Unbreakable Bonds – Available for Pre-Order

Unbreakable Bonds, Co-written with Aliyah Burke is now available for Pre-Order here. It will be released by Totally Bound on May 8, 2015.

Ink Motions with Marianne Rice

Brief bio:

Marianne Rice writes contemporary romances set in small New England towns. Her heroes are big and strong, yet value family and humor, while her heroines her smart, sexy, sometimes a little bit sassy, and are often battling a strong internal conflict. Together, they deal with real life issues and always find everlasting love. When she's not writing, Marianne spends her time buying shoes, eating chocolate, chauffeuring her herd of children to their varying sporting events, and when there's time, relaxing with fancy drinks and a great read. She tries to make time for her husband too, but he often places behind her love affair with books. Connect with her on Facebook or visit her website at www.mariannerice.weebly.com

 

 

 

 

 

Ink Motions - Interview

 

Thank you, Taige, for welcoming me to your blog!

 

How do you get an idea for your novel?

I like to take real life issues: domestic abuse, adoption, death, diabetes, autism, anxiety, single parenting, and turn them into a love story. I love to see how a hero and heroine work through the lemons life hands out and turn it into…a lemon drop martini. Something sweet, sexy and a little out of control. I like writing about small towns and close families…which end up turning into series. My intent was never to be a series writer, but that’s what each book turns into.

 

What is your writing style?  Do you just sit down and write or do you create.

I’m a “cooker”. I don’t plot out my stories on paper, or spreadsheets or sticky notes, but I can’t sit down and stare at a blank page and make it come to life. I play a lot of make-believe in my head. I run through scenes, scenarios, plot twists while trying to fall asleep. Hmm, maybe that’s why I’m always so tired in the morning? Anyway, by the time I’ve found time to actually sit down and write, I’ve gone through my book a few times. New scenes pop up while I’m writing, but the gist of the story has already been “cooked”.

 

 

How many novels have you written including all work in progresses you are currently working on?

I’ve written seven novels—er, let’s call it six. The first should never see the light of day. All writers have one of those, right? False Start, the first in The McKay-Tucker Men came out in February. False Hope comes out April 20^th and False Impressions comes out June 29^th of this year. The series centers around three brothers who are as different as can be, and the women who can finally tame them. I have another series, The Wilde Sisters, complete and am hoping to have it out next year, and have finished writing book one in The Rocky Harbor series, which centers around a family of adopted children…all grown up and looking for love. There’s another sports centered series coming to light as well. All I need now is the time to write them.

 

Who is your "writing idol"? I.E. Who do you like and what is it about their writing that captures your soul?

Oh, so hard to choose! I write contemporary romance, so I’m drawn to Jill Shalvis, Kristan Higgins, Carly Phillips, Jill Sanders and Susan Elizabeth Phillips. But there are so many other go-to authors as well. I love humor and these lovely ladies do it so naturally.

 

 

What is you favorite plot line type?

I love twists and a surprise ending. Yes, we know the HEA has to happen, but make me think there is no stinkin’ way for the hero and heroine to come together. Love, love, love it! And I love guy humor. I’m so not a feminist and appreciate the alpha-male banter. I love when the big, bad, strong guy turns soft and sensitive. *gush* I’d love to hear from all of you. What is YOUR favorite plot line? Comment below J

 

Is there any advice you can offer to anyone who would like to write?

Don’t stop. Ever. The more you write, the more stories you tell, the more workshops you attend, the better your writing becomes. Don’t spend so much time on one book that you start to hate it. You should love all of your work. Finish it and move on to the next story. Then, when you need a break from creating the new WIP, go back and edit the prior story. By then you’ll probably have picked up more writing tips and can incorporate them into your writing.

 

 

 

Now I’d like to introduce you to Meg and Connor from False Start. They have many issues they need to tackle before they can find true love.

 

“We need to talk.”

Startled by the deep growl, Meg Fulton looked up to the towering stack of testosterone filling her office doorway and cursed the butterflies that fluttered in her stomach.

She straightened her posture, ran her hand through her thick hair in an attempt to put all the strays back in place, and then reached for the lapels of the suit coat that wasn’t there. She felt vulnerable in her silk tank top and wished she had an extra layer to shield her from the menacing daggers targeted at her. Putting on the jacket would only make a spectacle of herself. The thin tank would have to do.

