Contemporary Romance
Stand Alone
Cover Designer: Letitia Hasser of RBA Designs
Photographer: Lauryn Alvarez Photography
Cover Model: Joshua Butler
Blurb: Breck My name is Brecklyn Brannon, and I’m not who I claim to be. A year ago, I packed up my promising life in the city for a man I saw only once. Accepting a temporary job with Cade and four blazing hot veterans should have been my way in. Except, Cade acts like he would rather be tortured than speak to me. He can resist all he wants, but I made a promise that I intend to keep. Even if it costs me everything. Cade I’ve watched her for over a year. There’s something about her that seems familiar… but now that she’s living here for two weeks, I could care less what it is. I just want her gone. Breck is temptation personified, and some lines can't be crossed. I'm Major Cade Jameson, and I made a promise, too. One that I can't break. No matter how hard it gets.
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About the Author: After eight long years, she released her debut novel, Commander in Briefs. It was a long road, but she can honestly say, the road less traveled had the most beautiful sights. The only thing Kristy Marie loves as much as reading and writing is sports! Especially those that require muscles and a nice ass. Her favorite is, and always will be, baseball. She's such a fan, that she even married her small town's high school's centerfielder where they still live with their three badass kids. Commander in Briefs is her first series but definitely not her last. Website Facebook Author Page
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Title: Country Gold
A Wilder Sisters Novel
Author: Heatherly Bell
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Cover Design: Elizabeth Mackey
Release Date: September 17, 2018
Blurb
Fame tore them apartâ¦
A scandal ended the careers of the Wilder Sisters, the chart topping country rock band. But Lexi Wilder is okay with that, thanks for asking. She's been on the road since roughly forever, and even if the scandal has followed her home to Whistle Cove, California, Lexi is going to enjoy the break. After all, there's quite nothing like the beautiful sandy beaches of Monterey Bay to calm a woman's soul. Luke Wyatt never asked to trade fame and fortune for the only woman he's ever loved. Now that he's finished a punishing year-long national tour, all bets are off. He's coming back to his hometown of Whistle Cove for the quiet, the beaches, the inspiration, and the girl. Not necessarily in that order. There's pressure from Nashville to deliver more country gold like the #1 song he co-wrote with Lexi Wilder.
But Lexi canât forgive Luke for choosing fame over herâ¦
Pre-order Links
99c pre-order price! (Amazon only) Playlist
Sheâs My Kind of Rain by Tim McGraw
In Case You Didnât Know by Brett Young
Make You Miss Me by Sam Hunt
Sober by Little Big Town
Die a Happy Man by Thomas Rhett
Sheâs Everything by Brad Paisley
Make me Wanna by Thomas Rhett
Excerpt
âLexi Wilder.â
She recognized the deep voice, the smooth sound of whiskey if it could speak. Lexi whipped around to face Luke Wyatt. Her heart hiccupped at the sight of his long and lean body braced against the side of her cottage. One corner of his mouth tipped up in a half smile and he studied her with those deep and fathomless dark eyes.
Her mouth was dry. Knees? Liquid. âW-what are you doing here?â
âWasnât going to give you the chance to say you donât want to see me.â He moved away from the side of the house and took a step toward her. âTourâs over. Iâm home.â
Despite her churning gut, she found her voice. âWe have no vacancy. Youâll have to stay somewhere else.â
He went brows up. âJust checked in.â
When she didnât speak, but simply swallowed and blinked, trying like hell to regain her balance, he filled in the silence.
âStill mad at me. Still wonât talk to me.â
She was so not prepared to deal with this today. With him. âWhy would I be mad? You mean because you wrote an entire album all about our private life? Every single private and personal thing about us. After everything Iâve been through with Sabrina. No, why would I be mad about that?â
âBaby,â he said, squaring his shoulders. âItâs what songwriters do. We write about our life, the pain and the joy.â
âIâd rather keep my private life private.â
âIâm sorry,â he said. âI was hurting. You wouldnât take any of my calls. You wouldnât come see me.â
âYou didnât seem to be hurting. You were all over my TV set, cozying up to gorgeous models and reality TV stars.â
Sheâd seen the woman practically on Lukeâs lap at a televised awards show. And he was mad she hadnât called him back? If heâd been hurt when she stopped taking his calls, he sure in the hell got over it quickly enough.
He took a step toward her making her take one back. No, no, no. Already she felt her body buzzing from being this close to him for the first time in a year.
âGive me a break, Lex. You know what this life is like. I didnât even know that woman.â
Lexi did an internal face palm. No, no. It would not go this way. Check her out letting loose with all her pent up hurt and anger the minute he showed up, giving Luke every indication of how much she still cared about him. If she didnât care at all, maybe the rumors of these women wouldnât bother her so much. So sheâd already blown her cover in the first twenty seconds of seeing him. Get a grip.
Sheâd expected to do much better than this if she ever ran into him again, say in Nashville while visiting Miranda Lambert to collaborate on some songs. Lexi would have another hit song by then. Maybe sheâd be dating another handsome country singer not named Luke Wilder. Sheâd be over him by then.
Chalk it up to running into him so unexpectedly but this wasnât how it was supposed to go. He shouldnât still look so good to her, his beard making him look like a strong mountain man. Like a man who would take care of his woman.
For Luke, it turned out his career came first. Not her.
But the thing to do here was pretend it didnât make a difference whether he stayed or left. Pretend he had that little effect on her. Maybe it wasnât too late to salvage what little was left of her pride.
âIâm sorry.â She shook her head. âIâm being rude.â
He quirked a single brow. âYeah?â
Score one for Lexi. Sheâd shocked him. Good.
âOf course. Youâre a paying guest and Iâm usually not soâ¦soâ¦â
âPissy?â He gave her another smile, this one lifting both corners of his mouth and demonstrating he still had the power to render her speechless when he laid on the charm.
âYeah. Pissy.â She let out a half-hearted fake laugh and waved hand in the air. âRough day. You know how it is. Sisters.â
His brow furrowed. âAnd howâs Sabrina doing?â
Luke had a front row seat to the implosion of the Wilder Sisters. Heâd been performing alongside them at the stadium in Oklahoma when Sabrina had her public mini-meltdown. Even though their demise as a band had meant his opportunity for stardom, Lexi didnât doubt heâd been sorry about the way it had all happened.
When sheâd been worried about Sabrina, whose entire life from the time sheâd been ten had been the stage, Luke had held Lexi every night until she fell asleep, assuring her that Sabrina would survive this. They all would. And sheâd fallen even deeper for the man. Luke reminded her there would be life after all the speculation and rumors. Because Luke Wyatt knew a lot about scandal. He understood what it was like to feel like you had to apologize just for being allowed to breathe the same air as everyone else.
