Title: Pride & Joie
A #MyNewLife Novel
Author: M.E. Carter
Genre: Romantic Comedy
Release Date: December 22, 2017
Blurb
Joie Stevens put all her dreams on hold the day she became a mom. As a natural caretaker, it never bothered her. But now that her son is grown, she has some new goals in sight and nothing is going to get in her way.
Except maybe an attractive football coach. Who very literally gets in her way.
As assistant football coach for the Flinton State University Vikings, Jack Pride really has nothing to complain about. He has a job he loves and friends he enjoys. Certain he had his one true love in his late wife, the last thing on his mind is dating.
Until he runs into a beautiful non-traditional student. Who he very literally runs into.
This three-part story reminds us love can be better the second time around. And that it’s not just players in the game…
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Author Bio
Mother, reader, storyteller—ME Carter never set out to write books. But when a friend practically forced a copy of Twilight into her hands, the love of the written word she had lost as a child was rekindled. With a story always rolling around in her head, it should come as no surprise that she finally started putting them on paper. She lives in Texas with her four children, Mary, Elizabeth, Carter and Bug, who sadly was born long after her pen name was created, and will probably need extensive therapy because of it.
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Title: Heart of a Cowboy
Series: Elk Heights Ranch #1
Author: Kristin Vayden
Publisher: Kensington Publishing Corp
Genre: Western Romance
Release Date: December 19, 2017
Blurb
A stubborn cowboy has sworn never to forgive or forget—but one special woman may find a way to change his mind . . .
Hospice nurse Laken Garlington helps people face the end with peace and dignity, surrounded by their loved ones. But the son of her new patient didn’t come home to reunite with his dad. So why is Cyler Myer back in horse country? It’s clear the sexy, six-three hunk with the steely eyes has a score to settle, and Laken doesn’t plan on being collateral damage . . . no matter how irresistible she finds the prodigal cowboy. Dying is too good for the father Cyler will never forgive—not in this lifetime. Showing up at his family’s Washington State ranch is the first step in his plan. But revenge takes a back seat to desire when Cyler meets a bossy beauty who arouses feelings he isn’t ready to face. As they work together to save an ailing mare, Cyler realizes he must decide where his true destiny lies. With darkness . . . or with the woman who offers the promise of redemption with every kiss. 
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Excerpt
His gaze shamelessly took in her silhouette against the evening sun, and he edged closer. Yet with each step, it wasn’t enough. Rather like a magnet, she pulled him in, and he didn’t want to fight the impulse.
Softly, he reached up and tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear, his body heating as she met his gaze, then shyly diverted her eyes. He traced his fingertips down her neck then gently grasped her shoulder, encouraging her to turn and face him fully. Anticipation flooded him. Her breath quickened, and her pink tongue darted out to caress her lower lip, enticing him. Deliberately, he leaned forward, watching as her eyes widened, but quickly she stepped out from his hold, putting several feet of distance between them.
“No. I can’t.†She wrapped her arms around her waist, hugging herself. Her eyes were bright with suppressed excitement, encouraging him.
“Why?†he asked, stepping forward.
Laken edged back. “This is the very definition of conflict of interest.†She arched a brow but grinned, her posture relaxing.
“I’m not going to take no for an answer.†He gave a small grin in return, taking a step closer.
She laughed, rolling her green eyes. “Why am I not surprised?†“Just being honest.†He shrugged.
“Thank you. I think.†She chuckled again, the sound slightly nervous. “Unless you’re not interested?†He let the question linger, closing the distance as he watched indecision, desire, and hesitancy flash across her face. “That’s beside the point—â€
“That is the only point,†he interrupted.
“I...I could lose my job.†She spoke quietly.
“Are you on the clock right now?†Cyler reached up, tracing the line from her ear along her jaw, pausing at her full lips.
“It’s complicated. But in short, no.†she murmured, her expression softening.
“Good.†Without giving her a chance to protest, he closed the final distance between them and sealed her lips with his.
