Lyrical Embrace

By Amber Daulton

Out-of-work violinist Erica Timberly decides enough is enough. She leaves her abusive boyfriend and flees the big city, but then her car breaks down in the middle of the night. Though wary of men, she accepts help from Dylan Haynes, a stranger driving by on the road, and soon recognizes him as the sexy former drummer of her favorite indie rock band. Maybe, just maybe, her run of bad luck is finally turning around.
Music teacher Dylan Haynes knows Erica is in trouble, and her black eye is only the first clue. The stubborn yet vulnerable woman needs a friend, but he's determined to give her everything she deserves.
Will Erica listen to the music in her heart and trust Dylan, or will her past always threaten her future?

• Language: English
• Publisher: The Wild Rose Press
• Release date: Feb 11, 2019
• ISBN: 9781509224753

Amber Daulton

Amber Daulton is the author of the romantic-suspense series Arresting Onyx and several standalone novellas. Her books are published through The Wild Rose Press, Books to Go Now, and Daulton Publishing, and are available in ebook, print on demand, audio, and foreign language formats. She lives in North Carolina with her husband and demanding cats. Feel free to visit her at her Website.

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Erica leaned up and combed her fingers through her hair. I’ve never made love outside before. It’s a surreal experience.

We can do it wherever you want. In an elevator, in an alley, in my car. I’m game anywhere and everywhere for as long as you want me.

I want you so much it hurts.

Dylan thumbed her knuckles and hoped she meant that. I don’t know how you feel about labels, but I haven’t had a girlfriend in years. I’ve just had flings, but I want more than that with you. I want us to be with each other and no one else. I want a relationship with you.

Praise for Amber Daulton

…and ARRESTING MASON, Book One in the Arresting Onyx series:

"Without sharing any spoilers, I can say that readers who enjoy hot, sexy scenes, alpha males, and a story a bit on the edgier side will enjoy Ms. Daulton’s ARRESTING MASON. The story comes to life on the page and with a twist at the end that will have those who love realism, cheering."

~Stanalei Fletcher, author of Tell It Like It Is

~*~

Very well-written. The story itself is engaging, the hot sex scenes are thrilling, and the love blooming between Mason and Mia will satisfy the most tender romantic.

~Tamela Miles, author of Cushion

~*~

The dialogue flows naturally and the novel grips you from one dangerous scene after another. The story has you guessing to the end!

~Colleen Driscoll, author of Finding Euphoria

Lyrical Embrace

by

Amber Daulton

Deerbourne Inn

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales, is entirely coincidental.

Lyrical Embrace

COPYRIGHT © 2019 by Amber Daulton

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission of the author or The Wild Rose Press, Inc. except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews.

Contact Information: [e-mail]

Cover Art by Abigail Owen

The Wild Rose Press, Inc.

PO Box 708

Adams Basin, NY 14410-0708

Visit us at www.thewildrosepress.com

Publishing History

First Crimson Rose Edition, 2019

Digital ISBN 978-1-5092-2475-3

Deerbourne Inn

Published in the United States of America

Dedication

I would like to thank my editor

and all the supportive authors I’ve talked with

while writing for the Deerbourne Inn series.

It’s been great collaborating with you!

I would also like to send a big kiss

to my husband Gregory.

Thank you for always believing in me.

Chapter One

Damn it. Why now? Erica Timberly slammed her palms on the steering wheel as the car engine cranked and died. She turned the key in the ignition again and pumped the gas pedal. Her heart soared as the engine sputtered encouragingly, but then the glowing lights on the dashboard blacked out.

Rain pelted her beat-up blue sedan. A flash of lightning lit up the night. Thunder boomed and seemed to shake the earth.

Well, this is it. I have what I wanted. I’m finally on my own. Though true, she hadn’t expected her car to break down in the middle of nowhere during a rainstorm. The check-engine light had flashed on a few hours earlier, but she continued driving, desperate to get as far from the city as possible. Erica stuffed her keys into her floppy oversized purse, grabbed a metal flashlight from the glove box, and popped the car hood. Wind and rain stung her skin as she hurried from the car. Mud splashed on her sneakers. She shone the light over the cooling engine, but everything looked fine to her untrained eyes. Cold shivers raced up her spine, both from fear and the rain.

Tall, imposing trees swayed in the wind, lining either side of the lone country road. Humidity thickened the air. Clouds billowed overhead, blotting out the moon and stars. Lightning flashed and thunder boomed again. Two specks of lights glowed from the distance, growing larger and brighter in the darkness.

Headlights? Crap. Rain slicked Erica from head to toe, but she managed to tighten her grip on the heavy flashlight. Though only twenty-three years old, she’d lived too long in New York City to trust a stranger blindly, and she’d learned a hard lesson about trusting men from her last boyfriend. Erica held her breath as the vehicle slowed down and drove past her, and then she grumbled a few choice words as the car pulled over onto the shoulder.

Someone stepped out of the driver’s seat and stomped toward her. The taillights lit up the tall, broad-shouldered figure like a demon coming out of the storm. A beam of white light then shot toward her as the stranger held up a flashlight.

She lifted her hand to ward off the glare, and the stranger immediately lowered the light to the open hood of her car.

Trouble, huh? The man looked at the engine, his voice deep and a little rough as though he was irritated to be out in the rain. What’s the problem?

Erica licked her lips. They stood close enough to touch, so she stepped away from him.

