Showing posts with label Davenport. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Davenport. Show all posts

Monday, November 26, 2018

Monday's Montage Mantelpiece: Hockey Holidays


Summary:
**100% of the proceeds from sales of this anthology will be donated to charity.**

This holiday season unwrap a brand-new collection of hockey romances that includes humor, drama, love, and - of course - hockey!

Each book is EXCLUSIVE to the anthology and NEVER BEFORE PUBLISHED by USA Today, New York Times, and all your favorite bestselling hockey romance authors.



First off, with time constraints I only read the three M/M genre stories in this lovely collection but eventually I will read them all.  They all sound heartwarming and thrilling.

Second, I am currently having computer issues so I'll just do a brief review of the three I read as a whole and hopefully will be doing a more indepth individual reviews later after "technology gets its ass straightened out"πŸ˜‰.

The three stories I read were Dallas Christmas by RJ Scott, A Star-Crossed Christmas by VL Locey, and Holding on Tight by Susan Scott Shelley and they were all excellent!  A wonderful combination of warmth, drama, humor, heat, hockey, and of course plenty of heart holding it all together.  The characters and plots may represent your typical Christmas flair but there is nothing "typical" or "cliche" about any of them, the Christmas flavor just heightens the awesomeness of the brilliant storytelling by Scott, Locey, and Shelley.

Blogger Note: I should add that I already love Scott and Locey's works but this is the first time I've read Susan Scott Shelley but it certainly won't be the last.

RATING: 


Dallas Christmas by RJ Scott 
Logan knows lusting after his captain's brother can only lead to trouble. But when fate throws them together, it’s hard not to fall in love.

A Star-Crossed Christmas by V.L. Locey
Two years ago, Mitch shared an explosive kiss with his childhood friend Shaun. Will Christmas be the time for the two men to find a future together that works?

Holding On Tight by Susan Scott Shelley
For defenseman Vince Forsberg and his boyfriend Joseph Parelli, the pressure to make their first Christmas together perfect leads to a lot of chaos, holiday mishaps, and some unexpected results.

How We Fell in Love by Toni Aleo 
He knew she was the one, she wasn't so sure, which is why Grace and James' love story is one for the ages.

A Second Shot by Shannon Stacey
She was the one who got away, but when their paths cross once again, all he wants for Christmas is the chance to take another shot at love.

A Wolfe Brothers Christmas by Jami Davenport
Spending their first Christmas together in years, the Wolfe brothers fumbling attempts to create good memories go awry.

Christmas Crosscheck by Jaymee Jacobs 
Bryan's planning to propose to Georgiana on Christmas Eve, but will the chaos of their families’ first holiday together ruin their special moment?

The Final Slapshot by Jean C. Joachim
Harry "Deke" Edmonds hides his secret, hoping for a Christmas miracle. When confronted with the truth, will his heart-breaking decision cost him everything?

Lucky Holiday by Jennifer Lazaris
Tyler Quinn made the biggest mistake of his life when he broke Ella’s heart, and he’ll need more than an ace up his sleeve to win her back in time for Christmas.

Dmitri's Christmas Angel by Kat Mizera 
Two women. Two surprise pregnancies. Dmitri Papadakis is screwed.

His Christmas Cinderella by Kate Willoughby 
When Gideon Aguilar mistakes Bailey Peng for his Uber driver it leads to a night he can’t forget. But after she disappears the next morning will he be able to find his perfect fit?

Red-Hot Trouble by Lily Harlem 
Sophie Delaney never intended to walk into ‘that’ locker room, at ‘that’ moment, but she did, and now she’ll never be the same again.

Christmas Interference by Lisa B. Kamps 
Shane Masters no longer believes in happy-ever-afters. Can the woman who knew him best thaw his heart with a little holiday magic before it's too late?

The Devoted Father and the Introvert by Mary Smith 
Elexis Dunaway loves Twitter and work. Dag Limon loves his twin boys and playing professional hockey. Soon their worlds will collide with one simple tweet.

