Mary E. Thompson's Blog, page 44

Temptation (Feb 10)

Charles was watching for the moment Becca realized he was there. There was no doubt in his mind that Becca’s friend would tell her he was there. He knew she’d seen him when they’d come in from the way her eyes scanned the place before settling on him.

Then she stopped looking.

Becca’s eyes widened when she turned to look at him and he saw her chest heave with a breath. Charles felt his own chest expand with the effort to keep breathing, waiting to see what Becca would do.

He forced himself to stay seated, not willing to go over to her. If she wanted to talk to him, he wanted her to come to him. If she didn’t, he’d force himself to walk away.

Again.

Becca turned back around to face her friend. They exchanged a few more words, Charles waiting with baited breath to find out what those words meant for him. Becca didn’t look thrilled, but her friend kept glancing at him, giving him encouraging looks when Becca was facing the other way.

When they stood Charles stopped breathing. He didn’t know if he could handle watching her walk away from him, seeing her pass by his table and go straight out the door.

He watched, every step bringing them closer to him. The two women talked, their heads together. They paused to say something to the waitress, nodding toward him. Were they getting him to pay their bill? He’d happily do so. Not because it would erase anything he did, he knew that, but because he’d do anything for Becca. And by extension any friend of hers.

“Can we join you?” Becca’s friend asked when they reached the side of his table.

Charles froze for a moment, wondering if it was some kind of joke, or a trick, but then he looked up into Becca’s eyes and saw the truth. She wanted to talk to him.

“Yes, please,” he stammered, hoping his voice didn’t betray how desperate he was to have her close, but knowing the whole time it did.

Charles gestured to the other chairs at the table, disappointment swamping him when Becca chose the chair across from him, her friend sitting between them.

“I’m Abby, by the way,” the friend said, extending her hand to him. “It’s nice to meet you.”

“You too,” Charles told her, wishing she would leave so he could be alone with Becca, but knowing Becca didn’t trust him enough to be alone.

Or maybe she didn’t trust herself.

“You look good, Bex,” he said softly.

“Thanks,” she said quietly.

“It’s been a long time,” he tried again, unsure what he could say to her to make her talk to him.

Her eyes flashed to his, pain and something else warring for control in the depths he longed to lose himself in. “Eleven years, three months, two weeks, and four days,” she told him.

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Plump & Pretty Cover Reveal

Riley is a quiet woman. She likes to read, hides behind her books. She doesn’t date much and thinks no one would be interested in the quiet, plump girl with her nose in a book.

Connor was the high school hottie. Riley knew of him, but never knew him. So when he approaches her at a wedding she’s baffled that he knows she exists let alone knows her name.

When everything Riley’s ever wanted seems almost within her reach she starts to wonder if it’s possible, or if it was just a dream all along.

Excerpt from Plump & Pretty

My reaction to him was instant and undesirable. I didn’t want to want him still. It’d been almost twelve years since I’d seen him, but he was as gorgeous as he’d been back in high school, maybe even hotter. His chest was bigger, wider with his shoulders. His waist narrowed in a way I could only dream about. His hands, always my weakness with men, were thick and strong. I knew he was 6’4”, one of the many statistics I’d memorized about him. His blue dress pants and white shirt could have been cut from the finest of fabrics, but only being on his body made them look that good. Hell, even his skinny tie, that perfectly matched his pants, helped make him look hotter. I kept looking up and saw his blue eyes blazing with a fire I’d never seen directed at me before. A small smile quirked the edge of his mouth, making me realize I was staring at him.

And in turn my friends were staring at me.

Shit.

“Who’s Connor Lee?” Carrie asked, her eyes bouncing between us like she was watching a tennis match. The question in her gaze told me she was trying to decide if he was off limits, and if he was worth her time.

I shook my head and broke away from his gaze. He wasn’t looking at me, he couldn’t have been. I didn’t want to look behind me to find the thin, gorgeous woman he’d been smiling at. After all, Connor Lee didn’t know who I was. There was no reason for him to be looking at me.

Except for that whole staring at him thing.

