P.S. It’s Always Been You
A Second Chance Romance
Lauren Blakely
Little Dog Press
Contents
Also by Lauren Blakely
About
P.S. It’s Always Been You
His Prologue
Her Prologue
1. Hunter
2. Presley
3. Hunter
4. Presley
5. Presley
6. Hunter
7. Hunter
8. Presley
9. Hunter
10. Presley
11. Hunter
12. Presley
13. Hunter
14. Hunter
15. Presley
16. Presley
17. Hunter
18. Presley
19. Hunter
Chapter 20
21. Presley
22. Hunter
23. Presley
24. Presley
25. Hunter
Chapter 26
27. Hunter
Chapter 28
29. Presley
30. Hunter
31. Presley
32. Hunter
33. Presley
34. Hunter
35. Presley
36. Hunter
37. Hunter
38. Presley
Chapter 39
40. Presley
41. Hunter
42. Hunter
43. Presley
Epilogue
Another Epilogue
Also by Lauren Blakely
Contact
Copyright © 2020 by Lauren Blakely
Cover Design by Helen Williams, Photo by Rafa Catala
All rights reserved. Without limiting the rights under copyright reserved above, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise) without the prior written permission of both the copyright owner and the above publisher of this book. This contemporary romance is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, brands, media, and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. The author acknowledges the trademarked status and trademark owners of various products referenced in this work of fiction, which have been used without permission. The publication/use of these trademarks is not authorized, associated with, or sponsored by the trademark owners. This book is licensed for your personal use only. This book may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each person you share it with, especially if you enjoy sexy romance novels with alpha males. If you are reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then you should return it and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the author’s work.
Also by Lauren Blakely
Big Rock Series
Mister O
Well Hung
Full Package
Joy Ride
Hard Wood
* * *
The Gift Series
The Engagement Gift
The Virgin Gift
The Decadent Gift
* * *
The Heartbreakers Series
Once Upon a Real Good Time
Once Upon a Sure Thing
Once Upon a Wild Fling
* * *
Boyfriend Material
Asking For a Friend
Sex and Other Shiny Objects
One Night Stand-In
* * *
Lucky In Love Series
Best Laid Plans
The Feel Good Factor
Nobody Does It Better
Unzipped
* * *
Always Satisfied Series
Satisfaction Guaranteed
Never Have I Ever
Instant Gratification
P.S. It’s Always Been You
Overnight Service
Special Delivery
* * *
The Sexy Suit Series
Lucky Suit
Birthday Suit
* * *
From Paris With Love
Wanderlust
Part-Time Lover
* * *
One Love Series
The Sexy One
The Only One
The Hot One
The Knocked Up Plan
Come As You Are
* * *
Sports Romance
Most Valuable Playboy
Most Likely to Score
* * *
Standalones
Stud Finder
The V Card
The Real Deal
Unbreak My Heart
The Break-Up Album
21 Stolen Kisses
Out of Bounds
* * *
The Caught Up in Love Series:
The Swoony New Reboot of the Contemporary Romance Series
The Pretending Plot (previously called Pretending He’s Mine)
The Dating Proposal
The Second Chance Plan (previously called Caught Up In Us)
The Private Rehearsal (previously called Playing With Her Heart)
* * *
Stars In Their Eyes Duet
My Charming Rival
My Sexy Rival
* * *
The No Regrets Series
The Start of Us
The Thrill of It
Every Second With You
* * *
The Seductive Nights Series
First Night (Julia and Clay, prequel novella)
Night After Night (Julia and Clay, book one)
After This Night (Julia and Clay, book two)
One More Night (Julia and Clay, book three)
A Wildly Seductive Night (Julia and Clay novella, book 3.5)
* * *
The Joy Delivered Duet
Nights With Him (A standalone novel about Michelle and Jack)
Forbidden Nights (A standalone novel about Nate and Casey)
* * *
The Sinful Nights Series
Sweet Sinful Nights
Sinful Desire
Sinful Longing
Sinful Love
* * *
The Fighting Fire Series
Burn For Me (Smith and Jamie)
Melt for Him (Megan and Becker)
Consumed By You (Travis and Cara)
* * *
The Jewel Series
A two-book sexy contemporary romance series
The Sapphire Affair
The Sapphire Heist
About
A sweeping, second chance standalone romance!
