goodreads

Ltmk's bookshelf: read

Falling Behind
Seven Years of Bad Luck
Forever and Almost Always
Belong to You
Toxic
Deceiving Lies
What's Left of Me
Threat to Our Forever: The Sensual Edition
Adam, Enough Said
Abby's Survival
Ten Tiny Breaths
Sizzle
The Future of Our Past
Unbearable
Restore Me
Real
The Shoe
Heaven Sent
Unexpected Angel
Every Rose

Monday 30 June 2014

Release Day - Primordial Dust - Sarah Daltry

young pretty kissing wedding couple against sky
 
Book Info:
 
Title: Primordial Dust
 
Author: Sarah Daltry
 
Genre: Fantasy (Romance/YA)
 
 
 
A princess, trained to behave. An assassin, betrothed to her. A thief, whose eyes she dreams of at night. A kingdom at war, torn apart by the suppression of magic and truth, as well as family secrets that threaten to destroy decades of peace. Questions of loyalty, of morality, and of free will culminate in a fantasy novel about forging one’s own path and choosing one’s own destiny.
Buy Links:
 
Amazon: Coming June 30
 
Amazon UK: Coming June 30
 
 
 
 
 
 
pdwar
Excerpt
 
Alusia smiles wanly. “What happened in Kooram?” she asks. “There was a party. We were dancing. Seamus and I were celebrating our engagement...” I pause, ashamed. He sits beside me, unaware of my role in this, oblivious to my own deception. “It was my fault.” Seamus takes my hand. “Alondra, stop. You know this has nothing to do with you.” “It has everything to do with her,” Alusia interrupts. “And her mother.” “Look, although Alondra seems thankful for whatever you want to share with her, I don't care what these secrets are. This is not her fault and she does not need you blaming her.” Seamus's anger is new to me. I have been so amazed by his calm, his kindness; he is more like a Demorian now than I have ever seen him, and I have watched him cut a man's throat. Alusia sighs. “I do not mean to assign blame. But we can no longer pretend that this was a rogue attack, that these events have not culminated in bringing you here, that fate has not worked its magic to get this book into her hands.” She runs her fingers along the book on her lap. “It's fine,” I say. “But it was not fate. Maybe I did not make the only bad choices, but choices got us here. And I, for one, am tired of hearing about fate.” “The attack,” Seamus continues. “It was sudden. A siren spell warned us before the mages were slaughtered. I don't know how they breached the Demorian guard, but without the dying spell of an elder mage, no one would be sitting here right now with you.” “So you ran?” Alusia asks. “I don't run,” I argue. “In fact, I am only here because someone kidnapped me in my sleep.” “It was her father's wish,” Seamus mumbles. “The forces came quickly. We spread the word to meet in the caves and Kooram split into two groups: those who were running for the caves, and those who would stay behind. My parents were with those running, but I stayed. Ereditus, our commander, rallied the troops. Seamus was already by my side. My friend, Lormander...” I stop and think of that moment. Sanara's face, broken by the choice he was making, is etched into my memory. I watched her fingers slowly fall from his hand and the agony in her glance as she turned back to see him one last time tore me asunder. And now, somewhere, are they reunited? Did she lead everyone to Tallagut? Did he stay behind in the caves to face his death, remembering her kiss as the blade entered his heart? I choke on the images and tears rest on the precipice of my eyelids. “We stayed,” I repeat. “There were so many of them. It was chaos. Smoke billowed from the streets, from our homes, from everything that was my childhood. I saw young boys, thinking they were brave, split in twain as the attackers stepped over the corpses, trailing death. What I remember most was the sound. The crash of swords, the screams of the fallen, the crackle of burning. The details are hazy. We left Kooram in ruins when we saw that we were outclassed. I walked through fields of carnage to the caves, only to wake on the other side, in a mirror world, yet untouched.” “The king, he asked that we come here. He said you had the answers, the only weapon we could use against him,” Seamus adds. My shattered body sits beside him, but my mind and my soul are still with the dead. “I am an old woman, and a forgotten mage,” Alusia says. “I am also the keeper of secrets and memories. I do not forge steel. My only weapon is knowledge. But that I have in abundance, and I believe it is time Alondra take her share.” She rises from the dusty chair and approaches. I sense my hands as they lift to take the book she offers; the leather cover is hardened, but smooth to touch. I run my hand along the spine and trace the embossed seal. “Please take this to your room. You will need time, and you will need privacy. When you are done, I will be waiting for your questions.
 
