Thursday, January 22, 2015

A Sad Good-bye!

Good Morning/Afternoon/Evening!

Unfortunately, due to personal reasons I will be shutting down my blog indefinitely. 

Authors, PAs, and Tour companies, if I am signed up for any tours please accept my sincerest apologies that at this time I am no longer able to fulfill my commitment. If I have received an ARC, I will absolutely do my very best to get my reviews posted as scheduled.

It saddens me but life happens and sometimes things just don't always work as planned. I've enjoyed my time within the book community. However, this is just a point in my life right now where I need to step away and focus on myself and my kids.

Thank you for your support. I wish you all the best and Happy Reading!
heart emoticon

heart emoticon Jennifer xo



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Tuesday, January 20, 2015

Release Day Blitz + Review + Excerpt: The VIP Trilogy Bundle by M. Robinson



Title: The VIP Trilogy bundle
Including: VIP, The Madam, and MVP
Author: M. Robinson
Release Date: Jan 20, 2015
Find on
Goodreads





VIP Synopsis: 

VIP: The beginning: A point in time or space where something starts.

32-year-old Sebastian Vanwell, a very successful yacht broker, always loved the design and architecture of a luxurious yacht. His only addiction was being on the water. He loved it, he thrived on it, and he needed it in his life. After a very stable, loving childhood with a few bumps, Sebastian married the love of his life: the one person who he knew would always be there. Julia was his rock, and he loved her more than life itself. 

Sebastian kept his addiction to the water under control, wanting to keep his time with his wife and son his number one obsession. That was, until he saw her.

Ysabelle Telle hit him hard, knocking the wind from his lungs. This new addiction haunted him, the one compulsion that he couldn't control no matter how hard he tried. Coming from worlds apart beautiful, dark, complicated Ysabelle didn't have the rich, protected background that Sebastian had. She had lived a life of hell, growing up in poverty and horrific living conditions with a drug-addict mother who never cared. Ysabelle now lived for one person, and one person only: herself. She was pure perfection. Her beauty, along with a flawless body, had men lined up and driveling over her- ensuring her success as a VIP.

There are too many words that describe the effects when two diverse worlds like theirs collide. They both have too much to lose to get caught in the forceful pull, which could destroy them both.

Warning sex/drugs/language. Mature readers only.


✰ Review 

I have mixed feelings about this book. The beginning really dragged on and I felt like I was reading two stories in one. I was so confused and kept wondering how and when these two characters, Sebastian and Ysabelle, were intertwined with each other. It didn’t quite pick up and all start to fall in place until 60% in. That’s when all the juicy stuff comes into play.

I liked the concept of the story and the author’s ability to create a vivid picture in your mind by the way she delivered it. The characters were well written and even though most of the time I wanted to slap Sebastian in the face for being such a stupid fuck face, I can’t deny that he was sexy.


It’s kind of hard to review this one without giving away some of the key factors.   Overall, the story line was definitely unique and has some great potential.

**ARC received in exchange for an honest review





The Madam Synopsis:

Some people need love…

I need sex, money, control, and power.

Anyone could have those four things, but only one could have VIP. Becoming Madam was never a choice for me, it was a mandated order from the most powerful woman I knew- my mother. I was born to fill her shoes, never to make mistakes, or to show weakness.

You are the product of your environment. They say the apple doesn't fall far from the tree; you learn from what you see, not from what you're told. Nature vs. Nurture. I learned from it all; what I saw, what I didn't see, what I was told, and from reading between the lines.

I was raised with the belief that the world spun ONLY because of me. I held power as far back as I can remember, saw things no one ever talks about, and witnessed illegal acts of sex, drugs, and money by the time I was eighteen.

You saw a glimpse of me in VIP, now see it from the beginning. Enter my world where anything goes; no judgments, no remorse, no guilt. You play by my rules, or you don’t play at all. There are no limits to what I can do, or to what I can show you…I will ensure my legacy by any means necessary.

My name is Lilith Veronica Stone, and I am The Madam. 


✰ Review 

Now this story was one that I could not put down. We met The Madam in VIP and you already know this lady does not take any shit. I love how M. Robinson wrote her character. The Madam was just so eloquent, sexy, and sultry and she knew what she wanted.

