Hello again you! How is your day going?
So I am starting to get the hang of this. I even joined Twitter. That is major for me. I may be only twenty-one, but I have avoided Twitter like the plague for so long. I had set up a page last year and just left it. It was like I broke a vase and walked away with my tail between my legs.
Anyway, let me know what you would like to discuss. I really would love to hear from you all. Like I said in my previous post, I am pretty random in my interests.
If anyone read my previous post I gave a summary of my novel. Here you go again, just to remind you:
I have just completed my first novel entitled, Watch Over My Life. This novel is about twenty-five year old, Jessica Connors, a woman who is having an affair with her power-driven boss, Jake; a man she has despised since she was five years old. Her hot and steamy love-affair with the devastingly handsome, Jake Williams traps her up in his sexiness and there is no going back. They fall in love, like most people do in romantic novels, but there’s a twist. I know what your thinking, isn’t there always a twist? You’re right, the majority of time, us writers like to throw in a curve ball, or two. In this case, my main character discovers she is pregnant. She risks her own life to give Jake a chance to be a father; all the while hiding a devastating secret from him – she is dying. She has a choice to make. Her life, or the life of her unborn child? But Jessica is hit with a past that continues to haunt her, and threatens everything she fought so hard to hide.
Here is a sample from my first novel. I really hope you enjoy it and let me know what you think.
Chapter 1: Sleeping With The Enemy
Do you ever get the feeling that you have forgotten something?
Jessica Connors had that feeling from the second she walked out of his house this morning, up until just five minutes ago when she realised what she had forgotten was her underwear.
She sat at her desk, tangled her fingers in her dark auburn curls, and read the same line of the book five times before it dawned on her that she had already read it. She loved her job as a book editor; always gave one hundred percent, and God damn it this book had to be on his desk by tomorrow morning.
But today her mind was elsewhere. She couldn't get him out of her head; his big brown eyes, his short cut dark brown hair, his skin rubbing gently against hers. It replayed like a movie over and over again in her head. He touched her so lovingly and with so much care that she almost believed him. The thought of his kisses trailing down her body made her want to jump ecstatically from her seat and yell at the top of her lungs.
No!
She had to stop with these thoughts. They were ruining her. She never acted like this, and it was time for her to get on with her work.
But he was so damn unforgettable. He hadn't stopped floating around her head since she had woken up this morning and saw his muscular body sprawled out against the bed sheets.
Then the guilt came along to crush her. The unbelievable heavy thumps pounding at every inch of her being made her want to throw up, and her head ached with the pain. The loud, echoing sound of the phone ringing knocked her out of her trance.
"Hello," she answered, her voice trembling.
"Good morning, Jessica. I have a call for you on line two." The young receptionist, named Sophie, sang through the phone.
Why was it that everyone sounded so chirpy this morning? First, there was the teenage girl working in the coffee shop; obviously there to make some money for her weekly cinema trips with her fellow giggling teeny boppers. She just stood there patiently, like a robot, a never ending pearly white smile beaming over the counter. And she was still grinning, in her own little world when numerous people continued to change their orders, asking for unbelievably detailed coffee.
For the love of all that was holy, a coffee was a coffee. How hard could it be?
And now, there was Sophie, the pretty, red head receptionist that sounded as if she were on top of the world.
"Jessica?" Sophie's voice repeated, waiting for a more educated reply than silence.
Jessica could feel her heart pound in double speed, making her pulse race and her palms sweat.
"Oh, yes of course. Put them through."
She pressed the number, anxiously waiting to hear the voice she dreaded on the other line.
But did she really dread that voice?
No and she hated that she could admit that to herself. She dreaded what that voice would say; what it could do to her senses. That voice could take over her whole body if it wanted to, just as it did last night. It could take her to new heights. But those heights were usually three feet off the floor, on a bed with silk sheets, and his hot, male flesh hovering above her.
Sweet lord above, get a grip on yourself.
"Am... Hello?" a low hum came through the speaker of the phone. The husky voice sounded almost lost.
"Oh thank God," Jessica let out. That voice may have sounded lost, but she'd have known it anywhere. It was her friend, Sharon.
Any other time of the day she might have tried to avoid their long conversations, because she knew her friend would be complaining about something. But right now, she embraced the fact that Sharon was calling. She even embraced her complaining like a warm, fuzzy teddy-bear.
"Jessica is that you?" Sharon spoke.
"Yes it's me," she confirmed, not fighting away the smile on her face from the sheer relief.
"What the hell are you doing? I tried to ring your mobile. Where is it?"
Jessica's eyes narrowed, confused. "It's in my bag. You know me, I probably have it on silent," she explained, lifting her black leather handbag from the floor next to her chair.
"Anyway," Sharon continued, "Melissa is having her baby shower tomorrow. You are coming, right?"
"Yes," Jessica answered, distracted as she rummaged through her bag, feeling her pulse quicken as each second ticked by and she could not find her cell.
"Good, because they will be talking about babies, and nappies, and lots of other baby crap and I need someone to talk normal talk to. You are my victim. And typical, I have no idea what to get her. Why the hell she went and got herself pregnant baffles me anyway. Stupid girl," Sharon went on.
"Maybe, because she just got married and she wants to start a family," Jessica grunted, rolling her eyes. Her friend was never the best for understanding situations she was not involved in.
"Still, I don't get it. Her body is going to stretch for no apparent reason. Why didn't she go and adopt and get someone to push the thing out for her?"
"Shit," Jessica breathed, totally blocking out what Sharon had just said. She forgot she was even on the phone for a moment.
"What?" Sharon questioned.
