Karma’s a bitch…and her name’s Cassie.

Working for Karma Incorporated might sound like the best job in the world, but there’s one really big catch: you’ve got to die to get it. Cassandra Mercer died at the ripe old age of twenty-one and is now gainfully employed by the Afterlife Corporation as a Karma operative. Her job duties include manifesting bad karma on unsuspecting victims.

Two months into her internship Cassie is promoted and given her first solo case. His name is Bishop and he is a cheat. He needs some bad karma, and Cassie’s the right girl for the job.

Inflicting a bit of payback on this cheat should be easy for Cassie, so she gets permission from her boss to do a little investigating on her own time. Investigating into her living life, the one she can’t seem to remember. The only problem, she is forbidden from doing the digging herself. Afterlife Corporation rule. She can hire someone to look into it for her, though, and that someone turns out to be Drake Greco. She regrets her decision the moment she walks into his office…

Goodreads

Amazon

I received this book from the author for an honest review.

I loved Gillian’s zombie series so when I saw she has a new series starting, I jumped.  This book is a totally different concept for me and it also intrigued me.  I mean working for Karma, Inc. You are the person who will be dishing out the bad karma we all want people to get served….awesome right???

Cassie wakes up and is given a choice…Limbo or working in the Afterlife.  Well who wants Limbo right?  She takes the Afterlife job and the sub company, Karma Inc.  She is a bit distressed because she can’t remember anything about her life.  Now most people can remember their life but not their death.  Plus Cassie finds out she was being “processed” a lot longer than most people ……hrmmm…..

The story is told in mainly present tense but we do see flashbacks of Cassie getting processed and the parts of her life start to come back to her while she is working her first Karma case.  We can see her figuring stuff out while also secretly investigating her life and death.

Now I will say the beginning of the story was a bit slow BUT that is because we are setting up the world Cassie will be a part of.  We had to get to know the ins and outs of the Afterlife. SO if you give it a few chapters to get things going the rest of the book flies.  The end of the book left me saying YES because I wanted to know what her investigator was going to uncover for her in the next book.

Gillian Zane is the author of the NOLA Zombie series. Zane is the pen name of a prominent blogger in the publishing industry, which will remain a mystery unless you Google it. Since she can remember her goal has been to become Master of the Universe and has decided to focus first on the literary world. Things are progressing nicely.

Zane has been a freelance writer for the last ten years and has published a few non-fiction works, none of which was very exciting. Zombies are much more exciting and a way for her to combine her two current obsessions, hot boys with guns and Doomsday Prepping. When she isn’t stockpiling MREs (Meal’s Ready to Eat) or researching how to build a cistern on a budget, she’s taking care of her little family and exploring the city that she loves, New Orleans.

 

I’m the girl from the school of hard knocks.

Nothing has ever come easy for me. So forgive me if I’m a bit reluctant about Kincaid Griffin – born-with-a-silver-spoon in his mouth, conceited college hoops player. A guy who could get any girl he wants, and yet, is suddenly everywhere I am trying to woo me. The more I protest, the more persistent he becomes.

I’m a lucky bastard.

Let’s face it.  As a college athlete, I don’t chase girls – they come to me. I’m as arrogant and cocky as they come, getting nearly everything I want, whenever I want. But there is nothing sweeter than a girl who plays hard to get. And Ainsley Locker is so full of confidence that she knocks me off my feet from the moment I meet her. She’s a challenge. And I like challenges. So I go full-court press to win her over.

But when a stupid mistake turns viral, slam dunking all over my life in a media frenzy, my spot on the team may be in jeopardy, along with my shot at winning the girl.

Goodreads

Amazon

 

I received this book from the author for an honest review.

Clapping my hands!!  I am loving these characters and different sports themes series.  I haven’t read many, if any, sports theme characters so this book was awesome for me.  I feel like I read more Shifter paranormal or MC books.  SO this was a great and nice departure for me to read.

Ainsley is a girl without any help in life.  You wanna talk about given a crappy life but still made something out of herself and still striving for more and better!!!  She is taking on 2 jobs, raising her teen age sister and trying to finish nursing school.  Meeting a boy or even dating are far off her list of things to do.  When she meets a cocky guy at one her many jobs, she is overly annoyed with is sexual come-ons and rich boy persona.

