Blog Tour + Excerpt + Giveaway: Pros & Cons by Sydney Logan

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Pros and Cons

By Sydney Logan

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Synopsis

Con artists Jenna York and Ethan Summers always seem to cross paths during their travels around the world. With their partners in tow, the cunning criminals wreak havoc across the globe, stealing from the rich and giving to the richer. While Jenna tries to convince herself that she sees him as nothing more than a professional rival, Ethan finds it a little harder to fight his attraction to the beautiful thief.

When tragedy strikes, Jenna and Ethan join forces, but are the stakes too high? Can they escape this last job with their lives—and their hearts—intact?

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Excerpt

“It’s this girl.”

 

“A girl?” My mother’s face brightens.

 

“Yeah, but it’s complicated.”

 

“Love usually is.”

 

I snort. “Love? This isn’t love. This is . . .”

 

Intense sexual attraction to the point of pain.

 

“Lust?” Mom smiles knowingly.

 

I frown. “No, it’s not that, either. Not entirely, anyway.”

 

“So it’s somewhere between love and lust.”

 

“It’s far, far away from love. Eons away from love.”

 

“Hmm.”

 

I’m immediately on the defensive. That hum is what she reserves for her patients—or for me—when she

doesn’t believe what we’re saying.

 

“Don’t do that. Don’t hum. I am not in love with this girl.”

 

Mom raises her hands in surrender. “Okay, you’re not in love with this girl.”

 

“Thank you.”

 

“But she’s obviously gotten under your skin. You look like someone who’s lost their puppy. Your hair is standing on end—a sure sign you’re frustrated. And you haven’t touched your pancakes.

 

“Maybe I’m just not hungry.”

 

“Hmm.”

 

“Fine! I can’t stop thinking about her, and I don’t have the first clue what to do about it.”

 

Chuckling softly, Mom pours me another glass of juice. “Why don’t you tell me about her, and then maybe we’ll figure out what you should do about it.”

 

“What do you want to know?”

 

“Whatever you want to share. I know how private you are.”

 

“You know why I have to be.”

 

“For our protection. And for yours. I know. But just this once, I’d love if you’d let me be your mother. So please tell me what it is about this girl that has you twisted into such knots.”

 

I’m really not sure where to start, so I go with the basics.

 

“Her name’s Jenna.”

 

Too basic, if the shocked expression on my mother’s face is any indication. Naturally, she’d recognize the name.

 

“Jenna York?”

 

I nod.

 

Mom sighs. “And here I was hoping this girl might actually convince you to leave this life behind. Of course you’d fall for another con artist. You do remember that Bonnie and Clyde got shot in the end, don’t you?”

 

“We aren’t Bonnie and Clyde, and I haven’t fallen for her.”

Mom eyes me skeptically before waving for me to continue.

 

“Anyway,” I mutter, already regretting this, “there’s a connection there. We understand each other on a level that nobody else can.”

 

“I’ll bet.”

 

“Do you want to hear this or not?”

 

Mom reaches over and pats my hand. “I’m sorry. Of course I do. Tell your story. I’ll keep my opinions to myself.”

 

“What story?” Dad asks, making his way into the kitchen. Mom springs from her seat to pour him a cup of coffee. “Good morning, Ethan.”

 

“Morning.”

 

Dad kisses Mom’s cheek, and she hands him an omelet.

 

“Thank you, sweetheart. So?” he asks as he takes his place at the table. “What story?”

 

“Ethan’s having trouble with a girl.”

 

His head swivels toward me. “Is that so? You know, son, I always thought a girl was exactly what you needed. A sweet, sensible girl who can convince you to settle down and start living a normal life.”

 

Mom laughs, and that’s when I officially give up.

 

“Enjoy your breakfast. I’m going to the den.”

 

“But you didn’t eat your—”

 

“I’ll eat later.”

 

I head downstairs and search through the media cabinet until I find the stack of video games I played as a teenager. The next hour is spent playing Grand Theft Auto, and it’s just the violent distraction I need to take my mind off everything. Conversations with my parents always make me nuts. While I’m used to discussions about my chosen profession, I’m not prepared to talk to them about my feelings for Jenna.

 

Whatever those feelings might be.

 

Even the game bores me after a while, so I toss my controller aside and reach for my cell. I quickly scan through my messages. There’s nothing from her—not that I really expected there to be. There is a text from Coop that looks interesting . . . something about a Greek billionaire eager to get his hands on some diamond. Technically, we’re on vacation, so I make a mental note to ask for details later.

I keep scrolling until I find the message I’m looking for, and I can’t help but grin at the picture of Jenna and the Mexican waitress. Their kiss was silly. Nothing more than a joke.

 

Our kiss wasn’t a joke. Not at all.

 

I decide to send her a message.

 

I can still taste your lip gloss.

 

It’s only after I hit send that I realize I really can taste it, and I want to taste it again.

 

About Sydney Logan

 

Sydney Logan Bio Pic jpgAmazon best-selling author Sydney Logan holds a Master’s degree in Elementary Education. She is the author of five novels – Lessons Learned, Mountain Charm, Soldier On, Once Upon a December, and Pros & Cons. Sydney has also penned several short stories and is a contributor to Chicken Soup for the Soul.

A native of East Tennessee, Sydney enjoys playing piano and relaxing on her porch with her wonderful husband and their very spoiled cat.

Website ~ Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Goodreads

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Release Blitz + Giveaway: Carter Reed 2 by Tijan – Carter Reed Series – Book 2

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Carter Reed 2

Carter Reed Series – Book 2

By Tijan

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Synopsis

Carter bought his way out of the mafia to protect Emma, but when an old ghost returns to the Mauricio Family, a chain of events starts that can harm everyone. While Carter must decide to return to the Mauricio Family or not, a face that is oddly familiar to Emma comes into her life. She’s given the chance to discover more about her family while tension between the rivaling Mauricio and Bertal Family comes to a head in an explosive way. The truce is officially off, and when the two worlds collide, Carter’s decision is made.
He didn’t start this war, but he will end it.
He will do anything to protect Emma.

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Excerpt

As I held the gun, alone now, some of the old memories came back to me. But they were never very far away.

I had killed two men.

