Synopsis

Stella Ciaramitaro spent the last year battling a disease that tried to take her life…and take her away from her four crazy, pain-in-the-butt sisters, occasionally suicidal father, and career as an Emergency Room nurse. Stella’s disease wreaked a lot of havoc, leaving her with visible and invisible scars, but she’s hanging in there. Doing just fine, actually.

Or she was until HE showed up.

Nathan Drazek is a mess and he knows it. A childhood full of mental and physical abuse, four tours in Afghanistan, and ten years policing one of the toughest beats in East Cleveland have left him aloof and nearly incapable of interpersonal relationships. But that’s okay, because Nathan isn’t interested in anything more than just getting by.

Or he wasn’t until SHE showed up.

From the moment Nathan nearly arrests Stella, sparks fly, limits are tested, and boundaries are shattered. A tenuous, tender friendship quickly evolves into something powerfully passionate they cannot wish away or control. As they grow closer, new issues arise and old hurts resurface, threatening to destroy their fragile new beginning.

With everything at stake, Nathan and Stella must ultimately decide which runs deeper: their scars or their love.

Note from the Author

Hi, everybody!  Here’s a little intro for the bonus scene you’re about to read…

I want start out by giving a *Spoiler Alert* here:

If you haven’t read All of Me yet, but plan to – please be forewarned that this bonus scene contains a few spoilers.

Now, someone I love dearly (most of the time) – ahem, my editor – was more than a little disappointed with the lack of Nathan and Stella make-up sex at the end of All of Me.  And, so, for her reading pleasure, and yours, here it is!

This scene takes place two weeks after the last chapter of All of Me, but about 4.5 months before the epilogue.  Nathan and Stella are enjoying their very hard-earned Happily Ever After, but something is missing…

Bet you can guess what it is (since I just told you a paragraph ago). 😉

Because brevity is not my strong suit, the first part of this section appeared on Scandalcious Book Reviews and the final section will appear on Ripe for Reader.  Please make sure to check them out!
~Gina

Bonus Scene

Nathan pulled her up into his arms and Stella instinctively wrapped her arms around his neck and her legs around his waist.  His hands squeezed her ass hard, wiping the grin right off her face.

When Stella tried to kiss him again, Nathan gripped her chin – halting her – and stared deep into her eyes.  “I’m not thinking about anything except getting you on that bed and getting inside of you…about fucking you harder than you’ve ever been fucked before.  It’s all I’ve thought about since the last time I fucked you and you know it, you little smart-ass tease.”

Stella stared back at him, once again getting totally lost in his soulful eyes.  “Then do it, Nathan…please…” she whispered, caressing the side of his face.  Her breath caught when he turned his head and kissed the backs of her fingers tenderly.  “Whatever’s been bothering you – can you let it go, just a little while?  For me?”  Nathan turned back to face her, his eyes stormy.  “Because I love you so much and I need you so badly?”

“I need you too, Stella.”  Nathan swallowed hard a few times.  “Shit, I need you so fucking bad…but I…”  He paused again, brows slightly furrowed and his lips pressed into a hard line.

It was his I-want-to-tell-you-something-but-I-don’t-know-how-or-physically-can’t face.  And, while normally Stella would have been all about coaxing it out of him slowly or trying to back off a little to give him some space to express it in his own time (assuming his own time was reasonably close to ASAP), she was way too revved up and desperate for him to engage in that kind of dance right now.

“Just come here and let me love you,” she breathed out before knocking his grip on her chin loose and wrapping her hand around the back of his neck.  With a good, hard yank, she pulled their mouths together – each of them groaning into the other’s when their tongues finally collided.

Stella sucked at his tongue and bit down gently before releasing it so she could suck at it again.  She moved her lips against his mouth, open-mouth kissing both of his lips and then licking at the top one and biting at the bottom one.  But she didn’t release that bite right away, slowly rearing back – his lower lip stuck between her teeth, her eyes squarely on his – until, with a guttural growl, Nathan pulled his lip free and went after hers – nipping, sucking, and licking as feverishly as Stella had done to him.

A few more steps into the bedroom landed them at the side of the bed, where Nathan slowly lowered Stella onto her back before positioning himself directly on top of her.

