Erin Nicholas's Blog - Posts Tagged "friends-to-lovers"
Nice and Easy is almost here!
I'm SO excited that you all get to dive into Nice and Easy on Tuesday!! (Feb 12th :) )
Nice and Easy wasn't, well, easy to write! lol! And it took me a long time to figure out why. Actually, it took author friend Lila Dubois to figure out why!
I was gritting my teeth and cursing at Caleb and Lexi for not doing things my way one day while chatting on Facebook with Lila, Mari Carr, and Erin McCarthy. My problem? Caleb and Lexi were too perfect for one another. They already had the co-parenting and friendship thing worked out. They loved each other's kids. They had a ton of chemistry. So why couldn't they just be together already? Why even write the book? They already had their happily ever after right in front of them.
But, well, that's not how romance novels work, right? :) There has to be SOME obstacle for them to figure out, some way for them to grow, something that makes them truly think about if the relationship is worth it.
Lila fixed the problem for me when she said, "So he's the big hero, the guy who fixes everything for her, the one with all the answers, right?"
Me: "Yep."
Her: "Then you have to come up with something he *can't* fix. Something that goes against his world view of taking care of her and doing everything right."
Me, "Oooooh."
Nice and Easy
And, being me, I didn't just come up with one thing Caleb had to struggle with (hint, something with one of the kids), but TWO things... including something that Lexi needed and wanted from him, that he wasn't sure he could deliver. In the bedroom.
This took the story in a whole new, very fun, very satisfying direction! Nothing I love more than seeing an uber-confident, alpha guy face the fact that he's not good at *everything*...and then work his ass off to figure out a way to BE good at those things too for the woman he loves!
I can't wait for you to see how Lexi and Caleb really figure everything out, including how to love each other exactly the way they both need to be loved!
xoxo
Erin
Nice and Easy wasn't, well, easy to write! lol! And it took me a long time to figure out why. Actually, it took author friend Lila Dubois to figure out why!
I was gritting my teeth and cursing at Caleb and Lexi for not doing things my way one day while chatting on Facebook with Lila, Mari Carr, and Erin McCarthy. My problem? Caleb and Lexi were too perfect for one another. They already had the co-parenting and friendship thing worked out. They loved each other's kids. They had a ton of chemistry. So why couldn't they just be together already? Why even write the book? They already had their happily ever after right in front of them.
But, well, that's not how romance novels work, right? :) There has to be SOME obstacle for them to figure out, some way for them to grow, something that makes them truly think about if the relationship is worth it.
Lila fixed the problem for me when she said, "So he's the big hero, the guy who fixes everything for her, the one with all the answers, right?"
Me: "Yep."
Her: "Then you have to come up with something he *can't* fix. Something that goes against his world view of taking care of her and doing everything right."
Me, "Oooooh."
Nice and Easy
And, being me, I didn't just come up with one thing Caleb had to struggle with (hint, something with one of the kids), but TWO things... including something that Lexi needed and wanted from him, that he wasn't sure he could deliver. In the bedroom.
This took the story in a whole new, very fun, very satisfying direction! Nothing I love more than seeing an uber-confident, alpha guy face the fact that he's not good at *everything*...and then work his ass off to figure out a way to BE good at those things too for the woman he loves!
I can't wait for you to see how Lexi and Caleb really figure everything out, including how to love each other exactly the way they both need to be loved!
xoxo
Erin
Sugarcoated, Hot Cakes book one
Sugarcoated is coming soon!
The first book in the brand new rom com series, Hot Cakes!
I can't wait for you to meet Aiden and Zoe along with all of their friends (who are all getting books ;) )!
Here's a peek at this brother's best friend, friends to lovers, funny, hot small town rom com!
He might be her brother’s best friend, but he didn’t care.
This was happening.
He pulled back and looked down at her, still holding her against the fridge.
She was flushed, her lips dark pink, her pupils dilated, and she was breathing hard.
She was also wrapped around him like a spider monkey on a banana tree.
Slowly she pulled in a deep breath and blinked.
“Surprised?” he asked, his voice gruff.
She licked her recently ravaged lips. And nodded. “Um, yeah.”
He pressed her more firmly into the fridge to hold her up and brought the cake ball he was still holding to his mouth. He bit into it as she watched, her breathing still uneven.
He gave her a cocky smirk. “I intend to have my cake and eat it too, Zoe.”
Grab it from your favorite ebook retailer today!!
The first book in the brand new rom com series, Hot Cakes!
I can't wait for you to meet Aiden and Zoe along with all of their friends (who are all getting books ;) )!
Here's a peek at this brother's best friend, friends to lovers, funny, hot small town rom com!
He might be her brother’s best friend, but he didn’t care.
This was happening.
He pulled back and looked down at her, still holding her against the fridge.
She was flushed, her lips dark pink, her pupils dilated, and she was breathing hard.
She was also wrapped around him like a spider monkey on a banana tree.
Slowly she pulled in a deep breath and blinked.
“Surprised?” he asked, his voice gruff.
She licked her recently ravaged lips. And nodded. “Um, yeah.”
He pressed her more firmly into the fridge to hold her up and brought the cake ball he was still holding to his mouth. He bit into it as she watched, her breathing still uneven.
He gave her a cocky smirk. “I intend to have my cake and eat it too, Zoe.”
Grab it from your favorite ebook retailer today!!
Sneak Peek at Gimme S'more!
An hour later, he was standing outside her hotel room door.
“Piper! It’s me!” He pounded on the door with his closed fist. Again. He’d already knocked. Then pounded. Now he was pounding again and wondering how much he’d have to pay the hotel manager, Stan, to get a key to Piper’s room.
They had the only two suites on this floor so he wasn’t bothering anyone else with his yelling. He could maybe get the heavy lamp by his window and knock her door down. That would probably bother Ken, but Ollie could deal with that later.
“Pi—”
Her door swung open in the middle of her name.
Piper stood there staring at him with wide eyes. “Somebody better be in the hospital or you’d better be bleeding from a major artery.”
He heard what she said. But he couldn’t process an answer. Because Piper was standing in the doorway in a robe, with her hair wrapped up in a towel on top of her head.
The robe was black. And silky. And short. Very short.
It wrapped around her and tied in the front, as robes did, and created a deep V between her breasts.
Her gorgeous, very generous—and did he mention gorgeous?—breasts.
Ollie was a little clueless—even he would admit that—but he wasn’t dead. Which meant that he’d noticed Piper’s very generous curves long ago.
The way she dressed would have made it impossible not to. Her dresses were bright and unusual and even the ones that didn’t hug her hips and ass, caressed her breasts. She also drew attention to all those curves with big belts and bright scarves and other accessories.
The woman liked to draw attention to herself and he always happily gave it.
This robe was nothing like any of those dresses. It wasn’t brightly colored. There were no earrings, no wedge heels, no bows. Just a lot of silk—both in the robe and the skin that stretched below the short hem.
He’d never seen her dressed like this. Not in any of the five years he’d known her. She was always put together, perfectly coordinated, looking kick ass, and untouchable.
Now she looked… very fucking touchable.
Except for the look on her face. And the way she propped her hand on her hip.
“Oliver,” she said firmly.
His gaze lifted to her face. Away from her legs.
Damn, the girl had some great legs.
That shouldn’t be a new revelation. She wore skirts and heels every day. He’d definitely noticed her legs before.