“Sure. Have a seat.” She crossed her legs and attempted to smile. Inwardly, Meg groaned. Connor McKay. She’d noticed him on the football field coaching his athletes and had not looked forward to the expected confrontation.

He remained in the doorway, making no move toward the empty seats across from her desk. His blond hair was short, barely longer than the scruff on his face, and as she looked up she saw his eyes—a fierce, fiery blue filled with accusation and something that ranged between confusion and lust.

 



 

Blurb:

After a drunken, abusive experience with a jock in high school, Meg Fulton ended up a single mother with a tough hide. Now, a brand-new high school principal, she uses her sharp tongue to keep men at a safe distance, until Connor McKay walks into the picture. She can't stand him. He's a sports-loving alpha male--no thanks! But her path continues to cross Connor's, and as attraction heats to a boiling point, Meg learns there's more to him than biceps and a tight rear end.

 

Ex-NFL player turned high school football coach, Connor McKay is well loved by all--except the intelligent, sexy, new principal who wants to change his athletic program. When they're set up on a blind date, he's finally able to crack Meg's wall.

 

Things are heating up between them when someone from her past threatens to tear them apart. It will take a leap of faith for Meg to shed the scars of her past and let love into her life.

 

Buy Links:

Amazon: http://bit.ly/FalseStart

Amazon UK: http://bit.ly/FalseStartUK

Kobo: http://bit.ly/FalseStartKobo

Barnes & Noble: http://bit.ly/FalseStartBandN

iBooks: http://bit.ly/FalseStartiBooks

Books a Million: http://bit.ly/FalseStartBAM

Ink Motions with Belle Maurice

Belle Maurice spends a great deal of time lost in imagination, which is a pretty interesting place to be. She recently returned from living in the Middle East where the temperature is always hot, sunrise and sunset are pretty stable year ’round, and she could go literally weeks without encountering a member of the opposite sex other than the man who works at the shop where she buys milk. Do you know what happens to a woman essentially living in a harem situation? That’s right, she talks about shoes and thinks about men. Which brings us right back around to being lost in imagination…

 

Website: https://bellemaurice.wordpress.com/

 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BelleMauricewriter?ref=hl

 

 

How do you get an idea for your novel?

 

Something strikes me funny. For Sacked By the Quarterback, I happened to be sitting on the couch while my mother watched a football game and the phrase came up. I thought “heehee, sacked by the quarterback.” And off I went. I’m a little juvenile that way.

 

What is your writing style?  Do you just sit down and write or do you create

 

I am a pantser who would love to plan more. I start with the end in mind, two (or more) characters who deserve an happy ending, then I try to get them to that ending. Unfortunately that means sometimes I end up stuck and I have many, many half finished projects on my hard drive that need a special something that I cannot come up with right then.

 

Who is the "Writing Muse" in your life? I.E. who gets your juices flowing when

 

Okay, brace yourself because this might be a wee bit bizarre. Def Leppard’s Slang album. I once wrote and edited most of a novel to Slang on repeat and ever since, if I am stuck, all I have to do is play that album on repeat and the words just flow. I have also cultivated a small, but honest group of friends who will flatly tell me, “I’m sure you could write a story about a kindergarten teacher stopping terrorists in Walmart, but I fail to see how you’re going to make it funny or sexy.”

 

How many novels have you written including all work in progresses you are currently working on?

 

Well, as Belle Maurice I have three full-length novels (including one written as Belle McClain) published, one novella drafted but not submitted yet and 4 in progress. Under my sweeter pen name (Christa Maurice) I have five novels and five novellas published, three novels and seven novellas drafted and we won’t even talk about how many in progress.

 

Who is your "writing idol"? I.E. Who do you like and what is it about there writing that captures your soul?

 

I love Stephen King for his gritty reality (and not so much for his verbosity.) I love J. R. R. Tolkien for his world building. I love Theresa Medeiros for her passion and fun. And I love Rhys Bowen for her clever, endearing characters.

 

What is you favorite plot line type?

 

I love a good second chance story. The idea that, no matter how badly you’ve screwed up or what misguided choices you’ve made, you can start over. That’s probably why I write so many of them.

 

Is there any advice you can offer to anyone who would like to write?

 

Find a supportive group. Writing is a lonely business and if you don’t have somebody to give you a needed push or a celebratory high five or a much-needed tip now and then, you can drive yourself nuts.

