Delicate Promises Read online

  Delicate Promises

  Book 2 Southern Bride

  Copyright © 2019 by Kelly Elliott

  ISBN EBOOK 978-1-943633-59-3

  Cover photo by: Shannon Cain Photography by Shannon Cain

  Cover Design by: RBA Designs www.rbadesigns.com

  Interior Design & Formatting by: Elaine York www.allusiongraphics.com

  Developmental Editor: Elaine York www.allusiongraphics.com

  Content Editor: Cori McCarthy Yellow Bird Editing

  Proofing Editor: AmyRose Capetta Yellow Bird Editing

  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

  Prologue – Kynslee

  Chapter 1 – Kynslee

  Chapter 2 – Miles

  Chapter 3 – Kynslee

  Chapter 4 – Miles

  Chapter 5 – Kynslee

  Chapter 6 – Miles

  Chapter 7 – Miles

  Chapter 8 – Kynslee

  Chapter 9 – Miles

  Chapter 10 – Kynslee

  Chapter 11 – Miles

  Chapter 12 – Kynslee

  Chapter 13 – Kynslee

  Chapter 14 – Miles

  Chapter 15 – Kynslee

  Chapter 16 – Kynslee

  Chapter 17 – Miles

  Chapter 18 – Kynslee

  Chapter 19 – Miles

  Chapter 20 – Kynslee

  Chapter 21 – Miles

  Chapter 22 – Kynslee

  Chapter 23 – Miles

  Chapter 24 – Kynslee

  Chapter 25 – Miles

  Chapter 26 – Kynslee

  Chapter 27 – Kynslee

  Chapter 28 – Miles

  Chapter 29 – Kynslee

  Chapter 30 – Kynslee

  Chapter 31 – Miles

  Epilogue – Kynslee

  Divided Interests Synopsis

  Coming Soon

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two – Lincoln

  About the Author

  Other Books by Kelly Elliott

  Kynslee - Sixteen years old

  “ARE YOU SURE you want to do this?” Miles asked, looking just as nervous as I felt.

  “Yes,” I replied and chewed on my lip. I wanted this badly. I’d been wanting it since Miles asked me to practice kissing with him so he could kiss Beck Williams. I couldn’t stand Beck Williams solely for that reason. The only thing that kept me sane was knowing I had French kissed Miles first.

  I swallowed hard. “My folks are gone, we’re both curious, and a little drunk on my daddy’s whiskey. Plus, I want it to be you, Miles. I want my first time to be with you. I trust you.”

  He smiled, and my knees felt weak. Truth be told, I wasn’t drunk at all and neither was Miles, although we acted as if we were. Once sex came up, we both seemed to sober up awfully fast.

  My parents had taken my older sister June to a specialist in Dallas and left me in charge of the house and ranch. June hadn’t been feeling good lately and none of the doctors in Hunt could figure out what was wrong. When they decided to go up to the Children’s Hospital in Austin, I asked to stay home. I was a straight A student and really didn’t want to miss school, and my parents agreed. I might have only been sixteen, but I was a responsible sixteen-year-old. Well, that was until Miles and I got into my folks’ alcohol and hid up in the loft of my barn.

  Taking a step closer, Miles brushed a piece of my hair that had fallen from my ponytail away from my face. “I want it to be with you too, Kyns.”

  “Okay, then what do we do first?”

  Something in his eyes turned dark, and it made my entire body shudder. Not from nerves anymore, but pure excitement. No, it wasn’t excitement; it was desire—which is what I heard all the older girls in gym class talk about feeling right before they had sex with their boyfriends. It was something deep inside my stomach and between my legs. I was horny, and it was all thanks to Miles Warner saying we should take each other’s virginity.

  Yes, sign me up please.

  Miles wasn’t my boyfriend. He was my best friend. The one person besides June who I could talk to. Who better to lose your virginity than your best friend. Right?

  “Are you scared?” he whispered, kissing my neck.

  Well, that was new, and I liked it. A lot.

  “Yes, I heard it’s going to hurt.”

  His hot breath against my cool skin made me feel dizzy. It was October in Texas, and unseasonably cold, but the loft suddenly felt like an oven.

  Miles kissed me behind my ear and softly said, “Promise me you’ll tell me if I hurt you.”

  Another kiss, this one at the corner of my lips.

  Holy hell. When did Miles Warner become such a seducer? Not only was my brain going fuzzy, but I couldn’t find any words.

  “Promise me, Kyns. Promise me right now.”

  “I…I promise, Miles. I swear I’ll tell you if it hurts.”

  Before I knew what was happening, Miles lifted his shirt over his head, and I sucked in a breath like it was my last one. I had seen him without a shirt several times, and each time I drooled like a silly, love sick girl. He might have been my best friend, but I wasn’t blind. The boy had the body of a man. None of the guys in our sophomore class could hold a candle to Miles.

  I placed my hand on his chest, noticing the sharp inhale of his own breath. My eyes lifted to lock with his baby blues. Man, he had pretty eyes. A girl could get lost in those eyes, which I was currently doing.

  “I sure hope we do this right,” he said with a wicked smile.

