Korinne
Anders had it all. She had the perfect job, the perfect house, and the perfect
husband. When tragedy strikes, her world takes a devastating turn. Six months
after losing her husband to a car accident, Korinne vows it to herself never to
love again. If she doesn’t allow another man in her heart, then there’s no
reason for her to feel the pain of loss. This plan seems to work, but is put to
the test when Korinne’s best friend can’t stand to see her suffering any
longer.
Korinne’s long-time friend, Jenna Perry, has an
idea and it involves helping her friend find the spark of life in her soul no
matter what it takes. Korinne didn’t know that Jenna’s plan meant bringing back
a past love, a second chance with the man that Korinne had to leave in college,
but always kept a place for in her heart.
When Galen Matthews learns of Korinne’s loss and
that she’s finally moved back home, he wants nothing more than to be there for
her. The love he felt for Korinne years ago has never left him, and now he’s
given a second chance to not only mend her heart of her loss, but to also
continue the love they shared in the past. Will his love and determination make
her strong enough to give fate a second chance, or will her fear of losing
another love make her run away?
What will Korinne do when she’s faced with a
love so powerful that no matter what she does there’s nowhere to run from it?
Excerpt
With each determined step, I made my way over to the man that was beginning to steal
my heart … again. Fear and desire coincided within me, but I couldn’t stop. I
knew I shouldn’t let him in, but I couldn’t deny the way my heart was beating
for this man. It was as if all of my desires, all of the pent up emotions and
feelings in my body had me desperate for this man’s touch, Galen’s touch. The
man I fell in love with years ago. His eyes grew wider the closer I got, but I
knew I wasn’t going to back down. I needed to feel him in every way possible,
and I needed it then. In one swift move I crushed my lips to his and wrapped my
arms around his neck, holding him tight. His arms engulfed me, protecting me in
his embrace, but also unsure of what to do.
“What
are you doing?” he groaned, breaking away from the kiss.
“I thought you wanted
to take things slow.”
A
fire so hot burned behind those pale blue eyes of his, and I knew taking things
slow wasn’t going to happen.
“I don’t think I can,” I breathed against his
lips.
“Please don’t say that. I don’t think I can
control myself if you let me in. I’ve wanted you from the moment I saw you, and
it’s already hard enough to keep my distance.”
“I
don’t want you to keep your distance.” I sighed. “I need you, Galen, and I need
you now.” Those words were all it took for the fire to consume him, to consume
us both.
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I trust you …
These are the
three words that Melissa Ashford wishes she could say to someone; to the one
person she can fully give herself to and not worry about being betrayed. Being
twenty-eight years old and divorced from a cheating ex-husband, Melissa enjoys
her freedom until one night she finds herself indulging in a one night stand
that changes everything.
There’s
something about the alluring Brett Walker that has Melissa feeling things she’s
never had with any other man; feelings that not only scare her, but push her
past her limits. Just when she begins to open her soul to this new love their
bond is put to the test when jealousies from the past try to break them apart.
It’s not only Melissa’s trust that’s put on the line, but Brett’s
as well. Will their love be strong enough to get them through the lies? Will
Melissa finally be able to say those three words she’s been dying to say? I
trust you …
A night at the bar, several
tequila sunrises, and a gorgeous guy staring at me from across the room … how
could I resist? Talking became flirting, flirting became touching, and then the
touching led me to where I was now.
There were only a couple
more hours until the first rays of sunshine would alert the coming of dawn. I
was angry with myself for letting things go too far with the man sleeping
soundly off to my side. How could I be so stupid yet love everything I did?
Sleeping with random men was
not something I would ever do, and definitely not something I should be doing
now. I was twenty-eight years old and already divorced from my college love,
who made the mistake of sleeping with our whore of a neighbor. She’d spread her
legs for anyone. Daniel just couldn’t resist, and of course I couldn’t resist
divorcing him when he begged me to give him another chance. Marrying him was a
mistake, and I couldn’t believe I was stupid enough to think he would stay
faithful. After all, I had known of his reputation as a wealthy playboy. He
pursued me with a vengeance and I fell hard. Shame on me once, never
twice.
