COVER REVEAL - CHELLE BLISS Wicked Impulse ALFA PI #3 Chelle BlissReleases December 13th There’s only one thing worse than dating a friend’s sister–sleeping with his mother. Fran DeLuca’s known for her bossy, overbearing personality almost as much as for her love of nylon tracksuits. But when someone runs off with fifty thousand dollars, she becomes involved in an ALFA investigation and catches the eye of silver fox biker, Bear. Bear North, ALFA’s resident bad boy, has never thought of Fran as anything more than his buddy’s mom. When she trades in her elastic pants and orthopedic tennis shoes for a pair of skintight jeans and high heels, he takes notice of the fifty-something MILF. When the money trail leads closer to Fran than expected, Bear takes charge of the investigation and will do anything to protect her. Can Bear track a thief, claim Fran, and keep Morgan DeLuca in the dark long enough to solve the case? PRE-ORDER Kindle | Nook | iBooks | Kobo | GooglePlay | Paperback International Amazon & Paperback Preorders | GoodReads TBR Audiobook releases on December 13th too! BOOK 1 FREE - SINFUL INTENT! Kindle | Nook | iBooks | Kobo | GooglePlay International Sites
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Today we are celebrating the release of EXPOSED by L.L. Collins. This is a contemporary romance, standalone novel that is the 4th book in the Jaded Regret series. For a few days only, you can get Exposed, and the rest of the series, for just .99¢ each (or read them for FREE on Kindle Unlimited)! Check out the links for each book in the series below.EXPOSED by L.L. CollinsGET IT NOW FOR JUST .99¢ FOR A LIMITED TIMEAmazon US | Amazon UK | Amazon AU | Amazon CABlurb:What do you do when all your secrets-- and your heart-- are exposed?Natalie Anderson has spent her life being strong for everyone else, always putting herself last. But that has come with a price because the stress and secrets are affecting every part of her life. Looking and acting the part is one thing, but feeling it is another. She knows she’s at a crossroads and she needs to make a change, starting with loosening up and living a little.Kai Pierson is done being a grunt. He’s finally worked his way up the ladder and he now finds himself a rep at the hottest label, representing the hottest band in all of rock music. He’s living the life…alone, but he’s okay with that. It’s the way it needs to be.Though they’ve never met in person, they become friends and spend hours talking about life. When the chance to meet arrives, neither of them are ready how they feel when they see each other for the first time.But when Natalie’s secrets are exposed, will she be able to put it all behind her and find her own happiness, or will the lies destroy her once and for all?-------------Purchase Books in the SeriesEach book is .99¢ for 3 more days! (or read it for FREE on Kindle Unlimited) Sentenced (Jaded Regret #1) FREE on Kindle UnlimitedAmazon US | Amazon UK | Amazon AU | Amazon CASnared (Jaded Regret #2) FREE on Kindle UnlimitedAmazon US | Amazon UK | Amazon AU | Amazon CAHartstrings (Jaded Regret #3) FREE on Kindle UnlimitedAmazon US | Amazon UK | Amazon AU | Amazon CAExposed (Jaded Regret #4)---------------------AUTHOR INFORMATION:L.L. Collins loves spending her days in the Florida sun with her husband and two boys. LL has been writing since she was old enough to write. Always a story in her head, she finally decided to let the characters out made her lifelong dream of becoming an author come true in the self-publishing world. She's the author of the Living Again Series and the Twisted Series, plus standalones, Back to the Drawing Board, SENTENCED, and Snared: A Jaded Regret Novel. Visit LL on her website, www.llcollinsauthor.com and on all social media. Look for more of her emotionally charged novels soon!AUTHOR LINKS:Website | Facebook | Twitter | Wattpad | Amazon | Instagram | GoodreadsSign up for L.L. Collins' Newsletter
Title: Enchanting Wilder
Series: The Wild Series #1
Author: Cassie Graham
Release Date: July 28, 2016
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Declan Wilder has never met a witch he didn’t hate. He is in the business of protecting the world from all things paranormal, after all. But what happens when one glimpse at an enchanting McKenna Sawyer sends him spinning? Suddenly, Declan can’t help but question everything he thought he knew about the world he’s been sworn to protect for so long.
