AuThursday – Nichole Sky

Please welcome Nichole Sky to The Clog Blog! Nichole, can you tell us a little about yourself and your background?
I’ve been teaching for 17 years. These past 3 years, I have made my way out of the traditional classroom and I work for an online charter school which I LOVE! I have 3 kids and have been married for 16 years. I love puzzles, crocheting (taught myself pre-internet with library books), and plants–to my husband’s chagrin! I’ve been writing for decades at this point, but I just published my first novella!
How do you make time to write?
I make my own work schedule, so I actually blocked time out in my schedule to write every day.
Do you believe in writer’s block?
Yes and no. I believe we can get mental blocks that knock us out of our creativity, but I also believe there are so many ways to tap into your creativity, that if you just keep trying, you cannot be blocked.
Tell us a bit about the genre you write and why you love it.
I write instalove but with a twist: all my characters are teachers! I feel like I’m making a new genre. For now, all of my 60-minute reads will take place at the same high school. I’m so excited because it is so hard to find teacher romances, but I know there’s a market for it. Teachers deserve so much…some love and fantasy isn’t too much to ask for.
How are you publishing your recent book and why?
INDIE! I like the freedom of it. I can fix mistakes, adjust pricing, and write whatever I want!
Are you an Introvert or an Extrovert?  How does this affect your work?
I’m a combo. Lol! I want to be an extrovert 100% of the time, but I can get drained and be shy.
What is your favorite motivational phrase?
Well-behaved women rarely make history.
What advice would you give to aspiring writers?
Just do it!
Where can readers find you on the World Wide Web?
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Cover Reveal – Cleric by Gail Haris

Title: Cleric: An Arranged Marriage
Series: The Mayhem Makers Series – MMM World Collaboration
Author: Gail Haris
Genre: Mayhem Romance
Release Date: April 20, 2023
Cover Design: CT Cover Creations



All I’ve ever wanted is my freedom.
From my boastful and controlling father.

When I discover he’s gambling away my savings at the Gold Strike casino on the muddy banks of the Mississippi River, I have no choice but to go there.
I’ve heard whispers about the eccentric man who runs it, his illusive identity as much of a mystery as what’s lurking in the shadowy swamps. He sounds more myth than man, but the moment I sit across from him, and he offers me a deal, it all becomes shockingly real.

To settle my father’s debts, the broody, handsome stranger wants me to live with him for three months.

I was ready to agree. Ready to give myself to him. Until he told me the final piece of the arrangement.

I’d have to give him a child.

A steamy, modern retelling of Rumpelstiltskin.

Motorcycles, Mobsters, and Mayhem Author Event proudly presents, The Mayhem Makers Series.
These standalone novels are brought to you by several bestselling authors, specializing in writing twisted chaos. You’ll get all the bikers, mobsters, and dark romance your heart can handle.
Follow us so you never miss a new release, as they can be added in at any time!






Gail Haris loves blending romance out of life’s everyday chaos. Stories filled with humor, steam, and moments of sweetness, along with suspense and twists. Using coffee and her imagination, Gail writes in a variety of genres including romantic comedy, romantic suspense, small-town, and new adult/coming of age romance.

Gail enjoys living in her small town in Southeast Missouri, and then taking adventures all over the world with her two fierce princesses and Boo Bear, who is her ultimate real-life book boyfriend. When she’s not getting into mischief or scheming with her two girls, she’s busy coming up with forbidden and crazy scenarios for her characters. Hopefully by following her dream, she can be an example to her daughters that their dreams can become a reality.

Never stop believing in love, dreams, and yourself. And coffee…especially the coffee. Don’t give up on coffee and books.

