Giveaways

Promo Tour Part 1: Love Untouched by Anne Leigh (prologue and giveaways)

An athlete on the verge of greatness.
A woman who hit the lowest point in her life and fought her way back to the top.
Twenty four year-old Kieran Stone, the country’s number 1 swimmer, has loved one woman all his life – only to have that love unreturned. He has resigned himself to the reality that when it comes to love, he will never be someone’s first choice.
Twenty three year-old Brynn Tanner, sister to the country’s number 2 swimmer Milo Tanner, has emerged from her own battle and won the fight. But to Milo, she remains his little sister.
Here’s the thing about fate – it can be a cruel master.
When Kieran and Brynn are brought together by an unlikely circumstance, it sparks an attraction that neither of them are prepared for, but neither of them can control.
Three fragile hearts. Two fierce rivals. One woman forced to make a choice.
How do you choose between the one you would fight for and the one you once lived for?
(Amazon Best Selling Author of Love Unexpected & love Unmatched)
Anne Leigh is a 30-something-year-old who refuses to let the calendar dictate her age. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Biology and a Master’s degree in Nursing. She likes to write about strong women and equally strong guys who grapple with their emotions when faced with something as intangible as love.
She lives in Los Angeles with her husband. With her crazy schedule, she gets frustrated at L.A. traffic and needs an escape to keep her sanity, which her characters provide.
She did not think of publishing her stories and when she finally did, she’s truly appreciative of every, single person who found the time to let her characters become parts of their world.
She appreciates all the readers who leave kind comments/reviews on where they purchased the book because without them, all her stories would remain locked up in her computer.

Link to Love Untouched (Book 3)
Amazon: to follow
Link to Love Unexpected (Book 1)
Link to Love Unmatched (Book 2)


Link to Tour Schedule:

Promo and Giveaways: The Lost Souls: A Holy Trinity Novel by Madeline Sheehan

The Lost Souls: A Holy Trinity Novel
(Holy Trinity 2.5)

Tahyra Petros tried desperately to save herself and her sister, and instead ended up forever changed.

Shandor Asenov battled with death, and lost.

Hockey Sava, in a valiant attempt at saving his friends, vanished.

Caroline Andrews lost her brother during a violent attempt at survival and was subsequently left alone in the hands of an unknown fate.

And, Marko Siwak disappeared in the middle of the night and was never heard from again.

These are the stories of their journeys lost in a world where devastation knows no boundaries, where enemies await them at every turn, and where heartache, loss, and death supersede happiness, peace, and love…and the destiny that awaits them.

COMING SPRING 2013

PROLOGUE

What is fate? Or destiny? 

Do we each have a predestined plan? A path to follow on our journey, mapped out long before us? 

Does someone, something, somewhere, already know what hasn’t yet come to pass?Are words such as chance, fortune and luck, just words?Are we all just pawns in a game being played by a force of power, so much bigger than us, a force so great, so unfathomably paramount that we, as mere humans, simply do not have the ability to comprehend it? 
What if the answer was yes? 
What if every step we’ve taken, every choice, every mistake we’ve make, every success, every sad or happy moment in our lives, every person we’ve met, every feeling, every emotion we’d ever experienced, every single breath we’ve taken, our first and our last… 
What if every single moment of our lives was, is, will be –no matter who you are, poor or wealthy, famous, criminal, loved or hated – what if it was all an inevitability, a foreordination, utterly uncontrollable by us? 
Would it still be worth it?

“You’re beautiful, Tayhra,” Shandor growled softly, releasing her hair to cup the side of her head and face. 
Confused, she froze beneath him. 
“The face of a goddess,” he said forcefully, “With the body of a whore. Fată, you’re a goddamn work of art. 
Red eyes blinked up at him. Once, twice, three times. 
“You’re the sort of beautiful a man doesn’t just want to fuck; you’re the kind a man wants to watch fall apart beneath him and know that it was him who broke her.”

