Novels by Turquoise Grace

The hot water beat down on Kate’s tired body, doing little to ease the aches and pains of her exhausted muscles and absolutely nothing to diffuse the mental depletion she felt. Perpetually fatigued was now her permanent state of being, but she wouldn’t have it any other way. She hurried to work the shampoo through her now shoulder-length brown hair, keeping one eye on the baby monitor that flashed on the vanity. She closed her eyes momentarily, silently praying that everyone stayed asleep for just five more minutes. Bubbles tingled across her pink chipped toenails - a reminder from her and Paloma’s last day out alone, sans kids. She stifled a giggle, remembering how Colton had phoned her, asking her a million questions while squeals echoed in the background. Upon her return, he had met her at the door, black tee covered in spit-up and mashed banana while exhausted eyes stared at her gratefully. The click of the bathroom door dragged her from her thoughts, squinting eye

Colton’s wide eyes stared back at Kate, as she panted through yet another excruciating contraction; her entire pelvis spreading apart to allow their baby to enter the world. The floral tones of Bernadette’s perfume wafted through the room as she returned, snapping on a pair of blue latex gloves, a stack of blue sheets tucked under her arm. Another woman trudged behind, not clearly as enthused as Bernadette, sanitizing her hands before sliding on her own pair of gloves. Snapping her gum, she made her way over to the machine beside Kate’s bed, mature hazel eyes peering over square glasses to scan the paper slowly rolling from the machine.“Okay, Kate,” Bernadette chirped from the end of the bed, her short hair curled eloquently atop her head. Kate took in the swirls of brown, ebbing and flowing across her crown as she pushed through another surge of pain. “Kate,” Bernadette smiled, patting Kate’s bare leg to garner her atten

Shivering as she swept the blankets off her bloated body, Kate groaned, awkwardly clambering from the bed, one hand attempting to massage her lower back as she waddled to the bathroom. The sun had begun to rise, its rays just starting to seep through the small crack of their curtain. It bounced off Colton’s watch face, illuminating a soft glowy spot on the roof. She cast a glance over her shoulder, unable to help the smile that grew across her face at Colton’s muffled snores, his bare torso exposed with one inked hand resting atop it. His wedding ring glistened ever so slightly in the dewy dawn light. She’d always assumed married life would feel no different and for the first few weeks, aside from the bubbling excitement that they’d actually gone through with it, it hadn’t, but as the weeks turned to months, Kate grew to understand exactly why people did it. Knowing that Colton had wholeheartedly committed himself to her for the rest of his life was an

The car jounced down the dirt road, wheels spinning stray flecks of gravel through the air. The sky was almost pitch black now, a thick blanket filled with tiny stars that glinted brightly against the navy backdrop. The woods, still filled with the unsettling presence of flashlights, seemed eerier in the rearview, the few police cars that remained at the cottage shining from the glow of the kitchen light emanating from the window. Kate tugged at the threads of Colton’s sweatshirt, pulling the fabric over her mouth as she buried herself into the passenger seat. The radio announcer's voice drifted through the otherwise silent interior, talking about a new song being released by a popular female artist. Kate tried to focus on what he was saying, to push away the intrusive thoughts that were swirling through her mind, but his words turned into a mish-mash of nonsense, garbled sounds that made no sense to her. From her peripheral, she caught Colton m’s hand resting gently aga

“Colton!”Her own voice rang in her ears, the sharp whistle of a gunshot pulsing deep in the chambers of her mind as all other noises diffused, dulling down to an almost non-existent whine. Colton’s body crumpled to the floor, the rifle discharging as it hit the scuffed floorboards; another loud pop burrowing into her eardrums. Attempting to stand, she clutched her stomach, huffing as she brought herself to her feet, watching in horror as a small team of officers, dressed in dark S.W.A.T vests, approached, their movements slow and controlled, methodically assessing the scene before them.“Kate!”Sandy’s voice cut through the mind-numbing noise, the warmth of her hand resting on Kate’s shoulder, preventing her from moving forward. Tearing away from her grasp, Kate stumbled forward, tripping over Preston’s extended leg and careening to the floor. She stuck out her hands, her wrists taking the brunt of the impact as s

Tucking her knees into her chest - as far as her pregnant stomach would allow - Kate covered her ears, consciously inhaling and exhaling through pursed lips in an attempt to steady her erratic heart. Somewhere in the lounge room, she heard Colton shuffling about, the harsh rake of the curtain rings sliding along the thick wooden rods, shading them from the view of the outside. He continued grumbling over the phone, the string of expletives showing no signs of easing as his heavy footsteps clunked past her, growing muffled in the weathered carpet as he retreated into the bedroom. Cabinet doors banged open, the clang and clatter of objects dispersing as he rifled through them before forcefully slamming them shut with an irritated grunt. The anxiety coursing through her triggered the baby, its tiny limbs poking and prodding her stomach as she strove to calm herself down.“You better have someone here soon, Sandy,” Colton spat in the background, the sound of ano

