Showing posts with label Excerpt Tour. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Excerpt Tour. Show all posts

Thursday, October 19, 2017

[Excerpt Reveal] A Little Too Late by Staci Hart

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A Little Too Late, an all-new romantic standalone from Staci Hart is coming October 24th!

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A Little Too Late by Staci Hart

Publishing Date: October 24th, 2017

Genre: Contemporary Romance

I wasn't supposed to fall in love with the nanny.
When my wife left, she took the illusion of happiness with her, and I've been caught in a free fall ever since. For nine long months, I've been fighting to figure out how to be a single dad, how to be alone.
For nine long months, I've been failing.
When Hannah walked through the door, I took my first breath since I'd found myself on my own. She slipped into our lives effortlessly, showing me what I've been missing all these years. Because Hannah made me smile when I thought I'd packed the notion of happiness away with my wedding album.
She was only supposed to be the nanny, but she's so much more.
The day my wife left should have been the worst day of my life, but it wasn't. It was when Hannah walked away, taking my heart with her.

Excerpt:

Hannah The first time I saw Charlie Parker, I didn’t see one thing at a time; I saw all of him. It was an assault on my senses, an overwhelming tide of awareness, and for a moment, the details came to me in flashes over what was probably only a few seconds but felt so much longer. His hair was blond and gently mussed, his face long and nose elegant. I could smell him, clean and fresh with just a touch of spice I couldn’t place. I tipped my chin up—he was tall, taller than me, and I hovered just at six feet—and met his eyes, earthy and brown and so deep. So very deep. And then he smiled. He was handsome when he wasn’t smiling. He was stunning when he was. I was so lost in that smile, I didn’t register the flying gob until it whapped against my sweater. Tiny splatters of something cold speckled my neck. This was the moment the clock started again, and the sweet serenity slipped directly into chaos. A blond little boy looked up at me from his father’s side with a devilish gleam in his dark eyes. The spoon in his hand was covered in blood-red jam and aimed at me like an empty catapult. Several things happened at once. Charlie’s face morphed into embarrassed frustration as he reached for who I presumed to be his son. The boy—Sam, I guessed from the names I’d been given by the agency—spun around lightning fast and took off down the hallway, giggling. Another child began to cry from somewhere back in the house, and a bowl clattered to the ground, followed by a hissed swear from what sounded like an older woman. I glanced down at the sliding, sticky mess against my white sweater and started to laugh. Charlie’s head swiveled back to me, his face first colored with confusion, then in horror as he looked at the Pollock painting on my sweater. “Oh my God,” he breathed, his apologetic, wide eyes dragging down my body. “Jesus, I am so sorry.” I was still laughing, almost a little hysterical. I couldn’t even tell you why. I waved a hand at Charlie, and he took my elbow, guiding me into the house as I caught my breath. Another crash came from the kitchen, and a little girl came toddling out into the entry, leaving powdery footprints on the hardwood. Charlie’s face screwed up. “Sam!” he called, stretching the word, a drawn-out promise of consequences. A riot of giggling broke out in the kitchen. We both snapped into motion. I followed him as he scooped up his crying daughter and stormed toward the kitchen. The little girl watched me over his shoulder with big brown eyes, her breath hitching in little shudders and her small finger hooked in her mouth. Charlie stopped so abruptly, I almost ran into him. When I looked around him and into the kitchen, my mouth opened. I covered it with my fingers as laughter bubbled up my throat. A bag of flour sat in the middle of the floor, the white powder thrown in bursts against the surrounding surfaces and hanging in the air like smoke. The floor next to the bag was the only clean spot, shaped like a small bottom—the little girl’s, I supposed. A bowl lay upside down, its contents oozing from under the rim and slung in a ring from ceiling to cabinet to floor, as if it had completed a masterful flip on its way to its demise. And in the center of the madness stood an older woman with flour in her dark hair and dusted down the front of her. Clutched under her arm was a wriggling Sam, offending spoon still in hand. Her face was kind but tight with exasperation. “Please tell me this is the new nanny,” she said flatly. “I doubt we could convince her to stay at this point,” he said with equal flatness.
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Preorder Today!

