New Haven

Sloane: Dominic Alexander is my late husband's best friend and the last man that I should want. For the last ten years, he's taken a sick pleasure in making me feel paper thin, like my existence is of no consequence to him at all. But now, things are different. After a drunken night, and a surprisingly sexy act of heroism, he's started to be . . . nice. Treating me like something other than the embodiment of his annoyance, which would be nice if it didn't make me feel things I swore to never feel for another man after my husband died. Dominic: Sloane Kent is going to be my undoing. What's worse: I think I'm going to enjoy being unraveled by the gold flecks in her hazel eyes and the way she scrunches her nose when we're arguing, which we've done a lot of over the past decade. She thinks it's because I hate her, and I've let her think that because the alternative is . . . untenable. But something is changing between us, and I don't know how to stop myself from breaking every promise I've ever made to myself regarding my best friend's wife. Promises that include never telling her that there's a long list of things I feel about her, but hate isn't one of them. Contains mature themes.

Mallory The first time I kissed Christopher Johnson, I knew he would be my biggest mistake. It was supposed to be a simple business arrangement, a few months of playing a role that came far too easily to the both of us, but it wasn't long before it became more. Love. Devotion. Heartbreak in its truest form. Some people say life is for the living, but I say life is for the prepared. To avoid unfortunate complications like having your heart broken by a man past experiences taught you, you never should have trusted in the first place. Christopher There's nothing in this world I wouldn't do for Mallory Kent. She's strong, serious, and always in control of every situation around her, which is why the second I see her looking panicked and uncertain in the arms of a figure from her past, I don't think. I just act. I had no idea that one small decision would lead to this. A fake relationship-designed to solve her problems and mine-turned real. An earth shattering love torn apart by the very forces that led to its conception. There's nothing in this world I wouldn't do for Mallory Kent, including break her heart to save her soul. Contains mature themes.

Mallory: The first time I kissed Christopher, I knew he would be my biggest mistake. It didn't stop me from wanting him though, and when the ghosts from my past came barging into the present, it didn't stop me from agreeing to let him help. It was supposed to be a simple arrangement, a few months of playing a role that came far too easily to the both of us, but it wasn't long before it became more. Some people say life is for the living, but I say life is for the prepared. For the planners who know that controlling every piece on the board is the only way to get the result you want. Christopher: There's nothing in this world I wouldn't do for Mallory. I think I knew it the first time I laid eyes on her. But I never thought I'd get the opportunity to do anything about it because Mallory is one of those people who doesn't need anyone. She's strong, serious, and always in control, which is why the second I see her looking panicked and uncertain in the arms of a figure from her past, I don't think. I just act. I had no idea that one small decision would lead to this. A fake relationship-designed to solve her problems and mine-turned real. Contains mature themes.

Mallory The first time I kissed Christopher Johnson, I knew he would be my biggest mistake. It was supposed to be a simple business arrangement, a few months of playing a role that came far too easily to the both of us, but it wasn't long before it became more. Love. Devotion. Heartbreak in its truest form. Some people say life is for the living, but I say life is for the prepared. To avoid unfortunate complications like having your heart broken by a man past experiences taught you, you never should have trusted in the first place. Christopher There's nothing in this world I wouldn't do for Mallory Kent. She's strong, serious, and always in control of every situation around her, which is why the second I see her looking panicked and uncertain in the arms of a figure from her past, I don't think. I just act. I had no idea that one small decision would lead to this. A fake relationship, designed to solve her problems and mine, turned real. An earth-shattering love torn apart by the very forces that led to its conception. There's nothing in this world I wouldn't do for Mallory Kent, including break her heart to save her soul. Contains mature themes.