Michael – Olivia had spent enough time on memories of her ex-boyfriend’s abuse. She was going to put all of her efforts into her new business career. And try to convince her boss, Vice President Michael Evans, that the woman he’d been dating was nothing more than an opportunist and that she’d climb into bed with anyone that could get her to the top.
Michael, who lost his younger sister to an abusive relationship, was falling in love with Olivia. He kept his distance from her and waited patiently for a sign that she was ready for his love.
Michael is the sixth and last novel in the Risking Love series. The stories chart a group of friends through life and love. These steamy stories will have you laughing, crying, and your heart racing.
Patrick Jaq had no interest in a serious relationship because life at an early age had taught her that men weren’t to be trusted. But she met Patrick who soon had her thinking about risking her heart. For Patrick the time for Jaq dating other men had ended. He wanted her all to himself. But would she stay if she knew the secrets of his past? Patrick wasn’t the only man who wanted Jaq, and the other man was willing to kill to have her.
Nicolas Carlie planned to finish at the top of her class, get a corporate job, and work her way up the ladder. She refused to risk having a life of poverty ever again. Within her plans, there was no room for a relationship. So she had sworn off men; especially the good Dr. Nicolas Antonis.Nicolas had other plans. They included her becoming his.As if Nicolas wasn’t a big enough distraction; Carlie had to worry about her roommate’s, abusive ex-boyfriend, coming for her too.
Joseph Violet had experienced a lot of loss in her life. She wasn’t sure if she could ever trust love again. That was until she fell for Joseph. The problem was he belonged to her friend, Bella. Could Violet risk her friendship over a man? If she did break that friendship, would it destroy her relationship with her closest girlfriends forever? If Violet risked her heart again and had a night of uncontrolled passion, would he abandon her like the others she had loved? Or would Joseph be her salvation?
Anthony Tessa seemed to have it all; her father’s fortune, men falling at her feet, and a fairly new but successful business. Secretly, all she longed for was her mother’s hug once more, her heartbroken widowed father acknowledging her existence, and the love of Tony. Recently divorced, from a selfish, demanding ex-wife, Tony Telesco wanted nothing to do with a rich, spoilt, daddy’s girl like Tessa. Would she be able to convince him she was not as she seemed?
Joshua Bella had watched her friends find the men of their dreams, while she’d wasted the last year with a man that had barely touched her. After meeting the mysterious businessman, Joshua, she was hopeful he’d add some passion to her life, only he kept leaving town, and had his longtime friend, Ava, house sit for him. What was up with that?
Joshua was finishing up a two-year ex-pat assignment overseas and couldn’t wait to get back home to the USA for good. Especially after meeting the sexy Italian beauty, Bella, who he hoped would still be single when he got back to Michigan.
Ava had other plans in mind for Josh, and they didn’t include Bella.
Jaq had no interest in a serious relationship because life at an early age had taught her that men weren’t to be trusted. But she met Patrick who soon had her thinking about risking her heart. For Patrick the time for Jaq dating other men had ended. He wanted her all to himself. But would she stay if she knew the secrets of his past? Patrick wasn’t the only man who wanted Jaq, and the other man was willing to kill to have her. Patrick is the first novel in the Risking Love series. The stories chart a group of friends through life and love. These steamy stories will have you laughing, crying, and have your heart racing.
Callie Carmen: I started in the book business as a bookstore manager which was the perfect place for me since I was an avid reader. After two years, I moved to the corporate office as a buyer and eventually became a senior book buyer. This was a rewarding career that I loved.
Along the way, I decided to become a stay home Mom. I couldn’t give up working around books altogether. I volunteered to run the book fairs in our small farm town, six per year. At the same time, I started and ran, A Child Oasis Company, with the sole purpose of placing a small book library in the homes of all the needy children in the nearby city. As my children became teens, I found I needed more in my personal life than the volunteer Mom for the schools.
Excerpt
I pressed the phone to my ear and spoke softly so the customers in the bookstore wouldn’t be disturbed by my conversation. “Hi, Violet, I’m so glad you called. It’s been so busy lately that we barely get to talk and we need to finalize our plans for later today.”
Forgetting that I was sitting in my open office, I spun around on my chair happy that I was finally getting together with my friends. It made the seat squeak and caused the customers in the cooking section closest to the register to turn to see what was going on. I gave them a little wave then whispered, “We’re still going shopping for me to get a new outfit after my shift ends, right?”
“Of course we are, but you should know that trying to get you on the phone lately has been almost impossible which is why I’m calling you at work. Have you considered that if you weren’t dating four men at once, we’d have more time to hang out together?”
I rubbed the nape of my neck in a soothing motion. “Oooh, burn. I’m not doing anything wrong, Violet. The guys all knew from day one that I was dating others, but it has gotten awkward at times.”
“What does that mean?”
I squeezed my eyes shut and rubbed my brow at the stressful memory of those past dates, sighed and uttered, “Well, I was on a date and ran into one of the other guys I’m seeing.”
Opening my eyes, I looked around the store to make sure no one was paying attention to my conversation. Luckily for me, no one was watching, but I was instantly happy again as I saw a mother and her three little munchkins in the children’s section having a grand time with the story she recited for them. I turned away from their location, and my eyes landed on a couple of regulars.
“Ooh, Violet, those two geeks from the local engineering college are in the science fiction section again.”
“Like you should talk Ms. Star Trek geekazoid.”
“Guilty as charged. Love me some Captain Kirk, and Bones.” We both giggled.
“Enough with the geeks; I want to hear more about your run-in with two men at once.”
“Just last week I was at dinner with a guy when Jaden walked into the restaurant with his friends. He came right over to the table to say hello to me; then he got all possessive and asked me to introduce him to my ‘little’ friend. My date stood up like it didn’t faze him in the least. He put his hand out to shake Jaden’s and told him that it was nice to finally meet him as he’d heard so much about him. Of course, that wasn’t true, but you should have seen the surprised look on Jaden’s face. I just wanted to hide under the table.”
“Better you than me. There’s no freaking way I could deal with that crap.”
At that moment two women from the bestseller section headed for the check-out, both with a couple of books in hand. I stood up and started down the two steps from my mini office to the register.
“Hey, Violet, a couple of shoppers just walked up to the counter; I’ll tell you more when we see each other later. Got to go.”
“Looking forward to it just can’t wait to hear what happened next. See you later.”
Talking with my friend about Jaden reminded me that Jaden and I had been seeing each other for a year now. I’d been grateful that he’d seemed understanding about me dating others, but I wasn’t sure how much longer he’d be willing to do that. I loved being with him but kept my guard up because I didn’t trust him enough to fall completely in love.
My family seemed confident that I didn’t let anyone in because of my past relationship with my father and all of his lies. I thought it was because the right one hadn’t come along yet and there was no reason to rush into something that just didn’t feel right.
