by Kris Bryant
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Synopsis
To say Sheriff Natalie Strand is shocked that Sarah Eastman, the girl who kissed her at a high school party, is back in town would be a huge understatement. Between Sarah’s return and a stray dog that gets the best of her, Natalie’s world is suddenly turned upside down.
They say you can’t go home again, but that’s exactly what Sarah does when she returns to Spruce Mountain, Oregon, to live with her aunt and uncle after her divorce. All she wants is peace and to ensure her daughter, Harley, has stability. Seeing Natalie again after seventeen years ignites a passion that she hasn’t felt in a long time. Never mind that her heart tumbles in her chest or that she forgets words when Natalie’s around, she needs to focus on her family and getting her life back together.
Natalie and Sarah are about to discover that anything is possible when love takes the long way home.
Praise for Kris Bryant
Lucky
“The characters—both main and secondary, including the furry ones—are wonderful (I loved coming across Piper and Shaylie from Falling), there’s just the right amount of angst, and the sexy scenes are really hot. It’s Kris Bryant, you guys, no surprise there.”—Jude in the Stars
“This book has everything you need for a sweet romance. The main characters are beautiful and easy to fall in love with, even with their little quirks and flaws. The settings (Vail and Denver, Colorado) are perfect for the story, and the romance itself is satisfying, with just enough angst to make the book interesting…This is the perfect novel to read on a warm, lazy summer day, and I recommend it to all romance lovers.”—Rainbow Reflections
Temptation
“This book has a great first line. I was hooked from the start. There was so much to like about this story, though. The interactions. The tension. The jealousy. I liked how Cassie falls for Brooke’s son before she ever falls for Brooke. I love a good forbidden love story.”—Bookvark
“This book is an emotional roller coaster that you’re going to get swept away in. Let it happen…just bring the tissues and the vino and enjoy the ride.”—Les Rêveur
“People who have read Ms. Bryant’s erotica novella Shameless under the pseudonym of Brit Ryder know that this author can write intimacy well. This is more a romance than erotica, but the sex scenes are as varied and hot.”—LezReviewBooks
Tinsel
“This story was the perfect length for this cute romance. What made this especially endearing were the relationships Jess has with her best friend, Mo, and her mother. You cannot go wrong by purchasing this cute little nugget. A really sweet romance with a cat playing cupid.”—Bookvark
Falling
“This is a story you don’t want to pass on. A fabulous read that you will have a hard time putting down. Maybe don’t read it as you board your plane though. This is an easy 5 stars!”—Romantic Reader Blog
“Bryant delivers a story that is equal parts touching, compassionate, and uplifting.”—Lesbian Review
“This was a nice, romantic read. There is enough romantic tension to keep the plot moving, and I enjoyed the supporting characters’ and their romance as much as the main plot.”—Kissing Backwards
Goldie Winner Listen
“Ms. Bryant describes this soundscape with some exquisite metaphors, it’s true what they say that music is everywhere. The whole book is beautifully written and makes the reader’s heart to go out with people suffering from anxiety or any sort of mental health issue.”—Lez Review Books
“I was absolutely captivated by this book from start to finish. The two leads were adorable and I really connected with them and rooted for them…This is one of the best books I’ve read recently—I cannot praise it enough!”—Melina Bickard, Librarian, Waterloo Library (UK)
“The main character’s anxiety issues were well written and the romance is sweet and leaves you with a warm feeling at the end. Highly recommended reading.”—Kat Adams, Bookseller (QBD Books, Australia)
“This book floored me. I’ve read it three times since the book appeared on my Kindle…I just love it so much. I’m actually sitting here wondering how I’m going to convey my sheer awe factor but I will try my best. Kris Bryant won Les Rêveur book of the year 2018 and seriously this is a contender for 2019.”—Les Rêveur
Against All Odds
“Against All Odds by Kris Bryant, Maggie Cummings, and M. Ullrich is an emotional and captivating story about being able to face a tragedy head-on and move on with your life, learning to appreciate the simple things we take for granted and finding love where you least expect it.”—Lesbian Review
“I started reading the book trying to dissect the writing and ended up forgetting all about the fact that three people were involved in writing it because the story just grabbed me by the ears and dragged me along for the ride…[A] really great romantic suspense that manages both parts of the equation perfectly. This is a book you won’t be able to put down.”—C-Spot Reviews
Lammy Finalist Jolt
Jolt “is a magnificent love story. Two women hurt by their previous lovers and each in their own way trying to make sense out of life and times. When they meet at a gay- and lesbian-friendly summer camp, they both feel as if lightning has struck. This is so beautifully involving, I have already reread it twice. Amazing!”—Rainbow Book Reviews
Goldie Winner Breakthrough
