Flirting With Disaster (18 page)

“
Liar.”

Brooke laughed because it was true. “Come
on. Let me face the firing squad so I can get the ribbing over
with.”

For the next thirty minutes she took ribbing
all with a smile, rubbernecking every now and again to see if Dane
had showed up for the event yet. He hadn't. Eventually she went to
help Peyton as she promised.

“
I need liquor, fast,” she
told her friend.

And because Peyton was smart, she already
had one ready. She handed it over and laughed. “I like your
shirt.”

“
Where's Tate?” she asked
to distract her friend.

“
I forgot to grab the mixer
and a few other things from The Grog. He went with Tate.” Peyton
paused. “No Dane wasn't with them.”

Her face reddened. “Am I that obvious?”

“
To me, because I know that
expression you're wearing. I have it when Tate has work out of
town.”

“
He's made me
soft.”

“
I have to disagree. You've
always been that way with me. So, you've just learned how to be
soft with him.”

Brooke couldn't argue with that. “You—” She
started to say but caught a glimpse of Dane.

Her heart went fluttery at the sight of him.
For the past six weeks they'd done their fair share of pouncing on
each other. She doubted that would ever change, not when she loved
the look of him rumpled by her hands, her mouth...They had also had
their fair share of disagreements, still learning how to navigate
their relationship, but there was no one else she'd ever want to
fight with, fight for.

He sidled up to the makeshift bar and leaned
on it. His hazel eyes darkened as they fixated on her chest, but
she knew it wasn't to see her physical reaction to him. “I love
your shirt,” he murmured.

She felt heat rush to her cheeks and her
heart started to thump. “Yeah?”

“
Yeah.”

The shirts Naomi had ordered in great supply
either had Team Brooke on it or Team Dane. She wore his shirt and
he'd worn hers.

She couldn't fight the smile anymore. “Yours
isn't half bad either. When did you get it?”

“
Miss Christopher came into
the bookstore earlier. Apparently Naomi wrangled her into selling
them today.”

Miss Christopher could talk someone's ear
off. They'd likely buy a shirt just to get her to leave them alone.
She snorted. “Oh, my friend is so smart.”

He shook his head. “How much shit did you
have to take for wearing your shirt?”

“
You're going to kiss me
for having it on. I have my priorities straight.”

“
I'm going to do more than
kiss you for wearing it, but first give me that mouth.”

Her knees went weak but before she could
lean across the counter to kiss him, feedback from a microphone
filled the square. The mayor, Peyton's father, stood on the steps
leading up to the town hall. He held up a hand to quiet down the
rambunctious crowd.

Dane turned back to her, grabbed the collar
of her shirt and pulled her to him. “Whoever wins doesn't
matter.”

She brushed her lips across his. “I know who
won.”

He frowned. “How?”

Fear wanted to curl in her stomach, but
Brooke ignored it like she should have a long time ago. They were
unfounded doubts and worries. Dane would never hurt her. “I got
you.”

He grunted in approval and kissed her hard.
More would come later, she knew. She sighed and fell into the kiss
as they announced Dane as the winner. No. It was her who had won
and no one could tell her anything else. She was stubborn, very
prickly, a bit unconventional...just Brooke. And Dane loved her
just as she was. Yeah, she'd won. Hands down.

BIO

In 2004, Sofia Harper began her writing
career as a romantic suspense author. A bit problematic because she
couldn't write anything mystery-like to save her life or even her
characters. On a whim, she penned a contemporary where there was no
dead body or explosions to save her from the dreadful middle slumps
of a book. It was only the characters and what they had to deal
with. She hasn't looked back since. She continues to write
contemporary romances, mainly under a different pen, filled with
sassy heroines and unlikely heroes. These stories are filled with
one-liners, but heartfelt and sexy.

Outside of writing, Harper works as a mail
clerk for the federal government, has a paralegal certificate (that
she has more use for as a dust pan) and is a mother of two
rambunctious children. She lives in California where the wine is
good and, despite popular belief, is not always sunny. Harper plans
to spend the rest of her days writing, raising her children and
drinking good wine. Occasionally she'll brush her hair and get
dressed, but that's optional.

Where to find me online:

Website:
http://sofiaharper.com

Blog:
http://
sofiaharper.blogspot.com/
‎

Facebook Author
Page:
https://www.facebook.com/sofiaharper.author
‎

If you want updates about a
new release you can always sign up for my
newsletter
.

Other Titles By Sofia Harper

Flirting With Trouble

All was right in Peyton Tanner's world until
trouble walked into her bar, the Grog Monster, and his name was
Tate Briggs.

For the past ten years Peyton's managed to
live her life scandal-free. A feat considering her father's the
mayor, in a very small town. Staying under the radar is a priority
when her every action is reported like the hottest news. And Peyton
knows how fast that grapevine can turn on her. So no matter how
delicious and forbidden Tate can be, she's not willing to turn her
world into gossip central again for lust.

Tate Briggs learned a long time ago to want
what you want and not apologize for it, and he wants Peyton. He can
understand her trepidation. Small towns are only kind to their
local sweethearts when she's agreeable and perfect, but at some
point Peyton's got to live for herself. But his patience is tested
when she insists their affair must remain a secret. It goes against
everything he believes in.

When their relationship becomes more than a
sexual affair, Peyton will have to decide between her beloved small
town or the man she loves.

Hot Knight In Paradise

Stranded in paradise with no way to
get home, Leah Smith needs a miracle, and fast. Instead, she gets
Marshall Jackson, surely the sexiest man alive. Too bad he's got an
emotional wall around himself--and her only hope of getting off the
island ... Marshall has a strict no damsels in distress policy, but
there's something about Leah that makes him want to break his own
rules. He agrees to let her work in his bar until she earns enough
to get home. But the more time they spend together, the harder it
is to deny the scorching attraction between them. Soon hot island
nights provide balm to their wounded souls, but will these two
flawed exiles make peace with the past in time to claim the future
they deserve together--or will paradise be lost?

