[Cover Reveal and Excerpt] Want Me Always by Lea Nolan

Today we have the cover reveal for Lea Nolan’s Want Me Always! Check it out and be sure to pre-order today!

[Tour & Giveaway] All the Wrong Places by Randi Perrin

[Tour & Giveaway] No Stone Unturned by Ariana Rose

[Release Day Blitz] No Stone Unturned by Ariana Rose

[Release Blitz & Giveaway] Colel, Mistress of Bees by Mimi Jean Pamfiloff

Today we have the release day blitz of Mimi Jean Pamfiloff’s COLEL, THE MISTRESS OF BEES! Check out this fun new romance and grab your copy today!

[Cover Reveal] Layback by Jennifer Rebecca

Today we have the cover reveal for Layback by Jennifer Rebecca! Check it out and be sure to grab your copy today!

Release Day Promo: The Pact by Karina Halle

*The Pact is a standalone, contemporary adult romance*

It all started with a pinky swear…

Linden McGregor is tall, rugged, and gunslinger handsome; a helicopter pilot with a Scottish brogue and charm to spare. He’s also one of Stephanie Robson’s best friends and has fit into that box for as long as she’s known him.

Beautiful, funny and an ambitious businesswoman (with one hell of an ass), Stephanie Robson is one of Linden McGregor’s best friends and has fit into that box for as long as he’s known her.

But some relationships can’t be boxed, can’t be classified, can’t be tamed.

Back in their mid-twenties and tired of the competitive hit-or-miss dating scene of San Francisco, Steph and Linden made a pact to marry each other if neither one of them are in a serious relationship by the time they hit thirty.

It sounds like fun and games but as the years to thirty tick past and lovers come and go out of their lives, the pact becomes larger than life.

Sex is inevitable. Friendships are tested. Hearts are on the line. 

The pact is about to change everything.

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EXCERPT:

Her eyes are so blue and wide, like the morning sky, her mouth so perfectly full. I contemplate running my thumb over her lips before I kiss the salt off of them.

I should just do it. I should just fucking do it.

I swallow hard, my throat feeling closed up but I know it’s not from my cold. It’s from want and it’s from fear.

“What are you staring at?” she asks me, her voice shaking slightly.

Just fucking kiss her.

With her USA Today Bestselling The Artists Trilogy published by Grand Central Publishing, numerous foreign publication deals, and self-publishing success with her Experiment in Terror series, Vancouver- born Karina Halle is a true example of the term "Hybrid Author." Though her books showcase her love of all things dark, sexy and edgy, she's a closet romantic at heart and strives to give her characters a HEA...whenever possible.Karina holds a screenwriting degree from Vancouver Film School and a Bachelor of Journalism from TRU. Her travel writing, music reviews/interviews and photography have appeared in publications such as Consequence of Sound, Mxdwn and GoNomad Travel Guides. She currently lives on an island on the coast of British Columbia where she’s preparing for the zombie apocalypse with her fiancé and rescue pup.




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Release Day: One Funeral by Kat and Stone Bastion

It's the release day for One Funeral the second book in Kat and Stone Bastion's No Weddings Series. There is a special price for the release AND you can get the digital copy signed for a limited time!!! So check it out and make sure to enter the awesome giveaway!! :)

Cover Reveal: The Reluctant Prince by Dani-Lyn Alexander

Today we have a gorgeous cover reveal for Dani-Lyn Alexander’s Reluctant Prince. She’s also sharing an excerpt with us and hosting a giveaway!!! So make sure to keep reading and check all the goodies we have for this awesome cover! :)

Cover Reveal: INSPIRE by Cora Carmack

I'm thrilled to bring you the cover for Cora Carmack's INSPIRE! INSPIRE is a New Adult Paranormal Romance novel and is due to be released on December 15, 2014!

The cover was designed by VLC Productions.

