Title: Beautiful Ties (The Beautiful Series #4)
Author: Alicia Rae
Genre: Contemporary Romance 18+
Publication Date: March 25, 2014
Synopsis
While watching her brothers find their happily ever afters, Abbey dreams of falling in love. Smart, fun, and sexy, Abbey is also independent and works hard alongside her brother, Kyle. When Kyle joins his business ventures with his wife’s cousins, Jason and Damon, Abbey struggles with keeping things professional.
Jason is instantly enamored with Abbey, and he becomes determined to win her over. Although she does not want to mix business with pleasure, he uses his good looks and sweet charm to work his way into her heart. All the while, Abbey begins building a friendship with a neighborhood child, Pearl. Abbey’s heart warms to Pearl, and their friendship quickly blossoms into a loving relationship.
Can Abbey find a way balance her growing feelings for Jason and her need to take care of Pearl? Or will Abbey need to sacrifice one relationship for the sake of the other?
About the Author
Alicia Rae is a Contemporary Romance Author who lives in Dekalb, Illinois, with her husband and three beautiful boys. Alicia has a passion for reading all types of romance, writing to bring a story to life, and photography.
Thank you to my dear sister, Kels, who showed me a few years ago how much I truly missed reading. And to my loving husband, for not throwing away my Nook, and planting the seed of writing into my mind. I am forever grateful. Xo
Readers, words cannot thank you enough for supporting me along this incredible journey. I hope you enjoy my novels as much as I do writing them. I thank each and every one of you.
Believe in yourself and follow your dreams...
Inspiration
behind Beautiful Ties
I couldn’t
wait to start writing Abbey and Jason’s love story in Beautiful Ties.
Jason is
instantly enamored with Abbey, and he becomes determined to win her over.
Although she does not want to mix business with pleasure, he works his way into
her heart with his good looks and sweet charm.
Pearl,
Abbey’s seven year old neighbor, came to me completely out of the blue. From
the first minute she arrived at Abbey’s door to sell Girl Scout goodies, I knew
those sweet emerald green eyes of hers were about to make a permanent imprint
on both of my character’s hearts.
I hope you
all love Pearl as much as I do.
<3
Alicia Rae
Ten things that inspire
me…
1. My
family—I’m very blessed to have a husband and family who truly support me
unconditionally. That is the greatest inspiration any writer could ever ask
for.
2. My
three boys—They continue to amaze me every day with their free-spirited
imaginations and pure hearts.
3. My
readers—There is nothing sweeter than hearing that someone loved one of my
novels. Each time, it makes me want to stop what I’m doing and go back to my
writing cave.
4. Love—Every
girl dreams of falling in love and having her perfect happily ever after. I
love to give that to my characters, and I hope to share their stories with
others.
5. Reading—There
is nothing better than losing yourself in a story. I fight the battle very often. Do I read or
write? I’m very passionate about both.
6. Authors—I
have so many favorite books. I could never choose just ten. So many authors
have made me cry, melt into a puddle, and laugh out loud, causing my husband to
look at me as if I’ve lost my mind. Then, I’m usually left with a major book
hangover. After reading an unthinkable amount of books in 2012, I give many
thanks to all the authors who inspired me to write love stories of my own.
7. Emotions—We
all have them, and we try to control them, tame them, or let them flow. I have
taken a leap of faith in the writing world as I poured my
emotions into The Beautiful Series. I took a chance on myself when I wrote Beautiful Chances, My Beautiful, Beautiful
Dreams, and now, Beautiful Ties.
8. People—At
heart, I am an observer. I love to watch people interact, smile, and laugh
while they embrace a moment. Life is too short not to take a chance on your
dreams.
9. Music—I
have always loved music. Since I started writing, my love for it has
intensified. Now, I find certain songs unleashing scenes in my mind, forcing me
to run and search for the closest thing—paper, napkin, or anything within my
reach to write my ideas down on.
10. Day-to-day
living—You never know what is going to happen the next day or even the next
moment in your life. I’ve learned to be thankful for each moment, every person,
and every experience that I have.
Top Ten Favorite Books
That Inspired Me
1.
Fifty Shades
of Gray – E.L. James
2.
Crossfire
Series – Sylvia Day
3.
Twilight –
Stephanie Myer
4.
The
Blackstone Affair – Raine Miller
5.
The Notebook
– Nicholas Sparks
6.
With Me In
Seattle – Kristen Proby
7.
The Sullivan
Series – Bella Andre
8.
Delirium
Trilogy – Lauren Oliver
9.
