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Saturday, September 30, 2017

September Mini Musings


Twisted Up: This is the first in the Taking chances series.  I reviewed the third one earlier this month.  This was a cute romance.  I loved the friends to lovers story-line.  Avery and Jake were perfect for each other. I loved their banter. Along with that, I loved the closeness of Jake and his two cousins, as well as Avery and her two friends.  Definitely one I recommend reading.

Tangled Up:  Not my favorite of the trilogy, this is he second book.  While I ultimately liked the HEA, it took me a while to buy into the couple.  This friends to lovers took forever.  There was too much wishy-washyness on the part of Bree.  I also didn't like that this one took place pretty much at the same time as Twisted up.  There were replayed scenes that I ended up skimming over.  Still the series is fun and cute.

The Exceptionals:  This was a random pick from the library. It's a YA, but reads more like a middle grade book.  It was just OK.  I think the world building could have been better.  There was also a semi-love triangle and insta-love.  (insert eye-roll)  I'm still not sure what the evil guy was supposed to be doing or why Claire was the girl to fulfill the prophecy.  The ending leaves it open for a sequel, but it doesn't look like we will get one since this came out five years ago.

Friday, September 29, 2017

Books We Didn't Finish - September edition



I'll Eat When I'm Dead:  I spent the first 3 chapters not knowing what the heck was going on in this story.  I think this was supposed to be satire about the fashion industry.  However, I couldn't tell if it was supposed to be taking place in the future or not.  There was so much name dropping and product placement, yet none of the names sounded familiar.  In the end, I gave up.  It definitely wasn't the book for me.

Genuine Fraud:  This book really confused me as well as bored me.  I had a hard time following the narrative as the narrator was unreliable.  I got about 25% of the way in and realized, I just didn't care how it ended.

Dragon Teeth:  This story was about as dry as a desert.  I was so bored.  My mind kept wandering while listening, so I finally gave up.  It just wasn't interesting enough to keep up my interest.

Chasing Red:  Wow, this story was really a mess.  The two main characters were highly unlikable.  I didn't see their "relationship" developing ever.  I couldn't take the back and forth drama between them.  I could only survive about 25% of the book before giving up.




Thursday, September 28, 2017

The Duchess Deal by Tessa Dare

Author: Tessa Dare
Publisher: Avon
Date of publication: August 2017

Since his return from war, the Duke of Ashbury’s to-do list has been short and anything but sweet: brooding, glowering, menacing London ne’er-do-wells by night. Now there’s a new item on the list. He needs an heir—which means he needs a wife. When Emma Gladstone, a vicar’s daughter turned seamstress, appears in his library wearing a wedding gown, he decides on the spot that she’ll do.

His terms are simple:
- They will be husband and wife by night only.
- No lights, no kissing.
- No questions about his battle scars.
- Last, and most importantly… Once she’s pregnant with his heir, they need never share a bed again.


But Emma is no pushover. She has a few rules of her own:
- They will have dinner together every evening.
- With conversation.
- And unlimited teasing.
- Last, and most importantly… Once she’s seen the man beneath the scars, he can’t stop her from falling in love…


This has to be one of the funniest historical romances I have read in a long time.  Given my mood lately, I was really looking for a book that would make me laugh and this did the trick.  From the first scene where Emma shows up at Ash's house wearing a wedding gown to the HEA at the end, I enjoyed The Duchess Deal.

While it's probably not the most histrionically accurate story, I found I didn't mind.  It's a great take on the beauty and beast story. I loved Emma and Ash together.  Their banter was fun and witty.  Their chemistry was off the charts despite them trying really hard for it no to be.  It was fun watching them fall for each other.   Along with the romance, there are a lot of characters who made the story fun.  The staff was hilarious with their schemes.  Emma's unusual spinster friends were fun as well.  

If you are looking for a fun romance, I highly recommend this one.  I look forward to the next book in the series!



Wednesday, September 27, 2017

Blog Tour: San Francisco Nights by Greg Messel


Author: Greg Messel
Publisher: Sunbreaks Publishing
Pages: 232
Genre: Mystery / Suspense

The wife of a wealthy San Francisco shipping magnate leads a secret life but someone is threatening to expose her.  Private eye Sam Slater and his wife and partner, Amelia, meet a mysterious woman in a large red hat during a train trip. The woman approaches him pleading for help because she‘s receiving anonymous notes quoting Bible verses which are becoming more and more ominous with each passing day. Her secrets have been discovered but by whom? What really happens behind closed doors in Room 505 in a swanky downtown hotel?

