Mar 14

Craft by Adriana Locke Release Blitz

 

Title: Craft
Series: The Gibson Boys #2
Author: Adriana Locke
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Release Date: March 14, 2018
Blurb
They’re not quite enemies. Not really friends.
More like frustrated balls of sexual tension and neither will give in.
               
Lance Gibson drives Mariah Malarkey absolutely
crazy. He uses her office like a phone booth, takes cupcakes from the corner of
her desk like she baked them just for him. She didn’t. Maybe she knew the
history teacher happened to love peanut butter icing, but that was purely a
coincidence. All sixteen times.
Mariah has a way of getting under Lance’s skin
too. She calls him out on his crap, spoils him even if inadvertently, and
seeing the librarian in skirts drives him wild. She won’t give in. It’s for the
best, really, considering there’s no way he could lie to a woman like that and
he’s not about to tell her the truth about himself. Not in a million years.
These two don’t hate each other. They don’t
really like each other. But for this to be a friends-to-lovers story, they have
to start somewhere, right?
Note: This can be read as a standalone novel.

 

 

Purchase Links
AMAZON US / UK / CA / AU
Free in Kindle Unlimited
Also Available

 

 

AMAZON US / UK / CA / AU
Free in Kindle Unlimited
Author Bio
USA Today
Bestselling author Adriana Locke lives and breathes books. After years of
slightly obsessive relationships with the flawed bad boys created by other
authors, Adriana has created her own.
She resides
in the Midwest with her husband, sons, and two dogs. She spends a large amount
of time playing with her kids, drinking coffee, and cooking. You can find her
outside if the weather’s nice and there’s always a piece of candy in her
pocket.
For sneak peeks, giveaways, and more, please
join Adriana’s Facebook Group, Books by Adriana Locke, or her Goodreads group,
All Locked Up.

Author Links

Mar 14

Forevermore by C.C. Wood Release Blitz

Title: Forevermore

Series: Blood & Bone #3

Author: CC Wood

Genre: Paranormal Romance

Release Date: March 14

Ava Amaris is a witch with no past. Not one that she can remember anyway.

She is cursed. For lifetimes, she’s walked the earth with no knowledge of where she came from or who she once was.

Despite the loss of her memories, Ava forges a life. She has a home, a career, and friends. Yet her heart remains shielded and cold. There is no room for love within her. Her relationships are short and casual, very rarely inspiring more than mild affection.

Until she meets Macgrath, the first man to crack the stone around her heart.

Ewan Macgrath is a vampire with no future. Not without Ava by his side.
She is his mate and his chance at peace, yet she won’t accept him. He can feel the fire inside her, the passion she denies, but Ava refuses to give in to him. To trust him.

While Ava fights a war of hearts and Macgrath searches for the maker he’s never known, a battle of a different sort arises. They must join forces in order to defeat a dark and powerful witch who seems to know everything about them, including their origins and how they came to be cursed.

Soon, Ava and Macgrath discover that their destiny was created in another time and place, binding them with magic and blood.

Once the truth is revealed, it could destroy them…or it could make them whole.

* Forevermore is the conclusion of Destined by Blood (Blood & Bone, #2.5). Part 1 of this book contains Destined by Blood if you have not read it. If you have, Part 2 is the full-length conclusion.

 

Check out our 5 smooches review HERE.

 

 

AMAZON * B&N * KOBO * iBOOKS

BUY NOW

BUY NOW

Born and raised in Texas, C.C. Wood writes saucy paranormal and contemporary romances featuring strong, sassy women and the men that love them. If you ever meet C.C. in person, keep in mind that many of her characters are based on people she knows, so anything you say or do is likely to end up in a book one day.

A self-professed hermit, C.C. loves to stay home, where she reads, writes, cooks, and watches TV. She can usually be found drinking coffee or wine as she spends time with her hubby, daughter, and two beagles.

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Mar 14

Forevermore by C.C. Wood Review

5 Smooches

Synopsis

Ava Amaris is a witch with no past. Not one that she can remember anyway.

