J. Kenner's Blog, page 19
August 15, 2020
#SaintOnSaturday – Chapter 3 (plus EXCLUSIVE prequel offer!)
Coming 9.15.20:
• Amazon – https://jklinks.co/mfs_amz_aff
• AppleBooks – https://jklinks.co/mfs_apb_aff
• Nook – https://jklinks.co/mfs_nook
• Kobo – https://jklinks.co/mfs_kobo
• GPlay – https://jklinks.co/mfs_gplay
His touch is her sin.
Her love is his salvation.
Charismatic. Confident. Powerful. Controlling.
A brilliant investor with a Midas touch, Devlin Saint turned a modest inherited fortune into billions, and now operates one of the world’s foremost international philanthropic organizations. He’s a man determined to help the underprivileged, to fight injustice, and to make the world a better place. And that, at least is true.
It’s not, however, the full truth.
Because Devlin Saint is a man with a dangerous secret. One he’ll do whatever it takes to protect. And when investigative reporter Ellie Holmes turns her attention to an unsolved murder, she finds herself caught in a web of intrigue and passion as Devlin draws her closer and closer. But as the intensity and sensuality of their relationship grows, so do Ellie’s suspicions. Until she is no longer certain if the heat between her and Devlin is real, or only a facade he constructed to hide his dark and twisted secrets.
And now … on to Chapter Three!For months, being with Alex was both torture and bliss. It was like living in a pressure cooker, and I think we both knew that the day would come when we couldn’t fight it anymore.
Then, right after Christmas break, Brandy’s dad pulled up stakes and moved the whole family to San Diego with barely any notice at all. We’d been devastated, and the day before she left, I helped her pack her room and stayed until her mom said I had to go because the movers were coming at five in the morning. I’d left reluctantly, fighting back tears so that Brandy wouldn’t lose it all over again.
I got home to find Alex waiting up for me, ostensibly catching up on Uncle Peter’s paperwork. I’d hurried up to my room, unable to even talk to him without risking more tears.
I’d been about to doze off when I heard the light tap at my door. I propped myself up, assuming it was Uncle Peter coming to say goodnight. Instead, it was Alex.
He shut the door behind him, then stood on the far side of the room. “I wanted to make sure you’re okay.”
“I’m sad,” I admitted, and it was as if the words were permission for the tears to flow. “I don’t think I’ve been this sad since Daddy died.”
“Oh, Ellie…” I barely registered the fact that he’d crossed the room to me. That he was sitting on the edge of the bed, and I was upright and clutching him, sobbing against his shoulder.
I don’t know when he slid into bed next to me, but he did. We were both fully clothed, him in jeans and me in PJs, and he held me tight as I snuggled against him. He stroked my hair, and I cried myself to sleep. Not only because Brandy was gone, but because I knew that one day soon, Alex would leave for college, and I’d lose him as well.
Nothing happened that night. Nothing sexual, anyway. But emotionally? Well, whatever bit of my heart I’d held back was fully his by morning. He snuck out before Uncle Peter arrived, and we shared a secret smile in the kitchen as I made toast to eat on the way to school. Just a normal day. Except it would never be normal again.
After that, every day held smiles and shared glances, and I floated on a cloud knowing this wonderful guy had become my rock. Someone solid and real in a world where everyone I loved kept getting ripped away.
I didn’t have a party on my seventeenth birthday. With Brandy gone and Alex out of town for some work thing, I couldn’t muster the enthusiasm. Instead, Uncle Peter took me out to dinner, and when he went out later that night, I took a twilight stroll down the beach to the tidal pools.
I sat on the rocks, careful not to slip into the pool and disturb the tiny ecosystem. The moon was full, so there was enough light to see the silver fish, brown anemones, and all the rest of the sea life that lived in that fragile little world.
I was bent forward, watching a hermit crab navigate its way across the pool, when I heard the soft pad of footsteps behind me. A spike of fear shot through me, and I jumped to my feet, not even thinking, and lost my footing. I started to go down, certain I’d either squash all the critters in the pool or scrape every bit of exposed skin on the rocks.
But then suddenly I wasn’t falling. I was flying, being pulled off the rocks and into Alex’s arms.
“I’ve got you,” he said as my blood pounded in my ears. Not from my near miss, but from his proximity. From the sensation of his body pressed against mine as he held my upper arms tight in his clenched hands.
Our eyes met, and though I’ve never considered myself particularly bold, I moved first, tugging my arms free so I could wrap them around his neck as I rose on my toes and closed my mouth over his.
There was no fear, no worry that he’d push me away. I’d known in the instant before our lips met that this was the way it had to be. This perfect, intense moment that ignited a firestorm inside me as he cupped the back of my neck, pulling me closer until I felt like I could crawl inside of him.
