Friday, October 31, 2014

Forgiving Reed By CA Harms






FORGIVING REED

Author: CA Harms
Publisher: Limitless Publishing
Genre: Contemporary Romance
~ SYNOPSIS ~
Kori suffered a great loss, one that left her feeling so desolate and alone, that she believed nothing would ever fill the void…

The only thing that kept her going was the one little piece of joy she still had in her life, her baby boy, Rhett. 

She had no choice but to move forward and give her son the best life she could. Which meant moving back home. 

Except there was one problem.

Home was where Reed would be… 

The man who once held her heart, then shattered it into a million pieces. 

Grieving the loss of Rhetts dad, and learning to forgive those who have betrayed her, Kori was battling it all.

But will she ever have the strength to forgive Reed? 



~ PURCHASE ~
Amazon | Paperback | B&N | Kobo 


Catarina's Thoughts:

C.A Harms as done it again. Forgiving Reed is her first book in a new series and it was brilliant.

Forgiving Reed is a book about hope and remorse, every lasting love and lost love. It is heartache and forgiveness, a lasting love and a love that will always remain true.

Kori and Reed loved each other through high school but one mistake he made cost him the girl he truly loved. Kori left and fond another love only for it to be taken away from her leaving her alone and with a baby heading back home to her parents and to face Reed who she loved once but has never forgiven.

Throughout this book you will read their story and watch how they find each other again. How true love can concur all the past. You will fall in love with Reed who does everything in his power to win the one person he truly loves and excepts her son and love him as is own.

There is some drama that surrounds them and Reed never falters always putting Kori and Rhett first.

I fell in love with this book and so will you. This is definitely a 5 star book. This story will always be a favourite for me. Thank you C.A. Harms for such a beautiful story.




~ TEASERS ~









~ ABOUT THE AUTHOR ~
CA Harms 

C.A. Harms is like any other addicted reader. She enjoys happy endings and HEA love stories. She hasn't always been a lover of Romance and had once been addicted to a good Mystery. Just recently she has taken on a new liking and now is a full blown Romance novel addict.

She lives in Illinois and enjoys spending time with her husband and two children. You will always find her with her kindle or paperback in hand as it is her favorite pass time.


Social media links:


Tour Host:
HEA Book Tours, PR & More: http://heabooktours.blogspot.com/







Thursday, October 30, 2014

HAPPY RELEASE DAY: Fight Like A Girl By Dawn Pendleton


Fight Like A Girl (Part One)



**This is a 3-part novella series**

MMA is no place for a girl - unless that girl is Max Brady. Growing up around the ring as the daughter of a famous fighter, she finally takes her place in the MMA world after her father’s mysterious disappearance. Deciding to fight was the easy part - she never imagined finding a good trainer would be her biggest obstacle.

Kingston Lawrence was a rising star in the MMA world, until a knee injury forced him to the other side of the fight. He thought three rounds in the ring was hard, but nothing compares to the battle of training and taming Max. Her sexy body makes up for her sarcastic mouth, and it isn’t long before he wants to be more than just her trainer.

But Kingston has a secret, one that could ruin both their lives. He can train Max for a fight, but nothing can prepare them for what happens when that secret is revealed.

Get your copy today!


About the Author

Dawn Pendleton spends her time between Maine and somewhere warm for the winter, dragging her husband and pup wherever she goes. A lover of travel, an avid reader, and a softie at heart, Dawn writes romance novels that face the dark reality of life, which is that not everyone gets a happily ever after right away.

