*Book one in the Again series*
After a heated argument lands him in the spare bedroom of his grandparents' rancher, late bloomer Leon Snyder finds his love life heating up after multiple unsuccessful run-ins with a mysterious girl. Despite his faile...
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My birthday's something I haven't made a fuss about since my parents' divorce. To me, birthdays and holidays were like a slap in the face—a brutal reminder of what I've went another year without having and the beginning of another year of new traumas and heartache.
I always hoped as the years passed I'd regain that sense of excitement to embark on another year of life, but I never did. Time didn't heal, it only changed the ache I felt in my chest. And while that should've been enough for me, I sometimes still found myself yearning for the family I lost.
But that's all changed this year.
Because I've changed.
I moved out of Grandma's house and into my own. I moved on from my trauma. I finally opened my heart and let someone in. And I finally regained that sense of excitement for my birthday.
From now on, I'm not dwelling on what I've lost, I'm focusing on what I've gained.
. . . And whatever Leon's got up his sleeve for today.
He's been vague about what we're doing today, requesting I keep my schedule open for dusk. As much as his secrecy has me on my toes, I do wish I knew what exactly he has planned so I can dress accordingly.
It's been four days since Leon and I made things official, and let me just say, having a boyfriend has been a bit of an adjustment. It's not that I don't enjoy his company, I'm just not used to being in the company of a man that's my man.
Over the years, I've grown accustomed to watching my friends go out on dates and be affectionate with their significant others around me. But now that my time has come, and I'm the one doing those things, I'm finding it difficult to believe that it's not all in my head and it's actually happening.
As I lay in bed, I hear the clinging and clanging of glass and metal. Mom must be awake. She stayed over last night and insisted on making me breakfast in the morning.
I glance over at the alarm clock perched on my nightstand. It's 9 A.M., and I've yet to get out of bed, change out of my pajamas, or brush my teeth.
Perhaps I should do the last one considering I don't know what time Leon's popping in.
Lord knows I don't want to ward off my boyfriend with my rancid morning breath this early in our relationship. It's bad enough he's already seen me bloodied and bruised.
Begrudgingly, I slide out of bed and venture into the hallway then into the bathroom. I put on a bra, brush my teeth, then scrub my face with cleanser in gentle circular motions until I feel my face is clean. After I'm finished patting my face dry, I hang the towel on the rod on my way out the bathroom door. I barely make one full step out of the bathroom when I'm encircled in a tight hug by a pair of strong arms. The familiar alluring scent of Leon's woodsy cologne engulfs me, simultaneously warming my chest and accelerating my heartbeat.
