by: Christi Barth
Series: Bad Boys Gone Good
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Release Date: October 3, 2017
Publisher: Avon Impulse
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USA Today bestselling author Christi Barth launches a sexy new series about three bad-boy brothers in Witness Protection who are about to learn that going good is harder than they thought…
Doctor Mollie Vickers loves the tight-knit community of her tiny Oregon town. But she’s not a fan of the limited dating options. Sleep with a guy who tried to copy off her in junior high? Pass. Mollie’s sex life is flatlining… until a deliciously handsome man she’s never seen before stops to help her fix a flat tire.
As an ex-mobster, Rafe Maguire’s no saint. But he’s trying to turn over a new leaf. Although he probably shouldn’t kiss the hot doctor on the side of the highway. Or suggest a no-strings fling with a woman he has no business pursuing. Rafe’s life is too complicated for love—his new WITSEC-provided identity doesn’t fit him at all and there’s a U.S. Marshal watching his every move. He can’t tell Mollie the truth… but their chemistry is scorching and being good doesn’t mean he can’t be a little bad.
Mollie can’t resist the guy who looks rough, talks tough, and is loyal to the bone. But it’s obvious Rafe is keeping secrets. When the truth comes out, Mollie must decide if she could ever love an ex-mobster… or if this bad boy has truly gone good.
“I’ll bet you’re a grade obsessed overachiever.”
She was noticing that he liked to classify things. “Rafe, I was in colleges and med school for about a billion years. You don’t get through without worrying about grades.”
“I never did. Found a way to work around boring things like tests and studying.” He stepped closer. Put one hand up on the column above her head, giving the impression she was boxed in. Not that Mollie wanted to go anywhere right now. “For example, how do you feel about giving extra credit for life skills?”
A shiver of excitement danced along her nerves like a hot breeze. No, Mollie needed to self-diagnose properly. It was pure lust. “I’m open to the possibility.”
Rafe put his thumb and forefinger on her chin, tilting her head a bare inch up. Her eyelids shut, and her lips parted in anticipation. Every sense revved hot—Mollie felt the sharp corner of the column against her shoulder blade. Heard the crickets’ constant chirping layered below the hollow hoots of an owl. Smelled the fresh layer of cedar chips Gran had laid out in the garden this week.
But no kiss. Mollie’s eyes popped back open. Yep, Rafe was right there, face shrouded in darkness, all hard planes and shadows. Aka soooo darn tingle-inducing. “Did you get lost on the way to my lips?”
“Sometimes it’s about the journey, not the destination.” The hand holding her chin moved to push a strand of hair behind her ear. But he did it in super slo-mo. The rough drag of his calloused skin up her cheek, across her cheekbone, brought goose bumps to the surface. When his fingertip barely grazed over the top of her ear, another set of goose bumps formed, this time inside her body.
Mollie knew it wasn’t medically possible. She also knew what she felt. What Rafe made her feel. A sigh slipped between her lips.
Then Rafe squeezed her hip. It was a firm squeeze that wrapped his big hand around to the top of her butt. One that made her realize just how large in spread and length his fingers really were. He began an excruciatingly slow glide up her rib cage. Halfway, he flipped his hand over. So just the back of his knuckles glanced along the side of her breast.
It was enough.
It was more than enough. Mollie’s eyes fluttered shut again in sheer pleasure. Rafe could take all the time he wanted if it was going to feel this bone-meltingly good. She reached out and got a handful of his shirt. Not so much because she needed to anchor herself (although she did, truth be told), but because she needed to touch him, too. To feel the breadth of his body beneath her fingers.
So Mollie stretched her fingers and stroked past his scapula, over as much of that ridged, taut-as-rebar trapezius as she could get to. Rafe’s muscles were spectacular. As a physician, it was a fact. As a woman, he was a fantasy come true.
Another gentle pull on her ponytail tipped her head to the side. Finally, Rafe bent his neck to bring his head down to the crook right where her carotid pulse throbbed hard just beneath her skin. Lips and tongue danced in a triple step over her throat. Mollie dug her fingers into his back.
She was noticing that he liked to classify things. “Rafe, I was in colleges and med school for about a billion years. You don’t get through without worrying about grades.”
“I never did. Found a way to work around boring things like tests and studying.” He stepped closer. Put one hand up on the column above her head, giving the impression she was boxed in. Not that Mollie wanted to go anywhere right now. “For example, how do you feel about giving extra credit for life skills?”
A shiver of excitement danced along her nerves like a hot breeze. No, Mollie needed to self-diagnose properly. It was pure lust. “I’m open to the possibility.”
Rafe put his thumb and forefinger on her chin, tilting her head a bare inch up. Her eyelids shut, and her lips parted in anticipation. Every sense revved hot—Mollie felt the sharp corner of the column against her shoulder blade. Heard the crickets’ constant chirping layered below the hollow hoots of an owl. Smelled the fresh layer of cedar chips Gran had laid out in the garden this week.
But no kiss. Mollie’s eyes popped back open. Yep, Rafe was right there, face shrouded in darkness, all hard planes and shadows. Aka soooo darn tingle-inducing. “Did you get lost on the way to my lips?”
“Sometimes it’s about the journey, not the destination.” The hand holding her chin moved to push a strand of hair behind her ear. But he did it in super slo-mo. The rough drag of his calloused skin up her cheek, across her cheekbone, brought goose bumps to the surface. When his fingertip barely grazed over the top of her ear, another set of goose bumps formed, this time inside her body.
Mollie knew it wasn’t medically possible. She also knew what she felt. What Rafe made her feel. A sigh slipped between her lips.
Then Rafe squeezed her hip. It was a firm squeeze that wrapped his big hand around to the top of her butt. One that made her realize just how large in spread and length his fingers really were. He began an excruciatingly slow glide up her rib cage. Halfway, he flipped his hand over. So just the back of his knuckles glanced along the side of her breast.
It was enough.
It was more than enough. Mollie’s eyes fluttered shut again in sheer pleasure. Rafe could take all the time he wanted if it was going to feel this bone-meltingly good. She reached out and got a handful of his shirt. Not so much because she needed to anchor herself (although she did, truth be told), but because she needed to touch him, too. To feel the breadth of his body beneath her fingers.
So Mollie stretched her fingers and stroked past his scapula, over as much of that ridged, taut-as-rebar trapezius as she could get to. Rafe’s muscles were spectacular. As a physician, it was a fact. As a woman, he was a fantasy come true.
Another gentle pull on her ponytail tipped her head to the side. Finally, Rafe bent his neck to bring his head down to the crook right where her carotid pulse throbbed hard just beneath her skin. Lips and tongue danced in a triple step over her throat. Mollie dug her fingers into his back.
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The Bad Boys Gone Good Series:
USA TODAY bestselling author Christi Barth earned a Masters degree in vocal performance and embarked upon a career on the stage. A love of romance then drew her to wedding planning. Ultimately she succumbed to her lifelong love of books and now writes award-winning contemporary romance, including the Naked Men and Aisle Bound series.
Christi can always be found either whipping up gourmet meals (for fun, honest!) or with her nose in a book. She lives in Maryland with the best husband in the world.
Places to find Christi Barth:
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I love bad boys in books. So, this one is on my "must read" list now.
ReplyDeleteI haven't read Christi in awhile, but I definitely want to read this book.
DeleteI have never read her books as she is a new author to me. I am glad that I have now found her because I am loving what I have read about this book!!
ReplyDeleteAmy, Christi is pretty good. I LOVE her Aisle Bound series.
DeleteI love a good "Bad Boy" ! 💗😍
ReplyDelete