Words That Burn Like Ash

Avril Queen knows a few things to be true.

Saturdays are for parties.

A red lip can fix almost everything.

And hiding in an art gallery closet is a lot more exciting when someone else is already inside.

Fallen from her throne as burlesque icon, Avril has been in a constant state of sleep, drink, party, repeat, and she is exactly who Ashton librarian transplant, Ian Whitlock, is not expecting. Their closet makeout mistake turns into a simple bargain:

Minus a plus-one after being caught with Avril in his arms, Ian needs a date for the holidays as he finishes renovations on the house his late mother left him. He wants nothing more than to finish by the new year so he never has to step foot in the city again.

And when Avril realizes that Ian has no idea who she is, her reputation, or the shadows that lurk around every corner of Ashton that drove her off the stage in the first place, there is only one rule:

Don't ask.