All of Him: A Single Dad Collection ~ Sneak Peeks & Giveaway

All of Him: A Single Dad Collection
Publication date: November 29th 2019
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance

A broken relationship.
A mother’s death.
A mistake made.
Each of these men are struggling to put their lives back together. Whether it be from the loss of the woman who blessed them with their children or a decision made in the heat of passion that changed everything, all they know is they have to try — for their children and for themselves.
From these amazing authors comes “All of Him: A Single Dad Collection.”
Before Her by Anita Maxwell
When Jenny arrives in River Falls, a sleepy little town in Montana, she sets herself on a mission to find a job and a place to stay for a few weeks. After traveling the west coast for the last couple of months, she is ready to chill and get some cash behind her before she leaves on the next leg of her journey.
Enter the Lonesomes with their gorgeous twin baby boys. The three rugged cowboys steal her breath away and the little boys steal her heart. Before she knows it, she’s agreed to be their nanny for a few weeks while they look for someone permanent.
But something Jenny didn’t know when she first entered River Falls was that the town was built on a polygamous way of life. Once the Lonesome brothers set their sights on Jenny, there is almost nothing that will stop these sexy single dads from making her their own.
This is a Reverse Harem story, light on steam, but heavy on tension and angst.
The Baby Drop Off by Kelsie Rae
I’m not father material. Hell, I’m not boyfriend material, either. I’m looking-for-a-good-time material with a side of no-strings-attached.
But when a baby shows up on my doorstep with a note saying I’m the father, everything changes. With no other options, I reach out to my neighbor.
Tasha is the girl-next-door with a side of sugar who’s nice enough to step in as a nanny while I figure out what to do with a freaking kid. I never thought Tasha was my type until I see her loving on my baby.
As lines start to blur, and rules get broken, some secrets stay hidden that hold me back from creating a life I never knew I wanted until it was tossed into my lap.
I just wish I could convince her to give me a chance, but she won’t even let me try.

Only the Lies by Elle Thorpe 

Him: Six foot, four inches. Thor look-alike. Kickass black belt ninja man, and gym owner.
Me: Barely five foot. Resembles an overstuffed dumpling. Semi-decent receptionist of the office across the road.
Match made in heaven? I think so. Which is why I get to work early each morning, and stare longingly out the window, desperate for my daily glimpse of him.
The man doesn’t know I’m alive, and I don’t have the lady balls to do anything about it. Until the postman delivers the gym’s mail to my office. It’s the perfect excuse to strut over there and introduce myself, right?
Wrong.
When he mistakes me for someone else, I’m so blinded by his abs that I don’t correct him. And now he’s calling me someone else’s name, and I don’t know how to turn this around apart from to bolt back to my desk with my ass jiggling behind me.
I never expected he’d follow me.
Or anything that happened next.
Broken Down by Paige Taylor
As a teacher, It’s Savannah Torvel’s duty to make sure every student is given the best possible chance at education. When a little girl starts acting out, and calls to the parent go unanswered, it’s perfectly acceptable to storm the parent’s workplace and confront them, right?
Broken Down follows the story of Savannah and Mason Bell, two people whose lives keep intersecting. Will they embrace fate or risk disrepair?

Goodreads / Amazon

—

SNEAK PEEKS:

“The Baby Drop Off” by Kelsie Rae – EXCERPT

The call disconnects, and I shove the phone into my back pocket before opening the door and jumping out of my skin.
“What the hell?” I mumble under my breath, assessing the soft pink lump on my welcome mat. Squatting low, I tilt my head to get a better look. What the hell is a car seat covered with a pink blanket doing in my hallway? As I lean a little closer, a soft cry squeaks through the blanket, and I fall flat on my ass. You’d think it was the grim reaper with my overreaction, but I’m still trying to wrap my head around a kid being at my front door.
So, sue me.
The crying escalates until I’m looking up and down the hallway, afraid someone’s going to complain about the noise while praying they know how to make it stop at the same time.
With the sole of my sneaker, I nudge the car seat to rock it back and forth, but the motion doesn’t quiet the baby inside. As if the kid’s a ticking time bomb, I edge closer and slowly lift the blanket. Sure enough, a little human is tucked inside, its face red with anger.
Shit.
“You okay, little buddy?” I ask cautiously, inspecting the rest of the car seat for any clues about who this kid is and why it’s on my doorstep. Tucked between the baby’s kicking legs and the side of the seat, a white envelope catches my eye.
Releasing a slow breath while giving myself a mental pep talk, I reach into dangerous territory and snatch the letter like it’s a damn viper. After I give myself a mental high five for my bravery, I slide my finger below the lid, pull the note out, and start reading.
Shane,
In the diaper bag, you’ll find the papers that give up my rights as a mom. I’m signing her over to you… her dad. I also added her birth certificate and anything else you might need to get you by for a few days. I’m sorry to spring this on you, but I can’t be the mom she needs. Her name’s Adaline. Please take care of her, and please forgive me for screwing up your life. This was the only thing I could think to do. If you don’t want her, I added the adoption papers. Do what’s best for you and her… whatever that might be.
-Molly
Scanning the message a few dozen times, my hands shake as the baby continues to wail from the car seat. Unfortunately, I’m too stunned to move a muscle. What the hell am I supposed to do with a freaking kid?
When the baby’s screams reach a decibel that could break glass, the door across the hall opens to reveal my neighbor, Tasha. Long, red hair that reaches her lower back, quirky purple glasses that frame her toffee colored eyes, and the sweetest smile you’ve ever seen.
Yeah, you heard that right. Sweet.
Which means she’s off limits, and I wouldn’t touch her with a ten-foot pole.
I don’t do sweet. I do dirty and hot. I do sexy and passionate. But never sweet.

—

“Only the Lies” by Elle Thorpe – EXCERPT

The clinic door banged open. “Did I miss him?” Bree panted, staggering over to join me at the window.
I shook my head. “Not yet. Should be any minute now.”
We both peered through the slatted blinds like the stalkers we were, neither of us bothering to acknowledge Damien, my boss and Bree’s boyfriend, when he struggled through the door a minute later, juggling coffee and breakfast for the three of us.
He dumped his armful of takeaway bags and trays on the reception desk, then leaned back on it, picking up the pile of mail I’d left there.
“Bree,” he said casually, “you do remember that I’m your boyfriend, right? I’m nice. Funny. Somewhat attractive? A lesser man would be devastated by your actions, you know.”
Bree looked over her shoulder and blew him a kiss. “You know you’re my number one, babe. But this guy…”
“Yeah, yeah, I know. Buns of steel.”
I dragged my gaze away from the parking lot that was still irritatingly empty of one oversized black ute and the oversized man who drove it. “Buns of steel? Really? You think that’s why we stare out the window each morning, waiting for him to drive in? It has nothing to do with that.”
He snorted. “Oh, really?”
I grinned. “Nope, it has more to do with the biceps, and the abs—”
“The man has a shirt on every morning, Cleo. How have you seen his abs?”
“Oh, we’ve seen them, all right,” Bree confirmed. “You can see them through his shirt. That’s how cut he is. And there was that one time…”
I let my head drop back on my shoulders and made prayer hands while I thanked the big guy upstairs. “The day he ran to work with no shirt on. That blessed day where the heavens opened and birds sang and—”
“Hey!” Bree squealed as Damien covered her eyes and dragged her away from the window. “I’m going to miss the show.”
“How ‘bout I give you a show of my own?”
“Oh, really?”
“Mmmm hmmm.”
Damien’s lips brushed Bree’s neck, and suddenly Bree was more interested in her man than being my wing-woman. I groaned good-naturedly when Damien dragged her back toward his office and closed the door.
“Patients will be here in thirty, Damien! I’m not covering for you!”
“Move my first appointment,” he yelled through the closed door. “I’m gonna need at least an hour.”
Bree’s laughter echoed back.

