Tag Archives: Karen Tjebben

by Jennifer Reed/ bookjunkiez | September 9, 2024 · 5:00 am

Whispers of the Past Virtual Book Tour

Paranormal with a little romance

Date Published : 09-07-2024

Gifts always come with strings… Just don’t get tangled in them. When Kat
Summers inherits a dilapidated house, she can’t wait to restore it. As she
breathes life into the house, something within her awakens. Shadows &
voices haunt the hallways & trigger her quest for answers. Jana Summers
has a spreadsheet for everything. So, when her wife quits her job &
begins restoring a money pit, she panics. There’s no spreadsheet on how to
handle a haunted house or a wife with the gift of sight.

Listen to Whispers of the Past for free on the My Secret Obsession
Podcast

https://mysecretobsession.alitu.com/

EXCERPT

“I’m sorry, what?” Jana replied. A slew of emotions and thoughts assaulted her as she processed Kat’s words. No way did Kat just say the house was theirs.

Kat beamed with excitement. She felt like Elsa looked while dancing in her ice castle. She would rebuild Haynes Manor to its original glory. “This place is ours. We own it.” Kat spread her arms and twirled in a circle. “All of this is ours.” She came to an abrupt stop with her arms out wide. “Isn’t this incredible!”

Jana remained speechless. Was this a joke?

“What do you think?” Kat asked. She knew this would be a hard sell for Jana, but she also knew that she’d get Jana to see the wisdom behind restoring this place.

“Wait, what do you mean? How is that possible?”

Kat took in a deep breath and unloaded, “When my aunt passed, the trust said that the house had to be owned by someone related to the original Haynes family. No one else wanted it. I was last in line, and the house was finally offered to me. I took it. This is all ours. The land, everything. Isn’t this incredible!”

The fact that Jana just stared blankly at her with an occasional blink worried her. She stepped closer and took Jana’s hand. “I know this is a lot to take in. I wanted it to be a surprise. What do you think?”

The acid in Jana’s stomach churned, threatened to burst through her flesh and dissolve any dead insect that lay on the dirty, poop-covered, water-damaged floor. Her heart raced as she replayed Kat’s words. Was it possible that this dump, this decrepit, poor excuse for a house was actually theirs?

Kat had never seen Jana so quiet before. She was near catatonic. Kat gave Jana’s hand a little squeeze, hoping it would wake Jana up from whatever nightmare was swirling through her head. “Please say something.”

Jana shook her head and blinked quickly as she awoke from her stupor. “You bought this house? Without talking to me?” She couldn’t believe it. Would never have believed that Kat would buy a house without consulting her.

“That’s the beauty of this. We didn’t have to pay a thing. This place was free. It’s ours, free and clear. We paid nothing.”

“You can’t actually believe that.”

“What? That it was free? Yes, it was free. F. R. E. E,” she spelled out. Why was this so difficult to understand?

Jana licked her lips and gazed around at the disaster that was now officially hers to restore. “This place is the exact opposite of free. It’s going to cost us millions. I can’t believe you made a decision like this without talking to me.

Que panic attack. Kat listened as Jana unloaded.

“What are the taxes? How much land do we own? We will owe taxes on that land. We’re close to the river. Do we need flood insurance? That’s going to be expensive. Insurance alone could be more than you make a year. Then, even if we go cheap and just make this place barely livable, I don’t see how that doesn’t cost us a million dollars. Will the plumbing need to be updated? The air conditioning? The units out there now are dead. This place is huge. Will we need two or three air conditioning units? Will the vents that run throughout the house need to be updated? The roof needs to be replaced. The window casings are crap. The floors are in terrible shape. Is the electrical actually up to code? My god, the list of things wrong with this place is never ending.

Kat nodded and tilted her head to show that she heard Jana. “I agree, this house will be expensive in the beginning. But this is a once in a lifetime chance to own a piece of history. This is a gift that we will cherish for our lifetimes and pass on to our children.”

Jana closed her eyes and inhaled. She focused on the breath raising her ribcage and filling her lungs. She shook her head in disagreement. “No, this is not a good gift. I bought you a pair of five-hundred-dollar sunglasses. That’s an acceptable luxury gift. We have a rule, right?” Jana pointed between herself and Kat. “We don’t spend more than five hundred dollars without consulting the other.” She motioned around the room, “This way exceeds our five-hundred-dollar limit. I can’t believe you didn’t talk to me about this. What happens if all of this fails? If we go into debt?”