Connect with Dawn:





COVER REVEAL: Asylum By Lily White

Asylum banner  

Genre: Erotic/Psychological Thriller
Release Date: November 2014
Cover Designer: Cover Me, Darling

Asylum- Cover Only
sy
        Words are funny things.   Their meaning, the pictures they paint in the minds of those that hear them: they’re not always the same and to me at least, that makes them meaningless.   Take for instance the phrase ‘black widow’. Those words conjure the image of a spider, an eight-legged creature with the red imprint of an hourglass on its abdomen.   However, instead of speaking of an arachnid, of the resident of a spindly and dew-laden web, the people who whisper those words are talking about something much different.   They’re talking about me.   From what I’m told, I’m called the Black Widow because no man I’ve ever loved has survived.   Yet, I have no memory of any of it.   My new home leads me to the definition of another vague and meaningless word.   It’s a place where I’m supposed to seek refuge.   A place of retreat and security.   It’s a place where I’m supposed to be kept safe because I’m sick.   But the definition for this place is wrong and the word becomes meaningless when you’re tucked away and made silent by drugs and pretty white jackets.   My name is Alexandra Sutton and this is the story of what happened when I was imprisoned inside an Asylum.

   Insanity house fine art shoot Asylum T1    

         The Author
         Lily White is a dark writer who likes to dabble on the taboo side of eroticism. Most of the time she can be found wandering around aimlessly while her mind is stuck in some twisted power play between two characters in her head. You may recognize her in public by the confused expression, random mumbling, and occasional giggle while thinking up a scene. Lily's favorite things in life are reading, thinking about reading, buying books for reading....and writing. Her other secret pleasure is meeting with her plot editor in public to discuss her books and watching the shocked expressions of the people around her that don't realize she's talking about a book. When Lily is not reading, writing, wandering or freaking out innocent bystanders, she's sleeping. Author Links      

     Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Amazon

   Asylum - Wrap    
Hosted by SBR

When I dream of you By Rose Sophia





Synopsis

Nina Archer battles memories of a trauma that occurred twelve years ago. With plans to move to North Carolina, she hopes to separate herself from her mother, whose excessive drinking is becoming unbearable. Then suddenly, fate steps in to help her heal in a way she would never think possible. While running a race in Juno Beach, Nina finds herself next to a man whom she’s immediately attracted to. Wes Ladner, the same man she dreamt about one year ago. Wes is focused on his writing, and has no time for a woman. But the night before they met, he dreamt of Nina. Although they come from two very different worlds neither of them can deny the sparks that fly between them. As her time runs out to make a decision, Nina wonders if she’s been given the chance to come to terms with her past, and accept a gift that some never receive—true love.


Buy Links


Limitless Publishing: http://bit.ly/1v53IEM

Amazon: http://amzn.to/1wCSFbN


Kobo: http://bit.ly/1zAgbs6










About the Author




Rosa Sophia divides her time between South Florida and Pennsylvania. She edits for publishers and independent clients, holds a degree in Automotive Technology, and enjoys running, hiking, collecting comic books, and traveling.






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Monday, October 27, 2014

BOX SET DISAPPEARS FOREVER - GET YOUR TODAY BEFORE IT'S GONE! 

  (Books 1-4) ---$7.49 BEST VALUE! Box Set & Sale disappears 10/27/14 so get yours today!


Amazon US:  http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00M4TE8Q2
Amazon CA: http://tinyurl.com/njazal5
Amazon UK:  http://tinyurl.com/nold75d
Amazon AU:  http://tinyurl.com/l4kezvu
BN: http://tinyurl.com/q3hpwle
KOBO - http://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/a-new-life-series-boxed-set

Saturday, October 25, 2014

Author Jani Kay


We are excited to share with you Jani Kay Book Tour. As we wait with excitement for the upcoming release of No Regrets - Book Two of Firebird Trilogy Series, check out the the rest of books from her current series.

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Open You Eyes
ADD TO GOODREADS: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18394295-open-your-eyes


SYNOPSIS

Second chances? Twisted love triangle? Hot steamy sex? Hell YES!

Open Your Eyes:
Shattered and disillusioned after separating from her domineering husband, all Natalie wants, is a peaceful Christmas vacation in New York City, with her 21 year old daughter, Olivia. Uncomplicated. No pressure. Fun.

