Posts Tagged ‘Beauty and the Ballplayer’

September 5, 2015

Excerpts, Meg & Matt

No comments

It’s Saturday! And, for most folks, it’s the start of a long weekend.

My weekend started Friday, and I have to work Sunday. However, I plan to enjoy my Monday off. I’m also taking Wednesday off so I can road-trip to Phoenix to see Kristan Higgins. In addition to being a motivating speaker (click for her 2013 RWA keynote speech that brought me to tears), Kristan is one of my favorite writers. So when I heard she was going to be at Changing Hands Bookstore on Sept. 9, I had to figure out how to make the trip on what would usually be a work night.

Of course, Saturday means it’s time for My Sexy Saturday — and with it being a long weekend, you have more time to enjoy perusing all the snippets.

LynnSexySaturday_bannerThis week’s theme:

We know that lovers have a special language that only two of them share. The hidden looks, the longing gaze, the love shining in their eyes all accompanied by those sexy, sexy words. Sometimes, they are whispered, sometimes spoken aloud and occasionally shouted from rooftops. Authors are very good at those sexy conversations. We love sexy and it’s always so fun to share.

If you don’t mind, I’m going to share one more excerpt from BEAUTY AND THE BALLPLAYER, which is included in Turquoise Morning Press’ UNFORGETTABLE HEROES II boxed set. The 13-book collection is only 99 cents through Labor Day, and then it’ll be available at its regular price of $6.99. (That’s still a bargain for 13 stories, if you ask me…)

Back to my snippet. In this scene, Dave and a couple of his teammates are at the local bar when Meg and her friend walk in and invite themselves to play pool. After the game, Meg and Matt start chatting … er, flirting … She has just finished accusing his friend of distracting the competition, to which Matt replies that he can vouch that “Dex” has a good heart.

***

Beauty and the Ballplayer | Arlene Hittle“Dave said something similar about you.” Meg wasn’t going to share why Dave had said it. Matt didn’t need to know she’d been checking out his butt.

Her sudden silence didn’t keep Matt from raising an eyebrow in inquiry. “Oh?”

“He said you’re a great guy.”

Matt chuckled. “He’s right, you know. I am a great guy.”

“Oh yeah? If you’re such a fantastic catch, why hasn’t some other girl reeled you in?” Immediately, she wished she hadn’t offered such a quick comeback. What was it about this guy that made her speak first and think later?

But Matt didn’t look offended; he was merely amused. “Maybe because no one has dangled the right bait.”

Meg opened her mouth to reply and then clamped it shut. She wasn’t going to ask what bait he was waiting for, because that would imply she cared. And since she wasn’t in the market for a new man—great kisser or not—she didn’t.

***

Unforgettable Heroes IIAnd if you believe the lies Meg’s telling herself, well … you don’t, do you?

BEAUTY AND THE BALLPLAYER is part of Turquoise Morning Press’ UNFORGETTABLE HEROES II boxed set, available now. For the bargain price of 99 cents, 13 national bestselling and award-winning authors deliver romance fiction featuring incredible, unforgettable romance heroes. This set runs the gamut from contemporary to historical romance, sweet romance to erotic, suspense to paranormal, and includes baseball players, cowboys, Celtic warriors, and more….
Find it: AMAZON | IBOOKS | BARNES & NOBLE | KOBO | SMASHWORDS | ALL ROMANCE eBOOKS

 

August 29, 2015

Excerpts, Meg & Matt

No comments

LynnSexySaturday_bannerOMG, guys! UNFORGETTABLE HEROES’ Release week has been a whirlwind, with lots of successes along the way. More on that in my Manic Monday post. Right now, it’s time for My Sexy Saturday.

This week’s theme: Sexy Has It.

From the My Sexy Saturday blog:

We all know sexy has it. As authors, we define ‘it’ every day and write those wonderful, sexy scenes. Sexy has sexy, sexy has love, sexy has wonderful. Sexy has the power to change world, set people free and everything in between. Sexy is just right and good and oh, so fun to share.

Since I’m still celebrating this week’s release of Unforgettable Heroes II, I’m giving you another snippet from BEAUTY AND THE BALLPLAYER, my contribution to the 13-book boxed set.

Beauty and the Ballplayer | Arlene HittleIn this scene, Matt has rushed Meg out of the hotel lobby before she can figure out people are starting to snap his picture. (He’s still trying to keep her from finding out he plays ball for a living, and has just roped his brother, Stan, into pretending his hotel room belonged to the stylist, not him. Matt used his brother’s mad skills with a pair of shears to convince Meg to have dinner with him.) And Meg is still fighting to put her baby’s best interests first.

Happy reading!

***

Meg was breathless when Matt cursed and released his hold on her. She had no idea why he’d kissed her, or why he’d abruptly stopped and put six feet of space between them.

“What was that?”

Matt was also out of breath. She watched him take a few deep breaths before answering. “Sorry. It won’t happen again.”

“What if I want it to happen again?”

The words flew out of her mouth before she could censor them. The moment they left her lips, Meg wished she could take them back. She’d just met this guy, for God’s sake. It was too early to be confessing that she wanted him to jump her bones—especially when his brother stood just feet away. What was it about this family that made her feel so at home?

“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said that.” Damn hormones were making her horny and brainless. Even if it were the truth, she had no business getting involved with Matt. Or anyone, really. The baby needed to be her number one priority.

Matt smiled at her. “But I’m glad you did.”

