#BookBlitz || Can't Stop Lovin' You by Lynnette Austin

Hey y'all! Welcome to the book blitz for Lynnette Austin's CAN'T STOP LOVIN' YOU. Today we'll see just what the book's about, feature an excerpt from the novel, and IF YOU'RE A LUCKY DUCK you'll win the giveaway!

Feel free to tweet Austin or leave a comment for her here.

Dystopian Dream Treehouse {Scavenger Hunt + #Giveaway} || Survivor Week

HEY FRIENDS AND NEWCOMERS AND LOVERS OF ALL THINGS BOOKISH. WELCOME TO MY HOME AWAY FROM HOME.

Release Day Blitz + #Giveaway || The Playboy Bachelor by Rachel Van Dyken

“I’m writing a kissing scene!” she blurted, mentally kicking herself for screaming it in his face. “And the guy’s a complete jackass. Since my only experience with jackasses is you…” Her voice was shaky, just like her body. Could he tell how much she wanted him? How much she hated that her response was this—raw. “I-I figured you were the only one who could show me what it’s like.” Good one, Margot. Do you really have to sound so…desperate?

#Giveaway {INTL} Follower Appreciation/ Y'all Rock

GIVEAWAY OVER || WINNER DRAWN


HEY Y'ALL.

Have I mentioned how much I actually adore you lately? Each and every one of you. To pieces. Seriously.

Excerpt: See Me by Nicholas Sparks {Giveaway- 2 Winners)

Buy it now! Barnes and Nobel 

See me just as I see you . . .

Colin Hancock is giving his second chance his best shot. With a history of violence and bad decisions behind him and the threat of prison dogging his every step, he's determined to walk a straight line. To Colin, that means applying himself single-mindedly toward his teaching degree and avoiding everything that proved destructive in his earlier life. Reminding himself daily of his hard-earned lessons, the last thing he is looking for is a serious relationship.

Maria Sanchez, the hardworking daughter of Mexican immigrants, is the picture of conventional success. With a degree from Duke Law School and a job at a prestigious firm in Wilmington, she is a dark-haired beauty with a seemingly flawless professional track record. And yet Maria has a traumatic history of her own, one that compelled her to return to her hometown and left her questioning so much of what she once believed.

A chance encounter on a rain-swept road will alter the course of both Colin and Maria's lives, challenging deeply held assumptions about each other and ultimately, themselves. As love unexpectedly takes hold between them, they dare to envision what a future together could possibly look like . . . until menacing reminders of events in Maria's past begin to surface.

As a series of threatening incidents wreaks chaos in Maria's life, Maria and Colin will be tested in increasingly terrifying ways. Will demons from their past destroy the tenuous relationship they've begun to build, or will their love protect them, even in the darkest hour?

I'm checking all the entries! So please actually do what you say you're doing.
This ends OCTOBER 30 at midnight.
Reply to the email with in 48 hours or a new winner will be chosen.
This giveaway is fulfilled by Grand Central Publishing. 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Colin was leaning against the side of his car as she pulled in behind him, and when he waved, all she could do was stare. He wore a gray T‑shirt that clung from his sculpted shoulders all the way down to his narrow waist. The sleeves could barely contain his well-​defined arms, and even from a distance, the deep blue-​gray color of his eyes was visible, set off by his sharp cheekbones.

As improbable as it seemed, her first thought was that he was getting more handsome by the day. When he pushed away from the car and smiled, she felt something jump inside her while a little voice whispered, If I’m not careful, I could get in serious trouble with this guy.

Forcing the thought away, she waved from inside the car, then took a deep breath as she shut the engine down. When she opened the door, the heat assailed her almost immediately. Thankfully, the humidity was minimal and a slight breeze stirred the air, making it a bit more bearable.

“Hey there,” she called out. “You’re right on time.”

She saw that he had brought a backpack, a small cooler, and a pair of towels. He leaned over, picking up the backpack and flinging it over his shoulder. “I got here early,” he said. “I wasn’t sure that I was parking in the right place. There aren’t any other cars around.”

“It’s always quieter on the tip of the island,” she said. “People don’t like to feed the meters, which is good, since it means we don’t have so far to walk.” She shaded her eyes. “How did sparring go?”

“It was a little more intense than usual, but no bruising or broken noses.”

“I can tell,” she said with a smile. “How about the other guys? You didn’t hurt them, did you?”

“They’re fine.” He squinted into the glare. “Your turn. How was brunch with your family?”