“Ellie,” he murmured when we broke apart, and hearing my name on his lips was like throwing gasoline on a fire. I wanted him. All of him. And once again, I lifted myself onto my toes and lost myself in the taste of him.
He hesitated only a moment, but in those few seconds, I feared he’d push me away. But then he made a low noise in his throat and thoroughly claimed my mouth, his tongue tasting and teasing, dancing with mine as his hands slid down to cup my ass.
He pulled me close to him, and I moaned when I felt his erection against my belly. I’d never been this close to a guy, and the proof that he wanted me that way burned inside me, making my inner thighs ache and my core throb.
Then suddenly he wasn’t cupping my rear anymore. He had one hand down the back of my shorts and I was spreading my legs, offering him all of me.
“Please,” I begged, gasping for air. I wasn’t even sure what I was asking for. His finger? His cock? Did I want him to lay me down in the sand and make love to me? Did I want him to take me home?
All I knew was that the answer was yes. All I wanted in that moment was to be his, however and wherever he wanted.
When he looked down at me—when I saw the wild, raw heat in his eyes, I knew that’s what he craved, too.
This was happening. Oh, God, this was really happening.
But then something in his face shifted, and he pulled his hand out of my shorts. I heard myself whimper as he took a step back, breaking the contact between us.
“Alex?” I heard fear in my voice. Fear that he didn’t want me. Fear that I’d done something wrong.
“We can’t,” he said, taking my hand and holding it close to his chest. “I’ve never wanted anyone as much as I want you, Ellie. But we can’t do this.”
I tried to swallow, but the knot of tears stuck in my throat. And when I asked why my voice was little more than a croak.
He cupped my cheek. “You’re barely seventeen, El. And I’m almost twenty. Plus, I work for your uncle.” Something in his face hardened. “Your uncle’s not the kind of man who would overlook it. We’ve already been playing with fire. Push this, and we’ll both get burned.”
I wanted to shout back that I didn’t care. I wanted to burn. I wanted to get lost in the flames with him until we were both reduced to ashes.
But I didn’t say any of that because I knew he was right.
He shook his head slowly, his expression profoundly sad. “I never wanted—”
“What?”
“Here. I never wanted to come here.”
“To Laguna Cortez?” My voice rose in surprise. “I thought everybody wanted to come here.”
“My dad made me. Now, though… ” He trailed off, running his fingers over his short hair. “God, Ellie, now this is exactly where I want to be.”
“Please,” I said, blurting out the word before I lost my nerve. “I want to.”
The corner of his mouth curved up. “Me, too. Obviously. But we can’t.”
“Yes, we can. Uncle Peter’s barely noticed that we’re friends, much less that there’s more.”
“Fine. We can.”
For a moment, my heart stopped, but then he continued.
“But, El,” he said. “I won’t.”
He stuck to that, too.
Every night, I’d go to bed and slide my hand between my legs while I imagined him doing all the things I read in romance novels. Every night, I’d silently pray for him to sneak into my room and into my bed.
But he never did. He kept his word, even though each time we were alone the air was so charged, I was sure that one of us would crack.
We didn’t, though.
Not then. Not yet.
For the next two months, our friendship grew even stronger. Especially with Brandy gone, he became my closest friend. We talked for hours that summer after he was done with work, mostly at the tidal pools. Sometimes he’d stay late at the house, because Uncle Peter was hardly ever home.
We’d talk or cook dinner or watch movies. Horror mostly, because it was an excuse to sit close and hold hands at the first scary scene.
And always, always, there was that greedy, guilty need that had me squeezing my thighs to relieve the pressure. I imagined crawling into his lap and doing exactly what the girls in those movies were doing.
And I didn’t even care that if I did them, then surely the monster would get me, too.
Maybe I should have cared more. Maybe in the end, I really did bring the monsters down on me.
I don’t know. But I vividly remember that September day when Chief Randall came to school and delivered the news that Uncle Peter was dead. Killed by a single bullet to the back of the head, shot from the gun of a monster.
In grief and fear, I’d run home, expecting to find Alex working in the office. But he wasn’t there. Later, I learned that he’d been checking the books at one of Uncle Peter’s properties when a detective had come to give him the news. They’d questioned Alex for over an hour, digging deep into Uncle Peter’s business, searching for clues as to who might have held a grudge.
I didn’t know any of that at the time. All I knew was that I was dying inside. That I needed to hear his voice in order to know that he was truly okay. Because everybody I loved—everybody—was taken from me. Over and over and over again.
All afternoon and evening I sat with my phone beside me, curled up under a blanket in the living room with Amy Randall, the Chief’s wife, bringing me hot tea and cookies. I loved her for taking care of me, but even with Amy in the room, I felt alone.
