Chelsea O'Neal's Blog, page 27
November 5, 2013
Goodreads 2013 Choice Awards
Hello! I am plugging away for Juniper's Princess to take the title of Debut Goodreads author in 2013!!
Daniah is different, she always has been and now her dreams and visions of the future are increasing, she knows her life is changing. She just doesn't know by how much...
Jaiden is different, but he know why and he knows his responsibilities. He must find the saviour of his race, the angel human half-breeds who are fighting a war for humanity's souls. If he can't convince Daniah she is more than just a little different - she is a princess of their people - they are all going to hell.
Unfortunately Daniah doesn't have many reasons to trust Jadien, especially when he is caught in a web of his own lies.In a world where half-breed angels walk among us, fighting an evil for our souls, Daniah must find the strength to become the princess we all need.
All you have to do is click this link, Debut Author, make sure you are a Goodreads member, then write in Juniper's Princess by Chelsea O'Neal to cast your vote! Thanks!
Click here to Vote
Also if you have time while you are there to leave a review, that would be wonderful!
October 30, 2013
Executive Seduction by Jennifer Probst
Executive Seduction by Jennifer Probst
Previously published under the tile:
Heart of Steel
Blurb:
Logan Grant knew Chandler was trouble the moment he laid eyes on her. He agrees to her business proposal because he wants a guaranteed profit...and he wants Chandler Santell. But a dangerous game of love, power and greed play out behind the scenes. The payout is worth millions, but only if he can claim her heart.
Chandler Santell has successfully avoided rich and powerful men who believe more in money than in people. But when her Yoga and Arts Center is on the verge of financial ruin, there's only one man who can help her: Logan Grant--the most ruthless CEO in the finance industry. He's her only hope and she's willing to do anything to save her dream.
Absolutely anything.
*~*My Review*~*
I loved this story! It was intense yet satisfying! I want to know what happens with Olivia! Is there more to this world? I really like how a yoga teacher (though very smart former corporate braniac)makes a ruthless hard core billionaire fall for her without really even trying! It was a sweet story of love at first-ish sight. I really enjoyed how Logan stood up to Chandler's dad, and how sweet it was to see how it played out. I love Jennifer Probst's Marriage to a Billionaire series and other books so I figured I would like this one, but it was even better than I hoped! I loved how even after Chandler was dumb and kept pushing Logan away he finally got her to cave and that weekend was a fairy tale in and of itself! Five stars for sure!
Author Bio:
Jennifer Probst wrote her first book at twelve years old. She bound it in a folder, read it to her classmates, and hasn’t stopped writing since. She took a short hiatus to get married, get pregnant, buy a house, get pregnant again, pursue a master’s in English Literature, and rescue two shelter dogs. Now she is writing again.
She is the NYT and USA Today bestselling author of The Marriage Bargain. She is published both erotic and sexy contemporary romance with Entangled, Decadent, Red Sage and TWRP. She has also written a children's book, Buffy and the Carrot, co-written with her twelve year old niece, along with a short story, "A Life Worth Living." Visit her website for more info!
Jennifer's Website
Purchase at:
Amazon.com
Previously published under the tile:
Heart of Steel
Blurb:
Logan Grant knew Chandler was trouble the moment he laid eyes on her. He agrees to her business proposal because he wants a guaranteed profit...and he wants Chandler Santell. But a dangerous game of love, power and greed play out behind the scenes. The payout is worth millions, but only if he can claim her heart.
Chandler Santell has successfully avoided rich and powerful men who believe more in money than in people. But when her Yoga and Arts Center is on the verge of financial ruin, there's only one man who can help her: Logan Grant--the most ruthless CEO in the finance industry. He's her only hope and she's willing to do anything to save her dream.
Absolutely anything.
*~*My Review*~*
I loved this story! It was intense yet satisfying! I want to know what happens with Olivia! Is there more to this world? I really like how a yoga teacher (though very smart former corporate braniac)makes a ruthless hard core billionaire fall for her without really even trying! It was a sweet story of love at first-ish sight. I really enjoyed how Logan stood up to Chandler's dad, and how sweet it was to see how it played out. I love Jennifer Probst's Marriage to a Billionaire series and other books so I figured I would like this one, but it was even better than I hoped! I loved how even after Chandler was dumb and kept pushing Logan away he finally got her to cave and that weekend was a fairy tale in and of itself! Five stars for sure!
Author Bio:Jennifer Probst wrote her first book at twelve years old. She bound it in a folder, read it to her classmates, and hasn’t stopped writing since. She took a short hiatus to get married, get pregnant, buy a house, get pregnant again, pursue a master’s in English Literature, and rescue two shelter dogs. Now she is writing again.
She is the NYT and USA Today bestselling author of The Marriage Bargain. She is published both erotic and sexy contemporary romance with Entangled, Decadent, Red Sage and TWRP. She has also written a children's book, Buffy and the Carrot, co-written with her twelve year old niece, along with a short story, "A Life Worth Living." Visit her website for more info!
Jennifer's Website
Purchase at:
Amazon.com
October 18, 2013
Death and the Girl He Loves Blog Tour
Death and the Girl He Loves by Darynda Jones (Author Extraordinaire)
Blurb
The fate of the world is not something a girl wants on her shoulders, and that is especially true for Lorelei McAlister. Unfortunately for her, that is exactly where the world’s fate has decided to take up residence. Lorelei has seen firsthand the horrors that lie beneath our everyday world. And those horrors are getting her friends killed. Because of this, she agrees to leave the sanctity of her hometown and is sent to a different world entirely. A boarding school. But even here she is being watched. Someone knows what she is. What she carries inside her soul. And on top of that she’s seeing visions. This is nothing new for Lorelei. But these visions are something more: death, destruction, and the end of the world. Lorelei must face the fact that there are people who want her dead, and no matter where she goes, no matter how far she runs, the lives of her friends and family are in mortal peril. Lucky for her, her friends and family include the handsome Angel of Death, a fiercely protective half-angel, and a ragtag group of loyal supporters who aren’t afraid to get a little dirty in the name of fighting pure evil. ~*~My Review~*~
I loved every word of this book! It being the third and last in the Darklight Trilogy I was anxious for the ending,on how Darynda was going to wrap it all up. I was enthralled with the story just as I was for each of the other two books, heck with all of her books! Lorelei is hilarious, and when you add Glitch and Brooke it is wonderful the things that are said. I really loved getting to know Kenya she was a wonderful addition and I thought it brilliant the huge role she actually played. I think the reason the reality in Darynda’s books are so addictive is that even though they have a feel of reality to them in the midst of the turmoil the humor shines through like a rainbow after the storm. Truly I laughed out loud, I sniffled back tears and most of all I couldn’t put it down until I devoured the story completely! Jared is yummy yummy and even Cameron brooding and all is smokin’. I wish I had me some Jared and what I would give up to have the Angel of Death as my own! The emotion in this book makes me long for an epilogue novella, a 'what happened after and who is loving on whom'. Oh in a perfect world *wink* Anyway even without the novella, the Trilogy far surpassed my expectations and after reading Charley Davidson they were somewhat high! Love love love and I recommend to all and of course give 5 huge Angel of Death stars (you know hot, sexy, smoking, shiny, need I go on?)
Giveaway (Open Internationally)
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Hashtag: #DGH<3 Author Extraordinaire's Bio:
NYTimes and USA Today Bestselling Author Darynda Jones has won numerous awards for her work, including a prestigious Golden Heart®, a Rebecca, two Hold Medallions, a RITA ®, and a Daphne du Maurier, and she has received stellar reviews from dozens of publications including starred reviews from Publisher’s Weekly, Booklist, and the Library Journal. As a born storyteller, Darynda grew up spinning tales of dashing damsels and heroes in distress for any unfortunate soul who happened by, annoying man and beast alike, and she is ever so grateful for the opportunity to carry on that tradition. She currently has two series with St. Martin’s Press: The Charley Davidson Series and the Darklight Trilogy. She lives in the Land of Enchantment, also known as New Mexico, with her husband of almost 30 years and two beautiful sons, the Mighty, Mighty Jones Boys. She can be found at www.daryndajones.com.
Links To Author: Links To Purchase Books: Darynda Jones Website Amazon
Facebook Barnes & Noble
October 12, 2013
First Rapture by Alexandra Ivy
First Raptureby Alexandra Ivy
FROM NEW YORK TIMES AND USA TODAY BESTSELLER the first book in a new erotic series.
FIRST RAPTURE by Alexandra Ivy
Madison Philips has only one reason to return to Las Vegas: Luc Angeli. The tall, dark bad boy took her virginity on her eighteenth birthday and then walked away, now she’s back, and ready for revenge. Luc Angeli spent his youth trying to earn the approval of his philandering father. Now he’s his own man, but there’s still something missing from his life. He doesn’t know what it is until he catches sight of Madison across a balcony. Suddenly he knows this woman is what he’s been searching for, and this time he’s not walking away.
Approximately: 20,000 words
~*~ My Review~*~ I really enjoyed Maddy and Luc's story, I will readily and happily read anything Alexandra Ivy writes from now on!
I was not expecting how intense this short story would be and I loved how Alexandra hit perfectly on what it would feel like to have what happened to Maddy happen to them.
Luc was sweet and wonderfully reformed! I wish it would have been just a tad longer so that the changed didn't feel so abrupt from hating (even though it was a mock type of hate) to loving.
Good story a total 5 star steamy romance!
Author Bio:
I’m not exactly sure when I fell in love with books. Probably on my mother’s knee listening to her read Dr. Seuss to me. I do remember that I was barely old enough to cross the street by myself when I discovered the delights of the local library.
Could anything be more wonderful than spending summer days surrounded by stacks of Nancy Drew mysteries? Over the years I fell in love with Victoria Holt, Jane Austen, Agatha Christie, and J.R.R. Tolkien just to name a few. I read poetry, essays, biographies, and plays. In fact, I read anything I could get my hands on.
