Wolf shifter Alan has a problem; he wants a best friend, Katie in the worst way. Katie, however, is a human and doesn’t know Alan is a wolf. For Alan to choose Katie would be a death sentence –thing is Katie is a witch- They both hide what they are from each other because if they were to reveal what they are to each other, it would be death to the other one. Humans aren’t supposed to know about paranormals/ supernaturals.
This is a good book and it is such a quick read. The MC have great chemistry with each other and I truly enjoyed their interaction. The MC have known each other for a while and it was good to read how the secret was finally revealed. I also loved the build of the sexual attraction between the MC. The author really took the time to weave it between the story she told and I liked that. This is more of a novella type story, not a full out story but you would not know that by the way the story went. Alan and Katie really dominated the read and you will love reading this story.
**A gifted copy was provided by the publisher for my honest review****
My rating: 4.5 stars ****
Wednesday, August 26, 2015
Saturday, August 22, 2015
Review of Formidable Lord Quentin (Rebellious Sons Book 4) by Patricia Rice
***A gifted copy was provided by the Author for my honest
review***
This is book 4 in the series-- Lady Isabel (Bell) Beldon who is also known as The Virgin Widow,
does not want to remarry and has NO intention of remarrying. Since she is a
widow, she has access to her funds and does not have to deal with a husband to
go to and ask for funds. She has more independence in being a window than being
married. She married a man she didn’t love, for her family, for their security
and safety rather than for her own happiness and now she is at peace. Using her
funds, Lady Bell takes her own money to use to give his female relatives their dowries in order to aid them in
acquiring proper husbands. Lady
Bell has the assistance of Lord Quentin, who is a relative of her late
husband’s, someone she is attracted to and someone she would give her attention
to, if she would like to.
Lord Quentin has wanted Lady
Bell since the moment he met her 10 years ago but he belonged to his
late relative. Since her husband died,
he made sure to be in her life in any way he could so that he could be with her.
When Bel’s siblings’ are brought to her and made her wards , then he saw a way
to slowly introduce himself into her life and make a way into her life and
entice his way into her life. Then when Bel looks to be losing her siblings to Quentin’s
father, Lord Quentin tries anyway he can to win her hand in marriage by
coming between his father and Lady Bel the only way he knows how- by standing
in his way. The two unite to make sure they cannot take the children and the
money which is what is driving them-greed. And there is a deep passion and
chemistry between them that they are fighting that they also have to work out
and decide if that is worth fighting for or letting go. This is a great story
that is a long time coming for the lovers in this classic romance. I highly
recommend this story if you like the Regency-era romances with great
chemistry between the H/h then you have it here with the classic villains and
fantastic action scenes.
My rating: 4.4 stars *****
Friday, August 21, 2015
The Way We Rise BY CASSIE LEO Release Blitz********
SYNOPSIS
The highly
anticipated conclusion to the USA Today bestselling Story of Us series.
With Liam’s fate no longer in the balance, Rory
and Houston are poised on the precipice of a life-altering decision. When
Rory’s father arrives in California to comfort Rory and make amends, Houston
finds the decision becomes much easier to make.
When Houston suggests they take a break Rory
thinks he must be joking. But he’s not. And his timing couldn’t be worse.
With Houston and Rory vowing to keep their new friendship strictly
outside of the bedroom, their friends and family seize the opportunity to draw
out the torture and surprises. Ensuring that Houston and Rory’s story has an
ending they’ll never forget.
The Way We Rise is the final book in The Story of Us
Series, which follows the tumultuous love story of Rory and Houston.
AUTHOR BIO
New York Times and USA Today bestselling author
Cassia Leo loves her coffee, chocolate, and margaritas with salt. When she’s
not writing, she spends way too much time watching old reruns of Friends
and Sex and the City. When she’s not watching reruns, she’s usually
enjoying the California sunshine or reading – sometimes both.
Come chat with her on
You can also follow
her blog at http://cassialeo.com to stay up to date on new releases and giveaways.
