A Jetty Beach Romance

His stubbly jaw, delicious abs, and artistic soul make him irresistible. (And have I mentioned the things he can do with his tongue?) My heart—and my body—want more. They want everything. Although the gravity between us is inescapable, he tries to push me away. The pain behind his eyes holds him back, and it just might tear us apart.

The hot guy in a suit, sitting next to me at the bar? I don’t know who he is, but when he tries to pick me up, he seems surprised when I sass him and turn him down. Truth? He’s practically irresistible, and I almost say yes.

I know two things with absolute certainty. Second chances don’t come easy. And I’m going to marry Emma Parker. Ten years ago, I was troubled and angry, looking for an outlet for my rage. To protect the people I love, I made the choice to join the Marines—and leave the love of my life behind. Emma moved on. But now we’re both back in our hometown, and I’m determined to earn her forgiveness. To show her we belong together. I’ve made loving her my mission, and I’m determined not to fail.

Juliet Blake shows up at my bar, dejected after her surprise girls’ weekend goes bad. So I do the usual—mix her a drink and listen to her troubles. I’m a spontaneous guy, so I offer to help—spend the rest of the weekend with her, so she’s not alone on her birthday. I don’t expect her to end up in my bed, but when she does, it’s mind-blowing. And after a smoking hot weekend together, I realize I could use a little more Juliet in my life. See her again? Sure. But it’s still just a fling. I have my reasons. My heart can’t take more.

The new girl next door? She’s adorable, but totally off-limits. I don’t do commitment—been there, done that, got the broken heart—and sweet-as-pie Becca is too close to girlfriend material. But she asks me to help her find her naughty side, and I’m the perfect guy for the job. She wants to take some risks and face her fears, and I have all kinds of ideas. I just need to keep my d*ck—and my heart—out of it. After all, we’re just two friends having fun. What could possibly go wrong?

Although I’ve achieved my dream of owning my own restaurant, something is still missing from my life. I’m the one guy I know who didn’t get the girl. And then Sadie walks into my life. She works for me, so I’m not supposed to want her. But she awakens something inside me I thought was dead and gone. I was numb, and she makes me feel again. She’s running from her past, but I won’t let it catch her. I’ll protect her from whatever she left behind. She gave me a reason to care. If she’ll let me, I’ll give her a reason to trust and show her we belong together.