tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18386150510376438732024-03-14T05:26:09.846-07:00E. L. TODDThis page is dedicated to the author of Soul Catcher and The Soul Saga. Follow E. L. Todd to stay updated on her publications, book conferences, and new writings.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08383173872480816847noreply@blogger.comBlogger36125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1838615051037643873.post-47304229593525091792016-07-13T17:07:00.002-07:002016-07-22T13:48:42.242-07:00The Electric Series by E. L. Todd - Coming in October 2016<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Coming October 11, 2016</h2>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFAcL7LFhyQg6Z19Vr5BODdnR1VBkKQnNidHt_sRwN6PZbObln_OEUu5_6B3NmFqD1FOYf759CUt7Wlgy0SuRbghp-DyHI8HbAlo4IsR0nIxwlEFPJ_Tf-K5gPHs1shp53Wh0WtoZ1j6E1/s1600/charge.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFAcL7LFhyQg6Z19Vr5BODdnR1VBkKQnNidHt_sRwN6PZbObln_OEUu5_6B3NmFqD1FOYf759CUt7Wlgy0SuRbghp-DyHI8HbAlo4IsR0nIxwlEFPJ_Tf-K5gPHs1shp53Wh0WtoZ1j6E1/s320/charge.jpg" width="213" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Amazon: </span><a href="http://amzn.to/29DdlqK">http://amzn.to/29DdlqK</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">iTunes: </span><a href="https://geo.itunes.apple.com/us/book/charge-electric-1/id1133342138?mt=11&at=11IJCL">charge_ibooks</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Barnes & Noble: </span><a href="http://bit.ly/Charge_Nook">http://bit.ly/Charge_Nook</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Kobo: </span><a href="http://bit.ly/Charge_Kobo">http://bit.ly/Charge_Kobo</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Google Play: </span><a href="http://bit.ly/Charge_GooglePlay">http://bit.ly/Charge_GooglePlay</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.4px;">Special preorder price of $0.99. Will expire on July 30.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.4px;">***</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 22.4px;"><i>White-hot, blinding, and dangerous. </i></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 22.4px;"><i>That's exactly what Volt is. </i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 22.4px;"><i>He's electric. </i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 22.4px;"><i>The first time I met him, my body reacted. It coiled, sizzled, and sparked. I knew I wanted him because he was the first man to make me feel dead and alive at the exact same time. </i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 22.4px;"><i>But within a short conversation, I knew he was unattainable. </i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 22.4px;"><i>Unavailable. </i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 22.4px;"><i>Now we're just friends. </i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 22.4px;"><i>But will we stay friends?</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 22.4px;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 22.4px;"><i><br /></i></span>
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Order today to get the special preorder pricing.</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08383173872480816847noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1838615051037643873.post-87936175529036798562016-06-28T20:49:00.003-07:002016-07-10T19:06:34.491-07:00An Exclusive Book for My Most Loyal Fans<div align="center" style="margin-bottom: 4.5pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-line-height-alt: 14.5pt; text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 20.0pt;">Super Duper Exciting Announcement<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div align="center" style="line-height: 14.5pt; margin-bottom: 4.5pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://eepurl.com/QmkmH"><b><span style="font-family: "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 20.0pt; text-decoration: none;"><!--[if gte vml 1]><v:shapetype
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<a href="http://eepurl.com/QmkmH"><img border="0" height="146" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTKFVQlHS_YCNGLOcMJybdwZmlyoXnNMohxm20o0hSMrXmuuIKbQMhBWzpm3se3GMcom9G_SkGTyzHaxjLEBeZfEYxbJ2O1Y-xZrkVSrhxyqroqhgPNLQWg76VkXDYc44LwbnE3ni1hO7e/s400/gladiator_banner.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div align="center" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin: 4.5pt 0in; text-align: center;">
<span 18pt="" font-family:="" font-size:="" helvetica="" quot="" sans-serif="">I
have a new book for you.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin: 4.5pt 0in; text-align: center;">
<b><span 18pt="" font-family:="" font-size:="" helvetica="" quot="" sans-serif="">GLADIATOR<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div align="center" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: 14.5pt; margin: 0in 0in 4.5pt; text-align: center;">
<span 10.5pt="" color:="" font-family:="" font-size:="" helvetica="" quot="" red="" sans-serif="">WARNING:
Comes with a hot and dangerous alpha.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: 14.5pt; margin: 0in 0in 4.5pt; text-align: center;">
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<span 10.5pt="" font-family:="" font-size:="" helvetica="" quot="" sans-serif="">But
here's the catch: you can't buy it. It's only FREE. And you can only get it one
way.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span 10.5pt="" font-family:="" font-size:="" helvetica="" quot="" sans-serif="">By
signing up for my newsletter:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span 10.5pt="" font-family:="" font-size:="" helvetica="" quot="" sans-serif="">Click
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<span 10.5pt="" font-family:="" font-size:="" helvetica="" quot="" sans-serif="">Super
Bonus! I'll be giving away TWO $100 Amazon gift cards to random newsletters
subscribers EVERY MONTH. But, you have to check the newsletter to find out if
you've won.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: 14.5pt; margin: 4.5pt 0in; text-align: center;">
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<div align="center" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: 14.5pt; margin: 4.5pt 0in; text-align: center;">
<span 10.5pt="" font-family:="" font-size:="" helvetica="" quot="" sans-serif="">If
you're still interested, here's the description of Gladiator:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: 14.5pt; margin: 4.5pt 0in;">
<i><span 10.5pt="" font-family:="" font-size:="" helvetica="" quot="" sans-serif="">Good
guy or bad guy?<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: 14.5pt; margin: 4.5pt 0in;">
<i><span 10.5pt="" font-family:="" font-size:="" helvetica="" quot="" sans-serif="">I’m
not sure which category Wilder falls under.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: 14.5pt; margin: 4.5pt 0in;">
<i><span 10.5pt="" font-family:="" font-size:="" helvetica="" quot="" sans-serif="">We
met at a bar and things heated up pretty quickly. But my instinct told me to
hit the brakes. I’ve been down this road before.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: 14.5pt; margin: 4.5pt 0in;">
<i><span 10.5pt="" font-family:="" font-size:="" helvetica="" quot="" sans-serif="">I’ve
dated this kind of bad guy before.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: 14.5pt; margin: 4.5pt 0in;">
<i><span 10.5pt="" font-family:="" font-size:="" helvetica="" quot="" sans-serif="">Is
Wilder different? Or is he far darker, far more mysterious, and far more
criminal than I ever could have imagined.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div align="center" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: 14.5pt; margin: 4.5pt 0in; text-align: center;">
<span 10.5pt="" font-family:="" font-size:="" helvetica="" quot="" sans-serif="">Click
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Then after you read Gladiator, you can preorder ROGUE</div>
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<a href="http://amzn.to/29rFBxJ" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-KwFrWfAnsgdz0J30WaBH58BTpalSDBMgfahC0_hTKf3199x2XCDzaU9BWP0Hehe7g8ZphwwR1TaH9feQmgQfuqTw_kiTmcV6H0wHeW0c_kd3Y-CV5hIt9p3KI9bbnJknX-1O3kSDEzxA/s320/Rogue_cover.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://amzn.to/29rFBxJ" target="_blank">Amazon </a>| <a href="https://geo.itunes.apple.com/us/book/rogue/id1127187497?mt=11&at=11IJCL">iTunes</a> | <a href="https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/646848">Smashwords</a> | <a href="https://store.kobobooks.com/en-us/ebook/rogue-59" target="_blank">Kobo</a></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08383173872480816847noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1838615051037643873.post-42497211661706736192016-04-29T17:00:00.003-07:002016-04-29T22:16:32.817-07:00<style>
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Giveaway Opportunity!</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;">This giveaway opens on 05/03/2016 </span></div>
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($400 value along with gift receipt just in case it's not your color) along
with the entire Timeless Series in paperback. The winner will be announced
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<span class="MsoHyperlink"></span><br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08383173872480816847noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1838615051037643873.post-89437260075712429092015-09-17T12:30:00.003-07:002015-09-17T12:31:35.190-07:00<h2>
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<b>IPAD AIR MINI 2!!!!</b></div>
<br />
All you need to do is read the first two chapters of my newest novel
INTO THE FIRE and copy/paste your favorite line in the COMMENTS down
below. That's it! **OPEN INTERNATIONALLY**<br />
This GIVEAWAY will be open from 09/17/2015-10/17/2015. Good luck!<br />
<br />
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<span style="color: #cc0000;"><b><i>RELEASE DATE: FEBRUARY 14TH, 2016</i></b></span></div>
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<span style="color: #cc0000;"><b><i>ADD IT TO YOUR TBR: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.goodreads.com%2Fbook%2Fshow%2F26596519-into-the-fire&h=fAQHXN5voAQHTRgGubcUGXrLJUO-msR5ldyCce4_2zxD5EQ&enc=AZN9Kd91WYansnE_T3Vc3xR8LdZ43ToOCUbrU35qmpFOpO1EM-Faj94_EzjwmsNYREsPcCqNXcegnycxzjg1uoGyqaxhnw1aSv7OiCoMDPHClR03tNuU7apcmaYVc3PlxX8GF5DUMFjAGiK-nw3L7uerGA8b0X5Er3nvNi8GPOkk9WkpRHnlCaSUaQNbtcInZvf8tP8aCBIfllV5Qw24rg5F&s=1" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/26596519-into-the-fire</a></i></b></span></div>
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<h2>
Chapter One<br /> Ash<br />
I sat across from the banker in the office with glass doors. He was a
typical suit who hated his job. His voice was always full of boredom,
and his desk lacked any personality at all. It was a typical
corporation, void of life.</h2>
<h2>
“Just give me the loan,” I barked.
“How are small businesses supposed to start up if you don’t give them a
chance?” I wasn’t asking for a kidney transplant or something.</h2>
<h2>
“I’m sorry.” He seemed bored out of his mind. “You don’t have the right credit.”</h2>
<h2>
“My credit isn’t even that bad.”</h2>
<h2>
He eyed his computer again. “Sir, you need to get it up and then we can talk again.”</h2>
<h2>
Dammit, why did I buy that motorcycle? “Fine. I’ll just go somewhere else.”</h2>
<h2>
“And they’re going to tell you the same thing.”</h2>
<h2>
I wanted to growl but I managed not to. “How about some free ink? I’m the best in the business.”</h2>
<h2>
He gave me a stoic expression. “Thanks for the offer, but no thanks.”</h2>
<h2>
“Whatever.” I stood and didn’t bother shaking his hand. “I’ll just get the loan from someone else.”</h2>
<h2>
“Good luck, sir.”</h2>
<h2>
***</h2>
<h2>
“How’d it go?” Sawyer asked across the table from me. He was eating a burger covered in BBQ sauce.</h2>
<h2>
“How do you think it went?” I barely touched my food because I was so
irritated. Normally, I ate anything I could get my hands on. But now
every sensation in my body was numb.</h2>
<h2>
“Sorry, man. Just get your credit up.”</h2>
<h2>
“You say that like it’s so simple. It could take years for that to happen.”</h2>
<h2>
He shook his head. “I told you not to buy that bike.”</h2>
<h2>
I glared at him. “Now isn’t the time to say I told you so.”</h2>
<h2>
He shrugged. “I’m just saying…”</h2>
<h2>
I threw a fry at him. “Well, don’t.”</h2>
<h2>
It bounced off his face and landed on the plate. “Are you five?”</h2>
<h2>
“Sometimes.” I grabbed the fry and ate it.</h2>
<h2>
“Dude, that just touched my face.”</h2>
<h2>
“So?” I drank my soda and washed it down. “It’s food. Who cares?”<br /> He rolled his eyes then wiped his fingers with a napkin. “Now what?”</h2>
<h2>
“I don’t have a fucking clue. I don’t mind working at Ascension but I’m
getting bored there. I want my own shop. I want to make my own rules.”</h2>
<h2>
“Maybe you can do it out of your apartment until you get enough cash.”</h2>
<h2>
“That’s not creepy…”</h2>
<h2>
“It was just a suggestion, smart ass. It’s better than all your ideas.”<br /> I didn’t have any ideas. “Maybe I should just go back in the army.”<br /> He stopped eating. “Not funny, man.”</h2>
<h2>
“It might piss off my parents enough that they’ll give me back the money they owe me.”</h2>
<h2>
“They’re assholes,” Sawyer said. “They’re going to hold this over your head as long as possible.”</h2>
<h2>
I had a feeling he was right.</h2>
<h2>
“And you would really go through that again?” he asked incredulously. “Back to Afghanistan?”</h2>
<h2>
“It wasn’t the worst thing in the world…” I’d seen a lot of things I
wouldn’t share with anyone else. If people shuttered at violent movies,
they wouldn’t be able to handle all the things I’d seen. Their stomachs
couldn’t keep their lunch down.</h2>
<h2>
“I don’t want you to go,” Sawyer said. “You came back this time but who knows if you’d come back again.”</h2>
<h2>
It was a depressing thought. “Anyway, I’m seeing my parents tonight so I’ll bring it up again.”</h2>
<h2>
“Good luck with that.”</h2>
<h2>
“But I’ll keep playing the Lotto. I have a better chance of winning that than getting my savings back.”</h2>
<h2>
“Why did you give it to them to begin with?”</h2>
<h2>
Because I was stupid. “My dad was going to lose his company if I
didn’t. He’d already extended his credit line as far as possible, and
they would take the house if he didn’t get the money. My parents would
have lost everything, including their reputation.”</h2>
<h2>
“I’m surprised they took your money. My parents would never take anything from me.”</h2>
<h2>
“I knew it was a gamble at the time. If my dad’s prototype wasn’t a
success, they would have lost everything, including my money.”<br /> He shook his head. “I can’t believe they’re holding it over your head like this.”</h2>
<h2>
“They claim they don’t have the money but I’m not buying it.”<br /> He leaned back in his booth and sighed. “Maybe you should go back in the military and give your parents a heart attack.”<br /> It was tempting.<br /> ***<br /> I walked into my parents' house in Connecticut. “Yo. Your baby is home.”</h2>
<h2>
“Is that Ash?” Mom said quietly.</h2>
<h2>
Dad whispered back. “Who else would barge in like that?”</h2>
<h2>
I entered the kitchen and saw them having tea while reading the
newspaper. “Your day just got brighter. What’s up, Mom and Pop?”<br /> Mom gave me a curt smile but it looked forced. “Hey, honey. How are you?”</h2>
<h2>
“I’ve been better.” I gave her a quick hug then raised my hand to high-five Dad.</h2>
<h2>
He eyed it awkwardly before he completed the embrace. “What’s up, Son?”</h2>
<h2>
I sat in the seat then snatched a cookie. “Dude, these are the best.” I
ate five of them in three seconds. Crumbs got on the table and on my
fingertips.</h2>
<h2>
Mom eyed me with disapproval.</h2>
<h2>
Dad was more laid back than Mom. “How was your day?”</h2>
<h2>
“Pretty shitty.”</h2>
<h2>
“Don’t cuss,” Mom barked.</h2>
<h2>
“Pretty lame,” I said. “The bank denied my loan application again.” </h2>
<h2>
I watched their reaction to my news.</h2>
<h2>
Mom eyed Dad then quickly looked down.</h2>
<h2>
Dad felt his teacup but didn’t say anything.</h2>
<h2>
It got awkward fast. “I’m not trying to be one of those annoying suits,
but I could really use the money I loaned you. It’s been four years and
I’ve put off opening my shop for too long.”</h2>
<h2>
Mom sighed like she was irritated. She sipped her tea without looking at me.</h2>
<h2>
Dad continued to eye his glass.</h2>
<h2>
Why was it always so awkward when I brought up this subject? “Look, I
know the business has been doing well. Surely, you have the money by
now.” I didn’t want to stick my nose in their business but I didn’t know
what else to do.</h2>
<h2>
“Sorry, we don’t,” Dad said quietly.</h2>
<h2>
“Seriously?” I blurted without thinking. “You just bought a new Audi.
How can you not have the money?” I didn’t want to accuse my parents of
lying but nothing was adding up.</h2>
<h2>
“We got a loan,” Mom explained.</h2>
<h2>
“Why are you buying things you can’t afford?” I snapped. “Period.”</h2>
<h2>
Dad glared at me. “Don’t talk to your mother like that.”</h2>
<h2>
“I’m not,” I barked. “I’m talking to you like that.”</h2>
<h2>
The tension escalated.</h2>
<h2>
“Look, you don’t have to give me all of it. Just give me what you have.
If I lessen the amount I need to borrow, the bank might help me out.”</h2>
<h2>
Mom and Dad stared at each other.</h2>
<h2>
Seriously, what was I missing? “You must have some money to loan me.
