Confessions of a Sex Kitten
Mila Rossi
Publication date: August 30th 2019
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance

Striving to be the sex kitten Avery Taylor portrays on her blog is a lot harder than she imagined, but having a hot, new neighbor move in next door sure gets her imagination going. His green eyes alone would give a girl the vapors. And yet, getting involved with someone so close just isn’t in the cards for Avery, even if her inner kitten is telling her that all rules are meant to be broken once. Or twice. Or as many times as it takes to get familiar with James’s one billion abs.

James Mardin moves to NYC to focus on family and work. Quirky Avery just plops into his life out of nowhere. She’s the last thing he needs, and yet, he can’t seem to stay away from the damsel down the hall, especially after he stumbles upon her secret blog. A sexy goofball lusting after him? It just wouldn’t be proper if he didn’t make her fantasies come true.

With views to die for, neighborly favors to return, and secrets to uncover, James and Avery are in for a treat. The attraction is evident, but is it enough to get them through snarky family remarks, burning buildings, and the heat of a typical New York summer?

Goodreads / Amazon

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EXCERPT:

She walked into her bedroom, kicked off her shoes, and removed her earrings before starting to take off her dress. As she contorted every way possible to reach the zipper in the back, her eyes locked on her neighbor watching TV in the dark. She continued fiddling with her dress, not thinking much of James lounging in his chair, seemingly absorbed in whatever show or movie he was watching, when the light from his television illuminated his bare chest and abs, rising and falling in rapid succession.

She forgot about her dress now hanging down to her hips, and squinted in concentration, trying to get a better look. His white dress shirt was unbuttoned and hung loosely at his sides, while his rolled-up sleeves revealed those forearms she always stared at. What really got her attention though, was the fact that he seemed to be panting.

What in heaven’s name is he doing?

Except for one bare leg, the rest of him was hidden by the television. And then it hit her. He was masturbating, probably to porn. Her pulse started to race and her palms got sweaty as she watched the dark fuzz on his chest and abs move up and down in perfect rhythm. Not even a fire alarm going off could have chased her away from the window, but what could, was James turning his head and locking eyes with her across the distance.

1. MY. GOD!

She had a split second to give him the courtesy of a blush before she tried to bolt from the window, tripped over her cat, and crashed to the floor with much humiliating noise as her flailing hands knocked over the night lamp. For the next couple of minutes, she remained spread out on the floor like a flattened pancake. The throbbing in her ears turned out to be her heartbeat and her lungs seemed devoid of air as she inhaled deeply, wincing at the pain in her ribs. Roger thankfully seemed unfazed by the fiasco and sat in the corner, licking his tiny jewels.

A knock at the door made her head snap around so quickly, she almost caused further injury to herself.

“Who is it?” she shouted in the most casual voice she could pull off.

“It’s me,” a deep, husky voice replied.

Great, first he catches me spying on him and now this.

“What’s up?”

“Are you alright? I heard a loud noise.”

“No shit,” she mumbled to herself, staring at the ceiling. “I’m fine, thanks!”

“Can you open the door?”

Her eyes darted in his direction.

“Um, I’m getting ready to go to bed.”

“I want to make sure you’re okay.”

“I’m fine, James. Go back to your…apartment.” She’d almost told him to go back to jerking off.

“Open up, Avery, so I can have a look for myself. You looked like you crashed pretty hard.”

Great, so he’d seen her. Good grief.

She shifted with a groan, but managed to pick herself up and head for the door. She stuck her arms through the sleeves of her dress, but didn’t bother with the zipper in the back.

“All fine,” she said, opening the door just a crack to smile at him. Her expression froze as she gaped at his body still displayed in all its glory, except now he wore pants. She had to summon all her control not to run her hands over the hair covering his chest, leading down into his pants.

“Avery,” James said, getting her attention.

She blinked rapidly and looked up at him. “Hm?”

He pushed open the door and stepped inside.

“What are you doing?” she asked alarmed.

“Making sure you’re still in one piece.”

He closed the door and turned her every which way to see if she was bleeding, at least that’s what she assumed he was doing. She winced when his hand ran over her left side and he looked at her concerned.

“You’re hurt.”

“No, I’m not. Nothing a drink or some medicine won’t cure. Maybe both together,” she grumbled as an afterthought.

He looked like he didn’t believe her.

“I’m fine,” she repeated, doing a mini-dance. “See? All good. Now go back home and let me get some sleep.”

He touched her side again and she winced once more.

“What the hell are you doing?” she gritted.

“Proving that you’re a liar.” He grabbed her hand and dragged her to the sofa. “Sit.”

She gave him an annoyed look.

“Sit, Avery, before I’ll make you.”

“Fine.” She plopped down.

He knelt before her and touched her ribs gingerly, watching for her reaction. “Can you lift your arm?”

She did so and gave him an I-told-you-so look.

“Can you bend side to side?”

She did and felt a tug. “It hurts a little, but not much. I can manage.”

“Good. Then nothing’s broken.”

Her eyes lowered to his hands wrapped around her waist. Her skin was on fire at his touch, even through the fabric of her dress. If this was how her body responded now, she wondered what it’d feel like without any barriers.

His hand slid along her side in what felt decidedly like a caress. “Be more careful next time.”

Confused she stared into his eyes, mere inches from her. “With what?”

“Your choice of entertainment.”

She felt herself blush to the very roots of her hair and cleared her throat. “I didn’t see anything.”

He held her gaze and tightened his grip on her, causing her breath to hitch. “Yes, you did. And you liked it.”

