Kelly Oram's Blog, page 15

Meet BotBB contestant #4 Kyle Hamilton!

Today's Giveaway (2 of 2)Comment on this blog post to win an autographed poster of V is for Virgin. Winner chosen randomly and announced during the BotBB Facebook party Sun. Feb. 16th! (Giveaway is international)

Name: Kyle Edward HamiltonHair: darkEyes:greenSchool activities: was in a garage band before he dropped out senior year, Likes:music, food, women, song writing, singing, poetry, and himselfFavorite Food:In-N-Out BurgerFavorite Music:A little of everythingFavorite Movie:The GodfatherFavorite Phrase: There’s a time and a place…Why we love him: Kyle Hamilton is the kind of guy who knows what he wants and makes it happen. For him, life is passion. He throws himself heart and sole into everything he does. Rich, gorgeous, and extremely talented, Kyle can be egotistical and selfish at times, but he’ll ignite feelings of desire and vitality in you that you can’t ignore. He’ll have you swooning within seconds and you’ll never feel sexier than when he’s got all of that fierce determination focused on you.You Can Quote Me On That:

“Why?” I asked. 

Kyle’s eyes dropped briefly to the V hanging from my neck and his frown melted into a cocky smile. “I can’t resist a good challenge.” 

That’s what I thought. “Well, I’m afraid you have a problem then, Kyle.” 

“What’s that?” 

“I never back down from a challenge either.” I pointed to the jeans I was wearing. “This is one pair of pants you’ll never get into.” 

“Ah, but you still have a whole closet full of others, and at least one very sexy skirt, don’t you?” 

"You're not much for words today, Legs," he said, dropping his arm over my shoulder. 

I immediately shrugged out from under him. "I didn't realize you were interested in talking."  

"That depends on whether the conversation is stimulating or not."

"And what do you consider stimulating conversation?" 

"Well pretty much anything that's ever come out of your mouth has stimulated me on multiple levels."  

“Three point six GPA and faithful devoted boyfriend don’t exactly spell sexy rock star.”

The Top Ten Reasons Why Virgin Val Sucks 

10. She called me a one-hit-wonder. 

9. She doesn't appreciate the endearing nickname I gave her. 

8. She makes me write stupid blogs about her at four in the morning. 

7. She's encouraging people not to have sex.  

6. She blew me off when I asked her out.  

5. She has a crush on a douche bag. 

4. She won't answer any of my calls. 

3. She's such a tease with her look-but-don't-touch policy. 

2. I played a whole effing concert just for her and she didn't come even though she told me she would. (You're such a liar!) 

And the #1 reason why Virgin Val sucks? 

I still want her anyway.

The Man In Action:When I turned around, Kyle had wandered behind my booth and was sitting in my chair like he owned the place. “That’s my seat.”Kyle patted his lap. “I’m not stopping you from sitting in it.”I rolled my eyes and sat down on Cara’s chair. “Cheesy lines like that will get you exactly nowhere with me, but, by all means, keep them coming. You’re so much easier to ignore when you’re being an idiot.”“That was not me being an idiot. That was me being charming.”“Awesome. That means this little game you’re trying to play will be a piece of cake for me.”Kyle shook his head. “Admit it, you find me at least a little charming.”“I used to think you were charming,” I admitted.“Used to?”“Back when you went to Huntington.” Kyle was so surprised by this that for once he didn’t have a sarcastic comeback. “I was a freshman when you were a senior,” I explained. “I remember you.”“Really? I don’t remember you.”“You wouldn’t.” I laughed. “I didn’t grow out of that gawky adolescent stage until sophomore year. When we were at school together I was a lot shorter, with a lot less highlights and a mouthful of braces.”Kyle shuddered. “No wonder. Sounds like I probably blocked you from memory on purpose.” I surprised us both when I laughed along with him. “Did we ever meet?” Kyle asked curiously. “Not technically. You held a door open for me once when I had my hands full.”“How chivalrous of me.”“It was. You saw me carrying a stack of books so you jumped ahead of me, pulled open the door and said, ‘After you,’ with a big, sweeping bow.”“You make it sound like I was a dork.”“Are you kidding? I swooned for a year after that.”“Seriously? That made you weak in the knees? If that’s all it takes, then why are we still sitting here? Let’s go find a door already.”I laughed again and then cursed myself for it. Why was he so easy to talk to? “Back then you were charming and considerate.”“And what am I now?” Kyle asked. He still had that curious tone. I shrugged. “Arrogant and slutty.”I thought Kyle would be offended, but he burst out laughing. “Okay, I’ll grant you that. But I’m also still charming and considerate.”“You are not charming.”“Say that without smiling.”I tried to wipe the smile from my face but was unsuccessful. “Fine. You have your moments. Rarely. But considerate? That’s a stretch.”“I’m playing an entire show tonight for charity.”“Please!” I laughed. “You have ulterior motives.” “Okay, you’re right. Agreeing to play tonight was selfish, but I fixed the leak in the sprinkler system for my Grammy last week because Pops is too old to be digging in the dirt. You have to admit that’s considerate.” He gave me a hopeful look. “And a little bit sexy.”An image of Kyle, shirt off, dirty and sweaty, manhandling a shovel, all to help his Grammy and Pops entered my head. It was considerate. And a lot sexy.“You’re smiling again,” Kyle said, which, to my everlasting annoyance, only made my grin stretch wider.“Fine,” I relented. “You’re, like, two percent charming and considerate, ninety-eight percent arrogant and slutty.”“That means you like me at least two percent.”“Not the best odds, Kyle.”“You’ll be in love with me in a week.”I rolled my eyes. “Okay, my turn,” Kyle said. “Do you know what you are?” “A virgin?” I guessed dryly.Kyle laughed. “That too, but I was going to say stubborn and blunt. Which, in your case, I find extremely sexy.” One of Kyle’s hands was suddenly resting on my thigh while the other was sweeping my bangs out of my eyes. “Come out with me after the show.” Kyle’s body was doing that gravitational pull thing again. I hopped up out of my seat, fighting a wave of chills and started straightening a stack of pamphlets. “Can’t, sorry.” I tried to sound indifferent to the offer. “I have to stay until the end of the festival and then I’m on cleanup duty.”I felt a finger run down the length of my spine, and then Kyle’s breath was on my neck. I jumped when I felt his lips brush over my skin. “Let’s go out after that, then,” he said in a low voice.I whirled on him, but he didn’t back up. He planted his hands on either side of the booth, trapping me against it. I had to lean so far back to keep his lips off me that I nearly lost my footing. I scrambled to break up the moment because the look in Kyle’s eyes was doing really funny things to my insides. My hand clenched around a bracelet and I thrust it in his face. It was a simple black leather strap with a tiny A dangling from it. Perfect. “Here, why don’t you have this, Kyle? No donation necessary. Trust me, you need it.”Kyle took the bracelet and examined it for a moment while still somehow managing to keep me pinned against the counter. “Cute,” he said then traced the necklace I was wearing. “But I want this one.”I knew he was referring to my virginity, and not the actual necklace, but I couldn't help the way I clutched it protectively. “Okay, Kyle.” I gulped. “This is fun and all, but playtime’s over. I think you need to back up.”“And I think you want to kiss me.”I tried to hide the fact that my pulse had skyrocketed. I hated how my body wanted things my mind didn’t. I hated how even my brain was starting to forget what it wanted. I prayed he couldn’t read the truth in my face. “That’s because you’re arrogant,” I said.Kyle’s lips tugged up into a half smile. “Don’t forget slutty.”



Want more Kyle Hamilton?V is for Virgin may be finished, but that doesn't mean that Kyle Hamilton is anywhere near finished with "Virgin" Val Jensen! I ended the book where I felt it needed to end, but so many people have written me saying they are desperate for more that I've decided to give it to them. If Kyle is crowned King of the Book Boyfriends then I'll write a short story that starts right before the Epilogue of V is for Virgin. You'll get the last chapter of the book from Kyle's perspective and you'll get to see what happens next! (D is for Dating, R is for Romance, S is for Second Chances, V is Still for Virgin... who knows what it will be called. the possibilities are endless!)

Haven't Read the book yet? 

V is for Virgin is on sale now through the end of the Battle of the Book Boyfriends for just $.99 on AMAZON & Barnes&Noble.

Meet BotBB Contestant #3 Seth Bishop!

