Release Date: October 25th
Synopsis
Sweet, shy and a bit goofy, Tinley Michaels has it all: a great mother, a wonderful, sexy, loving boyfriend, and her whole life ahead of her. One day her world is turned upside down when the love of her life suddenly leaves her without reason. She is left broken and vulnerable and vows to never let a man destroy her again. Months later, she decides to dust herself off and finally realize her dream of being a Broadway star. With nothing holding her back, she leaves everything she's ever known in Texas to start her new life in New York City. She moves in with her cousin, makes some great new friends, gets a steady job and an audition for a part in a small theater. Things are heading in the right direction. Tinley isn’t looking for anyone. She is jaded but still hopelessly in love with her first love. That’s when, by chance, she meets Van Whitaker, the smooth talking sexy lead singer of the best-selling rock band, Ripping Pages. She labels him a man-whore/rock-n-roll douchebag immediately. Van tries to show her that he’s no longer that guy and that he sees something in Tinley worth trying to be better for. Even though he makes her feel things she’s only read about in the hundreds of romance novels she’s shamelessly addicted to, she is scared he will leave her even more broken than she already is. Should she give this gorgeous rock star the time of day? And what will she do when she comes face to face with her past and she must make a decision that will change her future and her forever? What happens when the page you ripped out of the book of your life suddenly tries to put itself back into the story?Excerpt: I felt great after my audition. I had done better this time than when I had rehearsed, so I was feeling pretty confident about it. It was a beautiful early fall day outside, so I decided to catch a cab, grab a treat and walk around Central Park. I wanted to breathe in the New York air and take in my surroundings. I stopped by a little bakery off of Columbus Avenue and ordered a red velvet cupcake with cream cheese icing, my guilty pleasure, and a hot chocolate. I entered the park and found a bench to sit down and enjoy my treats and people watch, which was another one of my guilty pleasures.
I loved this city. It was unlike anything I could ever imagine. The crowds and the traffic, everything about it excited me. I was from the outskirts of Houston and our downtown was nothing like this spectacular place.
I finished my goodies and closed my eyes listening to the sounds around me. Birds chirping and people talking. Soon, the faint sound of a guitar filled my ears followed by a low, sexy, almost tortured voice singing lyrics that I couldn’t quite make out. Being my nosy self, I wanted to know who was behind that sound. I headed toward, Bow Bridge I think it was called, and the music grew louder, as did the sexy voice.
I spotted a young guy sitting against a tree by the water near the bridge. His right leg was bent in front of him while his left leg was straight out on the ground. He had a guitar resting in his lap and he was smoking a cigarette which normally I would find repulsing, but on him it made him even sexier for some reason. He wore faded jeans that were frayed a bit at the cuff and a plain black t-shirt that, from what I could see, hugged his well-defined body just right. His arms were covered in tattoos, though I couldn’t make out the intricate designs from where I stood. He had messy dark brown hair that hung in his eyes which held long, thick eyelashes that would make any woman jealous. His face was chiseled showing a hint of scruff and he had full lush lips but his bottom lip was just a little fuller than the top. He was seriously breathtaking. He looked vaguely familiar but I couldn’t place him.
I never really was attracted to guys like this one. I was usually drawn to the clean cut, all American type guys. Guys like James. James was gorgeous but he had nothing on this man. This guy had the bad boy look down pat. They surely didn't make them like that back home.
He was singing and strumming the guitar and writing something that I assumed were lyrics, down in a notebook near his right hip. I couldn’t stop staring at him. His voice made me feel warm and cozy for some strange reason. It, too, was familiar and oddly comforting. It was deep, rough and provocative and I wanted to hear more of it. This guy could sing me the telephone book for all I cared as long as he kept singing.
Bonus Scene:
After eating our Thanksgiving dinner, Van and I laid on the couch watching Dodgeball, another hilarious movie we both loved. Van was absentmindedly rubbing my belly and kissing it while singing a sweet melody. I closed my eyes to listen and enjoy this beautiful moment that I would always remember. He jumped up, suddenly and ran to the window. I followed his gaze and my mouth gaped open.
