Always and Forever (Romance on the Go) Read online

  Evernight Publishing

  www. evernightpublishing. com

  Copyright© 2013 Hazel Gower

  ISBN: 978-1-77130-442-9

  Cover Artist: Sour Cherry Designs

  Editor: Cheryl Harper

  ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

  WARNING: The unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal. No part of this book may be used or reproduced electronically or in print without written permission, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in reviews.

  This is a work of fiction. All names, characters, and places are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, organizations, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

  DEDICATION

  This book is for Natasha Devereux, thank you for never saying no. I would like to thank my awesome critique group Word Whispers, thanks for your support. A big thank you to my editor, I really appreciate all your help. Lastly to my family, I love you.

  ALWAYS AND FOREVER

  Hazel Gower

  Copyright © 2013

  Chapter One

  I wonder if this is stalking? Sabina thought as she watched the object of her obsession walk out of the water. Well-defined muscles glistened as water slid down a perfect six-pack stomach. The waves crashed against his legs, and he shook himself as he strolled to his towel.

  “You should go talk to him. What have you got to lose? ”

  Sabina eyed her walking friend Alice up and down. Nothing was out of place, from her blonde ponytail on the top of her head to her running top and shorts. Alice had run with her for an hour, and she wasn’t panting and sweating like Sabina.

  Sabina wished she looked as good as Alice after running. She wished she looked as good as Alice full stop, but it wasn’t the case.

  “If I looked like you, I might have the courage to go over to him. It is so unfair you ran the same distance as me and not a hair is out of place. I hate you. ”

  Alice laughed at her. “No, you don’t. You love me. Sabina, I have been running the distance we did this afternoon since we were in high school. You started last month, and only because you found out Shaun swims every afternoon around this time. I don’t know what your problem is anyway. He’s one of your dad’s close friends. He comes over to your house and you talk to him there, and at barbeques and functions. ”

  She shot a glance at Alice. “Quiet. Don’t say it so loud. He might hear you. And it’s totally different. My dad’s around, or other people. I’ve never been alone with him. Well, except in my dreams. ”

  “You do realize you are starting to get pathetic. I don’t know why you think he is so out of your league. ” Alice put her hands up before Sabina could butt in. “I know there is a twelve-year age gap, and your father thinks the sun shines out of his arse because he is next best engineer other than him, but really I don’t see it. You’ve had a crush on him since you first met him. I think it’s odd that of all the places he could move to, he just happened to move so close to you and your dad. ”

  Alice wiggled her eyebrows at Sabina as they sat down to rest on the sand by the stairs off the beach. “Sabina, you need to ask him out. What’s the worst that could happen? He says no, or you go on a date with him. If you don’t want to ask him out, you need to get over him. How about I set you up with one of Scott’s friends? ”

  Sabina didn’t want to get over Shaun. She sighed as she watched as Shaun smiled, winked, and walked her way. “Oh no, he’s coming this way. What do I do? ” She searched frantically around for an exit that wouldn’t make it look like she was running, but behind her were stairs and the rock face up to higher land, and in front of her was the beach.

  Alice gave her a wicked grin and patted her on the back. “Be yourself. I have to go. I’m going out for dinner tonight with my fiancé. You’ll be all right. ”

  Sabina shook her head and gave Alice a pleading glance, silently begging her not to leave. The traitor nodded and walked away, which left her staring up into amused emerald green eyes.

  “Do you have somewhere to be too? ”

  Sabina shook her head, too scared to talk.

  “Are you busy tonight? ”

  Oh God, what was happening? Staring at Shaun, she knew this time she would have to answer.

  “No. ”

  Shaun raised his eyebrows at her and waited for her to continue.

  “I’m at home tonight, every night actually. Tonight, though, I will soak in a bath and probably read some trashy romance novel while I imagine the hero is you. ” She groaned as she realized what she’d just told him.