The sex scenes are definitely HOTT as hell and the author did an amazing job conveying the emotions in this book. I knew Lilith was going to be like solving a puzzle. She was such a mystery in VIP that I was left with so many questions, Where the hell did she come from? How the hell did she know so much about Ysabelle? How did she end up being The Madam?, all these things floated in my mind and now I’m just like whoa!


Completely not what I was expecting but so fucking good. The ruthless bitch factor definitely worked on Lilith and I thought her story was great, very well written and beautifully delivered.

**ARC received in exchange for an honest review







MVP Synopsis:

Ysabelle

I love you.

Three words that can make or break you.

I thought I needed to find myself. I thought I wasn’t happy. I thought I needed more out of life.

I didn’t.

I’m more lost now than I was when I left. I have no answers, just endless amounts of questions. It was only a matter of time until the truth came to light. I never imagined it would change my entire life and everything I thought to be true.

It was all a game.

Except I wasn’t a player.

I was a pawn.

Sebastian

The end.

Two words that have several meanings. I never thought I’d lose her. But did I ever really have her…
Or did VIP?

Can love conquer all?


✰ Review 

Ysa and Sebastian’s story continues and I still have mixed feelings. However, I will say that even though there were certain aspects of the story that had me rolling my eyes quite a bit and annoyed me; this story was filled with so much more emotion than the first book. And I love a book that makes you feel what the characters are going through and M. Robinson definitely did that in this book.

There was so much going on in this story that it kept my eyes glued to the pages and my ass firmly planted on my couch until the very end. My heart was racing and at times my blood was boiling and my iPad made it through without any scratches, dents or shattered pieces.


A great read that had me consumed from beginning to end and will definitely have you sitting on the edge of your seat. I’ll be looking forward to reading more from M. Robinson.


**ARC received in exchange for an honest review


















M. Robinson loves to read. She favors anything that has angst, romance, triangles, cheating, love, and of course sex! She has been reading since the Babysitters Club and R.L. Stein.

She was born in New Jersey but was raised in Tampa Fl. She is currently pursuing her Ph.D in psychology, with two years left.

She is married to an amazing man who she loves to pieces. They have two German Shepherd mixes and a Tabby cat.







Release Day Blitz + Chapter One Reveal + Giveaway: Hero by Night (Independence Falls #3) by Sara Jane Stone

Hero By Night

Book Three:  Independence Falls
January 20, 2015


Synopsis

He was nobody's hero until he landed in the wrong bed …
Armed with a golden retriever and a concealed weapons permit, Lena Clark is fighting for normal. She served her country, but the experience left her emotionally numb and estranged from her career-military family. Staying in Independence Falls seems like the first step to reclaiming her life until the town playboy stumbles into her bed …
Chad Summers is living his dream—helicopter logging by day and slipping between the sheets with Mrs. Right Now by night. Until his wild nights threaten his day job, leaving Chad with a choice: prove he can settle down or kiss his dream goodbye. But when he ends up in the wrong bed, the one woman in Independence Falls he can't touch offers a tempting proposition. Chad is ready and willing to give in to the primal desire to make Lena his at night—on one condition. By day, they pretend their relationship is real.
But their connection extends beyond the bedroom, threatening to turn their sham into reality if Chad can prove he's the hero Lena needs night and day … forever.


Order Hero by Night for only $2.99!!
Links to Buy:  Amazon ~ Barnes & Noble ~ iBooks ~ Google ~ Kobo

Other Books By Sara Jane Stone
SJS12-2


FullExposure (1)
Full Exposure
No touching allowed …
After serving her country, Georgia Trulane craves adventure—and sex. She's set her sights on her brother's best friend—now her boss, since she took a temporary job as his nephew's live-in nanny. Only problem? Eric refuses to touch her. That doesn't stop Georgia from seducing him. But an earth-shattering encounter leaves her fully exposed, body and soul.
Eric has a long list of reasons to steer clear of the woman he has wanted for as long as he can remember. For one, he refuses to be her next thrill ride. When he claims her, it will be for good. But the attraction is undeniable, and the more they fight it, the stronger it pulls. But will it be enough to conquer their obstacles?

