Spotlight: Frayed Obsession by Sherri White

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(The Frayed Trilogy, #1)
Publication date: February 24th 2022
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance

Synopsis:

I was only three the first time I lost someone I loved.
And I was thirteen when my world shattered beyond repair.
Thrown into a nightmare—desperately trying to pick up the broken pieces of the girl I was before.

Escaping the demons of my past, I’m ready to disappear for good. But before I go, I want one 

more glimpse of the man who unknowingly gave me the strength to live. 

Except the pain I see hidden behind his cold eyes pulls me in so far I can’t leave. 

I can’t stop watching—waiting for the obsession that binds me to him to be severed. 

Until I get caught.

Sebastian Reed doesn’t know who I am.

But when he finds out I hold the answer to the question that’s been slowly destroying him, he 

will do anything to get at the truth.

Even making a deal.

Except I didn’t expect him to keep me in his penthouse until he gets what he’s owed.

Sebastian has the power to cut me deeper than any of the scars marring my body. 

But the more time we spend together, the deeper desire burns between us, and the harder it is to remember why I have to leave.

What should have been my downfall might be the only thing that can save me.

Excerpt

His hair is damp, darkened with sweat from his run, and despite that, all I want to do is run my fingers through it.

Still unaware of my presence, he grabs the bottom of his shirt and lifts it, revealing the dips and lines of his hard stomach, and I gulp. He then uses the material to wipe the bottom of his face, catching any rivulets of sweat before they fall.

 My focus gravitates to the deep V-like grooves disappearing beneath his black sweats and what I would find if I followed them. I’m so invested in what I see, I don’t notice Shadow heading my way until he’s right in front of me, drawing Sebastian’s line of sight.

I snap my gaze away from his bared skin as he drops the edge of his shirt, letting it fall back into place. But from the dark look he gives me, I know I’ve been caught.

My face feels like it’s on fire, and it only gets hotter when he stalks towards me. His chest brushes against mine as he stops in front of me, the movement causing the lace of my bra to graze my nipples, hardening them between us.

“If you’re going to look at me like that, Grace,” he says, grasping my chin and tilting it up towards him. “You need to be prepared for what it’s going to make me do.” 

My breath stutters. He smells like sweat and something I can only describe as uniquely Sebastian.

Intoxicating.

“What would it make you do?” I ask, my voice barely above a whisper.

He leans down, his lips brushing mine so lightly I can’t be sure they actually made contact before he brings them to my ear.

“Something I shouldn’t want to do, but it’s getting really fucking hard to stop myself. Especially when you stand there, caressing my body with your eyes to the point I can practically feel your touch on me, your mouth, tracing every part of me,” he says, each word sending shivers through my body as his lips move against my ear in a gentle torture.

Our chests move together with each breath, the friction of the lace continuing to make my nipples tingle. Then he grabs my hip with his free hand, his fingers flexing. “Is this what you want?” he asks, using my hip to pull me closer so our bodies are completely flush with each other.

I gasp as his hard length presses into my stomach.

“Because if it’s not, then you need to stop.” He nips at my earlobe, and I shudder.

I wasn’t aware I was doing anything. I had no idea I was affecting him like this, but if this is his reaction, I’m not sure I want to stop.

Sebastian drags his mouth back to mine, his lips hovering just out of reach. 

“Be ready in ten,” he says, letting go of my chin and releasing my hip before stepping past me and heading for the hallway. 

Before I can even gather my thoughts or ask what we’re doing, he’s disappeared from sight.

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About the Author

Spotlight: Lake Taimana by Stephanie Ruth

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(Otago Waters, #3)
Publication date: February 21st 2022
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance

Synopsis:

Love a slow-burn, second chance romance, with tight-knit families and smouldering secrets?

Don’t we all!

Winner of both the Daphne Clair DeJong First Kiss and RWNZ Great Beginnings competition, LAKE TAIMANA (Lake Diamond) is a contemporary love story set in the stunning Lakes District in southern New Zealand.

