by Jules Court
Tease Me Tonight
by Jules Court
Firefighter Will MacGregor is tired of being branded not-boyfriend material. It seems he’s been on the to-do-once list of every woman in Boston. So when a gorgeous blonde bumps into him at the bar, Will’s pretty sure he knows what comes next. Still, their instant connection tells him she could be the one.
Elizabeth Owen has played it safe for the past decade: raising her younger sister and working as an ER nurse. But with her thirtieth birthday looming and little sis off to college, she’s ready to let her freak flag fly. That hot guy drinking beer with the wicked grin looks like all kinds of fun. No commitment; no getting hurt.
Though Elizabeth rejects Will’s invitation of a date, it turns out she’s not averse to some racy sexting and wild making out. But as their brief encounters become progressively steamier, she starts to like what lies beneath Will’s gorgeous surface...a lot. And Will is more convinced than ever they’re meant to be together—for real.
This book is approximately 35,000 words
One-click with confidence. This title is part of the Carina Press Romance Promise: all the romance you’re looking for with an HEA/HFN. It’s a promise!
Carina Press acknowledges the editorial services of Mackenzie Walton
Dear Reader,
As book lovers, no matter how much we want our favorite stories to go on forever, we know that eventually they will come to an end. The same is sadly true of my monthly letter to you. While I know some of you do look forward to this letter, we’ve decided that we can no longer continue to include it for some practical reasons, which I don’t want to bore you with. So this will be my last letter to you all. But never fear, the good books will continue to come every month and that is what’s most important!
Still, I get one last chance to tell you all about the amazing books we have in store for you, and I’m going to take full advantage of the opportunity. Are you ready?
Powerhouse author duo Alexa Riley follows up their bestselling full-length novels Everything for Her and His Alone with a trilogy of spin-off novellas. First up, in Stay Close, a Russian bad boy will do whatever it takes to conquer her headstrong ways and make her his. And don’t miss the next two novellas, releasing later in 2017 and early in 2018, as well as their third full-length novel, Claimed, coming in spring 2018.
At Noble House, a first-of-its-kind hybrid fetish club that blends real life with the online, three lovers reunite to explore role play and high-tech toys as they battle demons from the past that could threaten their future. Sara Brookes’s Get Off Easy is only the first in her supercharged erotic romance series, Noble House Kink.
The male/male romance Ethan & Wyatt trilogy by K.A. Mitchell is now available in one volume in mass market print, audio and digital formats. Opposites attract and ignite on campus as optimistic, open-hearted and sometimes clueless Ethan meets Wyatt, who has plenty of reasons for hiding under his hoodie. Together they face a jealous ex, disapproving parents and the most dangerous test of all: real life together off campus.
Hot in the City author Jules Court is back with her third contemporary romance novella, Tease Me Tonight. Elizabeth Owens spent the last eight years as the responsible and celibate guardian of her little sister, but now Megan’s left the nest, and Elizabeth’s ready to let her wild side out with firefighter Will MacGregor. The only problem is Will wants a connection with Elizabeth that will last longer than one steamy night, and he knows if he gives in too soon to their attraction he’ll lose her. You can also pick up Hot in the City and Enticing the Enemy in digital, wherever Carina ebooks are sold.
In Betrayed by Blood, the second installment in Beth Dranoff’s romantic urban fantasy Mark of the Moon series, covert agent turned bartender Dana is drawn back to her Agency past by an offer she can’t refuse from a guy she never thought she’d see again. Lured by curiosity, and torn between freedom and restraint, Dana has to decide whether she’s ready to look to the future while leaving the scars of her past behind.
Romantic suspense author Katie Ruggle, writing as Katie Allen, joins Carina Press with the first of several erotic romance backlist releases leading up to her fall 2017 new erotic romance release. In her Research & Desire series, we’ll publish Erotic Experiments, Natural Selection, Carnal Chemistry and Double Dose in back-to-back months from July through October. Then look for book one of her new series in November 2017.
Ten years after he rejected her, the Seduction Squad’s newest recruit, Christie Mason, finally has the chance to get her revenge on Theo Ward, but there are some fantasies that are best left in the past and some taboos that should never be explored in Seduction Squad: Tainted by Amanda Stewart.
Robyn Bachar’s Contingency Plan is the next in her sci-fi romance series, The Galactic Cold War. Privateer pilot Lieutenant Jiang Chen searches for the location of a terrible superweapon, but when the mission threatens to reveal the dangerous secrets of her past, Jiang’s only ally is sexy chief of security Ryder Kalani, who is battling demons of his own. Start with book one, Relaunch Mission, today!
Fans of TV show The 100 will want to read Zaide Bishop’s Bones of Eden series. Releasing in three volumes in July and August, these continuing stories have it all, from forbidden love to war to a race for survival. First Fall comes out in early July, followed by Second Heart later in July and Third Wave in August.