  “Your P goes in my V. If we get that wrong, we have bigger problems.”

  “You can call it a dick, Kyns.”

  “What’s wrong? You don’t like the word penis?”

  He scrunched his nose. “Do you really want me to whisper into your ear that I’m about to put my penis into your vagina?”

  I shook my head.

  “Neither do I.”

  We both laughed. When I ran my hand down closer to his jeans, something in his eyes turned even darker. I loved seeing that look on his face—and knowing he wanted to do this with me. I would always be able to say I was his first. There was something so amazing about that. Miles Warner wanted me as much as I wanted him. We could pretend all we wanted that we were just tipsy and curious, but I knew the truth.

  Taking my hand, Miles lead us over to the bunk beds, and he lifted my dress over my head, then reached behind me and unclasped my bra. It fell to the floor and I should have had the urge to cover myself up. Instead, I found myself working fast to undo his jeans and push them down.

  “Don’t touch me, Kyns.”

  My eyes moved up his naked body and met his heated gaze. “Why not?” I asked with a teasing smile.

  His eyes roamed over my body, and I loved how it made me feel. He was naked, and I still had on my panties. Thank God I wore the new pink lace ones.

  “Because if you take my dick in your hands, I’m positive I’ll come.”

  I chewed my lip again, staring at his penis. His very large penis.

  Shoot, I’m going to be in pain.

  “And for fuck’s sake, stop digging your teeth into your lip. It turns me on even more.”


  I jerked my eyes back up to him and raised a brow, locking away that little piece of information in case I needed it for future use.

  Taking a step back, I pushed my panties down and laid on the bed. Miles fished for his wallet, pulled out a condom and ripped it open. I watched his hands shake as he rolled it on. I was positive the sound of my heart hammering in my chest could be heard all the way into town.

  Miles crawled onto the bed, and his hand went between my legs. I jumped.

  “Relax, Kyns. I need to make you come.”

  I closed my eyes tightly. “And how do you know that?”

  His lips wrapped around my nipple as he pushed his finger inside me. I nearly shot off the bed. The feeling was delicious and not painful at all. Maybe all those girls were just saying it hurt, because this felt like heaven.

  “Heard Robert McKay say if a girl is a virgin, you have to make her come first. It gets you wet and then it’s easier for both of us when I push inside you.”

  “O-okay. I’m down for that.”

  He kissed my lips softly.

  “Open your eyes, Kyns. Look at me. I want to see what you look like when you come.”

  I did as he asked. “Then don’t suck on my nipple again, Miles. Or you’re going to miss it!”

  He smiled, and my heart melted on the spot.

  Miles had obviously done this with a girl before, maybe even more than one. I tried not to let that bother me. He was good with his fingers, and he had me coming within a minute or two. The entire barn spun as I felt my orgasm race through my body.

  “So much better than my own hand,” I panted.

  “That was amazing. I nearly came watching you come.”

  I let out a nervous laugh. “That would have sucked for you!”

  He kissed me as he moved over my body. Then I felt him there, and I trembled.

  “Relax, princess. Please try and relax.”

  I did as he asked. The pain when he slowly pushed into me was almost unbearable. Miles watched my face intently as he pulled out some, then pushed back in.

  “Jesus,” he whispered as he framed my face with his hands and kept working himself in. “It feels so damn good. How does it feel for you?”

  I wanted to lie and tell him it felt good, but I had promised. “It hurts, but don’t stop.”

  He paused. “Are you sure?”

  “Miles, don’t stop. Please don’t stop.”

  Once I got over the pain, it felt amazing for both of us. Miles seemed to lose a bit of control towards the end. It hurt but felt so good. I couldn’t imagine it feeling this way with any other man. Ever.

  “Kyns, oh God. Kyns. Kysnlee.”

  My name spilling from his lips as he came was something I vowed to never forget.

  Rolling off of me, Miles attempted to get his breathing under control.

  “Make me a promise right now, Kynslee. This will not ruin our friendship.”

  I stared up at the wood beams of the barn rafter. Trying to get my heart on the same page as my brain.

  “It won’t ruin anything, Miles.”

  “Do you swear? Because if I lost your friendship I don’t know what I would do.”

  Rolling over, I forced a smile. “It felt good, and I’m glad it was with you.”

  “It didn’t mean anything, right?”

  His words hurt more than I wanted to admit. “It was sex. That was all. Fun, somewhat painful, but still amazing sex.”

  Miles smiled. “Let’s not talk about it again. I don’t want it to make things weird between us.”

  “Okay, we won’t talk about it again.”

  He leaned up and kissed me on the nose. “It was fucking fantastic, though.”

  I giggled and watched him crawl out of the bed, take off the condom and look back at me. “Let me get something to clean you up. I’ll be right back, Kyns.”

  I watched him dress and walk into the small bathroom in the loft. With a sigh, I dropped back onto the bed and closed my eyes.

  This might not have meant anything for Miles, but for me, it meant everything. And yet we never had another night of curiosity. Not long after our first time together, Miles and I both moved on from experimenting with each other to dating other people in high school. Miles more so than me. I had promised to not let what happened between us ruin our friendship, and I vowed to keep that promise.

