From bestselling author, Jewel E. Ann, comes a hilarious secret lovers story that redefines the meaning of friendship.
What Lovers Do
by Jewel E. Ann
Blurb:
Shepβs found the female version of himself β¦ and he thinks sheβs perfectβperfectly unavailable.
Everyone loves Shep, the charismatic employee at Scottsdaleβs newest pet store. He has shared custody of his two dogs with his annoying ex-wife and a smile that can disarm most women.
Except β¦ Dr. Sophie Ryan.
What starts out as a disastrous first meeting, involving a coffee catastrophe and mistaken flirting, turns into an unconventional friendship.
Fake phone sex.
Dog park dates.
And eighteen holes of golf.
The problem? Sophieβs taken herself out of the dating pool for a mysterious reason, imprisoning Shep in the friend zone for eternity.
As their competitive personalities hit a boiling point, the gloves come off and so do their clothes. When Sophieβs βrealβ life threatens their relationship, can Shep let go of his past to chase the one that might get away?
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Jewel is a Wall Street Journal & USA Today bestselling author with a quirky sense of humor. When she’s not saving the planet one tree at a time, you can find her role modeling questionable behavior to her three boys, binge-watching Netflix with her husband, and writing mind-bending romance.Β
Scorching heat, laugh-out-loud humor, and swoon-worthy moments abound in this sexy new standalone romance by New York Times and Wall Street Journal bestselling author Melissa Foster.
Crazy, Wicked Love
The Wickeds: Dark Knights at Bayside
by Melissa Foster
Releasing March 23, 2022
World Literary Press
Blurb:
What happens when the player gets played?
Sidney Carver has a big problem, and he goes by the name of Dwayne βGunnerβ Wicked: six-plus feet of muscular, motorcycle-riding, animal-loving deliciousness. Gunner is her boss, roommate, and best friend. Theyβve seen each other through life-altering injuries and unimaginable losses, and they work side by side at Wicked Animal Rescue, fulfilling their passion to save animals. Unfortunately, Gunner is also the man Sidney is in love with, and heβs the ultimate player. As her former military comrade, Gunner sees her as his buddyβjust one of the guys. Sidney is at her witβs end, ready to risk the friendship and job she adores for a chance at forever love with the man she canβt live without. Like any good marine, she comes up with a mission. Enter Operation Get My Guy.
Gunner loves his life. He has a family he adores, a brotherhood that always has his back, and a host of willing women to warm his bed. As the owner of Wicked Animal Rescue, he saves lives and works with his best friend, Sid, the coolest woman on the planet. When Sid concocts a crazy plan to win his cousinβs heart, Gunner reluctantly agrees to be her wingman.
Practices heat up as roommates become teammates. Let the wicked fun beginβ¦
No cheating. No cliffhangers. Guaranteed to melt panties and leave readers hopelessly in love with the sinfully delicious Wickeds.
Sidney is caring and strong, but a little awkward in her femininity and not much into flirting. Raised by her dad and then becoming a marine, it makes sense that she hasn’t had a lot of practice. It really hasn’t been a problem until she starts comparing herself to Gunner’s conquests. As her heart gets ever closer to breaking with every new woman than joins him in bed, she realizes she has to do something – either convince him to see her as more than a friend or find a way to move on. It’s not going to be easy, and definitely has plenty of potential for going horribly wrong, but she’s gotta take that chance.
Gunner knows that Sidney is the best thing that ever happened to him and the thought of losing her friendship is unbearable. Faced with the possibility of losing her to someone else, especially his cousin, has him in knots. Before long, he realizes that maybe she’s more to him than his best friend who is like one of the guys. But is he willing to risk everything to find out?
Man, I felt for Sidney. Firmly put in the friend zone and living with Gunner while he brings women home with a great deal of frequency … it’s no wonder she gets a little desperate. Watching him wake up and realize exactly what they could be together – very satisfying!