Author Bio:

Mila Rossi is a contemporary romance author who writes feel-good stories - no angst here. She creates heroines who don't back down, stand up for themselves and insist on freedom and independence until the right man comes along. Then all rules are thrown out the window. The heroes must be clever, generous and able to throw a girl over their shoulder.

Mila has seen the world and loves to write about it. She also loves to paint vintage anime characters, belly dance, try new foods and perfect her archery skills. She wishes she could partake in extreme sports but only allows her characters to tempt fate. Her own chances of causing disasters are just too high.

Mila also writes historical romance under the name Alice Lake.

Website / Pinterest / Goodreads

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We are beyond excited to be sharing this release from Rachel Van Dyken with you today by participating in the blog tour. ABANDON is part of her Seaside Pictures series and it is releasing as part of 1001 Dark Nights. It just went live! Check out the buy links and book trailer from the title below. Click here to grab your copy now.

Purchase your copy of ABANDON today!

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About ABANDON:

From New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Rachel Van Dyken comes a new story in her Seaside Pictures series…

It’s not every day you're slapped on stage by two different women you've been dating for the last year.

I know what you're thinking. What sort of ballsy woman gets on stage and slaps a rockstar? Does nobody have self-control anymore? It may have been the talk of the Grammy's.

Oh, yeah, forgot to mention that. I, Ty Cuban, was taken down by two psychotic women in front of the entire world. Lucky for us the audience thought it was part of the breakup song my band and I had just finished performing. I was thirty-three, hardly ready to settle down.

Except now it's getting forced on me. Seaside, Oregon. My band mates were more than happy to settle down, dig their roots into the sand, and start popping out kids. Meanwhile I was still enjoying life.

Until now. Until my forced hiatus teaching freaking guitar lessons at the local studio for the next two months. Part of my punishment, do something for the community while I think deep thoughts about all my life choices.

Sixty days of hell.

It doesn't help that the other volunteer is a past flame that literally looks at me as if I've sold my soul to the devil. She has the voice of an angel and looks to kill—I would know, because she looks ready to kill me every second of every day. I broke her heart when we were on tour together a decade ago.

I'm ready to put the past behind us. She's ready to run me over with her car then stand on top of it and strum her guitar with glee.

Sixty days. I can do anything for sixty days. Including making the sexy Von Abigail fall for me all over again. This time for good.

Damn, maybe there’s something in the water.

**Every 1001 Dark Nights novella is a standalone story. For new readers, it’s an introduction to an author’s world. And for fans, it’s a bonus book in the author’s series. We hope you'll enjoy each one as much as we do.**

Add ABANDON to your Goodreads TBR here!

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His Smile
Katerina Winters
Publication date: August 30th 2019
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance

Roman Mashir was the man that stepped out of shadowed corners wearing a smile. Cruelty and laughter were synonymous in his world. Roman was the devil who caught your gaze and grinned back at you in your nightmares.

Fear was what he liked to see, expected even–bright eyed infatuation was not.

Rahina Chopra was persistent, annoying, naïve, and beyond foolish. While she danced happily in moonlight he was the devil who aimed his sights and pulled triggers.

She had no business fluttering carelessly into his world, he had made too many enemies, laughed in the face of one too many dying men to be allowed the luxury of her beauty.

But she recklessly fell in love with the madman, despite everyone’s warning–despite his warnings.

So, she stepped closer. Further into the psychopath’s hands sliding around her throat and closed her eyes to his grip fastening tightly close. Rahina didn’t want Roman’s status, his power, or his wealth the only thing she wanted was–his smile.

Goodreads / Amazon

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CHAPTER ONE:

“Please sit, Mr. Mashir,” the older man gestured to one of the plush leather chairs in front of his desk. “I will have some tea brought in for both of you while I get those updated numbers for you.”

With his hands casually resting inside both pockets, Roman let his gaze travel placidly over the dark woods of the opulent office furniture before settling back onto Amin Chopra. Roman was here to discuss a potential partnership of the man’s the data collection business he had operating under the guise of an information technology consulting firm, not to drink tea and relax. Chopra tried to keep his face impassive at Roman’s cold gaze and oddly disarming smile, but Roman could see the man’s subtle flinch. Very slowly, Roman let his smile grow wider, knowing the effect it would have over the man. Nodding nervously, the man quickly turned and left the room.

Pulling away from the wall, where he had been standing, Dimitri gave a rueful chuckle as he began walking the perimeter of the office, occasionally picking up items.

“The man is in over his head. It was fine a few years ago when his business was smaller, and he had far fewer clients, but now,” Dimitri paused, turning back to Roman, he gave him a knowing smirk. “Now the man is close to thinking he wields some real power and has no idea how close he is to drowning.”

Nodding, Roman took the previously offered seat and let his long legs stretch out before him. Staring down at his feet, Roman let his gaze get lost in the thick pile of the Turkish rug as he thought about his captain’s words. Amin Chopra was a small-time criminal, but over the past two years, the man had unknowingly started to cut into Roman’s market here in Boston. An understandable mistake actually, a mistake Roman wanted people to make. To the common citizen, Roman Mashir was simply a Russian businessman who owned a handful of restaurants, nightclubs, and car dealerships. To the criminal eye, he was king and gatekeeper of all that was corrupt in Boston. If you needed a mercenary crew of hardened criminals for a job, then Roman was the man to contact. Roman had the means to funnel in every and any thief, murderer, and psycho from Eastern Europe as he saw fit. Those were the images he wanted people to see. Drugs, fencing cars, turf wars: all of that was for smalltime criminals who wanted to get either killed or put away. Those days were behind him.

