SWEET DISTRACTION
Contemporary Romance/ NOVELLA
He's supposed to protect her body, not ravish it.
After injury forces him to leave his military career behind, Cole Sweet finds himself adrift, struggling against hellish memories and loss of identity. When his childhood friend, agent to rock goddess Jessie Ford, offers him a job as her bodyguard, Cole is hesitant to accept. What does he know about the glitzy world of rock and roll? He's a warrior, not a glorified babysitter to some spoiled princess. Except Jessie is nothing like Cole imagined. Her lush curves and vivacious personality captivate him, tempting him in ways he finds impossible to resist. Jessie Ford is at the top of her career. Her image graces the cover of Overdrive, the world's biggest rock magazine, and her new single has debuted atop the charts, putting her on track to becoming the most downloaded female artist of the year. She has one clear objective, and nothing will stand in the way of her goal. Especially not an ex-Marine with a chip on his shoulder. Even if he does bring new meaning to the word distraction. |
Excerpt
ONE
“Do you believe in love at first sight?”
Jessie Ford choked, spewing a mouthful of diet cola over the stack of glossy photographs she was signing. Unfortunately, the photos were precariously positioned atop the seventy-five-pound black Goldendoodle who believed he was a lapdog. Beau, thrilled at the new arrival in the room, bolted off her lap, spilling the eight by tens onto the wood floor.
She shot her dog a sidelong glance. His lack of concern was evident as he stomped all over them on his way to the door. Long tail wagging hard enough his rump moved with it, doggy grin in place, Beau leaned against her manager’s leg.
She refused to be charmed. “My life is not normal.”
“No shit!” the voice on her cell phone snorted. “You’re a rock goddess with a big, goofy dog and a hot manager. And did that man say what it sounded like he said?”
Jessie set the pen aside and took a better grasp on her cell before it followed the photos to the floor. She shot a glance to her manager as she continued her phone conversation. “You can’t make this shit up.”
Maxwell McCormick quirked a brow.
“You know he’s mine, right? He just doesn’t know it yet.” Cameron, or Cam as she preferred to be called, continued talking as if their conversation hadn’t been interrupted. She was many things and one of them was unstoppable. When Cam had something to say, she said it, no matter what the circumstances. Max was her favorite topic of conversation. “Ooh, tell me what he’s wearing.”
“A frown.”
“I mean besides that.”
Jessie rolled her eyes. She and Cameron had been friends since they met on their first day of kindergarten. Twenty years together meant Jessie knew all about Cam’s taste in men. Cam liked alpha males – confident, powerful, dominant men with mind-blowing bodies.
Jessie, didn’t.
Oh, the mind-blowing body was always a bonus, but Jessie wasn’t interested in men who swaggered. The type of guy who walked like he was king of the mountain and women should fall at his feet in reverence, was not what she wanted. She had enough of them in her career and zero interest in having one in her bed, too.
Not that it mattered, since she didn’t have time for a man. Everything she had ever wanted was finally within reach. It was no time for distractions.
Max crossed his arms, the stack of papers in his hands crinkling. He probably would have tapped his left foot, as he was known to do that when he was irked, but Beau was sitting on it. “Jessie, we need to talk. Tell Cameron you’ll call her back.”
“Talk about what? Whether I believe in love at first sight?” Because she didn’t. How could you possibly know what was in someone’s heart with just one look?
Better yet, why was Max suddenly so interested in her thoughts on love?
“Do you believe in love at first sight?”
Jessie Ford choked, spewing a mouthful of diet cola over the stack of glossy photographs she was signing. Unfortunately, the photos were precariously positioned atop the seventy-five-pound black Goldendoodle who believed he was a lapdog. Beau, thrilled at the new arrival in the room, bolted off her lap, spilling the eight by tens onto the wood floor.
She shot her dog a sidelong glance. His lack of concern was evident as he stomped all over them on his way to the door. Long tail wagging hard enough his rump moved with it, doggy grin in place, Beau leaned against her manager’s leg.
She refused to be charmed. “My life is not normal.”
“No shit!” the voice on her cell phone snorted. “You’re a rock goddess with a big, goofy dog and a hot manager. And did that man say what it sounded like he said?”
Jessie set the pen aside and took a better grasp on her cell before it followed the photos to the floor. She shot a glance to her manager as she continued her phone conversation. “You can’t make this shit up.”
Maxwell McCormick quirked a brow.
“You know he’s mine, right? He just doesn’t know it yet.” Cameron, or Cam as she preferred to be called, continued talking as if their conversation hadn’t been interrupted. She was many things and one of them was unstoppable. When Cam had something to say, she said it, no matter what the circumstances. Max was her favorite topic of conversation. “Ooh, tell me what he’s wearing.”
“A frown.”
“I mean besides that.”
Jessie rolled her eyes. She and Cameron had been friends since they met on their first day of kindergarten. Twenty years together meant Jessie knew all about Cam’s taste in men. Cam liked alpha males – confident, powerful, dominant men with mind-blowing bodies.
Jessie, didn’t.
Oh, the mind-blowing body was always a bonus, but Jessie wasn’t interested in men who swaggered. The type of guy who walked like he was king of the mountain and women should fall at his feet in reverence, was not what she wanted. She had enough of them in her career and zero interest in having one in her bed, too.
Not that it mattered, since she didn’t have time for a man. Everything she had ever wanted was finally within reach. It was no time for distractions.
Max crossed his arms, the stack of papers in his hands crinkling. He probably would have tapped his left foot, as he was known to do that when he was irked, but Beau was sitting on it. “Jessie, we need to talk. Tell Cameron you’ll call her back.”
“Talk about what? Whether I believe in love at first sight?” Because she didn’t. How could you possibly know what was in someone’s heart with just one look?
Better yet, why was Max suddenly so interested in her thoughts on love?