Category Archives: Excerpt

Excerpt Reveal + Pre-Order: Silent Knight by Becky McGraw

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Becky McGraw

Silent Knight

Deep Six Security Christmas

Release Date Nov. 21, 2017

Thomas Griffin never thought he’d be a homeless vet at forty-six years old. But when he was no longer useful to the government he’d spent his life serving, they turned their back on him when he needed them most, costing him everything he ever loved. After that, he really didn’t care. Living his life on the fringe was safe and he didn’t have to worry about anything except his next meal. That safety remains until a beautiful socialite decides to come slumming for Thanksgiving on the wrong side of town and gets herself into trouble.

Over her fifty-five years of life, Lou Ellen Wells had received many blessings. To pay them forward and honor the men in her life who served her country, both living and dead, she cooked Thanksgiving Dinner at the Dallas Veteran’s Services Center every year. It was located in a bad part of town, but she’d never had a problem, until this year when she’s brutally attacked and can’t get to her gun. A bedraggled man with piercing blue eyes jumps to her rescue and saves her with moves out of an action movie. She gives him her card and offers him help, but he tells her doesn’t need saving and takes off like his tail is on fire.

A couple of weeks later, Lou is surprised when the man calls her asking for help of a different kind. A teenage girl he cares about has gone missing in gang territory. He’s afraid she’ll get killed if he doesn’t find her soon. Lou calls in the team to help him, but her price for that help is finding out why her Silent Knight, who is obviously skilled and educated, chooses to be homeless.

But will satisfying her curiosity about Thomas Griffin put her in the crosshairs of a terrorist group even more dangerous than MS-13?

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Excerpt:

“You, ah, might want to look in the mirror, Lou,” Slade said, his lips quivering. “It’s Christmas, not Halloween.”

Lou Ellen stopped at the head of the table and frowned, then glanced at the window behind Slade and squeaked as her hand flew to cover her mouth.

“So when do we get to meet the lucky guy who you let mess up your lipstick?” Caleb asked with a chuckle.

“I want to meet him, because I want to mess up his mouth,” Levi growled, his eyebrows crashing together. “What in the hell are you doing, Lou?”

“What’s the emergency?” Dave grumbled as he strode into the conference room with Dex tailing him. He stopped to stare at Lou Ellen and his eyebrows raised. “Jesus, Lou—did you get into a catfight with someone? We’ll have to call in the women, if you need help with that.”

“Well, Cee Cee isn’t helping,” Cade said as he filled the doorway. “She’s up to her eyeballs in wrapping paper right now. That woman has presents stacked higher than our tree.”

“Well, my sister doesn’t do things in moderation,” Dave said with a laugh. “Half of those gifts are probably for the kid’s wing at the hospital and the other half for the trafficked woman’s shelter where she’s been volunteering.”

“No, where she’s working,” Cade corrected and rolled his eyes. “They needed an admin and she’s it.” Cade’s eyes darted to Lou Ellen and he grinned. “Your cheeks are awfully rosy, Lou, and your eyes are glassy. Have you been hitting the Christmas spirits without us? Was this call a drunken prank? That was my first thought when I got your text, because everyone knows I’ve retired from all operations that don’t include a surgery suite.”

“If it is a prank call, Grace and Callie are going to be upset. We were supposed to go see the lights tonight,” Dex said as he walked to the table to sit down and open his laptop.

Mortified, Lou Ellen turned to leave the room and go to the bathroom, but ran smack into Griff’s chest. His fingers dug into her shoulders as he moved her to the side to step into the room.

“No, it’s not Halloween.” He pointed his thumb at his chest. “I’m that lucky guy,” he said looking at Caleb. He turned his gaze to Levi. “Take your best shot, bud.” He pinned Logan with a look. “No, she didn’t get into a fight, I kissed the shit out of her because she let me.” Finally, he looked at Cade. “No, she hasn’t been drinking, and this isn’t a prank.” He took a deep breath and blew it out. “I’m Thomas Griffin—Griff—and I’m glad to meet you all, but if it’s too much trouble for you to help me, I can do this myself.”

 

New Release + Blog Tour + Excerpt: Bodyguard by CD Reiss

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Bodyguard, the highly anticipated new standalone from New York Times bestselling author CD Reiss is available NOW!

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Bodyguard by CD Reiss

Release Date: November 14th, 2017

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Protecting a celebrity in Hollywood isn’t easy, but protecting Emily could break his heart.

As a world-class dancer at the height of her career, Emily enjoys all the perks of fame—the parties, the glamour, the tours—but they’ve also attracted the attention of a dangerous ex-boyfriend hell-bent on getting her back.

Enter Carter Kincaid, a bodyguard so crushingly sexy he takes her breath away.

Carter’s the best in the business, and Emily is—professionally speaking—off-limits. But when it comes to stirring his desires, she’s making all the right moves. What’s happening between them is so hot it could get both of them burned. As Emily’s past gets closer, Carter is willing to break every rule of the job to save her. But letting Emily into his life also means letting her in on the secrets of his own past. For these two, falling in love could be the greatest risk of all.

Excerpt:

“Are we going to have another ‘about last night’ conversation?” I asked.

“If you want to.”

What did I want to say? Everything. but mostly, I wanted to tell him how much I liked kissing him and how conflicted I was. I wanted to demand answers immediately and give him space at the same time.

All the words tried to jump forward, but when he stopped at a light, our eyes met in the rearview. The words landed in a tangle, unsaid.

He tapped the steering wheel when he turned it, using both hands for the first time since I’d gotten in.

“Hey,” I said.

“Yeah?” He briefly looked at me in the mirror.

“What happened to your hand?”

“Burn.” he brushed his left hand over the bandage at the top of his palm, right where you’d burn it if you were picking up a hot pot handle. He caught my eye in the rearview again.

I didn’t know if I believed him.

“What were you cooking?”

“Breakfast.”

“And you still went to get a Danish?”

He rubbed his upper lip with his left hand and tapped the wheel with the bandaged one.

“I burned my eggs.”

Right. Hot pot. Burned hand. Smoke-filled kitchen.

“You know what’s funny?” I said.

“The Three Stooges.”

“I don’t know anything about you. You could live in your mother’s basement.”

“That’s just where I bury the bodies.”

Blatant avoidance. It had been cute before; now it was getting on my nerves.

“Are you married?”

“No!”

He could have been lying, buy lying liars always lied. There wasn’t a thing I could do about that except make sure I asked.

Something was wrong. We’d kissed twice, and twice he’d shut down. I should have been the one shutting down. I was the one with all the ex-boyfriend baggage. Why was I the one who was always so willing?

