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I am a HUGE fan of Megan Erikson, so it's my pleasure to share with you her newest book and an exclusive scene!
Make
it Last (out 1/6/15)
After
graduating from Bowler University, the last place Cam Ruiz ever expected to
find himself is his hometown. A bad job as a bouncer and worry over his mom's
health make living in Paradise anything but. There's only one thing that can
make his return any harder—running into the only girl he's ever loved.
Tate Ellison made a mistake when she was eighteen, one that cost her the best thing she's ever had. She always hoped the pain of losing Cam would fade over time. Too bad it's only grown. She took comfort in the fact that she'd never have to face him again, so his presence in Paradise throws her for a loop.
The pull between them is instant, and when the truth of what happened years ago tumbles out, they share a mind-blowing kiss … which leads to more. But the past has a way of repeating itself. When all the cards are on the table, Cam and Tate must decide what they are willing to do to make it last.
Tate Ellison made a mistake when she was eighteen, one that cost her the best thing she's ever had. She always hoped the pain of losing Cam would fade over time. Too bad it's only grown. She took comfort in the fact that she'd never have to face him again, so his presence in Paradise throws her for a loop.
The pull between them is instant, and when the truth of what happened years ago tumbles out, they share a mind-blowing kiss … which leads to more. But the past has a way of repeating itself. When all the cards are on the table, Cam and Tate must decide what they are willing to do to make it last.
Excerpt:
Max Payton spat out his half-chewed
bite of pecan pie onto his plate. “Why the fuck does that taste like fire?”
Lea Travers dipped her finger into the gelatinous
middle of Max’s slice of pie and stuck the tip of her finger in her mouth. Max
was not wrong. She could feel the searing warmth down her throat and into her stomach.
Her eyes watered and she coughed.
Max leaned into her shoulder. “You all
right, doll?”
“Water,” she gasped.
He reached for her glass on the coffee
table in front of the couch they sat on in the Payton living room. He handed it
to her and then turned to his brothers. Brent stood beside the recliner where
their father was drinking a beer, and Cal leaned against the fireplace.
Brent looked pleased, chomping merrily
on his pie. “I think it’s delicious.”
“What’d you do to the pie, Brent?” Cal
asked.
“I made it delicious.”
“You made it burn the lining of my
esophagus,” Max shot back.
Brent rolled his eyes. “You guys just
can’t appreciate good Bourbon.”
“How much bourbon did you put in it?”
Cal asked.
Brent didn’t answer.
Lea assumed if she checked the recycling,
there’d be an empty bottle. That pie was drunk.
And seeing as Christmas Eve in the
Payton household wasn’t going too hot, a hangover tomorrow was the last thing
they all needed. Lea could tell her boyfriend, Max, and his brothers and Dad
were trying, but they didn’t quite seem to have the holiday cheer. She wondered
how the hell they got through previous holidays. Or if what she was witnessing
right now was as merry as they got.
Which was sad. They were good guys.
They just lacked a little finesse. A feminine touch. Their mom had left when
Max was a kid.
Cal brooded by the fireplace, Jack
drank in silence, and Max picked at his pie with a disgusted look on his face.
Lea began to think that her plans for this evening might have been a bad idea.
Her plans that would be here in
approximately five minutes.
She began to sweat and fanned her thin
sweater off of her chest. Max frowned at her. “You okay?”
She wiped her forehead, like she was
sweating. “Yeah, it’s just hot in here, you know? Maybe we can all go out in
the backyard?”
Brent looked up from devouring his
alcoholic pie. “Outside? Lea, it’s thirty degrees and dark.”
Why couldn’t they all just go with it?
She had about – she glanced at the clock on the wall – T minus two minutes to
get them out of the house before they heard the doorbell.
“It’s a family tradition of mine to
look for shooting stars on Christmas Eve.” She was pretty proud of herself for
that lie. It was a damn good one, and she’d made it up on the spot.
Max just stared at her. “What are you
talking about?”
She tugged on his sleeve and stood up,
bustling around to get their coats together. “Christmas Eve. Stars. Wishes. You
know.” She clapped her hands together. “Round up, boys!”
Jack didn’t lower the footrest
recliner. Cal was looking at her like she was crazy. Brent was picking a piece
of pie off of his shirt…
And then the doorbell rang.
Cal’s head went up and he frowned. “Who
the hell is ringing the doorbell on Christmas Eve?”
Lea laughed nervously. “I’m sure it’s
just a solicitor or something. Okay, so backyard?”
But Cal ignored her and strode toward
the front door. Max followed him and when they swung the door open, she
squeezed her eyes shut. And waited.
There was a pause.
A long pause.
And when she cracked an eye open, she
saw Cal scowling at the group of carolers Lea had asked to come from the local
church. They were staring back at Cal like he was an axe murderer, and Max
slowly turned his head to pin Lea with his gaze.
She waggled her fingers in weak wave.
Max sighed and turned back around.
There were five carolers, and the older
woman in front was wearing a huge red coat over an ugly Christmas sweater and a
massive fur hat. She seemed to gather herself together, and Lea had to hand it
to her, because that was a bright smile in response to Cal’s frown.
“Merry Christmas, I’m Theresa and we’re
from First Presbyterian over on Oakmont,” the woman said. “Would you like to
hear some carols?”
Lea stepped up before Cal could answer.
“Yes, please. Yes, yes we would.”
She felt a presence at her back and
looked over her shoulder to see Brent, a grin on his face, his eyes on the cute
young female caroler in the back. Who was blushing.
Lea rolled her eyes.
“Okay, ready?” Theresa said.
“One…two…three.”
They began to sing a somewhat tentative
version of “Jingle Bells.” Even so, Lea had to admit they sounded absolutely
lovely, with a young guy in the back accompanying with a set of bells.
When that was over, Cal looked like he
was going to close the door. But Lea could see Max beginning to smile, Brent bobbing
his head, and Jack had even risen from his statue-like state on his recliner to
listen to the carolers.
“Another please?” Lea asked.
Theresa nodded and turned to her group.
Lea swore she saw a twinkle in Theresa’s eye as she communicated silently with
her group.
Then Theresa turned around, and the
carolers launched into a rousing rendition of “Rockin’ Around the Christmas
Tree.”
And it was lovely. And fun. Brent began
clapping and even placed his fingers in his mouth and whistled. Max grabbed
Lea’s hand and swayed to beat. Even Cal was smiling, leaning back against the
open door, his lips moving as he sang silently along with the carolers. Lea
swore she caught Jack tapping his toe.
Lea threw back her head and laughed as Max picked her up and twirled
her. He leaned his forehead against hers. “You already made me the happiest guy
in the world, and now you’re trying to work your magic on my family?”
“I have no idea what you mean,” she
said with fake innocence as she gripped his dark hair tightly.
He lowered her to the ground. “Yeah ya
do. And we all appreciate it.”
She ran her fingers along the stubble
on his jaw. “Merry Christmas, Max.”
He leaned in and pressed a tender kiss
to her lips. “Merry Christmas, doll.”
About the Author:
Megan Erickson worked as a journalist covering real-life
dramas before she decided she liked writing her own endings better and switched
to fiction.
She lives in Pennsylvania with her husband, two kids and two cats. When she's not tapping away on her laptop, she's probably listening to the characters in her head who won't stop talking.
She lives in Pennsylvania with her husband, two kids and two cats. When she's not tapping away on her laptop, she's probably listening to the characters in her head who won't stop talking.
Find her online:
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