But there was something about this robe or her hair being up in a towel or the way she smelled or this doorway or… he had no idea, but this was different. Her legs had never looked like this.
“Oliver,” she said again, snapping her fingers in front of his face.
“What?”
“What?” she repeated. “You’re beating on my door, scaring the hell out of me, making me get out of the shower to come see what was wrong with you, and you’re asking me what?”
Coming January 19th!
Preorder now!
Amazon: https://amzn.to/2Rbi0Zv
Apple: https://apple.co/2ETK553
Kobo: http://bit.ly/Gimme-Smore-Kobo
Nook: http://bit.ly/Gimme-Smore-nook
Google Play: http://bit.ly/Gimme-Smore-GP
Paperback and Audio coming too!
“Piper! It’s me!” He pounded on the door with his closed fist. Again. He’d already knocked. Then pounded. Now he was pounding again and wondering how much he’d have to pay the hotel manager, Stan, to get a key to Piper’s room.
They had the only two suites on this floor so he wasn’t bothering anyone else with his yelling. He could maybe get the heavy lamp by his window and knock her door down. That would probably bother Ken, but Ollie could deal with that later.
“Pi—”
Her door swung open in the middle of her name.
Piper stood there staring at him with wide eyes. “Somebody better be in the hospital or you’d better be bleeding from a major artery.”
He heard what she said. But he couldn’t process an answer. Because Piper was standing in the doorway in a robe, with her hair wrapped up in a towel on top of her head.
The robe was black. And silky. And short. Very short.
It wrapped around her and tied in the front, as robes did, and created a deep V between her breasts.
Her gorgeous, very generous—and did he mention gorgeous?—breasts.
Ollie was a little clueless—even he would admit that—but he wasn’t dead. Which meant that he’d noticed Piper’s very generous curves long ago.
The way she dressed would have made it impossible not to. Her dresses were bright and unusual and even the ones that didn’t hug her hips and ass, caressed her breasts. She also drew attention to all those curves with big belts and bright scarves and other accessories.
The woman liked to draw attention to herself and he always happily gave it.
This robe was nothing like any of those dresses. It wasn’t brightly colored. There were no earrings, no wedge heels, no bows. Just a lot of silk—both in the robe and the skin that stretched below the short hem.
He’d never seen her dressed like this. Not in any of the five years he’d known her. She was always put together, perfectly coordinated, looking kick ass, and untouchable.
Now she looked… very fucking touchable.
Except for the look on her face. And the way she propped her hand on her hip.
“Oliver,” she said firmly.
His gaze lifted to her face. Away from her legs.
Damn, the girl had some great legs.
That shouldn’t be a new revelation. She wore skirts and heels every day. He’d definitely noticed her legs before.
But there was something about this robe or her hair being up in a towel or the way she smelled or this doorway or… he had no idea, but this was different. Her legs had never looked like this.
“Oliver,” she said again, snapping her fingers in front of his face.
“What?”
“What?” she repeated. “You’re beating on my door, scaring the hell out of me, making me get out of the shower to come see what was wrong with you, and you’re asking me what?”
Coming January 19th!
Preorder now!
Amazon: https://amzn.to/2Rbi0Zv
Apple: https://apple.co/2ETK553
Kobo: http://bit.ly/Gimme-Smore-Kobo
Nook: http://bit.ly/Gimme-Smore-nook
Google Play: http://bit.ly/Gimme-Smore-GP
Paperback and Audio coming too!
Ollie and Piper are coming soon!
Gimme S'more, the sixth (and last) book in the Hot Cakes series is coming next week!!
Piper Barry was in love with an amazing, brilliant, funny, good-looking man.
Who, at least twice a day, she wanted to smother with the stuffed dragon that sat on the corner of his desk.
Okay, maybe not smother. That was extreme.
But duct tape over his mouth? Oh yeah, she thought about that often.
“Is spit better than snot?” Oliver Caprinelli, that man—and her boss—asked her as she crossed his office to refill the water pitcher by the window.
“In every single context, yes.” Piper was also aware that in any other workplace with any other boss, that question would be strange. Here though, not so much.
On her way back past his desk, she set the two folders and the manila envelope she carried in front of him. He was just one of her five bosses and the least likely to open those folders or that envelope. She put them down anyway.
“Grant said that a soda flavor called unicorn piss wouldn’t sell well,” Ollie said, almost as if he was thinking out loud.
He did that a lot. Thought out loud.
That never stopped Piper from chiming in though.
“And you think that calling it unicorn snot would make it sell better?”
This wasn’t even the strangest conversation she’d ever had with Ollie.
“Wouldn’t you assume that unicorn piss or snot tasted good?”
She wrinkled her nose. “No.”
“Why not?”
“Uh, piss and snot.”
“But unicorn,” he insisted.
“I have never, not once, thought about the taste of unicorn… anything.”
“Well, think about it now. Yes, good?”
What she thought was that working for Oliver Caprinelli would be a lot better if he didn’t think out loud.
If he just sat there looking cute, things would be great.
You can read the rest of Chapter One right here!
https://erinnicholas.com/gimme-smore-...
And don't forget to pre-order!
Amazon: https://amzn.to/2Rbi0Zv
Apple: https://apple.co/2ETK553
Kobo: http://bit.ly/Gimme-Smore-Kobo
Nook: http://bit.ly/Gimme-Smore-nook
GP: http://bit.ly/Gimme-Smore-GP
Paperback: https://amzn.to/2Rbi0Zv
Audio coming too!
Add to your Goodreads Want to Read shelf! http://bit.ly/HotCakes-Goodreads
Piper Barry was in love with an amazing, brilliant, funny, good-looking man.
Who, at least twice a day, she wanted to smother with the stuffed dragon that sat on the corner of his desk.
Okay, maybe not smother. That was extreme.
But duct tape over his mouth? Oh yeah, she thought about that often.
“Is spit better than snot?” Oliver Caprinelli, that man—and her boss—asked her as she crossed his office to refill the water pitcher by the window.
“In every single context, yes.” Piper was also aware that in any other workplace with any other boss, that question would be strange. Here though, not so much.
On her way back past his desk, she set the two folders and the manila envelope she carried in front of him. He was just one of her five bosses and the least likely to open those folders or that envelope. She put them down anyway.
“Grant said that a soda flavor called unicorn piss wouldn’t sell well,” Ollie said, almost as if he was thinking out loud.
He did that a lot. Thought out loud.
That never stopped Piper from chiming in though.
“And you think that calling it unicorn snot would make it sell better?”
This wasn’t even the strangest conversation she’d ever had with Ollie.
“Wouldn’t you assume that unicorn piss or snot tasted good?”
She wrinkled her nose. “No.”
“Why not?”
“Uh, piss and snot.”
“But unicorn,” he insisted.
“I have never, not once, thought about the taste of unicorn… anything.”
“Well, think about it now. Yes, good?”
What she thought was that working for Oliver Caprinelli would be a lot better if he didn’t think out loud.
If he just sat there looking cute, things would be great.
You can read the rest of Chapter One right here!
https://erinnicholas.com/gimme-smore-...
And don't forget to pre-order!
Amazon: https://amzn.to/2Rbi0Zv
Apple: https://apple.co/2ETK553
Kobo: http://bit.ly/Gimme-Smore-Kobo
Nook: http://bit.ly/Gimme-Smore-nook
GP: http://bit.ly/Gimme-Smore-GP
Paperback: https://amzn.to/2Rbi0Zv
Audio coming too!