Add to GoodReads: http://bit.ly/2iZfozn
Amazon will be live October 24th, sign up here to get an email reminder: http://stacihartnovels.com/get-the-newsletter/

About the Author

AuthorPics.jpgStaci has been a lot of things up to this point in her life -- a graphic designer, an entrepreneur, a seamstress, a clothing and handbag designer, a waitress. Can't forget that. She's also been a mom, with three little girls who are sure to grow up to break a number of hearts. She's been a wife, though she's certainly not the cleanest, or the best cook. She's also super, duper fun at a party, especially if she's been drinking whiskey. From roots in Houston to a seven year stint in Southern California, Staci and her family ended up settling somewhere in between and equally north, in Denver. They are new enough that snow is still magical. When she's not writing, she's reading, sleeping, gaming, or designing graphics.

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Tuesday, June 27, 2017

[Review & Excerpt Blitz] Lost Love by Kelly Elliott

 


  
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Moving back home to my parents’ cattle ranch in Texas was the last thing I thought I’d be doing. But, here I stand … in front of my high school girlfriend. A beautiful, confident woman has replaced the young girl I once knew and loved. Hell. I’m still in love with her. Yep. Paxton Monroe was my first love and the one girl in town who now hated my guts. So much so, Paxton swore her revenge on me if it took her until the day she died. The last words she spoke to me were a vow to cut my dick off and shove it down my throat. The fight between my heart, my head, and last, but certainly not least, my dick starts tonight. Because all I can think about is how I want to be buried so deep inside Paxton she won’t remember how I broke her heart, or how I left her when she needed me the most. But who will win? My heart is too broken to listen to my head. And my dick, yeah it’s not listening to anything or anyone. Not until it gets what it wants and what it wants is Paxton Monroe.  

 Lost Love is book one in the Cowboys and Angels Series   









Review
**5 stars**

Oh, how I love the cowboys that Kelly Elliott brings us. Kelly's ability to tell a story is something that draws me into every one of her books. Her words and her characters never fail to make me fall in love with them. I always have a new book boyfriend when I'm finished reading. Lost Love was exception. The bonus of this story was we got the cowboy, the single dad and the second chance romance- all of which make me love a story even more.

Parker Steed is no exception to being my new favorite book boyfriend. Everything about Steed was amazing, don't get me wrong he has his faults, but the best thing about Steed was seeing him own up to his faults and mistakes from his past. He returns home to his family ranch in Texas after being away for years. The only thing that could bring him back was his family and them being there for his daughter Chloe. Watching Steed being a dad is amazing. You feel how much he loves Chloe and the fact that she has him wrapped around her little finger. There is only thing that makes Parker nervous about returning to Texas, the one thing that has kept him from coming home for so long Paxton Monroe- his greatest love and biggest regret.

Paxton Monroe has her dream job, in the town she grew up, the only thing missing is the man she thought would be her man forever. When back to school happens, she runs into the one person she thought she'd never see again, the man who broke her heart, Parker Steed, but the child he has with him is what throws her for a loop. Parker has the one thing she has always wanted, with him, a child. Can she survive being Chloe's teacher and interacting with Parker? Having Parker back in her life is she something she wasn't prepared for, she most definitely wasn't prepared for Chloe. Both are easy to fall in love with, but there is history and wounds that need to heal.


Watching Parker and Paxton fall back in love was one of my absolute favorite parts of the story. Watching Paxton fall in love with Chloe was my other favorite. All three of these characters own my heart and I wouldn't have it any other way. I can't wait to see what else Kelly brings to us with this series. I already k ow I'm dying for Amelia's story and can't wait to read it.

