Destination: Desire, Books 1-4

by | Apr 28, 2025

What happens on vacation lingers in the heart...

A LITTLE SINFUL
A group of teachers are cutting loose over spring break. History teacher Meg hadn't planned on going, but she let her friend talk her into it. It took some arm twisting for Finn to convince his fellow teacher to get Meg to Vegas. For over a year, he's wanted to know her outside of work. When he gets the opportunity to peel away those layers, the result is explosive. Now to convince her this is the start of something amazing...

NEVER LET GO
It's Julie's first Christmas without her great aunt, and grief drives her to take some much-needed time off. A week in Honolulu is exactly what she needs, and a gorgeous man who makes her forget everything except getting naked. Stanford Professor Lukas Klein has been leery of getting too deeply involved in a relationship, yet Julie is a breath of fresh air he doesn't want to resist. They don't live far apart, but the magic of paradise could be too far removed from reality to let an attraction this mind-blowing last forever.

MAYBE THIS TIME
When an old college friend invites Karen to her Italian wedding, she jumps at the chance to focus on something other than her failed marriage. Desperate to ignore the divorce papers on his desk, Tate seizes upon a wedding invitation to do something completely impetuous—fly to Rome. When Karen and Tate lay eyes on each other, the sparks fly as hot as ever. Maybe they can fix what’s broken.

WILD FOR YOU
Anne stepped into the role of mother for her three sisters. Now that the youngest is in college, Anne’s looking forward to three weeks cruising Alaska’s Inside Passage. Thanks to some timely computer programming patents, tour guide Gabe is free to live his life as an adrenaline junkie. But nothing has ever gotten his blood pumping like the beautiful, smart, sassy redhead. When their spirited arguments land them in bed, passion flares like the Northern Lights.

Note: This ebook boxed set is available exclusively on Kindle Unlimited. The individual books in this anthology are available widely as ebooks and in print.

Available on:
Publisher: CJ Books
Cover Artists:
James, GoOnWrite.com (Website)

Genres:
Contemporary

Tags:
Coworkers, Forced Proximity, Opposites Attract, Professor/Academia, Second Chance/Rekindled, Travel Fling, Unrequited Love

Excerpt:

Juneau, Alaska

The cold bite of air hit Gabe’s skin as he left his cabin and stepped out onto the deck of the Alaskan Adventure. Even in late June, the temperatures could dip to freezing at night. The day was headed toward sunset, so the thermostat was dropping fast. He tugged on a hoodie over his thermal shirt and walked over to the rail. Most of the crew would be gathered in the dining room socializing and sipping coffee, and he’d join them soon. Caffeine was a necessity, but he wanted a few minutes of quiet solitude before the next group boarded for their cruise. He wouldn’t have much peace for the next twenty-some days.

“A new day, a new set of tourists.” Oliver grunted, slumping against the railing beside Gabe.

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“Yep.” He grinned over at the ship’s captain. The two had been friends for the five years Gabe had spent his summers leading the off-boat expeditions on the Alaskan Adventure. He stretched his arms over his head, loosening up his limbs.

Oliver scratched his bearded jaw. “Maybe there’ll be hot babe in this bunch.”

“Right.” Gabe slapped his friend on the back. “And she’ll be traveling with her new husband on a honeymoon trip, so all you can do is drool and wish you were him.”

The other man snorted. “Only the crazy ones come on their honeymoons. Hubby can keep the crazy. I don’t need it.”

Gabe laughed. “That’s the spirit.”

The men lapsed into silence, gazing out over the harbor. Though the Adventure was a cruise ship, it was a small one. They had the berth space for forty passengers, plus the crew. Considering the big cruise liners could hold over twenty-five hundred passengers, the Adventure was a tiny canoe by comparison. But Gabe liked the smaller operation, liked that he got a chance to know people during the weeks onboard. Of course, that closeness also meant it was harder to avoid the annoying characters, but he generally got along well with everyone.

A satisfied grin stretched his lips. He’d spent far too many years in the Silicon Valley rat race, making buckets of money as a programmer, but toiling away until he was practically living in the office. His bosses had approved of his work ethic, but after the first flush of success wore off and the grind never seemed to get any easier, he’d started to hate every minute of it. On his thirtieth birthday, he’d looked around, realized life was too damn short to spend it miserable, and walked away without a backward glance.

That had been five years ago, and he didn’t have a single regret. He’d signed on to guide every kind of backpacking, hiking, biking, rock climbing, paragliding, ziplining, sailing, and rafting outdoor adventure all over the world. He made pennies compared to his previous salary, but he was more content than he’d ever imagined being. It was a trade-off that had been well worth it.

