Fuck Buddy By Scott Hidreth ♥ Release Blitz

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NOW LIVE!! From #1 Best Selling Author Scott Hildreth, his highly anticipated
erotic romance,
fuck buddy!
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Title: fuck buddy
Author: Scott Hildreth
Release Date: February 19, 2016
Genre: Erotic Romance
Cover Designer: Jessica Hildreth
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Fuck Buddy Header. Synopsis

 

Having the hottest man in southern California as my best friend since childhood was a blessing and a curse. Hiding my true feelings while watching him half-naked on the beach was close to impossible, but I did so for years.

 

After countless failed relationships, I grew tired of all the jerks and made my proposition to Luke.

 

As fate would have it, he was ready to give a ‘relationship’ a try.

 

There were only two stipulations. One – we had to remain friends no matter what. And, two – sexually speaking, we had to play by his ‘rules’…

 

The first one came easy. The second?

 

Nothing could have prepared me.

 

NOTE: This is a stand-alone full-length novel of 60,000 words. No cliff hanger. HEA. No sex outside the relationship, No cheating. Due to the graphic nature of this book, please be over the age of 18 to enjoy it.

 

 

 
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Fuck Buddy Header. About Scott

 

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Born in San
Diego California, Scott now calls Wichita, Kansas home. Residing in Kansas with
his wife, Jessica, and six children, he somehow finds twelve hours a day to
work on his writing.

Addicted to riding his Harley-Davidson, tattoos, and drinking coffee, Scott can
generally be found in a tattoo shop, on his Harley, or in a local coffee house
when not writing.Loyal to the fans, fan girls, and faithful followers who allowed him to make
writing a full-time career, Scott communicates with his followers on Facebook
almost daily. He encourages his readers to follow him on Facebook and Twitter.

 

Fuck Buddy  Header. Follow Scott
Twitter: @ScottDHildreth

Face book “OFFICIAL LIKE” page – (for updates on released books and upcoming
books)

www.facebook.com/ScottDHildrethFacebook Author Page – (currently at 5,000 friend limit, but Scott invites you
to come enjoy his contests, giveaways, and playful book banter)

www.facebook.com/sdhildrethGoodreads Author Page –

www.Goodreads.com/ScottHildrethFacebook Fangroup –

https://www.facebook.com/groups/1376439159321240/

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Southern Sweets By Cori Williams ♥ Release Blitz

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TITLE: Southern Sweets: A Midnight Novel
 
AUTHOR: Cori Williams
 
PUBLISHER: Booktrope Publishing
 
 
 
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Southern Sweets Synopsis
 

Sugar and spice don’t always play nice—Amelia Emerson learned that the hard way after her heart was snatched straight from her chest. What was done could not be forgotten.

Tanner made his choice, and there was no turning back from the hurt he caused. Amelia is left dealing with the aftermath and trying to juggle the new life she has been handed.

Worn down, she struggles to gain back the confidence she once possessed, and prove to everyone she is able to do things on her own—But when life takes another sharp turn in an unexpected direction, will she be able to let go and start fresh? Or is the pain too unbearable to forget?


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Southern Sweets Author Bio
 
Cori Williams is a contemporary romance writer who recently relocated from Michigan to southern living in the mountains of North Carolina. When she’s not busy taking care of her three young children and sometimes fourth, aka as her husband, you’ll find her tapping away at the keyboard with music blaring and endless amounts of candy fuel at hand. Her love of reading from a very young age transferred over to a love of writing and now the stories are never ending as she creates the happily ever afters for her characters with sometimes bumpy journeys along the way. “Forever isn’t always easy.”
 
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Just One Night By Jami Wagner ♥ Release Day Blitz

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Just One Night by Jami Wagner is out now! Check out today’s release day post with the excerpt Jami is sharing and a giveaway!!

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About JUST ONE NIGHT:

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Sara and Logan have always known their relationship was different because they were never very good at the “just friends” thing. They’re finally ready to embrace a deeper side—but are they ready for big-time problems?

Sara Connelly has a drive for success. She hasn’t made time for men because the way she sees it, a career she can control but a relationship she can’t. Just one night was all it took to send her running on a trip to collect her thoughts and re-group back to her career-focused life. But when she comes home, she quickly learns there might be more important things in life than owning her own business, and that’s Logan Parker.

