Thursday 20 November 2014

Chapter 1 - The Game by H.J.Bellus

Today is the day!  Chapter 1 of THE GAME. 
 Find out who the blonde beauty is who gives Levi THE GAME of his life.
Who is ready for THE GAME ?  
Who wants to win a $100 Amazon Gift card?
Read the details below and make sure to follow each step for your chance to win!  Winner announced on December 16th.  

HOW TO WIN...
Send a screenshot of your pre-order confirmation of 
THE Game to hjbellus@gmail.com.   
Subject line MUST read  THE Game  to be eligible.  
All entries without this subject line will be disqualified.  Please make sure to add the photo to the body of the e-mail. Attachments will not be opened. Winner will be chosen on release day, December 16th at release day party.  Watch for the link to be revealed in the NEAR future. Contest is limited to USA only.
AMAZON US   
Make sure to join my 
Facebook event for release 
day!



Is Levi Wilks ready for her? Is he ready for “The Game” of his life? 

Chapter 1
Levi
Surgery went well, Levi, but it looks like you’ll still be out about two full months. You should be back on the field mid-season. My advice is to rest up and follow your
physical therapy to perfection.”
“Two months?” I question, hoping I heard him wrong.
“Levi, your body can’t take many more hits, and it definitely deserves a full
recovery.”
Trying to sit up in the bed, I begin to argue again. “But football is my…”
“It’s only going to take one wrong hit on your spine, and you’re done. Done, as in the
rest of your career, or finished, as in a wheelchair. Without a full recovery, your chances
of being in a wheelchair the rest of your life is heightened.” Dr. Valentine hesitates a
moment, jotting down some quick notes on a prescription pad, and then continues. “It’s
your choice, Levi. You need to give your body the time it needs to heal. I will be the
only one clearing you to play again.”
The doctor’s words are crystal clear, and I can see none of my razzle dazzle and shit
talking will convince him otherwise. The words finished and done scare the living shit
out of me. They are my worst nightmare and truly haven’t been a reality for me until
now. I feel it every morning when I get out of bed. Muscles, bones, and joints all scream
in protest with every single movement. Just the simple act of tying my shoes has been
painful.
I knew it would be a vicious tackle to take me out, and it was.  In a fucking preseason
game where it’s understood to take it easy on the players, especially the first string.  I
guess karma is a bitch. I saw number eighty-two flying in my direction, but chose to put
all my faith in my linemen to block him or at least hold him off until I released the ball.
There was a wide-open receiver for a gain of about twelve yards, but I wanted the long
bomb for the TD. When I saw my receiver finally open up in the end zone, it was just
about the exact time the defender took me out. Lost the ball, lost the game, and lost my
opportunity to play for two months.
“Want me to contact your father? You’ll need someone around.”
“No, I’m good.”
“Levi, I can’t stress to you how important this recovery is. You’ll need someone
around for physical and mental support. I don’t think any of your blonde bombshells
will be much assistance at all.”
His last words make me laugh because he’s absolutely right. None of my frequent
weekend entertainment is in it for the long haul. They’re all plum satisfied with a
weekend full of hot and heavy sex.
“No, don’t call my dad. I don’t need his judgmental, overbearing ass on me.”
“Well, you’re going to need some type of assistance over the next two months. Who
else is here in Dallas?”
While finally being able to shift my head enough to look out the window, I answer,
“I’ll have my driver pick me up.”
“You’ll need help, Levi.”
“I’ll fucking take care of it.”
Everything inside of me wants to pick up the nearest object and chuck it at the
window or the doctor’s face. Glass breaking or some bones crushing under my hands
would feel brilliant right about now. I have nothing left to live for until I can get back
out on that field.
If I were my brother, Lincoln, I’d have a loving wife and a dog at home to comfort
me while I heal. Instead, I have trophy case after trophy case to console me—oh, and my