***

Unforgettable Heroes IIBEAUTY AND THE BALLPLAYER is part of Turquoise Morning Press’ UNFORGETTABLE HEROES II boxed set, available now. For the bargain price of 99 cents, 13 national bestselling and award-winning authors deliver romance fiction featuring incredible, unforgettable romance heroes. This set runs the gamut from contemporary to historical romance, sweet romance to erotic, suspense to paranormal, and includes baseball players, cowboys, Celtic warriors, and more….
Find it: AMAZON | IBOOKS | BARNES & NOBLE | KOBO | SMASHWORDS | ALL ROMANCE eBOOKS

August 22, 2015

Excerpts

No comments

LynnSexySaturday_bannerIs there a time of day that’s sexier than the rest? Not for the characters I create. For them, any time is sexy time. If they have a modicum of privacy and a place to get reasonably horizontal, they do.

Personally, I feel decidedly UNsexy in the morning. Ever seen that Facebook meme that says “If he really loves you, he’ll let you sleep?” Yeah. That.

But My Sexy Saturday isn’t about me; it’s about my Eveready characters. Someone—namely me—makes sure their batteries are always fully charged. 😉

This week, I’m sharing another seven-line snippet from Beauty and the Ballplayer, which is being re-released Tuesday as part of Turquoise Morning Press’ Unforgettable Heroes II boxed set.

Salsa dancing on Heritage Square is a thing in Flagstaff—I know, because I went a couple of times. I had a blast, so when it came time for Meg and Matt to do something fun in Flagstaff, I picked Salsa on the Square. In this scene, they’ve been dancing long enough for Meg to call him on the “I’m not much of a dancer” line he’d fed her before the music began.

What can I say? I like my guys without an ego the size of Texas.

Happy reading!

***

Beauty and the Ballplayer | Arlene HittleAs she suspected, Matt was a much better dancer than he’d let on. She was the one who had trouble getting the steps right while he moved as if he’d been born to a Latin beat.

“Two left feet, my ass,” she muttered after stumbling for what seemed like the thousandth time in five minutes.

Even as his eyebrows shot up, Matt tightened his grip on her waist to steady her. “You caught me.”

Unfazed by his sheepish expression, Meg giggled. “I didn’t think you’d be a bad dancer.”

“Just call it the curse of being a natural athlete. I’m good at everything I do.”

Whether he’d intended it or not, the comment conjured a distinct picture in her mind. It produced another shiver and her breath caught in her throat. “Everything?”

When he nodded, the shiver doubled in strength. Meg had no doubt he was telling the truth this time. Matt would be amazing at anything he tried—in or out of bed.

***

Unforgettable Heroes IIBEAUTY AND THE BALLPLAYER is available on its own for $2.99, but it’s also part of Turquoise Morning Press’ new Unforgettable Heroes II boxed set, which is available for preorder now and releases Tuesday, Aug. 25. For the bargain price of 99 cents, 13 national bestselling and award-winning authors deliver romance fiction featuring incredible, unforgettable romance heroes. This set runs the gamut from contemporary to historical romance, sweet romance to erotic, suspense to paranormal, and includes baseball players, cowboys, Celtic warriors, and more….

Find it: AMAZON | IBOOKS | BARNES & NOBLE | KOBO | SMASHWORDS

August 15, 2015

Excerpts, Meg & Matt

No comments

LynnSexySaturday_bannerWelcome to the My Sexy Saturday blog hop. Long time no see, eh?

I’ve been alternately working the day job (which takes up more energy than I’d like, even though I work 5 fewer hours a week than I did in Flagstaff), hiding out in my writing cave (halfway through a new Love & Baseball short!) and preparing for the release of Turquoise Morning Press’ UNFORGETTABLE HEROES II boxed set, of which BEAUTY AND THE BALLPLAYER is a part.

This week’s theme is “My Sexy Boyfriend,” and I’m in luck—or maybe it’s you, the readers, who are in luck. Matt, BEAUTY’s hero, is outstanding boyfriend material.

Oh sure, he’s a tad hesitant to commit—and once he does, he battles an overbearing streak. Even with his flaws, he’s an improvement over Meg’s ex-boyfriend. (That one dumped her to join the professional poker circuit, before he had any idea she was pregnant. He wrote a terse goodbye note on the back of the receipt for her birth control prescription.)

Here’s an excerpt that showcases the difference between Matt and the ex. Enjoy!

***

Beauty and the Ballplayer | Arlene Hittle“Meg wouldn’t have sent someone looking for me if everything was fine.”

Matt didn’t bother to hide his astonishment that Tim could speak more than two words at once. “She didn’t send me.”

“Then why are you here?”

Whoa. Five whole words this time. He’d have to work harder than that to break his last-sentence record of twelve. Matt took another moment to debate with himself before answering. “I thought you deserved to know.”

“Know what?”

The guy had a right to know he was about to be a father, no matter how despicable—or illiterate—he might be. Matt took a deep breath. “Meg’s pregnant.”

Tim dipped his head so the hat again hid his eyes, but Matt caught a glimmer of something he didn’t like before the shade fell. “Not mine.”

Unforgettable Heroes IIBEAUTY AND THE BALLPLAYER is available on its own for $2.99, but it’s also part of Turquoise Morning Press’ new Unforgettable Heroes II boxed set, which is available for preorder now and releases Aug. 25. For the bargain price of 99 cents,  13 national bestselling and award-winning authors deliver romance fiction featuring incredible, unforgettable romance heroes. This set runs the gamut from contemporary to historical romance, sweet romance to erotic, suspense to paranormal, and includes baseball players, cowboys, Celtic warriors, and more….

Find it: AMAZON | IBOOKS | BARNES & NOBLE | KOBO | SMASHWORDS