by A. m Madden
“This is going on my desk,” he admitted, turning her in his hand to inspect all parts of her body. “She looks just like you.”
“That’s why I picked it up.”
“I love them all, Nessa.” He lifted the bow tie and raised a brow. “Best idea you ever had was using my bow tie as a sex toy.”
“I agree. Okay, now for the last but not least.” I presented the last box to him with a shy smile. “I hope you like it.”
I had no idea why I was nervous as he opened the gift. A few seconds later, he lifted the navy square glass bottle from its tissue paper nest and smiled. Embossed across the front in silver was Mr. Flirt. He lifted the cap and sniffed. “This is amazing, Nessa. You made it?”
“Well, with Frederick’s help… a lot of help, but yes. I explained to him what you reminded me of and we were able to recreate all that in this cologne.” Kyle always smelled amazing, but what was in that bottle perfectly captured my Kyle in every way
When my focus moved from the bottle to his face, the level of emotion in his eyes stunned me. “I… I’m…” He gingerly placed the bottle on the small table before us and pulled me into his arms. “I am so in love with you,” he finished saying once I was nestled on his lap. “Thank you, I love it. So much so, it’s going into the new product launch this spring.”
“That’s not why I did it, you know that.” I held his face and stared into his eyes. “I can’t begin to thank you for not only helping me love again, but for changing my future in such a positive way. You have no idea how happy you’ve made me.”
He held my gaze for a very long moment. “I do actually.” He lifted his chin toward the closet in the corner. “I have about ten or so boxes in there for you to open, and you will soon. But those are all secondary to my main present. First, I want to give you what I’ve been dying to.”
A contented smile spread over my face. “You already made me my perfect perfume.”
“Yes, I did, but this is even better.” With me still on his lap, he reached behind himself and pulled out a folded piece of paper from his back pocket. A gold round sticker held it together where the edges met. I gently lifted the seal and unfolded, my heart pounding at seeing the first line neatly typed across the top.
Air Canada
Depart December 26, Toronto > Paris
Flight #AC880
Returning January 7, Paris > New York City
Flight #AC889
Business Class, 2 passengers
It was my turn to be stunned. I couldn’t believe I would finally see Paris. A dream I held for so long; as time passed it seemed less and less likely to happen. And here, this man who had already given me the best gift I could have ever wanted just made my dream come true. “We leave tomorrow?” My question came out in a high-pitched tone that failed to hide the level of my excitement.
“Tomorrow. Even though we are heading there on business in a few months to tape the commercial for Risqué, I want to show you Paris properly beforehand.”
“Wait, you were bringing me to the shoot?”
“Of course. Anyway, back to my gift. Personnel has cleared an extra five days of vacation for you. It’s a good thing you know the boss so well.”
“But—”
Before I could finish my sentence, he added, “The girls know. Everything has been handled, including your wardrobe.” He pointed to the closet and smirked. “I’m ruining the rest of your surprises, but you have all you need for your stay wrapped in those boxes in my closet.”
I curled my arms around his neck, squeezing a bit harder than necessary. “Not everything. The most important thing I need is you, Kyle Cleary. I once thought I didn’t need a man to have a happily ever after and all I needed was myself. I was so wrong. I love you.”
The smile I loved more than any other lit his face, and if possible it made him even more handsome. “I love you, too, Vanessa Monroe. And you’re all I need as well…” He kissed me long and hard, pulling away to then say, “… and maple syrup.”
The End
Acknowledgments
Taming Mr. Flirt was as fun to write as the first book we collaborated on, Finding Mr. Wrong. Once again, we laughed, cried, and swooned… and we can’t wait to do it again for a third time. We hope we don’t forget anyone, and if we do, please know it wasn’t intentional.
First, we’d like to thank the readers. We all love to read and talk about the books and characters we love, and we’re so thankful for your support.
To our beta readers, your feedback, comments, suggestions, and more importantly, your honesty, were incredibly helpful. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts.
Thank you to our very handsome cover model, Dima Gornovskyi, who was a perfect Kyle Cleary, and David Wagner for providing that amazing shot we used for our cover.
Sommer Stein at Perfect Pear Creative Covers, your talents are unsurpassed. You did it again. We didn’t think we could love a cover more than Finding Mr. Wrong. But, with Taming Mr. Flirt, you managed to do just that.
To Nina Grinstead and the team at Social Butterfly, PR. Thank you for helping us spread the word and prepare all the amazing readers for Taming Mr. Flirt’s release.
To all the bloggers, thank you for all the time you spend supporting authors and reading our stories. You take time out of your personal lives, and we are very thankful.
Nichole Strauss, Insight Editing Services, thank you for helping prepare our book for release.
Julie Deaton, Author Services by Julie Deaton, thank you for proofreading our book and for your awesome comments.
Tami at Integrity Formatting, you’re always a pleasure to work with. Thank you for making our words look pretty.
Brower Literary Management, specifically, Kimberly Brower and Jess Dallow, no matter how ridiculous our questions, you ladies are quick to respond and are always efficient. We are honored to be part of the Brower family.