Sam is willing to take the case but Amelia warns that this woman is nothing but trouble. What does the woman really want? She’s been watching Sam for months and has a scheme to pull him into her world. 

Find out in the latest Sam Slater Mystery “San Francisco Nights” set in the fall of 1959. It’s the seventh book in the series but is a heart pounding stand alone whodunit. 

Watch the book trailer at YouTube.

ORDER YOUR COPY AT AMAZON

My thoughts:

  San Francisco Nights is the seventh book in the Sam Slater series.  Each book can be read as a stand alone.  I did miss reading books five and six, but the author did a good job of catching me up to what Sam and Amelia had been up to in those books.  Once again, the sleuthing duo is plunged into an intriguing mystery that kept me guessing.  The appeal of this series has always been the setting.  Going back to simpler times where it took foot work and phone calls to solve a case is always fun to experience.  This author does a great job of immersing the reader in the time period.  This is a solid addition to the series and one I highly recommend




Book Excerpt:

The neon lights of the slumbering city gave the streets an eerie blue and purple glow in contrast to the dark store fronts. The three story brick office building was abandoned and the normally bustling street at the entrance to San Francisco’s Chinatown was quiet with only an occasional dark solitary figure walking by. The ancient black metal fire escapes seemed to cling to the facade of the building like an alien spider web. 

The interior of the building was dark except in the private eye’s office on the top floor where a single desk lamp provided the only circle of illumination against the thick blackness of the night. The lamp provided just enough light to brighten the frosted glass on the door with the name “Amelia Slater” on it. 

Amelia sat at her desk in the dimly lit office shuffling through some papers, but she was unnerved and having trouble concentrating.  She took a drag on her cigarette before placing it on the rim of the ash tray. The rising smoke appeared blue as it swirled lazily into the air. 

She suddenly stopped, thinking she heard a sound. After intently listening for a few moments, Amelia concluded her imagination was playing tricks on her. She turned her attention back to the items on her desk but was interrupted again by a prolonged squeak of the outer office door opening. 

Then Amelia heard the outer door softly closing, followed by the sound of quiet footsteps on the hardwood floor. The sound seemed to stop just outside the door to her office. 
Amelia could see the intruder’s silhouette through the frosted glass window. Her eyes were riveted on the door as the door knob to her office began to slowly turn.



GIVEAWAY DETAILS:

Greg Messel is giving away three of his books!!

Terms & Conditions:
  • By entering the giveaway, you are confirming you are at least 18 years old.
  • Winners will be chosen via Rafflecopter.
  • This giveaway ends midnight September 29.
  • Winner will be contacted via email on September 30.
  • Winner has 48 hours to reply.
Good luck everyone!


a Rafflecopter giveaway


About the Author


Greg Messel has spent most of his adult life interested in writing, including a career in the newspaper business. He won a Wyoming Press Association Award as a columnist and has contributed articles to various magazines. Greg lives in Edmonds, Washington on Puget Sound with his wife Jean DeFond.

Greg has written ten novels. His latest is "San Francisco Nights" which is the seventh in a series of mysteries set in 1959 San Francisco. "Shadows In The Fog," "Fog City Strangler," "San Francisco Secrets," "Deadly Plunge" are sequels to the first book in the series "Last of the Seals." His other three novels are "Sunbreaks," "Expiation" and "The Illusion of Certainty." For a more detailed summary of Greg's novels go to www.gregmessel.com 

Greg is currently working on his eleventh novel "Dreams That Never Were" which is not part of the mystery series.

WEBSITE & SOCIAL LINKS:


WEBSITE | TWITTER | FACEBOOK

Tuesday, September 26, 2017

Blog Tour: Then Came You by Jeannie Moon


Author: Jeannie Moon
Genre: Women's Fiction
Release Date: September 26th, 2017
Publisher: Tule Publishing Group
Series: Compass Cove #1
Format: Digital
ISBN: 9781946772893


Hearts meant to love will always find each other.

