“Humor and well-matched characters combine in a captivating story.” — RT BookReviews

Waking up in a stranger’s bed is not how socialite Lorelei LaBlanc planned on spending the morning after the night before. From now on…

A) No more secret hookups with Donovan St. James-he’s the last man on earth she’d want to share a room with, never mind a king-size bed.

B) Maintain a professional persona at all times. After all, he’s a hard-hitting journalist who’s always on the lookout for the latest scoop…and she’s perfect tabloid fodder.

C) Keep friends close but enemies closer. Donovan may look like the ultimate poster boy but his intentions are anything but PG rated….

This is the second book in the LaBlanc Sisters duet. Read Vivi’s story in The Downfall of a Good Girl.

This book has an original soundtrack!  For more information, click here.

Read an Excerpt

Lorelei sighed. “Don’t take this personally, but I think you should go.”

“What?” How was he not supposed to take that personally?

“If you stay, I’m probably going to invite you inside.”

Donovan didn’t actually see the problem with that, but Lorelei’s voice was so heavy, she obviously did. “And here I was kind of hoping you would.”

She sighed. “Two hookups make a fling. Three hookups… Well, then it starts to become something. And this isn’t supposed to be something.”

And he was a mutt. “’Something’ is a mighty big category. Lots of room for interpretation.”

Her chin lifted  as she considered that. “True. Something doesn’t have to be anything. I’m just not sure what, if anything, this something could be. Everything is so complicated right now, that a something that’s not anything might be a good thing. Or nothing. Or something like that.”

He’d lost the thread of this conversation pretty quickly, causing him to re-think his earlier assessment of her sobriety. “How much have you had to drink, Lorelei?”

She laughed and ran a hand over her face. “That didn’t make much sense, did it? But it’s not alcohol. I’m more tired than anything else. I didn’t get much sleep last night.”

“Neither did I, now that you mention it.”

“Can I ask you something?”

“Sure.”

“I know why you’re here, but I want to know why you’re here instead of at Julie Hebert’s. Or Jess Reynald’s, for that matter.”

“You’re prettier, for one thing.”

She frowned at him. “Honestly, now.”

He had another flippant answer, but at that qualifier, he swallowed it. “Jess and Julie have agendas. I don’t like being an item on an agenda. Or a means to an end, either.”

“I thought we were clear that Julie was just wanting to use you for sex.”

“If she were just looking for a good time, that would be one thing, but Julie’s on the rebound and angry about it. I’m not about to get pulled into that. She’d just be using me to get back at her soon-to-be-ex. Jess’s agenda is a bit more complex, but both of them are playing games, and I don’t play.”

“So you assume I don’t have an agenda?”

“Oh, you have an agenda, too. Whatever you’re out to prove right now by taking over for Vivi,” the look that passed over her face told him he’d hit a nerve there and confirmed his suspicions, “I’m obviously not a part of the plan. You wouldn’t be so worried about ‘everything’ otherwise.”

“How astute of you.” Although it was politely enough said, a barrier dropped between them at that moment. “In fact, you would be – are,” she corrected, “ a big old monkey wrench in my plans. Which is why this can’t be something.”

“I respect the fact you’re honest enough with yourself – and me – to say that. Of course, that also means that you’re honest enough to take this for what it is – without it becoming something or anything beyond that.”

“Wow.” She blew out her breath and shook her head.  “I’m not sure if I should be flattered or insulted.”

“Neither, actually. You asked for honesty.”

“And it seems like I got it.” With another deep sigh, Lorelei stood and stretched. Maybe honesty hadn’t been the best policy. Maybe he’d read this situation wrong. Of course, if he had, and Lorelei had been looking for some other answer, it was probably a good thing he found out now, instead of later. It was disappointing, but…

“I’m going to bed.” Lorelei picked up the tablet off the swing and grabbed her beer from the table.

Well, he had his answer. “Good night.”

Lorelei paused with her hand on the door. “Are you coming?”