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Title: Cartel Queen
Series: Almanza Duet #2
Author: Chelsea Camaron
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Persistent.
I refuse to break at the hands of a man.
I am Mari Belle Dominguez.
Strong woman.
My situation made me his.
He’ll never really have me.
I’ll never let him hurt me again.
That is … until he claims more than my house, my body, and my life.
When Javier Almanza claims my heart, I’m no longer his cartel bitch.
No, I am the queen.
I thought she wasn’t ready for my world. I thought she needed my protection. I am Javier Almanza, kingpin with a woman who didn’t need a single thing from me, but my love.
The hardest fought wars are the biggest lessons learned. She was my lesson in forgiveness.
*You must read Cartel Bitch before Cartel Queen in order for this book to make sense. Thank you and happy reading. This is book two in the Almanza Crime Family Duet and a full-length romance. This is a dark, edge of your seat romantic suspense featuring an antihero so there is a level of violence inside that may not be suitable for some readers. This is not meant to be an actual depiction of life inside a Cartel but rather a work of fiction meant to entertain.
Chelsea Camaron is a small town Carolina girl with a big imagination. She is a wife and mom chasing her dreams. She writes contemporary romance, erotic suspense, and psychological thrillers. She loves to write blue-collar men who have real problems with a fictional twist. From mechanics to bikers to oil riggers to smokejumpers, bar owners, and beyond, she loves a strong hero who works hard and plays harder.
Title: Cavanaugh: A Kingsbrier Quintuplets Novel
Author: Jody Kaye Publication Date: April 16, 2018 Genre: Coming-of-Age / Family Saga Standalone
Synopsis:
The only child of an oil mogul, Rose Kingsbrier should’ve had it all. That changed the day her momma died, leaving her alone living a solitary life in a mansion that was more like a mausoleum. Rose tried for years to get her father’s attention, eventually finding it easier to become his source of grief than to live in grief’s shadow. Convinced that she’s irresponsible, now Rose’s father intends to marry her off and make the son of some two-bit business connection his successor at Kingsbrier Holdings. But Rose isn’t going to let herself be bartered away and finally forgotten quite so easily. Ross Cavanaugh’s booming construction business is renovating the Kingsbrier mansion and, before the job’s even started, he can’t help getting swept up in the scheming whirlwind that is Rose. The easy-going ex-sailor knows this woman is going to be a noose around his neck and take him for one heck of a ride. He can’t seem to help himself around her until Rose proposes a marriage of convenience that will solve her problem and provide Cavanaugh Construction financial backing. Rose may not mind dragging her own reputation through the mud, but Ross has worked too hard to be accused of fortune hunting. When Rose gets herself in over her head, agreeing to her offer may be the only way to save her.
Goodreads - https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/38984218-cavanaugh
Buy Links: iBooks — http://bit.ly/KBQuintsNoveliBooks Amazon (US) — http://bit.ly/KBQuintsNovel Amazon (Canada) — http://bit.ly/KBQuintsNovel-CA Amazon (UK) — http://bit.ly/KBQuintsNovel-UK Amazon (AU) — http://bit.ly/KBQuintsNovel-AU Kobo — http://bit.ly/KBQuintsNovelKobo Nook — http://bit.ly/KBQuintsNovelnook
Author Bio:
Jody's husband asked what she'd been doing all day. After five years she finally confessed, "When no one is around, I write." Okay, It was more like trying to get out of saying a thing. Jody's a writer. You want it pretty. Let's compromise. "Just finish one," he said, challenging her to complete a story and share it. Little did he know that those words of encouragement meant they’d return from a family vacation with a wild and defiant set of quintuplets stumbling their way into adulthood. Wasn’t raising their three sons enough? A native of nowhere, Jody settled in New England for 17 years before agreeing to uproot her brood of boys and move to North Carolina. She spends most of her time reading, writing, and hoping that her ravenous children haven’t managed to eat all the ingredients before she cooks dinner.
