After living the past six years of her life as a shadow of her former self Stella Morgan’s twin sister Sloan takes matters into her own hands, setting her quiet, reserved sister up with her friend and boss Brayden Brooks. But after the trauma of her past, can Stella ever trust another man? Can she overcome her demons to find her happily ever after?
Stella
I can’t believe I actually did it. I asked a man to come to my home. I’ve never had a man here. Never. I must be crazy. What the hell was I thinking!! I can’t do this. Oh God, I should tell him not to come, that I’ve changed my mind. My palms were sweating, I was pacing around my bedroom flexing my fingers. I was sure I was going to throw up at any moment.
Then I heard a brisk knock come from my front door. Oh Lord, he was here. I looked down at myself and realised I was still in my bra and panties I had put on when I got out of the shower, and nothing else.
I called out in a shaky voice that I would just be a moment and hurried to find some clothes. I found a pair of comfortable leggings and a long sweater that sat just below my butt. Then I hurried to the door, stepping up to my tippy toes I looked through the peep hole, there he was, in all his masculine glory. I think I started to drool a little.
I wiped my hand across my mouth just in case before opening the door.
I stood there frozen in place, just staring at him. I felt a fool but I couldn’t make myself move. My eyes roved over his beautiful face, down his impressive chest that was encased in a long sleeved black t-shirt that looked a size too small the way it hugged his torso. I continued my perusal of his amazing body, he wore a pair of dark jeans that sat low on his hips, if he were to move just so I would catch a glimpse of the V that I knew led below the waist band of those jeans. He cleared his throat, effectively snapping me out of my daze.
“Oh, I’m sorry. Come in.”
I stepped back holding open my front door for him to come through. He was so broad that even with my back pressed against the wall his large bicep grazed my breasts on his way past me, my nipples stood to attention immediately. What was wrong with me! I can’t remember ever reacting like this to such a simple touch. An accidental touch at that.
I closed and locked the door out of habit, before squeezing past Brayden’s large body to lead him into the main living area. I had a small apartment, I liked it like that, very basic. Dividing my kitchen and dining area from my lounge room was a half wall I had painted metallic silver, with photos and trinkets I had collected over the years sitting on the top.
My heart felt like it would beat out of my chest it was beating so hard and fast. I had a man in my apartment, the realization took my breath away. I didn’t know what to do. My mind wouldn’t focus. It was racing a mile a minute. I had a man in my apartment. One I was apparently attracted to. That little revelation made my heart stop, and then take off at an alarming rate. My hand flew to my chest above my heart; I bent over and started heaving for air.
This was not my first panic attack. I squeezed my eyes shut and tried to focus on calming myself down and slowing my breathing before I started to hyperventilate. Before I knew what was happening I was wrapped in strong arms being carried to my couch. If I listened really hard I could hear a strong yet kind voice murmuring soothing words in my ear. I began to relax into his hold. My breathing calmed and my heart beat slowed.
I don’t know how long we sat like that. It could have been hours, it could have been minutes. I was spent. Panic attacks always left me exhausted. I curled into his warmth, and he wrapped his arms tighter around me. I’d never felt so safe. In that moment I knew, Brayden Brooks was going to change my life.
Umm ok her we go… 1- I am slightly obsessed with my characters. To the point that I dream about them, my dreams usually end up being scenes in my books. 2- I’m so behind the times with technology that I only just got my first ever iPad in August this year. Thanks to my awesome husband who got it for me just because he’s awesome. 3- I got married two weeks after I turned 19. My husband and I had only met 11 months earlier. But when you know, you just know, you know? 4- I have three incredibly gorgeous kids. A five year old daughter and my boys are one and two. 5- I had all of my children before I turned 25. Crazy you say? I agree! 6- Saving Stella was not the first book I started working on. But it is the first one that was just right. I refuse to publish unless I am 100% happy with where the story goes. 7- I never finished high school. I dropped out when I turned 16 to become a… wait for it… check out chic at our local super market. Ambitious right. 8- I have used parts of my best friend’s names in my characters names. The twin’s last name is Morgan that is also one of my best friend’s last names. Stella’s receptionist’s name is Bianca that is my other best friend’s first name. 9- I had a massive crush on my childhood best friend Braden. That’s where Stella’s leading man’s name came from. 10- It would appear that cleaning my kitchen brings out my muse. Many of the scenes in my books come to me while I’m doing the dishes and I have to run off and scribble them down in my note book before I forget. 11- One day while writing one of the more frisky scene’s in Saving Stella I was really getting into the groove when my one year old pulled a sneak attack and crawled up under my desk and started sucking on my big toe. Needless to say I was no longer in the groove. 12- My big sister is my biggest fan. She is also my editor. 13- I have worked in a lot of varied fields of work. I was a check out chic, I’ve done hairdressing, I was a receptionist for a remedial therapist, I have worked in a butchery and I had my own clothing and jewellery business. 14- My sweet mother has never read any of my writing, and never will if I have anything to do with it. She would have a coronary! 15- My hair is never the same colour for too long. I love to change it up all the time, keeps me feeling fresh. It’s currently the longest it has been in over 10 years! 16- I was 20 when I first picked up a novel. Stephenie Meyer started my love affair with books. That’s right, Twilight was the first book I ever read. 17- My husband believed I had an unhealthy obsession with the Twilight books, so when I was away one time he burnt them. His excuse was, he ran out of kindling. 18- I LOVE to travel. I have been to the South Island of New Zealand, England, Ireland, Scotland and Paris. I would love to go to the US one day. 19- My favourite movie is American Outlaws. Young Collin Farrel, Oh HELL YES! 20- I have two tattoos, a Celtic butterfly on my left hip bone and a cluster of three dragonflies on the left side of my lower back.
"I am new to the writing scene. I'm a 25 year old domestic goddess aka a housewife. I have three super energetic children aged 1,2 and 5. I live in Queensland, Australia. I started writing at the start of this year. Saving Stella is not the first book that I have written, but it is the first that I felt was good enough to publish."
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