by: Victoria James
Series: Shadow Creek, Montana
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Release Date: February 12, 2018
Publisher: Entangled Publishing ~ Bliss
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He’s willing to take a risk for a chance at forever...
Connor O'Leary knows nothing about babies, families, or good women, yet he's up to his ears in all three. Coming to Shadow Creek, Montana was meant to be a new start for this former oil rigger, but he had no idea that fresh beginning would include a baby on his doorstep and a hot nanny he can't stop thinking about. Diapers, feedings, and late nights soothing his little bundle of surprise were definitely not on his itinerary.
The last thing Haley Thomson expected to see is the reclusive Connor with a baby in his arms. Before she knows it, she's volunteered as nanny—temporarily. Helping out with baby Rosie is a dream come true and fills a space in her heart she believed will never be filled. But falling for Rosie's hot and sexy bachelor daddy is not on her to-do list…but boy would she ever like it to be...
“You know that nothing can ever happen between us,” he said, pulling back slightly. Her arm fell and humiliation swept through her, harsh and fierce.
“Of course,” she whispered, waving a hand, praying that she’d be able to look and sound convincing. “That would be so stupid. I’m leaving. You’re starting a life here. There’s no way we could work, this would be all wrong. Right?”
He stood up abruptly and ran a hand through his hair as he walked across the room. She tried not to let the sting of his rejection show. She’d put herself out there, not even intentionally, but he’d shot her down instantly. “Haley…”
“No, never mind. I don’t know what’s wrong with me tonight. Must be the wine and loneliness. I haven’t had wine in ages.” Lies. She’d had wine last week with her friends.
Well, not all lies because she had never been able to handle a second glass of wine well. She was into her second, and it usually managed to lift the cloak of self-discipline. “And all I do is talk to a baby who can’t speak back yet. I was really blabbing nonsensically.”
His wince was even more painful. He knew she was trying to save face. But again, he did nothing to indicate he had feelings for her. So it was one-sided; that was fine.
She wasn’t even ready for a relationship. “I’m not ready for a relationship, anyway,” she continued babbling because he just stood there looking gorgeous and untouchable.
“Another man is the last thing this girl needs,” she said, clearing the pizza boxes and plates. “I need another man in my life like I need a bad case of shingles.”
She thought she heard a choked laugh, but since she wasn’t looking at him, she continued speaking and crossed the room to the kitchen. “Really, stinky socks, food demands, criticism, having to look perfect all the time, someone telling you you’re not good enough, always pointing out your faults, yelling, slamming doors. I mean, who needs that?” She probably shouldn’t have had that second glass of wine, judging by the look on his face. She thought he was going to walk out of the room, but he just stood there with a look of sympathy. She didn’t know what she preferred.
“Haley,” he said roughly.
She swallowed hard when he started crossing the room toward her. Uh-oh. She slung back the rest of her wine and placed it on the counter, belatedly realizing chugging
alcohol might not be the best look for her. He didn’t stop walking until he was about an inch or so from her. He had amazing light-blue flecks in his eyes, and up close she could see he had a tiny scar above his lips. She really shouldn’t stare at his mouth, but while she was, she had to admit it was a very sensual-looking mouth. She stood there, not moving, maybe not really breathing either. Again, that blood sugar line was really coming in handy.
“Haley,” he said again in that voice that made her toes curl. She lifted her eyes from his mouth to meet his gaze.
“Um, yes?”
“You’re good enough.”
She didn’t say anything. She couldn’t, because her emotions were swirling around inside her, tying up her words, until she didn’t know what to say. For a second it
looked as though he was going to touch her, or move forward, but instead he backed up a step. His face was tight, his eyes stormy. “You are more than good enough, and if anyone ever made you think otherwise, or told you otherwise, they never deserved you.”
“Of course,” she whispered, waving a hand, praying that she’d be able to look and sound convincing. “That would be so stupid. I’m leaving. You’re starting a life here. There’s no way we could work, this would be all wrong. Right?”
He stood up abruptly and ran a hand through his hair as he walked across the room. She tried not to let the sting of his rejection show. She’d put herself out there, not even intentionally, but he’d shot her down instantly. “Haley…”
“No, never mind. I don’t know what’s wrong with me tonight. Must be the wine and loneliness. I haven’t had wine in ages.” Lies. She’d had wine last week with her friends.
