Hiring my brother’s best friend was not on my to-do list. Neither was he. Expanding my dirty cocktail bar into food was supposed to be easy, except finding a chef in my little town of Whiskey Key is anything but. Until Parker Hamilton comes home—bringing his Michelin starred chef’s hat with him. He has no work. I need someone like him in my new kitchen. There’s just one problem: I hate his cocky, filthy-mouthed, sexy-as-hell guts. Even if I might want him. Just a little… Working for my best friend’s sister? Not on my to-do list. She’s another story. Whiskey Key was supposed to be a relaxing vacation, except I haven’t reached the heights I have by lying in a hammock drinking cocktails. So when Raven Archer is desperate for a chef, I offer up my skills. I’m bored. She needs what I can give her. Except there’s a problem: I’ve always hated her. Her and her big, blue eyes, sassy mouth, and killer curves. If only I didn’t want her.
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Excerpt
I knew I was making a mistake. After what Raven said last
night at dinner, I had the strongest urge to find out what her cocktail menu
was. With names like Dirty Screw and The Slutwhisperer, what other gems did she
have hidden on there?
Shit, what gems were hidden inside her apparently filthy
mind?
I had no place to be thinking that. She was Ryan’s sister
and the bane of my goddamn existence. I didn’t give a shit what was inside her
head or how she came up with a filthy cocktail menu.
I was going to believe that she’d spent stupid amounts of
time on the Internet coming up with those kinds of names. Seeing her in that
damn short dress yesterday had already affected me enough—not to mention the
fact that she’d changed since I last saw her.
I didn’t know people could change so much in only three
years, but Raven Archer had. She was no longer post-grad, trying to seriously
figure out what she wanted to do with her life, uncertain and serving burgers
to people to make money.
She was grown-up, in more ways than just her age. She was
even hotter-headed that she was back then. She seemed stronger and more
stubborn, and her tongue was so sharp I probably have scars from how quickly
she cut me with her words.
She was taller and fucking curvier, too.
Her lips were fuller. Her eyes were brighter. And the
general air that hung about her, that hint of sass and sexiness, the very same
thing that made me insult her whenever I opened my mouth almost made me want
her, too.
And that was exactly why I couldn’t sit and think about what
went on in her mind—filthy or otherwise.
No matter what she looked like or how fucking hot she was,
she was my best friend’s sister. Nobody was more off-limits than she was. That
wasn’t a new development. It had always been that way.
Thank fucking god I was only here for the summer, and only
because my mother had guilted me into it.
As soon as the summer was over, I’d go for my next
challenge.
I could get through a few weeks of being in the same town or
two as Raven—because after today, avoidance was at the top of my life.
Otherwise, I’d go fucking insane.
Dirty was right on the seafront, only meters away from a
small, sandy bay. It’d only taken me a few minutes to walk here from where I’d
parked downtown, and despite the music coming from inside the bar, I could
still hear the gentle crashing of the waves as they crawled up the sand. The
water was right out, and I stared out at the water as I headed up the hill to
the bar.
Fairy lights twinkled along the underside of the roof that jutted
out over the sidewalk. It was like a goddamn princess castle from the outside,
but the beachy vibe was evident. Different sized and colored shells covered the
pillars that held up the balcony that jutted out over the front doors.
I pushed open the door. Cold air blasted into me, and so did
the heavy bass beat of the music that blared out from the speakers just above
my head. There were more fairy lights inside, but they were strung all beneath
the bar, across the beams on the ceiling, and over the back wall where the
spirits were on the wall. There wasn’t much else in the way of lighting, but
what there was was effective enough in holding the entire space into a balance
between bright and dusky.
The inside of Raven’s bar was like being outside at the moment
the sun set.
I cast my gaze over the rest of the bar. The solid, wood
tables and stools that lines the walls and filled the space to my left all had
tiny vases of fresh flowers in. Even those were surrounded by fairy lights.
Fucking hell, did she let a class of little girls in here to
decorate?
No matter what I felt about the fairy lights, it looked
good. Damn good.
I stepped up to the bar and leaned forward on it. Raven was
at the other end of the bar, wearing jeans and a tight tank top that tucked beneath
the waistband. Strappy, silver heels on her feet glinted off the under-bar
lighting, and it was all too easy for me to drop my eyes there then slowly drag
my gaze up the length of her entire body.
Light bounced off the chrome cocktail shaker in her hand as
she shook it. She popped off the top with one slick of her thumb, and without
spilling a drop, poured the pink-red liquid into two martini-style glasses.
With her other hand, she reached back to the register and jabbed at it.
Seconds later, she was handing them back their change. It
all happened in a flash.
How did such she go from lost to…this…so quick?
“Raven!” A dark-haired woman sitting a few stools away from
me with her friend yelled. “There’s a hot guy staring at you!”
I laughed loudly as Raven jerked around. Her gaze landed on
me with what felt like a snap, and I swore she mouthed, “Motherfucker,” before
she stalked to this end of the bar.
Her hands slapped on the bar in front of me. “What are you
doing here?”
“I told you I was coming to check out your menu.”
“He was checking out more than the menu,” the woman’s friend
giggled.
Raven held her finger up to them, and with her other hand,
slapped a smooth, laminated menu in front of me. “Did you drive?”
“No, I walked all the way from Key West.” I picked up the
menu. “Of course I drove.”