three Super Bowl rings. The one thing about the trophies and rings is they are amazing
and life altering to win in the heat of the moment and during the passion of the game,
but the metal grows cold mighty fast, leaving behind rapidly fading memories.
My dad has always groomed me to be a living legend, something to talk about for
years and years. Football was and has been my only option, throwing the pigskin in the
back yard after school and on weekends, attending every single football camp within a
hundred miles of home, and watching tape after tape of game films. I could recite any
playbook when I was six years old. Lincoln, on the other hand, loves football as well,
but played it his way. He did it without dad’s approval. And that’s my biggest regret; I
wish I could’ve been strong like him. Instead, I was molded into my dad’s dream.
Feeling guilty and like a typical ass, I finally let the surgeon know I’ll be okay and
taken care of.
“I’ll call my driver and fly back to Colorado to one of my homes.”
“Who is there to help you?”
“Lincoln and Lynlee.”
“Good, I’ll set up a physical therapist for in home services. We’ll do everything on
our end to get you back out on the green.”
“How many nights do I have to stay here?”
“With how smoothly the surgery went, I’d just like to observe you for the next couple
days. Why don’t you make arrangements to fly out on Thursday?”
“Fine.”
“Do you want to call any family or friends?”
“Nope.”
“Levi, I’d like to help you through this.”
“Then I need more pain meds.”
Moments later a nurse walks in, and I watch as she injects something into the tube of
my IV. She’s quite the hot piece of ass. I’d definitely be tapping that shit all night long.
She even has a sweet smell covering her body that I could easily visualize myself
consuming.
“Levi, this will make you drowsy,” she says, capping the needle.
I can’t seem to pry my eyes from the back of her as she reaches up to dispose of the
needle and syringe in the red container.  A strip of her flesh peeks out between her
scrubs, and this narrow glimpse sets me on fire.  I find my hand willing itself to reach
out and touch her before she turns around.
 “I’ll be your night nurse, so if you need me, push this button. Oh, my name is
Ashley, so just let me know if you need anything, and I do mean anything.” She finishes
off her words with a flirty little wink in my direction.
My insides turn with her looks, scent, and presence. I’d definitely be taking this one
home for a couple nights. Yes, she’d be granted a VIP pass to the Wilks’ Wild Weekend
Express, hosted smack dab in my bed at my mansion in Dallas. My hand finally
responds, stretching out in her direction, and when she places her petite little palm in
mine, I know I have her.
“Ashley, I could do so many things to you. I’d love to see those panties of yours…”
Before I can finish my last word, everything goes black.
***
“Sir, you’re not supposed to walk. I’ll get your wheelchair.”
“Just shut the fuck up and get my bags.”
I let Lincoln know I was coming to stay for the next couple months. For fuck’s sake,
in reality it’s my house. Lincoln and Lynlee have lived here since they married. They
both wanted to stay in Colorado since it was the place they met, and Lynlee wanted to
go to college. Lincoln lucked out and was drafted to Denver.
The assholes have the perfect life just the way they want it. I can’t deny the fact; they
fought tooth and fucking nail to get it. They didn’t pussy out and let someone else call
all their shots, and I, for one, wasn’t going to allow them to live in the home Lincoln and
I were raised in.
Dad and Lincoln have truly worked through most of their shit, and Lincoln still came
out the way he wanted. Played defense, went to the college he wanted, majored in what
he wanted, dated who he desired, and let his middle finger fly to the rest who didn’t
approve. Not me. I’m the oldest, and yearned for approval around every corner, leaving
me with a hollow life.
“Sir, you are not supposed to walk.”
Turning to the naive puke of a driver, I lay into his ass. “Do you fucking realize
you’re talking to? Do you?”
The young douche clams up. The look on his face is almost comical. Even in my
weakest state, I have the power to bring pussies like him to his knees, and I enjoy every
