Julie Kenner's Blog, page 53
August 29, 2014
“I promise YOU” IGNITED by J. Kenner Teaser #MostWanted
Ignited by J. Kenner Most Wanted Book 3
“�I’ll be whatever I have to be to keep you safe.” I could feel the intensity rising in him. A primal, earthy quality, as if he was gearing up for a fight. “I promise you. I can do what’s necessary with no problem whatsoever.” - Cole August
IGNITED (Most Wanted book 3) by J. Kenner coming Sept. 9!
ONLY 12 MORE DAYS!!
Pre-Order:
Amazon/Kindle http://amzn.to/Ure2wl
Amazon UK http://amzn.to/1hMv6r8
B&N/Nook http://bit.ly/IgnitedBN
iTunes http://bit.ly/IgnitediBooks
BAM print http://bit.ly/1pCm2VK
BAM digital http://bit.ly/SLgBbd
Indie Bound http://bit.ly/Sw6Gpq
Where do you want to go next?
The Stark Trilogy and beyond ... bestselling, swoonworthy erotic romance. Have you been Damienized?
The Most Wanted series ... dark, edgy, sexy badboys. Need we say more?
Demon-Hunting Soccer Mom ... oh, come on. The series title says it all!
Protector Superhero series ... fun, flirty paranormal romance.
The Blood Lily Chronicles ... dark, sensual urban fantasy.
The Shadow Keepers ... edgy and sensual paranormal romance
Devil May Care ... who will the next ruler of Sin City be?
The Phoenix Brotherhood ... dark, dangerous, sexy ... and immortal.
and more stories to come ...
Looking to meet JK?
Got a question for JK?
You'll find contact info and FAQs here!
August 27, 2014
Hump Day books from Lauren Jameson, Donna Hechler Porter, Delilah Devlin, Sarah Castille, Stacey Brutger, Michele Renae, Lynn Raye Harris, and Mari Carr!
Please enjoy this week’s Hump Day selections! Eight amazing books, featuring sexy fighters, handsome trolls, kick-ass heroines, and a little bondage! Plus Benedict Cumberbatch as the eye candy.
RT Book Reviews calls Linger by Lauren Jameson “the kind of searing, emotionally wrenching story” that “readers will not soon forget.”
Find out more at Lauren Jameson’s website!
Keeping Secrets (Children of the Light Book 1)
A woman with a past, a man determined to uncover the truth, and a secret that could tear them apart forever.
Be sure to visit Donna Hechler Porter’s website!
Once in a Blue Moon (Beaux Rêve Coven)
Contains a handsome troll skilled at building sexual tension with his hands and a witch determined to protect her home, but who forgets to shield her heart.
More at Delilah Devlin’s website!
New Sexy Fighter Romance – a Publishers Weekly Best Summer Read 2014!
Connect with Sarah Castille at her website!
New Release – A paranormal romance with magic, mayhem, a dash of kick-ass action and some sexy hijinks.
More at Stacey Brutger’s website!
The Paris Secrets trilogy: includes: Window, Screen, and Skin
A fun and flirty erotic romance. The complete trilogy is now available!
Connect with Michele Renae at her website!
Hot Pursuit (A Hostile Operations Team Novel)
HOT Military Romantic Suspense, Now Free!
Don’t forget to visit Lynn Raye Harris at her website!
Rough Draft: Invitation to Eden (Big Easy Book 4)
Capture, bondage and fantasies fulfilled!
See much more at Mari Carr’s website!
Would you like to submit your book to be included in our Hump Day feature? Click here for more information!
August 25, 2014
“You make me… FEEL” Ignited by J. Kenner #MostWantedMonday
We have another sexy and hot excerpt from Ignited by J. Kenner Most Wanted book 3 as we continue the countdown to the September 9 release!!
Who is ready to meet the sexy and deliciously dark, COLE AUGUST?
Have you pre-ordered Cole’s story yet?
Amazon/Kindle http://amzn.to/Ure2wl
Amazon UK http://amzn.to/1hMv6r8
B&N/Nook http://bit.ly/IgnitedBN
iTunes http://bit.ly/IgnitediBooks
BAM print http://bit.ly/1pCm2VK
BAM digital http://bit.ly/SLgBbd
Indie Bound http://bit.ly/Sw6Gpq
The gallery space had once been a warehouse, and he had me pressed against the original, exposed brick. I felt its rough texture grating against my shoulders and bare arms, and each sting of that contact seemed to heighten the thrill of Cole’s hands upon my body.