Learn more at gailharis.com



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AuThursday – Faye Hall

a081b56cba9a0586d4dfb5d6f95e1c54Tell us a little about yourself and your background?
Author of passionate embraces, deceitful devotions, lustful encounters, corruption, and betrayal, as well as desire and seduction. Faye Hall is an author of Scandalously Steamy Australian Historical Romantic Suspense novels. Born and raised in North Queensland, Australia, she uses the tales of local history, and the struggles and adventures of her own family, to bring her characters to life in a uniquely, rural setting. Her fast-paced stories incorporate scandal, crime, suspense, and seduction to pull her characters along on unique stories of love and romance.
How do you make time to write?
With a family of 5 schoolchildren, this is very hard! I have learned to write where and when I can, and use late nights and early mornings to my advantage.
Do you believe in writer’s block?
Yes, I do. It happens sometimes for the strangest reasons. Other times it happens because of a bad review or feeling low because of struggling achievements.
Tell us a bit about the genre you write and why you love it.1058-11
I write Steamy Historical Romantic Suspense set in Australia. I love it because I get to tell the stories of the earlier generations from my area of the world and the struggles that drew them together.
How are you publishing your recent book and why?
I’ve turned all my books to indie publishing recently, with the help of my family-run publishing company. It was a long thought-out decision, but after having 3 small publishers close down and return my rights to me, it was the most logical option. And I’m enjoying the freedom it allows me for now.
Are you an Introvert or an Extrovert?  How does this affect your work?
I’m an introvert, married to an introvert, who birthed 5 other introverts. It doesn’t really affect my work, but it does make promoting a challenge. I get too nervous to speak for podcasts. I live in a rural area, so author events aren’t a thing, nor do I desire to travel far from home to attend such things.
What is your favorite motivational phrase?
“If you don’t like something change it; if you can’t change it, change the way you think about it.” – Mary Engelbreit
What advice would you give to aspiring writers?
To write from your heart even if it’s not always well received at first.
Where can readers find you on the World Wide Web?
Do you have an excerpt you’d like to share with us?
Needing to understand what was driving his actions, Phoebe followed Raymond at a distance. Perhaps his need to push her away had more to do with his life rather than her own. For all she knew, he could be married with children waiting for him back home. Her gaze narrowed as she studied him at a distance. Raymond didn’t look like the type to be a floundering snake. If anything, he looked more like the type of man who needed to be possessed by a woman, his every movement governed by hers, expecting the same loyalty in return. Even the thought of such devotion made her heart skip a beat.
The sound of splashing water up ahead dragged her from her musings and her steps slowed as she nestled in amongst the thick scrub surrounding the creek. Peering through the branches, she stifled a gasp as her stare rested on Raymond moving about in the water. Her gaze shifted to the moving fabric hanging from the tree, and her eyes widened. She’d never seen a naked man before, certainly never watched one bathing. Part of her wanted to be brave and walk out and join him, but her cowardliness kept her firmly in her hiding place. He’d pushed her away so many times already, she couldn’t bear for him to dismiss her should she try to join him.
Phoebe should go back to the camp, but she couldn’t force herself to turn away from the man swimming in the creek. Watching him stand, his torso leaving the water, droplets covering his skin, she ached to wipe them from him even if just to feel his firm skin beneath her fingers once more. Though she called herself a fool for allowing such thoughts to enter her mind, she couldn’t deny she wanted more than his skin against hers. She wanted to be wrapped in his embrace, his soft voice begging to share unspeakable passions with her, quenching the hunger he stirred inside her that she could no longer ignore.
“I seem to remember you calling me a bastard for watching you bathe,” Raymond yelled, turning toward where she was hiding in the bushes.

Happy Valentine’s Day!

Valentines-Day-Books-1

Happy Valentines Day! 

I thought I would share the books my publisher has on sale for 99 cents at B&N, along with my short story “Snow by any other name”.    Most of these are the second and third books in their series, so it’s an opportunity to buy for a bit less.  You can find out more about these titles in the Books section (above).   So snuggle up and enjoy a romantic read.  

alchemistsofarchangel

Also for Sale @ $1.99 is my Gaslamp (Steampunk’s cousin) The Alchemists of Archangel, the second in my Archangel Revolution Series.

Title: The Alchemists of Archangel

Series:  Archangel Revolution

Author: Tina Holland

Genre: Steampunk, Gaslamp Fantasy, Alternate History, Romance

Release Date:  December 30, 2020

Publisher: Book Boutiques

Cover Artist: Valerie Tibbs

Blurb:

When scientist Abigail Phelan is accused of murder, she must prove her innocence despite not remembering the crime.

Inspector Raven Clark knows Abbie didn’t kill the miner, but she is tied to the killer.

Abbie and Raven begin a search for both the killer and her memories bringing them closer to the truth and one another.

But when Archangel residents fall ill from a bizarre pandemic Raven must hunt for the killer while Abbie battles a ravaging disease. 

Will they discover the identity of the murderer before losing everything they’ve found?

Excerpt: 

She shot him a brief glare before concentrating on her plate. “As I suspected, the Gunns have left you alone with me.” 