Add to your Goodreads Want to Read shelf! http://bit.ly/HotCakes-Goodreads
Heavy Petting ~ Sneak Peek!
“Jordan!” A male voice yelled through the door. He pounded again. “Jordan! It’s me, let me in.”
Jordan froze with shock.
That was Fletcher’s voice.
Immediately her eyes filled with tears.
“Jordan! Dammit! Let me in!”
She ran to the door, twisting the deadbolt, fumbling with the chain, and finally yanking it open.
Fletcher Landry was on the other side, his fist raised, ready to knock again.
He froze.
They stared at each other for a long moment.
Then she launched herself at him.
He caught her easily, his big arms wrapping around her. He stepped through the doorway with her, her feet dangling three inches off the floor. He kicked the door shut behind them and then just squeezed her.
There was nothing better in her life than Fletcher hugs. That had been true since she’d been six years old and had fallen on the playground at recess, scraping her knee, and he’d come over to check on her and hugged her. That was it. Fletcher Landry had been hugging her and making things better for the past twenty years and this moment was no different.
But, as she buried her face in his neck, she realized this was totally different.
He hadn’t had to come.
Things had been awkward between them for months. She’d cried the last time they’d been together. He’d asked her to choose between him and Jason.
And clearly, she’d made the wrong choice.
But still, he’d come. Now her best friend in the entire world and the person who could always make everything okay was here. As if by magic.
Of course, it wasn’t magic. Fletcher had, clearly, gotten on a plane immediately after finding out what happened and had flown to her.
He let go of her with one arm and reached behind him to re-lock the door and replace the chain. Then he walked to the sofa in the living room of the suite.
He sank down onto one of the cushions, taking her with him. He pulled her into his lap and continued to hug her tightly. Jordan curled into him, her arms around his neck. He was warm and solid and familiar.
So familiar.
They sat together on the couch, hugging, for several minutes.
Eventually, she lifted her head from his shoulder and looked up at him.
He met her gaze, but didn’t say anything.
He didn’t really need to say anything.
“Thank you,” she told him. She didn’t need to say anything either, she knew, but she wanted to.
He just gave her a single nod.
She pulled back slightly studying him. His jaw was tight and though he was holding her and hugging her, his eyes were stormy.
“Are you okay?” she asked.
He gave a soft snort. “I think that’s my line.”
She shook her head. “Well, obviously I’m not okay. I’ve never been more humiliated in my life. But you look…” She narrowed her eyes. “Really pissed.”
“Accurate.”
Yeah, that made sense. Fletcher wasn’t a huge fan of Jason’s. In spite of her best efforts and desires over the years, Jason and Fletcher had never been friends. They tolerated one another. Mostly because she insisted on it. But there was a tension between the two and always had been.
Jason had, at times, been jealous of Fletcher. At least in the beginning. When they were fifteen and had first started dating, everything about relationships had been new to both of them. Her being close to Fletcher had made Jason suspicious. But after some time, he’d realized that she and Fletcher truly were just best buddies.
It probably helped that Fletcher had been a playboy from a young age. He was a Landry and the Landry males were well known for being too charming for their own good. They all had more than their share of female attention and they all wallowed in it. Fletcher had been no exception. He’d dated extensively through high school and had been very familiar with back seats and lost panties long before Jason even got lucky with his longtime girlfriend.
For some reason, thinking about that now, she became acutely aware of the fact that she was in Fletcher’s lap.
She’d sat in Fletcher’s lap lots of times. Usually when there had been too many people packed into someone’s pickup heading down to the bayou for a bonfire.
Was that the safest situation? Of course not. Would they have been pulled over and ticketed by the cop if he’d seen them? Probably. But if they were ever short on seats, whether in the pickup or on someone’s couch for movie nights, she’d always plopped down on Fletcher. Sometimes not even just because they were short of seats. She’d sat on his lap and shared blankets around bonfires and ballgames a number of times.
But it had been a while.
And for some reason, at this moment, she was aware that he was bigger and harder than she remembered from past lap-sitting situations.
Of course he was. He was twenty-six now. This was definitely not the same body she’d cuddled up with in high school on the pontoon boat when the sun dropped and things got chilly on the bayou.
It wasn’t just him in general that was bigger and harder. There is a specific part of him pressing into her right butt cheek at the moment that definitely could be described as big and hard.
She wiggled.
His hand clamped down to keep her from moving. And that was when she became aware that one of his big, hot hands was resting on her hip.
Her mostly bare hip.
Because she was wearing the t-shirt she slept in and panties. And she hadn’t covered up to answer the door.
So now she was sitting on Fletcher’s lap, barely dressed, in a hotel suite, and he seemed very happy to see her.
“Fletch—”
“Ignore it.”
Yeah, he knew what she’d noticed. As always, they were on the same page without exchanging many words.
She shifted again, his grip tightened on her hip, and she was shocked to feel tingles dance across her skin.
“I don’t know if I can.”
“I’m ignoring the fact that you’re half-naked. You can ignore my reaction to it.”
It was completely stupid, and probably inappropriate, but Jordan snorted.
“Your ‘reaction’ would indicate that you’re not actually ignoring me being half-naked.”
Fletcher gave the soft chuckle and squeezed her hip again. Then he nudged her off his lap.
Jordan stood and gave him a smile. “You’ve seen me in less.”
They’d swum together many, many times. She’d worn bathing suits, bikinis, and they’d even skinny dipped a couple of times. Never just the two of them and, as far she knew, he’d never gotten a good look. But he’d probably seen a flash of her ass at least. And she’d gotten one really good full frontal view the summer after they’d graduated. It had been quick, right before he dove into the water, and she’d, of course, been completely caught up in Jason, but she’d understood what the girls of Autre and the surrounding area had been gushing about.
Fletcher stretched up from the couch and Jordan had to take a step back to give him space.
“Who’s saying that I didn’t have this ‘reaction’ then too?” he asked.
Jordan grinned. This relationship was so easy. They could talk about almost anything and there was very little filtering of language or topics. At least it had always been that way. She was incredibly relieved to think that was still true. They hadn’t really been “them” for a while, but now standing here, looking up at him, after two years of being physically apart and three and a half months of things being awkward and tense in phone calls and texts, she desperately needed them to be them again.
“Thanks for saying that,” she told him.
“Thanks for shaving your legs,” he returned. His eyes drop to her bare legs.
Again, he’d seen them many times in shorts, skirts, and bathing suits. But he’d also known her through many awkward growing-up stages. Like before she’d started shaving her legs. And after she started shaving her legs and hated it. She’d sometimes go a few days even in the summer when she was wearing shorts and he always gave her shit about it. To which she would always reply, “I’m only hanging out with you, it doesn’t matter.”
Right now, though, she was really glad she’d shaved her legs too.
“Get your stuff," Fletcher said.
“What?”
“I’m taking you home. Get your stuff.”
“Home?”
Fletcher blew out a breath. “Well, what else are you going to do?”
He had a point. But if she went home, she couldn’t not have the conversation with her mother that she didn’t want to have.
She was suddenly single. And homeless, since the apartment in Nashville was Jason’s. And even if she was going to get her own, she didn’t have a job—also thanks to Jason and her quitting her job to travel with him four months before he told her he was in love with someone else.
But she didn’t want it to be in Nashville anyway.
She’d clearly taken too long to respond, because Fletcher said, “You need to come home.”