Oliver’s brows drew together. “Isn’t this the tour your parents are coming along for? Or is it the next one?”

“This one. They should be with the group boarding.” Gabe’s grin spread. His older brother had come along on several of the excursions he’d led over the years, but this was a first for his parents. While they’d all been worried about his career switch, after they’d gotten over their initial shock, they’d been remarkably supportive.

He was a fortunate man on so many levels. Great job, great family. Yeah, life was good.
With his mom and dad along, this should be an awesome trip.

“Here they come.” Oliver straightened, glancing down at his watch. “They’re early.”

A trail of laughing, bouncy people were headed toward the gangway. Some had already thrown themselves into the vacation mindset, and he could see an almost giddy freedom in their expressions. Gabe could easily pick out those who were still wound too tight, who really needed a break from their lives.

Well, they’d come to the right place.

He hadn’t spotted his parents yet, so he leaned forward to try to find them. He ran his gaze along the line of tourists. A tall woman who towered over her companion caught his eye, and he blinked. He took in her willowy length. She had a shock of hair so red it looked like living flame as the strands danced in the breeze. A laugh burst from her rosy lips, and her mouth formed into a wicked smile.

Wow.

That smile was enough to send equally wicked thoughts spinning through any heterosexual man’s mind. She had slight curves, but the wind flattened her top against her and cupped every one of those curves like a lover. He could almost see the outline of her beaded nipples, and while he knew it was a reaction to the cold, he couldn’t stop the automatic response of his body.

Damn, but he hoped this particular hot babe wasn’t here on her honeymoon. Because he wanted to meet her.

Oliver nudged him in the ribs, bringing reality back into focus. “That guy looks like an older version of you, so if that’s not your dad, I think your mom was lying to you about the mailman.”

“Yeah, that’s my dad.” Gabe raised an arm and waved.

He had to fight a wince as he realized he’d been so focused on the redhead that he’d overlooked the fact that it was his mother trotting along beside her. His father walked a few strides behind the women.

“I’m going to the bridge.” Oliver slapped him on the back and turned away. “Enjoy the family reunion.”

The moment they boarded, his mother dragged the redhead along to come greet Gabe. It looked like he’d get to meet her immediately, but with his parents watching the interaction. Good news, bad news.

Ah, well.

His mom glanced up at the redhead. “See, I told you I made good-looking sons. My older boy is just as hot, but he’s married already.”

The tall woman laughed and the sound was smoky and sexy. Nice. She looked even better up close than she had from a distance. Her eyes were sparkling with mirth, and they were so pale a brown they were almost pure gold.

He held out his hand. “Hi, I’m Gabe Warren. Nice to meet you. And don’t let my mom fool you. She has to be diplomatic, but I’m much better looking than my brother.”

His mother chortled and his dad rolled his eyes.

“Anne Kirby.” Those golden eyes crinkled at the corners, and as she took his hand, her gaze did a quick flick over his body. Oh, yeah. That was interest flittering across her expression. Nice. A little grin tilted up one side of her mouth, a hint of flirtatiousness, but nothing overt. Since his parents were standing right there, he appreciated her restraint. Her skin was amazingly soft, but her handshake was firm and no-nonsense, and he liked that too.

“I’ll be leading the outdoor excursions on this trip.” He flashed his best smile at her.

Her voice was just a little throaty. “Well, I’m planning to take advantage of those.”

Maybe it was completely unprofessional to be thinking it, but he was hoping she’d be taking advantage of a lot more than his guide skills. The cruise company didn’t have a non-fraternization policy with co-workers or guests, thank God, though it was awkward as hell to be considering that in front of his family members.

“I’m going to go find my cabin and get settled.” She gave an easy wave to his parents. “Peggy, Vince, I’ll see you both for dinner?”

“I think we’ll see you at the ship orientation session first.” His dad pulled the itinerary out of his pocket to show her. Always on top of every detail, that was Dad.

“Great. I’ll meet you there.” Anne bumped her shoulder into his dad’s.

The three Warrens watched as she disappeared into the ship. Then his mom swung around, her expression full of the devil. “So you like her, huh? I totally called that. Your dad owes me ten bucks.”

Gabe arched a brow. “You were betting on this?”

Dad grinned unapologetically and shrugged. “Like you didn’t hop right into the betting pool with us when we were guessing when your brother would finally pop the question.”

“True enough,” Gabe agreed. He scooped his mother up, lifting her off the ground for a moment and rocking her. “Hey, you.”

“Hey, you.” She squeezed him tight. “It’s so good to see you, baby.”