The thrill of nearly getting killed every few weeks died in his twenties and as for going to jail— Roman swore to himself when he got out the last time he would never go back in, no matter what. Information was king now. Valuable information was worth more than gold—and Amin Chopra was starting to cut in on his territory. Today’s connection would be cementing the final details of their partnership, and after some time and a false sense of security, Amin Chopra’s business will fully be acquired by Roman whether Amin wanted it or not.

Looking up and past the giant hand-carved wooden desk, towards the large bright windows, Roman studied the clouds. “And the son, Amit Chopra?” He asked Dimitri, knowing his captain had all the information memorized.

Spinning a glass ball, he picked up from the bookshelf carelessly in his hands, Dimitri’s smile shrunk a little. “He may be an issue. He is Amin’s oldest son from either by a previous marriage years ago or an affair. Either way, the boy has some bold ideas about his father’s business. As you know, Amit runs his father’s luxury car dealership as a front shell-company, similar to yours…”

Without turning his head, Roman let his eyes cut over to Dimitri with glacial warning.

Setting the glass ball back down, Dimitri raised his hands in mock surrender as he grinned. “Okay, okay, not like yours, but he does run a luxury car dealership as a front.”

Ignoring him, Roman stared back out the window. There was no comparison between Amit’s cheap dealership and Roman’s imports. Last year in a state of severe ennui, Roman poured his time and money into the business, taking it from a simple front to an exclusive referral-only dealer of exotic cars. He highly considered shooting Dimitri in the leg for that goad if it wasn’t for the glaring truth it reminded him of: that lately with each passing day the novelty of his hobby was wearing away. Boredom was quickly starting to creep back in at the edges of his life, and his prize dealership was becoming just that—a simple dealership.

“Just make sure Amit does not become my problem,” he ordered brusquely.

Picking up the dangerous change in his mood, Dimitri nodded obediently. “Yes, sir.”

The sound of the office door opening behind him interrupted them. Knowing Dimitri was facing the door, Roman glanced up to see his captain’s eyes go wide with startling intrigue. Roman had never seen that look on Dimitri’s face before in all the years the man had worked for him. It didn’t take long, however, for the source of his mesmerization to come around to greet him.

“Hi there, sorry it took so long,” the girl’s voice was rich and upbeat as she set the silver tray on the edge of the ornate desk.

Both men watched silently as she grabbed the silver teapot and poured the amber steaming liquid into the cups.

“This is milk,” one long, graceful finger pointed to a small matching silver pot. “And this is sugar,” she pointed to another small pot with a lid. “Do you want sugar? I recommend it.”

Her waist was practically at his eye level and unless this chair was lower than Roman thought it was, the girl was extremely tall. Slowly, Roman’s eyes followed up the length of the young woman until he reached her smiling face.

“Yes, I’ll take sugar,” Dimitri answered, stepping a little closer to the desk, also intrigued by the visitor.

She stood nearly eye to eye with his captain. Glancing back down, Roman noted she wasn’t wearing any shoes, just a pair of mix-matched socks. Roman was tempted to stand up, he knew he would still be taller than her since he still had eight inches to Dimitri’s six feet; but it was still an unusual feeling to be towered over by an equally unusual female.

Wearing a pair of cutoff denim overalls and a yellow T-shirt, she stood at his right and leaned carefully over his outstretched legs to hand Dimitri, who was at his left, the porcelain cup. With her attention momentarily preoccupied, Roman was able to fully observe the girl. Long wavy jet-black hair trailed from a long ponytail down to the middle of her back, contrasting well with her deep bronze skin tone. When he first walked into Amin’s house, Roman had quickly noted the long hall of photos he passed as they were led to the back office. A mistake that could be very costly to Amin if he continued to work in this business. A man should never show his enemies their most valuable asset—family. From the photos, Roman took in the various features of Amin’s children and from the quick assessment, Roman knew that this was one of Amin’s three daughters, the one in the ballet photos.

“And I’ll leave your tea here,” she looked directly at him while one of her short gold-painted nails tapped the side of his cup for emphasis. Looking back up at her, Roman expected to see her excuse herself out of the office, what he did not expect was for her to look directly at him with a growing grin as she casually pulled a velvet lined tray that was sitting at the edge of the desk closer to her. The velvet tray held various rows of neatly placed car keys all lined from one end to the other.

“Okay, so before my father gets back, I have a request,” she glanced up from the tray of keys and met his gaze with an air of composed excitement.
“Request?” Dimitri gave her questioning smile, obviously enjoying this odd interruption.

Sitting back comfortably in the chair, Roman gave her a cool assessing smile as he waited to see where this was going.

Her thick black eyebrows furrowed a bit as she gave him and Dimitri a curious smile and then nodded. “Yeah, request. You’re the car guys my father is meeting with, right?”

That was the guise of their meeting but certainly not the topic. Roman arched a brow, wordlessly signaling for her to continue.

“Okay, so right now,” she glanced up towards the office door cautiously as she lowered her voice to an excited whisper all the while picking up each car key and reading the handwritten tag, presumably looking for a particular key. “I’m forced to drive an old red Volvo, which I hate. Can you try to get either a pink or mint green Fiat or a sporty BMW in either of those colors?”

“Why would I do this for you?” Roman allowed, noting the way some strands of her hair escaped her ponytail and hung down messily around her face.

“Because you’re the car connection guy,” she said as if it was painfully obvious. “And if you do it, I’ll be sure to talk you up to my dad so he will use your services again in the future.” She wiggled her eyebrows suggestively as if she really just offered something deal-breaking. Finding the key, she wanted with a satisfied smile, she sat it down on the edge of the desk near the tea tray and stared back at him with a waiting smile.

