#Blushing Blog Tour Shower

I'm so excited to be bringing you my stop on the blog tour for BLUSHING by Katie Delhanty! So to say I love this series is a mass understatement. Like huge!! Check out my five star review of the first book  HERE. I seriously fell in love from the very first page of the very first chapter in In Bloom. I hope you have read these books, because if not, you're truly missing out!!

Publisher: Entangled Embrace

Expected Publication Date: February 23, 2015

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Source: E-ARC

Rating: 5 Stars

Add to Goodreads 

About the book:

My name is Olivia Bloom and I. Am. Engaged.

When Berkeley proposed I thought we’d live happily ever after—we’d plan our wedding and he’d tour with the Brightside while I continued designing lingerie. But instead he dropped a bombshell that turned my life upside down: he’s set to star in a movie with, who else, his gorgeous ex, Christina Carlton. And what’s more? I’ve been erased from the public eye. All anyone can talk about is #Berkstina.

Berkeley wants me to work on set as a costume designer—a dream come true—but there’s a catch; we have to keep our relationship secret. I’m okay with not being photographed, but the sneaking around, the lies, the love scenes; it’s not how I imagined our engagement. I know Berkeley is passionate and driven, but he has so much going on—I don’t know if we can take it. I’m starting to wonder how well I know him.

I love him, but am I ready to drop everything and decide the rest of my life? To become Olivia Dalton?

 

Review:

"Sometimes you have to risk it all to make a dream come true. #BeBrave"

Here comes the bride...
Just kidding! Ms. Olivia Bloom is only engaged to the hottest man on the planet. Heheh. Yup, I'm talking about Berkeley. The rock god with an insanely sweet side to him that you can't help but swooooooon. I've been waiting for this book for only about...oh, ever since I finished the first book, In Bloom. I remember the feels when I delved deep into the Hollywood life with Olivia. How lucky is it that she caught the eye of of a rock star? How many of us wish this could happen to us? There's a reason musician type books are my personal favorite. Blushing is a story of love, Hollywood, crazy mean bitches, and some insanely hot & steamy scenes from the newly engaged couple!

"I know it’s him, recognize his clean scent, the tugging in my core, the buzzing at the base of my spine. Finding my mouth, he coaxes my lips open."

Berkeley is up for a role in an up and coming movie adaption of the Keystone series. He's actually up for the lead and all the while he's been trying to get out of it... But here's the thing, he can't. There's a been a contract signed and his leading lady is none other than Christina (dang I truly dislike her...okay, I hate her!). His contract won't let him get out of playing in the movie without losing millions. And of course Christina doesn't want to negotiate with him. It's all or nothing. Olivia being the sweet person and not over dramatic or jealous, pushes Berkeley to do the movie or else he may regret it for the rest of his life.

"The kiss is slow and sweet and grateful. I squeeze his face in my hands, slowly becoming aware of everyone else on the movie set, watching us."

Well, he decides to take the movie and make Liv an assistant costume designer. Bad news though, she has to change her name and appearance, all in the name of love. And losing out on lots of money of the media were to find out that she and Berkeley are engaged. This is cause for sneaking around like teenagers. Will the two be able to handle the pressure? How much can one take until it's too much and you start questioning the others motivations?

There is some serious angst and drama in Blushing. Berkeley and Olivia will be tested beyond belief. It has you wondering if their love is truly meant to be. If it's any consolation I think I fell more in love with ex story and characters. I'm sure it's not easy being linked to a mega star and I think it takes a special kind of someone to put up with it. I know for a fact I probably wouldn't be one of those specials ones. Which is precisely why I'd rather read about it instead. Boys in books ARE better, right?

Olivia. Liv. Whatever you call her, she's an awesome female lead. I love her innocence & purity in a world full of greed & assholery. (Yes, I just made up a word!) you can see the light shining from within her; no wonder Berkeley has fallen head over heels in love with her!

"I mean, I would prefer to make out with Tux Nicholas, but even I am in love with you. And men will fall in love with you every day for the rest of your life.-Parker

Overall, I think that the book couldn't have been better and I fully recommend picking up anything & everything that involves the Brightside series. Liv, Berkeley, and gang feel like life long friends. I'll be sad when I have to say goodbye to them.

