Melpomene

Blog Tour and Giveaway: Once in a Lifetime, by Jill Shalvis

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SOMETIMES WRONG IS OH-SO-RIGHT
After a wrenching loss, Ben McDaniel tried to escape his grief by working in dangerous, war-torn places like Africa and the Middle East. Now he’s back in his hometown and face-to-face with Aubrey Wellington, the hot-as-hell woman who is trouble with a capital T. Family and friends insist she’s not the one to ease his pain, but Aubrey sparks an intense desire that gives Ben hope for the future.

Determined to right the wrongs of her past, Aubrey is working hard to make amends. But by far, the toughest challenge to her plan is sexy, brooding Ben – even though he has absolutely no idea what she’s done . . .

Can this unlikely couple defy the odds and win over the little town of Lucky Harbor?

Can I tell you how much I love Lucky Harbor?? I seriously do. I wish I could live in a place like that. Small towns appeal to me. I want to know EVERYBODY!!! Plus, all those hot guys would be a nice perk. But I’m getting sidetracked here….

Ben and Aubrey bicker every time they see each other. They just don’t like each other. But love likes to strike those who least expect it. And these two most definitely do NOT expect it.

Ben was hired, by Aubrey’s uncle, to help her remodel the bookstore she is trying to get back on it’s feet. She doesn’t want his help, but she can’t stop him. She doesn’t want him around, because she keeps having these crazy feelings for him. And Ben finds more ways to be around her, and he has no idea why. He doesn’t want a relationship, especially not with someone like her.

Aubrey feels unloved. She always felt that way. Listening to her remember her past, broke my heart. She as seriously misunderstood and wrongly accused for a lot of things. But she wasn’t an angel either. So, as she tries to make amends with those she wronged, she feels more guilt over Ben than anyone. But he has no idea why.

On a side note, watching Ben interact and react to Pink and her sister….total swoon. I fell in love even more. I mean seriously, who couldn’t?? And when he brought them in for cookies…*sigh*

As they grow closer, and their relationship, or whatever it is, grows more and more saucy, I was sitting at the edge of my seat wondering when the other show was gonna drop. But when it dropped, and she told him her secret, I never saw it coming. I felt horrible, for both of them!! I wanted to reach in a hug them both.

Can the past stay in the past and not effect your future??

Excerpt
“You’re incredible, Ben, you know that? You’re an insensitive, first-class jerk, and–”
He leaned in. “And what?” he asked, voice dangerously low.
“And…” Stymied at her ridiculous and constant reaction to him, Aubrey put her hands to his chest to give him another shove, but somehow got her wires crossed and she fisted his shirt instead.
“Dare me,” he said softly.
Oh, how she hated how well he knew her. “I dare you to kiss me,” she whispered, and then to make sure he did, she put her mouth on his first…

I seriously can’t wait til the next one!!

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Buy Once in a Lifetime (Lucky Harbor)

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Preview: Hope Springs(Longing for Home #2), by Sarah Eden

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1 After I read Edenbrooke and Blackmoore, I was on a mission to find similar books. So when I stumbled upon this author, I was very excited to read one of her books.

I can honestly say I’m kinda glad I never read the first book. This book ended so perfectly. I think I might’ve been mad if I had to endure the possible love triangle in the first one. I wasn’t sure who was more perfect for Katie, in the beginning. But after a bit I figured out who I liked.

Katie has lived a very hard life, filled with much suffering and death. I was struggling with hearing it all myself, and watching her go through much more. I swear, the last 15% of the book, my nerves were shot and I spent the entire time with tears glistening in my eyes. I know times were tough, but I never even imagined one person going through so much.

The love triangle was perfectly written. Katie has had no one to look after her, for so long, she really doesn’t know what she’s feeling or how to deal with those feelings. I truly felt bad for Joseph and Tavish as they both were vying for her affection, while all this was going on.

Watching the town, on the verge of self destruction, was heart breaking also. These people just didn’t want to let go of their prejudices and live peacefully. So property damage, stolen property, and physical injuries were just a part of their problems.

