New Release! Stirring Up Glory, Stirred by Love Series by Kacey Hammell @KaceyHammell #MustRead

Posted on September 18, 2017 by S.J. Maylee

STIRRING UP GLORY
Stirred by Love Series: Book 2
Contemporary Erotic Romance, Rubenesque/BBW
ISBN: 978177394053
Publisher: Evernight Publishing
Cover Artist: Jay Aheer

Shaken and Stirred with a splash of dirty.

She’s not the one he wants…

Drew McKenna is obsessed with the woman who saved his family’s business. She’s the last woman he should want, but his dreams are flooded with the sultry, sexy woman who gets under his skin. He’d not prepared to end their lengthy riff just so he can give into his desire to have the gorgeous woman under him.

But she is the one he needs…

Glory Pierce gave up on Drew the second he flung vicious insults her way. The harder she tries to forget how deep those scars run, however, the more he invades her thoughts. When tragedy strikes, Glory is forced to put aside her anger and work with the man she despises. But as they mix business with pleasure, the heat between them reaches fever pitch, secrets are revealed, and passions are stirred up in ways neither of them can ignore.

Excerpt:

Glory exited her father’s room and leaned against the wall. Drawing in deep breaths, she closed her eyes and kept the tears at bay. It was so strange to see the strongest man she knew so vulnerable. Her father worked day in and day out with little time off. It was hard to equate him to the man in that room. Though Dr. Cooper had tried to sound optimistic, her gut told her otherwise. Her father might not make it and she had to reconcile herself to that fate.

She adjusted her duffle bag on her shoulder and headed toward the front exit. There was nothing for her do tonight and sleep was her best recourse. The next few days would be full of tasks she wasn’t ready to handle. But he’d left her in charge—for whatever reason—and she’d do everything possible to handle his affairs until he recovered. And she had to hope that he’d recover. But she didn’t like the thought that she could screw something up and he’d have to fix later.

Sadness and panic churned in her stomach at the possibility of losing him and what she’d have to face with the family either way. Most of the Pierce family thrived on drama and conflict. She’d escaped it when her folks divorced, but growing up, she’d still spent as much time with her father as he allowed. They didn’t always have the best relationship, due to the chaos Freddie and Tanya preferred to create whenever she was around, but she loved him. And she never questioned his love for her.

Her father had always been transparent in his views of her. He’d never had faith in her to carry on the tradition of the men in her family to become mayor, but he’d done his best she supposed. Every first-born child of the last five generations was male and she was an anomaly by the way her family carried on. And since they held the mayor occupancy in town, no one ever let her forget that she’d broken the lineage and would never carry on that importance. It wasn’t a shoe-in whenever there was an election, but for generations, her family held the most power in town. It saddened her that Freddie was the only one left now to task the job to. And his troublemaker ways and disregard for anyone but himself and his mother, did not go unnoticed. Most of the town prayed there’d be another person to go against Freddie if her father was no longer able to hold his post. There wasn’t much to be happy about with that scenario.

As she stepped outside, she breathed in deeply, filling her lungs with fresh air, and rolled her shoulders to relieve the tension. As always, her stepmother and the gossipmongers of her family never ceased to stress her out. She avoided every family gathering for the sake of her sanity, which always irritated her father. But, it was her only salvation against the nosey-nellies who never kept their noses out of her business.

“How’s your dad doing?”

Her heart rate kicked up a few notches. The last thing she needed was more of Drew McKenna tonight, dammit. Raw from the long-buried emotions about her father, having him around could only cause more chaos. And the usual heartache.

But damn if he wasn’t hell-to-the-oh-my-god sexy as he leaned against his Harley. Arms crossed, biceps bulged beneath the sleeves of his t-shirt tucked into the waistband of his blue jeans. It appeared multiple finger swipes pushed his hair back to maintain the untamable ringlets that fell over his forehead and curled around his ears. Those sexy strands were one of the best things she loved most.

Love? Ugh, as if, lady. Speak for yourself.

Glory shoved the nagging voice away, unwilling to handle such nonsense tonight.

“Why are you still here?”

He shrugged. “Thought I’d offer you a ride home.”