Tonight was going to be all about having fun with my friends; especially after my latest disastrous date with a lunatic. I still needed to tell Violet about that one. Thank God, I wouldn’t be going out with another potential crazy tonight. I was putting all the men in my life on hold and enjoying a stress-free evening with my girls.
Carlie planned to finish at the top of her class, get a corporate job, and work her way up the ladder. She refused to risk having a life of poverty ever again. Within her plans, there was no room for a relationship. So she had sworn off men; especially the good Dr. Nicolas Antonis.
Nicolas had other plans. They included her becoming his.
As if Nicolas wasn’t a big enough distraction; Carlie had to worry about her roommate’s, abusive ex-boyfriend, coming for her too.
Nicolas is the second novel in the Risking Love series. The stories chart a group of friends through life and love. These steamy stories will have you laughing, crying, and have your heart racing.
Excerpt
“Carlie, I see you eyeing that guy on the dance floor. I thought you swore off men after your ex made you feel like a sex freak for wanting more than the missionary,” Bella teased.
I almost groaned out loud from having to look away from him. “Very funny. Just because my focus is on my studies instead of dating, doesn’t mean I can’t observe and enjoy from afar. Does it?”
“Seriously, you should forget the nonsense your ex put in your head and enjoy a little male companionship. You’re taking this all ‘work and no play’ too far. It’s so depressing for us ladies to watch.” She puffed out her lips and gave me sad eyes.
It made me laugh.
“We all know how important good grades are to you, and God forbid you stray from your two-year success plan. But at least tonight you could lighten up a bit and have some fun. If not for you, do it for your friends.” She patted her chest.
Bella was one of the few friends that knew about the horrible poverty I had grown up in. She understood why my ultimate goal of leaving that world behind was so important. Her heart was in the right place as she once again lectured me on having some fun, but men just didn’t fit into my plans. At least not for the next year or so.
I figured it was best to stop her from worrying about me, and said, “Maybe if the man that dances like a professional dance instructor was interested in applying for the position, I’d change my mind.”
I smiled.
She wrapped her arm around my shoulders and squeezed. “Now you’re talking.”
We both laughed.
“I’ve spotted a Mr. Tall Dark and Handsome I’m going after,” declared Bella. “Later.” She headed off in the direction of a man that our friend Violet had shown interest in when we had first arrived at the club. Violet liked men to come to her, as they almost always did. But it looked like this time she’d waited too long.
I turned back to the dance floor, and to the man I’d been watching. He moved a beautiful woman around like they had been dancing together for years. I hoped that wasn’t the case. Anyone who could move their hips the way he did, and glide a woman around with the ease he did, had to be an amazing lover. I imagined what it would be like to have sex with him and not have to fake an orgasm. My body heated.
Faking it had been required most of the time with my ex. But this man might be worth a bit of my study time. I fanned myself just as he made eye contact with me. I felt a shiver up my spine.
Of course, I shouldn’t have been having such thoughts. Being out with my friends for a bit of fun before diving back into my studies should have been all that concerned me. I’d learned my lesson in junior college that having a boyfriend interfered with my studies. Now, I had straight A’s with just two semesters to go. Thank goodness the transfer credits didn’t affect my GPA. My plan to graduate at the top of the class was definitely in reach. Any distraction could jeopardize that goal.
Yet, as he left the dance floor alone, I couldn’t help but wonder who he’d dance with next.
Violet had experienced a lot of loss in her life. She wasn’t sure if she could ever trust love again. That was until she fell for Joseph. The problem was he belonged to her friend, Bella. Could Violet risk her friendship over a man? If she did break that friendship, would it destroy her relationship with her closest girlfriends forever?
If Violet risked her heart again and had a night of uncontrolled passion, would he abandon her like the others she had loved? Or would Joseph be her salvation?
EXCERPT Chapter One
Violet
I stood on the landing off to the side of the altar as a bridesmaid for my best friend Jaq. I looked over the wedding guests, searching for that one special person I’d desired for over a year. In the second row, behind Jaq’s parents, I saw my friend Bella. Did I dare look to Bella’s left to see if her date, Joseph, had attended the wedding with her? The man I longed to hold, to cherish, and to love from this day forward? Oh, wait, that was Jaq’s line—shame on me.
There were two problems with what I wanted. He didn’t know I was crazy about him, and he belonged to Bella. Well, at least until after the wedding. The other bridesmaid, my friend Carlie, had told me earlier that Bella was breaking up with Joseph after the reception. For a moment I worried about ruining my relationship with Bella, but then I realized I had to follow my heart. It might be my last chance to find out if he had any interest in me. After today I’d probably never see the man again. That thought shot a stabbing pain right to my chest.
If I found the courage to approach Joseph after Bella dumped him, what would my friends think of me? After all, Bella was their friend too.
If at first, they were mad at me, it would be worth it because, deep in my heart, I knew Joseph was my soul mate. I’d never been surer of anything in my life. He’d lost both of his parents too. He would surely understand the loneliness and longing that overwhelm me at times.
Why should I give up the possibility of true love after I’d already lost so much in my lifetime? Didn’t I deserve some happiness?
Shiznit. I hated self-pity—it never got anyone anywhere good.
I turned my gaze to Bella’s left, just as Jaq and Patrick were about to say their vows. My breath caught and time stopped as I looked into Joseph’s eyes and saw him staring back at me. Why was this handsome man looking at me during the most important part of the ceremony? I froze. I couldn’t look away. I watched as his gaze lowered to my lips. It caused an involuntary response— my mouth opened, and I glided my tongue over my upper lip.
He leaned forward and wrapped both hands tightly around the pew in front of him.
My heart began to skip. Every. Other. Beat.
His eyes wandered to my breasts, which were now heaving from the deep breaths I had to take after unconsciously holding my breath for so long. I shifted the flowers from my right hand and placed my hand over my heart. When I saw that his knuckles were turning white from the intense grip on the pew, I darn near forgot where I was and almost went to him.
A hot blush rushed up my body, over my breasts and up my neck, and the warmth of it didn’t stop until it reached the top of my head. I looked back into Joseph’s eyes and the heat there was so overwhelming that I had to look away.
I tried to focus on the beautiful vows that Patrick was saying to Jaq, but all I could do was question what was going on with Joseph. He wasn’t acting like the sexually repressed man who Bella had repeatedly made clear hadn’t even tried to get to third base with her, even though they’d been dating for a little over a year. He was acting like there was no one else in the church except us.
Tessa seemed to have it all, her father’s fortune, men falling at her feet, and a fairly new but successful business. Secretly, all she longed for was her mother’s hug once more, her heartbroken widowed father acknowledging her existence, and the love of Tony.