THE STORY
OF US SERIES ON GOODREADS
The Way We Fall (Book
One):
The
Way We Break (Book Two):
The
Way We Rise (Book Three):
THE WAY
WE FALL PURCHASE LINKS
Available
for $0.99 during release week.
THE WAY
WE BREAK PURCHASE LINKS
Available
for $2.99 during release week.
THE WAY
WE RISE PURCHASE LINKS
THE WAY WE RISE COVER IMAGES
Full
Resolution eBook Cover:
Full
Resolution Paperback Cover:
Full Resolution
Audiobook (SQUARE) Cover:
The Way We Break
Title (PSD file/1.3MB)
THE STORY OF US SERIES CASTING IMAGES
THE WAY WE RISE EXCERPT(S)
Chapter
1 – Excerpt #1
THE WAY WE FALL BOOK TRAILER
ORIGINAL
VERSION:
YouTube
Embed Code:
<iframe
width="560" height="315"
src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/MlcLjCrBJM4"
frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
EXTENDED
VERSION:
YouTube
Embed Code:
<iframe
width="560" height="315"
src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/tpAUO--SOQk"
frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
THE WAY WE RISE PLAYLIST
Spotify
Playlist:
Spotify
Embed Code:
<iframe
src="https://embed.spotify.com/?uri=spotify%3Auser%3Acassialeo%3Aplaylist%3A2c9HuPJM6lW9QTlM9t31fx"
width="300" height="380" frameborder="0"
allowtransparency="true"></iframe>
**EXCERPT #1**
Almost all he’s ever seen of Liam were his worst
traits: the jealousy and anger and duplicity.
He didn’t know that Liam was a good person with
a good heart, and the worst taste in music. He never saw Liam fall asleep on
the sofa with Sparky in the middle of the day. He never heard Liam talk about
his older sister as if she were his idol. He never caught Liam taking selfies
in a Santa suit.
I wash up quickly in the shower and put on the
clean outfit I brought with me when we went to pick up Sparky at three in the
morning from the house Liam and I shared for the past month and a half, until
yesterday. I open the bathroom door and Houston is sitting on the edge of the
bed, leaning forward with his elbows on his thighs as both dogs lie at his
feet.
He looks up as I come out of the bathroom and
manages a weak smile. “How are you feeling?”
I sniff loudly and let out a deep sigh. “Never
better.”
“Don’t do that, Rory,” he says, beating me to
the doorway before I can leave the bedroom. “Don’t shut me out.”
I stare at his chest and wonder what’s going on
inside there. Does his heart ache even a tiny fraction as much as mine does
right now? Does he feel even the slightest bit of remorse for what happened
last night?
I swipe my hands down my face then wipe the
moisture on the front of my jeans. “I can’t. I can’t talk to you about him.
It’s just… It’s not right. I’m sorry.”
He reaches out slowly and gently takes me into
his arms. “It’s okay.”
His shirt smells like yesterday.
I reach up and close my fist tightly around the
fabric, bringing it to my nose. I inhale the scent slowly and deeply, aching to
be transported back to last night. To the moment when I could have chosen to
stay in my damn hotel room.
Then a pitiful, involuntary whimper leaks out of
my mouth. Houston tightens his grip on me as he feels my body becoming heavy.
In one swift motion, he swoops me up in his arms and carries me to the bed.
Then he sits on the edge and waits for me to speak.
I pull the sheet up, use it to wipe my eyes,
hoping to conceal my grief and my shame, but Houston won’t allow it. He pries
the sheet out of my hands and pulls it down, away from my face, so he can see
me.
“Look at me, Rory.”
I angle my face upward to look at him and the
change in position sends two fat tears sliding down my cheeks.
He reaches for me, wiping one of them away. “I
realized something when I woke up this morning and found you lying next to me
for the first time in five and a half years.”
I want to ask him what he realized, but I can’t
bring myself to speak.
He tucks my damp hair behind my ear. “The world
looks and feels different when I’m with you. Better and easier.” His gaze
wanders over my face and hair for a moment before he continues. “That’s how I
know we’re going to get through this, because we’re better together.”