Years later (no, I’m not admitting how many) I’m still an avid reader, and my tastes are still as varied as they were in my youth, which I suppose helps to explain why I enjoy writing regency historicals under the name of Deborah Raleigh, as well as my contemporary paranormals as Alexandra Ivy.
For now that is enough to keep me busy, but who knows what the future might hold!
I do have a few other loves in my life besides reading and writing, the most important being my unbelievably patient husband, David, and my two sons, Chance and Alexander. Without their constant support and belief in me, I never could have been able to follow my dreams. They are truly my heroes.
Represented by Evan Marshall Literary Agency
Photo by Kade Photography
Purchase Book From
Amazon.com
FROM NEW YORK TIMES AND USA TODAY BESTSELLER the first book in a new erotic series.
FIRST RAPTURE by Alexandra Ivy
Madison Philips has only one reason to return to Las Vegas: Luc Angeli. The tall, dark bad boy took her virginity on her eighteenth birthday and then walked away, now she’s back, and ready for revenge. Luc Angeli spent his youth trying to earn the approval of his philandering father. Now he’s his own man, but there’s still something missing from his life. He doesn’t know what it is until he catches sight of Madison across a balcony. Suddenly he knows this woman is what he’s been searching for, and this time he’s not walking away.
Approximately: 20,000 words
~*~ My Review~*~ I really enjoyed Maddy and Luc's story, I will readily and happily read anything Alexandra Ivy writes from now on!
I was not expecting how intense this short story would be and I loved how Alexandra hit perfectly on what it would feel like to have what happened to Maddy happen to them.
Luc was sweet and wonderfully reformed! I wish it would have been just a tad longer so that the changed didn't feel so abrupt from hating (even though it was a mock type of hate) to loving.
Good story a total 5 star steamy romance!
Author Bio:
I’m not exactly sure when I fell in love with books. Probably on my mother’s knee listening to her read Dr. Seuss to me. I do remember that I was barely old enough to cross the street by myself when I discovered the delights of the local library.
Could anything be more wonderful than spending summer days surrounded by stacks of Nancy Drew mysteries? Over the years I fell in love with Victoria Holt, Jane Austen, Agatha Christie, and J.R.R. Tolkien just to name a few. I read poetry, essays, biographies, and plays. In fact, I read anything I could get my hands on.
Years later (no, I’m not admitting how many) I’m still an avid reader, and my tastes are still as varied as they were in my youth, which I suppose helps to explain why I enjoy writing regency historicals under the name of Deborah Raleigh, as well as my contemporary paranormals as Alexandra Ivy.
For now that is enough to keep me busy, but who knows what the future might hold!
I do have a few other loves in my life besides reading and writing, the most important being my unbelievably patient husband, David, and my two sons, Chance and Alexander. Without their constant support and belief in me, I never could have been able to follow my dreams. They are truly my heroes.
Represented by Evan Marshall Literary Agency
Photo by Kade Photography
Purchase Book From
Amazon.com
October 6, 2013
Juniper's Princess Blog Tour October 7-11
Fiction Addiction is coordinating...
Come follow my first Blog Tour
of my debut book Juniper's Princess!
Daniah is different, she always has been and now her dreams and visions of the future are increasing, she knows her life is changing. She just doesn't know by how much...Jaiden is different, but he knows why and he knows his responsibilities. He must find the saviour of his race, the angel human half-breeds who are fighting a war for humanity's souls. If he can't convince Daniah she is more than just a little different - she is the princess of their people - they are all going to die.
Unfortunately Daniah doesn't have many reasons to trust Jadien, especially when he is caught in a web of his own lies.
In a world where half-breed angels walk among us, fighting an evil for our souls, Daniah must find the strength to become the princess we all need.
Chelsea O'Neal has a unique voice in storytelling, threading the characters lives together intricately to give us a complex web of good versus evil in a world descending into chaos...
DateTour Info7th OctoberJera’s Jamboree8th OctoberDalene’s Book reviews9th OctoberBooks and their Seven Deadly Sins10th OctoberEverything Books and Authors11th OctoberTo Another World | Charli’s Book BlogThe giveaway on this tour is a signed paperback copy of Juniper’s Princess plus a bookmark.You will be able to enter on all tour host posts.
Here is my website with more info about my book.
http://chelseaoneal.weebly.com/books.html
Here are other various links for you to look at if you wish.
Facebook Author Page
Twitter Link
Amazon Author Page
Amazon Book Link
Barnes and Noble Book Link
Smashwords Book Link
Books A Million Book Link
Shelfari Book Link
Goodreads Book Link
GoodreadsAuthor Page
August 19, 2013
Released Blog Tour
Released by Mia Fox
Title: ReleasedAuthor: Mia Fox
Genre: YA Paranormal Romance/Steampunk
Tour Dates: Aug. 17-25
Tour Organizer: B3 Tours
Synopsis:
The discovery of an ancient bottle unleashes a Genie - and the wrath of the Demon Gypsies chasing her...
When Suzette (“Suki”) is released from her bottle by two teen girls, she is more than a
bit surprised that a Genie of her calibre is beholden to two average high school students.
After dealing with dignitaries and noblemen, however, she believes this will be a welcome break.
Until she discovers the teens’ hidden powers and that one will come to possess the
Amulet of Pollox, a necklace that contains the secrets from some of the greatest minds
throughout history. Unfortunately, she’s not the only one who notices. The Amulet draws
the attention of the two powerful and vengeful Demon Gypsies who have pursued Suki
through time and will stop at nothing to snatch the girls and the Amulet.
Suddenly, Suki is not just helping the girls navigate high school crushes, she’s
safeguarding them from danger unlike anything they’ve ever known. To make matters
more complicated, she must also fight her attraction to James - her protector through the
ages - whose sudden arrival threatens her resolve and her heart.
A time-traveling Genie and her unrequited love...
Demon Gypsies with an insatiable quest for power...
And the teen girls whose existence threatens them all.
This is the world of “Released,” book one of The Romani Realms series by Mia Fox, a
Young Adult trilogy featuring elements of paranormal romance and steampunk.
Author Bio:
Mia Fox is a Los Angeles-based novelist who writes across varied genres including contemporary fiction, chick lit, and young adult/new adult. She received a Bachelor
of Arts degree in Communications from U.S.C. followed by a Masters Degree in
Professional Writing also from U.S.C.
A lifelong reader and history lover, Mia enjoys infusing her writing with details of the
past as she has done in her first book, "Released," part of the Romani Realms trilogy,
which combines paranormal romance with elements of steampunk.
Her follow up book, "Alert the Media," is based on her previous professional life working
as an entertainment publicist. Today, she is happy to leave that world behind her,
preferring that any drama in her life is only that which she creates for her characters.
Mia is happily married to her best-friend, a Brit who has inspired her with annual visits to
England, an appreciation for dark chocolate, and the blessing of their three children.
*~*My Review*~* At first I was intrigued with the idea that this was going to be through the eyes of a female genie, and two teenage girls who released her. It was interesting to see the world through the eyes of a third party that neither of the girls knew was there. Then learning about the years Suki had been 'alive' who she had met, and what she had done. Charlotte and Sam were fun to listen to, and they are a bit of a contrast, both of them in high school, both slightly immature but yet both are on their own, and have been for sometime. Unfortunately I feel like Suki is a bit shallow and she does think of her self as quite something, for living over 300 years she doesn't seem to have learned much about emotions. Plus she still talks like a high school girl who never learned a thing about maturity. James was a welcome addition I think grounding Suki and even though I despised Raven and Phin, Phin started to grow on me. But every time I felt this may go well, Raven would throw a wrench in the plan. The ending was perfect for this story, and it completely easily sets up another story to follow. There are questions unanswered which will be eagerly awaited to be in the next book.
I give this book 3.5 stars.
Links to buy book:
Amazon Kindle
Amazon UK
Amazon Paperback
Barnes & Noble
Kobo
Links to connect with Mia Fox:
Website
WattpadGoodreads
August 14, 2013
Love-struck Giveaway Blog Hop
Love-struck Giveaway Blog Hop
Hosted by Under the Covers Book Blog
[image error]
I am joining this fantastic Blog Hop to introduce to you a brand new Urban Fantasy book!
Juniper's Princessby Chelsea O'Neal
Juniper's Princess (Released July 2, 2013):
~Juniper's Princess is the first book in the Angel Crest Series~
Blurb:
Daniah is different, she always has been and now her dreams and visions of the future are increasing, she knows her life is changing. She just doesn't know by how much...
Jaiden is different, but he knows why and he knows his responsibilities. He must find the saviour of his race, the angel human half-breeds who are fighting a war for humanity's souls. If he can't convince Daniah she is more than just a little different - she is the princess of their people - they are all going to die.
Unfortunately Daniah doesn't have many reasons to trust Jadien, especially when he is caught in a web of his own lies.
In a world where half-breed angels walk among us, fighting an evil for our souls, Daniah must find the strength to become the princess we all need.
My favorite part in writing this book was getting to know the characters. Whether we had proper Shelly, or dark and mysterious Jaiden, or a little lost though confidant Daniah to a wildy charming and funny Cordelia, each character has something wonderful to add.
I loved watching my two main characters Jaiden and Dani on their journey to love...
Jaiden takes a step towards me and lays his hands on my arms. �“I promise,�” he vows. �“I really like you, and I am more sorry than you know that I didn�’t tell you everything at first.�”
I feel my stomach flutter and my face flush in pleasure.
�“You like me huh?�” I ask, feeling brave.
Jaiden takes a step closer and nods, smirking a bit at me. �“I do, and I meant it when I told you that you�’re beautiful. You are the most beautiful woman I have ever seen,�” he says looking down at me, his face close to mine, and I feel my eyes drop to his lips.
I swoon almost every time Jaiden speaks to Dani a little naughty yet so adorable...
�“I would like to be with you as you learn to trust me again,�” he says after a moment of silence and I frown, wondering what exactly he means.
