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Teaser – A SPECIAL OBSESSION by A.M. Hargrove
Synopsis:
Rule Number One: Never let anyone get too close…
Weston Wyndham has more money on his tattooed wrist than I’ll ever have in my bank account.
Drunk, he was gorgeous, wicked, sexy…
Sober, he is the most arrogant man ever.
If he thinks I’m going to let him order me around like one of his servants, he’s wrong. If he wants me to date him after all this, he’s out of his mind. Those walls I put up are there for a reason … and they were built to last.
But he’s relentless, and hot, and it turns out he likes his girls a little fiery. Giving in doesn’t have to mean disaster—unless I break my number one rule.
Cover Reveal – INKED EXPRESSIONS by Carrie Ann Ryan
Today we have a look at the super swoonworthy cover of Carrie Ann Ryan’s INKED EXPRESSIONS to share with you! Check out the awesome cover below and find out more about this next book in her Montgomery Ink series. Plus, find out more about how to get an INKED EXPRESSIONS post card and enter to win a mystery book giveaway!
About INKED EXPRESSIONS
The Montgomery Ink Series from NYT Bestselling Author Carrie Ann Ryan continues with the brother who keeps his secret and the one woman he shouldn’t want.
Everly Law married the love of her life and on the eve of giving birth to their twins, lost him in a tragic accident. Now she’s a single mother working overtime at her bookstore trying to make sure her boys have the life they deserve. Her life is busy enough without her adding dating a Montgomery. As past secrets come to light, she’ll need Storm more than ever—even if she doesn’t realize it.
Storm Montgomery has spent his life atoning for sins that only few know he’s committed. When he lost his best friend, he promised his widow that he’d always be there for her—even when she wanted nothing to do with him. But when a single touch ignites passions they’ve both buried deep inside, he’ll have to remember exactly who is in his arms and that taking chances might be far more dangerous than they bargained for.
Add INKED EXPRESSIONS to your Goodreads list here!
INKED EXPRESSIONS releases June 6, 2017 – preorder now!
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You can also enter to win a Mystery Box Print Book Giveaway if you share the cover (with buy links) with #InkedExpressions!
About Carrie Ann Ryan
Carrie Ann Ryan is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of contemporary and paranormal romance. Her works include the Montgomery Ink, Redwood Pack, Talon Pack, and Gallagher Brothers series, which have sold over 2.0 million books worldwide. She started writing while in graduate school for her advanced degree in chemistry and hasn’t stopped since. Carrie Ann has written over fifty novels and novellas with more in the works. When she’s not writing about bearded tattooed men or alpha wolves that need to find their mates, she’s reading as much as she can and exploring the world of baking and gourmet cooking.
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Blog Tour – Can’t Resist Series by Violet Duke
Grab the ENTIRE Can’t Resist Series by Violet Duke NOW!
The entire series is on sale!
Resisting the Bad Boy
Falling for the Good Guy
Choosing the Right Man
Finding the Right Girl (STANDALONE!)
EXCERPT from RESISTING
Abby sat up and called out casually, “Hey, could you toss me my lotion?” She pointed at the dresser behind him. “My legs get so dry here in the summers without it.”
Such an innocent request.
That he didn’t trust for one second.
Connor was sure this was going to be a look but don’t touch deal with her lathering up those gorgeous legs of hers while he sat there like a schmuck.
Staring, no doubt.
He narrowed his eyes and began silently listing all the ways he was going to pay her back for this when her two-week stay here was up.
Slapping an unaffected look on his face, he passed her the lotion, forcibly blocking all the erotic lotion-inspired images that were attempting to take over his brain.
Evil woman.
Only a day into their no-sex agreement and already he was closer to begging than he cared to admit.
While avoiding direct eye contact with the skin smoothing extravaganza, his gaze strayed to the partially open plastic bag sitting atop her dresser. It was over at the other end but he recognized the hot purple logo on the bag immediately.
Just like that, every muscle in his body stopped working.
Well, save one, that is.
The bag was from an adult novelty shop his friend Kim owned just a little north of here. He could only make out two of the items in the bag but they were enough to send his blood pressure skyrocketing—the first was what looked to be the tiniest pair of sheer white panties that would effectively cover nothing and, Lord help him, a silver bullet vibrator.
He was going to have a stroke.
Stifling a groan over how the word ‘stroke’ instantly made him think about rubbing one off, he gripped the edge of the dresser like a man possessed.
The door was just a few feet away.
He could make it.
But first he needed to get some much needed air into his lungs.
Breathe, you moron!
He dragged in a breath.
And that’s when he heard it.
The tiniest whisper of a giggle.
“Why you little—” Connor lunged at Abby as she shrieked out in laughter and tried ducking around him to make for the door. Snatching her around the waist, he hoisted her cackling body up over his shoulder and tossed her back onto the bed. “You set me up.”
Her giggles effervesced, the unliddable glee in her eyes giving zero credence to all her perfectly scandalized denials.
He trapped her under him, burying his grin against the curve of her neck, reveling in the unfamiliar experience of having fun with a woman in bed without sex being a factor. As he skimmed a smile over her collarbone, he felt the gasp she couldn’t contain like a shot of spiked adrenaline racing through his veins.
Heading straight for his heart.
It took more effort than usual to block its path.
Keep reading to check out each book!
The first three books are a TRILOGY and the fourth book is a STANDALONE spin-off!
Resisting the Bad Boy (Book 1) – only 99c!
Amazon ** iBooks ** Nook ** Kobo
Blurb:
He’s the ruthless lawyer with a not-so-little black book. And one simple rule as unyielding as his heart: nothing more than a month.
She’s the doctoral student helping to raise his niece. His brother’s best friend. And the valium for his soul he had no business wanting.
To be fair, she did ask him for advice—on what she could do to stop being ‘the nice girl’ for a little bit.
All he did was answer truthfully.
“Try something new that excites you.”
…Preferably him.
“A fast-paced, heartfelt, and fun read!” — #1 NYT Bestselling Author Lauren Blakely
“This book has given me one of the worst (or best) book hangovers I’ve had in a LONG time! I absolutely LOVED it.” — Mama’s Reading Break
Falling for the Good Guy (Book 2) – only 99c!
Amazon ** iBooks ** Nook ** Kobo
Blurb:
He’s her best friend. The good guy–the polar opposite of his brother Connor. The one everyone’s hell-bent on believing is her perfect match. But the thing is, that was just never an option for her with Brian.
…Until now.
For over a decade, through his high school sweetheart’s illness and eventual passing, Abby had been his pal, his rock. A second mother to his young daughter. His heart simply wasn’t free to love her then.
But it is now.
Now that Connor’s left her with a shattered heart to put back together on her own, Brian has exactly one chance to speak up or forever hold his peace.
“A stellar trilogy with unforgettable characters and a truly unique plot…will leave you wrecked one moment and elated the next.” — Guilty Pleasures Book Reviews
“What. A. Love. Triangle. Witty, raw, and at times, heart-wrenching.” — Ebook Escapes
Choosing the Right Man – (Book 3) only $2.99!
Amazon ** iBooks ** Nook ** Kobo
Blurb:
The one she never thought she could keep.
The one she never hoped she could have.
A decision she never dreamed she’d have to make.
“A unique trilogy that will take you on a roller coaster of emotions. I couldn’t put these books down!” — NYT Bestselling Author Carly Phillips
“Found my heart melting at every turn…I laughed and I cried and was put through an emotional roller coaster I wish I could ride again and again.” — Coffee and Characters
Finding the Right Girl – (STANDALONE!) only $2.99!
Amazon ** iBooks ** Nook ** Kobo
Being a single dad who’s loved and lost twice in his life, all Brian’s looking for now is something casual for a change. Unfortunately, being the nice guy poster boy and all, he isn’t exactly versed in the fine art of flings. So he looks to the outrageously unique and button-pushing Tessa for a crash course.
There’s absolutely no way he’s falling in love with this one…right?
Tessa has no idea why she told Brian that she was some sort of fling expert. She’s never been flung before and she sure as heck doesn’t know how to begin flinging a guy like him. Not only does the man have as many demons as she does, but he’s got her thinking of the one thing she stopped hoping for years ago.
A happily ever after.