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About INSPIRE: Kalliope lives with one purpose. To inspire. As an immortal muse, she doesn’t have any other choice. It’s part of how she was made. Musicians, artists, actors—they use her to advance their art, and she uses them to survive. She moves from one artist to the next, never staying long enough to get attached. But all she wants is a different life— a normal one. She’s spent thousands of years living lie after lie, and now she’s ready for something real. Sweet, sexy, and steady, Wilder Bell feels more real than anything else in her long existence. And most importantly... he’s not an artist. He doesn’t want her for her ability. But she can’t turn off the way she influences people, not even to save a man she might love. Because in small doses, she can help make something beautiful, but her ability has just as much capacity to destroy as it does to create. The longer she stays, the more obsessed Wilder will become. It’s happened before, and it never turns out well for the mortal. Her presence may inspire genius. But it breeds madness, too.    

About Cora Carmack: Cora Carmack is a twenty-something writer who likes to write about twenty-something characters. She's done a multitude of things in her life-- boring jobs (like working retail), Fun jobs (like working in a theatre), stressful jobs (like teaching), and dream jobs (like writing). She enjoys placing her characters in the most awkward situations possible, and then trying to help them get a boyfriend out of it. Awkward people need love, too. Her first book, LOSING IT, was a New York Times and USA Today bestseller.  

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Re-Cover Reveal: LOST IN YOU by Heidi McLaughlin

Release Day: No Weddings by Kat Bastion and Stone Bastion

I am so excited to bring you the release day launch for Kat and Stone Bastion's NO WEDDINGS, the first in their new contemporary romance series!!! Check out the blogs helping us with this release day launch, and be sure to check out the giveaway!!!  

Blogs Taking Part in the Release Day Launch 

 Read Your Writes Book Reviews The Lusty Literate Romancing Rakes For The Love of Romance that scottish chicks book reviews My Book Filled Life Triquetra Reviews My Favorite Things Becky Moe Breathless Ink In Between The Lines The Two Brains of Book Reviewers MakeMyDayBookclub Rustys Reading Cruising Susan Book Reviews Whispered Thoughts Kris & Vik Book Therapy Cafe deal sharing aunt New Adult Addiction Little Whimsy Books Short and Sassy Book Blurbs I Dare You To Read Making it Happen Born To Read Jen's Reading Obsession 101 Ways to Make Love to a Spoon This girl loves books LuLo Fangirl Crawling Over The Pages About That Story Becky's Book Bytes Tissues and Tomes Book Blog Reading and Writing Between the Wines Blog orchard book club The Flirty Reader The Book Bellas Bookish Temptations Agents of Romance KT Book Reviews Girl Seeks Place Closet Geeks and Slow Mo A  K Book Topia Reading Bliss The Literary Gossip Romance Schmomance

No Weddings Synopsis:

   Award-winning author Kat Bastion teams with her husband, Stone Bastion, in this first book in the No Weddings Series about Cade Michaelson, a successful man with his sights set on a new venture in business, and Hannah Martin, the woman who makes it personal. I think I have my act together as a successful bar owner, my master’s degree within reach, and a list of no-strings-attached women warming my bed. Turns out, I don’t. Hannah believes she has safeguarded her wounded heart by shunning men and focusing on her new baking business. The thing is, she hasn’t. When my three sisters and I form an event-planning business with Hannah as our baker, I have no idea how my life is about to change. As Hannah and I work closely together, the attraction between us becomes irresistible. And complicated. I’ve promised my sisters I wouldn’t mix business with pleasure. But I’ve never been one to follow the rules.

