Reviews Published Professional Reader Challenge Participant 80% 2016 NetGalley Challenge 50 Book Reviews

Thursday, August 31, 2017

A Little Like Destiny (A Little Like Destiny #1) by Lisa Suzanne

My Rating: 5 Stars
Sex Scenes: Yes.
Series: Yes, A Little Like Destiny #1.
Subject: An obsession like you never felt before.
Synopsis
Reserved and responsible Reese Brady refuses to miss her chance with bad boy rock star Mark Ashton. After one steamy night, she's convinced the emotional connection they shared was just a figment of her imagination. After all, he’s a womanizer whose affairs are highly publicised.

Reese strives to leave that night behind her after a handsome business mogul asks her to dinner. Her relationship with Brian Fox quickly escalates into something meaningful, but Reese never expects the secret that emerges when he finally invites her to his penthouse.

She fell in love with a rock star the last time she was there. How could she know she’d fall in love with his brother next?


PURCHASE LINKS – 99c for a limited time 


Free in Kindle Unlimited



























This book was insane from the start! Reese gets to fulfil her ultimate fantasy and spends the night with Mark Ashton, her favourite rock star. But things were different from what she expected and she leaves his house confused and conflicted. He was not the womanizer she though he was, or at least he didn't act like one and that was one of the reasons she run, she was sure that if she stayed things would get complicated.

Trying to get him out of her head is a full time job, she can't seem to shake him, but when she meets Fox things start looking up and she puts everything into this new relationship.

But we all know how life works and when the most unexpected thing happens, she is again faced with Mark, and now she has no clue what to feel.

Her and Mark's attraction is insane I couldn't put the book down, and once we start to learn a little bit more of what happened that night we understand that maybe she was wrong and the infamous rock star might have met her match.

I liked Fox at first, but little by little he is starting to look like the bad guy in this whole situation, I can't help to think that maybe he knows everything and he is the one playing them both to get revenge. You might think I'm crazy but call it a hunch, he gives me a bad feeling.

A thrilling story about love, sex and obsession. This three characters are not really good for one another, and I can't wait to see what happens when all of it explodes in their faces.

I really want her to end up with Mark but lies are like poison and they tend to ruin things in the long run.





COMING SOON

#2 Only Ever You – releasing September 28, 2017


Free in Kindle Unlimited


AUTHOR BIO

Lisa Suzanne is a romance author who resides in Arizona with her husband and baby boy. She’s a former high school English teacher and college composition instructor. When she's not cuddling baby Mason, she can be found working on her latest book or watching reruns of Friends.  

AUTHOR LINKS

Mailing List: http://bit.ly/1TBJi6S





Tuesday, August 29, 2017

Ready to Run (I Do, I Don't #1) by Lauren Layne

My Rating: 5 Stars
Sex Scenes: Yes.
Series: Yes, I Do, I Don't #1.
Subject: Sometimes things are not as they seem.
Synopsis
The Bachelor meets The Runaway Bride in this addictive romance novel about a reality TV producer falling for her would-be star: a Montana heartthrob who wants nothing to do with the show.

Jordan Carpenter thinks she’s finally found the perfect candidate for Jilted, a new dating show about runaway grooms: Luke Elliott, a playboy firefighter who’s left not one but three brides at the altar. The only problem? Luke refuses to answer Jordan’s emails or return her calls. Which is how she ends up on a flight to Montana to recruit him in person. It’s not Manhattan but at least the locals in Lucky Hollow seem friendly . . . except for Luke, who’s more intense—and way hotter—than the slick womanizer Jordan expected.

Eager to put the past behind him, Luke has zero intention of following this gorgeous, fast-talking city girl back to New York. But before he can send her packing, Jordan’s everywhere: at his favorite bar, the county fair, even his exes’ book club. Annoyingly, everyone in Lucky Hollow seems to like her—and deep down, she’s starting to grow on him too. But the more he fights her constant pestering, the more Luke finds himself wishing that Jordan would kick off her high heels and make herself comfortable in his arms. 
















Link to Tour Page: http://tastybooktours.com/tours-master/ready-run-lauren-layne 

Goodreads Link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/33813136-ready-to-run

Goodreads Series Link https://www.goodreads.com/series/196758-i-do-i-don-t



AMAZON | B & N | GOOGLE | ITUNES | KOBO




This book  was perfection! 

