Just Contemporary Romance: Six Month Rule

Friday, July 22, 2016

Six Month Rule

Congratulations to "Bn100", the winner in A.J.'s giveaway. Thank you to all who participated!

I love a good meet cute. Even better if we can see instant attraction between a couple. Even better if that instant attraction is against the characters’ better judgment and maybe, possibly, in complete contradiction to how the characters feel about each other personally. In SIX MONTH RULE (the second book in a series of connected yet stand-alone stories), Holly’s first impression of the hero, Will, goes from cartoon-eyes-bugging-out-of-her-head to thinking he’s a complete jerk…and then a few minutes later when she formally meets him to seeing him as the guy who stole her corner office. I loved stirring up the conflict between these two right from the get go. It made their story so much fun to write—and hopefully to read. To find out how Holly and Will go from this meet cute gone wrong to (hopefully) happily ever after, I hope you’ll check out SIX MONTH RULE.

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Holly’s eyes trailed from the soft, black leather loafer to the cuff of the slate-colored pants expertly cut to fit these legs only. Then there was the jacket and vest, buttoned snug over a lean, taut torso. Holly thanked the stars for perfectly tailored suits. And vests. What was it about a man in a vest?

“Thank you.”

Her head shot up to see the words directed at an older woman who depressed the door-open button. The voice was deep and buttercream smooth. And was that…an English accent?

Her ovaries might have gone supernova, but she could hold it together for one more floor. Holly Chandler wasn’t a girl to lose it in an elevator, no matter how much those two words, spoken in that voice, with that accent, melted her insides.

When the circle of light lit up number five, Holly let out a long breath. The doors opened, and she exited with all the other folks who were on their way to a caffeine

boost. As she did, she caught Mr. Ferragamo checking out her four-inch peep-toe booties, and a surge of confidence jolted her back to the Holly she knew she was.

“Like what you see?” she asked, stopping to glance down the length of her own legs to where his eyes still rested. This brought his head up with a snap, and a dark wave tumbled

onto his forehead before he finger-combed it back into place.

He cleared his throat. “You pull off last season’s design well enough, but I’d have gone for the red,” he said, and those words, despite the velvet ribbon they were tied up in, pieced her insides right back together.

Holly brushed past him, ovaries once again intact.

“Ass,” she muttered, and then let the promise of a hazelnut double pump patch the tiny puncture in her bubble. Of course she could pull off last season’s design. She could rock the hell out of last season’s freaking design, because all she could afford right now were the free samples. But in less than an hour that would all change. The first thing she’d buy with her new salary would be next season’s Jimmy Choos. But they sure as hell would not be red.

SIX MONTH RULE

Taurus: Hold fast to your single-minded nature today—no matter how long her legs or how lush her red lips.

Gemini: You were a shining star last night, but reality can be a real—well, you get the picture. Just remember: Tall, dark, and British equals no corner office for you.

Will Evans never wanted a reason to stay.

Holly Chandler wants nothing more than for him to go.

But neither one is prepared for what can happen in six months. Because it doesn't matter what you want when what you need walks out the door.

Holly’s been busting her butt to make partner at Trousseau, and there’s no way she’s going to let some stuck-up British arsehole get in her way—no matter how drop-dead gorgeous he is. But that doesn’t mean she can’t have a little fun in the process. She has a six-month rule: date just long enough for the honeymoon phase to wear off, then walk away before anyone gets hurt. If they both know the rules up front, walking away will be a piece of cake. Or maybe not…

About A.J. Pine:
AJ Pine writes stories to break readers’ hearts, but don’t worry—authorshe’ll mend them with a happily ever after. As an English teacher and a librarian, AJ has always surrounded herself with books. All her favorites have one big commonality–romance. Naturally, the books she writes have the same. When she’s not writing, she’s of course reading. Then there’s online shopping (everything from groceries to shoes). And a tiny bit of TV where she nourishes her undying love of vampires, superheroes, and a certain high-functioning sociopath detective. You’ll also find her hanging with her family in the Chicago ‘burbs. AJ is represented by Courtney Miller-Callihan of Handspun Literary.

Author Media Links:
Author Website: ajpine.com
Author Twitter: @AJ_Pine
Author Facebook: ajpineauthor
Author Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7845968.A_J_Pine
Newsletter: http://eepurl.com/0pCa1

Giveaway:
Thanks for reading, everyone, and thanks to JCR for having me on the blog! I’d like to give one lucky reader an e-copy of book one in the Kingston Ale House series, THE ONE THAT GOT AWAY, along with one item from the Kingston Ale House store! Enter the rafflecopter below for a chance to win!

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