“Jeremy.”

My voice had been soft when I called to him. He’d been raping my roommate, and he was going to kill her. I had no choice. When he turned around and saw the gun in my hand, I shot him. The bullet hit the center of his forehead.

I swallowed now, remembering Mallory as she had watched me, pinned to the wall by his hands. Her eyes had been so lifeless. They were the opposite of Ben’s. He’d been pleading for his life, but minutes earlier he’d been planning to kill Amanda, then me. My stomach churned, remembering that he was going to take me to Franco. He wanted to barter, trade me in for more money, more drugs.

He was the one who killed Mallory, but the Bartel family set all of it in motion.

I drew in a ragged breath, cradling the gun in my hands like a precious baby. This little piece of metal had caused so much havoc in my life, and it was Carter’s weapon of choice. He’d killed plenty with it when he worked for the Mauricio family.

Somehow, I knew this weapon would have a place in our lives again. I didn’t want it to, but I knew it would. And with that last thought, my hand closed over it, and I raised my arms, aiming with my feet apart, my shoulders rolled back. I shot, one after another, until my clip was done.

All except one hit the bullseye. The other one, the outlier, was just outside the inner circle on the target.

I’d have to get better.

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The Carter Reed Series

91OJckX-sXL._SL1500_Carter Reed – Book 1

Emma decided to skip the gym and went home early. It was the last easy decision she made because she found her roommate being raped by the boyfriend. She had two choices. Call the cops and be killed by his family’s mafia connections or kill him first and hope to survive. There was no choice to her. She killed the bastard first and went to the one person who could protect her. Carter Reed. He’s a weapon for the rivaling mafia family, but he’s also Emma’s secret. Not only was he best friends with her brother, but she’s the reason he became that weapon in the first place.

This book is not for the faint of heart.

Buy: Amazon / B & N / ITunes / Kobo

carter reed coverCarter Reed 2

Carter bought his way out of the mafia to protect Emma, but when an old ghost returns to the Mauricio Family, a chain of events starts that can harm everyone. While Carter must decide to return to the Mauricio Family or not, a face that is oddly familiar to Emma comes into her life. She’s given the chance to discover more about her family while tension between the rivaling Mauricio and Bertal Family comes to a head in an explosive way. The truce is officially off, and when the two worlds collide, Carter’s decision is made.
He didn’t start this war, but he will end it.
He will do anything to protect Emma.

Buy: Amazon / B & N / ITunes / Kobo

About Tijan

tijan bio I didn’t begin writing until after undergraduate college. There’d been storylines and characters in my head all my life, but it came to a boiling point one day and I HAD to get them out of me. So the computer was booted up and I FINALLY felt it click. Writing is what I needed to do. After that, I had to teach myself how to write. I can’t blame my teachers for not teaching me all those years in school. It was my fault. I was one of the students that was wishing I was anywhere but at school! So after that day, it took me lots of work until I was able to put together something that resembled a novel. I’m hoping I got it right since someone must be reading this profile! And I hope you keep enjoying my future stories.

Stalk Her: Facebook | Twitter | Website | Goodreads

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Release Blitz + Giveaway: Clipped By Love by Toni Aleo – Bellevue Bullies Series – Book 2

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Clipped By Love
Bellevue Bullies Series – Book 2
By Toni Aleo
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Clipped by Love by Toni AleoContemporary Romance

Bellevue Bullies #2

Things are heating up for the Sinclair boys! With one already in the NHL, Jayden Sinclair is hoping to be next!

This has been the toughest year of my life. I watched my brother go into the draft without me, my mom got divorced, and the weight of my family’s issues is heavy on my shoulders. I feel like it’s my job to fix everything while working my butt off in school and trying to make my game better. I have to go into the draft. It will give my family the support they need, and it will prove that I’m good enough. But to get there, I have to show I can be the best captain for the Bellevue Bullies. The spot is mine—no one can take it. First though, Jude is making me go on a brother’s weekend. Innocent enough, I guess…until I see her. She’s the biggest competitor I’ve ever faced. Not only for my spot but also my heart. It’s hard to ignore someone like Baylor Moore.

***

I don’t lose. I can’t. My dad has bred me to be the best in anything I do. I am driven, I am smart, and I am going to be the first woman in the National Hockey League. No two ways about it. I’ve worked too hard. I’ve been through too much not to have what I want. I know I can do it. I will make my dad proud, and no one will stand in the way of that. That is, until I let him in. He scares me. He makes me feel. And he could very well be the one person who can make me want more than just to win.

We both have the same goal. Victory. But how do you compete against the person you want to win? It’s not easy. Love isn’t something you can control. It isn’t like a puck that can be handled by a stick. No, it has a mind of its own and does what it wants.

Neither of us saw it coming, and we really don’t know if there is a way to score, especially when you’re being Clipped by Love.

 
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About the Author
 

Toni Aleo is the author of the Nasvhille Assassins series: Taking Shots, Trying to Score, Empty Net, Falling for the Backup, and Blue Lines.
When not rooting for her beloved Nashville Predators, she’s probably going to her husband’s and son’s hockey games and her daughter’s dance competitions, taking pictures, scrapbooking, or reading the latest romance novel.
She lives in the Nashville area with her husband, two children, and a bulldog. Read more about Toni here.

Website | Facebook | Twitter | GoodReads 

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Excerpt

 

“Today for our
team-building exercise, we are gonna run this five-mile course.”
Immediately
people are groaning. Apparently, I’m not the only one who hates to run. He
blows his whistle, and everyone snaps their mouths shut as Dad goes on, “I
believe that running is not only great for your endurance but also it’s good
for building a team. The whole no person left behind is something I live by.
Push your brothers and sister, help them to finish, and remember this isn’t a
race.”
Dad may say
that, but when I glance up at Jayden, I see it in his eyes.
This is a race.
And he’s going
down.
“We are to
finish as a team. Don’t let me see someone finish by themselves,” he says and
everyone nods. Blowing his whistle, he waves us off. “And go!”
I meet Jayden’s
gaze, and then we are glaring at each other as we start to walk with the team
to the start of the trail.
“Wager?”
I scoff. “You
mean, what you’re gonna give me when I win?”
He nods dumbly
at me before sarcastically saying, “Oh yeah, sure.”
“You’re carrying
an extra fifty pounds easy. You can’t beat me.”
“Try me,
princess.”
Glaring, because
I’ve decided that is the most degrading thing you can call me, I say, “Fine, I
win, you gotta buy me a big bottle of mustard for the house.”
Scrunching his
face up in a perplexed look, he says, “Mustard?”
“Yes, it’s a
favorite.”
He shakes his
head. “Fine, but thankfully, I won’t have to give up the five bucks. But you
will have to admit one thing to me that you would never admit to anyone else.”
Eyeing him, I
ask, “Say what?”
He grins, his
teeth flashing in the sun as he covers his eyes with a pair of Ray-Bans. “When
I win, you have to admit something to me. Pretty cut-and-dried, Moore. Or what,
are you too scared to do such a thing?”