Links to Buy:  Amazon ~ Barnes and Noble ~ iBooks ~ Google Play ~ Kobo


caught in the act
Caught in the Act 
Falling for his rivals' little sister could cost him everything …
For Liam Trulane, failure is not an option. He is determined to win a place in Katie Summers' life before she leaves Independence Falls for good. But first, he needs to make amends for the last time they got down and dirty.
Only problem?
His professional success hinges on striking a deal to buy Katie's family business. And after Liam's relationship with their Katie went south years ago, the Summers brothers are more enemy than friend. If both parties agree to set the past aside, they can reach an understanding. But when Katie welcomes him back into her bed, Liam risks everything to make her his.
After Liam betrayed her trust, Katie Summers will do anything to keep him from walking away with the family business. She decides to seduce him, knowing that when her brothers find out, they will back off from the deal. And she'll finally have her revenge. But when her plan spirals out of control, Katie learns that payback may come at too high a price …


SJSauthor photo


Author Bio
After several years on the other side of the publishing industry, Sara Jane Stone bid goodbye to her sales career to pursue her dream—writing romance novels. Sara Jane currently resides in Brooklyn, New York with her very supportive real-life hero, two lively young children and a lazy Burmese cat. Visit her online at www.sarajanestone.com or find her on Facebook at Sara Jane Stone.