Dream Cast
 
 
alondra
 
 
Alondra:
A princess of a kingdom lost in time and wrapped in secrets. Snarky and difficult, because life has always been easy, she is unprepared to be the leader she needs to be when her city falls.
 
 
 
seamus2
 
 
seamus:
A trained assassin tasked with keeping his own city, and all the cities of the kingdom, safe. Betrothed to Alondra for diplomatic reasons. Much kinder than his profession reveals
 
 
 
layla
 
 
Layla:
A young girl trained to be an assassin, sent to kill the son of the king. Her hopes rest on succeeding in her quest, because if she fails, there is no alternative but death.
 
 
tevlin
 
Tevlin:
The mysterious man who captures Alondra’s heart on a night before the world fell apart. His eyes whispered secrets, but they may be secrets that led to the ruin of everything she held dear.
 
 
 
 
About the Author
 
Sarah Daltry writes about the regular people who populate our lives. She's written works in various genres - romance, erotica, fantasy, horror. Genre isn't as important as telling a story about people and how their lives unfold. Sarah tends to focus on YA/NA characters but she's been known to shake it up. Most of her stories are about relationships - romantic, familial, friendly - because love and empathy are the foundation of life. It doesn't matter if the story is set in contemporary NY, historical Britain, or a fantasy world in the future - human beings are most interesting in the ways they interact with others. This is the principle behind all of Sarah's stories. Sarah has spent most of her life in school, from her BA and MA in English and writing to teaching both at the high school and college level. She also loves studying art history and really anything because learning is fun. When Sarah isn't writing, she tends to waste a lot of time checking the internet for pictures of cats, shooting virtual zombies, and simply staring out the window. She has written several books, most notably
Bitter Fruits, an urban fantasy in the Eden’s Fall series,
Backward Compatible: A Geek Love Story, and the six book New Adult
Flowering series, including Forget Me Not, Lily of the Valley, Blue Rose, Star of Bethlehem, Orange Blossom, and Ambrosia.
 
  Social Media Links: Website:http://sarahdaltry.com
 
 
 
 
Top Ten:
 
Sarah’s Favorite Fantasy Movies:
  1. The Princess Bride
  2. Labyrinth
  3. The Neverending Story
  4. Brave
  5. The Wizard of Oz
  6. Shrek
  7. Pan’s Labyrinth
  8. Harry Potter (all of them)
  9. Bridge to Terabithia
  10. Mirrormask
 
Win a signed paperback of the novel or a $25 gift card to Apple, Amazon, or B&N!

Blog Tour ~ Better As A Memory by Marilyn Baxter













 
BLURB


Atlanta image consultant Victoria Sharpe is about to give a makeover to the man who broke her heart in college, and a
do-over to a love that always should have been.


SYNOPSIS:
 

Looking at her potential client, Atlanta image consultant Victoria Sharpe is convinced the job will be a cross between What Not to Wear and Man vs. Wild. She’d love to turn down the offer, but refusing it—not to mention the referrals it could generate—just might break the bank. Yet, agreeing to make over this man’s image might also break her heart. Again.


Max Brown will tolerate anything to gain access to his trust fund. Returning to work in the family business, even submitting to his mother’s demands to trade his comfortable flannel for Armani is worthwhile if he can get the money necessary to start a camp for at-risk boys. But then he sees he’ll be working with Victoria Sharpe, his college girlfriend, the one who got away. Or, really, the one he left. The impression he makes here will be the most important of his life, and the person most as risk is himself.

 
EXCERPT 1 

Max jangled his car keys in his hand as he waited at Victorias door. He felt as nervous as a fifteen-year-old on his first date. He wore the gray pants and navy blazer Victoria had approved together with a brilliantly white shirt and a yellow tie with small navy dots. He wiggled his toes in his new black oxfords and marveled at how comfortable they were. True to her word, Victoria had steered a wide berth around wing tips and had showed him that style and comfort were not mutually exclusive.