Recently divorced, from a selfish, demanding ex-wife, Tony Telesco wanted nothing to do with a rich, spoiled, daddy’s girl like Tessa. Would she be able to convince him she was not as she seemed?
Anthony is the fourth novel in the Risking Love series. The stories chart a group of friends through life and love. These steamy stories will have you laughing, crying, and have your heart racing.
Excerpt
Tessa
After my business partner went home for the day, I called James, our receptionist, into my office. I prayed he’d help me. “You know that gorgeous friend of yours? The one with the blond hair and blue eyes?”
He stood in my doorway and raised a brow. “You must mean Samuel. Why do you ask?”
I rolled the straw wrapper from lunch that was still on my desk with my fingers. “I need a date for Violet and Joseph’s wedding this weekend.”
“Girl, you know he’s one of my gay friends, right? I thought that you’d been drooling over that hunk of a man, Tony.”
“Yes, and that’s why I need Samuel’s help.” God, I hoped this scheme my friends had concocted didn’t backfire on me.
He put his fists on his hips and looked at me like I was crazy. “Girlfriend, you’re not making any sense. I thought Tony was going to the wedding.”
My chest tightened. “He is, but… the man moves at a snail’s pace.” I crushed the straw paper into a ball and tossed it toward the trash. “He’s interested in me. My friends told me that they could tell by the way he acted and the things he said when he was around me. But he hasn’t made any attempt to ask me out. Joseph and Violet’s wedding would have been the perfect opportunity but he didn’t ask.” I combed my fingers through my hair.
I took a deep breath then huffed it out. “Jaq told us that he hasn’t dated since his divorce over a year ago. That he’s been working hard to make his restaurant successful.”
He swooshed his hand toward me. “He’s done that. So why wouldn’t he go after you?”
I shrugged my shoulders. “Tony told Joseph that he’s taking his time this go around, so he doesn’t make the same mistake he made with his first marriage.”
“Are you telling me that hot man hasn’t had sex for over a year? His balls are going to shrivel up and die. Are you sure he’s straight?” He teased.
“I didn’t say he hadn’t had sex. I’m saying he hasn’t dated anyone.”
He smirked. “And how does Jaq feel about you manipulating her brother? I thought she’d put up a roadblock when she found out because of your boy crazed days in college.”
“Good question. I didn’t get a chance to tell you what happened at dinner last night. My friends forced me to tell her how I felt about her brother.” The look on Jaq’s face had made me queasy. “I told her that I was head over heels crazy about Tony and that was the reason I hadn’t been dating.”
“Drama. You go girl. I want all the dirt.” He plopped down on the seat in front of my desk.
I smiled. I knew how much he loved to gossip. “At first, she accused me of secretly dating her brother and wanted to know why I would do such a thing.”
James slapped the top of my desk. “Oh, this is getting good. What did you say? Did you get angry?”
“I told her I would never do such a thing. Then she stuck out her chin and demanded to know what I was going to do about it.”
He grimaced. “What do you mean?”
I laughed. “That’s what I asked. She told me that he wasn’t a pursuer of women and never had been. He was a driven man who put most of his energy into his dreams of having a successful restaurant, and he was a painfully slow mover when it came to asking a woman out. Then she asked me again, ‘What was I going to do about it?’ At that point, my heart raced.”
Even now it raced from remembering Jaq’s words after I’d asked her if she meant that she was okay with me dating Tony. I leaned forward and steepled my hands.
“She told me that I was a good friend. And, sure, at the beginning of our senior year she’d been worried about my trolling for men. At the time, I had been dealing with my worst daddy-daughter issues.”
“Oh, please. Who hasn’t done some sleeping around in their younger years?”
I made duck lips at him because I knew Jaq hadn’t, but I wasn’t going to tell him that. He’d call my friend names, like prude, and most likely right to her face, and she so wasn’t one.
I melted back on my seat. “Well, it wasn’t my finest period in life. Then she said I was the nicest, smartest, most beautiful woman inside and out that she’d ever known.” My eyes welled up like they had last night at dinner.
James nodded. “Damn straight, you are.”
My heart smiled. “She wants me to date her thick-headed brother.”
“Of course she does. Your outgoing, fiery personality is what that man needs.” So how would having Samuel as your date help you get Tony?”
I leaned forward and took hold of his hand. “You’re not going to believe this, but, according to Jaq, we need to make him jealous enough to get him to ask me out.”
He gave me a devious smile. “Hmm, so Samuel would be the bait that gets Tony to wake up and get moving in on all the fineness that is you. I think you’re all nuts, but I happen to know that Samuel is free this Saturday, because he was going to hang with me until I had to leave for the wedding. I’ll hook the two of you up.”
“You’re the best.”
“I hope this doesn’t backfire on you. You could lose Tony if he doesn’t like being manipulated.”
“We’ll have to make sure he doesn’t find out. I’ve already waited seven months for him to notice me and to make his move. We ladies all think that’s long enough. Don’t you?”
“Yes, and that is why you should have taken all that fineness of yours and moved on to greener pastures. Stop waiting around for this guy. No matter how hot he is, no one’s worth waiting that long for.”
“I would normally agree with you, but there’s so much more to Tony than his good looks. I’m going to give it this one last try. If it doesn’t work, I’ll take your advice and move on. I’ll be heartbroken, but I owe it to myself to find what Jaq, Carlie, and Violet have. True love is out there for me too. I feel it.”
Eileen, thank you for having me as a guest on your wonderful
blog.
My latest novel Anthony (Risking Love Book Four) is available
for pre-order and has a publication date of April 1. I’ve included the
dedication to my mother in today’s blog to show you where some of my
inspiration comes from when I’m writing.
Dedication
My mother has many talents. I share some of them throughout my
novels. For instance, she was Ellie, Joseph’s administrative assistant in my
last book, Joseph, playing the part of a caring, motherly woman who was
more like a good friend. In Anthony, it was my mother’s delicious
Italian cooking that inspired my writing about Anthony’s amazing meals in his
successful Italian restaurant. In Joshua, I show my mother’s creativity
and personality in the many colors she uses around the family cottage. She used
to take us on walks up at our summer home, looking for driftwood that she would
turn into wonderful works of art.
When she wasn’t coaching me or my four siblings in sports,
girl scouts or boy scouts, she was reading to us, knitting us hats and scarfs,
making us gorgeous quilts, cooking delicious food, and teaching us how to swim
or waterski.
She is in
her nineties now. I know that someday I will lose Mom, the person I love most
in the world besides my husband and children. But I’ll always have these
amazing memories of her and so many more.
ANTHONY BLURB IN VIDEO
EXCERPT from ANTHONY
Chapter One
Tessa
After my business partner went home for the day, I called
James, our receptionist, into my office. I prayed he’d help me. “You know that
gorgeous friend of yours? The one with the blond hair and blue eyes?”