The doorbell chimed, resounding loudly through the silent house. Jon winced, rolling Zoe onto her side to slip out from under her. He’d remained beneath her for far longer than he anticipated, raking his fingers across her bare arm, listening to the slow, deep breaths that puffed from her parted lips. Tugging on a pair of sweats, he leaned down, bringing the blanket up to her chin before kissing her forehead sweetly. A sleepy smile lifted the corners of her mouth, but she didn’t stir. He padded from the room, closing the door softly with a gentle click.As he padded down the staircase, he heard the coffee machine starting up, Lia’s footsteps scuffing around the kitchen. “Make yourself at home,” he laughed, scratching his bare stomach before stretching out his fatigued muscles.She smirked, tucked her hair behind her ears as she clinked a spoon against the sides of the coffee cup. “Oh, ‘bout time you made an appearance. What took you so long?”“Zoe was asleep on me.” Flipping open the

Vibrations rattled the nightstand, rousing Zoe from her deep slumber. She groaned, fumbling to muffle the noise with the crisp pillow. Her elbow fell to the left, hitting firm muscles. Sleepy eyes cracked open, lips parting in a soft oof. Realizing what had awoken her, he scrambled to silence the phone, hastily returning to his place against her warm body. Pillowy lips brushed against the bony mound behind her ear. “Good morning.” Zoe hummed in response, tangling her fingers with hers, resting them against the silky fabric of her nightgown. His nose scraped against the baby hairs at the nape of her neck. “I love waking up next to you.”“Even after last night?” she murmured, the unease that had stifled the room last night knotting her stomach.“You’re a good person, Zoe.” The deep, raw huskiness of his voice was stronger in the morning and it sent shivers peppering across her skin. “It’s one of the reasons why… why I feel the way I do about you, even when it makes the risk of losing yo

Warm water trickled over her body, moving like a slow current, winding and gliding over her dewy skin, never staying in one place for long. Jon perched on the bed, elbows propped on his knees, his intense black eyes watching her contentedly. Watching her work, hips shimmying in the dim lights, smile shining in his direction whenever she got the chance, had worked him up into a lustful frenzy. She affected him in ways no one ever had before. Her thighs spreading apart in the car, her breath sharpening as he rested his hand on her leg, it all sent him fucking crazy. The swollen lump beneath his jeans resisted against the fabric, begging for him to join her. He rose, unable to take the pressure any longer. As he slipped into the bathroom, tugging off his shirt, he grinned at the anticipatory sigh that escaped her.“Bout time,” she murmured, her voice muffled beneath the flow of the shower head.Hastily discarding his jeans, he stepped into the shower, his brea

Ignoring the wolf whistles from behind her, Zoe concentrated on keeping the large tray of drinks precariously balancing on her arm upright. Distributing the foamy glasses between the scruffy men around the table, she narrowed her eyes toward Danny, his hand poised to slap her behind. “Don’t even think about it.”“Come on,” he laughed, thick Boston accent brash against the clamor. “It’s the only action I get all night.”“That’s pitiful,” Zoe grimaced, sliding his pint in front of him.A club regular, Danny was particularly friendly with Sienna. Zoe couldn’t pinpoint what it was about him Sienna entertained but considering where she’d been spending the last three weeks; she was no longer one to judge. A petty thief, Danny was hardly a concern. With messy brown hair and crooked teeth hidden behind thin lips, he let out a cheeky laugh. “So that’s a yes?”“That’s a definite no,” Zoe snorted, shielding her rear with the tray as she retreated behind the bar. She scooped up a fresh glass, che

The fresh morning air chilled her naked body as Zoe rose from the sheets, wrapping her arms around her torso. Scrounging through her duffel, she tugged out a gray sweater and a pair of light jeans, hastily slipping them on to soothe the stippling across her olive skin. Padding to the bathroom, she splashed her face with cool water, raking her fingers through her disheveled hair. She brushed her teeth slowly, allowing her mind’s debate to continue until finally, her desire to gratify Jon won. Letting out a nervous breath, she double-checked her appearance and shuffled toward the bedroom door.Her heartbeat clunked awkwardly, her footsteps muffled by the plush carpet of the staircase. Jon’s voice trailed from the kitchen, excusing himself before he appeared at the bottom of the steps. Outstretching his hand, he smiled as Zoe laced her fingers with his. He kissed the top of her head, taking a moment to bury his face into her hair. “I’m really glad you came down,” he murmured, gently peck

Warm, golden streaks filtered through unshielded windows, the heavy curtains still drawn to the sides. Zoe winced, rubbing her sleepy eyes as she tried to remember how she’d ended up between the buttery sheets. Beside her, Jon was still asleep, deep, weighty breaths undulating his firm chest, the inked skin of his bicep curled around her waist. With her leg draped over his lower half, she shifted incrementally, propping herself on her elbow to study his peaceful face. Long, dark lashes brushed daintily against olive skin. A shadow of stubble stretched across his head, trailing down the sides of his face to outline his sculpted jawline. She gingerly swept her fingertips down the misshapen bridge of his nose.“It’s crooked,” he murmured, eyes still closed lazily. “I hate it.”Replacing her fingers with her lips, she planted a soft peck. “I think it’s hot,” she tutted. “Makes you look tough.”Dark eyes glanced up at her through cracked lids, a sleepy smile tugging at the corners of his