Reese Ryan

Breaking the Rules #MWTease #BadBoysGoneGood

September 3, 2014 by ReeseRyan

Hey Gang,

It’s time for a little Mid Week Tease. Last week Miles finally did what he’s wanted to do since the moment he laid eyes on Jamie: kiss her. While her interest was quite evident in the way she kissed him back, she quickly withdrew. Miles fears he’s done something wrong. However, Jamie finally confesses as to why they can’t be together and why she didn’t tell him sooner.

<===EXCERPT FROM LOVE ME NOT (BAD BOYS GONE GOOD BOOK #2)===>

“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have let you kiss me.” She stepped to the side, creating distance.

“Jamie, I like you a lot. And I get the impression that you feel the same way about me. So what’s the problem?” He stepped in front of her again, forcing his hands down to his sides and resisting the urge to touch her. “Are you seeing someone?”

“No, it’s not that.”

“Then what?” He stepped closer, leaving marginal space between them.

Jamie tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear and sighed. “I can’t see you. You’re a customer at Tahlia’s and we’re not allowed to date customers. Period. It’s a fireable offense.”

“You—the woman who broke at least twenty laws on the ride over here—suddenly cares about the rules?” His laughter was derisive. He hadn’t meant for it to come out that way, but his feelings were hurt. Jamie’s eyes blazed and he knew he’d said the wrong thing. He took a step back.

“Look, I know it’s just a shitty little barmaid job to you, but it’s important to me.” The words tumbled from her lips as she stepped forward into the light. Her cheeks were red, her lips drawn into a tight, thin line. She crossed her arms. “So excuse me for giving a shit about jeopardizing my job.”

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean it like that.” He rested his fingertips gently on her arms, maintaining the distance between them. “You strike me as the kind of rebel who doesn’t care what other people think, so…does Tahlia’s really have a no-fraternizing rule, or is that just your way of telling me to kiss off?”

She seethed. “If I didn’t like you I’d just tell you to fuck off.”

“So why didn’t you tell me this a long time ago, when I first asked you out? If you’d told me then, I wouldn’t have bothered you again.” He released her arms and watched her face.

Her gaze raked the ground as she bit her lip and shrugged. “Maybe I was afraid that if I did, you’d stop coming around.”

Miles released a breath, the edge of his mouth curling slightly. It was the most hopeful he’d felt about his chances with Jamie Charles. She’d purposely withheld this information because she liked spending time with him. He hadn’t misinterpreted her feelings for him.

“I can respect that. And I’m sorry to have implied that you’d do anything to jeopardize your job. You’re an excellent bartender, and I’d never want to be the reason you lost your job. Forgive me?”

Jamie’s eyes met his. “I’m sorry, too. I should’ve said something earlier.”

He took another step back and gestured toward the door. “I know you’re tired. Sorry to have kept you.”

Jamie stuck her key in the door and turned the knob. “Thanks again for the ride.”

“You’re welcome. And I meant what I said about giving you a ride into work tomorrow or helping you get your car towed. I’d be happy to help. Just give me a call if you need me.” He dug a card out of his back pocket and handed it to her.

“I’m fine, but here…take one of my cards, in case you can’t find your way back. A couple of wrong turns, and you’ll end up in shit creek.”

Miles smiled. “I’ll keep that in mind. Oh, and Jamie…”

“Yes?” She was barely visible now, having mostly closed the door.

He shook his head and sighed. “Have a good night.”

She nodded and closed the door behind her.

<===END OF EXCERPT===>

If there’s one thing you’ve learned about Miles by now, it’s that he isn’t giving up that easily. Stay tuned to find out how he plans to get around this obstacle. The party isn’t over, though. Grab yourself a spot of tea, a mug of coffee or your favorite adult beverage and visit my fellow teasers on the list below.

Happy teasing!

A Goodnight Kiss #MWTease #BadBoysGoneGood

August 27, 2014 by ReeseRyan

Happy Wednesday! Ready for this week’s buffet of Mid Week Teases, hosted by author Sandra Bunino? Fabulous!

Last week Miles came to Jamie’s rescue when her old truck, Byron, wouldn’t start in the early morning hours after the bar closed. For weeks they’ve gotten to know each other with the bar serving as a wall between them. They were both struck by the intimate proximity of the car ride home, in comparison. It’s an opportunity Miles just can’t let pass, but will Jamie welcome his advance?

<===EXCERPT FROM LOVE ME NOT (BAD BOYS GONE GOOD BOOK #2)===>

Jamie parked in the closest available space to her third-floor rental. “I’m up the street there. Thanks for the ride, and for letting me drive. Will you be able to find your way back?”

