Finding Us Read online

  True North

  Book Two

  Finding Us

  Jules and Nate

  By

  Allie Juliette Mousseau

  Copyright © 2014 by Allie Juliette Mousseau.

  All Rights Reserved

  Published by Allie Juliette Mousseau

  All characters and events in this publication other than those clearly in the public domain are fictitious and any resemblance to real persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

  Cover design by Tattoo Custom Cover Designs

  Editing by Nicole Hewitt

  Formatted by – Mike Mousso

  www.alliejuliettemousseau.com

  To my friends who’ve inspired me, pushed me, taken me under their wings and knew I could do this before I ever sold a word.

  To Nicole Hewitt, my amazing and kind editor, who makes everything better, puts up with my terrible grammar, endless frantic emails, and who shares with me very intimately this writing and publishing journey; I get weepy just thinking of when you first read my story and partnered up with me even though I had nothing to offer back. Our relationship means so much to me.

  <3

  To Heather Mcguire, who has endured more whiny messages than any friend should ever have to; who talked me into switching gears and writing the True North series; who always forces me to make my covers, promos and other graphics the best they can be—even when I stomp my foot like a toddler! Thank you for your friendship, I can always count on you.

  <3

  To Shelley Custer, who always shared when no one else did; who shows me then helps me tackle new technologies—and usually just ends up doing it for me! Who made the very first fan video for my YA series, making with me cry; and who has encouraged me to follow my heart in every circumstance. Thanks for coming into my life.

  <3

  To the community of readers, authors, bloggers and friends who've believed in me, my writing and my stories; to the True North Candy Reader’s Group who made themselves into my True North Candy Girls and love pimping me out and encouraging me through this crazy and fun process of creating and marketing a novel.

  <3

  To the very established authors who believed in paying it forward and by doing so have become my mentors and heroes: Denise Grover Swank, Jasinda Wilder and MJ Carnal. Thank you so much for your advice, your participation, and for having the guts and the faith to follow an unhewn road and carve it out for others to follow.

  Music

  Get the Spotify Music playlists of the “Table of Contents” for True North (Books 1 and 2) so you can have and hear each song that leads the chapter as you read the book! It’s easy! Just go to my website for the Spotify playlists and enjoy your reading experience!

  http://www.alliejuliettemousseau.com/playlists.html

  Watch and listen to the True North original music video soundtrack for each book through YouTube and my website!

  http://www.alliejuliettemousseau.com

  True North Book 1 Music Soundtrack Finding Home Livie and Jake

  Track 1 – Run With It

  Track 2 – Promised Land

  Track 3 – My Heart Is Your Home

  True North Book 2 Music Soundtrack Finding Us Jules and Nate

  Track 1 - Kiss Me Light the Kindling

  ‪Track 2 - Keep Your Faith‬

  The Soundtrack CD’s and MP3s are available from Amazon:

  http://www.amazon.com/True-North-Finding-Home-Livie/dp/B00JORR6K2/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1399577887&sr=8-1&keywords=True+North+Finding+Home+Soundtrack

  Table of Contents

  Chapter One - Realize - Colbie Caillat

  Chapter Two – All We’d Ever Need – Lady Antebellum

  Chapter Three – Oxygen – Colbie Caillat

  Chapter Four – Sweet Child O’Mine – Guns N Roses

  Chapter Five – Teardrops on my Guitar – Taylor Swift

  Chapter Six – Wanted – Jessie James

  Chapter Seven – I’m Gonna Getcha Good – Shania Twain

  Chapter Eight – Come A Little Closer – Dierks Bently

  Chapter Nine – Cowboys and Angels – Dustin Lynch

  Chapter Ten – Brighter Than the Sun – Colbie Caillat

  Chapter Eleven – Cowboy Take Me Away – Dixie Chicks

  Chapter Twelve – It Goes Like This – Thomas Rhett

  Chapter Thirteen – Sex on Fire – Kings of Leon

  Chapter Fourteen – Just a Kiss – Lady Antebellum

  Chapter Fifteen – Stealing Cinderella – Chuck Wicks

  Chapter Sixteen – Howlin’ for You – Black Keys

  Chapter Seventeen – I Need You – Tim McGraw and Faith Hill

  Chapter Eighteen – Inside Your Heaven – Carrie Underwood

  Chapter Nineteen – Home – Phillip Phillips

  Chapter Twenty – I Won’t Back Down – Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers

  Chapter Twenty-One – Hey Pretty Girl – Kip Moore

  Chapter Twenty-Two – What Means the Most – Colbie Caillat

  About Allie Juliette Other Books by Allie Juliette

  Chapter 1

  “Realize”

  Colbie Caillat

  The black hair of his bangs swept over his deep and stormy green eyes in the most delicious way.

  “You’re the one who dared me. Do you want to take it back?”

  My breath caught in my throat. He continued his advance without waiting for an answer. He lifted his black t-shirt over his head and, as he did, my eyes read each line and muscle as it flexed in its turn; from his pecs and abs, to the fluid rock of his arms. He didn’t have a bit of fat on him—he was lean and solid from his years of working the ranch. As he came at me, his Levi’s settled down around the lower bone of his hips, revealing his tan line. By the time my eyes traveled back up north to his face he had a wicked grin curling his lips. He knew exactly where I’d been looking.

  “You like what you see,” he stated.

  Before I could say a word, my back hit the wall behind me and he spread his large hands on either side of my head, trapping me between his arms.

  I had wanted him so fiercely, for so long, but to risk my heart? He was a playboy with all the right moves; and, oh, how I wanted to feel him play those moves on me.

  Fuck it! Break my heart! “I won’t take it back.”

  At that, his long fingers looped underneath the spaghetti strap of my silky red dress; he dropped it off my shoulder and bowed his head to me like a worshipping lover, using his lips, teeth and tongue to climb my shoulder to where the strap had fallen at the inner curve of my neck.

  My body was so hungry for him. Fucking famished. I’d only been dreaming of him creating the burning sensation that was now happening between my legs for forever.

  I closed my eyes as the force of the tingles, like a tidal wave, engulfed my delirious body, which now seemed to have a mind of its own and had obviously thrown out the sensible girl’s handbook; because, as my mind warned me of the agony that was going to inevitably follow this tryst when he moved on to his next conquest, my body screamed for more. More of everything!

  “Last chance,” he warned, his hot breath in my ear.

  I reminded myself that this was my bad girl dream come true and that I had been the one to initiate it.

  It had been a typical Saturday night party at my cousin’s. There were probably about thirty of us who’d all been drinking for a while when someone suggested we play Hot Like Fire—lady’s choice. All the girls’ names had gone into a ball cap and were stirred around, and one by one they were drawn by the officiator. Usually, I’d be left out of these kinds of games, not because I was a prude, but because I was overprotected by my big brothers. But somehow, tonight, I had completely lucked out. None of them
were here! And the object of my desire was free. I’d been the first girl to get my name into that cap! Whatever happened, I planned to blame it on the vodka. I’d also been lucky that most of the people here were already part of a couple, so it was cute for the girls to pick their own boyfriends. But for those of us who were single, this was a chance to scream out—NOTICE ME!

  He was absolutely right, I had initiated this.

  I’d watched Charlie mix the tiny slips of paper while the bass beat of Katy Perry’s “Dark Horse” pulsed up from the floor, vibrating through my bones. When my name was called, my choice’s name had slipped off my vodka glossed lips in a rough sexual whisper.

  Everyone had howled and catcalled as he and I were brought to stand in the center of the room, back-to-back. I’d been blindfolded, which only heightened my senses, and was given a small cup of water to rinse my mouth out with while someone poured him a shot of some flavored vodka.

  First he had to dip his finger into the vodka and paint his lips with it and then hold the shot in his mouth for fifteen seconds before swallowing it; that way his lips and tongue would be flavor coated.