Author Links:
Website www.jodykaye.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JodyKayeWrites/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jodykayewrites/ Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/jody_kaye/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/JodyKayeWrites Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/14987381.Jody_Kaye Newsletter: http://jodykaye.com/newsletter
Title: Cross
Author: D.A. Roach
Genre: YA Fantasy
Release Date: February 23, 2018 Narrator: Jeff Olyarnyk
Ray Cross was born with a genetic disorder, resulting in a fragile body; his organs and blood vessels will rupture with any hard impact, so standing up to his best friend's controlling boyfriend could kill him.
Ray's life in Midland, MI gets decimated when his parents reveal they are not his real parents and his real father, a king from a secret land hidden in the far north of Canada, is dying and wishes to meet his son.
With his doctor and newly-met twin, Ray travels to the forgotten village of Yardis, where magic, myth, and corruption are abundant. But the longer Ray stays in the village learning the truth of his past and reconnecting with his father, King Vintras, the more he discovers an evil force threatening the king and his village.
But there’s more than the king and a village tied to Yardis and Ray. He finds friendship and more from a band of brothers who are part witch, dragon, and healer. With new alliances and new abilities, Ray wars with himself on playing it safe or risking it all to save the ones he loves.
Can Ray rise above his fragile disorder to become the hero for once in his life?
D.A. Roach is a USA Today Bestselling author who has been telling stories since she was a young girl in the suburbs of Chicago. D.A. did not find a love for books until after college. Her parents were immigrants from Lithuania and found tv and radio easier ways to hear stories so they did not do much reading or encourage it. But once she finished college and D.A. had free time, she discovered how amazing it was to get lost in a story.
D.A. is a full time mom and wife. When she is not doing domestic things (laundry, bills, etc) she is writing, reading, creating mixed media art, advocating for a rare disorder, and gardening. Oh, and she is ALWAYS listening to music. Her favorite authors include Rebecca Donovan, Richelle Mead, Larissa Ione, Stephanie Meyer, E.L. James, and Nicole Williams. Reading great works from authors like these has motivated D.A. to write her own stories. She hopes to make positive changes in the world with her art and writing.
“Life isn’t about finding yourself. Life is about creating yourself.” ― George Bernard Shaw
Title: Beyond the Masks
Series: Beyond Love Series #1
Author: Nicky F. Grant
Genre: Erotic Romance
Release Date: February 27, 2018
Hidden Agendas...
Secret Identities...
Nothing is off limits.
Shane Vaughn loves her job as CEO of Omega Records except when it stalls out her love life. After surviving heartbreak at the hands of the all-consuming Jacob Andrews, she's demanding no-strings, uncomplicated liaisons from now on. A night of submission at the exclusive pleasure club, The Resort, sounds like the perfect solution. An anonymous arrangement with a masked Dom should be simple, right?
Not when the Dom is Gavin Mayne, Omega Records' Talent Director. Unbeknownst to her, his intentions are more than pleasure. Gavin plans to take her job, and sleeping with the enemy never felt so good.
But with the return of Jacob Andrews into her life, Shane is forced to decide which man to trust with her heart, and which one she should leave behind.
“What?” Shane asked.
“Nothing.” Jacob’s voice came through anxious.
“It isn’t nothing. You’re doing your thing,” she said, wrinkling her nose.
“What thing?” he half laughed.
She pointed, making circles around his face. “When your jaw gets tight and your eyes get all angry.”
“I don’t have a thing, Shane.” She raised her eyebrows. He exhaled. “All I was going to say was maybe one more night together for good measure. A free pass. No decisions made until tomorrow.”
His eyes flared a green-glowing fire when he leaned on the sides of her stool, trapping her. The mood shifted. Playful, upset, then fucking sexy as hell.
“Nothing good would come out of that, and you know it.” She focused on the grooves along the hardwood floors. A tingling feeling in her gut spread like wildfire through her veins. Oh, God.
“You can’t tell me you aren’t the slightest bit interested.”
She remained paralyzed. “I…”
“Tell me,” he whispered. The energy seeping from his body made her stomach flip. The familiar demands from him never truly left her. Her body succumbed to his voice. It was torture to hold out, her courage to resist slipping. To revisit what they’d had—for one night—wouldn’t be a hardship on her libido.
