Beautiful, p.1
Beautiful, page 1
Previously released as Beautiful and Forever Beautiful under the pen name of Ella Bordeaux.
Beautiful
Copyright © 2016 by Kelly Elliott
Cover Design by: Hang Le
Interior Design & Formatting by: Elaine York, Allusion Publishing
No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system without the written permission of the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.
This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.
For more information on Kelly and her books, please visit her website www.kellyelliottauthor.com.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
* * *
Other Books by Kelly Elliott
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty-One
Chapter Twenty-Two
Chapter Twenty-Three
Chapter Twenty-Four
Chapter Twenty-Five
Chapter Twenty-Six
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Chapter Thirty
Chapter Thirty-One
Chapter Thirty-Two
Chapter Thirty-Three
Chapter Thirty-Four
Chapter Thirty-Six
Chapter Thirty-Six
Chapter Thirty-Seven
Chapter Thirty-Eight
Chapter Thirty-Nine
Chapter Forty
Chapter Forty-One
Chapter Forty-Two
Chapter Forty-Three
Chapter Forty-Four
Chapter Forty-Five
Chapter Forty-Six
Chapter Forty-Seven
Chapter Forty-Eight
Chapter Forty-Nine
Chapter Fifty
Chapter Fifty-One
Chapter Fifty-Two
Chapter Fifty-Three
Chapter Fifty-Four
Epilogue
Acknowledgments
About the Author
OTHER BOOKS BY KELLY ELLIOTT
* * *
Love in Montana (Meet Me in Montana Spin Off)
Fearless Enough
Cherished Enough
Brave Enough – August 29, 2023
Daring Enough - November 21, 2023
Loved Enough - February 6, 2024
Forever Enough - April 30, 2024
Enchanted Enough - July 23, 2024
Perfect Enough - October 15, 2024
Devoted Enough - January 7, 2025
Holidaze in Salem
A Bit of Hocus Pocus
A Bit of Holly Jolly
A Bit of Wee Luck -
A Bit of Razzle Dazzle – June 2023
The Seaside Chronicles
Returning Home
Part of Me
Lost to You
Someone to Love
*Series available on audiobook
Stand Alones
The Journey Home*
Who We Were*
The Playbook*
Made for You*
*Available on audiobook
Boggy Creek Valley Series
The Butterfly Effect*
Playing with Words*
She’s the One*
Surrender to Me*
Hearts in Motion*
Looking for You*
Surprise Novella TBD
*Available on audiobook
Meet Me in Montana Series
Never Enough*
Always Enough*
Good Enough*
Strong Enough*
*Available on audiobook
Southern Bride Series
Love at First Sight*
Delicate Promises*
Divided Interests*
Lucky in Love*
Feels Like Home *
Take Me Away*
Fool for You*
Fated Hearts*
*Available on audiobook
Cowboys and Angels Series
Lost Love
Love Profound
Tempting Love
Love Again
Blind Love
This Love
Reckless Love
*Series available on audiobook
Boston Love Series
Searching for Harmony
Fighting for Love
*Series available on audiobook
Austin Singles Series
Seduce Me
Entice Me
Adore Me
*Series available on audiobook
Wanted Series
Wanted*
Saved*
Faithful*
Believe
Cherished*
A Forever Love*
The Wanted Short Stories
All They Wanted
*Available on audiobook
Love Wanted in Texas Series
Spin-off series to the WANTED Series
Without You
Saving You
Holding You
Finding You
Chasing You
Loving You
Entire series available on audiobook
*Please note Loving You combines the last book of the Broken and Love Wanted in Texas series.
Broken Series
Broken*
Broken Dreams*
Broken Promises*
Broken Love
*Available on audiobook
The Journey of Love Series
Unconditional Love
Undeniable Love
Unforgettable Love
*Entire series available on audiobook
With Me Series
Stay With Me
Only With Me
*Series available on audiobook
Speed Series
Ignite
Adrenaline
*Series available on audiobook
COLLABORATIONS
Predestined Hearts (co-written with Kristin Mayer)*
Play Me (co-written with Kristin Mayer)*
Dangerous Temptations (co-written with Kristin Mayer*
*Available on audiobook
CHAPTER ONE
* * *
Skylar
OPENING THE DOOR, I smiled when I saw Charlie, standing there.
“Hey, Charlie!” I said as I let him in.
Charlie and my oldest brother Skip had been best friends for as long as I could remember.
“Hey, Skylar. What are you doing home? No big plans for tonight with the boyfriend?”
“Nope. Jacob headed out with some of the football players tonight.”
