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Fallen Too Far: A Rosemary Beach Novel
Fallen Too Far: A Rosemary Beach Novel
Fallen Too Far: A Rosemary Beach Novel
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Fallen Too Far: A Rosemary Beach Novel

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

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The New York Times bestselling novel that launched the beloved world of Rosemary Beach and introduced the world to Rush and Blaire.

The wealthy son of a rocker. A tough farm girl from Alabama. Two step-siblings from different worlds. One summer in Rosemary Beach.

The last thing Blaire Wynn wants is to move in with her father’s new family in Rosemary Beach, Florida. She has no choice. Blaire’s mother has passed away after a long illness, leaving behind a mountain of medical debts and no way for Blaire to keep their small Alabama farmhouse.

Driving into the wealthy resort town in a pickup truck with a pistol under her seat, Blaire knows she'll never fit in. She’s even more disappointed to discover that her father has left for Paris, leaving her with her new stepbrother, Rush Finlay. The cynical, condescending, and unapologetic son of an infamous rock star, Rush is as spoiled as he is gorgeous—and he immediately gets under Blaire’s skin.

But as the summer goes by, Blaire begins to see a side of Rush she never expected, and the chemistry between them becomes impossible to ignore. Unknown to her, Rush has a secret that could destroy Blaire’s entire world. Will she find out what he’s hiding before she falls too far?
LanguageEnglish
PublisherAtria Books
Release dateJan 20, 2014
ISBN9781476775999
Fallen Too Far: A Rosemary Beach Novel
Author

Abbi Glines

Abbi Glines is the bestselling author of the Rosemary Beach, Sea Breeze, Vincent Boys, and Existence series. She drinks afternoon tea because she wants to be British, but, alas, being born in Alabama, her life in New England is as close as she will get. When asked how many books she's written, she has to stop and count on her fingers. When she’s not locked away writing, she's reading or watching Netflix like the introvert she is.

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Reviews for Fallen Too Far

Rating: 3.93548387688172 out of 5 stars
4/5

372 ratings31 reviews

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  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    I really enjoyed this book. The end just about killed me but I'm very glad book 2 is already out. I can't wait to see how the story continues.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    ***** 5 Beautiful, amazing stars ***** I devoured every page of this book. Its right up there with my favourite books if not the best! Blaire and rush are such a heart breaking story but in a good way. I loved the highs and lows.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Loved Blaire and Rush, the chemistry between them, and how trey fell in love.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    I finished this book a couple of weeks ago and I'm afraid I waited a little too long to write the review on it as my feelings on it aren't fresh. I do remember thinking at first that the dialogue felt a little off too me. Or maybe awkward is a better word. But by halfway through the story, I didn't care. I loved Blaire and wanted things to work out for her. I didn't know Rush too well and wasn't sure if he was the right one for her (because there seemed to be some pretty awesome guys down there in Florida) but I wanted Blaire to come out on top. By the end of the story, I was a little bit in love with Rush. But the real burning question at the end of Fallen Too Far is what was with that ending?
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    A very well written book, though it had more than its fair share of grammatical & typographical errors. I realize by now that editors don't actually do anything these days, but don't any of these author's even use spell check? In this book I saw dozens of errors were two words were shoved together. At first I thought it was deliberate, but I quickly realized it was a mistake, a multiply repeated mistake. I'm so sick of shitty editing. It is a unloved pet peeve of mine. Fix your fucking typos and check the goddamn grammar if you're going to sell your book!!!!!!!!!!!!