But there he was in the front seat, driving with both hands on the wheel, glancing at me once in a while to make sure I wasn’t choking on my tongue in the back seat. Discomfort radiated out of him.

Here I was with my hands in my lap thinking about ways to kiss him again.

He pulled into the little lot and wedged into a space. He turned off the car, popped his seat belt, and stared at the wheel for a split second too long. I was about to open the car door myself when he turned all the way around, arm over the back of his seat, bandaged hand on the back of the passenger side.

“Kissing you…” He stopped and looked at my lips so intensely I folded them back and bit them. “You’re dangerous. I can’t even see your lips, but I can taste them. I couldn’t brush the taste of you out of my mouth this morning. Right now. The honey. I can taste it but not enough. I want to kiss you again, and I can’t. I lose my shit around you. I can’t do it. My job is control. Do you understand what I’m saying?”

My jaw loosened, and I let my lips go.

“No, I don’t. I’ve met bodyguards before. You’re a stoic bunch, but you’re not all celibate. And if you think this is easy for me, you’re wrong. I’m afraid too. I’m afraid you’re going to get hurt because of me. last night…” I put my fingertips to my lips as if that would keep the choking sob from coming. I kept it back. “Last night he showed me he’s back, and if he’ll hurt me, he’ll hurt you.”

If I thought seats would be a barrier between us, I was wrong. He launched himself between them and placed his lips on mine. Our third kiss was unexpected, uncomfortable with him stretched between front and back. I wove my fingers in his hair, giving him my mouth, and taking his.

I wanted that kiss to tell him it was all right. He could lose control. He could bemore than a protector. He was as safe with me as I was with him. But I couldn’t without lying to both of us.

He yanked his lips away.

“Trust me.” He leaned his forehead against mine.

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About the Author

CD Reiss is a New York Times bestseller. She still has to chop wood and carry water, which was buried in the fine print. Her lawyer is working it out with God but in the meantime, if you call and she doesn’t pick up she’s at the well hauling buckets.

Born in New York City, she moved to Hollywood, California to get her master’s degree in screenwriting from USC. In case you want to know, that went nowhere but it did give her a big enough ego to write novels.

She’s frequently referred to as the Shakespeare of Smut which is flattering but hasn’t ever gotten her out of chopping that cord of wood.

If you meet her in person, you should call her Christine.

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Blog Tour + Excerpt: Spider by Ilsa Madden-Miles

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From Wall Street Journal bestselling author Ilsa Madden-Mills comes a new standalone romance about a flawed hero and the woman he can’t forget.

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Spider, a sexy and forbidden new standalone, is available NOW!

Title: Spider
Author: Ilsa Madden-Mills
Publication Date: November 13th, 2017

From Wall Street Journal bestselling author Ilsa Madden-Mills comes a new standalone romance about a flawed hero and the woman he can’t forget.

“She crossed my path and changed my whole direction.”

He calls himself Spider.

I just knew him as the sinfully gorgeous guy with eyes of fire that fate sat next to me on the airplane.

I didn’t know who he really was…British rock star…my stepbrother.

He kissed me because he thought we’d never see each other again. We would.

Everyone warned me about him.

They told me he was ruthless and cold and screwed up.

They said he’d leave me with a hole in my heart.

Maybe I should have listened.

Maybe I should have built up a fortress to keep him out.

But I crumbled instead.

They say an unbreakable thread connects those who are destined to meet. If that’s true, then the moment he sat next to me, we were bound together forever.

He just had to figure it out before it’s too late…

Excerpt:

How can one human man be so hot?


Spider sits on my toilet, shirtless, while I dab at his swollen eye. I’m doing my best to keep my eyes averted from the ink on his body, the way his tattoos swirl underneath his jeans, the way his chest is carved from stone.


Of course, I’m the stupid person who suggested he remove his shirt so I could see if he has any bruising on his chest. A cracked or broken rib can cause a lot of pain, and I want to be thorough, that’s all—I swear to baby Jesus.


He grinned at my request and whipped it off—which is the reason I’m now a mess.


There’s hardly any room to breathe with him in my small bathroom.
I wipe at the spot of blood on his cheek as he watches me stoically, never taking his eyes off me, tracking my every movement.


“This will look worse tomorrow,” I murmur, just to ease the tension. I stand between his spread legs, acutely aware of his fresh scent, his pure magnetism. My hands shake and I have to focus to push an image of me straddling him, both of us naked, out of my head. I want to run my tongue over the tattoo on his neck. I want to bite him like an animal while he—


Good grief, Rose, stop the fantasy!


“You’d make a good nurse,” he says softly, his long black lashes fluttering softly against his chiseled cheekbones.


“Doctor of Psychology,” I correct him.


“Your dream?”


“Yes.” Although right now I’m dreaming of him…
“I know that feeling. That’s how music is to me.” His golden-brown eyes watch me as I reach over to the medicine cabinet for more antiseptic and antibacterial cream, my chest perilously close to his face. I swear my nipples are reaching for him.


“Why psychology?”


I nod, pretending like I’m not all discombobulated. “My granny mainly. She loved to read people—literally. She ran a little palm-reading business out of her home before she died. All the old ladies of the neighborhood would come to see her. She’d make them coffee and they’d just…talk. She’d tell them what they needed to hear while I sat on the floor next to her and listened. There wasn’t any magic involved of course.” I laugh. “But…she was incredibly intuitive. She just got people. If someone twitched or looked left or right while they were talking, she’d have a reason for it and she’d tell me all about it after they left.”


“I think I would have loved your granny.” He curls an arm around me, tugging me close until my chest is a hair’s breadth away from his face. I recall our epic kiss on the plane. I feel the pressure of his taut thighs and my breath quickens as desire unfurls inside me.


A hum warms my blood. I want him—desperately.


And it’s entirely foolish.


He’s my stepbrother.


He doesn’t call girls back.


“Why does it seem like I’ve known you forever?” I ask, feeling myself gravitating closer.


He thinks about it, pushing a piece of hair out of my eyes. Cupping my nape, he pulls me in tighter until our noses meet. The back of his hand caresses my cheek and the heat from his touch burns, yet there’s a tautness in the roped muscles of his arms, as if he’s holding himself in check.


“Because I am you,” he says softly. “We’re so much alike, it’s staggering.” He pauses and stares deep into my eyes.


I nod. I can’t think. He’s so close to me, his eyes burning into mine.
He closes his eyes and exhales. “I want you, Rose. You’re intoxicating.”


I suck in a sharp breath, our lips inches apart.


Is he going to kiss me? I want him to.


His eyes open after the silence has gone on too long, a smirk forming around his mouth. “You scared of me, Rose?”


Never.