Cade has lived the life of privilege.  He has money and since he is a star athlete he gets a lot of attention for being him.  He can have any girl and they sure don’t ever turn him down…I mean he is CADE!!!  When he gets into trouble and is getting talked to by his parents, he is stunned the waitress isn’t all over him.  Doesn’t she know he is number 23.  I gotta admit.  I thought Cade was a mega DB and was high fiving Ainsley for rebuffing him.

As the story continues, Cade runs into Ainsley again.  This time he SEES her for what she is…different and he is really intrigued in what makes him want to get to know her.  The couple being navigating around dating while dealing with skeletons they both have in their closet.  Cade’s secret send his girl off the deep end.  I was kinda annoyed with her for her over reaction and then she over reacts again in the end of the book.  Yes I get what she has been thought and was glad Mica was there to kick her butt into gear.  Cade most definitely does redeem himself from my original  beginning thoughts about hm.  Sierra definitely let us, the reader, see his growth in the book.

I am super excited to read Mica and Lance.  That books is going to be a good one I can already tell!!!

Sierra Hill wrote her first full-length romance after a corporate acquisition led her to a stint of unemployment, offering her some quality writing time.

She loves writing about the fictional characters that live in her brain who constantly shout for their own love story to be told.

Sierra resides in the Pacific Northwest with her husband of twenty years and her long-haired, German Shepherd. She is currently working on her next book.

Thanks for reading and reviewing her books. Keep the passion alive!

 

Sheriff Zeke Monroe loves one woman…Honor McKinnon. He is willing to stake his entire future on protecting her…no matter what the cost.

Honor McKinnon knows she is broken. Her body and soul had been shattered by a violent attack years ago, and no one…not her sisters or anyone else in the tiny town of Paradise, especially the Sheriff…can change that. Rather than dealing with her wounds, she chooses to protect herself from any further damage, even if that means that she avoids the one chance at love. But Zeke is determined to break down Honor’s walls…and to find the persons responsible for hurting her and make them suffer.

He’s already killed for her once…and is willing to do it again if it means she’ll know safety and happiness.

What happens when Zeke refuses to allow Honor to ignore her past? Will Zeke’s love be passionate enough to break down her barriers? And can Zeke save Honor when her life is in danger once again?

Join Sarah O’Rourke in this epic culmination of the Men of the McKinnon Sisters stories…and find out how the Passion in Paradise series is always scorching hot! Standalone, romantica suspense.

Goodreads

Amazon

Sarah O’Rourke is the alter ego of two best friends who have taken their passion for romantic fiction and erotica to the publishing world. Born and raised in the southern United States, one lives near Louisville, KY, while the other resides in Atlanta, Georgia. Neither is ever very far from a tall glass of sweet iced tea, their dog-eared copies of Gone With the Wind, or their Steel Magnolias DVDs!

Formerly an accountant and a chemist, they are now overworked, stay-at-home moms who adore their children, their husbands…and writing about love in every way possible!

Nash is trying to make a name for himself in the art world…
But when he meets a realtor to buy a gallery, he is stunned to find Chloe sitting at the table with the man. He has never stopped thinking about her since she disappeared from his life without a trace. Is it too late to win back her love?
Chloe has finally found a way to leave her past behind her…
But her heart leaps out of her chest when she sees Nash. How can he be here? Now…after all this time? On the surface, she pulls herself back together. But underneath she feels she is about to shatter. After remaking herself, how can she deal with being faced with Nash and the life she knew before?
If this chance meeting doesn’t rip Chloe and Nash apart, he will.
Little do they know, someone has been lurking in the shadows, manipulating them all along. If he has his way, the two will never be reunited. Even if he has to take one of them out to ensure it.

Goodreads

Amazon

 

I received this book from the author for an honest review.

I love a good 2^nd chance romance.  I mean nothing is better than when the one that got away comes back right???

This book was told in a really interesting perspective.  It starts in the present but immediately it flashes us back to the past when Chloe ad Nash where younger.  Through the first few chapters we see their friendship grow and blossom into love.  Then the book cuts backs the present and we are with our couple now….apart…and unhappy!!