“Sure, I’ve got my GPS. I’ll be fine. But that’s a long way up the street. I’ll walk you to your door.”

“Not necessary. This neighborhood is a snoozefest. Trust me, I’ll be fine.” She stepped out of the car.

Miles exited the passenger door, and she handed him the key. “My mother taught me to always walk a lady to her door. So please, just indulge me here. You’re killing my knight-in-shining-armor moment.”

She slung her bag over her shoulder and surveyed his face. “Okay, fine, but to the door, no further.”

He raised his hands in surrender. “To the door is fine.”

Miles locked the car and walked beside her down the street in silence. It was dark, but with the streetlights on he could see that the neighborhood was full of solid, older homes. Most of the houses were duplexes and two-family homes. There were a few single family homes, too. All of them seemed to be well cared for, even though they were probably built at least half a century ago.

“Nice neighborhood,” he said. “How long’ve you lived here?”

“In this place? About two years. Ma is about five minutes from here. I’ve lived a few places, never more than fifteen minutes away from her.”

“I’m sure she’s happy about that.”

“It makes her feel like I’m within reach, I guess.” She shrugged, digging her keys out of her bag. She turned up the drive of a beige two-family home. There were two cars parked in front of the two-car garage. “Thanks again for the ride. I’m exhausted. The last thing I wanted to deal with was a tow truck driver. Ma or Mimi will drive me over in the morning to get it towed. I’ll have to deal with the speech about letting my auto club membership lapse, but hey, I deserve it, right?”

“Or you could let me pick you up tomorrow and use my auto club membership. Then they’d never have to know,” he said quickly. He paused for a moment, realizing for the first time how strange it was not to have a two-foot oak bar separating them. He inhaled the floral scent drifting from her.

Jamie shifted the bag on her shoulder and sighed. “I appreciate what you did tonight, but I can’t impose on you any more than I already have.”

“Why not? I thought we were friends.” He smiled. “That’s the kind of thing friends do for each other, right?”

Jamie leaned against the side of the house. He could barely see her face in the darkened drive, but he could feel the warmth from her skin. He leaned in slowly, closing the space between them. His movement so gradual it felt like slow motion. He needed to be sure she wanted this, too.

Miles placed his hands gently on either side of her face and pressed his lips against hers. He relished the feel of her lips—plump, soft and firm. Savored their taste—sweet and tingly from the mint she’d popped in the car.

She’d leaned in closer and was kissing him back, her fingertips resting gently on his sides. He glided the tip of his tongue along the seam of her lips then slid it between them. Suddenly she pressed the heels of her hands firmly against his chest, pushing him away.

Shit! It was the tongue, wasn’t it? The tongue was too much.

<===END OF EXCERPT===>

Thank you for visiting and getting to know Miles and Jamie. Ready for more literary hors d’oeuvres? We have a wide selection for you this week. Grab a glass of vino and savor the tasty teases at the next stops.

Late Night Encounters #MWTease #BadBoysGoneGood

August 20, 2014 by ReeseRyan

Welcome back to the Mid Week Tease hosted by the lovely Sandra Bunino!

For the past several weeks, my hero Miles Copeland has slowly gotten to know the pretty, prickly and passionate bartender, Jamie Charles. They’ve grown closer and he can sense her attraction to him, but she has flatly rejected his request to get to know her outside of her work. An unexpected turn of events in the early morning hours just might give Miles the opening he’s been awaiting.

<===EXCERPT FROM LOVE ME NOT (BAD BOYS GONE GOOD BOOK #2)===>

Jamie uncapped the safety on her mace and locked up the bar. She climbed into the truck and turned the key. Nothing. She turned it again. Still nothing.

“Damn you, Byron! Not tonight. C’mon!” She tried a few more times but still got nothing. The last thing she wanted to do was wake Ellie in the middle of the night and admit that she’d let her stupid auto club membership lapse two months earlier. She’d rather call a cab now and deal with telling Ellie she’d screwed up again later.

Jamie pulled out her phone, a basic call-and-text device. She’d insisted she didn’t need a smartphone. Sitting in a dark parking lot in the middle of the night, needing to pull up a list of cab companies, her decision suddenly seemed pretty dumb.

“Everything okay?” A shadowy figure crossed the dark parking lot.

Jamie reached into her pocket and pulled out her key chain, ready to discharge the mace the second she knew something wasn’t right. The figure stepped into the light.

“Miles? What the hell are you doing out here at this time of night?” Jamie realized her heart was beating double-time. She drew in a deep breath then let it out in a huff. “You scared the shit out of me.”

