Excerpt: Keep Us by Faith Andrews
Our breathing simmers to normal, our
bodies still collapsed in an uncomfortable position across the kitchen table.
It doesn’t matter, though, because wrapped in Marcus’s arms I could fall asleep
on a bed of nails. He strokes my hair and paints my shoulders with soft
after-sex kisses. This is it, I tell
myself. It’s the perfect time to tell him
about the baby. I don’t know why I’m nervous—I know he’ll be ecstatic—but
my heart is still galloping in my chest from what we just did and my nerves are
getting the best of me.
“Hey, babe?” My fingers trace the
outline of this muscular back. I can’t see it, but this is where the tattoo of
Luca’s name is. I’ve committed each piece of artwork, each swirl of ink, to
memory.
He doesn’t answer me, but I feel his
body tense beneath my touch. A lengthy sigh escapes him. “I hate to do this
now, but I might as well blurt it out while I have you laid out and
vulnerable.”
Hey,
I was supposed to be the one blurting something out! And vulnerable? What the
hell is he setting me up for? The
romantic glow of our lovemaking is lost, just like that. I sit up and scoot out
from his hold, then search the floor for my pants. “Blurt what out, Marcus?
This can’t be good.”
Marcus rakes his fingers through his
short dirty blond hair. Frustration wears heavy on his usually relaxed
features. With a tight jaw and disappointment in his tone he confesses, “I have
to work tomorrow morning.”
I see red. “What? On Thanksgiving? You can’t be serious!”
He pulls his pants up in one quick
motion and rushes over to me. “Well, technically—Gary wants me, us actually, at the parade. The
invitation is open to you and the kids too.” He smiles, a forced,
I’m-trying-really-hard-here smile.
“I can’t just drop everything—all this
cooking—to go to a parade, Marcus. The kids will be miserable in the cold, and
I can’t host a houseful of guests afterwards.
It’s just too much. Can’t you say no?” I want to be angry at him, but I’m
sure this is out of his control.
“I wish I could, pretty girl.” He meets
me at the sink and backs me up against it. Strong, protective hands cup my
cheek. Soulful, apologetic eyes gaze into mine. “I need to be there, but I’ll
be home as soon as I can. I just have to show my face, smile and say a few
words, and then I’m all yours.”
Slumping into his arms, I sigh. “Fine.”
He backs up and lifts my chin with his
finger. “You’re not mad?”
“No, of course I’m not mad, I’m
just—upset. It won’t be the same without you. You won’t be home as early as you
think with all the traffic and hoopla. As it is, Riley’s away and Beck’s
working. Your father is always a mope on the holidays. The only glimmer of hope
is Griffin.”
Yes,
thank God for Griffin. I
love my father-in-law to bits but he’ll plop himself in front of the TV for
football all day. Uncle Griffin will at least keep the kids entertained and get some nice family photos too. Not
that there’s actually going to be a family here to take photos of.
Turning away so I can let the tears
escape without Marcus seeing, I hang my head over the sink. “What a mess. I
shouldn’t have gone to all this trouble.”
Marcus’s hands are at my shoulders in a
flash, trying to rub away my sadness. “Please don’t say that. It’ll still be a
beautiful day. You always make sure of that. Let’s look on the bright side—”
“Yeah, and what’s that?” I sniffle.
He spins me around so we’re face to
face again. With his hands still on my shoulders, my husband arches a brow and
smirks. “We have special news to tell everyone tomorrow.” He peers down at my
stomach and winks.
***
Keep
Us, A Grayson Holiday Tale is
one of the 21 holiday short stories featured in the Indie Chicks Rock Hot for the Holidays anthology. You can
preorder your copy for only 99 cents now, as the price will go up after release
on November 3. We are also happy to announce that ALL proceeds from the sale of
these naughty and nice holiday romances will benefit www.proliteracy.org. Proliteracy is an organization
dedicated to giving the gift of literacy to millions of people around the
world.