Chloe has had a rough life from the death of her father, literal abandonment of her mother after her father’s death and the treatment of her step-father.  The only light in her life is Nash and his family.  Chloe’s character seems a little too naïve for me.  There were parts of the story that were a bit of a stretch for me as a reader….her lack of sexual knowledge during her teens years but mainly her adult internal radar seems off.  She was too trusting for someone who has had lot of emotional and physical abuse even when her red internal flags are going off.

Nash has loved Chloe his entire life.  She is the one and he never understood what happened.  He is really angry, hurtful and bitter when he sees her but won’t stop perusing her.  I liked Nash and seems a bit more open to his character.  When he finds out Chloe is being hurt he does everything he can to help her.  Even after being apart for many years, when Chloe is attacked his first thoughts of her are and needs.

The story was good and I would read another novel from the author if presented and I have the time..LOL.  A bloggers work is never done.

I was born in Overland Park, KS, in the heart of Tornado Alley, and my life has been a bit twisted since. Actually, it’s not all that twisted, but I’ve always wanted to use that line. I grew up in St. Louis, MO, went to school at the University of Missouri-Columbia, and moved to Bloomington, IL, fresh out of college, after my husband got a job at State Farm’s corporate headquarters. I’ve worked as a high school/junior college teacher, personnel recruiter, office manager of a jewelry store, and, for the past ten years, as a lunch lady. I like to karaoke and attend rock concerts. I am actively involved at church and spend too much time on Facebook. I am the mother of a eighteen-year-old, and sixteen-year-old triplets, and have been married to my husband, Don, for over twenty-four years.
I have been a writer all my life. My first book, which was co-written with Mary Ellen Murphey in second grade, was titled The Black Cat, and was written on blue hotel stationary, hole-punched, and bound by white yarn. I believe it is currently out of circulation.
When I turned forty, I had an epiphany of sorts. I realized those bigwig publishing houses in New York were now probably run by people younger than me, so I shouldn’t be intimidated by them. At about the same time I was watching one of those award shows, and Jaclyn Smith got up to give a post-humorous award to Aaron Spelling. She credited him for encouraging her to go into acting, saying something brilliant like, “Reach for your dreams.” Nothing new. Almost even seems a little Jiminy Cricketish. But, for some reason, it struck me that night. When Aaron Spelling was thirteen, he was probably just like any other acned thirteen-year-old. But he worked to achieve his dreams, and became a household name. So, I began to write. Once I finished my first book, I wasn’t able to stop. I would rather write than do just about anything else. After all, you get to make people (characters) do what you want and design your own happy endings. What power! What a privilege.

 

Haunted for years by dreams of a savage, amber eyed Dominant with lips so enticing my soul ached in frustration and lust. None of the Dominants at Genesis, my local BDSM club ever stirred me in such blistering ways. While I tried to fill my submissive desires vicariously through interactions at the club, I attempted to convince myself it was enough. But it wasn’t. My dream Dom made certain I hungered for more.

Forced beyond what I could bear, my passion and frustration exploded. I threw in the towel, determined to stop chasing a dream and gave up completely on finding submissive surrender. But fate intervened when two gunshots split the night. Forced to confront my desires and insecurities, I was shocked to realize that my dreams may have held a deeper meaning. Were they compelling me to finally embrace my submission?

Goodreads

Amazon

 

 

I bought this book because I have met this awesome lady at signings and read several other books of her but not this series.

I am a fan of the genre of BDSM and so the “on- click” option was an easy one to make.  I grabbed it and sat down one morning for a quick and enjoyable read.  The story is about Emerald/Julianna who has had a fake Dom in her life before.  She joins the club and has been a submissive for over 4 years.  She is under the protection of Drake/Moses to help guide and care for her until she is claimed by the “one”.  She is a mess!!!  She wants love and each day gets more and more broken over never being chosen.  She knows she is a strong willed brat but the fact no one shows interest makes her begin to self-doubt in her true calling.

Mika is the quiet owner of the club.  He lost his one and only slave Vanessa years ago.  He is open the club to help others find the one but knows he had his and is never to love again.  When something happens to Emerald, Mika goes crazy!!  Little does the bratty sub know but Mika has been watching and wanting her for years!!  Say WHAT!!

