by: Kate Meader
Series: Tall, Dark, and Texan
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Release Date: February 15, 2016
Source: Author
His office temptation is now his full-blown fantasy…
Paying down her sister’s debts has left Emma Strickland with little more than the thrift store suit on her back. And as if the suckfest couldn’t get worse, she’s forced to moonlight as a waitress to support herself and her cat. At a strip club. Her uptight, sexy-as-hell boss Brody Kane can never find out.
Texas property tycoon Brody Kane hired Emma for her spreadsheet skills, but her prim and proper demeanor sealed the deal. There’s no room in his life for a sexy distraction … and yet, he can’t stop lusting after the delicious Ms. Strickland. And then he takes an important client to a Chicago strip club and gets the worst lap dance in adult entertainment history. From Emma.
Now that he knows his office good girl has a naughty streak, Brody makes it his mission to uncover her secrets, one steamy, illicit, over-the-desk encounter at a time. But Emma is hiding more than her side job, and her final secret could end up destroying them both.
A growl erupted from his throat, an unabashed display of possessiveness that even he found to be clichéd. But it drew the perfect reaction. Her teeth snagged on the pillow of her lower lip and emerged moist. Her nipples budded against the thin fabric of his tee.
Ms. Strickland likes it when you growl.
He closed the gap between them, gratified when she stepped back against the counter.
“Admit you’re jealous, Emma.”
“Never,” she said defiantly.
“Just your nipples then. They’re pouting.” He inclined his head. “And these earlobes have a greenish tinge to them.” He brushed his lips across the delicate shell of her ear. “And this spot where your neck meets your shoulder”—he inhaled her scent and placed the lightest kiss at that sensitive patch of skin—“the most jealous of all. And you in that tee is not helpin’ anyone, baby.”
“Are you telling me your engine gets all revved up when you see an old tee?” Fake bravado trilled through her voice. She pulled at the hem of the shirt. It fell to midthigh, but her drawing attention to it stirred his blood into a cauldron of need.
“When I see you in it. Because now it’s going to smell of you.” Reaching behind her, he bunched the material so it shaped to her perky breasts. “I know it brushed your skin, rubbed your nipples, that you were wearing it when I fucked you to paradise on my bedroom floor. Maybe you hitched it up to your hips while you thought about me and stroked yourself last night.”
He gave her a moment to pull out of his grasp, and when she didn’t, he hiked the tee higher, up past her ass. A wisp of lace crashed into his vision field as she parted her legs on a moan.
“You have other clothes. Ones I bought you. You don’t have to wear this, so why are you tormenting me?”
Her breathing came in short tugs, her breasts straining against the fabric he held taut against her body. Every part of him howled to be completed by her surrender. He could dip his head and suck her stiff nipple, but she had to ask for it. Beg for it. Last time, he took.
“Why are you wearing it?” he repeated.
“Be-because it’s soft.”
“And?”
“Comfortable.”
Not satisfied with that answer, he nudged his knee between her legs. Her lips parted to reveal all that wet, succulent pink, mimicking the pliant heat he longed to plant his cock into over and over. “And?”
“It smells of you.” In a surprise move, she put him on the back foot by leaning in and inhaling from his neck. “But it’s a ghost of your scent and can’t possibly compete with the real thing. God, you smell so good. It was the first thing I noticed about you when I interviewed. You shook my hand and I walked out of there on a contact high. No one should smell that good or look that hot. And in glasses, too, you fucking dick.”
Purchase Taking the Score from:
Hello Mr. Kane. I’m Kim. Welcome to Read Your Writes Book Reviews. How are you are? Oh, is it okay if I call you Brody?
Well, a pretty girl like you can call me anything. *grimaces* Sorry, that was inappropriate and … I’m not very good at flirting.
Thank you so much. It’s okay, you’re doing just fine. I haven’t had the pleasure of reading your story, Taking the Score, so I’m going to just ask you some questions, in order to get to know you. I hope that’s okay.
*Looks at watch* I usually expect the people who work for me to be prepared, and that includes interviewers. My assistant, Ms. Strickland should have made that clear when she scheduled this interview that I’m a man who doesn’t enjoy having my time wasted. She’s usually so on top of things but she’s been so distracted lately… *pushes glasses back up his nose and sighs noisily* Go ahead with your questions.