“You too.” He set her down and ruffled her hair like she was a kid. She ducked away and swatted at him. He chuckled and turned to his father, who hauled him in for a back-slapping bear hug. “Glad you’re here, Dad.”

His dad leaned back and gave a pointed glance at the door Anne had just gone through. “Yeah, though we may be messing with your game plan.”

Gabe shook his head. “No plan. No game. I’m glad you’re here. I’ve been looking forward to this for a while and nothing will mess with that.”

He meant it too. As attractive as Anne Kirby was, his family had always been a top priority. He wasn’t going to ignore them in favor of a woman he’d just met. With any luck, he could multitask.

He’d have to, considering he was onboard to work.

Interesting times ahead. His favorite kind.

COLLAPSE

3D boxset cover.

Getting it Right

by | Apr 23, 2025

Creative sparks ignite where you least expect to find them.

Despite her dedication to her art, Laurel Patton feels her parents’ disappointment hanging over her like a cloud. Just the thought of being a lawyer like her father—or worse, a lawyer’s socialite wife—is enough to make her break out in hives.

Finally, a feather in her cap: an invitation to a prestigious summer artist-in-residence retreat in Colorado’s Rocky Mountains. Three whole months among a community of creative people? Bliss.

After his ex-wife’s death, bestselling horror novelist Neil Graves will move heaven and earth to make his grieving daughter, Violet, happy. Even if it means moving a mountain of deadlines to the heavenly enclave—the only thing Violet’s been excited about for a long time.

He never expected Laurel would be the breath of fresh air he didn’t realize he needed.

But much as Laurel loves Neil and Violet, she’s terrified. Because Neil’s workaholic ways are too much like the life she never wanted…even if Neil is the one man she wants for all time.

Note: this book was previously published as Rockies Retreat by Crystal Jordan.

Available on:
Publisher: CJ Books
Editors:
Twin Tweaks Editing (Website)

Cover Artists:
James, GoOnWrite.com (Website)

Genres:
Contemporary

Tags:
Forced Proximity, Opposites Attract, Travel Fling

Excerpt:

“Thanks for lending me a hand, Ben.” Laurel Patton stepped back, propped her fists on her hips, and surveyed their handiwork. She stood in the middle of her brother and sister-in-law’s living room, looking at a pair of paintings hanging over their couch. One had been there for years, the second was a gift for their eleventh anniversary.

“No problem.” Her sister-in-law’s younger brother grinned conspiratorially, dimples digging deep grooves into his cheeks.

Ben had helped her sneak into the house while Tate and Karen were out. The two collaborators had hauled the sizeable canvas in from Laurel’s car and positioned the pieces so they hung evenly on the wall.

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Her original watercolor of Positano on the Amalfi Coast of Italy had captured the way the town’s pastel buildings layered up the side of a cliff like a fancy wedding cake. It was where Tate had first introduced the Patton family to Karen, and where he’d proposed to her. Beside it now hung a painting of the house the couple had bought and restored a few years back—a gingerbread-laden Victorian mansion perched on a bluff over the Pacific Ocean. Laurel had tried to evoke the same style and palette, so that the two canvases were obviously meant to be a pair. Since she didn’t work with watercolor very often anymore, it had been a nice challenge to her artistic skills.

She tilted her head and eyed her work critically. Not too bad. The first painting was done while she was taking a watercolor class as part of her Fine Arts degree from the Rhode Island School of Design. She’d loved her years at RISD, and trying to recapture that frame of mind for the new canvas had taken her back to those times.

Ben bumped his shoulder against hers. “They’re going to love it. It blows my gift to them out of the water.”

“Thanks.” She winked. “I like kicking everyone else’s ass with my awesomeness.”

He snorted. “Your modesty slays me.”

“You’re welcome.” She turned to walk into the kitchen, going to the fridge for a bottle of water. It was probably her last chance to get anything before the catering company took over for the anniversary party that night.

Ben followed and settled back against the enormous island, shoving his hands in his suit pockets. He looked every inch the ambitious young lawyer now, but he’d still been in his gawky teen years the first time they’d met.

All grown up now, he’d just passed his bar exam and joined her brother’s firm the month before, and she’d bet Ben would be stellar in the courtroom with his resonant bass voice that could rival James Earl Jones. Considering his voice had cracked on every other word when they’d been introduced, she’d been pleasantly surprised his tone had deepened so much. No one wanted a squeaky-voiced lawyer defending them.

She waved her bottle at him. “What did you get our siblings?”

He cocked his head. “It sounds a little incestuous when you say our siblings, even if it is technically correct.”