Today's Giveaway (1 of 2)Comment on this blog post to win an autographed poster of Serial Hottie. Winner chosen randomly and announced during the BotBB Facebook party Sun. Feb. 16th! (Giveaway is international)
Name: Seth BishopHair: darkEyes:blueSchool activities: homeschooled Likes:Boxing, UFC, Crime novels, skateboarding, video games, luxury cars, redheadsFavorite Food:SushiFavorite Music:indie and punk rockFavorite Movie:Silence of the LambsFavorite Phrase: “Oh, Ellie!” (This is accompanies with a sigh and a shake of the head)Why we love him: There’s something mysterious and even dangerous about Seth Bishop that sets your heart racing. He’s volatile and unpredictable but you know he’ll always be there whenever you need him—he has a protective streak that can’t be matched. He’s a bit socially awkward and doesn’t always say the right thing. His quirks make him vulnerable and even a little insecure, but accept him the way he is, embrace the flaws that make him unique, and he will cherish you forever. This bleeding heart romantic is just dying for a girl to give his whole heart to.You Can Quote Me On That:

"You make me uncomfortable," I blurted before I could stop myself. 

"Because of the intense attraction between us,” Seth said, one hundred percent serious. “That's natural." 

"Angela just sees what you can't for some reason," he said. 

"And what's that?" 

The corner of Seth's mouth pulled up into a smirk and he turned, angling his body toward mine in the booth. "That it's only a matter of time before I get what I want." 

“If he needs Angela to point out to him how special you are, then he doesn’t deserve you.” 

Seth took my face in his hands. “I’m going to kiss you now,” he warned me, his whisper so smooth it gave me goose bumps. “You may not like it, but I’m afraid it has to be done.” 

I couldn’t keep the smile off my face. This was so not the way I’d imagined introducing myself to her, and yet, somehow, it seemed appropriate that our first meeting involved weapons and a lot of blood.

The Man In Action:
I sat there in Seth’s arms, trying to wrap my head around the idea of him. All the things he could do. The strange, exciting, and lonely life he’s had so far. The tragic past that was somehow romantic. The most mind-blowing part of it all was the fact that he seemed to think I was the one thing he needed to make sense of it all.I understood what he meant about feeling overwhelmed.“I can’t believe you were stabbed,” I whispered, trying to come to terms with the things he’d told me tonight. “Do you have a scar?”Seth’s chest shook with silent laughter and I was reminded of Eric Sherman in biology class. Unlike my old lab partner, Seth didn’t seem bothered by my morbidness. He also, apparently, wasn’t bothered with nakedness, since he said, “It’s not very impressive,” and pulled his shirt off quicker than you could say “rock-hard abs.”Sure, I’d seen Seth shirtless once or twice, but the first time I was suffering from a concussion, and the other times had been from, like, fifty yards away through my bedroom window. This—having him here in my room, on my bed, in the middle of the night—was completely different. I sucked in a breath and tried not to stare.“See?” Seth said, running his fingers over a small faded pink line.“Wow, that’s really it?” I said when I finally noticed the mark. If he hadn’t pointed it out I might not have seen it. It made sense now why I hadn’t noticed it before. “I was expecting something more deadly looking.”Seth laughed. “I told you it wasn’t impressive. The knife wasn’t very big, and it’s really faded over the years. You can still sort of feel it, though.”I reached out automatically, but realized what I was doing before my hand touched his skin and pulled back my fingers.“It’s okay,” he said.I wasn’t about to just, you know, touch him, so he picked up my hand and placed it over the scar.“So close to your heart,” I whispered in a shaky voice. I could feel his heart beating rapidly beneath my fingers. I couldn’t imagine someone pushing a blade into it. Making it stop. Killing him. “I’m glad they missed,” I admitted.When I mindlessly began brushing my fingers back and forth across the raised surface of Seth’s skin his breath caught, and he grabbed hold of my hand. “Ellie,” he said, shaking off a wave of chills. “Be my girlfriend.”“W-what?”I scrambled all the way to the other side of the bed as far as I could. He didn’t try to stop me, but when I looked back his eyes were hungrier than I’d ever seen them, and his chest was heaving like he was having a hard time holding air in his lungs. He swallowed hard.“I need you to be mine. I can’t handle this chasing you around nonsense anymore. These moments we have, where it feels like I almost have you but I’m always wondering what you’re thinking and waiting for you to run from me? I can’t take it. It’s time for this to be a real relationship.”“I… Um… I don’t…”“Yes, you do.”“Let me think about it.”Seth shook his head and crawled toward me. “I’m not giving you a choice here,” he said, coming to a stop just a couple inches from my face.“You’re not?” I asked stupidly. So much for all that fight he said I had.Seth shook his head again and closed the distance between us. “I’ll be good to you, though,” he said against my lips.I couldn’t have argued with him even if I’d wanted to. Which, lets face it, I didn’t.He kissed me lightly at first, but the instant I kissed him back he threw his weight into it. I had to wrap my arms around his neck to keep from falling backward off the bed, and that was that. I was on my back pinned beneath Seth’s full weight. Only this time I wasn’t scared he was going to kill me. I was worried he was going to try and teach me about a whole lot more than just making out.“Seth,” I gasped once he finally gave me a chance to get a breath.He moved his mouth to my neck, and don’t get me wrong, I liked it. I liked it a lot. But I hadn’t even been his girlfriend for like thirty seconds yet and something told me Seth needed, if anything, less encouragement than I’d already given him. I pushed him back a little and tried again. “Seth, wait. Stop.”“Sorry,” Seth said, snapping out of it somewhat. He brought his lips back to mine for another kiss and then said, “I’m sorry. You’re right. You’re not ready for that yet.”“No. No, I’m not,” I agreed quickly before I could change my mind. Then, for my own benefit I added, “Not for a long time.”“All right,” Seth said with a laugh. “Don’t worry, I’m stopping.”He rolled off of me then and pulled me so my back was against his chest, somehow molding his body around mine. “How about this?” he asked in a teasing voice. “Can you handle at least this?”Are you kidding? I’d never felt anything more comfortable in my life. “Yes, this I can do,” I said, already half asleep. It was nearly two a.m. after all, and I’m more of an early-to-bed, early-to-rise kind of girl.“Actually, I could get used to this.” Now that I wasn’t worried about anything anymore, sleep was taking over so fast I was already practically in a state of delirium. “This is nice. There should be a name for this.”“Spooning.” Seth chuckled.“Huh?”“It’s called spooning.”“Spooning. I like spooning. Wow, I need to shut-up before you change your mind about me.”Seth laughed again. “Get some sleep, Ellie,” he said. So I did.


Want more Seth Bishop?Seth may have already told you about the first time he saw Ellie, and the first time he met her, but there are plenty of other firsts he'd love to tell you about. The first time she rejected him, the first time she kissed him, the first time she punched him... If Seth is crowned king I will write a compilation of my favorite scenes from Serial Hottie all from Seth's perspective.

Haven't Read the book yet? 
Serial Hottie is on sale now through the end of the Battle of the Book Boyfriends for just $.99 on AMAZON & Barnes&Noble.

BotBB: Kiss Contest & Book Giveaway!

Happy wednesday Everyone! The battle is in full swing and those votes are starting to come in. Right now Kyle and Ryan are neck and neck! Will they be able to stay on top? And who will pull it out in the end? I am having a blast with this and I hope you are too! Thanks to everyone who is participating. I love you all! Now, on to todays main event!


Today's Event: 
Today our boys are going to battle it out for BEST KISS! That's right it's a Battle of the BOok Boyfriends KISS CONTEST!

I've pulled a kiss from each book for each BotBB contestant and now it's time for you to cast your vote! Whichever boy has the most votes at the end of the battle of the book boyfriends will totally kiss and tell! (I'll write the winning scene from the kissing champ's POV.)

CLICK HERE to read and vote on your favorite kiss!

Today's Giveaway:
Today's giveaway is a facebook giveaway. Like the post about the kiss contest on my author facebook page and leave a comment and you'll automatically be entered to win signed copies of both Being Jamie Baker & More Than Jamie Baker.  Good luck!
CLICK HEREto enter the KISS CONTEST facebook giveaway!

Meet BotBB Contestant #2 Russ Devereaux!