Charlie frowned. “Some boyfriend he is, not even taking you out on a Saturday night.”
With a chuckle, I moved into the living room. “You here for Mitch?” Charlie and Mitch had started hanging out more after Skip went into the Marines.
He plopped down on the couch. “Yeah. He said he might be home tonight, so I thought I would stop by.”
On the love seat opposite Charlie, I sat with my legs crisscross. “Sorry, I’m not sure where he is. I got home from work a little bit ago. I was just about to start a movie. Want to hang out and watch it?”
Something moved across his face as he stared at me before looking away. My cell phone rang, so I reached over and picked it up.
“Hey, Jacob. Oh, okay. That’s cool. Nah, Charlie just showed up, and we might watch a movie or something, so don’t worry about it.”
Charlie glanced back over to me. I couldn’t help but notice that he seemed confused about something.
“Um…okay, that’s fine. I’ll see you tomorrow. Love you, too.”
Hitting End, I set the phone down. “You okay?” I asked as I looked Charlie over.
“Yeah. It’s been a long day. My father’s been riding my ass, and college is proving to be a bigger bitch than I thought.”
With a chuckle, I nodded. “I can only imagine.”
“Hey, um… do you want to go see a movie? I’m not really in the mood to watch something I’ve seen a million times.”
For one brief moment, I hesitated. It wasn’t like I’d never gone to the movies with Charlie before. We’d always gone with a group of friends though, never just the two of us.
With a shrug, I smiled and said, “Sure. Let me go change.”
The smile that spread across Charlie’s face was huge. He must really be feeling lonely with Skip gone. My oldest brother had joined the Marines and left for boot camp almost as soon as he graduated from high school.
I grabbed my phone and ran upstairs. I sent off a quick text to Jacob.
Me: Hey, Charlie wants to head out and see a movie. Do you mind? It’s just me and him ’cause Mitch isn’t home.
Jacob: Sure, I don’t care. Have fun, babe. I’ll ca
Me: Okay. Have fun, and be careful.
Jacob: Always. You, too.
After sending my parents a quick text to let them know what my plans were, I changed into a pair of shorts and one of my cheerleading T-shirts.
Charlie was pacing back and forth by the time I got back downstairs.
“You ready?” I asked.
He turned and looked at me. A weird feeling moved over my body. Maybe it wasn’t a good idea to go without Mitch.
“Ready,” Charlie replied with a sweet smile.
It was the same sweet smile I’d seen for the last ten-plus years.
I quickly brushed away my doubts.
Little did I know, my life would forever be changed by what happened in the next twenty-four hours.
***
Talking to my best friend, Michelle, on my cell, I glanced over and tried to see what was taking Charlie so long in the store. “Hey, Charlie is on his way out. I’ll call you once I get back home after the movie.”
“Sounds good, Sky. Enjoy yourself, and tell Charlie I said hi.”
The door opened, and Charlie slid into his truck. He handed me a Slurpee, a box of candy, and a bottle of water.
“Michelle says hey.”
Charlie smiled big. “Hey, Michelle!” he shouted so that she could hear him.
“Later, Michelle.”
“Bye, and have fun.”
Dropping my cell into my purse, I turned to Charlie and took a long drink and then smiled. “A Slurpee?”
With a chuckle, he put the truck in drive and took off. “Don’t you like root beer Slurpees?”
I took a drink of it again while I put the water bottle and the box of candy Charlie had bought in my purse. “I do! I can’t believe you even remembered that I liked them.”
It didn’t take long before I began feeling funny. “Um, Charlie, I’m starting to feel a bit dizzy.”
When I turned my head to look at him, I felt as if everything was moving in slow motion.
“It’s okay, Sky. I didn’t give you that much. I want you to be awake for it.”
My eyebrows pinched together. “What are you…I feel like I’m floating or something.”
Charlie turned down a road. I tried to close my eyes and shake this weird feeling.
“You’ve got to know how much I’ve always wanted you, Skylar. I’ve seen the way you look at me.”
My mouth went dry as I fought to keep my wits about me. “Wh-what are you ta-talking ’bout?”
“I’ve been dropping you hints for months, but that fucking Jacob has your head filled with so much shit that you can’t see straight. Well, tonight, I’m taking what’s mine, what’s always been mine. I promised Skip I wouldn’t ever hurt you, so I didn’t give you very much of the drug, baby. Just enough to get you relaxed, so we can enjoy ourselves.”
My heart began pounding as the dizziness got worse. I tried to lift my arm, but it felt like dead weight. I closed my eyes and tried to make the uneasy feeling go away.
