Relentless Habit by Karen Renee
Series: O-Town #1
Publication date: September 1st, 2020
Synopsis:
Cecilia
I moved to Orlando for a fresh start.
Nobody could know my secret.
Catching the attention of the hottest DJ in all of Orlando wasn't in the plan.
He's got moves, and they're not just good. They are good.
Like the beats he spins in the booth, I fall fast for him and his crazy family.
When he finds out about my past, it won't just break my heart but also crush my soul.
Brock
The third time I saw her at a crowded club. I had to have her.
After our first kiss, I knew she was a habit I would never want to break.
Knowing what she hid from me reinforces what I've known for so long. Women cannot be trusted.
Even knowing the worst, I can't stay away from her.
But when push comes to shove, will I be able to keep her safe?
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Excerpt
MeMaw was feeling chatty, though.
"Couldn't help but hear your boy talking to Razor last night after your parents left and Neil walked them down to their car."
I took in a deep breath, but opened the fridge door for the creamer. Once I had my mug doctored, MeMaw continued.
"He really thought you were shot, honey. Plain as the day is long he loves you, and like I said, I'm thrilled you've found that. But, he's not the only one who'd be devastated if you weren't in the world."
I swallowed a huge lump in my throat and blinked rapidly. When I had it together, I said, "I know, MeMaw."
"Do you?" she asked.
I nodded.
"You're loved so much, honey. It's one of the biggest reasons I don't understand how you found yourself--"
"MeMaw, it's the past. You've told me that more than once."
Her grin seemed reluctant. "And you're smart as a whip. Always knew you took after me. Now, do you want me to whip you up some pancakes or what?"
The bedroom door opened with a whoosh and Brock stood there looking frantic. Until he caught sight of me. "Jesus," he breathed.
I shook my head and shot for humor when I asked, "Want me to tell you what year it is, who our president is, and how many fingers you're holding up?"
His face hardened, and his eyes narrowed.
I couldn't hold it back. "I'm gonna shoot for clairvoyant and say you're going to hold up just one finger for me. And not to indicate that I'm actually number one."
MeMaw laughed, but Brock shook his head.
"Get your ass in here, woman."
"Are you crazy? I haven't even had a sip of--"
"Cecilia. Humor me, okay?"
I shrugged and looked at MeMaw. "I'll be back. Somebody's grouchy."
"Girl. I can see he's fun, but you don't want to play with fire. Now, get."
The moment I was in the room, Brock shoved the door closed. I looked up at him to see he was prowling to me. Of course, he didn't have far to prowl, so once he was in my space, he wrapped his arms around me and guided me to the bed.
"Sit down, Sunflower," he rumbled.
I sat, but did it speaking. "You better not be upset with me. B-Rock. I got news for you, it's six fifteen or later, odds are damn good I'll be out of bed because I can't handle laying around doing nothing."
"Scoot back a little," he ordered.
As I did, he came toward me planting his fists in the bed on either side of me. "Here's some news for you, Cecilia. Fifteen hours after you sustained a concussion odds are damn good I can't handle not knowing where you are, especially when I checked the bathroom and you weren't there. Spent hours yesterday afternoon thanking God you were alive and that you didn't have to spend the night in the hospital, so you better not be upset that I expect you to lay around doing nothing first thing in the morning."
His brilliant blue eyes were beautiful normally, but that beauty increased exponentially when the intensity of his emotions took over. I held his gaze, and then I couldn't hold back. My hands cupped his cheeks and I laid a hot and heavy kiss on him. He tried to keep it brief, but I leaned into it and he groaned.
Brock took over the kiss, and one of his hands came up to the back of my head and he gently pushed me to my back. The kiss quickly became intense. I hooked a leg over his ass and he tore his mouth away.
"Honey... God. I love you, and I want to make love to you right now, but sex is not on the list of approval activities after a head injury."
I did a slow blink. "So that's why you tried to hold me off just now."