“What did you get my brother and sister-in-law, aka your sister and brother-in-law?” She rolled her eyes. “It was faster my way.”

“A date night while I babysit Nick. They get gift certificates for a movie and dinner at their favorite restaurant.”

Pursing her lips, she nodded. “That’s a pretty good gift. I think any couple with a rambunctious toddler would love that.”

“Yeah, but it’s not a piece of art from a famous painter.” He widened his eyes as if to indicate any idiot would agree with him.

“Pfft. Fame is relative. I’m not exactly Van Gogh.”

“Says the woman who got invited to be an artist-in-residence at The Creative Enclave.” He wagged a finger at her. “Don’t think Tate wasn’t bragging about you after you told him that.”

She felt a rush of heat hit her cheeks. Her, Laurel Patton, blushing. There was a novel experience. Of course, she blew any semblance of modesty by offering a cocky grin and throwing her hands up in victory. “I am a badass, what can I say?”

“Tate pulled up their website and read the list of names for artists who’ve been part of their program.” He gave a low whistle. “You’re in some august company there.”

“Some of my idols have been artist-in-residence for The Enclave. Okay…the idols who were around during the last century. I have some that have been dead since the Renaissance.” She took a swig of water. “It’ll be a whole summer of painting. Plus, I get to mentor an up-and-coming painter too. I’ve taught a few art classes over the years, but never individual mentoring. It should be fun. Unless they’re an asshole, in which case I will make their lives miserable for three months. Because: homework.”

“That’s the spirit.” He winked. “Always have a strategy for winning.”

“I like winning,” she agreed. Part of the fun of this trip was that she would get to spend time with other artists. Not just painters, but sculptors, potters, photographers, videographers, writers…you name it. She liked the idea of having that kind of community, at least for a while. Painting was a pretty solitary profession.

“When do you leave?”

“Tate’s driving me to SFO in the morning. I just have to survive this party.” She couldn’t hold in a deep sigh, some of her excitement fizzling away.

“Your parents are coming, huh?” Sympathy reflected in his gaze.

“Let’s be honest. It’ll be just my mother. Daddy Dearest isn’t taking the time to come to a party with no political gain. The guest list isn’t A-list enough.”

Ben winced, but didn’t deny it. They both knew Robert Patton had worked Tate like a dog for years, trying to remake his son in his image, and it had nearly cost Tate his marriage. Laurel was grateful her brother had seen the light of day before he’s lost the best thing that had ever happened to him. Karen was an absolute gem. Laurel had liked her on sight, somehow knowing this woman would be the only thing Tate loved more than the law. Well, now he had Karen, little Nick, and then the law. Which was how it should be.

Ben injected a note of cheer into his voice. “Well, my parents will both be here and they rock.”

“I know, you lucky bastard,” she groused.

He just laughed.

Dear God, she was going to have to deal with her mother. The two of them always brought out the absolute worst in each other. Francesca, the obnoxious socialite who insisted her daughter marry the right sort of man, and Laurel, whose inner rebellious teen came out with claws bared.

“I notice you got your hair dyed again.” Ben’s grin turned wicked. “I like the turquoise streaks—very fluorescent. Your mom’s going to love it.”

“Yep.” She fluffed her long tresses, not bothering to deny that needling her mother had been part of the decision-making process for refreshing her always colorful hair. She’d done green, blue, purple, fire engine red…pick a neon shade. It was her signature now. Sometimes she did streaks and sometimes she dyed only the tips. One time, she’d done just the left side of her head bright pink. Francesca’s eyeballs had nearly exploded out of their sockets when she’d seen the effect. Watching the apoplectic reaction had been awesome. Laurel grinned at the memory. “Let the games begin.”

COLLAPSE

What A Girl Wants

by | Jun 1, 2024

Elijah Forrester needs a date for his brother’s wedding. Fast. His mother is threatening to set him up with a “nice girl” if he insists on going solo. But he’s a doctor, and a workaholic, which doesn’t leave a lot of time for romance. If he gives in to his mom’s matchmaking scheme, he just knows she’s going to start planning his wedding to the Nice Girl she picked out. There is no way he’s letting that happen.

Hospital administrator and resident goth girl Vesper Blackwood is smart, funny, and gorgeous. She and Elijah have a nice, workplace flirtation going on, but neither of them intend for it to go any further — dating in the workplace can get messy. But a family function isn’t officially a date, is it? Besides, it’s just for one afternoon. They can keep their hands to themselves, right?

Wrong. One afternoon turns into an all-night sleepover. She wants to call it a mistake and walk away, but Eli’s not ready for something so good to end. He has to convince her that breaking their dating rules is worth the risk.