"Do you have any idea how much I love you?"
"I think so. And you know it was always only you," he says, those  

About the Author:

 Katie is a fashion designer turned novelist. She graduated with a BA in Communication Studies from UCLA and a Professional Designation in Fashion Design from FIDM. It never occurred to her that she was a writer until an economic crisis induced career shift from lingerie designer to ecommerce webmistress led her to start the company blog. Not being an expert in lingerie, she decided to write the blog as a fictional serial starring a girl named Olivia Bloom who worked for the lingerie line. And that’s when Katie fell in love with storytelling. She hasn’t looked back since. Katie lives in Los Angeles with her husband.

website

http://www.KatieDelahanty.com

twitter username

KTDelahanty

Buy Links:

Barnes and Noble

Amazon US

Amazon UK

Bachelorette Party time? Me thinks so!!

 (Click on photo. I do not own the rights to this.)

                                                        The #BlushingBlogShower prizes:

$75.00 Gift Card to In Bloom Intimates

$20.00 Gift Card to Sephora

The Remainers CD: The music that inspired In Bloom

Soapy Bliss Champagne Bathtub Candy

Style Me Pretty Weddings by Abby Larson

The Wedding A to Z by Linda Hampshire and Karima El-Hakkaoui

The World Needs More Love Letters: All-in-One Stationery and Envelopes by Heather Brencher

Additional Giveaway from yours truly!  

Comment below with a cocktail fit for a bride! (or anyone for that matter)

What would be some fun games to play?

How many strippers do you think is good for a party?

Winner will receive this:

(Has three ARCS and assorted swag. Remember just comment below one of the questions from above. That's it!) So just to clarify, there are TWO giveaways going on. One for the blog tour and one from me! Make sure you enter both :)

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ARC Review: Duplicity by N.K. Traver

Publisher: St. Martin's Press

Expected Publication Date: March 17, 2015

Genre: Cyber thriller

Source: Print ARC

Rating: 4 Stars

 

ADD to Goodreads

 

ABOUT THE BOOK

in private, 17-year-old Brandon hacks bank accounts for thousands of dollars just for the hell of it. In public, he looks like any other tattooed bad boy with a fast car and devil-may-care attitude. He should know, he’s worked hard to maintain that façade. With inattentive parents who move cities every two years, he’s learned not to get tangled up in friends and relationships. So he’ll just keep living like a machine, all gears and wires.

Then two things shatter his carefully-built image: Emma, the kind, preppy girl who insists on looking beneath the surface — and the small matter of a mirror reflection that starts moving by itself. Not only does Brandon’s reflection have a mind of its own, but it seems to be grooming him for something— washing the dye from his hair, yanking out his piercings, swapping his black shirts for … pastels. Changes he can’t explain to his classmates, who think he’s having an identity crisis, and certainly not to nosy Emma. Then Brandon’s reflection tells him: it thinks it can live his life better, and it’s preparing to trade places.                 

                           

And when it pulls Brandon through the looking-glass, not only will he need all his ill-gotten hacking skills to escape, but he’ll have to face some hard truths about who he’s become. Otherwise he’ll be stuck in a digital hell until he’s old and gray, and Emma and his parents won't even know he's gone.

Review:
Duplicity is a fast-paced and witty novel. Brandon is a super hacker and he doesn't care about anything or anybody. Especially Emma, the girl who he may or may not have feelings for deep down inside. What happens when you feel as if you're constantly hallucinating? Such as seeing you're reflection in the mirror blinking or when the said reflection starts changing you. Clearly you aren't in your right mind, yeah? Well, Brandon is being stalked and it's scaring the living crap outta him.

The reflection, who Brandon calls Obran(other Brandon) is slowly trying to prepare Brandon for "the trade". What does that even mean? You find out later on in the book "why" Brandon's reflection is moving all on its own. Once that part of the story hits, it starts getting all hacker talk and I'll admit...I didn't understand some things. Okay, I didn't understand a lot of things. But it didn't stop me from reading and turning the pages. In all honesty, I couldn't turn them fast enough. I found a story told from the "bad-boy" pov refreshing.