He knocked a second time and nervously straightened his tie. And when she finally opened the door and he got his first glimpse of her, he let out a low whistle. His gut told him he would have a hard time keeping his hands off her.

And hard was the operative word as his body twitched below his belt. The black dress had a ruffled skirt that skimmed her knee. The V neckline teased at her cleavage but left plenty to the imagination. Simple sapphire and diamond earrings sparkled as they caught the light, and he saw a matching bracelet circling her wrist. While her high-heeled shoes were plain, they made her legs seem as if they went on forever. And when she bent to pick up her purse from a table beside the door, he caught a glimpse of her black lacy bra and gritted his teeth in an effort to will his body to cooperate.

This might be a very long and very frustrating night.

After taking her arm and helping her negotiate the steps down to the drive, he held her purse and wrap while she settled into the passenger side of his SUV. She had certainly taken her own advice to heart. She was stylish and understated, but he wasnt so sure her classic beauty wouldnt make her stand out like a diamond among pieces of coal.

They chatted about mundane things for most of the drive to his parents estate, but when he turned into the long drive lined by towering pines, he posed a question. “Are you okay with me introducing you tonight as my image consultant? I mean, that wont make you feel like…well, you know.” He was at a loss for words.

“What you are trying to ask is if I’
ll be insulted if people think I am your employee.”

“Well, yeah. I mean, you’
re not, but in this crowd, thats liable to be what people assume. I was just thinking you might drum up a little business when people see how you turned the beast into Prince Charming.”

“Too bad I didn’
t tame his raging ego, too.”

“Touché.”

Victoria laughed, and once again Max had to scold his misbehaving libido.

 

EXCERPT 2

The persistent knocking at her front door roused Victoria from a dream where she and Max lived in a log cabin deep in the Rockies with their child
a toddler with eyes as blue as the mountain sky and brown hair that curled at his nape just like his daddys. The dream was a recent and recurring one, and she always woke from it a little sad. In her dream they were a familytogether and happy. The location puzzled her because even though Max had invited her into his world for that one day of hiking, she knew shed never be invited in completely. She had wondered, though, what she would have done if Max had extended that invitation. Cold and snow and isolation were out of her comfort zone.

She pulled on her robe, grabbed her phone in case she needed to call 911 and padded barefoot toward the front door, wishing she had insisted Nick install a peephole so she could see the late-night visitor. She moved to the window and nudged the curtain aside in the hope she could see a car parked below and determine her visitors identity.

Only one person in her circle of friends drove a black SUV, but what was he doing here? He was supposed to be in Colorado making his dream come true.

The knocking intensified. “Victoria, open the door,” Max yelled.

She opened the door a few inches and glared at the subject of her dream. Dark stubble covered the lower half of his face and his clothes looked as if hed slept in them. It had taken him only two days to undo weeks of image coaching. Yet she had to admit he wore grungy well. Way too damned well for her erratic hormones.

“You’re
 usually not asleep so early on a Saturday night.” He propped one hand against the door frame.

Im usually not pregnant and bone tired.

Victoria crossed her arms in a defensive pose, the pressure aggravating her already tender breasts. “Youre not supposed to be here. Did you forget the way to Colorado and lose your razor in the process?”

“Can I at least come inside to have this discussion?”

She swung the door open wide and waved him in. He strode to the sofa and sank onto it. His gaze swept her from head to toe. “Nice outfit,” he said with a cheeky grin. “I didn
’t know you had a thing for Superman.”

Victoria pulled her robe around her and tied the sash tightly around the loose lounge pants and oversized red and blue t-shirt.

“Every woman has a thing for a man who stands up for truth and justice and comes to her rescue.”

He nodded thoughtfully. “I guess that
s why you dont have a shirt with my picture on it.”

