Spotlight: Excerpt from Zetas Till We Die by Amber and Danielle Brown

 

Author: Amber and Danielle Brown
ISBN: 9781525836718
Publication Date: September 10, 2024
Publisher: Graydon House
 
Buy Links:
BookShop.org
Harlequin
Barnes & Noble
Amazon
Books-A-Million
Apple Books
 
“The Browns deliver their trademark mix of steamy sex and social commentary in an easy-to-binge package. This is bound to please fans of Shonda Rhimes.” —Publishers Weekly on Perfect Little Lives
 
SISTERS…FOR LIFE.
 
It’s been ten years since Priscilla and her Zeta Phi Zeta sorority sisters graduated college. Ten years since they were all in the same room together. Ten years since one of them died. And now Lupe’s killer has been released from prison on a technicality, days before their ten-year reunion.
 
Priscilla decides that the party must go on; Lupe would have wanted it to. And besides, an epic reunion bash might be the perfect distraction. Back together, the Zetas party like it’s 2012, and it’s wild, just the way it used to be. Maybe too wild. At least everyone makes it out alive this time…or so they think.
 
When one of them doesn’t return home after the party, Priscilla begins to realize that there might be more to Lupe’s murder and that someone is out for blood. With the murderer in their midst circling closer and closer, the Zetas are forced to confront what really happened the night Lupe died—and the secrets each of them swore to keep.
 

Excerpt:

TRANSCRIPT OF JURY TRIAL—DAY 16

Conducted on May 20, 2015

Case: California v. Wolfe

DEFENSE ATTORNEY: Can you please remind the jury what you saw the night of May 7, 2012, as you returned home?

PRISCILLA: I was just getting home. Walking into the house and I saw him. Travis. His shirt was covered in her blood. Like soaked all the way through. At first I couldn’t tell what it was. It was dark. But when he got closer, I could tell it was blood. There was some on the tops of his pants too. He didn’t run or anything when he saw me. He just stared at me and then took off. I didn’t see him after that. I ran in to see what happened, where the blood was… Sorry. This is my first time seeing him again…after… Can I have some water, please?

DEFENSE ATTORNEY: And what did you see when you entered the house?

PRISCILLA: I remember…blood. Just a lot of blood. That’s all I could see at first. Just so much blood. I froze… I just…couldn’t believe it was Lupé…lying there like that. She wasn’t moving, her neck was… The way it was twisted, I could barely look. My mind was racing so fast. Everything just slowed down. I was there but not there.

DEFENSE ATTORNEY: Understandable. Now, is it fair to say you may be misremembering some details due to your state of shock?

PRISCILLA: No. Not at all. I know what I saw. He came from inside the house covered in Lupé’s blood. I saw what I saw.

DEFENSE ATTORNEY: Tell me what else you saw as you walked into the house. Was anyone else present?

PRISCILLA: Dionne and Alexis first. They were at the bottom of the stairs, kneeling down at Lupé’s side, trying to get her to breathe, to wake up, something. Zoë and Chanel were also there. Somewhere. Someone was on the phone with the police. I think it was her.

DEFENSE ATTORNEY: Were they also covered in blood?

PRISCILLA: They took turns trying to give her CPR. They all had touched her by the time I got there.

DEFENSE ATTORNEY: And you never saw Mr. Wolfe physically harm Lupé that night, correct?

PRISCILLA: No, but he was the only one who just left when I showed up. Everyone else tried to save her. Tried to do something. Why would he run away if he didn’t do it?

DEFENSE ATTORNEY: Based on the little you actually saw, it could have been anyone else who was present when you arrived who pushed her down the stairs. Is that fair to say?

PRISCILLA: No one else had any reason to kill Lupé.

DEFENSE ATTORNEY: What makes you so certain? Had you ever witnessed Mr. Wolfe threaten Lupé before?

PRISCILLA: No. But Travis—sorry, Mr. Wolfe—was constantly stalking her. I was worried for her. This guy always seemed to be around her and none of us knew anything about him or why he was so obsessed.

DEFENSE ATTORNEY: And when you say none of “us,” who exactly are you referring to?

