40 and (No Longer) Fighting It

40 and (No Longer) Fighting It SILVER FOXES OF BLACK WOLF’S BLUFF BOOK TWO ELLA SHERIDAN Contents Also by Ella Sheridan Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Chapter 5 Chapter 6 Chapter 7 Chapter 8 Chapter 9 Chapter 10 Chapter 11 Chapter 12 Chapter 13 Chapter 14 Chapter 15 Chapter 16 Chapter 17 Chapter 18 Chapter 19 Chapter 20 Chapter 21 Chapter 22 Chapter 23 Chapter 24 Epilogue Only For The Weekend Come For Me About the Author Blurb Welcome to Black Wolf’s Bluff, where turning forty doesn’t mean your life is over. It might just mean the spark that can light up everything is right around the corner. He shattered her dreams ten years ago. Claire Taylor’s divorce left her determined to build a new life, and she hoped to do that in New York City. Studying under celebrity chef Lincoln Young at a prestigious pastry school, she couldn’t deny a strong attraction to him despite his obvious disapproval. When an unexpected kiss led to her blacklisting, she returned to Black Wolf’s Bluff with her tail between her legs. But not anymore. Now Claire is a successful baker who owns her main-street store and has a chance at expansion in the town’s new five-star resort—if she can accept working with the man who ruined her chances so long ago. She’s the woman he couldn’t forget. Years have passed since Lincoln last saw Claire, but she is still exquisite. And full of sass. Lincoln remembers that sass, just like he remembers her mouth, her curves, and those dark chocolate eyes he could easily drown in. The difference is, he’s no longer fighting what he feels for her. But until they face the consequences from the secrets in their past, any future they might have together will crumble. Also by Ella Sheridan Silver Foxes of Black Wolf’s Bluff — Contemporary Romance/Over 40 40 and (Tired of) Faking It 40 and (No Longer) Fighting It Assassins — Romantic Suspense/Antihero Romance Assassin’s Mark Assassin’s Prey Assassin’s Heart Assassin’s Game Southern Nights — Romantic Suspense/Bodyguards Teach Me Trust Me Take Me Southern Nights: Enigma — Romantic Suspense/Bodyguards Come for Me Deceive Me Destroy Me Deny Me Desire Me Archai Warriors — Paranormal Romance/Shifters & Vampires Griffin Undone Phoenix Falling (Coming Fall, 2023) If Only — Contemporary Romance/BDSM Only for the Weekend Only for the Night Only for the Moment Only If You Stay Secrets — Contemporary Romance Unavailable Undisclosed Unshakable * * * For news on Ella’s new releases, free book opportunities, and more, sign up for her monthly newsletter. Join Ella’s Escape Room on Facebook for daily fun, games, and first dibs on all the news! Silver Foxes of Black Wolf’s Bluff: 40 and (No Longer) Fighting It Copyright © 2023 Ella Sheridan This book is a work of fiction. The names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the writer's imagination or have been used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, actual events, locale or organizations is entirely coincidental. All rights reserved. This copy is intended for the original purchaser of this book ONLY. No part of this book may be reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any printed or electronic form without prior written permission from the author. Please do not participate in or encourage piracy of copyrighted materials in violation of the author's rights. Purchase only authorized editions. Cover Artist: Sweet ’N Spicy Designs Published in the United States. To Lincoln and Claire. One So how does it feel to be a coward? Claire glared at herself in the mirror, hating that she was calling herself names. Hating that she was right. She was too nervous to step out of the bathroom, because that would be the first in a short line of steps heading out of her apartment. And those steps led to confronting ghosts from the past. Or rather, someone who wouldn’t stay a ghost. Damn the man. “Claire!” She squeezed her eyes closed, blocking out her image, wishing she could block out her friend Erin’s voice as well. Why couldn’t she just stay here, hidden, and forget the outside world existed? This building, the one that held her bakery and apartment, was her haven, her sanctuary. Nothing outside these walls truly required her input, right? She opened her eyes, gaze locking with the dark eyes staring out from the mirror. Right. Hiding made her a coward. Got it. “Claire?” A sharp rap on the closed door told her the time for hiding was up. “You okay in there?” “Fine!” Okay, not fine, but what the hell. Was lying any worse than being a cowardly lion? Where was a wizard when she needed one? “I’ll be out in just a sec.” “Good. Want me to get the food ready to go?” Relief at the reprieve had her shoulders dropping from around her ears. “Please!” She was a chef; she never went anywhere, including a backyard barbecue, without gobs of food. Except this backyard barbecue was being held to celebrate her best friend Lily’s recent engagement to JD Lane—and the arrival in Black Wolf’s Bluff of JD’s best friend, Lincoln Young. The man who’d stolen Claire’s dream almost a decade ago. “All right, girl.” She stared down her reflection in the bathroom mirror. Chocolate, that’s what her eyes reminded her of. Her favorite dark chocolate ganache, rich and shiny, gleaming in the bright sunlight. She’d always loved chocolate, from the time she was a little girl. She’d worked hard since her divorce to establish an actual friendship with that face, those eyes, to make sure that her first ally was the one staring back at her from the mirror every day, first thing in the morning. She wouldn’t let Lincoln Young steal that from her. He’d stolen enough already. So no more of the word coward, okay? “Okay.” She smiled. It might not reach her eyes yet, but it would. She just had to keep working at it.