Pack your carry-on, buckle in and put those tray tables up -- Flying is a soaring ride of desire and determination, of the relentlessness of grief and the power of love to heal – when it's allowed to.
Love is not supposed to be the destination.
Stella flies standby every other weekend, finding the airport bar wherever she arrives and waiting for the right guy to come along. From businessmen to baggage handlers, each conquest brings a whole new meaning to the term layover. Every departure is the sweetest possible distraction from the life and memories she’s trying to forget.
When she meets the mysterious Matthew in Chicago, something about him tells Stella she’s not the only one running from the past. Their connection is instant, electric, volcanic – and for the first time, Stella wants a layover to turn into a roundtrip ticket.
Matthew and Stella have no trouble burning up the sheets, each passionate exchange leading the way to the next – but while their takeoff was perfect, turbulence constantly threatens their landing. With every step forward, Matthew seems to take two steps back. What began as a one-night stand has become so much more…and also so, so much less.
What secrets is Matthew hiding? How can Stella love a man who claims he wants her, but will not, in the end, actually take what she’s prepared to give? How long can one person love the other without being loved in return?
***The digital version contains the bonus story, LAYOVER
His name was Graham, and the first time she’d met him, he’d been blindfolded and at her mercy.
It’s been a year since Julia and Graham met during some trust exercises at a mutual work conference. A year of long-distance flirting that has never once crossed a line. Now, stranded in a layover in Graham’s home state, Julie takes the chance at reaching out – and is thrilled when Graham reaches back. Their mutual passion ignites, especially when Julia admits she likes to be on top, and Graham is more than happy for her to be there. Friendship eases into romance during one night’s layover that has the potential to become so much more.