What she didn’t expect, was meeting a dangerously handsome stranger in an art gallery. He is charming, sexy as hell, and does funny things to her insides. Her frozen heart slowly melts as he seduces her, awakening her deepest desires, showing her that the kind of love she craves is very possible. She wants him as much as he wants her.

Battling his demons from the past, famous photographer Nicholas Gallagher has successfully evaded serious relationships, earning him the title of the world’s most eligible bachelor. But from the moment he lays eyes on Natalie, she stirs something in him. Compelled to chase the sadness from her vivid blue eyes, Nick is captivated by the spirited Australian beauty.

Hot romance.
Steamy sex.
Absolute perfection.

Until Natalie gets a call from home – one she can’t ignore. In a fateful moment the game changes and throws her life into chaos. Gabriel, her jealous ex, wants her back. Two powerful men want her. She is forced to make a choice that will tear her apart.

Will Natalie make the right choice? Will she finally find her soul mate, the one person who can look into her eyes and see deep into her soul, everything she is and everything she desires… will she finally open her eyes?

PURCHASE LINKS

Amazon US: http://amzn.to/1oZgLUG
Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/IcjWL5
Amazon CA: http://amzn.to/1uWgZEp
Amazon AUS: http://www.amazon.com.au/Open-Your-Eyes-Jani-Kay-ebook/dp/B00E7824EQ
Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/open-your-eyes-jani-kay/1117308895?ean=2940148993735
iBooks: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/open-your-eyes/id737152192
KOBO: http://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/open-your-eyes-11

__________________________________________________________
The Scorpio Stinger MC Series
Book 0.5: Ryder

ADD TO GOODREADS: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/20874330-ryder

Displaying 1958403_10202452629611327_493353096_n.jpg

SYNOPSIS

Two worlds colliding. Will it tear them apart? 

All Jade ever wants is an intelligent, well-mannered, and highly educated man like her daddy. One who has stellar career prospects as he climbs the corporate ladder to success. A good provider who will give her a stable life and a gorgeous house in the right neighborhood. A charmed life. Everything orderly and well balanced. Her perfect match.

What she doesn’t want is a smartass, cocky, rough-around-the-edges biker. One who has tattoos and piercings, and looks like a sex god. One who is demanding and controlling. The ultimate alpha male who storms into her life and shakes her to the core.
Jade never saw it coming. Ryder is the one man she can’t resist. He shows her what she really needs. Him.

All Ryder wants is inner peace. Freedom from the hatred churning in his gut. Since his mother deserted him, his life has turned to sh*t. He’s killed a man, lost his brother and fought for his survival. All before turning twelve. Saved by Razor and Cobra, sons of the Scorpions, he owes his life and allegiance to them. The Scorpion MC is his only family. One he will serve and protect till his dying breath.

What he doesn’t need in his life is a smart mouthed woman who thinks she’s better than him. One who pushes every one of his buttons. One who challenges him to want to be more than a drifter. One who makes him question everything he’s ever known. Ryder never saw it coming. He can’t get Jade out of his head. She shows him what he really wants. Her. Ryder wants Jade beneath him. Submitting to him and only him.

Can two people, so different in every way, find love? Or will their different worlds collide and tear them apart?

PURCHASE LINKS

Amazon US: http://amzn.to/1sUoFX7
Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/1mPKvmV
Amazon CA: http://amzn.to/1n9F96x
Amazon AUS: http://www.amazon.com.au/Scorpio-Stinger-MC-Ryder-Prequel-ebook/dp/B00I2VUKKY
Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/scorpio-stinger-mc-ryder-jani-kay/1118710715?ean=2940148321255
iBooks: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/scorpio-stinger-mc-ryder/id807481208
KOBO: http://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/scorpio-stinger-mc-ryder

Donna's Thoughts

My first thought was that a Scorpio is an astrological sign and doesn’t have a stinger, scorpions do. I found Ryder Knox to be a bit over the top in his gruffness. It struck me as way too much, like the author was trying too hard to make him a badass. I also didn’t think a young boy would have been sent to juvenile detention for what happened, it was self-defense. Plus, Jade (aka Princess) is a real bitch. So much so I wanted to smack her. These three things turned me off to the story. I am an MC lover and was intrigued by the Romeo and Juliete aspect of the story so I stuck with it. What I can say is that I do love a bad boy, and Ryder is very much that and Jani Kay knows how to write a hot scene. I give this book 3.5 stars with 3 hands down the pants. 