**EXCERPT #2**
I climb the fence quickly and wrap my arm around
her shoulders to guide her back to the car. “What are you doing out here? I
told you to stay in the car.”
“I was worried about you,” she says, her teeth
chattering as I open the passenger door for her. “Is someone going to let us
out?”
“No one
was there.”
Her eyes widen. “We’re stuck in here?”
I shake my head as I try to come up with an
answer better than the truth, then I remember I promised to never lie to Rory
again. “There may be a groundskeeper who’ll come by tonight and let us out. But
if not, then yes. We’re stuck here for the night.”
Her mouth drops open in utter horror. “I’m
sorry. It’s all my fault.”
“Bullshit. I could have carried you to the car
and forced you to leave. It’s not your fault. And, hey, look on the bright
side,” I reply, raising my voice to be heard over the sound of the rain
battering the top of my car, and Rory looks at me as if I’m insane to even
suggest there’s a bright side. “Spending the night in a cemetery will probably
be the ultimate test of our friendship.”
She rolls her eyes as she climbs into the passenger seat. “You call
that a bright side? I call that a nightmare.”
Tuesday, August 18, 2015
*************COVER REVEAL***************Boiling Point by Tessa Bailey PLUS BONUS Preview
Get ready for Boiling Point! The next installment in Tessa Bailey's thrilling Crossing the Line series. We hope you love the cover as much as we do!
Release date: January 26, 2016
About Boiling Point:
Falling for a con man is the most dangerous game of all...
Con artist Austin Shaw's been in disguise so long he's not sure
where his fake identities end and he begins. Now that he's been strong-armed
into working for a specialized undercover unit working with the Chicago
police—criminals with unique “skills”—the last thing he needs is to risk his
iron control. Especially when it comes to a certain stunningly sexy hacker who
tempts him with every look of disdain.
Polly Banks will never, ever trust a con man. On the trail of a
ruthless crook who destroyed the only family she's ever known, Polly is
unnerved by the shadow who follows her every move. The one who makes her pulse
pound and breath short with lust. Austin. He's infuriating, enigmatic, and
pure sex appeal, and she's determined to resist him.
But an untrustworthy man of disguise can become anyone he
wants...including a man that Polly must trust if she's to escape their
dangerous game alive.
About Tessa Bailey:
Tessa Bailey is originally from Carlsbad, California. The day after high school graduation, she packed her yearbook, ripped jeans and laptop, driving cross-country to New York City in under four days.
Her most valuable life experiences were learned thereafter while waitressing at K-Dees, a Manhattan pub owned by her uncle. Inside those four walls, she met her husband, best friend and discovered the magic of classic rock, managing to put herself through Kingsborough Community College and the English program at Pace University at the same time. Several stunted attempts to enter the work force as a journalist followed, but romance writing continued to demand her attention.
She now lives in Brooklyn, New York with her husband of seven years and three-year-old daughter. Although she is severely sleep-deprived, she is incredibly happy to be living her dream of writing about people falling in love.
Website | Twitter | Facebook
ARC REVIEW OF DAMAGE REPORT By Mandy M Roth
***A gifted copy was provided by the author for my honest
review***
Weston Carol is a bear
shifter and also has been genetically altered to be “the” super solider.
All he wants is kick back and relax,
look at living the life of the bear and staying off the grid. He headed to a place , one that has a lake
( there is a meaning behind this). While he is at the lake getting ready to go “bear”,
a reason due to dreams of “her” which kept his bear on edge and now he has to
take care of him which leads him to where it is at this point , when a car
pulls up and 3 people get out . Among
those people are Casey Black and with him Bill and Gus. Casey has come to tell him that his mate is in danger
and he needs to find her and save her; and she is close-she is in Seattle but
time is of the essence to get to her to save her.
Paisley Addiks who is such a sweet , sassy
lady. Paisley needed to find out what happened to her friend Gale and she was
going to this sex club in Seattle where she last saw her when she disappeared.