“Emotionally charged with wonderful characters, Violet Duke made me laugh and cry in this incredible romance. One of the best I’ve read this year.” — NYT Bestselling Author J.S. Scott
“I love the way Violet weaves real life into her fictional characters, and I applaud her for tackling issues most authors wouldn’t think of using in a romance book.” — Guilty Pleasures Book Reviews
“Refreshing, engaging, sweet, and spunky all at the same time. This book tugs at your heartstrings in those oh-so-sweet ways…definitely a keeper!” — The Naughty Vixen Blog
About the Author:
NEW YORK TIMES & USA TODAY bestselling author Violet Duke is a former professor of English Education ecstatic to be on the other side of the page now writing emotion-rich stories with fun, everyday characters and sweet, sexy match-ups. Since her debut series in 2013, over a million readers have put all four of Violet’s laugh & cry contemporary romance series on bestseller lists and Top 10 charts across the major eretailers, both in the U.S. and internationally.
When she isn’t feeding her book-a-day addiction, Violet enjoys doing far too many things without checking the directions first (often with outrageous power tools she has no business operating), and cooking impossible-to-replicate ‘special edition’ dishes that laugh in the face of recipes. She lives in Hawai’i with her kids (Violet & Duke) and Mr. Violet Duke (their ringleader), with a PJs-and-rubber-slippers work dress code she takes very seriously.
Connect with Violet!
Sales Blast – Can’t Resist Series by Violet Duke
Grab the ENTIRE Can’t Resist Series by Violet Duke for a super cheap price!
The entire series is on sale!
Resisting the Bad Boy
Falling for the Good Guy
Choosing the Right Man
Finding the Right Girl (STANDALONE!)
Keep reading to check out each book!
The first three books are a TRILOGY and the fourth book is a STANDALONE spin-off!
Resisting the Bad Boy (Book 1) – only 99c!
Amazon ** iBooks ** Nook ** Kobo
Blurb:
He’s the ruthless lawyer with a not-so-little black book. And one simple rule as unyielding as his heart: nothing more than a month.
She’s the doctoral student helping to raise his niece. His brother’s best friend. And the valium for his soul he had no business wanting.
To be fair, she did ask him for advice—on what she could do to stop being ‘the nice girl’ for a little bit.
All he did was answer truthfully.
“Try something new that excites you.”
…Preferably him.
“A fast-paced, heartfelt, and fun read!” — #1 NYT Bestselling Author Lauren Blakely
“This book has given me one of the worst (or best) book hangovers I’ve had in a LONG time! I absolutely LOVED it.” — Mama’s Reading Break
Falling for the Good Guy (Book 2) – only 99c!
Amazon ** iBooks ** Nook ** Kobo
Blurb:
He’s her best friend. The good guy–the polar opposite of his brother Connor. The one everyone’s hell-bent on believing is her perfect match. But the thing is, that was just never an option for her with Brian.
…Until now.
For over a decade, through his high school sweetheart’s illness and eventual passing, Abby had been his pal, his rock. A second mother to his young daughter. His heart simply wasn’t free to love her then.
But it is now.
Now that Connor’s left her with a shattered heart to put back together on her own, Brian has exactly one chance to speak up or forever hold his peace.
“A stellar trilogy with unforgettable characters and a truly unique plot…will leave you wrecked one moment and elated the next.” — Guilty Pleasures Book Reviews
“What. A. Love. Triangle. Witty, raw, and at times, heart-wrenching.” — Ebook Escapes
Choosing the Right Man – (Book 3) only $2.99!
Amazon ** iBooks ** Nook ** Kobo
Blurb:
The one she never thought she could keep.
The one she never hoped she could have.
A decision she never dreamed she’d have to make.
“A unique trilogy that will take you on a roller coaster of emotions. I couldn’t put these books down!” — NYT Bestselling Author Carly Phillips
“Found my heart melting at every turn…I laughed and I cried and was put through an emotional roller coaster I wish I could ride again and again.” — Coffee and Characters
Finding the Right Girl – (STANDALONE!) only $2.99!
Amazon ** iBooks ** Nook ** Kobo
Blurb:
Being a single dad who’s loved and lost twice in his life, all Brian’s looking for now is something casual for a change. Unfortunately, being the nice guy poster boy and all, he isn’t exactly versed in the fine art of flings. So he looks to the outrageously unique and button-pushing Tessa for a crash course.
There’s absolutely no way he’s falling in love with this one…right?
Tessa has no idea why she told Brian that she was some sort of fling expert. She’s never been flung before and she sure as heck doesn’t know how to begin flinging a guy like him. Not only does the man have as many demons as she does, but he’s got her thinking of the one thing she stopped hoping for years ago.
A happily ever after.
“Emotionally charged with wonderful characters, Violet Duke made me laugh and cry in this incredible romance. One of the best I’ve read this year.” — NYT Bestselling Author J.S. Scott
“I love the way Violet weaves real life into her fictional characters, and I applaud her for tackling issues most authors wouldn’t think of using in a romance book.” — Guilty Pleasures Book Reviews
“Refreshing, engaging, sweet, and spunky all at the same time. This book tugs at your heartstrings in those oh-so-sweet ways…definitely a keeper!” — The Naughty Vixen Blog
About the Author:
NEW YORK TIMES & USA TODAY bestselling author Violet Duke is a former professor of English Education ecstatic to be on the other side of the page now writing emotion-rich stories with fun, everyday characters and sweet, sexy match-ups. Since her debut series in 2013, over a million readers have put all four of Violet’s laugh & cry contemporary romance series on bestseller lists and Top 10 charts across the major eretailers, both in the U.S. and internationally.
When she isn’t feeding her book-a-day addiction, Violet enjoys doing far too many things without checking the directions first (often with outrageous power tools she has no business operating), and cooking impossible-to-replicate ‘special edition’ dishes that laugh in the face of recipes. She lives in Hawai’i with her kids (Violet & Duke) and Mr. Violet Duke (their ringleader), with a PJs-and-rubber-slippers work dress code she takes very seriously.
Connect with Violet!
Chapter Reveal – DELAYED CALL by Toni Aleo
Coming March 20th
Vaughn Johansson is the Nashville Assassins’ star player. He’s brash, cocky, and talented. And he isn’t afraid to let anyone know it. He lives his life on his own terms, never forming romantic attachments, and only allowing his very closest to see his true, caring self.
Brie Soledad has the weight of the world on her shoulders. As the staff reporter for the Assassins, she balances her high-profile job and its heavy travel schedule with being the sole provider for her adult brother with Down syndrome. Sure, she’d like to find love. But who has time for that when there are bills to pay?
Brie has been the match to Vaughn’s gasoline since the day she first held out her microphone to him. They strike sparks off each other, keeping their friends, the team, and the Assassins fans in stitches. Brie’s refusal to fawn over Vaughn sets his teeth on edge and his blood boiling. Especially in that body part…
Brie’s been let down by love before, but she knows she deserves nothing less than real, forever love. Vaughn’s past has left deep, hidden scars, and there are some secrets he cannot bear to reveal. As much as Brie wants him, Vaughn may be too big a risk for her wary heart to take. But he is at his best under pressure. When the delayed call is in effect and he has no choice but to score, Vaughn always delivers.
Brie Soledad has the weight of the world on her shoulders. As the staff reporter for the Assassins, she balances her high-profile job and its heavy travel schedule with being the sole provider for her adult brother with Down syndrome. Sure, she’d like to find love. But who has time for that when there are bills to pay?
Brie has been the match to Vaughn’s gasoline since the day she first held out her microphone to him. They strike sparks off each other, keeping their friends, the team, and the Assassins fans in stitches. Brie’s refusal to fawn over Vaughn sets his teeth on edge and his blood boiling. Especially in that body part…
Brie’s been let down by love before, but she knows she deserves nothing less than real, forever love. Vaughn’s past has left deep, hidden scars, and there are some secrets he cannot bear to reveal. As much as Brie wants him, Vaughn may be too big a risk for her wary heart to take. But he is at his best under pressure. When the delayed call is in effect and he has no choice but to score, Vaughn always delivers.
“He’s cute.”
“She’s a sweetie, too.”
“Oh, she’s a she?”
“Yes.”
“Girls don’t usually like me,” Vaughn Johansson said with his brows pulled together as he looked into the dark brown eyes gazing back at him.
They were full of such hope, wanting… And instantaneously, he fell in love.
“Well, I think she loves you.”
Looking up briefly at the adoption counselor, Vaughn gazed back at the little black French Bulldog and smiled. She was a cutie; her little nub tail was wiggling, and her eyes were so wide that Vaughn felt like he could fall into them. But just as quick as he fell in love, he noticed something was missing. “She only has three legs.”