Amazon | Barnes and Noble |No Weddings Goodreads

Exclusive Excerpt
Her eyes narrowed for a split second as she pulled out a large pan with two hands. “This is not even close to a date. What would you suggest instead, a notepad and pen?” I leaned a hip on the far counter, watching her light the stove and drop a large tablespoon of solidified coconut oil into the pan.
“Would you be wearing those sexy librarian glasses?”
 She raised her brows. “You think my glasses are sexy?”  Leaning up on her tiptoes, she reached for and pulled down a glass container full of popcorn kernels from a cabinet beside the stove. A few hundred kernels pinged into the pan before she replaced the lid. With both hands, she lifted the pan a few inches above the gas burner and gave it a good shake before resting it back down. The response to her question demanded her full attention, so I waited.
She turned, leaning back on her counter edge. We faced each other, her island between us. The few feet may as well have been inches with the way the air was charged between us. I gave her a heated stare. Her breath caught, her chest expanding. Which caused my cock to twitch. I began to feel like one of Pavlov’s dogs.
 “You are sexy.” I held her gaze captive. “Therefore, anything you wear becomes sexy.”
 She smirked. The power she knew she had over me emboldened her.
“Even my apron?” I inhaled, remembering that ruffled apron, her thin T-shirt and short shorts hiding underneath.
“Sexy as fuck.” A kernel popped. She swallowed. “‘As fuck?’”
 I nodded. “Doesn’t get any sexier than that.” A slight tilt of her head, and Hannah began to play. “What if I wore a potato sack?”
 I snorted. “Do you own a potato sack?” She crossed her arms, shaking her head. My eyes were drawn down to that tempting cleavage. I took my sweet time dropping my gaze down her body, imagining her in a potato sack. Pops sounded out. One after another. Faster and faster, like my pulse going out of control. Hannah began shallow breathing under the intensity of my stare.
 “I would love to see you in a potato sack. Just like I’d love to see you in lingerie. To me, they’re both the same.”

 She laughed, then turned quickly, grabbing the heavy pan with both hands and giving it another hard shake. When she turned around again, she resumed her stance in the same place, back to the counter. This was another dance—a different location, a more enticing rhythm, but a dance all the same. Two partners circled each other, deciding how long to draw out the beginning steps before pulling each other even closer. “How can they both be the same? You’d find me equally sexy in either?”

 A deep inhale was the only thing I could do to clear my mind, keep me sane. That, and the white-knuckled grip I had on the edge of her counter, holding me immobile, keeping me from launching at her and showing her just how sexy I found her. I tilted my face down, holding her gaze beneath my lowered brows. “Hannah, you have no idea. Whatever you think you do to me, magnify it. I don’t see you in anything. I just see you. And if you’re ever brave enough to wear a potato sack for me, wear nothing else underneath.”
 The popping slowed. Her attention was needed at the stove at that critical point. She didn’t move. “Why?” 
“Because I’ll shred it and have you naked in three seconds flat. Might as well save the lingerie.”

  Kat and Stone Bastion Bio: Award-winning and bestselling romance author Kat Bastion has teamed up with her husband Stone Bastion to create the new contemporary romance series No Weddings. A few factoids about the writing team... Kat enjoys her chocolate rich and dark, her music edgy and soul-filling, and her vacations exotic with toes dug into the sand. And she’s wildly, madly, deeply in love with Stone.
 Stone likes pounding the trails on a mountain bike, vibrating the sound system with rock music, and
down time spent on a stand up paddleboard. And he loves Kat wildly, madly, deeply...and then some.
Together, they’re having a blast bringing fun-filled romantic stories to life and hope you’ll join them in the exciting adventure. Kat’s first published work, Utterly Loved, was a twentieth anniversary gift of love poems to Stone that they decided to share with the world to benefit charity. Net proceeds from Utterly Loved, and a portion of net proceeds from all their books, go toward charities involved in the fight against human trafficking.

 Kat and Stone live amid the beautiful Sonoran Desert of Arizona. Visit their blog at www.talktotheshoe.com, website at www.katbastion.com, and their Twitter accounts at https:// twitter.com/KatBastion and https://twitter.com/StoneBastion for more information. Keep informed about new releases by joining their Email Subscription list.

