Coming Home to You (The Rockport Beach Series Book 1)
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Authors: Claire Raye
Coming Home
to
You
By
Claire
Raye
Copyright © 2014 by Claire Raye
All rights reserved. This book may not be reproduced,
scanned, or distributed in any printed or electronic form without permission
from the author. Please do not participate in or encourage the piracy of
copyrighted materials in violation of the author’s rights. All characters and
storylines are the property of the author and your support and respect is
appreciated. The characters and events portrayed in this book are fictitious. Any
similarities to real persons, living or dead, is coincidental and not intended
by the author
.
Cover Design by End to End Book Design
Cover Photographs from Dreamstime at www.dreamstime.com
Epilogue- Two Months Later- Kelsey
Finding Home with You- Book
Two Excerpt
Prologue
10 years ago – Rockport
Beck
“Kels, baby… Please,” I say, practically
begging her. “Why won’t you just come with me?”
I watch as she crosses her arms over her
chest and pouts. This is what happens when she won’t budge on something. It’s the
look she gives me when she wants me to cave and give in to her. I usually do, I’m
powerless when it comes to saying no to this girl. Except for now, this time I
just can’t give in. I need to leave this place and there’s nothing she can say
or do to convince me otherwise.
“Why won’t you just stay?” she says, her
eyes glistening with tears.
“You know why,” I say, stepping towards
her. Her body stiffens as I do, so I stop, my heart pounding in my chest at
what might really be happening here.
“I don’t, Beck,” she says, her arms
tightening. “All I know, is you apparently don’t love me enough to stay. You
don’t love me enough to want to stay here with me.”
“Fuck!” I say, my hands gripping my hair
in frustration. “And maybe you don’t love me enough to leave?”
“You know I do,” she says, her voice
quiet.
“But you still won’t come?”
Kelsey throws her arms up in frustration
now. “You know I can’t, Beck,” she says. “I have to stay, for them, you
know
that!”
“And you know I have to go,” I say,
taking a step backwards now before I give in and do what she wants.
“So I guess this is it then?” she asks,
tears streaming down her cheeks.
“I guess so,” I say, taking another step
away from her, even as my body is screaming at me to do the opposite.
“Well thanks, Beck,” she spits out, bitterness
in her voice that I’ve never heard before. “Thanks for fucking nothing.”
“Shit, Kels, come on,” I say, but it’s
too late, because before I even finish my sentence, Kelsey turns and walks out
the door and somehow I know this really is it.
Chapter One
Present Day – Rockport
Kelsey
The sky lights up with the first blazing
firework as I stand on the saltwater-worn back deck of The Rockport Beach Inn. Memorial
Day weekend, the unofficial start of summer and the beginning of tourist
season. I never thought ten years later I would still be standing here. That I
would be living in Rockport, running my parents’ inn; but after my dad died
five years ago, I knew I couldn’t let it fail. It was their dream, their
livelihood and the one thing I had left of both of them.
But it’s all bittersweet. This weekend,
the inn, the worn out deck, the fireworks, all my memories come flooding back
as that first tear stings my eye and runs down my cheek.
Beckham O’Loughlin
Even after ten years, I still miss him.
But he made his choice and it didn’t include me. I choke back the tears and
shake off the thoughts that have clouded my head.
“Damn it, Beck,” I mumble as a knot forms
in my stomach. I don’t know if it’s regret or hurt or anger that continually
brings him back to me, but whatever it is, I can’t seem to get past it.
I know I need to move on and I’ve tried.
I realize he isn’t coming back, but moving on has been harder than I thought.
I run my hands through my hair and exhale
a hard breath trying to rid him from my brain.
I take a step backwards and as I turn
around, I find myself face to face with my nighttime desk attendant, Abby. A
ditzy local girl with dreams of finding a handsome, rich tourist who will take
her far away from this sleepy little town.
I was her once, but life has a funny way
of uprooting your dreams and making your reality something you never thought it
would be.
“Abby, geez, you scared me,” I say,
hoping she can’t see the sadness that is written all over my face. I look away
quickly, glancing back over my shoulder as the fireworks continue to erupt out
over the water.
“Sorry, Kelsey,” she says with her perfectly
clueless-about-life smile plastered on her face. “There’s someone at the front
desk who wants to see you.”
I roll my eyes and let a small huff
escape my lips before acknowledging her comment. “Did you tell them the inn is
full? We have no vacancy. Don’t these people know it’s Memorial Day weekend?
Damn tourists.”
Abby laughs and I realize how bitchy I
sound. Without these people I would have nothing, but that doesn’t mean they
don’t drive me crazy.
“No, it’s not like that,” Abby says as we
step inside. I can see a twinkle in her eyes and her smile widens as she says,
“It’s a guy and he’s hot.”
“What?” I practically shout and Abby
laughs again. “He’s looking for me? Are you sure? Did he ask for me by name or
just to speak to the owner?” I sound a little too overzealous, a bit too excited
for my own good.
Could it really be him? Could it be Beck?
My Beck, coming back the same weekend he left so many years ago. He’s always
been a hopeless romantic and I’ve always been a dreamer.
I feel myself smiling as my heart begins
to race. The excitement that flows through me ignites my entire body with
sparks as hot and bold as the fireworks in the sky.
