I haven’t seen Soren Mathews in ten years, but he draws me right back under his spell. We spend one stormy night together living out our teenage fantasies and in the morning, he’s gone again, leaving me to think about him and the secret I’m keeping. Readers who enjoy romance with childhood crushes and one night stands will love Beards & Babies by Heather Lauren, a steamy, small town, brother’s best friend, beach romance.

Blurb:

The bare naked buns of my brother’s best friend greet me in Florida.

I haven’t seen Soren Mathews since the most embarrassing night of my life. Now ten years older, he’s all grizzly man. With a sexy beard and new scars, he draws me right back under his spell.

For one night the storm keeps us under the same roof and we finally live out all our teenage fantasies and secret desires. But the sea calls him the next morning and he’s gone.

I try to move forward with a new life in Candy Cane Key, but I can’t stop thinking about him. I can’t seem to eat and all I want to do is sleep. I’m restless and lost until he comes back and by then we’ve both got secrets we’ve been keeping.

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*****

Excerpt:

The place is quiet and never fails to bring a strong since of comfort every time I walk through the doors. I kick out of my shoes and wet sweater and make my way for the master shower. The house is huge and technically has four master bedrooms and three smaller bedrooms. My family bought it back in the nineties with their best friends and our two families have been vacationing here ever since.

Bonnie and Carl Mathews and of course, Soren.

A man who haunts my wet dreams to this very fucking day but couldn’t be more off limits. After a terribly embarrassing incident when I was eighteen, I’ve avoided my childhood crush completely.

Until right this second.

I think a squeak comes out of my mouth or maybe its a moan. Either way my feet are firmly fused to the floor as I stare shocked and honestly in awe of the gorgeous man in front of me.

“Robin!” He shouts in obvious surprise.

Suddenly I regret avoiding this moment for so long. Seeing him. Not just his amazing body. Holy hell the man was chiseled. No, seeing him instantly feels like a balm to my ever spiraling anxiety. After a fast sweep down where my eyeballs absolutely do not belong, I lock eyes with his deep brown ones.

“Hey.” I say like an idiot. It’s just so good to see him.

I nervous laugh but turn around quickly, closing the door behind me.

Oh holy hell Bateman.

That man is cut. Muscles on every inch of him. Decorated in black ink and he has the sexy v thing I thought only existed in magazines.

And that cock! Is it normal to swoon over a man’s cock. No, but I’m the weird girl I don’t really do normal. I melt against the back of the bathroom door sighing with a heavy breath at the thought of that monster. Its thick and long and it looks so soft and inviting. His body has changed so much since I last saw him, and I imagine what the black details look like on his hips. Does the tribal ink span his thighs? His ass?

As I’m daydreaming against the door, soaked to the bone and starting to feel the chill, I’m startled by the water turning off. It hasn’t been more than a minute…right?

I push off the door and hurry down the hall to my room. The lights are all on and I’m surprised to find a bag already on the bed. Walking in I see the Star Wars pins I got him the Christmas before we stopped talking. The sight makes me smile and I wonder again why his bags in here. This is my room. It’s always my room.

“Hey sorry, I wasn’t expecting you.”

“You don’t need to be. I’m sorry for barging in, I couldn’t hear the shower over the pelting rain.” I say pointing up at the ceiling trying my best to look at his face as he stands in the doorway, a crisp white towel hanging lose on his hips. Tattoo covered hips.

“I’ll just grab my bag.”

“Ok.” I say, but the question burns and after fifteen years why hold back anything.

“Did you want to sleep in here?”

Copyright 2023 Heather Lauren

*****

Author Info:

Heather is a Polly Pocket-size mom of three with a burly hubby and hairy husky. They live in sunny Arizona where she writes steamy contemporary romance and romantic comedies. Her books feature beefy cinnamon roll heroes (often bearded), dirty talking alphas, and adorkable, strong heroines full of sass. Each one guarantees, good laughs and epic Happily Ever Afters. 

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