She is cursed. For lifetimes, she’s walked the earth with no knowledge of where she came from or who she once was.

Despite the loss of her memories, Ava forges a life. She has a home, a career, and friends. Yet her heart remains shielded and cold. There is no room for love within her. Her relationships are short and casual, very rarely inspiring more than mild affection.

Until she meets Macgrath, the first man to crack the stone around her heart.

Ewan Macgrath is a vampire with no future. Not without Ava by his side.
She is his mate and his chance at peace, yet she won’t accept him. He can feel the fire inside her, the passion she denies, but Ava refuses to give in to him. To trust him.

While Ava fights a war of hearts and Macgrath searches for the maker he’s never known, a battle of a different sort arises. They must join forces in order to defeat a dark and powerful witch who seems to know everything about them, including their origins and how they came to be cursed.

Soon, Ava and Macgrath discover that their destiny was created in another time and place, binding them with magic and blood.

Once the truth is revealed, it could destroy them…or it could make them whole.

* Forevermore is the conclusion of Destined by Blood (Blood & Bone, #2.5). Part 1 of this book contains Destined by Blood if you have not read it. If you have, Part 2 is the full-length conclusion.

Review

I am a big fan of C.C. Wood, especially her paranormal books. Forevermore picks up where Destined By Blood left off, no worries if you haven’t read the novella because it is included in this book. I was so into this story. Ava and Macgrath have gone from being on opposite sides to fighting together all the while attempting to deny the pull they have over one another.

I LOVED their story. It was intense and action-packed. You could feel the emotion pouring from these two the whole way through. Now can we talk about C.C. Wood’s amazing ability to craft these crazy paranormal worlds that encompass multiple generations and several different types of paranormal beings.

If you are a fan of paranormal romances than this is not one to be missed. C.C. Wood has not put out a paranormal that I have not loved. Highly recommend.

~miranda

Mar 13

Get You Some by Lani Lynn Vale Cover Reveal with Giveaway

Today we have the cover reveal for GET YOU SOME by Lani Lynn Vale! Check it out and grab your copy today!

About GET YOU SOME

You want some?
She snarls those words at him with barely concealed hostility the moment he arrives at her window to ask for her license and registration.
After a few choice words, he lets her go with not one ticket, but three.
Next time she should check the attitude at the door and realize that he’s a cop, and just doing his job.
Come get some.
Fast forward a week, and he’s still unable to think about anything else but her and her bad attitude-oh, and those sexy lips, angry eyes, and her promise to make his life hell.
Knowing he should stay away, he takes a step back and tries not to think about anything that has to do with those long legs, and that mouth that could be used for much better things than spewing venom.
Then she makes a mistake.
At an interview, she rattles off a random number to use as a reference for a job that she desperately needs, and that number just happens to be Johnny’s.
She’ll regret being so rude, and one day she’ll think twice when she decides to throw attitude toward a man like him.
Vowing to make her life hell, he decides to have a little fun.
Never get enough.
What he doesn’t expect is to fall for her.
The more Johnny learns about June, the deeper he digs his hole. Soon, he doesn’t know which way is up, and he’s just fine with that.
Over time, he learns that not everyone bothers to dig past her prickly demeanor and get to the woman that lives deeper.
When one too many citizens of Hostel, Texas tries to back her against the wall, he’s had enough.
After all, you don’t mess with what’s his.

Amazon US | Amazon UK | Amazon CA | Amazon AU

Giveaway

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Check out the rest of the series

Kinda Don’t Care

Amazon US | Amazon UK

Maybe Don’t Wanna

Amazon US | Amazon UK

 

About Lani Lynn Vale

Lani Lynn Vale is a USA Today Bestselling Author of over thirty titles. She is married with three children, two dogs, two cats, a donkey, and a couple (a couple also meaning over twenty) chickens.

When she’s not writing, you can find her curled up in her favorite chair reading.

Lani is married with three children and lives in the Great State of Texas.

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Goodreads | BookBub

Mar 11

Sex God by Katie McCoy Review

3.5 Smooches

Synopsis

Austin James: Rock star. Sex god. And my brother’s best friend.