Today's Giveaway (one of them)Comment on this blog post to win an autographed poster of Ungifted. Winner chosen randomly and announced during the BotBB Facebook party Sun. Feb. 16th! (Giveaway is international)
Name: Russell Alexander DevereauxHair: Light brownEyes: blueSchool activities: noneLikes: movies, swimming, pulling pranks, Enchanted Cosmetics beauty products. (not the make-up, but the lotions, moisturizers, exfoliating scrubs, facemasks, bronzers…)Favorite Food: ManicottiFavorite Music: AlternativeFavorite Movie: Star Wars (eposodes 4,5 & 6 only!)Favorite Phrase: “I told you so.”Why we love him: Bold and daring, defiant and confident, this powerful mischief-maker is almost irresistible. A little vain and used to getting his way, he can be high-maintenance at times, but he’s worth his occasional temper tantrums. This lovable and loyal snarky guy doesn’t let people in easily, but when his walls do come down he holds nothing back. Russ Devereaux will give ever piece of himself to you, so be careful not to break him. You Can Quote Me On That:

Gabriel’s face paled a little. “Steal a car? Are you sure that is a wise plan?” 

“What’s the matter, Gabe?” Russ asked. “I would think you were right at home with larceny considering you already stole my girl.” ~Chameleon

“He made his choice, Dani, and he didn’t help us escape because he hates you.” Russ frowned. “Actually it was pretty awesome of him. I have to admit I didn’t think he had the balls. Damn it all if I’m not impressed with the guy right now.” 

I feigned a heart attack. “Why, Russ. Was that—did you just say something nice about Gabriel?” 

“Of course, he’s acting like a total pansy about it. If it were me, I’d have played it off as a romantic gesture and used it to get you into the sack.” ~Chameleon

“You’re supposed to be invisible right now.” 

He stepped back and studied me a moment, his arms folded across his chest. After a minute of serious scrutiny, he held his hands out in my direction and whispered something in Latin. He was putting a spell on me. 

When nothing happened again I said, “And now?” 

“Now you should be naked.” 

I gasped. 

“Kidding,” he said, but from the smile on his face I’m not sure he was. ~Ungifted 

“Patience, young grasshopper,” he teased. “Good things come to those who wait.” 

I smiled at the cliché. “How very wise of you.” 

Russ shrugged. “I eat a lot of fortune cookies.”  ~Ungifted

The Man In Action…
“C’mon,” Russ said. “Let’s go swimming.”“What, right now?”Russ ripped his shirt over his head. “The water will stay warm,” he promised.“What are we supposed to do, swim in our underwear?”Apparently that was exactly what we were supposed to do, because Russ stripped down to his boxers and dove into the water. When he surfaced I said, “I am not stripping down to my undies with you.”“It’s not like you haven’t before. Remember when we were four and my dad got us that Slip n’ Slide? You had no problem stripping down then.”“I didn’t have boobs then.”“You still don’t.” My jaw dropped. “Dani, things have been so stressful this week. I know you. You’ll feel better if you do something crazy.” Russ turned his back to me. “Come on. No one’s looking.”I couldn’t believe I was letting him talk me in to it, but I hurriedly took my shirt and pants off and dove in the water. It felt amazing.“I’m impressed! I didn’t think you’d go for it.” Russ said when I poked my head above the surface. I made sure the water line never dropped below my shoulders.“You were right,” I said. “I really need to de-stress.”Russ swam over until he was standing a foot in front of me. He dropped his playful attitude and looked way too serious all of the sudden. “It’s going to be okay. I’m going to be here with you every step of the way. I’ll do whatever you need me to. Even if that’s forcing you to strip down to your skivvies and jump in a lake.” He winked and cracked a smile, but sobered up almost immediately. “I mean it,” he said. “Whatever you need.”Ha! If he only knew what I felt like I needed right then. Or...maybe he did. Somehow Russ was only centimeters from me now, though I hadn’t noticed him move closer. I could feel the heat coming off his body. I felt that magical pull stirring inside me, driving me mad with the desire to touch him, to run my fingers over his bare chest.As if he could read my mind, Russ slid his hand around my waist and pulled me tightly against him. When I gasped he snaked his other arm around me and locked me in his grip knowing I’d try to escape. My attempt to put some distance between us was a pathetic one, and it only encouraged him.“I don’t get it Russ,” I breathed, fighting off a shiver.“What’s not to get?” Russ moved his hands up my back, pinning our bodies together. “I can’t really make it any more obvious.”I panicked. “This isn’t us. We’re best friends. You’ve never once....” My voice trailed off when I felt my cheeks turning red. “I didn’t think you wanted this. Like I was born into the wrong family, remember?”Russ’s grip tightened the tiniest bit. “I hate when you and Dad joke about that. You are not my sister.”“Then why didn’t you ever say anything?”“I’m not human, Dani. There was so much of me I had to keep hidden from you. My dad always says it wasn’t the magic that my mom couldn’t handle. He said she was strong enough. He said she would have been the one in a thousand if he hadn’t lied to her for so long. But he never gave her a choice to be a part of our world. By the time she knew it existed she was already tied to it. She was already married to my dad. She already had a son who wasn’t human. I couldn’t do that to you. I wasn’t going to get into a relationship if I couldn’t be myself with you.”The moment felt completely surreal because even though I’d never really thought about there being an “us” before, it still felt like I’d waited my whole life to hear him say all these things. I felt a warmth inside me that was different from the energy I’d been feeling lately, and I relaxed.“What made you finally decide to tell me?”“I always thought it was better to have you as a friend than tell you the truth and risk losing you, but I can’t be just your friend anymore. It’s killing me.” Russ dropped his voice to a whisper and it shook slightly. “Dani you have to know that I’m as drawn to you as you are to me. I may have settled down since coming into my power, but I still crave you.”“This....” Russ put his fingertips on my cheek and dragged them down my neck, then brushed them back and forth along the length of my collarbone. It was too much to handle. My breath caught in my lungs and I started to tremble.“The chance to touch you like this,” Russ said, “in a way that could never be mistaken for friendship, it’s all I ever think about anymore.”
Want more Russ Devereaux?Book three in the Supernaturals series may be told from Russ's point of view, but that's still a long wait from now. If Russ is crowned king of the book boyfriends, I'll write a compilation of my favorite scenes from both Chameleon and Ungifted told from his perspective. Russ goes through quite a lot in these first two supernatural adventures, and believe me, the man has plenty to say about a lot of it.

Haven't Read the book yet? 
Chameleon (Supernaturals #1) is on sale now through the end of the Battle of the Book Boyfriends for just $.99 on AMAZON & Barnes&Noble.

Look for Ungifted (Supernaturals #2) in both paperback and ebook February 25th!

Meet BotBB Contestant #1 Ryan Miller!

Today's Giveaway! (one of them)Comment on this blog post to win an autographed poster of Being Jamie Baker. Winner chosen randomly and announced during the BotBB Facebook party Sun. Feb. 16th! (Giveaway is international)


Name: Ryan Miller
Hair: blondeEyes:blueSchool activities: Varsity Footabll (quarterback), Homecoming KingLikes:hanging out with friends, movies, water sports, and he secretly likes doing yoga with his mother, though he denies it even to himself.Favorite Food:PizzaFavorite Music:Top 40 PopFavorite Movie:The Jason Bourne moviesFavorite Phrase: “Look on the bright side…”Why we love him: He’s charming, confident, laid back, unnaturally optimistic, a little bit cocky, and a little bit corny. Ryan Miller is the most laid back, easygoing guy you’ll ever meet. This genuinely nice guy is unnaturally optimistic. He’s charming, confident, gorgeous, and has a knack for always getting what he wants. What’s his secret? Optimism and tenacity. He may be a little corny at times but he’s never short on affection. Ryan Miller will make you feel like the sun rises and sets with you.You Can Quote Me On That:

“Life’s generally not so bad—most people just choose to see the negative.”~Being Jamie Baker

“Did you ever consider the possibility that I’m not interested? That maybe I just don’t like you that way?” 

Ryan looked at me like I’d just said the impossible. “What’s not to like?”
~Being Jamie Baker

“Hey, I can’t be good-looking and a genius. Wouldn’t want all the girls in school to fight over me or anything." 

“Oh please! They all do that already, and you know you love it.” 

“Okay, fine, maybe I do.” Ryan chuckled. But then his face became completely serious. “But it’s really frustrating that the one girl in school who doesn’t need to fight for me won’t even get in the ring.” 

