Saved By You - Teaser #2

Hey everyone,

I'm super busy finishing up everything for Saved By You, and I thought I would post another teaser. I loved this scene as I was writing it a while back, and loved even more when I went back over it today :)

Remember, Saved By You will be available a week from tomorrow, on July 25th! Be sure to add it to your Goodreads list, and be sure to sign up for my newsletter to get an immediate notification when the book is available.

Goodreads - http://bit.ly/1blCNhm
Newsletter - http://eepurl.com/sLltP

Enjoy!

Kelly



~~~~~~~

The parking lot was nearly empty at this hour. Soon, the sun would begin to set, and the parking lot would swell with diners. But, for now, we had our run of the place. I glanced at the Starbucks sitting next door, and cringed as I remembered walking past it with Haden, hand in hand. That moment had been one of the best and worst times since I’d arrived in Green Falls, and now that I was so close to it again, the memory was even more powerful.

Guilt rolled through me when I entered the restaurant. Memories of my childhood summers surfaced - memories with my family in this very spot - memories with Mom. Would she ever set foot in there again? Would she ever leave the hospital?

I pushed the feelings down as best I could. I didn't want to think about that right now - I couldn’t think about that right now. I couldn’t let Haden see see that weakness. I had to let him know just how strong I was — that I was capable of handling anything.

I had to let myself know just how strong I was — that I was capable of handling anything.

A young hostess greeted me and I told her I was there to meet someone. She pointed me around the corner. Haden was sitting in the far booth, and he saw me before I saw him. A huge smile spread across his face — it made me ache in ways that it shouldn’t have.

"I'm glad you made it," he said as I slid into the booth across from him. I gave him a puzzled look. “It took you a little while. I was beginning to think you’d changed your mind.”

I gave him a tight-lipped smile, not trusting myself to be too genuine. I couldn't afford to let down my guard, not when it was just the two of us in that secluded little corner. Haden wasn’t allowed inside. Not anymore.

We sat for a long time, staring awkwardly at the menu without saying anything. I wasn’t about to be the first one to say anything. This was his show. I tried my best to focus on the food, but I didn’t even have a hint of an appetite. Breakfast had been big, and I just wasn’t in the mood to eat.

"I haven't been here in forever," he said, finally. I nodded my head, slowly, trying my hardest not to look up from the menu. "It doesn't look like it’s changed much," he said with a tiny laugh.

Another awkward silence passed over us until our waitress finally appeared. She asked what we’d like to drink.

“Water, please,” I said.

“Iced tea,” Haden said. “Hold the lemon.”

She scooted off, and it was just us, again. The silence was even more oppressive than before.

"Are you going to say anything?" he asked. A hint of annoyance in his voice.

"Was there something you wanted me to say?" I asked, my eyes still locked on the appetizer section.

"I don't know.” His palms raised, dropping the menu. "Say anything."

He blew out a long breath, and drummed his fingers on the table. Then, out of nowhere, he reached forward and wrapped his hand around mine.

A shudder ran from my fingertips all the way to my shoulder. Sparks flew, and my eyes snapped up, locking onto his. Panic descended over me, screaming at every muscle in my body to jerk away from him. But my body wasn’t listening.

"I'm sorry, Maggie," he said. "I'm sorry for everything."

My heart was doing its best to melt with his every word. But I was working even harder to keep it frozen -- protected.

"You should be," I said, curtly. My mouth tried to say even more, but I kept it quiet. Anger rumbled in my stomach, and I knew that nothing good would come of me running my mouth off.

“How can you be so upset with me?,” he asked. “I wanted to tell you everything that night. I wanted to tell you all about who I was — about everything. We just got… distracted.” He fixed me with another long look. I could see the pain swelling in his eyes. “Maggie, I never meant to hurt you.”

My stomach sunk to the floor. I didn't want to think about what had gone on that night. All of the things that I had shared with him — all the parts of me I’d shared with him. There was still an emptiness deep nestled deep inside me. I didn’t think I’d ever be whole again.

