Synopsis
What happens when you take a chance one night … make a decision that will change your life forever?
Kasey Wilson, the girl next door, had a crush on the boy next door … Joseph Mitchell was that boy.
Kasey was left with the consequences of her decision when Joseph left her behind, leaving for the Marine Corps. She never thought she would see Joseph again, leaving her to continue on with her life, moving forward.
But fate has a way of intervening …
Joseph Mitchell always lived with the regret of walking away that night, never to see Kasey again. Finally ready to settle down, he’s now engaged to someone else. But when he finds Kasey again, he learns of a secret she’s been keeping, a secret that will change both their lives forever.
Can they finally have the relationship they never had? Or will Joseph be forced to walk away again?
Excerpt
We’re in the plane and I already feel relieved I have both the girls inside it. Finding our seats, I go straight to making sure Josephina is safely buckled into her booster seat next to the window, as requested. Of course Kasey takes the aisle seat, wanting to be as far away from the window as she can be, leaving me in the middle. Normally I would hate this seat, preferring the isle so I can stretch my legs, but I wasn’t going to complain this time. As long as it made Kasey happy, and less nervous, she can have it.
The roar of the jet engines grow louder as we begin to taxi down the runway and I feel Kasey’s hand start to grip mine with a fierceness that conveys her fear. I allow her to squeeze it as tightly as she wants as I focus on Josephina, who is now starting to look a little frightened as well. The plane starts to gain speed and Josephina grows more excited. The second it starts to climb, I hear an excited gasp from both of them. I can’t help but smile because, for the first time, I’m actually experiencing a first with both of them and it feels so good. It’s the best feeling in the world to experience it. I can’t wait to experience more firsts with them.
With the plane now in the air, I manage to calm Kasey to the point where she is no longer scared. Josephina is looking out of the window, taking in the view of the clouds in the sky, as we start to make small talk about the different shapes and sizes; making it a game between the two of us. The hours quickly go by and when I think everything is going fine for the remainder of the flight, the plane picks up a bit of turbulence, causing it to shutter and slightly drop elevation.
The pilot’s voice comes over the intercom announcing for everyone to take their seats and buckle up due to the turbulence. We do so, but the only thing I can think of at this moment is, why does this have to happen to us? Especially since I already know Kasey is scared out of her mind, probably thinking the plane will crash down at any minute.
Taking a quick glance at Josephina to makes sure she is fine, I turn my attention to Kasey. She’s gripping her armrest with a force that is making her knuckles turn white. Her eyes are tightly shut, the strain clear on her face. From the rise and fall of her chest, I know she’s panicking. I try to pry her fingers from their tight grip on the armrest, but it proves difficult with the force she’s using. I start to see tears escape her closed eyelids and my heart begins to ache seeing her like this. It’s entirely my fault she’s going through this.
I reach up to pull her head closer to me as I begin to whisper in her ear. “Kasey, you need to calm down. You’re going to scare Josephina if she see’s you this way.” Hoping she’s listening to me as I say the words.
Frantically, she shakes her head, her eyes still tightly shut when I hear her whimper. “Please, Kasey.” I desperately plead, praying she’ll listen. The plane jolts, the shutter making Kasey’s sobs return. On the other side of me I hear a giggling Josephina, the opposite of what I have facing me. Knowing Josephina is still okay, I continue focusing my attention on Kasey.
I need to do something, anything, to calm her down before she has a heart attack on me. I do the only thing that comes to mind. Grabbing her face, forcing her to face me, I don’t wait for her to open her eyes before my mouth is descending down onto hers to give her a kiss on her closed lips.
Her eyes go wide, letting out a gasp against my lips. Taking advantage, I deepen the kiss, pushing my tongue into her mouth. My tongue grazes hers and I can feel the warmth of it, making it impossible to hold back. My eyes close as I tilt her head to better kiss her, wanting to taste more of her. My tongue glides against hers, exploring every inch of her mouth with each second that goes by. I feel her moan into my mouth and I swear it’s the greatest sound I’ve ever heard.
The excitement of knowing I’m kissing Kasey again makes me want more. She tastes so sweet. Better than the memories I hold from the last time I kissed her. The memories and dreams I’ve had for the last five years don’t compare to the way it feels as I’m kissing her right now.
I want to keep kissing her forever, but the thought is easily broken. “Are you guys going to be stuck like that forever?” Josephina asks from the other side of me, followed by her cute little giggle.
Kasey shoves at my chest. Our mouths quickly break apart, making me open my eyes to stare at her. Her breathing looks as rapid and heavy as mine. Her lips look swollen and her face is flushed with a pink blush from the kiss. I’m still holding her face in my palms, but when her hands come up and grab for my wrists, she pulls my hands from her face, leaving me disappointed. I’m still in shock from kissing her that I easily allow her to pull away.
The plane’s turbulence is gone and the pilot is announcing we can safely move about the cabin now. Kasey leans her body across mine to reach for Josephina to check on her. The feeling of her body rubbing up against my chest isn’t helping with the carnal thoughts flooding my mind. They started the moment I began kissing her. Remembering what resulted from the last time I kissed her. The night I’d left her.