★★★★★★★★★
Book One: Two Worlds Colliding

ADD TO GOODREADS: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/20553451-two-worlds-colliding



SYNOPSIS

All any woman ever wants, is to know that she is worth fighting for.
All a man ever wants, is to know he can take care of his woman. Protect her, provide for her, look after her needs and desires.

Is the love between Ryder and his Princess strong enough to overcome the odds? When two people are so obviously meant for each other, can the world decide otherwise and rip them apart?

In a society that judges so easily, Ryder and Jade don’t stand a chance. Can the unthinkable happen?

Full length STANDALONE novel continuing Jade & Ryder's story in the Scorpions MC. 


PURCHASE LINKS


Donna's Thoughts

There is a lot of angst in this book. No one wants these two to be together. Their families both have reasons why they shouldn’t work. In fact Ryder and Jade themselves have reasons they know they shouldn’t be together. But can valid reasons dissuade the heart from what it wants? Harrison Summers come off as a douche, almost bigger than the outlaws do. He’s not a likable character in my opinion. I am being drawn further into the story now, so I will continue to read the next book and see where they lead. I give this book 3.5 stars with 4 hands down the pants. 


★★★★★★★★★
Book Two: Unchain My Heart


ADD TO GOODREADS: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/20985987-unchain-my-heart


SYNOPSIS

The Princess & The Biker – A modern day Romeo & Juliet.

Their two worlds collide, but the Biker and his Princess fight to be together. Their story continues in “Unchain My Heart” as the modern day Romeo and Juliet have fallen in love against the odds—but their families persist in trying to tear them apart.
Especially Harrison, who has an unhealthy hatred for bikers and uses his position as a cop to keep Ryder Knox away from his younger sister. Can Jade ever forgive him for the untold grief he brings to her and her man?
Ryder’s family of bikers is no better. Fearing for the club, Cobra is dead set against Ryder being with Jade. Who will Ryder choose? His Scorpio Stinger MC brothers OR his Princess?
Will Ryder and Jade be able to overcome the many obstacles in their way? Can their love survive the loss they suffer and the choices they must make?

The Beauty & The Beast

Eva has never known a man so lost, so broken, yet so cocky and confident at the same time. Harrison Summers can unravel her with a mere look, set her heart beating with a touch, make her wanton with his words.
Harrison demands her submission.
Will she ever be able to surrender, willingly, to a man? Eva doesn’t know the answer, but she’s prepared to try. After the first taste, she wants more. Never one to take the easiest route, she wants to push to the edge of her limits.
Eva is willing to give her body to Harrison.
But her heart?
No way.
He’s too guarded with his own. He’s hard, cold and distant. Set on revenge. A beast. Eva knows heartbreak when she sees it. Harrison Summers will trample her heart to pieces and not give a damn.

Intelligent, graceful and poised. She’s the beauty, he’s the beast.
Fiercely independent, Eva Ryder isn’t used to taking orders from anyone. Harrison believes it will make her submission so much sweeter.
Will she choose to live on the edge? Surrender to him?
Never before has he wanted anything this much. It destroys his plans of living for his career and not getting involved with a woman. Sex once and let go. No ties, no tomorrows. That’s how he operates. Add to that his uncontrollable desire for revenge and he’s one messed up dude.
But Eva?
Harrison hates change. But there’s absolutely nothing he can do to stop it. He’s in too deep already.
Is Eva the beauty who can tame the beast?
The one who can Unchain His Heart?


