BETWEEN CLOUDS AND STARS: A Sexy Standalone Romance
Read BETWEEN CLOUDS AND STARS: A Sexy Standalone Romance Online
Authors: Sharlyn G. Branson
Tags: #Romance, #Fiction
CLOUDS
and
STARS
Sharlyn G. Branson
First Original Edition, September 2016
Copyright © 2016 by Sharlyn G. Branson
Kindle Edition
All rights reserved.
No parts of this book may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the author. This book is licensed for your personal use only and may not be re-sold or given away to other people.
This book is a work of fiction. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or death, or actual events is entirely coincidental. Names, characters, organizations, businesses, places, events and situations are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously.
Edited by Aquila Editing
Cover design © by Sommer Stein at Perfect Pear Creative Covers
Formatted by BB eBooks
Limits of Destiny Series
Limits of Destiny Volume 1–5
My life is perfect. I have money, power, good looks and countless women ready to do anything to get their hands on me, and my rather large package. My business brings in billions every year and my airline has the fastest airplanes in the world. In short, I have everything a man can dream of. Or so I thought until I met Estelle Klide.
The second I saw her, I decided to make her mine.
Her body was sinfully sexy. She had amazing, mesmerizing indigo eyes. Her sweet scent was the epitome of temptation and evoked images of wild, animalistic sex in my mind.
I couldn’t help but fall for her – hard. Letting her slip through my fingers was not an option.
In involving myself with her, I entered waters I’d never thought I’d have to swim in. I set off on a journey filled with mystery, fear and a lot of love.
The only thing that threatened to ruin this paradise and destroy everything, was her ex-husband, who turned out to be a real monster.
BETWEEN CLOUDS AND STARS is a standalone romance novel, which takes place in the fantastical world of the future.
About Between Clouds and Stars
Free chapters of Limits of Destiny Volume 1
I dedicate this book to my readers. Your wonderful reviews are my greatest encouragement and inspiration.
Thank you for all the support!
Estelle
Melbourne, Australia, March 2046
“P
lease, John. Let’s
settle this between ourselves. It’s not their fault.” I was trying to divert my husband’s attention in order to save the people who’d raised me. Not that they deserved saving. For years on end, they’d used me as a servant, instead of giving me the love every adopted child needed.
“Make one move, Mason, and I’ll blow your head off. How could you not call me right away to tell me she was here? You’ll both pay dearly for this. Nobody’s allowed to make fun of me,” John said through his teeth. He had a handsome face—an exotic mixture of Asian and Latino features. But no one suspected that the spirit of the devil was hiding behind it.
John had crossed the line from simply angry to boiling mad, and only God knew what he might do in this state. I was certain he was capable of killing without batting an eye.
I was more afraid of him than anyone else I’d encountered in all my brief miserable life. He’d caused me so much suffering. I’d hoped that in time he’d start treating me better, but things had gotten progressively worse instead. In the three years of our marriage, he’d beaten me senseless over the most trivial matters. Thus, I’d decided to run away from him. I’d lost hope that our marriage could be saved.
It’d been unbearable.
“John, for the love of God, have you gone mad? Put the gun away,” Mason said, and I knew he’d made a huge mistake in daring to open his mouth.
John narrowed his eyes, his extreme anger making it seem like sparks were flying out of them. “Who are you calling mad? You loser… Now you’ll pay with your life.” He fired at Mason, hitting him straight in the heart. His body crumpled on the ground, and blood started pouring from his mouth.
Pamela screamed. I covered my mouth with my hands to stop myself from crying out, knowing that if I didn’t, a bullet would have my name on it too.
“Stop screaming, you dumb whore.” John went over to Pamela in several strides and then grabbed her hair and dragged her across the floor.
“Shut the fuck up or you’ll be next,” he warned her, but she wouldn’t stop screaming. She’d fallen into a state of total panic.
He pressed the muzzle against her temple and, without hesitation, pulled the trigger.
Blood.
The entire living room was drenched in blood. It looked like something out of a horror movie.
Pamela’s head was blown to bits. A piece of her brain landed on my blouse.
I knew I’d be the next to die.
I couldn’t get out by the front door, so I ran toward the stairs. I wanted to hide in one of the bedrooms. But John was quicker. He caught up to me and knocked me to the ground. He started hitting my face with his powerful fists. I turned my head aside to protect my nose from being broken. Right then, he struck me behind the ear, agonizing pain penetrating deep into my brain. Blood started streaming down my neck.
“Bitch. Dirty whore. Is that how you thank me for taking care of you for the last three years?” John screamed, sounding like he’d lost his mind. “Dumb bitch.”
I tried to stand up. He saw what I was trying to do. He picked me up from the floor and slammed me against the wall with all his strength. My helpless body crashed into a picture in a glass frame and, together with glass shards, landed heavily on the top step of the staircase. I rolled down, flashes of unbearable pain stabbing me like a knife as I hit each step.
I sprawled on the landing, the air leaving my lungs on impact.
Everything turned black.
Nick
New York, 2 years later
F
or the last
half hour, I’d been trying to get rid of my fucking erection. No success. I needed to make myself listen to the presentation, but other than the words “aircraft shape” and “air pressure”, my mind hadn’t registered anything, because my vision was focused on a pair of violet-blue eyes, perfectly shaped lips that constantly moved… Oh, and before I forget, sin-inducing body, long lithe legs, and an amazing ass that seemed to attract my hands like a magnet. I was dying to touch that ass.
