Depths of Lake

It was another day at the ranch, training horses and working fifteen hour days. And then the last person I ever expected showed up. Lake McCain: a Marine, tall, ripped-and the best friend of my dead fiance. Cal died to save Lake, and now Lake claims that he carries a debt to me that he can never repay. I wanted to brush him off. But then my mom, the manager of the ranch, went and hired him. We spend hours working together with the horses. Lake doesn't say much. He's layered and dark and he tries to seem shallow and simple. But he isn't. There are things under his surface that matter. He works, quiet and strong, and never once lets me down. Until he confesses that he may be falling in love with me. I can't deny that there is something between us. But a relationship? I just can't. I've used up all my chances at love. My past relationships have ended in death or disaster, and now I have to live with all of that. I'm Riley James, and there are depths to Lake-depths to myself-that I don't think I'll ever fully understand."