    That being spewed, this book was interesting, and not nearly as predictable as most! A pretty unique (to what I've been reading) plot. It pulled my heartstrings, and I was emotionally involved throughout the whole of the book.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    This book was so good, I read it in two sittings during Christmas week and that's saying something since I have been so busy lately. I enjoyed the romance between Blaire and Rush, the "I want you, but I can't have you, so I'm angry, but I can't stop thinking about you dammit". I love that type of romance. The sex scenes were pretty hot and well written. There were also tender scenes between Rush and Blaire that were sweet.I wanted to know what secret Rush was hiding from Blaire. It's a biggie.Speaking of Rush, he can be a jerk with his womanizing, but he won be over in the end. I couldn't help but like him. He's your usual alpha, always showing up to the rescue, but this alpha male can cook up a storm.Blaire is a great character, she's strong and independent. The chick carries a gun under her car seat for protection. She's taken care of her mom while she was sick and now is left alone in the world, but she's trying to get on her own two feet and move on. This is a coming of age story for Blaire, she is at a crossroads in her life and she finds out a huge secret that has been kept from her.The supporting cast of characters is great as well. Some of them you want to slap, like Nan. Others you want to know more about, like Rush's friend and nice guy Woods.This is my first time reading author Abbi Glines and it won't be my last. She does a fantastic job at creating a story that is very readable and just draws you in. I can see this one hitting the big screen.The book ends on a major cliffhanger, since this is the first in a series. The second installment is due to come out in March of 2013, I can't wait. I want to see where Rush and Blaire go from here and I want to see more about the supporting cast of characters as well. I purchased my copy of this ebook and this review is my honest opionion.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Abbi has a wonderful way of telling a story. Blaire comes to town looking for her estranged father and finds her sexy step brother. Their journey isn't easy but getting all of the emotions helps the reader relate to the story. I can't wait to see how the story continues!
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    I seriously couldn't breathe when I finished this book. The characters were compelling, although I didn't liked Blaire that much in the beginning, but then she grew on me. Rush was this jackass but then he became really sweet and I when I found out what the big secret was it was a big plot twist for me. The ending was heartwrenching and I can't wait to be able to get my hands on it.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    This book is a must read. From the first page I was hooked. Blaire is a girl who had a rough past but never felt bad for herself. Her mother has past away after a long struggle with cancer and she is left alone and broke. She reaches out to her father for help and he sends her an address. Rush is the son of a Rock star Dean who has a dirty reputation and the apple doesn't fall far from the tree. Rush is know for huge parties and "free love". When Blaire arrives at his door step he looks at her in disgust. Her father use's his mother and ruined his family why would she be any different. Rush finally gives in and lets her stay in the maids room. Blair doesn't ask for anything more. She finds her own job to save money and promises to be gone as fast as she can. But, of course she wonders why Rush hates her so much... Don't you? Don't miss this amazing trilogy that will have you laughing, crying and gasping at every twist!
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    a-maz-ing Cant wait to read the next one thanks to a lend from a friend at Bookienookie lending group! Gotta love book lending ;) I begin right after work.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    I am a sucker for YA romances this is one of my favorite all top favorite book
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Don't tell my other fictional boyfriends, but I am totally fangirling over here.



    After her mother's death, and with no place else to go, nineteen year old Blaire is forced to move in with her estranged father, until she can get back on her feet. However, when she arrives at what she believes to be her father's home in Florida, she quickly finds out that is in fact, owned by the son of his new wife, Rush, and that her father is on vacation for an unknown amount of time. Rush is the womanizing, hot HOT offspring of a Rock God and Blaire's stepmother. Against better judgement, Rush agrees to allow Blaire to stay in his home for 1 month; find a job and get herself together. Though Blaire tries to spend as little time as possible in Rush's prescience, they cannot get each other out of their minds. Pretty soon, they go from acquaintances, to something much, much more. But when something happens that rocks Blaire to the core, she must figure out how, and if she can, trust again.

    Abbi Glines did a superb job developing her characters in this story. I really felt a realistic connection between Rush and Blaire. Their relationship was real, believable, and steamy. Nan,( Rush's sister) was a constant thorn in my side. Glines rocked my emotions sending me from euphoric, dancing in my couch happy, to weepy and distraught with just the turn of a page. The only thing is disliked about this book, was during some of the, ahem, more intimate scenes a lot of actions were repeated, and by the end, I wound up a leeeetle creeped out by the repetition. But, as I moved on, I quickly got over it.



    Finishing this book left me a little broken, and wanting more, much more from Blair and Rush. Luckily, Never too Far, the second of the this series is out now, (review coming soon!) and the third ,Forever too Far, is due out June 10th. I cannot wait!


    Currently the Kindle edition of this book is Available for $.99. I would highly recommend grabbing a copy and checking it out for yourself!
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Wow.......I couldn't put this book down!
    I loved Blaire she was an innocent badass if that's even possible.
    The way she was treated by those rich spoiled kids was appalling but that way she handled it well that was amazing. She didn't fill herself with fantasies that she could actually fit into their world. When Nan's secret came out holy cow I was blown away! I could understand how Blaire felt but her pushing Rush away that I couldn't quite understand not to mention it was heart breaking. The ending well it blows but their story doesn't end there "Never too Far" is coming out Feb 26, 2013.
    Hot Steamy Sex-nothing too raunchy.

    Quotes:

    "Tight jeans, tank tops, and a gun. Damn, I've been living in the wrong fucking state."