At first contact, he realized the danger he’d just invited. It wasn’t just a kiss; rather, each nerve had come alive, demanding more. Angling his head slightly, he was able to capture more of her kiss, deepening the exchange as his tongue ran along the seam of her lips, begging for entrance. He could feel her hesitation melt as she leaned into him, her lips caressing his, inviting, intoxicating him with each touch.
As she opened her mouth, her arms tentatively grasped his forearms before sliding up to his shoulders then pulling him in tight. Cyler’s already- burning body smoldered deeper, demanding more than just a kiss. Yet he held himself in check, in spite of the pounding blood that seemed to overtake every other sense.
His hand slid up her back, mapping the delicate curve of her waist. Her tongue met his, stealing every other rational thought as he accepted her invitation and tasted the full flavor that was Laken. Her fingers slid up from his shoulders, threading through his hair and tugging, causing his heart to pound harder, his body to grow even harder as he pressed into her soft curves. He breathed in her soft gasp as he bit on her lower lip, pulling her in, leading her. He mated with her lips, fusing his with hers, searing his brand with each brush of his lips, each caress of his hand across her waist.
Abruptly she pulled away, her green eyes wild as they blinked up at him, staring deep into his soul. Naked in his eyes—yet fully clothed—she studied him, and the kiss had him off guard just enough that all the careful walls he’d constructed were still lowered.
Damn it all.
“So...that just happened,†she whispered, a hand reaching up to touch her pink lips. “Whoa.†She swallowed, his eyes capturing each minute movement, each tiny shift of her gaze.
Then she smiled.
“To be fair, I did warn you I wasn’t taking no for an answer.†He relaxed slightly, feeling less exposed and vulnerable.
“You did.†Her gaze flickered to the ground as her lips tipped into a lopsided grin.
“And I’ll be straight with you. I’m going to kiss you again.â€
Her gaze shot back to his, widening slightly. “So, you’re saying I don’t get a choice?†She flirted.
He chuckled. “I’m saying you don’t really want one.â€
She rolled her eyes. “A little sure of yourself, aren’t you?†She tucked her hands into her back pockets, regarding him.
He took a small step forward, leaning in to her before whispering, “You kissed me back.â€
Her pert nose scrunched up. “Caught that, did you?â€
“Yup. Pretty much.†He laughed softly, reaching out and tugging on her elbow, and she willingly released her hand from her back pocket.
“Fair warning?†she asked as he leaned in.
“Fair warning,†he murmured before taking her lips once more, astounded at how her warmth captivated him, and how his blood went to an immediate boil.
He’d expected her to moderate the kiss, and he’d been fully prepared to tease her, to test the waters to see how far she’d let him push, but what he hadn’t been prepared for was her response.
Rather than play hard to get, she returned the kiss with full force, biting his lower lip and fanning the already-burning flames. Her hands mapped his back, kneading, tracing, driving him crazy with each touch, reminding him that he could—should—be closer. He groaned as she tugged on his button-up shirt, sliding her hand up his chest, skin on skin.
He breathed in her sigh as he splayed his hands across her hips, pulling her closer then rocking her against him. He was taken by surprise when she kissed then bit him gently on the neck before quickly disentangling herself from his grasp and walking away.
Confused, he turned to watch as she glanced over her shoulder, giving him a teasing grin. “Fair warning.â€
Cyler’s face broke into a wide smile, one that caused his cheeks to ache with an unfamiliar yet welcome pain as he watched her hike back up the hill. “Are you just going to stand there and stare, or are you going to hurry up? Daylight’s burning.†She taunted as she continued her trek toward the truck. Cyler rubbed the back of his neck with his hand, shaking his head, and grinning. “Is that how it’s going to be?â€
“Are you complaining?†Laken turned, taking a few steps backward on a flatter portion of the hike.
“No, ma’am,†Cyler replied, starting toward her.