He stood in my doorway and raised a brow. “You must mean
Samuel. Why do you ask?”
I rolled the straw wrapper from lunch that was still on my
desk with my fingers. “I need a date for Violet and Joseph’s wedding this
weekend.”
“Girl, you know he’s one of my gay friends, right? I thought
that you’d been drooling over that hunk of a man, Tony.”
“Yes, and that’s why I need Samuel’s help.” God, I hoped this
scheme my friends had concocted didn’t backfire on me.
He put his fists on his hips and looked at me like I was
crazy. “Girlfriend, you’re not making any sense. I thought Tony was going to
the wedding.”
My chest tightened. “He is, but… the man moves at a snail’s
pace.” I crushed the straw paper into a ball and tossed it toward the trash.
“He’s interested in me. My friends told me that they could tell by the way he
acted and the things he said when he was around me. But he hasn’t made any
attempt to ask me out. Joseph and Violet’s wedding would have been the perfect
opportunity but he didn’t ask.” I combed my fingers through my hair.
I took a deep breath then huffed it out. “Jaq told us that he
hasn’t dated since his divorce over a year ago. That he’s been working hard to
make his restaurant successful.”
He swooshed his hand toward me. “He’s done that. So why
wouldn’t he go after you?”
I shrugged my shoulders. “Tony told Joseph that he’s taking
his time this go around, so he doesn’t make the same mistake he made with his
first marriage.”
“Are you telling me that hot man hasn’t had sex for over a
year? His balls are going to shrivel up and die. Are you sure he’s straight?”
He teased.
“I didn’t say he hadn’t had sex. I’m saying he hasn’t dated
anyone.”
He smirked. “And how does Jaq feel about you manipulating her
brother? I thought she’d put up a roadblock when she found out because of your
boy crazed days in college.”
“Good question. I didn’t get a chance to tell you what
happened at dinner last night. My friends forced me to tell her how I felt
about her brother.” The look on Jaq’s face had made me queasy. “I told her that
I was head over heels crazy about Tony and that was the reason I hadn’t been
dating.”
“Drama. You go girl. I want all the dirt.” He plopped down on
the seat in front of my desk.
I smiled. I knew how much he loved to gossip. “At first, she
accused me of secretly dating her brother and wanted to know why I would do
such a thing.”
James slapped the top of my desk. “Oh, this is getting good.
What did you say? Did you get angry?”
“I told her I would never do such a thing. Then she stuck out
her chin and demanded to know what I was going to do about it.”
He grimaced. “What do you mean?”
I laughed. “That’s what I
asked. She told me that he wasn’t a pursuer of women and never had been. He was
a driven man who put most of his energy into his dreams of having a successful
restaurant, and he was a painfully slow mover when it came to asking a woman
out. Then she asked me again, ‘What was I going to do about it?’ At that point,
my heart raced.”
Even now it raced from remembering Jaq’s words after I’d asked
her if she meant that she was okay with me dating Tony. I leaned forward and
steepled my hands.
“She told me that I was a good friend. And, sure, at the
beginning of our senior year she’d been worried about my trolling for men. At
the time, I had been dealing with my worst daddy-daughter issues.”
“Oh, please. Who hasn’t done some sleeping around in their
younger years?”
I made duck lips at him because I knew Jaq hadn’t, but I
wasn’t going to tell him that. He’d call my friend names, like prude, and most
likely right to her face, and she so wasn’t one.
I melted back on my seat. “Well, it wasn’t my finest period in
life. Then she said I was the nicest, smartest, most beautiful woman inside and
out that she’d ever known.” My eyes welled up like they had last night at dinner.
James nodded. “Damn straight, you are.”
My heart smiled. “She wants me to date her thick-headed
brother.”
“Of course she does. Your outgoing, fiery personality is what
that man needs.” So how would having Samuel as your date help you get Tony?”
I leaned forward and took hold of his hand. “You’re not going
to believe this, but, according to Jaq, we need to make him jealous enough to
get him to ask me out.”
He gave me a devious smile. “Hmm, so Samuel would be the bait
that gets Tony to wake up and get moving in on all the fineness that is you. I
think you’re all nuts, but I happen to know that Samuel is free this Saturday,
because he was going to hang with me until I had to leave for the wedding. I’ll
hook the two of you up.”
“You’re the best.”
“I hope this doesn’t backfire on you. You could lose Tony if
he doesn’t like being manipulated.”
“We’ll have to make sure he doesn’t find out. I’ve already
waited seven months for him to notice me and to make his move. We ladies all
think that’s long enough. Don’t you?”
“Yes, and that is why you should have taken all that fineness
of yours and moved on to greener pastures. Stop waiting around for this guy. No
matter how hot he is, no one’s worth waiting that long for.”
“I would normally agree with you, but there’s so much more to
Tony than his good looks. I’m going to give it this one last try. If it doesn’t
work, I’ll take your advice and move on. I’ll be heartbroken, but I owe it to
myself to find what Jaq, Carlie, and Violet have. True love is out there for me
too. I feel it.”
Thank you Eileen for having me on your wonderful blog on
such an important day. The launch of Joseph.❤️
🔥🎈HAPPY
BIRTHDAY🎂❤️
JOSEPH
By Callie Carmen
To
celebrate the publication day of Joseph I decided that it would be fun to share
chapter one with you. In this Risking Love series you meet the unique, beautiful, intelligent women
who truly support each other. Share in their challenges and joy as they meet
their soul mates. This is Violet’s story.These novels
can be read as a stand-alone or as part of the series. I hope you enjoy the
attraction between Joseph and Violet as much as I enjoyed writing it.
Violet had
experienced a lot of loss in her life. She wasn’t sure if she could ever trust
love again. That was until she fell for Joseph. The problem was he belonged to
her friend, Bella. Could Violet risk her friendship over a man? If she did
break that friendship, would it destroy her relationship with her closest
girlfriends forever?
If Violet risked her heart again and had a night of uncontrolled passion, would
he abandon her like the others she had loved? Or would Joseph be her salvation?
EXCERPT
Chapter One
Violet
I stood
on the landing off to the side of the altar as a bridesmaid for my best friend
Jaq. I looked over the wedding guests, searching for that one special person
I’d desired for over a year. In the second row, behind Jaq’s parents, I saw my
friend Bella. Did I dare look to Bella’s left to see if her date, Joseph, had
attended the wedding with her? The man I longed to hold, to cherish, and to
love from this day forward? Oh, wait, that was Jaq’s line—shame on me.
There
were two problems with what I wanted. He didn’t know I was crazy about him, and
he belonged to Bella. Well, at least until after the wedding. The other bridesmaid,
my friend Carlie, had told me earlier that Bella was breaking up with Joseph
after the reception. For a moment I worried about ruining my relationship with
Bella, but then I realized I had to follow my heart. It might be my last chance
to find out if he had any interest in me. After today I’d probably never see
the man again. That thought shot a stabbing pain right to my chest.