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Book Spotlight and Giveaways: Leap of Faith by Jamie Blair

Can true love be built on lies? A teen on the run seeks relief and redemption in this gripping, romantic read.
Leah Kurtz has finally found a place to call home, a town where she and baby Addy can live in peace, far from the drug-infested place she grew up. Chris is one of the best parts of her new life, the only person who’s ever made her feel safe. And now that she’s found him, there’s no way she can tell the truth:
Her real name is Faith, not Leah. She’s seventeen, not nineteen. And the baby isn’t hers—Faith kidnapped her.
Faith’s history catches up with her when a cop starts asking questions and Chris’s aunt spots her picture in the newspaper. She knows it’s time to run again, but if Faith leaves, she’ll lose Chris. If Chris is in love with a lie, though, did Faith ever really have him in the first place?


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Romance Academy Launch and Giveaway! Register now!

Hey crew, Have you ever thought about writing a book and just didn’t know where to start? Have you thought about wanting to share your love for reading with others? No more thinking. Get to doin’. The Romance Academy now has open registration for workshops on writing and publishing as well as blogging. All workshops will be online and be hosted and instructed by industry professionals. the first workshops begin September 30th. Be sure to enter the giveaway for your chance to win a workshop of your choice. Get on it!!!
  romance academy

GIVEAWAY!!!

Relaunch: Love Unexpected by Anne Leigh (excerpt, character bio and giveaways)

There are times, when you least expect it, where fate hands you the
one person you cannot live without. 


Sedona Mackenzie had her life perfectly planned; down to the coffee that she drank, the curfew that she lived by, and formulas that she solved to release stress. She had everything figured out, in a neat, little timeline. Then, fate chose to intervene in the form of a chance meeting with a guy who stirs unknown emotions inside her, leaving her reeling and wanting for more. 
Zander Zobowski is not your typical college jock. For one, he’s a good guy. Second, he’s pretty smart. And, he’s level-headed. The farthest thing on his mind was smacking into a woman who may just be his undoing. 

This is not your typical bad boy meets good girl love story. This is a story between two people who are great on their own. But, with each other, they are absolutely perfect.

Zander: 
Damn and double damn. She was clearly my type. Apparently, my only type. 
Having been to numerous dates with a bunch of women hasn’t done me any good. On the football field, I was back to my old self. My focus was back. I was doing great in school. But when it came to ‘getting it up’ for these women, I had no energy or desire. 
Each night, I tried to get myself into showing real interest in these women. I went to the bars with John, Xavier, and a couple of other guys. These chicks were hot. They just didn’t do anything for me. I went home alone every single night. It was frustrating as hell; I told every, single one of them, that we would be better off as friends. It was unfair for me to lead these women on. It was pathetic. I was pathetic. 
Today, I accompanied Bianca to the store. I met her last night at Hudson’s. She looked like she was a pretty outgoing girl so I asked her out for a date. She said she had to grab a card for her sister’s party tonight. Weird, but whatever. We were supposed to be on a date. Couldn’t she have bought a card before or after our date? It was cool though. The more I spent time with her, the less I wanted to hear her talk. She went on and on about her sister, her dogs, and her fascination with reality TV. 
So here we were, browsing through some cards and shit at K-Greens. We hadn’t been here that long before I caught a whiff of Sedona’s unique scent. Strawberries and peaches. I thought it was another figment of my imagination. That was all I had these days. Figments of her. But no, when she raised her head and looked at me, she was for real. She was standing a few steps away from where I stood. 
My date, Bianca, was farthest from my thoughts, the moment I caught a glimpse of Sedona. All I did was stare at her. She was dressed in some workout pants and a loose-fitting pink shirt. Her casual clothes did nothing to diminish her natural sexiness. I took in her exquisite toes wrapped around her pink flip flops. What I would give to be those flip flops. 
My dick was already standing to attention when Bianca’s voice broke through my focus on Sedona. 
Sedona’s eyes widened when she saw me. She looked like she was about to flee. I had to reach her before she left, so I said, “Hey, fancy meeting you here.” Fancy meeting you here? What kind of dumb shit was I? 
It was ridiculous. All Sedona had to do was be present and all of a sudden, my absent libido showed up. 
Hell. 
Her body was perfect. Her lips were perfect. And when she smiled, it was downright sexy. I wanted to grab her, put her over my shoulders, and drive to the nearest hotel. Or my apartment. Or hers. It didn’t matter. For me, a 220-lb man to turn jelly inside and hard on the outside, I realized that this girl ruined me for any other girl. All she had to do was smile. 
I recognized her friend Nalee’s voice behind me, asking her if she was ready to go. Again, I wanted to grab her and latch onto her. No decent guy did that, especially, if the lady was already taken. Her unique scent wafted through me as she passed by. 
I hoped to hell that Swimming Dude’s dick withered in the chlorinated pool. It was fuckin’ petty and low of me to wish for another man’s dick to shrink and wither. But that was all I could do. He had what I wanted. He had her.
Sedona Mackenzie: Lives by her 3 P’s and 5 D’s rules. Very rigid in structure. Thinks in mathematical and physics equations. Borderline genius. Loves her father dearly. Named after the mountains in Sedona, Arizona. Best friends with Nalee and Tanya and Kieran Stone. Double majos – Chemistry and Nursing. Graduated summa cum laude. Drinks coffee from only 2 places. Carries a stain remover for ketchup stains. Daughter of a travel photographer. Allergic to shrimp 
Zander “Mighty Z” Zobowski: Only son of tech giant,Sev, and philanthropist, Haven. Star football player. Architecture major. Constantly hounded by college gossip sites. Focused on his sport. Has a special tattoo on his throwing arm. Doesn’t really plan things out. He just goes with the flow. Has two best friends, Xavier and John. Conscientious of how his choices affects other people. Gets good grades, dates a lot of women, but doesn’t sleep around. Allergic to gold-digging women

