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Archive for 'contemporary romance'



Don’t miss my new release! WOLF is here! (Contest)
Saturday, December 8th, 2018

You ready for another high-octane thrill ride? Love sexy alpha males who cruise along at the edge of the law? You’re going to love WOLF! Along the way, you’ll see some familiar faces, Reaper and Fetch are pretty prominent. So are the guys and girls from RIP. Haven’t met them yet? Tsk-tsk. They are coming soon!!!!

Missed a book in the series? No worries. Just click on a cover to find out more about these stories, read opening scenes, and find out where to get them!

Dagger Reaper's Ride
 Hook

For a chance to win a $5 Amazon gift card, tell me whether you’ve read any books in this series, so far!

Meet Wolf

Wolf (Montana Bounty Hunter)

MONTANA BOUNTY HUNTERS: Authentic Men… Real Adventures…

Former Marine Wolf Patterson is working with a team of MBH bounty hunters in the densely forested Kootenai Forest to bring in one Reese Tobin, a man wanted for arson, who escaped from jail just before his trial. When Wolf catches up to him, Tobin draws a gun, telling Wolf he can’t return to lock-up or he’s a dead man. Just as one of his teammates is about to lunge toward Tobin to take him down, a shot rings out, and Tobin is dead.

Former Army Military Police Officer, now Deputy, Meg Henry, was the officer who arrested Tobin, and nothing about that night sat right since. After hearing he was killed, she heads to Kootenai, hoping to talk to the men who were with him last, hoping Tobin told them something that might help her figure out the mystery surrounding him. Because handsome bounty hunter, Wolf, was the last to talk to Tobin, Meg offers Wolf a ride back to the sheriff’s department. They barely begin their conversation when they find themselves running for their lives. Meg doesn’t know who to trust, but she instinctively trusts the tall, intensely attractive Wolf. Together, they work to unravel the mystery while staying one step ahead of someone who wants them both dead.

Get your copy here!

And coming very, very soon…

Stepbrothers Stepping Out: With His Client 

With His Client is coming your way December 18th!
And Animal releases January 22nd!

Shannyn Schroeder: Family Traditions (Contest)
Monday, December 3rd, 2018

It’s that time of year—regardless of what holiday, if any, you celebrate—it’s time for family traditions. I don’t have much in the way of extended family by blood, but I’ve cultivated a strong family by choice because I wanted my kids to have things I didn’t have growing up. Part of building that atmosphere was to develop traditions.

I have two major traditions that we count on this time of year. One is seeing The Nutcrackerwith my two daughters. We usually see the ballet, but every now and then, we mix it up. A couple of times we saw The Nutcrackeron horseback (the performers all ride horses and do tricks). Yes, it’s as weird as it sounds. This year, we’re going to see a hip-hop version. I’m not sure how well that’s going to go over with my youngest, who dances ballet, but she’s willing to check it out.

While seeing The Nutcracker is a tradition for my daughters, the other tradition is all mine. Every year, my best friend and I get together and bake Christmas cookies that we then give away to everyone we know. We started doing this when we were teenagers, and now, more than 30 years later, we’re still going strong. Through college, dating, first jobs, marriages, babies, divorce—you name it, we experienced it and still got together for cookie baking. It’s quite the production. We usually bake about 25 different kinds of cookie. I’m not sure how many batches total, but it’s a lot.

Over the years, our kids have all had a hand in cookie day. Unwrapping Hershey’s Kisses, rolling dough, sprinkling or decorating, and of course, sampling everything. They count on cookie day as part of their traditions, but it’s a special day for me and my best friend. Christmas wouldn’t be Christmas without it.

Because of my own fractured family experiences, I’ve always been drawn to big, rambunctious families. That’s why I write what I do. I believe family gives us grounding and connection in life. Found family is as real as born family and I think my books reflect that.

I am currently re-releasing my O’Learys series about a big, Irish-American family in Chicago. Next month, the beginning of my Daring Divorcees series will launch about friends who all met in a divorce support group and are now ready for the next phase in their lives.

