Sunday, May 31, 2015

A Peek In The BiblioBin #151


Welcome to our Stacking the Shelves post! Stacking the Shelves (or as we like to call it, A Peek in the BiblioBin) has been created by the lovely ladies at Tynga's Reviews.

Stacking the Shelves is a way for bloggers to share what books they have won, received for review, bought from the bookstore, borrowed from the library or friend, etc.

For Review:


Everything Everything by Nicola Yoon

The Girl I Was Before (Falling #3) by Ginger Scott

Purchased:


Very Good Lives by J.K. Rowling

Openly Straight by Bill Konigsberg


Dirty Past (The Burke Brothers #2) by Emma Hart

Just One Taste (Pine Mountain #4.5) by Kimberly Kincaid


Friday, May 29, 2015

No One Like You by Kate Angell

***

From Kensington:


No One Expects a Curveball
For Rylan Cates, the gloriously sunny beachside town of Barefoot William may be home, but the pro baseball player needs to focus on spring training. Hiring a personal assistant to keep him and his four dogs organized for the next eight weeks is the first step—and Beth Avery is the perfect pinch hitter.
Beth is still looking for her place in the world, and a couple months caring for Rylan’s two dachshunds, his golden retriever, and a Great Dane named Atlas should shore up her finances before she moves on. Except it’s Atlas who won’t budge, pushing her toward tanned, scruffy, sexy Rylan every chance he gets. One more strike and she’s calling the dog out—unless she and Rylan admit that the attraction they’re feeling is a game-winning grand slam…


Beth is running from her past; from a disastrous professional event that turned her life upside down and had her fleeing like a criminal.  She takes odd jobs, traveling around, never staying in any place long - just learning to be herself; to accept herself.  When she lands a temp job as the personal assistant/dog sitter for baseball star Rylan Cates, who can help falling for a gorgeous athlete who is a genuinely good guy? 

While the book is set in the world of professional baseball, the characters are down to earth and very real.  No One Like You is a romance without (mostly) the angst that is so common in romances these days.  While their relationship takes both Beth and Rylan by surprise and requires adjustments in both life and mentality, there's something comforting in the thought that love can come without all the angst.  I'm not sure an author would like me saying her book was comforting and felt "normal" but that's how I felt about No One Like You.  And who doesn't love a book with crazy dogs in it, right?  Rylan's dogs are awesome!

Kate Angell does great sports romance.  If you haven't checked out her Richmond Rogues series, you definitely should.  Find out more here:  http://www.kateangell.com.  

~ Shel

Thursday, May 28, 2015

That's What HE Said Thursday #30

Image courtesy of Kei at The Lovely Pages Review

That's What HE Said is a weekly meme hosted by the wonderful ladies at Chapter Break. It's a chance for us to spotlight and gush over a quote from our current book crush to the object of his desire. We like to pretend it's us ;)


What better way to celebrate our book boyfriends?


*  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *

Nat introduces us to this week's book boyfriend, Jax from Undeniable by Shannon Richard. The scene: Jax takes Grace to the house he’s been remodeling to propose. This is part of his speech to her. Sidenote: Grace is a baker and runs a cafĂ©. Ahh... sweet romance!



 “This kitchen was always part of the plan.  YOUR kitchen was always part of the plan.  And it’s because YOU were always part of the plan, it just took me a little while to figure it out.  I built this house for you, every part of it.  I wanted to give you what you gave me.  Because, Grace, you’re my home. The place I feel safe and loved and wanted.  The place where all the brokenness from the past goes away and it’s just you and me.”

Jax to Grace 
Undeniable (Country Roads #2) 
by Shannon Richard

   
      Undeniable (Country Roads, #2)
    


The One That Got Away by Bethany Chase

* * * *


Perfect for fans of Emily Giffin and Jennifer Weiner, this bright, funny debut from a fresh voice in fiction offers a delicious take on love, family, and what it means to build a home of one’s own.

