MORE THAN MEETS THE INK
Series: Bowen #1
Wickedly sexy James Bowen is a bad boy of the highest order -- tattoos and attitude included -- which unfortunately ranks way up on Tate's not-a-chance-in-hell list, right there along with skydiving naked over Teheran and juggling Ebola vials just for kicks. But what the heck, she's on holiday, the guy is absolutely irresistible, and she needs to unplug from her life. With her dad and brother gone, Tate is left to deal with the family restaurant, which is fast going down the drain. Her employees are acting out, her boyfriend has bailed out, and her very own private stalker is emailing her to death with lovely threats of doom, fire, and dismemberment. So yeah, maybe a little holiday fling is in order. Strictly sex though, and no follow-up whatsoever once home.
She hadn't counted on her take-charge holiday fling having an opinion of his own and stubbornly sticking around, before and after the sex, making himself at home in her life. There is definitely more to James than meets her prejudiced eye, and even if she's not ready to look deeper, James isn't prepared to permit her not to.
HEAVY ISSUES
Series: Bowen #2
Steering clear of relationships has never been difficult for demolitions expert Cole Bowen, but now, with his brother's engagement sending the female population into full-blown hysterics and the town of Alden's month-long festivities helping along, he finds himself in hell. When he discovers Alden's new resident and the object of all his wet dreams, Christine Sheridan, has sworn off relationships and is going to hire a gigolo to get professionally laid, he decides to kill two birds with one stone.
Christy is so not drinking again. Thanks to José Cuervo she has her friends signing her up for stud conventions and Cole frigging Bowen offering sex in exchange of fake dates, which is so out of the question it isn't even funny. She knows the domineering man will push her boundaries, and after battling all her life with self-esteem issues, she isn't ready for that. Too bad he won't take no for an answer.
Cole is determined to strip away all of her defenses but refuses to lower his ever-present walls, so when Christy realizes she wants more, she's left with only two options; walk away or crack his shield and risk her heart in the process.
INKED EVER AFTER
Series: Bowen #2.5
Tattooed bad boy James Bowen is about to marry the love of his life. Everything would be perfect if it wasn't for the tiny detail that his bride-to-be is freaking out big time. And trying to hide it from him.
Tate Cooper is losing it. She loves James with all her heart and wants to be married to him; it's the getting married that's killing her. Still grieving the loss of her father and brother,and totally overwhelmed by the wedding arrangements, she's in full emotional meltdown. But James deserves a happy bride, not a high-maintenance, sorrow-filled, guilt-stricken one, and, by God, she's going to give him that, even if she has to paste on a smile and fake it till she makes it.
James doesn't know whether to be amused or pissed. He understands she's running scared, but there is no way in hell he's going to allow this to continue; he's going to push her to confront her fears until she happily embraces their ever after.
TO THE MAX
Series: Bowen #3
Forensic accountant Annie Griffin has always suspected she's a bit jinxed, so when she finds herself 35, single, temporarily homeless, and pregnant by a gigolo, her fears are confirmed.
Adrenaline junkie and professional stuntman Max Bowen needs a house-sitter to watch after his pets while he's out of town. Annie needs a place to stay. Standard quid pro quo. No biggie. She can handle that, whatever hellhounds he owns--until Max, the most sought-after bachelor in the county, comes back ahead of schedule and she ends up being roommates with a 27-year old sex god who turns out to be so much more than what she expected.
Max might have had the attention span of a humming bird on crack when it comes to women, but that was before Annie. Her quirkiness and sweet contradictions soon captivate him, not that she's inclined to give him the time of the day. With his reputation preceding him, he knows the odds are stacked against him, but he will do his best to prove her that he's what she needs, stuck-up socialite grandmothers, doomsday preppers, groupies, pregnancy hormones, and repentant biological dads be damned.
~ BONUS SCENE of To The Max! ~
This scene is NOT in the book!
Best
way to spend Valentine's? Seven and a half months pregnant, on a Florida beach,
looking like a whale among sirens, with your feet so swollen they seemed
floating boats, and watching your sex God of a boyfriend being ogled and
salivated upon by ten-years-younger-than-you, skinny women.
Yep,
best way ever. Hands down.
Max
had had to travel to Florida
for work, and had insisted on Annie accompanying him. "Insisted" was
too mild a word. He'd totally taken over and made all the arrangements. She'd
been presented with a plane ticket and a "we're leaving tomorrow, pack
your swimsuit."
Her
man was bossy.
She
would have wanted to object, but Boston
in February was no match for Florida .
The nice weather, the beach. Max kitesurfing, doing one of his stunts while being
filmed. Yummy.
Sadly,
she wasn't the only one that thought so. Apparently the whole of Florida 's female
population agreed with her.
When
the shooting was about done, Annie stood up from the sun lounger and tried
approaching. Several gorgeous groupies, fluffing out their hair, with bikinis
that left little to imagination, giggling and swaying their hips like there was
no tomorrow, rushed ahead, leaving her in the dust.
Well,
what did she expect? Max was gorgeous with that sexy short Mohawk of his all mussed
and his trimmed beard. Tanned. All wet from the sea, his muscles bulging and
glistening, his dark blond hair bleached by the sun. And that permanent roguish
smirk on his face, like he was flirting with life. She'd bet any-frigging-thing
all the women on the beach had their girlie parts tingling, just from looking
at him.