“I don’t need your charity, Drew. Since when do you care what I do?” As soon as the words left her mouth, she wanted to eat them back again. Like a bull poked, his nostrils flared as usual and reminded her that their tumultuous but civil relationship always ended in an argument. And too much resentment.

“Let’s not do this again.” Drew stood, and waved a hand at his back seat. “You’ve had a long night, you’re worried for your old man, and I’m too damn exhausted to go toe-to-toe with you, Glory. For once, please shut up. Can we put aside whatever keeps us at one another’s throat for one night?”

Surprised, her jaw fell open and her eyes widened. Had Drew McKenna sounded reasonable and mature? A foreign impression in the years she’d known him, but she supposed he had a point. Over a decade of combating with him was now tiresome. How she’d allowed it to go on for so long was ridiculous, but wearing her coat of armor against him was her only defense.

“Are you coming or not?” He sat astride the bike, a second helmet in his hand and extended toward her.

“I’m only doing this because my car is in the shop and too tired to wait for a cab. You better not get me killed on this contraption, McKenna. I swear, I’ll haunt your ass forever if you do.” Glory grabbed the helmet and placed it on her head, then adjusted the strap beneath her chin. She moved closer, made sure her duffle bag was over both shoulders was tight, and lifted one leg over the seat.

“You haunt me now, woman, but don’t worry, you’re safe with me.” The engine cut out many of his words and Glory wasn’t sure what he meant about haunting him, but she’d had to have heard him wrong. Her gut instincts knew better than to trust him.

“Ready?” he glanced back at her.

After a hard swallow, she set her hands at his waist. Her body shivered as his warmth curled around her fingers.

“You have to hold on tighter than that, doll.” Drew grabbed both her wrists and dragged her forward until her chin hit his back. She crossed her arms at the front of his waist and held on.

The bike vibrated beneath her as he gunned the engine and roared through the parking lot and into the streets.

Her nipples tightened beneath her bra as she rested against his hot back and his enjoyable rich aroma of sandalwood wafted into her nose. Glory leaned a cheek on his shoulder, closed her eyes and blocked out the buildings rushing by. His potent scent reminded her of one night, so long ago.

A memory that never stopped breaking her heart. No matter how much she tried, it played in her head over and over, when she least expected it and left her vulnerable and aching. With her forehead on his back, the vibration of the machine beneath her ass pulsed through her. Shit. A reminder of how long it had been since she’d been with a man was the last thing she needed. Though her dating life sucked and there had been a couple men in her life over the last decade, she’d hoped the heartbreaking memories would fade quickly. But the more she wished to forget the past, the less and less pleasure she found in dating because she couldn’t erase the memories.

During the nights at Controlled Iris—as she succumbed to her voyeuristic tendencies that appeased her well enough—never stopped her from going back again and again. The small solace of pleasure she sought there kept her sane with the unattended needs and hunger coursing through her often. One exciting night a decade ago had ruined her for life. She wanted the same thrill of pleasure and the powerful delirious ecstasy again. But it was unattainable.

He was unattainable.

Nothing compared to that one night. And while Controlled Iris fed a few of her baser needs and fetishes, it wasn’t enough. Though it wasn’t a place of orgies or bondage or chains and whips, Controlled Iris opened their doors for those who loved to watch, but not engage. Through glass windows or up on balconies looking into each room, those who entered could witness the carnal appetites of others. Patrons weren’t allowed to join in the sex, only to witness the bliss of voyeurism and the thrill of being a peeping Tom—or Thomasina in her case.

Though she had no trouble getting herself off, Controlled Iris pushed her harder and drove her faster to the edge of pleasure for when she returned home. Role playing and the uninhibited prowess of each person, men and women, showed her more about sex than she’d ever thought possible. One night of pleasure did not make her an expert in any way, and CI filled her curiosity.

She lifted her head when the bike came to a halt. So lost in her thoughts, she’d missed the short ride home. Drew shut off the engine. He slid off the bike, undid the helmet and handed it to him. He scooted back and got off.

“No need to stick around.”

“Not even a cup of coffee to repay me for going out of my way?”

Glory rolled her eyes and started up the porch steps. “You don’t drink coffee and I didn’t ask for the ride, you offered. Good night, Drew.” As if fire chased her, she hustled to her front door and stuck the key in the lock.

