Capturing
You
Maple
Grove, Book
1
by Katana
Collins
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Date of Publication: 12/16/14
Word Count: 72,000
Cover Artist: Fiona Jayde
Book Description:
After discovering she's infertile,
Lydia Ryder has all but convinced herself that she doesn't need children or a
family to be happy. All she needs is her camera, her passport, and a damn good
manicure. And maybe, maybe a sexy male travel companion. But when her job as a
magazine photographer lands her in the small town of Maple Grove, NH, a
precocious ten year old and her single father barge into Lydia's life, turning
what she thinks she wants onto its head. In this town full of happily ever
afters, Lydia finds herself wishing for things she had sworn off long ago...
When Cameron Tripp's wife passed
away from heart disease, he thought he'd never find love again. He certainly
never would have expected a woman like Lydia Ryder to waltz into his life and
awaken his dormant heart and libido. But despite his better judgment, Cam finds
himself drawn to the vivacious and argumentative outsider. He quickly learns
that, like him, she knows all about misplaced trust, heartbreak, and how
quickly a family can fall apart if you let it.
As impassioned arguments morph into
frenzied kisses, the two wonder if one weekend can ever be enough. Despite
lacking a maternal side, can Lydia connect with his ten year old daughter? And
when Cameron finally learns the true nature of Lydia's article, the trust he
worked so hard to build crumbles once again. With such doubts filling their
minds, is there any hope that Lydia and Cameron will be able to start a new
life together?
Excerpt:
Chapter Eleven
It
didn't take long before Cam was lying on the floor, face up, a half-empty
bottle of wine clutched in a hand. His ceiling fan was so dirty. He'd have to
make a mental note to dust up there next time. If he'd even remember in this
inebriated state. Do drunk people use words like inebriated? Apparently this
one did.
He
looked to his left, swiveling his head without lifting it off the floor. Callie
was lying face down on his couch. One leg dangled off the edge and knuckles
that grasped her bottle of vino scraped the floor. Her cheek was squished
making her loose lips pucker. Sensing his stare, she opened her eyes; they were
red and bloodshot. “You're so drunk,” she slurred.
“You're
an enabebler,” Cam attempted to speak. Clearly it wasn't going well. He could
tell in his own head it was wrong and his sister broke out in a fit of giggles.
“This
is fun,” she said, “Why didn't we ever do this before?”
“Because
you weren't twenty-one before,” he grunted and bringing the bottle to his lips,
took another swig. The sweetness wasn't so much of an issue after your sixth
glass. And after almost a whole bottle? You didn't even taste it anymore.
Callie
sat up on an arm, propping her body in some sort of yoga-like pose that made
Cam's back hurt just looking at it. Shit, he was getting old. “Listen, mister.
I've been twenty-one for...” she counted on a few fingers, her eyes rolling
into the back of her head as though the extra thinking hurt, “many months now.
There's no excuse!” Her elbow gave out and she fell back down onto the couch
with an oomph.
“Yeah,
well, I've got reponsibilities,” he said. “Responsilibilities,” he tried again.
“Re-spons-ib-ilities.” There. He got it, finally.
Callie
broke out into another fit of girlie giggles and rolled off the couch onto her
back next to Cam. He couldn't help but laugh too. And damn it felt good to
laugh. It was creaky; unused. But nice, nonetheless. “So seriously,” Callie's
eyes were only half open, “who's the city chick?”
Cam
groaned. Lydia. Everything came back to Lydia lately. “I need to be drunker if
we're going to talk about this,” he lifted the bottle again, the halogen lamp
reflecting off the tinted glass. It was noticeably lighter than before.
“C'mon,”
she propped herself up on an elbow. “Tell me about her.”
He
sighed. “She's...beautiful. Like a sunset on...uh, a summer's eve.”
Callie
burst out laughing again. “Okay, I think you've had enough,” she reached across
him and took the bottle from his hands. “You just compared a woman to a
feminine cleansing product.”
He
closed his eyes, picturing her face. That sleek chestnut hair; grey eyes with
little specks of gold like his granite countertops; high cheekbones and large,
plump lips. When he opened his eyes, Callie was looming over him smiling.
“You're thinking about her, aren't you?”
He
groaned. “She has a boyfriend. It's a moot point.”
“Did
she say it was a moot point?”
“She
doesn't have to. She has a boyfriend and she lied about it.”