 

Excerpt
“Whatcha doing?” 
I nearly jumped out of my skin as I spun around and clutched at my chest. 
“Jesus, Amelia! Why would you sneak up on me like that?” 
She tried to hide her smile and failed. Lifting her brows, she glanced past my shoulder. “Were you watching Steed and Chloe?” 
My cheeks heated. “What? No! Are they here? I haven’t seen them. Why would you say that?” When her eyes moved back to mine, I knew she saw right through my blunder of lies. “Uh-huh. I know I was little when you and Steed dated, so we really don’t know each other all that well.” She smiled. “But I can already tell you’re a terrible liar, Paxton.” 
I dropped my head then peeked up at her. “I wasn’t spying.” 
Amelia held up her hands. “I didn’t say you were.” 
Chewing on my lip, I sighed. “Okay. I was spying. I’m lost, Amelia.” 
With a soft sympathetic grin, she glanced at her brother. “So is he, Paxton. His eyes are so sad. Earlier this morning we all had breakfast together as a family and both Mom and I noticed it.” 
“The family was all together?” I asked. 
She nodded with a grin. “The boys have been working the ranch the last two days so they’re all staying at the house. It’s been nice having Steed home again. Dad’s thrilled he’s back and digging deeper into the business side of the ranch. The idea of having another son run day-to-day operations has him all kinds of happy.” 
Guilt hit me square in the chest. It was my fault he left. I told him to leave. 
He left his family and stayed away because of me. 
“I’m so sorry he left town,” I said. 
“Paxton, you didn’t keep him away all those years. That was his decision. A poor one, but his nonetheless.” 
I shrugged. Turning, I glanced back at Steed and Chloe. “He’s such a good father.” 
The sadness in my voice caused Amelia to put her hand on my shoulder and gave it a squeeze.  

 


           About Kelly Elliott
author-photoKelly Elliott is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling contemporary romance author. Since finishing her bestselling Wanted series, Kelly continues to spread her wings while remaining true to her roots and giving readers stories rich with hot protective men, strong women and beautiful surroundings. Her bestselling works include, Wanted, Broken, Without You, and Unconditional Love, to name just a few. Kelly has been passionate about writing since she was fifteen. After years of filling journals with stories, she finally followed her dream and published her first novel, Wanted, in November of 2012. Kelly lives in central Texas with her husband, daughter, and two pups. When she’s not writing, Kelly enjoys reading and spending time with her family. She is down to earth and very in touch with her readers, both on social media and at signings. To find out more about Kelly and her books, you can find her through her website. 

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Thursday, March 2, 2017

[Excerpt Tour] Blush for Me by Kristen Proby

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From New York Times Bestselling author Kristen Proby, comes a steamy new standalone romance in her bestselling Fusion Series

BLUSH FOR ME!

 
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About BLUSH FOR ME
New York Times bestselling author Kristen Proby continues to delight the senses with the latest novel in her delectable Fusion series.
As the take-charge wine bar manager of Seduction, Portland's hottest new restaurant, Katrina Meyers is the definition of no-nonsense, and she isn't afraid of anything. Well, almost anything: she hates to fly. When she's forced to travel on a death trap with wings, the turbulence from hell has her reaching for any safe haven—including the incredibly handsome guy sitting next to her.
Ryan "Mac" MacKenzie hasn't been able to get his sexy seatmate out of his head. The way she clung to him stirred something inside him he didn't think existed: tenderness. As the owner of a successful wine touring company, Mac thinks he's got a handle on what life can throw at him and he's not prepared for any surprises, especially in the feelings department. And when he brings a tour into Seduction, he sees the petite spitfire he just can't forget. Mac is determined to discover what else they have in common besides fine wine and the inability to keep their hands off each other. But what will it take for two stubborn people to realize that what they have is so much more than a hot chemistry between the sheets and to admit to falling in love…?

Order Your Copy Today!

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | iBooks | Kobo

    BLUSH FOR ME - preorder graphic

Preorder BLUSH FOR ME, fill out this form, and receive an email with the Early Excerpt from Kristen Proby’s EASY MAGIC (Book #5 in her bestselling Boudreaux Series) and an exclusive Seduction restaurant menu after Release Week!

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And Don’t Miss the First Two Novels in the Fusion Series!

LISTEN TO ME CLOSE TO YOU!