After our divorce was final,
my friends decided it was time I celebrated … and boy did I celebrate. We went
out to bars every weekend and I dated many different men, which soon became
tiring; they were either too wrapped up in themselves or complete douche bags.
I had yet to find a man that was completely interested in who I was, and took
the time to put my needs first. At least, until my gaze met the handsome
stranger’s from across the room of the bar whose bed I now occupied.
My lover for the evening had
drifted off to sleep not long after we spent the night rolling around the
sheets. Even though he was a one night stand, he sure knew every way possible
to make my body scream for his touch; it was intoxicating. It shocked me, but I
indulged in the reckless fun for that short amount of time. I felt more wanted
and desired in those hours of sex than I had the entire time I was married.
My ex was a good lover, but
nothing compared to the passion and heat of the man off to my right. He was
sleeping on his stomach, the naked flesh of his back exposed to the moonlight
drifting in through the window. His muscled arm was curled under his pillow and
his breathing was light and relaxed … so peaceful, and perfect. Even in his
sleep he was one of the most handsome men I’d ever laid eyes on.
No, I scolded silently to myself. He may
appear perfect, but I knew better than to fall into the trap of good looks and
a charming smile. I will not be fooled again.
Slowly slipping out of bed,
I gathered up my clothes that were strewn on the floor and quietly put them on,
trying my best not to make any sound. I ran my fingers through my auburn waves,
but gave up when all I felt were knots. It was going to be a bitch to brush out
when I got home.
Before I snuck out of the
bedroom, I took one last look at the man who had been the most aggressive and
passionate lover I’d ever had. His dark, tousled hair was mussed up from my
relentless tugging, and his closed eyes hid the sparkling gray color that
glowed the entire time he ravished my body.
I must say … I didn’t regret
what had happened with this man, and if I had the chance I’d probably do it
again. He lived in a swanky condo in downtown Charlotte which I knew had to
cost a fortune. Then again, my experience with wealthy men was tainted by my
ex-husband … although, this man was nothing like my ex. It was
clear he had money, but he never gloated about it when we talked at the bar. It
was refreshing to talk to a man who was confident enough not to brag about
himself the whole night.
However, no one was perfect
and I knew he had to be far from it.
Shutting the bedroom door
with a quiet click, I grabbed my purse off of the kitchen table and started to
tiptoe to the front door, but stopped. Pulling out a piece of paper in my
purse, I scribbled my number on it and laid it on the kitchen table. What
am I doing?
I stared at the paper lying
there and immediately thought of one word … desperate. And desperate was
something I was not. Snatching the paper off of the table, I crumpled it in my
hand. The guy was probably a player just like all the other men I’d come
across. What made him so special that I’d give in and lower my guard?
Nothing, my mind screamed at me.
Jamming the crinkled paper
into my purse, I tiptoed quietly to the front door and slipped out silently.
There was one thing for certain, and my heart hated me for it. I wasn’t going
to forget what happened tonight or the lover that made me orgasm more times in
just a few hours than I had in the past year. The ache between my legs was
going to remind me for the next couple of days what went on during this raging
night of passion. As I sauntered into the elevator, my body screamed for me to
go back. It wanted me to indulge in another round of a sex induced high with
the man that had me panting for him like no other.
Except, I couldn’t go back …
my heart wouldn’t let me.
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After
a night of raw passion with the man Claire O’Briene had been secretly
admiring for years, she thought their time together had come once
and for all. Fate had finally brought them back to each other, but unfortunately
nothing had changed. He was still the same man who ran away
from relationships. Against his better judgment, Mason Bradley
gave in to the temptation and allowed himself one night with the one
woman he’d been too afraid to want … too afraid to need.
Six
months after leaving Claire and regretting every minute of it, Mason gets
called in for an undercover mission that’s not only dangerous,
but brings back a past he spent years trying to forget. A past of
fighting … of getting in the ring and using his fists to get what he
wanted: money, women, and drugs. Now there are fighters turning up
dead, and it’s Mason’s job to find out the truth.
