Chance Encounter
Series: LCR Elite #2
Author: Christy Reece
Release Date: June 29, 2015
Self-published
She’s the face of innocence whose secrets, if uncovered, could destroy her carefully crafted life.
On the cusp of achieving every goal she’s set for herself, Kacie Dane is one step away from superstardom. The hell she endured five years ago is a nightmare of the past. With a new name and a new life, no one would ever recognize her as the ravaged victim she’d once been. Her secret is safe…or so she thinks.
He’s a disgraced former sports star looking for redemption, determined to stay in the shadows.
Once the golden boy of the NFL, Brennan Sinclair’s fall from grace was witnessed by the entire world. Determined to stay out of the limelight and make his life count for something, he joins the Elite branch of Last Chance Rescue. Brennan never expected his first assignment would draw him back into the life that almost destroyed him.
Some secrets should never be kept. Some sins can never be forgiven.
Someone knows exactly who Kacie Dane is and will stop at nothing to destroy her. Brennan is sure that he, along with his LCR Elite partners, can keep Kacie safe and unmask the evil trying to destroy her, but he never expected to lose his heart to the one woman he couldn’t have.
A killer bent on revenge. A woman who refuses to be broken. A man in need of redemption.No one is safe.
“Now that the excitement has passed, I just realized how tired I am.” She flashed him a shy smile. “Thanks for a lovely day. It’s exactly what I needed.”
“I enjoyed it, too.”
He wanted to say something else, keep her there for a few more minutes. Wanted the right to kiss her, hold her close. But no matter how much both of them had enjoyed their time together, today hadn’t been a date, and he sure as hell wasn’t her boyfriend.
He nodded, backed away. “Good night.”
He came to an abrupt stop when she whispered, “Brennan?”
“Yes?”
“Would it be too out of line if I asked you to kiss me again?”
Hell yeah, it’d be out of line. And totally unprofessional and inappropriate if he complied. So then why was he walking toward her, standing in front of her?
She was easy to read. He saw the anxiety, but more than that, he saw the hope, the need. “I don’t want to frighten you again.”
“You didn’t frighten me…” Her smile was uncertain, almost shy. “You made me really nervous…and—”
“And?”
“You made me feel something I haven’t felt in a very long time. Wasn’t sure I ever would again.”
“Like what?”
A pretty, pink flush washed over her face. “You made me want.”
She left him breathless with her sweetness, her honesty and courage. Even though every masculine instinct told him to take her, hold her, devour that sweetness, Brennan held himself still. Everything, including the smallest of gestures, must be up to her. She’d had too much taken from her already. Damned if he would demand something she wasn’t ready to give.
He could, however, give her this. “I’ve never wanted to kiss anyone more than I want to kiss you.”
Her eyes lit up. “Really? Skylar told me you dated a Miss America contestant and a Miss World in the same week.”
He liked that she could tease him, that she felt comfortable with him.
When he did nothing, she bit her lip slightly, tilted her head. “So, you going to do it or not?”
“No, you are.”
Anxiety again, but it was almost immediately replaced by excitement, curiosity. Stretching up on her toes, she leaned into him, put her mouth on his, and then instantly raised her head, looking somewhat disappointed.
“That the kind of kiss you wanted?” Brennan asked.
Darn him. He knew it wasn’t, but he also wouldn’t take anything she wasn’t ready to give. After yesterday’s near fiasco, she couldn’t blame him for his caution.
Kacie wanted to growl her frustration. She’d never asked a guy to kiss her before, never had to. And now, she wanted this man’s kiss more than anything, and he expected her to do it on her own?
“Okay…let’s try it again.” She put her hands on his shoulders, her mouth on his and pressed a firm kiss onto his unsmiling lips. That was better but still not what she wanted.
Taking a breath, she wrapped her arms around him, pressed her body against his, and put her mouth back on his. Still nothing.
She spoke against his mouth. “You know it takes two to tango.”
She was so close she felt the smile curve his mouth against hers.
“You’re doing good…keep going.”
She might’ve given up if it wasn’t for the fact that she was pressed against his chest and could feel the rapid beat of his heart. He might be playing it safe, but he wasn’t unaffected.
Feeling empowered, Kacie put her mouth against his again, moved softly, caressing. He responded, but too slowly, too careful. She wasn’t about to give up, though. She pressed deeper into him and licked his lips, then took a nibble at his sensuous lower lip. A deep growl started in his chest. Progress, at last.
Continuing the assault, she nibbled, sucked, and also added the occasional tongue caress. That lasted for several seconds until, with a deeper growl, Brennan took over. His mouth opened, and he drew her into a soul-devouring, heart-stopping melding of his mouth to hers.
Kacie halted all efforts to control the kiss as she let Brennan sweep her away into the most delicious moment of her entire life.
Minutes later, he raised his head and said softly, “Good night, Kacie.”
Every part of her body throbbed with need, and though she knew she’d never wanted anyone the way she wanted Brennan Sinclair, she also knew she wasn’t ready to take this any further.
Pulling away from him, she said softly, “Good night,” and made her exit before she could change her mind.
She felt his eyes on her as she walked up the stairway. If she turned and went back down, she knew she could have more of those delicious kisses, plus other things. She didn’t have the courage to try, though…at least not yet.
Feeling as though she was dancing on air, Kacie prepared for bed. Her usual ritual of face washing and teeth brushing were done automatically as she relived those moments in Brennan’s arms. How wonderful he had tasted, and while she’d felt safe and cared for, she’d never experienced such off-the-edge excitement. It was like freefalling from an airplane but knowing that you would land safely and securely.
She pulled on a favorite pair of pajamas, short shorts, and a tank top, pulled back the covers, and settled down to sleep. By habit, she’d left the light on in the bathroom, but she was almost sure that very soon it would no longer be a necessity. Even though someone out there possibly wanted to ruin her, she actually felt safer than she’d ever felt in her life. How incredible was that?
Sliding her hand under her pillow to position it more comfortably, she paused when her fingers touched something odd. Puzzled, Kacie sat up and picked up her pillow. She squinted in the dim light. Flat, shiny, and square, it appeared to be a photograph of some kind.
Flipping the light switch at the top of her bed, she looked down again. A moan escaped her, and then she couldn’t breathe. Breath rasped from her lungs in loud, ugly gasps. A dim part of her mind told her she was hyperventilating, but she couldn’t stop, couldn’t think.
Oh God, how had—
Practically falling out of bed, Kacie stumbled to the door, opened it and was at Brennan’s door in a second. She barely managed to wait until she entered his room before she sobbed his name.
Growing up in a tiny community in Alabama boasting only one stop sign and a gas station gave Christy ample opportunity to create daring adventures in her head. When she wasn’t thinking of her story characters, Nancy Drew and the Hardy Boys kept her entertained and out of trouble. Later came the chills of Stephen King and the thrills of John Grisham, but the romance genre always held a strong place in her heart.
A few years ago, she decided to write the stories that had been rattling around in her head. Now she and her characters couldn’t be happier.
Christy lives in Alabama with her husband, five adorable fur-kids and one very shy turtle.
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