The third novel by emerging Kiwi romance writer, Stephanie Ruth, LAKE TAIMANA can be read as a standalone, or in conjunction with two other linked love stories in the OTAGO WATERS series.

*****

What does it take to shift deep-seated betrayal?

Adele Fergus switched back to her maiden name with plans to never look back—never think about her naïve, short-lived marriage to James Montague. But that was before he turned up on her Wanaka doorstep with her missing diamonds, a crazy back-story, and persistent requests for visitation with his ex-stepdaughter.

Adele’s hell-bent on keeping James at arms-length, but it’s not easy with old attractions still running hot. What’s more, she’s beginning to suspect she may have left him on false information.

Divorce was never in James’ game-plan, so when his ex-wife’s jewellery comes to light, he’s drawn back to her—welcome or not—and he isn’t leaving until he has all the answers.

The more the exes re-learn to trust each other, the more they come to realise someone was intent on dragging them apart from the very beginning. Someone close.

Is it worth risking everything to start again? 

*****

Authors note: Though this story ends with an HEA, it also includes references to a historical miscarriage, depression, and suicide. Please read at your own discretion. 

Excerpt

Adele walloped James a few times between the shoulder blades, concerned. He was hunched forward in the armchair, still coughing as if his life depended on it.

“Steady on,” James choked the words out amidst bouts of hacking. “I might need my spine later in the week.”

“You’re alright now?” She stopped hitting and rubbed the spot with her palm instead, up and down. Turning back to the sofa, she refocused on what she’d been thinking before she’d been rudely interrupted. “I’m imagining red through to yellow. Sunshine colours, you know? Or maybe cooler tones—green and leafy. Yes! Tropical. Fiji-style would look great in here.”

“Adele?”

“Mmm?”

“Stop.”

“Stop what?” She turned to James in surprise, and realised she still had her hand on him, stroking the contours of his shoulders and back. Gently up, then massaging down in that valley between his blades that alluded to the power of his back; the strength and breadth of it. “Oh!” She withdrew immediately, red-faced and flustered. “Shit! Sorry.”

It’d felt so natural, so normal. For a moment she’d totally forgotten…

James leaned back against the cushions and slid his hands behind his head, lacing his fingers there as he closed his eyes. “Let’s get something straight.”

“Um, okay.”

“You don’t want me to touch you, right?”

Was that right? Why was she no longer sure if that was right? 

She should be positive. Right?

“Right. Yes.” Adele bit down on her lower lip, staring at the tanned skin of James’ exposed neck, and marvelling at how the new beard petered out to give way to corded muscle. “I mean, I guess so.”

Buy on Amazon Kindle | Paperback

About the Author

Award winning New Zealand contemporary romance novelist and short story writer, Stephanie Ruth lives in the South Island, Te Waipounamu, with her husband, three children, and an ever expanding array of animals. If it doesn't have a happy ending in some form or other, Stephanie's not writing it.

Author links:
http://www.stephanie-ruth.com/
https://www.facebook.com/stephanieruth.nz/
https://www.instagram.com/ruth_writes_nz/
https://twitter.com/ruth_writes_nz
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/21787284.Stephanie_Ruth

Spotlight: Forever You by Leah Busboom

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(Connor Brothers, #12)
Publication date: January 1st 2022
Genres: Adult, Romance, Time-Travel

Synopsis:

Can love transcend the bounds of time?

Laci V’s star is bright. The up-and-coming singer just released her new single and it’s climbing the country music charts. Her concerts are filling stadiums, and she’s soon to be nominated for a Grammy award. Laci’s quickly becoming a big-time celebrity. But after a storm rolls through one of her outdoor concerts, Laci wakes up in 1855.

Matthew finds a woman from the future in a field near his homestead. He helps her and takes her home with him, and she fascinates him with stories of inventions that haven’t happened yet. Her determination and grit eventually capture his heart. But this rugged, handsome frontiersman isn’t quite sure what to do with this beautiful time traveler.