“Good.†She giggled and finished the hike with him not far behind. When Cyler reached Laken, he grasped her hand in his and kept it tight the whole way back to the ranch. The sunset’s glow made her face appear even more flushed, and he couldn’t help the smug satisfaction that he’d done that to her. It had been a long time since he’d felt that way, since he’d even wanted a woman to wear his kiss. It was disconcerting, yet electrifying all at once, but as much as he wanted to ride the wave of excitement, he felt the familiar suspicion creep in, the kind that made him question if this were truly real.
Because heaven only knew how he’d been fooled before.
Cyler glanced over to Laken, meeting her gaze and smiling before he back to gazing out the window.
The past was the past. This was a chance for a new future. Let that serve as fair warning...to his heart.
Author Bio
Kristin's inspiration for the romance she writes comes from her tall, dark and handsome husband with killer blue eyes. With five children to chase, she is never at a loss for someone to kiss, something to cook or some mess to clean but she loves every moment of it! Life is full—of blessings and adventure! Needless to say she’s a big fan of coffee and wine…and living in Washington she’s within walking distance of both!
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  New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Harper Sloan returns with a passionate and breathless romance about the sparks that ignite when a cautious cowboy and a once-scorned woman open up to each other in the third installment of the Coming Home series. As the eldest Davis, Clayton has always tried to lead by example. He takes his job as head of the family businesses seriously, making sure the farm and auto shop are running smoothly—along with keeping an eye on his brother and sister. For him, there’s a time and place to let go of the control he holds with an iron grip. And with the way he grew up, coupled with a disastrous end to his last relationship, he’s just fine with his quiet, solitary life. Most of the time. What he hadn't counted on was the cute, quirky, shy bookstore owner, Caroline Michaels. She's the proverbial woman next door—well, the next town over, that is. Caroline hasn't lived an easy life, but after escaping a verbally abusive ex, she's finally living it for herself. The last thing she ever expected was a one-night stand with Clay Davis she can’t stop thinking about. So when she falls on hard times and Clay comes out of nowhere to her rescue, she realizes just how impossible it’ll be to stay away from him. Now all she has to do is convince him to live a little…. Will Clay be able to give up the reins and finally settle down? And, more importantly, will Caroline muster enough courage to lasso him up?
Amazon US | Paperback | Amazon UK | Amazon AU | Amazon CA | BN | Kobo | iBooks   Harper is a NEW YORK TIMES, WALL STREET JOURNAL and USA TODAY bestselling author residing in Georgia with her husband and three daughters. She has a borderline unhealthy obsession with books, hibachi, tattoos and Game of Thrones. When she isn't writing you can almost always find her with a book in hand. Facebook | Website | Twitter | Instagram | Pinterest | Goodreads | Amazon Author Page
Title: Block Party
Series: Twin Estates #3
Author: Stylo Fantôme
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Release Date: December 19, 2017
Blurb
Things you need for a good Block Party:
1. Awesome food
2. Great Music
3. Fun games
4. A secret spot to hook up with your even-more-secret girlfriend.
Liam Edenhoff is a simple creature. He likes women, tacos, and sex. As long as he has those in his life, everything is good. He's finally realizing maybe he's just not cut out for relationships - surely there's got to be a woman out there who'd be okay with roof top margaritas, casual sex, and no attachments. Enter a new neighbor - one who is allergic to commitment and prefers her sex casual but frequent. She's seen him at his worst and is still willing to play his games, on three conditions - discretion is a must, casual is key, and absolutely no drama. Sounds like the perfect arrangement. What could go wrong? Famous last words when dealing with neighbors. This story contains scenes of a graphic sexual nature, multiple uses of coarse language, and more tacos than is healthy or sane to read about. Reader discretion is advised. This is the third installment in the Twin Estates series 
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Crazy woman from a remote location in Alaska (where the need for a creative mind is a necessity!), I have been writing since ... forever? Yeah, that sounds about right. I have been told that I remind people of Lucille Ball - I also see shades of Jennifer Saunders, and Denis Leary. So basically, I laugh a lot, I'm clumsy a lot, and I say the F-word A LOT.
