The Journey Home

“From page one, The Journey Home took me on a literary journey that had me never wanting the book to end. The depth of feeling and emotional span this book touched on was both inspiring and touching, leaving me with the indescribable words at how brilliant this read was for me. Sometimes the path is winding and filled with unexpected detours, but fate rights the path, bringing us…home.”

- Kristin Mayer, author of Ripple Effect and The Trust Series

“Kelly Elliott knocks it out of the park again! Cale and Maddie’s story was an angst-filled roller coaster I loved from the very first page.”

- Kahlen Aymes, USA TODAY Bestselling author of The Remembrance Trilogy and The After Dark Series

“The Journey Home is a heartbreaking tale of how love can shatter into a million pieces at night, only to rise again into the most brilliant of sunrises in the morning.”

- Becca Manuel, Becca the Bibliophile

“Kelly Elliott takes us places she’s never gone before. The Journey Home will take you on a roller coaster of emotions. Cale and Maddie will go through lies, heartache, and deceit. You will love and hate their journey. Love is not always easy, but when it is true you always find your way home.”

- Karen Bell

“This amazing story is unlike anything I’ve read before by Kelly! She has spun together a web of love, loss, lies, suspense, drama, and twists which caught and held me captive from the beginning. The Journey Home will make you experience every emotion possible through the eyes of Maddie and Cale. Kelly shows us how, with fate being on your side, home and love, and new beginnings are possible.”

- Lisa Waugh

“OMG, this book was amazing. Although I loved the Wanted series, this has been my all-time favorite book! It’s so real to life, it’s relatable and the story lines makes you not want to put the book down.”

- Jessica Bayron

“Kelly has done it again. The Journey Home is a sexy story about two people that have an indescribable instant connection that they have to learn to adjust to in their everyday lives. Drama, suspense, and the feeling of love and loss are only a few emotions Kelly will bring out of you through Maddie and Cale. 10 golden stars for The Journey Home.”

- Christina Stevenson

THE MOMENT HER green eyes looked into mine, I knew I was in trouble. Then she smiled at me and I knew I was screwed for sure.

“Cale, dude, we just graduated from college. I didn’t have this damn party for you to pussy-ass around. Find someone and screw her. Tonight’s mission is to get laid by the first willing girl. Not stare for two hours at some girl who is clearly out of your league.

I looked at my best friend, Jack, and laughed. “Is that so? Then why are you still standing here?”

Jack shrugged. “I just haven’t found the one yet. That’s all.”

I rolled my eyes and chuckled. “Uh huh. I’m going outside for some fresh air.”

Jack was about to say something when a blonde walked by. Her breasts were falling out of her shirt. As she walked by, she licked her lips and winked at Jack.

“And there she is,” Jack said.

He slapped my back and smiled as he turned and followed the blonde. I shook my head and walked around to the back deck that led down to the beach. I wasn’t surprised that Jack was hooking up with someone tonight. We’d been friends since first grade and, even back then, his blue eyes and blond hair seemed to attract the girls. Jack was more into one-night stands, but I at least wanted to find someone who made me feel something.

I stepped off the back deck and made my way down to the water. I couldn’t get those green eyes out of my mind. I walked to the water’s edge and looked out at the black ocean. I wonder if she goes to the University. Who did she come here with?

I shook my head and laughed. “Snap the hell out of it Blackwood.”

“Do you make a habit of talking to yourself?”

I smiled and turned around to see her standing there, giving me a smile that forced me to fight to keep my knees from shaking.

“Only when I’m alone, standing on a beach in the middle of the night,” I said.

The girl laughed and it pulsed through my body like nothing I’d ever experienced. I swallowed hard and tried to come back to my senses.

She walked up to me and tilted her head as she bit down on he

r lower lip. “Or when your best friend just ditched you to hook up with someone?”

“The blonde?”

She nodded. “Monica has been after your buddy all night.”

“Have we met?” I asked her, looking her up and down. I’d definitely remember this girl if I’d seen her before. She was beautiful. Her brown hair fell just below her shoulders. She had a perfect body with breasts that were begging to be held in my hands and hips that gave her the prefect hourglass figure. I’d never cared for stick figures or girls who wanted to be rail thin.

