I was twelve years old when I fell in love with Piper Kelley. Even at the age of eight, she was everything I wasn’t: brave, bold, and beautiful.

The night of my college graduation party, I finally made my move, but Piper only had eyes for one man—my younger brother.

With a battered heart, I left for Vegas, determined to put her behind me. But eight years later, fate proved once again that it had never cared about my plans.

Now, I’m back home, and determined not to fall into the same trap I spent the majority of my adolescence trying to escape.

But when Piper finds herself at the risk of losing her medical license, I realize just how far I’m willing to go to protect her.

I was twelve when Piper Kelley became mine.

It’s time I let her know.

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He tucked a stray strand of hair behind my ear, his hand lingering as his thumb swiped the last bit of moisture from my face. “I love this song.”

My brows wrinkled and I strained my ears to hear what song was playing. “Yeah.” I forced a small smile and let my eyes flutter shut. My body began to sway with the music, and I let the artist’s soulful voice wash over me. “Maybe one day I’ll get to dance at their concert.”

Lawson moved and I opened my eyes to see him stand. Jumping from the last two steps, he turned back to me, his hand outstretched. “Why wait?”

With a soft smile on his face, his eyes sparkled as he asked, “Dance with me?”

I shook my head. “No, uh, I’m not really good.”

He laughed, the sound warming me. “Me neither. Come on.”

What the hell?

I stood and brushed off the back of my pants, hesitating. Who was this guy? His smile widened, and he winked—Lawson Reed, the nerdiest man I knew actually winked at me, before giving his outstretched hand a little shake. With a lift of my shoulders, I sucked in a breath before stepping into his open arms.

It was strange at first, but when he pulled me in close I rested my head on his chest, desperate for any morsel of comfort I could get. His heart beat strong, steady, in rhythm with my own. I allowed my lids to flutter shut again and I inched myself closer, holding Lawson impossibly tighter while he slowly rocked me back and forth.

The music played, and I got lost in the words.

The way they felt.

The way Lawson felt.

The way I felt in Lawson’s arms.

All too soon, the song ended, and a more upbeat one took its place.

A.S. Teague enjoys the warmth of South Carolina with her husband and two daughters. The stereotypes about peach cobbler and sweet tea are not overstated. After years in the medical field, she is now enjoying every minute of being a stay-at-home mom. She loves wine, the beach, wine on the beach, and crying at Disney movies. When she doesn’t have a book in her hand, she can be found pestering her husband with pictures of animals she wants to rescue, as well as debating whether to exercise or take a nap.

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