Anne Leigh 
(Amazon Best Selling Author of Love Unexpected & love Unmatched) 
Anne Leigh is a 30-something-year-old who refuses to let the calendar dictate her age. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Biology and a Master’s degree in Nursing. She likes to write about strong women and equally strong guys who grapple with their emotions when faced with something as intangible as love. 
She lives in Los Angeles with her husband. With her crazy schedule, she gets frustrated at L.A. traffic and needs an escape to keep her sanity, which her characters provide. 
She did not think of publishing her stories and when she finally did, she’s truly appreciative of every, single person who found the time to let her characters become parts of their world. 
She appreciates all the readers who leave kind comments/reviews on where they purchased the book because without them, all her stories would remain locked up in her computer.


FB Page: 

Twitter: 
Goodreads: 
Link to Love Unexpected (Book 1): 
GR link: 
Amazon: 
Link to Love Unmatched (Book 2): 
GR link: 
Amazon: 
Link to Love Untouched (Book 3): 
GR link: 
(Expected Release: Sept 19th)

Promo Blitz and Giveaways: Conversion by S.C. Stephens

Title: Conversion (Conversion #1) 
Author: S.C. Stephens 
Genre: Romance/Paranormal/Contemporary Ages 18-82 
Publication Date: September 3, 2013
Book Cover Design: Okay Creations
Event organized by: Literati Author Services, Inc.
Emma is happy. She’s got a promising career in front of her, great friends, and a pretty amazing family. But her social life has been a little lacking lately. That’s when fate stepped in, and crashed her into a tall, dark and handsome man. Sure, he has his secrets…don’t we all, and, yeah, maybe his secrets are a little more unusual than most – like he’s a partial vampire who can walk around during the day, but also enjoys a little plasma nightcap now and again – but to Emma, he’s single, successful, and an extraordinary gentleman. That makes up for a lot. Of course, his condition is a bit more serious than he first lets on, and living a life with him will require some sacrifices that most just aren’t willing to make. Will she? Is love enough to compensate for a life that will never be anywhere near the realm of normalcy? But then again…what’s normal anyway? 

Purchase Links: Kindle | Paperback

S.C. Stephens is a bestselling author who enjoys spending every free moment she has creating stories that are packed with emotion and heavy on romance.
Her debut novel, Thoughtless, an angst-filled love triangle charged with insurmountable passion and the unforgettable Kellan Kyle, took the literary world by storm. Amazed and surprised by the response to the release of Thoughtless in 2009, more stories were quick to follow. Stephens has been writing nonstop ever since.
In addition to writing, Stephens enjoys spending lazy afternoons in the sun reading fabulous novels, loading up her iPod with writer’s block reducing music, heading out to the movies, and spending quality time with her friends and family. She currently resides in the beautiful Pacific Northwest with her two equally beautiful children. 
Connect with the Author: Facebook | Twitter | Blog | Goodreads