He was always my #1 crush – and off-limits – until a college hook-up showed me he was every bit the playboy his reputation promised. Now, he’s back after a mysterious break from the spotlight, offering an exclusive profile that could make any journalist’s career.

And he picks me.

Two weeks to land the scoop of a lifetime? I’m not about to let a little unresolved sexual tension stand between me and my big break. OK, a *lot* of sexual tension. Austin knows just how to push my buttons, and despite everything, the chemistry is too hot to ignore. My reporter instincts tell me he’s hiding something… but when he puts that rockstar mouth to work, I forget everything. Except how to kiss him again.

Can I figure out Austin’s secrets – before they break my heart? And will this off-limits romance find a way to become something real?

Review

Mia has always had a crush on her brothers best friend, Austin James. But after one amazing kiss she hears him being a jerk about her with his mates and that’s the end of that. 8 years later and Austin James has succeeded in his dream of being a rock star and, after one uncomfortable run in at a work event bathroom, Mia is the journalist he picks to get the exclusive everyone is after. Will these two be able to move on from past hurts and the secrets their keeping to finally give in to the chemistry and emotion?

“I had kissed a lot of women in my life. But not one had ever lit me up the way that Mia did. Everything about her made me crazy.”

I’ve read a few of Katie McCoy’s books and enjoyed everyone and when I heard this was a rockstar romance I was even more excited, as a love a good rocker romance story! I have to say I didn’t love this as much as her other books but it was still an enjoyable read- it was a sweet, sexy and funny read with the easy writing I’ve come to enjoy from this author.

My main issue with this one was the characters- I didn’t connect with Mia and Austin as much as I wanted to but that didn’t stop me from enjoy the plot of this romantic comedy. It also didn’t mean that Mia and Austin has some hot hot hot chemistry between them!

“I’m sorry. But you’re better off without me.” He didn’t give me time to argue, he just walked away, leaving me alone in the cold night air with my heart breaking in two.”

Mia and Austin both had aspects that I really liked. Austin had this vulnerability about him that was so endearing and older Mia definitely had this strength about her which I admired. Although I couldn’t connect to them as much as I like to with characters they were both still enjoyable to read about and I definitely got behind them and wanted them to be happy together. Their history and romance was a complicated one and it isn’t a straight and easy ride for these two so they deserved their HEA!

“Just the two of us together, our eyes locked, unable to look away. The song was beautiful, but it was nothing compared to the man who was singing it.”

I loved the famous rocker and the journalist side of things- it was interesting reading their relationship grow and struggle while Mia was interviewing him. I was dreading the moment Mia’s brother, Luke, found out about them and that scene did not disappoint! There really were some intense moments between Austin and Mia and their chemistry was so good. We also had laughter, anger, sadness and drama- everything you need to enjoy a good old romance!

~Bethany

Mar 11

Two Wedding Crashers by Meghan Quinn Review Tour with Excerpt

We’re celebrating the release of TWO WEDDING CRASHERS by Meghan Quinn! One-click today!

TWO WEDDING CRASHERS (Dating by Numbers Book 2)

NA Romantic Comedy

Release: March 11, 2018

Add to Goodreads: http://bit.ly/2FgXO0i

Purchase your copy HERE!

BLURB:

I don’t know what love is anymore.

Well, that’s not entirely true, but I’m going to tell you a little secret: I’ve lost the spark.

You know the kind of spark I’m talking about?

Where butterflies take flight in your stomach from two hands innocently colliding. Or catching your breath when you first meet someone attractive. Yeah, that spark.

Except I haven’t felt that feeling in forever; there is nothing left inside of me.

Normally, this wouldn’t be a problem–but I’m a writer on a serious deadline, and my editor is breathing down my neck for a romantic, Nicholas Sparks type love story. No pressure, right?

That’s how I find myself flying across the country to crash a wedding in the name of research, dress and heels stuffed into my small suitcase.

