EXCERPT CHAPTER 3 - DYLAN'S DESIRE

Suddenly he was surrounded by activity and everything became fuzzy and garbled as his vision began fading.
“He’s crashing!”


“Come to the light Dylan,” Nicoletta said soothingly. “Come to me.”

Dylan’s eyes snapped open to land on Nicoletta’s smiling face. “Not cool Nic. I was just dreaming about dying that first night.”

“I know, you were mumbling in your sleep. And it made you wake up didn’t it?” she said, her smile turning to a frown. “You deserve it you little shit!”


“What are you talking about? Why did I deserve that?” He couldn't even fathom what he had done to her now. It seemed like all he ever did or said  was wrong.

“Because of what you did to your mother last week,” she said with a mean snarl. “You hurt her. You reopened old wounds.

“I guess I’m a pro at that,” he sighed. “First thing I did when I saw you was…”


“Stop right there, Dylan,” she cut him off. “Seeing me was a shock and I don’t blame you. But your poor mother, I know you must have been speaking from pain, right. I think you need to let her know that.”

He looked directly at her and his lips twitched. “I will. If you show me your boobs.”

“You little piece of shit.” She glared at him for a moment. For some reason it was hard to resist his playfulness though. She’d only managed to do that twice before. The thought of him seeing her boobs now that they were older…wow, it sent shivers right through her. Oh alright,” she sighed. “I might as well let you see them one last time because it’s all you’ll ever get to see of me.”

Dylan relaxed and smiled as Nicoletta unbuttoned her blouse and exposed her bra. The white lace barely hid the dark nipples and areolas. His breath caught in his throat when she unhooked the front clasp, exposing herself completely. She moved to the bed and leaned in, her breasts within inches of his face. “Want to touch them again?” she whispered. “Or better yet, kiss them?”

Just as Dylan bent forward, she pulled back “On second thought….nah.”

He shook his head and laughed. “Jesus Nic, they’re even more perfect than I remembered. They’re almost as gorgeous as your face.”

“If my face is so much better, then why aren’t you looking at it?” she asked, laughing as she hooked her bra and buttoned her top up. “If I didn’t know better, I would swear you actually liked me.”

“Of course I like you. We were best friends once,” Dylan said with shock coloring his voice. “Hell, the first boobs I ever saw were yours.”

She tried to hide a smile. “Yeah, you stared as much then too.”

“You let me touch them that time,” he said softly.

Nicoletta smirked at him. “I was young and stupid!” She didn’t tell him that it had been as much of a thrill then as it was just a few minutes ago. “Plus, I didn’t know then that you would start sleeping with any pussy you could find.”

“That’s not true,” Dylan defended. “I refuse to sleep with a married woman and I never touched your sister.”

“You were just afraid my dad would cut of your balls and feed them to you,” she laughed.

“Only partially. I needed to respect our friendship. Even after you rejected me.”

“Such a gentleman,” she snorted. “I always wondered why you never hit on her.”

“Well, it’s good to see you two getting along like the old days,” Evelyn said as she waltzed into the room. “Umm, Nicoletta dear your blouse is buttoned wrong.”

“She had to tease me, Mom. It’s part of her charm.”

“I…I better get going,” Nicoletta said, a slight blush evident on her cheeks. “Grandma is expecting me.”

“Tell her hello from me please,” Dylan pleaded. “Let her know I miss her.” Her grandmother was the reason she had that cute little accent. At Nicoletta's request, the older woman had taught her to use it when she was just a toddler and it just kind of stuck. He was actually surprised that she didn't let go of it on the cruise ship, but it must have become habit. He didn't mind though, it was sexy as hell.
Sneak peak at some of the suspense that is coming soon! 


“I will, since it’s probably the only true thing you’ve said all day,” Nicoletta murmured as she waved and stepped from the room.

EXCERPT CHAPTER 2 - DYLAN'S DESIRE

Hey, hey everybody! It's time for another excerpt...or two small ones in this case.  I really hope you are enjoying getting to know Dylan, Nicoletta and their wonderful families. 

“Good morning sunshine,” Nicoletta chirped. “Are you happy to see me this time?

Dylan’s eyes flew open. “To tell you the truth, yes,” he replied with a grin. “Right now I’d be happy to see anyone.”

“You are such a jerk. You do know that, right?” She would love for him to be happy just because she was in the room.