For a chance to win a digital copy of More Than This (O’Learys #1), leave a comment sharing your favorite tradition or your favorite cookie.

I will draw a random winner from the comments by the end of the week.

Social media links:
Web site — http://www.shannynschroeder.com
Goodreads — https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6575201.Shannyn_Schroeder
Twitter — https://twitter.com/SSchroeder_
Facebook — https://www.facebook.com/shannyn.schroeder
Book and Main Bites — https://bookandmainbites.com/Shannyn

More Than This

A sexy bartender stirs up a daily lesson plan for an adventurous teacher…

 When she discovers her ex-husband is about to be a father, Quinn Adams is on a mission. Determined to get pregnant without the commitment of a man, Quinn sets out for her own adventure. But everyone seems to think she need to focus on herself first. With a list of challenges compiled but her sister and their friend, Quinn embarks on some life-altering fun.

Her first challenge is to go on five dates within two weeks. After a few disastrous attempts, Quinn’s ready to give up—until sexy bartender Ryan O’Leary offers his assistance. Ryan is the go-to person for everyone in his large family, so it’s natural for him to want to help Quinn. However, as they get to know each other better, friendship with Quinn isn’t enough for him. Now, it’s time for him to show her how serious the Irish can be. Will the bartender quench Quinn’s thirst by mixing up more than she ever imagined?

Buy links:

Kindle https://www.amazon.com/More-Than-This-OLearys-Book-ebook/dp/B07K28MMGH/
Nook https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/more-than-this-shannyn-schroeder/1113633559?ean=2940161775912
Kobo https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/more-than-this-24
Apple https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/more-than-this/id1440685177

 

 

Katy Eeten: Christmas Time is Here
Thursday, November 29th, 2018

I want to thank Delilah for hosting me on her blog today. Now that Thanksgiving is over, talking about Christmas is officially fair game, right? 😊

Christmas is always a fun time of year for me. I live in Wisconsin, so the holidays are often accompanied by a beautiful snowfall. And I have two sons, ages ten and seven, so the excitement that goes with decorating, baking, parties, and gift exchanges is ever-present. Not that there isn’t a fair bit of chaos around the holidays as well, but I take the good with the bad!

Last year, my brother and his wife flew in from Singapore and declared that they wanted to make a family Christmas video that would serve as our holiday greeting card to extended family and loved ones that year. My brother had written an entire script, with everyone having speaking and singing roles. It ended up being quite the production and took a good chunk of time to accomplish, but it’s now in our DVD collection and is something I anticipate becoming a Christmas tradition—watching our “Family Christmas Special” on Christmas Eve and sipping hot cocoa while a fire crackles in the fireplace.

My youngest asked me what we were going to do for our Christmas video this year, and I had to laugh. I think that endeavor was a one-time thing, but it’s always fun to make memories, engage in old family traditions or create new ones.

For our family, that means spending a Saturday in December baking cookies all day with my mom, sister and nieces. Eating chocolate chip pancakes on Christmas morning before reading the story of Jesus’ birth and opening presents around the real pine Christmas tree. The kids will play with the “Activity Scene” (what they used to call the VeggieTales Nativity scene we pull out every year). And Christmas is the one day my husband puts on his baggy, bright green Grinch tee shirt—a gift from our youngest a few years ago.

What Christmas traditions do you have? Do the holidays bring you joy, or make you cringe?

Before I go, I want to share about my novella Christmas in Meadow Creek, which is a small town romance that I hope warms your heart. This sweet, uplifting story took only three weeks to write. The relationship between the main characters, Lincoln and Sarah, flowed effortlessly onto the pages. I wanted to keep the subject matter and storyline lighthearted in hopes that this story would bring a sense of love, joy, and belonging this holiday season. And since it’s a novella, it won’t take long to be drawn into the characters’ lives and watch the story unfold in this beautiful, small Wisconsin town.

Christmas in Meadow Creek

Sarah Laughlin left her big-city life and dead-end relationship behind for a fresh start as a fourth-grade teacher in the small, Wisconsin town of Meadow Creek. And it feels like home, too, despite the persistent troublemaker in her class and the lack of familiar faces. But the holidays are going to be lonely this year. Until she meets firefighter Lincoln Thompson. Suddenly, the hope of spending Christmas with someone she cares about is within reach.

