THE DO-OVER by Melissa MacKinnon is coming July 12! Check it out and pre-order your copy today!
THE DO-OVER by Melissa MacKinnon @inkslingerpr @M_MacKinnon
Wrecked Without You by Renee Shelbey @renee_shelbey @givemebookspr
Title: Wrecked Without You
Series: Town of Deer Crossing #1
Author: Renee Shelbey
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Release Date: June 21, 2021
BLURB
There’s a new doctor in town. One with swirling tattoos, a sweep of dark hair, a heart-stopping arctic gaze, and a perpetual frown. Within days, the ER waiting room is full of women wearing cute outfits and coy smiles. There must be something bad going around.
Dr. William Mason, a former soldier, is chiseled perfection, but I’m a mom of one, a history professor, and a community volunteer. The last thing I need is Dr. Dreamy with a bad attitude, when I’m busy juggling my daughter’s anxiety, the needs of my grad students, and the biggest baby of all—my ex-husband.
Then Will’s stepdaughters join my Scout troop, and I witness his haunted expression dissolve into a smile that leaves me breathless. Will becomes a mystery I’m curious to unlock and eventually, I glimpse the truth behind the façade. He’s protective, sincere, and an absolute sweetheart.
There are some things he won’t talk about, saying it’s best to leave them in the past, but he has no idea I’m also keeping a secret. One that is his very worst nightmare, come to life…
All I wanted was his love. But all I’ve earned is his wrath.
“Wrecked Without You” is the first standalone novel in the Town of Deer Crossing contemporary romance series, featuring diverse couples risking it all to find true love.
Content warning: Strong language, Steamy scenes, reproductive concerns
PURCHASE LINKS
Free in Kindle Unlimited
EXCERPT
He paused and whispered, “You’re not a failure. Your body produced the most amazing little girl. And from our short time together, I think you’re the most impressive – no exquisite – woman I’ve ever had the pleasure of meeting.”
He thought I was exquisite? No one had ever said anything so sweet like that to me before, and he said it with such sincerity and conviction that I raised my head to look at him.
A few strands of hair from my braid had come undone and were now falling in my face.
“I mean it,” he said. “Every word.” He lightly brushed a wisp of my hair back behind my ear, and I closed my eyes from his touch. It was loving, in a way I’d never experienced before, and punctuated how desirable he considered me.
We stared at each other for a few seconds more, and I saw his Adam’s apple faintly tremble. Will tenderly traced the pad of his thumb over my lips, making circles with it.
I parted my lips slightly, and he muttered, “Damn hard for me not to devour you right here.”
He eyed my lips, and it was as if time stopped. My breath caught in the back of my throat, and his words devour you rang in my head.
With a whisper of my own, I coaxed, “You should do it.”
I wanted to be consumed by him, and my pulse quickened at the thought.
Will growled softly, his voice like sandpaper. He slowly cradled the back of my neck and lifted his body so his lips could meet mine.
AUTHOR BIO
Renee Shelbey writes culturally diverse romance featuring smart Southern women and thoughtful strong men. She’s a wife of 15+ years, mother of a pre-teen daughter, dog mom to a 75 lb. puppy, and an overworked full-time employee. Her alter ego writes steamy, contemporary happily ever afters, full of ethnically inclusive main characters. She hopes you indulge in her stories which have a dose of reality but can still transport you to the world of romantic sexy-time fantasy. Her own indulgences include hot lattes, a mason jar of pear preserves, and British murder mysteries.
AUTHOR LINKS
Rainbow by K.L. Savage @klsavage_author @givemebookspr
Title: Rainbow
Series: Ruthless Kings MC: Baton Rouge Chapter #1
Author: K.L. Savage
Genre: Dark MM Romantic Suspense/Organized Crime
Cover Design: Lori Jackson Designs
Photo: Wander Aguiar
Model: Nick VanMatre
Release Date: July 20, 2021
BLURB
Fire is the reason why my life changed.
And I’m the reason why fire doesn’t stand a chance.
I’m a smokejumper.
I save those who can’t be saved.
But somewhere along the way, smoke has blinded me.
I’ve forgotten there is more to life than saving lives, but I can’t press pause.
A category five hurricane heading straight toward us changes everything I ever thought I knew about myself.
For instance, Ryan Hathaway.
Paramedic from Vegas. Sexier than sin. Sassy.
A man.
I’ve never wanted a man.
But I want him.
And he makes me feel the hottest I’ve ever felt.
Fire can’t even compare to him.
Only thing is, he doesn’t do straight guys. It’s his rule.
What I love about rules is that they are made to be broken.