“I know. And I usually agree, but this is different. I don’t expect a single penny, dime, quarter or nickel from you. I will pay for everything with my inheritance.”

“Okay, let’s say that I don’t pay for anything. We are married. I am legally responsible for your debts, whether you want me to be or not. I should have had a place at the table when you were making this decision.”

Kat was relieved that Jana was at least talking and not still catatonic, but she needed to allay Jana’s concerns. “I have three million as my inheritance in my trust. You’re right, this will be expensive, but I do have the money. There is nothing that you will be responsible for.”

“I can’t believe you’re still saying that,” Jana scoffed. “This affects me in every way possible. I assume that you think we’ll sell our house. We’ll pack up and move out of our home, away from our friends, and start this new life here, so we can live out the fairytale that’s in your head. How are you going to work on this place and teach? The drive is at least an hour each way. Do you really want to do that?”

Kat had hoped this wouldn’t come up right away. Jana wasn’t going to take this well either. She clenched her teeth in anxiety and then began, “I’m not going back to teaching. I quit.”

Jana squatted, resting her butt on her heels. “I need to sit down.” She held her face in disbelief. “Fuck, it’s so gross in here that I can’t even sit on the floor.” She stood again, both hands rubbed her forehead. After a few breaths, she moved her hands to her hips. “What do you mean you’re not going back to work?”

Kat put on her ‘everything is going to be fine’ face. Jana was teetering on completely losing it, and she just needed to keep her from going over the precipice. “You know about my family trust. I have three million dollars at my disposal. You and I, we’ve discussed how that money can help us retire early. You can quit your job in your fifties if you want. If we live wisely, we can live out our retirement in relative ease. And I want you to know that, even with this house, I have not veered from that goal.”

Jana made a sound that Kat wasn’t familiar with. She couldn’t decide if it was a show of frustration, anger, denial, or simply just the sound of a woman completely overwhelmed. But as Jana’s eyes locked on hers, she knew it was a blending of anger and disbelief.

Kat continued, ‘When we got married, we promised that we wouldn’t be like the other marriages out there. We wouldn’t lose our independence to make decisions. I can’t go back to teaching. You know why.”

“Fuck,” Jana mumbled. “Not losing our independence doesn’t mean completely disregarding the other person. We should have talked about this. About all of this.” She paced in a circle like a gazelle surrounded by a pack of hyenas.

About the Author

Karen lives in Georgia with her wonderful husband and twin daughters. She
loves traveling the world. Whether it’s to the heights of Yosemite,
the white sands of the Caribbean, or even Down Under, she’s always
ready to pack a bag in search of inspiration. She enjoys creating worlds
filled with unique characters that will delight and raise goose bumps on her
readers.

Contact Links

Purchase Link

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Tagged as Karen Tjebben, Paranormal with a little romance, Whispers of the Past

by Jennifer Reed/ bookjunkiez | March 4, 2024 · 5:00 am

Lexi Wells: Gift of Sight Virtual Book Tour

Paranormal Thriller

Date Published: 06-26-2023

Lexi never considered her gift of sight anything but a curse until she is
lured to a murder scene by a young, dead girl. Detective Evan Steele doesn’t
like working with others, especially ones who ruin his crime scene. Going
against his gut and logic, he teams up with a medium who challenges
everything he ever believed. Together they must stop the serial killer that
is terrorizing New Sainte.

Don’t miss Cherish Lively’s My Secret Obsession Podcast. If you enjoy
listening to novels, stop by the podcast and listen to Confessions of a
“Fallen” Good Girl.

Join the Podcast

EXCERPT

The layer of gray clouds reflected the flashing lights of the police cars lining the street. Lexi’s head whirled in rhythm with the swirling lights as her heart pounded. Each inhalation seemed to be filtered through a dozen surgical masks as dizziness overwhelmed her. Her grip tightened on the wheel as she came to a sudden stop in her driveway. She didn’t want to move, but she had to. She couldn’t deny the little girl who beckoned her.

