By
Lily Harlem
Release
date: June 2,
2015
Totally
Bound
Publishing
Buy
links: Totally
Bound
- Amazon - Amazon UK and all other good ebook retailers.
Synopsis
Getting
something unexpected can be a shock,
but it can also be a
wonderful treat, if you allow yourself to indulge, that is.
My
dreams were filled with blue skies, turtles
and
fluffy, white clouds that cradled around me, rocking me, soothing me,
tilting
me this way and that in a constant languid motion.
I
saw Greek gods, islands rising from an aqua
sea, and
heard the sound of waves slicing around dolphins as they rose and fell
from the
water as if flying.
The
images and sounds of my dreams faded, and
reality
broke into my consciousness. For a moment, I wondered where I was, then
my foot
touched the cool surface of the cabin wall, and I remembered that I was
on
Dolly Bird and Sullivan was sleeping up on deck.
I
turned to my back and looked up at the
skylight. The
stars had gone, and in their place was a clear sky fractured by a
length of
white mast holding a taut sail.
I’d
have to get up and grab a taxi to the
airport.
The
thought made me sad all over again. It
could have
been so perfect.
My
body tilted slightly to the right, then
upward and
back down.
The water in the harbor hadn’t been this rough
the night before, and
judging by the cloudless
sky, it
certainly didn’t seem like a storm was over us.
I
sat up and braced my hands behind myself,
stared at
my ruby-red painted toenails. Again I was jostled, not lots, but
certainly more
than I’d been the night before.
I
swung my legs around, exited the cabin, then
stood
on the rocking floor of the small
seating
area. I flicked open one of the drawn
curtains. “What the...?”
All
I could see was water. No land, no houses,
and
certainly no Fiscardo. Just an endless expanse of blue occasionally
topped with
a burst of white froth.
I
spun around and looked out of the opposite
window.
It was the same.
Nothing
but water.
I’m
out at sea.
A
wave butted the boat, and I lurched toward
the
galley and grabbed the counter for
support.
What the hell was going on?
I
was confused, not to mention dry from the
wine the
night before. I went into the
bathroom,
brushed my teeth and splashed water
on my face. After a quick
gulp of bottled water, I headed up the small steps and pushed open the
door to
the outside world.
The
glare of the sun hit me like a spotlight
being
turned onto my face, but I ignored it and climbed onto the windy deck.
“What
on earth,” I said, holding on to the
table and
staring at the front of the boat, “is going on?”
Two
white sails ballooned above me. Enormous
and
dramatic, they clung to the mast, ropes straining and groaning,
reaching for
the sky.
“Good
morning.”
“What
the hell do you think you’re doing?” I
shouted,
spinning and spotting Sullivan standing behind the large chrome wheel.
He
wore nothing but his swim shorts and shades.
The
breeze had flattened his hair backward, and his shoulders and upper
arms were
tense as he held the wheel.
“Taking
you for a spin,” he called over the
breeze,
grinning so wide his cheeks balled. “Like it?”
“No...no...and
that is not what’s happening.
Take me
back to Fiscardo right now.” How dare he? Anger coiled in my stomach.
It felt
like my veins were suddenly too narrow for my blood.
“Can’t.”
He shrugged.
“Of
course you can. Turn around.” I put my hand
up to
shield my eyes and looked over his shoulder. In the far distance, I
could make
out land, rising giant-like from the sea.
“Back
there, take me back there.” I pointed, as
a
pounding beat set up in my temples.
“Can’t,
the wind is blowing us this way.” He
signaled
to the sails. “We’re at the mercy of the gods.”
I
held on to the rail that supported the Bimini
and
hoisted myself upward onto the main body of the boat for a better look
at my
location. The wind caught my hair and cooled my cheeks. I peered into
the
distance. “There must be a way, and I demand that you—”
He
reached for my wrist, grabbed me, and pulled
me
down.
“Hey,
watch it,” I said, gripping a metal
railing that
ran around the side of the boat. I was struggling to keep my footing
and bumped
against the table.
“No,
you watch it.” He released me and gestured
above
me. “The boom nearly got you. Gotta keep an eye out for it. Wily sucker
once
the speed picks up.” He stepped away and grabbed the wheel again.
“Why
did it do that? It nearly killed me.” I
looked up
at the scarily heavy bar that had ropes slipping upward. It had nearly
chopped
my head off. Damn thing.
“Probably
won’t kill you,” Sullivan said,
tightening
something on his right. “But it will give you a thumper of a headache.
Best you
stay on this part of the deck for now.”
Huh,
I had a headache already. Temper did that
to me.
“Not very health and safety conscious around here, is it?” I stepped
behind
him, as far away as possible from the lurching pole, and held on to the
stern
rail.
“Baby,”
he said, still gripping the wheel but
looking
at me over his shoulder. “This is the big bad ocean. Danger lurks
everywhere.