His fingers closed around the collar of my dress, and he yanked it down, ripping the material. I gasped, thrilled and delighted as he closed his hand tight over my breast, his fingers teasing my already tight, overly sensitive nipple.
With his other hand, he tugged my skirt up, and as his mouth closed over my breast, he shoved my panties aside, then moaned when he realized I was waxed.
“Christ, you feel good,” he said, as he thrust his fingers roughly inside me.
I was wet and open and ready—and my body clenched around him, wanting to draw him in, to be as close to him as humanly possible.
“Kat,” he murmured as he moved from my breast to my neck to my mouth. “Christ, the taste of you.”
“Don’t stop,” I begged, as his fingers thrust harder and harder inside me.
“You make me—”
“What?”
“Feel,” he said.
“Yes,” I said, surprised that one word could convey so much. “Oh, yes.”
His mouth closed over my breast again, and I writhed against the rough wall, each scrape of the rough brick against my skin like an underscore to our passion.
I wanted him inside me, and I silently begged for him to just take me, to fuck me, and not to ask or tell, but to just do. I wanted to be his—I wanted to simply belong.
There was a couch about three feet to my right, and he took my hand and drew me roughly toward it. His mouth covered mine, and as his tongue teased me, his fingers yanked my skirt up the rest of the way up to around my waist. Then he whipped me around, his palms on my ass as he bent me over to spread me, to take me, and I moaned aloud in sweet anticipation, because wasn’t this what I’d been wanting this entire night? Hell, this entire year?
I felt his fingers graze over the raw and sensitive skin on my shoulder. And I sucked in air, realizing for the first time how thoroughly the brick had abraded my skin.
“I hurt you.”
“No,” I said, as something cracked inside me. It hurt, yes. But I liked it.
I didn’t know what that meant, but I knew that it was true. I liked the pain—not pain by itself, but pain that came from him. From our shared passion.
I wanted him to have that—the power to hurt me. I wanted him to keep it close like a gift. Because somehow that made me his.
I wanted to explain that, to make him understand, but I couldn’t find the words.
“I hurt you,” he repeated, and this time I heard the low, agonized tone of self-loathing in his voice.
“You haven’t,” I whispered, rushing to reassure him and cursing myself for not finding the words sooner.
“Please, Cole, no.”
But he wasn’t listening, and I felt suddenly cold and exposed. I started to turn, to shift, to put my dress right. I couldn’t, though. He had one hand on my waist and the other on my shoulder.
The one on my waist kept steady pressure, keeping me bent forward and helpless.
The hand on my shoulder grazed lightly over my newly raw skin. Skin that only moments before had burned with a pain that punctuated pleasure, but that now just stung, almost shamefully.
“Christ,” he said, and this time his voice was so low that I almost couldn’t make out the word.
“Cole,” I said gently. “It’s okay.”
“Okay?” His voice was taut, a precursor to an explosion. He released me, and I stood up, carefully smoothing my skirt down even as I felt my cheeks burn. What had been one of the most erotic and exciting moments of my life had shifted totally off-kilter.
He held out his hand, and I saw that his fingertips were streaked with my blood. “I did that to you.”
“You didn’t,” I said. I turned around, then tried to adjust my dress. “Cole,” I said softly. “Please. I want this.”
“What?” The word was harsh. “What do you want, Kat? What could you possibly want from me?” He held out his hand again. “Pain? Blood?”
“Maybe.” I lifted my chin and met his eyes. “You said I owed you. Well, I’m willing to give whatever payment you want.”
“You have no idea want what I want or what you’re saying.”
“The hell I don’t,” I countered. “Don’t you get it, Cole? I want you. Whatever or however that means, I want you.”
Something flickered in his eyes, something that looked a bit like hope. But it was gone before I could be certain.
He took a step backward, and I had never seen him look more sad. “I may not have a lot of self-restraint. But I have enough. And I’m not taking you down with me.”
Want more? Pre-order your copy here:
Where do you want to go next?
The Stark Trilogy and beyond ... bestselling, swoonworthy erotic romance. Have you been Damienized?
