Title: Southern Attraction Series: Southern Heart Series #3
Author: Kaylee Ryan
Genre: New Adult Romance Release Date: October 24, 2017
Blurb
I had everything I ever wanted, living the dream, at least
that's what I always thought. The night we met, we had an instant attraction,
but she was with someone else. When we reunited a few months later, that pull
was still there, stronger than ever. So strong, that even though she was
hundreds of miles away, I pursued her. I told myself that I just wanted to get
to know her. Deep down I knew it was more.
I never understood the draw of living in the middle of nowhere. Born and raised
a city girl, I never had the desire to leave. Who would have thought a weekend
trip to the country would have me questioning myself? It was more than just the
country; it's him. The way he looks at me, treats me, that smooth southern
drawl.
Am I willing to give up my legacy for her?
Am I willing to give up my dream for him?
Can two souls come together by the force of Southern Attraction?
Kaylee Ryan is a New York Times and USA Today Bestselling
author. When she’s not spinning tales of happily ever after, she’s
reading or spending time with family. Born and raised an Ohio girl,
Kaylee resides in Cincinnati with her husband and their son.
Like a wolf
that’s sniffed its prey, my nostrils flare with excitement at the sight of the
open door. Finally, after all this time, she’s mine.
I rush to
the door like a rabid animal, wanting to claim her this very instant.
I can’t
wait any longer. I want her so badly; I feel like I’m about to explode with
need, so I storm through the door, ready to take her.
I kick the
door to my cage closed and march toward hers. I ignore everything else in the
room and focus solely on getting to her. I peer around the corner through the
opening. There she is.
My woman.
My Ella.
I rush to
her, not giving a shit that Syrena is yelling at me, asking what’s going on. I
want her. No, I need her.
I want to
bury myself deep inside her and hear her moans as I fill her with my seed. I
want to feel her skin on top of mine; I want to lick her crevice and taste her
sweetness on my tongue. I want it all.
But when I
approach her, she cowers in a corner, diving away when I get close.
Her eyes
are filled with fear as I stare at her for a moment, her body shivering.
But there’s
no need to be scared. I’ll take more than good care of her.
I’ll give
her every lick she’ll need, every kiss she asks for. I’ll protect her from
anything and anyone. Because she’s mine now …
My woman.
My Ella.
I reach for
her and grasp her arm. She resists, jerking free, so I take her other arm.
Again, she pulls back and gives me this look as if she doesn’t want me to touch
her. But that’s not true. I saw her looking. I saw those hungry eyes. I saw her
practically begging for my cock when she licked her lips at the sight of it.
Just as her
eyes slide down my body this very instant, taking in every inch of my length.
She gulps, visibly impressed. A smirk spreads on my lips.
I know she
likes what she sees.
She can’t
deny her own body’s desires.
So I put my
hands on her tiny waist, lift her up from the floor, and throw her over my
shoulder.
Then I turn
around and march right back into the room I came from, kicking the door to her
cage shut.
With her
fists, she pounds on my back.
Feisty. I
like that.
It makes it
much more interesting when she’s just as eager as I am. I’ll make sure she’s
opened up to me before our time is over.
I put her
down on the bed, and she immediately tries to crawl away. Towering over her, I
grasp her ankles and flip her over. That blue dress looks pretty on her … but
it’s in the way. So I lean over her and push it up with my hand until it’s
right above her waist. I can see she’s struggling, her fingers desperately
clinging to the fabric as if she’s afraid of what’s about to happen.
But the
look in her eyes … it’s different from anything I’ve ever seen before. Like she
doesn’t know what’s about to happen. Like it’s never happened to her before.
Could she
be …?
I smile at
the thought.
My seed
will be the first to lay claim to her womb.
As I hover
over her, she places her hands on my chest and face, pushing me away. I grasp
them and pin them above her head. My face is so close to hers now … I can smell
her delicious scent. With my eyes closed, I take a whiff, and they almost roll
to the back of my head. That’s how good it smells.
But when I
open my eyes again, hers are red, and water fills them again. With my thumb, I
brush away the single drop rolling down her cheek. Then I tuck her beautiful
white hair behind her ears, and I lean in to press a kiss to her lips.
It’s
agonizingly slow for me, but I know I need to be gentle with her.
For all
these years, her body went untouched, and it doesn’t know how to respond to a
man like me. Doesn’t know how to yield.
But I’ll
show her. With my body, I’ll teach her how to submit.
Author Bio
Clarissa Wild is a New York Times & USA Today
Bestselling author, best known for the dark Romance novel Mr. X. Her novels
include the Fierce Series, the Delirious Series, the Stalker Duology,
Twenty-One (21), Ultimate Sin, Viktor, Bad Teacher, RUIN, the Indecent Games
Series, and FATHER. She is an avid reader and writer of sexy stories about hot
men and feisty women. Her other loves include her furry cat friend and learning
about different cultures. In her free time she enjoys watching all sorts of
movies, reading tons of books and cooking her favorite meals.