That’s all for our dear reader letters, but please follow us on social media—Twitter or Facebook—or sign up for our reader newsletter to be kept informed about all our great reads in the future.
For one final time, fellow readers and book lovers, here’s wishing you a wonderful life of books you love, remember and recommend.
Happy reading!
~Angela James
Editorial Director, Carina Press
Dedication
For Michael.
Contents
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Acknowledgments
Also by Jules Court
About the Author
Chapter One
Elizabeth Owens was on a mission: Operation Get a Life. And kicking it off with a bachelorette party should have been like storming the beach at Normandy. But this was more like being that guy who had to stay home and fill out the paperwork.
She’d thought she knew a little something about bachelorette parties. After all, she’d spent the majority of her last decade watching rom-coms, many of which featured a bachelorette party. Based on her extensive research, bachelorette parties were a guaranteed rocking time, which also served as the catalyst for learning important life lessons by the end of the crazy night.
When Cindy invited her out, even though they were only work friends, Elizabeth had jumped at the chance. But not just because she was overdue for a crazy night and a little personal clarity. She couldn’t take another evening in a house that echoed with silence now that Megan was gone. So after work she’d raced home, stripped off her scrubs, and wriggled into something tight and short exhumed from the depths of her closet. Slapping on an extra coat of mascara while singing “Bad Girls” by M.I.A., she’d told herself she was about to have an epic time. Like she used to have back in college. Before. And tonight would only be the beginning. The City of Boston was her new playground and she was
ready to climb some monkey bars.
She looked around the table of assembled women and barely repressed a sigh. Staying home and watching reruns of Matlock would have been more epic. This wasn’t at all what Hollywood had led her to expect. Everyone was glued to their phones. That is, until one of them would arrange the straw in her drink, hold up her phone, and say, “Ready?”
It was like triggering a sleeper agent. But instead of knocking over the table in a rush to go kill the president, the others merely cocked their heads and pursed their lips for the Instagram pic before listlessly returning to their phones.
Elizabeth was feeling like the subject of a total bait and switch. She’d put on high heels for this, and not even the bride-to-be had the simple decency to dance on a table. Surely she wasn’t the only one who needed to have some fun?
“Who’s ready for another round?” she asked in a peppy voice. “Don’t speak, because I already know the answer—everybody!”
They looked at her like she had three heads. She refused to let her smile fizzle. They were going to have fun, damn it. “Okay. I’ll just head on over to the bar.”
She teetered in her unfamiliar footwear across the floor of the Thorny Rose to the scarred wooden bar. She wedged herself into the one inch of free space, accidentally bumping the man seated to her left. She automatically touched his shoulder where she’d hit him. It was pleasantly firm. She dropped her hand before she could give it a squeeze.
“I’m so sorry,” she said.
He looked up at her with a smile. “Feel free to hit me anytime,” he said.
He was all the colors of autumn, from the red glints in his hair to the green of his eyes. The fall changed everything. When she was young, it meant a new school year, with new teachers, subjects, and friends. And then later, it had been fall when she received the phone call that changed the trajectory of her life. And now this fall Megan was gone. Exactly like she wanted, Elizabeth reminded herself, forcing down the pang of loneliness conjured up by that thought.
The cute guy was still smiling at her. His eyes crinkled at the corners, a sign it was genuine. “I will,” she said inanely.
“No, I’m Will,” he said. At her blank look he added, “That’s my name.”
Pull yourself together, woman. You used to be good at this. “I’m Elizabeth.”
“It’s nice to meet you, Elizabeth.” The way he said her name felt like a caress. He stood up, the action putting him right up against her thanks to the crowd clustered at the bar. She was at six feet with an assist from the heels and he was eye-level. She resisted the urge to look away from the sudden intimacy.
Instead, she angled her body slightly his way. “What kind of shots should I order? I’m trying to liven up a bachelorette party.” She jerked her thumb back toward the table of bored women.
“That’s not much of a bachelorette party.” He shook his head sadly. “Shouldn’t someone be wearing a tiara?”
“That’s what I thought.”
“At least get matching T-shirts made. Show some enthusiasm.”
“So you’re an expert on bachelorette parties?”
“Maybe I am. You shouldn’t make assumptions.”
God, it was fun to flirt. She twirled a strand of hair around her finger. Oops, a little too Sexy Baby. She dropped her hand. “Movies gave me the impression there were usually strippers involved.”
“There could be,” he said. “If you want to throw dollar bills and not touch me, I’m game.”
“But you’d need to be wearing a G-string.”
“How do you know I’m not? There you go with your assumptions again. Speaking of assumptions, it’s not your party, is it?”
“Hers.” She pointed at a texting Cindy. “I’m here to meet more single ladies.”
He raised an eyebrow.
“Not like that. Not that there’s anything wrong with that. I need single friends. All my friends are wifed up. And as much as I like their boyfriends or husbands, it would be nice to not be the fifth wheel for once.”
“You’re not looking for a boyfriend?”
