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  Unforgettable Curves

  Insta Love Alpha Male (Book 4)

  Hope Stone

  Copyright © 2019 by Hope Stone

  In no way is it legal to produce, duplicate, or transmit any part of this document in either electronic means or in printed format. Recording of this publication is strictly prohibited and any storage of this document is not allowed unless written permission from the publisher. All rights are reserved. Respective authors own all copyrights not held by the publisher.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any similarity to actual events or locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

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  Contents

  About Hope Stone

  Chapter 1: Tommy

  Chapter 2: June

  Chapter 3: Tommy

  Chapter 4: June

  Chapter 5: Tommy

  Chapter 6: June

  Chapter 7: Tommy

  Chapter 8: June

  Chapter 9: Tommy

  Chapter 10: June

  Epilogue: June

  Book 5 Preview: Chapter 1

  Special Invitation

  About Hope Stone

  Thank you so much for checking out my new release. Unforgettable Curves is Book 4 in the Insta Love Alpha Male Series. These books can be read as stand alone stories in any order.

  Book 1: Curvy Obsession

  Book 2: His Obsession, Her Curves

  Book 3: Billionaire’s Party Planner

  Book 4: Unforgettable Curves

  Book 5: Undeniable Attraction (Available on 12/31/19!)

  Boxset (Books 1-3): Insta Love Alpha Males Boxset

  Here’s what reviewers are saying about the Insta Love Alpha Male Series:

  Chapter 1: Tommy

  “What if I’m worried about it? Like, what if I don’t think it’s healing well? Can I call you?” asked the pretty blonde I’d just tattooed a heart on.

  “Look, if you follow my instructions, it’ll heal perfectly. I’ve been doing this a long time. But yeah, if you have a problem, you can call me here,” I said, trying not to sigh.

  “And what if I want to ask you out for a drink?” she asked, clearly not getting the message.

  “Look, you’re very pretty and I’m sure you’re charming as all hell. But I’m not who you’re looking for right now.” I gave her the care package I had in stock for all first-time customers and sent her on her way.

  “Seriously? She was hot, Tommy. I don’t get how you can turn down someone who looks like that,” Pete, my apprentice, groaned as soon as she was out of earshot. “I’d kill for a girl like that to ask me out.”

  “And that’s why a girl like that will never ask you out. They want men who aren’t drooling over them to ask them out so they can prove they can get any man. She may not know she’s doing it, but it’s an ego thing. I, on the other hand, am done with flings and one-night stands. I want someone with substance and character. Believe me, I’ve been with women like that, and it never ends well. They’re fun for a while, but I’m not the kind of guy she ends up with. She ends up with Chad who works in finance, I guarantee you that. She’s just going through a mid-twenties rebellious phase. I’ve seen it all before.”

  Pete just looked at me and rolled his eyes. “One day, I’m going to be the hotshot tattoo artist that girls ask out.”

  “Yeah, you will… as soon as you stop calling women ‘girls,’” I shot back. Pete was a good kid and he was a fast learner, but there was a lot he needed to know about the world. And, at 22 years old, he still had a baby face. But he’d get there. I liked having him around, it kept me young. Besides, in a small town like Florydale, it was difficult to find a good apprentice.

  Pete had actually moved from New York City to the small town to apprentice for me. I guess I had a reputation as a tattoo artist… of course, I tried not to get a big head about it. I’d spent my twenties with a huge ego and I was done with that. Having confidence is one thing, but having an ego will only ever get you in trouble.

  That’s why I’d moved out here, to get some fresh air and a fresh perspective. I didn’t expect business to be as good as it was, but people from all over the area would come to be tattooed by me. Of course, some of them were simple hearts and things I could do in my sleep. But hey, business was good and that was all that mattered.

  “I’m heading out for the afternoon. Would you mind locking up? We don’t have any more appointments, but if you could stick around until five to take any bookings, I’d appreciate it.”

  Pete nodded and smirked. “Got a date?”

  “Yeah, with a bowl of chili and a good book. One day, you’ll learn that it’s not all about getting laid and superficial week-long ‘romances.’” I chuckled. It had taken me years to realize that and Pete was still young.

  I grabbed my keys and phone and headed out. One thing I liked about living in the small town of Florydale was that I could walk everywhere. Sometimes I’d even go for walks after dark, just to enjoy the freedom of being able to do so. When I lived in New York City, I could go for walks at night, but I had to be prepared for the possibility of being mugged. Also, it was noisy and full of lights. Night time here was quiet and truly dark, aside from the streetlamps.

  On my way home, I passed by the local bakery. I glanced inside and saw the new owner busy pouring herself a cup of coffee. I struggled not to look for her every time I walked to and from home. She was strikingly beautiful and there was something about her that made me want to get to know her. The thing was, I didn’t even know her name.

  She also seemed different from the women I met at the tattoo parlor. For starters, she didn’t have a single tattoo. She also had this quiet determination about her, like she knew what she wanted out of life. I liked that. Then again, I’d never even walked into the bakery, so I was just imagining all this about her.