The Most Wanted series ... dark, edgy, sexy badboys. Need we say more?
Demon-Hunting Soccer Mom ... oh, come on. The series title says it all!
Protector Superhero series ... fun, flirty paranormal romance.
The Blood Lily Chronicles ... dark, sensual urban fantasy.
The Shadow Keepers ... edgy and sensual paranormal romance
Devil May Care ... who will the next ruler of Sin City be?
The Phoenix Brotherhood ... dark, dangerous, sexy ... and immortal.
and more stories to come ...
Looking to meet JK?
Got a question for JK?
You'll find contact info and FAQs here!
August 21, 2014
“You’re MINE” – Ignited by J. Kenner #MostWanted Teaser
Ignited by J. Kenner Most Wanted Book 3
“I don’t know what tomorrow will bring, Kat. But right here, right now, you’re mine. And I will always take care of what’s mine.” – Cole August
IGNITED (Most Wanted book 3) by J. Kenner coming Sept. 9!
Pre-Order:
Amazon/Kindle http://amzn.to/Ure2wl
Amazon UK http://amzn.to/1hMv6r8
B&N/Nook http://bit.ly/IgnitedBN
iTunes http://bit.ly/IgnitediBooks
BAM print http://bit.ly/1pCm2VK
BAM digital http://bit.ly/SLgBbd
Indie Bound http://bit.ly/Sw6Gpq
Where do you want to go next?
The Stark Trilogy and beyond ... bestselling, swoonworthy erotic romance. Have you been Damienized?
The Most Wanted series ... dark, edgy, sexy badboys. Need we say more?
Demon-Hunting Soccer Mom ... oh, come on. The series title says it all!
Protector Superhero series ... fun, flirty paranormal romance.
The Blood Lily Chronicles ... dark, sensual urban fantasy.
The Shadow Keepers ... edgy and sensual paranormal romance
Devil May Care ... who will the next ruler of Sin City be?
The Phoenix Brotherhood ... dark, dangerous, sexy ... and immortal.
and more stories to come ...
Looking to meet JK?
Got a question for JK?
You'll find contact info and FAQs here!
August 20, 2014
Hump Day books from Lisa Renee Jones, Norah Wilson, Terry Odell, Shelly Thacker, Kelsey Browning, Lynna Banning, Jacintha Topaz, and Ann Collins!
Eight new Hump Day books await your perusal! I’ve no doubt you’ll find something to pique your interest!
No In Between (Inside Out Book 4)
NEW Romantic Suspense!
Visit Lisa Renee Jones at her website!
New romantic suspense!
More at Norah Wilson’s website!
Dangerous Connections (Blackthorne, Inc. Book 5)
Heart of Denver Aspen Gold Finalist – romantic suspense
More at Terry Odell’s website!
His Captive Bride (Stolen Brides Series Book 3)
Got dystopia fatigue? Take a trip to paradise in this “super-sexy and highly recommended” romance, now FREE worldwide for a limited time!
Be sure to visit Shelly Thacker’s website!
Problems in Paradise (Texas Nights)
New Contemporary Romance about a sexy sheriff candidate and a woman with a scandalous secret that could trash his election chances.
More at Kelsey Browning’s website!
The Lone Sheriff (Harlequin Historical)
A story of the Old West.
Please visit Lynna Banning at her website!
Cornered and cuffed by an alpha male in her own office–Now 99 cents for part one of five in a BDSM MFF Menage Erotic Romance!
Connect with Jacintha Topaz at her website!
New contemporary romantic suspense!
Be sure to visit Ann Collins at her website!
Would you like to submit your book to be included in our Hump Day feature? Click here for more information!
August 18, 2014
Brutal, Demanding, & HOT: Ignited by J. Kenner on #MostWantedMonday
We are continuing to countdown to the September 9 release of IGNITED by J. Kenner – Most Wanted book 3! It is less than a month away!! Have you pre-ordered Cole’s story yet?
Pre-Order:
Amazon/Kindle http://amzn.to/Ure2wl
Amazon UK http://amzn.to/1hMv6r8
B&N/Nook http://bit.ly/IgnitedBN
iTunes http://bit.ly/IgnitediBooks
BAM print http://bit.ly/1pCm2VK
BAM digital http://bit.ly/SLgBbd
Indie Bound http://bit.ly/Sw6Gpq
“Kat.”