  My blindfold had been removed and I’d held out my hand for the thin, heart shaped ice cube that would melt in no time.

  “GO!” Charlie had shouted.

  We’d quickly turned to face each other as I placed the ice cube between my lips, and … Oh. My. God.

  He’d immediately grabbed both sides of my face in his big, rough, weathered hands and surrounded the other side of the ice cube with his lips. In seconds his mouth was on mine, feverishly, and his tongue plunged into my mouth. I’d been more intoxicated by his kiss than by anything I’d ever drunk, and I’d let myself be carried away in it.

  I’d known that if I correctly guessed the flavor of the vodka in his mouth, I’d win a full fifteen minute make out session. And for me … that would be like winning the fucking lottery.

  The way he’d kissed me, I knew he wanted me to guess it too. He’d rolled his tongue over my taste buds, then danced it between my lips and teeth before tangling it around my own. His lips had been hot and soft and pressed into mine like he’d never let go … and I’d suddenly realized that if I didn’t concentrate I’d miss the win.

  He’d tasted like sweet oranges, but the flavor could have been tangerine (both were possible options). Plus I’d been buzzing pretty good and was hella distracted. I’d thought I had a better chance at guessing wrong than I did right, so I’d wanted to make the most of the moment. There was a chance this could have been both our first and last kiss. I’d woven my fingers around the back of his neck and held him tightly.

  Just know that I love you. I’d willed him to hear my thoughts. That I’ve always loved you.

  “AND TIME IS UP!” Charlie had announced. “What flavor do you taste?”

  I’d opened my eyes and seen his boring into mine, as if neither of us had wanted to stop. We’d ignored the howls and shouts from our audience. With the intense way he’d looked at me, I thought maybe if Charlie and the others hadn’t been watching him so closely he may have mouthed the answer to me. Instead it was like he was trying to tell me with his eyes.

  I had to go with my first gut instinct. “Orange.”

  The audience had shouted back the word “orange” and Charlie conferred with the liquor pourer. I’d swallowed hard then. What the hell were they discussing? Yes or no?

  “Audience, we have a dispute, so we’ll need you to make the deciding vote!” Charlie had finally called out.

  I’d bitten my lip in frustration and tasted him, still there, lingering.

  “Our lady contestant chose orange,” Charlie had explained.

  “But the true drink was orange popsicle,” the bartender countered.

  I remember thinking, That’s great, I just stuck my neck and heart and guts out here to lose to an adjective, or I guess a noun.

  The group had put out their fists, as if to fist bump the air, and held them.

  “What say you?” Charlie had asked in a sinister voice as if we were gladiators. The thumbs would either go up or down.

  I’d looked back up at him. He was still looking at me.

  One by one, each thumb had sprung out and pointed up.

  There was a God.

  And now here we were, in Charlie’s bedroom, alone. For fifteen minutes. I’d felt self empowerment over the fact that it was me that had brought us here, but he was the one who definitely held the reigns. And right now I wanted to be a bad girl for him. I saw the kinds of girls he took on, they were nothing like me. I was quiet, reserved and shy. But that didn’t mean I was dead! This was my fantasy and I wasn’t about to give it up until it came true.

  His warning did nothing, I only leaned my head closer to his mouth to feel his breath on me again and said, “I’m going to make you want me so badly, you’ll never let me go.”

  “Freaking, stupid-ass drivel!” I said aloud to no one as I angrily etched red lines through the errors in the manuscript so hard that I tore the paper with my pen. I needed a break. One more hot, angsty, needy sex scene and I’d kill someone! The heat of frustration rose into my face, and I ripped the sheet of paper from the staple, crumpled it between my fists and threw it on the floor. Fuck the trash can.

  “Dead-end, wasted dreams … I should never have started this. Now I’m never going to be able to get away from him.” A few months ago, the tears would have come, now it could go either way. What the hell did I have to be angry about? Nate had never led me on, never even showed any definite interest … but still, I thought … no, I’d felt like there was something more.