  Two years later – Eighteen

  I sat staring at Miles. Speechless. The man had a way of doing that to me. Always had. A part of me knew I would always love Miles more than he loved me—and in more than a best friend kind of way—and I was okay with that. As long as we had each other, I could face anything in life. He was, after all, the person who got me through the worst time of my life after my sister June got cancer and lost her battle. She was only nineteen, and I was seventeen.

  And I was there for him when his father up and left their family to be with a woman he’d been having an affair with for years. Their family had been devastated; Miles had been angry and so hurt. But I was there when he would call in the middle of the night, unable to sleep. I’d crawl out my bedroom window and meet him at the pond on my folks’ ranch and we’d fish until the sun came up. Then I’d climb back into my bedroom just in time to get dressed for school. We knew we could count on one another. It had always been our unspoken promise. No matter what, we had each other’s backs.

  Miles meant the world to me. I told him everything; he told me everything. Well, I wanted to believe he told me everything. I wasn’t so sure anymore. Not after the bomb he’d dropped on me after graduation. I didn’t feel like I knew anything anymore.

  I sat in the old Ford F-250 Miles’s father had left behind, trying to think of something to say and coming up with nothing.

  “I’m sorry, Kynslee.”

  Swallowing hard, I forced my mouth to move, forced it to utter the two words that had turned my world completely upside down. “The Marines?”

  “Yeah.”

  “How long have you known you were going to join?”

  He didn’t say anything, so I looked over at him. He stared out the window, too much of a coward to admit that this wasn’t some hare-brained scheme he’d just thought of in the past few days.

  “Miles? How long?”

  “I joined back in February.”

  My eyes widened in shock. “Three months ago? You’ve known for three months you would be leaving, and you didn’t bother to tell me?”

  “I wanted to avoid this, Kynslee,” he said, looking me in the eyes. He seemed…sad. Conflicted. Confused. My heart ached, but I was so angry with him. How could he keep this to himself? Leaving behind all the plans we made for college. It was going to be me and him. Together. He had promised me.

  “This? This! What exactly is this, Miles?”

  “Leaving you. Hurting you. Do you think I want to go? I have to go. My father ran out on us over a year ago, and my mom is trying her best to keep the farm going while working an extra job to make ends meet. I need to join so I can make money and help her out. I need for Rich and Lana to be able to go to college. To have a choice if they want to stay in Hunt or not.”

  My eyes stung as I tried not to cry. I was being selfish, I knew that. My family owned a large ranch, as well as a successful store in our small town, and money was something I never had to worry about. My college was paid for, and I didn’t have the weight of the world on my shoulders like Miles did. But he had always been there for me. Through everything. Now he wouldn’t be. Our plans of going to the University of Texas together disappeared before my eyes. Miles had gotten a scholarship to play football, and I never once thought he wouldn’t take it.

  I’d be all alone. I needed to pull my big girl panties up and realize why he was doing this. “Okay. Are you coming home after boot camp?”

  “No. I go straight into specialty training.”

  My heart dropped. Specialty training? “What will you be doing in the Marines?”

  He avoided my eyes. “Working on stuff, mec
hanical.”

  I was beginning to lose my battle at keeping my tears at bay. He was lying, which meant he would be doing something dangerous. Very dangerous, I’m sure. Probably because it paid more money.

  “W-who will help your momma run the farm?”

  His brows pulled in tight; he’d heard the crack in my voice.

  “Rich and Lana.”

  “They’re babies!” I gasped.

  Miles laughed. “Rich is sixteen and Lana is fifteen. They are both capable of helping on the farm. By the time they go to college I’ll be able to hire someone to help momma out. By then I should have some money saved up.”

  I looked out the window and attempted to discreetly wipe my tears away. When Miles took my hand, I couldn’t help but notice how it made my stomach flip. There had always been a hidden desire for him. One I buried deep inside because I knew he didn’t think of me that way. I was his best friend and nothing more, regardless of the fact that we’d had sex.

  “Kynslee, please don’t cry.”

  A sob slipped free. Miles was out of his truck, and within seconds he had me standing in front of him, holding me in his arms.

  “Please don’t leave me, Miles. Please don’t do this.”

  I was being selfish, and I didn’t care.

  He drew back and wiped my tears from my cheeks. “I have to. I’m so sorry. You’re going to be fine. I know you will be. And I’ll be back. I swear to you, Kynslee.”

  My lower lip quivered. I would have given anything in that moment for him to press his mouth to mine. To kiss me and tell me he was going to miss me, that he’d come back for me.

  A pained expression moved over his face. “Don’t look at me like that.”

  “Like what?” I whispered.

  He shook his head. “Like you want me to kiss you.”

  I placed my hand on his chest and felt his heart racing as fast as mine. “Miles.”

  It was the only thing that would come out, barely above a whisper.

  Leaning his forehead against mine, Miles took a deep breath and slowly let it out. “Let’s make a promise, right here and now. If neither of us is married by thirty, then we’ll marry each other.”

  The corners of my mouth rose slightly. Miles and his promises. I took in a steady breath and said it. “You know I love you, right?”