“Sure, why not? Everyone already saw the most humiliating moment of my life, I might as well slink back home with my tail between my legs, jobless, boyfriend-less, pathetic, and miserable.”
It took Fletcher about three seconds to answer. “Yeah, you might as well.”
That was not going to make it into the pep talk Hall of Fame, but Jordan felt her mouth curving into a grin. “At least there’ll be moonshine and good coffee.” It seemed no one outside of Louisiana believed in chicory coffee, which was a true travesty. She paused. “I’m really glad you’re here."
His eyes flickered with emotion but he just gave her a little nod. “Of course I’m here.”
Of course he was here. She probably should’ve been expecting it.
“I just really —”
“Jordan,” Fletcher interrupted.
“Yeah?”
“You need to put some clothes on.”
She looked down at herself. Her shirt was a pale peach color and hit about three inches below the lower curve of her ass.
“But I shaved.”
Fletcher tucked his hands into his front pockets of his jeans and braced his feet apart. He nodded. “Yep. And I’m wondering just how much shaving you do.”
Her eyes widened in her mouth dropped open. She stared at him. There was very little off limits between her and Fletcher, but there were just some things they naturally steered away from. How much shaving she did was one of those things.
“I can’t believe you just said that to me.”
He shrugged. “It’s the truth. Also that shirt is a little see-through when you’re standing in front of the window.”
She glanced behind her. The sun was coming in through the huge window. She looked back at him. “I—”
“And I can see your nipples.”
Again she felt her mouth dropped open. She was very rarely speechless around Fletcher. Then again, Fletcher very rarely talked about her nipples. In fact he had never talked about her nipples.
She crossed her arms over her chest instinctively. It seemed that her nipples liked being talked about because they were a little perkier than they had been a moment ago.
“Wow,” was her only response. Very eloquent.
Again, he just shrugged. “Thought we could always say anything to one another.”
“We…can…I just never…had you comment…my nipples before.” She couldn’t believe she was stumbling over her words with Fletcher.
“You sure?”
“Very.”
“Huh.” Fletcher seemed to be thinking about that. “Well, I’m sure I’ve noticed them before, so I must’ve been trying to be a gentleman by not commenting.”
“And you’re not feeling gentlemanly today?”
“Not especially.”
“And why is that?”
“It just you and me, Jordan. And you’re now single. Do I need to be a gentleman?”
She took a deep breath, studying him.
Fletcher seemed a little wound up. Not his usual laid-back, easy-going self. She realized he was worried about her. So no, he did not need to be a gentleman.
“Nope,” she said.
“Good. Now go get dressed.”
Or else what? She thought. But she didn’t say it out loud. She wasn’t going to taunt Fletcher about her near naked state and her nipples.
That was ridiculous. And inappropriate.
Probably. For some reason.
Why didn’t that feel inappropriate and ridiculous?
That was probably something she should think about later. But she was acutely aware now of her near-naked state and her nipples and getting that all covered up seem like a good idea.
“Be back in a bit,” she said, pivoting on her heel and heading for the bedroom. She closed the door behind her and took a deep breath.
Coming May 25th!
PREORDER NOW!
Amazon: http://bit.ly/HeavyPetting-Amz
Apple Books: http://bit.ly/HeavyPetting-Apple
nook: http://bit.ly/HeavyPetting-nook
Kobo: http://bit.ly/HeavyPetting-Kobo
Google Play: http://bit.ly/HeavyPetting-GP
Paperback and audio coming too!
Jordan froze with shock.
That was Fletcher’s voice.
Immediately her eyes filled with tears.
“Jordan! Dammit! Let me in!”
She ran to the door, twisting the deadbolt, fumbling with the chain, and finally yanking it open.
Fletcher Landry was on the other side, his fist raised, ready to knock again.
He froze.
They stared at each other for a long moment.
Then she launched herself at him.
He caught her easily, his big arms wrapping around her. He stepped through the doorway with her, her feet dangling three inches off the floor. He kicked the door shut behind them and then just squeezed her.
There was nothing better in her life than Fletcher hugs. That had been true since she’d been six years old and had fallen on the playground at recess, scraping her knee, and he’d come over to check on her and hugged her. That was it. Fletcher Landry had been hugging her and making things better for the past twenty years and this moment was no different.
But, as she buried her face in his neck, she realized this was totally different.
He hadn’t had to come.
Things had been awkward between them for months. She’d cried the last time they’d been together. He’d asked her to choose between him and Jason.
And clearly, she’d made the wrong choice.
But still, he’d come. Now her best friend in the entire world and the person who could always make everything okay was here. As if by magic.
Of course, it wasn’t magic. Fletcher had, clearly, gotten on a plane immediately after finding out what happened and had flown to her.
He let go of her with one arm and reached behind him to re-lock the door and replace the chain. Then he walked to the sofa in the living room of the suite.
He sank down onto one of the cushions, taking her with him. He pulled her into his lap and continued to hug her tightly. Jordan curled into him, her arms around his neck. He was warm and solid and familiar.
So familiar.
They sat together on the couch, hugging, for several minutes.
Eventually, she lifted her head from his shoulder and looked up at him.
He met her gaze, but didn’t say anything.
He didn’t really need to say anything.
“Thank you,” she told him. She didn’t need to say anything either, she knew, but she wanted to.
He just gave her a single nod.
She pulled back slightly studying him. His jaw was tight and though he was holding her and hugging her, his eyes were stormy.
“Are you okay?” she asked.
He gave a soft snort. “I think that’s my line.”
She shook her head. “Well, obviously I’m not okay. I’ve never been more humiliated in my life. But you look…” She narrowed her eyes. “Really pissed.”
“Accurate.”
Yeah, that made sense. Fletcher wasn’t a huge fan of Jason’s. In spite of her best efforts and desires over the years, Jason and Fletcher had never been friends. They tolerated one another. Mostly because she insisted on it. But there was a tension between the two and always had been.
Jason had, at times, been jealous of Fletcher. At least in the beginning. When they were fifteen and had first started dating, everything about relationships had been new to both of them. Her being close to Fletcher had made Jason suspicious. But after some time, he’d realized that she and Fletcher truly were just best buddies.
It probably helped that Fletcher had been a playboy from a young age. He was a Landry and the Landry males were well known for being too charming for their own good. They all had more than their share of female attention and they all wallowed in it. Fletcher had been no exception. He’d dated extensively through high school and had been very familiar with back seats and lost panties long before Jason even got lucky with his longtime girlfriend.
For some reason, thinking about that now, she became acutely aware of the fact that she was in Fletcher’s lap.
She’d sat in Fletcher’s lap lots of times. Usually when there had been too many people packed into someone’s pickup heading down to the bayou for a bonfire.
Was that the safest situation? Of course not. Would they have been pulled over and ticketed by the cop if he’d seen them? Probably. But if they were ever short on seats, whether in the pickup or on someone’s couch for movie nights, she’d always plopped down on Fletcher. Sometimes not even just because they were short of seats. She’d sat on his lap and shared blankets around bonfires and ballgames a number of times.
But it had been a while.
And for some reason, at this moment, she was aware that he was bigger and harder than she remembered from past lap-sitting situations.
Of course he was. He was twenty-six now. This was definitely not the same body she’d cuddled up with in high school on the pontoon boat when the sun dropped and things got chilly on the bayou.
It wasn’t just him in general that was bigger and harder. There is a specific part of him pressing into her right butt cheek at the moment that definitely could be described as big and hard.
She wiggled.