PURCHASE LINKS

Amazon US: http://amzn.to/1n9C5qQ
Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/1mltOQK
Amazon CA: http://amzn.to/1kUG8Mq
Amazon AUS: http://www.amazon.com.au/Unchain-Heart-Scorpio-Stinger-Book-ebook/dp/B00LKS5WUY
Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/unchain-my-heart-jani-kay/1119870092?ean=9781501406423
iBooks: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/unchain-my-heart/id892649719
KOBO: http://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/unchain-my-heart-3

Donna's Thoughts

In all honesty I am not sure how I feel about this book. On the one hand, I find the characters to be over the top, almost as if the author is trying too hard to make them tough and mean. On the other hand, by book two, the softer side has started to show a bit (not that they are soft) or I have just gotten used to them. I have been sucked into the story now and will continue on to the next book now that I am invested in their stories. These bad boys are much meaner than any other MC book I’ve read. It seems as though every other word is a curse. Bitch seems to almost be a compliment, an accepted way to refer to women. It took some getting used to. I give this book 3.5 stars with 4 hands down the pants. If nothing else, Jani Kay writes a good alpha male sex scene!
__________________________________________________________

Firebird Trilogy


Book One: Lost In France

ADD TO GOODREADS: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18453733-lost-in-france




SYNOPSIS

I’ve wanted above everything else was taken from me in one night. My dreams were shattered forever because of one irreversible mistake.

There was nothing I could do about it.


I’d lost everything.


So I did what I always do. I ran.


To another continent.


To France.


To start over.


God knows, I needed a new beginning; a new job, a new life.


To find what I truly wanted…needed…craved.


A man of my own.


My French man found me. He was perfect.

Or…was he. Alain du Bois had a secret. One that could destroy us before we even had a chance to find love.

And why was my new boss, Maxwell Grant, the arrogant and demanding CEO of Grant Global, fixated on me?

Would I find myself in France?

Would I get what I desperately wanted?


Or was I jumping from one hotter than hell fire into another?


PURCHASE LINKS

Amazon US: http://amzn.to/VFabLS
Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/1dYufkK
Amazon CA: http://amzn.to/1pe1ch9
Amazon AUS: http://www.amazon.com.au/Lost-France-Jani-Firebird-Trilogy-ebook/dp/B00GYLAZJU
Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/lost-in-france-jani-kay-jani-kay/1117521566?ean=2940148879565
iBooks: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/lost-in-france-jani-kay-firebird/id767763879
KOBO: http://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/lost-in-france-jani-kay-1

★★★★★★★★★

Book Two: No Regrets

COMING SOON: Out October 27th

ADD TO GOODREADS: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/19064742-no-regrets



SYNOPSIS

What will happen after Rebecca is 'Lost In France'?

Maxwell sends her to Munich, Germany as part of her work contract.

Will Alain come to his senses and realise he has lost the most precious thing on earth - true love?

Will Maxwell f*cking Grant get closer to Rebecca?

Read why Rebecca wants NO REGRETS!!!


__________________________________________________________









Jani has been married for a long time to a special man, and her two children and their partners are the sunshine in her life. She is a voracious reader and would spend her last dollar on a book - always fascinated that for the mere price of a book, she can escape her world for a while and see through someone else's eyes.

Besides reading, her favorite 'thing' is traveling - she has traveled the world, learning about the ways people live and has come to the realization that no matter where we live, we all ultimately want the same things. Her hobby - Scrapbooking - keeps her up till way after midnight and her usual subjects are her family and her travels.

Ever since she can remember, Jani wanted to write stories about people, about their lives and loves. Relationships and Happiness - arguably the most difficult things to master in life and yet exactly what everyone ultimately desires (in her humble opinion).