Alex never called, and at ten o’clock Amy kissed my cheek and got herself settled in the guest room. I went upstairs to my room—and there he was, sitting on the edge of my bed.
I don’t know how, but I managed to shut and lock the door behind me before I fell, sobbing, into his arms. “You’re going to be okay,” Alex whispered. “I hate that you’re hurting, but you’re strong, El. Never forget how strong you are.”
There was an unfamiliar edge to his voice, and he spoke straight to my soul when he said, “I’ve seen your heart, and you will survive this. And I’ll tell you something else, too. I love you, Elsa Holmes.” His voice burned with emotion. “That’s why I call you El,” he added, his thumb and forefinger making the sign for the letter L. “Because it’s the first letter in love.”
Pure joy battled the loss and pain inside me as he cupped my cheek, his eyes locked on mine. “Promise me you won’t ever forget that.”
“Alex… ” I could barely say his name though my tears.
“Promise me.” The words were harsh. Demanding.
“I promise.”
He closed his eyes, then took a deep breath. And when he opened them again, I gasped at the wild intensity I saw. The blatant hunger. “Tonight, Ellie. Damn me all to hell, but I’ve got to have you tonight.”
“Yes,” I said, though I wanted to cry with relief. “Yes,” I repeated, only to have the word lost in the soft brush of his lips, that innocent, tender touch exploding into something much more passionate. Something raw.
Something wonderful.
He flipped me onto my back and straddled me, his mouth hard on mine as I clenched at his hips and pulled him down, craving a deeper connection. Needing skin on skin. I wanted everything I’d been fantasizing about, and I wanted it right then. But at the same time, I wanted this to go slow. To last forever. I wanted no one but Alex, and nothing except being in his arms.
“Ellie,” he whispered, then trailed kisses down my neck and lower still. I wasn’t wearing a bra, and his mouth closed over my breast through my T-shirt. I arched up, so startled by the intensity of the sensation that I had to bite the soft spot at the base of my thumb in order to keep from crying out. Amy was all the way on the other side of the house and a floor below us, but considering the magnitude of what I was feeling, if I let go, I was certain that my cries of pleasure would shake every wall in the place.
He moved lower then, his tongue teasing the thin strip of bare skin between my shirt and my PJ bottoms, making me writhe beneath him. I felt the brush of his fingers as he unfastened the string, then watched as he lifted his head to meet my eyes while he gently eased my pants down, along with my panties. A shiver ran through me—not fear, but anticipation and wild nerves.
“Okay?”
I nodded, then closed my eyes as he kissed my belly button, then moved slowly lower. His hands were cupped at my sides, his thumbs barely touching the swell of my breasts. The only truly intimate contact was his mouth. Such a small bit of skin to generate such incredible sensations.
He moved with wicked slowness. He probably wanted to make sure I was ready, but I was flying from the heat of him, from the wildness and need he was setting loose inside me. Even with all the times I’d made my own body explode, I’d never experienced this growing anticipation or the pure erotic pleasure of being tended and led down a sensual path toward an avalanche of pleasure.
It almost became too much. I whimpered, then shifted my hips as his lips pressed against my mound. He slid his hands lower, then gripped my waist, holding me firmly in place. Only once did he take his mouth from my skin, and that was when he spoke to me. My eyes were closed, my back arched as my body strained for more. “You should touch yourself,” he said. “Your breasts. Your nipples.”
“Why?”
“You’ll like it,” he said. “I will, too.”
I swallowed, the thought that he’d watch as I did something so intimate making me more than a little nervous. Ironic, considering how intimately he was touching me. But I did as he asked, barely grazing my fingertip over my very tight nipple. And oh my God, the sparks that set off. I closed my eyes again, forgetting to be nervous, letting my hands tease my breasts as his mouth explored below, his tongue flicking over me in ways that had me biting my lower lip to prevent me moaning so much that he’d worry about me and stop.
And then—oh God, and then—my whole body tightened and exploded with way, way, way more intensity than I’d ever managed on my own, because on my own, I’d always stopped. But Alex was relentless, teasing and sucking until I didn’t care about embarrassing myself, and I writhed and moaned and screamed until he finally slid up my body, put his hand on my mouth, and reminded me that the walls were thin.
He’d held me then, taking over the job of playing with my breasts, then helping me out of my bunched-up T-shirt so that I was naked and he was still fully dressed.
I bit my lower lip and asked, “Do you want…?” I held my breath, waiting for him to answer. I was warm and sated, but I still wanted more. I wanted him.
“Desperately,” he said. “I want everything with you, El. I want a night that neither of us will ever forget. I want to bury myself inside you and feel it as you shatter around me.” He kissed me gently. “Is that okay?”