“Connor Lee is just someone I went to high school with. Mr. Popular, dated the prettiest girls, had all the cool parties, you know the type.”

Lexi and Carrie nodded. “The hottest guy in school that every girl dreamed would walk up to her one day and kiss her. So what’s your history with him?”

I scoffed. “My history? Non-existent. He didn’t even know I existed in high school. He was a year ahead of me, but his senior year he dated a girl in my homeroom. Her locker was next to mine so I saw them making out all the time, but he never saw me.”

Carrie narrowed her eyes in his direction as though looking at him would tell her if he was a jerk. Of course, knowing Carrie, she might actually be able to read something on his skin that told her the truth. As for me though, I wasn’t going to even glance in his direction again. Connor Lee was as far out of my league as you could get. There was no reason to even care that he was at the wedding. It didn’t matter.

“He’s still looking over here,” Lexi stated as though it would make a difference.

I rolled my eyes. “He’s probably checking out someone behind us. Or maybe he thinks I look vaguely familiar and is trying to imagine me 100 pounds lighter, when he’d actually have given me a second glance. Let’s go to the reception.”

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Temptation (Feb 8)

Becca walked into Gray’s with Abby and immediately felt better. The stress from the day eased when they found a table near the front window. They’d been there before and Becca enjoyed the place. It was a nice change from the diner, and Becca loved the chance to have a girlfriend.

“Are you going to tell me the story?” Abby asked once they’d gotten their drinks and ordered dinner.

Becca shrugged and glanced around the restaurant. A bar area with a few tables was in the center with a seating area surrounding it. Becca saw tables of people laughing, talking, even kissing, all around her. She was surrounded by people, but as usual she felt alone.

“The summer after my sophomore year in high school my brother had just graduated. Jeff and Charles were best friends. They went out one night and Jeff was drinking. Charles drove them home, but he was tired. He fell asleep at the wheel. Jeff was thrown from the truck in the accident. Charles was in a coma for a week. By the time he woke up we’d buried Jeff, but none of us knew what happened. When Charles told us about the accident…”

“Ah, honey. I’m sorry you had to go through that,” Abby said, covering Becca’s hand with hers. “How long has it been since you’ve seen him?”

“A long time. I told him I hated him for killing my brother and told him to never show his face around us again. He left.”

“You’ve never healed, have you?”

Becca shook her head. “My parents had a hard time looking at Charles, even though he’d been almost like another son for them. He left town and never looked back. I had no idea he was here.”

“Do you still blame him?”

Becca shrugged. “I don’t know. Seeing him brought back so much pain. I adored him when I was a kid. Seriously worshipped him.”

“Do you still feel the same way?”

“It’s all jumbled. I’m a lot older now, so the teenage hero worship has changed. I look at him and it’s a mix of anger and pain and affection and concern and… so many things.”

“What would you say to him if he walked in here right now?”

Becca glanced around the place, trying to imagine what she would say to the man who’d changed her life, in more ways than one.

“I don’t know, Abby. I really don’t.”

“Well, you might want to come up with something because he’s right over there,” Abby said, pointing behind Becca.

Becca turned and saw him watching her. And broke into a cole sweat.

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Temptation (Feb 7)

Charles sucked in his breath once he was outside the diner. He hadn’t been that close to Becca in years and he could still feel the anger radiating from her, and smell the intoxicating scent of her. She’d always smelled innocent, pure, sweet. All things he knew he wasn’t and didn’t deserve.

He hated that she’d seen him. He’d been so careful, making sure she never picked up on him being there, but one too many looks had sent him from casual observer to stalker with Becca’s guest, and he’d turned Charles in.

Charles knew it wasn’t the guy’s fault. He was the one dumb enough to keep going back day after day, hoping she’d be there, waiting until he could catch a glimpse of her name on the schedule so he could plan his week around when she would be there.

Only now he had no way of keeping an eye on her. If she banned him from the diner, he would have to follow her if he wanted to find out anything about her, and even Charles wasn’t willing to stoop that low.

His phone rang, drawing him out of the misery that had seeped into him since Becca stormed over to him. He yanked it from his pocket and growled, “What?”