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Release Day: IN HER WAKE by K.A. Tucker

   

We are stoked to bring you all the Release Day Launch for K.A. Tucker's IN HER WAKE! IN HER WAKE is a new adult contemporary romance and a prequel novella in the Ten Tiny Breaths Series, published by Atria Press (an imprint of Simon & Schuster).

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EXCERPT: That’s how I spot her. There’s no doubt that it’s her; I’ve memorized her face. Leaning against a wall on the opposite side, her lips wrapped around a clear bottle filled with clear liquor, her fiery red hair a wild mane against the stark white wall, a tight black T-shirt showing off toned arms. She’s in no rush to part with that bottle, guzzling back a good portion before she hands it off to someone, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand. Her eyes at half-mast. She’s wasted. My heart starts racing. What the hell is Kacey Cleary doing here? By my calculation, she’s probably finishing her last year of high school, having lost at least half a year while recovering. I tug my cap down even farther, though I doubt she can see two feet in front of her.
What if she does recognize me? How would she react? Does she know my real name? What I look like? I can’t say for sure that my face wasn’t printed in a newspaper somewhere. She could have Googled my name and found a dozen game shots with me in them. I have my helmet on in most of them, but you can find a profile picture of me easily enough if you’re looking.

I don’t know that she was, though. I wonder if Kacey Cleary gives a fuck about anything anymore. Her Facebook account is inactive. She hasn’t posted a single word and the well-wishes have dwindled, as everyone moves on. I do know that she shouldn’t be at a party in this state. I’ve heard of bad things happening when girls get that drunk. Especially when they don’t care. But what do I do? A blonde stumbles into my chest with two beers in hand.
“Hey, do you go here? What’s your name?” She’s tipping her head back way farther than necessary to look up at me, telling me she’s trying to flirt but is too drunk to do it right. I smile down at her anyway. She’s a good cover. I can stand right here and watch Kacey. “I’m Trent, and I used to go here.”
 “Really? When’d you graduate?”

 From the corner of my eye, I see Kacey shift from the wall and begin climbing the stairs, her arm hooked around the railing to help her. Two guys following her.

About IN HER WAKE: Cole Reynolds had it all. And then one night he makes a bad choice... and loses everything. When a drunken night out at a Michigan State college party results in the death of six people, Cole must come to terms with his part in the tragedy. Normally, he'd be able to lean on his best friends. The best friends that have been in his life since he could barely walk. Only, they're gone. Worse, there's the shattered body of a sixteen-year-old girl lying somewhere in a hospital bed, her entire life ripped from her because of a case of beer and a set of keys. Everyone assures him that they know it wasn't intentional and yet he can't ignore the weight of their gazes, the whispers behind his back. The all-consuming guilt he feels every time he thinks of that girl who won't so much as allow him near her hospital room to apologize. As the months go by and the shame and loneliness festers, Cole begins to lose his grip of what once was important-college, his girlfriend, his future. His life. It's not until Cole hits rock-bottom that he can begin to see another way out of his personal hell: forgiveness. And there's only one person who can give that to him...

And don’t miss the previous titles in the Ten Tiny Breaths Series!

TEN TINY BREATHS

ONE TINY LIE

FOUR SECONDS TO LOSE

FIVE WAYS TO FALL

 

ABOUT K.A. TUCKER: Born in small-town Ontario, Kathleen published her first book at the age of six with the help of her elementary school librarian and a box of crayons. She is a voracious reader and the farthest thing from a genre-snob, loving everything from High Fantasy to Chick Lit. Kathleen currently resides in a quaint small town outside of Toronto with her husband, two beautiful girls, and an exhausting brood of four-legged creatures.    

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Release Day: IRON PENDULUM by Megan Curd

We are thrilled to bring you the Release Day Launch for Megan Curd's IRON PENDULUM! IRON PENDULUM is Young Adult Steampunk Fantasy and the second book in Megan's The Periodic Series!!