Wednesday, October 22, 2014

Shattered Innocence By Alexis Noelle



Title: Shattered Innocence
Author: Alexia Noelle
Genre: Erotic
Buy Links: Amazon Goodreads
Rating: ☆☆☆☆☆


Synopsis:

**Shattered Innocence is for mature audiences only—strong language, and explicit sexual content are apparent.**

Growing up poor and with a set of parents who couldn’t care less about her, Jessica Evans was on her own. She knew she wanted better and was determined to make it through college. Her only problem was that she was broke, and college was expensive. That’s when she was introduced to the world of depravity and scandal that she currently resides in.
Damon Shaw has just been assigned to take over the day-to-day operations of the escort service where he’s has been working for almost five years. He immediately bumps heads with the sexy and stubborn Jessica. Damon is determined to show Jessica who is in control and make her follow his every instruction.
When the two get together, sparks begin to fly. Jessica and Damon will challenge and enrage each other at every turn. The sting of words and the temptation of seduction are ever present between them. Damon is not at all what he seems. When all hell breaks loose, will Damon and Jessica make it or will she send him packing?

Donna's Thoughts:

“Come on, Jess, you know you need that release. Ask. Me. For. It.”
This book was incredible! This is the first book by Alexis Noelle that I’ve read, and I can say without a doubt I have become fan. These two characters are both head strong and the sparks that fly between them could start an inferno. Damon Shaw is alpha to the max. Jessica is no push-over. She used to be the nice girl, but life has dealt her a bad hand and in order to survive she has had to adopt a hard ass persona. She’s so good at it, she’s not so sure it’s an act anymore. Is Damon man enough to break down her walls? You have to read this book to find out! It is a well written story and the twists will give you whiplash! I give this book 5 stars with 4 hands down the pants. (Oh yeah, did I forget to mention Ms. Noelle knows how to write a sex scene?)



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COVER REVEAL:Here and Now By D.D Lorenzo

Join our Royal Celebration with the Cover Reveal
for HERE/NOW by D.D. Lorenzo

HERE/NOW Book 3 of the Depth of Emotion Series


Carter Sinclair…
He’s gone home.
He’s assessed mistakes.
He’s risen from the ashes.


Carter was a “rules” kind of guy. He worked and believed in the system, but the system was unjust. His wife is dead, his brother tragically injured, and an innocent woman paid for the sins of another. Assessing his life, he determines that deceit and lies no longer have a place there. He’s lived in the darkness of his own despair, and watched evil corrupt the lives of those he loves. His intent is to destroy it.
What he didn’t expect was something beautiful to emerge from the darkness...
Regret lives in the past.
Hope lives in the future.
Reality is the present.


Here/Now
is the struggle.


Is it possible that tragic circumstances can birth the most unexpected blessings?


Add it to your Goodreads Book shelf by clicking below:



dd

DD Lorenzo is a modern-day storyteller. Her novels reach deep into the heart of readers and engage them through the emotions of her characters. DD resides in Maryland, The Land of Pleasant Living. She met the love of her life in high school and decided to look no further. Together, they have an eclectic and amazing family. When she isn’t writing stories of the impassioned lives of her characters, she is rooting for the Baltimore Ravens or the Baltimore Orioles. Her favorite pastimes include spending time with the wonderful people in her life and riding in her husband’s classic Mustang to the Eastern Shore. “Selective/Memory” is Book 2 in The “Depth of Emotion” Series. It is the conclusion to the cliffhanger “Positive/Negativity” (she promises!). There are five books planned for the series. Book 3, “Here/Now” will be centered on character Carter Sinclair, a fan favorite. “Here/Now” is planned for release Fall, 2014.