Kasey’s calm collective voice breaks my memory. “No, sweetheart, we won’t get stuck like that forever. It shouldn’t have happened,” she sternly states, more like a reprimand.
Hearing her say those words is a stab to my heart.
She leans back into her chair to quickly unbuckle her seatbelt, before she stands up, making her way down the aisle to the restroom. As I watch her walk away, I wonder if she’s angry with me. From the way she was returning my kiss, I would have thought she wanted it too, but her horrified expression is telling me otherwise.
I don’t know what is going through her mind at this moment, but I know what’s going through mine, that was the best kiss I’ve had since leaving for boot camp. I don’t regret kissing her at all.
4.5 Heartwarming Stars!
What an adorable story! I completely fell in love with Kasey and Joseph. They were both incredible characters, and despite the mistakes both have made in he past (especially Joseph) you cannot help but open your hearts to them. Kasey always loved Joseph, but they never did end up together. She silently watched as he dated other girls, and never voiced her feelings for him, thinking that he did not feel the same way towards her. The night before he leaves for bootcamp, everything changes. The two make a decision that will forever change their lives. Shortly after, Kasey's parents shun her and send her away to live with her aunt. She tried writing to Joseph a few times, but never got a response. Eventually giving up hope that he would come back for her, she continued on with her life as best as she could. Every day was a struggle, but she pushed through. For herself, and for her daughter. What she didn't know was that he actually had returned for her… right after boot camp. But with her parents saying she had went away for school, he thought she had moved on with her life… so he attempted to do the same. Fast forward a few years later, and they are thrown back into each others life. Joseph is now engaged to be married, but one look at Kasey and he realizes those old feelings had never died. Will he continue down the current path his life is taking, and spend the rest of his life with the wrong woman, or will fate allow these two to have a second chance? What will happen once Joseph finds out the secret Kasey has been holding onto for all these years?
This book gripped me from the beginning, and I knew I was not going to want to put it down (much to my dismay, I was forced to because real life and work got in the way. Boooooo). This wasn't your hardcore erotica, nor was it your go through 10 boxes of tissues tearjerker. It was sweet. It was heartwarming. And it showed you that fate has a funny way of knocking on your door when you least expect it. I have been reading a lot of twisted and deeply intense books lately, and this was a nice change of pace from that! While I absolutely LOVE getting lost in a world of fiction, this story felt more real. You could relate to the characters and their struggles which gave you an opportunity to really connect with them on a whole other level. I would highly recumbent "With Me" to everyone. This book is a standalone. No cliff hangers. No biting your nails waiting months for the next book to come out. This is the second book I have read by Gabbie, and she definitely does not disappoint as an author. I look forward to many more reads by her!
What an adorable story! I completely fell in love with Kasey and Joseph. They were both incredible characters, and despite the mistakes both have made in he past (especially Joseph) you cannot help but open your hearts to them. Kasey always loved Joseph, but they never did end up together. She silently watched as he dated other girls, and never voiced her feelings for him, thinking that he did not feel the same way towards her. The night before he leaves for bootcamp, everything changes. The two make a decision that will forever change their lives. Shortly after, Kasey's parents shun her and send her away to live with her aunt. She tried writing to Joseph a few times, but never got a response. Eventually giving up hope that he would come back for her, she continued on with her life as best as she could. Every day was a struggle, but she pushed through. For herself, and for her daughter. What she didn't know was that he actually had returned for her… right after boot camp. But with her parents saying she had went away for school, he thought she had moved on with her life… so he attempted to do the same. Fast forward a few years later, and they are thrown back into each others life. Joseph is now engaged to be married, but one look at Kasey and he realizes those old feelings had never died. Will he continue down the current path his life is taking, and spend the rest of his life with the wrong woman, or will fate allow these two to have a second chance? What will happen once Joseph finds out the secret Kasey has been holding onto for all these years?
This book gripped me from the beginning, and I knew I was not going to want to put it down (much to my dismay, I was forced to because real life and work got in the way. Boooooo). This wasn't your hardcore erotica, nor was it your go through 10 boxes of tissues tearjerker. It was sweet. It was heartwarming. And it showed you that fate has a funny way of knocking on your door when you least expect it. I have been reading a lot of twisted and deeply intense books lately, and this was a nice change of pace from that! While I absolutely LOVE getting lost in a world of fiction, this story felt more real. You could relate to the characters and their struggles which gave you an opportunity to really connect with them on a whole other level. I would highly recumbent "With Me" to everyone. This book is a standalone. No cliff hangers. No biting your nails waiting months for the next book to come out. This is the second book I have read by Gabbie, and she definitely does not disappoint as an author. I look forward to many more reads by her!
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About The Author
Gabbie is a Southern California native, who currently lives in Washington with her wonderful husband, two amazing kids and a senior citizen kitty. When she’s not writing you can find her reading or sneaking off for a run. Some might say it’s a crazy life, but she wouldn’t change anything about it.
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