Just for Fun (37 page)

She sniffed and turned slightly, watching Mac, Sam and Kevin laughing and joking near the ambulance, then looked over Dooley’s shoulder to where Senior and Jay were watching from the porch. “I guess I should have said every
body
you’ve given me.”

His heart expanded in his chest to the point it was hard to breathe and he just gathered her close.

“By the way,” she said after a moment of holding him. “I was wrong. This is still really, really fun.”

He drew in a deep lungful of her scent, then he felt a huge grin stretch his lips. “Yeah,” he agreed. “And you ain’t seen nothin’ yet.”

About the Author

Erin Nicholas is the author of sexy contemporary romances. Her stories have been described as toe-curling, enchanting, steamy and fun. She loves to write about reluctant heroes, flawed heroines, sex with food and happily ever afters. She does not like to write dark moments, synopses or bios. You can find Erin on the web at
www.ErinNicholas.com
,
ninenaughtynovelists.blogspot.com
, on Twitter (
www.twitter.com/ErinNicholas
) and even on Facebook (when necessary).

Look for these titles by Erin Nicholas

Now Available:

The Bradfords

Just Right

Just Like That

Just My Type

Just the Way I Like It

Just for Fun

Anything & Everything

Anything You Want

Everything You’ve Got

Hotblooded

No Matter What

Coming Soon:

Just a Kiss

She’s unforgettable…and that’s exactly what got him into trouble the first time.

Just a Kiss

© 2012 Erin Nicholas

The Bradfords, Book 5

As a paramedic in the busiest ER in the city, Kevin Campbell knows there’s no such thing as a typical night—but this one definitely has them all beat.

His dad’s been stabbed with a fork, his mom’s been in a fight, and it’s all because of a younger half-brother he never knew existed. And if
that’s
not enough, everyone seems to agree that Kevin should take the boy in for the six months during his mom’s rehab. Oh, and the annulment he thought he got fourteen years ago? Never went through.

It’s really too bad he gave up drinking and swearing.

Eve Donnelly is shocked to see Kevin again, but not surprised they’re still married. After all, she was the one who refused to sign the annulment papers. Now that she’s got Kevin back in her life, nothing else matters. Not even her past fourteen less-than-virtuous years. In fact, the truth about her life without Kevin isn’t even worth bringing up. She hopes.

When Eve offers to help Kevin with his younger brother, a sweet, devout preacher’s daughter seems like an answered prayer. Besides, things can’t get more complicated. Can they?

Warning: Contains a bad boy gone good, a good girl who knows all about being bad, and lots of hot, sweet, so-this-is-how-married-couples-do-it sex.

How to make a strong man fall hard? Refuse him.

Worth the Risk

© 2012 Karen Erickson

Worth It, Book 2

Hunter Worth lives life to the absolute fullest. As vice president and head of brand marketing for Worth Luxury Goods, he’s brought his family’s business firmly into the twenty-first century. Ruthless yet charming, he’s now set his sights on the sexiest member of the marketing team. First thing on his agenda? Seduction.

Gracie Hayes needs her job at Worth—and she’s not about to let the gorgeous owner and her direct boss distract her—again. Orphaned, and with a rough childhood behind her, she’s worked too hard to compromise everything for a fling, no matter how tempting. Independent, strong and resourceful, she will fight off Hunter. She has to.

Flirting, stolen kisses, a few nights of scorching hot sex…Hunter has all that in mind and more with the delicious Gracie. He never figures he’d fall in love or that she’d deny him. How will Hunter convince Gracie he’s the one for her?

Warning: Contains yet another one of those sexy, bossy Worth brothers, though this one is too full of charm for his own good. Watch as he falls hard—and watch as she tries her hardest to dodge his every attempt at seduction.

Enjoy the following excerpt for
Worth the Risk:

“You’re quite the dancer, Hayes.” Amusement filled his voice as usual. He almost always called her by her last name, did so to the entire marketing team.