“Oh, hell no.”
“Just out of a relationship?”
She folded her arms. “Not really.” She wasn’t about to empty her baggage, no matter how cute he was. Tonight was about mindless fun.
He put his hands up in mock surrender. “Okay,” he said. “Regardless, there’s only one way to save your night.”
“And what’s that?”
He gave her a teasing, challenging look. “Kamikaze shots. That is, if you can handle them.”
“So you think women can’t do shots?” she asked in mock outrage. She leaned over the bar and raised a hand to flag down the bartender.
“Not true. My sister can drink me, my brother, and our father under the table. But not my mom.”
“You have a lot of drinking contests in your family?”
“We didn’t have cable growing up.”
The bartender approached. “What can I get you?”
“Eight kamikaze shots, please,” she said.
“Make that ten,” Will said. “You’re having one.”
“That adds up to nine,” she said.
“I’m having one, too, which makes ten.”
“So, I’m buying you drinks now?”
“Don’t worry about it,” he said. “Vinnie, put this on my brother’s tab.” He looked back at her. “My brother’s going to marry a doctor, so he’ll be able to pay it back.”
Vinnie snorted. “Nice try, Will.” To Elizabeth he asked, “This for a bachelorette party?”
She nodded.
“Then this round’s on the house. But only this round and he—” he pointed at Will “—is paying for his own.”
Will put a hand over his heart. “That hurts. I thought we were friends.”
“Tell you what. Stick around past closing tonight. I’ve got a bottle of the good scotch I usually save for your brother behind the bar.”
“Deal,” Will said.
Vinnie started pulling bottles out and Will turned back to her. When he smiled at her, she felt a bit like a cat basking in the sunshine of his attention. He was a master at this flirting game.
“I hate to break it to you,” she said, “but doctors make crap these days unless they specialize. Source: I’m a nurse who knows doctors and hears them whine about their student loans and malpractice insurance policies. So, I wouldn’t be counting on your brother’s fiancée to be your meal ticket.”
“There goes my champagne and caviar dreams.”
“Prosecco’s the same thing for half the price tag and caviar is overrated,” she said while watching his mouth. His lips were perfect. Not too thin and not too full. Perfect for kissing. It had been so long since she’d kissed someone—not since college. The last guy she’d been with had worn a goatee and thought Fight Club was the best movie ever made. Will probably wouldn’t puke taquitos on her shoes after ripping two beer bongs either.
No, Will was just straight up nonstop sex that would be both hot and fun. And that was exactly what she needed.
* * *
Will MacGregor was a catch. Decent-looking, gainfully employed, and with an easy temper. Even his mom said he’d been a happy baby. Bonus, he was a champ in the sack—no way every woman he’d ever slept with had been faking it. So why did he keep waking up alone the morning after?
It was that freaking calendar. Nothing but meaningless hookups since he’d posed for it. Sleeping with him had become the equivalent of collecting a Pokémon. After a night with him, they’d go home, pick up a Sharpie and draw a giant X over his Mr. October picture. Only two left to collect the set! But he’d come up with a solution. No one got into his pants before the third date. He was more than just a hot piece of ass.
And recent
ly he’d gotten a wake-up call about the utter capriciousness of the universe—how short our time on this little rock really was, how everything could end with one little combustible chemically combining with oxygen... He shook himself to keep his brain from wandering down that memory lane. Plus, he wasn’t about to get metaphysical on anyone’s ass, he just wanted something real.
Elizabeth, the tall blonde with the marathon legs and generous smile, was about to become the toughest challenge in his new wait-to-have-sex rule. No matter how fun it was to flirt, and how badly he wanted to kiss her, he wasn’t giving in to hormones tonight. Even though they were so close that all it would take was the slightest angle of his head and... He took a swallow of his beer.
Vinnie lined up the shot glasses and began pouring with a heavy hand. The Thorny Rose was only down the street from the firehouse, so the crew of Engine 8 were off-duty regulars. Probably much to the chagrin of the staff. Will made sure to tip extra well to make up for it. And, in the time-honored bartender tradition, Vinnie reciprocated by making the drinks strong.
“I’ll bring the shots to you,” Will said to Elizabeth. “Go join your friends.” He needed a second to pull himself together. He was in full-court press mode and he needed to take it down a notch or two, or three. He wanted to learn more about this woman than what she sounded like screaming his name.
“I can carry them.” She flexed a taut bicep. “I’m pretty strong.”
“You let me bring you the drinks and maybe later, I’ll let you bench-press me. How’s that sound?” That sounds like you’re propositioning her, you idiot. Keep it PG.
She gave him a heavy-lidded look that shot straight to his groin. “Like a deal.”
She walked away and his hands twitched for his sketchbook. There was something about the shape of her face, the way her brows arched over her eyes, the rounding of her chin that kept her face from becoming too angular and made him want to capture her on paper.
He let himself hope that this time it might be different. Maybe, just maybe, she was the one.