Publisher: CJ Books
Editors:
Hart to Heart Edits (Website)

Cover Artists:
Kim Killion (Website)

Genres:
Contemporary

Tags:
BBW/Curvy Heroine, Coworkers, Doctor, Friends to Lovers, Opposites Attract

Excerpt:

Sacramento, California

“I found a date for you for Tyrone’s wedding.”

There were words to make any man’s blood run cold. His mother had found him a date for his brother’s wedding. Eli choked on the swig of beer he’d just taken, and croaked out, “No.”

She tossed up her hands. “Don’t say no yet, Elijah. I haven’t even told you about her. She’s a nice girl.”

Oh, Lord. A Nice Girl. He resisted the urge to down his beer in one quick gulp. He’d thought this would be a nice family dinner, where they’d talk a bit about the upcoming wedding and other parts of each other’s lives. And Santino’s was usually Eli’s favorite place to eat. Low-key, casual, but with truly amazing pizza and calzones. He’d gone through his shift at the hospital looking forward to this…and now his mom was coordinating his love life. To say things had gone downhill was something of an understatement.

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It didn’t help that both of his younger brothers—Tyrone and Derek—sat across the table from him, their respective fiancées tucked against them. They didn’t smirk at his misfortune, which might have made the situation a bit better. He could have at least plotted revenge against them. No, the looks aimed his way were pitying.

Fantastic.

He had to get out of this fast. Meeting his mother’s gaze squarely, he lied without a single qualm. “My answer won’t change. I already have a date.”

His mother had made noises the previous week about how sad it was that he had no date, and he was the only one in the family who didn’t. Was it his fault that his brothers had fallen in the love in the last couple of years? Or that his three cousins all happened to be in steady relationships at the moment? And what was so wrong about going to a wedding alone?

She folded her arms, her face a picture of skepticism. Marion Forrester was not a woman to be toyed with. She missed very little and had a way of crawling inside your head—a skill she’d used to great effect as a lawyer and the mother of three boys. “You didn’t have a date last week. You’re suddenly dating someone?”

“No, ma’am.” He wasn’t stupid enough to tell a tall tale. The Forrester boys had learned young that the best way to get anything by their mom was to stick as close to the truth as possible. In this case, he just needed to stick to the plausible. “I asked one of the hospital administrators to come with me. Who wants a blind date to a wedding?”

Their food arrived—thank you sweet baby Jesus—and Eli dared to hope that the topic was dropped. He shoveled a bite of calzone into his mouth and chewed very slowly. His mom let a few minutes of silence pass before she dove in again.

“It wouldn’t have been a blind date. I was going to have you go out with her before the wedding. So you could get to know each other.”

“No need.”

Her eyes narrowed. “What’s your date’s name?”

“Vesper.” The name shot out of his mouth with no real direction from his brain. Vesper’s face flashed before his eyes, heart shaped and lovely. Her expressive brown eyes drew him in whenever their gazes met and he’d wished he could slide his fingers through her long dark hair a thousand times, just to find out if it was as silky as it looked. Her usual glam goth attire meant she lived in bodycon black dresses that showed off her generous curves to absolute perfection. They had an office flirtation that they both enjoyed immensely, but they’d also agreed that workplace romance was something neither of them was interested in. He’d already gone down that disastrous road once, and he had no intention of a repeat trip. She had seen her share of soured relationships making it a pain in the backside to work at the hospital, so she agreed with him on the “no dating coworkers” rule. He liked that they were friends, even if they couldn’t be anything more.

Sadly, a little friendly flirtation was the extent of his current dating life. He really needed to get out more. But for the moment, his main goal was getting out of a blind date with a Nice Girl.

His mom’s eyebrow arched. “Vesper what?”

“Blackwood.”

She whipped out her cell phone and typed in the name.

“Come on. I didn’t make her up.” He just hadn’t actually asked her to go with him. Yet.

His dad chose that moment to walk into the restaurant, looking more relaxed than he had in years. He’d recently retired as the city’s police chief. “Sorry I’m late. I got caught in traffic after I finished at the gold course.”

“It’s a rough life,” Ty noted. He was a SWAT officer, so he’d likely felt the impact of Greg Forrester’s retirement more keenly than either of his brothers.

The next words out of his mother’s voice made Eli cringe. “Aw, look. This is his date for the wedding. She’s a cute goth girl. That winged eyeliner is amazing.”

She passed her phone his dad, who handed it around for the others to see. Eli felt like a fifteen-year-old with his first date. Awkward.

He pressed his cold beer bottle to his forehead. “Is this really necessary? I have a date. You have her name to include on the guest list.”

