Born to Make You Smile by Annella Savo is now live!
He’s kind and charming and the only man to ever spark my desire. But I’m two decades younger than him…and his employee.
Being inexperienced with men at twenty-three shouldn’t be a big deal. I’ve just never been overly attracted to anyone, and I’ve been busy dealing with a mountain of debt since my mother died.
I refuse to lose the house she left me. Especially since my widowed neighbor and his daughters have become like my family. But my feelings for him are getting out of control.
Gavin Brinley. Kind, caring, handsome, and that English accent? I can’t keep from fantasizing about him. But I should. He’s forty-six. He knew me when I had pigtails. He’s my boss, and I need every cent of that paycheck.
But he’s the only man to ever kindle my sexual appetite, and I don’t know why.
Kissing him that first time is a really bad idea. Attending a work conference together is even worse. He’s teaching me about my hidden, wild desires, and I can’t believe the things we’re doing together.
We’re both ready to take a risk and go public, but he absolutely cannot find out about my secret night job, or the trust we’re building will be destroyed…
Download today or read for FREE with Kindle Unlimited!
Annella Savo is a Canadian author with a passion for writing romance stories that explore unconventional love, friendship, and family. She writes about honest characters who fight for what they want, against all odds. She was born and lives in Toronto, Ontario with her husband and three children.
In her spare time, you can find her with her family, listening to music, gardening, playing with her dog and enjoying some home cooking with a fine glass of wine.
A small-town, single dad, enemies-to-lovers standalone sports romance in the new series, The Single Dad Playbook, from USA Today Bestselling author Willow Aster.
He’s a quarterback, a single dad, and now he’s my roommate…
For a long time now, I’ve despised Weston Shaw. He’d been someone I’d admired, taking my favorite football team, the Colorado Mustangs, to the Super Bowl.
But that all turned upside down after one night that had nothing to do with me.
We share one undeniable connection: his son, Caleb.
Unfortunately, the circumstances behind that have never been my story to tell.
But now, the truth is out, and I’m left to deal with the consequences.
I’m living under the same roof as Weston, and each day, I discover a side of him I never expected.
He’s not the selfish jock I imagined. He’s caring, thoughtful, and unexpectedly charming.
I find myself drawn to him in ways I never thought possible. It’s terrifying and exhilarating, but I can’t deny it any longer…
I’m falling for the one person I shouldn’t…Weston Shaw.
Mad Love is book one in The Single Dad Playbook series. Each book can be read as a standalone.
Download today or read for FREE with Kindle Unlimited
Can distance and trust keep you and those you love safe in the world when the one you can’t resist is the danger? Dive into this suspenseful mafia romance, and discover what happens when you thought you were safe in the world only to come face to face with someone from your past. LUCKY STRIKE by Rochelle Allison is an emotional rollercoaster of romance, swoon, suspense, and passion that will keep you frantically flipping pages.
Blurb
Lucky
I left her once to keep her safe from my world, but now I need someone I can trust to watch my son.
Running with this syndicate, I’ve learned to keep my emotions in check. Compartmentalized. But when Bria walks back into my life, everything comes flooding back—every memory, every kiss. Having her so close to the dangers of my reality is selfish, but my kid comes first.
Keeping my distance is critical. It’s also impossible.
Bria
I never expected to come face to face with Lucky again. Not like this. But he’s a single dad now, offering me a job he knows I can’t refuse. I try to keep things professional, but it doesn’t take long for old feelings to resurface.
Resisting him is essential. It’s the one thing I’ve never been able to do.
I’m having a glass of water in the kitchen when Conlan breezes through the back door, eyeing me as he tosses aside his wallet and keys. I should’ve gone straight to my room, but a part of me—the tipsy part, probably—craves confrontation. His behavior outside the bar just now was embarrassing.
“Sawyer, huh?” he says by way of greeting, brushing by as he reaches into the fridge. “Guess his patience finally paid off.” I turn around, putting my glass into the sink. The microwave opens and closes, beeping as he jabs at it. “I almost feel bad for him.”
Leaning against the counter, I give him the attention he’s so obviously seeking. “What are you talking about?”
“You must know he still wants you.” He mirrors my stance, folding his arms as we stare at each other from across the room.
