Publisher: Evernight
Publishing
Blurb
Ava’s nemesis, John, made his feelings known by
suddenly kissing her while they happened to be on the same cruise. Not just any
kiss, but one that triggered a mind-blowing heat that made her want to learn
more about him.
They’ve now been home for over a week where …
nothing happens, making Ava doubt the signals she thought she’d received. Had
the kiss not been as mind-blowing for him as it was for her? And then,
suddenly, he asks her out on a date where she gets to see the intimate, sexy
sides of him, which she really likes.
Maybe they are a good match for each other after
all … or not. She can’t tell. His actions are so unpredictable that she can’t
intuit his motives. Should she continue to leave the door open or write him off
as the manwhore she thinks he is?
Where You
Can Buy It
Excerpt
“Thanks
for dinner. I had a great time,” I said. It was trite, but they were the only
words that came to mind.
“Me,
too. You’re welcome.” He stood with his hands in his pockets and his head
tilted, that knowing look in his eyes. The same one that, at the office, had
always driven me the nuts. But, here in the semi-darkness and privacy of the
corridor, it made me blush. There was something in the intensity of his gaze
that made my body prickle in response. Did he know how many confusing signals
were firing inside me right now? One side of me was greatly tempted to run my
hands through his silver-fox hair, while another waved a red flag and tried to
hit the brakes.
“Oh!
Thanks for the coat,” I said. I’d almost forgotten about it. I took it off and
handed it to him. “Um, well goodnight. See you at the office.”
I
started to close the door, then stopped because he continued to stand there
with the side of his mouth quirked up in a grin. It would be awkward to just
shut the door in his face. “What?” I said. Our gazes locked, and my heartbeat
sped up as static filled the air between us.
“You’re
not just going to leave me like this,” John said.
“Like
what?”
He
stepped forward to lean against the doorframe, forearm up above his head, his
face inches from mine. “Don’t I even get a goodnight kiss?” he said in a low
voice. “I hate to brag, but I think I behaved pretty well tonight.”
I
laughed. “Oh please, you love to brag. And, yes, you totally surprised me with
your unexpectedly chivalrous behavior. This, however, is more along the lines
of what I expected.” I gestured at him from head to toe. It was as if a tiger
stood at my doorstep, powerful muscles lithe yet still ready to pounce. I had
to admit, it was deliciously arousing to feel his forthright desire. I had a
brief flashback of him by the pool on the cruise. I’d seen what the muscles of
his torso were like, and now I couldn’t help wondering what they would feel
like through the fabric of his shirt.
“So
… no kiss?” he said. “Are you sure? Because I thought there was something
between us on the ship. And, even tonight, I could swear it’s still there.
Aren’t you just a little bit curious?”
I
shrugged. “Maybe.” I am. I really, really
am. But I wasn’t about to tell him that. Giving a manwhore leverage was
just plain dangerous. “I’m just not sure we should go there right now.” I
remained where I was, refusing to budge. Kissing John would be the wrong move
right now. Something in my gut made me certain of it. It was just one of those
instincts that grew more honed with experience. Like a gazelle sensing a
cheetah.
He
continued to gaze at me with interest. Then he straightened, but didn’t move
back. “How about a handshake then? That’s something you do with everyone, so
it’s harmless, right?”
I
laughed. “True.” I held out my hand and he grasped it. I did my best to ignore
how good his palm felt on mine. As we shook, I said again, “John, I had a very
nice time. Thank you.”
That’s
all he would be getting from me tonight. I stopped shaking his hand, but he
didn’t release my fingers. Instead, he raised my hand to his lips and kissed my
knuckles, then skimmed his lips in light nibbles down over my skin toward my
wrist. The short stubble on his jaw gently scraped as he went. And that,
combined with the sensation of his firm, soft lips, made my stomach curl with
heat. It was so easy to imagine him trailing kisses like that all the way along
my arm to my breasts. Not just there, but even lower to the most private part
of me… His gaze flicked to my face and whatever he saw there made his eyes
light up with satisfaction. I didn’t want to give anything away, but I was
helpless to control whatever I was revealing.
About the Author
Restless by nature, Jewel Quinlan is an avid traveler and
has visited sixteen countries so far. Lover of ice cream, beer, and red wine
she tries to stay fit when she’s not typing madly on her computer concocting
another tale. In her spare time, she likes to do yoga, hike, learn German and play
with her spoiled Chihuahua, Penny.
For more information about Jewel
Quinlan
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