After years of bad relationships and a cheating ex-fiancé, twenty-eight-year-old Mia Martinelli prefers healing her patients’ hearts on the Cardiac Care floor rather than risking having her heart broken again. But that all comes to a screeching halt when caring for the head roadie for Runaway Train puts her into the orbit of drummer and Latin Lover, AJ Resendiz. After a scorching weekend of steamy passion, Mia’s intention of getting out with her heart unscathed is challenged by the stud with the wicked sense of humor, especially when he wants to continue seeing her. But when the harsh reality of AJ’s hoard of female admirers sends her insecurities into overdrive, Mia bails, leaving him handcuffed to his bathroom shower.
Aidan Fitzgerald rubbed his blurring blue eyes. He peeked through his fingers at the clock on the computer screen. Damn, it was already after seven. Even if he wanted to finish the project, his brain was too fried. He could barely make out the words in front of him. He turned off his computer, secure in the thought that his newly elevated promotion of Vice President of marketing meant he could wait until the morning and not have someone bitch at him for slacking off.
With a groan, Aidan rose out of his chair and stretched his arms over his head. He grabbed up his bag and headed to the door. As he flipped off his office lights, his stomach rumbled. There was probably nothing at the house to eat, so he’d need to pick up something on the way. For a brief instant, he wished there was a woman waiting on him with a home-cooked meal. He quickly shrugged the thought away. A couple of meals weren’t worth the hassle of long-term relationships. In the end, he was much happier with begging dinners off one of his married sisters. At least until they launched into one of their tirades about how he couldn’t be a bachelor for the rest of his life, and at thirty-two, it was time for him to settle down and have a family.
“Bullshit,” he muttered under his breath at the thought. The attractive cleaning lady down the hall raised her head.
She then gave him an alluring smile. “Goodnight Mr. Fitzgerald.”
“Goodnight Paula,” he replied. He smacked the button for the elevator, fighting the urge to close the gap between them and strike up a conversation. He raked a hand through his sandy blond hair and shook his head. Talking to Paula would most likely lead to some tryst in the storeroom closet, and as much as he would enjoy that, he was getting a little old for those kinds of hook-ups.
The elevator jolted him down to the first floor. Heated voices met Aidan the moment he stepped off, causing him to grunt in frustration. Damn, the last thing he needed after working late and being cock-teased by the cleaning lady was to come up on some domestic dispute. And from the tone of both a man and woman’s voice, that’s exactly what it was.
“Connor, I can’t believe you cornered me here at work!” a woman hissed.
“What was I supposed to do? You won’t answer my calls or emails. I had to see if you were all right.”
“I told you to leave me alone, and I meant it!”
“But I love you, Em. I don’t want to lose you.”
At the sound of scuffling, the woman’s voice raised an octave. “Stop! Don’t you dare touch me!”
The protective side of Aidan stirred at the woman’s tone, sending him barreling around the corner. “Hey! Get your damn hands off her!” he bellowed.
The couple startled at the sight of him. The woman’s tear stained face flushed crimson, and she ducked her head to avoid Aidan’s intense gaze. Immediately, he recognized her—Emma Harrison, 4th floor advertising, and the woman he’d tried unsuccessfully to take home from the company’s Christmas Party. From the way she refused to meet his eye, he knew she recognized him as well.
Aidan turned his attention to the guy, Connor, whose eyes were wide with fear. He hastily dropped his hands from Emma’s shoulders and took several steps back. Connor looked like he was ready to bolt out the nearest exit. Aidan then realized how intimidating he must appear with his fists clenched at his side, his jaw hard set. He tried relaxing his stance, but his blood still pumped so hard in his ears he couldn’t.
Connor held up his hands in surrender. “I’m not sure what you think was going on, but we were just talking.”
Aidan narrowed his eyes. “I think from the way she was crying and begging you to stop touching her, it was a lot more than talking.” He started to ask Emma if she was all right, but she blew past him and escaped into the restroom. He glared at Connor.
“Look man, you’ve got it all wrong. I—”
“What’s not to get? You obviously can’t let your ex-girlfriend or ex-wife or whatever she is go, even though she can’t even stand for you to touch her!”
Nervous laughter erupted from Connor. He silenced it the minute Aidan cocked his eyebrows at him and took a step forward. “Trust me, you’re so very, very wrong. Emma’s not my ex.”
“Then what’s the deal?”
Connor cleared his throat. “Fine, you want the truth? Here it is. I’m gay, and Emma’s been my best friend since middle school.”
Aidan’s mouth dropped open. “Seriously?”
“Yep.”
“Huh…then I stand corrected. Sorry about that.”
Connor shrugged. “It’s okay. I probably would’ve done the same thing if I thought some asshole was hassling a woman. Well, I probably wouldn’t if he was twice my size like you.” He glanced past Aidan to the bathroom and grimaced. “Dammit, I hate when she’s mad at me. I don’t think she’s ever been so angry and so hurt. I just don’t know what to do to make it right, ya know?”
Aidan shifted on his feet, sensing the conversation was headed into emotional territory, which was somewhere he tried avoiding at all costs. He held one hand up. “Hey man, it’s really none of my business.” But the moment the words left his lips, he was sure they had fallen on deaf ears. The anguished expression on Connor’s face told him he wouldn’t be getting away without hearing the full, dramatic story, unless he literally tried to out run him.
With a sigh, Connor ran his hand through his dark hair. In a low voice, he said, “She’s crazy about kids, and her biological clock is all in a snit to have baby for like the last two years. Loving her the way I do, I’d promised her I’d be the father and donate to the cause.”
Okay, so maybe that wasn’t the story Aidan had expected. “Don’t tell me. You chickened out when it came down to doing the deed?”
Connor scowled at him. “Ha, ha, asshole, real funny. For your information, it was going to be done in a clinic.”
“Where’s the fun in that?” Aidan mused, with a sly smile.
“Dude, gay, remember?”
“Sorry.” For reasons he couldn’t possibly fathom, Aidan was so intrigued by the story he felt the need to prompt Connor to continue. “So what happened?”
“My partner isn’t ready to have children. I promised him that Emma didn’t necessarily want me involved, but he won’t budge. It’s been hell choosing between the man I love and my best friend.”
“Why can’t she just go to a sperm bank or something?”
Connor chuckled. “Emma has it in her mind there will be this horrible mix-up where her choice of a prime donor’s sample was swapped with some serial killer’s.”
Aidan grinned. “I guess I can see her point.”
A buzz went off in Connor’s pocket. He dug it out and then groaned at the ID. “Shit, it’s Jeff. He’ll have my ass for coming here and trying to talk to Emma. I really, really have to go.” His gaze once again went to the bathroom. “I hate to leave her though…”
“You go on. I’ll see she gets to her car okay.”
“Really? That would be awesome.” He thrust out his hand. “It was nice meeting you…”
“Aidan. Aidan Fitzgerald.”
“Connor Montgomery.” After they shook hands, Connor smiled. “Thanks for all your help and for totally misreading the entire situation.”
Aidan laughed. “It was a pleasure almost kicking your ass.”
“Hey now,” Connor replied. When his phone rang, he winced and gave a short wave before bringing it to his ear. “Babe, yeah, sorry I missed your texts. I’m on my way home now.” He pushed through the glass doors and disappeared into the night.
With a shake of his head, Aidan started across the lobby to the bathroom. He rapped on the door. In a shrill voice, Emma shouted, “Go away, Connor! I have nothing else to say to you! Not to mention, you just embarrassed the hell out of me in front of one of the biggest assholes in the company!”
“Biggest asshole, huh?” he murmured under his breath. Not exactly a title he was proud of, especially coming from a woman. He was used to hearing much more flattering descriptions of himself from them. Well, at least in the beginning before he walked away. After that, things usually took a nasty turn.
“I’m not leaving this bathroom until I know you’re gone!”
Aidan sighed. She was a determined one that was for sure not to mention stubborn as hell. His mind flashed back to how beautiful and sexy she’d looked at the Christmas party—how the slinky green dress she’d worn flowed over her curves making her irresistible. When he’d seen her across the room with some girlfriends, he had been determined to spend the night with her. Her shy smiles and glances up at him through her eyelashes had spurned him on to close the small space between them. Of course, by the time he’d arrived at her side, her interfering friends had already informed her of his dubious reputation as a heartbreaker and serial womanizer.
“Women,” he muttered under his breath as he pushed through the bathroom door. Emma sprawled out on the tapestry settee with a wet paper towel over her eyes. On one side, her skirt was jacked halfway up her hip, giving him a fabulous view of legs and thighs. At the sound of footsteps, she gave a frustrated grunt. She stabbed the air in front of her with her index finger. “I swear if you don’t leave me alone, I’m going to kick you so hard in the balls there will no longer be any question about whether you can father my children!”
Aidan chuckled. Her deep auburn hair so foretold her fiery personality—one she’d showed him at the Christmas party. All her bashfulness had evaporated in an instant when she told him in no uncertain terms that she had no desires to be one of his conquests or one night stands.
“Actually, it isn’t Connor.”
We can all agree that MOTHER IS A SYMBOL OF SACRIFICE…
The pain the mothers bear during pregnancy; the one who bears us when we are sick, staying up late just to make sure we feel better the next day; the one who wakes up early to prepare our food and everything we need to school and goes back home to clean and do the laundry; the one who gives up her own desires for the benefit of the kids at every stage; Who cares for a child, who worries until a child is back at home, who waits at the door if a child is late, who shows the right path, who speaks our language…
A mother’s love is something that no one can explain, it is made of deep devotion and of sacrifice and pain. It is endless and unselfish. A mother is a symbol of selfless love and sacrifice.
Emma’s head fell back against the pillow from the exertion. She didn’t know if she had any strength left within her to push again. Closing her eyes, she drew in a few deep breaths to try to dispel the exhaustion.
For Noah Sullivan being the best friend to a douchebag and player like Jake Nelson has never been easy. It’s been a rocky road since kindergarten when Jake duct taped Noah to his chair before recess. With just six weeks to high school graduation, Jake accidentally blows his drunken ass up on his grandfather’s tractor, and Noah finds himself immersed not only in a whirlwind of grief, but on a quest to find a mystery girl from Jake’s past.
While cleaning out Jake’s room, Noah and Jake’s dad make a startling discovery. Instead of the obligatory porn collection or pot stash, they find a ring, but not just any ring. Its half a carat of commitment in a platinum setting-proving even man whores have taste. After Jake’s mom pleads with Noah to find the girl who meant so much to Jake, Noah begins a modern day Grail quest to track the girl down.
Since Jake was a notorious player with a legendary collection of trophy panties, Noah finds himself in over his head. There are the usual suspects like Avery, the Ice Princess Jake dated for appearances, or Presley, the school mattress Jake dated for convenience. But the trail begins to point to the most unlikely of suspects: Maddie, the Valedictorian and choir girl who was trying to help the unmotivated jock graduate–the girl who also has surprisingly caught Noah’s eye and meddled with his heart.
Hanging out with Maddie shows Noah a different side of Jake–one that was deeply human and surprisingly douche-free. And the more he tries to solve the mystery of the ring and of Jake, the more Noah starts to discover about himself and of love.
I thought the romance between Noah and Maddie was realistically and movingly handled. It was simple yet captivating. You can feel the chill, the pain, the awe as Noah finally admits to Maddie about the secret and his mission to find the girl who owns the ring, and how he was able to finally confess his true feelings for her. And it’s these set of emotions that keep the drama going and made my heart pulsating.
Katie Ashley is the New York Times, USA Today, and Amazon Best-Selling author of The Proposition. She lives outside of Atlanta, Georgia with her two very spoiled dogs and one outnumbered cat. She has a slight obsession with Pinterest, The Golden Girls, Harry Potter, Shakespeare, Supernatural, Designing Women, and Scooby-Doo.
She spent 11 1/2 years educating the Youth of America aka teaching MS and HS English until she left to write full time in December 2012.
She also writes Young Adult fiction under the name Krista Ashe.
For Abby Renard, the plan was supposed to be simple—join her brothers’ band on the last leg of their summer tour and decide if she’s finally ready for the limelight by becoming its fourth member. Of course, she never imagined stumbling onto the wrong tour bus at Rock Nation would accidentally land her in the bed of Jake Slater, the notorious womanizing lead singer of Runaway Train. When he mistakes her for one of his groupie’s, Abby quickly lets him know she sure as hell isn’t in his bed on purpose.
Pam: This is Pam and Jenn coming at you live from Austin’s Rocked out studios! Jenn: We have the guys of Runaway Train with us on the phone fresh off the huge Rock Nation music festival! *sound drop of an out of control crowd*
Pam: We both know how much you guys rock but can I get a roll call for the listeners out there? Names and what you do?
Brayden: Thanks for having us on your show, ladies.
AJ: She said roll call, not suck up time.
Brayden: Shut up.
Jake: Well, as the front man, I’ll go first since I’m most important.
Rhys: *muttering* Douchebag
Jake: Anyway, I’m Jake Slater—lead singer, guitarist, and song writer for Runaway Train
Brayden: I’m Brayden Vanderburg, and I’m lead guitarist, background vocals, and I also do songwriting.
Rhys: I’m Rhys McGowan, and I’m the bassist.
AJ: Saving the best for last. I’m AJ Resendiz, and I’m the drummer. I really know what to do with a stick…..and I also do some background vocals.
Jenn: Sounds like four of you have your hands full! Pam: Right!!! What or who do you do to wind down after a show like Rock Nation…the groupies must be lining up for a ticket to the bus after the show *both laugh out loud*
Brayden: Well, there are no groupies for me. I’ve been happily married for five years, so after the show, I’m usually talking or Skyping with my wife, Lily, and our two children, Jude and Melody.
Jake: Bray is the Old Fart of the group.
AJ: *snickering* You got that right.
Brayden: Yeah, well, what these guys aren’t saying is they can get pretty geriatric after a show. Like crawl in the bed and sleep for hours and days.
Jake: That’s because not only have we put everything we had into a show, we’ve usually burned off all the excess adrenaline with some lovely ladies.
Rhys: Damn straight
Pam: So I heard through the grapevine that you have a bus guest? Truth? *sound bite of the Jeopardy thinking music*
Jake: Oh fuck…I, erm, I mean…
Rhys: Oh no, you made the bet, so you should be the one to explain it, asswipe.
Jake: *groaning* Okay, so yes, we have a guest on our bus. Her name is Angel.
Brayden: Talking about her like that makes her sound like a stripper. Tell them the truth.
Jake: Fine. Her name is Abby. She’s a singer, and she accidentally got on the wrong bus. Okay?
AJ: Nice stall job, man. Why don’t you tell them about how she accidentally fell into your bed, and instead of falling for your charms, she nailed you in the balls?
Rhys and Brayden: *laughing*
Jake: Whatever. She’s a real piece of work that’s for sure.
Jenn: Sound like you are going to have your hands full boys! Pam: *jumps in with a little too much excitement* Jake how do you think you will fair with Abby in the bus?
Jake: I’ll be fine. I know how to handle women.
AJ: *snickering* Oh, you don’t know how to handle this one.
Rhys: Jake’s just saying that because for the first time ever, he’s met a chick who isn’t swooning for him or intimidated by him.
Jake: Whatever…next question please.
Together: Oh to be a fly on the wall for the next week! You think I can get a follow up interview on Sunday *snickers*
Pam: Did I just hear the Abby put you in your place Jake? *drops sound bite of a whip crack* She must be some lady!
Brayden: Abby is a true lady, and you can bet that she’s going to keep Jake on his toes for the remainder of the week.
Rhys: *wistfully* She’s something all right…
AJ: Seriously she’s gorgeous. And she wears dresses like a lady too
Jake: *snorting* Oh yeah, those sundresses showing her fabulous rack and fantastic legs are really lady like.
Jenn: Ok all joking aside what’s next? You have just about 3 weeks left one the tour and a new album after that. Anything you can share?
Jake: Bray and I have been working on a lot of new material for the album
AJ: You’re not going to mention the duet? *smacks* Ow, dude, what the hell?
Rhys: Yeah, Jake, tell the listeners about the duet you wrote with Abby
Jake: *mumbling under his breath* Yeah, so I’ve written my first duet—
AJ: Like ever…the guy NEVER does collaborating with anyone, but he’s written a song with Abby.
Jake: Like I was saying, it’s a duet called “I’ll Take You with Me”. I plan on recording it with her too.
Pam: Ok guys we are going to take a call…Cris your on with Runaway Train…OMG!!!! *long ear piercing scream* I LOVE YOU GUYS!!! Each and every one of you! YOU SO ROCKED OUT ROCK NATION!!!!! * continuous screams* Jenn: Wow! *mutes the phone line mid scream* Guys how do you deal with that? Pam: Right! How can you live your life? I also think it’s best if we drop this call. Cris you rock but this is about the guys.
Jenn: Never a dull moment!
Pam: Well I think we have taken enough of your time this morning. Good luck with the rest of the tour! Good luck with the new album. Most of all…Good luck with the little sassy thing on your bus this week! *sound bite of Ozzy Osbourne’s Crazy Train* Jenn: Let the games begin!
Pam: Be sure to stop and see the guys on the last leg of the tour and you can pick up their current album on iTunes and be on the lookout for the new album! Both: Thanks and hope to chat soon…Jenn: Maybe Sunday! *both snicker and laugh*
Katie Ashley is the New York Times, USA Today, and Amazon Best-Selling author of The Proposition. She lives outside of Atlanta, Georgia with her two very spoiled dogs and one outnumbered cat. She has a slight obsession with Pinterest, The Golden Girls, Harry Potter, Shakespeare, Supernatural, Designing Women, and Scooby-Doo.
She spent 11 1/2 years educating the Youth of America aka teaching MS and HS English until she left to write full time in December 2012.
She also writes Young Adult fiction under the name Krista Ashe.