It should be the easiest book research ever. Drinking some free champagne, basking in the love of two strangers, and tapping into my romantic side. That will be a breeze. I’m a pro. I can handle this.

Until I mistakenly end up in the wrong hotel room, naked as the day I was born, with the sexiest human I have ever met staring me down, wondering what I’m doing taking a shower in his bathroom. I don’t think calling it research will get me out of this pickle.

 

Click HERE for our 5 SMOOCHES review!

 

 

EXCERPT:

“What brings you to Key West, Beck?”

I feel like that’s a question I should have asked a while ago but with the whole naked hotel room exposure—which I have yet to tell my friends about—and the sweatshirt burial, we haven’t had a real chance to get to know each other. Not that I’m complaining all too much. What I know about Beck so far is that he’s a gentleman and likes to have a good time, even if that means torching a sweatshirt and sending it on it’s way.

There aren’t many people I know who would stand there, hand over heart, talking about the thread count of a sweatshirt while fake crying.

The corner of my lips pull up just from the image of Beck wiping “tears” from his eyes with the back of his index finger.

“Do you want the truth, or do you want a fabricated lie that will cause you to fall madly in love with me?”

Chuckling, I answer, “Both.”

“Fair enough.” Beck pushes his foot against the sand below us, sending the hammock into a relaxing swing. “Want the truth or the lie first?”

“Hmm, how about I guess which is which.”

“Ah, things are about to get exciting.” He chuckles and rubs his hands together. “Okay, reason number one.” He clears his throat. “I’m attending a wedding this coming weekend, a wedding I wasn’t invited to, but my friend begged me to attend because he wanted to bone his wife without children around. It doesn’t make sense, but hey, I’m a good friend so here I am.”

Errr, that’s eerily familiar. I swallow a little harder than expected. There is no way he’s crashing a wedding like me. That’s only something a desperate author does in order to find signs of love again.

“Okay, reason number two.”

“My sister is getting married this weekend and I’m giving her away. Our dad passed away a few years ago from a heart attack, and even though we’d been estranged for two years, she asked if I would be a part of her wedding. So here I am.”

Silently he swings us, my mind whirling with what the truth could be. Both stories were told so effortlessly, so he’s either a really good liar, or some kind of con artist. I should be scared. I should go to my hotel room right now, wishing Beck a good night, but I don’t, because I’m intrigued by this man. Behind the good looks and intelligence, there’s something beneath the surface, something dark that makes understandable the age in his weathered eyes.

Because of that, I go with option number two. It seems the most plausible, because who really crashes weddings? Only crazed women with the tendency to sit in a bush with a notepad and pen and take notes while staring at couples and listening in on their conversations.

Research and all, it comes at a high price, like spikey branches to the tush.

“Hmm, I’m going to go with reason number two.”

He nods and says, “I knew you were going to say that, but you’re pretty little self is wrong. I don’t even have a sister.”

Stunned, I prop myself up as best as I can on the loose woven thread of the hammock and stare him down. “You’re here to crash someone’s wedding?”

He winces. “Uh, yeah, kind of.”

“Unbelievable.” I shake my head in disbelief and lie back down.

“Now before you judge me and give me a lecture about RSVPing—”

“I’m not judging you.” I turn toward Beck, the hammock making the shift slightly difficult. “I’m just a little . . . surprised.”

“I don’t plan on eating any food.” He bites his bottom lip. “That’s a lie. I plan on eating a lot, but hey, I’ll bring the party to the dance floor. If anything, I’m bringing them the gift of dance, so you can’t be mad at me for that.”

“I’m not mad.” I laugh, still surprised. “I’m just trying to comprehend this.” Looking him square in the eyes, I say, “I’m here crashing a wedding as well.”

This causes Beck to sit up, his brawny chest straining the fabric of his shirt. He intently studies me, his eyes flitting back and forth until he finally asks, “You’re serious? You’re really crashing a wedding?”

I press my lips together and nod.

A sharp laugh escapes Beck as he lies down on the hammock and sends our swing into more of a frenzied movement. “I’m just going to assume, given our luck of baby puke, naked encounters—”

“I knew you saw boobs.”