“No broken noses or bruising, either,” she teased, and when she heard him laugh, she tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, reminding herself not to get too carried away. “On a more serious note, though, I should probably warn you that I told Serena we were going out on the water today. In case she hunts you down after class and asks you for lots of personal details.”

“Will she do that?”

For sure, Maria thought. “Probably.”

“Why doesn’t she ask you?”

“I’m sure she’ll be calling me later. She considers it her duty to be heavily involved in my personal life.”

“Okay.” He grinned. “You look beautiful, by the way.”

She felt a flash of heat in her cheeks. “Thank you,” she said. Then, trying to keep things light, she added, “You ready for today?”

“I can’t wait.”

With over 100 million copies of his books sold, Nicholas Sparks is one of the world's most beloved storytellers. His novels include 12 #1 New York Times bestsellers. All his books have been New York Times and international bestsellers, and were translated into more than 50 languages. Ten Sparks novels have been adapted into major motion pictures, with The Choice coming in February 2016.
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Day 6 Self-Worth Week: Jackie W + #Giveaway

I just want to say thank you for being here, and reading the posts, and spreading the love. In this post, there's a giveaway from a super sweet author who contacted me on twitter about helping out with Self Worth Week. She's giving away two eBooks.

S. Usher Evans is giving away one copy of her book DOUBLE LIFE and one copy of her other book EMPATH. Both are ecopies. To enter just say something nice in the comments with your emails address.

SO. SELF WORTH WEEK. I'll start you off with my playlist that I think sums up my week. I love all these songs. I hope you love them too.

There are so many things I could say right now to everyone who needs a little pick me up, but I don't think any of those words can really say it all. Does that make sense? I wish I could tell you that as we get older, words get softer and bones get sharper and hugs get tighter. And maybe they do. I'm not able to say any of that yet. I know that I hope all that is true. 

I think what really happens is whatever we're meant to become, we have the strength to become it. I think that maybe we grow shields made out of all the things and people we love that keep the harsh words from penetrating too deep. 

We sort of become modern-day, kick-ass warriors of words and wielders of weapons like swords made from all that ways we love ourselves and armor made from all the beautiful pieces that make us who we are. And we're all pretty dang magnificent. I mean, it's a proven thing that smiling has the power to actually help us be happy. The endorphins and serotonin and dopamine all send happy signals into our system. It's like a natural feel-good-inator. 

I MEAN, Y'ALL. Dancing makes us happy. I can't dance, but I love to. I like the way I feel when I'm moving, even if it's just to a beat that only I can hear. The radio in my head that's on replay of the last song I heard.

*hums some really obscure music*

ANYWAYS.

I just want to say hi. You're a nice human. You have a great face. You're personality is awesome. And you are so very worth it.

Remember to say hi and comment with your email address so you enter the giveaway!

Day 4 Self-Worth Week: Kelly Oram + International #Giveaway

Can you believe this this fantastic week is nearing it's end? It honestly makes me a little weepy to think about. I would just like to thank Kelly for contributing for the week, and doing a FANTASTIC giveaway. I mean, it's international, y'all. And we all know how much I adore her books. Cinder and Ella is the one from her writing I've most recently read, but THE AVERY SHAW EXPERIMENT  is awesome. So is V IS FOR VIRGIN, UNGIFTED and pretty much all the other books she has written as well.


On to the guest post + giveaway! To enter the INTERNATIONAL giveaway, leave a comment on the post for Kelly to read about YOUR struggle and what you do (or want to do, try to do) to overcome it. Fight against it. The winner will get their choice of one of Kelly's fantastic books. The giveaway ends SEPTEMBER 30, 2015 at 11:59 PM + LEAVE your email so I can contact you!)

Hey everyone! I’m happy to be here today, and be part of self worth week. I love that Jackie wanted to do something to address this topic, and I’m honored that she thought of me. I’m a little passionate about this issue, so I’ll try to contain myself and not to ramble too much.

The topic of self worth is one that is very personal for me. Loving yourself is one of the most important things a person can do, and also one of the hardest. I have struggled with my own insecurities to the point where they literally ruled my life. I almost destroyed myself because I hated who I was.

It took me years to learn to love myself, and once I finally gained a little bit of self worth, my entire life changed so much. It’s like I was finally free to live my life and enjoy it. I am a better person now for having learned to accept my flaws and love myself despite them. I think that’s why the idea of believing in yourself is so important to me, and why it tends to be a recurring theme in all of my books.