  Soon, I was past the bakery and the mystery woman, but I was still thinking about her when I walked into my house 15 minutes later. I put last night’s chili in the microwave to heat it up and grabbed my book from next to my bed. I began to read, but I couldn’t concentrate on the words on the page because I kept picturing the woman from the bakery. One day, I would have to go in there and introduce myself, I thought.

  The only problem was, what if she wasn’t the intriguing woman that I’d imagined her to be? What if she was boring or conservative? Then the daydream would be ruined and I’d have to find someone else to pass by every day and think about.

  The microwave rang and my chili was ready. I almost burned my hand when I took it out. Perhaps the next day, I’d stop at the bakery to pick up something to eat. I could cook about four different dishes and I was getting bored with them. And it wasn’t like Florydale had an endless supply of good restaurants to eat out at… and people in a small town look at you weirdly when you eat dinner alone in public.

  Chapter 2: June

  “Mom, I’m at work, can this wait?” I said into the phone as I put a batch of scones into the oven.

  “Don’t you own the business? As the boss, you should be able to take a break to talk to your mother. Anyway, you can’t be that busy in such a small town.” Her voice was clipped and irritated.

  “Actually I’m pretty much always busy. People in small towns love their coffee and cakes. But okay, what is it that you want to talk to me about?” It was easier to just give in and let her have her say.

  “I just want to know when you’re going to give up on this silly venture and come home. I’m sure Trevor would take you back in an instant. He’s very sorry, you know. And nobody even knows about what happened, so you two can get married without all this Claire business being talked about at the club.”

  I sighed. “Mom, he cheated on me. With someone who I thought was my friend. I’m not coming home. And I don’t care what people at your silly country club talk about. I wanted, no actually, I needed a change. I’m happy here. Or, at least, I think I will be happy here.”

  “Honestly, June, it’s like there is no talking sense to you. Your brother has just arrived, I’ll call you tomorrow,” she said and hung up before I could ask her to please call outside of business hours.

  “Was that your mother again?” Sarah, my assistant baker and waitress, asked.

  “Yes,” I sighed emphatically.

  “She still badgering you to go back home?”

  “I don’t believe she’ll ever stop,” I said.

  The bell at the front desk rang and I went to go help the customer. It was two women in their early twenties. The blonde had a heart tattoo on her wrist that looked brand new.

  “Hi there, how can I help you?” I said with a bright smile on my face.

  “Can we just order two iced coffees?” the young woman with the heart tattoo asked.

  I nodded. “Would you like to sit here or do you want it to go?”

  “Oooh, shall we sit here?” the blonde said to her brunette friend.

  She agreed and they went to take a seat. I asked Sarah to keep an eye on the scones as I made three iced coffees, two for the customers and one for me. I delivered the coffees and delighted as the two women took a sip and then went on about how good they were. I prided myself on both my coffee and baking skills.

  I went back behind the counter to drink mine and as I did that, I saw the tattoo artist from down the road walk past. I watched him for a few seconds until I s
aw him look through the shop window and then I made sure to stare anywhere but at him. There was something about him that made me want to walk outside and introduce myself.

  The young brunette seemed to notice him as well. “Isn’t that Tommy?” she asked her friend.

  “Of course it is. How many guys do you know in this town who look like that?” her friend replied. “I asked him out, you know. But he said he wasn’t who I’m looking for right now. What kind of answer is that? I think he’s just trying to play hard-to-get. I’ll drop by the tattoo parlor tomorrow and flirt for a bit. He’ll give in eventually.”

  So his name’s Tommy, I thought to myself. The young woman was right; he was the only guy in town who looked like that. There were a few guys who were tattooed, but they weren’t as smolderingly handsome as Tommy. He was tall, muscular and I could tell just from looking at him that all his ink was well thought out. But there was no use in me looking at him like that. I’d heard he was a playboy and clearly the young blonde sipping on her iced coffee was far more his type.

  However, something inside me desperately wanted him to walk into my bakery. He was striking and even the way he walked was filled with self-assured confidence. He must be in his mid to late 30s, I thought. He had the look of a man who’d experienced a lot of what life had to offer… but there was still something young and energetic about him.

  The thing was, I just wanted to look at him. I was a little over men at this point. In fact, I’d moved out to Florydale to get away from men. Of course, my ex-fiancé was the complete opposite to Tommy. Sure, he was tall and handsome, but he was far more conservative in the way he dressed and the way he lived… except for cheating on me, that is.

  Trevor had seemed like such a safe choice. We’d met at the country club my family frequented. He played golf with my father and showered my mother with compliments about her cooking (even though we had a chef and she didn’t lift a finger in the kitchen). He was always polite, never late and kept up to date with current affairs. Now that I look back at it, he was a little boring and predictable. Until he slept with Claire. I never would have expected that in a million years.