“Oh, shit…” Nathan bounced back up, sliding a knee beside each of her hips and straddling her.  His eyes quickly scanned her entire midsection as his hand rested against her belly.  Nathan started feeling around, looking for what, Stella could only guess.  “Did I crush the baby?”  He met her gaze, his own full of concern.  “I pressed right into her…I forgot.”  Nathan grabbed at the back of his neck, head shaking.  “And then there’s your chest…”  He blew out a hard breath.  “I can’t believe I did that, Stella.  I am so sorry.”

Stella smiled up at him.  “Nathan, sweetheart, I’m fine.  The baby is fine.  She’s in a nice, well-insulated amniotic sac.  A momentarily weight like that – hell, even a prolonged one – wouldn’t harm her in the slightest.”  She reached for him.  “Now come back here…”

Not surprisingly, he didn’t comply.

“It’s just…”  Nathan cleared his throat.  “…I’ve never had sex with a pregnant woman before.”

“Well, I should hope not!” Stella shot back, laughing.  She winked at him.  “Although with your rather extensive past, I guess it was possible there might have been a previously knocked-up woman or two in the mix.  I will say – for purely jealousy-based reasons – I’m glad there wasn’t.  I am very happy to be your first in that particular department, at least.”  Stella squeezed both of his knees.  “Now come down here so you can add ‘pregnant lady’ to your list of conquests.”

Nathan’s expression hardened.

Stella closed her eyes and exhaled a long suffering sigh, because she knew that face, too.  That was his you-are-not-taking-this-matter-seriously-enough face.

She opened her eyes and met his.  “Nathan.  What did Dr. Kent say today?”
“It’s not about that, Stella.  Or at least most of it’s not.  I…”  He swallowed hard a few times, staring down into her face.  “I’m just not sure…”  Nathan braced his hands on his thighs, head shaking.  “I…”

Stella propped herself up on her elbows.  “Nathan, honey, what is it?  I need you to tell me.  Please.  Because whatever it is has been eating you alive the past two weeks, which means it’s been ripping my heart out and shredding it into a million pieces.  So, please, just tell me.  So we can talk it out, okay?”  She extended her hand and, after a brief hesitation, Nathan took it and held it tightly.

Stella ran her thumb over his knuckles, holding his eyes.  “If we’re going to make this work, you’re going to have to trust me with your feelings,” she said softly. She pulled his hand to her lips and kissed it before pressing it to her cheek.  “I love you…no matter what.  So please tell me why you’re hurting.”

Nathan swallowed hard several times before saying, “I feel…”

“You feel…”  Stella searched his eyes.  “Worried?”

He shrugged.

“Scared?”

He shrugged.

“Angry?”

He shook his head.

Stella grinned.  “Horny?”

Nathan scoffed.  “Yeah, but I always feel that way when you’re within a fifty mile radius.”

Her smile faded.  “Sad?”

He paused.  “Yeah, that.  A little, I guess.”

“What do you feel sad about?”

Nathan shrugged again.  “It’s not so much sad, as maybe…”  He clenched his teeth so tight Stella could see muscles jumping up and down his jaw line.  Nathan cleared his throat and swallowed.  “I don’t know…”  He met Stella’s eyes.  “…guilt, I guess.  Maybe.  About…everything.”

“What, everything?”

When his only response was to continue staring into her eyes, Stella pushed harder.  “You mean about what happened when I told you I was pregnant?”

He winced.  “That…and everything else.”

“Your three month self-imposed exile?” Stella asked, lips curling.

“Yeah.  That.”  Nathan’s pained expression faded her smile.  “Especially that,” he said quietly.

Stella squeezed his hand.  “But we’ve already talked about that, honey – at the hospital and more than once since then.  I understood what was behind your behavior when you were doing it and I forgave you for it then.  And I forgive you for it now, Nathan.  You know that.  So why are you still beating yourself up about it?”

“Because I can’t stop thinking about what could have happened to you – and the baby – when I wasn’t around!”  Nathan gripped at the back of his neck again and exhaled a hard breath.  “I keep imagining all the horrible shit that could have happened, everything that could have gone wrong – just because I was too much of a fucked-up, irresponsible, stupid asshole to take care of you both like I was supposed to.”

“Nathan…”

“No, Stella.  It’s not right.  It’s not fair.”

“What isn’t fair?”

“Me having you.  The baby.  Happiness.  This.”  He shook his head.  “It’s not right.  Not after what I did.  Not after what I put you through.  I don’t deserve it.”