Her Best Worst Boyfriend by Melanie Ting 
This Christmas, Em Davis is bringing Mr. Wrong home to prove a point to her parents, but Ian Reid might turn out to be Mr. Right.

Icing isn't Only for Cookies by Melody Heck Gatto 
Avery James wasn’t looking for love when tall, dark, and deliciously handsome hockey player Kyler Wilson walked into her bakery.

The Playboy by Stephanie Julian 
Kyle is back in the minors to rehab his career but that's not all he's hoping to fix. Convincing the girl he left behind to take another chance on this former playboy will be harder than resurrecting his career.

All I Want by Stephanie Kay
When fate brings first loves Maggie and Alex back to the same city, will Maggie be brave enough to give the relationship she never forgot a second chance? 


VL Locey
V.L. Locey loves worn jeans, yoga, belly laughs, reading and writing lusty tales, Greek mythology, the New York Rangers, comic books, and coffee. (Not necessarily in that order.) She shares her life with her husband, her daughter, two dogs, two cats, a flock of assorted domestic fowl, and three Jersey steers.

When not writing spicy romances, she enjoys spending her day with her menagerie in the rolling hills of Pennsylvania with a cup of fresh java in hand. She can also be found online on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and GoodReads.

RJ Scott
RJ’s goal is to write stories with a heart of romance, a troubled road to reach happiness, and most importantly, that hint of a happily ever after.

RJ is the author of the over one hundred novels and discovered romance in books at a very young age. She realized that if there wasn’t romance on the page, she could create it in her head, and is a lifelong writer.

She lives and works out of her home in the beautiful English countryside, spends her spare time reading, watching films, and enjoying time with her family.

The last time she had a week’s break from writing she didn’t like it one little bit and has yet to meet a bottle of wine she couldn’t defeat.

She’s always thrilled to hear from readers, bloggers and other writers. Please contact via the following links below.

Susan Scott Shelley
USA Today bestselling author Susan Scott Shelley writes stories with heat and heart, where love always wins. Her romances give readers lighthearted and emotionally satisfying escapes into happily ever after. In addition to crafting stories, she is also a professional voiceover artist and enjoys lending her voice to a wide range of projects.

She lives in Philadelphia with her husband and is an avid fan of her hometown sports teams. Her favorite things include running (honestly, it's more like jogging), sports (especially hockey), hard rock (but will listen to anything from heavy metal to show tunes), and writing about people from all walks of life finding their special someone.

Toni Aleo
My name is Toni Aleo, and I’m a #PredHead, #sherrio, #potterhead, and part of the #familybusiness!

I am also a wife to my amazing husband, mother of a gamer and a gymnast, and also a fur momma to Gaston el Papillion.

While my beautiful and amazing Shea Weber has been traded from my Predators, I’m still a huge fan. But when I’m not cheering for him, I’m hollering for the whole Nashville Predators since I’ll never give my heart to one player again.

When I’m not in the gym getting swole, I’m usually writing, trying to make my dreams a reality, or being a taxi for my kids.

I’m obsessed with Harry Potter, Supernatural, Disney, and anything that sparkles! I’m pretty sure I was Belle in a past life, and if I could be on any show, it would be Supernatural so I could hunt with Sam and Dean.

Also, I did mention I love hockey, right?

Shannon Stacey
New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Shannon Stacey lives with her husband and two sons in New England, where her favorite activities are writing romance and really random tweets when she’s not riding her ATV. She loves mud, books, football &
watching way too much TV.

Jami Davenport 
USA Today Bestselling Author Jami Davenport writes sexy contemporary and sports romances, including her Game On in Seattle Series, Men of Tyee Series, and coming soon will be a romantic suspense series, Gone Missing.

Jami lives on a small farm near Puget Sound with her Green Beret-turned-plumber husband, a Newfoundland cross with a tennis ball fetish, and a prince disguised as an orange tabby cat.

