by R.E. Hargrave
Carina Anderson has had a craptastic year. From losing her parents in separate freak accidents to finding her boyfriend and BFF engaged in kinky sex games, her general enthusiasm for life has evaporated. It’s not a surprise that by the time Christmas rolls around, she’s ready to lock her doors and hermit the season away—until a chance encounter forces her outlook to change. With her newfound attitude, Carina takes a wild leap and lands herself in a world she never dreamed of. A world she’ll soon find she can’t get enough of.
Dr. Elijah Davies has been counting down the days until he can return to England—and the creature comforts of his playroom. Now used to the hustle and bustle of London, he’s only come back to Hooksett as a favor to his eccentric uncle. But when an adorable and oh-so-sexy elf crosses his path, Elijah decides his visit to the small New Hampshire town might not end up being so boring after all.
Never underestimate the magic of the season… or the power of attraction.
As my eyes scanned over the huddles of bodies, I noticed a lone man in the far corner. He sat so that his back was against the wall, his long, worn jean-covered legs stretched out in front of him. Donned in a threadbare, long-sleeved black shirt and what looked to be a handmade scarf wrapped around his neck, I couldn’t see his face as he concentrated on a tattered book in his hands. I was still watching him, willing him to look up at me in fact, when Deborah returned.
Just as I turned to give her my attention, he lifted his head, then smirked while he blatantly ran his eyes up and down my body. My breath caught in my throat at his feral intrusion. Something in the way he stared me down made me feel like I was on the menu, and I shuddered, my panties dampening. His eyes crinkled when he laughed.
“Carina, this here is Stan and Billy, if you’ll show them where your car is, they’ll bring everything in,” Deborah said, capturing my attention.
“Yeah, sure,” I mumbled, my eyes cutting back to the corner where the man was still staring at me. My outfit suddenly felt a tad silly and childish.
I led Stan and Billy out to my car and unlocked the doors so they could load up baskets. While they headed back inside with their first armfuls, I went to the trunk to retrieve the bags of cocoa.
“May I—”
I’d been leaning into the trunk, stretching to reach the bag which had shifted to the back, when the deep voice startled me, causing me to lose my footing and fall forward into the trunk. Horrified that my ass was on display as my legs flailed behind me, there was nothing I could do. A loud, rich laugh reverberated around me, caressing me and making it hard to think straight.
“Oh, dear, let me give you a hand,” he said, and hands closed on my hips, but not before they ran faintly over my ass. His British accent and wandering hands left a searing heat where they’d touched me… fuck me.
Would it be wrong to take one of the strays home with me? I wondered for half a second.
With his help, I managed to get my feet back on the ground and remove myself from the trunk victorious, cocoa bag in hand. I uprighted myself with a pleased smile on my face and shifted to thank my would-be attacker and savior in one. It was the man from the corner.
And he was grinning at me again.
My chest and cheeks heated up as embarrassment washed over me knowing it had been him to witness my flailing about. “Thank you,” I whispered.
“You’re blinking?” he stated, an air of confusion in his tone. Huh?
I glanced down to see what he was talking about and realized that in my stumble I must’ve bumped the on-button for my bra. The exposed shoulder strap was indeed flashing, along with all the trim work on the bra, which was now quite visible through my white sweater.
“Shit!” I cursed under my breath then stuck my hand down my top to locate the switch, withdrawing my hand and looking up once the lights were dimmed again. “Yeah, uh, that wasn’t supposed to happen.” I giggled, feeling sheepish. In the sunlight, I could see that his hair was strawberry blond, and it sparkled with meandering snowflakes. His eyes were a dark green that matched my leggings.
He licked his lips as he leaned into me, his hand grasping my elbow then sliding down my forearm to catch the bag in my hand left a fiery trail in its wake. The man pressed his mouth to my ear and I felt his warm breath as he purred into my ear, “It’s very festive. I like it… it’d be a great treat to see all of the light show, love.”
Leaving me speechless, my cheek warmed where he kissed it before walking away with the cocoa.
 
 
Hargrave lives on the outskirts of Dallas, TX and is married to her high school sweetheart; together they are raising three children. A native 'mutt,' she has lived in New Hampshire, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Alabama, Texas, and California. She is fond of setting her stories—which range from the sweet to the paranormal, to the erotic and horrific—on location in South Carolina and Texas.
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by Jude Ouvrard
Genre: Contemporary Romance with Military elements 
When Carter is killed in combat, he leaves behind his heartbroken wife, Avery and his shattered best friend Remy. Naturally these two wounded souls gravitate together, irresistibly drawn by the loss of the one they both loved, as well as their deep friendship with each other. But when that friendship starts to turn into something more, new problems arise.
Will Avery be able to move on after losing the love of her life?
Will Remy be able to fill the void left by the loss of his best friend? Or will this new chance at love cost them all they have left?