His hand clamped down to keep her from moving. And that was when she became aware that one of his big, hot hands was resting on her hip.
Her mostly bare hip.
Because she was wearing the t-shirt she slept in and panties. And she hadn’t covered up to answer the door.
So now she was sitting on Fletcher’s lap, barely dressed, in a hotel suite, and he seemed very happy to see her.
“Fletch—”
“Ignore it.”
Yeah, he knew what she’d noticed. As always, they were on the same page without exchanging many words.
She shifted again, his grip tightened on her hip, and she was shocked to feel tingles dance across her skin.
“I don’t know if I can.”
“I’m ignoring the fact that you’re half-naked. You can ignore my reaction to it.”
It was completely stupid, and probably inappropriate, but Jordan snorted.
“Your ‘reaction’ would indicate that you’re not actually ignoring me being half-naked.”
Fletcher gave the soft chuckle and squeezed her hip again. Then he nudged her off his lap.
Jordan stood and gave him a smile. “You’ve seen me in less.”
They’d swum together many, many times. She’d worn bathing suits, bikinis, and they’d even skinny dipped a couple of times. Never just the two of them and, as far she knew, he’d never gotten a good look. But he’d probably seen a flash of her ass at least. And she’d gotten one really good full frontal view the summer after they’d graduated. It had been quick, right before he dove into the water, and she’d, of course, been completely caught up in Jason, but she’d understood what the girls of Autre and the surrounding area had been gushing about.
Fletcher stretched up from the couch and Jordan had to take a step back to give him space.
“Who’s saying that I didn’t have this ‘reaction’ then too?” he asked.
Jordan grinned. This relationship was so easy. They could talk about almost anything and there was very little filtering of language or topics. At least it had always been that way. She was incredibly relieved to think that was still true. They hadn’t really been “them” for a while, but now standing here, looking up at him, after two years of being physically apart and three and a half months of things being awkward and tense in phone calls and texts, she desperately needed them to be them again.
“Thanks for saying that,” she told him.
“Thanks for shaving your legs,” he returned. His eyes drop to her bare legs.
Again, he’d seen them many times in shorts, skirts, and bathing suits. But he’d also known her through many awkward growing-up stages. Like before she’d started shaving her legs. And after she started shaving her legs and hated it. She’d sometimes go a few days even in the summer when she was wearing shorts and he always gave her shit about it. To which she would always reply, “I’m only hanging out with you, it doesn’t matter.”
Right now, though, she was really glad she’d shaved her legs too.
“Get your stuff," Fletcher said.
“What?”
“I’m taking you home. Get your stuff.”
“Home?”
Fletcher blew out a breath. “Well, what else are you going to do?”
He had a point. But if she went home, she couldn’t not have the conversation with her mother that she didn’t want to have.
She was suddenly single. And homeless, since the apartment in Nashville was Jason’s. And even if she was going to get her own, she didn’t have a job—also thanks to Jason and her quitting her job to travel with him four months before he told her he was in love with someone else.
But she didn’t want it to be in Nashville anyway.
She’d clearly taken too long to respond, because Fletcher said, “You need to come home.”
“Sure, why not? Everyone already saw the most humiliating moment of my life, I might as well slink back home with my tail between my legs, jobless, boyfriend-less, pathetic, and miserable.”
It took Fletcher about three seconds to answer. “Yeah, you might as well.”
That was not going to make it into the pep talk Hall of Fame, but Jordan felt her mouth curving into a grin. “At least there’ll be moonshine and good coffee.” It seemed no one outside of Louisiana believed in chicory coffee, which was a true travesty. She paused. “I’m really glad you’re here."
His eyes flickered with emotion but he just gave her a little nod. “Of course I’m here.”
Of course he was here. She probably should’ve been expecting it.
“I just really —”
“Jordan,” Fletcher interrupted.
“Yeah?”
“You need to put some clothes on.”
She looked down at herself. Her shirt was a pale peach color and hit about three inches below the lower curve of her ass.
“But I shaved.”
Fletcher tucked his hands into his front pockets of his jeans and braced his feet apart. He nodded. “Yep. And I’m wondering just how much shaving you do.”
Her eyes widened in her mouth dropped open. She stared at him. There was very little off limits between her and Fletcher, but there were just some things they naturally steered away from. How much shaving she did was one of those things.
“I can’t believe you just said that to me.”
He shrugged. “It’s the truth. Also that shirt is a little see-through when you’re standing in front of the window.”
She glanced behind her. The sun was coming in through the huge window. She looked back at him. “I—”
“And I can see your nipples.”
Again she felt her mouth dropped open. She was very rarely speechless around Fletcher. Then again, Fletcher very rarely talked about her nipples. In fact he had never talked about her nipples.
She crossed her arms over her chest instinctively. It seemed that her nipples liked being talked about because they were a little perkier than they had been a moment ago.
“Wow,” was her only response. Very eloquent.
Again, he just shrugged. “Thought we could always say anything to one another.”
“We…can…I just never…had you comment…my nipples before.” She couldn’t believe she was stumbling over her words with Fletcher.
“You sure?”
“Very.”
“Huh.” Fletcher seemed to be thinking about that. “Well, I’m sure I’ve noticed them before, so I must’ve been trying to be a gentleman by not commenting.”
“And you’re not feeling gentlemanly today?”
“Not especially.”
“And why is that?”
“It just you and me, Jordan. And you’re now single. Do I need to be a gentleman?”
She took a deep breath, studying him.
Fletcher seemed a little wound up. Not his usual laid-back, easy-going self. She realized he was worried about her. So no, he did not need to be a gentleman.
“Nope,” she said.
“Good. Now go get dressed.”
Or else what? She thought. But she didn’t say it out loud. She wasn’t going to taunt Fletcher about her near naked state and her nipples.
That was ridiculous. And inappropriate.
Probably. For some reason.
Why didn’t that feel inappropriate and ridiculous?
That was probably something she should think about later. But she was acutely aware now of her near-naked state and her nipples and getting that all covered up seem like a good idea.
“Be back in a bit,” she said, pivoting on her heel and heading for the bedroom. She closed the door behind her and took a deep breath.
Coming May 25th!
PREORDER NOW!
Amazon: http://bit.ly/HeavyPetting-Amz
Apple Books: http://bit.ly/HeavyPetting-Apple
nook: http://bit.ly/HeavyPetting-nook
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Paperback and audio coming too!
Bayou Boy Makeover!
No, Josh Landry doesn't need any help looking good!
But My Best Friend's Mardi Gras Wedding got a new cover look and I'm so excited to share it!
Not because I didn't LOVE the original cover! I so did! We did a custom photo shoot for that cover and I love both models (Daniel and Hannah) and the photographer (Lindee) SO much! But it's been three years (wow! How is that possible??) and sometimes books need a new look so that new readers will peek inside!
So I thought a fun time to update the book would be Mardi Gras 2022! ツ Perfect, right?
Just think of everything Josh and Tori and the Landrys have been through since that first Mardi Gras where Josh kissed her and made her promise to meet him again a year later in the same spot on Mardi Gras...
Oops, sorry! No spoilers in case you haven't read the book! Or all the fun, sexy, hilarious, crazy stories after theirs!
Don't know what this book is about? Oh... well... let me help you out!
