Tuesday, September 30, 2014

Books That Need More Attention Giveaway Hop


Welcome to the Books That Need More Attention Giveaway Hop! I'm featuring my latest release CROSSING THE ICE and sharing an exclusive excerpt. Check it out!

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Josh followed me through the wood-paneled dining room to the French doors leading outside. The marsh grass surrounding the deck swished in the breeze, and the late afternoon sun reflected off Nantucket Sound. It would’ve been beautifully serene if not for the ridiculous anxiety that had begun to churn in my stomach.

“So… the tango,” Josh said. “It’s a bit different from the usual ballroom hold. Have you done any ballroom dancing?”

I shook my head. Slow dancing at my prom was the extent of my partner dancing, and that had been more swaying while standing still than anything.

“Good. Then you won’t know the difference.” He smiled. “If you’ve watched videos, you’ve seen the tango has a close hold.”

He took a tentative step toward me but kept his arms at his sides. “But I’m not sure how close Emily and Sergei want you and Mark to be.”

I got a stronger whiff of his cologne, which smelled expensive. And sweet. Like him. Oh, dear God.

“Um… we need to be pretty close in some parts of the program,” I said.

He shifted nearer, sliding his hand around to my lower back, and the heat from his touch radiated through my cotton shirt, my skin, and into the deepest cells of my body. I didn’t dare look up because there would be only a narrow space between our faces. Between our mouths…

Tango! Focus on the tango.

Thinking I should demonstrate what I did know about the dance, I clutched Josh’s right shoulder and extended my other arm out to the side like I’d seen the pros do.

“Let’s move this a little lower,” he said.

He gently pried my hand from his shoulder and placed it around the top of his bicep. The muscle was solid under my fingers, and I resisted the strong urge to squeeze it.

“How tight should I hold onto you?” I asked.

He took a noticeable swallow and glanced at my grip. “That’s… that’s good.”

“Em was telling me to have more tension in my arms, so I wasn’t sure if I was supposed to hold on tighter or just hold my arms straighter or…” Nice rambling.

“You’ll want to keep your right arm tense because it helps you follow your partner’s lead.” He grasped my right hand, pressing our palms together, and my pulse sped even faster. “I know you’re not actually doing the full dance on the ice, but I’ll show you how it would look and feel.”

It feels terrifying yet totally amazing.

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Falling hard never felt so good.

Pair skaters Courtney and Mark have one shot left at their Olympic dream. They vow not to let anything get in their way, especially not Josh and Stephanie, the wealthy and talented brother and sister team.

The heart doesn’t always listen to reason, though…

The more time Courtney spends with sweet, shy Josh, the harder she falls for him. But they are on opposite sides of the competition, and their futures are headed in opposite directions. Will their friendship blossom into more or are their paths too different to cross?

Available on Amazon, B&N, and iTunes!

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Now for the giveaway! Enter in the Rafflecopter below to win a $10 Amazon gift card. You can use it to buy some of the amazing books being featured in this hop!

Check out the other stops on the hop HERE.

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