Promo Post and Giveaway: The Innocent by Kailin Gow

Title: The Innocent (The Protégé #2)

Author: Kailin Gow

Genre: Contemporary Romance/Erotica 18+
Publication Date: August 25, 2013
Event organized by: Literati Author Services

What started out as revenge has turned into passion. Serena Singleton, the innocent music grad student must now deal with a past that is consuming her future. She deals with it in the only way she knows how by falling heads first into the web of power and deception. Has she cast Sebastian Sorensen, her handsome and brilliant professor aside for the powerful and controlling billionaire Price Turnsby or has she found a way to keep them both? Sebastian Sorensen wants Serena more than ever, and he’s willing to fight for it, even against a powerful foe like Price. But no matter how much he fights, is Serena lost to Price’s charms and sexy ways more than she appears? Follow book two of the sexy Protégé Series where nothing is as it seems. 

The Men in The Protégé Series
By Kailin Gow
Twisted is how I probably would describe everything in The Protégé where the plot and the people are not what they appear to be.  This is a highly erotic book that is sensually stimulating but contains a plot that explores the psyche of love…and obsession. 
Where is the line between love and obsession? Who is the Master and Who is the Protégé?
While The Protégé is mainly from Serena’s point-of-view, the men in The Protégé have an incredible journey just like Serena. Their relationship with her will change and meander with her. And they will be a strong force in the way she change.
Sebastian Sorensen
The Protégé introduces the sexy, smart, and sensitive Sebastian Sorensen, the talented and successful Hollywood music composer who teach graduate-level classes at college. He believes in his students, and he also takes them under his wings.  One particular student, Serena Singleton, becomes more than his protégé, and what started as an arrangement becomes a life-changing experience for both of them.
Sebastian Sorensen, whose life seem perfect, will soon have his entire world turned upside down. Serena Singleton is not whom she appears to be, and now he can’t get enough of her.
Price Turnsby
The young handsome and incredibly ruthless self-made billionaire Price Turnsby has a secret life. He has grown up on the fringe of the glittering world the Sorensens are in the center of, and have watched everything he’d ever wanted, go to Sebastian Sorensen. 
Until Serena Singleton.  He must have her. At. Any. Cost.

A Texan at heart, she currently lives in California and Nevada, but spent part of her young adult and new adult years in England. Kailin Gow is a full-time author, a mother of an active little girl, and the founder of the social site, the Saving You Saving Me Project. She has worked with other women such as singer Caitlin Crosby and actress Kristin Kreuk (Beauty and the Beast, Smallville on the CW and ABC Television)in helping women and girls develop self-esteem. Kailin Gow has over 100 fiction books published with a handful of non-fiction books and is busy working on her next novel. She’d love to hear from her readers and invite them to contact her at kailingowbooks (at)aol (dot)com or friend her on Facebook, where she is a Facebook junkie.

For up to the minute information on new releases, contests, appearances, and news, sign up for her newsletter Kailingown.com and her adult blog, authorkailingow.blogspot.com.

2 Winners: Signed paperback of Book 1 ~ The Protégé 

(USA Residents Only) 

$25 Amazon Gift 

Blog Tour: A Graceful Mess by Nacole Stayton (Guest Post and Giveaways)


Title: A Graceful Mess 

Author: Nacole Stayton 
Genre: Contemporary Romance/Erotica 
Publication Date: August 27, 2013 
Photographer: Toski
Cover Designed By: Perfect Pear Creative 
Event organized by: Literati Author Services
Hiding behind the anguish from my past, my coyness seeps off of me like an aroma. I have felt like a stranger in my own skin, trying to claw my way out for far too long, allowing very few people to see past my façade…until my eyes met with his. I felt a sudden rush of energy all the way to my core. It jolted me in ways I never thought possible.
Never in a million years would I have expected to be in the mess I am today. It all leads back to the night Parker Porter turned my world upside down. The night his hazel eyes undressed me, peeling away the layers of the woman I tried so hard to be. He awoke desires that burned deep within me and changed me in one quick glance, leaving me vulnerable and exposed, picking up the shattered pieces of my carefully constructed life…a life I should not be living…a life I was not born into, but placed into by the state of Maine.
Parker opened a door that I am far from closing until I have answers and am able to face the life I was destined to live. I just have to decide if his love is worth the mess.
“They say be careful of the quiet ones.” –Grace
Warning: This book is intended for readers 18+ due to explicit language and sexual encounters. 

