Magan Vernon's Blog, page 30

Cover Reveal: Play for Keeps by NYT and USA Today Best Selling author Emma Hart!

 
 
RELEASE DATE: MONDAY, JUNE 24TH. 
 

 From New York Timesand USA Today bestselling author, Emma Hart, comes the second book in The Game series, and the story everyone wanted after The Love Game…

 
 She's in love with him. 
He's trying not to love her. 
One night changes everything.
 Aston Banks never meant to get close to Megan Harper – not even for that one night. Haunted by a childhood he refuses to face, he knew she could break through every wall he’d ever built and tear them down without even realising she was doing it.

 Betraying Braden by starting a relationship with Aston wasn’t on Megan’s to-do list, but the second she sees a glimpse of someone other than the arrogant ass she’s come to know, she can’t walk away.

 
Aston’s childhood is worse than Megan ever guessed, but as he tries and fails to push her away, it’s clear her love is stronger than the demons that cling to him every day. And now, because of it, he finally has to deal with what he’s buried deep down.
 
What he doesn’t want to face. What he’s fought against for so long.
 
And they have to do it all without Braden finding out.
 
Keeping a relationship secret has never been harder.
 
 
 
**This book can be read as a standalone novel, but reading The Love Game (The Game, #1) beforehand is advised.)
 
 
GOODREADS: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17341528-playing-for-keeps
 
EXCERPT:  Disclaimer: This is from the unedited version of the book, and is therefore subject to change or removal before publication.
 
MEGAN
 
“If you’re trying to hide, babe, then you’re failing. I can see you.” Aston’s words crawl over me in a smooth caress, making my throat dry up and my blood boil simultaneously.
“Why would I be hiding?” I sit up and look forward, determined not to meet his eyes.
He shrugs a shoulder carelessly, twirling a pen between his fingers. I catch his every movement from the corner of my eye. His eyes are burning into the side of my head - they’re begging me to turn, begging me to look.
“Because you want me so badly you can’t bear to see me,” he says in a dramatic tone with a touch of arrogance.
My back straightens. “Clearly someone has been feeding your ego again,” I reply dryly. “Because I don’t remember ever telling you I want you.”
His bicep brushes mine as he leans forward. “Is that so?” he asks, his voice low and barely perceptible.
I fight the urge to drop my eyes to the desk. “Damn right it is.”
A fingertip trails down the back of my arm, the tingling feeling making me fight against a shiver.
“I think you’re wrong,” he whispers. “Because I’m pretty sure you said you wanted me on Saturday night – right before you dug those nails of yours into my back and wrapped your pretty little legs around my waist.”
My head snaps round to him, and our faces are inches apart. His lips are curled in a slightly smug smile, and I hate the fact that’s where my eyes fell first. I drag them away from his mouth and across the sharp planes of his face until they meet his smoky eyes.
I remember why I didn’t want to look at him. His eyes have the power to entrance me and to break me. Right now it’s the former – the silvery hint at the edge of his iris pulling me in and holding me captive. I remember why, from the first touch of his lips against mine on Saturday night, nothing could have stopped us happening.    By day, New York Times and USA Todaybestselling New Adult author Emma Hart dons a cape and calls herself Super Mum to a terrible two year old and growing bump, due September 2013. By night, she drops the cape, pours a glass of juice and writes books.
She likes to write about magic, kisses and whatever else she can fit into the story. Sarcastic, witty characters are a must. As are hot guys. Emma is currently working too many books to even count - including Playing for Keeps, the companion book to New York Times and USA Today bestselling novel, The Love Game. She likes to be busy - unless busy involves doing the dishes, but that seems to when all the ideas come to life. 
 