She gazed into his eyes, a calm control centering her. “I am interested.” A sly smile appeared on his perfect face. “But I set the rules this time. I want it hard, and I want it deep. Tomorrow, we go back to how we are, decisions unmade. No expectations, no strings. Agreed?”
Nicky F. Grant is a romance novelist with a passion for power. She immerses her readers in stories filled with strong, complex, and sexually vibrant female characters, all of whom are on a quest to unlock their fantasies and realize their fullest potential.
As a writer, Nicky imbues each of her stories with equal parts love and lust, which she believes are among the strongest emotions we can experience. By immersing her readers into worlds of power and erotic passion, she invites them to explore their own unspoken desires. Her hope is that her stories embolden her readers to realize their fullest potential - be it in the boardroom, the bedroom, or anywhere in between.
Nicky makes her home in Pittsburgh, PA with her loving husband and ever-growing collection of music and books.
Title: My Unexpected Love
Series: The Beaumont Series: Next Generation #2
Author: Heidi McLaughlin
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Release Date: April 12, 2018 Cover Design: Sarah Hansen @ Okay Creations
Ben Miller met the love of his life the day he crossed paths with Elle James in their high school cafeteria. New to Beaumont, he took a chance when he approached her. Their first encounter was everything his mother ever read to him about fairy tales. He saw the girl who would be his forever.
From the moment Elle James met Ben Miller they’ve been best friends. Everything they did, they did it together, from late night study sessions, family vacations, throwing bottles off the water tower, going to prom and finally moving to California for college.
However, after the almost tragic accident where she nearly lost her twin sister, Elle’s life hasn’t been the same, and neither has her relationship with Ben.
One fateful decision changes the scope of Ben and Elle’s relationship. For one, it means a new beginning. For the other, it means change.
Review:
My Unexpected Love is the second book in the Beaumont- The Next Generation Series. These books are not standalones, so I recommend you read the original series starting with Forever My Girl before starting the next generation books. I’m probably the odd girl out when I say that Ben kind of annoyed me. Now, don’t get me wrong, I can appreciate a beta hero but Ben, in my opinion, didn't fight or put himself out there. He ran away without even trying… So, I didn’t have a lot of sympathy for him. Elle did have her flaws, but I found her journey more relatable. For her, this story is one of redemption and forgiveness, of falling down and learning how to get back up. She lived a life most girls dream of— good looks, wonderful family, best friend, money, and anything she ever wanted. The thing is, when you’re on top of the world, the fall from grace is a lot further down, and the impact may be a little harder. I loved her journey and the growth of her character. Overall, this novel was a well-written friends to lovers romance and was an excellent addition to the series. 4 Stars
Heidi is a New York Times and USA Today Bestselling author.
Originally from the Pacific Northwest, she now lives in picturesque Vermont, with her husband and two daughters. Also renting space in their home is an over-hyper Beagle/Jack Russell, Buttercup and a Highland West/Mini Schnauzer, JiLL and her brother, Racicot.
When she's isn't writing one of the many stories planned for release, you'll find her sitting court-side during either daughter's basketball games.
Heidi's first novel, Forever My Girl, will be in theaters on October 27, 2017, starring Alex Roe and Jessica Rothe.
Let Me Love You
by Jessica Jayne Publication date: December 18th 2017 Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance
Synopsis:
Twenty-three year old Ren Haynes returns home after graduating college with two goals–start his engineering career and claim the heart of his parents’ thirty-one year old divorced neighbor, Stacey Williams. Stacey is nursing her broken heart and shattered ego. Not only did her ex-husband have an affair, he got the woman pregnant. Picking up the pieces of her life isn’t easy, so when Ren taps into her need to feel desired again, she finds herself in a position she never imagined. Can Ren help to rebuild her confidence and convince her that age is just a number?
