Under my hand, his heart beat, hard, steady and fast.
“Every beat is for you, Ina. And it will be, for the rest of my life, whether you say yes...or no. I’m stupid in love with you. I’d forgotten I could love until you came to me. So don’t think for a moment that I’m confusing this with friendship. I’m not.” He bit my earlobe. “I’ve got friends. Plenty of them, including Kelly, who I’ve known even longer than you. But I’ve never once had the urge to back her up against a wall and fuck her and I’ve never gone to sleep, hoping to see her hair spread out on my pillow when I wake. That’s only ever been you.”
A sob ripped out of me.
Closing my hand into a tight fist, the weight of that ring changing—still heavy, still...staggering. But rather than an omen, now it felt like a miracle. “You’re serious,” I whispered, finally letting myself meet his eyes and look—really look at him.
And he was right.
What I saw on his face, in his eyes, was the same thing I’d seen in my eyes on the days I’d let myself look in the mirror and face what it was I’d come to feel for him.
Love. Soul-stealing, soul-healing, heartbreaking, heart-making love.
“Luke...” Dazed, I reached for him. Against his mouth, I said, “Yes. Absolutely, yes.”
He went immobile, body rigid, as if shell-shocked. In the span of heartbeats, that changed and he grabbed me, spinning away from the railing—spinning me, as if I weighed nothing. The world twirled around me in dizzying circles and I closed my eyes, shoving my face into his neck.
“Luke, you lunatic...put me down!”
He did, slowly...gently. As I eased away from him, he caught my cheeks and urged me to look up at him.
“You said yes...right?”
The delighted expression on his face, one of pure, blissed out satisfaction flooded my heart, already so full, and I thought it might burst on me. “I said yes.”
He groaned and kissed me again, fingers shoving into my hair as he pulled me to him. “Come inside with me,” he muttered against my lips. “Now...come inside with me now.”
I eased back, catching my lower lip between my teeth as I looked him over. “Not just yet.”
Something flickered in his eyes.
“I think maybe you should go take that shower I’ve been nagging you to take,” I said, smiling a little as I tugged at his shirt. “You’ve been living in a tent for the past couple of days, Luke...you kind of need it.”
He snorted with laughter, then bent, and before I realized what he was doing, he swept me up over his shoulder. “Oh, I’ll take that shower...but you’re going with me. I’m not letting you out of my sight any time soon.”
Join The Newsletter
About
♥
SHILOH WALKER HAS BEEN writing since she was a kid. She fell in love with vampires with the book Bunnicula and has worked her way up to the more...ah...serious works of fiction. Once upon a time she worked as a nurse, but now she writes full time and lives with her family in the Midwest. She writes romantic suspense and contemporary romance, and urban fantasy under her penname, J.C. Daniels. Follow her on Twitter, BookBub & Facebook. Read more about her work at her website. Sign up for her newsletter and have a chance to win a monthly giveaway.
Look for other titles by Shiloh
The McKays
Headed For Trouble
The Trouble With Temptation
The Right Kind of Trouble
The Barnes Brothers
Wrecked
Razed
Busted
Ruined
Contemporary Standalone Titles
Beg Me
Tempt Me
Beautiful Scars
A Forever Kind of Love
Playing for Keeps
No Longer Mine
You Own Me
Her Best Friend’s Lover
The Ash Trilogy
If You Hear Her
If You See Her
If You Know Her
The Secrets & Shadows Series
Burn For Me
Break For Me
Long For Me
Deeper Than Need
Sweeter Than Sin
Darker Than Desire
The FBI Psychics
The Missing
The Departed
The Reunited
The Protected
The Unwanted
The Innocent
The Doubted
And more
Wrecked
IN THE NINETIES, ABIGALE Applegate and Zach Barnes were the most beloved sitcom child stars in the world. Then they grew up and left Hollywood behind...
Whatever happened to Abigale Applegate?
She’s been wondering the same thing.
With her Hollywood dreams long gone, Abigale now has a nice, neat, uncomplicated life—until the day her perfect fiancé needs to talk. Dumped, a little more than shattered, and totally confused, Abigale turns to Zach, her best friend since forever, to help her pick up the pieces. He does it with a gift—a copy of Wreck This Journal. She can vent her frustrations, and sketch out a new plan. Zach just hopes he’s part of it. Because he’s been in love with Abigale his entire life.
When the journal falls into Zach’s hands, he discovers Abigale wants a new man. And fast. Nothing more than a hot distraction. Zach has a strategy, too. He’s going to be that man. It’s his last chance. Abigale might be out to shake up her life, but Zach's out to reinvent it. Now, all he has to do is convince Abigale that life can go as planned.
Read on for an excerpt from WRECKED, the first book in Shiloh’s WRECKED series
“Hey, Zach.”
She glanced down and he followed her gaze, saw that she had the journal he’d picked up for her. “Did you bring that here to beat me up with it or something?”
She laughed. “Well, there is something about an unexpected action . . .” Then she shrugged. “Nah. I actually figured out a plan. It’s a weird one, but I’m here to ask you to help me do one of the things on the list.”
