The Longer They Last

By Roxanne D. Howard

NOTHING COULD BE MORE PERFECT...UNTIL IT ISN'T

Piper is one loved-up woman after her romantic getaway with Jack on Catalina Island. Given all they've been through, she's amazed their love has thrived...and continues to sizzle. While heading home on Jack's yacht, he receives a distress call from an old friend, which leads to trying to free a trapped, massive blue whale that turns into a dangerous struggle for life or death - their own. Top it off with one shocking discovery, and suddenly the word "forever" seems all too real.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Boroughs Publishing Group
• Release date: Jan 8, 2019
• ISBN: 9781948029575

Roxanne D. Howard

Roxanne D. Howard is a U.S. Army veteran, and a Columbia College alumni. She loves to read books in every genre, and she is an avid Star Wars fan, musical theater nut, and marine biology geek. Roxanne resides in the western U.S., and when she's not writing, she enjoys spending quality time with her husband, children, and furry companions. Roxanne loves to hear from her readers, and encourages you to contact her via her website and social media.

Book preview

NOTHING COULD BE MORE PERFECT...UNTIL IT ISN'T

Piper is one loved-up woman after her romantic getaway with Jack on Catalina Island. Given all they've been through, she's amazed their love has thrived...and continues to sizzle. While heading home on Jack's yacht, he receives a distress call from an old friend, which leads to trying to free a trapped, massive blue whale that turns into a dangerous struggle for life or death - their own. Top it off with one shocking discovery, and suddenly the word forever seems all too real.

THE LONGER THEY LAST

Roxanne D. Howard

www.BOROUGHSPUBLISHINGGROUP.com

PUBLISHER’S NOTE: This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, business establishments or persons, living or dead, is coincidental. Boroughs Publishing Group does not have any control over and does not assume responsibility for author or third-party websites, blogs or critiques or their content.

THE LONGER THEY LAST

Copyright © 2018 Haley Cavanagh

Smashwords Edition

All rights reserved. Unless specifically noted, no part of this publication may be reproduced, scanned, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of Boroughs Publishing Group. The scanning, uploading and distribution of this book via the Internet or by any other means without the permission of Boroughs Publishing Group is illegal and punishable by law. Participation in the piracy of copyrighted materials violates the author’s rights.

ISBN 978-1-948029-57-5

E-book formatting by Maureen Cutajar

www.gopublished.com

For Mark and Katrina, who sail through life with courage and kindness

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

A special thanks to Natalie and Bianca Duarte, who gave Piper and Jack a face through their stunning character art.

To my editor, who sprinkled her magic red quill over the parchment once again. I will always be grateful to have been able to work with you on these books. Thank you to all the artists, editors, and management at Boroughs Publishing for giving my work a home and lending their time and talents to this series.

I’m so thankful for my husband and children, who continue to uplift me every day.

This series was inspired by time well spent out on the ocean with my family, going on various whale-watching tours off the coast of Costa Mesa, California. I’m so grateful for the men and women who host these tours and give others the opportunity to see how free and happy whales and dolphins are outside of captivity. Instead of an orchestrated show with a stressed-out and overly trained orca like you might find at a popular sea adventure park, hundreds of dolphins leap in and out of the water in synchrony, and beautiful humpback and blue whales swim free and dance in the ocean.

It’s beyond moving to see these amazing creatures wild and free, and I’m grateful for all the time and dedicated efforts of those who work to restore the coral reefs and protect our oceans.

CONTENTS

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

About the Author

THE LONGER THEY LAST

Chapter One

Piper’s mother often said the smallest things can cause the biggest problems. Of course, her advice was in reference to attitudes and letting go of gripes in general, but never did the phrase ring truer than this morning. Jack had hopped in the shower in their hotel room, and Piper spotted his tux jacket on the back of a chair. She lifted the jacket and hung it in a suit bag. As she zipped the bag closed, a small black object fell out. She retrieved it and gasped at the closed, velvet ring box─ threat-level Pandora in the palm of her hand.

Piper shook herself out of her daydream and released the docking line from its cleat on the back of the cruiser yacht. She’d returned the ring box to Jack’s jacket as soon as she’d found it, without so much as a word about it. But holy hell, the concept of him proposing terrified her. He wanted to get married this soon? They’d barely gotten back together. She’d get her head around it later. Right now, they needed to set sail.

Last line’s cast off, Jack, she called over her shoulder. Jack hollered back in response, and she took one last look at the pretty shoreline of Catalina Island. In stressful times, there were certain places one could visit in one’s imagination, special memories that brought peace or a wistful smile to one’s face when the sights, smells, and tastes were recalled. Catalina would forever be such a place for her, wherever her road in life with Jack took her.

She turned around and walked through the semi-shade of the deck lounge to the helm where Jack stood and checked their bearings. Despite the uncertainty of what she’d found this morning, a pleasant warmth spread inside her at the sight of his impressive muscular frame beneath the outline of his loose white shirt. She rubbed a little hand sanitizer into her palms as he reversed out of the dock. He glanced at her, and she kissed his cheek. Greatest holiday ever. Thank you for kidnapping me. Now, back to reality.

Jack’s thick brown hair lifted with the light breeze as he turned the boat. Bah. Reality’s overrated. I did a sweep of the entire yacht, every nook and cranny. I’m pleased to report no runaway convicts or stowaways aboard.

Thank God. Though I have to admit, Diego did ramp up the excitement. It wouldn’t have been the same without him.

Oh, come on. Is sex with me really that bad?

She shook her head and grinned. Yes. Anyway, we’ll have to send him a cupcake in prison when we get back.

As long as it doesn’t have a nail file in it. He winked. I love it when you wear your curls loose, by the way. It looks nice.

She rewarded him with a radiant smile. He’d made it his mission to please her in every possible way since they’d come to Catalina, and it left her feeling pampered and relaxed. Thank you. I like this open-throated pirate look you’ve got going on.

I wonder why.

No idea. She slid her palm over the warm flesh of his broad chest.

He kept his gaze on the ocean but rubbed the tops of her fingers with his free hand.

The waves are calm. I didn’t expect that. Ready for your New Year’s broadcast tonight?

"As ready as I’ll ever be, I guess. I’ve watched the ball