Title: Discreet
Series: The Discreet Duet #1
Author: Nicole French
Author: Nicole French
Publisher: Raglan Publishing
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Release Date: October 4, 2018
Blurb
Fitz Baker was the world’s biggest sex symbol. Until he
disappeared.
disappeared.
Fed up with the trappings of fame, he traded his world of
Hollywood for a quiet life on Newman Lake. He was perfectly happy living as an
island. Until he met her.
Hollywood for a quiet life on Newman Lake. He was perfectly happy living as an
island. Until he met her.
Returning home with nothing but a failed music career, all
Maggie Sharp wants is to rebuild her life. A life that doesn’t involve the
surly, arrogant stranger now living across the lake.
Maggie Sharp wants is to rebuild her life. A life that doesn’t involve the
surly, arrogant stranger now living across the lake.
Still, there’s something about Will…Something familiar.
Something Maggie can’t quite put her finger on…
Something Maggie can’t quite put her finger on…
She only wanted the spotlight.
He gave up his life to escape it.
The real question is if they can remain discreet.
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Excerpt
“I don’t like feeling like this,” Will said.
I sucked a breath through my teeth. “Feeling like what?”
“Like this.” He took a step toward me, and I fought
not to step backward. Will had a quiet authority about him, and in the shadows
of the moon, his shoulders seemed to broaden, his legs seemed to lengthen. He
seemed larger than life.
not to step backward. Will had a quiet authority about him, and in the shadows
of the moon, his shoulders seemed to broaden, his legs seemed to lengthen. He
seemed larger than life.
When he had me backed up against the porch railing, he
raised a hand, floating his fingers around my jaw, over my cheeks, but never
actually touching me. I arched toward his hand. I couldn’t help it. But he
hovered, never making contact.
raised a hand, floating his fingers around my jaw, over my cheeks, but never
actually touching me. I arched toward his hand. I couldn’t help it. But he
hovered, never making contact.
“You make me feel…” Will started. “Out of control.”
I couldn’t move. “Oh?”
“Like I actually have to care about what someone else
thinks. Like I’m not alone anymore.” He paused. His eyes opened wide, following
the path of his fingers as they took hold of a strand of hair in my ponytail
and twirled. “And for the first time in a very long time, I feel like I don’t
want to be.”
thinks. Like I’m not alone anymore.” He paused. His eyes opened wide, following
the path of his fingers as they took hold of a strand of hair in my ponytail
and twirled. “And for the first time in a very long time, I feel like I don’t
want to be.”
He tugged lightly on the strand, and I felt the slight pinch
like an arrow through my body, shooting down my arms and legs, and coming to
throb in that place no man had been for so, so long. I bit my lip. Will’s eyes
dilated.
like an arrow through my body, shooting down my arms and legs, and coming to
throb in that place no man had been for so, so long. I bit my lip. Will’s eyes
dilated.
“Tell the truth, Lil. What do you want?”
You. The word echoed distantly, like a bell tolling
from miles away. I didn’t understand it. I was broken. A mess. What should I
want with this man? We had a connection, sure, but overall, he was nothing but
trouble. He was grouchy. A loner. Clearly had serious social and emotional
control issues.
from miles away. I didn’t understand it. I was broken. A mess. What should I
want with this man? We had a connection, sure, but overall, he was nothing but
trouble. He was grouchy. A loner. Clearly had serious social and emotional
control issues.
And yet. There was no denying that something was here. Since
we met, it certainly felt at times as if the universe itself was tilting on its
axis, trying to knock me into him. Breakdown after breakdown. Meeting after
meeting. And now…
we met, it certainly felt at times as if the universe itself was tilting on its
axis, trying to knock me into him. Breakdown after breakdown. Meeting after
meeting. And now…
I tipped my chin up so I could look directly at him, drawn
like one of the moths circling the porch light. Winging through the dark, ready
to dive into his golden inferno.
like one of the moths circling the porch light. Winging through the dark, ready
to dive into his golden inferno.