âSheâs okay. Still walks around with ear buds in all the time, singing and dancing. Itâs in her blood. But I donât think she wants to get back up on a stage anytime soon. None of us do.â
He nodded, as if he understood all too well. âAnd you. Are you still writing?â
Not with you.
Never again with you.
The wall was still up and there it would stay. If anything, sheâd wallpaper it. But she was a Wilder first and foremost, and yes, they could put on a show.
She shrugged and got ready to lie. âHere and there.â
âIâm supposed to write a few more hit songs.â He held up finger quotes. âThey want me back in the studio next week. So I thought Iâd come here and relax. See if I can find some inspiration.â
His gaze took a slow slide down the length of her body and she almost feltâ¦naked. She was so not going to be his inspiration. Not this time. Heâd taken enough material from her already.
She took a breath and went for deep sincerity. âI hope you find what youâre looking for, Luke.â
And with that she opened the door to her cottage and closed it in his face.
Author Bio
Heatherly Bell drinks coffee, craves cupcakes, and occasionally wears real pants.
She lives in northern California with her family.
Author Links
REWRITE THE STARSby Julieann Dove Publication Date: August 23, 2018 Genres: Adult, New Adult, Contemporary, Romance, Standalone Cover Design Credit: Kristin Clifton @ Sweet Bird Designs, LLC AVAILABLE NOW!(#FREE WITH #KINDLEUNLIMITED!)
Amazon: https://amzn.to/2Ju5gr
Amazon CA: https://amzn.to/2sNOUmU
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Amazon AU: https://amzn.to/2wcHhrV
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SYNOPSISFor ten summers Claire and her mother had been guests at the Prescott’s beach house at Kelly’s Cove. And for ten years she played with Mallory and her twin brother, Colin. But it wasn’t until she returned after college graduation for her last summer there, that she realized Colin had grown into a guy who made her knees knock just by smiling at her. Being from different worlds, she knew nothing would come from her attraction to him. Having returned to the states from studying abroad for four years, the last person Colin thought he’d find staying in his bedroom was Claire Ashton. Lanky and awkward during her adolescent years, he had to look twice to make sure this was the same girl. After a week together it was obvious he’d overlooked something before, because he felt things for her he’d never experienced before. There was only one problem—his last name and all that came with it would never permit him to be with her. In the end, it’s either love or prestige that will win in the game of love.
Rewrite the Stars by Julieann Dove
Brittany's rating: 3.5 of 5 stars This book was okay. And the ending pissed me off. There's nothing worse than that. There really isn't. There wasn't really a connection between Colin and Claire. I honestly felt like there was more of a connection between Claire and Alex than Claire and Colin. I did find myself getting distracted often, the book unable to hold my interest for long periods of time. I just felt that this book had so much potential and it fell flat. I feel that Claire and Colin's relationship could have been spectacular, but instead, it was just flat. However, I really like Alex and I wish that the reason of why Colin and Alex's families are feuding was explained. Overall, I give this book 3.5 stars View all my reviews ABOUT JULIEANN DOVEJulieann lives in Virginia, where she loves collecting houseplants, sewing cute little quilts, and writing about messy love. She fell in love with reading at a young age, after following Nancy Drew in solving the mysteries of the world. This carries on today, as crime shows are among her favorite to watch. Well those and the Hallmark channel love stories and mysteries. Keeping busy with soon-to-be six children, she needs time to unwind! Website| Facebook | Twitter |Instagram | Pinterest | Goodreads| Bookbub | Newsletter |Amazon Author Profile ENTER THE GIVEAWAY
Title: Every Breath You Take
Series: The Every Breath Duet #1
Author: Faith Andrews
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Release Date: August 27, 2018
Blurb
London Monroe is forced to accept an unwanted new reality. Her marriage is over. Her best friend is a million miles away. Her motherâs health is failing. And no matter how hard she tries, she canât seem to make ends meet.
They say the way to mend a broken soul is to find someone to make it whole again. But she never imagined it would be him, or that love could be so . . .intense.
Discovering the unexpected will surprise her. Life will get harder before it gets easier. And the man meant to see her through it all will take her by storm.
Immersed in a whirlwind of emotion, London soon learns that thereâs a delicate line between love and . . . obsession.
4 Star Review by Ashley
I was so happy to see a title from Faith Andrews, that I didn't even read the blurb. Well let me just tell you, this was a bit of a ride. From page one, Every Breath You Take pulled at my emotions and didn't let go. There were some lows, a lot of them, but there were also plenty of sexy and tender moments too.Can I just say how much I liked London. This woman had so much thrown at her. From her marriage to her mother there was never a dull moment. But despite everything closing in on her, she found a way to pick up the pieces and move forward. She found a reason to let go and smile. Part of that reason, Bryce. Oh now there was a complicated man. I had a feeling from the first time I met him that Bryce was a bit shady. There were hints of it with the things he said and didn't say and also his actions. Yet somehow, London accepted him at face value. That was until her best friend got back into town. Ahhhh Sam. The wrinkle in the story that Bryce nor London were expecting. His return threw a wrinkle in Bryce's mighty plan. And put London's already rocky emotional state closer to crumbling. I can't say too much more without giving all the goods away but I will say this. Every Breath You Take was an emotional, sometimes funny but always heartfelt journey. I was thrilled with the way things were going for everyone, especially Ella (who I think was my favorite part of the whole book), until Faith Andrews had to throw that big ol' shocking twist in there right at the end. Gah! I NEED the final part of this duet, like yesterday.
$2.99 pre-order for a limited time
Author Bio
Faith Andrews is living out her dream right outside the greatest city in the world, New York City. Happily married to her high school sweetheart, she is the mother of two beautiful and wild daughters, and a furry Yorkie son named Rocco Giovanni. When sheâs not tapping her toes to a Mumford & Sons tune or busy being a dance mom, her nose is stuck in a book or sheâs sitting behind the laptop, creating her next colorful daydream. Coffee addict, lover of wine and cheese, and sucker for concerts and Netflix, Faith believes in love at first sight and happily ever after.