Cover designed by Mae I Design

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IRON PENDULUM Synopsis: A month ago, Avery thought the world ended outside Dome Four. Thought she was one of the few of her kind. Thought the war that brought the human race to the brink of extinction was over. But a month can change everything. After fighting to escape a tyranny she didn't even know existed, Avery has had to come to grips with all the secrets she's uncovered. But more secrets continue to come to light, revealing how little of her world she truly knew. When evidence starts to show that Dome Four might be under siege, Avery knows what she must do. Returning to the dome she longed to escape is a challenge for Avery, but now she knows there’s corruption lurking in the shadows. A massive steam shortage leaves half the dome without power, and people are falling ill. Dying. And they’re blaming Avery. A month can change everything. One more month could kill everyone. The clock is ticking.  

 

About Megan Curd: s Megan Curd is a graduate of Northwestern College in St. Paul, Minnesota. While having always enjoyed reading any books she could get her hands on, Megan didn’t begin writing until a friend encouraged her to do so while in college. When not writing, Megan enjoys spending time with her family and friends. Photography, traveling and snowboarding are hobbies she loves, and she doesn’t turn down the opportunity to play xBox with her brother and friends when it presents itself. Megan currently resides in Ohio with her husband and son, where she is trying to convert them into Buckeye fans.    

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Release Day: RELUCTANTLY ROYAL by Nichole Chase

We are beyond excited about the Release Day Launch of Nichole Chase's RELUCTANTLY ROYAL!! 

 RELUCTANTLY ROYAL is a New Adult contemporary romance novel being published by HarperCollins Avon imprint and is the third book in Nichole Chase’s Suddenly Series. We love the swoony romance in these books and this one delivers in spades!

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RELUCTANTLY ROYAL Synopsis: Maxwell Jameson Trevor, prince of Lilaria, hates his royal role. Despising the limelight, he takes solace in his art studio and steers clear of any drama. But when one of the newly discovered royals passes away, Maxwell's brother Alex asks him to break the news to the old man's granddaughter. Though he hates to be the bearer of doom and gloom, he doesn't want the poor girl to find out from the tabloids. For Maxwell knows all too well how devastating that could be. Coming from a broken home and modest background, newly ordained Lady Meredith Thysmer has seized her chance to make a better life for herself and her son. She's not afraid to use her best assets to get what she wants. But when the unpretentious yet devastatingly handsome Max delivers his news, her plans for the future come crashing to a halt. In the challenging days ahead, Max's compassion, humor, and steadfast loyalty to Meredith and her son win her over. She quickly finds herself doing something she swore would never happen again: falling in love. And yet Maxwell still refuses to completely drop his guard. Somehow Meredith's got to find a way to seduce this reluctant royal.