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/36406013-let-me-love-you?ac=1&from_search=true
Purchase: Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B077BZB7YG/ B&N: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/let-me-love-you-jessica-jayne/1127582588?ean=2940154640937 Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/ca/en/ebook/let-me-love-you-12 iBooks: https://itunes.apple.com/cy/book/let-me-love-you/id1321106094?mt=11
Excerpt:
Her chestnut hair fell in disheveled waves over her shoulders. The fear that clouded her eyes seconds ago also shined with determination. She worried her plump bottom lip with her teeth, causing blood to rush to his groin as he imagined chewing on that same lip. Her red t-shirt clung to her pert breasts, accentuating her lack of a bra with her nipples poking at the fabric. The shirt fell to her hips, where black boy shorts wrapped around her like a second skin, further showing off her tone thighs and calves. "You're beautiful." The words burst from his mouth without much thought. His blood traveled south and left him with a basic vocabulary. Quite possibly his next words would be, "You're mine." "Don't try to distract me with compliments." Her mouth pulled in a straight line and her brows drew down. Adorable. Feisty. He wanted her. "I don't know, Stace," he teased, playing the little game. Hoping it would end exactly the way he'd like it to-them naked and tangled up with each other. "I'm a pretty decent-sized guy, not that I'm bragging or anything." She huffed and rolled her eyes. "I'm not sure you could bludgeon me with a hair brush. Perhaps we can go over some self-defense strategies later, like next time grab a knife, a pan, or a baseball bat. That might actually scare an intruder." "You're an arrogant son of a gun." She strutted toward him, purpose glowing in her eyes. She gripped the brush like a serial killer might grip a knife. Ren couldn't tell if she came toward him with the intent of hitting him or getting in his face. Either way, he intercepted, grabbing and bringing her wrist behind her back. He pressed forward, pushing her back against the wall. She grunted and struggled. "What are you going to do now?" he whispered in her ear. She shivered against him. Encircling her other wrist with his free hand, he pinned it down by her side. He lined up with her, his pelvis against her belly, and moaned at her softness. "I'm sorry I frightened you." "This is the second time you've snuck up on me and scared the life out of me. Is this going to become a habit?" Raw emotion scattered across her face and it hit him. He'd really frightened her. "I promise not to make it a habit." He released one wrist and skimmed his fingers across her smooth cheek. "I'm sorry I scared you." "Did you ever hear of knocking?" Her breath skittered across his skin causing goose bumps to rise. She affected him inside and out. "I wanted to surprise you." He leaned in closer, burying his nose in her hair and inhaling her fresh orange blossom scent. "Mission accomplished." "I had to see you." He rested his forehead against hers. Their gazes locked. "I had to touch you, kiss you." He pressed a soft kiss to her nose. "Prove to myself that Saturday wasn't a dream. The last two days have been torture." "A little melodramatic for a macho guy like yourself, no?" He wanted to show her macho. Rip her bottoms off and fuck her hard against the wall. Show her how much he missed her. Needed her. But he got lost in her Caribbean ocean blue eyes, and a gentleness, or the closest thing to gentle he could feel when he was wrapped so tightly in lust, settled over him. He brushed his lips softly over hers. The feathery touch sent a chill down his spine, but a heat swam low in his groin. She had this effect on him, tying him in knots of contradiction. She whimpered and dropped the brush on the floor with a clatter. He relaxed his grip on her wrist, but kept the kiss intense.
