Part 1 (1/2)

Sinner: A Bad Boy Next Door Romance.

A Shelter Harbor Novel.

Aubrey Irons.

I'm going to make this angel fall from grace.

She's my sweet temptation. The apple in the garden. Original sin.

Prim, proper, preacher's daughter, saving-herself-for-marriage Evangeline Ellis.

She's too inexperienced. Too innocent. Too pure.

But I'm going to take that pristine purity and I'm going to make it filthy with l.u.s.t. I'm going to make it mine, and she's going to beg me for more.

She's only in Shelter Harbor for a few weeks. Her father's already promised her to a man she's never even met.

But she's down the street from my bar, tempting me every time I think about her, and I'm losing my power to resist.

The h.e.l.l with the consequences, with her being off-limits, and with her being promised to someone else.

I'd say someone should have warned her about a guy like me, but then, someone did.

I warned her.

If this is sin, take me to h.e.l.l, because I'll be d.a.m.ned if I let her go.

Copyright 2016 Aubrey Irons.

To Sister Rosa. I know you're reading this, you saucy minx.

Also, to Dusty Springfield, of course.

Author's Note.

”The only boy who could ever reach me was the son of a preacher man.”

-Dusty Springfield.

This book a.s.sumes nothing, and preaches nothing. Though Sinner does touch on the subject of religion, it is not my intent or desire to offend any of my readers.

Initially, I was undecided about going forward with the religious subject matter - however mild - of this book. But, it was the memory of secretly catching Sister Rosa, my english teacher from high school, reading a Harlequin romance hidden behind a copy of Pride and Prejudice before 5th period that ultimately swung my decision. And if Sister Rosa of all people could still find s.p.a.ce in her faith to read bodice rippers, well, that's good enough for me.

Because whatever else your beliefs or creeds, I think if you're reading this book, we can all safely a.s.sume that we believe in love, and d.a.m.n do we have faith in the happy ever after.

As a quick note: the Shelter Harbor books can be read in any order. While Thief was published first, and does in fact take place before the events of Sinner, they are written to be entirely stand alone stories.

Also, as a very special thank you, there are some special features included in the back of this new-release edition of this book!

Please know that Sinner itself takes up roughly the first 35% of this book file (it's a full-length, 75k word novel), which means around 65% of the book in your hands is taken up by additional content. Rivals: An Enemies To Lovers Romance, as well as Heat: A Second Chance Romance, immediately follow the ending of Sinner in this book file. I've also included a 4-chapter preview of Thief: A Second Chance Romance, which is getting it's very own re-release on January 9th, 2017 with a new cover and previously deleted scenes.

Thanks so much for reading, and I do hope you enjoy the sinfully wicked Rowan Hammond.

Prologue.

Rowan.

”Oh, G.o.d.”

The words drip like honey from her lips - a hushed, gasping prayer to the darkness surrounding us.

Her fingers dig into my skin, her legs tighten on my hips, and her eyes go wide - big blue pools blinking up at me. I move in, my lips grazing the hollow of her neck, groaning as I inhale her heat and her scent and her whispered moan. Her chest rises and falls against mine, and the silver of the cross nestled between her b.r.e.a.s.t.s catches my eye.

A sharp reminder of the sin we're committing.

This girl is my vice.

She's sweet temptation. The apple in the garden. Original sin, writhing beneath me, clutching at my shoulders, and letting my name fall from her lips.

And this is so wrong. Even I know that. She's too inexperienced for this. For me.

Too innocent. Too pristine. Too pure.

She's got no business with a guy like me. And I'd say someone should have warned her, but then, someone did.

I warned her.

She ignored that warning, and now? Now I'm going to show her how dirty it is down here with the sinners. I'm going to take that innocence all over again. I'm going to take that purity and I'm going to make it mine.

I move from her neck and sear my lips to hers. It's a hard, punis.h.i.+ng, kiss. It's penance.

Absolution in advance of the sin.

I pull away, my hand sliding up to cup her jaw. The gasp hitches in her throat - her lip twists and half-catches between her teeth and I f.u.c.king growl.

I want this, consequences be d.a.m.ned.

Her being off limits be d.a.m.ned.