 

 

 



PURCHASING LINKS:









AUTHOR BIO:

In 2001, Marilyn discovered Romance novels quite by accident, which led to a renewed interest in writing. She started out by writing fanfiction about Clark Kent, Lois Lane and Superman, which developed into a desire to write about her own characters. She’s had over forty short stories published in the confessions and Romance magazines.
Also, she has taught a class in how to effectively write for this genre and worked as a researcher and copy editor for several Romance authors. All this combined to give her a great love of the Romance genre and helped develop a multitude of friendships in the Romance community.
She’s a member of Romance Writers ofAmerica, as well as her local chapter, Heart of Dixie. In addition to reading, Marilyn loves to knit (as long as it’s only a scarf), cook (in the crockpot), garden (in a couple of pots on her patio), and her motto is “Have passport, will travel.” She’d love to add to the list of 32 states and 21 foreign countries she’s already visited.
After raising two great sons, she loves to spoil... er... dote on her two granddaughters.



Social Media:

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5795962.Marilyn_Baxter




BLOG TOUR HOSTED BY:




ENTER THE GIVEAWAY!!!!!

Breaking Free ~ Brandy L Rivers Blog Tour‏

Breaking Free - Tour Banner

BOOK INFORMATION

TITLE – Breaking Free SERIES – Others of Edenton AUTHOR – Brandy L Rivers GENRE – Adult Paranormal Romance PUBLICATION DATE – 6-10-14 LENGTH (Pages/# Words) – 67k PUBLISHER – Brandy L Rivers COVER ARTIST – Brandy L Rivers

Breaking Free - Cover

BOOK SYNOPSIS

They say that dreams can come true, but as a dreamwalker, Devlin had yet to experience anything but nightmares. Then again, the druid had been held by sadistic vampires and dark mages for twenty years, forced to do their bidding. Newly escaped, he stumbles upon a dreamrealm where he can’t resist a little werewolf.

Jamie just wants someone to call her own. She feels like she’s been waiting for an awfully long time, when a man who teases her memory begins to visit her while she’s dreaming. From the moment she feels his turmoil, she’s drawn in, wanting nothing more than to heal his broken soul.

Before Devlin can decide what to do, he has to make a trip to Edenton. His first goal is to make sure someone who can’t remember him is safe and happy. The little werewolf of his dreams happens to live there, and she’s even more irresistible in real life.

When you’ve been taught all your life to run, what will make you change? Can Jamie convince her mate to stay and fight? Will he risk everything to have what he needs? Or run to save them all?

BUY & TBR LINKS

90ff6-addtogoodreads
Romantic couple in a hotel room

 BOOK EXCERPT

The moon shone bright over a crystal clear lake. Thousands of stars were reflected, like floating diamonds sparkling. The breeze blew gently through red cedar, pine, and maple. The clean mountain air reminded him of camping with his family when he was a boy. It had been so long since he had the liberty, and desire, to enjoy nature. The water called to Devlin. Carefully, without a sound, he pulled the clothes from his body and placed them on the stump beside him. With a slow breath, he walked into the gentle ripples, creating larger crests of his own. Warm water greeted him. He dove under, swimming deeper. A splash caught Devlin’s attention. He broke the surface to find nothing, and no one. Closing his eyes, he reached out with his senses. A lone werewolf was close. Panic flared through him, and he started for the shore, but a woman surfaced before him. A slow smile spread on her face when he flailed back, splashing her in his surprise. “Your heart’s pounding.” Amusement sparkled in her pale blue topaz eyes as she placed one small hand over his chest. Warmth washed through him offering a calm he couldn’t remember ever feeling. Yet, he was terrified the Dales were tracking him. A dream, nothing more than a dream. They can’t find me, he reminded himself. “You startled me,” Devlin replied. “Hmm.” Her foot brushed against his calf, sending a shiver through his entire body. She tapped her finger to her chin. “You remind me of someone, but I can’t figure out who.” Intrigued, and certainly heading toward aroused, he asked, “What makes you say that?” One corner of her shiny pink mouth lifted impishly. “Don’t know, but you do.” Her voice had taken on a husky purr which effectively made his blood pump faster. A dream, just a dream, he told himself. Then he did something bold, something he hadn’t done in so long he was sure he’d fail, even in a fantasy. “What’s a sweet little wolf like you doing out here all alone?” Her giggle was melodic as her already dazzling eyes lit up. “Looking for love in all the wrong places.” As if on cue, his resistance broke. Her tiny waist fit perfectly in his hands, her hips flared in a way that made him groan. Devlin propelled them closer to the shore, until his feet touched bottom. Before he could make his move, her legs locked around his hips and her fingers caressed up his shoulder and neck to delve into his hair. She grazed her lips over his. Afraid to take things too far, he slid his hands up her back, pressing her full breasts against his chest. Needing more of her taste, he deepened their kiss. Devlin felt more alive than he could remember. A dream, just a blasted dream, his brain chimed in. The knowledge didn’t stop him from sweeping his tongue into her mouth when she opened to him. Her body undulated in tune with his, and her heated core slid against his hardened length. The urge to bury himself in her was too much. Pulling back, he panted, “Your name? Need your name, Precious.” “Precious?” She licked her lips as she stared back at him with something like awe in her big blue eyes. He tipped his forehead to hers and breathed in her wild but seductive scent. “You’ve set me free of my old life. You’ve given me something to look forward to.” He didn’t know where the words came from, but he didn’t dare take them back. They felt right. “Jamie Abrams. You better come to me.” There was a command hidden in her sweet sassy voice, one he truly wanted to obey. “I’ll be waiting.” He nodded, rolling her name through his head like a fine wine over his tongue.