“I didn’t see . . . ah hell, what’s the point? I totally saw your tits and fuck, woman, they’re hot.” I blush . . . horrendously, my face heating up along with every vein in my body. “But like I was saying, with our luck, we’re going to the same wedding.”

Clearing my throat, trying to move past the part where Beck just made my nipples harden and pop out like turkey thermometers, I lamely say, “Yeah, that would be our luck.”

“Let me guess, wedding is on Saturday at The Hemingway House.”

Cue another rush of heat to eclipse my body. “The one and only.”

He nods and lies there silently for a second before saying, “So what you’re telling me is that I have a date for the wedding Saturday night.”

Not expecting him to say that, I laugh out loud and for some reason say, “I’m wearing teal, in case you want to match and take couple pictures. You know, might as well do the whole couple thing up, right?”

This garners a deep, low, rumble of a laugh from Beck. “Thank God I packed grey pants with a white button-down. There won’t be any kind of clashing in those couple photos.”

“Nope, not even in the slightest.”

 

About the Author:

Author, wife, adoptive mother, and peanut butter lover. Will dance for laughs, won’t eat anything spicy because you asked, but will squeeze boobs in replace of a hug. Grew up in Southern California (Temecula, anyone? Anyone?) lived in New York (the armpit of NY, not the city) and now resides in Colorado with my wife, son, two dogs, three cats, and my multiple book boyfriends. Loves love, anything romantic, and will die if I ever meet Tom Hanks. Yay, books!

 

Mar 11

Two Wedding Crashers by Meghan Quinn Review

5 SMOOCHES!

SYNOPSIS:

I don’t know what love is anymore.

Well, that’s not entirely true, but I’m going to tell you a little secret: I’ve lost the spark.

You know the kind of spark I’m talking about?

Where butterflies take flight in your stomach from two hands innocently colliding. Or catching your breath when you first meet someone attractive. Yeah, that spark.

Except I haven’t felt that feeling in forever; there is nothing left inside of me.

Normally, this wouldn’t be a problem–but I’m a writer on a serious deadline, and my editor is breathing down my neck for a romantic, Nicholas Sparks type love story. No pressure, right?

That’s how I find myself flying across the country to crash a wedding in the name of research, dress and heels stuffed into my small suitcase.

It should be the easiest book research ever. Drinking some free champagne, basking in the love of two strangers, and tapping into my romantic side. That will be a breeze. I’m a pro. I can handle this.

Until I mistakenly end up in the wrong hotel room, naked as the day I was born, with the sexiest human I have ever met staring me down, wondering what I’m doing taking a shower in his bathroom. I don’t think calling it research will get me out of this pickle.

But it will make for one hell of a story….

 

REVIEW:

My heart is full and happy. Oh, how I loved this book, and this series is poised to become a favorite. I don’t think calling Meghan Quinn’s work a simple romantic comedy really does them justice. The comedy in them is plentiful, and it’s delightfully original, at times a bit slap-sticky, the kind of humor that has you bouncing in your seat, tears streaming down your face, abs tight with your hilarity. But it’s the emotion she builds into her stories that truly captivate me. Deep feelings, surprising me every single time—despite the fact that I know she’s going to sock me in the feels because this is what she does. It’s an experience that is uniquely Meghan Quinn’s, and it is for this reason, along with many others, that she is a favorite author of mine.

Readers met the hero, Beck, in the first book of this series, Three Blind Dates. Quinn pulls back his layers in Two Wedding Crashers, giving her readers a glimpse into this man’s tortured soul. He and the heroine, Rylee, are in paradise for the same reason – to crash a wedding. Turns out it’s the same wedding, and the days they spend together leading up to the wedding are nothing short of magic. But Rylee has her own tortured soul, and it’s going to take a whole lot more than a vacation fling to get her to take a leap of faith, especially given the fact that they live on opposite sides of the country. Thus begins Beck’s pursuit of Rylee, and this journey was complicated, at times painful, but also uproariously funny and so very sexy.

