Embracing the Beat

Dreams and hearts have something in common: their ability to shatter.

Michaela

Going from a record label back to my home town was something I never imagined. When I realized my dream was nothing but a nightmare, I couldn’t run fast enough. I wasn’t expecting everyone to see me as a some big star… and I definitely wasn’t expecting my older brother’s best friend to be living down the hall.

West Abbott starred in every single one of my teenage daydreams. And now he’s quickly becoming the subject of every adult fantasy too. He’s my brother’s best friend, but that does nothing to stop the fire that sparks when he touches me.

But will he still want me when he finds out the dream world I’ve told him about is nothing but make believe?

West

The Mikey I remember is still the two-year-old with platinum blonde dandelion fluff for hair. But that’s not who I find in the kitchen at three in the morning. Mikey is now Michaela, and I can’t ignore that she’s all woman now. And that I want all of her.

She’s a famous singer. I’m a broke history teacher. She’s my best friend’s baby sister. And for every excuse I come up with to stay away from her, my attraction to her grows until I can’t resist her any more.

But I can’t help feeling like she’s hiding something from me. And one lesson I learned after my last relationship crashed and burned? Never again fall in love with someone keeping secrets.