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We Shouldn't by Vi Keeland ~ Sneak Peek

Read a short sneak peek from chapter two below or grab the full, first two chapters here: https://dl.bookfunnel.com/qi0wfckd79

Figures.

It was the gorgeous guy I’d seen in the elevator. And here I thought we’d had a little spark.

Bennett Fox grinned like he’d already been named my boss and extended his hand. “Welcome to Foster Burnett.”

Ugh. He wasn’t just good looking; he knew it, too.

“That would be Foster, Burnett and Wren, as of a few weeks ago, right?” I iced my subtle reminder that this was now our place of employment with a smile, suddenly thankful my parents had made me wear braces until I was nearly sixteen.

“Of course.” My new nemesis smiled just as brightly. Apparently his parents had sprung for orthodontic care, too.

Bennett Fox was also tall. I once read an article that said the average height of a man in the US was five-foot-nine-and-a-half inches; less than fifteen percent of men stood taller than six feet. Yet the average height of more than sixty-eight percent of Fortune 500 CEOs was over six feet. Subconsciously, we related size to power in more ways than just brawn.

Andrew was six foot two. I’d guess this guy was about the same.

Bennett pulled out the guest chair next to him. “Please, have a seat.”

Tall and with gentlemanly manners. I disliked him already.

During the ensuing twenty-minute pep talk given by Jonas Stern—in which he attempted to convince us we weren’t vying for the same position, but instead forging the way as leaders of the now-largest ad agency in the United States—I stole glances at Bennett Fox.

Shoes: definitely expensive. Conservative, oxford in style, but with a modern edge of topstitching. Ferragamo would be my guess. Big feet, too.

Suit: dark navy, tailored to fit his tall, broad frame. The kind of understated luxury that said he had money, but didn’t need to flaunt it to impress you.

He had one long leg casually crossed over the other knee, as if we were discussing the weather rather than being told everything we’d worked twelve hours a day, six days a week for was suddenly at risk of being in vain.

At one point, Jonas had said something we both agreed with, and we looked at each other, nodding. Given the opportunity for a closer inspection, my eyes roamed his handsome face. Strong jaw, daringly straight, perfect nose—the type of bone structure passed down from generation to generation that was better and more useful than any monetary inheritance. But his eyes were the showstopper: a deep, penetrating green that popped from his smooth, tanned skin. Those were currently staring right at me.

I looked away, returning my attention to Jonas. “So what happens at the end of the ninety-day integration period? Will there be two Creative Directors of West Coast Marketing?”

Jonas looked back and forth between us and sighed. “No. But no one is going to lose his or her job. I was just about to tell Bennett the news. Rob Gatts announced he’ll be retiring in a few months. So there will be a position opening up for a creative director to replace him.”

I had no idea what that meant. But apparently Bennett did.

“So one of us gets shipped off to Dallas to replace Rob in the southwest region?” he asked.

Jonas’s face told me Bennett wouldn’t be happy about the prospect of heading to Texas. “Yes.”

All three of us let that sink in for a moment. The possibility of having to relocate to Texas shifted my mind back into gear, though.

“Who will make the decision?” I asked. “Because obviously you’ve been working with Bennett…”

Jonas shook his head and waved off what I was beginning to question. “Decisions like this—where two senior management positions are being merged into one office—the board will oversee and make the final determination of who gets first pick.”

Bennett was just as confused as me. “The board members don’t work with us on a daily basis.”

“No, they don’t. So they’ve come up with a method of making their decision.”

“Which is?”

“It’ll be based on three major client pitches. You’ll both come up with campaigns on your own and present them. The clients will pick which they like best.”

Bennett looked rattled for the first time. His perfect composure and self-assuredness took a hit as he leaned forward and raked long fingers through his hair.

“You’ve got to be kidding me. More than ten years, and my job here comes down to a few pitches? I’ve landed half-a-billion dollars of ad accounts for this company.”