Stella scoffed loudly, which made Nathan’s brows drop in the most amusing of ways.  “Wanna know what I don’t think is right?  Or fair?  Me not getting laid for four months, that’s what!  That’s what I don’t deserve!”  When Nathan’s eyes widened, she nodded.  “Yeah, that’s right, you heard me!  Honestly, Nathan, I couldn’t give a shit about any of that stuff in the past.  You had deep-seated psychological reasons for reacting the way you did, you eventually found your way and apologized, and I forgave you.  What I’m getting real pissed about and what I might not be able to forgive you for is not…”  Stella air quoted.  “…fucking me harder than I’ve ever been fucked before!  Now that’s something I could really hold a grudge about!”

When Nathan just gaped at her, Stella gesticulated wildly.  “I don’t care about the shit you pulled, I don’t care about the fucking chest wound I am currently recovering from, and I sure as hell don’t care that you’re all freaked out about screwing a pregnant lady!  All I want is for you to do exactly what you told me you wanted to do – right here, right now!  Before I lose my frickin’ mind!”

 Buy The Book

You do what you have to do to survive. For eighteen-year-old Liam Newman that means living the life of a gay porn star, a job he loathes. He isn’t a star. He’s a prisoner and his warden is the man who saved him from the cold Vancouver streets.

Justin has been Liam’s next-door neighbor for two years and has had a crush on him for just as long. Oblivious to Liam’s porn career, he ‘s content to mind his own business about Liam’s turbulent relationship until the truth stumbles drunk into his apartment one night and he realizes something must be done.

When Liam’s boyfriend turned producer decides rent boys make more money than porn stars Liam’s nightmare takes a horrible turn. Justin must find a way to rescue him before it’s too late.

 AMAZON CA / AMAZON UK / BARNES & NOBLE / SMASHWORDS

He hated Tuesdays. Hated them beyond mere loathing, but he didn’t have a word for what came after loathing. Despised seemed far too civilized.

Liam stood in the bedroom with his back to the mirrored closet doors so he wouldn’t have to look at himself and ignored the brush of heavy terrycloth against his skin. That robe represented everything he hated about his life. His stomach churned with resentment that made it tempting to lock himself in the bathroom. Too bad that wouldn’t do any good.

He heard the dreaded knock at the front door on the far side of the apartment and the knot in his stomach pulled tight. There had been a time when that sound had made him want to hurl chunks. He supposed the lack of terror was an improvement of sorts.

“You ready, Babe?” Cord called from the living room.

“Yeah,” he called back, “why the hell not,” he muttered to himself.

He padded out of the room struggling to feel something besides annoyance as Cord opened the front door to welcome the man he’d be sharing a bed with for the next eight hours. He was compact and bulky with short-cropped bottle-blonde hair, and a tan he obviously hadn’t gotten from the Vancouver sun.

Liam flopped into a chair near the kitchen and pretended to be engrossed in one of Cord’s trade magazines. He saw no reason to acknowledge the rented cock of the day until absolutely necessary. Instead, he flipped pages while Cord talked about positions and emotion in a lecture he didn’t need to hear. He’d been doing this twice a week every week for years. He knew the routine. It didn’t matter that a hundred shoots a year wasn’t the industry standard. It was Cord’s standard.

He ignored Bulky Blonde as the actor stripped out of his clothes to give Cord a look at what he had to work with that afternoon. There was nothing new on that body. They all looked the same: tan, toned, and tattooed. He didn’t need to see it. He’d get a very good look over the course of the day.

He stifled a sigh he knew would sound petulant and turned another page without seeing anything on it. Cord hated it when he pouted. He could be angry and resentful as long as he did what he was told. Pouting would just get him a pep talk full of lies. Those weren’t new either.

He saw Bulky Blonde step to him out of the corner of his eye and pasted on his best smile before looking up to meet his gaze. Being difficult and aloof with the rented cocks only dragged out the torment. When they were tense, they did things wrong and the more they got wrong the more time he had to spend with them. He stood up and tossed the magazine in the chair before shaking Bulky Blonde’s hand.

“I’ve seen a few of your videos,” Bulky Blonde told him. “I like your work.”

“Thanks.”

He couldn’t say the same and he wasn’t in the mood to lie.

