Henry Osbourne was the rich kid, Kory Summer had been admitted to their posh high school on a scholarship; Henry was not a snob, and he had liked Kory immediately. Now, getting her to talk to him was another story; Kory was the shy studious one. One day, Henry finally got up his nerve to talk to her and not wanting to waste a moment, he asked Kory to the prom. Ten long years ago, Kory had vanished. Kory had a great career in Boston, when she suddenly has to move back home to New York. And Henry would not let that second chance at love pass him over.
The first book I read by Alexa Riley was a cultural shock; I was unaware of the author's reputation as the queen of insta- everything and over-the-top romance. This time I came prepared. Besides, the promise of a virgin hero -- that elusive fictional character -- called to me like a mermaid to a sailor. No way would I let this book pass me by, for better or for worse. And oh my gosh, DON'T GO is so romantic! DON'T GO is so carefully written, that I could relate to Henry and Kory; Ms. Riley perfectly conveyed that sort of mad infatuation that only teenagers experience, but the remains that the very short time they spent together made me believe that Henry and Kory fell in love in only one day.
DON'T GO is what I would call an "accelerated novel"; yes, everything happens very quickly, but nothing is missing either. Both protagonists have solid backstories; the author gives us all the necessary details to make the story believable; it's very compact, but I would rather have this than yawn as I wait for things to happen. The editing is flawless; the writing fluid, modern, fresh and young, and I was ecstatic that Henry was an actual nice guy and so sweet. There was an honest-to- goodness misunderstanding, expeditiously and convincingly dealt with, and the romance was super sexy, playful, cute and sweet; the cherries on top were the wonderful little epilogues.
DON'T GO is a short novella, and even though it is book #3 in the For You series, it can totally be read as a standalone. So take a couple of hours out of your busy schedule and let this modern fairytale take you away from all the dreariness of reality and a shining example of what an author can accomplish when you get right to the point.
Not wanting to make the walk to the subway, I have the
doorman wave me down a cab. He motions to me a second later,
and I run out, jumping in as quick as possible, yet still
getting a little wet. The door shuts and I pull out my
compact and see my mascara has run a little. Apparently the
waterproof I'm testing isn't holding up so well. I'll need
to add that to my list.
I lean my head back, letting my eyes fall closed for just a
second. I stayed up way too late reading last night, and I
know I'm going to feel it for the rest of the day. I wish I
liked coffee like the rest of the world. It would be
wonderful to have something wake me up on a day like this.
Maybe I could try some hot cocoa for a sugar rush.
My eyes pop open when someone slides into the seat next to me.
"Hey, buddy, this one's taken!" the cab driver shouts.
I'm frozen as I focus on the man who's sitting next to me. I
can't even find words. Time has gone by, but I'd never
forget his eyes. They stare at me, and he seems to have the
same reaction. My heart starts to pound. Silence falls
between us for only a beat before he speaks.
"Take her where she needs to go, then drop me after." He
reaches into his back pocket and pulls out his wallet. He
hands the cab driver a stack of bills and the driver looks
at them before pulling away from the curb.
I'm still shocked that I'm sitting next to Henry. Part of me
wants to jump out of the cab. Another part of me wants to
pretend that I don't care. That this is a happy accident and
I've moved on.
Before I can react to him being in the cab with me, his
mouth is on mine, taking me by surprise. His full lips press
against mine as his hands go to my hair in a possessive
hold. His tongue pushes into my mouth demanding entry, and
my body obeys, giving him what he wants.
All the time that separated us falls away, and I melt. His
mouth makes love to mine, and for a single moment I give in
to what I've longed for, for over ten years.
But as all dreams do, this one comes to an end, and I
realize what's happening. Reality falls around us, and I
push against his chest, breaking our kiss, then smack him
right across the face. I take myself by surprise at the
action, but I don't apologize. I can't believe I really just
did that.
The sting of the slap lingers on my palm, and damn it, Henry
smiles at me, making me want to smack him again.
He's even more handsome than I remember, and I don't know if
that makes me hate him more or less. My eyes begin to water
as all the suppressed feelings I've had for him come rushing
forward.
"Don't," I snap.
"God, I've missed seeing your face," he says, ignoring my words.
He reaches out, tucking a lock of hair behind my ear. I
stare at him, still shocked to see him. How is this even
possible? The one person in all of New York I wanted to
avoid is sitting beside me in my taxi. The man I've dreamed
about for years. The man who shattered my heart and made me
never trust any man again. I'm a twenty-eight-year-old
virgin thanks to him, and I want to scream at him, but
instead I get lost in his eyes.
"I've missed you," he adds, and a tear slips down my face. I
swipe it away as fast as I can, hating that I gave him that.
I don't want him to know he has this effect on me.
To my shock, the taxi stops, and I see I'm at work. I jump
out, hoping to get away, but he follows suit, chasing after me.
"Kory! You're not getting away from me again. I can promise
you that," he yells from somewhere close behind me, but I
move faster, pushing through the doors of my building. I
scan my ID card to get through and hit the elevator button.
He keeps calling my name, and panic rises in my chest. I
push the button over and over like it will make the elevator
come faster. I've got to get away from him.
Too many emotions are pushing forward and I just need
distance. I feel like I can't breathe.
"Kory!" he barks again. I glance over my shoulder to see a
security guard pushing him back. The elevator doors finally
open and I flee inside, pushing the button for my floor.
When the doors close, relief floods me.
I can't believe what just happened. I fall back against the
elevator wall. My pounding heart finally starts to calm as I
reach my floor. I take a breath, trying to get myself
together. I step off the elevator and head for my office,
then drop off my bags at my desk before heading for the lab.
I want to get lost in my work and not think about Henry
Osbourne.
Henry.
The man I've dreamed about so many nights. The only man to
ever turn my head. The only man to ever take my heart.
I try to forget about the incident, but my mind keeps going
back to him. That kiss. How long have I wanted to know what
it would feel like for his lips to meet mine? God, I'm
ridiculous. How am I twenty-eight and just having my first
kiss? It's pathetic. What happened to being strong, Kory? I
scold myself. Maybe I've been lying to myself all this time.
I bet he's had hundreds of kisses. The thought makes my
stomach roll with nausea.
I hate the idea of him kissing other women. In school all
the girls wanted him, and they complained about how he never
dated. I think it's part of the reason why it drove them
crazy that he asked me to the prom. Not only was he set to
be one of the richest men in the world, but he ignored all
the girls. Except me. It made me feel special, and for a
short time, I let that feeling take hold.
I should've known it was too good to be trueβthe most
popular and most handsome boy in the school giving me attention.
A throat clears, making me looks up from what I'm doing.
Henry leans against the doorjamb, as casual as can be. As if
he owns the place.
I stand up and my mouth falls open. I'm shocked at how he
got in here. Everyone needs to be cleared and have a name
badge. Or so I thought.
"What are you doing in here?" I demand.
"You're not running from me anymore
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