You’re making your mortgage somehow and you just hired more employees.”</h2>
<h2>
Mom fixed her hair like she was flustered.</h2>
<h2>
Dad adjusted his glasses like he didn’t know what else to do.</h2>
<h2>
“Okay, cut the shit,” I said. “What’s up?”</h2>
<h2>
Mom cleared her throat. “Ash, your father and I love you very much…”</h2>
<h2>
Oh no. Here we go.</h2>
<h2>
“But we want you to turn your life around. Opening a shop is just going to put you further down this path.”</h2>
<h2>
“What path?” I asked. “I’m happy. Don’t you want me to be happy?”<br /> Dad took over. “We think you could be happier if you changed some things.”</h2>
<h2>
“Like what?” I asked.</h2>
<h2>
“How about you come to the company and work there?” Mom asked. “You could move up and eventually take it over.”</h2>
<h2>
“But I don’t care about software,” I answered. “I never have.”<br /> Mom fidgeted with the fancy bracelet on her wrist. “And owning a tattoo shop is something you care about?”</h2>
<h2>
“Yeah.” What was the big deal? “I like inking. I enjoy it. I always have.”</h2>
<h2>
Mom eyed the ink on my arms with disdain. “You need to make better
choices in your life. Owning a tattoo shop isn’t a good way to start.”</h2>
<h2>
“And doing a job I hate will be?” I asked incredulously. “Don’t you want me to do what I love?” I never understood them.</h2>
<h2>
“Of course we do,” Dad said. “But we don’t think this is the best way to go about it.”</h2>
<h2>
My anger was starting to bubble and I was struggling to keep it back. I
gripped the table because I wanted to flip it over. “It’s not my
problem you don’t agree with my life choices. This is who I am and I’m
never going to change.”</h2>
<h2>
Silence fell in the room. Mom eyed Dad, and he eyed her back.<br /> “We’re tired of having to explain your behavior to other people,” Mom said.</h2>
<h2>
“Then don’t,” I said. “Who cares what they think?”</h2>
<h2>
“It hurts our image,” Dad said. “It would be much easier for us if you—”</h2>
<h2>
“Easier for you?” I asked. “It would be much easier for me if I didn’t
have to deal with this bullshit all the time. Just pay back the loan I
gave you and we can stop having this conversation.”</h2>
<h2>
Mom pushed her tea away like she might throw it at me. “We’re still taking the heat from when you went to jail.”</h2>
<h2>
I rolled my eyes. Not this again. “Look, I got a little out of control and—”</h2>
<h2>
“You had sex with some woman in an alleyway,” Dad snapped. “People still bring it up.”</h2>
<h2>
“I didn’t know that cop was there, okay?” I said. “I didn’t want to go to jail or get a public indecency misdemeanor.”</h2>
<h2>
“This is what we’re talking about,” Mom said. “You make bad decisions and don’t think about anyone but yourself.”</h2>
<h2>
“You should try it,” I said coldly. “You’d be a lot happier that way.”</h2>
<h2>
Mom threw her arms down. “Ash, we aren’t giving you that money until you clean up your act.”</h2>
<h2>
Shit just got real. “You’re joking, right? I gave you that money so you
wouldn’t lose your house. I didn’t have to help you but I did because
you’re my parents. And now you aren’t going to give it back to me until
you can control me like a damn puppet?”</h2>
<h2>
“Don’t cuss,” Mom ordered.</h2>
<h2>
“This is fucking unbelievable. How do you sleep at night?”</h2>
<h2>
“We will give you back the money,” Dad said. “We just want you to clean up a little bit.”</h2>
<h2>
“Clean up how?” I demanded. “I’m not on drugs.”</h2>
<h2>
“You’re almost thirty years old and you’ve never brought a girl
around,” Mom said. “Why don’t you focus on settling down and finding a
family?”</h2>
<h2>
“Maybe because I don’t want to.” I wasn’t boyfriend
material and knew I never would be. “My personal life is totally
irrelevant to this conversation. Just give me back the money I loaned
you. If I could get a loan, I wouldn’t bother with you. But I don’t have
a choice.”</h2>
<h2>
“Exactly,” Mom said. “This is a blessing. Now you can finally get your act together.”</h2>
<h2>
I wanted to scream. “I served three tours in Afghanistan. If that doesn’t make you proud, I don’t know what will.”</h2>
<h2>
They both had guilty looks on their faces.</h2>
<h2>
“You only did that to spite us,” Mom said.</h2>
<h2>
“And you think I won’t do it again?” I challenged.</h2>
<h2>
“That’s not funny,” Dad said.</h2>
<h2>
“I wasn’t trying to be.”</h2>
<h2>
Mom changed the subject. “This is how it’s going to be. Make a few changes and we’ll pay back the loan.”</h2>
<h2>
I couldn’t believe I was at their mercy like this. I felt emasculated
and weak. I never put up with someone’s bullshit but I didn’t have any
other option. As soon as I got my money, I wouldn’t have to deal with
their shit anymore. And I would never help them again, even if they
asked. “Like what?” I ground my teeth together as I spoke.</h2>
<h2>
“Find a nice girl and settle down.”</h2>
<h2>
“What the hell is that going to do?” I demanded. “What does it matter if I have sex with one girl or twenty?”</h2>
<h2>
Mom cringed at my crude words. “Because when you find the right girl, you’ll grow up.”</h2>
<h2>
“You think if I get a girlfriend, I’ll suddenly change my mind about the shop?”</h2>
<h2>
“Yes,” Mom said seriously. “You’ll realize you can’t raise a family
with that kind of reputation. You’ll open your eyes and grow up. And
you’ll thank us for it.”</h2>
<h2>
“So, if I get a girlfriend, you’ll pay
back the loan?” That wasn’t adding up. “As soon as I get the money, I’ll
open the shop anyway.”<br /> “When we see you fall in love with her,
we’ll hand over the money,” Mom said. “And then you can do whatever the
hell you want—and we know you won’t open that shop.”</h2>
<h2>
I was
already anti-girlfriend but I definitely wouldn’t be with someone who
didn’t accept me for who I was. So, their plan was stupid. But I didn’t
see any way around it. If I just did as they asked, I’d get their money
and pursue my dream. Then I wouldn’t be at their mercy like this. I
could finally do what I wanted.</h2>
<h2>
“Fine,” I said. “We have a deal.”</h2>
<h2>
Dad visibly relaxed now that the fight was over.</h2>
<h2>
“And it better be a nice girl,” Mom said. “No one with ink and that crap.”</h2>
<h2>
God, my parents were judgmental. “Fine. Whatever. But you need to give
me your word that you’ll return my money.” I leaned forward and looked
her in the eye. “I’m not agreeing to this unless you do.”<br /> She nodded. “I promise, Ash.”</h2>
<h2>
I turned to my dad and waited for his pledge.</h2>
<h2>
“Yes, Son. We’ll keep our word.”<br /> ***<br /> “How’d it go?” Sawyer asked when I walked into his apartment.</h2>
<h2>
“I’ll give you the short version of the long version,” I said as I
grabbed a beer from the fridge. “If I get a serious girlfriend, they’ll
give me the money.”</h2>
<h2>
He was sitting on the couch watching TV. The
game faded to the background as he turned to me. “Wait…what? What does
that have to do with anything?”</h2>
<h2>
“They know they can’t get me to change so they think a serious girlfriend might have some magic up her sleeve.”</h2>
<h2>
“Dude, your parents are lame.” He took a drink of his beer.</h2>
<h2>
“My parents are shitheads. They already disliked me when I started
inking, but they really started hating me after I was in jail for three
days. In their eyes, I can’t do anything right. Honestly, I wouldn’t
give a damn if they didn’t have my money.”</h2>
<h2>
“Well, getting a girlfriend should be easy enough for you.”</h2>
<h2>
My eyebrows furrowed as I sat on the couch. “How do you figure? I’ve never had a girlfriend before.”</h2>
<h2>
“But it won’t be hard to get one.” He eyed his watch. “You could get one before midnight if you really wanted to.”</h2>
<h2>
“Well, I know that,” I said before I took a drink. “But I don’t want one. What do you do with them anyway?”</h2>
<h2>
He shrugged. “Talk to them?”</h2>
<h2>
“See, I don’t like to talk.”</h2>
<h2>
“Take them out to dinner?”</h2>
<h2>
“But then I’d have to talk to them for an entire meal. Shit, I don’t have that much to talk about.”</h2>
<h2>
“Have sex with them?”</h2>
<h2>
“Well, I’m down with that. But I can’t have sex with the same person
more than a few times. It grows stale like bread that’s been left out
too long.”</h2>
<h2>
“Then what are you going to do?”</h2>
<h2>
I shrugged.
“I’m not going to waste some girl’s time by pretending to actually like
her. That would be fucked up. And how could I get a girl to go along
with it unless there was something in it for her?” I searched my brain
for an answer but was drawing a blank.<br /> Sawyer did the same. </h2>
<h2>
He sipped his beer and watched the game. Then he snapped his fingers as an idea came to him. “Hire someone.”</h2>
<h2>
I shot him a glare. “I’m not paying a prostitute.” I’m not a judgmental
person. People could do whatever they wanted. But I wasn’t resorting to
that.</h2>
<h2>
“No, hire an escort.”</h2>
<h2>
“Isn’t that the same thing?”</h2>
<h2>
“No. A buddy of mine did it because his ex went to the same wedding as
he did. He just paid some chick to be his date and she played the part.
Apparently, his ex was super jealous…something like that.”</h2>
<h2>
That was an interesting idea. “So, you just pay them to be there?”</h2>
<h2>
“Yep.”</h2>
<h2>
“And that’s it?” It sounded too good to be true.</h2>
<h2>
“Well, they have rules and stuff…I don’t know the specifics.”</h2>
<h2>
“How do I find this place? Do you have the number?”</h2>
<h2>
“I’ll ask him for it.” He pulled out his phone and sent a text. “Oh,
and the chick was really hot. At least that’s what he said.”</h2>
<h2>
“Like, how hot?”</h2>
<h2>
“Like, he beat off to her in the shower hot.”</h2>
<h2>
I nodded with an awed look on my face. “Damn, that is hot.”</h2>
<h2>
“I know. I kinda want to rent one just for fun.”</h2>
<h2>
“Do they…do other things?” Not that I would ever pay for sex.</h2>
<h2>
“I’m not sure but I think they don’t. But they’re expensive, a lot more expensive than a whore.”</h2>
<h2>
“Interesting…”</h2>
<h2>
His phone lit up with a response. “It’s called Beautiful Entourage.” </h2>
<h2>
He handed me the phone. “There’s the number.”</h2>
<h2>
“Thanks.” I typed it in my phone.</h2>
<h2>
“Are you really going to do it?” he asked. “It’s pretty lame if you have to pay for a date.”</h2>
<h2>
“But it would be worse if I used a girl like that. Women can get so
clingy sometimes. It’s fucking annoying. If this is a business
transaction, there shouldn’t be any issues.”</h2>
<h2>
“Good way to think about it.”</h2>
<h2>
I put the phone in my pocket. “I’ll call tomorrow.”</h2>
<h2>
“Good luck.”<br /> ***<br />
Beautiful Entourage was damn hard to find. There was a Chinese place
near the sidewalk, and the smell of chow mein made me hungry. A part of
me wished the place was inside the restaurant so I could get some lunch.</h2>
<h2>
When I finally realized the place was in the rear, I walked inside and
stared at the hardwood floors, gray walls with white trimming, and the
elegant white furniture of the lobby.</h2>
<h2>
Damn, this place was nice.</h2>
<h2>
“Can I help you?” A girl was playing solitaire on her desk.<br /> I walked further inside. “This is Beautiful Entourage, right?”<br /> “You found the right place.” Her eyes dilated when she looked me up and down, clearly liking what she saw.</h2>
<h2>
Yeah, yeah, I’m hot. I know. “Great. So…how does this work?”</h2>
<h2>
“I’m more than happy to explain.” She cleared her desk of the cards
then pulled out some paperwork. “We assist clients with dates for
various reasons. But you need to understand this isn’t a dating service,
and it’s not a hookup service. Our only job is to play a part for you.”</h2>
<h2>
“Okay.” So far so good.</h2>
<h2>
“We have very strict rules, and if you choose to break them, you’ll be
terminated from our contract and we’ll also pursue legal action. This is
not a joke.”</h2>
<h2>
“Okay…” Pursue legal action for what?</h2>
<h2>
“Now to the fun part.” She turned to her computer and started clicking with her mouse. “What’s your type?”</h2>
<h2>
“I prefer my coffee black.”</h2>
<h2>
She smiled. “No, your type of woman. Blonde? Brunette?”</h2>
<h2>
“Oh.” Whoops. “I don’t care.”</h2>
<h2>
“Tall or short?”</h2>
<h2>
I was six foot three so I doubted a girl would be taller than me. “Don’t care.”</h2>
<h2>
“What about—”</h2>
<h2>
“Sweetheart, let me save you some time. I don’t care.”</h2>
<h2>
“You’re easy…” She kept working on her computer before she printed
something out. “Payment is due up front and there are no refunds. You’ll
meet with Alessandra on Friday at the coffee shop just on the corner.”</h2>
<h2>
“Alessandra?”</h2>
<h2>
“She will be your escort.”</h2>
<h2>
“Is that her real name?” I asked. “Because that’s hot.”</h2>
<h2>
She grinned. “You can ask her yourself.” She handed the papers over. “I just need you to sign here and here.”</h2>
<h2>
I grabbed the pen and added my signatures.</h2>
<h2>
“The meeting at the coffee shop is complimentary so don’t worry about that.”</h2>
<h2>
“A coffee date with a hot chick named Alessandra? Sweet deal.”<br /> She chuckled. “Have a good time. I can promise you’ll like her.”<br /> I bet I would. </h2>
<h2>
Chapter Two<br /> Alessandra<br />
I got to the coffee shop early and sipped my coffee. I had so many of
these meetings that they blurred together. It was easy to forget names
and faces. I knew this guy’s name was Ash, and apparently he was hot.</h2>
<h2>
Lucky me.</h2>
<h2>
My clients were hardly ever cute. If they were, what would they need my
services for? But I did enjoy my job because it was fulfilling. I
helped people get through difficult times. I was even friends with some
of them.</h2>
<h2>
The door opened and a tall man walked inside. He wore
dark jeans that hung low on his hips and a dark green t-shirt. He had
wide shoulders that reminded me of a soldier, and his chest looked broad
and powerful. He was more than just fit. He looked extremely athletic,
like a marine or something.</h2>
<h2>
He had dark brown hair and fair skin. His eyes were blue like the ocean, and they were endless in their depth.</h2>
<h2>
Damn, he was hot.</h2>
<h2>
His arms were covered in sleeves of tattoos. Instead of being all black
ink, there were various colors. Green, orange, and blue were prominent
colors, and they were highlighted under the fluorescent lights.</h2>
<h2>
There was no way he was my client. That would be a dream come true.</h2>
<h2>
He looked around the shop like he was searching for something—or someone.</h2>
<h2>
I opened the folder and flipped through the pages until I found a copy of his driver’s license.</h2>
<h2>
Shit, it was him.</h2>
<h2>
There was no way he was straight. He must need me to pose as his
girlfriend to his family or something. I’d done gigs like that before.</h2>
<h2>
I stood up and gave him a quick wave. “Ash?”</h2>
<h2>
His gaze focused on me, and those blue eyes seemed even brighter.
Approval was in his look as he approached me. He carried himself like he
owned the room and everyone in it. His appearance was intimidating. I’d
never seen someone so beautiful in my life. The tattoos just made him a
million times sexier.</h2>
<h2>
Get a grip.</h2>
<h2>
He approached me and extended his hand. “Ash.”</h2>
<h2>
“Alessandra.” I took it, and my hand felt petite in comparison to his.
The skin was warm but calloused like he used his hands all the time.</h2>
<h2>
“That’s a hot name.”</h2>
<h2>
“Thanks…” I’d never gotten a compliment like that so I was a little flustered. “Ash is cool too.” God, why did I say that?</h2>
<h2>
He sat down, and his torso completely blocked the chair.</h2>
<h2>
I was normally the confident one but now I was a little shaky. This guy
was too beautiful to be true. He had to be gay. The hot ones were
always gay. “So…how can I help you?”</h2>
<h2>
He shrugged. “I need a girlfriend so my parents will get off my ass. That’s where you come in.”</h2>
<h2>
“Are you gay?” Ugh, why did I ask it like that? It was so abrupt and harsh.</h2>
<h2>
“No…” He narrowed his eyes on my face. “How the hell did I give you
that impression? I checked out your rack the second I walked in the
door. And when you turn around, I’m going to check out your ass.”</h2>
<h2>
He did? I didn’t even notice. And a comment like that would normally
result in a slap across the face. But he somehow pulled it off without
sounding like a perverted sleazebag. “I just…” Think of something
intelligent to say. “Guys like you don’t normally need to pay for a
date…unless they’re gay and need a fake girlfriend.”</h2>
<h2>
“Oh, I get
it.” He leaned back in the chair and rested one hand on the table.