From tomboy Ellie Westley and her socially inept Seth Bishop, to Virgin Val, to the physically scarred Ella Rodriguez, all the way to my favorite warlock Russ Devereaux, I think nearly every single one of my characters in my books has struggled with who they are, and has had to work to overcome their insecurities. I believe that’s what gives them their strength. As readers, we say we love strong characters. Well guess what guys, it’s the same in real life. We all have flaws, and it’s those imperfections that make us strong. We grow when we have to work to overcome our flaws. When we persevere despite our imperfections.

I’m going to get a bit personal with you now. Take what you will from my experiences. All my life I have struggled with mental illness. I have both Bi-Polar disorder and a severe social anxiety disorder. I’ve suffered from depression my entire life, and have been suicidal a handful of times. When I was nineteen, it got so bad that I had a complete psychotic break and had to go through a rehabilitation program.

Being suicidal, hearing voices, nearly flunking out of college, being unable to live on my own, and being mentally unstable aren’t things I’m proud of. For years I was ashamed of it. I hated myself because I wasn’t like other people. I thought I was crazy. I thought I was a freak. I thought I was a failure. I couldn’t handle things the way everyone else could. Everything seemed too hard. Was too big of a deal. Even the simplest things that should have been easy felt impossible.

I was bullied a lot growing up because I was a total tomboy and too shy to make friends. In grade school, before my parents knew what my problems were, my social anxiety made it impossible for me to act like the other kids in my classes at school. I couldn’t talk to people, couldn’t answer questions when I was called on by the teacher. I wouldn’t play with kids at recess. It made me an easy target for teasing, and I was picked on mercilessly. I was teased. I was beat up. I was never called by my name—only a handful of nicknames the entire school used. I was as young as seven years old, and that treatment continued for years.

Eventually my family moved and I went to a new school where no one knew me, and I got medication for my social anxiety. It helped, but the damage the bullies had done to my self-confidence was already done. Then my depression problems and mental illness started to manifest in high school. My lack of self worth became crippling. I stopped caring. I stopped trying. I became suicidal. And then, when I was forced to get help, I didn’t see the point in trying to make myself better. I didn’t think I deserved to feel better. I didn’t think I was worth the effort.

I was wrong.

It took me years, a lot of hard work, a lot of counseling and medication, and a lot of love and support from friends and family, but eventually I crawled out of the dark and started to fight back. I learned the importance of believing in myself. I learned that I am worth saving. That I am a person who deserves happiness. And most importantly, I learned that even though I’m flawed, I am still a great person, and I am capable of having a wonderful life.

Am I still mentally ill? Yes. Will I struggle with depression and anxiety my entire life? Yes. And now that I’ve had four children and have hit my early thirties metabolism slow-down I get the added bonus of struggling with my weight. (woohoo.) But am I happy? Very much so. Because I have learned to look at my flaws as my strengths, and I’ve learned to focus on the good qualities I have.

My life is hard. It’s a constant struggle. An endless battle that most people don’t have to deal with. Bi-polar disorder is an incurable disease. I will always struggle with it. I used to think that made me a crazy freak. Now I realize I am an incredibly strong person because I don’t let it beat me. I fight back, and I will continue to fight back. I have to work hard just to maintain the kind of life that comes naturally to most people. I’m better for it. Not worse.

We all have something we’re struggling with. For me, it’s mental illness. For others it’s body image issues, or money struggles, or home living situations. There are endless things for people to be insecure about. Everyone has flaws. Flaws are a part of life. Embrace your flaws. Learn to appreciate them if not love them. They make you strong, and they make the good things in your life that much more worth it.

I didn’t think I had anything worth sharing. I didn’t think I was talented. I was a horrible student. I’m completely uncoordinated. I’m beyond inept artistically. And to top it off I can barely manage to get by in my day-to-day life. But in my struggles to overcome my flaws, I did a lot of soul searching and started to find things I am good at.

Now, I have a happy, successful, wonderful life filled with more blessings that I ever thought possible. I was told I shouldn’t have children because it might be too hard for me with my condition. I refused to take that. I was stronger than that. I have four amazing kids who are growing up beautifully that are daily proof of just how strong I am. I have an incredible husband who loves me and helps me when I struggle and makes me a better person than I ever have been. I have an amazing career that I love and that allows me to share a little of myself and my own struggles with the world. Every time I get an email from a fan who says my book touched them, or inspired them in some way, it puts me in tears. I’ve had a difficult path, but I’ve made the best of it and I love that my experiences can sometimes help others. That makes my struggles worth it. I’m worth it. And you are too.