We are also so very happy to be part of the EverAfter family. Seeing our books popping up on bookshelves is a dream come true, and it’s because of you at EverAfter. Thank you for all of your support.
To our families. Thank you for putting up with our long nights, takeout dinners and all the craziness that ensued while we wrote Taming Mr. Flirt. Without your love and support, we wouldn’t have been able to write about the biggest flirt to grace the romance world.
A & J
xo
About A.M. Madden & Joanne Schwehm
A.M. Madden
A.M. Madden is a USA Today bestselling author, as well as 2016 eLit Gold Medalist for Best Romance Ebook, and 2016 Ippy Award Silver Medalist for Best Romance Ebook.
A.M. is a wife, a mother, an avid reader of romance novels, and now an author.
“It’s all about the HEA.”
A.M. Madden is the author of the popular Back-Up Series, as well as several other contemporary romances. She is also a published author with Loveswept/Random House.
Her debut novel was Back-up, the first in The Back-Up Series. In Back-Up, A.M.’s main character Jack Lair caused readers to swoon. They call themselves #LairLovers, and have been faithful supporters to Jack, as well to the rest of his band, Devil’s Lair.
A.M. truly believes that true love knows no bounds. In her books, she aspires to create fun, sexy, realistic romances that will stay with you after the last page has been turned. She strives to create characters that the reader can relate to and feel as if they know personally.
A self-proclaimed hopeless romantic, she loves getting lost in a good book. She also uses every free moment of her time writing, while spending quality time with her three handsome men. A.M. is a Gemini and an Italian Jersey girl, but despite her Zodiac sign, nationality, or home state, she is very easy going. She loves the beach, loves to laugh, and loves the idea of love.
A.M. Madden, Independent Romance Author.
Sign up for A.M. Madden’s newsletter at www.ammadden.com to get up to date information on new releases, cover reveals, and exclusive excerpts.
Copyright © A.M. Madden, Author, All rights reserved.
Contact A.M.
Website www.ammadden.com
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Twitter @ammadden1
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Email [email protected]
A.M.’s Mad Reader Group www.facebook.com/groups/893157480742443/
Joanne Schwehm
Joanne is a mother and wife and loves spending time with her family. She’s an avid sports watcher and enjoys the occasional round of golf.
Joanne loves to write and read romance. She believes everyone should have romance in their lives and hopes her books bring joy and happiness to readers who enjoy modern day fairy tales and breathless moments.
She is an independent romance author and has written several contemporary romance novels, including The Prescott Series, Ryker, A Heart’s Forgiveness, The Critic and The Chance series which she has recently sold the screenplay right to and will be adapted into a movie.
Joanne looks forward to sharing more love stories in her future novels.
Copyright © Joanne Schwehm, Author, All rights reserved.
Contact Joanne
Website: www.joanneschwehmbooks.com
FB: www.facebook.com/joanneschwehm
FB Group Page: www.facebook.com/groups/joanneschwehmsreaders/
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YouTube: www.youtube.com/channel/UCozpgcntD2yLP9QtM09XuYQ
GR Reading Group: www.goodreads.com/group/show/156533-joanne-schwehm-s-romantic-reading-friends
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To the Reader
Thank you so much for purchasing and reading this ebook. Please support all Indie authors and leave a review at point of purchase as well as your favorite review forum. Indie authors depend on reviews and book recommendations to help potential readers decide to take the time to read their story. We would greatly appreciate it.
Xoxo,
A.M. Madden & Joanne Schwehm
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Keep reading for a sneak peek of Finding Mr. Wrong
Chapter 1
Brae
They had all begun to look alike. I swore I’d seen this man before. It had to be his boring navy suit or the questions he asked. Even the small conference room with its plain white walls and cheesy inspirational quotes looked familiar. My eyes landed on the plant in the corner that had seen better days. The poor thing looked limp and neglected . . . much like how I felt.
“We’ll be in touch.” Firm handshake, fake smile, and I was out the door. I’d heard that line more times over the past month than I had in my entire twenty-seven years—sixteen times, to be exact. Living in the city that never slept, you’d think I’d be able to find a job, but no.
I’d been a marketing sales representative for a large cable company for the past five years. My goals were always met, and I’d even won a few sales awards. But now I couldn’t sell myself if my life depended on it.
Here’s a tip: never date your boss. Stefan Wilson might be one of the hottest men I’d ever met, but because I caught him pounding his secretary, I was now pounding the pavement. He wasn’t the love of my life, but we were in a committed relationship. Asshole.
Hoofing it to the subway after my last interview, I checked my emails, hoping for a stroke of luck that one of these jobs panned out. The only email sitting unread in my inbox was from an online cable affiliate who was once my client. I could sell the shit out of her network. Shelly and I had become fast friends and out of all my clients, I missed her the most.
Brae,
I know you’re going through a lot right now, but I have the perfect thing for you! It’s a social experiment sponsored by Flame Relationship Services. You’ll spend six weeks on a tropical island with a bachelor of your choosing. The event is next week, and lucky for you, the female contestant had a death in the family, so she can no longer participate. And lucky for me, you’re my friend who has the free time to help me out.
