A
passion-fueled encounter in the corridor of a hotel convention room reveals two
anguished hearts struggling to reconnect despite life’s difficulties. Will
Carlisle, the eye candy of the office, is every woman’s dream, tall, handsome,
and dashingly charming. Sara Rozek never guessed he has secretly wanted her for
months now. When a bad day falls upon them and Will breaks the reins of his own
restraint, she sees the burning passion in his eyes, and there is no denying
the mutual attraction. Will and Sara’s start quickly runs awry, and Sara
becomes convinced she was played for a fool. Will begs her to listen to him,
but she turns away in fear. Can Will mend her broken heart, or will the passion
they shared vanish forever?
Excerpt
They
walked out of the meeting with a definite maybe. It was the best answer for
now. Will complimented their hard work and said he was proud of the
presentation they’d put forward.
They
separated from Rick. Will’s flight departed in just under two hours. Sara
pulled out of the parking lot in silence, letting the radio fill the void. Her
eyes focused outside the truck. The abrupt shift in his demeanor was
uncomfortable and Sara was in agony. She couldn’t stand the tension but didn’t
know what to do.
The
car jumped, and Sara pulled at the wheel to remain in control.
“Shit!”
She
pulled off to the side of the road. Her temper flared, the culmination of the
tension in the car and the disappointing results from the meeting.
She
thrust the door open and walked alongside the truck, where she saw her shredded
back tire.
Will
came around the corner, meeting her at the back of the truck, and he
immediately reached for the hatch. Lifting it, he removed his jacket while Sara
removed the carpet. She pulled out the jack and the crow bar. He took them from
her, putting the jack beneath the truck. He met her gaze, a raging testosterone
fury firing in his eyes, and she stepped back. He raised the truck and removed
the hubcap. She took it from him, watching as he began to loosen the lug nuts. He’d
gotten three of five, but the last two weren’t cooperating. She watched him
struggle with them, doing her best to remain silent, resisting the need to
comment.
He
continued to try and then bent over in frustration.
“I
can call roadside assistance if you—" she began, and was met with a glare
that stirred annoyance in her chest. “You’re going to miss your flight. At
least let me call Rick to come and get you.”
He
glanced over, his eyes squinting. Brow furrowed.
“What?”
She asked.
“How
much do you weigh?”
“Excuse
me?” He laughed and she bristled “What’s so funny?”
“Nothing,
I just…I need your help.”
“Um,
okay what do you need me to do?”
“Come
here.” His eyes brightened, and she moved. He took the hubcap from her hand and
set it in the back of the truck. “The lug nuts are stuck.”
“I
noticed.”
He
gave her a sideways smirk before pushing his hand though his hair and loosening
his tie.
“What’s
your plan?”
“We
are going to jump.”
“Jump?”
“Ah,
yeah,” his shoulders fell before he positioned the lug wrench onto the stuck
lug. He scratched at the back of his neck. His eyes focused on the meddlesome
tire. “If we put enough weight on the lug, we should be able to pop it.”
“By
jumping?”
“Yep.”
“Okay.”
“Put
your hands out.” She complied and he grasped her elbows, locking the embrace.
“Okay, now put your right foot on top of the crowbar, then your left.”
She
followed his directions, using his arms to steady her balance on top of the
piece of metal. She got her bearings and met his gaze.
“Now
what?”
“I
am going to jump onto it as well, and with any luck, the force will pop the
nut.”
“You’re
serious?”
“Absolutely.”
His gaze held hers in a steady reassurance. “Ready?”
“No,
but okay.”
He
grinned, and she braced herself for the jolt. Will placed his left foot on the
metal just between her ankles.
“Okay,
one, two…” with a silent three, he lifted himself onto the bar and bounced. The
lug didn’t move. He stepped down and tried again. After the third attempt, she
began to giggle, which in turn made him laugh. They found themselves perched on
top of the metal, holding onto each other for dear life. She felt herself drop,
and his arms clutched her as they fell. She landed hard and realized she was on
top of him.
“Oh
my god, are you all right? I’m so sorry!” She shifted, getting off him. He sat
up, his arms still around her. She found herself propped against him, looking
down into his eyes.
“You
guys need some help?”
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