“Hard limit? That’s bullshit. Do not tell me what I do and do not want and what I can and cannot have. I’m a grown woman, damn you. I know what I want, what I need. But you’re so goddamned hardheaded.”
I was stalking toward him now, and I was supremely pissed off. So was he. I could see the fire in his eyes. Cole wasn’t defied frequently. I wasn’t sure he quite knew what to do with me.
“How do I convince you that you don’t scare me? This?” I grabbed my shirt by the hem and ripped it up over my head. I tossed it aside. “This?” The bra went next, and as soon as I’d dropped it on the floor I grabbed his hand and tugged so that I was standing right there—right in front of him.
Before he could think or protest, I cupped his hands on my breasts, and as he sucked in air through his teeth, I let go so I could reach down and unbutton my shorts. I tugged the zipper down, shimmied out of the damn things, and then hooked my thumbs in the band of my tiny lace thong.
“No,” Cole said, closing one of his hands over mine.
I aimed a look of pure defiance right back at him, then kept right on going.
He grabbed my hand, then pulled me hard toward him so that I slammed against his chest. I gasped, then found myself breathing hard into the small indentation at the base of his throat.
“I’ll do it.” His mouth was at my ear, and he growled out the words in time with his action so that I heard the firm, no-nonsense tone of his voice playing melody to the brutal ripping of material as he tore the lace right off my body, rendering me completely naked, desperately hot, and utterly open for him.
“Cole!” I cried out, but he silenced me with his mouth firm over mine. But this was no sensual kiss. It was brutal, demanding. Hot.
Want more? Pre-order your copy here:
Where do you want to go next?
The Stark Trilogy and beyond ... bestselling, swoonworthy erotic romance. Have you been Damienized?
The Most Wanted series ... dark, edgy, sexy badboys. Need we say more?
Demon-Hunting Soccer Mom ... oh, come on. The series title says it all!
Protector Superhero series ... fun, flirty paranormal romance.
The Blood Lily Chronicles ... dark, sensual urban fantasy.
The Shadow Keepers ... edgy and sensual paranormal romance
Devil May Care ... who will the next ruler of Sin City be?
The Phoenix Brotherhood ... dark, dangerous, sexy ... and immortal.
and more stories to come ...
Looking to meet JK?
Got a question for JK?
You'll find contact info and FAQs here!
August 15, 2014
Ignited #MostWanted Teaser
Check out this sexy new teaser for Ignited!
Who is ready for COLE?
IGNITED (Most Wanted book 3) coming Sept. 9!
Pre-Order:
Amazon/Kindle http://amzn.to/Ure2wl
Amazon UK http://amzn.to/1hMv6r8
B&N/Nook http://bit.ly/IgnitedBN
iTunes http://bit.ly/IgnitediBooks
BAM print http://bit.ly/1pCm2VK
BAM digital http://bit.ly/SLgBbd
Indie Bound http://bit.ly/Sw6Gpq
Where do you want to go next?
The Stark Trilogy and beyond ... bestselling, swoonworthy erotic romance. Have you been Damienized?
The Most Wanted series ... dark, edgy, sexy badboys. Need we say more?
Demon-Hunting Soccer Mom ... oh, come on. The series title says it all!
Protector Superhero series ... fun, flirty paranormal romance.
The Blood Lily Chronicles ... dark, sensual urban fantasy.
The Shadow Keepers ... edgy and sensual paranormal romance
Devil May Care ... who will the next ruler of Sin City be?
The Phoenix Brotherhood ... dark, dangerous, sexy ... and immortal.
and more stories to come ...
Looking to meet JK?
Got a question for JK?
You'll find contact info and FAQs here!
August 13, 2014
Look at the GORGEOUS UK cover for IGNITED!! #MostWanted
Available September 9, 2014
He promised to take me as far as I could go—and I wanted to go to the edge.
My whole life has been a cover, a con, a lie. I was born into the grift, raised on the thrill of playing someone I’m not. As a rule, I never let anyone get too close—until Cole August makes it impossible for me to stay away.
Cole is tough, sexy, and intensely loyal, yet his secrets are dark and his scars run deep. Not many women can handle his past, or the truth behind his fierce demands. But something about him beckons me—and our desire is a game I must play.
