Spoon thinks no woman can hold his interest until he meets a woman he’d passed by many times.
Spoon feels the weight of bachelorhood settle heavily on his shoulders until he stumbles across an author at a book signing, a woman he’d walked by dozens of times and never truly seen before.
Riley is a part-time romance writer who never expects to find a man to live up to the heroes in her books. Instead, she pushes through life on her own terms, happily single.
Just when they start to develop feelings for each other, fragmented family relationships come to a head and danger lurks right around the corner, threatening to end not only their budding relationship, but their lives as well.
Will they conquer the challenges and come together in love or will events out of their control tear them apart forever?
Publisher's Note: This book was previously published elsewhere. It has been revised and re-edited for release with Totally Bound.
General Release Date: 27th February 2015
Spoon punched his cell phone off with a muttered curse. He knew better than to speak with his father, especially lately.
“Is he badgering you again?” Loco asked from across the bench where the men currently lifted free weights.
Spoon glanced up at the sandy-haired Marine who matched him in height and build. “Unfortunately.”
Supposedly, the world’s resources of diamonds were drying up, leading to a highly competitive market for the few remaining newly dug rocks worth selling. His father had scrambled, pulled every string and openly bribed mine owners to give him first selection. This painstaking process had made him realize he needed a right-hand man. He’d chosen Spoon.
“You don’t owe him anything. Hell, a Komodo dragon would have made a better father than he did.”
Counting under his breath with each curl, Spoon nodded. All the Wind Warriors knew his background and had never failed to provide support and understanding, much more appreciated than the taunting, blatant harassment he’d endured early in his military career. Just because his parents were wealthy didn’t mean he benefited from free access to their funds.
The subject of his childhood had come up more than once, with increasing frequency now that his father had thrown all his weight toward forcing Spoon into the family business. A place the retired Green Beret refused to go. Ever.
Taking a breath, he replaced the free weight on the rack. “I just wish he’d learn to take ‘no’ for an answer. Pending that, another lingering mission comes up where I’ll be incommunicado for the next three months.”
Loco picked up the recently deposited dumbbell. He let it fall to his side before lifting once more. “I’m with you on the ‘no’ business, but a three-month assignment would suck.”
“Afraid Oakley would find a replacement?”
“Nah. She loves me. Besides, she’s become quite spoiled with my special talents. No other man could stack up.” He puffed out his chest and waggled his eyebrows, as he finished the set and relaxed both arms straight for a moment, shaking them to work out the kinks.
Spoon grinned at his best friend. “You’re one lucky dog. I’ll give you that.” He had met Loco’s fiancée on several occasions, even before the pair had become an item. She made the sun rise and set with her compassion, caring and upbeat attitude. A man could do worse, much worse, than have her at his side for a lifetime.
“Believe me. I know it.” Loco threw a quick smile over his shoulder as he moved to the other side of the free-weight area to stand in front of the pull-up bar.
Spoon applauded the rest of the Wind Warrior team members for finding their other halves and remained envious of the sheer happiness he spied on their faces these days. He never expected to find the perfect woman, to marry and raise a family. None of the guys did. Their jobs included too much danger, not only to themselves but anyone close to them. However, that fact didn’t stop any of the others who’d found strong women willing to not only stand by them but also fight alongside them if necessary.
The only single one left, Spoon felt a new burden. He wanted what they had—a beautiful woman to come home to, who loved him for who he was and wasn’t afraid to deal with any backlash from his current occupation. Seeing how contented the others were pushed his shoulders down in resignation. Never before had loneliness planted itself at his doorstep and refused to move on.
Damn, soldier. Snap out of it.
Spoon mentally shook himself, trying to dislodge the melancholy from his system. He needed to get past this funk that had hung over him like a persistent rain cloud for the past couple of weeks.
Normally, he lived in the present, never focusing on what he lacked or measuring his life against others. His childhood had taught him that comparing himself to peers led down a road of frustration and pipe dreams, and proved an illusion that, while right for another, didn’t fit him like the glove he envisioned.
Maybe he just needed a vacation. Get away from everything for a week or two, find an escape with no stress, just good old-fashioned R and R. He snorted. Who was he kidding? His job, and now his persistent father, would either prevent or continually pester him the entire time.
Barring a fluke, his next best idea would just have to work, his trusty stand-by. Hit up one of the local dance bars, find a hot, willing woman and spend the night releasing pent-up stress in the time-honored method preferred by men. He worked off some steam, she enjoyed her night and they both went their separate ways the following morning. The best situation of all.
“Spoon? Earth to Spoon.” Loco’s voice broke through his thoughts.
“What?” He used the end of a towel to wipe his perspiring face.
“I asked if you wanted to come to dinner with Oakley and me.”
He stood and grabbed another set of weights. “Nah. I don’t want to intrude.”
“You wouldn’t be. She likes you, you know.” Loco took a seat on the vacated bench.
“Still. No thanks.” He lifted both arms over his head, using upper body strength to push the dumbbells to a full arm extension each time. When finished, he puffed out a tired breath. “I think I’ll hit the dance bar tonight, instead.”
Loco’s eyebrows shot up as the corners of his mouth curled. “Tomcatting, huh?”
“You know it,” Spoon replied with a grin before repeating the exercise once more.
“One of these days you’ll find a woman worth coming home to.”
Softly replacing the dumbbells, Spoon glanced at his best friend. “I don’t know about that. Right now there’s half a world full of women that I haven’t yet sampled. That should be enough to keep me busy for a couple more years anyway.”
“I used to think that, too.”
Spoon shrugged. “So many women, so little time. Besides, I doubt there is a single woman around that can hold my attention for an entire month, let alone a lifetime.”
Growing up in the Midwest, I began reading romance novels in high school, immediately falling in love with the genre, to the point where I decided to write professionally for a career. However, that dream splattered against a brick wall, resulting in a quick death in my first writing class in college when my professor told me bluntly that I wasn't any good at it. I shifted gears quickly, and left my writing dreams behind, eventually settling on becoming a nurse.
A few years back, I stumbled across a fan-fiction writing site on a favorite author's webpage. I began to read stories others wrote, not only making some wonderful close friends from the experience, but also, really learning to write for the very first time. Here I was able to share short stories, practice my writing skills, and truly develop into a writer. More than that, the experience allowed me to revitalize my dream, as I rediscovered joy in writing. Now, I spend my days off with my alpha male characters, quick witted heroines, and see how much trouble everyone can get into.
When I'm not working or writing, I enjoy working in the garden, canning, and seeing my backyard as a living canvas for my whimsical landscaping, and, of course, reading romance novels.
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