“Yes I am,” he replied in mock seriousness. “I really am happy to see you today though.”

“You are?” she asked, surprised. Now they were getting somewhere. Maybe, just maybe…

“Of course I am. My mom comes up with you,” he said with a sneer. “If you’re here, then so is she.”

Nicoletta glared. “You…you…you jackass!” she stammered. “If you weren’t laid up, I would make sure you soon were.” Just when she thought she could finally find out how he was feeling about her, he had to turn around and act like a jerk.

“Promise?” he asked. “I think I might like it if you laid me up.”

“Oh, I can promise you wouldn’t,” she stated with an evil grin, waving her fist in the air. Because I would stick this so far up your…”

“There’s my boy, Evelyn Harper said as she entered the room. “Son, why are you looking at Nicoletta like that?”

“It’s because he loves me,” she said shyly. “He can’t help himself.” One of these days, Mrs. Harper was going to walk in at just the wrong time…

“Yeah, I love you like I’d love a rabid wolverine eating my co…”

“Dylan behave,” Evelyn demanded. “Mind your manners.”

“Yes ma’am, Dylan responded with a smile.

As Nicoletta was exiting the room, she half turned to her childhood friend. When she saw him looking, she put three fingers to her lips and kissed them. As his eyes widened, she quickly slapped herself on the ass.

Dylan grimaced as he heard her laughter trailing down the hall. “That bit…I mean woman will be the bane of my existence forever,” he said, shaking his head. “She is the biggest tease!”

“Oh quit your whining. You sound like you’re three again,” Evelyn said with a laugh.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~



It was good to see Dylan’s spirits coming back. He was more like his old self this week. Nicoletta briefly smiled as she thought about him actually kissing her ass. The look in his eyes had been perfect when she made the motions. He definitely still wanted her, but he just wouldn’t admit it. Why did he have to be such a womanizer?

“Nicoletta dear, I just saw about three or four emotions cross your face,” Evelyn said as they walked out of the hospital. “What are you thinking about?”

“I bet it’s your son,” Evangeline chuckled. “He seems to still have that effect on her.”



“Keep it up you two and you’ll be walking back to Harper’s Rock,” Nicoletta warned, half serious.

The two older women laughed with each other like a couple of school girls. Nicoletta just shook her head and walked faster. The urge to leave them there and drive home alone was almost too hard to ignore but in the end, she stopped and waited for them to catch up. Half way home she realized she should have given in to the urge. They did nothing but tease her the whole time. They were in such a teasing mood that she didn’t realize until they had dropped Evelyn off at her ranch, what Dylan had done to his mother that day. She couldn’t help but think that her old friend was dealing with demons of his own now. Too bad he’d had to take it out on his sweet mother.

EXCERPT CHAPTER 1 - DYLAN'S DESIRE

Its that time again! It is time to start having excerpts form the next book in the Harper's Rock series. This time it is Dylan's Desire...Dylan's Desire had always been Nicoletta.  Enjoy!
Shock. Her old friend’s actions had to have been caused by the shock of seeing her. That’s why he had acted that way. He was definitely happy to see her, he had pinched her ass for cripes sakes. At least she would be seeing him every week and would be able to get a better handle on what his actual feelings were toward her.

“Time heals all wounds,” she whispered to herself as she walked away from Dylan’s hospital room. “At least that’s what I’ve been told.”

The rest of her afternoon went by quickly as she got reacquainted with her grandmother. At least she was openly happy to see her. But no matter how hard Nicoletta tried, Dylan wasn’t far from her thoughts.

“Don’t let what he said bother you, dear,” Evangeline said from the passenger seat as Nicoletta drove them from the hospital in Billings, Montana back to Harper’s Rock, Wyoming. “He had just been through a trauma. He wasn’t thinking straight.”

“Mother, even you know better than that,” she snapped. Then more softly, “He hates me still. I thought maybe time would have made him understand…but I guess not.”

“Now sweetie, you were gone for so long he probably doesn’t even know what to think anymore.” Evelyn piped in from the back seat. “Give him time.”

Nicoletta let out a noise that was something similar to a snort. “It’s not like I want him to fall madly in love with me and sweep me off of my feet. I…I just want…I don’t know, maybe to be friends again?”

“Well, I guess we’ll see what happens,” her mother said with a smile.

