But as I was about to start typing, I saw the dragon pause mid-lurch.
I froze, my heart starting to pound as his gaze locked with Bling Lady. “He has a target,” I whispered.
“Damn,” Solange said. “This is really bad.”
Then I heard a sound like a locomotive bearing down, and I knew that the dragon summoning its fire for a massive assault. The bling lady was about to be toast.
Shit. “I’m going!” I ducked under Solange’s arm as she tried to stop me, and I took off in a frantic sprint down the middle of the street, shouting and waving my arms, yelling every single dragon insult I could think of.
The dragon whirled around when I called him a skinny toothpick who couldn’t light a trick candle, and the moment he did, I realized I was screwed.
I wasn’t close enough to touch him, and he was about to unleash his firestorm right onto me, instead of Bling Lady. “I’m a Sentinel,” I yelled (a total lie, because we all know I wasn’t one, but God, it felt good to shout it!), “and I command you to stop!” I dove at him, trying to beat the heat…and I failed.
He hit me with a full force blast of fire when I was only three feet away. My hair caught fire, my clothes went inferno, and my skin hurt more than I’d ever hurt anything in my life. I had a brief notion of collapsing into the fetal position and sobbing uncontrollably, and then I heard people screaming.
Innocent people. Screaming! Screw that! “This is my city!” Scrunching my eyes shut against the flames pretty much melting the skin from my body, I charged forward blindly, hoping I was going straight into the dragon’s mouth (and sadly, no, that wasn’t a metaphor). In a noteworthy navigational victory, my palms slammed into the dragon’s chest (yay!). The moment my hands hit his scales, I unleashed every last bit of my power, as fast and hard as I could.
I sucked that dragon’s fire out of him and into my own body instantly…and, as it turned out, doing it as hard and fast as I could, was way too fast and way too hard.
I knew instantly that I’d totally overdone it.
I had a split second to look into his startled blue eyes, and then I exploded.
Not the fun kind of detonation.
It was the super painful kind where every particle of your body detaches from every other part, and you shoot into air like volcanic ash, and then float down, strewing your now-I’m-dust self all over the oh-so-clean city streets.
I really hate it when I do that.
Like, really.
Like it? Get it now!
A Quick Favor
Thank you so much for allowing me to tell this story that means so much to me. I appreciate you taking the time out of your life and offering a piece of yourself to these words and these pages.
* * *
Did you enjoy Shannon's story?
* * *
People are often hesitant to try new books or new authors. A few reviews can encourage them to make that leap and give it a try. If you enjoyed One More Kiss and think others will as well, please consider taking a moment and writing one or two sentences on the the etailer and/or Goodreads to help this story find the readers who would enjoy it. Even the short reviews really make an impact!
* * *
Thank you a million times for reading my books! I love writing for you and sharing the journeys of these beautiful characters with you. I hope you find inspiration from their stories in your own life!
* * *
Love,
Stephanie
Stay in the Know
Dear Reader,
* * *
I write my books from the soul, and live that way as well. I’ve received so much help over the years from amazing people to help me live my best life, and I am always looking to pay it forward, including to my readers.
* * *
One of the ways I love to do this is through my mailing list, where I often send out life tips I’ve picked up, post readers surveys, give away Advance Review Copies, and provide insider scoop on my books, my writing, and life in general. And, of course, I always make sure my readers on my list know when the next book is coming out,
* * *
If this sounds interesting to you, I would love to have you join us. You can always unsubscribe at any time, of course. I’ll never spam you or share your data. I just want to provide meaningful value.
* * *
Sign up here to keep in touch!
* * *
Much love,
* * *
Stephanie
Books by Stephanie Rowe
CONTEMPORARY ROMANCE
* * *
Wyoming Rebels series
(Contemporary Western Romance)
A Real Cowboy Never Says No
A Real Cowboy Knows How to Kiss
A Real Cowboy Rides a Motorcycle
A Real Cowboy Never Walks Away
A Real Cowboy Loves Forever
A Real Cowboy for Christmas
A Real Cowboy Always Trusts His Heart
* * *
Linked to A Rogue Cowboy Series
(Contemporary Western Romance)
Her Rebel Cowboy
* * *
Birch Crossing series
(Small-town Contemporary Romance)
Unexpectedly Mine
Accidentally Mine
Unintentionally Mine
Irresistibly Mine
* * *
Mystic Island series
(Small-town Contemporary Romance)
Wrapped Up in You (A Christmas novella)
* * *
Canine Cupids series
(Romantic Comedy)
Paws for a Kiss
Pawfectly in Love
Paws Up for Love
* * *
Single Title
(ChickLit / Romantic Comedy)
One More Kiss (Coming August 18)
ROMANTIC SUSPENSE
* * *
Alaska Heat Series
(Romantic Suspense)
Ice
Chill
Ghost
Burn
Hunt (novella)
* * *
PARANORMAL
* * *
Immortally Sexy series
(Funny Paranormal Romance)
Immortally Cursed
Curse of the Dragon
Devil’s Curse
To Curse a Wraith (Coming Sept. 2020)
* * *
Order of the Blade series
(Dark Paranormal Romance)
Darkness Awakened
Darkness Seduced
Darkness Surrendered
Forever in Darkness
Darkness Reborn
Darkness Arisen
Darkness Unleashed
Inferno of Darkness
Darkness Possessed
Shadows of Darkness
Hunt the Darkness
* * *
Heart of the Shifter series
(Dark Paranormal Romance)
Dark Wolf Rising
Dark Wolf Unbound
* * *
Shadow Guardians series
(Dark Paranormal Romance)
Leopard's Kiss
* * *
NightHunter series
(Dark Paranormal Romance)
Not Quite Dead
* * *
Noble as Hell series
(Funny Urban Fantasy)
Rock Your Evil
* * *
The Magical Elite series
(Funny Paranormal Romance)
The Demon You Trust
* * *
Devilishly Sexy series
(Funny Paranormal Romance)
Not Quite a Devil
* * *
BOXED SETS
* * *
Order of the Blade (Books 1-3)
Protectors of the Heart (A Six-Book First-in-Series Collection)
Real Cowboys Get Their Girls (A Wyoming Rebels Boxed Set, with bonus novella!)
* * *
For a complete
list of Stephanie’s books, click here.
About the Author
New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Stephanie Rowe is "contemporary romance at its best" (Bex 'N' Books). She's thrilled to be a 2018 winner and a five-time nominee for the RITA® award, the highest award in romance fiction. As the bestselling author of more than fifty books, Stephanie delights readers of all romance genres, with her always sigh-worthy contemporary romances, paranormal romances, and romantic suspense novels. . For the latest info on Stephanie and her books, visit her on the web at:
www.stephanierowe.com
Acknowledgments
Special thanks to my beta readers. You guys are the best! Thanks to Kelli Ann Morgan at Inspire Creative for another fantastic cover. There are so many to thank by name, more than I could count, but here are those who I want to called out specially for all they did to help this book come to life: Alyssa Bird, Ashlee Murphy, Bridget Koan, Britannia Hill, Caryn Santee, Deb Julienne, Denise Fluhr, Dottie Jones, Felicia Low Mikoll, Heidi Hoffman, Helen Loyal, Jean Bowden, Jeanne Stone, Jeanie Jackson, Jodi Moore, Judi Pflughoeft, Kasey Richardson, Linda Watson, Regina Thomas, Summer Steelman, Suzanne Mayer, Shell Bryce, and Trish Douglas. Special thanks to my family, who I love with every fiber of my heart and soul. And to AER, who is my world. Love you so much, baby girl! And to Joe, who teaches me every day what romance and true love really is. I love you, babe!
For AER, my shining light.
One More Kiss (A Too Many Men Romantic Comedy / Chick Lit Novel) Page 32