Worth The Fall
Author
Claudia Connor
Interview Friday 7pm PST
Author
Claudia Connor
Has an
Excerpt:
She’d needed to get
away from him yesterday, away from his slow, sexy smile and knowing eyes. The
intense way he held her gaze and her hand. However unwanted, her attraction had
evidently multiplied overnight. But there was no mistaking Matt’s tall form
striding toward her before she dropped her bags on the sand.
He waved and smiled,
and she waved back, then turned to raise her umbrella. His deep voice vibrated
through and around her as he greeted the children. That alone caused a flutter
in her stomach.
Settle down. He’s
only a man.
Using the upper body
strength she’d honed at the gym, she strained to crank the stubborn umbrella.
She could do it. She’d done it yesterday. For God’s sake. Don’t
look completely incompetent.
“Need some help?”
“No, I’ve got it.”
He moved in behind
her until he stood so close she felt the loose strands of her hair catching on
his chest. Abby inhaled hot skin and male deodorant—a heady, masculine
combination that had her struggling to focus.
“Let me help you.”
“I can do it.” She
tried to sound forceful and confident, but it came out breathy and—
“I know you can, but
I can help.” His words whispered against her cheek. His arms came around her
and he easily raised the umbrella, his body brushing hers with each turn of the
crank. Then his arms were gone, leaving a strange void.
She turned to face
him. He was so close. Nothing between them but the warm breeze. His sunglasses
hung around his neck, revealing chocolate-brown eyes. Beyond beautiful, deep
and rich, fringed with black lashes. A strong man with soft eyes. Eyes that
could talk a girl into anything.
It was unnerving,
being this close to him, especially wearing nothing but a bathing suit. Trying
to imagine what he saw, she fought the urge to tug her top higher. Breasts on
the small side—barely a C-cup when she was pregnant. Her straight dark hair
hung in its usual ponytail, rebel pieces already flying free. A bit of tinted
sunscreen was all the attention her face had received. Not what he was used to.
Needing a reprieve
from his hot gaze, she looked straight ahead. Big mistake. Fine black hairs
feathered across sculpted pecs, swirling around dark nipples.
Lord, she needed
water. To drink or splash on her burning face, she wasn’t sure. She forced her
gaze up and found him watching her intently.
He raised his hand
slowly toward her face, brushed his thumb lightly across her temple. “Sand.”
Her lips parted and
she stood blinking up at him like a complete ninny, his smoldering brown eyes
melting her into a puddle.
“Hey, Matt. Where’s
our castle? I brought my football. Can we throw in the water?” Jack shot off
his questions, oblivious to the fact the two adults in front of him stood like
frozen statues.
Matt’s eyes held her
captive another long second before he turned his attention to her son and she
let herself breathe.
“Yeah, sure. One
sec.” He walked the few feet to where he’d left his beach chair and came back
with two. “There.” He set up the chairs under her umbrella. “You’ll like it
better with a chair.”
“Thank you. If you
tell me how much, I’ll—”
“You’re welcome.”
“Matt—” She reached
for her beach bag, but he stopped her with a hand on her arm.
“Abby.”
Her mind went blank
at the feeling of his hot hand on her skin and the sensation he was touching
her everywhere.
“Matt!” Jack was
about to burst a blood vessel he was so excited.
“Coming.”
Abby tried
unsuccessfully to unglue her eyes as he walked down to the water. Matt’s sleek
body dove through the waves as he played with Jack, and each time she held her
breath, waiting for him to resurface. When he did, he burst through the water
looking like a Greek god, chiseled out of smooth stone and coming to life right
before her.
But the way he
smiled at her son and gave him high fives made him even more beautiful. And the
way she’d felt standing between his arms . . . Ridiculous, but
still the word “safe” came to mind.
“Abby?”
He stood in front of
her, drops of water clinging to his arms and chest, dripping down the ridges of
his stomach.
Jack ran up beside
him. “We’re swim buddies. Right, Matt? Matt says you should always swim with a
buddy.”
Matt’s raised
eyebrows and the smirk he was fighting told her she’d been busted for gawking.
“Do you want to come out? The water’s great.”
“Um, no. No, thanks.
I’m not a strong swimmer. I mean I can swim, I just—”
“I’ll be your swim
buddy.” He grinned and she caught a hint of dimples.
Oh, Lord.
“The ocean still
hasn’t grown on you, huh?”
She swallowed hard.
“It’s growing.”
Claudia’s Choice for Movie Theme Song:
1. All The Stars-Ed Sheeran and Christina Grimmie.
http://youtu.be/rk9Pj3ID0UE
2. Arms- Christina Perri
http://youtu.be/MeW0Sl0tNS8
3. One More Moment- Mindy Smith
http://youtu.be/MeW0Sl0tNS8
4. Dancing-Elisa
http://youtu.be/LGZ--YFzqXg
5. Wait For You-Mumford And Sons
http://youtu.be/R5HO-X_fR7o
Rad-Readers Choice For Movie Theme Song:
Switchfoot: “Love Alone is Worth the Fight”
http://youtu.be/rk9Pj3ID0UE
Thank you! That's awesome. I LOVE the videos!!
ReplyDeleteClaudia
Fun, right😄? Sorry i'm a little out of it a migraine for 3 days now grrr.
DeleteChar