“I’m sorry, Bennett. I really am. But one of the conditions of the Wren merger was that due consideration be given to the Wren employees in positions that might be eliminated because of duplicity. The deal almost didn’t go through because Mrs. Wren was so insistent that she not sell her husband’s company, only to have the new organization strip away all of Wren’s hard-working employees.”

That made me smile. Mr. Wren was taking care of his employees even after he was gone.

“I’m up for the challenge.” I looked at Bennett, who was clearly pissed off. “May the best woman win.”

He scowled. “You mean man.”

★★★★★

We hope you enjoyed this sneak peek of We Shouldn’t!

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SYNOPSIS:

Bennett Fox walked into my life on one hell of a crappy Monday morn-ing. I was late for the first day at my new job—a job I’d now have to com-pete for even though I’d already worked eight years to earn it, because of an unexpected mer-ger. While I lugged my belongings up to my new office, a meter maid wrote me a parking summons. She’d ticketed a long line of cars—except for the Audi parked in front of me, which happened to be the same make and model as mine. Annoyed, I decided to regift my ticket to the car that had evaded a fine. Chances were, the owner would pay it and be none the wiser. Except, I accidentally broke the windshield wiper while slipping the ticket onto the car’s window. Seriously, my day couldn’t get any worse. Things started to perk up when I ran into a gorgeous man in the eleva-tor. We had one of those brief moments that only happened in movies. You know the deal…your body lights up, fireworks go off, and the air around you crackles with electricity. His heated stare left me flush when I stepped off the elevator. Maybe things here wouldn’t be so bad after all. Or so I thought. Until I walked into my new boss’s office and met my competi-tion. The gorgeous man from the elevator was now my nemesis. His heat-ed stare wasn’t because of any mutual attraction. It was because he’d saw me vandalize his car. And now he couldn’t wait to annihilate his rival. There’s a fine line between love and hate—and we shouldn’t cross it. We shouldn’t—but straddling that line could be so much fun.

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Vi Keeland

Vi Keeland is a #1 New York Times, #1 Wall Street Journal, and USA Today Bestselling author. With millions of books sold, her titles have appeared in over a hun-dred Bestseller lists and are currently translated in two dozen languages. She resides in New York with her husband and their three children where she is living out her own happily ever after with the boy she met at age six. Sign up for Penelope & Vi’s mailing list now and be the first one notified when it goes live! ➜ https://www.subscribepage.com/Vi&Penelope Do you like texts better than email? Receive text notices of Vi’s new releases by texting the word BOOKS to 77948. You will ONLY receive a text when a new book goes live - no other messages at all!

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The Naked Truth

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Sex, Not Love

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Beautiful Mis-take

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Egomaniac

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Bossman

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The Baller

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Life on Stage series (2 Standalone Books)

Throb

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Beat

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MMA Fighter series (3 Standalone Books)

Worth the Fight

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Worth the Chance

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Worth Forgiving

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Worth It All (Complete Fighter Series)

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Serials

The Cole Series (2 Book Se-rial)

Belong to You

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Made for You

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Vi's Co-written Novels

Hate Notes

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The Rush Series (2 Book Series)

Rebel Heir

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Rebel Heart

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The Cocky Bastard Se-ries ( 5 Standalone Books)

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British Bedmate

(Previously titled: Dear Bridget, I Want You)

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Cocky Bastard

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Stuck-Up Suit

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Playboy Pilot

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Mister Money-bags

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By:Vi Keeland & Dylan Scott

Left Behind (A Young Adult Novel)

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Beautiful Mistake by Vi Keeland ~ Sneak Peek

   

 

The first time I met Caine West was in a bar.

He noticed me looking his way and mistakenly read my scowling as checking him out.

When he attempted to talk to me, I set him straight—telling him what I thought of his lying, cheating, egomaniacal ass. You see, the gorgeous jerk had wined and dined my best friend--smooth talking her into his bed, all along failing to mention that he was married.

