An enemies to lovers, forced proximity, marriage of convenience, best friend’s brother, step-brother, road trip romance.
She needs arm candy, he needs her insurance, but first, they need to drive across the country without killing each other.
Eli
Since the first day of kindergarten, I have hated Alexandra Hartford.
And twenty-something years later that hasn’t changed.
But she has.
She’s still a tomboy with a chip on her shoulder, but now she’s a hot tomboy with a chip on her tattooed shoulder who can fight like a badass.
I’d still rather have a bath with fire ants than spend ten days in a car with her, but she has something I need.
Once the deal is done, we can go our separate ways.
That is … if I want to.
Alex
Eli Evans is my nemesis.
He blames me for his sister’s death, our parents’ divorces, and probably global warming, too.
Why on Earth would I help him?
Because he’s as easy on the eyes as he is the bane of my existence and I need a hot date to a wedding in San Diego.
Can we drive across the country without me leaving him at a truck stop somewhere? I doubt it.
But, I’m willing to try.
Ten days in a car, a wedding, and a marriage of convenience, then I’m done with him forever.
Right?
Excerpt
Swallowing, I did as he said, following Allegra and her posse to their table with my eyes and keeping a super big, super fake smile on my face.
Murmurs behind us at their table made my ears perk up and the hair on my arms began to tingle.
“They did it on purpose. It was a joint effort,” Eli said. “They’re talking about how we foiled them right now and deciding whether it’s worth causing a fuss over. If they come to our table, you do not say a word, understand?”
I nodded.
“Good girl.”
I sipped my wine, hating that my hand trembled as I brought it to my lips.
A throat cleared behind us.
I set my wineglass down on the table and lifted my head, turning away from Eli. He squeezed my hand.
“Allegra, you look beautiful,” Eli said. “Tavia, Kymberli, Selena, Gina, radiant, ladies. Radiant.”
“Thank you,” they all said, their voices breathy and croony.
“I think there’s been a mix-up,” Kymberli said. “Eli, you’re supposed to be at the table with us.”
Eli sipped his whiskey and fixed them all with a very bored look. “Yeah, I saw that. But I figured it had to be a mistake, since why would I, a plus one who all you guys have never met before, be with the bride and groom and the bridesmaids? And why would Alex be at a table with a bunch of single aunts and uncles?” He glanced at the table I was supposed to be at. “So I just fixed things. Besides, based on the horrible shit Keith was saying about his wife last night, I figured they wouldn’t want to sit with each other. And he’s the best man, isn’t he? Shouldn’t he be there?”
The women’s faces all went red.
“We just wanted to get to know you better,” Tavia said, her eyes darting to Allegra for approval as she twisted her fingers in front of her.
Eli shrugged. “Appreciate it, but I wouldn’t feel right having laughs with you guys while my wife was all the way across the room. We’ll be sitting here tonight.”
I risked another glance at their faces as I sipped my wine.
It was all I could do not to smile, let alone laugh.
They were all opening their mouths and closing them, but no words were coming out.
“No harm, no foul,” Eli said. “Return to your tables, ladies. I’m sure we can catch up and you can get to know me better a little later.” He left zero room for argument and basically told them to git, only in a much more commanding, alpha, hot-as-fuck way.
I could see all their spines straighten, but at the same time, they melted.
Yeah, Eli had that effect on people. Women in particular, anyway.
He lifted his brow at them. “Anything else?”
They shook their heads.
“All right, good girls. Bye.”
Four sets of pupils dilated, and not that I was thinking about their underwear, but I would bet a lot of money that from those two little words, good girls, that all four women were wet as fuck. I know I was.
They turned around and walked back to their table, and only once they’d sat down did Eli remove his hand from mine, cup the back of my head and pull my mouth to his for a kiss.
I was breathless and wanting more when he pulled away, his eyelids hooded and filled with lust. “You are ten times the woman, person and wife those harpies are. You don’t need them. You don’t need their validation, approval or friendship. They are not your friends. Got it?”
I nodded.
“But if this is what you need to do, I will support you. I will have your back. I will always have your back.”
I nodded again.
“Drink your wine.”
I lifted the glass and took a sip, flushed from how turned on I was right now.
“Good girl.”
Well, shit, now I had to worry about a damn wet spot on my dress.
A doctor/matchmaker romantic comedy
It’s all fun and games until somebody falls in love.
Riley
As a surgical resident, my ego is beyond healthy.
So when Daisy, the stubborn and sexy matchmaker, challenges me during night trivia at the local pub, it’s impossible for me to say no.
If I win–she owes me three epic dates where I pull out all the stops to woo her.
If she wins–no dates and I walk home naked.
It’s the summer, what’s an eight-block stroll home in my birthday suit?
Since she’s already smitten with me, this is going to be a breeze.
How can I say no to a sure thing?