Olivia Shaw ran to her, yet her little feet didn’t quite touch the ground. Lexi couldn’t describe exactly how the dead moved or how much of their earthly selves remained once they were dead, but there always seemed to be a process by which the dead came to terms with their death and finally receded into the afterlife.

Lexi wasn’t sure if she was screaming aloud or if her cries of horror merely echoed in her head, but as she ran across the driveway towards the little girl, she knew that she was the only one that saw Olivia.

“Help Amelia! She’s hiding!” screamed Olivia with her hands in fists by her side. She looked like a kid throwing a tantrum, but it wasn’t a tantrum. Desperation to help someone she loved fueled her pleas. The eight-year-old turned and raced back towards her house.

At first Lexi didn’t notice the police officers making their way towards her, but as she neared Oliva, a man in a suit stepped in front of her and motioned for her to stop.

Lexi’s focus on Olivia was totally obscured by the broad chest that suddenly blocked her way. She nearly stumbled as she came to an abrupt stop. She steadied herself by planting her hands on the man’s chest. His hands wrapped around her arms to keep her from fully plowing into him.

“Ma’am,” Detective Evan Steele said as he kept the woman steady. “Ma’am, you can’t go in there. Do you live here?”

Evan hated this part of his job. Death and murder were horrible business, but justice for the dead and the ones who lived on needed to be found. The woman before him was pale and clearly traumatized. Her fingers clutched at his shirt, and her nails scraped his flesh through the cloth.

“Ma’am,” Evan repeated. The woman shifted and refused to look at him. Instead, her gaze was locked on something behind him.

He glanced over his shoulder to see what held her attention, but he didn’t see anything.

“Let go of me,” Lexi panted. She tried to push off his chest, but his hands remained locked on her arms.

Fury exploded through Lexi and she shouted, “Let go of me!” She jerked free of his hold and only got a few steps before he stopped her again.

“Ma’am,” this time Evan’s voice was firm, authoritative. “You can’t go in there. It’s an active crime scene.”

“We have to help her!” Lexi screamed. “She’s afraid. She needs my help.”

Evan felt sorry for the desperate woman before him. The people in the house were dead. There was no one to help.

“I’m sorry, ma’am. We have the situation under control.”

Olivia’s screams for help echoed through the air. Amelia had to be safe. Olivia wouldn’t be so desperate if her sister was already dead. Lexi wasn’t a quitter, but she knew he wouldn’t let her by.

“Okay,” Lexi said, finally making eye contact with the man. “Okay.” God, what could she say to convince him to let her into the house? She couldn’t tell him that she saw ghosts and that one was pleading with her to help a little girl still in the house.

About the Author

Contact Links

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Tagged as Karen Tjebben, Lexi Wells: Gift of Sight, Paranormal Thriller

by Jennifer Reed/ bookjunkiez | June 20, 2022 · 5:00 am

Calla’s Candy Virtual Book Tour

The Flowers of Avenel Book 5

Contemporary Romance

Date Published: 05-31-2022

photo add-to-goodreads-button_zpsc7b3c634.png

Sugar flows through Calla Taylor’s veins, so owning her own candy
shop is her dream come true. She has independence and the chance to surround
herself with her passion… candy. But life in Avenel, a small island
town, has its challenges. The summer’s hurricane season hit her hard,
and now that winter has begun, she’s not sure Calla’s Candy can
hold out until the warmer temperatures lure tourists back to the
beaches.

Ash Singh has it all: good looks, a charming personality, and a pile of
money that just continues to grow. He also has a broken heart. Because of
the hellish way his last relationship ended, he wasn’t sure he could
ever love again. But meeting Calla changed everything. It started small.
When she smiled, the jagged edges of his heart found their match and sealed
together. Her laugh revived a pulse that sent need and desire through his
soul. But when he held her in his arms as they danced, he felt something he
hadn’t felt in a long time. Hope.

But one thoughtless act cuts Calla to the core and threatens the hope that
took root in Ash’s soul. He sets out to not only save his relationship
with Calla, but he vows to save Calla’s Candy too.

EXCERPT

Ash’s stomach grumbled again as he made his way towards the café on the other side of the lobby. He’d debated getting room service, but he wanted to stretch his legs. He’d worked in his suite all day, going over the numbers for potential companies that Singhular Venture Capital could fund.