BLUSH FOR ME - Tour teaser 2

Excerpt
“Are you going to tell me where we’re going?”
                “You haven’t guessed?”
                “Well, I’m assuming the beach, but there are lots of those on the Oregon coast.”
                “Cannon Beach,” he replies. “I own a condo there.”
                “No way. That’s my favorite beach.”
                “Good.” He smiles, then glances down at the Kindle in my lap. “I’m always the one reading to you. Let’s change it up. Read to me for a while.”
                “Okay.” I turn it on and begin to read. This is a romantic suspense, but I’d just started reading the sexy part when he interrupted me. So, I pick up where I left off, describing a very detailed sex scene in a shower. This author is explicit with her language, and I glance over to see Mac’s hands white-knuckled on the wheel.
                “Do you want me to stop reading?”
                “You’re fucking killing me,” he growls. “But keep going.”
                My lips twitch, and then he says, “And the shower is now on my list for this weekend.”
                “Oh, good.” I chuckle, then continue reading. The hero lifts the heroine and pins her against the wall of the shower, and it’s hot.
                I think I’m starting to sweat.
                I quickly learn that this suspense novel is heavy in the sexy department. It seems they’re having sex on every other page, but that could just be because Mac and I are in a confined space, and I want him.
                Now.
                I’ve wanted him since I woke up this morning.
                He reaches over and rubs his hand up and down my inner thigh. His little finger grazes over the sensitive skin this close to my pussy, and my voice catches as I struggle to keep reading.
                “Are we there yet?”
                “Keep reading,” he says, his voice rough. I do as he says, and he keeps his hand on my thigh, setting my skin on fire.
                “Mac,” I finally say in desperation. “I can’t read this stuff to you when you’re touching me like that.”
                “I didn’t ask,” he replied, and it only makes me hotter. That look in his eyes, the hardness in his voice, makes me nuts.
                So I keep reading, and try to ignore his hand, which is completely impossible. Because this is Mac we’re talking about, and he might be the sexiest thing ever invented.
                Ever.
                Finally, we pull up to a building and he cuts the engine. We both clamor out of the car and rush to his door.
                “We’ll get our things later,” he says as he fits the key in the lock.
                “Good plan.”


 Giveaway
    BLUSH FOR ME - Tour teaser 1    
Author Pic - Kristen Proby
About Kristen Proby

New York Times and USA Today Bestselling author Kristen Proby is the author of the bestselling With Me In Seattle and Love Under the Big Sky series. She has a passion for a good love story and strong, humorous characters with a strong sense of loyalty and family. Her men are the alpha type; fiercely protective and a bit bossy, and her ladies are fun, strong, and not afraid to stand up for themselves. Kristen lives in Montana, where she enjoys coffee, chocolate and sunshine. And naps.      

Website ** Facebook ** Twitter** Newsletter Sign Up

BLUSH FOR ME Goodreads ** Kristen Proby Goodreads

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Don't miss all the stops on the BLUSH FOR ME Tour!

