neither of us are willing to walk away - Stirred by Nancy S. Thompson

18++ I’m Eden MacLaird, and Fate screwed me good at the age of twenty-one, stole my first love, then my first child. Twenty years later, I still haven't found my happily-ever-after. Sure, from the outside, I have it all, including Declan, my gorgeous, rich-as-sin husband. But things aren't what they seem, and catching Declan in bed with my best friend destroys any dreams I harbor for love, much less sexual fulfillment. 

Description:

Published: November 17th, 2015

I’m Eden MacLaird, and Fate screwed me good at the age of twenty-one, stole my first love, then my first child. Twenty years later, I still haven't found my happily-ever-after. Sure, from the outside, I have it all, including Declan, my gorgeous, rich-as-sin husband. But things aren't what they seem, and catching Declan in bed with my best friend destroys any dreams I harbor for love, much less sexual fulfillment. 

Then in walks Sean Bennett...

Just months away from earning his post-graduate law degree, Sean's smart, driven, and serious, but an unexpected encounter between us in a bar one night changes everything. His best friend, Trinitee, warns against getting too involved, but the heat between us is beyond intense, and neither of us are willing to walk away. 

With my marriage in shambles, I'm eager to make a go of it with Sean, despite our sixteen-year age difference. But while I relish my sexual reawakening, I fear giving up the posh life I've grown accustomed to. That life, however, and everything in it, comes crashing down as bodies start piling up around us, and all clues point to me and Sean. 

Secrets, betrayal, and revenge threaten to destroy not just my carefully-crafted reputation, but my very life. With our freedom at stake, Sean and I join forces to uncover those plotting against us. But as doubt and evidence mount, I must choose: give in to my suspicions and save myself, or trust our new-found love and save us both.

EXCERPT

I tucked my phone back into my pocket and pulled Eden into a tight embrace, my mouth at her ear so she could hear me over the roar of the thundering waterfall. 

“Don’t say anything, okay? Just keep an open mind and listen.” I felt her nod once against me. Then, with my eyes closed, I paused and took a coarse breath. “I know this is crazy, that it’s early and sudden, and we don’t know each other all that well yet, but…I think—no, I know—I’m falling in love with you, Eden. I can’t explain why or how I know. I just do. And I want you to know it, too. I need you to know I love you.” 

With my hand against her dampened head, I pressed a tender kiss to her temple. Then I pulled back so I could see her dazzling face. I gazed into those emerald eyes and studied the plump flesh of her lips, where I laid yet another kiss, gentle at first, soft, almost chaste, until I felt her respond and her mouth part. I took that as her answer, both acceptance and an invitation. With a hand on each side of her face, I lashed her mouth with my tongue, relieved to my very core that Eden was returning my kiss with equal passion. 

She wrapped her cold, wet hands around my neck and pulled me in so tight, I could feel her heart galloping within her chest, as if trying to break free, so I could consume it within my own body, to love, revere, protect. It was one of those moments like you see in a movie, so pivotal and transforming, when everything shifts and changes, and a new reality takes form. We were both overcome with emotion, speechless and shaking with hope and awe as we each contemplated what was in store for us, where we would go from here. 

With a deep sigh, Eden rested her cheek against my chest, and I buried my face in the crook of her neck and shoulder. And there we stood, with the falls rumbling behind us, the mist veiling us in a translucent shroud, creating a world where we alone existed and no one else could ever touch us.

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About the author:

Nancy is a California transplant currently living in Seattle, Washington with her husband of 23 years, their son, a student at Seattle University, their giant snow dog, Jack, and his kitty, Skye.

She works as a freelance editor for her publisher and writer friends and also has her own interior design business within the model home merchandising industry.

When she's not writing or editing, Nancy keeps herself busy by cooking and baking.

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