His mom turned back to him. “What’s she—?”

He set his beer down with a thunk. “No. I’m not going to be interrogated. She is a friend and a colleague who is doing me a favor, because I saw through your wedding date questions last week.” No, he hadn’t, but he wouldn’t admit that under pain of death. “We are not actually dating, we are just friends, and that’s the end of it.”

COLLAPSE

Revved Up: Complete Series

by | May 26, 2024

All Revved Up

Mechanic Andi Manning loves working at Kasen's Kustom Automotive, especially since it became Revved Up, a classic car restoration show. When the network offers to take them national—if they add a sexy female co-host—Andi's perfect for the role. Trading coveralls for tight shorts transforms her from Dean Kasen's capable employee to glam goddess, and suddenly her longtime crush can't resist her.

But as their relationship steams up, Dean's guilt about dating an employee complicates everything. Now Andi must wonder: does Dean want the real her, or just her glamorous TV personality?

All Tangled Up

Jesse Kasen's auto shop has become a national sensation thanks to Revved Up, but producer Lola Adams drives him crazy. The blonde bombshell knows her cars—thanks to her racing family—and stars in all his fantasies.

For Lola, Jesse is temptation personified, but she won't risk her professional reputation for a fling. When Jesse suggests one discreet weekend at his cabin to burn through their attraction, she agrees. After all, she needs to know what it's like to touch him, just once.

But one steamy weekend might not be enough to satisfy their hunger.

Please note: the ebook version of the book is available exclusively on Kindle Unlimited. All other links are for the paperback print version. The individual stories in this anthology are available widely as ebooks.

Published:
Publisher: CJ Books
Genres:
Contemporary

Tags:
Coworkers, Friends to Lovers, One Night Stand, Opposites Attract, Reality TV Show, Unrequited Love

Excerpt:

“No way in hell.”

Andi stared in horror at the full length-mirror before her. It had seemed like a good idea when Jesse had mentioned being the new hostess for the national syndication of Revved Up. He said the network and the show's new producer wanted to bring a woman onto the show, and he wanted someone who knew their way around cars. Andi fit the bill for both, and she would love to have a hand in planning the custom jobs. This was her chance to step up her game.

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That was before she'd seen the wardrobe for her new role in the garage. She'd worked at Kasen Kustom for five years, and she loved what she did. Really loved it. It was fun and challenging to turn classic cars back into the cherry rides they'd once been. With a few extra modernizations. She'd loved it even more when they'd turned the garage into a reality show. But she was a background player in all of it, and she wanted to show them what she could really do. Apparently, that meant she had to learn how to walk in high heels. Jesse had handed her off to the new producer, Lola Adams, who'd stuffed her into too-tight clothes, tugged her hair out of its usual ponytail, pulled out the biggest make up kit Andi had ever seen. Now she just stared in the mirror at the streetwalker who used to be Andi Manning.

“No way in hell.” She stumbled back, holding out her hands as if to ward off her own reflection.

Lola tilted her head, her pale hair spilling over her shoulder. “I think it works. You look sexy and that's what we're going for. I think it'll bring in even more viewers now that we're taking the show to the next level.”

Mouth gaping open, Andi couldn't even find the words to respond to that. The coveralls she was wearing were cut into tight shorts that were opened to the waist. The tank top underneath stretched across her breasts and was just short enough to expose an inch of her midriff. Her brown hair fell in smooth ripples to the middle of her back. All the makeup Lola had piled on Andi's face somehow made her hazel eyes stand out appear more gold than their usual brownish-green.

The woman in the mirror was no one she knew.

Spinning on her heel meant she damn near toppled over in the pointy stilettos, but she marched out of the bathroom and into the garage. A few of the guys let out low whistles and she gave them a glare that sent them scurrying to find work to do.

Jesse poked his blond head out of the office, his green eyes going wide for a moment before he caught her gaze. Whatever he said faltered as he sensed the waves of fury coming off her. He stumbled away from the door while she shoved her way in and slammed it behind her.

“What the hell is this, Jesse? Is this some kind of a joke to you? Because I sure don't appreciate you jerking me around.” Yeah, he was her boss. At the moment, she didn't care. He'd had her tarted up like a hooker gone Hollywood. Considering they were in Nevada, where prostitution was legal, she'd rather no one was confused about whether she made her living on her back.

There was dead silence while mouth men in the room stared at her, their jaws sagging. She jammed her hands down on her hips. “What?”

Jesse recovered first, coughing into his fist. “Nothing. You just look different.”

“I look like I work at the Mustang Ranch,” she shot back, naming a famous local whorehouse.

