Excerpt!
As the scent of stale cigarettes and beer fill my nose I keep telling myself to find Judson and get out of here. This is the last place I should be, but I’m not leaving until I see him.
It doesn’t take long for me to spot him. He’s on the far side of the bar again and as I round the corner about 10 feet from him, a buxom, trashy blonde approaches and climbs right into his lap like she belongs there. I stop dead in my tracks. If he kisses her, I’m out of here. I don’t care what Ms. Polly says, I won’t be the sad, spineless woman chasing after a man who doesn’t want me. The closer her mouth comes to his, the harder my heart pounds in my chest. My feet freeze in place as I silently beg him, don’t do it, please don’t do it.
His head turns away from her and he spots me standing in the middle of the bar, and without a second thought he shifts his legs, dropping the woman from his lap so she tumbles to the floor. My eyes grow wide with shock as this plays out in front of me. The woman yells a plethora of cuss words at him while she climbs back to her feet. With closed fists, she pounds on his back and shoulder to get his attention, but he doesn’t take his eyes off me. He strides away from her, to me, his limp barely noticeable tonight.
When he’s right in front of me, standing closer than a normal person would, he questions, just loud enough to be heard over the music, “Why are you here?” His cheeks are flushed red and his narrowed eyes tell me he’s angry I’m here. My heart sinks and an invisible vise squeezes my chest.
“Um… Polly, uh, you, ah, I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have come,” I mumble and stutter, embarrassed.
I spin to run back out the door when his hand clamps down on my arm pulling me back against him. The rise and fall of his chest is dramatic at my back. He pushes the hair away from my neck with a gentle sweep of his hand. His lips brush my ear as he whispers, “Why are you here?”
Everyone in the bar fades out of focus. I clench my eyes closed, gathering all of the courage I can as I take a deep breath and say, “You. I came for you.”
Once upon a time, when Quincy Hannigan needed saving, he was there to hold her hand. Years have passed since she was that weak, broken girl; instead, a strong, intelligent woman stands in her place. She’s making the world a better place one arrest at a time and has everything she’s always wanted—except Judson Rivers.
When Judson’s father died suddenly, he dropped out of college and became a Navy SEAL. He left everything from his old life behind, including the girl he loved, but never told—Quincy. After ten years, Judson’s military career ends abruptly when the vehicle he’s in runs over an IED. He has his hands full learning to live with one leg, PTSD and a civilian life he wasn’t ready to return to.
Judson and Quincy are reunited when their mentor dies. Once Quincy realizes the depth of his pain, she knows it’s her turn to be the savior. Years of pent-up passion are unleashed, but it may be too late if Judson can’t crawl out of hell. Quincy has every intention of healing this wounded warrior before his demons are the ones who determine his fate.
Author bio:
Tiffani currently resides in Florida with her husband, three daughters and chunky yellow lab. She graduated from the University of Maryland with a degree in social science and spent five years working for Hospice. When she’s not writing or taxiing her children around she enjoys reading and attending concerts. Tiffani is also a crazed fan of the Tampa Bay Lightning, Tampa Bay Rays, and the 2016 World Series Champion Chicago Cubs.
Tiffani currently resides in Florida with her husband, three daughters and chunky yellow lab. She graduated from the University of Maryland with a degree in social science and spent five years working for Hospice. When she’s not writing or taxiing her children around she enjoys reading and attending concerts. Tiffani is also a crazed fan of the Tampa Bay Lightning, Tampa Bay Rays, and the 2016 World Series Champion Chicago Cubs.
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