The story is about all they have to go through to be together.  They have to deal with his denial, her attack, her feelings of inadequacy and his strong desire to Master her.  My favorite part of the book hands down was her having a tantrum at his office door in the club…omg I laughed sooo darn hard….Great and Powerful OZ!!!  LOL!!!  I also really liked the element of who was driving the two together in the story.  It is hard to let go of the past when you see a future you want but are scared nd guilty to want.

Author of tantalizing BDSM Erotica Romance. She burns up the pages with her emotional true life sizzling stories of seduction, suspense and sexual splendor.

 

Title: Afterglow
Author: Maria Monroe
Genre: Apocalyptic Romance
Cover Design: Pink Ink Designs
Release Date: July 13, 2016

BLURB

Who knew the apocalypse could be so sexy?

Nina can shoot a gun, start a fire, and kick some serious ass. So when a killer virus and solar storm decimate the country, she’s as prepared as possible to survive. She just needs a motorcycle to navigate the cluttered roads and meet up with her family.

Creed, former Marine, is tattooed and tough. He’s scarred inside and out. Loss is no stranger to him, and he avoids getting close to anyone at all costs.

When Nina tries to steal his motorcycle they have a vicious fight, but necessity and attraction force them into an uneasy alliance. They travel together through the dangerous landscape, where trouble lurks around every corner and they need each other to survive.

But the biggest danger just might be falling in love.

Equally as exciting as it is sexy, Afterglow contains graphic sex and some violence, so please read at your own risk. 18+ recommended.

This is a standalone.

 

I received this book from the author for an honest review.

OMG I am in love with this book and I totally would love to read more from this cast of characters.  I mean Logan needs some love too right????

SO this book starts out with Nina looking to make it to her grandmother’s house to ride out this killer virus.  She meets our hottie Creed when she is trying to steal from him..ooopsie Nina.  Creed is stunned stupid to find out that the punk that is trying to steal his motorcycle is a kick a$$ female.  The two run in to some not nice guys and Creed decides he needs to leave so he will see Nina safely to her grandma’s house and then take off for parts unknown.   I loved Nina’s sass and the fact she isn’t a helpless female character.  She has spunk and fire and she WAS going to see her family again.  I loved that Creed also loved her tenacity and welcomed her fire during their travels.

Along the way, the couple banter and it fuels the chemistry that is just burning underneath the story.  OMG I was like “SOMEONE MAKE A MOVE ALREADY!!”  It was super hawt.  When the two get to “getting to know each other a bit better” we can see them both forming an attachment but both don’t want to get attached because attachment means heartache.

Along the way, Nina and Creed meet some good people but mainly run in to the evil that is taking full advantage of this ruined society.  They two end up helping another person who also has lost it all due to the virus and that character tugged at my heart just like they did Creed and Nina.

The end of the book had me a mess.  I was reading as fast as I could because I needed to know if they would make it safely to Nina’s grandma’s house PLUS what will become of Creed and Nina.

GOODREADS LINK

US: http://amzn.to/29PwveI
UK: http://amzn.to/29A31oM

Free in Kindle Unlimited

AUTHOR BIO

Maria Monroe writes sexy and smart romance, often focusing on new adult characters. Bad boys, especially gruff and sexy ones, are her favorite alpha males to read (and write) about.

She also enjoys reading, playing Pokemon, drinking wine, sarcasm, hiking, and laughing about inappropriate things.

She’s from Chicago and currently lives just outside the city with her three awesome kids, two rescue dogs, two rescue cats, and the most supportive husband in the world.

AUTHOR LINKS

Amazon: http://amzn.to/29iQ1yv

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MariaMonroeAuthor

Twitter: https://twitter.com/AuthorMaria

One drunken night a nameless one-night stand changes everything for Alison Tanner. Her world suddenly turns on its side, and she has a whole other person to consider. One that will rely on her for everything and love her unconditionally. One that will cause her more guilt that she can imagine because she can’t answer the most important question of all… where’s my daddy?

Time passes and Ally moves on, finding love in one of the most unlikely places. But things are never that simple. What happens when the nameless stranger comes walking back into their lives? How will this affect their child, and is this new love strong enough to weather the storm?

