In a Lifetime Read online

  IN A LIFETIME

  ARIADNE WAYNE

  Edited by

  LAUREN MCKELLAR

  Illustrated by

  SPRINKLES ON TOP STUDIOS

  BOOK ONE OF THE LIFETIME SERIES

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form, including electronic or mechanical, without written permission from the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events, and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental. Ariadne Wayne is in no way affiliated with any brands, songs, musicians or artists mentioned in this book.

  ISBN: 978-0-9941208-4-7

  Created with Vellum

  When Matt lays eyes on Ella, it’s love at first sight. At the very least, lust. But when fate steps in, Matt ends up playing Good Samaritan and losing the girl he wants to his best friend, Sam.

  When Ella and Sam marry, Matt leaves the country, desperate to get over the deep feelings he has for his friend’s wife. When he returns, he finds a couple struggling with infertility; cracks appearing in their relationship. Making things worse, his feelings for Ella have intensified.

  When you’re in love with your best friend’s wife, whose side do you take when everything falls apart?

  To get a free copy of In an Instant, the follow-up novella to In a Lifetime, sign up to my mailing list.

  http://eepurl.com/bK0onP

  PART I

  You stopped the world

  1

  MATT

  It was one of those nights. A house full of people at various stages of intoxication. Some had coupled up, some chatted up others, some danced, and some sang karaoke.

  Speaking of which, for the love of all things holy, didn’t anyone know all the words to The Final Countdown?

  My best friend, Sam, and I, had a party at the end of every semester, and every semester it ended up more work than the time before as the crowd grew. Outwardly, this was something cool and exciting we did to let off steam. Inwardly, I couldn’t wait to see the back of the noise.

  However, this was our last student party, so for one final time I decided to grin and bear it. I had to admit that despite knowing what the clean up would be like in the morning, this was fun.

  Even if it was my turn to stay sober.

  Our first party had ended in near disaster, with a drunken student curling up in our garden, despite the cold weather, and falling asleep. When she ended up in hospital, Sam and I had decided that we’d take turns staying sober, watching over our guests to make sure that nothing bad happened to anyone.

  It sucked to be the sober one, but on the upside, no one had hurt his or herself since.

  People packed our living room. Most I knew to various degrees, and some I didn’t. There were always people who tagged along.

  Sam sat on the couch, his arm around some lovely little brunette, his tongue so far down her throat he must’ve been searching for something. It never took Sam long to find someone to make out with. Me? I’ve always taken my time.

  And then I saw her, sitting in the corner, all alone. Her dark hair hung in big curls, framing her heart-shaped face. She had impossibly blue eyes with long eyelashes, and rosebud lips stained a brilliant shade of red, the colour standing out against her alabaster skin. She looked like a porcelain doll.

  In her hands she cradled a bottle of pre-mixed vodka and lemonade, sipping it through a straw she held between her thumb and index finger, her nails painted to match her lipstick.

  I don’t know why I hadn’t noticed her earlier. In a room full of T-shirt-and-jeans-wearing students, she wore a dress that would have been at home in the 50s, a little tight with the curve of her breasts pushed up over her neckline.

  I died and went to heaven.

  Taking a deep breath, I took a step toward her. To my right, on the edge of my peripheral vision, I caught a glimpse of another girl, her hand over her mouth as if she was about to hurl.

  Damn it. As the responsible, sober one, I’d have to take care of this before getting to anything else I wanted.

  From the table to my left, I grabbed a bucket. It had been full of ice for beer bottles to sit in, but now the beer was gone, and the ice was a giant slushy.

  Dumping the contents into a nearly empty potato chip bowl, I thrust the bucket in front of the girl.

  Not on my carpet, you don’t.

  Either I could put this drunken girl to bed in one of our rooms, which could prove inconvenient if something happened with my dream woman, or, I could drive drunken girl home and risk never seeing dream woman again. That was probably the right thing to do, no matter what my penis tried to tell me.

  “Honey, where do you live?” I asked, casting my eye across the room and trying to remember every detail of mystery girl’s appearance. Hopefully, if I could get this woman home quickly, I’d be back in time to talk to the girl in the corner.

  “Waiuku.” She groaned.

  Shit. That was at least three-quarters of an hour drive each way. Too expensive to put her in a taxi. And I would guarantee she had no money.

  Her lips were downturned, and any life that might have been there had disappeared from her eyes. She looked dull, over it.

  “Can you take me?” She pleaded.

  I didn’t have a choice. That was our party code—take care of anyone too far gone. I’d be gone for at least an hour and a half.

  “Grab your things; we’ll get out of here. Sooner I get you home, sooner I can be back.” Hopefully no one else would need taking home. I swept the room, checking for any others who might be in trouble.

  Rolling my eyes, I approached the back of the sofa, tapping Sam on the shoulder. He continued to devour the girl he was kissing, ignoring me as I sighed.

  “Sam.” I shoved his shoulder—hard.

  He broke away from the girl, who gave him a lazy smile, and looked back over his shoulder at me, frowning. “What?”

