Synopsis

Lincoln

I had my chance at love and I threw it away. I don’t deserve another.

I’ve dedicated my entire life to my community. There’s no time for anything else.

But then I met her. Ciara Jeffries is everything I told myself I didn’t want, but she might be everything I need. If I can just hold on to her.

Ciara

If I don’t get out of this town, I’ll lose my sanity, my loved ones, and my life. I need a fresh start, and Austin, Texas feels like as good a place as any.

I wasn’t supposed to build connections, and I definitely wasn’t supposed to fall in love.

Lincoln Cole has other plans for me. He has me breaking all my rules, and I feel safe in his arms.

But safety is a luxury I don’t have.

I thought I ran far enough, but my past will never let me go, and my recklessness may just get Lincoln burned.

Excerpt

I continue staring at Ciara as I make my way to the stools. She’s a force behind the bar. Men and women alike are drawn to her and not just because she’s pouring their drinks. The men linger, hoping to get a sliver of her attention, and she shoots them all down with grace, which makes me feel good even though I don’t deserve it. The women all hang on to her every word like she’s the coolest person they’ve ever met. They admire her. She’s everything they wish they were. On the surface, she’s got an unmatched confidence that’s contagious. Underneath that, she’s got a vulnerability that makes you want to protect her at all costs. That’s the side I want to dive into. As if the universe is smiling down on me, an older man stands up from his stool and throws a few bills on the bar before walking out. I’m quick to grab the seat and smile at Ciara who smirks as she walks over to me.

I raise my voice so she can hear me above the music. “I heard you were slinging drinks like a badass, so I had to get a front row seat.”

“Well, welcome to the show. Don’t expect special treatment unless you leave a big tip.”

“I can definitely leave you a big tip,” I reply with a wink. She rolls her eyes, and I can’t help but smile. Isaiah finally pushes past the last of the crowd to stand by my side. “Ciara, this is my younger brother, Isaiah.”

She turns to him. “Ahh, you’re the brother. He talks a lot of shit about you, you know?”

“Most of it’s justified I’m sure. Nice to meet you. It’s no wonder my brother can’t stop dreaming of you.”

“Alright, fuck off.” I say as I shove his shoulder but he just comes right back to his original spot.

Isaiah laughs, talks to Ciara for another moment, before beelining for Nina. The Cap lookalike scowls at him and then grabs his drink and heads over to the dance floor. Nina laughs at something Isaiah says. I hope she knows what she’s in for.

“I like him,” Ciara says.

“That makes one of us.”

“Oh, please. Your whole damn family is likeable, much to my dismay.” She says the last part so low I’m not sure she meant for me to hear it.

“We’re alright. My dad is really laid-back and cool—you can’t help but to like him. My mom is the best woman I know and the queen of our family. You’ll like Reggie too, she’s got that whole—in her words—‘boss bitch’ thing going on.”

She clears her throat and looks away for a moment. I see you, Ciara. She gets fidgety every time someone mentions bringing her into their circle or getting to know her better. The girl’s got walls as tall as a castle. Lord knows I’ve got my own walls surrounding my heart, but something makes me want to tear hers down. Dreams be damned.

“So, what can I get you to drink?”

“Surprise me.”

“Hmm, a challenge. Okay, I see you. Liquor or beer?”

I think I’m going to need some liquid courage to get through tonight. “Let’s go with liquor.”

Ciara saunters off, and I can’t help but watch the gentle sway of her hips as she goes.

Isaiah is caught up in flirting with Nina. He’s always a flirt, but I’ve never seen him so enraptured in just one woman. A woman whose breasts are spilling out of her shirt and wearing shorts that barely cover her ass purposely brushes up against him, but he doesn’t spare her a single glance. Interesting.

My thoughts jump back to the sexy siren, Ciara, when she returns with my drink. “Cheers,” she says.

I smile as I raise the glass to my lips. “A whiskey, neat. How’d you guess?”

Her eyes travel slowly down my body, and I’m five seconds from hopping over the bar and taking her mouth when she answers. “Well, you decided you wanted to be a firefighter when you were five years old and never gave up on that dream until you became the Fire Lieutenant sitting in front of me. That’s a man who knows what he wants and doesn’t need to put on airs about it. You don’t crave attention, but you can capture the focus of a room easily. You’re comfortable with yourself, and you’re a simple man who enjoys simple pleasures. Enough said.”

Okay, looks like I’m not the only one doing the seeing here.

“Damn, girl. Color me impressed.” She takes a bow and saunters away again. She grabs her water from behind the counter and raises it to me in a silent cheers.

Cheers. I lift my glass in solidarity and maintain eye contact with her as I take a long swig.

One of Five eARC's for Where We Found Our Home

Natasha is an indie contemporary romance author living in Baltimore, MD with her family and fur baby. She likes to write about everyday heroes who are a bit haunted and heroines who are sweet, sassy, and a little badass-y.



When she’s not writing, she’s usually reading, obsessively binge-watching TV, playing with her adorable dog, or hunting down delicious gluten free snacks.

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