Our hearts don’t always want what’s easy. Sometimes they send us on a path that will eventually break us. Which path will Ally choose, and who awaits her at the end of that journey? Join Ally and the rest of the gang in Broken Pieces, the final book in The Broken Series.

Goodreads

Amazon

I received a copy of this book for an honest review.

I absolutely loved this book I was torn going back and forth for a while but once I realized who I was rooting for my heart was all in.  This is Ally’s story she is Angels BFF and a ball of fire.

Ally has a one night stand no names no strings attached but when she walks away she is left with more than she arrived with. After trying to find the unknown guy she moves on and starts to live her life. When she finds a great guy her mystery guy comes back and now she has to decide who she is going to choose. Will she stay with her new guy or go back to her mystery man?

Like I said I was back and forth with this one I wanted her to give Carson a change but I loved Joey. The thing Joey does made me love him and my heart broke from him. OH my gosh I forgot how much I loved Wes (SHHH don’t tell my BFF cause Wes is hers or that’s what she will tell you anyway). His talk was amazing oh and the pay back that Angel gets to pay on Wes had me rolling that was a great phone scene just saying. This story was such an emotional ride I was laughing at times, had some tears, and my heart was breaking at other times.  I had no idea what Ally was going to do or who she was going to choose and my heart was so happy for one of them and broke for the other. The Epilogue was epic and things were as they should be at the end in my opinion.  Way to keep me hanging on and turning the pages Heather D’Agostino.

Heather D’Agostino is an avid reader turned Bestselling Author of the Contemporary Romance Series The Broken Series, The Shattered Series, The Second Chances Series, The Cook Brothers Series, and Romantic Suspense series The Witness Series.

She attended the University of North Carolina at Charlotte where she received a Bachelor’s of Arts in Elementary Education with a minor in Mathematics.

She currently lives in Central New York with her husband, two children, two dogs, and three cats. When she’s not writing she can usually be found at the dance studio, soccer field, or one of the many other places that she plays ‘Supermom’.

*This book can be read as a STANDALONE*

Wes ‘Stiff’ Collins lived life on the wild side. He worked from the moment he knew what the word meant, always making the best of every situation. There was nothing about his past he would change.

Without a real family except his brother Xander, Stiff joined the Vipers Creed Motorcycle Club, and they taught him what it was to have people he could depend on. When his past crashed into his present, he vowed to protect the club that had always been his steady, even if it meant turning his back on the woman who had given him life.

Chelsea Miller’s life was simple: work, take care of her family, and save for the future. Everything was about having a goal and a plan. However, when her sister ended up battered and bruised on a diner floor, everything she thought was in her past suddenly threatened her future. In a moment, she had a new goal, everything else be damned. She would protect her family … at all costs.

Stiff and Chelsea’s worlds collide in an explosion of determination, strength, and lust. Will they give in to temptation, or will conquering each other be too steep a price? Two people not afraid to put in the work will either overcome everything in their paths or finally crumble under life’s troubles they can’t escape, all in the name of family.

*Due to subject matter, mature audiences 18+ only*

Goodreads

Amazon US

I received a copy of the book from the author for an honest review.

Stiff and Chelsea were amazing not only their stories but them as individuals and even the side characters. I loved Chelsea’s grandma and I am so intrigued by Xander. Stiff and Chelsea are so much alike and perfect for one another. They both had to step up and take care of their families. They did what they had to never had anyone to depend on but themselves and learned at a young age not to trust many.

Stiff had to take care of his brother and Chelsea took care of her family both knew how to work hard and protect what was theirs. Stiff had to deal with his mom doing wrong by him and Chelsea dealt with her dad at a young age when he did wrong by her.

Chelsea was a waitress where Stiff and the MC would eat once in a while when one day her and Stiffs worlds collided and landed in the dinner causing Stiff to put Chelsea and her family under his protection. It took Chelsea a bit to accept this because she is use to being the provider and protector not relying on anyone for anything. However Stiff was not backing down and was determined to protect her.

The Chemistry between these two was off the charts. Chelsea was strong willed, hard headed and stubborn she didn’t want to give up the control to let other fight her battles. However Stiff was just as stubborn and determined to fight this and protect Chelsea and her family. I loved these two together. I could totally see Chelsea taking on the world with a baseball bat. Where does she get this from her Mom and Grams I’m sure. God I loved her Grams and no one better mess with her and her “stories”. I have a soft spot for military men and Xander grabbed my attention from the beginning so enjoyed the surprise bonus novella on him.