As Laci gets to know Matthew, she falls in love with his kind and gentle ways, his fierce love for the land, and his indomitable pioneer spirit. While Matthew may be her perfect man, he doesn’t live in the century she wants to live in. Laci longs for the modern conveniences of the time period she came from, for the friends and family she left behind, and for her blossoming career. Matthew realizes that to show his love for Laci, he must let her go back to the time that she came from. Even though it will break his heart.

Will one man’s love span generations? Can love transcend the limits of time, of past and present—turning what seems impossible into something extraordinary?

Book 12 in the Connor Brothers series of small-town, clean, and wholesome romances. You’ll visit Connor’s Grove before it became a town and Minnesota before it became a state.

This book is a unique blend of historical and contemporary romance, and a story about finding love and never letting it go despite the constraints of time. A clean and wholesome take on Outlander. Fans of The Time Traveler’s Wife or the Little House on the Prairie TV series will love this poignant, powerful twelfth book in the Connor Brothers series. This novel may be read as a stand-alone.

Excerpt

Matthew 

We head towards the creek where I found her. When we get there, she turns in the saddle, puts her  hand to my cheek, and gazes at me with love in her eyes. Something takes over and I close the space left  between us, pressing my mouth to hers. 

It’s a kiss that promises the beginning of forever. It takes my breath away. I’ve dreamed  about kissing her for weeks—wondering if her lips are as soft as they look. They are. Her fingers thread through the hair at my nape and my arms wrap around her, drawing her even  closer. She kisses me with a passion that she’s been hiding below the surface. I meet her passion with  my full heart—our embrace leaves absolutely no doubt about how we feel about each other. This is my  last chance to show her how much that I love her, and I don’t waste the opportunity. The wind swirling violently around us makes the kiss even more reckless and desperate. It’s as if the  wind feels my heart shattering into a million pieces. 

After an eternity, she pulls back with a stunned look on her face. “Wow,” she murmurs as we gaze  at each other, my arms still embracing her small body, never wanting to let go. “I wish you would have  kissed me sooner.” Her voice wobbles and a lone tear tracks down her cheek. I wipe it off with my  thumb.  

Would she have stayed if I kissed her sooner and let her know how I feel about her? I shake those  thoughts from my head. Laci belongs in the twenty-first century, and no matter how much I love her,  she won’t be happy here. 

Another clap of lightning makes us realize that if she’s going to do this, she needs to do it now. “You  need to get to the spot where I found you!” The urgency in my voice is evident, but she rubs my cheek  one last time as if she’s memorizing my face. 

I help her dismount near the place where I first saw her. When her feet hit the ground, she turns  and looks up at me. “I love you!” she shouts. Her voice cracks and her lips tremble, raindrops roll down  her face in a torrent and she tosses the wet hair out of her eyes. “Please come with me, Matthew,” she  pleads, her voice rising with emotion. 

The wind howls and thunder reverberates around us. Rain pelts my skin as if it wants to inflict  pain—mimicking the pain I’m going to feel when Laci’s gone. I yell to be heard over the roar, “I can’t go,  Laci. My place is here.” 

She closes her eyes tightly for a few seconds and nods, then takes a few steps away from Sarge and  me. My heart aches as I watch her—a tiny figure standing all alone in the vast field, just like when I  found her. Laci’s long brown hair swirls around her, and tears stream down her face. She looks beautiful  and fierce—a look of determination lights her eyes. My pioneer woman. 

A flash of lightning splits the sky. Sarge whinnies and takes a few nervous steps sideways. “Whoa,  whoa,” I say as I pat his neck, calming him down. 

Laci is still standing in the field, that bolt of lightning not striking close enough yet to do any  damage. She pulls something out of her pocket and tosses it to me. I lean over, stretching my arm out,  and barely catch it between my fingertips. 

