The
Trouble with Love
Sex, Love and Stiletto #4
Sex, Love and Stiletto #4
By: Lauren Layne
Releasing March 3, 2015
Loveswept
Blurb
As Lauren Layne’s salacious Sex, Love &
Stiletto series returns, a jaded columnist discovers a steamy way to get over
an old flame: falling for him all over again.
As
Stiletto magazine’s authority on all things breakup-and-heartache, Emma
Sinclair writes from personal experience. Five years ago, Emma was Charlotte,
North Carolina’s darling debutante and a blushing bride-to-be. Now she’s the
ice queen of the Manhattan dating scene. Emma left her sultry Southern drawl
behind, but not even her closest friends know that with it she left her heart.
Now Emma’s latest article forces her to face her demons—namely, the devilishly
sexy guy who ditched her at the altar.
After
giving up everything for a pro-soccer career, Alex Cassidy watches his dreams
crumble as a knee injury sidelines him for good. Now he’s hanging up his cleats
and giving journalism a shot. It’s just a coincidence that he happens to pick a
job in the same field, and the same city, as his former fiancée . . . right?
But when Emma moves in next door, it’s no accident. It’s research. And Alex
can’t help wondering what might have been. Unlike the innocent girl he
remembers, this Emma is chic, sophisticated, and assertive—and she wants
absolutely nothing to do with him. The trouble is, Alex has never wanted her
more.
Link to Follow Tour: http://www.tastybooktours.com/2015/01/the-trouble-with-love-sex-love-and.html
Goodreads
Link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23256188-the-trouble-with-love?from_search=true
Goodreads Series Link: https://www.goodreads.com/series/110352-sex-love-stiletto
Buy Links
Excerpt:
The elevator doors had just started to close when a male hand stuck
between them, activating their sensors so that the doors reopened.
Great.
Really freaking fantastic.
A lesser woman would have groaned in dismay at the sight of the man
in front of her.
Emma merely straightened her shoulders, ignoring Julie’s softly
uttered “Oh, dear.”
It was him.
The man was gorgeous in the sort of way that made women stop and
stare. The tall and lean athlete’s body was as impeccably dressed as ever in a
trim, perfectly tailored black suit. No sign of a tie today, although there
often was one.
His dark hair was perfectly styled, the clean-shaven face showing
off a strong jaw and symmetrical lips.
And the eyes . . . green today, although they often could
burn blue.
But Emma didn’t have to look at the man to know all of this.
She knew it all from her memories. Bad
memories.
He didn’t falter at the sight of Emma and her low-cut cocktail dress
and ugly wet bun.
In fact, he didn’t look at her at all.
Nothing—not surprise, not even acknowledgment—fluttered across his
features at her presence.
The man was in control.
Always.
Julie shifted to the corner of the elevator to make room for him,
and he nodded briefly at her before turning so that he and Emma were standing
shoulder to shoulder.
The doors closed, and Emma lifted her eyes to the little screen that
indicated the floor number.
He mimicked her posture, his eyes also focused on the spot where the
L
became 1, then
2 as
they ascended.
“Emma,” he said politely, not looking at her.
“Cassidy.”
“You’re looking well.”
“And you,” she said, her tone smooth. Monotone.
“You didn’t get dressed up on my account, I hope.” His voice never
lost its casual politeness.
She didn’t so much as glance at him. “Oh, do you not like it? I’ve
been so
hoping a fancy dress is all it would take for you to ask for my number.”
The elevator stopped on the seventh floor, and Emma and Cassidy
stepped to the side so the man in the back corner could exit. In sync, they
moved immediately back into their previous positions as the door closed.
They still had not looked at each other.
“You know, it’s a little bright for my taste,” he mused, as though
they’d never been interrupted. “I like more subdued colors on a woman. Say
. . . white. I always like to see a woman in a white dress. Do you
own one?”
Julie cleared her throat, although Emma couldn’t tell if it was a
warning or a laugh.
The elevator stopped at 12. Emma’s stop. Finally.
“Excuse me,” she murmured to Cassidy as she stepped off, her voice
sugary sweet.
Julie followed her.
And much to Emma’s dismay, so did Cassidy.
“Wrong floor, Cassidy,” Julie said sweetly, with a pretty smile for
the wretched man.
Traitor.
“Not today it’s not,” he replied.
“Ah,” Julie said. “Got a meeting with Camille?”
“I do.”
Camille Bishop was the editor in chief of Stiletto
magazine, and Julie and Emma’s boss. Since Cassidy was the editor in chief of Oxford
magazine, Stiletto’s
brother publication, it wasn’t strange that he occasionally stopped by the
twelfth floor.
Didn’t mean Emma had to like it.
“See you ladies around,” Cassidy said with a smile for Julie. Emma
barely warranted a glance. “Oh, and Emma, just a friendly reminder that
winter’s right around the corner. Careful you don’t catch a cold with that wet
head.”
He moved away before Emma had a chance to respond. Or give him the
finger. Not that she would have bothered.
Author Info
Lauren Layne is a snarky
cynic with a serious weakness for happily ever afters.
Marrying her high school
sweetheart was a good start. *cue Disney soundtrack.* But Lauren wanted all
romance, all the time.
Now she writes fictional
happy endings, and considers her job done well if you swoon while reading her
books. Don't worry. You will.
Once upon a time she lived
in a Manhattan high-rise, but now she's on the laid-back train in the Seattle
area. If you ever find yourself in Issaquah, she'll probably buy you a drink.
Maybe.
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