The Lifetime of A Second by Jennifer Millikin

Brynn
Escape. That was my sole focus. Forget the headlines, forget the threats. Forgetting what I’ve done? Never. To disappear, I needed money. I fled the big city in the desert to hide in a small town amongst the pines. The plan? Blend in, work until I have what I need, and then vanish. The problem? Connor Vale ruined everything. Falling for him would be easy, if it weren’t for one inescapable truth: For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction, and nobody around me is safe.

Connor
Brynn Montgomery slammed into my life like a category five hurricane. She stepped in front of my truck, and everything changed. One second to swerve, one second to jump from my vehicle, one second to never be the same. I gave her a job. It wasn’t a smart idea. She’s guarded, withdrawn, and aloof. She wears shirts with snarky sayings and won’t let me get within a foot of her. She doesn’t talk much, so I watch her move. Unspoken pain pours from her eyes, emotion moves with each twist of her lips.

Hidden behind her pricklyexterior is a tenderness that mesmerizes me. Every day she reveals a piece of herself. Every day I get closer to learning about the fear that grips her. Every day I fall a little more in love with her.