“Did they?  Whatever for?”  Laurel and Ben could not have guessed his attraction to this vulnerable beauty. Could they?

“So you could begin your interrogation of me regarding Cornelius Turner’s death.”  She tilted her head.

He scanned her evaluating her.   “I doubt you had anything to do with Mr. Turner’s murder.” 

She leaned forward, “So foul play is suspected.” 

“I’m afraid so.  What can you tell me about that night?” Raven couldn’t help but wonder how this tiny breath of a woman was wrapped up in Alchemia’s gruesome murder.

“I can’t recollect much from the night of Mr. Turner’s murder. I’ve tried but every time I search my memory, my throat locks up, and I feel my limbs numb and my brain becomes foggy.  It sounds strange, I know.  Doctor Gunn says my symptoms are similar to shell shock.”

“I’m aware of the disorder.” His mind burned with the memory of his own experience. 

“I’m sorry I can’t be of more help.  Cornelius was a wonderful man and very kind to me and my birds.” 

“Tell me about him.” Her voice soothed him, despite the fact he found birds as exciting as watching a clock tick.

“Cornelius was my first canary courier.  The couriers run the birds to and from the mines.  They also have to sit with the fledglings so the birds become used to them.  Cornelius even went so far as to watch the hatchlings.  He was a surrogate to many of the colored canaries.” 

“Was he collecting birds from you that night?” 

“No.  I went to town.” 

“To meet him?” Raven wondered if more passed between Abigail and Cornelius.

“No to meet with…” Abigail began to rub her temples.  “I’m sorry I don’t remember.”

Buy Links: 

Amazon | B&N | Google Play | iBooks | Kobo

AuThursday – M.S. Ocampo

Please welcome M.S. Ocampo to The Clog Blog, Can you tell us a little about yourself and your background?
I’m an indie writer and tutor in the process of publishing my YA urban fantasy novel, My Ex is a Vampire.
How do you make time to write?
I join up with writing sprints. I usually write around the same time every day.
Do you believe in writer’s block?
Yep. It usually means I have to take a break or talk things out.
Tell us a bit about the genre you write and why you love it.
My debut novel is YA urban fantasy. It’s a love letter to Buffy the Vampire Slayer with Filipino-American protagonists. I love mixing up high school drama with action.
How are you publishing your recent book and why?
Indie
Are you an Introvert or an Extrovert?  How does this affect your work?
Introvert
What is your favorite motivational phrase?
“Bird by Bird.”
What advice would you give to aspiring writers?
Lean into what you love. Don’t be afraid to put a lot of yourself into your writing.
Where can readers find you on the World Wide Web?
Twitter and Instagram as well as my blog.
Do you have an excerpt you’d like to share with us?
Inconceivable! Some vampires had the gall to go out in the daytime, risking their undead existence for the sake of a meal.