*Blinking at Brody, like he’s lost his mind* Do you really think being a jerk to me is the way to go? Here’s a question for you. What’s your worst and best quality?
Interesting that you asked for worst first, which I suspect says more about you.
I’m not quite sure how to take that. I have on good authority what you think is your worst quality. Though a woman in my position sees it as a very good quality. (Smiles innocently)
*blinks, pushes glasses back up his nose and clears throat* I don’t trust people easily, though a man in my line of work, buying and selling multi-million dollar properties, might consider that a good quality. As for my best quality, I’m loyal to my friends and I love the hell out of my pain-in-ass-sister.
I hear Olivia is something else. Your business partners, Flynn Cross and Hunter Dade, noticed your interest in Emma Strickland early on. What is it about her that you find so attractive?
What the hell is going on here? Sometimes I think I work with a couple of gossipy old biddies. I do not find Ms. Strickland attractive despite what my partners might have told you. She is a woman of many talents—her spreadsheet skills are superb, she can handle multiple projects at once, and nothing fazes her… not even the way I stare at her when she doesn’t know I’m looking. It’s like she has no idea I’m thinking deep, dark, dirty thoughts about how I’d like to hike up her skirt and—um, where were we?
Oh, you’re exactly where I want you to be. Tell me, what’s the one thing you never want to give up?
My Doctor Who figure collection. From my cold dead hands…
What is your idea of happiness?
Looking up from reading a report and snagging gazes with the one person who makes my heart flutter madly.
That’s so sweet. What is your biggest secret, something no one knows about?
I’ve pretty much wanted Emma Strickland since the moment I laid eyes on her—even in her bad shoes, ugly hairstyle, and ill-fitting thrift store suit.
News flash, loverboy. That’s NOT a secret. Remember your friends Flynn and Hunter? What’s your idea of a perfect evening?
Sitting in my home theater with a bucket of popcorn, The Empire Strikes Back on the big screen, and Emma “Chardonnay” Strickland, getting all snuggly. Though I suspect her cat, Kevin, will be wedged in between us because he’s insanely jealous whenever Emma gets too close. That little ball of hiss absolutely adores me!
And you know you’re crazy about him too. It’s a rainy Sunday morning. What are you doing?
Burning scrambled eggs and listening to Emma singing—terribly—in the shower.
You two definitely love your showers.
Let’s play a game! Pick only one answer.
Suit and tie or t-shirts and jeans – Do you even know me? Suit and tie, of course.
Yes, but they come off so easily. Chocolate or Whipped Cream – Whipped cream
Bedroom or Kitchen – Kitchen. The counter heights are perfect for my needs.
Yes. Yes. Yes. Oh, sorry. Naughty or nice – Naughty, naughty, naughty
Sweet or Spicy – Spicy
Handcuffs or Scarves – Scarves. Usually Hermes.
Love or Lust – Who says I can’t have both?
You definitely can. And, you do. Private or for all the world to see – I’ve been known to “show off” on the balcony of my penthouse suite.
I love your creator, Kate Meader. She has this crazy sense of humor. Well, sometimes her heroes may not think so. What’s the craziest thing Kate had you do, where you thought to yourself “Are you F***ing serious?”
Well, she did make me sing a karaoke duet of “Total Eclipse of the Heart” with Emma. Did I tell you how bad of a singer my assistant is? Someone had to get up there and make her sound better. Luckily, that scene ended up on the cutting room floor, so, of the on-page episodes, I’d say putting me in a strip club and making my assistant give me the worst lap dance in adult entertainment history is up there. You think Emma’s a bad singer? She’s an even worse dancer. I mean, terrible, no rhythm whatsoever. Yet somehow she managed to turn me on.
Brody, thank you so much for taking time to answer some questions for me.
No problem. Don’t forget to give your parking ticket to Ms. Strickland – she’ll be happy to validate it for you.
The Tall, Dark, and Texan Series:
(Click on the book covers for more information and/or to purchase from Amazon.)
Taking the Score ~ Review
Places to find Kate Meader:
Great post and review! Thank you for hosting TAKING THE SCORE today!
ReplyDeleteCrystal, Tasty Book Tours
Thanks for checking them both out Crystal. And thanks for allowing me on the tour.
DeleteI have to say that was a great interview. I just love it when the host and characters get so into the interviews ^_^. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteThanks Angela. I have to admit, Brody threw me off a couple of times. Thank you for stopping by and checking out the interview.
Delete