From the begging I knew I would love Luke, he was just real. I couldn't believe he was this guy the TV network was looking for because there was no way he could have abandoned three women in the altar.

Jordan is sure he is the guy for her show, but as she gets to know him she realises that things might not be they way she thought and her attraction for him gets stronger by the minute.

The cat and mouse game they start playing is fun for both of them, because Luke doesn't really want her gone and she is definitely not staying because she wants him to be auctioned to the best woman.

They are the perfect fit and little by little they start to fall for one another. Unfortunately they still have so many secrets between them that any little problem could ruin them; and in the end it would be up to them to fight for what their hearts are telling them.

Can you really fall in love that fast?, or is it just the sexual chemistry. Jordan has her career in the line and she is not sure how she will be able to handle letting him go. Luke is just scared, his past marriage failures have taken a toll on him and he is not ready to let go of his guarded heart just yet.

Their biggest challenge will be to trust each other, leave all the drama behind and overcome their fears. Maybe then they'll find the happiness they have been looking for.

A beautiful love story!





About the Author


Lauren Layne is the New York Times bestselling author of romantic comedies. She lives in New York City with her husband.A former e-commerce and web marketing manager from Seattle, Lauren relocated to New York City in 2011 to pursue a full-time writing career. She signed with her agent in 2012, and her first book was published in summer of 2013. Since then, she's written over two dozen books, hitting the USA TODAY, New York Times, iBooks, and Amazon bestseller lists.

WEBSITE   |   FACEBOOK  |   TWITTER  |   GOODREADS








Series Pre-Order Links
RUNAWAY GROOM (Book 2) 


JUST RUN WITH IT (Book 3)


Excerpt #1
Damn. Charlie hadn’t been lying about the hot blonde.
The woman walking straight toward him was all tight jeans, high heels, and confi-dence. And hot. Very, very hot.
Charlie muttered something admiring under his breath, and Luke’s gaze flicked to the man beside the woman. Tried to place him. Couldn’t.
Not too many guys around here who wore light-purple shirts and white pants with the same easy comfort that Lucky Hollow residents wore jeans and flannel.
No doubt about it—neither was from around here. Not by a long shot.
The man was a half step behind the woman, and Luke assessed that the woman was calling the shots.
His eyes narrowed as he realized that she hadn’t once wavered in her approach.
She knew what she was after:
Him.
She got closer and Luke saw that the face matched the body. Wide blue eyes, full lips, sassy shoulder-length blond hair that was just tousled enough to make a man wonder how it had gotten that way—to want to be the one to muss it.
Her gaze flicked over him, and Charlie whistled and muttered under his breath. “She just checked you out, man.”
She had indeed, but Luke was far from flattered. It hadn’t been the assessment of a woman checking out a man so much as a predator evaluating its prey.
As though she was evaluating him for . . . something.
Blondie stopped in front of him, and the second her blue eyes locked on his, Luke felt a little jolt of awareness and was irrationally annoyed. It had been a long time since he’d been quite so aware of a woman.
Once, he’d enjoyed the feeling—sexual chemistry was almost the perfect combination of pain and pleasure. A subtle punch in the gut that you wanted to experience again and again.
These days, though, he was having a hard time getting past the pain part. The shitty parts had outweighed the good parts just one time too many. Now he mostly settled for casual hookups with a divorcée a few towns over who was even less interested in com-mitment than Luke was.
He had zero use for attraction to a pretty, bold woman in high heels.
Luke noticed that for a sheer moment she had a slightly off-balance look, as though she too had felt the annoying zip of arousal when their eyes met, but she recovered quick-ly.
Pasting a sunny, generic smile on her face, she stuck out her right hand. “Luke Elliott. I’m Jordan Carpenter. This is my colleague, Simon Nash.”
Good manners had him setting down his equipment and extending his own right hand toward hers even as his brain caught on her name. Familiar, and . . .
Shit. Shit!
He managed to stop from jerking his hand back, but just barely. Instead, he gritted his teeth, gave her hand a perfunctory shake, and then fixed her with a glare. “You’re wasting your time, Ms. Carpenter. And mine.”
Blue eyes narrowed. “Aha. So you did get my emails.”
Those. The voicemails. The letters.
“Sure,” he said with a nod, shoving his hands in his pockets. “Just like I suspect you got the message that I didn’t want to be a part of your show.”
Charlie looked from the woman to Luke and back again. “Show?”
Ryan ambled over, his shit-eating grin telling Luke that this damn woman had already spilled the beans on why she was here. “Luke’s gonna be a national heartthrob.”
“International,” said the blond guy in the purple shirt.
Jordan Carpenter didn’t look at her companion, but all three firefighters did.
The other man gave the sort of easy smile that probably had him making friends easily. Luke didn’t want a new friend.
Especially not one who wanted to use his shitty romantic past for the sake of TV ratings.