Lincoln loves his home town of Meadow Creek, but ever since his long-time girlfriend left him for a better life in the city, he wonders if he’ll ever find love in this small town where everyone knows everyone. Then he meets Sarah during her class’s field trip to his firehouse, and a spark is lit. But when they discover that Sarah’s troublemaking student is none other than Lincoln’s beloved nephew, their newfound relationship is put to the test. Can they navigate through the complexities of family dynamics to find a love that will last.

Order your copy today at https://www.amazon.com/Christmas-Meadow-Anaiah-Romance-Novella-ebook/dp/B07K6XLK8B/.

About the Author

Katy Eeten is the wife of a youth pastor and mother of two school-age boys. She works full-time in the business world, but her true passion is writing. She has published Contemporary Christian Romance Blast From Her Past and has another novel, A Heart Held Captive, due out next spring. Her novella Christmas in Meadow Creek just released this month. When she’s not working or writing, she can be found taking walks, baking goodies, dining out, or spending time with her family.

Social Media:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KatyEeten/
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/KatyEeten
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/KatyEeten/
Website: https://katyeeten.wordpress.com/

Lisa Caviness: Inspiration…Everywhere (Contest)
Wednesday, November 28th, 2018

This is the time of year where I’m especially thoughtful about all I have to be thankful for. From an author standpoint, I’m grateful that I’m rarely at a loss for writing ideas. Recently, someone asked what inspires me. I responded with a quick answer – almost everything.

By nature, I’m an inquisitive person. I love watching documentaries about history and various topics from science fiction to who killed President Kennedy to how crayons are made. It’s all so interesting, and I always find myself asking the “what if” question. What if I’ve already been kidnapped by aliens and my life is playing out in an alternative universe? What if my character finally figures out who the murderer is but the hunt culminates during a national crisis or a weather emergency? What if the bad guy commits murder by hacking into his victim’s pacemaker?

The sky is the limit on imagination, and I find inspiration in everywhere.

Music is a huge inspiration for me. I’ve attached particular songs for each of my books which  represent the theme of the book or is somehow pivotal for a specific character. I will often play that song on repeat if I’m having an especially difficult writing day or I’m working on a crucial scene. Listening to certain playlists helps me transpose the movie playing out in my head into written words.

Inspiration can come in any form. A weird cloud, the loud, unexpected boom from a construction site, an airplane taking off for parts unknown, or firetruck, siren blasting, rushing by. These everyday images have inspired me to dream and create. I get the greatest joy from creating stories springing forth from various sources of inspiration and it’s my hope that these stories can bring entertainment, intrigue, and escape to others.

The Order Series is a four-book romantic suspense series (book four is in the works now and will be released early summer 2019). The inspiration for this series came after watching a documentary on the Illuminati and Free Masons. Both of these organizations were heavily influenced by the concept of a secret society and held religious undertones. I was particularly inspired by the use of numbers and symbols, employed by both the Illuminati and Free Masons in creating a sense of mystery and maintaining an elite membership. My series is based on a cult-like organization that began with a basis in religion but transformed into a group with a quest for money and power.

What inspires you? To win a signed copy of the first book in The Order series, Order of Fear, let me know your greatest inspiration. One winner chosen at random.

The Order Series

Order of Fear

When Marissa Nash’s life is turned upside down with the death of her fiancé, she is comforted by the friendship of the would be best man, Justin Tanner. But as Marissa and Justin grow closer, they soon discover they’ve fallen into a wicked web of lies and danger.

https://www.amazon.com/Order-Fear-Book-1-ebook/dp/B01ENW8ZCU/
https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/order-of-fear/id1107420740?mt=11
https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/order-of-fear
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/631896
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/2940158181658

 

Order of Malice

Reid Patterson plans to join the FBI hoping to right the wrongs of The Order, a sinister faction controlled by his family. When he meets Holly Babson, a child psychologist, sparks fly as they both must deal with past hurts and fresh danger.

