I know. Don't tell the others.
This story is romantic and sexy, but it also deals with some pretty heavy issues. Things like domestic abuse, divorce and family strife. I'm proud of it, and I can't wait for you all to read it!
So excited in fact, that I'm going to give you a taste of it today. Here is an excerpt from SEDUCING LAUREN!
Copyright © 2014 by Kristen Proby
As I approach his house, I see his Jeep
parked in the drive, the hood up, and a tight, jean-clad ass bent over the
side.
Okay,
he’s definitely home.
I tentatively wander around the other
side of the Jeep and lean against the side, looking at the engine. He hasn’t
noticed that I’m here yet, and I’m not even sure how he’ll react to seeing me
here, but I can’t seem to stay away. His dark head is bent low, his arms buried
in the engine, tinkering with something. His arms are bare as he’s pulled off
his T-shirt, which is draped over the windshield. A thin sheen of sweat covers
his shoulders and back, and his entire sleeve tattoo, which runs from just
above his wrist all the way up to the top of his right shoulder, is on full
display, making my girlie parts all tingle and come to life.
Holy
Jesus, Mary, and Joseph.
He’s so fucking toned it’s crazy. Jeez,
his muscles bunch and stretch as he pulls on the wrench in his hand.
“Come on, you motherfucker,” he mutters.
I have to bite my lips to keep from laughing out loud.
“So, what seems to be the problem?” I
finally ask when he doesn’t notice me, keeping my eyes trained on the engine
when his head whips up to look at me. I slowly lift my eyes to his and grin.
“I didn’t hear your car,” he murmurs with
a smile.
“I walked.” I shrug and look back down
into the bowels of his Jeep. “What’s wrong with your car?”
“You walked from your house?” he asks
incredulously.
“No.” I shake my head and chuckle. “From Sips.
I had coffee with Cara this morning.”
He stands up straight and leans his palms
on the side of the Jeep, watching me. My eyes immediately fall to one drop of
sweat slowly making its way down his hard chest.
“You had coffee with Cara?” He smiles.
“Yeah.” I shrug shyly. “I’m sorry to just
stop by like this. I was out for a walk and just sort of found myself here.” I
feel my cheeks heat and I back away, but he shakes his head and smiles widely.
“I’m glad you came by.” He raises his
brows as I continue to stare.
I shake my head and raise my eyes to his,
then bust out laughing.
“Why are you laughing?” he asks with a
wide grin.
“Because I don’t think I’ve ever seen you
without a shirt. I didn’t realize the tats went all the way up your arm. Who
would have thought that under it all you’re just a bad boy?”
His eyes flash with heat as he narrows
them on my face, watching me. He pulls a rag out of his back pocket and begins
wiping off his hands, but his gray eyes stay on mine. Did I offend him?
“I’m not such a bad boy. Looks can be
deceiving, Lauren.” He smirks as he lowers the hood on his Jeep. “But from the
look of you right now, you don’t seem to mind the tats.”
“I don’t mind.” I shrug nonchalantly and
try to ignore the way my heart picks up speed as he slowly saunters around the
hood of the vehicle.
“Do you have any tats?”
“Yeah.”
His eyes widen in surprise and then rake
over me from head to toe.
“Where?”
I grin, enjoying this flirtatious banter.
“Here and there.”
“I have ways of making people talk, you
know.”
“Bright lights and rubber hoses?” I ask
with a raised brow.
He tosses his head back and laughs, an
all-out belly laugh. “I’m not a cop,” he smirks.
“You might get to see them. Someday.”
He closes the gap between us and kisses
me gently on the forehead, not touching me anywhere else.
“I hope someday comes sooner rather than
later,” he whispers before pulling back and smiling softly down at me. “I would
hug you, but I’m dirty.”
I wave him off, as if it’s no biggie,
although I don’t mind so much that he’s a bit dirty and sweaty. “What were you
doing?” I gesture to the car.
“Changing the oil.”
“There are places you can go,” I inform
him with a perfectly straight face, “where you pull into this big garage, and
then you leave your car and go into this small room with five-year-old
magazines and stale coffee, and the people there will change your oil for you.”
“Or, smart-ass, I can do it myself in my
own driveway.”
“Suit yourself.” I shrug.
“Did you sleep okay on the couch?” he
asks, changing the subject.
“Yeah, actually, I did. But I could
always sleep just about anywhere.”
“Hence the chaise in your office.” He
chuckles.
I nod and stuff my hands in my pockets.
“I’m sorry that I interrupted your morning. I was just out for a walk and found
myself here.”
“I’m glad you did.” He scratches his
stomach, and my eyes follow the movement. His abs are just delicious. For being
so dark haired, he has little hair on his chest and stomach, but a light trail
of hair falls from his navel and disappears into his jeans. He’s also sporting
a V in the muscles on his hips that the heroes in my novels would covet.
“Lo?” he asks with a wide grin.
“Yeah?” I drag my eyes up to his again.
“I lost you for a second.”
I blink rapidly and feel heat fill my
cheeks. Jesus, get a grip! You’ve seen
hot men before, Lauren. “Sorry, my mind wandered.”
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