I shouldn’t have let her in.
But she got under my skin and branded herself on my soul.
She gave me her light, her passion, her fire.
And I took it knowing I was going to leave her, and never come back.
I never thought I’d see her again.
But there she is, standing in front of me after five long years.
My biggest mistake and my only regret.
I thought leaving her was the hardest thing I’d ever do.
But that’s nothing compared to what it’ll take to win her back.
That afternoon, I throw a hoodie on over a pair of jeans and walk to the stream in the forest ten minutes from my house. I arrive just before five, and she’s already here, waiting for me.
She’s sitting on a boulder in the middle of the calf-deep stream of crystalline water. Her arms wrapped around her bent knees where she rests her cheek and stares off into the distance.
I take her in, the curve of her spine, the line of her slender neck, her chocolate waves cascading over one of her smooth shoulders. She’s too perfect for words.
I wish I’d brought my camera with me.
As I walk into the clearing, she looks over at me, and the sadness in her eyes eats at what’s left of my heart.
“I didn’t think you’d come,” she says softly.
I kick off my shoes, roll up my jeans, and step in the cold water. I walk over to her, stopping a foot away from the boulder she’s perched on.
“I’m sorry about this morning.”
Her hazel eyes narrow. “Why are you wearing a hoodie? It’s hot.”
Swallowing, I look down at my clothes, then hers. She’s wearing a pair of light blue denim shorts and a flowy white tank. “Uh, I told you, I’m not feeling well. I was cold when I left home.”
She sits up slowly, her eyes conveying her doubt. “Well, you’re not cold now. You’re sweating.”
I wipe the fine sheen of sweat from my forehead. Shit, this was a bad idea. I turn my face away from her, and look into the water.
“Hux.” Her voice is soft and gentle.
I glance at her from the corner of my eye as she slides off the boulder. I take a quick step back as she approaches me. “What are you doing?”
“Why are you wearing the hoodie, Hux?” she asks as she reaches for me. Her hands stretch up and carefully slide the hood off my head.
I turn my face away, but she catches my jaw in her palm, guiding it back toward her. The contact makes me flinch. I take her wrist and lower her hand from my throbbing cheek. “It’s nothing,” I say as I register the horror in her eyes.
“What happened?” she whispers.
“Nothing. It doesn’t matter, princess.”
Her expression becomes enraged. “Like hell! That is not nothing, Hux. Who did that to you?”
I grit my teeth and regret the move immediately, as pain radiates through my face. “It doesn’t matter. Just drop it,” I grit out.
Her hands grip her tiny hips. “Fuck that. Who hurt you?”
I shouldn’t have come. I knew I shouldn’t have, but I wanted to see her. I wanted to look at her for just a moment. But now I want to get out of here and away from her questions. “I gotta go,” I say, and begin backing away.
“No,” she says, lunging for me. She wraps herself around my body, resting her cheek against my heart. I automatically embrace her and release a deep breath. It feels so good having her in my arms.
“I’m sorry. I’ll stop talking. I’m sorry,” she says as she squeezes me tighter.
I can’t help myself. I drop a kiss on the top of her head and breathe in her scent. It instantly brings me peace. Even if it is just for a moment, I’ll take it.
She lifts her face, glancing up at me, and I’m caught in her gorgeous eyes. Her hands slide up my arms to my shoulders, as she pushes to her tiptoes and kisses me softly.
“I’m sorry,” she whispers against my lips, then her fingers move up behind my neck and into the hair at the base of my skull. She grips it gently in her little fists. “Kiss me,” she breathes against my cheek.
I’m helpless to her command. I can’t say no. With one hand on her waist, I move the other to the back of her head and glide my fingers through the strands of her hair. I clench my fist and tug her head back farther. Then I close the distance between our mouths and seal mine over hers.
She clings to me as we stand almost knee-deep in the middle of the stream. My tongue moves against hers the way my body wants to. But it can’t. This will have to do, so I make the most of this stolen moment together.
She was the light to my darkness and everything I craved. We didn’t fit. But I wanted her all the same. I pursued her relentlessly until she was mine. And I was never giving her up.
Then she learnt things she was never meant to know. Now she sees me differently and keeps pushing me away. But I’ll fight for what I want.
And what I want, is her.
*Losing Focus is a steamy second chance, contemporary romance about the power of secrets and fighting to keep the things we hold dear. If you want a romance with all the feels you can only get from a bad boy falling for the good girl, then Losing Focus is for you. One-Click now to embark on an angst filled, emotional journey of two opposites navigating their way through college, family trials and self discovery.
**Losing Focus was previously released as Moments of Clarity and has since been rewritten, re-edited and now includes hot new content.
She writes across several genres including Rom Com, Contemporary Romance, and Romantic Suspense. You can always expect a healthy dose of heat, intrigue, and wit in her stories.
Monday to Friday you can find JB glued to her laptop weaving words or cruising Pinterest for her next potential muse. Come the weekend, it's family time. (And of course lots of reading and Netflix binges.)
Piper Jones owns and runs Vipers Den Beauty Salon. She worked her butt off making her dream salon a reality, the only problem she has now is her meddling mother and the cringe-worthy blind dates her mother's been setting her up on.
Kade Benson is a computer geek through and through, although you wouldn't know by the look of him. He's been best friends with Piper's brother since forever and he's been in love with Piper for just as long. But Piper can't stand the site of him.
When Kade hears about Piper's mummy issues he offers a helping hand in the hopes of Piper finally seeing him as more than a thorn in her side.
(Google gives me a small commission if you click on ads)
Nice excerpt! This sounds intense!
ReplyDeleteGreat cover, loved that excerpt.
ReplyDeleteSounds really great
ReplyDeleteThe book sounds awesome. I love the sexy cover!
ReplyDeleteSounds like a great read!
ReplyDeleteGreat cover, looks like a good read!
ReplyDeleteThis is going on my TBR pile.
ReplyDelete