by Jess Bryant
“We’ve got all the time in the world, remember? All our friends are here. They’re celebrating us. Let’s stay a little while longer and just enjoy this perfect night for just a little while longer.”
“Perfect huh?” Millie grinned, clearly reading his mind and knowing what he must think of this loud, overcrowded bar.
He kissed her softly, holding her close, breathing her in and thanking all of his lucky stars that this woman had chosen him. She was his. Soon, they’d say their vows and she’d be his forever. Even if their lives weren’t perfect, getting to spend it with her would be.
“It is now that you’re here.
Coming up next in the all new All Saints Security Series…
Impulsive Saint
Ashtyn Echols just made the most impulsive decision of her life. Maybe it’s a mistake, but it doesn’t feel like one. She can’t get married today. Not when she has her whole life ahead of her and a bucket list of things she wants to do before she ties herself down and becomes the perfect politician’s wife the way her family expects her to.
For the first time ever, Ashtyn is free. Free of all the expectations and demands. Free to make her own choices, and her own mistakes.
Tyler St. James has jumped out of airplanes, hiked into a volcano and plans to climb Everest someday soon. His brothers call him impulsive and it’s true. Adventure is his drug of choice, so getting assigned security detail for the wedding of a Senator’s daughter seems like its destined to be the most boring day of his life… until she runs.
Putting her on the back of his motorcycle might seem crazy but it’s also the only responsible thing to do. If she wants fun, he’s the man for the job. She can check off a few of her bucket list items and he can keep her safe without her ever knowing he’s hired muscle.
Only, he never expected to fall for her during an impromptu road trip to Vegas. He never expected her to grow more independent and impossible to resist by the mile. And he never expected her to find out he was being paid to look after her.
Will the truth mean the end of their adventure, or is the destination just the beginning of their journey together?
Acknowledgments
Thank you to all of the Bibliophiles who have asked for this book, begged for this book and demanded I finish this book. You ladies keep me going. You make me smile. You literally get me through the day sometimes and I don’t know what I’d do without you.
Maren & Tarrah – Thank you for putting up with me. I tend to do a lot of bitching and whining about everything from characters to tropes to my horrid time management skills, to the impossibility of finding the right photos for a muse, while writing. You two are never anything short of helpful and motivating and you have no problems kicking me in the ass and telling me to turn off Netflix and get back to work. I love ya babes.
Thank you to Katey Sweet, who named Millie’s douchebag ex for me. I hope “Josh” lived up, or down as the case may be, to exactly what the real one deserves and more. You’re a doll and you deserve nothing but the best, just like our Millie.
Thank you to Becca and Valerie for being my test subjects (*ahem – beta readers*). Your friendship and support mean the world to me. I love you both for helping me to make this story even better than it was the first time you read it.
Thank you to Sara Miller for editing this beast of a book. I know it was a mess when I sent it to you. No amount of calling it small stuff will convince me otherwise. You’re an angel and you work miracles. This book is all the better for having you involved.
Thank you to Melissa Gill for this gorgeous cover. I fell in love with it the moment I saw it and just knew that it was Hunter and Millie. Thanks for holding onto it until I finally finished their story and for not thinking I was crazy buying it when I’d only written two chapters to start with. Can’t wait to work on more of these Saint books with you.
About the Author
Jess Bryant is an avid indoorswoman. A city girl trapped in a country girl’s life, her heart resides in Dallas, but her soul and roots are in small town Oklahoma. She enjoys manicures, the color pink, and her completely impractical for country life stilettos. She believes that hair color is a legitimate form of therapy, as is reading and writing romance. She started writing as a little girl, but her life changed forever when she stole a book from her aunt’s Harlequin collection, and she’s been creating love stories with happily ever after’s ever since.
Jess holds a degree in Public Relations from the University of Oklahoma and is a lifetime supporter of her school and athletic teams. And why not? They have a ton of National Championships! She may be a girlie girl, but she knows her sports stats and isn’t afraid to tell you that your school isn’t as cool as hers… or that your sports romance got it all wrong.
For more information on Jess and upcoming releases, contact her at [email protected] or follow her on her many social media accounts for news and shenanigans.
Note from the Author
The characters and settings of my books are all pulled directly from my imagination. The small towns in the Fate,Texas standalone novels, the Bomar Boys Series, and the Fated Mates Duet are completely fictional. Obviously, Nashville and Brentwood, Tennessee, which will play big roles in this All Saints Security Series, are very real places but I’ve taken liberties with both to make them work for this particular book series. Having said that, all of the characters and locations in my books coexist in one giant world. Sometimes they overlap or spin off because of this but that in no way means that you have to read each book in order that I’ve ever written in order to dive into a series or into the Fate, Texas standalones. I hope you will though, because for those of you that do, you get fun Easter egg details and glimpses of some of your favorites from other books. It’s a big world out there and adding my fictional towns and characters to the map, along with those of some of my friends is just added fun for all of us. If you’ve read this far, thank you, and if you’ve caught some of those Easter eggs, be sure to let me know. Drop me a line or post in my group on Facebook. I love knowing that you’re connecting with the words, the characters and this crazy, quirky, imaginative world I’m crating.
xoxo, Jess
Also Available From Jess Bryant
The West Brothers Series
Crazy Little Thing Called Love
Something To Talk About
Too Good To Be True
Fate, Texas Stand-Alone Novels
It Had To Be You
Call Me, Irresistible
Stay A Little Longer
Should’ve Been Us
Out of the Blue
Safe
Bomar Boys Series
No Regrets
No Apologies
No Fear
Fated Mates Duet
Unbreakable Bond
Unbelievable Faith
Holiday Novellas
Once Upon A December
Should’ve Been Us
A Fate, Texas Novel
It’s a destination wedding, Fate, Texas style, and the thermo- stat isn’t the only thing about to hit its boiling point.
Lulu Nichols has lost the love of her life.
Her best friend, Derek, proposed to someone else. He’s marrying someone else. And oblivious to her feelings, he’s asked her to play best man at his wedding. She can’t say no, not without admitting her secret and ruining everything, so she pastes on a smile and heads to Mexico to watch the man of her dreams get his happily ever after, even if it isn’t with her.
Connor Shaw is finally ready to claim the love of his life.
He wants Lulu. He’s always wanted her. Even though she’s slightly crazy and seriously delusional about her relationship with Derek. Connor is the one that brings out her fire and matches it with his own. He’s the one that drives her just as crazy as she drives him and it’s way past time for her to admit that all their fighting is really just foreplay.
Together they’re like gasoline and a match; a powder keg destined to blow, but o
h how satisfying an explosion it will be.
But is their spark the kind that burns fast and then out? Is the heat going to Lulu’s head or is there more to Connor than she’s ever realized? Could they possibly be meant for forever or are they destined to always be a should’ve been?
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Call Me, Irresistible
A Fate, Texas Novel
Impulsive. Irresponsible. Impossible.Lemon Kelly lives in a world that is fast, loud and a little bit crazy. She left her small hometown for the bright lights of Nashville and has been living her dream ever since. She's traveled the world and plays her music for crowds of adoring fans. She has everything she ever wanted. Only the wants of a 17-year-old girl vary greatly from the needs of a grown woman. Is it selfish to want something more, something like the love she writes songs about?
Can a girl have two dreams? Or will she have to give up one to get the other? And if so... which? Fame or a family of her own?
Stable. Solid. Safe.Shane Lowry likes his quiet, controlled life. The always responsible small town deputy is a father to his three daughters first and foremost. Nothing comes before them. He had to grow up fast and early and he's long since stopped letting silly things like lust control his actions. He doesn't even date. So why does he find himself so drawn to the lively girl next door turned country music superstar that is the complete opposite of what he should want in a woman?
If he lets her in, she'll shake up his entire world. He knows it. But is that a good thing or a very bad thing?
The sparks between them are undeniable. The pull irresistible. And if they take a chance they just might find what they've both been missing.
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Stay A Little Longer
A Fate, Texas Novel
Where do you go when there’s no place to hide?
Country music superstar, Trent Thorne, is on the run. The secret he’s kept hidden from the world is no longer a secret at all. He trusted the wrong person, a man he’d thought he was in love with, and instead of a happily ever after, all he’d gotten was outed. Unwilling to sit around and watch his private life get plastered all over the news, Trent hits the road and somehow ends up in his best friend Lemon’s small hometown of Fate, Texas.
He only intended to crash there for one night, but in Fate, one night can change everything.
Lance Nichols knows a thing or two about hiding. He’s so deep in the closet he can’t even see daylight. The former womanizer finally admitted the truth to himself a few years ago, but he never thought he’d be able to say the words out loud, not his family, not to his friends, and certainly not to his secret celebrity crush when the guy stumbles awkwardly into his life.
But the words come easily with Trent. Everything comes easily with him. Talking, touching, and even opening up about all the things he’d never told a soul.
Fate brought these two together, but will it also tear them apart? One newly outed man refuses to go back in the closet. The other can’t imagine coming out of his. The world is closing in on their little bubble, but before it does, can they figure out how to coexist and be part of each other’s lives? Can Lance stop hiding and take a chance on love? And what happens if Trent decides to stay a little longer… maybe even forever?
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It Had To Be You
A Fate, Texas Novel
Austin Evans is a playboy, a flirt and a charmer. He’s dated half the female population of Fate, Texas and figures he’ll get around to the other half before he ever decides to settle down. Fate, however, has other ideas. Because one night with the prim and proper town doctor isn’t nearly enough. He can’t get her out of his head, doesn’t want her out of his bed and if he can convince her to give him half a chance he’ll keep her in his life forever.
It was supposed to be one night. One night of passion. One night of scorching hot, mind-blowing, earth-rocking fun. It was a one night stand that somehow turned into two nights, then three and four… and Victoria Sands knew better. Of course she knew better. She was a good girl, a smart girl. She knew better than to continue seeking him out, knew better than to keep falling into his arms, knew better than to let her heart get involved, but when it came to Austin her logical, rational brain never stood a chance to her body’s desire.
They’re complete opposites. She’s the town princess and he’s the boy from the wrong side of the tracks. She grew up in the mansion on the hill and his mother is the woman that cleans it. She thinks everything through and he goes with his gut instinct. The one thing they have in common is that they’ve never felt anything like the sparks that flare between them.
But is that enough to build a life on? A family on? And what about forever?
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Exclusive Bonus Story
Author Note: This short story was written for a special post called “Tell Me A Story” in Lucy Score’s Facebook Group, Binge Readers Anonymous. The general layout is that I had 24 hours to take suggestions from the readers in the group and turn those ideas into a story. I chose to do that my utilizing an as of that moment unknown character named Colin Turner. Now that you’ve had a chance to meet Colin and see him get to marry the love of his life, Reed, I thought I’d share how they got back together with you as a special bonus to Imperfect Saint.
Before we get started here’s a list of what I was given e to work with.
This story is a second chance romance set at a beach bungalow. Our heroes are Colin, who looks like Theo James, and Reed, who adores Dolly Parton. As for wildcards, there was a LOT to go through but I think I grabbed a handful that work for the story. Here they are so be sure to keep an eye out for them and also, if you’re familiar with my writing, you might recognize a few side characters as well.
Wildcards
Dad talking about trip to Spain
Taco Bell aka T-Bell
Inappropriate grandma
Drunk Cat
Bowties as handcuffs
Peppermint lube sneeze
Karaoke Dolly
Horny Flamingos
Three legged dog named Hoppy
Now, without further ado…
No Ordinary Love
Chapter 1
“When I was in Spain, we started drinking at eleven in the morning.”
“Well this isn’t Spain, Dad. It’s a beach in Mexico and we’re here for a wedding that doesn’t start for another…” Colin Turner looked at his watch and sighed, “Forty-five minutes.”
“So?”
“So,” He rubbed his forehead, “Slow down. If you make a scene you could risk losing Trent as a client and considering the publicity he’s been getting lately and the money he’s bringing in, I doubt that’s an income stream you want to compromise. Am I right?”
His father muttered something under his breath that Colin couldn’t quite make out… except for that one word. Spain. Fucking Spain. He was so sick of hearing about his father’s trip to Spain. It had been fourteen years since the man had spent a summer in the country but to listen to him tell it he’d lived there most of his life and all of his best days were spent in Madrid. Bull-fighting. Seducing sexy senoritas. Drinking. Colin didn’t buy a single syllable of his father’s stories, except for the drinking part because God knows Chuck Turner liked his drinks.
“Dad.” He tried again to gain the older man’s attention when he caught him eyeing a bevy of buxom blondes in bikinis heading towards the beach. “Can we focus? Please. This isn’t a vacation. This is a work trip.”
“Work. Work. Work. That’s all you ever think about, Colly. How about just this once you relax and have a little fun?”
Colin’s jaw jumped as he grit his teeth. He absolutely hated it when his dad called him that. Besides, he would love to let go and have fun but that position was already filled at their company. If Turner Bell Records was going to stay afloat in this automatic download nation, they couldn’t afford to lose big clients like Trent Thorne.
N
ot that he truly thought they would.
He and Trent had been friends for a few years now in addition to working together at the label. Trent had left his previous label after he’d been very publicly outed and top management hadn’t been supportive. Colin had been quick to schedule a meeting with the country music superstar and assure him that Turner Bell was much more accepting. Hell, he’d blurted out to Trent that he too was gay during their very first meeting. Of course, once he’d realized what he’d done he tried to backtrack and convince Trent that he wasn’t just saying that to win him over. Luckily, Trent had laughed and told him he looked far too horrified for it to have been a ploy. Ultimately, Colin was almost certain his own awkwardness was what had cemented Trent’s decision to work with him.