*~*Love Note: Adrian to Celeste – Everything I’ve Never Had by Lynetta Halat*~*

Title:   Everything I’ve Never Had

By:   Lynetta Halat

Genre:    Contemporary Romance 

 

Celeste Hebert has always    appeared to have it all, but there are many things she’s never had, been forbidden from having.

One night. One song. One kiss. The perfect trifecta to unleash the floodgates of a forbidden attraction between the widow and her husband’s bad boy cousin, Adrian.

Celeste endeavors to rebury the feelings that surface after this one night since her powerful family despises him. Kindred spirits, best of friends they attempt to douse their attraction; however, Adrian always seems to know exactly how to push her buttons and may prove too much to resist.

Having defied his family by making his way on his own terms, Adrian struggles to regain their acceptance. When he meets his cousin’s wife and wants her for his own, he feels he’s finally lived down to the title—black sheep. But, when his cousin dies unexpectedly, Adrian fights his attraction and swears to honor them both by helping her raise her boys.

Finding himself enveloped in a cocoon of love and acceptance, Adrian knows it’s more than just physical attraction. However, unforeseen events threaten to destroy those he now holds dear and his newfound peace.

Will the ties that bind them be their undoing?

I LOVED Celeste and Adrian…so so much!  Check out an Adrian Alternate POV here. 

 

We didn’t just get a ‘Love Note’ from Adrian.  Oh no…we got a scene. Are you ready to see why I love this man so much?

 

Keep reading to see the full Love Note!

Slamming the hatchback on my MINI Cooper, I smile as I recall Bonnie’s obscene plans for Garner this evening. Dating for over two years now, they still can’t seem to get enough of each other. I know that feeling well since I can’t seem to get a grip on my outright lust for my own husband.

Grinning wider with thoughts of my own delicious plans for this Valentine’s night, which would have to be staved off until I can get our children settled for the night, I throw open the driver’s door to spot a single, white rose lying on the seat of my car. Oh, my romantic husband. Happy tears shine in my eyes as I snatch the rose up to breathe in the intoxicating fragrance.

I pull it back and laugh as I see the attached guitar pick and wonder if his message will be naughty or nice. You look fucking gorgeous. I giggle and look around to see if Adrian’s here lying in wait for me, ready to whisk me away for a stolen mid-day date, as he is prone to do. I don’t see him, so I hop in and shove the key into the ignition, still grinning like a fool.

My eyes catch on the speedometer centered in the middle of the car. Get your fine ass home, the guitar pick commands. I roll my eyes at my MIA caveman. I’m pretty sure he gets off on bossing me around. Furthermore, I’m pretty sure I get off on him bossing me around. My heart races when the visions of his all-consuming maneuvers play on a loop in my head. Releasing a deep sigh, I head home.

I manage to make it up the wide, sweeping staircase of our antebellum home without breaking a Jimmy Choo clad ankle. I struggle with a couple of boxes of fabric swatches as I pry open my porch mailbox, my hand scraping the bottom of the near-empty box. Grasping the piece of plastic with my fingertips, I angle the pick to read it Glass of wine. Bedroom.

Chuckling, I arrange the materials in my office before heading to the kitchen to do as commanded. Our normally bustling house is quiet. Too quiet. Spotting the message next to the wine, I see why. Relax. Just you and me.

How he manages to get these messages on his guitar picks, I’ll never know. My smile fades as my center throbs at the pretty picture my mind conjures up—my hot, rhythm guitarist husband with his intense blue gaze and shaggy, deep brown hair scrawling messages for his beloved wife. Sometimes sweet, sometimes wicked, but always-savory, messages that never fail to turn me into an incoherent mass of nerve endings.

Wrapping my fingers around the stem of the glass of Pinot Grigio, I move toward the bedroom. When my eyes hit the bed, they light up at the sight of the gray silky, sheer full-length nightdress. I gasp in wonder and pure, unadulterated ecstasy as my fingertips skate over the Mousseline silk and delicate Calais Lace. French couture Liliana Casanova—my husband has bought me French silk.  Bath. Bed. Book.

I laugh as I take in the bathtub littered with guitar pick instructions. The one that tells me to Touch myself. But do NOT come. fires a blush over my entire body. Relaxing into the coconut-infused bubble bath, I allow my mind to empty for a while.

After following through on his instructions, soaping up, and shaving everywhere, I ease from the tub and towel off, letting my hair down from my bun to fall in long, black waves.