Estelle Klide had been working at the New York office of my company, Frey Air Group, for one month. She was an assistant in the department of Richard Carroll, who was in charge of procuring the newest aircraft models. However, I hadn’t yet had the pleasure of meeting her, because of my endless travels.
Her tongue licked her lower lip, and my cock tingled as I imagined her sucking me off vigorously and hungrily.
I fucking like this girl
. Damn… I was in deep shit.
I made myself think I’d traveled back in time thirty years. I was now in South Asia, on a packed bus that stank of stale sweat and bad breath. I hadn’t ever been on such a bus, but the thought definitely helped me suppress my hard-on.
The presentation ended, and some fucker put his delicate, lady-sized hand on the shoulder of the petite Miss Klide. He whispered something in her ear, and she gave him a stunning smile.
Fuck
… Why did it bother me so much that some squirt was flirting with her? He was no real competition to me, especially since he couldn’t even grow a beard yet. Still, something about him was gnawing at me. He was too familiar with her.
I waited for the people from my company to leave the conference room and approached her.
“Is he your boyfriend?” I asked quietly, but loud enough for her to hear me.
Her beautiful eyes started blinking in confusion. They darted to the pissant who’d dared to touch her and then returned to me.
“Jeremy…I mean…Mr. West is just a coworker,” she replied, a light blush spreading across her high cheekbones.
Was she shy? I hoped the answer to that would be no, because I wished she’d give herself to me completely.
I inhaled deeply, her sweet scent filling my lungs.
I wanted her just for me. This was…the naked truth.
I wanted to fuck her. Hard. Harder than anyone had done before me.
I wanted to make her scream my name when I made her come.
I wanted to make her think
only
about me.
I knew I was being extremely selfish, but the heart wants what it wants. Period.
I had to make her
mine
!
Jesus… I’d gone insane. I’d always refrained from having sexual relationships with my subordinates, but little Miss Klide had made me lose my mind.
I mentally undressed her from her tight black dress, revealing her perfect womanly curves.
“Will you please come into my office? We need to discuss something.”
She nervously took a gulp of air, ran her delicate fingers through her silky brown hair, and replied, “Yes, of course, Mr. Frey.”
* * *
“Peterson, hold all
my calls until I say otherwise,” I told my assistant over the intercom and waved Miss Klide toward the leather sofa, indicating that she should sit down.
“Would you like something to drink?” I asked. Despite my lustful intentions, I couldn’t forget my good manners.
She declined politely and sat on the edge of the sofa. I sensed she was uncomfortable, even though I was trying to make her feel the complete opposite.
“Relax. Don’t feel tense in my presence. Perhaps I should mention that I don’t bite.” She smiled, but froze when I added, “Very hard.”
I cursed myself silently. Nothing good ever came from such statements.
“I was kidding.” I tried to give her my friendliest smile. She slowly licked her lips, making my dick stir in arousal.
“I’d like to get to know you. Tell me about yourself, starting from whether you enjoy working for my company. How long have you lived in New York? Single, dating, or married? Sexual preferences and so on.” I could’ve found all this out by myself, but wanted to hear it straight from the horse’s mouth.
Her sublimely beautiful eyes widened in surprise. I’d definitely managed to shock her.
“Sexual preferences?” she repeated and crossed her legs.
“Yes,” I said clearly, as if asking such a question was completely normal. As if every boss needed to know such details. “Look, Estelle, I’m asking you personal questions, but not as your boss. Let’s forget I’m the one who pays your salary. Let’s put the formalities aside and have a candid chat.”
“Mr. Frey—”
“Nick,” I corrected her, feeling a great need to hear my name come from her sweet lips.
“Nick,” she repeated and licked her lips thoughtfully. That tongue might end up swirling around a very important part of my body. But I had to be patient if I was to get there.
“I don’t think that’s any of your business,” she said, and my respect for her immediately grew. Usually, nobody had the balls to speak to me like that. Actually, there was one person who dared to take such a tone with me—my mother.
Miss Klide was not one to be underestimated, which made me like her even more.
“It certainly isn’t any of my business, but I still want to know.”
My reply annoyed her, and she stepped toward the door to leave. But I was faster and pressed a button on the remote. Having heard the click of the door lock, she didn’t even bother pushing down on the handle.
She leaned against the door and crossed her arms in front of her chest. “Is this some kind of a game?”
“I wouldn’t put it quite like that.” I rose to my feet, took off my jacket and hung it on a hanger. Then I stood in front of the enigmatic Miss Klide. I wanted to find out so many things about her. Right away.
“And?” I prompted her, leaning toward her to meet her eyes. She had smooth tight skin, a small nose, and perfectly shaped lips that I wanted to kiss. I wondered whether she tasted as sweet as I thought.
She closed her eyes and inhaled deeply. A thin vein in her neck started to throb, and her nipples visibly perked up under the fine material of her dress. She was no less aroused than me. The sexual attraction between us was too tangible to be able to hide it. And I didn’t think she was trying to hide it anyway.