If I
found the courage to approach Joseph after Bella dumped him, what would my
friends think of me? After all, Bella was their friend too.
If at
first, they were mad at me, it would be worth it because, deep in my heart, I
knew Joseph was my soul mate. I’d never been surer of anything in my life. He’d
lost both of his parents too. He would surely understand the loneliness and
longing that overwhelm me at times.
Why
should I give up the possibility of true love after I’d already lost so much in
my lifetime? Didn’t I deserve some happiness?
Shiznit.
I hated self-pity—it never got anyone anywhere good.
I turned
my gaze to Bella’s left, just as Jaq and Patrick were about to say their vows.
My breath caught and time stopped as I looked into Joseph’s eyes and saw him
staring back at me. Why was this handsome man looking at me during the most
important part of the ceremony? I froze. I couldn’t look away. I watched as his
gaze lowered to my lips. It caused an involuntary response— my mouth opened,
and I glided my tongue over my upper lip.
He
leaned forward and wrapped both hands tightly around the pew in front of him.
My heart
began to skip. Every. Other. Beat.
His eyes
wandered to my breasts, which were now heaving from the deep breaths I had to
take after unconsciously holding my breath for so long. I shifted the flowers
from my right hand and placed my hand over my heart. When I saw that his
knuckles were turning white from the intense grip on the pew, I darn near
forgot where I was and almost went to him.
A hot
blush rushed up my body, over my breasts and up my neck, and the warmth of it
didn’t stop until it reached the top of my head. I looked back into Joseph’s
eyes and the heat there was so overwhelming that I had to look away.
I tried
to focus on the beautiful vows that Patrick was saying to Jaq, but all I could
do was question what was going on with Joseph. He wasn’t acting like the
sexually repressed man who Bella had repeatedly made clear hadn’t even tried to
get to third base with her, even though they’d been dating for a little over a
year. He was acting like there was no one else in the church except us.
Was it possible that he’d been waiting for me to be
free of the muscle man that I’d been dating up until a couple of months ago? I
hadn’t seen him since I broke it off with the guy, so this would have been his
first opportunity.
At the
back of the church, I stood in the receiving line greeting all of the guests.
“Violet, sei troppo bella.” I had to smile at Bella because she was always
throwing out Italian hand gestures or words and we’d gotten pretty good at
knowing what most of them meant, and in this case, she thought I looked
beautiful. “At the reception, us girls would have to be sure to make time to
hit the dance floor together.”
“Thank
you, and as always, Bella, you look beautiful, too. I can’t wait to hit the
dance floor with you and our other friends. Especially since I don’t have a
date for this event.”
She
leaned in and whispered, “Then you’ll probably have a lot more fun than me.”
She slightly nodded her head to the right toward Joseph.
I
grimaced. Clearly, she was over him. Thank goodness for that. Maybe if
something happened between Joseph and me, I’d be able to salvage my
relationship with Bella. God, I hoped so. It was important I talk with her
about my feelings for Joseph as soon as possible. I wanted to be honest and
upfront with her and let her know I wanted to be with him. Hopefully, she’d
approve, but if she didn’t I had to follow my heart. She hugged me, then moved
on to the next person in line.
I turned
back to greet the next guest, and it was Joseph. He pulled me in for a hug,
kissed my cheek, then whispered in my ear, “Sorry to hear that you don’t have a
date. The single men will be lining up to dance with you.” His breath on my
neck caused me to shiver, and I felt my nipples change into tight pebbled
points. “Please save a slow dance for me.”
A nod
was all I could muster to confirm that I would indeed save him a dance. When I
looked down, I saw that my nipples looked like two missiles ready to launch.
How embarrassing.
His eyes
had followed mine to my breasts, and the sound of his elongated hiss shot
through my body, ending at my clit. We lifted our gazes, and our eyes met. I
saw that his were dilated and flashes of light were shooting through them like
sparklers that would be lit later tonight at the Memorial Day weekend fireworks
celebration.
Thank
heavens, he kissed my cheek again and quickly moved on down the line. After
that encounter, the rest of the guests who came through the line were a blur
because my mind had moved on to fantasies of being wrapped in his arms on the
dance floor. I felt like a character in one of the romance novels I like to
read.
Wedding
party pictures were finally finished, and everyone was having a blast at the
reception. Jaq and Patrick were on the dance floor with friends and family
members. We had all formed a large circle and were having fun taking turns in
the center showing off our dance moves.
When it
was my turn, I moved my hips in such a sexy way that all the men started to
make wolf calls. One spin around had me catching the smiling eyes of all my
friends and their men. Then I looked into Joseph’s darkened eyes. I instantly
became embarrassed and had to end my turn. I reached over and grabbed his hand
and pulled him to the center for his crack at it.
As I
started for the spot he had vacated he reached out and grabbed my hand from
behind. With my hand in his, he moved me back to the center.
At his
touch, my heart sped up to the fast rhythm of the song that was playing. He
spun me once around and I nervously laughed, then he whispered, “Can you
Swing?”
It had been a while, but I had been in the Swing Club
in high school, so the answer was yes, but all I could manage was a nod.
“Good, then
let’s have some fun.”
I placed
my right hand on his broad shoulder, and he put his hand on my shoulder blade.
It set my body on fire, and I thought I might pass out from the heat. He
started with the simple rock step, triple step, triple step. Our rhythm was
quickly in sync, so he began to use the kick ball change step. He turned me and
even did the change behind the back type moves. Everyone started to clap along
to the beat, and Bella, Jaq, and a few others yelled out, “Go, Violet.” The
fluid movement of his hips and the pressure on my back had me wishing we were
alone. After that fun display, everyone joined in and began dancing together.
In my
peripheral vision, I saw Bella head toward Joseph. She took his hand, said a
few words to him, then they left the dance floor. I turned in their direction,
so I could see what happened next. She led him toward the back exit, and they
disappeared outside. She must have decided that it was late enough in the
evening to give him her break up news.
Poor
Bella and Joseph. Wait—poor Joseph and Bella; that meant he might get in his
car and leave and I might never see him again. That felt like a stab to my gut.
I knew now he had some interest in me. The scene that had played out during the
ceremony and the look in his eyes while I danced were proof that he at least
lusted after me. That was a start. I hoped I could build on that if I were
given a chance.
JOSEPH Book Three in the Risking Love series ebook is on 99 cents until the BVS
publication date on, November 14. Pick up your copy now! Find out why this automobile
executive is everything that Violet wants but can’t have.