"If all you came to do was apologize, you're wasting your breath,” I said. I tried to keep my voice steady and even, but the anger sharpened each word.

Haden winced, and I felt his hand twitch reflexively.

“I need you to hear me out,” he said, desperate. “You have to believe that I never meant for this to happen.”

"But, it did," I said.

The words sank into him with a certain finality. He leaned back, but didn’t pull his hand away. He regarded me for a long time, considering what he wanted to say.

"Maggie, I wasn't lying when I told you that I love you," he said. The lump in my stomach turned over, rolling and tumbling inside of me. I swallowed, hard, trying to settle myself. "I would do anything for you. Just tell me how to make this right, and I'll do it."

I could feel the heat rising to my cheeks, and the familiar wetness glazed over my eyes.

How was it possible I still had any tears left?

I pinched my eyes closed, blotting those tears away. Haden couldn’t see me cry. I had to be strong.

"I gave you everything," I said. "I gave you everything that you wanted. I shared all of myself, and you fed me lies." I bit down, swallowing hard. When I opened my eyes, again, I could see the hurt in his face. "Were you lying the whole time so you could get to me? Because, you did a damned good job of it. You're a better actor than Hollywood gave you credit for."

He shook his head, sharply.

"I didn't lie to you," he said. "It's complicated, and I didn't want to get you mixed up in things until I was certain that you could handle it."

“In my book, keeping things from me is the same as lying,” I said. "What made you think I wasn’t good enough to be included in your life? You said you liked my strength. Was that a lie, too?”

He squeezed my hand once. My arms were still frozen in place, unable to pull away from him.

"The whole situation with Kyle, and the band — its complicated," he said. "I didn't want you to think that I was just some player who was going to run off after I got what I wanted."

"But, that's exactly what's going to happen, isn't it?" I said. "You're going to run off to your big tour, and you’re going to forget about that little red-headed girl in that one little town." I shook my head, my lips pinched flat. "I'm sorry, what did Kyle call it? That shit hole.”

Haden gave me a hard look.

"I haven't run off, have I? I'm still here. Still with you." His eyes burned intensely, and he gave my hand another soft squeeze. The tears were coming on even stronger than before, but I fought viciously to hold them back. "I'm not leaving without you. I can't."

My head dipped, unable to take anymore. The look on Haden's face left no doubt that he was telling the truth. He had no intention of leaving.

“Do you expect me to just run away with you?” I said. “Is that what your game plan is?”

He shook his head. “I forgot every plan I had the moment I met you,” he said. “I just  want to be with you.”

I shook my head, trying to force away the images that were surfacing. I would be lying if I said I hadn’t thought about a life with Haden more than once since I met him. But things happen, and fantasies don’t always happen the way you want.

Thoughts of my mom began swirling in my head. Images of her in the car were flashing. The way she looked after she had caught me with Haden was haunting me. She had always been so strong — for the both of us. She had always been someone I could lean on whenever I needed it.

Well, I needed to lean on her right now. But she wasn’t around. Now it was my turn to be strong.

"I'm not going anywhere," I said. "I can't leave my mom, and I can't leave my family."

Haden squeezed my hand, again.

"Then I'm not going anywhere, either," he said.

I looked up at him, and the tears began flooding down my cheeks. I couldn't hold them back anymore. I didn’t want to hold them back anymore.

"I can't do this," I said. "Not like this. Not right now."

With one final effort of my willpower, I jerked my hand away from him. His eyes went wide, stunned and speechless.

“I have to go,” I said. “I can’t be here anymore.”

I slid out of the booth, nearly toppling into the waitress carrying our drinks. She sidestepped me, quickly, and I all but ran out of the restaurant, never looking back.

Saved By You Teaser! - Chapter 1!!

Hey everyone! Thanks for all of your support. Ruined By You will leave you on a doozy of a cliffhanger, so here's Chapter 1 of Saved By You to keep you held over until the 25th!