“I’m scared you’ll rip my heart out.”

He stares at the LOST tattoo on his hand. “I probably will.”


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About the Author


New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Ilsa Madden-Mills writes about strong heroines and sexy alpha males that sometimes you just want to slap.

She’s addicted to dystopian books and all things fantasy, including unicorns and sword-wielding females. Other fascinations include frothy coffee beverages, dark chocolate, Instagram, Ian Somerhalder (seriously hot), astronomy (she’s a Gemini), and tattoos.

She has a degree in English and a Master’s in Education.

When she’s not pecking away on her computer, she shops for cool magnets and paints old furniture.

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Website: http://www.ilsamaddenmills.com/

Release Blitz + Excerpt + Trailer + 4.5-Star Review: Dirty Filthy Fix by Laurelin Paige

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From New York Times bestselling author Laurelin Paige, comes a sexy novella in her Fixed Trilogy Series…DIRTY FILTHY FIX, a new novella brought to you by 1001 Dark Nights! Grab your copy of this amazing novella today!

 

About DIRTY FILTHY FIX:

I like sex. Kinky sex. The kinkier the better.

Every day, it’s all I think about as I serve coffee and hand out business agendas to men who have no idea I’m not the prim, proper girl they think I am.

With a day job as the secretary to one of New York’s most powerful men, Hudson Pierce, I have to keep my double life quiet. As long as I do, it’s not a problem.

Enter: Nathan Sinclair. Tall, dark and handsome doesn’t come close to describing how hot he is. And that’s with his clothes on. But after a dirty, filthy rendezvous, I accept that if we ever see each other again, he’ll walk right by my desk on his way to see my boss without recognizing me.

Only, that’s not what happens. Not the first time I see him after the party. Or the next time. Or the time after that. And as much as I try to stop it, my two worlds are crashing into each other, putting my job and my reputation at risk.

And all I can think about is Nathan Sinclair.

All I can think about is getting just one more dirty, filthy fix.

 

Grab your copy of DIRTY FILTHY FIX today!

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Excerpt :

“I’d like a try.” It was the stranger with the green eyes.

Hot damn.

Of course the night would ramp up right when I announced I was leaving. I looked up at him expectantly, but he didn’t approach. I realized he was waiting for my invitation. He was definitely new. Everyone else knew Miss T was one of the most ready and willing participants in the room—to the point where some tried to take advantage of it. I never needed to issue invitations, but I often needed to reinforce boundaries.

“What are you waiting for, then?” I sat up straighter, ignoring Chuck’s grunt of complaint.

The stranger came forward with slow, swaggering steps. When he reached me, he loosened his bowtie a little before lowering himself to one knee at my side. He placed his arm next to mine on the chair, his fingers barely grazing my skin. Goosebumps sprouted up my forearm all the way to my neck, and he hadn’t even bent in to whisper yet.

And then he did. His breath skated over the shell of my ear, and my heart tripped unexpectedly in my chest.

How long had it been since that had happened from just the feel of someone breathing against me?

“I’m going to kiss you one way or another tonight,” he said, low and with such surety a shiver ran down my spine. “It’s your decision whether it’s now or later.”

So. Not just a voyeur then.

He sat back to study my features. My jaw was slack, and I scanned his expression, searching for a hidden motivation. My body tingled from head to toe. I was used to men—strangers—wanting me. I was used to them approaching me. I was used to them telling me how much they desired me.

Why was this man so different?

Maybe it was because those other men always looked everywhere in the room. When their eyes landed on me, I knew I was just one of many options.

This man…

He’d looked around the room. I’d watched him throughout the night. But nothing had interested him. I could tell by the way he was still wearing his jacket, by the way his eyes were only now beginning to dilate as they stared into mine.

He’d studied the room and decided nothing here had interested him but me.

That was definitely not the kink that usually got me off. That was Cinderella-story kind of kink. The fairytale kink with a happy ending was traditional, but a kink all the same—being chased. Being placed on a gilded pedestal. I never wanted to be somebody’s Only One in the Room. I liked having my own space. I liked being able to disappear when I wanted. I liked not having chains or boundaries. I was turning thirty-five soon. I wasn’t a starry-eyed teenager anymore. I knew what I wanted from life and love and relationships and sex. And it wasn’t a pedestal.

Tracey’s Review

When an author you love brings two of her many worlds together, you know you’ve got a winner on your hands. Fans of the both the Fixed and the Dirty Filthy worlds created by author Laurelin Paige will find just what they’re looking for in DIRTY FILTHY FIX, Laurelin’ latest entry in the 1001 Dark Nights series.

Trish Bisceglia, personal assistant to one Hudson Pierce, leads a double life of sorts. All business and straitlaced by day, wild, free, and anything but vanilla by night, she strives to keep her professional and private life completely separate. Which has worked well for her, until Nate. Nathaniel Sinclair of Reach, Inc. (yes, THAT Reach, Inc…) is more than meets the eye. A chance meeting leads Trish and Nate into an explosive, chemistry-filled liaison that soon turns into more than either one of them expected. (P.S. If you’re really really careful, and you don’t blink, you’ll see this couple for just a moment in DIRTY FILTHY RICH LOVE. Who knew one little snippet could pave the way for such a steamy duo?!)

DIRTY FILTHY FIX is a sexy and welcome little addition to Laurelin’s body of work, and I thoroughly enjoyed reading it. Besides the obvious, the back and forth between Nate and Trish is what kept me turning pages. Laurelin can write a resolution for any dang situation, and the way that she brought everything together here was perfect for these characters. 4.5 stars for DFF, which is a must-read for Laurelin fans, especially if you’ve read her other books (although it can be read as a standalone just as well).

 

 

DIRTY FILTHY FIX Trailer:

https://video214.com/play/9CGMy3RZ0LQDO1eKtezpKg/s/dark

 

About Laurelin Paige:

USA Today and New York Times Bestselling Author Laurelin Paige is a sucker for a good romance and gets giddy anytime there’s kissing, much to the embarrassment of her three daughters. Her husband doesn’t seem to complain, however. When she isn’t reading or writing sexy stories, she’s probably singing, watching Game of Thrones or The Walking Dead, or dreaming of Michael Fassbender. She is represented by Rebecca Friedman.

 

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

 

 

 

Blog Tour + Excerpt: Rock Solid by Carly Phillips and Erika Wilde

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Rock Solid, an all-new sexy and romantic standalone by Carly Phillips & Erika Wilde is available NOW!!