"My mobile, it's not in my bag. Crap! Crap! Crap!" she screamed, again having momentarily memory loss that she was even on the phone. She remembered seeing it on his bedside locker this morning. She had obviously left in such a rush, doing her best not to wake him that she left it behind her.
"I left it on his locker."
She slammed her palm on her wooden table, feeling like a complete idiot. Now she was going to have to face him again. Not that she could avoid him, but she was planning on keeping a low profile for at least a week.
Well, she just saw that idea evaporate before her very eyes.
"Excuse me! Did you just say his locker?"
"Shit," Jessica repeated, she had just given herself away to her best friend. Now she would have to tell her something she had deeply intended on keeping a secret; a dark secret that would give her chills when she thought back on it, and dreamt about it in the comfort of her own mind. But that is all she wanted it to be. A memory. Now she would have her best friend remind her every time she had too many to drink that she slept with the one man she hated.
"Come on. Spill," Sharon demanded, her voice rising in pitch from the excitement. That girl could smell gossip. "You can't just say something like that and expect me to let you get away with it."
Jessica huffed loudly, feeling defeated. "I slept with someone," she muttered quickly, trying to avoid mentioning his name.
"Jessica Connors had a one night stand? Oh my God, you have no idea how proud I am."
"Ugh!" Jessica grunted. "Well, I am not proud of myself."
"Who was it?" Sharon asked bluntly, sounding serious now.
Jessica bit down on her lip, deliberating if she should tell her the truth or lie and make somebody up.
Who was she trying to fool? Sharon could read her like a book, she always could, and Jessica had to face that she would never get away with not telling her; no matter how hard she tried.
"Well?" Sharon prompted.
"I can't believe I am saying this," she took a deep breath and swallowed the embarrassment boiling in her throat. "I slept with Jake," she said in a bear whisper, fearful that if she said it too loud she would actually have to admit it to herself.
The phone went silent; she waited for a moment.
Then more silence.
And more silence.
"Sharon..."
But she was cut off by the loudest scream she had ever heard in her life. She kept the phone at arm's length. Far enough to be sure her ear drum wouldn't burst.
"You slept with Jake!" Sharon laughed loudly; even the speaker on the phone crackled. Jessica was sure that her friend was now curled up in a ball somewhere, holding her sides from the amusement.
"It is not funny," Jessica persisted through gritted teeth.
"I know. I think I'm just laughing in shock. It's a nervous reaction," her hysterical behaviour trailed off. "OK, wait a minute. I can't believe you slept with, Jake," she said seriously. "Let me recap for a moment, just to make sure we are talking about the same person." As if she didn't know. "Is this the absolutely gorgeous, Jake Williams, who can, and does have any woman he wants? The Jake who you do and always have despised? The same Jake that you almost fainted over because you walked into work one day and found out he was your boss?"
Jessica felt sick to the pit of her stomach. "He is not my boss," she demanded.
"He is a partner in the company. He is your friggin' boss. Maybe not directly, but yes sweetheart, he is your boss. Get over it! So it is that, Jake, huh?"
"Obviously, what other Jake is there?" Jessica shouted, annoyed at the continuous questions and the reminder of everything Jake was to her. As if it had slipped her mind by some miracle. She would need a good slap across the head and a severe concussion for that to be forgotten.
"Hey calm down. Don't get your knickers in a bunch. Is that what happened last night? He got your knickers all bunched up and you had to rip them off?" Sharon teased.
"You are not helping."
"Sorry," Sharon apologized, but her tone did not match the meaning of the word. "So how did all of this happen? I thought you hated him."
"I do hate him," Jessica said, trying to remind herself more than she was her friend. "Look can we talk about this later? I have some work to do."
"You will have to come to terms with it sooner or later. Avoidance will eat at your soul, but for now I will leave you off the hook because believe it or not, I actually have work to do myself."
Jessica doubted it was real work. She was probably feeding from some poor newbie who wanted to further his career, and Sharon had given him false promises. Jessica swore she was a vampire, thirsting for the blood of those she could take advantage of. Jessica wasn't being mean about it. Sharon did it plenty of times before, and she wasn't ashamed to admit it either. If it was for her personal gain, it was okay.
"I will call around later for all the gossip. I will bring ice-cream."
"Good. I will need it," she smiled.
But, of course, because Jessica had the worst luck in the world it wasn't long before the phone buzzed to life again.
"Another call waiting on line two."
Jessica sighed heavily, feeling annoyed. Sharon always did this; rang back the second time because she thought of a joke she could tease her with.
"Sharon, I told you I will see you later. I have work to do," she breathed, rubbing the tips of her fingers over her temples.
"You weren't thinking about work last night," a deep voice chuckled.
Jessica thought her heart had stopped. Her pulse began to quicken and she could feel the beads of sweat forming on her skin.
"You OK down there?" he asked, waiting for her to answer. "No actually, you were great down there. Sorry, wrong use of words on my part," he laughed, and the confidence that boomed through that laugh made her want to vomit, but still, that one single vibration of his voice box also made her want to rip his close off. Vomit or rip his clothes off, make your mind up!
"You're sick, Jake," she spat.
"Be in my office in twenty minutes. I have two things belonging to you."
She could hear the sex dripping in his tone, and it scared her because it was his voice and his way with words that made her succumb to him the night before. "I have your phone and something…" he hesitated for a brief moment, "rather lacy."
Then, the line went dead.
Sweet divine, her heart was about to explode from her chest with anxiousness. What the hell was he talking about?
Her mouth went dry; suddenly realising.
Whoops!
He had her underwear.
Please feel free to email me a sample chapter from your book. I would be more than happy to read it. And subscribe to the blog please :-)
I hope to hear from you soon,
~Laura-Ashley~
Write The Way To The Top