�“What do you mean?�” I finally sputter out, after trying to find the right way to phrase my question.
�“I would like to be with you, by your side, as your potential bond,�” he says, sounding confident though his eyes give away his nerves.
Is he asking me out?
�“Are you asking me out, I mean like as my boyfriend?�” I ask slowly.
He frowns at me this time then looks as if he is searching for a word. �
“For humans, is a boyfriend the same as a lover?�” he asks and I feel my cheeks flame with his direct question.
I clear my throat. �“Ah, yes, that would be correct.�”
He grins then nods. �“Then yes, I would like to be your boyfriend.�
�“What would you call us then, if Zoku doesn�’t use the term boyfriend?�” I wonder out loud, still feeling heat in my cheeks.
�“What do you mean call us?�” he asks, looking confused.
�“Well, are we dating? Are we a couple?�” I ask, just throwing phrases out. �“If another guy so much as looks at me, are you going to flip out?�” I ask, grinning now because he looks so cute with the confusion written all over his face.
He frowns down at me for a moment then shrugs. �“I would say we are lovers,�” he answers bluntly and my mouth drops open again.
He reaches over and gently closes my mouth for me, but promptly presses his lips against mine. I sink into his kiss and am amazed at the depth of emotion I have. I wrap my arms around his neck and feel the length of his body against mine.
My favorite scene is one that would be oh so much fun to play out. With Dani in the kitchen baking cookies, and Jaiden coming in to 'help'...
�“Oh,�” I breathe as I spin and find Jaiden standing directly behind me. He flicks his eyes to the bowl of mixed ingredients then back to my eyes.
�“What are you making?�” he asks, sounding curious. I search his face to see if he is hurt by my nervousness earlier.
�“Ah, cookies,�” I say softly, trying to remember how to breathe.
�“Would you like some help?�” he asks softly, settling his hands on my waist lightly.
�“Do you know how to bake?�” I ask, feeling the heat of his hands spread from my waist to warm the rest of me.
He smiles wickedly and nods his head slowly, then his eyes wander from my eyes to my lips and they hold, looking as if they will gaze there forever.
�“When we were at the salon, and I first met you, I wanted to kiss you,�” he says almost as if to himself. �“I still want to every time I see you, do you want me to kiss you?�” he asks softly, leaning in a bit forcing me against the counter top, the cookies forgotten.
I watch as Jaiden leans in to whisper in my ear, �“do you want me to kiss you Daniah?�” His lips brush up against my ear then he leans his cheek against mine, pressing his face into the side of my neck. I can�’t stop the shudder and my eyes flutter closed.
My second favorite characters to write were Trevor, Cord and Jim. They were so much fun to see in different places...
He may not have been shouting but I wince involuntarily and groan again. I slowly peel my heavy eyelids open, to complete darkness, so I close them again.
�“I�’m blind again, aren�’t I?�” I ask dejectedly. Tears fill my eyes and make their way down my temples into my hair.
I hear a soft laugh and feel a pressure over my eyes. �“Nah, cutie you just have a towel over your eyes, and its dark in here. I�’m going to pull it off, m�’kay,�” says a male voice I can�’t place.
�“Okay, but who are you?�” I question, thinking he sounds a little familiar.
I feel the pressure over my eyes lessen so I open my eyes again. There are two guys looking down at me. One I don�’t know, and Trevor.
�“You�’re breaking my heart!�” the unknown male says in mock torment. �“You mean to tell me you don�’t remember these strong arms holding you?�” he says smiling as amusement flickers in his dark eyes while flexing his biceps. He winks at me.
Another wonderful moment with these three...
�“Trev is right,�” I say softly. He looks over at me smiling a little. I smile back then turn to look at Jim. �“What was it you said earlier about you being right, about me being an angel?�” I ask while smirking.
Jim looks confused for a minute, then he blushes a little. �“I ah, well when I saw you in the parking lot, the first thought in my head was that you looked like,�” he stops, looks up at Trev then back at me, seeming as thought he doesn�’t want to finish.
�“Yes,�” I say, enjoying his discomfort.
�“I thought you looked like an avenging angel or a,�” he stops, swallows, then continues quietly, �“a goddess.�” He blushes more, looking like he wants to be swallowed up by the floor.
I laugh and Trev surprises me by joining in. Jim glares at both of us.
One last little bit from the three it takes a bit to set up the scene but I think this will give you a good idea on why I enjoyed writing them so much...
We walk into the hotel room and there is only one bed, a king size bed. Jim and Trev are both so worried about me being sucked into another dream, they argue with me to agree to sleep in between them on the king size bed.
I change into my pj�’s and they are definitely as skimpy as I remember. I brush my teeth and pick up my dirty clothes then slowly open up the door.
�“Ah, guys?�” I question, holding my clothes in front of me, not covering much, still half way in the bathroom.
�“Yeah?�” Trev answers looking over at me. He freezes, holding up a shirt from his bag, his eyes going wide.
�“Well, you see I didn�’t expect to be, ah sleeping with anyone and my pj�’s are kind of...�” I trail off, feeling my face turn bright red.
�“Hot?�” Jim suggests, smirking at me. �“Barely there? Comfortable? What are you trying to say?�” he teases, going from a smirk to a full-blown belly laugh.
I glare at him then stride from the bathroom throwing my clothes on top of my bag. The boy shorts barely cover my rear, and the tank top is tight enough it leaves little to the imagination, but my anger keeps me from being embarrassed. I cross to the bed, yank the covers back and throw a couple decorative pillows forcefully off to the side with my good arm.
�“I was just going to ask to borrow a shirt but whatever, skin on skin right, maybe you two should sleep naked, just in case,�” I say angrily then flop down on the bed, scoot to the center then pull the covers over me, rolling to where both boys are behind me.
Jim�’s laughter cuts off and Trev clears his throat, �“ah, I have a shirt.�”
I cut him off, �“I�’m already in bed, goodnight boys."�
I enjoyed writing a character who is fully angel and not used to living on earth with the mortals. Here is a little snippet were two young boys play 'parade' with toy trucks as she watches...
I lift my head from Jake�’s shoulder as he laughs at something Shelly says, who turns to glare at him. I smile at the exchange then listen to Jason who innocently explains.
�“No, Miss Shelly, there aren�’t little people who use these trucks, we just play with them.�” He smiles then lifts another truck to explain it as Isaac moves the previous truck forward making driving noises, while Todd keeps the waiting parade of cars lined up.
Shelly frowns down at the �‘parade�’.
I think you will be smitten with this book and it's characters, because there is an underlying message of hope, love and happiness, along with action, romance, betrayal, and intrigue.
Buy Juniper's Princess: From Amazon.comFrom Barnes & NobleFrom SmashwordsFrom Mirador PublishingSigned copy from Author
~*~Giveaway~*~ Chelsea is giving away one signed paperback copy of Juniper's Princess.(Giveaway is for US only) a Rafflecopter giveaway
About the Author
Chelsea's WebsiteChelsea O'Neal Chelsea lives in her fantasy world where people can fly, vampires could be real, money is never an issue and the romantic meeting of your true love is a normal happening. When not relaxing in Chelsea-ville, she enjoys talking with animals who talk back and taking long walks with her prince charming.
Actually Chelsea lives in the United States in Nebraska, where she was born and raised, with her black lab Daisey, who hasn’t spoken actual words to her but she is pretty sure Daisey understands her. She is yet to meet her prince charming, though she is quite sure he is out there. Chelsea enjoys working in a library as well as a cosmetologist. She is an avid reader and writing has always been her passion. Juniper’s Princess is her first novel, set to be released soon, and she is working on her next book now.
Thank you for joining us on this wonderful blog hop! Love-struck Giveaway Blog Hop
[image error]
I am joining this fantastic Blog Hop to introduce to you a brand new Urban Fantasy book!
Juniper's Princessby Chelsea O'Neal
Juniper's Princess (Released July 2, 2013):~Juniper's Princess is the first book in the Angel Crest Series~
Blurb:
Daniah is different, she always has been and now her dreams and visions of the future are increasing, she knows her life is changing. She just doesn't know by how much...
Jaiden is different, but he knows why and he knows his responsibilities. He must find the saviour of his race, the angel human half-breeds who are fighting a war for humanity's souls. If he can't convince Daniah she is more than just a little different - she is the princess of their people - they are all going to die.
Unfortunately Daniah doesn't have many reasons to trust Jadien, especially when he is caught in a web of his own lies.
In a world where half-breed angels walk among us, fighting an evil for our souls, Daniah must find the strength to become the princess we all need.
My favorite part in writing this book was getting to know the characters. Whether we had proper Shelly, or dark and mysterious Jaiden, or a little lost though confidant Daniah to a wildy charming and funny Cordelia, each character has something wonderful to add.
I loved watching my two main characters Jaiden and Dani on their journey to love...
Jaiden takes a step towards me and lays his hands on my arms. �“I promise,�” he vows. �“I really like you, and I am more sorry than you know that I didn�’t tell you everything at first.�”
I feel my stomach flutter and my face flush in pleasure.
�“You like me huh?�” I ask, feeling brave.
Jaiden takes a step closer and nods, smirking a bit at me. �“I do, and I meant it when I told you that you�’re beautiful. You are the most beautiful woman I have ever seen,�” he says looking down at me, his face close to mine, and I feel my eyes drop to his lips.
I swoon almost every time Jaiden speaks to Dani a little naughty yet so adorable...
�“I would like to be with you as you learn to trust me again,�” he says after a moment of silence and I frown, wondering what exactly he means.
�“What do you mean?�” I finally sputter out, after trying to find the right way to phrase my question.
�“I would like to be with you, by your side, as your potential bond,�” he says, sounding confident though his eyes give away his nerves.
Is he asking me out?
�“Are you asking me out, I mean like as my boyfriend?�” I ask slowly.
He frowns at me this time then looks as if he is searching for a word. �
“For humans, is a boyfriend the same as a lover?�” he asks and I feel my cheeks flame with his direct question.