 

 

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Cover Reveal: Reaper’s Fall by Joanna Wylde- Reapers MC Series- Book 5

reaper's fall coverlReaper’s Fall 

Reapers MC Series- Book 5

Release Date: November 10, 2015

By Joanna Wylde

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Synopsis

The New York Times bestselling author of Reaper’s Stand is back in her “uber-alpha rough world of MCs”* as one woman’s future is rocked by the man whose hardcore past could destroy her…

He never meant to hurt her.

Levi “Painter” Brooks was nothing before he joined the Reapers motorcycle club. The day he patched in, they became his brothers and his life. All they asked in return was a strong arm and unconditional loyalty—a loyalty that’s tested when he’s caught and sentenced to prison for a crime committed on their behalf.

Melanie Tucker may have had a rough start, but along the way she’s learned to fight for her future. She’s escaped from hell and started a new life, yet every night she dreams of a biker whose touch she can’t forget. It all started out so innocently—just a series of letters to a lonely man in prison. Friendly. Harmless. Safe.

Now Painter Brooks is coming home… and Melanie’s about to learn that there’s no room for innocence in the Reapers MC.

 

 

About Joanna Wylde

joanna wyldeJoanna is a freelance writer living in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho. She started writing fiction in 2002, then took a long hiatus to explore other writing opportunities. She returned to fiction in January 2013 with ‘Reaper’s Property’, the first book in the Reapers Motorcycle Club series, and has recently released ‘Reapers Legacy’, the second of the series.

Website ~ Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Goodreads

 

 

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Cover Reveal: Sweet Sinful Nights by Lauren Blakely – Sinful Nights Series – Book 1

We are beyond excited to bring you the Cover Reveal for Lauren Blakely’s SWEET SINFUL NIGHTS, the first title in Lauren’s new erotic romance series, Sinful Nights! Lauren Blakely is well known for writing sexy, heartfelt and humorous contemporary romance as well as deeply emotional new adult stories — one commonality in all her books is the scorching hot sexy times. You can expect nothing different from her upcoming Sinful Nights series! Starting with Brent and Shannon, SWEET SINFUL NIGHTS is sure to give you thrilling and sexy moments alike! Available June 30th!!!

 

Sweet Sinful Nights - cover

Cover designed by Sarah Hansen at Okay Creations

SWEET SINFUL NIGHTS Preorder Links – Coming June 30

✦ Amazon US ✦ Amazon UK ✦ Amazon Paperback ✦ iBooks US ✦ iBooks UK ✦ B&N ✦ Kobo

 

Message from Lauren:

Dear Readers:

I am thrilled to share some exciting news with you! Many of you have been patiently waiting for SWEET SINFUL NIGHTS, the story of Brent Nichols and the woman he loves. Many of you already know Brent since he’s the younger brother of Clay Nichols, from NIGHT AFTER NIGHT….The good news is this-SWEET SINFUL NIGHTS is Book One in a new erotic romance series, Sinful Nights, written in the high-heat, high-stakes, high-glamour style of the Seductive Nights series that readers know and love, but heading in a new direction with a new family that’s full of drama, checkered pasts and dangerous life-and-death secrets.

SWEET SINFUL NIGHTS kicks off this new series with a fiery, passionate, and suspenseful story of two lovers reuniting after ten years. Each book in this series follow a new couple and will be set against the backdrop of sin, money, sex, greed, passion and love in the city of Las Vegas. Brent’s love interest is Shannon Paige, and she has three brothers. Yep, you guessed it – each of her brothers will be getting a book! And while each book in the Sinful Nights series follows a new couple, get ready for a storyline that will carry across the entire series — a story of danger, risk and high-stakes suspense.

 

Q&A about the Sinful Nights series:

Does this take place after the events in the Seductive Nights series?

A: Yes. This story begins one year after the final Seductive Nights book.

 

Can I read this if I haven’t read the Seductive Nights series?

A: Yes! You won’t miss a beat if you start with SWEET SINFUL NIGHTS. That’s why it’s Book One!

 

Brent is Clay’s brother. Does this mean Clay will be in SWEET SINFUL NIGHTS?

A: Why yes! He will indeed appear in a handful of scenes!

 

Is this series similar to the Seductive Nights series?

A: Absolutely. The hero in book one is a Nichols man! Nichols men are known for being dirty, passionate and fiercely loyal! You can also expect scorching hot sex scenes, dirty talk, high-class and glamorous settings, and passionate love. Have I mentioned the heat :)?

 

Sweet Sinful Nights Teaser 1

 

EXCERPT from SWEET SINFUL NIGHTS:

SWEET SINFUL NIGHTS, Book One in a brand new erotic romance series, Sinful Nights! In the high-heat, high-stakes, high-glamour style of the Seductive Nights series…

She turned around and pushed hard on the ladies room door. But she felt his hand around her wrist, and he yanked her back, spinning her in one quick move, so she was chest to chest with him. She felt his breath on her.

“It did work out well for me. I’m also not the same person I was ten years ago,” he said, then did that thing again — that thing where he undressed her with his eyes, where he fucked her completely with his hot, dirty stare. “And you obviously have become a different person too.”

He tugged her, pulled her closer. His heart pounded against her breasts. His hand gripped her lower back.