Jami worked in IT for years and is a former high school business teacher but recently achieved her life-long dream of being a full-time author. In her spare time, Jami gardens and goes camping. A horse lover since birth, Jami showed dressage horses for over thirty years. She's a lifetime Seahawks and Mariners fan and is not-so-patiently waiting for the NHL to come to Seattle. An avid boater, Jami has spent countless hours in the San Juan Islands, a common setting in her books. In her opinion, it is the most beautiful place on earth.

Jaymee Jacobs
Jaymee Jacobs is a USA Today best-selling author of the Dallas Comets series. She graduated from the University of Pittsburgh with a BA in English literature and a psychology minor.

Jean C. Joachim
Jean Joachim is a USA Today Best-Selling author, and an internationally best-selling author of romance fiction. Her books have been hitting the Amazon Top 100 list since 2012. She writes mostly contemporary romance, which includes sports romance and romantic suspense.

Her novella, "Liz & Nick: No Regrets" picked up 2nd place in the erotic romance short book category in the 2018 International Digital Awards from the Oklahoma chapter of Romance Writers of America, while her book, "Jake Lawrence, Third Base" capture 5th place in the erotic romance novel category.

"The House-Sitter's Christmas" captured one 1st place award in Arizona and two 3rd place awards, one in Milwaukee. Dangerous Love Lost & Found, First Place winner in the 2015 Oklahoma Romance Writers of America, International Digital Award contest. The Renovated Heart won Best Novel of the Year from Love Romances CafΓ©. Lovers & Liars was a RomCon finalist in 2013. And The Marriage List tied for third place as Best Contemporary Romance from the Gulf Coast RWA. To Love or Not to Love tied for second place in the 2014 New England Chapter of Romance Writers of America Reader's Choice contest. She was chosen Author of the Year in 2012 by the New York City chapter of RWA.

Married and the mother of two sons, Jean lives in New York City. Early in the morning, you'll find her at her computer, writing, with a cup of tea, and a secret stash of black licorice.

Jean has 48+ books, novellas and short stories published.

Jennifer Lazaris 
Jennifer spent most of her early twenties blocking shots in front of a deck hockey net, writing stories, and holding out for a hero.

Now, she spends her days and nights hunched over the keyboard, combining her love of hockey and writing into romance novels.

A native of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Jennifer's a die-hard Penguins fan who lives in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. She takes her life in her hands every time she wears her Penguins jersey in the heart of Leafs Nation, but figures it's worth the risk to represent her beloved Black and Gold.

Her days off are spent spoiling two crazy cute cats, reading, and obsessively watching Sons of Anarchy reruns.

Kat Mizera 
USA Today Bestselling author Kat Mizera is a South Florida native. Born in Miami Beach with a healthy dose of wanderlust, she's called Los Angeles, Long Island, upstate New York, Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Atlanta home. She's never been able to pick which locale is her favorite, but if pressed, she'd probably choose the west coast.

Kat's a typical PTA mom with a wonderful and supportive husband (Kevin) and two amazing boys (Nick and Max). When she's not writing, she's either scrapbooking or indulging in her second love (after writing) - traveling. Greece is one of her favorite places in the world. She loves that Athens is a big city with a small-town feel. The food, beaches and culture keep her going back as often as possible. She hopes to retire there one day so she can spend her days writing books on the beach.

As you can guess from her series, the Las Vegas Sidewinders, Kat loves hockey. She is also a freelance hockey writer, covering her favorite team, the Florida Panthers, and any other teams that have an interesting story. The rest of the time, she writes novels: sexy, romantic fiction that she hopes makes you as happy as it makes her. There's something enticing about hockey players and romance...

Kate Willoughby 
USA Today bestselling author Kate Willoughby lives in California with her husband and two sons. When she's not writing her hockey romances, she's watching hockey. When it's not hockey season, she whines a lot.

Lily Harlem
Lily Harlem is a best-selling, award-winning author of erotic romance. She lives in the UK and writes for several publishing houses including HarperCollins, Totally Bound, Pride Publishing, Evernight, ARe and Sweetmeats Press. She also features in numerous UK and US anthologies, some of which all proceeds go to charity.