Daisy
Riley’s sizzling looks are nothing compared to his arrogance. His god-complex eclipses his charm.
Forcing him to walk home naked is just too tempting to pass up.
It’s just a friendly bet. But the stakes grow too high when fate keeps shoving him in my path.
I don’t need my matchmaker test to prove that we’re not meant to be, despite what he says.
My heart is still recovering from my last dating disaster. I find love for other people, not myself.
But I’ll get him to take the test anyway. I’ll show him that we’re wrong for each other.
We are 100% incompatible and any attraction is purely physical.
At least that’s what I keep telling myself.
Excerpt
“You’re a big personality,” I said. “But no, you’re not annoying, and I do like you.”
His gaze shifted from mine to the flames, and he adjusted his hot dog, dropping it to hover just above the coals.
As hard as I tried, though, I couldn’t keep my eyes off his pants.
It’s been a LONG dry spell, girlie. What’s one night?
What happens in the cabin stays in the cabin?
I reached for my wine.
“Just think about it. If you like me as a friend, liking me as more isn’t too far off, right?” He gave his hot dog an inspection before pulling it out of the fireplace and jerking his chin toward the stack of buns I’d found in the freezer. “Grab me one, please.”
I did as he asked, once again my gut getting knotty as I cupped the hotdog with the bun and slid it off the stick.
I was twenty-eight years old, for crying out loud. I had a thriving business, a condo, a car, my 401K was impressive for my age, and yet I was getting giggly and squirmy at the childish act of cupping his hot dog in my bun. All I wanted to do was laugh.
He thanked me and took the hot dog and bun from me, squirting on the ketchup and mustard before taking a big, manly bite.
“Mmm, you did good picking that bun for me. Nice and soft. Just perfect for my wiener.”
Unable to keep the laughter at bay any longer, I picked up an olive and tossed it at him, hitting him square between the eyes.
“Hey!” In retaliation, he picked up an olive and tossed it at me, but I was ready for him and opened my mouth, catching it like a pro … or an obedient dog. I refused to think too hard about which one I better personified. My brother and I used to play this game with olives, mini marshmallows, peanuts or whatever for hours when we stayed in the cabin.
“You can’t resist the innuendos, can you?” I asked, topping off our wine and chewing my olive.
“I can’t resist them when they make you smile like that or earn me one of those sexy giggles.” He finished his hot dog and washed it down with a sip of wine. “You seriously have the best smile.”
There he went again with the compliments and the irresistible handsomeness.
And don’t forget those pajamas.
I risked another glance at the pants.
“Eyes up here, lady.”
Dammit.
A single dad, firefighter, BDSM, rom-com
Sam
Since the moment I laid eyes on her I’ve wanted her.
But I wasn’t ready.
The kids were my world and my wounds were still raw.
For six months, I watched her from afar. Dreamed of her, lusted after her, fantasized…
But all that’s about to change. I’m finally ready to take the plunge and start dating again. And now that I know she’s single, I’m going to do this right and win Harper. I want her mind, I want her body, I want her heart.
And when she gives me all access, no limits, I know she’s the one for me.
Harper
He’s the one we all call Hot Dad at playgroup. The one who makes my knees weak and my panties wet every time he walks through the door. We all eye-fuck the bejesus out of him, and dream of his tongue between our legs.
But my kid is my world, and I’m a frumpy mom with a hole in the bum of her yoga pants. What could he ever see in me? So when Sam calls out of the blue, I’m stunned.
Now if only the kids can stop cock-blocking us, and his psycho ex would go away.
He’s turned out to be a master Dom and I’m willing and eager to be taught how to be the perfect little submissive.
Excerpt
“Jesus Murphy,” Amy said with a whisper chuckle. “You two need to go get a room. There are children here. You can cut the sexual tension in this place with a knife.”
I shook my head, removing my gaze from Sam. He didn’t follow but instead continued to watch me. I let out a huff as I turned to face Amy. “It’s all him. He’s looking at me like he wants to take me into the janitor’s closet and have his way with me.”
She elbowed me in the ribs and bobbed her eyebrows. “Maybe he does.”
A few moments later, I was busy chatting with my mom posse, trying my damnedest to ignore Sam when my phone vibrated in my pocket.
S: You look really nice today. I like the high-tops. ; )
Did he just winky-face me?
I glanced up to find him with his back to me as he played trains with Landon. I texted him back.
H: Are you TRYING to out us to the “coven”?
S: The coven?
H: My mom posse.
S: You call yourselves the coven?
H: As a joke. More importantly, are you trying to out us? Those looks were anything but innocent. Amy said she could cut the tension in this room with a knife.
Notice I didn’t say sexual tension. I’d had to delete that at first. I didn’t want to presume anything or, more importantly, give him any ammo.
S: What kind of “tension” are you referring to? I’m not tense. Are you tense? Why are you tense?
