Discreet: The Discreet Duet: Book I

by French, Nicole

  His voice holds traces of the same New York accent that Karen has, but his is softer somehow, muted in the velvety texture of his baritone. It’s a gorgeous, deep voice, the kind you want whispering in your ear in some dark alley while he’s got you pressed against a brick wall, hands up your skirt, hot mouth against your ear while he—

  Whoa. Steady, girl. You’re at work.

  I know I’m staring, but it takes me a few seconds to shut my mouth and make sure I can actually move my legs. April has obviously learned to recover faster. Even though she’s barely said anything, she’s already standing up. My feet are still numb.

  “Not bad, Nico.” April giggles at him. “Today’s my last day on the night shift. Will you miss me when I’m gone?”

  “Of course I will, hon, of course I will,” Nico croons. “Is this the new girl?”

  His jet-black gaze briefly sweeps over me from my head down to my waist, which is likely all that’s visible from where he stands. He gives me an inquisitive half-smile. I open my mouth to reply, but nothing comes out.

  “Yeah,” April’s saying, but I can barely hear her. “This is Layla.”

  Continue reading Bad Idea for FREE: bit.ly/BadIdeaWide

  Acknowledgments

  First up: To my family. My husband, who lets me call him The Dude even though he kind of hates it. Our kids, all three, who understand when I’m too lost in my world to answer their questions with less than a five-second delay. My aunt, Trish, who is in no way like her namesake in Discreet. My mom, who cheerleads me every step of the way. Family is everything, and I’m so grateful for mine.

  Secondly, to my incredible editorial support team. My amazing alpha readers, Patricia and Danielle, who fell in love with Will immediately and urged me to meet my deadlines, reading as I wrote, chapter by chapter. You ladies are amazing. This book is for you. Also, to Shauna and Erika, who offered lovely beta notes on the finished manuscript, thank you. And, of course, to my editor, the ever-diligent Emily Hainsworth, whose eagle-eye and flexibility with my shifty schedule are both indispensable. Last (but not least), to Judy Zweifel, who catches ALL the tiny things that no one else notices.

  Thirdly, to the author support network that convinces me daily that this grind is worth it. We all love to write. It’s the selling of books that is hard. I would absolutely despise social media if it weren’t for Jane Anthony, Harloe Rae, Ava Alise, Kim Loraine, Maya Hughes, Jessica Wayne, and CL Stacey, among many others. You guys are always willing to let me complain, ask advice, send weird photos, and basically just demand your attention at all hours of the night. Thank you ALWAYS.

  Last but not least, to my other ARC reviewers, reader group members, newsletter subscribers, and basically every reader who has been asking for this story since I dropped the first “Goldilocks” tidbit: Thank you. You are the lifeline to my work, it’s absolutely reason for being. Your excitement to read feeds my desire to write more stories for you. I would not be able to do this at all if it were not for you.

  Connect with Nicole French

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  Email: nfrench@nicolefrenchromance.com

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