Monday, August 28, 2017

Compromised in Paradise (Compromise Me #3) by Samanthe Beck

My Rating: 4 Stars
Sex Scenes: Yes.
Series: Yes, Compromise Me #3.
Subject: A week Without strings attached.
Synopsis
Stressed out hotel heiress Arden St. Sebastian is in Maui for one thing and one thing only. Work. But when the hottie at the bar buys her a drink to end all frilly umbrella-and-glow stick drinks, she can’t help but accept his unspoken invitation. When they get back to her villa, however, and the sexy moment of truth arrives, she can’t…quite…get there. Again.

ER resident Nick Bancroft can handle a night of fun, anonymous sex, but he draws the line at a fake orgasm. He makes his mystery woman a deal. He’ll take care of her little stress-induced orgasm problem if she’ll spend the next six days exploring the island with him, no questions asked. 

A week of island relaxation on the arm of the sexiest man she’s ever met? Arden’s game. As long as she keeps her identity secret, she’s got nothing to lose…except her heart.





























Arden has had a hard time finding the right person to date, her social status seems to get in the way and most guys can't see past her family name. Until Rider, he is a mystery and she loves every second of the anonymity he has provided her with. 

One week, six dates and the promise of the best sex she has ever had, what could possibly go wrong?

Nick doesn't do commitment and this arrangement with this sexy woman seems like a great plan, until he realises that maybe a week is too short for him to be able to get his fill on this mysterious creature.

Watching them fall for each other while they were busy having the greatest and kinkiest sex ever was super entertaining and fun. They were perfect for each other in every way possible. 

Arden needed to enjoy life again and appreciate the little things and Rider needs to trust people again, opening his heart won't be an easy task but he might be in for a surprise if he takes the leap.

A beautiful story, and two amazing and fun characters. Prepare to fall for this dominant alpha male and his kinky methods for the ultimate soul-deep, hurt so good, cry for mercy cure for stress orgasm.















Sunday, August 13, 2017

Wicked Wish (The Wicked Horse Vegas #2) by Sawyer Bennett

My Rating: 5 Stars
Sex Scenes: Yes.
Series: Yes, The Wicked Horse Vegas #2.
Subject: The one you always loved.
Synopsis
Jorinda Pearce thought she did everything right – graduated from college, married her long-time sweetheart, established a career. But what does she have to show for it now? A degree she doesn’t use, a job she hates, and an ex-husband that broke her heart. 

Looking for a long overdue adventure, Jorie takes a walk on the wild side and attends a masquerade event at The Wicked Horse Vegas. It’s exactly the escape she’s looking for, and even better, she can explore anonymously. Drawn to the man masked in black leather with the body of a god, Jorie finds the greatest pleasures of her life at the hands of a stranger. 

Walsh Brooks is the most sought after man in The Wicked Horse. Sex is nothing but a game to him and he’s the type that will always leave at the end of the night without looking back. Unfortunately for Walsh, there’s no way he can walk away from the mysterious green-eyed beauty behind the mask of sapphire feathers, because he knows exactly who she is.

Jorie is his best friend’s little sister and there’s not another woman in the world that’s more off limits. 


























Another success in the Wicked horse series. 


This time we get to meet Jorie and Walsh, they have a lot of history between them and life has kept them apart until now. A turn of faith puts them back together in an intense situation and even though its wrong they can't seem to stop themselves.

Jorie was hurt again, and Walsh is there to help her, like all those years back, but things are different now, they are not holding back, which scares her but she can't seem to stay away.

