Heart of Stone - Book 1: Fighting Fate

Aubree was so excited to tell Dan about the new friend she’d made that day and he was happy for her. Making friends was the first step in settling into a new environment and turning it into a home.

It also gave her something new to talk about with Dan and take her mind off the creepy guy that had been invading her mental faculties all week.

She never did tell him about that incident. She didn’t want him to worry. If she ran into that guy again, and he made advances on her, then she’d tell him.

Seeing as she hadn’t seen him since, she was starting to think it was a random incident and she wouldn’t have to worry about it again. She hoped that was the case, even if the thought did squeeze her heart a little bit.

On Saturday, Dan and Aubree had purchased a wardrobe for her and she immediately began unpacking her things after they came home. She was in the process of ironing the creases out that formed on her work clothes when her mother called. Without a second thought, Aubree began telling her mother about her new friend while she was ironing her blazer.

“You’d like her, Mom. She’s a lot of fun. When do you think you two will come over for a visit?” she asked as she set the iron down.

"I don’t know, hun. Your father’s been such a lazy ass this past week.” She lowered her voice then. “I think he misses you and won’t admit it.”

Aubree smiled. Knowing her dad, he was sulking over her departure.

"Well, I’m really glad you’ve made a friend outside of work already. I’m sure you’ll make lots more.”

Aubree hoped her mother was right. “I just hope there are no office bitches who haven’t left high school completely.”

Those queen bees of Aubree’s high school years were brutal, and two cheerleaders fought constantly for the title. Like, really? How old were they now? Seven or seventeen? Even her last job had one, and she went out of her way to make Aubree’s life miserable.

"Oh, don’t you worry about that. I’m sure everything will be great!”

Aubree hoped her mother was right about that. Last thing she wanted to do was call her new friend up and complain about office whores.

“Hey, hun,” Dan called from across the apartment. “Can you come here a sec?”

She jumped at his voice. “Oh, gotta go, Mom. Talk to you later.”

"Okay, bye hun! Love you!”

“Love you too.”

She hung up and hurried out to see what Dan needed. She found him in the kitchen, pouring over a cookbook.

Her mouth fell open before closing it and grinning. “Whatcha doing?”

“What would you like for dinner? Chicken Cacciatore or Chicken Parmesan?” he asked, his eyes flicked from one image to the next on the two-page spread.

She strolled over to him and rested her hand on his shoulder, glancing down at the book. “Wow, are you cooking dinner for me?” she asked, her voice laced with surprise and glee.

He pursed his lips, glancing at her with an almost shy smile on his face. “I was planning on it.”

Her grin broadened and she pinched his cheek. “Aw, that’s so sweet of you. Thank you.”

He brushed her hand away from his face, making her giggle. “So? What will it be?”

The choice was simple for her, and she wondered why he even asked. Maybe he was just offering her an option, but still. “Parmesan. You know I can’t say no to breaded chicken with cheese on it.” She was starting to drool thinking about it.

Straightening up, he turned to her and wrapped an arm around her waist. “Cool. Coming right up, babe.”

He kissed her cheek, sparking the urge for something more.

Leaning into him, she laced her fingers through his hair, pulling him down a few inches while she stood on her toes, and captured his lips with hers. He groaned into her and pulled her tightly to him. He ran his hands down her back and grabbed her ass, grinding her against him.

She gasped, making him grin as he suggested between kisses, “Maybe dinner can wait a little bit?”

She moaned in agreement as their tongues entwined. A fire ignited in her stomach and spread up, feeding her desire.

“Time to christen the kitchen,” he murmured as he unbuttoned her jeans.

Her breath hitched in her throat as his lips lowered to her neck and began to suck on the tender curve above her collarbone. She dug her fingers into his shoulders as he tugged on her jeans.

A loud beeping noise tore them apart.

Feeling all hot and bothered, she looked around as she tried to figure out what was going on.

Dan cursed. “Dammit. What set off the fire alarm?”

Tromping away from her, he grabbed the cookbook off the counter and left the kitchen.

She hurried after him and then she could faintly smell it down the hallway. Her eyes widened. Shit. Did she leave the iron on her blazer?

She hurried to their room, while Dan fanned the alarm unit with the cookbook, and saw smoke rising from her blazer on the ironing board.