“Sorry.” He held up both his hands, halting a few feet away from her. “My window faces the parking lot. I couldn’t sleep, thinking about this proposal I’ve been working on. I looked out the window and saw you get out of the truck and raise your hood. Is everything okay?”

“No. This fucking piece of shit picks tonight to not start. Not cool, Byron.” She directed her angry words at the temperamental truck.

“Do you mind?” He gestured toward it.

“You’re not going to find anything. I didn’t. I’m not a helpless little girl, you know.” She was surprised by how angry she sounded. After all, she was glad not to be alone in a dark parking lot.

“I know you aren’t. But you never know. Let me try?” He wriggled his fingers, and she reluctantly placed the keys in his palm. He climbed inside the truck and tried to start it without success. Finally he hopped down. “Okay, so we’ve definitely got to get it to a mechanic. But there’s no reason it has to be this very moment. Why don’t you let me take you home? My car’s in the garage across the street.”

Jamie bit her lip, not making eye contact. She didn’t want Miles taking her home, but what were the alternatives? “I was gonna call a cab, but I don’t have the number,” she said finally. “If you could look the number up in that fancy phone of yours, that’s really all I need. It’s late, and I don’t want to inconvenience you.”

“It’s not an inconvenience—”

“You just said you were doing work stuff. Which, by the way, you shouldn’t be at this time of night.” She pointed an accusatory finger in his direction. “I don’t want you driving halfway across town for me.”

“Jamie…” He placed a hand on her shoulder. Even through the fabric of her shirt, her skin felt tingly underneath his touch. “Let me do this for you. You’d do the same for me, wouldn’t you?”

She surveyed his face for a moment. Spending the next half an hour together alone—without the security of the bar between them—was a tempting, yet potentially disastrous prospect. Still, it was the only one she had. “Okay, thanks. I’d appreciate a ride home.”

Miles waited as Jamie locked her truck and followed him across the street. He swiped his hotel key card and they entered the garage.

“This isn’t some lame attempt to get me to your room, is it?” She followed him up a flight of stairs.

He laughed. “Is it working?”

“No!” Her answer was emphatic.

“Then no.” He shrugged, smirking at her over one shoulder. When she narrowed those lovely green eyes at him and crossed her arms, his eyes drifted to her breasts. He quickly focused on her face and those pouty, bloodred lips again. “Just kidding. You know that, right?”

Jamie nodded then followed him again. Finally they arrived at Miles’s black BMW. A self-satisfied smirk lifted the corners of her mouth as she raised her eyes to his.

“Enough with the gloating,” he said. “You were right about the car. Let’s just leave it at that.”

Jamie slipped inside the passenger seat and looked around. The car still had that new-leather smell and it was as clean as it had been the day he rode it off the lot. “Didn’t say a word. I’m thankful for the ride.”

“So, where’re we going?”

“Coventry, near Cleveland Heights. I can direct you there.”

He smiled at her. “Why don’t you drive us there?”

“Drive this? You’ve gotta be kidding me,” she said.

“I trust you.” He stretched his hand out toward her, the key in his palm.

“I don’t think that’s such a great idea. My driving is more suitable for a racetrack than the city streets.”

“So you’re an aggressive driver. Why doesn’t that surprise me?”

Jamie narrowed her eyes at him, but let his smart-ass comment ride. “I’d love to take this machine for a ride and show her what a real driver can do, but I don’t think it’d be a good idea.”

“Let’s see what you’ve got.” He pressed the key into her palm and got out of the car. He went around to the passenger side and opened her door. “You’re not going chickenshit on me now, are you, Charles?” He grinned.

Her eyes sparked, like an ignited torch. He’d struck a nerve. It shouldn’t have surprised him. He doubted this girl had ever backed down from a challenge.

Jamie eased the BMW 535i out of its parking space and down the parking garage ramp, carefully taking the curves and getting a feel for the handle of the car. The engine purred like a mighty panther, ready to pounce. He could swear there was something in her eyes that lit up like a kid waking up on Christmas. This was going to be fun, if they survived.

<===END OF EXCERPT===>

Miles has got his hands full with Jamie, hasn’t he? I guess neither of them can walk away from a challenge. Now, get your engines revved up and get off to the race. Take a tour through some of the fun, sexy teases that await at the links below.

The Green-Eyed Beauty Behind the Bar #MWTease #BadBoysGoneGood

August 13, 2014 by ReeseRyan

After more than a week of feeling miserable, it’s good to be out among the living. This week I’ve been playing catch up, so it’s been crazy busy. Thankfully, it’s Mid Week Tease time. There’s nothing like a few Mid Week Teases to take the edge off an intense week.