As he stepped up to the vacant hostess stand, he spotted the hostess coming his way. She was a young woman in her twenties. She graced him with a smile as she hustled towards him.

“Good evening, Mr. Singh,” Cherie Berry said as she stepped behind the hostess stand. She usually worked in the 5-star hotel’s Hope’s Garden Restaurant on the other side of the lobby, but a friend called in sick. She volunteered to cover for her because she never turned down the chance to earn money.

“Good evening, Ms. Cherie,” Ash replied after reading her name tag. Some people would be surprised to have strangers automatically know their name, but not him. He learned that when someone pays over a thousand dollars a night at a resort, the resort makes sure the staff recognizes that guest’s face to ensure the very highest caliber treatment.

Cherie’s heart raced a little when he said her name. Ashwin Singh was handsome and well mannered. And single. She wouldn’t mind finding a man from among the crème de la crème of society. What would it be like to be a guest of the posh hotel instead of a worker?

“Are you dining alone or waiting for someone?” Cherie asked. She set her hand on the stack of menus and waited to hear how many to grab.

“Ah, just myself.” He glanced around the café. Most of the tables were occupied.

“Please, follow me,” Cherie said, picking up a menu.

Ash followed Cherie, but then he spotted Calla. The raven-haired beauty with alabaster skin was laughing with a man on the other side of the room. He was surprised at the range of emotions that flooded him.

His first thought was how lucky he was to spot her. He’d been thinking about her all week, hoping that their paths would cross again so he could continue to heal the fissure between them. Then jealousy twisted his heart. She wasn’t with a friend. She was with a man. And she was laughing with him, slathering him with giggles and smiles. Women liked men who made them feel good, and it was apparent that this man was making Calla feel good.

Ash cleared his throat and asked softly, “Excuse me, Ms. Cherie, is it possible to sit there?” He pointed to a small table for two along the window that looked out at the ocean. It would also give him a good view of Calla.

“Of course,” Cherie gave him a smile. She shifted directions and led him to the table that he’d pointed out.

Ash pulled out the chair and sat so Calla was in his direct line of sight. Cherie handed him a menu and then walked away.

Ash wasn’t sure if this was a good idea or not. He would happily watch her all night, revel in her smile, but was he torturing himself? Her smiles weren’t for him. They were for the man sitting across from her.

Who was that man? He hadn’t accompanied her to the wedding. Calla didn’t seem like the kind of girl to cheat on a boyfriend. At least he hoped not. Could he be a gay friend? A man who had a host of female friends but was romantic with none of them.

When the waitress arrived, he glanced at the menu and ordered a Monte Cristo sandwich After handing her the menu, she hustled off.

Ash intertwined his fingers and set his hands on the table in front of him. He couldn’t take his eyes off of Calla, but he also didn’t want to look like a creepy stalker. He forced himself to grab his cell and cradle it on the table in front of him. He scanned through the business news while darting glances in her direction.

When the waitress set his sandwich in front of him, he noticed that Calla was eating the same sandwich. He smiled at that. This was another thing they had in common.

While he finished his sandwich, the waitress set a large slice of chocolate cake in the middle of Calla’s table. Ash cringed as she slid her fork into the cake and fed the man the first bite. Bile churned in Ash’s stomach as the man’s lips covered the morsel and she pulled the fork from his mouth.

Ash immediately lost his appetite. He wanted to be the man she was flirting with, the man she was romantically feeding, the man she would go home with. He wasn’t sure how much more of watching her on a date with another man he could handle. He just knew that he couldn’t take much more.

Being a man of action, Ash stood. The alpha within him demanded that he speak with her. See if there was any spark in her eye when they spoke. He prayed that her gaze, a sparkle in her eyes would offer him hope? The gentleman within him argued that he needed to respect her space. She was not his, therefore he didn’t have the right interrupt her date.

He knew that the polite thing to do would be to leave her alone, but the alpha in him won the internal struggle within him.

He strode towards her, weaving between the tables of diners, with his eyes glued to her. In some weird way, he prayed that if he could speak with her, that she’d realize that she wanted him.

Halfway to her table, his heart dropped out of his chest as she leaned across the table and let the man feed her a bite of chocolate cake. With her eyes closed in sublime pleasure and the moan of appreciation she purred as the man withdrew the fork, Ash nearly turned around. But he stayed the course.