Plagued by her parents’ death, McKenna Sawyer has no interest in anything outside of her family’s business and her sister’s happiness. So when she’s assigned to warn a Pursuer about his impending death, she’s less than prepared for the way he shifts her world on its axis. And when more time spent with him leads to more secrets about their world revealed, they must decide how their universes fit together — if at all. The paranormal world is gearing up for a fight, and both Declan and McKenna have been called to battle. But the question remains — will they be fighting for or against each other?
“Why aren’t you out there?” I point to the pit where everyone else is on the dance floor.
She shrugs a shoulder. “I don’t know.”
“Not crazy enough for you?”
She laughs. “No. Too crazy. That’s probably why I’m sitting here.”
“Are you not spontaneous, McKenna?”
“Hardly.”
“That’s a shame.” I adjust in my seat, setting my bottle of beer down. “There’s a lot of life in spontaneity.”
She looks down, seeming embarrassed.
I tilt my head. “You can’t do crazy, can you?” I challenge her.
She sits up straight. “I can. I just don’t.”
“Why?”
Her eyes narrow. “Because.”
“God, you’re just full of surprises.”
“What?”
“McKenna, you have an entire world in front of you.” I lower my voice. “You’re an all-knowing badass witch. Embrace that shit. Live a little.”
“Well…” is all she says. She looks to the side and crosses her arms.
I chuckle. “You’re stuck.”
“I’m not stuck.” She says the word like it’s dirty. “I’m content.”
Another song starts, this one louder than the others. The tempo is fast enough to dance to but slow enough that, if I want to, I can pull her to me. I move myself from behind my side of the table and stand. Offering her my hand, I say, “Come dance with me.”
She stares at my hand with apprehension, her jaw set. She thinks for a couple of seconds and sets her hand in mine.
Pulling her close to my body, I lock my hands behind her back, sure to keep her close. I silently groan and chew on the inside of my cheek, the close proximity to her already overwhelming all of my senses.
I wasn’t supposed to talk to her, let alone bring her out on the dance floor. I’m setting us both up for disappointment, yet I can’t stop myself.
She sighs contently and clasps her hands loosely around my neck, laying her head just below my shoulder. Her body shudders under mine, and I can feel her erratic heartbeat thumping against my chest.
“You’ve never done anything like this,” I whisper loud enough for her to hear and she shakes her head, agreeing with me. “You’ve never danced with someone you’ve just met. It makes you nervous and you’re wondering if you’re going to get caught up in it—in me.” I’m tilling the line now. I know we don’t have a future—hell, or even a tomorrow. The moment I’m done with this case, Wood and I are out of here and it’s not likely for us to come back. But I want to show her what it’s like to let go, even for a night.
“I want to let go,” she utters and I wonder if she intended for me to hear it.
I keep silent as we dance and move to the song, the melodic melody lulling us farther into each other. Her scent engulfs me, her presence surrounds me, and her being holds mine. I’ve never felt such a thing. We cling to one another. Stuck—the good kind of stuck. The kind of stuck I never want to leave.
When the song ends and the band exits the stage, the crowd disperses. But instead of going back to our booth, McKenna and I stay in our spot, listening to the music on the jukebox that now fills the air. I fight the urge to let her go. I should. I should tell her goodnight and go back to the hotel. But instead, I do something stupid. “We should do something.”
She lifts her head, looking into my eyes with a glint of mischievous. “Do what?”
I grip my hands harder around her and shrug both of my shoulders. “Something fun—something crazy.”
She groans. “You’re using that word again—crazy. We’re in Summerson, Declan. This is the craziest it gets around here.” She pulls back to look at me.
“Well, then let’s go somewhere else.”
“It’s almost four in the morning. Where are we going to go?”
I unlatch myself from her and pull out my phone, Googling a map of the world.
“Close your eyes and point.”