  I’d felt so stupid when I found out about their affair. And my family was horrified when I called off the engagement. Trevor came from a family that they considered upstanding enough to marry their only daughter. My parents and brother didn’t see the cheating as too much of a problem. As long as nobody knew about it. They thought it was one little mistake that I was a fool not to forgive. My father just kept telling me how Trevor would work so hard to take care of me to make up for his “slight transgression.”

  Well, I wouldn’t be able to live like that. And I didn’t want a man to take care of me. What I wanted was to open my own little bakery in a small town and I’d found the perfect one. I had moved away quickly enough to avoid any interference from my family, but I hadn’t changed my number, so they were always calling to try and convince me to come home.

  Chapter 3: Tommy

  I had an early appointment in the morning, so I had to open up shop at 7 am to prepare. As I walked past the bakery, I saw the owner unlocking her front door. I had no excuse not to greet her with a small smile and a wave. In towns like Florydale, everyone greets each other; it’s just the way things work.

  She smiled back and said, “Good morning.”

  I quickly replied, “Yes it is” in a somewhat flirtatious tone. I hadn’t meant to, but I guess old habits die hard. I kept walking to the tattoo parlor, this time with a bit of a spring in my step. There was something about that woman that I just couldn’t let go.

  When I got to work, Kimberly, the blonde woman from the day before, was waiting for me.

  “Back so soon? The ink bug has clearly got you,” I muttered as I opened up the shop.

  “I just wanted to ask if it looks right to you? I don’t want anything to ruin your beautiful heart,” she said as she showed me her wrist.

  “It’s healing perfectly,” I responded. “And it’s your heart now, love,” I added with a wink.

  I definitely didn’t mean to flirt with her, but I guess I was in that mood after seeing the woman from the bakery.

  “Okay, well, how about we catch a drink tonight?” she asked with a big smile.

  “Can’t tonight, Pete and I have plans.” Just as I said that, Pete walked in.

  “What plans do we have exactly?” he said with a mischievous grin on his face.

  “We’re going to GamePlan for a drink, remember? You wanted to pick my brain about your designs?” I was going to be pissed if he didn’t catch the hint.

  “Yeah, right. Sure. I mean, you’re welcome to join us if you want, Kimberly. Bring a friend and we’ll call it a party.” He grinned.

  I was going to give him a serious talking to once we were alone. But there was nothing I could do now; he’d flat-out invited her to join us with plans I’d just made up on the spot.

  “Sounds great. What time?” Kimberly asked eagerly.

  “6 pm,” I muttered. At least if it was early, I could make an excuse to leave at some point before things got too messy. She agreed and went on her way.

  “Why on earth would you do that?” I asked Pete.

  “It would have been rude not to.”

  “One of these days, I’m going to smack that smirk off your face, kid.”

  We were quickly interrupted by my first appointment of the day. It was Emily, this little old lady from the flower store down the road. She was probably the most alternative person over the age of 50 that I’d met in this town, with her gray hair dyed purple and the multiple earrings in her ear. She wanted a rose for her granddaughter of the same name.

  She didn’t even flinch when I started on the tattoo. She was more hardcore than most. I once had a bodybuilder tear up on my table. Although, to be honest, I’d never understood what all the fuss was about. It felt like nothing more than a tickle on a sunburn to me.

  After Emily left, I asked Pete to make me a cup of coffee in the back. It was already 10 am and I hadn’t had my first cup of coffee. I was going to start shaking soon.

  “Sorry, boss, we’re all out of beans. Should I head over to the store?”

  I shook my head. “You don’t get beans like that at the local grocery store. I order them online. I’ll just go down to the bakery and get a coffee. My next appointment isn’t for an hour. You want one?”

  “Nah, that stuff makes me crazy. I’m more of a tea guy… my problem is that I have too much energy.”

  “That’s just your youth talking. Wait until you get to my age,” I laughed as I left the shop and started walking down the road.

  “Yeah, ‘cause you’re such an old dude,” he shouted after me.

  She was standing at the counter as I came in. “Hey, there. What can I get you?” Her smile was bright and genuine.

  “Just a black coffee, please, ma’am,” I said in a mock gentlemanly fashion.

  “Oh dear lord, don’t tell me I’m old enough to be called ma’am,” she laughed.

  “Well, how about you give me your name so I know what to call you?” I said smoothly. I was clearly in a flirtatious mood today.

  “It’s June,” she replied after a quick pause, as if she was hesitant to hand out her name to strange men.

  “Nice to meet you. I’m Tommy. You’re new to town, right?”

  “Yes, I’ve only been here a few weeks,” she said as she poured me a coffee from a large glass pot.

  “You enjoying it here?” I wanted to find out as much about her as I could.

  “Yes, it’s lovely. The people are super friendly and seem to like this place, so business is always good. Did you grow up here?”

  “Nope, I was raised in New York. But I had an uncle who used to live here. He died about a year ago and left me his office space, which I turned into a tattoo parlor. I was looking for a change of pace.” I didn’t often talk this much about myself, but something about her made me want to be completely honest.