Narrowing his eyes, Roman tilted his head back and studied the girl. There was something about her that bothered him. Her denim overalls looked as if she stole them off some farmer and cut off a portion of the pants just below the knee. Her nails were cut short and blunt, and her hair was messy as if she had just been running down the street. She was nothing like the women he was used to. The fact she could give him such a large vibrant smile after giving him such a ridiculous offer told him she was nothing like the shy, demure wives of his fellow business partners in his organization. Five minutes in the girl’s presence was starting to feel like five minutes of defusing a live bomb.

“You’re implying you hold some real weight in your dad’s decisions?” Dimitri asked.

Turning those large almond-shaped eyes from him for the first time, she looked to Dimitri and smirked, waving a hand dismissively at the doubt in his voice. “Of course, I do.” Turning back to Roman, she gave him an eager look, waiting for his decision.

“Then why are we having this conversation instead of you simply speaking to your father and more importantly, why are you whispering?” Roman couldn’t help but ask.

Leaning further back against her father’s desk, she folded her arms as her eyes filled with the spark of challenge. “Because I feel that some arrangements deserve a little bit of discretion, Mr…” She let the end of her statement trail off as she looked at him expectantly.

“Mashir. His name is Roman Mashir,” Dimitri offered, far too happily. “My name is Dimitri.”

Ignoring his captain’s flirtatious smile, the girl lifted one jet black eyebrow back at Roman demandingly. “So, are you going to play ball or am I going to have to do this the hard way, Mr. Mashir?” Her tongue rolled the R to his surname perfectly.

The girl had no idea who she was playing with right now. Casting a glance towards Dimitri, Roman watched as his captain’s eyes widened with shocked delight as he hid his grin by taking a sip of his tea. Looking back to her, Roman smiled, a large toothy smile of genuine enjoyment. A smile that usually sent a clear message of absolute warning to people on the receiving end.

Normally.

What he did not expect was her own smile to widen and her eyes to fill with anticipation. Hell, the sudden eager look in her eyes threatened to make his own smile falter. Leaning forward, she was opening her mouth to speak when they all heard the sound of the doorknob turning. Her eyes went round in fear as she stood up straight from the desk and looked around in a panic. Both Roman and Dimitri waited as the seconds ticked before she made her seemingly ultimate decision.

It turned out to be a poor decision.

With a skilled vault, the tall girl was up and over the large wooden desk within seconds. As the door to the office opened, Roman watched her drop to the ground in a blur completely disappearing on the other side of the desk.

“Ah, here we are gentlemen,” Mr. Chopra waved a manila folder in his hand as he stopped next to Roman, handing him the documents. “And I see that Rahina brought the tea, good.”

Rahina, the name echoed in Roman’s head as he mentally repeated it. Opening the folder, Roman passively glanced at the data as he surreptitiously watched the older man walk around his desk to sit down.

“As you can see Mr. Mashir, our numbers show that we are pulling in a considerable profit and a steady flow of valuable information.” Mr. Chopra glanced from Roman to Dimitri with a plastered on confident smile while unbeknownst to him, his daughter rolled silently from underneath the desk and crouched just below the long front overhang of the desk and at Roman’s feet. “I hope that you are prepared to offer a reasonable offer in terms of a partnership today.”
With her knees pulled up to her chest, Rahina gave him a threatening glare as she pressed her finger over her lips in a signal to say nothing.
“And what do you consider a reasonable offer?” Roman asked without missing a beat.

“Well, you see Mr. Mashir, you must understand my position,” getting up the older man gave him and Dimitri a far-off look before he began. “When I came over from Bangladesh, I had nothing. I…” The man began to set up his back story for his pitch. Normally, Roman would have cut the man off, but he was far too preoccupied with the young woman huddled at his feet.

A bold gleam glittered in her eyes in warning before she lowered herself flat to the floor and looked beneath the desk toward the position of her father’s feet. Currently, the man was standing at the window with his hands clasped behind his back as he droned about his immigration to America. Seeing that he was turned around, she sat back up and stuck one hand boldly over the edge of the desk and blindly felt around. Roman watched with interest as her hand neared the Mercedes fob, she had purloined earlier from the velvet tray. Catching her eye, he held her gaze boldly as he reached for the fob and moved it far out of her reach.

Shocked outrage colored her gaze when she realized what he had done.

Dimitri covered his laugh with the clearing of his throat before interjecting on the old man’s story. “Regarding the offer, Mr. Chopra,” he reminded the man impatiently.

Roman halfway listened as Amin spoke with Dimitri, he was much more interested in the phone screen the girl was thrusting angrily towards him.

“Text me!” Next to the all caps demand was a ten-digit number.

Pulling out his phone, Roman texted the number.
(What?)

“Give me the key.”

(You want the key or do you want to escape?)

She shot him another glare as her thumbs tapped furiously on her screen. “Both!”

(You get one.) He gave her an amused smirk.

Narrowing her eyes at him, he could practically feel her debating the question as her thumbs hovered over the screen for a second, rapidly she typed in her answer. “Key. I’ll get out once he walks you to the door.”

Giving Amin an obligatory look of interest as he spoke, Roman remembered when she came in earlier and how she picked out the Mercedes key on the tray and replaced it with the key from her pocket. Grinning wider, he leaned forward and reversed the action before handing her the key. The look of brief triumph on her face twisted into one of outrage when she realized what he did. Roman nearly had to bite back a laugh of his own.

“I’m going to kill you,” she texted.

(From underneath the desk? You can certainly try. Now do you want to take my offer and escape or do you want to test me and see what I will do next?)
He had no shame in the pleasure he took as he watched her slim shoulders sag in defeat. Avoiding his gaze with a pout she typed: “Fine. Get me out of here.”

(Say please.)

