Shuttergirl
Page 29
The one to the left was wide open. I went past without slowing, but I had to take it easy up the hill. It was dark, and I nearly took the short way down the mountain.
“Slow down, Laine,” I said. “You’re getting there first anyway.”
I took it easy, turn by turn in the silent night. Dirt and pebbles crunched under my tires, and crickets competed with the rumble of my car’s engine. I made it to the electrified fence and expected to be stopped there, but it was open. Had he planned this ahead of time? There was no way he’d done all the post-award activities and beaten me up the mountain.
I pulled in. No car in the spaces. I cut the lights and took a deep breath. I was there, and I’d wait half the night for him to show, because I knew he would. He wouldn’t dump or abandon me, and wherever he needed me to be, I’d show. I knew it in my gut.
I got out and navigated the hill in the dark, the soles of my sneakers steadier than the heels but still imperfect. I was on the WOOD side, the letters black spaces against the bright lights of the city and the dull, starless grey of the sky. I slipped. Rocks rattled down, and I had to grab a branch.
“Are you all right?” a voice asked from above. Michael. He sat at the top of the first O.
“You’re here.”
“I ran out of there as fast as I could.”
I hitched my leg on the support poles of the O and climbed to the top, feeling rather than seeing the cold metal bars. He reached down for me, and I took his hand.
“Almost there,” he said.
I got my head over the top of the letters and stopped myself. “This view…”
“At night? Almost as breathtaking as you.”
I climbed up and straddled the top of the letter, and he held my face and kissed me.
“Michael, I—” But I couldn’t finish. I fell into his kiss, his warmth. His intensity was like a blanket over me, scented in cinnamon. I breathed his name, owned by that kiss more than any other. “I never told you…”
He pulled away and put his nose to mine while cradling my jaw. “Whatever it is, it’s all right.”
“I never told you I loved you.”
“You came. That’s all I need.”
I kissed him. “As if I could resist you. Can you stand it? That we’re so different? Just say yes.”
“Yes. I love you because of it, and yes.”
“I’ll never chase you away again.”
“I won’t be so easy to chase away, because I’m never turning my back on you. Never again.”
I couldn’t get enough of his lips, but he backed up long enough to let me swing my leg over until they both dangled in front of the O. We sat, hand in hand, watching the lights blink and move over the boulevards like right-angled waterways. I put my head on his shoulder, and we presided over our domain, under the starless sky of Los Angeles.
THE END
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Act now, because this sweepstakes closes 6/3/15.
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Acknowledgements
I don’t think of myself as a lone gun, but this book in particular got more help than any book before it. So, as many people as you see here, double that number for all the people I’m forgetting.
Shuttergirl began as a conversation between myself and my agent, Maura Kye-Cassella, and I’m grateful for her decisive honesty. For instance, her main note on the first draft of Shuttergirl was, “This is really bad.” That was a year ago, and my level of irritation matched my level of glee when she said of this version, “You nailed it.”
Angela Smith, I don’t have enough words. She took late calls from me, read my shitty attempts at a story numerous times, and suggested, “Look, they need to have a good time together. He needs to seduce her.” So I wrote the Hollywood sign, and everything fell into place from there.
Cassie Cox, as usual was my perfect line editor (she did not line edit the acknowledgements so if there are typos in here do not write me letters), and Lynn always fits me into the schedule. Always.
LRB, KB and DW, your tireless support and the way you allow me to own the chat with my whining is precious to me. I have girls in groups, FYW and BGP who are a goldmine of support. Nothing happens without the support of other writers. I know writers out there who reflexively one star competitor’s books on Goodreads, leave bad reviews and undercut fellow authors. But my sisterhood wouldn’t, and they are a treasure.
THANK YOU:
TRSOR for being the BEST promotions company in the business.
All the authors who wrote and blurbed this book ahead of time.
Sarah Hansen – patience of a saint. Thank you for staying with me until we got the cover right.
Kaylee, my assistant, thank you for loving this book from jump, and attacking the promotions like a tiger.
Diana and Tony for your tireless work in Goodreads. I have such a hard time taking on more than one social media outlet, you maintaining my presence there is so important.