Meghan Quinn has done it again, or maybe she’s outdone herself once again. Either way, Two Wedding Crashers is so much more than a mere romcom, though it is definitely a fantastic one. Quinn brings the heart, the heat and the humor in this endearing and emotional love story with characters the reader can’t help but become invested in and a rich, soul-healing romance I couldn’t tear myself away from. I devoured this book, and I did not want to put it down. Five smooches from me for Two Wedding Crashers by Meghan Quinn!

~ Danielle Palumbo

 

BUY NOW:

Mar 10

Kiss Me, Sweetheart by Codi Gary Review

4.5 Smooches

Synopsis

The bridesmaids and groomsmen for hire at Sweetheart, California’s Something Borrowed have the cure for celebrity wedding headaches. But even a job that’s strictly business can lead to the 
real thing . . . 
 
RULE #2: DON’T UPSTAGE THE BRIDE AND GROOM
 
Rylie Templeton had big dreams, until she quit culinary school to take care of her father and signed on with Something Borrowed. Suddenly years have gone by and she’s still a bridesmaid-for-hire, with her idea to open a gourmet bakery on the back burner. Scoring a high-profile wedding could help turn her life around, if only she didn’t have to share the spotlight with her coworker, the insufferable—and undeniably gorgeous—Dustin Kent.

Instructed to make it work, Rylie plunges into the wedding festivities with Dustin by her side. If only she could convince him to turn his spectacular charm on someone else! But the enigmatic, reformed playboy has his own ideas about romance, and they all include Rylie. As the nuptials get closer, Rylie realizes that Dustin’s wooing is actually working, and that the two of them might make a good team in more ways than one . . .

Review

I love Codi Gary, and I REALLY love the Something Borrowed series. Kiss Me, Sweetheart is the second book in the series and much like the first it is sweet, fun, and the perfect easy read. I found myself smiling from beginning to end.

Rylie is a character from the first standalone I was curious about. She’s smart and sexy, but she has had a hard time in life. Dustin is sexy and what you picture when you think about a millionaire. But there is more to him than what everyone sees. I was hooked on these two from the start and quickly became very invested in them getting their HEA.

~miranda

Mar 09

My Every Breath by Brittney Sahin Cover Reveal and Giveaway

My Every Breath

by Brittney Sahin
Publication Date: May 7, 2018
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romantic Suspense

 

Preorder:    Amazon | iBooks | Google Play | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | Kobo CA

Businessman Cade King has fallen for the wrong woman. She’s the daughter of a hitman, and he’s the target.

After ten years of living in the shadow of the Irish mob, Gia Callaghan wants nothing more than to escape the darkness of her life. Her burning desire for answers about her past has her constantly plotting new ways to flee. When she comes face-to-face with the one man who might be able to help her, she’ll have to decide exactly how much his life is worth.

Cade King’s past is littered with questionable choices. He’s made more mistakes than he can count, but he vows to be a better man.

When he meets Gia, his structured life turns upside down, and he must decide whether he’s truly worthy of redemption. Can he protect a woman whose guard is even higher than his own, or will she end up saving him from himself?

As the tension and chemistry heat up between the two, they’ll discover that life isn’t always black and white.

A sizzling and suspenseful romance.

 

 

GIVEAWAY!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

About Brittney Sahin

Brittney Sahin began writing at an early age, with the dream to be a published author before the age of 18. Although academic pursuits (and, later, a teaching career) interrupted her aspirations, she never stopped writing-never stopped imagining.

It wasn’t until her students encouraged her to follow her dreams that Brittney said goodbye to Upstate New York in order to start a new adventure in the place she was raised: Charlotte, North Carolina. Here, she decided to take her students’ advice and begin to write again.

In 2015, she published her first novel, The Safe Bet. When she is not working on upcoming novels, she spends time with her family. She is a proud mother of two boys, and a lover of suspense novels, coffee, and the outdoors.