SPOILER ALERT!!!!!



Don't read this if you intend on reading Ruined By You! ;)





~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Chapter 1

Mom.

“What’s wrong?” I said, urgently. Lightning crackled all around us. The storm raged in full force. “Where is she?”

Aunt Denise gave me a stern look.

“Green Falls General,” she said. “It’s only a few miles away. I’ll drive.”

Before I could respond, hands tugged at me and led me toward the Escalade parked under the car porch — the same one I’d nearly run the ‘Vette into. Sarah piled into the truck next to me, and Aunt Denise fired up the engine. I stared at my younger cousin, disbelievingly.

“What happened to her?” I said.

Sarah’s face pinched together, and she shook her head.

“I don’t know,” she said, shrugging.

I glanced at Aunt Denise for answers, but she was focused on the road. The rain was coming down in thick sheets outside, and everything was dark.

Thoughts raced through my head, filling me with an unease I’d never felt before. I wanted answers, but everything was happening so fast. I didn’t even know the questions that needed asking.

Why is she in the hospital?

Sarah wrapped her hands around mine, and scooted in close to me.

“Everything’s going to be alright,” she whispered, squeezing my hand.

How can she say that if she doesn’t even know what’s wrong?

We drove on in silence. The darkness outside was all consuming. The lights from Green Falls were drowned out by the thick, gray haze. Thunder blasted through the sky like I was in a scene from some scary movie.

This isn’t a movie, this is your life.

How could something be wrong with Mom? She’s the strong one — nothing goes wrong with her. She was the one that had to be there to protect me — to catch me when I made a mistake. My head sagged forward, and I stared at a spot on my lap. I’d made plenty of mistakes that night, and I had the feeling that things were only just beginning.

The truck bumped along until Aunt Denise pulled into a huge parking lot. A group of three large buildings all clung to each other, with a sign over the one in the middle that read “Great Falls General”. Arrows pointed us toward the visitor parking lot, but Aunt Denise pulled into a circular drop-off area and let Sarah and I out.

We huddled together while Aunt Denise parked the car, the silence only interrupted by the fierce pattering of the rain on the concrete. Wind whipped violently, bathing us in a cold mist. Sarah’s eyes searched me, and her mouth moved like she wanted to say something - but nothing came out.

What was there to say?

Aunt Denise led us through the lobby, and back into the hospital. It was like she knew exactly where she was going. There were few people around at that late hour, and a heavy silence loomed along the corridors. Flashes of a distant time came to me — the only other time I’d been in a hospital. I had been there to visit my mom that night, too. Hospitals creeped me out. There was too much quiet. It reminded me that there were people all around me who might not wake up in the morning — who might leave behind friends and family, all huddled around each other for protection from the horrors of life.

Would Mom be one of those people?

A fiery lump surfaced in my throat, again. It had made its home their all night, and there was no sign that it was going away anytime soon.

Aunt Denise led us up a flight of stairs, and around a few turns to a closed door. Without pausing, she tapped it lightly and poked her head in. There was a shuffling from within, and then Grandma emerged. Her eyes found me, and the steely resolve she was wearing slackened. Pain erupted in both our faces, and I felt the tears stream down my face.

She wrapped her arms around me, and pulled me in, tightly.

"Oh, dear, I'm so sorry," she said. "I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry."

I hugged her back, not knowing what to say.

"Can I see her?" I managed, when we finally pulled back. My voice came out pitched and shaky. I didn’t remember ever seeing Grandma cry before.

She regarded me for a moment, then nodded.

The room was dark; quiet. Something told me that I shouldn't make a peep. It was the kind of silence that shouldn’t be broken. I shuffled my feet along as quietly as possible, not wanting to disturb a thing. A privacy curtain cut the room in two, and I could see the edge of a bed just on the other side.

Are you ready for this?