    "No matter what diva the drunk says you need to eat first."

    "Because I've had a taste and I'm not sharing. This isn't just for fun. I may be slightly addicted."
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Hum.. It's more like a 3.5, but the writing and erotic scenes boosted the score a bit.
    I am quite unsure about this one. I love the writing and the story, just wish there were more to Rush and Blaire's relationship. It seems that they only spent a few days together and a couple of nights. There wasn't much interaction between them besides animosity or sex. And it's a bit weird that they are semi-related. I may re-evaluate after a while!
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    READ THIS BOOK!!!!!!! ***********

    "I have me. I found out three years ago when my mom got sick that as long as I held onto me and didn't forget who i was that I'd always be okay.". Hmmmm....

    This is an AMAZING book! Don't read it unless you have some serious time to invest because once you start you can't put it down! Read it in one day! The day isn't over and i am fixing to start book 2! Wow! Great characters love Blair and Rush! Crazy cliffhanger though!
  • Rating: 2 out of 5 stars
    2/5
    I don't want to write this review. It has to do with the fact that I have always enjoyed Abbi Glines' books. Even if I they are all very similar they have the entertaining factor that keeps me reading them.

    I had so many expectations for it, the premise sounded wonderful, the cover is gorgeous. Unfortunately, to me, it just didn't deliver.

    Why?

    The love between Blaire and Rush was...rushed (pun intended). It was shallow, too intense, too soon without any plausible explanation other that "omigod he's so hot I want him".

    I didn't love Rush. He reminded me of every other male character in her books (apart from Marcus).
    Poor playboy with tortured soul trying to stay away from beautiful, virginal Blaire, except not. For how much he claimed he tried to stay away from her, he kept leading her on all the time, acting all possessive and confusing her and it annoyed me to no end.
    Another thing, Blaire witnessing Rush having sex, not once, but twice...it's a romance killer. I wish authors didn't do this. Yes, he can have sex with other girls. No, she doesn't have to see it.

    The author spends a lot of time convincing us that the heroine is strong, smart, resourceful. I loved her. Up until she turned into a shallow, weak, lovesick puppy and fell under Rush's spell (not really a spell, he's as transparent as a window). Though she does end up being the strong character she was in the end.

    It is so slow that nothing except sex and her working happens for the majority of the book. The last (maybe) 20% was of faster pace when everything blows up but it wasn't enough to save the book for me.

    The conflict? So easily avoided if the hero wasn't a selfish jerk. She is right, everything they had (as blown out of proportion as it may have been) was a big, fat lie. I can't love a hero like that.

    Now, let's make it clear that I'm not saying the book is bad. I loved the way it was written and I kind of loved Blaire. I did read the whole book, after all. It just didn't cater to my personal tastes. I do recommend everyone read it, though. I just had to get this review off my chest.
  • Rating: 2 out of 5 stars
    2/5
    Nothing original in this book.. It's really difficult finding an NA book that follows the same pattern of virgin girl meets bad boy, falls for him (insta-love ugh!), he tells her he is bad for her and has a lot of secrets, she still fawns over him because he is "beautiful", soap-drama happens, things get solved.

    I don't hate this book, nor do I love it. I see it as a book that could have had a lot of potential. Blair started as a tough bad-ass, then she suddenly becomes this doormat martyr that falls in love with the guy who is an ass to her.

    I did finish the book though, and it's more of 2.5 stars for me.