Divergent
Series – Veronica Roth
Beautiful Ties Excerpt
Once we arrived at the office
building, my mood started to lighten. Working side-by-side with Jason made
physical labor so much easier to endure. We even had a radio blaring in the
background.
By eleven o’clock, he had taken off his shirt during a break
from tearing out the old carpet. My eyes would sneak quick glances at him here
and there, wanting to memorize every fine detail of his bare upper physique.
With every yank on the Berber, his muscles rippled from his arms all the way up
to the wide expansion of his sculptured shoulders. His body was in prime
condition. Watching him was way more intriguing than wetting the wallpaper and
scraping it off with an oversized razor blade. I vowed to myself right then and
there that I would never own a house with wallpaper, no matter how cute of a
design it had.
After finishing lunch, Jason tipped his head back to chug
his bottled water. My gaze lingered on his exposed stomach, and suddenly, I
started counting. He didn’t have a six-pack. He had an eight-pack. I recounted
to make sure my eyes hadn’t been playing tricks on me. His body started
vibrating when I reached the number seven this time, so I glanced up at him. He
was looking at me with a mixture of heat and amusement.
My mouth parted. I was uncertain what to say at being caught
gawking at his strikingly attractive body.
“Cat got your tongue?” he teased with a wicked glint in his
eyes.
I struggled to find words, racking my brain for a quick
denial. At the last second, I noticed the radio behind him. An idea popped in
my head, and I pointed toward the music. “Nope. I was just trying to read the
display behind you to see what station this is.” I felt guilty for lying, but I
could not give him the satisfaction of knowing he had been right.
He actually turned to look at the radio, and then he turned
back to me. His mouth lifted with a mischievous grin. “Nice try.” He winked.
I rolled my eyes at his confidence. He was probably one of
those men who knew he was hot and flaunted it. I was the innocent moth, and he
was the flame. I spontaneously decided to live in the moment and play with
fire. My breathing paused while I slowly walked toward him. His eyes watched me
curiously as he tried to figure out what I was up to.
Winging it, I kept my voice as even as possible as I said,
“Seriously, this station stinks. Can we change it?”
I could tell from the look he was giving me that he knew I
was bullshitting.
He humored me anyway. “You don’t like Third Eye Blind?” he
questioned with a lively spirit evident in his tone.
“I do,” I drawled, deliberating on my next thought. “But I’m
in the mood for something more…upbeat.”
His brows rose as he observed my every move while I
continued to stroll over to the radio.
“Upbeat? Is that code for chick music?” he asked.
“No.” I laughed.
Jason moved to stand at my right as my hand changed the
station. I stopped on one of my favorite stations. Lady Antebellum’s “Just a Kiss”
poured from the speakers. The alluring slow-paced song instantly transpired the
air in the room. Of all the songs that could have been playing on this station,
it was this one—romantic and about the beginning phase of falling in love.
Tilting his head at me, his gaze bore into mine as we both
absorbed the words.
“This is the kind of music you listen to?” he asked in a
soft and heartfelt tone.
I saw a certain softness in his eyes that I had never seen
before. The way they pulled me in deeper each time made it seem as if time was
standing still. The effect intrigued and terrified me at the same time. My
chest tightened, taking all of the air from my lungs, and my blood thundered
ferociously in my veins. I knew I needed to look away, but I couldn’t. He was
so close to me, and I felt hypnotized by him. The strong attraction brewing
between us was becoming harder and harder to deny. Every minute I spent with
him made me feel a little more and fall a little deeper, and I was beginning to
forget all the reasons why I was supposed to stay away.
Jason wordlessly outstretched his right arm, hooking it
around my lower back, and he tugged me closer while never breaking eye contact.
His hard body pressed along my softer one. The sensations of his hands on me
caused a warm spark to ignite within me. My breathing accelerated—or maybe it
was his. I was not sure whose it was because all my concentration was on those
sky-blue eyes burning into me. I lifted my hands to his chest for balance. I
splayed my fingers outward to feel his toned curves, and I felt his heartbeat
increasing beneath my palms.
The familiar energy between us blossomed to new heights.
“How long are we going to ignore this between us?” he
finally questioned in a low, husky tone, dropping his gaze down to linger on my
mouth. Then, he glanced back up at me. “Because I don’t believe your reasons
for staying away,” he added.
Beautiful Ties Excerpt
Suddenly, I felt a warm breath right next to my ear, and I
inhaled a familiar husky cologne, the same scent I had smelled for the first
time only hours ago.
“If I catch that garter, Abbey, I get to dance with you for
a whole three minutes, and you won’t be able to run off,” Jason whispered
seductively in my ear.
