Beautifully Broken Blitz
Genres: New Adult, Contemporary Romance
Jacqueline Blunt hasn’t had an easy life. In fact, she’s had anything but. From a drug addicted mother to being bounced around in foster care, Jacqueline longed for one thing—normalcy. Lee Bennett had everything he could ever want—girls falling all over him, a dream job, money. The one thing he was missing? Passion.
Sometimes the ones worth fighting for don’t know their worth. Sometimes being broken is beautiful. This is a story of strength, courage, hope, faith, and love. This is Beautifully Broken.
Only 99 pennies during the blitz!
Excerpt One
“You’re insane,” Lee said again, only this time it was in a low whisper.
I tore my eyes off the road to meet his, watching as mischief and mystery danced across them. I might have been hallucinating, but I think I also saw Lee turned on. He kept biting his lip, and running his hand over his fuzzy shaved head.
“Pull over.”
“What?” I asked, puzzled as to what his motives were.
“Pull over,” he repeated in the exact same tone and I kid you not—I had never been more turned on in my life.
Before I knew it, I had taken his advice and we were parked outside a local park I used to frequent. It was late, around eight at night and it was dark; not pitch dark though. There were no patrons around. I put the car in park and was sure my heartbeat could be heard across the world.
Lee unbuckled his seatbelt when I parked and shifted in his seat to face me. “I’m not going to kiss you again until you ask for it.”
I looked at him, my jaw down to my knees. “What makes you think I would let you kiss me again?” It was all I had been fantasizing about since he had stolen the first kiss from me. It consumed my every thought. But I was not going to tell him that. I was going to remain strong.
“Oh, when I’m done with you—you’re going to be begging for it,” he said in the cockiest tone I had ever heard.
“Cocky much?” I asked, snidely.
“Confident,” Lee responded calmly, grinning back at me.
And then I could feel his warm breath in the crook of my neck, just below my ear, dancing on my skin. My breathing became shallow, and I wondered how he knew where my spot was instantly and the crazy things it would do to me.
If his lips or tongue made their way anywhere towards my neck I was a goner for sure.
I was holding my own. My poker face had not wavered, but my madly beating heart and breathing were a dead giveaway.
“How ya doing over there?” Lee whispered in my ear.
“I’m fine, absolutely fine,” I gulped out, attempting to sound confident.
That’s when his lips found the bottom of my ear and he kissed it and gently sucked on it, causing me to literally bite my tongue off as I squealed with pleasure.
“What was that?” Lee asked, putting his ear to my mouth. His neck was irresistibly close and all I could smell was his intoxicating scent. A mix of his cologne and pure pheromones.
Lee backed up again and began nibbling my right ear. Was it getting hot in here? Or was it just me…
Excerpt Two
It was surprisingly my first offense and I was let off with a fine. Lee was not as lucky—turns out he had a bit of a record—it only angered me more.
Lee had some kind of charm—he had somehow manipulated his way out of a short jail stint with a few choice words and his killer smile. I had to admit—he had his ways. He was slapped with a fine like me and we were sent on our way.
“So how about that for a first date?” Lee boasted as we drove away from the officer and the park.
I was seething and couldn’t even see straight from the rage. My response was a fresh and strong glare in his direction. I knew if I opened up my mouth it wouldn’t be pretty.
“Oh, I get it…you’re giving me the silent treatment,” he paused for effect. “I guess you’re entitled to that this one time.”
I glanced over at him, unable to hide my shock—then back at the road—still silent. It was the calmest I had been in days—I was proud of myself.
“Come on, at least admit it…you had fun,” Lee whispered, a hint of playfulness dancing behind his eyes.
I tried to fight my smile…but I couldn’t help it—if this was the way things were beginning, I could only imagine the rest of his trip.
“See? I knew it!” I wanted to slap the smirk right off his face. This was not what I had signed up for.
“Which hotel are you staying at?” The coolness and indifference in my voice could shatter mirrors.
“So it’s going to be like that?” Lee replied in a surprised tone.
“Like what? You almost got us arrested back there…next I’m sure my actual life will be in danger.” I didn’t bother tearing my eyes off the road that time.
“Oh, come on—Parker always made you seem like such a risk taker,” Lee said playfully.
The mention of Parker’s name had me going through a whirlwind of emotions.
“You spoke to Parker about me?” I tried to mask the nervousness in my voice. I hadn’t taken the necessary time to mourn his absence in my life and wasn’t prepared for this.
