The Whispering Pages Book Blog

Cover Reveal & Giveaway

Love Is Louder

Antoinette Candela

Genre: Contemporary Romance
Expected Release: Fall 2014

Cover Designer: Robin Harper at Wicked By Design

~ Synopsis ~

When does love fall apart? Do you see it? Do you feel it? Can you save it?

When two worlds collide it sets off an unlikely chain of events, creating temptations and feelings that did not exist and changing the course of two random strangers.

A crumbling marriage to a successful husband,
A man fighting to keep his family together,
Two people looking to reconcile and bury their past lives.
Lives comes together that would never have been, where one secret will turn their worlds upside down.
What happens when the truth is finally exposed?
Will the both sides end up hurt and alone?

When does love reappear? Do you see it? Do you feel it? Do you fight for it?
Love is beautiful.
Love is quiet.
Love is ugly.
Love is Louder.

~ Add to Goodreads ~

~ Excerpt ~

I stand inside my walk-in closet in my black heels, thong, garters, and lace bra, debating on what to wear on this warm, humid, June evening. Short, black, strapless dress or long, silk dress with spaghetti straps? So many choices. James loves my legs and shoulders, so I go with the short, strapless dress. Pulling it from the rack, I hold it up in front of me and close my eyes, inhaling a deep breath. We can make it work.

"Brie."

His gravelly voice startles me. Whirling around, I steal a breath when I see his heated eyes rake over my body. His gaze on me never breaks. I itch to touch him, and I itch for him to touch me, but he controls what happens between us, and I eagerly comply. I’ve missed the connection so badly that I'd do anything.

"You scared me," I whisper.

Smirking, he pulls at his tie, yanking it loose and works the buttons on the front of his shirt, exposing his muscular tanned chest as he closes the space between us in two long strides. Taking the dress from my hands, he returns it to the rack and rests his hands upon my hips.

"God, you...you look so damn good." He tilts my chin with his finger so that our eyes lock and runs the outside of his hand against my cheek. I can already feel his erection poking my belly as I readily press harder against him.

I don't want to go out to dinner; I want him to take me right now on the floor in my closet.

"Yoga does wonders," I flirt, rubbing my hands down his chest as I eagerly and seductively peel off his white dress shirt, letting it cascade to the floor. This is how it used to be. Spontaneous and hot. I didn't expect this change in him, but I'm not going to sit here and question it. I have the old James back, the James that I fell in love with in college. I don't want to take things slowly, but I know I have to. I can't appear needy and desperate, even though I want us to get through this. Isn't that what created the distance between us? Needing him too much?

He scrapes his teeth across his bottom lip and pulls me tighter against his body. "The reservation is at eight. I would love to show you what you do to me when you wear black." He smiles that smile that robbed me of my breath six years ago, and that little dimple appears on his right cheek that teases me to kiss it. How I've missed him smiling at me like this.

His usual clean-cut face now has a hint of stubble, and his hair is ruffled and has grown a little bit more, making him appear sexier and casual. Is this the first time I've noticed this change? I can't remember because it’s been a while since we spent real time together. I'm guilty of googling "the signs that your spouse is cheating." At the top of said list is that the spouse changes or alters their appearance to please the new love interest.

Stop it, Brie! He's taken on more cases at the office. He just doesn't have time. That's all it is. Enjoy yourself. Live in the moment.

I tug on his hair and meet his gaze, swatting all my insecurities and assumptions out of my mind.

"What is it that I do to you?" I taunt, as the rapid beating of my heart drowns out everything except the sound of his voice.

"Let me show you," he groans as he cups my ass, hoisting me up with his powerful arms. I wrap my legs around his waist as he pushes me up against the wall. I feel a powerful shot of heat course throughout my body at his display of aggression and desire for me.

The wall will work, too.

He brings up his hand and pinches one of my hard nipples through the lace, causing me to arch my back into him. "God, your beautiful tits." He pulls down my bra, exposing my breasts to him. Taking one of my aching nipples into his mouth one at a time, he licks and sucks each one as I pull his hair.

I sense lust, ownership, and desperation growing between us. I grab the back of his neck and guide his face to my lips as he kisses me hard. He feels my tongue, and he opens his lips to allow me in, and we begin to kiss earnestly. His hand travels down between my legs, making its way to my already wet core. When his thumb hooks under the edge of my thong, pulling it aside and his finger enters me, I gasp, writhing over his finger.

"Oh, shit. So fucking wet, Brie,” he whispers into my ear as he presses me harder against the wall. I hold myself while he unbuttons and pulls down his pants and boxers so that they pool at his feet. "Damn, I need you, babe. Like right now."

He grabs my ass, pulling me down over his erection. He enters me fully, and I gasp in elation because it's been so long since we've had sex like this. Since he's grown distant, sex between us has been forced and detached. Is it because he is cheating? I wonder if he should use a condom. If he were messing around, would he suggest using one? I don't care. I don't care. Don’t think about it. I need him. I need James now.

We become frantic. I pull down his head toward mine and kiss him, letting the rhythm of his thrusts set the pace. Everything accelerates and intensifies our breathing, his thrusts, and my moans. I feel my walls clench around him with each thrust, clinging to him like my life depends on it, for what I know are only several delirious minutes, but I want it to be forever. He plunges both fast and slow so I can feel every inch of him, and he can feel all of me before we come together.

Breathing heavily with my arms still around him and my legs wrapped around his waist, we look at each other and smile, and all the fear and uncertainty I sensed in me before dissipates.

"That's what you and black lacy things do to me."

"Thanks for the reminder." I sigh softly, tugging at his hair.

~ About the Author ~

Antoinette Candela was born and raised in Upstate New York and is an avid New York Yankees and Dallas Cowboys fan. She moved to Boston in her twenties and attended Northeastern University to study Business Management. As a child, she enjoyed reading and writing and penned her first story at the age of thirteen. She has always had a vivid imagination and finally decided to put her thoughts and musings down on paper.
Breaking Elle and Wanting Reed are her first self-published works with many more to come.
A few other interesting facts about Antoinette include: she is of Italian decent, has three brothers, was a tomboy growing up, plays the clarinet and dabbles with the piano. When she's not planted in front of her computer writing, she can be found at the gym, running her kids around Boston, or at the beach soaking up the rays and enjoying a good book.