Forever Yours (#1) Read online

  Forever Yours –Series By Deila Longford Part one 2013

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  Blog: http://deilalongoford.blogspot.co.uk/

  Email: [email protected]

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  ~ Acknowledgements ~ This book is dedicated to all of the fans and readers of my first three books. Without you there would be no reason me to write. Also dedicated to my family.

  One

  The rain pelts against the window of my beat up truck as I stop firmly in front of my local Wal-Mart. The weather has been terrible lately and I can’t believe my own stupidity for venturing out into one of the worst storms that has ever hit Portland- Maine. I glance out of the window and I see that everyone in the parking lot is hiding in the shelter of their cars. I sigh heavily, as I know that I have to get into that store, one way or another. I push the hood of my oversized waterproof coat over my head, I tuck in my frizzy brown hair and then I make a plea with god – please let me survive.

  I gently open the door of my truck, but it blows away from me as the wind catches it. I manage to scupper out of the truck and somehow I manage to close the heavy door against the rage of the blowing winds. With one chance and my heart racing, I dart towards the entrance of the store. I run too fast and straight into a massive puddle. I stop momentarily, as my tired converses begin to leak water. I flap my hood back down over my head, as I make another darting run towards the entrance. This time I trip and I land on my face -in a deep puddle of water. My knees are stinging and I am soaked to the core, I can feel the eyes of the other customers burning through me and I flush hot with embarrassment. I try to pick myself up off the ground, but as I attempt to pull my jean soaked legs out of the puddle, I feel a hand on my back. I don’t turn around; I am mortified that someone has witnessed my clumsy moment.

  I feel the hand again, but this time I feel two of them and this time they are lifting me off the ground. My face is on fire and my embarrassment is building. I try to smooth myself out as I turn around and look at my saviour. Holy crap is my first thought when I lock my brown eyes on his.

  “That was quite a fall you had. Are you alright?” He says in a deep American accent. I can’t tear my eyes away from him – he is captivating in so many ways. He has light blonde hair and cool blue eyes. He is huge standing at around 6’2” with massive biceps. He is dressed casually in dark blue jeans and a black leather jacket. His hair is wet and he is soaked to the core, but somehow he doesn’t look cold. I push my hood down from my face, as I feel stupid standing here looking at this stunning guy, with a huge parka hood over my head. I shyly smile at him as I pick up the courage to speak.

  “Thanks, I am fine.” He smiles at me and I can’t breathe at the sight. “You’re welcome, what is your name?” He asks in a deep voice. I clear my throat as I respond.

  “I’m Rose; it’s nice to meet you.” I say as I hold my hand out to him. He smiles at me and then he places his hand into mine. I shiver from his touch, as his hand is ice cold. I rudely pull back as I can’t hold his hand for another second. He blankly stares at me and then he introduces himself.

  “My name is Dalton and it’s a pleasure to meet you, Miss Rose.” I smile up at the unbelievably gorgeous guy and for a second, I lose myself in his stunning good looks. His eyes are a deep shade of blue and his hair is golden blonde. He has a very strong jaw line and his smile is breath-taking. The rain is continuing to belt against us, as we stand frozen in the parking lot of Wal-Mart. I close my eyes and then I remind myself that I need to get into that store. I flash the guy another thankful smile and then I excuse myself.

  “I really have to go, thanks for recusing me and it was nice to meet you, Dalton.” He flashes me a wicked smile and then he says.

  “Be careful, Rose,” I smile at him again, loving the way that he says my name. I slowly begin to walk across the parking lot towards the entrance of the store.

  I enter the Wal-Mart supercentre and I immediately rush towards the Subway restaurant –that’s where I work. I push my way into the small seated area – which they call a restaurant and I am instantly greeted by my co-workers.