PRISCILLA: My sorority sisters. Her best friends. Me, Chanel, Zoë, Alexis, Dionne and Val.

DEFENSE ATTORNEY: That night, were the doors locked?

PRISCILLA: We always lock the doors after eleven.

DEFENSE ATTORNEY: So there was no way Travis could have entered the premises on his own? If the doors were locked?

PRISCILLA: We figured he broke in through her window. He was always staring up at her room like he was trying to figure out a way to get into it.

DEFENSE ATTORNEY: And if he was there that night—

PRISCILLA: He was there.

DEFENSE ATTORNEY: If he was there that night, someone could have let him in, right? That is possible, correct?

PRISCILLA: Lupé would have never let him in. None of us would have. We were all worried for her.

DEFENSE ATTORNEY: Lupé’s bedroom was on the second floor, was it not?

PRISCILLA: Yes, but—

DEFENSE ATTORNEY: It would have been nearly impossible for him to scale the building and break in through the window without anyone hearing or seeing anything, right?

PRISCILLA: I…

DEFENSE ATTORNEY: No further questions, Your Honor.

Excerpted from ZETAS TILL WE DIE by Amber Brown and Danielle Brown, Copyright © 2024 by Amber Brown and Danielle Brown. Published by arrangement with HTP Books, a Division of HarperCollins.

Author Bio:
 

Photo Credit:
Deidhra Fahey
Photography

Amber and Danielle Brown both graduated from Rider University where they studied Communications/Journalism and sat on the editorial staff for the On Fire!! literary journal. They then pursued a career in fashion and spent five years in NYC working their way up, eventually managing their own popular fashion and lifestyle blog. Amber is also a screenwriter, so they live in LA, which works out perfectly so Danielle can spoil her plant babies with copious amounts of sunshine.
 
Social Links:
Author Website
X: @ambersharelle
Instagram: amberanddanielle 
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/22021571.Amber_Brown
 

Blog Tour: Review & Excerpt from Sweet Southern Heat by Ashley Cade

 

Title: Sweet Southern Heat
Series: Magnolia Grove Series
Author: Ashley Cade
Release: September 12, 2024
Genre/Tropes: Small Town Romance; Ex’s Older Brother; Enemies-to-Lovers; Grumpy/Sunshine

Goodreads 
Bookbub
 
Blurb:
Kissing your enemy is never a good idea, especially when he’s your ex’s surly older brother. But in my defense, he kissed me first.

Landon Crawford has always blamed me for the accident that stole his brother’s future, but he doesn’t know what really happened that night. I’ve hidden the ugly truth from everyone for six long years, but in a small town like ours, secrets don’t stay buried forever.

When I unexpectedly inherit my grandmother’s bakery, I find myself back in Magnolia Grove and Landon’s orbit. I try to avoid the grumpy mechanic, but fate is hellbent on throwing us together, and the more time I spend with him, the more the line between love and hate starts to blur.

The moment we give into our feelings, tragedy strikes again, leaving Landon with an impossible choice: fully give his heart to me or cling to what’s left of his crumbling family.
 
*Sweet Southern Heat is a complete standalone set in the Magnolia Grove Series. It's a small town, enemies to lovers, grumpy/sunshine romance with plenty of steam, lots of tension, and a guaranteed HEA.
 
Buy Links (Kindle Unlimited):
Amazon Universal: https://mybook.to/SweetSouthernHeat
Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CNQF77PV
Amazon CA: https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B0CNQF77PV
Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0CNQF77PV
Amazon AU: https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B0CNQF77PV

My thoughts:

Sweet Southern Heat is the latest in the Magnolia Grove series.   This one is Landon and Olivia's story.  I did enjoy this enemies to lovers story. It was a little angsty, however, that angst didn't carry on for too long.  I was happy that Olivia finally got to tell the truth about what happened that night that changed everything for Landon's brother.  The attraction was very steamy and strong here and I loved the ending for them.  I do recommend this one.