Paisley was more than she knew and all she knew was that she was a great
friend. Both her and Gale suffered from the same thing which made go to places
like the sex club and drain the energy from it. It gave them the energy and
then her friend was gone and it left Paisley devastated and feelings like she
was the only one left in the world like her out there. Now she has been found
out by the new crew for the club and they seem pretty vicious. What is going to happen?
Weston & Bane get to
where Paisley is and when Weston sets eyes on Paisley for the first time and he
smells her, it roused the bear and the bear wanted his mate BADLY, the man
wanted his woman and life tilted and changed forever as he knew it. He knew
this woman even though he knew he never knew he had never met her before in his
life. The ride between them started
now and what was ride it was and their story is full of emotions, passions, one
cocky Alpha Bear male and a female who is not aware of what she fully is and
the story of her finding out her origins is really good. Highly entertaining.
There is a side story involving Bane so do not miss that!
My rating : 4.8 stars *****
Tuesday, August 11, 2015
ARC Review of RYAN'S LOVE by C.A. Harms
OMG, what a fantastic story! Ryan’s Love has the ability to grab you and make you stop and think about what you have in your life and be so grateful and cherish for the moments in your life. Ryan Sawyer lost his wife due to some surgery complications when his daughter was 12 years old. That loss about did him in and he drifted in a daze for several years, barely coping. Fast forward to several years later and Ryan is just now coming out of the fog of grief, with his daughter, Olivia in High School. Ryan is in the sheriff department in town.
Amber Dirksen has just moved to Livingston Montana after going thru a bad breakup. She had family ties to the town and knows she loved this town when she was there years ago. This is a place she can grow roots. She is going to start a bakery here with her bestie, Bailey and make a home and a new beginning. As she is getting the bakery together, she happens to meet the Sawyer brothers when she gets a flat tire-she met Jackson( keep your eyes on him –there is something between Bailey and him) , Noah, and Ryan. They were all super sweet and kind but when it came to Ryan-WOW, the sparks were there between them. Ryan found himself remembering Amber especially well and getting himself all in knots. Ryan finds himself making reasons to see Amber and then he knows this woman , the first, is someone he wants to date since his wife died. There is bitter feelings from his daughter when he tells her first his feelings and he has trouble from her when he starts to date Amber. There is definitely trouble and near tragedy in this story that plagued our star crossed lovers. Amber is a strong woman who knows she is in love with Ryan but she is afraid she is competing with a ghost of a woman who everyone loved. Here she knows no one really cares for her or about her except her dear friend, Bailey and her cousin-Alena. Amber wants Ryan so much and she loves her greatly but she refuses to compete with a ghost. After what happened, she has to let go and let him be there for his family.Ryan knows he loves Amber but with all that is going on, he doesn’t think he will have that happiness in his life. He has to put family first but it is killing his soul. Can he ever have true love bless his life again for a second time, will his daughter be happy, will HE ever find peace, love again?
This story took the reader on an emotional journey and the tissue box got a workout. Ryan captured my heart and Amber captured my spirit. They are a beautiful couple who were so right for each other. Their struggles made this such a sweeter story and I am super excited by the new series. I also loved the secondary characters introduced. Bailey , Alena, Noah and Jackson. Ladies, meet our next couples. I cannot wait for our next book in this series. This was a wonderful read for which I and the tissue company appreciate. This will be a book that will be re-read many many times.