Brandon has piercings everywhere, tattoos, and he has the attitude to match being a bad boy. There's some underlining vulnerability though with a hint of wanting to be noticed. Particularly by his parents, who don't seem to act as parents should. I loved that we got to see the story from his pov. Brandon is unique and isn't all as bad as he may seem. Then there's the beautiful Emma, who cares too much for a boy that won't allow himself to feel the same.

Going into the book, I had no idea how much I was going to love it. When reading the synopsis, it's not really a book that I'd normally read but it truly surprised me. The whole concept isn't one that I found totally believable but I was still entertained. If you're looking for a great read, try Duplicity from this debut author. Yes, I said it, this is the author's first book! I look forward to reading more from Travers.

Review copy received from publishers for an honest review. All opinions are my own!

Early Reviews:

"I absolutely loved this novel! Original. Pitch perfect voice. A stunning debut. I'm jealous. N.K. Traver knocks it out of the park. A must read. I. Could. Not. Put. It down.” —Roland Smith, New York Times bestselling author of Peak and the I, Q series

“N.K. Traver's Duplicity is an intriguing, fast-paced read. It's the dark, malevolent-mirror-filled soul baby of Tron and The Matrix that I never knew I wanted. Don't miss it!” —Kendare Blake, author of Anna Dressed in Blood

“Duplicity is an incredibly unique, fast-paced debut. I've never read a story quite like it! With a clever writing style and satisfying hints of humor, N.K. Traver knocks this one out of the park! I can't wait to have a copy of it on my shelf. This is a great debut that will be sure to suck in both male and female readers. It kept me thinking, even after I finished the last page.” —Lindsay Cummings, author of The Murder Complex
 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

As a freshman at the University of Colorado, N.K. Traver decided to pursue Information Technology because classmates said, “no one could make a living,” with an English degree. It wasn’t too many years later Traver realized it didn’t matter what the job paid—nothing would ever be as fulfilling as writing. Programmer by day, writer by night, it was only a matter of time before the two overlapped. N.K. Traver lives in Colorado.

url

https://www.goodreads.com/nktraver

website

http://nktraver.com

twitter username

NKTraver

 

Buy Links:
Amazon US
Amazon UK
Barnes and Noble

 

Release Day Blitz Review feat Giveaway- NEVER GONNA TELL by Sarah M. Ross

 

We are thrilled to bring you the Release Day Launch for Sarah M. Ross's NEVER GONNA TELL! NEVER GONNA TELL is a standalone young adult romantic suspense that will Knock. Your. Socks. Off!

NEVER GONNA TELL is on sale for only $.99 for a limited time so grab your copy today!!!

 

 

   NEVER GONNA TELL Synopsis: 

My name is Reagan Wilcox: high school senior by day, kick-ass investigative journalist by night. I’ve always loved observing people—especially when they think no one is paying attention. I thought I was ready to cover any story. Work any angle. Nothing could have prepared me for what happened that night. I wasn’t ready for what I saw. And I certainly wasn’t ready for him. I always knew I’d write the headlines. Now, I just might become one.  

Amazon ** Barnes & Noble ** iTunes ** Kobo

 Review:

When going into Never Gonna Tell, I honestly knew nothing about the book. Nothing at all. It was one of those times that I went into the book blind. The opening scene is what had me hooked; it gripped me. I knew that i would be going for a crazy ride. Reagan wants to become an investigative journalist and by doing so, she needs to find a story worth writing about. The opportunity comes one night when Reagan witnesses something she shouldn't. But... It would probably be easier to keep quiet than tell for many reasons.

One being that what she witnessed that fateful night, had to do with the mysteriously hot and bad boy, Marco Calotta. Who has ties to the mob. In fact, it's rumored his family may be part of the mob. But hey, it's all just rumors...right? Marco and Reagan may be polar opposites but both of them together, they made a great team. Plus their chemistry was hot; as were some of the scorching hot sex scenes (well we never actually see them do the deed but they come pretty close!!). I thought that the book was classified as YA but I think it's should be for older teens and up.

The book started off so good but towards the middle I found it lacking and at times unrealistic. It still held my interest and of course I would fully recommend the story. I just feel that it lost the intensity that I loved in the beginning of the book. The characters are great, and the plot was interesting enough. This is a fast paced novel that will keep you on your toes despite some of the issues I had. 