The look she gave him said she would rather die before she said that.

Nodding slowly, Roman looked up to the older man and held up the manila folder to one of the pages of data. “Tell me, what does this line refer to?”

A myriad of confused emotions bounced around the room. Dimitri gave him a question fueled look, as Mr. Chopra glanced down earnestly at his own papers, preparing to walk over to where Roman sat, while the most important person in the room gave him a terrified look. Clenching her fist on either side of her legs, she gave him a tightlipped grimace as she mouthed the word, please.

“Never mind,” Roman stood up from his chair blocking in the girl between the desk and his legs, while looking directly at Amin. “I think I got what I needed. Now let us get down to business. Can you give me a digital version of the same files?”

Fearing he may be losing the deal at Roman’s abrupt change, Amin nodded with a courteous smile. “Of—of course let me get my son, Riaz, to put it on a flash drive.”

Walking around to the door, the older man didn’t even consider looking down. Once he was gone, Roman stepped back and held out a hand to the huddled young woman. Feeling her soft hand wrap around his, Roman pulled her up until they were face-to-face. Surprise lit her eyes as she tilted her head back to look up at him.

“Wow, I didn’t realize how tall you are,” she murmured, seemingly forgetting the whole point of this was for her to escape.

Not saying anything, he tugged her to the window behind the desk and opened the latch. Standing on the other side in the flower bed was Mosca. Moments before, he texted his lieutenant to be ready by the window. Turning to her, Roman grabbed her by the waist, and just like he suspected the dancer in her complied instinctively. Placing her hands on his shoulders, she allowed him to lift her up and through the open window into Mosca’s arms. Roman was pulling the window shut when she stopped him.

“Hey,” still in Mosca’s arms she leaned towards him through the open window. “Just grab the Mercedes key real fast.”

Roman all but slammed the window in her face as Dimitri laughed behind him.

“Here we are,” Amin announced as he stepped back into the office. Handing Dimitri the flash drive, he looked to Roman who was standing in front of the window near his office chair. “As I was saying Mr. Mashir,” Amin began nervously, trying to retake control of this floundering meeting.

“Let us speak frankly Mr. Chopra” Roman cut the man off before he could start rambling again. Roman had to force himself to turn away from the view of Rahina outside the window, who was currently talking exuberantly to his confused lieutenant. Now that she was gone it felt like he had somehow survived a tornado that blew through the office. He realized what it was about her that bothered him. She was like a bursting firework to his gray, dull life; her very presence felt like a reminder of everything he was missing out on and it pissed him off.

With cold eyes and an even colder smile, Roman turned from the window and met Amin Chopra’s stare. “You’re not necessarily in the best position to negotiate.” He ignored the man’s astounded look and continued past his attempt to interject. “We know that your oldest son, Amit, went out and bragged to the Italians about your newly found success in the data collection business, and to no one’s surprise other than you, the Italians now want to muscle in on your business.” Grim resignation reflected on the older man’s face at Roman’s hard-hitting truth. “I have been watching you for some time, Mr. Chopra, ever since you started this venture, and I am well aware the last thing you want are the Italians in your life.”

Sitting heavily in the same leather chair Roman sat in previously, Mr. Chopra gave him a tired look. “What are you offering Mr. Mashir?”

“Ten percent of your profit,” Roman replied, letting his gaze pass over the family photo on the man’s desk. It was a photo of all the women in Amin’s family, all dressed in traditional Bangladeshi garb. Roman could tell the photo was old, taken maybe four to five years ago. He spotted Rahina’s face immediately out of the similar looking women. The exuberance and dynamic energy practically radiated from the glossy photo. No one should have that much damn energy, he thought.

“Ten percent?!” Amin choked, the look of disbelief and wariness intertwined on his shocked face. There was an unspoken “is that it” in the man’s voice.
Roman knew Italians offered to take thirty percent in return for their protection.

“Ten percent and all the data you collect,” Roman said, watching as the understanding settled over Amin.

Nodding, Amin accepted the deal with a sigh. Ten percent of his profits will be paid to Roman as well as a twice a week data dump to Roman’s servers. In return, Roman wouldn’t kill him and nor would the Italians.

As the older man walked them back to the front door Roman paused.

“Take down these photos,” Roman looked pointedly to the huge family photo near the door. “And control your son or I will, and most importantly,” and for the first time that day Roman let his smile fade away, staring at the older man with obvious anger. “Never send one of your daughters in to serve tea to a pair of criminals.”

Author Bio:

"Her writing is a lot like chocolate, dark and very sweet."

From contemporary to fantasy, Katerina Winters weaves dark tales of romance together with strong possessive men and sexy rendezvous.

Katerina lives in a tiny brick house surrounded by trees in Texas with her husband and their dog. When she isn't writing, Katerina is usually catching brunch with friends or curled up on her window seat with a good book.

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram

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About Black Sheep:

From New York Times bestselling author Meghan March comes a story of untold truths and one man’s redemption in the Dirty Mafia Duet.

In the infamous Casso crime family, that black sheep is me—Cannon Freeman.

Except I’m not a free man. I’ve never been free. Not since the day I was born.

I owe my loyalty to my father, Dominic Casso, even if he won’t publicly acknowledge me as his blood.

I’ve never had a reason to go against his wishes…until I met her.

Drew Carson turned my world upside down when she walked into my club looking for a job.

Now, my honor and my life are on the line.

Going against my father’s wishes might buy me a bullet straight from his gun, but black sheep or not, it’s time to make my stand.

She’s worth the fallout.

