To not go to Tahoe would be to admit that she’d somehow won in this unspoken game we played of who was prettier, richer, more successful, and just plain better. She had an ostentatious ring on her finger and wedding plans to rival Princess Diana while I was boyfriend-less. I had to go to Tahoe to show her it didn’t matter to me, when in reality, the fact that I remained single while my sisters were getting married off was a source of great sadness.
I hated that being single bothered me. It shouldn’t. In fact, I couldn’t let it get out that it did, or it would ruin my business. I’d built a coaching empire on the message that women didn’t need a man. That wasn’t my original intention, but you know how things spiral out of control when things go viral. One video seen by millions talking about how my business grew without a man at the helm and suddenly I was a man-hater millions of young women looked up to.
No matter how I felt inside, I had to continue this charade of being the happiest woman on earth without a man in sight. The only way I could enjoy a man without forfeiting my empire was to engage in a one-night stand, a situation that also didn’t happen very often here in the small town of Auburn Hill. I’d gone through the eligible pool of available men already.
But Lake Tahoe, the relaxed alternative to Vegas, was the perfect spot to remedy my dry spell.
A smile grew on my face, picturing a buffet of shirtless men, all there for the picking. Eeny, meeny, miny, moe. Just choose one and go.
I threw a skimpy lace bra that covered almost nothing into my suitcase, followed by a couple G-string panties I never wore—have you tried to work all day with floss up your crack?—but looked aces on my ass. Next up was a little black dress that leaned heavily on the little. The front dipped low between my barely there boobs and the skirt length flirted with a hoo ha peep show.
Zipping up the suitcase, I surveyed my bedroom and the view overlooking the ocean. I loved my home, but for forty-eight hours I was going to ditch the business suits and dive headfirst into the ocean of sin called Lake Tahoe.
Come hell or high water, I would find me a twelve-incher to scratch the itch.
Grab the preorder for One Night Bride, book #2 in the Sisters From Hell series!
It was only supposed to be one hot and pleasurable night letting my hair down on vacation. I didn’t plan on him standing on my doorstep three days later calling me his wife.
Acknowledgments
Thank you so much for reading Ridin’ Solo!
Special thanks to Rachel Connolly for the incredible Cover Design, and Ben Shook for producing such an amazing cover photo! Thank you to Judy Zweifel for triple checking this manuscript and making it shine as usual.
Shout out to 13-year old Kora Olson for her incredible sketch work that you saw at the top of each chapter. Never too young to be an artist sharing your work with the world. <3
To my Rays of Sunshine: you give me life. <3
Also by Marika Ray
Steamy RomComs:
Ridin’ Solo - Sisters From Hell #1
One Night Bride - Sisters From Hell #2
Smarty Pants - Sisters From Hell #3
Ex Best Thing - Sisters From Hell #4
***
Love Bank - Jobs From Hell #1
Uber Bossy - Jobs From Hell #2
Unfriend Me - Jobs From Hell #3
Side Hustle - Jobs From Hell #4
Man Glitter - Jobs From Hell Novella - Grab it FREE here!
***
The Missing Ingredient - Reality of Love #1
Mom-Com - Reality of Love #2
Desperately Seeking Househusbands - Reality of Love #3
***
Happy New You - Standalone
***
Backroom Boy - Standalone
Sweet Romances:
The Marriage Sham - Standalone
***
The Widower’s Girlfriend-Faking It #1
Home Run Fiancé - Faking It #2
Guarding the Princess - Faking It #3
***
Lines We Cross - Nickel Bay Brothers #1
Perfectly Imperfect Us - Nickel Bay Brothers #2
Steamy Beach Romance:
1) Sweet Dreams - Beach Squad #1
2) Love on the Defense - Beach Squad #2
3) Barefoot Chaos - Beach Squad #3
* Novella - Handcuffed Hussy
4) Beach Babe Billionaire- Beach Squad #4
5) Brighter Than the Boss - Beach Squad #5
* Novella - Christmas Eve Do-Over
About the Author
Marika Ray is a USA Today bestselling author, writing small town RomCom to make your heart explode and bring a smile to your face. All her books come with a money-back guarantee that you’ll laugh at least once with every book.
Marika spends her time behind a computer crafting stories, walking the beaches of southern California, and making healthy food for her kids and husband whether they like it or not. Prior to writing novels, Marika held various jobs in the finance industry, with private start-up companies, and then in health & fitness. Cats may have nine lives, but Marika believes everyone should have nine careers to keep things spicy.
If you'd like to know more about Marika or the other novels she’s currently writing, please find her on Facebook, or her private Reader Group. Or you can find her in-person, on the beach in Southern California, frolicking like a Baywatch babe.
If you want to take your stalking to the next level, here are other legal places you can find Marika:
Join her Newsletter -
http://bit.ly/MarikaRayNews
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