“We should talk, Glory,” his voice filled her left ear, and startled her. She whipped around, and found herself pressed against the door. Shit. She didn’t need to get trapped by him tonight.

“You’re too close. Back off. And we have nothing to discuss.” Body quivering from his closeness, she gazed up into his dark eyes. Lightheaded, Glory inhaled a shaky breath deep into her lungs. How evil was it to tempt her with such deliciousness when her heart and soul already ached from ripping emotions?

“Haven’t we done this Mr. and Mrs. Smith thing long enough?”

“Really, dude?” she scoffed. “That’s what you compare us to? Two gun-wielding married assassins who lie to one another? When have I ever lied to you?” Glory didn’t know if the comparison was accurate or not. They weren’t married, and they weren’t assassins either, but the sexual chemistry and tension between the Smith duo was always tumultuous and charged with chaos. She supposed there was justification for that comparison.

Drew crowded in on her, and she lifted her hands to his chest. Her knees shook as the heat of his skin beneath his shirt warmed her palms. The motherfucker didn’t play fair.

“I’m not the only one who gets turned on whenever we’re around each other. And you can’t deny it.”

Praise for Stirring Up Glory:
“a hot and sexy read.” ~ SJ Maylee, author of Assassins and Sweetheart series
“Do you like reading erotic romance with hot scorching scenes, then you should definitely check out Stirring Up Glory! You won’t be disappointed!” Nicole, Top 100 Amazon Reviewer

Buy Links:

Evernight Publishing – http://www.evernightpublishing.com/stirring-up-glory-by-kacey-hammell

Amazon US — https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0757XMR54

Amazon Canada — https://www.amazon.ca/Stirring-Glory-Stirred-Love-Book-ebook/dp/B0757XMR54

Amazon UK — https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0757XMR54

Bookstrand – http://www.bookstrand.com/stirring-up-glory-mf

B&N Nook – https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/stirring-up-glory-kacey-hammell/1127041474

Kobo Store – https://www.kobo.com/ca/en/ebook/stirring-up-glory

iTunes – http://apple.co/2esBwNx

Smashwords — https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/745285

More Bookstores — https://books2read.com/u/bzaopE

Goodreads — https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/36153588-stirring-up-glory

And of course, Book 1, Stirring Up Dirty is always available at all online bookstores.

https://kaceyhammell.com/bookshelf-2/stirred-by-love-series/stirring-up-dirty

About Kacey:
Avid Reader. Romance Author. Redhead…

Canadian-born author Kacey Hammell is definitely a book-a-holic. A romance reader from a young age, she fell in love with happily ever afters. These days, as a multi- published erotic romance author, she enjoys adding a lot of heat, sass, and emotion to the many genres she writes.

Mom of three, Kacey lives her own happily ever after with her perfect hero in Ontario, Canada.

Readers can find all my titles under the drop down “Bookshelf” menu on my website – www.kaceyhammell.com

Please consider following me on

Twitter – http://bit.ly/2cYpPM4

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Instagram — https://www.instagram.com/kaceyhammell

And sign up for my newsletter – http://eepurl.com/cA3VSL

New MUST READ! Boss, The Donovan Dynasty by Sierra Cartwright @SierraWrites

Posted on May 31, 2016 by S.J. Maylee

boss_mass_xlrg

His erotic demands test everything she believes.

When the fearless, larger-than-life Nathan Donovan becomes her boss, Kelsey Lane’s life is turned upside down. The multimillionaire wants her by his side, but his demands don’t end there.

Kelsey avoids romantic entanglements, especially with overwhelmingly dynamic men like Nathan. But she quickly discovers his attention and sensual desires ignite something deep inside her, leading her on a journey that tests everything she believes.

The youngest, boldest of the dynamic Donovan brothers, Nathan is accustomed to getting what he wants. And he focuses his attention on the smart, sexy Kelsey. He quickly discovers she’s unlike any woman he’s ever known.

She meets him, desire for desire, getting deep inside him, destroying the barriers he keeps around his heart. He wonders, though, if she’s willing to give him the one thing he demands…

Amazon US I Amazon UK I iBooks I B&N I Kobo I ARe

Winner of the 2013 Best BDSM Book of the Year award (Over The Line), the 2014 LASR Book of the Year award (In The Den), and the 2015 Golden Flogger (Crave), Sierra was born in Manchester, England where she spent her early years traipsing through castles. After living in Denver for a number of years, the internationally acclaimed author now calls Galveston, Texas, home. She loves the way history blends with Southern manners (being called “sugar” is an experience unto itself) and rich pirate lore.

