“You know what else I’ve heard
about a million times?” she asked, jumping up and dragging me to my feet. “Ho—”

“Ho! Ho!” the mall Santa finished
off for her as we neared the North Pole display in the middle of the mall.

“Oh, no!” I tugged on my arm,
trying to back away from her.

“C’mon! It’ll be fun,” she
insisted, refusing to let me go.

“We’re too old to go sit on Santa’s
lap,” I protested. “Even if I wanted to, which I don’t, they’re not going to
let us do it.”

“Sure they will.” Harley pointed
towards the female elf managing the line. “Kayla will make sure we get in.”

“Crap,” I muttered, recognizing one
of Harley’s friends from high school. They’d been on the cheerleading squad
together for years, which meant Harley was right—it didn’t matter that we were a good ten years older than the biggest
kid in line, they weren’t going to turn us away.

With the sympathetic gleam in Kayla’s eyes as she looked from Harley
to me, there would be no way for me to get out of this gracefully. Forcing a
smile onto my face, I made small talk until it was our turn. Harley went first,
eliciting a giggle from me when she started to sing “Santa Baby” as she settled
herself on Santa’s lap. By the time she hopped off, there was a blush staining
his cheeks and I was giggling so hard I almost couldn’t make my way up to where
he was sitting.

“It’s your turn now. No excuses.” Kayla nudged me forwards.

“Alright, I’m going,” I huffed.

“Sorry about this,” I mumbled.

“No apologies needed. Your friend there was the most entertaining
visitor I’ve had all season.”

“I’m sure she was. She’s quite the
handful.”

“You can say that again,” he
agreed, his eyes darting over to where she stood for a moment.

I peered more closely at his face
and realized the mall Santa wasn’t quite as old as I’d originally thought. And
he definitely wasn’t as soft and round as the padding made him seem, if the
bunched muscles of his thigh were any indication. I had a feeling there was a
hot guy under that suit, one who was interested in my best friend.

Interesting.
Maybe our little visit to Santa was more about her than me.

“What are you wishing for this
Christmas?”

Santa’s question drew me out of my
thoughts about him and Harley. My mind blanked for a moment. I couldn’t think
of a single thing I wanted this year. Well, except for one thing…

“My Christmas wish isn’t a what.
It’s a who,” I whispered.

Hello! My name is Fiona Davenport and I’m a smutoholic. I’ve been
reading raunchy romance novels since… well, forever and a day ago it seems.
And now I get to write sexy stories and share them with others who are like me
and enjoy their books on the steamier side. Fiona Davenport is my super-secret
alias, which is kind of awesome since I’ve always wanted one.

After We Fall by Melanie Harlow
Publication Date: November 28^th, 2016
Genre: Contemporary Romance

Synopsis:

Jack Valentini isn’t my type.

Sexy, brooding cowboys are fine in the movies, but in real life, I prefer a suit and tie. Proper manners. A close shave.

Jack might be gorgeous, but he’s also scruffy, rugged, and rude. He wants nothing to do with a “rich city girl” like me, and he isn’t afraid to say so.

But I’ve got a PR job to do for his family’s farm, so he’s stuck with me for ten days, and I’m stuck with him. His glares. His moods. His tight jeans. His muscles.

His huge, hard muscles.

Pretty soon there’s a whole different kind of tension between us, the kind that has me misbehaving in barns, trees, and pickup trucks. I’ve never done anything so out of character—but it feels too good to stop.

And the more I learn about the grieving ex-Army sergeant, the better I understand him. Losing his wife three years ago left him broken and bitter and blaming himself. He doesn’t think he deserves a second chance at happiness.

But he’s wrong.

I don’t need to be his first love. If only he’d let me be his last.

“Second chances are not given to make things right, but are given to prove that we could be even better after we fall.” —Unknown

 Check out our 4.5 smooches review HERE.

Excerpt:

“Wow,” she said, shutting the screen door behind her. “That was close. Thank you so much.”

“You’re welcome.” I crossed my arms, wishing I’d thought to grab a shirt. “Want to tell me what you were doing out there?”

Her cheeks colored. “Um, I was taking a run.”

“Up a tree?”

She laughed nervously. “No. Well, I didn’t start out in a tree. That happened later.”

I cocked my head, unable to resist giving her a hard time. Not so sure of yourself now, are you, Barbie? “Oh yeah?”

“Yes. See, I left the cottage I’m renting without using the bathroom by mistake,” she began, twisting her fingers together, “and I was planning on running a loop around the farm, but it’s bigger than I thought.”

“Ah. So you were looking for a bathroom in the woods?”

“Well, yes.” She swallowed. “Sort of. But then I heard a splash and saw you…” Her cheeks were practically purple now.

I played dumb. “Saw me what?”

