By
USA Today Bestselling Author
Jen Talty

Darcie Bowie spent the last year of her life putting the pieces of her shattered heart back together while trying to get her family off her back about her chosen career in the yachting industry. The last thing she needs is for her ex-boyfriend to show up as a surprise guest.

Reid Carson is going on this charter for one reason and one reason only: to take back his company. He never expected to see the woman he let slip through his fingers nearly a year before. Nor could he anticipate the deadly game of deception and betrayal that will put him and Darcie right in the line of fire.

NOTE:
Sail With Me is a stand alone novel set in Kristen Proby’s With Me in Seattle Universe.

Darcie is looking forward to taking the last part of her Captain’s exam. This has been her goal for a long time. It was put on the wayside while she got over a broken heart. After this charter she is planning on taking the week to study. Unfortunately her boss takes on an additional charter and the guests are not ones Darcie is ready to see. At least she has the time to see her family for her parent’s anniversary before that. A single night turn around is the pits, but she has a good crew and knows they’ll get the job done.

She didn’t expect to run into said guests on the way to her car. Reid Carson looks as good as ever and her heart, well she still loves him. He just can’t accept her chosen career goal. His business partner Preston is another story entirely, he never liked her nor she him.

Reid knew Darcie was living on a sailboat here at the marina, seeing her was a surprise though. He still loves her and realizes he made a big mistake breaking up with her. He needs to apologize and maybe get another chance with her, but first he needs to figure out what’s going on with the company.

After an initial greeting where Reid and Preston were having a drink, Reid finds himself waiting for her return by her boat.

This is a favorite scene.

It took a fair amount of pizzazz to impress Reid, and Darcie had done it in spades.

“Stalking me?” Her sweet voice rolled through his ears and slid down his throat, coating his stomach with the most decadent flavor. Who knew sound could be so tasty?

“Not you, the boat. I saw you get off here, and with the name and all, I assumed she was yours.”

“That’s a lot of dangerous surmising for a man who likes facts and nothing but the facts.”

“I’m also a man who likes to live on the edge, so this is me being wild and out of control.” He shrugged his shoulders and leaned against the post. The last time he’d seen her had been a random meeting in New Orleans that hadn’t gone well at all.

At least, what he remembered of it. Honestly, it had been an encounter he’d prefer to forget.

She laughed. “I bought her a few months ago. When I’m not on a charter, I live on her.”

“I was surprised to see you, and even more shocked you’re running charters out of Seattle and not some exotic port. It’s not like you to be in a mundane city such as this one.”

“I wanted to be close to home for a bit.” She waggled her index finger under his nose. “And don’t you go knocking my hometown, or I’ll start picking on your Southern drawl, Mr. Texas.”

“You always loved when I got all cowboy on you and did the two-step.” He looped his fingers into his belt buckle and did a little kick with his feet.

She laughed, shaking her head.

He couldn’t help but wonder if she was lying about wanting to be close to home, or if the family had put the pressure on. While she was tight with her siblings, she struggled with being overwhelmed by anyone encroaching on her space.

Something he could relate to.

When he’d last seen her, she’d been in New Orleans with her brother, visiting an old friend.

It looked more like a pity vacation, and she’d looked like shit.

Not that he’d looked any better. He had gone to Bourbon Street with one thing in mind: to get shitfaced every night and try to forget that Darcie ever existed. He’d thought he’d been hallucinating when she rounded the corner. He’d actually poked her in the center of the chest to see if she were real.

Jagar hadn’t liked that.

Her friend, Asher, liked it even less.

Reid rubbed his jaw. “The last time I saw you, I said some things I shouldn’t have.”

“I’m surprised you even remember that day.”

“A lot of it’s still fuzzy, and that is both embarrassing and sucky as well as a bit of a saving grace at times.” He let out a sarcastic chuckle. “But I owe you, your brother, and his friend a huge apology.”

“Yeah. You do,” she said. “And for more than just being a jerk in New Orleans. Your list of transgressions is long.”

“I guess I walked into that one,” he said, running a hand through his hair. “We both made mistakes in our relationship.”

“Some of us made more than others.”

“Wow. You’re just not letting go of any of it, are you?” He tossed his hands to his sides, slapping his thighs.

“Sorry. You’re the last person I expected to see. You kind of ruined my plans this week with this charter.”

“What plans? Did you have a hot date? Are you seeing someone? In a long-term, committed relationship?”

“Wow. And what if I am?”

“Are you?” he asked.

“No. But I did have plans.”

“Doing what, exactly? Because isn’t being on charter what you live for?” He groaned. “Sorry. Old habits die hard.”

“I guess they do,” she said. “I’m taking the written portion of my captain’s test next week. I wanted to use this time to study. You ruined that for me,” she said.

“I’m shocked you haven’t already taken it. You wanted to be a captain by now when we were together.”

“Another thing you fucked up for me.”

“How am I responsible for you not taking your test?”

“You’re not.” She huffed. “Other than it took me a little while to get my head on straight after we broke up.”

“I can relate to that,” he said. “I’m sure you’ll ace it. You’ll make a great captain.” He desperately wanted to pull her into his arms, hold her close to his chest and kiss her sweet, tender lips. Letting her go had been the dumbest thing he’d ever done.

No. Telling her to leave her career had been.

“You didn’t have that much faith in me when we were a couple.” She wrapped one arm around her middle and brought her thumb to her mouth. She swayed back and forth.

That always drove him mad with desire. “Yes, I did.”

“Really? Because near the end of our relationship, I seem to remember you telling me that my job was a waste of time and energy.”

“I didn’t mean it.”

“Then you shouldn’t have said it.”
Jen Talty. Sail With Me (Kindle Locations 665-706). Lady Boss Press, Inc.

That conversation almost led them to bed but common sense prevailed. At least for the moment.

Darcie enlists her brother Jared’s aid and he has better ways of finding out what Reid wants to know. Of course Jager is also going to get all protective of his sister with regard to Reid.

Once the charter leaves things get even more interesting. Not only in the information Reid finds but also with regard to Darcie. Let’s just say these two sizzle off the pages.

I couldn’t put this book down as the pieces come together, implicating more than just Preston.

I can’t wait to see what Jen comes up with next in this Universe.

5 Contented Purrs for Jen!

Jen Talty

Welcome to my World! I’m a USA Today Bestseller of Romantic Suspense, Contemporary Romance, and Paranormal Romance.

I first started writing while carting my kids to one hockey rink after the other, averaging 170 games per year between 3 kids in 2 countries and 5 states. My first book, IN TWO WEEKS was originally published in 2007. In 2010 I helped form a publishing company (Cool Gus Publishing) with NY Times Bestselling Author Bob Mayer where I ran the technical side of the business through 2016.

I’m currently enjoying the next phase of my life…the empty NESTER! My husband and I spend our winters in Jupiter, Florida and our summers in Rochester, NY. We have three amazing children who have all gone off to carve out their places in the world, while I continue to craft stories that I hope will make you readers feel good and put a smile on your face.