https://www.amazon.com/Order-Malice-Book-2-ebook/dp/B07318J71Y/
https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/order-of-malice/id1255377368?mt=11 https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/order-of-malice
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/731433
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/2940158932281

 

Order of Rage

Carson Maxwell escapes the grip of her family’s insidious organization, The Order, and carefully crafts a new life as a medical researcher in Boston. When her identity is exposed and she meets Adam Forrester, FBI agent, her life careens off course again, delivering her and Adam into the clutches of the very people Carson ran from.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07CVQWRS7/
https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/order-of-rage/id1391242682?ls=1&mt=11 https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/order-of-rage
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/834566
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/2940162128151

 

Let’s Connect!

Website:http://www.lisacavinessauthor.com
Twitter:https://twitter.com/LisaCaviness1
Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/lisaCavinessWriter
Amazon Author page: http://hyperurl.co/lqr3zk
Goodreads:https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/14668568.Lisa_Caviness
Newsletter link:https://landing.mailerlite.com/webforms/landing/r1l3r7

Flashback: Tarzan & Janine (Contest)
Tuesday, November 20th, 2018

For those of you who don’t know, my sister Elle James and I started out writing stories together. We were busy learning the craft and leaning on each other’s strengths. One of us was better at dialogue, the other better at description…one of us was better with love scenes…  In the end, we wrote several stories together before heading off in our own directions. One thing we loved writing together was romantic comedy. When we brainstormed a new story, we’d have each other in stitches from laughter. We wrote a series of comedies, all set in Texas (we were both living there at the time!), about friends who’d made it big but hadn’t yet found their true loves. This post is just a reminder that there’s an entire series of fun awaiting you…

Here are all the Texas Billionaires Club stories…

Tarzan & Janine Something to Talk About
Who's Your Daddy Love & War
Click on the covers to learn more!

Contest

Win your choice of one of our Texas Billionaire Club stories!
There will be 3 winners! All you have to do to enter is answer me this…

What’s your favorite romantic comedy movie?

Tarzan & Janine


Tarzan & Janine

See what happens when a secret billionaire and an aspiring actress get a little wild in Texas

A man with a soft spot for women…

Closet Texas billionaire, Tanner Peschke has three months to prove he can make a profit at the family used car dealership or he will lose his job, disappoint his father and break his promise to his dying mother. The root of his problem is women. He can’t resist them—any of them. All it takes is the scent of delicate perfume or a misty-eyed gaze from an elderly woman with a sob story, and he becomes silly putty in the hands of his feminine customers. Until, with a stroke of luck and a buck of a mechanical bull, he hires Janine Davis to star with him in the dealership’s live TV ads.

A woman who won’t let a handsome cowboy get in the way of her dream…

Determined to make a name for herself, Janine needs to pay the bills between acting jobs. The offer to do a series of commercials for Peschke Motors is a chance to get her face “out there”. Recognizing a player when she sees one, Janine agrees to co-star with her handsome employer fully intending to keep their relationship strictly professional. First break she gets, she’s heading to Hollywood.

Their jungle-themed commercials take a crazy twist, and Tanner finds himself falling…from a sales banner while chasing a monkey. But more importantly, he’s falling for Janine. She’s just the one woman to tame this cowboy’s wild heart. Convincing her to stay with him might be harder than catching a mischievous monkey.

Order Ebook: Kindle | Nook | Kobo | iBooks
Order Print: Amazon

Excerpt

“It’s time, Miss Davis,” came a male voice, not Tanner’s, through the hollow panel of the bathroom door.

“I’ll be right out,” she called. Alternating between tugging down the hem of the bottoms to cover her fanny, and pulling up the top to cover her breasts, she stormed out of the bathroom, across the showroom floor, and out into the lighted car lot.

Judging by the gauntlet of wolf calls she passed through to get to the television crew, every salesman in the dealership must have stayed late. They all wanted to witness the live filming by a group of college students Tanner hired to keep the budget low. As part of the crew’s curriculum requirement, the commercial would air live on the university’s public television station.