  “You have a vivid imagination, Julia. Of course you thought Nathaniel Morrisey had a thing for you.” I stood up too quickly and knocked my chair to the floor behind me. It fell into a pile of discarded paper snowballs; there were at least a hundred scattered on the floor. I waded through them to my bedroom door and slammed it behind me. I had to get out of my room because the walls felt like they were closing in on me now. Usually my room was my sanctuary; it was my little “home” inside of my home. Not now. Now it just reminded me of the name that was going to follow me forever and the man who didn’t want me.

  I stomped down the stairs to the kitchen, pulled the kettle from the stove and filled it with water. I slammed it back onto the burner and fired it up.

  “Everything okay?” My mom’s voice spoke calmly behind me.

  I filled my lungs with air and closed my eyes. She’d been watching me lately, and I knew if I didn’t break out of the funk I was in she was going to notice. For a little while there, I’d thought maybe I’d shaken her off my scent.

  “It’s fine, Mom.” I didn’t turn around. Instead I pulled a mug off the shelf and wished she’d go be busy somewhere else.

  “Right. Hand me one of those mugs, it’s been a while since we sat and talked.”

  I felt my eyes squeeze shut tight. Damn.

  I fixed my face, turned and set two mugs on the counter in front of her. My mom was sitting on the bar stool on the opposite side of the counter, watching me. Her inquisitive blue eyes weren’t going to let me off the hook this time. Sometimes I wished I’d inherited her pretty, sky blue eyes, but in the end, my dad’s DNA had won out and my eyes were plain brown. I remember randomly complaining about them once during one of my many stupid-girl moments when I was around Nate and he’d said, without looking at me at all, “What?! Don’t be ridiculous. Your eyes are the color of the deepest dark bay’s coat. Prettiest color in the world.” Yeah, I hadn’t been able to think rationally for the rest of the day; he thought my eyes were the ‘prettiest color in the world.’ But then I had to try to wrap my head around Nate “complimenting” me by comparing my eyes to the color of a horse.

  I took the hot chocolate mix out of the cupboard and put a couple tablespoons of powder into each of our mugs.

  “Mine is going to be spiked, just to let you know,” I said, taking the caramel vodka from the bar.

  “Good. I’ll t
ake a shot,” she replied, pulling her long blond hair over her shoulder and braiding it quickly.

  That was something from my mom I did get, a little of her blond. I had very light brown hair with blond streaks (unlike my brothers, who all had dark brown locks).

  Drinking wasn’t a big deal in our house. I was nineteen, and that was legal age in Canada where we had dual citizenship and spent a lot of time. Plus my mom thought if someone was old enough to fight and give their life for their country, they certainly should be able to legally drink.

  The silence was about to get awkward, and I knew she was measuring her words. I loved my mom, really loved her. Besides Livie, my mom was my best friend. And she could read me. If Liv got too close to a subject I wanted to avoid, though, all I had to do was say the word “Jake” and it was like steering a car. My mom wasn’t shaken so easily.

  I finished making our caramel vodka hot cocoas and sat on a stool to face her and her thoughts.

  “Livie and Jake’s wedding was a month ago,” she said matter-of-factly, “and I know you miss her.”

  No secret there. It had been almost a year since Livie and Jake had gotten together. They had been on a road trip for most of that year, before they’d gotten married in June. It was the prettiest, most romantic wedding I’d ever attended.

  “Well, Julia, I’m wondering when you’re going to get on with your life?”

  “Ouch!”

  “I’m just laying it out like I see it. It must have been so difficult having your best friend, who you counted on, take off around the world, no longer at your beck and call.” Her voice was sympathetic.

  “I miss her, but I’m happy for her too.” That was the truth.

  “I know you are, sweetheart. But I’m worried about you. I feel like you’ve shut yourself off from the rest of the world.”