And I’m going to make him rewrite everything he thought he knew.
Nothing is ever black and white, though.
It’s the details that live in the shades of grey that we need to watch out for.
The hurricane dislodges one of my MC brother’s hate and hits us harder than the storm does.
Wind. Rain. Blood. Death.
The storm is far from over and our lives are at stake.
I live my life to the fullest and I won’t die with regrets.
Ryan is the blaze I never want to fight.
If we go down, we will burn together.
Extinguishing us is not an option.
Because after a storm, there’s always a rainbow.
I’ll be damned if I don’t finally see what’s at the end.
PRE-ORDER LINKS
EXCERPT
How the hell do I get myself in these situations? Out of all the jobs as a paramedic, I find myself constantly in front of biker gangs more than regular patients. I mean, I leave Vegas and come to Baton Rouge to do a favor for my boss and end up in Ruthless Kings territory, again? Do they multiply when I blink or something?
Should have told my boss that I wouldn’t swing by his old stomping ground to help cover a staffing shortage his friend was experiencing. It seemed convenient. Stay in Baton Rouge until the storm passes, then head down to the coast where they’ll need me most.
Now I’m here, and I can’t tell if the biker looking at me wants to eat me, fuck me, or kill me.
“For a little guy, you sure know your way around bone,” Butcher grunts.
“For a guy named Butcher, you sure do complain a lot.” I press the fresh bandage against his thigh, maybe a little harder than necessary, and he growls at me.
I always liked riling up a guy bigger than me. I don’t know why. I know I don’t have a death wish, but it’s fun, and usually, bigger guys won’t pick on me. I’m sure my luck will run out soon, but until then, I’m going to poke every single bear.
And giggle as I run away.
“Okay. I’ll just say it was an accident and that no one got shot, or we’d have to report it to the police, and I don’t feel like staying here longer than necessary. Not that your hospitality isn’t… wonderful,” I add, only to sound more like a jerk.
The big guy, the one that wears the patch that says Prez, laughs as he strokes his chin with his fingers. “You’re welcome back anytime, Ryan. We appreciate your willingness to… cooperate.” He reaches into his cut pocket—I learned they weren’t vests after being corrected a few years ago—and pulls out a stack of money.
Here’s the thing about bricks of cash like this: it’s most likely illegal money. Maybe it’s drug money or blood money, but honestly? I don’t really care. I have student loan debt to pay.
I pluck the cash out of his hand and tuck it into my paramedic bag. “It’s been a pleasure doing business with you.” I give them a mock salute and swallow down my nerves as I wade through the very large bodies covered in leather.
Now that I’m looking at them, I can’t help but wonder if they’re going to let me leave. Maybe I’ll get lucky. Perhaps they’ll want to take turns with my body and ravish me. I might be a smart man, but I’m still a man, and somehow these bikers get better looking with each state I end up in.
Ah, a man can dream, can’t he?
Lye, according to his patch on his vest—I mean, cut—opens the door for me.
Once I’m outside, I take a deep breath and don’t bother looking back. Of course, the quicker I get out of here, the better.
“Hey!”
A deep voice with a twangy edge has me freezing mid-step next to the rig, and I try not to panic. Did one of the guys see me check them out? I didn’t. I think I kept my eyes to myself. I thrust my shoulders back and open the doors to the rig to toss the medical bag inside. I close the left side and see the most handsome man I’ve seen in my entire life. I suck in a breath—no—he stole my ability to breathe, looking as good as he does.
AUTHOR BIO
K.L. Savage decided they were tired of looking for the kind
of books they wanted to read. They had an itch that needed to be scratched, and
as every girl knows, nothing scratches better than an alpha.
They write about gritty, alpha males, sometimes their dark sides, and the women they love.
They write about gritty, alpha males, sometimes their dark sides, and the women they love.
If you have the same itch, their alpha males should fix that.
AUTHOR LINKS
Candy Colored Sky by Ginger Scott @TheGingerScott @wordsmithpublic #Review
Jonah Wydner has been in love with his neighbor Eleanor Trombley for years. The weird thing is he watches her, not in a creepy way, and has seen her grow in popularity over the years. He is not jealous and lives a quiet life. His story is a little sad. The author pulls you in with his loving Mother and his Dad’s Father. I will say he was my favorite character. Smart and VERY sarcastic, in a loving way. So these two live side by side and never intersect until the unthinkable …
Eleanor’s younger sister goes missing and the national media sets up camp in the middle of their street. This is the tragedy that lurks. Eleanor, sees Jonah’s garage a safe place. So when this life changing moment happens I ask “What would you do”? Crumble, cry and not live ? Life has to be normal at Jonah’s house and not normal across the street. That is what pulls you in more. When you learn that Addy has some issues, you feel even worse about her going missing. I mean this just made me want to read more. It gets dark.