Violet had experienced a lot of loss in her life. She
wasn’t sure if she could ever trust love again. That was until she fell for
Joseph. The problem was he belonged to her friend, Bella. Could Violet risk her
friendship over a man? If she did break that friendship, would it destroy her
relationship with her closest girlfriends forever?
If Violet risked her heart again and had a night of
uncontrolled passion, would he abandon her like the others she had loved? Or
would Joseph be her salvation?
Joseph is the third novel in the Risking Love series. The
stories chart a group of friends through life and love. These steamy stories
will have you laughing, crying, and have your heart racing.
JOSEPH
EXCERPT
Violet
Wedding
party pictures were finally finished, and everyone was having a blast at the
reception. Jaq and Patrick were on the dance floor with friends and family
members. We had all formed a large circle and were having fun taking turns in
the center showing off our dance moves.
When it
was my turn, I moved my hips in such a sexy way that all the men started to
make wolf calls. One spin around had me catching the smiling eyes of all my
friends and their men. Then I looked into Joseph’s darkened eyes. I instantly
became embarrassed and had to end my turn. I reached over and grabbed his hand
and pulled him to the center for his crack at it.
As I
started for the spot he had vacated he reached out and grabbed my hand from
behind. With my hand in his, he moved me back to the center.
It had
been a while, but I had been in the Swing Club in high school, so the answer
was yes, but all I could manage was a nod.
“Good,
then let’s have some fun.”
I placed
my right hand on his broad shoulder, and he put his hand on my shoulder blade.
It set my body on fire, and I thought I might pass out from the heat. He
started with the simple rock step, triple step, triple step. Our rhythm was
quickly in sync, so he began to use the kick ball change step. He turned me and
even did the change behind the back type moves. Everyone started to clap along
to the beat, and Bella, Jaq, and a few others yelled out, “Go, Violet.” The
fluid movement of his hips and the pressure on my back had me wishing we were
alone. After that fun display, everyone joined in and began dancing together.
In my peripheral vision, I saw Bella head toward Joseph. She took his hand, said a few words to him, then they left the dance floor. I turned in their direction, so I could see what happened next. She led him toward the back exit, and they disappeared outside. She must have decided that it was late enough in the evening to give him her break up news.
Poor Bella and Joseph. Wait—poor
Joseph and Bella; that meant he might get in his car and leave and I might never
see him again. That felt like a stab to my gut. I knew now he had some interest
in me. The scene that had played out during the ceremony and the look in his
eyes while I danced were proof that he at least lusted after me. That was a
start. I hoped I could build on that if I were given a chance.
ABOUT
CALLIE CARMEN
I started in the
book business as a bookstore manager which was the perfect place for me since I
was an avid reader. After two years, I moved to the corporate office as a buyer
and eventually became a senior book buyer. This was a rewarding career that I
loved.
Along the way, I
decided to become a stay home Mom. I couldn’t give up working around books
altogether. I volunteered to run the book fairs in our small farm town, six per
year. At the same time, I started and ran for five years, A Child Oasis
Company, with the sole purpose of placing a small book library in the homes
of all the needy children in the nearby city. As my children became teens, I
found I needed more in my personal life than the volunteer Mom for the schools.
I sat down at the computer one day and Patrick, book one of the Risking
Love series, was born. Book two, Nicolas is now available and
receiving five star reviews on Amazon and Goodreads. Joseph book is now
available for preorder. My latest publication adventure is Dream Catcher
which is a short story as part of the Mystic Desire Anthology.
I am lucky that I found my soul mate and
married him. Like my characters, I am a firm believer in true love and love at
first sight.
Book
1 PATRICK:books2read.com/u/3krqEW Jaq had no interest in a
serious relationship because life at an early age had taught her that men
weren’t to be trusted. But she wasn’t expecting to meet Patrick the man that
might convince her to risk her heart and virginity.
Patrick
wasn’t the only man who wanted Jaq, and the other man was willing to kill to
have her.
Book 2 Nicolas: http://books2read.com/u/mqVGQv Carlie planned to finish at the top of her class, get a corporate job, and work her way up the ladder. She refused to risk having a life of poverty ever again. Within her plans, there was no room for a relationship. So she had sworn off men; especially the good Dr. Nicolas Antonis.
Nicolas
had other plans. They included her becoming his.
As if Nicolas wasn’t a big enough distraction; Carlie had to worry about her roommate’s, abusive ex-boyfriend, coming for her too.
Callie interviewed with me back in March and I’m delighted to have her back. She’s got more things to tell us and I know you’ll enjoy her stories. She’s got some great advice for new authors at the end of the interview too.
Author Bio:
I started
in the book business as a bookstore manager which was the perfect place for me
since I was an avid reader. After two years, I moved to the corporate office as
a buyer and eventually became a senior book buyer. This was a rewarding career
that I loved.
Along the way, I decided to become a stay home Mom. I couldn’t give up working around books altogether. I volunteered to run the book fairs in our small farm town, six per year. At the same time, I started and ran, A Child Oasis Company, with the sole purpose of placing a small book library in the homes of all the needy children in the nearby city. As my children became teens, I found I needed more in my personal life than the volunteer Mom for the schools. I sat down at the computer one day and Patrick, book one of the Risking Love series, was born. Book two, Nicolas is now available and receiving five star reviews on Amazon and Goodreads. Joseph book three will be out this fall. My latest writing adventure is Dream Catcher which is a short story as part of the Mystic Desire Anthology.
Tell us about yourself.
First I want to thank Eileen for letting me be part of her wonderful blog. Especially today on the publication day of Mystic Desire Supernatural Anthology including my title Dream Catcher.
I grew up in a small New England town that had one stoplight, with four stores on one side of the road and four on the other. The next village was ten miles away and was where we purchased our groceries. My neighborhood was a twenty-minute walk to town, and there was a farm just down the street. Off the backyard were woods that I loved to explore several times a week.
In the
summer, I’d spend every waking moment on the lake that was surrounded by
magnificent mountains at my parent’s cottage. When it wasn’t windy enough to
take out my small sailboat, I’d be in the rowboat with a fishing pole in one
hand and a book in the other. It was heaven on earth.
When did you know you
wanted to be an author?
It never even crossed my mind to write not even a short
story before I sat down and wrote Patrick book one in my Risking Love series. I
was an avid reader, so I had a good base to back me up when I did start writing.
No one was more surprised than me when I had my first novel published.
What genres do you like
to read? Are these the same genres you write in?
I used to
read pretty much any novel that had something to do with the law. For example, John
Grisham novels, but a few years back, I started reading romance books. I’ve
been hooked ever since. All of the stories that I have written are romance.
Is your book for
adults, young adults or children?
For
adults. All of my books are love stories with a happy ending. The lovemaking
scenes are hot and spicy.
What is your current
release or project?