Tuesday, October 21, 2014

COVER REVEAL: Breathless By Vanessa Marie


Title: Breathless
Author: Vanessa Marie
Release Date: Nov 11, 2014
Find on Goodreads


Synopsis:

For once in Charlie’s life, she has something she'd never allowed herself to have before.
Hope.
All because of Sam’s love.
He fought for her. No matter the cost.
He loved her even when she couldn't allow herself to feel loved.
Now, when things feel like they might go smoothly for once in her life...
The unexpected happens. Her fate. Her constant date with Death.
A reality that completely blindsides her when life once again rears it’s ugly head.
Shattering any sense of a future she ever felt she could grasp, even if only for a second.
Will she give in and surrender to her fate?
Will she retreat, pushing away everyone she loves to hold onto her secrets?
Or will she fight? Fight for Sam, fight for their love, the way he's always fought for her?




Excerpt:

Sam made it pretty easy for a girl to fall in love with him. He massaged Charlie's legs while she lay across the couch with her feet in his lap. Both of her hands gripped her coffee cup as she took a sip. "Mmm. A girl could get used to this, ya know?"
"Huh?" He looked up at her, puzzled. 
A smile pulled at her lips. He wasn't paying attention to what his hands were doing. "Nothing. Just watch the movie."
"No, I just didn't hear what you said. You mumbled it." His green eyes searched hers like he desperately wanted to know what she'd just said. 
"It wasn't important. Just feels good." She nodded toward her legs. 
Sam smiled and continued to run his fingers diligently up and down her long lean legs. "I like touching you. Your skin is like silk." 
Every stroke he took, make her senses come alive. It didn't seem to have the same kind of effect on him that it did on her. But she was doing everything she could not to jump him. She was still recovering from their morning escapades in the kitchen. 
"The movie okay? We can watch something else if you want." 
She wasn't even sure what they were watching. All she could think about were his hands and trying to control her breathing. Shaking her head no, she took a sip of her coffee and set it down on the table in front of them. "No, it's fine." Charlie lay back against the plush pillows behind her and sank further into them while his touch became stronger, reaching deeper into her muscle. It felt like heaven. 
"You're not going to sleep on me again, are you?" he asked and shifted under her. 
"No. Just resting my eyes." She was tired, more so than usual, but didn't want to let him know that. She'd already argued with her doctor the day before and it wasn't something she wanted to argue with him about again. 
"Do you want me to rub your chest?" 
She opened one eye at him and watched him with suspicion. "Since when do you ask to cop a feel, Mr. Greyson?"
She regretted it the second the name left her lips. 
He frowned. "First of all, don't call me that. It's not funny. Second of all, I wasn't being creepy. I know your chest aches. I wasn't talking about rubbing your boobs. Although, if my hands happen to brush against certain things, I am not to be held liable." 
All she wanted to do was sink into the couch until she was invisible. Of course that's all he wanted to do. He was being thoughtful and you turn it into something sleazy. Who's the asshole here? Oh, that's right. You are. 
"Sorry." 
"Yeah. Yeah. Scoot down and lay your head back." 
Flipping completely around, she tossed a pillow in his lap and laid her head in his lap face up, with the rest of her body in-between his legs on the couch. She closed her eyes and let out a deep breath as his strong hands worked their way from the top of her collarbone down the front of her sternum. "Oh, God. I didn't realize how sore that was until you did that." 
He let out a low chuckle. "I told you that you'd call me God." 
Smiling she lifted her chin and relaxed her shoulders under his skilled hands as he worked his way around her chest. It was exactly what she needed and he know it before she did. "How do you do this?" 
"Do what?" his voice was low and husky. 
"Know what I need even before I do." 
"Because I know you. You haven't been yourself lately no matter how much you try and hide it. I see how easily you get worn out." 
"You can't blame a girl for needing a nap after kitchen sex games." 
His fingers worked in strong, slow circles across the top of her chest. The way he touched her scars with ease made chills radiate through her. 
"This makes nap number three today, there, sweet cheeks." 
"Just resting up for what's to come." She smiled at him but he wasn't mirroring her like she thought he would. He just watched her, with worry behind his eyes. 