“Saw you naked, OK?” she blurted, throwing her hands up. “I admit it—I saw you naked.”

I had no hangups about nudity, but I was damn serious about my privacy, and about people sneaking up on me. But her embarrassment was funny. The two times I’d seen her before, she’d been so polished and poised. It felt good to put her in her place a little. “So you climbed a tree for a better view, is that it?”

Bowing her head, she dragged the toe of one shoe across the wood planks of the porch floor. “Something like that.” Then she looked up at me. Took a breath. “I’m really sorry. I shouldn’t have done that. I was—I mean, I got—I couldn’t—” She sighed, briefly closing her eyes. “I have no excuse. Will you accept my apology?”

She was prettier without makeup, I decided. And the way she wore her hair off her face emphasized the wideness of her eyes, the angle of her cheekbones, the arch of her brows. Her lips didn’t need all that glossy crap, either. They were a perfect rosy pink, and I wondered if they’d feel as soft as they looked.

Fuck. I hadn’t kissed anyone in three years.

Clearing my throat, I took a step back. “Yeah. It’s fine.” Now get out of here.

She didn’t move. “So you’re not going to fire me?”

“I never hired you.”

“I know. But I really want this job. I think I can help, Jack. I know I can.”

“Suit yourself. I want nothing to do with it.” My name on her lips was trouble. Needing some distance from her, I started walking toward the dock to get my shoes and socks, but she followed me. God, she was a pest. It reminded me of the way Steph used to tag along after the boys when we were kids, wanting to get in our games.

“Are you going to be like this the entire time I’m here?” she asked.

“Like what?”

“Moody and uncooperative?”

“Probably.”

“Why? Do you hate me that much?”

“I don’t hate anybody. I just don’t see why we should pay some city girl who’s never set foot on a farm to advise us.” We reached the dock, and I leaned down to get my stuff.

“I’m not even asking to be paid, so piss off!” she shouted, her voice carrying on the water.

I straightened. “Oh, you’re working for free?”

“Yes!”

“Then you’re an idiot. Or so rich you don’t need the money.”

“I’m not an idiot,” she said through clenched teeth.

“So you’re rich, then.” I don’t know why I was being such an asshole. But for some reason, I did not want to let her see another side of me, or see another side to her. “I should have guessed.”

She crossed her arms. “And what’s that supposed to mean?”

“It means you look like you’ve led a charmed life. Like you’ve had everything you’ve ever wanted handed to you. Like you’ve never gotten your hands dirty.”

“So get them dirty.”

I almost fell off the dock. “What?”

“Get them dirty. Teach me about working this farm. I want to learn.”

Was she serious? The last thing I needed was to drag her ass around all day, explaining things. Or stare at her ass all day, imagining things. But one look at her defiant face and I shook my head. “Why do I feel like if I say no, you’ll just keep bothering me?”

She smiled and clasped her hands behind her back, rocking forward on her toes. “Because I will. I don’t like being told no.”

“Of course you don’t.” Jesus, she was trouble. A bad apple—smooth and shiny on the outside, spoiled rotten on the inside. But for no good reason, I found myself giving in. “Fine. Go change your clothes.”

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Purchase Links:

Amazon US: http://amzn.to/2gYNnWy
Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/2gN23sa
iBooks: http://apple.co/2g8oepo
Nook: http://bit.ly/2gvsWRW

About the Author:

Melanie Harlow likes her martinis dry, her heels high, and her history with the naughty bits left in. When she’s not writing or reading, she gets her kicks from TV series like VEEP, Game of Thrones, House of Cards, and Homeland. She occasionally runs three miles, but only so she can have more gin and steak.

Melanie is the author of the HAPPY CRAZY LOVE series, the FRENCHED series, and the sexy historical SPEAK EASY duet, set in the 1920s. She lifts her glass to romance readers and writers from her home near Detroit, MI, where she lives with her husband, two daughters, and pet rabbit.

Connect with Melanie:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorMelanieHarlow/?fref=ts
Amazon: http://amzn.to/1NPkYKs
Goodreads: http://bit.ly/1TkpDqF
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/MelanieHarlow2
Website: http://www.melanieharlow.com
Newsletter: http://www.melanieharlow.com/contact/

He’ll fight her every step of the way. She’s fighting because there is no other way to keep him alive.

Legendary FBI profiler Matteo Cassano gives the orders. He is not accustomed at all to following them. The control-freak legend of the FBI could have any woman he wants, and often had in the past. But when he meets the amazing, younger Brenna Langley, he might have finally found the woman that could change his entire life.

Brenna Langley is professional, focused, and determined to move ahead in her career with the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Having tried a few failed relationships, she had decided that romance would not be in the cards for her. That was, until Matt Cassano enters her orbit and she finds herself on a secret, covert mission to save the great man from himself.

