Colin rolled slightly toward her. âSo what do you want to do now?â
A dozen images jumped immediately to mind, and she gritted her teeth to keep from describing them in detail. âI guess we could go back to the Quarter? After all youâve said about it Iâm kinda curious to see the insanity for myself.â
He looked doubtful. âAre you sure?â
No, but youâre not giving me any better options. âIsnât it part of the full Mardi Gras experience?â
âOh, honey, itâs an experience all its own.â He leaned all the way back, stacking his hands behind his head. Turning his head toward her, he arched an eyebrow. âYou think you can handle it?â
âI donât think Iâm that shockable.â
That earned her a smile. âThen letâs do it.â
He rolled to his feet and brushed the grass off before extending a hand to help her up. The crowds werenât quite as thick here, so Colin didnât take her handâsadlyâbut he did put his hand on the small of her back to guide her. She was so primed even that simple touch was downright torture.
Dear Reader
Just one more book set in New Orleans and then Iâll stop. Or maybe I wonât. Itâs a tough call, since I love New Orleans and it seems to be the perfect setting for a romance. New Orleans is exciting and vibrant and sexy, not afraid to break rules, push boundaries, or do its own thing its own way. Itâs hard to resist and too much is never enough.
Kinda like a Modern Tempted>â¢, you know⦠~grin~
After years of insisting that heâs totally the inspiration for the heroes in my books, this time my Darling Geek will actually be telling the truth. In many ways Colin is based on my Geek, and at least one of the conversations between Colin and Jamie happened in real lifeâall I had to do was transcribe it. Iâm not a Girl GeekâI donât know a sonic screwdriver from a warp driveâbut I am a geek girl. I go geeky for geeks. They rock my world.
And if indulging my love for New Orleans and geeks in this book wasnât enough to make me smile, I also got to work with the fabulous Aimee Carson again on this duet. Aimeeâs great; everyone should brainstorm with her. I loved having Aimeeâs heroine, Callie, guest star in this book, and I know youâre going to love getting to know her better in her story.
Thereâs so much I love about this bookâI just hope youâll love Colin and Jamieâs story as well.
As always, I hope youâll find me on Facebook, Twitter or my website (www.BooksByKimberly.com) and stay in touch! Iâd love to hear from you.
Love
Kimberly
KIMBERLY LANG hid romance novels behind her textbooks in junior high, and even a Masterâs programme in English couldnât break her obsession with dashing heroes and happily-ever-after. A ballet dancer turned English teacher, Kimberly married an electrical engineer and turned her life into an ongoing episode of When Dilbert Met Frasier. She and her Darling Geek live in beautiful North Alabama, with their one Amazing Childâwho, unfortunately, shows an aptitude for sports.
Visit Kimberly at www.booksbykimberly.com for the latest newsâand donât forget to say hi while youâre there!
This and other books by Kimberly Lang are available in eBook format from www.millsandboon.co.uk
To Finlay, you gorgeous, clever boy. I know youâre going to grow up to be even more awesome than you are now. (And remember your auntie knows a thing or two about awesome men, so you can trust me on that!)
PROLOGUE
From The Ex Factor:
Dear Exes,
My ex and I were together for three years and knew each other socially before that. Unfortunately, while our relationship is over, I still see him all the time. We have the same friends, go to the same places...itâs really awkward. We donât hate each other, but we donât want to be together anymore. How should I handle this?
Callie:
It takes time and a bit of tact. You donât want to alienate your friends or make them feel as though they have to choose one of you and exclude the other. Change what habits and haunts you canâfind a new coffee shop, a new bar to hang out inâso that the old places donât remind you or others of your former couple status. Your friends will take their cues from you, so the more over him you are and the more comfortable you are in his presence, the easier it will become for everyone. You might even want to do things in smaller groupsâminus your ex, of courseâuntil the breakup isnât so fresh. Eventually those friend-only feelings will return.
Ex-Man:
Move. As far away as you possibly can. I cannot recommend this strongly enough. You can always make new friends.
ONE
Sometimes being a nice guy sucked.
But a friend didnât turn down a friend in need, even when that need was for a relief bartender on Fat Tuesday in the French Quarter.
Seemed heâd only thought his bartending days were over. And heâd forgotten how much he hated bartending.