Dean snorted, a little smile curling his mouth. His gaze slid down her body and back up again. Slowly. An involuntary shiver went through her at the heat in his eyes. How many times had she wondered what it would be like for Dean Kasen to look at her just like that?

COLLAPSE

Wild for You

by | Apr 12, 2024

Sometimes to escape the drama, you have to create a little of your own.

Anne Kirby is the queen of suck-it-up-itude. Thanks to her unreliable, drama-llama mama, it fell to Anne to raise her three little sisters. Now that the youngest is off to college, it’s her turn to spread her wings.

She’s looking forward to three solid weeks cruising Alaska’s Inside Passage, with plenty of kayaking, hiking, and ice climbing. Until her tour guide turns out to be not—repeat, not—her type. A scruffy bum who can’t hold down a real job. Never mind he’s the only man who’s ever kept up with her trademark, rapid-fire sarcasm.

Thanks to some timely computer programming patents, Gabe Warren is free to live his life as an adrenaline junkie. But nothing has ever gotten his blood pumping like the beautiful, smart, sassy PE teacher.

When their spirited arguments land them in bed, passion flares like the Northern Lights. Soon he can’t imagine life without her. Now if he could only convince her that her perfect job isn’t safely inside a school gym. And that a vagabond like him is the perfect travel—and life—companion.

Note: this book was previously published as Alaskan Adventure by Crystal Jordan.

Available on:
Publisher: CJ Books
Editors:
Hart to Heart Edits (Website)

Cover Artists:
James, GoOnWrite.com (Website)

Genres:
Contemporary

Tags:
Forced Proximity, Opposites Attract, Travel Fling

Excerpt:

The final confirmation email had arrived.

It was official: she was booked on an adventure cruise through Alaska’s Inner Passages. Three solid weeks of sailing, camping, hiking, kayaking, and ice climbing in some of the most gorgeous wilderness the US had to offer.

This was going to rock.

Even an hour later, a huge grin still curled Anne Kirby’s lips. She did a little dance step as she crossed Main Street and bounced into the Moonside Café, where she was meeting her three best friends for their weekly dinner.

Karen pressed a palm to her burgeoning belly, using her free hand to wave Anne over. Anne slipped into the seat next to the blonde, where they faced Julie and Meg.

“What’s up?” Anne asked. There was an air of tension over the table that made her a bit wary.

“Wedding planning,” replied all three of her friends at once.

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Yikes. There was a topic guaranteed to give Anne hives. Not something she was ever doing. No way, no how. Hell, no. Even if she ever took the fall for some lucky guy, she was eloping. Somewhere far, far away. Period. She shuddered to think of the mileage for drama her mother would get out of a wedding. Yep, she’d leave that pain and suffering to her little sisters, if they decided to do the full event.

A waitress came by to fill Anne’s coffee cup, and she nodded her thanks.

“Back to our conversation.” Making an agonized face, Karen glanced at Meg. “The ceremony is still a month away, girlfriend. Look at me. I’m huge and I still have seven weeks to go! I can’t believe you want a woman who’ll be eight-and-a-half-months pregnant as your maid of honor. Not that I’ll upstage the bride in prettiness, but I might eclipse you if I turn sideways.”

Anne snorted but tried to cover it by taking a sip from her mug. Not that she fooled anyone—her friends knew her too well for that.

“I don’t care,” Meg replied, her tone emphatic. “I want my friends there with me, even if we have to roll you down the aisle. We’re keeping it short, so you won’t have to be on your feet long. Besides, I think Finn might die if we did a big, formal, dragged-out ceremony.”

“Please,” Anne shot back. “That man would crawl over broken glass for you. If you wanted a long, fancy-ass ceremony, he’d let you have it.”

A satisfied grin tugged at Meg’s lips, and a happy sighed soughed out. “Yeah, he would. I think I’ll keep him.”

“Blech.” The annoyed noise was out of Anne’s mouth before she could stop it, and her three friends stared at her. She waved them away. “You guys are just so disgustingly in love. All three of you. It’s nauseating.”

Julie’s look was sly. “Jealous, little orphan Annie?”

Oh, now there was a surefire way to piss her off. The fact that she had bright red hair had led to more teasing in her childhood than she cared to recall. Orphan Annie, Anne of Green Gables, Carrot Top, Big Red. The list went on, some more perverted and insulting than others. Her hair couldn’t even be a nice shade of auburn like two of her three younger sisters. Nope, Anne’s was red. In-your-face red.

She scrubbed a hand over her short locks and glared at Julie. “Don’t be a jerk.”