 
 
 
 

Cover Reveal, Breaking The Reins

 
 A New Adult novel from my CP Juliana Haygert!  Genre: NA contemporary romance
Word Count: ~70,000
Release date: August/2013
Cover by: Sarah Hansen (Okay Creations)


Horses, mansions, tea parties, and lies are twenty-year-old Hannah Taylor’s life. To others, her family and her relationship with Eric is perfect. But she knows the truth. She lives it. After a fire takes her grandma’s life and kills her horse, Hannah’s immaculate life spirals out of control. Her father disapproves of her decision to run her grandma’s ranch instead of focusing solely on learning the family business; Animal Control brings her Argus, a mistreated horse that she can’t turn away even though she’s not ready for another horse; and her boyfriend, Eric Bennett, a world famous polo player, becomes possessive and authoritarian. Despite her best efforts to disguise it, Hannah grows wary of him. Then, Leonardo Fernandes struts onto the polo scene. A cocky rookie with a messy life of his own, he’s drawn to Hannah and isn’t afraid of showing it, even when Eric makes it clear she is his and he’ll do whatever it takes to keep it that way. Hannah suffers for Eric’s jealousy. The abuse only gets worse when Leo steals the title of best polo player in the world from Eric. But the title isn’t enough for Leo. He wants Hannah too, and she can’t deny her attraction to him either. Somehow, she must find a way to break free from abusive Eric before he breaks every bone in her body.


Goodreads | Pinterest  
And now ... a special teaser ;)  Hope you like it! Cheers,

FOUND Book Blitz!

To celebrate Stacey Wallace Benefiel’s 3rd Indieversary, FOUND (Penny Black #1) is only 99cents April 20-27! Amazon Barnes and Noble From Stacey Wallace Benefiel, the author of the Zellie Wells trilogy, comes a new NA trilogy set in the Society world. Penny Black hasn’t had it easy. Just about everything you’d expect to happen to a harassed foster-kid turned junkie has happened to Penny. Add in the mysterious power to rewind time, conducting events around her, and it’s a wonder she held up on the streets for so many years. Now, at seventeen, the New Society has found her. Finally, Penny is where she belongs. But that doesn’t stop the visions, or the need to protect the victims shown to her. Wyatt Adams is excited and intrigued when his sister Melody assigns him to be Penny’s Lookout. Being the youngest, and hopelessly ordinary in the family that created the New Society, has left Wyatt feeling like he has a lot to prove -- and Penny is a big deal. She’s got abilities that surpass any he’s seen before…and pretty much every quality he looks for in a girlfriend, but no one needs to know about that, especially Penny.

*The Penny Black trilogy is a companion to the Zellie Wells trilogy and not a continuation of the series. (PBT is set 18 years in the future with a new cast of characters.) *Due to language and sexuality, FOUND is recommended for older teens (Most of the characters are out of high school and preparing for college.)  

Also available at: Kobo Smashwords Apple  

Haven't read the Zellie Wells trilogy yet?

 Pick up all three novels together for $6.99 at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Kobo, Smashwords, and iTunes.

Or get the first novel, Glimpse, for FREE at all e-book retailers.    



And here is a little teaser to entice you!