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Title: Payback's A Bitch
Series: Awkward Love #6
Author: Missy Johnson
Genre: Romance
Release Date: August 27, 2018
Blurb
Iâm the girl who likes âthe cock in the back holeâ At least, thatâs what the dating profile my so-called friends set up for me claims. Iâm also into BDSM, Furries and âIâll try anything twice.â I have no idea the profile exists until the replies start rolling in. They range from funny, to downright creepy and everything in between. Just as Iâm shutting down my email account for good, a new message pops up. Heâs funny and he's the only one to suspect the profile is a joke, so I think what the hell? I reply. When he suggests that we meet, I say yes. When I walk into that bar, he's sitting at a table, facing the other way. He turns his head just enough for me to be able to make out his face⦠Fuck. Itâs Cameron Hunter, one of the rudest, most arrogant assholes Iâve ever had the displeasure of meeting. He's also the son of one of the state's most influential judges. The same judge who's about to become my step-father...
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Free in Kindle Unlimited
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99c for a limited time!
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Free in Kindle Unlimited
Author Bio
Missy lives in central Victoria with her husband, three-year-old daughter, two cats, two dogs and turtle. When she's not writing, she can usually be found â¦oh wait. Sheâs always writing.
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A Standalone Contemporary Romance Novel By: NY Times, USA Today, and #1 Wall Street Journal Best Selling Author, Penelope Ward Synopsis:From New York Times bestselling author Penelope Ward, comes a new, sexy STANDALONE novel.We met in the least likely of places. It started out innocently enough. I was “ScreenGod” and she was “Montana,” but of course, those weren’t our actual names, just the virtual cloaks we hid behind.Logging in at night and talking to her was my escape—my sanctuary.Her real name was Eden, I’d soon come to find out.From the first time we connected online, I found myself transfixed.She was an addiction.At first, we knew nothing about each other’s real identities…and she was adamant that we keep things that way. Anonymity had no effect on our unstoppable chemistry, though. If anything, it allowed us to open up even more in ways we may not have otherwise.Eden was funny, intelligent, gorgeous—everything I’d ever wanted in a woman.But I couldn’t really have her.I had accepted things would have to stay the way they were—until the day I found a clue that led me straight to her.So I took a chance.And that was when our love story really began.Photo/Cover Details:Cover designer:Letitia Hasser, RBA designsCover Model: Eddy PutterCover Photography: Nicole LangholzLINKS TO LOVE ONLINE:LOVE ONLINE is live early on Amazon and on a limited-time release sale for $3.99! (Changing SOON to $4.99. This will be the ONLY sale ever.) A fun, sexy, refreshing STANDALONE romance! Amazon ➜ https://amzn.to/2obQRa2 iTunes ➜ https://apple.co/2LzO4om B&N ➜ http://bit.ly/2wfHUQO Kobo ➜ http://bit.ly/2MYBexz Google Play ➜ http://bit.ly/2ORdVWT Amazon Paperback ➜ https://amzn.to/2LyWzAb Audible ➜https://adbl.co/2KAWnMq Amazon Audio ➜ https://amzn.to/2KF8tElAdd to Goodreads ➜ http://bit.ly/2LJjHsoAbout the Author Penelope Ward is a New York Times, USA Today and #1 Wall Street Journal bestselling author of contemporary romance. She grew up in Boston with five older brothers and spent most of her twenties as a television news anchor. Penelope resides in Rhode Island with her husband, son, and beautiful daughter with autism . With over one-point-five million books sold, she is a twenty-time New York Times bestseller and the author of over twenty novels.Sign up for Penelope’s mailing list:http://eepurl.com/MnXoHFind Penelope here: Website:http://www.penelopewardauthor.com Gmail: penelopewardauthor@gmail.com Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/penelopewardauthor Facebook Fan Group (Penelope’s Peeps):https://www.facebook.com/groups/PenelopesPeeps/ Twitter:https://twitter.com/PenelopeAuthor Instagram: @penelopewardauthor http://instagram.com/PenelopeWardAuthor/ Book Bub:https://www.bookbub.com/authors/penelope-ward Goodreads: http://bit.ly/2LJjHsoOTHER BOOKS BY PENELOPEStandalone NovelsGentleman NineAmazon: https://amzn.to/2KoRJC5iBooks: http://bit.ly/2D7K7QiNook: http://bit.ly/2EPuDCnKobo: http://bit.ly/2nMeoP3Google Play: http://bit.ly/2C9ESTmDrunk DialAmazon: https://amzn.to/2rcBbVliBooks: http://apple.co/2tq7dRzNook: http://bit.ly/2xeEH2HKobo: http://bit.ly/2ihXnMDGoogle Play: http://bit.ly/2LzQ2FgMack DaddyAmazon: https://amzn.to/2regybniTunes: http://apple.co/2iNrIPjB&N: http://hyperurl.co/aiypfjKobo: http://hyperurl.co/r3hv19Google Play: http://bit.ly/2LhHZxBRoomHateAmazon: https://amzn.to/2rficJwiTunes: http://apple.co/1PgsvE7B&N: http://bit.ly/1PLGnSLkobo: http://bit.ly/1POvSnWGoogle Play: http://bit.ly/2JMo306Stepbrother DearestAmazon: https://amzn.to/2FBxe1GITunes: http://bit.ly/YER0mTB&N: http://bit.ly/1taMFjGkobo: http://bit.ly/1fJaaBsGoogle Play: http://bit.ly/2JJV90VNeighbor DearestAmazon: https://amzn.to/2JJQPz2iTunes: http://apple.co/29mC6L8B&N: http://bit.ly/2akQ2aqKobo: http://bit.ly/2axt1SYGoogle Play: http://bit.ly/2LFzZTn
Sins of SevinAmazon: https://amzn.to/2I6i3T6iTunes: http://apple.co/1K8mzGgB&N: http://bit.ly/1hTKAKEkobo: http://bit.ly/1OaGY3DGoogle Play: http://bit.ly/2LImsupJake UndoneAmazon: https://amzn.to/2KoQnYdiTunes: http://apple.co/1fJayQ8B&N: http://bit.ly/1obAwJ6kobo: http://bit.ly/1SPKl0MGoogle Play: http://bit.ly/2uU45v3Jake Understood (Jake #2)Amazon: https://amzn.to/2rbAlZQiTunes: http://apple.co/1DQQwgCB&N: http://bit.ly/1FwJC0zkobo: http://bit.ly/1LQ7FvkGoogle Play: http://bit.ly/2JHWUM0My SkylarAmazon: https://amzn.to/2Fwe78ViTunes: http://bit.ly/SLNOTRB&N: http://bit.ly/SLO1qikobo: http://bit.ly/1kNrtABGoogle Play: http://bit.ly/2mzqkmnGeminiAmazon: https://amzn.to/2rggfwviTunes: http://apple.co/1QTaONjB&N: http://bit.ly/1KfmLHDkobo: http://bit.ly/1BGJ2wuGoogle Play: http://bit.ly/2zYoXXPCo-written NovelsThe Rush Series (2 Book Series)Rebel HeirAmazon: https://amzn.to/2JHynHeiBooks: https://goo.gl/iG6fmDB&N: http://smarturl.it/ubjd6bKobo: https://goo.gl/iU76VKGoogle Play: http://smarturl.it/pe0ir3Rebel HeartAmazon: https://amzn.to/2KuY8MeiBooks: https://apple.co/2oleXyJB&N: http://smarturl.it/ew2ggjKobo: http://bit.ly/2H7FRCmGoogle Play ➜ http://smarturl.it/ko7i8eDear Bridget, I Want YouAmazon: https://amzn.to/2I9CSxmiBooks: http://smarturl.it/y4x3xiB&N: http://smarturl.it/o780mbKobo: http://smarturl.it/kfgc6aGoogle Play: http://bit.ly/2LANW8sCocky BastardAmazon: https://amzn.to/2JIy7HTiTunes:http://apple.co/1PffE2JB&N:http://bit.ly/1EjxNpYKobo:http://bit.ly/1UxCSUOGoogle Play: http://bit.ly/2NCOJTDStuck-Up SuitAmazon: https://amzn.to/2KvRMfEiBooks:http://apple.co/1Qbwy57B&N:http://bit.ly/29vrQhVKobo: http://bit.ly/1RJdUifGoogle Play: http://bit.ly/2uHy4HjPlayboy PilotAmazon: https://amzn.to/2HFAteciBooks:http://apple.co/1Wb06CfB&N:bit.ly/2caXPEKKobo:http://bit.ly/2cJDXO1Google Play: http://bit.ly/2LGePV9Mister MoneybagsAmazon: https://amzn.to/2HFgHzmiBooks:http://smarturl.it/3y1tuqB&N:http://smarturl.it/kx7h8mKobo http://smarturl.it/qqf5hoGoogle Play: http://bit.ly/2A0GTBgTaxed by Love
Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / iBooks / Kobo Only 99¢ for a limited time! -- EXCERPT: Andrew stared at her text. He’d given up on his food and his last task at eight o’clock. Memories of their lunch date plagued him, and he wished he’d had more time with her. In a weak moment, he’d texted her again. Only now he was slack-jawed as he reread her message. Gabrielle didn’t come across like a woman who would sleep with multiple men at one time. Then again, Andrew didn’t know her well. She was a gorgeous woman who could easily command a group of men to worship her body. A body he wanted to worship. No help required. He took a deep breath, hoping to calm the storm of emotions raging inside him. Of course, it didn’t help at all. Gabrielle: Cat got your tongue? He narrowed his eyes and imagined spanking her firm ass for making him feel out of balance. Andrew: You’re screwing with me? Gabrielle: I’m sure you’d know if I was “screwing” with you… He chuckled and shook his head. His eyes moved the words around and read, “screwing you,” and he hardened. Andrew: There’s no way I wouldn’t be sure. I can promise you that you’d have my undivided attention. Gabrielle: I’m glad to hear that. Andrew smiled like a fool and looked around. At least he was at home with no one to witness his juvenile reaction. He closed his eyes and let his mind drift back to when he’d touched Gabby earlier in the day. It hadn’t been nearly enough. He wasn’t sure how long he was lost in thought, his hand wrapped around his cock, when the phone next to him dinged and pulled him from his fantasy. If it weren’t from the object of his desire, he would have ignored the text and continued torturing himself with images of Gabby’s perky breasts. Gabrielle: I’m with Marc and Lindsey. Noah, Sofia, Jaime Lynn, and Jesse are here too. I just met Charlie as well. Reading Marc’s name was like a bucket of ice water had been dumped on him. Had this been how his buddy felt the entire time he’d fought his attraction to Lindsey? A pull toward a woman he knew was forbidden fruit. The constant fear of losing someone you loved because of a woman. Andrew: Three men. Aren’t you clever. I’d tell you to say hello but… Gabrielle: But you’d like not to have your ass handed to you? Andrew: Pretty much. Gabrielle: You realize that Marc has no control over who I date right? Andrew chuckled as he imagined Marc trying to step into Gabby’s love life. He was a stubborn fool, but Andrew was pretty sure Gabby held the trump card every time. Andrew: If it wasn’t me trying to date you I’d be grabbing popcorn to see him try. Gabrielle: Is that what you’re trying to do? Date me? He stared at her words. His initial reaction was to yell yes! What was it about this woman? Andrew didn’t date; he fucked. Beautiful women with their beautiful curves, regardless of their ethnicity, hair color, or occupations. Strictly speaking, he loved taking women to bed. He didn’t date them. Before he could stop his fingers, he hit Send. Andrew: Yes… “What the fuck are you doing, Drew?” he snapped.
GIVEAWAY!
BLOG TOUR
LOST BOY
BY M. Robinson
Cover Model: Stephen James
Cover Design: The Final Wrap
Genre: Contemporary Romance/ New Adult
Standalone
In a world where I had no say, violence became my refuge, and nothing else mattered.
Not even my own life.
Until her.
Skyler Bell.
It all started the first time I heard that voice. Giving me hope for tomorrow. My first love was everything all at once.
Consuming.
Maddening.
Forever.
Mine.
Except, I never imagined there were secrets that needed to be shared. Lies that needed to be confessed. Truths that needed to be told.
Demons that needed to be buried.
Once I realized the depth, the longing, the sadness and sorrow in her eyes mirrored mine, it was too late. Love didn't come to me as heartbreak, it came as everything I've ever wanted. Walking away wasn't an option, but it was the only choice I had.
I finally found the price of love and it cost me...
My soul.
4.5 Star Review by Ashley
I don't know how M. Robinson continues to do this to me. My heart. It ached. It raced. It broke. It bled. It soared. It broke. It hoped. It laughed. It broke again. You get where I'm going with this... Goodness me Noah. I don't even know where to start with him. The young boy who witnessed too much and grew up way too fast. The teen who lost too much but fell hopelessly in love. With Skylar. Sweet, innocent, talented Skylar. Who saw Noah and didn't know what it was but she knew she needed him in her life. As a friend. Their back and forth of friendship and then more and then nothing at all only for a glorious reunion that was emotional and sexy and had me holding my breath to see if this would be the time that Skylar FINALLY let Noah it. And repeat...over and over. It was enough to make my chest hurt so I can only image how Noah felt. I honestly thought that these two would never be on the same page with their feelings. That final push that Noah made for Skylar, how he forced her ugly truth out, was brutal. It made me weepy and I just wanted to reach into my kindle and hold her. But I'm so glad that after all that time, she admitted it, faced it and did something about it. And that Noah stood beside her every agonizingly painful step of the way. For as much as Lost Boy broke me down, it built me up too. M. Robinson crafted a story that was relevant in today's climate and made me believe in the power of one voice making a difference. Noah and Skylar's journey was full of anguish and hope and healing and love. And I'm not complaining one bit about a Damien and Bossman appearance either.