Cassie Graham is a native of Arizona and hates the heat. Go figure. She went to school to be a teacher but shelved that when she decided to become a mom and a wife. She had no idea at the time, but deciding to not work opened up amazing doors to become the writer she always wanted to be.
She has a daughter and a badass husband who she loves more than life. She’s a sassy, hardass redhead who’s loud and loves to hug. Seriously, ask her for a hug. She’ll cuddle the shit out of you.
While she grew up loving all things related to fairy tales, she knew life usually hit when you least expected it. That’s why she writes stories that inspire you to believe in magic.
A lover of country music, Justin Timberlake and amazing melodies, she is a choir girl through and through.
If she isn’t sitting behind her laptop writing crazy love stories, you’ll probably find her in the kitchen singing songs at the top of her lungs, baking, and cooking food for her family.
If she had to choose her favorite place in the world, it would be on the big couch in her living room with her husband on one side and daughter in the other. Nothing seems complete without them.
Title: Souls Collide
Series: Crashing Souls #2
Author: Cynthia A. Rodriguez
Release Date: Oct 26, 2016
You remember me. You still hide from me, despite my fleeting weakness. Despite seeing my heart. Despite witnessing the miraculous moment I gave to a young man with the purest intentions.
The singular moment that changed everything. Lives hung by threads and I not only cut one, I mended it, changing everything without realizing the repercussions. I could give them hope. I could even help them fall. But I could not repair the trust they damaged. You think you know their story. But you do not know everything. Most people don’t get second chances, but Dexter Andrews can’t seem to get it right. Not when he’s connected with his soul mate and not years later when he finds out about the tragic secret she kept from him. Now it’s his turn to set her free and pray that she finds her way back to their love. Even when it hurts so badly he feels like he can’t breathe. Noa Cruz knows she isn’t perfect. She knows she is selfish and a liar, but she’s different now and that means putting her responsibilities before the love she keeps quiet. Two lovers, made for one another, defying their destiny. Souls Collide is a companion novella to Crashing Souls, the story that introduced us to the sweet Dexter and his passionate yet troubled soul mate, Noa.
I got in the shower and tried not to think about it as I scrubbed my skin and washed the hair I’d have to pull back today. It was getting too long to wear down. The absence of the hot water when I turned the shower off had me reaching for my towel quickly.
I wiped the fog from the mirror, my eyes immediately drawn to the words in my skin. My mind was already Noa’s, but now she owned my body and she’d always own my soul.
Every time I saw the tattoo, it was like a portal straight to Memory Land where Noa was the ruler. The sweetest hell.
It was no wonder she could so easily forget. I’d been the fool to get a tattoo as a reminder of her ownership of me right where I could see it every day. She’d been the smarter of the two of us to get it somewhere she didn’t have to see it.
But did anyone else ever see it and ask her what it meant? And if they did, what did she say? What did she feel in that split moment when she allowed herself to remember that night when we ventured out into the world after hours of lovemaking and marked each other in a way the world couldn’t ignore?
Did I own her in that moment?
My chest constricted at the thought. Even if she was mine for only that moment, I’d take it. Moments strung together like Christmas lights were enough to make the world just a little brighter.
I didn’t wipe the mirror when my image began to cloud with steam again. The dark smudge of the words in my skin were still visible. I remembered those four words and what they meant to me.
She only seems free.
She no longer seemed free. She was free. Noa was free of me.
I dressed with care, as I usually did. Having a put-together appearance usually kept people off my back. If I looked like I had it all, no one would doubt it.
I was grabbing my favorite pair of dress shoes when my hand brushed against something. I closed my eyes momentarily before grabbing it and straightening.
My camera. The one Noa had gotten me for Christmas.
What Noa didn’t know was that this device, built with plastics and metals and glass had moments of ours trapped inside. I turned it on, ignoring the flicker indicating a low battery. A few button presses later and there she was. The smooth expanse of naked skin, her hair piled on top of her head, her fresh tattoo, the bubbles surrounding her. I caught her before I started cooking dinner. Pressing the button with the arrow pointed right, it was like watching her come to life in slow motion. Each inhale, exhale, and inhale…as if she were taking deep calming breaths. If I listened close enough, I could hear the sound of the water filling the tub.