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Rock Solid
by Carly Phillips and Erika Wilde
Publication Date: November 14th, 2017
Genre: Contemporary Romance

Connor Prescott doesn’t do one night stands (yes, ladies, he’s an anomaly) so when he meets a beautiful woman during a snowed in night at the airport who wants to forget her heartache, he makes an exception. Their night together is incendiary, and by morning Connor wants more . . . except his sexy stranger is gone. He’s pretty sure he’ll never see her again, until three and a half years later she finds him, and changes his entire world with three little words . . . You’re a daddy.

Excerpt:

Connor scrolled through the list of movies on pay-per-view for the tenth time, not sure what Katie might be in the mood for. He’d raided the mini bar as promised, and all the junk food loot was on the coffee table awaiting their impromptu slumber party. He was just waiting, albeit impatiently, to find out if Katie was going to join him or not. After her emotionally draining day, he wasn’t sure she was going to be up to hanging out, and as much as he’d understand that decision, the thought mostly disappointed him.

When he heard the door to her bedroom open, a flood of relief coursed through him. “So, what are you in the mood for?” he asked, anxious for her to join him and hoping that she sat on the same sofa as he did instead of the single chair opposite the couch—Jesus, what was he, fourteen? “We’ve got our choice between a romantic comedy, action adventure, or a horror flick.”

“None of those,” she said, her voice soft and husky as she approached from his peripheral vision. “The only thing I’m in the mood for is . . . you.”

Certain that he’d heard Katie wrong, he turned his head to glance at her. His jaw dropped open in shock as he stared at the stunning, erotic vision standing a few feet away from him, dressed in a sinful red ensemble that screamed fuck me, please. Unsure as to what was going on—was he being cruelly punked right now?—his entire body went rigid, including his dick, as he desperately tried to clear the lust that was quickly fogging his brain.

He managed to close his mouth, but that only made his jaw clench achingly tight as he fought off the urge to do something stupid, like push her down to the couch and give free rein to the attraction they’d both been skirting. Jesus, he couldn’t tear his eyes away from her and the see-through lingerie that exposed more than it covered, teasing him mercilessly. The sheer underwire cups pushed her generous breasts up like an offering, barely containing all that mouthwatering fullness, and her tight, rosy nipples pushed against the thin, lacy fabric. The skirt of the short gown draped over her midsection like a veil, sheer enough for him to see the indentation of her waist and flare of her hips, and a pair of tiny red matching panties he wanted to tear off of her with his teeth.

He swore beneath his breath, and when she made a soft, uncertain noise in the back of her throat, he jerked his gaze back up to hers. He caught a quick glimpse of apprehension shimmering in those big brown eyes, which contradicted the bold, brazen woman currently standing in front of him.

“Maybe this was a really stupid idea,” she said in a voice that cracked with a wealth of doubts, right before she turned back around and rushed toward her bedroom in a blur of red material that swirled around her waist and thighs.

Realizing that she believed his hesitation was because he didn’t want her, Connor jumped to his feet and reached Katie before she made it halfway across the living room. He caught her around the waist with a strong arm and hauled her up against his body, her back to his front—and quickly realized what a huge mistake that was.

She valiantly struggled to break free of his hold, the curve of her delectable ass shifting and wriggling against the thick length of his cock already straining the zipper of his jeans. He gritted his teeth at the onslaught of lust racing through his blood, threatening to eradicate his self-control and any rational decisions he needed to make. And the situation definitely called for him to remain level-headed so he could think with his brain and not his unruly dick.

She tried to push away his arm one last time, but when it didn’t budge, she made a frustrated sound. “Just let me go, Connor,” she said, her voice defeated and so damn vulnerable. “Please.”

He wasn’t releasing her until he knew she was okay. “Katie—”

“Don’t make this any worse than it already is,” she said, cutting him off, her entire body still unyielding against his. “I must have misread your interest, and I don’t think I can handle getting rejected twice in one day.”

Aww, fuck. The very last thing he felt for her was disinterest, but he didn’t want to take advantage of her or the situation, either. He released her and turned Katie so that she was facing him, hating the wariness in her gaze. She looked like she was going to bolt again, and he wasn’t about to let that happen until they got a few things straight. With his hands gripping her hips so she couldn’t go anywhere, at least not easily, he backed her up a few steps, until she was trapped between him and the wall.

The impulse to run his hands up the indentation of her waist to the breasts nearly spilling out of her flimsy top was so strong and so distracting he had to place his palms safely on the wall on either side of her shoulders. She tipped her head back to look up at him, and he nearly smiled when he saw the earlier doubts that had been clouding her gaze were now replaced with a stubborn attitude that turned him on way too much.

“First of all, you didn’t misread anything,” he told her. “You surprised the fuck out of me, because I didn’t expect you to come out of your room looking like a goddamn sex kitten. And secondly, I’m not rejecting you personally.”

Her chin lifted obstinately. “Just what I’m offering?”

The corner of his mouth quirked at the impudent tone of her voice, and before he could think better of it, he touched one of the soft, blonde strands of hair that fell to the swell of her breasts. He rubbed the silky texture between his fingers, immediately imagining how it would feel to have his entire hand wrapped around the length. Tugging. Pulling. Her gasping. Moaning. Begging.

The heady images in his head fueled his growing hunger for her. “What, exactly, are you offering, Valentine?” he murmured, knowing he was torturing himself but beyond caring any longer.

She rolled her eyes at him. “Isn’t it obvious?”

He watched as her tongue dampened her bottom lip, spurring more dirty thoughts to fill his head. “Tell me,” he said, the words a gentle demand. “Just so it’s clear for both of us.”

She hesitated for a moment, as if gathering up the nerve, then spoke. “Remember that fantasy I told you about earlier? The sex-with-a-stranger-in-a-hotel-room fantasy?”

How could he forget something like that? “Yes.”

She exhaled a breath. “That’s all I want. No last names. No personal information. Just a night of hot, mindless sex.”

Yeah, that sounded damn good, except he was already coming to want so much more than that with her.

ROCK SOLID AN

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Meet Carly Phillips:

Carly Phillips is the N.Y. Times and USA Today Bestselling Author of over 50 sexy contemporary romance novels, including the Indie published, Dare to Love Series. She is happily married to her college sweetheart, the mother of two nearly adult daughters and three crazy dogs. Carly loves social media and is always around to interact with her readers.

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Erika Wilde (aka Janelle Denison) is the USA Today bestselling author of over 50 contemporary romances for multiple print publishers.

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New Release + Blog Tour + Excerpt: A Cold Dark Promise by Toni Anderson

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A COLD DARK PROMISE by Toni Anderson is available today! Read a sneak peek below and pick up your copy now!

 

About A COLD DARK PROMISE

A COLD DARK PROMISE takes place during the week leading up to the wedding of former assassin Alex Parker to FBI Agent Mallory Rooney, who meet and fall in love in the novel, A COLD DARK PLACE.