My body molded perfectly against his like I was made just for him, only him. It was the most overwhelming, mind blowing, consuming feeling Iâd ever felt in my entire life. There would be no coming back from this.
From him. From us. Ruining me for any other guy. He slowly parted his lips, beckoning me to do the same. I followed his lead, imitating the same rhythm he set. His tongue traced my swollen lips, and it left the craziest sensation in its wake. A tingly fire that only he could put out. Iâd never be able to lick my lips and not think of this very moment. It would be lodged next to my heart where he belonged. I pulled back my tongue, and he took it as an open invitation to gently push his into my awaiting mouth. Seeking mine out, turning this kiss into something more than I could have ever imagined it could be. No words came close to describing what was happening between us. The feelings he stirred deep within my mind, my soul, matching my emotions with each stroke of his tongue and lips. This push and pull was as uncontrollable as where fate wanted to take us. I never wanted him to stop kissing me. Not for a second. A year. A lifetime. Noahâs lips were meant to be on mine. My body was meant to be beneath his. Our hearts were meant to be together. I was his girl. I had always been his girl.
LOST BOY (STANDALONE)
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M. ROBINSON BIO
USA Today Bestselling Author of Lost Boy, El Pecador, El Santo, Ends Here, Keeping Her Wet, Road to Nowhere, El Diablo, The Good Ol' Boys Standalone Series, The VIP Trilogy, Tempting Bad, and Two Sides.
M. Robinson loves to read. She favors anything that has angst, romance, triangles, cheating, love, and of course sex! She has been reading since the Babysitters Club and R.L. Stein. All time favorite books are The Bronze Horseman Trilogy by Paullina Simons.
She was born in New Jersey but was raised in Tampa Fl. She is married to an amazing man who she loves to pieces. They have two German shepherd mixes, a Wheaten Terrier and a Tabby cat.
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-- EXCERPT: Sienna GirlsGone Wild. Well,that was how I thought of it as we landed in dazzling Las Vegas. I was a little nervous though, because it was one of the first times I’d traveledoutside of the Big Apple. By plane at least. Most other trips had taken place in cars, motorhomes, oh, and once on a motorcycle. That was a day to remember, andat the same time,it was a day I wanted to forget in equal measure. As we waited to get to our destination, Michaela and Donna chatted away like two raving lunatics. Drinking on the plane wasn’t the best thing to do, in my opinion. Going to the bathroom every couple of minutes was bad enough, especially when you got there with your legs crossed and the sign said, “Engaged.” I was busy thinking of the motorcycle trip. Travis said to hold on tight. That was never something he needed to doubt… because I was absolutely, fully, desperately petrified. He wrongly mistook this as affection, rather than me hanging on from the fear of falling off, and I had quite-literally been terrified about rolling down the street like a tumbleweed in a gale. Even now, I get shivers down my spine when I think about how scary it was. I looked up and came back into reality. The smiling hostess said we were free to leave the plane. I put my hand on Donna’s shoulder as we exited the busy sea of people. “Have a nice trip and enjoy your stay,” the hostess said as I reached the front door and the tunnel. How polite and well-dressed they were in their flashy, yellow, safety jackets. I was actually impressed. We walked through the terminal and made our way toward the security desks. There was a bit of a line. However,they couldn’t be too careful with all the terrible things going on in the world. Terrorism had made life hard for every traveler in the sky. As we walked through the terminal,I looked aboveme. They’ddone a magnificent job of advertising Las Vegas, while not making the airport appear trashy. Above where we walked there was a mural of all things associated with the tinsel town. It looked glorious, fabulous even. I guessed it was based on a nineteen-sixties design and had all the big casino names and stars of that incredibleera. Frank Sinatra, Elvis --I’m all shookup, and the piano god himself, Liberace. I stood with my toes on the exactedge of the yellow line as the instruction said to do. I always liked rules. You couldn’t go wrong if you knew what was expected of you. I waited patiently as Donna slid her passport to the friendlysecurity man who sat in his small cubicle. Donna leaned on her elbow and twirled her gum around her finger. My turn. I skipped excitedly to the guard and handed him my identification. I clamped my hands together and smiled. I hoped that traveling nerves didn’traise their suspicion, or they might’ve thought I’d smuggled something. “Business or pleasure?” he asked as he scanned my face. “All pleasure. It’s my first big trip out of New York, unless you count the time on a motorcycle, and…” I said, cutting myself short. I realized there was still a line of people also waiting behind the yellow line. “Come on will you!” Donna yelled. I smiled at the security guard. “BFF, you know what they’re like. Overexcitedand keen to hit the Strip, as I suppose you call it around here.” “Have a nice trip.” He looked at my ID. “Sienna,” he replied, sliding my ID back under the glass. I jogged as quickly as I could with my travel luggage wobbling from one wheel to the next. We stepped on the travellator and made our way to get our luggage. “What number of roundthing are we at?” Michaela asked. Donna laughed. “Carousel.” A flash of color appeared before us as we reached the top of the escalator that led to the baggage claim. It wasn’t understated by a long chalky line. Gold, backlit stars sat on grey metallic paneling that were situated to the sides of a broadyellow Welcome To,and underneath were massivered and yellow letters that only spelled one thing. Allin caps… LAS VEGAS. As if anyone wouldn’t know where they were at this point of their holiday. Michaela looked at me in a playful, but stern manner. “Okay,Miss Smarty Pants, just cause youse heducatedan’ all that,” she replied, in the worst, possible, fake accent I’d ever heard. I stood leaning on the handle of the cart. MichaelaandDonna sat waiting for our cases to pop from the big hole in the wall. Donna threw her arms into the air like a soccer player who’d missed an important goal. She hated waiting for anything, even coffee. As we waited,I looked around and up. The enormousconcrete columns reached high to the roof and must have been (approximately)forty or fifty feet. It was at that point that I stood in awe, with my head craned upward and looking at each of the bluey-white lights that shone around each column. The color scheme all had a tint of blue or gray. Shiny gray tiles (two-tone) with a mottled effect, polished stainless steel, and all the signage which mostly looked like blue neon. One thing stood out from the blue and silver theme. I turned my head and noticed a flash of red and white. Wow! “Hey girls. Look up!” Donna and Michaela ignored meentirely. I stood underneath a plane that hung from the ceiling. Typical, it was to advertise. “The Hacienda Hotel.” “Yes! Here we go,” Donna squealed as our cases magically came one after the other. That