One week. One secret.

One last chance at forever.

Dr. Marla Grant has her hands full—between running a small-town clinic in Lafayette Falls and raising a precocious five-year-old—there’s no time for daydreams. Especially not the kind stirred up by wealthy Texan Carson Blackwell and their summer fling six years ago. But when Carson makes an offer to fund her clinic in exchange for one tiny favor—posing as his girlfriend during a business retreat in Hawaii—Marla reluctantly agrees.

Carson can’t shake the memory of their summer romance long ago. He’s hoping one week in paradise will finally get Marla out of his system. It’s a calculated move, which he hopes will finally free him from his infatuation.

But paradise has a way of stirring up pleasurable memories, and old sparks reignite beneath the tropical sun. Somewhere between the crashing waves and stolen kisses, a second chance blooms. But can love truly have a second chance when one life-changing truth still stands between them?

ONE WEEK IN YOUR ARMS

A Lafayette Falls Romance Prequel

Excerpt

After six years, what could he possibly have to say?

She pictured him standing beside a black truck in the drive of Mayfair Place, a turn-of-the-century estate belonging to his grandmother. It was time to say goodbye to the only man who had ever swept her off her feet.

She recalled the date. June twenty-eighth. The day had been a warm, blustery day in Tennessee. A summer storm was heading toward the rolling hills near Nashville.

The wind made a mess of Carson’s unruly dark hair. His blue eyes were hidden by a pair of mirrored lens aviators, and his alpha-male physique tested the seams of his polo shirt. He always made her pulse flutter.

“If I’m ever back in town, I’ll look you up,” he promised as their casual affair came to a predestined end.

For three weeks, they had been together, and finally, the time had come for them to go their separate ways. She had known this moment was inevitable, but she hadn’t realized it would be so difficult or painful. She told herself the feeling would pass.

She forced a smile of goodwill. After all, they weren’t parting in anger, or in love, for that matter. And it was unlikely that she would ever see him again.

“I had a great time,” she confessed boldly. She’d loved every minute of their brief, steamy affair. Besides being a passionate lover, he was intelligent and fun. Talk about a summer break to remember.

He gave her cheek a stroke, and she inhaled at his touch. “You’ll make a great doctor.”

“You think so?”

“Yeah.” He grinned. “You certainly know all there is to know about male anatomy.”

“Yours, at least.” She laughed. Then she hopped up on her toes and kissed him quickly, keeping her passion and sorrow under control. “Goodbye, Carson Blackwell.”

She stepped away from him. Now was the time to face what was ahead. A grueling three-year residency. There would be no more time for long summer nights, tangled sheets, and sighs of pleasure. She walked toward her small, sturdy hatchback. Before she opened the driver’s door, she looked up and met his gaze as he looked back at her.

“Goodbye,” he called before he boarded his truck.

At that moment, she had an odd sensation in her chest that her life would never be the same. She chewed on her bottom lip. Then she laughed at her silliness.

A summer fling with a guy just passing through was not something that changed your life. For her, completing her residency would be a life-changer.

She had watched Carson drive off into the sunset, with her heart breaking a little as he disappeared. Never to be seen or heard from again until now.

What Reviewers Are Saying...

“I loved this book. It was so awesome. Marla and Carson love story was a grab you by the pants and never let you go story”

~Bonnie R. Gagnon

"A great read you don't want to miss. I highly recommend it"~B. Hansen

"This is an impassioned story with lots of raw emotion"~ Author Lady

"One Week in Your Arms is a reunion romance with twists and turns that will keep you entertained from beginning to end"

~LJT Net Galley

"One Week in Your Arms is a lovely story of second chance that pulled me in from the first page"~Francoise

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