I nodded, mute, and he kissed me again before sitting up and reaching for his back pocket. He pulled out his wallet and took out a condom, and I felt like an idiot, then, because I was so worked up it hadn’t even occurred to me.
“You’ve done this before,” I said, a bit accusatorially, but that was only to hide my embarrassment.
“No,” he said as he peeled off his jeans and shirt.
I rolled my eyes. “I’m not naive, you know.”
His smile was both teasing and sweet. “Sex, yes. But never with someone I love.”
“Oh.”
“I do love you, El, and it’s destroying my reason.”
I frowned. “What do you mean?”
“We shouldn’t do this. Not tonight. Not when I—Not after—But dammit, I want you too much. I can’t stand the thought that I might—”
“What?”
“Lose you?”
He made the words a question, and I nodded in understanding. Peter was the first person he’d lost. And I understood grief better than anyone. “You won’t lose me, Alex,” I promised. “How can you if we love each other?”
I thought I saw tears in his eyes, but then he kissed me, and once again I was lost as he swept me away, out to sea on a tide of passion. He moved slowly, every touch bringing me that much closer to begging until, finally, I did exactly that and showered him with pleas.
He didn’t ask if I was sure—he knew that I was—but he met my eyes, and when he grinned, he was more than my new lover, he was my best friend. And I knew right then that no matter what, the night was going to be perfect.
He buried himself inside me, moving slowly, taking care to hurt me as little as possible, until I was actually whimpering with need. And when he exploded, I opened my eyes and watched the release play out over his face and body, amazed that I had the power to take him there—and then amazed again a few minutes later when he once more sent me off on the same journey until we were both utterly spent and limp as rags.
He slid up the bed, pulling me against him, and we clung to each other, whispering softly until sleep claimed us. I drifted off in his arms, knowing that I would survive this. Because with Alex by my side, I could survive anything.
That’s what I believed, anyway, but I learned soon enough that it was a crock of steaming bullshit.
Because by the time I got up the next morning, Alex was gone, vanished with no word other than one crappy slip of paper telling me he was sorry and that I was strong. I’d loved him. I’d trusted him. And he’d walked away.
Everyone else in my life had been stolen from me. But Alex? He’d left of his own accord.
And that made him the worst devil of all.
Coming 9.15.20:
Preorder here … don’t worry! You’re not charged until the book comes out!
• Amazon – https://jklinks.co/mfs_amz_aff
• AppleBooks – https://jklinks.co/mfs_apb_aff
• Nook – https://jklinks.co/mfs_nook
• Kobo – https://jklinks.co/mfs_kobo
• GPlay – https://jklinks.co/mfs_gplay
And remember: for EVERYONE who pre-orders and submits proof of preorder through this form, I’ll be sending you a BONUS prequel short story that is EXCLUSIVELY for readers who preorder the book! It won’t ever be offered again! So don’t miss out!
Be sure to come back next Saturday for Chapter 4!
The post #SaintOnSaturday – Chapter 3 (plus EXCLUSIVE prequel offer!) appeared first on JKenner/Julie Kenner.
August 13, 2020
JK Recommends… Aug 14th! Recommendations for all the book lovers…
Lots of fun new releases this week… which one are you grabbing?
JUST CLICK ON THE COVERS BELOW TO CHECK OUT THIS WEEK’S RECOMMENDATIONS!
Who did I miss… what was your favorite release this week?Do you have a favorite read that you always recommend?Comment below…Come back next FRIDAY for more of my recommendations!!
The post JK Recommends… Aug 14th! Recommendations for all the book lovers… appeared first on JKenner/Julie Kenner.
August 9, 2020
HURRY! Don’t miss out on this EXCLUSIVE Prequel story to My Fallen Saint!!
You can pre-order here:• Amazon – https://jklinks.co/mfs_amz_aff• AppleBooks – https://jklinks.co/mfs_apb_aff
• Nook – https://jklinks.co/mfs_nook
• Kobo – https://jklinks.co/mfs_kobo
• GPlay – https://jklinks.co/mfs_gplay
The post HURRY! Don’t miss out on this EXCLUSIVE Prequel story to My Fallen Saint!! appeared first on JKenner/Julie Kenner.
August 8, 2020
#SaintOnSaturday – Chapter 2
Also, be sure to PRE-ORDER your copy since that is the ONLY way to get the exclusive before-the-story story that I’ll be distributing on September 22 only to those who have pre-ordered and submitted proof of preorder through this form. It won’t ever be offered again! So don’t miss out!Coming 9.15.20:
• Amazon – https://jklinks.co/mfs_amz_aff
• AppleBooks – https://jklinks.co/mfs_apb_aff
• Nook – https://jklinks.co/mfs_nook
• Kobo – https://jklinks.co/mfs_kobo
• GPlay – https://jklinks.co/mfs_gplay
His touch is her sin.
