Love Plus One by Andrea Smith
It had been a year ago that 19-year-old Lindsey Dennison's life had taken an abrupt turn. While away at Cornell for her freshman year at college, her parents' marriage had imploded. Lindsey learned the harsh truth about her father, and his involvement in criminal activity that was the focus of a major federal bust. Her father had slipped out of the country with his lover and cohort in crime, Susanne, shortly before the FBI arrest warrants could be served. He was now a fugitive from justice, deserting his only child. Lindsey was left trying to pick up the pieces of the life she now realized had been a house of secrets and lies for all of those years.
After her mother's marriage to Eric Slater, one of the special agents of the FBI involved in the federal investigation that occurred in their hometown of Indianapolis, Lindsey decides to start fresh at a new college close to where her mother, step-father and baby brother Bryce are now living outside of Washington, D.C.
Life is different now for Lindsey, but it is about to change even more. Her step-father's partner and best friend in the bureau, Trace "Taz" Matthews, is about to rock her world in more ways than one. Taz is nearly ten years older than Lindsey, but her initial interest in him is physical only. Lindsey has a problem that she is certain Taz can fix . . . but will he?
Despite their best efforts, Lindsey and Taz are tossed together by fate on more than one occasion, and this G-Man does not appreciate the distraction. There are complications for Sammie and Slate along the way as well. A risky pregnancy for Sammie requires the family to pull together and Lindsey's life suddenly becomes increasingly complicated.
There is a budding romance on the horizon for Lindsey with a wealthy, Ivy-League type guy she meets at school by the name of Kyzer Stanfield. Kyzer's interest in Lindsey does not sit well for Taz. When Lindsey must leave school to return home to help her mother, Taz is relieved that she will be distanced from the pursuit of Kyzer. . . but not for long.
Things are never quite as they seem. Lindsey will learn a brutal lesson about trust, compassion and strength. Taz will learn lessons about love, intimacy and honor, and that sometimes doing the right thing has consequences.
Warning: Explicit Sex, contains rape scene
Excerpt:
It was late afternoon when they returned and it was Anna’s restlessness that caught Seth’s attention. The rest of the Guardians went to their rooms to unwind, but Anna was pacing on the roof. Instead of settling into their office, as he normally did, Seth walked the extra steps to discover what was troubling Anna. This was completely unlike her.
“Anna,” he said calmly when he reached her.
She whipped around. Her wings were unfurled and twitching nervously. The rustling of her feathers concerned him. When he saw the look in her eyes, he was even more disturbed. “Why?” She asked as her eyes darted about...up at the sky, then over the edge of the roof, back to Seth and all around. “Why are we not permitted to form attachments? Why can we not...be friends with humans?” The frustration in her voice was evident. “Why, Seth? What is so wrong and different about us that we can’t be around His other creations?”
Seth slowly came closer. He feared she was about to cry. In all their years of communal living, he had seen her cry...never. She hadn’t shed a tear over wars. She had seen countless horrific events pass, yet this was the first time anything had ever seemed to get under her skin and affect her.
“There’s nothing wrong with us, Anna. You know that. We simply shouldn’t be distracted. Attachments create distractions; they make us weak. We would be inclined to put the good of the few above the needs of the many. That isn’t our mission. No entanglements. No distractions. These rules were created for a reason.” He spoke in gentle soothing tones. It was obvious his words fell on deaf ears.
She shook her head. “We weren’t supposed to live together. We were supposed to be scattered about the globe. Instead, you decided that we should act as one. If that can change, if the Father can understand the rationale for that change...maybe there could be more...”
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| Andrea Smith |
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Here are some favorite quotes from Love Plus One.
“We’re going to my place,” he replied very matter-of-factly. “We’re going to fuck.”
“I’m sick of having you under my skin,” he stated simply. “So, I intend to have you underneath me, on top of me, sitting on my face, but by God I am not having you under my fucking skin anymore. Period.”
God, I couldn’t stop thinking about her. It was driving me nuts. It was as if her face, her body, her voice, her hair, her scent, the taste of her were all imprinted on my brain like some primal connection that I couldn’t shed.
“It’s simple, Taz. Teach me how to fuck. There are no strings attached.
“I’m not looking to get hurt, Taz. I’m just looking to get thoroughly fucked.”
“You are my sweet angel, Lindsey.”
“So, you’re just going to leave without saying good-bye? Damn girl, did you leave my money on the dresser?”
Damn, he always looked hot no matter what he wore or how disheveled he looked.
His face had nuzzled against me, and he had whispered, “I want to ravish you.”
His mouth was gentle on mine; his lips, spreading butterfly kisses softly, his tongue gently tracing my bottom lip. I parted my lips and we kissed deeply now, his arms wrapped around my lower back, pulling my ass in so that I could feel the hardness that was his.
“I’m not here to give you a ride home. I’m here to take you to my place. Your sleepover plans have changed. You’re sleeping me with tonight.”
I felt something wet running down my cheeks. It was foreign to me, and for the first time ever, I froze. I couldn’t move. I couldn’t speak. My heart had died inside of me. (Taz)
I looked up and there he was, the sunlight framing his beautiful face as if he were an angel. And I saw his smile, and he truly was my angel, and I thanked the God I presumed had been ignoring me.
“I love you, Trace.”
“I love you, Lindsey. Haven’t you been listening?”
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