Not even a guy with a hard hat and a clipboard can sort this out.”
I
frowned at him. “Seriously, take me back. I
don’t
want to be out here.”
“I
told you, I can’t. Besides, I want you to
see some
of the islands before you jump on a plane and leave me.”
“What?”
I put one hand on my hip but kept hold
of the
rail with the other—the boat was skimming over the water, bouncing
rhythmically. I couldn’t believe what he’d just said. He’d taken me
against my
will. He knew I’d wanted to get back to the airport today. Did he
really want
to see me lose it with him? “So you’ve just gone and bloody kidnapped
me?”
He
turned to me again and shoved his glasses to
the
top of his head in that cute way I’d noticed he did. He let his gaze
settle on
my face, then bit on his bottom lip, just a little—so I could see his
top
teeth—and let his attention slide over my body.
I
glanced downward. Damn. I was standing in
just my new, white
underwear. It was pretty damn sexy with the lace detail and the balcony
cups,
because when I’d bought it, I’d wanted to look hot for him.
“Jesus,
Kay. I’d say it was more like
womannapped than
kidnapped, wouldn’t you?”
"Kick off your shoes, shed your clothes along
with your inhibitions
and indulge yourself in a sensual adventure."
"Wow! What a story!"
"What can I say but off the charts HOT!"
"Another fantastic book by Lily Harlem, she
does such a great job
of describing the characters and the place I could smell the sea and
felt like
I was on an island in Greece."
"A new romance book by Lily Harlem - no other
words are needed, you
just know it's going to be fabulous."
"Simply a beautiful, sexy,
smile-inducing story that you will
want to read over and over."
"An absolutely perfect book to read whilst pool
side or lounging on
a sun deck."
"Oh
the sun, the sea, the sex! Lily has a way
of writing that puts you in
the book. Her descriptions of Greek Islands had me day-dreaming I was
on a
boat, feel the wind and sun on my face, could smell the charcoal fires
from the
harbour side café's and taste the olives and wine."
About
the author:
Lily
Harlem lives in the UK and is an award-winning, multi-published author
of
contemporary erotic romance. She writes for publishers on both sides of
the
Atlantic including HarperCollins, Totally Bound, Xcite, Ellora’s Cave
and
Sweetmeats Press. Her Hot Ice
series regularly receives high praise and industry nominations.
Before turning her hand to writing Lily Harlem worked as a trauma nurse and her latest HarperCollins release, Confessions of a Naughty Night Nurse, draws on her many experiences while nursing in London. Lily also self-publishes and The Silk Tie, The Glass Knot, In Expert Hands and Scored have been blessed with many 5* reviews since their release.
Lily writes MF, MM and ménage a trois, her books regularly hit the #1 spot on Amazon Best Seller lists and Breathe You In was named a USA Today Reviewer’s Recommended Read of 2014. Her latest MM novel is Dark Warrior.
Lily also co-authors with Natalie Dae and publishes under the name Harlem Dae - check out the Sexy as Hell Box Set available exclusively on Amazon - The Novice, The Player and The Vixen - and That Filthy Book which has been hailed as a novel 'every woman should read'.
One thing you can be sure of, whatever book you pick up by Ms Harlem, is it will be wildly romantic and down-and-dirty sexy. Enjoy!
Author links:
Website – Blog – Twitter – Facebook – Facebook author page – Pinterest – Raw Talent – BritBabes – Hockey Romance – Newsletter subscription – Hot Ice – Google+ – Harlem Dae – Goodreads
Before turning her hand to writing Lily Harlem worked as a trauma nurse and her latest HarperCollins release, Confessions of a Naughty Night Nurse, draws on her many experiences while nursing in London. Lily also self-publishes and The Silk Tie, The Glass Knot, In Expert Hands and Scored have been blessed with many 5* reviews since their release.
Lily writes MF, MM and ménage a trois, her books regularly hit the #1 spot on Amazon Best Seller lists and Breathe You In was named a USA Today Reviewer’s Recommended Read of 2014. Her latest MM novel is Dark Warrior.
Lily also co-authors with Natalie Dae and publishes under the name Harlem Dae - check out the Sexy as Hell Box Set available exclusively on Amazon - The Novice, The Player and The Vixen - and That Filthy Book which has been hailed as a novel 'every woman should read'.
One thing you can be sure of, whatever book you pick up by Ms Harlem, is it will be wildly romantic and down-and-dirty sexy. Enjoy!
Author links:
Website – Blog – Twitter – Facebook – Facebook author page – Pinterest – Raw Talent – BritBabes – Hockey Romance – Newsletter subscription – Hot Ice – Google+ – Harlem Dae – Goodreads
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Thank you for hosting Toy Boy, Deanna :)
ReplyDeleteLily x
Very welcome, Lily. I'm looking forward to reading this.
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