I know he’s dangerous, that even his touch is trouble, but what is passion without a little risk?
Pre-Order:
Amazon/Kindle http://amzn.to/Ure2wl
Amazon UK http://amzn.to/1hMv6r8
B&N/Nook http://bit.ly/IgnitedBN
iTunes http://bit.ly/IgnitediBooks
BAM print http://bit.ly/1pCm2VK
BAM digital http://bit.ly/SLgBbd
Indie Bound http://bit.ly/Sw6Gpq
Where do you want to go next?
The Stark Trilogy and beyond ... bestselling, swoonworthy erotic romance. Have you been Damienized?
The Most Wanted series ... dark, edgy, sexy badboys. Need we say more?
Demon-Hunting Soccer Mom ... oh, come on. The series title says it all!
Protector Superhero series ... fun, flirty paranormal romance.
The Blood Lily Chronicles ... dark, sensual urban fantasy.
The Shadow Keepers ... edgy and sensual paranormal romance
Devil May Care ... who will the next ruler of Sin City be?
The Phoenix Brotherhood ... dark, dangerous, sexy ... and immortal.
and more stories to come ...
Looking to meet JK?
Got a question for JK?
You'll find contact info and FAQs here!
Hump Day books from Mari Carr, Ava Conway, Felicity Heaton, Lindsay Randall, Lina Gardiner, Ciji Ware, Cindy Procter-King, and Irene Preston!
Please enjoy these eight new Hump Day books, including a ten-romance steamy boxed set!
Never Been Kissed (Second Chances)
Two’s company. Three is perfection.
More at Mari Carr’s website!
Hollow: A Novel (Perfect Little Pieces)
Girl, Interrupted meet Beautiful Disaster in this thrilling and sexy debut novel, only $1.99 for a limited time!
Please visit Ava Conway at her website!
Tempted by a Rogue Prince (Eternal Mates Paranormal Romance Series Book 3)
New Paranormal Romance Novel in the Eternal Mates series by New York Times / USA Today best-seller Felicity Heaton!
More at Felicity Heaton’s website!
“A true masterpiece of the genre.” RTBook Reviews
Find out more at Lindsay Randall’s website!
He Won’t Give Up Until She’s Dead!
Be sure to visit Lina Gardiner’s website!
In three new novellas, New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Ciji Ware, along with Diana Dempsey and Kate Moore, wondered what would happen if a magical ring fell into a woman’s hands that reputedly offered life-changing guidance and counsel—but only for seven days, and only to those who listen.
Visit Ciji Ware’s website!
Zany Romantic Comedy 99 Cents First Time Ever for a Limited Time!
Connect with Cindy Procter-King at her website!
Summer Heat: 10 Spicy Romances That Sizzle
10 Steamy Romances only $0.99!
More info at Irene Preston’s website!
Would you like to submit your book to be included in our Hump Day feature? Click here for more information!
August 12, 2014
Hot and Feral: Ignited by J. Kenner on #MostWantedMonday
I’ve been so crazy busy that I’ve missed a zillion #MostWantedMondays and #StarkOnSaturdays (picture me shame-faced!)
But as we countdown to the September 9 release of IGNITED — Most Wanted book 3 — I’m springing back into action with long excerpts and several teasers each week to fill the gaps between Mondays! (Let’s ignore the fact that today is Tuesday, shall we?)
Here’s a hefty, heated chunk from early in the book!
I love Cole! Hope you guys do, too!
Don’t forget to pre-order!
The familiar deep voice pulled me from my trance. Flustered, I turned to face Cole, then immediately wished I hadn’t. I should have taken a moment to prepare myself first, because I heard my own gasp as I sank deep into those chocolate eyes.
“I—” I closed my mouth. Clearly I had lost all ability to think or speak or function in society. I fervently hoped the floor would just open up and swallow me, but I’d be okay with an alien abduction, too.
Neither of those things happened, though, and I found myself just sitting there staring at him while the corner of his mouth—that gorgeous, rugged, kissable mouth—twitched with what I could only assume was amusement.
“I’m sorry I slipped back here. It was getting too crowded in there for me, and I needed some air.”
Concern flickered across his face. “Is something wrong, Catalina? You looked pre-occupied.”