The camera’s screen shut off, and just like in real life, I hadn’t experienced her nearly enough. A story without a conclusion, a movie cut off nowhere near the end credits.
I shoved the camera back where it was hidden. I wouldn’t charge it. I hadn’t touched it since the day Noa gave it to me. As I turned off the light in the closet, I shook my head.
I’d likely charge it as soon as I got home from work. Each memory was a hit of emotion. It reminded me that I was living and breathing.
Cynthia A. Rodriguez hates writing her own bio. In her spare time, you can find her watching movies, ranging anywhere from classic movies to action flicks (she has a weakness for Marvel adaptations), and reading steamy novels. She is stationed in North Carolina, where she lives with her husband and their Miniature Pinscher, Winnie (as in Pooh).
Cover design: Alora Kate / Sweet Lush Cover Design Release Date: October 26, 2016 SynopsisTristen has never lost anything because he’s never had anything. An orphan since age 2, he was passed from home to home miserably. He had never felt love and as a senior in high school didn’t think he ever would. He accepted that long ago and lived his life with thrill, no rules and freedom. Zoey on the other hand has everything to lose. A junior in high school she has things to prove, especially to her parents. She made one bad decision that led to many others sending her into a downward spiral. Her life had become rule after rule and regretfully she had to accept it. When their two worlds collide they have to learn acceptance, forgiveness alongside how to make it through the utmost misfortune. And they might discover love in the midst of losing it. Is it worth it to love someone with the reality of the possibility of losing it?GoodreadsGiveaway$10 Amazon Gift Card & Signed Paperback of Losing You Direct Link: http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/0cba4250352/? About the Author
I currently reside outside of Austin, Texas. I'm a mother of 2 amazing kiddos and married to my gorgeous soulmate for almost 20 years. I have a full time job in the medical field but would rather be spending my time writing! I love to spend my free time reading, being outside and playing with my family and 4 fur babies. I started to write at the instinct of "hey maybe I can do that!" and haven't stopped since. I have enjoyed every step of the journey. I am blessed to have very supportive friends and family that make my life worth living!
Connect with BrooklynNewsletter Sign Up: http://eepurl.com/bsD7kD Facebook Author Page: http://bit.ly/29ug1rc Facebook Reader Group: http://bit.ly/29tM9Ma Goodreads Author Page: http://bit.ly/2doexq6 Goodreads Reader Group: http://bit.ly/29EzRmW Twitter: http://bit.ly/29AuDH1 Instagram: http://bit.ly/2cPUr1C Amazon Author Page: http://amzn.to/2dGCfsH
The only had each other…
Until one forbidden night ruined everything. This new sexy stand-alone STEPBROTHER is NOW AVAILABLE. Amazon USA ➜ http://bit.ly/OSCAmazonUSA Amazon UK ➜ http://bit.ly/OSCAmazonUK Amazon AU ➜ http://bit.ly/OSCAmazonAU Nook ➜ http://bit.ly/OSCBarnesNoble iBooks ➜http://apple.co/2eB00pn
Blurb
STEPSISTER. He hated that f*cking word. When their parents got married, the only thing Caleb Luxan had in common with Wren Brashill was that they both hated their parents. When he was sixteen, Caleb discovered Wren's closely guarded secret and vowed to protect her: from that day forward she became the reason for every decision he made. Jealousy and long-suppressed desire overpowered Caleb's fierce protectiveness and they spent one forbidden and unforgettable night in each other arms, but the aftermath left Caleb panicked, Wren heartbroken, and their relationship in shambles. In the time since that fateful night, he’d only seen her once and had only managed to make the situation even worse. The sudden death of his estranged father calls Caleb home and face-to-face with Wren for first time in years. He is presented with a choice that forces him to confront the painful memories of his youth and his many regrets with Wren. Like it or not, his father's last, hard lesson, will demand Caleb deal with his long denied emotions for Wren, or let go of her forever.
