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    Cerulean Secret
    Cerulean Secret
    Cerulean Secret
    Ebook208 pages3 hours

    Cerulean Secret

    By Tressie Lockwood

    4.5/5

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    Read preview

    About this ebook

    Stacia Hart thinks she's finally found The One. All she has to do is bring him to Friday night dinner with her parents and siblings. Unfortunately, her man won't introduce her to his family, and he won't let her introduce him to hers. On days when she meets her lover for an afternoon quickie, she tries not to rock the boat. Her man loves her, and that should be enough. But in walks Bradley Shaw with her lover's wife!

    Stacia is devastated to learn The One belongs to another woman, and she's been made a fool. The only way Stacia can make it through the worst day of her life is with the help of Bradley, her cheating lover's uncle.

    Bradley is twenty years Stacia's senior, but he's sexier and sweeter-natured than her previous lover. Stacia has no intention of getting involved with Bradley. He's just a kind person, who cared that she was okay after the heartbreak. Loneliness makes them reach out to each other just for friendship, but friendship turns into much more.

    When Bradley decides he won't treat Stacia as a dirty secret, his decision backfires. No one believes Stacia knows her own heart or that Bradley could actually love her. Stacia's family tries to destroy the relationship in the harshest way possible.

    Stacia might be young, but she won't let anyone stand in her way. She can plot as well as the next person. If Bradley truly is the man she's dreamed of, then she'll hatch a plan that will make him hers forever—even if it means standing alone.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherTressie Lockwood
    Release dateSep 10, 2018
    ISBN9781386739968
    Cerulean Secret

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    4.5/5

    16 ratings2 reviews

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    • 5/5
      This book is well worth the read. Really love it I really love the characters.
    • 5/5
      This was excellent, but get ready for the rollercoaster of emotions. My type of book!

    Book preview

    Cerulean Secret - Tressie Lockwood

    Chapter One

    Stacia turned over in bed and bit her bottom lip. She did everything she could to dim the grin, but it spread from cheek-to-cheek. If anyone saw her smiling like an idiot at her boyfriend, they would think she was crazy. Not that she cared. This was it. She had finally found someone special.

    I say finally like I’m that old.

    She chuckled under her breath. At twenty-five she felt like she had been searching forever for a guy who wasn’t after her just for her body. Even if she didn’t jump into bed with them right away, they always showed their true colors after a while. Paul was different. They’d been together for a year. That was huge.

    He lay asleep beside her. She reached over to tease a lock of hair from his forehead. Her cheeks hurt. There she went again, grinning like an idiot. He was cute though. How could she help herself? She loved him.

    Her heart fluttered at the thought, and tears pricked her eyes. She blinked them away and sniffed.

    What are you doing? Paul mumbled without opening his eyes. He scratched his bare chest.

    Nothing.

    I feel you burning a hole in my face.

    She smacked his hand. How can you be so mean?

    He leaned up to an elbow and grinned. She was lost for a moment in the gray eyes. Paul was the first white guy she’d ever gotten involved with. She had dared to step out of her comfort zone, to see if a man from another race would be more serious about a relationship. Who would have thought she would find The One?

    She hesitated and then decided to plunge ahead with the question on her mind. Paul, when am I going to meet your family? We’ve been together for a year now. Don’t you think it’s time?

    He frowned. They have nothing to do with us. Why do we need to consider them? I thought we were having fun.

    Fun? Well, yeah, but I mean we’re not just trying to have a good time here. You said you love me, and I know I love you.

    He sighed. Stacia…

    I’m not trying to push you to do something you aren’t ready for. She rushed the words because she didn’t want to mess up their good thing. There were some qualms, but mostly they were good. Her big mouth would not get in the way if she could help it.

    Look, it’s just that… He seemed to search for an explanation as he sat up. I’ve had women who went nuts after they met my family. They got clingy and weird. My mom’s heart isn’t good. I can’t put her through that. Please understand.

    Of course I understand. Disappointment tightened the muscles in her chest, but she got what he was saying. She couldn’t be self-centered. Even if she knew she wasn’t psycho, Paul had to be sure.

    When she said nothing more, Paul held his hand out to her and patted his chest. Come here. Let me make you forget everything but me.

    She pursed her lips. We said we were only going to be here for an hour, mister. It’s been two. We can’t keep meeting in the middle of the day to satisfy your lust.

    You’re saying you weren’t satisfied?

    She laughed. "Boy, please, you know I can’t get enough—especially when I think about us."

    You love being in love.

    Is that so wrong?

