Instead, she had officially abdicated her role as queen and handed off the title to her sister Elliana, who was already married with two children. She promised her family that she planned to maintain her royal duties as they interested her while living in Carson.
Her parents even promised to visit soon, especially with a wedding to plan.
“Have you looked at that rental I sent you?” Kerry asked him as she walked behind the bar to enter a drink order. She was determined to spend some of their honeymoon in Ireland, visiting his brother and family. Since Kerry had come into his life, he had been more willing to visit his brother and officially put the past behind them.
“Not yet, but I trust you. If you like it go ahead and book it.”
“But I want you to like it,” she whined playfully as she wrapped her arms around his waist as he filled a glass from the tap.
“I trust you, but if it makes you happy, I’ll look at it tonight. I just want to be wherever you are.”
Landon leaned down and pressed his lips against hers, the feeling of love and desire never wavering whenever he kissed her. It was like the first time every time.
“How did I get so lucky?” Pulling her lips away, Kerry gazed up at him with that familiar gleam in her eye.
“Well, a felon and a princess walked into a bar, had a wild night of sex, and then fell in love.”
“Sounds about right.”
“I wouldn’t have it any other way.”
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Renee Harless’ Risque Readers
Carson Townies
More Books by Renee Harless
Ridge Rogues
Of Boys And Men
Welcome to Carson Series
Coming Alive
Coming Together
Coming Consumed
Coming Altered
Coming Innocent
Coming Unraveled
Coming Unplugged
Coming Home
Home in Carson Series
Behind the Lens
Behind the Badge
Behind the Bar
The Stolen Series
Stolen Nights
Stolen Kisses
Stolen Hearts
The Stone Trilogy
Make You Mine
Make Us More
Standalones
Screw You
Between the Lines
The Scene Stealer
A Snowflake Wish
Rebel Teacher
Coming Alive
Renee Harless
Avery never expected to take another chance at love. Until she's thrown a curveball she isn't anticipating – a man that causes her pulse to race and also happens to be one of her bosses. Finding herself drawn to him, Avery does her best to push him away, but she in no way predicts her heart pulling him in.
Logan doesn't trust women. Period. But a one-night stand cut short exposes him to a mysterious woman that flips his world upside down. He didn’t predict meeting her - the one that would make him question everything. Undeterred by her need to keep him at arm's length, he goes against everything he believes in the quest to prove that they're worth fighting for.
Read Now: Coming Alive
Prologue
AVERY IS LATE. SHE is so late that she is tempted to take an unscheduled absence and just clock in for tomorrow. Luck is on her side though: her boss’ car isn’t yet parked in the employee lot.
Wasting no time, Avery rushes through the sliding glass doors at the physician’s office and shoves her items into her locker. Melanie, her friend and coworker, appears behind her in the breakroom and props herself against the locker adjacent to her own.
"So, I have a thought, but I want you to hear me out."
Turning to face her, Avery can see that Melanie is doing little to mask the anxiety on her face – crinkles are knitted between her brows and bite marks of worry are on her lips. She does this when she's concerned about her. Melanie knows that a year later, Avery is still struggling to get over her fiancé’s death, as well as trying to make peace with the horrible life she attempts to keep buried in the past.
"I think you need to move away."
A gasp explodes out of Avery’s mouth at the suggestion.
A year after Declan’s passing, Avery continues to find she is just wandering through life, masking the pain she still feels inside at the loss of her almost-husband. Though there have been a few moments of happiness - a new neighbor that loves to have Avery over for dinner with her two sons – and of course the event that she never saw coming: Max and Melanie's wedding. That one definitely took everyone by surprise. She supposes that in a way, Declan's death illuminated the true meaning of living your life to the fullest, especially for their two friends.
"Hold on, Avery. Don’t get upset. I think it would be good for you. Everything here reminds you of all that you've lost. You need a fresh start."
Taking Avery’s hand in-between her equally small ones, Melanie garners more of her attention.
"Look. My cousin, Nikki, lives in this adorable town in North Carolina. She needs a new roommate since hers just up and left, and I think you two would get along great. She works as a receptionist at a private practice in her town. When I mentioned what you do, she said they were actually hiring a medical assistant for each of the physicians at her practice." Pulling Avery closer, she wraps her in a tight hug. "This is your chance, Avery. You can be someone new where no one knows what you've been through."
Avery takes a moment to consider Melanie’s proposal. The idea isn’t a bad one really; it’s actually something she had been tossing back and forth in her own mind for quite some time.
"You really think I should do it?"
"Max and I don't think you have anything to lose. And I really think you could be happy there. We all want you to be happy, Avery."
Absorbing her words, Avery asks if she can let her know by the end of the day. She wants to make sure she has taken adequate time to decide if this is what she really wants – no, needs to do.
This new idea is so distracting that during her daily workload of patients, Avery is admittedly surprised when she reaches the end of the day without severely harming anyone.
When at last Avery finds Max and Melanie standing by the water dispenser at the end of the shift, she tugs Melanie into her arms before saying, "How soon can I move?"
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