Collide: Book One in the Collide Series - Softcover

Buch 1 von 2: Collide

McHugh, Gail

 
9781476765341: Collide: Book One in the Collide Series
Softcover
ISBN 10: 1476765340 ISBN 13: 9781476765341
Verlag: Atria, 2014

Inhaltsangabe

From the New York Times bestselling indie author comes the first of two sexy contemporary romances about a woman torn between her seemingly perfect boyfriend and a dark, mysterious stranger—who will stop at nothing to have her.

Her mind tried to fight a bloody battle against what her body already knew. She wanted him, and she wanted him badly.

On the heels of her college graduation and the unexpected death of her mother, Emily Cooper moves to New York City to join her boyfriend for a fresh start. Dillon Parker has been sweet, thoughtful, and generous through Emily’s loss, and she can’t imagine her life without him—even as her inner voice tells her to go slow.

Then she meets Gavin Blake. A rich and notorious playboy, Gavin is dangerously sexy and charming as hell. Their first encounter is brief, but it’s enough to inflame Emily’s senses. When their paths cross again through an unexpected mutual acquaintance, she tries to deny the connection she feels, but Mr. Tall, Dark, and Handsome won’t let go so easily.

As she discovers Gavin’s pain-filled past, and Dillon’s true nature begins to surface, Emily knows she must take action or risk destroying everyone—including herself. But how can she choose when she can’t trust her own heart?

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Über die Autorin bzw. den Autor

Gail McHugh is the author of the New York Times bestsellers Collide and Pulse. She is the mother of three beautiful children and has been married to her husband for fifteen years.

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Collide

Chapter One

Chance Encounters

She calculated the flight from Colorado to New York at three hours and forty-five minutes, after which she knew her life would be forever changed—more so than it already had. Gripping the sides of the seat, palms sweaty, Emily Cooper closed her eyes as the engines prepared for takeoff. She had never been fond of flying; in fact, it scared the living shit out of her. Though she remembered times when the torture of being thirty thousand feet in the air was actually worthwhile: the first time she left home for college, an escape to a tropical island, or a visit to see her beloved family. However, this trip held no enjoyment—it held only feelings of loss and grief.

Looking at her was one of the reasons she still woke up every day—her boyfriend, Dillon. She could tell he noticed the look on her face was filled with the uncertainty of what lay ahead.

As he held her hand, Dillon leaned over and stroked a piece of hair away from her face. “Everything’s going to be all right, Em,” he whispered. “Before you know it, we’ll be on the ground again.”

She forced a smile and hesitantly turned, watching the snowcapped mountains disappear beneath the clouds. Her heart sank further as she inwardly said good-bye to the only true home she had ever known. She rested her head against the window and let her mind drift over the past several months.

In late October of her senior year in college, she received the call. Until that moment, life had seemed . . . good. Dillon had come into her world the month before, her grades were where they should be, and her roommate, Olivia Martin, had turned out to be one of the closest friends she would ever have. Picking up the phone that day, she never expected the news she received.

“The tests came back, Emily,” her older sister, Lisa, had said. “Mom has stage-four breast cancer.”

With those last six words, life as Emily knew it would never be the same. Not even close. Her rock, the woman whom she adored most in her life, and the only parent she had ever known had less than three months to live. She could never have prepared for what followed. Long weekend trips from The Ohio State University to Colorado to aid in her mother’s last few months became Emily’s norm. She watched her mother wither away from the strong, vibrant soul she had once been to the weak, unrecognizable woman she became before she died.

With sudden turbulence jolting her nerves, Emily gripped Dillon’s hand and looked over at him. He gave her a quick smile and nod, essentially letting her know they were fine. Resting her head against his warm shoulder, she started to think about the role he had played through everything: countless flights from New York to Colorado to be with her, beautiful gifts he sent to take her mind off the madness that consumed her life, late-night calls talking with her to make sure she was okay. Even down to arranging the funeral, giving her advice on selling her childhood home, and ultimately moving her out to New York. It was all part of why she adored him.