    No, but I’m talking about sex. Come here. He jerked her forward at the wrist, causing her to fall onto his chest. Right away, he rolled over and put her on her back with him stretched above her. His dick brushed her thigh, letting her know he was already hard.

    I’m all yours, she told him. What could she do in the face of Paul’s desire? She read that sex was how a man showed and received love. She had every intention of giving Paul what he needed. At some point after the physical stuff, he would tell her he loved her, and it was enough. If she had Paul and no one else, it would always be enough.

    He nudged her legs apart and moved into position. He was just about to enter her body when someone banged on the front door. Stacia let out a small yelp of surprise, and Paul thrust a hand over her mouth. She blinked up at him in confusion.

    Shh, he whispered.

    She dragged his hand down. It’s just someone at the door. Probably a salesman. They’ll go away in a minute.

    She couldn’t recall anyone ever knocking on Paul’s door when they were together there, not even the neighbors. Having visited him at different hours—although she had never stayed all night—she had always admired how quiet this property was. She figured it was because of the condo’s cost. One had to pay a pretty penny to live there. The place was blocks from downtown, and not even close to her price range.

    Despite her assurance that the person at the door would go away, Paul remained coiled and tense. She expected the knock to come again or just silence, but the next sound wound her up as tightly as Paul.

    The front door opened, and someone walked into the apartment. Maintenance, she told herself, but her heart pounded in her throat. Keys jingled, and a man spoke. I’ll check back here. You can check—

    No, I can’t, a woman said. "I just can’t see… I’m going to be sick. Just make sure, Bradley, please."

    As soon as the woman spoke, Paul swore under his breath and rolled off the bed. He landed quietly on his toes and grabbed for his slacks. Get dressed, he hissed.

    She didn’t move. What’s going on? Are we being robbed?

    Stacia, now!

    She drew the covers to her neck, shaking. Her stomach cramped. She might join the unknown woman and be sick at any minute. Wait, why would a robber feel sick and sound so scared when they broke into a condo? Maybe this was her first job. Regardless, something didn’t feel right.

    The bedroom door swung wider. Earlier, Paul had kicked it intending for it to close, but he left a gap that allowed her to hear the intruders. The man whose voice she heard stood in the opening. All ability to speak or respond left Stacia. She lay still, taking in the sight of him and trying to interpret the way that Paul behaved as well.

    Paul, the man said. So this wasn’t a stranger. When Isla asked me to bring her here, I thought her suspicions must be wrong. There’s no way you would—

    Bradley, I can explain, Paul stammered.

    Stacia looked from one to the other, confused and scared. The man they’d called Bradley appeared to be about six-foot four or so with a strong and fit build. While she wasn’t overly impressed with his disordered dark curly hair and the rumpled suit, it was his eyes that drew her notice. Maybe it was the disappointment in the depths more so than anger or dislike. All she knew was that Bradley’s wrinkled shirt matched his eyes. And interesting eyes they were—cerulean blue. At any other time, she might have appreciated them. Not today.

    Paul jabbed a leg into his slacks and slid them up over his hips. His fingers bumbled as he struggled to get his belt latched. Stacia sat up slowly and drew her knees to her chest. She kept the sheet bunched tightly around her naked form, feeling more exposed than she had ever felt in her life.

    Someone tell me what’s going on. Her voice came out in a hoarse whisper.

    Neither man responded.

    With his pants on, Paul thrust a hand inside of his pocket and fished around a bit. When he brought out something that glinted in the afternoon sunlight, spots danced before Stacia’s eyes. She must be seeing wrong.

    Paul… Her voice died out completely.

    He slipped the ring onto his finger, and even the spots couldn’t block out the interpretation of what she saw. Paul—her boyfriend—was married. It couldn’t be. She’d been to his condo all around the clock. They talked on the phone. He told her he loved her so many times. They were talking about…about… No, they weren’t.

    He kept putting her off when she would ask him about meeting his family. His mom had a bad heart. She couldn’t take a psycho woman like she had dealt with in the past. His friends—Stacia had met exactly two of Paul’s friends, two men she decided she never wanted to spend any time with because their personalities disgusted her. That left her with just Paul.

    Uncle, Paul begged, why did you bring her here?

    Uncle? Stacia croaked. This big man was Paul’s uncle? Of course he was. There was the family resemblance in the jaw structure and the nose, but Paul didn’t get the amazing eyes.

    I hear a woman. Is he there, Bradley? The woman in the other room called out, and the crack in her voice pierced Stacia’s soul. This was the truth, even if she didn’t want to face it. Paul was a liar and a user just like all the rest.

    The front door opened and slammed.

