Title: Kiss Me Again
Series: Star Crossed Love #1
Series: Star Crossed Love #1
Author: Vivian Wood
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Cover Design: Lori Jackson Designs
Photo: Wander Aguiar
Model: Tristan Elgart
Cover Design: Lori Jackson Designs
Photo: Wander Aguiar
Model: Tristan Elgart
Release Date: August 6, 2019
Blurb
Once upon a time, I
believed in fairy tales.
believed in fairy tales.
I thought he was
my Prince Charming, even though Grayson was tall, brooding, and from the wrong
side of the tracks...
my Prince Charming, even though Grayson was tall, brooding, and from the wrong
side of the tracks...
At fifteen, he
swept me off my feet.
swept me off my feet.
At twenty, he
shattered my heart.
shattered my heart.
When I finally
dried my tears, I became a new person.
dried my tears, I became a new person.
Hardened.
Untouchable. Impenetrable.
Untouchable. Impenetrable.
Until one day, like
magic, Grayson reappears. All my old scars start to ache.
magic, Grayson reappears. All my old scars start to ache.
He’s different,
too: haunted. Brooding. Damaged.
too: haunted. Brooding. Damaged.
We’re both scarred
by our past and yearning to escape our present.
by our past and yearning to escape our present.
He protests my
presence even as he kisses me under the starry sky, but it’s no use.
presence even as he kisses me under the starry sky, but it’s no use.
I’m not falling for
that again - not for his glances that make me weak in the knees, not for his
smoldering touches that make me tingle with need.
that again - not for his glances that make me weak in the knees, not for his
smoldering touches that make me tingle with need.
He’ll just
disappear again, leaving me broken and alone.
disappear again, leaving me broken and alone.
That’s why I have
to guard my heart - and never, ever fall for Grayson again.
to guard my heart - and never, ever fall for Grayson again.
Even though he’s
wildly tempting. I can’t forget the way his touch felt, the heat of his lips
against my skin.
wildly tempting. I can’t forget the way his touch felt, the heat of his lips
against my skin.
And I know what we
could be together… if he doesn’t shatter my heart again.
could be together… if he doesn’t shatter my heart again.
Grayson and I are
star crossed. Our lives are chartered for two separate courses.
star crossed. Our lives are chartered for two separate courses.
And yet even the
stars fall sometimes...
stars fall sometimes...
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Excerpt
I take down a big, old tree that I had my eye on before. It
is dying, causing a fire hazard. Not to mention the fact that the tree is in
danger of falling, threatening any unsuspecting hikers that happen by this
place.
is dying, causing a fire hazard. Not to mention the fact that the tree is in
danger of falling, threatening any unsuspecting hikers that happen by this
place.
Thwack. Heave.
Thwack. Heave.
Thwack. Heave.
I’m soon out of breath and sweating. I pause and peel my
cotton t-shirt off, taking a second for a little water from my canteen. Then I
go at it again, venting my rage and regret and my heartfelt sadness, watching
it wash away as I continue to sweat.
cotton t-shirt off, taking a second for a little water from my canteen. Then I
go at it again, venting my rage and regret and my heartfelt sadness, watching
it wash away as I continue to sweat.
Thwack. Heave.
Thwack. Heave.
Thwack. Heave.
By midday, I am all but boneless, both mentally and
physically exhausted. I throw my shirt over my shoulder and head back down to
the base camp. It’s hard to think, which is just the way I like it.
physically exhausted. I throw my shirt over my shoulder and head back down to
the base camp. It’s hard to think, which is just the way I like it.
I am rounding one of the last bends before I get into camp
when I run smack into Rachel. I hit her hard, sending her sprawling
across the ground. She looks up at me and her breathing hitches. Her eyes
wander down to my chest, which is still bare from my exertions and damp from
perspiration.
when I run smack into Rachel. I hit her hard, sending her sprawling
across the ground. She looks up at me and her breathing hitches. Her eyes
wander down to my chest, which is still bare from my exertions and damp from
perspiration.
For the barest second, a note of desire rises in the air
between us, unbidden. It’s been a long time since I’ve been around anybody that
looks at me this way. Mostly I keep to myself up here, that’s what’s so
wonderful about this job.
between us, unbidden. It’s been a long time since I’ve been around anybody that
looks at me this way. Mostly I keep to myself up here, that’s what’s so
wonderful about this job.
But for a moment, I remember what it used to be like. Being
wanted by women. Being ogled by them. Being the object of a woman’s
desire.
wanted by women. Being ogled by them. Being the object of a woman’s
desire.
Of Rachel’s desire.
I forgot how amazing that could be.
With the next breath she ruins it, though. Her expression
turns sour as she picks herself up off of the ground. “You should really be
more careful where you’re going.”
turns sour as she picks herself up off of the ground. “You should really be
more careful where you’re going.”
Just like that, the brief moment is over, the bubble popped.
I roll my eyes.
I roll my eyes.
“It’s not my fault. You ran into me,” I point out. “And then
you bounced off me and fell, because you are a tiny person.”
you bounced off me and fell, because you are a tiny person.”
Her jaw tightens. “I am a normal size for a woman.”
Rachel is pissed now and I can’t help but goad her. “Yeah.
A tiny woman.”
A tiny woman.”
When she dusts herself off and crosses her arms, I get a
little pleasure out of knowing I’ve really annoyed her. “You are impossible.
You didn’t used to be so… so…”
little pleasure out of knowing I’ve really annoyed her. “You are impossible.
You didn’t used to be so… so…”
She makes a strangled noise deep in her throat. My eyes
narrow.
narrow.