For the past two weeks we’ve been in Jamie and Miles’s meet cute, from her point of view. This week, we step into his point of view to see what he’s thinking about the wicked vixen behind the bar who is more than a little determined to keep him at arm’s length.

<==EXCERPT FROM LOVE ME NOT==>

Miles stared at the large, heavy backlit menu. Quite an expense for a bar menu. Tahlia’s had gone all out to impress its high-end customer base.

He looked around the place. It was filled with people presumably like him. People with pockets deep enough that they wouldn’t flinch at paying twenty bucks for a fancy salad or a plate of calamari in downtown Cleveland, Ohio.

The concierge at his hotel had highly recommended the place. He reviewed the menu. It all sounded delicious and he’d been starving when he’d walked through those doors fifteen minutes ago. But honestly there wasn’t anything on the menu half as interesting as the green-eyed beauty behind the bar.

The woman was mysterious, yet familiar—bearing a faint resemblance to someone he’d once known. Someone he’d once cared for. He sipped his water slowly, stealing a glance at her. About five foot eight. Lean, athletic body punctuated by sensual curves that made him fully aware of a need to adjust his trousers. Without turning his head, he watched as she sashayed behind the bar, hips swaying, her black pants clinging to her curves in all the right places. Suddenly she threw her head back and laughed, exposing her creamy neck. Her shiny black hair, loosely twisted low at the back of her head, shifted and for a moment he had the visceral sensation of tangling his fingers in it. She laughed again, more quietly this time. Pete was a regular funny guy. With him she seemed comfortable, relaxed.

Returning the glass to the bar, he picked up the menu again. She was apparently immune to his particular brand of charm. He hadn’t been able to solicit so much as a smile from her, let alone any genuine interest.

But then, maybe it was too soon to say.

Jamie stood in front of him, her arms folded tightly across a very impressive rack. Not that he was staring. It was just hard not to notice the strain of her breasts against the tight rayon shirt. The top buttons were open, revealing ample cleavage, a black camisole underneath and glimpses of a colorful tattoo. “Ready to order?”

Was he ever, but what he wanted tonight wasn’t on Tahlia’s menu. “Everything looks delicious.” Miles made sure he’d returned his gaze to the menu before he said it. After all, he didn’t want to come off like a complete sleaze bucket, even if all he could think about was how amazing those breasts probably looked beneath that snug shirt. “It’s impossible to choose. Maybe you can recommend something.”

She studied him for a moment then put down her iPad. She held her hand out, waiting expectantly, and he handed her the menu. Her eyes roamed over the menu quickly before returning it. “You’re not a vegetarian or anything, are you?”

“No.” He smiled. “I’m definitely a carnivore. In fact, the more meat, the better.”

She pursed her lips then returned her gaze to the menu. He responded with an inward grin, reasonably certain she was trying her damnedest not to smile. It gave him hope. Maybe Jamie the Bartender wasn’t a lost cause after all.

“My hands-down favorite meal off the bar menu is the blue-cheese-crusted filet mignon with port wine sauce. It’s seriously a stroke of genius. Like an orgasm for your mouth.” She stared at him for a moment, seemed to enjoy watching him squirm on the bar stool.

He picked up his glass of water and almost missed his own mouth as he attempted to take a quick gulp. Setting the glass back down, he wiped the water from his beard with the back of his hand. “Yeah,” he said, barely able to raise his eyes to hers. “I’ll take that.”

“Perfect.” A full grin crept across her pretty mouth.

Yep. She was definitely fucking with him. And she enjoyed it. This girl was more than he bargained for. Yet there was something about her that made him want to barrel straight through the Danger: Keep the Fuck Out sign she was clearly projecting.

“So, how do you want your potatoes?”

“Potatoes?”

“You know, the brown things that grow out of the ground? We serve them here. Six different ways.”

“Oh yeah, umm…garlic mashed potatoes, please.”

She nodded. “Good choice. Side salad, Caesar salad, broccoli or the vegetable of the day?”

“What’s the vegetable of the day?”

She glanced behind her to look at the chalkboard with the special, soup and vegetable of the day written neatly in white, red and blue chalk. “Brussels sprouts in a white wine reduction.”

“Yeah, I’ll take that.” He folded the heavy menu closed, then handed it to her.

A wicked smile was perched on her dark lips. Did she have the slightest clue how incredibly enticing that smile was? “Great. Will that be all?”

He peered deeply into those bewitching green eyes framed by dark, smoky, cat-eyed makeup. “For now.”

Now it was her turn to squirm a little under his stare. She put the menu back behind the bar and turned to walk away.

Miles tapped his finger lightly on the bar. Maybe his prospects with this girl weren’t looking so bad after all.