Vintage portrait of a passionate couple

MEET THE AUTHOR

Author Photo

Brandy L Rivers is the author of the Others of Edenton Series. There are more Others of Edenton in the works. She is also working on the first couple books in the Others of Seattle series. As an avid reader, Brandy has always loved writing. She became serious about it as a stay-at-home-mother. She has a file full of manuscripts she plans to edit and put out there eventually. She lives in Western Washington with her husband and three kids, where she is already working on the future stories in the series.

FOLLOW THE AUTHOR HERE

Portrait Of Young Beautiful Woman In Luxury Fur Coat

REVIEW 
I find myself wondering if this may be the best book of the series (so far).
It is full of our favourite characters, progressing even further into their respective lives.
In this installment we meet Devlin, a Dream Walker, who has been a captive of the Dales for the last 20 years.
He is a great character & not surprisingly gels perfectly with our merry band.
He has connected with Jamie through her dreams & goes to Edenton to see her, but he also has another connection there too.
There were a few surprises in this story & a lot of truths were revealed.

I love this series & the characters & story lines just seem to get better & better.





dcbaa-giveaway-graphic

GIVEAWAY PRIZES

2 Paperback Copies of Breaking Free & Swag (1 International & 1 US)
2 $10 Gift Cards & Swag (International)
5 ebook copies of Breaking Free & Swag (International) 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 Breaking Free - Full Cover

OTHER BOOKS IN THE "OTHERS OF EDENTON SERIES"

New Beginnings (Prequel)

New Beginnings Prequel

In Too Deep (Book 1)

In Too Deep - Book 1

Shadows Fall (Novellette)

Shadows Fall - Novella

Shadows of the Past (Book 2)

Shadows of the Past - Book 2

Falling Into Place (Book 3)

Falling Into Place - Book 3

All Our Love

(Brandy Has A Novella In This Collection)

All Our Love - Novella
Tour Organized By: myfamilyheartbutton

Sunday 29 June 2014

Blog Tour - The Rebels - Brittany Jo James



 

THE REBELS
Author: BRITTANY JO JAMES 
Genre: THRILLER/SUSPENSE/ROMANCE
SYNOPSIS:

Happiness is only reserved for the upper class in the United States of America. 


As a military wife who spends most of her time working for minimum wage, Temper Jensen can attest to that. Finding a spare moment to spend with her husband, Voss, is a luxury she can hardly afford. 

Everything changes when the citizens realize that the president of the country is nothing more than a terrorist bent on total domination. Freedom no longer exists for the citizens of the United States of America and all who dare defy their new rulers are considered rebels of the nation.

Temper knows what she must do, even if it means being separated from Voss in order to save his life. Risking everything, she runs home to her moonshine-brewing anarchist daddy’s home in southwest Arkansas to collect a congregation of rebels to fight back. No one can be trusted, especially Temper’s devious ex-boyfriend who won’t take ‘no’ for an answer.

