Today we are celebrating the final installment in Roxanne St. Claire's Barefoot Bay series, Barefoot by the Sea. Out this week, so get it while it's hot! We are also hosting a giveaway (sponsored by our fantastic friends at Forever Romance) of one set of all four Barefoot Bay books!
Check out the blurb:
When you think you know your heart's desire...
Tessa Galloway is a gifted nurturer - her verdant garden at Barefoot Bay's new resort is living proof. If only the woman who can grow anything could grow what she wants most: a baby. Her friends think the right guy will come along, but Tessa doesn't want to wait. All she needs is the perfect donor to make her dream come true. Then John Brown is hired at the resort. If anyone could make beautiful babies, it's this gorgeous, mysterious man. So why does Tessa suddenly find herself wanting so much more?
Can you give up all your dreams for love?
It's been three long years since John Brown had to leave his old life. Forced into the witness protection program, he's desperate to be reunited with his toddler twins. When he gets that chance, there's a catch - he must prove he's got a steady job and a new wife. Landing a gig as a chef in Barefoot Bay is easy enough. And falling for lovely Tessa is even easier. The hard part? Can he win the heart of a woman who prizes honesty - when the truth may shatter it?
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Author Bio:
First published in 2003, Roxanne St. Claire is a RITA® Award-winning author of thirty novels, including her bestselling Bullet Catchers and Guardian Angelinos series. Her critically acclaimed books have been published in numerous languages and recognized with multiple awards including the National Readers' Choice Award, the Daphne du Maurier Award, and the HOLT Medallion, all for best romantic suspense. She currently lives on the east coast of Florida with her husband and two teenagers.
“Prosciutto eggs Benedict?” she asked, finally tearing her gaze from him to Lacey Walker,
who’d been interviewing him while he cooked in the kitchen for the last
hour. “That’s not on our menu.”
“It could be. John, this is Tessa Galloway, but…I be- lieve you two have already
met.” Lacey could barely hide the amusement in her voice, but Tessa didn’t look too amused.
“Hello again, Tessa.”
“Hi.” She gave him a not-too-friendly smile, brushing some hair off her face that
revealed a smudge of dirt on her cheekbone. She crossed her arms as if she didn’t want to
be forced to shake his hand. Or maybe she was covering up more dirt on her shirt. Woman
needed a shower. And just the thought of that made him need one, too. Ice-cold.
“Um, Tess.” Lacey gave a quick brush to her own cheek to silently tell her friend
about the dirt.
“Oh, oh.” Tessa wiped her face, then glanced down self-consciously, giving him a
chance to check out her long, tanned legs and clunky work boots. Damn if they weren’t cute
as hell on her. “I didn’t know we were interviewing.”
He shrugged. “No big deal.”
An unreadable response crossed her face as she took a step closer, the light of
the kitchen hall catching the golden threads woven into her chestnut-colored hair and
highlighting the rise of color under her sun-warmed complexion.
“No, it’s not,” she agreed quickly. “Absolutely no big deal.”
Except, by the look on her face, it was a huge fucking deal and no doubt his
disappearing act in the bar would cost him the job. Damn it.
“Tessa runs our on-site farmette,” Lacey said quickly, trying to fill the gaping silence
between them. “So she’s always involved with what goes on in the kitchen.”
Which meant she could put a freeze on his hire right this minute. Unless he won her
over,
which might take some doing, but he needed this job.
Lacey nudged her closer, and he silently thanked this enabler who was on his side.
“So you can consider me a supplier,” Tessa said, her color returning to normal and
her voice finally finding some volume. “For the kitchen. And food. And…stuff.”
More nervous than normal, then, which he’d use to his advantage. As she came
closer, he dipped his head slightly. “I love working directly with a supplier.”
“Good, that’s good.” Lacey put a hand on her friend’s shoulder and urged her even
closer. “That’s why I’ve asked Tessa to be part of this hiring decision.”
“I don’t remember you saying you were a chef,” she said.
“I didn’t,” he admitted. “But I can cook.”
“He’s being modest,” Lacey said. “He can more than cook and you’ll never guess
who sent him our way.”
Tessa raised an eyebrow that said she had lots of ideas—the devil, perhaps?—but
didn’t answer.
“Charity Grambling,” Lacey said.
“Really?” Tessa seemed surprised, a smile pulling.
“Then maybe you’re a spy or planning to poison our guests.”
He shook his head. “Neither. Is the local shopkeep an enemy of the state?”
“She didn’t want me to build this resort,” Lacey said as they all walked toward the
kitchen. “She thought it was competition for her daughter’s motel, the Fourway.”
He snorted. “Hardly. And I say that as a paying guest.”
“You’re at the Fourway?” Tessa asked.
“We’ll have to do something about that,” Lacey said confidently.
He turned in time to catch Tessa give a wide-eyed “What the hell” look to Lacey, who
shook her head quickly.
Screw it, he didn’t have time to dick around. If he couldn’t work here, he needed to
move on. “Excuse me, ladies,” he said, pausing at the kitchen door. “But if you’re going to
kick me to the curb, then let’s not waste anyone’s time.”
“Okay,” Tessa said.
“No way,” Lacey countered.
After an uncomfortable beat, they all laughed, Lacey and Ian more than Tessa.
“So, which is it?” he asked.
“Let her taste your food,” Lacey said.
“I will,” Tessa replied. “But first I need to talk to you in your office, Lacey.” She gave
her friend a gentle push in the opposite direction. “Can you excuse us for a second?”
“Of course.” He paused at the kitchen door, watching them walk away. No doubt
they’d stroll back in to tell him he was out of the running.
Unless…
“Hey, Tess,” he called.
She turned, slowing enough for him to see something in her eyes. Surprise, humor, a
hint of hope. He winked and waited for a quick laugh at the unsubtle flirt.
Instead she raised one eyebrow and kept walking. Bollocks. He’d lost that round.
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~Shel, Bel & Nat a Rafflecopter giveaway