Sarina Mahler thinks she has her life all nailed down: a growing architecture practice in Austin, Texas, and an any-day-now proposal from her loving boyfriend, Noah. She’s well on her way to having the family she’s hoped for since her mother’s death ten years ago. But with Noah on a temporary assignment abroad and retired Olympic swimmer — and former flame — Eamon Roy back in town asking her to renovate his new fixer-upper, Sarina’s life takes an unexpected turn.

Eamon proves to be Sarina’s dream client, someone who instinctively trusts every one of her choices — and Sarina is reminded of all the reasons she was first drawn to him back in the day. Suddenly her carefully planned future with Noah seems a little less than perfect. And when tragedy strikes, Sarina is left reeling. With her world completely upended, she is forced to question what she truly wants in life — and in love.

Full of both humor and heartbreak, The One That Got Away is the story of one woman’s discovery that, sometimes, life is what happens when you leave the blueprints behind.


Sarina is a well-respected and successful architect in her early thirties whose career is gaining traction. She’s her own boss, managing her own projects and genuinely in love with what she does for a living. She has a wonderful roommate Danny, a fun best friend Nicole and a devoted boyfriend, Noah. Noah’s a corporate lawyer and currently in Argentina working on a huge merger. This means that they’re apart for months at a time, resorting to phone calls and skyping to keep in touch. Sarina feels happy with her world, that is until Eamon comes back into her life.

Eamon is the one (night stand) that got away. She thought they’d hit it off perfectly but when the next morning came he had an abrupt change in attitude and left after promising to call her. That left Sarina wondering all sorts of things. Could she have done something wrong? Why didn't she ever hear from him? She was understandably hurt by the quick departure and kept their involvement a secret from Danny, his best friend. She eventually met Noah with whom she has found that stability she values. Eamon’s reappearance illicits mixed emotions. She acknowledges that though she’s happy to see him, there’s still some level of hurt there, naturally making things a wee bit awkward. Worse, he’s still as gorgeous and as sweet as ever. Not that she’s willing to admit that aloud. When he announces that he’s ready to move back to Austin to lay down roots, he hires Sarina to help him find a place to rehab. Great, so now he’s a client!

Here’s what I loved about this book: while it’s a romance, it’s not focused solely on Sarina's love life. She is written as a well-rounded character with so many facets to her. She is a career woman who enjoys her job and has ambitions for expanding. I really liked how absorbed she’d get in her projects and how she described her euphoria over light-bulb moments or ideas that inspired her creations. She’s a go-getter who’s smart, calm and confident in her skills. The other side of her is her close relationship with her step-dad whom she adores. He’s the last connection to her beloved mother and the way she looks up to him is just so incredibly sweet.  

Trouble does arise when she starts developing feelings for Eamon just as her relationship with Noah starts to get shakey. The distance hasn’t helped and as they discuss their long-term future, she realizes that they may not want the same thing. Now as she enters the next stage in her life, she has to give serious thought as to how her ambitions fit into a marriage and possibly children. Or is it the other way around – how do marriage and children fit in with her ambitious plans to become a well-known architect? The fact that she and Noah have differing opinions on the matter is troublesome. Then there’s Eamon on the periphery who's praising her talents while encouraging her to pursue her dreams. He finally comes clean about his feelings for her and why he left all those years ago. Now Sarina is not a whimsical little thing and won't drop everything simply because he announces that he's ready. And this is what I love best about her: as confusing and frustrating as life has become, she's still level-headed enough to examine her motives and not throw away years she has invested in a relationship with Noah without some serious contemplation.

The One That Got Away is simply adorable and I fell for it hard. For me personally it was refreshing to read a female protagonist with that level of maturity and self-assurance. And I can't forget the other co-star in this story - the city of Austin. All I know about it is that it's home to Austin City Limits, South By Southwest and incredibly hot in the summer. Bethany Chase's description of some of the local areas and markets has me wanting to visit sooner rather than later. If you're in the mood for a well-written, well-balanced romance, don't pass up The One That Got Away!

~ Bel

Connect with Bethany on Twitter and Instagram. Being an interior designer herself, she often posts gorgeous pictures that capture her attention!

