Lynn's Romance Enthusiasm: #Novella

Showing posts with label #Novella. Show all posts

Thursday, September 7, 2023

Indie Pen PR Presents: Once Upon A Halloween Night; #CoverReveal, #ComingSoon, #TBR, #PreOrder

We are so excited to share the cover for the upcoming Halloween anthology, Once Upon a Halloween Night. We’ve got eight brand-new, sexy novellas just waiting for you to sink your teeth into. Keep reading for more details.

#OnceUponAHalloweenNightAnthology #OnceUponAHalloweenANight #Halloween #Romance #SpookySeason #MistakenIdentity #GrumpySunshine #ChildhoodBestFriendsToLovers #FakeRelationship #OfficeRomance #SecondChanceRomance #JiltedBride #Instalove #Soulmates #SteamyRomance #MustRead #EBook #BookNerd #AuthorLaurenHelms #AuthorAubreeValentine #AuthorKateStacy #AuthorMelWalker #AuthorSusanRenee #AuthorKatrinaMarie #AuthorCourtneyWDixon #AuthorLouiseLennox

Congratulations! You’ve been invited to attend the exclusive Once Upon A Halloween Night bash. This year, join us in New Orleans Warehouse District on Halloween Night for an evening of fun, costumes and… romance? Wait. What? That’s right. The Indie Pen PR and Beyond the Bookshelf Publishing is proud to host Lauren Helms, Aubree Valentine, Kate Stacy, Mel Walker, Susan Renee, Kartina Marie, Courtney W. Dixon, and Louise Lennox - in this fun Halloween romance anthology.

So, throw on your best costume and get ready to sit back and enjoy eight brand new novellas to celebrate spooky season with a romantic twist.

Pre-Order At Your Favorite Retailers!

Add to Goodreads!

About Lauren Helms

Lauren Helms is a romance author her nerdy and flirty contemporary words. Lauren has forever been an avid reader from the beginning. After starting a book review website, that catapulted her fully into the book world, she knew that something was missing. While working for a video game strategy guide publisher, she decided to mix what she knew best--video games and romance. She decided to take the plunge and write her first novel, Level Me Up. Several published novels later, Lauren created PR company, Indie Pen PR, to help other authors promote their books. Lauren lives in Indianapolis, Indiana sharing her love of books and video games with her own Gamer Boy husband and three young kid nerds who will hopefully grow up to share the love of things that united Lauren and her husband on their own happily ever after.

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About Kate Stacy

Author of emotionally-gripping, contemporary romance, Kate Stacy’s novels feature sassy heroines, swoony heroes, life, love, friendship, and all the angst. When she’s not writing or spending time with her family and friends in small-town North Carolina, Kate can most likely be found nose deep in her Kindle. She stays up too late, swears too much, and loves too hard.

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About Katrina Marie

Katrina Marie lives in the Dallas area with her husband, two children, bonus child, grandchild, and fur babies. She is a lover of all things geeky and nerdy. When she’s not writing you can find her at her children’s sporting events, curled up reading a book, or binge watching her favorite shows.

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About Courtney W. Dixon

Courtney W. Dixon loves to write steamy romance, but in each story, she gives her character's challenges and struggles. She writes m/f and m/m stories within one series to add a variety to her characters. And she writes her characters as having flaws, imperfections, and who don't always do the right thing. Humans are never perfect, and make a lot of mistakes in their lives. In the end, she tries to help them grow to be better as they achieve their HEAs. You can find Courtney working in Central Texas with her husband, two boys, and two crazy dogs, none of whom know how to knock on a door while she's working.

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About Aubree Valentine

Aubree Valentine began her book world career back in 2016 as a virtual assistant for a friend/author and as a book blogger. While working with authors, PR companies, and fellow bloggers, she fell even more in love with the Indie community and decided to launch her own small scale PR company where she continued to hone her skills as a virtual assistant to several authors and studied the ins and outs of what it takes to help succeed in the industry. Aubree doesn't always hang out behind the scenes though and has put her business knowledge to good use for herself as well. Her first book, Take Back My Heart, was released in the fall of 2016, with its follow-up - Come Back to Me launching a year later. When she's not working with her favorite clients, you can find her penning fun and flirty stories about all of her imaginary and very smexy alphas. This includes her current and most popular series, Too Hot To Handle. Aubree has a degree in sarcasm and resides in Pennsylvania. She enjoys reading, chasing after her twins and her three furbabies, cuddling with her husband, and coming up with new project ideas that often involve power tools. She's usually always online via Facebook or Instagram @authoraubreevalentine. www.aubreevalentine.com

