A memorable encounter brings a man in the path of a woman who will set his pulse racing and make him long for forever.
For Bailey Rueben, giving into temptation leads her to knocking a man off his feet. When she finds out who he is, she’s the one who’s swept away. She wants to get to know this man who makes her pulse race. In Garrick, she finds someone who makes her wish she believed in love, but she won’t let that happen to her. Fun is all she wants with him…or does her heart want more?
Garrick Radley has been off the market for a long time and is rusty with the current dating rituals. When he has an opportunity to get near the woman who has captured his attention, he takes it. The misunderstanding that follows makes him wonder if he should continue not to date yet Bailey changes his mind. As he gets to know her, he realises that he is already in deep. Now it’s just a matter of getting Bailey to accept their mating scents.
Reader Advisory: This book is best read in sequence as part of a series.
General Release Date: 22nd August 2014
Bailey Rueben had never seen anything so delectable in her life. It was the perfect size, texture and shape for her to appreciate and devour. This would fulfill her most basic cravings and make her come back for more.
Thought you had more willpower than that, chided her inner voice.
Would you look at the size of that thing? What woman in her right mind would pass up an opportunity like this? A lifelong dream to devour, conquer and pillage to your heart’s content. Groaning, she gave into temptation and picked up the steaming tart from the tray. Raising it to her face, she inhaled deeply.
Oh my God, it’s raspberry.
Taking a huge bite, she was surprised to find not only raspberry but also chocolate filling her mouth. She whimpered in pleasure and licked her lips, capturing the escaping cream. Guiltily, she looked around and tried to put the tart down but her hand had a mind of its own and refused to let it go. Surrendering, Bailey took another bite of her decadent downfall.
She shuddered as the sweet taste slid down her throat. With a silent curse at her friends for making her break her promise to not have any sweets, she swallowed the rest of the tart in one bite. Looking at the tray, she counted the twelve pastries left—one for each of her turncoat friends. She snatched up another one and gobbled it down in three swallows, keening in pleasure. She grabbed another and took a huge bite then stopped at the sound of husky laughter.
Oh God, someone is watching me make a pig of myself.
She turned quickly and pushed back against the counter, putting her hands in front of herself in a defensive position. Cursing silently as she felt the filling oozing down her hand, Bailey glanced at the door and forgot all about the tart. A delicious male chest was covered by a tight black T-shirt. She met his twinkling chocolate brown eyes and was captured by the intensity in his gaze.
Her mouth dropped open as she took in his masculine beauty. Short blond hair with a slight curl softened his broad forehead that looked just right, chiseled cheeks aching to be nibbled, a slightly crooked nose needing to be kissed and full, bitable lips. Bailey’s mouth watered at the idea of taking a nip of him as she had the tart. Quickly, she took in his size. He had to be over six feet of tall, hot male. She swallowed her moan as she saw him shift and his muscles ripple.
Have mercy on me, for I’m about to commit some major sin. Come to Bailey, baby.
She snapped out of her daze at the uncharacteristic thought. Her libido never controlled her actions and she sure as hell wasn’t about to start letting it now. No matter how delectable the man staring at her was. Uneasiness filled her at the possessive way he looked at her. With a glance around, Bailey realised she was alone with a stranger and the door that had been open earlier was closed. Bailey couldn’t recall if one of her friends had closed it when they’d left a little while ago.
For the last few weeks, they had been busy going in and out of each other’s businesses as they’d set up the shops along this stretch of Carver Street. Indigo—her friend—had bought the twelve abandoned businesses that were side by side and had invited her, along with eleven of their close friends, to move to Quade, Arizona, for a new start and the opportunity to open their businesses. The buildings had been empty and in disrepair when Indigo bought then renovated each for their particular intended use. Bailey loved the idea of being near her friends who had been scattered all over the United States. A few of Bailey’s family members also lived in town, so that was partially what had made her accept the offer to move. After living in New York, Bailey’s impression of the good-sized city of Quade was favorable—she saw it as somewhere to set down roots and build a business. She’d visited the city before to see family. So far she was pleased with her decisions for making the move here and she really didn’t want anything to change that—especially not some man trying to hurt her.
She studied her would-be assailant. He looked familiar but she couldn’t place him. The business owners had been sold by the area’s fairly low crime rate, and the fire house and police station across the street. Bailey had met some of the policemen due to a minor break-in they’d had recently. The cops had been friendly and helpful, making suggestions for their safety. Since the break-in, she and her friends had made sure to be here in groups while working to set up their businesses. Her friends had only gone to get some lunch. They should be back any moment.
The man walked closer with a powerful, predatory stride. For a second, Bailey forgot all about not knowing him and simply enjoyed the way he moved. He stopped across the room then smiled a slow grin while his gaze once again became disconcertingly possessive. Bailey stiffened at the look and at his presumption of staring at her as if she was his when she didn’t even know him. He crossed his arms over his chest, tilting his head, and glanced around the spacious room. Bailey became concerned that he was checking out what she had in the store to figure out what he could steal. With it being Sunday, the usually busy area was deserted so there wasn’t much chance someone might happen to see something.
Why’d he have to be a criminal? Just my luck the first man to pique my interest in a long time would be a crook.
Tall, Sexy and Handsome returned his attention to her and his observation made Bailey’s breath catch and her heart race.
USA TODAY BESTSELLING AUTHOR
McKenna Jeffries has loved the written word from time she picked up her first book. Soon she was creating tales of love and family.
Although McKenna used to make up stories she never thought to put them on paper until…she realised the stories would keep filling her head until they were written. Since then she's been writing and sharing her books.
There is always some new story floating around her head. An itchy feeling in her fingers fills her until she can get a piece of paper to write it down.
She writes because it's a love affair. Writing is in her blood and she enjoys taking readers on a journey.
Reviewed by BTSe Magazine
Bailey and Garrick definitely had their steamy moments and they really did make quite the couple. It was a quick read and if you get the chance, pick up a copy. You'll like it a lot.
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Reviewed by Literary Nymphs Reviews
I was shocked by the couple’s first meeting. It left me giggling and rereading it again for a smile. Theirs is the kind of story so off-the-wall wonderful that their grandchildren will be...
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McKenna Jeffries - Beyond Black and White feature
When I sit down to write, race usually isn’t a factor in my story. The story and the characters are prominent in my mind. It’s about the love between two people and race has no place in that. For me, it’s about the complexities of two people finding each other and then realizing that they want so much more. That their personalities, needs, and desires may align with each other. To others it may seem they are in no way a match, but they see in each other the other part of their whole.
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McKenna Jeffries - ARe Magazine
Family Dynamics
Family is such an intricate relationship. There are families by birth as well as those by choice. I’ve written many books on both. With my mind once again turned to families—more specifically the dynamics of them. Here is a definition of family and my own.
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