***A gifted copy was provided by the author for my honest review***
My rating: 4.7 stars *****
Amber Dirksen has just moved to Livingston Montana after going thru a bad breakup. She had family ties to the town and knows she loved this town when she was there years ago. This is a place she can grow roots. She is going to start a bakery here with her bestie, Bailey and make a home and a new beginning. As she is getting the bakery together, she happens to meet the Sawyer brothers when she gets a flat tire-she met Jackson( keep your eyes on him –there is something between Bailey and him) , Noah, and Ryan. They were all super sweet and kind but when it came to Ryan-WOW, the sparks were there between them. Ryan found himself remembering Amber especially well and getting himself all in knots. Ryan finds himself making reasons to see Amber and then he knows this woman , the first, is someone he wants to date since his wife died. There is bitter feelings from his daughter when he tells her first his feelings and he has trouble from her when he starts to date Amber. There is definitely trouble and near tragedy in this story that plagued our star crossed lovers. Amber is a strong woman who knows she is in love with Ryan but she is afraid she is competing with a ghost of a woman who everyone loved. Here she knows no one really cares for her or about her except her dear friend, Bailey and her cousin-Alena. Amber wants Ryan so much and she loves her greatly but she refuses to compete with a ghost. After what happened, she has to let go and let him be there for his family.Ryan knows he loves Amber but with all that is going on, he doesn’t think he will have that happiness in his life. He has to put family first but it is killing his soul. Can he ever have true love bless his life again for a second time, will his daughter be happy, will HE ever find peace, love again?
This story took the reader on an emotional journey and the tissue box got a workout. Ryan captured my heart and Amber captured my spirit. They are a beautiful couple who were so right for each other. Their struggles made this such a sweeter story and I am super excited by the new series. I also loved the secondary characters introduced. Bailey , Alena, Noah and Jackson. Ladies, meet our next couples. I cannot wait for our next book in this series. This was a wonderful read for which I and the tissue company appreciate. This will be a book that will be re-read many many times.
***A gifted copy was provided by the author for my honest review***
My rating: 4.7 stars *****
Ryan's Love BLOG TOUR by CA Harms
"How could I ever go on without
her..."
RYAN'S LOVE
Author: C.A. Harms
Series: Sawyer Brothers #1
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Publisher: Limitless Publishing
Release Date: August 11, 2015
★SYNOPSIS★
One of the hardest things I have
ever had to do was bury my wife.
The second hardest thing would be watching my 12 year old daughter
fall to her knees as they lowered her mother into the ground to rest.
A heart wrenching vision that
will forever be etched in my mind.
Claire was my best friend, she
had been since we were barely old enough to talk. I always knew, one day, I
would marry her. I think I may have even told her that a few times while we
were growing up.
Never did I think I would lose
her so suddenly.
I knew at that moment…
Our life would never be the same
again…
-
PURCHASE -
#KindleUnlimited
~ http://amzn.to/1KbN83
-
EXCERPT -
I couldn’t contain my happiness.
Hell, I had forgotten what it was like to hold a woman close. To hold her hand
in mine or to bury my face at the base of her neck, just where it meets her
shoulder. The comfort of having a woman in my arms was something I thought I’d
never have the pleasure of again.
Amber was different than any other woman I had met over the years. She was so sweet, shy, and compassionate. She was so easy to talk to, and the way she listened to me made me feel like she was hanging on my every word. The way she looked at me also made me feel like I’d hung the moon. It was reassuring to have someone I could share time with, someone that didn’t know me during the darkest part of my life. She gave me the chance to let a little of the old me shine through. I had really missed the old me.
“Climb up,” I said from behind her as she stood staring up at the horse only a few feet from her with a look of panic on her face. I was more than positive this was the closest this city girl had ever been to one.
She peered back over her shoulder, and I almost laughed at how overwhelmed she looked.
“I’m from the city,” she said with wide eyes, emphasizing her loss at what to do. “Ryan, you do understand that we have subways and taxis, right? We do not have horses that are the size of SUVs. I’m going to need a little help if you expect me—” She pointed toward her chest, then spun around to point at the horse. “—to get up on that thing.”
Now I did chuckle. It was impossible not to. She was damn near panicking at the thought of how she would mount and then ride the horse.
I stepped up behind her, my chest fitting flush against her back. Gripping her hips, I leaned my head closer and grazed my lips over her ear. Her body relaxed against mine, and she tilted her head to the side, opening up her neck to me.
As I placed a kiss at the base of her neck, she shuddered in my arms. “You have to put your foot in the stirrups,” I whispered before kissing just below her ear. “I’ll lift as you pull yourself up.”
