The Men of West Beach Series by Kimberly Derting

Can two people whose dreams have been cast aside find a new passion...together? No one ever expected straight-A student Lauren Taylor to make waves. But that was the old Lauren, before she went to college and became an online stripper to make ends meet. Now, Lauren is on the run with a secret and a bag of cash, fleeing landlocked Arizona for the beaches of California. Will Gabaldon was one of the hottest surfers on the circuit, but fate had something else in mind... moreCan two people whose dreams have been cast aside find a new passion...together? No one ever expected straight-A student Lauren Taylor to make waves. But that was the old Lauren, before she went to college and became an online stripper to make ends meet. Now, Lauren is on the run with a secret and a bag of cash, fleeing landlocked Arizona for the beaches of California. Will Gabaldon was one of the hottest surfers on the circuit, but fate had something else in mind. When a surfing accident shattered his budding career, Will was forced into a life of tending bar and doing odd jobs just to survive. A swim instructor with secrets like Will is the last thing Lauren wants. A distraction like Lauren is the last thing Will needs. But soon, both discover there’s one thing more dangerous than the wave that ended Will's career: Love. less

Do opposites really attract? Emerson Monroe McLean is a true Texan through and through. But she’s never wanted to be like the other girls she grew up with, the ones who view debutante balls and sororities as stepping-stones to landing the perfect husband. Yet everyone underestimates Em. When they look at the leggy blonde, all they see is a serial-dater who leaves a string of broken hearts in her wake... moreDo opposites really attract? Emerson Monroe McLean is a true Texan through and through. But she’s never wanted to be like the other girls she grew up with, the ones who view debutante balls and sororities as stepping-stones to landing the perfect husband. Yet everyone underestimates Em. When they look at the leggy blonde, all they see is a serial-dater who leaves a string of broken hearts in her wake. What people don’t realize is that keeping guys at arms length is more than just about having a good time; it’s a deep-rooted defense mechanism. Lucas Harper is California born and bred. The product of his wealthy upbringing and an overbearing mother, Lucas has always been told where to be and when to be there. But after his older brother’s death, Lucas is tired of being a puppet. Taking a break to figure out what he wants out of life, he moves to West Beach to spend the summer surfing. It’s there that he meets Emerson McLean, the free-spirited beauty who lures him into her bed. Refusing to be tied down, she’s unlike any girl he’s every known. Can they find common ground...or will their differences tear them apart? Their chemistry is undeniable. There’s only one hitch: Lucas already has a fiancée. And when she lands on his doorstep, Emerson realizes that for the first time in her life, she has genuine feelings for a guy. With her heart on the line, Emerson discovers that, win or lose, she isn’t the kind of girl to play by the rules. less