Add to your Goodreads TBR:

http://bit.ly/BlackSheepGR

Where to buy:

http://www.meghanmarch.com/black-sheep/

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Apple Books: http://bit.ly/AppleBlackSheep

B&N: http://bit.ly/BNBlackSheep

Kobo: http://bit.ly/KoboBlackSheep

Google Play: http://bit.ly/BSheepGoogle

4 Heart Review by Ashley

Meghan March has stuck again. Holy crap. My jaw is on the ground. Black Sheep was twisted and dark and that's apart from the mob side of things.

I liked Drew. A woman on a mission to see justice served. What a tangled web she wove to set her plan into motion. What she didn't plan on was Cannon and all the things he stirred up in her. Oh my stars Cannon! Talk about a broody man. A man with a lot to lose. A man who tiptoed the line between right and wrong everyday.

I loved seeing Cannon's protective side come out when it came to Drew. He pulled out all the stops to ensure her safety. He showed her a side to himself nobody every got to know. The real kicker was Drew letting down her hair and being herself. The woman nobody really knew until he wormed his way through her defenses. Cannon had her questioning everything she thought she knew and wanted...

Lies, truces, manipulation, danger and the worst guys in the world- Drew and Cannon faced it all daily. And when Drew's secret came to light Cannon was at a loss for what to do. Meghan March had my heart racing and aching in the same beat as Black Sheep came to a startling end. I absolutely can not wait to see how everything is going to play out in the conclusion of this duet.

About the author:

Making the jump from corporate lawyer to romance author was a leap of faith that New York Times, #1 Wall Street Journal, and USA Today bestselling author Meghan March will never regret. With over thirty titles published, she has sold millions of books in nearly a dozen languages to fellow romance-lovers around the world. A nomad at heart, she can currently be found in the woods of the Pacific Northwest, living her happily ever after with her real-life alpha hero.

Sign up for Meghan's newsletter and receive exclusive content that she saves for her subscribers:http://meghanmarch.com/subscribe

To get the inside scoop on a daily basis, search Meghan March's Runaway Readers on Facebook and join the fun!

FACEBOOK | WEBSITE | INSTAGRAM | AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE | TWITTER | BOOKBUB

Today we are celebrating the release of a new, standalone title from Marie Harte by participating in the blog tour. HANDLE WITH CARE is available now, and you will not want to miss this romance! Be sure to follow Marie for exclusive updates about the book and the Veteran Movers series.

Join Marie's Reader Group for Exclusive News!

Handle With Care by Marie Harte (Veteran Movers, #3)

Standalone Novel | Available Now

Amazon | Apple | Kobo | Nook | Google

Book Blurb:

Kenzie stared at the phone, half expecting it to bite her. Had she really said no to a date with Evan? Yes, yes, she had, because she didn’t need complications right now. And the way he made her feel certainly qualified as difficult, perplexing, and chaotic.

“Who was that?”

She jumped, not having heard her brother return to the living room. “Um, no one.”

“Really? Because it sounded like you were saying no to coffee, and the only guy you’ve talked to about a coffee date was Evan. I was there, remember?”

She didn’t need lectures on honesty from a thirteen-year-old juvenile delinquent. “Shouldn’t you be heading to bed?”

“Kenzie, it’s seven thirty on a Friday night.”

“And? You’re a growing boy.”

He rolled his eyes in the way only an adolescent could, sneering without sneering. “Admit you like the guy.”

“I admit he was nice. So what? I’ll probably never see him again, unless there’s something you’re not telling me. Did you steal his phone again? Will he be a character witness for the feds when they come to take you away or raid our house for some illegal mess you’ve once again gotten yourself into?”

He flushed. “No. And quit changing the subject.”

“There is no subject. Now go watch TV or something. I have more work to do.”

He stared at her, his brows drawn, then headed back upstairs. She felt bad about chasing him away…for all of three seconds. Her brother loved Netflix, and she really did have work to do. Especially since she’d spent much of the afternoon trying to ignore thoughts of Evan while the girls continued to talk about him.

If only he weren’t so attractive and polite. If only he hadn’t asked her out after she’d already put him in the “must try to forget” pile.

The little demon perched on her shoulder, an amalgamation of Lila and Rachel with its nonstop yammering, whispered: What would really be the harm in going out with him?

She tromped downstairs to her office and fired up her computer. The harm, she thought, would be in getting involved, liking him as a friend. Then a boyfriend. Then dating, having him interact with Daniel. They’d hang at his place, then her place. More and more, until she would grow attached. Then she’d fall in love with him, and he’d leave.

Just like Bryce.

To torture herself a little more, she dug up an old picture of the three of them from happier times, the one she kept hidden in a bottom desk drawer. She tried to see the flaws in her relationship, but the picture only showed a woman and man in love and a young boy ecstatic about going to a fall festival.

Kenzie gripped the frame, wishing she could go back and undo…what? She hadn’t stepped a foot wrong. She’d always put Daniel first, had checked out Bryce before their first date, and thought long and hard on it before living together. Bryce had never been anything but loving and fun—until the end, of course.

How could she have known things might change?

Before she could cry, she smacked herself on the arm and laughed, not a little hysterically. Holy crap, Lila’s aversion therapy kind of worked. Because instead of crying, all she could think about was Lila’s silly “Bryce.” Smack. Rinse and repeat.

Kenzie tucked the photo away and, smiling now, concentrated on her work, liking the new idea for their footwear client though still not sold on the walking, talking kale for the organic food business.

Grab your copy now:

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-------------------------

AUTHOR INFORMATION:

Caffeine addict, boy referee, and romance aficionado, New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Marie Harte has over 100 books published with more constantly on the way. She’s a confessed bibliophile and devotee of action movies. Whether hiking in Central Oregon, biking around town, or hanging at the local tea shop, she’s constantly plotting to give everyone a happily ever after. Visithttp://marieharte.com and fall in love.