The adoption rep smiled grimly. “Yes, she was brought in having been hit by a car, and we fixed her up. That’s what throws people off, her not being whole and all.”
Making a face, Vaughn crouched down and took ahold of the fence as the little girl wiggled in excitement. She wanted to come through the fence. He could feel her eagerness, especially when she started to lick his hands, her eyes telling, or better yet, begging him to take her home. The thing was, she didn’t have to beg. The little three-legged dog was his from the moment he saw her. As he leaned into the fence, his nose went through the links before he whispered, “Don’t worry, girl, I’m not whole either.”
She licked his nose before letting out the sweetest little bark, and Vaughn was hooked. Standing up, he clapped his hands together. “I scored three goals last night, a hat trick, so it only makes sense that my first dog be a three-legged one.”
“Oh, cool.”
She had no clue what he was talking about. “I play for the Nashville Assassins.”
The lady, who obviously had never seen a game of hockey a day in her life, nodded happily.
“Cool. That’s fun.”
“You know what team that is, right?”
“Yeah, football. Right?”
Vaughn blinked in dismay, but then, what did he expect? She was barely an adult and probably hadn’t been exposed to the great sport of hockey. “Hockey.”
“Oh, I don’t like hockey,” she said, wrinkling her face up. “But the players are hot.”
He couldn’t disagree, but then she looked him up and down with very sinful eye, and he froze. There was no way in hell he was going to prison for this jailbait, so that was his cue to get his dog and bounce. Yet, he asked, “Have you been to a game?”
“Oh, no, I don’t have time.”
Rolling his eyes once more, he looked back at his new girl and smiled. “Well, that’s too bad because I’m naming this girl Tricksie, and that won’t make sense to you.”
“Oh, you want her?”
“Yes, I do. You know what a hat trick is, right?”
The fact that she had no clue what he was speaking of was all over her face as she only nodded. “Like tricks with hats?”
Vaughn wanted to cry. The poor youth of the world. “It’s where you score three goals.”
He might as well have told her the answer to the greatest unsolved math problem in the world, because she was more lost than the three blind mice. “Cool. That’s hard, huh?”
Smiling, he shot her a wink. “For some. But for me, it’s easy peasy, lemon squeezy.”
Her face scrunched up more. She thought he was an idiot. “That’s corny.”
“Well, that’s because you’re ten.”
She pressed her lips together in annoyance. “I’m twenty.”
“Same thing. Can I get my dog, please?”
Rolling her eyes before popping her gum, she turned for the front. “Yeah, let’s go to the office, and Linda will get the paperwork done.”
She started to walk away, but Vaughn didn’t move. “Can I have her?”
Letting out a long breath, she nodded before reaching for her keys, which made Tricksie jump to the best of her ability and howl louder. A huge grin spread across Vaughn’s face as he bent down and the little girl came running for him, jumping into him and scrambling to climb up his body. Holding on to her overactive little body, Vaughn laughed as he stood, kissing her head. “I think she’s happy.”
“That’s an understatement,” the girl said dryly as she started for the front of the adoption center, but Vaughn was in complete paradise.
It had been a long month of looking for a companion, but holding Tricksie, Vaughn was pretty sure it had been totally worth the wait. His need for company came when he discovered he was the only single guy on the team. Everyone had girlfriends or wives and/or kids. Meanwhile, Vaughn was chilling with just an Xbox when he wasn’t working. Hockey kept him busy, but when he wasn’t at the rink, there was no one to hang with, no one to talk to, and he found himself a bit lonely. He wasn’t ashamed to say that; it was a natural occurrence when one didn’t want to put himself out there and find someone to love him. The thing about love was it was just so uncertain, and Vaughn didn’t have the time for it. But a dog, a dog loved you no matter what. Plus, he had always wanted a dog. Ever since he was a little kid, he had yearned for one, but since hockey was so expensive, his dad never got him and his brother one. Along with all the therapy and treatments his brother needed, a dog wasn’t doable. But now, now, a dog was doable.
And Vaughn was convinced Tricksie was going to be the best dog ever.
As Tricksie licked and barked happily, Vaughn couldn’t believe he had waited so long to do this. But then, if he hadn’t, he wouldn’t have this beautiful gem of a girl. And boy, what a beauty she was. He couldn’t believe people would turn up their noses at her, all because she didn’t have four legs. She had killer dark-as-night fur, her big, brown eyes were two huge views into her heart, and she smiled. The damn dog was smiling, tongue hanging out as she wiggled in his arms. She smelled a little musky, but that was fixable. No, this girl was the jackpot, and Vaughn was glad he had pulled the lever.
As he walked through the doors leading to the office area—or at least, he hoped this was the right way since the lady who was helping him had disappeared—his phone sounded with a notification from his Nashville Assassins’ team app. It was probably weird that he had the app to the team he played hockey for on his phone, but he liked to know what his team was posting. Plus, he sometimes heard information from the app before he did from Coach. When he pulled out his phone, sliding the tab over, he realized this instance was one of those times.
Jensen Monroe signed to Nashville Assassins for a three-year, three-million-dollar deal.
“Holy shit! Tricksie, look! Uncle Jenny is coming to our team,” he said to his girlie before he laughed out loud. “You don’t know Uncle Jensen, hell, you don’t know me, but you will. Don’t worry.”
Tricksie licked him happily, and he was pretty sure she didn’t care what he said as long as he loved her and fed her, which was his plan. His phone started to ring, and he laughed when he saw it was the man of the hour. “Jensen Monroe, signed to the Nashville Assassins for some bookoo bucks! What’s up, brother?”
Jensen laughed softly, his voice deep. It had been deep since they were, like, thirteen. “Who the hell says bookoo still?”
“Fuck you, dude. Congratulations!”
“Thanks, it’s a great deal, I’m excited. It will be like old times too,” he said with a low laugh, and Vaughn smiled.
There wasn’t a teenage moment that didn’t have Jensen and their buddy Wells in it. The three had been inseparable. When Jensen came to live with Wells’s family to play for their high school team, the three guys just clicked. They played all through high school, went to the same college, and were all drafted the same year too. Even being apart, Wells on the Avalanche, Vaughn on the Assassins, and when Jensen was with the Wild, they all stayed in contact. They were brothers. Always would be too. The guys were there for Vaughn when no one else was, and he would be forever in debt to the two men who became his brothers.
“Wait, what happened to Dylan?”
“He got sent down. Mrs. Adler said she wants someone she knows will win games. He hasn’t won a game since last season. I can win the games.” He wasn’t lying. Jensen was a great goalie, and it surprised Vaughn that he had come to the Assassins as a backup when he had a starting position with the Wild.
“Why did you leave?”
“I wasn’t happy. Yeah, I was winning games, but my contract was up and I needed a change. So I took the deal from Mrs. Adler, and I think it’s a good one. Except now I’ll be fighting the best goalie in the league for playing time.”
Vaughn sucked his teeth. “Yeah, Tate Odder is the best.”
“Thank you.” Vaughn laughed. “Besides, you, duh,” he said, his voice high and playful. “I hate you, but are you still single?”
Vaughn paused. “Shit, are you telling me you’re gay too? I always knew Wells was, but I never suspected it from you. And, dude, you know I don’t bat for that team. I’m a pussy-only kind of guy.”
“No, you douche canoe. Fuck.” He could practically hear Jensen roll his eyes, which, of course, made Vaughn laugh. “I seriously hate you, and I can’t believe I’m about to beg for this, but can I please live with you?”
Vaughn stopped laughing as he looked down to his new ladylove. “I don’t know, man, I just got a new roommate.”
“What?”
“Yeah, she’s sweet, cold nose, licks a lot, and has three legs, but she’s cute as all hell,” he said as Tricksie kissed him with excitement before barking out in agreement. “And she barks. I’m not sure if it’s a lot, though.”
“You got a three-legged dog?”
“Yes, I did.”
“Of course you did. Who is going to watch said three-legged dog when we are on trips?”
“Wren,” he said simply, and Jensen groaned loudly at the mention of Wells’s baby sister. Jensen had always had a thing for her, but Wren never took notice. She was too busy with her nose in a book. Which he guessed paid off because now she was a hotshot therapist for the Nashville Assassins. Plus, Vaughn was pretty sure she batted for the other team. He had never seen her with a dude, and he had tried to sleep with her plenty. He couldn’t imagine why she’d turn him down if she were straight. Obviously.
“Does she know this?”
“Yeah,” he lied, and Jensen let out a long breath of frustration.