“Nope. I’m definitely straight.” His eyes moved down to my chest before
he looked me in the eye again. Then he winked.<br /> I should feel violated but I didn’t.</h2>
<h2>
“Okay…what do you need me to do?”</h2>
<h2>
“Just act like my girlfriend when I’m around my family. That’s it. Nothing complicated.”</h2>
<h2>
“But why do you need me?”</h2>
<h2>
He rolled his eyes like the question irritated him. “It’s a really long
story, but basically my parents owe me money but they won’t give it to
me unless I have a serious girlfriend.”</h2>
<h2>
I raised an eyebrow. “That doesn’t make any sense.”</h2>
<h2>
“I couldn’t agree more, sweetheart.”</h2>
<h2>
“Why do they owe you money?”</h2>
<h2>
“They have a software company and it took a bad turn when this
competitor got big. My parents needed the cash for a prototype so I lent
it to them. Five years later, I still haven’t gotten it back even
though their company is making bank. They don’t approve of my lifestyle
and my interests. I need the money to open up my own shop, but I can’t
get a loan because my credit is terrible. So, I have to play by their
rules or kiss my dream goodbye.”</h2>
<h2>
That sounded complicated. “What kind of shop?”</h2>
<h2>
He presented both of his arms. “Tattoo shop.” Every inch of his skin
was covered with ink. There were different images, like a ladder that
led to nowhere, song lyrics, and a Hawaiian flower. “My parents think
I’m a worthless loser. And perhaps they’re right. But I don’t care. I
need to get this shop open. I’m tired of working for someone else.”</h2>
<h2>
I replayed his story in my head. “That’s just wrong.”</h2>
<h2>
“What?” He returned his arms to his sides. “My ink?”</h2>
<h2>
“No, that your parents are controlling. You helped them out when you
didn’t have to and this is how they treat you?” I’d struggle to smile in
their presence.</h2>
<h2>
He rolled his eyes. “They’re lame. I know.”</h2>
<h2>
“Why don’t you sue them?”</h2>
<h2>
He chuckled. “That would cause more headaches. And money. They could
afford a much better lawyer than I could. If I just play their stupid
game, I’ll get my money. Then they can kiss my ass.”</h2>
<h2>
“I’m still a little confused…how does a girlfriend change any of this?”</h2>
<h2>
“They think if I have a serious woman in my life, it’ll change me.
Because nothing they have said or done has made a difference, maybe a
wife will.” He rolled his eyes dramatically. “I don’t understand their
thought process. But whatever. The sooner I get this shit over with, the
sooner I can move on.”</h2>
<h2>
I’d had a lot of unusual clients but this seemed to be the strangest one. “Well, I can do that for you.”</h2>
<h2>
“Great.” He drummed his fingers on the table like he was playing a
song. He could hardly sit still and he talked a lot. It was like he had
ADD. “So, we’ll go out to dinner with them and begin this stupid
charade.”</h2>
<h2>
“Whoa, hold on.”</h2>
<h2>
He stopped drumming. “What?”</h2>
<h2>
“You can’t just show up with a girlfriend that quickly.”</h2>
<h2>
“Why not?” he asked. “Let’s get the ball rolling.” He did a quick drum solo with his fingers.</h2>
<h2>
“Don’t you think that would look suspicious to have a girlfriend
twenty-four hours later? You’re going to need to wait at least a few
weeks.”</h2>
<h2>
He groaned then covered his face like he wanted to
scream. “A few weeks? I don’t have a few weeks. Sweetheart, I got shit
to do.”<br /> “Well, it’s just not believable. You’ll have to be patient.”</h2>
<h2>
He lowered his hands and sighed like I was right. “Maybe I should just
hire a hit man. I’d get a much higher return on my investment that way.”</h2>
<h2>
I knew he was joking. Well…I hoped he was joking. “There’re a few rules I want to go over before we do this.”</h2>
<h2>
“Yeah, me too.” He stopped drumming and leaned forward across the
table. “Look, I know this is a business transaction and you’re just
doing your job, but nothing is going to happen between us. I’m not the
boyfriend type and I never will be. I don’t want you to get your hopes
up just to be disappointed.”</h2>
<h2>
What?</h2>
<h2>
“Girls always think
I’ll change for them and I’ll fall so madly in love that I won’t be able
to live without them. That’s not the case. I’m set in my ways and I
won’t change for anybody. So, don’t expect anything. I really don’t want
to break your heart like I did to all the others.”</h2>
<h2>
What the hell is he talking about?</h2>
<h2>
“And since this is a business relationship, I’m not going to hook up with you either. I just want a professional—”</h2>
<h2>
“Do you ever stop talking?”</h2>
<h2>
He halted in midsentence and shut his mouth.</h2>
<h2>
Man, I’d never met someone so cocky in my life. “I’m not sure what I
did to give you the impression that I want to jump your bones, but I
don’t. You’re my client and I will give you whatever you need to reach
your goals. I’m not looking for a hookup or a boyfriend, especially from
a client. Don’t make assumptions.”</h2>
<h2>
“I’m not making an assumption,” he said. “I’m just warning you.”</h2>
<h2>
“Warning me?” I asked. “You aren’t my type so we have nothing to worry about.”</h2>
<h2>
“I just like to be honest with my intentions. In the past, women have
misinterpreted my actions and it always leads to them crying their eyes
out. And they always say, ‘You are the one. Let’s get married. I can’t
live without you. Blah blah.’ and it’s super annoying.”</h2>
<h2>
“Damn, you’re a dick.”</h2>
<h2>
“What?” A blank expression came over his face. “I’m just being honest.”</h2>
<h2>
“Well, stop talking. Now, can I say what I need to say?”</h2>
<h2>
He sighed and leaned back in his chair. “The floor is yours.”</h2>
<h2>
He was such a beautiful man, but he was such a dick underneath that
pretty package. I should have known there was something wrong with him.
“This is a strictly professional interaction. There will only be
handholding and waist touching. No kissing, no feelings, and no sex.”</h2>
<h2>
“That’s fine.”</h2>
<h2>
“If you ever cross the line, our arrangement is terminated.”<br /> “Fair enough.”</h2>
<h2>
“This is not a dating service—”</h2>
<h2>
He rolled his eyes.</h2>
<h2>
“Sorry, am I boring you?” I snapped.</h2>
<h2>
“Shelly already told me all of this. I know the rules.”<br /> “Well, people choose to break them anyway and I need to make sure you won’t.”</h2>
<h2>
“Believe me, I can control myself. You’re smoking hot and have a
perfect body, and you’re nice too, but I’m not some weird creeper that’s
going to stick my tongue down your throat just because my dick is
hard.”</h2>
<h2>
He could be really sweet, but he was an arrogant jerk at
the same time. At least he was thoughtful and nice some of the time.
“Well, I’m glad we got that out of the way.”</h2>
<h2>
“It sounds like we understand each other,” he said. “So, this should be no problem for either of us.”</h2>
<h2>
“Why didn’t you just get a real girl to do this?” I asked. “I’m not cheap.”</h2>
<h2>
“And use her then toss her aside when I’m done with her?” he asked incredulously.</h2>
<h2>
I assumed that was something he did on a regular basis.<br /> “No, that’s not my style. Hiring someone is much easier.” He rose from the seat. “I’ll call the office when I need you.”</h2>
<h2>
“Uh…where are you going?”</h2>
<h2>
“They’re having a sale on acoustics at Guitar Center. I was going to check it out.”</h2>
<h2>
He was such a scatterbrain. “Well, we aren’t done here.”</h2>
<h2>
“We aren’t?” He sat down again. “What else do you want to talk about? The weather?”</h2>
<h2>
“I need to get to know you so I know how to behave in front of your
parents. If I know nothing about you, they’re going to know it’s all an
act.”</h2>
<h2>
He released an irritated sigh. “I’m not that interesting.”<br /> “Then it shouldn’t take long.”</h2>
<h2>
He drummed his fingers again as he tried to think of something to
share. His hair was slightly messy like he ran his fingers through it
often. On him, it looked sexy. He had such nice features he could get
away with pretty much anything. Even in t-shirt and jeans, he was a nice
piece of eye candy.</h2>
<h2>
I took the reins since he was taking so long. “You play guitar?”<br /> “Yeah, I’ve been playing for a long time. I’m pretty good.”</h2>
<h2>
“Do you play the drums?” I could only assume so since he kept drumming the table.</h2>
<h2>
“Yeah. And I play the keyboard but that’s my least favorite instrument.”</h2>
<h2>
“You like Led Zeppelin?”</h2>
<h2>
His eyes narrowed. “How did you know that?”</h2>
<h2>
“You were drumming it on the table.”</h2>
<h2>
“You recognized the song?” His eyes lit up in interest.</h2>
<h2>
“Yes.”</h2>
<h2>
“Wow, that’s cool. Most girls I know listen to Taylor Swift and shit.”</h2>
<h2>
“I listen to Taylor Swift.” I rested my hands on the table. “I listen to everything.”</h2>
<h2>
“Taylor Swift isn’t music. That’s just some girl whining about every boyfriend she’s ever had.”</h2>
<h2>
“How would you know?” I asked. “Have you actually listened to her? Because she writes about other things besides that.”</h2>
<h2>
“Like what?”</h2>
<h2>
“Like being happy. Being alone. Stuff like that.”</h2>
<h2>
He didn’t seem convinced.</h2>
<h2>
“Anyway, yes, I listen to Led Zeppelin.”</h2>
<h2>
“What else do you listen to?” he asked.</h2>
<h2>
“Aren’t we here to talk about you and not me?”</h2>
<h2>
“Just answer the damn question.” He held my gaze without flinching.</h2>
<h2>
“I really like folksy stuff like Mumford and Sons.”</h2>
<h2>
“I prefer rock music but they’re good,” Ash said. “I’ll give them that.”</h2>
<h2>
“I’m glad you approve.” My voice was full of sarcasm. “I also like the
classics like The Rolling Stones, The Beatles, and The Doors.”</h2>
<h2>
He winked. “Excellent taste, sweetheart.”</h2>
<h2>
“Could you stop calling me that?”</h2>
<h2>
“What?” he asked innocently.</h2>
<h2>
“Sweetheart. I have a name.”</h2>
<h2>
“I’m afraid to use it,” he said. “It’s too sexy.”</h2>
<h2>
I rolled my eyes. “It’s just a name.”</h2>
<h2>
“Alessandra…” He shivered visibly. “See, it makes my spine wiggle.”</h2>
<h2>
I continued on like he hadn’t said anything. “And I like modern stuff too, like Katy Perry—”</h2>
<h2>
“No!” He covered his ears like he was in pain. “That’s not music. That’s just noise.”</h2>
<h2>
“Well, I like her and I don’t care what you think.”</h2>
<h2>
“Thank god, you have some good taste. Shit like that poisons people’s minds.”</h2>
<h2>
“Just because I have different taste than you doesn’t make your preferences superior to mine.”</h2>
<h2>
He seemed to realize his mistake. “You’re right. I’m being snooty.”<br /> “You’re being a dick, actually.”</h2>
<h2>
He smiled slightly. “I have a bad habit of doing that. I’m surprised my parents didn’t name me Dick instead of Ash.”</h2>
<h2>
“You can always go down to the courthouse and change it.”</h2>
<h2>
He chuckled. “Discreetly insulting me…nice.”</h2>
<h2>
“So, back to you. You like guitar?”</h2>
<h2>
“Yep. It’s my favorite instrument.”</h2>
<h2>
“What do you care more about?” I asked. “Music or inking?”</h2>
<h2>
He cringed. “Baby, don’t make me choose.”</h2>
<h2>
“Don’t call me baby. It’s Alessandra.”</h2>
<h2>
He growled quietly. “Fine. I can’t choose. It’s too difficult.”</h2>
<h2>
“Why do you like inking?”</h2>
<h2>
“What kind of question is that?” he asked. “Why does an artist like to
paint? He just does. Inking is artwork and I love it. I create something
that stays on someone’s skin forever. What’s cooler than that?”</h2>
<h2>
“It is interesting.”</h2>
<h2>
“Do you have ink?”</h2>
<h2>
“No.” I’d thought about it a few times but never had the courage to go through with it.</h2>
<h2>
“Good.” He released a sigh.</h2>
<h2>
“Why is that good?” I assumed he would want me to have ink.</h2>
<h2>
“My parents don’t approve of tattoos. It’s better if you don’t have any.”</h2>
<h2>
That made sense. “When did you get your first tattoo?”</h2>
<h2>
“On my eighteenth birthday. I would have done it sooner but my parents wouldn’t sign the permission papers.”</h2>
<h2>
“Is there any particular taste you have in ink?”</h2>
<h2>
He rubbed the back of his neck as he shrugged. “Whatever looks cool.”</h2>
<h2>
“Do you have any piercings?”</h2>
<h2>
He stuck out his tongue. A black metallic ball sat in the center of his tongue. He retracted it and shut his mouth.</h2>
<h2>
I’d never known a guy with a tongue piercing so I never had an opinion
about it before, but Ash made it look sexy. He was oblivious to other
people’s feelings and he was full of himself, but he was still hot. “Did
that hurt?”</h2>
<h2>
“No.”</h2>
<h2>
He seemed like the type of guy who would lie about it just to be macho. “Any other piercings?”</h2>
<h2>
He grinned in a wicked way. “I would show you but that would endanger the professionalism of our relationship.”</h2>
<h2>
My neck and cheeks suddenly felt warm. “Now that had to hurt.”</h2>
<h2>
“A little,” he said. “The healing part of it hurt the most.”<br /> “Why?”</h2>
<h2>
“Because I couldn’t have sex for three months until it healed. I couldn’t even jerk off. It totally sucked.”</h2>
<h2>
“TMI…”</h2>
<h2>
“Hey, you asked.”</h2>
<h2>
I’d never known a guy with a dick piercing either. Was it uncomfortable for the girl?</h2>
<h2>
“And I doubt my parents are going to ask you about it since they have no idea.”</h2>
<h2>
“Why did you pierce it?”</h2>
<h2>
“Girls like it.”</h2>
<h2>
“They do?”</h2>
<h2>
That arrogant smile came back. “You obviously haven’t tried it. I highly recommend it.”</h2>
<h2>
“Doesn’t it tear through the condom?”</h2>
<h2>
“Not if you know what you’re doing.”</h2>
<h2>
Talking about him having sex with a dick piercing was giving me ideas I
shouldn’t think about. “Anything else I should know about you?”</h2>
<h2>
“You’re blushing.” He kept grinning and wouldn’t stop.</h2>
<h2>
“I’m not blushing.” I lowered my face in the hope that would help.</h2>
<h2>
“I’ll show you if you’re interested.”</h2>
<h2>
“Let’s change the subject,” I said quickly.</h2>
<h2>
“Whatever you want, Alessandra.” He said my name slowly and rolled the R.</h2>
<h2>
I ignored him.</h2>
<h2>
“I was in the army for four years. They’ll expect you to know that.”<br /> “Really?” I blurted. I didn’t expect that from him.</h2>
<h2>
“Don’t think I’m honorable,” he said quickly. “I enlisted to piss off
my parents. I would have enjoyed it more if I could have actually seen
them pissed off more often. I was overseas for fifteen months.”</h2>
<h2>
“Why would that piss them off?”</h2>
<h2>
“They kept telling me they wanted me to be a better person so I decided
to pledge my life to keep my country safe. But I risked my life in the
process so I made them eat their own words.”</h2>
<h2>
“Wow…that’s a big deal.”</h2>
<h2>
He shrugged. “I don’t regret it. It gave me a lot of perspective. Now
my tolerance for bullshit is even lower. When my parents bitch about my
immaturity and stupid life goals, I think about all the men in my tour
that never came home. They spend so much time caring about something so
stupid instead of just letting me be who I am. Maybe they should go over
there so they can grow the fuck up.” He shook his head then looked out
the window.</h2>
<h2>
Ash was more complex than he seemed. He was an
asshole sometimes, but there was a lot more to him than what he
projected. “What did you do over there?”</h2>
<h2>
“Grunt. When I took the
exam, I had really high scores. They wanted to put me in other areas of
the field that wouldn’t land me on the ground. But I told them I wanted
to be a soldier.”</h2>
<h2>
“You’re so brave.”</h2>
<h2>
Instead of saying something cocky or arrogant, he didn’t say anything at all.</h2>
<h2>
Perhaps I shouldn’t have said that.</h2>
<h2>
“I’ve never been so scared in my life. I can sit here and pretend like
there weren’t times when I thought I wouldn’t make it back home, but
that would be a lie. I’m not ashamed to admit that.”</h2>
<h2>
I held his gaze and felt my heart ache. “You wouldn’t be brave if you also weren’t scared. That’s the whole definition of it.”<br /> “And the scariest part of all is something you’d least expect.”</h2>
<h2>
I didn’t ask what it was.</h2>
<h2>
“Coming home. After being over there for so long, I was constantly on
my guard. Anytime I heard an unusual sound, I grabbed for my gun. I had
nightmares for a long time about the things I’ve seen. I dreamt of the
faces of my dead comrades. It took me a long time to finally integrate
back into society. My parents never understood that. The second I was on
American soil, they tried to get me to change my life and take a better
path than I was on before.” He removed his gaze and looked out the
window. “I’m sorry…I’m rambling.”</h2>
<h2>
“I asked. And I’m very interested.”</h2>
<h2>
He turned back to me. “I don’t want you to think I’m a broken soul or
something. I hardly think about my time over there. I never let myself
think about it.”</h2>
<h2>
“Well, thank you for your sacrifice.” I meant what I said and wasn’t just giving him empty words. “I love having my freedom.”</h2>
<h2>
He smiled slightly. “You’re very welcome.”</h2>
<h2>
I stared down at my hands because I couldn’t hold his gaze any longer.<br /> “Anyway…they’ll expect you to know that about me.”</h2>
<h2>
“I’m surprised you can’t get a VA loan.”</h2>
<h2>
“I destroyed my credit when I bought a bike.” He shook his head. “I
bought it even though I couldn’t afford it and then I crashed it. It was
right when I came back from the military and I was a little reckless.”</h2>
<h2>
“Were you injured?”</h2>
<h2>
“In the military?”</h2>
<h2>
“I meant in the bike accident…” But I wouldn’t mind hearing the answer to that question too.</h2>
<h2>
“Oh, no,” he said quickly. “Just a few bruises and no one else was hurt. But I was shot in Afghanistan.”</h2>
<h2>
My eyes widened. “Oh my god…are you okay?” It was a stupid thing to ask since he was obviously fine.</h2>
<h2>
He touched the left side of his torso. “A bullet grazed me from the
side. It didn’t hit any organs so I recovered quickly. But I had a
really bad scar there.”</h2>
<h2>
“Had?”</h2>
<h2>
“I inked over it. I ink all my scars so you can’t see them.”</h2>
<h2>
“Oh…” He had more than one?</h2>
<h2>
“I had a cut on my forearm but I covered that.” He pointed to the area
where a tattoo of a dog tag sat. But his name wasn’t on the metal.