“So what?”
“You’re just gonna play with his emotions like that?” His eyes widen, mocking me. “Didn’t think you were the type.”
“You’d know all about that, huh?” Picking up my purse, I push away from the counter. “Good night.”
“Good night?” An indulgent little smile tugs at his mouth. The same one he gives Liam when he’s being naughty at bedtime. “You say something like that and then, good night?”
Ignoring him, I leave the kitchen. But he follows me down the hall and up the stairs, every footstep intensifying the jitters in my stomach. I turn abruptly at my bedroom door, feeling cornered. “What, Conlan?”
“Are you going to see him again?”
I stare at him, trying to figure out this sudden interest when he’s been nothing but aloof since the day he hired me. “Are you serious?”
He steps closer, stopping only when I hold up a hand. “Answer the question.”
“Yeah, I probably will see him again. He’s sweet, and we had fun tonight.”
“Sweet, huh?” Conlan’s voice drops, dangerous and low. “That’s what you’re into these days?”
“What I’m into is none of your business,” I say evenly. “And neither is what I do in my free time.”
“I’m making it my business.”
“You’ll need to issue an addendum to my contract, then,” I grit out.
“Maybe I will.”
“You haven’t expressed one iota of concern for me since I got here, so please don’t start now.”
“You think I don’t care?”
“You barely talk to me.” Turning, I grab the doorknob. “I know you don’t care.”
“What is there to talk about?” His fingers wrap around my arm, and he tugs so I’m facing him again.
“You said we were ancient history.
Remember?” The way he smells is so familiar to me, even with the cologne he wears these days. It tugs at my heart, threatening to open old wounds I’d thought were long healed.
“Right, so why are you acting like a jealous ex?”
It’s more than I meant to say, but now that I have, I don’t regret it.
“Because it’s easy for him,” he says. “In a way it’ll never be for me.” My breath catches. Is this how he really feels, deep down beneath that ice-cold veneer? “What do you mean?”
Conlan shakes his head. “It doesn’t matter.”
“Why are you being so cryptic, Conlan? Just talk to me!” My voice cracks, and I pause to get myself under control. “We used to talk about everything.”
“Not everything.”
I go still, staring at him, willing him to tell me. I’d thought that something happened in the years between, but maybe it was already happening way back then, when we were together.
“You’re right, though. We did talk. You knew me better than anybody, except maybe Tristan.
“Sometimes I miss that.” He touches his knuckles to my cheek. “Sometimes I miss you.”
My heart leaps at his words, but it sinks just as fast. I can’t allow myself to get tangled up in this.
“You’re drunk.”
“That doesn’t change how I feel.”
Swallowing, I look up at him. “You’ll regret this tomorrow.”
His hand falls away. “Maybe.”
Reaching back, I open the door and step into my room. My cheek tingles from his touch as I close the door. A second later, his footsteps pad quietly away. I should feel vindicated. Conlan hasn’t forgotten. He still feels things. But somehow, it makes me feel even worse.
Born and raised on the sunny beaches of the US Virgin Islands, Rochelle Allison has been living in her imagination since she was a little girl. Nowadays, Rochelle lives just outside of Atlanta with her one true love and their kids. When she’s not making up stories, she can be found reading, hiking, swimming, playing Wordle or taking pictures. She can almost always be found with a book…and chocolate.
Can distance and trust keep you and those you love safe in the world when the one you can’t resist is the danger? Dive into this suspenseful mafia romance, and discover what happens when you thought you were safe in the world only to come face to face with someone from your past. LUCKY STRIKE by Rochelle Allison is an emotional rollercoaster of romance, swoon, suspense, and passion that will keep you frantically flipping pages.
I left her once to keep her safe from my world, but now I need someone I can trust to watch my son.
Running with this syndicate, I’ve learned to keep my emotions in check. Compartmentalized. But when Bria walks back into my life, everything comes flooding back—every memory, every kiss. Having her so close to the dangers of my reality is selfish, but my kid comes first.
Keeping my distance is critical. It’s also impossible.
Bria
I never expected to come face to face with Lucky again. Not like this. But he’s a single dad now, offering me a job he knows I can’t refuse. I try to keep things professional, but it doesn’t take long for old feelings to resurface.