Okay, he did not just make me blush with a lame sports metaphor. What is wrong with me?~Being Jamie Baker

“I’ve known I was ready to spend the rest of my life with you for a long time, Jamie. I was only waiting for your stubborn butt to realize it, too.”~More Than Jamie Baker

“Word of advice? Don’t disappoint Jamie. It can be hazardous to your health.” 

Teodoro raised a curious brow. “Speaking from experience?” 

“Hardly. Jamie’s way too smitten to ever be disappointed in anything I do.”~More Than Jamie Baker

The Man In Action:

I tried to smile appreciatively, but I don’t think I accomplished it, and things got really quiet. Awkwardly quiet this time. Thank goodness Ryan’s unusually perky because he successfully changed the subject and managed to bring back the light mood as well. “So, tell me what it feels like to be crowned since now, thanks to you, I’ll never know.”Two seconds ago I was wallowing in the memory of the single worst moment of my life, and here, with one little comment, Ryan had me smiling again. How does he do that?I didn’t exactly know how to answer his question, so I went to my closet, pulled the stupid tiara from the old shoebox I kept it in, and joined him on the bed again. “It feels kind of like this,” I said, and placed the crown on his head.Ryan feigned a look of surprise and wiped away fake tears as he spouted thank-yous to an imaginary audience. When he tried to wave, though, I absolutely had to step in. “No, no, no, no! A beauty queen is all about poise and grace.” I sat up very straight as I proceeded to show him the trademark Miss America wave.“All I need is the dress,” Ryan said as he diligently tried to copy my perfect wave.He looked so ridiculous that I actually burst out laughing. It was the first time I had laughed an honest-to- goodness laugh since the accident, and it felt surprisingly good. “That can be arranged,” I said.“You still have the dress?” “It’s a gown, and yes, it’s hanging in the closet.” “Well, what are you waiting for? Go put it on. I want to see Miss Sweet Corn in all her glory.” It was the strangest thing, but I was actually having fun for the first time in I don’t know how long, and when Ryan asked me to put my dress on, I didn’t even think twice about it. I grabbed the dress, dashed into my bathroom, and came back a few minutes later in the baby blue silk that won me my crown over a year ago. I pulled the sash over my chest and took a spin. “What do you think?”“I think I feel sorry for any girl that had to compete against you.”Ryan pulled the tiara off his head and gently placed it on mine. “It looks much better on you,” he said, and then stepped back to get a good look at me.I was surprised by all the butterflies I had in my stomach as Ryan looked me over. He was obviously a little enamored, and I blushed under his gaze. I think he was glad to see it because he grinned and then rather boldly pulled me into his arms. “What do you know?” he whispered in a tone that instantly turned the playful atmosphere to something much more intense. “It looks like I’m going to get my dance after all.”I may be the poster child for Marvel Comics, but at that moment as he began to dance with me, I was completely powerless to stop him. I wondered for a brief second if maybe my parents were right. What if Ryan really was good for me? Right then I felt normal. I felt better than normal. I felt accepted, wanted. It felt so right to be in his arms. I didn’t say anything, just stood there feeling a little overwhelmed, and the next thing I knew, his lips were almost touching mine.I’d be lying if I said I didn’t want to kiss him again, and both of us knew it.

Want more of Ryan Miller? If you've read More Than Jamie Baker already, then you probably have lots of questions. :) If Ryan is crowned King, I'll write a short story (possibly novella length) from his perspective that picks up right where Jamie 2 ends! Ryan will have an adventure of his own in Missing Jamie Baker! I'll also do the cover reveal for Remember Jamie Baker (the final book in the Jamie Baker series)
Haven't read the books yet? 

Both books on sale now through the end of the Battle of the Book Boyfriends for just $.99 each at AMAZON & Barnes&Noble

Welcome to the Battle of the Book Boyfriends!

So, as I hope you've heard, all this week the main squeezes from my books will be battling it out to earn the title King of the Book Boyfriends! Come back to KellyOram.com every day and visit the attle Of the Book Boyfriends Facebook page for in-depth profiles on each boy, fun games, and lots and lots of prizes! Then, make sure to vote for your favorite boy!


AND HERE'S YOUR CHANCE TO WIN STUFF!
One of the awesome things about the Battle of the Book Boyfriends is that there will be tons of opportunities to win stuff!  There will be a different giveaway EVERY DAY during the Battle of the Book Boyfriends! Visit daily on KellyOram.com as well as the Battle of the Book Boyfriends Facebook Page for more chances to score books, posters, bookmarks, and "Virgin Val" charm necklaces!


Whoever wins the crown at the end of the battle will get his chance to speak up for a change! Thats right, I'll write either a short story or a compilation of scenes from the winner's book all from his point of view!

What stories you ask? Well, let me tell you, as this might just sway your vote!


Contestant # 1 Ryan Miller -- Being Jamie Baker, More Than Jamie Baker.

If you've read More Than Jamie Baker already, then you probably have lots of questions. :) If Ryan is crowned King, I'll write a short story (possibly novella length) from his perspective that picks up right where Jamie 2 ends! Ryan will have an adventure of his own in Missing Jamie Baker! I'll also do the cover reveal for Remember Jamie Baker (the final book in the Jamie Baker series)


Contestant # 2 Russ Devereaux -- Chameleon, Ungifted

Book three in the Supernaturals series may be told from Russ's point of view, but that's still a long wait from now. If Russ is crowned king of the book boyfriends, I'll write a compilation of my favorite scenes from both Chameleon and Ungifted told from his perspective. Russ goes through quite a lot in these first two supernatural adventures, and believe me, the man has plenty to say about a lot of it.


Contestant # 3 Seth Bishop -- Serial Hottie

Seth may have already told you about the first time he saw Ellie, and the first time he met her, but there are plenty of other firsts he'd love to tell you about. The first time she rejected him, the first time she kissed him, the first time she punched him... If Seth is crowned king I will write a compilation of my favorite scenes from Serial Hottie all from Seth's perspective.


Contestant # 4 Kyle Hamilton -- V is for Virgin

V is for Virgin may be finished, but that doesn't mean that Kyle Hamilton is anywhere near finished with "Virgin" Val Jensen! I ended the book where I felt it needed to end, but so many people have written me saying they are desperate for more that I've decided to give it to them. If Kyle is crowned King of the Book Boyfriends then I'll write a short story that starts right before the Epilogue of V is for Virgin. You'll get the last chapter of the book from Kyle's perspective and you'll get to see what happens next! (D is for Dating, R is for Romance, S is for Second Chances, V is Still for Virgin... who knows what it will be called. the possibilities are endless!)


Contestant # 5 Gabriel (No Last Name Needed) -- Chameleon

Gabriel may be the type of guy to normally stand strong and silent in the background, but just because he's quiet doesn't mean he's not full of thoughts. We know Dani had quite the adventure in Chameleon, but in a way everything was just as crazy for the lovable, sheltered Seer. If Gabriel is crowned king of the book boyfriends, I'll write a compilation of my favorite Gabriel scenes (and possibly a scene or two that weren't in the book) from Chameleon and you'll finally get a better idea of what Gabriel thought of the hurricane of a girl who burst into his life kicking and screaming, and what it was like to fall in love for the first time.

Contestant # 6 Grayson Kennedy -- The Avery Shaw Experiment

I know you've already read half a book from Grayson's point of view in The Avery Shaw Experiment, and got a peek in his journals during the Avery Shaw Diaries blog tour, but can you really ever get enough of Grayson Kennedy? He certainly doesn't think so. Grayson's Science Club days may be over, but that doesn't mean he's finished with Avery Shaw! If Grayson is crowned king of the book boyfriends, he's promised to share with you a short story from his college days. College life is demanding on his time and he doesn't get to see Avery near as often as he'd like, but that just means the time they do get to spend together has to be that much more epic.


Today's Awesome Activity Figure out which Book Boyfriend is right for you. Take the quiz and figure out which contestant is most likely to make you swoon!


Today's GiveawayToday's giveaway is a facebook giveaway. Head over to the Battle of the Book Boyfriends facebook page for a chance to win a signed Kelly Oram book of your choice!

And hey, why not, I'm curious to see who you all get on the quiz, so, take the quiz and tell me in the comments on this blog post who you got and you'll be entered to win some bookmarks. 

Battle of the Book Boyfriends Dating Horror Stories Contest!

CALLING ALL DATING HORROR STORIES!!!!

