Total pages in book: 155
Estimated words: 145634 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 728(@200wpm)___ 583(@250wpm)___ 485(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 145634 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 728(@200wpm)___ 583(@250wpm)___ 485(@300wpm)
“I promise you.” Her hazel eyes plead with me to accept it. And I’m trying. I really am.
“Have I told you how much I love this kitchen?” she says not-so-subtly, to change the subject. I rest my forehead against hers, and give her another small kiss. One day, we will be alright, and things will be like they used to. But for now, I just need to grieve in my own way. And that means getting lost in my sweetheart’s touch.
We’ve been here for a few months now. Ever since she graduated. It’s close to downtown, which is where my restaurants are, and close to Emma’s new job. She doesn’t have to work. I’m only bringing in income from the legit businesses now that I quit dealing, but it’s more than enough.
She wants to work though. At least for now she does. Until I put a baby in her.
“You gonna take off next week like I asked?” I ask her.
“Yes,” she answers with a bit of skepticism in her voice. She’s always bringing home work.
We’re taking time off to visit the venue for the wedding. It’s a destination wedding, and I’m planning on taking advantage and making this a nice little vacation.
She keeps pushing back the date, and I know it’s because of Tony and me. I always pictured him by my side as my best man if I ever got married. And once things are better between us, I know he’ll be there for me.
She hugs me tight, taking my mind off of the things that keep me in the past, and reminding me of our future. I kiss her hair. I just need this. Just her. And I’ll be alright.
“I love you, Derek,” she whispers. I know she does. And I sure as fuck love her.
“I love you too, sweetheart.”
SECOND CHANCE
BLURB
Nathan always had the most beautiful smile.
Every time I caught a glimpse of it, I had to smile too.
It didn’t matter that he grew up on the wrong side of the city, I saw the good in him… even when he didn’t.
That wasn’t enough to keep us together in high school though.
One night ruined everything. A night I’ll never forget.
Years have passed and now he’s on the cover of magazines and the star of movies.
The reformed bad boy with with a charming smile that makes women weak in the knees.
No one knows what happened that night that forced us apart. No one can ever know.
I can’t tell him no, even if I wanted to.
The moment he locked his light blue eyes on me again, I was ruined.
I never stood a chance.
This romance was originally released in the Expose series and titled Heartthrob. It has been retitled and republished so everyone can read this gripping romance once again.
PROLOGUE
Harlow
Ten years ago
April 12
The red, white, and bright blue lights reflect off the large glass windows of the liquor store. The sirens have stopped. I swear they were only screaming in my ear for a split second. They were loud enough to make my heart leap into my throat and send fear flowing freely through my blood.
They were silenced quickly, as if turned on by mistake.
I swear it was all an accident.
“Nathan.” I say his name weakly, searching his cold gaze as I grip his wrists. My nails dig in as my throat goes dry. He doesn’t answer me, doesn’t give me a minute to ask questions. He merely blocks me from the view of the police car pulling up to the curb. His back is to the cops and he doesn’t turn to face them, even as the sound of the cruiser’s window rolling down drowns out the sound of my blood rushing in my ears.
Nathan leans closer to me as my shoulder and ass hit the unyielding wall of the liquor store. His dark eyes look even darker and the lack of any emotion on his face forces my plea for him to tell me how to make this right to catch in my throat. “Don’t say a word,” he hisses in my ear.
One second, one beat of my heart passes feeling caught in an eternity as I look up into the eyes of the boy I thought I loved. The boy I thought loved me back. “Don’t be stupid, Hally,” he says low, beneath his breath.
But I never really knew him, did I?
The boy I knew wasn’t capable of this.
But it was only an accident.
“Nathan, we have to-” I try to speak, but the words are silenced as he narrows his eyes. The shadows from the dim street lights make the sharp lines of his jaw look even more intense.
“You two alright?” I hear a man say from behind us, but my eyes don’t break away from Nathan’s. It’s the cops. So close. So close to knowing everything that just happened only minutes ago.