Slipping on the gown, I turn in front of the mirror and marvel at the bunched lace that cascades over my behind and down the backs of my thighs to end at my ankles. Licking my lips at the thought of my husband’s reaction, I pull on the matching silk robe, slip my feet in the black, patent leather stilettos he set out, and head for bed.

Another pick on my pillow says to read the marked scene from my trashy romance novel. He likes to harass me about my choice of reading material, but trust me, he reaps the rewards like a pirate devouring his stolen booty.

Picking up the book, I thumb through the pages until I find the pick-marked page. Sub Adrian for Christian, one says. Sub Celeste for Ana, demands the other. I reread one of my favorite scenes, imagining we are the couple at the dinner party stealing a moment for a hot, childhood bedroom romp. My insides convulse and tighten, as if Ben Wa balls are pulling taut within me.

My thighs instinctively rub together, desperately trying to alleviate the sweetly torturous ache my imagination has conjured up of Adrian bending me over, taking the edge off and satisfying me.

I flick the well-used paperback toward my nightstand, but it misses and lands in a heap on the floor just as the door opens to reveal the titillating grin of my sexy-as-hell husband.

Mirth dances in those arctic blue eyes of his as he takes in my disheveled, lust-ridden state. His jaw clenches before he rasps, “Looks like you’re about to earn a spanking of your very own, mimi.”

Arousal and warmth flood my channel on those words. Gasping, I sputter, “But I didn’t come … yet.”

His gaze turns heated, his voice gravelly. “Celeste, three seconds later, and I would’ve walked on one hell of a show,” he predicts.

I can only grin because he is so right. “Maybe you should go out and come back in a few minutes so I can earn my punishment,” I tease.

He just laughs, the skin around his eyes creasing.

My eyes flit over his toned body, worn jeans, and forest green Henley pushed up to his elbows displaying dark skin and defined forearms. I meet his eyes again and beckon him to come to me.

Curiosity gets the better of me, I quirk an eyebrow, and ask, “Have you been reading my naughty books again, sir?”

His teasing grin goes lopsided and takes my breath away as he leans in and brushes his lips over my forehead before shifting to hover over my mouth. “Hell, yeah,” he murmurs. “Those books read like an instructional manual for fulfilling my wife of her every little fantasy, especially the deep—” he thrusts his tongue in mouth, plundering and tangling before retreating quickly “—dark” he bites my lip hard “—ones.”

I breathe him in deep—all man, all hero, and all mine. “How is it that you’re not offended by me getting all worked up while reading my ‘trashy, romance novels,’ Adrian?” I ask.

Running a calloused fingertip down my throat and over my collarbone to caress the lace resting across my cleavage, he smiles and marvels at the little goose bumps his touch elicits before saying, “Baby, you can use those books all you want to get ready for me. Because I know, when I fill you, nothing exists for you but me.”

I groan and thrust my hips into him at the thought of my ridiculously handsome, passionate, loving husband existing in me. “You consume me, husband, and I know you are well aware. You. Consume. Me … whether I’m buried in a book or you’re thousands of miles away or you’re deep inside of me. Speaking of, I’d like you to fill me now,” I demand.

Grinning, he breathes, “I have a whole evening planned, my insatiable wife.” I poke out my bottom lip. He shakes his head, knowingly. “You’re not gonna let me romance you, are you?”

“Adrian, you’ve been romancing me for—” my eyes dart to the clock and back “—two hours straight. Consider me thoroughly romanced. I want you,” I whisper, leaning in to run my tongue across his bottom lip.

Flipping me over on my stomach, he runs his hands over my lace-covered butt, murmuring about my hot ass in fucking lace, before slapping me soundly on it.  “Such a bad girl,” he muses, before pushing the material aside, only to smack my now bare skin.

I angle my head so that I can watch the fine sight of Adrian ridding himself of his clothes before he drapes his naked body over mine.

Bucking his hips, he thrusts his hard length deep inside me before stilling and skimming his lips between my shoulder blades, kissing and sucking at the sensitive skin.

“Ah,” I gasp, as he slowly rotates and drives even deeper.

“Give me my blues, Adrian,” I moan. When his soulful depths meet mine, I profess, “I love you.”

His look of adoration and love sears me before his words do. “And I love you—my wife, my life, my heaven.”

Everything I’ve Never Had by Lynetta Halat

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

*ARC Given to Blog for Honest Review*

4.5 ‘mimi’ ‘Give Me My Blues’ Kisses

OMG I loved this book. Loved it. Straight up, lots of reasons why I loved it but that doesn’t even begin to really justify my love for it…I just freaking did. The characters were amazing, the angst was off the charts, the love…omg their love…yeah. I just freaking couldn’t put this book down. Like finished it in 24 hours kind of thing.