I kept my gaze on the couple in front of me. There was no
way I could fall for his sweet charms since we would be working together soon.
However, I couldn’t resist a good challenge. I was competitive in every sense
of the word, and I also couldn’t ignore the effect he had
on me.
I tilted my head to look up into his eyes, ignoring the way
they made me feel inside. “Then, I hope you miss,” I replied, stifling my
smile.
He let out a throaty laugh, causing delicious goose bumps to
break out across my skin.
“Oh, Abbey, one thing about me you’ll learn quickly is that
I never back down from a challenge, and
I never miss a good catch,” he responded confidently.
Before I could figure out what he’d meant or voice my
retort, the crowd roared with clapping and laughter. I brought my attention
back to Kyle, who was holding a small football in his hand. My jaw dropped.
Surely, he had not pulled that out of Lily’s dress, but the look in his eyes
told me differently. I had to chuckle at Lily’s creativeness. Kyle ducked his
head again and went back under Lily’s dress for round two.
As I wondered if a garter was even under there, Jason bent
forward and spoke lowly in my ear, “A football?” He grinned. “The odds are definitely in my favor now.”
I bit my lip, praying an all-star college quarterback wasn’t
behind me. Out of all the single men here tonight, I had to have a good chance
that someone else, anyone else besides Jason, could catch that damn football. I
was not sure if I could survive having his hands on me for three minutes
without wanting to taste his lips.
Kyle reappeared from under Lily’s fluffy white dress, and he
sat back on his haunches with a lacy garter between his teeth. Kyle’s eyes
beamed brightly as he let the white material fall from his mouth only to
gracefully catch it with his free hand. He leaned forward to place a smacking
kiss on his bride’s mouth. Then, he rose to his feet and snapped the garter in
place around the football.
“Who wants this bad boy?” Kyle grinned, raising the football
in his hand.
I shook my head in pure awe as every single man practically
ran to the dance floor.
“Game time,” Jason whispered before strolling over to join
the other men. He stood right in the center of the dance floor, and then he
tilted his head at me, releasing one wicked grin, before redirecting his gaze
back at Kyle.
Brooke came to stand at my side. “Holy crap,” she breathed
in wonder, shaking her head. “Have you ever seen so many men jump in line to
catch a garter?”
I laughed. “Nope. But I’m pretty sure they just want that
football.”
“That sounds about right.” Brooke chortled.
The DJ counted to three. All the single men seemed to brace
themselves in anticipation, and I surprisingly found myself doing the same.
Kyle faced away from the men. He raised the football and whipped it backward. I
held my breath as it went flying. Jason was the only one I was watching. He
moved with lightning speed and jumped up as he lifted his hands in the air.
And he caught the ball.
My mouth dropped open in shock. What are the odds?
“Well, hot damn! Looks like he is quite the catch!” Brooke joked. “And he’s extremely determined
to dance with you, Abbey,” she added teasingly, nudging my shoulder.
Still speechless, I continued to gawk at Jason. His eyes
found mine just then. They were shining with a mixture of triumph and mischief.
The look made my heart pound frantically in my chest, and my insides warmed,
weakening my knees. If he could melt me into a puddle with just one look, I had
no idea how I was going endure the feel of his strong hands wrapped around me
for an entire song.
Lily appeared at my opposite side, squealing with delight.
“Holy shit! Jason caught it!” she cried.
I turned my wide eyes to her.
“Don’t give me that look! I’ve seen the way you two have
been eyeing each other all night,” she purred, pointing her finger at me.
Before I could voice my weak protest, Lily’s twinkling eyes
turned back to the dance floor. The DJ announced that the two winners would
dance to “19 You + Me” by Dan and Shay, and
Lily squealed with excitement. From the corner of my eye, I could see Jason
approaching us.
Lily spoke first, “Did you come to steal my new
sister-in-law away from me?”
My gaze shifted to Jason.
“I did,” Jason replied throatily with a mischievous grin.
Meeting my stare, he outstretched his hand to me, sending my nerves into a
frenzy all over again. “Abbey, I believe you owe me this dance.”
Lily’s eyes bounced between the two of us. As I hesitantly
lifted my hand, Lily took a backward step, stretching her arm out behind my
back, and she pushed me forward into Jason’s arms. A smile tugged at his lips
as he placed one hand at my waist, steadying me. He lowered his eyes to my hand
as he reached forward to enclose his much larger hand over my slight one. His
touch was warm and strong and confident.
Jason was silent as if absorbing the feel of me, of our
first contact since the ceremony earlier today.