  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    I am so happy I read this book. It was soooooo good. one of the top 10 romance books I've read. I so love the characters. can't wait to read more. Stayed up all night reading this...thank you Ms. Abbi Glines for a wonderful evening...
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Yet again, Abbi Glines has roped me in to one of her series! WOW is all I can say! Blaire is looking for a new life... She has lost everything. Her mom and sister gone. Her dad left. She finds her way to her dad's new life, or so she thinks! Enter Rush. Her new step brother. So dark, typical brooding playboy. Of coarse they fall in love... But can that love over power the huge family secrets that are tearing them both apart but also form a bond between the families and themselves? This is a bumpy ride, and the story isn't over....
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    4.5 stars! Oh man! That was great! I loved it. Blaire rocks! I could totally identify with her. She seemed very realistic to me and acted in ways that I would have if I were in her situation. I thought Rush was super sexy even though he made a selfish choice and had no idea of the consequences. Can I forgive him? Absolutely! The situation should have never involved him to begin with! Am I moving on to book 2? Hell Yes, right now!
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    3.5 Stars. Kind of disappointed.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    After her mama dies, Blaire hightails it to Florida to find her father who has promised to help her out until she can get on her feet. But old pops has run off to Paris with his new wife and the only one left is her sexy stepbrother (barf in my mouth- I have a stepbrother, ew) Rush, who is of course a bad boy womanizer, but is fast overtaken by Blaire, her radiant blonde hair, innocence and Alabama drawl within a few chapters.So me and Fallen.......we have a love/hate relationship....I really loved the overall premise of this book and the twisty end was worth reading it. I hated the cover- not really means anything about the story-line but I want Glines inside story to match the outside cover, not scream sleaze fest..and that kissing it just looks ugly. I hated some of the awkward sex scenes and the screaming of Rush Rush Russsssssh, but I really do love Glines style and her writing personality so in the end it was a quick few hour read that outside of the sex had a good storyline.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Waiting! Uggh, what an awesome book. Now if we can just get the next one!!
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    ❤️❤️❤️
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    I've only read the first book and im hooked! But what a fucked up situation they are in.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    I love this book all of the books
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Awesome series
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    I’m hooked on Abbi Glines’ books. I started the Rosemary Beach books in the middle, and decided I needed to start from the beginning since Rush’s book was coming out. Holy Hell!!! Why did I wait so freaking long????

    I freaking love Blaire. She’s smart, independent, and can take care of herself. She shows her strength even when people look down on her. She’s like super woman! Rush is totally hot. He’s a complete ass most of the time though. You can see how he changes throughout the book.

    Blaire and Rush have this whole love/hate thing going on, and it keeps me wrapped up in their lives. It’s too much drama for me, but I can’t help but want to watch it unfold for others, especially in books. And the freaking ending!!! I looked at my hubby, and said, “She just HAD to end it there?????” He, of course, looked at me like I was nuts. So I had to explain it to him.

    Glines knows how to write a story, and suck you in. One of the many reasons I love her books. Now I’m going to devour the rest of the series.
  • Rating: 1 out of 5 stars
    1/5
    I think I should just give up trying with New Adult literature. So far, the genre has offered none of the maturity or complexities of the liminal period between teen years and full-on adulthood, instead preferring what merely amount to college age erotic romances with a hefty side dish of misogyny. Indeed, the frequency with which sexist portrayals of women and relationships appear throughout works labelled New Adult suggests that the pair go hand in hand. While “Fallen Too Far” didn’t reach the despicable lows of “Thoughtless”, it did come pretty close thanks to its incredibly unsettling portrayals of women and relationships.

    Let’s start with one issue this book presents that I think represents a real disconnect from the contemporary world it claims to depict. Blaire moves from Alabama to Florida to live with her father after the death of her mother, with nothing but $20 in her pocket and a rusty old vehicle. She needs a job to make enough money to get a place for herself. The book is set in 2012 America. We currently live in a world of falling living standards, rising unemployment and a widening gap between the working and middle classes. This applies not only to USA but to most of what is known as the developed world. Blaire is a 19 year old high school dropout with a GED and some brief experience in a couple of after school jobs. Within one day of moving to a completely strange place, she has a well-paying job at a country club, where she is frequently given $50 and $100 tips. She literally walks into this place, says she wants a job and is given one with barely any questions asked. This bugged me for a number of reasons, the main one being that it was insultingly unrealistic. The defenders of New Adult keep talking about how this burgeoning genre has such amazing potential to depict real-life situations that modern young people face every-day, from the personal to the political. Glines took the cheapest route possible with what could have been an interesting twist on the contemporary drama. Unemployment and money troubles are huge issues for my generation, and those stories are dying to be told, so seeing the heroine have it all handed to her so easily (and really? $100 tips?) felt like a real slap in the face. I’ve talked before about how YA and romance tend to fetishise wealth, and “Fallen Too Far” does this to some degree. While it’s made explicit to us that the country club regulars are all lecherous old men or “jealous sluts”, the designated love interest Rush is conveniently very wealthy and will never have to worry about money.

    Once again, we have another New Adult book where Those Other Women fall into one camp of characterisation – bitches and sluts. If they’re not unreasonably jealous of the beautiful and perfect gun toting virgin Blaire, they’re throwing themselves over Rush or begging for sex constantly. Even side characters, such as country club worker Darla, seem to have nothing but sex on the brain, as she tells Blaire to essentially sex herself up for tips. The virgin/whore complex is rampant throughout. Every single woman in this book who isn’t the heroine is shamed in some manner, be it by the heroine herself or the men around them. It’s the laziest characterisation imaginable and it’s also horrifyingly sexist, particularly when coupled with the male characters of the story, who seem to be nothing but walking erections. Every man in this book except for Blaire’s father leers at her, openly proposition her and make it very clear what they want to do to her. Not only are women seen as objects throughout this novel, every woman aside from Blaire is portrayed as one.

