Lean on Me by Franca Storm

The one that got away?
That doesn’t even begin to cover it.

Sophie Clinton was the golden girl.
The small-town sweetheart with big city dreams.
The one who’d managed to get out of our dead-end town.
And the woman who was haunting my every waking moment.

A year ago, I took her to my bed.
Whispered dirty things in her ear.
Treated her to even filthier things between the sheets.
And then I let her go.
She needed to spread her wings.
Mine were already clipped.

Now she’s back with her tail between her legs, undercutting my sacrifice.
The spark between us is hotter than ever.
She’s testing my control to its breaking point.
I want to stake my claim on her. Make her mine.
But I’d never forgive myself.
And neither would her brother.
She deserves better and I’m not the man to give her that.
I need to stay away.

But that’s much easier said than done.
After all, the road to hell is paved with good intentions.