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Chapter One

Shayla stood on the porch of Vance’s ho with nerves She hadn’t seen him for twelve years Each day away from hiht again about how much time she’d wasted, and all because of onein his power to keep her away fros, but those days were over, and Shayla aiht If Vance slammed the door in her face, so be it, but at least she had to try

She took a deep breath and rang the bell After a few seconds, the door side A shiver ran the length of her spine at the sight of Vance standing in front of her in a heather-gray T-shirt and orn jeans She’d always had that reaction to seeing his had the looks of a chare, as if he’d had more than his fair share of hard knocks and had come aith more than a scratch or two She took ain the perfection of him

His hair was as dark as the night itself, shiny and thick and long enough to be irresistible, even if it did need a good coht behind hiaze traveled over the angles of his face, noting every taut plane, the stubble covering his chin, and especially the generous line of his mouth God, not even an artist could draw aas Vance’s The hed as she realized how inally thought

She noticed the way he watched her Like an angry panther, his eyes were always so intense, and they seeht into her soul When he looked her over from head to toe, Shayla stiffened Sure, the years had been kind to Vance, but ould he think of her after all this time? She’d filled out, pretty irl with stars in her eyes

Enough, she chastised herself She wasn’t here to visually devour the man She was supposed to explain why she’d due and walked out of his life over a decade ago Should be a ton of fun

“Shayla,” Vance gritted out He blinked a few times, and Shayla wondered if he was as baffled as she was by her presence And the way he said her naive Shayla much confidence either

“Hi,” she said, s in an effort to hide her anxiety

Vance frowned “It’s been a long time, Shay”

Don’t I know it? A gust of cold January wind hit her in the face, and Shayla stiffened “May I come in?”

He hesitated, but Shayla couldn’t blaht to slam the door in her face When he stepped back and let her into the foyer, Shayla counted it as a s,” she said, then cringed at the sound of her own voice She was talking to hier As if they hadn’t once been in love

Vance shut the door and tucked his hands into the front pockets of his jeans “Nope”

“Oh, well, that’s good,” she said as she looked down at the floor and hitched her purse up her arh she’d rehearsed this a million times, Shayla was suddenly at a loss for words

“You et to it”