Alterity
Book #1
By- Ashlynne Laynne
Genre- Rocker Romance/Contemporary
Publisher: Q-Rotic Press
Passion. Love. Music.
A man struggling to gain his independence…
Every aspect of Austin MacKenzie’s life is governed by a generations-old code instituted by his Scottish forefathers. But rather than be groomed to take over the family empire, he struggles to free himself from the bonds of an arranged marriage to a woman within Scottsdale’s societal circles.
A woman simply struggling to survive…
Raised by a drug-addicted mother in one of the roughest parts of Phoenix, Liz Carlisle just wants a way out. A nursing student, she’s determined to make a difference and reach her ultimate goal of becoming a pediatric nurse.
With music as a common ground…
After a chance encounter at a band audition, Austin and Liz discover that they share a love of music. Despite their differences, an attraction forms that will alter their lives forever and rip their worlds apart.
Excerpt
“I want you, Liz.” He’d put it out into the
universe, deciding he was no longer able to maintain a reasonable amount of
distance. “I want you more than I want to draw my next breath. I can’t just be
your friend anymore. My feelings go way deeper. Something’s happening between
us. I know it’s only been a short time, but I can’t think straight. For the
first time in my life, I’m free to imagine a future that’s so different from
anything I’ve ever dreamed. I want you
in that future.”
Speaking
the truth, aloud, made things so much clearer.
Lifting
her head from his beating heart, Liz made eye contact again, her gaze silently
questioning him. She placed his hand over her chest. “Can you feel that? This
is what you do to me.”
Her heart
thumped against his palm, beating in a rhythm that closely mimicked his own.
“I
understand why we can’t make love, and I’m okay with waiting and taking things
slow.” She paused, her stare tunneling deeper. “Just promise me that we’ll get
there someday.”
“I
promise.” He murmured, “Is breá liom tú,” against her lips, speaking the words
he’d heard his father say to his mother hundreds of times. It was a tender term
of endearment he didn’t speak lightly, because it meant he was surrendering a
part of himself to Liz. The fact that he’d spoken it in the tongue of his
Scottish ancestors meant much more.
And he did
love her, more with each passing day.
A smile
turned her lips up, her expression filled with wonder and confusion. “What did
you just say?”
“I love
you.” The weight of inevitability crushed Austin’s chest just as surely as the
relief of full disclosure caused his heart to soar. He ran the knuckles of his
hands up and down the curve of her neck, stopping at the beauty mark
ornamenting the hollow of her throat. Nature had taken the time to mark the
glowing patch of skin, so Austin figured it was worth the effort to give it a
kiss. “God, I’m so crazy about you.”
Liz
straddled his lap, her arms winding around him as she sobbed into his neck. “I
love you, too, Texas.”
Austin
crushed her to him, cherishing every inch of her skin with the pads of his
fingertips. He was no longer in a state of alterity, because he’d unearthed
that singular sense of contentment that only came from finding the other half
of your soul. His heart was no longer lost because it was knitted to hers, his
whole world existing right there in her arms. Their mouths joined, accepting
and tasting one another and Austin was well aware that he was losing his way.
Falling too hard. Feeling too much. Compromising everything he’d ever been told
for one tiny moment. He felt the commotion of his chaotic life calm to a crawl
with each soft caress of her lips. Liz was stripping him bare and he was
bargaining eternity for the love of a raven-haired angel who was slowly taking
him over.
About the Author
Ashlynne Laynne is the author of contemporary romance and the award-winning erotic paranormal romance succession, The Progeny Series, as well as an accomplished songwriter and poet. She’s an avid horror movie fan, admitted vamp groupie, and lover of all things Celtic. A hopeless romantic, she’s always had a thing for the fanged ones and hot guys in kilts.
Ashlynne writes on the edge and combines erotica and romance in sensual tales that always feature heroes with heart. A flexitarian, Ashlynne enjoys cooking vegetarian recipes that support a healthier lifestyle. In her spare time, she likes to read, watch crime shows, and spend time with her family. Ashlynne juggles the hats of wife, mother, full time employee and part-time writer, hoping to write exclusively in the future.
Ms. Laynne is an advocate of autism research and is always looking for projects to benefit the cause. She lives in the southern United States with her husband and son.
Links
Ascher and Shauna’s Facebook- https://www.facebook.com/Ascher-Shauna-from-The-Progeny-Series-250561054996999/timeline/
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