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“Rae!”

Aout her nicknauards to ht know her so personally, she stopped between Glen and Derek and glanced in the opposite direction of where they’d been heading She frowned, taking in the other security guard posted at the entrance to the corridor and, beside hi man in a tuxedo

She took in his strong,wave of recognition, followed by a flood of memories that were so bittersweet she felt her breath catch

“Hold hiuard, clearly viewing this situation as a threat as he gently but fir”

Glen atteround

“Wait” Her voice was stern and loud enough to make her security detail halt, and as she tipped her head andthe tuxedo, a slow, disbelieving smile curved her lips

“Collin?” His name came out on an incredulous whisper

Upon her recognition, his tense shoulders relaxed a fraction, and the grin he gave her was just as sto and potent now as it had been all those years ago He’d definitely rown up next door to and into a devastatingly sexy eously defined and purely masculine The formal suit he wore accentuated his muscular frame, from his broad shoulders to his solid chest and down to a lean, trim waist

“Yeah, it’s me,” he said

“Oh, h her was like the infusion of happiness she needed so badly right now, and she shook off Glen’s hold on her arht to Collin

He watched her approach, a shadow of uncertainty in his gaze, and when Raevynn reached him, she didn’t hesitate to wrap her arht He stiffened in surprise, but then his hard, radually relaxed and he returned her e her close

She couldn’t remember the last time someone had held her so affectionately, and the seven years that had passed between them seemed to melt away He felt solid and warm and made her feel just as safe and secure as he used to when she ith hine and ainst his neck and breathe him in

“Rae” Her name was a husky whisper in her ear “II wasn’t sure what to expect I honestly thought you’d hate me”

She knew exactly what he was referring to, and it took her back to the exact day when he’d told her they were over for good That he was leaving for college soon and didn’t want to be tied down to a girl he’d only see a couple of ti the words had been gut-wrenchingly painful, especially co the genuine anguish in his eyes as he’d tried to end things had told her those were not the eer wanted her No, they’d been the emotions of someone who, quite possibly, had been forced to make a decision based on coercion

HerRaevynn had always questioned, but no one would ever confirm her suspicions when she’d asked Collin had denied that his reasons for breaking up with her were based on anythingtheir separate ways—hi her ht, either, other than Joyce telling Raevynn that Collin had done the right thing