Ben Fontenot fits his Ret-tech onto his head, flips the microscreen down in front of his right eye, and continues cramming all of his and Christopher’s belongings into their suitcases. “Zellie Adams,” he says in a clear and clipped manner. He has two Zellies and a few Adams’ listed in his contacts and half the time his Ret either techs his daughter Zellie or adult Zellie’s husband, Avery. It makes him wonder why he ever got rid of his iPhone 23. He is bent over, looking under the bed for his shoes – another thing he wonders about, after all of his years spent on the road, is why does he always misplace his shoes in motel rooms? --when Zellie answers. “Beeeeeen. It’s early.” He smiles as her image appears before his eye. Is that a pillow behind her head? She hasn’t even bothered to get out of bed. “Hey Doc,” he says, his smile growing wider. She rolls her eyes at him. Zellie hates it when he calls her Doc. He can’t help it. He’s excited. “You might want to sit up for this, I have some news.” Zellie rocks back and forth, her long red hair working itself into a rat’s nest against the pillow. She is either trying to roll onto her side or fall out of bed…Ben isn’t sure which. Finally, she says, “Avery, help me.” Ben hears Avery chuckle and then sees him come into view above Zellie. He’s doing a crappy job of hiding his amusement over his pregnant wife’s predicament. Zellie swats him on the arm. “Knock it off and help me up. It’s all your fault I’m ginormous, asshat.” “Can you believe people come to her for advice?” Avery jokes to Ben as his face gets really close to Zellie’s, and then they are moving backward. “There, all better.” Ben locates his shoes and sits on the bed, slipping his special edition hemp-fiber Chucks on. When he is sure that he has Zellie’s full attention, he takes a deep breath and says, “We’ve found her.” “Penny Black? In DC?” Zellie asks, her voice going up an octave with each question. “Yup.” Ben nods enthusiastically. He rights his Ret-tech. “Lookout Command sent us new video a few hours ago.” Ben moves his eyes across the microscreen, focuses on the video icon in the top left corner and blinks once, bringing up the latest clip for Zellie. “You’re not the only one who got a 5:00 a.m. wake up call.” He waits while Zellie watches the clip of seventeen-year-old Penny Black, a Retroact who has managed to elude capture for the past seven years, as she pauses time and rewinds a twelve-car pile-up on Interstate 66 in Virginia. Ben shakes his head, in awe. “She collapsed after that display of badassed-ness, which is consistent with all the intel Melody’s gathered. The Highway Patrol picked Penny up off the side of the road an hour later. They were completely unaware of what she’d done and how many lives she’d saved. The cops delivered her to a juvenile detention center twenty miles from here. Christopher’s on his way now to work his mind mojo.” “Wow,” Zellie says. “She’s just…amazing. I don’t know how she’s made it this far on her own, Lookout-free, maybe not even knowing what she is. You and Christopher will be on a plane with her in the next couple hours, I assume?” “Our flight for Cali leaves at eleven DC time. I can’t believe we found her right before the term begins. The Universe seems to be goosing me again.” “You love it,” Zellie teases. “All right…” Ben can practically hear the gears in her shrink mind click into overdrive. “I’ll meet you at the Society School for an intake at three. We can put off the full psych eval for a few days.” Ben grins, blinking to close the video and send it to its folder. “Hers or mine?” Zellie snorts. “Dude, like you didn’t fail yours the second we met. I still love you, though.” “Hey!” Avery says, from Zellie’s left. “Enough with the sweet nothings to Benji while you’re carrying my spawn.” It’s Ben’s turn to snort. “Your spawn? Nice way to talk about your son, Adams. So, I guess that makes Zel some kind of reptile?” “Seriously?” Zellie moans, her face moving toward a beaming Avery. She kisses him. “Boys, it’s been eighteen years. Get over it.”

Babies, Books, and a Break

First off, thank you everyone for an amazing release! The Only Exception hit the number one political book in three countries AND top 500 in Amazon UK!





Which makes me also pleased to announce that there will be a companion novel coming this fall!

I'm not giving away too many details yet, but it is NOT a sequel. It will still take place at Central College and Trey and Monica will make apperances, but it isn't their story.
But while I"m working on that, I also will be busy with someone else. I am having my second daughter on the 17th. Which means a lot of my free time for awhile is going to go...


Which is where the break comes in. I probably wont have as much time to post on here, Twitter, or Facebook, but I promise to try and be around as much as possible because I heart you all so much.


(All gifs are from http://allthesupernaturalgifs.tumblr.com/ )

The Only Exception is here!

The Only Exception is here early! And you need to pick up your copy because American Flags are pretty sexy, right?






So where can you pick up this lovely book today?



You can get the Ebook on

Amazon

Kobo

Barnes&Noble

iTunes

All Romance Ebooks


But wait, you want more?

Well, I am around the blogosphere with a release blitz giveaway for a $50 giftcard to Amazon, Barnes, and Noble, or iTunes.

And for the giveaway here is the embed code in case you wanted to share it too or just as an FYI a Rafflecopter giveaway Still want more? My blog tour is going on and I'm giving away signed New Adult books, book marks, and ecopies of ANY Magan Vernon book. Giveaway here.

How about something FREE to go with it?

My Paper Heart is FREE on Amazon to celebrate from April 9th-11th. There is also a bonus with the first chapter of The Only Exception in the back of my first New Adult title

Still want even MORE?

Well, it's kind of a wish that I want to make the top 1000 with Amazon for this book. So if that does happen then what do you get?