Excerpt:
Caleb’s muscled frame was rigid and as Wren looked at him, she studied his profile, and could feel his coiled tension. The fingers in his right hand curled into a fist. “I was so mad. So many times, I wished he’d been the one to die.” His voice was full of pain, as the words tore from him. “I fucking hated him with every breath I took. You saw how much.” Wren nodded, though he didn’t see her acquiescence. She knew what he went through growing up when they had formed an affable alliance against their parents. She hated her mother at least as much as Caleb hated his father and she understood his anger and pain; then the apathy that became a welcome alternative. They’d been unlikely allies against a common enemy. “Maybe I deserved his indifference.” Wren got up and went to Caleb, standing behind him as he stood still as stone, and staring out the window. Her heart ached with love and grief for Caleb. She wanted to touch him; to offer reassurance, to take away the ache in his voice and heart. Without considering her actions, her arms slipped around his waist and she pressed up against his strong back and leaned her head against him, between his shoulder blades. Caleb was massive in comparison to her, and she was like a flower curling around him. Her hands fanned out against his hard stomach, her fingers finding the definition of his abs beneath his shirt. “Stop, Cale. I won’t let you do this to yourself. Your dad wouldn’t want that. None of it was your fault.” Her arms slid fully around him and held him tight against her body. “I can’t bear it. You’ve had enough pain. Enough.” Caleb sucked in a deep breath, the action bringing her even closer. He could feel every curve of her body pressed so closely against his back. He could feel her breathing, could feel how she shared his pain. His hand came up and he ran the flat of his hand from her elbow down to her hand, and then wrapped his fingers around hers. “When did you turn into the strong one?” Wren’s arms tightened around him. “When I met you. ” “Oh, Wren.” Should he just spill his guts? Would it fix everything? “I’ve got so much to say to you. How long can you stay?” She nodded against him, unwilling to end the contact between their bodies; needing the closeness as much as he did. He wanted to apologize for how he acted the last time he’d seen her, he wanted to say a hundred things… he needed her forgiveness. “How long do you need me?” In that moment a miracle happened; a sort of beautiful irony that taunted Caleb with it’s fragileness. It was as if he’d never screwed everything up between them. But would it stay this way? How long do I need you? Caleb thought. His heart raced to the point of exploding, and he wondered if Wren could feel it. Forever.
GIVEAWAY
Win a $25 Amazon Gift Card About the Author
I'm a single mother of one daughter, Olivia. She's amazing in every way.
I was born in the Midwestern United States and educated at a private university where I received a Bachelor's degree in Marketing and Business Administration. I've always been creative with art, music, theater and writing. I decided to write a story as a way to build a network for a business venture. The reader support of my stories and my overwhelming desire to find out where my characters would take me, soon had the writing morphing the business. No one was more shocked than I. When readers began nominating my work for online awards, it took my breath away and only made me love it more. It soon became clear that writing was, and should be, my focus. Stalk Her: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads
Title: Crossover
Series: Prequel: Devil's Due MC & Vipers Creed MC
Author: Chelsea Camaron & Ryan Michele
Genre: MC Romance
Release Date: October 25, 2016
Two motorcycle clubs, two different reasons for being, and one lifestyle find each other together. – Devil’s Due MC – Respect is earned, never freely given. Our road is a path for justice. Nomads always on the open highway, we follow the trail, no matter where it leads, everyone be damned. – Vipers Creed MC – Respect is hard earned. Live by the creed, die by the creed. If you aren’t with us, you’re against us. If you step into our world, your balls better be big and your cock even bigger. Brothers, bikes, and bitches collide. Respect is everything. When two clubs cross over into each other’s worlds, only madness, mayhem, vengeance, and heat can possibly ensue.
USA Today bestselling author Chelsea Camaron is a small town Carolina girl with a big imagination. She’s a wife and mom, chasing her dreams. She writes contemporary romance, erotic suspense, and psychological thrillers. She loves to write about blue-collar men who have real problems with a fictional twist. From mechanics to bikers to oil riggers to smokejumpers, bar owners, and beyond she loves a strong hero who works hard and plays harder.