*****
Author Info:
Melissa Foster is a New York Times, Wall Street Journal, & USA Today bestselling author. She writes sexy and heartwarming contemporary romance and new adult romance with emotionally compelling characters that stay with you long after you turn the last page. Melissaβs emotional journeys are lovingly erotic and always family orientedβperfect beach reads for contemporary romance lovers who enjoy reading about wealthy heroes and smart, sassy heroines.
From NYT and USA Today Bestselling author Kristen Proby comes a forbidden romance. The Secret is the first in the Single in Seattle series!
Vaughn is everything I’m supposed to stay away from. Sexy. Cocky. And famous.
Ultra-famous.
I grew up in a family full of wealthy celebrities. My father, Luke Williams, is the celebrity of them all. A superstar actor and producer, my father knows the downside of living in the spotlight. And because of that, he sheltered my siblings and me from everything Hollywood entailed. We didn’t attend premieres. We weren’t photographed. There were no friendships with other celebrities’ children.
The limelight couldn’t touch us.
But now, at twenty-five, I’m ready to start my life, working for my father’s production company in downtown Seattle–until Vaughn Barrymore walks through the door.
He can’t keep his hands off me. He’s completely forbidden, but I can’t help falling for the sweet, complicated man.
When–and it’s when not if–my family finds out that I’ve been keeping this secret, will I have to choose between the man I love and those who mean the most to me? Or, by some miracle, can I have both?
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Kristen Proby has published more than forty titles, many of which have hit the USA Today, New York Times and Wall Street Journal Bestsellers lists. She continues to self publish, best known for her With Me In Seattle and Boudreaux series, and is also proud to work with William Morrow, a division of HarperCollins, with the Fusion and Romancing Manhattan Series.
Kristen and her husband, John, make their home in her hometown of Whitefish, Montana with their two cats.
It should have been a routine investigation. Instead, DEA K-9 agent Adam “Deck” Decker watches in horror as one Denver hospital seems to be Ground Zero for overdoses of a new drug. Now Deck can only hope a certain icy, green-eyed ER doctor will help him and his canine partner track down the deadly source.
Dr. Tori Sampson has her reasons for not trusting federal agents, especially ones working for the DEA. But the rash of overdosesβincluding a heartbreaking case involving a teenβis alarmingly high. And the new opioid is not only extremely dangerous, it defies all the usual medical treatments. So Tori has a choice: work with the big, brawny, and annoyingly hot DEA agent…or watch more innocent people die.
Tori’s the only person who can help Deck break the case, and they’ll need to trust each other, no matter how high the tension and attraction sizzling between them runs. But with every question answered, they realize there’s something more behind these typical teen overdoses. There’s a pattern here, and a pattern can only suggest one thing. There’s a killer on the loose.
When he turned and locked gazes with her, her mouth went just a teensy, weensy bit dry.
In the examining room, sheβd been concentrating on her patient, then sheβd been so annoyed with Agent Decker that she hadnβt really seen him. There was no denying he brought out the fifty shades of animosity, but one thing was for certain: with his chiseled jawline, slightly cleft chin, and sexy as all-get-out five oβclock shadow, the man was about as handsome as it got. Hard not to admire his muscular physique, either. He must spend all his free time in a gym, lifting barbells and dumbbells and whatever other bells made a manβs body that way.
He closed his eyes, as if reciting a mental prayer. βThanks, Doc.β
The last thing she wanted was gratitude from the DEA. The short-lived attempt to rein in her internal bitch flew out the window as the past came roaring back in a rush of emotion. Especially the distraught look on her dadβs face that fateful day.
βDonβt thank me,β she bit out. βIβm just doing my job. Maybe if the great and powerful DEA did its job, drugs wouldnβt be sold on every street corner in Denver, and Coloradoβs opioid crisis wouldnβt be spiraling out of control.
