Unraveled (Love in Salem, book 2) (31 page)

“Web design.  I design websites for a multitude of clients.  Business, personal, whatever.  I’ve managed to build up quite a business for myself over the past few years, and it seems to be growing more every day.  I constantly have new requests for my services.  Pretty soon I’ll have to either hire another web designer, or start declining jobs.”  She shrugged.  “I don’t want to turn anyone down, so I guess I need to start looking for help.” 

“Have you designed the website of someone I may have heard of?”

Abby laughed.  “Sure.  I designed the website for Skinz.  The first time I visited your cousin’s shop to get a tattoo I had mentioned my business to Eddie.  Your cousin overheard our conversation and hired me to design a site for his shop.”

He chuckled.  “Yeah.  I have seen their site.  I love the logo.  Did you come up with that?”

“Kind of.  I told Eddie what I envisioned, and he drew up a few different logos.  They all voted on which one they liked the best.  Once they had chosen I incorporated it into the site.  Aidan also had a new sign created to hang outside on the building, but I’m sure you know about that already.”  She blushed at her ramblings.  “So what about you?”

“Nothing exciting I’m afraid.  My father owns Pat’s Pub and help him run it.  I work the books, take inventory, and do the ordering.  I also bartend a lot.  Dad likes to do the cooking with my Mom, and my sister is a server in the evening.”

Abby frowned.  “It sounds like you do the majority of the work.”

He nodded.  “Yeah.  My Dad passed it on to me when he felt like I was old enough and responsible enough to handle it.  He plans for me to take over when he retires, and he wanted to make sure I knew what I was doing.”  He winked at her.  “Besides, he’s old now.  He likes to sit and gossip with the rest of the old men who frequent the pub.”

A few hours later, Abby and Seamus were surrounded by the rest of the bridal party.  Abby had talked Seamus into dancing a few songs with her, but he was quick to return to the table as soon as the song ended.  She figured he didn’t dance much and wasn’t comfortable out there with the rest of the crowd.

Sitting there at the table though she learned that he was quite articulate and had a quick sense of humor.  She loved listening to him interact with his family and friends.  It was obvious he was well liked by everyone around him and Abby soon realized that she liked him a lot too.

“Well everyone.”  Aidan’s voice rang out over the chatter, interrupting Abby’s thoughts.  “I want to thank you for coming out tonight and celebrating this occasion with Atayla and
I.”  He slipped his hand in Atayla’s and gave it a squeeze.  “This has been by far the greatest day of my life.  I hate to see it come to an end, but I’m ready to take my beautiful, blushing bride home and tuck her into bed.”

He winked at the crowd as their laughter erupted.  Atayla blushed and gave Aidan a playful shove.  Abby watched as the newlyweds made their way through the Community Events Center and out the door to their waiting car.

Abby glanced over at Seamus.  “I should probably be heading home as well.  It’s late, and I have a phone conference with one of my clients in the morning.”

“I’ll walk you out.” 

Seamus stood and offered Abby his hand.  He helped her to stand then guided her through the throng of people still milling about talking to Aidan’s parents or various other relatives.

The night was chilly, and the wind felt good as it blew across her skin after being inside surrounded by so many bodies.  It was downright stifling inside, especially when mixed with alcohol and dancing.

She had stopped drinking after her second beer knowing that she would be driving home.  It had been a few hours since her last drink, and the remnants of the alcohol’s effects were blown away with the wind.

Abby stopped when she reached her car and turned around to face Seamus.  They’d had a lovely time together tonight and even though she knew this wasn’t a date she still wanted to kiss him goodnight.

“Thank you for such a lovely evening.  I really enjoyed the time we shared.”

Seamus smiled and kissed the back of her hand.

“Me too.  Maybe we can get together sometime and have dinner or catch a movie?”

“I’d love to!”

Abby stood up on her toes and brushed her mouth across his.  The chemistry was immediate as their lips touched.  Seamus grabbed her waist and pulled her closer when he angled his head and deepened the kiss.  The thrust of his tongue and soft little nips with his lips were enough to drive her mad.

Holy moly the man could set her on fire with only a kiss!

Abby folded her arms around his neck and allowed her body to melt into his.  Never in her life had she been kissed so thoroughly or hungrily.  She molded her lips around his and followed his lead.

Seamus took a step forward and forced her up against her car.  His hands roved down her sides and around to cup her ass.  She moaned at the feel of his weight pressed against her, of his body surrounding her.

Just as she was ready to be consumed by the inferno he stoked inside of her his body stiffened, and he pushed himself back several steps.  He looked at her in astonishment and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand.

Abby stood there panting, trying to regain her composure before she asked him to come home with her.  Yeah, that would make a good impression.  Trying to have sex with a man she just met.

She watched as a blank veil settled over his features and she felt the wall slam between them.

“Everything alright?”

Seamus gave her a sharp nod.  “Good night.”  He turned and walked away, ignoring her as she called out to him.

“Ugh!” 

She stomped her foot.  Big insufferable oaf!  She didn’t know what it was that switched him off so fast but she’d be damned if she just let him walk out of her life.  There was something tangible between them, and she wasn’t going to stop until she forced him to see it for himself!

Emma Delaney is nom de plume.  The real author resides in small town America where I am a full time mom and nurse.  When I’m not working a twelve hour shift taking care of sick and grouchy people or chasing my ornery son around, I like to sit back and relax with a good book.

I love to read books, all genres, and have wanted to try my hand at writing for several years now.  Finally one day I woke up with an idea in my head and decided that now was the time to follow through with it.