I love Grandpa Hank and the bond that he and Jonah shared. Coming together over his new license and restoring a Bronco. There is a connection that is amazing.
The book goes on with bonding El and Jonah tighter. Unexpected love between a geek and the cheerleader. Opposites DO attract after all.
Enough of my loves, just read it. PLEASE check out my reviews & on Amazon and vote this HELPFUL HERE
Ginger Scott is an Amazon-bestselling and Goodreads Choice Award-nominated author of several young and new adult romances, including Waiting on the Sidelines, Going Long, Blindness, How We Deal With Gravity, This Is Falling, You and Everything After, The Girl I Was Before, Wild Reckless, Wicked Restless, In Your Dreams, The Hard Count, Hold My Breath, and A Boy Like You.
A sucker for a good romance, Ginger’s other passion is sports, and she often blends the two in her stories. (She’s also a sucker for a hot quarterback, catcher, pitcher,
point guard…the list goes on.) Ginger has been writing and editing for newspapers, magazines and blogs for more than 15 years. She has told the stories of Olympians, politicians, actors, scientists, cowboys, criminals and towns. For more on her and her work, visit her website at http://www.littlemisswrite.com.
When she’s not writing, the odds are high that she’s somewhere near a baseball diamond, either watching her son field pop flies like Bryce Harper or cheering on her favorite baseball team, the Arizona Diamondbacks. Ginger lives in Arizona and is married to her college sweetheart whom she met at ASU (fork ’em, Devils).
Social Media Links:
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/GingerScottAuthor
Twitter: @TheGingerScott
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/thegingerscott/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/GingerScottAuthor
Google: https://plus.google.com/u/0/+GingerScottAuthor/posts
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/GingerScott
Website: http://www.littlemisswrite.com
Her Last Breath by Hilary Davidson @hilarydavidson #review
Buy on AmazonFrom the bestselling author of One Small Sacrifice comes a suspenseful thriller about a dead woman who predicted her own murder—and the sister who won’t let the truth be buried.
This is the kind of book that you tell your friends about, tweet about and write a 5 star review about! Deirdre is the victim Caro’s sister. It is safe to say that she is outspoken, deeply troubled and suffered abuse. Mental abuse is sometimes worse than physical, not that I know, but this is a real aspect of the book. This Osiris Vault is a cool tool. So they can send emails after you are dead. No way! This was chilling.
This Novel
Five amazing stars!!
I wish I could say something else about the plot but it’s so tight, that I would be giving up spoilers left and right. The author, in my opinion, did a fabulous job keeping the intricate plot from being too hard to follow. It was written in a way that made you think “Deirdre is right I can’t believe this” until Theo had his chapter leaving you to think the opposite.
I was tormented with this dysfunctional family. Deidre the main and one part of the POV was the victim’s sister. I liked her and her attitude, vibe, and fierce karate kicking *** The other POV Theo was the victim Caro’s husband. I was curious as to why he left the family business. Why walk away from a six figure income in hotels to find artwork ? Then I found out the story. WOAH I was shocked.
One evil award to Juliet, Theo’s sister for being a sharp tongued woman. She was full of hate throughout the book. Then you find out why.
Last reason to read this is the things I love about Brooklyn! I actually enjoyed every mention of my favorite cemetery. Growing up on Chester Ave I walked to Greenwood all the time. After I was married I lived in Queens so the references there were just an added cherry on the top of my sundae.
Never have I read such lies. Amazing must read
PLEASE check out my reviews & on Amazon and vote this HELPFUL HERE
Hilary Davidson was a journalist before she turned to the dark side and started writing crime fiction. Her novels include the award-winning Lily Moore series—The Damage Done, The Next One to Fall, and Evil in All Its Disguises—the bestselling Shadows of New York series—One Small Sacrifice and Don’t Look Down—and the standalone novels Blood Always Tells and Her Last Breath (coming in July 2021). She is also the author of some fifty short stories. Her fiction has won two Anthony Awards, a Derringer Award, and a host of other accolades. Toronto born and raised, she moved to New York City in October 2001. She is also the author of 18 nonfiction books.
Websitehttps://www.hilarydavidson.com
Twitterhilarydavidson
Candy Colored Sky by Ginger Scott @TheGingerScott @wordsmithpublic
Jonah Wydner has been in love with his neighbor Eleanor Trombley for years. He has watched her life play out from the sidelines—homecoming dances, football parties, and first dates. Her life seemed easy…simple…perfect. The complete opposite of his own.