Katie tried everything in her power to get things turned around. She knew if something didn’t happen, someone would eventually get killed in the crossfire. Sadly, she was right. That was part of where my tears came from. Devastated.

By the time the ending came around, I was emotionally drained, but that’s the way I like my books. I can’t wait to see what else Ms. Eden has in store for us.

I received this ARC, for an honest review.

~Melpomene

Release date: February 14, 2014

Preorder Longing for Home, Book 2: Hope Springs – A Proper Romance

Preview: Take a Chance, by Abbi Glines

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4 Can I tell you how excited I am for this month’s release of Abbi Glines’ newest book Take a Chance?? Well, I am super excited!!! I have read every single book she has written and I love her to death. I even got to meet her in October, with Colleen Hoover and Jamie McGuire. She has the best accent EVER!! And I’m super excited to be getting the chance to see her again this coming October again!! I’m sorry I keep yelling, I’m just so excited!!!

Anyways, her newest book will be released on the 25th of this month and I personally have been waiting for Grant’s book for forever. I loved him from the moment Blaire pulls a gun on him, in Fallen Too Far. 🙂 Here is the blurb:

When Harlow Manning’s rocker father goes on tour, he sends her to Rosemary Beach, Florida, to live with her half-sister, Nan. The problem: Nan despises her. Harlow has to keep her head down if she wants to get through the next nine months, which seems easy enough. Until gorgeous Grant Carter walks out of Nan’s room in nothing but his boxer briefs.

Grant made a huge mistake getting involved with a girl with venom in her veins. He’d known about Nan’s reputation, but still he couldn’t resist her. Nothing makes him regret the fling more than meeting Harlow, who sends his pulse racing. Yet Harlow wants nothing to do with a guy who could fall for her wicked half-sister, even if there are no strings between Grant and Nan. Grant is desperate to redeem himself in Harlow’s eyes, but did he ruin his chances before he even met her?

Super excited!!!

Make sure you preorder, for Amazon Take a Chance: A Rosemary Beach Novel (The Rosemary Beach Series)

For B&N Take a Chance

~Melpomene

Review and Giveaway: Song of the Fireflies, by J.A. Redmerski

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THE TRUTH WILL SET THEM FREE
Brayelle Bates has always been a force of nature. Even as a child, Bray’s wild and carefree spirit intimidated everyone around her. The only person who’s ever truly understood her is her best friend, Elias Kline. Though every fiber of her being wants to stay with Elias forever, Bray can’t bear the thought of him discovering her agonizing history. She’s done everything she can to keep him at arm’s length, including moving away. But their undying bond was too strong a pull to deny, and Bray couldn’t survive without him. Now she’s back home with Elias, and things have never felt more right-until one night changes everything.

Elias vowed never to be separated from Bray again. So when she decides to flee in a desperate attempt to escape her fate, Elias knows he must go with her. As the two try to make the most of their circumstance, taking up with a reckless group of new friends, Elias soon realizes there’s a darkness driving Bray he can’t ignore. Now in order to save her, he’ll have to convince Bray to accept the consequences of their reality-even if it means losing her.

I was quite curious about Bray and Elias, when we first met them, in The Edge of Always. I knew they were in trouble, but I had no idea how much.

I was having a hard time with this book. The angst level was at a disturbing level and a few scenes made me quite uncomfortable. I felt so bad for these two. My heart broke for everything Bray was going through. I couldn’t even imagine half of it. But she knew that Elias loved her and would do anything for her. But she wasn’t sure if she wanted him to go where she was knew, deep in her soul, she was headed.

As for Elias, he just wanted her to be honest with him. So he was doing everything he could to bring it out. But she wasn’t having any of it. He wanted to love her completely and truthfully, but Bray seemed to be holding parts back. After a tragic accident, they decide to leave and try to figure out how to put their lives back together.

While they were off, trying to figure out what to do next, they meet up with some very interesting people and their lives will be forever changed.