I clear my throat. �“Ah, yes, that would be correct.�”
He grins then nods. �“Then yes, I would like to be your boyfriend.�
�“What would you call us then, if Zoku doesn�’t use the term boyfriend?�” I wonder out loud, still feeling heat in my cheeks.
�“What do you mean call us?�” he asks, looking confused.
�“Well, are we dating? Are we a couple?�” I ask, just throwing phrases out. �“If another guy so much as looks at me, are you going to flip out?�” I ask, grinning now because he looks so cute with the confusion written all over his face.
He frowns down at me for a moment then shrugs. �“I would say we are lovers,�” he answers bluntly and my mouth drops open again.
He reaches over and gently closes my mouth for me, but promptly presses his lips against mine. I sink into his kiss and am amazed at the depth of emotion I have. I wrap my arms around his neck and feel the length of his body against mine.
My favorite scene is one that would be oh so much fun to play out. With Dani in the kitchen baking cookies, and Jaiden coming in to 'help'...
�“Oh,�” I breathe as I spin and find Jaiden standing directly behind me. He flicks his eyes to the bowl of mixed ingredients then back to my eyes.
�“What are you making?�” he asks, sounding curious. I search his face to see if he is hurt by my nervousness earlier.
�“Ah, cookies,�” I say softly, trying to remember how to breathe.
�“Would you like some help?�” he asks softly, settling his hands on my waist lightly.
�“Do you know how to bake?�” I ask, feeling the heat of his hands spread from my waist to warm the rest of me.
He smiles wickedly and nods his head slowly, then his eyes wander from my eyes to my lips and they hold, looking as if they will gaze there forever.
�“When we were at the salon, and I first met you, I wanted to kiss you,�” he says almost as if to himself. �“I still want to every time I see you, do you want me to kiss you?�” he asks softly, leaning in a bit forcing me against the counter top, the cookies forgotten.
I watch as Jaiden leans in to whisper in my ear, �“do you want me to kiss you Daniah?�” His lips brush up against my ear then he leans his cheek against mine, pressing his face into the side of my neck. I can�’t stop the shudder and my eyes flutter closed.
My second favorite characters to write were Trevor, Cord and Jim. They were so much fun to see in different places...
He may not have been shouting but I wince involuntarily and groan again. I slowly peel my heavy eyelids open, to complete darkness, so I close them again.
�“I�’m blind again, aren�’t I?�” I ask dejectedly. Tears fill my eyes and make their way down my temples into my hair.
I hear a soft laugh and feel a pressure over my eyes. �“Nah, cutie you just have a towel over your eyes, and its dark in here. I�’m going to pull it off, m�’kay,�” says a male voice I can�’t place.
�“Okay, but who are you?�” I question, thinking he sounds a little familiar.
I feel the pressure over my eyes lessen so I open my eyes again. There are two guys looking down at me. One I don�’t know, and Trevor.
�“You�’re breaking my heart!�” the unknown male says in mock torment. �“You mean to tell me you don�’t remember these strong arms holding you?�” he says smiling as amusement flickers in his dark eyes while flexing his biceps. He winks at me.
Another wonderful moment with these three...
�“Trev is right,�” I say softly. He looks over at me smiling a little. I smile back then turn to look at Jim. �“What was it you said earlier about you being right, about me being an angel?�” I ask while smirking.
Jim looks confused for a minute, then he blushes a little. �“I ah, well when I saw you in the parking lot, the first thought in my head was that you looked like,�” he stops, looks up at Trev then back at me, seeming as thought he doesn�’t want to finish.
�“Yes,�” I say, enjoying his discomfort.
�“I thought you looked like an avenging angel or a,�” he stops, swallows, then continues quietly, �“a goddess.�” He blushes more, looking like he wants to be swallowed up by the floor.
I laugh and Trev surprises me by joining in. Jim glares at both of us.
One last little bit from the three it takes a bit to set up the scene but I think this will give you a good idea on why I enjoyed writing them so much...
We walk into the hotel room and there is only one bed, a king size bed. Jim and Trev are both so worried about me being sucked into another dream, they argue with me to agree to sleep in between them on the king size bed.
I change into my pj�’s and they are definitely as skimpy as I remember. I brush my teeth and pick up my dirty clothes then slowly open up the door.
�“Ah, guys?�” I question, holding my clothes in front of me, not covering much, still half way in the bathroom.
�“Yeah?�” Trev answers looking over at me. He freezes, holding up a shirt from his bag, his eyes going wide.
�“Well, you see I didn�’t expect to be, ah sleeping with anyone and my pj�’s are kind of...�” I trail off, feeling my face turn bright red.
�“Hot?�” Jim suggests, smirking at me. �“Barely there? Comfortable? What are you trying to say?�” he teases, going from a smirk to a full-blown belly laugh.
I glare at him then stride from the bathroom throwing my clothes on top of my bag. The boy shorts barely cover my rear, and the tank top is tight enough it leaves little to the imagination, but my anger keeps me from being embarrassed. I cross to the bed, yank the covers back and throw a couple decorative pillows forcefully off to the side with my good arm.
�“I was just going to ask to borrow a shirt but whatever, skin on skin right, maybe you two should sleep naked, just in case,�” I say angrily then flop down on the bed, scoot to the center then pull the covers over me, rolling to where both boys are behind me.
Jim�’s laughter cuts off and Trev clears his throat, �“ah, I have a shirt.�”
I cut him off, �“I�’m already in bed, goodnight boys."�
I enjoyed writing a character who is fully angel and not used to living on earth with the mortals. Here is a little snippet were two young boys play 'parade' with toy trucks as she watches...
I lift my head from Jake�’s shoulder as he laughs at something Shelly says, who turns to glare at him. I smile at the exchange then listen to Jason who innocently explains.
�“No, Miss Shelly, there aren�’t little people who use these trucks, we just play with them.�” He smiles then lifts another truck to explain it as Isaac moves the previous truck forward making driving noises, while Todd keeps the waiting parade of cars lined up.
Shelly frowns down at the �‘parade�’.
I think you will be smitten with this book and it's characters, because there is an underlying message of hope, love and happiness, along with action, romance, betrayal, and intrigue.
Buy Juniper's Princess: From Amazon.comFrom Barnes & NobleFrom SmashwordsFrom Mirador PublishingSigned copy from Author
~*~Giveaway~*~ Chelsea is giving away one signed paperback copy of Juniper's Princess.(Giveaway is for US only) a Rafflecopter giveaway
About the Author
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Chelsea's WebsiteChelsea O'Neal Chelsea lives in her fantasy world where people can fly, vampires could be real, money is never an issue and the romantic meeting of your true love is a normal happening. When not relaxing in Chelsea-ville, she enjoys talking with animals who talk back and taking long walks with her prince charming.Actually Chelsea lives in the United States in Nebraska, where she was born and raised, with her black lab Daisey, who hasn’t spoken actual words to her but she is pretty sure Daisey understands her. She is yet to meet her prince charming, though she is quite sure he is out there. Chelsea enjoys working in a library as well as a cosmetologist. She is an avid reader and writing has always been her passion. Juniper’s Princess is her first novel, set to be released soon, and she is working on her next book now.
Thank you for joining us on this wonderful blog hop! Love-struck Giveaway Blog Hop
August 13, 2013
Love-struck Giveaway Blog Hop
Love-struck Giveaway HopStarts tomorrow! Check out all the fabulous blogs and giveaways!!! I will be giving away a signed paperback copy of Juniper's Princess
July 26, 2013
The Marriage Merger Blog Tour
The Marriage Merger by Jennifer Probst Rlease Date: July 30, 2013
Her sisters have found wedded bliss with their wealthy, wonderful dream men, but not Julietta Conte. She’s stayed on terra firma as top executive of the family’s corporation, La Dolce Famiglia bakery. Work is her passion, and her trendy Milan apartment her sanctuary . . . until Sawyer Wells, a masculine masterpiece in a suit, lures her out of hiding with an irresistible offer: an exclusive partnership with his international chain of boutique hotels.Julietta’s been burned before—and trusting her brother-in-law’s friend, whose powerful gaze alone has her rethinking the best use of a conference room, is the riskiest proposition. But with a once-in-a-career chance to take the bakery global, will she mix stone-cold business with red-hot seduction?*~* My Review*~*
This is my favorite of the series! Jennifer did an amazing job on this book and I couldn't put it down. I really enjoyed getting to know Sawyer after seeing him in Carina and Max's book. I also loved how we got to see our couples from the previous books. It was very well put together and every scene that Sawyer and Julietta were in together learning about the other was so intense and wonderfully done. I laughed out loud multiple times and the sparring between Sawyer and Julietta was wonderful. This book kept my attention and pushed me to want more and more. Sawyer was amazing at the end, and I really enjoyed getting to know Wolfe, I almost want him to have his own book! It had a perfect ending leaving you to feel content and happy for everyone. If you haven't read these books yet, do so now!
This is a five star book for sure!
Author Post by Jennifer Probst
How Do You Like Your Heroines?
Ah, the men. We always talk men. Who could blame us? I’m the first one to raise my hand at a workshop when the instructor asks if we want to talk hero or heroine. The crowd shouts for the hunky hero, and our poor heroine gets pushed to the back of the bus yet again. But not today. Today, I’m talking women. Kick ass women, to be exact. Because that’s how I like my heroines. I like them feisty, sassy, and even if they’re sweet, they need something that will connect to readers and make them worthy of my men I carefully construct. After all, I’m not giving my guys away to just anyone. Most romance readers are women. So it doesn’t surprise me that we are hard on our heroines. Even brutal. My readers have forgiven me for alpha, dominant, angsty, brooding, men many a time. They cluck over their past problems, and give them a free pass for being an asshole now and then. But my heroines? Hell, if I let them do anything a bit off kilter they’re called a bit bitchy, or demanding, or “I couldn’t really connect.” Ouch. But that’s life. We are harder on women than men. We look at clothes, shoes, makeup, weight, and assess our own assets in comparison. We don’t usually do this with any mean or ulterior motives – it’s almost an automatic thing. I’m harder on myself than my husband any day. I expect more, want to grow, achieve, prosper, love, nurture, etc. So, in creating my perfect heroine, she has to be interesting. This can be achieved in any number of ways, but making her real is key. Real is interesting. Real is connection. I adore all types of physical heroines also. Curvy, a bit overweight, a bit plain, or hot, hot, hot. Because they are all real.
