Sunday Snippet: Tart by Lauren Dane + giveaway

If you haven’t discovered the awesomeness that is Lauren Dane then you need to correct this immediately. I fell in love with her Brown Sibling’s series after someone told me to read Laid Bare. When I finished reading Never Enough I was bummed that there would be no more of these awesome characters until Lauren announced she was writing a spin off series about the people we met in Never Enough. The first book came out earlier in the book Cherished, and now it’s time for the Jules, and her story which I have to say I devoured in one sitting. Lauren is also giving away a copy of this book print or e-book to one commenter. Simply tell us why you love Lauren and this series. 

Cal strolled in to Tart, pausing at the door to take them all in. The place was full of beautiful women. He loved women. Loved being around them. Loved the way they talked, the way they smelled. He’d grown up around many of the women in this room. All lovely in their own way.

But it was Jules he couldn’t keep his gaze from. Jules with all that pretty golden hair and the big, wide smile. Damn she was like a dream come to life.

Jules caught sight of him and made her way over, coming into his arms and turning her face up for a kiss. “Why, hello there, gorgeous.”

It felt good, the way she came right to him, the way she offered herself, giving affection.

“Right back atcha.” He kept an arm around her as he looked to the others. “Good afternoon, all you lovely ladies.”

They all said their hellos and he turned back to Jules. “I’m just making a quick stop. I have a client meeting in twenty minutes. What are you up to tonight? I thought we could have some dinner. Maybe go to a movie? We’ll keep it early. I’ll be at your place at five?”

“Works for me. A date sounds like just the thing.”

Gideon was away for two days, dealing with some business over in Eastern Washington, so it would be just the two of them.

She packed him up a latte and some tarts before he got back to work. “Walk with me?”

“Totally.” She linked her arm with his and they strolled back to his car.

“I have very fond feelings about this alley now.”

“The first place you kissed me.”

“Ah, ah, ah. The second. The first place I kissed you was in the parking lot at the high school.”

She’d been fifteen to his eighteen. So sweet and sexy. He’d known then that she was beautiful and funny. And wanting so desperately to be kissed.

She stepped close as he bent to put the drink and pastry box in the passenger seat.

“I wanted to be kissed and you said not to waste my time with boys my age who didn’t know what to do.”

He banded an arm around her waist. “And you said no one else seemed to want to kiss you because they were all afraid of your brother.”

She smiled. “I told you I was going to throw myself at some cute counselor at summer camp if that was the case and then you kissed me.”

He had. The idea of her getting her first kiss from some college guy sniffing around younger girls had pushed all reason from his head. He’d simply leaned in and gave her a kiss. Intending it to be fast, but his tongue had found its way into her mouth, her taste a total tease.

It had been so good he’d backed way off and never did it again, afraid of what might happen. Never wanting to lose her friendship. Older girls went farther and God knew he was horny all the damned time back then. Ha. Now as well. But times were different.

“You’re not fifteen now. And I can have you as often as I can manage.”

“Lucky me.”

“You took the words right out of my mouth.” He leaned in to kiss her again, the memories of that time so long ago sweetening the moment.

“I’ll see you at five.”

She stepped back with a wave. “Drive safe.”

“Damn he’s pretty.” Raven tipped her head toward the door as Jules came back.

“I know. It’s nearly criminal. He looks way better naked than I do.”

Raven laughed. “You’re not so bad yourself. But I’ve seen him in shorts and a T-shirt and that was a nice preview. And the cowboy too? It’s the manners, am I right?” She looked to Erin and Daisy, who both nodded eagerly.

Jules blushed. “Not even gonna lie. All that please-and-thank-you-ma’am stuff makes me tingly. He stands up when a woman enters a room. He can do it without being patronizing. You should see what he looks like on a horse. Or when he’s sweaty from working outside all day. Good lord.” When she saw him like that, she wanted to lick him like an ice cream cone.

Raven sighed. “Thanks for that image. I’m not actually seeing anyone right now and you’re a hot-man hog. You and Erin both. It’s selfish.”

Jules liked Raven, though she wasn’t always easy to like. One of those people who often said exactly what she thought. With no filters. Sometimes it was too much. Other times, most of the time, Jules believed she did it to keep people back. Jules saw how Raven was with Erin and knew of her friendship with Gillian. The woman had a big heart and tried to hide that behind a bunch of bitchy chatter. Sometimes she succeeded, but Jules trusted Gillian’s instincts.

Erin snorted in Raven’s direction. “Bitch, please. You need two men to handle you. Or even better, one super-hard, super-badass alpha male who won’t take any of your shit.”

“I’m not sure I’ve met the man who can tame Raven.” Gillian patted Raven’s hand. “But it would be fun to watch.”

“You’re all very mean to me.” Raven sniffed dramatically.

Jules rolled her eyes.

Juliet Lamprey is having the time of her life running her successful bakery, TART, when Gideon Carter comes back into her life. Returning home to help his grandfather run the family on the farm, Gideon is back for good. When they meet again, the spark between them is immediate, and it isn’t long before the former childhood friends play catch up in bed.

That’s not good news for local lawyer Cal Whaley. Though the sexually open but strictly monogamous Cal has loved Jules for a long time, he’s hardly ever taken it further than friendship. When he sees her start to fall for Gideon, he knows he has to make his move or risk losing her forever.

Who would have anticipated that all three of them would connect on such an intimate level? The trio’s scalding liaisons take them places they’ve never dreamed. But such an intensely passionate and unusual relationship comes with equally as complicated emotions, and when Jules must suddenly leave town, she wonders if she’ll have a choice to make when she returns.

Delicious: TART by LAUREN DANE

Copyright 2012, Lauren Dane

All Rights Reserved, The Berkley Publishing Group

Releasing in Trade Paper and Digital Formats, November 6