Her books are a mixture of full length novels and short stories, some are one offs, some are sequels or part of a series (all can be enjoyed as stand-alone reads). What they all have in common are colourful characters travelling on everyone’s favourite journey — falling in love. If the story isn’t deliciously romantic and down and dirty sexy, it won’t be written, at least not by this author. So with the bedroom door left well and truly open you are warned to hang on for a steamy, sensual ride - or rides as the case might be!

Lisa B. Kamps
Lisa B. Kamps is the USA Today Bestselling Author of The Baltimore Banners, featuring "…hard-hitting, heart-melting hockey players…" [USA Today], on and off the ice. Her Firehouse Fourteen series features hot and heroic firefighters who put more than their lives on the line and she's introduced a whole new team of hot hockey players who play hard and love even harder in her Banners' spin-off series, The York Bombers. The Chesapeake Blades--a romance series featuring women's hockey--recently launched with WINNING HARD. Her newest series, Cover Six Security, will launch in early 2019.

Lisa currently lives in Maryland with her husband and two sons (who are mostly sorta-kinda out of the house), one very spoiled Border Collie, two cats with major attitude, several head of cattle, and entirely too many chickens to count. When she's not busy writing or chasing animals, she's cheering loudly for her favorite hockey team, the Washington Capitals--or going through withdrawal and waiting for October to roll back around!

Mary Smith
USA Today Best Selling Author, Mary Smith, has been coming up with stories her whole life. She has written over forty romance stories involving hot sports stars, strong willed females and everything in between. When not busy writing or rooting for the Chicago Blackhawks you can find her with her nose stuck in her Kindle.

Melanie Ting
USA Today best-selling author Melanie Ting herds cats, hikes low mountains, and watches hockey in beautiful Vancouver, B.C. She began writing romances during the 2010 Olympics, inspired by both the extraordinary athleticism and the crazy party atmosphere.

Join her mailing list and you'll get a free short story about the Vancouver Vice.

Melody Heck Gatto 
Pittsburgh, PA born and raised! I write about a fictional Pittsburgh hockey team. I use actual Pittsburgh locations and landmarks when I can.

I am a Mom, a Wife, and a dog and cat lover.

I've loved reading and writing since I was small. In school, I never met a creative writing assignment that I didn't love. I am lucky enough to have a wonderful husband who encourages me to write. When I was laid off from my job of 14 years (and maybe I wasn't as sad as I should've been, lol), he was supportive about letting me stay home and take care of our son. During that time I discovered hockey-romances and found a renewed love of reading as well as a passion for writing.

I am an avid hockey fan. I love my Pittsburgh Penguins! When I'm not watching hockey games I'm probably reading, or writing. :)

I do plenty of "research" for my books by going to hockey practices and games *wink-wink*

Stephanie Julian
Stephanie Julian is a New York Times and USA Today best seller who writes sophisticated, sultry romance for adventurous readers.

Her books include sexy heroes (sometimes two!), smart heroines and emotionally engaging love stories. Her series include the best-selling Salon Games, Indecent and Magical Seduction.

Stephanie is a slow runner, a reluctant cook, a lover of all things Joss, JJ and Disney. She's happily married to a Springsteen fanatic and is the mother of two sons who introduced her to the joys of Slipknot, Warped Tour and never-ending headaches.

Stephanie Kay
I have always loved a good romance, and I got hooked on the dirty ones at the tender age of 14, when I told her mother that if the cover wasn't a bodice ripper, then there was no sex in the book. As an avid mystery reader, my mother never checked to see if I was lying. Twenty plus years later, my most prized possession is my Kindle, and I may have a Hallmark movie obsession.

I have called California, Maryland, and Rhode Island my home, but now live in New Hampshire with my husband where I ask him incessant questions until he escapes to go hiking in the mountains. That's the only time I can get him out of the house so I can get her writing in. Married couples shouldn't both work from home!

Sports were never my thing, but after beta reading for another hockey author and buying NHL Game Center within one month of watching my first hockey game a few years ago, I dove into learning everything I could about the sport and the hot men that play it. Now I spend my spare time visiting hockey arenas in the name of research and loving every second of it.