She nodded with her eyes closed as her chest moved up and down in small pants.
“Go on,” I urged.
I lifted her as she gripped the saddle, and she yelped when I firmly placed her atop Storm, my father’s Oldenburg stallion. Jackson held him steady as I pulled myself up and took my spot behind Amber. Our bodies were so close together I could feel her ragged breaths as she shifted against me with each one.
Earlier, I’d been worried about bringing her to my parents’ house. I wasn’t sure how they would feel about seeing me with another woman after all this time. When I stopped by last night for dinner, I wanted to make sure it was okay, and their answers shocked me. My mother cried and assured me that moving on was for the best. She then admitted she had worried I would never truly be happy again and that imagining me alone without someone to love me broke her heart.
My father gave me one of those manly hugs and said he looked forward to meeting the woman who was bringing back his son. His words rang true as I too felt Amber was allowing me to feel alive again. She had returned my desire to feel, to love.
Jackson, on the other hand, just kept commenting on how good-looking the girl that caught my attention was. He made sure to throw in the fact he met her first and had already been inside her apartment. The cocky son of a bitch was so full of himself, he chose to leave out the part about only being there to move furniture. Noah, of course, was more of the silent type, yet his eyes showed he was pleased with my choices.
“You ready?” I asked Amber while wrapping my arms around her waist and grabbing the reins.
She nodded, and I looked over one last time to see Jackson grinning from ear to ear.
Amber was different than any other woman I had met over the years. She was so sweet, shy, and compassionate. She was so easy to talk to, and the way she listened to me made me feel like she was hanging on my every word. The way she looked at me also made me feel like I’d hung the moon. It was reassuring to have someone I could share time with, someone that didn’t know me during the darkest part of my life. She gave me the chance to let a little of the old me shine through. I had really missed the old me.
“Climb up,” I said from behind her as she stood staring up at the horse only a few feet from her with a look of panic on her face. I was more than positive this was the closest this city girl had ever been to one.
She peered back over her shoulder, and I almost laughed at how overwhelmed she looked.
“I’m from the city,” she said with wide eyes, emphasizing her loss at what to do. “Ryan, you do understand that we have subways and taxis, right? We do not have horses that are the size of SUVs. I’m going to need a little help if you expect me—” She pointed toward her chest, then spun around to point at the horse. “—to get up on that thing.”
Now I did chuckle. It was impossible not to. She was damn near panicking at the thought of how she would mount and then ride the horse.
I stepped up behind her, my chest fitting flush against her back. Gripping her hips, I leaned my head closer and grazed my lips over her ear. Her body relaxed against mine, and she tilted her head to the side, opening up her neck to me.
As I placed a kiss at the base of her neck, she shuddered in my arms. “You have to put your foot in the stirrups,” I whispered before kissing just below her ear. “I’ll lift as you pull yourself up.”
She nodded with her eyes closed as her chest moved up and down in small pants.
“Go on,” I urged.
I lifted her as she gripped the saddle, and she yelped when I firmly placed her atop Storm, my father’s Oldenburg stallion. Jackson held him steady as I pulled myself up and took my spot behind Amber. Our bodies were so close together I could feel her ragged breaths as she shifted against me with each one.
Earlier, I’d been worried about bringing her to my parents’ house. I wasn’t sure how they would feel about seeing me with another woman after all this time. When I stopped by last night for dinner, I wanted to make sure it was okay, and their answers shocked me. My mother cried and assured me that moving on was for the best. She then admitted she had worried I would never truly be happy again and that imagining me alone without someone to love me broke her heart.
My father gave me one of those manly hugs and said he looked forward to meeting the woman who was bringing back his son. His words rang true as I too felt Amber was allowing me to feel alive again. She had returned my desire to feel, to love.
Jackson, on the other hand, just kept commenting on how good-looking the girl that caught my attention was. He made sure to throw in the fact he met her first and had already been inside her apartment. The cocky son of a bitch was so full of himself, he chose to leave out the part about only being there to move furniture. Noah, of course, was more of the silent type, yet his eyes showed he was pleased with my choices.