I took a deep breath - gathering any strength that might be hidden inside of me - and pushed forward. As I walked past the privacy curtain, I saw her. My hand clutched my mouth, stifling a gasp. Her body was thin — thinner than I remembered it from earlier in the day. Machines surrounded the bed. Tubes snaked and tentacles out of them and hooked into her, like they were trying to hold her in place. Beeps and buzzing thrummed and made the air vibrate.

Oh, Mom. What have I done? Why wasn't I here for you?

Ruined By You - Teaser

Hey everyone,

Ruined By You has had a great weekend. Reviews are starting to come in, and it looks like everyone is really liking it! Yay!

I thought it would be nice to post up another teaser :).

Enjoy!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Party pooper,” Kyle said to him. He took a step away, before spinning back around. “You know, you should really watch the mouth on this one,” he said, pointing at me. He held his open palm up to the side of his mouth, pretending to tell Haden a secret, but he raised his voice, making sure I could still hear. “She may look like she an eighth grader, but she’s curses at a sophomore level.” He gave me one more wide-eyed, condescending look, then turned to Haden, again. “You’ve been warned.”

My teeth clenched, together, and everything turned blood red. I reacted without thinking, without knowing what I was doing.

I grabbed the martini glass he’d put in front of me, and launched myself forward.

“ASSHOLE,” I screamed, as I flung the entire cocktail into his face.

The alcohol splashed everywhere, and Haden bounced back to avoid it. Kyle’s face went wide with shock. My pulse raced, and I felt a nervous energy running through me.

A nearby table of girls whooped and clapped for me. They started yelling insults at him in my support. I couldn’t help but laugh at the way he looked. His look of indignation was priceless.

“Sorry,” I said. “I must only have table manners at a second grade level.”

His eyes widened, and flashed dangerously.

“You’ll regret that,” he said. He picked a napkin off the table and dabbed it at his face. He eyed Haden, hard. “Don’t wait up for me, honey. I might be out late.”

Ruined By You - Now Available!

Hey everyone.

Ruined By You is finally available on Amazon and I'm super excited about it!

Ruined By You links:

Amazon US
Amazon UK
Barnes & Noble
Kobo

I also wanted to let everyone know that I'm doing a big giveaway on my FB page. Just go cruise over there and check it out for your chance to win some really cool prizes :)

FaceBook page - Kelly Harper Books

Thanks everyone!

Ruined By You - Teaser #2

Hey everyone. Ruined By You is out in a few days, and I thought I'd share another teaser with everyone!

Be sure to join my mailing list to be notified as soon as it's available, and be sure to add Ruined By You to your shelves on Goodreads!

OK, no more waiting!...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Scottie stood there and looked between the two of us. Something in his resolve had changed, and he looked even more hopeful than he had at first.

"If the two of you work together on this, I have no doubt that you'll have no problem," he said, a smile spreading across his face, again.

I looked back at Haden. His eyes were still fixed on me.

"So, what do you say?" he asked.

“I… I just don't know," I said. Everything was happening so fast, and there was no way I could keep up with it. I needed a job - and the kind of money that Scottie was offering to pay me would mean that I wouldn't even need to get a job during the school year. It  was money that I needed. I would be a fool to turn down the offer - right?

Scottie studied me for a long moment, then he nodded his head again.

"Well, we don’t have to make a decision right now,” he said. "Take the weekend and think it over. Talk with your family about it and see what they think. Come back on Monday, and let me know what you've decided."

I nodded and felt some of the pressure lift from my shoulders. Time was exactly what I needed. It was a big decision; one that shouldn’t be made without serious thought. If I was able to pull it off, things might never be the same for me. But, even with Haden’s help, I wasn’t sure I could.

Scottie clapped his hands on the bar, twice. “Well, I’ve got to get ready for tonight,” he said, pushing himself away from the bar. He gave me another long look. “See you on Monday, then?”

I nodded. "I'll think it over," I said.

He nodded once, and disappared to the back of the bar, again.

My eyes locked on the empty doorway Scottie had disappeared through. I could feel Haden looking at me, studying me. I bit my lip, and turned back to him.