Logan Parker coasts through life day by day, and as long as Sara is a part of that life, he’s happy. One night has left Logan with the impression that more than friends is an option. But when Sara leaves without an explanation, he vows to show her how important she is to him. When an opportunity gives him the chance to be someone he thinks Sara would be proud of, he doesn’t pass on the offer. Her moving across state lines, however, wasn’t in his plans.

Living in two states is going to be hard. Holding a long-distance relationship is going to be harder. They’ve made it this far, but can they make it work or will distance finally tear them apart?

Buy Links:

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Exclusive Excerpt:

“What kind of person does it make me that I want to go to Colorado to open this new bar, but I also want you to stay here and take the opportunity my dad is giving you?”

Logan licks his lips as his head nods. “I’d say that makes you human, strong, and smart for knowing what you want in life.”

A small smile tugs at my lips. “But it also means that I’m a horrible girlfriend and I haven’t even had that title for twenty-four hours.”

“Don’t even think that. I think it’s great we aren’t letting this get in the way of success. You will do your thing there, I’ll do mine here, and we can make it work until you get back.”

“Yeah, but this was supposed to be it, the perfect time for us to be a couple. Now it’s the exact opposite. We may as well wait until I get back before we give this a real shot,” I say. I’m already using the bar as an excuse because I’m scared, but I don’t want to admit it.

He shakes his head no.

“You know what, we can do this. We can handle distance. Look at everything we’ve been through. Rockland, Colorado, is what—three hours from here? I’ll come down every weekend if I have to. I’ll do anything and everything if it means seeing you.”

Jami Wagner Bio:
Jami Wagner

JAMI WAGNER was born in Wyoming. Still living in the Cowboy State, Jami and her boyfriend are currently writing their own love story with their yellow lab.

Jami enjoys writing New Adult and published her debut novella Date in the Dark in 2015. The first book in her Black Alcove series, Just One Kiss, released in October 2015.

Visit and connect with Jami at http://www.jami-wagner.com, on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/AuthorJamiWagner, on Twitter at @Jami_Wagner, or on Instagram at @JAMIWAGNER_.

Links:

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NY Dare Series By Carly Phillips ♥ Relaunch Blitz

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NY Dare Series – Relaunch by Carly Phillips

Date of Publication: January 28, 2016

Blurb

Surrender

Isabelle Masters is done…

Done with her cheating boyfriend.

Done with his domineering ways.

Just done.

Taking off in her leased Mercedes to start over turns out to be the best decision she’s ever made — despite being arrested for grand theft auto and hauled off to a local police station. Being rescued by the most unlikely person possible, Gabriel Dare, makes it all worthwhile. After all, she’s yearned for the sexy man for years—yet now is her chance to finally take the plunge and dare to become the independent woman she’s always wanted to be. But can she be in control of her life if she surrenders to a man like him?

 

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About Carly Phillips

After a successful fifteen year career with various New York publishing houses, and over 40 sexy contemporary romance novels published, N.Y. Times and USA Today Bestselling Author Carly Phillips is now an Indie author who writes to her own expectations and that of her readers. She continues the tradition of hot men and strong women and plans to publish many more sizzling stories. Carly lives in Purchase, NY with her family, two nearly adult daughters and two crazy dogs who star on her Facebook Fan Page and website. She’s a writer, a knitter of sorts, a wife, and a mom. In addition, she’s a Twitter and Internet junkie and is always around to interact with her readers. You can find out more about Carly at http://www.carlyphillips.com.

Find Carly Phillips Online

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The Fireman in Unit C (A Mockingbird Place Novel) by Kris Cook ♥ Release Blitz

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Title: The Fireman in Unit C
Series: A Mockingbird Place Novel
Author: Kris Cook
Genre: M/M Romance Standalone
Release Date: February 15, 2016
A serial arsonist sets fire to the unit next to Jackson’s apartment—the unit the sexy fireman Eli lives in. 
Things really heat up when Jackson offers Eli a place to stay until Unit C is livable again. Jackson, being OCD, requires everything in his life to be neat and orderly, but Eli’s life is chaotic and messy, especially because of the man’s ex, who keeps pushing his way back into the fireman’s life. Living with Eli turns out to be much more than he bargained for. As much as he would love to just throw caution to the wind, Jackson believes it is best to keep things between him an Eli on the friend level. Nothing more. But an unexpected kiss rocks his world and he must figure out the real reason he’s terrified of the feelings Eli is bringing out in him. 
Will Jackson see that a future with Eli can help him let go of the guilt from his troubled past?

