Bryce was struggling.Charleigh was right. She was just doing her job. He was an asshole for putting all the blame on poor Charleigh. He should be blaming Dax and not her because she had nothing to do with losing his shop.He’d known it since the mayor bought the building years ago.Bryce knew he should start packing his things and counting the days his shop left because, apparently his brother-in-law didn’t give a damn about him, and all he did was put his life in hell. He tried searching for a place, but he couldn’t find that would meet his tight budget. He may find one, but it was too far from the town.Dax was still blaming Bryce for the death of his sister, for impregnating her at a young age, for taking her bright future away, and for marrying a poor guy like him while their future was uncertain. But Dax did not have the right to blame him for taking care of Clary.Bryce knew that Dax would do everything to take Clary away from him. Now that his daughter was in grade school, Dax
In less than twenty minutes, he arrived at the Inn. He pressed his lips together when he got closer to the brickstone building. Thankfully, he knew where to find her even though he didn’t have her number.His pulse was pounding hard in anticipation of seeing her again. They might be nemesis right now, but their chemistry was off the chart.It was crazy. When Bryce shouldn’t be thinking of how soft her lips, how sweet she tasted, and how smooth her skin was against his palm, yet his unruly dick developed a mind on its own, and his brain was flooded with Charleigh’s naked image since he drove to the Inn.He parked his truck and sauntered towards the door, thinking of what he would say. He should explain. Of course, he was more worried that Charleigh would not accept his apology anymore.The receptionist gave him a small smile after giving Charleigh’s room number.When he reached the door, he knocked and let out a shaky breath. He couldn’t remember knocking on a woman’s door other than h
Charleigh gulped down in awe as Bryce stood in front of her nakedness while he kept his intense predatory gaze on her as he unbuttoned his shirt and carelessly tossed it to the floor. She couldn’t help but stroll her gaze to the perfection of his torso.She knew Bryce had a solid rock body—she felt it in her hands as he pressed her against his truck, but there was nothing compared to the half-naked standing at the foot of her bed right now.She became giddier when he started to unfasten his belt, making her fingers tingle to help him shove down his jeans. She felt it excruciatingly long, but the way he looked at her with hunger in those sky-blue eyes, she knew he saw the same in her.The taut muscles of his stomach began to torture her, wanting to feel them against her fingertips, and she even wanted to taste them with her tongue. She swallowed hard as her gaze traveled down to his boxers that peeked above the waistband of his jeans. His prominent V was enough to make her squirm and c
ONE LAST CHASE***Fantastic!That was the last word Charleigh heard from her brother and boss, Tripp, after her presentation before him and Kayden Braxton, the COO, and co-founder. She’d been working her ass off for the past three years at Braxton and Wrylee Associates as an associate architect, and she just spent four weeks on her desk to make a good impression. She deserved more than just the word fantastic. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t even get a good job from him. It was not that she was fishing for compliments. This time, she wasn’t sure if he meant it because she didn’t get a lot of it from Tripp. She didn’t care about it anymore for as long as he would keep to his promise.“Are you ready for your promotion?” Tripp Wrylee asked. Charleigh said silently, “Been born ready.”“Great. Your flight will be tomorrow. Do your best, Charleigh. Don’t come back until you impress the client.”She stopped placing her things back into her tote bag and finally lifted her gaze
Charleigh took a deep breath before stepping out of the Inn where she’d be staying for a few days. This was her only chance to prove to herself and her brother that she belonged in this industry. Tripp might have tricked her to be in this town, knowing that she wouldn’t say no to the promotion and that her job was also at stake here if she screwed this up. She thought it would be best for her to learn to stand on her own without her brother by her side or being labeled as Tripp Wrylee’s sister.Meeting her ex didn’t even make her feel edgy. Why would it? The only thing that mattered to her right now was how to impress the mayor—not her ex.She wished Kayden was just throwing his cosmic punchline joke that day. How could she forget how Dax Easton broke her heart in front of the most romantic landscape he designed? Instead of proposing to her, he did to another woman. It was still fresh to her, and she only cried for days until she realized he didn’t deserve her tears.The air was no
Charleigh took a deep breath to push the thoughts forming in her head because she definitely had a lot of things to think about this man. She might be a workaholic, but she had a fair share of hook-ups and would definitely put this man on her list. She had zero interest in dating, though. But thinking beneath him, she would never say to fool around a little bit while doing her job in this town.“You’re not from around here, are you?” the hot dog walker said, catching back her attention.“That obvious, huh? Just visiting Hopes Spring.” She smiled at him.“I see.” He nodded, understanding brewing in his eyes. “I would have met you already if you were from around here. Small town, as they say, news travels fast.”And I would have known what was underneath that white shirt and sweatpants if I were also from around here. Charleigh held that thought. Instead, she said, “You have a lovely dog.”“A proud owner.” His unbelievably red lips spread into a full grin. Was he flirting with her?Oh,