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About Mel Walker:

Mel Walker has been writing fiction most of his adult life. Specializing in Short Stories and Contemporary fiction and Romance Novels. A native New Yorker and life-long frustrated NY Mets fan. He loves to write about ordinary people placed in difficult situations, especially as it relates to their closest relationships. Mel Walker is a rare bird, the male romance author. Specializing in heartfelt small town romance, he enjoys telling compelling romances with all the feels. A native New Yorkers and life-long frustrated NY Mets fan, he enjoys long walks, bike rides and taking in the energy of the city.

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About Susan Renee:

Susan Renee wants to live in a world where paint doesn't smell, Hogwarts is open twenty-four/seven, and everything is covered in glitter. An indie romance author, Susan has written about everything from tacos to tow-trucks, loves writing romantic comedies but also enjoys creating an emotional angsty story from time to time. She lives in Ohio with her husband, kids, two dogs and a cat. Susan holds a Bachelor and Masters Degree in Music Education and a self-awarded Doctorate in Sass and Sarcasm. She enjoys laughing at memes, speaking in GIFs and spending an entire day jumping down the TikTok rabbit hole. When she's not writing or playing the role of Mom, her favorite activity is doing the Care Bear stare with her closest friends.

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About Louise Lennox:

Contemporary romance Author Louise Lennox is a hopeful romantic writing steamy romances full of heart and healing. A Spelman College and Georgetown University graduate, Louise provides women with diverse and meaningful representation in romance novel pages. Not seeing enough women like herself headlining positive love stories, she launched #HappyBlackRomance; a community of readers and writers committed to the creation and sharing of positive romance stories featuring Black heroines. Louise Lennox plots highlight the joys of Black relationships across the diaspora; pushing readers from all cultural backgrounds to admire them for their strength and downright sexiness. In her novels sparks always fly; the sex amazes; and the characters always leave the world better than they found it through their love. When she’s not writing, Louise is enjoying her work as a school leader, wife, and mother of the two cutest dragons to ever walk the earth! To learn more about #HappyBlackRomance and to score a free book or two, check out her website www.lovelouiselennox.com.

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This promotional event is brought to you by Indie Pen PR

Tuesday, September 5, 2023

#ReleaseBlitz: The Grave Robber by Darynda Jones; #NowAvailable, #OutNow, #TBR, #Live

The Grave Robber, an all-new steamy paranormal novella set in the Charley Davidson world from New York Times bestselling author Darynda Jones, is available now!

Eric Vause is done.

Done with ghosts. Done with hellhounds. And definitely done with asshole demons, mostly because he’d been possessed by one. Even now, five years later, the rage he absorbed from the creature has yet to wane, so he decides a road trip is in order. Surely some cool air, great scenery, and a case of Dos Equis will shake things loose. Unfortunately, supernatural events happen everywhere. When he meets up with a friend whose partner’s daughter needs help with a pest problem—aka, a ghost—Eric takes that as his cue to leave.

Until he sees her.

He can tell Halle’s house isn’t the only thing that is haunted. The hopelessness behind her eyes tugs at something deep inside him. Something all too familiar. The fact that she’s the most beautiful woman he’s ever seen has nothing to do with his change of heart. And he vows to leave her in his rearview the minute he takes care of the poltergeist. Then again, vows were never his strong suit.

**Every 1001 Dark Nights novella is a standalone story. For new readers, it’s an introduction to an author’s world. And for fans, it’s a bonus book in the author’s series. We hope you'll enjoy each one as much as we do.*

He knows the exact moment she will die and he will risk everything to stop it…

even his life.

Grab your copy today, exclusively on Amazon!

Amazon: https://amzn.to/41F0zTG

Amazon Worldwide: https://mybook.to/thegraverobber

Amazon Paperback: https://amzn.to/41JqUjw

Add to Goodreads: https://bit.ly/3L8qonR

Keep reading for a look inside The Grave Robber!