She laughed and began walking along the beach. “No, but I’ve been admiring you from afar.” She said as she wiggled her eyebrows. “At least for the last two hours.”

I smiled and followed her. “I guess that makes two of us then.”

“To think I didn’t even want to come this party. I guess we’re both lucky that I got dragged along.”

I glanced at her as she looked away and bit her lower lip. I had the feeling she didn’t put herself out there like this very often.

“Do I get your name, at least?”

She stopped and looked at me. “Maddison, but I go by Maddie. Yours?”

“Cale.”

She reached out her hand and I took it in mine. In that moment, I felt it. With the way she sucked in a breath, I knew she’d felt it too.

“Maddie, may I ask you something?”

She smiled slowly. Now it was my turn to suck in a breath.

“Depends on what you’re gonna ask me, I guess.”

I lifted my mouth and gave her a half-smile as I thought, What is it about this girl?

“Would you think it was too forward of me to kiss you? I mean, we literally just met, but you take my breath away.”

Her lips parted slightly. The moonlight was shining on her face, lighting it up in such a way that I could see her eyes searching my face.

“Do you often find yourself on alone a beach, propositioning a stranger for a kiss?” She asked with a smirk.

I shook my head. “This would be a first for me.”

She looked down the beach and giggled. “Me too.”

She looked back at me. “I can’t explain it, but you…you make me…” She laughed and shook her head, looking away. “This is crazy insane. I can’t even believe I followed you out here.”

I placed my finger under her chin and brought her eyes back to mine.

“I make you what?”

Her smile faded as she said, “You make me want more than just a kiss, Cale. And I’ve never in my life done something like this.”

I’d never had my heart beat so hard in my chest before. “Maddie…” I shook my head as I leaned down and brushed my lips against hers. She placed her hands on my chest and slowly moved them up, wrapping them behind my neck as I deepened the kiss.

I’d kissed plenty of girls, but I’d never felt anything like this before. She let out a little moan as I pulled her closer to me. She ran her hand through my hair, slightly tugging.

I pulled my lips back, attempting to get my erratic breathing under control.

“Tell me how far you want to go with this, Maddie.”

Her chest was moving up and down so fast as she eased herself down onto the ground. I followed her as she laid back on the sand and I brought my lips back to hers.

The kiss started out slow and soft. She wrapped her legs around me and pulled me closer. As I pushed my hard dick into her, she let out a moan. I began grinding my dick against her.

“Touch me,” she whispered, as she began unbuttoning her shorts. “Please touch me.”

Briefly, I felt like I should stop us from making a mistake. But didn’t feel like it could possibly be a mistake. It felt as if we had been waiting a lifetime for each other.

I COULDN’T BELIEVE the words that were coming from my lips—asking a complete stranger to touch me. On a beach. Where anyone could walk up at any moment.

The second he looked at me with his piercing, green eyes, something happened. I’d felt him watching me all night as I moved around the room. Earlier, when Monica told me about the party, and how she desperately needed a night out, I knew my best friend wasn’t going let me get out of going.

Then I saw him. Cale. It was as if we had been searching for each other. The moment we looked into each other’s eyes, we found destiny.

I’d watched him make his way down to the beach with a blanket. I stood there for a few seconds, contemplating whether or not I should follow him. Maybe he wanted to sit on the beach alone and unbothered.

Now I was lying on the beach, Cale slipping my shorts and panties off as he laid his blanket underneath me. What the hell am I doing? I don’t do this sort of thing. Ever.

His lips grazed across my neck and I let out a moan, thrusting my hips toward him. I needed to feel his touch and it was driving me crazy that he was taking so long to touch me. He pushed my shirt up, pulling my bra down and exposing my hard nipples. When he leaned down and began sucking on one, I let out a gasp.

“Oh God, yes.”

Who is this girl? My mother would disown me if she saw me right now. Did I remember to take my birth control pill? God, I feel so easy. But this feels so right.

