I thought I was dreaming.

I could feel Beckett’s fingers in my hair. Combing softly the way he had always done before.

I didn’t want to open my eyes. Scared that I’d lose this sweet, lost moment the second I woke up.

The fingers stopped and I felt like crying. Missing the feel of him all over again.

“Corin.”

I opened my eyes. My ears ringing with the sound of a coarse, harsh voice I had begun to think I’d never hear again.

“Corin.”

I sat up, rubbing my face, barely able to believe what I was seeing.

A pair of beautiful blue eyes.

“So what do you say? Will you put me out of my misery and say yes? My knee really hurts.” Beckett made a face and I laughed.

“I think I’m going to make you stay like that for a little while,” I said seriously.

“Are you kidding me?”

“Sheesh, Beck, where’s the romance?” I joked, crossing my arms over my chest and leveling him with a stern glare.

Beckett grinned and I knew I’d never grow tired of seeing it.

Especially when I thought I would never get to see it again.

We had been given another chance.

Another chance to live.

“I didn’t think you would ever wake up. I thought I had lost you for good!” I sobbed, clutching Beck’s limp hand to my trembling mouth.

“You crazy, silly girl. Don’t you know that I’ll always come back to you?”

Beckett’s recovery had been long, but those months had solidified how much we meant to each other. And we had both come to accept that our lives would never be simple. They’d never be easy. But we’d embrace every single moment.

Because he had shown me that I couldn’t measure my life in increments. That I had to look at the big picture.

And for me, that was Beckett Kingsley.

“Stand up, will ya?” I told him. He got to his feet and he took my left hand, slipping a beautiful diamond ring onto my finger.

“Is that a yes? Because I’ve already put the ring on and I’m not taking it off.”

I felt my butterflies fluttering wildly inside me. Taking flight.

Taking me home.

Beckett had quit his job as a sales manager and had taken a full-time position with the local paper as a staff photographer. We planned to buy a vacation house by the ocean so Beck could have his beach and take his pictures and I could still have my studio.

I had moved in with him only weeks after he had been discharged from the hospital. It couldn’t happen soon enough for either of us. Mr. Bingley hadn’t been particularly thrilled with the change in environment and had taken to shredding Beck’s socks. Beckett was still learning to deal with my cat taking over our bed and using his underwear drawer as a napping spot.

But we compromised. We met halfway. We were navigating the waters of our less-than-conventional relationship in the only way that we could.

Together.

I looked up into the face of the man I loved and almost lost, knowing that he had always been right.

I couldn’t go through life always looking toward the end.

Waiting for the other shoe to drop.

I had to be happy with the right now.

The butterflies in my chest took flight. No longer scary, terrifying things, now they only reminded me that I had everything to live for.

Beckett took my face between his hands and gently pressed his lips to mine. I loved the taste of him.

It tasted like a future.

“I love you,” I told him.

“I love you, Corin,” he whispered. He kissed me. The best kind of kiss. Full of promises that would be kept. “So what do you say? Will you marry me?”

With eyes dancing I gave him the only answer I could.

The answer we had both been waiting for.

“Sure.”

For my mom. You taught me to embrace every moment. I love you.

Acknowledgments

I love this part. Saying thank you.

To Ian and Gwyn, your support makes this journey possible. You are my life.

To Kristy, my PA and dear, dear friend, your support means more than I could ever say.

To Michelle, agent extraordinaire, thank you for all the things you do. This ride has been so much smoother having you there.

To Sue, my amazing editor at Loveswept, thank you for taking a chance on Corin and Beckett. Your input has been invaluable in making this story what it is. And to all the fantastic people at Random House, thank you for everything!

To my girls, my awesome critique group—Amy, Tonya, Claire, Stacey, Kelsie, and Brittainy—you rock my world! I love each of you so darn much!

To all the bloggers who have supported me, who have spread the word, who have shared my stories, I couldn’t do this without you!

And most important, to my readers, thank you for taking this journey with me. You are why I write these stories.

BY A. MEREDITH WALTERS

Find You in the Dark

Light in the Shadows

Bad Rep

Perfect Regret

Seductive Chaos

Desperate Chances

Lead Me Not

Follow Me Back

Reclaiming the Sand

Chasing the Tide

The Contradiction of Solitude

The Missing Volumes I–III

Butterfly Dreams

About the Author

A. MEREDITH WALTERS is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of new adult and contemporary romance novels, including Bad Rep, Reclaiming the Sand, the Twisted Love series, and the Find You in the Dark series. Before becoming a full-time writer, she worked as a counselor for troubled and abused children and teens. She currently lives in England with her husband and daughter. You can find out more about Meredith and her books by visiting her website and following her on Facebook and Twitter.

ameredithwalters.com

@authoramwalters

The Editor’s Corner

Thirty days hath September, April, June, and November…wait, it is November, and Loveswept is releasing some of our best books of the year! Check out these fabulous romances:

New York Times bestselling author Marquita Valentine releases her second new novel in her Boys of the South spin-off series Take the Fall series with When We Fall, in which a small-town sweetheart takes a chance on the bad boy who’s always been her hottest fantasy. Another Loveswept New York Times bestselling author, Tracy Wolff introduces her new Hotwired series with Accelerate, where an unassuming passenger is taken for the ride of her life. New York Times bestselling author A. Meredith Walters releases a powerful romance akin to The Fault in Our Stars with Butterfly Dreams. Then, welcome to Thistle Bend! A charming series debut from Tracy March, Should’ve Said No introduces a small town where old secrets are revealed—and wounded hearts are opened to new love. And in a short novel, Rebecca Rogers Maher’s Rolling in the Deep, two kindred spirits share a winning lottery ticket—and discover what it really means to get lucky.