When they were teenagers, Quinn MacGregor and Aaron Larsen fell in love over the course of one magical summer. It ended in bloodshed and tragedy. Now, ten years later, Quinn is back in Spruce Creek, Nevada, to inherit his family’s criminal cartel. His cousin Jimmy has been making friends -- and enemies -- in dangerous places, but that doesn’t mean he’s happy to hand over leadership to Quinn. And Jimmy might not be the only one who wants Quinn out of the way for good, especially if Quinn’s secret comes out. Aaron Larsen is back in Spruce Creek to sell his former family home. Aaron lost a leg in Afghanistan, and he’s drinking too much and battling depression and PTSD. The last thing he needs is for Quinn MacGregor to drop back into his miserable life. But when Quinn is shaken by the news that he left more behind in Spruce Creek than his bad memories, he turns to Aaron like it’s old times, and Aaron doesn’t know how to say no. The events of ten years ago cast a long shadow, and in a town where they can’t trust anyone else, Quinn and Aaron just might have to learn to trust each other again.

A Desperate Man

“This is why you can’t stay,” Quinn said. “Because I’d never forgive myself if anything happened to you. You know what your dad said to me that night, about us?”


“He said, ‘Be kind to each other.’ And that was never us, but God, I wanted it to be. And it was going to be. I was going to be kind and good and never say hurtful things to you again, and we were going to get out of Spruce Creek together, and I was going to figure out how to be happy, Aaron.” His voice cracked and tears slid down his cheeks. “And all because your dad told me that I could, and I believed him. Thirty minutes alone with the guy, and he made me want to be better. He made me want to be someone he could be proud of.”


Aaron reached out and took Quinn’s hand and laced their fingers together. His head was spinning. “Stay,” he said. “Stay with me for a while. Just to sleep, please.”


Quinn’s dark gaze held his, and then he nodded. “Yes.”


Chapter 41