AuThursday – Amber Thorne

Amber1
Please welcome fellow BisMan Writer Amber Thorne to The Clog Blog!  Amber, can you tell us a little about yourself and your background?
I live in Minot with my husband Zach and our 3 furry children-Fish, Amiro, and Binx. I’m currently teaching 4th grade in Surrey, ND. I’ve had career changes ranging from National Park Service ranger to Pepsi sales so I come with lots of life experience! I’ve been writing since I could string my spelling words into sentences-I would sometimes write a story with all 20 words instead of 20 plain sentences! I met Eric Kimmel in elementary school at a Young Author’s Conference and knew I wanted to do what he did. I started publishing fanfiction online in 2006 in fandoms from Avengers to Zorro. I’m currently working on a YA novel and time will tell if it ever gets finished – the fanfiction plot bunnies are pushy!
How do you make time to write?
If I’m not working, cleaning my house, or out of the house, I’m writing. I can often be found parked in front of the television with my laptop, and I’ve also dictated stories into Google Record on my phone while driving. I think it’s more ‘how do I make time to do everything else when all I want to do is write?’!
Do you believe in writer’s block?
It’s been said that ‘writer’s block is what happens when characters get fed up with you and go on strike,’ and I completely believe that’s true. I think it’s a combination of plots and character beats running out of gas and trying to find a way to get them kickstarted again.
Tell us a bit about the genre you write and why you love it.
I’m primarily in fanfiction. I like looking for those missing scenes in a show or a movie, wondering ‘what were they doing in the commercial break?’ or ‘what came after that scene?’ I like expanding characters on the screen-sometimes they can be very one-dimensional. My novel is Young Adult Fiction, and I’m convinced that half the things written for my 4th graders to high schoolers is much more interesting than anything written to appeal to me as an ‘adult.’ Most of what’s on my bookshelves at home that I read on a daily basis is YA. Kids have bigger imaginations and deal with so much-reading things meant for them is really eye-opening for me.
How are you publishing your recent book and why? 
If I had one to publish, I would go with whatever would have me! The debate over indie vs traditional publishing is always an interesting read out on social media. All of my fanfiction is posted online.
Are you an Introvert or an Extrovert?  How does this affect your work?
Which one means I’m a people person in small doses? I think it reflects in the kind of characters I gravitate toward –  a lot of my favorite characters have secrets or double lives-they present themselves one way in public but another among close friends or by themselves.
What is your favorite motivational phrase?
“Because in the end, you won’t remember the time you spent working in the office or mowing your lawn. Climb that goddamn mountain.” Jack Kerouac.
What advice would you give to aspiring writers?
Write what you want to write. Don’t try to write what you think other people would like. Write what makes you happy, and the audience that needs to find it will find it.
Where can readers find you on the World Wide Web?
Since I don’t have my fiction completed, all of my fanfiction can be found at
Do you have an excerpt you’d like to share with us?
BisMan Wr (1)Adam jumped off the ladder, a chill racing up his spine that had nothing to do with the weather outside. “Nick’s not up there.”
Sarah made a slow circle, looking around the two-room house. There were no places for a seven-year-old to hide.
“You don’t think….”
Adam was already shrugging back into his coat, certain now he knew exactly where their son was. “That book of his,” he realized. “We were reading it together before bed. It was the chapter on Bigfoot, and I was telling him that Clancy in town had sworn he’d seen one just the other night.” He reached for his boots, shaking his head. “It was only a joke…but of course, not to Nick. I’ll lay you ten to one that he’s out there…” he pointed out the window, “on a search for one.”
From, “The Search,” available in the anthology, “Seasons in the Dark.”

New Release – A Tortured Temptress

Title: A Tortured Temptress
Series: Knights of Purgatory Syndicate book 2
Author: E.M. Shue
Genre – Dark Mafia Romance
Release Date: January 17, 2023
Cover Design: KL Donn with Alluring Write Productions





Breathe. Push forward. Step one foot in front of the other. This has been Giselle’s mantra every day since the day she died and was reborn as someone new. In order to remain hidden, Giselle knows she can never love. She can never get attached. She must bury her pain and live a lie. But all that changes the moment she crosses Shane’s path.

War has left Shane hating life and searching for a reason to live other then duty. When he spots Giselle, he sees around the shroud she hides behind. He sees the pain and lies that mar her skin. Her darkness mirrors his own. She is meant to be his. His to love. His to heal and protect. His everything.

When Giselle’s previous life catches up to her, Shane will do anything to protect her from the horrors of her past. Even if it means he must let her go.

From award-winning author E.M. Shue comes the next installment in her dark mafia series, Knights of Purgatory Syndicate











E.M. Shue is an Alaskan award-winning romance author. She is proudly featured in K Bromberg’s Everyday Heroes World, Aurora Rose Reynolds’ Happily Ever Alpha World, KL Donn’s Mafia Made Series, Susan Stoker’s Special Forces Operation Alpha World, and the soon to be released Devil’s Handmaidens MC Collection.

She published her first book in 2017 after having a dream that later became the Beverley Award winning, Sniper’s Kiss. Since then, she has gone on to win this award three more times with different books and has published over thirty titles.

Join Surprises from E.M. to be kept up to date on all her new releases and appearances.




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AuThursday – Emily Vieweg

EV
Please welcome from The BisMan Writer’s Guild, Emily Vieweg.  Emily, can you tell us a little about yourself and your background?
here’s a short bio:
Emily Vieweg is a poet and writer originally from St. Louis, Missouri. Her full-length poetry collection “but the flames” is available through Finishing Line Press. Emily’s work has been published in or is forthcoming in North Dakota Quarterly, Dribble Drabble Review, Soundings Review, Art Young’s Good Morning, and more. She lives in Fargo, North Dakota where she is a mother of two, pet parent, and university program assistant.
How do you make time to write?
I write one sentence per day. I have a daily journal I write in once a day, so there’s something to consider as future inspiration. Just started this practice this week, we’ll see how it goes. Aside from that, I find inspiration in moments, they happen here and there…
Do you believe in writer’s block?
yes – because sometimes we’re just clogged. Our brains are busy with work, home, school, life – and that can cause a block to the creative energy. It’s okay – because it happens to everyone.
Tell us a bit about the genre you write and why you love it.
I write poetry and creative non-fiction essays, flash, and microfiction. I love finding the moments to capture. Jumping right into a scene that is so descriptive and direct, we don’t need back-story.