 

Though starting in straight erotic romance, Kris’s total focus now is on gay romance. When asked why recently, his answer was “My muse finally came out of the closet. Isn’t it about time? I’ve been out since I was twenty-five.” A voracious reader, Kris loves many genres of fiction, but this writer’s favorite books are romances that are edgy, sexy, with rich characters and unique challenges. Kris’ influences include Anne Rice, JR Ward, Lexi Blake and Shayla Black. Last year, Kris married the love of his life Stephen.

 

 

 

 

 

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Incandescence by Xunaira J ♥ Release Blitz

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Title: Incandescence

Author: Xunaira J.

Genre: New Adult

Release Date: February 14, 2016

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Synopsis

CAN LOVE REALLY HEAL ALL WOUNDS?

Alisha had everything she ever wished for: a loving family, a career and friends who doted on her. But a late night at work, a cup of coffee, and a burning candle changed her life forever. Then Anis–a tall, dark, and handsome engineer, heir to his father’s vast empire–walks back into her life. After a brief meeting a few years ago, she isn’t sure he’ll remember her. When he does, he wants to help her overcome her life-changing injuries. Has her accident scarred not only her skin, but also her soul?

Incandescence is a story of love and friendship in the face of disaster, and one young woman’s quest to make the most of her new life.

Purchase your copy today!

INCANDESCENCE

Amazon US | Amazon UK

Excerpt

What happened next was totally unpredictable. One second, I was looking at my picture on the desktop, all smiling and beautiful on my graduation day, while the next second, I thought I’d seen a ghost. The face that was looking back at me had a rather distorted face with a leathery texture. The right side of the face was covered in something that was a weird color of yellow and white; it looked like it was made up of play dough, while the left side was all clean, normal and soft. The skin looked leathery, almost gaunt and scary. It was charred at some part of my cheeks and towards my neck.

The eyes that stared back at me were the same colors as mine, chocolate brown, and the skin on the normal side of the face looked like my skin as well. It was my face; just a distorted version. I tried to touch the left side of my face, but it felt smooth under my skin. My breathing hitched as I realized that the ghostly skin, the gauntness in the eyes—it was all mine.

And then I screamed at the top of my lungs. I saw the ghost in the screen in front open her mouth, but the only noise that I heard was of my own howl. This can’t be me! This can’t be me! I tried to tell myself again and again.

The door flung open, and the nurses rushed in, looking around at my source of terror, but she found nothing. She came towards me and glanced at the laptop. Seeing the Photo Booth application open, she quickly, picked up the laptop from my knees and shut the flap.

“You’re not supposed to use that yet!” she scolded me as she put the laptop back on the side table. I was having difficulty breathing and my heartbeat was going a mile a minute.

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About The Author

Xunaira

As a thirteen year old teenager, Xunaira J. aspired to be an author someday. From short stories to novellas, she has written them all but as an adult now, she has published two short stories and is now aiming to publish her first Novel, Before Time, scheduled for November release. Xunaira resides in Islamabad, Pakistan and enjoys a hot cup of cappuccino, a good romance novel and her favorite music from the 80’s. Apart from that, when she’s not working on her current literary project, she loves developing mobile applications and studies as a software engineer.
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Colour Series By A. Giannoccaro ♥ Release / Sale Blitz

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Title: Colour Series, The Complete Box Set

Author: A. Giannoccaro

Publication Date: February 12, 2016

On SALE for $2.99 until the February 15th!

 

Blurb

When your family legacy is death, murder and crime, do you get a chance at love? After all, don’t villains need love too?

Lauri was hidden from her inheritance but it found her and she was delivered straight to a devil from her past. Rowan was her saviour, the one that returned the colour to her life, but he was also a killer, a murderer. Rowan wasn’t a knight in shining armour, he was the black of night until he had to kill her.