Mia DeAngelis knew it was time to make a change. Wanting to provide a better life for herself and her ten-year-old nephew, Ben, she took a chance and moved to the small town of Compass Cove. Now, the college librarian is adapting to a new job, a new town, and living with her feisty seventy-eight-year-old grandmother. Mia is determined to make it all work, hoping the coastal hamlet gives both her and Ben the sense of community, family and belonging they both want so much.

Adam Miller, a retired NFL quarterback, has come back to Compass Cove to start over after an injury puts an end to his high-octane life. Settling into the small town routine proves to be a challenge, but his job coaching at Jennings College gives him a sense of purpose, while keeping him connected to the game he loves.

There couldn’t be two people more different, yet the minute they meet, friends and family have no doubt they belong together. Now if Mia and Adam can only get out of their own way and embrace a little home town magic, they can find the happy ever after they both crave…

Available at:  Amazon   Barnes & Noble | Kobo | iBooks

In Then Came You, Mia has moved in with her grandmother to give her nephew a better life.  She has been raising him since her sister killed herself years before.  Adam is the football coach at the college where Mia works.  As a former NFL star, he was a major player but he is determined to settle down now that he is back home.  For them, it was attraction at first sight. I was looking forward to a sweet romance and I wasn't disappointed. 

I thought this was a super cute story.  Mia and Adam were so good together.  Although Adam did majorly screw up at one point, I was rooting for them to work things out. I was also cheering Mia on as she stuck to her guns and made him prove he deserved her trust.  More than their relationship, I was touched by the family dynamics in the story.  Particularly between Mia and Ben.  I could empathize with Mia on her struggle to want to see Ben safely in a bubble, yet also wanting him to spread his wings and find a sense of community in their new home.  

This is the first book I have read by this author. I definitely recommend this one.  It was really well written and a fun read.  I look forward to the next book in the series.






a Rafflecopter giveaway

About the author:

Jeannie Moon, author of fifteen novels, has always been a romantic. When she’s not spinning tales of her own, Jeannie works as a school librarian, thankful she has a job that allows her to immerse herself in books and call it work. Married to her high school sweetheart, Jeannie has three kids, three lovable dogs and a mischievous cat and lives in her hometown on Long Island, NY. If she’s more than ten miles away from salt water for any longer than a week, she gets twitchy.

Connect with Jeannie at: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads | Pinterest


Monday, September 25, 2017

Release Week Blitz: Excerpt of Too Beautiful to Break by Tessa Bailey


Author: Tessa Bailey
Series: Romancing The Clarksons, #4
On Sale: September 26, 2017
Publisher: Forever
Mass Market: $7.99 USD
eBook: $5.99 USD

A love of a lifetime . . .

Leaving Belmont Clarkson is the hardest thing Sage Alexander has ever done. From the moment they met, she knew Belmont was the one, and getting up close and personal with him on his family's epic road trip has taken her desire to a new, even hotter level. But there's no way she can go there---not without revealing secrets that could devastate them both.

Losing Sage is not an option. Belmont's heart is hers, has always been hers. He knows she's hiding something from him, but nothing will stand in his way of telling her just how much she means to him. Finding her is easy---saving her from her past could cost him everything.

BUY THE BOOK HERE


Enjoy this excerpt!