“Yep. That hot boy down there asked for
you by name. And he’s got the best Boston accent I’ve ever heard. Like melt
your panties hot.” Abby winks at me as I push past her and haul ass down the
stairs.
It can only be him.
Beck.
I can’t move fast enough and my
nervousness begins to take over. My heartbeat is out of control, pulsing thick
and fast in my chest, reverberating through my ears, drowning out any other
sounds.
I can picture him, the line of his square
jaw, the masculinity of his face, his perfect blue eyes and that small bump on
the bridge of his nose from when he broke it during a fight with Tommy Prescott
when we were kids. It all makes him heart-stoppingly beautiful, and coupled
with his tanned skin and light brown tousled hair; I can’t stand it any longer.
I imagine his arms around me, his hands
exploring my body after all this time. I feel my nipples harden under my shirt
and press achingly against my bra. Just the thought of his hands makes my body
grow weak with need. Desire pools hot and wet between my legs. It’s been too
long and in this moment I can’t even remember why he left or why I was angry.
None of it matters.
I hit the first landing on the staircase
and nearly stumble. Catching my balance, I try to compose myself. I can’t see
him for the first time in ten years all flushed and looking like all I want is
to be fucked by him. Long and hard and desperate.
Oh my God, what is wrong with me?
I pull in a few deep breaths and exhale
each one slowly before continuing down the stairs. When I hit the main floor, I
stop breathing.
My heart stops, the hard beat that had
taken over ceases instantly and I suddenly feel like I might vomit. It’s not
him. It’s not Beck. It’s my worst nightmare.
My body finally catches up and my heart
begins to beat again. Fast and violent as sweat builds throughout my body; my
hands are shaking and I swallow hard. I want to scream, I want to run, but my
body won’t comply.
He grins at me, that disgusting coy
smile, that makes my stomach churn, and as he steps closer, I recoil immediately.
“Kelsey, doll-face, I’ve missed you.” His
voice is like slime, smarmy and sick just like him.
“Jason, you can’t be here.” I turn around
searching for Abby, the closest phone, something, anything to make me feel
safe. I hear Abby’s feet behind me and without turning around, I yell to her,
“Call the police!”
“Aw, come on, Kelsey, don’t be that way,”
he begs as he takes a step closer.
“Don’t come any closer!” I scream, but
the fear slips through and it comes out shaky and feeble.
Jason laughs as he closes the small
distance between us. “Some things never change,” he says smugly. As he
approaches, his chest is out and his eyes are trained on my mine. His loud
voice fills the room and his arrogance is stifling as his mouth twists into an evil
smile. “I always loved when you put up a fight, but I think we both know, I’ll
win.”
“Not this time. You need to leave, Jason.
The police will be here any minute.” I try my best, but he’s right, I’m weak
and scared. My shaking hands and the tremble in my voice do nothing to hide this
and Jason moves closer, until he’s standing directly in front of me.
I can feel his hot breath against my face
when he speaks and it causes a shiver to run through my body. His words are
laced with disgust and the seriousness in his tone makes me shudder.
“Kelsey, you can’t get rid of me that
easily. Did you really think a piece of paper would keep me away? If you did, you’re
far more stupid than I thought. Don’t underestimate me.”
Jason takes my face in his hands and a whimper
leaves my mouth as tears pool in my eyes. He can’t be this close to me. I was
supposed to be safe and protected, but something failed.
Just as Jason tightens his grip on my
face, the sound of sirens wail through the quiet of the night, startling me and
jarring Jason.
He narrows his eyes and releases my face,
but the scowl remains. His words come out in a growl as he moves towards the
entrance of the inn. “Don’t think this is the end of this, Kelsey. I know where
you work. I know where you live. One day you’ll be alone and I will find you.”
He disappears out the door and I scramble
to the front desk, gripping the counter tightly because I feel like my legs
might give out. I close my eyes and pray that what just happened was a dream, a
nightmare, anything but real. But when I take in Abby’s wide-eyed, pale face, I
know it all happened and it not only scared the shit out of me, it also shook
her to the core.
“Who was that?” she asks, concern and
fear filling her voice.
“My ex, Jason Henderson.”
“Why didn’t you tell me?” Abby questions,
but this time she sounds more angry than fearful.
“What was I supposed to do? Post his
picture behind the desk with a sign that says, ‘Kelsey’s crazy stalker
ex-boyfriend. Beware.’ Like that wouldn’t scare away employees and customers.”
Abby sighs and slaps her hands down on
the counter. “Seriously, Kelsey, you should have told me.”
“Sorry. Now you know.” I don’t mean to
sound insincere or dismissive, but I need to make light of the situation in
order to convince her and myself that our safety and the safety of our guests
isn’t compromised. I give Abby a small forced smile that does nothing to ease
my anxiety and judging by the look on her face, she isn’t done with this
conversation.
Before Abby can continue her verbal
assault, the police enter the inn and the tension in the room goes from high to
Defcon One.
Guns are drawn, with at least five of
them storming the small lobby of the inn and two standing guard outside. As
much as I love their responsiveness, this town is full of Barney Fifes with far
too little to do. This call is the most excitement they’ve had since that
unsolved boat fire back in ‘99. I’m pretty sure the entire force has convened
at The Rockport Beach Inn, along with all the tourists that are now returning
from the beach after watching the fireworks. This is just great for business.