Hero By Night
 Chapter One Revealed:
“Thirty minutes,” Lena murmured. “That has to be a record.”
Lena Clark stared at the Cascade Mountains, the postcard-perfect backdrop to the backyard barbecue on the verge of turning into a full-blown party. Hero, her golden retriever, sat at her feet by the man-made pond in Eric Moore’s yard. Although the cleared field behind the sprawling timber-framed structure, home to the owner of the largest timber operation in Oregon, could hardly be classified as a “yard.” Inside the Portland city limits, where she’d lived on and off for the past six years—more off than on, really, due to training and deployments—people had the traditional postage stamp–size grassy areas behind their homes.
But she’d escaped Portland. And landed in Independence Falls, hoping to find her way to normal. Now she was thirty minutes closer.
“I talked to half the people here,” Lena continued, her fingers brushing her dog’s golden fur. Hero’s ears perked up, his head cocked to one side in what she’d come to think of as his I’m-listening expression. A stuffed yellow duck, the doggie toy she’d bought to keep him from chewing on furniture, hung from his mouth. “I mingled without running away and hiding.”
She hadn’t shaken a single hand, and Hero had been by her side the entire time, but she wasn’t looking for major breakthroughs or big victories. At twenty-eight, she knew a war was not won overnight. It took time, bravery, and determination. She possessed all of those things. Even if she had lost more than she liked to admit on the battlefield—like the ability to let anyone get close to her.
“Hey, Lena. Are you OK?”
She turned at the sound of Katie Summers’s voice, glancing past her friend to the crowd gathered on the blue stone patio. “Fine. I just needed some space from the party.”
And a chance to talk to her dog …
OK, so maybe normal was still out of reach.
“Georgia told me that you were looking for a place to stay,” Katie said.
“Just for a night, maybe two. I’m planning to find my own apartment soon.” Along with a job and her equilibrium. “But I wanted to give Georgia and Eric some space seeing as Nate is visiting his grandmother.”
“You think they might get down and dirty on the kitchen table while the three-year-old is out of town?”
“Yes. I do.” Lena looked up the hill. Eric stood behind Georgia, his arms wrapped around her waist, holding her close against his body. Georgia held a beer in one hand, her other reaching back, brushing against Eric’s leg as if she had to touch him. The kitchen table would only be the beginning for those two—if their home was free and clear of a guest who moved in for a couple of nights, and more than a week later, still hadn’t left.
“The apartment over our barn is yours for as long as you need it,” Katie said.
“Your brothers won’t mind?” Lena slipped her hands into the hidden pockets in her long halter dress. Katie still lived with her three older brothers on their family farm. Granted, Josh, the youngest of the three, was in the hospital right now recuperating from a logging accident that had landed him in a coma. But Chad and Brody might object to Katie lending out the apartment to an almost-stranger. Lena hadn’t met Chad yet, but she knew the family was close and the brothers were protective of their little sister.
Liam Trulane, Georgia’s older brother and the man head-over-heels in love with Katie, might not like the idea either. “And you don’t need it?”
“Liam and I have other plans,” Katie said. “Far away from my brothers’ watchful eyes. There is a spare key under a rock to the left of the door. Once you’re inside, move it to the right and take the key upstairs with you. That is the in-use signal.”
“But Hero—”
Katie’s expression turned serious. “Lena, I would never ask you to leave Hero behind. He’s welcome in the apartment too.”
Lena felt a rush of relief. The thought of leaving her golden retriever outside, even for a night, sent her barreling toward panic. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome. Maybe I’ll see you tomorrow? Georgia and I were planning to take a hike. Nothing crazy. I made her promise.”
“Sure.” Lena knew all about Georgia’s need for adventure, the drive that had followed Georgia home from a war zone. And Lena understood it too. Probably more than most, even if she didn’t share the same pull. PTSD refused to follow a linear, predetermined path. Nightmares and survivor’s guilt haunted Georgia. Those symptoms were on Lena’s list, but anxiety topped the chart.
In Lena’s shattered world, every little touch triggered fear. If her ex or one of her friends wrapped an arm around her, took her hand, or pulled her into a hug, she would brace for an attack. Fear would build until panic won. And afterward, once it receded, she’d sink further into depression, cutting herself off from the world around her.
Anxiety had become her constant companion, leading her to an isolated place. Until she’d decided to do something about it, entering therapy and finding the golden retriever lying at her feet, gnawing on a stuffed dog toy.
Katie turned to head up the hill. Lena watched, wondering if she should go back to the party and try for another thirty minutes. She scanned the group of people mingling and drinking—and spotted him.
Jeans and a button-down flannel shirt hugged his body, not too tight, but enough to suggest that this man had muscles begging to be touched. He raised a hand, running it through his short, wavy brown hair. Everything about him screamed for hands-on exploration. That chiseled jaw, the light dusting of stubble as if he hadn’t shaved in a day, the way he smiled …