“That’s my buddy’s name. He died over there.”</h2>
<h2>
“I’m sorry to hear that.”</h2>
<h2>
“He was a good guy. Had a wife and everything.”</h2>
<h2>
“That’s terrible…”</h2>
<h2>
“She’s really nice,” he said. “I’ve been paying her rent for a while now. That’s also why I don’t have much cash right now.”</h2>
<h2>
“You pay her rent?” It was the sweetest thing I’ve ever heard.</h2>
<h2>
“She didn’t have a job when her husband died and she had no way to get
by. If I had a wife and I died, I know he would have done the same for
me. And she’s a really sweet person. She has a job now but it doesn’t
pay much. She’s looking for something better.”</h2>
<h2>
I didn’t know what to say. His layers were endless. “That’s really sweet of you.”<br /> He shrugged and looked out the window again.</h2>
<h2>
Maybe I got a bad first impression of him. There was obviously more to him than his arrogance. “Is there anything else?”</h2>
<h2>
“Like I said, I’m not that interesting.”</h2>
<h2>
“Do you have siblings?”</h2>
<h2>
“Only child.”</h2>
<h2>
“I’m surprised you aren’t spoiled rotten.”</h2>
<h2>
“I used to be when I was younger. But when I started listening to rock
music and playing my guitar, my parents assumed I was on the way to
drugs.”</h2>
<h2>
“Have you ever done drugs?”</h2>
<h2>
“Hell no. My parents are just paranoid people.”</h2>
<h2>
I hadn’t even met his parents but I didn’t like them. They had a
wonderful son who was just rough around the edges. Underneath all of
that, he was a great person. “You deserve better.”</h2>
<h2>
“There are
times when I wish I had different parents, but they did raise me and put
a roof over my head. It wasn’t always bad like this. I do my best to
get along with them, but sometimes I feel like they aren’t giving me
that same effort. In the end, I do love them—even when I want to murder
them.”</h2>
<h2>
“They’re lucky to have you.”</h2>
<h2>
“I don’t know about that…I was a handful. They deserve a medal for raising me.”<br /> I chuckled. “I’m sure you’re exaggerating.”</h2>
<h2>
“I wish I were.” He crossed his arms over his large chest. “So, anything else you want to know?”</h2>
<h2>
“I assume you didn’t go to college?”</h2>
<h2>
He just stared at me.</h2>
<h2>
“That’s a no…”</h2>
<h2>
“I’m not college material.”</h2>
<h2>
“I’m sure you could do anything you put your mind to.” I made a few notes in my notebook.</h2>
<h2>
“What’s your story?” he asked. “Why are you an escort?”</h2>
<h2>
I spun the pen in my fingers. “We’re here to talk about you, not me.”</h2>
<h2>
“We can’t be friends?” he asked. “Don’t I have to know something about you before I bring you home to my parents?”</h2>
<h2>
“Well, I need to create an alias. What do you think your parents would like?”<br /> “A goodie goodie. Someone well mannered and educated. Something boring.”</h2>
<h2>
“Okay,” I said. “How about I say I attended NYU for literature and then
started running a flower shop in Brooklyn? Where do your parents live?”</h2>
<h2>
“Connecticut.”</h2>
<h2>
“So, they probably don’t know all the flower shops in New York?”<br /> “Doubtful. That works. You look like you’d work in a flower shop anyway.”</h2>
<h2>
“Thanks…or are you calling me boring?”</h2>
<h2>
“No.” He gave me a smile. “Actually, that’d be really cute. I’d totally
make a pass at you if I saw you priming roses in the window of a shop.”</h2>
<h2>
My cheeks felt warm again. “Thanks…I guess I’ll have to research different flowers and what not.”</h2>
<h2>
“My parents aren’t going to interrogate you that much.”</h2>
<h2>
“I’d rather be prepared,” I said. “It’s what you’re paying me for.”</h2>
<h2>
“I feel like all my money was spent on your beauty.” He said it with a
straight face. “Are you a model and just do this on the side for money?”</h2>
<h2>
It was the biggest compliment I’d ever gotten. “Uh, no. This is my only job.”</h2>
<h2>
“Really?” he asked in surprise. “You fooled me.”</h2>
<h2>
“It’s good money and I have control over my hours.”</h2>
<h2>
“Do what you like and don’t give a shit what anyone else says,” he said
bluntly. “I’m just surprised you don’t get tired of men gawking at you
all the time.”</h2>
<h2>
“They don’t,” I said. “Some do but not all.”</h2>
<h2>
“Maybe I should get into this business.” He winked at me.</h2>
<h2>
“You would get fired so fast.”</h2>
<h2>
“Why?” he asked defensively.</h2>
<h2>
“Because you’d sleep with all the clients.”</h2>
<h2>
“So?” he asked. “What’s wrong with that?”</h2>
<h2>
I rolled my eyes. “The second you sleep with them, you’re breaking the law.”<br /> “How so?” He was totally clueless.</h2>
<h2>
“Because it’s prostitution.”</h2>
<h2>
“Oh…” His eyebrows furrowed. “I didn’t think about it that way.”</h2>
<h2>
“So, you’d never be able to work here.”</h2>
<h2>
“That’s a shame,” he said. “I’d bring you a lot of business.”</h2>
<h2>
“We bought the company from a group of guys a few years ago. Now we’re just a group of women running it.”</h2>
<h2>
“This seems like a good gig. Why give it up?”</h2>
<h2>
“They settled down. They didn’t want to moonlight as other people’s boyfriends anymore.”</h2>
<h2>
“I guess that would be a conflict. If I ever had a wife, I wouldn’t let anyone touch her.”</h2>
<h2>
“You think about getting married?” Earlier he said he didn’t do the girlfriend thing so I was a little confused.</h2>
<h2>
“No. That’s why I said if and not when. Relationships aren’t for me. I
get what I need and then move on. And I’m happy that way.”</h2>
<h2>
“Sounds lonely to me.”</h2>
<h2>
He gave me a dark look. “I didn’t ask for your opinion and you have no right to judge me.”</h2>
<h2>
“I wasn’t judging you.”</h2>
<h2>
“It seemed like it.”</h2>
<h2>
“I would just feel empty going from person to person forever. It would
be nice for a while but one day I’d want a single person to share my
life with. I’d want kids and stuff…”</h2>
<h2>
“I don’t want kids.” He said it bluntly. “I’m not meant to be a father.”</h2>
<h2>
“Why do you say that?”</h2>
<h2>
“You haven’t figured it out in the hour you’ve been talking to me?” he
asked incredulously. “I’m an ex-military tattoo artist that can’t even
open his own shop. I’m not exactly a role model.”</h2>
<h2>
“I don’t see
what the problem is with any of those things. All a parent needs to do
is love their child unconditionally. It doesn’t matter what you do for a
living.”</h2>
<h2>
He stared at me with his lips pressed tightly together.</h2>
<h2>
I looked down at my notes because his stare was becoming too intense.
“Is there anything else I should know? Like an ex-girlfriend or
something?”</h2>
<h2>
“You’re the only one.”</h2>
<h2>
Even though he meant that in a specific context, I felt my heart skip a beat. “Well, it looks like I have everything I need…”</h2>
<h2>
“Good. I’ve got to get to Guitar Center. There’s this beauty…in the window. I must have her.”</h2>
<h2>
I tried not to laugh. “I hope you get her.”</h2>
<h2>
He stood up and looked down at me. “You know what I’m going to name her?”<br /> “Hmm?”</h2>
<h2>
“Alessandra.”</h2>
<h3>
RELEASE DATE: FEBRUARY 14TH, 2016<br /> ADD IT TO YOUR TBR: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.goodreads.com%2Fbook%2Fshow%2F26596519-into-the-fire&h=oAQGmMbcEAQH2SkHbMIZpnGG8oojUNRdgZXVFtSIH2Se7qg&enc=AZMGrKW0wMGN8ykVvOYc_aqdo4zAcsSL0grdxfEPHNapvMCT2kLRzWj9FbcF2KzdmulAc3FAYBLHQradK41iHuSRabhSp9MbyvSo9hy-f_z9p5usfL607--KVb8DQKt_bp6OqF-EnAIsJlLPpTMlpCW6whD4B_67019DAhxNxFl90KzDXtfKpsiLahdA9PeZ3ndxO4dKUk_g8N5jMaxoUur0&s=1" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/26596519-into-the-fire</a></h3>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08383173872480816847noreply@blogger.com88tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1838615051037643873.post-25403749013114464102015-08-11T15:48:00.002-07:002015-08-11T15:48:40.519-07:00He's unforgettable. He's untameable. And unbreakable. He's Hawke.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIN3VhOlFCUnDauBiGSxdN4OQHuHULxCWA9qnZ3Aa973AYavXQBF3K_p56EPUeNeXNYIWQhqcgtyqy-RFoPkdp_ASVqqnbZEcnqaa11-Y0HW5OJWCG0vHkyYTMVF-icm2B94gGM1x1iysv/s1600/NYC.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIN3VhOlFCUnDauBiGSxdN4OQHuHULxCWA9qnZ3Aa973AYavXQBF3K_p56EPUeNeXNYIWQhqcgtyqy-RFoPkdp_ASVqqnbZEcnqaa11-Y0HW5OJWCG0vHkyYTMVF-icm2B94gGM1x1iysv/s320/NYC.png" width="320" /></a></div>
<b>Meet Hawke.</b><br />
<br />
When people ask me how I come up with so many ideas for stories, I really don't have an answer. I want to say, "They fall out of the sky and land in my head." I never say that because it's unbelievable.<br />
<br />
<i>But it's the truth.</i><br />
<br />
Hawke is a representation of a lot of things. Good, bad, evil, and darkness. He's not black, he exists in shades of gray. He's not a two dimensional character. He lives in three.<br />
<br />
<i>Shit, he lives in four.</i><br />
<br />
I wanted to write a love story similar to ones I've written before, but distinctly different. In my experience, relationships aren't easy. They require work. And when one partner wants to give up, you're in danger. But when both want to call it quits, it's over.<br />
<br />
When Hawke meets Francesca (AKA Frankie), that innate connection forms. But when he realizes he can't have her, he walks away--<i>somehow</i>. But can he stay away from someone that resonates in a tune only he can identify? She beats to her own drum, but what happens when her drum is the exactly the same as his own?<br />
<br />
Relationships are hard. You fight. You cry. You break up. You get back together.<br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>But can you stay together?</i><br />
<br />
These characters fight for one another, but will that be enough? Or will the darkness in each of their hearts keep them apart? Will this journey make them?<br />
<br />
<i>Or will it break them?</i><br />
<br />
A lot of my stories are autobiographical, if you read between the lines. This one is particularly close to my heart. Sleeping in my bed one night, I jolted awake because the story came to me and I felt obligated to write it. While my husband moaned and told me to go back to bed, I grabbed my laptop and spent the rest of the evening writing about Hawke, a character I can't stop thinking about.<br />
<br />
"<b>Francesca, I'm the kind of man you hate."</b><br />
<br />
<span style="color: purple;">"I don't believe you."</span><br />
<br />
<b>"You should."</b><br />
<br />
I haven't gotten very far in the story, but I already know it's a piece of work I'm most proud of. I live in different worlds with different series all going at once, and sometimes I need a break. Not a break from writing, ironically. But a break from those universes.<br />
<br />
And now Hawke is my new obsession.<br />
<br />
<i>I have a feeling he'll be yours too.</i><br />
<br />
<i><b>Someday</b></i><br />
Publication Date: 02/14/2016<br />
<br />Until next time,<br />
<br />
E. L. ToddAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08383173872480816847noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1838615051037643873.post-13287585341209610022014-07-24T10:19:00.002-07:002014-07-24T10:19:55.771-07:00Only For You (Book One of the Forever and Always Series)
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<span style="font-family: "Lucida Calligraphy"; font-size: 20.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">1</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Penelope
sat across from me in the small café on Fifth Street, a petite coffee shop that
had the best coffee I had ever tasted. Michael Buble’s voice sang in the
background, and the soothing melody immediately reminded me of an elevator or
an Olive Garden, since both places always played his tunes. Penelope drank from
her coffee and said nothing for several moments as she organized her thoughts.
I wasn’t sure why she asked me to meet her there, but it seemed important.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">The dim
lighting of the café complemented the dark strands of her hair that reached
past her shoulder. The color of her locks reminded me of my own, except mine were
a slightly lighter shade, and her skin tone was also similar to mine. She was
wearing a dress I let her borrow, the one I bought on clearance at the mall,
and it fit her just as well as it fit me. She and I were the same size and
height, which was convenient when we wanted to borrow clothes from each other.
Penelope was a beautiful woman who was also successful and intelligent. Every
man’s dream, really. I wasn’t surprised that Sean was so infatuated with her. How
could he not be? If I were a guy, I would want to get with her too, as odd as
that sounds. I leaned back in my chair and waited for her to speak. The
stilettos I was wearing were making my feet sore, but I ignored the discomfort.