“You never think things through, I swear. But whatever, can you get me from the airport at 9:10?”
Vaughn smiled since he had never said yes to Jensen living with him, for the simple fact that Jensen didn’t have to ask and he knew that. Jensen knew he had a home wherever Vaughn was. “Yup, me and Tricksie will be there.”
“Tricksie?”
“She’s a three-legged dog, and I scored a hat trick last night.”
Jensen paused and then laughed. “You’re insane. See you in a bit, and make sure you call Wren.”
“Will do.”
They hung up, and Vaughn rolled his eyes. Jensen was always the do-right kind of guy. While Wells and Vaughn wanted to go out, get drunk, and break something, Jensen would talk them down and convince them that getting drunk and playing on the back pond was a better idea. He was the last one to lose his virginity because he wanted it to be with someone “special.” He never cheated on a girl, and when he broke up with one, he felt bad. When his young marriage broke up, he took all the blame on himself. Never said an unkind word about his ex. He called his mom every day, multiple times, and he hung out with the dorky kids growing up. He was voted Homecoming King of their class because he was so sugary sweet. Not to mention, he looked like a runway model, while Wells and Vaughn looked a little rough around the edges. Still, they were best friends, and nothing could ever change that.
When his phone rang right as he reached the doors to go sign the papers for Tricksie, he looked down to see it was Wren.
Shit.
“Hey, Wren,” he said, answering the phone with a big smile. “How’s my favorite therapist who won’t sleep with me?”
“Oh, I’m just fine. But funny thing, you didn’t show up for therapy, and then I got a text from Jensen saying you got a dog and I’m watching it. Oh, and it has three legs.”
“Um… Her name is Tricksie and she is amazing, and I don’t need therapy.”
“You do. Tricksie. Cute, but I never agreed to watch her.”
“Yes, you did.”
“When?”
“When I got you drunk the other night and stole your virtue.”
“Vaughn Johansson, I haven’t had my virtue in a long damn time.”
“But did a guy take it?”
“I will kill you dead, and that’s off the record, mister,” she growled into the phone, at which he laughed. “So you have no leg to stand on, and I don’t think Tricksie can lend you one.”
Vaughn scoffed. “You said I needed a companion. I got one, and in return, you have to watch her when I leave.”
“I meant a woman, but fine, a dog is fine. It’s a step in the right direction, I guess. But I never agreed to this, and I travel too, Vaughn.”
“Not all the time, though. Maybe once a month, and I can board her then.”
“So you have a plan?” she asked, and she didn’t sound convinced because, really, Vaughn never had a plan.
“Yup, sure do.”
“Okay, well, add me in at nine tomorrow before morning skate, and if you don’t show up, I’ll tell your coach.”
Vaughn’s face scrunched up. “You’re mean.”
“I love you too. Bye.”
She hung up, and Vaughn tucked his phone into his pocket before looking down at Tricksie. “That was your aunt Wren and she’s mean to me, but she’ll be nice to you. Are you ready to go home?”
Tricksie began to lick his skin off, and he took that as a yes. As a huge smile covered his face, Vaughn nodded his head. He had his baby girl, his best friend was coming to his team, Wren would watch Tricksie, and he was playing for the team of his dreams. Things were good. Really good.
And loneliness would be a thing of the past; he just knew it.
***
“Who talked me into this?”
“No one. You did that to yourself.”
“Why?”
“I don’t know. You’re lonely?”
“Oh. I am, aren’t I? Shit.”
“Yup, so may the force be with you, my friend.”
“But I don’t want to do this.”
“Then leave?”
“Can’t you come with me? There’s still time. It doesn’t start for another fifteen.”
“I’m just sure my fiancé would love that.”
Brie Soledad rolled her eyes as she leaned on the pillar of the ballroom, her eyes burning a hole in the sign that read: Speed Dating for Nashville Locals. It was embarrassing that this was what her life had resulted in, but as her best friend had said, she was lonely. Mekena Preston, though, was not lonely. Nope, she was all happy and in love with her fiancé, while having a great job and a wonderful life, blah, blah, blah. And if Brie was honest, she was jealous as hell and so desperately wanted to get laid, maybe even fall in love. Get the blah, blah, blah.
God, she wanted the blah, blah, blah. So damn bad.
Being a hockey reporter for one of the hottest teams in the NHL, the Nashville Assassins, one would think she would be rolling in the men, but she wasn’t. Everyone treated her like a little sister or they ignored her or they treated her like shit. Well, only one did that, but that was beside the point. The point was, Brie needed more. She was happy in her career. It was awesome, she was amazing, and people loved her. She had even won an Emmy the year before; she was kicking ass. The only problem was she didn’t have anyone to share her success with.
Yeah, she had her little brother, Rodney, but he really didn’t understand. Also, he needed to focus on his health and not on her. She was supposed to worry for him, not the other way around. Or at least, that was what she had promised her mom before she passed away from cancer a few years back. Sometimes, it was hard to remember, but she blamed that on the fact that she had no one to lean on. It was just her, with the weight of her job and her brother’s issues on her shoulders.
And plus, she really wanted to get laid.
It really didn’t make sense. She wasn’t an ugly girl. She was short, and maybe she could have skipped a few desserts, but then, what was life without ice cream and donuts? She had a pretty face, big blue eyes, and lips that screamed to be kissed, yet no one was kissing them. It was annoying, and pray God, this damn speed dating worked.
“I’m gonna stay,” she said, coming off the pillar and fixing the skirt of her little blue dress that stopped right at the middle of her thighs. “I need to get laid.”
Mekena stuttered. “Not tonight, though, right?”
“Jesus, Mekena, I’m not a whore.”
“Oh, you’re not?”
And this was the problem with being best friends with a girl she met only a month ago. “I’m not. Asshole.”
She giggled. “Fine, but please text me and let me know you weren’t killed.”
“I’ve got my pepper spray.”
“And your Taser?”
“And my Taser,” she said, rolling her eyes. She wasn’t sure why Mekena was even asking; she was the one who had stuffed it in her purse the day before. If nothing else, Mekena Preston was practical and smart, very smart.
“Good, text me when you leave.”
“Will do.”
“Have fun. Find your forever!”
Brie’s face scrunched up. “That is dumb, don’t ever say that again.”
“Hey, everyone says that when they fall in love.”
“God, I hope I don’t.”
“You will.”
“I won’t.”
“Stop stalling. Go find your forever.”
“That’s disgusting. Bye,” Brie complained before hanging up and then tucking her phone into her pocket and taking in a deep breath. Looking around the room, she noticed there was a decent men-to-women ratio, which was good. She didn’t want to be the only chick in the middle of a sausage fest. While she wanted some sausage, she only needed one. A large one, thick, some girth, mmm… Great, now she was hungry. Pressing her hand to her belly, she rolled her eyes. She needed help.
Or, again, to get laid.
Maybe she should just go home with the first able-bodied man.
When a large, round man stopped in front of her, her eyes widened. He was easily twenty years older than her thirty-two years and he was losing his hair, but he was trying to cover it with a toupee. People still wore those? Pointing at her, he smiled with bright yellow teeth. “Hey, sugar, make sure to stop at my table.”
“Ugh, sure,” she blurted out before hightailing it to the left.
She would not be going home with that guy. No matter how desperate she was.
Standing in the back, she looked over the sea of people as the announcer explained what they were to do. The sad thing was, this wasn’t her first time, so she knew what to do. Last time, she hated it and met no one, but maybe this time would be different. Letting out a long groan, she shook her head. If she could be normal and meet someone in a coffee shop or at her job, that would be awesome. But she hadn’t had luck with guys her whole life.
She wasn’t one of those serial daters or even a casual one. She dated for a reason, and because of that, she had only been in two serious relationships. Both were ended by the guy, which did nothing for her confidence. Both times she didn’t see it coming, and that alone was depressing as hell. Especially Matthew. She loved Matthew—a lot. But when her mom died, he said it was too much and left her high and dry. Not only did she have to pick up the pieces of her heart and Rod’s from her mother’s death, but then she had to pick up the extra pieces of her heart from Matthew’s departure. It was horrible, and because of that experience, she was a little scarred by relationships.
Okay, a whole lot scarred. But she was coming up on a new year, and it was time to turn over a new leaf. She wanted the happiness that being with a guy could provide. It had taken her a long time to love herself again. After the grief was no longer overwhelming, after the pain of Matt was gone, she was ready to love once more. It was time, time for her to venture out and find that guy. The… There was no way she was saying the forever guy, but something along those lines.