    Unfortunately, not even the sainted heroine makes it out of this damaging double standard unscathed. Yet again, we have another NA romance where the heroine is simultaneously infantilised and sexualised by the designated love interest. Rush is very controlling (of course), getting angry when Blaire turns down his offer of food (and of course we have another romantic hero who is obsessed with getting the woman to eat, although shudder to think any of these authors would ever portray the heroine as anything other than the stereotypical skinny size), and talking about Blaire as if she’s an object. He’s obsessed with other men touching her or wanting to touch her because apparently they don’t deserve to touch her. The book also includes the delightful line “Your pussy is mine” (to paraphrase it, I didn’t write it down for obvious reasons). The sex scenes are as awful as you imagine them to be, chock full of cringe-worthy dialogue about how hot, tight and deep the sexual experience is. You’re not drilling for oil, Rush, you’re having sex, and being “so in the moment” that you forgot to put a condom on makes you a fuckwit, not a romantic. The “romance” is more lust-based than anything else (of course), with no discernible reason given for why they’re so dramatically in love other than they’re both gorgeous (of course). It seems to come from nowhere in the beginning – Rush goes from being cold and showing absolutely no interest in his step-sister to telling her to stay away to throwing her against a wall in lust to getting angry when others flirt with her at her place of work. It was exhausting, but not as exhausting as the pathetically weak attempts at plotting, characterisation and grammar.

    I don’t care if your book if self-published. If you let it out into the real world and charge money for it, there is no excuse for sloppy grammar and spelling. There weren’t just one or two slips. There were countless examples of this sloppiness. I don’t know who is editing Glines’s work, if anyone is, but it needs to be sorted out. If you want to call yourself a professional author, you need to act professional.
    The dialogue is sloppy and predictable, ticking off all the expected boxes of New Adult angst and all-consuming lust (because I refuse to call what these books portray love). The attempts at ambiguity and tension fail miserably because everything is so obvious. There is absolutely no reason for any of the supposed deep dark secrets of Rush and his “bitchy” “spoiled brat” sister Nan to be kept secret. They’re kept secret solely to push forward the bare threads of a plot. The deliberate withholding of information for no reason other than it needs to be withheld for there to be a story is incredibly sloppy writing. When the “cliff-hanger” ending is revealed, we’re left with nothing but a weak excuse for a cash-in sequel.

    It’s not just that this so-called contemporary romance is unrealistic and chooses the easy way out over tackling the real world issues of our generation. It’s not just that it’s badly written and terribly edited. It’s not just that there are spelling errors and misplaced punctuation and pacing issues. It’s not just that it’s incredibly sexist, romanticised yet another controlling and unhealthy relationship, all the while shaming women in a way that made my skin crawl. It’s not just that the sex scenes were a mixture of laughable dialogue, irresponsibility and sheer boredom. It’s not just all those things. It’s that “Fallen Too Far”, for all its genre in its sexism, laziness, internalised misogyny and sloppiness, is what we’ve now come to expect from New Adult literature. It exemplifies exactly why this genre has failed to meet its most basic potential. All these books, from “Fallen Too Far” to “Beautiful Disaster” to “Thoughtless”, make me feel a little bit dirty. There is something seriously wrong with normalising stuff like this as romantic and sexy. “Fallen Too Far” was detestable.

    Avoid.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    The twist wasn't quuuuiiittee as crazy as I thought it was, but a good one, nonetheless. The female protagonist's story was different than most of these types of "new adult" fiction, but the male protagonist was pretty predictable.

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Fallen Too Far - Abbi Glines

Cover: Fallen Too Far, by Abbi Glines

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To Liz Reinhardt, who was my own personal cheerleader while I wrote this book. You come across people in life who become those friends you can’t imagine life without. Liz is one of those friends.

Chapter One

Trucks with mud on the tires were what I was used to seeing parked outside a house party. Expensive foreign cars weren’t. This place had at least twenty of them covering up the long driveway. I pulled my mom’s fifteen-year-old Ford truck over onto the sandy grass so that I wouldn’t be blocking anyone in. Dad hadn’t told me that he was having a party tonight. He hadn’t told me much of anything.