“Okay . . .” He hooked his thumbs in his pockets and waited.
“I want a tattoo.”
Zach closed his eyes. Reaching up, he rubbed his right ear and then said, “You want what?”
“A tattoo.” She wiggled the book . “I wrote it down and everything. I did it last night and I’ve thought about it all day and I’m sure I want to do it, so stop looking at me like I’ve lost my mind, okay?”
“You wrote a plan that includes getting a tattoo,” he said slowly. His mind was churning at the very idea of it and his blood was boiling. Putting his hands on her...focus on the issue at hand, Barnes! “And you want me to do it.”
“Well . . .” She grinned at him and the dimple in her chin winked at him. “The tattoo part is in the plan. And who else would I ask? You’re my best friend, right?”
He pressed the heel of his hand to his eye. “You sure about this, sugar?”
“Yes.” She tapped the book against her leg, looking around. “Ah...does that mean you’ll do it?”
“Like I’d let anybody else,” he muttered. “Do you know what you want?”
She shrugged. “I hadn’t really thought it through that far. I was kind of thinking you could help me figure it out.”
He shoved a hand through his hair and glanced around. The parlor was empty. “When did you want to do this?” He could take some time to think up some designs for her. Take some time to get a grip and—
“Now.”
So much for taking time to get a grip.
“Okay.”
Bent over the table, she watched as he sketched out another image. Keelie had left, locking up the front door and lowering the blinds. Zach seemed completely focused on the task at hand. “You got any idea where you want to put this?” he asked.
“Ah...well, I was thinking that I’d rather have one that doesn’t really show. It’s for me, not anybody else.” She scooted back from the desk and went over to th
e design wall, studying some of the pictures. The back of her shoulder seemed innocuous enough, but this was something she was doing for herself. Not to show off and she wanted it personal. Completely personal. She saw one woman’s picture—the woman was pretty damn clearly showing off—she was sexy as hell, Abigale had to admit, but did she really have to have her jeans open like that?
Although one thing was clear. She wasn’t about to have him doing it on her hip like that. She’d have to all but pull up her skirt. Considering the way she was having trouble thinking clearly around him just now...? Yeah. Not happening. “I guess my lower back.”
Glancing down at her skirt, she frowned and turned around to find Zach staring at her. His gaze dropped back down to the sketchbook in front of him. “Will this skirt work okay for this?”
“Yeah. You’re fine. You wanna take a look at any of these?”
She crossed the floor to study the designs and frowned. They all looked so...simple.
“What’s wrong?”
“Well...they’re pretty, but . . .” She glanced at the vivid color on his arms, the intricate detail and then back at the sketches. “Aren’t they kind of plain?”
“Sugar, you’ve never had a tattoo before. Trust me. You want simple. They hurt. And the more intricate it gets, the longer it takes.”
“Oh.” Well, technically she realized it wasn’t going to feel good. But having it pointed out to her made some of the nerves inside her flare to life.
A warm hand brushed down her arm and she turned her head, found Zach watching her closely. “You know, this isn’t anything you have to do,” he said quietly.
“Yes, it is. I want to.” Tearing her gaze away from his, she looked at the designs. One in particular had caught her eye the second he’d drawn it. Simple or not, it was lovely. The stylized dragonfly made her smile. It was pretty, fantastical, and silly.
“I think that one is just about perfect,” she said, tapping it with her finger.
“Okay.” He checked the clock. “I need some time to get this ready. Don’t suppose you feel like ordering us in some pizza or something, do you? You can put a movie in while I do this.”
“Sure.” She tugged her phone out and then glanced at him as he pushed back from the desk. “I...ah, well, I didn’t know it was any more complicated than you just doing it.”
A grin tugged at his lips. “Well, if you had the design in mind already or brought one with you, we could move a little quicker. But yeah, it takes a little while.” He gestured down the hall. “The number for the best local pizza place is hanging on the fridge in the break room if you want to use them, or we can use Rosatti’s.”
Once she left the room, Zach dropped his head down on his desk and groaned. He had to do this. He knew he did. And he wasn’t going to deny a very huge part of him wanted to do this—wanted it so bad, his hands were shaking from it, but how in the hell was he supposed to handle this without losing his damn mind?
“By doing your damn job.” She came here because she wanted some ink. So that was what he was going to do.
As he pushed back from the desk, he kicked the chair she’d dragged over and knocked her purse over. The journal fell out as he scooped up the purse. He went to dump them both back on the chair, but found himself flipping through the journal. She hadn’t done much of anything.
But then he stopped.
One page held her neat writing.
She’d titled it. That was typical Abby, although it made him a little nervous. Wreck this life. What the hell . . .
But the first few goals had him smiling. Tell off Roger. Cool. Flip off the photographers? He’d been telling her to do that for years. Stop worrying so much. Wonderful.
The tattoo...yes. She was serious.
But the last one had the blood draining out of his head.
Fffffuuuuccckkkkk . . .