Callie
arched an eyebrow. “Which only proves that she's into you, too.”
Cam
thought of the kiss; of her breasts pressed against his body, that silk shirt
tickling his skin. “Doesn't matter,” he mumbled. “Boyfriend. In New York. She's
leaving.”
“You
should sleep with her anyway,” Callie collapsed back onto the floor beside him
and he couldn't help but laugh at the statement.
“Okay,”
he said, “Now you're the one with the drunken drunk talk.”
“I'm
serious! Sleep with her.”
“She
has a boyfriend.”
“All
the more reason to do it. Neither of you will get attached.”
“You
want me to use her to get my feet wet again?”
“If
your feet get wet, I think you're doing it wrong.”
He
groaned. “Oh, gross. You're my baby sister...what do you know about sex?”
She
snorted a laugh. “You sure you want me answering that?”
“Oh,
god,” he covered his face with both hands. “No. You're twelve. You're twelve and you collect My Little
Ponies.”
Grabbing
a pillow, she hit him playfully across the face. “Just think about it, bro. We
all just want you to be happy.”
Happy.
The word rolled around in his mind like a marble on a slick surface. It was too
soon to be happy. Too raw. He liked the wound—liked keeping it fresh and open.
It was his only connection left to Hannah.
Cam
pushed off the ground, room spinning as he got to his feet. With a groan, he
grabbed a plastic bag, gathering the empty bottles.
“What
are you doing?” Callie mumbled.
Cam
rubbed his eyes with a knuckle. “I can't have Maddie or mom coming home
tomorrow to find these. I'll take them out to the recycling tonight.”
Callie
gurgled something that half sounded like words before she rolled over, smashing
her face into a pillow.
The
recycling was locked in a wood shed on the edge of the property to protect
their garbage from bears. Cam shivered, his unlaced boots crunching in the snow
as he staggered to the shed. He had to pause a moment, leaning on the banister
to make the snow below him stop spinning.
At
the water's edge was a vision. A beautiful woman bundled in a coat staring out
into the night. Cam blinked. Was he just seeing things? Surely he couldn't
trust his eyes when he was this drunk.
But
then, the woman turned and he was struck by Lydia's stunning svelte body,
backlit by moonlight. She took his breath away and they both stood frigidly
staring at each other.
Tossing
the recycling into the shed, he huffed toward the frozen lake and Lydia stood
there, unmoving. His insides wrenched and he didn't bother thinking.
“Cam,”
she said as he approached. Only he didn't let her get anything else out. He
grasped her tiny waist with both hands and tugged her into him, sloping his
mouth down over hers in a kiss that stirred fire even on the coldest night.
She
moaned into his mouth and their tongues explored each other in wild, feverish
movements.
He
scooped his hand into her hair, tugging the strands and pulling her head back
to expose her neck. His erection nestled onto her hip and she ground against
him. “God, you are beautiful,” he whispered against her. “And smart. And
talented.” Then, dragging his lips up her neck, he scraped his teeth along the
tender flesh there. Her muscles quivered against his mouth and he grinned,
loving that he could affect her this way.
He
kissed her jaw up to her chin, pausing just in front of her full, curvy pout.
“What are you doing to me?” He rasped.
Lydia's
eyes danced, fluttering open to meet his gaze. She licked her lips and
swallowed. “You've been drinking.”
“Only
a little,” he lied. Cam tried to blink his alcohol fogged brain back into
commission, but all he could see was Lydia. All he wanted was Lydia. He didn't
care about the wine. Or the auction. Or the fact that she had some boyfriend waiting
for her in New York. He just wanted to live in the moment and for once do what
his heart desired. “I've wanted to do this since the moment I saw you,” he
groaned and pressed his lips to hers once more.
Lydia's
hand found Cam's erection and she squeezed him through the denim fabric.
“Fuck,” Cam hissed and trailed one palm down her back to her ass, cupping her
through flimsy pajama pants while the other slid into the front, nudging the
silky boy short panties to the side.
She
pumped him through his jeans and he brushed his fingertips across her damp
heat, dipping his fingers inside. She bucked against him and cried out, her
face falling into his shoulder with a stifling bite.
God,
she was so wet. So ready for him. He wanted nothing more than to bury his
erection deep inside her wet sex and lose himself there forever. He plunged two
fingers deeper this time, using his thumb to circle her clit. Within minutes,
she was trembling into his palm, crying out. Her muscles clamped his fingers,
pulsing as she came.
