I’ve got this one in my TBR pile and I’m looking forward to reading it!
*****
by Tracey Livesay
Genre Adult; Contemporary Romance
Publisher Avon Impulse
Publication Date Avon Impulse
Blurb:
An accident changed Leighton Clarkeβs life forever.
When she awakens from a coma, her childhood memories are intact but she possesses no memories of the past six years of her life. Terrified, anxious and disoriented, sheβs only calmed by the presence of the gorgeous celebrity chef with compassionate brown eyes, the man who turns out to be her fiancΓ©e, Jonathan.
Jonathan Moran is tormented over his part in the deception that heβs Leightonβs fiancΓ©. In truth, sheβs engaged to his brother! Any day now, her memory is destined to return and sheβll remember itβs his fault she was injured. Meanwhile, the more time they spend together, the closer they become until Jonathan begins to wish the pretense of them being a couple was real.
And then Leightonβs memories come flooding backβ¦
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*****
Excerpt:
βWhat can I get for you?β
An elegant brow lifted. βYouβre going to serve me?β
βI do it all.β He reached beneath the bar for a towel and slung it over his shoulder.
βI bet you do,β she murmured.
He stiffened. Had she actually said that or had his fantasy life taken over for a brief moment? He glanced at her, but her cool expression gave nothing away.
βSpecial service from a James Beard Awardβwinning chef. Iβll try to contain myself.β
βIβm sure my brother didnβt waste his breath extolling my achievements, so youβve been checking up on me?β
He braced his arms against the bar and her eyes followed the motion, lingering. He could barely breathe. He had to force the oxygen into his body. No other woman had ever affected him in this way. Why her? He didnβt understand it.
She averted her gaze. βI check on everyone who comes into my life.β
He frowned. βI was just joking.β
βI wasnβt.β She placed her purse on the bar stool next to her.
Interesting. That type of vigilance made for a very lonely existence. And it wasnβt natural. Something had happened to make her believe such action was necessary. However, he didnβt get the feeling she would be amenable to sharing that information with him.
He straightened. βNow, about that drinkΒ .Β .Β . a cosmo, apple-tini, strawberry daiquiri?β
She exhaled and her lips quirked. βI appreciate you offering me some of your personal favorites, but Iβll take a Macallan 21 on the rocks.β
He hesitated. βYou drink whiskey?β
It was rare, but he did know a few women who enjoyed the smooth spirit. He suspected his disbelief would annoy her.
He was right.
βSexist, much?β
βMaybe, but itβs borne out by my fifteen years in the restaurant business.β
βIsnβt it wonderful to still be able to discover something new after all that time? An old dog can still learnΒ .Β .Β . something.β Her sweet smile had him struggling to contain his grin.
He grabbed a lowball glass off the stack, added a couple of ice cubes and poured the drink. βMβlady.β
She took a sip. Her lashes fluttered and her jaw moved laterally as she coated her tongue with the flavors. The blood rushed straight to his dick againβit must have an E-Z passβleaving him momentarily light-headed. Thank God he was standing behind the bar.
She set the glass down on the black cocktail napkin heβd provided. βWhat do you drink besides your beloved apple-tinis?β
She had jokes. One corner of his mouth tipped upward. Thatβs all heβd allow her. βMacallanβs good, but I prefer bourbon. Jeffersonβs Presidential Select.β
βIβve heard good things about Jefferson but Iβve never had the opportunity to try some,β Leighton said. βThe stock is limited, right?β
βYes, but I tracked down a case of the Seventeen.β He smiled, recalling the night heβd shared a bottle with Adam and Mike last year. βIβd be willing to part with a little bit.β
Silence met his offer. Thenβ βMaybe I can get Thomas to try it. He tends to stick to craft beers.β
His brother.
Her fiancΓ©.
Right.
Big guilt keep on churningΒ .Β .Β .
He turned to put the bottle heβd used on the back bar shelf where it belonged. βYeah, well, my brotherβs taste has always left a lot to desired.β
Only after the words were out did he realize how they sounded. He turned back in time to see the hurt on her face morph to anger. βIβm sorry. Thatβs not what I meant.β
Her expression cut into him like an extremely sharp gyuto knife. She held up a hand as if to halt his words. βThen itβs a good thing your opinion makes no difference to our life at all.β
βNo seriously. Leighton.β He rushed around the bar and reached for the hand that had fallen to her lap. He didnβt question his need for her to understand his words werenβt aimed at her. He dipped his head until he forced her to meet his eyes. βI swear, I wasnβt talking about you. My brother should be on his knees kissing someoneβs ass every day, thanking his lucky stars that youβve agreed to marry him.β
She stared at him, stone faced, and he feared he may have ruined whatever accord theyβd managed to form.
Which was probably for the best.
But when her features began to soften and forgiveness seemed to follow, relief made him giddy and he couldnβt have stopped what he did next even if his very survival depended on it.
One taste. Thatβs all he needed.
He touched his lips to hers.
Time stopped.
Heβd been wrong. Heβd need much, much more.
He deepened the kiss, tasting, nibbling then moaning when her lips parted and she let him in. Her soft tongue glided against his and desire roared through him.
Her arms snaked around his waist and clutched his ass. She scooted forward on the stool, spreading her thighs and pulling him between them. His fingers skimmed along her jaw and slid through her hair, like air moving against silk.
His heart was pounding so loudly it drowned out any protests his rational mind tried to put forth. He didnβt care who she was, who he was, or why this could never be. Heβd never experienced this kind of raw passion with anyone and in that moment, his only concern was giving her as much pleasure as she was giving him.
βChef, do you want us to leave youββ Gibβs voice acted as fingers on a chalkboard, jarring and cringeworthy.
Leightonβs eyes flew open, and fear and disgust contorted her features. She pushed against his chest, catching him off guard, and he fell back into a neighboring bar stool.
Before he could process what was happening, sheβd jumped from the stool and was runningβquite a feat in her heelsβto the front door.
He hurried after her. βLeighton!β
She pushed out into the night and paused looking left and right.
He saw the metal scaffolding falling and a roaring filled his ears.
Oh no! No! GODDAMMIT!!
He started to run. βLeighton, wait!β
He was too late.
*****
A former criminal defense attorney, Tracey Livesay finds crafting believable happily ever afters slightly more challenging than protecting our constitutional rights, but sheβs never regretted following her heart instead of her law degree. She lives in Virginia with her husbandβwho she met on the very first day of law schoolβand their three children.
Avon http://www.avonromance.com/book-author/tracey-livesay/
Website http://www.traceylivesay.com/
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/TraceyLivesayAuthor/
Twitter https://twitter.com/tlivesay
Goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7789871.Tracey_Livesay
Amazon http://amzn.to/2geRwqN
*****
Giveaway:
From 8/29-9/12 – one winner of the prize bundle across the entire tour.Β Giveaway is being hosted on Rafflecopter.Β Open to US & Canada shipping addresses only.
Prizes: One signed paperback copy of a previous title in the Silicon Valley series, one wine glass filled with chocolate, and a Tracey Livesay pen.
http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/637fbedf95
*****
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