Heatherly Bell - Breaking Emily's Rules

Weren’t rules made to be broken...?

Play-by-the-rules good girl Emily Parker is finally flying free. Literally. After a broken engagement, she’s about to live out her wildest dream: getting her pilot’s license. With former Air Force pilot Stone Mcallister teaching her, though, it’s not just the altitude making her dizzy....

Once he settles his father’s estate, Stone’s heading back to the Air Force. When Emily expresses interest in some no-strings fun, he can’t resist, but a single kiss proves that a fling won’t be enough. As the clock ticks down to his deployment, will he be able to break his own rules for her?

“I’m sorry I asked you out because I’m not ready for you— I mean, I’m not dating anyone. I mean—I made a mistake, asking you out.”

“And you make a lot of them, don’t you?”

Emily seemed to ignore the comment. “The reason I left so quickly on Friday had to do with my sister. Otherwise I might have stayed to see if you were okay. But I thought I should get Molly out of there. She tends to cause trouble wherever she goes.”

“She does?” Stone felt a grin coming on. “From where I stand, you caused the trouble. I wouldn’t have walked outside if it wasn’t for you.”

“And I thank you for doing that, but I didn’t ask you to.” Emily raised her chin.

That put her lips in decidedly much closer territory to his. “No, you didn’t, but you didn’t exactly stop me.” Now he moved till he was only inches away from her, and their gazes locked.

Dear Reader,

For many authors, a finished book is the result of a dream come true. I’m no exception, but I do wonder how many can say that a book is the result of a literal dream. Sometime in 2013, I dreamed about a woman who discovered during a genealogical search that she was the descendant of the first licensed female pilot in California. What if this young woman was at a crossroads in her life, and the idea of following in the footsteps of a pioneering woman appealed to her spirit of adventure?

That’s how this book was born. Eventually the result became Breaking Emily’s Rules. Our heroine sets off on a journey, never expecting her destination to be true love. But then again, isn’t love the greatest adventure of all?

I like writing strong alpha heroes, and so the idea of three Air Force pilots who must adjust to civilian life was born. Welcome to the Heroes of Fortune Valley. In this first book we meet a tough hero who is battling his personal demons and never planned on falling for his first student. I hope you will enjoy it!

I love hearing from readers. You can find me on Facebook, Twitter ( @HeatherlyBelle), Instagram ( Heatherly.Bell) and Pinterest, or email me at Heatherly@HeatherlyBell.com.

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Heatherly

Breaking Emily’s Rules

Heatherly Bell

www.millsandboon.co.uk

HEATHERLY BELL tackled her first book in 2004 and now the characters that occupy her mind refuse to leave until she writes them a book. She loves all music but confines singing to the shower these days. Heatherly lives in northern California with her family, including two beagles, one who can say hello and the other a princess who can feel a pea through several pillows.

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To Alice Ramona Font, aka Mom, for inspiring a lifelong love of books.

Contents

Cover

Back Cover Text

Introduction

Dear Reader

Title Page

About the Author

Dedication

CHAPTER ONE

CHAPTER TWO

CHAPTER THREE

CHAPTER FOUR

CHAPTER FIVE

CHAPTER SIX

CHAPTER SEVEN

CHAPTER EIGHT

CHAPTER NINE

CHAPTER TEN

CHAPTER ELEVEN

CHAPTER TWELVE

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

CHAPTER NINETEEN

CHAPTER TWENTY

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN

EPILOGUE

Extract

Copyright

CHAPTER ONE

ALL THINGS CONSIDERED, Emily Parker would rather be at the cemetery.

Instead, she pointed her truck in the direction of the Silver Saddle because when her sister, Molly, got an idea in her head, she was like a pit bull with a bone. Today that bone was dancing, and she’d cornered Emily into going along.

“You can go to the cemetery any ol’ time. All those dead people aren’t going anywhere.” Molly pulled down the passenger-side visor and smoothed on bright red lipstick.

As if Molly needed any help channeling her inner hussy. “A little respect, please. Some of them might be our relatives. I have a lot of gravestones to inspect if I ever want to complete the Parker family tree.”

Emily pulled into the gravel parking lot filled with cars and eased her truck into a space in the back. Maybe this wasn’t such a good idea. There might be men in there. There would certainly be plenty of smart women glancing in her direction and whispering. Did you hear? Poor Emily. She didn’t see it coming, but maybe she should have. After all, didn’t everyone?

“Awesome. Friday night and this place is crazy.” Molly unclicked her seat belt. “What are you waiting for?”

Emily didn’t move as she glanced out the windshield from the safe place inside the cab of her truck. Couples were milling around the entrance, fools on a quest for the impossible. “I’m not so sure about this.”

“Why not? You’re not still on the giving-up-men thing, are you? I thought you were kidding.”

“You know, there are more important things in life than men.” Emily fiddled with her keys, still safely in the ignition. She hadn’t made any firm commitments to getting out of this truck.

“Name one.”

Think, Emily, think. “Family, of course.” There was more, but she didn’t work well under pressure.

Molly scowled. “Fine, but you can’t do the really fun stuff without a man.”

Spoken from a woman who loved men a bit too much. “What did being man-crazy ever get you?”

“Don’t start with me. I swear the condom broke. Why won’t you believe me?” Molly slapped the dashboard, reminding Emily of the little girl she’d once been, raising hell wherever she went. The red hair fair warning to anyone crazy enough to tangle.

The fact that Molly was seven years younger than Emily and already had a child shouldn’t have bothered Emily. Except, sometimes it did. As usual, Molly didn’t appreciate what she had.

“Let’s not talk about this now.” Emily resisted the urge to pound her head on the steering wheel.

“You brought it up. You might want to be a mom, but that doesn’t mean every girl wants that.”

“Who says I want to be a mom?” When Molly got mad she tried to hurt anyone within spitting distance. Pulling the keys out of the ignition, Emily grabbed her purse, opened the door and leapt out of the truck. She needed to blow a little steam off now, thanks to her bratty sister.