Lena drew a sharp breath and tried to look away. But her brain short-circuited and her eyes refused. His sex appeal flowed down the grassy slope like rushing water. And if she weren’t careful it would sweep her off her feet, and leave her fighting for air. Looking at him, she wished the road to normal led straight to orgasms.
He turned his head and their gazes met across the empty space. And she swore his warm, I-promise-you’ll-like-me-if-you-get-to-know-me grin touched his eyes.
Lena dropped her gaze to the ground, breaking the contact. He wasn’t touching her, not even close. But that smile …
She turned to face the water. It was better not to look at what she couldn’t have. And that man—he was one giant step beyond thirty minutes of small talk.
 Sometimes beauty knocked a man on his ass, leaving him damn near desperate for a taste, a touch, and hopefully a round or two between the sheets—or tied up in them. The knockout blonde with the large golden retriever at her feet took the word “beautiful” to a new level.
Chad Summers stared at her, unable to look away or dim the smile on his face. He usually masked his interest better, stopping short of looking like he was begging for it before learning a woman’s name. But this mysterious beauty had special written all over her.
She stared at him, her gaze open and wanting. For a heartbeat. Then she turned away, her back to the party as she stared out at Eric Moore’s pond.
Her hair flowed in long waves down her back. One look left him wishing he could wrap his hand around her shiny locks and pull. His gaze traveled over her back, taking in the outline of gentle curves beneath her flowing, and oh-so-feminine, floor-length dress. Chad had nothing against jeans on a woman. But he loved clothes that offered access to a woman’s legs. The thought of the beauty’s long skirt decorating her waist propelled him into motion. Chad headed in her direction, moving away from the easy, quiet conversation about God-knew-what on the patio.
He appreciated the fact that Eric Moore—who’d recently become his boss/business partner after Moore Timber bought the Summers Family Trucking business—had decided to throw a party celebrating Chad’s little brother’s return to the land of awake and alert. But the laid-back gathering lacked excitement. Music. Dancing. Something more than a small group of people he’d known most of his life—three dozen at most—drinking beers and eating burgers.
The blonde, a mysterious stranger in a sea of familiar faces, might be the spark this party needed. He was a few feet away when the dog abandoned his post at her side and cut Chad off. Either the golden retriever was protecting his owner, or the animal was in cahoots with the familiar voice calling his name.
“Chad Summers!”
The blonde turned at the sound, looking first at him, her blue eyes widening as if surprised at how close he stood, and then at her dog. From the other direction, a familiar face with short black hair—Susan maybe?—marched toward him.
Without a word, Maybe Susan stopped by his side and raised her glass. With a dog in front of him, trees to one side, and an angry woman on his other, there was no escape.
“Hi there.” He left off her name just in case he’d guessed wrong, but offered a warm, inviting smile. Most women fell for that grin, but if Maybe Susan had at one time—and seeing her up close, she looked very familiar, though he could swear he’d never slept with her—she wasn’t falling for it today.
She poured the cool beer over his head, her mouth set in a firm line. “That was for my sister. Susan Lewis? You spent the night with her six months ago and never called.”
Chad nodded, silently grateful he hadn’t addressed the pissed-off woman by her sister’s name. “My apologies, ma’am.”
“You’re a dog,” Susan’s sister announced. The animal at his feet stepped forward as if affronted by the comparison.
“For the past six months, my little sister has talked about you, saving every article about your family’s company,” the angry woman continued.
Whoa … Yes, he’d taken Susan Lewis out once and they’d ended the night back at his place, but he could have sworn they were on the same page. Hell, he’d heard her say the words, I’m not looking for anything serious, and he’d believed her. It was one freaking night. He didn’t think he needed signed documents that spelled out his intentions and hers.
“She’s practically built a shrine to you,” she added, waving her empty beer cup. “Susan was ready to plan your wedding.”
“Again, I’m sorry, but it sounds like there was a miscommunication.” Chad withdrew a bandana from his back pocket, one that had belonged to his father, and wiped his brow. “But wedding bells are not in my future. At least not anytime soon.”
The angry sister shook her head, spun on her heels, and marched off.
Chad turned to the blonde and offered a grin. She looked curious, but not ready to run for the hills. “I guess I made one helluva first impression.”
“Hmm.” She glanced down at her dog as if seeking comfort in the fact that he stood between them.
“I’m Chad Summers.” He held out his hand—the one part of his body not covered in beer.
“You’re Katie’s brother.” She glanced briefly at his extended hand, but didn’t take it.
He lowered his arm, still smiling. “Guilty.”
“Lena.” She nodded to the dog. “That’s Hero.”
“Nice to meet you both.” He looked up the hill. Country music drifted down from the house. Someone had finally added some life to the party. Couples moved to the beat on the blue stone patio, laughing and drinking under the clear Oregon night sky. In the corner, Liam Trulane tossed logs into a fire pit.
“After I dry off,” Chad said, turning back to the blonde, “how about a dance?”
“No.”