Author Bio:
Jessica is a born and raised small town Ohio girl, who moved to the Sunshine State after graduating from college. She graduated from college with a bachelor’s degree in English. What college major could possibly be better than one that makes you read novels and write about them! Now she is thrilled to be able to share all the hot stories floating around in her head! Jessica loves to travel and travel often! She shares her love of travel with her husband and children. She’s a huge sports fan, especially football. She the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Ohio State Buckeyes! She’s a wine-making (and wine-tasting) aficionado. She loves all music. And nothing is better than sunset at the beach! In the journey of life, she also married a wonderful man and had three beautiful (and sometimes crazy) children. Life is always an adventure! Bound
Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble -- EXCERPT: Will went to the doors leading to the balcony. “Do you hear that?” Lexie got up from the sofa, and as soon as she came up to him, a low buzzing came through their back door. “What is it?” Will hooked her waist. “Get behind me.” “Why?” “Just do it, Lexie!” She curled into his back with her hands on his shoulders, looking around the nape of his neck while he reached for the door handle. The buzzing got much louder when he cracked the door. Her breath coming in quick gasps, she stared out into the night. A wave of black shot up from the courtyard as if alerted by the light escaping from their door. The humming became deafening. Her eyes adjusted to the dark, and then Lexie became paralyzed with terror. Flies, thousands of them, swarmed like a flock of birds, dipping and rising with a single mind. While poised over the pond, their mass obscured the floodlights from the adjacent buildings. Aghast, Lexie’s nails dug into Will as the swarm pulled into a giant ball. A black wave flowed over the mass, bending and twisting in different directions, forming a shape. “Have you ever seen flies do that?” Will mumbled. Never taking her eyes off the object, she whispered back, “No. Never.” Right after Lexie spoke, the ball suddenly contracted into a tight, flat orb. She could not see the flies anymore, but their buzzing remained. Depressions sank into the orb; two eyes, a dip where the nose should be, and a thin line for the mouth. The face reminded Lexie of a large black skull. The skull then exploded, and the flies flew off in every direction. “Holy shit!” Will slammed the doors and set the bolt. “What the hell was that?” Lexie went around him to the window and peeked outside. The only things hovering above the pond were a few bright beams from a neighbor’s spotlight. The flies had disappeared. She stepped back, trembling. “It’s a warning.” “Any idea who’s sending it?” She rubbed his back, eager to feel his warmth. “No, but I’m sure I will find out soon enough.” “Are you all right?” Magnus arrived in her living room. “I came as soon as I felt the black presence nearby.” “We’re fine.” She looked up. “Just spooked.” “Who are you talking …?” Will’s voice faded. “Oh my God. Is that …?” Lexie held her breath as Will stared openmouthed at Magnus. “Can you see him?” Will closed his mouth and cleared his throat. “Oh yeah.” She rubbed her head, fighting the tension headache coming on. “This is all I need.” “Others have seen me, why not him?” Magnus maneuvered closer. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Will.” Will’s cheeks blanched, but he managed a courteous nod. “Yeah, it’s nice to know you’re real.” Magnus smugly grinned. “I’ve always been real.” A long lapse of silence followed as each of the men—well, man and ghost—sized the other up. Since she’d first met Magnus, Lexie longed for Will to see him, to know he existed. Her wish finally granted, she questioned if seeing Magnus was good for her husband. Will had stayed on the fringe of her world, opting to support her in any way he could, but leaving her to run her responsibilities without his assistance. She’d preferred things that way, seeking guidance from Titu instead of Will. He had his architecture firm and she her shop. Could they go back to their comfortable existence, or had the tide turned? “Why is this happening?” Will staggered backward. “Why am I seeing him?”
GIVEAWAY!
Title: Decide To Hope
Author: June A. Converse Genre: Contemporary Romance Release Date: May 11, 2018
Blurb:
An unimaginable trauma. A future that seems impossible. When your world shatters, how do you put it back together? For 950 days, Kathleen Conners has struggled with that choice. Behind a scarf and sunglasses, she hides from the world, from herself, from The Event, from any future with anyone. After receiving a box of letters from his deceased mother, Matt Nelson is shoved from his predictable, controlled life to a secluded beach in North Carolina. While trying to understand his mother's intent, he discovers Kathleen. Matt must choose whether to follow the path his mother orchestrated or rescue the woman who has captured his heart. When the only person Kathleen blames more than herself reappears, can Matt be the strength Kathleen needs to create a new life, or will he be forced to walk away if she decides the climb is too great?