Everyone has something that makes them special. Everyone has positive traits to make up for the bad ones. The hard part is focusing on the good instead of the bad. Like the amazingly optimistic Ryan Miller says in Being Jamie Baker says, “Life’s generally not so bad. Most people just choose to see the negative.”

It’s easy to see our flaws, but sometimes it takes serious effort to see our good side. It’s hard. But those good things are there. They exist. Search within yourself and figure out what makes you worth it. Maybe you’re patient. Maybe you’re a great friend. Maybe you are just so stubborn you refuse to quit. Whatever it is, you have self worth. Everyone does. Find yours and hang on to it for dear life. Figure out who you are and be true to yourself. Love yourself. That will be the single most important thing you ever do. I can’t stress that enough. Which is most likely the reason I always bring it up in my books lol.

My next release, The Libby Garrett Intervention is all about learning to love yourself. Libby Garrett (who you may know from The Avery Shaw Experiment) struggles with self-esteem. She’s overweight, and a social outcast. She’s a nerd. The book is about how her insecurity rules her life and how she manages to overcome it. I love the book. It’s more personal for me than most people will ever realize. I’m very excited to get it out there to the world, and I hope that people will not only enjoy the story, but take the underlying message to heart. I hope you all will take the time to read it. It comes out October 24^th, and is available for pre-order now on Amazon, B&N, Kobo, and iBooks. (hint, hint, wink, wink…) (JACKIE: REMEMBER WHEN I SAID EVERYTHING SHE WRITES YOU SHOULD READ? REAAAD IT)

I’d love to do a giveaway today in honor of self worth week. I’ll give a signed copy of any one of my books (your choice) to one lucky reader. It helps us to hear that we’re not alone, and to see that others struggle with the same things we do, so to enter the giveaway, comment on this blog post and share something that you struggle with and what you do to try to fight back against it. Show me your strength! I know you have it!

Thanks for letting me get all personal and preachy on you today. I truly am passionate about this and hope that you got something out of my story. Best of luck everyone in this life journey, and remember to love yourself!

Find Kelly on her website. It really is such a lovely little place. 

(JACKIE: Hey guys! The giveaway ends at the end of the month: September 30, 2015 at 11:59 PM CST. PLEEEASE leave your email so I can contact you that you have won. Don't you want to see that in your inbox?) 

Finding You {Release Day Launch} #Giveaway

If Grace Johnson knew one thing at all, it was that all men were dirtbags.

All men … except Noah Bennet.

“I was lost in his eyes. Lost in his tears. My goal was to pull him out of the darkness … even if it dragged me in as well.”

If Noah Bennet knew one thing at all, it was he needed Grace Johnson.

Needed her … desperately.

“My pain was pulling me under … she was my only saving grace.”

Grace is willing to put everything on the line to help bring back the man she is hopelessly in love with. Even if it costs her the future she’s been longing for.

“If finding you means losing a part of me … I’ll do it.”

Amazon  //  Goodreads

EXCERPT

I wasn’t done setting up. “Shit! I still need to finish getting everything ready.” Rushing into the house, I made my way to the backyard, where I saw everything had already been set up. Looking to my left, I saw Will with two older guys. One looked familiar.
Very familiar.
Oh shit.
It’s Grace’s dad.
I’m so fucking dead right now.
The other guy walked up to me and smiled. “Hey, assmole. You want to date my Grace?”
Assmole? His Grace?
Looking back at Will, he stood there smiling.
Turning back to the guy standing in front of me, I asked, “Ah … I’m sorry. Your Grace?”
Nodding his head, he said again, “That’s right, assmole. Grace is my niece. Jeff said you’re not allowed to have my Grace.”
Turning to Will, I asked in a hushed tone, “Assmole? Did he call me … assmole?”
“Daddy? Uncle Matt? What are you doing here?”
Spinning around, I saw Grace standing there with a smile on her face. She glanced to the picnic and then to the flowers in my hand as her face lit up bright, I couldn’t help but smile back as she gazed into my eyes and whispered, “Noah, did you do this?”
 “I wanted to surprise you.”
Grace went to talk when her Uncle Matt tapped me on the shoulder. “You like Grace? You want to kiss Grace?”
Grace giggled and looked at Matt. “Oh, Uncle Matt. I missed you!”
Matt smiled. “Can I hug you, Grace?”
Nodding, Grace held open her arms as Matt quickly walked into them and gave her a hard but fast hug. Turning to me, he asked, “Assmole, can I hug you?”
“Um, sure?” I said as I looked around at everyone staring at me. Grace and Will wore smiles, but Jeff looked at me like he wanted to take my head off.
Matt walked up and hugged the hell out of me. He was fucking strong and I was not expecting him to squeeze me so tight. Stepping back, Matt laughed, then turned to Jeff. “Why do you want to hurt him, Jeff? He’s nice.”