FIND MARIE:

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INSTANT GRATIFICATION by Lauren Blakely

Add to Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/45441933-instant-gratification

AVAILABLE NOW!!

Blurb:

As the premier best-man-for hire in all of Manhattan, I promise discretion, so when I need a plus one for a couple of "I dos," I turn to my gorgeous, clever, witty best friend's sister. She's my good friend, too, and I lust after her completely. I mean, I TRUST her completely.

After all, just look how she's kept her lips sealed about the hot, multi-O night we spent together. Yes, just look at those sexy lips.

In any case, we only fell off the wagon once, and it was months ago. I'm sure we can make it through these weddings without banging each other in the limo.

Or can we?

INSTANT GRATIFICATION is a sexy, standalone romantic comedy!

Excerpt:

To: LuckySpotGirl at gmail

Re: Confessions of a Bad Girl

I am the worst twin sister in the world.

The absolute worst.

How could I do this?

And by this, I mean engage in earth-shattering, toe-curling, bend-me-over-the-bed-and-take-me-hard sex with my brother’s best friend. By the way, did I mention the sex was incredible?

Oh, wait. I did.

But I’m not surprised, because I’ve always liked his company. He’s funny and clever, and he has this irreverent side that’s fascinating and wildly entertaining.

But we were only supposed to go snowboarding.

WE’VE SNOWBOARDED TOGETHER BEFORE WITHOUT INCIDENT.

It all seemed innocuous, right? A day on the slopes in January.

At the end of the final run, the sun had already set, and we headed into the ski lodge and made plans to meet for dinner.

I didn’t even drink at dinner. Neither did he. We just talked the whole time, and there was candlelight. Stupid candlelight. And he was flirting, and he always flirts, but this time . . . this time we weren’t in New York. We were far enough away I could forget everything that went wrong years ago.

About the Author:

A #1 New York Times Bestselling, #1 Wall Street Journal Bestselling, and #1 Audible Bestselling author, Lauren Blakely is known for her contemporary romance style that’s sweet, sexy and witty. Her heroines are strong and smart and her heroes have hearts of gold and fantastic funny bones. She lives on the West Coast with her family, including her smoking hot and hilarious husband and her two brilliant and kind teenagers. She has plotted entire novels while walking her dogs — she might have four dogs, or maybe five. If she’s lucky, she’ll soon have six dogs. With fourteen New York Times bestsellers, her titles have appeared on the New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal Bestseller Lists more than 100 times, and she’s sold more than 3 million books. In October she'll release Never Have I Ever.

She'd love to give you a free book today! Check out her web site to grab your free read: laurenblakely.com/one-free-book/

Connect w/Lauren:

Website: http://www.laurenblakely.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LaurenBlakelyBooks

Twitter: https://twitter.com/LaurenBlakely3

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/laurenblakelybooks/

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/lauren-blakely

Amazon: https://amzn.to/2YzfGNv

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6860216.Lauren_Blakely

?? COVER REVEAL??

From Megan Lowe comes a new mature YA series. Sovereigns of Savannah follows the Tremont sisters as they prove Southern Belles have bite!

Royal Blue, Sovereigns of Savannah book one is a full-length, standalone, enemies-to-lovers story releasing September 27th. Pre-order today for half price!

Royal

Having the status of a king or queen or a member of their family.

Cerulean Tremont and her sisters rule Forest Park Academy. They bow to no one.

Harley St. James has never faced an opponent on or off the field he cannot defeat.

What happens when the stubborn meets the determined?

Add Royal Blue to your Goodreads TBR:: http//:www.goodreads.com/book/show/46201667-royal-blue

PREORDER LINKS:

All other retailers: books2read.com/royalblue

The crowd around the locker room is almost as thick as that leaving the stadium, except this one is all female, all of them in varying stages of undress.

“This is pathetic,” I mutter as we stand around. “You and you.” I point to two girls I’ve never seen before and who can’t be more than thirteen. They’re dressed in bandeau tops and booty shorts, hair curled, and make-up on point. “How old are you?”

“Old enough,” one of them says, her hand on her hip, smacking her gum.

“For what? A statutory rape charge? Put some clothes on, take that make-up off, go home and come back when you’re sixteen.” I know TK likes them young, the younger and dumber the better, but this is too low, even for him. Or maybe it’s not, but I’ll die before I let those girls lose their innocence to a sleaze like TK.

“Ugh,” they say and look around for support, but get none.

“If I see you around here again, I’ll call your parents and tell them y’all are pregnant,” I threaten.

“You can’t do that!” one them, the one not obnoxiously chewing her gum, says.

“Try me.”

“Who the fuck do you think you are?” the gum chewer asks.

“Cerulean Tremont.” They pale, even underneath all the layers of cosmetics they’ve got on. I nod. “That’s right, now get out of here before I completely ruin your high school career before you even start it.”

TEASER

AUTHOR LINKS

Email: meganloweauthor@outlook.com

Add to Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/42672753-if-you-dare

I Promise You (Dare Series #2) - On Sale for $1.99

Blurb:

But someone had other plans. They wanted to play a new game.

Becky Holt was the love of his life until he found out what she was hiding. Now he wants to seek his revenge in the most daring way.

Deke Biggs has always been a shark. He’s not afraid to kill, and he's about to become her worst nightmare.

But there’s a new player, and she plans on taking everything, no matter what the cost.

Try to beat him— If You Dare!

Who will win and who will lose?

Prologue:

Death Is A debt we are all born owing.

It is something that money can't buy nor can it be traded.