“I’m fine,” I said, though I trembled a bit, unnerved as always when he called me by my given name. Not that he actually knew my real name. As far as Cole and all my friends in Chicago were concerned, I was Katrina Laron. Catalina Rhodes didn’t exist to them. For that matter, she didn’t exist for me, either. She hadn’t for a long, long time.
Sometimes, I missed her.
About eight months ago, a group of us had been having dinner together. Cole started talking about an upcoming trip to Los Angeles, and how he intended to visit Catalina Island. I don’t even remember the details of the conversation, but by the end of it, my new nickname had stuck.
I’d rolled my eyes and pretended to be irritated, but the truth of it was that I liked the intimacy of hearing my birth name on his lips. It meant that we shared a secret, he and I, even if I was the only one of us who knew it.
Not that Catalina was an exclusive nickname. Cole also called me “blondie” and “baby girl,” though he tended to reserve the latter for Angie, who had been a teenager when he’d met her.
Catalina was my favorite of the endearments, of course. But I wasn’t picky. However Cole wanted to mark me was fine by me.
Right then, he stood to my right and frowned down at me. “I’m fine,” I repeated, with a little more force this time. “Really. I was lost in thought, and you startled me. But I’m back now.”
“I’m glad.” His voice was smooth, almost prep-school cultured. He’d worked at it, I knew. He rarely talked about the time he’d spent in gangs, the things he’d had to overcome. Hell, he barely even talked about the two years he’d spent in Italy, studying art on scholarship. But it had all come together to make the man. And right then, in that moment, I was glad he never talked about it to the press or his clients. But I fervently wished that he would talk about it to me.
Yeah, I was a mess all right.
I stood up, then wiped my hands down the red material that clung provocatively to my thighs. I hoped it looked like I was smoothing my skirt. Instead, I was drying my sweaty palms.
“I’m going to go track down one of the girls with sushi,” I said. “I didn’t eat dinner and I think I’m feeling a little light-headed.” I didn’t mention that he was the reason my head was spinning.
“Stay.” He reached out and closed his fingers around my wrist. His hand was huge, but his grip was surprisingly tender. His skin was rough, though, and I remembered how much of the work in the gallery he’d done himself, assembling frames, hanging canvases, moving furniture. Not to mention painting his own canvases. He must spend hours holding a wooden brush, moving carefully and meticulously in order to get exactly what he wanted—color, texture, total sensuality.
Slowly, as if he was intentionally trying to drive me crazy, he let his eyes drift over me. I fought the urge to shiver—to close my eyes and soak in the fantasy of this deliberate caress.
Instead, I watched his face. Watched his expression grow hot, almost feral, as if he wanted nothing more in that moment than to touch me—to take me.
Do it, I thought. Right here, right now, just do it and let me have thought and reason back. Take me, dammit, and free me.
But he didn’t pull me close. Didn’t press his hands to my ass and grind his cock against my thighs. Didn’t slam me against the wall and press his mouth to mine while one hand closed tight around my breast and the other yanked up my skirt.
He did nothing but look at me—and in looking made me feel as though he’d done all those things.
He also made me feel better about the abuse I’d put my credit card through to buy this outfit. The dress was fire engine red, had a plunging neckline, and hugged every one of my curves. And while I might sometimes think that my curves were more appropriate for a 1940s film noir wardrobe, I can’t deny that I filled out the dress in a way that Cole seemed to appreciate.
I’d worn my mass of blond curls clipped up, letting a few tendrils dangle loose to frame my face. My red stilettos perfectly matched the dress and added four inches to my already ample height, putting me just about eye level with this man. If you looked up “fuck me heels” in the dictionary, a picture of these shoes would be on the page.
I wanted to stay right there, lost in the way he was looking at me.
At the same time, I wanted to run. To get away and regroup. To figure out how in hell I could manage to control a seduction when I couldn’t even control myself.
Escape won out, and I tugged gently at my arm to free it.
To my surprise, his grip tightened. I frowned at him, a little confused, a whole lot hopeful.
“I’d like to hear your thoughts.”
“My thoughts?”
“The painting,” he said. “What do you think of it?”
“Oh.” Cold disappointment washed over me. “The painting.”
I gave my arm another tug and this time, to my regret, he released me.
“You like it?”
“I love it,” I said, both automatically and truthfully. “But there’s something—I don’t know—sad about it.”