She invites you to join her on a sensual journey where the limits are explored and expanded.

New Release! Fighting for Honor by Kacey Hammell #mustread

Posted on August 28, 2015 by S.J. Maylee

It’s a very special treat day! Kacey Hammell is here with her brand new release, Fighting for Honor. I was lucky enough to read this before it released and it’s a fabulous story. It will hook you from page one and will keep its hold, leaving you begging Kacey for another story in this series. ❤

Fighting for Honor

Okanogan Valley Pride, Book 1

Kacey Hammell

Paranormal / Erotic /Romance / Shifters

ISBN: 978-1-77233-468-5

Length: 11.6k / 40 pages

Publisher: Evernight Publishing

There’s only one rightful Alpha, and he’s back to claim his pride and his mate…

As the rightful Alpha of a unique pride of panthers, originally founded by his father, Dominic Stone followed his inherent solitary path to find peace and grieve the untimely demise of his dad. Five years later, he returns home ready to take his place, settle old debts and claim the one woman he’s always wanted as his.

Purchase links:

My Book Page (links updated as book goes live)
Evernight Publishing
Amazon Stores

aRe
Bookstrand

Reviews:

Fighting for Honor may be a first for Kacey Hammell in a new genre, but within the pages, Kacey’s delectable story telling is on full display…a quick read that will leave you on the edge of your seat…Whether or not you’re a fan of shifter book won’t matter, because you’ll be too engrossed in this riveting story.” 5 Stars from Liz, Goodreads

Excerpt © Kacey Hammell, 2015

Dominic closed the front door of his old cabin quietly behind him. The urge to run crowded him, tormenting him to let loose and give into the call of the wildness of being home. He needed some time to himself before he met up with his contact in an hour.

He was confident in the fact that he could bring down his cousin and those on his side and repair the damage to the pride before anything further was lost.

Shedding his sweats and t-shirt, he slipped out of his sandals and let the change overtake him.

His muscles stretched and elongated, pulling his flesh taut and realigning his physique. On all fours, he lifted his nose to the air and darted his eyes across his surroundings. He’d always been grateful for his Panther ancestry. His vision alone was something he coveted. With silver eyes, he had the ability to see through the darkness in the dead of night, as if he held a lantern. His father told him many times that having that unique color was something only the most powerful of panthers possessed.

Taking off at a run, he re-familiarized himself with his favorite trail leading to the waterfall where he’d spent much of his childhood. The serenity and secluded area had always called to him, drawing him in and giving him the best place possible to contemplate his future.

If there was any one place in the valley he’d missed the most, it was the falls, and the memories there.

His awkward first kiss.

With Honor.

Clumsily losing his virginity.

With Honor.

Crying over the death of his father.

With Honor holding him.

Darting faster and harder, his paws barely touching the ground, he pushed away the memories. He’d missed so much over the last five years. And she was at the top of his list.

How she’d fallen into his cousin’s hands… well, he had himself to blame.

Stopping at the clearing, breathing hard, he trotted to the edge of the falls and stuck his snout in. Replenishing himself with the cold water, his ears twitched as he listened for anyone nearby.

Gulping down a last swallow, he strode to a clear spot in the cool grass, lay flat on his belly and let the quiet of the night draw him into its solitude. He couldn’t believe he hadn’t returned just for this. Too many years had flown by.

A twig snapped to his left, capturing his attention. Tilting his head, he bided his time before letting the intruder know he was there. He was lucky his black fur would cloak him. He blended well and had destroyed many enemies years ago with patience and fortitude once he was ready to pounce.

Hidden by the tree above him, his heart picked up speed as the most beautiful creature in the world made her way to the same falls he’d just quenched his thirst at.

She made his mouth water and the animal inside him took notice.

Avid Reader. Romance Author. Redhead…

Mom of three, Kacey lives her own happily ever after with her perfect hero in Ontario, Canada.