He deserved every bit of my tongue-lashing and more for what he'd done.

Especially when that lazy smile graced his perfect face in response to my rant. Only it turned out, the man I'd just told off wasn't the right guy.

Oops. My mistake.

Embarrassed, I slunk out without an apology.

I was never going to see the handsome stranger again anyway, right? That’s what I thought…until I walked into class the next morning.

Well, hello Professor West, I’m your new teaching assistant. I’ll be working under you…figuratively speaking.

Although the literal interpretation might not be such a bad thing—working under Professor West.

This was going to be interesting…

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An excerpt from Beautiful Mistake…

The class was completely empty. I wasn’t even sure he knew I was still in my seat. If he did, he was good at ignoring me as he packed up his laptop. “Contrary to the rumors you’ve probably heard, I don’t bite.”

I jumped when he spoke. Now that the lecture hall was no longer filled with students, the acoustics of the large space bounced his deep voice all over the walls. I stood and began my walk of shame down to the front of the classroom. There was no doubt I owed the man an apology, even if he wasn’t a professor—a professor who would be my new boss for at least the next fifteen weeks. I wanted to kick myself in the ass for not apologizing last night before I left the bar. Now it would seem like I was only doing it because of the situation I was in. Which was true, don’t get me wrong, but I didn’t want it to seem that way.

I took a deep breath. “I’m so sorry about last night.”

His face was unreadable. “I figured you might be, right about now.”

“I obviously thought you were someone else.”

“So I assumed. You thought I was the asshole. The one with the big dick, was it?”

I shut my eyes. For the last ninety minutes, I’d replayed the entire exchange from last night over and over in my head. I thought I’d remembered everything I said, but apparently I hadn’t. When I reopened my eyes, Professor West was still watching me. His stare was pretty damn intense. I started to babble.

“My friend Ava went out with this guy Owen for a month or so. He was full of shit from day one, but she didn’t see it. Actually walked up to her when she was leaving work one night and said, ‘Do you mind if I walk you home? My mother always told me to follow my dreams.’ She fell for it, the entire act, from the first day. Then one Saturday, he was supposedly out of town on business, and she was across town running errands for her mother. She took a shortcut through Madison Square Park on her way back from the grocery store and ran into him. He was with his wife and kids.”

“And you thought I was him, apparently?”

I nodded. “She came in during my shift and started drinking Long Island iced teas. When Owen walked in, she pointed to where he was standing and said he was the one in the blue shirt.”

“And we were both wearing blue shirts, I take it?”

I couldn’t help but smile, thinking of Ava last night. “Actually, no. Ava’s not much of a drinker. Turned out she was more sloshed than I thought. Owen’s shirt was brown—not even black that could be mistaken as navy or something.” I saw Professor West’s lip twitch. “Anyway, I’m really sorry. I barely gave you a chance to speak, and then when I realized what had happened, I was so mortified I didn’t even stop to apologize.”

“I accept your apology for last night. Even though you shouldn’t be approaching a man in the hallway to tell him off alone, your intentions were admirable.”

I should have shut up and been grateful he’d accepted my apology. Should have. “Why can’t I approach a man in the hallway?”

He leveled me with a stare. “Because you’re five foot nothing in a loud bar, and no one would have heard you if I’d dragged you into the men’s room and locked the door.”

I folded my arms over my chest. “I can take care of myself.”

“I didn’t say you couldn’t. I said you shouldn’t put yourself in those situations.”

“But you insinuated that I couldn’t by making that statement.”

He zipped his leather bag closed. “Ms. Martin, I just accepted your apology for calling me an asshole last night. Would you like me to retract that acceptance?”

God, I really was an idiot. Being around this man seemed to turn me into a psychopath. “No. I’m sorry. I acted like a jerk, and I’d like to start over, if that’s possible.”

He nodded. “Everything prior to this morning is forgotten.”

“Thank you.”

“But this morning is not. I won’t accept lateness. Don’t let it happen again.”