A man carrying a spider monkey approached and shoved the critter into her arms. “This is Spunky. You need to keep a hold on the monkey at all times, or he’ll take off. Catching him will take us hours.”

“Hey! Nobody said anything about a monkey.” Janine pushed the little guy back at his handler, but the jerk turned and trotted to a position beyond the spotlights. Her chances of being taken seriously as an actress slipping through the seams of her skimpy costume and the busy fingers of the monkey, Janine suppressed the urge to scream.

“Quiet, everybody. Two minutes to take,” the young director’s voice boomed through a megaphone. “Where’s Tanner?”

The animal handler called to Janine from the sidelines. “Remember, whatever you do, don’t let go of the monkey.”

“Right, don’t let go of the monkey.” Janine’s head swiveled side to side in search of the nutcase who’d talked her into this crazy commercial. She’d felt more in control on the bucking mechanical bull at the convention than she did right now.

Suddenly, the crowd of used car salesmen parted. Tanner strode toward her with his long, loose-limbed gait and all the confidence and charm of a professional actor. Tanner, dressed casually in his ever-present blue jeans, chambray shirt, cowboy hat and cowboy boots, smiled as he worked his way through the crowd of onlookers.

Janine snorted. I’ll bet he’s never ridden a horse a day in his life.

He walked right up and turned the full force of his smile on her.

Damn. Her knees went weak, complementing the butterflies in her stomach and the monkey fidgeting in her arms.

As the cameras moved into position, panic filled her. “You never told me what my lines were. What am I supposed to say?”

“Just stand over there and look beautiful. I’ll do all the rest.” He adjusted his hat with enough confidence for both of them. “And smile when I introduce you. That frown makes you look mean.”

Janine opened her mouth to carve his enormous ego down to size and remind him she was an actress, not a model.

Before one word could cross Janine’s lips, she was cut off by the cameraman. “Mr. Peschke, I hope you’re ready because this is not a rehearsal, you’re going live in five…four…three…two…” He pointed ‘one’. The camera was trained on Tanner, the red button lit, and the feed was direct.

Without missing a beat, Tanner smiled, looking completely at ease in front of the camera. “Howdy, folks. It’s a jungle out there. We know how difficult wading through the gimmicks and sales jargon is when buying a used car.”

She had to admit he sounded charming and genuine. After sabotaging her job with BS-Squared, he’d conned Janine into taking this job. She bet he could sell ice to Eskimos.

Spunky’s hairy little hand slipped beneath the bra of her outfit.

Janine slapped at his hand, eliciting a shriek from the monkey. “You must be a male,” she muttered, wishing Tanner would fall on his pretty face in front of the camera.

“Are you sick of the new car prices and immediate depreciation when you drive a car off the lot? Let us take the monkey off your back…” Tanner swung an arm in her direction.

Spunky crawled up on her shoulders and played with her hair. How about getting this monkey off my back? Crap. She’d spent hours trying to fix her hair beautifully for the commercial. Great, when they finally get the cameras on me, I look like the monkey.

“…and show you what we’ve got in low mileage, pre-owned vehicles at rock-bottom prices.”

At that moment, the creature latched onto the strings holding her halter-top in place. She felt her boobs dip and her stomach knotted.

“Stop that, Spunky,” she whispered, making a grab for both of his tiny, dexterous fingers and the tail that seemed just as facile.

The monkey ignored her, chattering happily, hands and tail dodging her flailing attempts.

“Join us this weekend for our ‘Monkey Off Your Back Sale.’ We’ll be servin’ free banana milkshakes to all the folks who come out.” Tanner’s voice kept up the running monologue despite the monkey’s antics, true to form for a car salesman.

Janine simmered as she struggled for control. Let’s get this over with before this monkey craps on me.

Fran Thomas: Calusa Town Tales & Chorale!
Friday, November 16th, 2018

Every Tuesday night from September through March or April, I escape from whatever is going on in my life to the world of classical music. I am a founding member of the Symphonic Chorale of Southwest Florida, now in our tenth year. During the weekly rehearsals, I am so focused on what I am singing that problems recede.