Jude Ouvrard is an author who writes from the heart, and reads with passion and devotion. Jude enjoys stories of drama, true love, tattoos, and everything in between. While writing is her therapy, reading is her solace. Life doesn't get better than books and chocolate, and maybe a little bit of shopping.
A romance lover, Jude writes about love, pain, heartbreak and matters that will challenge your heart. A book can tell an unexpected story, no matter which directions it takes. Jude embraces words that have haunted her for years.
Jude is a working mom who dedicates her time to a law firm and writing books. She has an energetic superhero son, and a supportive boyfriend of many years. Her family is her rock; she could not survive without them. Born a country girl, she transformed into a city woman who now lives in Montreal, Canada. Although French is her first language, Jude decided to write in English because she liked the challenge.
Men of New York, Book 1
by L.J. Harris At the tender age of twenty-one, Kade Hutchins is at a crossroads, having endured enough hardship to last a thousand lifetimes. With money tight and career at a standstill, he's running out of time and options. The day he applies for a job that isn't exactly in his field of expertise and meets his new boss, Mr. Preston, is the day his fate is changed irrecoverably.
Luke Preston is the kind of man others envy. Rich, successful and unattached, his no-nonsense, ‘take no prisoners attitude’ has made him one of the highest profile litigators in Manhattan. He’s also a man with secrets. Secrets he wants kept under wraps since tragedy rocked his privileged existence to the core. When Kade, a man some fifteen years his junior steps foot inside his office, Luke wonders if his heart will survive.
Brushing an errant piece of fluff off my shoulder, I straightened the hem of my shirt and took a deep breath. Not that it did much good. By the time the elevator doors opened on the tenth floor, my nerves were beyond frazzled. With less than a minute to spare, I stepped inside the plush, modern offices.
A striking woman sitting behind a large reception desk greeted me, looking most business-like. What didn’t make sense was the way she seemed ready to pounce the second she saw me. I was surprised she didn’t fall flat on her face, considering she wore a pencil-thin black skirt and high-heeled shoes and was on her feet and running toward me like a crazy person.
“Thank God you’re here!”
“Um, what?” I took a wary step backward. She was kinda scary.
“Please tell me you’re Kade Hutchins.”
“Oh. Yes, I am.”
She held out her hand and when I took it in mine, I was impressed by her firm, assured grip. “You have no idea how relieved I am to see you.”
“Uh, thanks?” The warm smile she gave in response made her round, hazel eyes sparkle. Her hospitable attitude made me feel at ease in an instant, and I couldn’t help but grin back.
“The name’s Kimberly O'Connell. I’m the paralegal around here.”
“It’s nice to meet you, Ms. O’Connell.”
“Oh, please, I insist you call me Kimberly.”
“Okay.”
Releasing her hold on me, she pointed a manicured finger at the closed office door located behind the desk. “Come on, Kade. Let’s get you in to see His Highness.” Covering her mouth, she giggled.
“Who?” I stopped myself from joining in, but it wasn’t easy. She had an infectious laugh.
“Luke Preston. The ass you spoke to on the phone.”
“Oh.” I didn’t know whether it was appropriate to agree with her or not, but decided it would be best to err on the side of caution.
“Sorry about him, by the way.” Kimberly knocked, before lowering her voice to a faint whisper, and adding, “I had no idea he was going to answer the phone when I went to make his coffee. He usually lets the machine pick up, but I didn’t think to switch it on since I was only going to be gone a few minutes.”
The moment I let out a nervous chuckle, the door to Luke Preston’s office flew open.
Tall and broad-shouldered, the strong jaw, high cheekbones, and dark brown hair slicked back so not a lock was out of place, coupled with the way his body filled out that navy suit, made Luke Preston look more like a model than a lawyer. My guess was that he was in his mid-thirties, but holy shit, did he wear it well. Startling emerald eyes fringed by long, dark lashes stared at me with such intensity that, for a split second, I forgot to breathe. His sharp features were softened by flawless, pale skin and full lips so plush, I wondered what they would feel like pressed against my own. In that briefest of moments, I knew I was in trouble as my head began waging a war with my heart so fierce, I didn’t know whether to pull him in for a kiss or run for my life.
All I could do was wait for him to say something… anything to break the tension.
L. J. HARRIS is a mother, wife, an introvert and author. Her family is her life, her soul, and the very reason she gets out of bed every day. Coming a close second is her writing.
She discovered a passion for putting pen to paper in her later years, jotting down poems in birthday cards for family members.
It was then a spark was lit, and ever since, she's been unable to switch off the urge to share her stories.
L.J. Harris discovered that as much as experiencing pain, loss and betrayal can be devastating, capturing the feelings of anguish and loss that some of her characters have had to endure without firsthand knowledge would have proved difficult.
L.J. has been previously published and has shared several online stories and looks forward to continuing to share her work. She can be found at:
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