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Category: Romance
Description: Candace lives for her son--what more does she need? Until Cayden comes along... Candace Cutler has plans to leave her abusive husband, but then he goes missing. She finds herself in limbo, and with her son, Rob, to care for, she doesn't have time to play games with the cocky younger pilot who moves in next door. Cayden Shaughnessy doesn't like what he's heard about his missing next door neighbor. A born protector, he's determined to shield Candace and Rob from the harsh world...but violence still lurks in the shadows. WARNING: Contains violence against women. Antagonist gets his just desserts.
eBook Publisher: Lyrical Press, Inc., 2012 2012
eBookwise Release Date: November 2011

1 Reader Ratings:

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Available eBook Formats: OEBFF Format (IMP) [230 KB]
Words: 50947
Reading time: 145-203 min.

Chapter 1

"Okay, kid. You know the drill. Groceries up to the kitchen."

My eleven-going-on-thirty son was already halfway out the car door. "On it."

Rob and I had just come home from a particularly grueling day with a side trip to the grocery store. All I wanted was to go inside, crawl in bed and find oblivion. Too bad I'd have to wait a few hours.

The neighbor to the north, Jack, had pulled in as well, but hadn't yet closed his garage door. Hoping he'd disappear into his house so I wouldn't have to talk to him, I took a moment to stare into my garage and wonder how much I could get for the tools and wood making it impossible for me to park the car inside. Considering my run of luck, I merely sighed when I saw two men from the corner of my eye.

Since there was no point in sitting there longer, I opened the car door and climbed out, doing my best to look completely normal while letting my shoulder-length hair swing around my face. All the better to hide the spectacular swelling and bruise makeup and my sunglasses barely covered. As Rob and I gathered groceries, purse, gym bag and the usual daily detritus, Jack was giving his friend, a tall young man with red hair dressed in everyday Air Force blues, a verbal tour of the street.

Robbie slammed down the rear hatch of the ubiquitous white minivan the insurance company had provided while a shop tried to calculate the damages to my car sustained over the weekend. I was doing my best to extricate myself from the strange vehicle and not aggravate my new injuries. I straightened and turned so I could close the door with a hip swing, and made the mistake of glancing up. The redhead's eyes were aimed at me and, as he leisurely gave me the once over, he also gave me a slow, sexy smile. Somewhere deep inside me, something twinged. I straightened my back hoping I hadn't just added a pulled muscle to my list of pains.