  “I’ve got to take someone home. We’ve got a sick one.”

  “Whatever,” he said, turning away.

  “The girl in the corner. Make sure she doesn’t leave.”

  He grunted agreement, glancing up and then returning to his lip-lock with the girl who didn’t even look at me.

  One last glance at the woman who had caught my eye, and I left.

  She’d better still be there when I got back.

  “PULL OVER, pull over.”

  I slapped the steering wheel. “Again?”

  The girl’s face was white as marble, and her hand was on the door handle, despite the bucket she cradled.

  “Fine.” I flicked on the indicator and pulled over to the side of the road. She flung the door open, tripping as she fell out of the car, stumbling away from the vehicle as she vomited. The night air was chilly, and the temperature plummeted in the car, making me shiver.

  “Best night out ever,” I mumbled, my mind wandering to the girl back at home.

  “It’s not my fault. You’re driving so fast, the streetlights going past make me feel sick.” She pouted as she crawled back into the car, buckling up her seatbelt and grabbing hold of the bucket again.

  “I’m doing the speed limit. We’re on the motorway. If I get caught pulling over like this, I’ll be in the crap.” I indicated and pulled out. Thankfully there weren’t many on the road at this time of night.

  I so want to be home.

  The GPS read out instructions as we drove, and we weaved through the rural roads once we left the motorway. I was beginning to think we were never going to get there when the machine told me
in stilted English that we’d arrived at our destination.

  The girl, whose name I still didn’t know, smiled. Her face stayed drained of colour, and I got the feeling that she’d be seeing a lot of the toilet bowl tonight.

  “Do you want to come in?” she asked. She was cute. Any other time I might have considered it, but she’d just spent the last hour vomiting every fifteen minutes.

  Are you insane?

  “No, I should get going. I need to make sure no one else needs help.”

  “Oh.” She pouted.

  I rolled my eyes. “Go on inside. I hope you feel better in the morning.”

  She slowly nodded, holding the bucket out for me to take.

  I held up my hand, shaking my head. “No. You keep it.”

  “Thanks.” She opened the door, the cold night air rushing in and reversing the effects of the heater again. At least it’d be a warm, uninterrupted ride home.

  “No problem. Take care.”

  As I flicked the indicator and pulled out and into the street, I pondered the girl at home. Would she still be there? Had I missed my chance? Even if she was gone, maybe I could track her down. But then again, I didn’t know who a lot of the people were at the party.

  What a waste of a night.

  The drive home was at least shorter than the drive there, with no stopping along the way. The motorway was quiet, and cars were few and far between.

  I pressed buttons on the radio, trying to find something to keep me company. Anything to fill the lonely drive back.

  I’m such an idiot.

  I should have splashed out for a taxi for the drunken guest, even if it meant not eating for the next week. It’d be after two when I got home, and most people would be long gone. All I could do was hope that the one person I wanted to be there had stayed.

  The closer I drew to the city, the more comfort I drew from my surroundings. Mount Eden had been home for the past few years while Sam and I had attended the nearby university. We’d been lucky that we’d found a rundown old villa to live in for lower than market rates. While property prices and rents went up around us, our landlord was happy he’d found responsible long-term tenants. Well, responsible most of the time.

  The house was quiet, deserted when I got home. As I pulled into the driveway, I grimaced at the thought of the mess to clean up. No doubt Sam would be lazing in bed tomorrow, leaving me to tidy. That was what I would have done to him, if our roles were reversed.

  I slid my key in the lock, turning the old brass door handle and pushing. The wooden door creaked as it opened, and I took a step inside.

  I walked straight into the living room. In the centre of the floor were two people going at it like bunnies. At least I wouldn’t have trouble tracking mystery girl down.

  Naked, she was even more beautiful, her full breasts peaking into rosy nipples, her curvy hips grinding as she rode my best friend. Her long dark hair spilled down her back in curls, curls that Sam tugged at, making her moan.

  I couldn’t move, transfixed by the sight, the excitement at seeing her naked tempered with the knowledge that Sam was inside her.

  “Close the door, man.” Sam grinned up at me.

  The woman’s eyes flickered open, and she gasped, crossing her arms to cover her breasts as I turned my head. I kicked the door closed behind me and began the uncomfortable walk past them to my bedroom.

  “Sorry,” I said, as the light faded behind me.

  When I closed my eyes, I could still see her—that creamy skin, her mouth formed into a perfect red O as she threw all her concentration into screwing my best friend.

  I’d never wanted anything so badly in all my life.

  She was his.

  2

  SAM

  Sam closed the door.

  Now for the clean up—always the fun part of these parties. He wasn’t even sure why they did this anymore—it was tradition for him and Matt to have these gatherings. It wasn’t as much fun as it had been at the start.

  These days they got more people they didn’t know, and it had become less of a celebration between friends and classmates, and more of a random gathering that had no real meaning.

  Not to mention that as they grew older, the women seemed so much younger than they’d been when the two of them had started. They weren’t really; that was just the way Sam processed the giggling, flirting nature that he’d been dealing with all night. Cute, but not what Sam was looking for. Although, not even Sam knew what that was.