was very surprising. I thought we might have had to wait until near the end. That must be so painful, the thought your case might be left back in the city. As we ambled closer to the luggage desk, I noticed other things that increased in numbers. The airport was home to a seriousamount of slot machines. I wonder how many people have lost big time, without even leaving the airport? We walked to the Nothing to Declare,green light. I had nothing in my case to actually declare, butI still had that feeling of apprehension. What if someone had tampered and slipped something inside? One of those harmfuldrugs… or something desperately illegal. “Excuse me, Ma’am,” the luggage checker said as I started walking through the gate. “Yes!” I squealed ina mouse-likevoice. “Can I check your bags please?” he said. I gave a nod to signal my permission. He walked from behind the counter and lifted my case onto the countertop. He asked me for the combination, soI gave it to himwithout attempting to open it myself. I stood watching with clammy hands. He openedthe case and folded back the top half. I watched nervously as he rummaged through my clothes. I closed my eyes. No! Not my underwear, please. The guard gave a cough. I sensed that was a signal of some kind, and then he pushed his hand inside my panties pile. Oh boy,that’s a first. Airport security hadtheir hands inside your panties before you left the airport. Weird. Donna and Michaela stood inside the sliding doors and waited there. Donna looked annoyed, as per usual. I guessed it was rather hot outside. The sun streamed through the doors, and as I got there after my weird search by the bag guy, we all slipped our sunglasses over our eyes. The doors parted, andit was hot, sweltering hot. “My word, it’s warm,” I said. Donna huffed as she fought to stand her case on its end. She sat and slumped her shoulders in half-defeat. “You mean it’s freakin’ hot! Just say it, Sienna. Christ, sometimes you can be so naïve.” “Donna… Donna… Donna. You know we shouldn’t use a wordlike that.” Donna stood and spread her arms. “Fuck it, woman, we’re in Vegas.” I looked over my shoulder and bowed my head a little. I was slightly embarrassed at her gung-hoattitude. I’d hoped this trip wasn’t going to be a mistake. First real vacation and my friends ruin it for me. I hoped not. They could be selfish, sometimes. I didn’t really understand why. Michaela waved a cabbie who pulled up. The cabbie opened the trunk and squeezed our cases into the back. “Where you going?” he asked. I turned to Donna and Michaela. I saw they had no idea what the name of the place was. I shook my head and tutted under my breath. “The Queen’s Hand.” “Nice place. It’s not the largest place in the world, but it’s got everything you girls will need,” the cab driver explained, politely. Donna leaned on the front seat. “Mister, you know if it’s got a pool?” He gave no answer as he sang to a Jamaican-inspired song on the radio. I don’t think he heard her, to be honest. The cab pulled out from the airport and headed down the Strip. Hechatted with Donna as her lips smacked while she lovingly chewed on her gum. I heard him say the motel had a rooftoppool, which was convenient. One elevator ride from the second floor to the roof, and all that sunbathing. I imagined us all sipping on exotic cocktails while tanning and relaxing. I leaned my head against the window and looked at all the obscure motels and casinos we passed as we made our way to Fremont Street. I’d done some research, andThe Queen’s Hand was the top end of motelsthat wasn’t on the Las Vegas Strip. If it hadn’t been for the fact we gained a significantdiscount,we might’ve ended up nowhere near the hub of activity at all. “No more Tanby and Tanby for a while. I can forget all that number crunching,” I said to Michaela. “Why did you go into accounting in the first place? You gotta admit, it’s not very girly, isit?Look at Donna. She’s the epitome of femininity, and she has the perfect job to show it off.” I sat with a really puzzled expression on my face when I turned to look at Michaela and answer. “Donna works in a shoe store.” “What was that?” Donna said, turning her head from chatting with the cabbie. I smiled at her. “Nothing, we were just commenting on how feminine you are.” Donna smacked her lips in response and finished by blowing me a kiss. “Yeah-right! I come from the Bronx, you think I’m gonna be ladylike?” Michaela turned to me and smiled. “What did I tell you? What an absolute lady.” The cab pulled to the front of The Queen’s Hand. A valet opened the trunk and pulled out the cases and loaded them onto a cart. With a wide smile, he wheeled them through the front door of the motel. We stood and looked at the frontage. It was very-much understated because it was right onthe corner. The entrance sat under a golden-litcanopy with the words emblazoned like sequins. It looked amazing as each letter twinkled with silver, sparkling lights. “I have to say. The service is excellent. How helpful theyall are,” I said as we walked toward the foyer. Immediately, I saw that the inside was a little more glamorous, a blast from the past, in a way. White marble floors that were in layedwith smaller ebony colors at the corner of the floor tiles. The counter appeared to be real cream marble, and it had decorative circles embellished down the full length of it. I then looked up. The ceiling was covered in mirrors and lights. We checked in and found out that we were, in fact, booked in on the second floor. The valet wheeled the cart to the elevator and smiled politely as he walked us to the room. He slid the key in the lock and pushed open the door. Donna entered first, as usual, and it made sense because she’d always been the assertive one.Andthen, Michaela and I walked in after her. I was pleasantly surprised how clean and inviting it felt. The room looked lovely. Two, large, double beds (two of us were to share) and funky-colored, striped drapes. Apart from that, the furnishings looked top quality and were dark oak, mostly. Atop the drawers sat a large flat screen for the times when we weren’t lounging around by the pool. The valet politely coughed. I sensed he was waiting for a tip. I reached intomy bag and pulled out ten dollars and slid it into the palm of his hand. He left. “You tipped him?” Michaela asked. “Of course. Statistics say that people in this line of work rely on…” I attempted to say. “Of course they do,” Donna butted in, as she focused on looking out of the window. Michaela started to strip. “I’m not sure about you two, but I’m going up to the roof pool to do a little evening swimming.” Donna yelled with excitement. “I’m coming with you. Sienna, you gonna come, or what?” “I’ll give it a miss. I’m going to have a walk around downstairs and check out the amenities.” “Suit yourself, you know where we are.” The door slammed as the two girls headed upstairs, nearly immediately. I changed into something a little more casual. I shoved twenty dollars into my pocket with the room keys, and then I headed back down to the ground floor. I looked at the large notice board and read what was on offer. It was easy to see that for the hustle and bustleand free music, we’d definitely chosen the right place. Fremont Street staged the free Downtown Hoedownthis week, which might be fun. I tilted my head back as I heard screams billowing in shrieks from the gaming