Her cousin Callum, born into the same madness, hid in plain sight. His crimes camouflaged by his good looks and charming smile. When he falls in love with a ghost from his past, something changes and his bloody world falls apart. Shannon is poisonous but her madness is almost as dangerous as his. They were born to kill each other.

Born from murder and love, Avery is a killer. It’s not her job but the very essence of who she is. She lives for it, loves it and will never stop. Some girls are just not good. When she loses the few people in her life that matter, the cracks start to open and she is left to find herself. Can a man steal her heart and live to see another sunrise?

Three crime families tied together by blood, friendship and ultimately love.

Colour Series Box Set

Amazon US | Amazon UK

 

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About the Author

A. Giannoccaro

Facebook | Goodreads

Author of the Colour series, a dark romance.

“Our skin is clothing enough to cover what we hide inside.”

 

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Crossing The Barrier By Martine Lewis ♥ Pre-Order Blitz

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Title: Crossing The Barrier

Series: The Gray Eyes Series #1

By: Martine Lewis

Publisher: BMJ Chanapi

Publication Date: March 22, 2016

Genre: Young Adult

High school student Malakai Thomas, star wide receiver of the varsity team, collides with band member Lily Morgan on his way to football practice. As days go by, Malakai cannot get the petite clarinetist out of his head.

Lily Morgan can feel everyone’s emotions. She loses her ability to shield herself against them the day Malakai runs into her. Now she must try to maintain her sanity in the emotional jungle that is high school, as well as deal with her growing feelings for Malakai.

Can Malakai get over the social stigma and his own internal struggle to be with Lily? Is Lily’s secret too big to accept, even for him?

Amazon US – http://goo.gl/039VmQ

Amazon UK – http://goo.gl/2Y4FXz

Amazon CA – http://goo.gl/otG4fH

#1 – LILY

“I wonder what would happen if you lost your ability to shield.”

That simple question from Lily’s best friend, Sandra, almost got them killed. As Lily Morgan drove them to school for their band practice in her Mini Cooper, it took all of her limited driving skills to keep them on the narrow suburban road and not in the ditch.

“Let’s not ever mention this again!” Lily’s heart raced at the thought of it.

Sandra Jones was the best friend anybody could dream of. She was also everything Lily was not. She was outgoing, tall, and beautiful with her long, straight blond hair and blue eyes. She always wore the nicest outfits, and guys regularly asked her out on dates. She could have been part of the popular crowd had she wanted to, but she was perfectly content being in the marching band, just like Lily.

Sandra and her family, in addition to Lily’s uncle, Charlie, were the only people alive who knew what Lily could do; she had the ability to feel the emotions of the people around her. The only way for her to function and have a close to normal life was to build mental shields, which prevented the barrage of emotions from continuously assaulting her. Sandra knew how important shielding was to Lily, particularly in an emotion-infested place like high school.

“Just saying. I mean, you’ve been giving me the silent treatment since we left home. I had to find a way to make you talk.”

“Well, that’s not a good subject on a good day.”

“Then, what’s eating you?”

“My mother, again.”

“I don’t understand. Why don’t you take Charlie’s offer and move in with him?”

“It’s my house, Sandra. If anything, she should be the one moving out.”

“Not going to happen, not until the courts kick her out. You know that better than I do. She’s not going anywhere.”

Her friend was right, unfortunately.

“Can we move on to something else?”

“What did she want this time?” Sandra asked instead. “Another party to introduce you to your future husband?”

Lily nodded. She could easily imagine Sandra rolling her eyes, and if she hadn’t been driving, she was sure she would have seen her do exactly that.

“I don’t get it,” Sandra continued. “She’s not even your real mother.”

“I don’t get it either. Why does she keep throwing me at those guys?”

“Beats me,” Sandra said. “Did you say no?”

Lily remained quiet. She never said no. She still held the hope that if she did exactly what her mother requested, maybe one day she would approve of her.

Hope definitely made people stupid.

“When will you, Lily?” Sandra asked, turning toward her. “You deserve better than this.”

Lily sighed. She had tried to explain it numerous times before, but Sandra never understood. After all, Sandra’s mother loved her and was always so proud of her.