<==END OF EXCERPT==>

Thanks for taking the time to visit. Don’t forget to visit the other stops on the list below.

Turning the Tables #MWTease #BadBoysGoneGood

August 6, 2014 by ReeseRyan

It’s time for the Mid Week Tease ( #MWTease ) hosted by the lovely and talented Sandra Bunino. I’ve enjoyed sampling stories from a variety of genres through this fun weekly event, including Sandra’s book, The Colors of Us, which will be available this month. Last week, Jamie met Miles at the restaurant where she works. Miles is intrigued by the beautiful, bad ass bartender. She finds him attractive, but doesn’t believe he’s her type.

Jamie’s dark past has taught her few people can be trusted. She can be a bit gruff, but Miles doesn’t scare that easily.

<==EXCERPT FROM LOVE ME NOT==>

The guy might be goofy and slightly aggravating, but he had the potential to be a good tipper. No matter how irritated she was, she knew better than to fuck that up. Jamie took a deep breath and gave him a dead-eyed smile that skirted civility without encouraging further interaction. “Maybe you’ll feel better if you tell me about it,” she said. “After all, isn’t that why you came here?”

“Hmm…I’ll bet you get that all the time. Rich bozos sitting here whining about their wives, mistresses and tennis elbow.”

She choked back the laugh rising in her chest before it could escape her lips. Covering her mouth, she cleared her throat and managed a straight face. “My customers are not bozos.”

“How politically correct of you to say so.” He tapped the bar lightly with his index finger. “But I have an idea. How about we turn the tables tonight? Tonight, why don’t you tell me what’s bothering you?”

This guy was really beginning to bug her. Since when did a complete stranger give a damn about what was bothering her? Where was this guy from anyway, Mayberry?

A regular came in and sat at the bar. She was glad for the distraction. “I’ll be right with you, Pete,” she told him before turning back to the man who’d managed to get under her skin. “Excuse me—”

“Miles.”

“I’m sorry…?”

“You called him Pete, right? Well, I’m Miles. Miles Copeland. It’s nice to meet you.”

She cleared her throat, her jaw tight. “I’ll be back to check on your order in a few…Miles.”

<==END OF EXCERPT==>

Thanks for stopping by this week. This week I kept it short and sweet. But next week we get inside Miles’s head and see what he is thinking and feeling. Now, grab a cup of coffee or your favorite adult beverage and visit some of the other authors on the list below.

PS: Get yourself a fan. You’ll need it at a few of these stops. 😉

Note to self: Publication is a journey, not a destination

August 5, 2014 by ReeseRyan

This month over on the Contemporary Romance Cafe the topic is: the road to publication.

I turned that thought over and over in my head and I just couldn’t come up with anything. Sure, I have my basic story of how I came to be published, but it didn’t feel like it even began to scratch the surface of the real story.

Publishing has changed dramatically in the past few years. While stories of the road to publication fit the old model of publishing, they only tell the partial story of what it’s like getting published and then staying relevant in the digital age where e-books rule supreme and publishers are consuming each other faster than Ms. Pac-Man gobbled up those darned power pellets.

While many authors are still going the traditional publishing route, there are other treks available. Small publisher. Digital-first publishers. Indie publishing.

Best of all, we aren’t obligated to take one trek or the other. Many authors have found great success going the hybrid route, whether it begins with trad publishers or as indie publishers. All of this is empowering for both authors and readers.

Yet, my basic “road to publication” story didn’t cover any of those exciting nuances.

Then, this morning, it hit me. Like happiness, publication isn’t a destination, it’s a journey.

Signing that first contract, seeing our first book in print (or online), that’s only the first step. Like reaching the first check-in point on a long-distance trek. There are many, many more peaks and valleys ahead and the geography is constantly changing.

I invite you to hop over to the Contemporary Romance Cafe where I share my journey of publication. I’d love to hear yours.

PS: The cover on display is from my first foreign language edition, Una stagione eccitante, recently released in Italy.

Ciao!

Rough Night #MWTease #BadBoysGoneGood

July 30, 2014 by ReeseRyan

Happy Wednesday, gang! You survived the roughest part of the week. Things should get easier from here. Just in case you could use a little something extra to get you through the day (sorry I can’t refill the liquor flask you keep in your purse), we’ve got just the thing: the Mid Week Tease, hosted by the fabulous Sandra Bunino.

The Mid Week Tease is a fun, multi-author event that gives you, dear reader, the opportunity to sample a morsel of our novels and novellas. My tease this week is from Love Me Not. In this scene my heroine, Jamie Charles, first meets the delectable Miles Copeland. Only Jamie isn’t quite as taken with Miles as he is with her…

<==EXCERPT FROM LOVE ME NOT==>

“Rough night, huh?”