After
wrapping things up, Max turned around and moved toward Annie, smiling. The
women in front of her were already breathless, waving at him. He passed the
groupies without a second look and went straight to her, taking her in his arms
and kissing the living wits out of her.
"One
zero for the whale," she whispered when he let her up for breath.
"What?"
he asked, totally oblivious to the way the groupies glared and pouted.
"You
missed a turn. Your fans there thought you were walking to them."
He
snorted. "Don't give a fuck what they thought. I want you. Only you. Haven't
you realized it yet?"
Yes,
she had. The first day of the shooting, Annie would had preferred to stay
behind, intimidated as she was with all the gorgeousness around, but he hadn't
allowed it; he'd kept her by his side, his arm wrapped around her shoulders.
Kissing her and being sweet in front of God and everyone.
Lots
of jaws had dropped.
"You
done?" she whispered to him.
Max
nodded. "I'm all yours now."
All
hers. She loved the sound of that.
"So
now what?"
"Now
we get ready to celebrate Valentine's," he stated.
"Are
we celebrating it at the hotel?"
"Nope."
"Where
then?"
"You'll
see."
Damn,
he'd been so close-lipped about the whole thing. Their kick-ass, top-of-the-line
hotel had been fully paid for until the next morning. And by the looks of it,
they were pulling out all the stops preparing for the event.
"I
need to know what to dress for," she insisted. "Beach picnic? Amusement
park? Fancy restaurant? Naked date in the Jacuzzi?" It could be anything,
considering who her Valentine was.
He
brushed his lips with hers. "Dress how you want, Ace. You'll be stunning
anyway and everybody will think I'm the luckiest bastard alive for being
allowed to walk by your side. I'm holding you to the naked part for later,
though," he added with a wink. "Now let's get going. We're expected
soon."
Annie
was relieved when she noticed Max had on jeans and a T-shirt. If he would had
broken out the tuxedo, she would have been in trouble, seeing as the only
outfits she'd packed were maternity swimsuits and flowy summer dresses.
Once
ready, he clasped her hand in his and walked her to the car. At her inquiring
look, he just said, "Trust me. It'll be memorable."
She
had no doubt about it. So far, everything with Max had been.
They
drove for over an hour. When he parked the car, she looked at her surroundings
and broke into laughter. "The Eternal Sun resort?"
He
nodded. "I promised you memorable, love. This is the place to have it, surrounded
by couples averaging fifty years of marriage."
She'd
heard so much about this place she was giddy with excitement. And a bit
terrified, because there was a crowd at the entrance, already waving at them.
She
turned to him. "Are they waiting for us?"
He
waved back. "Yep. They are all very excited to meet you. We have a busy
schedule, I hear. Bingo. Then romantic dinner. Then dancing under the stars and
poker for the two-left-feet ones."
They
had barely made it out of the car when those senior ladies were hugging and smooching
them. Congratulating them on the baby and treating her as if they'd known her
for freaking ever.
Bingo
was a blast, not to mention the outrageous way those seniors tried to cheat. Dinner
too. The common area had been transformed into a very romantic outdoors
restaurant, with candles and roses and tables for two, but those seniors didn't
believe in privacy, and before they made it to the second course, most tables
had been pushed together, and Annie and Max were eating with a loud bunch who,
in spite of their nosiness, were adorable.
Annie'd
heard the Bowen brothers were very well liked at the Eternal Sun, but she had
no clue how much.
Everybody
there knew him and treated him like he was part of the family. And Max was so
at ease with them too.
By
desert Annie's side hurt from laughing so hard. Apparently fifty years of
marriage gave for a lot of Valentine's anecdotes, all of them hilarious.
"I've
had all sorts of Valentine's dates, from the totally awesome to the totally
horrendous," Annie whispered into Max's crook after dinner, as they danced.
"Nothing compared to this. This is off the charts."
"Off-the-charts
horrendous or off-the-charts awesome?" he asked, spinning her around to
the slow music.
She
laughed. "Awesome, of course."
"I'm
glad you're pleased."
Pleased?
They were in the Eternal Sun resort on the dance floor, surrounded by couples
who had been together for more than half a century, yet they were still holding
hands. Cooing at each other. Laughing at each others' jokes.
"They loved you," Max
continued. "I got the third degree for not bringing you here until
now."
"You got the third degree?
Because I did too."
A frown marred his beautiful face.
"What do you mean?"
"I was asked what were my
intentions toward you." Several times, actually, during bingo and dinner. "Everybody
loves you here." They'd been singing Max's praises all night long. And
warning her about hurting him.
Max laughed. "And what are your
intentions?"
"Well, I told them I plan to use
you as a sex toy and then dump you to the curb," she joked.
His amused snort was loud and clear.
"You can use me as a sex toy all you want, no objections whatsoever. You
know my cock will always be hard for you, but you won't dump me to the curb, I
won't let you."
The intensity in his words and his
erection pressing against her abraded her senses. Man, even in the middle of a
senior community he could turn her on, just by whispering into her ear.
They
danced until the wee hours and then, as promised, she ended up naked in the Jacuzzi.
Best
way to spend Valentine's Day? Or any other day of her life for that matter?
With Max. Hands down.
Elle Aycart
@AycartElle