How are you publishing your recent work and why? 

I don’t have any plans to publish a new collection yet – but I will likely publish through an independent press or traditional. I don’t have the patience or expertise to self-publish – that is a HARD job, and I don’t have time or energy to pursue that option.
Are you an Introvert or an Extrovert?  How does this affect your work?
I’m what they call an introverted extrovert. I can be “on” in a big group of people, but the serious socializing is exhausting for me. Another aspect of being an introvert is that I am able to sit back and observe – people, situations – and create some pretty interesting worlds from those observations.
What is your favorite motivational phrase?
Do the best you can with what you have.
What advice would you give to aspiring writers?
Criticism should teach, not scold. Take constructive criticism for what it’s worth – it’s an opinion. A good mentor will not be offended if you disagree with them – that said, they’re mentors and leaders for a reason. You will be rejected more than published. Embrace those rejections, and learn from them. Get feedback if you can, and see if you can understand where they’re coming from.
Where can readers find you on the World Wide Web?
Do you have an excerpt you’d like to share with us?
forthcoming in the next edition of North Dakota Quarterly
A Privacy
When I tell my daughter I need some privacy, her brain hears:
aha! A ‘privacy’ is a thing to hold or have available.
I must retrieve this privacy for my
mother, as quickly as possible!
“Okay, Mama! I get it for you!”
The first time she ventured on her expedition to discover
some privacy, I did not hear her right away, until she reappeared.
Okay, Mama… I get it for you?
She returned to my side in the spare bathroom, and I see It.

Chapter Reveal – Cougar From Hell by Marika Ray

Title: Cougar From Hell
Series: Hellman Brothers Series
Author: Marika Ray
Genre: Romantic Comedy/Small Town Romance
Release Date: January 12, 2023
Cover Design: Jennifer Olson


Daxon gently pulling my hand away from my face was what woke me up. I let out a soft groan that had absolutely nothing to do with the pain radiating from my forehead and everything to do with the beast of a man sitting right beside me, taking care of me like he was my personal nursemaid instead of the biggest irritant in my life at the moment. Sadly, he’d put a fresh shirt on at some point while I slept.

“Please tell me you haven’t been sitting there watching me sleep like some creep,” I croaked. Man, he hadn’t been kidding about the adrenaline crash.

Daxon snorted and let go of my hand, more’s the pity. “No, of course not. But you were snoring so loudly you interrupted my work. Figured I’d wake you up and make you lunch. Anything to stop that incessant racket.”

I shoved myself up to sitting, ignoring the way that made my head pulse painfully. “I don’t snore. Just admit you have a protective streak a mile wide.”

The side of Daxon’s mouth threatened to pull up into a smile. “I do not.”

While he was in such a good mood—normally he’d be crossing his arms over his massive chest and snapping at me by now—I wanted to address the thing that had been bothering me.

“Daxon, I have to clear up something.”

He stilled, his expression instantly guarded. “You hate that ridiculous G-wagon too?”

I slapped his arm, mostly just to have a reason to touch him. “No! I love that car.”

He looked on the verge of smiling again, which might have been a record for almost-smiles in a conversation with him. “I always thought you had much better taste.”

“My late husband and I had a business arrangement.”

Welp, that wasn’t how I meant to address things, just blurting it out like that.

Daxon blinked, his jaw hardening. Clearly he didn’t want to discuss this, but I had to get it all out. I couldn’t have him believing that I’d cheated on my husband. That Daxon was just a convenient male. Like I did that sort of thing all the time. Like what happened between us meant nothing to me.

“We were never in love. We married as a business deal, agreeing that it would be an open marriage. He was always discreet and respectful about it, which I appreciated, especially after Ruby was born. We became friends, building a life together, but also separately. The night I slept with you was the day after he went into hospice care and we knew it was just a matter of time before he was gone. My world was being flipped upside down and I just needed to feel something other than lost.”