room. It sounded as if someone just won a jackpot on one of the slot machines. I was tempted. My pocket had a twenty that itched to be changed and join in the fun. I liked gambling… in moderation. I left the cashier window with a paper cup full of coins and strolled around the slots. By the time I’d reached halfway down the container,I thoughtI wouldn’t win. And then… Not the jackpot, although coins streamed out from the machine. I happily filled the cup, and then some. I headed back to the cashier’swindow and converted them all to chips. My twenty had now become fifty. I walked around the tables. Poker —too hard. Craps —I really had no idea how to play. So, as if by magic, I found myself at the roulette table. I knew this was pretty simple. Pick a number and place your bets as the croupier called out each time he spun the wheel. I stuck to red and black —being an accountant I hedged my bets against losses, and slowly increased my pile of wonderful chips. Suddenly, I felt that someone was watching me. I looked up and saw a familiar face. I kept my head bowed as I glanced from the corner of my eye. A little older than me, with short, dark hair. Piercing brown eyes. Where did I recognize himfrom? Think, think. Oh… Shit. He’s coming this way. The apartment building? Oh boy! He’s coming to me. I felt a warmth pursue my face. I kept my head tilted as the croupier slid another few chips in my direction. Elevator. He’sthe guy who goes past floor two. It’s…it’s…floor four. I recognized the guy. He lived in the same apartment building as me in New York. I noticed his face in the polished stainless steel of the elevator. He leaned on the rear wall and looked cool, calm and collected. Tanby and Tanby. He worked at the same firm as me. The guy with the smoldering good looks and rugged, handsome features. It’s…it’s… that hotshotlawyer. It’s Benjamin Barker. In my motel, in Vegas. At myroulette table. Walking toward me. Oh God! He sidled up at the side of me. He must’ve seen that I’d recognized him. Who wouldn’t recognizethe one and only Benjamin Barker? All the girls swooned in the office when he was around.I wondered why he was here. In Vegas, at the same time. “Benj…” he started to say with a smile. I impolitely butted in. More from nerves than being ignorant. “Sienna. We live in the same apartment, I’m floor two, and you’re… um,” I said. “Four.” I then mentioned we worked at the same firm (Tanby and Tanby) and he asked if I was a guest at the motel. He smelled divine. A mix of peppermint and strawberry that made my nose feel tickly. “Second floor.” He smiled. “Well! Isn’t that a coincidence?” he chortled. Isn’t it just. GIVEAWAY! Hot Honey Kisses (3:AM Kisses 17)
Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / iBooks / Kobo / Smashwords / Google Play -- EXCERPT: ONCE UPON A BODY The place to be in Hollow Brook on a hot Friday night—and I mean hot in the most literal sense—is the Black Bear Saloon. Since the weather in Hollow Brook itself has devolved into Satan’s armpit, the Black Bear is about the only place to get decent air conditioning along with your fair share of hard bodies. It’s June. School is out and summer has descended upon us like fire-breathing cats and dogs raining down like a punishment. Everyone under the sweltering sun has arrived at the restaurant-slash-bar for a night of boozy festivities and all of the sleazy events that will ensue thereafter. Of course, I’m here with my shortest skirt, my tightest tank top, in a quasi-manipulative effort to pull in the big tips. God knows I need them. The bigger, the better. I might have scored a scholarship to Whitney Briggs University, but that free ride sure doesn’t help with the incidentals of life, such as that cute cherry red bikini I’ve had my eye on and the perfect matching shade of fiery red MAC lipstick—all specifically chosen to highlight my auburn hair. My sister, Lex, and I both have our deadbeat of a mother’s deep red locks. Although, Lex has an ebony undertone and I’m more Little Mermaid. Not that I mind the cartoonish nature of my beastly mane. I’ve come to embrace it. Hell, I’ve come to embrace just about every quirk and jerk about me—and I kind of mean the jerk part literally. In no way do I set out to come across as a jackass. It’s just that the constant stream of sarcasm that spouts from my mouth is often misconstrued as surly and inconsiderate—as detailed to me by my sweet cousin, Sunday. Sunday has always been as puritanical as her moniker suggests—with the exception of that whole getting knocked up after a one-night stand gone wrong last winter, but I digress. It’s merely the beginning of summer, and the humidity is already creating a sticky situation. The place is pumping, and I’m hopeful that all of these moderately drunk bodies will equal more than enough to buy a string bikini or two once the night is over. Heck, I might even make enough to fill my gas tank and venture down to the beach to show off my new stitches. There is nothing like a North Carolina white sandy beach in the summer. I’ve just crested the entry of this fine establishment, passing the overstuffed black bear that greets the guests just outside the doors. It’s usually mobbed by freshmen waiting their turn to sneak in the obligatory selfie, and tonight is no different with three prepubescent looking girls trying to dry-hump the poor thing in the process. I glance to the floor as my fingers work in haste to tie on my apron, only to have a brick wall of a body slam right into me. Crap. My nose just pushed in like an accordion, and my strawberry lip-gloss just smacked its way onto someone’s salty flesh. The brick wall moves back a step, only to reveal himself as a tall heap of muscles—my lip print neatly pressed against his neck—greasy blond hair, and a dangerous smile on his equally greasy lips. Yes, he’s handsome, but he’s got a cocky air about him that says I’ve got a power drill in my pants and I’m not afraid to wield my tool belt. But that squirrely look in his wicked eyes spells out insanity more than it ever does the stable committed type, so I attempt to sashay to his left, but he sidesteps right along with me. His brows bounce in amusement, and I can’t help but note he has that perennial bad boy appeal—and not in a good way—I’m talking fresh out of the slammer tattoo factory, body is a coloring book right up to that lip print I gifted his neck, eyes red with rage and quite possibly the aftereffect of a quasi-illegal substance. He’s older than me by a decade at least. My guess is he’s no frat brat, just a roving troublemaker looking to get drunk and sunk between some poor unsuspecting barfly’s thighs. And as long as he’s got at least a ten-dollar bill with my name on it in that dingy pocket of his, I couldn’t care less what illegal substances or raging sluts this greaseball does to fill his downtime. “Watch where you’re going, kid,” he barks it out like a reprimand while trying once again to charge right through me. Instinctively, I slap my hands over his chest, sending him sailing backward as his phone slips from his pocket along with a tiny white receipt. His cell makes an awful slapping sound that penetrates the music blasting through the speakers, taking the decibels in this place to jet engine levels. Oh crap. That can’t be good. “Did you just push me?” he barks once again, his upper lip set in a snarl as if he were a rabid dog—an insult