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eBook Category: Erotica/Erotic Romance/Romance
eBook Description: Devan Seward is in the process of starting over--moving to the big city and doing her best to move on from an ugly past. When she waylays "Mr. Right" in the stairwell of her new apartment building, she feels an instant connection to him. There is something about the tall, dark and handsome man that leaves her feeling as if she's known him all her life. Devan no longer trusts blindly, a hard lesson learned, but can't seem to stop herself from confessing things better left behind. Chef Kurt Holland is like a rock god in the culinary world. Cooking is his passion. His restaurant, E&E, caters only to the rich and famous. When a sexy blast from the past literally falls into his lap, he refuses to retreat like he did last time. No. Seizing the moment and Devan's heart becomes his ultimate passion. Rating: This story deals with sensitive subjects such as domestic violence, drug abuse and deception. It has explicit sex, strong language and violence against the heroine (not by hero). It also deals with issues of abuser rehabilitation, second chances at redemption, forgiveness and the fact that life is not always black and white. In many cases, it is not possible to forgive or forget. In other's it is possible to forgive but never forget. Author cautions that this book is not for all and that it is merely the creation of a character that needed to tell her story.

eBook Publisher: New Concepts Publishing, Published: 2006, 2006
Fictionwise Release Date: November 2006

118 Reader Ratings:

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Available eBook Formats [MultiFormat - What's this?]: eReader (PDB) [268 KB] , ePub (EPUB) [239 KB] , Rocket/REB1100 (RB) [232 KB] , Adobe Acrobat (PDF) [746 KB] , Palm Doc (PDB) [262 KB] , Microsoft Reader (LIT) [221 KB] , Franklin eBookMan (FUB) [266 KB] , hiebook (KML) [584 KB] , Sony Reader (LRF) [277 KB] , iSilo (PDB) [215 KB] , Mobipocket (PRC) [268 KB] , Kindle Compatible (MOBI) [308 KB] , OEBFF Format (IMP) [352 KB]
Words: 86521
Reading time: 247-346 min.
Microsoft Reader (LIT) Format: Printing DISABLED, Read-Aloud ENABLED
Adobe Acrobat (PDF) Format:  Printing DISABLED, Read-Aloud DISABLED
All Other formats: Printing DISABLED, Read-aloud DISABLED
ISBN: 1586089196

"You're going to need to move that sexy ass or I'm going to toss it onto this sofa and carry it up four floors before having my way with it."

Turning, I saw only the green leaves of the oversized fern plant I carried. Unfortunately, I knew the voice and knew its owner, Jake, would actually do exactly what he threatened to do. "Let me go first so I don't have to play 'follow dink and dork' up the stairs."

"I'm dork," Jake called out, chuckling from his end of the sofa. "Your brother can be dink."

"What's a dink?" Gideon, my brother, asked.

Jake and I laughed. I did my best to find the door handle. Although covering my eyes and finding a needle in a haystack might have been more productive. "Nothing. It's a good thing, really."

"Uh-huh. Why am I not believing you?"

Jake snorted. "Probably because you've known her for over thirty years. Now, as for you, Devan, you need to get your ass up those stairs. This thing isn't getting any lighter. I've already lifted more things in one morning than I have in ten years."

"Hey, be nice or I'll do it."

Gideon groaned. "If she breaks into song again I'm kicking your ass, Jake. Then I'm leaving. I thought she stopped all that. Now, I'm afraid to turn my television on for fear of seeing her dancing and singing with some guy in black leather."

"Hey, your little sister is a gem. Back off," Jake said, laughing. "But if you do leave, can I keep her?"

"I'd like to see you try," I said, rushing through the door. I broke out into an interesting rendition of Do Wah Diddy replacing the she's with he's and hurried through the door. I knew the staircase was directly in front of the door so I lifted the fern high in the air to watch for the first step and began to jog up them.

"Watch where you're--"

"Nope. Not stopping until you both sing along and tell me that you will miss me horribly when you leave. Next up on the jukebox is an eighties song. I'm feeling very Madonnaish. Consider yourselves warned." I went right back into Do Wah Diddy.

I made it up about six steps before I slammed into something that felt like the equivalent of a brick wall. I went backwards instantly. When two large arms wrapped around my waist and pulled me forward instead of back, I realized the brick wall was actually a person.

Before I knew it, I was being twisted around and suddenly on said person's lap and we ended up sitting on the stairs. The massive fern blocked my view of him but if the size of the arms were any indication--the person was male, definitely. I couldn't help it. I burst into laughter at the absurdity of it all.

Parting the fern, I peeked through to find a pair of emerald green eyes staring back at me. The squared face they were set in made my breath catch. This was no ordinary man. No. This man was amazing. He had a pronounced jaw and forehead, giving him that dark brooding look I liked so much. His black hair was cut in one of those stylishly messy ways. It stood about two inches off the top of his head but was cut close on the sides and back.