  “Rose, you made it! I was scared that the rain took over you, girl.” I laugh at Ryan’s comments as I make my way to the workers lounge. I push through the heavy door –followed by Ryan. I enter the small, bright room, which only has a small table, a few chairs and a coat stand. I quickly hang up my drenched coat and then I smooth myself out as best I can, as I begin to go to work. I turn around in the direction of the door and that’s when I notice Ryan standing behind me, glaring down at me. I smile up at him, as I try to push past his muscular demeanour. Ryan places his hand onto my wet shoulder as stops me in my tracks. I look up at him and I narrow my eyes at his childish behaviour. He is staring at me, through his dark eyes and he is holding me in position with his strong hand. Ryan and I used to be together –he was my boyfriend, but things between us fizzled out and I feel that he still hasn’t moved on. I shake my head at him, whilst I try to break free from his grip.

  “Come on, stop fooling around, I’m late.” I say playfully, as I glide myself away from him. I am walking towards the door and I as I reach for the door handle, I can hear Ryan laughing and I smile because I know that he is only getting started with his playful attitude.

  I push my way through the narrow walk-way until I reach the counters. I quickly make my way over to my till and I sign into my account. I see that there is a long line of customers, so I waste no time in serving them. A tall, skinny lady brushes up first, she orders a skinny latte, skinny muffin all the while she is talking heavily on her phone. I quickly make up her order and I place it onto a tray, she pays me, grabs her food and then she walks away –without flashing me a smile. I sigh, as I have had a year to get used to this job and its annoying customers. I live with my Uncle George and his wife Jen, I have just finished high school and I have no plans to go to college. My parents died when I was six and I have lived with my uncle ever since that night. He isn’t the world’s richest guy, but he does his best. He is a mechanic and he works over at AL’s garage, Jen is a first-grade school teacher and they have two kids. Simon is twenty-five and he is currently away at college in Boston, Rachel is sixteen and she is the most popular girl in school. She has shoulder length blonde hair and a sun-kissed complexion, her eyes are bright blue and she is a very beautiful girl. Every guy in her school wants to date her, every girl wants to be her and Rachel loves the attention. Every school has a girl like Rachel, beautiful, cheer leader, stunning hair and make-up and a sense of don’t come too close to me. I feel that Rachel tries to maintain a certain level of attitude, but deep down I know that she is soft and gentle, caring and loving. If only she would snap out of her pretentious ways and let everyone see the real her.

  The customers are quickly being served and as I make sandwich after sandwich, I can’t believe my eyes when I see him –again. I quickly hand my latest customer his sub and then I gently fix my hair as he approaches me. The guy from earlier, the one with icy fingers and the deep blue eyes is heading in my direction. He glides towards the counter and he smiles when he notices me standing at the till, with my red subway shirt and my faded blue jeans on. My heart slightly begins to race as he places his long hand onto the counter. He towers above me and as he looks down at me, I almost feel as if his eyes have flashed a deep shade of red. His lips are quivering and he looks uneasy as he stares at me. My face is flushing hot and I feel embarrassed that I cannot tear my eyes away from him. He is without a doubt, the most beautiful guy that I have ever seen and I can hardly catch my breath as lock my eyes on his. He gently closes his eyes and he clen
ches his jaw, as if he is sheltering himself from some type of pain. He looks –uncomfortable and I feel that I am making him feel this way. His hands are gently trembling as he looks at me and I quickly snap out of my daze, as I begin to talk to this handsome stranger.

  “Hello again, what can I get for you?” I ask as I stare at him –again. He gently bites his lower lip in one sexy movement and my heart nearly stops from the sight. I manage to compose myself, as he places his order.

  “Triple shot espresso,” he says in one fluid syllable. I nod at him as I cannot bring myself to speak. I reluctantly step away from the counter and away from him, as I make my way over to the coffee machine. I grab a paper cup from the large stack and then I pour him his drink. I secure the cup with a lid and then I rush back over to the till. I smile at him as I hand him his drink –he doesn’t smile back, instead he reaches out and grabs my hand. His cool fingers are ice like against my skin and I flinch from his touch. He notices my actions; therefore he quickly pulls his hand away from me. My heart is pounding in my chest –who is this guy and why did he just grab me like that? Why is he so cold? My head is spinning in a million directions and I can hardly stand straight as I look into his eyes. I clear my throat as I try to compose myself.

