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Back Sweet Surrender Save as PDF
Chapters (73)
  1. TITLE PAGE
  2. TABLE OF CONTENTS
  3. PRAISE FOR K. BROMBERG
  4. ALSO WRITTEN BY K. BROMBERG
  5. CHAPTER ONE
  6. CHAPTER TWO
  7. CHAPTER THREE
  8. CHAPTER FOUR
  9. CHAPTER FIVE
  10. CHAPTER SIX
  11. CHAPTER SEVEN
  12. CHAPTER EIGHT
  13. CHAPTER NINE
  14. CHAPTER TEN
  15. CHAPTER ELEVEN
  16. CHAPTER TWELVE
  17. CHAPTER THIRTEEN
  18. CHAPTER FOURTEEN
  19. CHAPTER FIFTEEN
  20. CHAPTER SIXTEEN
  21. CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
  22. CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
  23. CHAPTER NINETEEN
  24. CHAPTER TWENTY
  25. CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
  26. CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
  27. CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
  28. CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
  29. CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
  30. CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
  31. CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
  32. CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
  33. CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE
  34. CHAPTER THIRTY
  35. CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE
  36. CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO
  37. CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE
  38. CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR
  39. CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE
  40. CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX
  41. CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN
  42. CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT
  43. CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE
  44. CHAPTER FORTY
  45. CHAPTER FORTY-ONE
  46. CHAPTER FORTY-TWO
  47. CHAPTER FORTY-THREE
  48. CHAPTER FORTY-FOUR
  49. CHAPTER FORTY-FIVE
  50. CHAPTER FORTY-SIX
  51. CHAPTER FORTY-SEVEN
  52. CHAPTER FORTY-EIGHT
  53. CHAPTER FORTY-NINE
  54. CHAPTER FIFTY
  55. CHAPTER FIFTY-ONE
  56. CHAPTER FIFTY-TWO
  57. CHAPTER FIFTY-THREE
  58. CHAPTER FIFTY-FOUR
  59. CHAPTER FIFTY-FIVE
  60. CHAPTER FIFTY-SIX
  61. CHAPTER FIFTY-SEVEN
  62. CHAPTER FIFTY-EIGHT
  63. CHAPTER FIFTY-NINE
  64. CHAPTER SIXTY
  65. CHAPTER SIXTY-ONE
  66. CHAPTER SIXTY-TWO
  67. CHAPTER SIXTY-THREE
  68. CHAPTER SIXTY-FOUR
  69. CHAPTER SIXTY-FIVE
  70. CHAPTER SIXTY-SIX
  71. EPILOGUE
  72. EPILOGUE TWO
  73. ABOUT THE AUTHOR

I love when she makes that sound, that startled oh that she uses for a myriad of responses. “The restaurant? Yes. I had plans to take you there, but honestly, that’s not what you wanted and it wasn’t fair to ask that of you after a long day of work. So now we’re going to share the want.”

That would have been feeding her to the wolves. Is she beautiful? Fuck yeah, she is. But after a long day of work, tired and flour-covered, the “Hollywood standard” would have eviscerated her. I thought up Operation Live-A-Little to bolster her self-esteem, to make her see herself how I do—gorgeous, driven, funny, honest—and parading her around when she didn’t feel her best would have done the exact opposite.

“I get we’re married and all, Jase, but you just lost me,” she jokes and then lets her head fall back against the seat again. But I like how she angles it there so she can look at me. I like the feeling of her eyes on me like I’m the only thing she sees.

“I’m hungry. You’re hungry. We’re both tired. Let’s skip the fancy and go for what will hit perfectly.” I end the comment with perfect timing as I pull into the drive-thru line at In-N-Out Burger.

“Really?” Her eyes widen and she perks up in a way that tells me this was the right decision.

“Yes. Really. But”—I hold a finger up— “pretty sure I can top The Vine.”

“No way,” she gasps.

“Yes way.”

CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE

CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE

Gizmo

The crash of the waves beyond is like a soothing soundtrack to the crinkle of the paper bag every time we reach in to grab another couple of fries.

We’re backed into a parking spot at the beach. There are other people milling around, but the night is moonless, and while that prevents a view of the waves, it also prevents people from recognizing me.

And I’m beginning to realize I might have needed this just as much as she did.

There’s a rush that comes with being recognized. A feeding of my ego that becomes addicting after you’ve had it for so long. But this is simple. Real—just like Hendrix—and I mean that in the best way possible.

“This is heaven,” she says as she takes a sip of her drink and leans back against the back part of the seat from where we’re seated in the cargo area of my SUV.

“I am definitely not complaining.” I chuckle when I finish chewing. “This was our staple when we first started—before we made it. The burgers are cheap and the beach is free and man, that goes a long way when you’re broke.”