“You don’t have to leave right away,” Sage said when Belmont turned, watching her from beneath his eyebrows. “Can you wait here while I take a quick shower?”
Maybe that hadn’t been the right thing to say. His big back heaved and the touch of his tongue in her mouth came crashing in like a behemoth wave. They had crossed an unspoken boundary on the train platform. There was no going back to before, to when they stopped at rough, crushing embraces. As if that hadn’t been…more than sexual somehow.
“Yes, I’ll wait,” he said, his voice sounding like serrated metal. “I can light the fire for you.”
I’ll say. God, why did everything sound like an innuendo now? If her body weren’t flush and sweating beneath the jumpsuit, she would have laughed about it. But there was nothing funny about having Belmont looming mere yards away, looking like one word of encouragement would snap his chain and send him barreling toward her. “That would be perfect. I’ll just be…a few minutes.”
Sage all but dove into the itty-bitty bathroom, pressing her back up against the door and willing her racing heart to calm down. Why had she asked him to stay? Her resolve would weaken with every passing second. Biting down on her lower lip, she began the excruciating task of lowering the zipper of her jumpsuit, which kicked up a protest in her triceps and shoulder muscles. When she finally got it down, she gripped the hem of her T-shirt and attempted to lift it over her head.
Her arms wouldn’t cooperate. They flat out wouldn’t rise any higher than her ribs, leaving the T-shirt suspended in midair. Her muscles burned like someone had doused them in lighter fluid and held them above a flame. Sage’s agony must have escaped in the form of a whimper, because Belmont’s boots scraped just outside the door. And her stomach hollowed with awareness, lightning racing all over her skin.
“Sage.” His voice was deep, urgent. “Do you need help?”
No. Say no. She’d only gotten finished reminding him she didn’t need him. But in this case, it would be a lie and she’d done so much of that lately. With Belmont. The most truthful person she knew. “I can’t get my shirt off.” Her nose started to ache, the tip probably turning red. “My arms hurt.”
His growl was short and broken. A beat passed before the door opened and she felt Belmont filling the doorway behind her. She flicked a glance up to the ancient mirror and confirmed what she’d seen in her mind’s eyes. Belmont towering over her like an avenging angel, outlined by candlelight. He’d taken off his coat, leaving him in a black long-sleeved shirt, which he’d rolled up to the elbows. Every inch of visible skin was shot through with strained cords of muscle, as if his frustration were written on him like a road map.
Sage still had the shirt halfway lifted, so her lower back was visible. Not a big deal to most people. But Belmont had never seen anything below her neck. Or above her knees. With the jumpsuit peeled halfway down, the band of her underwear might even be peeking out.
Breathing grew difficult as Belmont took one step closer and took hold of the T-shirt, his knuckles grazing the small of her back. “You’re wearing”—his breath ghosted down her neck—“my shirt.”
Sage only realized she’d closed her eyes when they popped open. Oh God. In the shock of Belmont arriving, she’d forgotten. “I am?” Her mouth was parched. “L-look at that.”
“I am looking.” She jumped when Belmont reached over her shoulder with his left hand and turned on the shower, the sound of spray filling the room. Then the roughness of his knuckles returned, sliding up her spine along with the shirt. “I like knowing there was a layer of me standing between you and the earth.”
Her legs took on the consistency of Jell-O. His touch was a drug, making her languid, although it was different than the way he usually touched her. There was sex this time. So much of it. And it was that major difference that allowed Sage to accept the skimming of his fingers. Accept the part of herself that lusted. They were in a dark room and time had surely suspended anywhere outside this little plot of square footage. Words ached to leave her mouth, words that wouldn’t be suitable in the sunlight. This man, so warm and brave and large at her back, knew things about her no one else did. What was one more secret? “I stole it out of your suitcase. I broke a commandment and everything.”
“Why?” He breathed into her hair, sinking heat like an anchor in her belly. The shirt came off, her arms dropped to her sides, and she was left in nothing but a bra from the waist up. Inches from Belmont. “Why, sweetest girl?”
A light steam had begun curling in the air like beckoning fingers. Maybe this is a dream. It felt like one of the fevered fantasies she woke from on occasion, sweat slicking her breasts and neck. “Because I like the way you smell and it hadn’t been washed.”
His exhale was gravelly. “Sage.
“Yes.”
She thought he might not respond, but finally he asked a question that made her nipples turn to hard points. “Can you manage”—a long, windy inhale—“the bra?”
Sage tried. She really, truly did. Her arms felt as though they might break off and hit the floor, but she reached back until her muscles locked up, refusing to move farther. But Belmont was already there, pushing them back down, holding them at her hips.
Jesus. Please, stop. I can’t watch it.” His touch disappeared only for a second and then the cotton material of the bra tightened over her breasts. She could feel him working the back clasp with fingers she knew so well. They’d tunneled through her hair so many times, twisted in her clothing, but had never, ever, touched her with any kind of…intent. Intent to seduce. And that’s what he was doing, intentional or not. The inhibitions she’d held close forever, circled the drain, along with the shower water. “Your back is so beautiful.” A ghost of a fingertip traced down her spine. “But I need to leave before I—”
“What?”
“Before I turn you around.” They weren’t touching, but she could sense the shudder that ran through him. “Or look in that mirror.”
Right or wrong, the mine, their codependency aside, Sage knew if she let him leave just then, she would regret it for all time. Her body had been woken up. By one man. He’d kept her on the razor’s edge for thousands of miles, surrounding her with his power and taking it away. Over and over. And this fever wrapping around them in the tiny bathroom was completely different from easing his anxiety. Finally, she felt like a woman standing in front of him, instead of a calming device. This was mutual and alive and she couldn’t stand it to end. Tomorrow might be a different story, but this moment was the culmination of a thousand dreams and she could no more deny herself than she could forget his face.
“Belmont, do you think of the kiss?”
I never stop,” he groaned into her hair. “Never.”
She took a deep breath for courage. “Will you shower with me?”