“Eight pm, tonight. Gray’s.”

The phone disconnected, leaving Charles standing on the street staring at the dark screen. He struggled to place the voice, one he knew he recognized. The phone number was familiar too, although not one he had stored in his phone. He did a quick search on his phone and realized the call came from the diner.

“The waitress?” he shouted.

She was tipping him off. It was obvious they were friends, so why was she telling him where Becca would be later?

Charles pushed the thoughts from his head and focused on what she’d said to him. He glanced at his watch. He had two hours until he had to be at Gray’s. It was close, within walking distance, but he needed to go home, change and drop off his stuff.

Back at his apartment Charles stripped and took a quick shower. He poured over his closet like a woman going on a first date before deciding to go for casual with dark jeans and a black long sleeved t-shirt. He sent off a few emails to kill some time then headed back out into the cold to find her.

Charles was early. He was always early. He wanted to see her walk in, to watch her without her knowing he was there. He could study her, pretend when she laughed it was for him, when she smiled it was at him. He knew how creepy it was, but he’d missed her. His life had been dull without her in it. And when she walked into his favorite diner a few months ago it was like the sun had come back into his life.

He had to see her again.

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Temptation (Feb 6)

Becca’s heart shattered as she watched Charles walk, no run, away from her. She collapsed onto the seat he just vacated and dropped her head to the table. His scent still lingered, one she wasn’t familiar with, but stirred emotions deep inside that she was afraid to name.

Tears flowed from Becca’s eyes to the table below her, creating a pool of her misery. A hand landed on her shoulder, but she didn’t bother to look up. She’d only been working there a few weeks and didn’t know her coworkers well. She wasn’t prepared to tell anyone the whole story, even Abby, who had become a friend quickly.

“What did he say to you?” Abby asked. “He’s always been so nice. I’ll tell Fred not to let him back in.”

“No,” Becca said quickly. She didn’t want to ostracize Charles, but she knew there was more to her assertion that he not be banned. She wanted to see him again. “He’s an old friend. Someone I haven’t seen in a while. It just brought back a lot of emotions.”

Abby tilted her head to the side and studied Becca. There was no doubt she wasn’t telling the whole truth and she knew Abby was well aware of that. Still, she clamped her mouth shut and refused to say more.

“I’ll get the whole story out of you one day, Becca. A woman doesn’t cry like you are over a man who didn’t crush her heart. I’d put money on you being in love with him and him being an ass about it.”

“Charles was never an ass. He never knew how I felt. It wasn’t like that.”

Abby watched her closely then passed her a napkin. “I’ll let it go for now, but we’re going out after work. You’re either going to tell me all about tall, dark, and sexy or you’re going to get over him by kissing a stranger. Or going home with one.”

Becca grinned. Her friend knew she’d never gone home with a stranger, and probably never would. It didn’t stop her from pushing her to get out of the slump Becca admitted she was in. One she’d been in for years. One she didn’t think she could ever claw her way out of.

Because doing so would remind her of how much she’d lost, and how much her brother would never have.

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#EggcerptExchange The Cats of Cullaby Creek by Kimbra Kasch

Here with me this week is Kimbra Kasch! Kimbra’s new book, The Cats of Cullaby Creek, is a new young adult romantic mystery. Keep reading and grab your copy today.

Love in is the Air, something else is in the water. 
The Cats of Cullaby Creek

by Kimbra Kasch

When Savannah meets Kyle, its love at first sight. And why wouldn’t it be? He’s perfect, as far as she can tell. But Kyle appears whenever things go wrong. Maybe he isn’t everything she thought he was. It’s a complete mystery until she discovers the water in Cullaby Creek is being bottled and sold as vitamin “infused” water. Mistic Water promises the impossible. And then, like a magical elixir, it delivers. People who drink it feel younger, smarter, faster…healthier. But it doesn’t take long before side effects hit. Literally. The secret has to be in the water…or is it something more?

Excerpt from The Cats of Cullaby Creek

Kelly And Kyle

These two shared some sort of history. And now I was in the middle of their story.

Sparks flew through the air. But, they didn’t seem to notice—or maybe they just didn’t care how uncomfortable they were making the rest of us.