“I don’t want Lucas,” I said quietly, drifting my gaze up
and down his naked torso. A sheen of sweat glimmered in the moonlight, which
also made the shadows of his muscles—the square pectorals, the solid rack of
abs, the lickable V that dipped beneath his shorts—that much more
evident.
and down his naked torso. A sheen of sweat glimmered in the moonlight, which
also made the shadows of his muscles—the square pectorals, the solid rack of
abs, the lickable V that dipped beneath his shorts—that much more
evident.
Will followed my gaze, and his hand dropped. He stepped
between my legs, and his unique scents engulfed me. Working all afternoon only
made them that much stronger—the scent of pine trees, lake water, and man swallowed
me with a heady rush that made me shake slightly. And it was then, only then, that
he finally touched me. My waist was encircled by his wide palms, so broad that
his fingers nearly touched on either side. It was relatively innocent, but the
intent was clear. Just like last night, he held me still; I couldn’t move
unless he wanted me to. For that moment, I was his.
between my legs, and his unique scents engulfed me. Working all afternoon only
made them that much stronger—the scent of pine trees, lake water, and man swallowed
me with a heady rush that made me shake slightly. And it was then, only then, that
he finally touched me. My waist was encircled by his wide palms, so broad that
his fingers nearly touched on either side. It was relatively innocent, but the
intent was clear. Just like last night, he held me still; I couldn’t move
unless he wanted me to. For that moment, I was his.
When I looked back up, his eyes were fixed on my lips.
Unconsciously, I licked the lower one. His pupils dilated even more.
Unconsciously, I licked the lower one. His pupils dilated even more.
“Lil,” he whispered as he leaned a little closer.
“What are you waiting for?” I murmured. Now I was the one
staring at his mouth—so soft and full under his newly trimmed beard.
staring at his mouth—so soft and full under his newly trimmed beard.
I panted. Will swore.
“Fuck it,” he growled. “I don’t fucking know.”
Sometimes you don’t know you wanted something until you have
it. Sometimes you don’t know you need something until it’s there.
it. Sometimes you don’t know you need something until it’s there.
His mouth found mine in a fury, one that surprised me for
about a half second before. The hands at my waist gripped so tightly, I almost
couldn’t breathe, and I felt like I was strangled—not for lack of oxygen, but
for lack of him. Will’s lips made me feel like I was breathing for the
first time; like I’d been under water my entire life, and he was the air I’d
never known I needed.
about a half second before. The hands at my waist gripped so tightly, I almost
couldn’t breathe, and I felt like I was strangled—not for lack of oxygen, but
for lack of him. Will’s lips made me feel like I was breathing for the
first time; like I’d been under water my entire life, and he was the air I’d
never known I needed.
❤️ My Review:
This grabbed from the beginning and kept me right there in this emotional, moody journey with these two broken, beautiful people. Both are artists but broken for different reasons and find something in each other they need. Will left his movie star life to hide out in Maggie’s hometown, a rural lake community in Washington. After a trauma, Maggie flees NYC and a failed music career for home and back to a troubled life with her mother. The author builds a complicated and romantic connection between Will and Maggie with sizzling chemistry. Wonderful writing and great character development makes this an enjoyable, intriguing read.
Author Bio
Nicole French is an East Coast/West Coast hybrid creature,
Springsteen fanatic, hopeless romantic, and total bookworm. When not writing
fiction or teaching writing classes, she is hanging out with her family,
playing soccer with the rest of the thirty-plus crowd in Seattle, or going on
dates with her husband. In her spare time, she likes to go running with her
dog, Greta, or practice the piano, but never seems to do either one of these
things as much as she should.
Springsteen fanatic, hopeless romantic, and total bookworm. When not writing
fiction or teaching writing classes, she is hanging out with her family,
playing soccer with the rest of the thirty-plus crowd in Seattle, or going on
dates with her husband. In her spare time, she likes to go running with her
dog, Greta, or practice the piano, but never seems to do either one of these
things as much as she should.
Author Links
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