Julie opened her mouth to retort when Meg poked her in the arm. “Quit antagonizing.”

“But that’s what I do.” Julie’s eyes widened. “Someone has to egg you guys on or we’d never have any fun.”

“Too bad. You’ll adjust,” Karen replied unsympathetically, patting her rounded belly.

Movement rippled beneath the surface, which always fascinated and horrified Anne at the same time. She set her palm next to her friend’s and felt the baby kick. “The belly alien lives.”

The creepy, ominous tone she used made Meg and Julie chortle. Karen just rolled her eyes. “Yes, and the belly alien wants feeding. So unless you want me to sic him on you, you’d better flag down the waitress so we can order.”

Anne arched an eyebrow, glancing across the table at her friends. “You know, I think she means it. Pregnancy has turned her cannibalistic. The belly alien’s terrifying bloodlust is taking over her body.”

Meg flagged down the waitress. “I think it’s vampires who have bloodlust, not cannibals.”

“Yeah.” Karen’s smile was not at all reassuring. “Cannibals like their food cooked. They roast ’em live over an open fire first.”

Julie raised a finger in the air, her tone turning as pious as any priest’s. “Note that I am not the one antagonizing here.”

“You’re such a good girl,” Anne cooed. “We’ll be sure to tell Lukas to reward you tonight.”

“No need.” Julie’s grin was positively sinful. “I’ll tell him myself.”

The waitress appeared with a breadbasket and took their orders. Karen fell on the rolls like she’d never eaten before in her life. She moaned, closing her eyes.

“Okay, while she has a private moment with the bread…” Anne let that thought trail off and reached into her messenger bag. Pulling out the printed email, she slapped it on the table. “Check that out.”

Meg and Julie leaned forward. After a moment of silence, Julie squealed. “No way! You did it?”

“What?” Karen craned her neck to see. “Oh my God, you finally booked a trip to Alaska? You’ve been saying you wanted to go there forever!”

She threw her arm around Anne’s shoulders for a quick hug, and Anne couldn’t stop a stupid grin from spreading across her face. While she’d been on a million weekend trips to Yosemite, Big Sur, Mount Shasta, and the Sierra Nevadas, she’d always had to stay close enough to home so she could ensure her younger sisters got to school Monday morning. But her youngest sibling had just finished up her freshman year in college and had a summer job in San Francisco, which meant Anne was free to leave town. She’d be back in time for Meg and Finn’s wedding at the end of July and the start of the school year in mid-August. She was a gym teacher at the local middle school, so these summer months without any responsibilities were a first. Normally, she spent the whole time refereeing the squabbles between the diametrically opposed personalities of her sisters. But not this year.

“Three whole weeks,” she said with relish. “I was going to take the ten-day trip, but they had a last-minute Memorial Day sale and I jumped on it. Three. Freaking. Weeks.”

Her friends squealed and enthused and asked questions and Anne could feel a little of the dissatisfaction that had plagued her lately begin to fall away. Yes. This was exactly what she needed. Time to get the hell out of Dodge.

Meg hesitated for a long moment. “I hate to ask but…what did your mom say?”

Ah, yes. Her mom. There was a topic guaranteed to burst her bubble. Dinah Kirby was the biggest drama queen who’d ever lived, and Anne had no idea how she was going to break this to her in a way that wouldn’t cause a meltdown. Her mom was codependent on a level that suffocated Anne. It hadn’t been so bad with her sisters there to help deflect, but now?

Anne sighed. “I didn’t want to tell her until I had something to tell. Until I pushed the buy button, I wasn’t sure I was going to do it. So that’s what I get to do after dinner.”

Julie’s expression was compassionate. “My couch is available if she goes atomic on you.”

“Thanks. I’ll be fine.” Or at least, Anne hoped she would. Dinah and she rarely fought—mostly because Anne kept her mouth shut—so this might be a novel experience. Not a fun experience, but a novel one. “Really, it’ll be fine.”

Meg cocked her head. “As long as you don’t let her drive you into staying in Alaska forever. I expect you to be back for my wedding.” She poked a finger in Karen’s direction. “If pregnant lady and the belly alien can’t escape, you can’t either.”

Kicking back in an exaggerated pose of relaxation, Anne folded her hands behind her head. She grinned. “Honey, I’m not just going to be back in time for the wedding, I’ll be back in time to make sure you have a bachelorette party you’ll never forget.”

“If it’s anything like the one she threw for me…” Karen’s voice trailed off, her eyes rounding with horror.

Anne just let her smile widen in a way she knew would worry them. As it should. Really, there was nothing quite so fun as yanking her best friends’ chains.

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