+ Excerpts +

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Choose Me

Luke Hudson leaned against his patrol car, which was parked in front of my Corolla. His head was bent over a little black book as he scribbled something. I had a moment of panic when I saw him rip off the paper and tuck it under my windshield wipers. I glanced around for a parking sign to see if I had parked there for too long. I jogged the last few steps to Luke and placed my hand on his arm. Feeling a little spark of electricity, I pulled my hand back in surprise. Something intense flared in his eyes as he turned his attention to me.

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“Sorry, am I not supposed to park here?” I asked, nervously licking my suddenly dry lips.

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“It’s only four-hour parking,” Luke answered, tipping his head toward the parking sign in front of his vehicle.

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I cringed when I saw the sign. “I’m sorry, I didn’t even see that. I don’t use the car much, either.” Everything in Chestertown was within walking distance.

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“There’s a lot behind the courthouse you can use for extended parking if you want,” Luke offered, helpfully pointing in the direction of lawyers’ row. Next to the courthouse, there was a line of one-story attached buildings, housing one law firm after another. At the end of the street, I could see a parking lot.

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“Okay, thanks.” I pulled the parking ticket off of my window. I knew there was nothing I could say to get out of the ticket now that he had written it. I didn’t read it because Luke stared down at me with eyes piercing right through me. His presence was overwhelming.

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Luke looked over at the inn. “Are you staying here?”

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“Yes, just temporarily,” I answered.

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“Do you need some help to find a place?”

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“Oh, no, Ashley from work referred me to Samantha. She has an apartment over the bakery,” I explained, pointing in the direction of the bakery and suddenly feeling stupid. Surely he knew there was an available apartment above the bakery. It was a small town, after all.

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“Okay, good. Let me know if you need any help with anything since you’re new to town.” He placed a hand on my shoulder and turned to go. His brief touch caused an involuntary shiver through my body.

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I was used to doing things for myself and not relying on anyone, but I liked his concern. Luke was already walking toward his vehicle and pulling open the door when I called after him, “Thank you for the offer, though.” I gave him a small smile.

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He nodded and his lips twitched with the beginning of a smile. He nodded at the paper I still clutched in my hands. “Don’t forget to take care of that.” Then he got into his car and pulled out into the street. I watched him go and then glanced down at the paper, which I had forgotten about until he mentioned it. I opened the folded paper, which looked like a parking ticket on the back, but instead of my information written out on the front of the ticket, there was a hand-drawn picture.

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Be with Me

My eyes traveled around the room until I saw Jack leaning against the counter by the coffee machine in his department-issued navy-blue shirt, blue cargo pants, and boots. I flushed to find his eyes on mine. I couldn’t get the feel of his hands or lips out of my head. He made no move to grab a donut, so I walked over to him. “Not hungry this morning?” I asked.

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“Oh, I’m always hungry,” he said, his eyes steady on mine as he took a sip of coffee.

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After that dream, I couldn’t help but take that comment literally. “You should eat an apple cider donut before they’re gone," I said, heart pounding. I turned to grab a plate to hide my flushed face, but Jack grabbed my hand pulling me back. “Don’t worry about it, I can get it myself,” he said.

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The movement knocked me off balance and I fell back onto his hard chest. His arm came around my middle to steady me. “Whoa there,” he whispered into my ear, as his body curled around mine. “I said I could get it myself. You’ve been on your feet all morning. Why don’t you sit down and rest?”

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I heard the guys joking around me, but couldn’t follow their conversation. The room seemed to melt away and all I could think about was turning in Jack’s arms and kissing him.

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“Samantha?” Jack’s voice caressed my ear again.

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“Yeah?” I asked, breathing in the smell of coffee, and leaning my head back a little to look up at him. His eyes crinkled in amusement and his lips tilted up into a smile.

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“Are you going to sit down?”

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His chest was warm on my back, and my hands instinctively gripped his bare forearms, which wrapped around my waist. I wanted to sink back into him even more, but I reluctantly moved out of his hold, immediately feeling the loss of warmth.

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Burn for Me

When we’d finished with my last case, I asked the judge to be dismissed and turned on my heel to leave, only making it a few feet before Logan stopped me short with a hand at my elbow. My breath caught as I felt his mouth at the shell of my ear. It wasn’t uncommon for attorneys to have whispered conversations during and after a case to discuss details, but this felt more intimate. When he got close to me, all I could think about was him getting closer, touching me, kissing me. I’d never felt a stronger pull to someone.

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 “May the best man win this afternoon.” My head shot up at his emphasis on the word man, in time to see him wink at me. 

Pulling my arm from his grip, I said, “Oh, she will. Don’t you worry.” I could feel his eyes on my hips as I put an extra sway into my step, walking out. As much as he antagonized me, I swore I saw desire in his eyes.  

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