Excerpt

When I made my way back to the top, I found Bray wasn’t sitting near the edge of the ridge where I had left her I moved farther out into the clearing with our blankets draped over one shoulder.
“Bray?” I said, looking around.
I brushed it off for a second, thinking she was probably just taking a piss behind a tree somewhere, and I set our blankets on the ground.
But then I got a sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach.
I walked quickly toward the edge and looked over. My heart started to bang against my rib cage. I peered down as far as my sight could penetrate the darkness, but took a step back upon realizing that if she had fallen there was no way I’d be able to see from way up here.
She had to be somewhere around close by. She had to be.
“Bray?” I called out again. “Where the hell did you go?”
Still no answer.
Panic set in quickly. I stood there as still and as quiet as I could for several long seconds in case she was coming through the woods, but I heard nothing. I arranged both hands around my mouth and shouted, “BRAY!” and my voice echoed through the wide-open space. But still nothing. I felt sick to my stomach. She wouldn’t have left like that way out here. And if she did, I would’ve seen her on the path coming down as I was making my way back up.
I ran toward the tree line, searching for any sign of her, for another path she might have taken. I refused to believe that she had fallen off the edge.
Just as I noticed another path through the woods that seemed to head south and I started to go toward it, I heard footfalls in the leaves. I didn’t wait to see if it was her, I ran blindly straight into the woods. A skinny branch slapped me across the forehead on my way, but I didn’t stop.
Bray and I nearly crashed into each other.
“Shit, baby! Where the hell did you go? Scared the hell out of me!” I started to pull her into a hug, but something about her was off and I stopped. She didn’t respond or even raise her head to look at me.
“Are you all right?”
I took her hands into mine. Hers were shaking. Her whole body was shaking.
I cupped her face in my palms and raised her head so that she’d look at me. She was crying, and something in her eyes…I couldn’t place it, but it haunted me. I wondered if she even knew I was standing right in front of her. Her hair was messy, with pieces of leaves stuck within a mass of strands. Dirt was smeared across her left cheek. She looked like she’d been in a fight.
I touched her split lip, where a thin line of blood glistened near the corner. “Bray, you’re scaring me. What happened to you?” I shook her gently and then more aggressively when she still didn’t respond. “What happened? Talk to me!”
Her lips trembled and more tears seeped from the corners of her eyes. And then as if a floodgate had been opened, she started screaming through her tears, “It was my fault! Elias! Oh my God!”
“What happened?” I roared, scared for her and for myself, my heart about to burst through my chest.

I’m glad to find out Elias and Bray’s story, but it was hard getting through it. Devastation seemed to be the theme. And those are the hardest books to get through.

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~Melpomene

Buy Song of the Fireflies

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Review and Blog Tour: Spellbound, by Sylvia Day

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Synopsis:
From #1 New York Times bestselling author Sylvia Day comes a story of the ultimate seduction. . . .
Max Westin. Sex incarnate. She could smell it, feel it with his proximity. Everything about him was a little rough, a little gritty. He was a primitive creature. Just like her.
He held her hand a little too long, his gaze, under thick lashes, clearly stating his intention to have her. To tame her. . . .
“Victoria.”
Her name, just one word, but spoken with such possession she could almost feel the collar around her neck.
“It’s in your nature,” he murmured. “The desire to be taken.”
In this game of cat and mouse, everything is an illusion, but the passion is as real as it gets. . . .

Holy hot sauce!!! I mean yowza!! Seriously, this book had an extra dose of HOT thrown in. At first I wasn’t real sure what this was about. I read the bare minimum. I like to be surprised. Well, I definitely was. This was basically three short stories in one quick book. I thought I downloaded the wrong one, at first. The stories take place over a two year period, so of course it made sense after I read it. I wish someone told me BEFORE I read it. 🙂

Victoria St. John has been a single Familiar for far too long. After the death of her Warlock, she has refused every other Hunter that come and attempted to tame her. But the Council fears that she will become feral soon, if she’s not brought to submission, so they send Max Westin to deal with her.

