Fear of Falling

you so much!
    To my awesome formatter, Julie Titus of JT Formatting, thank you for being so patient with me and going above and beyond to create such a beautiful interior. You rock!
    To all the amaze-balls blogs and book pages out there that have supported me from day one: THESUBCLUB books, Mommy’s Reads & Treats, First Class Books, The Book Blog, Natasha is a Book Junkie, Kindlehooked, Smut Book Club, The Rock Stars of Romance, Swoon Worthy, Angie’s Dreamy Reads… there are honestly too many to name! I want to thank you ALL for everything you do for the indie community. Without you, we’d all be crazy people, peddling our books on the side of the road.
    Most importantly, and I mean that from the bottom of my heart, I want to thank the readers. YOU all are why I do this. YOU have given me the platform to tell my stories. Thank you. A hundred times, thank you.
    -S

Continue on to read a preview of
    New York Times and USA Today Bestselling author,
    Gail McHugh’s, COLLIDE .

    (Collide is book one of a two part series. Pulse , the sequel, is available now)
    A missed first encounter…
    Colliding with a second chance…
    On the heels of graduating college and trying to cope with her mother’s death, Emily Cooper moves to New York City for a fresh start.
    While harboring secrets of his own, Dillon Parker takes care of Emily through her grief. Knowing he can’t live without her by his side, he’s sweet, thoughtful, and everything Emily has ever wanted in a man.
    Until she meets Gavin Blake—a rich and notorious playboy who is dangerously sexy and charming as hell. Emily tries to deny the instant connection she feels, but Mr. Tall, Dark, and Handsome is not inclined to let go so easily. Recovering from his own painful past, Gavin will stop at nothing to win Emily over.
    This unexpected encounter compels Emily to question her decisions, forcing her to make a choice that will destroy friendships, shatter hearts, and forever change her life.

Emily leaned her head against the taxi window, watching the city lights of Manhattan with tear-soaked eyes. In a blur, the look on Gavin’s face as he walked away from her a few hours before rushed through her mind. The closer she got to his building, and the further away she got from her past with Dillon, the more she felt as though her sanity and heart were hanging by a delicate thread. She shifted restlessly and her gaze fell on the glowing green light of the digital clock. It was nearly one o’clock in the morning. A glimmer of hope flooded her body, and she squeezed her eyes shut, praying Gavin would take her back. As the taxi pulled up in front of his high-rise, she reached in her purse and pulled out a wad of cash. After handing the unknown amount to the driver, she swung open the door and stepped onto the sidewalk.
    “Hey!” the Middle Eastern driver called. “You have to close the door, lady!”
    Emily heard his words but paid him no mind. Her fumbling feet pushed her forward, kept her moving toward what she hoped would be a new start. A new future with the man she knew she couldn’t live without. She pulled open the door and crossed the lobby. Sweat clung like decay across her flesh. With a trembling hand, she pressed the button for the elevator. Her nerves skyrocketed with love and anxiety. Once the elevator doors opened, she stepped inside and leaned against the wall, physically and mentally exhausted. As she tried to stop shaking, tears steadily fell. Unsure of Gavin’s reaction, Emily struggled to pull in a decent breath.
    She tried to tamp down the wicked emotions curling through her. The doors opened to what would either be a new beginning… or an end. Feet glued to the ground, she stood frozen for a moment, her eyes trained on the wall across the hallway. Vaguely aware of the elevator doors gliding closed, she became dizzy as she lifted her hand to hold it open. Slowly, she stepped out. Her vision tunneled as she turned toward Gavin’s penthouse, and her mind spun out of control with every possible scenario. She strained to focus on his words from earlier, allowing her fear to wane as her feet led her closer. Her pace quickened with every step.
    Once she reached his unit, her fears returned with a vengeance, anchoring heavily in her chest. With trepidation, she knocked on his door, each knock mimicking the fierce pounding of her heart. She wiped away tears as her body trembled from head to toe. The minutes ticked by with no answer, and she knocked