Her love is his salvation.
Charismatic. Confident. Powerful. Controlling.
A brilliant investor with a Midas touch, Devlin Saint turned a modest inherited fortune into billions, and now operates one of the world’s foremost international philanthropic organizations. He’s a man determined to help the underprivileged, to fight injustice, and to make the world a better place. And that, at least is true.
It’s not, however, the full truth.
Because Devlin Saint is a man with a dangerous secret. One he’ll do whatever it takes to protect. And when investigative reporter Ellie Holmes turns her attention to an unsolved murder, she finds herself caught in a web of intrigue and passion as Devlin draws her closer and closer. But as the intensity and sensuality of their relationship grows, so do Ellie’s suspicions. Until she is no longer certain if the heat between her and Devlin is real, or only a facade he constructed to hide his dark and twisted secrets.
And now … on to Chapter Two!I met Alex Leto on my sixteenth birthday, and the first time I saw him, something inside me turned on. Something like happiness, yet so much more complicated. Optimism, maybe, but mixed with rainbows and unicorns.
The day started gray and dismal, with storms rolling in at dawn. They parked themselves over my house, spread their dark gray arms, and stirred up wind and rain from daybreak all the way into the evening. Six of my ten invited guests called to cancel, but even before the party started, I’d known that it was ruined.
I should have seen it coming. Maybe not a gale, but something. After all, I was not the most blessed of kids. For starters, I was an orphan.
I’d turned four the day after my mother died, and though I used to tell my dad that I remembered her, by the time I was ten, that was a lie.
Her brother, my Uncle Peter, moved his commercial real estate business to Laguna Cortez after she died. My dad couldn’t afford to hire help, and as Chief of Police he had an erratic schedule. Daddy and I lived in the hills, but I’d go to Uncle Peter’s huge, light-filled beach house most days after school.
It was a stunning home, but I hated every moment away from my dad. Maybe some part of me knew what was coming. I don’t know. All I know is that I wanted him beside me and safe.
But wanting doesn’t matter. It never does. Wants are just so much fluff, and Fate is a goddamn bitch. The summer I turned thirteen, I learned that lesson well.
That’s when a gunman murdered my father, then killed himself. People tried to comfort me by pointing out that my father died on duty in the job he loved. But it didn’t help. He was still horribly, painfully dead.
After that, my life spiraled even more. I moved in with Uncle Peter, and all my friends thought that I was so lucky, because there aren’t that many beachfront homes in Laguna Cortez.
But I wasn’t. I wasn’t lucky at all.
Eventually, I grew accustomed to my new normal. I’d find myself going entire days feeling happy, only to hate myself at night, because how could I experience joy when my parents had both died so horribly?
Which was why I wasn’t surprised when the storms rolled in on my birthday, because life will always sneak up and bite you.
Still, even with only a few kids showing up, we’d had fun. Instead of the beach, we settled into the media room to watch movies. And when Brandy and I went downstairs to ask Uncle Peter if my favorite pizza place was delivering in the storm, there he was.
A few years older than me, Alex was tall and lean, with close-cropped blond hair, a clean-shaven face that still had a boyish roundness, but an expression that was fully adult. His sandy brown eyes held me in place when he turned to look at me. And when his wide mouth curved into a friendly smile, a low, thrum teased between my thighs.
I’d had a crush or two by then, but I’d never reacted this viscerally to a guy. But Alex … well, a mere glimpse gave me more understanding of what all the fuss was about than any of the late-night gossip sessions at Brandy’s frequent slumber parties.
When he came over to shake my hand and wish me a happy birthday, I almost passed out. I was so flustered that I could only stand there, my hand in his, as I tried to play back the conversation of the last few seconds.
Alex Leto. That’s how he’d introduced himself. And he was working for Uncle Peter during his gap year while he decided on a college.
“Hi,” I’d squeaked, then kicked myself for being utterly uninteresting.
“Trouble with the movie?” Uncle Peter had asked, and I’d squinted at him, not understanding a word. “The projector,” he clarified. “Did you come down because I need to fix something?”
“Oh! Right. Pizza. We want to order pizza. Will they deliver in this weather?”
“If not, I can go get it for you,” Alex said, and if I hadn’t already fallen hard, that would have sealed the deal. A real live Prince Charming right in my kitchen.
Once Uncle Peter agreed, there’d been no more reason to hang out in the kitchen, and Brandy and I reluctantly went back to the media room. “Oh. My. God,” she whisper-squealed as we climbed the stairs. “Did you see the way he was looking at you?”
“He was being polite,” I countered, though her words revived that down low tingle, now complemented by a swarm of butterflies in my belly.
“Was he?” She winked at me, and I grabbed her wrist before she could burst into the media room.