"Don't look at me like that please. This is exactly what I didn't want to happen." 
His hands stopped on her chest as his eyes found hers. "Guess what? You can't stop people from loving you. No matter how hard you try. We're going to worry when you're not feeling well. It's not like you have a cold, babe. You're in heart failure." 
"You don't think I know that?"
"Well, you don't act like it. That's why everyone gets so frustrated with you. You're so hell-bent on fighting the system that you fight all of us, too." 
She sat up and turned to face him. "I'm not trying to fight the system. In case you haven't noticed, the system has kind of failed me. All the things they’ve done to me that were supposed to save my life haven’t. They’ve only prolonged it. A little... until the next thing goes wrong. So, now they're saying this ICD is the way to go and I may not need the transplant. Do you understand how I can't even allow myself to begin to dream that that could be true? I can't believe things like that." She bit her bottom lip to keep it from quivering. 
"Why not? I thought you were past not allowing yourself to dream?"
"Fairytales and happy endings are meant for people like Sarah and Alex. Happily ever afters aren't meant for people like me." 
He ran his fingers through her hair, like he always did when they were in a heavy discussion. "I really wish you'd stop putting yourself in this box of damaged goods. You can have the fairytale and I will be your happily ever after...if you let me." 
"I've read everything there is about the ICD. I researched them a long time ago when I hoped it could be an option for me or even a fix and they told me no. Now they want to do it and I want to know what's changed. Why is it okay now but it was a no before?" 
"Why didn't you ask him that instead of walking out?" He pulled her back down into his lap and continued to run his fingers through her hair. 
She shrugged. "I don't know. I was pissed. I know my stubbornness gets in the way a lot but I don't do things out of blind rage. All the time anyway. I usually have a pretty damn good reason behind my outbursts." 
A smile spread across his face. "Maybe in your crazy own Charlie way of spinning logic, but I get it."
"No one wants to talk about the ugly truth. They all dance around it and pretend like there's not an elephant in the room." She closed her eyes as a rogue tear slipped down her cheek. 
His fingers brushed the tear away just before it touched her lips. "And what truth is that?" his voice was low. 
That I'm going to die young. That I can’t go to Disney with you because it might be my last trip. She exhaled slowly trying to steady her breath, knowing her voice would be shaky. "That any surgery can kill me. That I might not make it through it. That I might not live long enough to even get a transplant." 
"I don't pretend to know what you're going through. I can't possibly imagine, but I have seen you on the verge of Death's door. I saw you banging on that damn door to come back. You fought for every breath. Every step. Never giving into the darkness. No matter how damaged you think you are or how long Grimm has hunted you, you’re destined for the light, Charlie." 
"Only you could make this conversation sound poetic." 
His fingers brushed over her lips to her cheek. "I do what I can." 
A small smile played at her lips. No matter how hard she tried to keep it together, she was still on the verge of breaking. Sam was her glue as life chipped away at the glass. Constantly looking for a way to shatter her into a million broken pieces. 
She sat up and crawled into his lap to straddle him. All she needed in that moment was him. The fact he wasn't afraid to talk about the things that haunted her while she slept made her want him all the more.
She ran her fingers through his disheveled hair and rested them behind his neck. "Do you love my dark clouds?" 
He kissed the tip of her nose. "Yes. I even love your acid rain." 
She smiled and brought her lips to his. Their kiss was easy to get lost in and it was exactly what she needed to feel whole.



About The Author:



Always the cause of shenanigans, Vanessa is a heavily tattooed, sarcastic motorcycle enthusiast who started her career as a Jeep tech at the age of sixteen. The happily married mother of three little monsters—oops, children—lives in Kentucky by way of Las Vegas, Nevada. Once her life took a different direction—sidelined by Heart Disease at 26 and becoming a pacemaker recipient—she decided to write as a creative outlet, and Heartless was born. She realizes life can be dark clouds and acid rain at times, but her outlook on life puts a positive and sarcastic spin on it all.