  Release Day Excerpt: 

THE CHURCH BELLS from St. Agnes Church chime, letting me know I have a half hour before Dad calls the National Guard out for me. Hmm, maybe enough time to head to the Shake Shack and get a frozen salted caramel hot chocolate—my new favorite addiction.

 Gravel crunches under my feet as I cross the parking lot toward my car. As I dig through my backpack searching for my car keys, a yelp rings out in the distance. Pausing, I stand still and listen for the sound again. Was an animal hurt somewhere, maybe?

 The noise was muffled and not close by, so I can’t make out the source. The last bell chimes, reminding me I should hurry home, but the reporter in me won’t let me leave without checking. I wait a few minutes to see if I hear it again, scanning the area for the source. 

Across the street, dark shadows fill the doorways of the now-closed shops that line the main road, setting my nerves on edge. The voice in my head nags that this is how horror movies begin, but I shake off the ridiculous thought. Horror movies aren’t real. The idea of scooping a story before anyone else—that’s a real possibility. Nothing moves except for the leaves as the breeze picks up. Just as I’m ready to give up, I hear the noise again, this time followed by what sounds like shuffling feet—like something sliding through gravel.

 “What in the world was that?” I mutter. The sounds together don’t make any sense. If it was an animal yelping, what was that other noise? Had someone maybe captured an animal in a trap? This is rural Tennessee, so it wouldn’t surprise me. Everyone around here is well-versed in hunting, starting in elementary school. 

My naturally inquisitive mind begins imagining several scenarios, and I can’t walk away. Not until I know. Lord knows if I just get in my car and leave, I’ll be up all night thinking about how I might’ve missed out on a story. Bye bye, scholarship. I sigh, shoving my overflowing backpack in the passenger seat before slamming the car door as I head toward the source of the noise. 

I make my way toward the river, cutting through an alleyway. The single streetlight flickers, barely illuminating the area and making it feel even more desolate out here. Ominous, almost. I can’t help thinking that with my luck, it’ll end up being a skunk that sprays me for trying to help. The alley is more of a narrow path between buildings, not even wide enough for a car to fit through. 

Overflowing dumpsters from surrounding businesses line one side while the other is a dirty brick wall covered in graffiti. If this were Baltimore, I might have been more cautious, but while Hope Mills isn’t Pleasantville by any means, I don’t feel afraid, only curious.

 “Get your hands off me, you son of a bitch. You’re never going to get away with this!” a man growls in the distance, the final word echoing off the water. I whip my head around, barely missing smacking it on an underhang promoting JT’s Soul Food Buffet. Okay, that definitely wasn’t an animal.   

 

      

About Sarah M. Ross: 

Sarah started her obsession with reading at an early age, often sneaking BabySitter Club and Nancy Drew books into math class. She would read any book she could get her hands on. Her love of reading quickly evolved into a love of writing and stories began to pour out of her. She grew up in Pittsburgh, graduated from The University of Pittsburgh with a degree in English, and taught 8th graders to love reading as much as she does for several years. 

Sarah will always be a proud member of the Steelers' Nation, but couldn't take the cold and moved her frozen tush to Florida where she now lives with her family and two cats. You will find her now with her trusty Kindle in hand and toes in the sand! Sarah's debut novel, AWAKEN, released in January, 2012. Other novels include AVENGE, ATONE, ECHO OF AN EARTH ANGEL, and INHALE EXHALE.   

Website | Twitter| Facebook | Author Goodreads | NEVER GONNA TELL Goodreads

 

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Book Blitz feat Giveaway- Slumber by Christy Sloat

Buy Links-

Amazon US- http://amzn.to/1GwpYi5

Amazon UK- http://amzn.to/1C9ns1W

Amazon CA- http://amzn.to/1HLuw5m

Smashwords- http://bit.ly/1Cauntm

Slumber by Christy Sloat

Genre: YA Fantasy

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/24517353-slumber?from_search=true

Not all princesses get their happily ever after…

They tell me I killed my boyfriend Phillip in cold blood. I stabbed him twenty one times. I’m only seventeen years old, and I am serving life in Spindle Ridge Asylum for the Criminally Insane.