FACEBOOK / GOODREADS / TWITTER / WEBSITE / PINTEREST

DP Denman writes character-driven gay romance about survivors. Her stories are real and intense but always resolve in the type of ending that makes readers want to start the book all over again. She is from the Pacific Northwest and bases all of her stories in Vancouver, British Columbia, a city that is dear to her heart.

In her spare time she is a dedicated gay rights activist fighting for those who have been marginalized and abused. To that end, 25% of the royalties from every book go to support LGBT charities.

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Title: 21 Days
Series: Time for Love #2
Author: Bethany Lopez
Summary: Sasha and TJ are no strangers to enjoying sex with no strings attached, so when they decide to act on their mutual attraction, there should be no reason why they can’t apply that same philosophy to each other.

Money has never been an issue for Sasha, which made proving herself as a real estate dynamo a personal challenge she was determined to conquer. Raised in a gilded world masking neglect and disappointment, she learned not to depend on anyone, especially when it comes to love and relationships. Men are great for companionship, but she isn’t looking for anything serious.

Used to going without, TJ has worked hard to be able to support himself. When he loses his job and his home in one fell swoop, he faces relying on others for the first time in his adult life. Then Sasha steps in, offering him a place to stay until he’s back on his feet. He grudgingly agrees, but vows to be out of her guest room within 21 days.

They’ll discover that a lot can change in 21 days, especially when they decide to give the idea of “friends with benefits” a try. As each day passes, Sasha and TJ become closer than they’ve ever been. Will they be able to go back to being just friends when their days together are up, or will they allow their personal hang-ups to get in the way of what they really cherish most?

About Bethany Lopez: Award-Winning Author Bethany Lopez began self-publishing in June 2011. Since then she has published various YA and NA books. She is a lover of romance, family, and friends, and enjoys incorporating those things in what she writes. When she isn’t reading or writing, she loves spending time with her husband and children, traveling whenever possible.

Goodreads Link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/20530291-21-days

RECOMMENDED FOR AGES 18 AND UP DUE TO EXPLICIT SEXUAL SITUATIONS, STRONG LANGUAGE, AND GRAPHIC VIOLENCE

How long can you keep a secret from the one you love? How can you possibly say the words that will rip both your worlds apart?

Finally able to face her fears of abandonment, Olivia Adler begins to prepare for the next phase of her life. But Alexander Burnham is still holding on to all the secrets about Olivia’s past, trying to protect her. As days go by, Olivia is slowly starting to remember her past and Alexander realizes it’s only a matter of time until she puts all the pieces together and figures out who he is…

And who she is…

But if she remembers, her life could be in even more danger than it already is, and Alexander cannot have that happen. When shadows from Olivia’s past threaten not only her life, but also those around her, will Alexander finally put Olivia’s needs ahead of his? Will she be able to put all the pieces of her past together in order to save her own life and those that she’s close to? Can she figure out who she can trust and who is threatening her very existence? Gorgeous Chaos is the explosive conclusion to T.K. Leigh’s Beautiful Mess series.

Have you ever seen an accident? Watched it happen in slow motion and just yelled nooooooooooooo, but knew you could do nothing? That is how I started reading this book … knowing that the volcano of emotions were about to overflow and all I could do was watch. Gorgeous Chaos kept me on the edge of my seat and I honestly could not put it down. I was so desperate to find out Olivia and Alex’s fate. The twists and turns made me gasp with shock. I love how just as I was thinking about a character, blam, the character appeared and had their own closure. The conclusion of this story was amazing. It was exactly what I expected; dirty, delicious, amazing, emotional, frantic, cosmic, the stars aligned with a perfect ending. – Novel Grounds

Gorgeous Chaos is such a wild ride and great ending to this series that had me hooked from the beginning. I went in with such apprehension and nervousness. … This is a great ending to such a thrilling series. Although there is suspense, action and some disturbing scenes, T.K. Leigh also gave us those super sexy moments between Alex and Livvy. His love and devotion to her is quite evident and will make you swoon. – Sticky Reads

I am not ready to let go of these characters or this story. I feel like I need time to grieve the loss of these books now that they are over! This was the best book in this series. T.K.’s writing is eloquent, a breath of fresh air, and at times with hot sex in it! – Everything Marie

RECOMMENDED FOR READERS 18 AND UP DUE TO STRONG LANGUAGE, SEXUAL SITUATIONS, AND MILD VIOLENCE.

What happens when you lose everyone that promised they would always be there for you? How can you protect the few pieces of your shattered heart that remain?