He turned toward her and lifted his arms in a gesture of peace. Whoa. Hold on. I’m not here to hurt you. It looks as though you could use some help. I’m no mechanic, but your car is stuck in several inches of mud. You’re not getting out of here tonight. If you’re having engine trouble, too, then you’re in one hell of a pickle. He lowered the hood and snapped it shut. No need to get water in there. That will only damage the engine more. Do you need a ride, or is someone coming to pick you up?

Erica would have loved a ride, but she shook her head. No, no. I’m fine. I’ll just camp out in the car until morning. When it’s daylight, I’m sure I’ll be able to get the car working. The mud will have dried, in any case.

Oh sure, because daylight is a cure-all for broken-down vehicles.

She frowned at his smart-ass retort. "All right then. How about this? I don’t accept rides from strange men in backwoods towns at night. For all I know, you could be a sadistic murderer looking for your next victim. Well, I’m through being a victim, so you can take your offer of help and shove it up your ass."

His eyebrows lifted straight to his hairline, and then he burst into laughter.

Erica fumed and stood so straight her back ached. Goose bumps mauled her bare arms and legs; her tank top and capri pants were plastered to her body. Wet hanks of blonde hair clung to her face, and she pushed the locks behind her ears. Her teeth chattered, and she clenched her jaw to suppress the reflex. She trembled all over. Tears burned her eyes, but she refused to indulge in a crying jag even though the rain would have washed away the tears.

He grinned and rubbed his hand over his wet face. My name is Dylan Haynes. I’m a music teacher and a volunteer fireman. I live a few miles away in a little town called Willow Springs. If you need a reference about my character, I’ll call my mom and a dozen other people in town. None of them will call me a sadistic killer. I promise.

Well, of course a psycho wouldn’t tell his mother about his extracurricular activities.

You’ve got a point there. How about the sheriff or the fire chief? They trust me.

Thunder cracked the sky again, and the fight in Erica dwindled away. She slumped her shoulders and lowered her head, desperate for a hot shower and a warm bed. Is there a hotel and a garage in Willow Acres?

Willow Springs, Dylan corrected. There’s a bed-and-breakfast, but it’s more like an old-fashioned inn. There’s a garage too. My friend Tad owns it. I’ll give him a call and see if he can tow your car into town in the morning. I can drop you off at the inn. Sound good?

Erica took a deep breath as she stared at Dylan’s face.

Rain plastered his short dark hair to his head, and a few wayward locks clung to his forehead. His sharp patrician nose angled a little to the left as though he’d once broken it.

You look familiar. Have we met before? Erica cast her gaze down his body, trying to jog her memory of where she’d seen this man. Even though she couldn’t see the color of his eyes through the shadowy darkness surrounding them, she would bet money his irises were sky-blue.

Listen, Miss. If you wanna talk, that’s fine, but we’re getting soaked out here. You mind if we chitchat in my car?

Erica bit her lip in indecision, but then nodded. Okay. I need to get my things. She spun back to her sedan and opened the driver’s side back door. Dylan followed her, so Erica handed him both of her large travel bags. She stuffed the flashlight in her purse—she would need the impromptu weapon if Dylan tried to get handsy—and then she grabbed her black violin case. After she locked up the vehicle, she followed Dylan to his car, and they stored her belongings in the trunk. Relief nearly overwhelmed her as she climbed into the dry, warm passenger seat.

Here. Take this. Dylan reached into the backseat, grabbed a sweater, and handed it to her. Then he cranked the engine, and heat blew from the vents in the dash. Damn, I just remembered I have a blanket in the trunk. Want me to get it for you?

No, the sweater is fine. Thank you. The heat feels nice. Erica shoved the navy-blue zip-up garment over her head, fluffed it around her chest, and stroked her fingertip down the embroidered fire department logo on the upper left side. She leaned back on the upholstered seat and clutched her purse in her lap, but her grip loosened as she relaxed.

Dylan pulled the car onto the road. You know, I usually like knowing the name of the women I give rides to.

She smiled at the slow, playful drawl in his voice. Erica Timberly.

Nice to meet you, Erica. He flicked his gaze toward her, a smile on his lips, and then turned back to stare out the windshield. Despite the bombardment of rain, he seemed to navigate the road with ease. How did you end up way out here? Tourists come by this way all the time, but I get the feeling you’re not here for the beautiful Vermont landscape.

True. I’ve never been to Vermont until today. I gotta tell you, I’m not impressed.

Dylan laughed. Wait until morning. Once you see my little town, you’ll never want to leave. I left a while back, and although I enjoyed seeing a bit of the big, bad world, there’s no place like home.

Erica scoffed at that. She couldn’t help herself.

You don’t agree? Dylan slowed the vehicle as he rounded a curve.

No, I agree. For some people, home is heaven. For me, home means yelling, fighting, and people stabbing you in the back.

Is that what you’re running away from?

Running?

He shrugged, but tension suddenly filled the air. His voice gentled. You have a black eye, Erica. Your travel bags are stuffed to the point of bulging.

Erica touched her face, the bruise still sore from where Phil had hit her, and she dropped her hand. Silence stretched between them.

Every nasty word Phil had shouted at her the last time they spoke played through her mind. Fat. Stupid. Money-grubbing whore. She’d called Phil an asshole and told him she never wanted to see him again. Then he punched her in the face, knocked her down, and kicked her in the stomach.

Reviews for Lyrical Embrace

[Liliyana Shadowlyn · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This was a wonderful, sweet and sexy romance. I could really relate to Erica, and loved Dylan right from the start. They're both a bit haunted by their pasts, but you can tell they're meant to be together from the moment they meet. It's so easy to get wrapped up in their story that you'll easily lose track of time while reading. Perfect for romance lovers who are looking for a medium-heat sweet romance.