“Yes we will,” Evelyn agreed. She knew Dylan had always thought of her as a friend. No matter how mad he had seemed when they parted ways, his view of their relationship never changed.

Nicoletta was happy for the silence that dominated the rest of the trip home. For some reason she didn’t feel like talking to anyone. She even remained quiet through their family dinner. As soon as the meal was over she claimed exhaustion and fled to her room. A nice hot bath, her cozy pajamas and a good book, well that was all she really wanted right now.

As she sank into the tub full of bubbles, she let out a contented sigh. In a way, she missed her old job on the cruise ship. The passengers were nice for the most part and she had plenty of alone time to come to terms with
the hand she had been dealt. There, she had become Nicole, cruise ship nurse. It was like Nicoletta had never existed. It was only in the quiet times, when she wasn’t working and when her cabin mate wasn’t around, that she knew exactly who she was and would truly always be. It was in those times that she was able to start to heal her old wounds. And when she realized that although she’d thought she was over Dylan, she knew there was some kind of unfinished business between them.

“Penny for your thoughts,” her sister Alexandra said as she walked into the room from her side of the Jack-and-Jill bath, to sit on the closed commode.

“Didn’t you know that the price has been raised to a hundred bucks?”

Alexandra laughed. “Well then I’m out. You could just tell me. Something seems off tonight.”

“If you had grown up with Dylan Harper as your best friend you’d understand.” Her very own pain in the ass hadn’t changed much it seemed.

“Ah okay, this is about Mr. Stud Muffin. Yeah, I don’t think I will ever understand what is up with you two. I gave up trying a long time ago.”

Nicoletta laughed. “It’s a good thing or you might go insane like I did there for a few years. I wonder what would have happened if I hadn’t gone away to nursing school…”

“Don’t you even start,” Alexandra warned. “If you and Dylan are meant to be together, it will happen one way or another. And if not, well then it’s his loss.” A giggle punctuated her thought and Nicoletta joined her.

“I love you, little sister.”

Alexandra pretended to cry. “I’m so touched. I love you too, big annoying sister and I am so glad you're back.”

“Girl’s night out together soon,” Nicoletta suggested. “Maybe we can go to Sheridan or even Casper.”

“Sounds good to me. Now can you hurry? Some of us have jobs and need to bathe so we can go to work tomorrow.”

LOGAN'S LEAP RELEASE DAY BLITZ!


Title: Logan's Leap
Series: A Harper's Rock Novel (Book 2) All novels are standalone!
Authors: JJ & TA Ellis
Genre: Contemporary Fiction Romance
Date of Publication: February 9, 2015
Cover Design: JJ Ellis



Harper’s Rock, Wyoming is a fictional town that we have placed in the northern part of the state. If looking at a map you might think that it is somewhere near the town of Buffalo. Many small towns here in Wyoming are much like Harper’s Rock, full of community, love and fun, and we hope you enjoy your visit!


SYNOPSIS: 

He believes that love is for fools. 

Logan Harper’s motto - stay away from people and you won’t get hurt. He has a successful business, his family, and a few casual friends. That’s more than enough to keep him happy. When Jayna McIntyre comes to town seeking out the Harper family, Logan is the one who comes to her rescue. What harm could come from helping a single mom? He’s an expert at knowing how to keep other people’s drama from invading his life, so helping her and sending her on her way should be easy. 

She’s never stopped believing in love. 

Jayna is nine months pregnant and running for her life. Her best friend’s husband sends her to his family in Harper’s Rock, Wyoming. She was expecting to find the motherly Evelyn Harper, but instead she wakes up in sexy Logan’s arms. The self-described loner truly does have a heart, as she witnesses with her newborn baby and his willingness to put their safety before his own. Forced into close quarters, with a madman on the loose, Jayna and her knight in denim armor create a bond, but it may not be strong enough to override the past.