He felt so good that she didn’t resist because her stupid body was stuck in the past, was living ten years ago when he alone was the one who could help her, who could free her, who could take away all the pain in one touch.

But he hadn’t, had he?

He’d caused more in his wake.

In his cruel exit.

She jammed a hand against his chest. His strong, firm chest that she knew intimately. The fucker. “I had reasons. Real reasons. Life and death reasons,” she said in a low hiss.

He shut his eyes briefly, looking pained. He sighed heavily, then somehow his arms were around her, and this time his touch wasn’t sexual. It wasn’t lustful. It was an embrace. From someone who knew nearly everything about her.

“Are you okay? Are you safe?” he asked in a whisper into her hair.

A tear had the audacity to slip out of her eye. To slide down her cheek, and fall onto his shoulder. It was a Pavlovian reaction. Too many tears had fallen on that shoulder.

“Yes,” she said quietly, with a nod. “I am. It’s fine. It’s all fine.”

He pulled back, tucked a hand under her chin, and lifted her face. She was so close to him she could trace the outline of his jaw, could run the pad of her finger over his stubble, his unbearably sexy eight-o-’clock shadow. She could drag her fingernails through his hair, soft, thick strands that simply had belonged between her hands. She could look in his eyes as he moved in her, those deep, soulful eyes that understood her. Somehow, he was rough and gentle, he was charming and fierce, he was funny and dirty. He was the man she’d wanted to spend the rest of her life with.

“Are you sure?” he asked, so much tenderness and worry in his tone.

She gathered herself, and willed that obstinate organ in her chest to stop beating in double time. She informed her traitorous body to stop trembling just from being near him. “Yes. I’m sure.”

He let her go. He tipped his forehead back to the bar. “I should get back out there. They’ll start wondering. See you in a few.”

And he walked away.

Just like the last time she’d seen him.

She pressed her lips together, and breathed out hard. She pushed open the ladies room door, walked to the sink, dropped her hands onto the cool tile and let out the longest, hardest breath. She hoped to hell this was the only time she’d have to deal with Brent Nichols.

When she was near to him like that, she couldn’t think straight. She could only feel. And that was far too dangerous for her heart.

 

Sweet SInful Nights full cover wrap

 

SINFUL NIGHTS Series

About SWEET SINFUL NIGHTS:

A sexy, suspenseful new romance novel from Lauren Blakely, author of the New York Times Bestselling Seductive Nights series….

She was the one who got away…

Ten years ago, Brent Nichols let the love of his life slip through his fingers. It’s his greatest regret, especially since she’s all but disappeared. But when the gorgeous and captivating woman walks into his life unexpectedly, he’s determined to win her back. Whatever it takes, he won’t make the same mistake twice.

Easier said than done…

Shannon Paige has hardened her heart to the man she was once engaged to be married to. After the way he left, and after the hell she’s been through with her checkered family, there’s no way she’s letting him into her life again. The problem is, the second she sees him, he’s more handsome and charming than before. And she’s torn between wanting to fight with him and wanting to sleep with him – maybe both. Soon they fall into each other’s arms, consumed with a desire that burns through the years.

But if these two fiery lovers are going to have a real second chance at this kind of intense, passionate, bone-deep love, he’ll have to give her his whole heart, and she’ll have to give up all the secrets from her messy past.

And that messy past is about to spill over into her carefully constructed present…

 

SWEET SINFUL NIGHTS is book one in SINFUL NIGHTS, a four-book series. Each book will follow a new couple.

 

And be sure to watch for the next titles in the Sinful Nights series!

 

SINFUL DESIRE – Sept 29

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https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25384172-sinful-desire

SINFUL LONGING – Jan 2016

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25384178-sinful-longing

SINFUL LOVE – March 2016

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25384184-sinful-love

 

Author PhotoAbout Lauren Blakely:

Lauren Blakely writes sexy contemporary romance novels with heat, heart, and humor, and her books have appeared multiple times on the New York Times, USA Today, Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and iBooks bestseller lists. Like the heroine in her novel, FAR TOO TEMPTING, she

thinks life should be filled with family, laughter, and the kind of love that love songs promise. Lauren lives in California with her husband, children, and dogs. She loves hearing from readers! Her bestselling series include Caught Up in Love, Seductive Nights, No Regrets and Fighting Fire. She recently released Forbidden Nights, a standalone novel in her New York Times Bestselling Seductive Nights series that became an instant New York Times Bestseller. Her next book is 21 Stolen Kisses, a new adult romance filled with angst and romantic tension, releasing in May. This summer she’ll release Consumed by You, her next title in her NYT Bestselling Fighting Fire series about sexy firemen and the women they love, and Sweet Sinful Nights, the first book in her new series Sinful Nights. She also writes for young adults under the name Daisy Whitney. To receive an email when Lauren releases a new book, text BLAKELY + your email address to 678-249-3375 (please use the actual + sign).

 

Website | Facebook | Twitter | SWEET SINFUL NIGHTS Goodreads | Lauren Blakely Goodreads

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Blog Tour: Driven By Destiny by Eve Carter

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I’ve been burned! Again! I should know better than to let down my guard when it comes to matters of the heart, especially with regards to Lauren Mitchell.

A night in jail left Aedyn Cumberland feeling dejected, bitter and used by Lauren Mitchell. The only way forward is to return to Chicago and the impossible task of tearing Lauren out of his heart, for the second time in his life.

Meanwhile, in Granger, Lauren stands up for herself and makes a dangerous decision to take control of her destiny, clearing the way for a relationship with Aedyn. She only hopes it’s not too late.

Just when everything seems to be moving forward for Lauren, disaster strikes. No one realizes exactly how far, Chip Harrison, her former boyfriend is willing to go to save his own reputation.

Don’t miss the thrilling continuation to Flirting With Destiny by New York Times Best selling author, Eve Carter

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** DESTINY SERIES **

FlirtingWithDestinyCover* AMAZON US * AMAZON UK * KOBO * iBOOKS * BARNES & NOBLE *

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A

4 Star

Tracey’s Review

A night in jail has left Aedyn Cumberland angry and determined to leave Granger, Iowa, and all the memories of his past in his rear-view mirror. But as he tries to forget home and the betrayal by Lauren Mitchell, Aedyn finds himself unable to stop thinking about the woman that he loves.

