Heaven Read online

  Heaven

  Rebecca Julia Lauren

  This one is for my family. Their support and encouragement kept me writing on the days when I thought that I should just give it up. Without them this book would never have been written. I love you.

  This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead is coincidental.

  Copyright © 2014 Rebecca Julia Lauren

  All rights reserved.

  Cover Design by Melody Simmons of eBookindiecovers

  Table of Contents

  Prologue

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Prologue

  I covered my head so that I wouldn’t hear them fighting.

  Closing my eyes, I pretended I was somewhere other than the backseat of a hot car, listening to them shouting, while my stomach clenched in pain. It always made me sick when they argued. I loved them both so much, but they hated each other.

  “You’ve got to get help. If you don’t, I’m getting a lawyer and fighting for custody of Cora.” My dad’s voice was filled with pain.

  “I don’t think so. You wouldn’t dare. That would mean you’d have to tell your precious wife about me. You think she’s going to want to raise your bastard?” Olivia sounded really mad.

  “Don’t call her that.”

  “It’s the truth. I’m doing the best I can with the money you give me.”

  “You drink the money I give you or spend it on drugs.”

  “If you’d keep writing those prescriptions, I wouldn’t have to spend my money on medicine. You know I have to have something for the pain.”

  I started to shake.

  “There’s nothing wrong with you. You’re an addict, and I won’t let you ruin our daughter’s life.”

  “You’ll do what I say or I’ll make sure your wife and your boss know about your dirty little secret. Think that hoity-toity hospital will want a chief of staff with a reputation like yours?”

  “So help me God, I hate you,” Dad snarled.

  “Yeah, I hate you too,” Olivia cried.

  I couldn’t stand it any more. Shoving open the door, I ran as fast as I could. They both shouted my name, but I didn’t stop.

  We were in the park at a music festival, and we’d driven a very long way, like we always did whenever Daddy took us anywhere. Olivia said that it was because he was ashamed of us. It hurt my heart to think that was true, but I don’t think she was lying.

  I was fast. My heart raced and I flew toward a stage where the music people were practicing. Tears slid down my cheeks, and I folded my arms around my stomach, trying to stop shaking. I needed to ease the pain.

  Without thinking, I picked up the funny little guitar and stick. It was the only instrument lying around.

  “Hey, don’t touch that!” someone cried.

  Placing the instrument on my shoulder like I’d seen the music people do, I closed my eyes and began to play. I moved the stick over the strings, hearing the beautiful song I’d heard in a movie not long ago. Slowly, I felt my pain bleed into the notes and I calmed. My arms ached, but I kept on playing until the song in my head came to an end.

  I opened my eyes.

  Everyone was staring at me. I was in big trouble. I’d never had the attention of so many people. They were gathered around me staring as if I was a freak. Even Olivia and Daddy were staring at me like they’d never seen me before.

  The music man stepped toward me, and I braced myself for his anger but stood my ground.

  “You can’t be more than five,” he whispered, still staring at me.

  I lifted my chin. “Six. Today’s my birthday.”

  His expression changed, suddenly his mouth pulled into a slow, wonderful smile. “What’s your name kid?”

  I looked him in the eye, sensing that something good was about to happen to me.

  “Heaven,” I whispered. “Cora Heaven.”

  Chapter 1

  Cora

  “Oh. My. God. Who is that guy?”

  My beer stopped halfway to my lips, and I glanced over to see a trio of women gaping into the crowd. If I’d had a mouthful of beer it would have sprayed everywhere from laughing at their dropped jaws and wide eyes as their hungry gazes crawled over Jase like he was the only guy in the bar.

  “He’s perfect, Emma.”

  “Wow. I’ll bet he’s good in bed.”

  Sometimes I know I should keep my mouth shut, but I can’t resist the fun. This was one of those times. “He’s ok,” I said loud enough to get their attention then sighed my disappointment. “If you don’t mind the emotional breakdown afterwards, he was a solid—“ I glanced over at Amber questioningly. “Two?”

  Playing along, Amber pretending the think. “And a half,” she added, exaggerating the half. “Jase is solid two and a half.”

  Three sets of eyes landed on us. “Ya’ll know him?”

  “Sure. Doesn’t everyone. His name is Jase Ford.”

  “Does he have a girlfriend?”

  I smirked. “He’s got a harem.”

  For some reason this didn’t dissuade them. The blonde called Rachel introduced herself and her friends, Ava and Emma. Looking over at Amber and I, as if letting us in on a secret, she told us, “Today is Emma’s twenty-first birthday and she’s still holding the V-card!”

  “Oh, I’m sure Jase can take care of that.”

  Amber snickered. Apparently Rachel didn’t catch the sarcasm oozing from my words because her eyes filled with relief. “Awesome!”

  Emma glanced uncertainly at Amber and I. “What do you mean by emotional breakdown?”

  I glanced over at poor Emma sympathetically. “He cries.”

  “A lot.” Amber nodded, looking serious.

  “So he’s a sensitive guy,” Rachel chimed in with a smile.

  “Sensitive is good,” Ava added encouragingly.