Have you had bad luck with romance in the past? Now's your chance to get not just one, but THREE swoon-worthy guys to be your Valentine this year! Enter your dating horror story in the Battle of the Book Boyfriends Dating Horror Stories Contest and you could win the Kelly Oram Contemporary collection. (Signed paperbacks, contest is international)

 
In case you haven't heard yet, this February I will be working hard to help you find the perfect book boyfriend to be your Valentine!

As the leading guys from all of my books duke it out in a battle to be crowned King of the Book Boyfriends, all of you will have the chance to swoon, fall in love, and maybe even take some of these yummy guys home with you!Throughout the Battle there will be lots and lots of opportunity to win stuff! I'll be giving away lots of signed books, posters, bookmarks, "Virgin Val" charm necklaces, and more signed books!  AND RIGHT NOW IS YOUR FIRST CHANCE TO WIN!

Every day from Feb. 10th through Feb. 16th, I will personally introduce you to all of the Kelly Oram boys and they will be featured on different blogs across the blogosphere. There will also be a different chance to win every single day by participating in quizzes, contests, polls and more! And we'll end with a twitter party on the 16th where I'll announce the giveaway winners and crown the official King Of The Book Boyfriends! The King will win the opportunity to be the superstar for once. (Meaning I will write a collection of scenes or short stories from the King's POV.

Plus, Valentines weekend (Friday-Sunday Feb 14th-16th) All of my ebooks will be on sale for just $0.99 each! If you haven't had the chance to read them yet, now's your chance to get them cheap! Gotta love cheap books! (Especially if you're a readaholic like me and spend the majority of your paycheck on books.)


For more details about the Battle of the Book Boyfriends click the image below to get the full event schedule.





BotBB Dating Horror Story Contest info:
How to enter: It's simple. Have a dating horror story? Email it to me at kellyoramwrites@gmail.com with the subject Dating Horror Story. Anyone who sends a story will receive some signed bookmarks just for entering, and then I'll select my favorite stories to be finalists. All finalist entries will be posted on my blog during the Battle of the Book Boyfriends. (Entrants will be kept anonymous, of course.) Then I'll put it up to the readers to vote for the best one. The winner will receive the a signed paperback collection of my contemporary works. (Serial Hottie, V is for Virgin, The Avery Shaw Experiment.) 
Last day to enter is Thursday Feb. 13th. Finalists will be announced on Valentine's Day. Again, this contest is international. Have fun and good luck!  :) 

The First Time Ryan Says, “I love you.” (Ryan POV)

The First Time Ryan Says, “I love you.” (Ryan POV)I don’t mean to brag or anything, but, Jamie Baker, world’s only superhero and hottest girl in the known universe? Yeah, she’s my girlfriend.Not that she accepted this label gracefully, or anything. It took me weeks to wear her down, and when she finally relented she used the word stupid and was sort of yelling at me. In fact, I think she might have only agreed to it because she was sick of me hounding her. But whatever, the specifics are irrelevant. The important thing is that she’s my girlfriend now.I kept waiting for her to try and take it back, but every time I saw her between classes she surprised me by looking as happy as I felt. Seeing Jamie smile, and knowing I was the reason for that smile, was enough to make me die happy. Which, considering my girlfriend has deadly powers that have a tendency to prove unstable at times, is a legitimate possibility. Not nearly as big of a possibility as Jamie likes to think it is, but enough that I have to be careful. Still. Jamie is worth the risk.I think I was literally high on hormones—or pheromones or whatever—all day because nothing could dampen my mood. Nothing. Half the school was mad at me, including my two best friends, but I didn’t care. Nothing mattered except that Jamie was back from wherever she’d disappeared to, she was safe, and she was mine. FINALLY.I’ll admit I spent the morning in my own little Jamie Baker world but even I couldn’t ignore the static in the atmosphere when Jamie and I entered the cafeteria as a couple at lunch. I knew people would whisper and stare, but I refused to let it get to me.I was proud of Jamie regardless of whether or not the rest of the student body understood her, and I was determined to let everyone know that. As we walked through the lunch line, my arm securely—and obviously—around her waist, I met as many curious gazes as I could with reassuring smiles. That’s the only reason I noticed the girl in front of me slip in time to catch her.“Thanks,” she said a little breathlessly as I set her back on her feet.“It was my pleasure,” I said, still a little giddy from my awesome Jamie-is-my-girlfriend high. “I’m a quarterback, you know? I never get to catch.”The girl laughed until something caught her eye and her face went instantly white. When I followed her gaze she was looking at Jamie. I had to hold back laughter when I realized what the problem was.In making myself Jamie’s boyfriend I’d basically stamped CAUTION: PROPERTY OF THE ICE QUEEN on my forehead. I was more than okay with that, but it did make me somewhat unapproachable now. I mean, people may not have known all the different ways Jamie could kill them without even trying, but they still knew better than to mess with—or flirt with—the Ice Queen’s boyfriend.Not that Jamie would actually hurt them. In fact, I doubted she’d even care about the flirting. Jealousy didn’t seem her style. But I was the only one who knew that. As proof of that, the girl who’d just fallen into my arms mumbled a quick, “Sorry,” Jamie’s direction and then practically sprinted back to her seat.Jamie and I both laughed a little as we sat down. “Poor thing,” Jamie said, snickering.“Yeah. I remember the first time I had to interact with you. It’s pretty scary.”“Oh yeah, I’m sure you were real terrified as you were asking me to make out with you,” Jamie said sarcastically. “But that’s not what I meant.”What else could she have meant? Jamie laughed at my confusion and then nodded her head toward the girl we’d just scared off. “That poor girl just slipped on potato salad and fell in love forever.”I rolled my eyes when I got her meaning, but as I cut a glance back to the girl in question she was watching me with a dreamy expression. It was true. Jamie noticed my smirk so I said, “She’ll be over it by the end of lunch.”Jamie laughed. “Right. Just like Amy Jones got over it? Or like Paige will ever be over it? You do realize you could have your pick of any of them, right?”“Yeah, I know,” I admitted, smiling to myself because Jamie completely missed the fact that I already had taken my pick of all of them. I picked her.And I got her.“So why me?” Jamie asked. “If any girl in this school would go out with you, and all of them would have given you less trouble about it than I did, and none of them risk killing you if you get too close, why go through all the trouble?”It was baffling to me that Jamie could honestly not know the answer to this. Once we got her powers under control, my next job as Boyfriend was going to have to be to make her understand how amazing she is.“That’s easy,” I explained. I didn’t even have to think about it. “Because you kissed me that day.”I had no clue why she was so appalled by that response, but she clearly was.“Because I kissed you?” she asked. It was practically a screech. “Seriously? You only like me because I’m a good kisser?”I almost laughed at her misunderstanding, but it was more fun to let her go on with her rant.“That’s it,” she said. “We’re not doing this. I’m not letting you risk your life just because you can’t think with your upstairs brain.”Now I did laugh. I couldn’t help it. “No, you twit,” I teased. “Because you kissed me that day. I expected the ice queen and got a funny, go-with-the-flow girl that didn’t care what anyone thought about her. A girl willing to stir up gossip just so that I could win a date with someone else.“You didn’t have to help me. In fact, you probably should have been insulted, but you weren’t. You kissed me, you smiled, and then you wished me luck. No one’s ever surprised me like that. I couldn’t figure out why you did it, and I just had to get to know you after that.”I took a breath. Somewhere in the middle of that speech I’d stopped messing around. I wasn’t teasing anymore. I think it was the genuine shock in her expression that was sending my brain into overdrive. It was like she was only just now realizing that I liked her. I resisted the urge to sigh.There’s a difference between vulnerability and a lack of confidence. When Jamie looks at me all vulnerable like and silently says, “Here’s my heart, please don’t break it,” I could seriously die. But I hate her insecurity. I understand where it comes from—it’s got to be hard being so different from everyone else—but I don’t like it. It makes me sad.On the bright side, I had from now until forever to help her see herself correctly, because now that she’d agreed to a relationship I wasn’t going anywhere.“After that day,” I said, suddenly serious, and desperate. My heart was pounding and there was adrenaline pumping through me that hadn’t been there minutes before. I had to make her understand.“Every time I was with you I got glimpses of the real Jamie, the one who is dying to break out, and she was this fun, relaxed, smart, funny, caring girl. Finding out the truth about you only made you that much more incredible. You’re so strong. You’ve gone through so much, you’re going through so much, but you never stop trying. You’re amazing.”She wouldn’t look at me, so I lifted her chin. The second our eyes met, I knew. I knew because of the complete serenity that suddenly washed over me. We were in the cafeteria, but we may as well have been in Gene’s Zen garden because no one and nothing else existed except for one simple truth.“I love you, Jamie Baker.”I’d never said those words before. Not in the sense that I’d just used them. I’d told my family I loved them, and Becky, but that was different.I always thought I’d be scared to say it the first time, but the moment I’d realized it was true I had to tell her. I wanted her to know. Needed her to know. It didn’t even matter if she didn’t love me back yet.I watched Jamie’s eyes gloss over with a layer of moisture, and waited, heart in hand, for her to respond.I had no expectations from her, because I hadn’t expected to tell her I loved her, but she still surprised me by throwing herself at me in almost the exact same fashion as she’d done the first time we met. We were even in almost the exact same spot, with the entire school was watching the spectacle. And just like the first time we met, that kiss blew me away.Jamie hadn’t returned the words, but the love was there, in that kiss. I could feel it. I loved Jamie and she loved me. I knew it, and I was pretty sure she knew it. And I was going to have fun getting her to admit it.