He will help her set her inner self free and show her the things she has always wanted.
But Walsh has his owns demons and he is not ready to open up and give himself to her just yet. 
His fears could ruin everything, he needs to accept his feelings and go big or go home. Unfortunately for him, he knows what life without her would be like now he's had her.

Sexy encounters and some emotionally charged scenes make this book an amazing read you wont be able to put it down.

Sometimes the one for you has always been there and you were just too scared to go for it or too distracted to truly see them. Life has this funny way of giving second chances and if you are smart enough you might just achieve happiness the second time around.






EXCERPT
Squaring my shoulders, I march into The Royale and head straight for the concierge desk. I haven’t been in this casino before. Hell, I haven’t been in hardly any of them. Sure, I’d only grown up about forty-five minutes away, but gambling and all-you-can-eat buffets held no interest to me.
From Micah bragging about his best friend over the years, I knew Walsh orchestrated the purchase of the land, then pulled together financing with two other partners to build this casino. It’s one of the most popular on the strip, boasting five-star dining, old-world elegance, and superior customer service. Again, all this from Micah, but honestly… I’m so proud of Walsh, too. We may have lost touch over the years, but I’ll never forget all the ways in which he acted as a big brother to me.
Ick. 
Okay… that’s gross. Thinking of Walsh like a brother. 
I scrub my mind clean of that thought and demand myself never to do that again.
Rather, I’ll never forget all the ways in which Walsh provided me friendship and support in my formative years.
Yes… much better.
“Can I help you?” a man behind the concierge desk asks with a genuine and friendly smile. Not snooty as I would expect in a fancy hotel, and I guess that goes to the superior customer service The Royale strives for.
“Yes… hi,” I say as I nervously tuck my hair behind my ears on both sides. “I need to see Mr. Brooks. How do I go about getting access to his apartment?”
Micah told me some time ago that Walsh lives here.
The concierge never loses his friendly smile, but a single eyebrow arches high at my temerity.
“Oh, gosh,” I stammer. “That came out stalkerish. Mr. Brooks… I mean, Walsh… and I are longtime friends. He used to babysit me.”
“Your name?” the man asks as he pulls up something on his computer.
“Jorie Pearce.”
After a moment of scanning, he looks up at me. “Your name isn’t on the approved list.”
“Well, he’s not exactly expecting me.” 
“I’m sorry, Miss Pearce,” he says with true regret in his voice. “But our policy is strict. No one gets up to the private penthouse without their name on the list.”
I lean on the desk with one elbow and lower my voice. “Just out of curiosity… are there any women on that list?”
The eyebrow shoots up again.
“No, wait,” I say hastily as I hold my palms toward him in a silent plea to not process my last request either mentally or on the computer. “That’s totally stalkerish, and I didn’t mean that.”
“Miss Pearce,” the concierge says, now with a hint of annoyance. “Perhaps you’d like to leave a message? I can get it up to Mr. Brooks today and he can call you.”
“No, I need to see him now,” I tell him firmly. “And I swear it’s not to cook a rabbit in a pot on his stove. Can you please just call up to his apartment?”
“That’s not our policy—”
“Look,” I snap as I lean across the desk slightly. “I’m a lifelong friend of Walsh’s. My brother is his best friend. We lost touch for a few years, but we ran into each other last night. I really need to talk to him about something that happened last night, and I’m not leaving this hotel until you call up to his apartment.”
The eyebrow doesn’t arch but it does draw inward to meet its match on the other side as he considers what I just said.
“I swear to you,” and here I pause to look at his name tag, “Bentley. Please just call him. He won’t be mad.”
With a sigh, he relents and picks up the phone receiver, punching in a five-digit number. After a pause, he says, “Mr. Brooks… I’m very sorry to disturb you, sir, but there’s a Miss Jorie Pearce here to see you. She says she’s a longtime friend.”
I watch as Bentley listens, but I can’t gauge what’s being said as his face remains blank. Finally, he says, “Very good, sir.”
I take this to mean I’ll be getting an escort to the penthouse suite, but Bentley replaces the receiver and says, “I’m sorry, Miss Pearce. But Mr. Walsh told me to tell you he’s busy and can’t receive you right now.”
My eyes narrow at Bentley. “I don’t believe you. Call back and let me talk to him.”
“I assure you, I just talked to him and that’s what he said.”
“Call him back,” I order as I point to the phone.
“I can’t,” he says almost with a wail. “If I do, he’ll fire me.”
Okay, that hits home. I don’t want to get anyone in trouble, so I say, “Fine. Give me just a moment.”
I take a few steps away from the concierge desk and pull my iPhone out. I shoot off a quick text to Micah. What’s Walsh’s phone number?
I wait a few moments, but I know Micah is awake in San Francisco at this hour. His phone is always on, and he never ignores a text from me.
He responds with the number before I can even start to tap my foot with impatience, adding on, Why?
I hate the lie, but I write back, Came to Vegas for the day. Thought I’d see if he could meet up for lunch. Haven’t seen him in years.
Cool, he writes back. Tell him I said, “what’s up, douche?”
I roll my eyes as I text back, Real mature. Love ya. Later.
After I save the number to my contacts, I open a new text to Walsh. Let me up to see you or I’m going straight back to The Wicked Horse to satisfy some further curiosities I have.
I hit send and then walk back to the concierge desk. I merely lean one elbow on it and watch Bentley with a silent smile. The phone rings about ten seconds after that.
Bentley’s eyes fly to mine as he listens, and then says, “Yes, sir. Right away.”
When he replaces the receiver, he says, “I’m to show you to the penthouse elevator.”
“Thank you, Bentley,” I say brightly.








ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Since the release of her debut contemporary romance novel, Off Sides, in January 2013, Sawyer Bennett has released more than 30 books and has been featured on both the USA Today and New York Times bestseller lists on multiple occasions.
A reformed trial lawyer from North Carolina, Sawyer uses real life experience to create relatable, sexy stories that appeal to a wide array of readers. From new adult to erotic contemporary romance, Sawyer writes something for just about everyone.
Sawyer likes her Bloody Marys strong, her martinis dirty, and her heroes a combination of the two. When not bringing fictional romance to life, Sawyer is a chauffeur, stylist, chef, maid, and personal assistant to a very active toddler, as well as full-time servant to two adorably naughty dogs. She believes in the good of others, and that a bad day can be cured with a great work-out, cake, or a combination of the two.




Tuesday, August 8, 2017

Skirt Chaser (Filthy Dirty Love #2) by Stacey Kennedy

My Rating: 5 Stars
Sex Scenes: Yes.
Series: Yes, Filthy Dirty Love #2
Subject: Giving in to temptation.
Synopsis
Love gets filthy in this new erotic romance by USA Today bestselling author, Stacey Kennedy.   

Greyson Crawford works hard by day and plays even harder at night. And he understands and obeys the rules of the game. One, don’t mix business and pleasure. Two, employees are off-limits. So, he’s been eagerly counting down the days until interior designer, Evie Richards is no longer under contract with his Seattle architecture firm. But when that day comes, he realizes there are more obstacles in his way. The biggest…Evie herself. 

Until Evie gets asked to be the maid-of-honor in her best friend’s destination wedding, and Evie needs a date. The circumstances are perfect for Greyson to set his plan of seduction into motion. He will happily play the boyfriend for the wedding event, if Evie will surrender to his every command and play in his bed. 


For Evie, it’s all fun and games until Greyson’s first touch; then she begins to question what’s real. She knows better than to fall for a guy like Greyson—a skirt chasing ladies’ man—but with every slow caress and kinky adventure, she realizes that Greyson knows what he wants, and it isn’t just her body surrendering to him…it’s her heart.
















Such an amazing read!

Stacey is one of my favorite authors and I can’t help but fall in love with all of her awesome characters, so don’t expect me to be impartial about this!

Let’s talk about Greyson and Evie, from the moment we meet them we can tell they are going to be explosive together, and the fact that they have been holding themselves back till the end of her contract just makes the anticipation higher.

Greyson wants her and he won’t take no for an answer, he can see in her eyes she wants him too so he makes an offer she can’t deny. 

I was certain his feelings for her were more than just dominance and sex, he had a deep connection with her that couldn’t be faked, and once she surrendered to his control he was down for the count.

