Wounded Hearts Novella, #4
by Jacquie Biggar
Mainstream Contemporary Suspense
Jack Garrett has been stung by love in the past so he's not in a hurry to get burnt again, but he can't deny his attraction to the new receptionist, Laurel Thomas.
When trouble comes to Tidal Falls, Jack worries that Laurel is in over her head.
Laurel loves her dysfunctional family but dreams of a place to call home. Just as she settles into a new life, her old one catches up to her and delivers chaos to the town.
Can these two strong personalities find a way to trust in each other and find their happy ever after?
REVIEW
Michelle from GoodReads: "I was given an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. A definite must read!!"
EXCERPT
Jack hesitated with his hand fisted to knock on Laurel’s pumpkin-colored door. His aunt had this thing about brightly painted doors being good luck, or some such hogwash. The murmur of a voice from within told him Laurel had company. Male company. He tapped the file in his other hand against his thigh and glared a hole through the door.ABOUT AUTHOR Jacquie Biggar
“Guess it can wait ’til morning,” he grumbled, turning to step gingerly down the snow-covered stairs. Whoever-the-asshat-was, he could have at least shoveled them off for her. Just as he reached the sidewalk an angry shout coming from inside the house startled him. Jack grabbed for his service revolver and jumped for the door. He missed the stairs entirely and dropped the file, allowing it to fall unheeded into the snowbank. The papers from within tobogganed down the slope.
He rammed a fist against the wood. “Sheriff’s department, open the door.” His heart thundered in his chest and there was a ringing in his ears. Was he having a frigging heart attack for crying out loud? He’d never reacted like this before, not even when he’d chased after a murderer a few months ago. But the thought of someone hurting…
“Laur…el,” he shouted, panic clawing the back of his throat. Jack tried the knob but it was locked. He took a step back, angled himself sideways, and prepared to slam his shoulder into the wood. He started forward, slipping a little on the icy deck boards. Good thing, because it slowed him down just enough to narrowly avoid ploughing Laurel over when she pulled the door open.
“Hello?”
When she saw him barrelling toward her with a gun in hand her beautiful eyes took over her face. “Yee…ahh,” she cried, tumbling backward and smacking her head against the now swinging door.
Fuuuck.
Jack tried backpedalling, but the slippery footing beneath his cowboy boots—dumb choice of footwear—had him sailing right into her already off-balanced body.
“Laurel, holy shit.” His hand reached out to grip her shoulder, conscious of the soft womanly feel of her plastered against his rapidly hardening body. Great. “I’m sorry, honey. Are you okay?”
Jacquie lives in paradise along the west coast of Canada with her family. She loves reading, writing, flower gardening, and spoils her German Shepherd, Annie, and Calico cat, Harley. Jacquie swears she can't function without coffee.