Excerpt :
            “This can’t happen,” he proclaimed as though trying to convince himself. Nothing could happen between us. He hated me. Just because he found me attractive didn’t negate the fact that he'd always blamed me for ruining his brother’s life.
            “Never,” I agreed, my voice trembling with anticipation.
            “There can never be anything between us.” Despite his proclamation, he drew closer. My bikini-clad breasts brushed against his chest as my breath heaved in and out.
            “You’re right,” I whispered just before his lips crashed down on mine. His kiss swallowed my shocked gasp, and for a brief moment, I let him kiss me. It felt good to be in his arms, better than it ever had with his brother. With that thought, I pushed against his chest and broke our kiss. I stared up at him in wide-eyed surprise, panting as I tried to catch my breath. His heated gaze scorched me, the look of desire burning in his eyes igniting something inside me I didn’t know existed. 
Without another thought, I wound my arms around his neck and pulled his lips down to mine again. He pressed into me, wrapping his arms around my waist and lining up our bodies. His arousal dug insistently into my belly. I let out a soft moan when his hips flexed, letting me know just how badly he wanted me. Correction: just how badly his body wanted mine. This was nothing more than physical need fueled by mutual attraction. He didn’t like me, and I didn’t like him, but there was no denying our explosive chemistry any longer. 
            He ground into me, his tongue exploring my mouth as I wove my fingers through his hair. I scraped my nails over his scalp, and a growl rumbled up his chest. He nipped my bottom lip in warning, and I smiled into his kiss. 
            I was contemplating wrapping my legs around his waist so I could feel him against my needy core when he suddenly pulled away. His gaze fixed over my shoulder, and he took several steps back. He ran a frustrated hand over his face and shook the water from his hair. Turning his back to me, he cut to the right where the steps led to the shallow end. Voices filtered through the air, and I looked over my shoulder to find Lucy coming down the steps, her bag slung over her shoulders. Shit, we almost got caught. Magnolia Grove was a small town, and if anyone saw Landon and me making out, the entire population would know by tomorrow morning.
            Landon casually strode across the patio, no sign of his unease save for the tense set of his shoulders. He didn’t spare me a single glance as he grabbed a towel and ran it over his body before heading inside. 
 
Author Bio:

Ashley is a USA Today Bestselling author who likes her small town romance extra spicy with a touch of angst and a splash of humor. Her swoon worthy heroes will melt your kindles (along with your undergarments). She resides in Ohio with her husband and two sons where she pens emotionally gripping love stories about imperfect people who find their happily ever after.
 
Social Media Links:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authorashleycade
IG: https://www.instagram.com/authorashleycade
TikTok: www.tiktok.com/@ashleycade_writes
Newsletter: https://bit.ly/AshCadeNewsletter
Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/ashley-cade
Website: https://www.authorashleycade.com

Spotlight: Braveing the Way by Laurel C. Fox

 

Author: Laurel C. Fox

Publisher: Independent

Publication Date: June 20, 2024

Pages: 186

Genre: Memoir

Amazon

 

When Laurel's fourteen-year-old daughter experiences a life-altering event, her entire world is upended overnight. Faced with her child's precarious fight to survive and the daunting road of rehabilitation ahead, Laurel discovers fountains of courage and devotion she didn't know she possessed.

Despite the hardships and her own private grief, Laurel tackles each grueling day with positivity, resilience, and humor. She becomes a tireless advocate for her daughter by pushing past exhaustion and uncertainty, focusing on savoring small triumphs, finding meaning amidst tragedy, and opening the door to the healing force of community.

Sharing her deeply personal experience, she delivers an emotionally charged story that reveals the extraordinary power of a mother's love, underscoring the lengths a parent will go to for their children. Laurel's own self-discovery will both encourage and inspire you.

Laurel says to her readers “My book is about a trauma that happened to my daughter, Taylor, when she was fourteen years old. My story ‘braveing the way’ takes you deep into my own journey while being beside my daughter in her seperate journey of survival.”