Evie was such a beautiful character to get to know; she was so strong that she had never run from any situation, even the ones that caused her incredible pain. She believed in the good in people and true love, and by doing that she gave everyone that was close to her everything she had.

Now being with Greyson was a whole different story, she didn't even realise she was opening up to him and when she felt exposed she run, because deep down she knew the power he had over her and the destruction he could bring down on her.

Opening up to new things and trusting each other is their biggest challenge. They are so different, but at the same time both need to let go of the limitations they have imposed to themselves, and they might be surprise to what happens then.

A beautiful love story, I couldn't put the book down.









Exclusive Excerpt

Intent and careful to take his time not to scare any other employees in the restroom, Grey entered the simple and modern bathroom with the five stalls. Only one door was closed, and there was no one at the sink, so he moved toward the vanity and leaned against it. Hands shoved into his pockets, he stared at the closed door, giving Evie the time she needed. That’s when he heard her soft cries, and with those pained noises, something inside of him tensed. 
It was a sensation strong enough to make him question what it was about this woman that drew him in so intently. She’d gotten a grip on his mind and body so tightly that he pondered her situation, and his, and what he could do about both. He’d become so lost in his thoughts that he didn’t realize she’d opened the door until she was leaving the stall and striding out.
Head down, she hadn’t noticed him yet, so he called out to her, “Evie.”
Her head snapped up, a scream ripping from her throat, hands pressing against her chest. “Holy shit!”
He couldn’t help but chuckle. “I’m sorry for scaring you.” His amusement washed away when he took a good look at her face. There was so much pain there. He didn’t like it.  
The shock from her face slowly faded. “Why are you in here?” she asked.
“To return your phone to you.” He moved to her, watching her following his every step. The heat in her eyes was instant, and that’d always been the problem. She wanted him. Christ, did she want him, he could tell. But she was smart and clever, never one to cross the professional line either. She was also a good girl, who likely needed love before sex. Maybe that was the real reason she didn’t ever cross the line. Maybe it was less about the job and more about protecting her heart from a guy that screamed danger. He could understand why.
Though he never was a man who took the easy road, and he sure as shit liked a challenge. He stared into her gorgeous eyes, and a plan formed. One that got him what he wanted, and yet would benefit her, too. He’d never been a sly or shady guy, but he was a good businessman. And that meant using a situation to his advantage. 
“So, that’s it. You got out the good cry you needed to,” he said to her, and he liked the way her lips parted when he leaned in toward her; it showed him just how much she yearned for his kiss. “Your ex is marrying your best friend,” he added. “He’s an asshole. She’s a bitch. This is happening, but it’s how you deal with it that truly matters.”
“He’s not an asshole,” she said softly, shaking her head. “And she’s not a bitch. I’ve helped plan their wedding for the last year, and I’m happy for them. I think…maybe it hadn’t sunk in or something.” She drew in a deep breath, releasing it out her nose and added with a soft smile, “But I’m better now. I’m sorry I fell apart out there.” 
“One, I disagree with you,” he retorted sternly. “I’m not convinced these aren’t terrible people. And two, do not apologize that their selfishness hurt you. In fact, I’d say it’s time to get revenge.” 
The side of her mouth arched slightly. He noted her long exhale, and he knew that had nothing to do with emotions. That it was this push and pull thing going on between them. Call it chemistry, intensity, whatever, it was as addictive as it was captivating. “How exactly do I do that?” She grabbed a paper towel, got it a bit wet with cold water, and then began wiping off her makeup, adding, “Murder them?” She gave him her sexy smile that pooled heat in his groin. 
Grey chuckled, leaning his hip against the counter. “Perhaps that’s a bit extreme. Murder means jail time, and you going away is definitely not what I want.”
She slowly glanced at him then, cheeks flushing pink, and the dilation of her pupils was obvious. That look had snagged him the very first day after his COO hired her to design the lobby of the interior of their latest multi-million-dollar high-rise. 
Now, the look intensified, hardening his cock, centering his mind on all the wicked things he’d like to do to her. He stepped toward her, as she spun around, leaning against the counter, wide eyes on him. There was something about her, maybe her innocence, maybe this unexplainable connection that had only grown since he worked alongside her, but it captured him in an unbreakable spell.
