Undeniably You by Jewel E. Ann
- Alisha Eadle
- 25 minutes ago
- 15 min read
Undeniably You
by Jewel E. Ann
Self-Published
Book 1 in the Montgomery Sisters Duology
Sydney Montgomery doesn't plan to make a career out of house-sitting.
It's just the means to an end. In a month, she’s off to visit the galleries of Europe and finish up the degree she needs to make her career as a museum curator. The life she's been working for is finally within reach.
In the meantime, she’s getting paid to sip margaritas and wrangle a naughty dog poolside in California.
When the pool guy shows up with his hot body, cool persona, and eyes like iridescent blue oceans, she’s mesmerized. Except Dr. Lautner Sullivan isn’t the pool guy at all. He’s a college wide receiver turned pediatric resident that fate delivered to the wrong house.
Lautner is every girl’s dream, but Sydney is not every girl. She’s immune to rainbows, fairytales, surf-side picnics, and the “L” word.
Thirty days is all she plans to give him, but fate wants to give them forever.
Genre
Triggers
Unexpected pregnancy, not telling father about child
I loved a lot about this book.
The meet-cute. Perfect.
The build up between Sydney and Lautner was delicious. Seriously, Jewel E. Ann can write epic levels of chemistry between her characters, and these two were no exception.
The tension throughout the whole book was borderline criminal.
Seriously. My heart.
But if there was one thing I didn't like about this book, was that by the end ... I just didn't like Sydney all the much.
Every single decision this girl made was just ... not the right one. And the consequences from those actions not only hurt her, but ended up hurting two really good guys.
She hurts Lautner in a way that, I personally, wouldn't be able to forgive her for.
And she breaks Dane's heart, by settling, and what felt a bit like using him for his goodwill.
By the end, I was thrilled that we were getting a happily ever after (we always do, even if Jewel E. Ann drags us through the emotional mud pit first), but I was left feeling ... sad for Dane.
What about his happy ending?
And yes, he did a bad thing too. But in the end, it wasn't his place to say anything. That was Sydney's job.
And while nothing is written in the book about it ... it must be confusing for a child to be taken from the only man she knew as a father figure, and replaced with another - even if she quickly grew to love Lautner. Dane was there since birth. That had to be rough for her, and Dane.
Considering her own past with her parents, and her feelings regarding her mother, I was surprised that this didn't seem to be a big worry for her.
In the end, I still gave this book five stars. While I wouldn't have made the choices she did, I still genuinely loved the story. The tension, the acute pain I was in the last half of the book ... ugh. Nothing like a Jewel E. Ann book when you are in the mood for a good cry. And frankly, Lautner was a dream character to read. Swoon.
If you are looking for a book that will hook you immediately, and give you a good cry, Undeniably You is it. But be prepared to want to shake our main character.
Swarley's magnetic attraction to a certain crotch is distracting. Although he's not my dog, and I'm sure Dr. Abbott is used to it, I feel the need to explain his behavior.
Sydney: "He must think you have a big piece of meat in there."
The words come out of my mouth, and my brain - that apparently has a two-second delay - catches up as I turn crimson. Dr. Abbott is discernibly embarrassed by my comment because the shade of his face mirrors mine while he averts his eyes to the chart he's holding. Kimberly coughs and turns her back to us. It's obvious she's trying to stifle her reaction as well.
Sydney: "Oh my God! I didn't mean ... or what I meant -"
Swarley has diarrhea of the ass and I have diarrhea of the mouth. Could this day get any worse?
Sydney: "Listen, I don't know who the fuck you are, but I suggest you get out of here before I call the police or ... cut you!"
His eyes flash between mine and the knife, yet his look is one of amusement with his lips curling at the corners.
Lautner: "Cut me?"
he says with a raise of his brow.
Waving the knife around with reckless abandon, I growl.
Sydney: "Yes, cut you, stab you, castrate you."
Squinted blue eyes twinkling with mischief stare at me.
Lautner: "Castrate me?"
Sydney: "Yes, chop off your penis!"
I slide the knife through the air in an X.