Copyright 2015 Finding You Kelly Elliott

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Kelly Elliott is married to a wonderful Texas cowboy who has a knack for making her laugh almost daily and supports her crazy ideas and dreams for some unknown reason...he claims it's because he loves her!

She’s also a mom to an amazing daughter who is constantly asking for something to eat while her fingers move like mad on her cell phone sending out what is sure to be another very important text message.

In her spare time she loves to sit in her small corner overlooking the Texas hill country and write.

One of her favorite things to do is go for hikes around her property with Gus....her chocolate lab and the other man in her life, and Rose, her golden retriever. When Kelly is not outside helping the hubby haul brush, move rocks or whatever fun chore he has in store for her that day, you’ll find her inside reading, writing or watching HGTV.

FACEBOOK      TWITTER       WEBSITE     GOODREADS   AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE

Blog Tour: Top 5 Places to Get Married (or be told you still are) with Marina Adair

Welcome one and all! Welcome to the lovely blog tour for A TASTE OF SUGAR by Marina Adair. There's a giveaway, an excerpt, a top five awesome wedding places and it'll be lovely. 

A TASTE OF SUGAR by Marina Adair (August 25, 2015; Forever Mass Market; Sugar, Georgia #3)
A blast from her past…
Charlotte Holden, Sugar’s favorite pediatrician, knows better than anyone that love only leads to heartbreak. Instead, she’s focused on creating the Grow Clinic, an outpatient center for children. All she has to do now is to host the best Founder’s Day Parade in the history of Sugar, Georgia, to win over a big-city donor. Easy as peach pie. Then sexy Jace McGraw blows back into town and utters those three words every woman dreads: we’re still married.

…leads to tantalizing trouble
Jace McGraw was making an offer on his dream business in Atlanta when he was told that his wife had some credit issues. Wait, his wife? The annulment went through years ago—or so he thought.  He’d walked away only to keep his troublemaker reputation from ruining her dreams. But now that they have a second chance, Jace offers Charlotte a deal: he’ll grant a discreet divorce in exchange for 30 days and nights of marriage. Because this time he isn’t going to let her go without a fight.

Marina Adair is a lifelong fan of romance novels. Along with the Sugar series, she is also the author of the St. Helena Vineyard series and the upcoming Shelter Cove series. She currently lives in a hundred-year-old log cabin, nestled in the majestic redwoods of the Santa Cruz Mountains, with her husband and daughter. As a writer, Marina is devoted to giving her readers contemporary romance where the towns are small, the personalities large, and the romance explosive. She also loves to interact with readers and you can catch her on Twitter at @MarinaEAdair or visit her at www.MarinaAdair.com.

Website // Facebook // Twitter // Goodreads

Top five places to get married (or be told you still are!)

5~Big Daddy’s Antiques in San Francisco. I was walking by one day and noticed a couple sitting in the window dressed as if a part of the display. Only they were in wedding attire. As it turned out, it was their wedding. I found out that this big, historic building with a bazillion windows is one of the top “antique” wedding spots in the city. 

4~Nesldown in the Santa Cruz Mountains. Surrounded by redwoods and beautifully landscaped gardens, this place has it all. Including Snow White’s house. Yes, they have a replica of Disney’s favorite house that sits at the head of the train that runs through the property. They also have several ponds, gardens, orchards, and a beautiful barn for dancing. Romantic, whimsical, and one of the prettiest weddings I have gone to.

3~ The Napa Valley has to be one of the most beautiful places I have ever lived. Surrounded by miles of rolling vineyards, oak trees, and a breath-taking landscape that speaks to its history, wine country is made for romance. You can get married on the wine train, on a vineyard, or even in a wine cellar that is carved into the hillsides.  

2~ Union Station in the middle of a flash mob!

1~ An old fashion southern barn. Down home or dressed up, it doesn’t get more romantic than saying “I do” in a barn. 