 

What is a good villain?

 

This is a surprisingly difficult question to answer. In real life, I tend to be most disturbed by the “nice guy” veneer. Ariel Castro who kept three women locked up in his house for years in a Cleveland neighborhood, but was well liked by his neighbors. Ray Rice who looks like such a promising young football player, but hit his girlfriend so hard that he knocked her out in an elevator and then proceeded to drag her out by her hair when the doors opened. The neighbor who was always helpful and friendly, but was molesting his daughter next door the entire time I was growing up. I think villains like that shake my confidence in my own instincts. Reading a book where I know what the threat is, but the main character doesn’t and even trusts the maniac usually has me shouting at the book. This is probably why I don’t write suspense.

 

Excerpt:

 

Oh but she had, and it had been a thing of beauty. The glorious thrill of seeing him slammed on his ass by that Broncos defender had had her on her feet and screaming for joy.

“I thought so,” he said.

“What? Maybe I’m grinning because I was having great sex with my boyfriend Sunday.”

He perched his very fine ass on the edge of her desk. “Right. I know that grin. That’s the patented Amanda Daws Ha Haw grin. You saw the game. You watched me get flattened. You cheered, didn’t you?”

“What if I did?”

“I deserved it.”

Mandy blinked. That was not the Sonny Black she remembered or the one she’d been watching on ESPN all through college and now pro. That cocksure jackass was not the man leaning on her desk looking at his fingernails. “How so?”

“I have the worst luck on the planet.” He folded his arms. “Did you know some of the commentators are calling me Sonny Black Cloud now?”

“Yeah.” Mandy drawled, letting a smile spread across her face. “I love that nickname.”

“You really do hate me, don’t you?” He looked so glum she wanted to lie and say she didn’t. He frowned. “You have that right.”

“Do I ever."

"What I did to you was wrong and I’ve come to apologize.”

“Have you now.”

“You look great.” He reached for her, probably to twist a lock of hair around his finger like he used to.

Mandy pulled away. “You’ve made your apology. You can go now.”

“No, I can’t.” He dropped his hand onto his leg. “I need you to forgive me before the Super Bowl so I don’t go out and make a fool of myself.”

“Which, presumably, is what I want.”

Sonny scraped his hand through his hair, which was what he did when he was trying to figure something out that was eluding him. She hated the fact she knew him that well after so long. She also hated how warm the sight of his mussed hair made her. “I guess it might be. Do you still hate me that much?”

“You altered the course of my life. I had to change schools and even that didn’t help because the reputation you gave me followed me.” The painfully shy, madly in love girl she had been cowered to the surface. Tears formed in her eyes. “You couldn’t let everyone think you might date the geekiest girl in school because you liked her so you lied and told them I was a slut. It was a Catholic school.”

 

Purchase: https://bellemaurice.wordpress.com/sacked-by-the-quarterback/

Ink Motions with Gail Kroger

I was a 9-1-1 dispatcher for thirty-one years and to keep insanity at bay, I took up writing. Not to worry. The insanity isn’t catching – much. Other than the addiction to chocolate and the twitch in my left eye, I’m good.

Blurb for Vexing Voss:
For Voss, a Coletti Warlord, conquering the universe is a piece of cake. After all, he's a master of psychic seduction; no one can resist him when he sets his mind to it.

Zoey Jones is determined to find her mother's killer. Surrendering to a fierce Coletti warrior is the last thing on her mind. When Voss is determined to make Zoey his mate, she unleashes her own brand of whoop-ass to discourage his pursuit. When her clever disguises, skunk perfume, stun gun, and smoke bombs fail to stop the ruthless warlord, she's forced to negotiate her surrender: she would mate with him if he would help her find her mother's killer.

To Zoey's surprise, Voss agrees, and the hunt is on. Their quest to bring the villain to justice leads to unlikely alliances in an interplanetary war, and more surprisingly, to love.

 

BEHIND THE SCENE LOOK AT VEXING VOSS
by
Gail Koger
Hey, I'll admit it. Sex scenes are not my forte, but I had to up my heat level for Vexing Voss. I took a vow of celibacy when I was thirteen and pretty much suck at all the intimate details. You know? What goes where. Okay, you can stop laughing now. Geez. I may have exaggerated a tiny bit.