I scanned the room. The terribly odd thing was that while they stood in the center of the cafeteria—arguing—everyone’s eyes were on me.

What is so interesting about me?

After a few seconds, I heard whispered accusations slammed back and forth, like a ping-pong ball. My name, muttered in odd and angry tones. No one seemed to mind staring at me, but only the bravest few were sneaking sideways glances over at Kelly and Kyle, hoping no one noticed.

This wasn’t what I needed on my first day at a new school. I hadn’t come here looking for instant enemies, but I knew I’d accidentally stirred a private pot and things were already starting to boil.

I needed to do something and quick. From the sounds floating around me, if they got into an actual argument, I was going to get the blame.

I spit out the first words I could think to say, “What’s a new kid to do, after school, around here… for fun?”

Kyle sighed and chuckled, “That depends on what you’re hoping to find and what you think is fun.” He stepped back away from Kelly for a moment. “You big city kids always think something needs to be going on. But in real life, in a small town, not much ever happens.”

“We could ask my Mom to drive us into Astoria to do some shopping,” I suggested. It was a little too obvious—even to me—Kelly wanted me out of the picture and was trying everything she could think of to keep me away from Kyle. I almost felt sorry for her—but only for a second.

“Or,” Kyle sat down and nodded for me to join him. I could feel a warm rush of air and his scent worked its way up inside my head. I barely heard him finish, “We could go for a run.”

“What?” Kelly demanded, clenching her hands into tight-balled fists at her side.

“Savannah,” Kyle lowered his voice and said my name slow, putting an emphasis on the last syllable, like it was a soft sigh, ‘ah’. And, for the first time in my life, I loved the sound of my own name. “Is a runner. And she’s fast. Aren’t ‘cha?” He nudged me and moved even closer. I could barely think. His smell overpowered my senses; it was the sweet woodsy scent of him that took me by surprise. I closed my eyes and drank it in.

When I opened them back up, Kelly’s eyes were shooting red flames of rage straight at me.

I gazed at Kyle and felt a warmth in my stomach again. It was working its way up into my chest. “That’s not what you said this morning,” I laughed then spun away.

Meet Vannah

Where were you born? Portland, Oregon

But you currently live in? Mist, Oregon

What’s your most important goal? Get my family out of Mist

What’s your worst fear? That Kyle won’t make it out of Mist

What would you do if you won the lottery? Move and buy out Mistic Water

Buy Now from Amazon

About Kimbra

I’m a writer who grew up in a family with 9 kids and only 1 t.v. so I spent my days reading and, later, writing. I love books. . .maybe because I never got to pick t.v. shows we watched. But I’d run home after school to catch the last fifteen minutes of Dark Shadows…

I still love to run…and read. My favorite romance novels are The Hunger Games…okay, I know, it’s a survival book but it’s really all about romance. Then there were the series: Twilight, Fifty Shades, and more but I also love paranormal, Horror and even light books like Dewey the Small Town Library Cat… Mainly, I just love to read. . . and write.

Connect with Kimbra on her website, blog, Facebook, or Twitter!

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Temptation (Feb 4)

Charles knew the moment she saw him, the moment she realized it really was him. Her sparkling blue eyes went from surprised to pissed in 2.5 seconds. He thought he might have seen a flash of longing in there too, but that wasn’t possible. She hated him. She always would.

Becca stormed across the diner as Charles packed up his things. He had spent long enough there and knew he wouldn’t be welcome any longer, even though he kept ordering food and coffee and paid more than enough for the free refills he received.

Charles slid his laptop into the messenger bag he carried and swiped the table clean of the papers he had scattered around then flipped the bag closed as she reached his table.

“What the hell are you doing here?”

“I was just leaving,” Charles stammered. He’d never heard such fury in her voice, not even on the day she’d told him to leave and never come back.

“I never wanted to see you again. How did you find me?”

Charles sighed heavily and forced himself to look in her eyes. That small indulgence, a glimpse of the woman he once imagined she’d become, made his heart swell to the point he thought it might explode. God, he loved her. As much as he ever had. Not that she knew how he felt. He lost the right to tell her years ago.