NACOLE STAYTON GUEST POST
“Ten things in my purse”

Well since I am packed and ready for Vegas, I only have a little purse packed! Let’s see what’s in it.

a. Clinique chubby stick—strawberry

b. Toothbrush and toothpaste. Braces as an adult suck!

c. My wristlet

d. Four dollar bills and two quarters

e. My debt card

f. Chapstick aka two tubes of baby lips

g. Tampons <- Mother nature can suck it! : )

h. A small compact mirror

i. Car keys

j. Tic-Tacs

Christian “Nacole” Stayton is twenty-something years young and
currently resides in the Bluegrass state. She spends her days working at a local hospital in the billing department and nights writing vigorously on her current novel. She has a passion for helping others and wears her University of Kentucky gear proudly. While her husband loves all things outdoors, Nacole enjoys the finer things in life like getting pedicures while reading on her Kindle Fire. She is passionate about her faith, family and The Bachelor. Her hair color changes with the seasons and she has a weakness for tattoos, iced coffee, and happy endings. 

Blog Tour: The Opportunist & Dirty Red by Tarryn Fisher (Reviews, Excerpt & Giveaways)

Olivia Kaspen has just discovered that her ex-boyfriend, Caleb Drake, has lost his memory. With an already lousy reputation for taking advantage of situations, Olivia must decide how far she is willing to go to get Caleb back. Wrestling to keep her true identity and their sordid past under wraps, Olivia’s greatest obstacle is Caleb’s wicked, new girlfriend; Leah Smith. It is a race to the finish as these two vipers engage in a vicious tug of war to possess a man who no longer remembers them. But, soon enough Olivia must face the consequences of her lies, and in the process discover that sometimes love falls short of redemption.

Read my review here: The Opportunist

This is your mind…Happy thoughts! This is your mind after a Tarryn Fisher book…#^$(#*^&#^#&*@????? Any questions?

Dear Opportunist,

You thought you could take him from me, but you lost. Now, that he’s mine I’ll do anything to keep him. Do you doubt me? I have everything that was supposed to be yours. In case you were wondering; he doesn’t ever think about you anymore. I won’t let him go….ever.

Dirty Red

Leah Smith finally has everything she has ever wanted. Except she doesn’t. Her marriage feels more like a loan than a lifelong commitment, and the image she has worked so hard to build is fraying before her eyes. With a new role and a past full of secrets, Leah must decide how far she is willing to go to keep what she has stolen.
Book two in the Love Me With Lies series by Tarryn Fisher doesn’t disappoint! Dirty Red gives us Leah’s story…

“I have done a number of things to keep this man. I have lied and cheated. I have been sexy and meek, fierce and vulnerable. I have been everything but myself.
He is mine right now, but I am never enough for him. I can feel it — see it in the way he looks at me. His eyes are always probing, searching for something. I don’t know what he’s looking for. I wish I did. I cannot compete against a baby — my baby.
I am who I am.
My name is Leah, and I will do anything to keep my husband.”

The dirty lies and secrets come out as this story unfolds into a rollercoaster ride well worth the price of admission. When I found out this was going to be a 3 POV series I was on the fence about it. Book two made me love book one even more! Leah is a mix of miserable and down right insane. Forcing a marriage with a child just to prove you have the upper hand, in my opinion, should gift her one back zipping white jacket!

“Caleb is a pretty nice guy.”…”Why would he marry a girl like you?”

I started to feel a little sad and I do mean a little sad for Leah. She was lost as a mother and unable to create a mother/child bond with her daughter. Then again when you have nothing to compare it to how can you blame a woman who is a product of her environment? If Leah is crazy her mother is queen of crazy! If she would have taken five minuets of thought from her evil plans she would have seen that MAYBE a baby was not the answer. She continued to amaze me with every word out of her mouth and as time went on she was NOT winning any mother of the year awards.

Hate and entitlement can destroy a person. Then the crazy takes over! Leah is such person. Her draw to Caleb is an addiction. Like any addiction, the means in which you obtain that high never matter and you don’t care who you hurt in the process.