    Isla. Paul scrambled to grab the rest of his things and ran out of the room. Soon the front door opened and shut again. He’d left her without a second thought, without an apology. The uncle remained where he stood. Stacia’s airway closed, but emotion rushed up anyway.

    She uttered a small cry and leaned over the side of the bed. They had split a deli sandwich together before hopping into bed. She hurled up everything and would have fallen from weakness face first into the mess. The big man could move like lightning. He caught her before she hit the floor.

    Get off me! Get off me! She sobbed and fought him, pushing at his chest, hitting his face. He took the punishment to some degree as he tried to resettle her on the bed. The sheet slipped away, exposing her body. Shame washed over her, and she cried harder.

    It’s alright, he whispered. It’s going to be alright.

    No, it won’t, she sobbed. "It won’t be alright. I wish I was dead. Go away!"

    Not until I’m sure you won’t do something foolish.

    She flopped onto the bed facedown. He turned her head, clearing her airway. She could have told him it was impossible to smother herself but didn’t. He sat down on the side of the bed, and the minutes ticked by in tortured silence.

    Chapter Two

    Stacia wondered when she slept and how much time passed. When she opened her eyes it was to find herself still on that awful bed. Bradley knelt at the spot where she was sick and cleaned up.

    Leave it, she mumbled. Let him come home to the smell and the mess.

    Those enigmatic eyes met hers. Unfortunately, I can’t do that since this is my condo.

    Y-yours? What do you mean?

    I own it, and Paul had my key.

    You let him use your place to cheat?

    No, of course not. He set the rag aside and focused on her. I used this place when I worked at my university’s downtown campus, but I prefer my property out in the country. After I transferred to the new campus, I intended to sell this condo, but I hadn’t gotten around to it. I promise you, I didn’t know Paul was using the place the way he was. And I’m assuming the way you reacted to when he put his ring back on, you didn’t know he was married.

    She moved to the opposite side of the bed, wrapping the sheets around her. I thought he loved me.

    I’m so sorry.

    His compassion hurt worse than if he called her a home wrecker. She wished he would yell just so she could get mad. If she could get angry, the misery wouldn’t consume her. How foolish could any woman get?

    Misery and hurt weighed her down. She almost couldn’t stand, and when she did she swayed. Bradley was at her side in a heartbeat, wrapping an arm about her shoulders. She pushed him away, far too aware of how she must smell. Not to mention what she’d just done.

    I’m fine, she muttered, but the tears started again. Her stomach lurched. She stumbled toward the bathroom and slammed the door.

    Bradley knocked. Miss, are you sure you’re okay?

    She frowned at the door. You’ve done your due diligence. I promise I won’t steal anything on the way out.

    A sob escaped her. She was sick again.

    Miss. He sounded worried. She wondered if he thought he might be charged with something if she died in his condo. Maybe the sale wouldn’t go well if there was history of a dead body.

    My name is Stacia. She sat down on the toilet with the sheet still wrapped around her. There was no way she would actually use it with him outside the door. Her head swam, and she rested it on her arm, braced on the sink. Stacia Hart. Isn’t that funny? My friends always told me I have too much ‘heart.’

    Is there a friend you’d like me to call to come support you?

    I told you, you can go!

    And I said I’m not leaving until I’m sure you’re fine. His tone held gentleness even though she yelled at him. Who was this man? Oh yeah, Paul’s uncle. Bradley seemed to be a better quality person. She laughed at the thought. There she was assuming she knew what a man was like. She should realize if she thought a man was nice, he was an ass. She needed to get used to it.

    Is it okay if I take a shower? she called out to him.

    Please, be my guest.

    She grew still and listened. It sounded like he returned to the spot on the carpet. A short while after that he left the room, and she heard the door shut. She hurried out, grabbed her clothes, and returned to the bathroom. A quick shower set her to rights physically but didn’t lift the boulder on her emotions.

    Bradley sat on the couch with a pile of papers on his lap. He studied the one on top so intently she figured he didn’t see her. She grabbed her purse from the table and walked toward the door. I’m going to go…

    He rose. The papers slipped to the floor, but he didn’t pick them up right away. His entire focus was on her. Let me give you a ride wherever you need to go.

    That’s not… She started to turn him down, but she didn’t know the bus schedule in that area. Her car was in the shop—again. She prolonged her humiliation being around Bradley. The sooner she got out of there and got him out of sight, the sooner she could start to recover. Maybe some ice cream would help her to forget.

    Her cell phone dinged, and she pulled it from her pocket to check the screen.

    Where are you, girl? Class has started. I know you’re with that sexy man of yours. Has he asked you to marry him yet?

    The phone slipped from her fingers. Her purse hit the floor. She spun around and ran back to

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