In the midst of wedding preparations, a shadowy figure from Alex Parker’s past reappears and threatens the joy he’s found with Mallory Rooney.

Four years ago, Jane Sanders’s rich and powerful ex-husband kidnapped their young daughter and Jane hasn’t seen her since. Now she finally has a lead on her location and she knows just the man to help her get her daughter back. Trouble is, he’s an assassin. And he terrifies her.

Despite his upcoming nuptials, Alex agrees to help, but it doesn’t take long for the routine operation to turn complicated—and deadly. Can the former CIA operative make it home in time to marry the woman he loves, or will his dark past destroy all hope for their future?

Get your hands on A COLD DARK PROMISE now:

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Their breathing quieted. Heartbeats slowed and melded.

The dying sun cast long shadows through their bedroom window.

“You have to help her,” Mallory said quietly.

His arm curled over her hip, and he pulled her closer.

“I can take another week off work,” she said.

“No way are you getting involved in this.”

She looked over her shoulder and smiled. “You can’t stop me.”

He kissed her fingers and smiled sadly. “I know I can’t stop you, but if you insist on coming with me, then I won’t go.”

His silver gaze wasn’t angry or demanding. It was calm. Implacable. Mallory blew out a big breath of frustration. It was the first time Alex had refused to let her be involved in something. She knew he hid things from her occasionally. But the two of them had made a promise to one another the day investigators had uncovered her sister’s body.

No more lies.

Ever.

And that was why he was telling her this now, she realized.

Her fingers gripped his, hugging him to her. “I don’t want something bad to happen to you.”

“I can take care of myself.”

She swallowed. “I know you can, but I don’t want you to have to take care of yourself. I want to look after you. I want to be the one watching your back.”

He ran a finger down her spine and followed it with his lips.

She closed her eyes. “You know what I mean.”

“I do. I feel it every time you go to work without me.”

But he let her go anyway, because she needed the space to do her job, and he respected that. He respected her.

She rolled onto her back. She didn’t want Alex to go on this job without her, but she knew she wasn’t the only one who needed space to work, even when that work wasn’t clearly defined. She touched his face.

“I can’t go.” Alex insisted, but there was no conviction behind his words. “We have a wedding to prepare for and a dog to look after.”

Rex was in the living room on the couch. He’d fetch a ball from dawn until dusk, but he was generally a couch potato which suited them both perfectly right now. Mallory intended to get a puppy or two after the wedding. She’d convince Alex by reminding him dogs were good security.

“All you have to do for the wedding is turn up— and write those place name cards. The wedding planner,” who Alex had nicknamed the General for good reason, “is doing virtually everything else including arranging transportation for all the guests who are flying in. I can make any last-minute adjustments and double-check on the flowers and still go to work every day next week. Hiring that woman is the best idea you’ve ever had.”

He laid his ear against her belly. “Not the best idea, but pretty inspired.”

She sank her hands into his hair. “When will you be back?”

“I imagine Wednesday at the latest.” He placed one large palm on her stomach and held her gaze. “I won’t take any unnecessary risks, and I won’t do anything stupid. If the child is there I will either figure out a way for the legat to get involved.” The legat was the FBI’s official presence in a foreign country. “Or I’ll sneak them away when no one is looking and bring her, and Jane, back to the States.” Alex kissed her stomach again. She knew he was impatient to meet the newest member of their family. “I’m not sure the daughter— Taylor— will remember her mother after four years.”

Mallory’s heart clenched, and her hand went to where their baby was kicking her low ribs. Alex linked their fingers. She already felt overprotective. The idea of someone stealing her baby… She swallowed hard. This was important. Jane Sanders had always seemed a little aloof, and no wonder. Her child had been stolen and the fact it was by the father made it no less heartbreaking for the mother.

Mallory touched Alex’s lips. “Don’t be late for the wedding. Promise?”

Silver eyes met hers. “I promise.”

 

Did you know the first book in the Cold Justice series is available for free? Get your hands on A COLD DARK PLACE!

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About Toni Anderson

New York Times and USA Today international bestselling author, Toni Anderson, writes dark, gritty Romantic Suspense novels that have hit #1 in Barnes & Noble’s Nook store, the Top 10 in Amazon and Kobo stores, and the Top 50 in iBooks. Her novels have won many awards. A former Marine Biologist from Britain, she inexplicably ended up in the geographical center of North America, about as far from the ocean as it is possible to get. She now lives in the Canadian prairies with her Irish husband and two children and spends most of her time complaining about the weather.

Toni has no explanation for her oft-times dark imagination, and only hopes the romance makes up for it. She’s addicted to reading, dogs, tea, and chocolate.

If you want to know when Toni’s next book will be out, visit her website (http://www.toniandersonauthor.com) and sign up for her newsletter. If you want to read other fascinating stories about life in a city that, during winter, is sometimes colder than Mars, friend her on Facebook: (https://www.facebook.com/toniannanderson).

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New Release + Blog Tour + Trailer + Excerpt: The Bed Mate by Kendall Ryan

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From New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Kendall Ryan comes a new story in her Room Mate series…

I might be a typical guy, but these last few years, my love life’s been anything but. From crazy ex-girlfriends to one night stands who are stage-five clingers, my relationships go bad faster than the milk in your fridge. The only constant has been my best friend Maggie.

Fresh off a bad breakup of her own, I invite Maggie to my guy’s skiing weekend knowing she needs an escape from reality. But then something funny starts to happen. I start noticing things about her that I never noticed before.

She’s beautiful and doesn’t know it, she’s funny without even trying, and now she’s suddenly single for the first time in forever.

Sharing a hotel room with her proves to be the tipping point in our very platonic friendship. Suddenly I want to put my hands, my mouth, and my … other parts … all over her gorgeous body. I want to claim her, make sure no man touches her ever again. But then her groveling ex shows up, and Maggie’s torn.

Am I ready to screw up the best relationship I’ve ever had for a shot at something more?

**Every 1001 Dark Nights novella is a standalone story. For new readers, it’s an introduction to an author’s world. And for fans, it’s a bonus book in the author’s series. We hope you’ll enjoy each one as much as we do.**

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Every now and then, Sam would shoot me a sympathetic look, knowing that I had no idea what they were talking about, but in truth, their company was a welcome break. Between what the woman in the shop had said and the lady on the plane’s insinuation, my mind was going a mile a minute and I was beginning to look at Sam in a way I definitely shouldn’t be.

Okay, so, yeah, he was sexy. That was a no-brainer.