I like dogs more than I like most people, and I don't trust anyone who doesn't drink. No, I do not live in an igloo, and no, the sun does not set for six months out of the year, there's your Alaska lesson for the day. I have mermaid hair - both a curse and a blessing - and most of the time I talk so fast, even I can't understand me.
Yeah. I think that about sums me up.
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Title: Our Broken Love
Author: Terri Anne Browning
Genre: Contemporary Romance Collection
Release Date: December 19, 2017
Blurb
Five re-released novellas, one USA Today bestselling author.
Our Broken Love is a collection of novellas by Terri Anne Browning, three of which were originally written under a different pen name. Follow five stories of women who don’t realize just how strong they are until their hearts are shattered.
Kari
She’s loved him from day one…
But over the years he only pushed her away.
Until her twenty-first birthday, and he turns her world upside down.
Eve
She’s hidden her feelings carefully.
But after staring death in the face, she knew it was time to give in to what she felt.
Erin
After nearly six years, Erin Calloway has finally come home.
But she’s not alone.
What will she do when her past comes face to face with their daughter...?
Alexis
She was broken…
She nearly lost everything.
Needing a change of scenery, however, drops her right into the past she can’t remember.
Reese
She’s been running for too long.
But coming face to face with MMA champion, Kieran Stone, makes her wonder if it was time to stop running.
Terri Anne Browning is multiple USA TODAY bestselling author. Being dyslexic, she never thought a career in writing would be possible, yet she has been on best selling lists multiple times since 2013. Reese: A Safe Haven Novella was her first Indie published book. The Rocker Who Holds Me changed the tables and kicked off The Rocker... series featuring the sinfully delicious members of Demon's Wings. The Rocker... Series is now complete with 12 books and the occasional novella. Other books by Terri Anne include the Angel's Halo MC Series, as well as The Lucy & Harris Novella Series, The Vitucci Mafiosos Series, and The Tainted Knights Rocker Series.
Terri Anne lives in Virginia with her husband, their three demons---err, children--and a hyper Frenchie named Grunt.
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Title: Scoundrels & Scotch
Series: Top Shelf #3
Author: Alta Hensley
Genre: Dark Romance Standalone
Cover Design: Jay Aheer
Release Date: January 16, 2018
Blurb
I’ll stop at nothing to own her.
I’m a collector of dolls. All kinds of dolls. So beautiful and sexy, they become my art. So perfect and flawless, my art galleries are flooded by the wealthy to gaze upon my possessions with envy. So fragile and delicate, I keep them tucked away for safety. The dark and torrid tales of Drayton’s Dolls run rampant through the rich and famous, and all but a few are true. Normally I share my dolls for others to play with or watch on display. But not my special doll. No, not her. Ivy is the most precious doll of all. She’s mine. All mine. *Scoundrels & Scotch is a dark billionaire romance. If you don’t like a splash of shock, a dash of taboo, and a heavy dose of sex, then don’t take a sip of this TOP SHELF cocktail. 
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Alta Hensley is a USA TODAY bestselling author of hot, dark and dirty romance. She is also an Amazon Top 100 bestselling author. Being a multi-published author in the romance genre, Alta is known for her dark, gritty alpha heroes, sometimes sweet love stories, hot eroticism, and engaging tales of the constant struggle between dominance and submission.
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Title: Mr. Dirty
Series: A London Billionaire Standalone
Author: Nana Malone
Genre: Contemporary New Adult Romance
Release Date: December 13, 2017
Blurb
*This is a standalone novel with a HEA! I have a dirty mouth. That’s the truth. Women love it. And I have no plans on changing. Why would I? I like my life. The women, the partying, the fun. Until I meet my new neighbour. She’s messing with my good thing. She’s annoying, and persistent, and a pain in the…well you get the idea. She’s also gorgeous, and smart…and completely immune to me. And now she needs my help with a little Ex payback and I’m more than happy to lend my expertise. Now all I have to do is keep from falling for her in the process. How hard can that be? 