I was pretty good at living without regrets until a way too close call during a skydive. Instead of my life flashing before my eyes, I saw one face, one regret that’s been gnawing at me ever since—Presley. The woman I loved madly ten years ago. The woman I had to walk away from.
* * *
At first, all I want is to sort out why I can’t get her out of my head. But as soon as I see Presley again, I know I have to win her back at any cost. Brilliant, captivating and utterly beautiful, she’s the one I want.
* * *
Fate steps in when we’re asked to pair up to find a treasure in art and antiques. It’s an opportunity I can’t pass up—to uncover a path back to the woman I let get away while we chase down a love story a hundred years in the making.
Trouble is, Presley is tougher now, more wary, and she’s been hurt. By me. So it's going to take a whole lot more than one hot kiss and a wild adventure together to convince her to give me
a second chance.
P.S. It’s Always Been You
By Lauren Blakely
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His Prologue
Hunter
* * *
Ten years ago
* * *
Vacations are tricky for magicians. They convince you anything is possible.
Breakfast on the beach as the waves crest in the ocean? Put it on the daily to-do list.
Catching the sunrise at the top of a volcano? Let’s do it tomorrow as well.
Glorious hikes along lush trails in the jungle? Sure, I could definitely go for that every damn day.
The nights aren’t too shabby either, and that’s where the sleight of hand fools you most, whispering You can have it all.
Under the stars, a blanket spread out beneath us, the sand sugary on our feet, I nearly believe I can.
Presley turns to me, propping her head in her hand. “I have a great idea,” she says.
“Yeah, me too.” I wiggle my brows as I slide a hand down her waist. “Many great ideas.”
She rolls her eyes, grabbing my hand and threading her fingers through mine as the night breeze blows her chestnut hair across her cheek. “That’s not my grand plan.”
“Yours better be just as good, then,” I tease, challenging her as I brush the strands of hair off her face. “Because my idea was pretty mind-blowing, if you know what I mean.”
She tap-dances her fingers down my chest. “I do, you dirty man. But here’s mine.” Her sea-blue eyes gleam with mischief. “Let’s stay here.”
“As in, don’t leave tomorrow?”
“Exactly. We’ll set up camp. Never go back. Live on the beach, lounge under the sun. We could totally do it, don’t you think?”
Ah, but wouldn’t that be the real magic trick? And since I like this illusion, I go along with her game of make-believe. “Become island adventurers. Live in tents up near the volcano.”
“We’ll explore every waterfall. Find buried treasure. Discover a forgotten city.”
She’s talking my language. Wrapping an arm tighter around her, I keep up the routine. “We’ll make maps that lead to the secret way there, eat pineapples for every meal, and drink from coconuts.”
“We’ll return years later to find buried treasure.”
“We’ll be rich beyond our wildest dreams.”
“But after we’ve found the treasure, we’ll need to devote some time to lounging in the sun, and I require many hours a day to get lost in books. Please don’t forget that,” she says.
I dot a kiss on her forehead. “Afternoon naps on a hammock are mandatory. And you can read while I go for a run or climb some rocks or go cliff diving.”
“Of course. You always have to be moving.”
“You know me so well.”
Sighing, she curls up closer to me. “Sign me up. I have no desire to return to civilization, even though I haven’t eaten at a diner in weeks.”
“That must be killing you as the reigning queen of diners.”
“It’s the only part I miss. Especially since civilization involves . . .” She stops to shudder. “Bills.”
I place a finger on her lips, shushing her. “We must not speak of such unpleasant things while we’re playing make-believe.”
Because we’ve both known the score since I met her in New York six months ago. The reality is New York was always temporary for me, a way station after leaving the military while I was prepping for the next phase of my career, which begins in Alaska in a month. We’ve always had an expiration date, and this trip is our “best used by” date.
She snuggles closer. “Pretend I never said ‘bills.’ Here, we won’t need them. We’ll set up a coconut popsicle stand just for fun. I can make killer coconut popsicles.”