He also hadn’t shown up for my mother’s funeral. If I didn’t need somewhere to live, I wouldn’t be here. I’d had to sell the small house that my grandmother had left us to pay off the last of Mom’s medical bills. All I had left were my clothes and the truck. Calling my father, after he had failed to come even once during the three years my mother had fought cancer, had been hard. It had been necessary, though; he was the only family I had now.

I stared at the massive three-story house that sat directly on the white sand in Rosemary Beach, Florida. This was my dad’s new home. His new family. I wasn’t going to fit in here.

My truck door was suddenly jerked open. On instinct, I reached under the seat and grabbed my nine-millimeter. I swung it up and directly at the intruder, holding it with both hands ready to pull back on the trigger.

Whoa . . . I was gonna tell you that you were lost, but I’ll tell you whatever the hell you want me to as long as you put that thing away. A guy with brown shaggy hair tucked behind his ears stood on the other side of my gun with both his hands in the air and eyes wide.

I cocked an eyebrow and held my gun steady. I didn’t know who this guy was. Jerking someone’s truck door open wasn’t a normal greeting for a stranger. No, I don’t think I’m lost. Is this Abraham Wynn’s house?

The guy swallowed nervously. Uh, I can’t think with that pointed in my face. You’re making me very nervous, sweetheart. Could you put it down before you have an accident?

Accident? Really? This guy was beginning to piss me off. I don’t know you. It’s dark outside, and I’m in a strange place, alone. So forgive me if I don’t feel very safe at the moment. You can trust me when I tell you that there won’t be an accident. I can handle a gun. Very well.

The guy didn’t appear to believe me, and now that I was looking at him, he didn’t appear to be very threatening. Nevertheless, I wasn’t ready to lower my gun just yet.

Abraham? he repeated slowly. He started to shake his head, then stopped. Wait, Abe is Rush’s new stepdad. I met him before he and Georgianna left for Paris.

Paris? Rush? What? I waited for more of an explanation, but the guy continued to stare at the gun and hold his breath. Keeping my eyes on him, I lowered my protection and made sure to put the safety back on before tucking it under my seat. Maybe with the gun put away, the guy could focus and explain.

Do you even have a license for that thing? he asked incredulously.

I wasn’t in the mood to talk about my right to bear arms. I needed answers. Abraham is in Paris? I asked, needing confirmation. He knew I was coming today. We’d just talked last week after I sold the house.

The guy nodded slowly and relaxed his stance. You know him?

Not really. I had seen him all of two times since he’d walked out on my mom and me five years ago. I remembered the dad who’d come to my soccer games and grilled burgers outside for the neighborhood block parties. The dad I’d had until the day my twin sister, Valerie, was killed in a car accident. My father had been driving. He’d changed that day. The man who didn’t call me and make sure I was OK while I took care of my sick mother, I didn’t know him. Not at all.

I’m his daughter, Blaire.

The guy’s eyes went wide, and he threw back his head and laughed. Why was this funny? I waited for him to explain, but he held out his hand. Come on, Blaire, I have someone you need to meet. He’s gonna love this.

I stared down at his hand and reached for my purse.

Are you packing in your purse, too? Should I warn everyone not to piss you off? The teasing lilt to his voice kept me from saying something rude.

You opened my door without knocking. I was scared.

Your instant reaction to being scared is to pull a gun on someone? Damn, girl, where are you from? Most girls I know squeal or some shit like that.

Most girls he knew hadn’t been forced to protect themselves for three years. I’d had my mother to take care of but no one to take care of me. I’m from Alabama, I replied, ignoring his hand and stepping out of the truck on my own.

The sea breeze hit my face, and the salty smell of the beach was unmistakable. I’d never seen the beach before. At least, not in person. I’d seen pictures and movies. But the smell was exactly like I expected it to be.

So it’s true what they say about girls from ’Bama, he said.

What do you mean?

His eyes scanned down my body and back up to my face. A grin stretched slowly across his face. Tight jeans, tank tops, and a gun. Damn, I’ve been living in the wrong fucking state.

Rolling my eyes, I reached into the back of the truck. I had a suitcase, plus several boxes that I needed to drop off at the Goodwill.

Here, let me get it. He stepped around me and reached into the truck bed for the large piece of luggage my mom had kept tucked away in her closet for that road trip we never got to take. She always talked about how we’d drive across the country and then up the West Coast one day. Then she’d gotten sick.

Shaking off the memories, I focused on the present. Thank you, uh . . . I don’t think I got your name.