Trailer:

About the Author

 

Laurel C. Fox was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin and raised in Aspen, Colorado from the age of nine, through high school. She went back to Milwaukee for her first year of college at the University of Wisconsin at Madison/WI. After one year at Madison,  she moved on to finish college in California, earning a BA in Liberal Arts at Excelsior College, with her course studies done at UCLA in Los Angeles. You can visit the author’s web page at www.braveingtheway.com and Instagram at https://instagram.com/laurelcarini

Blog Tour: Guest Post and Excerpt from That Day and What Came After by Rebecca Daniels

by Rebecca Daniels
Publisher: Sunbury Press (June 4, 2024)
Category: Non Fiction, Memoir, Death, Grief, Bereavement , Life Stages
Tour dates: September 9-October 8, 2024
ISBN: 979-8888192047
Available in Print and ebook, 182 pages

Amazon
Sunbury
What if you came home one day and found your husband dead in his favorite chair? This grief memoir explores the author’s experience of the unexpected death of her husband from sudden cardiac arrest a mere three months after his doctors had pronounced him hale and healthy. The author shares her experiences in the immediate aftermath of the abrupt shock of discovery, reminisces about the details of the couple’s late-in-life courtship and marriage, and imparts other experiences she has had along the grieving road in the years since becoming a widow.

In our society, we often don’t want to talk or even think about death, so stereotypes about widows exist. However, each person’s grief journey is unique, and sharing tales of those experiences can be helpful and useful for those who find themselves in a similar situation. Though not a self-help book, this memoir is the story of a widow who defied the stereotype that widows are expected to “get over it” and move on with their quiet lives. Instead, this widow “got through it” and is now sharing her journey in hopes of helping others in comparable circumstances.

Enjoy this guest review: 

 

That Day and What Came After

Guest Review by Linda Lu

“Once I was alone and could let go of my self-imposed constraints,
I discovered by instinct what keening meant. I wept and wailed and
sobbed—deep, guttural sounds—as sorrow overtook me, and I rocked
and shook until I was exhausted.”

A stunning memoir from the author of some of the best books I've read in the last decade, 'That Day And What Came After,' is an intimate look at grief, pain and moving on in the wake of a tragedy.

Rebecca Daniels and her husband were only married for six years before his sudden and unexpected passing from a heart attack. Coping with the loss of her husband was not something that Rebecca thought she would have to do so soon into their marriage, and she found herself adrift, looking for help from any source.

Rebecca had experienced grief before in her life. As a young teenager, she lost her own father and watched as her mother dealt with young widowhood with few resources. Now that she was going through a similar experience, Rebecca decided to write this memoir as a guiding light for those that are also grieving a lost loved one.

After a loss like the one Rebecca experienced, there is a term that gets thrown a lot called 'the new-normal.'  Or, rather, the new patterns that your life will fall into without that person around. Rebecca was told by more than one person that without her husband, her life would fall into a 'new-normal,' and she decided to document her 'new-normal' by writing about it in a journal. Excerpts from that journal are printed in the book, and the look at Rebecca's fresh grief is both shocking and strangely intimate.

This book could be a difficult read for some people, but I think that those people are the ones who would benefit from reading it the most. Even if you have never lost someone close to you, 'That Day And What Comes After,' is definitely worth the read! 

 

Read an excerpt:

Excerpt From Chapter Eleven – Early Milestones (the First Few Years)

 After I stopped writing regularly in my grief journal, I kept on writing, and what I wrote had a new, different format. By then, I knew I would write this grief memoir. Each of the shorter pieces were about experiences I had during my ongoing mourning, but they didn’t fit the format of the overarching narrative I had been crafting for the story of Skip and Rebecca. They were shorter and more focused on specific emotional memories and challenges. These experiences or thoughts that grief delivered to me over time didn’t hang together in a traditional narrative way, and they were not designed to be self-help advice for others. They were simply important milestones in my grief journey—intimate elements of my widow story—and I decided to share them. The result is the next two chapters, where these short essays are shared in a more or less chronological order.

