Claire, Nicola Sweet Seduction

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.Sweet Seduction SacrificeBook One in the Sweet Seduction SeriesBy Nicola ClaireCopyright © 2013, Nicola ClaireAll Rights ReservedKindle EditionISBN: 978-0-473-23570-3http://nicolaclaire.blog.com/This book is a work of fiction.The names, characters, places and incidents are products of the writer's imagination or have been used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real.Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, actual events, locales or organisations is entirely coincidental.All rights are reserved.No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission from the author.More books by Nicola Claire:Kindred SeriesKindredBlood Life SeekerForbidden DrinkGiver of LightThe View From Here: Volume IDancing DragonShadow's LightEntwined With The DarkMixed Blessing Mystery SeriesMixed BlessingFor:All those people, like me,who have fallen in loveat first sight.(It really does happen).Chapter 1Get a Grip!It was the fifth time I had opened my front door to this.Twice this week alone.He was upping his game tactics, despite my latest threat to go to a lawyer and get things finalised once and for all.I thought changing the locks and reprogramming the security code on my apartment alarm, would have been enough of an indication it was over, but Brett was stubborn.Stubborn, secretive and crazy.Not what I had fallen in love with, he'd hidden that side of himself well for over seven years.Seven years of my life gone.Poof! In a flick of an eye seven years had passed and what did I have to show for it? A loft apartment in the city, in one of the less opulent buildings.And my shop.My pride and joy.My dream come true.I didn't really care about the apartment.Brett and I had shared it for over four years, before I kicked him out the first time, just over twelve months ago.There were already too many memories there for my liking, but as Brett had squandered all of our savings and I had thrown him out, I stayed in the apartment, took over the mortgage and continued to work in my store.My store I did care about, though.I'd worked hard to realise my dream and Sweet Seduction was the spot to go for a delicious coffee, nibble on a decadent chocolate treat and grab the latest divine music in the form of a CD, old school vinyl and downloadable MP3.Seduction of the senses, that's what my dream was to me.But I was beginning to see my dream was in jeopardy.Imminent disaster on the horizon, my Mum would say.I admit, I've spent the past year denying it, but the writing was on the wall before I kicked Brett out that first time.We'd grown apart, hardly spent any time together anymore.He had his mates and seemed to be working more and more late hours.But I couldn't walk out on six years of a relationship without at least trying.The trying became yelling, which quickly declined into slamming of doors and hours spent ignoring each other and then took a nose dive right into mistrust and secrets and non-verbal messages that didn't invite trying any more.After trying for six months I kicked him out.But that's not the worst of it.I should have taken a second mortgage, sold my wardrobe of designer clothes, begged a loan off my parents, anything to cover the mortgage myself.What I shouldn't have done was let Brett Elliott back in the door.'Cause once you do that, it's harder to say no again.Four more suitcases packed and locks changed on the door.Four more will sapping, confidence crushing, stupid, idiotic weak mistakes.I had even begun to despise myself.But Brett is Brett.And the Brett I fell in love with was caring and funny and cute boy-next-door gorgeous and always knew exactly what I wanted to hear.The last time I kicked him out was it.Locks changed, alarm reset, cellphone number replaced and a Trespass Notice filed.That final one was a shocker.I'd never gone to a police station in my life before, but my best friend Kelly made me do it.Said I had to take this separation seriously and there is nothing more serious than a legal document backed by the might of the New Zealand Police Force.But, despite my drastic measures.now this.I was already running late.Kelly and Lucas were opening the shop for me, but I was due at the lawyers' firm in half an hour.It would take me that long to walk there, but now I'd have to deal with this.this crap.Hundreds of dollars worth of roses left outside my door.He can't afford to help pay the rent this week, but he can somehow drop off - inside his no go area - six dozen red roses beautifully presented and expertly wrapped.I stood there for several seconds wondering where the hell I'd discard them.They were not getting inside my home and I couldn't bear to look at them in the shop all day.My neighbours; a young professional couple, had taken the last lot, but my other neighbours consisted of a single guy, an old cranky biddy and a gay couple.The gay couple it was then.I stomped down to Wayne and Edward's door and banged a couple of times.The flowers were too big to drag with me, they'd probably need a forklift to get them down this end of the hallway in one go.The door opened and Wayne leaned a hand casually against the frame above his head, reading glasses halfway down his nose, checked shirt open and baring a well muscled chest, top two buttons of his faded jeans undone.He was munching on a piece of toast."Reading the paper over breakfast again, Wayne?" I asked and watched as he quickly removed the offending give-away glasses and shoved them in the pocket of his shirt."Hey, Sweetie.Aren't you late for work?""I'm late for a meeting with my lawyer," I replied and Wayne instantly perked upright."Finally," he muttered.I didn't give in to the discomfort of his words."What can I do for you, Gen?" he asked with a smile."Um.I don't suppose you and Edward would like a little floral enhancement in the apartment, would you?""Floral enhancement?"I turned slightly and nodded back down the hallway.Wayne leaned his head out the door of his apartment and nearly choked on his piece of toast.After coughing a few times he returned watery eyes to me."Brett?" he guessed.I just nodded and bit my bottom lip.It was one thing to rely on your neighbours to water your plants, when you had to go out of town on a coffee shop convention, it was a whole other thing to ask them to be the receptacle of something you thought was only good for the trash, but couldn't afford the inner city garbage clearance bill."Leave it to me, Sweetie," Wayne said coming to my rescue, not for the first time either."I'm sure Edward's bank would love to spruce the place up with some red roses.Red goes with electric blue doesn't it?"I smiled, despite myself.Edward was the bank manager at the Queen Street branch of the Bank of New Zealand, whose chosen colour scheme was a bright electric blue."It'll look avant garde," I suggested, not sure what avant garde actually looked like, but it sounded good anyway.Wayne chuckled and followed me back down the hall.We both came to stop by the behemoth display."It's such a shame," Wayne murmured.I took a breath in thinking he was about to delve into dangerous waters, a bouquet of flowers like these shouldn't be sneezed at, I suppose [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]

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