Lautner: "Castration would be removing my testicl-"
Sydney: "Get out!"
Sydney: "Okay, dog, when I say attack you'd better obey."
I tread up the drive and as I come around the corner of his 4Runner I'm taken back by the sight on the porch. Pseudo pool guy is sitting on the steps holding a huge bouquet of wild flowers and beside him is a drink holder with cups and a white sack.
Sydney: "Attack,"
I whisper, releasing the leash.
Swarley runs up the steps and starts licking pool guys face.
Stupid dog.
Lautner: "Aren't you going to invite me in?"
Pausing in the middle of the doorway, I contemplate the sanity of inviting a total stranger into a house that doesn't belong to me. Okay, I did it yesterday, but completely under false pretenses.
Twisting my lips to the side, I shrug my shoulders.
Sydney: "Depends. What's in the bag?"
Lautner: "Cherry-almond galettes."
I grab the bag and look inside. It's a done deal. He's officially invited in, and if one of those four cups is a chai tea latte, I will drop to my knees and give him the best damn blow job he's ever had.
Sydney: "After you."
I grin and pivot to let him in.
Sydney: "How exactly would you explain yesterday's events?"
I raise a brow at him and sip my tea.
Teasing his tongue over the corner of his mouth, he rolls his eyes to the ceiling for a moment. Bright blue irises meet mine and his face softens.
Lautner: "Boy meets girl. Boy physically feels like he's gasping for air because the girl before him is just stunning, absolutely ... breathtaking. An unfamiliar feeling seizes boy - fear. Fear that he's taken a wrong turn for all the right reasons. Fear that the moment could slip away and for the rest of his life he'd live with the excruciating agony born from the soul-snatching 'what if?'"
Why can't I go to the beach with Lautner? I don't know, but my instincts tell me it has something to do with self-preservation. That, and it's the correct response to a person I've known for two seconds. Who in their right mind would do something so reckless as to say "what the hell" and jump into a stranger's vehicle because he said "what if?"
Me. That's who.
Barely able to contain my nervous excitement, I twirl my long hair around my finger and grin that you-might0be-Ted-Bundy-but-fuck-it-I'm-going-with-you-anyway grin.
Sydney: "Nervous? Why would I be nervous? It's not as if I'm going to the beach with a complete stranger who could rape me, chop up my body, and feed me to the sharks."
A deep staccato chuckle reverberates from his chest.
Lautner: "Sydney, I'm not going to rape you."
And...
An eerie silence hands between us as I give him a sideways glace. Focused on the road, his slightly crooked smile is filled with mischief.
Sydney: "And ..."
I tilted my head in his direction waiting for a more reassuring response.
Lautner: "And what?"
Sydney: "And I'm supposed to take comfort in knowing that my virginity will be preserved when I'm butchered and fed to the sharks?"
Lautner's head whips in my direction.
Lautner: "You're a virgin?"
he emphasizes the last word with a high-pitched tone.
Sydney: "No, of course not. It's just a saying."
He shakes his head.
Lautner: "Being 'nervous as a long-tailed cat in a room full of rocking chairs' is just a saying. "My virginity will be preserved' is not a saying. It's a declaration, an announcement, a disclosure ... a big reveal. But it is not a saying."
Lautner: "Oh, well I'd hate to be predictable. However, I am a little disappointed by your reaction. After all, aren't you trained to see a diamond in the rough?"
I guffaw.
Sydney: "Oh my! You're calling yourself a diamond in the rough?"
He shrugs.
Lautner: "Sure, why not? I have to at least be considered a good catch."
A good catch? Is it possible to meet two "good catches" in less than twenty-four hours?
I cross my arms over my chest and watch the hilly terrain pass by.
Sydney: "You might be. Not that I would care. I'm not looking to catch anything or anyone."
Lautner: "You could be in trouble then. We're all unsuspecting fish in the sea being lured by temptation."
I snort.
Sydney: "If you're calling yourself bait, then I'll concede you are distracting, trouble, bad news ... but tempting? No. I'll willingly swim into the net when I'm ready, but that won't be anytime soon. Not to sound shellfish, but I don't have time for the fisherman right now."