The Series

Series Page on Goodreads: http://bit.ly/2bKdUDo

ABOUT THE AUTHOR


Tessa Bailey is originally from Carlsbad, California. The day after high school graduation, she packed her yearbook, ripped jeans, and laptop, and drove cross-country to New York City in under four days. Her most valuable life experiences were learned thereafter while waitressing at K-Dees, a Manhattan pub owned by her uncle. Inside those four walls, she met her husband, best friend, and discovered the magic of classic rock, managing to put herself through Kingsborough Community College and the English program at Pace University at the same time. Several stunted attempts to enter the work force as a journalist followed, but romance writing continued to demand her attention.

She now lives in Long Island, New York with her husband and daughter. Although she is severely sleep-deprived, she is incredibly happy to be living her dream of writing about people falling in love. 


FOLLOW FOREVER ONLINE


Sunday, September 24, 2017

Rock Me by Carly Phillips

Author: Carly Phillips
Publisher: CP publishing
Date of publication: September 2017

Bodyguard Bad Boys… Sexy, Hot, and oh so protective!
A pop star in danger.
Her reluctant bodyguard.
A past they can’t deny.
Summer Michelle is on the verge of ultimate fame.
Ben Hollander has sworn off mixing business with pleasure.

But keeping his hands off of the sexy songstress is easier said than done and once the threat is neutralized, will she choose fame over love?

Goodreads

Rock Me is the first in a new series about bad boy body guards.  This is Ben and Summer's story.  It's a cute second chance story about two people who were destined to be together.  When Summer starts getting threats during a competition, Ben is hired to be her personal body guard.  He is still resentful of how things went down years before, but he is a professional and can definitely keep it that way.

I thought this was a cute story.  Both Ben and Summer were genuinely likable characters.  Their chemistry was off the charts.  There was a little mystery, but it wasn't too hard to figure out.  Still it didn't take away from my enjoyment of the romance.  This was a fun story and one I recommend checking out.






Buy links:

Amazon Kindle  B&N Nook  Kobo  iBooks Google Play


About the Author:


After a successful fifteen-year career with various New York publishing houses, and over 40 sexy contemporary romance novels published, N.Y. Times and USA Today Bestselling Author Carly Phillips is now an Indie author who writes to her own expectations and that of her readers. She continues the tradition of hot men and strong women and plans to publish many more sizzling stories. Carly lives in Purchase, NY with her family, two nearly adult daughters and two crazy dogs who star on her Facebook Fan Page and website. She's a writer, a knitter of sorts, a wife, and a mom. In addition, she's a Twitter and Internet junkie and is always around to interact with her readers. You can find out more about Carly at www.carlyphillips.com.



Review & Excerpt of Catch My Fall by Jessica Scott

Author: Jessica Scott
Publisher: Self
Date of publication: September 2017

Former Army Sergeant Deacon Hunter is trapped. 

Trapped in the friend zone. Longing for the woman who captured his heart when they were deployed in Iraq. 

Former Army Sergeant Kelsey Ryder has scars, the kind of scars she hopes that no one ever sees. Working around the guys at the Pint, she’s reminded of everything she lost when she left the Army behind. 

But some scars refuse to stay hidden. 

One fateful night changes everything and neither of them know if their relationship will ever be the same. 

All Deacon knows is that he’ll be there to catch her when she finally falls


I have been wanting to read Deacon and Kelsey's story for a while.  They have always been circling around each other in the earlier books, so it was fun to finally get to their story.  While I did enjoy their story immensely, there was another aspect of the story that I liked even more.  I have always said that Ms. Scott's military experience allows her to give a sense of realism to the situations in the books.  Her highlighting the plight of women veterans as pertaining to the VA system was spot on.  Having seen how my own mother navigates through the system,  I agree with most of how she portrays the hurdles our female vets have to overcome just to get care.  It is deplorable and we need to do a better job.

