I wished so hard for Cole Danforth. And one day, he came true. He was my first boyfriend, my first lover, my first and only love. He should also have been my last.
But in a split-second, we were ripped apart, our lives broken, my heart shattered. After ten years, I've returned to my hometown, the place of my greatest joy and darkest pain.
Cole is still here, but the beautiful boy I'd loved is gone. Now he's a ruthless, unforgiving man determined to feed both my resentment and my lust.
Then our torturous past encroaches again, trapping us in a violent storm.
But this time, there is no escape.
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“Name?”
“Josephine Mays.”
“Let her in.”
I turn off the intercom and unlock my office door. A few minutes pass before the door flies open. Josie barges in, her hands fisted and an angry light in her eyes.
“You are an asshole,” she snaps.
“I’ve been told.”
“How dare you pull that kind of stunt?”
“It’s the truth.”
“And we both know damned well you brought it up only because I’m involved.” She tosses her backpack and art portfolio onto a chair. She’s trembling with anger. “I don’t care what you think about me, but bringing the people of this town into our personal shit is low, even for you.”
My shoulders tense. “Even for me? What do you know about me?”
“Nothing anymore.” She slams her hands to her hips, her features twisting. “But I used to know everything about you. Do you remember that? Then you walked out on me right when I needed you the most, proving you were never the man I thought you were. Now I find out that you run this company like a dictator, you’re crushing independent businesses and putting people out of work, and you’re publicly trying to stop me from creating a mural that’s intended for both this town and my parents. What the hell happened to you?”
“You happened to me.”
The words fly out of my mouth before I can stop them. The pencil I’m holding breaks in two with the force of my grip.
Josie steps back, her eyes widening. Her dark hair is windblown, her cheeks flushed, her chest heaving under her old army jacket. I’d once had the right to comb her hair back from her forehead, slide my palm over her neck before edging my fingers into her V-necked T-shirt...
Anger crushes my chest. I shove away from my desk and stride toward her. Fear flashes in her green eyes, which pisses me off even more. When the fuck was she ever afraid of me?
I grab the lapels of her jacket, yanking her closer. Our lower bodies collide. She gasps, a little catching noise in the back of her throat that used to get me hot in a second.
It still does. My blood starts to boil. She tilts her head back, her eyes flashing. I lower my head to look at her, fighting to ignore her scent—goddamned summer leaves and cherry candy.
“I once would have done anything for you.” The words grate roughly from my throat. “And then I failed you in the worst possible way. I failed you, I failed Teddy, and I failed your parents.”
She stares at me, her eyes widening. “Cole, I—”
“When you left, I hoped with everything I was that you’d have a chance at a normal life.” I pull her closer, anger warring with the undeniable flare of lust. “That you could be happy again if you weren’t constantly surrounded by reminders of everything you lost. Everything I took from you.”
“Goddamn you, Cole Danforth.” Fire flames over her expression. She plants her hands on my chest and shoves herself away. “The only thing you took from me was you.”
4 Stars
by Cheryl Stewart
Cole and Josie have a love for each other that has been blooming since they were 9 years old. He was always around when she needed help. Now living together everything seemed perfect. Everything changed the night they celebrated her parents 25th wedding anniversary. A car accident on their way home left tragedy in Josie’s life. With the death of her parents and little brother, Josie only has her sister and Cole left to lean on. Josie doesn’t remember anything about the accident as she was knocked unconscious. The entire town puts the blame on Cole as he was driving the car. In the small town rumors quickly started spreading about all the different ways Cole was to blame. Josie never held him accountable for the accident. Shortly after the accident, Cole decides to leave town and Josie, claiming the only way she will be able to move on is if he is gone from her life. Her devastation sends her away from Castille, her home town to San Francisco. Insomnia, panic attacks and nightmares are now all that Josie deals with. Her nightmares even showing up in her artwork.
After 10 years she decides to go back to her home town to paint a memorial mural for her parents. When she returns home all are happy to see her back except Cole. Cole left Castille for awhile but moved back to town a few years ago. He does everything he can to get Josie to go back to California. When their feelings of hatred for each other turn into lust and longing they can no longer fight the need to be together.
When Josie finds the picture Cole took right before the accident of her family her axis is flipped once more.
This was a good book that had me turning pages and trying to figure out what truly happened that fateful night, can they move on and leave the past in the past?
*** Advanced copy provided in exchange for an honest review. ***
We fell in love. Then our world fell apart.
I wished so hard for Cole Danforth. And one day, he came true. He was my first crush, my first lover, my first and only love. He should also have been my last. But in a split-second, we were ripped apart, our lives broken, my heart shattered. After ten years, I've returned to my hometown, the place of my greatest joy and darkest pain. Cole is still here, but the beautiful boy I'd loved is gone. Now he's a ruthless, unforgiving man determined to feed both my resentment and my lust. Then our torturous past encroaches again, trapping us in a violent storm.But this time, there is no escape.
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New York Times & USA Today bestselling author Nina Lane writes hot, sexy romances about professors, bad boys, candy makers, and protective alpha males who find themselves consumed with love for one woman alone. Originally from California, Nina holds a PhD in Art History and an MA in Library and Information Studies, which means she loves both research and organization. She also enjoys traveling and thinks St. Petersburg, Russia is a city everyone should visit at least once. Although Nina would go back to college for another degree because she's that much of a bookworm and a perpetual student, she now lives the happy life of a full-time writer.
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