Wednesday, May 27, 2015

Nowhere But Here by Katie McGarry

****

An unforgettable new series from acclaimed author Katie McGarry about taking risks, opening your heart and ending up in a place you never imagined possible.

Seventeen-year-old Emily likes her life the way it is: doting parents, good friends, good school in a safe neighborhood. Sure, she's curious about her biological father—the one who chose life in a motorcycle club, the Reign of Terror, over being a parent—but that doesn't mean she wants to be a part of his world. But when a reluctant visit turns to an extended summer vacation among relatives she never knew she had, one thing becomes clear: nothing is what it seems. Not the club, not her secret-keeping father and not Oz, a guy with suck-me-in blue eyes who can help her understand them both. 

Oz wants one thing: to join the Reign of Terror. They're the good guys. They protect people. They're…family. And while Emily—the gorgeous and sheltered daughter of the club's most respected member—is in town, he's gonna prove it to her. So when her father asks him to keep her safe from a rival club with a score to settle, Oz knows it's his shot at his dream. What he doesn't count on is that Emily just might turn that dream upside down. 

No one wants them to be together. But sometimes the right person is the one you least expect, and the road you fear the most is the one that leads you home. 


Review:

When Emily’s mom and dad convince her to attend the funeral of her biological father’s mother, she expects to get in and get out as quickly as possible.  But life is never that easy.  Somehow Emily’s existence and presence in Snowflake is leaked to a rival biker gang that would love nothing more than to cause deadly trouble for Eli’s (Emily’s biological dad) motorcycle club.  Her three parents (mom, dad and Eli) decide it is in her best interest to stay hidden at Eli’s home in Kentucky while her mom and dad fly back to Florida.  No one will have expected her to stay which should keep her safe until everything blows over.  A two week stay turns in to more than a month.  A long visit that allows Emily to acquaint herself with a family she’s never known or trusted.  A visit that also makes her question everything her three parents have told her since she was a little girl.  

When other kids were dreaming of becoming police officers, teachers or doctors, Oz was dreaming of joining the Reign of Terror and working in the family security business.  When Eli asks Oz to prove himself worthy of making prospect by babysitting his daughter, Oz isn’t going to say no. 

At first, Emily and Oz circle each other warily.  Both have preconceived ideas about the other and their way of life and they most certainly do not like each other.  But as they spend more time with each other the more they understand and respect one another.  An understanding and respect that is turning into something more.  
I found the two main characters fascinating.  Emily holds back a lot but finds this inner strength and boldness in certain situations that made her an absolute joy.  The only way to describe Oz is intense.  He’s very experienced and lives in and whole-heartedly embraces a world where the social rules are so different.  At the same time he has this vulnerability about him that belies his age and emotional inexperience.  It’s no wonder that these two characters set my tablet on fire when they interacted on the page.

I also found the different family members and friends more than a bit interesting.  Oz’s parents and friend, Razor.  Emily’s grandparents, cousins, newly gained family friends and even Eli.  There wasn’t a single one that didn’t spark my interest and made me wish for a side story just about them.   I do know that I will at least get my wish with Razor which will be super exciting.

But my favorite part of this story, by far, was the relationship between Emily and her three parents. I just need to put it out there how much I LOVE the way Katie McGarry writes parent/child relationships.  They are amazingly complex and she never holds back from making them unbelievably messy.  They are not the stereotypical horrific or absent parents (obviously there are exceptions…hello, Echo’s mom).  But they are also rarely perfect parents that get everything right.  She writes them as imperfect beings that love their children.  People that sometimes get the parenting thing right but very often don’t.   So many times they are what I like to call the “ambiguous villain.”  They are parents that love their children and try to protect them but in their efforts majorly mess up along the way.  And that is exactly how I saw Emily’s three parents.  