It's An Affair To Remember meets My Best Friend's Wedding with a dash of My Big Fat Greek Wedding! ツ
She's in town for her best friend's wedding. Which would be great...if the bride didn't hate her. And that was even before she accidentally kissed the groom. (yeah, yikes). Now she needs to prove she's not trying to ruin this wedding. So, she needs a boyfriend STAT. Even if he’s just faking it. (Spoiler alert: He’s not just faking it.)
Fun right? It really is! Throw in a big, rowdy, meddling Cajun family that's addicted to love and yeah... it's a good time!
Okay, here's the new look!
If you've already got the book, I hope you love this new version! And if you haven't made this first trip to Autre, Louisiana for a tour of the bayou, this is the perfect time!
Grab it here >> https://bit.ly/Mardi-Gras-Wedding-Amz
Laissez le bon temps rouler! Happy Mardi Gras everyone!
But My Best Friend's Mardi Gras Wedding got a new cover look and I'm so excited to share it!
Not because I didn't LOVE the original cover! I so did! We did a custom photo shoot for that cover and I love both models (Daniel and Hannah) and the photographer (Lindee) SO much! But it's been three years (wow! How is that possible??) and sometimes books need a new look so that new readers will peek inside!
So I thought a fun time to update the book would be Mardi Gras 2022! ツ Perfect, right?
Just think of everything Josh and Tori and the Landrys have been through since that first Mardi Gras where Josh kissed her and made her promise to meet him again a year later in the same spot on Mardi Gras...
Oops, sorry! No spoilers in case you haven't read the book! Or all the fun, sexy, hilarious, crazy stories after theirs!
Don't know what this book is about? Oh... well... let me help you out!
It's An Affair To Remember meets My Best Friend's Wedding with a dash of My Big Fat Greek Wedding! ツ
She's in town for her best friend's wedding. Which would be great...if the bride didn't hate her. And that was even before she accidentally kissed the groom. (yeah, yikes). Now she needs to prove she's not trying to ruin this wedding. So, she needs a boyfriend STAT. Even if he’s just faking it. (Spoiler alert: He’s not just faking it.)
Fun right? It really is! Throw in a big, rowdy, meddling Cajun family that's addicted to love and yeah... it's a good time!
Okay, here's the new look!
If you've already got the book, I hope you love this new version! And if you haven't made this first trip to Autre, Louisiana for a tour of the bayou, this is the perfect time!
Grab it here >> https://bit.ly/Mardi-Gras-Wedding-Amz
Laissez le bon temps rouler! Happy Mardi Gras everyone!
Kiss My Giraffe is almost here!
Remember that thing we talked about at Christmas?"
Knox felt his gut clench. They'd talked about sleeping together. And him becoming the temporary foster dad to three baby otters.
And they'd kissed for the first time. A kiss that had been causing annoying, unwelcome, frustrating dirty dreams for three fucking months.
"About having a salacious affair where we sneak around behind our friends' backs and sleep together whenever I'm in town?" she pressed when he didn't answer.
"Yes. I remember." Too well. He was incredibly pissed about how often he'd replayed that conversation and how restless he'd been waiting for her to call or come back to Autre.
He didn't pine for women. Ever. He did the opposite of that.
But now she was here. And Knox wasn't sure what he was feeling. Her showing up unannounced wasn't unusual. Fiona Grady rolled into Autre without warning more often than not in her grape-soda-purple truck that sent his heart hammering and cock hardening.
But it had been three months since he'd seen her. Since they'd talked. Since he'd had any clue what she was doing, where she was, how she was.
Suddenly, she was on his doorstep asking about their plan to bang whenever she was in town for a couple of days?
"Okay, well, there's something I need to tell you that will make you not want to do that anymore," she said. "So I was wondering if maybe you wanted to get naked together once before I told you and ruined everything?"
He opened his mouth to reply. Then shut it without a word. What the hell?
He glanced over his shoulder. Three minutes ago, he'd been sitting at his kitchen table doing paperwork with a cup of coffee and listening to a podcast about new creative urban development ideas.
Now the woman he was low-level obsessed with was on his porch asking if he wanted to have sex before she told him something that would make him not want to have sex with her anymore.
He ran a hand through his hair. This was why Fiona Grady was no good for him. She came into his carefully controlled and organized life and made things chaotic and messy.
"Are you sick?" he asked.
"Sick? No."
"Dying?"
"No."
"Is anyone dying?"
"No."
"Are you married?" He braced himself. He knew very little about this woman, actually, and if she belonged to someone else, he'd… leave her alone. And hate that man. And never forgive her for stirring him up like this.
"Absolutely not."
"Engaged?"
"No."
Okay, that was all…way too much of a relief. He should not be this happy to hear that.
"Did you kill someone?" he asked.
She tipped her head, her mouth curling. "Is that a definite deal-breaker?"
No, probably not. Knox narrowed his eyes.
"No, I haven't killed anyone."
"Are the Feds looking for you? Or will I be implicated in some kind of crime if I let you in?"
"Not that I'm aware of."
"That's not a no."
"I'm just being honest."
Fair enough. Fiona was a wild animal advocate. The type of person to show up at roadside petting zoos and 'circuses' to monitor how the animals were treated and hand out literature to people attending the events, raising awareness about the poor conditions and treatment of those animals. She showed up to help rescue and care for animals, wild and domestic, after natural disasters such as hurricanes and wildfires. She regularly lobbied local, state, and even the national government for animal protections.
The chance that she could have done something in the "gray area" for one of her causes was pretty good.
The problem with that was he knew that wouldn't keep him from wanting her.
She was precisely the kind of woman he should be avoiding.
He studied her face for another long moment, then gave in to the inevitable. He pushed his door open.
"Yeah?" she asked.
"Yeah."
She wasn't dying, wasn't married, and hadn't killed anyone. And he wanted her more than he'd ever wanted another woman in his life. So how was he possibly going to shut the door on her? After three months of missing her? He wasn't that strong. Or stupid.
Coming May 17th!
PREORDER NOW!
Amz: https://amzn.to/3E7XvUT
Apple Books: https://apple.co/3OhyPhE
Nook: https://bit.ly/Kiss-My-Giraffe-nook
Kobo: https://bit.ly/Kiss-My-Giraffe-Kobo
GP: https://bit.ly/Kiss-My-Giraffe-GP
Add to Goodreads: https://bit.ly/Kiss-My-Giraffe-Goodreads
Paperback coming soon!
Audio in production!
Knox felt his gut clench. They'd talked about sleeping together. And him becoming the temporary foster dad to three baby otters.
And they'd kissed for the first time. A kiss that had been causing annoying, unwelcome, frustrating dirty dreams for three fucking months.
"About having a salacious affair where we sneak around behind our friends' backs and sleep together whenever I'm in town?" she pressed when he didn't answer.
"Yes. I remember." Too well. He was incredibly pissed about how often he'd replayed that conversation and how restless he'd been waiting for her to call or come back to Autre.
He didn't pine for women. Ever. He did the opposite of that.
But now she was here. And Knox wasn't sure what he was feeling. Her showing up unannounced wasn't unusual. Fiona Grady rolled into Autre without warning more often than not in her grape-soda-purple truck that sent his heart hammering and cock hardening.
But it had been three months since he'd seen her. Since they'd talked. Since he'd had any clue what she was doing, where she was, how she was.
Suddenly, she was on his doorstep asking about their plan to bang whenever she was in town for a couple of days?
"Okay, well, there's something I need to tell you that will make you not want to do that anymore," she said. "So I was wondering if maybe you wanted to get naked together once before I told you and ruined everything?"
