Release Day Party: Making the First Move by Reese Ryan

I can hardly believe it. Release day for Making the First Move is finally here! So a little partying is in order. Since Making the First Move is an e-book, it felt entirely appropriate to have the party online. So thank you for coming, and for helping me celebrate the release of my debut novel.

Party central will be on Facebook. Make yourself some hors d’oeuvres and an adult beverage. Coffee, tea, champagne, a mojito, champipple–whatever you like. We won’t tell, and you don’t have to share. That’s what makes online parties so awesome.  Then feel free to mingle and chat here, on Facebook, and at as many of today’s party events (listed below) as you’d like. Don’t forget to register for the tour grand prize! You’ll find the description below.

Release Day Party Events

• All Things Girl — Brief intro & excerpt
• Contemporary Romance Café — Brief intro & excerpt
• A Thought Grows — Book Highlight
• Shaken But Not Stirred — Interview
• Rhet Effects –Interview
• Like a Bump on a Blog –Book Highlight
• Ruth A. Casie Blog — Book Highlight
• Writer & Cat — Interview (by Meankitty–an actual cat)
• Kate Davies Blog — Book Highlight
• Word Wranglers — Guest Post
• Christi Barth’s Blog –Book Highlight
• Facebook — All day, clothing-optional party

Thank you again for celebrating this very special day with me!

Hugs & Kisses,

Summary

Melanie Gordon has spent the past five years obsessing over her career to dull the pain of a devastating breakup and the loss of her father. Her effort pays off when she receives the promotion that could be her big break. Only it means returning to her hometown to face her past while leaving behind the man who could be her future.

Selfless (and insanely sexy) philanthropist, Raine Mason, is committed to his cause. But his passion for rescuing high-risk young males from the road to disaster is fueled by his own dark and tragic past.

When Raine is ready to take his casual friendship with Melanie to sizzling new heights, her one-way ticket to Cleveland is already booked. But a steamy night of passion leaves them both wanting more, even if Melanie is afraid to admit it. She reluctantly agrees to a long-distance relationship with no promises and no commitments.

Melanie may finally be ready to give Raine her heart…but then she discovers startling news that causes her to question everything she knows about him. Worse, he’s harboring a dark secret from his past that threatens to shatter any hope of a future for them unless he can convince her that their love is worth the risk.

Excerpt

I rummage in the back of our tiny office refrigerator for the bottle of Perrier I promised Jax. A wicked grin spreads across my face as I imagine how delicious it would feel to smash this bottle upside his smug head. After the contract had been signed, of course.

I hand Jaxson the chilled bottle of lemon Perrier and smooth my skirt before sitting in my high-back leather chair. I’m glad my chair sits several inches higher than his.

“Thank you for considering Jasper & Gravel for your executive search.” I force a smile through clenched teeth. “As you know, I’m a long-time basketball fan. I’m thrilled that the WNBA has decided to bring another team to Cleveland, and about the prospect of working with your organization.”

Jax takes a sip from the bottle. “Basketball fan is an understatement.” He chuckles. “You still got that tattered old Mark Price jersey your dad gave you?”

My spine tightens. I place my feet firmly on the floor. The last thing I need is a stroll down memory lane. The memories are far too painful. For me, at least. I take a long sip of my tea then place my mug on a coaster. “So you were saying you need a new senior vice president of marketing and a vice president of sales and service.” I refer to the notes I scribbled on a napkin.

Jaxson gives me a conciliatory smile. My maneuver isn’t lost on him. “The candidates I hoped to go with were offered more lucrative positions with NBA teams.” He crosses his legs and scoots back in the chair. He looks comfortable, like he’s settling in for the winter. “I realize this may take some time, but it’s more important to me that we get the best possible candidates in these positions.”

“Of course.” I nod. “Our mission is to find candidates who are well-qualified and fit seamlessly into your organization. It appears Brett Hanson runs his organization like a tight-knit family and that he’s determined to make the Monarchs a title-winning franchise as quickly as possible. How would you describe the company culture?”

“I couldn’t have stated it better.” Jaxson steeples his long, slender fingertips. “Speaking of family…how about you? Are you married? Do you have kids?”

My patience is wearing thin just five minutes into our meeting. “Can we stay on topic here? That’s the only way this will work.”

“I’m sorry.” He straightens his purple and green Ermenegildo Zegna necktie. “It’s just that…the homemade coasters…it’s the kind of thing only a parent would bring to the office.”

“They were a gift from my assistant’s seven-year-old daughter.” I take a deep breath and try to pull it together. This is harder than I imagined, and believe me, I imagined it would be pretty damned hard. “Do you have job descriptions and job requirements for each position?”

“They’re back at the office, along with an entire file of information I should have brought for this meeting. Sorry I’m not better prepared. I didn’t expect to run into you today. It was quite a surprise to see you.” He leans forward in his chair again. “I honestly didn’t think I’d ever see you again.”

“Neither did I.” There are a few choice statements I refrain from adding. “But here we are. Perhaps we should reschedule for a time when you have all the necessary documents. I can come to your office next week. I’ll have Leslie call you tomorrow with some options.” I rise to my feet and extend my hand to him, signaling the end of our meeting.

Jaxson casually climbs to his feet and takes my hand. He doesn’t shake it. He holds it in his.

My legs are unsteady and my head feels light. How can the simple touch of his hand still take me back to those intimate moments between us, despite everything we’ve been through? I yank my hand away and take a step back. My cheeks burn and my eyes sting with the tears I refuse to let fall.

Jaxson comes around the desk and sits on the edge of it, leaving a safe distance between us. “I’m sorry,” he says, his head down, hands folded between his legs. “I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable. It’s just…seeing you today brought back a lot of memories. It felt so natural, holding your hand like that. It wasn’t something I intended to do. Muscle memory, I guess.” He runs his hand over his hair.

I want to scream to the top of my lungs and tell him I don’t give a fuck about his unresolved feelings or muscle memory. But I’m a goddamned professional. I know what’s at stake here. I have to make this work.

Bio:

Reese Ryan writes sexy, contemporary fiction filled with colorful characters and sinfully-sweet romance. She secretly enjoys torturing her heroines with family and career drama, reformed bad boys, revealed secrets, and the occasional identity crisis, but always rewards them with a happily ever after.

Born and raised in the Midwest, she now resides in Central North Carolina with her husband and young adult son who tolerate her propensity to sing and dance badly. A self-proclaimed Bohemian Southern Belle, she treads the line carefully between being a Northerner and a damned Yankee–despite her insistence on calling soda pop. Reese gauges her progress by the number of “bless your lil’ hearts” she gets each week. She is currently down to two.

Visit Reese online at ReeseRyan.com. Follow her on Twitter @ReeseRyanWrites. Connect with her on Facebook.

Making the First Move Blog Tour Grand Prize

• $25 Amazon or Barnes & Noble Gift Card
• Digital copy of Making the First Move by Reese Ryan
• Digital copy of The Winning Season by Alison Packard
• Digital copy of Knowing the Score by Kat Latham
• Digital copy of Personal Assets by Kelsey Browning
• Digital copy of Derby Girl by Tamara Morgan

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