EXCLUSIVE HOLIDAY BONUS SCENE

To celebrate the holiday season I have written a Christmas themed bonus scene that you can read here and now for FREE! This scene is featuring Violet and Ten from Butterfly. You will also see a little of Nate and Aerie from Toad.

I wrote this scene as bonus, exclusive content for you readers and I hope it brings you a smile. This bonus scene has also been featured on

 

I hope you enjoy this holiday bonus!

Happy Holidays!

 

A Butterfly Christmas

By Cambria Hebert

 

Violet

Stark’s cell phone began vibrating against the coffee table, almost going unnoticed. The racket he and Nate were making while battling it out in some video game pretty much drowned out everything else.

I leaned forward to glance at the lit-up screen.

“Just ignore it,” Stark instructed when he saw me leaning toward it. His eyes never once left the flat-screen and his fingers flew over the gaming control, yet he was still very aware of my movements.

I won’t lie. His awareness of me would never grow old, and it would probably never not thrill me.

I groaned. “It’s your manager.”

Stark hit a few more buttons and swore beneath his breath. Next thing I knew, the controller was beneath my nose and Stark was on his feet.

“Here, play for me.”

Dubiously, I divided my gaze between him and the controller. “You know I’m awful at this game.”

“You might as well just forfeit now,” Nate cracked from the other side of the couch.

Aerie threw a pillow at him, smacking him right in the head.

“Abuse!” he hollered, not even glancing from the game.

Stark wiggled the controller at me, and I sighed loudly, taking it. “Fine, but when I die, you can’t be mad.”

He picked up the phone, answering the call, but not lifting it to his ear yet. Instead, he leaned down, brushing his lips at my hairline. “You’re too pretty to be mad at, baby.”

I giggled and watched him move across the room toward the door.

“I’m here,” he said, finally putting the phone up to his ear.

The tattoo of the butterfly on the back of his neck caught my eye as it always did, reminding me of how we’d met.

Seconds later, he disappeared out into the hallway, the door not quite latching behind him.

“Vi!” Nate yelled. “You didn’t even try!”

Wincing, I glanced at the TV. Crap. I was dead already. “I told you I was terrible.”

Nate growled softly, tossing his controller on the coffee table, and lifted the lid on a box of pizza. Dramatically, he screamed and stared into the empty box like it was a shock. As if he and Stark didn’t already eat the entire thing.

Aerie rolled her eyes.

“There’s a box of Fruity Pebbles over there.” I gestured toward the small counter in the tiny kitchen in my dorm room.

“And that’s why I tell Stark to keep you around.” He patted the top of my head on his way to the cereal.

“I’ve tried to teach him manners,” Aerie told me. “I really have.”

I laughed. “Save your energy.”

“I can hear you!” he said around a giant mouthful of his favorite cereal.

“We weren’t whispering!” Aerie countered.

“Aww, princess. Don’t be mad. I’ll share my cereal with you.” He plopped down beside her and shoved a heaping spoonful dripping with milk in front of her lips.

Wrapping her hand around his, she redirected it toward his mouth, which he took in one bite. As he was chewing, he leaned over and kissed her cheek.

His eyes strayed to my packed suitcase beside the door. “That all you bringing?” he asked. “Doesn’t look like it’s got enough room for the present you bought me.”

“Who said I got you a present?”

Pressing a hand to his chest, he swallowed loudly. “You would deny me, your best friend, a Christmas gift?” Red hair fell over his forehead, and his green eyes were full of mock dismay.

“I got you coal,” Aerie told him mildly.

He gasped. “Our first Christmas together.” He shook his head. “That’s just mean.”

Aerie leaned over, her dark hair slipping against her cheeks as her fingers delved into the hair at the nape of his neck, and pressed a kiss to his cheek.

Nate set the bowl of cereal on the table and practically leapt on top of her, pressing her into the chair, making her laugh.

“Nate!”