VL Locey
FACEBOOK  /  TWITTER  /  BLOG
iTUNES  /  AMAZON  /  GOODREADS  

RJ Scott 
B&N  /  INSTAGRAM  /  TUMBLR
AUDIBLE  /  FB GROUP  /  PINTEREST
BOOKBUB  /  KOBO  /  SMASHWORDS
iTUNES  /  AMAZON  /  GOODREADS
EMAIL: rj@rjscott.co.uk  

Susan Scott Shelley 

Toni Aleo
FACEBOOK  /  TWITTER  /  WEBSITE
B&N  /  AMAZON  /  GOODREADS 

Shannon Stacey 

Jami Davenport 

Jaymee Jacobs 

Jean C. Joachim 
FACEBOOK  /  TWITTER  /  WEBSITE
BLOG  /  BLOG2  /  PINTEREST
KOBO  /  B&N  /  SMASHWORDS
GOOGLE+  /  AMAZON  /  GOODREADS
EMAIL: jean@nowandforeverbooks.com

Jennifer Lazaris

Kat Mizera

Kate Willoughby

Lily Harlem
FACEBOOK  /  TWITTER  /  WEBSITE
KOBO  /  SMASHWORDS  /  GOOGLE+  /  B&N
EMAIL: lilyharlem@googlemail.com

Lisa B. Kamps
FACEBOOK  /  TWITTER  /  WEBSITE
FB GROUP  /  AMAZON  /  GOODREADS
EMAIL: LisaBKamps@gmail.com

Mary Smith

Melanie Ting

Melody Heck Gatto
FACEBOOK  /  TWITTER  /  WEBSITE
AMAZON  /  GOODREADS 

Stephanie Julian
FACEBOOK  /  TWITTER  /  WEBSITE
BOOKBUB  /  AMAZON  /  GOODREADS

Stephanie Kay 



AMAZON US  /  AMAZON UK  /  B&N

Sunday, June 28, 2015

Release Day Blitz: Hot Beach Romance: Sand, Sunshine and Sizzle Box Set

Title: Hot Beach Romance: Sand, Sunshine, & Sizzle
Authors: Chris Almeida & Cecilia Aubrey, Eirinn Brennan
EmKay Connor, Jenna Dales, Jami Davenport, Sylvia Fox
Tawdra Kandall, Amber Lin, Alannah Lynne, Scarlett Metal
Lisa Marie Rice, Suzanne Rock, Margaret Taylor, Nancy Warren, Layla Wilcox
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Release Date: June 28, 2015

Summary:
***Ready for a summer escape? Get 15 contemporary romance stories by best-selling and award-winning authors for 99¢! Each novel and novella has a beach setting, an irresistible love story with HEA, and high sizzle factor. Slather on the sunscreen, grab a cool drink, and get ready to get hot!***

Ecstasy By the Sea by Chris Almeida & Cecilia Aubrey
A honeymoon to remember.

Burn Me by Eirinn Brennan
She was sure of the future until she experienced what else it had to offer.

Finding Joy by EmKay Connor
You can run from your secrets, but you can’t hide.

Kissing Drake by Jenna Dales
A tall, dark and seriously hot hero and the woman who makes him forget about being so serious.

Madrona Sunset by Jami Davenport
Damaged souls craving comfort for a moment or a lifetime.

The Good Enough Husband by Sylvie Fox
What would you do if you met your soul mate, but you were already married?

The Posse by Tawdra Kandle
One woman, three men, and a beach romance as unpredictable as the riptide.

How to Say Goodbye by Amber Lin
She’s here for the summer. He lives on the streets. They’ll both learn how to say goodbye.

Last Call By Alannah Lynne
One unforgettably hot night could lead to forever…or…death…

Sunny and 75 by Scarlett Metal
Can paradise heal their broken hearts or will their pasts come back to haunt them?

Midnight Shadows by Lisa Marie Rice
She sees shadows that aren’t there.