Fresh out of high school, I had entered college as a music major. Alas, my working-class background hadn’t allowed for private lessons, so I was at a disadvantage compared to other students. I might have overcome that drawback if I hadn’t also been homesick in the extreme. I quickly dropped out. When I made my second attempt at college, I became an English major. That made a lot more sense. Music as a profession didn’t work out, but since then I have taken every opportunity to make music with one group or another as a volunteer.

Each year, the Chorale self-produces three concerts and sings twice with the Southwest Florida Symphony Orchestra. It was during one of the joint concerts that the idea for my latest book came to me. I was sitting on stage, waiting to begin Mozart’s Requiem. Out of the wings strode the symphony’s conductor, an exceedingly charismatic man of Italian heritage. Presto! Lorenzo Moretti, the hero of my book was born.

This particular concert took place during the height of the #MeToo movement, and my book Making Time with the Maestro begins with Lorenzo being unjustly accused. My heroine, the young woman who has just been hired to do PR by his opera company, quickly clears his name. To avoid any reprises of this situation, they enter into a fake engagement. I submitted Maestro to two publishers and am eagerly awaiting replies.

In the meantime, I am working on the fourth book in my self-published Calusa Town Tales series. It is set in my fictionalized version of the island where I actually live.


You can find more information about the Calusa books at https://www.amazon.com/Calusa-Town-Tales-3-Book/dp/B07D4JF1D5/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1541786736&sr=8-5&keywords=calusa+town+tales&dpID=D1qVajexvSS&preST=_SX300_QL70_&dpSrc=srch and find out when the Maestro will be published at www.RusticatingintheTropics.com.

Barbara White Daille: Love and work and crossing the line…
Wednesday, November 14th, 2018

When we’re reading a romance, the question in the back of our minds is usually if not always: Will this relationship work out?Because if that isn’t in doubt, where is the tension in the story?

I’ll be referring to “hero and heroine” since that fits the examples I’m using, but this tension can also come from additional protagonists, such as from a love triangle, exes, or other main characters involved in the plot.

Characters show up in a story with enough personal history and emotional baggage to carry the book. But a plot with a workaholic hero or heroine can layer in lots of extra tension.

After all, how do you get a person’s attention when he or she is completely focused on the job? Or maybe worse, when there’s a line you can’t cross because that person is your boss?

I’ve written each of these storylines—in standalone books—in my Snowflake Valley series of sweet romances.

And honestly, I didn’t write these back-to-back storylines intentionally.

The first book (Snowbound with Mr. Wrong) tells the story of exes who had broken up over his workaholic tendencies. Ironically—and obviously, from the title! LOL—they’re now snowbound together. On Christmas Eve. With a trio of unrelated kids who, depending on their age, are scared, bossy, and hormonally cranky. Recipe for disaster, for sure.

The second book (One Week to Win Her Boss) features the first heroine’s sister, who works for the owner of a private ski lodge and has fallen hard for her boss. And who, unfortunately, has to agree to a fake dating relationship with him.

Believe me, in each book, the hero and heroine have each other’s attention! 😉

So, I’m not making it up when I tell you these books were amazingly fun to write.

Below, I’ll share an excerpt from Snowbound with Mr. Wrong (which my publisher has priced for 99 cents this month!).  First here’s a peek at the back cover of the book:

Snowbound with Mr. Wrong

Worst. Day. Ever. After Lyssa Barnett’s sister tricks her into reprising her role at Snowflake Valley’s annual children’s party, she doesn’t think anything can be worse than squeezing into her too-small elf costume. Then tall, dark, and way too handsome Nick Tavlock shows up to play Santa…and an unexpected storm leaves them snowbound in the isolated lodge.

The last thing Nick wants is to spend a cozy Christmas Eve with a trio of kids and the woman who dumped him. But as much as Lyssa frustrates him, he can’t stop thinking about her. And soon, he’s fighting very un-Santa-like thoughts of kissing a certain sexy Miss Elf under the mistletoe. As Nick starts to fall for Lyssa all over again, he knows it will take nothing short of a miracle to have Lyssa in his arms on Christmas Day.