“That’s something to always remember me by,” she shouts. I turn over the delicate locket in my  work-roughened hand, then tuck it into my pocket. 

“I’ll never forget you, Laci. Just like your song—I’ll love you forever.” 

Laci puts her hand over her heart. “I’ll love you forever too.” 

“Sing me your song, one more time.” A powerful urgency to listen to her beautiful voice and that  haunting song one last time hits me. The need to hear her sing is as strong as the need to breathe. Though the winds still whirl furiously around us, the sound seems to dampen, as if even the storm  itself wants to hear her song.

Laci locks her eyes with mine, biting her lip, then starts singing. The words come out wobbly at first,  but her voice gains strength as she lifts her voice above the storm and belts out the chorus. “Take me to  Forever, With you . . .”  

The touching words of the refrain nearly get obliterated as thunder roars full force around us, I feel  its vibration shake the ground. Suddenly, a bright flash overtakes my vision, accompanied by a deafening  crack! I’m momentarily blinded and Sarge shifts nervously under me. I hold tightly to the reins so he  doesn’t bolt.  

When my eyes adjust and I can make out the field again, Laci’s gone. . .

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About the Author

Leah Busboom wanted to become an author since the day she learned how to read! She specializes in the romance genre because she loves a great story with a happy ending. Her books are known for their heart warming stories, intriguing characters and hilarious real life situations that make you want to laugh out loud.

Leah currently lives in Colorado with her wonderful husband, her "Blue Bomber" bicycle and a hundred bunny rabbits that roam free in the neighborhood.

Leah has published several full length romance novel series: Chance on Love series (3 books) and Unlikely Catches series (3 books), which also includes her two holiday novellas - Unwrapping Sam's Heart and Melting Nick's Heart. She just published The Connor Brother series - a new Clean & Wholesome small town romance series. Books 1-12 are now available.

Connect:

https://authorleahbusboom.com/

https://www.facebook.com/LJBusboom

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/17040034.Leah_Busboom

Spotlight: Love on the Line 2 by Kirsten Fullmer

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(Women at Work, #2)
Publication date: February 4th 2022
Genres: Coming of Age, New Adult, Romance, Young Adult

Synopsis:

In part two of this extraordinary love story set in the hot, humid, summer of the wide-open mid-west, egos and emotions collide. Andy and Rooster find their romance in peril when job-related stress, injuries, and extraordinary weather conditions interfere with their relationship, both at work and at home.

Andrea has come to understand working outdoors in inhospitable climates and is thriving in her role as assistant bending engineer. She and Rooster have moved in together and are starting a new job. Although exhausted, Andy is glad to be working with Grandpa Buck again, even though it limits her time with Rooster. She’s missed the other hands too, and she is very curious about the new coating foreman; an intelligent, confident, and independent young woman. So is her friend, Nick. Andy also finds herself befriending a neighbor at the RV park, the wife of a welder on the line. Seeing a girl her age as a mother has Andy wondering about her own future. Could she manage to pipeline and be wife and mother too?

As always, pipeline construction is interrupted by delays, fraught with fatigue, and contingent on the weather. Caught up in a world of egos, Andrea and Rooster struggle to maintain their workload while finding time for each other after hours. When a serious on-the-job accident tips the scale of leadership, Andy and Rooster are thrown into conflicting positions. If stress at work, little time for love, and their reputations in danger wasn’t enough, Andy’s parents show up to complicate things further. Rooster is determined to prove himself capable of his new position, and Andrea isn’t about to let Buck down; will their fledgling romance pay the price? The couple has their horns locked in battle and they can’t let go, but they need each other, especially now. Both will have to make sacrifices and take a chance on ruining their credibility in order to stay together.

Excerpt

Rooster forked a pork chop onto his plate and dug in, cutting off a big bite. He popped it in his mouth and watched Andy as he chewed. 

She tried not to squirm, but he could see her discomfort. One of his brows quirked up. 

