On Tour: Tainted Love by Erin Cawood, an Excerpt and a Giveaway!

For anyone in a relationship, the words 'we need to talk' can only mean one thing. In the last twenty-two years, the McKenzies have been through it, survived it, learned by it, and grown stronger from it, because life didn't stop for breath when they needed it. Amongst the tears and the tragedies, the hopes and happiness, they've built something amazing: a happy family, a luxury lifestyle and a booming empire. Don't they deserve to have it all?

But for the perfect wife, those four sinister words mean something entirely different. They're a summons into a private world where what happens behind closed doors stays behind closed doors.

Faith has no doubt in Calvin's undying love for her. It's what kept her sane in the darkest hours. If only she could figure out what it is she does wrong... because it’s rapidly becoming apparent their tainted love is running out of time. ~~ synopsis from Goodreads

Excerpt

"You know…” I tried to keep things light between us. I always tried to keep things light between us, because the alternative was just too hard to bear. “You really shouldn't sneak up on a woman who's holding a paring knife."

A feather light touch hovered at my waist. I thought I’d imagined it, but every nerve went into overdrive. I was hyperaware of just how close he was to me. Then his hand fully slipped around my waist and pulled me against him. My heart skipped. His lips nuzzled into the side of my neck and the rest of me flew skywards. I swear I never thought this day would ever come. And then a dozen roses, white roses, appeared in front of me. "Happy Anniversary, Fay."

“Oh, Cal!” He’d remembered I had white roses on our wedding day!

The knife clattered to the board and I spun in his arms. "She's gone?" Something flickered across his eyes. The warm circle around me began to loosen. "I mean, you've come back to me?" He smiled. There was that look again. The one telling me I was the rarest of diamonds and he was the poorest of men and lucky enough to have stumbled upon me. "Cal, that's the best present you could have ever given me."

"Oh well." He grinned, with a mischievous twinkle in his eye. "In that case I'll take this—” He lifted a small square velvet box up. “—back to the jewelers."

"Oh, no!” I laughed, trying to take it, but with Cal’s height advantage he held it out of my reach. His chest rumbled against mine as I toppled and he laughed. “I'll take that too, but...” I lowered back from the tips of my toes and met his eyes. “You know, it’s been a really long road, Cal, and I ...” I looked away. I doubted his love for me and his commitment to our marriage. I know I had every right to but still, it was really hard to say those words out loud. “I didn't think you were ever coming back."

"Gawd, Faith!" My eyes snapped to his. "Only you could make adorable so goddamn hot!”

It was so unexpected. His lips were on mine and taking the air right from my lungs. And they were telling me that he was mine again. So I didn't care about the other woman anymore. She was a blip. Someone who gave him something he needed when I couldn't. He was mine! All mine! And forever!

“Now you've got five seconds..." he growled, "...to make a run for it, or this food hits the floor. Five..."

Oh my... wouldn't that be nice but what about the — "You did it deliberately?"

"Four...”

"The kids were complaining they didn't have any money." He came in through the front door and they were in the living room... "You got rid of the kids when you walked in the door, didn't you?"

His hands were already getting busy. He wasn't going to get to zero. "Three."

“I’m insulted, um, that...” I wriggled under his touch. You know it’s not easy to be angry in this situation. “...that you were this presumptuous.”

“Screw it. I can’t wait. And for the record, this is so much better than crawling on my knees and begging for forgiveness.” One arm swept the island completely clean of everything as the other lifted me off my feet. I wrapped my arms and legs around him. Our eyes met and his breath caught.

He lowered my hips until I sat on the counter. His lips found mine, so sweet, so soft, so much emotion... he pulled away, dragging his hands down my arms until our fingers entwined. His eyes held mine. "I will, Faith... if you want me to," he whispered. "Because I love you more than anything and I was stupid to do this to you."

I shook my head. No. I didn't need an apology.

He cupped my cheeks in his hands and kissed me. He made me feel like I was flying. I was so far past cloud nine. Hell, I was way past cloud nine hundred and ninety-nine. This was the only thing I’d wanted for months. It was the only thing I’d wanted to hear for months. I had my husband back. I didn't need anything else.

Check out the other stops on the tour for more excerpts

About the author

Erin Cawood is a commercial women’s fiction author, with a taste for dramatic storylines and a passion for strong lead characters she really gets behind, cheering on right to the very end of their story. Her focus? Taking romance into the darker, edgier side of contemporary fiction.

Erin lives in Leeds, UK, with her partner of thirteen years and their fourteen year old cat. She spends her days somewhere between the fiction world and the student world. Fascinated by web design and digial communication, Erin is studing a BA(hons) in New Media at the University of Leeds. Before returning to full time education two years ago, Erin worked at a theme park, a convenience store, a public house/restaurant both in the kitchen and waitressing, as an insurance agent and currently works part time in a customer contact centre.

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