 PERSONAL GRIEVING RITUALS

(from November 7, 2010, to the present)

 Grief rituals are the things we do to self-soothe when certain things remind us of our loss. Being a theatre person, at first, I created rituals that were more elaborate and formal, often involving candles, incense, photos, wine, music, and even speaking, though prepared words were few. For Skip’s birthday, which came only three and a half weeks after his death, I set up a small altar with his photograph, played his favorite music, toasted him with a glass of Bordeaux (one of our favorite wines and reminiscent of our trip to that city in France some years back), and spoke to him from my heart about how much I missed him. I did similar rituals for many of the important “firsts” without him in the year after his death.

 In my daily life, I also created several smaller, more informal rituals, and though they have decreased in emotional impact as time passes, they will always help me remember certain things that I loved and still love. I remember thinking immediately after Skip died that I would never be able to count to ten again in the same way, because I lost the love of my life on the ninth day of the tenth month. I was right about that. Anything that required linear, mathematical thinking, and often things that didn’t, had me counting to ten in my head, saying, “I lost him on the ninth day of the tenth month” (instead of “nine, ten”). I counted the ice cubes I grabbed to fill a glass for a cocktail or iced tea, the crackers I pulled out of the box for a snack, how many seconds I would gargle after brushing my teeth, the number of times I ran the lip balm over my mouth, even how many spoonfuls of yogurt I would have for breakfast straight from the carton since I no longer needed to bother with a bowl. I started to count anything and everything. At first it was obsessive—any excuse to count to ten—and even now, more than thirteen years later, it still enters my mind now and then when I do the things I used to count in the early months after Skip’s death.

 I also have a continuing relationship with the prismatic light that had bathed Skip’s body in what seemed like an otherworldly glow when I found him unresponsive in his chair. Those prisms had been created by the sun shining through an antique beveled, stained-glass window that hung near his favorite chair in our old home. It was then trans­planted to the dining room of my new home near the kids a few years later. Whenever the sun creates those prisms on the walls and furniture, I always greet them as an embodiment of his spirit in my house, a house he’s never been inside in the flesh. I will often touch the wall where the prisms shine, letting the light play on my hands, and say, “Hi, Sweetie, it’s good to see you.”

When he was alive, in addition to being a consummate bartender, Skip was also the housemaid because while I was still working full-time, he had taken early retirement. That meant he was the one who did our laundry. I had one pair of comfortable cotton undies that had black polka dots on a white background, and he insisted they were his favorites, not because they were sexy but because the design let him know without hav­ing to put on his glasses when they came from the dryer inside out and needed to be turned to the right side before being folded and put away in the drawer. Yes, my husband folded the laundry! For the first several years after his death, whenever there was a family event or a special occasion I felt he would have enjoyed, I would wear those undies.

And last, but not least, there is the bartender’s signature cocktail: the Manhattan. It was always his favorite. Made with Canadian or rye whiskey, sweet vermouth, bitters, and a cherry, it’s still my cocktail of choice any time I want to feel Skip’s energy with me or think about a decision I would have consulted him over if he were still around to advise me, especially in matters of finance or investment, which had been one of his special talents. And sometimes for no reason that I can discern, I just need to pour myself a Manhattan to feel closer to him, counting out ten ice cubes in the process. 

About the Author:

Award winning Author, Rebecca Daniels (MFA, PhD) taught performance, writing, and speaking in liberal arts universities for over 25 years, including St. Lawrence University in Canton, NY, from 1992-2015. She was the founding producing director of Artists Repertory Theatre in Portland, OR, directed with many professional Portland theatre companies in the 1980s, and is the author of the groundbreaking Women Stage Directors Speak: Exploring the Effects of Gender on Their Work (McFarland, 1996, 2000) and has been published in multiple professional theatre journals.

After her retirement from teaching, she turned her focus to creative non-fiction and began her association with Sunbury Press with Keeping the Lights on for Ike: Daily Life of a Utilities Engineer at AFHQ in Europe During WWII; or, What to Say in Letters Home When You’re Not Allowed to Write about the War (Sunbury Press, 2019), a book based on her father’s letter home from Europe during WWII.

