by Kelly, Erika
Praise for the Wild Love series
MINE FOR NOW
“Erika Kelly has a writing style that draws the reader into the story, and I always feel like I’m friends with the heroines and in love with the heroes by the end of her books. Mine for Now was just a great love story that had smoking hot romance, an emotional storyline, and great characters.” - Reading in Pajamas
“This book had me laughing loudly, it had me crying hard. I swooned big time, I fell in love, I had my heart broken, and then I fell in love all over again. I’ve read this one twice already and honestly, just writing this review makes me want to read it again. Easily in my top 5 reads of 2016.” - Obsessed with Romance
“Turns out, Erika Kelly is a master at bringing out some serious feels. The sexual tension simmers for a while between Dylan and Nicole, and when it finally explodes, it's so, so satisfying.” - Krista’s Dust Jacket
Praise for the Rock Star Romance series
YOU REALLY GOT ME
“Lovable characters and pulse-pounding chemistry make this one of my favorite reads of the year!”—Laura Kaye, New York Times Bestselling Author
“Sexy, lyrical and electric with hot, romantic tension.” - NYT and USA Today Bestselling author Lauren Blakely
I WANT YOU TO WANT ME
Booklist calls I WANT YOU TO WANT ME “…steamy, hot, and totally engaging. The characters are realistic, and Kelly paints a vivid picture of what happens behind the scenes in the world of rock.”
TAKE ME HOME TONIGHT
All About Romance awards TAKE ME HOME TONIGHT a Desert Isle Keeper review. “All these (characters) are so authentically human they nearly walk off the page. If you like books where real people have real problems and find real love (while having really hot sex)? Pick up Take Me Home Tonight and enjoy the ride.”
TAKE ME HOME TONIGHT “is emotional and tremendously sexy, with a large cast of characters that readers will adore — Kelly's rendering of Calix's grieving parents is particularly well-done — but it is Mimi's strength that will linger long after the finish.” - Sarah MacLean, Washington Post
Titles by Erika Kelly
Rock Star Romance series:
YOU REALLY GOT ME
I WANT YOU TO WANT ME
TAKE ME HOME TONIGHT
MORE THAN A FEELING
Wild Love series:
MINE FOR NOW
MINE FOR THE WEEK
MINE FOR THE WEEK
Erika Kelly
Copyright 2017 EK Publishing, LLC
All rights reserved
This book, or parts thereof, may not be reproduced in any form without permission.
ISBN ebook: 978-0-9859904-4-2
ISBN paper: 978-0-9859904-5-9
This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are used fictitiously or are a product of the author’s imagination and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.
Cover designed by Novak Illustration
Formatting by Polgarus Studio
This book is dedicated to Superman.
You’re always there for me. You always come through.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
To Superman, my everything. Thank you for listening to me ramble on for thirty-five minutes and then solving everything in one sentence.
To Olivia, for sharing this journey with me. And it needs to be said: thank you for looking at every single one of the 3.5 million images I show you while trying to find just the right cover. Your bountiful patience is appreciated.
To KP, for your kindness and expertise. You make the journey a thousand times better.
To Sharon, for your friendship and endless support.
To Kevan, for your guidance.
To Kristy DeBoer, for taking the time to make my work better.
To the romance writing community, for your generous support. I couldn’t do this without the bloggers and reviewers like Obsessed with Romance, Krista’s Dust Jacket, Guilty Pleasures Book Reviews, About That Story, and Reading in Pajamas—to name just a few—whose love of books glitters in their reviews; and my friends in writer groups like the Dreamweavers, CTRWA, WRW, and CoLoNY.
Keep reading for an excerpt from MINE FOR NOW, the first in the Wild Love series by Erika Kelly
Table of 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
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
CHAPTER NINETEEN
CHAPTER TWENTY
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
Excerpt: MINE FOR NOW
CHAPTER ONE
“Strike!”
Dammit. Ryan O’Donnell swiped the back of his gloved hand across his brow. He stomped on the ground, tapping the bat on his cleat. Hunkering back down, he flexed his fingers on the grip.
Sweat trickled into his eyes. He blinked, keeping his sights on the pitcher’s shoulder. The moment the guy took a step back and then rotated his hips, Ryan shifted his gaze to the ball.
Another splitter.
He bent his knees, but as the ball shot forward, Ryan’s heart thundered. Blood roared in his ears, and he thought he might pass out. What the hell’s the matter with me?
His mind sent the signal, but his body didn’t swing. At least not soon enough.
“Stee-rike two.”
Holy shit. The scouts are watching.
He pushed back his shoulders and shook out his arms. Come on. Focus on the mound. But even as he thought it, he couldn’t resist glancing at his coach. The big man stood like a statue, brow furrowed in confusion and concern over Ryan’s performance.
Boos and laughter from the stands trickled into his consciousness.
“Never seen you choke before, O’Donnell,” the catcher said.
Block the scouts, block the crowd. Just hit the ball.