“What do the notes say?”
She pulled her lower lip between her teeth, stalling. She stalled some more when she said, “I can’t always read them.”
“Halle,” I warned.
Her shoulders deflated as she released a surrendering sigh. “At first, they were just numbers. They started right after my mom died. The number twelve kept popping up. But a month later, it changed to an eleven. Then a ten. Then a nine.”
“A countdown.”
“Yes. Every month for the last year, he’s been counting down. And now we’re at number two.” She leveled an accusing gaze on me. “And you’ve known since the first time you laid eyes on me.”
“Not the first time,” I said, slightly offended. “What makes you think they’re death threats? They could mean anything.”
“Because the other note he leaves is pretty explicit. It’s just one word. Payback.”
Ah. Now we were getting somewhere. “Halle, what happened seventeen years ago? What changed your life so dramatically? And who wants payback?”
She shook her head and looked away, tears shimmering in her eyes.
I leaned onto my elbows and put a hand over hers. “Halle, I know this is hard, but please trust me.”
“It’s not that. It’s not that I don’t trust you. You’ve earned that and then some. But if I tell you what happened, what I did, you won’t want to have sex with me anymore.”
I almost snorted. Clearly, she didn’t understand the male thought process.
But I needed to chill. I was pushing her too hard. I wanted her to bend. Not break.
The furball started whimpering at her feet. Halle picked her up, nuzzled her, then set her in the box she’d brought along with a dry towel from the bathroom. With a full belly, the furball settled immediately and went to sleep.
Halle straightened and walked over to stand in front of me. “Is that a yes?”
“No,” I said, taking in every curve she had to offer. She smelled sweet, like jasmine. “It’s a hell yes.” I put a hand on her hip, the heat from her body soaking into my skin as she straddled me.
With hesitant fingers, she tested the abrasion on my jaw. “Are you sure this is okay? You were hit by a truck yesterday.”
“I was sideswiped by a truck. Huge difference.”
She nodded and grew thoughtful as though making calculations in her head. Now was not the time for math.
“I’m pretty sure you’re a supernatural being,” she said, completely serious. “That you’re not real and will disappear as soon as all of this is over.”
“I have several friends who are supernaturally inclined. I am not one of them. And I’m not going anywhere.”
She buried her fingers in my hair and covered my mouth with hers. I’d never welcomed a kiss more in my life.

For More Information about Darynda Jones, visit her website:

https://darynda.com/

For More Information about 1001 Dark Nights, visit:

Website: https://www.1001darknights.com/

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Tuesday, August 15, 2023

Indie Pen PR Presents: Son Of A Peach by Claire Hastings; #ReleaseBlitz, #NowAvailable, #OutNow, #TBR, #Live

Peaches, Beaches, and a whole lot of misunderstanding...this hero has his work cut out for him! The local chocolatier is his exact opposite and someone he should stay away from, but he can’t. There’s no harm in a little fling, right?

Readers who enjoy instalove and fun in the sun romance will love Son of a Peach by Claire Hastings, a steamy, small town, opposites attract, grumpy/sunshine romance.

#ClaireHastings #SonofaPeach #CandyCaneKey #ManOfTheMonthClub #ContemporaryRomance #GrumpySunshineRomance #MustRead #SteamyRomance #OppositesAttract #SmallTownRomance #Goodreads #KindleUnlimited #NewRelease #IPPR #IndiePenPR

Peaches are my life.
I’m talking about the sweet, fuzzy fruit that represents my home state of Georgia—not the emoji that most people use for a different peach. If you know what I mean...
When there’s the chance to show off my peaches at a Christmas-themed island for the Peach on the Beach festival, it’s a no-brainer.
Then I arrive in Candy Cane Key.
Turns out, they aren’t celebrating my favorite fruit. Nope. This event is about that other type of peach.
To make matters worse, I can’t stop thinking about the event organizer, the local chocolatier—Tizzy. And that’s exactly what she’s worked my insides into.
The strawberry blonde wild child is my exact opposite in every way. Someone I know I should stay away from. Yet, I can’t.
There’s no harm in a little fling, right?

Son of a Peach is an opposites attract, insta-love, fun in the sun novella about an uptight horticulturist and a happy-go-lucky chocolatier with a guaranteed HEA.

Buy Now or Read FREE with KindleUnlimited!

Add to Goodreads Here!