He opened his mouth to reply. Then shut it without a word. What the hell?
He glanced over his shoulder. Three minutes ago, he'd been sitting at his kitchen table doing paperwork with a cup of coffee and listening to a podcast about new creative urban development ideas.
Now the woman he was low-level obsessed with was on his porch asking if he wanted to have sex before she told him something that would make him not want to have sex with her anymore.
He ran a hand through his hair. This was why Fiona Grady was no good for him. She came into his carefully controlled and organized life and made things chaotic and messy.
"Are you sick?" he asked.
"Sick? No."
"Dying?"
"No."
"Is anyone dying?"
"No."
"Are you married?" He braced himself. He knew very little about this woman, actually, and if she belonged to someone else, he'd… leave her alone. And hate that man. And never forgive her for stirring him up like this.
"Absolutely not."
"Engaged?"
"No."
Okay, that was all…way too much of a relief. He should not be this happy to hear that.
"Did you kill someone?" he asked.
She tipped her head, her mouth curling. "Is that a definite deal-breaker?"
No, probably not. Knox narrowed his eyes.
"No, I haven't killed anyone."
"Are the Feds looking for you? Or will I be implicated in some kind of crime if I let you in?"
"Not that I'm aware of."
"That's not a no."
"I'm just being honest."
Fair enough. Fiona was a wild animal advocate. The type of person to show up at roadside petting zoos and 'circuses' to monitor how the animals were treated and hand out literature to people attending the events, raising awareness about the poor conditions and treatment of those animals. She showed up to help rescue and care for animals, wild and domestic, after natural disasters such as hurricanes and wildfires. She regularly lobbied local, state, and even the national government for animal protections.
The chance that she could have done something in the "gray area" for one of her causes was pretty good.
The problem with that was he knew that wouldn't keep him from wanting her.
She was precisely the kind of woman he should be avoiding.
He studied her face for another long moment, then gave in to the inevitable. He pushed his door open.
"Yeah?" she asked.
"Yeah."
She wasn't dying, wasn't married, and hadn't killed anyone. And he wanted her more than he'd ever wanted another woman in his life. So how was he possibly going to shut the door on her? After three months of missing her? He wasn't that strong. Or stupid.
Coming May 17th!
PREORDER NOW!
Amz: https://amzn.to/3E7XvUT
Apple Books: https://apple.co/3OhyPhE
Nook: https://bit.ly/Kiss-My-Giraffe-nook
Kobo: https://bit.ly/Kiss-My-Giraffe-Kobo
GP: https://bit.ly/Kiss-My-Giraffe-GP
Add to Goodreads: https://bit.ly/Kiss-My-Giraffe-Goodreads
Paperback coming soon!
Audio in production!
All great changes are preceded by chaos...
He pulled back just enough to unbutton his shirt and yank it off. Her gaze and hands were hot as she ran her palms over his bare skin, and Knox shuddered. "F*ck, I love your hands on me."
"Me too. God, how have we waited this long?"
That was a great question. When he'd first met her, he'd known she was trouble. He expected that she'd drive him crazy and that they'd clash whenever she came to town.
He'd been right. But those clashes had been foreplay. He'd acknowledged that to himself only, the second time she'd come to Autre. But he'd started feeling respect for her right away. Not only the work she did but the way she treated the people he loved most.
He'd quickly realized Fiona was pushing the Boys of the Bayou Gone Wild petting zoo toward becoming a sanctuary. She'd seen their potential before they'd understood it themselves. And she'd been right on. She'd given the animals a loving place to go, and she'd given the people a purpose that they'd all embraced and grown from.
He was crazy about her for that alone.
Anyone who loved his people as much as he did would be able to get past a few of his walls.
So he'd resigned himself to liking her. Admiring her. Enjoying their banter and her sass.
But damn, he hadn't expected the physical desire to be so strong.
He just couldn't fight it anymore.
A long-distance, no-strings-attached fling with this woman was perfect.
"We waited because I didn't like you for a long time," he said, leaning in to run his mouth down the length of her throat.
"Liar," she said with a breathless laugh. "You liked me as soon as I brought swearing parrots to town."
He groaned. Those parrots had caused him all kinds of headaches with the locals. "No."
She wiggled underneath him, pressing up against his fly. "Yes."
"I wanted you, but I didn't like you."
"Oh, you wanted me the very first time we met." She grinned up at him. "Just like I wanted you."
"I wanted to paddle your ass."
Her eyes went wide but not with shock. Heat. There was heat there. "I know."
He narrowed his eyes. "Yeah? But you kept poking me."
"Yep."
He ran a hand down her side to her butt and cupped a cheek, squeezing firmly. "I still want to regularly."
She gave him a sly grin. "I know."
He shook his head. "I'm going to get to be really dirty with you, aren't I?" Fiona was the perfect type to push and play with. She would never let him overstep, and she would give as good as she got.
His c*ck pulsed with that knowledge, and his body heated. The things he wanted to do to this woman. With this woman. He knew she'd meet him head-on, fully participate, make him beg if she wanted to. But if she let him push her to the point of begging, that would be…amazing.
"You can be however you want to with me," she told him softly.
As she answered, something in her voice or her eyes made him pause. That was so sincere. So…heartfelt.
She meant it, and he sensed that she was referring to things beyond sex.
Instead of pulling away as he probably should have, he lowered his head and kissed her hungrily. She wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him down more firmly against her body. She kissed him back, her hands going to his ass, pulling him into her. She felt like heaven.
"More," she said softly against his lips. "Please."
He dragged his bearded jaw over her cheek and down her neck. "We're going to do this, Fi," he said roughly against her ear. "We're going to have this wild affair. We're gonna f*ck each other senseless." He lifted his head to pin her with his gaze. "And you're going to keep your news to yourself. I don't wanna know. When you come to Autre, you're going to be in my bed. When you're not here, you're gonna answer my f*cking texts. But I don't need anything else."
And he meant that. The long-distance relationship would work. People thought those were hard, and he was sure distance was tough for some. But he knew well that long-distance was perfect for some couples. Like him and Fiona. Two independent people didn't need to be all wrapped up in each other.
He moved to unbutton her jeans, needing desperately to see—and lick—the tattoo on her hip. He'd seen it when he'd needed to do first aid on the ostrich bite on her lower back a few months ago. The tattoo curved over her left hip bone and read 𝘈𝘭𝘭 𝘨𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘵 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦𝘴 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘤𝘦𝘥𝘦𝘥 𝘣𝘺 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘰𝘴.
That was Fiona. She had the potential to turn his world upside down.
NEW stand alone, enemies-to-lovers, grumpy-sunshine, small town rom com!
Amz: https://amzn.to/3E7XvUT
Apple Books: https://apple.co/3OhyPhE
Nook: https://bit.ly/Kiss-My-Giraffe-nook
Kobo: https://bit.ly/Kiss-My-Giraffe-Kobo
GP: https://bit.ly/Kiss-My-Giraffe-GP
"Me too. God, how have we waited this long?"
That was a great question. When he'd first met her, he'd known she was trouble. He expected that she'd drive him crazy and that they'd clash whenever she came to town.
He'd been right. But those clashes had been foreplay. He'd acknowledged that to himself only, the second time she'd come to Autre. But he'd started feeling respect for her right away. Not only the work she did but the way she treated the people he loved most.