I had to wear them all day at work, so I knew I should disregard the pain. We
exchanged a few pleasantries about our jobs and our new workout routine at the
gym, but nothing of any importance. I could tell how nervous she was by the odd
small talk. Normally, she and I were laughing together constantly, making jokes
about things only she and I understood. That usual jolly banter was absent that
day. Patiently, I waited for her to address the real reason why we were having
that meeting—without Sean.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">“Scarlet,
let me start by saying this,” she said as she played with the ring on her right
finger, a plain band with her initials carved into it. It was the ring Sean gave
her months earlier. She fingered it with shaky hands. “Sean is a great guy—one
of the best that I know. I care about him very much.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">I felt
my heart race in my chest as I listened to her words. I had given break up
speeches my whole life, death blows to the heart, and I recognized the message
immediately—she was dumping Sean.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">“He and
I have just grown apart,” she said quietly. “I don’t see this going anywhere and—I’m
leaving him.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">I
stared at her for a moment. “What do you mean? Sean has already brought you to
his family estate in Connecticut. He is completely committed to you in every
way. How can you not see it <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">going</i>
anywhere?” I tried to hide my anger, but I couldn’t help it. This was making so
sense whatsoever.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">“It’s
difficult to explain. Our relationship—”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">I held
up my hand to her. “There is someone else, isn’t there?” She stopped caressing
the ring on her hand and met my gaze. I could tell by the shape of her expanded
eyes that my assumption was right—she was already with some other guy. “How
long?” I asked.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">She
shrugged her shoulders. “A few months, maybe more,” she said.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">I took
a deep breath, controlling the anger coursing through my body. I hadn’t been in
a fistfight since high school, but I definitely wanted to knock her out, right
in the middle of the café. If she wanted to leave Sean, I couldn’t stop her.
That was completely her decision, even though it’s absolutely idiotic, but to
cheat on him and fuck some other guy was unforgivable. “Are you going to tell
him?”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">“I
wasn’t planning on it,” she said simply.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">“He has
the right to know.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">“It
will kill him, Scarlet. I am already breaking up with him. Is it really
necessary to tell him I’m leaving him for another guy?” She tucked a strand of
hair behind her ear and revealed the diamond earrings that Sean bought her for
Christmas. The sight made me want to punch her again. Sean treated her like a
goddess. I don’t understand why any woman would leave him. He was one of the
most handsome men I had ever seen. He was also intelligent, fit, successful,
and came from a wealthy family. Every girl wanted to jump his bones.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">“Then
why did you tell <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">me</i>?” I asked. “What
makes you think I won’t tell him?”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">“It
doesn’t matter if you do,” she said. “That’s for you to decide.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">I
looked down at my steaming chai tea latte, which I no longer wanted because of
the overwhelming bile rising in my throat. It made me want to vomit. Sean was
my best friend and I couldn’t believe she was doing that to him. I could only
imagine how much it would crush him. We had been through break ups together
before, but I knew this would be different. It would completely shatter him to
pieces. I wasn’t looking forward to cleaning up the mess. “When are you going
to do it?”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">“Tonight.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">“Why
are you telling me first?”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">“You
are his best friend, Scar. I know he’ll need you. Sean will be too upset to
talk to you so I thought letting you know beforehand would make it easier on
him.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">“How
thoughtful of you,” I said sarcastically. I rolled my eyes at her then looked
out the window. I knew Sean was at work, enjoying the beautiful summer day in
Manhattan, completely oblivious to the death blow that was coming his way in a
few hours. A few weeks earlier, Sean and I went to pick out an engagement ring.
After hours of searching, he finally designed the custom ring that he deemed
worthy of his future bride. He hadn’t even paid it off yet. I couldn’t hide the
ferocity in my voice. “You are making a mistake, Penelope. Sean is a great
guy—the best I’ve ever known. I can promise that you’ll regret this. Whoever
this other guy is doesn’t compare to the man Sean is—not even by half.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">She
nodded. “You’re probably right.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">“He is
going to propose. I even picked out the ring with him.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">“Well,
it’s a good thing I am doing this now then—before it’s too late.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">“It <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">is</i> too late, Penelope.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Penelope
said nothing for a moment. Her fingers returned to the ring on her right hand,
fidgeting under my intense stare of hatred. I used to like Penelope, and not
just because she was perfect, but because Sean loved her so completely. She
made him happy—and now she was going to kill him. If there was anything that I
could have done to stop it from happening, I would have. I knew Sean really
loved Penelope. I mean, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">really</i> loved
her. Even though I hated her with every fiber of my being at that moment, I knew
I needed to try to convince her to change her mind. Sean would never forgive a
girlfriend for cheating on him, but for Penelope, he might make an exception.
That’s how much he loved her.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">“Why
don’t you think it over for a while?” I asked. “You’ll regret it if you don’t.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">“No,”
she said as she shook her head. “I love someone else.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">“And
you don’t love Sean anymore?”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">“Of
course I do,” she said quickly. “I’m just not in love with him anymore.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">“What
an original line,” I mocked.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Penelope
sat there quietly for a few moments. The room suddenly became silent and
Michael Buble’s voice disappeared on the sound system. I looked at Penelope and
she looked at me, clearly uncomfortable sitting so close to me. It was an
awkward moment. Our friendship was over. I couldn’t hide the anger on my face
and I felt my lips pressed together tightly in a scowl. I shook my head
slightly as I replayed the conversation in my head. She was an idiot.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">“Well,
I should get going then,” Penelope said as she stood up.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">I
didn’t move from my seat. “Yes, I think you should.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">She
stood there, waiting for me to rise and give her a hug, something that we used
to do when we were friends. But she was just a whore in my eyes. I couldn’t
believe she was doing that to Sean—he deserved so much better than her. I
didn’t move from my seat. I didn’t even look at her.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">“Goodbye,
Scar.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">“Have a
good life, Penny.”</span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08383173872480816847noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1838615051037643873.post-47563511657708045482014-05-26T09:17:00.000-07:002014-05-26T09:20:42.908-07:00The Wandering Caravan (Forever and Always #8) is Available June 10!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy_t-sNvV69CKKOM3hhs3syX5MLWH2NIOIi1lopgaTs8V2-sy-LsTOuglqQrZEYRbge2uPt8-4vb9v-wq7iDZVyqHIVz4fPInFYHXvDkGDfgOeSAISO4Awv7AwJZf17vdt8-jabGwy58AP/s1600/The+Wandering+Caravan.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy_t-sNvV69CKKOM3hhs3syX5MLWH2NIOIi1lopgaTs8V2-sy-LsTOuglqQrZEYRbge2uPt8-4vb9v-wq7iDZVyqHIVz4fPInFYHXvDkGDfgOeSAISO4Awv7AwJZf17vdt8-jabGwy58AP/s400/The+Wandering+Caravan.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>After the
honeymoon, the caravan finally moves to New York City. Sean takes his rightful
place as the leader of the company, alongside his brother Mike. Cortland joins
the team as a valued member. Everything fits together perfectly.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Cortland
loves Monnique, but her past scares him. After being engaged to her boyfriend
of five years, she left him without a word and refused to tell Cortland why.
Paranoia descends and he fears Monnique will do the same to him, even after he
proposes.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Ryan
struggles with his insecurities as a tattoo artist. Janice comes from a
respectable family, and she’s traditionally educated and perfect. Is he good
enough for her?</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Janice
feels pressured to tell Ryan the truth about what happened between her and
Sean. Scarlet is insistent that she just drop it and leave it in the past. But
when Ryan finds out another way, the cat’s out of the bag. How will he react?
And if Monnique finds out, how will she react?</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Another
loveable and hilarious installment of the Forever and Always Series, The
Wandering Caravan follows the progression of the unorthodox family, no matter
where they go. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
AVAILABLE JUNE 10. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08383173872480816847noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1838615051037643873.post-22790308813410759592014-05-03T15:42:00.000-07:002014-05-03T15:42:57.933-07:00Giveaway! Two $25 Amazon Gift CardsThank you for all your support in the launch of my new novel, along with my new pen name.<br />
<br />
I will be giving out two $25 Amazon Gift Cards to two lucky winners. Here are the rules if you wish to enter.<br />
<br />
Don't worry, it's pretty simple...<br />
<br />
All you need to do is request a free copy of Under My Thumb, read it, and post a review on Amazon and Goodreads.<br />
<br />
Yep. That's it.<br />
<br />
Enter your link to the review in the Rafflecopter. I will announce the winners on June 16th.<br />
<br />
Thanks!<br />
<br />
"May the odds be ever in your favor.<br />
<br />
E. L. Todd<br />
<br />
Here is the link to the rafflecopter<br />
<br />
http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/4c94661/
<a id="rc-4c94661" class="rafl" href="http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/4c94661/" rel="nofollow">a Rafflecopter giveaway</a>
<script src="//widget.rafflecopter.com/load.js"></script>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08383173872480816847noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1838615051037643873.post-80573033168717979542014-04-18T09:15:00.000-07:002014-04-18T09:15:10.490-07:00New Cover For Then Came Alexandra (Southern Love #1)Here's the new cover for <i>Then Came Alexandra.</i> <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcbzwz37vLqHGKrC8AXaUJc-u4Oq-yxO97INEaqyT4G28uZOo9V7ZDGhjyPaNIwrPtqyVPQYmADfXQMy1FToX2VXuxZvclQTs7uTKygVZKiVL5kotfW7C1IlOdYTFommAcwQpQMlJxzIwl/s1600/alexandracover2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcbzwz37vLqHGKrC8AXaUJc-u4Oq-yxO97INEaqyT4G28uZOo9V7ZDGhjyPaNIwrPtqyVPQYmADfXQMy1FToX2VXuxZvclQTs7uTKygVZKiVL5kotfW7C1IlOdYTFommAcwQpQMlJxzIwl/s1600/alexandracover2.jpg" height="320" width="200" /></a></div>
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08383173872480816847noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1838615051037643873.post-63851457079976169232014-02-28T17:33:00.002-08:002014-02-28T17:37:24.635-08:00Flight of Life Reviewer $125 Visa Giveaway<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Visa Gift Card Giveaway for Flight of Life Reviewers</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivqeC21oc6UgwVDI9SalC_Kcx0ixxFqBHajkOGynMrNBDHNj_1uUFrQbtKZ7LL6EKj1PXE1ZlIP187Id9lZfEOV3aY3pPt6WCRlGQ9KCCMApbn9Vp07YFxMBd0QcDqxImB9gsOhC_DT7bD/s1600/Flight_big.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivqeC21oc6UgwVDI9SalC_Kcx0ixxFqBHajkOGynMrNBDHNj_1uUFrQbtKZ7LL6EKj1PXE1ZlIP187Id9lZfEOV3aY3pPt6WCRlGQ9KCCMApbn9Vp07YFxMBd0QcDqxImB9gsOhC_DT7bD/s1600/Flight_big.jpg" height="320" width="243" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
As a thank you to all of my loyal reviewers, I'm giving away a $125 Visa Gift Card.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Just paste the url to your Amazon review in the rafflecopter below. It's that simple. Winner will be announced on 4/15/14.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.399999618530273px;">And here’s the synopsis of the novel.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Everyone is good. Sometimes they just do evil things. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Despite the loss of his parents, the torment he suffers in high school, and the fate of the entire world weighing on his shoulders, Calloway still believes that life is worth living – even if it isn’t.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">A mysterious glowing orb and a picking knife – gifts left behind by his father – somehow hold the key to Calloway’s destiny. But what are they for?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">An ancient race known as the Hara-Kirs seek to harbor the essence of all humans, and now they have their sights on Calloway. Constantly looking over his shoulder, Calloway doesn’t understand why he’s being followed and, more importantly, why he hasn’t been killed. The Hara-Kirs have had plenty of opportunities to claim Calloway’s life, but have since left him spared. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Calloway’s journey leads him to the ominous Kirin book, which, with the help of his two friends, opens a portal to another realm known as The Anti-Life. What waits behind the portal is a darkness that Calloway can’t even fathom. But an even stranger prospect has unfolded: could Calloway’s father still be alive after all – as a Hara-Kir? And if he is, what does that make Calloway?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">With the help of his two friends, they decode the ancient text and investigate the portal that leads to the other side. The Anti-Life. During their research, Calloway realizes his father may not be dead after all. But if he isn’t, where is he? Why would his father abandon him? Did he ever love Calloway? His friends suspect his father was actually a Hara-Kir, which was how Calloway received the gifts, but Calloway refuses to believe it. His father was a good man. He’ll prove it.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.399999618530273px;">Weston, the girl that Calloway immediately feels connected to, is the leader of the White Wing, a group of warriors that fight against the Hara-Kirs. But she doesn’t trust Calloway. All the information works against him. If his father was a Hara-Kir, what is he?</span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08383173872480816847noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1838615051037643873.post-38841894017022403122014-01-16T12:28:00.001-08:002014-01-16T12:35:05.079-08:00Mature YA Novel by Kristina Renee<table>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Mature YA Romance by Kristina Renee</span></b></div>
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<td><a href="http://bit.ly/SaferOutsideNook" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwUfotMKA_CvKjxi-f9joifzRh03WiRDeONwxUAVD50nEdQFtTVswXeFIBglvCdm47XGi1YfBlB7p4KHYP-CHG_QjAsb-88kjgFcti11Qz2ewro7A_3Eyoaheu5i0GfM8AHI6tEcrrWr4/s1600/bnlogo.jpg" height="32" width="200" /></a></td>
<td><a href="http://bit.ly/SaferOutsideitunes" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSOgQ2vS9n8asNYfxThMqMN0QhWNwsAc6ehBLJ8NIsRY4opGqb6QMDczoqJX1icMY7WIxPBa2u94s3vMeeUoSkigUP7kXxTX54ulez4NQ9Q4nrOzUF0zX1-qOPXIln-O3SZB4gCRK6UFo/s1600/ibooks.jpg" height="76" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Safer Outside, Book One of the Outside Series</span><br />
<span style="font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">When Liz moves to a new high school, she hopes for a fresh start. School is her escape from the violence at home and her only hope for breaking the cycle of </span><br />
<span style="font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">poverty she was born into. Trying to shield her siblings from her stepfather's fury gets harder each day so when she meets Logan, she thinks it will be a </span><br />
<span style="font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">harmless distraction from the fear. </span><br />
<br style="font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;" />
<span style="font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">She's Wrong. </span><br />
<br style="font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;" />
<span style="font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Logan has the resources to change her life but at what cost? Her relationship is the best thing that ever happened to her but it could also be the worst. If she's </span><br />
<span style="font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">not careful, she may lose everyone that's important to her. But it's hard to be careful when you're fifteen and in love. </span><br />
<br style="font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;" />
<span style="font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">For readers 16+</span>
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<td><span style="font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Kristina Renee was born and raised in the San Francisco Bay Area of California. She married her high school sweetheart after college and they have two sweet and adventurous sons. She spends her time chauffeuring her kids around and doing technical marketing but when she can escape, she loves reading, writing and editing. Learn more at <a href="http://www.kristinareneebooks.com/">www.KristinaReneeBooks.com</a><br />
follow <a href="http://www.twitter.com/authorkristinar" target="_blank">@authorkristinar</a><br />
like <a href="https://www.facebook.com/saferoutside" target="_blank">facebook</a>
<br />visit <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18757672-safer-outside" target="_blank">goodreads</a></span></td>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08383173872480816847noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1838615051037643873.post-25129887517651908332014-01-14T19:06:00.003-08:002014-01-14T19:06:59.262-08:00Soul Relenter<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_IH7ZFggzNGRPCbiVW2vmRqz6isc6agEVSh_ToSdCseqHmTm6Pd-ZUD0x2dJGJCijxXbOsWxo7GUvWCsiJZkwatkSN1isoB7LjEcUxjFVqocJM4-iRFYqv8p52wYreAOM-uF4g8BzeFZD/s1600/SOUL+RELENTER+E-BOOK+COVER.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_IH7ZFggzNGRPCbiVW2vmRqz6isc6agEVSh_ToSdCseqHmTm6Pd-ZUD0x2dJGJCijxXbOsWxo7GUvWCsiJZkwatkSN1isoB7LjEcUxjFVqocJM4-iRFYqv8p52wYreAOM-uF4g8BzeFZD/s320/SOUL+RELENTER+E-BOOK+COVER.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
The third and final installment of the Soul Saga has finally been released! Check it out on Amazon.<br />
<br />
Accacia finally returns to the Continent with the Asquithians under her
command. It may be the extra leverage they need to overthrow Drake, the
worst dictator in their history and the man who tortured Accacia
mercilessly for years. But she feels uneasy. She fears Aleco more than
she fears anything. How will she tell him the truth? That she no longer
belongs to him. And will he accept that decision?<br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08383173872480816847noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1838615051037643873.post-85239647208465279962014-01-11T11:00:00.000-08:002014-01-11T11:00:19.258-08:00New Cover for Connected by the Sea<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08383173872480816847noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1838615051037643873.post-9640677761179068272013-12-01T16:17:00.000-08:002013-12-01T16:26:02.215-08:00Yowza! New Adult NovelI'm so excited to be one of the first to announce the release of Naked Edge by <a href="http://www.charliwebb.com/" target="_blank">Charli Webb</a>.