“You started it!” he declared and then leaned down to her lips.

I left them to their kissing and wandered to the door. Since it wasn’t latched, I could hear Stark talking.

Or, rather, arguing.

His manager was a controlling pain in the ass that I tried to tolerate, but it annoyed me that we weren’t far from Christmas and she was upsetting him. He was supposed to be off until the New Year.

As I pulled open the door, I heard him say, “I asked you for this—”

He made a frustrated sound and pulled at the hair at the back his head when she cut off his words.

With his back to me, I could see how tense he was, how unhappy, and my stomach tightened.

“I haven’t had a Christmas off in years. I—”

She cut him off again.

“You can’t just commit to things without asking!” he swore and spun. The second he saw me, his eyes widened and his mouth made a hard line.

I smiled and stepped toward him, not caring at all he was clearly angry. Stark could have a temper. He could be impulsive and was known to act out when he was angry. Still, I didn’t hesitate.

Despite being all those things, he was also loving, gentle, and I trusted him more than anyone else in this universe.

“I’ll call you back.” His voice was clipped. I heard his manager calling out to him, but he cut off the call and shoved the phone into his pocket.

“What happened?” I asked quietly.

Both his hands delved into his jeans, and he sighed heavily beneath the blue hoodie he was wearing. Even though his face was shaded with the baseball cap pulled low over his eyes, I knew they were shadowed with irritation.

“It’s him,” someone whispered from down the hallway.

“He’s so hot!”

I turned toward the girls wheeling their suitcases out of their room, likely on their way home for the holiday break.

“Hi, Violet!” one of the girls called out, waving.

We’d lived in the dorms for a couple years now, and those girls never said anything to me. But the second I started dating a huge pop star and he started making appearances here at my place, they acted like we were besties.

I waved to them, but didn’t bother wishing them a happy holiday. They weren’t really saying hi to me anyway.

“Hi, Ten!” they called out in unison, proving my point.

The muscle in his jaw worked, and I closed the rest of the distance between us, putting my palm on his abs.

Beneath my touch, I felt him relax, and he glanced up toward the girls. “Hey. Merry Christmas.”

The girls grinned wildly and scurried away, giggling.

Clutching my fingers around the fabric of his shirt, I tugged lightly. “Let’s go in. There will be a lot of people in the halls today since everyone is leaving for winter break.”

I started to turn, but his hand covered mine, stopping me.

I turned back, my long blond hair shifting with the movement. Glancing up, our eyes met beneath his hat. My stomach dipped, seeing the hurt in his gaze.

“What happened?” I asked, forgetting we were in the hall and putting my other hand at his waist so both were touching him.

“She committed me to a Christmas Day parade in California.”

Anger rose inside me, but I shoved it down. He was already upset enough. I didn’t need to add to it. “Can she do that?” I asked.

He cursed under his breath. “She thinks she can do whatever she damn well pleases.” He glanced toward the door of the dorm room. “I seriously need to fire her.”

Yes, he needed to. He wanted to. But the truth was she was the best manager in the business.

“She also booked me on some talk show day after tomorrow.”

“Well, you do have a number one Christmas song out right now.” I reasoned.

He moved away, spinning toward a window overlooking the parking lot outside. “It’s our first Christmas,” he said low.

The holidays have been more about work for me the past few years. I haven’t gotten much downtime.

I recalled Stark’s words when we’d first started dating. At the time, I didn’t understand what they meant because I hadn’t understood him.

But now.

Now I understood so well that my heart squeezed, leaving my chest feeling tight.

The holidays had become a lonely time for Stark. Actually, before I met him, life in general had become lonely for him. He got lost in stardom, lost in yes-men, and became a puppet for his manager to pull his strings.

I knew now he hadn’t had a real Christmas in years. He was used to spending them in hotel rooms, alone.