Max is a Hunter and Hunters don’t claim Familiars. They train them and pass them on to Warlocks. But as soon as Max sets his eyes on Victoria, he realizes he may in big trouble. He decides not to give her up, and takes her as his own. But in doing so, he has out himself in the bad graces of the council. Their power combined is to dangerous, so they must be taken out.

There is plenty of action, as they face off against the council and other warlocks. There is also plenty of action as they face off against each other. Super HOT action. This was just as I expected from Sylvia Day. After reading her Crossfire series, I knew this was going to be saucy. I wasn’t mistaken. again I say YOWZA!!

~Melpomene

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Review: Up From the Grave, by Jeaniene Frost

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010 It’s over!!!! I am so sad. I tried to read slow, so as to prolong the ending. But alas, it is done. This is the last in the Night Huntress series and it’s been so fun and now it is bittersweet to see it end. I will miss Cat and Bones and their sizzling chemistry, Ian and his warped sexual humor and the many others that tugged at my heart. I truly never wanted it to end. But I am so very happy with the way it did. Nothing was left open. Everyone lived happily ever after.

I was shocked to find myself tearing up twice in this book. Don’t remember crying in any of the other books, but this one kinda killed me in parts. After the first time, I spent a few chapters being quite mad. I was utterly shocked. I couldn’t believe it. Pissed off was the theme around my fellow book lovers. I kept thinking, “This is how she’s ending it?!?!?” I was sure I was reading it wrong. In fact I reread the same page three times, hoping my mind was playing tricks on me. Sadly, I was not mistaken.

Cat and Bones, and their friends have to save the world from war, again. Seems like they were always doing that. Just when they were starting to enjoy the simple life, one extra player would set off the whole game. It took a lot of strength, on both Cat and Bones’ part, and with the help of their friends, to bring everything back to the right side. But of course things never go smoothly as you would hope. Hence the tears. 🙂

But, luckily, this story did have the usual comic relief, in the form of Ian, mostly. But I was thankful for it, nonetheless. It can get quite intense without it. But I will never look at my metal spatulas the same again. 🙂

All in all, very good series. I’m very glad I listened to my friends, when they told me I needed to read this. I would recommend it to anyone looking for a good paranormal, with a bit of sauce.

~Melpomene

Buy Up From the Grave: A Night Huntress Novel

Combo review post…and yet, not

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OK, I have such a slacker in my postings. I would like to blame it one my fellow book lovers/enablers. And perhaps a bit of my OCD is leaking out. But these “friends” of mine tell me about series and then I get sucked in, and have to read every book in the series. I can’t seem to stop and post about any of them. I literally go from one book to the next, without even a breather. My poor family misses me.

Over the past month, I’ve been sucked into three separate series. All very good. All very addicting.

The first was the Kowalski series, by Shannon Stacey.
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Those were freaking hilarious!!! I mean it’s all this crazy loving family who do activities “of doom” and are super crazy, while doing them. They have just the right amount of sauce for me and I even shed a few tears. Perfect.

The next was The Outlander series.
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I’ve only read the first three books, so far. I started it on January 1, and I’m totally addicted now. I’m one of those crazy Heughligans!! I even have the shirt!! 🙂 I loved the story so much I even made a pin and keychain for it. Reading these make me wish I could walk through stones and meet Jamie Fraser. Although I;d miss my family dearly, IT’S JAMIE FRASER!!!! Sorry, spouse. 😉 Seriously, if you haven’t read at least the first one, you should give it a whirl. But fair warning, toward the end, you may die just a smidgen. But it’s a series, so you know it will get better, even though it doesn’t look like it. As for Dragonfly in Amber, I wanted to quite. I was getting so confused. But I held on and then lost my mind at the ending. Seriously, sobbed my frickin’ eyes out. Which made me go straight to book #3, Voyager. Now I was happy with the way this one ended and decided to take a break for a bit. Did I mention that they are 800+, 900+, and 1000+ pages each?? You can see why I needed the break.