“Look, Sweetness. It’s snowing!”
“Oh my gosh! I have never seen real snow before.”
He walked over to me and grabbed me kissing me hard and forceful. He kissed my nose and then my forehead and smiled. “I know. That’s why you’re going to lose your snow virginity with me.”
I laughed and he walked to the closet by the door grabbing our coats and pulling out a box.
He brought it over to me. “Sit down.” I did as he asked and he opened the box and inside were a cute pair of black furry snow boots.
“Vance Adam Whitaker, did you buy me shoes?” I laughed.
“Yep. Now let’s put them on and go play in the snow!”
I put them on and they were extremely comfy. I put on my hot pink parka and matching hat and gloves and glanced out the window one last time. The snow was falling harder and I hoped it was sticking to the ground.
We got into the elevator and it started to descend. Van hugged me from behind his face nuzzling into the back of my head kissing my neck gently. “I love you,” he mumbled as he pecked another sensual kiss to my nape. I turned in his arms as the elevator reached the bottom floor. I leaned up on my tip toes and kissed his mouth, biting his bottom lip as I pulled away. “I love you more,” I smiled and ran out the door and into the heavy snow.
I can’t describe how magical it was to be with Van and see real snow falling from the sky. The snow I had seen growing up when we actually got some was basically sleet and it never stuck to the ground. So this, this was like a winter wonderland of epic proportions to me. I’m not sure exactly how long it had been snowing but it was coming down in buckets and there was probably a foot already on the ground.
We walked to the park next to Van’s building and right near the Brooklyn Bridge. It was dusk and the sky was gray and darkening. The city lights were coming on and it was breathtaking. I immediately found a spot next to the playground and I laid down and started to make my first snow angel. Gleefully laughing like a five year old as I did. I heard the snow crunching next to me as Van laid down in the snow beside me. Looking over at me as he began to make his own snow angel, both our arms and legs sliding through the snow up and down. He smiled that smile and I felt my heart skip a beat. We both laid there for a second staring at one another and blinking the falling snow away. He reached over and cupped my cheeks in his hands, the snow on his glove stinging just a bit. “You are the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen.”
I blushed and before I could make some stupid remark and ruin the moment, he leaned in ever so softly and brushed his lips along mine. He deepened the kiss and rolled closer to me to where he hovered above me. The snow was cold but Van made me feel so warm. We kissed as the snow fell harder and harder and our breathing started to match it. Van pulled away and looked me in the eyes, pecking my lips gently.
I took this moment to scoop up a handful of snow and throw it over his head. He looked at me shocked and then laughed, his deep voice rumbling and making me shiver. He stood up and held out his hand to help me up and as I stood, he crushed a huge ball of snow into my hair. I gasped and squealed and then chased him as he ran away from me and toward the apartment I threw a huge snowball and decked him right in the back. He turned around and with a teasing look of menace, he started to chase me. I screamed and ran back to the park hiding under the slides. He snuck up on me and held up his hands in surrender. I didn’t trust him though, so I sat there and contemplated throwing another one at him. He moved so fast grabbing me and scooping me up in his arms. He kissed me and walked over to the swings. Sitting down with me in his lap, he started to swing us gently as the snow continued to fall around us. My face was cold but I used Van’s mouth to warm me up. We kissed for a long time. The sky was completely dark and the snow was accumulating. We pulled away and Van stopped the swing and stood up and set me down on my feet. “I love you. Do you want to go inside? Are you too cold?”
I smiled up at him. “Nope. I’m perfect. Let’s build my first snowman.”
He smiled kissed my lips, nose and forehead and then I smacked him in the face with a snowball.
A few days later while Van was back on tour, I got a delivery. A huge bouquet of purple orchids and a blue Tiffany box. I opened it and inside was a charm for my bracelet. A snowflake with the date of my first snow experience inscribed on it.
I swooned and gushed over the beautiful gift.
I loved that man of mine.
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