Opening my eyes, I looked around. It felt as if I was moving, but I wasn’t. I was in the backseat of Charlie’s truck. Suddenly, there was movement.
Oh God, it’s making me feel sick.
My head slowly turned, and I saw Charlie was over me.
“Baby, you feel just like I always imagined. God…so fucking good. Does it feel baby?”
Wait. Wh-what is happening?
In that moment, I realized we were having sex. I tried to lift my arms to push Charlie away. “St-stop. Pl-please stop. I-I don’t…please st-stop.”
“Relax, Skylar. I’ve wanted to fuck you for so long. Baby, you want this. You want this, Skylar. God, I’m so fucking horny. I want to fuck you all night.”
Tears rolled down my face while I shook my head. “No,” I whispered. “Stop!”
Charlie grabbed my hips and moved faster as I tried to make my body push him away.
“Don’t,” I cried out with all my might.
He continued to move as he buried his face into my neck. The sickness swept over my body as he whispered, “I wore a condom. No one will ever have to know, Skylar.”
Sobs racked my body as he pressed his lips to mine. I tried to turn my head to break the contact.
Numb. I felt numb as I looked back up at him. Tears were pouring out of my eyes.
How could he do this to me? He’s supposed to be my friend. He’s my brother’s best friend.
Charlie pulled out and pushed into me harder as he called out my name. “Oh, fuck yes, I’m coming.”
The only thing I could do was barely whisper, “Why?”
My body shut itself down, and everything went black.
CHAPTER TWO
* * *
Wyatt
“ARE YOU EXCITED to move to Texas?” Candace asked as I walked toward my locker.
“Yeah, I am. The town we are moving to is kind of cool, a little bigger than this one. I’m sure I’ll miss New Mexico though.”
Candace leaned against the locker next to mine. “What’s it called again?”
“Marble Falls.”
She scrunched up her nose. “Sounds like a little country town. Are you sure this is what you want?”
Grabbing my books for my last two classes, I shut the door and looked at her. “Well, Candace, first off, my dad is taking a job in Austin, so I had two options—stay here for my senior year and live with someone, or move to Marble Falls and play for a great high school football team.”
“But we have a great football team here. Why do you have to leave, Wyatt?”
The whine in her voice caused my skin to crawl.
Candace had been trying to hook up with me for the last year, and I’d kept repeating over and over that I was only interested in her friendship.
I blew out a frustrated sigh. “I want to be with my family, Candace. It’s that simple.”
Her lips formed a pout as she tilted her head. “So, after your party tonight, what do you say we find a private little area to…say good-bye?”
My eyes looked up to my cousin, Leanne, as she walked my way. The smile on her face told me she knew I was suffering with Candace.
“Hey, Wyatt. Can I talk to you really quick before the next class starts?” Leanne said.
Candace shot her a dirty look.
“Sorry, Candace. I’ll see you later.” Pushing off the locker, I walked toward Leanne’s class with her even though it was in the opposite direction of mine. “God, I owe you.”
Leanne giggled. “I saw your pained expression. What was she asking for this time?”
“Sex.”
“Oh, gross! Yuck. I’m forever going to be scarred, Wyatt!”
We stopped outside a classroom door as she gave me a sweet smile. “I’m going to miss you. It really sucks that we just started school, and you’re leaving.”
“Yeah, I know, but you can come to Marble Falls anytime you want!”
Leanne rolled her eyes. “Oh, yay. Go before you’re late.”
I kissed her on the cheek and whispered, “I owe you,” before I took off jogging down the hallway.
Two more hours, and I would be out of this place and onto a new chapter in my life. I couldn’t wait. Something told me my life was going to change and only for the better.
***
“Welcome to mustang country.”
With a smile and a polite nod, I reached my hand across the desk to shake the principal’s hand. “Thank you, sir. I’m looking forward to finishing high school here.”
My parents sat next to me with wide smiles on their faces.
My father glanced at me quickly before speaking. “A number of colleges in New Mexico are interested in Wyatt. We’re hoping the same will happen here even though he has not been with the team since the beginning of the year.”
Principal Davis waved his hand off, as if it was not a big deal that I was coming into a new school one week behind. My parents had tried like hell to move before the beginning of the school year, but our house in Marble Falls wasn’t ready until yesterday. That meant, I’d missed the first week of school here along with one football game.
“I’m not worried about it, and neither is Coach Sanders. I have no doubt in my mind that Wyatt will fit in perfectly with the team.”
After the meeting, I waited in the office as my parents filled out a few more forms. My hair stood on my arms as I turned to see a beautiful girl with wavy, long dark blonde hair walk in. She glanced over at me and returned my friendly grin.