I needed a mental vacation and decided to try out the Rock Chick books.

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Let me tell you, Kristen Ashley is an awesome author. She can make me cry, swoon, make me laugh and of course make me need to cool off a bit. 😉 I absolutely adored all these characters. I love seeing hot guys fall hard for their women. And these slammed. The chicks got into trouble all the time and the men just rolled with it. They’d do anything for them, including some not so legal things. Every book featured a new chick with new problems. Some were very hard to read about, but the guys always got revenge. So it all works out.

So now that I’ve got these out of my system, I hope to be on the straight and narrow now. NUTS!!! I just remembered the last Cat and Bones book release Tuesday!! So that means I have to do a reread of that whole series!! I am never getting back to normal. See ya on the flipside.

~Melpomene

Buy Exclusively Yours (The Kowalskis)

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Review: Beautiful Disaster, by Jamie McGuire

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517HnHcEuWL After seeing Jamie McGuire, in October, I was drawn to reread Beautiful Disaster. Can I just say that I LOVE Travis. I truly do. He is, and forever will be, my book boyfriend. I just love him to pieces. He is the epitome of a bad boy. But his heart wants to love. And when he finds his love, she will make him whole.

If you haven’t read BD, then you don’t know the true feeling of angst. I remember reading this, for the first time, right after I got my kindle. I didn’t understand what angst was, at the time. But I was trying to find my perfect book. Well, this was perfect in my eyes. It has everything I love, and need, in a book. After I read this, I remember looking on Goodreads and Amazon for all the books that were similar to this. I’ve read a ton, since then, but none can compare to Beautiful Disaster. They come close, but this one’s on the top.

In case you’ve been living under a rock, and haven’t read it, let me tell you a little bit about it.

Travis Maddox was an underground fighter, and lover of many women, at Eastern University. He gets good grades, but likes to fight for his money. It was at one of his fights that he met Abby Abernathy. She wasn’t impressed by him or his fighting. But he wasn’t letting her go. He would do anything to keep her, even if it meant just being her friend.

Abby, at first, wants nothing to do with Travis cuz he reminds her to much of what she left behind. She wants nothing to do with that life anymore. But as luck would have it, she is about to spend a great deal of time with him.

He is determined to show that he can be just a friend, if that’s what she wants. But you know how that goes. Boy likes girl, girl likes boy but is determined NOT too. So boy becomes crazy protective and drives girl away.

I loved watching their friendship blossom and their love sneak up her. Abby was so oblivious to everything Travis said or did. She just thought he wanted to be friends. But he wanted so much more. She had no idea how she was slowly destroying him.

“I didn’t know I was lost until you found me.”

Travis made me so mad at parts. I was yelling at him. But then at others, I was totally swooning. He has a way of invoking such crazy feelings that you can’t help but love him, even though he does just stupid things. I loved watching him interact with his brothers and dad. You could see how he loved them, even if growing up wasn’t a walk in the park.

I know some people didn’t like Abby, but I did. She was so clueless, I don’t think she realized how fiercely he wasn’t letting her go. He was gonna get her back if it killed him. He changed his entire behavior for her. He was determined to go down fighting, if need be.

“You can’t tell me what to do any more, Travis! I don’t belong to you!”

In the second it took him to turn and face me, his expression had contorted into anger. He stomped toward me, planting his hands on the bed and leaning into my face.

“WELL I BELONG TO YOU!”

*seriously swooning*

Words cannot express my true feelings for this book. And when I read Walking Disaster, I was seriously destroyed. Travis is amazing and I don’t think I’ve ever enjoyed the male POV so much, like I did in this one. I highly recommend it. It wasn’t just a recap of BD, it was a whole new story. And of course I sobbed. That’s really not a surprise, I know. But I never expected to sob in the beginning. Whew!!