  “Three ninety nine, please.” I say in a cool voice. He reaches into the pocket of his jeans and he takes out a hundred dollar bill. I gently roll my eyes as he hands me the note. He notices my reaction and he quickly questions me.

  “Is there something wrong?” He says in a cool voice. “No,” I say equally as cool. He smirks at me and then he hands me the hundred dollar bill. I gently frown at the money and then I look around for Ryan, as I need him to check the money. I quickly look around, but he is nowhere in sight, I frown again and then I begin to excuse myself when Lisa – the store manager rushes to my side. She smiles at me and then she snaps the note from my hand. She quickly checks the money and then she thrusts it back into my hand. I thank her with a nod and then I slide open the till as I search for his change. I look up from the stashes of money to see that he is glaring at me, with a huge smirk on his face.

  “Keep the change,” I narrow my eyes at him, as I can’t believe his generosity or his smugness. I shake my head as I refuse his offer.

  “No, I really couldn’t,” he rolls his eyes at me and for a split second, I can see the redness in his eyes forming again. I slightly jump from the sight and I can’t help but ask him about it.

  “Your eyes are changing colour,” he quickly closes his eyes as he takes in my words. I can hear him begin to heavy breathe and I can’t help but feel slightly scared of him. He seems –different to everyone else, he has stunning beauty and ice cold hands, his eyes change colour and he has the presence of an angel. I cannot tear my eyes away from him and I have no words to describe him. He is a mystery and I feel the urge to solve it, I know that I sound crazy, but I feel drawn to him. His eyes jolt open and I jump as they are bright red, he notices that I am staring at him, so he quickly excuses himself. My heart is racing as I watch him march away from me.

  “Who was that?” Ryan says as he gently places his hand onto my shoulder. I turn to look at him as I explain.

  “I have no idea,” Ryan narrows his eyes at me and then he positions himself at the till next to me. I continue to stare after the stunning stranger and then once he is out of sight, I serve the next customer.

  My working day is nearly over and I am exhausted as I slowly make my way into the workers lounge. I grab my jacket from the stand and I slip it over my shoulders. Ryan is also in the workers lounge –talking on his phone as he gently winks at me. I smile and roll my eyes at his actions and then I gently wave as I approach the door. I reach out for the handle and then Ryan shouts after me.

  “Rose, wait.” He says brightly as he gently slides his phone onto his neck as he places his call on hold. He smiles at me as he wanders over in my direction. His eyes are playful as he stares at me. He leans in towards me and he gently places his hand onto my shoulder and I narrow my eyes at him, as I know what he is going to say. “Elliot, Charlene and I are all going out tonight; do you wanna join us?” I smile at him and then I politely decline his offer.

  “I can’t, I have… stuff to do.” I lie as I don’t feel like jotting all over town with Elliot and Charlene –the perfect couple. I met Elliot in grade school and we have been friends ever since. I have an easier time bonding with guys than I do with girls, so most of my friends are all male. Charlene is the one girlfriend that I do have and I am surprised that we get on so well. She is care free and like me, she doesn’t spend her days shopping at the mall. She moved here a few months ago from Chicago, she is an only child –just like me and she lives with her mom who is a single mother. Charlene’s father has been in and out of her life for the last ten years, but she has now learned not to depend on him. Elliot met Charlene at the library and they hit it off straight away. Elliot melted into her stunning looks and she caved at Elliot’s charm. They complement each other in every way possible and they truly are the perfect couple. The reason that I don’t feel like going out tonight, is because I am shattered and all I want to do is curl up in my bed with a good book. Ryan and the gang tend to let their nights get out of hand –usually they end up passed out from drinking so much and I have to clean up after them. So there is no way that I feel like being their mop-up girl tonight.

  “Come on, what’re you doing that’s so important?” Ryan says as he frowns at me. I shake my head at him and then I lie some more.

  “Uncle George wants me home… its family night.” Ryan rolls his eyes at me and he leans in and places a soft kiss onto my cheek. I blush from his affection and I playfully push him away. He smiles at me and then he nods as he agrees to my answer.