“Don’t say anything.”
“What? Why not?”
“I just … I … please? Can we tell them about the pizza and leave it at that?”
“Yeah.” She shrugged. “Yeah, sure. If that’s what you want.”
“Thanks.”
She gave me a quick conspiratorial smile. “But he really is super cute.”
“I know, right?” And we both burst into giggles, only to fall into total hysterics when our friend Carrie pushed open the door with a scowl.
“Hello? Waiting the movie on you two. I mean, rude.”
We clapped our hands over our mouths to bite back another flood of laughter, took our seats, and settled in until the pizza came. And even though Alex was the one who delivered it—and even though he stayed to watch the second half of Aliens and sat right next to me—Brandy never said a word. Not then. Not ever.
Which is a big part of why she’s my best friend to this day.
After that, Alex was around a lot. Peter had a home office, but he did most of his work at construction sites or in the offices of the apartments and hotels he owned. He’d hired Alex to do administrative stuff, which meant that Alex was at the house most every day.
I turned down beach and movie offers from my friends, choosing to stay in and fetch Alex water and snacks and coffee. Each time I’d linger a bit, asking what he was doing, and he’d never blow me off. He’d even invite me to stay. Then one day he asked if I wanted to help.
“Not as interesting as spending the summer with your friends,” he’d said, “but I’d love the company.” He smiled then, and that tiny little motion—nothing more than muscles around lips—had melted me.
“Good. Because I’d rather be here.”
“Would you?”
I nodded, my heart pounding with such ferocity I was sure he must be able to hear it.
“That works out great, because I like having you here.”
I met his eyes, and something deep inside me roared. For the first time in my life, I felt the hard punch of true, sexual desire.
“Right.” I swallowed, trying to overcome my desert-dry mouth.
So that’s what I did, helping him when I could, taking up space the rest of the time. And we talked. About anything and everything. I’d never been as comfortable with anyone in all my life, and that was despite the humming, buzzing, crackling in the air whenever we were near each other.
“Have you done anything?” Brandy asked when we were back in school months later.
“No! He works for my uncle, remember? Besides, he’s eighteen. Me, sixteen. And he knows it.”
She waved away my words. “Yeah, but so what? You act older. Ever since … well, my mom says you raised yourself.”
Honestly, Mrs. Bradshaw wasn’t wrong. My uncle may have sheltered and fed and clothed me these last few years, but that was about it. Nurturing, I got at Brandy’s house. And the rest? Well, I guess maybe I did raise myself.
“Eighteen,” I repeated firmly. “Nineteen next week.”
“That’s perfect.” Her blue eyes twinkled. “Wrap yourself in a bow, and you can be his present.”
I didn’t give myself to him, of course, but when he turned nineteen, I gave him a leather friendship bracelet with a Celtic knot. “That’s called a love knot,” he said, and I felt my cheeks burn hot.
“I—I didn’t know.”
“Didn’t you? Well, it makes it all the more special to me.”
“Oh.”
He held out his arm to me. “Fasten it?”
I did, lightly stroking my thumb over his wrist as I manipulated the clasp.
“This is fucked up,” he said, so soft I could barely hear him.
“What?”
“Us,” he said, the words like ice.
“I’m sorry. I should—” I turned to go, but he grabbed my arm and pulled me back. We were alone in Uncle Peter’s study, and he held me in place.
“You’re sixteen.” He practically growled the words. “Why the hell are you only sixteen?”
I shook my head, blinking as I tried to prevent the flood of tears.
“We can’t,” he said, and I didn’t have to ask what he meant.
“I know,” I whispered. I’d been talking to the ground, but I told myself that wasn’t fair. He deserved the words. He deserved to see my heart. I looked up and met his eyes. “But I want to.”
His head tilted in the slightest of nods. “I know,” he said. “I want it, too.”
Coming 9.15.20:
Preorder here … don’t worry! You’re not charged until the book comes out!
And remember: for EVERYONE who pre-orders and submits proof of preorder through this form, I’ll be sending you a BONUS prequel short story that is EXCLUSIVELY for readers who preorder the book! It won’t ever be offered again! So don’t miss out!
• Amazon – https://jklinks.co/mfs_amz_aff
• AppleBooks – https://jklinks.co/mfs_apb_aff
• Nook – https://jklinks.co/mfs_nook
• Kobo – https://jklinks.co/mfs_kobo
• GPlay – https://jklinks.co/mfs_gplay
The post #SaintOnSaturday – Chapter 2 appeared first on JKenner/Julie Kenner.
August 6, 2020
JK Recommends… Aug 7th! Recommendations for all the book lovers…
Lots of great new releases this week… which one did you grab?
JUST CLICK ON THE COVERS BELOW TO CHECK OUT THIS WEEK’S RECOMMENDATIONS!