Driven By Destiny is the second book in the AEDYN series by Eve Carter. I had not read the first book, and felt like I was missing out on the backstory with Aedyn and Lauren, so I do suggest that you read them in order. That being said, I enjoyed this story. It is fast-paced and full of action, not to mention some seriously hot scenes between Aedyn and Lauren. I was glad to see Lauren finally stand up to her bully of an ex and be strong enough to leave her old life behind to pursue her dreams with Aedyn.

There is more to Aedyn’s and Lauren’s story beyond the ending of Driven By Destiny, so this book ends on a cliff-hanger. It was well done, though, and left me wishing that I had Saved By Destiny (Book 3) ready to dive into. As it stands, I give Aedyn and Lauren 4 steamy stars, and look forward to the speedy of arrival of the ending to their story.

button About the author

I am a true romantic at heart and with a modern contemporary erotic twist to my romance novels, you had better fasten your seat belt, as the ride is always fun, exciting and fiery.
Living in Southern California, but a mid-westerner at heart, I find plenty of inspiration for my books in my own exciting life. I have always loved the arts and as a young girl, I took dance classes and spent the summers reading books from the local library. Fascinated with the written word and its power to guide the imagination, I started writing short stories and later took Creative Writing classes in college. I graduated from The University of Iowa with a B.A. in Journalism and an M.A. in Higher Education. I also have a Teaching Credential from Chapman University in Southern California.

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5 Star Review: The Mad Tatter by J. M. Darhower

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The Mad Tatter 

By J. M. Darhower

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Synopsis

Reece Hatfield has just one rule when it comes to falling in love: don’t fucking do it. There’s no room in his life for another person. He can barely keep a handle on things as it is. A shadow of the man he used to be, Reece spends his days tattooing, the artist inside of him longing for the chance to do something different.

Avery Moore is all dance, all the time. Ballet is all she’s ever known, and she’s damn good at it. Her body is her art, a living canvas that captivates Reece the first time he lays his eyes on her.

He yearns to leave his mark on her body… in more ways than one.

The tattooed degenerate with a shady past. The beautiful ballerina with a bright future. They live in different worlds, yet somehow, they fit. But just because they fit doesn’t mean they belong together. Cracks sometimes form. Two pieces don’t always make a whole. The course of love never did run smoothly. Things get messy.

And Reece doesn’t do messy.

Not anymore.

Buy: Amazon

5Star

Michel’s Review

The Mad Tatter by J. M. Darhower was fantastic!  J. M. Darhower stepped outside of her box and gave the readers a story that did not involve the mob,assassins, kidnappings, and violence.  She gave the readers an ordinary hero that was managing to get by in his ordinary life.  She gave us a heroine that was also trying to find her place in her own life that blended with the world she was born in.  Together these two regular people find the one thing we all search for.  They found love.  They had to find a way to blend their worlds together to make it one they could both live in. This is a story about the true struggles and triumphs that every relationship experiences in one form or another.  It is a story about real people working hard to make their relationship work.  It was refreshing to read a book that was about real people with ordinary problems in life.

Like most young men, at one time Reece Hatfield thought he was invincible.  He didn’t consider the consequences of his actions and how they would affect others.  Art was his passion.  Along the line he made some very serious mistakes that not only affected his art but also affected his future.  Six years later Reese is still paying for his mistakes.  He’s lost his passion for art.  The one bright and shining thing in his life is his five year old daughter.  Even though he is a good father his past mistakes have affected his parenting rights.  He has to deal with court appointed visitation rights and a resentful ex.  Although he makes his living with his art by being a tattoo artist, it is not his passion.

Reese is not your typical bad boy tattoo artist like we read about in so many books.  He is an ordinary man struggling to get by day to day.  When he meets Avert Moore things begin to change in his life.  She is the first woman he has allowed around his daughter.  She is the first woman he has taken to his home.  She is the first woman he has wanted a relationship with.  He fears that he won’t be enough for her.  He can barely rub two nickels together, he is a package deal that comes with a horrible ex, and his past mistakes are still very present in his life.

Avery Moore is a ballerina.  She is in her senior year at Julliard when she meets Reece Hatfield.  Although she loves dancing, the direction it is taking is not what she really wants.  Her dancing is lacking the passion she has buried away.  Spending time with Reece and his daughter will encourage her to find her own direction.  Encourage her to own her art.

These two people come from different worlds.  They both have lost their passion for their art.  When they get together they will make discoveries about themselves, about each other, and about their art.  Together they will find friendship and love.  Together they can build a life that has meaning.

This was a beautiful story of love, redemption, and family.

Read The Mad Tatter by J. M. Darhower.

 

Author Bio:

jm darhowerJM Darhower is the author of countless stories and poems, most of which only she has ever read. She lives in a tiny town in rural North Carolina, where she churns out more words than will ever see the light of day. She has a deep passion for politics and speaking out against human trafficking, and when she isn’t writing she’s usually ranting about those things. Chronic crimper with a vulgar mouth, she admits to having a Twitter addiction. You can find her there.

Website ~ Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Goodreads

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Cover Reveal + Giveaway : Insatiable by J. D. Hawkins

Insatiable is a two part serial with part 1 releasing on May 4th and part 2 on May 20th and we are excited to reveal both covers to you! Make sure to add to your TBR and enter the giveaway below! This is a new author to be on the lookout for!

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Synopsis

It’s not cocky when you’ve got the goods to back it up.

Lust-maker. Pleasure giver. Fantasy creator. I can blow your mind in five seconds flat — but trust me, you’ll want this to last all night.

There’s not a woman in the city who can resist me. Except one.

Now she’s got a proposition: Seven days. Every position. No strings attached.

She wants to know what she’s been missing.

Who am I to say no?

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Excerpt

“I’d invite you back to my place, but it seems you’re already here,” I say.

“Take me upstairs,” she pants. “Now.”

I carry her to the bedroom. It’s big, with glass walls on either side that look out over the ocean on one side and the city on the other. The bed is shallow, and I’m so revved up I nearly throw her onto it. Our bodies are still dripping wet, but I don’t care. I can barely think, her body’s turning me into a madman.