And since I love love love this book, when I was writing my Top 10 post, I knew which book belonged on top. If you’ve never read this, you really should get on the ball, since the next book, Beautiful Oblivion, comes out in July. I can’t wait!!!

~Melpomene

Buy Beautiful Disaster: A Novel

Buy Walking Disaster: A Novel

Review and Blog Tour: Masquerade, by Nyrae Dawn

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Summary
A biker. A tattoo artist. A love to last a lifetime.

Maddox Cross has always had to be tough. When his father went to jail for murder, the teenager took care of his sister and mother. Now on his own and working security at a night club, Maddox wants to become a tattoo artist-a dream that comes closer to reality when he falls for the hottest, most tatted woman he’s ever seen. She’s wild and beautiful, and Maddox will do anything to be with her.

Bee Malone came to town to open up her new tattoo parlor, Masquerade. Since being kidnapped as a young girl, Bee has had trouble getting close to anyone. But when she meets Maddox, she sees that under his hard biker’s body is the sensitive soul of an artist. What starts out as a sizzling one-night stand soon becomes so much more.

Bee wants Maddox to join her tattoo business, but letting him into her life means revealing all her most intimate secrets. And as the past begins to intertwine with her present, Bee fears their love may not be as permanent as their ink . . .

I knew I liked Maddox. When we meet him, in Facade, we knew he kept secrets. And, in doing so, he is slowly crumbling from the guilt. Even though he was a child, and not responsible for his dad, he still can’t let the guilt go. And when he meets Bee, he tries to not get sucked into her life. He already thinks he needs to look out and protect his sister, he doesn’t want to do that for anyone else.

Bee has been struggling with who she is and what is real love. How can she let go of her past? How can people love, if they hurt you? What if she loves someone and they get taken away, like she did? So she tried to keep everyone at arm’s length. But Maddox has a way of getting to her, even though she tries to stay away.

“Stop making me want you.” The same heat from eyes is now in his words. “Stop letting me have you.”

The tension between these two was very thick. One explosive scene after another. I was in Heaven. My heart broke for both of these two. The trauma that they have had to deal with, was crazy. They have to learn to let go of their past and move on. Eventually secrets are shared and families are reunited. But of course, it has to all fall apart first. 🙂

I was glad to see characters, from the first two books, in this book. It was nice to have a bit of closer, for one of them.

“Life is fucked up, it hurts, and it’s not always pretty, but damned if it can’t be beautiful too.”

~Melpomene

Buy it now Masquerade: Book 3 in The Games Series

Review, Blog Tour and Giveaway: The Destiny of Violet & Luke, by Jessica Sorenson

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OH.MY.WORD!!!! A cliffy!!!! A STINKIN’ CLIFFHANGER!!!! I am devastated after finishing this. How can I deal with this?? Now I have to wait months to find out what happens. I am just sick, thinking of it. But I must clam down. *deep breath*

Luke and Violet have had the hardest time, growing up. They were exposed to things, as children, that no child should see.

Luke has tried to forget his past, by throwing himself to every girl that shows interest. He’s a big tough on the outside, but on the inside, he just wants to be loved. If he could only escape his mind, he would be whole. But the past always creeps up on him.

Violet’s parents were murdered, when she was 6. She was bounced for foster home to foster home. Never truly finding a real home with real love. She wakes up every morning, from a dream of their deaths. In order to get a break from feeling real, she avoids everyone, and does very dangerous things, just for the rush. She just wants to finish college and move on, but then she meets Luke.

Luke and Violet’s relationship is very hard on each of them. They can’t stand each other and yet can’t stand to be away from each other. After a while, they realize that they have feelings that they don’t know how to handle. They’re not used to needing anyone. But soon they find themselves leaning on each other, when they need it the most.

However, that ending…I am still reeling from it. I just can’t believe it. Seriously. What am I supposed to do now??