Jamie looked at the man who’d taken a seat at the bar. He wasn’t one of the usuals. She’d never seen him before. But he was the type. Tahlia’s wasn’t a dive bar, like the ones she’d worked at in the past. It was an upscale bar and grille that catered to affluent tastemakers. In fact, the only reason they’d given her a shot, with her jet-black hair, penchant for black leather, tattooed arms and nose piercing was because Tahlia Vega was a friend of a friend of Ellie’s. She’d landed the job because she was good.

The man flashing his brilliant white teeth at her definitely fit the bill. Ridiculously gorgeous—like every line of his face had been precisely chiseled from stone by Michelangelo himself. A nose befitting a Greek god. A faint moustache was perched above his upper lip and a barely there beard crawled its way along a jawline with just enough of a pleasing curve to prevent it from being described as square. His hair—a sandy brown just a shade or two shy of venturing into blondiewood—was slicked down on the sides, with the top longer in a fairly conservative faux hawk. But those eyes…they were the color of pristine Caribbean waters. So blue they made a girl want to get naked and go for a swim in them. He was wearing a navy linen blazer with a crisp white shirt beneath it. The large face of the stainless steel TAG Heuer on his wrist nearly matched the color of those eyes.

Rich, gorgeous and probably spoiled. The only thing missing was the rail-thin model-type hanging on his arm. He was definitely the Tahlia’s type. He just wasn’t hers.

“Everything’s great,” she said to him. “I was just thinking about…I was making sure we had enough lemons, that’s all. Can I get you something?”

“You take your citrus inventory very seriously, I see.” An animated smile spread across his handsome face, and his eyes flickered with amusement as they followed her movement. “Well, I for one appreciate your dedication.”

She bit her lip and wiped the counter with a rag. If she’d still been working at Chuck’s Biker Bar, she’d have told this guy to go fuck himself. But at Tahlia’s, the customers were far more delicate. They didn’t appreciate being cursed out by the help. “If I can get you anything, let me know.” She turned to walk away.

“Wait. Actually, I would like something. I’d love a Satan’s Whiskers. It’s—”

“One ounce gin, one ounce orange juice, half an ounce of dry vermouth, sweet vermouth and Grand Marnier, a dash of bitters and a twist of orange peel. Or would you prefer it curled rather than straight?” Teeth clenched, she pressed her lips into a hard smile. Maybe she didn’t look like the dainty little bartenders he was used to, but she knew her shit.

“I apologize.” He ran his hands through his spiked crown, giving his hair a tousled, just-tumbled-out-of-bed-and-I-wasn’t-alone look. “I didn’t mean to imply that—”

“Forget it. Anything else?”

“You guys serve food, too, right?”

“Absolutely, would you care for a table? I can—”

“Actually, I’d like to eat right here at the bar, if that’s okay—” he leaned in closer and squinted at her name tag, “—Jamie. I think I’d prefer your company to eating alone.”

Don’t do me any favors, buddy. She surveyed the man, struck by how his blue eyes danced when he smiled at her. Her knees wobbled slightly. She was glad he couldn’t see them.

“If that’s what you’d like.” She reached behind her and handed him a bar menu. “Just let me know when you’re ready. Would you like your drink now or with your meal?”

“With my meal, please. Until then, how about a glass of water? I’ll take it with one of those lemons.” His devilish smile widened.

Was he making fun of her, or just trying to piss her off? If it was the latter, it was working. “Coming right up.” She forced the words through a smile so fake it’d give Barbie a run for her money. She grabbed a glass, dumped in a scoop of ice, filled it with water then put a lemon on the side. “Here you go. Just call me when you’re ready.”

“Sure thing.” He pulled out his phone. “But I’ll need your number first.”

The overwhelming desire to punch the dude in the face subsided the moment she saw that big, stupid grin. He was a harmless flirt. She could deal with that, no problem. “Ha-ha.” Her face remained expressionless as she tucked the rag into her apron.

He laughed. “Okay, that was pretty corny. I apologize. I’m usually far more clever than this, but today…I got nothing.”

“Rough day, huh?” She crossed her arms and raised an eyebrow.

“Touché. And yes, it has been a challenging day.” Lifting his chin slightly, he stroked his beard, regarding her with amusement. “But things are beginning to look up.”

<==END OF EXCERPT==>

Thanks for reading this week’s tease and allowing me to introduce you to Jamie and Miles. Want to take a peek at more steamy stories? Check out teases being offered by the fabulous authors listed below:

Getting Down and Dirty with Your Characters via the Character Sketch

June 25, 2014 by ReeseRyan

As a writer I both love and loathe the character sketch.