But when Eleanor’s younger sister goes missing and the national media sets up camp in the middle of their street, the girl with the seemingly perfect life shows up in Jonah’s garage in search of a place to hide from the hurt and chaos. What begins as one night becomes many filled with unexpected surprises and unveiling, healing truths about Jonah’s own messy past.
Soon, Jonah gets to know the real Eleanor, and discovers all the ways they’re the same. Friendship blossoms into more, plans turn into promises, and hopes and dreams become shared under the warm glow of the fading Midwestern sunsets. But how far can a kiss under a candy-colored sky take them? And what happens when the clouds close in?
Ginger Scott is an Amazon-bestselling and Goodreads Choice Award-nominated author of several young and new adult romances, including Waiting on the Sidelines, Going Long, Blindness, How We Deal With Gravity, This Is Falling, You and Everything After, The Girl I Was Before, Wild Reckless, Wicked Restless, In Your Dreams, The Hard Count, Hold My Breath, and A Boy Like You.
A sucker for a good romance, Ginger’s other passion is sports, and she often blends the two in her stories. (She’s also a sucker for a hot quarterback, catcher, pitcher,
point guard…the list goes on.) Ginger has been writing and editing for newspapers, magazines and blogs for more than 15 years. She has told the stories of Olympians, politicians, actors, scientists, cowboys, criminals and towns. For more on her and her work, visit her website at http://www.littlemisswrite.com.
When she’s not writing, the odds are high that she’s somewhere near a baseball diamond, either watching her son field pop flies like Bryce Harper or cheering on her favorite baseball team, the Arizona Diamondbacks. Ginger lives in Arizona and is married to her college sweetheart whom she met at ASU (fork ’em, Devils).
Social Media Links:
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/GingerScottAuthor
Twitter: @TheGingerScott
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/thegingerscott/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/GingerScottAuthor
Google: https://plus.google.com/u/0/+GingerScottAuthor/posts
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/GingerScott
Website: http://www.littlemisswrite.com
Her Last Breath by Hilary Davidson @hilarydavidson #spotlight
From the bestselling author of One Small Sacrifice comes a suspenseful thriller about a dead woman who predicted her own murder—and the sister who won’t let the truth be buried.
When her beloved sister Caroline dies suddenly, Deirdre is heartbroken. However, her sorrow turns to bone-chilling confusion when she receives a message Caroline sent days earlier warning that her death would be no accident. Long used to being a pariah to her family, Deirdre covers her tattoos and heads to Manhattan for her sister’s funeral.
The message claimed Caroline’s husband, Theo, killed his first wife and got away with it. Reeling from the news, Deirdre confronts Theo on the way to the cemetery, and he reveals both his temper and his suspicion that Deirdre’s “perfect” sister was having an affair.
Paranoid and armed with just enough information to make her dangerous, Deirdre digs into the disturbing secrets buried with Caroline. But as she gets closer to the truth, she realizes that her own life may be at risk…and that there may be more than one killer in the family
Hilary Davidson was a journalist before she turned to the dark side and started writing crime fiction. Her novels include the award-winning Lily Moore series—The Damage Done, The Next One to Fall, and Evil in All Its Disguises—the bestselling Shadows of New York series—One Small Sacrifice and Don’t Look Down—and the standalone novels Blood Always Tells and Her Last Breath (coming in July 2021). She is also the author of some fifty short stories. Her fiction has won two Anthony Awards, a Derringer Award, and a host of other accolades. Toronto born and raised, she moved to New York City in October 2001. She is also the author of 18 nonfiction books.
Websitehttps://www.hilarydavidson.com
Twitterhilarydavidson
Beta’s Bane by Liv James @LivJamesAuthor1 @GiveMeBooksPR
Title: Beta’s Bane
Series: Pathway #1
Author: Liv James
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Release Date: June 11, 2021
BLURB
When Wolf Shifters pass from this plane to the next, their souls make the journey along the Pathway to reunite with their ancestors and hunt the eternal forests.
Without the Pathway, their souls can know no peace.
The Pathway must be protected; at all costs.
When the Alpha of the Ridgeway and Pathway Packs installed his new law, he had no idea of the repercussions it would bring for his twin brother and Beta, Brodie.
Brodie and Iris are destined by the Moon Goddess to be together. Torn apart by their Alpha, they find themselves fighting a sexual chemistry that threatens to consume them… until one fateful night changes everything.
The safety of the world rests on the brothers’ shoulders, but once Brodie finally tastes his fated mate… Can he be parted from her again? Or will he risk everything and challenge his brother?