Let’s start with Alexa from The Marriage Bargain. She’s super sweet, kind, and pretty healthy. Hmm, could be boring right? But she’s real. She’s conquered her past demons, keeps working on them, and has a positive outlook. This is the perfect contrast to my issue laden hero Nick. She needed to be his light to his dark for the book to work. And how do I save her from being a paper cut doll? Humor. She’s got a kick ass sense of humor. She’s quirky. A bit of a dynamo. Readers just like her without thinking she’s boring.
Maggie from The Marriage Trap almost killed me. She’s a bit of a bitch sometimes, so I needed to temper it with her issues and creating some sympathy for all those walls built around her heart. But she’s perfect for my hero, who needs a challenge and likes her snark. Once again, they balance each other. She’s rip roaring funny, sarcastic, and honest to a fault, unless it comes to her innermost feelings. Then she’s a big fat liar.And that, is real.
Carina from The Marriage Mistake is my innocent heroine. A virgin. I’m not fond of writing virgins, because I like my heroines a bit more worldly, but I made this work. Her one true love of her life is Max, and when she grows up, boy, does she grow up. She’s a dynamo sex machine out to seduce him. How much fun is that! And my poor hero who is all James Bond smooth completely loses it.
Finally, Julietta from The Marriage Merger was one of my favorites. She’s a hard core workaholic. Her mind is so strong, she can’t relax her body enough to enjoy the physical. She rides a sleek, ripped motorcycle, and runs a billion dollar bakery empire. She’s the oldest out of all my heroines in her mid thirties and rich. There’s not a man alive who could challenge her until Sawyer Wells. My domineering, brilliant hero matches her sword for sword and makes for fascinating conversation and physical encounters. It simply doesn’t get any more real than watching her lose her heart along the way and fight for something slipping away right in front of her.
So, next time you read a book, think of the heroine. What do you like about her? What pisses you off? And in the overall story, is she the hero’s right match?
Thank you Jennifer for the wonderful post, and now it has me thinking about the heroines in my favorite stories!
Pre-order links: Barnes and Noble Amazon.com
Jennifer's Website
July 24, 2013
Juniper's Princess by Chelsea O'Neal
Juniper's Princess
Debut book by Chelsea O'Neal
Daniah is different, she always has been and now her dreams and visions of the future are increasing, she knows her life is changing. She just doesn't know by how much...Jaiden is different, but he knows why and he knows his responsibilities. He must find the saviour of his race, the angel human half-breeds who are fighting a war for humanity's souls. If he can't convince Daniah she is more than just a little different - she is the princess of their people - they are all going to die.Unfortunately Daniah doesn't have many reasons to trust Jadien, especially when he is caught in a web of his own lies.In a world where half-breed angels walk among us, fighting an evil for our souls, Daniah must find the strength to become the princess we all need.
Chelsea O'Neal has a unique voice in storytelling, threading the characters lives together intricately to give us a complex web of good versus evil in a world descending into chaos...
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~*~Excerpt~*~
Chapter 1 Daniah
~Present Day Fall 2026~
�“Your eleven forty-five is here, Dani,�” Cassie says as she walks in to the back room and hands me a clipboard.
�“Thanks Cass, did you offer refreshments?�” I ask, as I finish my coffee. She nods that she did. �“I�’ll be right out.�”
�“His name is Jaiden,�” Cassie calls, as she walks back to the reception desk.
As I rinse out my coffee mug and place it on a towel to dry I decide that I did a smart thing hiring Cass. Cassie has been my friend for a while now, she is taking night classes for Cosmetology, and if she wants, I will have her work here in my extra chair when she is done. She is very efficient and friendly; she also helps me to be able to rest. I think about all the long years that I had been working mostly by myself. Most days I didn�’t even get lunch I was so busy. Rachel has been working here as a nail technician for about four years, and she helps but she is pretty busy herself. Cassie, Rachel and I are good together, and we try to go out outside of work as often as possible.
Lately I have been so tired, more exhausted, like I have been running a marathon all night. I�’ve been having these strange dreams and they keep my brain working so I can�’t rest. I see random people in the dreams and I always feel like there is something I need to do; I just can�’t reach them or figure out what it is. I push the dreams out of my mind as I walk to the front desk, I think of all the appointments I have today. I�’m anxious about when I will be able to go home; maybe I�’ll be able to get to sleep early. I love my job, but today I want to head home and kick up my feet and rest. Luckily I only have one morning appointment and four in the afternoon. Rachel was here most of the morning and she handled all the extra appointments.
�“Jaiden,�” Cassie calls out as I reach the front, holding the clipboard that Cass handed me in the back room; I haven�’t even looked at it yet. I look down at the information on the paper all clients fill out. Jaiden Storm it says, age blank, emergency contact blank, address says Juniper only. Huh, I think to myself, mysterious, and a bit annoying.
�“That�’s me,�” a deep voice booms from the reception area.
I look up and almost forget to breathe. He is gorgeous. Rachel is going to be mad she missed this appointment.
Jaiden is tall probably six feet two inches. He looks to be around thirty years old. He has on black converse shoes, dark blue jeans and a dark green T-shirt with black trim around the neck and arms; from what I can see through the stretch in the material he is built. As my gaze travels up to his face his eyes lock on mine, and I feel slightly dizzy. He has the greenest eyes I have ever seen, like bright, sparkling emeralds. I could probably stare at them forever. I tear my eyes from his to look at his hair, which is dark, wavy and almost to his shoulders. He has a neatly trimmed doorknocker beard, and full lips that are slightly turned up into a knowing smirk. He seems to have a dark way about him, he moves like he knows he is cute, so I try to ignore it. I wipe all emotion from my face take a deep breath and introduce myself.
�“Hello, my name is Dani and I will be working with you today.�” I hold out my hand for a handshake, seeing Cassie�’s mouth drop out of the corner of my eye.
He grasps my hand but instead of a handshake he turns my hand, brings it to his mouth and kisses the back while looking up at me through his lashes. �“It�’s a pleasure,�” he purrs.
Cassie gasps; I drop his hand and say only, �“follow me.�”
�“Anywhere, babe,�” Jaiden replies with a smile and a cocky wink before I can turn around.
I turn my back and head to the first room off the front, managing not to stomp down the hall. I hate being called babe. I open the door and he swaggers in like he doesn�’t have a care in the world. I motion to the two chairs; he lounges in one, kicking his feet out and leaning back. I close the door and sit on the edge of the other chair with my back straight opposite him.
I clear my throat as I glance back at the clipboard then say, �“so you are here for a chest wax?�” I guess I get to look under that shirt after all.
�“Yes, I believe I am,�” he answers as he glances down at my chest with a grin on his face.
�“Have you had your chest waxed before?�” I ask, ignoring his look. �“No, have you?�” I give him one of my best are-you-kidding disgusted looks and instead
reply, �“have you had any part of your body waxed before?�” He raises his eyebrows and I swear he is going to say something inappropriate so I narrow my eyes and he answers, �“no.�” �“Okay, well just to give you another option, waxing is a bit painful, have
you considered shaving?�” I ask as I do with all my waxing clients whom haven�’t done this before.
He smiles at me like he is keeping a secret. �“Someone suggested I do this, so I decided that I will.�”
�“I understand, but it isn�’t like ripping a band aid off, your chest is a big area, it will probably hurt.�”
�“I imagine it will probably sting, but I can handle it,�” he replies with a bit of disdain, acting like a tough guy.
At this point I nod my acceptance and explain what will happen and each step. I inform him of the upkeep, what to do when he gets home, and the cost.
Then I ask, �“would you like to wax anything else while you are here today, maybe shape your eyebrows?�” I look him directly in the eye and smile. A flash of surprise crosses his features. �“Are you suggesting something?�” he asks, with a half laugh. �“Nope, just doing my job.�” �“Sure, let�’s also do the eyebrows,�” Jaiden says, shrugging. �“Why not?�” �“Okay well, we will start with your chest wax and after that I will shape your eyebrows; this way your skin can calm a bit before you replace your shirt.�” I stand up and walk to the counter where my supplies are and set down the clipboard. �“So if you will remove your shirt and lay down on the table there,�” I tell him, gesturing to the table that looks more like a lounge chair completely reclined, as I go over his form and check my supplies. I make sure he filled out the medical part of the form completely and nothing is going to interfere with the wax.
�“Not one to dawdle, are you, babe?�” Jaiden asks with his deep voice. He�’s standing close behind me next to the table.
�“My name is Dani, and don�’t …�” I cut off as I turn around, my face at perfect chest level, and see him without his shirt.
Wow is all I can think, crap he is more than gorgeous. He has some hair on his chest but he isn�’t excessively hairy. Calm down, I tell myself, breathe Dani.
�“And don�’t...?�” he asks, smiling up at me as he sits on the table then swings his legs up and lies down.
�“Huh?�” I reply, completely forgetting what I was doing. He is ripped. His abs are perfectly sculpted and his skin looks so smooth I want to run my hands over him. His skin is tanned and looks tight, and every time he moves his muscles flex. How am I going to be able to do this, I wonder.
�“Wax? That is the first step, right?�” Jaiden says, winking at me and breaking me out of my thoughts.
Holy crow! What just happened? Get a grip Dani. I take a deep breath and walk over to the wax; well I guess I do get to run my hands over him. How embarrassing! I can feel myself flushing; this is going to be a long appointment!
�“Okay,�” I say as I clear my throat, �“yes, wax is the first step. Are you ready?�” I ask as I pick up a stick to dip in the wax, trying to avoid eye contact.