I saw my first naked guy in jail. No, I wasn't arrested. I worked for the Glendale Police Department and part of my duties included prisoner checks. Yeah, that's right. I had to go in the stinky cells and make sure everyone of our "guests" were still breathing. So much fun. This moron had decided to stuff his pants down the toilet, and of course, he went commando. He turned and proudly displayed his Mister Dinky. I'm thinking, this is what all the fuss is about? Since the judge had a strict dress code in his court, numb nuts got to wear his water soaked pants to his arraignment. Hey, we didn't have jumpsuits back then.

Because of my lack of practical experience, I had to research what makes a smoking hot love scene. The local prostitutes were a bust. They took their johns into a corn field. How romantic is that?

Luckily, I discovered my neighbors. Now when I need something new, all I have to do is go out in my backyard and wait. My neighbor and his current girlfriend are pretty frisky in the pool. Their lusty screams set off every dog in the neighborhood and I pick up pointers from their unusually athletic sexual positions. No, I am not a Peeping Tom. It's research.

Voss, the Overlord's Battle Commander, was determined to make Zoey his mate. She was equally determined it was never going to happen. When her clever disguises, skunk perfume, stun gun, smoke bombs and tranquillizer darts failed to stop him, she was forced to negotiate her surrender.

Their mating scene had to be perfect. But how? Voss was one very frustrated male and Zoey still mourned her lost love. Add in Voss's unique man parts and you're heading for a disaster of epic proportions. I decided to use humor to defuse the situation.

“Wait! Can I see it first?”

Voss sat Zoey on the counter. “See it?”

“You know, your snake penis thingy.”

He stared at her for a long moment and then nodded. “Yes, you may examine my thingy.” He removed his weapons belt, boots, and battle suit.

Wowzers, he had one fine ass. Tight. Muscled.

Voss turned.

His chest was so ripped, she wanted to lick every inch of it. Zoey's eyes bugged out. Holy guacamole! A slit had opened in Voss's abdomen, and out it slid. His penis was snakelike with a frill of tentacles around the top. Kinda freaky.

“Freaky?” The Battle Commander’s voice was a low growl.

Oh hell! Zoey had forgotten the cardinal rule. Never, ever make fun of a guy’s penis. “No need to get all snarky. I was just a little…uh…surprised. Can I touch it?”

“Yes.” The snake stopped, and the copper-colored frill opened and closed almost as if it was scenting the air.

 

Excerpt from Vexing Voss:

“My fierce little warrior.” He mouth devoured mine.
My stomach growled loudly, and I broke the kiss. “Sorry.”
Grinning, Voss shifted me in his arms and pointed with his chin. “Your meal awaits you.”
I stared in amazement at the table. A vase of copper-colored flowers graced the snowy white cloth. The heated plate held a Spanish omelet, toast, and hash browns.
“Aw, you brought me my favorite breakfast.”
“I take care of what belongs to me,” Voss responded, carrying me over to the table.
“How utterly romantic,” I muttered as he sat me on the chair.
“What did you expect, sugar tits? I’m a warlord.”
I gaped at him in astonishment. “Sugar tits?”
“Sugar tits is a proper Earth endearment, is it not?”
Holy hell, he was teasing me. I nodded solemnly. “If I was a hooker.”
“As snookums is a proper endearment for a small yappy dog, not a warlord.”
“Point made,” I said with a laugh. “Okay, how about honey buns?”
Voss gave me an affronted look. “I think not.”
“What do you want me to call you?”
All arrogant Battle Commander, he answered, “Voss or sir will do.”
“Uh-huh.” I hastily shoveled a forkful of eggs into my mouth before I could say something I would regret. I reached for my glass of juice and shot a glance at him.
Voss stared hungrily at my breasts.
Swallowing hard, I cleared my throat and squeaked, “You look like you want to eat me.”
“I do. Every inch of you.”
Heat pooled in my belly. “Oh.”
An implacable harshness settled over his features. “But duty calls.”
“Bummer.”
“Exactly.” Voss pointed to a silky black tunic, leggings, and boots lying on the bed. “Once you have eaten, put those on and come to the meeting chamber.”
Great. He was back to being the bossy prick. “Why?”
“Because I command it.” His voice was a purr of menace.
Yeah, like that was going to work. Stuffing more egg in my mouth, I chewed slowly, trying to ignore the merciless predator standing a foot away.
His breath hissed out. “Akeem wants to meet my mate, and he has very traditional views on females.”
“In other words, he’s a male chauvinist pig who thinks females are only good for sex, blood, and making babies.”
A growl rumbled in his chest. “You will treat him with respect.”
I searched Voss’s memories. Akeem headed the Togan clan and was one of Zarek’s most trusted advisors. “Gotcha. Dumb as a rock and mute as well.”
“I expect you to behave as a proper mate would,” the big guy snapped in exasperation.
Oh dear God, he did not just say that. I assumed my timid-mouse demeanor and answered meekly, “As my lord commands.”
“Zoey!”
I let out a terrified sob and cried, “Yes, my lord?”
He pinched the bridge of his nose as if he suddenly had a headache. “Eat your breakfast and please join me in the meeting chamber.”
Oh my God, he had used the P word! “I’ll do you proud, my love.”
A smile touched his hard mouth. “That endearment I can live with.” He kissed my forehead, and poof! He was gone.
Getting the big guy to treat me as an equal was going to be an uphill battle. One I wasn’t sure I’d win.

