“From the moment the characters met I was gripped andcouldn’t wait for the moment that it all made sense to them both and they wouldfinally go for it. Once again, Aurora Rey writes some of the steamiest sexscenes I have read whilst being able to keeping the romance going. I reallythink this could be one of my favorite series and can’t wait to see what comesnext. Keep ’em coming, Aurora.”—LesRêveur
Crescent City Confidential—LambdaLiterary Award Finalist
“This book blew my socks off. …[Crescent City Confidential] ticks all theboxes I’ve started to expect from Aurora Rey. It is written very well and thecharacters are extremely well developed; I felt like I was getting to know newfriends and my excitement grew with every finished chapter.”—Les Rêveur
“This book will make you want to visit New Orleans if youhave never been. I enjoy descriptive writing and Rey does a really wonderfuljob of creating the setting. You actually feel like you know the place.”—Amanda’s Reviews
“CrescentCity Confidential pulled me into the wonderful sights, sounds andsmells of New Orleans. I was totally captivated by the city and the story ofmystery writer Sam and her growing love for the place and for a certain lady.…It was slow burning but romantic and sexy too. A mystery thrown into the mixreally piqued my interest.”—KittyKat’s Book Review Blog
“CrescentCity Confidential is a sweet romance with a hint of thriller thrownin for good measure.”—LesbianReview
Built to Last
“Rey’s frothy contemporary romance brings two women togetherto restore an ancient farmhouse in Ithaca, N.Y. …[T]he women totally click inbed, as well as when they’re poring over paint chips, and readers will enjoyfinding out whether love conquers all.”—PublishersWeekly
“Builtto Last by Aurora Rey is a contemporary lesbian romance novel and avery sweet summer read. I love, love, love the way Ms Rey writes bedroom scenesand I’m not talking about how she describes the furniture.”—Lesbian Review
Winter’s Harbor
“This is the story of Lia and Alex and the beautifullyromantic and sexy tale of a winter in Provincetown, a seaside holiday haven. Acollection of interesting characters, well-fleshed out, as well as a gorgeoussetting make for a great read.”—InkedRainbow Reads
“Winter’sHarbor is a charming story. It is a sweet, gentle romance with justenough angst to keep you turning the pages. …I adore Rey’s characters and thepicture she paints of Provincetown was lovely.”—Lesbian Review
“One of my all time favourite Lesbian romance novels andprobably the most reread book on my Kindle. …Absolutely love this debut novelby Aurora Rey and couldn’t put the book down from the moment the mainprotagonists meet. Winter’sHarbor was written beautifully and it was full of heart.Unequivocally 5 stars.”—LesRêveur
Twice Shy
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Please respect the rights of the author and do not fileshare.
Twice Shy
© 2020 By Aurora Rey. All Rights Reserved.
ISBN 13: 978-1-63555-738-1
This Electronic Original Is Published By
Bold Strokes Books, Inc.
P.O. Box 249
Valley Falls, NY 12185
First Edition: October 2020
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, andincidents are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously.Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments,events, or locales is entirely coincidental.
This book, or parts thereof, may not be reproduced in any formwithout permission.
Credits
Editors: Ashley Tillman and Cindy Cresap
Production Design: Susan Ramundo
Cover Design By Tammy Seidick
eBook Design By Toni Whitaker
By the Author
Cape End Romances:
Winter’s Harbor
Summer’s Cove
Spring’s Wake
Autumn’s Light
Built to Last
Crescent City Confidential
Lead Counsel (Novella in The Boss of Her collection)
Recipe for Love: A Farm-to-Table Romance
The Inn at Netherfield Green
Ice on Wheels (Novella in Hot Ice collection)
The Last Place You Look
Twice Shy
Acknowledgments
In the acknowledgments for TheLast Place You Look, I said, “I have a running joke that, when youread one of my books, you’re getting a glimpse into what was going on in mylife the year before.” It makes me feel like I should lead with a disclaimer:No affairs with exes went into the making of this book. I do have a couple ofgreat exes, though, and I owe a lot of who I am to the relationships we had andcontinue to have.
So much love, respect, and gratitude to everyone at Bold StrokesBooks. You’ve helped me grow as a writer and as a person and I love that youcare about both the art and business of books. Ash, you remain at the top ofthe list. Thank you for indulging me but also not hesitating to call me out.
Finally, thank you to everyone who has given me the gift ofbuying and reading my books, and for the kind words and encouragement along theway. You’ve given me more joy than you know.
Dedication
For all the iffy decisions that help us get where we need to be
Chapter One
“How long have you been waiting for this?”
Amanda Russo regarded her best friend and did a mentalcalculation. “Ten years? Pretty much since the divorce.”
Erin nodded. “Fucking Mel.”
She snickered. It was Erin’s stock reply anytime anyonereferenced Amanda’s ex. Even though she and Mel were on good terms at thispoint, she appreciated the loyalty. “But if she hadn’t left, we might still betogether. Just think how wretched that would be.”
It was her standard answer, a reminder to herself as much as anattempt to soften the insult.
“So wise. So mature. So you.” Erin bowed, her way of concedingthe point. “Enough about her. Tell me everything.”
Amanda took a deep breath and looked around the small eating areaof her bakery. It held exactly five tables, each with two chairs. Another fivechairs lined the wall and could be squeezed in here and there. But if they allhappened to be in use, things got uncomfortably tight. Okay, fire code capacitytight.
Not for long. She’d bought the building so she could expand intothe empty storefront next door, meaning more seating than she could possiblyneed and twice as much kitchen space. The prospect thrilled and slightlyterrified her. “I’m meeting with the architect tomorrow.”
Erin clapped her hands together and rubbed them in