As the plane descended into New York’s LaGuardia Airport, Dillon looked at Emily while her hand was white-knuckling his. He gave a light chuckle and leaned over to kiss her. “See, that wasn’t so bad,” he said, stroking her cheek. “You’re now officially a New Yorker, babe.”

After what seemed like forever navigating their way through the airport, Dillon hailed a taxi, and they made their way to the apartment Emily would share with Olivia. That had become a sore topic with Dillon. When he and Emily had spoken about the move, it was his wish to have her live with him. Emily thought it was best, at least for the time being, that she move in with Olivia. Making the trek across the country was a hard enough adjustment by itself, and she didn’t want to add more pressure to her situation. Even though she loved Dillon—and she loved him something fierce—a tiny voice in her head told her to wait. Living together would come further down the line for them. He eventually gave in but not without putting up a decent fight.

Once they arrived, Emily stepped out of the taxi. The sounds and sights of the city immediately hit her. Car alarms blaring, brakes grinding, and sirens wailing shattered through the air. People talking and yelling, their footsteps pounding against the busy concrete sidewalks, and the frantic flow of tightly packed cars consisting of a sea of yellow taxis were unlike anything she had ever seen or heard before. Steam billowing from manholes looked like ghosts floating up from the hot pavement.

The sprawling trees and clear lakes in Colorado were now being replaced by steel and concrete, loud noises, and a clusterfuck of traffic. This was definitely something she would have to get used to. Drawing in a deep breath, Emily followed Dillon into the building. The doorman tipped his hat and buzzed Olivia, letting her know they were there. They made their way up to the fifteenth floor, thankful for the elevator.

When they entered the apartment, Olivia let out a high-pitched squeal. She raced over and gave Emily a hug. “I’m so happy you’re here!” Olivia said, cupping her hands over Emily’s cheeks. “How was the flight?”

“I got through it without needing any drugs or alcohol.” Emily smiled. “So I would say it went well.”

“She was fine.” Dillon walked over and snaked his arm around Emily’s waist. “I wouldn’t have let anything happen to her anyways.”

Rolling her brown eyes in Dillon’s direction, Olivia crossed her arms. “Right, because you’d be able to stop a plane from crashing, Dill Pickle. I mean—Dillon.”

Dillon shot Olivia a hard look and placed Emily’s luggage on the floor. “That’s right, Oliver Twist. I’m fucking Superman, so don’t forget it.”

Emily sighed. “It’s been a while since I’ve been around you both at the same time. I forgot how fond you two are of one another.”

Olivia smirked and reached for Emily’s hand. “Come on, I’ll show you around the place.” Pulling Emily down the hall, Olivia turned around to Dillon. “Make yourself useful and unpack her belongings or something, Donkey Dick Kong.”

Ignoring Olivia, Dillon sank onto the couch and flipped on the television.

“Oh my God, Olivia,” Emily giggled, following behind her. “Where the hell do you think up these names for him?”

“Pfft.” Olivia waved a dismissive hand. “He makes it easy.”

“Well, you both are going to drive me nuts now. I can feel it.”

“I make no promises, but I’ll try my best to refrain from doing so, friend.”

As Olivia gave the grand tour, Emily noticed the sleek, modern apartment included two bedrooms and two bathrooms. Although modest in size, the kitchen held white antique cabinetry, granite countertops, and stainless steel appliances. A large window in the living room paraded the direction of Columbus Avenue, a nice area in New York’s Upper West Side. The apartment was breathtakingly beautiful, and without Olivia, Emily could never have afforded it—at least, not without Dillon’s help. Although Olivia worked and took care of herself, she came from a well-to-do family, so money was never a problem. Despite growing up on Long Island’s North Shore, Olivia and her brother, Trevor, were two of the most down-to-earth people...

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Verlag
Atria
Erscheinungsdatum
2014
Sprache
Englisch
ISBN 10 
1476765340
ISBN 13 
9781476765341
Einband
Taschenbuch
Anzahl der Seiten
416
Kontakt zum Hersteller
Nicht verfügbar
Verantwortliche Person
Simon and Schuster Netherlands BV
info@simonandschuster.nl

Herculesplein 96
Utrecht
3584 AA
Niederlande

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