Chad waited for an excuse, expecting a lie—her dog would be lonely or she had a boyfriend. That latter one, lie or not, would send him on his way. But she didn’t say another word.
He stepped toward her, as close as the dog would allow. He was close enough to smell her floral scent. It was too faint for a perfume, most likely her soap. There was a hint of lavender and a touch of honey. As if the sight of her wasn’t enough, the smell made him want to taste her. He leaned in, a fraction of an inch, nothing more. But the next thing he knew, her dog was pushing at his legs.
“Hero is protective of my space.” Lena’s voice had a breathless quality that suggested maybe this time she wished her dog would butt out. Or maybe that was his imagination.
Chad moved back, looking at the golden retriever with renewed interest. For a breed with a reputation for being kind and friendly, this one looked as if he was debating dropping his chew toy and sinking his teeth into Chad’s leg.
“So what brings you two to Independence Falls?” he asked, keeping one eye on Hero.
“Georgia offered me a place to stay. While I get back on my feet.”
“Between jobs?” The rest of the country might be headed toward recovery, but rural Oregon was still suffering high unemployment. A lot of people around here were doing their best to “get back on their feet.”
“I guess you could say that,” she said.
She didn’t give an inch. And hell, he liked that. Rocking back on his heels, Chad pretended to think. “What did you do before? I might know someone who is looking.”
“It doesn’t matter,” she said. “I can’t go back to it.”
“Being a model is that tough?” He offered her a teasing look that he knew for a fact helped separate women from their panties.
Lena raised an eyebrow. “I wouldn’t know. And you can drop the sweet-talking act.”
“You’d prefer I talk dirty?” Chad cocked his head, studying her. There it was. A spark of interest in her blue eyes. But she hid it quickly.
“I’ve spent most of my life on army bases. I’m betting you don’t have anything I haven’t heard before.”
So the drop-dead gorgeous, not-a-model woman was a military brat? He took that tidbit and filed it away. He wanted to know more about her—where she’d grown up, where she’d worked, if she screamed during sex or maintained the calm control he was finding wildly attractive.
“I might use some of the same words,” he said. “But they would have a different effect on you.”
“You’re that good with your words?”
“Yes. And that’s not the only thing I’m good with.” He paused for a beat, expecting a laugh and hoping for a breathy sigh. Nothing. Her face was an impartial mask. “So how about that dance? I could whisper naughty things in your ear.”
“No.” The way she said that one word sounded like a reflex.
“A walk under the stars?”
“Romantic, but I can’t.” She stepped away even though he’d been careful not to move a muscle in her direction. “I wish I could.”
This time her words were not a quick dismissal. She said the word “wish” with the fervor of a kid looking up to the stars and asking for a snow day in July. Hell, if there was one thing he understood, it was wishing and hoping for things he couldn’t have.
His mother walking through the front door to the farmhouse and admitting that leaving her family had been a mistake … His dad seated beside him in a helicopter one last time …
“Can I ask you something?” Chad said.
She nodded. A strand of blond hair fell across her face and he resisted the urge to brush it away. With any other woman, he would not have thought twice about an innocent touch in a public space. But he sensed Lena had boundaries that demanded respect.
“Where did you meet Georgia?”
“In therapy.”
The words, coupled with her matter-of-fact tone, nearly knocked him on his ass. “You’re a veteran. I never would have guessed that one.”
“A little different from a model,” she said with a small smile. “I was in the army. Until eighteen months ago.”
“The job you can’t go back to,” he said, shifting his weight from one foot to the other.
She nodded, her blue eyes trained on him as if tracking his movements. Had someone hurt her? The thought of it pissed him off. Or had the time spent serving her country left her battle-scarred on the inside? Either way, he wasn’t the man to fix her problems. He’d never been drawn to wounded creatures.
Chad glanced at the dog. Whatever had happened to her, Lena already had her hero. She didn’t need him. And he didn’t want a woman in his life he couldn’t walk away from come sunrise. Or a woman he couldn’t touch …
He looked up at the patio and spotted another blonde. With her jeans and low-cut blouse, the other woman possessed the same petite build as Lena. But there was nothing striking about her. Looking at her didn’t leave him wanting to pull her hair, or hear his name on her lips, never mind learn her secrets.
“She looks like fun,” Lena said.
Busted.
He glanced at the woman who made him want to do all those things and more. “Sure you’re not?”
“I can be,” she said with a wry smile, as if this bit of information was a carefully guarded secret. “But not the kind you’re in the market for. Not tonight.”
“That’s a shame. I was looking forward to whispering dirty things in your ear.”
She pursed her lips, her eyes filled with wistful wanting. “I’m not ready for that kind of fun,” she said, her voice low, but certain. “Not yet.”
“That’s fair.” Yeah, those words made it crystal clear she wasn’t up for his no-strings-attached, down-and-dirty nights. But it didn’t keep him from hoping.
“If that changes, I’d like to know,” he added. Chad slowly backed away from the woman and her dog, offering her one last smile. “Try and have a good time tonight, Lena. This is a party.”