He didn’t run from a challenge.

Maybe it was his imagination, but as he neared, he could feel the sexual energy between the couple as they shared that cake. Between their body language, the smiles, and eye-contact, they were oblivious to anyone else around them. They were completely absorbed in each other.

This was not a good sign.

Ash came to a stop beside their table and cleared his throat casually to politely interrupt their moment. Then he said, “Hi, Calla. It’s good to see you.” He glanced at the man who sat across from her, gave a polite nod and said, “Hello.”

Calla startled when Ash’s deep voice resonated over her skin. She was thankful that she wore long sleeves so he wouldn’t see the goose bumps his velvet voice caused to dance over her skin. As much as she was enjoying Trent, the sight of Ash standing beside her jolted her. The man was one of the handsomest men she’d ever seen, including Hollywood heartthrobs. It shouldn’t surprise her that his presence affected her. But then the memory of his disrespectful words tickled her ears and she regained her composure.

“Hi,” she said. She leaned back in her seat. Her eyes widened as she glanced between the two handsome men. The moment suddenly felt awkward. The air was heavy between them.

She motioned towards Ash and said, “Trent, this is Ash. Ash, this is Trent. Trent and I went to school together.”

The men gave each other a firm head nod and grunted their hellos as they sized up their competition. Ash noted that she didn’t introduce the man with a romantic title. Not even a ‘good friend’. That made him smile.

“What are you doing here?” she asked Ash. Her brow crinkled in curiosity. “I thought you were back in Raleigh.”

“I was, but I look at houses tomorrow with the realtor.”

“Hm,” she responded. His presence was affecting her in ways she hadn’t expected. Her heart rate ticked up, a flushed heat covered her, and she felt her heart warming to Ash.

She needed Ash to leave for Trent’s sake. She stabbed the tines of her fork into the cake and pulled off another bite. “Good luck with that. I hope you find something that you like.” She slid the fork into her mouth and savored the bite.

She really didn’t want to talk to Ash. And despite her conflicted feelings, she didn’t want him to ruin her date with Trent. As she chewed, she hoped Ash would take the hint and let them enjoy their cake in peace.

Ash nodded politely at them and said, “I didn’t mean to interrupt your dinner.” He purposely didn’t use the word ‘date’. “I just wanted to say hi.” His gaze went to Trent. “It was nice meeting you. I’m sure I’ll see you around once I move here.”

Calla gave him an awkward wave and then mumbled, “Bye,” with her hand covering her mouth full of cake.

Trent nodded once and said, “See you around.”

Ash wasn’t sure how to read their short interaction. She and Trent were friendly to him, but when Calla started eating her cake, he knew it was time for him to hit the road. And Trent definitely wanted to be a lot more than friends with Calla.

Ash stopped at the hostess station. Cherie instantly set down her pencil and gave him her full attention.

“I hope your meal was delicious,” Cherie said. “Is there anything else I can do for you, Mr. Singh?”

Ash began, “My meal was fabulous, thank you. I would like you to add that couple’s bill to my room.” He pointed out Calla and Trent. “No need to tell them who paid. You can just tell them that a friend took care of it.”

“Of course, sir,” Cherie replied. “Have a good evening.”

Ash’s Monte Cristo sandwich was heavy in his stomach as he cut through the lobby towards the elevators. He hoped buying their dinner would be counted as a plus in her book. From her indifference towards him, even if she understood why he behaved the way he did at the reception, she wasn’t interested in him. He wasn’t sure that he could blame her.

About the Author

Karen Tjebben lives in central Georgia with her wonderful husband and twin
daughters. She loves traveling the world. Whether it’s to the heights of
Yosemite, the white sands of the Caribbean, or even Down Under, she’s always
ready to pack a bag in search of inspiration. She enjoys creating worlds
filled with unique characters that will delight and raise goose bumps on her
readers.

Contact Links

Purchase Link

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Comments Off on Calla’s Candy Virtual Book Tour

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Tagged as Calla's Candy, contemporary romance, Karen Tjebben

by Jennifer Reed/ bookjunkiez | April 1, 2020 · 5:00 am

Laurel’s Safe Harbor Tour

The Flowers of Avenel Book 4

Contemporary Romance

Date Published: March 20, 2020

Five years ago, April Copeland died so that Laurel Hansen could be born. Escaping from the Callahan brothers hadn’t been easy, but she did it for her unborn daughter, Kara. Now, living in the quiet beach town of Avenel, Laurel feels safe. She’s built a life for herself and Kara. She may even open her heart to a man again, but feeling safe and being safe are two very different things.