“David said football practice starts today,” Sandra said, changing the subject.

Lily felt her best friend’s eagerness at sharing the news, and she knew what was coming next.

“Malakai will be there.”

Ever since she had admitted to Sandra that she liked the star wide receiver over a year ago, Sandra brought him up every chance she had.

“Why don’t we talk about your love life for a change?” Lily suggested.

“Oh, no, we’re so not. Yours is so much more fun.”

It was Lily’s turn to roll her eyes. “So, what else did David say?”

“They should begin practice around nine this morning.”

“They have it so much easier than we do,” Lily said, turning onto the access road that led behind the school.

“You got that one right. If they practiced half as much as we did, they would wear paths in the football field.”

“That’s probably why we practice on hot, steamy asphalt,” Lily said as they arrived in the parking area.

“It sucks, really. Why don’t we get to practice their amount of hours and they, ours?”

“Because what we do is more complicated?” Lily suggested with a smile.

Sandra shrugged and glanced out the window.

“Look at it on the bright side.”

“There is one?” Sandra asked, irony coating her tone.

“No!”

They were both laughing when Lily pulled into her usual parking spot.

Martine Lewis is a forty something who was born and raised in the French speaking province of Quebec, Canada. She spent her childhood looking forward to her summer vacations at the farm, which were a nice escape from the suburbs where she lived.

 

Her first written endeavor was a 200-page handwritten Duran Duran bandfiction which she wrote when she was eleven years old. Of all her written work, this is the only one she no longer has.

 

All throughout high school, Martine wrote more bandfictions and some original work, then she went to write fanfictions in the Star Wars, Buffy and Harry Potter universes. Her fanficiton in the Potterverse are mostly centered on characters of her own creation and can be found on fanfiction.net.

Following her viewing of Roswell on Netflix in 2012, Martine wrote book two and three of the Gray Eyes Series, then went on to create the Gray Eyes Series universe in which she has been playing ever since. She writes contemporary coming-of-age romance fiction (young adult/new adult) with a twist.

 

Martine is an avid reader and rollerskater. She loves sushi, hot chocolate on a cold day, and the beach. But what she loves above all else is to curl on her chair with her computer and write more stories for her readers.

Martine currently lives in Houston TX with her two cats.

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Stripped Raw By Prescott Lane ♥ Cover Reveal

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We are super excited to share the cover reveal of Prescott Lane’s next book Stripped Raw.

 

Stripped Raw

 

Stripped Raw Full

 

Ardent Prose Synopsis

 

Kenzie

I’m a yes girl.  Get your mind out of the gutter; I’m not talking about sex.  I’m talking about saying yes to whatever comes my way in life.  So when I had the chance to move to Europe after college, I said, yes.  When I had the chance to open my own lingerie line, I said, yes.  And when my stepsister got diagnosed with cancer and needed me to come home and help her raise her daughter, I said, yes.  That’s me, Kenzie — the yes girl!  In every area of my life but one —Love.  Always the first to leave a relationship.  Will I be able to say yes to love — to Kane — to being happy?  Or will I simply come undone and be stripped raw?

Kane

Don’t let Kenzie fool you!  She’s a master at hiding behind a laugh and a smile.  Being an attorney, I prefer the facts.  This story isn’t as light and happy as my yes girl would have you believe.  No laugh can sugar coat what we are facing:  I’ve lost everything.  I know what it’s like to be left raw.  But sometimes that’s the only way to find love.  To strip yourself down, let the other person see all your shit, and hope they love you anyway.

 

Ardent Prose Excerpt

 

“I’m the good girl, very responsible, girl-next-door type.”

Should I tell her I took the virginity of the girl next door?  Probably not.  “I think you’re more than that,” I say, taking a step closer to her.  That wasn’t a line.  I really mean it.  I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t think so.

I inch even closer, but she looks confused — a little like she wants me to kiss her, a little like she wants me to screw her, but mostly like she doesn’t want me to do anything more.  I can’t blame her; we only met a few hours ago.  Deacon is wrong about the one night stand thing.  This woman isn’t looking for a hookup.  I’m not, either.  One night with her wouldn’t be enough.  So I take a step back, my fists clenched at my sides to redirect my energy.