What? You forgot to ask when you had the nine-millimeter pointed at my face? he replied.

I sighed. OK, maybe I’d gone a little overboard with the gun, but he’d scared me.

I’m Grant, a, uh, friend of Rush’s.

Rush? There was that name again. Who was Rush?

Grant’s grin grew big once again. You don’t know who Rush is? He was extremely amused. I’m so fucking glad I came tonight. He nodded his head toward the house. Come on. I’ll introduce you.

I walked beside him as he led me to the house. The music inside got louder as we got closer. If my dad wasn’t here, then who was? I knew Georgianna was his new wife, but that was all I knew. Was this a party her kids were having? How old were they? She did have kids, didn’t she? I couldn’t remember. Dad had been vague. He’d said I’d like my new family, but he hadn’t said who that family was exactly.

So, does Rush live here? I asked.

Yeah, he does, at least in the summer. He moves to his other houses according to the season.

His other houses?

Grant chuckled. You don’t know anything about this family your dad has married into, do you, Blaire?

He had no idea. I shook my head.

Quick minilesson, then, before we walk inside the madness. He stopped at the top of the stairs leading to the front door and looked at me. Rush Finlay is your stepbrother. He’s the only child of the famous drummer for Slacker Demon, Dean Finlay. His parents never married. His mother, Georgianna, was a groupie back in the day. This is Rush’s house. His mother gets to live here, because he allows it. He looked back at the door as it swung open. These are all his friends.

A tall, willowy strawberry-blonde, wearing a short royal-blue dress and a pair of heels that I’d break my neck in if I tried to wear them, stood there staring at me. I didn’t miss the distaste in her scowl. I didn’t know much about people like this, but I did know that my department-store clothing wasn’t something she approved of. Either that, or I had a bug crawling on me.

Well, hello, Nannette, Grant said in an annoyed tone.

Who is she? the girl asked, shifting her gaze to Grant.

A friend. Wipe the snarl off your face, Nan. It isn’t an attractive look for you, he replied, reaching over to grab my hand and pull me into the house behind him.

The room wasn’t as full as I’d expected. As we walked past the large open foyer, an arched doorway led into what I assumed was a living room. It was bigger than my entire house—or what had been my house. Two glass doors were standing open, with a breathtaking view of the ocean. I wanted to see that up close.

This way, Grant instructed as he made his way over to . . . a bar? There was a bar in the house?

I glanced at the people we passed. They all paused for a moment and gave me a quick once-over. I stood out big-time.

Rush, meet Blaire. I believe she might belong to you. I found her outside looking a little lost, Grant said, and I swung my gaze from the curious people to see who this Rush person was.

Oh.

Oh. My.

Is that so? Rush replied in a lazy drawl, and he leaned forward from his relaxed position on the white sofa with a beer in his hand. He was beautiful. She’s cute, but she’s young. Can’t say she’s mine.

Oh, she’s yours, all right. Seeing as her daddy has run off to Paris with your momma for the next few weeks. I’d say this one now belongs to you. I’d gladly offer her a room at my place if you want. That is, if she promises to leave her deadly weapon in the truck.

Rush narrowed his eyes and studied me closely. They were an odd color. Stunningly unusual. They weren’t brown. They weren’t hazel. They were a warm color with some silver laced through it. I’d never seen anything like them. Could they be contacts?

That doesn’t make her mine, he finally replied, and leaned back on the sofa.

Grant cleared his throat. You’re kidding, right?

Rush didn’t reply. Instead, he took a drink from the long-neck bottle in his hands. His gaze had shifted to Grant’s, and I could see warning there. I was going to be asked to leave. This wasn’t good. I had exactly twenty dollars in my purse, and I was almost out of gas. I’d already sold anything of value that I possessed. When I’d called my father, I had explained that I just needed somewhere to stay until I could get a job and make enough money to find a place of my own. He had quickly agreed and given me this address, telling me he would love for me to come stay with him.

Rush’s attention was back on me. He was waiting for me to make a move. What did he expect me to say?

A smirk touched his lips, and he winked at me. I got a house full of guests tonight, and my bed’s already full. He shifted his eyes to Grant. "I think it’s best if we let her go find a hotel until I can get in touch with her daddy."

The disgust on his tongue as he said the word daddy was obvious. He didn’t like my father. I couldn’t blame him, really. This wasn’t his fault. My dad had sent me here. I’d wasted most of my money on gas and food driving here. Why had I trusted that man?

