Read Blue Dahlia (The Dahlia Trilogy of The Gilded Flower Series Book 1) for Free Online Page A

deck. A smile spreads on her face as she breathes in the fresh ocean air. It’s her favorite time of day on the coast. In New York, she couldn’t be bothered to get up before noon, since nothing about life before that hour ever inspired her. She wraps a cashmere throw she grabbed from the sitting room around her shoulders and settles on a chaise. Closing her eyes, she recalls the joy she felt being out in the open water. It was a joy she hadn’t experienced in years—pure and untroubled. When she opens them, her hands begin to fly over the paper.
    As the dark sky begins to give way to the light blue of the dawn, Dahlia puts down her pen and shakes her sore hand.
    “Surprised to see you up.”
    Dahlia’s head swings around, the sketchpad and pen falling to the ground. “Jesus, you scared me.”
    “Sorry,” Shane says, bending down to pick up the pad. He pauses to flip through the pages and whistles.
    “You’ve still got it, D.”
    She shrugs. “Yeah, but it’s a bit rough.”
    Shane shakes his head and sits on the end of the chaise. “You always judged yourself so harshly.”
    “What are you doing up so early?” she asks. She’s not in the mood to be analyzed.
    “Dawn patrol, babe,” he smiles seductively at her. Dahlia catches herself staring at his lips. She parts hers instinctively.
    Shane leans in closely, and she closes her eyes, her heart pounding. “You want to join me?”
    Dahlia takes a deep breath, remembering how much she loved surfing the dawn with him—how complete she felt in her life then. Not that he made her whole. Rather, she could be herself fully in his presence, without pretense or expectations. It was absolute freedom and acceptance, something she had never known before him.
    Of course she had come close to it again with Rodrigo, but he didn’t know her this way. She had lost this part of herself, locked it away with the terrible memories that accompanied that time in her life. And here she is, with the one man who could unlock this piece of her fractured life so she could feel whole again.
    Suddenly, her heart is in her throat. It hits her in this moment why she flew here to be with him. She had to heal the experience of losing their baby. But more than that, Dahlia needed to face her love for him.
    She lets out a long exhale, opens her eyes and nods, “Sure.”
     

Chapter 24
    Dahlia feels spent as she sits up on her board, watching the early light of day give way to the ever-brightening sun. She only managed to ride a few waves, her arms too sore from the previous day to paddle quickly enough to catch others. Instead, she happily watches the few other surfers, relishing in the heady freedom she’s experiencing being out on the open water.
    “It’s peaceful out here, isn’t it?” Shane interrupts her thoughts as he paddles over to her.
    “I can’t imagine being anywhere else,” she replies wistfully.
    He smiles at her and grabs the side of her board. “Come on, let’s head back in.”
    Dahlia collapses onto the sand as soon as they reach the shore.
    “You used to be a lot tougher, D,” Shane chuckles as he stands over her.
    She shakes her head. “I’m not that young girl anymore.”
    “No, you’re not.” He furs his brow. “You’ve become an incredible woman.”
    Dahlia smiles, his words warming her heart.
    “Now get up. It’s cold. You’ve got to get out of your wetsuit.”
    “I’m too tired,” she sighs.
    He bends down to pull her up by her arms. The touch of his fingers sends electric shockwaves through her body. Her breath hitches, desire for him pooling at her core.
    “Shane,” she whispers.
    He searches her face, waiting, seeking permission. Dahlia bites her lower lip, her eyes mirroring his intensity. Slowly, he lowers himself down and hovers over her until his lips are only inches from hers. Shane pulls back her hood, running his fingers down her cheeks and over her lips.
    Dahlia swallows. After seven long years, she realizes she’s finally