fucking second of it. It might make me an arrogant ass, but being a dick is the only
saving grace I posses.
“And you weren’t supposed to be born, so shut the fuck up, already,” I add to sting
the wound a little more.
I feel muscles rip and tear as I try to peel myself out of the limo. The pain is familiar
and immediately reminds me of my younger days when my dad demanded perfection
from each pass. I now have the same sensation years later trying to simply walk from a
car to the front fucking door of my own home. The pain is so intense I want to ask the
young puke to honk the horn to get Lincoln’s attention to come help me, but then again
it might even be worse to have the brother I envy help me.
I never would’ve thought ten simple steps would be the longest of my ever-loving
life, but I want to be the dick to knock on my own door. I bet Lincoln is about to sit
down and eat dinner with his wife, with his dog lying obediently at his feet. Fuck, I bet
she’s the kind of woman to bake his ass chicken potpie every Thursday night. What a
douche.
Before my hand instinctively turns the doorknob, I decide to ring the doorbell at the
last minute. I chuckle to myself, imagining Lincoln complimenting Lynlee on his dinner
and petting her knee under the table, only to mutter curse words when he hears the
doorbell ring. Lincoln may be a wild spirit, and we might as well have different fathers,
but I can call his next move from a mile away. Some might say we haven’t been brothers
for years, yet I know him better than anyone on this earth, and right now he wants to
knock the lights out on the fucker ringing his doorbell, because he was moments from
taking his wife to bed.
When the door opens, it’s neither Lincoln nor Lynlee looking back at me. To my utter
amazement, my fucking little bro has gone and hired the hottest fucking home nurse. A
blonde bombshell stands before me, and I try hard as I can to keep my jaw from
dropping wide open. Every muscle in my body is aching, yet my cock has no problem
springing to action for the juicy blonde. It’s obvious my home nurse hasn’t had the
chance to change into her naughty little nurse outfit.
“Well, are you going to invite me in, Nurse Nancy?”
“Excuse me?”
Talking slowly and deliberately, I say, “Are. You. Going. To. Invite. Me. In?”
“Who the fuck do you think you are?” she asks, and the rush of her hot breath
brushes my lips.
The smell is so sweet and tender it makes my cock bulge even further. I know one
thing for sure; this nurse will be checking my blood pressure topless tonight.
“Levi,” comes a familiar voice, Lincoln. “You’re supposed to be in a wheelchair.
What the fuck you doing walking already, bro?”
“Well, if Nurse Nancy here could help a fellow out...”
Not only do I say it, I also gesture with my hand, grabbing myself.
Another voice joins the mixture, and it’s Lynlee’s this time. “Levi, you made it.”
When her gaze hits mine, I see the same concern as in my brother’s eyes. They know
I should be sitting and not standing. They know the consequences all too well.
Without allowing her to respond, I relieve their stress. “Well, if Nurse Nancy would
move her ass, I could get up into my bed and get down to business. I knew Valentine
was setting up in home therapy, but not an in home nurse.”
Grabbing the inside of the doorjamb, I force myself up into my house, and looking
around the place, I really like what they’ve done with it. Looks like a home, the perfect
loving home complete with two dogs to kick.
The big tittied blonde looks mystified and almost a little horrified with my arrival.
Doesn’t the bitch realize this is, in fact, my house? Or maybe she has no idea a three-
time world champion just graced her with his presence.
“Weren’t expecting your patient to arrive so early or what?” I finally ask, breaking
the silence.
“I’m not a nurse.”
Losing my patience with this stuck up bitch, I demand, “Then who the fuck are you?”
The bitch really has some balls, as I watch her step up into my face, pinning me down
with her best death stare.
“Stop,” Lynlee yells and pushes her way in between us. “Levi, this is my best friend,
Jazzy. She’s staying here with us.”
Stay tuned for more details and 
teasers at www.hjbellus.com