“So let’s get started!” the announcer said, and then she rang a really annoying cowbell. Taking the cue, Brie went to the first table and sat down as a guy with hair longer than hers did. He was decent-looking, but no spark whatsoever. Maybe it would come?
“Hey, I’m Brian.” Brie smiled.
“Hi, I’m Brie.”
“Ha, like the cheese.”
She blinked. “Excuse me?”
“The cheese. I love Brie, it’s my favorite. I wonder if you taste like Brie? Wanna get out of here?”
She blinked once more and then let out a hard laugh. “So let me get this straight,” she said, leaning on the table. “First, you compare me to cheese, and not even the most exclusive cheese, kind of midrange. And then you want me to go home with you?”
He shrugged like that was a normal exchange.
“Yeah.” “Yeah, no. And fuck-you-very-much,” she said, standing up just as the bell rang. Thankfully. Moving down the chair, she skipped the guy from earlier, the balding dude, and sat down as a very attractive, clean-cut guy sat down. And wowza, was he gorgeous. Big blue eyes, wonderful angles to his face, and thick, yummy shoulders. He reminded her of someone…but… Whoa, not now, Soledad.
With a bright smile, she said, “Hey, I’m Brie.”
“Tim, nice to meet you,” he said, matching her grin as he looked her up and down. “Let me guess, a doctor?” She laughed. “Reporter for the Nashville Assassins.” His eyes lit up. “Go Assassins!”
She smiled as she nodded. “Greatest team in the league.”
“Agreed, but I’m sad. I could have sworn you were a doctor. That would have worked for me since I’m a lawyer, and I need someone to deal with my crazy hours.”
“Well, I need that too because I leave a lot.”
“Oh, well then, hi,” he said, leaning on the table, and she did the same.
“Hi.”
“Family?” She nodded. “A little brother.”
“What’s his name?”
“Rodney.”
“Is he in town?”
“Yup, over at Riverdale.”
His brows pulled together. “Riverdale? Isn’t that the old folks’ home?”
“They also have a facility for people with Down syndrome.”
“I didn’t know they kept retards too. That place stinks, I had an aunt die there.”
Oh, look, there went all the attraction she even thought she had for this piece of junk. Swallowing hard, she stood slowly and then tucked her chair in. “Actually, not all people with Down syndrome have mental challenges. My brother is highly intelligent. You wouldn’t even know he had Down syndrome if he didn’t have the physical characteristics.”
He shrugged, waving her off. “Same thing.”
She could only blink. “You know what isn’t the same? A dick-fuck and a cuntasaurus.”
“Um—”
“But you know what? You’re both of those,” she yelled. “And we are done.”
“Your loss, sweetheart.”
“No, you piece of dog shit, it’s your loss because I am fucking amazing,” she announced before turning on her heel and walking straight out of the speed-dating event.
Fuck guys.
They sucked.
My name is Toni Aleo and I’m a total dork.
I am a wife, mother of two and a bulldog, and also a hopeless romantic.
I am the biggest Shea Weber fan ever, and can be found during hockey season with my nose pressed against the Bridgestone Arena’s glass, watching my Nashville Predators play!
When my nose isn’t pressed against the glass, I enjoy going to my husband and son’s hockey games, my daughter’s dance competition, hanging with my best friends, taking pictures, scrapbooking, and reading the latest romance novel.
I have a slight Disney and Harry Potter obsession, I love things that sparkle, I love the color pink, I might have been a Disney Princess in a past life… probably Belle.
… and did I mention I love hockey?
Author Links
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Release Blitz – CLAIMED PRINCESS by Alexa Riley
Heavenly and Carlos have been best friends their whole lives. But it’s almost time for Heavenly’s birthday, which means she’ll be married off to a king.
Carlos has been King for a few years now and is being pressured to choose a bride. But he’s only ever had eyes for one princess, and he’s had to wait for her to turn twenty-one.
Carlos has been King for a few years now and is being pressured to choose a bride. But he’s only ever had eyes for one princess, and he’s had to wait for her to turn twenty-one.
Heavenly doesn’t have any idea the plans Carlos has made for her, so when she offers to marry his brother, things don’t go so well. Girl, they don’t go well at all… Carlos isn’t having that. She gets a dose of alpha when Carlos lays down the law. But when she runs…how far will she actually get?
Warning: Do you really wonder if there’s a happily ever after? Because you know that’s kind of our thing, right? Look, he chases her, but it all works out.
Also it’s really hot. Get it!
Each book in The Princess series is standalone & about a different couple.
*Heavenly*
I flip through a magazine while lying on the floor of Carlos’s office. I’m bored as I lie on my stomach, swaying my feet in the air. I roll over when I come to a picture of Princess Star. I’m not shocked to see her in the magazine. I’d be more shocked if she wasn’t. The paparazzi are always trying to find out what she’s wearing and what she’s doing. Or better yet, who she’s doing. What kind of name is that? It makes me want to roll my eyes as much as her face does.
“You sure you don’t want to pick Star?” I tease, rolling fully to my side to look at Carlos. His eyes are trained on me, his face set in a hard stare. I don’t know why he looks so angry. He’s been grumpy for the past few months, which isn’t normal for him.
Okay, that’s not true. He’s usually pretty abrupt and a little cool with people. Except with me. I’m always the one who can get away with anything. I can show up at his office, flop down, and do whatever I want. Like I am now. It’s been that way since I was a little girl. But then he wasn’t always king. He’s only held the title for the past few years. I thought things might change. That he wouldn’t have time for me anymore. Instead I’ve only been granted further access into his family’s castle.
His eyes move to my legs, and it’s then I see my dress has ridden up. I sit up quickly and pull it down, my face turning red knowing he saw my underwear. I want to die. Of course when the man I’ve been in love with since I was fifteen sees my underwear, I’m wearing plain white ones with little hearts on them. Kill me now.
“I suggest you get rid of that dress, Heavenly. I’m sure whoever your intended might be wouldn’t like hearing his wife wore dresses and flashed what was his to other men.”
My mouth falls open at his words, then I narrow my eyes at him. He’s never talked to me like that before. I take the magazine and throw it at him. My aim is terrible, and it ends up knocking a vase off the table next to his desk. It causes it to crash to the floor, shattering into a hundred pieces.
I roll back over and grab another magazine, ignoring him. I’m not even sure what I’m mad about. Maybe it’s the casual talk about me being passed to whoever my husband might be. My coming of age is fast approaching, and I’ve been ignoring it, hoping that maybe no one will call on me. My heart already belongs to a man who’s been searching for his own wife since he became king. I’m not even a blip on his radar in that area. I’m like his cute little sister in his eyes, someone he has to protect and shelter.
He’s been my everything from the first moment we met. I came to stay with my grandma, whose home is right on the edge of Carlos’s land. I’d moved here after both my parents died and my brother had taken the crown. I love my brother, but he had no idea what to do with a grieving little sister. He had a country of his own to run.
I climbed the wall that surrounded the castle from the rest of the world, only to come up against two guards when I’d landed on the other side. Boredom and curiosity had gotten the best of me that day. They dragged me kicking and screaming back to the castle with the intent to have me arrested for trespassing. Which I was. But it was Carlos who’d saved me.
I’d broken away from the two guards and taken off, only to run right into Carlos. He was like a hard wall of muscle, and I would have fallen on my ass that day if he hadn’t grabbed ahold of me. He pulled me back to him and stopped me from falling.
I’d never seen someone go from angry to sweet in a flash. He ripped into the guards for having sent a girl running from them in fear. Since that day a guard has never touched me or stood in my way here. Most won’t even make eye contact with me. No place ever been off limits to me either. Something about that makes me feel special, but I have a feeling it’s something I’ll soon lose. I can’t imagine whoever Carlos chooses as a wife will allow me to still roam the castle and estate like I do now.
Sometimes when I can’t sleep at night I sneak over from my grandmother’s and climb into his bed, where he’ll hold me close until I fall asleep. I don’t think that will be happening anymore once he takes a queen. Especially since he asked me to stop the last time I did it. It cut deep. Deeper than I thought it would. Yeah, things are going to change, but I don’t want them to. I want to stay here forever. This feels like my home now—the only home I’ve known since I lost both my parents.
The room remains quiet as both of us know I’m not going to clean up the mess. I glance over at him, and his eyes are still on me. We stare at each other for a long moment.