That was not a part of his plan.Bryce questioned himself again. He was just caught off guard by the beautiful woman petting Lotus. He kept telling himself before he climbed up his truck.Or more likely, he was so mesmerized that his pulse shot into the stratosphere until he realized it was too late to take it back—he was already inviting Charleigh for a drink and even hoping she would show up. He was preoccupied throughout his ride, thinking about what Charleigh was wearing that night.His wife might have been gone years ago, but he still never wanted to get into a relationship pretty soon because he had priorities—to raise his child and to manage Clarity Cakeshop. Right now, his small business was at stake for building renovation. Then, suddenly, he was inviting and entertaining a stranger in the bar. Which was not totally like Bryce Chase.Charleigh was sitting next to him, and Bryce couldn’t even take his eyes off the brunette. He could feel his racing heartbeat every time she smi
“Because it’s not hard for you to get their attention. I get it. You’re hot and—”Instinctively, Bryce pressed his finger on her soft red lips to stop her from talking. He felt the softness and the wetness against his skin, and he had to swallow hard to hold the temptation of replacing his finger with his lips to feel and taste if what he thought earlier was right.“That’s not what I mean.” He was assuming a lot, but their attractions didn’t take a rocket scientist to figure it out. It went both ways.“It’s alright, Bryce. I’ll call a cab.”His heart sunk to see the disappointment in her eyes.What she didn’t know was how hard it was for Bryce to control the urge, and it took all his strength, his willpower, and self-control not to press her against the truck.The thought of them sweating, panting, and screaming their names as they reached the high level of ecstasy in the hotel room had the fire simmered inside him with so much anticipation. And these desperate and mortifying needs he
Charleigh gulped down in awe as Bryce stood in front of her nakedness while he kept his intense predatory gaze on her as he unbuttoned his shirt and carelessly tossed it to the floor. She couldn’t help but stroll her gaze to the perfection of his torso.She knew Bryce had a solid rock body—she felt it in her hands as he pressed her against his truck, but there was nothing compared to the half-naked standing at the foot of her bed right now.She became giddier when he started to unfasten his belt, making her fingers tingle to help him shove down his jeans. She felt it excruciatingly long, but the way he looked at her with hunger in those sky-blue eyes, she knew he saw the same in her.The taut muscles of his stomach began to torture her, wanting to feel them against her fingertips, and she even wanted to taste them with her tongue. She swallowed hard as her gaze traveled down to his boxers that peeked above the waistband of his jeans. His prominent V was enough to make her squirm and c
In less than twenty minutes, he arrived at the Inn. He pressed his lips together when he got closer to the brickstone building. Thankfully, he knew where to find her even though he didn’t have her number.His pulse was pounding hard in anticipation of seeing her again. They might be nemesis right now, but their chemistry was off the chart.It was crazy. When Bryce shouldn’t be thinking of how soft her lips, how sweet she tasted, and how smooth her skin was against his palm, yet his unruly dick developed a mind on its own, and his brain was flooded with Charleigh’s naked image since he drove to the Inn.He parked his truck and sauntered towards the door, thinking of what he would say. He should explain. Of course, he was more worried that Charleigh would not accept his apology anymore.The receptionist gave him a small smile after giving Charleigh’s room number.When he reached the door, he knocked and let out a shaky breath. He couldn’t remember knocking on a woman’s door other than h
Bryce was struggling.Charleigh was right. She was just doing her job. He was an asshole for putting all the blame on poor Charleigh. He should be blaming Dax and not her because she had nothing to do with losing his shop.He’d known it since the mayor bought the building years ago.Bryce knew he should start packing his things and counting the days his shop left because, apparently his brother-in-law didn’t give a damn about him, and all he did was put his life in hell. He tried searching for a place, but he couldn’t find that would meet his tight budget. He may find one, but it was too far from the town.Dax was still blaming Bryce for the death of his sister, for impregnating her at a young age, for taking her bright future away, and for marrying a poor guy like him while their future was uncertain. But Dax did not have the right to blame him for taking care of Clary.Bryce knew that Dax would do everything to take Clary away from him. Now that his daughter was in grade school, Dax
