Molly has lived with rheumatoid arthritis since she was five. At twenty-five, she's mastered her pain, managed her limitations, and convinced herself that independence means never needing anyone, especially not romantically. No one wants damaged goods.
Then a chance encounter at a traffic light changes everything. Brock Owens recognizes the telltale signs of her illness immediately—he lost his sister to the same disease. But where Molly expects pity, she finds something far more dangerous: genuine interest.
He sees her courage, her strength, her refusal to be defined by her diagnosis. He sees the woman she's too afraid to believe she is. And he's falling for her.
But Molly's spent twenty years building walls to protect herself from rejection. Letting him in means risking the thing she fears most, being loved, then left when her illness becomes too much to bear.
Real love doesn't see obstacles. It sees worth.
Award-winning author Mel Teshco writes the kind of scorching hot contemporary and science fiction romance she loves to devour herself—stories where passion collides with adventure and hearts are won against impossible odds.
When she's not crafting her next steamy page-turner, you'll find her gazing out her office window at fourteen acres of Australian paradise, complete with breathtaking mountain views that inspire her most romantic scenes. Her writing companions include seven rescue cats (former foster babies who decided to stay), two loyal dogs, and one majestic horse—though they all compete for attention with her three daughters and two grandchildren who keep life delightfully chaotic.
Her patient husband is still waiting for retirement, but Mel's too busy falling in love with new characters to slow down anytime soon.