I don’t remember killing him, so it’s really hard to believe I’m capable of murder. In fact I don’t remember anything before I came to Spindle Ridge, not even my boyfriend.

I can only grasp onto my realistic dreams while the madness of the asylum threatens to pull me under. I dream I’m a beautiful princess and there is an evil faerie named Maleficent who is bent on my destruction. The dreams are the closest thing I have to memories of my life, except they aren’t real.

I’m crazy. I’m not a princess.

They’re the mad illusions of an irrational teenage girl, right?

They’ve assigned me a new doctor, and she says I can trust her, and that she’ll help me see the truth of who I really am.

When she arrived she brought a new patient, Sawyer, who is everything Spindle Ridge isn’t: exciting, mysterious and beautiful. He promises he’s here to rescue me. Trusting either of them frightens me.

Could it be possible that my dreams are more than just the imaginings of a delusional girl? Could they be truth?

About the Author:

Christy Sloat is a SoCal born girl who resides in New Jersey currently with her husband, two daughters and Sophie her Chihuahua. Christy has embraced the love of reading and writing since her youth and was inspired by her grandmother’s loving support. Christy passes that love of reading, writing, and creativity to her daughters, family, and friends. When you do not find Christy within the pages of a book you can find her being mommy, wife, crafter, and dear friend. She loves adventurous journeys with her friends and can be known to get lost inside a bookstore. Be sure to venture into her Past Lives Series, The Visitor’s Series, and watch for many more exciting things to come. Check out her website www.christysloat.com Instagram http://instagram.com/authorchristysloat_writes

Blog http://christysloat.blogspot.com/

Facebook: Christy Sloat Author www.facebook.com/christysloatauthor

Twitter: @ChristySloat

Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/Christy-Sloat/e/B0071MMCU6/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_pop_1/178-8327298-6454517

Read below for an excerpt from the book:

Chapter 2 Dr. Altman   “The patient seems to be developing more symptoms. Her dreams are showing no improvement. May need to look into her medication and alter it slightly—” “Dr. Altman?” Dr. Altman hit stop on his recorder as a nurse walked into his office. “Ah, Nurse Mary, how can I help you?” he asked the nervous nurse standing in his doorway. She bit her lip as she opened the door further. “I’m just checking on Rory’s progress. I was sent by the director,” she informed him. He swiveled his chair around, looking out onto the grounds below. He had been working for the Spindle Ridge Asylum for one year now, and he was constantly asked about certain patients by the director. It’s a part of his job he was used to, yet normal routine would be the director waiting until he was done with his reports. He would then hand deliver them to the director and wait for her to schedule a meeting. This director had more say, an annoying approach. After each session with a patient, either Nurse Mary or one of the other many nurses came to his office and interrupted his recording sessions. “Doctor, did I come at a bad time again?” Mary asked. She knew how impatient he could be. She stood there waiting for his reply. Finally he turned his chair and stood up. He walked to Mary and patted her on the shoulder. “No. I’ll go to the director myself, Mary. Save you a trip.” Accordingly, he walked out the door and up the flight of stairs leading to the director’s office, leaving a confused Mary in his wake. He reached the door of the director of the asylum. Her office sat on the top floor overlooking the ocean view that sits just outside the asylum walls. She, by far, had the best view of the place; even better than his view of the gardens. He knew she was unprepared for his arrival, but he knocked anyway. “Come in, Mary, you idiot—” She stopped short seeing Dr. Altman at the door. “Oh, I am terribly sorry, Dr. Altman. Do come in.” Dr. Malisa Fenwick, or Dr. M for short, was a tall woman with raven black hair that she kept pulled so tight that he feared for the safety of her eyes. She smiled at him. It was always a disturbing smile, never quite reaching her eyes. “I came about my session with Rory; you wanted to know about it. So instead of sending nurses to my office, I will come to you,” he said matter-of-factly. “I feel it’s better this way.” Her smile faded fast, and she nodded her head motioning for him to take a seat. He did but kept his eyes steady with hers. Dr. Altman was not scared of Dr. M, not for a second. The staff may flitter around her like scared little children, but he was a man of science and would not be intimidated by her. “Well?” she said impatiently. “Rory’s progress is slow. I can tell you that much right now. I was in the middle of my recordings when I was interrupted by Mary. I was going to give you the full report after lunch,” he explained. “Peter, let’s be frank, shall we?” she asked even though she really didn’t want an answer. “Just tell me what your suggestion is.” She sat back into her plush, white leather chair. It matched all the other pure white furniture in her office. “Okay then, I think you have an unhealthy obsession with my patient,” he blurted. “You can’t wait for my official report, ever. It’s not fair to me as a doctor and it’s unfair to the patient.” Dr. M stood fast, her chair flying out from behind her. She was mad and that anger had no problem reaching her eyes. They flared with hatred for him as he sat in front of her. “How dare you come in here and diagnose me! You know what that girl did! I am merely keeping track of her progress. Progress that she is apparently not making, according to you.” Dr. M stopped, took a deep breath and continued. “I’m afraid that if you can’t make some sort of progress with that girl within two weeks’ time, I will be asking you to step down as her doctor. Do you understand?” She said this as calmly as she could. Dr. Altman’s face turned red with fury. “You’d take her away from me after all this time? Do you know what that would do to her? What that would do to me? She trusts me!” he shouted. “Dr. Altman, I’m not worried about her missing you when you’re no longer her doctor. I am, however, worried about whether or not she starts remembering why she is here in Spindle Ridge. It’s detrimental that the girl gets better and understands what she did to land herself here.” “This is not a jail, Malisa. This is a hospital for the criminally insane. She doesn’t need to remember the awful things she did. She just needs to understand that what she did was criminal and the difference between right and wrong.” “And you have two weeks to get her to do so. Now, Peter, leave my office and never come here unannounced again,” she said as she fixed her skirt and recovered her chair. “I’ll do my best, Malisa.” Just before he slammed her door he heard her say, “You’ll do your best or you’ll be sorry.”  