Ryan Michele found her passion in bringing fictional characters to life. She loves being in an imaginative world where anything is possible, and she has a knack for special twists readers don’t see coming.

She writes MC, Contemporary, Erotic, Paranormal, New Adult, Inspirational, and other romance-based genres. Whether it’s bikers, wolf-shifters, mafia, etc., Ryan spends her time making sure her heroes are strong and her heroines match them at every turn.

When she isn’t writing, Ryan is a mom and wife living in rural Illinois and reading by her pond in the warm sun.

www.authorryanmichele.net
www.facebook.com/AuthorRyanMichele
http://www.goodreads.com/RyanMichele
@Ryan_Michele

New York Times bestselling author Joanna Wylde returns to the “wild and raw”* world of the Reapers MC with the story of Gage and Tinker…

The club comes first.

I’ve lived by those words my whole life—assumed I’d die by them, too, and I never had a problem with that. My Reaper brothers took my back and I took theirs and it was enough. Then I met her. Tinker Garrett. She’s beautiful, she’s loyal, and she works so damned hard it scares me sometimes . . . She deserves a good man—one better than me. I can’t take her yet because the club still needs me. There’s another woman, another job, another fight just ahead.

Now she’ll learn I’ve been lying to her all along. None of it’s real. Not my name, not my job, not even the clothes I wear. She thinks I’m nice. She pretends we’re just friends, that I’ve still got a soul . . . Mine’s been dead for years. Now I’m on fire for this woman, and a man can only burn for so long before he destroys everything around him.

I’m coming for you, Tinker.

Soon.

Tinker

It was almost seven that evening when I felt the AC kick back on. I’d been lying on my back on the (relatively) cool tile floor behind the counter, staring up at the pressed-tin ceiling and trying to remember why I hadn’t already moved back to Seattle.

In Seattle it rained.

Cool breezes blew off the bay and the lush greenery covered everything with its shaded canopy. People didn’t really need air-conditioning, but if they happened to have it and it broke, there were lots of repair men available.

Of course, Seattle also had Brandon. Not only that, my dad didn’t want to move, and I’d come to realize I couldn’t leave him here alone. It wasn’t safe for him, not since Mom died.

Ugh.

At least the AC was working again, blowing down from the ceiling vent across my sweaty body, reminding me that while the world might not be crawling with perfect men, at least there were still a few useful ones running around. Cooper Romero was a keeper, and it had nothing to do with how sexy he was . . . although the fact that he was sex on a stick—make that sex with a stick—didn’t exactly diminish his appeal.

When I’d dragged him up to the black tar roof to show him the ancient AC, I’d expected him to make a run for it. Any sensible man would. Instead, he’d spent the whole afternoon busting his ass to save my chocolates—Oh God, I wish that were code for something more exciting—officially qualifying him as a superhero in my book.

As for me, there wasn’t much I could do once I got all the sweets safely downstairs into the basement. There weren’t any customers walking in off the street, and seeing as I couldn’t make or ship candy in a 102-degree shop, I’d alternated between attempting to read a book, looking over orders I couldn’t fulfill on my laptop, and bringing Cooper glasses of iced tea. I’d been nervous around him at first, but you can only stay nervous for so long when you’re sweating like a pig—there’s a certain freedom in knowing you look like hell and there’s no saving your hair. I’d thrown my arm across my eyes in a pathetic attempt to block out reality toward the end.

When cold air started flowing into the room, I could’ve cried with relief. He’d never had a chance to fill out the application form, and I’d long since decided it didn’t matter. Unless he was an ax murderer, I’d give him the apartment and the job.

Might give it to him even if he was, to be honest.

“It’s working again,” Cooper announced, and I jerked, startled. Shit, had I fallen asleep? Opening my eyes, I looked up to find him standing over me. Dear God in heaven—that was one hell of a bare chest.

Holy. Shit.

I’d taken note of his build when he first walked in the shop, but everything under his shirt had been theoretical. Now there was six-foot-plus of raw sex appeal right there, all sweaty and sculpted and . . . well, let’s just say I’d be stopping off on the way home to pick up some fresh batteries.

