Synopsis
Reed Hopewell is a lot of things to a lot of people . . .
To his parents, he's the son who needs to get serious. To his friends, he's the player they all want to be. And to his fans, he's the hottest rocker in Charleston. But never has Reed been anyone's hero-until the night he finds Hope.
Hope Dawson can count the number of men she trusts on one hand. Definitely not the guys she goes out with or the stepfather who treats her like property. She'd be out of his house tomorrow if not for the need to protect her little sister. But when things at home go from bad to worse, Hope has to act fast-and Reed is the only person she can turn to . . .
To his parents, he's the son who needs to get serious. To his friends, he's the player they all want to be. And to his fans, he's the hottest rocker in Charleston. But never has Reed been anyone's hero-until the night he finds Hope.
Hope Dawson can count the number of men she trusts on one hand. Definitely not the guys she goes out with or the stepfather who treats her like property. She'd be out of his house tomorrow if not for the need to protect her little sister. But when things at home go from bad to worse, Hope has to act fast-and Reed is the only person she can turn to . . .
Excerpt
“I’ll
have a number six,” he informed the waitress without breaking his connection
with Hope’s hands or her eyes.
Hope
couldn’t look away from him in order to see the waitress’s face, but she would
have bet money that it was lower than sea level. She bit her lip against the
smile threatening to spread across her mouth.
As
the waitress scuttled away, Reed fought against a smile of his own. “That was
fun.”
“You
are evil,” Hope said accusingly. “You knew that girl was practically drooling
over you.”
“I’m
just sorry she was the only one,” Reed said cheerfully.
“Who
said she was?” Hope shot back, shocking herself into silence.
Reed
gave her hands another squeeze before he let go and leaned back against his
seat. “So, are we going to talk about the other night?”
“No,”
Hope answered, shaking her head. “Not necessary. I already told you I’m not
available. It was a nice kiss, but--”
“I’m
sorry,” interrupted Reed, his voice low. He leaned forward, a sexy smile on his
lips. “Are you saying that kiss was ‘nice’? That’s the word you’re using to
describe it?”
“I
meant, it was…I didn’t mean…” Hope fumbled for a better word to use, but failed
epically.
Instead, she stared at Reed across the table, cringing at the blazing
fire burning in his eyes.
“Okay,”
he said evenly. “Then I get a repeat. No wonder you don’t want it to happen
again. You only thought it was nice. So I guess I’m going to have to rectify
that.”
“No!
I didn’t mean--”
He
held up a hand to silence her, and her words fell short. “Doesn’t matter. I’ve
already made up my mind. I’m kissing you again. Sometime today. You won’t know
it’s coming until it comes. And there’s no goddamned way you’re going to call
this one ‘nice.”
She
felt the now-familiar blush creeping across her cheeks. She tossed her hair
over her shoulders to camouflage it, and nodded. “I accept this challenge. But
if this kiss doesn’t get me to change my adjective, are you going to forget
about trying to make something happen between us?”
He
gazed stonily at her. “I agree to nothing.”
She
groaned. “You’re one stubborn man.”
“I
know.” He grinned wildly, and her traitorous heart flipped upside down in her
chest.
About Author Diana Gardin
Diana Gardin is a wife of one and a mom of two. Writing is her second full time job to that, and she loves it! Diana writes contemporary romance in the Young Adult and New Adult categories. She's also a former Elementary school teacher. She loves steak, sugar cookies, and Coke and hates working out.
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