CURRENT RELEASE: Dream Catcher in
the Mystic Desire Supernatural Anthology
Mystic Desire is a collection of short
paranormal romance stories. This is a chance to read and discover the work of a
diverse group of very talented authors. The themes in this book are varied, as
are the collection of characters and artifacts, including Native American dream
catchers, mystical jewelry, and characters such as lustful vampires, hot
warlocks, a grumpy leprechaun, a ghostly terrier, a zombie apocalypse and
things that go bump in the night. From soft and tender love to hot passionate,
kinky sex, there is something for everyone in this anthology.
COMING SOON: JOSEPH Book Three in the Risking
Love Series
Pretty
much everyone Violet ever loved left her; so she all but gave up on true love.
That was until she fell for Joseph. Only he belonged to her friend and barely
knew that she existed. Or so she thought.
Will one
night of uncontrolled passion destroy Violet’s hope of finally having a forever
with Joseph? Will he feel trapped and only want Violet for the child she is
carrying?
Tell us about the key
characters.
The hero in, Dream Catcher is Jake Miller, a bestselling
romance author writing under a pen name. He spends far too much time writing,
editing, and marketing his many novels. This has left him pretty much on his
own and a bit lonely.
The heroine is Angelica Jennings. She is the hardworking
successful owner of an advertising agency. In her free time, she remodels her
cottage on the Great Sacandaga Lake or reads a recent novel from one of her
favorite romance writers. Now that her company has become successful, she wants
to take some time to find Mr. Right.
What is your blurb of
the book?
DREAM
CATCHER
Long
ago, a medicine man had made a matched set of dream catchers as a wedding gift
to protect the Chief’s daughter and her warrior husband. He had called upon the
benevolent spirits to keep the two soul mates safe and in a loving, healthy
marriage.
It
was foretold that if the two dream catchers were ever divided the new owners
would be drawn together as soul mates. Was that possible?
Share an excerpt.
Dream Catcher by Callie Carmen Excerpt:
The small town of Northville was busting at the seams with town folk and people vacationing at the lake for the Memorial Day weekend. We were about an hour early for the fireworks display, so we sat on the wall of the bridge and talked about everything and anything. By the time he was finished telling me about all the books he had written, several of which I had read, I believed that Jake was indeed my favorite female author, which made me laugh. This big strong man was responsible for some of the most romantic love stories and the hottest lovemaking scenes I had ever read. I
found that humorous and delicious at the same time.
I had to remind myself that he wasn’t real—that I was dreaming—but it sure didn’t feel that way. When the fireworks started, he stood behind me with his arms around me and clasped just below my breasts. He leaned down and kissed and lightly bit my
earlobe and neck, giving me chills.
“Tip your head back for me, baby. I need to taste you again,” he whispered in my ear.
When his lips met mine, the fireworks going on overhead felt like they were also going off inside of me. I moaned, and he deepened the kiss. This had to be real. I’d forgotten about the others standing around us until shouts of “Fire!” roared out of several of them. We looked up and saw that one of the fireworks had landed on the roof of
someone’s home and was burning.
The sirens rang out over their shouts, and I woke once again to my darn alarm going off.
Do you have a favorite
scene?
Yes,
when Angelica first meets Jake in her dream. It is a sexy and humorous scene.
What advice would you
give a beginner?
Social Media: This might not be advice that newer writers want to
hear, but it is essential for you to be as successful as possible. Set up your
social media sites right away, that means before you even finish your first
book. That is not to say that it is ever too late to do this just that it has
to be done. If you don’t advertise to let people know about your book, how will
they know that it exists? Once they are set up, promote your books regularly.
Set up social media sites such as Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin, Tumblr,
Instagram, MeWe, Website, and Goodreads, to name a few. Pick three to start and
master those before moving on to others, or you will be too overwhelmed.
Read: Read the genre you want to write in. This is important
so you can understand what works and doesn’t work in that genre. Of course,
keep reading other types that you enjoy too.
Write What You
Know: Write about things you know, you
like, and the words will come to you more easily. If you write about something
that you are not familiar with be sure to do plenty of research so your story
is believable.
Number of
Characters: Do yourself a favor don’t
have several named characters in your book because as soon as the editor gets
their hands on it, you will be editing a lot of them back out again.
I met Callie through Facebook as I was gathering in authors. I hope you’ll enjoy her interview!
Author Bio
I gave up a rewarding career as a
senior book buyer to become a stay-at-home Mom. I had come home from work one
day, and I found that the caregiver taking care of our children had slapped my
oldest child age four at the time on the side of her head. The next day I went
into work and gave my two-weeks notice.
I have always been an avid reader. As
my children became young adults, I found I needed more in my personal life than
being the volunteer Mom at the local schools. I sat down at the computer one
day and book one Patrick, of
the Risking Love series, was born.
I am lucky that I found my soul mate and married him. Like my characters, I am a firm believer in true love.
Tell us about yourself
I
grew up in a small New England farm town. I spent a great deal of time in the
summer months on a lake in a boat reading while waves gently rocked me. In the
spring and fall, it was back to the farm town where I’d take long walks in the
woods, find the perfect spot, and sit and read or draw the things I was
surrounded by. Trees, birds, rabbits, flowers and rolling hills.
I moved to the Midwest for my job, as a senior book buyer, and found myself in
a foreign way of communicating. On the east coast, you learn at an early age to
get right to the point. State the facts, possible solutions, make a decision,
and then you went and got done what needed to be done as quickly as possible.
Here in the Midwest, I was a fish out of water. Not because of the town we live
in. That is lovely a small farm town similar to the one I grew up around. But I
found that they like to talk around the actual problem at hand and have
meetings to discuss the last meeting. Only to one day finally, get to why you
were really there to solve that one issue.
That
was so hard for my husband to deal with in the auto industry. He took to saying, “You’ll have to excuse me.
I’m from New York, and there we get right to the point. So please don’t think
me rude; it’s just the only way I know how to be.”
I found that funny because of course he could have changed and done things the way they do here in the Midwest. He just chose not to. I’m sure they were shocked by this at first, but they’ve gotten used to him over the years.
When did you know you wanted to be an author?
This may sound strange to so many authors out there who knew at an early age that they wanted to be writers, but for me, it wasn’t until my youngest child was in his last year of high school. All of the volunteer work I’d been doing around our schools here was coming to an end as most of it revolved around the book fairs, band, and the sports my children had been involved with.
So one day I sat down in front of my computer and wrote a love story that was near and dear to my heart. Much of it was fiction, but there was a good deal of my love story with my husband and myself. So the words just flowed out onto the pages. I remembered one of my English professors in college saying write what you know, so I did. I enjoyed it so much that I just kept on going until I got four and a half novels completed. Then asked myself now what do I do with them. I submitted Patrick, book one to four publishers and was lucky to have Black Velvet Seductions pick it up as well as the rest of the series.