Website | Amazon | Bookbub | Facebook | Facebook Group | Twitter | Newsletter | Instagram

Mar 08

Two Wedding Crashers by Meghan Quinn Excerpt Reveal

Check out this fun excerpt for TWO WEDDING CRASHERS by Meghan Quinn! Don’t forget to preorder yours and add it to your TBR today!
TWO WEDDING CRASHERS (Dating by Numbers Book 2)
NA Romantic Comedy
Release: March 11, 2018
Add to Goodreads: http://bit.ly/2FgXO0i
PREORDER HERE–> hyperurl.co/gk18jz

BLURB:

I don’t know what love is anymore.

Well, that’s not entirely true, but I’m going to tell you a little secret: I’ve lost the spark.

You know the kind of spark I’m talking about?

Where butterflies take flight in your stomach from two hands innocently colliding. Or catching your breath when you first meet someone attractive. Yeah, that spark.

Except I haven’t felt that feeling in forever; there is nothing left inside of me.

Normally, this wouldn’t be a problem–but I’m a writer on a serious deadline, and my editor is breathing down my neck for a romantic, Nicholas Sparks type love story. No pressure, right?

That’s how I find myself flying across the country to crash a wedding in the name of research, dress and heels stuffed into my small suitcase.

It should be the easiest book research ever. Drinking some free champagne, basking in the love of two strangers, and tapping into my romantic side. That will be a breeze. I’m a pro. I can handle this.

Until I mistakenly end up in the wrong hotel room, naked as the day I was born, with the sexiest human I have ever met staring me down, wondering what I’m doing taking a shower in his bathroom. I don’t think calling it research will get me out of this pickle.

EXCERPT:

Crystal-blue ocean shines below me, and if I wasn’t so scared of Zoey and her repercussions for being late, I would take the time to appreciate Mother Nature. Instead I hurry into my room, flop my suitcase on my bed, unzip it, and grab my toiletries. 

Not taking a second longer, I strip down, leaving my gross airplane clothes on the floor, and practically skip to the shower where I stop mid stride.

 

In the shower stall is a black razor, with accompanying shaving cream. That’s odd. Is that courtesy of the hotel? This place is fancy, but not that fancy. Spinning on my heel, I turn toward the sink behind me and spot a white and green toothbrush, tube of toothpaste, and men’s cologne. Shit, turning toward the room, my eyes frantically roam the space, spotting a black suitcase in the corner. 

 

Shit, shit, shit. 

 

Naked, I cover my breasts with my arm and open the closet door only to come face to face with a few hung-up shirts. 

Yup . . . I’m in someone else’s fucking room. 

And whoever this room belongs to is the neatest person ever because who honestly lines up there toothbrush and toothpaste tube perfectly on the counter?

Reaching for the phone, I call down to the front desk. 

“Mr. Wilder, how can we assist you?” Oh yeah, totally not in the correct room. 

“Uh, yeah, hi, this is Rylee Ryan. I just checked in. I was given the key to room 625 and it seems to be occupied.”

“Oh dear, let me check.” There is a pause on the phone and then the lady comes on the line again. “I’m terribly sorry, Miss. Ryan. We have you in room 626. Would you like to come down here and grab a new key?”

Is she kidding? The trek it took to get over here ate up enough of my time. I can’t possibly take a shower if I have to run back to the lobby, grab a key, and run all the way back here. 

“Would you mind bringing it to room 625? I have dinner plans and have to get changed.”

“Oh, of course. I’ll send someone up with a key right away.”

“Thank you.” 

I hop around naked, eyeing my pukey clothes on the floor and the shower in the other room. Twisting my lip to the side, I try to decide what to do. I can be super quick, like really fucking quick. I just need to scrub the puke and throw on a dress, simple. Two minutes tops. The water doesn’t even have to be warm. I’ll write a polite note to Mr. Wilder—whoever that is—leave him five dollars as a kind gesture and quietly leave. No problem with that. Right?

Right.

Turning on the shower, I hop in before the water can warm up and hiss from the frosty temperature. I douse soap all over my hands and scrub my neck and body vigorously first, which normally I would wash my hair first but . . . puke. Once I’m satisfied with the amount of scrubbing, I wash my hair, condition it in a minute, do one more soap scrubbing all over my body before rinsing and turning the shower off. Two minutes. 