"What are you doing today?" he asked, suddenly. I frowned. The question caught me off guard.

"What?" I said, stupidly.

"Today," he repeated. "Do you have any plans?"

I shrugged. "I don't know," I said. "I'm hanging out with my cousin. We haven't seen each other in a long time." His eyes narrowed when I said it. I hoped he couldn't tell just how nervous he made me.

"Let's do something," he said.

I cocked my head to the side, cautious. “Like what?” I said.

He shrugged. "I don't know, we'll figure something out."

"But, I don't even know you," I said.

He grinned, and the dimples appeared, sending quivers through my legs. He really needs to stop doing that.

"That's kind of the point, isn’t it?” He grinned at me. “I mean, if we're going to be working together, we need to get to know each other."

"I haven't agreed to anything yet," I said.

"But, you're going to, right?" he said. "You'd be stupid to pass up an opportunity like this one."

That's it, he really does think you're stupid.

I broke my eyes away from him and looked at the door.

"I really do need to get going," I said, not wanting to confront him and make an even bigger fool of myself.

I slid down off the stool, and began heading toward the door before he could protest. I didn't want to chance looking at him again, for fear that I wouldn't be able to keep a level head anymore. I heard him hop off his stool, in quick pursuit. He stayed right behind me, following me out of the bar.

“I’m sorry,” he said. “I don’t think you’re stupid. I just want you to give this decision the attention it deserves.”

“I told Scottie I would talk it over with my family,” I said. “And I’m going to do just that.”

“You should talk it over with me, too,” he said. “Maybe we can come up with some kind of plan for how we can pull this thing off.”

“Oh yeah?” I said, still not breaking stride. “Do you know a bunch of bands around here that might want to play at the show?”

I pushed through the front door without slowing, and was instantly blinded by the high midday sun. I raised a hand to try and shade it away. I squinted, trying to find Sarah through the blinding haze.

“I just don’t want you to give up before you’ve really given it a shot,” Haden said.

I glanced over at him, and saw that he was shielding his own eyes in a similar way. Even standing there, out of the protection of the dimly lit bar, he somehow managed to look absolutely stunning. His hair fell in front of his eyes, and he pinched it back with a finger, keeping his eyes locked on me.

I felt myself swaying in place as he looked at me. An image of the two of us flashed in my mind. We were off somewhere, spending the summer together, chasing down bands across the huge state of Texas. There were worst ways to spend my summer vacation. Even if we didn’t find a band, at least I would be spending my days with Haden. That made it worth it - right?

“There you are,” Sarah called out.

Sarah’s voice came from somewhere off to my left. I glanced over and saw her walking toward us, her phone still in hand. She said a few things into it, and then clicked it off. “I was beginning to wonder if you had decided to stay and have a few drinks while you were here.” Her voice trailed off, and her eyes went wide when she realized that Haden was standing next to me. “Oh, I didn’t mean to…” she looked back and forth between us.

Haden’s eyes locked on her, and he thrust his hand out in front of her.

“Hi, I’m Haden,” he said.

Sarah beamed and took his hand. “Sarah,” she said.

I struggled to not groan out loud. This was no going in the direction that I wanted it to go.

“Ready to go?” I asked Sarah.

Haden did his best to speak over me. He still had her hand in his, and still managed to command her attention.

“Sarah, can you tell Maggie that she’s making a mistake,” he said.

Sarah cocked her head to the side, a smile still spread across her cheeks. “What do you mean?” she asked.

Haden tilted his head toward the bar.

“Scottie is offering her a once in a lifetime chance, and she’s trying her best to turn it down.”

Sarah’s eyebrows furrowed together and she leaned back a bit. She glanced over at me for confirmation.

“I don’t want to talk about it right now,” I said. I turned to Haden. “Thanks for your help in there, but we really need to get going.”

“It’s no rush…” Sarah started. I shot her the angriest stare I’d ever given to anyone. She fell silent while her lips kept moving.