I climb across the bed toward her and peel her lacy underwear off. When it reaches her feet, she kicks it to the floor. I grab her hair in an expert fistful. She moans, tilting her head back as her eyes start to close. I stop to watch her and she looks at me.

She’s soft and feminine under my hands, her beautiful body weak against mine. I roll her on top of me in one swift motion and push her head down towards my hard cock, sticking ramrod straight up into the air. I guide her mouth to it, and she wraps her lips around the head. They suck gently, and I hold her just on the edge, just where her lips can kiss it, until I can hold it no more. I want her wetness, her hotness. I force her to take in the rest, pressing my cock into the side of her cheek. Her teeth graze the sensitive curves, but I’m so hot for this girl even the mild pain feels good.

With her head under my palm, I guide her thrusts, forcing her into my rhythm. I pull her ass around so she’s sideways in front of me, then land a sharp, loud smack on the round cheek. She moans, her body jerking. I rub the redness that emerges on the erotic curve of her backside, and as her mouth pumping gathers pace I smack her again. Harder.

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AboutTheAuthor

I’m a new erotic author from LA. I grew up in Southern California and now live with my wife in Venice.. I’ve also lived in NYC, India and Thailand. I love to travel and have been to Central America, Australia, Europe and the Middle East. I have a boring corporate day job where I cover people’s asses for a living and am hoping to leave this world soon and make a living doing the thing I love – writing. I enjoy surfing and I’m also a martial artist, my other main passion, which I practice since the age of 5.

Facebook | Goodreads | Twitter

Giveaway

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Happy Release Day: Promise Me by Lacey Black

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 Synopsis

Holly Jenkins watched her best friend finally get her happily ever after. While there’s no one more deserving than Avery Jackson, Holly can’t fight the longing and ache that settles in her chest when she thinks about her own solitary life. After kissing so many frogs, Holly starts to wonder if Prince Charming even exists.

Jase Bentley is worn out. As lead singer of the award winning rock band, Bent, Jase has everything he could possibly ever want at his fingertips. When you’re on top, the music industry moves everything within arm’s reach; money, fame, and women just ripe for the plucking. Everything except for the one thing he’s really looking for. The one dream he can’t seem to make come true.

What happens when two people from different worlds meet and are thrust into unfamiliar and unsettling territory?  Can Holly navigate the demands of dating someone with a high profile profession?  Can Jase walk away from the only lifestyle he’s ever known for the first woman who’s ever made him want to?

Promises are made, but can they keep them?

*This book is a novella. 36,000 words

**Can be read as a standalone but would be better enhanced to read in order with the series as characters and events cross over.

***For mature audiences due to graphic sex scenes and language.

Amazon US:  http://amzn.to/1HSuDeZ

Amazon UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00VC70G0Y
Amazon CA: http://www.amazon.ca/dp/B00VC70G0Y
iBooks: https://itun.es/us/GnNX6.l
Kobo: https://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/promise-me-a-novella

B&N:  http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/books/1121777207?ean=2940151556781

 Excerpt

To say I’m nervous is an understatement. I’ve slept with supermodels, actresses, and debutants with too much money, but for some reason, the thought of finally getting naked with Holly has me shaking in my black boots.

I stare straight into her beautiful face. Her eyes are dilated and her breathing is still labored from the kiss. I don’t want to just rush her back to her bedroom, but I’m damn close to giving in to the craving. And that’s what she is. She’s a craving. She’s a drug. She’s my hit.

I touch the soft skin of her cheek, caressing it while I gaze into her eyes. “I want to take you to your room right now, Holly. I want to shut that door, lock us away from the world, and do all of the things I’ve been fantasizing about for a month. If that’s not what you want, tell me now. I’ll kiss you goodnight right here in the living room and go to sleep on the couch. I’ll get up in the morning and we can continue to get to know each other via phone and text. If you don’t want to take this to the next step, I’m okay with that. It won’t scare me away or make me run. I just -” I get cut off as Holly’s sweet lips press firmly against mine.

“I want to go to my bedroom. Right now. With you,” she whispers against my lips.

My blood flares to life as I scoop her up in my arms. She doesn’t have to tell me twice. I want this more than she’ll ever know.

In three strides, I’m rounding the corner and heading into Holly’s bedroom, her body tucked securely in my arms. I don’t stop until I’m lying her down on the bed. Her lips attack mine before I have the chance to pull away.

She licks my lips as my hands dip under her black sweater. One touch of her stomach, the skin all soft and warm, has my blood boiling. My entire body is like a lit fuse, ready to blow. I savor the feel of her skin as I slowly make my way up to her tits. My fingers graze over lace as my mouth continues to consume her. I’m a man possessed.

A moan rips from Holly’s throat as my hand grips her lace-covered tit. My mouth waters at the prospect of tasting them. I tear my mouth away from hers and stare down at her. Her hair is fanned out on the top of her comforter and her eyes are dilated so that I can’t even tell their color. Her breathing is coming out in quick little pants.

I look down, squatting next to her on the bed. I focus all of my attention on the thin sliver of bare skin peeking out between her sweater and her jeans. I use both hands to slowly slide her sweater up until her marvelous chest is revealed. Holly is wearing a black lace bra and her nipples are strained against the tight, sexy material. My hands twitch and my cock jerks against my zipper.

I can’t fight it any longer. My mouth descends on her a fraction of a second later. Her nipples are hard little nubs as I suck them through the lace and into my mouth. Her moan is like music to my ears. The best kind of music.

Holly’s hands snake into my hair, holding me firmly against her heaving chest. Once I show plenty of attention to the first little pebble, I move on to the other. I squeeze and massage her tits as she withers underneath me.  My cock is painfully hard, begging to be released from its denim prison.

Once I’ve showered her chest with plenty of attention, I slowly kiss down her stomach. She sucks in air as I tickle my way down to the button of her jeans. With a quick flick of my fingers, her jeans are unsnapped. I look up one more time to gauge her response as I get ready to remove her pants.

Her eyes are wild and lust filled. Her slightly open mouth is sucking in air like she hasn’t had a full breath in days. I see the trust in her eyes as I rake mine over her beautiful face.

