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AGAINST THE WALL
Jill Sorenson
Jill Sorenson
Releasing on February 2, 2016
Loveswept
Fans of Katie McGarry, Simone Elkeles, and Tammara
Webber will love Against the Wall! As teenagers, they fell for each other
despite the odds. But now that Eric and Meghan are all grown up, they’re
reunited by fierce passion and dangerous secrets.
Eric Hernandez is the bad boy of every schoolgirl’s
fantasies—and every mother’s nightmares. But after serving time for manslaughter,
he’s ready to turn his life around. He just needs a chance to prove himself as
a professional tattoo artist. The one thing that keeps him going is the memory
of the innocent beauty he loved and left behind.
Meghan Young’s world isn’t as perfect as it looks. The
preacher’s daughter is living a lie, especially now that Eric is back. Tougher,
harder, and sexier than ever, he might be the only person she can trust. But
there’s no telling what he’ll do to protect her if he learns the truth, and that’s
a risk Meghan won’t let him take. And yet, back in the arms of the troubled boy
with the artist’s soul, Meghan can’t help surrendering to the man he’s become.
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I
don’t want Chip to meet Eric.
I
put on my clothes and makeup in a rush, hoping to slip out of the apartment
before Chip gets home. Unfortunately he’s early. My stomach clenches as I hear
him come through the door. He drops his backpack in a careless heap and strides
down the hall. There’s nothing I can do to avoid him, so I continue to apply my
mascara with a trembling hand.
He
pauses outside the bathroom. I don’t look over because I’m concentrating on my
eyelashes. Despite my lack of greeting, or perhaps because of it, he enters the
tight space and puts his hands on my hips.
“Hey,
babe,” he says, kissing my cheek. “Where you going?”
“To
Noah’s.”
He
grunts in disinterest. He’s only been to my brother’s house once. They didn’t
hit it off.
I
set aside my mascara and fix the smudge he made. Instead of wandering away to
play videogames or watch sports, Chip frowns at my reflection in the mirror.
“Why
are you all dressed up?”
I’m
not wearing anything fancy, just a basic skirt and top. But I took pains with
my hair and makeup and it shows. I want to remind Eric what he turned down, rub
it in his face a little. Chip notices the extra effort. He’s got an eagle eye
and a suspicious nature.
I
think about lying just to avoid conflict. I’ve been doing that more and more
these days. After a short pause, I push aside the urge and move his hands off
my hips. “It’s a special occasion. One of April’s relatives just got out of
prison.”
“Who’s
April?”
“Noah’s
wife.”
I
know that Chip remembers her. He always takes note of pretty women. “I’m going
with you.”
This
is exactly what I was afraid of, but I don’t argue. I have to pick my battles
with Chip. He can be hot-tempered, depending on his mood and the amount of
alcohol he’s consumed. I tell myself it’s not his fault. He’s a dedicated
athlete, big man on campus, born to a wealthy family. Guys like him expect
their girlfriends to fall in line.
And
I had. I did.
Chip
follows me into the bedroom, where I choose a pair of ballet flats. He grabs a
pair of metallic gold high heels instead. “Wear these.”
Saying
nothing, I don the flashy shoes. He likes me to look a certain way when we’re
together. I think he enjoys having a leggy blonde on his arm. Before we leave,
I glance at our reflections in the mirror. He’s tall and handsome, with wavy
brown hair. His jeans and polo shirt are sporty and expensive. We make an
attractive couple, but there’s something missing between us.
We
used to have fun together. When we first met, he was hard to resist. He
followed me to my car after class one day, begging for a date. He was bold and
brash and full of confidence. I felt flattered. He put a lot of effort into
chasing me, and I liked the attention. I liked his persistence. Of all the
girls on campus, he chose me.
Our
relationship hit the skids as soon as I moved in with him. Then he stopped
pursuing me and started trying to control me. It’s almost as if he considers me
his property now that I live in his apartment. He seems to want a maid, a cook,
and blowjobs on demand. I wouldn’t mind taking care of his needs if he returned
the favor.
Maybe
I’m expecting too much from him. He is what he is, an MLB-bound superstar
athlete who bats .390 and fields like a dream. He’s got money to burn and
family connections. I understood what I was getting into when I agreed to go
out with him. There are dozens of girls who’d kill to be in my glittering
sandals right now.
The
problem isn’t Chip. It’s me. I haven’t told him that I’m not happy. I’ve stayed
quiet instead of challenging him. We have a superficial relationship, and I’m
reluctant to take it deeper. After what happened with Eric, I’m not up for
another heartbreak.
I
can’t bear to compare the two of them, either. That’s why I don’t want them in
the same room together. There’s no contest between my live-in boyfriend and the
love of my life.
Stupid.
After
all this time, I still have feelings for Eric. I’m worried that seeing him
again will bring up bad memories—or good ones. My desire for him might come
rushing back. Or maybe the opposite will happen, and I’ll wonder why I ever
gave him the power to hurt me.
Then I’ll
be free.
Jill Sorenson is the RITA-nominated author of
more than a dozen romantic-suspense novels. She has a degree in literature and
writing from California State University. Her books have been selected as
Red-Hot Reads by Cosmopolitan magazine, and have received starred reviews from
Publishers Weekly, Booklist, and Library Journal. Sorenson currently lives in
the San Diego area with her family. She’s a soccer mom who loves nature,
coffee, reading, Twitter, and reality TV.