“You ready?” I asked Amber while wrapping my arms around her waist and grabbing the reins.
She nodded, and I looked over one last time to see Jackson grinning from ear to ear.
C.A. Harms is like any other addicted reader. She enjoys
happy endings and HEA love stories. She hasn't always been a lover of Romance
and had once been addicted to a good Mystery. Just recently she has taken on a
new liking and now is a full blown Romance novel addict.
She lives in Illinois and enjoys spending time with her
husband and two children. You will always find her with her kindle or paperback
in hand as it is her favorite pass time.
Limitless Publishing: http://www.limitlesspublishing.net/authors/c-a-harms/
NEWSLETTER: http://bit.ly/1xsgHCS
~ Tour Hosts ~
★★★★ RYAN'S LOVE by C.A. Harms ★★★★
Series: Sawyer Brothers #1
Genre: #ContemporaryRomance
Publisher: Limitless Publishing
Release Date: August 11, 2015
One
of the hardest things I have ever had to do was bury my wife.
The
second hardest thing would be watching my 12 year old daughter fall to her
knees as they lowered her mother into the ground to rest.
A
heart wrenching vision that will forever be etched in my mind.
Claire
was my best friend, she had been since we were barely old enough to talk. I
always knew, one day, I would marry her. I think I may have even told her that
a few times while we were growing up.
Never
did I think I would lose her so suddenly.
I knew at that moment…
Our life would never be the same again…
★★ PURCHASE ★★
★ EXCERPT ★
I
couldn’t contain my happiness. Hell, I had forgotten what it was like to hold a
woman close. To hold her hand in mine or to bury my face at the base of her
neck, just where it meets her shoulder. The comfort of having a woman in my
arms was something I thought I’d never have the pleasure of again.
Amber was different than any other woman I had met over the years. She was so sweet, shy, and compassionate. She was so easy to talk to, and the way she listened to me made me feel like she was hanging on my every word. The way she looked at me also made me feel like I’d hung the moon. It was reassuring to have someone I could share time with, someone that didn’t know me during the darkest part of my life. She gave me the chance to let a little of the old me shine through. I had really missed the old me.
“Climb up,” I said from behind her as she stood staring up at the horse only a few feet from her with a look of panic on her face. I was more than positive this was the closest this city girl had ever been to one.
She peered back over her shoulder, and I almost laughed at how overwhelmed she looked.
“I’m from the city,” she said with wide eyes, emphasizing her loss at what to do. “Ryan, you do understand that we have subways and taxis, right? We do not have horses that are the size of SUVs. I’m going to need a little help if you expect me—” She pointed toward her chest, then spun around to point at the horse. “—to get up on that thing.”
Now I did chuckle. It was impossible not to. She was damn near panicking at the thought of how she would mount and then ride the horse.
I stepped up behind her, my chest fitting flush against her back. Gripping her hips, I leaned my head closer and grazed my lips over her ear. Her body relaxed against mine, and she tilted her head to the side, opening up her neck to me.
As I placed a kiss at the base of her neck, she shuddered in my arms. “You have to put your foot in the stirrups,” I whispered before kissing just below her ear. “I’ll lift as you pull yourself up.”
She nodded with her eyes closed as her chest moved up and down in small pants.
“Go on,” I urged.
I lifted her as she gripped the saddle, and she yelped when I firmly placed her atop Storm, my father’s Oldenburg stallion. Jackson held him steady as I pulled myself up and took my spot behind Amber. Our bodies were so close together I could feel her ragged breaths as she shifted against me with each one.
Earlier, I’d been worried about bringing her to my parents’ house. I wasn’t sure how they would feel about seeing me with another woman after all this time. When I stopped by last night for dinner, I wanted to make sure it was okay, and their answers shocked me. My mother cried and assured me that moving on was for the best. She then admitted she had worried I would never truly be happy again and that imagining me alone without someone to love me broke her heart.