Excerpt:

“See, not so hard.”
Maybe this isn’t, but my dick…
“It’s not dirt,” I say, repeating the motions, “but I can see how this would be fun.”
“Dirt is not more fun than chocolate.”
I stop dead, chocolate fork held in midair, Oreo precariously perched on it. She cannot be serious. Then again, of course this free spirit of a woman would think that.
“Dirt is basis for all life. From dirt you came and to dirt you shall return,” I paraphrase. I can practically hear the preacher back home from Hickory Hills Baptist rolling his eyes for getting that piece of scripture wrong. The meaning is still there though.
“Maybe, but…chocolate gives life meaning,” she counters.
“Does it though?”
Dipping her finger into the bowl, she scoops out some of the melted goodness before running her finger along her lips, then sucks all the chocolate off. My dick surges and I swallow hard, wishing that were me she was licking.
Fuck, I need to get it together…
“It does. Besides, doing this with dirt is less fun.”
I don’t have time to ask, “doing what.” Tizzy’s too quick with the spatula, flicking it at me, sending chocolate flying. It’s warm as it hits my skin, catching me off guard. I scoff, unable to believe she just did that. Well, two can play this game.
Grabbing the fork, I mimic her movements, splattering chocolate across her face. Tizzy gasps, her smile wide. She clearly was not expecting me to retaliate. I laugh, enjoying her reaction and the playful fight that ensues. Back and forth we go, each one flinging bits of chocolate at each other. I can’t remember the last time I did anything like this. Certainly not with food. Mud, maybe. Mud fights were plentiful as children. Anton and I never passed up a chance to enjoy a good puddle. But it’s been years since we did that. Since I really let loose and played. And then I met Tizzy.
It’s time to up the ante though, the little splatter from the kitchen instruments no longer having the same effect. So I do what any man would do. I go big.
I dip my whole hand into the chocolate bowl, scooping up as much as I can. I hear Tizzy's breath hitch, like she knows what’s coming. She doesn’t move though, the impish look on her face turning even more devilish the closer I get to her. I’ve wanted to lick this chocolate off her since the moment she spread it on her lips. Time to create my chance.
Only, physics has a different idea.
Stepping forward to close the distance between us, I slip. My legs wobble underneath me and I lunge forward, trying to keep my balance, and fall into Tizzy. The momentum sends us backward into the counter, which thankfully stops us from hitting the ground.
A second later, both of us trying to catch our breath, I pull back slightly, noticing the placement of my chocolate-covered hand.
Smack-dab on Tizzy’s boob.

Buy Now or Read FREE with KindleUnlimited!

About Claire Hastings:

Claire Hastings is a walking, talking awkward moment. She loves Diet Coke, gummi bears, the beach, and books (obvs). When not reading she can usually be found hanging with friends at a soccer match or grabbing food (although she probably still has a book in her purse). She and her husband live in Atlanta.

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This promotional event is brought to you by Indie Pen PR

Wednesday, August 9, 2023

#CoverReveal: Just One Summer by Carly Phillips; #ComingSoon, #TBR, #PreOrder

★★★ COVER REVEAL & PREORDER ALERT ★★★

Exciting News!! We are beyond thrilled to reveal the stunning cover forJust One Summer: A Dirty Dare Series Novella from New York Times bestselling author Carly Phillips! Coming January 30th, 2024 and available for pre-order now!

✔️ Grumpy Sunshine

✔️ Age Gap

✔️ Virgin

✔️ Good Girl/Bad Boy

✔️ Opposites Attract

✔️ Close Proximity

#justonekiss #carlyphillips #dirtydare #preordernow #1001DarkNights #BlueBoxPress #romancereads #romancebooklover #romancebookaddict #bookishnews #romancebookworm #bibliophile #booklover

From New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Carly Phillips comes a new story in her Dirty Dare series…

Gabriella Davenport is a gorgeous, twenty-two-year-old virgin with a trust fund, vacationing in the Hamptons for the summer and running from family pressure to marry someone she doesn’t like, let alone love.

Maddox James is a sexy bar manager, older than Gabby by a decade. Though he made his fortune on Wall Street, he has returned to his working-class roots with a healthy distrust of wealthy women.

**Every 1001 Dark Nights novella is a standalone story. For new readers, it’s an introduction to an author’s world. And for fans, it’s a bonus book in the author’s series. We hope you'll enjoy each one as much as we do.**

The last of the Dirty Dare series is here. Don’t miss this sexy standalone novella!

Pre-order your copy today→ https://mybook.to/JonesummerCP

Add Just One Summer to Goodreads→ https://bit.ly/3OyVPe9

Thursday, July 20, 2023

Goddess Fish Promotions Presents: Making It Hard by Tanith Davenport; #ReviewTour, #NowAvailable, #OutNow, #TBR, #Live, #Review, #Giveaway

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions.

Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

Making It Hard

by Tanith Davenport

GENRE: Erotic romance

Release Date:

Rating: 4 Stars

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book for review from Goddess Fish Promotions and the author. I was not compensated nor was I required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am posting this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising".

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

BLURB:

Vlogger Angel Metzler likes to create content on her two favourite things – rock music and classic cars. So when lead guitarist Judah Kallam approaches her at a car show and asks her to do some promotion work for him, she accepts – and when she notices someone filming them as he’s flirting with her, she kisses him, hoping this will result in good publicity.

Judah tells her he plans to quit his band Vegas Dreams to go solo and is happy to get any publicity he can by any means necessary. Irresistibly drawn to him, Angel agrees to make public appearances with him, but knows it will go no further – she has made a private vow never to date musicians, having been let down by too many in the past. But when the press attention grows too much to handle, Angel and Judah are thrown closer together and the heat growing between them tempts Angel to break her vow – but will Judah still be interested when the promotion is done, or is she just a groupie to him?

Buy Links:

Universal buy link: https://books2read.com/u/3LjDQ1

Totally Bound: https://www.totallybound.com/book/making-it-hard

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

My Thoughts:

Angel has a job she loves, and she gets to meet a lot of people. Judah’s job takes him all over but he’s ready to spread his wings. Their jobs are how they met. If you’ve been reading the Rock My World Series, then you need to include this in your library.

It’s a story that’s over before you know it. Our author knew what to keep out of the storyline in order for things to flow. Since it won’t take long to read, you can do a marathon read of the series. If you have a favorite band, why not play their music in the background for a little ambiance. There’s just enough drama, a buildup of the heat between our main characters, and the author knows just what type of ending these two need.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

EXCERPT:

As she turned her head towards the next car, a Chevy, she noticed the videographer had moved closer and was filming them both. A sudden idea flashed into her head.

You want coverage? I’ll give you coverage.

Judah had stepped up behind her. She could feel the warmth of his body radiating against her skin, and Angel backed up, letting her body rest flush against his. She heard him chuckle, felt his hands rest on her hips, and it was the work of a moment—Angel turned her head, raising her hand to touch his cheek, and kissed him.

An audible gasp came from the videographer. Angel pretended to be oblivious, focussing only on the brush of Judah’s lips against hers, at first light but then firmer as his tongue glided inside her mouth.

Angel on Tour and Judah Kallam. Let’s see what people make of that.

As their lips parted, Angel cast a deliberate eye at the camera, bringing it to Judah’s attention.

“Going viral by the end of the day,” she murmured.

“Mmm.” Judah’s voice was low in her ear. “It’s a start, but I’m going to need more.”

“I bet you are.” Angel cocked her head, thinking. A kiss was one thing, but she didn’t fancy being followed around the show all morning. She dug in her pocket for her business card, lifted his hand off her thigh and tucked the card into his palm.

“Meet me at my office after the show. I’ll see what I can do.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

AUTHOR Bio:

Tanith Davenport began writing erotica at the age of 27 by way of the Romantic Novelists' Association New Writers' Scheme. Her debut novel "The Hand He Dealt" was released by Totally Bound in June 2011 and was shortlisted for the Joan Hessayon Award for 2012.

Tanith has had short stories published by Totally Bound, Naughty Nights Press and House of Erotica. She loves to travel and dreams of one day taking a driving tour of the United States, preferably in a classic 1950s pink Cadillac Eldorado.

Tanith's idea of heaven is an Indian head massage with a Mojito at her side.

Author Links:

www.facebook.com/TanithDavenport

www.twitter.com/TanithDavenport

tanithdavenport.blogspot.com

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

GIVEAWAY:

Tanith Davenport will be awarding $10 Amazon or Barnes and Noble GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Hosted By:

Tuesday, July 11, 2023

ReleaseBlitz: The Dandelion Diary by Devney Perry; #NowAvailable, #OutNow, #TBR, #Live

The Dandelion Diary, an all-new heartwarming Maysen Jar novella from Wall Street Journal bestselling author Devney Perry is available now!

#thedandeliondiary #devneyperry #singledad #smalltownromance #availablenow #novella #maysenjar #romancereads #romancebooklover #romancebookaddict #mustread #bookstoread #romancebookworm #bibliophile #readnow #booklover #1001darknights #blueboxpress

From Wall Street Journal bestselling author Devney Perry comes a new story in her Maysen Jar series…

Dear Diary,

My dad needs a girlfriend, and I’ve already picked her out.

