Burn

I see my friends falling in love. Head over heels, passionately, intensely, in love. And all I can think is how incredibly stupid they are. Love is the most dangerous thing there is, don't they know that? Love will break you. Love will take everything you care about. Love will erase you. I know this because I've lived it. There's nothing I want less in my life than love. And so far, I've done a damn good job of keeping people away. My friends don't really know me and I haven't spoken to my family in years. I use men when I need them because that's all they're good for. It's best to keep everyone at arm's length. Or better yet, a good mile or two. All of this was working brilliantly until Michael Sutherland snuck up on me. It happened so fast, so completely unexpectedly, that it was over before I knew what I'd done...I'd let someone see the real me. He cut straight through my barriers and lies as if they weren't even there, like some sort of superhuman god. And even worse? I think I liked it. I think...I think I liked finally being seen. It's unlocked something inside me that was better left buried and forgotten, and now I'm on the verge of being as supremely stupid as all my love-drunk friends...something Michael Sutherland seems damned determined to make a reality. ***Burn is a stand-alone novella in the Tease series.