Cover Reveal: Amnesia by Cambria Hebert!!

Posted on Tuesday, June 13, 2017 4:42 PM
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Amnesia
Cambria Hebert
Publication date: June 12th 2017
Genres: Adult, Romance, Suspense
I washed ashore in a little lake town.
A place where everyone knows everyone, yet…
No one knows me.
I don’t know me.
If a woman doesn’t know her own name, does she really exist?
I don’t know my natural hair color, my birthdate, or where I live.
I am invisible.
To everyone, to everything, even to myself.
Except to him.
I see the recognition deep in his stare, the way it lingers on my face as if I’m a puzzle he’s desperate to put together.
I just want answers, the truth… knowledge.
His lips are sealed. Still, his eyes beguile me.
I can’t trust anyone, not even myself. Someone wants me dead, the same someone who tried to bury me in a watery grave.
They’ll come for me again… I won’t know their face.
I don’t even know mine.
I am amnesia.
EXCERPT:
Slivers of light pricked my eyelids, which up until this moment seemed far too heavy to lift. As I lay against something soft at my back, thought and awareness barely registered.
The gritty feeling as I struggled to raise my eyelids scraped and burned over my eyeballs as if warning me it wasn’t a good idea. Swallowing past the sandpaper in my throat, I stopped working and lay still. Cognizance slowly came forward in the form of something weighing me down and the echo of footsteps nearby.
Adrenaline jackknifed through me, and my body arched upward with the force of my gasp. The weight of whatever held me caused severe panic to fill me, and I began to fight against it.
“No!” I screamed, flailing about, trying to escape the binds. “Let me go!”
High-pitched beeping filled my ears, and the footsteps I’d heard grew more insistent and much closer.
He was coming!
“No!” I screamed.
Strong hands grabbed my arms and pinned me down. I tried to fight back, but they were much stronger than me. Kicking my legs, I tried to free them, but even more weight came down, holding them still until I was gasping for breath and ready to beg.
“Please!” I pleaded as wetness coated my cheeks. It made me realize the grittiness under my lids was rinsed away, and my eyes sprang open.
A man was leaning over me. He had graying hair and wore some kind of white shirt. The scream that ripped right out of me scared us both.
More hands and voices came out of nowhere, and I thrashed around again.
“Miss!” the man yelled. “Miss, calm down.”
“Get away from me!” I screamed again.
“Miss!” another voice yelled, a woman this time. Turning in her direction, I saw a pair of kind brown eyes staring at me. “We aren’t trying to hurt you.”
I calmed some, but the thundering of my heart made me feel as if I might spiral out of control. “You aren’t?”
“No.” The woman, who was also dressed in white, spoke. “You’re at a hospital. You were in an accident.”
“W-what?” I stammered, collapsing back against the bed, no longer straining against the binds.
“You’re at a hospital.”
“You’re trying to hold me down!” I accused.
“We don’t want you to hurt yourself.” the woman explained. The hands, even the man’s, remained.
“I don’t like it,” I admitted, recoiling.
The man straightened, stepping back. The nurse was slower to withdraw, but she did so after a few seconds.
“My legs,” I rasped. Suddenly, my throat hurt.
“It’s just the blankets.”
A quick glance down proved I was covered with blankets. Between suspicious glances at the people crowding my room (there were four), I gazed around, concluding I was in fact in a hospital.
“I don’t understand,” I admitted, all my weight pressing into the bed.
“It’s okay,” the man replied. He was a doctor, with a name badge and a stethoscope. “It’s completely normal and expected to be confused after the ordeal you’ve been through.”