He roars into a boisterous laughter.
Lautner: "Shellfish? God, Sydney, you're too much."
Sydney: "So you didn't plan this day special for me?"
Lautner: "Don't flatter yourself. As I said, I have a lot going on in my life. No time for romantic grand gestures."
Oh, he's smooth. I suck in a breath and bite my upper lip to keep my reaction neutral. He's definitely proving to be a worthy adversary.
Sydney: "Then what do you call the galettes and tea this morning?"
I raise a single brow.
Keeping his eyes on the road, he grins.
Lautner: "Breakfast."
Sydney: "And the flowers?"
Lautner: "A momentary lapse of sanity."
He glances at me with a smirk.
Lautner: "But I'm okay with it. The line between insanity and genius is often blurred."
Sydney: "Yeah, that's kind of what I though when I agreed to come with you today."
Lautner: "Sydney?"
He brings me out of my nervous rant.
Sydney: "Mm hmm?"
Lautner: "You can let go now. I've already seen your boo-breasts."
Sydney: "Well, once is enough so ..."
Lautner: "I'd have to disagree with you on-"
Sydney: "Lautner! Just close you eyes, let go me, and count to one hundred."
Lautner: "Shall I bring my swim trunks?"
Sydney: "Only if you plan on getting in the pool or hot tub."
I shrug, looking out the window.
Lautner: "Oh, I plan on getting in both. I'm just confirming whether or not I need my swim trunks."
Turning, I punch him in the arm, which is the equivalent of a bug hitting the windshield.
Sydney: "Shut up! From now on, we both keep our clothes or suits on. Got it?"
Lautner: "Hey, I'll follow the rules if you do."
He chuckles as we pull into the drive.
Sydney: "Yes, Swarley! I'm up. Jeez, must you lick my entire head?"
It's 7:00 a.m., so much for sleeping in.
Sydney: "Don't think I didn't see you licking your ass last night. Now my head is covered in your ass germs. Where are your manners?"
I mumble, putting on my jogging shorts and T-shirt. He plops down with his head resting on his front paws that are crossed. I'm getting the "puppy dog" eyes.
Sydney: "I'm not buying the act. Let's go."
Lautner: "Stop picturing me naked."
He's not even looking at me, but his lips are twisted into a cocky grin.
I stand idle with my towel hugged to my front. My eyes snap to his that are now focused on me.
Sydney: "I-I'm not picturing you naked."
Wrapping my towel around my chest, I brush past him.
Lautner: "It's okay if you are. I sure as hell am picturing you without your top on."
Lautner: "If you must know, I get more compliments from women about some of my other body parts."
There are a thousand notes of sexual innuendo in his voice. He's an irresistible flirt.
Time to change the subject.
I tug at the leg of his cargo shorts.
Sydney: "You didn't come dressed for the pool."
Lautner: "Didn't stop me before."
He wiggles his eyebrows.
I cross my arms over my chest and squint my eyes.
Sydney: "Not today, big guy."
Lautner: "Oh, so you so know what part of my body gets the most compliments."
Lautner: "Why won't you look at me? I'm not naked and anyway you've already seen -"
Sydney: "I didn't look -"
Lautner: "Oh, you looked -"
Sydney: "No, I didn't and now you're only wearing your underwear and I can see your ... or the outline of your ..."
Lautner: "Penis? Cock? Dick? Wood? Schlong? Womb broom? Clam hammer? Yogurt slinger?"
Lautner: "My pockets are too damn wet. I can't get my hands down in them to get the keys!"
he yells.
Lautner: "Maybe you should try. You have smaller hands."
Sydney: "What?"
I squint my eyes against the rain, looking up at him. He can't be serious. They're flipping cargo shorts for goodness sakes. They've got like ... twenty pockets on them. Why wouldn't he put the keys in one of the outer pockets on the legs instead of his hip pocket.
Sydney: "Ugh! This is ridiculous."
He holds his hands up in surrender. I shake my head and stick my hand down in one pocket.
It's empty.
Then I stick it down his other pocket, but I can't feel his keys.