Too late. Lee’s voice sounded dejected. Suddenly, I was kicking myself mentally in the face. I hadn’t meant to hurt his feelings. But the fact that he was disappointed at all had to mean something right?
Excerpt Three
After we changed in the locker rooms, we emerged and I couldn’t stop staring at Jacqueline. Austyn had chosen the tankini, whatever that was and Jacqueline looked beautiful. Austyn had been spot on.
We started off in the shallow end. That way she could touch the ground, in turn feeling safe.
I initiated a water fight to make her feel even more secure. I had never seen her smile more.
“Okay, I’m going to need you to lie flat on your back, I’m going to teach you how to float.” Instinctively, I put my arms out in front of me.
I felt Jacqueline’s weightless body fall back onto my arms and I guided her around the pool. When we had been in the deep end for more than ten minutes, I removed my arms from underneath Jacqueline. Her eyes were closed and by the time she realized she was alone, I was already halfway across the pool.
“Lee?” She began to kick her legs, flailing her arms, looking for me; causing her to accidentally swallow some pool water.
“Jac, I’m right here,” I said in a calming voice. “You were doing fine until you began second guessing yourself. Just kick your feet underneath you and keep your head above water.”
I swam out to her after I saw a visible change in her posture. “How you doing?”
“You’re an ass, but I’m swimming!”
“Now that’s the spirit!” I wiggled my eyebrows at her.
She wrapped her legs around my torso. “Don’t leave me again,” she murmured.
“I’m not going anywhere.” Jacqueline was my life now. I spent every waking moment apart from work wrapped up in her.
For once in my life someone had grounded me—and I liked it.
“What are you thinking about?” Jacqueline ran her fingers gently over my forehead.
“You,” I replied, honestly.
Her eyes grew wide. “What about me?”
“You’ve managed to ground me; this is the longest I’ve been in one single place in years.”
Jacqueline looked enthused. “That’s awesome.”
“That’s awesome? That’s all you have to say after I made that huge confession?” She was being modest.
“I knew you liked me more than you let on…I’ve just been waiting for you to come out and say it!” She poked me in the chest playfully.
“Oh really? I’m going to drop you in this water!” I tried to release her limbs from my body but they were hanging on for dear life.
I couldn’t help but laugh. This was us. Jacqueline was my girlfriend and I was falling hard. If I didn’t watch it I would be the one face planting in love with her much quicker than I had ever anticipated.
My player days were being put behind me and I felt relieved; I felt renewed.
“You’re insane,” Lee said again, only this time it was in a low whisper.
I tore my eyes off the road to meet his, watching as mischief and mystery danced across them. I might have been hallucinating, but I think I also saw Lee turned on. He kept biting his lip, and running his hand over his fuzzy shaved head.
“Pull over.”
“What?” I asked, puzzled as to what his motives were.
“Pull over,” he repeated in the exact same tone and I kid you not—I had never been more turned on in my life.
Before I knew it, I had taken his advice and we were parked outside a local park I used to frequent. It was late, around eight at night and it was dark; not pitch dark though. There were no patrons around. I put the car in park and was sure my heartbeat could be heard across the world.
Lee unbuckled his seatbelt when I parked and shifted in his seat to face me. “I’m not going to kiss you again until you ask for it.”
I looked at him, my jaw down to my knees. “What makes you think I would let you kiss me again?” It was all I had been fantasizing about since he had stolen the first kiss from me. It consumed my every thought. But I was not going to tell him that. I was going to remain strong.
“Oh, when I’m done with you—you’re going to be begging for it,” he said in the cockiest tone I had ever heard.
“Cocky much?” I asked, snidely.
“Confident,” Lee responded calmly, grinning back at me.
And then I could feel his warm breath in the crook of my neck, just below my ear, dancing on my skin. My breathing became shallow, and I wondered how he knew where my spot was instantly and the crazy things it would do to me.
If his lips or tongue made their way anywhere towards my neck I was a goner for sure.
I was holding my own. My poker face had not wavered, but my madly beating heart and breathing were a dead giveaway.
“How ya doing over there?” Lee whispered in my ear.
“I’m fine, absolutely fine,” I gulped out, attempting to sound confident.
That’s when his lips found the bottom of my ear and he kissed it and gently sucked on it, causing me to literally bite my tongue off as I squealed with pleasure.
“What was that?” Lee asked, putting his ear to my mouth. His neck was irresistibly close and all I could smell was his intoxicating scent. A mix of his cologne and pure pheromones.