“What ordeal?” I asked instantly, anxiety pressing in on my ribcage.
“We were hoping you could tell us,” the doctor said.
“What?” My brows furrowed.
The nurse leaned close, over the side of the bed. I noticed the railings were pulled up on each side. It made me feel as if I were in jail. Instantly, I hated it and began shoving at the bars, trying to push them down.
“Okay, hang on,” the nurse said and put the rails down. Once it was done, she pinned me with an insistent stare. “You have to stay still. You can’t thrash around. You’ll rip out your IV and reinjure yourself.”
“What happened to me?” I asked for what felt like the fifteenth time. I looked around at the four people in the room, hoping one of them would just spit it out.
The doctor motioned to two of the nurses and then quietly left the room.
I glanced back at the nurse. “Can you tell us your name?” she asked.
“My name?” I nodded once, then opened my mouth… only nothing came out.
Anxiety spiked in me again; I started to become agitated. “I… don’t know.”
“Calm down.” The nurse reminded me.
How dare she tell me to calm down? I couldn’t even remember my name.
Oh my God, I didn’t know my own name!
“I don’t remember!” I gasped, jerking up into a sitting position. “Why can’t I remember?”
Before I could fling the covers off and jump out of bed, the doctor was there, pinning me back down. “If you don’t calm down, we’ll have to sedate you. I don’t want to do that. You’ve been out long enough.”
I stilled. “How long?”
“A while.” The nurse hedged.
I ignored her. She was terrible with questions. “How long?” I demanded.
“A little over two months,” the doctor replied.
I gasped. “What’s my name?” I yelled.
I’d been here for two months and they were asking for my name? Shouldn’t they know it?
The doctor wasn’t looking at me; he was looking at the nurse, giving her a curt nod. She rushed out of the room.
“No!” I shouted. “No drugs! Please! Tell me my name. I just want to know my name.”
“You need to calm down. You’ve had a great deal of trauma, miss.”
I dropped back against the pillow, boneless. He called me miss. “You don’t know my name, do you?” I asked, meek.
Sensing all my energy was drained away, he moved back. A frown pulled at his lips. “You were brought in with no identification.” He began.
Fear unlike anything I’d ever felt wrapped around my heart and squeezed. I searched every corner of my mind for something. Anything.
There was nothing.
“I don’t remember…” I whispered.
The doctor seemed to soften. “I know this must be very scary, to wake up and be so disoriented.”
I laughed, but it wasn’t a humorous sound. I wished I were disoriented right then.
“You’ve been through a lot. Give it a few days. Now that you’re awake, your mind will catch up and you will remember.”
“I will?” I asked.
“There’s a good chance.”
Disappointment speared me. “If I don’t?”
“Let’s take it one day at a time.” He placated me.
“Easy for you to say. You know your name.”
A ghost of a smile appeared on his face. “Time.” He reminded me.
The nurse came through the door, holding a syringe, and I cringed away.
“I don’t think we’re going to need that,” the doctor told her.
I let out an audible sigh.
He glanced around again. “Now that you’re awake, I’ll get you down for testing.”
“What kind of testing?” I asked.
“Routine stuff for someone who’s been in a coma.”
Nothing about this was routine. I was in coma… for two months. And I didn’t even know my name.
When both the nurse and doctor were gone and I was alone, my eyes overflowed with tears and a formidable feeling of dread crowded inside me. The doctor said there was “a good chance” I would remember my name very soon.
The problem was it wasn’t just my name I needed to remember…
It was everything.