Ryley's Revenge & Paxton's Promise by L.P. Dover




RELEASE DECEMBER 1, 2014

UFC Middleweight fighter, Ryley Jameson, swore it would never happen again. He was done with his ex, and over the pain she’d inflicted when she left him. At least, that’s what he tells people. Maybe if he says it enough, he’ll begin to believe it himself.

Regretting her decision to let Ryley go, Ashleigh Warren comes back into town and confronts him. Holding only one secret back, she puts the rest on the line and asks for a second chance. Too bad he’s not going to let her off easy.

Camden Jameson loves his twin brother, but his jealousy runs deep. They may be identical in looks, but that’s where the similarities end. When Ashleigh comes back into Ryley’s life, Camden has the perfect opportunity for revenge. Two birds, one stone.

A journey to the Dark Side affects them all, but only one feels the true sting of revenge.





RELEASE DECEMBER 29, 2014


She hates him, yet she can’t get him out of her mind.

Female Bantamweight fighter, Gabriella Reynolds, has a bad habit of falling for forbidden fighters. Enter Paxton Emerson. He’s tall, tattooed, and the current UFC Light Heavyweight Champion. Everyone wants a piece of him, and he only has eyes for her. Through no choice of her own, she’s fallen in his debt and he’s now demanding payment. Too bad it doesn’t involve currency. Gabby’s decision to fulfill her promise to him ultimately brings out
her true feelings, but also spurs the unwanted attention of another.

Rage’s fixation on his newest obsession reaches dangerous levels. Unfortunately, Paxton Emerson has become a roadblock to his end goal and needs to be removed from the equation—by any means necessary.

Gabby will do anything to save Pax, but what happens when she’s the one who needs saving?






USA Today Bestselling author, L.P. Dover, is a southern belle residing in North Carolina along with her husband and two beautiful girls. Before she even began her literary journey she worked in Periodontics enjoying the wonderment of dental surgeries. 
Not only does she love to write, but she loves to play tennis, go on mountain hikes, white water rafting, and you can’t forget the passion for singing. Her two number one fans expect a concert each and every night before bedtime and those songs usually consist of Christmas carols. 
Aside from being a wife and mother, L.P. Dover has written over nine novels including her Forever Fae series, the Second Chances series, and her standalone novel, Love, Lies, and Deception. Her favorite genre to read is romantic suspense and she also loves writing it. However, if she had to choose a setting to live in it would have to be with her
faeries in the Land of the Fae.


Release Day: Skip to the Good Part volume one.


Today we have the release day launch of Skip to the Good Part, a sexy new collection of the hottest scenes from 20 phenomenal authors. I am so excited to share it!!!


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Skip to the Good Part: 20 Authors Reveal Their Steamiest Scenes offers face-fanning romance and tie-me-up sizzle (and everything in between) from top authors including New York Times and USA Today bestsellers.

The collection features a British alpha who wants to turn a good girl bad, a woman realizing her impetuous marriage to a stripper isn’t all bad, a bad-boy boxer who could use a large dose of sexual healing, a carnie who has found new and inventive uses for fun house mirrors, and a rocker who wants to woo the girl who got away: his high school sweetheart.

Read 20 of the best steamy scenes in contemporary romance and erotic romance today. This 250-page collection will get your blood pumping, your heart racing, and your skin tingling—you’re sure to discover a new favorite.

Due to the graphic nature of some content, this collection is recommended strictly for mature readers.

New York Times best-selling authors:

Raine Miller | Kendall Ryan | K. Bromberg | Carly Phillips | Denise Grover Swank | S.L. Scott

USA Today best-selling authors:

Christine Bell | Rebecca Shea | Andrea Smith

Featuring:

Magan Vernon | Kristie Cook | Nevaeh Lee & Michelle Lynn | Alessandra Thomas | Selena Laurence | Heidi Joy Tretheway | Elizabeth Briggs | Meghan March | Taylor Michaels | K.B. Nelson | Elise Covert


Amazon | iBooks | Kobo |Barnes & Noble
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Blog Tour & Review: Little White Lies by R.C. Matthews


Little White Lies
By: R.C. Matthews

Releasing March 24th, 2014

Crimson Romance





When attorney Madalyn Russell dumps her fiancé at the altar, she temporarily escapes the scrutiny of her friends and family on her honeymoon cruise. Too bad she forgot she is assigned to dine at the “newlywed” table on the fully booked cruise. Goodbye exquisite cuisine, hello standard buffet fare. Nothing will tempt her to enter that lion’s den. Or so she thinks.

When the board of directors orders devilishly handsome Royce Spencer to seek rest alone on a cruise, he sets his sights on Madalyn and offers a deliciously indecent proposal to her dining room dilemma. He’ll pose as her husband in exchange for companionship during the cruise. Royce is a gifted liar with a great sense of humor that has everyone at the newlywed table laughing and no one suspecting the truth.Is the opportunity to enjoy all the ship has to offer worth the little white lies they'll have to tell? What is it about Royce that makes Madalyn want to engage in a fling at the age of thirty for the first time in her life and toss her tightly held beliefs overboard?

