Blurb:
Gregory
Thomas has always had an easy life. When it came to his profession, he
excelled, gaining himself the position of manager to one of the nation’s
biggest wholesale retailers. He was amazing at everything; except when it
came to love. The night he found his ex-wife in bed with her gay best friend
was the night he decided it wasn’t worth it. He was better off just focusing on
his career, and nothing more.
He
became content with just being. That is, until Jasmine Velez, his new employee,
walked into his store.
Blunt,
and honest to a fault, the woman captivates him against his will. Not only is
she gorgeous, but she’s the first woman that doesn’t chase him around.
Something that makes ignoring her that much harder. The last thing he wants to
do is try to have a relationship with a woman again, and he knows that if he
allows Jasmine in, that’s exactly what he’s going to go for.
Except,
then he’s faced with the possibility of Jasmine being with someone else, and
the choice is taken from him. He’s left with only one option: He needs to make
her his. But that might prove harder than he originally expected.
How
the hell does a man seduce a feisty woman who’s gotten tired of waiting for him
and is hell bent on not giving into him?
Excerpt:
I
pushed her forward with a gentle hand, removing that luscious ass from
dangerous territory. We both needed a minute
to cool down.
Jasmine’s breathing was harsh,
and her body trembled as she stood facing away from me. I could hear her faint
mumbling while she attempted to right herself.
Was
she regretting this?
A blush overtook her cheeks,
and I almost pulled her back into my front. The color looked so beautiful on
her sun kissed skin that I needed to see more.
“Turn around,” I commanded, but
she stood as still as a statue, shaking her head from side to side.
Please
don’t shut down on me, baby . . . please give yourself to me.
“Turn around, Jasmine.”
She jumped from the force of my
tone and diligently complied.
Good
girl.
“I’m sorry, Mr. T.” she
sputtered, and then continued to blush under my unwavering stare. “I don’t know
what came over me . . . please . . . please, don’t fire me.”
“Oh, sweet Jasmine, I’m not
going to fire you. We both reacted to our natural instincts. I believe it would
be for the best if we put this incident behind us, and never speak of it
again.” At that she looked disappointed.
Perfect.
“Um, sure, Sir,” my coquettish
clerk whispered. “If that’s what you wish.”
“For now, it is.” Her eyes
snapped up and searched mine.
The following thirty minutes
were spent participating in the dirtiest foreplay session I’d ever been
subjected to.
Inside my office, Jasmine made
a direct bee-line for the small leather couch I had against the wall and made
herself at home.
When the smell of the specialty
blend coffee saturated the space she moaned out and declared, “Fuck, that’s the
good shit,” in the most sinful tone I’d ever heard from her.
I growled at her, but that only
served to entice her further. The little minx let her eyes roll to the back of
her head, and then arched her back so that her breasts pushed against her red
polo. Jasmine’s nipples pebbled while my
eyes devoured her breasts. They were encased in what looked to be a flimsy
piece of lace, judging by the pattern that could be seen in the taut fabric.
My feet began to carry me over
to where she sat; in my hands I held a tray of guava and cheese filled
pastries. I wanted to watch her lick the sweet concoction from her fingers,
lips, and if possible, off my cock.
“Jasmine,” I growled low, and
she trembled. I knew my face was showing her just how sinister I could be . . .
how nasty. I felt the sneer on my face. “Care for a pastry or something else to
entice those soft, plump lips?”
“Jesus, please . . . yes,” she
mewled.
Placing the tray beside her on
the small couch, I crouched down to her level. My fingers reached out to place
a stray piece of her black hair behind her ear, all while my eyes were
devouring the lust and want her caramel eyes were throwing back at me.
Perfect.
“Jasmine, tell me . . . what do
you want?”
Nothing. Not a sound came from
her in response.
“Answer me, sweetheart, or this ends now.”
Still I was met with silence.
“Now!” I yelled.
Her pouty lips crashed onto
mine before my brain could process another thought. Sweet, succulent, and soft;
they were giving me what I needed by yielding to mine.
Review:
I had the honor of reading an ARC of Elena M. Reyes' first novella, Ardor over the weekend and couldn't put it down.
Gregory has been burned in the past, in probably the worst way possible by another woman. He can't bring himself to trust bringing anyone else into his life, until Jasmine his newest employee arrives on the scene.
She immediately ties Greg in knots, and though he insists on keeping Jasmine at arms' length, you sense he won't be able to resist for long. Not one to give into Gregory's demands so easily, Jasmine drives him crazy with jealousy and need, the likes of which he's never experienced before until he finally concedes he needs her more than he'd care to admit.
While Jasmine seems very interested in Greg, she's unwilling to begin anything until he stops denying what they have between them and he lets her in, and once he does, sparks begin to fly.
Great story with hot scenes between the pair, I give Ardor a thumbs up.
Author Bio:
Elena M. Reyes was born and raised in Miami Florida. She is the
epitome of a Floridian and if she could live in her beloved flip-flops, she
would.
As a small child, she was always intrigued with all forms of
art—whether it was dancing to island rhythms, or painting with any medium she
could get her hands on. Her first taste of writing came to her during her fifth
grade year when her class was prompted to participate in the D.A.R.E. Program
and write an essay on what they’d learned.
Her passion for reading over the years has amassed her with hours
of pleasure. It wasn't until she stumbled upon fanfiction that her thirst to
write overtook her world. She now resides in Central Florida with her husband
and son, spending all her down time letting her creativity flow and letting her
characters grow.