Connect with Kacey…

Website / Newsletter / Facebook / Facebook Reader Group / Twitter / Amazon / Goodreads / Pinterest / Instagram

Inside Look with Donna Cummings author of An Encouraging Word

Posted on March 5, 2014 by S.J. Maylee

It’s not a mirage, Donna Cummings is here! Que the coffee and bring on the brownies. Donna always makes me smile and she’s definitely encouraging. When I heard about her new book, I just had to have her over to talk about it. So, relax with your goodies. Enjoy.

I want to give SJ a huge thank you for letting me come back for a visit. She indulges my silliness, and encourages me with endless cups of coffee, so really, I was ecstatic when she asked if I wanted to chat about my latest book.

It’s a little different than the other things I’ve published. Okay, it’s completely different. Instead of humorously-ever-after romance, it’s a compilation of posts from my blog, All About The Writing, where I’ve explored the writing process, and the writing life, the past five years.

First off, I’m not claiming to be a writing expert. My areas of expertise–drinking coffee, and avoiding stuff–don’t really have a bright career path included. (Dang it.)

Way back when, I chose the name of my blog because it was a catchphrase that encapsulated what agents were looking for. No matter what intrigued them enough to ask for a look-see of your manuscript–hook, theme, plot–in the end, the deciding factor was “all about the writing”.

Still, even with a snappy blog title, I had no clue what to blog about. At first I made a few announcements about contests I’d finaled in and/or won. That fell within the scope of “all about the writing”, and it didn’t cause my very-private-self too much agony–especially since I was pretty much the only one who saw the posts.

Then I took a trip to an Agent Pitch Slam in NYC, a speed dating thing where you pitch your book to an agent for three minutes and then move on to the next one. I was sure my blog audience (um, ME) would enjoy reading about my first solo trip into “the city” and meeting with agents.

I started by describing my 6 a.m. walk to the bus that would take me into Manhattan. It should have been uneventful, really. But there was slasher-movie fog everywhere, and two huge deer walking in the middle of the street. They stopped to stare at me for a while, and then darted off into the darkness. To this day I’m convinced they could sense my fear at being a quart low on caffeine.

After that surreal start to the day, I wrote about finally making it to the Javits Center:

It’s a freakingly huge monstrosity of an edifice. It sits on about fourteen thousand city blocks, and has easily 2.5 million entryways. I stumbled through one, and then walked and walked and walked until I saw a human being, who told me to continue the direction I was headed, and if I hit the Pacific Ocean, to turn around because I had gone too far.

After what seemed like days, I nearly wept when I saw an oasis: the round green sign stating “Nectar of the Gods” (aka Starbucks). Please please please don’t be a mirage. I hadn’t had time for coffee that morning, and would have easily taken out a payday loan for a thimble full of the stuff.

I quickly discovered blogging was a natural milieu for me. I loved it. I could explore a variety of writing topics–whatever sprang to mind–while I got to play with words and ideas in a humorous way. Blogging helped me get unstuck when I was feeling discouraged, and showed me how to work through tricky parts of several WIPs. I was delighted each time someone said my posts guided them through a troublesome patch, or were the exact words they needed to hear at that moment in time.

Although I hadn’t planned it, I had stumbled upon a theme: dealing with the endless writerly doubts and fears, and forging ahead when it seemed the muse considered my words a deadly virus that had to be eradicated to ensure the future of humanity.

An Encouraging Word is a compilation of 52 of these posts that I hope will bring cheer and solace, encouragement and renewed optimism, and even a chuckle or two. Think of it as a cheerleader on your e-reader or computer or mobile device. It’s there when you need a little boost. It’ll give you a well-deserved pat on the back.

And it won’t ever expect coffee in return.

An Encouraging Word

by Donna Cummings

Length: 117 pages

Published: February 19, 2014

Bio

I have worked as an attorney, winery tasting room manager, and retail business owner, but nothing beats the thrill of writing humorously-ever-after romances.

I reside in New England, although I fantasize about spending the rest of my days in a tropical locale, wearing flip flops year-round, or in Regency London, scandalizing the ton.

I can usually be found on Twitter talking about writing and coffee, and on Facebook, talking about coffee and writing.