From the beginning you see the love that all three parents have for Emily.  It was both beautiful and heartbreaking to see the amazingly close and trusting relationship that Emily has with her dad and then see how badly Eli wants to have the same relationship with her.  But all that love can’t hide the feeling (for both the reader and Emily) that something is off about their history.  We only know what her parents (all three of them) have told her.  A history that doesn’t put Eli in a very nice light.  But it’s obvious from early on that they are lying.  A lie that you can only assume they concocted for her safety.  But that lie has negatively impacted her in ways she is just beginning to understand. 

Like I said.  Heartbreaking, complicated and all together messy.  And I absolutely loved it.  Needless to say, Nowhere But Here furthers my love affair with all things written by Katie McGarry…


Nat

Waiting on Wednesday (151)


Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, that highlights future releases that we are excitedly anticipating.


The Summer of Chasing MermaidsBy Sarah Ockler
Publication Date: June 2, 2015

The youngest of six talented sisters, Elyse d’Abreau was destined for stardom—until a boating accident took everything from her. Now, the most beautiful singer in Tobago can’t sing. She can’t even speak.

Seeking quiet solitude, Elyse accepts a friend’s invitation to Atargatis Cove. Named for the mythical first mermaid, the Oregon seaside town is everything Elyse’s home in the Caribbean isn’t: An ocean too cold for swimming, parties too tame for singing, and people too polite to pry—except for one.

Christian Kane is a notorious playboy—insolent, arrogant, and completely charming. He’s also the only person in Atargatis Cove who doesn’t treat Elyse like a glass statue. He challenges her to express herself, and he admires the way she treats his younger brother Sebastian, who believes Elyse is the legendary mermaid come to life. 

When Christian needs a first mate for the Cove’s high-stakes Pirate Regatta, Elyse reluctantly stows her fear of the sea and climbs aboard. The ocean isn’t the only thing making waves, though—swept up in Christian’s seductive tide and entranced by the Cove’s charms, Elyse begins to wonder if a life of solitude isn’t what she needs. But changing course again means facing her past. It means finding her inner voice. And scariest of all, it means opening her heart to a boy who’s best known for breaking them . . .




Finding Audrey

By Sophie Kinsella
Publication Date: June 9, 2015

From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Shopaholic series comes a terrific blend of comedy, romance, and psychological recovery in a contemporary YA novel sure to inspire and entertain.

An anxiety disorder disrupts fourteen-year-old Audrey’s daily life. She has been making slow but steady progress with Dr. Sarah, but when Audrey meets Linus, her brother’s gaming teammate, she is energized. She connects with him. Audrey can talk through her fears with Linus in a way she’s never been able to do with anyone before. As their friendship deepens and her recovery gains momentum, a sweet romantic connection develops, one that helps not just Audrey but also her entire family.
 







Last Year's MistakeBy Gina Ciocca
Publication Date: June 9, 2015

Before:
Kelsey and David became best friends the summer before freshman year and were inseparable ever after. Until the night a misunderstanding turned Kelsey into the school joke, and everything around her crumbled—including her friendship with David. So when Kelsey's parents decided to move away, she couldn't wait to start over and leave the past behind. Except, David wasn't ready to let her go...

After:
Now it's senior year and Kelsey has a new group of friends, genuine popularity, and a hot boyfriend. Her life is perfect. That is, until David's family moves to town and he shakes up everything. Soon old feelings bubble to the surface and threaten to destroy Kelsey's second chance at happiness. The more time she spends with David, the more she realizes she never truly let him go. And maybe she never wants to.

Told in alternating sections, LAST YEAR'S MISTAKE is a charming and romantic debut about loving, leaving, and letting go.




Tuesday, May 26, 2015

Nowhere But Here by Katie McGarry RELEASE WEEK BLITZ


We are absolutely thrilled to bring you the Release Day Launch for Katie McGarry's NOWHERE BUT HERE! NOWHERE BUT HERE is a Young Adult Contemporary Romance and is a part of Katie McGarry’s Thunder Road Series, published by Harlequin Teen.  Grab you copy today!!