The whirlwind love affair catches them both by surprise. Is it possible that in the midst of all the little white lies, they will each discover their soul mate? And when Royce is accused of white-collar crime with Madalyn as his key witness, will Madalyn finally learn that life is not always as black and white as it seems?

 

Follow the Blog Tour: Here 

This is a gem of a book, by an unknown (to me) author. I didn't know what to expect when I began this story and was surprised how it ended too (in a good way) It is the kind of book that just leaves you with a smile on your face after you've finished the final words.

The story begins on a cruise ship. Madelyn is on her honeymoon without the groom she jilted at the altar the previous day. Her sister persuades her to ignore what people may think and just enjoy the holiday. Royce is taking a break from work on the orders of the board of directors. Rest and relaxation are his only plans for the coming week. That is until he meets Madelyn.

Right from the very beginning Madelyn and Royce seemed destined to be together. Their easy relationship is relaxed, romantic and sexy! They complimented each other and at times I had to remind myself that they'd only been around each other a few days. Being so comfortable together allows them to deceive their fellow guests about their supposed marital status because Madelyn had forgotten she'd arranged to dine at the newlyweds table! Other on-board and ashore antics are amusing, romantic and fun too. They are accompanied on their holiday adventures with other guests, couples who all become firm friends. It isn't until the cruise is over and everyone heads back to reality, that Madelyn and Royce get to prove whether their relationship will stand the test of time or if it is just a holiday fling.

Little White Lies is well written and R.C. Matthews is an author I'm going to look out for in the future. The interaction between all the characters flows beautifully and the descriptions of life on-board the cruise-liner paint a believable picture.
I recommend this book to anyone looking for some light and humorous escapism, with a luxury cruise-liner as the backdrop, good food and guests who are known to be slightly economical with the truth.