Andy dished a helping of salad onto her plate, careful not to look up at him. 

He cut another bite off his chop. Silence filled the room, tense and palpable, like the room was too small. Reaching for his glass, he caught her sneaking a peak at him. 

After several gulps of water, he settled his glass back on the table, took his fork in one hand and his knife in the other, and waited. She was only demure when she knew she was in the wrong.

When she realized he wasn’t eating, her eyes met his. “What’s wrong?” she asked innocently. “Is the pork okay?”

“Why do you want to go to some gas station on the only night we don’t have to go to sleep at eight o-clock? You usually want to…” He intentionally let the sentence drop and waggled his eyebrows to make her blush. She was so cute when she was timid. 

“We won’t need to stay late,” she backpedaled, “I was talking to Nick about it and—”

“Oh, here we go,” he interrupted. “This is about Nick isn’t it?”

She put her fork on the table. “What’s your problem with Nick?”

He shook his head. “You told him you’d invite that new coating girl, didn’t you?” He wasn’t asking, it was a statement. 

Andy’s chin came up. “She happens to be the coating foreman.”

“Whatever,” he snorted, and went back to cutting his meat.

Andy grinned wickedly. “She could demand that you all address her as foreperson, you know.”

Rooster snorted at her dilutional comment.

Andy pursed her lips, knowing full well that the pipeline was still in the 1950s when it came to women’s rights. But she adjusted her train of thought and continued. “Why do you think this has anything to do with me talking to Nick?”

His chewing stopped and he gave her an oh please, look.

She cleared her throat and looked away, poking a bite of salad onto her fork. “Okay, her name may have come up.”

Rooster took another long drink of water.

“Would it kill us to be social?” Andy retorted. “We never go anywhere but work.”

 “We work eighty hours a week!”

“That’s beside the point,” she huffed, sticking the forkful of salad in her mouth.

“Is it?”

She chewed and swallowed. “You just don’t want to bother,” she said with a flounce.

“This is overcooked,” he muttered, sawing away at his pork chop. It was dry and chewy, he’d done a poor job of it. 

Dinner continued in silence with both parties casting glances at the other, but neither one spoke. When they finished eating, they stood and carried their dishes to the sink. Rooster ran hot, soapy water as Andy scraped their scraps into the trash and returned to the table for the rest of the dishes. 

Silence reigned, leaving only the sound of plates clinking and water running as Rooster washed and rinsed the dishes, and Andy dried. When the dishes were washed, he drained the water and watched as Andy put the last plate in the specially designed drawer. When she turned back to him, he took up the end of her dishtowel, pulling her to him. His hands circled her waist. “If you’d like me to take you out Saturday night, just say so.” 

Andy didn’t meet his eye. 

But Rooster knew her well, and still very much enjoyed her attitudes. He tilted her head up with an index finger under her chin. “You’re something else, you know that?”

Losing all track of thought, Andy fell under his spell. Her pupils dilated and her lips parted. She didn’t need to say anything, he knew he had her. 

Leaning down, he teased kisses along her jaw, causing a moan to slip from her lips. Her arms came up to circle his neck and his kisses wandered to her cheek, then her mouth. 

Eagerly, she kissed him back, deepening both the kiss and his desire. He scooped her up and carried her toward the bedroom. 

Andy leaned into his shoulder, filled with anticipation. She nibbled at his neck, ran her fingers through his hair, and a dreamy smile settled over her face.

He placed her on the bed, certain that somewhere in that woman’s brain of hers, she was already wondering what she’d wear on their Saturday night date to the gas station.  

Buy on Amazon Kindle | Paperback

About the Author

Kirsten is a dreamer with an eye for art and design. She worked in the engineering field, taught college, and consulted free lance. Due to health problems, she retired in 2012 to travel with her husband. They live and work full time in a 40' travel trailer with their little dog Bingo. Besides writing romance novels, she enjoys selling art on Etsy and spoiling their three grandchildren.