“Looking for a fun and funny light read with hella cute animal antics and a smoking hot butch ranger? Look no further…In this well-written first-person narrative, Kris Bryant’s characters are well developed, and their push/pull romance hits all the right beats, making it a delightful read just in time for beach reading.”—Writing While Distracted
“It’s hilariously funny, romantic, and oh so sexy…But it is the romance between Kennedy and Brynn that stole my heart. The passion and emotion in the love scenes surpassed anything Kris Bryant has written before. I loved it.”—Kitty Kat’s Book Review Blog
“Kris Bryant has written several enjoyable contemporary romances, and Breakthrough is no exception. It’s interesting and clearly well-researched, giving us information about Alaska and issues like poaching and conservation in a way that’s engaging and never comes across as an info dump. She also delivers her best character work to date, going deeper with Kennedy and Brynn than we’ve seen in previous stories. If you’re a fan of Kris Bryant, you won’t want to miss this book, and if you’re a fan of romance in general, you’ll want to pick it up, too.”—Lambda Literary
Forget Me Not
“Told in the first person, from Grace’s point of view, we are privy to Grace’s inner musings and her vulnerabilities…Bryant crafts clever wording to infuse Grace with a sharp-witted personality, which clearly covers her insecurities…This story is filled with loving familial interactions, caring friends, romantic interludes, and tantalizing sex scenes. The dialogue, both among the characters and within Grace’s head, is refreshing, original, and sometimes comical. Forget Me Not is a fresh perspective on a romantic theme, and an entertaining read.”—Lambda Literary Review
Whirlwind Romance
“Ms. Bryant’s descriptions were written with such passion and colorful detail that you could feel the tension and the excitement along with the characters.”—Inked Rainbow Reviews
Taste
“Taste is a student/teacher romance set in a culinary school. If the premise makes you wonder whether this book will make you want to eat something tasty, the answer is: yes.”—The Lesbian Review
Touch
“The sexual chemistry in this book is off the hook. Kris Bryant writes my favorite sex scenes in lesbian romantic fiction.”—Les Rêveur
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© 2020 By Kris Bryant. All Rights Reserved.
ISBN 13: 978-1-63555-822-7
This Electronic Original Is Published By
Bold Strokes Books, Inc.
P.O. Box 249
Valley Falls, NY 12185
First Edition: October 2020
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.
This book, or parts thereof, may not be reproduced in any form without permission.
Credits
Editors: Ashley Tillman and Shelley Thrasher
Production Design: Stacia Seaman
Cover Design by Deb B.
eBook Design by Toni Whitaker
By the Author
Jolt
Whirlwind Romance
Just Say Yes: The Proposal
Taste
Forget Me Not
Touch
Breakthrough
Shameless
(writing as Brit Ryder)
Against All Odds
(with Maggie Cummings and M. Ullrich)
Listen
Falling
Tinsel
Temptation
Lucky
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Acknowledgments
This started off as a cute little holiday novella (like Tinsel) but grew into a short book. A big thank you to Sandy and BSB for moving things around to fit it in this year. I wasn’t expecting the novella to keep going, but my characters weren’t done telling me their story.
I had a ton of fun discussing this with my editor, Ashley. We pushed each other out of our comfort zones with this book. Hopefully, what we came up with is successful. Apparently, it’s all about the gravy. Thank you, Shelley, for racing behind me picking up my grammar mistakes. There aren’t enough red pens in the world, huh? Deb came up with the perfect cover, and honestly, I can’t make my mind up if I love the dog or the woman more.
To my friends, thank you for encouraging me through a difficult year. A support system is so important when the world and life look bleak, but you ALL were there for me. 2020 didn’t turn out the way we expected, but I can’t tell you how much I appreciate you in my life.
And thank you, readers, for always picking up my books and enjoying my stories. Without you, I wouldn’t be writing.
I know I say this a lot in my acknowledgments, but anything you can do to help our animal shelters is so important. Trust me, if I could be a professional dog cuddler, I would. There isn’t a dog out there I don’t try to turn into my best friend. My success rate is 99.7%. If you can’t rescue a pet, consider donating pet food, blankets, towels, newspapers, money, or your time. You’ll feel better about yourself. Animals rely on us. They can’t tell us what’s wrong or what happened to them. We can only trust our hearts and love them as much as they love us. Be a hero or heroine to fur babies everywhere.
To Molly
Thank you for finding your new home with me
Chapter One
Natalie pulled up the collar of her coat and crossed her arms to ward off the late-October chill that crept inside the sleeves and around her neck. This was her least favorite time of year, when leaves and bushes browned and shriveled before the grayness of winter set in. Everyone loved the fall, but she hated the cold. Spruce Mountain, Oregon, had all four seasons, and Natalie hated two. She crossed the street and stopped to pet a beautiful golden retriever waiting outside the craft store where she was headed on her lunch break.
