tried to write Connor’s book, I kept going back to Jayson and Chloe. I wasn’t ready to say goodbye and they still had a story to tell. It wasn’t always a nice story, but neither is life. I knew eventually they would get to where they belonged and they did it spectacularly!
I hope you will stay with me throughout the series. The next book due out this year, 2016, is Jayson’s brother, Connor and Chloe’s best friend, Madison. They have quite a story to tell and it is much different than Jayson and Chloe’s, but no less powerful. I’m stepping out of my comfort zone with their book, Living Out Loud, so it may take me a little longer than the others.
After Connor and Madison is the story of Brayden and Julianna. Brayden is the twins’ cousin and Julianna is Madison’s half-sister. Their book is titled Living On the Edge because Brayden is a tattooed pierced genius who falls in love with Julianna, 5 years his junior…not everyone is pleased by this turn of events. I’m looking forward to their story…you will meet Brayden in Living Out Loud and I have to say, I have a soft spot for him.
Finally, the series will end with a novella called Living For Tomorrow. Between all three couples, they have 11 kids and this will be a short story about them during their teenage years and twenties respectively. I’ve fallen in love with all of these kids and it didn’t seem right to at least give my readers an insight into them when they’ve grown up.
Thank you for taking the chance on my books. As a new author, I’m striving to get better with each book that I write. I want my readers to walk away feeling like they could know these characters in real life as well as celebrating the HEA my characters will always get.
Hugs,
Melody Dawn
Direct Link:
https://open.spotify.com/user/melodyslove4books/playlist/5i1ZVnXYzvuFBH0laIc9tV
Like I’m Gonna Lose You by Meghan Trainor/John
Legend
Just Give Me A Reason by Pink/Nate Reuss
Crazy in Love by Beyonce, JAY-Z
If I Ain’t Got You by Alicia Keys
Mercy by Duffy
Before He Cheats by Carrie Underwood
Make You Feel My Love by Adele
Stay by Gavin DeGraw
Sorry by Buckcherry
God Gave Me You by Blake Shelton
Never Tear Us Apart by INXS
Jealous by Nick Jonas
In My Daughter’s Eyes by Martina McBride
At Last by Etta James
Keep On Loving You by REO Speedwagon
Me and You by Kenny Chesney
Mine by Taylor Swift (Not on Spotify)
To stay in touch with Melody Dawn, please follow the links below.
Soulkiss The debut novel by RJ Thompson
Book 1 in the SoulMate series
It all started with a dream.
He was handsome, sexy and had a body to die for.
He swept Arianna off of her feet with his charm and made her feel loved, cherished and protected.
Only one problem
He wasn’t real
This man, this oh so perfect man didn’t exist, he was but a figment of Arianna’s over active imagination, a culmination of her day dreams and deepest fantasies.
Or was he…
A double date soon turns to disaster, starting a chain of events that’s thrusts Arianna into a world so different from her own, testing her courage, her heart and her soul.
But is she strong enough to battle through and save the soul destined for her
Available on Amazon in Kindle and Paperback
Excerpt
Arianna had returned to the forest. She rested her head back against the trunk of an overly large Copper beech tree, and closed her eyes as she took a few deep breaths in; the scents pleasant to her senses, the cool moist air filled her lungs. For some reason this place brought a sense of contentment to Arianna that she hadn’t realize was missing from her life.
Arianna never doubted for a second the motive of her feet; she let them lead the way, but deep down she hoped they would take her to him. Always in her mind, he was a shadow that lingered constantly, an itch that would never go away. Add to that the fact that in the 3 months she had been having this dream she had only seen him fully that one time, which alone had started to get on her nerves.
Arianna’s feet crunched on fallen leaves, her mind spun back to their first meeting and how almost automatically became a permanent fixture in her life, a little alarming considering he only existed in her dreams and subconscious. In reality she craved the type of passion she saw glimpsed just beneath the surface, the restrained kiss they had shared had ignited something buried deep down inside of her and it was now simply too strong to be locked away again.