  “Absolutely,” I agreed. “Problem is he cries during sex.” I cringed, fighting back a smile at poor Emma’s shock.

  “He does it after sex too. Man, I couldn’t get him to stop bawling.” Amber closed her eyes and looked frustrated. “I had to call his mother.”

  Rachel and Ava looked shocked. “You called his mother after sex?”

  “She’s the only person that can calm him down when he gets like that,” I said gravely. “But his mom is a real nice lady.”

  “Oh, definitely,” Amber agreed. “She didn’t even ask me to get out of the bed while she comforted him. It was a little crowded with the three of us in my bed, but at least he stopped mewling and sucking his thumb.”

  “No way.” Rachel stared at us in disbelief.

  At first I thought we’d took this crazy-assed story too far, and Rachel, Ava and Emma had finally got a clue and realized we were full of shit, but it seemed the trio might have spent a tad too much time in a tanning bed and it fried their brain cells because they suddenly looked scared—of Jase.

  “Maybe we should find someone a little less…” Ava frowned, clearly searching for the right word
to describe a man that wants to be held by him mommy after sex.

  I smiled helpfully. “Needy?”

  “Pathetic?” Amber added.

  “Right. Both of those are not something you want to deal with,” Rachel told Emma, who seemed to readily agree.

  The twitter of excitement grew around us, and I didn’t have to turn to know that Jase was behind me. I felt him. My stomach flipped. After a year I’d stopped questioning my reaction to him but it never ceased to amaze me how much my body seemed to crave his.

  His hand brushed my back as he stepped up to the table, and I gave in to a moment of weakness and let my gaze slide over Jase Ford. Worn jeans, scuffed boots and a black T-shirt covered a body that could earn some serious cash if he ever decided he wanted to be a stripper. Yeah, if he ever decided to strip it would be like winning the lottery, but unlike a lot of hot guys Jase wasn’t walking around with an ego the size of Texas.

  Pulling my gaze from his ripped bod, my eyes flickered over his chiseled profile, which was sprinkled with sexy scruff, and then paused on his short, golden brown hair that looked as if some tramp had just ran her skanky fingers through it.

  “Hi, Jase,” Amber greeted with a big smile.

  “Hey, Amber. Ladies,” he drawled in that deep, Southern accent that slid over me like warm honey. His green eyes flicked to mine. “Cori.”

  I loved hearing him call me Cori. Peering around him, I asked, “Where’s your entourage harem-boy?”

  His deep chuckle slid over my skin like a caress. “Now, Cori. You don’t have to be jealous, sweetheart. Just say the word and I’m all yours.”

  “Still not interested, but have you met our friends here.” I glanced over at the wide-eyed trio. “This is Rachel, Ava and Emma.”

  Amber grinned wickedly, gesturing to Emma. “It’s Emma’s birthday today. I’ll bet she’d love to dance,” she suggested, seemingly oblivious to the panicked expressions of the trio.

  Maybe it was my imagination, but Jase’s gaze flicked to mine as if seeing how I’d react to this. Keeping my expression carefully indifferent, I was punished when his attention turned to Emma.

  “You wanna dance, darlin’?” Jase drawled to Emma, flashing a heart-melting smile that had likely seduced many women right out of their panties.

  “I don’t dance. I’d probably just step all over your boots.”

  “Darlin’ I wouldn’t mind at all.”

  Emma glanced nervously at her friends before her cautious eyes skated to Jase. “I don’t want to dance!” she cried, clearly distressed. “We’ve got to go!”

  “Right! We’re meeting our boyfriends,” Rachel hastily agreed.

  Emma’s wary gaze skimmed Jase as she scurried by, and he cocked a brow, his eyes cutting to me as soon as Emma and her friends dashed off. He sighed. “What’d you tell them?”

  To his credit, Jase didn’t sound angry or even irritated. I couldn’t help wonder why.

  Amber hopped off her chair. “That’s my cue to haul ass outta here. You taking Cora home, Jase?”

  “I’ll make sure she gets home.” Jase’s hot gaze never left mine. “Let me walk you out Amber.”

  Waving her hand, Amber shook her head. “No need. I’m going to chat with Ethan before I take off. You kids have fun.”

  As soon as Amber had gone, Jase’s eyes flicked back to mine. “Let me guess which line you used this time. You told her I had an STD?”

  My eyes widened, and I leveled him an angelic look of pure innocence. “Paranoid much?”

  “Cori, women don’t run away from me—unless you’ve talked to them first. You said something to scare her off.” He leaned in and my stomach dipped. “If you didn’t want me to dance with her all you had to do was say so.”

  I scoffed. “Why would I care who you dance with?”

  His slow, wicked grin made my heart flutter. He took a step closer, leaned in and his warm breath tickled my cheek. “I’m no hypocrite Cori. So don’t worry, I can overlook the jealousy.”

  “You’ve told guys that I have STD?” I wasn’t sure if I was irritated or flattered that he obviously didn’t want other guys hitting on me.

  He laughed. “No. I just tell them you’re mine.”

  My pulse kicked up at the thought of being his. “You really need to get over yourself Jase.”

  He shrugged. “So I guess it’s just you and me tonight.”