Miss Adler would be perfect for him, right? She’s super pretty. She has the best smile and she gives the best hugs. And she’s, like, the most amazing teacher in the world.

Dad is my hero, but I can tell he’s lonely. He tries to hide it from me, but sometimes at night, when he thinks I’m asleep, I’ll sneak downstairs and find him sitting on the couch, staring at nothing. He’s never had a girlfriend, not since the divorce. Mom messed him up. She’s good at that.

He’s smart and funny, but he doesn’t laugh enough. I’ve seen other moms at school check him out so I guess he’s handsome. (Eww.) And he makes up the best nicknames. He calls me Dandelion. I bet he’d give Miss Adler an awesome nickname too.

They're perfect for each other. I just know it. Now I only have to show them I’m right.

Wish me luck.

Katy

“She was captivating.
Breathtaking.
Stunning.
Surprising.
Tempting.
And Katy’s teacher.”

Fall in love today, exclusively on Amazon!

Amazon: https://amzn.to/3ey8Q8r

Amazon Worldwide: https://mybook.to/thedandeliondiary

Amazon Paperback: https://amzn.to/3ZBEB25

Add to Goodreads: http://bit.ly/3KwfyJg

Keep reading for a look inside The Dandelion Diary:

Jeff stopped just beyond the patio, turning to face me.
I stopped too, standing just within arm’s reach.
He reached up, tucking a lock of hair behind my ear. “I’m stalling.”
“You’re stalling.”
“You gotta tell me what you want. It’s your job. It’s your life. You want to wait until summer, then I’ll walk you to your car right now.”
I inched closer. More of that bravery bubbled to the surface. Was this a stupid idea? Yep. So why couldn’t I leave? “What if I don’t want to go to my car?”
A growl came from his chest as he dragged a hand over his jaw. “You’re sure?”
“Is Katy asleep?”
He nodded once. “Out like a light.”
“Then I want you to kiss me.”
The words were barely out of my mouth before his lips crushed mine, his strong arms sweeping me off my feet as he hauled me into his chest.
Yes. Whatever doubts I had vanished. I melted against him, sinking into the feel of those lips against mine. Never in my life had I been this bold. Never in my life had I told a man to kiss me.
Worth it. So fucking worth it.
His tongue swept against the seam of my lips, demanding entry. A mewl escaped my throat as he slid inside. Then he plundered, fluttering and tangling and swirling his tongue with mine until I was breathless.
This man could kiss. Thank the stars in the sky, he could kiss.
He nipped at the corner of my mouth, then sucked my bottom lip between his teeth. He slanted over me, delving deeper, leaving no corner of my mouth untouched.
My entire body went up in flames, my pulse thudding in time with the aching throb in my core. When he broke us apart, my lips were swollen. He latched on to my neck, sucking and kissing as he left a trail down the column of my throat.
“More.” I fisted the material of his shirt, holding him to me.
“Fuck, Della.” His voice held an edge of restraint, like he was trying to press the brakes. He pulled back, setting me on my feet. His eyes searched mine and his Adam’s apple bobbed as he swallowed hard. Then he shifted, taking a step away.
No. “Don’t,” I panted.
Maybe it was the years of rejection from Luka. Maybe it was this all-consuming need for Jeff’s touch, his skin against mine. If I had to beg, I’d beg. Tonight, I wanted to be craved. Worshiped. And if that kiss was any indication, together, we could be dynamite.
“Della—”
“Please don’t pull away from me.” There was a vulnerability in my voice that surprised even me.
Jeff’s eyes softened. “I don’t want to, beautiful. But if I don’t put this space between us, I’m not sure I’ll be able to let you go.”
The air rushed from my lungs. He wants me. Deep down, I knew he wanted me. That kiss was a kiss from a man who wanted a woman. But to hear the need in his voice, well…it meant I didn’t care about the rules. Not tonight.
I’d risk it all, just once.
“You said I had to tell you what I want,” I said. “And that’s you. Kiss me again. Take me inside to your bedroom. Or if all you want to do is sit at the table and play cribbage with me, I’ll take whatever I can get. We don’t even know each other but the idea of me leaving right now…” I shook my head. “I don’t want to leave.”