There’s nothing wrong with a harmless little crush, right? And who better to crush on than the gorgeous man next door? The one who would never look twice in my direction. Except he does. The first time he pins me in place with his dark gaze, I’m rendered speechless. The first time he lays his hands on me, I melt. And the first time he takes me, well…I fall to pieces, wondering if I’ll ever be the same again. Everything about him screams danger. And yet I’d be lying through my teeth if I didn’t admit that was part of the attraction. Chicago is supposed to be a new beginning for me. A chance to find my bearings and live again. The man next door is the last person I should be getting involved with. And yet, here I am. A moth dancing too close to the flickering flame, hoping I don’t get torched.

He's a temptation I can't afford. Last year, I tanked my freshman year at college. It was nothing short of an epic fail. Instead of focusing on my classes and hockey, I cracked under the pressure and lost everything important to me. Nine months later, I’ve pulled myself together and am at a new university. A place where no one knows about my anxiety or how I totally went off the rails. It’s a fresh start where I can get my life back on track and prove to my family that I’m not a screw up. This year, I’m focused on academics. Sure, I’ll humor my roommate, Brooklyn, by going to a party or two, but I’m not about to make the same mistake twice by becoming unfocused. Unfortunately, someone should have mentioned that to a certain hockey playing hottie. He just won’t take a hint and leave me alone. As much as I hate to admit it, if I had a type, Cole Mathews would fit it to a T with his dark shaggy hair, golden-brown eyes, muscular arms, and damnable dimples. Oh, and did I happen to mention his wide chest? Yeah…totally dreamy. Er, if I were the dreamy sort, that is. Thank goodness I’m not. To make matters worse, he’s ridiculously easy going. And yeah, nice. Definitely kryptonite. Which makes him much too dangerous for me and this year, I’m smart enough to realize it.

Sharing my past was the easy part. Working through the issues that stand in our way could be the end of us. Even though I told myself there wasn’t room for love in my life when I had so much to prove, I couldn’t help but fall for Cole Mathews. With his gorgeous, whiskey-colored eyes, dark shaggy hair, and dimples to die for, Cole is everything I never expected to find. And he just so happens to be one of the nicest guys I’ve ever met. Just when our relationship couldn’t feel more perfect, someone from my past unexpectedly shows up at Western. Luke Wellington is the one guy who saw me at my worst last year. He’s also the one who can ruin all the painstaking progress I’ve made this semester. But I’m not the only one with someone from my past crashing into our future. Cole’s ex-girlfriend, Jackie, is back in town and she’s here to stay. Once upon a time, Jackie and Cole were best friends and first loves. Jackie may have hurt Cole, but they have a lifetime of friendship and memories that are impossible to compete with. Only now do I realize that telling Cole about my past was the easy part. Working through all the issues that now stand in our way could be the end of us.

The moment I saw here, I knew that she had the power to destroy everything I'd spent years trying to accomplish. And I can't allow that to happen. Sofia I’ve made it a point to steer clear of the men who work for my father. I have no intention of getting tangled up in that lifestyle. But there’s something about Roman, an irrepressible energy that snaps and sizzles between us. The weight of his stare makes the nerve endings under my skin prickle with awareness. From the moment we met, his dislike was palpable. And nothing has changed in the three years I’ve known him. If I were smart, I’d stay away. But I’m not smart. I’ve proven that time and time again where this man is concerned. Roman Most days, I’m barely civil to her, because I know all hell will break loose once the floodgates open. When Sofia should be the last thing I’m thinking about, she’ll relentlessly push her way inside my head. Nothing I’ve found douses the combustible energy that flares to life between us. It’s as frustrating as it is dangerous. I’m like a moth dancing too close to the flickering flames. One of these days I’m going to get burned. Or end up with a bullet in my head.