As a writer, Kirsten's goal is to create strong female characters who face challenging, painful, and sometimes comical situations. She believes that the best way to deal with struggle, is through friendship and women helping women. She knows good stories are based on interesting and relatable characters.

Author links:
https://kirstenfullmer.com/
https://www.instagram.com/AuthorKirstenFullmer/
https://twitter.com/AuthorKFullmer
https://www.facebook.com/AuthorKFullmer/
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7922460.Kirsten_Fullmer

Spotlight: Fall For Me by J.H. Croix

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Release Date: February 22

A swoon-worthy firefighter romance from USA Today Bestselling Author J.H. Croix!

Problem: My ex is marrying my ex-bestie.
Plan A: Burn the church down?
Plan B: Fake marry my friend.

I haven’t seen Archer since fifth grade. When he shows up in our small hometown and offers to marry me, I don’t ask many questions. I get to salvage my shredded pride and do him a favor.

I only need one thing from him—sell the deal when my ex comes back to town to marry my ex-bestie. Now I’m fake-married to a totally hot guy who needs a wife for *reasons*.

I’m way too cynical to fall for anyone, but Archer’s hard to resist. He keeps telling me we’re just faking it, but trust me when I tell you, there are some things we are not faking.

This was never supposed to be real. Until he whispers, fall for me.

Archer & Phoebe’s story is perfect for readers who love: Marriage of convenience, friends to lovers, slow burn, broody secret billionaire, small town gossip, emotional romance with a dash of angst, plenty of steam and swoon, and a hero with a protective streak a mile wide.

Buy on Amazon

Meet J.H. Croix

USA Today Bestselling Author J. H. Croix lives in a small town in the historical farmlands of Maine with her husband and two spoiled dogs. Croix writes steamy contemporary romance with sassy women and rugged alpha men who aren't afraid to show some emotion. Her love for quirky small-towns and the characters that inhabit them shines through in her writing. Take a walk on the wild side of romance with her bestselling novels!

Connect with J.H. Croix:

Website: https://jhcroixauthor.com/

Newsletter: https://jhcroixauthor.com/subscribe/ 

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

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

Twitter: https://twitter.com/JHCroix 

Amazon Author Page: https://amzn.to/3mCNoye

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/9972333.J_H_Croix

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/j-h-croix

Reader Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/CroixCrew

Spotlight: Vibes & Feels by Sarah Skye

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(Unlikely Pairings, #2)
Publication date: February 22nd 2022
Genres: Adult, Comedy, Contemporary, Romance

Synopsis:

THE SEQUEL TO SIPS & STROKES!

Falling for your enemy never felt so good.

Marco Woodruff has hit rock bottom. He drunkenly propositioned his ex-girlfriend at his own wedding rehearsal dinner just over a year ago and ended up dumped and jobless with a broken nose. He’s been the pariah of his social circle ever since. Now, he’s trying like hell to change for the better.

Morgan Paulsen loathes Marco. He’s nothing more than the douchebag who broke her best friend Lily’s heart. He’s also the last person in the world she expects to help when she finds herself in a crisis. Her ailing grandma needs a full-time caretaker, something she can’t afford. So when Marco offers to look after Gram for free, Morgan takes it as a sign from the universe and reluctantly accepts under one condition: that they never tell anyone about their arrangement.

But Morgan quickly realizes Marco has a completely different vibe these days. The sweet guy who whips up homemade meals for her Gram and happily escorts her to bridge club definitely isn’t the douchebag she remembers. She’s falling hard for the tall, dark, and handsome hottie who kisses like a demon and rocks out to BTS and Taylor Swift. Marco is equally smitten with beautiful, badass Morgan. Never in his life has he felt so content and comfortable than with her. Never did he think he was capable of feeling so much for somebody.

Soon they’re falling hard into total bliss and blazing passion. But if they make it official, Morgan will lose her best friend forever. Can she come clean to Lily? Can Marco prove that therapy and cutting out his toxic family have really changed him? Or will being open about their love ruin everything?

