Preheated

When Jason Alvarez left his hometown for the Marine Corp six years ago, his friend Mara Von Strom was a sweet, churchgoing virgin who never touched alcohol. Now she's knocking back hard cider, cursing like a sailor and turning his head even more than she had before. And that was before she started taking her clothes off in his apartment.

Caterer and event planner Mara is tired of waiting for life to happen. She decided years ago that she was done with the purity culture she was raised in, but she could only imagine herself with one man. One man who couldn't possibly want her, not with their rocky history. But now Jason is back in town and she's finally willing to risk rejection to find out if he's interested in more than just friendship.

Only, Jason has wanted Mara for too long to be content with the secret friends with benefits situation she's offering him. Mara is jaded enough to think that she doesn't know what she wants with him, but Jason knows how good they could be together. But how long will it take for her to finally let him in?