Felony Romance Series: Complete Box Set (Books 1-5)

by Jeana E. Mann

  As his gaze roamed over the creamy curve of her shoulders and the rosebud mouth, lips parted in sleep, he wished it could be otherwise. In the wake of the past few hours with Karly, he knew exactly why Pilar left. With three years and a child between them, they’d shared little more than a bed. He’d shared more with Karly in the space of twenty-four hours than he’d ever shared with Pilar. Karly was like a beacon shining into the dark abyss of his life, illuminating the dusty corners and leaving all his secrets exposed, when every survival instinct warned him to hide.

  Fully dressed and burdened with reality, he returned to the bedroom and bent to brush the hair from Karly’s forehead, half-hoping she might awaken, half-relieved when she didn’t. It was better this way. They could avoid the stilted morning conversation, the awkward politeness of two strangers who’d shared physical intimacy, and the painful distance that came with daylight. To prove his point, his cell phone buzzed in his pocket, a bitter reminder of work and responsibility. He wrote a quick note on the back of a receipt from his wallet, intending to leave it somewhere for her to find later.

  “Sweet dreams, sunshine,” he whispered and closed the bedroom door behind him with heavy resignation, feeling as if a precious opportunity had slipped through his fingers, and certain that he’d never see her again.