5 STARS


***arc received courtesy of the publisher in exchange for an honest review***


They walked down a dark alley off the beaten path, and approached the Nuyorican Café. Madalyn gave Royce a skeptical look when they entered the little hole-in-the-wall establishment. It was a total dive bar, but packed with patrons dancing on the tiny dance floor, around tables and by the bar—wherever they could find a space. A live band with congas, bongos, horns, and a piano was playing to the rowdy crowd. The female singer had a thick, sultry voice and shook her hips provocatively to the tempo of the maracas she played. Royce gave Madalyn a broad smile and led her over to the bar where he ordered two of the local beer on tap. She nursed her beer while watching the dancers on the floor. Her right foot tapped along to the rhythm of the music. Royce rubbed her lower back, making a slow but definite trail down towards her behind. She was glad for the skimpy dress; it was warm with so many patrons packed inside the small space. 
    Gazing out onto the dance floor, Madalyn was amazed at how professional some of the couples looked. There were some beginners for sure, but for the most part, the crowd looked like they knew what they were doing. The atmosphere was fun and light, not pretentious like some of the new trendy places in Chicago. One young couple kept switching partners. Curious, she asked Royce what he thought they were doing.
     “They’re probably from a local studio,” he surmised, “trying to drum up some business by giving out free lessons.”
     Madalyn smiled up at Royce, “I'd like you to continue our lessons. You’re an excellent instructor.”
     She turned back to watch the crowd and was taken by surprise when the young man approached them, holding out his hand to her with a broad smile of encouragement. Oh, hell no! Madalyn adamantly shook her head no, but he wasn’t taking no for an answer. He grabbed her hand and began to lead her out onto the dance floor. She glanced back at Royce, pleading with her eyes for him to save her, but he chuckled, shaking his head, and mouthed, “Have fun.”
     What happened to not liking to share what’s his?
     Madalyn checked out her partner. He couldn’t be more than 23 or 24 years old. He was tall, like Royce but with a slighter build. Not too bad to look at. He was wearing black, skin-tight pants that flared out dramatically at the bottom. His red silk shirt was open so low that she could see the contours of his chest muscles. Thick gold chains hung from his neck. She smiled at him, but started paying attention the moment he squared off his shoulders, assumed a wide legged stance and pulled her tightly against his chest. Why did she feel like she was about to star in Saturday Night Fever? Madalyn wondered if his name was Tony, and a little giggle erupted from her. 
    Her light mood deserted her as he extended her right arm and grabbed her under the right knee, hiking it up over his hip, before gyrating her ever so slowly in a deep backward bend, so that her hair fell off her back, hanging in the air. She felt completely exposed, and was thankful Royce didn’t have a camera with him to capture the horrified look on her face.Holy crap! She looked to Royce, begging him once again to save her. He pointed his right index finger to his eyes and then turned it towards her mouthing, “I’ll be watching you.”
     Thanks a lot!
     His abandonment in her greatest hour of need forced her to muster up some courage and take control of the situation. How often did a woman get to learn a sexy Latin dance from a local guru anyway? If Royce wanted a show, then that was what he would get.When “Tony” returned her to an upright stance, he paused with a salacious grin on his face, and began to deftly move them about the dance floor. They were a whirl of gyrating motion—her dress a glorious tornado of beaded fringe. Her partner continued to twirl and dip her, grabbing her hips and making her move in ways she didn’t know were possible. Madalyn molded her body to his, letting him take control of their movement. She finally caught Royce’s eyes and her nipples hardened from his purely carnal look. He was totally turned on. She could see it, and it made her insides simmer. Royce made his way towards them slowly, like a cougar after his prey, his eyes never leaving hers. But her partner saw him too and moved about the tiny floor, effectively avoiding Royce until the frenzied music came to an end. She stood breathless and weak-kneed in “Tony’s” arms, shocked at what had just happened, when she felt Royce slide up behind her. He placed his arm around her waist and she let her head fall back on his shoulder.
     “I want to slide into you right now,” he groaned and pressed himself into her bottom.
     She felt like she might combust. The music began again, this time with a slow and erotic beat that matched their mood. Royce swayed their hips back and forth to the beat, continuing to push her bottom into his rock hard groin. He grabbed her hand and twirled her around to face him, catching her mouth in a deep and punishing kiss. He ravished her, oblivious to the hoard of people around them sharing the small dance floor. He seemed hell-bent on giving her some lessons of his own, not willing to be one-upped by the little puppy that had just left her side. Madalyn liked this slower, tantalizing salsa—their bodies moving as one, his eyes staring intently into hers.
     “Enough!” he groaned and pulled her by the hand out of the Café and into the fresh night air. He leaned her up against the outside wall, unable to resist another kiss. His tongue circled hers in that slow and lazy fashion, and she had the distinct feeling that he was giving her a preview of his plans for later.
     “Let’s go back to the room,” he ordered. “I want you naked.”
     She couldn’t help the giggle that escaped her. “What’s gotten into you, Royce?” she teased. “I thought you said you don’t like to share?”
     “I don’t,” he insisted. “That boy wasn’t a threat, and I wanted to watch you dance. You were hot, baby!”
     All joking aside, she was turned on too. She slowly slid her fingers into his thick hair, pulled his head down to hers and then turned his face to whisper in his ear, “Are you ready for another experiment?”
     He immediately hailed a taxi. It was a blessedly short ride back to the ship.
 


R.C. Matthews was raised along with four siblings in the Metro Detroit area by deaf parents. In her senior year of high school, she joined the Year Book class and wrote many of the feature stories. She graduated from a liberal arts college with a B.A. in Accounting and German and continues to work as a certified public accountant. She lived for four years in Germany and two years in Boston, MA. She is a mother to two sons and stepmother to one stepson. Her husband patiently indulges her in her writing obsession. She enjoys traveling with her family and has been on four cruises in her lifetime. She also loves to read, down-hill ski, and play board games with her family.



