It's almost here! FALL INTO YOU will be out New Year's Eve! Woot! (Yes, I know my site says Jan. 1 but from all I've heard and seen, looks like it's going to be available a day early.)
So I thought to celebrate, I'd post a brand new excerpt AND have a giveaway. (See details at the bottom for contest.)
First, enjoy a little taste of Grant...
From FALL INTO YOU, Copyright 2012 All Rights Reserved Berkley Publishing Group
After another round of questions from the other officer and a tour of the damage, the policemen left with a promise to follow up with her if they found anything. She watched them turn off her street and wrapped her arms around herself, trying to fight a chill that wouldn’t seem to go away.
Grant, who’d stayed leaning against his truck like some silent sentinel, pushed to a stand and stepped in front of her, his hat pulled low over his eyes. Apparently noticing her goose bumps, he rubbed his palms along her chilled arms.
Somehow the little gesture of comfort had tears that had built up from the last twenty-four hours ready to burst free. But she wouldn’t cry. She could handle this.
“You okay, freckles?” he asked.
“Freckles?” She looked up at him, trying to muster up some I’m-totally-fine façade, even though having his hands on her had her thoughts fracturing and emotion trying to leak through. “Are you trying to get me back for calling you cowboy?”
“Just trying to make you smile,” he said, concern underlying that twang.
She pushed a finger to his chest and tried to manage an intimidating expression. “I’d normally punch a guy for calling me that. You’re lucky I’m too tired. And that you’re so fucking big.”
“Lucky, indeed.” He smiled, but those blue eyes remained serious. He grabbed her hand before she could move it away from his chest. His palm closed over her fist, the hold firm. “Now are you going to tell me what really happened last night? You’re shaking. And I know it’s over more than stolen computer equipment.”
She blinked at the change in subject and his grip on her hand. She stepped back, and he quickly let go of her. “What?”
His mouth dipped at the corners, and he eyed her in that knowing way he seemed to be so good at. “Fine. We can do this the easy way or the hard way. You can go on pretending that everything is sugar and sparkles to try to get me to go away and leave you to whatever mess you’re in alone. Not going to happen, by the way. Or you can be honest with me so that maybe I can offer some help.”
She groaned. “Look, I appreciate everything you’ve done. But I don’t need help. I’m on a story that apparently has ruffled someone’s feathers. I can handle it. After all this, I’m going to be on guard now and more aware.”
The displeasure that crossed his face was strong enough to steal breath. He crossed his arms over his chest. “Someone ran you off the road last night. And don’t lie and say I’m off base. You were yelling at them in your sleep.”
She glanced away and took a sudden interest in a crack in her driveway. “It was probably just kids messing around.”
“You don’t strike me as a stupid woman, Charli. Don’t talk like one.”
She clenched her jaw, frustration building. Who was he to make demands on her? Being a Good Samaritan gave him the right to a thank-you but not some right to all her business. But before she could lash out and take out her stress from the last twenty-fours hours on the man in front of her, another truck pulled into her driveway. A very familiar one.
“Son. Of. A. Bitch.” Her simmering frustration boiled over into outright anger. She sent a fiery look Grant’s way, as a ginger-headed man climbed out of the truck’s cab.
Grant shrugged. “Sorry, darlin’. He would’ve done the same for me.”
Suddenly, all the warm and fuzzy feelings she’d been harboring toward Grant earlier that morning dissipated into a red haze.
Read the entire first chapter here.
Or, even better, pre-order it so that you can have it next week! I will love you forever. ;)
Giveaway: I'm giving away signed print copies of CRASH INTO YOU and MELT INTO YOU to one lucky commenter (U.S. and Canada only). Leave a comment answering the question below and include your email address below. I'll pick a winner on Monday.
FALL INTO YOU Review Copies Available: If you are a book blogger and would like to review FALL INTO YOU, please email me at ronilorenbooks(at)gmail(dot)com with the subject REVIEW. There are NetGalley and print options. Please let me know which format you would prefer and include a link to the site where the review would be posted.
QUESTION: What book are you most looking forward to reading in 2013?