The breeze caressed Arianna’s skin; the gauzy material of her dress wrapped itself around her body as she stepped towards the line of trees that signaled her approach to the clearing. She placed her hand on the bark of an old giant Oak. The rough texture dug into her palm as she leant in close to peer around the large trunk.
Arianna already expected to see her warrior waiting. It was as if this time she knew the dream would be different, what she didn’t expect was to see him facing her, a smile spread wide across his lips as soon as he saw her. Ever since the last time they had met she couldn’t get over how handsome he was, but now, it was simply amazing how much a smile could change someone’s features.
Dear god above, Arianna felt her heart start to race. That smile, it was simply breath-taking. It radiated love and warmth. Arianna’s step faltered slightly, never before had a man directed that kind of emotion her way, in short, for the first time in her life, she felt wanted.
Arianna paused; her fingers clutched at her dress as she watched the warrior approach, a look of determination on his face as his long strides easily ate up the distance between them. Arianna shored her resolve and took slow deep breaths. She would be in control of this dream, it was her dream after all and she would not act silly, you know like she wanted to, like she was dying to, she would endeavor not to fall into this males arms and beg for him to kiss her like last time.
He stepped closer, his body only a foot away from her own, the wind wrapped her dress around his legs as well as her own, his build so tall she had to tip her chin back to look up at him. She would rather strain her neck then step back and show him, with action, just how much his presence put her on edge, not from fear but from need, a need she just didn’t want to admit to.
Their eyes locked, the deep chocolate brown orbs captured and trapped Arianna within their depths, the surrounding sounds disappeared leaving only the loud thud of her own heart. Moments passed before the spell was broken by his voice, the deep husky sound vibrating throughout her whole body.
“Finally, you have come” He let out a loud sigh. “I don’t like waiting, what took you so long?”
He radiated power and heat; it seeped from his body like a cloud, swirling around her, bathing her body in warmth and his male scent.
“Come kiss me” his voice flowed just like his heat over and around her body, her heart rate already at a gallop, skipped a beat at his question
“I’m eager to remember your taste and the feel of you in my arms”
Oh my! Arianna couldn’t think. How did he do this? How did this man know exactly what would make Arianna melt inside? No man ever had said anything like that to her, no man had ever made it known that they wanted her.
She took hold of what little resolve she had left before it slipped away, Arianna took a small step back and created some much needed space; space so she could think a little more clearly. Arianna kept her hand, palm up outstretched, preventing him from taking her in his arms. His body language already showed his intentions and as much as her insides told her to go with it, her brain was saying otherwise. Arianna took a few more deep breaths, her eyes focused on his chest, on his leather covered, broad, muscular chest, and she shook her head all the while berating herself in a small whisper.
“Dammit Arianna focus and get a hold of yourself” She needed answers and she would get them. There was no way she was going to let Mr studly and handsome get in her way and distract her, but then again he was so damn drool worthy. Everything that made her female jumped up and waved their hands begging for attention as soon as she looked at him.
She took what had to have been the 5
th,
no, 6
th
deep breath Arianna looked up, and again encountered his eyes. She was aware of his presence and strength but his eyes showed his soul, her breath more like a squeak, she asked quietly
"What’s your name?" Arianna kept her eyes locked onto his face, only the slight tick of his jaw showed he wasn’t happy with the question. "I need to know your name and how you are doing this to me?"
"I have no idea what you are talking about” his voice so masculine, commanding and sexy, he made it continuously hard for Arianna to concentrate, the deep timbre alone made her skin break out in goosebumps.
Arianna stepped further away from this male; the distance brought with it an unknown sense of loss. She pushed her long hair from her eyes and started to pace; one hand tugged at a lock of her hair the other gestured to the scene around her.
"Invading my dreams like this, making me, oh I don’t know” She stopped and faced him again
“Just tell me” Arianna pleaded quietly