  “Guess so. If you want to stay and find a date for the night, I can catch a ride with Amber.”

  “No, I needed to talk to you anyway. You ready to take off?”

  I glanced over at him in surprise. “You just got here.”

  “I only came to find you. Since I’ve found you, there’s no reason to stay.” Taking my hand, he led me through the crowd of people dancing to the live band and outside to where his truck was parked.

  My hand tingled where we touched, and I shivered despite the sultry June night. “What’s up?”

  He glanced down at me, and I caught a flash of uncertainty in his eyes. “Cori, I need a favor.”

  Sighing with exaggeration, I lifted my chin and met his hot green gaze. “I’m not sleeping with you, Jase.”

  He feigned a look of shock. “No? I was sure this would be the time you’d start peeling off your clothes and begging me to have my way with you.”

  “You’re not funny.” He actually was funny, but I was too taken with the idea of him having his way with me to feel anything but hot.

  When he didn’t say anything for a moment, I looked over at him and saw the unusual glimpse of seriousness in his expression. “Is something wrong?”

  “I’m just having dinner with my parents next weekend.”

  He said it in the same tone of voice he’d use to say I’m headed to jail for the weekend. I knew he wasn’t close to his parents, but I wondered if I was missing something.

  “I want you to come with me, Cori.” He shifted, seeming suddenly, uncharacteristically vulnerable. “If you don’t mind, I was hoping you’d pretend to be my girlfriend.”

  What? I didn’t bother to hide my surprise. “Why?”

  “My parents are…intense. They think I should get back together with my ex-girlfriend since they’re friends with her parents. I think they’ve invited them all to their beach house for the weekend.

  I felt like I’d been driving and suddenly hit a big, unexpected speed bump. Jase Ford had a girlfriend? I was having difficulty wrapping my mind around this surprising revelation.

  I knew he slept with a lot of women, but he never actually dated any of them. “Does the harem know about this?”

  He shrugged, seeming uncomfortable. “It was a long time ago, in high school.”

  “Your parents are trying to get you back together with your high school girlfriend? Why would they do that?”

  “Like I said, they’re friends with her parents. So, will you help me out?”

  “Sure. How long did you and your ex date?”

  He glanced away as if thinking about it. “I don’t know, four years or so.”

  I felt like I’d been sucker punched. “Wow. That’s a long time.”

  “Yeah.”

  I was still stuck on the shocking revelation that Jase Ford actually had a long-time girlfriend, and I didn’t like it.

  “We can work the details out later,” Jase said, watching me closely.

  “Okay, but we’re going to have a safe word so I’ll know when to back off in case you decide you want to get reacquainted with your ex-girlfriend.”

  Jase’s deep chuckled rubbed goose bumps over my skin. “Safe words,” he drawled, his eyes shining with interest. “You’ve got a dirty mind, Cori. That or you’ve been thinking of having sex with me.”

  “I meant code word. Jerk.”

  “I know.” Turning suddenly, he pulled me into his arms, bent and said, “For the record, you’d never need a safe word with me Cori. You’d be too busy begging me not to stop.”

  My knees went weak. I pushed away from him because I
didn’t want to embarrass myself, not because I didn’t want my body shoved against his. Part of me wished he’d refuse to let go, but as soon as I resisted Jase took his hands off of me.

  “So you’ll do it?” he asked hopefully.

  “Sure. But I’m curious why you’re asking me and not one of your other girls.”

  He turned and for a second I thought he looked offended, but the glimpse of emotion was quickly hidden. “You’re my best friend.”

  I already knew that. “I guess it would be awkward to ask one of the harem girls to pretend to be your girlfriend. They’d trip over their heels and fall boobs first in love with you, and then you’d cause drama, maybe even a catfight, in your harem.”

  “Yeah, that’d happen, for sure.” His eyes crinkled at the corners, and he smiled as if humoring me. “It’s not that I don’t appreciate your inflated opinion of my appeal to the opposite sex, but you do realize I don’t have a girlfriend much less a flock of them.”

  He opened the door for me and helped me up in the truck. “I’ll bet they like the humble, I-don’t-know-I’m-sexy-as-hell thing you’ve got going on.”

  “Do you like it?”

  “Absolutely. I hate a man with an ego bigger than his dick.”

  Jase appeared surprised and then he seemed to be trying real hard not to laugh. “Cori, I—“ Giving up the struggle, his lips curled upward. “I don’t even know what to say to that.”

  He got into the truck and cranked the engine. “My place or yours?”

  “Yours.”

  “Sure you’re up for something spicy?”

  My blood heated at his words, and I swallowed. “I’m in the mood for something hot.”

  Ten minutes later we were seated in a booth inside Jase’s favorite Mexican restaurant.

  “Hola, Senor. Senorita. You two are late tonight.”

  “Hi, Sarahi. I had to pick Cori up from the bar.”

  Sarahi was a friendly woman with a warm smile and a habit of listening intently to whatever you said and analyzing it. Her dark brows drew together in a frown as she looked worriedly from me to Jase. “Your Senorita is going to the bar without you?”

  Jase shrugged. “She does that. You wouldn’t believe what I have to put with,” he told her, winking at me.