Knowing
he might not come out of the mission alive, Mason seeks out Claire to tell
her how he truly feels, only to find another man competing for her
love as well. Fighting is what he’s good at, and for once he will be
fighting not only for justice … but for love.
Excerpt
I
didn’t realize how much she despised me until the moment I stepped into
the doorway and Claire saw me, and I saw the outright venom in her eyes. From
that look alone I knew she wouldn’t take me back, but it wasn’t going to stop
me from trying. I came here for a reason and I’m not leaving until I do what
I told myself I was going to do. I was going to put everything on the line.
As I watched Claire turn her back on me and walk away, I
had the deepest urge to handcuff her to a chair and make her listen to
me. However, forcing her would only push her away even more. When I handcuffed
her to anything it would be out of mere pleasure, not anger. I was determined
to get her back. Rushing out of the house, I grabbed Claire’s arm before she
could go any further and turned her to face me.
“Let
me go, Mason,” she ordered through clenched teeth.
Her body was coiled tighter than a snake, but when I
grabbed her other arm and pulled her closer, I could feel the tension in her
muscles loosen and she noticed it, too. I wanted to kiss those lips of hers
that tasted sweet like honey with the hint of raspberries, and feel her bare
skin on my fingers. Seeing her now only reminded me of how stupid I had been to
let her go, and now it was too late. Or was it?
“Please
give me this chance, Claire,” I murmured in her ear. “There are so many things
I need to tell you. I know you’ve moved on to someone else, and it’s kind of
obvious with his name plastered all over your body, but I can’t leave here
without telling you how I feel.” I paused and took a deep breath. “I’ve missed you,
Claire. I missed you the moment you drove away from me at the airport four
months ago.”
“Why
are you doing this now?” she asked incredulously, pulling her arms out of my
grasp and crossing them over her chest.
She stepped back, one small step after another, and the
further she moved away the further I could feel her slipping away. A tear slid
down her cheek and she wiped it away, whispering, “Things are finally going
good for me, Mason. I can’t have you screwing that up.”
Nodding, I lowered my head and blew out a shaky breath. “I
understand, and if you’re truly happy then what I have to tell you won’t matter
at all. I have to get this out or I may never get the chance again. Claire, I
…”
Unfortunately, that was as far as I’d gotten before the
sound of Cooper’s truck coming down the long driveway stopped me. Are you
fucking kidding me? When am I ever going to catch a break? It was perfect
timing on his part, but terrible for mine. Skeptically, he glanced from me to
Claire and then settled his gaze on me with a scowl on his face. It was obvious
he knew who I was, and if not it was obvious he didn’t care for me. Claire
glanced nervously behind her, and I knew my moment to tell her how I felt was
lost. Would I get a chance to before I left? I had no clue, but I had to try.
Before Cooper could get out of his truck, I stepped closer to Claire and let
her see the seriousness in my eyes.
“Meet me tonight,” I muttered quickly. “You know where.”
Past her shoulder I could see Cooper approaching, but she
kept her glistening blue eyes my way. If she didn’t agree to meet me tonight
there was still the possibility I’d never see her again. Any time I went
undercover was dangerous and I always had to accept the probability that it
could be the last mission I ever went on. It was the way it worked.
“I’m sorry, Mason, but I can’t. I can’t risk everything
just because you show up on my doorstep. If you want my trust or my heart you
need to fight for it … you need to earn it. Until you’re willing to do that I
don’t want to see you again,” she uttered boldly.
Cooper finally made it to us and put his arm around
Claire’s shoulders, pulling her into his side. “Everything okay?” he asked,
gazing down at her before turning a lethal glare my way.
Claire wrapped her arms around his waist and nodded,
smiling up at him. “Yes, everything’s fine.” Her smile disappeared when she
glanced back at me. “I was just telling Mason good-bye.”
With those last words she turned her back on me for the
second time today while Cooper stayed behind. We both watched her climb into
his truck and shut the door, keeping her gaze on anything but us.
“What are you doing here?” Cooper asked angrily, crossing
his arms over his chest. He was a couple of inches taller than me, but height
never mattered anyway. We were almost identical as far as body size, but I knew
without a doubt I could take him in a fight.