Can Temper reunite with her husband, keep her wayward family out of trouble, and restore the USA to the nation under God that it was intended to be — or will freedom as we know it be lost forever?
 
 



PURCHASE LINKS:
 

 PAPERBACK | B&N | KOBO | iTUNES
 

 
 
TEASERS:




 
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Brittany Jo James

Brittany Jo James was born and raised in the small town of Idabel, Oklahoma. She is happily married to her high school sweetheart, Conlee, who is currently serving as an airman in the United States Air Force. They share two rowdy sons, Jagger and Jett. Her life revolves around living for God, caring for her family and writing, writing, writing. The James family is currently residing near Anchorage, Alaska until the USAF decides otherwise.

Social media links:



MASSIVE GIVEAWAY!!
 


Tour organized by: 
HEA Book Tours, PR & More



Saturday 28 June 2014

Release day - Going Under & Shallow - Georgia Cates


 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Jesse Boone is a self-proclaimed bad boy and doesn’t march to the beat of anyone’s drum but his own. Growing up in less than desirable circumstances has made him no stranger to the hard knock life but his determination to leave it behind is fervent. He sees an opportunity to snag a college football scholarship when he’s transferred to East Franklin High School but Forbes Henderson has other plans. The player Jesse intends to replace doesn’t plan on giving up his spot as starting quarterback so a rivalry is born. Jesse is determined to show his nemesis that he’s not only going to take his position as first string quarterback, he’s going to take his girl, too.

Claire Deveraux is perfection at its best. She’s beautiful, intelligent, and unaware she just became Jesse Boone’s conquest to settle a score with her boyfriend. Like her flawless performance as the perfect daughter and student, Claire’s production of being the perfect girlfriend has everyone fooled, except Jesse Boone. She fears this tattooed bad boy will see her secret desire to explore his crude threats and promises of rocking her perfect world. If she decides to give in to one uninhibited moment with Jesse, will she learn too late that it was all an act of vengeance or will Jesse learn that the taste of first love is sweeter than that of revenge?
 

 
EXCERPT


Claire Deveraux’s POV

 
 
Once we’re started on the assignment, I catch Jesse staring at me. Suddenly self-conscious, I run my palms down each of my cheeks. “What are you looking at? Do I have something on my face?”
“You do.” He reaches out, grazing the back of his fingers against my cheek. “You’ve got a little beautiful right there.”
The heat rises because I’m not used to such direct compliments. Forbes doesn’t do romantic. He’s too busy planning how he’ll get what he wants from me.
“You want to kiss me, don’t you?” God, do I ever.
He’s daring—and I love it—so I decide to return the boldness. “You have no idea how much.”
He isn’t going to back down. I see his determination but as I recall, he warned me about that. “I bet I have a pretty good idea since I probably want to kiss you just as much. Maybe more.”
We’re alone—most likely safe from being seen—but not guaranteed so it makes it so much more exciting. The thrill of being caught by someone makes my heart pump faster. I look into his pale blue eyes, willing him to lean forward and take the kiss I’m prepared to give him.
“I’ll do it,” he threatens.
“Then stop talking about it.” I know the sure-fire way to seal the deal. “I dare you.”
Bingo. I see it in his eyes. He’s in full-on badass mode. “I warned you I don’t back down.”
“That’s what I’m counting on.”
I imagine him leaning forward to steal a quick kiss but he doesn’t. He takes my hand and leads me across the library. He looks in every direction before opening a door and pulling me into a storage room I didn’t know existed. He shuts the door behind us and locks it.
Oh God. What’s he going to do?
He places his hands around my waist and pulls me close, our faces almost touching. “Believe me yet?”
“No. I need more proof.”
“I was hoping you’d say that.”
He places sweet, soft kisses on my lips and my legs threaten to crumble beneath me. His mouth migrates to my neck and up to my ear where he sucks my lobe. I let him because I know the door is locked.