Haden gave me a serious look, then snorted his disbelief.

“Are you going to spend your summer working at some classy place like McDonald’s, then?” he said. “This kind of thing doesn’t come up every day. I hope you realize how lucky you are.”

I sighed, again. “I don’t know!” I wanted to scream it so he would hear me, but he seemed determined to keep me on edge. “I’ll make my decision this weekend, and talk to Scottie about it on Monday.”

Haden let out a long sigh. Hopefully he had finally realized that he wasn’t going to get a solid answer out of me right there. I needed to get away from him - it was becoming clear that I couldn’t keep my senses with him around.

“We’re going to the bike track later, if you want to come join us,” Sarah said out of nowhere. I gave her a shocked look, and couldn’t help but notice the smile widening across Haden’s face.

“What are you talking about?” I said in a hushed voice, as though Haden somehow night not hear.

She nodded. “I was just talking to Huck. His motocross team is doing a little demonstration before the season gets under way. They’re trying to get a lot of people out there.”

“I’d love to go,” Haden said. “What time?”

“I don’t know…” I said, but the two were having a conversation to themselves. It was clear that I didn’t even need to be there.

“Six,” Sarah said.

Haden’s smile widened. “Great,” he said. Then he turned to me. “I’ll see you tonight.”

I stood there, stunned, as he disappeared back into the bar.

What the hell is going on? I asked myself, still reeling from everything happening so quickly.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Sign up for my New Release Email List!

Add Ruined By You to your Goodreads!

Ruined By You Teaser

Hey everyone! I've been hard at work on my next novel: Ruined By You, and it's due out this coming week! June 20th!

I thought it would be nice to share a bit of a teaser with you. So here it is! Be sure to sign up for my mailing list to be the FIRST one notified when the full book is available!

Mailing List Signup

Also, be sure to add it to your library on Goodreads!

Without further adieu... be the first to read a teaser from my upcoming release, RUINED BY YOU!

Green mileage signs passed by outside, announcing that we were getting closer and closer to town. It was about time. We’d been driving for days, and I was ready to stretch my long legs for more than a few hours at a time. I ruffled the pillow propped against the window, trying to get comfortable, but my neck was so stiff I knew it was going to be impossible.

“Finally, almost there,” Mom said. She glanced a smile over at me, her eyes filled with nervous excitement. The trip had been sudden - unexpected - and she’d been acting strange ever since we left.

“Is there something you’re not telling me?” I asked, not for the first time.

“Everything’s fine, dear. I just thought…” She shrugged a shoulder. “We haven’t visited in a long time.”

I frowned, and rolled my eyes. It was the same answer as before.

“I just don’t understand why you chose this summer to haul us across the country.,” I said. “I was looking forward to spending some time with my friends, and maybe getting a job in the city, before starting college.”

I rested my head against the pillow again.

“You weren’t going to get a job in the city,” she said, sharply. “You don’t know anyone in the city. It’s too big - too easy to get lost.”

“I’m not a kid anymore,” I reminded her. “I’m going to school in the city next year - I’ll have to find my way around one way or another.”

She gave me a resigned sigh, keeping her eyes focused on the road.

“Well, that’s not for a few months,” she said, mostly to herself.

I kept quiet. We’d had the same argument before, and we were just working ourselves in circles. The highway coasted along smoothly, wrapping in and around the gentle slopes of the Texas Hill Country. Slowly, the trees gave way to buildings, and we found ourselves on the outskirts of Green Falls. It wasn’t long before the car began slowing, and Mom took an exit. I let out a long yawn and perked up, looking around to take in a town I hadn’t seen in a lifetime.

“We’d better get some gas,” she said. “It’s still a bit of a drive before we get to your aunt’s house.”

We pulled into a Mom & Pop gas station just off the highway. I stretched my legs and gathered some of the trash that that had built up since our last stop. Mom and I had a routine for gas stops, now. It was something that happened on its own after the many stops between Jersey and Texas.