“Um, thank you.” His compliment surprised her, and she wondered if he was just being nice. Feeling suddenly shy, she thought it best if she kept her gaze trained on his chest. Bet if she tilted her head back and looked into his blue eyes, they would be sparkling with humor.

He was always full of effortless charm, though it had dimmed some temporarily after the events of last year, when he’d found out the vice president of marketing, the man he trusted above all else with the exception of his brothers, had been selling business secrets to Worth Luxury’s direct competitors.

Anyone would have a tough time recovering from that.

Lately though, and especially tonight, he was more like his old self. Smiling and laughing and full of flirtatious banter, drop-dead gorgeous in the tuxedo he wore. He was the perfect best man to stand beside his brother.

She’d never been to such an extravagant reception before. The wedding of the season, the society pages called the marriage between Alex and his former assistant Tessa Crawford.

The ceremony had been lovely. Simple and quiet with sweetly worded vows and the couple shooting each other such heated looks of love, Gracie was surprised the altar hadn’t burst into flame.

They danced in each other’s arms now, Tessa and Alex. Swaying to the music, Tessa’s head resting on her husband’s shoulder, her bare arms looped around his neck. Alex held her just as possessively, his hands splayed across Tessa’s back, his fingers stroking her exposed skin. They looked like they couldn’t get enough of each other.

A wistful thread of longing wound itself around Gracie’s heart yet again, and she sighed. To be loved so completely was something she’d foolishly wished for when she was a young girl. She’d never really had anyone close to her in her life and people always wanted what they couldn’t have.

Now she was too scared to let anyone get close enough.

“Are you all right?” he asked. 

She wondered if he’d heard her sigh. Great.

Nodding, she finally dared to look up at him. What she saw took her breath away.

It was bad enough working with Hunter day in and day out. That one moment in his arms lingered in her mind, always popping up at the most inappropriate times. Being this close to him again, seeing his cheeks faintly shadowed with stubble, the faded scar on his chin, those firm yet sensuous lips that knew just how to stun her silent, it was too much. His nearness immobilized her.

Which promptly caused him to step directly on her foot.

Wincing, she pressed her lips together and saw the realization dawn across his handsome face. “Shit, I’m sorry, Gracie.”

“It’s all right. No big deal.” She smiled bravely, though it felt more like a gritting of teeth. What else could she do? Curse out her boss for nearly breaking her toes? Her feet were already killing her from the super-high stilettos she wore. From the new Worthwhile line, they were a sparkly gold that her inner girly-princess couldn’t resist. Employee discounts were the best.

Luckily enough, she had some restraint or she’d be flat broke but dressed in style.

Did she wear the shoes to impress him? He was, after all, a leg man. She knew this because he’d confessed it during their brief interlude. One hand buried in her hair, the other halfway up her skirt, his hot breath giving her the shivers as he murmured in her ear.

Your legs drive me wild.

The memory popped up at the most inappropriate times.

He smiled, a flash of white teeth that dazzled her. “You’d never say anything bad to me, would you, Hayes? I swear, I could tell you you’re fired and you’d take it with a smile. Probably thank me for it when it was over too.”

Her heart sank. So he thought she was a pushover, huh? This is what happened when a woman was stupid enough to let her boss kiss her. It didn’t matter that they were both drunk and both at fault; he automatically thought she was the slut. “You’re so right. All I’ve ever wanted was to please the boss. I’m sure you’ll ask for a blowjob next and think I’ll magically give in. Heaven forbid I’d offend Hunter Worth, right? I mean, you already had your way with me once.”

His smile faded. “I didn’t mean it like that…”

“Yeah, well, that’s how it sounded. I’m not that easy, despite what you think. I’ve worked hard to get where I’m at. I’m not about to let you believe I’m some sort of suck up who’ll say whatever you want to hear.”

“I was just making a joke, Gracie.” His expression was solemn as he led her about the dance floor with an effortless grace that made her insanely jealous, ridiculous as that was. “I didn’t mean to offend you. I’m sorry.”