Excerpt:

Lyssa plopped the large bowl of popcorn in the middle of the coffee table and distributed the thread and needles she had found in the linen closet upstairs. At this rate, she would have to make a list of items to replace for Amber.

Mollie and Tommy went to work enthusiastically, and even Brent pitched in without a word of complaint. It was watching Nick, though, that made her heart melt. Making Christmas decorations might not have been his “thing,” but he definitely had some skill at working with kids.

He helped Tommy thread a needle, guiding the little boy’s hand until he had slipped the thread through the needle’s eye. Flushed by his success, Tommy proudly insisted upon threading everyone’s needle himself.

When Mollie groaned in frustration after trying to add a half-dozen kernels to her thread, Nick showed her how to pierce the thickest part of the popped corn to prevent it from breaking.

And when it came time to drape the strands on the tree, he asked Brent’s opinion as to the best placement. She had never heard the quiet teen talk and laugh as much as he had in this short time.

She could so easily see Nick with children of his own…and hers… But she had already decided there was no point in dreaming about a future with him. Considering his single-minded focus on work, he could never be the man for her.

She got to her feet and, forcing a smile, said, “I think it’s time for some hot chocolate.”

Four voices rose in agreement, and she escaped gratefully to the kitchen. The more she saw of Nick connecting with the kids, the harder it was for her to watch and the more she wanted to stay away. Yet she knew this trip to the kitchen was only a temporary reprieve.

She just hadn’t realized how temporary.

She had barely started heating the milk in a pan on the stove when Nick entered the kitchen. He came to lean against the counter beside her. “Need something?” she asked brightly.

“Yeah. To tell you I forgot how much fun it is being around you. It’s been a great afternoon.”

She flushed. “No thanks to me. That’s all on the kids. They’re quite a bunch.”

“And you’re quite a woman.”

“No, I’m—”

He reached up and touched his finger to her lips. “Don’t do that, Lyssa. Don’t sell yourself short.” He moved his hand to trace her chin. A shiver tickled along her jaw. “You know what else I need?”

“Hot chocolate?”

“That, too. And this.”

He leaned down and brushed his mouth against hers. He tasted so like the man she had fallen for months ago. His kiss was so tender, so sweet, she couldn’t help but want more.

Another thought hovered at the edges of her mind, a thought she felt sure she didn’t want to know. Not now. Not here. Not when his taste and his touch and his total concentration on her were all exactly what sheneeded.

Book Links:
Amazon:  http://bit.ly/swmw-amz
Amazon Canada:  http://bit.ly/swmw-ca
Barnes & Noble:  http://bit.ly/swmw-bn
Entangled Publishing:  http://bit.ly/swmw-pg
iBooks:  http://bit.ly/swmw-ibooks
Kobo:  http://bit.ly/swmw-kobo

About Barbara

Barbara White Daille lives with her husband in the sunny Southwest. Though they love the warm winters and the lizards in their front yard, they haven’t gotten used to the scorpions in the bathroom. Barbara also loves writing, reading, and chocolate. Come to think of it, she enjoys writing about those subjects, too!

Barbara wrote her first short story at the age of nine, then typed “The End” to her first novel many years later…in the eighth grade. Now she’s writing contemporary romance on a daily basis. Sign up for her newsletter to keep up with the latest in her writing life:  https://barbarawhitedaille.com/newsletter.

And don’t forget to check out Snowbound with Mr. Wrong, sale-priced at $.99 during November!

Social Media Links:
Website  https://www.barbarawhitedaille.com
Newsletter  https://www.barbarawhitedaille.com/newsletter
Facebook  http://www.facebook.com/barbarawhitedaille
Twitter  https://twitter.com/BarbaraWDaille
Amazon author page  http://www.amazon.com/Barbara-White-Daille/e/B002J6B0QQ
BookBub:  https://www.bookbub.com/authors/barbara-white-daille
Entangled author page  http://entangledpublishing.com/category/barbara-white-daille/
Harlequin author page  https://www.harlequin.com/shop/authors/23759_barbara-white-daille.html