Links:

Website/blog: www.AllAboutTheWriting.com

Twitter: www.twitter.com/@BookEmDonna

Facebook: www.facebook.com/Donna.Cummings.Author

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5349107.Donna_Cummings

Pinterest: www.pinterest.com/bookemdonna

Buy link: Amazon

The Patented Nonsense of Donna Cummings author of I Do… or Die

Posted on April 29, 2013 by S.J. Maylee

I have a special treat for you today. You know those friends that cheer you up the minute they enter the room or in this case twitter stream? That’s Donna. I really enjoy this gal. Not too long ago I read one of her recent releases and I was not at all surprised when her writing had me smiling and giggling. For the rest of my FIVE star review of Donna’s book click here, but first enjoy getting to know Donna and her patented nonsense. 😀

I Do… or Die

by Donna Cummings

Published: December 10, 2012
Publisher: Crimson Romance
Genre: Contemporary Romance

SJ asked me to guest blog today because she’s a fan of my “patented nonsense”. Those are my words, not hers, although now that I think about it, she did repeat them with a great deal of glee once I uttered them. But the joke’s on her, because I haven’t had a chance to actually patent my nonsense. It is on my To Do list, though, right between “figure out a reason Brussels sprouts were invented” and “teach dust bunnies how to clean up after themselves”.

I wasn’t sure what to chat about, but fortunately, SJ sent me a few questions to help spark some ideas. And one of those questions was, “Which one of your characters would you most like to meet in real life?”

My first thought — naturally — was I wanted to meet every single one of my heroes. I mean, who wouldn’t, right? Heroes are one of the best parts of the books we write. But since that wouldn’t be practical, with so many of them vying for my attention, and me not wanting to hurt anybody’s feelings by slighting one hunk while draping myself over another one. . .

Ahem. What was the question again?

Oh yeah. The character I would love to hang out with is Shelby, the heroine of my romantic comedy/mystery I Do. . .or Die. And no, it’s not just because her guy, Ryan, would be hanging around too, although he is wicked sexy. They’re absolutely perfect together and I wouldn’t want to get in between them. (Stop that. You know what I mean.)

Shelby is funny, and slightly neurotic, and, thanks to her gigolo father, she’s got commitment issues, which she thinks she’s handling just fine, even when she’s not. Can’t you just imagine the fun conversations we could have? She also loves coffee, and cosmopolitans, and isn’t really a fan of cats, which gives us even more to talk about.

It’s always an adventure with Shelby around. Even when she’s not trying to cause commotion, she somehow attracts it. And she manages to do it with humor, a little snark, a fair amount of vulnerability, and an admirable bit of resourcefulness. I can’t think of a better way to spend a day than to hang out with her.

Here’s a little excerpt, where Detective Ryan Nichols is driving Shelby to her home, after she’s been shot at during a wedding where she’s the maid of honor. Before she can get out of the car, the window next to her explodes:

Before I could even scream, Detective Nichols threw himself at me, covering me with his body.

His strong, warm, protective, masculine body.

Glass particles sprinkled over us, glittering in the disappearing sunlight. The hole in the window amplified the sound of a car racing around the corner, tires screeching as it made its getaway.

I hardly had time to register that information before another thought rushed to the front of my mind. It wasn’t likely someone was trying to shoot him. In front of my apartment.

So that meant the gunfire I’d experienced that day—twice that day—

“Jesus! They are shooting at me!”

I popped up so I could see what was going on, and promptly had my head shoved back down.

“Shelby, stay down!”

He muttered something about people who didn’t have enough sense to keep their fool heads from being blown off. And it sounded like he might have been debating whether to let it happen, but then he couldn’t go on his vacation because of all the paperwork he’d have to deal with.

Not to mention my single brain cell spattered all over his car interior.

“I don’t think they followed us, but the shot came from back there,” Detective Nichols said, half to himself, twisting in the seat while keeping his body lowered over mine.

“Where? I can’t really see.”

My face was embarrassingly close to a certain portion of his anatomy. A part that was well worth investigating, but this wasn’t really the time, or the place. Although I was definitely developing an interest.

And it was clear that his interest was well, um, it was developing too.

“Sorry,” he said with a gruff voice, moving me away from the hot spot. He was still a professional, however, making sure that I was protected from the next round of shooting that might occur at any moment.

“This doesn’t make any sense,” I blurted. “I really don’t know of anyone who would want to shoot me.”