Author Bio:
Cambria Hebert is an award winning, bestselling novelist of more than twenty books. She went to college for a bachelor’s degree, couldn’t pick a major, and ended up with a degree in cosmetology. So rest assured her characters will always have good hair.
Besides writing, Cambria loves a caramel latte, staying up late, sleeping in, and watching movies. She considers math human torture and has an irrational fear of chickens (yes, chickens). You can often find her running on the treadmill (she’d rather be eating a donut), painting her toenails (because she bites her fingernails), or walking her chorkie (the real boss of the house).
Cambria has written within the young adult and new adult genres, penning many paranormal and contemporary titles. Her favorite genre to read and write is romantic suspense. A few of her most recognized titles are: The Hashtag Series, Text, Torch, and Tattoo.
Cambria Hebert owns and operates Cambria Hebert Books, LLC.

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Sofia+Melina

Double Cover Reveal: This is Dangerous - This is Beautiful by Kennedy Fox!!!

Posted on 4:34 PM
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Title: Checkmate: This is Dangerous
Series: Checkmate Duet Series (Logan & Kayla, #1)
Author: Kennedy Fox
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Trope: Second Chance Romance
Photographer & Designer: Sara Eirew
Release Date: July 11, 2017






Introducing book 1 in the Logan & Kayla saga of the Checkmate series from a secret duo of romance authors who teamed up under the USA Today Bestselling pseudonym, Kennedy Fox! This second-chance romance will have you gasping and cheering this two on from the first to the last page! Are you ready to play the final game?
***
Logan Knight is a real life knight in shining armor.
A detective godsend in a sleek black suit has me thinking less than secretive thoughts. Brooding and mysterious, he’s the kind of guy every girl instantly notices. Between his seductive smirk and charming good looks, it’s no wonder I can’t help the way he makes me feel whenever I’m near him.
Too bad he’s unavailable—or so he says.
He thinks I’m a do-gooder who shouldn’t get involved with a guy like him. His past is messy and relationships just add to that. He insists the timing is all wrong and he’s devoted to his career, but I don’t buy that excuse for a second. I see the way his body tenses and his jaw ticks every time another guy is around me. He just won’t admit it, but I’m more determined than ever to show him what he’s missing.
I’m a devoted animal rescuer and I’ll risk everything to save them, but when a dramatic turn of events puts both our lives at risk, I’m positive Logan will write me off for good. But when he asks for my help with a personal crisis, I know it’s my last chance to finally show him I can handle anything he throws my way—messy past and all.
He might think he has me all figured out, but I’ll prove him wrong no matter what he thinks. This game of push and pull has me running in circles. One wrong move and we could both lose.
Checkmate, Knight.

*Recommend for ages 18+ due to sexual content and adult language.*
**This is book 1 in the Logan & Kayla Saga–a second-chance romance. You don’t need to read any of the other Checkmate series to enjoy this one, but is always recommended as they are both introduced in the earlier books.**
Every part of my body is on fire, fueled by the electricity between Logan and me as his lips glide across the softness of mine. The low hum in my stomach aches when he pulls us apart, and I fight the urge to press my lips back to his.
His lips are red and swollen, probably just like mine are right now. I don’t know what got into him, but Logan and I have never, ever kissed before. Hell, we’ve slow danced before at weddings, but nothing this intimate—ever.
“I think that did the trick,” he finally says, catching his breath. Fred left over two minutes ago.
“Yeah, I think so.” I take a small step back, trying to act unaffected, but the hard beating in my chest gives me away. I know he feels it, too. I just don’t understand why he pretends he doesn’t. “Thanks for your help,” I say, breaking the tension.
“Anytime. It was fun watching him sweat.” He grins, rocking back and forth on his feet, gripping the coffee cup tight in his hand. He’s just as nervous as I am.
“Don’t you get enough of that at work?” I tease.
“Can never have enough.” He flashes a pleased smile.
“You do have some sick fetish for that, don’t you?”
“I do. Gets all my juices flowing,” he quips.
And just like that, we’re back to our platonic friendship as if the kiss never happened. However, the ache between my legs knows otherwise. It happened, and it was hot as hell.
“What are you doing on a dating website anyway?” he asks after I grab another cup of coffee and sit across from him at the table.
“How else am I supposed to meet guys?” I ask, although it’s really a rhetorical question. “Guys in bars just want sex and one-night stands. I have a strict no dating guys from work rule and everyone else is taken or just wants me to be apart of their menage a trois.”
His brows lift. “What kind of people are you hanging out with?”
I sigh. “This city literally has no available, decent, single men. I might as well just move to another planet. Like Pluto. Get as far away from here as possible.”
“Actually, Pluto isn’t a planet anymore,” he tells me matter-of-factly.
I blink, unamused. “Great. I can’t escape this damn city.”
He chuckles, and I only slightly hate that he finds my pathetic dating life entertaining. “You’re still young. No need to panic until you’re like…thirty.”
I grab a piece of his pastry and throw it at him. “You suck.” I scowl. “I’m twenty-six, which means I’m almost thirty, and almost thirty means I should be with the guy I’m planning on marrying. Otherwise, I’ll be forty, my looks will be gone, my boobs will have fallen to my feet, and I’ll have gray hair,” I ramble, knowing I’m over exaggerating, but right now it feels true. Every date is a disaster. More than the last.
iBooks Pre-order: http://apple.co/2pu0dAR
Kobo Pre-order: http://bit.ly/2oZt4eV
Nook Pre-order: http://bit.ly/2q5i9Sk
To get a one time notification when
Checkmate: This is Dangerous is live on all platforms, please sign up here!