About NOWHERE BUT HERE:

An unforgettable new series from acclaimed author Katie McGarry about taking risks, opening your heart and ending up in a place you never imagined possible 

Seventeen-year-old Emily likes her life the way it is: doting parents, good friends, good school in a safe neighborhood. Sure, she's curious about her biological father—the one who chose life in a motorcycle club, the Reign of Terror, over being a parent—but that doesn't mean she wants to be a part of his world. But when a reluctant visit turns to an extended summer vacation among relatives she never knew she had, one thing becomes clear: nothing is what it seems. Not the club, not her secret-keeping father and not Oz, a guy with suck-me-in blue eyes who can help her understand them both. 

Oz wants one thing: to join the Reign of Terror. They're the good guys. They protect people. They're…family. And while Emily—the gorgeous and sheltered daughter of the club's most respected member—is in town, he's gonna prove it to her. So when her father asks him to keep her safe from a rival club with a score to settle, Oz knows it's his shot at his dream. What he doesn't count on is that Emily just might turn that dream upside down. 

No one wants them to be together. But sometimes the right person is the one you least expect, and the road you fear the most is the one that leads you home. 



EXCERPT:

From Oz's Point of View. Set up: Emily has been separated from her parents and after a long night of worrying, her emotions and exhaustion catch up to her and it causes Oz to have his first fluttering of emotion for Emily. 

WIND BLOWS IN FROM THE NORTH AND A FEW pieces of Emily’s dark hair sweep across her face. One min­ute Emily’s a bright flame, then a gust snuffs out her light. Her body sways like a top at the tail end of a spin and I lunge forward.

Emily’s knees give out and her eyes roll back into her head. I catch her inches before she crashes onto the porch. She’s light as I swing her into my arms and her head circles onto my shoulder, reminding me of one of those rag dolls Violet used to play with when we were kids.

“Emily!” Eli’s on top of me, attempting to yank her out of my arms. “Open your eyes.”

Her eyelids flutter, but remain closed as her hand limply clutches my shirt. Eli rams his arms underneath mine and he makes Emily a rope in a tug-of-war. I should let her go. I should want to let her go, but then Emily goes and screws it up for me. “Oz.” 

It was a damn whisper, but I heard my name on her lips and so did Eli. His eyes flash to mine and Cyrus’s words repeat in my mind. That girl trusts you. And screw us both for that.

“She’s exhausted,” I say. “Hasn’t slept at all tonight.”

Eli’s expression hardens as he glares at me. I’ve seen Eli throw a coma-inducing punch for less defiance and I readjust the sleeping girl in my arms. A reminder if he decks me now, he’ll be putting his daughter at risk.

Temporarily surrendering, Eli cups Emily’s face in his hands and angles her toward him. “Emily, please open your eyes.”

She does. It’s barely a crack and they’re completely glazed.

“Everything’s going to be okay,” Eli affirms.

“I want my mom and dad,” she mumbles.

“You’ll see them tomorrow.” Eli pushes a strand of hair from her cheek. “You’re safe here. I promise.”

She rejects Eli by curling into me. Her head fits perfectly in the crook of my neck and I loathe the wave of protective­ness that rumbles through my body. Emily’s fingers tighten their grip near my shoulders and the impulse is to shield her from the guys gawking at this intimate scene. Yeah, this is club business, but Emily never asked for any of this.


NOWHERE BUT HERE Trailer:






About Katie McGarry:

Katie McGarry was a teenager during the age of grunge and boy bands and remembers those years as the best and worst of her life. She is a lover of music, happy endings, reality television, and is a secret University of Kentucky basketball fan.

Katie is the author of full length YA novels, PUSHING THE LIMITS, DARE YOU TO, CRASH INTO YOU, TAKE ME ON,  BREAKING THE RULES, and NOWHERE BUT HERE and the e-novellas, CROSSING THE LINE and RED AT NIGHT. Her debut YA novel, PUSHING THE LIMITS was a 2012 Goodreads Choice Finalist for YA Fiction, a RT Magazine's 2012 Reviewer's Choice Awards Nominee for Young Adult Contemporary Novel, a double Rita Finalist, and a 2013 YALSA Top Ten Teen Pick. DARE YOU TO was also a Goodreads Choice Finalist for YA Fiction and won RT Magazine’s Reviewer’s Choice Best Book Award for Young Adult Contemporary fiction in 2013.

