๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐
๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ (Seattle Scorpions Series Book 4) by Ruth Stilling releases on January 23rd! Check out this sneak peek!
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What to expect:
๐Broken Boy x Good Girl
๐Second Chance
๐Forbidden Love
๐GMs Daughter
๐He Falls First
๐He can’t stay away
๐Spicy Lessons
๐Found Family
๐Virgin FMC
๐Mental health (PTSD) rep
๐๐๐๐๐๐๐:
โThatโs probably the hottest thing Iโve ever seen.โ
I whip around to see Mia standing exactly where Jensen was. โHow did you get in here?โ
She taps her finger against the side of her head as I make my way over to her, pulling off my gloves and setting my stick against the side. โI have my ways.โ
When I wrap my arms around her ass and lift her up, she loops her legs around my waist and I skate us to center ice, spinning us around slowly as she hovers above me, her arms thrown over my shoulders and her bag in one hand.
โBreaking and entering now. This good-girl mask of yours is slipping further, Sweetheart.โ
โJensen gave me the code,โ she admits with a giggle, the sound giving me life. โI knew youโd still be practicing late, so I came to pick you up. I also knew you wouldnโt be checking your phone, and the last message from Kate read something like, If anyone is late, I cannot be held responsible for my actions.โ
Gliding back to the edge of the rink, I step off the ice and carry her down the hallway to the locker room. โBetter get going then.โ
The second I push through the door to what I know is an empty room, Mia pinches her nose. โUgh, Destroyers or the Scorpionsโboth locker rooms are equally gross.โ
I set her down on her feet and take a seat on the bench, undoing the laces on my skates. โI donโt remember you complaining about the smell the last time you were alone with me after practice. In factโโI sit up straight and pull my bottom lip between my teeth, taking in how gorgeous she looks in a gold skirt and purple topโโI donโt remember you saying all that much at all.โ
She props her hands on her hips, fighting a smile. โIs that right?โ
โCome here,โ I say, flipping my hands toward me.
When Mia steps up to me and sets her bag down on the bench next to us, I reach forward and pull her down onto my lap, and she sits across me, her arms around my neck.
โI think this was one of my favorite moments we shared,โ she whispers, resting her head against my shoulder.
I nod, remembering Mia sneaking into the locker room after practice in her hot-as-fuck black suit. Iโd stayed late that night as well, not because I wanted to practice my shots, but in the hopes that sheโd come and find me.
Tipping her chin up with my finger, I bring her in for a kiss. โRemember the photo we took right after we finished making out for, like, ten minutes straight?โ
She chuckles and bites down on her bottom lip. โThe selfie?โ
I roll my eyes. โThe one where I had to get the angle just right.โ
Reaching behind her, she pulls out her phone from her purse and unlocks it, bringing up a saved gallery. When she finds the photo of us both, she holds it up in front of us at the exact same angle we took it. โUgh, I look so much better there.โ
I canโt help the emotion as it floods my senses, and I drop my head down, taking a second to center myself.
When I pick my head back up, I look at my girlfriend, tucking a piece of hair behind her ear. โTrust me, there is nothing more beautiful than you in this moment. Will you take another for me?โ
Her eyes scan mine as she hovers the phone above us. โYeah, sure.โ
The click of the photo echoes around the silent locker room as she brings the phone toward her and inspects the photo. โItโs like a then-and-now kind of thing.โ
โCan you send me both shots?โ
She looks up, her brows slightly knitted. โYou donโt have the original?โ
I swallow down the lump in my throat. I told Mia Iโd answer every question she had. โWhen it all ended, you and me, I was told a trade was the only option. I let everything go.โ The moment my thumb hovered over the Delete button replays in my head. โI was convinced that Iโd never see you again and thought I didnโt deserve to either. So, I deleted every memory, thinking it would somehow erase the pain.โ Bringing my hand to the nape of her neck, I pull her as close as I possibly can. โTurns out, love isnโt pixelated, and you canโt just erase the emotions.โ
When she pulls her leg around to straddle me, I swear I can feel her heat through my pants.
โEveryone you have in your lifeโme, your friends, your fansโyou absolutely deserve, Jessie. If thereโs one thing my mom taught me, itโs that some of us find our people sooner than others, and sometimes, we find them too early as well.โ She presses a palm over her heart. โI know if my mom had been around to meet you, then she wouldโve fought for us to be together sooner, and she definitely wouldโve told my dad to hear you out. She never believed that every piece of a puzzle had to fit perfectly in place for it to make sense. I know we still donโt have all the pieces, but the picture looks pretty perfect to me. Youโre perfect to me.โ
Blurb:
They think my greatest gift is my ability on the ice. But theyโre wrong.
