One exotic location, one sex-filled week, one secret to hide ...
Bad luck. Emma's life has been full of it lately. Abandoned by her best friend. Stranded in a foreign country without cash or a passport. She's ready to give up her dreams of an exotic adventure and head home. But when a sexy stranger offers to help how can she say no?
A challenge. Alec Hawthorne is handsome, charismatic, and used to getting what he wants. So when he spots Emma, alone and in trouble, he can't resist pursuing her. But meeting Emma threatens to undo all his carefully laid plans.
Consuming desire. Emma didn't plan on finding romance while studying abroad, but that doesn't stop her from from being seduced by Alec's intense, demanding charms. When he asks her to spend the week with him how can she refuse?
Difficult choices. Little do they know their instant attraction spells trouble. When Emma finds out the secret Alec's been keeping can she learn to trust him again? Is Alec willing to give up everything he's been working for to be with Emma?
I make it back to my dorm without any further mishaps. Shutting the door behind me, I kick off my heels and pad barefoot over to my bed. I throw my bag onto Freya’s bare mattress and lie back, my head hitting the pillow with a soft thump. I’m exhausted. I close my eyes for a second and take a couple of calming breaths, in and out. I need a few minutes to get my head together.
As soon as my eyes close, flashes of seductive golden-green eyes and broad muscular shoulders invade my brain. Alec Hawthorne. Holy hell. I let my mind wander for a couple of minutes, imagining the feel of those strong hands exploring my body, sliding slowly up my inner thighs. That big, hard body pressing into me, pinning me to the mattress. My skin flushes as one hand reaches below my waist, the other making slow circles around my nipples.
Just when the tension begins to build, my phone rings. I jump, startled out of my daydream, and sit up clumsily to reach for my phone. I don’t recognize the number.
“Hello?”
“Emma.” The deep, sexy voice washes over me and I have to bite my lip to stop from crying out. Did he know what I’d been doing? I shake my head to try and clear it. Of course not, how could he know?
“Yes?” I try to sound normal but my heart is suddenly racing.
“I just wanted to make sure you made it back safely.” In the background I can hear traffic noises, like he might be in the back of a taxi.
“Yeah, thanks, no more problems.” I smile into the phone. It feels good to have someone worry about me.
“Let me take you to dinner.”
The offer is tempting. My stomach is empty and the only thing I have are some stale peanut butter crackers from the vending machine. But . . . the effect he had on me was a little intimidating. Do I trust myself around him? I don’t want any romantic complications.
“Say yes, Emma. I’ll pick you up at seven.” His tone is confident, commanding even. It didn’t leave a lot of room for debate.
“Sure, okay. Where are we . . .” The phone clicks before I can finish my question. He cut me off! But I can’t stay annoyed; I’m going to see Alec again.
Julia Danes loves to read and write romantic stories about smart women and sexy men.
With a degree in English literature from Boston University and a master’s in library science, she has spent the last decade working in publishing as a freelance editor before turning to her childhood dream of being a novelist.
Raised in the Boston area, she now lives in Florida with her husband and three children.
Faltering is her debut novel.
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