The
Bradens at Peaceful Harbor #4
By: Melissa Foster
Steve Johnson is
living his life’s passion watching over the Colorado Mountains as a ranger and
wildlife consultant. But his peaceful life is upended when overzealous and
insanely beautiful Shannon Braden flits back into his life after returning from
a brief trip home to Maryland. He thought his attraction to her was under
control—after all, she’s only in Colorado temporarily, and he doesn’t do casual
affairs.
Shannon’s
return to Colorado has as much to do with the game of cat and mouse she and
Steve have been playing as it does the data she’s been hired to collect. But
despite her efforts to explore the undeniable heat simmering between them,
Steve’s intent on keeping his distance.
When a
ranch abutting the national park goes up for sale, Steve will do whatever it
takes to keep it from falling into the wrong hands. And when all his attempts
fail, he’s left with no alternative but to follow Shannon’s guidance into the
online world he abhors in order to raise the funds. The more time they spend
together, the deeper their attraction becomes, and a game of cat and mouse
turns into an unstoppable connection. But when Shannon’s assignment comes to an
end, will it mean an end to them, too?
Steve Johnson was happy, living in the Colorado Mountains as a Ranger
and wildlife consultant. That is until
Shannon Braden turned up, talking about mile a minute, driving him crazy and
researching red foxes. But this wasn't the first time Steve had met Shannon, he
met her at her cousins Rex's wedding and his passions flared for her the moment
that he saw her. But now she is back and Steve doesn't know if he can resist
her this time, even though it will kill him when she leaves for good.
Shannon Braden wants Steve, but he seems to reject her at every turn,
but when she comes back from her trip to Peaceful Harbor, Steve seems
different, especially when he licks pink frosting off her finger. But when
Steve's walls finally crumble, the passion explodes between them, their loves
blooms father than either of them realize.
But when it's time for Shannon to leave, will they be content with a
long distance relationship or will it fizzle out as fast as it started.
STOP THE PRESS!! This book is my official favorite Melissa Foster book
ever!!...well at least until the next one is released! Let's put it this way! I
love it so much I bought it in paperback! This book is pure love! The story of
these almost long distance lovers reminded me of how I "dated" my
husband while I was back home in the UK and he was here.
When it came to the characters; I absolutely loved Steve aka
"Grizz", because he fully lived up to that name. I loved the was he
resisted Shannon in the beginning, but realized, soon after she was back that
he couldn't live without her and that he was willing to risk his heart for her.
I think Shannon is one of the sweetest heroines that the author has ever
written. I loved her nervous chatter and her determination to bring Steve into
the age of technology is so funny!
When it comes to the writing and plot, it's everything I have come to
expect from Melissa Foster! Smoothly written, without plot holes and the plot
is divine and you feel like you are right there!
I give Crushing on Love 5 stars!
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The sweet sounds of her humming floated into his ears, and he tried harder to deny the thrum of heat racing down his spine. He heard the crunching of leaves and his smile widened further. Damn, he needed to get a grip.
“Hey
there, mountain man.”
He
forced the foolhardy smile from his lips, replacing it with what he hoped was a
less lustful one, and turned to find the all-too-chipper and insanely hot
brunette. Her hair was piled on her head in a messy bun, a few dark tendrils
curling past her shoulders. She held a mug in each hand. Curls of steam rose
into the air. Her pink shirt hitched on her breasts, and he chalked that up to
the list of things he was futilely trying not to react to. But his body wasn’t
on board with the off-limits plan, and it brimmed with heat. It had been a hell
of a lot easier to be around her when she was staying at her uncle’s house in
town. At least then by the time he saw her she had a freaking bra on.
He
dropped his eyes to avoid staring, but her flannel pajama pants hung low on her
hips, revealing a sliver of taut skin just below her belly button. Christ, she
was gorgeous. Striving for a safe view, he looked at her leather boots. Boots
were safe. There was nothing sexy about boots. Bright pink laces hung loose
over the dark leather, her pajama pants bunched around the tops, showing
another flash of skin. He pictured her shoving her bare feet into them before
jaunting out the door with her mind-blowing smile in place. There must be
something wrong with him, because he found that sexy, too.