Title: Checkmate: This is Beautiful
Series: Checkmate Duet Series (Logan & Kayla, #2)
Author: Kennedy Fox
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Trope: Second Chance Romance
Photographer & Designer: Sara Eirew
Release Date: September 12, 2017

iBooks Pre-order: http://apple.co/2s5M11F
Kobo Pre-order: http://bit.ly/2qMr5ck
Nook Pre-order: http://bit.ly/2sqMwRj
To get a one time notification when
Checkmate: This is Dangerous is live on all platforms, please sign up here!


BUY NOW

OUR BOOKS ARE AVAILABLE IN AUDIO FORMAT TOO!

CLICK HERE!




A secret duo of romance authors team up under the USA Today Bestselling pseudonym, Kennedy Fox who share a love of You’ve Got Mail and The Holiday. When they aren’t bonding over romantic comedies, they like to brainstorm new book ideas. One day, they decided to collaborate and have some fun creating new characters that’ll make your lady bits tingle and your heart melt. If you enjoy romance stories with sexy, tattooed alpha males and smart, independent women, then a Kennedy Fox book is for you!

Instagram: instagram.com/kennedyfoxbooks | @kennedyfoxbooks
Twitter: twitter.com/kennedyfoxbooks | @kennedyfoxbooks
Email: kennedyfoxbooks@gmail.com



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Sofia+Melina

Blog Tour: Dark Confusion by J.Thompson!!!

Posted on Wednesday, June 7, 2017 8:09 PM
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Blog Tour

Dark Confusion

by J.Thompson

Publication date: 2nd June 2017

Genre: Paranormal Romance

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Synopsis
He had failed. Callum was one of the best warriors the enforcers had in their ranks, only he felt like a failure. He had failed to protect the one thing that was more important than his own life. She had been taken from him and now he couldn’t find her, and he feared the worst. But he wouldn’t give up, not when his heart told him she was still alive. He would never give up until he found her, no matter how lost she may seem.
Helena was lost. Lost to her own mind and to her soul. Since that fateful night she has felt torn, split in half, searching for a way out and the one thing that will complete her and make her feel whole again. Her only problem: she doesn’t know what is real or a figment of her imagination. Memories and deep, dark fantasies have merged, making her existence seem like a cruel joke. Can Helena fight the demons within herself? Can she free herself from the prison that is her mind?


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About J Thompson

J. Thompson is a freelance writer of fantasy fiction and paranormal romance. Jenn has always loved history, so using her wild imagination and tying in her love of history and fantasy, she started writing. With her debut novel, Soulkiss, along with a few other titles now available, Jenn has her sights set on producing some more mythical inspired novels, along with a future series based on some hard-assed demons. She has many hobbies which include jewellery making, cross stitch and paper crafts, but also works out with her husband at their local gym. As well as this, they both attend Caveman training.
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Sofia+Melina

REVIEW: Mature Content by Megan Erickson and Santino Hassell!!!

