Catherine loved Gabriel from the time she was five years old. She
thought it would be easy: fall in love with your childhood sweetheart,
get married and live happily ever after. But as the years go on, the
fairy tale soon falls apart. At twenty, Gabe – penniless, unable to find
work, and drinking himself into a bad reputation – leaves New Orleans,
believing that Cat is better off without him.
She doesn’t hear from him for three years – not until the night before she’s set to marry Cort Belrose, a wealthy restaurateur that Gabe despises.
It seems the past three years have treated Gabe well. He’s now mysteriously wealthy and the picture of a perfect Southern gentleman – a gentleman who is quietly seeking vengeance on the man who forced him out of the city, took three years of his life, and stole the woman he loved.
With Gabe’s return, the sweltering heat of New Orleans becomes even more stifling as Cat struggles with the truth about her malicious husband and her consuming lifelong love for the vengeful and troubled Gabe.
She doesn’t hear from him for three years – not until the night before she’s set to marry Cort Belrose, a wealthy restaurateur that Gabe despises.
It seems the past three years have treated Gabe well. He’s now mysteriously wealthy and the picture of a perfect Southern gentleman – a gentleman who is quietly seeking vengeance on the man who forced him out of the city, took three years of his life, and stole the woman he loved.
With Gabe’s return, the sweltering heat of New Orleans becomes even more stifling as Cat struggles with the truth about her malicious husband and her consuming lifelong love for the vengeful and troubled Gabe.
“A gentleman at the bar had this sent over for the bride-to-be. He sends it with his congratulations,” the waiter said. “He had another message, as well, for the bride.”
The waiter gave me the note. It was a simple business card, folded once. I opened it, not knowing what to expect.
My breath caught in my throat.
Truth or dare? it said, in that unmistakable handwriting—small, almost illegible block letters. I turned the card over. There was no contact information, just a simple embossed name: Gabriel Augustine.
My heart stopped.
It’s amazing how everything can change in one second. Just those few words sent me into a spiral.
My world tilted, shifted and uprooted from under my feet. The bottle of Champagne sat against the waiter’s arm, signifying a million different things, but mostly signifying Gabe. Without thinking of anything—not Delilah, not Cort, not the veil perched on my head—I leapt from my chair, nearly knocking it over, and bolted out the door. The heavy, humid night air enveloped my skin as I frantically looked up and down Girod Street, hoping to see him.
“Gabe!” I called. “Gabe!”
My heart raced. I’d spent more than three years stuffing away all thoughts of him— the way his body pressed against mine, the rough and tender way he kissed me, how he filled every part of me, deeply and passionately, the feel of his large hands as they explored every curve of my body, the way his lips felt against the inside of my thigh; and I’d stuffed away every word he’d said, every I love you, I need you, I want you, every whisper that he couldn’t live without me, every tortured word, especially goodbye—and now it was flooding out of my head, like a cage of birds that had been set free, but didn’t know where to go.
“Gabe!” I called again, but he wasn’t there.
The waiter gave me the note. It was a simple business card, folded once. I opened it, not knowing what to expect.
My breath caught in my throat.
Truth or dare? it said, in that unmistakable handwriting—small, almost illegible block letters. I turned the card over. There was no contact information, just a simple embossed name: Gabriel Augustine.
My heart stopped.
It’s amazing how everything can change in one second. Just those few words sent me into a spiral.
My world tilted, shifted and uprooted from under my feet. The bottle of Champagne sat against the waiter’s arm, signifying a million different things, but mostly signifying Gabe. Without thinking of anything—not Delilah, not Cort, not the veil perched on my head—I leapt from my chair, nearly knocking it over, and bolted out the door. The heavy, humid night air enveloped my skin as I frantically looked up and down Girod Street, hoping to see him.
“Gabe!” I called. “Gabe!”
My heart raced. I’d spent more than three years stuffing away all thoughts of him— the way his body pressed against mine, the rough and tender way he kissed me, how he filled every part of me, deeply and passionately, the feel of his large hands as they explored every curve of my body, the way his lips felt against the inside of my thigh; and I’d stuffed away every word he’d said, every I love you, I need you, I want you, every whisper that he couldn’t live without me, every tortured word, especially goodbye—and now it was flooding out of my head, like a cage of birds that had been set free, but didn’t know where to go.
“Gabe!” I called again, but he wasn’t there.
B&N
Rosalie Rousseaux is a proud Louisiana girl who thinks New Orleans is the most enchanting city on Earth. This is her first novel. Visit http://rosalierousseaux.wordpress.com for book trailers, contact information and more about AN EASY DARE.
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Rosalie Rousseaux is a proud Louisiana girl who thinks New Orleans is the most enchanting city on Earth. This is her first novel. Visit http://rosalierousseaux.wordpress.com for book trailers, contact information and more about AN EASY DARE.
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Thanks for sharing the tease and the giveaway. Sounds like a great series close to my home. evamillien at gmail dot com
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