Iโve been hailed as the guy who has it all when it comes to hockey. Powerful people have invested their time and money, determined to turn my potential into their reality.
The most influential of those people? Graham Jenkinsโformer NHL player and the General Manager of the Dallas Destroyers. The second he set eyes on me in the little leagues, he piled all his resources into my success. And when the Destroyers were awarded the first-round draft pick, he didnโt hesitate to snap me up.
He thought I was the golden boy, the star that would make his team as successful as his playing career. Only I wasnโt. Instead of unleashing my potential in front of the goal, he discovered my real talentโsecrets.
And I have many that I will never share. One for every scar disguised beneath the tattoos painting my body, along with the childhood memories either buried deep inside my broken mind or drowned out by empty bottles lining my kitchen counter.
Thereโs only one secret I wish I didnโt have to keep. Sheโs also the addiction I know Iโll never kick. A detox my heart could never survive since it only beats for her. And even years after we were torn apart, my fixation hasnโt changed. Although neither have our circumstancesโIโm still the broken boy, suffocated with trauma. And sheโs still Mia Jenkins, the good girl, and daughter of the man who offered me everything except his blessing to date her.
But one thing about addiction? It never seeks permission.
TW include: Abusive parents, domestic violence, substance abuse, off page child loss (not involving the main characters) mental health rep namely PTSD, off page discussion of self harm.
ADD TO YOUR TBR: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/218261174-ruled-out
More books by Ruth Stilling: https://amzn.to/48gcbjZ
๐ ๐ผ๐โ๐ผโโ๐ โ๐ผ๐๐ผ๐ธ๐ ๐
๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ (๐บ๐๐๐๐ ๐ด๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ฉ๐๐๐ 2) by J. Sterling releases on January 24th! Check out this sneak peek!
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What to expect:
๐ First Love
๐ Second Chance Romance
๐ It’s Always Been You
๐๐๐๐๐๐๐:
I drove toward the old Aimsley farm with my heart in my throat. I had no idea what Iโd find when I got there. When I reached the entrance, I remembered the old house that used to sit on the edge of the road. There was no home there anymore. It was like it had never been there at all; no old scraps of wood or even a roof shingle remained.
Pulling onto the drive, I followed it for what felt like miles. Maybe it was. It definitely wasnโt. But when I glanced in the rearview mirror, the main road was no longer visible, and the trees blocked any view one might have. It was privacy at its finest and fit Patrick to a T.
I continued following the road until what looked like landscaping and the outline of a house started to come into view. There were wildflowers growing everywhere. And then I saw it. The most beautiful home Iโd ever laid eyes on. The wood ranged from planks to old-fashioned circular logs, with stone accents, just like Patrick had drawn up all those years ago. The garage, railings, balcony, and roof trim were all a deep, dark brown. But the windows were framed in a pretty pale yellow that Iโd picked out. Just seeing it in real life had my eyes pricking with unshed tears.
I shut off the engine and wiped the tears from my eyes as Patrick suddenly appeared on the balcony, his head cocked to the side as he looked down at me with surprise. Jasper started bounding down the stairs and headed in my direction as I quickly got out of my dadโs truck to greet him.
โHi, buddy,โ I said as I patted his head, his tail wagging.
Glancing back up, I noticed that Patrick was making his way toward us as well. I took the few moments until he reached me to look around some more. I couldnโt get over what I was looking at.
โPatrick โฆโ I could barely get his name out of my throat. I swallowed. Or at least I attempted to.
The house was so incredibly beautiful. It was everything weโd ever dreamed about, and heโd made it a reality.
โYou really built it,โ I choked out, my emotions getting the best of me.
โI did.โ
โBut you built it after I left,โ I said, not sure why those particular words were the ones that had decided to come out.
โI always hoped youโd come back,โ he said before closing the space between us.
His hands were on my face, and my eyes closed in response to being touched by him. Before I could even think of anything else, his lips crushed against mine, claiming me in ways he never had before. Iโd always belonged to Patrick in the past, but in this version, he was taking what was his, leaving no room for doubt.
BLURB:
I’ve been in love with Addison Whitman since high school. I knew right away that she was my end game and I thought she felt the same. I never thought there’d come a time when she’d leave me behind, but that’s exactly what she did. And as much as I’ve tried to move on and be happy without her… the truth is that I can’t do either of those things. I want one woman, and one woman only, but I don’t think she’s ever coming back.
Leaving Patrick was the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do, but I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to chase my dreams in New York City. Not to mention the chance to reconnect and spend time with my little sister. I never expected to stay away from Sugar Mountain for so long, but it’s been almost 4 years now and I haven’t been home once.
How long is too long to stay gone?
And can love find its way back together after that much time apart?
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