Now here it is, my first full length book.  I hope you enjoyed reading it since I have agonized over it during the long months of writing.  Who would have known that words don’t automatically flow perfectly onto the page? 

Even through all the suffering, I had an awesome time watching the story come together and have already started my third book (glutton for punishment?).  I also look forward to many more to come!

Visit My Website!

www.emmadelaney.net

Check it out and see what is in the works!

Questions or Comments?

Send me an e-mail: [email protected]

Current projects in the works:

Risqué Behavior

Love in Salem
, book 3

Abby’s story

Not Yet Titled

Love in Salem, book 4

Paxton’s story

Read an excerpt from Emma’s first novella

Love of a Lifetime

Chapter One

Carla Bradshaw stood in front of the mirror checking her reflection one last time as she waited for her husband, Bill, to pick her up for their date.  Ever since he started his own law practice their relationship had become all but nonexistent.  If it weren’t for the fact that he crawled into their bed in the middle of the night she might think that she was single once again.

She knew it would be a rough road to travel, Billy starting his own practice, but she never dreamed she would lose her husband in the process.  Lately she was beginning to wonder if he distanced himself from her on purpose.

Last month he had agreed to take her to
Stella Maris
for her birthday and tonight was the night.  She didn’t exactly want to spend her twenty-sixth birthday talking about the troubles in their marriage, but since he was never around anymore she had to grab opportunities when they arose.

Grabbing her lip gloss out of her makeup bag, she dabbed it on her lips until they shined evenly.  She was never much for wearing makeup, but Billy has always loved her lips, liked watching them as she spoke, so she played them up as much as possible.

The color she chose was a berry red and complimented her red hair and green eyes.  There was nothing she could do to hide the smattering of freckles across her nose and she learned long ago not to even try.  Her husband had always sworn that he found them attractive, but as she stood there recognizing all her flaws she couldn’t help but question that attraction.

She couldn’t remember the last time they made love.  Three months ago?  Four?  Five?  What red blooded man went that long without having sex, especially when he had a willing woman at home waiting for him?

She would never have thought that Billy would be the type of man to warm another woman’s bed, but he obviously wasn’t fulfilling those needs with her.  Her heart ached at the thought.  She loved him with everything she had inside her.  Living without him would leave her a broken, empty woman.

Tonight she would find out what her future held for her.  Asking him outright if he wanted a divorce wasn’t quite the approach she wanted to take, but Billy was a direct man and appreciated when people cut straight to the chase.

Plumping the bodice of her dress, she bent forward slightly while shimmying her breasts to give herself a little more cleavage.  Hopefully, if the night went according to plan, they would clear the air between them and spend the rest of the night setting the sheets on fire.  Speaking of sheets….

Carla grabbed Billy’s favorite scent from her body mists and headed towards the bed.  She pulled back the covers and lightly sprayed the pillows and sheets before spraying herself. 

He had told her once that this particular scent smelled of passion and sex and that it never failed to heat his blood.

Well, she would use every advantage she had tonight to get some attention from him.  She had needs that had been left unfulfilled as well and she ached to be in her husband’s arms
once again.  Leaving the sheets folded down for easy access, Carla headed towards the kitchen to pull out Billy’s favorite wine to chill while they were out.

After all her tasks were complete, she looked at the time.  Six forty-five.  He would be home in fifteen minutes.  She wasn’t sure what time he made the reservations for, but she figured it would probably be shortly after seven.

Not wanting to wrinkle her dress, but not wanting to stand around for the next few minutes, Carla carefully positioned herself on the couch to wait comfortably.  She had hoped she wouldn’t have to wait long before she saw his handsome face walk through the door, but an hour later he still hadn’t arrived home.

Incensed, she picked up the phone and dialed his cell.  He answered on the fourth ring. 

“Hey, honey.”  A throng of voices could be heard in the background. 

“Where are you?”

“Huh?  Oh, I’m having a couple of drinks with some business associates down at
The Lounge
.”

“Drinks.”  She sneered.  “What about our date?”

The silence at the end of line confirmed what she had been dreading.  He had forgotten their plans.  Once again she was the least of his priorities.

“Date, of course.  Sorry, honey.  Could we do it some other time?  You understand how busy I’ve been?”  He pleaded. 

“Understand?”  She asked incredulously.  “No, I don’t understand.  I don’t
understand
how my husband thinks it’s alright to ignore his wife on her birthday.  I don’t
understand
how I can be so unimportant to you.”

“Come on now Carla, you’re being a bit dramatic don’t you think?  Give me a chance to make it up to you.  We’ll go out this weekend, okay?  Wherever you want to go.”

Her heart broke in two at that moment.  Carla sobbed out a laugh, unable to believe what she was hearing.  “No, Bill.”  She stated sadly.  “Now
you
are the one who doesn’t understand. 
This
was your chance to make everything up to me.  It was your
last
chance too.  Goodbye, Bill”

“No wait, Carla –
” She hung up the phone before she could hear another word. 

Dialing the number for her friend, Abby, she marched into the bedroom and pulled the suitcase out from under the bed and dropped it on top of the mattress.  Opening drawers, Carla blindly grabbed at articles of clothing and tossed them in the direction of the bed.

“Happy Birthday!”  Abby answered.

“Not so happy I’m afraid.”  She sniffed.

“What’s up and why are you crying?”

“I’m leaving Bill.  If he doesn’t want the burden of having a wife then he can just be single.  Can I stay with you for a while?  I promise I’ll start looking for an apartment right away.” She sniffed again.