Excerpt

Morgan

I’m rummaging in my bag for the valet ticket and not watching where I’m going as I approach the podium, which is why I crash into a brick wall dressed in a white dress shirt and paisley tie. We bounce off each other with a collective “oomph.” 

The broad-chested guy reaches out to steady me. He cuts off my muttered apologies with, “No, my fault, I was—” 

Nothing else follows that statement. When I blink up at him, I find him looking at me with a kind of sick horror in his eyes. I don’t think my essential oil is so potent as to be offensive. Why is he looking at me like I’m his worst nightmare? Why am I getting dread vibes?

And why does he seem so familiar?

I know him… No, no way... He’s too scruffy and raw to be—

The maître d’ clears his throat. “Can I help either of you?”

“Yes, um, well. I need my car brought around, but, um, you go first, Morgan.”

My head whips back to the guy as my suspicions confirm themselves. “Marco.”

He cringes at the way I whisper-puke his name, but the sour taste in my mouth is too much to suppress. Marco Woodruff is standing beside me. My best friend’s dickweed ex-boyfriend. Hey, creep, how’s it going?

I hurry to slide the valet ticket onto the podium. “Um, it’s a red Mini Cooper,” I say as if he needs to know this, then spin on my heel and race out the door to the front curb. Heavy footfalls behind me tell me Marco, too, has come outside to wait.

We stand side by side in total silence. 

“Where did they park them, the North Pole?” I mutter when an eternity has passed. 

He breathes out a chuckle that I don’t want to hear. It’s commiseration, and we are not people who have anything to bond over. 

I pucker my lips as headlights blaze from our left. A Mercedes glides up. I roll my eyes. “Of course.”

The valet pops out, and Marco frowns. “She was first.”

The annoyance in his voice stops the valet, who was already jogging back toward the parking lot. “Sorry, boss, your car was blocking hers in.”

We trade a look. 

“Do you need me to wait with you?” 

His voice is thin. Clothing aside, he’s nothing like I remember him. The scruffy beard is definitely new. He isn’t cocky, either. If anything, I sense deep fatigue in him. It’s in his eyes. It’s in his slumped shoulders. It’s in his whole damn aura.

But the question has only one right answer. I jut my chin out and sneer. “If I ever need a chaperon, Marco, I’ll find one who’s at least a modicum of trustworthy, thanks so much.”

He flinches like I’ve delivered the blow he’s been waiting for since we ran into each other. Maybe I have. “I expected that answer. Goodnight.”

And with that, he drops into his car and is gone. 

Buy on Amazon Kindle | Paperback

About the Author

Sarah Skye is the nom de plume of romance authors Sarah Smith and Skye McDonald. Sarah and Skye met on Twitter as fledgling authors seeking critique partners. That turned into a brilliant friendship, a joint podcast (Quick & Dirty Romance Podcast), and now a novel.

Sarah Smith (Faker; If You Never Come Back; Simmer Down) is a copywriter-turned-author who wants to make the world a lovelier place, one kissing story at a time. Her love of romance began when she was eight and she discovered her auntie's stash of romance novels. She's been hooked ever since. When she's not writing, you can find her hiking, eating chocolate, and perfecting her lumpia recipe. She lives in Bend, Oregon, with her husband and adorable cat Salem.

Skye McDonald (The Anti-Belle Series) is an author and personal development coach. Skye's Anti-Belle series feature sassy GRITS (Girls Raised In the South) learning to love themselves before they can claim their happily ever after. (Spoiler: they always do!) Her coaching method uses fitness and life skills to teach individuals to do the same. When not writing sexy books or cheering for you to live your best life, Skye can be found out on a new adventure, usually with her pup at her side.

Connect:
https://twitter.com/quickndirtyrom
https://www.instagram.com/quickndirtyromance/
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/21206854.Sarah_Skye