Love On Butterfly Beach: Santa Barbara Romance Series - Book 1 (Volume 1)

A Delicious Ride Filled With Suspense and Passion

David Turner moved to Santa Barbara to get away from bad memories and heartache. He wants to meet a good woman he can love and respect. But he knows he’s got to heal his heart before he can allow himself to love again. The question is, how long will that take? When he meets sassy and bright Carolyn Emmerson, he’s not ready for the feelings she brings out in him. Carolyn is just healing from a life torn apart. She doesn’t want to make the same mistake she made in her marriage, so she’s on guard against the overwhelming attraction she has for this sexy man. A fling is just what she needs. But huge misunderstands on both their parts cause a rupture that seems too great to repair. Frightening circumstances force them together again. He’s not happy about it, but he has no one else he can turn to. She’s angry because he misjudged her, and worse, that he's brought another woman into her home. Try as they might, they can’t ignore the attraction that is taking them over the edge. Even though they agree to ‘keep it light,’ neither seems to stop the runaway train that just might crack both their hearts open to the love that is obvious to everyone but them. When Carolyn’s life is in danger, David is forced to face the inevitable feelings that he’s tried to ignore. The question is, can he find her in time? Read an excerpt: The silence was like an anvil on her chest, crushing her, making it difficult to breathe. She finally spoke. “David, I can explain.” Implacable, he said, “No, Carolyn, I don’t think you can. It’s obvious that you saw my truck and felt I was beneath you.” His eyes bore into her, cutting her like a laser. “You’re clearly not the woman I thought you were.” Abruptly, he stood up and walked toward the ballroom, leaving Carolyn in his wake. Stunned, she stood rooted, unable to respond. She felt like a rag doll that had been dropped and discarded. As tears began to flow, she knew this was her only chance to try and explain. Forcing her feet to move, she ran after him, sobbing. She grabbed his arm just before he reached the doorway. He jerked his arm free. Her voice filled with desperation, she begged, “David, please …” He turned slowly. When she looked into his eyes, she saw hatred, disappointment, and … something else she couldn’t, didn’t dare try to identify. He looked at her, saying nothing. She was startled when he grabbed her shoulders and pressed her against the wall, hiding them behind a pillar. As he stood looking at her with those eyes that–before tonight–had held such affection for her, Carolyn froze, afraid to make a move, afraid of what she saw. Then, before she could react, he was kissing her with a passion she’d never known was possible. Pressing his full lips to hers, she kissed him back, never, for even a moment, hesitating. She wanted him–she wanted this. She could feel the fire of his need, and she welcomed it. She felt him wanting more of her, so she allowed her lips to part, inviting him to explore the soft recesses of her mouth with his tongue. He devoured her, demanding she kiss him back with the same intensity. Carolyn did so willingly. Time stopped as they kissed, locked together with a need that overtook all their senses. His desire for her had been building over the weeks they’d been getting to know each other. In his embrace, her need for him awakened fully, unable to do anything but fall over the edge with him... ...When she moaned his name, he was pulled out of his dream, momentarily confused. Then he remembered himself–remembered how she’d insulted him, how badly he’d misjudged her. He pulled away, angry with himself. He moved up to her mouth and she thought he was going to kiss her again–how she wanted more of his kisses. But he did not kiss her. Mere inches from her lips, his voice thick with yearning, yet laced with disgust, he said... Order now and discover what challenges David and Carolyn must face.