Contemporary Romance
Date Published: November 30, 2017
After the torment of her childhood, Taya believes in love for everyone … except herself. Some things can’t be untaught.
Beautiful and tough, yet the most private woman anyone has ever met, Taya knows everyone has a past, yet she doesn’t share hers. Her past must remain behind her for her sanity and so the only man she has ever loved will move on with someone who hasn’t been destroyed by those who were supposed to protect her.
Then a threat has her past storming back in and taking over.
After looking into the big, baby blue eyes of the deranged little orphan who was dragged, kicking and screaming, into his home, Levi is determined to be the boy who will teach Taya that not every offered hand will betray her.
Playful and gorgeous, Levi’s first passion is the girl who consumes his heart. His second is serving his country, following in his father’s footsteps. When Levi is deployed overseas, he encourages Taya to spread her wings and pursue her dreams, hoping she will come back to her roots and the man who is waiting for her.
Levi is mistaken.
Taya can’t change who she is and has built a life for herself far away from the only man she will ever love.
Can Levi convince Taya their relationship is worth the fight? Can he force her to overcome her fears and let him in completely? Can Levi prove his love is the freedom she has been searching for?
Levi allowed Taya to control their relationship in the past, but now things have changed. He is taking control back, with or without her consent.
Excerpt:
Levi
hadn’t been a saint while waiting for Taya to become a woman, but once he gave
himself to her, it would be for life.
Levi
was shaken out of his thoughts as the announcer for the Speech-Language-Hearing
Association of North America announced, “This year’s recipient of the John
Diefenbaker Scholarship goes to Taya Kovač.”
The
crowd clapped, but not as loudly as they had for the other award recipients. It
broke Levi’s heart as he stepped out onto the stage and watched as Taya stood
up, lifting her head up high yet not seeing anything but the podium. He could
tell by the stiffness in her spine that she was so out of her element.
She
made her way to the stage as the crowd started to buzz, noticing the young Navy
SEAL in his full-dress uniform walk onto the stage with the certificate and
flowers in hand.
Taya
turned her head as she took the final step onto the stage to see what had
caused all the commotion. She stopped dead in her tracks, unable to believe her
eyes.
The
room became frightfully quiet as everyone waited for her reaction.
Taya
had a flashback to one of the first moments Levi had spoken to her. “Be a
big girl and come get it. I promised I would protect you, and I will, but you
have to trust me. Prove to me you believe me—come take the bear.”
Seeing
she was lost, Levi walked to her, watching as her beautiful eyes filled with
ushered tears as he handed her the award and the flowers.
Still,
Taya stood there, lost as to what to do, shaking and rustling the flowers.
Every time he came home, whether from training or a tour, she withdrew into
herself, afraid to believe he was actually safe and there in flesh and blood.
In
front of the whole graduation class and the presenters, Levi bent down low and
captured her lips for a searing kiss as the tears broke loose and traveled down
her cheeks.
Her
peers went wild, standing and cheering for Taya for the first time in her school
career. It appeared Prince Charming had transformed the quiet, little
wallflower into a princess with one unbelievably long kiss.
The
announcer cleared his throat, hoping to put an end to the public display of
affection. It didn’t stop. The crowd and even the wait staff stood, clapping
for the serviceman and his girl.
No
one even seemed to notice that Levi never touched her as he gave her the
hottest kiss any of them had ever witnessed. Everyone would swear on their
lives that Levi walked up and wrapped her in his arms, dipping her and kissing
her senseless. Taya knew the truth, though. That was why she had fallen
head-over-heels in love with the man the moment she had met him. He always knew
exactly what she needed and what she didn’t.
As
he released her lips and pulled back, she whispered, “You’re home safe.”
“You
know I will always come home to you,” he told her, looking into her big baby
blues. “You look amazing, by the way. You grew up while I was away. I miss my
little piglet.” He gestured towards the stairs. “Let’s go take our seats. We
can talk there.”
“You’re
staying?”
“Who
else did you think the seat beside you was reserved for? I’m proud of you,
piglet. Now, let’s go celebrate.”
He
placed his hand behind her lower back, but did not actually touch her. It would
appear to the world he was guiding her, yet anyone who really knew them would
know he would spend his life following her.
About the Author
Anne Marie Citro grew born and raised in the greater Toronto area of Ontario, Canada. She grew up in a large, loving family. Anne Marie is married to a very patient man. He is the love of her life. They have four very cool sons, and the girls they brought into their family that have become daughters of her heart. She has been blessed enough to finally have a beautiful granddaughter after four sons. She has her own personal gaggle of girlfriends, who enrich her life on a daily basis and make her laugh. Caesar Friday is her favourite day of the week. Caesars with the girls and date night with her hubby. She works with special-needs teenagers, that have taught her how to appreciate life and see it through gentler eyes. Anne Marie was encouraged by her husband to follow her lifelong dream to write. She loves the characters that take over imagination and haunts her dreams. She loves the arts and she has tried her hand at painting, wood sculpting, chainsaw carving, wood burning, metal and wire sculptures. Yes, her husband is a very patient man! Anne Marie is an avid reader and enjoys about three books per week. But nothing makes her happier then riding on the back of her husband's Harley and throwing her arms out and feeling the wind race by. Anne Marie and her husband take a few weeks every year to travel to spectacular destination around the world. Anne Marie is excited and can't wait to see what the next chapter holds for her life.
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