Website ** Twitter ** Facebook ** Goodreads ** Pinterest ** Tumblr ** Instagram






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Rescuing the Bad Boy by Jessica Lemmon

Rescuing the Bad Boy (Second Chance, #2)

* * * *
NOT ALL SCARS HEAL

For Donovan Pate, the lake town of Evergreen Cove is a minefield of tough memories—including the day he had to let go of Sofie Martin. Years later, he still can’t forget the taste of her lips and the feel of her killer curves. He knows he’s too damaged, that he should stay away for her own good. But what the head says and the heart wants are two very different things…

Seven years ago, Donovan broke Sofie’s heart. Now her career depends on playing nice in order to pull off the charity fundraiser of the decade. She vows to keep things professional…yet working by his side every day doesn’t make it easy to fight temptation, and it isn’t long before she finds herself falling for this bad boy all over again. But loving Donovan means helping him face his past–so they can fight for a future together.





Review:

This was my first Jessica Lemmon book.  As you know, I’ve become a huge fan of Shannon Richard’s and since she and Ms. Lemmon are besties I was easily persuaded to try out Rescuing the Bad Boy.  And, of course, I’m glad I did.

Sophie would love nothing more than to forget the night she lost her virginity.  It was amazing and horrendous.  But the horrible outweighed the good and, seven years later, not thinking about it is completely working for her.  But then Donovan Pate walks into her office and the past comes crashing back. 

Donovan Pate wants absolutely nothing to do with Evergreen Cove.  He’d rather not live in the home and town where his late father abused him regularly.  When he inherits his family’s estate, his plan is to go to town, sell it (he already has a buyer) and then moving back to his life in New York. What he doesn’t plan on is an annual charity dinner that is being planned and the event is at the house he so desperately wants to get rid of.  A charity dinner that not only raises money for a group home for abused kids but is also planned by the local event planner.  The never forgotten (no matter how much he tries), Sofie Martin. 

Even thoug Donovan would love nothing more than to cut and run, he can’t, in good conscience, put a stop to supporting a charity that he fully supports.  That and an iron clad contract won’t let him.  So he agrees to hold off on selling the house until the charity dinner is done.  Over the next few months Sofie and Donovan skirt each other at the Pate Mansion.  Sofie planning a party and Donovan cleaning it out and fixing it up for its new owner. Of course, skirting each other doesn’t really work and soon they are openly fighting their attraction to each other.

No matter how much the two of them try to protect themselves there is no denying the connection between the two of them.  A connection that is much more important than either of them want to admit. They each have to decide if they can overcome the past in order to have a future with each other.

At first there was a part of me that had difficulty understanding the residual angst between Sofie and Donovan.  It had been seven years since they had seen each other and they had both moved on with their lives.  But then I realized they hadn’t really moved on at all.  Sure, Sofie is succeeding in her career. Her family is a bit crazy but she loves them.  And sure, she’s had her share of relationships.  But none of them have worked out long term and she is completely honest about the fact that she hasn’t had a connection with anyone like the way she did with Donovan Pate.   Then there is Donovan.  On the outside he’s moved on.  Moving away from Evergreen Cove and making a name for himself as a mason worker.  But dig a bit deeper and you find out he’s made some pretty drastic changes to his private life after that night he spent with Sofie.  

All of a sudden it wasn’t so hard to understand all that underlying tension between the two of them. It was there and it was REAL.  On top of that there is Jessica Lemmon’s story telling abilities.  She has a way of pulling a reader in.  Even if I had never understood the lasting angst, I would have been drawn to these two main characters.  The chemistry between them positively leapt off the page.

Needless to say, this was a great introduction to Jessica Lemmon’s writing and I can’t wait to read the rest of this series as well as her backlist.