Kristen Proby’s BLUSH FOR ME – Review & Excerpt Tour Schedule:
February 27th
BFD Book Blog – Review & Excerpt
Books,Dreams,Life – Excerpt
East Coast Book Chicks – Review & Excerpt
Happily Ever After – Review
I Love Romance – Review & Excerpt
The Heathers Blog – Review & Excerpt
February 28th
Aaly and The Books – Review & Excerpt
Heather's Book Ramblings – Review & Excerpt
Romance Schmomance – Review & Excerpt
Same Book, Different Review – Review & Excerpt
March 1st
Bridget's Book Bungalow – Review & Excerpt
Emmbooks – Review
IrishdaisylovesRomance – Review & Excerpt
Jack of All Trades, Master of None – Review & Excerpt
My One True Obsession – Excerpt
Sizzling Pages Romance Reviews _ Review & Excerpt
March 2nd
Abigail Books Addiction – Review & Excerpt
Book Babes Unite – Review
Krista's Dust Jacket – Review & Excerpt
Melena`s Reviews – Review & Excerpt
Nerdy Soul – Review & Excerpt
Oh My Growing TBR – Review & Excerpt
T & G Book Boutique – Excerpt
March 3rd
BFF Book Blog – Review & Excerpt
I Heart Romance &YA – Review & Excerpt
Lili's books – Review & Excerpt
Marieke's Books – Review & Excerpt
Pervy Ladies Book Blog – Review & Excerpt
Shayna Renee's Spicy Reads – Review & Excerpt
The Readdicts – Excerpt
V's Reads – Review & Excerpt
Wickedcoolflight – Review & Excerpt
March 4th
Bookgasms Book Blog – Review & Excerpt
Cocktails and Books – Review & Excerpt
Gi's Spot Reviews – Review & Excerpt
Reflections Of A Book Geek – Review & Excerpt
Roxy's Reviews – Review & Excerpt
The Reading Belles – Review
What I'm Reading – Review & Excerpt
With Love for Books – Review & Excerpt
March 5th
Book Bitches Blog – Review
Jax's Book Magic – Excerpt
My Girlfriend's Couch – Review & Excerpt
Nose Stuck in a Book – Review & Excerpt
Obsessive Reading Disorder – Review & Excerpt
Reese's Reviews – Review & Excerpt
The Butterfly Reads – Review & Excerpt
March 6th
Books and Tequila – Review & Excerpt
EskieMama& Dragon Lady Reads – Review & Excerpt
Reviews by Tammy and Kim – Review & Excerpt
Ripe For Reader – Review
Sofia Loves Books – Review & Excerpt
Three Girls and a Book Obsession – Review & Excerpt
Wicked Babes Review – Review & Excerpt
March 7th
Book Angel Booktopia – Review & Excerpt
Bookaholics Reading Haven – Review & Excerpt
I'm A Sweet And Sassy Book Whore – Review & Excerpt
Live Read and Breathe – Review & Excerpt
Musings of the Modern Belle – Review & Excerpt
Naughty Girls and Their Books – Review & Excerpt
Shh Moms Reading – Review
The Book Avenue – Review & Excerpt
Two Book Pushers – Review & Excerpt
March 8th
About That Story – Excerpt
Becca the Bibliophile – Review & Excerpt
Books Need TLC – Review
E-Romance News – Excerpt
Escaping Into Books – Review
Once Upon a Book Blog – Review & Excerpt
Renee Entress's Blog – Review & Excerpt
Shannon Loves Books – Review & Excerpt
Under the Covers – Review & Excerpt
March 9th
Blushing babes are up all night – Review & Excerpt
Queenzany – Review & Excerpt
She Hearts Books – Review & Excerpt
The Book Maven – Review & Excerpt
Vanilla & Spice Books – Excerpt
March 10th
G & T's Indie Café – Excerpt
Love Drug Book Blog – Review & Excerpt
Once upon a romance blog – Review & Excerpt
Southern Babes Book Blog – Review & Excerpt
The Smut-Brarians – Review & Excerpt
Theory of A Dreamer – Review & Excerpt
We stole your book boyfriend – Review & Excerpt
Read more »

Thursday, November 10, 2016

[Review, Excerpt Tour and Giveaway] Your Inescapable Love by Layla Hagen

Today we have the release blitz of Your Inescapable Love by Layla Hagen! 

Grab your copy today and enter Layla’s giveaway today!    
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A sizzling new friends-to-lover romance from a USA Today Bestselling Author. Each book in the Bennett family series is a full, standalone story.

Max Bennett was nine years old the first time he met Emilia. The two formed a tight friendship that lasted for years until she moved away. Now, years later, Max enjoys a successful career, and his brilliant business sense helped him take his family’s company to the next level. Max loves his life: carefree and fun. He has everything he wants, and has no intentions of settling down anytime soon (even though his family might have other ideas).
But when a chance encounter brings him face to face with Emilia, he starts questioning everything. The girl he last saw years ago has grown into a beautiful woman with sensual curves and a smile he can’t get out of his mind. Their chemistry is sizzling, and between old memories and new challenges, the two form a connection that is undeniable.
Emilia Campbell has a lot on her plate, taking care of her sick grandmother. Still, the twenty-eight year old physical therapist faces everything with a smile on her face and a positive attitude. The one area in her life where she’s not too optimistic is love. After practically being left at the altar, Emilia has sworn off men. Until the childhood friend she hero-worshiped and hasn’t quite forgotten, steps into her clinic. Max is every bit the troublemaker she remembers, only now he has a body to drool over, and a smile to melt her panties. Not that she intends to do the former, or let the latter happen.
They are both determined not to cross the boundaries of friendship. But as they spend more time together, their chemistry spirals out of control.
Can Emilia trust her childhood hero with the key to her heart and accept she might have found her one true love?
 