The pitcher jerked his knee up, whipped his arm out from behind his back, and in that split second before release, Ryan was pretty sure the guy’s fingers shifted into a slider.
I got this.
But his pulse jackhammered. His body felt weak, shaky. Like he hadn’t eaten in a while. Swing. His arms moved a fraction of a second after his brain had given the command.
“Strike three. You’re out.”
Ryan hurled the bat. Noise filled his head. He needed to get to the cover of the dugout, away from the eyes of scouts, teammates, and the coach who’d supported him for four years.
Just as he hit the concrete, he caught movement above. Hands gripping the railing, his buddy Jake swung his legs over and dropped to the ground. “Let’s go.”
He’d known Jake most of his life, so it only took a moment of silent communication to get that his friend had come to save him.
Fuck, yes. A break. Thank Christ his friends had stopped in Florida to catch his game before they headed off on their vacation. He’d take a breather, grab an energy drink.
Coach clapped a hand on his shoulder. “What’s going on?”
“Family emergency.” Jake didn’t betray an ounce of uncertainty. “I’ve got to get him out of here.”
Wait. Was he serious? But Jake wouldn’t look at him.
“Can it wait an hour?” Coach looked caught between concern and frustration.
“Absolutely not,” Jake said. “We’ve got to go right n
ow.”
If something were really wrong, Jake would say it. Your dad’s in the hospital. Your brother’s been in an accident.
Coach jerked his chin. “Go on.”
When Ryan hesitated—because he had no idea where Jake was going with the family emergency ploy—Coach said, “We’ll take care of the game, and I’ll talk to the scouts.” He pointed a finger. “Keep in touch. Let me know what’s going on.”
Jake grabbed his sleeve and gave a hard shake. “Let’s go. Now.”
Body still jittery, Ryan dropped his helmet and peeled off his gloves, barely hearing his teammates’ solemn voices.
“Hope everything’s okay, dude.”
“Text me.”
His world narrowed to Jake’s gray T-shirt, as he followed him into the tunnel.
Something was wrong with his legs. It felt like walking through water. And the pain in his chest…was he having a heart attack? “Jake, man. Hold up.”
“No.” Jake powered ahead. “Move it.”
“What’re you doing?”
Jake’s stride didn’t break. “Getting you out of here before you blow your shot at the Bigs.”
The dance floor teemed with grinding bodies—flashes of bare skin, red lipstick, and glittering jewels.
With a cocky grin, Jake jammed his hands into his pockets. “Like shootin’ fish in a barrel.”
Dixon, another guy he’d known since they were kids, tipped his chin. “I’m going for the hot blonde with the tight ass.”
“That narrows it down,” Jake said.
Ryan’s friends burst out laughing and then spread out to claim their fun for the night.
When he’d left the stadium that morning to find Dixon waiting in a rented Mustang with Ryan’s duffle bag stowed in the trunk, he’d jumped right in. At the time he hadn’t known he was headed to the airport to join them at an exclusive singles resort.
But his team had lost the game—because I crapped out—and Ryan was in a shit mood. He’d let them and himself down.
A hot brunette sitting alone at a table wiggled her fingers to get his attention. He gave her a smile, but…yeah, not feeling it. Maybe a drink first? They’d arrived twenty minutes ago, and he’d been traveling all day. He needed to loosen up a little.
As he headed towards the bar, his phone vibrated in his pocket. He tensed. Pulling it out, he scanned a couple of the most recent texts.
Everything okay?
When you coming back?
Dude, you okay?
Damn, he hated lying to the guys.
When he saw a voicemail from his coach, his chest went tight. Either he returned the call now and made up a story about his family emergency or he ignored it and took this break.
He really needed one. If he’d stayed, he’d have kept fucking up. He needed to shake it off. Take a few days with his buddies. Get back to normal.
“Hey, there.”
Ryan’s head snapped up at the sound of a sultry voice. The accompanying face and body didn’t disappoint. He shoved the phone back in his pocket. “Hey. Ryan O’Donnell.”
“Carrie Winters. I saw the three of you standing there.” She blew out a slow breath. “The trifecta of holy hotness. It’s like winning the lottery.”
His smile broadened. As athletes, they tended to get attention like that. Jake, at six-six, with his dark hair and olive skin, had women falling all over him. Dixon might’ve been shorter than the two of them, but he was a powerhouse of muscle. His blonde hair, shaggy and overgrown like a surfer, got him the attention his height and looks didn’t.
“Can I get you something to drink, Carrie?” Unlike most island resorts with tiki lamps and strings of lights, Isla de los Amantes had gleaming black lacquer tables, silver vases filled with exotic orchids, and crystal chandeliers. A safe haven for wealthy singles, it was known for its Vegas attitude. What happens on Santa Grenada stays on Santa Grenada.
He made a move to the bar, but she stepped in front of him, planting her hands on his chest.
“Let’s just skip to the part where I’m in bed with all three of you at once.”