Celeste Marie Dubois Hebert…at 37 she is a widow and a single mother to her three boys (Archer, Paris and Finn – but I’ll get to them in a minute) and she wow’d my socks off. Losing your husband to cancer is hard…period. Add in the fact that she grew up with him, basically spent half her life married to him and he was kind of all she knew. They didn’t have this all-encompassing, passionate love, but what they had meant the world to her. She’s also got an over bearing family – yeah…not just mom and dad, there’s a whole slew of people ready to run her life for her…and they kind of have been, for a while. I have to say, I really enjoyed watching Celeste’s development through the course of the book. If it was even possible, she grew stronger in my eyes…and I’d like to think that was thanks to a certain super hot and dreamy Marine/Guitarist.

‘It’s that moment. That moment when we think everything is happening on course. No ripples, no waves. We’re just trying to get through another day, feeling like all the little things overwhelm us and they do because they end up making up our day. We get so focused on the little things that we forget the bigger picture. Sometimes we forget to appreciate the little things that truly matter because our vision is so clouded by all of the mundane. The here and now become our obsession, and we forget the concept of our finite state because with all the little things vying for our attention it feels like we’ll go on forever.’

Adrian Gabriuel LeBlanc Hebert is amazing. I love him. Do you want the laundry list of reasons why I love him? Good…
1. He’s a marine – I LOVE a man in uniform – Oorah!
2. He plays the guitar & is in a band – that should need no further explanation
3. He has a motorcycle – yum!
4. And a truck – double yum!
5. He loves kids – it might just be the way he is with Celeste’s kids, but still…damn! Panty melter alert!
6. He has gorgeous blue eyes
7. He’s T, D & H – tall, dark and handsome…triple yum!
8. He likes to hold hands
9. He has a very talented mouth 😉 He can sing you perverts! And do other stuff 😛
10. He’s sweet and romantic and kind and passionate and so many other freaking things!
I could literally write a list a mile long with the things I loved about Adrian. Because I am seriously struggling to think of anything I didn’t like about him. That’s not to say this man is perfect, he did piss me off a couple of times…but he can’t be 100% perfect, we all make mistakes and while his mistakes hurt…and some hurt pretty deep…they are not unforgiveable mistakes. I think the one thing that made me love him the most was the fact that not once from page one till the end did his love for Celeste ever waiver. Ever. I never questioned him…even though there were parts where Celeste did, I knew better.

‘But when I make eye contact with those ocean-blue eyes of his, images of kissing him, joking with him, him playing with my boys, him holding my hair back while I was sick all come rushing to the forefront. All my emotions are jumbled with these memories. Like seaweed they weave their way through my brain and tangle themselves so thoroughly with everything that I am that all I can see is love when I look at him—and it’s not friendly love or familial love—it’s all-encompassing, I-want-to-spend-the-rest-of-my-life-loving-you love.’

So Adrian and Celeste may have had insta-attraction…but their love is a beautiful thing. It’s cultivated over 2 years of the tragedy of losing her husband, Adrian being there for her and especially for the boys, sharing things with each other, bonding, building this friendship and relationship over time. They had this incredibly strong foundation so while yes, there was a tremendous steam factor with their attraction, you were more in love with them as a couple. But please don’t get this dirty book whore wrong…there was plenty to lust over. Oh boy…some of those kisses…just damn. Oh…and this is not a wham-bam-thank you ma’am book! These two make you work for it…

“It’s just because you can’t have me, Adrian. I’m nothing special.”
“Oh, baby, you have no idea.” He runs his nose up my throat, scenting me as he goes. I lean my neck back, giving him more access even as my brain screams at me to run—not walk—out of this room. But when he says, “You’re everything to me.” My head falls back even further and my eyes close again as I feel him slant his head and attack my jaw, throat, and neck with closed-mouth kisses. I hear myself moan and give myself one more little jolt to try to spare myself from this delicious torment that will only end in frustration.
Adrian works his way back up my throat, but this time, it’s his tongue that leaves a scorching path of devastation. I feel as though I’ve been flayed open and am just a quivering pile of nerve-endings. “Oh my God, Adrian, what are you doing to me?” I manage.
“I could ask you the same thing,” he murmurs against my throat. “You’re driving me insane. We shouldn’t be here. Doing this. Yet, here we are again. And I can’t stop.”