Charleigh’s brow rose at Dax’s inquisitive tone. “Chase?”“My assistant said you were talking to him when she approached you.”“Oh, Bryce. I happened to bump into his dog yesterday.”Dax turned around. “You know my office number. Call me if you change your mind.” Wow! Sure, he was the mayor, but his position did not shake her.Something was off with the way he mentioned Chase or Bryce, though, but there was no way she would satisfy her curiosity. Bryce already hated her, judging by how he just disappeared without bidding goodbye.She couldn’t just stick her nose into his life because he almost gave her an orgasm in the alley.Gah, her dream was over.“I’ll let you know. Thanks for inviting me.”***Charleigh crossed the road toward the Clarity Cakeshop. She wanted to ask the cashier if she knew about Bryce. Of course, everyone knew about him, aside from the fact that he was the one who suggested this cake shop to her yesterday. This was a small town after all.When he sent her to the
It’d been years since he broke her heart. Seeing him seemingly happy and successful in life had put Charleigh at ease.It was not that she didn’t cry for countless days, but because of the fact that he betrayed her, she hadn’t found an answer as to why he did not tell her that he was seeing someone else. There was no closure between them.Charleigh was not interested in finding that answer anymore, though, not right now. She moved on and was happy being single.The moment she walked inside the conference room, she smiled confidently. When her gaze landed on Dax, she didn’t feel the sparks between them anymore. There was no racing of heart just like how she felt toward Bryce.Why was she comparing?She couldn’t get him out of her head even before she went to bed. She could still taste the beer on her tongue, feel the scorching touch of his callus hands on her skin, and the ache between her thighs as his massive erection pressed against her core. She was even tempted to say hi to her fi
“Because it’s not hard for you to get their attention. I get it. You’re hot and—”Instinctively, Bryce pressed his finger on her soft red lips to stop her from talking. He felt the softness and the wetness against his skin, and he had to swallow hard to hold the temptation of replacing his finger with his lips to feel and taste if what he thought earlier was right.“That’s not what I mean.” He was assuming a lot, but their attractions didn’t take a rocket scientist to figure it out. It went both ways.“It’s alright, Bryce. I’ll call a cab.”His heart sunk to see the disappointment in her eyes.What she didn’t know was how hard it was for Bryce to control the urge, and it took all his strength, his willpower, and self-control not to press her against the truck.The thought of them sweating, panting, and screaming their names as they reached the high level of ecstasy in the hotel room had the fire simmered inside him with so much anticipation. And these desperate and mortifying needs he
That was not a part of his plan.Bryce questioned himself again. He was just caught off guard by the beautiful woman petting Lotus. He kept telling himself before he climbed up his truck.Or more likely, he was so mesmerized that his pulse shot into the stratosphere until he realized it was too late to take it back—he was already inviting Charleigh for a drink and even hoping she would show up. He was preoccupied throughout his ride, thinking about what Charleigh was wearing that night.His wife might have been gone years ago, but he still never wanted to get into a relationship pretty soon because he had priorities—to raise his child and to manage Clarity Cakeshop. Right now, his small business was at stake for building renovation. Then, suddenly, he was inviting and entertaining a stranger in the bar. Which was not totally like Bryce Chase.Charleigh was sitting next to him, and Bryce couldn’t even take his eyes off the brunette. He could feel his racing heartbeat every time she smi
Charleigh took a deep breath to push the thoughts forming in her head because she definitely had a lot of things to think about this man. She might be a workaholic, but she had a fair share of hook-ups and would definitely put this man on her list. She had zero interest in dating, though. But thinking beneath him, she would never say to fool around a little bit while doing her job in this town.“You’re not from around here, are you?” the hot dog walker said, catching back her attention.“That obvious, huh? Just visiting Hopes Spring.” She smiled at him.“I see.” He nodded, understanding brewing in his eyes. “I would have met you already if you were from around here. Small town, as they say, news travels fast.”And I would have known what was underneath that white shirt and sweatpants if I were also from around here. Charleigh held that thought. Instead, she said, “You have a lovely dog.”“A proud owner.” His unbelievably red lips spread into a full grin. Was he flirting with her?Oh,
Charleigh took a deep breath before stepping out of the Inn where she’d be staying for a few days. This was her only chance to prove to herself and her brother that she belonged in this industry. Tripp might have tricked her to be in this town, knowing that she wouldn’t say no to the promotion and that her job was also at stake here if she screwed this up. She thought it would be best for her to learn to stand on her own without her brother by her side or being labeled as Tripp Wrylee’s sister.Meeting her ex didn’t even make her feel edgy. Why would it? The only thing that mattered to her right now was how to impress the mayor—not her ex.She wished Kayden was just throwing his cosmic punchline joke that day. How could she forget how Dax Easton broke her heart in front of the most romantic landscape he designed? Instead of proposing to her, he did to another woman. It was still fresh to her, and she only cried for days until she realized he didn’t deserve her tears.The air was no