That’s when the situation hit me—Cooper Romero was the hottest man I’d met in forever, and he’d just found me lying on the floor in my own sweat and filth like a dog. Typical luck. I scrambled to my feet, pretending I wasn’t totally embarrassed (I was) and not in the least bit freaked out by how unspeakably attractive this guy was. Okay, “attractive” wasn’t quite the right word, because it implied a certain level of polish and class that just didn’t fit Cooper at all.

Brandon was attractive.

Cooper?

I’d lick him all over and massage his butt if he asked. He stared down at me, his eyes carefully blank, making it very clear he wasn’t asking. Story of my fucking life. Sitting up, I pushed myself to my feet without bothering to dust off. Lost cause at this point.

“Not sure how much life the AC has left,” he said slowly. “I managed to get it going, but fixing it right would cost more than it’s worth and then some.”

Of course it would.

“I just need to get through the summer,” I told him, wiping a finger under my eye. My perfectly applied, vintage-style makeup had melted, leaving me with a clown face. Fortunately I’d (mostly) given up on caring three hours ago, right around the time I’d discovered the floor tiles were cooler than the rest of the room. “After that, I’ll worry about the furnace and by next summer I might not even be here anymore.”

“Really?” he asked, cocking a brow. “You selling out?”

“Not sure,” I told him. “I’m not thinking that far ahead right now. Things are very iffy with my dad . . . I think he’s got some—”

No. I couldn’t say it. Saying it out loud made it too real, plus the last thing I needed were a bunch of rumors flying around town. So far we’d kept dad’s situation mostly to family and friends.

“Tinker?”

Shaking myself, I smiled at him. “Thank you so much for fixing that. I’m not even sure what I would’ve done—I can’t afford to miss a week’s worth of orders. Not only would it put me behind, it would burn my customers.”

He nodded, studying me thoughtfully. God, he really was beautiful . . . Nothing like Brandon’s polished sophistication. No, Cooper gave off more of a warrior-tossing-you-over-his-fearless-steed kind of vibe. Yeah, like that would end well, because my track record with men was so fucking perfect, right?

Pull your head out of the gutter. He probably has a girlfriend.

At least I could finally lock up this hellhole of a shop and get a shower.

“Thank you so much—you have no idea how much I appreciate it.”

“No, but the whole throwing yourself at my feet thing was a subtle hint,” he said, and I realized he was teasing me. Was he flirting? I couldn’t decide if that kicked ass or scared the shit out of me.

“Anyway, it’s getting late,” I told him, feeling suddenly awkward. “I’m going to grab some dinner down the street, and then I could take you over and show you the apartment.”

A small, knowing smile crossed his face, and I realized he thought I was hitting on him.

“No,” I said quickly, mortified. “I wasn’t asking you out. Omigod, this is weird.”

“What, you aren’t turned on by a man who smells like old socks?” he asked lightly, raising his arm and giving a sniff. He was joking, but the sweat wasn’t a turnoff. Nope. Not even a little bit. “If that’s not enough for you, the roof tar on my ass should be a big attraction.”

Closing my eyes, I bit back a groan. He started laughing. Not in a cruel way, but companionably, which I guess made sense because both of us were disgusting as hell. Of course, now I wanted to check out his ass, but I managed to keep my eyes on target (mostly) when I answered him.

“Well, it’s sexy but I’ll manage to control myself somehow. I do want to grab dinner, though, and we need to figure out the apartment details.”

“I’ll take the place, doesn’t matter what it is,” he replied. “I’m in a hotel and it’s getting old. I’d love to move in on Sunday, but I can’t go look at it right now—gotta get my ass cleaned up. Meeting up with someone later.”

Of course he was, because men who looked like Cooper didn’t spend Friday nights alone.

“Sounds great,” I told him, refusing to show any disappointment. “Just text me when you’re ready, and I’ll get you the key.”

He opened his mouth to say something, but a sudden pounding against the locked shop door caught us both off guard. I spun around to find Talia Jackson glaring at me through the glass. Talia and three of her skankier friends, including Sadie Baxter, a girl I used to babysit when I was in college.

A girl who was now twenty.

Damn.