Trigger: This is a work of fiction and contains adult content. Due to the nature of the series, you should expect to come across various subject matter that some readers may find disturbing. Please contact the author if you require further information.
Beta’s Bane is intended for readers aged 18 years plus.
PURCHASE LINKS
99c for a limited time!
Free in Kindle Unlimited
AUTHOR BIO
Liv James grew up in middle England, then grew up a little more in the Military. After various postings (not quite around the world), she is now settled on the doorstep of the Ridgeway path with her husband, youngest child, and their very antisocial rescue cat.
Liv is a lover of pints and all things filthy, and enjoys writing erotic romance.
AUTHOR LINKS
Small Town Pretender by Brighton Walsh @BrightonWalsh @givemebookspr
Title: Small Town Pretender
Series: Havenbrook #5
Author: Brighton Walsh
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Release Date: June 24, 2021
BLURB
Asher McCoy can win over a crowd with a husky note and a strum of his guitar, but proving to a judge he’s responsible enough to gain custody of his niece and nephew? Not so easy. His big idea—a fake marriage. And who better to play his doting bride than his longtime best friend? He just needs to get her home first…
Natalie Haven couldn’t get away from her suffocating hometown fast enough. For years, she’s fluttered around the globe as a freelance photographer. And if that unconventional job pisses off her daddy? Well, all the better. But when her best friend sends out an SOS, she heads back to the one place she swore she’d never land.
Except a fake marriage means a not-so-fake living arrangement, including only one bed. Nat’s witnessed enough women fall for Asher’s charms, but she refuses to be one of them. Because permanence isn’t in her blood. Not even for him.
PRE-ORDER LINKS
B&N / KOBO / APPLE BOOKS
CHAPTER
Asher McCoy could say without a doubt that this wasn’t what he expected his life to look like. Three days ago, he’d been a twenty-seven-year-old musician making a living from his music and on the verge of his big break. He’d had a meeting scheduled with a record label to discuss signing on with them after a recent video of him at The Bluebird Cafe went viral. His life consisted of late-night gigs, some overzealous fans, and spontaneity.
In the blink of an eye, that had changed.
Now, suddenly, he was a twenty-seven-year-old in charge of two kids under four. His new late-night sessions were now less the acoustic country-rock variety while beautiful girls vied for his attention, and more the lullaby variety, which included wails of frustration instead of screams of delight. Overzealous fans had been swapped for two enamored tiny people, and nap schedules had replaced his spontaneity.
He’d changed more diapers in the past three days than he had the past three years combined. On the plus side, he was getting pretty good at it—he hadn’t been peed on in twenty-four hours.
Somehow, he’d managed to juggle it all since he’d arrived in Havenbrook along with the rising sun, knowing, for the first time, his sister wouldn’t be there to greet him with a hug and a smile. Thankfully, he’d had help from the Havens, his second family. Rory had been a godsend, stepping in and taking charge in her Rory way, exactly how he desperately needed, considering he had no idea what he was doing.
It was late afternoon, and Owen refused to nap. Which meant the only thing his nephew was interested in doing was crying. June, on the other hand, was bouncing off the walls, though that was probably his fault. He was still learning the unspoken rules of child supervision. Namely, being the cool uncle who gave his niece ice cream for lunch had extremely short-lived benefits.
“Let’s play circus, Uncle Asher!” June cried, bouncing from couch cushion to couch cushion before taking a flying leap and hanging from his back like a spider monkey. The move jostled him, and thus jostled Owen in his arms, which only ratcheted up the baby’s cries.
He held Owen tighter, bouncing the little guy in an effort to be soothing. Quite the feat with an acrobatic four-year-old doing everything in her power to turn this house into an actual circus. “Believe me, Junebug, there is nothing I’d rather do than play with you, but your brother isn’t gonna like that much.”
She scrunched up her nose as she leaned over Asher’s shoulder and stared down at her little brother. “It doesn’t sound like he’s gonna like anything.”
Asher smothered a laugh. “You’re not wrong.”
“Take me on a ride, then, like Daddy does!”
Just like it’d done at every mention of his sister or brother-in-law, his heart clenched, an empty ache radiating throughout his chest. And just like at every mention, he did exactly what June asked for. What else could he do?
“Okay, hang on tight.”
She squealed in response to his command, tightening her grip until he was damn near asphyxiated. No one could accuse her of half-assing anything.
As he stood, he kept up Owen’s steady bounce, even with June hanging off his back, her legs hooked around his waist as she squealed in giddy delight. She might actually be the one to blow out his eardrums—and that was saying something, considering the number of shows he’d played.