Ryan Michele found her passion in making fictional characters come to life. She loves being in an imaginative world where anything is possible and has a knack for special twists readers don’t see coming.
She writes MC, Contemporary, Erotic, Paranormal, New Adult, Inspirational, and many more romances. And whether it’s bikers, wolf shifters, mafia, or beyond, Ryan spends her time making sure her heroes are strong and her heroines match them at every turn.
When she isn’t writing, Ryan is a mom and wife living in rural Illinois and reading by her pond in the warm sun.
The 6th Book of the Laundromat Chronicles Series is LIVE!
Ruby has lived a long life. A widow whose only living family is her grandson, Ruby's mission in life is to live it to the fullest. Tired of the elitist old ladies she's forced to socialize with, she begins weekly trips to the laundromat to people watch.
When Ruby meets a small group of young misfits she can't help but befriend them. Friendships are made. Families are formed. And bonds that will stand the test of time are developed.
Angie Merriam resides in the beautiful Pacific NorthWest and is happily married to her best friend. She and her husband have three wonderful children and two crazy cats.
When she's not writing she loves barbeque's with family and friends, photography, movies, music, and of course reading. She was influenced by the works of Diana Gabaldon, Stephanie Meyer, Nora Roberts and Danielle Steele.
Title: Fractures
Series: Running on Empty #3
Author: M.R. Field
Genre: New Adult/Contemporary Romance
Release Date: October 25, 2016
Blurb
Trinity If love were a battleground, then we waged a war upon it. We’d been best friends for years, and then we were wayward lovers. It was meant to just be an itch to scratch—some harmless fun. But once he had me under his thumb, tied in his binds, he became my undoing. These days, he consumes my thoughts. I’m powerless under his touch. He makes me ignore the guilt from my past that consumes me when I don’t deserve to forget. With him, I am raw and exposed, yet he continues to move closer to me. He’s willing to fight, but my armour has been dented enough. Theo Secrets have the power to make or break you—mine have the power to do both. After being lied to by my own family, I know the power of deception. Now, I’m afraid that withholding the truth will be my ruin. Especially when all my secrets are attached to her. She is my muse. My salvation. The reason my past didn’t destroy me. She makes me feel. She makes me want. She’s the gasoline to my fire. All’s fair in love and war. For us, it’s time to strike the match.
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Excerpt
Theo
For the past few months, I’ve been chasing after my dream. A dream that has claws. A dream that holds silent tears. A dream that melts under my fingertips and against my binds.
Trinity. The only woman I can love and hate in one breath. Who caught my attention from the moment I met her.
“Your eyes are green! I’m Trinity. Not Tricia.”
All I can do is smile. Her vibrancy knocks the wind out of me. “Theo.”
“Nice to meet you. If this class sucks, there’s a fire escape over there.” She tilts her head towards the corner of the room. “I heard the canteen has Mars Bars.”
With her, I wasn’t expected to always be my best, unlike what my father expected.
For years, Trinity and I had been caught in a power-play—one moment we were best friends, the next enemies, too immature to act rationally, and too stubborn to relent. Since our teenage years, she was the core of my happiness. Being close to her was enough. As a teenager, I lived in an emotional cage that stemmed from my father’s upbringing, imprisoned by my own insecurity or naïve stupidity. Dating my best friend was a dream I wanted but could never have. I’d already lost so much, and the thought of losing her as well … it was not something I could risk. We’d shared a moment once, but it was more frightening than the destruction that had been going on in my home life at the time. Our friendship was everything.
Now, as adults, twisted by the need to be near each other but too willful to admit it, we are caught in a web of fear and denial. Sure, it might seem easy to date, but neither of us has the courage to broach that subject. If we make it real, it is just as easy to lose it all. Instead, it’s easier to hide behind the smokescreen and under the sheets.
Our connection simmers between us. We cling to and thrive on the seductive torture. For years, we’ve been caught up in an evocative dance, our friendship being the common thread that holds us together. Our emotions are too volatile. A side look, a slight touch of the hand—all minor gestures that have led up to the moment we are now in. A complete clusterfuck.