Who did I miss… what was your favorite release this week?Do you have a favorite read that you always recommend?Comment below…Come back next FRIDAY for more of my recommendations!!
The post JK Recommends… Aug 7th! Recommendations for all the book lovers… appeared first on JKenner/Julie Kenner.
August 1, 2020
My Fallen Saint Chap 1 … and an EXCLUSIVE offer!
Hey everyone! I love these characters so much, and I just can’t wait until September for you to meet them! So I decided to do weekly chapters counting down to release week! I hope you enjoy!! (Be sure to read all the way to the end for a SPECIAL OFFER for a FREE, EXCLUSIVE, bonus story!!)
Coming 9.15.20:
• Amazon – https://jklinks.co/mfs_amz_aff
• AppleBooks – https://jklinks.co/mfs_apb_aff
• Nook – https://jklinks.co/mfs_nook
• Kobo – https://jklinks.co/mfs_kobo
• GPlay – https://jklinks.co/mfs_gplay
His touch is her sin.
Her love is his salvation.
Charismatic. Confident. Powerful. Controlling.
A brilliant investor with a Midas touch, Devlin Saint turned a modest inherited fortune into billions, and now operates one of the world’s foremost international philanthropic organizations. He’s a man determined to help the underprivileged, to fight injustice, and to make the world a better place. And that, at least is true.
It’s not, however, the full truth.
Because Devlin Saint is a man with a dangerous secret. One he’ll do whatever it takes to protect. And when investigative reporter Ellie Holmes turns her attention to an unsolved murder, she finds herself caught in a web of intrigue and passion as Devlin draws her closer and closer. But as the intensity and sensuality of their relationship grows, so do Ellie’s suspicions. Until she is no longer certain if the heat between her and Devlin is real, or only a facade he constructed to hide his dark and twisted secrets.
Here’s Chapter One (by far the shortest of them all)! Enjoy, and feel free to share!
The wind stings my face and the glare from the afternoon sun obscures my vision as I fly down the long stretch of Sunset Canyon Road at well over a hundred miles per hour.
My heart pounds and my palms are sweaty, but not because of my speed. On the contrary, this is what I need. The rush. The thrill. I crave it like a junkie, and it affects me like a toddler on a sugar high.
Honestly, it’s taking every ounce of my willpower not to put my 1965 Shelby Cobra through her paces and kick her powerful engine up even more.
I can’t, though. Not today. Not here.
Not when I’m back, and certainly not when my homecoming has roused a swarm of butterflies in my stomach. When every curve in this road brings back memories that have tears clogging my throat and my bowels rumbling with nerves.
Dammit.
I pound down the clutch, then slam my foot onto the brake, shifting into neutral as I simultaneously yank the wheel sharply to the left. The tires squeal in protest as I make a U-turn across the oncoming lane, the car’s ass fishtailing before skidding to a stop in the turnout. I’m breathing hard, and honestly, I think Shelby is, too. She’s more than a car to me; she’s a lifelong best friend, and I don’t usually fuck with her like this.
Now, though…
Well, now she’s dangerously close to the cliff’s edge, her entire passenger side resting parallel to a void that boasts a view of the distant coastline. Not to mention a seriously stunning glimpse of the small downtown below.
I ratchet up the emergency brake as my heartbeat pounds in my throat. And only when I’m certain we won’t go skidding down the side of the cliff do I kill Shelby’s engine, wipe my sweaty palms on my jeans, and let my body relax.
Well, hello to you, too, Laguna Cortez.
With a sigh, I take off my ball cap, allowing my dark curls to bounce free around my face and graze my shoulders.
“Get a grip, Ellie,” I murmur, then suck in a deep breath. Not so much for courage—I’m not afraid of this town—but for fortitude. Because Laguna Cortez beat me down before, and it’s going to take all of my strength to walk those streets again.
One more breath, and then I step out of the car. I walk to the edge of the turnout. There’s no barrier, and loose dirt and small stones clatter down the hill as I balance on the very edge.
Below me, jagged rocks protrude from the canyon walls. Further down, the harsh angles smooth to gentle slopes with homes of all shapes and sizes nestled among the rocks and scrubby plants. The tiled roofs follow the tightly winding road that leads down to the Arts District. Tucked neatly in the valley formed by a U of hills and canyons, the area opens onto the town’s largest beach and draws a steady stream of tourists and locals.
As far as the public is concerned, Laguna Cortez is one of the gems of the Pacific Coast. A laid-back town with just under sixty-thousand people and miles of sandy and rocky beaches.
Most people would give their right arm to live here.
As far as I’m concerned, it’s hell.
It’s the place where I lost my heart and my virginity. Not to mention everybody close to me. My parents. My uncle.