Nat

Rescuing the Bad Boy by Jessica Lemmon RELEASE WEEK BLITZ - Review and GIVEAWAY




About RESCUING THE BAD BOY

Not All Scars Heal

For Donovan Pate, the lake town of Evergreen Cove is a minefield of tough memories-including the day he had to let go of Sofie Martin. Years later he still can't forget the taste of her lips and the feel of her killer curves. He knows he's too damaged, that he should stay away for her own good. But what the head says and the heart wants are two very different things . . . 

Seven years ago, Donovan broke Sofie's heart. Now her career depends on playing nice in order to pull off the charity fund-raiser of the decade. She vows to keep things professional . . . yet working by his side every day doesn't make it easy to fight temptation, and it isn't long before she finds herself falling for this bad boy all over again. But loving Donovan means helping him face his past-so they can fight for a future together.

Buy links





About Jessica Lemmon

A former job-hopper, Jessica Lemmon resides in Ohio with her husband and rescue dog. She holds a degree in graphic design currently gathering dust in an impressive frame. When she's not writing super-sexy heroes, she can be found cooking, drawing, drinking coffee (okay, wine), and eating potato chips. She firmly believes God gifts us with talents for a purpose, and with His help, you can create the life you want.





Excerpt:

Her soft touch landed on Donovan’s arm, and the anger shuddering inside him shifted into an ache. She stepped closer, the warmth between them radiating enough heat to set him on fire. But like the fireplaces he built, he could handle it. He could handle the heat from her, not because he was impervious, but because he was strong enough to soak her in and not burn to ash.

She turned his arm where paint was drying. She swiped at it with her sleeve. “I made a mess.”

He’d forgotten about the paint. “Don’t… I can… There is a shower in the…” He lost his train of thought when she turned those emerald green eyes up to him. He watched her delicate throat work as she swallowed. His eyes traveled up her neck and landed on her mouth. Needing her mouth, he lowered his face, watched her eyes grow dark and wide, watched her lift her chin to meet him.

Heat. He wanted more. If only to test his own strength.

He moved his lips gently against hers, but resisted holding her to him. She held onto him though, grasping his forearms with both hands, her fingers wrapped around his elbows. Pressing her body against his, pressing her tits against his ribs.

Hell, sounded like an invitation to him.  Deepening their connection, he thrust his tongue into her mouth, reached around, and grabbed her ass with both palms. When he squeezed, she sucked in a breath.

“Told you,” he rumbled.

“Told me?”

“Not a complaint, Scampi.” He squeezed again. “Perfect.”

A choked laugh left her throat. “Big.”

Still moving his hands over her backside, he said, “First thing I noticed about you at the Wharf.” He’d been plating up a chicken scaloppini when the manager walked in to show around a few new servers. Two he couldn’t remember, and Sofie. Bent over the plate, he’d peeked between the metal shelves framing that perfect ass . He’d stood to get a better look, and she’d pegged him with those moss-greens.

“Second thing I noticed was your eyes.”

Her lips parted slightly. “And the third thing?”

He kissed her. She tasted incredible. “The first time you talked to me.”

She rolled her eyes. “And what did I say?”

She didn’t think he remembered. She was wrong. “‘Can I get a side of cock?’”

Laughing, she shook her head.

He smiled back at her, unable to help himself. “Then you cleared your throat and said, ‘cocktail sauce’.”

Shaking her head, she said, “Worst abbreviation ever.”

“Kitchen guys are immature.”

She blinked up at him, studying him, like she was trying to piece him together. He didn't want her to. Once she pieced him together and had the whole picture, she wouldn’t like what she saw.

He kissed her again, keeping his hands on her body.

“Are you testing my boundaries?” she asked, her tone teasing. He recognized that comment from the night he rescued her from Torsett.

“Mine,” he corrected.

Sofie bit her lip. “I don’t date much.”

“Me either.” At all, actually.

She shook her head, more in thought than in argument. “I don’t think I have any boundaries with you.”

            He was beginning to think he had none with her, either.