Buy link for Vexing Voss:
http://www.loose-id.com/authors/g-k/gail-koger.html

Contact Information:
https://www.facebook.com/Colettiwarlordbooks
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1598719.Gail_Koger
www.gailkoger.com

Ink Motions with Lynn Rae

Lynn Rae makes her home in land-locked central Ohio after time spent in the former Great Black Swamp, beside the Ohio River, and along the Miami and Erie Canal.  With professional experience in fields ranging from contract archaeology to librarianship along with making donuts and teaching museum studies, Lynn enjoys incorporating her quirky sense of humor and real-life adventures into her writing (except the naughty bits).  She writes sci-fi, contemporary, and historical romances. You can find her posting frequently on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/lynnraewrites or at her webpage http://www.lynnraewrites.com/

Ink Motions - Interview

 

How do you get an idea for your novel?

The wind might blow a certain direction and I’ll get an idea. There’s a whole queue of plots and characters waiting in my brain, so I’m never at a loss for something to write. The inspiration for my latest sci-fi romance came from my study of the Romanov dynasty and their sad end. I thought about those rumors that one of the princesses had survived and what sort of life she might have led if a few loyalists had sheltered her. From there it was just a hop, skip, and jump across thousands of light years to set my story in the future on an isolated planet.

 

What is your writing style?  Do you just sit down and write or do you create a storyboard?

I write out a lot of backstory before I actually start writing. I have a very loose outline of scenes I want to write, but once I sit down, it’s all pretty by the seat of my pants. A lot of things happen that I didn’t plan on. My characters develop a bit in my head but much more when I’m putting them down on paper. I tend to get to know them very well, right down to their favorite movies and drinks. That makes it easier to set up conflicts and obstacles tailor made for their personalities.

 

How many novels have you written including all work in progresses you are currently working on?

I have seven published books under my Lynn Rae pen name, with one more due in March, and I have three erotic romances published under another pen name, with two more due out this spring. I’m working on an erotic short story and a sweet contemporary at the moment.

 

Who is your "writing idol"? I.E. Who do you like and what is it about there writing that captures your soul?

I can’t say that anyone has captured my soul, thank goodness! I really enjoy the writing of Larry McMurtry, Robert Harris, Barbara Michaels/Elizabeth Peters, and George MacDonald Fraser.

 

What is you favorite plot line type?

Oh, I’d say none. There’s no author or plot line I will auto buy. I have a real aversion to a lot of the popular plots and genres out right now. There’s a lot more on my ‘nope’ list than there is on my ‘yes, I’ll take it’ list. Something unique will catch my eye and I’ll give it a try. I’m attracted to stories where the characters do interesting work and where it seems like a relationship between the protagonists make sense.

 

Is there any advice you can offer to anyone who would like to write?

Make sure you are patient with yourself and decide what you’re going to give up in order to make time to do it. My home is a lot dustier and more cluttered since I started writing.

 

Desire Disguised

Love Under a New Star Book 2

By Lynn Rae

Liquid Silver Books

5 January 2015

ISBN/ASIN: B00RTLZIXW

 

Blurb:

Cara Belasco has been on the run from assassins since childhood. Living in the shadows with her younger brother and one elderly guardian, her luck nearly runs out when the smuggler’s ship carrying them crashes into a soggy jungle planet.

