**WATTPAD HQ EDITOR'S PICK Nov/Dec 2021**
BOOK ONE in the STEAMY FORBIDDEN ROMANCE series
Coralie Watson, a British thirty-year-old living in San Francisco, has a tormented past with men. Physical and mental abuse, abandonment issues, incompatibili...
Coralie stared at her response for what felt like hours before she fell asleep. But even when she slept, his image haunted her. So did the sound of that boyish, wide-mouthed laugh she'd always loved. She saw that bright, toothy grin that always made her heart skip a beat. She stared into the depths of his stunning, tropical eyes and got lost in his hugs—he gave the best hugs.
In her sixth form days, how often had she thwarted friends who claimed she devoted more time to thinking of Ryan than Benjamin? How many afternoons had she and Ryan hung out while drinking coffee, discussing their relationships and sex lives? How many instances had she thought of their goodbyes, twelve years prior, when he'd wished her luck in her journeys overseas, and she'd implored him to keep in touch?
Once she sensed the sun seeping through her blinds, caressing her skin, lulling her to wake and check her phone, she tossed her covers off and gave in.
Her heart stopped, then took off at a million miles a minute when she saw the little Facebook messenger bubble and the flashing green light.
Ryan Bennett: I mean it. And I'm doing great. How have you been? How's life treating you in America?
It was simple and yet reading his words—after years of not speaking—jumpstarted a collection of tiny tremors down Coralie's arms. How often had she fantasized over him contacting her, breaking their unwanted silence, rekindling their friendship?
She smiled, ruffling her messy curls as she stood up and stretched. But the smile faded as she yanked down on her t-shirt to cover her belly button, cringing at her darkened reflection in the mirror across the room.
Ignoring the criticism in her mind, she pressed her fingers to the screen to respond; but a "..." popped up at the bottom of the chat, signifying Ryan was typing.
"Not even gonna give me a chance to answer, huh?" She chuckled as she dragged herself out of her room and into the kitchen.
Ryan Bennett: I hope you're well. I miss you.
Coralie was halfway into opening the cupboard to snatch her favorite mug when she read the last part. She gasped, bringing the phone closer to her eyes, as if gawking at the words up close would change them, or as if they'd scream at her, wake her up.
"He misses me?" Letting out a squeal, she finished retrieving her cup and poured in the coffee she'd put on a timer the night before. "He misses me. Wow. Fuck."
Fingers shaking, she hurried to send back some sort of reply.
Coralie Amber Watson: I'm good! Working and writing, as always.
