Seeing as Once Written, Twice Shy is being featured on The Fussy Librarian today, I figured a little teasing was in order.  Here are some of my favorite snippets from the book.

Drama, drama, drama…ex’s that just can’t let go

I waited for Alissa to disappear outside.

“She’ll ruin us, Paxton,” Julie said.

“You’ve done enough of that all on your own, Julie,” I said.  “Alissa’s right, I’m sick of being stuck as I watch you move on with your life and I can’t do the same.  It’s been a year since you’ve left, Julie.  A goddamn year!”

“How long have you two known each other?”

“You sound as if I’ve betrayed you somehow.  Last I checked, I wasn’t the one who ran around or the one that gave up without a fight,” I said.

Friends…with benefits or something more?

“Let’s not kid ourselves, Alissa,” I said against her skin as I trailed hot, wet kisses down her jaw.  Her head tilted back and I moved down her neck.  “We’re not friends with benefits and you know it.”  I pulled away to gauge her reaction.  Her lips were swollen and pursed, and those gorgeous breasts of hers rose and fell at a more frantic rhythm.  I smirked.  “I believe the word you used yesterday was girlfriend?”

“About that,” she said and bit down on her bottom lip.

“Shh.”  I reached up and trailed my thumb, releasing the soft flesh from her pearly whites.

There might just be more than food when you’re cookin’ things up

I grabbed her hips, turned us so her rear faced the kitchen island and backed her up until she was barricaded between my arms.  Her arms bent at the elbows as she used her forearms to pull my head closer to her face while she devoured my mouth.  My hands rubbed down her sides until I had reached the hem of her dress.  I began to hoist the garment up and around her hips, and squeezed her tight ass.

She gasped at my roughness and I pulled away long enough to see the surprised look on her face which faded into pure animalistic lust.  Sitting her on the counter’s edge, I kissed her hard and fierce, supporting the back of her neck as I lay her down on its surface.

Now this is a buffet.

Pancake dates…the stuff tiny love is made of

I was coming back with coffee for Allie and me when I heard her voice.  She was talking to Jasper and so I leaned onto the room’s threshold and kept vigil on the pair.

“…so Jasper, honey, I need you to wake up for me,” she said.  “Mommy and Daddy would like to see those beautiful bright green eyes of yours.  We miss you and that smile, sweetie.  What about our pancake dates?”  Her voice cracked, sending a jolt of pain to my heart.  “I need someone to pour those blueberries for me.  And who else would help me make a big mess?”  She began to sob softly into the edge of the mattress.  “We all need you, Jasper.”

A hero comes along in an unexpected way

I sat down, laid my hand on her thigh and let my head fall to the side of the mattress as I breathed my relief that she was okay.  “I can’t believe you’ve done this,” I said to the silence.

“I would do it again,” she said with a croaky voice before I felt her hand tangle itself in my messy hair.  “Now kiss me like you did before they took me away.”

I smiled at her loopy smirk and what else could I do?  I indulged her.  Hell, it was quite possible that she had saved my son’s life.