Well, not all lies because she had never been able to handle a second glass of wine well. She was into her second, and it usually managed to lift the cloak of self-discipline. “And all I do is talk to a baby who can’t speak back yet. I was really blabbing nonsensically.”
His wince was even more painful. He knew she was trying to save face. But again, he did nothing to indicate he had feelings for her. So it was one-sided; that was fine.
She wasn’t even ready for a relationship. “I’m not ready for a relationship, anyway,” she continued babbling because he just stood there looking gorgeous and untouchable.
“Another man is the last thing this girl needs,” she said, clearing the pizza boxes and plates. “I need another man in my life like I need a bad case of shingles.”
She thought she heard a choked laugh, but since she wasn’t looking at him, she continued speaking and crossed the room to the kitchen. “Really, stinky socks, food demands, criticism, having to look perfect all the time, someone telling you you’re not good enough, always pointing out your faults, yelling, slamming doors. I mean, who needs that?” She probably shouldn’t have had that second glass of wine, judging by the look on his face. She thought he was going to walk out of the room, but he just stood there with a look of sympathy. She didn’t know what she preferred.
“Haley,” he said roughly.
She swallowed hard when he started crossing the room toward her. Uh-oh. She slung back the rest of her wine and placed it on the counter, belatedly realizing chugging
alcohol might not be the best look for her. He didn’t stop walking until he was about an inch or so from her. He had amazing light-blue flecks in his eyes, and up close she could see he had a tiny scar above his lips. She really shouldn’t stare at his mouth, but while she was, she had to admit it was a very sensual-looking mouth. She stood there, not moving, maybe not really breathing either. Again, that blood sugar line was really coming in handy.
“Haley,” he said again in that voice that made her toes curl. She lifted her eyes from his mouth to meet his gaze.
“Um, yes?”
“You’re good enough.”
She didn’t say anything. She couldn’t, because her emotions were swirling around inside her, tying up her words, until she didn’t know what to say. For a second it
looked as though he was going to touch her, or move forward, but instead he backed up a step. His face was tight, his eyes stormy. “You are more than good enough, and if anyone ever made you think otherwise, or told you otherwise, they never deserved you.”
Purchase Baby on the Bad Boy’s Doorstep from:
The Shadow Creek, Montana Series:
Christmas with the Sheriff ~ Review
The Baby Bombshell ~ Review
The Doctor’s Redemption ~ Review
You can read my 5 star review of Baby on the Bad Boy’s Doorstep here.
Victoria James is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of contemporary romance.
Victoria always knew she wanted to be a writer and in grade five, she penned her first story, bound it (with staples and a cardboard cover) and did all the illustrations herself. Luckily, this book will never see the light of day again.
In high school she fell in love with historical romance and then contemporary romance. After graduating University with an English Literature degree, Victoria pursued a degree in Interior Design and then opened her own business. After her first child, Victoria knew it was time to fulfill her dream of writing romantic fiction.
Victoria is a hopeless romantic who is living her dream, penning happily-ever-after's for her characters in between managing kids and the family business. Writing on a laptop in the middle of the country in a rambling old Victorian house would be ideal, but she's quite content living in suburbia with her husband, their two young children, and very bad cat.
Sign up for Victoria's Newsletter to stay up to date on upcoming releases and exclusive giveaways, follow her blog for daily antics and insight into her daily life, and get to know her on twitter and Facebook. She loves hearing from readers!
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Thank you for the book recommendation and chance to win the giveaway.
ReplyDeleteThanks for stopping by. Trust me, you will LOVE Victoria.
DeleteOh this sounds so good. I cannot wait to read and see what happens between them! Victoria James is a new author for me.
ReplyDeleteVictoria is one of my FAVORITE authors! I strongly recommend you read her books. But I recommend that you have a couple of tissues handy.
ReplyDeleteI would start with her Red River Series. I think my favorite all time book is The Best Man's Baby. It was actually the first book I read from her.
Victoria James is an auto read for me.
ReplyDeleteYES!!!
DeleteWhat a sweet cover!! Looking forward to reading this one!
ReplyDeleteI hope you enjoy it as much as I did.
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