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Never fall in love with your best friend's little sister...
Contractor and army reservist Jake Foster fell in love with Dani
Minelli when she was a colt-legged high school senior. He knew he was too old
to even look at her, let alone touch.
Dani’s been trying to get his attention since returning to Pine
Harbour a grown woman—and failing miserably at every turn.
This winter, everything is going to change. And when the snow
stops falling, Jake and Dani won't be able to hide from their attraction any
longer.
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Teaser
Excerpts
Excerpt 1
“Goodnight, Dani.” His voice was strained as he pushed up and
away from the porch. Without thinking, she leapt up and grabbed his forearm,
trying desperately not to think about how absolutely awesome it felt under her
hand. Hot, silky skin covered in soft, golden hair. Corded muscles flexing as
he stood there, still not looking at her. “You should go to bed.”
“I’m not a kid.” She swallowed hard and stood her ground. “I
don’t get it. You drive me home, but you can’t even stand to look at me. I
can’t pay you a compliment without you getting weird. All because you see me as
Rafe’s twelve-year-old kid sister. Newsflash, buddy—I’m a woman.”
He turned so slowly that she half expected him to stop long
before he did. But he didn’t freeze when his gaze connected with hers, or when
his upper body had twisted back in her direction. He didn’t stop until he
turned all the way around and they somehow went from her holding his arm to him
holding both of hers. His large, strong hands slid up to firmly grasp her upper
arms and he pulled her close.
“I know you’re a woman,” he said, his words strained. “That’s
the problem.”
“You know…” Suddenly aware of her breathing, Dani tried to play
it cool. “You don’t see me as a twelve-year-old?”
He gave her a baleful look that revealed just enough masculine
hunger to keep her from feeling silly. “No.”
Dani had read enough romance novels to know what came next. Her
heart pounded in her chest as she stared into Jake’s eyes. He was looking at
her, really looking at her, and unless she was pathetically mistaken, he wanted
to kiss her. Any second now, he’d close the gap between their bodies and she’d
feel him hard against her belly. The thought made her weak at the knees and wet
between her legs.
But he didn’t pull her closer. He didn’t move away, either, just
held her there, staring. She said his name, quietly at first and then repeated
it again a little louder, and he cut her off the second time, his voice
strained. “I can’t. Your brothers…hell, my brothers would kick my ass.”
“It’s none of their business,” she whispered, pressing up on her
tiptoes. Maybe she could arch her back and trick him into kissing her.
He frowned. “It’ll be everyone’s business. And that will be the
end of my business before it even starts.”
“Because of one little kiss?”
His brows knitted together. “It wouldn’t be—“ He let out a harsh
exhale and released her arms only to slide his hands into her hair and pull her
face toward his. But his kiss landed on her forehead instead of her lips, and
Dani’s heart cracked. “Go back to college. Forget that your brother’s friend is
a dirty old man who likes the way your hips look in blue jeans.”
He squeezed the nape of her neck gently before stepping back and
lifting his hand in an absent wave as he walked backward down the front walk.
She pressed her unkissed lips together and watched in disbelief as the object
of her long-held affection drifted away.
Excerpt 2
He thought about getting another beer. Then he heard a shriek of
delight and strode across the pub to the back room just in time to see Dani
slam an empty shot glass down on the table and plant a wet, smacking kiss on
Matt’s cheek. His brother waggled his eyebrows at Dani—Jake’s Dani—and it was a
miracle Jake didn’t knock the kid out.
What the ever-loving hell? She giggled, but then sighed as Matt
caught sight of Jake and waved. She glanced toward him, picking up her pool
cue. “You here to play, Jake?”
Her words were sharp and layered with meaning. And even barbed
as they were, they were a bit of her attention just for him. No one else knew
what was growing between them. “I’ll watch for now.”
She shrugged and moved around the table, nudging Matt out the
way with a hip bump. “If you don’t get in the game…”
“Leave the old man alone,” Sean interjected. “If he wants to sit
on the sidelines, that’s his prerogative.”
Jake schooled his features into a calm mask, but from the quick
look Dani shot him before she leaned forward to take her shot, she knew that
landed. “Jake’s not old,” she said softly as she lined up her shot.
“Sure he is. Old and lonely. Next thing you know he’ll be
yelling at kids to get off his porch.”
Matt joined in on Sean’s ribbing. “Why do you think he built his
house out in the country?”
Dani took her shot, an easy sink in the corner pocket, but
missed her next attempt.
Matt hooted and lifted another toxic red drink in the air.
“Truth or Dare, baby girl. Truth. Or. Dare.”
Dani licked her lips and slid a sideways glance in Jake’s
direction. “Truth.”
Also in the Series
Meet Zoe York
New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Zoe York is a
busy working mom of two young boys, wife to a very understanding soldier, and
creator of modern, sexy, small town contemporary romances. Her debut novel,
What Once Was Perfect, started the popular Wardham series, and her first
military romance, Fall Out, was released as part of the international
bestselling SEALs of Summer super bundle.
She lives in London, Ontario and is currently chugging Americanos, wiping sticky fingers, and dreaming of heroes in and out of uniform.
She lives in London, Ontario and is currently chugging Americanos, wiping sticky fingers, and dreaming of heroes in and out of uniform.
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with Zoe York
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