 
 
Nick Hawke wants his car fast and his girls faster. He blows through them quicker than his muscle car races down the drag strip in Collinsville and he wouldn’t have it any other way. He’s determined to avoid the devastation he has watched his father endure in the aftermath of his mother’s abandonment. He believes there is no room in his life or his heart for a relationship lasting more than one night. He seeks happiness in things that won’t let him down––fast cars, adrenaline highs, and one night stands. All of that changes when he unexpectedly runs into an old friend and is introduced to Payton Archer, the first girl he ever wanted for more than a night. There’s only one catch––she’s completely immune to him and his smooth talking ways.

Payton Archer is looking for love––the true, mad, deep kind. She’s given up on finding it, at least until she leaves for college because she’s certain that is where she’ll find the ideal guy to fit into her perfect world. Her summer plans include nothing more than three uneventful months of fun but it turns out to be anything but ordinary when Payton meets Nick Hawke, one of Jesse’s old Collinsville friends. She’s shocked by her immediate and intense attraction for “Hawke” because nothing about him is on her checklist for the perfect love. Sure, he’s hot and sexy but he comes from Collinsville and that is definitely not on her list of prerequisites. Everything about him makes Payton’s heart speed. He’s exciting and dangerous but his fast car and chance taking aren't what scares Payton the most. It’s the way Nick Hawke makes her feel every time he looks at her. Can Payton find the courage to leave the safe, shallow end of love and risk going under completely?



EXCERPT
  

Nick Hawke’s POV

 

I lick my lips as I look at her shiny gloss, imagining how soft and slick her mouth would be against mine. I’ve never wanted to lean in for a kiss so badly in all my life. Being at the top of this Ferris wheel with her couldn’t be more perfect but I can’t do it. I’m too scared.
I’m Nick Hawke—a sexpert and fearless daredevil—but that doesn’t matter. I’m too chickenshit to kiss this girl because she’s wonderful and perfect and different—everything I never knew I wanted—so I don’t want to blow it by pushing too hard, too fast.
The wheel stops to load another couple. “I’m sorry I didn’t say this already, but thank you for taking care of my drunk ass last night. I didn’t think I’d get wasted after two drinks. Guess I drank them too fast.”
I reach for her hand and give it a squeeze. “I didn’t mind. It was my pleasure—puke and all.”
She shakes her head while looking down. “Liar.” She laughs. “The whole thing with Cooper was stupid. I guess I tried to make him be my version of Jesse. I know that’s a weird thing to say. I’m sort of messed up that way.” She looks up at me. “I’m sorry. I don’t know why I told you that.”
Claire’s right. She’s seeing her relationship with Cooper for what it is.
All the carriages are loaded so we rise and fall as the wheel rotates. A gust of wind picks up as we soar to the top. A wild strand of hair blows into her face, sticking in her lip gloss. I can’t resist the excuse to touch her so I reach forward to set it free.
All I can taste and breathe is this moment with her. Our time together will be over soon and I don’t want to go home without telling her I have to see her again.
I twirl the wild strand around my fingers before tucking it behind her ear. “You told me you wouldn’t go out with me because you were looking for something different, but you’re here with me now.”
A painful expression crosses her face. “You’ve been really sweet to me and I’ve had a wonderful time with you tonight—as a friend—but we can never be more than that. You’ve gone through too many girls.”
“I used protection every time without fail. I swear I haven’t caught anything, if that’s what you’re worried about.”
She’s blushing. Shit. I think I’ve embarrassed her. “I’m glad to hear that you had the good sense to practice safe sex but that’s not what I mean. I’m looking for something lasting and you’re looking for your next romp.”
She has this all wrong. “I know that’s what you think, but I’m not.”
“You are, and I’m a quest. I won’t flip on to my back for you and it’s driving you crazy because it’s new territory.”
“That’s not true.”
“It’s only a matter of time before you grow tired of me and move on to the next chase. If we leave well enough alone, we’ll walk away from this unscathed. We might even be friends.”
I want to be so much more than friends. I want Payton Archer for reasons other than sex.
I am being honest with myself about what I really want for the first time in a long time.
“You’re wrong, but it’s going to take a while for you to see that. In the meantime, I’ll take your friendship.”