As I said, I loved Deacon and Kelsey.  They were both broken,. Together they are better and find a way to put the pieces back together.  One of the funniest scenes in this book is the hot yoga scene.  I laughed through Deacons' narrative because I swear I thought the same things when I took my one and only yoga class in college.  If you haven't yet, check this series out.,  Each book can be read as a stand alone.  I highly recommend them.



Enjoy this sneak peek:

I can't sleep.
I stare at my phone for a while; I guess I’m surprised that my pen pal is still talking to me. This is by far the strangest thing I’ve ever done, but right now, it’s comforting. Like talking to an old friend. 
Me either. Nights like this can get really long, really quick.
Do you want to meet?
This could be an elaborate scam to steal my money or milk me for sperm to sell to a fertility bank. Or maybe my pen pal wants my kidney. Those are in high demand these days, aren't they?
To hell with my kidneys. I'm curious now.
Shouldn't we meet somewhere public and well lit, first?
She sends me the place: 42 North, an all-night café a few blocks from here.
What if I get there and we decide that meeting in real life is super awkward?
The email response is back almost before I can blink. There's a desperation in the speed of the reply, and with everything else that happened tonight it's got my Spidey senses tingling.
We'll have to figure it out, won't we? Do you like to play games? Like Monopoly or something?
That response I don't have to think about: Not particularly.
The response is delayed this time. As if she's thinking.
I'm assuming the person on the other end is a she. Could be a dude. Which would be awkward because I don't hit for the same team.
No games. No sex. I just…I don't want to be alone. 


Js✦✦EXTENDED SAMPLE✦✦

✦✦BUY LINKS✦✦
 ðŸ”¹mobi http://selz.co/NJ67Vx4KQ
 ðŸ”¹epub http://selz.co/VyJF4lNYQ

Saturday, September 23, 2017

Spotlight Tour: Excerpt of Chasing Red by Isabelle Ronin

Author: Isabelle Ronin
Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca
Date of publication: September 2017

THEY SAID SHE WAS GOING TO BE MY RUIN...
THEN LET HER RUIN ME.

He had everything—wealth, adoration, a brilliant future. Until one chance encounter changed everything.
The moment Caleb Lockhart spotted the mysterious woman in her siren red dress, he couldn’t tear his eyes away.
For the first time in his life, he wanted something. Something he knew he could never have.
The unforgettable stranger he dubs RED.


Enjoy this excerpt!