to rabid dogs everywhere. “You bet your greasy dollars I did.” My voice is a bit snippier than usual, but I can’t help it. This block of less than hygienic flesh has my blood boiling. “I suggest you watch where you’re going and think twice before referring to me in a derogatory manner—likening me to some kid. I’m all woman, moron, and don’t you forget it,” I shout up over the 12 Deadly Sins, the house band happily blaring away while Dirty Boy—and yes, I don’t mind one bit reducing him to the childish moniker—bends over to pick up his cell phone with an alarming lightning-shaped crack running the length of the screen. Dear God, how I pray it was damaged well before our scuffle because I sure as heck don’t have two nickels to buy him a new one. I’m pretty sure a week’s worth of my measly tips wouldn’t be able to fix a cracked screen either. And a douchebag like Dirty Boy will certainly want to pin the blame on me. His eyes narrow in on mine, dark and beady. “Honey, I’ve got bigger fish to fry. Stay out of my way. And if you’re still around by the end of the night, I’ll gladly take you out back and teach you a lesson or two on how to be a real woman.” He winks while brushing his finger over my cheek, and I gag on a thousand different expletives. Dirty Boy dives to my left and thankfully disappears in a flurry of bodies. “So help me God, I will kill or maim that jackass before the night is through,” I mutter. And just as I’m about to rush over to clock in, the receipt that fell from his pocket catches my eye and I pick it up myself. “On top of being a sexist idiot, he’s a damn litterbug, too.” I glance at it a moment. It’s just a string of numbers written across the front. I plunge it into my pocket without thinking. It’s probably last night’s bed-hopper’s number. I bet after a few beers he’ll be willing to fork out the big bucks to get this valuable promise of STDs back in his possession. Cole, the bartender, nods my way as I make my way over to clock in. Holt, one of the owners, is usually working alongside him, but he and his wife, Izzy, just had a sweet baby girl named Paige. Baby fever seems to have swept through Hollow Brook this last year as evidenced by my sweet and yet not-so-innocent cousin Sunday getting knocked up after a one-night stand that she happened to have with the love of her life, Seth. They’re officially together now—engaged to be exact. Sunday wants a simple courthouse wedding, but there’s no way in hell I’m letting that legal nightmare ensue—the courthouse, not the wedding. Lex and I are gunning to surprise her with something nice at the overlook come Fourth of July. Seth says he’s fine with it, but if the moment arrives, and Sunday decides it’s not what she wants, we’ve agreed to pull out of the endeavor. Pulling out isn’t something in which Seth is an expert, thus the fact their baby is due in September. But, overall, Seth is a great guy, and I just know they’re a perfect fit. Seth’s sister, Misty, is married to Sunday’s brother, Nolan, so it’s kind of cozy that they’re keeping things in the family quite literally. Nolan, Sunday, and their brother, Rush, are my first cousins on my aforementioned deadbeat of a mother’s side. Since they lost their own mother more than a decade ago through a tragic accident and I lost mine due to negligence on her part—rumor has it, an old boyfriend and a casino had a starring role in the tragedy—my older sister, Lex, stepped in and played the part of mama bird to us all. It’s ironic, of course, since Lex was the least likely of the bunch with a maternal instinct. She’s sort of an anti-nurturer, but she did her best and we’ve all grown up in appreciation of her efforts. As much as I love my sister, I’ve tried to keep my distance ever since I set foot at Whitney Briggs. Suddenly, she’s a tad too maternal now that my virginity has a glaring spotlight over it—no thanks to the fact Sunday had a fire sale on her own. Nevertheless, I plan on bumping into more than my fair share of bad boys while I’m at WB—sans Dirty Boy and that greasy grin of his. I’d like to teach him a lesson out back—with the working end of my stiletto. I clock in before heading straight to my area and cringe at the matrimonial sight before me. A bride. A bride seated at a table set for twenty. A very bedraggled looking, sour-faced, pissed off bride with a dress that looks as if she just yanked it out of the bottom of a trash can, wrinkled, grimy—and is that a tire track across the front? I’m guessing the nuptials didn’t go the way God intended. “Welcome to the Black Bear Saloon,” I say, hopping next to her while whipping out my notepad. “Can I get something started for you while you await the rest of your party?” Like a good divorce attorney perhaps, I want to add but shockingly don’t. Tonight seems to be taking on a life of its own. It sure doesn’t need me running off my mouth, even though Lex’s husband, Axel, is a perfectly good attorney turned restaurateur—and this poor bedraggled bride looks as if she needs the brightest and the best in the legal department. Axel and a couple of his buddies opened up a similar bar-slash-eatery over on the ritzier, far less studious, side of town called The Sloppy Pelican. Axel’s brother, Shep, is an attorney as well. I make a face without meaning to. It’s sort of my go-to response when that public defending nuisance comes to mind, and I do my best to swat him away like the mental gnat he is. “She’s younger than me. She’s got big boobs, too.” The bullish and yet somewhat blushing bride smirks up at me. Whoa. I take a step back in hopes to duck out of the toxic current she’s just emitted. It looks as if she’s coming in hot with a full tank of ethanol judging by that slight slur in her speech coupled with the vodka breeze. She slaps her left hand on the table, and I can’t help but note there’s nary a sign of any ring or bling. “Hell, he probably calls them tits because men are pigs that way.” “Uh…right.” No matter how much I agree with her I’m about to steer this conversation in a culinary direction when a mob of women in alarmingly matching, slightly dingy, bedraggled wedding dresses storm in. And sadly, I’m not in the least surprised. At the moment, I’m talking to who I guess to be the head bitter bride, an older woman with severe bags under her eyes. Her face looks blotchy and bloated, as worn out as that gray dress she’s donned. A ratted veil is staked into her thick blonde hair, and it looks as if she just plucked it off a corpse bride—not that she doesn’t qualify as one herself. I clear my throat. “You know what?” I muse as the bitter bride brigade falls into their seats like a coven of angry witches whose spells have all just backfired. “Why don’t you ladies take your time with the menu? I’ll be back in just a bit to take your order.” The head bride lets out a mean whoop while waving in another whole legion of runaway brides in this direction. “Oh, honey, this is going to be one hell of a breakup bash. I came within inches of that unholy altar before I saw the light, and believe you me I’m damn thankful. You just keep the margaritas coming. Hell, we can cut out the middleman. Just send the damn bartender this way. We’ll figure out what to do with him.” The entire table breaks out into cackles over that salacious remark. ***PICK UP A COPY TODAY AND FIND OUT WHAT HAPPENS NEXT!***
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