And Alex.
The boy I’d loved. The man who broke me.
Not a single one of them is here anymore. My family, all dead. And Alex, long gone.
I ran, too, desperate to escape the weight of my losses and the sting of betrayal. I swore to myself that I’d never return.
As far as I was concerned, nothing would get me back.
But now it’s ten years later, and here am I again, drawn back down to hell by the ghosts of my past.
Coming 9.15.20:
Preorder here … don’t worry! You’re not charged until the book comes out!
And for EVERYONE who pre-orders and submits proof of preorder through this form, I’ll be sending you a BONUS prequel short story that is EXCLUSIVELY for readers who preorder the book! It won’t ever be offered again! So don’t miss out!
• Amazon – https://jklinks.co/mfs_amz_aff
• AppleBooks – https://jklinks.co/mfs_apb_aff
• Nook – https://jklinks.co/mfs_nook
• Kobo – https://jklinks.co/mfs_kobo
• GPlay – https://jklinks.co/mfs_gplay
The post My Fallen Saint Chap 1 … and an EXCLUSIVE offer! appeared first on JKenner/Julie Kenner.
July 30, 2020
JK Recommends… July 31st! Recommendations for all the book lovers…
Check out this week’s new releases, including featured titles a selection of friends (including an awesome beta reader!) and critique partners!
JUST CLICK ON THE COVERS BELOW TO CHECK OUT THIS WEEK’S RECOMMENDATIONS!
Who did I miss… what was your favorite release this week?Do you have a favorite read that you always recommend?Comment below…Come back next FRIDAY for more of my recommendations!!
The post JK Recommends… July 31st! Recommendations for all the book lovers… appeared first on JKenner/Julie Kenner.
July 23, 2020
JK Recommends… July 24th! Recommendations for all the book lovers…
Hey everyone! Lots of great new books this week, but I’m also adding in one of my favorite oldies! You may have seen this post on my Facebook Profile, but if not, here’s why I’m including one of my favorite time travels, Everything in its Time:
OK, my lovelies! I have a story to tell you … Over twenty years ago (gulp) I met this amazing woman named Dee Davis and she and I and another woman named Kathleen Panov were trying to get published. We met weekly at Borders (and much work and hilarity ensued … someday I’ll recount the infamous Historical Dressing Story) … and we worked hard and exchanged pages and made Important & Insightful Comments on each other’s work, and all this while dealing with kids (KP and DD, mine were as yet non-existent!) and very full-time day jobs (me as a lawyer and KP doing something that I think involved math).
And then it happened! I sold! And about 5 seconds later so did Dee! And KP sold not much long after that!!
There was much celebrating and toasting! And not of the marshmallow variety. Those of you who know us personally, know that Dee and I became pretty much constant companions in not only romance-landia, but also in the world (and KP, too, until she decided to leave writing for the real world and stopped traveling with us. I think we were just too loud in the bar for her…)
But I digress….
My first book came out in January of 2000 and Dee’s came out in July of 2000 — twenty years ago this month. And it is, seriously, one of my most favorite time travel romances ever.
If you haven’t read it, now is your chance. It’s just 99c everywhere for a limited time in celebration of the anniversary!
Trust me. It rocks!
You can grab it here:
Amazon – AppleBooks – Nook – Kobo – GPlay
JUST CLICK ON THE COVERS BELOW TO CHECK OUT THIS WEEK’S RECOMMENDATIONS!
Who did I miss… what was your favorite release this week?Do you have a favorite read that you always recommend?Comment below…Come back next FRIDAY for more of my recommendations!!
The post JK Recommends… July 24th! Recommendations for all the book lovers… appeared first on JKenner/Julie Kenner.
July 16, 2020
JK Recommends… July 17th! Recommendations for all the book lovers…
Another week full of awesome releases… which one(s) are you grabbing??
JUST CLICK ON THE COVERS BELOW TO CHECK OUT THIS WEEK’S RECOMMENDATIONS!
Who did I miss… what was your favorite release this week?Do you have a favorite read that you always recommend?Comment below…Come back next FRIDAY for more of my recommendations!!The post JK Recommends… July 17th! Recommendations for all the book lovers… appeared first on JKenner/Julie Kenner.
July 9, 2020
JK Recommends… July 10th! Recommendations for all the book lovers…
So many amazing releases this week! What is next up on your TBR?
JUST CLICK ON THE COVERS BELOW TO CHECK OUT THIS WEEK’S RECOMMENDATIONS!
Who did I miss… what was your favorite release this week?Do you have a favorite read that you always recommend?Comment below…Come back next FRIDAY for more of my recommendations!!The post JK Recommends… July 10th! Recommendations for all the book lovers… appeared first on JKenner/Julie Kenner.
