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What Becomes of the Broken Hearted – Lisa Hobman
About the author
Lisa Hobman is a British author, living in Scotland with her family and two dogs. Her debut novel was shortlisted in the 2014 RoNA awards. When she’s not writing, Lisa can be found singing in a local band or out enjoying the beautiful Scottish countryside.
Follow Lisa
Twitter- @LisaJHobmanAuth
EXTRACT
Chapter Two
From the moment he had declared that he wanted to see her again on that fateful night Seth had embarked upon an old-fashioned mission to woo her. She recognised the traits from the classic romance novels she loved so dearly. There were flowers, walks in the park by the Kelvingrove Gallery, small tokens of his affection such as teddy bears, chocolates and jewellery. Vina joked that she had never seen her brother behave in such a soppy way and Seth continued to insist she was wrong, that he wasn’t an old romantic; even though he clearly was.
Cassie couldn’t believe how lucky she was but Seth insisted he was the lucky one. Any time he travelled abroad for business there would be long conversations on the telephone—some that were decidedly raunchy—and he eventually insisted that she should move in so that she could be there when he arrived home. Apparently, there was nothing he hated more than arriving home to an empty apartment.
From the moment she moved in everything seemed to click into place. Cassie never imagined she would ever be this happy. And never in her wildest dreams did she imagine that someone like her would end up with someone like Seth Guthrie. The reluctant-to-admit-it romantic who adored every single thing about her.
The weekend of their third anniversary of ‘coupledom’ had proved what a romantic Seth truly was. It was strange not to be waking up in their Glasgow apartment but the weekend in Alnwick had been a sweet surprise he had arranged especially for her. The bed was smaller than they were used to. However, a normal sized double bed meant that she was snuggled closer to him, so it wasn’t at all bad. The scent of him infiltrated her nostrils and she sighed with sheer contentment.
Puffin Cottage was so beautiful with its bare stone walls and log burning stove. It was reminiscent of where she grew up, so Cassie felt right at home. Seth said he’d known instantly when he saw the photos on the booking site that she would adore it. He knew her so well.
She lay awake with her head propped on her hand, just watching him. His handsome chiselled features were relaxed in slumber and she found herself wondering what her life would have been like had she not met him. He took charge and she liked that. He was everything she imagined her dad wanted for her. If she hadn’t met him she had no idea where she’d be. Realising she hated that thought she shuddered causing him to stir, so she held her breath unwilling to break the spell of watching her Prince Charming dreaming just yet.
Eventually, his eyelids fluttered open and his mouth stretched into a gorgeous smile. ‘Hey, poppet. How long have you been awake?’
‘Oh not long,’ she lied.
‘Hmm, well are you just going to lay there or are you going to let me make love to you?’
She playfully tapped her chin. ‘Oh… I don’t know. Hang on; give me a minute to think.’
He launched himself at her and she squealed with delight as he scooped her from her own side of the bed and settled between her thighs.
He pouted. ‘You wear too many clothes to bed,’ he informed her as he tugged at her satin nightie until it was completely removed and he cast it aside.
She giggled. ‘But it was really chilly last night.’
He began to feather kisses along her shoulder to just under her ear. ‘That’s what you get with old buildings that haven’t been brought to the present century yet. Drafts, cobwebs and woodlice.’
In spite of herself, she gasped at the sensation of pleasure that spread like heat throughout her body, making every nerve ending spring to life.
‘Hmm,’ she moaned. ‘I love old buildings though,’ she sighed as he took her peaked nipple into his mouth.
With a mouthful of her flesh he mumbled. ‘But you love me more.’
She pulled her lip between her teeth as he stroked his fingertips down the length of her heated body and her eyes drifted closed as he teased her.
She nodded. ‘That’s very true.’
‘And when you marry me you’ll promise to obey me in your vows, won’t you?’
Wait, what? Her eyes sprang open and she gasped. ‘I’m sorry?’
He pulled away and propped himself on his elbows as he sank himself into her yielding body. ‘You heard me.’ He grinned.
‘But… but…’
He chuckled at her response. ‘Cassie, darling, don’t gawp at me like a deranged goldfish. What’s surprised you so much? You know I’m a traditional man and I like the old vows.’
She stared up at him in shock considering this was the first time the M word had been uttered, never mind the word ‘obey’ being uttered in the same sentence. ‘Marriage though?’
He took her mouth in a deep, lingering kiss that not only stole her breath but also the last shred of ability to form cognitive thought.
‘You feel so good,’ he groaned as he moved but she could no longer concentrate.
‘Seth… Seth… stop,’ she gasped through a confused fog of desire and frustration.
‘Don’t want to,’ he mumbled as he nibbled at her neck.
Realising arguing at that precise moment was futile she gave in once again to the pleasure warming her blood until she cried out his name in release and he followed suit.
Once their breathing had calmed and the sated fog had cleared Seth flopped to the bed beside her once more and turned to face her.
She reached up and stroked his unshaven face, loving the way the spiky hairs rasped at her soft skin. ‘You’ve never mentioned marriage before, Seth. You’ve completely thrown me.’
He grinned and raised his eyebrows. ‘I just love the element of surprise, don’t you? And anyway, it’s not like I actually proposed during sex. I have more class than that. I just mentioned it in passing, that’s all.’ He shrugged as if it was no big deal, which irked her.
‘But you could’ve mentioned it when you weren’t sucking on my various erogenous zones. There really is a time and place for such conversations. And that wasn’t it.’
He tapped her nose lightly. ‘Like I said my little love muffin, it wasn’t a proposal.’
He sat upright and stretched his arms above his head and the defined muscles of his back expanded and contracted and Cassie found herself thrown once more.
Realising she had a serious point to make she sat up too and pushed all thoughts of the man of her dreams’ naked body aside. ‘But you want me to obey you?’
He turned to face her. ‘Does that really bother you so much?’
She chewed on the inside of her cheek as she contemplated the outdated words. ‘Honestly? Yes. I don’t know if I’m comfortable with the whole obey concept. This is the 21st century you know.’
Shaking his head, he sighed. ‘My mother said those words and you don’t see her being downtrodden in any way, do you?’
He had a fair point. American born Vanessa Guthrie, nee Claremont was anything but downtrodden. She was her husband’s equal in every conceivable way. In fact, it could be said that her husband worshipped the ground she walked upon, so she was probably a little more than equal.
Seth leaned forward and kissed the tip of her nose. ‘Just say you’ll think about it. Then when I do ask you to marry me, you’ll know what I expect.’ Before she could protest further he climbed out of the bed and walked towards the bathroom whilst she ogled his taut bottom.
He certainly didn’t look ten years her senior. In fact, he looked better than most men her age. And he was obviously much more mature. He had real, honest to goodness life experience. And there was nothing sexier than a man in a suit. Unless it was her man out of his. And of course there was the smell of his cologne. It could easily turn her into a gelatinous, lustful wreck.
About the book
Cassie Montgomery can remember a time where her life seemed pretty perfect. By day she was setting up her own little business in her sleek penthouse apartment, and by night sleeping on gazillion-count Egyptian cotton sheets next to her fiancée, once reputed to be Glasgow’s most eligible bachelor.
And yet one ordinary, fateful day, Cassie uncovers a secret that shatters her heart into tiny pieces, and changes her life forever….
Escaping to a rural and idyllic coastal village, Cassie finds a cottage that, from the moment she steps through the rose-surrounded door, feels instantly like home.
And then there’s Mac, the cool surf teacher, who makes her question what really makes her happy – and makes her wonder if maybe, she might already have found the answer….
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