Cale sat up and ran his hand through his beautiful, wavy hair. It fell back in his eyes, light brown in the moonlight. I could feel the wetness between my legs. “Maddie, I’ve never been so turned on in my life. But I’m not sure I should…I mean we…God, I mean I want to like you wouldn’t believe. I just…”

If I didn’t do something soon, he would get up and revert to being a gentleman. But I didn’t need a gentleman. What I needed at that moment was to feel him inside of me. I quickly began undoing his pants and, as I pushed them down, I watched his erection spring out. I licked my lips and looked up at him as I wrapped my hand around his dick. I’d never been so brazen, but I had to have him. I was leaving in the morning for Europe, and I needed Cale to make love to me now.

I lay back and spread my legs open as his eyes followed every curve of my body. He reached for his pants and pulled a condom from his wallet. I couldn’t believe how my body was shaking with the anticipation of him being inside me.

He set the condom to the side and leaned down again, capturing my lips with his. The kiss was soft and gentle as Cale moved his hand down my body. He lightly touched my thigh as I let out a moan. Touch me. I needed him to touch me.

“Fuck me…” he whispered as he slipped his fingers inside me. I could feel my body pulling him in. I needed more. His fingers massaged inside of me as he kissed and sucked on my nipple. His other hand pulled and twisted my other nipple and I felt my build-up begin. Oh God, This is going to be a huge orgasm.

“Maddie, you feel so damn amazing,” he said.

“Cale!” I shouted as he pushed his mouth to mine and began rubbing my clit with his thumb. I fell apart hard and fast. I moaned into his mouth as he rubbed out my orgasm. Other guys had given me an orgasm before, but none of them had worked their fingers like Cale did.

“I want to bury myself deep inside you, Maddie.”

I looked into his eyes and smiled. “What are you waiting for?”

He sat up and grabbed the condom, slipping it over his dick. He looked back into my eyes. “I’ve never in my life wanted someone like I want you.” He slowly began to push in when he stopped.

“Are you sure?” he asked.

I smiled as I nodded and wrapped my legs around his body, pulling his body closer to mine.

“I’ve never been so sure of anything in my life.” I said as I placed my hands on his face and brought his lips to mine. “Cale, don’t be so gentle. Please, I need you.”

He closed his eyes and impaled me. I let out a gasp as my body adjusted to him. He was bigger than any guy I’d ever been with. Not that there had been a ton—I’d slept with two other boyfriends. Neither of them ever made me feel the way Cale did—and I’d only known him for thirty minutes.

Cale took me to heaven and back. Not once, but

three times. He hovered over my body as we tried to catch our breath and calm our beating hearts. Then he leaned down and kissed me. “Maddie,” he whispered against my lips before he deepened our kiss. I’d never experienced a moment in time like I just had with Cale. My heart still raced, overwhelmed with the emotions that were overtaking my body.

Could it really be possible to fall in love with someone so quickly?

“CALE. CALE, DID you even hear a word I said? Jesus…Cale!”

I turned my head to Jack. “What did you say?”

“I was asking when you’re leaving town, you ass,” he said. “What the hell are you looking at?”

I shook my head and quickly turned back to check out the girl across the street. I could have sworn it was her.

“Nothing. I thought I saw Maddie.”

Jack let out a laugh. “Jesus Christ, dude. Maddie? Really? It’s been two years and that ship sailed the moment she left you after fucking you on the beach. Without so much as a goodbye, even!”

I gave Jack a dirty look. “She said goodbye.”

Jack rolled his eyes. “That’s right. You asked for her number and said you wanted to see her again. She freaked and said she was leaving the country the next day to start a new job. Sorry dude, that’s code for ‘you were a terrible fuck and I never want to see you again.’”

I shook my head and held back the urge to hit my best friend. Jack was like a brother to me. Otherwise, maybe I would have thrown that punch.

My phone pinged and I took it out of my pocket. I let out a sigh as I read the text from my mother.

Mom: Darling, dinner tonight. Don’t be late. And please bring a date for Pete’s sake!

Me: Can’t tonight, mom. Plans.

Mom: Cancel them. Your father needs you there. It’s a very important business contact. Don’t disappoint him, Cale.

Me: Mom, I really can’t and you have to give me better notice. Besides, I’m not dating anyone.

Mom: I’m giving you notice. Dinner tonight at 7:30 sharp. I’ll expect two. I have to run, getting my nails done.