SueBee – you are a true fan and friend. Thank you for your forgiveness and gentleness.
Erik – Still love the inner-chapter separators. You’re an epub ninja.
Special Forces – With a team like this, failure was never an option.
D-sleepy, Lady Nono, A-Bomb – thank you for Saturday and Sunday mornings.
Starbucks stores all over Hollywood have turned a little crazy, but I still write there and all over Los Angeles. I want to thank my city for being my office.
MOST IMPORTANTLY:
I want to thank everyone in New York who made this release possible.
Other Books
You may or may not know that I'm known for erotic romance.
The Submission Series
Jonathan Drazen.
Gorgeous. Check.
Charming. Check.
Smart. Check.
Rich. Hey, I’m not gonna complain.
All the ingredients for a few nights of mind-blowing pleasure are right there. He’s made it perfectly clear he can’t love me, and I’m not out to fall in love either.
But I can’t stay away from him. He’s got this bossy way about him in bed. The word “Sir,” falls from my lips, and when he tells me to get on my knees…well, my knees have a mind of their own.
I got this. I can be his slave for a few nights and walk away unscathed.
We get in. Get it on. Get the hell out. Done.
He knows the line between love and lust. It’s right between my legs. Now, let’s see if that line blurs for me.
The Submission Series has 9 books
1) Beg
2) Tease
3) Submit
4) Control
5) Burn
6) Resist
7) Sing
8) Dominance (Jonathan's POV's)
9) Coda
You can also buy the bundled versions
1) Beg/Tease/Submit
2) Control/Burn/Resist
3) Sing/Coda/Dominance
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If you love hot Mafia men, check out my Corruption Series, Spin and Ruin are full length and ready.
Theresa Drazen wants to know one thing.
Is there something wrong with her?
Because from what she can see, she has money, brains, a body that does the job. Yet, she keeps getting shelved. Most recently, by her fiancé who happens to be the DA.
And she'll get over it, really. No problem. She'll just have a nice, short encounter with a mysterious Italian named Antonio who may or may not be involved with some kind of alleged criminal activity...blah blah...
Let's call a spade a spade.
He's a mobster.
Let's face a few more facts.
He's hot. He's smart. And if anyone breathes on her the wrong way, he's got no problem beating their head against a Porsche until they're willing to lick up their own vomit to make it stop.
Just about everything about that turns her on.
Yeah. There's something wrong with her.
**MATURE AUDIENCES--Rough sex. Dirty talk. Criminal activity. Cursing. Fisticuffs. Closed course. Professional driver. Do not try this at home.**
---------
Fiona Drazen's life as a celebutante and submissive slave in The Perdition Series starts with KICK, and continues with book two, USE.
You know what a celebutante is. It's a Paris Hilton. A Kim Kardashian. Someone who's famous for existing. That's me, and in case you were wondering what it's like...trust me, it's the best shit ever.
I like coke and I like sex. I have the money to buy the first and the looks to get the second. No one needs to know where I am for days at a time and no one gives a fuck. That's just the way I like it.
You got issue with that?
Good.
Because you think I have problems, and I don't. A problem would be defined as some situation in my life I didn't arrange. Like having no money. That's a problem, and I don't have it. Like having a ton of sex I don't totally enjoy. Also not my problem.
Now that we understand each other, you and me, and we understand that my life is exactly how I want it, you have to know that you don't have the right to hold me here.
Right?
Right.
The Perdition Series starts with KICK, and continues with book two, USE.
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To keep up with what I think is sexy today, see CD Reiss on Facebook
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Contents
Titlepage
Copyright Page
Prologue
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Chapter 31
Chapter 32
Chapter 33
Chapter 34
Chapter 35
Chapter 36
Chapter 37
Chapter 38
Chapter 39
Chapter 40
Chapter 41
Chapter 42
Chapter 43
Chapter 44
Chapter 45
Chapter 46
Chapter 47
Chapter 48
Chapter 49
Chapter 50
Chapter 51
Chapter 52
Chapter 53
Chapter 54
Treat-Yourself-Like-A-Movie-Star Quiz
Acknowledgements
Other Books