I swallowed. “It won’t.”

He lifted his worn, brown leather laptop bag over one shoulder. “Meet me here at five tomorrow. We’ll go over the syllabus and the classes you’ll teach, as well as my grading rubric.”

That was smack in the middle of my shift, but I’d figure something out. “Okay.”

“Are you done for the day?”

“I am. I actually have to get to work. I’m covering Ava’s shift because she isn’t feeling too well after last night. We both work at O’Leary’s.”

“You waitress there?”

“Waitress, bartend, occasionally tell off patrons.”

That earned me a full smile from Professor West. God, he should do that more often. No, forget that. He definitely shouldn’t. “I’ll walk out with you.”

We walked through the halls together and out to the parking lot. When we arrived at my car, I stopped. “This is me. So…five o’clock tomorrow?”

Professor West looked at my beat-up old Subaru. “You’re parked in a spot reserved for the Provost. You got a parking ticket.” He squinted. “Actually, it looks like you have two parking tickets. Was your inspection expired or something?”

Crap. “Umm…no. I keep an extra ticket in the glove compartment and stick it on my windshield when I’m forced to park illegally.”

His brows shot up. “Inventive.”

“Obviously it doesn’t always work.”

“Obviously.”

“They need more parking. When you’re late, it’s impossible to find a spot.”

He studied me. “Lateness is a frequent occurrence for you, I take it?”

“Unfortunately, it is.”

“Then I should clarify something I said earlier.”

“Oh, no, that’s not necessary. I won’t be late for your class.”

He took a step closer and leaned in. “I’m glad to hear that, Ms. Martin. But that’s not what needs clarification.”

I swallowed. God, he smells good.

“Earlier I told you I didn’t bite students.” He smiled, and I felt the wickedness from it shoot down to some interesting places. “I don’t. But I make no promises about not biting feisty TAs.”
     

★★★★

We hope you enjoyed this extended preview!

   
   

   

 Vi Keeland is a #1 New York Times Bestselling author. With more than 1.5 million books sold, her titles have appeared in over eighty Bestseller lists and are currently translated in sixteen languages. She resides in New York with her husband and their three children where she is living out her own happily ever after with the boy she met at age six. 

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The Bachelor Auction by Rachel Van Dyken ~ First Look

We have your first look at THE BACHELOR AUCTION releasing on October 4 and we can guarantee, you do not want to miss the first book in this brand new series from Rachel Van Dyken!

   



Cinderella never had to deal with this crap.   Jane isn’t entirely sure that Cinderella got such a raw deal. Sure, she had a rough start but didn’t she eventually land a prince and a happily-ever-after? Meanwhile, Jane is busy waiting on her demanding, entitled sisters, running her cleaning business, and . . . yep, not a prince in sight. That is, until a party and a broken shoe incident leave Jane wondering if princes—or at least, a certain deliciously hunky billionaire—maybe do exist. Except Brock Wellington isn’t anyone’s dream guy. A prince would never agree to be auctioned off in marriage to the highest bidder. Or act like an arrogant jerk—even if that is just a façade. Now, as Brock is waiting for the auction chopping block, he figures it’s karmic retribution that he’s tempted by a sexy, sassy woman he can’t have. But while he and Jane may not get a fairy tale ending, maybe they can indulge in a little bit of fantasy . . .

   

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 Thick wavy auburn hair fell in disarray over his forehead. It was lush, shiny, perfect. Were guys born with hair like that? Or was his somehow chemically engineered? His full lips pressed together in a secret smile as the equally handsome man next to him said something, then erupted in laughter.

The first man stiffened, then shook his head. His broad shoulders seemed to grow tight as a drum. A slight tic in his jaw was the only clue that he was irritated or maybe outright angry.

And then his shoulders slumped as he was handed another drink and then another.

Nervous. He must be nervous. But what could a man like that possibly have to be nervous about?

He easily towered over most of the men in attendance. Suddenly his posture changed, then he smiled.