Titles From My Pen Name
Melissa Blue

Double Dare, A Modern
Fairy Tale: Book 1

First impressions are lasting
impressions...

Pastry baker Emmaline Sharp is one
business connection away from turning her bakery into something
more than the dessert shop on the corner. She believes she’s found
Mr. Right in café owner Tobias Merchant. His Caff-aholic brand of
freshly brewed coffee makes him the perfect partner. When she
accepts a dare that thrusts her naked self into Tobias’ waiting
arms, she jeopardizes her entire future. Emma will have to convince
him to give her another chance, and somehow she'll just have to
ignore the unexpected passion he ignites within her.

Tobias needs the connection with
Emma’s bakery, Sweet Tooth, in order to liberate himself from the
financial and emotional obligations of his past. Unfortunately,
Emma's reckless behavior leaves him doubting she can be
level-headed and business savvy. Every one of his instincts tells
him to walk away, but she’s a temptation he can't seem to deny.
He's inexplicably drawn to the lightness in her, especially when he
knows just how dark the world can be. Against his better judgment,
Tobias ignores his instincts and proceeds to form a partnership
with Emma.

When their relationship shifts from
business to personal, will Emma and Tobias be able to conquer their
demons and find their sweet reward before the deal turns
sour?

Twice Smitten, A Modern
Fairy Tale: Book 2

Abigail Johnson would use three words
to describe Drew Carter: lush, loafer and womanizer. When he struts
into Adtivity, the advertisement company she works for, her world
tilts on its head. He's been hired as a consultant to help her ad
account team go to the next level. She’s suddenly faced with a man
who is a consummate professional, considerate and kind. It’s must
be a farce, because he’s there to decide the fate of her career.
When things heat up between them, she refuses to let those brief
glimpses convince her to entangle herself in a relationship with
him. Her career and heart is on the line.

Drew Carter is fully aware of
Abigail's trepidation. There's no denying he hasn’t always been the
kind of man a woman should trust, but no one woman has ever made
him want the way Abigail has. Her stubbornness, loyalty and honesty
appeals to his secret wish—to be open, unguarded and challenged by
a woman. Abigail fulfills this unspoken need and he refuses to let
her walk out of his life without giving them a chance.

It doesn’t take long for Abigail to
suspect Drew just might be the one—the one. But can she trust him
with her heart? The more she lets doubt rule her it just might be
Drew’s heart that ends up broken.

Double Trouble, A Modern
Fairy Tale: Book 3

Sasha McCormick, part-time artist and
full-time art professor, has decided to mend her flighty,
commitment-adverse ways. She's already taken on a mortgage that
forces her to pick up as many side jobs she can. When her well of
contacts dries up, she may have to resort to something desperate.
Or boring. Whichever pays better.

Warren Tennison isn't fond of anything
that's not nailed down with logic. Raised by a troupe rather than a
family, he comes by his bias honestly. He does his best to avoid
Sasha's type—unreliable, emotionally unstable, selfish—because
they're nothing but ten pounds of drama in a five pound bag.
Unfortunately, he needs help with some art research for the book
he's writing. He's over deadline and out of time, so hiring Sasha
to be his on-call muse is his best bet.

Sasha knows Warren should be Mr.
Perfect: steady and smart, but unfortunately also sexy as sin.
Being around him makes her forget that she's determined to be a
staid, responsible woman from now on. The passion is insanely
explosive, and makes them both do reckless things that only proves
they're doomed to keep falling for the Wrong One.

He can't find a logical way to justify
his behavior, and she can't see beyond her wild past that keeps
getting in her way. They both know this can only end in
angst-riddled tragedy. All they want is a nice, normal romance, but
lust keeps waylaying their road to reform.

Flirting With Danger Excerpt

Madison motioned to her flat tires. The
angry hand-jerks said it all, but she never missed an opportunity
to belabor a point. “I knew something like this would happen.”

Naomi pursed her lips, looking thoughtful
and calm. The outside lights threw a soft glow on her brown skin
and that dim light was nothing compared to the spark in her amber
eyes. So Madison braced herself for pragmatism laced with
sarcasm.

“
You said Peyton would turn
you out on your ear. She didn't. Consider that a small
win.”

Just when that touch of humor started to
lift her black mood, Madison glanced at her tires again. All four
were so low the rims had sunk into the dirt. The sharp wind
shifted, kicking up dust from the “parking lot.” So now she'd be
cold and pissed off.

“
This is karma.” Madison's
jaw tightened.

Naomi tilted her head. “What did you ever do
to Peyton?”

She glared toward the main building. From
the back, the structure looked nondescript. She could spot the
highway from here, and in the other direction all of Tanner Creek
was silhouetted in the dark. Madison had chosen the tree-lined area
of the parking lot because it was well-lit, but not right at the
front. She'd parked where folks always say you should park to keep
criminals away. And to be frank her car hadn't been the biggest
worry. It hadn't helped one bit.

So she ignored her new friend's probing
question because that led to emotional landmines. “I should have
never let you talk me into this.”

“
I work over forty hours a
week for the mayor. I'm a single mother. My friends, who include
Peyton, always tell me I should get out more. And you get out less
than I do. You deserved a night at The Grog Monster. I ran it by
Peyton and she wanted to know why you hadn't come by
before.”

“
She hates
gossip.”

“
Turning you away would
have caused way more. I know you guys aren't at odds.”