“Not that it’s any of your business,” I replied with a sly
grin on my face, “but if you must know I came to visit my cousin.”
Cooper scoffed. “Well, whatever the reasons are you better
stay away from Claire. I know who you are and what you did to her. However, I
guess I should be happy that you were such an idiot because now I have her and
you don’t. So thank you for that.”
“I don’t think you’ll be thanking me when I get her back,”
I warned with a smirk on my face. “I let her go once, but it was a mistake I’ll
never make again. I’ll fight for her no matter what it takes. You can count on
that.”
I
was determined to get her back and of that I was certain.
What do you do when the
one person you thought you knew turns out to be the one you knew the least?
Twenty-three year old Marissa Chase, and soon to be college graduate, has
everything going for her: wonderful friends, a lucrative degree, and a chance
to explore the world. What made it even better – or so she thought – was when
her path crossed with the alluring Alec Holden. Unable to stay away from him,
Marissa experiences a love like no other, and falls into his world of passion
and intrigue. However, things begin to shift when this path takes a deadly
turn.
Her trust is put to the test when hidden dangers unfold before her, revealing
secrets that have been buried for years. Secrets that were meant to stay
hidden. Murder, lies, and betrayal … will Marissa figure it all out in time and
escape with her life intact, or will she be too late and fall into the trap of
deception?
Taking a deep
breath, I turned around to face him with his hands still holding onto my arms.
“Are you asking me on another date?” I asked, teasing him.
He smirked, a
slow tilting of his lip that had me aching to bite it. “That’s up to you if that’s
what you want to call it,” he murmured heatedly.
“What if I do
want to call it that?” I asked boldly.
Alec pinned me
up against the counter and placed his arms on both sides of me, locking me in
to the confines of his body. His piercing blue gaze held me captive, and I was
drowning, struggling to breathe as he moved closer.
Bending low, he
continued his torturous teasing by breathing across my neck. My eyes fluttered
closed as his lips connected with the tender flesh at my collarbone. I shivered
as the chill bumps fanned across my skin and made me weak. His voice in my ear
immediately counteracted the chills. “If you want to call this dating, then I
think that usually requires a little bit of touching, does it not?”
My breathing
accelerated as Alec’s body grew flush with mine, leaning dangerously against
me. He tilted my head back slightly so I had to look into his face. Slowly, I
placed my hands on his hips, and instead of touching the waist of his jeans I
was met with the bare skin of his body where his shirt had lifted up.
Holy shit,
his skin felt hot! I
could feel the ridges on his sides where they disappeared beneath his jeans,
and I wanted nothing more than to trail my tongue down the contours of his
muscles.
With hooded
eyes, and a raspy, breathless voice, I replied, “I’m sure it’s customary to
withstand some touching, but not too much since I don’t know
you very well.” I said it, but my body didn’t really mean it, and he could tell
I was lying to myself.
Slowly, he
brought his hand to my face and trailed one of his long, lithe fingers over my
cheek and down my neck. “Like this,” he insisted, swirling his finger around my
neck. “Is this the kind of touching we’re allowed to do?” Chill bumps exploded
across my skin, making me shiver.
“Yes,” I breathed,
relishing in the feel of his touch. “Just like that.”
Closing my eyes,
I sighed as he trailed his finger further down, stopping at my navel. The heat
of his breath fanned across my face as I felt him dipping lower. I didn’t dare
open my eyes and risk breaking the connection, but I wanted to see the heat in
his gaze. Ever so slowly, his mouth connected with mine, soft and confident. He
lingered for a moment, not moving, just his lips touched lightly to mine.
I wanted more … a lot
more.
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Author Bio
L.P. Dover is
the bestselling author of the Forever Fae series, as well as the Second Chances
standalone series, and her NA romantic suspense standalone called Love, Lies,
and Deception. She lives in the beautiful state of North Carolina with her
husband, her two wild girls, and her rambunctious kitten called Katrina.
Before she
began her career in the literary world, L.P. Dover spent her years going to
college and then graduated to cleaning teeth, which she loved doing. At least
until the characters in her head called her away. She has never been the same
since.
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