TEASER CENTRAL:









EXCERPT:

Logan and Jayna pulled into a parking spot at the inn. “What the fuck…” he mumbled as he looked around. “Julia believed in love less than I did and now…”
“She owns a lovers' retreat inn,” Jayna finished, a laugh sitting at the edge of her words.
“Yeah." He opened his door and stepped out of the vehicle. He couldn’t imagine that the next few days would be fun, but at least they had CJ as a barrier. He unstrapped the little boy and lifted him out of the car. Jayna was already on her way to the Inn’s entrance. They caught up quickly and the three stepped inside together.
“Can I help you?” a young woman asked from behind the front desk.
“I’m here to see Julia. My name is Logan Harper.”
“Logan! I’ve been waiting for you,” came a voice from the back office. A woman with dark hair and purple highlights walked out and went straight over to him. “It’s so good to see you.” They embraced warmly.
“You haven’t changed a bit,” he said with a smile.
“I wouldn’t say that yet,” she said with a smirk as she turned and hollered into the back room. A man, carrying a one-year-old child, came out. He smiled at Julia and kissed her cheek. “Logan Harper, I would like you to meet my husband Bradley and my daughter Madison.”
Logan stared, mouth agape as he shook the other man’s hand. “What the hell?” he murmured quietly.
Julia smiled big. “Sometimes when love hits, you can’t ignore it. Do you mind explaining what’s going on here?” she asked pointing to Jayna and CJ.
“Is there some place we could talk privately?” he asked.
Julia and Bradly ushered them through the back office and into their apartment. Logan and Jayna gave the bare minimum of information about their situation while Madison tried to get CJ’s attention.
“We didn’t realize that this is a lovers' retreat,” Jayna said quietly. “I don’t want CJ to bother anyone.”
“Nonsense,” Bradley said with a smile. “We have Madison around here all the time. Besides, the rooms are pretty much soundproof.”
“Thank you,” Jayna said returning his smile. “Could I go lie down now? I’m getting tired and I think CJ is getting hungry.”
“Of course,” Julia said disappearing into the office. She came back with a key, followed by the girl from the front desk. “Jeanie will show you to your room.”
“I’ll come with you,” Bradley said. “I need to check the shower in the room next door.”
Everyone moved to the door and Julia grabbed Logan’s arm to stall him. “So, are you going to tell me what’s going on between you and the beautiful Miss Jayna?”
Logan looked up from the ground and into her eyes. “I don’t know what you mean. There is nothing going on. I’m helping her out for my cousin and his wife. End of story.”
“You just can’t see what’s happening yet,” she snickered. “Big bad Logan Harper is falling head over heels in love. You’ve joined me on the dark side.”
“I always knew you were full of shit,” he said. “I thought love could never touch you.”
“I was wrong,” she admitted seriously. “And so were you. Mark my words. You even love that baby. When I first saw you holding him I could have sworn he was yours.”
“Like I said, full of shit,” he teased with a smile as he dropped a kiss on her cheek. “I’m glad you’re happy though.”
“Thanks, you big dork. Now go get settled in. Oh, and by the way, you’re going to be in one of the honeymoon suites. We only had that room available since the other empty one has plumbing problems.”
Logan looked hard at his old friend. The innocence on her face made him laugh. “You’re still a pain in my ass.” He left the room and headed to where he saw Bradley and Madison.

ABOUT THE AUTHORS:

JJ Ellis is first and foremost a mom to five kids, four girls and one boy, ranging in age from 4-19. After that, she is a physically limited wife, blogger and now an author. She holds a degree in Communication Studies (Public Relations) from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas but never thought she would chose writing as a career, especially at the age of 42. She once wanted to be a publicist in the entertainment industry, but never a writer. Then one day when she was in her mid thirties she was going through what can only be described as an early 'midlife crisis' and ideas just started to come to her and she felt compelled to write them down. She finished her first book relatively quickly, but life got in the way and it took her eight years to revisit it and then publish her first novel. She can honestly say that now she is finally right where she wants to be. 


JJ has been married to her college sweetheart (and romance novel hero) for twenty years and they reside in Casper, WY with their kids and one crazy mutt named Kreuger. She enjoys reading, writing, blogging, computing, and graphic design. She will try anything that will allow her creativity to be released.


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TA Ellis is married to best selling romance Author JJ Ellis and is the father to five kids, four girls and one boy, ranging in age from 4-19. He holds a degree in Secondary Education from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas and has flirted with the idea of writing for years. He however did not expect to be writing romance as Sci-fi/horror/fantasy are more to his liking. But as a sounding board for his wife, he realized he had some good ideas and the team of JJ & TA Ellis was born.

TA lives in Casper, WY with his wife and kids and one crazy mutt named Kreuger. He enjoys reading, video games and grilling. He is excited to embark on this romance journey...after all, he's been happily married for twenty years.