“Look at you. You’re so pretty. Are you Greta’s new helper?” A tiny nagging feeling tugged at her when she noticed it wasn’t wearing a collar. She gave the dog a quick rub with both hands as if to warm it and turned to march into the store to find out who had left their dog outside. She pushed the door open and smiled at the warmth that greeted her. “Greta, this is my favorite store on Main. It’s always warm and smells like pumpkin bread.”
Greta Bowman, owner of Creative Crafts, greeted her with a big smile. “Sheriff, you’re always welcome here. Especially with the big drop in temperature today.”
As sheriff of the small town, population 1,880, Natalie was hyperaware of anything out of the ordinary. She knew most of the residents and business owners. The town was comfortable, borderline boring, with the occasional public intoxication or disorderly conduct sprinkled in to keep her from doubting all her life choices and choosing a career that wasn’t overly exciting. “I can’t believe how cold it is. It’s not even November. Do you know whose retriever that is out there?”
Greta looked around the store. “No, but we only have a few customers right now. Mrs. Bennett and another young woman. You can ask them.” She pointed to the back of the store. “Let me go get your mother’s order. I’ll be right back.”
Natalie nodded and worked her way over to Mrs. Bennett, who was perusing the yards of buffalo-check flannel.
“Oh, no, dear. That’s not my dog. Brutus is home in bed. You remember Brutus, right?” Mrs. Bennett asked. She had a chihuahua she had carried in her purse until the dog’s old bones couldn’t handle the slight sway to-and-fro. Now Brutus stayed at home when she ran her errands.
“That sweet boy. Give him a pat on the head from me.” The fact that Brutus was still alive surprised her. She remembered when he was an eight-week-old puppy. Back then, Mrs. Bennett was her physical-science teacher. She showed up at their high school graduation with him, much to the delight of everyone in attendance. Who could resist a puppy the size of a teacup? That was seventeen years ago. She smiled at Mrs. Bennett and circled the store to find the other patron Greta pointed out and located a petite brunette bent over a bin of buttons.
“Excuse me, miss? Is that your dog outside?” The brunette stood up and turned. Natalie took a step back and then another. She knew that face, those eyes, those full red lips. Time spun backward, and suddenly it was seventeen years ago, and she was at Ellie Shepherd’s graduation party staring at the same soft brown eyes after experiencing the best kiss of her life.
“Oh, my God. Nat. Is that you?”
Warm hands grabbed hers and squeezed. Natalie blinked and stumbled over the words tumbling in her head. “Sarah. Hi. What are you doing here?” She clamped her mouth shut and forced a smile. “I mean, what brings you back to Spruce Mountain?”
Sarah Eastman was even more beautiful than the day she left. The innocence and softness of her youth had been replaced by stronger, more noticeable curves and a thinner, more mature face. Her beautiful dark hair now had caramel highlights and brushed her shoulders. Everything about her still took Natalie’s breath away.
“I moved back to regroup. Spruce Mountain was always the closest thing to a home for me,” Sarah said.
They were still holding hands. Natalie relaxed her grip and dropped the physical connection. “Your aunt and uncle still live here, right?” She knew the answer because she’d just seen them at the town meeting earlier in the month. Maintaining eye contact with Sarah was tough. She hated that all the confidence she’d built up over the last decade crumbled as she stood in front of the girl who’d kissed her once and never looked back.
“Yes. We’re staying with them until we can find a place ourselves, or until I can figure out my life.” Sarah tucked a piece of hair behind her ear with a shaky hand and broke eye contact.
The word “we” hit Natalie in the gut and caused her heart to slip down into her stomach. It wasn’t as if she had pined for Sarah over the last twenty or so years of her life or compared every girlfriend she ever had to her, but Sarah had set the bar high the second their lips touched so many years ago. “Oh. That’s great. I’m sure you’
ll figure something out.” She told herself to quit nodding at Sarah. “I guess I’ll see you around.”
“Let’s have lunch this week and get caught up.”
“Sheriff? Are you in town? Fred just called. Said something happened at the market.” Natalie’s shoulder walkie-talkie boomed in the awkward silence that settled between them. Something always happened to Natalie when she got a call. The adrenaline rush kicked her confidence up a notch, and her heart, which was already beating at an alarming rate, fluttered faster. She reached up, pressed the button, and answered, fully aware she was still staring at Sarah. “I’m not too far away. I’ll be there in ten.” She released the button to end the call. “I’d better go. It’s nice to see you again.” Every part of her hummed with excitement, and a heated rush of anxiety flowed through her veins at seeing Sarah again.
Greta appeared. “Here’s your mother’s order. Be sure to tell her I said hello.”