“Are you sure?” He sat up and re-holstered his weapon, even though I hadn’t seen him take it out. “I was pretty close to it at least once today. Only I wasn’t ready to get fired just yet.”

I gasped. “That is so mean. How could you even say that?”

“Maybe I was just trying to distract you,” he answered, grabbing the radio from the console, speaking in a coded series of numbers that made algebra equations seem easy to decipher.

“Oh,” I said, since he’d definitely distracted me.

Still, the absurdity of the whole situation blindsided me. Here I thought my worst problem of the day was going to be when I jabbed a hole in my pantyhose while getting ready to walk down the aisle for the fourth time.

But that was just a preview of coming events. Because I had been shot at, not once, but twice, and I was hot for the police detective who was probably debating whether to let the gunman prevail.

What else could I do but laugh?

It started out as a giggle, and then I was in the midst of hold-my-sides-it-hurts-so-much hilarity. It was impossible to stop.

Detective Nichols’s visage was stern, in control, but then I saw his lips twitch. I heard a strangled sound, and then he lowered the radio. He could have thought I was insane, but instead he had the sense to appreciate how bizarre this entire scenario was. And instead of telling me I needed to “calm down,” he joined right in with the fun and games.

He definitely qualified as the good surprise of the day.

“Oh, wow,” he finally said, wiping his eyes. “I can’t believe I’m sitting here laughing my ass off with you. Some cop I am.”

“This isn’t one of those reality shows, is it? One where I get to look like a fool at the end of it?”

“I can show you my badge again when I get back from checking the scene. And don’t worry about looking like a fool—”

I held up a hand, a dead ringer for a traffic cop. “Do not say what I think you’re going to say. You’ve already exceeded your mean quota for the day—”

“What?” Mischief flashed in his eyes. “I wasn’t going to say anything mean.”

“Oh yes you were. I could feel it.”

I could actually feel a little bit more than that. For some reason Detective Nichols seemed to enjoy these crazy exchanges of ours as much as I did. But we weren’t on a date, for heaven’s sake. He was investigating my friend’s attempted murder, only now it looked like he was going to be investigating my attempted murder instead.

My body temperature plummeted about forty degrees.

“Somebody’s trying to kill me, aren’t they?”

He didn’t try to pull me down toward safety, and he certainly didn’t try to pull any punches. “It kinda looks that way, yeah.”

Blurb

“Always a bridesmaid, never a bride” is Shelby Atwood’s personal credo. She’s managed to avoid commitment all her life – no pets, no plants, not even a long-term lease. Heck, she’s had colds last longer than her romantic relationships. How could she be any other way when she has a gigolo for a father?

But then gunfire erupts at the latest wedding she’s agreed to be in, and it ends up being the best thing to happen to Shelby’s love life. Detective Ryan Nichols is assigned to the case, and when the shootings don’t stop, he becomes her 24-hour bodyguard. Shelby wouldn’t mind except Ryan is too appealing, too sexy, and too happy to remind her of the raucous bachelorette party when she mistook him for a stripper.

Shelby’s plan is simple: find the shooter, have a fling with Ryan, and return to her non-committal life. Unfortunately, the shooter is very elusive. Shelby’s feelings for Ryan are way more than adrenaline-fueled lust. And returning to her normal life is now impossible since, despite her lifelong resistance, she’s managed to put her heart smack dab in the line of fire.

Bio

I have worked as an attorney, winery tasting room manager, and retail business owner, but nothing beats the thrill of writing humorously-ever-after romances.

I reside in New England, although I fantasize about spending the rest of my days in a tropical locale, wearing flip flops year-round, or in Regency London, scandalizing the ton.

My contemporary novella, Back on Track, part of the Strangers on a Train collection, released earlier this month from Samhain. Also available is Summer Lovin’, a free romantic comedy novella, and Lord Midnight, a Regency historical romance.

Links:

Website/blog: http://www.AllAboutTheWriting.com

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/@BookEmDonna

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/Donna.Cummings.Author

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5349107.Donna_Cummings

Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/bookemdonna

Buy links:

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00AB3TBOC

Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/i-do-or-die-donna-cummings/1114001417

iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/i-do-.-.-.-or-die/id580981508