"The Superkiss" from Ryan’s POV

"The Superkiss" from Ryan’s POV
As I waited for Jamie to come back with lunch, I took one last sniff of myself. I was all zesty-fresh. After her comment about her heightened sense of smell I’d scrubbed every inch of me twice, had a heyday with the mouthwash, and splashed the tiniest molecule of cologne on. I’d probably be paranoid about how I smelled for the rest of my life now.A minute later pepperoni, onions, and garlic overpowered the scent of Irish Spring. Jamie was back, and the pizza she set down in front of me looked and smelled like a work of art. Where in the world had she found this? Definitely not here. I would know if pizza like this existed anywhere even close to the Sacramento metro area.“I’m telling you, best pizza in the country,” Jamie said, smiling proudly at my obvious excitement.“This looks amazing! Where did you get this from?”“This little town in Illinois.”I blinked. Did she just say Illinois? “You mean that state clear on the East Coast?”“Well, technically it’s the Midwest. Did you sleep through geography too?”I was too stunned to care where the state of Illinois fell on a map. “Whatever. I just meant that it’s not exactly around the corner.”I picked up a slice of pizza. I was almost afraid to eat it because the thought that it had been cooked a thousand miles away seemed to make it priceless. But it looked seriously good, so I got over the shock and just enjoyed the fact that dating Jamie Baker had some sweet perks.I couldn’t stop thinking about the impossibility of Jamie as I ate slice after slice of her Illinois pizza. By my fourth piece I simply had to voice my amazement. “I can’t believe you just went all the way to Illinois.”“It is kind of surreal sometimes when I think about what I can do.”Kind of surreal? That’s an understatement if I’ve ever heard one. If only I could do the things she could.“I wish I had powers too. How much fun would it be if I could just go tromping around the country on a whim and still be back in time for dinner? I’d be at Miami Beach all the time. Or New York.”My mind drifted off into a hundred different possibilities—places I could go with Jamie if I had powers too. Things we could do together. And it was all be that much more exciting because it would be our little—okay huge—secret. I wonder if I could get my hands on a radioactive spider.I was imagining us alone on a beach in Cabo by the time Jamie pulled me from my daydream.“What?” I asked.Her cheeks instantly went bright red. Could it be that she was mentally on that beach in Cabo with me? Before I could ask her what color her bikini was, she cleared her throat and said, “If I could take you anywhere with me, I’d take you to the Grand Canyon, not New York. Best sunsets on the planet.”Not a beach in Cabo, but still. I’d take it. In fact, the Grand Canyon had never sounded so good to me. Romantic sunsets, a billion stars in the sky, me, Jamie, and not another soul around for miles and miles… Hey, she could even still wear the bikini if she wanted. I wouldn’t discourage her.“We’ll plan a trip sometime.” I was already hashing out the details in my brain. “You’ll just have to go by plane like us mere mortals.”She groaned, and I laughed. I knew she’d appreciate that one. “Like you mortals?” she said. “Oh, please! Shut up and eat that last piece.”I have to tease her about the superpower thing as much as possible because to her being different the way she is feels like the end of the world. But it’s not really. If I had a truckload of toxic waste to douse myself in, I’d juice myself with some power lines in a heartbeat just to prove it to her.“Can I ask you a question?” I blurted suddenly.“Sure.”There was one thing that had always bothered me about Jamie’s story, and every time I considered finding a vat of toxic waste to bathe in I felt desperate to ask it. Apparently now was the time. “But you have to promise not to freak out.” This conversation was sure to upset her, but it was too late now.“Okay,” she said slowly.I kicked myself. I’d already put her on edge and I hadn’t even asked the question yet. “I was just wondering…” Suddenly I wasn’t sure I could ask.“Yeah?”“Well, I was just thinking about how you got your powers.”“And?”I gulped. How exactly is the best way to bring up the subject of her dead boyfriend? “I was just wondering why… Derek”—it was hard to say the guy’s name—“didn’t end up like you.”My stomach turned to knots as I watched the blood drain from Jamie’s face. “I don’t mean to pry,” I said gently. “It’s just that, well, if it was the waste from the truck combined with the electricity that gave you your powers, then shouldn’t Derek have gotten them too, instead of… you know…”My voice trailed off. I hated bringing up such a painful memory. The last thing I ever wanted to do was hurt her, but it just didn’t make any sense, and if we really wanted to get to the truth behind her powers, then I needed to know.Jamie looked terrified, but she’s tough and I knew she could handle it so I waited expectantly and was eventually rewarded.“Derek wasn’t in the car when the truck hit me. He wasn’t sprayed with the chemicals, just electrocuted.”I guess it made sense why he didn’t get powers then, but I was still confused. “What was he doing if he wasn’t in the car with you? Where was he?”“We were coming back from this place we liked to go to sometimes.  An old bridge over a big irrigation canal hidden in the middle of a cornfield.”My thoughts came to an abrupt stop. I felt like I’d just taken a baseball bat to the gut. She’d been out in the middle of a cornfield with the guy? Alone?“It’s a nice quiet place for stargazing.”I’ll bet it was. And I’ll bet this Derek guy was paying really close attention to all those stars.She said something else then. Something about beating him back to the car, but I was having a hard time paying attention because another thought had now occurred to me. Exactly how far had she gone with her last boyfriend?I’d always assumed Jamie was somewhere on the pure side of the scale—not, you know, as white as snow or anything considering how she’d straddled my lap and kissed me senseless in front of the entire school—but she was shy enough with me that I doubted she’d been much further than a good makeout session.Jealousy is a rare feeling for me. I was caught off guard by the severity of it, and I really didn’t like it. It seemed stupid to be jealous of a dead guy, but Jamie was really, really broken up over him, and if she’d been sneaking off to cornfields with him...Had Jamie actually loved Derek? Had she given herself to him? If so, that sucked. It was bad enough having to compete with a ghost, but if their connection had been that deep, then she was a lot more hurt than I realized, and all my attempts to push her into a relationship with me were probably only making things worse.For a moment I felt completely sick to my stomach. What if she couldn’t get past him? What if there was no way to win her heart? What if her heart was too broken?I was working up the courage to ask her if she’d loved Derek when she broke the silence. “Can I ask you a question?”I was surprised by the request, and so relieved to be stopped from asking what was probably the stupidest question I could ask that I nodded happily. “Sure, anything.”“What’s the story with you and Becky? Why haven’t you guys ever gone out?”I was completely blindsided by the question. Weren’t we just talking about the death of her first lover? How in the world did Becky get into this conversation?“Um…” I was so startled that it took me a second to even remember what she’d asked me. “Well, actually we did for a while. Kind of. If sixth grade counts.”Suddenly I was transported back to the sixth grade and Becky’s twelfth birthday. My parents were having the mother of all fights, so I snuck out and crashed her sleepover. Her friends had forced us into a closet saying I needed to give her a birthday present before I could leave. I smiled at the memory. “She was my first kiss.”Jamie’s quiet “Oh” brought me back to the present, and, a little too late, I put all the pieces together. “You’re not worried about Becky, are you?” I asked.Maybe Jamie wasn’t as hung up on her last boyfriend as I’d thought, because she looked disappointed by the idea of me being interested in Becky. That frown was seriously the best thing that had happened all day. As long as there was even a tiny spark of interest from Jamie, that was all I needed. She’d just given me the opening I’d been waiting for.“There’s nothing like that going on between us anymore,” I said. “There hasn’t been for years and years. I promise you, Jamie, you have nothing to worry about.”Jamie made a face I couldn’t decipher.“That’s exactly what worries me though, Ryan—the fact that there’s nothing going on. Becky is so pretty, and aside from how she feels about me, she seems really nice. You obviously care a great deal for her. She could be the perfect girlfriend for you. That’s something I could never be. You deserve the things she could give you, all the things I can’t.”So that was her game plan this time? Pull the we-can’t-kiss card and point me in the direction of another girl? Did she really think she’d be able to get rid of me so easily?Nice try, Jamie Baker, but I don’t think so.I was about to laugh at her but then I noticed tears in her eyes. Apparently this wasn’t another of her measly attempts to scare me off. She was serious!I was simultaneously horrified that she thought I’d be better off with Becky than her, and thrilled that she liked me enough to be upset because she thought she didn’t deserve me.Suddenly desperate to make Jamie understand exactly how much I wanted her, I leapt out of my seat and pulled her into my arms. “But she can’t be you,” I promised. “Don’t you understand that you’re the one I want? You. Not Becky or Paige or any other girl that may or may not be able to make out with me. Just you.”I was so serious that I nearly shouted it at her. I had to make her understand. Ever since the day she’d kissed me there was no other girl. What girl at Rocklin High could compare to her?I’m not just talking about her superpowers either. Jamie didn’t play games the way girls like Paige did. She didn’t care what anyone thought about her. She wasn’t stupid, and she challenged me like no one else ever has.Jamie was the most amazing person I’d ever known. And since she’d raised the bar to impossibly high standards, she was just going to have to buck up and be mine. I wasn’t going to take no for an answer.