�“Ready for you,�” he says; the double meaning is loud and clear.
It might be my imagination so pushing that to the back of my mind, I start to apply the wax to his chest, working my way from center out at his collar bone.
�“That�’s warm,�” he says as he watches my every move. �“Oh yeah, it is warm but it will cool down and as it does the wax attaches to the hair, then the hair comes out when I pull,�” I explain, trying to keep my mind on the wax and not his gorgeous body.
�“Are you pulling this off all at once?�” he asks, a bit of anxiety in his voice. I had applied a space covered in wax the size of a textbook.
�“No, I will pull it off in strips,�” I answer with a bit of a laugh. I hold up a wax strip to show him how big. He�’s not so tough now is he I think to myself. Smiling, I look at his face.
�“Did you just laugh at me?�”
�“Oh no, sorry,�” I say, flushing as I meet his eyes. �“You ready?�” I ask as I lay down the strip on top of the wax.
�“Yes,�” he replies, slowly eyeing me.
I place the strip across his chest and rub over the strip to make sure the wax adheres to the strip. I press the heel of my hand on his skin to hold it taut as I grip the strip to pull and as my hand touches the skin I feel something like a bolt of electricity shoot up my arm. I see a vivid picture of a woman�’s face I have never seen before in my mind. I blink then look up at Jaiden in surprise as he looks at me in astonishment. Slowly he starts to smile.
�“Your hands are cold, babe,�” he says with a smug smile.
I scowl at him as I grip the strip and rip it off quickly. I see his eyes widen and even though he doesn�’t have much hair on his chest, I�’m sure it hurt. He wasn�’t expecting anything like that. I place the strip back down in the wax next to where I just pulled it off, rub then rip again. I do this three more times quickly, Jaiden flinching each time, but not saying a word. On anyone else I normally would place my hand on the skin to cool the sting in between each pull. Instead I do the whole section and then rest my hands against his chest. It may be petty but it probably was a bit more painful than it should have been. When I look up at Jaiden he has tears brimming in his eyes. He shouldn�’t have called me babe.
I smile at him and ask, �“are my hands still cold?
He grimaces, �“nope, I really didn�’t think it would hurt that much.�” He looks down at his chest. �“Damn bet, well, we can�’t leave it like this can we?�” he asks, looking like he really wants to stop.
�“I wouldn�’t if it was me, but if you promise not to call me babe I will try to be gentler,�” I reason with a smug smile.
He looks at me in shock. �“You made it hurt more didn�’t you?�” �“Maybe.�” �“Deal. I won�’t call you babe, but can I call you beautiful?�” �“What?�” I glance over, narrowing my eyes at his smirk. Now it is my turn
to be shocked. �“Sorry,�” he amends with a solemn look. �“I will be good, just try not to
cause me undue pain, please.�” I give him one last look, and then go about putting more wax on his chest
and pulling off the strips then pressing to ease the pain this time. �“Bet, huh?�” I ask.
He shrugs his shoulders; he seems like he is in less pain this time and watches me the whole time. As I move down to his abs, I explain that if he flexes his muscles it will pull the skin taut and it would probably hurt less. He does as I instruct without saying anything. I finish with the wax and inspect his chest by getting down on eye level with it to make sure I removed all the hair, catching a few I had missed. Then I grab my waxy residue remover, a bottle of oil, and absently start rubbing his skin to remove any leftover wax. To make sure there is no wax left on him so his clothes won�’t stick to his skin, I start at the top of his chest and work my way down to his abs. As I get to where I had him tuck a towel in his jeans at his waist I slide my hand under the edge of the towel, not more than a half inch. Jaiden then sucks in a breath and grabs my wrists.
Startled, I look up at him and notice he has a very strange look on his face. He is looking at my hands; apparently when they slipped under the towel at the waistband of his jeans he thought something of it. He glances up to my face, I blush and I quickly try to pull my hands away to get a towel to wipe my hands and his chest off. He won�’t let my hands go, he continues to stare at me. Slowly his face softens and he smiles.
I flush again, on principle. I wasn�’t trying to feel him up, but now I am embarrassed.
�“I, ah …�” I can�’t figure out what to say. He lets go and I quickly get a towel, and clear my throat.
�“Well, we are done, if you want to go ahead and finish wiping the wax remover off of your chest, then you can put your shirt on and Cass can help you at the front.�” I hold the towel out to him so that he can wipe off the oil. I half turn to head out the door when he finally talks.
�“What about my eyebrows?�”
�“Damn.�” I suck in a breath and cover my mouth with my hand. What is wrong with me today? I am not acting professional and suddenly I am so tired. I close my eyes and slowly turn to face him. I open my eyes to meet Jaiden�’s and sigh. �“I�’m sorry,�” I apologize, and look down. �“I�’m not usually this rude.�”
�“Dani,�” he says and waits for me to look up. �“I�’m sorry as well, I didn�’t mean to make you feel uncomfortable. It is my fault.�” He sits up and reaches out to take the towel from me.
�“Oh no, it�’s okay, I …�” I stumble over my words. I walk over to him and put my hand on his shoulder and push him back. �“I will finish this,�” I say as I motion to his chest. �“Please lay back and we will be done in no time,�” I encourage him.
Taking a breath to steady myself, I wait for him to lean back. I wipe all the oil away from his chest and then grab the aloe to cool his skin.
�“This is aloe; it will help to cool your skin. I know it probably burns a bit,�” I explain as I squeeze some on to my palm, talking to keep myself thinking about the task at hand.
�“Burns! I feel like my chest is on fire!�” he scowls at me. �“Oh!�” he exclaims as I start to rub in the aloe, �“that feels wonderful.�” He lets out a breath and closes his eyes.
I look over his face while I rub the aloe on to his skin. With his face relaxed, he looks younger than I initially thought. Being careful not to rub too close to his waistband I follow all the lines of his abs and chest, marveling at his masculine beauty. I can�’t believe that this gorgeous man is laying here and I am rubbing his chest. I look up to see him watching me, not my hands but my face, and I flush again.
�“How does it feel?�” Jaiden asks, trying to act serious but failing.
�“Huh?�” I ask stupidly, pulling my hands away from him and wiping the excess off onto a towel.
�“I was told that after you wax it feels really smooth, does it?�” �“Um, yeah it does.�” I walk over to the wax to do his eyebrows.
I dip the small stick in and as I look over to bring it over to his face, he is looking directly up at me with those bright green eyes. I look down into his face and it feels like we are locked together in this gaze and I can�’t break it.
�“You, you have to close your eyes, so I don�’t get wax on your eyelashes,�” I tell him. It is like a magnetic pull, I can�’t look away.
�“But you are beautiful, I like looking at you.�”
�“Oh, ah...�” I mumble and clear my throat. �“Please,�” I whisper.
I am starting to see pictures of faces in my mind while trying to pull my eyes from his, a face of a woman becoming suddenly clear in my mind. The same woman from earlier; she has blond hair and blue eyes.
He smiles and closes his eyes. When the contact is broken I feel like I can barely stand, my knees are weak and I have to put my hand on the table to steady myself. What the heck?
There is something about this man that is affecting me, I feel like there is some sort of connection between us. Like I should know who he is, or why I feel so affected. He is very cute, he has a gorgeous body, he�’s nice though a little sarcastic. He has made comments about me being pretty, but he is most likely joking, he is way out of my league. That all very well may add to it, but I need to get a grip.
I take a deep breath, steadying myself, clearing my head and dip the stick in to the wax. I wax both his eyebrows, clean the wax off and rub in the aloe. It is much easier to focus when he has his eyes closed, even if they are great to look at. When I finish with his brows, I grab a mirror and hold it over his face.
�“OK, I�’m done, how do they look?�” I ask.
He opens his eyes slowly and instead of looking straight up at the mirror his eyes focus on me.
�“I would be honored if you would join me for dinner tonight,�” he says as our gazes lock again.
What is going on? There is a half-naked gorgeous man laying here asking me out and no man ever asks me out. Looking at his eyes I feel like there is a strange pull coming from him again, like even if I wanted to walk away from him, I instead walk toward him. This is so strange and I can�’t remember what I�’m supposed to be doing. I just want to keep staring into his eyes. The room starts to disappear around me, I can�’t remember where I am, was I supposed to say something? I swallow, my knees feel weak again, all I can see is Jaiden�’s face, all I want is to reach out and touch his cheek. I feel my hand moving as if it has a mind of its own, and watch as my hand lands on his cheek.
�“Um...�” is the only response I can think of. Staring into his eyes, I lean against the table for fear that I will fall.
Jaiden takes the mirror from me without even glancing at his reflection, and puts it down on the table as he sits up. My hand falls to my side, and I am frozen in place, I can�’t even blink. After he sits up he is very close to my face. He shifts so that I am standing in between his legs.
�“Ah...�” Why can�’t I make a coherent sentence, what was the question anyway? What am I supposed to be doing?
�“Dani,�” Jaiden begins, �“would you do me the honor of joining me for dinner?�”
Can he read my mind? I wonder to myself and as I�’m still staring at him he raises one eyebrow as if to say your answer should be yes, of course.
�“Yes, okay, sure I will go to dinner with you,�” I finally sputter out as my knees start feeling like spaghetti. It is the only answer I can think of.
�“I�’ll pick you up at seven, is that okay?�” he asks smiling at me.
�“Yeah,�” I whisper as my knees finally give out, and I start to slide down to the floor. Jaiden reaches out to steady me with a hand on each side of my hip.
�“Whoa,�” he says as he breaks eye contact, and I blink fiercely.
He leads me to one of the chairs and sits me down. He kneels down in front of me, leans in and kisses my cheek. “I�’ll walk myself out, see you tonight.�” Jaiden stands, grabs his shirt and pulls it on as he leaves the room.
Holy crow! What did I just get myself into? How is he picking me up he doesn�’t even know where I live? Why do I feel so weak? What is going on?