Review
**4.5 stars**

I was so excited to Max's book, I love the Bennett family. I love how different each of the siblings are and that their stories are each different. Layla did a great job at Max's story and I loved how it was told.

Max, oh the hot negotiator brother for Bennett Enterprises. After moving back to San Francisco from London, he wasn't looking for love, wasn't looking his old childhood best friend, nor was he looking for a physical therapist. Lucky for him, he found all 3 in 1, Emilia. I think Max is my favorite Bennett brother out of them so far. He had this side of him I wasn't prepared for. He was so caring and protective. He was protective of Emilia at age 9 and he is even more protective of her now.

Emilia is so sweet. She has her plate full and isn't looking for any type of relationship. She's had her Grams as her family for her entire life, so when she becomes the primary caregiver for her, life gets crazy. Working as a physical therapist provides a decent income, what she wasn't prepared for was Max Bennett as her patient. Being face to face with adult Max is different than 9 year old Max. Watching her trying to resist him was fun.

I loved watching these two fall in love and admitting it. Their story was sweet and fit them. I'm always a sucker for friends to lovers and this one didn't disappoint me at all. The secondary characters were just was good. We see more of Alice and Christopher compared to the other books.

I can't decide which sibling I want next, I think it'll be Christopher but Alice intrigues me so much! I'm excited for the next one. Bring me more Bennett's!

Excerpt


Laughter rumbles out of Max in a deep, heartfelt sound. I desperately try to come up with something clever to say. A strand of my blonde hair falls from my ponytail, and Max tucks it behind my ear, the pad of his thumb lingering on my earlobe. Heat radiates from that small point of contact, spreading to my cheeks, my neck.

“Lie on the table, Max,” I eventually say. He does as I instruct him, and once he’s on his back, my fingers accidentally touch his chest and an electrifying zip makes every part of my body heat up. He exhales sharply.

I attempt to decipher the expression on his face. There is heat in his eyes—that much is clear, but the way his brows are arched indicates that he’s as surprised by my reaction to him as I am by his reaction to me.

“Emilia,” Max says in a low voice. “I think we have a problem.”

“Mmm?” I urge, not wanting to say anything unless I’m certain we’re on the same page. I wouldn’t put it past my sex-deprived body to be messing with my mind.

“When I found out you’d be my therapist, I thought we’d pick up where we left off years ago. But then I saw you all grown up and sexy and… well.” He cocks an eyebrow, a devilish grin crossing his lips. “Just thought I’d put this out there. They say communication is the key to everything, right? And it used to work for us.”

I chuckle, shaking my head. His breathing is labored, and so is mine. Stepping back, I put some much-needed distance between us.

He nods slowly, scratching the faint stubble on his jaw. “It’s only a matter of time.”

“What is a matter of time?” I ask, not following.

“Until we’re comfortable with each other again.”

Oh, I hadn’t thought about it like that. “Maybe you’re right.” 

Judging by the way my entire body seems to go hyperalert when he’s around, that seems like wishful thinking.

“Let’s start with your exercises.”    

He groans. “I hoped you’d forget about that.”

“No chance.” I explain the exercise in detail for the next few minutes, and Max’s already nonexistent enthusiasm for the exercise turns to downright annoyance. To his credit, this particular exercise is a bitch. He follows through with my instructions and does a set of twenty reps. 

“You’re in great shape,” I commend him. “Most people are out of breath by the time they reach twelve.”

Max draws a deep breath. “I worked out a lot before the accident, and I also play water polo on occasion.”

The thought of Max in a pool, shirtless and playing polo is fodder for my brain, which turns everything into a dirty picture.

“You know, the faster you finish the physical therapy, the faster you can do your regular workout again and keep those hard abs of yours in place.”

“You noticed?” he asks smugly.

“Couldn’t help it,” I admit. “It’s all messing with my hormones big time. Like you said, just putting it out there.”