A cookie basket from Baking for Good!

That's right! If I hit that magic lovely top 1000 on Amazon I will give one lucky winner a cookie basket with The Only Exception covers on the cookies. Even better? 15% of the money spent on that basket will go to a women's non-profit organization.

So what are you waiting for? It's your civic duty to pick up your copy AND it puts you one step closer to cookies!

Bethany Lopez Friends and Lovers Trilogy!

  To promote the release of the Friends & Lovers Trilogy, Bethany Lopez is giving away a Nook, an autographed skin for the Nook, and an autographed paperback of Friends & Lovers. Enter through the Rafflecopter, and earn more chances to win by following everyone who is participating in the promo on Twitter! Friends & Lovers is Make it Last, I Choose You, and Trust in Me, and includes a bonus ending for each couple. Check out the Awesome cover    You can buy Friends & Lovers here: Amazon Barnes & Noble


a Rafflecopter giveaway



Bethany LopezFriends & Lovers Trilogy/Stories About Melissa SeriesIAN Webpage Twitter Facebook Pinterest My Books

Cover Reveal: The Trouble with Goodbye

Title: The Trouble With GoodbyeAuthor: Sarra CannonGenre: Contemporary RomanceAge Group: New AdultCover Designer: Okay CreationsReveal organized by: AToMR ToursExpected release: May 2013     One night can change everything…Two years ago, Leigh Anne Davis shocked everyone in tiny Fairhope, Georgia when she broke up with her wealthy boyfriend to attend an Ivy League university a thousand miles away. At school, she finds a happiness and independence she’s never known. Until one terrifying night takes it all away from her.With no place else to go, Leigh Anne heads home to reclaim her old life. A life she worked so hard to escape. On the outside, she seems like the same girl everyone has always known. But deep inside, she’s hiding a terrible secret.That’s when she meets Knox Warner, a troubled newcomer to Fairhope. His eyes have the same haunted look she sees every day in the mirror, and when she’s near him, the rest of the world fades away. But being with Knox would mean disappointing everyone all over again. If she wants to save what’s left of her old life, she has no choice but to say goodbye to him forever.Only, the trouble with goodbye is that sometimes it’s about courage and sometimes it’s about fear. And sometimes you’re too broken to know the difference until it’s too late.  


Confession:

I saw this cover a few weeks ago because I begged Sarra for it. I love it! I can't wait to check out Sarra's first New Adult installment and even better? We will be rooming together and doing a panel at New Adult Sleepover weekend. If you go, you can ask her about the inspiration for this cover and then find the most embarassing thing to ask her so I can giggle in the corner.



About the Author



[image error] Sarra Cannon grew up in a small town in Georgia where she learned that being popular always comes at a price. She is the author of the young adult paranormal Peachville High Demons series, which she first began self-publishing in October of 2010. Since the series began, Sarra has sold over 120,000 copies and recently signed a contract with Sea Lion Books to create a graphic novel adaptation of Beautiful Demons, the first book in the series. Sarra lives in North Carolina with her amazing husband, her new baby boy, and her teeny tiny Pomeranian, Snickerdoodle.  
Sarra Cannon | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads | Pinterest  [image error]

Unexpected Release Day!

Title: Unexpected
Author: Faith Sullivan
Expected release date: April 2, 2013
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Category: New Adult
Ebook available at: Kindle ($1.99) 
Paperback available at: Amazon ($6.99)




Book Description:

September 11, 2001.

A day that forever changes the destiny of college overachiever, Michelle Rhodes.

Shattered, confused and alone, no one understands the trauma consuming her until she meets Connor Donnelly.

A native New Yorker, he believes he can aid in getting her life back on track. But what if he's even more broken inside?

Offering her a chance at a fresh start, Connor convinces Michelle to move in with him. Hiring her to waitress at his bar, their mutual attraction only complicates matters.

As more details surrounding Connor's past emerge, Michelle uncovers the full magnitude of the loss he's trying to hide. Refusing to let her feelings for him hinder his recovery, she makes a decision that winds up hurting them both.

By sacrificing her heart, Michelle thinks she is helping Connor come to terms with his grief. Little does she know, Connor is gambling everything for the sake of having a future with her.