“I live around the corner from here. I’ve been coming here for years. You stumbled upon me. Until you started working here I had no idea where you were or what you’d been up to. I stayed out of your life, just like you told me to do.”

Becca winced at his words, something that made Charles flinch inward. He didn’t want to hurt her, he never wanted to hurt her, but that was all he ever did with Becca.

He’d wanted to look her up over the years. It killed him to not know where she was and how she was doing, but the promise he made to her outweighed the other promises he’d made that night. Even if it crushed him to keep his promise to her.

“You’ve been watching me,” she said, not exactly a question.

“I still care about you, Becca. I promised Jeff-”

“Don’t say his name,” she growled. Charles saw the tears in her eyes and watched as her chest rose and fell rapidly, fighting off the emotions he knew were swirling within her, emotions he himself was fighting at the same moment.

“I’m sorry. I’ll go.”

Charles left $50 on the table, making sure it would cover his food and leave the waitress a hefty tip for dealing with him all day, then walked away from Becca. Again.

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Temptation (Feb 3)

Becca knew someone was watching her. She felt it when she walked into work. Her neck tingled, but when she asked Abby about the guy sitting alone in the corner, Abby said he’d been there for a while, was one of her regulars.

Becca tried to brush off the creepy feeling, dismissing it as her own imagination. She worked through her shift, enjoying chatting with her regular customers as the night went on. She loved the rush of the diner, even if she wanted more for her life. Once upon a time she’d had big dreams, but those were long gone, out the door with the man who’d once held her heart, even if he didn’t realize it at the time.

She couldn’t think about him though. It was a dangerous road to go down, imagining how different her life would have been if she hadn’t tossed him out of it years ago. She knew she made the right decision, but it still hurt every day. The same way her arm hurt when it rained outside or when she had to carry a lot of plates frequently during her shift.

“What can I get for you tonight?” Becca asked the man who’d just taken a seat in her section. She’d seen him in there often, sometimes alone, sometimes with another man.

“I’ll start with a cup of coffee,” he said with a grin. She nodded and rushed to get his drink. He easily could have been the same age as her father, which was always dangerous for Becca because she tended to open up to men who reminded her of the man she’d loved forever.

When she returned with his coffee she asked if he was ready to order. “Do you know that man over there?” he asked, ignoring her question. Becca glanced to the man who’d been sitting in Abby’s section since before she came in then shook her head. “Hmm. He’s been watching you since I came in here. Figured it was an ex or something. Was wondering why he was sitting over there sulking instead of making up for whatever he did to upset you.”

Becca smiled at the man. He had no idea the only man who’d ever managed to hurt her was the one she knew she’d never see again. The one she’d sent away and knew he’d listen. He was guilty, she knew, and he would respect her opinion. Even if she ached for him every day.

She glanced again at the man in the corner, finding him watching her. His eyes met hers and all the breath within her fled. She hadn’t seen eyes like that in years, too many years to count. Eyes that studied her, eyes that knew her. Eyes she never thought she’d look into again.

It couldn’t be him.

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Bulky & Beauteous Release Day

Nine months ago I wasn’t sure this day would ever come! I had just been diagnosed with Stage IV-B Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, and I was scared. I had just started writing Bulky & Beauteous. I stalled. I told myself I wasn’t going to, but I did. I was scared, and tired, and worn out. But months later (too many months for me) I finally finished it. And now you can read it!

Addi is reliable, always there for everyone. She does everything for everyone, neglecting herself. When her kindness and selflessness is tossed back in her face, Addi snaps. She doesn’t want to be seen as a doormat, but she knows that’s how others see her. Addi takes a page from her irresponsible sister’s playbook and decides she’s going to make some changes in her life.

Joey is a ski bum with no future, Addi is sure of that. What Joey does have is the power to ignite a passion inside Addi she was sure had died off long ago. She keeps him at arm’s length emotionally, but lets him a lot closer physically.

When someone is hurt during one of their interludes, Addi questions the person she’s become. When the smoke clears, Addi has to figure out who she really is… reliable Addi or carefree Addi.