Preorder links:
B&N: http://bit.ly/1FwPGaD
Kobo: http://bit.ly/1YE2qCM
iBooks: http://apple.co/1VbNyw9
A collection of 21 holiday short stories from some of your favorite 'Indie Chicks Rock' authors. Curl up around the fire this holiday season and enjoy deciding who in this collection of characters you want to add to the 'nice' list, and who you'll be adding to the 'naughty' list! All proceeds will be donated to a charity that supports literacy.
UNDER THE MISTLETOE by USA Today Bestselling Author Michelle Lynn - Piper forms the perfect plan to give Tanner his Christmas surprise. Too bad her twin brother, Brad, arrives early and she's left scrambling.
A TEN BELOW ZERO CHRISTMAS by bestselling author Whitney Barbetti - Parker and Everett from Ten Below Zero spend their first Christmas together after enduring eighteen months living apart.
LOVE IN MOTION by bestselling author R.E. Hunter - When faced with an unexpected cross-country holiday trip, will Morgan & Brett discover the romance of train travel, or will they decide some plans aren’t worth the extra mile?
A PARISIAN HOLIDAY by bestselling author Jade Eby - Kara and Vince from The Right Kind of Wrong get stuck in Paris for the holidays.
WHEN THE CLOCK STRIKES TWELVE by bestselling author Elisabeth Grace - When Max and Chloe's New Year's Eve plans go awry the result is something that will change their lives forever.
NAUGHTY NOT NICE by bestselling author Mia Kayla - When Kendy suspects that someone else is riding her reindeer, all hell erupts and she’s out for naughty revenge for the holidays.
KEEP US by Faith Andrews - Will Marcus and Riley make it home for the holidays or will their spouses, Tessa and Beck, be forced to ring in the New Year alone?
FLARE by Autumn Grey - Remington and Selene from the Havoc series have been stuck in the middle of ten-second quickies and diaper changing, but now things are about to flare up.
DRIFTING by Gia Riley - Follow the gang from Lighter & Weightless on their hilarious road trip to NYC where they’ll celebrate New Year’s Eve in style.
SECOND BEGINNINGS by Kristy Love - Courtney wanted to put the past behind her and face the boy who broke her heart. She hadn’t planned on meeting Chase, though.
ALWAYS US by Stephanie Rose - All Lucas and Samantha from Always You want this Christmas is each other, but life keeps getting in the way.
SLEEPLESS NIGHT by Kimberly Rose - Malik and Rosalyn reconnect for one sweet and sexy night before he deploys.
SPECIAL DELIVERY by B.A. Wolfe - Cassie and Aidan are sharing their first Christmas together as a family, and they quickly learn that the best gifts don't come wrapped in a bow beneath the tree.
BABY, IT'S YOU by Ryleigh Andrews - Join Mia and the rest of the gang from the Never Over You series as they celebrate a snow-filled Christmas holiday.
COMPROMISED by Livia Jamerlan - Peyton & Braelynn's plan was to spend their first holiday season together on a beach until a heartbroken Gus knocks on the door.
CHAMPAGNE KISSES by Eleanor Green - Best friends Briley and Cooper realize they're more than just friends as their lips lock at midnight on New Years Eve, and a new year brings new revelations.
PROMISE YOU FOREVER by Celeste Grande - Brayden wants his girlfriend Casey to promise him forever. That is, if he can stop messing things up long enough to ask her.
A TASTE OF CHRISTMAS by Anne Carol - Lauren and Brett are just friends who work at a winery tasting room, but what happens when fate steps in at the annual holiday party?
UNWRAPPED by M.C. Decker - Join Rich and Brooke Davis and their family and friends as they celebrate a holiday to remember.
HOME FOR THE HOLIDAY by Ruthie Henrick - Thanksgiving has always been Allie’s favorite day, and this year Jake will be especially thankful if they manage to get everyone home for the holiday.
FIRE OVER FROST by J.A. DeRouen - Emmett Fontaine's Christmas plans derail when he comes face to face with his college heartbreak ... and a tiny surprise wearing pigtails.
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