He cradled Owen with one arm as he spun to June’s symphony of excitement, his forearm braced below her bottom to make sure she didn’t slip down.
“More, Uncle Asher! More!” she demanded.
But if Asher did this anymore, he was going to puke. And, considering June’s lunch, he probably wouldn’t be the only one.
Just as he slowed his spins, the doorbell rang, and he breathed out a sigh of relief. At least now he had an actual excuse to stop. He paused for a couple seconds, just long enough to gain his balance. It seemed it was just long enough, too, for Owen’s cries to start back up, his wails ricocheting off the walls.
June wasn’t bothered by it, however, and just spoke louder so as to be heard over the commotion. “Do it again, Uncle Asher!”
“In a minute. We’ve gotta see who’s at the door.”
Every time the doorbell rang—which, in a town like Havenbrook, following the untimely deaths of two of their younger and beloved residents, meant it was fairly often. The freezer, at least, was stocked with enough casseroles to last them a month—he thought it might finally be Nat. Seeing as she was supposed to arrive yesterday but had been held up in Buenos Aires, he’d given up hope of that after her fifth text to update him on yet another delay.
Nash was on call to pick her up at the Memphis airport whenever she arrived, taking one thing off Asher’s extremely full plate. He’d assumed they’d keep him up-to-date as to her whereabouts.
But when he opened the door, there she stood, her appraising blue eyes roving over him, her full lips tipped up in that way that made her seem like she was perpetually amused. Her hair was the closest to her natural shade that he’d seen in more than five years—dark chestnut on the top, with the ends a bright, vibrant teal.
He couldn’t explain it, but seeing her had everything inside him shifting. Settling. As if he knew that her being there meant everything was going to be okay. After three days of uncertainty and turmoil, it was like a balm to his soul.
Nash’s honk pulled him out of his thoughts. His friend waved from his truck before pulling out of the driveway, and Asher could only manage a chin lift in response since his hands were full of sixty pounds of pissed-off and/or hyper children.
“He’s already late for a meeting, thanks to my delays, but he said he’ll stop by later.” Nat glanced to Owen, who was still screaming, his face a mottled red, and then to June as she clung from Asher’s neck. “Sounds like maybe you need some help.”
“Nat!” June yelled, releasing her grip on Asher to throw her arms wide.
Asher’s muscles tightened as he compensated for June’s lack of leverage, holding her up with his forearm. “Gotta hang on, Junebug, or you’re gonna be flattened on the ground like a real june bug.”
She giggled and threw her arms back around Asher’s neck, though she miscalculated and accidentally thumped Owen in the head. His screams only intensified.
“I’m sorry, Bubbie,” June said over Asher’s shoulder as she peered down at a wailing Owen and rubbed a hand over the baby’s downy soft thatch of hair. “I didn’t mean to, promise!”
Without missing a beat, Nat stepped into the house, dropped her bags next to the front door, and scooped a contrite June off Asher’s back. To him, she said, “You’ve got the screamer.”
“That means you’ve got the one hopped up on sugar.”
Nat only shrugged. “Perfect, then we match. I’ve eaten nothing but chips and peanut M&M’s for three days.”
With that, she tossed June over her shoulder before spinning the little girl around in helicopters. After a few moments, she dropped a giggling June onto the couch and stared down at her, fists propped on her hips. “I have a deal for you. What do you think of that?”
His niece, ever the skeptic, narrowed her eyes. “What kind of deal?”
“Whoever picks up the most before your brother stops cryin’ gets a cupcake from The Sweet Spot. Agree?”
Asher was pretty sure the last thing his niece needed today—or this week, for that matter—was more sugar. But there was no denying that Nat’s tactics worked because June agreed immediately, flying off the couch and dashing around the disastrous living room to get started. The house was strewn with enough toys to fill an entire store, not to mention the dirty dishes he hadn’t been able to get to or the handful of discarded outfits June insisted on tearing through each day. Then there were all the pee-stained shirts of his, as well as Owen’s—the kid hadn’t woken up dry once since Asher had arrived.
Nat may not have been the maternal type, but she was the see-something, do-something type, which was why her immediacy didn’t surprise him. No matter how long they spent apart, it was never weird when they saw each other again. Whether it was after five weeks or five months, they fell right back into the same easy rhythm they had always had between them.
She wore jeans and an oversized hoodie—her standard airplane uniform—and he knew from experience she was dying for a shower. While she loved traveling and seeing the world, she didn’t love airplanes or being stuffed like sardines with a bunch of random people she didn’t know, breathing in recycled air.
“Quit starin’ at me, creep,” Nat said as she bent to pick up a discarded sippy cup, not even bothering to look over her shoulder.