Ben Zashi, the stalwart head of security who rescued her from the wreckage, is very curious about her cover story, and Cara has to fend off his inquires as well as her escalating attraction for him. Will the secrets she’s been hiding come between them, or can Cara allow herself to find passion with the one man who longs to protect her?

 

Teaser:

Cara Belasco’s secrets have chased her across the galaxy, but when her ship crashes on an isolated planet, she discovers a man who could become her perfect refuge … if she reveals the truth.

 

Mini Blurb:

When a smuggler’s ship crashes in the jungle, Safety Chief Bendix Zashi races to the rescue. Inside the burning wreckage he discovers a boy, an old man, and a lovely young woman. Ben must uncover their deadly secrets as he fights his growing attraction to the mysterious woman he saved.

 

Buy Links:

http://www.amazon.com/Desire-Disguised-Love-Under-Star-ebook/dp/B00RTLZIXW/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1420501316&sr=8-2&keywords=desire+disguised

https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-desiredisguised-1719106-153.html

http://www.lsbooks.com/desire-disguised-p983.php

 

Excerpt:

Cara followed at a jog, or tried to for a few paces until a broad chest appeared in her line of sight, blocking her view of the doorway. Ben Zashi. She’d forgotten about him for a few minutes, which was a first during her time on Gamaliel. He held up both hands and tilted his head, his eyebrow quirked in an inquiring fashion.

“What? Move, I need to go—”

“Actually it would be better if you waited.” He directed her to stand by his door and she did, too shocked by his interference to protest. He walked into their suite of rooms, and she heard his low voice, too indistinct to make out any words. Mat replied a few times and Ben returned, closing the door behind him.

“What are you doing? I need to get in there and—”

“No, you need to get in here unless you want everyone in the building to hear this,” Ben commanded, and a flicker of something close to fear wrapped in a thrill fluttered in her chest.

He jerked his chin at the door behind her, and she turned and entered his rooms. She’d never been inside. The layout seemed to mirror their suite, but she was too unsettled to take notice of more than a piano and a blue sofa. Whirling around as soon as she heard the door close, she found she was face to face with an unsmiling man.

“Give yourself a minute, Cara.”

She shook her head. “No, let me out of here. I need to talk with him.” She’d just found Mat, and this man was going to keep her from him. Unacceptable.

She tried to dodge around him, but he was too quick, flinging out an arm to block one side of the hall, and then the other when she tried it again. Her frustration built up in her chest, and she found it hard to take a deep breath. Ben’s dark eyes never left hers as he talked.

“Listen. You’re upset. He’s upset. Take a breather before you see him. He’s safe in there, and he’s not going anywhere tonight.”

“How do you know that? He just disappeared—”

“No, he went to a new friend’s house and thought he’d have time to get back here before you returned. The school routine is new for him, and he just forgot to check his datpad. Cara, listen, he’s just being a kid, don’t be so hard on him—”

The anger popped in her head in a burst of red light, and all the years of fear, the stress that never let up fueled her rage as she lifted her hands fully intending to shove at Ben’s broad chest with all her might. “You don’t know what you’re talking about. I have to be hard on him or he’ll—we’ll die.”

Her strength failed her as soon as she touched him, and her arms gave out before she could actually push. Ben pulled her in as she fell against him. “Nobody died.”

“But we will,” Cara muttered into his chest as his arms wrapped tightly around her. She wasn’t going to be able to do this on her own. Two men had already died protecting them, and Soren was nearly dead. That left her, a naïve woman with no experience or skills.

“Not on my watch.”

“I can’t do this.” Cara shivered into the comfortable warmth of Ben and tried to talk herself into some courage. She had to do it, there was no one else. But she’d already lost Mat once in the few days she’d been responsible.

Something moving against her hair distracted her. Ben’s grip on her loosened, and with an unexpected ache, she realized he was going to let her go. She didn’t want that, not yet, so she slid her hands around his arms and held on. He said something low she couldn’t make out, and he touched her hair again. The soft and mysterious strokes were mesmerizing. She could hear his heart beating and the steady thump made her feel sleepy, a strange reaction after so much heightened emotion.

Ben moved one of his hands to her cheek and tilted her head to peer at her. She stared into his eyes and wanted to fall into unconsciousness, to just let all of it go for the rest of the day. A respite from her tattered life was all she wanted.

Ben frowned, looked at her mouth, and said, “Blast it.” Then, he kissed her.