“Did you want something or were you just going to fling
accusations about how I used to be at me?”
accusations about how I used to be at me?”
She pulls a face. “You’re supposed to go through wilderness
first aid with me. It’s the last class I have.”
first aid with me. It’s the last class I have.”
I check my watch, trying not to roll my eyes again.
“Alright. How about you meet me at the same little cabin as we were at
yesterday in fifteen minutes?”
“Alright. How about you meet me at the same little cabin as we were at
yesterday in fifteen minutes?”
“Okay.” She shrugs.
“Fine.”
I leave her there and hustle through cleaning myself up.
Smelling my t-shirts to find the least sweated-on of the bunch, I make a note
to do another load of laundry before I head out on the trail with Rachel.
Smelling my t-shirts to find the least sweated-on of the bunch, I make a note
to do another load of laundry before I head out on the trail with Rachel.
Because heaven forbid she might know that I stink sometimes.
I roll my eyes at myself. Still, I put on another coat of deodorant just for
good measure.
I roll my eyes at myself. Still, I put on another coat of deodorant just for
good measure.
Not for Rachel. Just for everyone’s sake. At least that’s
what I tell myself.
what I tell myself.
When I finally walk down to the little cabin, pine needles
crunching beneath my feet, she is already inside. Ducking in the too-small
cabin, I start to feel a prickling sense of unease as soon as I’m inside the
cabin. The walls are so close, giving me the sensation of being squeezed. At
least that is how my lungs feel.
crunching beneath my feet, she is already inside. Ducking in the too-small
cabin, I start to feel a prickling sense of unease as soon as I’m inside the
cabin. The walls are so close, giving me the sensation of being squeezed. At
least that is how my lungs feel.
I look at how little space I’ve been given in this little
room and my throat starts to close.
room and my throat starts to close.
“Are you okay?” Rachel asks, her brow furrowing.
I nod even though the answer is clearly no. “I just…” I
pause and suck in a breath. “We should study outside.”
pause and suck in a breath. “We should study outside.”
Grabbing two of the Red Cross handbooks and Whiskey Bend’s
additional addendums, I am out the door before she even has a chance to
respond. Rachel trails after me as I stalk over to the nearby picnic tables.
additional addendums, I am out the door before she even has a chance to
respond. Rachel trails after me as I stalk over to the nearby picnic tables.
Clearing a table of the ever-present pine needles, I motion
for her to sit. She does, although she looks wary of me. Like I’m a ticking
time bomb and she’s trying not to set me off sooner than planned, I guess.
for her to sit. She does, although she looks wary of me. Like I’m a ticking
time bomb and she’s trying not to set me off sooner than planned, I guess.
Out here though at least I can breathe a lot better. Because
the picnic tables weren’t designed for someone of my stature, I sit on the
actual table and hand her a copy of each handbook.
the picnic tables weren’t designed for someone of my stature, I sit on the
actual table and hand her a copy of each handbook.
“Okay.” I open the first aid handbook to the first chapter.
“Here we go. Systematic Approach to Assessing, Recognizing and Caring for
Adults.”
“Here we go. Systematic Approach to Assessing, Recognizing and Caring for
Adults.”
Her eyes are on me, watching. But I try to focus on the
material. Letting my attention drift to her means I would wonder about
her.
material. Letting my attention drift to her means I would wonder about
her.
Whether she still has that cluster of freckles on her lower
back that looks just like the Lyra constellation. Whether she still gets that
intense look of concentration when she’s about to come, a breathless expression
of pure want.
back that looks just like the Lyra constellation. Whether she still gets that
intense look of concentration when she’s about to come, a breathless expression
of pure want.
Those thoughts could lead to naming all the things I regret
in this life. And selfishly, I just can’t afford that today.
in this life. And selfishly, I just can’t afford that today.
But deep in the back of my mind, those thoughts still swirl
around and around. And Rachel is finally done, when she’s taken the test and
qualified for official park purposes, the thoughts are still there.
around and around. And Rachel is finally done, when she’s taken the test and
qualified for official park purposes, the thoughts are still there.
“You passed the test.” I glance at her from where I’m
sitting, my guard up all the way.
sitting, my guard up all the way.
Her lips lift in the ghost of a smile. She obviously wasn’t
worried about not passing.
worried about not passing.
“I guess that means we are going on this trip, then.”
My heart thuds a little too loudly. I swallow and clear my
throat. “Yep.”
throat. “Yep.”
For a second, her gaze locks with mine and it’s like she can
see right through me. Before her beautiful brown eyes, I am without pretense or
preamble, naked and bare for her inspection. Her lips quirk as if she is going
to say something.
see right through me. Before her beautiful brown eyes, I am without pretense or
preamble, naked and bare for her inspection. Her lips quirk as if she is going
to say something.
Then at the last second she shakes her head instead. Pushing
up from the picnic table, she turns away, calling over her shoulder.
up from the picnic table, she turns away, calling over her shoulder.
“See you, Gray.”
Gray.
I feel the word is an arrow, going straight into my heart.
It’s been five years since anyone has called me that.
I stare at her walking away, swinging that pert ass of hers.
I am so, so very fucked if she keeps calling me that.
Author Bio
Vivian likes to write about troubled, deeply flawed alpha males and the fiery, kick-ass women who bring them to their knees.
Vivian's lasting motto in romance is a quote from a favorite song: "Soulmates never die."
Be sure to follow Vivian through her Vivian's Vixens mailing list or Facebook group to keep up with all the awesome giveaways, author videos, ARC opportunities, and more!
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