I shot him a furtive glance, taking in the corded muscles of his forearms and the lock of dark hair that constantly flopped onto his forehead. And sure, he was sweet and attentive. He looked after me and made sure I always had a fresh drink and that I wasn’t cold or hot. He held the door for me and pulled out my chair when we went to restaurants. Hell, he’d been looking forward to this trip for months and he’d sacrificed an entire day just to make sure I got here safe and didn’t spend my time sulking.

Still, that didn’t mean he had feelings for me. He hadn’t argued when I’d mentioned us being like brother and sister or anything.

No, this whole line of thinking was ludicrous. Sam was a good friend. That was all…wasn’t it?

After all, Trevor had loved me once and he never did any of that.

Admittedly, that wasn’t the best example, but it proved my point all the same. In Sam’s shoes, Trevor never would have missed the chance to hit the slopes with his friends. He hadn’t even skipped the business trip that fell on my twenty-fifth birthday years back.

But Sam was there, my brain supplied helpfully.

Again, not an indication that he had feelings for me. People were just different. Sam was one of the good ones. And if he liked me surely I’d have known by now. He’d have told me or…something.

“Is that your phone?” Sam turned to me and I blinked, only realizing that I’d been so encompassed in my own thoughts that I’d totally zoned out.

“What?” I asked, confused.

“Don’t you hear that vibrating noise? I think it’s your phone.”

I listened hard and then heard the low, gentle hum he was talking about.

“Yep, probably you-know-who again.” I sighed, but fished the phone from my tiny handbag all the same on the off chance it was a family member with an emergency.

It wasn’t Trevor, though. He had called—I had seven new missed messages from him since I’d left for the airport, but I also had three missed calls from my friend Deanna. I hadn’t spoken to her in more than two weeks because she’d been away on a long-awaited safari, but now more than ever I really needed to hear her voice.

 

 

A New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today bestselling author of more than two dozen titles, Kendall Ryan has sold over 1.5 million books and her books have been translated into several languages in countries around the world. She’s a traditionally published author with Simon & Schuster and Harper Collins UK, as well as an independently published author. Since she first began self-publishing in 2012, she’s appeared at #1 on Barnes & Noble and iBooks charts around the world. Her books have also appeared on the New York Times and USA Today bestseller lists more than three dozen times. Ryan has been featured in such publications as USA Today, Newsweek, and InTouch Magazine.

Visit her at: www.kendallryanbooks.com for the latest book news, and fun extras

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Pre-Order Blitz + Excerpt + Giveaway: Undercover Attraction by Katee Robert

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Have you Pre-ordered Undercover Attraction by Katee Robert yet?

 

New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Katee Robert delivers the next book in her sizzling O’Malleys family series, hailed as “The Godfather meets Romeo & Juliet.” In UNDERCOVER ATTRACTION Aiden O’Malley, one of the most dangerous men in Boston, offers ex-cop Charlotte Finch her last chance for justice.

 Meet Aiden and Charlie!

 Pre-order UNDERCOVER ATTRACTION and add it to your TBR pile on Goodreads! Then keep reading to get an EXCLUSIVE sneak peek at UNDERCOVER ATTRACTION and to enter the giveaway for a $50 Amazon gift card or an eBook from Katee’s backlist!

 

Title: Undercover Attraction

Author: Katee Robert

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Release Date: November 28, 2017

Publisher: Grand Central/Forever

Series: The O’Malleys

Page Count: 352 pages

Format: Digitial and Print

ASIN: B06XFTR61D

ISBN-13: 978-1455597079

 

Synopsis:

Scandal. Wealth. Power. Seduction. Welcome to the world of the O’Malleys.

Ex-cop Charlotte Finch used to think there was a clear line between right and wrong. Then her fellow officers betrayed her, and the world is no longer so black and white. Especially when it’s Aiden O’Malley, one of the most dangerous men in Boston, who offers her a chance for justice. The only catch: she’ll have to pretend to be his fiancée for his plan to work.

Aiden can’t afford to let anyone see the man behind the mask. To run the O’Malley empire, he has to be cool and controlled at all times. But the moment he meets Charlie, they’re playing with fire. Her slightest touch is enough to send him over the edge. At first their “engagement” was a way to eliminate his enemies. Now he’ll do whatever it takes to keep her safe– even if he has to destroy his own family to do it.

 

Pre-order at:

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 Enter to win a $50 Amazon Gift Card from Katee Robert!

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Undercover Attraction Excerpt (Copyright © 2017 Katee Robert)

“Let’s get one thing clear—”

“One thing? I have a goddamn list.”

He bracketed her throat, putting just enough pressure there to stop her words. “Did you change your mind?”

She narrowed her eyes but didn’t try to pretend she had no idea what he was talking about. “You play your game your way. I’ll play it mine.”

Disobedient and willful to the very end. He couldn’t decide if she was trying to provoke a response or if she was just that opposed to being locked down in any way. In the end, it didn’t matter. “I should bend you over this counter and fuck you into submission.”

“Don’t think for a second it would work.” Charlie rolled her eyes. “And beyond that, we’re already going to be late, so unless you’re looking for a quickie, fucking me in any way is out of the question.”

The irrational side of him, which always seemed to come into play around her, rose to demand he throw caution to the wind and prove her wrong. He reined it in, but only barely. Every time she pushed him, intentionally or not, he slid a little closer to the edge. It was only a matter of time before he went over—and took her with him.

Aiden let go of her and stepped back. He didn’t like the confusion on her face—or the flicker of hurt that rose as he moved to the dresser across the room. For all her spikes, there was something fragile about Charlie, and he’d have to be a special kind of bastard to want to shatter her, no matter who her father was.

He opened the drawer at the bottom that had been empty until a week ago. “Take off your panties.”

“I’m sorry, what?”

He gave her a look. “You heard me.”

“I’m waiting for you to explain.”

Aiden shook his head slowly. “There aren’t two separate games—there’s only my game. Either play along or deal with the consequences.” He picked an item out of the drawer and held it up. “Here’s your first punishment.”

“I didn’t do anything wrong.” But her eyes lit with interest at the small blue vibe in his hand.

He motioned her forward, giving her plenty of time to tell him to go to hell.

But she didn’t.

Charlie moved to stand directly in front of him. He lifted her dress to the tops of her thighs, bunching the shimmering fabric. “Hold this,” he ordered.

“You are aggravating in the extreme.”

“So I’ve been told.” He pulled her panties down to her thighs. It was tempting to kiss her there, but he forced himself to stay on task. Aiden held the small vibe against her clit as he shifted the lace back into place. It took a few seconds to maneuver it to exactly where he wanted, but then he sat back on his heels. “You can let go now.”