  “Okay, okay,” I smile at him and then I push open the door and I march out into the small restaurant. I glide over to the exit and I exhale as I am so glad that it’s finally time for me to go home. I push out of the doors of Wal-Mart and I instantly look up at the sky –checking the weather. The rain is still pouring, but in a less violent way than before. I take a deep breath as I step out into the parking lot. I spot my beat up Chevy and I smile at it as I run over and pull open the door. I sigh as I slip the key into the ignition and then my world collapses when the engine doesn’t start. I twist the key in the ignition, I quietly pray for the engine to roar, but it doesn’t and I gently hit the steering wheel in frustration. This is the third time this month that my truck has refused to start and every time it happens, the more frustrated I get. Uncle George has checked my truck a few times and he has even replaced the battery, but it seems no matter what I do, my truck just wants to torture me. Now I have to call my uncle and ask him to come and collect me –something which I hate to do. My uncle and his wife live a very simple life; they get up, go to work, come home at night and have dinner, then they sink into the sofa with the latest episode of Storage wars. They have the same routine, day in and day out and I hate it when I have to disturb them by asking for a ride. I saved my money until I had enough to get my own truck, so that I didn’t have to bother my uncle, but my beat up Chevy doesn’t want to allow me that luxury. Now I have to call him and ruin his evening –great.

  I search in my coat pocket until I find my phone. I quickly dial the landline number, I hover my finger over the send button, but I pause as I hear a gentle knock on my window. My heart nearly stops when I see the guy from earlier, staring at me through the glass . My cheeks flush hot at his appearance and I feel embarrassed as I roll down the window. He stares into my eyes and I can’t help but look to see what shade his eyes are. I smile as I take in his blue eyes and now I am blushing harder at my reaction. He slides his hands into his pockets as he clears his throat.

  “Are you having some car trouble?” He asks in a firm voice. I nod at him as I reply.

  “Yeah, my truck won’t start.” He gently cocks his head to one side as he considers his next words. I nervously wait for him to speak –with my fac
e a deep shade of crimson. He gently runs his tongue along his lower lip as he stares at me and now my face is burning. He gently closes his eyes as he tries to hold back whatever desire he has for me. His eyes jolt open and they are red – again. I stare at him in confusion –does he wear contacts? Why do his eyes change colour and why is he so –appealing? Everything about him draws me in, his eyes, his lips, his golden hair and chiselled jawline appeals to me and I have never looked at guy, the way that I am looking at him right now. I gently exhale as he begins to talk in his fluid accent.

  “May I offer you a ride home?” I stare at him as I consider his words. Then I shake my head as I politely refuse.

  “No, it’s okay, I will call my uncle,” he narrows his eyes at my answer. “It’s no trouble,” I smile at him and then my mind begins to flow in a million directions. Normally, I would never even consider getting into a car with strange guy, but something about this guy makes me feel safe. I really don’t want to call my uncle and disturb him from his night in front of the TV, so maybe I should accept this guy’s offer. “Rose, I understand your reasons for hesitating, but I can assure you that I won’t harm you. I am just offering you a ride home.” I bite my lower lip as I think –what will I do? Do I call and disturb my uncle or do I take this gorgeous guy up on his offer? My heart is racing and I need to make a decision.

  “Okay, a ride home would be nice,” he smiles at me and then he opens the door of my truck. He reaches out for my hand and I reluctantly place my hand in his

  –dreading his icy skin. I am surprised when our hands collide, as his fingers have slightly warmed and they are almost hot. He notices my relief that his hands are warm, but he doesn’t say a word as he leads me over to his car. I look at him in shock as I take in his fancy sports car. I look up at him and I begin to quiz him.

  “You drive a Porsche?” I say in a bright voice. He gently smirks at me and then he opens the door of his red, Porsche 911 GT3. He gently takes my hand in his again as he places me into the car. I melt into the black leather seats and then my door my slams shut. In a flash, he is at the other door and he is sliding himself into the driver’s seat. He starts the engine and he revs too loudly as he pushes his foot down onto the gas pedal. The car speeds forward and I have to grip onto the arm rest for safety. He notices my reactions to his super-fast car and he begins to question me on my actions.