Two Are Better Than One by Suzanne Rock
Two Irish exchange students convince the straight-laced Hannah that two men are better than one.

The Billionaire’s Assassin by Margaret Taylor
Adrian Hoyle couldn’t know that meeting a hot Hollywood actor would be hazardous to her health.

Sun Kissed by Nancy Warren
It’s hard not to mix business and pleasure when your business is surfing.

Miami Dreams by Layla Wilcox
Starting over in the Magic City means believing in second chances when none seem possible.

Two are Better than One by Suzanne Rock
     “Did you find her?”
     Hannah stopped walking as she recognized Declan’s voice.
     “No. I looked everywhere.”
     Quinn. Hannah knelt down behind the dune and angled herself until both men came into view. The setting sun cast a red-orange halo around them both, creating a beautiful, romantic picture.
     “Damn Greg.” Quinn fisted his hands. “He’s such an ass.”
     “I never liked him,” Declan agreed. “Now he’s scared off Hannah and I’m not sure if we’ll ever find her.”
     Hannah stared at the men. They were looking for her?
     “I’d love to punch his face in.” The normally jovial Quinn slammed his fist in his palm.
     “Come now, you know violence isn’t the answer.” Declan sighed. “I just wish I knew if Hannah was all right.”
     “You don’t believe that she had sex with Greg, do you?”
     “I don’t think anyone believes him. He’s an ass, remember?”
     Quinn shook his head. “I’m worried about her.”
     “Me too.”
     “If only we weren’t running late. We could have stopped it.”
     Hannah stood and was about to reveal herself when she saw Declan reach out for Quinn. She hunched back down behind a sand dune and watched as Declan wrapped his arms around Quinn’s shoulders. The act was gentle and affectionate. Soothing. It seemed almost as if he was consoling a lover.
     Desire sparked in her lower abdomen. She imagined herself between the two men, their hard, naked bodies pressed up against her like in one of her erotic novels. She had never participated in a three-way, but she guessed that with Declan and Quinn it would be so much more intimate than what she had read about, more intense. To be surrounded by all of that warm skin, to feel their hands and lips on her body, would be like a dream come true.
     “Don’t worry, we’ll find her.” Declan hooked his finger under Quinn’s chin and raised his head to meet his gaze. Then he closed the distance between them and covered his lips.
     They were…kissing? Hannah gasped and put her hand over her mouth. They were lovers? A hollowness formed in the pit of her stomach. She was such a fool to think that they’d be interested in her. Damn Becky for putting the thought in her head. Declan and Quinn were lovers—lovers! Tears once again stung her eyes and a sob escaped her throat.
     Declan broke the kiss and pulled back from Quinn. “Did you hear that?”
     Quinn stepped out of his lover’s embrace. “There’s someone here.”
     Hannah stood and turned to go.
     “Wait—don’t leave.” Quinn’s voice rose up from the dunes.
     Hannah closed her eyes. Could this evening get any worse? She couldn’t run away now. She’d have to talk to them. Hannah decided she’d be curt and quick, then get out of there and go home as soon as possible.
     Hannah had let Becky give her hope for something more than a life of seclusion, and now she was paying the price. Hannah was better off with her cat and her erotic novels.
     It was best to get this over with as quickly as possible. Slowly she turned around.
     Both men started moving toward her.
     “Hannah,” Declan was faster than Quinn and reached her first. “My God, we were worried about you.”
     “Were you?” Hannah looked from Declan to Quinn. “Just now you were kissing. You couldn’t have been that worried.” Hannah winced at the men’s stunned expressions and immediately regretted her words. She held up her hands between them. “I mean, it’s none of my business—”
     “You saw that?” Quinn asked.
     Declan took a step forward. “Did it disgust you?” He took another step. “Scare you?”
     “A little.” She shook her head. “I mean it didn’t disgust me. I just didn’t know that you two…”     She waved her hands in the air between them.
     “We are lovers, yes.” Declan stopped and held his hands out at his sides. “Does that bother you?”
     “No. Yes.” She sighed and dropped her hands. “I don’t know.”
     “There’s more,” Quinn said.
     “More?”
     Declan glanced at Quinn, and then refocused his attention to her. “We like kissing each other, but we find it much more erotic to both be kissing another woman.”
     “Much more erotic,” Quinn said as he stepped closer.