This is a new adult contemporary romance that is sure to excite. It's
sweet and sexy in all the right ways. The best part is the original
music that goes with the novel. For the next ten days, anyone that
purchases a copy of Naked Edge on Amazon will get free copies of the
songs <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hreiwpdcxX0&list=PLh8yxJBpm04-8sDJNuv8mlgkc2_yCmacu&feature=player_embedded" target="_blank">Where You Are</a> and <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z8VrX10s7JQ&list=PLh8yxJBpm04-8sDJNuv8mlgkc2_yCmacu" target="_blank">The Naked Edge</a>. Just send a copy of your receipt or a link to your verified review on Amazon to <a href="mailto:charliwebbbooks@gmail.com">charliwebbbooks@gmail.com</a> and you'll get the songs.<br />
<br />
This book is for readers 18+.<br />
<br />
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<a href="http://charliwebb.blogspot.com/" name="Praise_for_Naked_Edge" style="color: #d4185a; text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 19px;">What early reviewers are saying about <b><i>Naked Edge</i></b>…</span></a><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 19px;"></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 19px;">“I didn’t want the story to end. Loved it from start to finish.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 19px;">“I couldn’t put it down! 5/5 stars. Can’t wait to see where Charli goes from here.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 19px;"> “Naked
Edge fills a gap that I didn't even realize I had in the New Adult
books I've been reading…I felt for Skylar and Rowdy. I cheered for them.
I ached for them.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 19px;">“If
Rowdy is out there somewhere, please let me get stranded on the side of
a mountain...Good lord that man is yummy and perfect. Yup. Perfect.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 19px;">“Naked
Edge has a great balance of angst and love, longing and affection, sexy
and scary to satisfy most romance reader's needs. If you like your
romance with less angst and more drama, this book is for you.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 19px;">“Naked Edge is one of those amazing stories where you want to be friends with the characters.” </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 19px;">“The sex scenes got me hot and bothered. I was definitely in the mood after the passage was over.”</span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08383173872480816847noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1838615051037643873.post-6409846855654724372013-11-18T17:12:00.000-08:002013-11-18T17:14:51.428-08:00ARC'sI'm looking for ARC Review of my next novel, <span style="color: yellow;"><i>Sadie (Book 1 of the Alpha Series)</i></span><br />
<br />
Please email me at ELTODD42@gmail.com if you are interested.<br />
Subject: ALPHA SERIES<br />
<br />
Thank you!! XOXO E.L. Todd<br />
<br />
Here is the first chapter. <br />
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">1</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>I pulled my dress down as far as it
would stretch but it snapped right back to my thighs. It was so short I was
worried that I wouldn’t be able to sit down. When I looked at myself in the
mirror, I cringed. I looked awkward and uncomfortable. I wasn’t the kind of
girl that went to the bar—dressed like a whore.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Natascia rolled her eyes. “Oh my
god, Sadie. You look fine.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>I pulled down my dress again but it
was useless. It bounced back to my upper thighs. The black dress fit my curves
tightly and made my ass and chest extremely prominent. I was feeling more
uncomfortable by the second. The last thing I wanted was for people to look at
me. “This doesn’t even fit.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Yes, it does,” she snapped.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>I pulled it down again. “Uh—no.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Stephanie fixed her hair in the
mirror. It was silky and brown and reached far down her back. She dyed her hair
so often that I wasn’t sure what her real hair color was. But it always looked
beautiful. “Leave her alone. She’s nervous.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Natascia placed the hair band in her
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>I tucked my brown hair behind my ear
then smoothed my dress out again. I sighed as I stared at myself. I didn’t look
horrible, but I definitely felt out of my element. I glanced at Natascia. “Why
are you so mean to me?”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“I’m not,” she said with a laugh.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Well, you’re making me go out to a
bar—something I have no interest in doing—and you’re making dress like a slut.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Natascia crossed her arms over her
chest. “You never do anything, Sadie. You never go out and you just stay home
every weekend. The only time you actually want to do anything is under the
light of day when we are eating lunch or lounging at one of our apartments. You
need to go out!”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>I sighed. “See, you’re being mean
again, making me do something I don’t want to do.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“I’m just calling you out on your
shit. Come on. It will be fun,” Natascia said.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>I sighed. “I guess I don’t have a
choice.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Stephanie nodded. “You really
don’t.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>We grabbed our bags and left the
apartment, heading down to the street. When we got inside the cab, I thought my
dress was going to slide up and give the driver a treat. Luckily, I held it
down and kept my goodies hidden. Natascia, always the leader of our group, gave
the driver the address.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>I tried to get my mind off of what
we were doing. “How was work?”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Natascia sighed. “I forgot to pull out
my samples after the twenty four hour incubation period so I had to start
over.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“That sucks,” I said.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>She rolled her eyes. “You have no
idea.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Stephanie checked the time on her
phone then returned it to her purse. “Well, at least it was only one day you
lost.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Natascia sighed. “I guess so.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Natascia was a researcher at a
microbiology lab in the city. When she got the position she was really excited
about it, but now she hated doing research every day. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>I looked at her. “Just be a high
school teacher. Isn’t that what you want to do?”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Natascia fixed her head band again,
pulling the brown hair back. “Yes, but my parents would never accept my
decision. They didn’t pay for my education so I could just teach at the high
school level.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Well, it’s your life,” Stephanie
said. “It shouldn’t matter what they think.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“I know.” Natascia sighed. “I’ll
think about it.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Stephanie looked at me. “How’s the
store?”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>I smiled when I thought about work.
My father owned an antique book store in the city, and together, we ran it. The
smell of fresh print books always made my hands shake. And sometimes if we were
lucky, we could get the authors to sign a few of the books. I had the coolest
job ever. “It’s doing well. I wish I was there right now.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Natascia rolled her eyes. “We’re
going to have fun tonight. Just relax.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>I cringed.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>The cab pulled over and we climbed
out. Natascia threw some cash at the driver then followed us to the sidewalk.
The sidewalk was saturated with people as they walked through Manhattan. I
could tell the bar was busy just by looking through the window. I held my
breath as we walked inside. Music was playing over the sound system but it
wasn’t too loud, thankfully. We took our seats at a table in the middle of the
room. I held my dress as we sat down.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>When I peered around the room, I
immediately saw some of the men staring at us. I avoided their gaze as much as
possible.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“I’m getting a pina colada,”
Natascia said. “I love those things.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Too sweet,” Stephanie said. “I
prefer wine.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Well, that’s because you’re picky,”
I teased her. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“I am not,” Stephanie said,
affronted.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Yeah okay,” Natascia said
sarcastically.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Stephanie rolled her eyes.
“Whatever.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“I’m going to have a long island
iced tea,” I said.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“That’s some serious alcohol,”
Natascia said with a smile. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>I looked at the menu again. “It is?
I thought it was just tea.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Natascia sighed. “I should have
known.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>A man came over and approached our
table. He held a tray with three drinks. They were cosmopolitans—I think. I
wasn’t very knowledgeable about alcohol. “This is from the gentleman at the
bar.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Natascia looked over her shoulder.
There were men everywhere. They all seemed to be looking at us. “Uh—which one?”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“The one in the black suit.” He
turned around and walked away.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Stephanie stared at the front of the
room. “Uh—almost all of them are wearing black suits.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>I shrugged. “Well, at least it’s
free.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Natascia nodded. “Exactly.” </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“So how’s school?” I asked
Stephanie.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“This year has been the best. I’ve
actually had time to have a life.” Stephanie drank from her glass and put it
down. “I actually went to the gym the other day. My pants were getting tight.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>I laughed. “You’re the skinniest
person I know.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Yeah,” Stephanie agreed. “But my
pants were still getting tight.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Well, maybe that was a good thing.”
I stared at my friends and ignored everyone else in the room. I was thankful
that no one came over to talk to us. Perhaps I was overreacting about going out
to a bar. I did feel the stares fall on us, but I wasn’t sure who they were
looking at, me or my friends. If they were staring at me, they probably knew
how awkward I looked. My thin arms and white skin didn’t look appealing in
contrast to the dark color of my dress. I went to the gym but I never did
weights. I had no muscle tone. I was just thin. I liked my hair. It was thick
and wavy. But that was the only thing I liked about myself. I was pretty ordinary.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>The bartender returned to our table
and I felt my palms sweat. I barely started my first drink. I couldn’t possibly
drink a second one. “This is from the gentleman at the bar.” He placed a red
rose on the table right in front of me, making it clear who it was for, then
turned around.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Wait,” Natascia said. “Which one?”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“This one,” a man said from behind
me.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>I tried not to flinch but I did. I
hadn’t noticed a man standing so close to us. The bar was packed, so it wasn’t
odd to have someone nearby. When he stood next to the table and looked at me, I
felt my heart fall. He was over six feet tall, brown hair, blue eyes, he wore a
beautiful suit, and I could tell that he was toned and firm under his clothes.
I immediately felt the panic descend. He was staring right at me. There was no
confusion who he was interested in. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Hello. I’m Ethan,” he said with a
smile. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>I said nothing. My voice was caught
in my throat. I knew I looked idiotic but I still couldn’t speak.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“She says hi back,” Natascia said
awkwardly.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Ethan nodded at Natascia then
returned his gaze to me. He was beautiful—very beautiful. There were gorgeous
women all over the bar, so why was he talking to <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">me</i>? And giving <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">me</i> a rose?
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“I wanted to buy you a drink but
some guy beat me to the punch, but since you’re hardly touching it, I suspect the
flower is a better gift anyway.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>I blushed at his words. I was
holding the stem in my fingers and I quickly released it.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>He tilted his head to the side as he
watched me. He was waiting for me to speak, but I still didn’t say anything. “And
what’s your name?” </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Uh—Sadie.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>He nodded. “Are you named after the
Beatles song?”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Yes,” I said as I tucked a strand
of hair behind my ear. I was impressed that he knew that. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>His eyes glanced to my exposed
thighs and the cleavage of my dress. A second later, he looked back at me. His
look made me uncomfortable. While I was flattered that he was attracted to me,
I was also nervous. He obviously assumed what kind of girl I was, judging by my
slutty attire. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Thank you for the flower but I’m
not interested.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>His eyes widened. He clearly had
never been rejected before. That wasn’t a surprise. I mean, the man was
gorgeous. “Did I offend you in some way?”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“No. I’m just not interested.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Stephanie kicked me under the table.
“What are you doing?” she whispered.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Ethan smiled. I assumed he caught
the exchange. “Tell me why you aren’t interested and I’ll walk away.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>I was irritated that this guy wasn’t
backing down. I made it clear that I wanted him to leave. “I’m not the kind of
girl you think I am. I’m sorry if I mislead you. I just don’t want to waste
your time.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>He raised an eyebrow. “And what kind
of girl do I think you are?”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Even when he looked perplexed, he
still looked sexy. Damn. “I’m not having sex with you tonight,” I said bluntly.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Natascia tried not to laugh but her
chuckles came out.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Ethan laughed. “So you think the
only reason why I came over her was because I wanted to take you back to my
place?”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>I swallowed the lump in my throat. I
didn’t mean to come off conceited. I just knew how guys behaved in bars. It was
a place where they hooked up with chicks, not searched for relationships.
“Yes.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>He smiled. “Well, I think you’re a
very beautiful woman, but that wasn’t my intent.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>I started to laugh. I couldn’t help
it. “You’re such a liar.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Instead of being offended like I
thought he would be, he chuckled. “You caught me.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“So my answer is no. I’m sorry that
you wasted your time.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Ethan nodded. “I don’t think I did.”
He stared at me with his heated gaze. I felt unnerved by the look. The man was
handsome, one of the best looking guys I’ve ever seen, but I didn’t want to
sleep with him then never hear from him again. That wasn’t something I was
interested in. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Have a good night,” I said politely.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Let’s get some coffee.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Excuse me?”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“You know—espressos, cappuccinos,
stuff like that.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Don’t be an asshole.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>He smiled. “Sorry.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“And you buying me a cup of coffee
isn’t going to get me to sleep with you.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“That’s fine with me.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>I stared at him suspiciously. “I
mean it. You may as well work your magic on some other girl.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“But I’m only interested in you.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>I felt my spine shiver. As much as I
hated to admit it, this guy had game. “No thank you.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Stephanie kicked me under the table.