“You
should lace those up.” He ran a hand through his hair, grinding his teeth
against the way his entire body was buzzing like a live wire.
“Well, Mr.
Safety. I missed you, too.” She thrust a mug toward him with a coy smile.
“Just the way you like it. Bitter as weeds.”
She
was too damn cute, too damn social, and too damn temporary for the likes of
him.
He
reached for the mug. “Thanks, Butterfly.” The nickname flew off his tongue
without thought, just as it had the first time she’d flitted into his yard,
turned his insides to fire, and flitted back out. He was surprised to realize
he’d missed saying it while she was gone.
“No
prob, Grizz.”
Grizz. Hell if he hadn’t
missed that, too. Her eyes dropped to his bare chest, lingering long enough for
him to feel it lower. Much lower. Her cheeks flushed, and she slid
those gorgeous hazel eyes to his ax—the one in his hand, not the one in his
pants.
“Preparing
for a cold night, or thinking about becoming a serial killer?”
I wouldn’t have cold nights if you were in my bed. As if on cue, his body stirred again, reminding him it’d been
far too long since he’d been with a woman.
“As interesting as
becoming a serial killer sounds, I don’t think I’m cut out for it.”
“Right.
It would require human contact.”
“I
missed that smart mouth of yours,” he said sarcastically. He’d been fantasizing
about her full lips and sassy mouth ever since they’d reconnected at Rex and
Jade’s wedding several months ago. But she was only there until her project
ended, so sarcasm it was.
“Heard
you ride in with Cal last night. How long are you here for?” He hadn’t just
heard her arrive. He’d gone out to see who was riding up the mountain and had
seen her arms wrapped around Cal from behind as they rode past the overlook. In
the moonlight they’d looked like a frigging Hallmark card.
“A
few weeks. Four and a half, I think. Something like that.” She stretched one
arm, flashing even more of her midriff.
Torture. Pure, exquisite torture.
“You
could have called me to bring you up the mountain.” He shifted his eyes away,
trying to figure out who had taken possession of his mouth. Called me? He
had nothing against Cal. He was a nice guy and was one of the most respected
horse trainers around. And he shouldn’t give a shit who Shannon was with. Sure,
she was hot, smart, and he liked her ballsy attitude, but he liked his life
just the way it was. The last thing he needed was a social butterfly like her
bringing noise and chaos into his life, telling him what to do or how to live.
“I
know.” She kicked at the dirt, her eyes downcast. “Treat and Max stopped by in
the afternoon and I went into town with them to visit my uncle Hal and my
cousins. Cal was there and he offered to drive me back, since he lives in
Preston. It was only once we got back to his place that he suggested we ride up
on horseback. Besides, you don’t exactly love going into town.”
Great,
now he was stuck envisioning her at Cal’s sprawling horse ranch.
He
finished his coffee and handed her the mug. “Thanks. It was perfect.” He turned
to set another log on the stump. “You ought to be careful bringing guys up to
your cabin,” he said with his back to her.
“I
thought I left my overprotective big brothers at home.” She sighed. “I hardly
think Cal is a threat. He’s known Rex forever.”
Steve
rested the ax over his shoulder, weighing his response. The last thing he
wanted to be was her big brother, and he’d known Cal forever, too. Cal wasn’t
the kind of guy to take advantage of a woman, but that didn’t stop Steve’s gut
from churning at the thought of them cozied up together.
“He’s
a friend, Steve.” She narrowed her eyes as he drew the ax back.
“Don’t even try to pretend you don’t bring women up to your cabin.”
He
arched a brow. That would be a big no fucking way. He liked his
privacy.
Her
jaw gaped. “What? Don’t you ever get bored? Lonely?”
“Not
really,” he said as he swung the ax. It was a damned lie, at least since
Shannon had flitted into his life, making him feel things he’d once been adept
at ignoring.
“Why
not? That’s not normal.” She finished her coffee and set the mugs on the ground
as he split the log and set another one on the stump. “What do you do for sex?”
He
laughed under his breath. “Seriously, city girl?”
“I’d
hardly call Peaceful Harbor a city. It’s a beach town, and you’re avoiding the
question.”
“Maybe
because you’re asking questions you shouldn’t be asking.” He swung the ax and
split another log.