Posted on Saturday, June 3, 2017 5:01 AM
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Mature Content
By Megan Erickson and Santino Hassell
Cyberlove Series
Book 4





Blurb

My life plan is to be brutally honest all the way to the bank. Don't believe me? I run a popular YouTube channel called TrashyZane, and my claim to fame is oversharing about every aspect of my personal life. Sometimes while tipsy. Not everyone loves my style, but I have a long history of icing out people who can't handle me. I have no time for judgmental foolishness.
Except, apparently, when it comes to Beau Starr. His channel is the polar opposite of mine, and so is he. Wholesome, inspirational, and clean-cut. Everything about him should turn me off, but when we hook up following a confrontation at a convention, my world flips upside down. Not only does Beau Starr turn me on, he uses the exact combination of dirty talk and roughness needed to turn me out.
But we still hate each other. I think.





REVIEW

5 STARS!!!

What would it be like to kiss Zane without the hang-up of sex? Just a press of the lips, a brief taste. Did he kiss slow? Fast?
My God, am I the only one that always feels thirsty right after finishing one of Santino and Megan's books?! I swear, that's the only time this happens to me! I can't help wanting more. Not fair, guys! I was really hoping they'd write Beau and Zane's story and what do you know, they did. And I cannot begin to tell you how much I loved Mature Content. I got all sorts of feelings reading it. I laughed, I got sad, I was inspired, and not to state the obvious, but you can't read a book of theirs and not get turned on. I mean, let's be real here. And, of course, what I always like about Santino and Megan's books, is that they don't hold back. The interaction between the characters is so realistic and raw, I always get chills.

“I'll show you there’s a reason I don’t blast my sex life all over YouTube.”

Now, if you've read the previous books in the series, then you're somewhat familiar with Beau and Zane's heated, contemptuous yet brief encounters. But, I think we all saw it coming from the beginning, right?! I, at least, suspected it. Okay, it was more like I was rooting for them. What better foundation for a story that a hate-love one. And with Beau and Zane we see that and more. We get to see both of them struggle with who they are and who they should be to the world, we see them go through a row of emotions through out the whole book and how they unexpectendly end up playing a big part in each others live's. Also, we get a couple Jesse-Ian scenes which I adored. And a glimpse of other youtubers, one of which I'm hoping will get his own book.

He tasted like alcohol, pop rocks, and bad decisions.

Mature Content is, similarly to the previous books in the series, very eye-opening. The authors try to tell us in their own words that every single one of us, despite our differences and preferences, we all want to feel secure and loved arourd people we care about and to feel free to express ourselves without even a notch of hesitancy regarding how we'll be perceived. And that's what makes me keep coming back for more.


I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review!!