How to Say Goodbye by Amber Lin
     He smiled with the barest hint of irony. “Guess you have better things to do than build a sand castle.”
     She hated how his words echoed her thoughts, how they put him down. Didn’t he know how much she would give to be like him? Relaxed. Confident. God, she didn’t want to be afraid anymore.
     “I’ve got time.”
     He pointed behind the castle. “There’s an enchanted forest right there.”
     She knelt down. “Here?”
     “No, over. A few inches to the left. Don’t you see it?”
     He was…teasing her. It took her a second to understand just because it had never happened before. Not that she could remember.
     She looked down to hide her smile. “I think I’ve got it now.”
     He grinned. “Then get building, Cornell.”
     Her first attempt was more like a molehill with a pointed top. By her second she’d learned to pack the sand more tightly, earning a brief nod from him. After that she worked steadily, forming the little conical pine trees in varying sizes. A vision sketched in her mind, of lush trees and woodland creatures, of fancy and imagination.
     Kneeling in her oh-so-practical shoes was impossible, so she took them off. Her skirt hiked up her thighs as she scooted around the forest. Sand squeezed between the mesh of her stockings.
     She hoped it would never come out.
     When he finished carving arched windows, he stood back and dusted the sand from his palms. She trailed a finger down the last tree—this was how he’d feel, gritty and soft—before standing up to join him.
     He was tall. His height shouldn’t have been a surprise; she was often the shortest one in the room. But she’d been equal to him on the ground, both of them dirty and eager in the sand.      Now he was the tall, handsome stranger, and she the shy girl who hardly spoke.
     She’d aced fluid mechanics, for God’s sake, so why should this matter? It didn’t, it didn’t. But her heart double-timed when she asked, “What do you think of the forest?”
     With mock solemnity he studied the trees. They lined up neatly in rows like a Christmas tree farm she’d passed once in rural New York.
     “It’s pretty,” he said, repeating her words. Then he smiled, almost shy. “Very pretty. Do you want to grab some dinner?”
     Her breath caught. Had he just asked her out? It had sounded like that. Exactly like that. Her heart beat a rapid pace.
     Daylight traced tiny lines radiating from his eyes, from the corners of his mouth. A smattering of blond hair covered the tanned skin of his chest, highlighting lean muscles beneath. Even the tips of his eyelashes were bleached, every part of him touched by the sun. A golden boy, a rippling-surface stereotype, while hidden depths lurked beneath. What would it take to dive under? In that moment she wanted to find out. Right then she wanted to drown.
     But she’d had a lifetime of treading water, of survival. Only one answer made sense.
     “I’m sorry.” Her voice sounded hoarse with disuse, as if she hadn’t spoken in years instead of seconds. “I’m not going to be here long. In Florida.”
     She kicked herself. He hadn’t asked her to marry him, for God’s sake. He’d only wanted a date, and she should be able to do that. If she were more normal, she could have.
     Fleeting emotions flickered across his face. Disappointment first, followed by others she couldn’t understand. But resignation—that one she recognized like an old friend.
     “All right. Take care then.” His voice rang with finality. They would part now. She wouldn’t see him again, because she didn’t know how to be close to another human being. No textbook had ever taught her. No monthly phone call had told her how to feel.
     Her face heated.
     “You too,” she murmured. “I’ll see you around.”
     But even that presumed too much. A slight shake of his head said no, she wouldn’t. His lips curved in a cold shadow of his former smile.
     “Bye, Cornell.” He crossed the beach, heading for the water.
     He walked right past the frothy edge and dived underneath, leaving only ripples in his wake. His head came up once for air, and again, and again, growing smaller, farther away.
     She waited for hours. Or seconds, really. She stood with sand caked to her hands and her knees, feeling abraded and raw. Every other time in her life, she’d pretended not to want this. Friends and laughter. Easy camaraderie. Touch. Standing on the cooling sand, her stomach grumbling with hunger, she could no longer pretend.