E X C E R P T 

“You can’t work here,” she said, angry that he hadn’t called to warn her he was coming home. He at least owed her that.

“Can and do.” He grabbed a rag off the hood of the car and wiped off his hand, then stuck it out. “Jace McGraw, Sugar’s newest resident mechanic.”

She swatted his hand away. “Since when?” Because Jace didn’t do home visits. And he didn’t stick around one place long enough to be a resident of anywhere.

“Since today.” He cupped the bill of his hat and pulled it lower on his head. “Let me guess, you’re here as the official Sugar welcoming committee. Where’s my pie?”

“What pie?”

“Pie? Something in a covered dish? You know, all those neighborly things people are supposed to do when someone comes to town.” He looked at her empty hands and then without a word his eyes dropped to her skirt and there went the other dimple—and her good parts. “Unless there’s something I can do for you, Charlie?”

The way he said her name in that low, husky timbre, almost whispering it while flattening the vowels, reminded her of a different time, a time when she naively thought he’d meant it. But she wasn’t that wide-eyed woman anymore. She knew what he was offering, and what he wasn’t capable of giving.

After all, once upon a time she’d been married to him. Yup, Charlotte Holden had fallen in love with and married the town’s biggest bad boy. Not that anybody except the two of them knew, since it had ended as fast as it had begun. But those few weeks as Mrs. Jace McGraw had been the most amazing of her life—and what had followed had nearly broken her.

“Yes,” she said. “You need to leave.” Because wasn’t that what he did best?

The briefest frown flashed across his face, and he grabbed some kind of wrench doohickey and busied himself with tinkering under the hood. “Wish I could, but it seems like my services are needed in Sugar for a bit.”

Charlotte didn’t know what hurt more, that he wanted to leave as much as she wanted him gone—which was ridiculous since him being here, during the most important time in her career, was a disaster waiting to happen—or that, after all the time she’d spent praying he’d come back to Sugar, he finally had. Only it wasn’t for her.

“That doesn’t work for me,” she said.

“Well, this isn’t about you. Now is it?” He wasn’t even looking at her but tightening some bolt inside the engine. 

Which was a good thing since she was pretty sure her eyes went glassy at his comment, because at one time he’d made her believe that everything he did was for her. Including walking away from their marriage. 

“I need to go. So if you could just point me in the direction of my keys.”

 “See here?” Jace walked over to her car and squatted down. She did her best not to notice the way his jeans cupped his backside—tried and failed. He filled out a pair of Levi’s like nobody’s business. “Teeth marks. Looks like you got yourself a raccoon or possum problem.” 

Seems she had lots of pest problems these days. “So can you just throw some new tires on it and I can be gone?”

“You don’t need new tires, what you need are new valve stems.” And wasn’t that just like a man, telling her what she needed. “Which for your sporty, two-door tiara on wheels is a special order. Imagine that.”

“So what you’re telling me is that I’m stuck here? With you. And my car won’t be ready until—”

“Best-case scenario, end of the week.”

She let out a completely undignified huff and resisted the urge to stomp her feet. She’d begged the universe for a way out of dinner, and apparently whoever was in charge of granting wishes had chosen today to listen.

She looked at her phone, considered calling Ben, and then realized she could only handle one man from her past at a time. Plus, he was on a date with the new nurse from radiology, which meant Charlotte was stranded. Something that must have shown on her face because Jace set the tool down and stepped closer—so close he was all up in her personal space, which did crazy things to her emotional space.

“I can take you home.” He looked at her buttons and back into her eyes. “Or I can take you across the street to the Saddle Rack and buy you a drink.”

Then he did something he hadn’t done in over four years, he cupped his palms around her hips and drew her to him, and damn it if she didn’t shuffle closer.

“Why would I let you buy me a drink?” she asked quietly, although her brain kicked off a hundred and one reasons on its own. The first being that was how their relationship had started.

Charlotte had been a stressed-out resident in Atlanta, lonely and so homesick it hurt, when she’d walked into a bar and seen Jace. He flashed her that bad-boy smile, bought her a drink, then another, and before she knew it he had sweet-talked her into his bed, then down to the Justice of the Peace.

“Because I think you could use a shot of something strong right now,” he said. “And we need to talk.”

“You lost the right to tell me what I need a long time ago. As for that talk you want, you’re about four years too late.”

“Not according to the great state of Georgia,” he said, and her stomach dropped. “Since legally we’re still married.”