Your friend is the third opioid overdose Iβve treated today, and the tenth this week. Three of those patients died. And thatβs just on my shifts. I canβt speak to what happens when Iβm not here or how many are dying before they even get to the hospital.β She blew out a breath and grappled for a calm she didnβt feel. βWhatever just hit the streets could be the beginning of something really scary, and thereβs nothing I can do to stop it. But you can.β
He opened his mouth to say something, but she cut him off. βAnd another thing.β She jabbed a finger at him. βThis is my castle, not the DEAβs. If you ever come into my ER again, Iβll have you thrown out on your muscled ass.β
*****
Author Info:
Tee O’Fallon is the author of the Federal K-9 Series and the NYPD Blue & Gold Series. Tee has been a federal agent for twenty-three years and is now a police investigator, giving her hands-on experience in the field of law enforcement that she combines with her love of romantic suspense. When not writing, Tee enjoys cooking, gardening, chocolate, lychee martinis, and spending time with her Belgian Sheepdogs, Loki and Kyrie. Tee loves hearing from readers and can be contacted via her website https://teeofallon.com where you can also sign up for Teeβs newsletters.
My life seemed perfect until he came back to town. With his sights set on me, heβs ready to settle down and face any challenge. Fans of Briar U by Elle Kennedy will devour Our Best Shot by A.M. Williams, a small-town, forced proximity, hockey romance.
Our Best Shot
by A.M. Williams
Blurb:
Rory
On the outside, my life seems perfect. I have my friends, family, and quirky small town to keep me satisfied plus my secret writing career thatβs done better than I ever dreamed. Whatβs not to love?
Thereβs just one thing missing. But I donβt know what it is.
At least until he comes back to town. The man I crushed on so hard in high school, I couldnβt talk in full sentences around him.
Heβs back, heβs ready to settle down, and heβs set his sights on me, the wallflower.
Every time I turn around, there he is. He wants to know about me. And no matter how hard I try to ignore him…I canβt. Heβs everything I wanted as a teenager.
And as an adult? Iβm discovering that heβs the total package and is ready to sweep me off my feet.
Alex
Deciding to retire from my professional hockey career was easy. I miss my family, friends, and hometown. I crave a slower lifestyle so I can finally settle down.
What isnβt easy? Figuring out how to coach teenaged boys in how to play hockey and win over the woman I canβt stop thinking about.
I think about her constantly and am constantly finding ways to run into her βby accidentβ. I want to know everything about her, but sheβs hesitant and I have my work cut out for me to convince her to step outside her comfort zone and date me.
But Iβm up for the challenge. Iβm ready to show her what being with me could be like and that she doesnβt need to be scared.
With outside forces working against us, can we get it together for our best shot at a happily ever after?
βYou want to sit for a little while?β Alex asked, pointing to a bench just ahead of us and off the main path.
I nodded, hoping that the bench would be enough out of the way that people wouldnβt notice us sitting there and stop staring.
We settled in and I sipped my coffee, looking the park over.
Compared to the weekend before, the park looked totally transformed.
There were bright tents throughout the trees with local crafters and artisans, and loud chatter filled the air from people walking around.
βThis festival looks no different from when I came as a kid,β Alex said, pulling my attention to him.
I glanced at him and watched as he looked over at what Iβd just been looking at.
βAre you surprised? You know we like tradition here.β
Alex chuckled. βNot really. I guess since itβs been so long since I was here, that I expected something to have changed. But nothing has. The same tents, same vendors, same atmosphere.β
I made a noise low in my throat. βThere are some new vendors. Theyβre just peppered throughout. Some ones youβre thinking of donβt come anymore.β
What I didnβt say was that some owners had died because of how old they were and their businesses closed. The town had to get some new life for the vendors, otherwise this festival would have dwindled.
βStill. This is the same. If I close my eyes, I bet I could recall where everyone is and the order of the games at the rink. I feel like no time has passed.β
I said nothing at first. Then I asked, βAre you happy to be here at least?β
Alex met my gaze and nodded. βI am. Itβs weird how I didnβt think about so much related to town while I was gone. I came home for holidays and brief visits, but everything else was just background. But now that Iβm here, I canβt help remembering coming as a kid with my mom and sister. Hanging with my friends before our games. And all the other shit that the town does throughout the year.β
I thought about what he was saying. I didnβt have any experience not coming to the town events, considering I went to college close by and returned to town the minute I could. Iβd kept coming to everything, even throughout college.