I slowly unzip her jeans and start to remove them. Black lace peeks out at me as I slowly pull down her pants. Torture. That’s what this woman is doing to me, but it’s the best damn torture I’ve ever experienced.

When I finally get the jeans down past her thighs, the picture of Holly wearing black lace boy cut underwear greets me from the bed. The material is snug and wet at the apex of her legs. My mouth goes dry and my heart tries to do a fucking tap dance out of my chest.

Once I get the jeans the rest of the way off, followed by her socks, I return my attention to that little slip of wet material. I slide my hands up her smooth, soft thighs as I slowly separate them. The scent of her arousal assaults me. I’m a drowning man, and she’s my last gulp of air. I need her that much.

My hands find that black lace and slowly begin to stroke her through the material. Her moan is intense and fuels my already burning fire within. I can’t stop myself as I slide the material to the side, exposing her core for the first time. This moment is better than any fantasy I’ve ever had about her. This moment is real. This moment is forever.

I bend down and run my tongue along her seam. She shudders and gasps under my touch. I waste no time as I pull her legs up, bending them at the knees and position myself between them. As I continue to lick and suck at her core, her legs wrap around my neck. Talk about a fucking turn on. I could explode right now in my pants.

I use first one, then a second finger, and explore her. She’s warm and tight as I get to know her body. Her legs tighten around my neck as I bring my tongue back to the pulsing nub at her center. With a few hard flicks of my tongue as I continue to work her over with my fingers, she’s gasping for air and moaning her release. Her entire body is shaking, her insides gripping my fingers in the best way possible.

After her body lays limp and sated on the bedspread, I finally glance back up at her. Her eyes are closed and her lips hold a slight, happy smile. Her arms are extended over her head which causes my body to practically spasm with excitement. I’ve had so many fucking fantasies about tying her up like that.

“I’m not done with you yet,” I tell her as I hover over her.

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Other Books by Lacey Black

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Expect Me
Rivers Edge Book 3
By Lacey Black
Release Date: February 19, 2015
Genre: Adult Contemporary Romance

Travis Stevens struggles to move on and forget about the one amazing night he spent tangled up in the sheets with a beautiful woman who disappeared just before dawn. Now she’s just a memory that he can’t ignore. But what do you do when the woman invades your thoughts day and night?

Josselyn McCray spent one perfect night wrapped up in the strong arms of a handsome stranger before running out in the early morning light. Now she’s out of money and luck and forced to make some life-altering decisions about her future. A future that is going to involve the man she hasn’t been able to forget.

Brought together by one night of passion, Travis and Josselyn are now linked forever. Will Travis and Josselyn be torn apart by demanding responsibilities and the stresses of getting to know each other? Or will they overcome the odds and find their way to happily ever after?

One thing is certain: life isn’t always what you expect.

*This book is intended for an audience of 18 or older due to graphic sex scenes and language.

**Can be read as a standalone but would be better enhanced by reading the previous books.

Cover by Gin’s Book Notes & Designs

Links to Buy:

Amazon:
US: http://amzn.to/1u6Kqzn
UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00S5H69DM?*Version*=1&*entries*=0
AU: http://www.amazon.com.au/gp/product/B00S5H69DM?*Version*=1&*entries*=0
CA: http://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B00S5H69DM?*Version*=1&*entries*=0

B&N – http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/books/1121225380?ean=2940150157323
iBooks – https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/expect-me/id966187514?ls=1&mt=11
Kobo – https://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/expect-me

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Trust Me Rivers Edge Series – Book 1

After all of the devastating betrayals by the one she loved, Twenty-two year old Avery Stevens has spent three years raising her daughter alone, with her family and best friend as a support system, never leaving her small hometown of Rivers Edge, Missouri. Though Rivers Edge holds the pain of her past, it also holds the one person she wants but can’t have – her brother’s best friend, Maddox Jackson. When she learns the attraction might not be one-sided, will Avery be able to trust Maddox with the one thing she’s held onto tightly for the past few years?

Police officer Maddox Jackson is a ladies’ man with one foot out the door. Never planning to settle down, Maddox fights the attraction he feels for his best friend’s little sister, Avery. But can he continue to fight it when his body and his heart are leading him to the one woman he shouldn’t want?

When secrets are finally exposed, can Avery and Maddox trust each other enough to overcome the past, handle the present, and preserve their future? Can Avery trust Maddox with her heart? Will Maddox be able to convince Avery to take the chance?

**This book is intended for an audience of 18 or older due to graphic sex scenes and language.

Links to Buy:

Amazon ~ Barnes & Noble

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Fight Me Rivers Edge – Book 2

Jake Stevens has it made.  A local police officer with an open invitation to any number of beds around town, Jake has no desire to settle down with any of the ladies he entertains by night.  After watching his best friend fall in love with his little sister, Jake is certain that love and marriage just aren’t in his cards.  Heck, he’s not even playing with the same deck.

After Jake encounters a blast from the past one night, he finds himself swimming in uncharted waters.  For the first time, Jake has found a woman he can’t get out of his mind.  The kicker?  The woman wants nothing to do with him.

Erin Anderson returns to the small Missouri town of Rivers Edge for a job after a twenty year absence.  Erin spent years loathing the memory of Jake Stevens for his cruelness back in seventh grade.  Now, Jake appears to be the same self-centered player he was in junior high, and no one seems to be able to push her button the way the cocky, yet devastatingly handsome cop does.

Between circumstances that keep thrusting them together and Jake’s persistence to annoy her, Erin struggles to fight her growing feelings for Jake.  But, can Erin get past the hurt she felt all those years ago at the hands of a young Jake?  Can Jake show Erin that what they have is worth fighting for?

Links to  Buy:

Amazon ~ Barnes and Noble

About Lacey Black

Lacey Black is a Midwestern girl with a passion for reading, writing, and shopping. She carries her e-reader with her everywhere she goes so she never misses an opportunity to read a few pages. Always looking for a happily ever after, Lacey is passionate about contemporary romance novels and enjoys it further when you mix in a little suspense. She resides in a small town in Illinois with her husband, two children, and a chocolate lab. Lacey loves watching NASCAR races and should only consume one mixed drink because she’s a lightweight.

