Preview of Beyond Me – First Ten Pages!

Countdown has begun for Beyond Me, which will be everywhere in digital form March 4th!

 Because my readers are extraordinary, we reached over 800 adds on Goodreads and I’m releasing the next five pages of the book. Click back to my previous blog post for the first five if you missed it. 18 and Over Please! There’s some raw stuff here and NOT for under 18!!

 

But before I post, just a quick thank you to everyone. When I posted my blog about losing my beloved dog, I was in a very dark place. Social media is a double edged sword – sometimes used for bad purposes. This time it was used for good. The outpouring of support, emails, and love from my readers amazed me. You shared your stories and own heartbreak with me, and I found solace and a smile at such support. I didn’t feel so alone anymore. So thank you for that.

 

Without further ado…here’s another peek at Beyond Me. Hope you enjoy!

 

 

QUINN

 I sipped the lukewarm beer for something to do, and found a spot near the balcony. Hooking my elbows over the top, I watched the show at the pool while music pounded out in grindy hip-hop rhythm to inspire abandon and nakedness. For one second, I wished I was the type of girl to climb in the pool, shake her ass, and enjoy a little feminine power. I always felt so out of place wherever I went, unless it revolved around work. Social scenes reminded me I wasn’t flashy enough or bouncy enough or enough of anything.

Poor Quinn. At a cool party in Key West on spring break and complaining. My inner voice—who I termed my “inner bitch”—rose up and made me smother a giggle. I had gotten used to talking to myself back in the day and never got out of the habit. Sometimes I was my best company.

My gaze swept the pool deck to see if there was anyone I may know, or want to get to know, and then—boom.

There he was.

Mr. Perfect.

I blinked and tried to clear my vision. Trust me, I’m not one of the swoon-worthy girls who describes a guy like some male specimen. I’ve never been into the visual as much as enjoying a guy’s sense of humor and conversation. Always thought I wasn’t built that way. Even the first naked guy I saw on HBO didn’t do it for me, and all my friends had gone on and on about his abs and ass and dick like they were dying to do him. Me—not so much.

But for the first time, I kind of lost my breath.

He wasn’t movie-star handsome and didn’t own rippling muscles or crazy tats or piercings. He leaned against the railing behind the bar, watching me, a tiny smirk resting on those full lips. As if I amused him by doing nothing. His hair was midnight black, rich against his tanned skin, and fell into perfect, tousled curls over his forehead. His eyes were a startling light blue, so pale they seemed to shimmer in his face with an odd light. I tried to break the gaze, but he wouldn’t let me, just held my stare and refused to let go. As if the first one to look away lost.

I actually shivered under the hot sun. Something about that gleam of interest and laziness said he was trying to decide if he wanted to play the game. If he played, he’d bring it hard.

This guy was no bumbling, inexperienced boy. Probably twenty-three, but his gaze said he’d seen things, done things, and would maybe like to do them with me.

He was bare chested, with plain navy-blue board shorts, and nicely built. Toned, but not overdone. His stomach rippled, and he stood with his feet slightly braced apart, as if he owned his space.

Whoa.

My heart fluttered in my chest, and suddenly my palms grew damp. I squeezed the railing tighter and tried to be cool. Ridiculous. He may be hot, but I don’t think I even liked him. He was too confident, too used to girls falling over him and giving him what he wanted. I hated men like that—as if just by showing up they deserved more than anyone else. It was an entitlement thing, and since I’d had none of it, and had to work my way through every struggle in my life by myself, I didn’t respect him.

He suddenly arched a brow, as if he read my thoughts and was even more amused. Usually, that would embarrass me enough to race inside to escape, but this time I did something that was quite unlike me. I gave him a tight smile, and deliberately turned my back on him.

There. Take that.

Way to go, Quinn. There goes your one opportunity to sleep with a guy who probably knows what he’s doing.

Nah, not worth giving him another notch for his sexual belt. I did have my pride.

But not orgasms.

Please, shut up.

“I didn’t even say anything. How can I shut up?”

Oh God, it was him. I knew it.

I dragged in a deep breath and turned around.

