Talk about a change of plans!
E.R. nurse Charlotte Ellison has her life mapped out, including a happily-ever-after with the perfect man. Sure, that disastrous night with sexy badass Kane Bartasavich wasnât in the plan. Heâs the opposite of perfect, and forever isnât in his vocabulary. What was she thinking? Still, she simply has to stay away from him and everything will be on track.
But avoidance is impossible when Kane lands in her E.R. All of Charlotteâs protective instincts come out when she sees him in pain. She knows firsthand getting involved with him is a bad deal. But this attraction might be too deep to ignore.
Couldnât he see she was flirting with him?
When Kane lowered his arm, Charlotte touched the tip of the sword tattooed on his biceps. âWhat does this one mean?â
âIn some cultures,â he said, his tone gruff, âit symbolizes judgment.â
Judgment. She hadnât expected that. Had thought someone like him wouldâve chosen a different emblem, something that meant power or perhaps antiestablishment. Power to the people and all that. A hand with the middle finger sticking up.
Maybe there was more to him than sheâd thought.
âWhat are you doing here, Red?â He looked pointedly at her hand still on his arm, her fingers caressing the smoothness of his skin as if of their own will.
Good question. What was she doing here? Her first instinct was to leap back, to put as much distance between them as possible. But that would defeat her purpose, wouldnât it? She could do this. She would do this. Kane would be hers for one night.
Sheâd come too far to back down now.
Dear Reader,
One of the things I love most about writing is discovering my characters. It never fails: I start a book thinking I know each characterâs complete backstory, personality and the traits that will make them fully developed and realistic. I often have page upon page of notes outlining their strengths and flaws, how theyâll react to others and what it will take to push them out of their comfortableâif not completely fulfillingâexistence, and into the lives they were meant to live.
And then, as Iâm writing, something always, always takes me by surprise. A previously cynical hero turns out to be shy and romantic. A heroine who was supposed to be a sweet-natured pushover fights her way through a story. Itâs these surprising insights that, I think, make my characters become people we want to root for and stick with throughout an entire book.
Thatâs exactly what happened with Kane Bartasavich, the sexy bartender first introduced in What Happens Between Friends (Mills & Boon Superromance, August 2013). I thought Kane was your typical bad boy. He had the looks and the attitude, after all. He was, in my mind, a loner with a chip on his shoulder, someone no one could get close to.
Until his teenage daughter showed up at his apartment.
Yes, I was surprised by that development. But the more I wrote, the more I realized Iâd initially shortchanged Kane by labeling him as just another bad boy. Heâs so much moreâwhich Charlotte Ellison quickly realizes!
I loved writing Kane and Charlotteâs story and revisiting the town of Shady Grove. Later this year my fifth book in the In Shady Grove series will be out, where charming playboy Leo Montesano meets his match. I hope youâll look for it!
Please visit my website, www.bethandrews.net, or drop me a line at [email protected]. Iâd love to hear from you.
Happy reading!
Beth Andrews
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Romance Writers of America RITA® Award winning author Beth Andrews writes contemporary romance for Harlequinâs Superromance line, checks for her kidsâ college tuition bills and text messages that somehow end up on her kidsâ Twitter feeds. She loves coffee, hockey and happy endings. Learn more about Beth and her books by visiting her website, www.BethAndrews.net.
To my wonderful editor, Wanda Ottewell.
Thank you so much for your insight, encouragement and patience!
Acknowledgment
Special thanks to Taryn Maley, RN, for her invaluable help.
CHAPTER ONE
CHARLOTTE ELLISON HAD a life plan.
Sheâd had a life plan, she amended as she stomped up the wooden stairs. Sheâd had it all figured out, had carefully planned how to achieve her goals and gone after them, no holds barred. And sheâd achieved so much, had always done what sheâd set out to do. Had always, always gotten what sheâd wanted.
Until two weeks ago when sheâd made a complete and utter fool of herself. When sheâd kissed the man she loved, the man she was so sure was going to be the father of her future children, and heâd responded with a pat on the head and a kind Iâm just not into you.
Bastard.
Her ankle twisted. Pain shot up her leg and she almost did a face-plant on the stairs before catching her balance. She glared at her shoes. Stupid four-inch hooker heels. And to think, theyâd actually seemed like a good idea when sheâd bought them. She continued on, resolute and limping, the sound of her footsteps bouncing off the walls, the echoes mocking her.