Her second book with Sunbury, Finding Sisters: How One Adoptee Used DNA Testing and Determination to Uncover Family Secrets and Find Her Birth Family explores how DNA testing, combined with traditional genealogical research, helped her find her genetic parents, two half-sisters, and other relatives in spite of being given up for a closed adoption at birth.
Her newest book with Sunbury (2024) is a memoir about her late-in-life second marriage and sudden widowhood called That Day and What Came After: Finding and Losing the Love of My Life in Six Short Years.
Website: https://rebecca-daniels.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rebecca.daniels.9

Follow That Day and What Came After by Rebecca Daniels

Teddy Rose Book Reviews Plus Sept 9 Excerpt

BookGirl Amazon & Goodreads Sept 10 Review

Kari From the TBR Pile Sept 11 Guest Review- Linda Lu & Excerpt

Kathleen Celticlady’s Reviews Sept 13 Guest Review-Laura & Interview

Sal Goodreads Sept 17 Review

Amy Locks, Hooks and Books  Sept 25 Review & Excerpt

Suzie My Tangled Skeins Book Reviews Sept 26

Gud Reader  Goodreads Sept 27 Review

Bee Book Pleasures.com Oct 1 Review

DT Chantal  Amazon & Goodreads  Oct 4 Review

Leslie StoreyBook Reviews Oct 7 Guest Review-Nora & Interview

Gracie Goodreads Oct 8 Review

 

Spotlight: Excerpt from Whiskey Kisses by Rochelle Allison

When an injury prevents Tristan from fighting in the ring, his family puts him in charge of taking over Doyle Whiskey. It’s the perfect opportunity for him until the owner's daughter, Evie, stumbles back into his life. Time may have changed them both, but when Tristan discovers Evie’s life is in danger, he’ll do whatever it takes to protect her, even if it means marriage. Readers who enjoy marriage-of-convenience romances will devour Whiskey Kisses by Rochelle Allison, a steamy friends-to-lovers, mafia romance.
 

Read Now!

Caught between family loyalty and their affection for one another…
Tristan
I always get my way.

Fighting is my life. In the ring, on the street, there’s no problem that can’t be solved with my fists.
When an injury puts me on the sidelines, my family sends me down South on business. They want me to take over Doyle Whiskey, a job they claim is perfect for me.

And it is, until the owner’s daughter stumbles back into my life.

Evie’s not the shy, awkward girl I knew as a kid. She’s beautiful and fierce, and she doesn’t need me.
Until she does.

Just because I can’t step into the ring, it doesn’t mean I’ve forgotten how to fight. Especially for a girl like Evie.

Evie
Our marriage might be a sham, but our friendship isn’t.

When my father’s debts land him in hot water, there’s a lot more than just money on the line. My freedom is at risk, and if I don’t figure something out, I could end up married off as payment.
But then Tristan shows up to take over our distillery. He’s as gorgeous as ever, but he’s not the sweet, mischievous boy I crushed on as a kid. He makes deals and takes what he wants and when he sees that I’m in danger, he takes me, too. In marriage.

I know he’s protecting his own interests by protecting me, but it doesn’t matter. I’ve wanted him my whole life, and I’ll do whatever it takes to protect him right back.

Because the queen’s the most powerful piece on the board.

Whiskey Kisses is a steamy, dark, Irish mob romance. Marriage of convenience, m/f, friends-to-lovers, forced proximity.

It's the second book of the Gangland Hearts trilogy, which should be read in order. Recommended for mature audiences
 
Add to Goodreads!
 