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USA Today bestselling author Nana Malone's love of all things romance and adventure started with a tattered romantic suspense novel she "borrowed" from her cousin.
It was a sultry summer afternoon in Ghana, and Nana was a precocious thirteen. She's been in love with kick-butt heroines ever since. With her overactive imagination constantly channeling her inner Buffy, it was only a matter a time before she started creating her own characters.
While she waits for her chance at a job as a ninja assassin, Nana works out her drama, passion and sass with fictional characters every bit as brazen and kick-butt as she thinks she is.
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Title: Ashes to Ashes
Author: Rebecca Norinne
Genre: Steamy Contemporary Romance
Release Date: December 13, 2017
Blurb
I had it all, or so I thought. Until my husband betrayed me and my entire world came crashing down. I turned to alcohol and sex to numb my pain—a different city each night, a new man in my bed. But I’m sober now, and I’m working my way back up the country music charts.
But then the death threats started and I needed protection. When my new bodyguard walked in the room, I couldn’t believe my eyes: the one man from my long spiral down who I never forgot. The one who played my body like an instrument.
Now we’re on the run from a madman and all I want is to forget about everything. To pretend this isn’t my life. To lose myself in him. So I let him take control.
I tried telling myself it was only sex, but I've done the unthinkable: I've fallen in love with a man who can never love me back. Because Ash has demons of his own—ones he never talks about and never will. I know I should walk away before it’s too late. But I'm an addict, and I need him.
How do you give up something you love, even when you know it’s bad for you? How do you walk away from a man like Ash Devereaux?
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Author Bio
USA TODAY bestselling author Rebecca Norinne writes contemporary romance featuring smart and sexy heroines and the men who adore them. When not writing, Rebecca is watching rugby, drinking craft beer, or traveling the globe in search of inspiration for her next story. Her favorite foods are popcorn, sushi, and French fries and she’s never met a Kelly Clarkson song she didn’t like. For more information, visit http://www.rebeccanorinne.com.
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Title: The Sounds of Secrets
Author: Whitney Barbetti
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Release Date: December 6, 2017
Blurb
I've been in love with him forever.
But to him, I've always been off-limits. Until the night that changed everything. Maybe it was the alcohol. Maybe it was the secrets we shared. Maybe he finally opened his eyes and saw me. By the time the sun rose, I’d lost him again, my heart shattering on his parting words: “It was a mistake.†So I ran. Ran until I was thousands of miles away, in a country I didn't know, surrounded by people who only made me miss him more. I never expected him to follow me … or to pry more secrets from my soul. In exchange, he gave me more of his secrets too. The more he let me into his heart, the more I loved him, but I’m afraid that some secrets may be too big to overcome. 
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Excerpt
I was going to throw up from the nerves.
No, I told myself. No throwing up. Not when you’re expecting Sam to come into your room any second.
But the feeling was so strong. I popped a mint from my bedside table in my mouth, rolled it around my tongue a few times, but the urge was still there.
Oh, shit. Was this a mistake? Was inviting Sam into my room a big fat problem? I was leaving for America tomorrow.
The printed itinerary, neatly stacked on my chest of drawers laughed at me. What was I going to do? I couldn’t let Sam come up here.
My hands fisted in my hair as I berated myself for telling him to come. What was I thinking? I wasn’t some sexual nymph, skilled in the way Sam surely was. I wasn’t a virgin, but I hadn’t actually messed around with a bunch of guys.
I didn’t know what to do.
I walked to the door, pressed my palm flat to it. I’d lock it. Then he couldn’t come in. He’d walk away, and we’d forget this ever happened.
Look how well that happened the last time you kissed him, my memory taunted me. Three years later, and you’re still wondering ‘what if.’