Excerpt

“Look, if I go clean up are you going to run out the door?”
“Would it bother you if I did?”
Beau frowned. “If I say yes, is it guaranteed you’ll do it just to bother me?” My mouth twitched. He rocked against me. “I’m serious.”
“Fine.” I sighed exaggeratedly, like he was really hassling me. “I’ll stay for a few.”
“Good.” Beau stood up, and I was suddenly eye level with his taut, sculpted stomach. “There’s another bathroom in my bedroom. And…you can grab some shorts from the chest if you don’t want to sit around naked.”
I almost asked him what the hell we were going to be sitting around doing, but kept my mouth shut. He went to the bathroom between the living room and kitchen, and I explored the rest of his apartment while slathered in jizz. It was almost as nice as mine, but nowhere near as artsy. My grandmother had helped me furnish it after shopping at thrift stores and refinishing furniture, but Beau’s apartment was kind of like a showroom. Eerily perfect.
Either way, his bathroom was on point with the lighting and shower, so I jumped in quickly after tying my hair in a knot. I rinsed off, wrapped myself in a super-plush towel, and then snagged a pair of cut off shorts and a T-shirt that had his fucking face on it, which was too funny to not wear.
I waltzed out in my new outfit and found him on the phone with…a menu in his hand. Freezing, I fucked up my entrance and gaped when he waved it in my face.
“Do you like Mediterranean food?”
“Uh. What?”
Beau looked at me like I was an idiot. “Zane. Tell me what you want to eat.”
“Oh. Um. I don’t know. I don’t not like any foods.”
He rolled his eyes and rattled off enough food to feed an entire family. When it was done, and he told them to charge his account, he pointed at the shirt I’d procured.
“Just so you know, I didn’t have that made.”
“Uh-huh. But before I mock you relentlessly, why are you ordering food? Like, just because you’re trying to make up for being a dick doesn’t mean—”
Beau grabbed the front of the shirt and a ripping sound filled the room. He didn’t even pause. Just jerked me against him and kissed me so hard I lost my train of thought. Fuck, I lost my sense of self. Fell headfirst into the intensity of his kiss and then wrapped my arms around his neck because… I really could not get enough.
His soft lips were perfect, his tongue lashing at mine with such finesse my dick started to swell again. Especially when he tangled his hand in my hair and tugged just hard enough to make my knees weaken.
“Fuck me before the food gets here,” I blurted.
Beau pressed our foreheads together, panting against my face. “We just washed up. And I want to talk to you.”
“We can talk later.” Fuck, was I whining? I was whining. “Please, Beau?”
He squeezed his eyes shut, muttered a very clear fuck it, and then backed me into his bedroom. We were on his bed, clothes discarded, so fast my head was spinning with delight. How Beau Starr was the best kisser I’d ever been with was a mystery, but, damn, the guy’s tongue was magic.



ABOUT SANTINO HASSELL

  

Santino Hassell was raised by a conservative family, but he was anything but traditional. He grew up to be a smart-mouthed, school cutting grunge kid, then a transient twenty-something, and eventually transformed into an unlikely romance author.

Santino writes queer romance that is heavily influenced by the gritty, urban landscape of New York City, his belief that human relationships are complex and flawed, and his own life experiences.

Website: www.santinohassell.com
Santino@santinohassell.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/SantinoHassell
FB: https://www.facebook.com/santinohassellbooks
FB Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/gethasselled/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/santino_hassell
Amazon: amazon.com/author/santinohassell

ABOUT MEGAN ERICKSON




Megan Erickson is a USA Today bestselling author of romance that sizzles. Her books have a touch of nerd, a dash of humor, and always have a happily ever after. A former journalist, she switched to fiction when she decided she likes writing her own endings better.She lives in Pennsylvania with her very own nerdy husband and two kids. Although rather fun-sized, she's been told she has a full-sized personality. When Megan isn't writing, she's either lounging with her two cats named after John Hughes characters or... thinking about writing.For more, visit meganerickson.org

Website: www.meganerickson.org
Amazon: http://amzn.to/2qHcnD2
Twitter: https://twitter.com/MeganErickson_
IG: https://www.instagram.com/meggiejoknows/FB
Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1440306062901719/
FB: https://www.facebook.com/authormeganerickson/
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/mrsmeggiejo/
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Sofia+Melina

Release Blitz: A Vow Of Thorns (Blackest Gold, #3) by R. Scarlett!!!

Posted on Friday, June 2, 2017 5:06 PM
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Title:  A Vow Of Thorns (Blackest Gold, #3)
Author: R. Scarlett
Genre: New Adult/Paranormal Romance
Release Date: June 1 , 2017

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Synopsis
Never disobey the court. Never disobey the crown. And never tame that vicious heart. In A Vow of Thorns, sacred laws are broken when a beauty holds an iron heart.
Purchase your copy today!









More in the series!