Dalton Motley is the kind of guy ladies throw themselves at, which makes Laurel’s disinterest in him more attractive. They’d met once. He’d even been a sort of knight in shining armor to her. So, when she doesn’t recall his name, a seed of disappointment wriggles into his soul, but it’s not there for long. Her delightful laugh thrums gently over his heart and snatches the disappointment before it can take root. Between the joy in her eyes and the feminine timbre of her voice, he’s a goner. It didn’t matter that she didn’t recall his name. He was going to break down the walls she’d built around her heart.

Liam Callahan is an alpha-male who demands respect wherever he goes. He runs two successful businesses: one legal, the other not. During a trip down the coast, Fate smiles upon him. In an accidental meeting, he brushes hands with a young woman. When their gazes connect, her eyes grow big with revulsion. A hint of recognition blooms in Liam’s memory. The tone and cadence of her words spoken in fear make his heart beat a little faster. Was she the one who got away?

Laurel's Safe Harbor now available banner

EXCERPT

A nervous tension coiled in Laurel’s gut when she spotted the lone man along the beach. Who was he? Was he following them?

“What do you think?” Dalton asked.

She cleared her throat. “I’m sorry.” She shook her head in embarrassment. “What did you ask me?”

Dalton didn’t like the way tension wrinkled the skinned around her eyes or how she tightened her lips. “What’s wrong?” he asked.

She shook her head and uttered a weak, “Nothing.”

“I don’t buy that. Really, what’s wrong?” He rubbed his hands up and down her arms. “You can trust me.”

His words tugged at her heart. He wanted her to trust him, and from the way he kissed her, with such passion and gentleness, she knew that she could. How she felt that so confidently and so quickly should scare her. She’d trusted Rory and Liam. She’d closed her eyes to the red flags popping up around the Callahan brothers, but she couldn’t find a single yellow flag waving around Dalton.

Could she trust him? Her heart pounded a resounding yes, and surprisingly, her brain acknowledged the truth. If she ever wanted something real with a man, she’d have to share her past.

“There’s someone from my past that I said goodbye to years ago. I didn’t think our paths would ever cross again.” She’d prayed that their paths would never cross, that she could live a normal existence without the fear of the brothers entering her life.

She gave a noncommittal shrug of a shoulder. “I saw someone today that reminded me of him. That’s all.” And that was all she was telling Dalton. No way would she get into the truth of who the Callahan brothers were. What they did for a living. The kind of men she was hiding from.

About the Author

Karen Tjebben lives in central North Carolina with her wonderful husband and twin daughters. She loves traveling the world. Whether it’s to the heights of Yosemite, the white sands of the Caribbean, or even Down Under, she’s always ready to pack a bag in search of inspiration. She enjoys creating worlds filled with unique characters that will delight and raise goose bumps on her readers.

Contact Links

Purchase Link

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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by Jennifer Reed/ bookjunkiez | October 28, 2019 · 5:00 am

Senna’s Secret Tour

Senna's Secret banner

The Flowers of Avenel Book 3

Contemporary Romance

Date Published: October 12, 2019

Senna Lang knew that fairy tales didn’t come true. There was no prince desperately searching for her to rescue her from the humdrum monotony of life. And whenever her heart dared to hope that there was, she’d shut down that line of thought because it led to the dull, persistent pain centered in her heart. Most of the time she could ignore the ache, but sometimes she couldn’t help but wonder what her life could have been if she hadn’t screwed everything up with Josh ten years ago. Would they be living in a two-story bungalow with water views and wrap around porches on the idyllic town of Avenel? Would they have a couple of kids and a rambunctious but friendly dog?

Regardless of her hopes or fears, returning to Avenel would thrust her into Josh’s realm. He was her first, and she still wasn’t over him. Even though he didn’t know it, she carried a secret from their past that could change their lives forever.