“This is an important night, Aiden.” She shifted, a frown on her face. “We don’t have time for your sex games to distract me.”

He pulled out his phone and brought up the app he’d downloaded when he bought the sex toy. A flick of his finger and her entire body tensed. Aiden didn’t bother to hide his satisfied smile. It fell away when he touched his pocket and the little box it held. “One more thing.”

“I swear to God, I draw the line at anal plugs, so don’t even think about it.”

That surprised a laugh out of him. What surprised him even more was how good it felt. When was the last time he’d laughed freely in a way that wasn’t calculated?

Aiden couldn’t remember.

He stood and pulled out the ring box. “I’d go down on one knee, but that isn’t the kind of relationship we have.”

“No, it’s not.” She looked a little sick, but she held out her hand so he could slide the ring onto it. “Aiden, it’s beautiful.”

“It was my grandmother’s.” It had taken some shady work to figure out Charlie’s ring size after he’d first met her, so that he could get the ring resized. He hadn’t told anyone about it. Though he’d been as sure of her as he could be of a near-stranger, he hadn’t wanted to admit the lengths he’d gone through, in case things didn’t pan out.

If anything, she looked even more horrified. “I can’t wear your grandmother’s ring. It’s not right.”

“You have to. As oldest son and heir, that ring rightfully belongs to my future wife. It would be more than a little suspicious if I didn’t give it to you.”

She touched the massive diamond. It was in the same setting as when his grandfather had proposed, little rubies and garnets surrounding the diamond, to represent colors in the O’Malley crest.

It felt a whole lot like he’d just branded Charlie.

It didn’t bother him nearly as much as it should.

 

Read all the books in The O’Malleys Series

 THE MARRIAGE CONTRACT

THE WEDDING PACT

AN INDECENT PROPOSAL

FORBIDDEN PROMISES

UNDERCOVER ATTRACTION

THE BASTARD’S BARGAIN (Coming soon!)

 

About Katee Robert

New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author Katee Robert learned to tell her stories at her grandpa’s knee. Her 2015 title, The Marriage Contract, was a RITA finalist, and RT Book Reviews named it ‘a compulsively readable book with just the right amount of suspense and tension.”  When not writing sexy contemporary and romantic suspense, she spends her time playing imaginary games with her children, driving her husband batty with what-if questions, and planning for the inevitable zombie apocalypse. 

Connect with Katee at: Website | Facebook | Twitter| GoodReads | Instagram

New Release + Blog Tour + Excerpt+ Giveaway: In Between Earth and Sky by Heidi Hutchinson

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Today we have the blog tour for In Between the Earth and Sky by Heidi Hutchinson! Check it out and be sure to grab your copy today!
Title: In Between the Earth and Sky
Author: Heidi Hutchinson
Genre: Contemporary Romance

 

About In Between the Earth and Sky:

What happens when an irresistible force meets an immovable object?

Remington Rohan was not a rule follower.

Former model (though not one of the “super” kind), successful influencer and life coach. Currently paid to tell people how to achieve the best from their lives and careers. In other words, a complete contradiction to how he preferred to live—namely, on his own terms and without input from others.

Everything about his life was going according to plan.

Until he started spending way too much time with a woman who defied his prejudices and challenged his beliefs.

Lydia Larkin was not a genius.

Gifted, clever, and stubborn. Raised on star maps and Hendrix, she was born an explorer. Temporarily tied down to a private sector science job, she knew she was biding her time before she was off to discover and build something new.

Not one to let society tell her who she was, she wasn’t about to let a professional influencer tell her she had to change to be happy.

Buckle up and brace for impact.

 

EXCERPT:

(In Between the Earth and Sky © 2017 Heidi Hutchinson)

Yes, he was a former Marine sniper.

And a successful entrepreneur.

A published model.

A highly sought after business strategist.

A public speaker, life coach, and self-help guru with a wave of followers who believed he was God’s gift.

And Lydia was probably the only person in the world who disliked him.

But she suspected the feeling was mutual.

“I had forgotten about you to be honest,” she said, still not looking right at him.

It made her feel like a chicken shit, but he was insanely attractive. And her brain had always loved beautiful things. So instead of turning into a swoony fangirl (like she’d seen so many level-headed and highly educated scientists she respected in the building do around him), she kept her eyes on her work. Or looked at his chest if she needed to address him directly.

It also helped to picture him as Hans Gruber from Die Hard.

Handsome and charming, but ultimately the bad guy.

Remington helped himself to a dark chocolate candy from the dish on her desk. She ground her teeth together a little more than necessary.

“Can I help you with something?” she asked, forcing herself to be polite.

“You’re so tense, Lydia. You know…”

The way he drew his sentence out had her bracing.

“I would love to help you with that.” His words dripped with innuendo.

Her eyes narrowed and she made the mistake of looking at his face. He met her gaze with a relaxed and crooked smile. Those brown eyes alive with mischief and amusement.

He fucking loved to mess with her. Merrick had told her time and again to stop rising to the bait. To let it go and ignore him.

“Gross,” she said flatly, blinking once.

His smirk twitched as he tisked. “That’s so inappropriate. You know I was talking about a nutritional cleanse.” He made a show of looking around her desk. “I’ve left you some information before.”

Yes, he fucking had.

He even mailed them to her while he was out of town.

“Still peddling your pyramid scheme, huh?” she asked, going back to her computer and opening the email app.

“It’s not a pyramid scheme,” he responded tightly.

She sensed rather than saw him straighten his spine.

“Whatever you need to tell yourself to help you sleep at night, Charles Ponzi.”

Before he could fire back, the double doors opened and Merrick ushered him in. “Rem, good, right on time. Miss Larkin, please hold my calls.”

Lydia nodded her acknowledgment.

Remington hesitated in front of her desk until she finally raised her eyes to his. His mouth was a flat line, all amusement gone and the lines around his eyes deepened with his stare.

He knocked once on her desk as he tilted his head and ran his tongue over his teeth. “You know, this internship is doing good things for you. In a couple years, I think you’ll be ready for real employment.”

Lydia sucked in a breath as he turned around and flashed a smile at Merrick.

She hated him.

He was such a dick.

 

About Heidi Hutchinson:

Heidi Hutchinson was born in South Dakota and raised the exact right distance away from the Black Hills. She had an overactive imagination very early on, and wasted no time in getting most of her friends in trouble due to her unrealistic and completely ridiculous ideas. Seeing as she was so lazy and also afraid people would think she was bonkers, she didn’t write down any of the story lines that played out in her daydreams.