What happens is truly unexpected.

Excerpt:

Chapter Six

“W...what?” I stutter despite myself.

He gives me a crooked grin. “All night, I’ve been freezing my ass off out here waiting for you. I didn’t think you were gonna show.”

If his first remark didn’t floor me, the second leaves me utterly confused. “Whoa, slow down, buddy. How do you even know my name?”

Again, he laughs. “Does it really matter? I’m here to talk some sense into you.”

The dimples in his cheeks distract me. He has such a cute smile. But I’m not letting him off that easily. “Sorry to disappoint you, but I’m done with New York.”

“Really? You could’ve fooled me.”

“And why’s that?”

“Because you should never run from something that scares you.” His hazel eyes catch the moonlight as they bore into mine. “And this time, you won’t be alone. I’ll be with you.”

This whole conversation is getting way too intense. Standing up, I wrap my arms around myself. I have to get out of here. This guy is crazy.

I jump as the front door opens and my ex-boyfriend Tony emerges, giving me a hopeful look. We broke up after our senior year. He understood I wasn’t planning on sticking around, so I set him free. He met someone else over the summer, and I only talked to him once on the phone when I got back. But with the way he’s looking at me now, I can tell he feels sorry for me, and that’s something I won’t tolerate.

Inching closer to the steps, I attempt to play it cool. “Oh hi, Tony. It’s good seeing you. I wish I could stay and chat, but I was just leaving.”

“I don’t think so.”

I whirl around. That’s it. Who does this guy think he is? “Listen, you little...” I begin, but Tony interrupts by grabbing my arm.

“Michelle, calm down. There’s no need to freak out,” Tony says, slowly releasing his grip on me. “Do you remember me telling you about Sal, my roommate at school, the one from New York?” I nod, but I can care less at this moment. “Well, this is his older brother, Connor. I kind of told him all about you, and I thought it’d be a good idea if you two met.”

I shake my head and sigh. “So you made him wait out here alone in the cold?”

I can tell Tony’s nervous. He’s running his fingers through his hair. “I thought you’d bolt otherwise.”

“She nearly did,” Connor chimes in.

Frustrated, I slam my fist on the porch railing. “The both of you just stop it, right now! I knew it was a bad idea to come here. I don’t need some random guy from New York giving me advice on how to live my life.”

Pushing off the swing, Connor gets to his feet. “Well, what are you doing with your life then? What’s plan B?”

I advance toward him. “I don’t have a plan B, asshole. I don’t have all the answers, but apparently you do.”

Connor closes the gap between us. “I wish I did, but I think you can figure it out. You were brave enough to take on the big, bad city once. Why not try it again under different circumstances?”

Tony clears his throat, and for a moment, I forgot he was there. “Michelle, Connor owns a bar downtown. He thought you could go back and work for him. Give it another go.”

“I’m no bartender,” I retort.

“You sure aren’t,” Connor fires back.

Tony holds up his hands in an attempt to keep the peace. “Just hear him out, Michelle.”

“Fine,” I say glaring up at him.

“Go on, Connor. Tell her about it,” Tony urges, knowing I may flee at any moment.

Connor’s eyes find mine again, but I look away as he starts speaking. “My family’s owned a pub on Beekman Street for years. Not too long ago, my dad had a heart attack, so I took over. I can offer you a waitressing job plus room and board above the bar for as long as you want it.”

For a minute, I stop and consider the possibility. It actually doesn’t sound that bad, and it’d be a welcome change from my original intention of becoming the next film school prodigy. It would be fresh start, and I wouldn’t be alone. But can I really go back there?

Sensing my trepidation, Connor pats me on the shoulder. “Listen, I know it’s not what you imagined. Tony told me how smart you are and how you were hoping to make it big at NYU. I can understand how working in a bar sounds like a letdown after that. But honestly, I think it’d be good for you.”

“And why do you care about what happens to me?” I ask, raising my eyes to his.

“Because I was there that day, and so were you.”

About the author, Faith Sullivan:

I really hate talking about myself. My goal is to have the shortest author bio imaginable. I would much rather have a conversation with my readers.