He huffed out a laugh at the exact moment a particularly sharp wail sounded from Owen. Asher adjusted Owen into a different position, lifting him upright and propping the baby’s butt on Asher’s forearm. Owen stared at him, as if Asher were the one responsible for all of this, his bottom lip quivering as he rubbed an angry fist into his eyes.
“I know, buddy.” Asher rubbed Owen’s back as he walked them toward the little boy’s room and away from the peals of laughter from June and Nat. “Now that Nat’s here to take care of your sister, maybe I can finally get you to sleep.”
#
Somehow, beyond all hope, Owen actually did fall asleep—on top of Asher while he rocked him in the chair in his room, which meant Asher fell asleep, too. He woke up to Owen’s hands slapping happily on his cheeks and his nephew’s face pressed so close he was blurry.
Owen babbled around a drool-filled smile, his mood a complete one-eighty from when they’d stepped foot into his bedroom who knew how long ago.
Asher pulled out his phone and glanced at the time. Shit, he’d been in here for two hours while Nat had been on Sugar Satan duty. What a welcome. Hey, thanks for coming, but I’m gonna crash. So, do you mind handling, well, everything?
“Up we go,” Asher said. “We should probably get you—” Before he could complete the sentence, a wet sensation registered across his torso, and he held Owen out at arm’s length. The kid was soaking wet, which meant so was Asher.
He exhaled a sigh. “I don’t understand how one tiny thing can produce so much pee.”
Owen’s happy babbles continued, even as Asher got him wiped down and changed into a fresh diaper and clothes. He hadn’t yet figured out how to manage taking a shower while both kids were awake, so that meant he’d handled previous pee explosions by simply changing shirts and continuing to smell like urine until he could shower after bedtime. Now that Nat was here, hopefully she could watch them for five minutes so he could get cleaned up.
He strode into the living room with Owen, careful to hold him so he didn’t rest on the wet patch of Asher’s shirt. Nat and June sat on the floor, an explosion of coloring books and crayons spread out in front of them.
“Uncle Asher, we’re doin’ a contest! You get to pick the winner.”
“Sounds like fun. But before I do that, I was hopin’ I could jump in the shower.” He set Owen down, and the baby crawled for his large bin of toys in the corner.
Nat glanced back at him, eyebrow raised at the wet spot on his shirt. “Problems?”
“Kid pees like a racehorse.” He held his arms open toward her. “You want a hug?”
Nat scrunched her nose. “Maybe after you shower. I love you, but not quite get-myself-wet-with-someone-else’s-urine love. I can probably handle them both for five minutes. Any longer than that, and you’re temptin’ fate.”
“You’re a godsend. I’ll hurry.” He strolled toward the spare bedroom—he hadn’t been able to bring himself to even open his sister and brother-in-law’s door, let alone step inside—and reached back to yank the neck of his shirt, pulling the damp fabric over his head. He tossed it in the overflowing basket of dirty laundry he needed to wash and headed straight for the bathroom.
After the fastest shower of his life, he strode back into the living room wearing fresh clothes to find his niece and nephew set up in front of the TV. June sat at the coffee table while Owen was perched in his high chair, snacks spread out for them as the Backyardigans played on the screen.
“You’re magic,” he said as he dropped into a chair at the dining room table, assuring he still had eyes on the kids.
“Rory’s magic—I called her to get some tips. And then I slipped them a little bourbon to calm them down. No big.” Nat shrugged, her lips tipped up at the corners.
But then the smile dropped from her face, and she walked straight for him, pulling him up and out of his seat to wrap her arms around his waist. It was so reminiscent of when he’d rushed back about six months ago while her daddy was in open heart surgery—both times, they hadn’t had the privacy the moments demanded, but they made do.
He engulfed her in his arms, dropping his head so he could bury his nose into the crook of her neck. He inhaled deeply, taking her scent into him and relaxing for the first time in days. She smelled like stale air from the plane and sunscreen and just a hint of clove. Home. She smelled like home.
“I’m sorry, Ash. I’m so sorry.” She exhaled her soft words straight into his chest, but he heard them all the same.
His throat tightened, his eyes going damp, his nose tingling with the onset of tears. He hadn’t cried since he’d arrived. His focus had been on June and Owen. On the arrangements. But Nat wasn’t going to accept that. While he was there for everyone else, she was there for him.
“Thank you for comin’,” he said, pulling back to stare down at her.
“Don’t be an idiot. Of course I came.”
“Well, it is Havenbrook, so I wondered if you would.”
