Next up is COME AS YOU ARE, releasing April 16! Here’s a brief excerpt….
She’s flirting with me, and she has no idea who I am, and I have no idea who she is. Yes, this mask was a brilliant idea in my list of brilliant ideas. The music picks up speed, and I twirl her around once more.
“So tell me, where did you learn to dance?” she asks.
“Don’t laugh.”
“I’ll probably laugh.”
“YouTube.”
She laughs sweetly. “Seriously?”
I nod. “I figured I needed a life skill beyond math, numbers, and computers. I learned how to dance online.”
She curls her hands over my shoulders. “You’re a nerd.” The words come out as if she just said I was a rock star or a pro quarterback. She says it with affection and, honestly, a whole lot of desire.
“Shocking, isn’t it, that I’m a nerd?”
“A hot nerd, to be precise,” she adds.
I bring her closer. “So are you.”
“You’re a very hot, witty nerd.”
I’m damn close to kissing her on this dance floor. But I’d rather get her away from everyone else. I lean in to whisper, “Same to you, you incredibly sexy hot nerd I want to kiss.”
She lets out a murmur, and when I pull back to meet her eyes again, I ask, “Have you seen the library here?”
“There’s a library?” Her pitch rises.
“Yes. Why don’t we check out the books and you can tell me more about your Monopoly strategy and the taxi apps you didn’t fund?”
“Why, yes, your grace. I’d love to.”
I laugh. “I’m not a duke.”
“Can we pretend you are?”
“Of course, Angel. I can be whoever you want.”
As long as it’s not me.
ABOUT COME AS YOU ARE
I couldn’t have scripted a more perfect night.
For one fantastic evening, at a masquerade party in the heart of Manhattan, I’m not the millionaire everyone wants a piece of. Fine—multimillionaire. But who’s counting all those commas? Not me, and not the most intriguing woman I’ve ever met, who happens to like dancing, witty banter, and hot, passionate up-against-the-wall sex as much as I do.There’s no need for names or business cards. And that’s why I’m eager to get to know her more, since my mystery woman seems to like me for me, rather than for my huge…bank account.
Everything’s coming up aces. Until the next day when things get a little complicated. (Newsflash — a lot complicated.)
He’s charming, brilliant, an incredible lover, and right now I want to stab fate in the eyeballs.
I’ve had one goal I’ve been working toward, and lo and behold, my mystery man is the very person who stands between me and my dream job. A job I desperately need since my hard-knock life has nothing in common with his star-kissed one.
But it’s time to put that fairytale night behind me, and focus on learning what makes him tick. Too bad it turns out his quirks are my quirks, and his love affair with New York matches mine.
And as we spend our days together, I discover something else that feels like a cruel twist of fate — I’m falling for this naughty prince charming, and that’s not an ending I can write to our story.
***
COME AS YOU ARE releases on April 16 and can be preordered on most retailers now!
Acknowledgments
I am grateful to so many people put made the story possible. Thank you to Rose Hilliard for being the match that started the Wanderlust fire, to Michelle Wolfson for making all things possible, and to KP Simmon for guiding me to yes. A special thank you to Helen Williams, who was my British eyes and ears and who devoured each chapter. Thank you to Jen for reading along and weeping when I hoped you would, and to Lauren Clarke for loving this story and helping to shape it. Abiding thanks to the people who checked my French – Monique Daoust and Katie DSP. Thank you to the ladies who make the books shine – Karen, Tiffany, Lynn, Virginia and Dena. A special shoutout to several books that were immensely helpful in research – Planting Schemes from Monet’s Garden by Vivian Russell, Curiosities of Paris by Dominique Lesbros, Coming to My Senses by Alyssa Harad, Perfume: The Alchemy of Scent by Jean-Claude Ellena, and Angels of Paris by Rosemary Flannery.
Most of all I am thankful to my readers, and to the city of Paris for giving endless inspiration.
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