ARE YOU READY????????
My first-ever indie cover for HOUSE OF PAYNE: PAYNE
is ready to greet the world!
But first, a first-kiss snippet, from Payne's POV. :) Enjoy!
***
That melancholy
was back with a vengeance, until it was almost painful to see. “What about
you?”
“I told you, I
don’t have any tattoos. I hope you don’t hold that against me.”
“I don’t, and
that’s not what I meant. How’d you wind up with no family? Are you an orphan
like me?”
“No. I’m
invisible.”
The deadened
tone, far more than the words, made him frown. “I don’t get it.”
“Disowned or
estranged might be the correct words when it comes to my family, but invisible
is far more accurate. When you say you’re interested in a 3D portfolio, what
sort of images did you have in mind?”
No Trespassing. Do Not Enter. Violators Will Be Shot,
Gutted and Served on a Stick. She may as well have had a sign hung
around her neck. “I take it you have no interest in butterflies?”
“You already
have those. What don’t you have?”
A rush of
answers flooded in, all of them having to do with her. “I don’t suppose you’d
relax your stance on Missing Piece?”
“That work is
off the table. It was hard enough making it available for private sale. Allowing
it to be worn by everyone and their hamster would diminish what it represents.”
“What does it
represent?”
She was quiet
for so long he thought she wouldn’t answer. Then she pushed her plate away as
well, her waffle half-eaten. “Death. Its agonized and never-healed aftermath. I
have many more 3D pieces on my website. Take a look through what I’ve got
available and let me know if there’s anything that grabs you. I’ll also post
more projects tonight, just to give you an idea of what else I have going on. Oh,
and one last thing,” she added, pushing to her feet and digging out a few bills
to lay on the table, “if you even mention the word audition again, it’ll be the last word you say to me.”
“I have one last
thing as well.” He also slid out of the booth and didn’t suffer a hint of shame
when he towered over her. Dainty women had always brought out the
knuckle-dragging protector in him, but never more so than now. No matter how
much fire and ferocity Becks put on display, he suspected it was only
window-dressing to camouflage the cracks in her armor. “You said you believe in
brunch, remember?”
She blinked.
“Yes, of course. So?”
“I’m guessing
you’re like most creative types—up until the wee hours of the morning while the
sane and the unimaginative are in their boring little beds, getting their boring
little eight hours. That would mean you’re crazy-desperate for coffee by… what?
Noon?”
“Ten, actually,”
came the huffy reply. “Again I ask, so?”
“So… I’m going
to see you tomorrow for brunch.” He cupped the nape of her neck, his thumb
elevating her chin to meet the descent of his mouth. Most farewell kisses were
nothing, really, a shallow gesture that had no meaning behind it. The
modern-day equivalent of a handshake.
Most farewell kisses.
Not this one.
Her lips were
warm velvet and not anywhere near ready for his. He loved that. She’d had no time
to stitch together some bullshit game so often used by women with seduction on
their minds and dollar signs in their eyes. This was just… Becks. A woman he
was attracted to. A woman who corrected him to his face. A woman who forgave
without any drama or guilt trips.
In every
conceivable way, she was his kind of woman.
Her lips parted
with a gasp of surprise. Shamelessly he took advantage, softening his mouth to
mold to hers while pushing her deeper into the kiss until their tongues tangled.
He felt the moment her bewilderment and shock evaporated into dazed
participation, as she slowly melted like wax against him. The long, unbroken
line where their bodies touched dropped the floor out from under his feet, and
the heaviness in his cock intensified into a sweet, pulsating ache. Damn, talk
about escalating quickly. He had to break this up, now, before he got so worked
up he lost it right there. And he could lose it, he realized with a jolt. Somehow
her kiss had gained the power to hold time so still the world itself seemed to
hold its breath at its simple perfection.
Her kiss alone
was almost too much for him to handle.
It took most of
his strength to lift his head, a fact that frankly alarmed him. Her eyes opened,
and he had to lock every muscle in place at the sight of the dreamy desire
glittering in their soulful depths. That was how a woman should look when
kissed by her man, he thought before he could check it. Drunk. Dazed.
Hungry for more.
God knew he was
ready to give it to her. Right there, in a crowded restaurant, he wanted to
give it to her in the worst way.
Then that hungry
look was blinked away a second later, and he was baffled by the chill that
closed around him when she pushed out of his hold.
“I’ve got a lot
of work to get done, so I’d better get going.” Her voice was little more than a
breathless whisper as she grabbed up her purse. “I hope we can do business
together. Email me about your portfolio ideas, and um… have a nice day.”
***
And now… THE COVER REVEAL!
But that might not work for some, so… I guess I need
to do it the old-fashioned way.
…
…
…
I should have posted it by now, right? Heh. Okay.
Tada!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
(I seriously canNOT use enough exclamation points on this. For real :D)
HOUSE OF PAYNE: PAYNE releases a week from today, with over 10% added content, including an epilogue that made me tear up in all the good ways. Can't wait to share!
Hummina hummina! Very nice! Hot cover, steamy kiss!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Your Tartness! <3
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