Are you able to escape within my pages?
Does my writing make you feel something?
Are there characters that you can't get out of your head?

Let me know!

Author Links: Blog | Twitter | Goodreads


a Rafflecopter giveaway

Release Day: Destiny Gift by Juliana Haygert

  DESTINY GIFT
Genre: NA Word Count: 73,000
Release date: April 1st, 2013
Thirty years in the future, a sinister New York City exists in permanent darkness.
A student at the secured NYU, nineteen-year-old Nadine has visions of Victor Gianni, an imaginary guy she has real feelings for. Afraid of being truly insane, she explains the visions away as simple daydreams, but she can no longer deny them when she bumps into Victor in real life. But this Victor doesn’t know her, and turns her away. After the encounter, Nadine’s visions change to those of eerie fates, gods she’s never heard of, demons with sharp claws they are not too timid to use … and instructions.
To discover if she’s losing her mind, Nadine follows the vague directions—with the real, rude and reluctant Victor—leading to a man who knows it all: Nadine can restore an ancient creed by unveiling the clues on her visions, and bring sunlight and peace to the world again. But that’s only if the demons and the other evil forces behind the darkness don’t stop her first.
Amazon | Barnes&Nobles | Smashwords |Goodreads | Pinterest Board
 
 
About the Author:
While Juliana Haygert dreams of being Wonder Woman, Buffy, or a blood elf shadow priest, she settles for the less exciting—but equally gratifying—life of a wife, mother, and author. Thousands of miles away from her former home in Brazil, she now resides in Connecticut and spends her days writing about kick-ass heroines and the heroes who drive them crazy.
Website | Blog | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads | NA Alley
 
 
Excerpt:
 
I heard a heavy sigh and turned toward it. It was Victor. He was leaving the elevator down the hall and coming toward his grandma’s room. He had seen me and didn’t seem happy about it.
He wore faded jeans, a T-shirt, and a thin jacket. Too casual. I shook my head. The fact that my dream Victor and this real Victor were exactly the same physically, while their clothing styles and posture were the opposite of each other still boggled my mind.
He came to a stop before me. “You again.” There was disdain in his tone. I cringed.
“How are you?” I managed to ask and immediately felt silly. I had planted myself here in this hallway for over an hour waiting for him, and when he finally arrived, I didn’t know what to say. Though I really did want to know how he was. The last time I had seen him in the flesh, he’d been jerking on the floor of the hospital’s garage, in pain. “What was that … ah … before …?”” I trailed off, hoping he would understand what I was referring to.
He shrugged, his sea-green eyes still staring at me with suspicion. “I don’t know. By the way, how do you know my name?”
I twirled a lock of my hair around my index finger as I considered my answer. I wanted to answer him. I wanted to be honest, but he would never believe me.
As if my answer would pop out of the walls, I scanned the hallway.
At the end of the corridor, a nurse left a room and entered another.
“The nurse,” I almost shouted, hoping he wouldn’t notice my sudden lie. I avoided his inquisitive eyes. “I heard a nurse calling you earlier that day.”
His deadpan expression hid his thoughts and didn’t let me know if he was buying it or not.
“What did you do to me last night?” he asked, crossing his arms. God, I hated how his voice and his posture were so guarded and mistrustful. I wasn’t used to it.
“What do you mean?”
“When you touched me, the shock and the pain went away. How did you do that?”
“I don’t know.” This time I wasn’t lying. I really didn’t know. He frowned, clearly still suspicious. “Seriously, I have no idea.”
His shoulders stiffened. “What are you doing here? What do you want?”
My eyes widened as I retreated a few steps, trying to avoid his toxic tone.
Yes, he looked like my Victor—the same voice, the same hair, the same face, the same mouth that had offered me smiles that had rendered me breathless many, many times. I wanted to touch him, to embrace him, to tell him everything was going to be okay. Maybe if I touched him, he would remember me and he would want to touch me too.
I came closer to him, looking deeply into those wary green eyes, my fingers itching to stroke his skin, to feel it smoldering under my caress. But I didn’t. He was like my Victor, but he wasn’t my Victor. The Victor from my visions would never speak to me like this. He would never snap at me. No, no. My Victor loved my company, loved to hear me sing, loved to embrace me and inhale my scent.
“I’m sorry,” I whispered, my voice croaking under the heavy pressure inside my chest.
Then, I walked away.