Snapping it closed, he dumped the book on top of her purse and shot upright. Have a fucking affair? What the hell?
Thunder crashed inside his head. At least it felt that way, although more than likely, he was having a stroke or something. His feet seemed to get in the way as he turned around and started for the door. They needed to talk.
Abby had just broken things off with that prick she’d been engaged to. She was upset and feeling a little lost, needed to do something crazy. He could understand that, he thought. And while he was completely on board with her learning to live a little, the idea of her having a fucking affair with some guy who wouldn’t give a damn about her made him want to chew glass and break things. Lots of things.
Still, that journal was her personal property and he hadn’t had any right to go rooting through it. He hadn’t expected to find anything like that and how could he explain that he’d read it? He couldn’t lie to her. But did he tell her that she needed to think this through?
Damn it.
Following the sound of her voice, he stopped in the doorway and made himself close his eyes while she finished placing the order.
Breathe, man. Gotta breathe. Gotta think. Gotta be calm.
First he had to explain just how he’d managed to see it in the journal. He hadn’t exactly been prying...well, he had, but he was her best friend and he was nosy, and she knew that, and . . .
Feeling the weight of her gaze, he lifted his lashes, not looking directly at her. Not yet.
But Abby wasn’t looking at his face.
She was eyeing his arms. Catching her lower lip between her teeth, she tugged on the soft curve and he almost went to his knees at the sight. A second later, she glanced away, but then she looked back.
The thunder that had been crashing inside his head grew louder and louder.
Have a torrid affair.
Damn it, if she was dead set on that idea, she could have an affair with him, he decided.
Even as the idea slammed into him, he tried to brush it aside. He’d kept what he felt wrapped up and buried deep for years. Spilling it now?
Just wondering if you’re ever going to do anything about it.
It’s complicated . . .
Hell. He was lecturing Abby about living life and letting go, and here he was, afraid to grab on.
The woman he wanted like he wanted his next breath was standing right there and he was afraid to even make a move.
She turned away as he stood there, still wrestling with the very thought of it, need burning in him and twisting him into tight, hungry knots. Damn it. Damn it. He needed to do this—
“It will take about an hour or so,” Abby said.
I’m thinking longer—
“They’re pretty busy.”
“What?” Distracted, he dragged his eyes away from the curve of her ass and focused on what she was saying.
“The pizza place. They said it would be about an hour or so—asked if they should come around to the back and I told them yes.”
“That’s fine.” He dragged a hand down his face. “Ah...I need to get back to work.”
“I was thinking about going to grab some wine or something.”
Good idea. Wait. “You can’t.” He turned around and headed back into the main area of the shop, found the consent forms he needed. Abby was behind him, although he hadn’t heard her. When he turned around, she was just a foot away and the scent of her went straight to his head and Zach had to wonder just what in the hell he’d done to get this kind of torture thrown into his life.
“I can’t go get wine?” A smile curved her lips as she tipped her head to look up at him.
“I can’t do the tattoo if you do—I won’t put one on anybody who has been drinking. Saves me trouble later on. And you need to read through the consent form and sign. Make it all nice and legal.”
“Ahhh . . .” She took the paper and moved over to one of the seats, crossing her legs as she started to read. “I guess I should be totally clearheaded. Otherwise, I could end up having arms like yours.”
“Nah. I might try to talk you into having Forever Nate’s tattooed on your
ass, but that’s it.” He gave her a strained smile and turned around. Distance. Serious distance was needed here so he could get back on track.
As he headed down the hall, she called out, “Yeah, sure. I’ll do that when you have a heart with Kate somewhere on you.”
Once he was in his office, he rubbed the heel of his hand over his chest.
What in the hell would she do if she knew he already had her written on his skin?
Not Kate, of course.
He hadn’t fallen in love with Kate.
He loved Abby and always had.
He’d loved her when she ran away from California all those years ago...and he’d waited until she stopped running, so he could follow.
He’d loved her when she came to him and told him she was getting married...to a man who didn’t deserve her.
And now she was laying out a plan to go and have a torrid affair. With who?
Curling one hand into a fist, he crossed back to his desk.
“Why in the hell not me?”
WINE would have been a good idea, Abby thought. Maybe he didn’t want her drinking before he got started, but after? Yeah, it would have helped.
Stretched out on her belly, she closed her eyes and tried to think about anything but the pain.
“You okay?”
Zach’s hands on her weren’t helping her zone out, she decided. It was one hell of a distraction, but it wasn’t helping her zone out.
Swallowing the knot in her throat, she croaked out, “I’m as good as I think I can expect to be.”
“And how good is that?”
“Lousy.”
He laughed a little. “Why don’t you talk to me? We’re halfway done,” he said. “If you talk, you’ll get distracted and it will be done before you know it.”
“Okay.” She scrunched her eyes tightly closed and tried to think of something to say. Her mind was blank. “I don’t know what to talk about.”
“You always have something to talk about,” he teased, his voice low and easy and she knew even without looking at him that he was smiling.
Cocksure (The Cochrans of Cocker County) Page 30