This year was supposed to be different. This year was our first Christmas together, and we’d planned to spend it with our families and then fly to Colorado to end the year at Aerie’s ranch. I wanted more than anything to give him a holiday he deserved, one that might help replace some of those lonely holiday memories Stark had in his heart.

Moving up behind him, wrapping my arms around his waist, I laid my cheek against his back. “When do we leave?”

His body jolted. He spun in my arms and glanced down. “What?”

Lifting my chin, I smiled. “Is she sending the jet for us? Good thing I’m already packed.”

Beneath the bill of his hat, Stark’s eyes softened as they bounced between mine. His throat worked when he swallowed, and his body shifted a little closer to mine.

“You want to come with me?”

“It’s our first Christmas,” I said, echoing his words from before.

I saw the want in his eyes, but he shook his head. Palms settling on my hips, he bent low and looked into my eyes. “I can’t ask you to do that. You should be with family for Christmas.”

Rubbing the pad of my thumb over his lips, I smiled. “You didn’t ask, and that’s exactly why I’m coming with you. I want to be with my family.”

“Vi…” he whispered. At my hips, his fingers flexed.

“You’re never going to spend another Christmas alone, Stark. Not ever.”

A deep grumble ripped out of his throat. The next thing I knew, my back was against the wall and his hands were planted on either side of my head. As he swooped in, he slid the hat around backward, and our lips connected.

My insides fluttered when his tongue stroked into my mouth, rubbing against mine. My head fell back, and I opened wider, granting him all the access he might want. It didn’t matter we were standing in a dorm hallway. It didn’t matter people were bustling around and likely would see.

Nothing mattered but the energy swirling around us, the feelings pouring between us.

“Oh my God, she’s so lucky.” Someone groaned nearby.

“I seriously have no idea how she landed him,” someone else whispered.

I couldn’t help it. I stiffened.

Stark pulled back slowly, keeping his eyes trained on me as he dragged a finger over my cheek. His stare still kissed me even though his lips were inches away.

Slowly, he rotated his head to glance over his shoulder. The rest of his body remained caged around me, sort of like a shield.

“You should be wondering how a guy like me landed her,” he told the girls.

Ducking my face into his shoulder, I smiled.

Stark wrapped an arm around me, and we walked together into my suite.

“I was just about to send out a search party!” Nate cracked.

I peaked around Stark to note his messy red locks, kiss-swollen lips, and hazy eyes. Beside him, Aerie was smoothing her hair.

Uh-huh. A search party. They didn’t even know I was gone.

Turning back to Stark, I said, “Call her. Tell her you’ll be there. We’ll celebrate at your house this year.”

“Are you sure?” he asked, doubt in his eyes.

I fished his cell out of his pocket and handed it to him.

After a quick kiss, he went to make the call.

Nate looked at me. “What’s going on?”

I moved into the room toward our friends. “Change of Christmas plans. I’m going to need your help.”

****

Ten

The car pulled up to the front of my house, and I did a double take. Blinking, I glanced out the window again, surprised when what I had seen was still there.

The front door was trimmed with green garland and lights. Giant glowing snowflakes hung from the overhang above the door, and there were giant candy canes lining the path. A large wreath covered the massive wooden door, and the ends of the large red bow on it swayed in the breeze.

The door opened, startling me, and I glanced up.

The driver peeked in. “We’re here.”

I cleared my throat. “Right.”

The sound of Christmas carols filled the air and reached into the car where I was still sitting.

I climbed out, the balmy California breeze not really fitting the wintry atmosphere of my house.

“Is everything okay, sir?” the driver asked.

Jolting, I stepped out of the car. “Yes. I… ah… Just surprised to see the decorations.”

“Looks mighty festive,” he replied, turning to gaze at it all.

I nodded.

“I’ll be back tomorrow to pick you up and drive you to the show.”

I nodded and moved toward the candy cane-lined walkway. Rehearsal for the performance I was giving on tomorrow’s talk show ran late. And then there was traffic. It pissed me off, and all I could think about was Vi being here in this big house by herself when she should really be on the other side of the country with her family.