“That was my first catalog,” Kenzie says.  “I plan on doing two a year.”  She reaches for a sketchbook on her work table.  “This is what I’m working on for the next line.  I’ll be photographing them pretty soon.  The line is inspired by men’s clothing, so pinstripes and. . . .”  

She keeps talking about the different fabrics, colors, and textures she plans to use.  I have no idea what she is saying, but marvel over what I’m seeing — corsets and bustiers, vests with garter belts, bras, and G-strings.  I love that these ideas, these fantasies, came out of her mind.  She is so much more than she thinks, so much more than the girl next door.

Kenzie flips to another sketch, this one of a navy bra and panty set with stockings and heels.  That will look perfect on her — especially bent over my office desk.  My cock throbbing, I take a deep breath and try to focus on what Kenzie is saying.  My eyes search the catalog pages for anything to distract me.  “What’s this?”

“Cuffs,” she says, “like on a man’s dress shirt.  But these double as handcuffs.”

Okay, that’s it.  The arts-and-crafts show is officially driving me crazy.  My dick is rock hard now, and I can’t take it anymore.

 

Ardent Prose About The Author

 

Prescott Lane is the author of First Position, Perfectly Broken, and her new release, Quiet Angel. She is originally from Little Rock, Arkansas, and graduated from Centenary College with a degree in sociology. She went on to receive her MSW from Tulane University, after which she worked with developmentally delayed and disabled children. She married her college sweetheart, and they currently live in New Orleans with their two children and two crazy dogs. Prescott started writing at the age of five, and sold her first story about a talking turtle to her father for a quarter. She later turned to writing romance novels because there aren’t enough happily ever afters in real life. Connect with Prescott Lane at http://www.pinterest.com/PrescottLane1/ and facebook.com/PrescottLane1 and http://www.twitter.com/prescottlane1 and http://instagram.com/prescottlane1 or at http://www.authorprescottlane.com

 

Happily Ever Afters Guaranteed

Author links

Twitter  Facebook  Web  Amazon page Goodreads Instagram

 

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Booty Call By Ainsley Booth ♥ Chapter Reveal

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We are delighted to bring you an excerpt from Booty Call (Forbidden BodyGuards  #2) by Ainsley Booth. Sit back and enjoy the hotness.

 

Pre-Order it now for a special price, only 99c!

 

Amazon US  Amazon UK  Amazon CA  

 

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Booty Call

Ardent Prose Synopsis

 

I know what I’m doing when I text Scott at four in the morning.

He knows what I’m doing, too.

That’s why he shows up twenty-three minutes later, freshly showered with a condom in his pocket and a barely dissolved breath mint on his tongue.

I smirk as he looms over me. “You are such a dirty old man.”

“We need to stop doing this.”

“Why?”

“Because you’re twenty and I’m not. Because I want to take you on a f***ing date and you won’t. Because we wind up yelling at each other half the time.”

“But the rest of the time you’re inside me and it feels so good, right?”

His eyes darken and I don’t need to look down to know he’s hard for me.

*** THIS IS A STANDALONE BOOK, CONNECTED TO THE HORUS GROUP SERIES ***

Ardent Prose Excerpt

 

—one—

FEBRUARY

Alison

Happy birthday to me.

I’m supposed to be having an epic shop-a-thon with my sister in SoHo, but now we’re stuck at the Apple store because Hailey needs someone to fix her phone. Her fiancé Cole will have a fit if she’s off the grid.

God forbid. It’s not like she isn’t being shadowed everywhere by her bodyguard—big, brooding Scott Mayfair, of the dark, dirty looks and annoyingly consistent hands-off-Alison attitude—for our “girls weekend”. But her phone stopped working at lunch, so now Hailey’s waiting for a so-called genius to help her fix it.

Me?

I’m going to take advantage of the fact that Scott can’t leave Hailey’s side and go buy myself a present.

“I’m just heading around the corner,” I murmur to my sister. She knows where I’m going. Every time we come to the city, I visit the Mercer Street Agent Provocateur. It’s become my little ritual.

