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Back Broken French
Chapters (62)
  1. Cover
  2. Full Page Image
  3. Dedication
  4. Chapter One
  5. Chapter Two
  6. Chapter Three
  7. Chapter Four
  8. Chapter Five
  9. Chapter Six
  10. Chapter Seven
  11. Chapter Eight
  12. Chapter Nine
  13. Chapter Ten
  14. Chapter Eleven
  15. Chapter Twelve
  16. Chapter Thirteen
  17. Chapter Fourteen
  18. Chapter Fifteen
  19. Chapter Sixteen
  20. Chapter Seventeen
  21. Chapter Eighteen
  22. Chapter Nineteen
  23. Chapter Twenty
  24. Chapter Twenty-One
  25. Chapter Twenty-Two
  26. Chapter Twenty-Three
  27. Chapter Twenty-Four
  28. Chapter Twenty-Five
  29. Chapter Twenty-Six
  30. Chapter Twenty-Seven
  31. Chapter Twenty-Eight
  32. Chapter Twenty-Nine
  33. Chapter Thirty
  34. Chapter Thirty-One
  35. Chapter Thirty-Two
  36. Chapter Thirty-Three
  37. Chapter Thirty-Four
  38. Chapter Thirty-Five
  39. Chapter Thirty-Six
  40. Chapter Thirty-Seven
  41. Chapter Thirty-Eight
  42. Chapter Thirty-Nine
  43. Chapter Forty
  44. Chapter Forty-One
  45. Chapter Forty-Two
  46. Chapter Forty-Three
  47. Chapter Forty-Four
  48. Chapter Forty-Five
  49. Chapter Forty-Six
  50. Chapter Forty-Seven
  51. Chapter Forty-Eight
  52. Chapter Forty-Nine
  53. Chapter Fifty
  54. Chapter Fifty-One
  55. Chapter Fifty-Two
  56. Chapter Fifty-Three
  57. Chapter Fifty-Four
  58. NEXT
  59. EXCERPT STOLEN ENGLISH
  60. Acknowledgments
  61. ALSO BY TASHA BOYD
  62. About the Author

I dropped my mouth wider than it already was in a non-verbal expression of wonder.

He grinned.

Sister Maria said something to Xavier and shuffled a bit farther down the path, leaving us together.

“Amazing,” I said.

“I knew you would love it.”

He gestured down the hillside. “That’s the Vallé Réginu.”

“I have no idea what that is, or why it’s important, but this is amazing.” I looked back over the bay and pointed. “The water is so light blue there.”

He leaned close, pressing his arm to mine. “It’s shallow in the bay.” He pointed to the left of us where a jagged peninsula thrust out into the dark blue ocean. “That is called La Revellata. Parts along the edge are extremely deep. There are caves and grottos and tiny beaches too. I’ve heard it’s good scuba diving.”

“It’s breathtaking.”

My hands were laid flat on the stone wall barrier in front of us, and Xavier’s warm hand covered one of mine before plucking it up and bringing it to his lips. He stared at me.

As beautiful as the view was, I found it hard to let go of his look until the polite cough of a small nun reminded both of us of her presence.

She turned toward the sea, but not before I saw her knowing smile. She said something to Xavier, and he turned back to me. “Sister Maria said that you are welcome to go into the main chapel and look around. We will return in a few minutes after we conclude our meeting.”

“Oh, of course. Thank you for showing me this.” I took a few steps back and reluctantly let go of his hand. My chest was full, my heart-racing. I rounded the corner down the first few stone steps and stopped to take a breath.

Love filled me like a sudden hurricane, as if I’d opened the final window in my soul, swirling through my insides and robbing my breath.

I think I just fell the last step to in love on top of this mountain.

I was in love with Xavier Pascale.

Along with the realization came panic. My hands grew sweaty. I pressed one against my chest.

Breathe, Josie. He hasn’t broken your heart yet.

But he will.

Right?

Chapter Thirty-Nine

XAVIER