  He laughed. “You think of me, do you? ”

  Sabina moaned and hid her face in her hands. Slowly, she peeked through her fingers to see him grinning down at her. “Please forget I said that. I’m so embarrassed. ”

  He beamed down at her. “I won’t forget. It means I know I have a chance with you. ” He winked. “So you’re too busy to come to dinner with me tonight? Or do you want to stay and read your book? ”

  Sabina gulped. “You want to go to dinner with me? Alone? ”

  He chuckled. “Yes. How about I pick you up at seven thirty? ” He reached for her hand to help her stand.

  “Yes, I would love to. ” She stumbled on the sand as Shaun pulled her up and fell against his chest. Oh God, his body was rock hard. What she wouldn’t give right now to reach out and touch him with other parts of her body. She felt her cheeks heat and she pulled away, closing her eyes in embarrassment that her sweat-coated body had touched his.

  “Whoa there. Honey, you okay? The sun is bright today. Did you put sunscreen on? ”

  She nodded.

  “You don’t want to get sunstroke. Come on, I’ll walk you home to make sure you get there okay. ”

  He held her hand as they walked up the stairs and headed in the direction of her house. “How does it feel to be finished with university? ”

  Startled, she chanced a glance at him to see him watching her closely. Oh no, he wanted her to answer. He’d been to her graduation party, but today was the first time she’d ever talked to him alone. Sabina didn’t know if she could answer. She’s talked to him a million times before, even cooked him dinner when he’d come to visit her father, but right now her mind couldn’t seem to focus and talk. It kept flashing images of him walking out of the water or the feeling of his smooth, hard body against her skin. Shaking herself, she mumbled, “Um, yeah. I’m lucky the school I did my last assessment at loved me. I’ve taken over for a teacher who took maternity leave. ”

  He smiled down at her. “Your father is very proud of you. I don’t think there is a person at the mine that doesn’t know his daughter graduated university and has a job already. ”

  Sabina groaned and tried not to imagine her father boasting about her to everyone. She loved her dad but he exaggerated everything about her. She’d heard him once telling his friends how good a cook she was, and how she cooked better than anyone he knew. Sabina had even heard him telling fellow managers that she would make some man the perfect wife someday because of her beauty, cleaning, and cooking skills.

  “I dread to think of what he’s told everyone. ” She stopped at the bottom of her driveway, turned to Shaun, and noticed him looking her up and down. Sabina’s free hand gripped her shirt so she didn’t touch herself and try to fix the mess she must look.

  “I wouldn’t worry. From what I have seen so far, everything he has said is true. I’ve been friends with your father for a while now and I agree with everything he says. You’re caring, practical, smart, loving, and devoted, not to mention the best cook. ”

  She gulped and promised herself as soon as she got in the hous
e, she would have a talk with her father.

  Shaun let go of her hand and grinned down at her. His bright green eyes were alight with amusement. “There is one thing I look forward to finding out if it’s true. “

  She waited for him to tell her, but he waved behind her and shook his head, saying, “I’ll see you tonight, seven thirty. ”

  Sabina nodded and watched him walk away before she turned to see her dad on the porch with a drink in hand, smiling. An uneasy feeling seeped into her. Her father wouldn’t push someone into dating her so they could get ahead in the mining industry, would he? Shaun was his friend. As she watched his smile spread, she wondered. No, he wouldn’t do that to her surely.

  She’d never forgive her father if he’d even hinted to Shaun that he’d get a promotion for dating her.