“Cooper!” Talia shouted. “What the fuck are you doing?”

I glanced at my new handyman, startled. Talia Jackson and her brother, Marsh, were two of the nastiest people I’d ever met. Marsh was president of the local motorcycle gang, a group called the Nighthawk Raiders motorcycle club. The club had been around most of my life, but it was only in recent years that they’d turned really bad. I mean, they were never the kinder, gentler sort of bikers, but I’d never been actively afraid when I’d heard a motorcycle, either.

Now? Let’s just say we’d all gotten a little edgy.

“That’s my girl,” Cooper said, and something deep down inside of me died a little. Of course he’d go for someone like Talia. She might have the heart of a deranged circus clown—you know, the kind that survives by eating the souls of innocent children—but she was hot.

Really hot.

Not only that, she was slutty, and while I wasn’t into the whole slut-shaming thing (like I had room to judge after the bachelorette party debacle . . . ugh), I wasn’t naive enough to think he was attracted to her personality. Cooper Romero might have a sweet smile, and he’d fixed my AC, but now I had proof positive that he’d never be into a girl like me.

Specifically, a grown-up with curves.

All righty, then. Probably for the best anyway.

“Just a sec!” I called to her, determined to take the high road, then I grabbed my keys so I could open the door. She pushed inside with her posse, and I do mean pushed. Little bitch shoved me so hard I nearly knocked over the display of antique Russian teacups my mother had lovingly collected. (So far as I knew, she’d never sold a single one of them, but it’d made her happy.)

“Careful,” I warned, and Talia turned on me.

“What did you just say to me?”

“Babe, let’s talk,” Cooper said, catching her arm and pulling her into his body. She squealed, going from aggressive to flirty in an instant.

“You’re all sweaty. It’s sooo disgusting.”

I noted she wasn’t trying to get away. Cooper smiled down at her, a hint of something feral in his eyes. Yeah, okay—whatever smile he’d been giving me, it hadn’t held any of that kind of intensity.

Yours truly was officially chopped liver.

“I was just about to head out and grab a shower,” he told her. “Wanna come with me?”

She pouted. “I can’t. The girls and I need to get fixed up. I’ll see you at the bar, though, right?”

He looked down at her, offering a sexy, indulgent smile. “Can’t wait.”

“Perfect,” she said, reaching around to grab his ass for a quick squeeze. Then she turned and strutted back out without a word to me, her gaggle of girls following like well-trained geese. Sadie gave a little finger wave on the way. The door closed behind them with a cheerful little jingle, and I wondered why the hell I even bothered with Hallies Falls.

I missed Seattle.

So what if it had Brandon? I could drown him in Lake Washington. Problem solved.

“Sorry about that—Talia is a little high-strung,” Cooper said.

“Oh, I know all about her,” I replied, hoping I didn’t sound as catty as I felt. Cooper didn’t seem to notice.

“I’m new to town, but she’s been showing me around,” Cooper continued, stepping over to stand in front of me, hands shoved deep in his front pockets. “I should get going.”

“Of course—don’t let me keep you. What time do you think you’ll be in touch tomorrow?”

“Afternoon work?”

“No problem. Looking forward to hearing from you.”

He nodded and pushed through the door, walking down the street without a second look back. I locked up behind him, wondering why all the hottest guys were douchebags. Not that Cooper had acted like a douche, but he had to be my age or older—late thirties—and Talia was the same age as Sadie. She was also a raging bitch. There was only one reason a man like him would date a girl like that, and it had nothing to do with personality or character.

Cooper Romero might be beautiful, but obviously he was shallow. Suppose it was too much to hope for a man who could fix an air conditioner and have a soul at the same time.

Pity

Are you ready for Gage and Tinker’s story?

Reaper’s Fire releases on August 9th!

Amazon US:  http://amzn.to/1mD6Sma

Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/1IOuRJI

iBooks: http://apple.co/1JUbzxl

Nook: http://bit.ly/1mzrJaD

Kobo: http://bit.ly/1Uu6bXu

Google Play:  http://bit.ly/1SxRDaQ

Joanna Wylde is a New York Times bestselling author and creator of the Reapers Motorcycle Club series. She currently lives in Idaho.

 

Stalk Her: Website | Facebook | Twitter |  Goodreads