“I’m sorry, Heavenly. You know I’m very protective of you.” I nod, understanding. He has always been that way with me, even when it comes to men or boys poking around me. “I don’t like the idea of men being able to see up your dress.” He leans back in his chair, rubbing a hand over his face. “Things have to change,” he mumbles, and I feel my stomach turn.
“I’m not going to be allowed here after you choose your wife,” I say, and I hear the defeat and sadness in my own voice. This wife thing has been hanging over my head for two years now. It’s bittersweet. Part of me loves the fact that he hasn’t picked one yet, and another part wants him to do it so I have to face the music.
“Why would you say such a thing?” He sits back up in his chair.
“I mean, I know I can come over, just not like now. You already won’t let me in your room.” My gaze drops back down to the magazine.
Carlos gets up, coming around his desk and picking up the magazine I threw. He looks at the page that’s open to the picture of Star. He rolls his eyes and tosses it into the fire that’s cracking quietly in the fireplace.
“You’re days away from coming of age,” he reminds me.
I know. I turn twenty-one soon. I’ve been dreading it, wondering who might be calling for my hand in marriage. I secretly hoped that my brother had forgotten all about me and I wouldn’t have to worry about that day. But I think that chance is slim to none.
“I know,” I mumble. “Maybe you should worry about your own little problem. You know, picking a wife? How many women have showed up here and you still haven’t picked one.”
His jaw clenches at my words. He hates when they come. That makes two of us. I want to say it out loud, but I keep it to myself. I always try to keep the anger out of my voice. I can’t let my jealousy show. That wouldn’t be good. Then I really wouldn’t be allowed over anymore.
“Heavenly. You will never not be allowed here. You’re a part of this family, and you know it.”
I want to tell him he’s wrong. If he were mine I sure as heck wouldn’t let him hang out with some girl in his office all day.
Then it hits me. I jump up and rush over to him. “Maybe I could marry your brother!”
I almost run into him I’m so excited at the idea. But he catches me and puts his hands on my shoulders. I’d never have to leave! I could still see Carlos and his mom every day! Carlos’s brother Romy is nice, but if the rumors in the magazines are true, he’s a little bit of a player. But I wouldn’t care. I’m sure his mom will be pushing him to get married soon, too. Maybe we could just be married in name. He could still do whatever he wanted, and I could stay here. Romy and I get along well. We often team up and give Carlos a hard time when he gets into one of his grumpy moods.
Carlos tightens his grip on my shoulders.
“You want to be with my brother?”
The look on his face changes to anger. I’ve seen this face on him many times over the years, but never has it been aimed at me. I don’t understand why he’s so mad. I know he’s protective of me in a brotherly way, but this seems excessive.
“He wouldn’t treat you as you deserve to be treated,” he half-growls. He brings his hand to my cheek and strokes it softly. The touch doesn’t match the anger in his words.
“Romy is sweet to me,” I say, trying to make him understand.
“He wouldn’t be loyal,” he throws back.
Loyalty is everything to him. I know Carlos would be faithful to his wife. He’s a man of great honor. That’s probably why I’ve never seen any magazine pictures of him out on a date. It’s also why he’d never think of being with me. I’m too young. Not only that but although I’m a princess, I’m a little brash and blurt things out in moments I shouldn’t. My parents kept me away from the social scene, then after they died I was out here living with my grandmother. She barely leaves the house. My only social interactions occur with him, when I come over here and hang out. I even completed my schooling at the castle with private teachers. It was easier to do it here. I practically live here, for the most part. If I wasn’t with Carlos, I was with his mother, helping her plan some charity event or dinner, ones I never went to. Carlos always said I was too young. I often wondered if he brought dates to those events. But at night, when he’d get home, I’d sneak over, faking I had a bad dream. When I crawled into his bed there were never any other women. Nor did his bed smell like one had been with him.
The doors to Carlos’s office open, and his mom Nina walks in. Carlos drops his hand from my cheek, but the other on my shoulder only digs in a little tighter. I shake him off, turning to greet the woman who has become like a mom to me over the past five years.
“Nina, I have the best idea! I should marry your son.”
I flip through a magazine while lying on the floor of Carlos’s office. I’m bored as I lie on my stomach, swaying my feet in the air. I roll over when I come to a picture of Princess Star. I’m not shocked to see her in the magazine. I’d be more shocked if she wasn’t. The paparazzi are always trying to find out what she’s wearing and what she’s doing. Or better yet, who she’s doing. What kind of name is that? It makes me want to roll my eyes as much as her face does.
“You sure you don’t want to pick Star?” I tease, rolling fully to my side to look at Carlos. His eyes are trained on me, his face set in a hard stare. I don’t know why he looks so angry. He’s been grumpy for the past few months, which isn’t normal for him.
Okay, that’s not true. He’s usually pretty abrupt and a little cool with people. Except with me. I’m always the one who can get away with anything. I can show up at his office, flop down, and do whatever I want. Like I am now. It’s been that way since I was a little girl. But then he wasn’t always king. He’s only held the title for the past few years. I thought things might change. That he wouldn’t have time for me anymore. Instead I’ve only been granted further access into his family’s castle.
His eyes move to my legs, and it’s then I see my dress has ridden up. I sit up quickly and pull it down, my face turning red knowing he saw my underwear. I want to die. Of course when the man I’ve been in love with since I was fifteen sees my underwear, I’m wearing plain white ones with little hearts on them. Kill me now.
“I suggest you get rid of that dress, Heavenly. I’m sure whoever your intended might be wouldn’t like hearing his wife wore dresses and flashed what was his to other men.”
My mouth falls open at his words, then I narrow my eyes at him. He’s never talked to me like that before. I take the magazine and throw it at him. My aim is terrible, and it ends up knocking a vase off the table next to his desk. It causes it to crash to the floor, shattering into a hundred pieces.
I roll back over and grab another magazine, ignoring him. I’m not even sure what I’m mad about. Maybe it’s the casual talk about me being passed to whoever my husband might be. My coming of age is fast approaching, and I’ve been ignoring it, hoping that maybe no one will call on me. My heart already belongs to a man who’s been searching for his own wife since he became king. I’m not even a blip on his radar in that area. I’m like his cute little sister in his eyes, someone he has to protect and shelter.
He’s been my everything from the first moment we met. I came to stay with my grandma, whose home is right on the edge of Carlos’s land. I’d moved here after both my parents died and my brother had taken the crown. I love my brother, but he had no idea what to do with a grieving little sister. He had a country of his own to run.
I climbed the wall that surrounded the castle from the rest of the world, only to come up against two guards when I’d landed on the other side. Boredom and curiosity had gotten the best of me that day. They dragged me kicking and screaming back to the castle with the intent to have me arrested for trespassing. Which I was. But it was Carlos who’d saved me.
I’d broken away from the two guards and taken off, only to run right into Carlos. He was like a hard wall of muscle, and I would have fallen on my ass that day if he hadn’t grabbed ahold of me. He pulled me back to him and stopped me from falling.
I’d never seen someone go from angry to sweet in a flash. He ripped into the guards for having sent a girl running from them in fear. Since that day a guard has never touched me or stood in my way here. Most won’t even make eye contact with me. No place ever been off limits to me either. Something about that makes me feel special, but I have a feeling it’s something I’ll soon lose. I can’t imagine whoever Carlos chooses as a wife will allow me to still roam the castle and estate like I do now.
Sometimes when I can’t sleep at night I sneak over from my grandmother’s and climb into his bed, where he’ll hold me close until I fall asleep. I don’t think that will be happening anymore once he takes a queen. Especially since he asked me to stop the last time I did it. It cut deep. Deeper than I thought it would. Yeah, things are going to change, but I don’t want them to. I want to stay here forever. This feels like my home now—the only home I’ve known since I lost both my parents.
The room remains quiet as both of us know I’m not going to clean up the mess. I glance over at him, and his eyes are still on me. We stare at each other for a long moment.
“I’m sorry, Heavenly. You know I’m very protective of you.” I nod, understanding. He has always been that way with me, even when it comes to men or boys poking around me. “I don’t like the idea of men being able to see up your dress.” He leans back in his chair, rubbing a hand over his face. “Things have to change,” he mumbles, and I feel my stomach turn.
“I’m not going to be allowed here after you choose your wife,” I say, and I hear the defeat and sadness in my own voice. This wife thing has been hanging over my head for two years now. It’s bittersweet. Part of me loves the fact that he hasn’t picked one yet, and another part wants him to do it so I have to face the music.
“Why would you say such a thing?” He sits back up in his chair.