Damn him! Even when he was texting and not even looking at me, he was being cute and getting me all flustered.
H: I think you know EXACTLY what kind of tension.
S: Sexual?
H: Oh God!
S: You’re blushing.
My head popped up from my phone. Sure enough, he had swiveled his big sexy body back around and was sitting cross-legged on the floor with Landon, his phone in his hand.
H: Because you’re trying to embarrass me.
S: I’m not trying to do anything but get to know you. And now I know you embarrass easily. I also know I like it when you wear that tight sweater. Shows off your …
With a wry smile, I lifted my head. He was watching me. My phone vibrated again, and I looked down.
S: Elbows. You have GREAT elbows.
H: You’re incorrigible.
S: I prefer the word smitten, but to each their own.
Five snowy nights, six lonely hearts and a whole lot of mistletoe …
Christmas, a time when dreams come true, finds six lonely singles tricked into spending the holiday in a romantic cabin in the heart of Washington’s snowy Snoqualmie Pass.
Dr. Will Colson, an ornery, overworked ER doctor, longs to get away and ignore the holiday, and Amber Roth, a feisty contractor with a chip on her shoulder, has a secret she’s kept for much too long. Then there’s Rowan Briggs, a talented chef who doesn’t know when to shut his trap, and brilliant author Juniper Davis, who’s almost given up on love. Entrepreneur Hunter Kingsley simply wants to fill her empty heart and go on an adventure, and finally, there’s Austin Masters, the nerdy scientist with a penchant for fire and a bumbling awkwardness that always lands him in a tight spot.
Sparks fly and secrets are revealed during their five days together, but it’s more than holiday whimsy and the spirit of the season that have their hearts aflutter. This year, Christmas magic – and sizzling attraction – might lead them to their true love, who could be right in front of them, standing beneath the mistletoe.
Excerpt
Eventually, he pulled away. She whimpered in refusal, her hands tightening around his back. She gripped his shirt in her tight little fists. Amusement flowed through him, and he laughed low and deep in his chest as he pulled her bottom lip between his teeth. She whimpered again, this time pressing her hips against him for a half a second.
Oh, fucking Christ, the woman is going to kill me.
Will swallowed, then looked down at her. “Even if Daisy didn’t match us . . . for the next five days, you’re mine, Little Red. Got it?” Then, leaning forward and deliberately brushing his bicep across her breast, he grabbed Operation, Risk, and Scrabble before heading back to the living room.
Life is full of second chances …
Piper Valentine knows all too well that life is short. Off to Peru to heal after a grievous loss, she finds more than solace in the hot, charismatic travel journalist sitting across from her on the airplane. Derrick King’s had a brush with death, too, but he has no idea that he’ll face it again—and again—after giving in to his instant attraction to Piper. Their journey to the top of the world, filled with parties, humor, and fun, is turned topsy-turvy as they’re pursued by mysterious gunmen.
Determined to reach Machu Picchu and fulfill her promise to her dead husband, Piper finds that having Derrick along makes her feel safer, even as his lust for her endangers her heart. She’s never found another man so sensual, and with danger on their trail, they keep ending up in each other’s arms. Derrick’s a man with needs—and secrets. Will Piper find strength in surrender? And can Derrick find a way to believe in a future—for both of them?
Excerpt
He stretched his arm across the aisle. “I’m Derrick.”
Nice hands! Big and tanned, with a dusting of dark hair on the wrist and knuckles, trimmed short nails and thick calluses. I swallowed at the idea of finally getting to touch him. Holy Jesus, woman, calm yourself! Giddily, I took his hand. “Piper.”
“Nice to meet you, Piper.”
“Nice to meet you, Derrick.”
“So…uh, what are your plans in Lima?”
I closed my book and stowed it in the pocket of the seat in front of me. “I don’t want to spend too much time in Lima. Just use it as a hub to get up to Cusco, Iquitos, Puno, maybe Mancora, if I have the time. What about you?”
He nodded. “Machu Picchu is pretty much the only reason I’m here. It’s on the bucket list. And then I’m going to head to Santiago and fly from there to Easter Island.”
“Ooh, Easter Island, that sounds awesome.”
He nodded again. “Another bucket list item.”
“Cool.” The rattling of the drink cart coming toward us made both of our eyes flash up. I could totally go for some wine.
“So… where uh…where in Lima are you staying?”
I took a sip of my water. “The uh…The Inca Treasure Hostel, in Miraflores. What about you?”
The cart wheeled between us, and I had to wait. I ordered and accepted my wine, pleased and surprised that the Argentinian Malbec they had was actually pretty decent.
“So…” I asked, noticing the beer in front of him.
He popped the tab on his can and looked at me; my whole body was vibrating from the intensity of his stare. Dear lord, the man was handsome. “The Inca Treasure Hostel…in Miraflores.”
I took another sip of my wine; suddenly my mouth had become incredibly dry.
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