What genres do you like to read? Are these the same genres you write in?
I used to read pretty much any novel that had something to do with the law. For example: John Grisham novels, but a few years back I started reading romance novels. I’ve been hooked ever since. All of my books are romance novels.
Is your book for adults, young adults or children?
For
adults. All of my books are love stories with a happy ending. The lovemaking
scenes are hot and spicy.
What is your current release or project?
NICOLAS Book Two in
the Risking Love Series it is on pre-order for only 99 cents until the
publication day of 3/14/19
Tell us about the key characters
Carlie comes from a life of poverty. She works hard in college and at her
job to get away from that depressing life. She has no time to start a
relationship, so when Dr. Nicolas Antonis shows interest in her, she turns him
away.
Nicolas comes from a successful, outgoing Greek family. He has three hot and
sexy brothers. My Beta Readers have already told me that I have to do another
series that revolves around the Antonis brothers especially the brooding
brother Damon. Nicolas has no intention of following the two-year plan that
Carlie is so bent on pursuing. His plan includes her becoming his.
What is your blurb or synopsis of the book?
Carlie planned to finish at the top of her class, get a corporate job, and
work her way up the ladder. She refused to risk having a life of poverty ever
again. Within her plans, there was no room for a relationship. So she had sworn
off men; especially the good Dr. Nicolas Antonis.
Nicolas had other plans. They included her becoming his.
As if Nicolas wasn’t a big enough distraction; Carlie had to worry about her
roommate’s, abusive ex-boyfriend, coming for her too.
Share an excerpt
Carlie
I turned back to the dance floor, and to the man I’d been
watching. He moved a beautiful woman around like they had been dancing together
for years. I hoped that wasn’t the case. Anyone who could move their hips the
way he did, and glide a woman around with the ease he did, had to be an amazing
lover. I imagined what it would be like to have sex with him and not have to
fake an orgasm. My body heated.
Faking it had been required most of the time
with my ex. But this man might be worth a bit of my study time. I fanned myself
just as he made eye contact with me. I felt a shiver up my spine.
Of course, I shouldn’t have been having such
thoughts. Being out with my friends for a bit of fun before diving back into my
studies should have been all that concerned me. I’d learned my lesson in junior
college that having a boyfriend interfered with my studies. Now, I had straight
A’s with just two semesters to go. Thank goodness the transfer credits didn’t
affect my GPA. My plan to graduate at the top of the class was definitely in
reach. Any distraction could jeopardize that goal.
Yet, as he left the dance floor alone, I
couldn’t help but wonder who he’d dance with next.
Nicolas
I’d gone to the club just to blow off some steam
after another long medical residency shift at the local hospital. Besides long
distance running, dancing was my favorite way to leave work behind. As I spun
the woman in my arms around the dance floor, a gorgeous woman with sandy blond
hair, dressed in a conservative pencil skirt and white blouse, caught my eye.
She watched my every move. The more she watched, the more I wanted it to be her
in my arms. When our eyes met, it felt like I’d been punched in the gut.
I wasn’t at the club to meet anyone. I was far
too busy trying to impress the powers that be at the hospital. There was only
one surgical position available—and I wanted it. It was down to one other
resident and me, and I’d already decided I’d do whatever I needed to do to make
sure the position was mine. Being a surgeon—saving lives—had been all I’d ever
wanted. If I got to do it right here in my hometown, near my close-knit family,
all the better.
As the song ended, I thanked the young lady for
the dance and then went in search of the woman I’d been drawn to. She was too
neat and tidy, with perfect hair, perfect makeup, and a professional outfit. It
was almost business attire, except for the killer black stilettos and the extra
unbuttoned button showing the start of her cleavage. I headed down the crowded
aisle toward where I had last seen her. As I searched, I reminded myself that I
was not in the market for a relationship.
Then I spotted her and observed those wary,
beautiful blue eyes—and knew I was lost. I made my way through the sea of
Friday night partiers. The closer I got to her, the faster my heart raced.
I had dressed in a dark navy suit, and I could
see her taking in every inch of my attire. Hopefully, the spark that flashed in
her eyes as she looked into mine meant that she liked what she saw and felt the
intense attraction between us. I straightened my tie and gave her a slow, sexy
smile.
Her eyes darkened.
When we were just inches apart, I took her hand,
and spun her around. “My name is Nicolas Antonis. What’s yours?”
She cleared her throat. “If you must know, it’s
Carlie Keith.”
Her sharp tone may have turned another man off,
but not me. I wanted her.
“Carlie, this next song is ours.”
I tugged her toward me and started for the dance
floor. The closer we got, the more she seemed to hesitate. I stopped abruptly and
turned to see why she was straining to get away. But then she must have changed
her mind, because instead of wrenching away she moved forward and fell into my
arms.
Her eyes squeezed closed, and her arms wrapped
around me. I told myself that I kept her tight against my body to keep her from
falling. What I was actually doing was seeing if my touch could melt a bit of
her coolness.
Her eyes fluttered open, and the heat coming
from them nearly burned me. I was sure what they were saying was, ‘My name is Carlie
Keith. Please take me.’ The fire building between us was melting her frost.
I leaned in and whispered against her ear,
“What’s wrong? Don’t you like dancing?”
Her eyes drooped closed, and she gasped as a
strand of hair on her neck stirred in the slight breeze created by my breath.
Her reaction caused my dick to get semi-hard, and I still hadn’t moved away.
She exhaled and bobbed her head. “Yes, I do, but
I’m afraid of looking foolish; I can’t do what you were doing.”
“So you were watching me?”
Do you have a favorite scene?
When Carlie meets Nicolas’s family for the first time. It is at their Greek Restaurant. The entire Antonis family is there to meet her. Carlie is overwhelmed by this, but thanks to plenty of ouzo and Nicolas’s hot brothers she ends up having a good time.
What advice would you give a beginner?
This might not be advice that newer writers want to hear, but it is
essential for you to be as successful as possible. Set up your social media
sites right away that means before you even finish your first book. That is not
to say that it is ever too late to do this just that it has to be done. If you
don’t advertise to let people know about your book how will they know that it
exists? Once they are set up advertise your books regularly. Set up social
media sites such as Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin, Tumblr, Instagram, MeWe,
Website, and Goodreads to name a few. Pick three to start and master those
before moving on to others, or you will be too overwhelmed.
Read the genre you want to write in. This is important so you can understand
what works and doesn’t work in that genre. Of course, keep reading other types
that you enjoy too.
Write about things you know, you like, and the words will come to you more
easily. If you write about something that you are not familiar with be sure to
do plenty of research, so your story is believable.
Do yourself a favor don’t have several named characters in your book because as soon as the editor gets their hands on it, you will be editing a lot of them back out again.