Yup. He really needed that drink. “How about we start with a beer?”
“I’ve got a better idea. Let’s raid my minibar instead.” She got up on her toes, her breasts brushing against him, and whispered in his ear. “I just got here.” Gliding a hand from his shoulder to his biceps, she gave it a squeeze. “You’re seriously the hottest man I’ve ever seen, and I can’t wait to unwrap my welcome-to-paradise present.”
Step one in letting loose stood before him. This woman was ready to get down and dirty, no strings attached. He should go for it.
Instead, he stepped sideways and moved around her. “I’m going to grab a beer. You want one?” He pushed through to the bar and lifted a finger to get the bartender’s attention.
“You must be a newbie.” Carrie cupped his ass and gave it a squeeze. “Because it doesn’t work like that here. You don’t need to buy me a drink or make small talk. We all want the same thing.”
“Yeah? And what’s that?”
“An escape from the real world. A chance to just go wild.”
He grinned at her. “So, Carrie Winters, where’s your real world?”
“Boston. You?”
“I go to school in Michigan.” But I’m supposed to be at a week-long tournament in Florida this week.
“You’re still in school?”
“Senior, but yeah. What do you do?”
“I’m a realtor, and I’m about four years older than you. I’ve never been a cougar, but that’s what I love about this place. I can be whatever I want.”
“And what do you want to be?”
An ocean-scented breeze fanned her hair out. Her skin-tight dress revealed a toned body with generous mounds of flesh bursting out of the deep neckline. “When I’m here? Fucking wild. I work in my dad’s firm, so I have to be perfect. All the time. And I love it. I’m not complaining. I make a ton of money, and the clients come to me. But sometimes I need to let loose, you know?”
“I do.” Christ, did he know.
Her features turned sultry. “Glad to hear we’re on the same page. I’ve been coming to this resort for four years because there’s no bullshit. You can just do your thing with anyone, anywhere, anytime. And there’s no walk of shame. No worrying if the guy’ll call you again. I love it.”
He tugged at the collar of his shirt. Was it warm in here? He checked to see if he stood under a heat lamp.
“So, come on, gorgeous. What do you say we take that movie star smile up to my room? As sensational as it is, I’d love to replace it with something a whole lot filthier.”
He appreciated her straight-forward approach—he did—but maybe what he needed was a work-out, a hot shower, and a good night’s sleep. Start fresh tomorrow.
Just then Jake bustled up to them. “Hey, how’s it going?” But before either could respond, he nudged Ryan with his elbow. “Can I talk to you for a sec?” Then, he turned to Carrie. “Will you excuse us?”
“Sure. We’ll catch up later.” She smiled and headed toward the dance floor.
Jake led him to the side of the outdoor bar. “How’s it going?”
“Great, why?”
“Oh, I don’t know. Remember when you struck out at the plate this morning?”
Guilt stabbed into him. “Back off, Jake.”
“I was kind of hoping that very nice young woman could fuck some sense back into you.”
And that’s the problem with knowing someone all your life. His friend could see he wasn’t into it. “Look, my head’s not in it right now. I’m going to hit the gym and crash early.”
“That’s pretty much what you’d be doing if you were at school. So, yeah, you could go to the gym like you always do. Or, I don’t know…” He gave a chin lift to Carrie, who’d already turned her attention to another guy. “You could motorboat the bodacious tits of that woman who clearly wants to climb you like a tree.”
Jesus Chris
t.
“Maybe she’s not your type? Not a problem, since you’ve basically got a Babes-R-Us selection here. But, hell, man, look around. Every woman you see wants the same thing we do. That’s the whole point of coming here—everyone gets what they want without the bullshit. So, come on. Who you bangin’ first?” Jake gestured to the crowd like a game show host.
He took a step into Jake’s space. “Don’t push me.”
Jamming his hands deep into his pockets, Jake looked thoughtful for a moment. “You want to know why we took you out of that game?”
The reminder hit like a fastball to the gut. Christ. He’d never lied to a coach in his life.
He’d never had to.
It made him sick to think his coach was worried about him, while Ryan was getting his ass groped at a resort.
“’Cause you’re gonna blow. That’s why. You’re on the edge, and it’s better to pull your ass out of there than let your coach, your agent, the scouts, watch you fuck up.” He gave Ryan a meaningful look. “Number one shortstop in the country.”
“I hear you. But let me do things my way. I appreciate you guys pulling me out of that disaster, but…” Ryan blew out a breath. “You’ve got to give me room.”
Looking thoughtful, Jake scrubbed his jaw. “Not tellin’ you anything you don’t already know.” He stabbed his finger into Ryan’s chest. “But you need to go hard for a few days. Trust me on this. You’re too fuckin’ controlled. Yeah, all that discipline and focus is great—you wouldn’t be a first-round draft pick without it—but you’ve got to hit that release valve sometimes, man. Take a few days to blow it all off. And, trust me, you need some good, hard fucking to get you loosened up and relaxed.”