  Without daring to look back to stare at what she knew to be a nice tight arse, Sabina walked up her drive way and paused to glare at her dad. “You didn’t. Did you? ”

  She narrowed her eyes on him as he tried to look innocent. “You didn’t bribe Shaun to ask me on a date? ”

  Her dad seemed genuinely shocked, but she knew how good he was at making deals and getting what he wanted. “Dad, I don’t need you to find dates for me. I’m almost twenty-three years old. ” Her father opened his mouth but she cut him off. “Just because I don’t date or go clubbing like a lot of girls my age doesn’t mean I need setting up. I’ll be so angry if you’ve used my crush on Shaun to manipulate him into dating me. ”

  Sabina knew she was getting worked up, but she couldn’t help herself. “You better not have had anything to do with Shaun asking me on a date tonight, because I know I’m nothing like the woman he usually dates or brings to those stupid mine functions or our barbeques. ”

  Crap! She was babbling hysterically. Sabina blamed it on being so nervous about the date that she couldn’t stop talking. Her dad picked up on her anxiety, stood up, and pulled her in for a hug, running soothing hands down her hair.

  “Princess, I promise I didn’t set you up on a date with Shaun. I didn’t even know you liked him until now. Personally, I think he’s too old for you. I hear he has quite the reputation with the ladies. ” He pulled her back and cupped her face. “That’s not what I want for you. You deserve better. Someone who will adore you for the gem you are. ” He kissed her forehead and smiled at her. “If you ask me, I’d be happy if you didn’t date until well into your thirties. ”

  Sabina rolled her eyes and hugged him tight. “Thanks, Dad. Sorry I jump to conclusions. ” She kissed his cheek. “He’s not too old for me. He’s only in his thirties and I’m in my twenties. Twelve years is nothing. ”

  He father huffed and squeezed her tight one last time before she went inside to get ready. She felt a lot better after talking to her father, but it didn’t explain why he looked so smugly pleased when she first saw him when she walked home. She knew she shouldn’t have accused her dad. But ever since her mother left and moved back to England, her father focused all his spare attention on her. She never went without and always had the best of everything. Her father would do anything to make her happy, even if that meant getting the man of her dreams to go on a date with her. Sighing, she hoped he told the truth and hadn’t messed with her life.

  Chapter Two

  Shaun stared at himself in the mirror and wondered if he should really go through with this. Sabina was his boss’s daughter. The problem was he’d been dreaming about Sabina since he first met her six years ago.

  He had been working for Coal Mine Plus Industries for six months and had tried to get a meeting for a job as a supervisor. Alan Ross was the It man in the mining industry. The guy every mine fought to get to come and work for them was doing the interviews for a new job. Shaun remembered the first time he’d met Sabina and Alan.

  Shaun’s palms were sweaty as he walked to Alan’s door. He opened it to see a secretary sitting at a desk and two other men, one a little older than him and the other in his late fifties, waiting.

  Shaun looked at his watch to see it flash 1:50. He was early by ten minutes. Walking to the receptionist, he smiled down at her. “Hi. I’m here for my two o’clock interview. I’m Shaun Griffeth. ”

  She nodded and pointed to a chair. He sat in the spare seat closest to the other door in the room. He looked around the sparse, quiet room, pausing when he heard some one say, “Dad, you need to eat. ”

  He glanced around and it took him a moment to realize the voice had come from behind the door.

  “I’m not leaving until you eat half of it. I made your favorite. ”

  A man with a gruff English accent answered, “Sabina, I don’t have time. I’m already late with some of the interviews. And I’m going to be here late tonight making sure I have a replacement for—”

  “Exactly, Dad, so eat half now and all you will need to do later when you’re hungry is heat up the rest. Come on, Dad, for me. You’re all I’ve got, and I have to look after my number one daddy. ”

  There was mumbling and he strained to hear.