Blaine's POV

I promised that if My Paper Heart made the top 100 free on Amazon I would post a scene from Blaine's POV. Well it did and then I got busy with edits on The Only Exception.

I know. Bad Magan.

But since you all waited so patiently I decided that I would finally reward you by writing Blaine and Libby's first meeting from Blaine's POV. And Of course...a gif...  (Note:  This is unedited, first draft, and contains fowl language because um...duh it's nineteen year old boys talking)



(Gifs source)

"Come on Crabtree, you can't tell me you still think LSU is going to pull through this season." Butch Sinclair chugged the last of his beer and then threw it on the floor.

It felt like we did the same thing every single night: went to Jacksons' parents' place, drank, and then Butch and Jackson argued with me about LSU. Not like there was much else to do in Smalltown USA. We either hung out at the trailer and some random girl took me into her backseat, or I stayed home and thought about all the fuck ups I had.

I laughed. "And you really think Ole Miss can do shit? You're crazy."

"Crazy as that night you did Layla Duggar in the church parking lot?" Jackson elbowed me in the side and both him and Butch cackled like two hyenas in heat.

Once they were done with their laughing fit Butch looked up and his eyes practically bugged out of his head like a cartoon character. "I see something I'd like to bang in any parking lot."

My eyes trailed up, way up a pair of long, tanned legs to what Butch was staring at. Or should I say who. I'd never seen the girl before and I would have known, not only is Elsbury tiny, but she was the most beautiful girl I'd ever seen. She was wearing nothing but a short skirt and a tiny white tanktop that hugged every inch of her curves. Long, blonde curls traveled down her back and all I could think about was running my fingers through it while she wrapped those legs around me.

Then it was as if time stopped. Her chocolate brown eyes locked on mine and it was as if everyone else in the room disappeared and it was just me and those eyes. It sounds cheesy as Hell, but right there it was if I saw my future with her. She wasn't just another girl I wanted to bang, but I wanted to talk to her. Buy her flowers. Take her to meet my mom. And have her be the one walking down the aisle toward me. People tell me love at first sight is just a crock of shit, but when I saw those eyes I knew they were wrong.

She broke our stare down, biting her bottom lip and looking at the floor before Jackson's sister and Dee Badeaux's granddaughter, Brittany, started talking to her again. They were like two hens in a hen house flapping around her.

"Who is that?" I glanced at Butch who was licking his lips and straightening out his trucker cap.

But it was Jackson who answered. "That's Dee Badeaux's nice, Libby Gentry. She failed out of college so her parents sent her down here to get some southern learning and straighten her out."

"I'd like to straighten her out with my dick." Butch clicked his teeth, staring at her like she was a piece of meat.

I opened my mouth to say something, but then the beginning of "Pour some sugar on me" poured through the speakers. Butch's jaw practically dropped to the floor and I followed his gaze. There was Libby, swaying her body to the beat of the music and trying to pull Brittany along with her. She moved her long legs to the floor and back up again. Her ass practically staring me in the face. I felt my jeans tighten. The girl could definitely move.

"Well, it looks like it shouldn't be too hard to do that. Looks like I'm getting lucky tonight." Butch wiped his mouth.

I couldn't let him try. I couldn't let  him spoil the one ray of sunshine I thought could possibly poke into my life. I had to get to her first. And not let her end up being another conquest of any other guy. I knew at that moment I wanted Libby Gentry to be mine.

"The Hell you are." I shot up from the couch and ran over to the blonde goddess. Her back was to me, but I could already smell her shampoo or perfume. Whatever it was it smelled like summertime: sunshine and strawberries, and I had to adjust myself again before I grabbed onto her arm and stopped her dancing. If I didn't end up with her that night, I didn't want anyone else to. The moment I met her, I fell in love with her and if I had to make her hate me first, then so be it.

"What the Hell do you think you're doing?"