He'd quickly realized Fiona was pushing the Boys of the Bayou Gone Wild petting zoo toward becoming a sanctuary. She'd seen their potential before they'd understood it themselves. And she'd been right on. She'd given the animals a loving place to go, and she'd given the people a purpose that they'd all embraced and grown from.
He was crazy about her for that alone.
Anyone who loved his people as much as he did would be able to get past a few of his walls.
So he'd resigned himself to liking her. Admiring her. Enjoying their banter and her sass.
But damn, he hadn't expected the physical desire to be so strong.
He just couldn't fight it anymore.
A long-distance, no-strings-attached fling with this woman was perfect.
"We waited because I didn't like you for a long time," he said, leaning in to run his mouth down the length of her throat.
"Liar," she said with a breathless laugh. "You liked me as soon as I brought swearing parrots to town."
He groaned. Those parrots had caused him all kinds of headaches with the locals. "No."
She wiggled underneath him, pressing up against his fly. "Yes."
"I wanted you, but I didn't like you."
"Oh, you wanted me the very first time we met." She grinned up at him. "Just like I wanted you."
"I wanted to paddle your ass."
Her eyes went wide but not with shock. Heat. There was heat there. "I know."
He narrowed his eyes. "Yeah? But you kept poking me."
"Yep."
He ran a hand down her side to her butt and cupped a cheek, squeezing firmly. "I still want to regularly."
She gave him a sly grin. "I know."
He shook his head. "I'm going to get to be really dirty with you, aren't I?" Fiona was the perfect type to push and play with. She would never let him overstep, and she would give as good as she got.
His c*ck pulsed with that knowledge, and his body heated. The things he wanted to do to this woman. With this woman. He knew she'd meet him head-on, fully participate, make him beg if she wanted to. But if she let him push her to the point of begging, that would be…amazing.
"You can be however you want to with me," she told him softly.
As she answered, something in her voice or her eyes made him pause. That was so sincere. So…heartfelt.
She meant it, and he sensed that she was referring to things beyond sex.
Instead of pulling away as he probably should have, he lowered his head and kissed her hungrily. She wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him down more firmly against her body. She kissed him back, her hands going to his ass, pulling him into her. She felt like heaven.
"More," she said softly against his lips. "Please."
He dragged his bearded jaw over her cheek and down her neck. "We're going to do this, Fi," he said roughly against her ear. "We're going to have this wild affair. We're gonna f*ck each other senseless." He lifted his head to pin her with his gaze. "And you're going to keep your news to yourself. I don't wanna know. When you come to Autre, you're going to be in my bed. When you're not here, you're gonna answer my f*cking texts. But I don't need anything else."
And he meant that. The long-distance relationship would work. People thought those were hard, and he was sure distance was tough for some. But he knew well that long-distance was perfect for some couples. Like him and Fiona. Two independent people didn't need to be all wrapped up in each other.
He moved to unbutton her jeans, needing desperately to see—and lick—the tattoo on her hip. He'd seen it when he'd needed to do first aid on the ostrich bite on her lower back a few months ago. The tattoo curved over her left hip bone and read 𝘈𝘭𝘭 𝘨𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘵 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦𝘴 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘤𝘦𝘥𝘦𝘥 𝘣𝘺 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘰𝘴.
That was Fiona. She had the potential to turn his world upside down.
NEW stand alone, enemies-to-lovers, grumpy-sunshine, small town rom com!
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Bayou With Benefits
Bayou With Benefits
His phone dinged with another text.
It was his sister.
Naomi:𝘐 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘬 𝘐 𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘨𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘢 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘴-𝘶𝘱.
Michael stopped walking and waited. Naomi was giving him a heads-up about something exactly when she knew he’d be getting home.
Naomi: 𝘈𝘮𝘪'𝘴 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘰𝘸𝘯.
Michael felt his heart trip, his stomach flip, and his whole body get a little weak. He’d known she would come back eventually. He just hadn't known how long it would take. And he hadn't known if he would be ready.
But like a switch had flipped, everything in him was suddenly straining to find her, see her, touch her, tell her all the things he needed to say.
He dropped his bag to the ground and texted back simply, 𝘞𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦?
He was already pulling his keys out of his pocket and preparing to head to her sister’s or grandmother’s house.
Naomi: 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘴𝘦.
Michael froze. His heart squeezed. His eyes went to the front door of his house. She was 𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦? Then he looked at the car. Pieces began slipping into place. Theo picking Andre up. The absence of Naomi and Donovan's truck.
He grabbed his bag and started for the front door. He heard another ding on his phone, but he ignored it. Nothing else mattered. Ami was here at his house. And no one else was.
He pushed the front door open harder than necessary, and it banged against the wall. He grabbed it as it bounced back, slamming it shut. He tossed his bag and was already to the kitchen doorway by the time she made it to the same spot.
She nearly ran into his chest.
She pulled up. And her eyes went wide. “Oh.”
He moved closer, and she took a couple of steps back. Michael could only imagine how he looked. His jaw was tight, his heart was pounding, and he probably looked like a man who was about to claim the woman he loved and hadn't seen in almost four months.
Because that was exactly what he was.
ღ
✔ friends to lovers
✔ firefighter
✔ single dad
✔ longing, pining, and slow burn goodness 🥰
✔ Ellie & Leo
✔ cameos!
✔ more Colin and JD! 😁
GRAB IT HERE➜ https://books2read.com/Bayou-With-Ben...
ADD to your WANT TO READ shelf!➜ bit.ly/Bayou-With-Benefits-GR
His phone dinged with another text.
It was his sister.
Naomi:𝘐 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘬 𝘐 𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘨𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘢 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘴-𝘶𝘱.
Michael stopped walking and waited. Naomi was giving him a heads-up about something exactly when she knew he’d be getting home.
Naomi: 𝘈𝘮𝘪'𝘴 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘰𝘸𝘯.
Michael felt his heart trip, his stomach flip, and his whole body get a little weak. He’d known she would come back eventually. He just hadn't known how long it would take. And he hadn't known if he would be ready.
But like a switch had flipped, everything in him was suddenly straining to find her, see her, touch her, tell her all the things he needed to say.
He dropped his bag to the ground and texted back simply, 𝘞𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦?
He was already pulling his keys out of his pocket and preparing to head to her sister’s or grandmother’s house.
Naomi: 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘴𝘦.
Michael froze. His heart squeezed. His eyes went to the front door of his house. She was 𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦? Then he looked at the car. Pieces began slipping into place. Theo picking Andre up. The absence of Naomi and Donovan's truck.
He grabbed his bag and started for the front door. He heard another ding on his phone, but he ignored it. Nothing else mattered. Ami was here at his house. And no one else was.
He pushed the front door open harder than necessary, and it banged against the wall. He grabbed it as it bounced back, slamming it shut. He tossed his bag and was already to the kitchen doorway by the time she made it to the same spot.
She nearly ran into his chest.
She pulled up. And her eyes went wide. “Oh.”
He moved closer, and she took a couple of steps back. Michael could only imagine how he looked. His jaw was tight, his heart was pounding, and he probably looked like a man who was about to claim the woman he loved and hadn't seen in almost four months.
Because that was exactly what he was.
ღ
✔ friends to lovers
✔ firefighter
✔ single dad
✔ longing, pining, and slow burn goodness 🥰
✔ Ellie & Leo
✔ cameos!
✔ more Colin and JD! 😁
GRAB IT HERE➜ https://books2read.com/Bayou-With-Ben...
ADD to your WANT TO READ shelf!➜ bit.ly/Bayou-With-Benefits-GR