 Excerpt: As I turned to leave the room, my eyes fell on a sketch pad and I couldn’t help myself. Sitting back down in the chair I flipped it open and smiled at the drawings inside. Marty had promise for such a young kid. 
 Turning to a blank page, I glanced around and searched for a pencil. Charcoal would be best, but pencil would do. I started with the lines of his forehead, the curve of his impish nose, the roundness of his cheeks. I was lost in the sketch, enjoying the shadows, the tenderness in his expression, working to capture that moment of utter innocence. 
 “That’s beautiful.” Her voice was soft. I looked up from what I was doing, not surprised that she had snuck up on me. When I’m lost in a project, the world disappears; the only thing I’m aware of are the layers of the project I’m working on. 
 “He’s a good subject.” I turned back to the paper and finished up the shading of the blanket. “Only because he’s asleep and not moving.” Her quiet laugh sent shivers over my body. 
 “That does help.” I smiled up at her.
 “But it’s the contrast. The contrast of him awake versus him asleep. He looks so young right now, so innocent.”
 “What do you mean?” She leaned closer to look at the picture. 
 “He’s so mature, quick-witted.” I whispered the words. 
“But here he is, looking like the child he is.” 
 “His teachers say that,” she said. 
“That he’s quick to pick things up.” 
 “I’d say so.” I turned and handed her the sketch pad. 
“I hope you don’t mind that I drew him. The light and shadows were too perfect to resist.” Sort of like her right now. The way the moonlight glinted in her eyes and shone along her hair. Her perfect features would make any artist ache to draw them. Her pixie nose, the heavy eyelashes, the curve of her body hinted at by the oversized sweater she had wrapped around herself. It made my palms itch. Partly because I just wanted to touch her, to see if she would taste as sweet as she looked in that moment. 
 “Thank you for keeping him entertained.” She stood up. 
“Can I keep this?”
 “Of course.” I stood up and stretched. Her eyes swept over my chest and then back up to my face. Maybe I wasn’t the only one tempted to touch. I hated to admit it, but I had a flare of pride. “I enjoyed hanging out with him.” I was surprised to realize I meant it. I never would have thought spending time with a six-year-old would have been enjoyable. 
 “Looks like he did too.” She moved away from the door and I followed her into the hallway.
 “Did you get everything settled?” 
 “I think so.” She frowned. 
 “What’s wrong?” Her expression worried me. 
 “Granddad would have hated a large ceremony.” She sighed and headed for the stairs. “But I guess that as a duke there are some things that have to happen.” 
 “I don’t blame your grandfather.” I followed behind her. “I would want a small ceremony, not to be made into a production.” 
 “I’m starting to think you don’t like any type of production.” She looked at me over shoulder. “Not really, no.” I wasn’t going to lie. “I don’t like being the focus, being the center of attention. It makes me uncomfortable.” I wasn’t going to lie, but I hadn’t intended to tell her so much about me. 
 “And yet you agreed to help me with my grandfather’s funeral.” She turned to me at the bottom of the stairs and set the sketch pad on a table. “Why?” I stared at her for a minute, enjoying the way her eyes looked up at me, the tilt of her chin, the way her hair cascaded around her shoulders.
 “I don’t know.” Unable to help myself, I reached out and touched her cheek with my fingers. Her pupils dilated and she inhaled softly. With one thumb I traced the dip under her plump bottom lip. Her hand reached up to trace my jaw and she took a step closer to me. 
 “You should be running from me as fast as you can.” She whispered the words. “I’m everything you don’t want.”
 “I’m not so sure.” 
 “I live for the spotlight, it’s my food.” Her eyes were half lidded as she edged closer to my mouth. “And you’ve seen my family. I’m trouble, Max.” 
 Did I care? I wasn’t sure I was capable of making a real decision as her smell wrapped around my senses. The only thing I knew was that I wanted to taste her, to touch her, to press her against my body. To hear her say my name again. Dipping my head, I grazed her lips with mine and I was lost. On a sigh, she leaned into me and wrapped her hands around my neck. Tilting her head back, I brought my mouth to hers carefully, softly, tasting. I wanted to deepen the kiss, to hear her moan, to feel the way her body could wrap around mine, but I kept it soft, sweet, and simple. She was in such a hard place, she needed to be protected, treasured by someone. And right now, I was that person. 

    

Nichole Chase Bio:     Nichole Chase is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of Suddenly Royal, Flukes, The Dark Betrayal Trilogy, and several short stories. She is also the instructor of Say What? a dialogue class at the Romance Academy. Nichole lives in Georgia with her husband, energetic daughter, superhero dog, Sulcata tortoise, and two cats. When not writing, you may find her reading, painting, crafting, or chasing her daughter around the house while making monster noises.

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Release Day: I WANT IT THAT WAY by Ann Aguirre

   

We are absolutely thrilled to bring you the Release Day Launch for Ann Aguirre's I WANT IT THAT WAY! I WANT IT THAT WAY is a New Adult contemporary romance and is the first book in the 2B Trilogy Series, published by Harlequin HQN. We are already in love with this series and Ann's characters! Read the excerpt, then go grab your copy today!!