Resisting him is essential. It’s the one thing I’ve never been able to do.
After dinner I take a long shower in an effort to relax, to shut off my brain. In the past I’d take care of things myself or maybe text a hookup, but I don’t want just sex. I want Bria. I want the way she touches me, the way she looks at me. I’m fully aware that I’m taking advantage of her proximity, but after “what went down at the beach house, I’m pretty sure she wants me as much as I want her.
That’s what I tell myself, anyway, when I open her door again. Without a second thought, I sit beside her, touching her hair, the fullness of her cheek. The almost-full moon beams down through the skylights overhead, washing the room in a gauzy blue.
“Lucky?” She stirs after a moment, her voice thick with sleep.
“Hey.” I lean over to kiss her temple. “Just wanted to let you know I’m home. I put the bed hog back in his room.”
She smiles into her pillow, eyes closed. “He is a little bed hog.”
“You have a good day?”
“Mhm.”
“You miss me?”
Another smile. “A little.”
“I missed you,” I admit.
Rolling onto her side, Bria peels back the covers so I can slip beneath them. She’s warm and soft, and she smells like the lotion she puts on Liam after his bath. We look at each other for a moment, just breathing. “Is everything okay?” she asks eventually.
“I don’t know.”
She strokes my hair away from my face. “Tell me.”
“Every time I think I might be onto something, a new detail pops up and I realize I don’t know shit.” I pause, realizing I feel that way about a couple of things, not just what’s happening with the Bratva.
“I don’t know how my dad does this.”
“I’m sure it’s difficult for him, too.”
“Doesn’t seem like it.”
“He’s strong for you, like you’re strong for Liam.”
“You know you’re too good for me, right?” I roll Bria onto her back, hovering over her. “You’re too good for all of this.”
“Yeah, I’m a real saint,” she says, smirking.
“But I can’t let you go.” The truth of it sinks in, making me feel a little desperate. “I think about you all the time.”
“I think about you, too, Lucky,” she whispers, pulling me down.
I give in and kiss her, finally finding the comfort and distraction I need in the sweetness of her mouth. I love how she touches me, her hands slipping under my t-shirt, her fingertips running up and down my back. How she runs her fingers through my hair, holding me close as we kiss.
Pulling back, I drag her pajamas and her panties off, and slip my fingers between the soft, wet lips of her pussy. She arches up with a quiet moan, all sleepiness gone as she acquiesces to my touch.
Rubbing my thumb in circles over her clit, I drag my mouth to her throat, knowing how much she loves that. Sure enough, she gasps, her grip on me tightening. I suck on the tender spot beneath her ear, using my teeth, and seconds later she’s coming, riding my hand like she wishes it was something else.
Yanking down my sweatpants, I fit myself between her thighs. She tips up her hips and I slip inside, a tropical storm sucking me into its vortex.
We kiss, deep and wet, our mouths coalescing, a hungry clash of tongues and teeth. I bury my face in her neck, grinding into her, and she wraps her arms around me, barely letting me move, she’s so tight.
It’s too good. I’m too worked up, too close, and I pull out with a guttural groan, spilling all over her belly. A pinprick of guilt pierces the dreamy satisfaction settling over me, and I rise, wincing as I tuck myself back into my pants. “Don’t move,” I tell her, kissing her. Wetting a washcloth from her bathroom, I come back and wipe her off carefully. When I’m finished, I pull her panties back up and wrap myself around her. I want to tell her I love her. That I’d do anything for her. But if we go there, if we start making declarations and commitments, I’ll be even more distracted than I already am. There’s a reason I haven’t been in a real relationship since Liam’s mother died. Maybe that’s not fair, but I don’t have the emotional capacity right now. Too many people depend on me as it is.
“I don’t want to fuck this up,” I blurt into Bria’s hair.
About Rochelle Allison
Born and raised on the sunny beaches of the US Virgin Islands, Rochelle Allison has been living in her imagination since she was a little girl. Nowadays, Rochelle lives just outside of Atlanta with her one true love and their kids. When she’s not making up stories, she can be found reading, hiking, swimming, playing Wordle or taking pictures. She can almost always be found with a book…and chocolate.
Once Upon a Book Blog is aparticipant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.
onceuponabookblog.com 