“Hate is suck a prodigious feeling. It´s hot and oppressive like fire. It starts by burning through your God-given reason until there is nothing left of it but a mound of ash. It moves on to your humanity next, hot tongues flicking across the few remaining threads of innocence until they melt into each other and morph into something ugly. Then, in the rubble of what you were, hate plants a seed of bitterness. The seed grows to a vine chokes what it touches.”

At the heart of Leah pain is the love of a man. A man that she coveted and the thought that she could not have him just might kill her. Although Olivia is not with out blame in this story I still feel that Leah’s actions have far surpassed the crazy train.

“I thought you loved your husband.” She blows air through her nose.
The action reminds me of an agitated horse. Her eyes rove from my shoes and land in disgust on my face. “I love yours too.”

Olivia and Caleb have become pawns in Leah’s dirty fight. Upset rocks the last three words of this book proving that book three will be far from a KO. Leah came to this fight with her hair pulled up and earrings off. Now it will be up to Caleb to provide a TKO! I am keeping my fingers crossed!

“She’s not the enemy. She’s just a dirty fighter.”

Tarryn has created a series that keeps you thinking with twists, turns, and a unique approach to an already crazy story line. The Opportunist drew you in with a story line to rival any daytime soap while Dirty Red provides you the juicy drama to keep you tuned in! Thank you Tarryn! Love Me With Lies is a must read series for me!