  He’d spent half the evening on the couch making out with a girl who had then gone for another drink and hadn’t come back. What a waste of time that was, putting all the effort in and not even getting laid.

  He sighed as he turned back to look at the now deserted room, meeting the eye of a girl he hadn’t spotted earlier. She sat in the corner, sucking her bottled drink through a straw, her bright red lips forming a perfect circle as she raised an eyebrow at him. One perfectly shaped eyebrow that sent a burning through his veins as their gazes locked.

  “Hey,” he said. “Sorry. I thought everyone was gone.”

  She slid the straw out from between those lips so slowly; he dropped his hand self-consciously to swing over his lap. Those red lips parted, and she ran her tongue across them. “I’m not.”

  “I can see that.” Sam moved closer, his curiosity piqued by her flirting.

  She tilted her head and smiled. “I’m Ella.”

  “Sam.”

  “I know.”

  Now she stood, walking toward him, a sway in her hips that made the ache in his groin even worse. She wore a black vintage swing dress, tight around her waist, boosting her breasts.

  Ella stood in front of him, running a manicured fingernail, the same colour as her lipstick, down his chest.

  “And how do you know me?” Sam asked.

  “I’ve been in your mathematics class all year.”

  He grinned, shaking his head. “I don’t think so; I’d remember you.”

  “I usually sit right at the back. I’ve seen you.”

  She was close now; he could smell her perfume, like the scent of honey. Thoughts of summer and sunshine ran through his head, and the urge to grab her, rub his face in her hair, breathe her in, was overwhelming.

  Her skirt brushed against his hand, and he flattened his palm, trying desperately to hide his growing hardness.

  His feet glued to the spot, he raised his eyes to meet hers. He was sure his heart beat faster than it had ever done before. This girl was gorgeous.

  From the way her breasts heaved, she was feeling the same way he was.

  Perhaps the night wasn’t about to end so badly after all.

  ELLA

  ELLA OPENED HER EYES, millimetre by millimetre. Blinded by the bright light blaring through the windows, she slammed them shut again, sighing at the effort.

  Warm arms wrapped around her, and she rolled over to check out the man with whom she'd spent the night.

  The blue eyes she remembered were closed. She’d raked her fingers through the closely cropped brown hair. He was as good looking as she’d thought with light stubble on his strong chin. The urge to run her tongue over it was overwhelming.

  Instead, she ran her hand across his smooth chest.

  She’d made her move as soon as everyone else had left, skulking in the corner until the opportunity arose. She sat in the same maths lectures as he did without him noticing her. When she’d stood in front of him, squeezed into that dress that made her breasts pop, he’d paid attention.

  In a tangle of lips and limbs, they’d ended up on the living room floor. She’d pinned him to the ground, astride his hips, and rocked his world. At least, that was how it seemed. They’d ended up in his bed, curled around each other and going for seconds. If she remembered correctly, even thirds.

  The dull ache between her legs reminded her of the thirds. No one had ever done that with her before, got so carried away that they both wanted to go all night. It had been the small hours of the morn
ing when the two of them had finally collapsed, exhausted, ready to sleep.

  Sam stirred beside her, lifting his hand to cover hers on his chest, squeezing her fingers gently as he turned his head toward her. Those gorgeous blue eyes of his, full of sleep and mischief made her shiver, the ache turning from a sore pain to a longing one. Right here and now, Ella couldn’t get enough of this man who seemed to like her as much.

  “Hey,” he whispered.

  “Good morning,” she said, sucking in her bottom lip, her cheeks blazing hot.

  “That it is.” He grinned, leaning over to kiss her, his lips warm and soft with a hint of beer.

  She smiled as he broke contact, her heart thumping hard at the touch of his gentle hands.

  “Do you want breakfast?” His eyes bore into hers with so much intensity she dropped her gaze.

  “Are you offering to make it?”

  He nodded. “I’d be happy to. As long as you’re okay with toast and coffee; that’s about as much as I can cook.”

  “I think I can cope with that.” She surrendered to another kiss, this time one long and lingering as Sam pulled her closer.

  “Round four?” he whispered.

  Ella laughed. “I think I can cope with that.”

  SAM

  MATT SAT at the kitchen table, eyeing Sam as he crossed the room.

  “Good night?” He took another bite of toast, his expression devoid of any real interest in the answer.

  “Amazing. Seem to remember you being witness to some of it.” It was vague, but the memory of Matt opening the door as Ella rocked on Sam’s groin was vivid. The night-time breeze had been cool, causing Sam to shiver and Ella to cover those luscious breasts of hers.

  “Yeah. Sorry about that.” Matt seemed quiet, subdued, and not his usual happy self.

  “What’s up your butt? Didn’t find a girl to spend the night, I noticed.”

  Matt rolled his eyes. “I spent half the night driving to Waiuku and back for some girl who drank too much. She asked me if I wanted to stay, but she’d spent the trip puking on the side of the road, so I can’t say I was that interested.”