Olivia Adler is a woman with a troubled past. After losing her parents at the young age of six and being raised by an uncle who she lost years later, she refuses to get attached to anyone, including friends. For the past decade, she has been able to remain unattached to any man, too worried about losing someone to get too close. Until Alexander Burnham walks into her life one night and changes everything. But he has issues of his own. And he’s keeping a secret that could turn her world upside-down. Will Olivia let Alexander in enough for him to get close and protect her from a force threatening her very existence, or will she push him away, scared of letting Alexander in, in order to protect her heart?

A Beautiful Mess is the first installment of a three part series sure to captivate the heart with a story of secrets, courage, and love.

RECOMMENDED FOR READERS 18 AND OVER DUE TO STRONG LANGUAGE, EXPLICIT SEXUAL SITUATIONS, AND MILD VIOLENCE.

How can you continue living when you’re living a lie? How can you convince your body to stop feeling, your soul to stop caring, and your heart to stop beating?

Haunted by her past, Olivia Adler flees Boston for a beach in Florida, leaving everyone behind, trying to shut the world out. Remaining a relative recluse in her self-imposed prison, she tries to turn everything off, wanting to feel nothing. But a new acquaintance won’t let that happen. After being away from Alexander for a month, his voice constantly ringing in her head, reminding her that her inability to confront her demons will not only destroy her, but also him, can she really be expected to want to feel again when it brings nothing but pain?

Back in Boston, everywhere he turns, Alexander Burnham is reminded of Olivia… His Olivia… He tries to dull the ache left in his heart the only way he knows how… in the bed of a beautiful woman. But Alexander isn’t about to lose his Olivia. After a clue comes to light regarding Olivia’s whereabouts, can he convince her to return to Boston with him? When a force that has laid dormant for months resurfaces, can Alexander still protect her from the unknown danger? And when Alexander comes face to face with a shadow of both his and Olivia’s past, will he be able to tell her the secret that is threatening to tear them apart?

A Tragic Wreck is the continuation of T.K. Leigh’s heart-breaking Beautiful Mess series.

After a brutal and potentially fatal assault, Mia Tandy finds herself alone and abandoned by not only her true love Nicholas—but possibly the one who truly loves her, Dr. Xavier Young.

In an attempt to help her get her life together, her brother, Peter, and a silent partner set up a small café just for Mia … something she’s always dreamt of. Possibly giving her a new lease on life.

On the other side of town, Nicholas’ father, Reynold has plans of his own, trying to uncover a long lost secret that’s about to turn, not only his own world around, but causing a rippling effect that will touch Mia and his son Nicholas.

Mia, trying to stay away from the likes of that wealthy world and the negatives that come with it, once again has it all thrown right back in her path when Nicholas returns and the secrets that have been in the past are now in full view, confronting all of them.

For both Nicholas and Mia, trying to keep away from each other is proving to be their biggest challenge yet. Once again, obstacles and social status are keeping them apart, but their love for each other is growing day by day.

Will their love be enough to get them through the torment, the lies and the challenges?

Not to stray from the common Author cliché, I loved to read as a child – I actually excelled in reading from a young age. This was definitely to my advantage. In saying that I only enjoyed reading “happily ever after stories.”

As I grew older my pleasures turned to “teen romance stories” with the obvious transition being heavy love stories and of course Jackie Collins’ novels.

Then due to relationship and work commitments my reading all but ceased until my children were at an age where I could steal and hour or two (which then became and hour or four).

A few years ago I discovered the Twilight Saga, this kept my thoroughly entertained for years as I read and re-read numerous times… Enter 50 Shades.

Whilst I was a little fearful to read this erotic tale, something tugged at my inner thoughts and I succumbed, like everyone around me falling for the likes of one Christian Grey.

I continued from that moment reading many many stories and getting involved with Indie Authors from around the globe – something then happened to me. I awoke one Saturday morning with a whole story fixed in my mind. This had happened to me a lot over the years but this story was so clear and concise and I acted on in with the inspiration of the Indie Authors.

That’s when my first novel Majestic Pearls was born – it has grown from there and is a beautifully work in progress. In the interim, I wrote my current story, a novella entitled Que Sera Sera.

When I’m not at my desk, I’m reading – beta reading, or just plain reading. As a full time mother and wife my life is very full. My other passion, other than writing and family is Music … music from yesteryear is my genre.

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