Don’t forget to enter the Rafflecopter giveaway

EXCERPT
Luke
She reaches for my fries with an undecided look on her face. “So I have a question.”
“Okay…”
“About you.”
I slowly chew my food. “I’m not really sure I want to hear your question now.”
She picks a pickle off of her burger, pulling a repulsed face. “Well, I’m still going to ask it.”
I grab a handful of fries from the tray that’s on the table between us. “Go ahead and ask but it doesn’t mean I’ll answer.”
She props her elbows onto the table with her burger in her hand. “Why haven’t you ever talked to me before? I mean, we’ve walked past each other probably a hundred times, but never so much as acknowledged each other and then suddenly you’re stalking me.”
I pick up my soda and sip from the straw. “First off, I’m not stalking you. I just can’t seem to get rid of you.”
“You didn’t have to stop to pick me up.”
“Yeah, I did.”
“Why? You don’t know me—you’re in no way obligated to help me.”
“I know, but I wanted to.”
“Why?”
I shrug, setting my drink down. “Why not?”
She gives me a funny look, like I’m the most confusing person in the world, when really she should be looking at herself like that. “I don’t get it. Why would someone like you help someone like me?”
I open up the bun of my chicken sandwich to pick the tomato off. “What do you mean someone like me and someone like you?”
She points at me. “You as in a football player who has friends.” Then she points at herself. “And me as in the loner girl who could probably kick your ass.”
I choke on a laugh and my mouth full of food almost shoots out of my nose. “You could not kick my ass,” I cough, and then take a swallow of my drink.
She scans me over while scooping up some fries. “I beg to differ. I think you’re not as tough as you try to look.”
“Do you really?” If only she knew what really lay inside me. “Because most people think I am and for a good reason.”
“I think it’s all for show,” she replies nonchalantly and I can’t tell if she’s being serious or not. “I think that deep down you’re just a softy.”
“Are you trying to pick a fight with me right now?” I set my sandwich down on the tray and crack my knuckles. “Because I’m not going to fight a girl.”
“That’s such a typical guy answer.” She hurries and takes a drink, but I detect a hint of a smile before her lips wrap around the straw.
“You know what I think?” I cross my arms on the table and lean in, cocking my head to the side as I observe her closely. “I think you like arguing with me and that’s why you’re bringing this up.”
Her shoulders lift and descend as she takes a bite of her hamburger. “Maybe, but maybe I’m being serious.”
“You know that as a football player I have to tackle guys, right? It takes strength to do that.”
“Maybe you just run, though,” she counters. “Maybe you’re just good at running.”
The way she says it reminds me so much of my past and it’s like a kick to the stomach. “Maybe I’m not, though. Maybe I suck at running.” I sound choked and I decide it’s time to cut this conversation short, my brain seeking that potent taste of Jack and Tequila mixed with nicotine. I glance at my watch, pretending to check the time. “I just remembered that I have to meet Kayden somewhere in like a half an hour, so I’m going to have to take you back.”
She balls up the wrapper for her hamburger, acting nonchalant, but her shoulders are stiff. “Sounds good to me. I was done anyway.” She seems irritated and I have no idea why, other than she seems to be able to read through my bullshit and test me, which most people can’t and won’t even try. I’m supposed to be a closed book. A mystery. That way no one can see who I really am. It’s the way I’ve been living for years and it’s comfortable. Not ideal, but nothing is ideal.
We don’t talk as I collect our garbage and then walk next to her as she limps out to my truck. I try to offer her my arm and open the door for her, but she denies my offer, moving to the opposite door and pushing it open.
During the car ride, she barely says two words to me. I should be happy about it. That way there’s no room for sudden questions and statements that will set me off, however I find myself missing the bantering thing we had going and the way she pushed my buttons. By the time I drop her off, all I want to do is ask her to stay, talk some more, let me get to know her. But I don’t understand why. I’ve never wanted to get to know anyone before. I’ve never even been out on a date. Each woman I’ve been with, I’ve only been with once. Just sex. That’s all it’s ever about. And I’ve never wanted anything more.
Until now.

The-Destiny-of-Violet-&-Luke-Launch-Day-Blitz

~Melpomene

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