Ecstasy by the Sea by Chris Almeida and Cecilia Aubrey
     She stopped by the archway to the first floor and took in the fabulous space. "Wow. It's even more beautiful than the pictures and videos Stephan sent us." Warm golden wood flooring covered the open-concept area. The kitchen was the perfect size, with dark chocolate-tone wood cabinets, brushed silver hardware, and cream granite countertops threaded with dark veins that complemented the chocolaty cabinets. Cassandra walked into the kitchen and brushed her hand over the cool surface of the counters and the white subway tiling on the wall. "Nice! Stephan actually pulled off exactly what we asked for."
     "Yep. The seventy-inch flat screen I have been drooling over looks awesome mounted on the wall."
     "Great movie nights ahead, for sure." He watched Cassandra's eyes pass over the big screen embedded in a large media center surrounded by speakers and every electronic gadget Trevor had lusted after. She grinned and nodded toward the couch. "Even the couch has a nice deep seat for snuggling."
     Trevor waggled his eyebrows. "Oh, yeah! And did you see the front door? The restoration results were brilliant. All of the original Georgian details are now showing."
     Cassandra chuckled at his enthusiasm. "One would think you were talking about the Mona Lisa."
     "Hey! That's an authentic Georgian door! And, considering where we live, it had to be one."
     Most of the houses around St. Stephen's Green still retained the classical faΓ§ades from the Georgian era and sported the traditional bright colored doors that marked the period.
     She shook her head. "Love when you get all geeky about things."
     He closed the distance and circled her waist with an arm, pulling her closer. "Should I begin to talk geek now? I know how it turns you on: uploads..." He cupped her face and kissed her lips in a slow, deliberate touch, nipping at her full lower lip.
     "Mmm..."
     "Hard drive..." he whispered, running his tongue along the curve of her ear.
     "Mmm...keep going."
     "Firmware..." His hand slipped lower and cupped her breast.
     Her hand cupped his groin at the same time. "Firm...yes..."


Sylvia Fox's Travel Bucket List
All this talk about the beach gave me time to think about compiling my travel bucket list. I'm not getting any younger and the time to have fun on the beach and off is NOW. My travel bucket list includes lots of islands, island nations, and beaches. (Yeah, there's inland too, but some things like castles and chocolate are hard to give up even in the face of smooth sand beaches and lapping waves.)  So, here goes in no particular order, where I'd like to be while holding a hot read in my hands.
  1. Easter Island. I hear the plane ride is really long, and the tour, really short. But I still want to do it. I need to see those giant statues for myself.
  1. The Great Wall of China. I have to see something astronauts can see from space.
  1. Bangkok, Thailand. I have no particular reason for wanting to go to Thailand, but I’ve always had a strong desire to visit.
  1. Greek Islands. My husband has always wanted to bicycle through the Greek Isles. While I think we may be a little old for it, I’d love to see the water, the beaches, and eat the food, anyway—bicycle or no bicycle.
  1. Egypt, the Pyramids. I may not be able to see all the wonders of the world, but I have to see this in person.
  1. Reykjavik, Iceland. For some reason, I’m usually in line for the bathroom on international flights when flying over Iceland, and see it from the tiny airplane window while bouncing on the balls of my feet. So I have to see it for myself—in the summer.
  1. Switzerland. It’s neutral. There's chocolate. There are castles. There’s gotta be something to that.
  1. Hong Kong. I always meant to visit before the handover, but never made it there. The food is supposed to be amazing. And as a bonus, English is spoken.
  1. Belgium. Belgian beer and fries. Need I say more.
  1. Australia and New Zealand. I’ve always wanted to go to the other side of the earth. The animals are vastly different. The geography looks spectacular. And have you seen those videos of hot Aussie men and women frolicking on the beach???




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