“Pick one,” she said, moving away. “I’m not serving you
anymore than that. Make it a good choice. What can I get for you?” she asked
someone else, cutting me off before I could say a word.
I raised my eyebrows.
“She runs a tight ship,” the first woman said. “Three days
ago, there was a guy in here spiking drinks. She caught him and bashed him in
the balls with her cocktail shaker so he couldn’t run from the security guard.”
Could my eyebrows go up any higher? “That doesn’t surprise
me in the slightest. I’ve seen her do worse.”
The second woman’s eyes narrowed. “You have? You know her?”
The first woman rolled her eyes. “Of course he does, Cam.
When have you seen her react to a customer like that? He obviously pissed her
off in a past life or something.”
“I should be so lucky.” I smirked. “More like all in this
life.”
“Her brother’s friend, right?” She tilted her head to the
side. “Yeah, she mentioned she hated you.”
She’d talked about me?
“She didn’t say you were hot, though,” the second woman
said.
“Camille!”
Ahhh.
The best friends.
“What?” Camille said. “I’m just saying.”
“No more Slutwhisperers for you,” the other woman—the one I
presumed to be Lani—said, reaching for her glass.
Camille leaned over and slurped the last of the drink
through the straw.
That explained the name of the cocktail.
“What are you doing?” Raven asked, stopping in front of
them. “Cam? Your glass is empty. Let me refill that for you.” She winked to the
other girl as she turned around.
What was she doing?
She put her back to her friends and grabbed the tequila
bottle. She tipped it over a cocktail shaker without actually pouring anything
into it. My lips quirked up as she put together what was some pink juice or
something and blended it with raspberries.
She poured the mixture into a glass with some vigor in front
of Camille.
She’d made her a placebo.
“Made your choice?” Raven turned to me, holding onto the
shaker.
“No.” I spun the menu to face her. “What do you think I
should have?”
Completely straight-faced, she said, “The Blue Balls.”
Reviews
**4.5 Stars**
Oh man, I knew I was going to Raven's story after we met her
in Casanova, I just didn't realize how much I was going to love her. She is
this amazing spitfire that had me laughing out loud multiple times while
reading this. It was amazing. It was the book I needed to read and I'm so glad
I did, because it was perfect.
Raven has one enemy in life, her brother's best friend
Parker. When she finds herself needing a chef for her bar Dirty, she doesn't
want to ask Parker, but when the pickings are slim and her crazy Greek family
is coming to town, she has no choice. Will Raven decide her hate for Parker is
all hate or more love?
Parker is on sabbatical after winning three Michelin stars
at the restaurant he was working at in New York. After finding himself in
Whiskey Keys, living with his parents and enjoying harassing his best friend's
sister, Raven. Torturing Raven is something that has always brought Parker joy,
their relationship is to the point of hate, but when Raven finds herself in
need of chef for Dirty, Parker helps her, but she has to give up full control
of her kitchen, to him.
Oh man, Parker and Raven are two of my favorite Emma
characters to date. They have something about them that had me loving them and
I couldn't help but laugh over their relationship. There is nothing more than a
hate to love relationship I love more and this one didn't disappoint. Watching
Parker and Raven act on their feelings was perfect and I couldn't help but love
them.
Casanova is my favorite book ever so when I heard that I was going to get more of these characters I was beyond thrilled about it. I was going to get the story of the sassy owner of a bar who mixes drinks like no other. I was so excited for this book! It was making my heart race just reading the teasers. Emma Hart gave us her all in this book because it was sizzling with sexual tension and attraction. I felt it burn inside me and I wanted there characters to crash into each other, and SOON.
Raven and Parker have known and hated each other their whole life. It has always been this way for them, but when Parker comes back home something changes between them. They have grown up. Raven has expanded her bar to include a new restaurant and she needs a chef. Here comes Parker, the amazing chef, strolling back to town, but Raven refuses to hire him. She goes through resumes and interviews but no one is qualified and she has no other choice. Parker, is not only her number one enemy, but he is also Raven's brother best friend. Will this situation work out or will it go up in flames?
I am in love with Raven. She is everything I love in a female character. She is strong, independent, bossy, and knows what she wants. She's worked hard her whole life and she is a force to be reckoned with. I am in love with her! Raven will bring down anyone who stands in her way, and Parker, well he's in her way a lot. Parker is just such an arrogant man! He drives me insane just like he drives Raven crazy. It was that which attracted me to him and made me want him. He is so cocky but amazing with his words. I loved everything about him.
Mixed up gives us sparks, banter, and flat-out passion. Emma Hart always packs books with so much perfection that you can't help but love the stories she creates. I love that she also gives us glimpses of other characters and I hope we get all their books! I am in love with this town and these characters and I will always want MORE.
About Emma Hart
By day, New York Times and USA Today bestselling New Adult author Emma Hart dons a cape and calls herself Super Mum to two beautiful little monsters. By night, she drops the cape, pours a glass of whatever she fancies—usually wine—and writes books.
Emma is working on Top Secret projects she will share with her followers and fans at every available opportunity. Naturally, all Top Secret projects involve a dashingly hot guy who likes to forget to wear a shirt, a sprinkling (or several) of hold-onto-your-panties hot scenes, and a whole lotta love.
She likes to be busy—unless busy involves doing the dishes, but that seems to be when all the ideas come to life.
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