So I think what did me in was the angst. The push and pull, the flow of their relationship, the longing and desire and oh my sweet goodness the passion. They had it all and I felt every last ounce of it. I ached with Celeste, I pined for Adrian and I couldn’t get enough. Their reason for not being together while slightly frustrating is still understandable. Adrian’s reasons and logic were completely understandable, just slightly grrr inducing. I felt for Celeste because every time she would get that resolve to stay away from him, move on or at least try to, all it took was a touch, a smile, a look and all her strength came crashing down. It’s that kind of love you cannot deny.

‘He draws my forehead to his lips and places a light kiss there. “I love you so much, Cel. I didn’t think it was possible, but every day that we’re together I fall more in love with you. I…it blows my fucking mind.”’

So there are a lot of characters to love (and dislike and sometimes hate) in this book but I would say there are three that almost stole the show. Archer Finn and Paris…Celeste’s sons. OMG…LOVED them. They each have a very unique personality and were just these fabulous little characters…I almost want each one of them to have a book…just because! No other specific reason…yeah, I’m a dork like that. Another couple that deserves their own book…Bonnie (Celeste’s best friend) and Garner (Adrian’s best friend) – tell me that isn’t genius in the making?!? Now, seriously…I would beg for that book…Bonnie is just a riot and her relationship history combined with her relationship with Garner…even though we only get to see glimpses of it is just brilliance.

‘“Anyway, how many of you have ever been in love?” Lots of hooting and hollering. “Yeah, well, this one is about the kind of love that compels you, that takes you on a ride like no other. The kind of love that wraps you tight in its embrace before it sinks its teeth info you.” Lots of catcalling and whistling. “Yet you gravitate toward its hold and scream with joy from its sweet torture, knowing you wouldn’t have it any other way.” The bar is a riot of emotion, and I’m blown away by my otherwise quiet leading man.’

What else did I love besides the characters…the plot and story line were original, I mean it’s the same ‘unrequited love’…we can’t be together and I’m protecting you so I can’t tell you why…but there were a few twists to it, so it wasn’t a rinse/lather/repeat scenario. The concept of her being older, him being younger was really different and I loved that! And I don’t know if you caught the whole last name thing…yeah, the family dynamics are another interesting aspect to the story. My absolutely favorite part was the epilogue…drum roll please…ADRIAN’S POV!!!…OMG, LOVED it. SO freaking much and we got to see them in the future, but oh my it just melted my HEA loving heart. But there was one thing that kind of made my eyebrow arch…there is a man, he’s involved with Celeste’s late husband – he plays the most minor of all roles I can ever think possible…and while I thought I could see his purpose, I kind of thought it was a little bit of a stretch and by the end of the book…it was the only thing that stuck out as odd to me.

‘His voice is as strong as his body as he proclaims, “I was never anyone else’s to have. You own me, Celeste. Always have. Always will.” My heart melts, yet my fear ignites. I can’t lose this. I can’t lose him. Pulling him to me, I devour him as he carries me into the bathroom.’

Clearly…I am over the moon for this book…I mean I didn’t even touch on the writing, which did it for me in every way possible. The style, the flow, the dialogue – OMG the banter back and forth was perfect! Just all in all, Everything I’ve Never Had completely exceeded my expectations. *Sigh* So there comes a time at the end of a book when I know I need to let go…the book is over and I must move on. I will move on, because I have to. But I can definitely say Celeste and Adrian will stay with me. I will never forget their story, their love and just them as characters.

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Since the dawn of time, Lynetta Halat has lived to read and has written innumerable stories and plays. A lover of good books, bad boys, and kickass tunes, she’d always dreamt of penning books that people could connect with and remember. She also has a secret penchant for wringing the emotions out of unsuspecting readers, and she collects reader’s tears in much the same way that wine connoisseurs collect their favorite vintage.

Her first novel, Every Rose, was the perfect catalyst to launch her into the world of publishing, effectively burrowing her way into the hearts and minds of readers throughout the world. Everything I’ve Never Had was her follow-up adult romance novel. Now, she has penned Used, a New Adult Romance that she hopes sinks its teeth into you and doesn’t let go.

Her love of the English language prompted her to pursue a Master’s degree in English from Old Dominion University in Virginia, where she also minored in snark and interpretive dance. She lives somewhere along the Mississippi Gulf Coast with her adorable husband, two amazing sons, and two loveable dogs. When she’s not writing riveting stories, she likes to focus on her macramé art and her scouring of eBay, where she buys locks of hair from her favorite rock stars, most especially Bret Michaels and Dave Grohl.