But what happens when these two determined personalities clash and the change is more than either one of them bargained for? And when Matt’s health becomes an issue, can the fledgling relationship survive?

STANDALONE. HEA. Romantica erotica.

A mere ten minutes later, Bren found herself firmly wrapped in those arms of his, straddling his waist as he made himself quite at home on her leather sofa. Dropping another quick kiss to his waiting lips, she felt his hands slide under her blouse, his fingers finding the shallow indentation of her lower spine and stroking her sensitive skin gently.

Moaning as Matteo’s arms tightened around her waist and pulled her closer, Bren’s eyelids fluttered as she arched against his warm touch.  Biting her lip, she felt Matt’s devious lips smiling devilishly against her neck as his magic fingers skated up her toned sides, stopping only when he reached the satiny fabric barrier of her bra. “Oh, God,” she gasped as he leaned forward, dropping a slow, wet kiss to the center of her neck, her pulse pounding against his tongue. Tracing a slow, agonizing pattern up her neck and ending at her ear, Bren shivered as he slowly drew her earlobe between his lips.

Matteo grinned as he felt a shudder claim her aroused body, and he couldn’t resist pushing her just a little bit farther. “So tell me, Brenna,” he whispered sensually against her flesh, his warm breath fanning her neck and pulling another quiver from her small body.  “Are you still thinking about keeping me out of your bed tonight, love?”

Sinking her teeth into her lower lip as she shifted in the cradle of his lap, Bren’s hand fisted in Matteo’s shirt, her nails digging into the soft material as her other hand desperately tried to unfasten the infuriating buttons she just knew had to be there somewhere.  “Now, Matt,” she said breathlessly, “I think we’ve proven that this couch is more than sufficient for our needs, don’t you?”

“Which needs would we be talking about, babe?” Matteo asked on a growl as he dropped his hand back to her waist.  Trailing one blunt fingertip up her side until he cupped the warm weight of her satin-covered breast in his hand, he rubbed his lips against the thrumming pulse in her neck as he murmured, “Maybe this need right here?”

Heartbeats Buy Links

Amazon.com:  http://amzn.to/2h5PVlY

UK:  https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01N1O7ZG5

Canada: https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B01N1O7ZG5

Australia:  https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B01N1O7ZG5

Sarah O’Rourke is the alter ego of two best friends who bonded over their passion for romantic fiction and erotica. Born and raised in the southern United States, one lives near Louisville, Kentucky, while the other resides in Atlanta, Georgia.  Formerly an accountant and a chemist, they are now overworked, stay-at-home moms who adore their children, their husbands…and writing about love in every way possible.

Inspired by their dog-eared copies of Gone with the Wind and their almost warped DVDs of Steel Magnolias, they love to write wildly intense romantic/erotica stories that have multiple characters, but they focus on one couple that will ALWAYS have a happy ending…eventually!

Social Media Links

Facebook:  Author Page: http://www.facebook.com/sarah.orourke.507

Twitter:  @sarahorourke99 (http://www.twitter.com/sarahrourke99)

Website: http://www.sarahorourke.info/

Amazon Author Page:  http://www.amazon.com/author/sarahorourke

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6551798.Sarah_O_Rourke?from_search=true

 Check out our 4 smooches review HERE.

“Why’d you push me earlier?”

“It’s not important.”

But it was. She felt it in her chest. It was so important, and she needed him to say it again. She was salivating for the chance. She wanted to reassure him, and this time she felt it in her heart. She knew she wasn’t going anywhere. She wanted him to see it in her eyes, that she meant every single word.

She whispered now, “Ask me. Ask me again.”

His eyes met hers, narrowing slightly. He was looking into her, reading her.

She was letting him. There was no wall, no hesitation this time. She wanted him to know her, not just her body. All of her. A second passed. He was still searching in her. Another second. More. He waited a full thirty before asking, his voice so soft and tender, “What would you do if you found out another person cared about you? If you mattered to one more person?”

“Nothing.” She was trying to convey her feelings through her eyes. She wanted him to know so badly. “I wouldn’t run. I wouldn’t walk. I wouldn’t hide. I’d do nothing except stand and embrace it.”

His eyes darkened, an emotion passed in them, one that had her heart beating so fast again. “Yeah?” He let go of her hand, but touched the side of her face. He held her in the palm of his hand, and his thumb rubbed over her cheek. It was like he was smoothing away any lingering worries she might have. “What if I was that person?”

She leaned toward him, her eyes going from his lips back to his gaze. Both were pulling her in, making her yearn for more. “Then I’d say, I feel the same.” Her breath held in her throat. They were talking in code, but it was out now. She was telling him how she felt, and a second later, his lips were on hers.

This. She turned, wound her arms around his neck. This was everything.

 

 Check out our 5 smooches review HERE.