Losing My Breath
J. Rose Black
Publication date: November 8th 2023
Genres: Adult, Comedy, Contemporary, Romance
A Marine never says die.
Neither does his princess.
Battle lines are drawn when sheltered debutante Meridian Daly moves across the hall from grumpy former special forces Marine Callan Brand. Situated a bit closer than advertised to ‘crime alley’, Meridian’s neighbor finds himself grudgingly guarding the pampered princess out of habit. But with her sharp wit and killer curves, he can’t help but surrender to temptation…When their relationship evolves from casual courtship to something more, Callan finds that Meridian’s already discovered his closely-guarded secret. But can he let go of his pride, and tell her the whole truth of who he is and what he’s done—in the name of honor and country?
As Callan’s scars start to reveal themselves, his life spirals beyond the careful control that’s helped him survive—and kept those he cares about safe.
From him.
But this tough-in-a-tiara princess won’t back down, even in Callan’s darkest hours. And Meridian just might prove to be more tenacious than a never-say-die Marine!
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EXCERPT:
The IPA tasted cold, not quite icy like Callan preferred. But the combination of bitter hops with the sweet, clean malt left a pleasant taste in his mouth. Meridian finished cutting something green—which was neither steak nor potato.
“How’d you know what kind of beer I like?”
“Well, I just picked something I’d probably hate,” she said as she opened a container of cream cheese, “and figured you’d like it.”
“So you hate steak and potatoes?”
“No, that was just the method for beer. Steak and potatoes was a guess based on the military revelation.”
He nodded and fidgeted with the stopper attached to the bottle. “Hm.”
“What branch?”
“Classified.”
She held the knob on his gas stove, clicking it so it would light. “Are you being a jerk right now?”
“Only a little. Doesn’t seem to deter you, though.”
She made a face at him, and he could picture her, as a child princess—sticking her tongue out at a playmate in her princess castle. “Not yet. I have a habit of persistence.”
“Marines.” He straightened his shoulders. “MARSOC.” He wasn’t sure whether princesses knew that meant Special Operations, so he added: “Can’t say more than that.”
Both her eyebrows rose. She blinked, then leaned over the sink to wash her hands, again. “And now you do—fill in the blank?” She wiped her hands on his only dish towel. “For a living?”
“Babysit my neighbor.”
She turned to look at him. One hand on that hip, again. “Now you’re being a jerk.”
“Only a little.” He grinned around the rim of his IPA. “Still doesn’t seem to deter you.”
She rolled her eyes and went back to work. The smell of bacon reached his nose about the same time as the pop! and sizzle hit his ears. His stomach growled.
“I could take my steak, potatoes, and yummy IPA and go home.” She spoke to the bacon and green things as she stirred them in the pan.
“Only if you plan to let me move in.”
She laughed. It sounded light and airy—like sunshine parting clouds of rain. She removed the pan from the burner and scooped the bacony-green things onto a plate.
That grin. He could picture her face: it’d be a softer smile on her lips when he laid her down on his bed and settled over her.
She placed a small plate of bacon-wrapped jalapeños in front of him. The tantalizing smell wafted closer. His stomach groaned, and his mouth watered. “You going to have some?” He wanted to be polite, to wait for her, but his stomach poked a sharp stick into his gut and demanded food.
“Mm-hmm, but still cooking. Go ahead and eat.” She moved back to the counter. “Just save me one.”
“Just one?”
“I brought, hopefully, enough food.”
She pulled two steaks on white Styrofoam rectangles from a grocery bag and set about unwrapping them. Callan bit into a jalapeño and chewed. The combination of spicy, crisp pepper with savory bacon—and the rich cream cheese. Best thing I’ve eaten all week.
The crack and whir of a grinder caught his attention. She ground a portion of seasoning over each slab of meat and rubbed it in. A dash of oil. He bit into another jalapeño.
“Not that I’m picky, but how are you making the steak and potatoes?”
“I sear the steak on each side, then bake it; the potatoes, I’m cheating. I bought deli-made au gratin potatoes and just have to heat them up.”
He nodded.
“I assume you eat your steak medium rare?”
“Sure. You like yours well done?”
She shook her head. “No. Horrible. You can’t do that to a steak.”
“Agreed.”
She placed one of the hunks of meat in the sauté pan. The heady smell of a favorite meal twisted his stomach. “If it weren’t for the jalapeños, I might take mine blue.”
“Ick.” She grimaced. “I didn’t realize you were starving.” She moved the seared steaks to a baking pan and bent down to place it in the oven.
“I didn’t either.” He admired the way her legs looked in those shorts and platform sandals. Her quadricep muscles flexed above her knee; her calf held a light ridge behind her tibia.
Not until you showed up.
Author Bio:
J. Rose Black weaves stories about obsession, redemption, and the transcendental power of love. From her early days writing fanfiction for a passionate following of international readers, to crafting novels with her own characters, Rose has always been drawn to broody protectors and plucky, no-nonsense women ready to fight for what they believe in.
When Rose isn’t deeply immersed in her latest manuscript, she’s working in cyber security and thwarting the next generation of internet bad guys. Out of the office, she’s #Shipping with friends over her favorite, swoon-worthy couples, heading to the gym to battle the great evil that is Unmovable Baby Weight, or complaining about her husband’s addiction to 3D printing. Also: nagging her children to eat something other than cheese.
To learn more about Rose’s stories and the characters and worlds visited in this book, check out her website: https://jroseblack.com
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3 comments:
The cover looks cute. Sounds like an entertaining story.
Thank you so much for participating in the tour! 🌹
looks like a fun one
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