Jane felt her mouth drop open in shock.

Dazzling.

He was…like a duke or a lord or a prince from a storybook. Clearly, she read too many romance novels, but his entire presence demanded attention; screamed authority, importance, and sex. Lots and lots of sex.

Yes, his virility was a tangible thing, as if she could reach out and grasp it with her fingertips.

“What are you doing?” Esmeralda yelled in her right ear, interrupting her blatant sexual fantasy about a complete stranger. Great. That’s what her life had come to. And sadly? It was the most fun she’d had all night.

Jane turned to Esmeralda, prayed for patience, and answered. “Sorry, I was just thinking.”

“You’re so boring.” Esmeralda rolled her eyes. “No wonder you got dumped.”

Another fun fact? Esmeralda was mean when she was drunk.

The reminder of the breakup burned like acid.

It had been a year ago, not that it mattered. It still hurt that the last guy she’d dated had told her that although she was cute, she wasn’t really doing it for him anymore.

Right. Doing it.

Maybe that was because she hadn’t done anything for him or with him, and he found that lacking. But they’d only dated for a few weeks. Did normal girls do that? Put out after a few weeks? Apparently.

She wasn’t normal.

But if that was normal, maybe she was better off being strange.

“Jane, are you even listening to me?” Esmeralda whined. “Essence needs you to dance next to her for a bit. I’m tired and tipsy. I want to sit. Plus your dress blends in enough that it won’t take attention away from her.”

No way. What? What had she just said?

Jane wrapped her arms around her middle. “I’m sorry, what?”

Without warning, Esmeralda grabbed Jane’s hand and jerked her toward the dance floor, causing Jane to lose her footing and crash directly into Esmeralda’s back. Then, like a domino, she slammed back into Essence.

Jane opened her mouth to shout out an apology, but Esmeralda was already too drunk to listen to reason. With determination in her eyes, she reached for the pearls at Jane’s neck but grabbed the fabric of the dress instead.

Her poorly sewn dress ripped instantly, causing the fabric to slink past her strapless bra. A diagonal slit split up her thigh almost all the way to her hip. In an effort to cover herself, she took a step and tripped, thanks to her clunky shoes.

And then she fell to the floor.

Hard.

Her sisters watched in horror—but neither of them offered a hand. They were probably kicking themselves for forcing her to come. Esmeralda leaned over but missed Jane’s shoulder by a mile, grabbing her hair and giving it a tug, which only made Jane wince harder.

Both sisters were completely tanked.

And she was less than two minutes away from being trampled by the other sweaty bodies around her.

She glanced up.

And into the eyes of the man she’d just been lusting after.

Oh God, the humiliation was complete.

That one glance told her he’d seen it all. She swallowed back the thickness building in her throat. Of course the only time he’d notice her would be when she’d ripped her dress and nearly took out a few guests on her way down to the dance floor.

The crowd gathered around her.

And the sexy man disappeared—probably off in search of a girl with perfect hair, perfect teeth, perfect clothes.

She really should have stayed home.

Tears filled her eyes as a heel pressed into her right hand. With a jerk she tugged her hand free, struggling to get up to stand on her wobbly feet, when suddenly she was pulled to a standing position and then swept up in strong arms.

Jane’s eyes were still so blurry from unshed tears she couldn’t make out the man’s face as he carried her out of the crowd.

He smelled like heaven.

She fought the insane urge to press her face against his chest and just…close her eyes.

Because he felt safe.

Pathetic, when a stranger’s arms provided more safety than her own family. And yet he felt…right.

In a world where things for the past ten years had felt so wrong.

He felt right.

Maybe she’d had too much champagne.

Rachel Van Dyken is the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today Bestselling author of regency and contemporary romances. When she's not writing you can find her drinking coffee at Starbucks and plotting her next book while watching The Bachelor. She keeps her home in Idaho with her Husband, adorable son, and two snoring boxers! She loves to hear from readers!

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