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/38621540-decide-to-hope
Pre-Order: Amazon: https://amzn.to/2veUzX0 Amazon CA: https://amzn.to/2vdxILc Amazon UK: https://amzn.to/2vdy7xc Amazon AU: https://amzn.to/2vcZPKx
Excerpt:
“Kathleen, I swear to you that if you are ever in my bed, it won’t be fucking.” He punctuated the final words and wiped away the single tear that moved down her cheek. He leaned across the table, nuzzled her face, and said into her damaged ear, “What I want is for you to be safe. What I want is for you to never push me away, for you to let me make you safe again.” Relaxing back into the bench, he added, “What is it you want, my Kathleen, what do you want? I’ll move heaven and earth to be what you need.” Her eyes widened and her face jerked out of his hand. Tears streamed down her face. Staring at him, showing him her weariness and her abject terror, her blue irises turned a stormy gray. “They’re gone, Matt.” She spoke with an eerily calm voice. “All of them. Everyone I’ve ever loved. Gone. I’m so tired, Matt. Do you understand?” She pushed away from the table. Her gray eyes blazed inches from his own. “I want to be gone, too.” Matt’s arms thwomped onto the table. He sat immobile as Kathleen raced out the door into the pouring rain. The restaurant door thwacked behind her. Shaking himself, he realized she’d left her sunglasses, her bag, and even her shoes. The impact of the last few seconds held him in his seat. Time seemed to stop. Sound dropped away. The shadow of her danced behind his closed eyes.
Author Bio:
June happily resides in Sandy Springs, Georgia, with her husband, Dave, and their dog, Sodapop. They have two wonderful adult children and two grandchildren. She is an enthusiastic exerciser and an accomplished cook. She and her husband enjoy hiking with Sodapop, traveling, scuba diving, trying new restaurants, concerts, and whatever other adventures they can find. Reading and a constant desire to learn keeps her busy too. A trauma survivor who struggles with mental illness, June is continuously reaching for hope like the characters in her books. She openly discusses her personal struggles on her blog, JuneConverse.com Decide to Hope is her first novel and relies a great deal on her own experience with trauma, choices, recovery and hope. If you’d like to discuss trauma, coping and recovery, contact her at JuneConverse.com or DecideToHope.com
Social Media:
Facebook Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/JuneAConverseAuthor/ Facebook Friend Page: https://www.facebook.com/JuneConverse/ Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/JuneAConverse Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/converse.june Linked in: June Convers Tribal Affairs by Matt Dallmann Genre: Ya Fantasy Release Date: July 31st 2017 Summary from Goodreads: Dahlia, a centuries old genie, lies hopelessly trapped in a damaged golden locket charm attached to an ankle bracelet. Its owner, sixteen-year-old Liana, wears it for the first time during her father Jamison’s opening night illusion spectacular. Not only does its presence cause Jamison to folly his performance, but it also starts a chain of bizarre events that lead to a showdown with Dahlia’s mortal enemy, Stefan, and an unsuspecting romance between Liana and his son. Add to Goodreads Inspiration for the NovelIt is hard these days to find something original to write about. I was recently told that about 4,000 new books are published or self-published every day. I was immediately depressed. How could anything I write possibly penetrate through this sea of books? Luckily, I started writing years before I heard this news, when I was still full of vim, vigor and vodka. Back then, when I was sporting a Y2K doomsday shirt and an analog Nokia cell phone, I, and everyone else apparently, racked my brain to come up with something original, or at least a different take on an old story. Due to the success of Harry Potter, Star Wars, vampires, etc., etc., I started my search in the world of fantasy. Of course, there are a lot of these stories, but what was it about the Harry Potter’s and the Luke Skywalker’s that made people so willing to follow them? What drew people into their foreign worlds? How did they provide access to something most knew nothing about and/or had no interest in learning? More often that not, when I looked at the similarities in all of these characters, it was the fact that they were all half-in and half-out that made them intriguing. They kept one foot in reality, or the familiar, and let the other take a step into the unknown. We gained access to foreign lands and foreign concepts as they did. I picked the genie or djinn/jinn mythology mostly because I felt that it was never really welcome in the western mainstream beyond a wacky cartoon or a two-dimensional sitcom character. As I researched the djinn and learned about the different tribes, I started to draw a correlation in my mind to the