Lacey welcomes the opportunity to chat with her fans.

Email: laceyblackwrites@gmail.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authorlaceyblack

Twitter: https://twitter.com/AuthLaceyBlack

Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/laceyblackwrite/

Excerpt Reveal- Under The Influence by L. B. Simmons

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Dalton,

I loved you once. A love I thought irrevocable. A love I mistakenly believed could transcend both time and circumstance. Under the influence of my dimwitted, naïve, traitorous heart, I became intoxicated with what I now know was simply a figment of my self-indulgent imagination. So drunk on the feeling, I couldn’t see what was right in front of my face. So foolishly enamored, I blindly followed my heart into the depths of an emotion that would ravage me.

Years later, I know now what I wish I knew then. I am stronger. Smarter. Tougher. I will not allow myself to be broken again.

I loved you.

I raged for you.

I wept for you.

And now, I’m letting you go.

Author’s Note: Under the Influence is the journey of two childhood friends that spans the course of five pivotal years in their lives. It is a story about their discovery of true friendship as it blossoms into first love, their experience of crucial sacrifice and ultimate betrayal, and their endurance of agonizing heartbreak on the way to finding lasting redemption.

 

Chapter 1

Dalton

I am not a good person.

And I don’t pretend to be.

There may have been hope for me at one point but now, as I stare back at the hardened face and vacant eyes in front of me, there’s no denying the truth. All hope for me was lost years ago, stripped clean from my mind as they broke me. The life I’m indebted to now is one packed with corruption and polluted with lies.

I try to breathe in deeply as I rinse the freshly spilled blood from my hands, but the bitter pang of disappointment begins to compress my entire chest. It seeps along the previously etched grooves that line it, burning the hollow channels that were created with each punch to my stomach and blow to my ribs.

I rarely have these moments of weakness, when I wish I hadn’t allowed myself to be drawn into the darkened path that is this life. But right now, I find myself wishing that I had been strong enough to brave my childhood on my own. That I had been able to fend off the monsters that lurked in dark rooms and reeked of alcohol, able to protect myself from the multitude of broken bones and black eyes inflicted by the hands of those who were supposed to fucking protect me.

But I wasn’t. And now I’m stuck, hopelessly adhered to a life in which I have chosen to forgo conscience for security.

Little did I know the day I met Darius Roe, I would be making a deal with the devil. That I would be forever bound to a life from which there is no escape.

Although I started out as his lackey, I grew quickly—both physically and within the hierarchy of his organization—to become his weapon. Not only his muscle, but a tool which has many uses. His most prized possession.

And now here I am at eighteen years of age, long since graduated from errand-boy. I watch the familiar streaks of someone else’s blood swirling around yet another porcelain sink. Someone who also made a deal with the devil but didn’t deliver on his end.

I always deliver.

After drying my hands, I curl my fingers over the lip of the sink and place my palms flat on the cool ceramic surface, silently watching the reflection in the mirror. Cold, dead eyes stare back at me. Not a spark of life left in them.

Not anymore.

In fact, the only bit of humanity I permit myself is that of Spencer Locke. She’s the one thing, the one person whose mere presence provides some sort of sense of relief from the constant feeling of asphyxiation that encompasses me.

She is my reprieve.

My air.

Spencer Locke is the one slice of happy I have in this shit pie I call life. Darius Roe is a ruthless motherfucker.

The two will never cross paths.

I would, with absolutely no hesitation, lay down my life to make sure that never happens. Spencer’s safety has been and will always be my concern—no, my priority. And in order to assure that safety remains, she must never know the real me. The cold, calculated, hardened criminal that I am. She will only know the Dalton Greer I permit her to know.

Just like everyone else that I come into contact with.

To Rat, I’m the entertaining best friend. To Spencer, I’m the overprotective big brother. And to Darius, I’m the lethal weapon.

None of them truly know me.

Because the truth is, there’s nothing more frightening in my world than those who know you—who really know you. The ones who know your deepest, darkest secrets. The ones who know what you’re going to do before you do it. The ones who know not only what buttons to push when they seek your attention, but also the ones that can be used to completely incapacitate you.

They can be your strength.

But they can also be your weakness.

And just as a chameleon changes color to blend for protection, I’ve learned to evolve into the person I need to be in order to survive the situation at hand, all while keeping people at arm’s length.

Yet sometimes I can’t help but wonder what my true colors would have been had I not been subjected to this life. I question what it would be like to just let someone in, to tell them all of your unforgivable truths and discover they still love you in return.

I find myself utterly fascinated, awe-struck even, that there are people actually capable of truly loving someone without wondering when and how they will be betrayed. However, the knowledge of their existence also saddens me because the cold reality is, I will never know that type of love. I will never know the freedom to just be with someone, without pretense or fabrication, without the endless lies and untruths.

Maybe that’s why I keep holding onto Spencer when I know I shouldn’t. When all my instincts scream for me to let her go, to cut those ties and just let her be.

I can’t.

I’m too selfish.

Therefore, I will plaster on my over-protective, big-brother face so that I can see her again, just to get my fix on the relief she provides. And in turn, I will continue the lies.

I will continue telling myself the only reason I insist on my frequent visitation is because I want to see to her protection.

I will continue convincing myself the things I say to her are merely pretenses which accompany my façade.

But in this rare moment, I will also concede that like a moth to a flame, I’m drawn to her.

To her innocence.

To her kindness.

To her ability to love…

To all the things I wish I was capable of but have sacrificed in order to survive.

Because just seeing her demonstrate those capabilities with me and willingly share them with others, the knowledge that the ability to do so actually exists in a world outside of mine somehow frees me—no matter how temporarily—from the chains that bind me here, in this suffocating place.

Yes, Spencer Locke is indeed my air.

I just hope the immorality I’ve chosen to bury deep within my soul doesn’t one day pollute her very essence.

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Make sure to sign-up HERE for L. B Simmons newsletter for exclusive teasers.

 

L.B. Simmons is a graduate of Texas A&M University and
holds a degree in Biomedical Science.
She has been a practicing Chemist for the last 11 years. She lives with her husband and three
daughters in Texas and writes every chance she gets.

Under the Influence KINDLE