There was no reasonable escape from this situation. And, if there was, there was no escape that would make me not obsess over the ‘what if.’
It’d be okay, I told myself. Of course it would. Sex was nothing, right?
But I didn’t even believe my own thoughts. My nerves battled with my own desire. I couldn’t process a single thing.
I ran my fingers over my eyebrows or, what was left of them that wasn’t colored in, at least. I’d pulled so many out in the days leading up to the trip, needing some control over this impending trip.
I trailed my fingers to the sides of my face, tugging on my earlobes to ground me, and then, in tandem, I pulled out a hair with each hand. The immediate relief was nearly as intoxicating as the alcohol I’d consume in how it numbed my fears.
It would be okay.
I took in a cleansing breath, looking around my room for anything potentially embarrassing.
The blinds were open, so I closed them, leaving my room in soft, muted grays aside from the yellow lamp that lit up my dressing table.
My hand was on the back of the lamp to turn it off when my door creaked open.
Sam stood in the threshold, nearly taking up the entire space.
I switched the light off.
It was only a few loud heartbeats before he said, “Turn it back on.â€
I hesitated.
I couldn’t see him, but I heard the creak on the floor by the door. “Turn it on, Lotte.â€
Swallowing hard, I did.
The room was illuminated again in soft light, casting shadows into the angles of Sam’s face—making him look exactly as he was: dangerous.
Author Bio
I am a wife to one and a mom to two humans and one cat. I have a deep and abiding love for nachos - especially the kind with the liquid cheese, like from Taco Bell (sorry). I run on less than four hours of sleep thanks to copious amounts of Diet Coke. (Note: this paragraph is not sponsored by anyone except my hungry stomach.)
As a Navy brat, I grew up all over the country, from California and up the east coast from Florida to New England and Colorado. I currently live in Idaho, where we have lots of potatoes and windmills.
I write character-driven contemporary romance novels, heavy on the emotional connection. I LOVE love. I love writing about broken characters who find their soul mates.
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Title: Everest
Author: S.L. Scott
Genre: Contemporary Romance/Romantic Suspense
Release Date: December 7, 2017
Blurb
Six foot three. Dynamic green eyes. Utterly irresistible.
Ethan Everest stole my breath the first time I saw him. He romanced me with skill, dazzled me with his charisma, and proceeded to steal my heart right after.
I might have fallen for his easy going smile the first time we met, but I fell for him the second time.
Honey-colored hair. Cherry-kissed lips. Captivatingly gorgeous.
Singer Davis was the first, and only, woman to ever intimidate me. She spoke to my heart with her wit, seduced me with her eyes, and became the only thing that made sense in a world that made none.
I let her slip through my fingers once. I won’t make that mistake twice.
Secrets broke us apart. Can a second chance bring us back together?
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Excerpt
Ethan Everest
Every female here has eyed me up and down, even the ones with boyfriends. They don’t even try to hide it. They want me to see. They want me to know I can have them if I want them.
Except her. Blue dress. Red lips. Hair the color of a golden sunset in winter.
Several girls made themselves more than available. I was offered a fast fuck in the bathroom within fifteen minutes of arriving. Fantasies may be taking over, but there’s only one woman who catches my eyes—the demure beauty sitting on the couch.
I want to stare at her.
She’ll see me though.
I want to sit next to her.
There are no more spots on the small futon.
I want to talk to her.
What do I say when she makes all the blood rush from my brain and shoot straight to my dick? Damn, I want her.
She’s given me no reason to think of her naked beneath me. No indication that I should have dirty thoughts about those delectable lips. Absolutely no sign that I could have the pleasure of stroking her bare back while I take her from behind.
Fuck. Me.
While images of her cloud my thoughts, I’m not sure I have a shot in hell of even taking up a minute of her time, much less a night. Nope, not one clue if I have a chance with this beauty.