Want to get an
email when my next book is released? Sign up here to receive 4 FREE short
stories: http://eepurl.com/FdY71
I have one chance at a new life. A college education. A
future outside of Tanglewood's dark walls. For a breathless moment it seems
like I might actually escape.
Then I get a phone call from home.
Damon Scott is my own personal dragon, the fight I've always lost, the secret
hope of my heart. And he needs my help right now. Only my mind can solve the
puzzle. Only my presence can keep him sane as the city fights against him.
Only my heart can unlock a man with such a tragic past.
This is my final gamble, with everything at stake. One last game to win a
future for both of us.
And a love strong enough to break the city apart.
THE QUEEN is the final novel in the bestselling Masterpiece duet, about a game
of lies and loyalty, of betrayal and power, and ascension to the city's throne.
I flinch, glad he can’t see me across two thousand miles. Even working in the kitchens most nights only covers my food, my textbooks. Not the tuition bill. “You’re the one who wanted him to work for you. You’re the one who made him the stake in our last game.”
“And you’re the one who lost,” he says lightly.
“Do you know where he is?”
“Of course. Like you said, he works for me. I would be a careless employer if I let my men go wandering off, gambling and racking up debt and questioning their loyalty to me.”
A shiver runs through me. “Then where is he?”
“He’s a grown-up, Penny. Like you are now. He’s responsible for himself. You only need to worry about your studies. I’m sure Algebraic Topology is taking up plenty of your focus.”
It’s one of my courses this semester. How does he know that?
“Stop playing with me.”
“Why should I?” he says with a soft laugh. “It’s so much fun.”
Frustration stings my eyes, hot and damp. I look up at the wide-open sky, willing myself not to cry. There are a million stars visible here, most of the land owned by Smith College or one of the other campuses. So much land, so much pride. There aren’t buildings climbing on top of other buildings, as if they might sink into the concrete ground if they don’t. There aren’t glass towers reaching to an endless black sky.
“I’m never coming back,” I say abruptly.
His laugh falls silent. “I know.”
“I hate it there. I hate Tanglewood and being powerless. And most of all I hate you.”
The last part is a lie, because I don’t hate him. I’m drawn to him; I’m repelled by him. It’s far too complex a relationship, an equation I’ve never been able to write. It makes me wonder if I’m lying about the other parts—if maybe some twisted part of me misses home.
If some twisted part of me misses being powerless, too.
“Ah, Penny,” he says, sounding infinitely weary. “I hate you too.”
The words shock me, but the hurt inside shocks me more. He shouldn’t be able to wound me. Three years away from home, growing up, growing strong. It should have been enough armor to protect against anything he could say to me. But the arrow sinks deep, proving that I’ll never be able to escape him.
“What did I do to you?” I ask, quiet, in a voice like I’m six years old again. Like I’m speaking to the wild boy I found by the lake, one I lured into my trailer like a wolf.
He answers the same way, a surly teenage boy, fierce and vulnerable at once. “You made me care. You made me want, when I needed to leave. You made me feel, when I would have preferred to die. You brought me back to life.”
And I condemned him to torture. That’s what happened when he sacrificed himself so that I could stay safe. Two children with so few choices. “I’m sorry,” I whisper.
“Don’t worry. I got my revenge, after all.”
My blood runs cold, almost subzero at the words. There’s only one person left in my sad little family. One person he could hurt. “Did you hurt him?”
“By giving him a job when he couldn’t hold one down? By paying him enough that his daughter could escape the city, could go to a fancy college instead of becoming a corner-store whore? Yes, I’ve been horrible to him. A monster.”
“Then why isn’t he answering his phone?”
In the pause I can picture him in a three-piece suit, reclining in one of his ridiculously expensive leather chairs. Some amber liquid in a crystal-cut glass. “Don’t come back,” he says, his voice grim. “You made it out of here. Let that be enough.”
A soft click ends the connection, leaving me bereft.
And more worried than before.
Something is happening in Tanglewood, something bad enough for my father not to call, something horrible enough that even Damon Scott has warned me away. I look up at the infinite stars, but they’re dimmer than before. The whole world muted. It wasn’t a new life that I found so far from home. It was a long dream, and now I’m painfully awake.
Skye Warren is the New York Times bestselling author of contemporary romance such as the Chicago Underground series. Her books have been featured in Jezebel, Buzzfeed, USA Today Happily Ever After, Glamour, and Elle Magazine. She makes her home in Texas with her loving family, two sweet dogs, and one evil cat.
A sweet, fun, and sexy stand-alone romance from New York Times bestselling author Aleatha Romig.
One night to remember
Is that too much to desire?
One night for fun, passion, and a chance to remember what it’s like to be a woman.
I’m not looking for love.
There’s a man in my life who loves me with all his heart. He has beautiful blue eyes, is three feet tall, and calls me mommy.
He’s my whole world and I’m his. Fate stole his daddy way too soon.
What would happen if I allowed fate another chance, just for one night?
One night to help a friend
Why did I agree to this?
Blind dates are disasters. If I weren't helping the friend of a friend, I wouldn't go.
I’m not looking for romance, love, or even a one-night stand.