Just in case Mr. Wilder is sitting outside the bathroom, I peek my head out the door, towel wrapped around my body, and call out, “Hello?”

When there is no response, I check that the coast is clear then strut to my suitcase and find a simple black sundress. Not bothering to look for underwear or a bra—I really don’t need one with my perky B-cups—I lay out my dress and dry off. 

Hopefully Mr. Wilder doesn’t mind me using one of his towels or his room for that matter. He’s probably some old dude away on his golfing vacation. I hope I don’t give him a heart attack. 

I drape my towel over the bed and run my hands through my naturally wavy, black hair. This will have to do. Picking up my towel one more time, I scrunch my hair, trying to soak up all the water just as the hotel door swings open, light blaring through, a tall, dark silhouette shadowed in the doorframe.

I still, frozen from the tips of my toes to the hand scrunching a towel in my hair. 

Toned calves and legs are covered by black board shorts, slick to his thighs, a bulge prominent. Narrow waist where his board shorts ride low on his hips, a black shirt dancing across his broad chest, cinching sleeves cuffed over his biceps, and a V-neck providing a glimpse of how far his tan extends. Head cast down, eyes transfixed on his phone in front of him, he doesn’t notice the naked girl standing in the middle of his hotel room. He stuffs his keycard in his back pocket and looks up, startled. 

I scream. 

He grumbles something unintelligible as I point out the obvious. “Ahhh, my boobs are naked!” It might be a little concerning that I consider my boobs to be the only things naked at this point.

As quickly as I can, I cover my body, towel making a poor attempt to hide my girly bits. 

The man turns away, covering his eyes with his arm while muttering, “Oh shit.”

“What the hell do you think you’re doing?” I ask, struggling with my towel. I know damn well the man in front of me must be Mr. Wilder, and this is in fact his room, and I’m the one intruding, but I still feel the need to place the blame on him for walking in on me naked.

“Grabbing my sunglasses,” he says, his voice terrified but also deep and rumbly. “What the hell are you doing here?”

Still trying to cover myself, I scramble to grab my dress and back up to the bathroom. “Washing my neck,” I answer, nervously, boobs swaying with my erratic movements. 

Eyes still covered, he keeps his back toward me but straightens up. “Washing your neck? Is that code for some kind of weird Key West thing?”

I back into the bathroom and make quick attempt of putting my dress over my head and righting it so everything is covered up. Hair still damp as well as my body, I step out into the room and clear my throat, dress sticking to my damp skin. “No, it’s not code for anything. I really had to wash my neck.”

“And you chose my room to do that in, because . . .”

Bending down, I shove my dirty clothes in my bag and zip up, giving Mr. Wilder the heads-up that I’m dressed. At least he’s a gentleman . . . 

When he turns around, he eyes me up and down, his gaze curious and heated when he sees just how hard my nipples are from the cold shower . . . and the unexpected peep show.

“I didn’t choose your room to take a shower in.” I move my suitcase to the floor and pull up the handle. “The hotel gave me the key to this room by mistake, and since I had puke on my neck from the airplane—long story—I decided to take a quick shower while I waited for my room. I apologize for taking up your space, but I think we’re skipping an important detail here.” I cock my hand on my hip. “You saw me naked.”

“No, I didn’t,” he retorts rather quickly, despite the slow grin that spreads across his face. 

I’m calling bullshit. “You totally saw my boobs.”

“I really didn’t. Your scream scared the shit out of me. I didn’t have enough time to see anything before you covered up.”

Eyeing him suspiciously, I ask, “You promise you didn’t see anything?”

“Promise.”

Hmm. “Okay, because being hotel neighbors and all, that would be extremely awkward if you saw me naked.”

“Good thing I didn’t then.” He rocks back on his heels, hands in his pockets, unsure of what to do. Finally he reaches out to the desk next to him and holds up his black Ray Bans. “Just needed my sunglasses.”