Copyright 2022 @A.M. Williams
*****
Review:
I have to admit that a lot of my enjoyment of this book is because of that bookish high school girl hiding deep inside of me. Rory getting a second chance with the popular jock she had a crush on as a teenager is just so gratifying. It helps that Alex has grown into a well-rounded, stand-up guy so you totally get where she’s coming from. There are some moments that hearken back a little too much to those younger years with a villainous mean girl and a jealous ex that at times could be a little bit OTT. Overall, though, Williams delivers likable characters and an enjoyable trip to a satisfying HEA. I’m looking forward to what she brings us next.
*****
Author Info:
A.M. Williams is just a simple girl from the south that found herself living abroad. When sheβs not annoying her cat or reading, sheβs spending time with her husband and traveling as much as possible. She has a serious case of wanderlust and wants to go as many places as possible while she can. She loves Cheerwine, sweet tea, and North Carolina (eastern style) BBQ as well as those crystal clear waters on the North Carolina coast.
Already a worldwide success in mass market and trade paperback formats, Susan Malleryβs newest hardcover is an emotional, witty, and heartfelt story about a woman who takes a trip to California to figure out her life and get a break from her family…only to be reminded that life–and your children–follow you wherever you go. With a powerful mother/daughter relationship at its core, fans of Elin Hilderbrand, Susan Wiggs, Mary Alice Monroe, and Nancy Thayer will love this book.
Robyn Caldwellβs family is driving her crazy. Thereβs Harlow, her daughter, whoβs engaged to a man sheβs only known a short time and is rapidly turning into bridezilla. And her son, Austin, who would rather work with his dadβs family charter boating business than go to college. Her friend, Mindy, whoβs playing with fire by contemplating an affair with her tennis instructor. And letβs not forget her ex-husband whose bad behavior has just crossed the line yet again.
Robin needs some time to catch her breath and figure out what her next step should be. So when her beloved aunt Lillian asks her to come to Santa Barbara for an overdue visit, Robyn jumps at the chance. Her aunt Lillian is working on settling her affairs and a distant relative is staying with her that stands to inherit the house. Trouble is the last thing Robyn needs, but she refuses to let her aunt be taken advantage of.
While staying in her auntβs beautiful, quirky mansion and spending time in the Santa Barbara sunshine with the woman whoβs like a mother to her, Robyn will see herselfβand the people she loves mostβwith a bit more clarity. And it will push her to take chances she hadnβt dreamed of before.
But life has a funny way of following you wherever you go. What began as an escape soon becomes an unforgettable adventureβ¦and Robyn is ready to dive in, feet first.
Robyn Caldwell picked up her glass of white wine and briefly thought about swallowing the entire contents in one gulp. Mindyβs statement was certainly gulp-worthy. But she knew pacing herself through lunch was the responsible thing to do. A lesson her friend had yet to learn.
βYou are not,β Robyn murmured, because shrieking wasnβt attractive. Especially at βthe club,β where their friends and frenemies were also enjoying Thursdayβs lobster salad. The dining room was filled with forty or so women, all dressed in Florida chicβdiamonds sparkling, gold or platinum charm bracelets clinking, necklaces resting on tanned and toned skin.
βI might,β Mindy Krause said, picking up her champagne. βHeβs gorgeous.β
βOf course. Heβs a thirty-year-old tennis pro. What else would he be?β
Mindy, a petite brunette who was six months from turning forty, sighed. βI need a Dimitri in my life.β
βYou have a great husband. Payne loves you and the kids, and never has eyes for another woman. Why would you screw that up?β
βPayne would never know.β
βThere arenβt any secrets in this town. Not in our social circle.β
Something Robyn had learned the hard way herself. Sheβd been blissfully unaware of her ex-husbandβs affairs until a βfriendβ had oh-so-sweetly informed her.
