BOOK INFORMATION
Laid Out
Worth the Fight # 4
By: Sidney Halston
Releasing August 18, 2015
Loveswept
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BOOK SUMMARY
Perfect
for fans of Monica Murphy and Cecy Robson, Sidney Halston’s scorching new MMA
romance proves there are no holds barred when it comes to seduction.
Growing up
an Army brat, Violet Channing could never meet her dad’s high expectations. But
in the eyes of her best friend, she could do no wrong. He even insisted that he
should be her first kiss. Now Cain Sorensen is all grown up, hardened by years
in special ops and always looking for a good fight. Tall, with striking blue
eyes and impossibly blond hair, he’s a modern-day Viking warrior. Of course,
Violet’s all grown up, too, and she’s ready to surrender to his every command.
Cain knows
he’s bad for Violet. His work is dangerous, and his hobbies are downright
deadly. As a private mercenary and a mixed martial arts fighter, he could never
let such an innocent soul into his world. And yet his most grueling combat
training is no match for Violet’s killer curves, hot touch, and suggestive
glances. Now all of Cain’s most explosive fantasies are coming true—but once
they cross the line between friends and lovers, there’s no turning back.
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EXCERPT
She
was kicking a rock out of the way when Cain grabbed her hand and pulled her to
a nearby tree, causing her to yelp as she struggled to keep her balance. At
nineteen, Cain was thin and lanky—all limbs. She was still short and stumpy. He
turned her around brusquely and pressed her back against a tree, the bark
digging into her. She looked up at him and saw an intensity in his eyes she’d
never seen before. His cheeks were flushed and the vein by his neck pulsed.
Suddenly she became nervous. He’d never looked at her this way—the way the cute
guys looked at the pretty girls.
Lately
she’d felt flustered when Jeremy was nearby, with his mess of curly dark brown
hair and dimpled smile. Feelings that hadn’t been there before were now
creeping in. In fact, she could’ve sworn Jeremy had been flirting with her
lately—complimenting her clothes and hair, brushing against her “accidentally,”
inviting her to the movies without Cain around. But these brief flirtatious
moments were with Jeremy. Not with Cain. Never with Cain. Cain was just her
friend. A little gangly, a little quiet, a lot overprotective.
That
was until now.
Suddenly
there was an awareness that had never been there before.
When
he licked his lips, her pulse sped up. A foreign feeling—desire—began to take
root. He reached toward her hair, and she flinched a little before he tucked a
stray strand behind her ear. The tender action surprised her. For the first
time, she noticed how clear his blue eyes were, how his hair was so blond it
almost looked white. All of a sudden, he didn’t seem like just this boy who was
always around. Unfamiliar feelings began to erupt throughout her body. She felt
her cheeks flame and her heart race.
When
he finally spoke, his voice shook a little. “I’m your friend because I want to
be your friend. Not because of your parents or your dumb threats. I don’t like
it when you call yourself fat. You’re not fat.”
She
nodded and murmured, “Okay.” She drew her lower lip into her mouth and nibbled
as her wide eyes gazed at his. Cain reached over and pulled her lip out of her
mouth. “You’re nervous.” It wasn’t a question. He knew her well enough to be
aware of her tells.
“I
. . . uh . . . what are you doing, Cain?”
“I
don’t want you to kiss just anyone to get it outta the way.”
Words
failed her, so she just nodded again. There was a moment where neither spoke.
He just looked at her as if trying to decide on his next move.
“I
should be the first person you kiss,” he finally said as his tongue flicked out
a little and wet his lips.
She
gasped and looked up into his eyes nervously. His eyes never left hers, but his
reddened ears and neck showed that he was also nervous. She too knew him well.
Like
a fool, she bobbed her head up and down mostly because the words were stuck in
her throat. It felt like he stared at her lips for an eternity until he finally
leaned forward, causing her to press herself further back against the tree, her
hands gripping the bark. He tilted his head to the side and she imitated the
action.
Should I open
my mouth? Leave it closed? What about my tongue? What should it be doing?
Softly,
almost feather light, his lips brushed against hers. Her eyes instinctively
closed tight, and she stopped breathing. It was less than ten seconds but it
was forever. In that moment she fell into the category of girls who’d had their
first kiss. She kept her eyes closed for far too long, and when she opened them
he was standing upright, his face even more flushed. Her own tongue snuck out
of her mouth to taste her lips. She swallowed and looked at him, her eyes as
wide as saucers. What just happened?
Then,
with the same intensity in his expression, he leaned back down, but this time
he pressed harder against her lips causing her lips to part slightly. His body
moved closer to hers, and then she felt his hands grip her waist and his tongue
touch her lips before it moved into her mouth and brushed hers for a brief
second, his fingers digging into her skin at her waist. She instinctively
melded into him, her body seeking him out.
Again
he moved away and looked at her. His expression never changed, and neither did
hers. Her eyes were wide; she touched her lips, as if to determine whether the
kiss had really happened. They just looked at each other, neither saying
anything, her heart beating so loudly she was sure he could hear it. Finally
she spoke and said the only thing that came to mind. “Wow, my cup runneth
over,” she whispered. It was a phrase he teased her about constantly, but it
was exactly how she felt: she could barely contain her happiness.
He
chuckled, and the smile did her in: she threw her arms around his neck and
kissed him. Hard. He wrapped his arms around her waist and walked them the half
step back against the tree again. Their noses bumped. It was awkward, but as
first kisses went . . . it was perfect.
“Happy
Valentine’s Day, Vi.” It was the last thing he said to her before leaving for
war.
CAT'S REVIEW
Ms. Halston has knocked this one out of the park! "Laid Out" is the story of Violet and Cain. They have been friends forever and now they are fighting their attraction to each other - or at least trying to. I absolutely loved Violet - she is so adorable! She's kind and sweet and so naive. I love how clumsy and insecure she is - it just makes her that much likable. As Cain says often "She's so cute". Cain - he's a tough MMA fighter that carries around so much guilt, my heart ached for him. He could be a jerk at times, but I found that I understood why - Ms. Halston did a great job of writing the feelings and thoughts of the characters, even if they didn't speak it. Oh, and Bird is hilarious too! I found myself smiling and chuckling at Violet's ramblings and clenching my teeth at Cain's stubborness but all that and more made this a book that I enjoyed and will read again for sure. I have read this series and have enjoyed all of the books. This one can be read as a stand alone, however, it was nice to know who the other characters in the book are from the previous stories. (received copy from NetGalley for honest review).
★★★★★
AUTHOR INFO
Sidney Halston lives her life by one
simple rule: “Just do it.” And that’s exactly what she did. At the age of
thirty, having never written anything other than a legal brief, she picked up a
pen for the first time to pursue her dream of becoming an author. That first
stroke sealed the deal, and she fell in love with writing. Halston lives in
South Florida with her husband and children.
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