�“Hey, do you want to do lunch?�” Cassie asks as she walks into the wax room.
�“What time is it?�” I ask, wondering how long we have been in here. �“Almost two,�” she replies, �“I�’m hungry, want to get take-out?�” �“Sure, sounds good. No wonder I feel so shaky.�” We have been in here nearly two hours. �“Let�’s go, I�’ll clean this up after lunch.�” As I walk with Cassie to get our purses I feel like the fuzz in my mind is clearing and I am more exhausted than I was this morning. Unfortunately, it now looks as if a quiet night at home isn�’t going to happen.
Author Biography Chelsea O’Neal lives in her fantasy world where people can fly, vampires could be real, money is never an issue and the romantic meeting of your true love is a normal happening. When not relaxing in Chelsea-ville, she enjoys talking with animals who talk back and taking long walks with her prince charming.
Actually Chelsea lives in the United States in Nebraska, where she was born and raised, with her black lab Daisey, who hasn’t spoken actual words to her but she is pretty sure Daisey understands her. She is yet to meet her prince charming, though she is quite sure he is out there. Chelsea enjoys working in a library as well as a cosmetologist. She is an avid reader and writing has always been her passion. Juniper’s Princess is her first novel, and she is working on her next book now.
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Daniah is different, she always has been and now her dreams and visions of the future are increasing, she knows her life is changing. She just doesn't know by how much...Jaiden is different, but he knows why and he knows his responsibilities. He must find the saviour of his race, the angel human half-breeds who are fighting a war for humanity's souls. If he can't convince Daniah she is more than just a little different - she is the princess of their people - they are all going to die.Unfortunately Daniah doesn't have many reasons to trust Jadien, especially when he is caught in a web of his own lies.In a world where half-breed angels walk among us, fighting an evil for our souls, Daniah must find the strength to become the princess we all need.Chelsea O'Neal has a unique voice in storytelling, threading the characters lives together intricately to give us a complex web of good versus evil in a world descending into chaos...
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~*~Excerpt~*~
Chapter 1 Daniah
~Present Day Fall 2026~
�“Your eleven forty-five is here, Dani,�” Cassie says as she walks in to the back room and hands me a clipboard.
�“Thanks Cass, did you offer refreshments?�” I ask, as I finish my coffee. She nods that she did. �“I�’ll be right out.�”
�“His name is Jaiden,�” Cassie calls, as she walks back to the reception desk.
As I rinse out my coffee mug and place it on a towel to dry I decide that I did a smart thing hiring Cass. Cassie has been my friend for a while now, she is taking night classes for Cosmetology, and if she wants, I will have her work here in my extra chair when she is done. She is very efficient and friendly; she also helps me to be able to rest. I think about all the long years that I had been working mostly by myself. Most days I didn�’t even get lunch I was so busy. Rachel has been working here as a nail technician for about four years, and she helps but she is pretty busy herself. Cassie, Rachel and I are good together, and we try to go out outside of work as often as possible.
Lately I have been so tired, more exhausted, like I have been running a marathon all night. I�’ve been having these strange dreams and they keep my brain working so I can�’t rest. I see random people in the dreams and I always feel like there is something I need to do; I just can�’t reach them or figure out what it is. I push the dreams out of my mind as I walk to the front desk, I think of all the appointments I have today. I�’m anxious about when I will be able to go home; maybe I�’ll be able to get to sleep early. I love my job, but today I want to head home and kick up my feet and rest. Luckily I only have one morning appointment and four in the afternoon. Rachel was here most of the morning and she handled all the extra appointments.
�“Jaiden,�” Cassie calls out as I reach the front, holding the clipboard that Cass handed me in the back room; I haven�’t even looked at it yet. I look down at the information on the paper all clients fill out. Jaiden Storm it says, age blank, emergency contact blank, address says Juniper only. Huh, I think to myself, mysterious, and a bit annoying.
�“That�’s me,�” a deep voice booms from the reception area.
I look up and almost forget to breathe. He is gorgeous. Rachel is going to be mad she missed this appointment.
Jaiden is tall probably six feet two inches. He looks to be around thirty years old. He has on black converse shoes, dark blue jeans and a dark green T-shirt with black trim around the neck and arms; from what I can see through the stretch in the material he is built. As my gaze travels up to his face his eyes lock on mine, and I feel slightly dizzy. He has the greenest eyes I have ever seen, like bright, sparkling emeralds. I could probably stare at them forever. I tear my eyes from his to look at his hair, which is dark, wavy and almost to his shoulders. He has a neatly trimmed doorknocker beard, and full lips that are slightly turned up into a knowing smirk. He seems to have a dark way about him, he moves like he knows he is cute, so I try to ignore it. I wipe all emotion from my face take a deep breath and introduce myself.
�“Hello, my name is Dani and I will be working with you today.�” I hold out my hand for a handshake, seeing Cassie�’s mouth drop out of the corner of my eye.
He grasps my hand but instead of a handshake he turns my hand, brings it to his mouth and kisses the back while looking up at me through his lashes. �“It�’s a pleasure,�” he purrs.
Cassie gasps; I drop his hand and say only, �“follow me.�”
�“Anywhere, babe,�” Jaiden replies with a smile and a cocky wink before I can turn around.
I turn my back and head to the first room off the front, managing not to stomp down the hall. I hate being called babe. I open the door and he swaggers in like he doesn�’t have a care in the world. I motion to the two chairs; he lounges in one, kicking his feet out and leaning back. I close the door and sit on the edge of the other chair with my back straight opposite him.
I clear my throat as I glance back at the clipboard then say, �“so you are here for a chest wax?�” I guess I get to look under that shirt after all.
�“Yes, I believe I am,�” he answers as he glances down at my chest with a grin on his face.
�“Have you had your chest waxed before?�” I ask, ignoring his look. �“No, have you?�” I give him one of my best are-you-kidding disgusted looks and instead
reply, �“have you had any part of your body waxed before?�” He raises his eyebrows and I swear he is going to say something inappropriate so I narrow my eyes and he answers, �“no.�” �“Okay, well just to give you another option, waxing is a bit painful, have
you considered shaving?�” I ask as I do with all my waxing clients whom haven�’t done this before.
He smiles at me like he is keeping a secret. �“Someone suggested I do this, so I decided that I will.�”
�“I understand, but it isn�’t like ripping a band aid off, your chest is a big area, it will probably hurt.�”
�“I imagine it will probably sting, but I can handle it,�” he replies with a bit of disdain, acting like a tough guy.
At this point I nod my acceptance and explain what will happen and each step. I inform him of the upkeep, what to do when he gets home, and the cost.
Then I ask, �“would you like to wax anything else while you are here today, maybe shape your eyebrows?�” I look him directly in the eye and smile. A flash of surprise crosses his features. �“Are you suggesting something?�” he asks, with a half laugh. �“Nope, just doing my job.�” �“Sure, let�’s also do the eyebrows,�” Jaiden says, shrugging. �“Why not?�” �“Okay well, we will start with your chest wax and after that I will shape your eyebrows; this way your skin can calm a bit before you replace your shirt.�” I stand up and walk to the counter where my supplies are and set down the clipboard. �“So if you will remove your shirt and lay down on the table there,�” I tell him, gesturing to the table that looks more like a lounge chair completely reclined, as I go over his form and check my supplies. I make sure he filled out the medical part of the form completely and nothing is going to interfere with the wax.
�“Not one to dawdle, are you, babe?�” Jaiden asks with his deep voice. He�’s standing close behind me next to the table.
�“My name is Dani, and don�’t …�” I cut off as I turn around, my face at perfect chest level, and see him without his shirt.
Wow is all I can think, crap he is more than gorgeous. He has some hair on his chest but he isn�’t excessively hairy. Calm down, I tell myself, breathe Dani.
�“And don�’t...?�” he asks, smiling up at me as he sits on the table then swings his legs up and lies down.
�“Huh?�” I reply, completely forgetting what I was doing. He is ripped. His abs are perfectly sculpted and his skin looks so smooth I want to run my hands over him. His skin is tanned and looks tight, and every time he moves his muscles flex. How am I going to be able to do this, I wonder.
�“Wax? That is the first step, right?�” Jaiden says, winking at me and breaking me out of my thoughts.
Holy crow! What just happened? Get a grip Dani. I take a deep breath and walk over to the wax; well I guess I do get to run my hands over him. How embarrassing! I can feel myself flushing; this is going to be a long appointment!
�“Okay,�” I say as I clear my throat, �“yes, wax is the first step. Are you ready?�” I ask as I pick up a stick to dip in the wax, trying to avoid eye contact.
�“Ready for you,�” he says; the double meaning is loud and clear.
It might be my imagination so pushing that to the back of my mind, I start to apply the wax to his chest, working my way from center out at his collar bone.
�“That�’s warm,�” he says as he watches my every move. �“Oh yeah, it is warm but it will cool down and as it does the wax attaches to the hair, then the hair comes out when I pull,�” I explain, trying to keep my mind on the wax and not his gorgeous body.
�“Are you pulling this off all at once?�” he asks, a bit of anxiety in his voice. I had applied a space covered in wax the size of a textbook.
�“No, I will pull it off in strips,�” I answer with a bit of a laugh. I hold up a wax strip to show him how big. He�’s not so tough now is he I think to myself. Smiling, I look at his face.
�“Did you just laugh at me?�”
�“Oh no, sorry,�” I say, flushing as I meet his eyes. �“You ready?�” I ask as I lay down the strip on top of the wax.
�“Yes,�” he replies, slowly eyeing me.
I place the strip across his chest and rub over the strip to make sure the wax adheres to the strip. I press the heel of my hand on his skin to hold it taut as I grip the strip to pull and as my hand touches the skin I feel something like a bolt of electricity shoot up my arm. I see a vivid picture of a woman�’s face I have never seen before in my mind. I blink then look up at Jaiden in surprise as he looks at me in astonishment. Slowly he starts to smile.