βMaybe just some kissing,β Mindy mused. βI want a little Dimitri action. The fantasies make me happy, so imagine what the real thing would do.β
βThe fantasies are safe. The real thing could destroy everything you have. Knowing youβve cheated would devastate Payne.β
Mindyβs mouth formed a pout. βI never see him anymore. All he does is work.β
Robyn stared at her friend-slash-boss. βYou two talked about how that promotion would be more work for him but that it would be worth it. You wanted this for him.β
βI didnβt know how much heβd be gone.β
The unreasonable statement grated nearly as much as Mindyβs whine. βThis isnβt a good look for you,β Robyn murmured. βYouβre changing the rules without telling your husband. That never ends well.β
Mindy dismissed the warning with a quick shake of her head. βIβm not worried. Besides, if he does find out, I can just move in with you.β She laughed. βYouβll soon have that big house all to yourself.β
βYou have four kids,β Robyn pointed out. βIf things go south in your marriage, Iβd rather have Payne move in.β
βWell, that would get people talking.β Mindy held up her empty glass to the server. βMore, please.β
The server obliged.
Mindy took another sip. βMy sister called, swears she found a Thomas Pister chest in a tiny shop in Wales. Itβs dirt cheap, so Iβm afraid itβs a fake. Sheβs looking for someone to prove authenticity. Wouldnβt that be a find?β
βIt would. Iβd love to see it.β
Thomas Pister had built beautiful chests and cabinets in the late 1600s and early 1700s. His intricate designs with stunning inlays sold quickly and for huge amounts. Depending on the condition and the materials, a good-sized chest of drawers could go for sixty or eighty thousand dollars.
While Mallery’s newest is full of drama, it isn’t a heavy read. Instead readers are given a story perfectly balanced between hilarity and emotion, with plenty of growth and self-discovery. There’s a lot going on but it’s delivered in an enjoyable, light read that has characters you can root for.
Robyn, and pretty much everyone around her, is at a turning point – with her youngest now out of high school, she needs to decide what she wants to do with her life. When things get overwhelming at home, she heads west to take time to think . . . only it turns out not to be the quiet time away she expected.
I like that we get different sides. We have Robyn in her 40s plus her ex and their grown kids, all of whom have life-altering decisions to make. It’s messy and angsty but they manage to handle it with humor and moments of grace. And occasionally poor choices π It’s a delightful story about growing up, figuring out who you are & what you want, and the importance of family.
*****
Author Info:
SUSAN MALLERY is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of novels about the relationships that define women’s livesβfamily, friendship and romance. Library Journal says, βMallery is the master of blending emotionally believable characters in realistic situations,” and readers seem to agreeβforty million copies of her books have been sold worldwide. Her warm, humorous stories make the world a happier place to live.
Susan grew up in California and now lives in Seattle with her husband. She’s passionate about animal welfare, especially that of the two Ragdoll cats and adorable poodle who think of her as Mom.
Leo Morales never forgot his first love, but he never quite forgave her either.
When a twist of fate puts Leo in charge of a grant that could save Faith Foxβs struggling non-profit, his desire to assist her worthwhile cause barely wins out over his need to stay the hell away from her.
Faith swallowed her pride to request funds for her after-school tutoring center, but she had no idea her old boyfriend would be the one holding the purse strings. Now he’s insisting on a hands-on partnershipβone that has her wanting even more hands-on attention.
With years of history between them, Faith and Leo will need to learn from the lessons of their past if they want to fall in love as the people they are today.
The award-winning Cinnamon Roll Alphas series continues with Tempting Fate, featuring the playful banter, steamy encounters, and sunny outlook that Sara Whitneyβs readers have come to love.
Sara Whitney writes sassy, sexy contemporary romance novels packed with wit, heat, and heart. A 2019 Romance Writers of America Golden Heart award finalist, Sara worked as a newspaper reporter and film critic before she earned her Ph.D. and landed in academia. Sheβs a good pinball player, a so-so karaoke singer, and an expert TV opinion-haver.
In a funny twist of fate, Saraβs married to a divorce attorney, and she likes to think that her happily-ever-afters help keep their household in balance. She and her husband live in the Midwest surrounded by books, cats, and half-empty coffee cups. Keep up with Sara by subscribing to her mailing list here.
