Dying to Live by Isobelle Cate
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Available on Amazon http://amzn.to/1xbihgF
BLURB
While in Manila on her study-aboard, Melissa Cullen is drawn to a headstone in the local cemetary--a simple military marker with the name James Parrish emblazoned across its face. As she studies it, she is confronted by a man who seems to be there for the same purpose as she is. A visit. But this stranger stirs curious feelings in her, and when he appears in Melissa's dreams, she knows she must find out more about him-- and James Parrish.
EXCERPT
Melissa turned to him, a slight scowl on her face. “If you’re going to lecture me about my cold which you think isn’t a cold, don’t. I don’t need it.” She hated that her voice cracked. There goes the confidence boost. She hated that her shoulders suddenly shook. She hated it that she had to put her forehead on her knees and sobbed as though she was afraid that no more tears would come the next day.
Most of all she cried for her shredded heart.
Strong, warm, and comforting arms pulled her to his embrace and Melissa succumbed to the pain that had built since Nathan broke up with her. Over the bloody, freaking phone!
“He isn’t worth it,” he said before kissing her hair.
“What did I do?” she wailed softly, thumping her closed fist at his hard chest, shaking her head against his neck. “What did I do?”
“You didn’t do anything. It’s not your fault. You’re better off without that dickhead, whoever he is.”
“Shit, why am I even telling you this? I don’t even know you.”
“Yes, you do,” he said softly.
Melissa tensed. Did he just say ‘yes, you do’? She seemed to be hard of hearing today. Something tickled at the edge of her mind. A memory, but it was like catching an insect in a spider web when she wasn’t even a spider. She tried to clutch at the thought. A man. He had his back turned to her. That was it, but she caught a fleeting feeling of the emotion that memory evoked.
Heartbreak.
She wanted to pull away, but she couldn’t. She was falling to pieces and she was afraid that if she left his embrace she would crumble in a heap at his feet. It wasn’t
only this. His arms felt like she belonged there as though she had felt those same arms in a different life. She didn’t believe in reincarnation. She’d grudgingly accept the occasional déjà vu. That was probably it. Nathan must have held her this way in the past but he never would do so again. The thought brought a fresh flood of tears and she snuggled further into his body heat wishing her heartbreak away.
“How would you know?”
“That it’s a man you’re crying about?”
Melissa nodded. She felt his mouth widen against her
scalp.
“Because you feel like it’s the end of the world.” He
continued to caress her arm, soothing the ache inside her. “You start blaming yourself for something that wasn’t your fault. Something you were powerless to stop.”
“It was my fault.” She pushed away from him to sit up properly, wiping her nose with the back of her hand. “I was too busy trying to get my degree.”
“What was Nathan doing?”
“He was working. Wait,” her forehead creased. “I never told you his name.”
She saw something flicker in his eyes before it disappeared.
“You did.”
“No, I didn’t.”
“Yes, you did, Melissa.”
She was drowning, his eyes mesmerizing her. It pulled
her to him like an invisible rope around her waist. She shook her head to clear her mind, to get her bearings.
“No.” she said softly. “I didn’t tell you my name either.”
He continued to look at her, his eyes touching her face. He lifted her chin with the side of his forefinger before caressing her bottom lip.
“You’re still beautiful, you know that?” then his eyes saddened. “Your face is etched forever in my mind. Your almond shaped eyes, the way you flutter your lashes just above the apples of your cheeks, your upturned nose, your perfectly shaped mouth that I still long to take in mine. And your hair, your glorious dark brown tresses I have always loved putting my hands through. I’ve waited for so long to say I’m sorry.”
Melissa wrenched her chin from his hold and stood, stalking away from him before spinning around to talk to him. Goose bumps skittered across her skin and the hairs on her nape rose. Her heart started palpitating. What the
hell?“All right. I appreciate it that you comforted me but you’re freaking me out. I’m freaking me out. Why would I even agree to be held by you? You’re obviously some kind of nutter.” She impatiently tucked several tendrils behind her ear. “Bloody hell. I’m surrounded by nutters! That includes me!”
“Melissa, listen to me,” he stood, his eyes pleading. “I need you to listen to me, otherwise we will never get out of this plane. We don’t have too much time.”
Confusion made her scrunch up her face. “What are you talking about? What plane? The only plane I know of is the one I’m getting on to get back to the UK. You’re a sick weirdo and I’m leaving.” Melissa almost ran to the Memorial’s exit.
The next words he said were spoken so softly from he stood but she heard it loud and clear even from the distance, as though he was right beside her.
“My name is James Parrick of the Eleventh Airborne Division and you were once my wife, Christine.”
AUTHOR BIO
Isobelle Cate is a woman who wears different masks. Mother-writer, wife-professional, scholar-novelist. Currently living in Manchester, she has been drawn to the little known, the secret stories, about the people and the nations: the English, the Irish, the Scots, the Welsh, and those who are now part of these nations whatever their origins. Her vision and passion are fuelled by her interest and background in history and paradoxically, shaped by growing up in a clan steeped in lore, loyalty, and legend.
Isobelle is intrigued by forces that simmer beneath the surface of these cultures, the hidden passions, unsaid desires, and yearnings unfulfilled.
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Published by Beau Coup Publishing
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Thank you so much for allowing me to guest on your blog. <3
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