Chapter 1

I had always believed in happily ever after, until Hunter the rat bastard Willis left me at the altar on our wedding day.

We had been living together for three years, had two dogs, and a condo to die for. What else was there to do but marry? Seal the deal?

Apparently he didn’t feel the same way because I stood at the altar in New York, wearing my black expensivetuxedo and my tight Italian shoes, listening while my soon-to-be ex-almost-husband told the priest and all our friends that he just couldn’t do it and he didn’t love me anymore. In shock and beyond heart-broken, I watched him walk away, dreams shattered and tears streaming down my face. Two weeks later, he was shacked up with someone ‘new,’ the hussy. Apparently he had been secretly fucking some little twink from his job and didn’t fucking have the guts to break up with me before the ceremony. Thoughtless, heartless bastard!

Of course, you realize I had to pay for everything. He’s gone and all that’s left of him is the bill. He even took the dogs. I thought he was the one. How could I have been so wrong?

* * * *

We met at a party in East Atlanta. Brenda, one of my best friends, was having a housewarming get-together and I had been coerced into attending. Body parts had been threatened. She had just married her childhood sweetheart, Melissa, in New York, and they were enjoying a hers and hers moment. There were a lot of people there I didn’t know. It had been a long dry spell for me at this point and I wasn’t in a rush to meet someone new, but sex was always good. Brenda, it turned out, had other ideas. I bet she regrets it now.

Anyway, by the time I arrived, the party was in full swing. I gave Brenda and Melissa hugs and kisses and congratulated them on the house.

“It’s beautiful, just like the two of you,” I said with a wink.

Brenda rolled her eyes. “Whatever, Cole. You just want me to introduce you to hot men.”

“Well, duh, sex is good and it’s been too long,” I responded with my own eye roll.

“You look good,” she said. “That purple shirt looks good on you. Are those jeans new?”

“Yup, got them at Macy’s last week.” I handed my gift to Melissa. “I’m going to mingle and find someone hot to fuck. Later, girls.” I wandered the room, scoping out prospects. “Hey, Jeremy,” I called out.

Jeremy Sultan was in my book club—the club I hadn’t attended in months because of late work nights. Nice guy, kind of cute in a geeky way with the freckles on his nose and thick auburn hair and steel grey eyes. He was about my height and size, a little lanky.

“Cole! What’s up, my man? Did you finish the Dan Brown book?” he asked, eyes bright and twinkling.

“Nope. Still working on it. I might have to miss the next meeting—again. Been too busy at work. Late hours. You know how it goes. Is it good?”

“Hell yeah! If you want, I can give you a summary of it so you don’t have to miss the next meeting. You’ll be prepared. Plus, it’s at my house. I’ll even let you cheat,” he said with a smile. He had a nice smile, even teeth.

“Ha! You’re too good to me. I’ll let you know, okay? Thanks for the offer.”

“Hey, no problem, man. Anytime.” With that, Jeremy wandered off to talk to someone else he knew on the other side of the room.

I headed over to the punch bowl and poured myself a drink. On tasting it, I shuddered. Why does Brenda always make this stuff so strong? You could get drunk just from the fumes. Deciding to just sip it for the rest of the night, I turned around and almost bumped into someone behind me. Reaching out a hand to steady myself, I started to apologize. I froze upon seeing the hottest man in existence.

He had green eyes, short black hair, and was about six-foot-two to my five-foot-ten inches in height. Handsome as sin, he had dimples cut into his cheeks and a cleft chin. Broad shoulders filled out a tight green Polo shirt that emphasized his flat stomach. Dark blue jeans encased sinfully long legs and made my mouth water.

Damn, he’s hot!

The vision before me chuckled, and I realized I had said that out loud. Damn Brenda and her punch!

“Okay,” I said, recovering my dignity. “Now that I’ve embarrassed myself, it’s your turn.”

“Oh, no,” said the vision. “I’m having too much fun watching you.”

With a put upon sigh, I held out my hand and said, “Just my luck. All right, the least I can do is introduce myself. Cole Altridge. And you are?”

Moving his punch glass to his left hand, he shook mine and replied, “Hunter Willis. Pleased to meet you.”

“So, now that we’ve been introduced, tell me, how do you know Brenda or Melissa?” I asked, releasing his hand reluctantly.