Amazon | BN | BAM | Indiebound | Vroman’s | Book Depository | Powell’s| iTunes

I WANT IT THAT WAY Synopsis: Nadia Conrad has big dreams, and she’s determined to make them come true. But between maintaining her college scholarship and working at the local day care to support herself, dating’s the last thing on her mind. Then she moves into a new apartment and meets the taciturn yet irresistible guy in 1B.... Daniel Tyler has grown up too fast. Becoming a single dad at twenty turned his life upside down—and brought him heartache he can’t risk again. Now, as he raises his four-year-old son while balancing a full- time construction management job and night classes, the last thing he wants is noisy students living in the apartment upstairs. But one night, Nadia’s and Ty’s paths cross, and soon they can’t stay away from each other. The timing is all wrong—but love happens when it happens. And you can’t know what you truly need until you stand to lose it.

  "A tender, sweet, and sexy story about how life—and falling in love—can never be planned." —Jennifer L. Armentrout, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Wait for You

I WANT IT THAT WAY on Goodreads

Read the First Chapter HERE!

EXCERPT: “Where are you from?” 

Ah, an actual question. That means I can ask one back.

“Nebraska, toward the South Dakota and Wyoming side, if that helps.”

 “I’ve never met anyone from there.” 

 Michigan was a long way from home. 
“I usually get ‘not in Nebraska anymore’ jokes, and then I have to decide if I’m going to remind them that’s Kansas or play along.”

 “What do you usually do?” 

 “Play along.” 

 “You don’t like conflict, huh?” He sounded normal tonight, as if talking to me wasn’t an unpleasant chore anymore. That was a relief since I’d come to look forward to these moments with him so much. More, maybe, than I’d like to admit. 
Right. Friends.

I distracted myself by considering his question. “Not if it can be avoided. I’m not what you’d call pugnacious, no. But I like to think I don’t back off important issues. What about you?”

 “No.” His voice was bleak and quiet. “I don’t. Even when I should.” 
Wow, that took a dark turn.

If I could’ve jumped onto his patio without breaking an ankle or waking Sam, I’d have been down there like a shot. The distance between us seemed intolerable, and from the knot in my throat, I didn’t see how I could live another second without touching him, finding out if his hair was as soft as it looked or what he smelled like.
 I wanted him in a way I never had before. In high school, I had a boyfriend who played basketball, and we broke up when I left the state. It was a rational decision, and I didn’t miss him that much once I was gone. My freshman year, I went out with a lot of different guys, one date here, two dates there, but I never clicked with anyone enough to focus on them. Sometimes there were hookups with no strings, no expectations. 
Classes, friends and work seemed a lot more important. The intensity of this attraction was foreign and frightening, if exhilarating. I might already be backing off if I had the faintest sense that Ty was jerking me around on purpose. 

Wish he didn’t make me feel this way. It’d be so much simpler if I could friend-zone him. I realized I still hadn’t touched his verbal grenade. “We all have things we’d do differently in hindsight.” 

 “What is it about you?” he asked in a wondering tone. “Huh?” 

“You make me...better. Calmer.” 

 “Like a sedative?” I snickered. It was the least sexy thing a guy had ever said to me, including a junior high squeeze who said my face wasn’t actually that bad. He laughed, too, a sheepish sound. “I didn’t mean it like that. Just...I’m worried pretty much all the time that I’m dropping the ball somewhere, about to face-plant, but when I come out here and hear your voice, everything backs off like ten steps. I can breathe again.”  

          

About Ann Aguirre: Ann Aguirre is a New York Times  USA Today bestselling author and RITA winner with a degree in English Literature; before she began writing full time, she was a clown, a clerk, a voice actress, and a savior of stray kittens, not necessarily in that order. She grew up in a yellow house across from a cornfield, but now she lives in sunny Mexico with her husband, children, and various pets. Ann likes books, emo music, action movies, and she writes all kinds of genre fiction for adults and teens, published with Harlequin, Macmillan, and Penguin, among others.         

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