Excerpt from Bulky & Beauteous

He came at me as I approached him. Our mouths collided the same time our hands met each other’s bodies. His tongue was hot and smooth in my mouth, urgent, needy. Desperate. Just like I felt.

I had to touch him. I didn’t care how cold it was outside or who might be able to hear us. I needed to feel him.

My hands tugged at the zipper on his jacket, then shoved it over his shoulders once I could. He groaned at the restraint and released me so he could shrug out of his jacket. I took advantage of his position and stroked my hand over the hard ridge of his erection, making his body lurch toward me.

He yanked off his jacket and tugged mine free, his movements as frantic as mine. When his hands went to the front of my pants I froze.

Shit, was I really doing this? Was I really going to fuck him in the woods?

Unaware of my sudden panic, Joey kept working his way into my pants, his lips on my throat, his hands close, so very close to where I wanted him.

Right?

I was being crazy. We were in public. I barely knew him. I couldn’t do it.

Then I heard the whoops of someone on the slopes. The voices of skiers so close, but separated from us. Hidden, in our own private spot. Holy shit, it turned me on. And then Joey’s hand was there. Brushing my bare skin. Hot flesh, cold air.

His fingers touched me, barely grazing across my center. I arched into him like a greedy cat. It was fitting, in a way, considering how desperate I was for his touch. He stroked me, soaking my panties and his fingers, before delving inside.

My knees gave out and his other arm came around me, supporting me. “Lean on me,” he growled in my ear. I had no choice but to listen.

I draped my arms around his neck, my face buried against his sweater. I smelled the musky scent of him, the clean, fresh air, and the pine scent of the thick trees surrounding us. It was a heady mix, made that much sweeter by his ministrations between my legs.

“Yes, Addi, just let go for me,” he groaned, a pained sound that made me wonder if he was as close as I was. Jesus, he was talented. My hips moved on their own, controlled by the hand buried deep in my pants. I wanted to strip off all my clothes to relieve the heat building up inside me, but I knew only one thing would truly help.

And with just a few more strokes of his thumb over me, a few more thrusts of his fingers deep inside, the heat built to four alarm fire status. I burned up from the inside out, flames licking at my skin, or was that his tongue? I didn’t care. My body hurtled toward its release, whether trying to outrun the fire or ignite it further, I didn’t know. Stop, drop, and roll flashed through my head, instantly making the elementary school lesson a dirty idea for adults.

Joey chuckled, his hand slowing as I came down from the high he put me on. “Stop, drop, and roll? Is that next?”

“I said that out loud?” I asked, embarrassed.

“I think it’s a great idea. Well, maybe not the stop part.”

His hand was still inside me, his fingers connected to my most intimate parts. And we were talking about fire drills.

His finger stroked against my core again and I moaned. “Definitely not the stop part,” I agreed.

Pick up your copy of Bulky & Beauteous now!

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | iBooks | Kobo | Smashwords

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Temptation (Feb 1)

Becca glided into the diner completely oblivious to the eyes following her. Charles never sat in her section, preferring instead to watch her from a distance. He knew his behavior was creepy, at best, and downright disturbing at worst, but he couldn’t bring himself to stop. 

He knew if she saw him she’d be mad, and hurt, and she’d do everything possible to throw him out of her life, again. 

So Charles did what he always did. He protected her from afar, making sure she was safe and taken care of, without her knowing he was there watching her. 

Becca was talking to the waitress who had been serving him for the last hour. He made sure he arrived before Becca’s shift so no one picked up on how frequently he watched her. His production had gone down since he stumbled upon her, tucked neatly into his little part of the world. He didn’t care though. He was still one of the most sought after app developer in the city, really in the state. When he didn’t have his damn head in the clouds, Charles could just about program an app in his sleep. 

At that moment though, his work was forgotten. All he could focus on was the sparkle in her eye as she spoke to her coworker, the upturned corner of her lips, then, stealing his breath, her laugh. 

God, Charles could listen to her laugh for hours. 

Too bad he knew he’d only get the chance if she didn’t realize he was there. 

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