Goodreads → https://tinyurl.com/4yy2myjc
 
Excerpt
Copyright 2024, Rochelle Allison
“I didn’t fuck you last night because you were on another planet. Not because I didn’t want you.”
“You don’t have to explain yourself,” she says, her face still turned away. “You were being decent, and I appreciate it.”
“Obviously, I do have to explain myself because you took off this morning.”
“It’s fine, Tristan,” she says primly. “I know I’m not your type.”
“Bold of you to assume that you know my type.”
Her eyes narrow slightly. “Maribelle was.”
“I was fifteen,” I say with a scoff. “Every girl was my type back then.”
She shakes her head the tiniest bit. “Not me.”
“Not when you were twelve, no. But things are a little different now,” I say, pushing my semi into the cradle of her hips a little to show her what I mean.
Evie sucks in a sharp breath, her eyes finally meeting mine.
“Why didn’t you tell me?” I roll to her side, giving her some room, but I don’t go far. Instead, I draw my fingertips up and down her thigh, watching her pupils dilate as goosebumps pebble across her petal-soft skin. “Why’d I have to find out from your skanky sister?”
A soft breath huffs past her parted lips. “Because I didn’t want you to know. You never should’ve found out at all.”
“Did you think I’d turn you down?” I ask quietly, unable to look away from those lips. I trail my fingers up the inside of her thigh, wondering if her other lips are the same shade of pink.
“I knew you would,” she says, breathing shallowly.
“But I told you, when we were going to get the marriage license, that we could …” I trail off, letting her fill in the blanks with her imagination.
“Be friends with benefits.” She grabs my arm as my fingers creep beneath the hem of her shorts, closing her eyes briefly before she focuses on me. “And I’m not into that.”
I can’t help the suggestive grin that takes over my face. “Don’t knock it till you try it.”
She wrinkles her nose, her grip tightening on my arm. “Be serious, Tristan.”
I bite back a smile. I prefer this Evie to the self-pitying one for sure. “You don’t want to catch feelings. But it’s too late because it sounds like you’ve had them for a while.” I hover over her for a second before brushing my lips over hers. Gazing into her eyes, I see everything she’s tried to hide from me bloom in full color. Dipping down, I give her another whisper of a kiss, catching my teeth on her bottom lip as I pull away.
She draws a shaky breath when I reach her panties. “Tristan,” she whispers, her throat working as she swallows.
I run my knuckles over the warm center of her, touching her softly on the outside as we look at each other. When her breathing stutters and her eyes start to go glassy, I slip beneath the fabric and kiss her again, slowly circling my tongue around the inside of her mouth as my fingers circle the entrance to her pussy.
With a small moan, she gives in, sliding her fingers into my hair.
“I’m not going to hurt you.” I keep my touch surface level, rubbing up and down her soft, wet slit with my fingers. “Quite the opposite, in fact. I’m gonna make you feel so good you’re going to wish you’d told the truth a lot sooner.”
Her eyelids flutter shut, her mouth dropping into a perfect O. Desire burns through me like a hot, consuming fire and I lick into her mouth again, sucking her tongue and swallowing all the little sounds she’s making. When my thumb sweeps her clit, her hips jerk, moving to meet my hand. Sensing that she’s close, I touch her a little harder, and she kisses me hungrily, grabbing at my hair as she comes. Her roughness, her responsiveness—shit, I’m so hard it hurts. I’m not even inside her, but she’s pulling me in like a riptide.
“You still want to keep this platonic?” I whisper, kissing her ear. “Because I don’t.”
“I don’t know what I want,” she says after a moment, her voice shaky. She releases me from her death-grip, her arms lax around me. “And I don’t know what you want from me. From this.”
No more teasing, then. Dropping a kiss onto her throat, I pull my hand out of her shorts and bring her up so she’s sitting across from me. Post-orgasm Evie is a stunner, with her rosy cheeks and swollen lips.
“I want you to be honest with me, for one thing,” I say. “Even when it’s hard. I promise I’ll do the same.”
She nods haltingly, her eyes watchful like she’s waiting for the other shoe to drop.
“I also want to see if you blush all over.”
She bites down on her lip, trying not to smile.
“I wanna know if you used to have dirty dreams about me, and if you did, I wanna act them out,” I add, smirking.
“God,” she says with a pained laugh, covering her face.
I release her hair from its messy, grass-studded bun, watching it fall around her shoulders. “We’re already married, Evie,” I say, leaning in to kiss her again. “We might as well have fun.

About Rochelle Allison

Born and raised on the sunny beaches of the US Virgin Islands, Rochelle Allison has been living in her imagination since she was a little girl. Nowadays, Rochelle lives just outside of Atlanta with her one true love and their kids. When she’s not making up stories, she can be found reading, hiking, swimming, playing Wordle or taking pictures. She can almost always be found with a book…and chocolate.

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