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Author Bio
M R Field has always held a love for writing, filling journals as a child which progressed to more eloquent pieces as an adult. After ten years of creative instruction, she decided to turn these ideas into manuscripts. She adores creating new story lines and is a big fan of a happily ever after, but believes strongly in making her characters work for it. She has recently decided to join the independent publishing world with her debut novel, Fragments, which released late 2014, alongside its subsequent novel, Splinters that released in 2015. Fractures, her latest novel is due for release on October, 25th 2016.
Author Links
My whole life I’ve wanted nothing more than to fit in.
Only, my whole life I’ve done anything but.
That’s probably because I’m anything but average. After all—female serial killers seem to be a minority in today’s society.
And that’s ok—because I’ve longed for a change for quite some time now.
Which brings me back around to fitting in.
You know what one has to do to fit in?
I do.
One has to blend.
Which is great news!
Because I realize my clock is ticking, so to speak, and now I want a family. Luckily, I’ve always been good at getting what I want.
So I figure what better place to blend than suburbia?
All that stuff I did before—it’s water under the bridge now. I just hope it’s not too late to change my ways. Here’s to hoping for suburbia’s sake, too.
I mean, what are the odds I could be the girl next door?
Apparently, they’re better than you might think.
==============================
Your whole life you’ve wanted to fit in.
Only your whole life you’ve done anything but.
That’s probably because you’re anything but average— you’re a killer— but, then so am I.
You say you’ve longed for a change for quite some time now.
This is good because, well, me too.
Your clock is ticking, you want a family, but you waste so much time.
I know because I’m watching, waiting, blending.
What you don’t realize is if you want me, and I think you do, then you'll have to change your ways because sometimes hunters become hunted.
But what are the odds of that happening in suburbia?
Apparently, they’re better than you might think.
You told me by candlelight last night that your real name is not Ryan as it said on the dating site, as you said at dinner. It’s Jude. I wasn’t surprised. We all become someone different online. As you ran the tips of your fingers across my cheek, you promised you were sorry for lying, and then you showed me when you touched my scars with your lips. You asked for the truth about them, but I didn’t give it to you. You don’t get to be the only one who lies. Which is why I haven’t told you exactly who or what I am.
It isn’t time for whole truths about anything.
Speaking of names, it took a lot to pry Amy’s last name from your lips, and you see… you do still keep her close to your heart. You’re protecting her. This is how I know. It’s dangerous, Jude. She is dangerous, and you need closure, you really do. It’s too much to go around carrying the weight of her, believe me, I know. Morris was the answer you gave when you finally relented—but you lied. Your jaw did this twitchy thing, and that’s how I knew. We all have our tells, and apparently, that’s yours.
“No doubt, she’s married now,” you add, to cover your tracks, to conceal your lies, and you are still in denial, still protecting her, and it’s okay because, luckily, I know how to hunt people.
Later, I withdrew in your lies, and you sensed me pull away.
I started slowly at first, retreating into myself and then I left and didn’t speak to you for four days. You let me have my space, at first. I’ll give you that. But the thing you need to know about women is that it isn’t space we want, not really. We want a fight. We want a man willing to burn for us—someone willing to put it all on the line. We want to go to war.
I know you have it in you, I do. This is why I don’t return your calls. This is why I play hard to get when the truth is I miss you. I miss the way your arms feel around me, the way your eyes bore holes into my soul—all the ways you seem to know me even though you don’t. So on the fourth day, when you show up at my door, this is why I practically leap into your arms. You aren’t confused like most men would be. Not you. You come bearing gifts that aren’t flowers. You come bearing breakfast and plane tickets, and you are a warrior, Jude, you are.
Britney King writes modern love stories for mature audiences. She also enjoys suspense and often finds her sweet spot penning a good mixture of the two.
Britney is the author of seven novels and is currently at work on number eight.
She lives in Austin, Texas with her husband, children, two dogs, one ridiculous cat and a partridge in a pear tree.
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