Josh Turner couldn’t believe his eyes. He’d heard Senna was coming back, but he hadn’t known when. But when their paths crossed, the curves of her body took him on a slow trip through memory lane. She’d been his first love and his first heartbreak. After high school, she’d ghosted him and cut him out of her life as if he was a cancerous tumor to be tossed aside. He’d been heartbroken and angry, but as the years passed, his anger cooled to indifference, but being in her presence again unleashed a swell of emotions that he hadn’t expected. All their ‘firsts’ crashed through him like a tsunami and destroyed the barriers he’d erected around his heart. He’d thought he was over her. He wasn’t.

Everyone has secrets, but some secrets are too heavy to bear alone. Those need to be shared.

Excerpt

Coming to the end of an aisle, she made the turn too quickly and the front of her cart clanked into the cart of another shopper headed her way. She startled as the carts hit. The impact reverberated up her arms. She grit her teeth in automatic response to the discomfort. Embarrassed, her gaze darted to the driver of the other cart as she tugged out her earbuds.

Josh Turner.

Her world slowed and time stopped. She recognized the man’s face instantly even though it had been a decade since she’d seen him. Where his face had been smooth and unlined in high school, fine wrinkles now etched the area near his eyes as he smiled. And god, his smile turned her knees to jelly. She clutched the push bar of the grocery cart and tried to get her breathing under control.

She wasn’t ready to see him yet. She’d put zero effort into her looks before leaving the house.

Swallowing hard, she began, “Hey, Josh. It’s good to see you.” That was about all she could get out as her eyes took in his form. His six-foot stature had muscled up in his adult years. As a teen, he’d always been tall and lanky, but now he had the body of a man who could handle hard work. His skin was nicely bronzed, a common side-effect of living at the beach. His arms were defined and muscled too. Just resting an arm on the cart had one bicep on display as it propped up his weight. Firm calves and strong thighs made her mouth go dry. She knew he had a job that required physical labor. From the looks of his body, he had to be good at his job.

Damn, the boy had definitely grown into a man.

She wanted to run her hands through his wavy hair to see if it was as soft as it had been in high school. His sun-bleached, golden-brown tresses were just long enough on the sides to show the waves that transitioned to curls around his collar. And those hazel eyes of his were roving over her body, assessing how she’d changed over the past decade.

Her eyelashes fluttered as she organized her thoughts. This was terrible. A nightmare.

She knew their paths would cross eventually. She just hadn’t expected it to be today. Her hair was a mess, and she hadn’t even brushed her teeth.

God, she couldn’t believe that this was how she looked for their first meeting, or more accurately, their first run-in. She wanted to disappear behind the mountain of soda boxes in the middle of the aisle.

Josh couldn’t believe his eyes. He’d heard she was coming back, but he hadn’t known when. And here she was. Her honey-blonde hair was piled into a bun with random strands sticking out in all directions. The curves of her body took him on a slow trip through memory lane. She’d been his first. They’d explored each other’s bodies as seniors in high school. Damn, he’d worshipped her back then, the soft give of her breasts and the immense pleasure as she toyed with his cock had consumed him.

Now they were adults. Her breasts were fuller than they’d been in high school. Her once perky breasts were cradled in her tight tank top and considerable cleavage peeked out. They’d easily fill his hands now. Her waist narrowed, but then her hips flared out, almost screaming that their role was to give him something to hold onto while they made love. And the tight little yoga shorts molded to the curves of her ass. Damn, his dick had a great memory and perked up at the sight of her.

“Hi, Senna,” he began. “I heard you were coming back to the island. It’s good to see you.” Things had ended abruptly between them after graduation. He didn’t know what had happened, but she’d suddenly cut him off. He’d reached out to her, but she didn’t return his calls or texts.

Her avoidance and indifference towards him had messed with his head and gave him a general distrust of women. She’d taught him that things could be wonderful one day and hell the next. It had taken him years to realize that not every woman was a selfish siren who would toss him aside when she was finished with him. After a few months of silence, he acknowledged her total rejection and left her alone. He’d finally decided to save face and pretend she didn’t exist.

It was no surprise that things felt awkward now. At the time, he figured she’d moved on from him and found another guy in California. Her silence had angered him. The powerlessness to get her to acknowledge him through text or phone call had damaged him to the core. He’d debated flying out to California and confronting her, but he’d decided to avoid that humiliation. She didn’t want him, and he wasn’t going to beg.

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