Daxon sat there staring at me, his face devoid of any emotion. I could feel waves of tension pouring off his body. I wanted to explain more while also snatching back every word I’d already said. This didn’t appear to be helping things between us. By being truthful, I’d somehow made things worse.

“We didn’t sleep together.”

I…was not expecting that response. “No? I could have sworn we did.”

“We fucked, kitten. There’s a big difference,” Daxon growled. 

He stood abruptly, the movement of the couch cushions jarring my head. I swung my legs off the couch and tried to stand too. The room got fuzzy around the edges and I sagged backward.

With a bit-back curse, Daxon grabbed my arms and guided me back to sitting. He followed, settling next to me on the couch with at least a foot of space between us.

“For fuck’s sake. Take it slow. You know what, let’s take you to urgent care. You probably have a concussion.”

I waited until the black dots faded from my vision. “I don’t have a concussion. Callan already ran me through some tests for that and said I was all clear.”

Daxon frowned harder. “He could be wrong.”

I huffed. This man was infuriating. One minute he’s sweet and protective. The next he’s growling at me, demeaning that night two years ago. The same one that had stayed with me through the hard months that followed.

“I just haven’t eaten anything yet. My bagel is back in the car at the base of my driveway.”

More curses flowed as he stood again. “Stay there.”

I rolled my eyes. He sure loved barking orders. But he still didn’t get what I was trying to say. Maybe I didn’t even know what I was trying to say.

“I’ve only slept with two people in my whole life, so I’m sorry if I use the wrong terms.” Apparently I’d become a blurter. The blurtiest of blurters.

Daxon froze. Every single muscle the man possessed—and good gravy did Mother Nature gift him with so much of it—locked tight. I lifted my hand to pull him back, but left it there hovering in the air between us. For half a second I had the fanciful thought that if I touched him, he’d surely break.

He spun around finally, ignoring my hand in the air. His eyes were snapping, devouring my face. “You what?”

Oh, so now he wanted to have this conversation.

I pulled my hand back in my lap so quickly it sounded like I clapped for his ridiculously short question. “I slept with Anthony once. It was not long after we got married. We both thought we’d try it out and see if there was any chemistry there.” I grimaced. “There was not. We went back to being friends immediately, putting that little experiment behind us. And then…then there was you.”

Daxon scrubbed both his hands over his face. I wanted to reach up and smooth the dark slashes of eyebrows back down. Why did he have to look like a male model posing as a lumberjack? It was an unfair advantage when a woman was trying to think around him.

“I don’t understand any of this. You’ve had two one-night stands in your whole life? You were married, but kind of not really?”

I wobbled my head back and forth. That was about right. Crazy and crazier. That had been my life, which was why I’d sought out a small town I could sink into with Ruby. A place I could be normal for once. “Will you sit down for a second and just let me explain?”

He sighed and moved to sit back down.

“And not bark one-word questions at me?”

“I don’t do that.”

“Yes, you do.”

“No, I— You know what? I’m just going to sit here and let you talk. How about that?” Daxon leaned sideways against the armrest, about as far away from me as he could get and still be on the same piece of furniture.

“Thank you,” I said with no small measure of sarcasm. “I know our marriage wasn’t conventional, but it worked for us. I was a small-town girl with absolutely no money but a stubborn insistence that I’d make it in a big city. Anthony needed someone to go to awards shows with and business dinners. Our pairing made more sense than most Hollywood marriages. He was my friend, and I grieved when he died.”

I hadn’t meant for my voice to shake when I got to that last part, but I hadn’t been able to talk about Anthony’s death. I’d tried to be there for Ruby, but no one had been there for me.

Daxon reached across the couch cushions and grabbed my hands where they’d been twisting the blanket. His hand was warm, fully enveloping both of mine. He gave me a squeeze and held on.

“I’m sorry,” he finally said, his voice scraping across the inches that separated us. “Thank you for explaining. I, uh, have a bit of a hang-up about married women.”

I tried not to smile too hard. “I could tell. You looked ready to find your nail gun and nail my toes to the foundation.”

“Definitely wanted to nail you…”

My gaze shot over to his. “Are you flirting with me, Daxon?”

“I’m hurt it was subtle enough you had to ask.” His lips were doing that thing again. What would it take to make the man smile fully?

“It’s not you, it’s me.”

Daxon winced. “Ouch. That’s even worse. The pity excuse.”

I talked around the giggle. “No, it’s true. I’ve slept with two men, had one orgasm, and somehow mother a preteen with more attitude than me. I wouldn’t recognize flirting if the dick pic slapped me in the face.”