He chuckled. "Uh, yeah. And this doesn't spell good things for the future if you can get me to lose my mind just comin' after me for a kick-ass kiss."
My eyes drifted to the side and I tried to fight off a smirk, but I knew I failed when he muttered, "Right."
"Couldn't help but hear your boy talking to Razor last night after your parents left and Neil walked them down to their car."
I took in a deep breath, but opened the fridge door for the creamer. Once I had my mug doctored, MeMaw continued.
"He really thought you were shot, honey. Plain as the day is long he loves you, and like I said, I'm thrilled you've found that. But, he's not the only one who'd be devastated if you weren't in the world."
I swallowed a huge lump in my throat and blinked rapidly. When I had it together, I said, "I know, MeMaw."
"Do you?" she asked.
I nodded.
"You're loved so much, honey. It's one of the biggest reasons I don't understand how you found yourself--"
"MeMaw, it's the past. You've told me that more than once."
Her grin seemed reluctant. "And you're smart as a whip. Always knew you took after me. Now, do you want me to whip you up some pancakes or what?"
The bedroom door opened with a whoosh and Brock stood there looking frantic. Until he caught sight of me. "Jesus," he breathed.
I shook my head and shot for humor when I asked, "Want me to tell you what year it is, who our president is, and how many fingers you're holding up?"
His face hardened, and his eyes narrowed.
I couldn't hold it back. "I'm gonna shoot for clairvoyant and say you're going to hold up just one finger for me. And not to indicate that I'm actually number one."
MeMaw laughed, but Brock shook his head.
"Get your ass in here, woman."
"Are you crazy? I haven't even had a sip of--"
"Cecilia. Humor me, okay?"
I shrugged and looked at MeMaw. "I'll be back. Somebody's grouchy."
"Girl. I can see he's fun, but you don't want to play with fire. Now, get."
The moment I was in the room, Brock shoved the door closed. I looked up at him to see he was prowling to me. Of course, he didn't have far to prowl, so once he was in my space, he wrapped his arms around me and guided me to the bed.
"Sit down, Sunflower," he rumbled.
I sat, but did it speaking. "You better not be upset with me. B-Rock. I got news for you, it's six fifteen or later, odds are damn good I'll be out of bed because I can't handle laying around doing nothing."
"Scoot back a little," he ordered.
As I did, he came toward me planting his fists in the bed on either side of me. "Here's some news for you, Cecilia. Fifteen hours after you sustained a concussion odds are damn good I can't handle not knowing where you are, especially when I checked the bathroom and you weren't there. Spent hours yesterday afternoon thanking God you were alive and that you didn't have to spend the night in the hospital, so you better not be upset that I expect you to lay around doing nothing first thing in the morning."
His brilliant blue eyes were beautiful normally, but that beauty increased exponentially when the intensity of his emotions took over. I held his gaze, and then I couldn't hold back. My hands cupped his cheeks and I laid a hot and heavy kiss on him. He tried to keep it brief, but I leaned into it and he groaned.
Brock took over the kiss, and one of his hands came up to the back of my head and he gently pushed me to my back. The kiss quickly became intense. I hooked a leg over his ass and he tore his mouth away.
"Honey... God. I love you, and I want to make love to you right now, but sex is not on the list of approval activities after a head injury."
I did a slow blink. "So that's why you tried to hold me off just now."
He chuckled. "Uh, yeah. And this doesn't spell good things for the future if you can get me to lose my mind just comin' after me for a kick-ass kiss."
My eyes drifted to the side and I tried to fight off a smirk, but I knew I failed when he muttered, "Right."
About the Author:
Karen Renee is the award-winning author of the Riot MC series, the Beta series, and upcoming O-Town series. She has been writing since she was a teen, but has only recently brought her dream to life. Karen spent years working in the wonderful world of advertising, banking, and local television media research. She is a Jacksonville native, as well as a proud wife and mother. When she's not at the soccer field or cooking, you can find her at her local library, the grocery store, in her car jamming out to some tunes, or hibernating while she writes and/or reads books.
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