“She would love to.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Natascia nodded. “Take her. We’ll
help you.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>I turned and glared at him, giving
them a look of hate.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Ethan placed his hand on the table,
placing it dangerously close to mine. “Well, your friends seem eager to get rid
of you.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Please,” Stephanie said,
practically pushing me out of the chair.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>I leaned toward her ear. “I’m going
to kill you.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Okay,” she said. “But wait until
after your date.” She nudged me again.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Ethan grabbed my chair and pulled it
out, helping me stand. I pulled my dress down again, not wanting him to see too
much. He grabbed my clutch and handed it to me. “Shall we?”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Uh.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Great,” he said before I could
finish. “Let’s go.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>I looked back at my friends one more
time, glaring at them before I walked with Ethan out of the bar.</span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08383173872480816847noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1838615051037643873.post-37884176859697409732013-11-15T12:48:00.001-08:002013-11-15T12:48:16.080-08:00Forever and Always (Book 2) is also available. If you can't find it, here's the link:<br />
<br />
http://www.amazon.com/Forever-Always-E-L-Todd-ebook/dp/B00GOJN29W/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1384548412&sr=8-5&keywords=Forever+and+Always+ToddAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08383173872480816847noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1838615051037643873.post-84170887526358695052013-11-15T09:48:00.001-08:002013-11-15T09:48:12.466-08:00Happy Release Day!The first three books in the Forever and Always series have officially been released. Thank you for all your support during this adventure. I have the greatest fans ever! All the compliments and sweet words made my heart squeeze, and while I don't feel worthy of your praise, I'll take the compliments anyway. =). Now I have to get back work and write the other books!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08383173872480816847noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1838615051037643873.post-57391814595072683522013-11-12T15:46:00.004-08:002013-11-12T15:46:55.813-08:00Edge of Love-Chapter 1Here's the first chapter in the third installment of the Forever and Always Seres!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFjmnuKSpgHEfp2OO98f-cRhohQNDcI0V40v_uUXt5Zpkq3wX_nzwsRS1cFZrOw7aOTg2ecyOyOlgDacwdjh-T5DdcNSn6lHZuFhwZB4TBSp9LcNH_UvEuzLfJvC4eZXYQ1mVCeMcxfp6H/s1600/Edge+of+Love.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFjmnuKSpgHEfp2OO98f-cRhohQNDcI0V40v_uUXt5Zpkq3wX_nzwsRS1cFZrOw7aOTg2ecyOyOlgDacwdjh-T5DdcNSn6lHZuFhwZB4TBSp9LcNH_UvEuzLfJvC4eZXYQ1mVCeMcxfp6H/s320/Edge+of+Love.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
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I pulled the blanket over my legs and rested my hands in<br />my lap. The temperature was always so cold on planes, and it<br />made me shiver. I glanced out the window and saw the clouds in<br />the sky. Even though the plane was soaring at an immaculate<br />speed, the floating white marshmallows remained stagnant. Sean<br />and I were flying to Connecticut for the weekend. I still didn’t<br />understand why.<br />I leaned my head against the seat and looked at him. “Is<br />this necessary?”<br />Sean looked up from the book he was reading. “I want to<br />tell them in person.” His eyes returned to the novel.<br />“Do they even know we’re dating?”<br />He looked back at me. “Of course they know, Scar. I told<br />them as soon as we got together. Believe me, they were thrilled.<br />They love you.”<br />“You’re still dropping a bomb on them.”<br />Finally, he put the book down, abandoning his attempt to<br />read. He stared at me. “They’ll be happy, Scar. I think my parents<br />deserve to hear about my engagement in person. I know my<br />mother will be ecstatic.” His shirt hugged his body tightly and I<br />could see the muscles of his torso. They covered his ribs and his<br />stomach, making him appear chiseled. His arms were large,<br />almost the size of my legs, and I found myself staring at him. I<br />2<br />couldn’t believe we had been friends so long, but this attraction<br />didn’t stem until recently. It was odd. Sean was gorgeous. How<br />did I not notice it? Staring at the blue irises in his face made me<br />feel hot and bothered. The idea of staying with his parents and<br />sleeping down the hall from their bedroom wasn’t appealing<br />whatsoever.<br />“Sean, I want to stay at a hotel.”<br />His eyebrows furrowed in confusion. Every time I came to<br />visit Sean’s family, I always slept in one of the guestrooms. I<br />never asked to stay elsewhere. “Why?”<br />“We are a couple now—it’s weird.”<br />He shook his head. “My parents don’t care, Scar. We can<br />sleep in the same bed in my old room. There won’t be a problem.<br />You are my fiancé. Besides, they know we live together.”<br />I rolled my eyes. Sean could be so slow sometimes. “You<br />don’t get it, Sean.” I pulled the blanket further up my body,<br />fighting the cold. “I want to have sex.”<br />Sean’s face broke into a grin. “I know you do.”<br />I rolled my eyes again.<br />“Scar, you are such a slut.”<br />“You like me that way.”<br />His grin widened. “Hell yeah I do.”<br />“I mean it, Sean. I don’t want to stay there. The idea of<br />having sex in their house makes me really uncomfortable. You<br />won’t be getting any from me.”<br />He rolled his eyes. “Okay,” he said sarcastically. “Like<br />3<br />you aren’t just going to rape me anyway then ask me to fuck you<br />as hard as I can.”<br />I glared at him. “You are so conceited.”<br />“Only for you.” His blue eyes stared into mine. The look<br />gave me shivers. “I know how much you want me—all the time.”<br />He was completely right. I wanted to have sex more often<br />than he did, which was why this trip was annoying me. I couldn’t<br />imagine practicing sexual abstinence for three nights in a row.<br />“Sean, I mean it.”<br />He sighed. “You know how my mom is. She’ll never let us<br />stay anywhere else.”<br />I knew he was right. “Fine. Then we aren’t having sex this<br />weekend.”<br />He stared at me, and I felt unnerved by the look. He leaned<br />closer to me, and I could smell the scent of his skin. It reminded<br />me of the sweat that dripped from his chest when we made love. I<br />always licked it away because the sight turned me on so much. His<br />voice came out as a whisper. “I can have you whenever I want,<br />babe.”<br />I tore my gaze away and ignored him. His supernatural<br />ability to arouse me with just his words annoyed me sometimes. I<br />didn’t want him to realize how much power he had over me so I<br />acted indifferent to him. Besides, this was a long flight. I didn’t<br />want to be horny for the entire journey.<br />Sean leaned closer to me and I felt his arm brush against<br />mine. He rested his hand on my thigh then moved underneath the<br />4<br />blanket. My heart accelerated in my chest when I realized what he<br />was doing. I knew I should stop him, but the slut within me<br />wouldn’t let me. His palm ran up my thigh then slipped under my<br />dress. His fingers started to rub my clit gently, teasingly. I stared<br />straight ahead and tried to control my breathing. My heart was<br />racing out of control. His ministrations increased and I started to<br />sweat. It felt so good and I couldn’t hide the pleasure I was<br />feeling. I started to breathe loudly. Quiet moans started to escape<br />my lips. I turned to Sean and buried my face in his neck, trying to<br />be quiet. I could hear the smile in his voice.<br />“Open your legs,” he whispered.<br />Even though I was ashamed, I did as he commanded. His<br />fingers rubbed me harder and he slipped two fingers inside me. I<br />grabbed his forearm and gripped him tightly. I was so aroused, so<br />excited, that I didn’t care that people were around. I continued to<br />breathe into Sean’s neck while he pleased me the way I liked. A<br />part of me felt ashamed, but the other part of me couldn’t care<br />less.<br />It felt so good. “Sean.”<br />He rubbed me harder, and I felt the orgasm build inside of<br />me.<br />I grabbed his neck and moaned into his ear, anticipating<br />the explosion about to take place inside my body. Suddenly, he<br />pulled away then grabbed the book he was reading earlier, picking<br />up where he left off. He didn’t look at me while he turned through<br />the pages.<br />5<br />The loss of his fingers sent me into a withdrawal. I still felt<br />the sweat on my breasts and the arousal between my legs. I knew<br />what game Sean was playing. I wanted him to lose, but I wanted<br />to come more.<br />I grabbed the book and put it down. Then, I leaned closer<br />to him and pressed my lips against his ear. “I want you to fuck me<br />in the bathroom.”<br />His smile was wider than I’ve ever seen it. “That’s what I<br />thought.”<br />I pulled down my dress then rose from my chair. I walked<br />down the aisle of seats until I reached the bathrooms. I grabbed<br />the first one that was unlocked then walked inside. I waited a few<br />moments for Sean to join me. My body was in a blaze of longing,<br />and the desire was escalating the longer I waited for him. I was<br />angry at Sean for making me feel this way, but at the same time, I<br />loved him even more. I couldn’t resist him.<br />The door opened and Sean walked inside. As soon as he<br />locked the door behind him, I grabbed his face and kissed him<br />hard on the mouth. I unzipped his jeans as fast as I could and<br />pulled them to the floor. I felt his hard dick in my hand and<br />listened to Sean moan quietly. He was panting for me, wanting to<br />fuck as much as I wanted to.<br />The bathroom was cramped, tiny, but we didn’t need much<br />room anyway. Sean turned me around and pushed me against the<br />sink. He stared at me in the mirror while he lifted up my dress.<br />Then, he grabbed my leg, removed my shoe, and rested my foot<br />6<br />on the sink. I was very flexible, and Sean loved that about me. He<br />continued to stare at me while he pressed his dick against my<br />entrance. Just the touch of his cock against my clit was enough to<br />make me crumble.<br />He grabbed my raised thigh then my opposite hip,<br />prepared to pound into me as hard as he could.<br />I knew he was teasing me, building me up until he actually<br />penetrated me. He stared at me in the mirror, waiting for me to<br />beg him. He wanted to prove his point. That he could fuck me any<br />time, any place.<br />I met his gaze. “Fuck me.”<br />He smiled then inserted himself inside me. The feel of him<br />moving within me, stretching me, made me gasp involuntarily. He<br />leaned his lips to my ear and hushed me. He thrust himself hard<br />and fast inside me. I gripped the rim of the sink as he slammed<br />into me, over and over. I bit my lip as I tried to keep quiet. It felt<br />so good that I didn’t want it to end. I felt the orgasm start to take<br />over my body. Sean, who knew my body better than I did, pressed<br />his lips against my ear.<br />“Enjoy.” He rubbed my clit as I rode the wave of my<br />orgasm, gripping his neck while he continued to fuck me like a<br />dog in heat.<br />“Sean.”<br />“Yeah, baby.”<br />“Sean.” I gripped him tighter as the euphoria spread<br />through my body, long overdue.<br />7<br />“You are such a slut and I love fucking you like a dirty<br />whore.”<br />I moaned as I finished my orgasm. My body still felt<br />tender as he moved inside me.<br />“Now it’s my turn.” He pounded into me harder than ever<br />before. I watched his face as he met his pleasure. He leaned his<br />head back as he gasped, his lips slightly open. He closed his eyes<br />and moaned, coming inside me. He grabbed my hips and bucked<br />into me. “Yeah. Fuck yes.” The sight of him getting off aroused<br />me again. He rested his head on top of mine and caught his breath.<br />“Finger me.”<br />Sean smiled. “That wasn’t enough?”<br />“I love watching you come.”<br />He moved his finger to my clit and rubbed me<br />aggressively, fingering me at the same time. “I do, too.” He stared<br />at my reflection in the mirror as he shoved his fingers deep inside<br />me, rubbing the flesh in the front of my vaginal wall. The<br />combination of his fingers and his thumb rubbing the nub at the<br />apex of my thighs had me shaking with pleasure.<br />“Come for me.”<br />I moaned. “I am.”<br />My head rolled back, leaning against his chest as I felt my<br />orgasm spread throughout my body, igniting my body in a blaze. I<br />started to moan loudly, but Sean covered my lips with his until the<br />moment passed.<br />When I caught my breath, I stared at our reflection in the<br />8<br />mirror. I looked exhausted and satisfied. Sean looked like he just<br />won an Olympic medal. He was grinning at me triumphantly.<br />He pressed his lips against my ear. “You’re a filthy<br />whore.”<br />“Only for you.”<br />“You got that right.” Sean stepped back and dressed<br />himself. I returned the shoe to my foot then pulled down my dress.<br />My hair was a mess so I straightened it with my fingers. Sean<br />washed his hands then left the bathroom, closing the door behind<br />him. I leaned against the wall while I waited for the time to pass.<br />Sean was the best sex I’ve ever had, hands down. There were<br />times when we made love, and other moments when we fucked<br />like animals. I didn’t know which I loved doing more. It was a tie.<br />I couldn’t believe that I was marrying him. He was my best friend<br />and the greatest lover I ever had. Sometimes he could be a cocky<br />asshole, but I loved his flaws just as much as his perfections. To<br />me, Sean was absolutely perfect. We had our problems in the past,<br />but now I trusted him completely. I know he would never lie to<br />me, cheat on me, or hurt me in any way.<br />I waited a few moments before I left the bathroom and<br />walked down the aisle. When I reached my seat, the old lady<br />sitting in the row adjacent to us glared at me, clearly disapproving<br />what my fiancé and I just did. Her hair was gray and she wore<br />thick glasses that made her eyes look huge. She wore a classy<br />outfit like she was a professor at a prestigious college. I couldn’t<br />care less what this old bitch thought. I glared back.<br />9<br />Sean caught the exchange. “Are you going to throw<br />popcorn at her?”<br />A smile crept across my lips but I tried to fight it. I leaned<br />back in my seat and sighed. Now that I came, I felt satisfied and<br />sleepy. That was a really good fuck, one of the best we ever had.<br />We’ve had sex in public places, but this was our first time<br />screwing on a plane.<br />Sean leaned toward me and kissed me on the forehead.<br />Then, he pressed his lips against mine and kissed me gently. When<br />he pulled away, he rubbed his nose against mine while he looked<br />into my eyes. I felt my heart melt at the sight. It was obvious how<br />much Sean loved me. He knew when to be aggressive and<br />dominant when we fucked like rabbits in spring, but knew when to<br />be gentle and loving when we made love. It was the perfect<br />combination.<br />He smiled at me. “You feel better now?”<br />I felt my cheeks blush. Even though I was satisfied, I was<br />embarrassed by my previous behavior. I really was acting like a<br />total slut. I nodded but didn’t speak. He kissed me on the forehead<br />again. “I love you.”<br />My heart constricted at his words. “I love you, too.”<br />“I’m glad I please you so well.”<br />I smiled. “Well, today was a great performance but it<br />doesn’t change anything. We still aren’t having sex at your<br />mother’s house.”<br />Sean rolled his eyes then leaned back in his chair. “I’ve<br />10<br />had sex with tons of women at my parents’ house.”<br />I narrowed my eyes at him. “Is that supposed to persuade<br />me? Know your audience, Sean.”<br />He sighed. “Fine. We’ll stay at a hotel. But I have a feeling<br />my mom won’t allow it no matter how much we argue with her.<br />It’s inevitable.”<br />I leaned closer to him. “Just be firm.”<br />He smiled then grabbed my hand, placing it over his<br />erection. “Like I am with you?”<br />I hit his shoulder. “Don’t be gross.”<br />Sean pressed his lips against my neck and kissed me<br />gently. His mouth stopped at my ear. “You like it when I’m<br />gross.” He continued to kiss me.<br />I felt eyes bore into me and knew I was being watched. I<br />looked across the aisle and met the gaze of the woman who was<br />glaring at me earlier. Her look of disapproval had increased by<br />tenfold. Sean placed his hand on my thigh then trailed his lips to<br />my chest.<br />The anger ignited in my body as I looked at her. Without<br />thinking before speaking, I said, “Yes, we screwed in the<br />bathroom. Get over it.” Sean pulled away and looked at me,<br />shocked that I just announced our transgression to everyone in our<br />vicinity. The other passengers started whispering to one another as<br />they listened to my words. Within a few seconds, everyone was<br />talking about it. The pretentious woman finally looked away.<br />Sean smiled then shook his head. “Such a slut.”Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08383173872480816847noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1838615051037643873.post-36771072621687707692013-11-03T18:24:00.001-08:002013-11-03T18:24:25.013-08:00Soul Binder Cover<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPJRWwA7i1VL9vfgj6HJAhyphenhyphenMy4bb1QRQiOXSK6KLrC7rTgey3y1N3eSmsrnMatVywwgdXdeoPW4C5CQfDC9DYa49WTHx19F95pdUjBi93ap0-akKYw4chXxf4nJh-hge6_CjaVjvJwc461/s1600/Soul+Binder+Cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPJRWwA7i1VL9vfgj6HJAhyphenhyphenMy4bb1QRQiOXSK6KLrC7rTgey3y1N3eSmsrnMatVywwgdXdeoPW4C5CQfDC9DYa49WTHx19F95pdUjBi93ap0-akKYw4chXxf4nJh-hge6_CjaVjvJwc461/s320/Soul+Binder+Cover.jpg" width="210" /></a></div>
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Just received the image from the designer. It's beautiful and I love it!!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08383173872480816847noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1838615051037643873.post-206838581068714752013-10-23T13:19:00.002-07:002013-10-23T13:19:33.072-07:00Soul Binders is Done! Additional Excerpt!Just sent the manuscript to my editor! Can't wait until I get it back. Thank you for all your patience. I know you are all anxious to read it! It will be available soon. And here is an excerpt as well.<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">He
grabbed a bottle of whiskey and poured himself a glass. He downed the entire
contents and placed the empty cup on the nightstand. Then, he grabbed Roslyn’s
Blade and lit the tip on fire, letting the smoke fill the room. Now that
Accacia was gone, he couldn’t sleep. This was the only time he could stay
asleep for more than a few hours without a nightmare taking over. Well, he
still had dreams, mostly of Accacia, but they were still painful. When he woke
up, he realized that the events weren’t real, just stories of his imagination,
and the knowledge was so excruitiating, he thought he would die. But he also
didn’t want the dreams to stop. Aleco couldn’t win.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>He lied down on top of the bed and
closed his eyes. The bedding had been completely replaced, at Aleco’s
insistence, and he felt his muscles relax on top of the soft sheets. He inhaled
the smoke in his lungs and felt his mind start to dwindle. He couldn’t think
clearly anymore, or remember what he was thinking about. Finally, he was
asleep. All conscious thought ceased.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Tell me,” she said.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Aleco opened his eyes and saw
Accacia lying beside him. Her green eyes shined bright and her thin lips were
slightly open. She was completely naked, and he felt his heart accelerate. The
curve of her hips shined in the light of fire, and he stared at her body for a
moment. She was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. He still couldn’t
believe that she was his. Somehow he knew what she was asking. “Nothing.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Her hand glided up his chest and
made him shiver. He felt aroused any time she came near him, whether she was
clothed or not. Even when they traveled across the Continent together and she
was wearing guard clothes, he wanted her. He wanted her now. If he wasn’t so
upset, he would take her. She smiled at him. “Don’t be an asshole.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>He sighed, knowing he couldn’t hide
anything from her. The look of despair in his eyes was enough to give him away.
“I—I miss you,” he whispered.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Accacia placed her hand on his cheek
then kissed his moist eyes, which were starting to leak tears. “I miss you,
too.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Aleco sighed then wrapped his arm
around her waist. “I can’t do this, Accacia. It’s too hard.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Do what?”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“This,” he said quietly. He ran his
hand up body and felt the curves of her frame. Her hourglass figure was
eye-catching. Sometimes he couldn’t look away. “Be the Nature Priest. This
should have been you.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Well, I’m not here anymore, Aleco.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Aleco blinked back a tear. “Don’t
remind me.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“You are a better leader than I ever
was,” she whispered. “I’m too weak. You are the greatest man I have ever known,
the person destined to be king.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“That’s total horseshit,” he said.
“I would be a horrible leader. I don’t even know what it’s like to be sober.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>She laughed. “Well, you hide it very
well.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Aleco leaned over her and wrapped
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>She ran her fingers down his cheek
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“That’s because I <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">am</i> miserable.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Well, I’m here with you now.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“But you aren’t real.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>She reached out and grabbed his
manhood. “I’m always real, Aleco.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Aleco moaned as he felt her rub him
in the way he liked. Her hair was sprawled out on the bed, and her eyes were
lit like glowing orbs. She wanted him like she always did. The look in her eyes
made his heart squeeze. The moment was equally exhilarating and depressing.<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Aleco, you have needs,” she
whispered. “You don’t have to remain celibate because of me.” She rubbed him
harder. “I want you to be satisfied.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>He shook his head. “I don’t want
anyone else.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>She stroked him harder. “I don’t
want you to be alone.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“There is no one else for me but
you.” He leaned further over her and ran a hand through her hair. It was soft
and silky like it always was. “I’m never going to change my mind.” He kissed
her gently and separated her lips with his tongue. The idea of being with
anyone else was inconceivable. He could never kiss anyone the way he kissed
her. He couldn’t make love to someone after being with her. Accacia moaned as
she reciprocated his embrace. Her fingers glided through his hair, and Aleco
loved her touch. He loved it when she touched him this way. It reminded him
that she loved him, really loved him.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Good.” She pulled him onto the bed
and climbed on top of him. She straddled his hips and leaned over him. The look
in her eyes sent chills down this spine. He wanted her, but she wanted him
more. “I love you.” </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“I love you, Accacia.” The look of
longing in her eyes had him more excited. She was his and his alone. No one
could ever take that away. She was completely devoted to him, just as much as
he was to her, and even though they weren’t together geographically, they were
still as committed to each other spiritually.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Accacia pressed her hands against
his chest and leaned over him. She kissed his chest and ran her lips to ear. “I
want you, Aleco,” she whispered. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>He felt himself move inside of her,
and he leaned his head back and he moaned. “Accacia.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Aleco,” she whispered as she rode
him. The sight of her riding him sent him to the brink with pleasure. He
grabbed her hips and dug his fingertips into her skin. He thrust upward and she
moaned loudly. “You feel amazing.” She moaned again.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Aleco rolled on top of her and
placed her legs over his shoulder. He thrust himself inside of her hard.
