Letting Go
Authors: Maya Banks
PRAISE FOR THE NOVELS OF
MAYA BANKS
“Incredibly awesome . . . I love Maya Banks and I love her books.”
—Jaci Burton,
New York Times
bestselling author
“Maya Banks writes the kind of books I love to read!”
—Lora Leigh, #1
New York Times
bestselling author
“Maya Banks . . . really dragged me through the gamut of emotions. From . . . ‘is it hot in here?’ to ‘oh my
god
’ . . . I’m ready for the next ride now!”
—
USA Today
“[A] one-two punch of entertainment that will leave readers eager for the next book.”
—
Publishers Weekly
“For those who like it naughty, dirty and do-me-on-the-desk hawt!”
—Examiner.com
“A cross between the
Bared to You
or Fifty Shades series and the Wicked Lovers series by Shayla Black.”
—
Book Savvy Babe
“Hot enough to make even the coolest reader sweat!”
—
Fresh Fiction
“Grabbed me from page one and refused to let go until I read the last word.”
—
Joyfully Reviewed
“A must-read author . . . her [stories] are always full of emotional situations, lovable characters and kick-butt story lines.”
—
Romance Junkies
Titles by Maya Banks
FOR HER PLEASURE
BE WITH ME
The Sweet Series
SWEET SURRENDER
SWEET PERSUASION
SWEET SEDUCTION
SWEET TEMPTATION
SWEET POSSESSION
SWEET ADDICTION
The Kelly/KGI Series
THE DARKEST HOUR
NO PLACE TO RUN
HIDDEN AWAY
WHISPERS IN THE DARK
ECHOES AT DAWN
SHADES OF GRAY
FORGED IN STEELE
AFTER THE STORM
Colters’ Legacy
COLTERS’ PROMISE
COLTERS’ GIFT
The Breathless Trilogy
RUSH
FEVER
BURN
The Surrender Trilogy
LETTING GO
Anthologies
FOUR PLAY
(with Shayla Black)
MEN OUT OF UNIFORM
(with Karin Tabke and Sylvia Day)
CHERISHED
(with Lauren Dane)
Specials
PILLOW TALK
THE BERKLEY PUBLISHING GROUP
Published by the Penguin Group
Penguin Group (USA) LLC
375 Hudson Street, New York, New York 10014
USA • Canada • UK • Ireland • Australia • New Zealand • India • South Africa • China
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LETTING GO
This book is an original publication of The Berkley Publishing Group.
Copyright © 2014 by Maya Banks.
Excerpt from
Giving In
by Maya Banks copyright © 2014 by Maya Banks.
Penguin supports copyright. Copyright fuels creativity, encourages diverse voices, promotes free speech, and creates a vibrant culture. Thank you for buying an authorized edition of this book and for complying with copyright laws by not reproducing, scanning, or distributing any part of it in any form without permission. You are supporting writers and allowing Penguin to continue to publish books for every reader.
BERKLEY
®
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The “B” design is a trademark of Penguin Group (USA) LLC.
Berkley trade paperback ISBN: 978-0-425-27294-7
eBook ISBN: 978-0-698-14816-1
An application to register this book for cataloging has been submitted to the Library of Congress.
PUBLISHING HISTORY
Berkley trade paperback edition / February 2014
Cover images: “Red Stonecrop Herb” by Nick Veasey/
Getty Images; “Silk Rainbow Scarf” by Tramont_ana/Shutterstock.
Cover design by Rita Frangie.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.
The publisher does not have any control over and does not assume any responsibility for author or third-party websites or their content.
Version_1
For Lillie and Katie for keeping me on track!
CONTENTS
ONE
JOSSLYN
Breckenridge surveyed her appearance in the mirror, nervous even though no one would see her. Except Dash. She knew without confirming that he’d be here, just as he’d been here on this day for the previous two years, waiting to take her to the cemetery to visit and put fresh flowers on her husband’s grave.
The flowers were on the counter beside her, just waiting for her to pick up and carry out of the house. But she hesitated, because this year . . . This year was different. She was apprehensive and yet resolved.
She had to move on with her life. She had to let
go
. It hurt, and yet at the same time, it brought her a measure of relief, as if a great weight had been lifted from her shoulders. It was time. All she had left to do was visit Carson’s grave and make peace with her decision.
She smoothed her shirt and ran her hands down the legs of her jeans. Not what she normally wore to the cemetery on the anniversary of her husband’s burial. In the last two years, she’d worn black. It hadn’t seemed respectful to go casual, as if the visit wasn’t that important.
But she also knew that Carson wouldn’t want her to live like this. He’d want her to be happy. And it wouldn’t have made him happy to know she still mourned him so deeply.
With a sigh, she applied a light gloss to her lips and quickly fastened her long hair into a ponytail, leaving part of it loose in a messy bun.
This was the real Joss. Not fussy. More comfortable in jeans and a casual shirt than the expensive dresses and jewelry her husband had loved to spoil her with. Only underneath her clothing did she wear the sexy lingerie her husband had so loved to see her in.
She closed her eyes, refusing to look back, to remember how it felt when he touched her. How his hands moved over her body, knowing it better than she knew it herself. He knew exactly how to please her, how to touch her, kiss her, make love to her.