I’ll take the risk, something I’m adept at doing. More often than not I win in the end. She won’t be an easy target, but nothing worth having ever is. I’m determined to find out if her tongue is as seductive as her eyes.
Although she brings out my instinctive side, this is not about sex and passing time. It’s about spending time with someone who challenges my mind while turning on my body.
Nudging the guy who lives here, I signal across the room and ask, “What’s her name?â€
“Who?†He follows my gaze. “The hottie on the couch?â€
Heart-shaped face, flawless skin, ample tits, hourglass shape at her waist. She’s not built like a girl who doesn’t eat. She’s shaped like a woman I want to meet. “Yeah.â€
“Dariya Rostavik. She’s fucking hot.†He pats my shoulder. “And single. If my girlfriend wasn’t here, I’d be all over that.â€
“Cuz you’re an asshole.†Her name, Dariya, rolls around my mouth, spikey instead of rolling off the tongue naturally. The name doesn’t fit her.
“Pretty much.†He laughs. “You gonna hit it, Everest?â€
“I don’t know.†I feign interest to him, lying to get his eyes off her. “Fuck, they scored again.†My diversion works, and his attention is back on the big screen.
The truth is, I don’t know if I’m going to hookup with her. I’ve caught her looking at me when she thinks I don’t notice. But is she looking at me the way I’m looking at her?
Was I busted moving closer when she was talking to her friend? Did she see me eavesdropping to hear her voice? Did she notice when I joined a conversation behind her to be closer? Or that I stepped out of the way of the fridge when she wanted a bottle of water?
I never get shot down by women. I’ve lived on easy street when it comes to my looks and, from what I’m told, my personality, attracting the most attractive. Something tells me I might be rejected by her.
She’s not like the other girls here. Nothing about her fits in this environment—a party with a bunch of guys getting drunk while watching sports and yelling at the TV and girls dragged here by their boyfriends or convinced by their friends to stop by.
She’s an innocent among sycophants. Everyone wants something from me, except her. Sexy and smart—speaks right to my heart.
I catch her eyes on me again. This time I stare back until she looks away with a pretty pink coloring her cheeks.
This game with her is much more interesting than the one on TV. I follow her with my eyes as she gets up and joins a group by the window. She seems to know the other girl, but not so much the two guys.
Good, I inwardly growl.
Keith hits me in the chest. “Who do you have your eyes on?â€
“The woman by the window.â€
My best friend shakes his head. “No. Check out eleven o’clock. She’s a model from Romania. Hot as fuck.â€
“Not interested. I want more than a fuck.â€
“I’m sorry. Have we met?†His sarcasm is as annoying as he’s been lately at the office.
“I’m for real.â€
“So am I.â€
I exhale and shoot him a glare. “I really am. I can fuck anyone. I want to spend time with someone who interests me.â€
“You’re working too much. You’re so caught up in your head lately you’re missing what life is really about.â€
Crossing my arms over my chest, I indulge him. “And what is life really about?â€
“Doing everything in your power to get it while the gettin’s good.â€
“Are we talking about business or women?â€
“Both.â€
The model is hot, but I feel like I’ve been there done that. I don’t care what he wants. He can have shallow, meaningless relationships. They’re more hassle than they’re worth.
Glancing toward the woman outside, an ease comes over me, releasing some of the pent-up pressure that’s been expanding lately. “You go for the model. I’ll go for Dariya.â€
“Dariya?†I’m knocked on the arm, and he points toward the couch. “That’s Dariya, man.â€
“The model?â€
“Yeah,†he says, laughing.