Vein Of Love




About The Author

R. Scarlett

R. Scarlett lives in a small quaint town in Southern Ontario, Canada and has an unhealthy obsession with mythology and romance. 
From studying English literature and minoring in History, she loves losing herself in a good book and snuggling up to her Brittany Spaniel. When she's not writing or plotting a delicious novel, she can be found hanging out with friends and family, going on long car rides, exploring small towns, or watching reruns of Sex and the City.



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Sofia+Melina

Blog Tour: My Best Friend’s Ex by Meghan Quinn!!

Posted on 5:05 PM
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My Best Friend’s Ex, an all new sexy, laugh out loud romantic comedy from Meghan Quinn is available now!

MyBestFriendsEx

My Best Friend’s Ex by Meghan Quinn Publication Date: June 1st, 2017

Genre: Contemporary Romance

   
Synopsis
When I found an eviction notice taped on my apartment door, I had two options: find a comfortable cardboard box to call home, or move in with Tucker Jameson.
Seeing that cardboard makes me feel itchy, I chose the latter. Which shouldn't be that big of a deal since Tucker is one of my good friends. And because he's still pining after his ex-girlfriend and I'm trying to finish my nursing degree, there is nothing to worry about in the romance department, making my last semester an easy one to conquer.
Boy, was I wrong.
Rules are set, dinners are made, conversations are had, and a shirtless, swoony roommate walks around in nothing but a pair of black briefs, ruining me for every other man.
Before I know it, I turn into a panting, lust-filled woman begging for Tucker to kiss me, touch me, and show me exactly what is hiding under those briefs.
But with great orgasms, comes great consequences.
Tucker might be my friend and roommate but he’s also my best friend's ex-boyfriend, making him completely off-limits. At least that's what my brain is telling me, my heart is speaking an entirely different language.
 

Excerpt:

  “Morning,” Tucker’s deep voice rattles off the cabinets. It’s his morning voice, deeper, throatier—if that makes sense—and I hate to admit it, because he’s just my friend, but sexier. Once my pupils adjust to the light, I take Tucker in. He’s standing in front of the stove, rubber spatula in hand, wearing a white long-sleeve Henley shirt, the top two buttons undone, a pair of worn jeans with a few paint stains on them, and tan work boots. Sweet Jesus, he makes construction look good. Strap a tool belt around his waist and stick him in front of a camera for the benefit of all womankind. “Morning,” I say in reply, using the counter to help hold up my tired body. “You’re up early. What time do you have to go into work?” “Around seven thirty. I like to get an early start before the boys come in.” He looks me up and down, a small smile at the corner of his lips. “You look good.” He motions around his head with his hand. “I really like what you did with your hair.” I turn toward the window in the kitchen and check out my reflection. Sure enough, my long brown hair looks like a lion’s mane poofed out and framing my face with an abundance of volume. Beautiful. There is no use in taming it, so I leave my hair as is and turn back toward Tucker. “Not many people can get this kind of height while sleeping.” I pretend to fluff my hair. “Impressive.” He chuckles and then points to the coffee maker with the spatula. “Coffee is done, mugs are above in the cabinet. Grab me a cup, will ya? Eggs will be done shortly, bacon is warming in the oven.” I do as directed, thinking it’s kind of cute how he’s including me in on his little morning breakfast. “I didn’t even know you had eggs. I was expecting to hit up Dunkin’ Donuts or Tim Horton’s this morning.” He turns off the stove and reaches for two plates from the dish rack. “I went to Walmart this morning. Picked up a few things.” “This morning?” I pour two cups of coffee and turn toward him. “What time did you wake up?” “Four thirty,” he answers casually. “Got a quick run in, did some weights, took a shower and then went to Walmart.” He fills our plates with bacon and eggs and then nods toward the dining room, plates and silverware in hand. “I have a surprise.” I follow him to the dining room where he flips on the light and reveals a card table fold-out dining set. “You got a table.” I chuckle, loving that it’s a fold-out card table with matching chairs. Anything is better than the floor. “And placemats,” he adds, as he lifts two plastic placemats from one of the chairs. “The options were bleak so I went with dinosaurs for me and Trolls for you. Given the look of your morning hair, Trolls was the right choice.” Clever bastard. He sets them on the table and then puts our plates on top of them. God, it’s too freaking cute. Chuckling, I take a seat and hand him his coffee. “Look at you getting all domestic. I never thought you would be a placemat kind of man, I stand corrected.” He rests a napkin on his legs, which are spread drastically, almost the length of the table and leans over to fork some eggs into his mouth. “Didn’t want our food to damage the plastic of this high-class table.” I love the humor in his voice, it reminds me of all the good times we had, before the end of his relationship with Sadie. “Smart man, you want this table to last.” “Of course, you don’t see fine furniture like this in houses anymore. Everything has to be so sturdy. What ever happened to rickety furniture and living through a meal with the threat of your food possibly kissing the floor at any point in time?” “The horror,” I joke. He looks up at me. Some of his hair is still wet from his shower. Pointing his fork at me he says, “Are you ready to be schooled?” “Schooled on what?” I take a bite of bacon and my stomach jumps in excitement for finally rewarding it for waking up early. All right, I will admit it, getting out of bed was a smart idea. “It’s Monday, babe. DJ Hot Cock has his song picked and ready to show you what real music is.” “When was my music taste ever questioned? I like good music.” “We’ll see.” He reaches into his pocket and pulls out his phone. I watch as he flips through it until he lands on the song he wants to introduce me to. He presses play and sets his phone on the table. The light pickings of a guitar fill the small dining room. I don’t recognize the song, but I like the sound of it so far. Just as I’m settling in to the sweet pickings of a guitar, the distinct voice of Zac Brown chimes in. I’ve known Tucker for loving EMO growing up, so his choice in a country song is very surprising to me, but when I look up at him, pure hometown country boy sitting across from me, it makes perfect sense. And then the lyrics hit me. My Old Man. Zac sings about his father, hoping he’s proud of the man he’s become. I’m transported back to a dreary day in Whitney Point, where we grew up, when Sadie called me one Saturday morning. I was getting ready for the day. We were in middle school. Tucker’s dad was killed by a head-on collision, the dad Tucker just reconnected with, the dad Tucker had plans on moving in with to get away from his neglectful mom. Those next few days—and weeks—were a whirlwind of sorrow. Attending his funeral, my first ever funeral, seeing the look of devastation on Tucker’s face, wondering what he might be feeling, trying to channel his hurt, it was so much to take on as a teenager. Glancing up, I take in Tucker’s expression. He’s lost in the music, in the words, just like me. When the song ends, I lean over and place my hand on his, our eyes meet and there is an unspoken understanding between us. I don’t have to say anything about his dad, about the tragedy we went through so many years ago together as friends. It’s all said between this silent exchange. MBFE-AN 

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About the Author:

A BLONDE AT HEART Born in New York and raised in Southern California, Meghan has grown into a sassy, peanut butter eating, blonde haired swearing, animal hoarding lady. She is known to bust out and dance if “It’s Raining Men” starts beating through the air and heaven forbid you get a margarita in her, protect your legs because they may be humped. Once she started commuting for an hour and twenty minutes every day to work for three years, she began to have conversations play in her head, real life, deep male voices and dainty lady coos kind of conversations. Perturbed and confused, she decided to either see a therapist about the hot and steamy voices running through her head or start writing them down. She decided to go with the cheaper option and started writing… enter her first novel, Caught Looking. ​Now you can find the spicy, most definitely on the border of lunacy, kind of crazy lady residing in Colorado with the love of her life and her five, furry four legged children, hiking a trail or hiding behind shelves at grocery stores, wondering what kind of lube the nervous stranger will bring home to his wife. Oh and she loves a good boob squeeze!   MeghanQuinn   

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