different regions/countries/tribes of the Middle East. “Humans,” then, became “western civilization,” which is why the essential romantic conflict is between a djinn and one of the original American colonists. All of this, of course, exists only in my mind as an allegory, and is not spelled out in the book. But my hope is that this story, like the half-human half-genie in it, gives people access to a foreign culture that they might not otherwise even look for. And, like the romance that unfolds in the book, I hope that through that access, people will discover something new and worthy of breaking boundaries. About the Author Matt Dallmann has a background in acting and holds a BFA from Marymount Manhattan College in New York City. His films and screenplays have been featured at film festivals across the United States including Cinequest, Big Apple Film Festival, Seattle’s True Independent Film Festival, DragonCon and Zero Independent Film Festival. His piano compositions have been published for commercial use and he is a member of ASCAP. Matt is also the Co-Founder and Vice President of the boutique medical billing firm VGA Billing Services, Inc. in New York City. He lives in New Jersey with his wife and two daughters. Author Links: Facebook | Pinterest Flesh Into Fire
Goodreads / Audible / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / iBooks / Kobo -- EXCERPT: TYLER I roll our interlaced fingers over so that I can see the back of her hand. It’s strong, but delicate. Long fingers and white skin. Veins that tense with the clench of her grip. Freckles. Just a few light, faint, perfect freckles. I have the same thought I had the other day. That I want to learn her. Her body. Every millimeter of her. I want it burned into my brain. I want to imprint her into my memory before she goes. I want to study her. I want to have a PhD in Maddie Clayton. I let go of her hand and stand up, turn to face her and then kneel down. “What are you doing?” she asks. I don’t say anything. She’s not wearing shoes, so I start tugging at the toes of her socks and she giggles as I work them off her legs and then hold her precious feet in my hands, examining them. I stroke the bones that run along the top, ending at the tips of her toes, and I kiss each toe one by one. I turn them over to inspect the scar I found the other day, and I give it a kiss. Then I spread her legs and slide in between them, popping my head up to give her a kiss on the lips, before I unbutton her jeans and draw down the zipper. She leans back, propping herself on her elbows, and shimmies her hips as I pull her pants down. They’re so tight on her, so fitted, that they draw her underwear along with them as I pull, and then the pants are off her body and on the floor, and her bare calves, and knees, and thighs, and pussy are there for me to explore. Still leaning back on her elbows, she tilts her head to the side, presses her lips together in a tight smile, and raises her eyebrows at me. I lift one of her legs and place my face right next to it. Like an archaeologist exploring the contours of a priceless, ancient artifact. Her smell. Her smell will be the thing that I know I will hold onto most. It’s always been that way for me. Smell is the most potent sense I have when it comes to triggering memories. When I smell cinnamon, I remember my mom. Because she was baking when she collapsed that last time after chemo. And so that’s the smell I choose to associate with my final memory of her, as opposed to the antiseptic smell of the hospital. Because that wasn’t her anymore anyway. Mom stayed in the kitchen. Only the shell of her stuck around for a couple weeks more in the hospital bed. Anyway. Right now, Maddie smells like freshly cut grass. She’s been packing and getting ready to leave all day, and it’s been weirdly warm of late, so she’s a little sweaty. And that smell—that pungent, dense, round smell of sweat on her skin that fills my nostrils—reminds me of summer. Which I love. Because I suppose that means that for the rest of my life, there’ll be an entire season where every day all I’ll be able to think about is her. Even though I don’t imagine needing a lot of prompts to steer my thoughts in her direction. As I stroke my fingers along her leg, kissing as I go, and drinking in her scent with every breath, she drops down from her elbows, letting herself lie flat on her back, her legs dangling off the side of the bed. She traces her fingers up and down the line of her stomach, pushing her t-shirt up to the curve of her breasts as I continue my survey of her flesh. I’m discovering things. Things that no one else on earth besides me will know. Her right calf appears just infinitesimally stronger than her left. Her left knee is the teeniest bit knobbier than her right. And when I kiss her behind either of her knees, she shudders through her stomach, causing her toes to crinkle. As I pass the bend in her knee, I draw my nose along the inside of