After all, the man my friend knew is gone. I’m no longer the hockey star known for his "pep" on the ice and in the sack. I have a new life, and a new career—a new passion. I’m not looking for more.
When the blind date is a bust, could fate change everything?
One night doesn’t end with a kiss—it begins with one.
Be ready to laugh, cry, and fall head over heels as you meet Leatha, the lighter side of Aleatha in this new sweet and sexy stand-alone romance, ONE NIGHT.
When we finally pull apart, before I can speak or even contemplate what happened, Malcolm's blue eyes shine down on me, taking me in and reading me. His voice rumbles through the background commotion of the bar. “You taste like sweet wine and smell like perfume and desire.” Warmth fills my cheeks. “You taste like good beer.” “Good? You're a beer connoisseur?” I shrug. “Mostly, I know cheap beer.” He lifts my chin, bringing his indigo eyes into focus. The room disappears, making those blue orbs all I can see. “I'm a connoisseur,” he says as his thumb gently rubs over my bruised lips. “And you, beautiful Mandy, if you were a beer, would never be a cheap one. No, you're a rich custom craft brew. I see it in your eyes, feel it in your touch, and smell it in the air. Kissing a stranger isn't something you do, is it?” I try to move my eyes away, but Malcolm's grip of my chin is unrelenting. Meeting his gaze, I reply, “No. I won't even bore you with how long it's been since I've kissed a real man.” His eyes sparkle. “You kiss fake men?” “Boys. Well, only one actually.” “You kiss boys...” And then, as if the reality of his statement hits home, he asks, “You have a son?” My heart flutters, its speed increasing by the second. “I do, but I don't want to talk about him. Not because he isn't important for he is—he's my world—but because tonight isn't about him. It's about me.” I can't gauge Malcolm's reaction. I can only guess that he's assuming that I'm some needy woman trying to get a man to take on the responsibility of a kid who isn't his. I reach out and splay my fingers over his chest. His heart is beating to match mine. “I don't want to talk about him,” I continue, “because he'll never know about you—I'll never tell him and never introduce you. Don't worry. I'm not after a man to rescue me. I'm perfectly content with my life as a mother. I just wanted to remember what it felt like to be a woman...for just one night.” “I'm not anti-children—” I shake my head. “Stop. That doesn't matter.” It’s then that I notice the filled glasses on the table and laugh. “When did the waitress come?” Malcolm bows his head until our noses touch. He inhales deeply, his eyes closing as his hand falls to my lap. “I'd say just after you.” More heat floods my cheeks. “I-I didn't...” “Then we need to do something about that.” He looks again at the full glasses. “I think the drinks came while my tongue was busy getting to know your sweet mouth.” His hand splays over my thigh. My breathing hitches. “Malcolm?” “You said you want one night. One night doesn't end with a kiss. It begins with one.”
About the Author
Aleatha Romig is a New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today bestselling author who lives in Indiana, USA. She grew up in Mishawaka, graduated from Indiana University, and is currently living south of Indianapolis. Aleatha has raised three children with her high school sweetheart and husband of nearly thirty years. Before she became a full-time author, she worked days as a dental hygienist and spent her nights writing. Now, when she's not imagining mind-blowing twists and turns, she likes to spend her time a with her family and friends. Her other pastimes include reading and creating heroes/anti-heroes who haunt your dreams!
Aleatha released her first novel, CONSEQUENCES, in August of 2011. CONSEQUENCES became a bestselling series with five novels and two companions released from 2011 through 2015. The compelling and epic story of Anthony and Claire Rawlings has graced more than half a million e-readers. Aleatha released the first of her series TALES FROM THE DARK SIDE, INSIDIOUS, in the fall of 2014. These stand alone thrillers continue Aleatha's twisted style with an increase in heat.
In the fall of 2015, Aleatha moved head first into the world of dark romantic suspense with the release of BETRAYAL, the first of her five novel INFIDELITY series that has taken the reading world by storm. She also began her traditional publishing career with Thomas and Mercer. Her books INTO THE LIGHT and AWAY FROM THE DARK were published through this mystery/thriller publisher in 2016.
2017 brings Aleatha's first "Leatha, the lighter side of Aleatha" with PLUS ONE, a fun, sexy romantic comedy.
Aleatha is a "Published Author's Network" member of the Romance Writers of America and PEN America. She is represented by Kevan Lyon of Marsal Lyon Literary Agency.
Tia Louise is the award-winning, international bestselling author of the ONE TO HOLD and DIRTY PLAYERS series and co-author of the #4 Amazon bestseller THE LAST GUY.
From “Readers’ Choice” nominations, to USA Today “Happily Ever After” nods, to winning the 2015 “Favorite Erotica Author” and the 2014 “Lady Boner Award” (LOL!), nothing makes her happier than communicating with fans and weaving new tales into the Alexander-Knight world of stories.
A former journalist, Louise lives in the center of the USA with her lovely family and one grumpy cat. There, she dreams up stories she hopes are engaging, hot, and sexy, and that cause readers rethink common public locations...
