Today we have an exciting excerpt reveal from BEAUTIFULLY DAMAGED by Laura Pavlov! Check it out and be sure to pre-order your copy today!

Title: Beautifully Damaged

Author: Laura Pavlov

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Release Blitz: July 24^th

Peyton Kroft was his forever, until the unthinkable happened. Walking away all those years ago had been the right thing to do. But, a decade later, he was ready to put the past behind him. Moving to San Francisco and hiring his first love, the city’s top designer, was a good place to start. Seeing her again stirred up feelings he thought he’d long buried. He wanted her. Just one taste of those sweet lips. The girl like a light leading him home. She’d found a way back in somewhere she could never stay. And, the worst part—he liked her there.

~~~

Jackson Vance broke her heart. He took half of it with him on his way out of town. Picking up the pieces hadn’t been easy, but more than nine years later, Peyton is living her best life. Coming face to face with her first love is not on the agenda. Emerald green eyes that see straight to her soul. Jackson Vance is beautiful, broken, and everything she’s ever wanted. He’s not a forever guy—but when their lips touch, it feels like forever. History has a way of repeating itself. The past still hovers like a dark cloud. But every dark cloud has a silver-lining.

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Last night he’d caught her off guard. Today—she came prepared and her walls were up. He couldn’t blame her. He’d left her. Been cruel. He'd seen her through good times and bad. She had the etiquette of a royal princess, the perfect manners of a debutante, but the girl could fight like a caged pit bull when she wanted something.

“I think it’s best we keep things professional. I take my job very serious, and I don’t want any complications. Let’s start fresh as work associates.” Her voice as distant as her eyes.

“Ah. So, this is how we’re going to play it,” he said with a chuckle.

“Excuse me? I’m not quite sure how to act around you, Jackson. You show up here out of nowhere, and you’re judging my behavior?”

“Since when do you have to act a certain way?”

“What? I don’t. You’re taking things out of context. I’ve never had a client who happened to be an ex-boyfriend. This is a first for me.”

“I’ve never had a problem being your first.” Yep, it would get a reaction. They needed to get past the awkward bullshit and hash it out. Forcing her to engage would be his best bet.

She clenched her jaw. “I see you’re still an asshole.”

“Ahhh—There she is.”

“Meaning?”

“Meaning, you need to stop putting on airs.” Using his index and middle fingers on each hand and bending twice, he fought back a smile.

“Are you seriously using air quotes on me? How ridiculous are you?” She jumped up and stormed over to her desk.

“I’d say I’m pretty fucking ridiculous.” His fingers intertwined behind his head, he leaned back to enjoy the show.

Goddamn, this woman only got sexier when she was pissed. He remembered how feisty she could be, but she appeared more controlled and refined now. He didn’t miss the way she struggled to rein in her emotions, jamming things into her desk drawer now.

First, a stapler. A pencil. A couple of files.

She picked up her water bottle and tipped her head back, taking a long, slow sip. His heart pounded in his chest. He yearned to taste her soft lips. Maybe it would get him through the next decade. No woman ever made him so greedy for more. But he wasn’t here to take anything from her. He’d taken enough.

“Peanut.”

“What? And stop calling me that,” she demanded, returning to sit beside him.

“I’m sorry.”

“What are you sorry for?”

“I’m sorry for everything. I’m sorry for leaving you—for hurting you.”

She studied him, lips pursed. “Is this really your apology?”

“What do you want me to say? I went fucking crazy. I wasn't equipped to handle what happened. It wasn’t anyone’s fault.”

Laura Pavlov writes sweet and sexy contemporary romance that will make you both laugh and cry. She is happily married to her college sweetheart, mom to two awesome almost-grown kids, and dog-whisperer to a couple crazy yorkies. Laura resides in Las Vegas where she is living her own happily ever after.