Madison Phillips had never felt more out of place than she did at her brother's homecoming party. There were couples everywhere, but she was on her own, again. She was thinking about her great escape when Gabriel Martinez found her. She hadn't seen him in years, and couldn't help noticing how nice he had turned out. Then and there she decided that he would be her rebound man, so she gave him her card for the grand opening. Maddie was opening a new coffee house, and was hoping to make her move on him when he came by. She couldn't believe it. Twice since Eric's party she had seen Gabe, and twice he had turned her down. Apparently her family was too important to him to risk it for casual sex, and he also felt their backgrounds were too different for them to blend.
While Gabe wouldn't sleep with her, he definitely was her hero. She was the victim of a robbery at her new shop after only being open for a couple of days, and knew the intruder planned to kill her if not for the interruption by Gabe and Eric. After the police left, Gabe brought Maddie to his house to stay with him. She was the only person that could identify the scum that held her up, and he had taken her identification during the robbery no doubt so he would know where she lived. The night she did a striptease for Gabe was the night both finally gave into the combustible passion brewing between them. Just as Maddie thought things were starting to settle down, the criminal was able to get to her again even while she was staying with Gabe, so he decided it was time to get her out of town. As their feelings continued to grow, their relationship changed, and Gabe just hoped he could keep his love safe, and that they could work out all the issues between them to find something long term.
Gabe and Maddie are an interesting couple. On paper, you wouldn't think they have a lot in common, but their vast multi layered differences actually compliment them as a couple. They both have to overcome past issues if they ever hope to have a future. This is a suspenseful story that keeps you on the edge of your seat until the very end. There is a wonderful balance between the steamy scenes and the well-written story.