Nat pulled away with one final squeeze and dropped into the chair perpendicular to him, propping her chin on her fist as she rested her elbow on the table. “I didn’t come for Havenbrook. I came for you. Besides, I’ve already been here for an hour, and I’m not crawlin’ out of my skin yet. I think that might be progress.”
“Definitely. I don’t even see a rash or anything,” Asher said, lowering himself into the chair.
“So, now that we’ve got the two hellions wrangled—temporarily, obviously,” Nat said, darting her eyes to where June and Owen were still mesmerized by the show on TV. “What else needs to be done? What can I help with?”
Asher scrubbed a hand across his jaw, thick with the start of a beard since he hadn’t even thought about shaving since he’d been here. “The funeral’s tomorrow. And then I’ve got an appointment with Cole Donovan, Aubrey’s lawyer, on Thursday to go over their will.” He swallowed down the lump of emotion that rose in his throat, the now-familiar ache in his chest expanding. “I know this isn’t your favorite place, but do you think you can stick it out for a few days?”
“I could probably be bribed,” she said wryly with an eye roll. “I’m here. However long you need.”
Now she was just lying—she put on a good show, but Nat in Havenbrook was like a cat in a bath. He made a mental note to pick up several family sized bags of peanut M&M’s—her favorite—the next time he was at the store to make good on that bribe. “Thank you,” he said, all teasing gone from his tone. “I’m not sure what the hell’s gonna happen, but—”
Nat waved her hand, dismissing the rest of his words. “Ash. It’s fine. I’m here as long as you need me. I’ll stay here with you guys, and that way, you’re not outnumbered by the tiny mutant people.”
Asher cracked a smile and glanced over at his niece and nephew. June had stood from her previous perch on the floor and was now jumping in time to the theme song, her arms flailing out to her sides as Owen mimicked her movements, the two of them laughing. His and Nat’s quiet, talking time was soon going to come to an end. In fact, he’d bet money that they had less than five minutes before someone demanded their attention. He may only have been here for a couple days, but he’d already learned private time was a scarce commodity.
“At some point in the very near future, you’re probably gonna wish you didn’t say that.”
“Probably,” she agreed with a nod.
“There is one little problem,” he said, raising his voice to be heard over Owen’s squeals as June belted out the lyrics to the theme song.
“I’m gonna need earplugs?”
“There is that. But… Well, I don’t feel right about usin’ Aubrey and Nathan’s room.”
“Okay…”
“Which means we’re sharin’ a room, and there’s obviously only one bed. Think you can keep your hands off me?”
Nat raised an eyebrow, her lips curved up. “Who says I’m gonna share?”
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USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestselling author Brighton Walsh spent a decade as a professional photographer before taking her storytelling in a different direction and reconnecting with her first love—writing. She likes her books how she likes her tea—steamy and satisfying—and adores strong-willed heroines and the protective heroes who fall head over heels for them. Brighton lives in the Midwest with her real life hero of a husband, her two kids—one who’s already taller than her and one who’s catching up too fast—and her dog who thinks she’s a queen. Her boy-filled house is the setting for dirty socks galore, frequent dance parties (okay, so it’s mostly her, by herself, while her children look on in horror), and more laughter than she thought possible.
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WILDE TYPE by H.K. Jacobs @hk_jacobs @inkslingerpr
WILDE TYPE by HK Jacobs is available in audio. Check it out and be sure to pre-order your copy of Becoming Wilde today!
Title: WILDE TYPE
Author: HK Jacobs
Genre: Women’s Fiction
About Wilde Type:
Dr. Alexandra Wilde is brilliant, driven, and wholly dedicated to her profession. Caring for critically ill children has taken her across the globe from Mongolia to Haiti to her current assignment in Gaborone, Botswana. Her life is full of excitement, tragedy, and personal sacrifice with little room for anything or anyone else. She has always welcomed any adventure…except for the one wearing the face of billionaire mining heir and international playboy, Ian Devall. He is arrogant, charming, and utterly disenchanted. However, when circumstances thrust him into her life, she is captivated by a glimpse of his deeper character and drawn into a blazing romance. An ensuing path of self-discovery leads her to reopen the wounds of her past, and she must choose between the life she always imagined…or one she never dreamed was possible
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About H.K. Jacobs:
HK Jacobs is native to a small town in Texas that gave her both wings and roots. She holds a Doctor of Medicine from Baylor College of Medicine and a Master of Public Health from the University of Texas. She is a board certified pediatric critical care physician whose passion is traveling the globe caring for seriously ill children in low-middle income countries. She currently resides in Texas where she continues to balance the many roles in her life—mother, physician, humanitarian, dreamer, and author.Connect with H.K. Jacobs:
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