Thank fuck I didn’t go outside and call the beauty by the wrong name. “I’ll be back.†I grab two cans and head toward the window. I stop briefly by the group she was talking to prior, but they’re buried deep into a conversation about American consumerism. I’m not interested in their philosophical views on finances. The only thing I’m interested in is the pretty woman sitting alone outside. The woman excuses herself and I ask, “Hey, you guys know her name?â€
They look outside. “Singer.â€
“She’s a singer?â€
“No,†he says, chuckling. “Her name is Singer. Singer Davis. She came here with her friend, Melanie, who just left.â€
I don’t hear most of what he says because I’m stuck on the woman with the red lips. Singer. Singer Davis. “Thanks.â€
Singer’s been sitting on that fire escape by herself long enough to not feel like I’m invading her space, like she’s taken over my thoughts. I seize the moment and climb out.
This is where our story begins . . .
Author Bio 
Living in the capital of Texas with her family, Scott loves traveling and avocados, beaches, and cooking with her kids. She's obsessed with epic romances and loves a good plot twist. Her favorite color is blue, but she likens it more toward the sky than the emotion. Her home is filled with the welcoming symbol of the pineapple and finds surfing a challenge though she likes to think she's a pro.
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Title: Locked
Author: Clarissa Wild
Genre: Dark Romance
Release Date: November 28, 2017
Blurb
People say I’m ferocious. Wild. Dangerous.
They’re right. That’s why I live on an island alone.
The jungle is my home. My personal prison.
Until she arrived.
The moment her helicopter crashed on my land, everything changed.
She’s the only survivor … And I’m keeping her locked up in a pit.
It’s been too long since I last touched a woman, especially one so beautiful.
It makes me hunger for her.
I want her … So I’ll keep her …
And I’ll make her mine.
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Excerpt
When she hands me the flask back, I place it on the table and go back to the box, fishing out a few pieces of jerky. The moment she sees me holding them, her face contorts. I still attempt to give it to her. With a smile too.
Still, she shakes her head at the meat.
What is wrong with this woman?
Why won’t she eat?
I even gave her a smile and everything. What else does she want from me?
Does she not want to live at all or what?
I push it against her lips and say, “Eat.â€
“No …†she mumbles, leaning back as far as possible.
I growl, “Eat.â€
Her eyes dart up to mine, so I gaze at her with equal ferocity. I haven’t met a lot of women, most of them were just as scared of me as she was, but none of them were this fiery. This one’s gutsy. I like it.
What I don’t like is how she keeps refusing to eat. She has to eat something. Otherwise, she’ll die.
“Eat,†I say again, losing my patience.
I hold it up to her mouth and wait until she opens it. She takes the tiniest of tiny nibbles and chews on it with a face that reminds me of the ones I saw before I was on this island … back when I still thought I could adapt to their world.
My face darkens as I watch her chew with reluctance until she swallows and coughs immediately after.
I nod and hold out the meat again.
“No, no more, please,†she says, her voice croaky.
I grunt and place the jerky on the nightstand beside the bed. Frustrated, I turn around and leave the hut, slamming the door shut behind me.
I wish I understood women, but I don’t. I don’t fucking understand any person, at all.
That’s why I live on my own, and having her here only reminds me of that fact.
Maybe I should’ve gotten rid of her, after all. It would’ve saved me the trouble of looking out for her, feeding her, giving her my bed.
Goddammit.
I grasp the ax from the box outside and begin chopping wood. It’s the only thing I can do when my mind is going in circles. I need to get this shit off my mind and focus on work. Things I can actually fix, instead of … women.
Why do females have to be so complicated?
I gave her food, and she’s not even thankful.
She won’t eat, she didn’t thank me for rescuing her, and she keeps running away.
I sigh and ram the ax into the block, letting out all my anger on the wood.
I refuse to give up. I made my choice, and I’m sticking with it. I will just have to tame the girl.
One way or another, she will eat, and she will adjust. Maybe in time, she’ll learn to appreciate the island … and maybe even start cooking for me.
Yeah, that’d be nice.
Her, me, a spit-roast on the beach, and a fur blanket to cuddle on.
My mouth waters at the thought.
Maybe this girl destroyed some of the jungle, but it doesn’t have to all be bad.
She could be my woman.
That’d definitely be nice.
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, FATHER, and CAGED. 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.
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