Instead, she was here with me because it was more important to her that we be together.

I was standing in the center of the walkway, still staring at the decorations, when the front door opened. Violet bounded out, dressed in leggings and a sweatshirt with Rudolph plastered on the front.

I couldn’t help but smile. She was adorable, and her smile was so bright.

“What have you been up to?”

“Isn’t it obvious?” she asked, gesturing toward the decorations. Coming closer, she pulled a candy cane out of her sleeve and handed it to me.

I grabbed her and kissed her, making her laugh. When I lifted my head, I pointed at the reindeer on her shirt. “Cute.”

“I got you one, too.”

I squinted. “You think I’m going to wear that?”

“Yours has the Grinch on it. Clearly, I was spot on.”

I laughed.

The scent of something sweet made me lift my head. “What’s that smell?”

“Cookies!” she answered, taking my hand and towing me toward the house. “We can’t have Christmas without cookies! You need to help me decorate them.”

“You made cookies?”

She tugged me into the house and closed the door. I stopped in my tracks at the small, illuminated tree standing on the table in the entryway. It was decorated with red and gold balls.

The carols played through the speakers built into the walls, and a burst of cold air made my arms prickle. “Why is it so cold in here?” I asked, still gazing at the tree.

“I turned the air down. We can’t drink hot chocolate and decorate the tree in California weather.”

I blinked and looked at my girl. Chuckling, I reached for her, tugging her close. “You have icing on your nose,” I murmured and leaned down to lick it off.

Violet tried to duck her head, but I lifted her chin.

“Decorate a tree and cookies, huh?”

“Of course! Just because we aren’t back north doesn’t mean we aren’t going to do everything we would have done if we were home.” She tilted her head, then added, “Well, except the snow. There won’t be any snow.”

Shifting close, I cupped her cheek. “You miss the snow, huh?”

“Snow isn’t important as long as I have you.”

The butterflies she always made me feel burst to life in my chest.

“Come on!” She tugged me into the house. “We have things to do!”

I let her tow me as far as the living room, where my feet stopped and I stared in amazement. Unable to tug me farther, Violet turned back to where I was glued to the floor.

“Do you like it?” she asked.

I was speechless. Shocked. The entire place had been transformed. A giant tree stood by the window, undecorated. The fireplace was lit, and a row of stockings hung above it. A bowl of brightly wrapped candy sat in the center of the coffee table, along with a bowl of eggnog and a bunch of glasses.

Red and green pillows covered the sofa. Wrapped gifts were near the tree. The scent of cookies was stronger in here, and my stomach rumbled.

Overwhelming feelings swarmed over me, and I stared around at the decorations, listened to the music… and remembered.

Just like that, I remembered everything I loved about Christmas and everything I’d been missing for so many years.

“How did you do all this?” I asked, tugging her close.

“So you do like it?”

I gasped. “It’s incredible. You did all this for me?”

“For us.”

Concern overruled the warm feelings, and my eyes roamed over her. Lifting our joined hands, I inspected her fingers. “This had to be a lot of work. Did you hurt yourself? You did too much.”

I knew she didn’t like it when I worried about her, but damn, someone had to. Her autoimmune disorder wasn’t anything to brush aside. The last thing I wanted was her wearing herself out over the holidays.

“I’m fine.” She promised.

Frowning, I said, “I’m serious, Vi. Having you here with me is more than enough. You don’t have to do all this.”

“I didn’t do it all myself.”

My eyebrows rose. “What?”

“She had help,” Nate said.

I glanced toward the kitchen. My mouth fell open.

“Surprise!” my mom called.

Our entire family was standing around the island, which was covered with cookies. My mom, Nate’s dad, Aerie, Violet’s parents, and her brother Vance.

“You’re all here?” I said when I was finally able to speak.