  

James

The moment I saw her, my heart stopped.

I know it sounds like bullshit. That stuff doesn’t happen.

It’s always glamorized in those pussy chick flicks. The music blares, their eyes meet, and you know they’ll be fucking each other in the next half hour. Trust me, I’ve been with tons of girls, thought I was actually in love once but quickly got screwed—and not in a good way—and not once has my organ paused in my chest.

She was fucking gorgeous.

Not in the way I knew. I was so used to tons of makeup, tight, tanned bodies, and big tits. It’s the way it is. I run in circles of society and money, and no matter how much I try to get out of it and despise the surface crap, I’m stuck. The few times I met a girl who seemed genuine, I found out later it was an act—a way to grab my attention and seem different.

But this girl rocked me. First off, she came alone, and seemed content to keep to herself. She watched from the edges of the party with a thoughtful, analyzing air that intrigued me. She emanated a quiet, confident presence that radiated around her, like she was a calm in the storm of chaos. She seemed completely removed from the laughter and antics in the pool and around the bar. Not necessarily above it all. Almost like she longed to join but had accepted she wasn’t meant to belong. Her hair fell straight and silky past her shoulders and hid her face, like a screen that swayed back and forth in a game of peekaboo. It was a rich shade of brownish black that contrasted with her pale skin. Sort of like Snow White in modern day. When the curtain finally parted, I was fascinated by her face.

Large almond eyes, dark as sin, stared back at me. Her mouth looked swollen, as if she chewed on her lips as a nervous habit, but maybe they were natural. She owned stark features—high cheekbones, strong jaw, broad forehead. The one-piece bathing suit shouldn’t have been sexy when surrounded by miniscule bikinis, but it was. Hell yeah it was.

The simple black was demure in the front, but cut high on the thigh to emphasize gorgeous, non-ending legs. The thought of those calves gripping my hips as I thrust inside her made me hard. When she turned to the side, I realized the suit pretty much had no back, and the fabric stretched over her ass like a gift from the gods. I imagined cupping her, lifting her up so I could take her brutally against the wall, forcing moans from those lush lips, and biting them myself. Swirls of raw lust caught me off guard. She was unlike anyone I had ever seen, and my dick demanded to claim her.

Of course, this was when a few of my crew busted in on my lightbulb moment. “Fresh meat, James?” Rich pointed out from behind the bar. “You’re eyeing her like you haven’t eaten in a while.”

“Anyone know who she is?” I asked, never taking my gaze from her. “Nah, probably one of the spring breakers in for the week. Your parties are legendary here—and it’s no secret pretty much everyone is invited.” Rich studied her, then shrugged. “She’s pretty. Nothing I’d be chasing though, especially with your options.”

Adam jumped into the conversation, never one to be ignored. “Where’s her group? Never saw girls come alone before.”

“I think she did,” I said.

“Looks snobby to me. Like she’s too good for the others. Besides, she looks cold as ice. What the hell is she doing wearing a one-piece?”

“I think it’s sexy as hell,” I muttered. That was when I made my big mistake. Looking back, I wish I had kept my mouth shut and maybe things would’ve ended up differently.

My friends shared a knowing look. “You got it bad, bro,” Adam commented. “But I’d bet not even you could tumble her.”

Rich grinned. “Agreed. She’s buttoned up so tight you’d need a crowbar to pry off that suit. Probably one of those control freak, studious types that doesn’t know how to let loose.” He gave a mock shudder. “No, thank you.”

Suddenly, her gaze locked on mine. I sucked in my breath as recognition dawned on her face that I had been studying her. She stiffened but met me head-on, raising her chin slightly. I dove deep into a sensual heaven of swirling emotions I craved to figure out. She was so damn expressive, her thoughts flickering over that gorgeous face as she decided what to do next. I waited. Would she smile? Duck her head? Avert her gaze and pretend the connection never happened?

I raised my brow and upped the stakes.

One second. Two. She gave me a dismissing shake of the head and turned her back on me.

“Bro, she just dissed you!” The guys hooted, but I didn’t care.

“It’s a challenge.”