I am a real life villain, truly. I drink sick amounts of Starbucks. Most of the time my hair smells like coffee. I was born in South Africa, and lived there for most of my childhood. I moved to Seattle just for the rain. Rome is my favorite place in the world so far, Paris comes in at a close second. I read and write more than I sleep. When I was eleven, I wrote an entire novel about runaway orphans, using only purple ink. I am addicted to Florence and the Machine and will travel to see concerts. I love scary movies and giraffes. I spend way too much time on Facebook. Meet you there?
THE OPPORTUNIST
“I’m not getting in the pool! It is freezing!” 
“It’s November in Florida, Olivia. It’s seventy degrees out. Besides, it’s a heated pool. Man up.” Caleb waded around in his boxers in the turquoise water of the campus swimming pool. I tried to avoid looking at his muscles. 
“You can’t manipulate me into the pool by making a sexist comment,” I said, leaning down to splash him in the face. He grabbed my wrist before I had time to withdraw. 
Our eyes locked. 
“Don’t,” I warned. For a second, I didn’t think he’d have the guts. Next thing I knew, I tumbled headfirst into the freezing water. 
I came up gasping for air, my hair wrapped unbecomingly around my face. Caleb peeled it away, laughing. 
“I can’t believe you did that!” I gasped, shoving him on the chest. It felt like I was pushing on hot rocks. 
“You look good wet,” he said. “It would probably be easier to swim if you took off some of your clothes.” 
Shooting him a searing look, I started a breaststroke toward the side of the pool. 
“Ahh, not one for fun I see.” His voice was light when he said it but there was a definite challenge in his tone. 
“Screw it,” I mumbled, stopping a foot away from the ladder. I was the type of girl that would ‘jump off of a bridge’ to spite my friends. I was wearing my good underwear anyway. I ducked under the water and shed my polyester skin like a snake. I resurfaced seconds later with just my skivvies on. 
Caleb unconsciously mouthed ‘wow.’ 
“To your fun,” I toasted him with my sopping wet clothes and then threw them at his head. He dodged and circled around to where I was treading water. 
“Nice lace,” he smirked, eyeing me without shame. 
“Can you not make it so obvious that you’re looking?” I felt violated. I submerged myself under the water until only my head was visible. 
“I thought our relationship was about honesty,” he smiled. 
“Pffffff,” I snickered, “our ‘relationship’ is based on dares and blackmail.” 
His eyes were twinkling. He had such expressive eyes. I wanted to crush that twinkle and kick him where it hurt. 
“Blackmail is such a harsh word,” he said, as he swam closer. 
“You threatened to tell the school newspaper that I was the reason you missed the shot, Drake.” 
He was way too close for comfort now. I began peddling backwards. There was a scar at the corner of his right eye that I had never noticed before. It was just a faint crescent moon, but somehow it made him look dangerous— in a sexy way. I shook my head. These thoughts were not mine… they were Cammie’s— damn her. 
“How did you get that scar?” I asked. 
I shuffled along the bottom of the pool on my tiptoes to get away from him. He absently reached a finger out to touch it. 
“I stole a pound note from my grandfather’s wallet and when he caught me, he decided to punish me with his walking stick.” 
I felt one of those, ‘this is why he’s messed up,’ moments coming on and I prepared myself to understand him. 
“Really?” 
“No.” 
I felt myself color red. I punched him on the arm as hard as I could. 
“I fell off my bike when I was twelve,” he laughed, rubbing the spot where I hit him. “A very boring story.” 
“At least it’s the truth,” I said, exasperated. “Someone like you doesn’t need to lie to be interesting.” 
“Someone like me?” he asked. “You find me interesting, Libby?” 
“No, I don’t, and don’t call me Libby. You know, you’re really quite simple and boring,” I sniffed. 
He was looking away from me into the water. 
“Did you drop a piece of your jewelry?” 
“What?” His attention had shifted so suddenly, I felt offended. 
“There’s something down there at the bottom of the pool.” He was pointing to a spot between our feet. I narrowed my eyes, trying to see what he was staring at. 
“I’m not wearing any jewelry,” I said impatiently, “it’s probably just a penny or something.” 
I nudged it with my toe. It was bigger than a penny. Before he could say anything else, I ducked my head under the water to retrieve it. When my head broke the surface of the water, Caleb automatically scooted closer. 
“What is it?” he was staring at my clenched fist. 
“Let’s see,” I said theatrically, pulling my fingers slowly away from my palm. It was not jewelry. It was an old penny, flattened, and stamped with a message that entitled its bearer one free shot of affection, a kiss. Before I realized what I was doing, I dropped the souvenir into his palm. 
“You’re full of tricks tonight, aren’t you?” He was laughing… always laughing. 
“I have no idea what you’re talking about.” 
Before I could retort with something clever, Caleb reached out and scooped me around my waist. Even in the cold water, his touch felt scorching hot. He pulled me toward him and our bodies were pressed together, belly-to-belly, chest-to-chest. I was so shocked, that at first I made no protest. I hadn’t been this spatially close to another human being since I was an infant. He grinned, his eyes turning smoky with what I perceived as lust. 
I gave up fighting and allowed my lips to be steered toward his. This is for Cammie, I told myself. There was no ‘nice and easy’ with this boy. He grazed his tongue along the inside of my bottom lip. He was gentle at first, trying to coax my stubborn lips into some form of cooperation. I responded with the only thing I knew: frigid prudery. Caleb, undaunted by my lack of enthusiasm, pulled away from me. His hands were wrapped around my waist, his fingers positioned right beneath my panty line. Our foreheads were touching and my breath was coming out in little gasps. It was embarrassing. 
“Kiss me back, Olivia.” His voice was commanding, and for a second, I felt a flare of rebellion like I did when he instructed me to put on my seat belt. I swallowed hard and closed my eyes. I didn’t win that fight. I probably wouldn’t win this one either. I might not even want to win it. 
I could do it. Kissing was a no-brainer, like eating or walking. His lips came back a second time and I bent my head toward him, tilted like in the movies. I was ready this time, willing even. I jumped when we connected and his lips, which were pressed against mine, stretched into an amused smile. He laughed into my mouth. It was infuriating and incredibly sexy. I tried to pull away, but he pulled me back. The kiss. The kiss. The kiss. It was chocolate cake and fizzy passion and goose bumps. No one had ever kissed me like that before. 
Then, he did the strangest thing— he pulled away and held me at arm’s length. The spell was broken. 
“Olivia…” His voice was rough. 
I shook my head. I didn’t want to hear what he was going to say. 
“I have to go,” I said quickly. 
DIRTY RED
She looks the same. Raven hair hanging wildly to her waist. She looks almost gypsy-like in her teal linen pants and a cream sheath shirt that hangs casually off one defined shoulder. I eye her gold hoop earrings, which are big enough to fit my entire hand through. They make her look exotic and slightly dangerous. She has always made me feel plain. 
Her eyes rove over the handful of occupants in the diner, searching for a face she recognizes: an old man, a couple who share the same side of a booth, two servers folding silverware into napkins … and me. 
I see the shock overcome her features — the parting of her lips, the slight spreading of white around her irises. Suddenly, she stiffens. Her eyes chase to the four corners of the room, and I know she is looking for him. I shake my head to tell her he’s not here. I take a sip of my coffee and I wait. 
She moves with purpose toward my table. When she reaches where I am sitting, she doesn’t sit but stares at me expectantly. 
“An old client?” She says dryly. 
“Well, I am, aren’t I?” I motion for her to sit. I’d sent an anonymous message to her office, claiming I was an old client in desperate legal trouble. I’d asked her to meet me at a diner named Tiffany’s. I had no idea if she’d come or not, but it was better than showing up at her office. 
She slides cautiously into the seat across from me, never taking her eyes from my face. 
“Well, what the fuck do you want?” 
I flinch. Louboutins or not, she’s still the same crass piece of white trash she used to be. 
“I thought maybe you could look over this document for me.” I reach into my purse and pull out the papers I’d stolen from Caleb’s filing cabinet. Placing them on the table, I slide them toward her. 
“What is this?” she asks. She eyes me distastefully. How dare she look at me that way? She has singlehandedly ruined my life. I’d have everything if it weren’t for her devious, overreaching hands. 
I’d probably also be in prison. I push that thought away. Now is not the time for gratitude. Now is the time for answers. I poke the document in front of her. 
“Take a look. See for yourself.” 
Without moving her head, she looks at the papers then back to me. It’s a smooth, hard, impressive piece of intimidation. The art of her body language is something to be admired. 
“Why would I want to do that?” she says. 
She’s making me feel chilled. I get a flashback of being on the witness stand, and my heart rate spikes. I practice to see if I can do it too. 
“It’s Caleb’s,” I say, only moving my lips. 
I don’t know whether it’s the mention of his name or if my imitation of her body language is working, but she tenses. 
A server approaches our table. Olivia reaches for the papers. 
“Get her a coffee, two creamers.” I say, waving him away. He hurries off. Olivia, who is reading, briefly glances up at me. I spent almost every day with her for nine months. I know what she likes. 
I sip my coffee as she reads, watching her face. 
Her coffee arrives. Without looking up, she pulls the lids from the creamers and dumps them into her cup. 
She lifts the mug to her lips, but halfway there her hand freezes. Coffee spills onto the table as she slams the mug down. Abruptly, she stands up. 
“Where did you get that?” 
She is backing away from the table, shaking her head. “Why is my name on there?” 
I run my tongue across my teeth. “I was hoping you could tell me that?” 
She bolts for the door. I stand up, tossing a twenty on the table and go after her. 
I follow her into the parking lot and corner her by the newspaper stand. “You are not getting out of explaining why your name is on this deed along with my husband’s!” 
Her face is washed of color. She shakes her head. “I don’t know, Leah. He never — I don’t know.” 
She covers her face with her palms, and I hear her sob. That only makes me angrier. I take a threatening step toward her. 
“You’re sleeping with him, aren’t you?” 
She pulls her hands away and glares at me. 
“No. Of course not! I love my husband.” She is clearly insulted that I would even accuse her of such a thing. 
“I love mine!” My voice cracks. “ — So, why does he love you?” 
She looks at me with true loathing. 
“He doesn’t,” she says simply. “He chose you.” It pains her to give me those words. I can see the emotion spilling from her skin. 
I hold up the deed and shake it. “He bought you a house. Why did he buy you a fucking house?” 
She snatches the deed from my fingers and points to a date. “Did you miss this little detail? Long before you, Leah.” She shoves it back at my chest. “But, you know that. So, why did you really trick me into coming here?” 
I swallow — a nervous reaction. She sees it and smiles cruelly. 
“I should have let them throw you in prison, you know that.” 
She turns away, walking toward her car door. Her statement infuriates me. I follow her, digging my fingernails into my palms, I breathe through my nose. 
“So you could have him?” I blurt. My blood pounds in my ears. I ask myself that question all the time. I say it again. “You should have lost the case so you could have him?” 
She freezes, looks at me over her shoulder. 
“Yeah.” 
I didn’t expect the truth. It frightens me. I open my mouth — force the words out. “I thought you loved your husband.” 
She blows air through her nose. The action reminds me of an agitated horse. Her eyes rove from my shoes and land in disgust on my face. 
“I love yours too.”