  “I’m your only father. Okay, Princess. Only because your cooking is so good. ” They were quiet for a little while before he heard, “What would I do without you looking after me? ”

  The door opened and he straightened on his seat to see a short, shapely girl walk out of the room in a school uniform, a white shirt and a grey pleated skirt. Her brown wavy hair fell past her shoulders, and her big brown eyes shined up at the man as she kissed his cheek before she turned that smile on the secretary. She walked over and rummaged through her backpack that had been on her shoulder. “Dawn, I made some biscuits for you. You can put out the rest for whoever wants them. Make sure my dad doesn’t eat them. They’re choc chip and he’s watching his sugar intake. ”

  The woman behind the desk’s lips curled into a huge grin. “Sabina, you naughty girl. Every time you bring food, I swear I gain several pounds. ”

  He watched the brown-eyed, dark olive-skinned beauty laugh before she answered, “You would never know. You look gorgeous. I think you have lost weight. ”

  Dawn hugged Sabina and he watched as the girl put the backpack on her shoulder and glanced around the room. As her eyes rested on him, he felt his heartbeat pick up and his body come alive. This had never happened to him before. Shaun rubbed his sweaty palms on his trousers and watched as the beauty who’d taken his breath away gave him a shy smile and almost ran out of the room.

  The man next to him, who looked to be not much older than him, whispered, “Don’t even think about it. ” Shaun turned to the guy as he continued, “If you didn’t guess already, that’s Alan’s little girl. She’s only eighteen. Almost all of the miners here love her. She brings the best baked goods all the time. She baby sits everyone’s kids and barely charges. But lastly, my mate’s boy dated her for a while. He broke up with her, and a week later my buddy got relocated to the middle of nowhere. You do not mess with his daughter. No matter how cute, hot, or beautiful you think she is, because if you want a future in the mining industry, Alan Ross is the guy you don’t want to piss off. ”

  Shaun had been so nervous when he’d gone into the interview that he almost passed out when he was told he had gotten the job.

  Since then, any time he saw Sabina, he had the same reaction. He ignored it for as long as he could. Not anymore. He’d worked his butt of to be secure in his job. Now after five years, he was going to make Sabina his.

  Shaun was determined to find out if Sabina would make the perfect wife. He was ready to settle down. He’d sown his wild oats, and he’d tried lots of fish in the sea, but none compared to Sabina’s beauty inside and out. Shaun loved her cooking, and she always made him feel welcome when he made an excuse to visit her father so he could see her, or any time he went over for a barbeque. She was also easy to talk to, and she never vied for his attention or got jealous like other women did. When he’d bought his house close to Sabina, he’d put in a state-of-art kitchen just for her. His goal was to get her to cook
just for him.

  He was in a stable position. Sabina’s father couldn’t do anything to him. Alan was his friend. After fixing his shirt again, he walked out of his room to his car.

  On the short drive to pick Sabina up, he repeated, “My job is secure. Sabina isn’t just some woman I know. She’s special. ” After arriving at her house, he took a deep breath as he got out of the car and walked to Sabina’s front door. The door opened before he had the chance to knock, and Alan glared at him. Shaun looked down and cleared his throat. “Hi, Alan. I’m here to pick up Sabina. Is she ready? ”

  Alan’s eyes narrowed. “Where are you taking her? ”

  Shaun opened his mouth to answer, but closed it when Sabina came down the stairs with her hair pinned up and curls falling around her face. Her eyes were shaded pink and her lips with a matching glossy lipstick, and her body…wow, she was all curves. She wore a simple black dress with a pink ribbon in the middle that brought in her waist. She looked stunning.

  “Dad, you promised. Shaun, I’m ready to go. ”

  Speechless, he nodded and walked her to his car.

  Alan narrowed his eyes and Shaun got the warning.

  ****

  Sitting in the restaurant overlooking the beach, Shaun listened as Sabina talked happily about how she loved teaching kindergarten and her side project of teaching dance, both tap and jazz. He knew everything already because she’d told him it all at a barbeque or a dinner at one time or another, but he loved the sound of her voice and wanted to hear her say it all again, just him. He didn’t know what it was about Sabina that drew him specifically. She wasn’t model material by any means, but no matter what he did, Sabina was all he thought about.

  Shaun tried to date other women. He’d actually become known as quite the player. His problem, though, was she overshadowed every other woman he had ever dated. Her laugh, her smile, and the way she showed love to the people she cared for was what drew him. Shaun wanted to be one of those people she cared for and loved.