“I mean, I know I can come over, just not like now. You already won’t let me in your room.” My gaze drops back down to the magazine.
Carlos gets up, coming around his desk and picking up the magazine I threw. He looks at the page that’s open to the picture of Star. He rolls his eyes and tosses it into the fire that’s cracking quietly in the fireplace.
“You’re days away from coming of age,” he reminds me.
I know. I turn twenty-one soon. I’ve been dreading it, wondering who might be calling for my hand in marriage. I secretly hoped that my brother had forgotten all about me and I wouldn’t have to worry about that day. But I think that chance is slim to none.
“I know,” I mumble. “Maybe you should worry about your own little problem. You know, picking a wife? How many women have showed up here and you still haven’t picked one.”
His jaw clenches at my words. He hates when they come. That makes two of us. I want to say it out loud, but I keep it to myself. I always try to keep the anger out of my voice. I can’t let my jealousy show. That wouldn’t be good. Then I really wouldn’t be allowed over anymore.
“Heavenly. You will never not be allowed here. You’re a part of this family, and you know it.”
I want to tell him he’s wrong. If he were mine I sure as heck wouldn’t let him hang out with some girl in his office all day.
Then it hits me. I jump up and rush over to him. “Maybe I could marry your brother!”
I almost run into him I’m so excited at the idea. But he catches me and puts his hands on my shoulders. I’d never have to leave! I could still see Carlos and his mom every day! Carlos’s brother Romy is nice, but if the rumors in the magazines are true, he’s a little bit of a player. But I wouldn’t care. I’m sure his mom will be pushing him to get married soon, too. Maybe we could just be married in name. He could still do whatever he wanted, and I could stay here. Romy and I get along well. We often team up and give Carlos a hard time when he gets into one of his grumpy moods.
Carlos tightens his grip on my shoulders.
“You want to be with my brother?”
The look on his face changes to anger. I’ve seen this face on him many times over the years, but never has it been aimed at me. I don’t understand why he’s so mad. I know he’s protective of me in a brotherly way, but this seems excessive.
“He wouldn’t treat you as you deserve to be treated,” he half-growls. He brings his hand to my cheek and strokes it softly. The touch doesn’t match the anger in his words.
“Romy is sweet to me,” I say, trying to make him understand.
“He wouldn’t be loyal,” he throws back.
Loyalty is everything to him. I know Carlos would be faithful to his wife. He’s a man of great honor. That’s probably why I’ve never seen any magazine pictures of him out on a date. It’s also why he’d never think of being with me. I’m too young. Not only that but although I’m a princess, I’m a little brash and blurt things out in moments I shouldn’t. My parents kept me away from the social scene, then after they died I was out here living with my grandmother. She barely leaves the house. My only social interactions occur with him, when I come over here and hang out. I even completed my schooling at the castle with private teachers. It was easier to do it here. I practically live here, for the most part. If I wasn’t with Carlos, I was with his mother, helping her plan some charity event or dinner, ones I never went to. Carlos always said I was too young. I often wondered if he brought dates to those events. But at night, when he’d get home, I’d sneak over, faking I had a bad dream. When I crawled into his bed there were never any other women. Nor did his bed smell like one had been with him.
The doors to Carlos’s office open, and his mom Nina walks in. Carlos drops his hand from my cheek, but the other on my shoulder only digs in a little tighter. I shake him off, turning to greet the woman who has become like a mom to me over the past five years.
“Nina, I have the best idea! I should marry your son.”
Alexa Riley is two sassy friends who got together and wrote some dirty books. They are both married moms of two who love football, donuts, and obsessed book heroes.
They specialize in insta-love, over-the-top, sweet, and cheesy love stories that don’t take all year to read. If you want something SAFE, short, and always with a happily ever after, then Alexa Riley is for you!
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Review Tour – RIDE HARD by Laura Kaye
From New York Times Bestselling author Laura Kaye, comes the first steamy standalone in her Raven Riders Series, RIDE HARD! A sexy romantic suspense, you might’ve first met the Ravens in the Hard Ink world, but this series about a different kind of a motorcycle club with a protective mission stands on its own and is even sexier, edgier, and grittier! The Raven Riders Series takes you on a new adventure and kicks it into overdrive!
Brotherhood. Club. Family.
They live and ride by their own rules.
These are the Raven Riders…
Raven Riders Motorcycle Club President Dare Kenyon rides hard and values loyalty above all else. He’ll do anything to protect the brotherhood of bikers—the only family he’s got—as well as those who can’t defend themselves. So when mistrustful Haven Randall lands on the club’s doorstep scared that she’s being hunted, Dare takes her in, swears to keep her safe, and pushes to learn the secrets overshadowing her pretty smile.
Haven fled from years of abuse at the hands of her criminal father and is suspicious of any man’s promises, including those of the darkly sexy and overwhelmingly intense Ravens’ leader. But as the powerful attraction between them flares to life, Dare pushes her boundaries and tempts her to want things she never thought she could.
The past never dies without a fight, but Dare Kenyon’s never backed down before…
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Excerpt from Ride Hard
“So much better out here,” Haven said, the night air cool against the tingling warmth of her skin. Although she was pretty sure that not all of the heat burning through her insides was from the alcohol—her unusual flirtatiousness and closeness to Dare over the past half hour had made her desperate with a heat that had nothing to do with her drinking game.
She walked to the railing and leaned against it, chuckling a little at herself for needing the support it offered. She felt so damn free, and it was a heady, exhilarating thing.
“What’s funny?” Dare asked, settling a hip against the railing right beside her. Arms crossed, jaw ticking with tension, dark eyes blazing, he was staring at her like he wanted to reprimand her or devour her. Oddly, neither alarmed her the way she would’ve expected it to.
Haven shook her head, leaning it back and letting her gaze float over the night sky. Blurry points of light swam in the moonlit heavens. It was beautiful and peaceful despite the pounding bass beat of music thumping from inside the clubhouse. “Not funny, just good. Happy, you know? Being able to do something a little . . . scary, but knowing I’d be safe doing it.” When Dare’s gaze narrowed, she shrugged. “I don’t know.”
A long moment passed before Dare finally spoke. “You are safe here, Haven. Never doubt it.”
Peering up at him, she nodded, all kinds of words sitting on the tip of her tongue, challenging her to let them fly. “It’s weird feeling safe—or at least safer—after a lifetime of not. It makes me want to try things I could never let myself try before. It makes me . . .” She shook her head and dipped her chin.
Dare stepped closer, his thighs coming up against her hip. He lifted her chin and made her look at him. The contact combined with the command in the gesture lanced white-hot desire through her veins. “Makes you what?”
“Want to feel alive,” she whispered, her heart suddenly racing in her chest.
Dare’s jaw ticked again as his gaze swept over her face. She didn’t think she was imagining the raw emotion pouring off of him and wrapping around her, but she wasn’t sure if she was reading that emotion right or projecting her own desire onto him.
“Do you feel alive, Dare?” she asked, the alcohol flowing through her and the night spinning around her like she was walking through a dream.
“Jesus,” he bit out.
The rough desperation in his voice made her wet between her legs. “Just once,” she whispered, not sure what she was asking him for.
But he seemed to know. Because his hand was suddenly tangled in her hair and his mouth was suddenly on hers, claiming, probing, tasting.
Haven moaned and parted her lips, inviting him deeper.
Dare jerked back from her, his fingers rubbing roughly over his lips. “Fuck, I’m sorry.”
On instinct, Haven’s body pursued his, pinning his back to the railing. “Please don’t stop,” she said as her hands gripped his shoulders. She had the strongest urge to climb him, to wrap her legs around him, to grind against the hard bulge pressing electrically against her belly.
“Please,” she whispered, tilting her mouth toward his. “I liked it.”
Dare’s hand cupped the back of her head. “You’re killing me.”
“Dare,” she said, her body restless against his.
In a move that sent the world spinning, he flipped them around so that she was the one pinned against the railing. He pushed his legs between hers and leaned down over her, forcing her to arch her back, to yield, to open to him. “Tell me what you want from me. Say the words,” he said, his eyes absolutely on fire.
Her heart was a runaway train in her chest, frantic and picking up speed. The thought of giving voice to her desires was terrifying and thrilling and dizzying all at once.
“I want your mouth,” she said. The words sounded odder out loud than they had in her head, but they were more accurate than asking him to kiss her—because her mouth wasn’t the only place she wanted his.
“Jesus,” he rasped again, his mouth coming down on hers once more.