Lautner: "Maybe you should move it around a little more."
What?
I hear the double beep of the doors unlocking. Looking up, I see the keys dangling from his finger and he has the biggest shit-eating grin on his face.
Sydney: "Why you son of a -"
He puts his finger to my mouth.
Lautner: "Now, now ... that's my mom you're talking about."
Sydney: "Why would you even sleep with someone you weren't physically attracted to?"
Avery: "Boredom."
She giggles.
I roll my eyes.
Sydney: "You need a hobby."
Avery: "Maybe sex if my hobby."
Sydney: "Great, write that on the Christmas card you send Dad."
Sydney: "Yeah, about last night ... it's been brought to my attention that I may have been a little out of line with something I did and said so-"
Lautner: "Really? Such as ..."
I can't believe he's going to make me say it. He's so frustrating. One minute he's cleaning puke off the drunk girl, showing his kind side, and the next he's trying to humiliate me. Granted, I do a pretty good job of setting myself up for it.
Sydney: "Such as drinking too much to begin with, then maybe giving the impression that I was ... jealous of Claire, or Dr. Brown."
Lautner: "You mean Dr. Skank?"
Shit!
Sydney: "Yes - I mean - no, not Dr. Skank. I don't remember calling her that, but if I did then I'm sorry. I didn't mean it."
I may have meant it.
Lautner: "Don't sweat it, Syd. I think you're adorable when you get all jealous."
Sydney: "I was not jealous!"
I yell in a high-pitched voice.
Lautner: "Uh ... your striptease was entitled 'Where Lautner's hands will never be again if he doesn't keep them off Dr. Skank.'"
Kill me now and never let another drop of alcohol pass my lips.
Sydney: "If I were to go blind tomorrow, the last thing in the whole world I would want to see is your eyes,"
I whisper with a weak, raw voice.
Sydney: "I can't believe you're still here. Seriously, I'm a disaster. I'm noncommittal. I'm a fainter. I'm a terrible drunk. And I advertised my menstrual cycle to you after knowing you for only five days. Five days! You should have been yelling 'crazy bitch' and running for the hills."
He hands me my sandwich and shakes his head.
Lautner: "I would trade a single second of you 'crazy' for a lifetime of sanity."
I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you ... only you ... always you ... forever you.
Lautner: "I'm feeling greedy. I want every minute. You're lucky I let you sleep at all."
He plans me into a seated position at the foot of the bed, turns on the closet light, and rummages through my suitcase.
Sydney: "As I recall, you didn't. I think I finally passed out. Are you on Viagra or something?"
Lautner kneels in front of me and slips on my panties and shorts. Then he lifts me to my feet and pulls them the rest of the way up. I reluctantly fasten them.
Lautner: "You're my Viagra,"
he whispers in my ear, nibbling my earlobe.
Sydney: "Your personal life is none of my business and -"
Lautner: "Stop!"
He pulls back and cradles my face in his hands, wiping my tear-stained cheeks with his thumbs.
Lautner: "What are you talking about? This. Us. Nothing has ever felt more personal. I'd bare my soul to you if you'd let me. Do you get that? Do you have any idea how I really feel about you?"
Lautner: "You're killing me, Sydney Ann Montgomery."
He shakes his head.
Lautner: "I'm not a greedy guy, so this ... feeling is hard to handle."
Sydney: "Feeling?"
He nods.
Lautner: "Wanting something more than anything else in the world, but knowing you can't have it ... know I can't have you."
Lautner: "I. Love. You. Period. It's a goddamn soul-shattering love that will never, ever be matched. My love for you is unapologetic and forever."
Don't be afraid to fall. Sometimes the perspective we need most is from the ground. Don't be afraid to succeed. Sometimes we don't shoot for the sky because we don't look high enough. Hence, the view from the ground. Follow your dreams with steadfast determination. Never settle. Open your heart to endless possibilities, and risk it all for a moment, when the moment is right.
Dane: "Well ... he's a fuc - a freaking idiot."
As much pain as this conversation brings me, I still manage to let a giggle escape with an accompanying smile.