“Maybe communication doesn’t always help. It didn’t really clear the air, did it?” 

I chuckle nervously, pulling with my fingers at the hem of my shirt.

Seeing as how the air seems to consist of hormones and sexual tension, the question is almost rhetorical. When we were kids, we used to talk out loud about everything, and it helped us put some awkward incidents behind us fast. But openly admitting our attraction for each other just seems to be making everything worse.

Clearing my throat, I say, “Okay, new resolution. We’ll just ignore the chemistry until it goes away.”

Max curves his lip up in a smirk, and I can tell he has a witty reply in mind. He remains silent, though, and now I’m dying to know what he’s thinking, of course. 

“Are you seeing someone?” I ask, realizing I have no idea what the status of his love life is. My stomach is in knots as I wait for his answer.

His smirk becomes more pronounced. “This coming from someone who wants to ignore the chemistry?”

“Just hoping to alleviate my conscience. As light as our flirting was, I’d feel like shit if there’s a woman in your life.”

“I’m not an ass, Emilia. I wouldn’t have flirted back if I was seeing someone. What about you? I have to say right off the bat that if you are, and you’re blushing like that when I’m just looking at you, dump him. He’s clearly not good enough.”

“You know, one thing did change about you, Max. You weren’t so full of yourself before. Now you’re bordering on being cocky.”

“Bordering? Please. I’m far past that border, deep into Cockyland.”

“Cockyland?” I giggle, then remember what Mrs. Devereaux said, that confident men are usually great in bed, and I can’t help the heat rushing to my face.

“Something about you changed too, Jonesie. You laugh a lot more. It suits you. But you haven’t answered my question.”

“I’ll tell you everything while you do another set of twenty.”

He gives me the stink eye but doesn’t argue. 

“I’m not seeing anyone. But I almost got married six months ago.”

“What happened?” Max asks in a soft voice, pausing for a split second.

“He dumped me three weeks before the wedding.”

“That son of a bitch.”

I smile at his indignation. “How do you know it’s not something I did?”

“I have a hunch. Tell me.”

I instruct him to do a set of straight leg raises, then tell him what happened.

“We’d been together since college, and we got along well until Grams got sick. Things became more difficult, I was stressed…. Three weeks before the wedding, he said it was all too much responsibility for him, and he hadn’t signed up for this.”

“He was a jerk. You got off easy.”

“Maybe, but it still hurt. Like I wasn’t worth fighting for, you know.” It also twisted the knife into an age-old wound, hitting too close to home. My father took off right after Mama’s funeral, claiming that raising a kid was too difficult and he was meant for other things. “I suppose it’s better that it happened so early in the game before we signed the papers, but it hurt. I’ve put my romantic life on hold since, but I could use a friend, Max.”

My fingers are on the edge of the treatment table, and Max feathers the back of his hand over them, a devilish smile on his face. “I volunteer for that spot, Jonesie. Now, if I accidentally make an inappropriate comment or look at you the wrong way, please chalk it up to the fact that I’m a weak man.”               

I point a menacing finger at him. “No messing around with me. I mean it.”

“Or what? Will you spank me?” He wiggles his eyebrows. “You already have me lying down.”

 “You’re a pest, you know that?” I say under my breath, but can’t hold back a smile.

“I’ve been called that before. Nuisance, plague.”

“You say that with pride, as if it’s a badge of honor.”

“It is. It means I’m determined.” Max resumes a serious expression. “And I’m determined to be a good friend to you, Emilia. I promise. Now, what’s the next torture you have in store for me?”

As I explain the next exercise, his eyes zero in on my mouth. Nervously, I lick my lower lip, and Max’s gaze smolders me, like that of a man ready to break his promise. Damn it. How is this ever going to work?

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Your Irresistible Love (The Bennett Family Series, Book 1):


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 Your Captivating Love (The Bennett Family Series, Book 2):
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  Your Forever Love (The Bennett Family Series, Book 3)
 
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author-photo  About Layla Hagen
 I fell in love with books when I was nine years old, and my love affair with stories continues even now, many years later. I write romantic stories and can’t wait to share them with the world. And I drink coffee. Lots of it     

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