FIRST LOVE NEVER FADES . . .
A Summer to Remember
Tallgrass Series #6
Marilyn Pappano
Releasing June 28th, 2016
Forever
FIRST LOVE NEVER FADES . . .
It's been a long time since widow Fia Thomas felt the spark of physical attraction. But from the moment she meets Elliot Ross one stormy night, she yearns for a fresh start, for him to make her feel whole and well again. With his broad shoulders and a warm smile crinkling his dark eyes, he could finally offer her the solace she's been seeking. And she's willing to give him anything in return . . . except a promise that could break his heart.
Now that Elliot is out of the Army, he's looking for a place to call home. Tallgrass was just a stop to stretch his legs, yet one look at Fia halts him in his tracks. In her sweet, sassy company, he finds the soul mate he never thought he'd have. But Fia is holding something back-something that keeps her from making any plans. Elliot's new mission: gain Fia's trust...and convince her that summer's end can mean a new beginning.
It's been a long time since widow Fia Thomas felt the spark of physical attraction. But from the moment she meets Elliot Ross one stormy night, she yearns for a fresh start, for him to make her feel whole and well again. With his broad shoulders and a warm smile crinkling his dark eyes, he could finally offer her the solace she's been seeking. And she's willing to give him anything in return . . . except a promise that could break his heart.
Now that Elliot is out of the Army, he's looking for a place to call home. Tallgrass was just a stop to stretch his legs, yet one look at Fia halts him in his tracks. In her sweet, sassy company, he finds the soul mate he never thought he'd have. But Fia is holding something back-something that keeps her from making any plans. Elliot's new mission: gain Fia's trust...and convince her that summer's end can mean a new beginning.
“Go on. Sing more.”
He
did, and she listened with her eyes half closed. The tones were sweet, the
emotion fierce, the quality hands-down better than the singer on the radio.
Everything she learned about Elliot was adding up to an extraordinary man.
While
she remained plain, average Fia. With “issues.”
“Beautiful,”
she responded when the song ended. At about the same time, he turned into her
driveway.
He
came around and held hands with her to the stoop and up the steps, where he
propped open the storm door with his boot while she unlocked the door. She set
her purse on the floor inside the door, then faced him. “I’m not going to
invite you inside because you’ve got to get up early.”
“Darn.”
He moved a step closer, fitted his hands to her waist, and leaned toward her.
She met him in the kiss, her mouth parting, her hands sliding around to the
back of his neck, combing through his silky hair. Dear Lord, she’d forgotten
how good a kiss could be. She nibbled at his lip, pausing only when his tongue
thrust between her teeth, invading, exploring, rousing a long-unsatisfied need
deep inside. Moving intuitively, her hands glided over soft cotton that covered
the lean muscles along his spine. When they reached the rougher texture of
jeans and leather belt, the tips tingled, like the briefest touch of a live
wire, singeing and searing and sparking pleasure through her body.
When
she stroked a few inches lower to slide her palm over his erection, his breath
caught, and so did hers. It had been so very long . . .would be so very easy .
. . back up one step, don’t let go, take him to the bedroom or, better, the
couch, strip off their clothes . . .So easy. So perfect. So wrong.
Even
the thought of that last word was wrong. It jangled in the midst of nerves
humming with need. It pulled her out of the haze of what she could do, of the
incredible satisfaction she could have, and brought back all the ugly
uncertainty of her life. Elliot might be Prince Charming, but she was no
princess, and her life was no simple, sweet fairy tale with a happily ever
after.
Tears
seeped into her eyes—disappointment, weariness—and she opened her eyes to blink
them away. Apparently sensing the change in her, Elliot ended the kiss with
another tiny, sweeter kiss, then clasped her hands in his. For a long time, he
studied her face with an intensity that rippled along her skin, then he took a
step back, putting breathing room between them.
When
he spoke, he sounded as if he’d done a long hump with a heavy ruck on a hot
day. “You never did tell me.”
“What?”
“Is
Fia short for something?”
“You
never did ask.” She didn’t sound much better. “Sofia.”
He
laid his palm gently against her cheek, repeated her name, then backed away
even farther. “Thank you, Sofia.”
“For
what?”
“Being
in that parking lot Friday night. For liking me and my dog. For kissing like—”
Breaking off, he grinned and shook his head. “Damn.”
“It
takes two.”
His
grin strengthened, then slowly faded. “Good night.”
Leaning
against the door jamb, she watched him go to his truck, get in, and drive away
with a final wave. Sighing deeply, she stepped inside the house, closed and
locked the door, and stumbled, hitting the floor with a solid thud.
Known for her intensely emotional stories, Marilyn Pappano is the USA Today bestselling author of nearly eighty books. She has made regular appearances on bestseller lists and has received recognition for her work in the form of numerous awards. Though her husband's Navy career took them across the United States, he and Ms. Pappano now live in Oklahoma high on a hill that overlooks her hometown. They have one son and daughter-in-law, an adorable grandson, and a pack of mischievous dogs.
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