You can't bargain for more time. When it's up you accept it like a fucking man.

I've never been afraid to die. Or to love, for that matter.

Aren't they the same?

You surrender to a fate you have no control over.

You don't get to choose when or how you die, just as you can't choose when and who you fall in love with.

Some couples get a happily ever after while others are toxic for one another.

My love was like that.

She lied; I believed every word.

I hurt her; she forgave too easily.

It was a vicious circle of deceit and sex wrapped up in a pretty black bow. Neither one of us could quit.

I wrapped my hand around her throat, and she begged me to breathe.

She stabbed me in the heart and demanded I bleed.

She might as well have been fucking poison, but I would have drunk her anyway.

That was the kind of obsession I had for her.

I knew how it would end-total devastation.

A war zone of Broken bones and bleeding souls.

I should have hated her, but that's the funny thing about love-it’s out of your control.

Even when it leaves you with two black eyes, you beg for more.

People are afraid of the unknown, but I've never feared death, and love was no different.

She was going to destroy me, and I was going to let her. It was a game that could only end one way-a slow and torturous death.

About the Author:

Shantel is a Texas born girl who now lives in Tulsa, Oklahoma with her high school sweetheart, who is a wonderful, supportive husband and their two daughters. She loves to spend time cuddled up on the couch with a good book.

She considers herself extremely lucky to do what she does while getting to work from home. Going to concerts and the movies are just a few of her favorite things to do. She hates coffee but loves wine. She and her husband are both huge football fans, college and NFL. And she has to feed her high heel addiction by shopping for shoes weekly.

Although she has a passion to write, her family is most important to her. She loves spending evenings at home with her husband and daughter, along with their cat and dog.

Connect w/Shantel

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ShantelTessierAuthor/

Readers group: Shantel's Sinful Side - https://bit.ly/2l9EUBJ

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Shantel_Tessier

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shantel_tessier/

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7086716.Shantel_Tessier

Amazon: https://amzn.to/2KKeTpa

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/shantel-tessier

Already Gone by Kristen Proby and K.L. Grayson

Release Date: August 27, 2019

Already Gone, an all-new standalone contemporary romance by New York Times bestselling author Kristen Proby and USA Today bestselling author K.L. Grayson

Falling in love is easy…

New Hope, South Carolina is my home. It’s where I grew up, got into trouble, and fell in love for the first time. Scarlett Kincaid was more than the girl next door, she was my best friend, until she decided that small town life wasn’t for her. One minute she was here, and the next she was gone.

The girl I used to fish with down at the creek is now the biggest name in country music. She headlines world tours, has won four Grammys, and I haven’t seen her since. Until today when she sped through town in her fancy car. One look at her big brown eyes was all it took to stir up a whole slew of emotions. Emotions I’d long ago buried and sure as hell don’t have time for.

It’s the aftermath that’s hard…

There are two things in my life that matter. My music, and my dad. Twelve years ago, I packed a bag and chased my dream. Leaving New Hope and escaping the gossip mill was the easiest decision I ever made. I never planned to return, but my father needs me, and he always comes first. So, I did what I had to do. I cut my tour short and came home, despite having a sister who hates me, and a community that doesn’t trust me.

And then there’s Tucker Andrews.

When he propped an arm on the roof of my car, pulled down his sunglasses and flashed his police badge, I nearly swallowed my tongue. Gone is the lanky boy who used to throw rocks at me and pull my pigtails. Tucker is now a six-foot package of brawny, sexy man wrapped in more muscle than I have hit singles. Did I mention he’s a cop and a single dad?

My goal was to help Dad, and get back to my life. But what am I supposed to do when the life that used to strangle me suddenly fits like a glove, and makes me dream of things I never thought I’d have? What happens when the boy I walked away from years ago becomes one of the most important people in my life? I don’t have room for a man much less love.

Right?

Because it’s impossible to hold onto someone who’s already gone.

Download your copy today!

Amazon US: https://amzn.to/2YXGs20

Amazon Worldwide: http://mybook.to/AlreadyGoneKLGKP

Apple Books: http://bit.ly/KLKPAGAB

Nook: http://bit.ly/AGKLGKPK

Kobo: http://bit.ly/AGKLGKPKobo

Add to Goodreads: http://bit.ly/AGKLGKPGR

Already Gone Landing Page: https://www.kristenprobyauthor.com/already-gone

4 Heart Review by Ashley

Small town. Single parent. Second chance. Two of my favorite authors. Check, check, check and check! When I saw that Kristen Proby and K.L. Grayson were teaming up, I knew I had to get my eyeballs on their collaboration. I didn't even read the blurb of Already Gone before I started and I flew through it.

I liked Scarlett a lot. Yes, she ran out of her hometown as fast as her boots would take her. And yes, she hit it big, but she still had a heart of gold. She stepped up and in when the people she loved needed her. Case in point, her return to New Hope. Which brings her face to face with her childhood best friend, Tucker, for the first time in over a decade. And can I just say, the years were kind to him.

While things between Tucker and Scarlett were rocky at first, they quickly found a way forward. Tucker was able to let his resentment over her leaving go. And all the guilt Scarlett held dissipated each and every day. But time was not on their side. Scarlett's life was fast-paced, demanding and not in middle of nowhere South Carolina...

I loved the message of compromise that played throughout the whole book. Working together to come to a solution that benefited both parties. Already Gone was a sweet, friends-to-lovers romance. Mostly low on drama and high on fun. Tucker and Scarlett were the perfect match for each other. It took them a lot of years and miscommunication and frustration to get there. But when they worked together everything became so clear. Fingers crossed this isn't the last time these two team up because Dean and Scooter for sure need their stories told!

Excerpt: