He bent and tossed the papers back in the glove box. “I’ll have it for you by end of the day tomorrow.” He started walking toward the office of the garage.
He had to have seen the name, right? He had to have seen it. She walked behind him. “Cal, I—”
He stopped and turned. “Do you need a ride?”
“What?”
“Do you need a ride . . . home, or wherever you’re going?”
She shook her head. “I’m going to walk across the street to Delilah’s store. She’ll take me home.”
His gaze flitted to the shop across the street and then back to Jenna. He nodded. “All right, then.”
She tried again. “Cal—”
“You picking it up or your brother?”
The muscle shift in his jaw was the only indication that he was bothered by this. “I’m sorry, I should have told you . . . ”
He shook his head. “You don’t owe it to me to tell me anything. You asked me to fix a car—”
“Yeah, but you and Dylan don’t like each other—”
That muscle in his jaw ticked again. “Sure, we don’t like each other, but what? You think I’m going to lose my temper and bash his car in?”
Uh-oh. “No, I—”
He shook his head, and when he spoke again, his voice was softer. “You didn’t have to keep it a secret it was his car. I’m not eighteen anymore. I got more control than I used to.”
She felt like a heel. And a jerk. She wasn’t the same person she was at eighteen, so she shouldn’t have treated Cal like he was the hothead he’d been then. “Cal, I’m so sorry. I—”
He waved a hand. “Don’t worry about it, Sunshine.”
That name—it sent a spark right through her like a live wire. She hadn’t heard that nickname in so long, she’d almost forgotten about it, but her body sure hadn’t. It hadn’t forgotten the way Cal could use that one word to turn her into putty.
He seemed as surprised as she did. His eyes widened a fraction before he shut down. “Anyway”—his voice was lower now—“we close tomorrow at six. Appreciate it if you’d pick it up before that.” He jingled the keys and shot her one more measuring look, and then he disappeared into the garage office, leaving her standing outside the door, her mind broiling in confusion.
She should have known Cal Payton could still knock her off her feet.
About the Author
MEGAN ERICKSON grew up in a family that averages five foot five on a good day and started writing to create characters who could reach the top kitchen shelf.
She’s got a couple of tattoos, has a thing for gladiators, and has been called a crazy cat lady. After working as a journalist for years, she decided she liked creating her own endings better and switched back to fiction.
She lives in Pennsylvania with her husband, two kids, and two cats. And no, she still can’t reach the stupid top shelf.
Discover great authors, exclusive offers, and more at hc.com.
By Megan Erickson
Mechanics of Love series
Dirty Deeds
Dirty Talk
Dirty Thoughts
Bowler University series
Make It Last
Make It Right
Make It Count
Give in to your Impulses . . .
Continue reading for excerpts from
our newest Avon Impulse books.
Available now wherever e-books are sold.
GUARDING SOPHIE
A LOVE AND FOOTBALL NOVELLA
By Julie Brannagh
THE IDEA OF YOU
RIBBON RIDGE BOOK FOUR
By Darcy Burke
ONE TEMPTING PROPOSAL
AN ACCIDENTAL HEIRS NOVEL
By Christy Carlyle
NO GROOM AT THE INN
A DUKES BEHAVING BADLY NOVELLA
By Megan Frampton
An Excerpt from
GUARDING SOPHIE
A Love and Football Novella
by Julie Brannagh
Hearts beat and sparks fly when two people find shelter in each other.
Seattle Sharks wide receiver Kyle Carlson needs to escape and Noel, Washington is the perfect place for him to do it and figure out his next step. He likes the seclusion and predictability of the small town . . . until the biggest surprise of his life turns up in the local grocery store.
She swallowed hard. She looked down at her hand clasped securely in his. There was so much to say, but for once, she’d like to spend a couple of hours sitting on the couch with nothing more pressing to do than enjoy herself.
“I have to tell you this,” he said. “I’m kinda into you. I have been since we were in school.” He let out a long breath. “Are you okay if we take this slow?” He peered at her through a mop of dark, shoulder-length waves. His full lips twitched into a shy smile. “I don’t want to screw it up,” he confessed.
It was probably a huge line he’d used with women before, but hearing something so bashful coming from the normally confident, handsome, funny Kyle charmed her. Even if it wasn’t original, it worked. She licked her suddenly dry lips. “I like you too.”
“That’s good to know,” he said. He squeezed her hand.
“I wonder how things would have been different if I’d gone to the prom with you instead.”
“You were a bit unavailable in those days.”
“Yeah. It wasn’t working, no matter how hard I tried to convince myself it was. Of course, then I met Peter, and that was even worse.” Maybe she should change the subject. No one wanted to hear about the train wreck that was her love life. She still had a tiny flicker of hope in her heart that things could be different.
Somehow, law enforcement would keep her ex away from her, she’d meet a man she wanted to be with and who wanted to be with her in return, and her life would be happy. She didn’t have to plan her entire future in the next ten minutes.
“I’ve had some sketchy relationships over the years too,” he said. They stared at each other for a minute or so, and he grinned at her. “How about that movie? What would you like to watch?”
She’d rather spend the evening talking with him and continuing to catch up on the past ten years, but maybe he preferred the relative safety of a shared activity that would not require baring one’s soul. They had plenty of time to explore each other’s thoughts and dreams. Maybe sitting on the couch holding hands was the best medicine for both of them right now.
“That’s a good question,” she said. “Do we watch something we’ve seen before, or do we take a risk?”
“What’s your favorite movie?” he said.
“Pitch Perfect,” she said.
He clicked the TV on, hit the Amazon Instant Video icon, and located the downloadable movie. “I know I’m supposed to say something like I love the Fast and Furious franchise more than anything,” he confided. “Don’t tell anyone, but I own the Pitch Perfect DVD. It’s in Bellevue.”
“You’re not a Fast and Furious fan?”
“Don’t let it get out,” he joked.
“That’s aca-awesome, Kyle.”
They watched the bar on the screen as the movie downloaded for a few seconds.
“I’ll bet you sing along too,” he said.
“ ‘Titanium’ is one of my favorite songs,” she assured him. “And I sing ‘Since U Been Gone’ in the car. At least I did when I had a car.”
“We can sing it in my car.” He moved closer to her on the couch as the download ended. “Want something to drink before I click Start on the movie?”
“No, thank you. I’m fine,” she said.
“You are, aren’t you?”
She laughed as he moved closer.
“I have one more thing to confess,” he said as he reached out to cup her cheek in his hand. He slowly rubbed his thumb against her jaw. Her heart was going as if she’d chugged a four-shot latte, and the memories came rushing back. She remembered a thousand nights of football games, pizza, and hanging around on the beach with h
er friends. She remembered Kyle as a laughing teen with wavy, tumbled dark hair, sparkling dark eyes, and the confidence of someone who believed life held only good things for all of them. She thought that charmed life would go on forever.
They weren’t high school students anymore. They’d both had their share of joy and pain as they’d ventured into the adult world. The stakes were higher now, especially since they’d confessed a mutual interest. The pain in her heart, if this did not work out, would be a momentary annoyance compared with the anguish she would feel if she exposed Kyle or his family to danger as the result of her unhinged, vengeful ex.
“What if he finds me?” she whispered. His couch wrapped them in a cocoon of overstuffed comfort.
“We’ll deal with that later,” he whispered back. “I’ve wanted to kiss you for years now, Sophie. I think you want to kiss me too.”
An Excerpt from
THE IDEA OF YOU
Ribbon Ridge Book Four
by Darcy Burke
In the fourth sexy and emotional novel in the Ribbon Ridge series, movie star Alaina Pierce just wants peace and quiet after a tabloid scandal that rocked Hollywood . . . but a hot and steamy affair with a gorgeous Archer brother is the perfect distraction.
Evan Archer rounded the larger of his parents’ two garages and was immediately hit by the smell of smoke and the peal of an alarm. He instinctively pressed his hands to his ears and looked up at the apartment on the second floor of the garage. Smoke billowed from an open window. Despite the excruciating sound, he ran toward the door, threw it open, and vaulted up the stairs. The door at the top, which led to the apartment, was open. The acrid scent of smoke assaulted his lungs as the scream of the alarm violated his ears.
A woman stood beneath the alarm madly waving a towel.
Evan strode to the dining table situated in front of the windows and pulled a chair beneath the smoke detector. He said nothing to the strange woman, but nevertheless she moved out of his way. He stepped onto the chair and promptly pulled the battery from the alarm. Blessed silence reigned. He closed his eyes with relief.
“Thank you,” she said, draping the towel over her shoulder. “I am so sorry about this. Who are you?”
He didn’t look directly at her but recognized her immediately. “You’re Alaina Pierce.”
“I know who I am. Who are you?” There was a guarded, tentative look in her eyes. He universally sucked at decoding emotional expression, but that was one he knew. Probably because he’d seen it in the mirror so much when he’d been younger.
He jumped down off the wooden chair and returned it to the table. “I’m Evan Archer. Are you staying here?”
“Yes. Sean didn’t tell you?”
“Nope.” Evan hadn’t seen his brother-in-law today, but that wasn’t unusual. He and Evan’s sister Tori lived in a condo in Ribbon Ridge proper, while Evan lived fifteen minutes outside the center of town with their parents in the house they’d all grown up in. “Should he have?”
“Maybe not. My being here is a secret.”
Then it made perfect sense that he hadn’t told Evan. He was terrible at keeping secrets. “I suck at secrets.” And knowing when to keep his mouth shut.
“I see. Well, do you think you could keep me a secret?”
Maybe. If he didn’t make the mistake of blurting it out without thinking. “I guess.”
“Hey,” she said with more volume than she’d used before. “Would you mind looking at me so I can see if you’re telling the truth?”
He forced himself to look straight at her. She was beautiful. But not in the glamorous movie star way he’d expected. She wore very little makeup, not that she needed any at all. The color of her skin reminded him of rich buttermilk, and her hazel eyes carried a beguiling sparkle. They were very expressive and probably her defining feature. Along with that marquee smile he had yet to see.
“Do you have a superpower that allows you to detect lies?”
Her mouth inched up into an almost-smile. “Yes, I do. It’s a side effect of being ridiculously famous.”
“Good to know. I was only moderately famous, so that’s a skill I don’t possess.” He was also fairly lousy at lying. How could he recognize it in someone else? He looked away from her, settling his gaze on the still-smoky kitchen. “I’ll do my best not to expose your secret.”
An Excerpt from
ONE TEMPTING PROPOSAL
An Accidental Heirs Novel
by Christy Carlyle
Becoming engaged? Simple. Resisting temptation? Impossible.
Sebastian Fennick, the newest Duke of Wrexford, prefers the straightforwardness of mathematics to romantic nonsense. When he meets Lady Katherine Adderly at the first ball of the season, he finds her as alluring as she is disagreeable. His title may now require him to marry, but Sebastian can’t think of anyone less fit to be his wife, even if he can’t get her out of his mind.
“I take it you have something you wish to say to me, Your Grace.”
He still hadn’t released her. She was warm and smelled heavenly, and the grip of her hand grounded him. Here and now. That’s what mattered. Not the past. The past was a broken place of mistakes and regret.
The April evening had turned chilly and Seb finally let her go to remove his evening jacket and settle it over her bare shoulders.
She pulled the lapels together across her chest.
“Is it to be a long discussion, then?”
Seb reached up to lift the coat’s collar to cover more of her exposed skin, but he found himself touching her instead, stroking the soft warm column of her neck and then resting his hand at the base of her throat, savoring the feel of her speeding pulse against his palm. His heartbeat echoed in his ears, as wild and rapid as Kat’s, and the longer he touched her, the more the sounds merged, until he could almost believe their hearts had begun to beat as one.
He shook his head. That sort of romantic drivel led only to misery.
But he couldn’t bring himself to stop touching her. And he couldn’t deny he wanted more. Leaning down, desperate to know if her flavor was as sweet as her scent, he pressed his mouth to her forehead.
“Your Grace?” she whispered, the heat of her breath searing the skin above his necktie.
He pulled back and lifted his hands from her, remembering who he was, who she was. He was a master at guarding his heart and avoiding intimate moments. She was the woman who’d thrown over multiple suitors during each of her seasons.
“We must speak to your father.”
Even in the semidarkness, he could see her green eyes grow large. “You’ve changed your mind?”
Excitement hitched up her voice two octaves, and Seb wished he’d changed his mind, that he wouldn’t have to disappoint her, or her sister and Ollie. If he hadn’t wasted all his reckless choices in youth, he might allow himself a bit of freedom now. But controlling his emotions, regimenting his behavior, clinging to logic and order—that had seen him through the darkest days of his life. Control had been his salvation, and he was loathe to let it go.
“No. But Ollie tells me that he and Lady Harriet—”
“Plan to elope.”
“You knew?”
“She just told me when you walked off with Mr. Treadwell, and I fear they’re quite determined.”
He jumped when she touched his arm, her exploring fingers jolting his senses, until each press, each stroke along his collar and then up to the edge of his jaw, made him ache for more. She caressed his cheek as he’d touched hers in the conservatory before sliding her hand down to his shoulder, gripping him as if to brace herself.
“Won’t you reconsider my suggestion, Your Grace?”
When she lifted onto her toes and swayed toward him, a flash of reason told him to push her away, to guard against her feminine assault. But the thought had all the power of a wisp of smoke and dissolved just as quickly when he reached to steady her and found how well she fit in the crook of his arms.
He’d been a fool to drag
her onto the balcony and touch her like a man without an ounce of self-control.
“If you’re going to let me hold you this close, you should call me Sebastian.”
“If we’re to be engaged, you should call me Kitty.”
He hadn’t agreed to the engagement and still loathed the notion of a scheme. And yet . . . he couldn’t deny the practicality of it. It would forestall Ollie’s ridiculous plan to elope, satisfy the Claybornes and allow the young couple to marry, and, best of all, it would keep all the spirited misses eager to make his acquaintance—as his aunt had so disturbingly put it—at bay.
“I’m afraid you’ll always be Kat to me. Never Kitty.”
“Very well. Is that your only condition?”
His skin burned feverish. He loathed lies. Hated pretense. And yet he loathed nothing about holding Kat in his arms. With her velvet-clad curves pressed against him and her thighs brushing his own, he found himself tempted to agree to her subterfuge. Almost.
“I have two more.”
“Go on.”
“We end it as soon as we’re able.” If holding her melted his resolve this thoroughly, what sort of wreck would he be after weeks in her company? “You can jilt me if you like. However you wish to do it. And we tell my sister the truth of what we’re doing and why. Pippa’s far too clever not to see through a falsehood.”
“Agreed, Your Grace.”
He caught the flash of white as she smiled and moonlight glinted off the curve of her cheeks. Pleasing her stirred an echo of pleasure in him, and it disturbed him how much he wanted to see her smile again, wanted to bring her pleasure, and not just for a moment.
Lifting a hand to caress her cheek, Seb drew Kat in close, dipped his head, and took her mouth in a quick mingling of chilled flesh and warm breath.
An Excerpt from
NO GROOM AT THE INN
Dirty Deeds (Mechanics of Love #3) Page 22