Sydney: "You're right. He is a fucafreaking idiot."
Dad: "I wish you would have been eavesdropping on the conversation we had after she received her cancer diagnosis. The one where she broke down and cried in my arms for hours, eaten alive with guilt. She wanted more time with us - more movies, more bike rides, more camping in the back yard and roasting marshmallows on the grill. The list of regrets was so long and painful to hear, but she never said she regretted having you and your sister, and she never regretted being a mom instead of an architect."
I'm a flood of emotions. The searing honesty I see as his eyes find mine, lifts the weight of guilt I've been suffering under for years.
His hand moves to my face and I lean into it as he wipes my tears.
Dad: "That, my sweet girl, is the conversation you should have taken to heart and set your goals and dreams on."
Avery: "Pfft ... friend? Whatever. Dane has complete Sydney tunnel vision. He could be in a room full of naked models and still choose to run hemorrhoid cream on your ass."
Lautner: "here's the problem. I don't know how to live if I'm not loving you. It's like asking my lungs to expand without air, my heart to bear without blood, my eyes to see without light. It's just not possible. ANd yet, you're so stupid ..."
I laugh and sob at the same time, eyes swollen, nose sniffling.
Lautner: "How could you ever think I would love someone the way I love you?"
He takes a step closer, reaching into the inside of his jacket, pulls out a hankie and blots my face one gentle pat at a time.
Lautner: "You obviously didn't hear me the first time so I'll say it again."
He smiles.
Lautner: "Are you ready?"
I nod and sniffle.
Lautner: "I. Love. You. Period. It's a goddamn soul-shattering love that will never ever be matched. My love for you is unapologetic and forever."
He puts his hankie back in his pocket and cradles my face.
Blue irises.
Lautner: "I love you ... only you ... always you ... forever you."
Lautner: "I've wanted many things in my life until I met you. Then I wanted nothing ... except you. My existence is for you ..."
he looks at Ocean
Lautner: "... every part of you. Never doubt my love for you. If I'm breathing, I'm loving you. Only you ... always you ... forever you."
Sydney: "What if you wouldn't have taken a wrong turn for the right reason? What if the moment would have slipped away? What if for the rest of our lives we would have to live with the excruciating agony born from the soul-snatching what if?"
I shake my head and smile.
Sydney: "BEST pick up line ever."
Lautner grins and in this moment it doesn't matter that nobody else understands our vows. It's just us and the rest of the world has always ceased to exist when we're together.
Almost four years ago, I met my wife. She didn't know it, but I did. Sydney landed in Palo Alto for one reason ... to be with me. When did I know she was the woman for me? Easy. The day she crawled onto the beach after trying to catch a few easy waves. Sharks? Hell, there were no sharks in a two mile radius. Even they swam away, embarrassed for her, after watching her capsize into the water so many times. On all fours, she crawled out of the water, stopping at my feet - her sexy goddess hair a matted tangled mess and an enormous sand turd sagging from her bikini bottoms. Two thoughts went through my mind. One: "Man! This girl is one, sexy, awkward, stubborn disaster." Two: "Yep, I'm probably going to marry her."
Being with her is my survival; loving her is effortless. She is the shining center of my universe and her love is the moon that pulls the tide of my heart.
Sydney: "Oh God! It hurts!"
Sydney yells clenching my hand.
Lautner: "I know it does, baby, but you're doing great."
Sydney: "The hell you do! How many babies have you pushed out of your vagina?"
Dr. Mackey, our OBGYN, perched on her stool between Sydney's spread legs, glances at me ,and I know she's smirking behind her mask as is the nurse next to her.
Lautner: "Well, none but -"
Sydney: "Then. Just. Don't. Talk."
Sydney: "I'm the coach, you're the assistant coach,"
I say between gritted teeth.
He picks up a soccer ball and dribbles it on his knees just to prove he's all that.
Lautner: "Well, the moms at the team meeting said they'd like to watch me run practice."
I roll my eyes.
Sydney: "Oh, I'm sure they'd love to watch you do anything. As I recall, I had to hand out tissues at that meeting so they could wipe to drool off their faces,"
