UNRAVELED is releasing in e-book from Samhain Publishing next Tuesday, Dec 23rd.
If you read my holiday book, UNWRAPPED, last year, then you met Mitch. Mitch was a secondary character in Unwrapped, and he was pretty dynamic. Sexy, successful, my forty-something surfer dude and enterpreneur. And some of my readers demandedasked that I write Mitch’s story. So I did.
Excerpt after the jump and a chance to win an e-book copy of UNRAVELED.
BLURB:
Mitch Magruder, rich, successful, wildly popular surfer and entrepreneur, is always on the lookout for the next big wave or the next great deal. So when he’s home for the holidays, he jumps at the chance to build one of his famous hotels right on the white, sandy, Florida beach where he grew up. The only thing standing in his way is Greta Mason.
Divorced with two children, Greta welcomes the struggle to make ends meet at the ramshackle beachfront motel her father left her. The motel means everything to her, and no amount of money—or hot nights of persuasion—offered by gorgeous, sexy Mitch is going to change her mind. No matter how much his touch unravels her defenses.
For once, Mitch finds he’s the one doing the chasing, and Greta’s doing more than throwing a monkey wrench into his perfectly orchestrated world. She’s making him think about things he’s never considered before, things other than the pursuit of money. Things like settling down with right woman.
Now if only he can convince her he wants more than hot sex, moonlit nights, and her hotel…
EXCERPT: (Adults only)
It was warm this afternoon. Greta was sweaty and the sun beat incessantly down on her body. Being so close to the roof of the motel wasn’t helping cool her down any, either. But the job needed to be done, she’d put it off long enough. Decorations had to go up, and that included lights around the motel.
“Festive.”
She shot her gaze down at Mitch who looked cool and unruffled in his board shorts and white tank top.
“Ho, ho, ho.” She hung another light to the hook.
“Want me to help you?”
“No, thanks. I’ve got it covered.”
“Wouldn’t it go faster with some help?”
She blew out a breath and stared down at him. “Shouldn’t you be at the Hyatt or Westin or something?”
He grinned. “I like this place.”
“No you don’t. You just like irritating me.”
“Sheesh. Use a guy for sex one night, discard him the next day.” He shook his head.
After a horrified glance around to make sure no one was around to hear him, she laughed, then flushed all over, remembering the night before. She’d tucked away her beautiful silver dress, convinced she was never going to wear it again, then put on her drudge clothes. The ball was over for this Cinderella. “I’m hardly the type to use and discard. Especially after only one use.”
“So, you’re saying you’re a recycler.”
“Uh huh.”
“I’ll hold you to that.”
Her body flamed, but it wasn’t from the hot sun. “You do that. Now go away and let me work.”
He disappeared, and she went back to hanging lights, but almost fell off the ladder about ten minutes later when she saw him appear on the roof, walking up from the other side.
“What are you doing up there?”
He leaned over and helped her drag up the lights, deftly grabbing and latching them onto the hooks. “I told you, I’m helping.”
“You can’t. What if you fall off?”
He cocked his head to the side. “I never fall off.”
“My liability insurance won’t cover it, Mitch. I’m serious.”
“I have plenty of insurance. Quit worrying.”
Exasperated, she let him complete the other side while she finished the one she’d started.
“This is a little different than what you normally do, isn’t it?” she asked.
He lifted his head. “Huh?”
“Board rooms, million dollar deals, fancy hotels and probably a supermodel on your arm while you’re in a tux drinking champagne. Not quite the same thing as hanging off the roof of a beaten down old motel putting up old Christmas lights.”
He stared at her until she grew uncomfortable. “Greta. I grew up here, remember? My parents lived in the same two-bedroom house for forty years. The house I painted myself three times. Not a great house, either. I used to climb up on my beat-up roof and hang old Christmas lights every year.”
She’d forgotten that young Mitch ever existed. All she saw now was the flash, the money. The millionaire. “I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be. But don’t ever forget that I know what it’s like to be without money. And don’t look down on me just because I have it now. Because I busted my ass to get where I am.”
She nodded, feeling awful. “Okay.”
He slid his thumb across her cheek. “No tears or I’ll have to drag you off that ladder and kiss you. Then what would the people on the beach think?”
She laughed and they went back to work. The job was completed in half the time thanks to his assistance. When she climbed down the ladder, he was right there to fold it and put it away in storage.
“Why are you doing this, Mitch?”
“Doing what?” he asked, storing the ladder on its side, then closing and locking the storage facility.
“Work. At my motel.”
He shrugged. “Nothing better to do. Though your mom is bringing the kids back later for more surfing lessons.”
Hands on her hips, she said, “You don’t have to do that, either.”
“I want to. I like your kids, Greta.”
She cocked a brow. “Why do I feel like there’s some ulterior motive in everything you do?”
“I don’t know. I’m pretty direct about what I want. You know I want to buy your motel and I’ll keep trying to convince you, but I’ll be very up front about that. I don’t believe in underhanded tactics or subterfuge. I keep my business separate from personal.”
She felt bad for even thinking it. “Sorry.”
“You should be. I’m here because I want to be. This is a stretch of beach I remember fondly from when I was a kid. I like it. I like being around your kids, too.” He leaned in a pressed a kiss to her bare shoulder. “And I especially like being around you.”
She shuddered, stepping into the house. “You’re bad for me.”
Mitch shut the door behind him, locked it, and leaned her against the wall. “Yeah? How so?”
Just like that, she was aroused, ready, needy. “Because you make me want things I shouldn’t.”
He leaned in and pressed his lips against her neck. “Yeah? Like what?”
When he licked the column of her throat, her legs buckled. “Like that.”
His hand covered her breast, pulled aside the material of her bikini top to cover her flesh, pluck at her nipple. He followed the action by dipping down and taking the already pulsing bud between his lips, devouring her with his hungry mouth until she banged her head against the wall. He turned his head to look at her, his eyes hard with passion.
“Mitch.” His name fell from her lips in a throaty whisper that spoke of how deep in the throes of passion she was. He reached behind her and untied the strings of her bikini top, discarded it, filled his hands with her breasts, focusing on her face as he plucked at her nipples until her body burned. He had her wedged between himself and the wall, his knee between her legs, but she didn’t mind this, had the freedom for her hands to roam over the exposed flesh of his shoulder, could push him back if she wanted to.
Oh, she didn’t want to, in fact wanted to draw him closer, to feel the heat of his cock heavy and hard against her.
As far as she was concerned, there was way too much distance between them. Those few inches of separation felt like miles.
“More,” she whispered, pulling at his shirt to bring his mouth back to hers, his body in direct contact with all her pleasure points. His lips on hers, his body settled against hers, his cock rocking between her legs, only ratcheted up her craving for more.
She tore at his shirt, lifting it up to pull it over his head. He got her message loud and clear, undoing the strings of his board shorts. She watched him undress while she pushed her own shorts and panties down, kicked them to the side, spreading her legs, needing him with a desperation that bordered on insanity.
Maybe she was insane, out of her mind with this wild desire that had taken hold and gripped her from the inside out, making her lose all common sense. What was she doing making love with Mitch in the middle of the day?
Having fun. You’re having fun, Greta. Let go.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
For a chance to win an ebook copy of UNRAVELED, tell me what is the one present you want for Xmas more than any other? What’s that one special gift you really, really want?
I’ll draw a winner on Friday, so be sure to come back to see if you’ve won. Because UNRAVELED releases Tues I’m only giving the winner 24 hours to notify me or I’ll redraw for a new winner.