During her high school years, she took pen to paper and filled more notebooks than she is proud of with angsty, depressing, self-deprecating poetry. This led to her writing down more things: notes, ideas, character bios, plot twists that had no plot yet to twist. After years of cleaning up her own scraps of imagination with nothing solid to hold on to, she sat down and wrote the story that had been in her head the longest. Fueled by coffee and her unwavering and perfectly normal devotion to Dave Grohl, she discovered a writer living inside of her.

She still lives in the Midwest, though not as close to the Black Hills as she would prefer, with her alarmingly handsome husband and their fearless child. They eat more pizza than God intended and she listens to her music the same way she lives: loudly.

Connect with Heidi:

 

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Release Day Blitz + Blog Tour + Excerpt: At Your Service by Lexi Blake

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Juliana O’Neil’s promising future was burned away in the heat of battle. She had been an officer with a bright future in the military, but now she is struggling to survive. Her husband gone and her career in shambles, she finds a job at Top as a hostess and tries to put together the pieces of her life. The last thing she needs is any kind of male attention, but she can’t help but be amused at her neighbor and coworker’s lothario antics. Not that she would have anything to do with him, at least not for more than one night.

Javier Leones doesn’t understand monogamy. No woman could ever be enough for his endless libido, but he has to admit Juliana has his attention. For reasons he doesn’t fully understand, he can’t seem to get the gorgeous redhead with the sad eyes out of his head. After one scorching night together, he realizes he’ll never be able to get her out of his system. But with his reputation, he fears she’ll never see him as more than a one-night stand.

When their passions collide, these new lovers will be forced to confront Juliana’s past and come to terms with Javier’s present. Will they find their way or will this reservation be canceled at the last minute?

 

Amazon | iBooks | Google Play | Barnes & Noble

 

 

All alone with the storm. Maybe she should call Kai. And ask him to get out in the middle of this? That seemed pretty selfish especially since she knew exactly how poorly driving in storms could go.

A hard flash of white light made her jump back.

Nope. She wasn’t going there. She was going to stay in the here and now, and that meant finding a flashlight and trying to get some candles lit. Someone was out there working on getting the power back on, and then she would ride out the storm watching rom coms and falling asleep on the couch. It was going to be okay. Deep breath. It was going to be okay.

A few moments later she’d found her one flashlight and had a nice set of candles out, and she was faced with the problem of lighting the suckers. Oh, she had a big box of matches, but she’d never struck a match without her left hand.

A lighter would be easier. She could figure out a lighter maybe. Jules tried holding the box against the table with her stump while she struck the match with her right hand. She fumbled, the action so unnatural it made her slip up and break the match.

And the second one.

And the third one.

Tears pierced her eyes, but she wasn’t going to shed them. She was going to figure this out or she would make due with the flashlight. It was all about adapting. That was what she had to do. Adapt.

She wasn’t going to let this beat her. Normally she was tough. It had happened and she dealt with it, but between the storm and the conversation with Suzanne the day before about her mother and the sweetness of flirting with a handsome man she couldn’t have, she was feeling awfully vulnerable. She wasn’t going to sit here in the dark and cry.

A knock on the door made her gasp and jump.

Fuck. She wasn’t like this. She hated this…this anxiety she got when it rained. It was weakness and she couldn’t abide it.

If you walk away from this you’ll ruin your life, Juliana. Don’t think I’ll watch you do it. You go through with this and you do it on your own. Am I understood?

Sometimes she felt like she was still seven years old, and if she could just get her mom’s attention everything would be okay.

Jules gripped the flashlight and walked across her apartment to the door. It was likely one of the neighbors coming to check on her. Actually, that was an excellent idea. She could go down and see if Mrs. Gleeson needed some company. There were some elderly residents she could check on and a single mom she’d met at the end of the hall. She could see if she could be of any assistance and that would get her through the night.

She opened the door expecting to see anyone but the man she saw standing there.

Javier Leones. He had a flashlight in one hand and a bottle of wine in the other. He was wearing jeans and a button down that he’d left undone enough she could see a nice swath of golden brown skin. His hair was deliciously mussed, as though he’d taken a shower and simply rubbed a towel over it to get it dry.

He was big and male and so sexy it hurt to look at him, and Jules realized she could do something else to take her mind off things.

Those plump, sensual lips of his broke into a bright smile. “I thought you might like some company. I know I would. I actually don’t have any candles, so I was sitting in my living room with this sad one flashlight. You look like a woman who likes some candles.”

But she couldn’t light them. She hadn’t figured that part out.

His face fell and he walked into her place, closing and locking the door behind him. “Hey, what’s wrong? It’s okay if you don’t have any candles. It’s cool. Two flashlights are better than one.”

He set the flashlight and wine bottle down and moved into her space, his hands coming up to cup her shoulders. “Jules, what’s wrong?”

She had to be stronger than this. She shook her head. “Nothing. I’m fine.”

His jaw tightened. “Don’t. Please don’t. I live with a stubborn asshole who won’t let me help him in any way. I get that we’ve only known each other for a few weeks, but I thought we were friends. You help me out all the time. You’re kind to me. Fucking let me be kind to you. I spend every day trying to help someone who won’t let me. Please let me feel like I’m worth something.”

If he’d said anything else, joked about the weather or told her to suck it up, she could have, but he’d opened a door. He’d been vulnerable and honest, and she found she couldn’t pay that back with stubbornness.

“I have candles and I can’t figure out how to light them.” Tears rolled down her face. She was vulnerable. All the time. Even when she pretended like she wasn’t.

“You can’t…” he began and then he looked down. Instead of stepping back and giving her space, he drew his hand down her arm, warming her skin where he touched her. It was dark but the moon was full and gave enough light to see the outline of his face. There was no look of horror there. He caressed her arm until he got to the place where she’d been split apart and sewn back together unwhole. He brought it up and wrapped it against his palm, his fingers closing around it until the whole thing was surrounded with his warmth. “You haven’t figured out how to do it yet. Probably hasn’t come up or you would know what to do. How long since you lost your hand?”

“A year and a half,” she said. He was touching her there. No one had touched her there except her doctors and therapists.

Come to think of it, no one had touched her at all since before the accident. Had it really been so long since she’d felt warm flesh against her own? He was so close, close enough that all she would have to do was go up on her toes to brush her lips against his.

Would that be wrong? As long as she remembered who she was dealing with, why couldn’t she take a few moments of respite for herself? If he wanted her.

 

 

NY Times and USA Today bestselling author Lexi Blake lives in North Texas with her husband, three kids, and the laziest rescue dog in the world. She began writing at a young age, concentrating on plays and journalism. It wasn’t until she started writing romance and urban fantasy that she found the stories of her heart. She likes to find humor in the strangest places and believes in happy endings no matter how odd the couple, threesome, or foursome may seem.

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