In the seconds that passed, the desire practically wafted off her, scented so sweet his cock went hard just that easily. As it always did, the space between them felt charged with electricity, but he’d never gotten this close to her before. He never let her feel the extent of how he wanted her. Now, he held nothing back.
“I have a better idea than jail time,” he told her, giving her enough distance that if she wanted to move and leave the bathroom, she could. When she stayed put, he added, “Show these bastards up. Take me with you, and make them both ragingly jealous.”
Her eyes searched his, then she broke out in loud laughter. “Yeah, right. Hilarious.”
She might have said one thing, but the only thing he noticed was that she wasn’t moving, eyes locked on him. “I’m not kidding,” he said, erasing the distance between them, placing both hands on either side of her, trapping her between him and the counter.
“You’re not kidding,” she said, more of a statement than a question.
Grey glanced from her bottom lip she nibbled to her flushed cheeks to her smoldering eyes… Christ, what he’d do to this woman. It would be indecent. “I would never joke about something that so clearly upsets you,” he told her seriously. “I can only imagine you want to one-up them. I know I would. Use me to do it.” 
“She’s my best friend,” she said softly. “I don’t need to one-up her.”
He let his gaze roam over her pretty face before looking into her smoldering eyes again. “Tell me it’s never crossed your mind what it would feel like to walk in there not like a sad third wheel but like a woman who owns the world.” 
“And how would that ever happen?’ 
“You’ll have me on your arm.” 
Her mouth twisted. “You’re pretty sure of yourself.”
“Angel, I am never the third wheel of anything,” he told her, dead serious. “I’m the engine, the accelerator, and the whole damn car.” 
She swallowed deeply and studied him, hard. “All right,” she eventually said, “say I’m game and actually agree to this crazy plan, what do you get out of it?”
“I get you.” He brought his mouth close enough to tease her. She wanted his kiss, angling her head backward, parting her lips. He dragged his nose across hers, and added, “I get to have you in all the ways you know I want you. Beneath me, over me, against a wall, on your knees, screaming my name, whatever I want. Completely under my control.” And to ensure there were no misunderstandings, he sternly added, “My game. My rules. Your surrender, until we’re back in Seattle.”
In a breathy voice, she asked, “Tell me why any sane woman would do this?”
He grinned at her—a sly smile that worked its charm on many women but seemed to have an even greater effect on her. He watched the way the heat rippled through her, and her breath grew rough and raspy, and fuck, did he want to make her moan.
“First, and most importantly,” he answered, staying on point, “you will do this because we both know you’ve been looking for a good reason to say yes to a little guilt-free, no-strings-attached with me. So, here it is. I’m giving you the perfect scenario for us to make that happen. The rules are clear. There can be no misunderstandings.”
She hadn’t blinked. “And second?”
“Secondly,” he said, moving his nose to her neck, inhaling her scent of sugar and spice while he slid back up her smooth skin to her ear, feeling her shuddering under his touch. “I’m that guy that every woman, including your bitch of a best friend, will want.” He lifted his head, staring into her lust-filled eyes. “I’m the perfect guy to show your shithead ex-boyfriend you’ve moved up in the world.”
She finally blinked. “When exactly would this arrangement start?”
“Tonight. My house. Eight o’clock. Bring your suitcase.” He paused, considered his next steps. “Send your flight and resort details to my email so I can get that squared away.” 
She nodded. “Okay.” 
He took her chin, tilting her eyes to lock onto his. “The proper reply is: ‘Yes, Grey, I agree to your terms.’”
Silence fell.
A slowly seductive, delicious darkness slid over her eyes with her grin. “Yes, Grey, I agree to your terms.”






About the Author
USA Today bestselling author Stacey Kennedy has written more than 30 romances, including titles in her wildly hot Club Sin, Dirty Little Secrets, and Filthy Dirty Love series. Her books are about real people with real-life problems, searching for that special thing we call love…in a very sexy way. When she’s not burning up the pages and setting e-readers ablaze, she’s living her happily ever after with her husband and two young children in southwestern Ontario. She’s a firm believer that wine, chocolate, and sinfully sexy books can cure all of life’s problems. To keep in touch with Stacey, get updates right to your inbox at staceykennedy.com/newsletter/.