It was late when I arrived at Caleb’s apartment. I was exhausted, but I couldn’t help the grin that spread across my face. I might not have gotten a job offer, but I’d gotten my résumé into as many hands as possible. It had been a very productive day.
Opening the fridge, I wondered how fast I could make Caleb’s dinner so I could slip into my bedroom before he returned home—but the fridge was as empty as my bank account.
I groaned in defeat when I heard the front door open. But when I heard heavy footsteps coming from the living room, I reached for my pocketknife in case it wasn’t Caleb. I’d already made one mistake, but still—better safe than sorry.
“Red?”
I let out a sigh of relief when I heard Caleb’s voice. He was sprawled on the couch, remote control in hand as he turned on the TV. His black leather shoes and dinner jacket decorated the floor. Discarding his clothes there seemed to be a habit.
I stood behind him, admiring the way the bronze in his hair glinted in the light.
“What’s for dinner?” he asked, propping his feet on the coffee table.
“I just got back. I’ll make you something now if you want.”
He looked over his shoulder at me. If my heart tripped—which it totally didn’t—it was a normal and healthy reaction to seeing a gorgeous face. It didn’t mean anything.
“Are you trying to butt out of our bargain already?” he asked, turning back to the TV.
Insulted, I put my hands on my hips, glaring at him. “Unless you want orange juice soup with Pop-Tart croutons, you need to go to the store. We don’t have any groceries.”
He rested his head on the couch headrest and arched up and over so that he was looking at me upside down. “You’re giving me a neck injury. Why don’t you come around so we can talk like normal human beings?”
I narrowed my eyes at him.
He sighed. In a smooth move, he straightened, turned, then climbed to sit on top of the couch. He playfully studied me. “I’m bored,” he stated.
I raised my eyebrows. Did he expect me to entertain him? “And?”
“You owe me dinner.”
“I told you—”
A grin stretched across his face as he loosened his red tie. “You can pay me another way.”
My jaw fell open.
He laughed. “Why is your mind always in the gutter?”
I blinked once. Twice. My mind was always in the gutter?
He pushed off the couch, put his shoes back on, grabbed his keys and helmet from the coffee table, and walked past me. I thought he was going to leave when I felt his hand circle around my wrist, dragging me out the door with him.
“Oh for God’s sake, where are you taking me?”
God, he was tall. For every step he took, I had to take two to keep up.
He pressed the elevator button. “For a ride.”
“A ride?”
He started laughing as he pulled me inside the elevator, pressed the Down button, and watched the door close. “I’ve never met a girl who twisted my words as much as you do. You have a filthy mind, Red. Filthy.”
“What the… A filthy mind!” I sputtered.
When the elevator door opened, he dragged me into the basement parking garage.
“A ride.” He clucked his tongue. “On my bike.”
I pulled my wrist from his hold, rubbing my hand against my jeans. His skin was hot and made me feel strange things.
He stopped and glanced back at me. “Problem?”
“It’s Sunday night. Don’t you have class tomorrow?”
“So?” He shrugged a shoulder. “I’m in college, not high school. I can skip class if I want.”
“Of course you can. You’re rich. You don’t have to work for anything.”
His eyes darkened, and he shoved his hands in his pockets, giving me a long look. “Do you like to be judged for being poor? You think having money saves me from pain?”
Chastised, I fell silent. When I opened my mouth to apologize, he cut me off. “You coming or not?”
I nodded, feeling guilty, and followed behind.
When he stopped in front of a sleek black machine, I stared at him in disbelief. It looked like it ate kids for breakfast.
“Ever ride a bike before?” he asked, tossing his black helmet from hand to hand like a basketball.
I took a step back. “I’m not riding that monster.”
His laugh was low and sexy. He grabbed my wrist again and pulled me close—closer than was necessary.
“I don’t know,” he whispered, his thumb stroking my palm in lazy circles. “I have a feeling you’re going to like it.”
My breath hitched, and he chuckled when I pulled away.
“N-no. I’d like to keep my limbs intact, thank you very much.”
His eyes danced at me playfully. “Yeah? Where’s the fun in that? Rule number one,” he said, gently placing the helmet on my head, “safety first.” He fastened the straps tightly under my chin.
“Rule number two,” he continued, flipping the visor down. I felt slightly claustrophobic so I flipped it back up. “When I’m making a turn, lean your body toward the turn. Never the opposite way. Got it?”
“Sure.”
He smiled down at me, staring for a moment. I wanted to bottle the color of his vibrant green eyes. Realizing I was staring, I shook the thought from my mind and snapped, “What?”
He shrugged, then swung his long leg to straddle his bike. “Hop on.”
When I didn’t, he turned his head, eyebrows raised and eyes glinting with challenge. At that moment, he looked like a gorgeous devil who’d take my soul to hell—and enjoy every minute of it. “You scared?”
My skin prickled with irritation. It would take more than a pretty boy on a big-ass motorcycle to scare me. I’d prove him wrong. I huffed and climbed on the bike, grabbing the sides of my seat.
“Where’s your helmet?” I demanded.
“Only have one,” he replied. He was so close—close enough for me to catch his masculine scent. “Nobody rides this bike but me. You’re the first passenger.”
He turned the engine on, revving it a few times. The bike vibrated angrily.
“Forgot to tell you the last rule,” he said conversationally, looking over his shoulder. I could hear the mischief in his tone.
“I’m sure you’re going to tell me.”
He grinned. “Hold on to me. Really, really tight.”
“No, thanks.”
“Suit yourself.”
I cried out as the bike zoomed forward, and my arms automatically went around him. I could feel his shoulders and hard stomach shaking with laughter.
He so did that on purpose! Fine, he won this round.
I vowed the next one would be mine, as we exited the garage with a roar.
I didn’t like the bike. It was noisy and dangerous. But as we streaked down the road, and the wind whipped cool and damp on my skin, I felt…
Freedom.



Chasing Red Duology:
Chasing Red (Book 1)
Always Red (Book 2)



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