Creating a character sketch can be fun. The exercise nets the kind of knowledge one uncovers during happy hour with the straight-laced co-worker who has a secret life you never imagined. It allows a writer to get elbow-deep in a character’s mind and discover her motivations. A character sketch can unlock a chest of unexpected treasures which will bring the character to life and make the story more vibrant. Even when that information is never told directly to the reader, it informs the writer’s knowledge and can have a powerful impact on the story.

I use a detailed character sketch to propel my relationship with my characters from that of casual acquaintances to close friends and confidantes. This enables me to understand my characters in ways that even they have yet to discover.

So why do I also loathe the character sketch?

Because excavating your character’s life and brain in this manner feels like digging up a quarter acre lot with a 5-inch archaeology trowel, as opposed to a shovel. It’s hard, gut-wrenching work.

Perhaps that’s what makes it so much sweeter when, sweaty, dirty and on the verge of giving up, you discover a tiny treasure of unspeakable value. Like a lost wedding ring the owner never thought she’d see again.

In those moments, it all becomes worth it. Every blister, every cut, every broken finger nail. Even if you aren’t the ultimate benefactor of the intense treasure hunt.

The primary beneficiary of the character sketch is the reader. Not because we should proceed to dump every obscure bit of the character’s backstory in the reader’s lap. But because the character rings truer and comes alive on the page.

Character sketches written after the release of a book can be both fun and functional for readers. It can be fun for past readers to understand more about the character. On the other hand, it gives prospective readers a peek into the character’s psyche to see if it’s worth investing their valuable time into getting to know this character better.

Today I’m over at the Romance Lives Forever Blog doing a character sketch of the volatile and complicated Jamie Charles, the heroine in my most recent release, Love Me Not. Here is a brief excerpt:

What is your character’s family like?

Jamie comes from a broken home and had a very difficult childhood. Her father left home when she was about ten. Her mother was an alcoholic and drug addict. Jamie had planned to run away from home at thirteen, but her best friend’s family took her in and became her legal guardians. She loves them and is fiercely loyal to them. Yet, she trusts few other people.

Is she close to family?

Jamie is very close to her adopted family. However, she hasn’t seen her biological father since she was ten and hasn’t seen her biological mother in more than fifteen years.

If someone from your character’s past showed up, who would she NOT want it to be, and why?

The last person in the world that Jamie would want to see is her biological mother, Josephine Charles. Yet, near the outset of the story, that is exactly what happens. Josephine is trying to get her life together and wants to make amends with Jamie. This sets off a series of events in which Jamie is forced to deal with extremely painful secrets from her past that neither she nor Josephine are truly prepared to face.

Read the entire character sketch here.

As a writer, do you use character sketches? If so, what do you like or hate about them? As a reader, have you ever purchased a book based on a character sketch?

Complicated Characters. Challenging Relationships.

June 20, 2014 by ReeseRyan

I’m fascinated by complicated characters. My favorites include Sherlock Holmes (played by Jonny Lee Miller in Elementary), Raylen Givens (Justified), Mary Shannon (In Plain Sight) and James Bond (played by Daniel Craig). They are prickly, a bit dark and extremely hard to love.

No wonder their characters rarely have serious love interests. When they do, the two seem to be a volatile mixture of chemicals ready to blow at any moment. That’s what makes writing a complicated character in a romance a bit more challenging.

After all, in a romance we are essentially guaranteeing a happily ever after, or at least a happy for now. Something we rarely see complicated characters in television and movies get.

That’s because loving and living with a complicated person can be taxing. But if the character grows as a person over the course of the story, it can be a truly beautiful thing to watch. Yes, they make us frustrated and angry, maybe even bring us to tears. Yet, we are thrilled to see them reach a point where they are open to being loved and are able to do so in return. Despite their imperfections.

Jamie Charles, the heroine in my latest release, Love Me Not, is definitely a complicated character. She had a very difficult childhood. In response, she’s developed a thick outer skin. Like a callous that forms to protect the raw, damaged layer underneath. Jamie can be sarcastic, judgmental and sometimes plain mean. Yet, she’s bright, talented and fiercely loyal to the people she loves.

Fully aware of her flaws, Jamie has made a conscious choice not to get emotionally involved with anyone. She doesn’t see herself as the kind of girl capable of giving her heart to someone. The risk feels too great. However, when Miles Copeland comes along, he isn’t convinced by Jamie’s tough girl act and he believes he’s just the man to prove her wrong.

Miles is also a multi-faceted character. On the surface he’s handsome, affable and charming. However, below the surface he is battling demons of his own.