Daxon huffed what could have been the start of a laugh. “First of all, a dick pic is not part of flirting. And secondly, one orgasm? I’ll be forever wounded if you say that one wasn’t from me.”

Was it getting hot in here? Or maybe it was the low blood sugar combined with the blow to the head making me woozy. “It was definitely you.”

“Of course it was,” he said smugly.

I tried to pull my hands out from under his. “Jeez, ego much, Daxon?”

He held on tighter, somehow inching closer to me on the couch. “Not ego. Confidence. Maybe you need a refresher?” 

He was so close I could pick up on the soap he used and the smell of wood. That combination would forever make my stomach swoop. And not because I was hungry. “Daxon!”

He shrugged, his thumb sweeping out a rhythm against the back of my hand. I could feel that touch everywhere. I really was pathetic, finding a simple thumb touch a source of pleasure.

“Would it be so bad? At least you wouldn’t be married this time.”

I was shaking my head before I’d even catalogued all the ways that would be a very bad move to make. Without even putting sex on the table, I was overwhelmed by this man. I could barely be around him without tripping, or putting my foot in my mouth, or having to come home and seek out my trusty vibrator. One drunken encounter in a dirty bathroom had made me obsessed with him for months. Sober, intentional sex might break me.

“Absolutely not. No. Nuh-uh.”

Daxon smiled then, the kind of slow smile you feel across your skin. Like the sun rising over the mountains and heating up your whole body inch by inch. “So what you’re saying is you’ll think about it?”

“No!” I shook my head so hard it started being a heartbeat again along my cut. “That’s not at all what I’m saying!”

Good God, the man could smile. I could be ruined by that smile.

Daxon squeezed my hands one last time and let go, getting to his feet. “Let’s go make some lunch and then we need to get Ruby from school.”

I stood, taking slow deep breaths this time so I didn’t pass out. “I can get her on my own. I just need you to drop me off at my car.”

Daxon led the way to his tiny kitchen. “Can’t.”

I sighed, trying to keep myself from eyeing his backside. He had a really lovely backside. “There you go with the one-word answers again.”

He stopped at the refrigerator and pulled it open to peer inside. “Can’t take you to your car because it’s already been towed to the shop. I texted Clyde while you were sleeping, in case you were worried all I did was watch you sleep.”

Well, shit. There he went again, doing something nice. “I assume Clyde is a tow truck driver and not a car thief?”

Daxon shot me a deadpan glare. 

“In that case, thank you. Maybe you could drop me off at a car rental place so I can get a loaner?”

“Can’t.”

I threw my hands out to the side. “For fuck’s sake, Daxon!”

And that’s when I heard it.

A real live laugh from Daxon Hellman.

And it was everything I’d hoped it would be and more.






I have my fresh start in a new town, this time a widow with a preteen daughter who rolls her eyes enough to make them stay that way. Too bad my past mistake is also here to greet me.

Daxon Hellman. Town a-hole. Hot young contractor hired to build my house in the woods.

It’s only when I’m face-to-face with him for the first time that I realize he’s the mystery man from two years ago. It’s a long story of too many drinks, grief that made me resort to acting out, and an encounter in the dirty bathroom of a bar. Try as I might, I can’t forget that night. And now I have a name to go with that hot body.

Daxon growls at me…I irritate him with my constant social media posting. He orders me to do things…I trample all over his ridiculous commands with a smile and a choice finger in the air. He builds my house with that tool belt slung low on his hips and my cat steals his construction plans. We fit together like rain and exposed drywall.

Between insults and hot stolen kisses, Daxon and I reach a truce: to let our bodies do the talking and keep our hearts locked down. I’m older than him, which means I’m smart enough to keep a clear head. Until I realize when it comes to love, age and common sense do not go hand in hand.

This crazy town has more surprises up its sleeve to drive us apart, which makes me think this might not be our forever home after all…




 


Marika Ray is a USA Today bestselling author of steamy and sweet RomComs, spending her time behind a computer crafting stories, walking any beach she can find, and making healthy food for her kids and husband whether they like it or not. Prior to writing novels, Marika held various jobs in the finance industry, with private start-up companies, and then in health & fitness. Cats may have nine lives, but Marika believes everyone should have nine careers to keep things spicy. All her books come with a money-back guarantee that you’ll smile at least once with every book.

More information can be found at www.marikaray.com



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