My father gave me one of those manly hugs and said he looked forward to meeting the woman who was bringing back his son. His words rang true as I too felt Amber was allowing me to feel alive again. She had returned my desire to feel, to love.
Jackson, on the other hand, just kept commenting on how good-looking the girl that caught my attention was. He made sure to throw in the fact he met her first and had already been inside her apartment. The cocky son of a bitch was so full of himself, he chose to leave out the part about only being there to move furniture. Noah, of course, was more of the silent type, yet his eyes showed he was pleased with my choices.
“You ready?” I asked Amber while wrapping my arms around her waist and grabbing the reins.
She nodded, and I looked over one last time to see Jackson grinning from ear to ear.
Amber was different than any other woman I had met over the years. She was so sweet, shy, and compassionate. She was so easy to talk to, and the way she listened to me made me feel like she was hanging on my every word. The way she looked at me also made me feel like I’d hung the moon. It was reassuring to have someone I could share time with, someone that didn’t know me during the darkest part of my life. She gave me the chance to let a little of the old me shine through. I had really missed the old me.
“Climb up,” I said from behind her as she stood staring up at the horse only a few feet from her with a look of panic on her face. I was more than positive this was the closest this city girl had ever been to one.
She peered back over her shoulder, and I almost laughed at how overwhelmed she looked.
“I’m from the city,” she said with wide eyes, emphasizing her loss at what to do. “Ryan, you do understand that we have subways and taxis, right? We do not have horses that are the size of SUVs. I’m going to need a little help if you expect me—” She pointed toward her chest, then spun around to point at the horse. “—to get up on that thing.”
Now I did chuckle. It was impossible not to. She was damn near panicking at the thought of how she would mount and then ride the horse.
I stepped up behind her, my chest fitting flush against her back. Gripping her hips, I leaned my head closer and grazed my lips over her ear. Her body relaxed against mine, and she tilted her head to the side, opening up her neck to me.
As I placed a kiss at the base of her neck, she shuddered in my arms. “You have to put your foot in the stirrups,” I whispered before kissing just below her ear. “I’ll lift as you pull yourself up.”
She nodded with her eyes closed as her chest moved up and down in small pants.
“Go on,” I urged.
I lifted her as she gripped the saddle, and she yelped when I firmly placed her atop Storm, my father’s Oldenburg stallion. Jackson held him steady as I pulled myself up and took my spot behind Amber. Our bodies were so close together I could feel her ragged breaths as she shifted against me with each one.
Earlier, I’d been worried about bringing her to my parents’ house. I wasn’t sure how they would feel about seeing me with another woman after all this time. When I stopped by last night for dinner, I wanted to make sure it was okay, and their answers shocked me. My mother cried and assured me that moving on was for the best. She then admitted she had worried I would never truly be happy again and that imagining me alone without someone to love me broke her heart.
My father gave me one of those manly hugs and said he looked forward to meeting the woman who was bringing back his son. His words rang true as I too felt Amber was allowing me to feel alive again. She had returned my desire to feel, to love.
Jackson, on the other hand, just kept commenting on how good-looking the girl that caught my attention was. He made sure to throw in the fact he met her first and had already been inside her apartment. The cocky son of a bitch was so full of himself, he chose to leave out the part about only being there to move furniture. Noah, of course, was more of the silent type, yet his eyes showed he was pleased with my choices.
“You ready?” I asked Amber while wrapping my arms around her waist and grabbing the reins.
She nodded, and I looked over one last time to see Jackson grinning from ear to ear.
★MEET THE AUTHOR: CA Harms★
C.A.
Harms is like any other addicted reader. She enjoys happy endings and HEA love
stories. She hasn't always been a lover of Romance and had once been addicted
to a good Mystery. Just recently she has taken on a new liking and now is a
full blown Romance novel addict.
She
lives in Illinois and enjoys spending time with her husband and two children.
You will always find her with her kindle or paperback in hand as it is her
favorite pass time.
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