�“Your hands are cold, babe,�” he says with a smug smile.
I scowl at him as I grip the strip and rip it off quickly. I see his eyes widen and even though he doesn�’t have much hair on his chest, I�’m sure it hurt. He wasn�’t expecting anything like that. I place the strip back down in the wax next to where I just pulled it off, rub then rip again. I do this three more times quickly, Jaiden flinching each time, but not saying a word. On anyone else I normally would place my hand on the skin to cool the sting in between each pull. Instead I do the whole section and then rest my hands against his chest. It may be petty but it probably was a bit more painful than it should have been. When I look up at Jaiden he has tears brimming in his eyes. He shouldn�’t have called me babe.
I smile at him and ask, �“are my hands still cold?
He grimaces, �“nope, I really didn�’t think it would hurt that much.�” He looks down at his chest. �“Damn bet, well, we can�’t leave it like this can we?�” he asks, looking like he really wants to stop.
�“I wouldn�’t if it was me, but if you promise not to call me babe I will try to be gentler,�” I reason with a smug smile.
He looks at me in shock. �“You made it hurt more didn�’t you?�” �“Maybe.�” �“Deal. I won�’t call you babe, but can I call you beautiful?�” �“What?�” I glance over, narrowing my eyes at his smirk. Now it is my turn
to be shocked. �“Sorry,�” he amends with a solemn look. �“I will be good, just try not to
cause me undue pain, please.�” I give him one last look, and then go about putting more wax on his chest
and pulling off the strips then pressing to ease the pain this time. �“Bet, huh?�” I ask.
He shrugs his shoulders; he seems like he is in less pain this time and watches me the whole time. As I move down to his abs, I explain that if he flexes his muscles it will pull the skin taut and it would probably hurt less. He does as I instruct without saying anything. I finish with the wax and inspect his chest by getting down on eye level with it to make sure I removed all the hair, catching a few I had missed. Then I grab my waxy residue remover, a bottle of oil, and absently start rubbing his skin to remove any leftover wax. To make sure there is no wax left on him so his clothes won�’t stick to his skin, I start at the top of his chest and work my way down to his abs. As I get to where I had him tuck a towel in his jeans at his waist I slide my hand under the edge of the towel, not more than a half inch. Jaiden then sucks in a breath and grabs my wrists.
Startled, I look up at him and notice he has a very strange look on his face. He is looking at my hands; apparently when they slipped under the towel at the waistband of his jeans he thought something of it. He glances up to my face, I blush and I quickly try to pull my hands away to get a towel to wipe my hands and his chest off. He won�’t let my hands go, he continues to stare at me. Slowly his face softens and he smiles.
I flush again, on principle. I wasn�’t trying to feel him up, but now I am embarrassed.
�“I, ah …�” I can�’t figure out what to say. He lets go and I quickly get a towel, and clear my throat.
�“Well, we are done, if you want to go ahead and finish wiping the wax remover off of your chest, then you can put your shirt on and Cass can help you at the front.�” I hold the towel out to him so that he can wipe off the oil. I half turn to head out the door when he finally talks.
�“What about my eyebrows?�”
�“Damn.�” I suck in a breath and cover my mouth with my hand. What is wrong with me today? I am not acting professional and suddenly I am so tired. I close my eyes and slowly turn to face him. I open my eyes to meet Jaiden�’s and sigh. �“I�’m sorry,�” I apologize, and look down. �“I�’m not usually this rude.�”
�“Dani,�” he says and waits for me to look up. �“I�’m sorry as well, I didn�’t mean to make you feel uncomfortable. It is my fault.�” He sits up and reaches out to take the towel from me.
�“Oh no, it�’s okay, I …�” I stumble over my words. I walk over to him and put my hand on his shoulder and push him back. �“I will finish this,�” I say as I motion to his chest. �“Please lay back and we will be done in no time,�” I encourage him.
Taking a breath to steady myself, I wait for him to lean back. I wipe all the oil away from his chest and then grab the aloe to cool his skin.
�“This is aloe; it will help to cool your skin. I know it probably burns a bit,�” I explain as I squeeze some on to my palm, talking to keep myself thinking about the task at hand.
�“Burns! I feel like my chest is on fire!�” he scowls at me. �“Oh!�” he exclaims as I start to rub in the aloe, �“that feels wonderful.�” He lets out a breath and closes his eyes.
I look over his face while I rub the aloe on to his skin. With his face relaxed, he looks younger than I initially thought. Being careful not to rub too close to his waistband I follow all the lines of his abs and chest, marveling at his masculine beauty. I can�’t believe that this gorgeous man is laying here and I am rubbing his chest. I look up to see him watching me, not my hands but my face, and I flush again.
�“How does it feel?�” Jaiden asks, trying to act serious but failing.
�“Huh?�” I ask stupidly, pulling my hands away from him and wiping the excess off onto a towel.
�“I was told that after you wax it feels really smooth, does it?�” �“Um, yeah it does.�” I walk over to the wax to do his eyebrows.
I dip the small stick in and as I look over to bring it over to his face, he is looking directly up at me with those bright green eyes. I look down into his face and it feels like we are locked together in this gaze and I can�’t break it.
�“You, you have to close your eyes, so I don�’t get wax on your eyelashes,�” I tell him. It is like a magnetic pull, I can�’t look away.
�“But you are beautiful, I like looking at you.�”
�“Oh, ah...�” I mumble and clear my throat. �“Please,�” I whisper.
I am starting to see pictures of faces in my mind while trying to pull my eyes from his, a face of a woman becoming suddenly clear in my mind. The same woman from earlier; she has blond hair and blue eyes.
He smiles and closes his eyes. When the contact is broken I feel like I can barely stand, my knees are weak and I have to put my hand on the table to steady myself. What the heck?
There is something about this man that is affecting me, I feel like there is some sort of connection between us. Like I should know who he is, or why I feel so affected. He is very cute, he has a gorgeous body, he�’s nice though a little sarcastic. He has made comments about me being pretty, but he is most likely joking, he is way out of my league. That all very well may add to it, but I need to get a grip.
I take a deep breath, steadying myself, clearing my head and dip the stick in to the wax. I wax both his eyebrows, clean the wax off and rub in the aloe. It is much easier to focus when he has his eyes closed, even if they are great to look at. When I finish with his brows, I grab a mirror and hold it over his face.
�“OK, I�’m done, how do they look?�” I ask.
He opens his eyes slowly and instead of looking straight up at the mirror his eyes focus on me.
�“I would be honored if you would join me for dinner tonight,�” he says as our gazes lock again.
What is going on? There is a half-naked gorgeous man laying here asking me out and no man ever asks me out. Looking at his eyes I feel like there is a strange pull coming from him again, like even if I wanted to walk away from him, I instead walk toward him. This is so strange and I can�’t remember what I�’m supposed to be doing. I just want to keep staring into his eyes. The room starts to disappear around me, I can�’t remember where I am, was I supposed to say something? I swallow, my knees feel weak again, all I can see is Jaiden�’s face, all I want is to reach out and touch his cheek. I feel my hand moving as if it has a mind of its own, and watch as my hand lands on his cheek.
�“Um...�” is the only response I can think of. Staring into his eyes, I lean against the table for fear that I will fall.
Jaiden takes the mirror from me without even glancing at his reflection, and puts it down on the table as he sits up. My hand falls to my side, and I am frozen in place, I can�’t even blink. After he sits up he is very close to my face. He shifts so that I am standing in between his legs.
�“Ah...�” Why can�’t I make a coherent sentence, what was the question anyway? What am I supposed to be doing?
�“Dani,�” Jaiden begins, �“would you do me the honor of joining me for dinner?�”
Can he read my mind? I wonder to myself and as I�’m still staring at him he raises one eyebrow as if to say your answer should be yes, of course.
�“Yes, okay, sure I will go to dinner with you,�” I finally sputter out as my knees start feeling like spaghetti. It is the only answer I can think of.
�“I�’ll pick you up at seven, is that okay?�” he asks smiling at me.
�“Yeah,�” I whisper as my knees finally give out, and I start to slide down to the floor. Jaiden reaches out to steady me with a hand on each side of my hip.
�“Whoa,�” he says as he breaks eye contact, and I blink fiercely.
He leads me to one of the chairs and sits me down. He kneels down in front of me, leans in and kisses my cheek. “I�’ll walk myself out, see you tonight.�” Jaiden stands, grabs his shirt and pulls it on as he leaves the room.
Holy crow! What did I just get myself into? How is he picking me up he doesn�’t even know where I live? Why do I feel so weak? What is going on?
�“Hey, do you want to do lunch?�” Cassie asks as she walks into the wax room.
�“What time is it?�” I ask, wondering how long we have been in here. �“Almost two,�” she replies, �“I�’m hungry, want to get take-out?�” �“Sure, sounds good. No wonder I feel so shaky.�” We have been in here nearly two hours. �“Let�’s go, I�’ll clean this up after lunch.�” As I walk with Cassie to get our purses I feel like the fuzz in my mind is clearing and I am more exhausted than I was this morning. Unfortunately, it now looks as if a quiet night at home isn�’t going to happen.
Author Biography Chelsea O’Neal lives in her fantasy world where people can fly, vampires could be real, money is never an issue and the romantic meeting of your true love is a normal happening. When not relaxing in Chelsea-ville, she enjoys talking with animals who talk back and taking long walks with her prince charming.
Actually Chelsea lives in the United States in Nebraska, where she was born and raised, with her black lab Daisey, who hasn’t spoken actual words to her but she is pretty sure Daisey understands her. She is yet to meet her prince charming, though she is quite sure he is out there. Chelsea enjoys working in a library as well as a cosmetologist. She is an avid reader and writing has always been her passion. Juniper’s Princess is her first novel, and she is working on her next book now.
Purchase From: Amazon.com
Amazon UK
Barnes & NobleSmashwords The Book DepositoryMirador Book Shop Purchase a Signed Copy from Chelsea
