Crocus Valley

I fled minutes before my wedding when I learned my fiancé had been paid to marry me. Ten years, too many crappy exes, and one drunken decision later, I'm now his boss. A night out with a friend turned into shots and duping an old ex of mine into taking a job at my budding horse rescue. The last time Ansen Barron saw me, I was fishtailing away from our wedding with his dog. When he arrives, I expect him to reverse right back down my driveway after he learns I'm his boss. I don't expect to find a jaded man in the place of the easygoing guy I was once engaged to. I also don't expect my heart to race when he's around. Or for him to treat me like I always meant more to him than a payday. I don't regret hiring him. He's the best man for the job, and he's trying to prove he's changed, one melting kiss at a time. But no matter how hot we are together, I can't forget I once thought he was the best man for me and maybe it's safer for my heart if he stays a reckless memory. Contains mature themes.

Nannying two adorable kids was a way to support myself until I got on my feet again. I wasn't supposed to fall for their stern single dad. After a sudden, bad breakup, I land in a small town in the middle of nowhere, cut off from all my accounts and resources. I have a stalled dancing career, a mom in long-term care, and no money. Then I meet Alcott "Cody" Knight. The type of guy I've learned to steer clear of-driven, rigid, and devastating in a suit. Only he also has two adorable kids, and he needs a nanny for the summer. For two months, he'll pay more than I need to help my mom and myself. For two months, I'll take care of his kids, give them dance lessons, and see what a normal life could be like. For two months, I have to try not to fall for a guy who's hotter in jeans and cowboy boots than in a suit and treats me like I matter. But my stay was only ever for a few months, to get back on my feet so I can get my life back. I might be used to leaving, but I can't stop wishing Cody and I could be more than a temporary memory. Contains mature themes.

I never keep secrets from my best friend, but I'm not sure how to tell her I'm sneaking around with her brother . . . who's also my ex-husband. I might be single, but I'm not ready to mingle. I should've stayed home from the street dance. My feet are barely surviving the two-step and my dance partners are looking for dates while I'm only interested in forgetting the man I was once married to. The night's about to end with bruised toes and a rain storm when the guy who swept me off my feet years ago cuts in right before the downpour starts. Wilder Knight has always been the best dance partner I've ever had. Just not the best husband. Once the storm hits, we take refuge in his pickup, but that isn't all we do. After steaming up the windows and losing my underwear, I make a habit out of hooking up with my ex-husband. Only the longer we continue, the easier it is to see why our marriage fell apart. I couldn't get over him the first time and losing him a second time might destroy the secure life I've built for myself, leaving me to ask . . . Were we better left an unfinished memory? Contains mature themes.