What could be so bad? Bachelor of your choosing, six weeks in paradise while being wined and dined, and a cash prize.
Win/win, especially for you.
So, are you in?
Little minor detail, I need a response today.
Chat soon!
Shelly
After a roll of my eyes, I clicked the link and scanned the rules. What caught my attention was the prize. Half a million dollars? Holy shit! As I continued to scan the fine print, my heart raced in my chest. I could do this. Images of me stranded with a stranger flashed through my head. This had to be the craziest thing I’d ever considered. If I thought too long about it, my good sense would have me tossing my phone in my purse without a second thought, but maybe, just maybe, this was the answer to my prayers. Yes, why not? I had the time. Without further negative thoughts, and with just a few more keystrokes, I replied to Shelly, telling her I wanted in. Her confirmation and instructions came quick in an email, along with the attached contract. I skimmed it, electronically signed, and sent it back a few minutes later. It was a done deal.
I gripped the lapels of my coat with my fists, pulling them together over my chest in an attempt to keep the cold air off my skin. Tonight, I was meeting my girls at José Ponchos for happy hour. All I wanted was to sit my ass down and maybe forget what I just signed up for as a cocktail warmed my insides.
José Ponchos was packed with business people and the typical Friday night bar goers. It was so easy to decipher between those looking to wind down and those wanting to go down. Some women looked refined, while others looked like they were on the prowl, and it was only five-thirty p.m. for God’s sake.
Vanessa, Desiree, and Cassie, my best friends, were sitting in a booth off to the side. Cassie waved to me, ensuring I spotted them, and with each step toward their table, my feet screamed at me to take my stilettos off, but they’d need to pipe down for a bit.
“Hi!” I said as I slid into the booth, and they all looked at me as if I had grown two heads. Apparently, my voice was too chipper. “What are we drinking?”
“Margaritas are on the menu for tonight.” Vanessa smiled. “I ordered a pitcher for us.” She grabbed the glass container and poured some for me.
In one large gulp, I finished half of it. My face screwed up as my eyes squeezed so tight I thought my eyelashes would stick together. Wow, that was tart. I blinked as a small shiver coursed through me and turned my attention back to the girls.
Cassie reached across the table and patted my hand. “No luck with the job hunt?”
“Who knows?” My shoulders slumped from the sheer exhaustion I felt over the process. “You know how it goes. They say they’ll call, but I’m sure as soon as I walk out of the office, my résumé lands in the recycle bin.”
“Sweetie, you’ll find something.” Desiree smiled. “It’ll just take a bit more time.”
I shrugged one shoulder, and said, “We’ll see.”
Chatter from the other patrons filled the air. It wasn’t so loud that we couldn’t hear each other, but as the bar filled, the volume increased.
The way Vanessa eyed me had me asking, “What?” I glanced down at my professional outfit, wondering if she thought it was prudish.
“You look weird. Like the cat that just ate the canary. Plus, your hair is a bit disheveled.” I brought my hand to the top of my head to smooth down whatever errant strands there were. “Did you just have a quickie in the ladies’ room or something? What’s that on your face?” My hand flew to my cheek. “Wait, is that . . . dried spunk?”
“Eeewww,” Desiree and Cassie gasped, and then looked at me with curiosity.
�
�Oh my God,” I said with disgust. “It most certainly is not. I’ve been running around all day in the freezing cold. I’m sure it’s dried snot.” I couldn’t muster up the energy or desire for a quickie right now, I thought with a shake of my head. “Crap, I hope this wasn’t on my face during the last interview.” I grabbed a napkin and wiped my cheek. My hand snatched my iPhone out of my pocket before I took off my coat.
Taking another sip of my drink, I tapped the screen of my phone, bringing it to life. I clicked on the link Shelly had sent me. “Look.” I handed the phone to Cassie, and Vanessa, who was sitting next to her, looked at it as well.
“A social dating experiment?” Cassie gawked at me as if I were crazy, while Vanessa’s lips grew into a rueful smile.
“Brilliant. This is genius! You have to do this.” Vanessa flapped her hands as if she were fanning herself.
Desiree grabbed the phone away from Cassie and studied the site. “Do you realize what this says? You need to stay on a tropical island with a man for six weeks.” She continued perusing the screen with wide eyes. “The upside is he can’t be a sociopath since they did a short background check.”
“He could also be a hot piece of ass!” Vanessa exclaimed. “Plus, what does she have to lose? She’d get money, a vacation, and a man out of the deal. Sounds like the trifecta to me.”
I snatched my phone back in defiance. “The money and vacation are fine, but I don’t want a man. No way. After what I just went through, the last thing I want or need is another dick with a dick. Plus, I get to pick the guy. There will be three to choose from, so I’ll just pick the one who sounds like he can’t commit.” Stealing Shelly’s words, I said with a shrug, “It’ll be a win/win.”
“You’re crazy.” Cassie shook her head. “What if they all want to commit?”
