When Olivia Mason catches her fiancé cheating her life gets turned upside down. With no family and no real place to call home, she heads south for a fresh start in Charleston, South Carolina. Determined to gain her own independence and protect her heart, the last thing she needs is a sexy, tattoo-covered guy to cross her path and test her resolve. Just as she’s beginning to put her life back together, she uncovers a piece of her past that shakes up everything.

Dex Porter has his own demons. A former Marine, he’s haunted by the past and uses whiskey, women and fighting to drown the pain and guilt that consume him. When Olivia arrives in town, he finds himself drawn to her immediately and is surprised by his desire to get to know her. She’s unlike anyone he’s ever met but he knows he can’t get close to her without exposing the part of himself that he keeps hidden.

As Dex and Olivia strike up a friendship and fight their attraction to one another, they begin to chip away each other’s walls and help each other heal. However, the past is never far behind and they soon learn that no matter how fast they run, it will always catch up with them.

Excerpt

He turned around suddenly, his eyes meeting mine through the lens. I flushed and lowered the camera, embarrassed to have been caught not only staring but taking pictures of him. It was easy to forget that I wasn’t invisible when I was behind the camera.

I turned and began taking pictures in the other direction, trying to brush off the awkward moment, but I could feel him approaching me. I glanced over at him, and I could have sworn I felt my heart skip a beat. I’d been too distracted by his body to notice his face before, but now that I saw it…wow.

He had short brown hair and handsome, chiseled features. His sturdy jaw line was brushed with light stubble, and there was a slight dimple on his chin. His eyes were dark and deep, and I couldn’t look away. I noticed some bruising over his ribs and a small cut above his eyebrow, telltale signs that he’d been in a fight recently. Somehow it made him look rough and sexy, and a little bit dangerous. Bottom line: he was unbelievably gorgeous.

Then… he opened his mouth.

Ellie Grace is an avid reader, chocolate lover and caffeine addict. When a story popped into her head that she couldn’t seem to shake, she decided to pursue her childhood dream of becoming a writer. When she’s not writing, she’s usually curled up with a book by one of her many, many favorite authors.

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