She
smirked. “Look at you, all big and brawny and afraid to talk about sex.”
“What’s
gotten into you?” He set the ax-head on the ground and leaned on the handle.
Before she’d gone home, he’d gotten away with a strategically placed Uh-huh.
“I’m pretty sure you weren’t this curious about my sexual habits the last time
you were on the mountain.”
Her
eyes rolled over him, and he couldn’t tell if she was assessing or enjoying the
view.
“I
don’t know,” she said with a mischievous grin. “You’re standing there like a
lumberjack. Six…what?”
“Three,”
he said with a sigh.
“Right.
Six three of shirtless, sweaty muscle, with your hair all tousled.” She moved
her hands around her head, causing her shirt to lift up again. “You haven’t
shaved in who knows how long, and you look like the guys on ‘Seriously Sexy Hot
Guys’ Pinterest boards. A guy who looks like you can’t be
going without.” She shrugged and her cheeks pinked up. “It made me wonder…”
“How
about you wonder a little less?” Because hearing you talk about my sex
life makes me want you in it. Front and center.
“Pinterest?
What the heck is Pinterest?”
Her
eyes widened with disbelief. “I forgot you know nothing about the real world.
Pinterest is this awesome social media site—”
“Never
mind. That’s so far from the real world it shouldn’t exist. People nowadays are
content to sit inside and stare at screens, talking with people they don’t know
instead of living their lives. Bodies are meant to move, Butterfly.
Weather is meant to be experienced. If people were more like
animals, the world would be a better place.”
He
saw a hint of hurt in her eyes and felt bad. Sometimes he forgot that he wasn’t
the only one protective of their lifestyle. He tried to change the subject to a
lighter one.
“What
are you doing out here so early anyway?” he asked.
“The
company offered me a new project, and my boss at my real job gave me a leave of
absence to do it. I thought that was pretty cool of him. I’m going to be
comparing the habits of gray and red foxes, and I’m here to scout the grays.
You know how red foxes prefer edge habitats and grays prefer mountainous
forestland?” Edge habitats were the boundary of two habitats, like field and
forest. She didn’t wait for him to respond before continuing with her
explanation. “They’re similar in life and history in almost every way, except
for grays being shier and slightly smaller and where they make their dens. I’m
going to study them to see if their behavioral patterns reveal reasons for the
difference in habitat preference. I was hoping you’d have time to show me where
I can find them.”
The
request took him by surprise. She’d spent weeks researching red foxes and
hadn’t once asked him to help her.
“No
can do today, Butterfly.” He had a busy day planned. He’d caught a group of
twentysomethings partying by one of the rock ledges last week and he’d spotted a
few of them again yesterday. He needed to make the rounds to ensure they
weren’t back and getting into trouble, and he had to head down the mountain to
meet with his old buddies Mack and Will Cumberland. Yesterday he’d learned the
Cumberland ranch was going up for sale: two hundred acres in Weston, adjacent
to the national park where Steve had worked as a ranger and wildlife consultant
for a decade. Steve had grown up in Weston, and though he lived two towns away
now, his small-town roots ran deep. He wanted to try to convince his buddies to
put the land into conservation instead of selling.
“Bummer.
I was looking forward to catching up on all the crazy shenanigans you were up
to while I was gone.” She waggled her brows with the tease.
He
smiled and shook his head. “Be careful out there. I caught some kids partying
recently. They’re probably harmless, but guys and alcohol…Just be careful. You
got that Mace I left in your cabin?”
“That
was you?” She narrowed her eyes and said, “You do realize I’m a grown woman,
right?”
Christ, had he ever.
Melissa Foster is a New York Times & USA
Today bestselling and award-winning author. She writes sexy and
heartwarming contemporary romance, new adult romance, and women's fiction with
emotionally compelling characters that stay with you long after you turn the
last page. Melissa's emotional journeys are lovingly erotic, perfect beach
reads, and always family oriented.
Great review! Thank you for hosting CRUSHING ON LOVE today!
ReplyDeleteCrystal, Tasty Book Tours
Thank you for buying the paperback! It sounds like Steve and Shannon's love story reminded you of your own romance, and I SO LOVE that!! What an awesome review! Thank you, thank you! XOXO
ReplyDelete