His brows lifted slightly, and for a moment I thought he looked mildly amused. As if he’d understood the punch line of a joke a few moments before I did. Except I never got there at all.
“It’s not sad?” I asked, turning back to look at the image.
“I don’t know,” he said. “Art is what you make of it. If you think it’s sad, then I suppose it is.”
“What is it to you?”
“Longing,” he said.
I turned from the painting to him, sure that my face showed my question.
“Not sadness so much as desire,” he said, as if that explained his response. “Her desires are like gemstones, and she holds them close, and each one presses sharp edges into the palm of her hand.”
I thought about that as I looked back at the painting. “Do you think that way because you are an artist? Or are you an artist because you think that way?”
He chuckled, the sound both mild and engaging. “Shit, Catalina. I don’t know. I don’t think I could separate one from the other.”
“Well, the most eloquent thing I can say is that I like it. I realize it’s not one of the featured pieces, but I hope you’re going to show more of the artist’s work. It’s compelling.” I leaned closer, looking for a signature on the canvas or an information card on the wall. I found neither. “Who’s the artist?”
“Don’t worry, blondie,” Cole said, his eyes flicking quickly to the painting. “We’ll keep him around.” Now I was certain I heard amusement in his voice, and since I wasn’t sure what the joke was, it ticked me off.
I cocked my head, feeling more in control now that he was irritating me. “Okay, tell me. What am I missing?”
He moved to step in front of me, blocking the painting. Hell, blocking everything. He filled all of my senses, making me a little drunk merely from his proximity. The sight of him before me, the scent of his cologne, all spice and wood and male. Even the echo of his voice played in my head, those radio-quality tones making me want to shiver.
I didn’t have his touch, but the sensation of his hand upon my skin still lingered, and I clung tight to the memory. And as for taste—well, a girl could only hope.
Eternity passed in the space of seconds, and when he spoke, there was a musing note to his voice, as if he were speaking more to himself than to me. “How do you do it?”
“Do what?” I asked, but by the time the words escaped my lips, the spell was broken, and it was as if he hadn’t spoken at all.
“It’s an important night for Tyler and me,” he said, his voice now tight with formality. “I’m glad you came, but I should get back to the rest of the guests.”
The abrupt change in his tone disappointed me, but I clung greedily to the words themselves, and tried to ignore the rest. He’d said I’m glad. Not we’re glad.
And I, apparently, had reached a new level of pathetic if I’d sunk so low as to be analyzing pronouns.
“I wouldn’t have missed it for the world,” I said, hoping my own voice didn’t reveal the loose grip I had on my sanity.
He flashed me that killer smile, then turned toward the main gallery. But after only two steps, he stopped, then looked back at me. “By the way, you owe me,” and this time there was no denying the humor on his face.
“Oh, really? And why is that?”
“How is it you started working here three months ago and I didn’t notice? That’s not like me at all. And, frankly, Kat, if you’d spent that much time at my side, I assure you it would have caught my attention.”
That spark of heat was back in his voice, but I barely noticed it. Instead, I’d turned a little cold. A string of curses whipped through my mind, and I had to force myself not to spit out a choice one or two.
Instead, I did what I’d been trained my whole life to do—I got my shit together and ran with it. “Oh my god, Cole, I’m so sorry. I meant to mention weeks ago that the mortgage company might be calling, but I got caught up in helping Angie with wedding prep stuff, and now I’m closing next week and I’ve been packing, and then—”
“It’s okay,” he said. “I get it.”
“It’s just that my hours at the coffee shop haven’t ever been steady, and I didn’t want the underwriting people to think I don’t have the means to make my payments.”
“It’s okay,” he repeated. “Buying a house is a very big deal. It’s cool. It’s been well over a week since they called, and I verified everything. If they haven’t requested any more information from you by now, then I’d say you’re good to go.”
He met my eyes once more, trapping me in his gaze just a little too long for comfort. Whatever humor had been in his face before had vanished. Instead, I saw only a vibrant, sensual intensity. “But like I said, you owe me.”
I swallowed, and despite the dryness in my mouth, I managed to form words. “Whatever you want,” I said, and I could only hope that he understood the full meaning of my words.
His gaze lingered a moment longer. Then he inclined his head as if in dismissal. “I’ll see you back in the main gallery.”
Once again he turned and walked away from me.
This time, he didn’t look back.
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