“I’ll take that under consideration,” she said, the golden retriever returning to her side. “Good-bye, Chad Summers.”
Hero by Night 1


Giveaway
2 Signed Copies of Full Exposure and Caught In The Act
$10 Amazon Gift Card

Excerpt Reveal: Kaleidoscope Hearts by Claire Contreras




Excerpt from Kaleidoscope Hearts by Claire Contreras.

To be release January 22nd. Find more information here: 

 “Look at me, Elle,” he says, using the deliciously low demanding voice that once made my toes curl and my eyes roll back, and I have no choice but to tilt my head to give him my attention. “Forget those lame guys you’re dating.
Let me take you out.”
            My heart, if possible, spikes further in my chest, overriding all warning of the impending chaos that’s sure to come. I try turning my attention to the poster hanging beside me, but the kissing couple makes me look back at him and the deep green eyes that are burning into mine. My stomach does a flip-flop, the way it always does when he looks at me that way and I try to take my hands back because these feelings are too scary for me to deal with right now, but he holds them tighter, bringing them up to his mouth and kissing the tip of my ring finger. Why did he pick that finger to kiss? I pull harder and he finally lets my hand drop.
            “I can’t,” I say, my voice coming out hoarse.
            A myriad of emotions flash in his eyes before they settle on determination and I’m forced to take a step back, away from his scent, away from his warmth, and into the cold closet behind me.
            “Why not?”
            I sigh, finally looking away, back down to his naked feet. “I just can’t.” He knows why not. He shouldn’t ask me that question. “What’s Vic doing, anyway?”
            His body moves into mine so quickly that I don’t have time to react to his large hands clutching my arms or his face dropping until we’re nose to nose. I just stare, wide eyed, waiting for his lips to fall over mine, but they don’t. He just looks at me, breathes on me, lets me breathe on him, and he groans. And that fucking groan travels from his body into mine and crawls into the core of me, draping over every fiber inside of me.
            “What do you want, Oliver?” I whisper against his lips. “What do you want from me? You want to kiss me? You want to fuck me? You want to come into my life like the hurricane that you are and tear down everything I’ve rebuilt and disappear just as quickly?”
            His lips brush slightly against mine, just a breath of a touch as he stands there, crowding me like he’s about to devour me. But he won’t. He never goes in for the kill. He just lures me, casts me, reels me in and pulls away. His hands drop and his face leaves mine with the same quickness and I feel a pang deep inside me that I wish wasn’t there.
            “I’m sorry,” he says quietly, shaking his head in a movement that makes his hair sway back and forth. His eyes are soft on mine now and I can almost hear his thoughts: I should have never kissed her. I should have never—
            My brows rise in surprise at the apology, though. There are so many things I can say to him, but the sudden defeated look in his eyes keeps my mouth shut. Finally, I exhale and push off the wall, standing in front of him, with enough distance between us that we can’t reach out and touch each other.
            “It’s okay just… don’t do it again. The kiss the other day was a mistake…” I stop talking and walk past him, putting my bra away and sorting through my underwear drawer like it has some sort of hidden treasure or something. This time when I feel him come up behind me, I drop my head and exhale. He really needs to stop sneaking up behind me.
            “Oli—“ I start and gasp when I feel his lips on the back of my neck, soft and warm. My heart thunders and my hands begin to shake inside the drawer so I close my eyes and focus on breathing. He drops another kiss right beside that spot. I never knew the back of my neck was so sensitive. The feeling sends a ripple of sensation down my arms and through my body.
            “It wasn’t a mistake,” he says in a husky whisper that makes my flesh break out in goose bumps. “You’ve never been a mistake. You want me to tell your brother that I want to take you out? Is that what it would take?”


Add to your TBR at: http://bit.ly/1DMjMnZ
Release Date:  January 22nd

Blurb
He was my older brother's best friend.
He was never supposed to be mine.
I thought we would get it out of our system and move on.
One of us did.
One of us left.
Now he’s back, looking at me like he wants to devour me. And all those feelings I’d turned into anger are brewing into something else, something that terrifies me.
He broke my heart last time.
This time he'll obliterate it.

This is a standalone.





About the Author


Claire Contreras graduated with her BA in Psychology from Florida International University. She lives in Miami, Florida with her husband, two little boys, and three dogs.

Her favorite past times are: daydreaming, writing, and reading.

She has been described as a random, sarcastic, crazy girl with no filter.

Life is short, and it’s more bitter than sweet, so she tries to smile as often as her face allows. She enjoys stories with happy endings, because life is full of way too many unhappy ones.








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