His immediate and sincere apology was a balm to her heated mood. Had she overreacted? Probably. But damn it, she couldn’t help it. She was sensitive to this sort of stuff. She’d been accused of one thing or another since she was a teen. No one in her corner, no one to defend her, it had always been her against the world.

Always.

“Maybe we should forget we ever had this conversation.” She looked away, her gaze locked on the table where she’d just been sitting. Becky still sat there, watching them dance. Eyebrows raised, her lips pursed. As if she knew something was going down.

Great. Gracie loved Becky. She was one of Gracie’s closest friends, one of her
only
friends. But Gracie knew she’d have some explaining to do later.

She didn’t want to talk about Hunter Worth with anyone, especially Becky. Her friend was perceptive enough that she might finally figure out Gracie had a major crush on her boss.

And she didn’t want
anyone
knowing that.

“Sounds good to me. I think you and I are pretty skilled at the avoiding thing, right?” He paused, his hot gaze locked with hers. She forcibly looked away. If he kept looking at her like that, there was no way they could avoid what had been brewing between them since that one night when everything changed. “So how about I buy you a drink to make up for all of my mistakes?”

She glanced back up at him in surprise. “The reception is open bar.”

There was that grin again. It made certain parts of her body way too happy every time he flashed it. “Then I should have no problem getting you a drink, right? What’s your poison?” His voice lowered. “Butterscotch martinis? Isn’t that what you were drinking—last time?”

You.
He was her poison. A gorgeous devil bent on seducing her. Looking at him, being close to him was as heady as any alcohol. “I’m not a big drinker,” she said weakly. It was the truth. It always went straight to her head.

He knew this from firsthand experience.

“Champagne, then. It’s my drink of choice tonight. I’m in a celebratory mood.”

“Happy for Alex?”

He leaned in close, his mouth just above her ear, his breath stirring her hair. “More like happy to have you in my arms again.”

Taking care of business may cost him his heart.

Million Dollar Mistake

© 2012 Meg Lacey

Million Dollar Men, Book 1

In addition to overseeing the financial affairs of the wealthy Kristoff family, Nicholas Demetrious specializes in hauling its rambunctious members out of trouble. Especially his distant cousin, Raven Rutledge.

The tabloids love her bad-girl antics, sexy pout, and body made for sin. Nicholas would love to spank the bejesus out of her, but this time the situation is too serious to entertain such a fantasy. A lucrative business deal with the Exeters is in jeopardy, and Jackson Exeter Sr.’s ultimatum is clear:
Remove this man-eater from my country house, or the deal is off.

Raven is in way over her head. She accepted the invitation to the Exeter’s Adirondack house party as a refreshing change from her jet-setting lifestyle—until she learns the guest list includes his entire family. His ex-girlfriend. And the junior Exeter’s intention to propose.

If ever she needed suave, sophisticated Nicholas’s persuasive powers, it’s now. Then he’s there with a plan to get her out of this tangle: sweep her off her feet. But their pretend passion turns all too real. And what started out as a weekend of fun threatens to shatter into betrayal and heartbreak.

Warning: Contains a tabloid sweetheart who loves to be bad, a sexy hero with little patience for mind games, and a game of strip pool that will make you rethink your weekend plans.

Enjoy the following excerpt for
Million Dollar Mistake:

Nicholas walked over and shut the door, then turned back to Raven. “Your turn, I believe.”

“I don’t need you to carry me anywhere.”

“We’ll see about that later,” he said, grinning before strolling back and nodding at the pool table. “Meanwhile, let’s set the game up again. It’s your turn to break.”

Raven reached for the rack and set up the balls again. “You asked for it.”

Nicholas chuckled. “Get ready to lose, sweetheart.”

“Is that a challenge?”

“Nope, more a number-one fact.”

Raven picked up the chalk, rubbing it on the tip of her stick as she refocused on the table, then on him.

As her eyes met his across the green felt table, Nicholas recognized the look—determination mixed with a bit of taunting. Just the attitude he’d come to expect when he goaded her.