“Accacia.” He breathed. “I love you.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“And I love you.” She grabbed his
back and pulled him closer to her. “I miss you.”<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“I miss you,” he said between
thrusts. “I can’t do this without you.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>She kissed his lips. “Yes, you can.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“I don’t want to.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“We’ll be together again someday.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Aleco moved within her slowly,
feeling every inch of her body with his. “Promise me,” he whispered. “I can’t
go on without you.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>She grabbed his hips and pulled him
deeper inside her. “I promise. We’ll find each other again.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Aleco rocked into her while she
gripped his back. Her green eyes shined bright as he made love to her, and he
felt his body preparing for a moment of pleasure. Accacia leaned her head back
and started yelling his name. The sight of her bliss sent him to the brink, and
he exploded inside of her. <span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>The moment of pleasure shattered his
unconscious state. When he woke up, he realized it was all a dream. Her pledges
of reuniting with him were false. Sweat was trickled across his body and his
sheets were soaked. “Don’t go,” he cried. He grabbed the sheets and searched
for her. Accacia wasn’t there. “Please don’t go.” He tried to return to the
dream, but it was gone. His tears feel from his eyes like a heavy rain, and his
heart throbbed in agonizing pain. “Accacia?” he whispered. “Accacia?” Every
moment with her made him elated with happiness, but every time he left her, it
was just unbearable. The tears welled in his eyes and he felt himself give in
to the despair. He climbed out of bed and dressed himself before leaving the
bedchamber.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>He felt Asylinth House and sprinted
through the forest. It was dark but Aleco knew exactly where he was going. Not
only did he know the forest grounds better than anyone else, but the Lorunien
Tree guided him away from unseen obstacles, like an upturned root or a small
animal. Aleco ran as fast as he could through the nighttime woodlands. He
wasn’t sure where he was going or what he planned to do when he got there, but
he kept going anyway.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>A few minutes later, he found
himself at the empty harbor. There were no ships docked on the wharf. It was
empty. Aleco walked down the pier and stopped when he reached the rope that
tied Accacia’s ship to the wharf. It was the last place he saw her. The last
place he would ever see her. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>He sat down and placed his legs over
the dock, and listened to the sounds of the crashing waves. The wind blew down
his hood, revealing his face, but he didn’t pull it back up. This is the most
pain he had ever been in. He lost his parents, watched them die, but that was
nothing compared to this. He had committed unforgivable acts, and when he
repented for them, it still didn’t amount to this agony. Perhaps this was
punishment for everything he had done. He was given a beautiful gift only to
have it taken away. Aleco knew he was a bad person, but he still didn’t deserve
this. He felt completely paralyzed by the loss of his life’s love. If he didn’t
have to destroy the soul binders, kill his brother, or save the Continent, he
might give into the darkness. It was just too strong to fight against. He
couldn’t do this for a long period of time. Eventually, it would get to him.</span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08383173872480816847noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1838615051037643873.post-33793224686533850932013-10-23T13:09:00.002-07:002013-10-23T13:12:54.794-07:00Only For you Excerpt<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Another exclusive peek into Only For You, which will be released November 15, 2013.</span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge17A0l0fyA8vKBWy39xAB1dFjr6S1kBqmt8s7-wKQ-sOKyyQwrgG2jT_lox-Dbksi03zay6u7iJeCyCluMAyMyBVTkVtjpk_rEZ5wrtQ85kDbr_Hpgq9Zbppa6awg83ecZiJtXIL1gsab/s1600/Only+For+You+FINAL+front.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge17A0l0fyA8vKBWy39xAB1dFjr6S1kBqmt8s7-wKQ-sOKyyQwrgG2jT_lox-Dbksi03zay6u7iJeCyCluMAyMyBVTkVtjpk_rEZ5wrtQ85kDbr_Hpgq9Zbppa6awg83ecZiJtXIL1gsab/s320/Only+For+You+FINAL+front.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
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</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">When I woke up, I felt Sean’s neck
against my face. I was lying on my side, my back against the couch, and Sean
was facing me. His slow breaths fell on my forehead, and the cadence of his
breathing made me want to fall asleep again. My leg was wrapped around his, and
his hand was wrapped around my waist, resting on the small of my back. We had
slept together often, but we’d never cuddled like that before. It didn’t bother
me.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Sean
opened his eyes and focused his stare on my face. “Morning,” he mumbled.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>I
yawned. “Good morning.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>He
didn’t move his hand from my back. In fact, he pulled me closer to him, burying
his face in the crook of my neck. “I don’t want to get up.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>I
sighed. “Me neither.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“But
I’m hungry.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>I
laughed. “So, is that your subtle way of asking me to cook breakfast while you
go back to sleep?”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Did
it work?” I could hear the smile in his voice.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Not
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>He
sighed. “Damn.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Come
on,” I said. “It’ll be fun.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>He
made a disgusted face. “Cooking isn’t fun. It’s a girly job.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Excuse
me?” I asked, offended.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“I
mean, it’s manly,” he said quickly. “I would be honored to cook with you.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>I
rolled my eyes. “Fine,” I said. “I’ll cook.” I rose from the couch and walked
into the kitchen. I opened the fridge and grabbed a carton of eggs. When I
turned around, he was standing there.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>He
took the carton from my hands. “Allow me.” He walked to the stove and started
making the scrambled eggs. I brewed a pot of coffee and made the bacon and the
pancakes. Working together, we made our meal quickly. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>We
sat at the kitchen table and ate our breakfast in silence.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>After
he shoveled the food into his mouth, he said, “You are an amazing cook,
Scarlet. My eggs are pathetic.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“I
think they are good, Sean.” I took a bite and tried to hide the disgusted look
on my face.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>He
laughed. “I’ll get better,” he said. “You’ve cooked for me so many times. I
want to do it for you sometime.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>I
smiled. The gesture touched my heart. He never even offered that for Penelope.
I wondered if getting over her was getting easier now that we were spending so
much time together. I sincerely hoped that he hadn’t thought about her for the
past few days. I hated seeing him so miserable. After the way he protected me the
night before, pushing that thug to the ground, I had even more respect for him.
Penelope had a man that would do anything for her, sacrifice his life to
protect her, and she didn’t want him. I didn’t know who she was sleeping with,
but I knew he was a lesser man than Sean. Sometimes Sean could be vulgar and
sarcastic, but he had a heart of gold. There was nothing that he wouldn’t do
for me. I considered telling him about my boss and how he was harassing me, but
I knew the knowledge would send him to the brink with rage. Besides, I couldn’t
have my best friend fight all my battles for me, even though that seemed like
the easier route.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Do
you want to go to the gym?” Sean asked.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>If
he was ready to start working out again, I knew he was improving. Even though I
had absolutely no interest in going to the gym on a Saturday, I knew Sean
needed it. “Sure.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Good,”
he said. “You need to go.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>I
raised my eyebrow at him. “Excuse me?”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“After
all the popcorn you ate, your pants must not fit.” He smiled at me.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>I
rolled my eyes. “Hey, guys like having a little something to grab.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>He
laughed. “That’s true”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Do
you think I’m too chunky?”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>He
stared at me for a moment. “You are a fine woman, Scar,” he said. “No man can
tell you otherwise.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Damn
right.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>He
laughed. “Are you ready?”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Just
let me change.” I walked into my bedroom and put on my spandex leggings, which made
me look long and thin, in addition to making my ass look great. Then, I pulled
on my sports bra and a slim fitting top. When I looked in the mirror, I nodded
my head in approval.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Sean
stared at me for a moment, but then turned his gaze away.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Were
you checking me out?” I asked.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>He
smiled. “Just your ass.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>I
rolled my eyes. “Let’s go.”</span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08383173872480816847noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1838615051037643873.post-90393759088400277882013-10-20T11:21:00.002-07:002013-10-20T11:23:24.861-07:00Forever and Always ExcerptHere is an excerpt from the second novel,<i> Forever and Always</i>, in the Forever and Always Series.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ3BHjex_yrmyNdojarYS-uFue7bkQjaUU3w_MWbDFJyWcYjtfLTDaKVL10brkbfaBVKZF1maHA6fzPaLgNVDb7nrgJUQ3tkd8LNzY0nexf2XDWEUHe5v7rWPJlkT8QBkoC7Iib5Ir6nDu/s1600/Forever+and+always+front.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ3BHjex_yrmyNdojarYS-uFue7bkQjaUU3w_MWbDFJyWcYjtfLTDaKVL10brkbfaBVKZF1maHA6fzPaLgNVDb7nrgJUQ3tkd8LNzY0nexf2XDWEUHe5v7rWPJlkT8QBkoC7Iib5Ir6nDu/s320/Forever+and+always+front.jpg" width="212" /></a></div>
<br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: .5in 166.9pt 271.15pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">“So,”
he said. “Can I take you to dinner?”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: .5in 166.9pt 271.15pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">“Well,
I just ate.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: .5in 166.9pt 271.15pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">“When
has that ever stopped you?” He smiled.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: .5in 166.9pt 271.15pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">I
hit him lightly on the shoulder. We were back to the way we were, except our
relationship was different. It seemed like we had the best of both worlds—our
friendship and our love. “Stop making fun of me.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: .5in 166.9pt 271.15pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">“I
make fun of you because I love you. Think about it that way.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: .5in 166.9pt 271.15pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">“That
doesn’t help.” I smiled.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: .5in 166.9pt 271.15pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">“How
about some dessert, then?” he asked.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: .5in 166.9pt 271.15pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">“Well,
I just had a milkshake.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: .5in 166.9pt 271.15pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Sean
smiled. “Then let me take you out for a drink.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: .5in 166.9pt 271.15pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">“Are
you trying to get me drunk?”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: .5in 166.9pt 271.15pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">He
shrugged. “We’ll see what happens.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: .5in 166.9pt 271.15pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">“I’m
going to shower and change,” I said. “Please make yourself at home.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">“Thank
God,” Sean said. “I was worried that you were going to go out like that.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: .5in 166.9pt 271.15pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">I
grabbed his stomach and tickled him. “You got me,” he laughed. “But you know I
think you’re beautiful no matter what you wear, even my old college jersey.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: .5in 166.9pt 271.15pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">“Well,
I’m a hot piece of ass,” I said as I walked away.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: .5in 166.9pt 271.15pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">“You
are <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">my</i> hot piece of ass now.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: .5in 166.9pt 271.15pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">I
turned around and looked at him before I disappeared in the hallway. “I like
it.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">“Good,”
he said. “Get used to it.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">I
showered then changed my clothes, wearing a tight fitting dress that
accentuated the curves of my body. After I applied my makeup, I looked in the
mirror and felt satisfied. I looked like a million bucks.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: .5in 166.9pt 271.15pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">When
I came back into the living room, Ryan and Cortland were sitting on the couch
with Sean, and they all looked at me when I walked into the room. Sean was
blatantly staring at me with a hungry expression.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">He
stood up and walked towards me. “You look—”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">“You
better get it right this time.” I smiled.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Sean
smiled at me. “Like a wild, sexy beast.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">“Thank
you,” I said. “That was just the compliment I was looking for.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Sean
laughed. “Are you ready to go?”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">“Where
are you guys going?” Ryan asked.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">“Well,
since this fatty already ate and stuffed herself with a milkshake, I am taking
her out for a drink.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">“My
sister can be a garbage disposal,” Ryan said.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">“Now
look who’s being a brat,” I said to my brother.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">He
laughed then looked at Sean. “Good luck with her.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">“Thanks.”
Sean laughed. “I think I’m going to need it.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">“When
did this turn into a Scarlet-bashing?” I asked.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Sean
kissed me on my head. “It’s only because we love you.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">I
looked at him. “Well, maybe you should try hating me instead.”</span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08383173872480816847noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1838615051037643873.post-7490297323988940852013-10-14T19:52:00.002-07:002013-10-14T19:52:29.261-07:00Free Book!<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18666539-forever-and-always">Book 2: Forever and Always Giveaway!</a><br />
<br />
The second book in the series is also available as a giveaway! Roll the dice and see if you are the winner of both novels. =) <br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08383173872480816847noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1838615051037643873.post-67578916161910668212013-10-14T19:44:00.004-07:002013-10-14T19:46:01.399-07:00<span style="font-size: large;"><b><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/giveaway/show/68779-only-for-you">Only For You Giveaway!</a></b></span><br />
<br />
Enter to win a copy of my novel, Only For You (Book One in the Forever and Always Series) before its publication on the 15th of November! Good luck! May the odds be ever in your favor. =) <br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08383173872480816847noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1838615051037643873.post-17030953209561862642013-10-10T14:41:00.003-07:002013-10-10T14:41:27.928-07:00Excerpt from Only For You<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“What do you want to see?” she
asked.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“I get to pick? You never let me
pick.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>She shrugged. “Today’s your lucky
day.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“I guess I should get dumped more
often.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>She smiled at me. “What do you want
to see?”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Nothing with love or that
chick-flick shit.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Okay,” she said. “That’s fine. I
don’t care what we watch.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>I laughed. “Since when?”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Just pick,” she said, pinching my
side.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“I want something with guns,
explosions, and death and stuff.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>She rolled her eyes. “You are so
cliché.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Hey,” I said. “What happened to me
getting to pick?”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“I said you could pick the movie. I
never said I wouldn’t make fun of you for it.” She stepped toward the ticket
booth and pulled me along with her. “How about the new James Bond movie?”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>I nodded. “That works.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“And it has hot chicks in it.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“You think I didn’t already know
that?” I laughed.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>She glared at me for a moment then
stepped toward the window. She ordered our tickets, which I paid for, despite
her protests, and then we walked inside. I didn’t like it when Scarlet paid for
anything. I knew she had a mound of student loans hanging on her shoulders. My
entire education was paid for by my parents but Scarlet didn’t have that
luxury. I offered to help her pay back her loans, but being the stubborn woman
that she was, she refused any aid I offered. My parents loved Scarlet like
their own daughter. If I asked them to pay off her debt, they would do it in a
heartbeat. But, of course, Scarlet would never let that happen either.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Do you want something from the
concession stand?” I asked.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>She raised an eyebrow. “Are you
serious?”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“What?”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Is that a serious question?” she
asked. “I <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">always</i> want something from
the concession stand.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“That’s right, I forgot. You’re a
fatty.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>She smiled at me. “A hot fatty.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>I whistled. “Smokin’.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>We stood in line, and when it was
our turn, I ordered. “Just a medium popcorn, please.” I opened my wallet to
grab the cash when Scarlet spoke.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“And a bag of skittles, milk duds,
and another medium popcorn.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>I stared at her, dumbfounded. “I
thought we would share a popcorn?”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“I’m hungry.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>I laughed. Scarlet never failed to
surprise me. I pulled more money from my wallet and handed it over. We grabbed
our snacks and walked into the auditorium. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“I thought were going to dinner
after this,” I said.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“We are.” She sat in her chair and
started shoving the popcorn in her mouth. Her candy was sitting on the arm
rest, ready to be devoured immediately afterwards.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Are you starving or something?” I
laughed. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>She glared at me. “No. I just like
to eat.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Apparently.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>She threw a piece of popcorn at me,
and it hit me on the shoulder. “I work out.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Thankfully.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>She threw another piece of popcorn
at me.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"></span>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>The movie started and I stared at
the screen. I leaned back in my chair and watched the unstoppable action of the
movie. It was a nice distraction from the disturbing reality of my mind.
Halfway through the movie, Scarlet leaned her head on my shoulder but I didn’t
mind the touch. I thought she was just being affectionate, but then I realized
she was eating from my pail of popcorn because she already finished hers.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“You are unbelievable,” I whispered.
I laughed quietly, trying not to disturb our neighbors.</span></div>
<br />
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