“I think it’s about time we had Christmas as a family, don’t you?” my mom answered.

Emotion clogged my throat and made it hard to breathe. I’d never expected this. For so many years, I’d been in impersonal hotel rooms, making guest appearances, and smiling brightly for the cameras to wish everyone a happy holiday. I barely remembered what Christmas felt like, how happy it could be.

“Stark?” Violet whispered, her fingers tightening around mine.

I gazed into her blue eyes. “You brought our family here. You brought Christmas here.”

“This is what Christmas is going to look like for the rest of our lives,” she whispered.

“I love you,” I told her.

She smiled.

“Enough with that mushy stuff! If you don’t start decorating them, I’m eating all these cookies!” Nate announced.

Laughter and chaos broke out.

Violet grabbed my hand and pulled me forward.

****

Violet

Gifts were unwrapped, the parade was attended, and Stark’s performance had been the best. Christmas night was winding down, and everyone had retired to their rooms with cookie-and-eggnog hangovers.

Stark and I were sitting in front of the fire, wearing the matching plaid socks Nate had given us. This Christmas had been the best I’d ever had, and I knew it was only the beginning.

“Are you asleep?” Stark asked, leaning down beside my ear.

I snuggled farther into his side, tightening my arm around his waist.

I felt him smile over me, then kiss the top of my head.

“You can’t go to sleep yet.”

I made a sound of protest. With a low laugh, Stark peeled me off his body and leaned back so he could look down.

I grabbed for him, wanting to snuggle into him some more, but he eluded my grasp.

“I have another present for you.”

My head snapped up. “What?”

“Come on,” he said, standing up, reaching for my hand.

“I don’t need any more presents,” I told him.

Crouching in front of me, he smiled. “You’re going to like it,” he sang.

I let him tug me to my feet and wrap his arm around my waist. Leading me toward the back of the house and the sliding glass doors, he grabbed up the remote on the nearby table.

“What’s going on?” I asked.

Slipping his arm back around me, he hit a button on the remote, and the blinds covering the large doors began to lift.

The sky was already dark… Whatever he wanted to show me would be impossible to see.

I gasped.

“It’s snowing!” I exclaimed and rushed toward the window for a closer look.

Snow rained from the sky, drifting down with no order or sense of direction.

Glancing back at Stark, I held out my hand to pull him closer. “Come see!”

He laughed, wrapping me in both arms from behind. “Well, would you look at that?”

I watched it for long moments, smiling because it was now officially the perfect Christmas.

“You like it?” Stark whispered in my ear.

I turned, looping my arms around his neck. “You made it snow in California for me?”

“You brought Christmas to me, so it was only fair that I bring some of it to you.”

“I love you,” I confessed, lifting on tiptoes to kiss him.

“I love you, too,” he answered, gently turning me back around so we could watch the falling snow.

A short while later, he whispered in my ear, “Merry Christmas, baby.”

*This is Copyrighted Material.

 

READ BUTTERFLY NOW

ABOUT

Drunken brawls. One-night stands.
No-show interviews. Toilet-papering my hoity-toity neighbor’s house.
Insulting my fans. Trashing hotel rooms.
What’s it take to become public enemy number one?
I just told you.
I’ve done all that and more.
My poor conduct got me on the Celebs Behaving Badly list
and ultimately ruined my career.
From the world’s number-one popstar to world’s most hated.
That’s me. Ten Stark.
Go underground, they said. Stay out of the spotlight.
Most importantly, stay out of trouble.
Everyone loves a good comeback story.
For once, I listened.
I met someone who didn’t know my name,
my face, or the bad behavior that defined me.
She taught me I wasn’t who everyone thought I was—everyone including me.
Then someone whispered my name and things got messy, as they always do.
Now I want her back.
I’m not a caterpillar, but a butterfly.
My wings are in full color, not just black and white.
But first, I have to shed my cocoon and fly.

*this is a standalone college romance novel