Can you find yourself in the midst of losing everything?
Levi
I could never be what my father expected of me. Content to run the family business wasnβt the life I saw for myself. I longed to serve my country, and it cost me more than my relationship with my dad. Now, as I recover from losing a limb, I smile through the pain. I pretend being alone doesnβt bother me. Make jokes to mask the anguish. But Mandy sees the truth and calls me out for self-sabotaging. That is one of the many reasons I find myself falling for her, despite her being my ex’s best friend…
Mandy
I beat the odds and built a life I love. I know it can be done. Therefore, I refuse to allow my patients to think otherwise. When I see Levi masking his pain, I know it will prevent him from accepting his new truth and overcoming it. By working with him, I guide him on the road to recovery… until his estranged father shows up. Will everything we have worked for so far be shattered in a single moment or will Levi finally stand up for what he wants. And what if what he wants, isn’t me?Β
Kaci runs on coffee, chocolate, and Oreos. She loves her book boyfriends with tattoos, muscles, beards, and a little dirty.
Kaci loves romance books and has been jotting down ideas since she was in high school and is now putting the ideas down on paper. She believes in satisfying, happily ever afters with a lot of steam on the way.
She was born and raised in Southwest Florida but is wholeheartedly a mountain girl. She has been reading as many books as she could get her hands on since grade school and loves to travel when she gets the chance.Β
Tragedy brought Bree back to her hometown with no plans to stay. Her brotherβs best friend, Tony, doesnβt want her to leave. With a killer on the loose and Bree in danger, itβs up to Tony to keep her safe, then keep her in Whiskey Falls. Readers who enjoy Brynne Asher and Devney Perry will love this spicy, small town, brotherβs best friend, romantic suspense.
Whiskey Home
Whiskey Falls, Book One
by Taryn Rivers
Blurb:
Tony
I promised to protect my best friendβs little sisterβI didnβt plan on falling in love.
But when a murderer strikes in my county and she may be the next target, I canβt hold back anymore.
She doesnβt know it yet, but when this is over sheβs here to stay.
If I can keep her alive.
Bree
A tragedy called me back to Whiskey Falls, but as soon as I take care of business, Iβm out of here.
It doesnβt matter that Iβve been in love with Tony Kane since I was a child.
Or that I go weak at the knees every time I see him.
My family broke my heart, but he has the power to shatter it.
The patio door opens behind me, alerting me to Breeβs presence.
βBreeβs here. I gotta go,β I tell him.
βWatch your back,β he warns, not hiding the worry in his voice.
βYou, too.β I hang up and turn around to find Bree rubbing the back of her neck with a resigned look on her face.
βSheβs on her way, isnβt she?β I ask.
She winces and nods.
βPlease tell me Coltβs with her.β I like Colt, and itβs obvious he cares for both women. Plus, he can handle himself and is one hell of a shot.
βNo. Coltβs not with her. But sheβs not alone.β
βYou need to call her back and tell her to turn around. We barely have enough manpower to cover you, much less Sadie and whichever one of your friends sheβs dragging with her.β
βItβs, um, well, itβs Killian,β she stammers. βHe didnβt want her driving by herself.β
It takes a few seconds before I trust myself to speak. βAre you telling me Killian Cross is on his way here right now?β
She bites her lip and nods reluctantly.
βExactly how many times has Cross asked you out?β I ask.
She wrings her hands together. βTwice. And itβs been months. Weβre just good friends, not that itβs any of your business.β
I see red. βNot my fucking business? Are you high? Everything about you is my business.β
She backs up but itβs too late. In two steps Iβm on her. I pull her to me and slam my mouth down on hers.
Instead of fighting it, her arms wrap around me. I fist her hair, and she gasps, giving me what I need to slide my tongue home. I bring her even closer, and she melts into me.
I pour everything I have into the kiss. If she wonβt believe it when I tell her sheβs mine, Iβll fucking show her and leave no room for doubt.