The Giveaway:

2 Signed Bookplates for print books. 2 winners; open to US/CA only

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Book Spotlight feat Giveaway- Feeding the Fire by Andrea Laurence

Title: Feeding the Fire

Author: Andrea Laurence

Release Date: March 16, 2015

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Summary

Pepper has no interest in Grant Chamberlain…until she accidentally wins him at a school auction and finds the mega-hot firefighter impossible to ignore. Find out what happens next in the second playful and sexy ebook romance in the Rosewood series!

Living in the small town of Rosewood, Alabama, hairdresser Pepper Anthony has one rule—never date a Chamberlain. She’s always said, “the only thing worse than being ignored by a Chamberlain is being dumped by one.” But Grant Chamberlain, town fireman, isn’t used to rejection, and Pepper has consistently turned him down since high school. She isn’t intimidated by his family; she’s one of the few who refuses to take their crap.

When Grant volunteers at the charity bachelor auction, to his surprise, Pepper buys him. She hadn’t meant to, but Adelia Chamberlain dropped a cold drink in her lap, sending her leaping into the air at precisely the wrong moment. Suddenly she had a massive bill to the town and Grant at her disposal. Since the money has to come from her “restore the house” fund, she decides to use Grant for manual labor instead of romantic dinners. Grant is happy to help, sweaty and shirtless, because one way or another, he’s going to get Pepper to admit she’s attracted to him. All it takes is a small spark, and soon they’ll be fanning the flames.

Excerpt

Grant stepped out from behind the curtain to a roar of applause. The minute the lights hit him, Pepper felt her heart skip a beat in her chest like she’d been hit with paddles of a defibrillator. He was wearing a black, slim-fit suit with a black shirt and tie. Even though he was indoors and it was nighttime, he was wearing his trademark Ray-Ban sunglasses. The glasses always seemed to accent the square line of his jaw and the sharp angle of his nose.

His full lips curled into his charming smile, with the slightest hint of a dimple visible on his cheek. It reminded her of him looking at her, just like that, from between her trembling thighs.

Damn him for being so sexy. His confidence made him that much more attractive. And frustrating. And irritating. Her fingers itched to reach for her paddle, but she resisted. She wasn’t going to pay for his time, even when he smiled at her that way.

