Edward "Easy" Cantrell knows better than most the pain of not being able to save those he loves—which is why he is not going to let Jenna Dean out of his sight. He may have just met her, but Jenna's the first person to make him feel alive since that devastating day in the desert more than a year ago.
Jenna has never met anyone like Easy. She can't describe how he makes her feel--and not just because he saved her life. No, the stirrings inside her reach far beyond gratitude.
As the pair are thrust together while chaos reigns around them, they both know one thing: the things in life most worth having are the hardest to hold on to.
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The room was huge. All cement floors, brick walls, and exposed beams, and filled with tons of gym equipment.
And there was Easy. Pounding out a fast run on a treadmill.
Jeremy guided Jenna closer.
Easy’s feet sounded out a steady thump-thump as they hit the surface, but what Jenna most noticed was that he was shirtless. And every bit as cut as she’d imagined earlier. His shoulders bunched, and his back muscles rippled as his thick arms pumped. A pair of workout pants hung dangerously low on his hips, highlighting how narrow his waist was compared to his chest and shoulders. Beautiful, athletic, strong.
Jenna could already take a deeper breath.
“Easy?” Jeremy called over the music. “Hey, E?”
Looking over his shoulder, Easy’s dark eyes went wide. He immediately grasped the hand rests and jumped so that his feet straddled the moving belt, then he powered down the machine. “What’s up?” he asked, his gaze focused on Jenna’s face the whole time.
She tried to keep her eyes on his face, she really did. But as he grabbed a towel, turned, and walked toward her, she couldn’t help but drink in the incredible definition of his chest and stomach. Fit didn’t begin to describe this guy. He was … perfect. Gorgeous. Especially with sweat making his dark skin glisten. Not to mention the tattoo of a cross on a chain that went around his neck and down his chest and another with arrows and a dagger on his biceps.
“Uh, Jenna … needs you,” Jeremy said.
Heat roared into her cheeks. He wasn’t wrong, but his words combined with her current thoughts beckoned the reaction.
Easy frowned and came right up to her. “Thanks, Jeremy. I have this,” he said in a deep voice.
“Welcome,” Jeremy said. “You ever need me, now you know where to find me. Anytime. Okay?” he said to her.
“Okay,” she said, dragging her gaze away from Easy to give Jeremy a smile. “Thanks for this,” she said, handing him his blanket and finally noticing the shirt that he wore. It had the words, “The Man,” with an arrow pointing upward, following by, “The Legend,” with an arrow pointing downward.
He grinned and winked when he saw her reading his shirt. He gestured toward himself. “It’s true, you know. Jus’ sayin’.”
“Good-bye, Jeremy,” Easy said.
Jenna managed a breathy chuckle. “Thanks, Jeremy.”
And then she was alone with Easy. His fingers settled on her chin and brought her gaze back to his face. “What’s going on?” he asked, the intensity of his gaze a little hard to hold.
“It’s kinda stupid,” she said, feeling more and more self-conscious about her panic attack the more she calmed down.
His eyes narrowed. “Doubt that. Just tell me.”
“I was trying to sleep in your room and I … got … um, scared.” She looked down, though Easy’s grasp wouldn’t let her move her head away.
“Look at me, Jenna,” he said. She did. “You got scared, and you … wanted me?”
Heat roared into her cheeks until they were on fire. This guy was probably cursing the day they’d ever met. They barely knew each other, yet Jenna couldn’t stop depending on him. Like she had any right to do so. Like he’d want to be saddled with a woman who couldn’t stop puking or crying or freaking out. She closed her eyes and nodded. “Yeah.” She released a breath, and her shoulders sagged under the weight of her admission.
“Look at me, Jenna,” he said again, more sternly this time.
Her eyelids popped back open. And found his brown eyes absolutely blazing back at her.
Did you have a favorite line? Thanks for reading!
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Laura is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author a dozen books in contemporary and paranormal romance. Growing up, Laura’s large extended family believed in the supernatural, and family lore involving angels, ghosts, and evil-eye curses cemented in Laura a life-long fascination with storytelling and all things paranormal. She lives in Maryland with her husband, two daughters, and cute-but-bad dog, and appreciates her view of the Chesapeake Bay every day.Places to find Laura:
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His eyes narrowed. “Doubt that. Just tell me.” because it shows he respects and cares for Jenna.
ReplyDelete“You got scared, and you … wanted me?” Love it!
ReplyDeleteI'm with Marcy. I love Easy's line. "You got scared, and you...wanted me?" There's that note of hesitancy in his voice that I just love.
ReplyDelete“Look at me, Jenna,” he said. She did. “You got scared, and you … wanted me?” sums up the book...she likes him and he likes her! :)
ReplyDeleteBarrie
Oh my... I don't think I had a favorite line. I liked the WHOLE excerpt. I especially liked all the describing of Easy. This book is definitely going on my to read list.
ReplyDeleteI loved Easy and Jenna, but I also adore Jeremy, so I'll go with this...
ReplyDelete“Thanks for this,” she said, handing him his blanket and finally noticing the shirt that he wore. It had the words, “The Man,” with an arrow pointing upward, following by, “The Legend,” with an arrow pointing downward.
He grinned and winked when he saw her reading his shirt. He gestured toward himself. “It’s true, you know. Jus’ sayin’.”
Marcy Shuler
It had the words, “The Man,” with an arrow pointing upward, following by, “The Legend,” with an arrow pointing downward.
ReplyDeleteHe grinned and winked when he saw her reading his shirt. He gestured toward himself. “It’s true, you know. Jus’ sayin’.”
That tells me it's a conversation a friend and I would get going and makes a book relatable.