My Sexy Valentine:Soul Mate Collection 1

By: Cheryl Yeko


by Cheryl Yeko

Chapter 1

Worst Valentine’s Day ever. How many times, Shelly wondered numbly, had she looked into Chad’s gorgeous eyes and believed every word that came out of his lying mouth? Too many to count on one hand, and that just made her a world-class fool, weak and pathetic, refusing to see him for what he truly was. A smooth-talking, good-looking, virginity-stealing, cheating bastard.

“Baby, it’s not what it looks like,” Chad insisted, raking his fingers through his hair. His light brown eyes pleaded with her. The noise of the bar masked their conversation as the country band began to play “Your Cheating Heart” with what was actually a pretty good imitation of Hank Williams, and a sad testament of their relationship.

“She kissed me,” he insisted for the third time, totally ignoring the long-legged Cameron Diaz look-alike standing next to him, still holding on to his arm in a possessive manner and watching Shelly with a smirk.

Shelly’s bottom lip quivered, and she quickly pressed her mouth tight, staring at the latest tramp who’d been reaching down her fiancé’s throat with her tongue. It sure looked like the hands he had on her ass had been tugging her forward instead of pushing her away. She’d met Chad her freshman year of college and could still remember the thrill she’d felt at being noticed by him, a senior, and one of the hottest guys on campus.

Four years of her life she could never get back.

Well. She was done. The title of another country song popped in her head, “My Give a Damn’s Busted,” making her smile, although it felt more like a baring of teeth.

She glanced at the engagement ring on her finger that’d been there for less than a week, all the time it’d taken him to betray her . . . again. The fact that she had believed things would be different now that they were engaged made her even more of a fool. Reaching for the ring, she slid it off, and although it’d been there for only a short time, and it wasn’t as if she was used to it or anything, her finger felt naked without it.

Taking Chad’s hand, and with him begging her not to do it, she pressed the sparkling diamond into his palm. “Good-bye, Chad.”

With that, she turned and quickly made her away across the crowded dance floor, tuning out the sound of Chad calling her name. As she reached the door, she glanced over her shoulder and saw him shoving his way through the crowd, coming after her. Pushing the door open, she rushed outside and spotted a cab on the corner. “Taxi!” She ran to it and crawled into the backseat.

“Drive,” she said breathlessly, watching as Chad followed her outside and scanned the street looking for her. His gaze narrowed in on the cab and he sprinted toward her.

“Where to, miss?” the driver threw over his shoulder.

“Anywhere. I don’t care, just go!” Slamming the lock down, she scrunched back into the seat as the cab started to pull away from the curb just as Chad reached them, slamming his hand on the roof.

“Shelly,” he yelled, jiggling the handle. “Damn it! Open the door.”

The driver peered at her through the rearview mirror with a concerned gaze, giving her a fatherly smile before picking up speed and forcing Chad to release the handle.

Shelly craned her neck around and watched his image grow smaller and smaller, until the cab turned a corner and she lost sight of him altogether. Staring forward now, she blew out a breath that stirred the long bangs across her forehead. Well. That’s that. Chad had run out of second, third, and fourth chances. God. I’m such an idiot.

“Where to, miss?” the taxi driver asked again, flicking her another concerned glance in the mirror. His Indian accent was thick and his weathered face kind. His compassionate gaze brought a rush of tears to her eyes.

Where to? Shelly sniffled, because she didn’t have a clue. She’d only recently graduated, with a degree in business, moving to Seattle to live with Chad and leaving her family and friends behind. What was I thinking? Even before moving halfway across the country she’d had her doubts about their relationship. Chad had sworn he’d settled down, and she was the only woman for him. Shelly had wanted to believe him so badly, she’d put in for a job transfer as a manager to a high-end women’s clothing chain store, but her new position didn’t start until mid-March, more than a month away. Until then, she’d just have to manage off her meager savings and stay at a motel.

Look on the bright side. Now I’ll be forced to lose that extra five pounds, because I’ll be living off Ramen noodles and tomato soup.


The cab driver’s soft query shook her from her pity party. “A motel, please. Can you drop me off at a motel?”

“Which one?”

Not knowing the area yet, she had no clue where to find a decent place to stay. “Whatever’s closest that isn’t too expensive.” She needed to conserve her money and couldn’t waste it on a fancy hotel.

He nodded, and drove two blocks to a Best Western. “Will this work?”

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