Dylan
Bea Zanders’s interest penetrated me.
I tried to ignore her unwavering eyes and lasting touches.
But my willpower failed me.
Our one-night affair was mutual.
No expectations, no exchanging of phone numbers, nothing.
The next morning, she sauntered out of my life as fast as
she had entered it.
Bea
I claimed Dylan McCain as soon as I saw him.
His disheveled dark hair and tattooed arms screamed bad boy.
Finally, I won, and he claimed me in return.
But in the light of day, he changed.
His smile further dented those dreamy dimples.
His panicked green eyes held layers of kindness.
Making sure the rules were clear, I walked away, showing him
how little relationships meant to me.
Excerpt
My coworkers’ hands slow down until the clapping eventually
dies.
“So, I’m excited to announce that Deacon Advertising has
landed a top-notch graduate of NYU. After a fighting war, we won out.”
I inch up on my tiptoes to see the mystery million-dollar
man, but to no avail. Big Vic from the mailroom is blocking any view I might
have of the man standing next to Tim.
“Oh my dreams, he’s come to life,” Kevin says next to me.
I crane my neck desperate to catch a glimpse.
“He’s good-looking?” I whisper, still dodging my head in
each direction to catch a glimpse. I’ve never been patient when I’m the one in
the dark.
“That’s an understatement. This man could not shower for a
week and have spinach stuck in each one of his teeth, and I’d still melt at the
sight of those dimples.”
With the one word dimples,
my stomach flips as I think about Dylan. He thought he was skating the issue
the next morning when he said he had to go. Asking me to climb down the trellis
of his parents’ house was new for me, but I understood. If my mom had been on
the other side of the bedroom door, I’d have pushed him out the window. At
least he met me down the street and drove me back to the bar to retrieve my
car. He was sweet and kind to think my feelings would be hurt once I realized I
was a booty call. Hell, he was my booty call.
“Deaconators, please put those hands together and welcome
Dylan McCain.”
“Even the name.” Kevin shakes his head, probably already
naming their kids.
“What?” I screech.
A few heads turn toward me.
I inch back to Kevin’s side, taking refuge in a friend. “It
can’t be.”
Then, as if I asked for it, he switches spots with Tim, and
he’s standing there with those mouth-watering dimples on high alert. Through a
sliver of space between Big Vic from the mailroom and Ben from design, he’s
clearly visible. And I can’t take my eyes off him.
A high-end tailored suit contours his broad shoulders,
buttoned down past his taut waist. No tie but a nice, crisp gray shirt lies
under his jacket with the top button undone. His hair is freshly cut, and the
small waves are now gelled into a style that doesn’t suit him as well as the
messy morning look.
As if he can spot me in the crowd of one hundred, our eyes
catch, and my throat dries. For the first time in my life, I’m speechless. My
body warms, and I don’t know if it’s because of the intimate things I shared
with him that night or the fact that, besides Piper, he’s the first one in so
long who seems to care for me.
“Hello, Deaconators.” He laughs. “Surely, we can find a
better name than that, Tim.” He clasps Tim on the shoulder and winks.
The room uproars into laughter, and I can’t stop the smile
sneaking across my lips.
“I’m happy to be here. I’m originally from the Detroit area.
I grew up forty minutes outside of the city. I did my internship at AdSec in
New York, but I wanted to come back home to my roots. So, here I am.”
He does a bow just like Tim, and I know he’s already
mimicking his new boss. Dylan has a dry sense of humor, much like my own. He
adds on a little wave of his hand in front of him, and suddenly, I wish we were
back in the eighteen hundreds, and he was asking for my hand at a dance.
No, you don’t. Stop
that line of thinking, I scold myself.
The room claps again, and Dylan stands there, absorbing the
attention. He’s the glory boy, huh?
“You okay?” Kevin asks as everyone funnels out of the room.
“Yes, why?” I toss my own coffee in the trash can in the
corner, not needing anything to further warm my veins.
“You look a little flushed, that’s all.” He laughs and
brushes by Big Vic to make his exit. “See you at lunch,” he singsongs, leaving
me behind. Thinking twice, he turns, his feet continuing to move with the line
of traffic. He raises his cup in the air. “Thanks for the coffee, Bea Zanders.
Tomorrow’s on me.”
He smiles, and I glance over to Dylan. He’s shaking hands
with a line of women currently attempting to dig up his credentials. Married,
engaged, or single?
Those green hues sparkle to me like emeralds in a jewelry
store, and I hold his gaze. I’m surprised he doesn’t seem as shocked as I am,
but instead more curious. Then, a slow smirk crosses his lips, and he turns to
the woman touching his bicep. He shakes her hand, and before the next desperate
woman can slide into her spot, he breaks free. Zigzagging between the throng of
people, he lightly acknowledges the pats on his back, congratulations, and
good-to-meet-you’s, but his eyes are focused solely on mine.
My body buzzes with alarm, feasting on his eyes bearing
happiness. Once he finally breaks free, his fingers slide down my arm,
capturing my hand, and he veers us away from the stampede.
Also Available
Love Surfaced
The equations are simple.Piper Ashby + Brad Ashby = Twin Siblings
Brad Ashby + Tanner McCain = Best Friends
Piper Ashby + Tanner McCain = Off limits
Tanner and I abided by the rules. We stayed on our designated sides of the relationship circle.
Ignoring swarming butterflies.
Brushing off skipped heartbeats.
Settling on lingering stares.
Here’s the secret … a hand extended over that invisible line once, exponentially changing the equation. I was convinced we could make our relationship work until Tanner broke the trust he embedded in me from the age of seven.
One deceit of mega proportions and the relationship we built for that short month vanished. I swore never to speak to him again and it’s worked. Until now—two years later, when my brother’s wedding places me face-to-face with the best man—Tanner McCain.
Leaving one equation to be solved. Can love surface twice?
Love Rekindled
Taylor Delaney is the love of my life.She’s also the one I've hurt the most.
Two years ago, I made a disastrous mistake.
One I’m not sure I can make amends from.
But I have to try, because I’m nothing without her.
Brad Ashby's here, in my hometown, asking for a second chance.
All those unresolved feelings for him have resurfaced.
Not that they ever went away.
I know I should run him out of the town, but I can’t.
He needs to know that I wasn’t the only one who was deceived.
Even if we gave our relationship another try, how can we rebuild what’s been destroyed? If we weren’t strong enough then, what makes us strong enough now?
This is a standalone novel involving two characters from Michelle Lynn's Love Surfaced novel.
Author Bio
USA Today Bestselling author, Michelle Lynn moved
around the Midwest most of her life, transferring from school to school before
settling down in the outskirts of Chicago ten years ago, where she now resides
with her husband and two kids. She
developed a love of reading at a young age, which helped lay the foundation for
her passion to write. With the
encouragement of her family, she finally sat down and wrote one of the many
stories that have been floating around in her head. When she isn’t reading or
writing, she can be found playing with her kids, talking to her mom on the
phone, or hanging out with her family and friends. But after chasing around twin preschoolers
all day, she always cherishes her relaxation time after putting the kids to
bed.
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