A wooden sign hung outside the door with the word “Welcome” carved into it. The homely decor within made me smile. A man stood behind the counter, and I sensed someone else lingering in the back aisle near the soft drinks.

“Do you have a restroom?” I asked the man behind the counter. He was older with leathery, tanned, skin. He grunted at me and pointed toward the back.

I thanked him and walked to the back. The restroom was cleaner than expected - the first good thing to happen all day. Afterward, I washed my hands and made my way back out to the car. Mom smiled at me as I took over pumping the gas so she could run inside. I was lost in thought, watching the dial on the old gas pump slowly spin upward, when a car pulled up on the other side of the pump.

A man climbed out and started pumping gas. I couldn’t see him well at first, but after a moment he stepped from around the other side of the gas pump and looked at me.

My eyes widened, and I very nearly had to pick my jaws up off the floor.

“Excuse me,” he said, his teeth flashing in a perfect smile. “You wouldn’t happen to know how far it is to Green Falls, would you?”

I shook my head, my eyes still wide despite my best efforts. He was gorgeous in a way that nearly took my breath away.

“Sorry, I’m not from around here,” I said, trying my best to get the words out.

He flashed another smile and he glanced over his shoulder back at the highway. His long brown hair fluttered lightly when he looked back. He was wearing a tight gray shirt, and his arms were covered in tattoos down to his wrists. He looked like he was a few years older than me, and his muscular frame loomed over me like he were a giant.

“I’m not either,” he said. “Just passing through and thought I’d check it out.”

An awkward silence passed between us. I tried to flash an attractive smile at him, but I was sure I probably looked like a silly city girl. His mouth moved like he were about to say something, but he never got the chance.

“Maggie,” a voice called out, sharply. “It’s time to go.”

I glanced over. Mom was standing a few steps away at the front of the car. Her eyes were narrowed, staring between the two of us. The heat of embarrassment rushed to my cheeks as I stared in shocked horror at her.

Does she even realize what she’s doing?

“Let’s go,” she said, turning back to me before I could say anything. She climbed into the car and I jumped as she slammed the door a little too hard. “Let’s go,” I heard her yell again, from within.

I turned back to the mystery man.

“Sorry about that,” I said, squirming my hands toward the door handle. “I have to go.”

He smiled and nodded at me.

“You might not want to ride off with the gas pump still in the tank,” he said, gesturing toward it with a hand.

I cursed myself and hastily finished pumping it. I could all but feel him laughing at me as I twisted the nozzle tight on the tank, and returned the pump to its place. But when I turned back to him, he had the same smile on his face.

“Drive safe,” he said, his fiery eyes following my every movement. My lips curled up in a tiny smile, and then Mom yelled at me again.

“Sorry,” I whispered, again, and climbed into the car.

Mom didn’t give me time to say anything else, and it was probably for the best. I’d already made enough of a fool of myself in front of him. She sped off before I’d even had the door all the way shut, and before I knew it, the gas station was fading away in the rear-view mirror.

“Way to embarrass me, Mom,” I said, turning on her.

“Who was that?” she asked, her tone betraying her contempt.

“He was just asking how far Green Falls was,” I said. “You didn’t have to go all psycho on us.”

“You have to be careful around boys like that,” she said. “You know they’re only after one thing.”

I eyed her, sharply. “You’ve reminded me, Mom. Not that I needed the reminders.”

She glanced over at me, her features softening. “I just don’t want to see you get hurt, sweetie.”

I looked at her, and felt my anger slipping already, even though I didn’t want it to.

“I’m always careful,” I said.

Probably too careful.

We drove the rest of the way in silence. The whole way into town I couldn’t shake the way the mystery man had smiled at me. I’d never seen anyone with eyes that burned as green as his.

No one, except for myself.

~~~~~~~~~~~

Remember, be sure to sign up for my New Release Mailing List to be the first to find out when the full book is available!

New Release Mailing List

Add it on Goodreads!