The whimper she released was part relief, part anticipation. It had been so long since she’d kissed someone that she felt a little uncertain, but Dare’s intensity barely allowed her the capacity to worry about it. He was like a dark storm bearing down on her, relentless, magnetic, all-consuming.
Rough callouses from his hands scratched against her cheeks as he guided her. Hard breaths spilled over her lips, and the wet slide of his tongue tasted like whiskey and desire and man. Her hands found the soft length of his hair, and her breasts pushed against the hard plane of his chest.
Then her lips were freed as his mouth slid over her skin—exploring her cheek, her jaw, her ear, her neck. He hiked her up to sit on the wide railing, the move surprising a gasp out of her, especially as he crowded the space between her legs, pushing himself closer, bringing his erection against the place between her legs craving friction, hardness, so much more of him. Maybe even all of him.
One strong arm wrapped around her back and held her steady, while the other hand stroked her hair, her face, her breast. The soft groans and breathy grunts spilling out of him were delicious and thrilling, and bolstered her confidence that she wasn’t the only one losing herself in this moment, in these touches. She almost couldn’t believe this was happening, and part of her was certain she must be dreaming. Because Haven Randall didn’t have beautiful things in her life. At least, never before.
Ride Hard is the first in Laura Kaye’s Raven Riders series. I enjoyed Dare and Haven’s story. Dare is the president of the Raven Riders Motorcycle Club and Haven falls under his protection. I enjoyed this lighter MC romance. While not as dark or hardcore as other MC reads, Ride Hard has plenty of action with characters you can’t help but like.
I’m looking forward to reading more and more in Laura Kaye’s latest series.
And don’t miss all the books in the Raven Riders Series!
HARD AS STEEL now available
RIDE HARD now available
RIDE ROUGH coming April 25th, 2017
RIDE WILD coming October 31st, 2017
https://video214.com/play/r1VEuIF50oumtHVUulO2vg/s/dark
Get a Bonus Short Story for Pre-Ordering Ride Rough, Coming 4/25/17!
Order a signed Ride Rough through the Virtual Signing!
Laura Kaye’s RIDE HARD – Review Tour Schedule:
March 6th
A geordielass honest blog on reviews
March 7th
March 8th
March 9th
March 10th
March 11th
I’m A Sweet And Sassy Book Whore
March 12th
Trea’s Thoughts, Musings, and Journeys for a Good Read
March 13th
A small girl, her man and her books
March 14th
March 15th
About Laura Kaye:
Laura is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of thirty books in contemporary and erotic romance and romantic suspense, including the Hard Ink, Raven Riders, and Blasphemy series. Growing up, Laura’s large extended family believed in the supernatural, and family lore involving angels, ghosts, and evil-eye curses cemented in Laura a life-long fascination with storytelling and all things paranormal. She lives in Maryland with her husband and two daughters, and appreciates her view of the Chesapeake Bay every day.
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Teaser – FOREVER by Monica Murphy
Release Day Blitz – RULE MASTER by Sienna Snow
RULE MASTER
by Sienna Snow
March 7, 2017
Forever Yours
Rules of Engagement series Book 2
His rules. Her pleasure. His Way.
Italian heiress and international financier Milla Castra knows she can’t avoid him forever. Irredeemably confident and controlled Lex Duncan once shared her craving for things deliciously forbidden. He was her lover. Her Master. And the husband she’s kept secret from everyone.
But Lex will never relinquish what’s his—and Milla is definitely his. And he knows she can’t resist the exquisite pleasure that awaits in his arms. When the violence of her past threatens them both, Lex will risk everything to keep Milla safe…before she submits to the cruelest master imaginable, Fear.
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Excerpt
“This is non-negotiable. I’m bringing you home. Besides, the only plane available for you is our plane.”
His words awakened images of the escapades we’d engaged in during our many flights together. My skin tingled, reminding me of how long it had been since we’d touched.
I wiped sweat from my brow. “Does making these high-handed decisions without discussing them with me get you off?”
“You’re the one who knows what gets me off. Why don’t you tell me?” His eyes bored into mine.
“You are insufferable.” I ground my teeth and held back the urge to tell him I’d book a commercial flight, just to spite him. Since my kidnapping, I wasn’t stupid enough to risk my safety simply to make a point with Lex.
“I’m your husband. I have a right to bring you home.”
“Why now? Why not a few months ago or, for a matter of fact, yesterday?” I turned my back to him, closing my eyes and clenching my fists open and shut. “Please, Lex. Tell me why you’re here.”
If he’d come sooner, I might not have signed those stupid papers. I might have waited to see if we still had a chance. No, I couldn’t second-guess my decisions anymore. He deserved someone who wasn’t selfish.
“You want to know why I waited? I wanted you to heal. You wouldn’t talk to me. You needed something I couldn’t give you. And in my ever-loving stupidity, I believed you’d get that here. When I realized you were hiding from me, I decided I’d come get you. I’ve spent the last month clearing my schedule so I could spend time with you here until we figured things out. That was until a few days ago.”
“What changed?”
Lex sighed. “I don’t know how to tell you this.” He moved behind me but didn’t touch me. “I got this in my private e-mail.”
He reached around me and gave me a printout. It had a picture of me bound against a pole, bleeding from whiplashes, and my head hanging down. There was a message underneath that read, Although she suffered, she still owes me a debt that I plan to collect.
My feet buckled, but before I fell to the floor, Lex grabbed me. The hours of my torture and captivity flashed before my eyes, and nausea invaded my stomach. I’d worked so hard to push all the memories back, and now everything seemed fresh once again.
“Easy, baby. I’ve got you.” Lex lifted me into his arms and sat with me in the nearby chair.
I couldn’t breathe. A heaviness settled on my chest. I had to get clean. I rubbed my arms, trying to cleanse the feel of dirty hands on my body.
“I’m not going to let anyone hurt you again,” Lex whispered into my hair.
His scent enveloped me, soap and light cologne. I leaned into his comfort, letting the security of his body drive my fears back. I was protected here, more than I’d felt with the ten bodyguards who’d watched over me during my entire stay in Italy. I buried my face into his chest and clutched his shirt.
I was safe if I was with him.
No, Mil, you can’t do this. You’re leading him on.
“Please, Lex. Let me get up. I can’t depend on you like this. I’ll fall apart.”
He opened his lips to argue, but then conceded, loosening his arms and allowing me to stand. He remained in the chair, staring at me, in the way that made me want to kneel and give him anything he asked.
I knew this would be hard, but how was I going to make it if only a few minutes in his presence gave me the urge to call my assistant and cancel the plans I’d set in motion?
“I’m taking you home, Mil. I’ll throw you over my shoulder and carry you onto the plane. Just know you won’t get back to Boston without me.”
I took a deep breath trying to keep my anger in check. The old Milla would have given him a piece of her mind, but I couldn’t let him get me riled up. My safety was the most important thing, and no matter how much my gut wanted to play the brat, it wasn’t smart.
“Fine,” I conceded. “We’ll go back together.”
He gaped at me in surprise. “What’s the catch?”
“Nothing. Until I can wrap my head around what’s going on, it’s better for you to take me home than for me to travel on my own.”
Lex frowned at me, looking a little confused. “Milla, I don’t know what’s going on with you. Why aren’t you fighting with me?” He stood, stepping forward, as I moved back.
I had to tell him what I’d done. He deserved to know.
“Lex, I’m not the same. Things are going to change, once we’re back home.”
“Whatever it is, we’ll work through it. That’s what marriage is about.”
“There’s something you should know before we get on the plane.” I paused. Here goes. Pain stabbed my heart. What I was about to say would hurt no matter how I told him.
I had to get it out before I lost my nerve.
“Lex. Today, I started…”
A loud commotion sounded from the terrace doors.
“Why is he in my house? He is not welcome here. He is not good for you.”
I cringed as my mother stepped onto the balcony, followed by my exasperated sister-in-law a few paces behind her.
“He does not belong here.”
“Mamma. Not now.” I stared at Lex, pleading with my eyes not to mention what we were discussing.
He nodded and mouthed, This discussion isn’t over.
About the Author
Sienna Snow’s love of reading started at a very young age with “Beezus and Ramona.” By the time she entered high school, a girlfriend introduced her to Bertrice Small and Jude Deveraux, and an avid romance reader was born.
She writes sexy romance, some with a lot of heat and spice and others with a bit of fantasy. Her characters represent strong women of different cultures and backgrounds, who seek love through unique circumstances.
When she is not writing, traveling, or reading, she spends her time with her husband and two children.
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