Author: Marei harte
Publisher; Sourcebooks Casablanca
Date of publicaiton: January 2019
Vets on the Go!
They didn’t plan to become heroes…
When former Marine Reid Griffith started his moving company, hiring only veterans, he just wanted to help his brother Cash adjust to civilian life. But when Cash is caught taking down a thief mid-robbery, the video goes viral. Suddenly Vets on the Go! are local heroes…and Reid’s phone explodes. He needs help handling the deluge of interest—fast.
When PR expert Naomi Starr sees the news spot of a muscular vet expertly apprehending a bad guy with duct tape, she knows Vets on the Go! is just the thing to revive her career. There’s just one problem. Naomi has vowed to never mix business with pleasure. Ever. Again. And tall, dark and brawny Reid Griffith is a whole package of temptation.
Enjoy this excerpt!
Once he and
Evan walked outside of the warehouse to join the others, Reid joined Naomi and
stared down at her notes. “Any more advice for me?”
She shook
her head and turned, caught unaware that they stood so close. She faltered when
one of her heels wobbled, and Reid caught her.
They both
froze, staring at the other. She wondered if he felt the heat between them and
thanked God her blazer covered her now erect nipples. What was it about this
man that put her every nerve on alert?
His gaze
slipped to her mouth before finding her eyes again, and she found his
light-gray stare unnerving. Talk about intense.
“You okay?”
he asked, his voice like silk.
“F-fine.
Sorry.” She went against every instinct she possessed and took a step back,
disappointed he let her. “Thanks.”
“Yeah.” He
continued to stare at her and tucked his hands in his pockets.
She refused
to look down at his jeans, not wanting to know if he’d been as affected as she
still was by that simple touch.
“Man, you
are really pretty.”
She felt her
cheeks heat. “Reid.”
“Just
sayin’.” He smiled, and she wanted to fan herself. “So, any advice, Starr PR?”
“Just be
yourself.” She smiled back, pleased when he seemed entranced. “Your interviewer
is Rhonda Peters, and I’m sure she’ll be in love with you five seconds after
meeting you.”
His grin
turned cocky. “Oh?”
“Please.
You’re attractive and you know it.” There,
I got it off my chest. “Which is terrific when trying to sell something.
You see a commercial with a gorgeous woman who barely looks at a pair of jeans
slung over the corner of her bed. But you remember that commercial for jeans
because she stuck in your mind.”
“Nah. If
she’s not wearing them, I’m not interested. Wait. I am, but not in the jeans.”
He laughed. “So, do you ever wear jeans?” He glanced at her suit. “I imagine
you look great in anything.”
Before she
let herself be drawn into flirtation, she mentally backed away. “Perfect. Use
that with Rhonda, but be careful, or she’ll take you up on your offer.”
“Offer?” His
gaze cooled.
“That bedroom
voice, the seduction. It’s good, but you might want to throttle back how hard
you push. Rhonda will be overwhelmed.”
“But not
you.” He studied her. “What would it take to overwhelm you, Naomi?”
Hearing her
name on those sexy lips threw her for a moment. Unfortunately, he noticed,
because he gave her a sly smile.
“Me?
Nothing. I never mix business with pleasure. Ever.” Not anymore.
“Huh. Then
it’s a good thing you and I only have a three month contract, isn’t it?”
Wait. That
hadn’t gone as planned. “What?”
Reid
laughed. “I’m kidding, Naomi. I agree. Sex and business don’t go together. I’m
just yanking your chain. You’re too easy.” He held up a hand. “To rile. Too
easy to rile. Otherwise you’re a tough woman. Not meaning that in any way
offensive, either. Having to work for something makes it more worth it, you
know?”
She scowled.
“I’m losing track of this conversation. What exactly do you mean?”
Reid lost
his smile. “Heck if I know. Look, in the Marine Corps, fraternization is a
no-no. You don’t make friends with your boss, and you aren’t supposed to sleep
with him or her either. I get you. But Naomi, you’re not my employee.”
“You’re my
client,” she said, working hard to mean what she said. “It’s unprofessional to
get romantically involved with you. I’m
qualified for this job because I’m good at what I do, not because I’m pretty
and can flirt a good game.”
He frowned.
“Don’t think I ever said you weren’t qualified.”
She wanted
to smack herself for going off on a tangent and blushed three shades of red.
Her face hurt, it felt so hot. “God, ignore me. It’s been a long day. I’m sorry
for digressing. I just meant we need to keep things professional, that’s all.”
Reid studied
her for a moment then nodded. “Hey, I respect that.” His voice gentled. “I
respect you, you know. Don’t worry. This will turn out just fine tonight.”
She nodded,
about to apologize for turning his comments into a diatribe about unfair work
practices when Rhonda’s team showed up.
Instead, she
sighed. “Break a leg, Reid. And just remember, be yourself.”
Unfortunately,
he did just that and had Rhonda and half her team fawning all over him. The
team photographed well, and the TV crew seemed enchanted with the twins and
Jordan. Finley had the lead cameraman laughing and the sound guy demanding
another trick with Finley’s magical quarter.
Their
outdoor shoot had also attracted several onlookers, and word spread that the
heroic guys from that stopped-burglary earlier in the week were on TV again.
The
interview couldn’t have gone better. The photographers loved working with
everyone, and the large moving van advertised their contact number and name for
everyone to see.
But Rhonda,
damn her, was getting way too cozy with Reid. Which wasn’t Naomi’s problem.
Gah. What the hell is wrong with me? He’s
not a boyfriend or potential boyfriend. He’s a client.
“Naomi, hey.
How are you?”
She turned
to see an old friend, one of the station managers at the television station.
“Morgan, great to see you.”
She accepted
a kiss on the cheek and gave him one in return.
A few years
her senior, Morgan had dated her twice after her breakup from Tanner. Though
he’d been a nice guy, there was no chemistry, and his kisses had been mediocre
and rushed. Before anything went further, she’d broken it off, claiming too
much on her plate to get serious.
Morgan had a
terrific smile and a slender build. A nice guy. Maybe too nice. He grinned.
“You get better looking every time I see you.”
“Flatterer.”
She smiled. “So how have you been?”
They made
small talk while she watched the Griffiths get their pictures taken and get
interviewed. Cash put Reid in a headlock, which hadn’t been in the script. But
everyone laughed as more photos were taken. And of course, Cash’s arms bulged
while Reid slugged his brother in the gut where he could manage a punch.
The
photoshoot turned into a huge party with everyone enjoying themselves, then
transitioned to Ringo’s Bar down the street.
By that
time, she’d agreed to meet Morgan there to talk some more. He claimed to have a
lead on a business that needed her help, though his eyes told another story.
But it made her feel better to put even more distance between herself and Reid,
because she swore she could feel the man watching her with Morgan, even as she
watched Rhonda not so casually wrap her hand around his arm.
About the author:
Caffeine addict, boy referee, and romance aficionado, New York Times and USA Today bestseller MARIE HARTE is a confessed bibliophile and devotee of action movies. Whether biking around town, hiking, or hanging at the local tea shop, she’s constantly plotting to give everyone a happily ever after. Visit marieharte.com and fall in love.