Iβve been waiting for this moment for two years, and all my frustration comes through. She moans into my mouth which spurs me on. I thought our first kiss couldnβt be beat, but this one blows it out of the water.
This kiss is everything. Heaven and hell, want and need, every ounce of my being focused on the slide of her tongue. I slow it down until our lips separate. I run my nose along hers then drop my hand down to her lower back and bury my face in her hair.
βThis is why youβre my business. This proves you want me as much as I want you. Face it. Youβre mine, and Iβm fucking yours. Always have been. Always will be.β
I lean in and kiss the side of her lips. βGive us a chance, beautiful. Itβs going to work out. I promise.β
Her entire face softens, and I think I have her. But then she blinks, and I see naked fear flash in her eyes right before she shuts down.
Fucking hell.
Copyright 2021 Taryn Rivers
*****
Author Info:
Taryn Rivers lives in central Arkansas with her extremely patient husband and her golden retriever, Patton. When sheβs not writing, sheβs kicking back with her husband at the lake, eating her weight in fried cheese curds and fish fry while visiting family in Wisconsin, or sheβs guilting her children into coming to see her. She loves reading, coffee, wine, and her family, not necessarily in that order.
A vacation in Las Vegas with friends was going to be nothing but a good time.
When two of Samantha Nollins friends surprised everyone that they eloped, she was ready to party. After all, she was known to celebrate at all times, along with her bestie Nate Haddic. However, when they wake up the next day, their two friends werenβt the only ones who eloped!
Samantha and Nate immediately go to the courthouse, only to be told they need to wait ninety-days and try to make their marriage work.
There was nothing worse than two players who had to settle down. In order to keep their friendship intact, they created rules β which seemed easy enough.
First rule, no sex. This was a bummer, but there was no way they were cheating on each other, even if the wedding was fake.
Second, they had to visit each other more, which was no sweat off their backs.
Third, they couldnβt tell anyone. This was mainly because it was only ninety-days, why get anyone else involved?
Fourth was more because of the court order, but they had to take pictures of them together. This way, they could show the judge they tried, but it didnβt work.
Lastly, the most important role, was no falling for each other.
Samantha moved over to him and poked his shoulder in anger. βNow isnβt the time to admire the city. You ended a party where people, including me, were having fun. Then you decide to kiss the hell out of me like I was all you wanted. And now you pull back and tell me not to look at you like that. Do tell, how am I looking at you?β
Nate, being four inches taller, stared down at her. βLike you want something thatβll ruin everything.β
βDidnβt you kiss me?β
βWe were playing the game.β
This made her laughβand not the good kind. It was almost manic, like she couldnβt believe this was actually happening. What a lame excuse, blaming their chemistry on a game. βAre you serious?β
βAs serious as our signed contract,β he said, a touch of bitterness in his tone.
She flipped her hair over her shoulder before putting her hands on her hips. βDonβt you dare act like this is my fault. Our sham of a marriage wasnβt something I forced on you. It wasnβt like I woke up in a committed relationship and celebrated the news. Weβre in the same boat here.β
He huffed. βI know itβs not your fault weβre married.β
βWow, you sound so sincere.β Her voice oozed sarcasm.
βIt isnβt either of our faults,β he conceded. βBut it was stupid for us to kiss for no reason. We need to follow the rules. Iβm going to hold up my end of the bullshit bargain.β
If kissing her senseless was part of holding up his end of the bargain, she wasnβt sure sheβd survive anymore of their marriage. Her lips were bruised at the way heβd devoured her. Her pulse was still racing over the excitement of feeling his hands on her.
*****
Author Info:
Erin Lynne is a romantic comedy writer who lives outside of Philadelphia with her husband and kiddos. When she is not chasing after her boys, you can find her writing. She loves going on adventures with her family (theme park junkie), drinking champagne, and reading.
Join her on Facebook at Erin Lynne Romance Lovers and follow her at http://www.erin-lynne.com for updates on releases, thoughts to make you smile, and to sign-up for her newsletter.
Romantic Reads and Such 