“No,” she whispered as if she’d read my thoughts. “You shouldn’t want me, Ryan.”Jamie pulled herself out of my grasp and took off around the porch to the front of the house. But she was moving at a regular human pace. If she wasn’t going to disappear at superspeed, then I wasn’t going to let her go. I caught her by the wrist just before she made it to the front porch steps and tugged her down onto the swing with me.“Oh, no you don’t,” I said. “You are not running away from me this time.”“Ryan, please.”“No!” I said and trapped her in my arms.She strained against my grip, but the girl had superstrength and speed. Not to mention she could zap me silly. If she really wanted to go, she could have.“If you don’t want to be with me because you’re not ready for another relationship or you don’t like me that way, then that’s fine,” I said. “I can respect that. I could even deal with the excuse that you’re just too scared. That’s a lame excuse, but it’s one I could live with. What I can’t live with is you playing the martyr because you don’t think you’re good enough for me, understand?”Jamie didn’t respond, but she stopped fighting me. I waited until I was sure she wasn’t going to bail and then let her go. Her whole body sagged like she just given up some big internal fight. I took that as an okay to pull her against me. Surprisingly, she sank into my side and let me hold her.I let out a breath I hadn’t realized I’d been holding. I think I even sighed a little. There is nothing like the feeling of having Jamie in my arms, and she doesn’t let me keep her there nearly often enough.Taking advantage of this miraculous opportunity, I kissed the side of her head and slipped my arm low around her waist. For the briefest moment my fingers brushed her skin along the hem of her shirt. It was enough to make my brain stop processing logical thought. My other hand quickly found her stomach. The simple touch made me shiver.“Ryan,” Jamie said with a sigh. It was a warning. Jamie never used to let me get within a foot of her, but she’d slowly been giving in an inch at a time until once or twice I’ve actually been allowed to make physical contact. She always ends it too quickly though.“Shh,” I said, cutting her off before she found an excuse to put some distance between us. “We’re just going to sit here for a minute.”I took my fingers off her skin and had to lace them together to keep them from roaming. If they did, Jamie would kill me. Literally. And quite possibly on purpose.I hated that I could hardly ever touch her, but I knew she kept me at a distance because she was scared of hurting me. I was grateful that she was at least trying to learn to control her power. Being patient was near impossible, though, so I had to remind myself that she’d never lasted this long before.It’s a rare instance when Jamie really, truly lets her guard down, but it’s those moments that keep me fighting for her. She’s like chasing a dream, something magical and impossible, but when she lets me touch her I’m reminded that she’s real.Her vulnerable side makes her seem more human. She becomes someone I can relate to, someone I can protect. She becomes someone I could see myself falling for, and the scariest part about that is that that doesn’t scare me.After another minute Jamie relaxed again. I unlocked my hands and started trailing my fingers lightly up and down her arms. I knew this could flip her dreaded ice queen switch, but I was unable to help myself.Jamie’s skin has this unique quality of feeling alive. When she’s upset you have to watch out because touching her is going to bite you, but when she’s relaxed? I can’t fully express how amazing it feels to touch her.Her skin warms to the touch and feels tingly. Something about her energy literally draws you closer, like a magnetic pull. It causes an almost uncontrollable craving.My hand moved to the narrow strip of her stomach exposed between her shirt and jeans, and she gasped. It was a good gasp. It was a this-feels-incredible gasp. It pushed my control over the edge. I needed more of her. Now.“Jamie?”Her response was breathless. “Hmm?”“Kiss me.”“No,” she whispered even though her body shuddered with desire. She wanted this as much as I did. I was sure of it.“You’re ready,” I said, bringing my face down to her neck. “If you can handle this, then you can handle just one kiss.” I nudged her jaw up a little, brought my lips to her ear, and whispered a desperate, “Please?”She didn’t say anything, but she wasn’t freaking out yet either.I moved more slowly than I ever had in my life, giving her all the time in the world to stop me, but she wasn’t going to.My heart was hammering. I’d wanted this for so long. I couldn’t believe I was finally going to get it. I held my breath as I lowered my lips on to hers.When we touched something inside her cracked. Her resistance shattered. It was like our first kiss only so much more. She fell into the kiss as if propelled by an invisible force.It was sensory overload. I could feel and taste her unbridled heat and desire. It worked with my own need to create an explosion of passion that I thought only existed in cheesy girl novels. But then on top of that there was the magical electricity that was uniquely Jamie. It washed over me like a tidal wave of energy that brought me to life in a way I’d never felt before.Jamie noticed my hair standing on end and started to pull away, but I was so not going to let a little static end this kiss. “No,” I said, gripping her tighter to me. “No, it’s okay.”To prove my point I crashed my lips down on hers again with everything I had in me. This kiss had been a long time coming and I was going to make sure she’d remember it for the rest of her life.My senses heightened. I could hear things more clearly, taste and smell things I couldn’t before, and most of all I could feel everything like it was being blasted at me with hurricane force.After I don’t even know how long my body was filled to the brim with energy. I began to shake and felt Jamie panic in response. She pressed her hands to my chest, but, unfortunately, it wasn’t to feel me up. She pushed me back, trying to break our connection, but she wasn’t thinking clearly and accidentally sent be flying.As I flew through the air I was on such a high that I felt as if the world around me was moving in slow motion. My senses were still in overdrive and the pain of the impact when I hit the ground was so intense I couldn’t breathe. Whatever. Small price to pay for that experience.Seriously, Jamie Baker = Best. Kisser. Ever.I sat up slowly sure that something was broken. I should have been dead, or at least hurt. Jamie had thrown me so far I swear I was half way to the highway, but, miraculously, I was fine—just a little stiff.Then my eyes fell on Jamie and I wondered if I didn’t have a concussion because I was seeing things. She looked like she’d stepped straight out of an X-men comic. She was standing on the front steps of the cabin looking like the ice queen version of Storm. Her hair was whipping all around her like she was standing in a tornado, except there wasn’t any wind, and her eyes were glowing. It was the first time I ever looked at her and truly saw her as a superhero.She looked dangerous and powerful and so freaking hot, but she also looked seriously freaked out. Something was very wrong. Her entire body started shaking like it was trying to explode.“Jamie!”When I screamed her body jolted and then lightning came shooting out from her hands. I ducked and could feel the heat of the electricity pass over my head. I don’t even want to know how close it came to blasting me into oblivion. Especially when I heard it crash into a tree behind me with an explosion so loud it rattled my insides.I shouted Jamie’s name again, scared that she was hurt, but not only was she just fine, she was screaming like I was the one in danger.“Look out!”I looked up where she was pointing just in time to see death coming at me at full speed. A huge pine tree was falling and there was no way I cold move in time to get out of the way.My hands came up instinctively, but before I had time to assume crash position, and cover my head, I was actually holding the two-foot think trunk in my hands. I’d caught the tree! I was holding a freaking tree above my head! Granted it probably wasn’t as heavy as my truck, but no way could a regular human do what I was doing at the moment.Jamie and I stared at one another for a moment, equally stunned, but then I felt my lips spreading in idiotic proportions on my face. I didn’t know why or how, but I definitely had superstrength!Say it with me: AWESOME!Testing the theory I flexed my arms and gave the tree a little push. Much like Jamie had just flung me, I tossed the tree half a football field into the forest.I smiled at Jamie again and then laughed. “That was freaking awesome!”I started to get up slowly testing the muscles and joints that still felt stiff, but before I got all the way to my feet Jamie collapsed and I forgot all about any possible injuries I might have.I ran to her and just as I went to scoop her up her eyes fluttered open and the blood drained from her face. “”No! Wait!” she screamed, but it was too late.I now knew how Timmy felt in Jurassic Park when the T-Rex’s fence turned back on with him still on it. I imagine it’s a lot like a TV dinner feels like—completely cooked from the inside out. FYI? I sucks. A lot.I was pretty sure the shock was going to kill me. And just when I’d joined the ranks of superheroes! That sucks. But as I blacked out, there was only one thing I thought about. Kissing Jamie Baker? So worth it!