“The lucky lady with the winning bid will go with Grant to a romantic dinner at Brio’s in Birmingham and if she likes, he’ll take her on an exhilarating ride down a windy country road on the back of his motorcycle.”

Pepper could almost see all the wild fantasies rushing through the heads of every woman in the room. It was a nice thought—hair blowing in the wind, thighs clamped around Grant’s narrow hips, arms wrapped around his waist. Even she could imagine the hard feel of his abs beneath the thin cotton of his T-shirt and the vibration of the engine against her most sensitive parts. There was a rumble of approval as they readied their paddles and sized up their competition.

Good luck to them, Pepper thought.

Like a beach ball bouncing around the room, the bids flew fast and furious. Before long, they’d topped three thousand.

Suddenly Pepper felt awkward. Even though she and Grant weren’t dating, she didn’t exactly want to sit around and watch other women battle for him. Looking around the room, she spied Adelia Chamberlain coming back to her table with a glass of ice water. Maybe another drink would help. Or perhaps it was the right time for a restroom break. She could beat all the other women that would rush the ladies’ room when the auction ended.

Pepper slipped her purse onto her shoulder and picked up her paddle so she could dump it in the bathroom trash can. “I’m going to get some air,” she whispered to Ivy, then started to get up.

The ambush was sudden and unexpected. When they first came in Pepper had noticed the cable that the A/V people had taped to the floor, but the room was much darker now. Adelia didn’t see it and caught the toe of her shoe on it. She didn’t fall, thank goodness, but she did stumble, slinging her full glass of ice water into Pepper’s lap.

With a cry of surprise and alarm, Pepper leapt out of her chair, holding her arms high to avoid the water that practically covered her from neck to knees.

“Four thousand!” Allison Price announced from the stage.

The MC’s words were an even larger shock to Pepper than the water. She turned her head toward Grant and the action onstage. He was looking straight at her with a wide smile of confidence across his face. He winked at her, and Pepper felt her stomach sink into her boot. Allison was pointing in Pepper’s direction, trying to coax a higher bid out of the audience.

Yes, please, she screamed in her head. Make it forty-five hundred. Hell, make it four thousand and one penny. Just outbid her. She was answered with deafening silence. The only one in the room making a sound was Allison up on stage. It seemed that suddenly, all the battling women seemed to give up. Even Grant wasn’t worth that much, it seemed, and she agreed.

“No!” Pepper shouted, but there was no stopping it.

“Going once . . . going twice . . .”

“I didn’t mean to—”

“Sold! To the lady in the blue sweaterdress, paddle twenty-two!”

Pepper looked down at her dark blue sweater, suddenly made even darker by the spreading water mark. Her damned paddle, the one she never wanted to begin with, was still in her hand. She watched as it slipped from her fingers, clattering to the ground in slow motion as the gravity of the situation caught up with her. Four thousand dollars. She’d just bid four thousand dollars. Because of well-aimed ice water.

“Oh, Pepper,” Miss Adelia fussed, dabbing her with an inadequate cocktail napkin and shaking off the well-meaning hands of the folks that were more concerned about the older woman nearly falling. “I am so sorry. I didn’t even see that silly cord,” she said. “Is your dress okay?”

She couldn’t respond. All Pepper could do was close her eyes and try to keep the tears of frustration and aggravation from rushing down her cheeks.

She had just paid four thousand dollars for a date with Grant Chamberlain.

Buy Links

Amazon: http://amzn.to/1ET0hLv

Barnes and Noble: http://bit.ly/1MDRNsN

iBooks: http://apple.co/1FqEA4u

Author Biography

Andrea Laurence has been a lover of reading and writing stories since she learned to read at a young age. She always dreamed of seeing her work in print and is thrilled to finally be able to share her special blend of sensuality and dry, sarcastic humor with the world. A dedicated West Coast girl transplanted into the Deep South, she's working on her own "happily ever after" with her boyfriend and their collection of animals including a Siberian Husky that sheds like nobody's business.

Social Networking Links

Website: http://andrealaurence.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorAndreaLaurence

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Andrea_Laurence

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5398672.Andrea_Laurence

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