“Wait. You can make coconut popsicles, and I’m just learning this now?”
“I can’t give up all my secrets at once. But you should know, they’re pretty spectacular. You’d give them an A,” she says.
“Eating coconut popsicles, exploring all day, and spending the nights with you. Sounds like paradise,” I tell her, and she murmurs her “Yes” to our tropical dream then lifts her chin, her eyes dancing. I know that look. It’s the give me a kiss look.
I brush my lips against hers and breathe her in, memorizing the moment so I have it later when I’m scaling a mountain, trekking across a desert, or crossing a dangerous river. I imprint in my mind the salty scent of the ocean, the lush breeze, the incessant whoosh-hum of the sea as it swoops across the sand.
And most of all, I memorize her. The sweet taste of her lips, the feel of her body, the tender sighs that make me want to get closer.
We kiss for longer than is legal. Eventually we head inside where we pretend the night will never end, the trip will last forever, and that we won’t go our separate ways in another few weeks, as we always planned to.
Yes, this is the greatest trick that vacations pull. Sneaky bastards.
“Happy Valentine’s Day,” she says as she curls up in my arms in bed, moonlight streaking through the open windows. “It was the best one ever.”
“It was.”
She’s quiet for a beat, staring at the white curtains billowing softly in the gentle evening breeze. “Hunter . . .?”
There’s a question in my name, or maybe a request. “Yes?”
“This might be crazy, but do you think there’s a way . . .?”
I know what she’s asking. “Is there a way for us to be together when I move to Alaska and you stay in New York?”
Her eyes are wide and vulnerable as she gazes at me. “Yes. What do you think?”
I take a deep breath, considering. Sure, more intrepid men than I have pulled off feats of long-distance romance, though that seems like a recipe for disaster. But it’s Valentine’s Day, and she’s happy in my arms, and I’m pretty damn happy with her. Staying together feels as possible as living off our coconut popsicle stand and riding the waves all day.
“Maybe there is, honey.” The truth is I want that too. I want to keep her as mine, even though it feels damn near impossible.
Her eyes widen in surprise. “You think so?”
I shoot her a crooked grin and let myself imagine it. After all, it’s not impossible. Maybe there is a way for us to work out. “Sure. They have FaceTime in Alaska, and internet, and cell service. Well, when I’m not guiding travelers through the wilderness on super manly survival expeditions.”
“Which is most of the time, so . . . it would be crazy to try to do this,” she says, but her tone says crazy good, and the sound of her hope is intoxicating.
I inhale her hope, letting it feed my heart, hungry for her. “It would be insane. But I should return to New York in a year.”
“So maybe it’s not so crazy.”
The smile she flashes at me is too happy for me to ruin. Besides, I do want to make us work. I like the idea of this too much.
The next morning, we jostle through security at the airport, stuff ourselves into our sardine seats in the back of the plane, and sit on the tarmac for three hours, sweating and wriggling restlessly.
This is reality. Not waves, not pineapples, not surfing or hiking or exploring. And reality means work and jobs and chasing dreams. A few days later, while I’m in my cousin’s apartment packing my bags for Alaska, my phone rings.
The number startles me. The caller is from halfway around the globe. When I answer and he tells me he’s had an unexpected opening on his team and asks if I can get there right away, I don’t hesitate.
The opportunity is out of this world. It’s bigger and better than the job in Alaska, and there’s no end in sight.
It’s everything I’ve wanted.
Even when he tells me that for the first several months, I can’t breathe a word of who I’d be working for—a billionaire businessman who has a thirst for adventure but a desire for privacy unti
l he succeeds in his new quests. But this man, the caller says, needs a strong team.
Sign me up.
There’s only one small flaw in the plan.
I’ll barely have any contact with the outside world. No FaceTime, no cell service. I won’t be able to stay in touch with Presley. There’s no way to make this “staying together” thing work now.
That stings. Bitterly.
It hurts like hell.
For a moment, I consider turning down the job. Because I want the woman too.
But I know deep in my gut, in the marrow of my bones, this is the chance I’ve been looking for. This is what I’m meant to do.