Alison Dashford Reid, all grown up and secretly wearing something naughty beneath her studious university student uniform of yoga pants and hoodies. Although that’s not what I’m wearing today—while it works for Washington…New York City, not so much. Not at the level that Hailey and I are playing at this weekend.

I’ve got my Jimmy Choo fuck-me boots zipped over my skinny Sevens, and a wool jacket over a silk camisole, because it’s February and there’s only so much cold my nipples can take in the name of fashion.

I sling the skinny strap of my purse across my body and join the flow of Saturday afternoon shoppers. New York is unlike any other city in the world, and SoHo might be my favorite neighborhood in my favorite city.  Narrow shops and cobblestone streets. It brings out the girly girl in me, and I indulge that lucky bitch with pretty underwear.

Inside, Agent Provocateur is glossy black lacquer and sparkling crystal chandeliers. A sea of silk and lace. Black ribbons and satin cups. It oozes feminine power and celebrates all things sexy.

My private collection of lingerie is one step in the direction of claiming more of that attitude for myself.

One day soon, I’m going to be this woman.

I sigh. Maybe not soon. I have to keep my head down until I’m done school and can leave Washington. Leave the toxic world of my parents behind and just be myself.

Be Alison, girl with silk panties. Girl with an easy, breezy attitude toward sex and men and life.

“Can I help you?” A smiling salesgirl approaches, and I’m glad I dressed up. I look the part of the rich socialite, and all afternoon I’ve been getting that treatment. Not normally something I care about one way or the other—and if pushed, I lean toward other. Because seriously, being rich just gives people the excuse to be depraved fucks.

And then have children, and ruin their lives with the depravity.

I shudder inside.

But on the outside, I just smile at the salesgirl. “I’m going to look around a bit. First time in a while since I’ve been in the store.”

First time since all the weird shit went down with my sister last year. Now I can’t just get on the train and come to New York for the weekend. Now when I suggest a girls’ trip, it’s a full-on thing, complete with Scott tagging along if Cole is busy.

We made that mistake once in the fall. Ugh. Totally un-fun, although it did beat a totally awkward family Thanksgiving.

This trip wasn’t my idea, even though it’s my birthday weekend. But Hailey’s got a gleam in her eye about a wedding dress, which means Cole’s finally won their non-stop battle over whether or not to get married.

Well, not that there’s a battle over getting married. Just a battle over the actual “getting hitched” moment. As in, Hailey doesn’t want a wedding. Not one our mother can ruin.

So I bet they’ll elope, which is totally fine.

After all the shit she’s been through, Hailey deserves to be happy.

And if she wants to buy a non-wedding dress for a secret wedding that she’s not telling me about just yet, I’ll suck up a totally un-fun trip to the big city.

After all, when I get bored, I can always ditch the bodyguard and sneak into a lingerie shop.

I smirk to myself—which of course is when karma decides to punish me.

“Something funny, Miss Reid?”

Damn it. I sigh and roll my eyes to the sparkly chandelier, keeping my back to Scott. My sister’s bodyguard. My secret crush. My totally off-limits, no-fun babysitter for the weekend, apparently, since he’s followed me, and not for any fun, dirty reasons. “How did you find me? Do I have a tracking device implanted under my skin?”

Scott laughs quietly and circles around the display until I’ve got face full of cotton dress shirt and black suit jacket. Both fitted and stretched across strong shoulders.

A wide chest.

Probably a hard set of abs, but I’ve never gotten close enough to test that theory.

I don’t look up at his face. Instead, I pretend to look at the panties on the far side of the table, right in front of his hips.

His package is pretty substantial, too. Definitely stretching the fabric there.

I blush, but I don’t duck my head further.

I’m totally fine with Scott knowing that I’m thinking about his cock.

He’s not fine with it, but that’s his problem.

He clears his throat and crosses his arms, swinging a collection of our shopping bags in front of his body to hide what I hope is a monster reaction to me. “Your sister suggested I might find you in here.”

“And you left Hailey alone to come find me?”

“Cole showed up. Turns out he had business in the city after all.”

Of course he did. Which meant that our girls’ weekend just turned into me being a third-wheel on a romantic getaway.

Fuck.

“Then I might head back to D.C.” I say quietly. I’m not trying to hide the fact I’m disappointed. It’s my birthday. I can be fucking disappointed if I want.