I reached over and grabbed the handle on the suitcase, which Grant was still holding. He’s right. I should go. This was a very bad idea, I said, without looking at him. I tugged hard on the suitcase, and he let go somewhat reluctantly. Tears stung my eyes as the realization sank in that I was about to be homeless. I couldn’t look at either of them.

Turning, I headed for the door, keeping my eyes downcast. I heard Grant arguing with Rush, but I blocked it out. I didn’t want to hear what that beautiful man said about me. He didn’t like me. That much was obvious. My dad was not a welcome member of the family, apparently.

Leaving so soon? asked a voice that reminded me of smooth syrup. I looked up to see the delighted smile on the girl who had opened the door earlier. She hadn’t wanted me here, either. Was I that revolting to these people? I quickly dropped my eyes back to the floor and opened the door. I had too much pride for that mean bitch to see me cry.

Once I was safely outside, I let out a sob and headed to my truck. If I hadn’t been carrying my suitcase, I’d have run. I needed the safety of it. I belonged inside my truck, not in that ridiculous house with those uppity people. I missed home. I missed my mom. Another sob broke free, and I closed the door to my truck, locking it behind me.

Chapter Two

I wiped my eyes and forced myself to take a deep breath. I couldn’t fall apart now. I hadn’t fallen apart when I sat holding my mother’s hand as she took her last breath. I hadn’t fallen apart as they lowered her into the cold ground. And I hadn’t fallen apart when I sold the only place I had to live. I would not fall apart now. I would get through this.

I didn’t have enough money for a hotel room, but I had my truck. I could live in my truck. Finding a safe place to park it at night would be my only problem. This town seemed safe enough, but I was pretty sure the old truck parked anywhere overnight would draw attention. I’d have the cops knocking on my window before I could even fall asleep. I would have to use my last twenty dollars on fuel. Then I could drive into a larger city, where my truck would go unnoticed in a parking lot.

Maybe I could park behind a restaurant and get a job there, too. I wouldn’t need gas to get to and from work. My stomach growled, reminding me that I hadn’t eaten since morning. I would need to spend a couple of dollars on some food. Then pray I would find a job in the morning.

I would be OK. I turned my head to check behind me before I cranked the truck and backed out. Silver eyes stared at me.

A small scream escaped me before I realized that it was Rush. What was he doing standing outside my truck? Had he come to make sure I left his property? I really didn’t want to talk to him anymore. I had started to turn my eyes away and focus on getting out of there when he cocked an eyebrow at me. What did that mean?

You know what? I really didn’t care. Even if he looked ridiculously sexy doing it. I started to crank the truck, but instead of the roar of the engine, I was met with a click and some silence. Oh, no. Not now. Please, not now.

I jiggled the key and prayed I was wrong. I knew the gas gauge was broken, but I’d been watching the mileage. I shouldn’t be out of gas. I had a few more miles. I knew I did.

I slammed my palm against the steering wheel and called the truck a few choice names, but nothing happened. I was stuck. Would Rush call the police? He wanted me off his property so badly he’d come out to make sure I left. Now that I couldn’t leave, would he have me arrested? Or worse, call a tow truck? I did not have the money to get my truck back if he did that. At least in jail I’d have a bed and food.

Swallowing the lump in my throat, I opened the truck door and hoped for the best.

Problems? he asked.

I wanted to scream at the top of my lungs in frustration. Instead, I managed a nod. I’m out of gas. Rush sighed. I didn’t speak. I decided that waiting on the verdict was the best option here. I could always beg and plead afterward.

How old are you?

What? Was he really asking me my age? I was stuck in his driveway, he wanted me to leave, and instead of discussing my options, he was asking me my age.

The guy was strange.

Nineteen, I replied.

Rush raised both eyebrows. Really?

I was trying hard not to get pissed off. I needed this guy to have mercy on me. Forcing back the snide comment that was on the tip of my tongue, I smiled. Yes. Really.

Rush grinned and shrugged. Sorry. You just look younger. His eyes trailed down my body and back up again slowly. The sudden heat in my cheeks was embarrassing. I take that back. Your body looks every bit of nineteen. It’s that face of yours that looks so fresh and young. You don’t wear makeup?

Was that a question? What was he doing?

I wanted to know what my immediate future held, not discuss the fact that wearing makeup was a luxury that I couldn’t afford. Besides, Cain, my ex-boyfriend and current best friend, had always said I didn’t need to add to my looks any. Whatever that meant.

"I’m out of gas. I have twenty dollars to my name. My father has

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