Our attraction was palpable and undeniable, like a fierce
electrical current brewing among us. I had only known this man for a few mere
hours, yet I was already worried about my heart surviving the intensity of his
touch for the next three minutes.
Jason slightly lowered his head toward mine. The movement was
slow and graceful. His expression was thoughtful as if he, too, was processing
what was happening between us. He finally broke the silence. “Ready?” he asked
gently.
I was unable to say anything, afraid my voice would squeak,
so I answered with a nod.
This day sure had taken so many intriguing yet unexpected
turns. My mind was reeling, and I had butterflies in my stomach. In that
instant, I decided to hand over the cards to fate, opening myself to whatever
it might bring, as I embraced this moment.
Our chosen song began to pour from the speakers. Without
another word, he led me to the center of the dance floor, and everyone gathered
around the edge. They observed with drinks in their hands as they talked among
themselves.
Jason twirled me under his arm once, and I could not help
but smile up at him. Even as I wore heels, he towered over me. Then, he pulled
me close against his chest and wrapped his arms around my waist. I rested my
hands on his firm chest, feeling the toned muscles beneath my palms and fingertips.
I tried to keep my movements subtle, but my hands wanted to feel more of him.
He let out a deep breath while keeping his eyes on me. He continued to move us
in tune to the music, never faltering his stride. The slight caress of his
hands on the small of my back was nearly my undoing. My skin warmed under his
touch. I was unable to stop the urge, and I slid my palms up each curved muscle
until I reached his shoulders.
Even with my smaller frame, I seemed to fit against him
perfectly. The thought was soothing and nerve-racking all at the same time.
The tangible energy intensified between us with every step.
The room around us was quiet, and I had to remind myself that our family and
friends were watching us.
“You look stunning in this dress, Abbey,” Jason said in a
soft tone while his thumb stroked back and forth against the silkiness of my
black bridesmaid gown.
“Thank you. Lily let us each pick out our own,” I answered.
I swung the door open, and my eyes went wide at seeing Pearl
standing on the other side with a backpack clutched to her chest. Her eyes
peeked up at me, and at first, they were filled with sadness, then relief, and
finally happiness as she seemed to slip her mask into place. Pearl had never
been here this early in the morning.
As I noticed her holding her bag so close, I became
overwhelmed with concern, and I lowered down to her. “Pearl, sweetie, are you
okay?”
She nodded rapidly. Her eyes moistened with tears, but as
fast as they had appeared, she blinked them away.
“Yep,” Pearl said in a wavering tone, shifting nervously on
her feet. “Um…” she murmured. Her expression turned hopeful. “Do you mind if I
hang out with you today?”
“Of course you can,” I answered without hesitation,
regarding her.
She was once again dressed in worn clothes that were way too
small for her body. Her eyes were slightly puffy as if she had been crying, and
her hair looked like it hadn’t been brushed in days. Her appearance cut me
deep. My gut told me something was wrong, really wrong, and I needed to get to
the bottom of it, but I knew I needed to tread lightly.
When she didn’t respond, I motioned her inside. “Come on in,
sweetie. I’m just about to start breakfast. Do you like pancakes?” I asked,
shutting the door behind us.
We walked into the kitchen, and her eyes lit up. “I love pancakes!”
“Okay.” I smiled, wishing I had awesome cooking skills right
about now. The pancake mix I had was the kind that only required water to be mixed
in, so that would have to make do for today.
I pointed to the stool in front of the kitchen counter. “Why
don’t you hop on up there, and you can watch me?”
Jason emerged from around the corner. He was dressed in his
clothes from yesterday. His eyes were perplexed, and then they filled with
understanding as he glanced back and forth between Pearl and me.
“Good morning,” he politely greeted the two of us.
“Hi!” Pearl said in delight. Then, she frowned. “Um…what’s
your name again?”
“Jason,” he said, extending his hand out to her.
Pearl looked down and then back at him again, outstretching
her hand to shake his. “Hi, Jason,” she said in a shy voice. “What are you
doing here so early?”
Jason nervously met my stare, and then he saw the pancake
box and mixing bowl. He returned his attention to Pearl. “I’m going to have
pancakes,” he replied smoothly, but I could see that he was stifling his humor.
“Me, too!” Pearl exclaimed with excitement.
Laughing, I pulled out a pan and set it on the burner. Then,
I prepared the batter in a bowl, sliced a banana, and peeled a few oranges.
“Would you like some help?” Jason offered.
“No, that’s okay. I’ve got it.” I smiled at him. “You go
ahead and have a seat.”
He sat on the stool next to Pearl, and she immediately
started firing off questions.