"Working Out" (Ryan POV)

This was actually posted on my blog forever ago. I'm just moving stuff around today. Ugh, I really should switch over to Wordpress because I hear you can do so much more with it, but I don't know how to use it. SO I stay here on blogger. One of these days I should just pay a web designer to make me a real website. Probably not going to happen any time soon.

Anyway, here's a scene from Being Jamie Baker that I wrote from Ryans point of view. There will be one or two posted after this...




"Working Out" from Ryan's POV
My date with Jamie was amazing, but it was so G rated that I’d been a flustered mess all week. How I managed to get through that night without laying a single finger on her was nothing short of a miracle. There was no way I’d be able to do it again. I didn’t want to.
I was ready to push Jamie in a more physical direction so I suggested we work out together. At the time I thought it was brilliant because I could still use the pretense of practice, but we’d both be wearing less and our adrenaline would be up.
I hadn’t had the chance to take my shirt off for Jamie yet. Not that I’m as ripped as Ryan Reynolds exactly, but I’m not dumb. Girls act differently around me when I’m at the pool or out on the lake. It’s like I turn them primal. I wanted to turn Jamie primal.
My plan totally backfired.
There was definitely an overabundance of hormones present this afternoon, but they were all mine. Jamie is beyond hot even on her bad days, and I knew she’d look good working up a sweat. Still, I was not prepared for the sheer sexiness that is Jamie Baker working out.
Jamie is always put together. Her hair and makeup are always perfect. Her clothes are always stylish. She’s gorgeous. But when I’d picked her up this morning and found her makeup-less with her hair thrown up in a simple ponytail, wearing nothing but a sport-tank and tiny workout shorts, gorgeous wasn’t the right word to describe her. She looked so freaking hot I nearly had an aneurysm and she hadn’t even started her workout yet.
When we finally got to the exercising, I couldn’t focus on anything but the fact that in order for Jamie to actually put some strain on her muscles she had to bench my truck. Seriously. My F250. Nearly 6,000 lbs of machine and she just lifted it above her head over and over again. It was the most amazing thing I’ve ever seen.
Then she started breaking a sweat. Needless to say I forgot about her superpowers. The only thing I could think about was getting all worked up and sweaty with her. Feeling the hardness of her muscles beneath all that soft skin. Tasting salty kisses. Feeling heat rising between our bodies, our breaths coming fast…
Um, yeah…
“You know? I think you were right. Making you work out was a really bad idea.”
“Why?”
“Aside from the fact that the F-250 you’re pumping is making me feel extremely inadequate, I’m afraid that if you don’t stop doing that, you’re going to end up throwing it at me.”
Jamie looked at the vehicle above her. “Why would I throw a truck at you?
More images flashed through my mind. Definitely not G rated. “Because you usually get cranky when I try to kiss you, and if you don’t stop looking so downright sexy, I’m going to have to do just that.” And then some…
Jamie took a slow concentrated breath and the truck rose again. The muscles in her stomach tightened. A drop of sweat that had pooled in her naval rolled down the side of her ribs.
I took a much needed deep breath. Baseball… Frogs… Snowstorms… My grandma…
“I’ve never seen you break a sweat before. It’s got my mind in the gutter big-time.”
“Quit objectifying me right now, or I will throw this truck at you!”
Man, she’s hot when she’s pissed.
“Go take a cold shower or something while I finish.”
“I’ve got a better idea,” I said. “Why don’t you call it quits and come in the hot tub with me.”
Definitely a better idea. 
“Oh yeah, that’s a brilliant idea. Why don’t you just take a soak with a blow dryer?”
Geez. She may have had a point there, but there was no need to be so hostile. I hoped it was because she was just as frustrated as me. I doubted it though. I’d been drooling over her for the last half an hour and she’d been so focused it was like I wasn’t even there.
I abandoned my weight bench for the patio swing and closed my eyes as I chugged a bottle of water.
I had to get myself under control or I was going to get really cranky. That couldn’t happen. I couldn’t let the Ice Queen get to me. Ever. That was the one thing I had over everyone else. Jamie could push people away in her sleep, but no matter how hard she tried she was not going to scare me off.
Jamie’s voice startled me out of my brooding. “Do you hear that?”
“Hear what?”
“A really quiet humming noise. I can’t exactly place it, but I’ve never heard it out here before.”
I listened, but all I heard was nature. “It’s probably just a boat down on the lake.”
Jamie abandoned her workout. I couldn’t tell if I was disappointed by that or relieved.
She climbed out from under my truck and pointed toward the forest. “The lake is behind the house—this noise was coming from out there.” She scanned the trees and then frowned. “Maybe my mind is just playing tricks on me. I tend to get a little paranoid when I’m doing things like lifting trucks out in the open.”
I sighed. Here I was stuck in the hottest fantasies about her and she was just worried that someone was watching her. So much for things getting physical between us. The only person I’d managed to turn primal today was me. Lame.
I sat up, disappointed, but then Jamie came to sit next to me on the swing. I took a chance and put my arm around her. I could have done a happy dance when she didn’t shrug me off. It was enough to perk my mood back up.
“All right then,” I said, feeling like my patience had been renewed. Is it sad that one arm over her shoulder felt like a magnanimous victory? “Why don’t we work on something a little more subtle if you’re worried? How about your hearing? I’ll start singing, and you go for a jog. Call me when you can’t hear me anymore. That’s not so obvious as bench-pressing my truck.”
I gave her a light squeeze—totally just friendly—but for some reason it was the absolute wrong move. “I don’t feel like practicing anymore today,” she said sadly.
I didn’t get it. What had I done now? I swear sometimes it’s like Jamie’s bi-polar. I never have a clue what’s running through her head. I wonder if crazy mood swings are considered a superpower.
Seeing Jamie upset kills me. I can’t even begin to imagine what it’s like to be her. She’s been through so much, and I know she feels like she’s alone in this but she’s wrong. She might be the only one with superpowers, but I was there now, and I was going to get through this with her. Whether she wanted me to or not.
“All right,” I said, forcing cheer into my voice that I didn’t feel.
I wanted nothing more than to pull her into my arms and make her tell me what was wrong so that I could help her feel better. But the more I push her the more she closes off from me, so, as impossible as felt, all I could do was be patient and wait for her to let me in.
“It’s lunch time anyway,” I said, “and I’ve officially worked up an appetite.”
Jamie jumped on that idea, happy to avoid telling me what was up. “You like New York-style pizza?” she asked.
She had my attention now. If I wasn’t going to get a hot makeout session, pizza was better than nothing. “I’m a guy. I love all forms of pizza.”
“Well I happen to know where to find the best pizza in the country, so why don’t you point me in the direction of a bathroom, and once I’m all cleaned up I’ll run get us lunch.”
Now that would just be a shame. “Aw come on Baker, I’m digging that post-workout look.”
She rolled her eyes at my flirting. Rolled her eyes. Was I ever going to get to kiss that girl again?
“More like post-workout stink,” she said. “Don’t forget I have a heightened sense of smell.”
“Gross.” Mood officially dead. Way to go, Jamie.