Lovesick — Heather West

High risk, high rewardAn evening of gowns, masks, and romance - or escape, in Annabel Claremont's mind. The Claremont Anniversary Gala holds all the promise in the world for her tonight if she can just slip away from Cullen. But there's more in store for her than she realizes…Nothing will be the same after tonightIt was the perfect gambit - a little lie, and Jackson was in. In a sea of people, he was free to forget and finally unwind. Until he meets someone… a woman in red, whose very presence beckons him. Something in her calls to his soul, and Jackson Montgomery is dangerously close to the edge. Both of their worlds are about to turn upside-down…Nothing has ever made more sense than this. Annabel's plans go awry with the chance encounter of this handsome stranger, but when an opportunity presents itself, she'll do anything to take it… Even if it means risking everything. ExcerptThe motel room was small. Jackson reckoned that if he stretched out both his arms, he could almost touch the adjacent walls. The air smelt slightly stale with an underlying smoky odor. But with the curtains drawn and his car parked at the far end of the motel parking lot, they were away from prying eyes, they could talk, and Annabelle could open up to him and tell him what was going on. She perched on the end of the bed, her bag at her feet. For a while, she didn't say anything. Jackson didn't like how unbearably sad she seemed. He wandered out to the vending machine and bought them back some cans of soda and some snacks. She gratefully accepted them, but remained on the end of the bed, not even turning on the television. "We don't have to talk," Jackson told her softly as he lowered himself to sit beside her. He reached out and placed one hand over hers and squeezed."No, we need to talk," Annabelle told him, taking a sharp intake of breath. "But first, you need to know who I am.