her thigh. She wriggles a teeny bit as my beard moves along her soft skin. And then my mouth is right at the brink of her entrance. I take my thumb and run it along the pink folds and she lets out a “mmmmm.” I tilt my head, studying my fingers as they massage her tender skin, and take note of what sound each gesture evokes from her. Kissing tenderly on her opening causes her to growl from somewhere deep inside her throat. So I do. I kiss, and I let my warm breath signal my presence, but I don’t want to penetrate her. Not this way. If she wants me to be inside her, I will happily oblige, but for now I just want to be here with her and hold her close. And I will. And I will hold her close in my thoughts every second that she’s gone. But more importantly… I will hold her in my heart. MADDIE Some people search their whole life looking for that one place they belong. For that one person who gets them. Who brings them into their world, lets them fall easily into the pull of their gravity, and lets them just… be. Just exist. Quietly. Naturally. Freely. This is Tyler for me. The center of my universe. The man around whom I now orbit. Not like a satellite, either. But like… like two things meant to be one. Like long ago something crashed into us, broke us into little pieces, and left us adrift. Floating in directionless space. Spinning wildly with no tether. And now we’ve been pulled back together. And we circle each other, still spinning, but with the purpose of joining. Of becoming one thing again. Not because of tragedy, the way I’d imagined when I sent that letter. It’s not a lifeline of salvation connecting us now, but some force of nature we can’t explain, or control, or bend to our will. Some law of the universe that dictates the fate of things. We are connected by something more powerful than shared sorrow. And every moment we’ve spent apart has been valuable. Necessary. Critical. His mouth between my legs feels wonderful. I could close my eyes and enjoy it. Let myself reach the heights of pleasure. But alone? No. I’m done doing things alone. We’re connected now. And everything we do will be together. So I whisper, “Tyler,” as I caress his head. Run my fingers through his hair. Touch his shoulders. Slide my fingertips up and down the hills and valleys of his muscular arms. He looks up at me, his eyes smiling even though they’re half closed, even though his mouth is still working. His tongue still flicking against my pussy. “Come up here,” I say. “And kiss my mouth.” Now he smiles with his whole face. His hands plant on either side of my hips and he draws himself up to standing. He lifts his t-shirt over his head and undoes his jeans, letting them fall to the floor, and his nakedness reminds me that he has lived every single day of his time on this earth. He leans onto the bed and eases forward. My legs open wider for him, welcome him between them as his cock—hard, and long, and ready—rests against my clit, making me want him. If we stopped right now, if he just rested his chest on top of my breasts, became nothing more than heavy weight as he closed his eyes, relaxed, and fell asleep… I’d be content, happy, and satisfied. And not because there’d be more chances to do this later. But because it’s him I want. Not the sex. He leans down, his hands on either side of my head now. Bending the mattress the way spacetime bends around a sun. And when his lips reach mine, my eyes are closed. And I fall again. I fall far, and long, and easily. The same way I drifted towards him. And as I drift, weightless, we kiss. But I’m still connected to him. Always next to him. Because this is what it feels like to fall into someone, not away. This is not me slipping down the mountain. This is not me losing my footing. This is me finding myself. In him. In us. So when I reach my hand between my legs and place him right where he needs to be, he enters me. And all those broken, spinning pieces come together to once again create the thing we were always meant to become. Our bodies move together. Perfectly synchronized. Like the dance of stars in space. His body is hot, and my body is hot, and the heat we create between us doesn’t burn like fire but rearranges us. Like the molecules of two metals mixing to form the strongest sword made of the very best steel. Our lovemaking is slow. And perfect. We reach the heights of pleasure together. As one. And it’s the kind of climax that only happens once in a lifetime. The kind of release that means more than the way it makes you feel. It tells you who you are, and who you’re with, and exactly where you fit in the grand scheme of things. He says, “I love you, Madison.” And I say it back. “I love you, Tyler.” We mold ourselves into each other as we relax and grow sleepy. Our bodies back together. His arms around me. My back pressed against his chest. Our hearts beating. Keeping time. Becoming what we were always meant to be.
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