Lee backed up again and began nibbling my right ear. Was it getting hot in here? Or was it just me…
Excerpt Two
Jacqueline
I was going to kill Lee—I was going to murder him and bury the body.It was surprisingly my first offense and I was let off with a fine. Lee was not as lucky—turns out he had a bit of a record—it only angered me more.
Lee had some kind of charm—he had somehow manipulated his way out of a short jail stint with a few choice words and his killer smile. I had to admit—he had his ways. He was slapped with a fine like me and we were sent on our way.
“So how about that for a first date?” Lee boasted as we drove away from the officer and the park.
I was seething and couldn’t even see straight from the rage. My response was a fresh and strong glare in his direction. I knew if I opened up my mouth it wouldn’t be pretty.
“Oh, I get it…you’re giving me the silent treatment,” he paused for effect. “I guess you’re entitled to that this one time.”
I glanced over at him, unable to hide my shock—then back at the road—still silent. It was the calmest I had been in days—I was proud of myself.
“Come on, at least admit it…you had fun,” Lee whispered, a hint of playfulness dancing behind his eyes.
I tried to fight my smile…but I couldn’t help it—if this was the way things were beginning, I could only imagine the rest of his trip.
“See? I knew it!” I wanted to slap the smirk right off his face. This was not what I had signed up for.
“Which hotel are you staying at?” The coolness and indifference in my voice could shatter mirrors.
“So it’s going to be like that?” Lee replied in a surprised tone.
“Like what? You almost got us arrested back there…next I’m sure my actual life will be in danger.” I didn’t bother tearing my eyes off the road that time.
“Oh, come on—Parker always made you seem like such a risk taker,” Lee said playfully.
The mention of Parker’s name had me going through a whirlwind of emotions.
“You spoke to Parker about me?” I tried to mask the nervousness in my voice. I hadn’t taken the necessary time to mourn his absence in my life and wasn’t prepared for this.
Too late. Lee’s voice sounded dejected. Suddenly, I was kicking myself mentally in the face. I hadn’t meant to hurt his feelings. But the fact that he was disappointed at all had to mean something right?
Excerpt Three
After we changed in the locker rooms, we emerged and I couldn’t stop staring at Jacqueline. Austyn had chosen the tankini, whatever that was and Jacqueline looked beautiful. Austyn had been spot on.
We started off in the shallow end. That way she could touch the ground, in turn feeling safe.
I initiated a water fight to make her feel even more secure. I had never seen her smile more.
“Okay, I’m going to need you to lie flat on your back, I’m going to teach you how to float.” Instinctively, I put my arms out in front of me.
I felt Jacqueline’s weightless body fall back onto my arms and I guided her around the pool. When we had been in the deep end for more than ten minutes, I removed my arms from underneath Jacqueline. Her eyes were closed and by the time she realized she was alone, I was already halfway across the pool.
“Lee?” She began to kick her legs, flailing her arms, looking for me; causing her to accidentally swallow some pool water.
“Jac, I’m right here,” I said in a calming voice. “You were doing fine until you began second guessing yourself. Just kick your feet underneath you and keep your head above water.”
I swam out to her after I saw a visible change in her posture. “How you doing?”
“You’re an ass, but I’m swimming!”
“Now that’s the spirit!” I wiggled my eyebrows at her.
She wrapped her legs around my torso. “Don’t leave me again,” she murmured.
“I’m not going anywhere.” Jacqueline was my life now. I spent every waking moment apart from work wrapped up in her.
For once in my life someone had grounded me—and I liked it.
“What are you thinking about?” Jacqueline ran her fingers gently over my forehead.
“You,” I replied, honestly.
Her eyes grew wide. “What about me?”
“You’ve managed to ground me; this is the longest I’ve been in one single place in years.”
Jacqueline looked enthused. “That’s awesome.”
“That’s awesome? That’s all you have to say after I made that huge confession?” She was being modest.
“I knew you liked me more than you let on…I’ve just been waiting for you to come out and say it!” She poked me in the chest playfully.
“Oh really? I’m going to drop you in this water!” I tried to release her limbs from my body but they were hanging on for dear life.
I couldn’t help but laugh. This was us. Jacqueline was my girlfriend and I was falling hard. If I didn’t watch it I would be the one face planting in love with her much quicker than I had ever anticipated.
My player days were being put behind me and I felt relieved; I felt renewed.
She is the author of the Infinite Love series, the Foundation series, the Darkness Falls series, and the Looking Glass series.
Thanks for featuring the Beautifully Broken blitz! :)
ReplyDeleteLooks great! Thanks for the giveaway! :-)
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