I can swear like a fucking sailor and pretend I’m not a Dean’s List, finishing-school Good Girl, because it’s my twentieth birthday and I can’t even buy lingerie without my sister’s drama intruding.

And since that drama won’t let me check him out… yeah, I’m pouting.

“You can head home. If you want.” His voice is…is…

I jerk my eyes up to his face.

He’s mocking me.

Outrage surges through me, unexpectedly, at the barely contained laughter in his voice. I can feel my face turning red, twin dots of heat burning on my cheekbones. I pick up a complicated thong, with bonus straps that do nothing but torment the person looking at the wearer, probably, and I hold it up between us. “You don’t think I should do that, Scott?” I put my own mocking spin on his name. “What should I do instead? You think I should stay here in the big city, and buy these panties, maybe wear them out tonight under a little black dress? Knowing full well there’s not a chance in hell I’ll get peeled out of them at the end of the night by a hot guy? Happy birthday, Alison. Here’s to another year of bodyguard-enforced virginity.”

I’m being a whiny brat. I don’t care. It’s been months of this rock star treatment, and seriously, it’s overrated. We grew up in a wealthy family, so having private security isn’t totally out my realm of understanding, but Hailey’s relationship with one of Washington’s top crisis management guys—and getting tangled up in a human trafficking ring—has taken shit to a whole new level.

It actually doesn’t affect my everyday life. I go to school. I even have my own apartment now, having moved out of my parents’ estate at Christmas time because there’s only so much fucked-up drama one can handle and still stay on the Dean’s List.

But it does affect every “sister thing” I want to do with Hailey.

Including celebrating my birthday.

So I stare at Scott, daring him—fucking daring him—to tell me that I can do anything I want, of course I can.

Because I can’t.

He stares back, his face unreadable.

“I don’t think Cole is planning on going out for dinner with you two, if that’s your concern,” he finally says gruffly, but I’m still pissed off. Anger sizzles under my skin and now I’m just thinking shit that’s not fair and doesn’t really matter. But that’s the thing about feelings, right? Once you have them, you can’t just un-have them.

Tears prick at the back of my eyelids, and no, that is not happening. I pinch the inside of my palm with my fingers and slowly roll my eyes back to the ceiling, exhaling as I tell myself to pull it together.

Let him think I’m a haughty bitch. I don’t care.

“Miss Reid,” he starts, and I drop my gaze, staring past him as I twirl the panties on the tip of my finger.

“I’m not a child. You can call me Alison, or Ms. Reid. Or nothing at all. That would be my preference.” I swing past him and hold out the lace and ribbon scrap of nothing to the sales girl. “I’ll take these with a matching 32C bra, please.”

I shake my head when she asks if I’ll need to try anything on.

While the thought of making Scott sit outside a change room would usually make me achy and wet, right now I’m not in the mood to play the tease. Not when it’s not going to get me anywhere.

I’m not a child. I told him that. I told my parents the same thing when I moved into my own apartment.

One of these days, I’m going to start believing it for myself.

And until then, I’ll fake it.

I’ve been doing that my entire life. I’m a pro.

After I pay for my purchases, I head for the door. Scott stands back, letting me move past him, but even though he hasn’t said anything, I still feel unsettled. Like maybe I haven’t had the last word.

He doesn’t get to do that to me.

I am not a child. I won’t be handled.

I stop and meet his gaze head-on. “Call the restaurant and change our reservation. Cole can join us. And you can, too.”

“I’m fine at the bar…Ms. Reid.” His jaw clenches, but that’s the only reaction.

“I understand that.” I lift my bag and wave it in the air. “But since my future brother-in-law won’t let me wear this for anyone else, tonight I’m wearing these for you. Whether you like it or not.”

Watch the trailer : https://www.facebook.com/ainsleyboothwrites/videos/1724315431125771/

 

Sexy man and woman in a provocative embrace

ID:45056344

 

Sexy man and woman in a provocative embrace

ID:45056344

Sexy man and woman in a provocative embrace

ID:45056344

 

Ardent Prose About The Author

 

Mom by day and filthy romance writer by night, Ainsley is super grateful for caffeine, banana and blueberry muffins, and yoga pants.  

 

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