Jayla Ralston is running. After her apartment break in, she decided to get away from life and her overbearing twin sister. She finds the perfect Maine hide away to make some changes - The Cliffhouse Bed and Breakfast. It was perfect...until the phone calls resumed - kicking her paranoia into high gear. Trenton Montgomery is out for revenge. It has taken him ten years to return to his childhood home. After sneaking into an empty wing to focus on his clandestine investigation, a beautiful woman shows up - causing him to feel emotions,
other than anger, for the first time in a long time
Excerpt #3:
Jayla sank into the bed as the day’s exhaustion overwhelmed her. It had been a long few days, and she kept replaying that kiss over and over again. She avoided Tristan for the most part, making a quick escape when she came into contact with him. He seemed stand-offish, which bothered her. The question of whether he regretted the kiss plagued her and she found herself worrying if she put him off, either by her response or her coolness afterwards. It was a double-edged sword that pricked her with every thought.
The cell phone woke her from a deep sleep. With a groan, she picked it up expecting to hit ignore when she saw Jenna’s number once again. Jenna had been calling repeatedly, numerous times a day. The number flashing on the caller ID was not a number she recognized.
“Hello?”
“Where are you?” Ryan’s sharp, deep voice came across the line. “I have been waiting for you at the apartment. You wouldn’t be avoiding me, would you?”
“Ryan – why are you there? I told you there was nothing between us and you needed to move on.” Jayla sighed. This was not what she needed at the moment.
“I think we should talk about it. Tell me where you are and I’ll come to you.”
“No. Don’t call me again and stop sitting outside my apartment.”
There was a deep laugh before the line went dead. Dread filled Jayla as she snapped her phone shut. Was this what it was liked to be stalked? She would have to face this at some point, just not now. She played with the cell phone, contemplating calling Jenna. If Jenna knew Ryan was outside the apartment, she would be furious with Jayla for not calling sooner.
Having enough confrontation for one day, she killed the power to the phone and lay back against the pillows. Her arm rested over her eyes as she fought to squash the panic rising in her. She fell into a restless sleep, tossing and turning with dreams of being stalked.
Trenton watched her through the tapestry. Whoever that call was from had her agitated. His stomach clenched in anger and he resisted the urge to push into the room and gather her into his arms. The desire to taste her again had him hardly sleeping. He had tried to focus on the revenge, but she had gotten under his skin. What had happened? Over the last week, the desire to hurt Tristan had lessened and his feelings for Jayla increased. How could this be? He needed to get back in control.
He closed the door behind the tapestry softly, creeping down the passageway back to the west wing. For the first time in his life, he was conflicted about what to do. The desire to love, and be loved, was strong, but would it overrule his anger and desire for justice?
Trenton sighed as he fell onto the couch in the west wing. With a smile, his mind spun the idea of wooing Jayla. He had observed Tristan with her and there seemed to be no chemistry between them. Tristan had his hands full with cleaning up smoke damage and running the B&B. Trenton reflected on how conflicted Jayla must be if she was at all as affected by the kiss as he was, only to be slighted by Tristan now.
An idea took hold. He would woo her away from the B&B and give her the impression that while at The Cliffhouse he had his hands full and had to stay professional. Once achieving peace with his desire for Jayla, he could concentrate on the revenge and take back what was his.
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