“Do you have a dog?” she asked him.
“No, but I want one,” he answered kindly.
I poured the pancake mix onto the hot pan, and then I
started to pull plates, glasses, and silverware out of the cabinets. I peeked
glances at the two of them conversing as I set each item on the kitchen
counter. It was so cute to watch him interact with her. He had such a soft
side.
“What kind?” she asked.
Jason leaned on his elbow, dropping his chin to rest on his
palm. He seemed to enjoy talking with her. “Hmm…maybe a Siberian husky or a
Great Dane,” he responded.
Pearl’s eyes widened. “Great Danes are huge!” she nearly shouted.
I flipped the pancakes with a spatula.
Then, Jason asked a question. “Do you have a dog?”
She frowned. “No, Diane won’t let me have one. She said
they’re expensive and too much work. But when I grow up, I’m going to have
three dogs.” She sighed dreamily.
“Three?” Jason chuckled.
“Yep,” Pearl answered. Then, she rested her head on her
hand, mimicking Jason. “Maybe four.”
“I hope you have a big yard.” He laughed softly again.
“So, did you have a sleepover last night?” she asked.
Her question caught me off guard. Spatula in hand, I whipped
around to face the two of them.
“Uh…” Jason mumbled, stalling for a response.
My gaze caught Lily while she was watching us, and I could
practically see her eyes shining brighter than the sun.
I glanced back at Jason, smiling softly. “She really is
great. I’m so happy she came into my brother’s life.”
“She is. Lily is one of the most kindhearted people I have
ever met,” he agreed affectionately. Then, he led me into another spin and
brought me close. “But I must say, I’m glad to finally meet you after hearing
so much about you,” he said with a sexy-as-all-get-out smile.
I blinked in surprise, wondering how much he had heard about
me, so I took the bait. “And what have you heard?”
Jason lowered his head, and when he chuckled, I could feel
his warm breath on my exposed throat.
“That you’re beautiful and smart”—he led me backward, never
relinquishing the lead—“a hard worker”—he pivoted us to the left while keeping
his hold on my waist and eyes on mine before dipping me as the song came to an
end—“and stubborn.” He gave me an impish grin.
“Very stubborn,” I breathed, nearly speechless.
Tammie's Review.
Beautiful Ties by Alicia RaeMy rating: 5 of 5 stars
Best book of the Series. I LOVED it!
Beautiful Ties by Alicia Rae.
This was my favorite book of the series. I love this whole series so much but this one touched my heart the most.
Kyle and Lily have their happily ever after. Now Kyles sister Abbey wants hers.
At Kyle and Lily's wedding Abbey meets Jason, Lily's cousin and Kyles now business partner.
Jason has his eye on Abbey throughout the wedding and he is bound and determined to win her attention. There is a connection between them but Abbey just isn't sure about it. Jason and Abbey both feel it!
Kyle and Lily go off on their honeymoon while Jason and Abbey take care of the company. Jason is very taken by Abbey. But Abbey is afraid it will get in their way of the business. She doesnt think Kyle would like her dating his partner. But she doesnt know all the details between Kyle and Jason. They work on a project together Kyle, Jason and Damon, Lilys other cousin that is also in the partnership. Their attraction is put to a test. Do Abbey and Jason give into this attraction?
Abbey is taken by her little neighbor girl, Pearl. Shes feels so sorry for the poor girl. It seems her foster aunt that she lives with since her foster mother died, doesnt give her the attention this precious little girl needs. Lily and Pearl spend more time together selling girl scout cookies for a special trip that the girls want to go. So Abbey helps Pearl since the aunt wont or cant go with her to help. Abbey likes Pearl and loves spending time with her. But Abbey doesnt quite get the relationship between Pearls foster aunt and just cant seem to figure out why she doesnt spend more time with Pearl.
Does Jason and Abbey give into their business relationship? What is Kyles opinion of Abbey and Jason relationship? Lily is just excited as ever for her new sister inlaw to be with Jason. She seen something there between them at her and Kyles wedding. Where does Pearl fit into Abbeys plans? How does Jason feel about Pearl and her place with them?
I GAVE THIS 5 PLUS STARS!! This story grabbed my heart. So many happy tears and my emotions were brought to their highest levels in this story. This whole series will just put your heart out there. You will love Kyle and Lily and you will love Jason and Abbey and Pearl even more. I cant wait for the next book in the series. Im sure it will be just as good as the other books. I recommend this for anyone who loves a good love story and story good looking men with beautifully loved women.
Thank you so much for sharing <3 <3 Alicia
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