âI want you, Cam.â
He brushed a thumb across her chin repeatedlyâsoft, soothing, rhythmic. âIt has always been you. It was just the two of us at the start, and thatâs enough for me. You and meâpartners, lovers, best friends, for ever.â
Sheâd laid the truth out for him so he wasnât under any illusions and he still wanted her. Just her.
Hope swept through her and she rode the wave, his sincere pledge dousing her doubts, silencing the voice of reason for an all too brief moment, filling her with the teensiest amount of optimism that they could make this work.
She desperately wanted to believe him, wishing she had as much faith in them as he did.
But no amount of wishing and hoping could eradicate the simple truth.
He wanted kids; she couldnât have them.
Nicola Marsh has always had a passion for writing and reading. As a youngster, she devoured books when she should have been sleeping, and later kept a diary whose content could be an epic in itself! These days, when sheâs not enjoying life with her husband and son in her home city of Melbourne, sheâs at her computer, creating the romances she loves in her dream job. Visit Nicolaâs website at www.nicolamarsh.com for the latest news of her books.
Dear Reader
Thereâs nothing like the rush of first love. Meeting that special someone, falling head over heels, not being able to eat or breathe or do much of anything without daydreaming about the next time youâll meet.
Camryn and Blane had this type of love. But, like many first lovers, they were young, circumstances intervened, and the thrill faded into painful memories.
So what would you do if your first love walked back in your life? If heâd never forgotten you? If he wanted to reunite? If he was determined to win you back at all costs?
Remember that initial buzz? The pitter-patter of your heart? The tummy drop-away? The tingle down to your toes when he glanced your way? Camâs about to experience all that and more. Can the city girl open her heart to the man who stole it all those years ago?
I fell in love with Blane as he marched onto the pages of this book. For the first time in seventeen books, one of my heroes made me cry. Heâs special. Cam thinks so too!
I hope you enjoy their reunion as much as I did creating it.
Happy reading
Nicola
www.nicolamarsh.com
CHAPTER ONE
CAMRYN HENDERSON hated Valentineâs Day.
A day designed to highlight over-the-top, mushy commercialism. All that hearts-and-flowers claptrap might work for those foolish enough to believe in romance, but she knew better.
Boy, did she know better.
âThat was some turnout today, huh?â
Camryn stopped swiping at the immaculate stainless-steel surface behind the bar and mustered a tired smile for Anna, her best employee and closest friend.
âOur biggest day all year.â
She propped against the bar and shifted her weight from one aching foot to the other. Her favourite knee-high black leather boots with a two-inch block heel might look great and add to her street cred as a hip young thing running the trendiest café in Melbourneâs Docklands, but built for comfort they werenât.
âEvery café and restaurant along this stretch was packed today. Nice to know romance is alive and well.â
Camryn refrained from wrinkling her nose in disgust at the mention of romanceâjust.
âSure, itâs great for business but, personally, I think itâs a bit lame. All pomp and show for one day when for the rest of the year those couples probably barely speak to each other.â
Sheâd worked Valentineâs Day for the last six years, forced to watch cosy couples mooning over each other, the intimate smiles, the hand-holding, the roses, even the occasional marriage proposal.
Sheâd seen it all, had been relieved to have distanced herself from all that fanciful nonsense, but it was times like now, when the café had all but emptied and the tea candles had burned low, that she couldnât help but wish for something sheâd once had on this dayâ¦a lifetime ago.
âYouâre the only woman I know who doesnât have a romantic bone in her body.â Anna waved a finger in front of her face and tut-tutted. âMaybe you should let the little fat guy with the bow fire an arrow your way for once.â
âNot on your life.â
Sheâd already been stung in the butt by one of Cupidâs arrows and had the scars to prove it.
âBesides, Iâve found my niche.â
They laughed as she picked up a black serviette with a bold fuchsia Café Niche printed on it and thrust it towards Anna. âSee, it says so right here.â
âAnd what the boss says goes. Yeah, yeah, I know.â Anna shook her head. âWell, want to know what I think?â
Camryn grinned as she poured milk into a stainless-steel jug, hankering for a frothy cappuccino before wrapping things up for the night. âYouâre going to tell me anyway, so go ahead.â
Anna smirked as she slid two cups onto saucers and readied the espresso machine.