Author Links: Website | Facebook | Twitter Goodreads




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Book Release: The Hazards of Mistletoe by Alyssa Rose Ivy

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We are feeling the holiday spirit with the release day launch of Alyssa Rose Ivy's THE HAZARDS OF MISTLETOE! THE HAZARDS OF MISTLETOE is a contemporary romance novella and is a part of Alyssa Rose Ivy’s Hazards Series. It's available everywhere now!


The Hazards of Mistletoe

AmazonBarnes & Noble | KoboiTunesGoogle Play


One snowy Christmas Eve, one mistletoe kiss, one friendship changed forever.

Don’t underestimate the power of mistletoe. It looks innocent enough, but a single branch has the potential to change your life. One mistletoe kiss led to the most embarrassing night of my life, but thankfully by the next Christmas I ended up exactly where I was supposed to be.   




“Ice skating and hot cocoa? What are you buttering me up for?” I sat down on the bench and unlaced my skates. The snow was falling a little bit heavier, but the flakes were still light and more pleasant than a nuisance.

“I’m just enjoying an evening with a beautiful woman. I do have a romantic side you know.”

“Romantic?” What was Glen playing at? I’d had a crush on him for years, but things had stayed completely platonic. We were good friends who saw each other once a year, and teased each other through text messages and late night phone calls. That was it.

He didn’t hear me. He was already in line to return our skates. I waited for him to return with my boots, and not for the first time I was glad I’d worn wool socks. It was cold during the day, but the nights were absolutely freezing.

“Here you go, my lady.” He bent down and proceeded to put my foot into my boot.

I pulled away from him. “Knock it off. What’s gotten into you tonight?” As charming as Glen was being something seemed off with him. I wondered if maybe I wasn’t the only one who was upset.

He proceeded to move on to my next boot. “It’s Christmas Eve. Aren’t you Miss Holiday Spirit?”

“Usually.”

“Exactly.” He put on his shoes and tugged on my hand to pull me to standing. “Let’s get those hot chocolates.”

The line at the café on the other side of the rink was nearly out the door, but I was enjoying Glen’s company so much I didn’t mind.

He insisted on buying my hot cocoa for me, and considering he’d already paid for my skate rental, I was starting to feel uncomfortable. Glen had all the money he could ever need, but I wasn’t used to guys buying me anything. My dating experience wasn’t extensive, and it involved boys who were all about going dutch. “I really don’t mind paying.”

“Yeah, but I want to pay. Stop arguing and enjoy yourself.” He lightly bumped his shoulder into mine.

“Well, thanks.”

We walked around the village sipping our hot chocolate and not saying much. After a while we took a seat on a bench. It was underneath a tree, and the pine needles blocked some of the falling snow. I closed my eyes and listened to the chatter of people walking by mixed with the low hum of holiday music.

“You guys need to kiss.”

I opened my eyes and saw a girl staring at us. “You’re sitting under mistletoe. That’s the rules. You’re under mistletoe, you kiss.”

I looked up. Sure enough there was mistletoe hanging over us from the tree. It wasn’t real, it was just the decorative stuff they used, but it had the same unmistakable appearance.

Glen put an arm around me. “I think she’s right, Savy.”

I turned to glare at him. “Don’t even start.”

“Why not? Scared to kiss me?” he teased.

Yes. I was scared. Terrified. This was Glen. Kissing him wasn’t something I was prepared to do casually while sitting on a bench in the snow with a bunch of onlookers. Of course I couldn’t tell him that though. “Why would I be scared?”

“I don’t know. Just checking.” He got a twinkle in his eye. That twinkle should have given me all the warning I needed, but it didn’t. I was wholly unprepared when his lips made contact with mine. They were warm and soft, and they moved perfectly against mine. I kissed him back, desperately wanting to know what his mouth tasted like, and if his tongue felt half as good as his lips.




Alyssa Rose Ivy- Author PhotoAlyssa Rose Ivy Bio:

Alyssa Rose Ivy is a New Adult and Young Adult author who loves to weave stories with romance and a southern setting. Although raised in the New York area, she fell in love with the South after moving to New Orleans for college. After years as a perpetual student, she turned back to her creative side and decided to write. She lives in North Carolina with her husband and two young children, and she can usually be found with a cup of coffee in her hand.

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