Taking a deep breath in, I caught the familiar scent of figwood and fruits. It was something I hadn't smelled in years and the memories it brought back made my insides flutter. Sighing was an option I was more than willing to take. As my gaze traveled over his thick, corded neck I laughed harder. "Only I would make an ass of myself in front of a living god. I am so sorry. Are you hurt?"

I leaned through the fern more and glanced down. The snug fitting short sleeved Roberto Cavalli shirt he wore drew attention to his steely upper body. I gulped as I looked down at his dirt covered groin. The flat front kakis he had on did little to hide the bulge growing quickly beneath them. "Looks really fine," I sang softly.

"Your eyes are..."

My gaze went to his as I soaked in the sound of his deep voice. It was the kind of voice I could get used to hearing whispering sweet nothings to me in the wee hours of the night. "Disturbing? Two different colors? Yeah, I know one is blue and one is brown. Sorry."

"Don't be sorry." He shook his head. "They're beautiful."

I blushed and did the only thing I could think of, I laughed. The man's eyes widened more before he too began to laugh. There was something about him that was so familiar but I couldn't put my finger on it. "Do I know you?"

He stopped laughing and tipped his head a bit, seeming to study me. Something moved over his face that looked to be shock. "You can't be her."

"Her who?" I asked between chuckles. "If you say the tooth fairy I will kiss you. I mean, come on, dental hygiene goddesses with wands are the shit. To be perfectly honest, since I've already made an absolute fool of myself, you make me think of The Clash. Why is that? You aren't planning on rocking any Casbah are you?"

His green eyes widened. I fought the urge to trace a line with my thumb over his full lips. It was hard. Somehow, I managed.

"So, should I stay or should I go?" I asked, giving him a smile I hoped appeared to be sexy while I continued my Clash skit.

"Stay." He shook his head slightly and smiled back. His smile was for sure sexy. "How?"

"How?" I cleared my throat. "How am I me? Or how am I her? Are all sexy New Yorkers this odd? Do you feel like you know me, too?"

The slight, stunned nod was the only answer I got out of him.

"My guess is we've crossed paths. You don't play a professional sport, do you?"

"No," he said, staring at me with an odd fascination. "Is that a prerequisite?"

Liking the man more than I should, I shook my head. "No. My list of must haves isn't too long. Not playing a professional sport is at the top."

Jake snorted. "If you can pick up a phone and order a pizza she's yours. If you can actually make one yourself, you may never get rid of her. If you're able to make anything above that you just met your future wife."

"Why thank you, Jake." I shot him a dirty look. He grinned like a schoolboy. "I always love it when my friends try to push me off on men who could be married, in a serious relationship, or not ones to pick women over men."

"If you would spend less time trying not to drool and more time looking at the guy, you'd see he's staring at you like it's taking everything in him not to touch you and I don't see any rings on his fingers."

I snorted. "Oh, like that means anything. How many times did other women have at you know who?"

"Oh, right. I forgot."

The man touched my cheek lightly and I drew in a sharp breath as familiar feelings washed over me. Closing my eyes I savored the moment.

"Devan, get off the nice man and move. This thing is heavy," Gideon said, sounding annoyed.

The man's eyes lit. "Devan?"

"Right." I nodded and stood slowly. Lifting the fern off him, I gasped. "Ohmygod, you're covered in dirt now. I'm so sorry. Here, give me those and I'll take them to the cleaners." I set the fern down on the stair and turned to face him. "Wait, umm, I didn't mean to just ask you to get naked. But I'd honestly be okay with that."

"Devan," Gideon growled out. "I get you're an adult. All I'm asking is to not be reminded of that--ever."

"Jake, do you still have my wallet?" I glanced at Gideon. "Just so you know, I'm ignoring you."

Jake laughed. "Yeah, what do you need?"

"Five hundred dollars to replace the nice man's clothing. I'm guessing he doesn't want to take a check from a lady he just met in the stairwell. The Cavalli alone is three. It's in this season which tells me the guy pays attention to fashion. I'd get into the jeans but Gideon would demand to have his eyes gouged out and I'd enjoy it too much."

Gideon coughed, not bothering to hide his shock. "People here wear five hundred dollar outfits? I was with you when you bought a dress for a dollar at a thrift store, Devan."

"The one that's brown with obnoxious orange flowers on it?" Jake asked, knowing full well it was that one.

"Yeah."

I rolled my eyes. "It's a Betsy Johnson. I saved a few hundred dollars. And how can you think brown and orange is obnoxious, Jake?" I rolled my eyes. "Ooo, I really liked the avocado green sweater I got that day, too."