Loving Jamie is certainly a challenge. One Miles believes is worth it. As long-held secrets are revealed, Jamie comes to terms with her past and slowly begins to recognize that she is indeed capable of loving Miles and worthy of his love.

Do you like complex characters in books, television and movies? If so, tell me who your favorites are in the comments below. If complicated characters drive you crazy, tell me why you loathe them. Your comment will enter you for a chance to win a digital copy of my Bad Boys Gone Good series, which includes Love Me Not, and signed Keeper Kase postcards for both books in the series (mailed to U.S. and Canadian addresses only)

Then be sure to enter the Rafflecopter contest below for your chance to win the awesome Summer Lovin’ Blog Grand Prize: a $75 Amazon Gift Card; a $25 Starbucks e-card and your choice of a $25 Amazon or B&N Gift Card.

Love Me Not Summary

Tortured artist, Jamie Charles’ life is a careful balance between flashes of brilliance and self-loathing. Her art is as dark and dramatic as her painful past. Her resentment of the biological parents—who were too preoccupied with their addictions to bother with her—fuels her ambition to succeed as an artist, but also takes a heavy, personal toll.

Miles Copeland climbed to the top of his advertising agency because he isn’t afraid of taking risks and because he has something to prove to the father who betrayed his family. But when he falls for a moody, Gothic beauty with zero interest in anything but a purely physical relationship, he finds himself in dangerous territory.

Jamie prefers living hard and fast without the complications of love, but finds it impossible to resist the stunningly handsome, yet incredibly sweet man who is determined to have every piece of her–including her heart. Miles shows Jamie the beauty of being loved madly and deeply, but is it enough to make her finally learn to love herself, and open her heart to him?

Summer Lovin’ Blog Hop:

Hop on over to the Summer Lovin’ Blog Hop to visit other participating blogs here: www.hopswithheart.blogspot.com . Enter the Summer Lovin’ Blog Hop giveaway below:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Diverse Families and the Shades of Romance

June 12, 2014 by ReeseRyan

Today the Swirl Awards hosts the 2nd Annual Loving Day Blog Hop. This online event joins various other celebrations across the United States which commemorate the U.S Supreme Court’s landmark decision in Loving v. Virginia, which struck down anti-miscegenation laws in the United States.

That landmark decision removed legal barriers that prohibited marriage between couples of different races. However, many of the societal deterrents remained firmly in place.

It is no longer uncommon to see diverse families in our communities. In fact, the majority of us would hardly give a second thought to seeing a woman walking down the street with a baby of another ethnicity in her arms. Yet, for those of us living outside of that experience, it is easy to forget that not everyone in the world is as an opened-minded and accepting as we are.

Then an innocent Cheerios commercial features a diverse family with a Caucasian mother and an African-American father and suddenly all hell breaks loose.

Such moments remind us of the importance of commemorating decisions like Loving v. Virginia and that for all the ~~delusions~~ talk of a post-racial society, the world really isn’t made of sunshine and rainbows and we’ve got a lot of work to do, as a society, still.

In the Today Show segment above, one of the observations made is that interracial families are rarely portrayed on television, especially in advertising. As our nation becomes increasingly diverse, such a glaring absence of multicultural families in advertising and other media is decreasingly reflective of who we are as a society.

Art often reflects society. However, it also has the power to shape it. Diversity in art, such as movies, television shows and multicultural books isn’t just entertaining. It can also subtly shift our mindset. There is no shortage of multicultural art available, including multicultural and interracial romances penned by many of the authors taking part in the Loving Day Blog Hop. However, unless we raise the profile of diverse books and movies, few mainstream readers will ever see them. One of the many reasons #WeNeedDiverseBooks.

But that’s a post for another day. 😉

The LOVING DAY BLOG HOP, which celebrates the many shades of romance, kicks off at 9:00 am EST today and features posts by participating authors on a variety of topics surrounding interracial love/marriage, and of course the Lovings. They’ve also graciously donated free books, gift cards and swag to help us celebrate. So be sure to visit the next author along the stop.

Here at the Reese Ryan Diaries, I’m giving away digital copies of the two books in my Bad Boys Gone Good series: Love Me Not and Making the First Move. The stories feature heroines Jamie Charles and Melanie Gordon, both members of the diverse, non-traditional Gordon family.

To participate and enter to win great prizes during the Loving Day Blog Hop:

Leave a comment on this post to enter for a chance to win digital copies of both books in my Bad Boys Gone Good series: Love Me Not and Making the First Move.

Enter the Giveaway: http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/74d7d71/

Go back to Loving Day Hop Master List

Go to the next stop on the hop and visit with Sydney Arrison.