River's Redemption — Anne Rainey

He'd make her his future…if only he could rewrite his past.

Before his adoptive parents stepped in, River's childhood was little more than hellish misery. He still has the demons to prove it. Too bad he can't seem to convince Jeanette Munroe that he's damaged goods, and anything beyond friendship is an act of futility.

He's done everything in his power to keep his ugly past from touching her sweet, innocent heart. Yet when he learns she's been mugged, nothing will keep him from her side. And soon all he can think about is stripping her bruised body naked.

Ever since she tripped over her clumsy ninth-grade feet and into his life, Jeanette has been secretly crazy about her best friend. To her frustration, he's never seemed to notice -- until he comes to her rescue like the white knight she's always believed him to be.

River never realized how deep and hard he hungered for Jeanette until her kiss, her touch sets his desire free. But as the heat between them rises to fever pitch, his secrets threaten to shatter any chance for a future.

Warning: Contains a green-eyed devil of a man with a tortured past, and a woman more than capable of chasing his nightmares away -- one scorching kiss at a time. May cause an uncontrollable desire to give or get a hickie.