His
erection raged just as strong in her hand as she exhaled with a sigh. “That
was...” she swallowed. “That was...”
“Delicious.”
Cam finished for her, sucking his fingers clean. She tasted sweet and tangy and
all Lydia.
Her
eyes darkened. “Why don't we go inside so I can take care of you, now?”
Cam
looked to the house as a light clicked on in his kitchen. Lydia followed his
gaze, her eyes widening in alarm. “Oh, god. Is Maddie awake?” She covered a
mouth with her hand, moving it to the blush on her cheeks. “Oh, shit.”
The
ground below him seemed to be suddenly made of pudding and Cam could barely
keep his footing. “Y-yeah. I should probably get back inside,” he slurred.
Lydia
nodded. “Of course. I-I'll see you tomorrow.”
Cam
watched as she ran back to the guest house before he too, entered the house. He
fell back on the floor below Callie who had resumed her place on the couch. She
blinked awake with a knowing grin.
“Shut-up,”
he mumbled.
Let's learn a little about author Katana Collins!
I usually work one of three places: At my kitchen table. On
my couch, curled under a blanket (usually with either a dog or a cat on my
lap). Or at a coffee shop. I find that while I like writing at home, both my
husband and I work from home and it can get a little... um, crowded sometimes.
Especially in Brooklyn where space is limited. I find that a change in scenery
can really help get me going if I'm stuck on scene or a chapter.
Who is your perfect hero and why?
I have a thing for sarcastic men and flawed heroes (and
heroines for that matter). I guess in a way (even in the land of book
boyfriends and fiction), there's no such thing as “perfect hero.” In fact, it's
because of his imperfections that I love him so much.
What authors have caught your interest lately and why?
Karina Halle. She writes really raw characters that just
climb inside and rub your guts till their raw. She's fearless in her writing
and it's such a breath of fresh air. Also, I've just started reading Jill
Shalvis recently and love her stuff. It's charming and hilarious and really
hits close to home.
What type of book have you always wanted to write?
My goals are constantly changing. When I was younger, I
loved all things romance—but romance at that age meant a different thing to me.
I didn't realize how many different subgenres there were within the
genre I loved so much. I recently finished a New Adult book which I had SO much
fun writing. There's also a part of me that would love to reclaim chick lit.
I've had a book idea ruminating in my head for so long, that maybe it's time to
get it onto paper.
Top 3 things on your bucket list?
1. Travel
to Thailand and spend 1-2 weeks training to be a mahout.
2. Certify
my dogs as service animals and volunteer alongside of them (When my grandmother
was ill, I would visit her with my dog and it was such a pick me up for her to
have an animal to cuddle with).
3. Run
a half-marathon (I'm currently training for one!).
How did you get the idea for this particular novel?
When I started writing Capturing You, I had just finished my
paranormal erotica series, Soul Stripper. While I loved writing magic and
supernatural, I was ready for a break and I really wanted to write something
that was real and hit close to home. I've known for a while that I probably
can't have a baby through natural methods and I wanted to tell the story of a
woman going through a similar struggle—yet, I didn't want the fact that she
couldn't have children to define her. I wanted to find the balance between
showing her struggle but not having the character completely consumed by it.
What is your favorite scene in your new release?
Ah! There's so many that I love. I love the scene between
Cam and his sister, Callie where he gets drunk with her for the first time. I
also love the night that Cam and Lydia get together.
What are you working on now and when can we expect it to be
available?
I'm currently writing the sequel to my erotic suspense
series, Wicked Release. The first book and the novella in that series will be
out in (I think) March of 2015. I'm also simultaneously working on book 2 of
the Maple Grove series, Healing You. I'm aiming for a June, 2015 release.
What do you like to do when you are not writing?
I love to knit and sew. When my grandmother passed away, I
got her old sewing machine from the 1940s and it still works.
I'm also a huge animal lover. I volunteer my photography
services to take images of shelter pets who need homes (a good picture can go
SUCH a long way in getting adopted). I also host a yearly pet portrait event in
which proceeds to go local rescue organizations. However, my husband has banned
me from fostering any more animals... because I never give them back! =)
And, of course, I love reading (duh).
What would you consider a perfect date?
I am really, really low key. Most nights, I really want
nothing more than to just cuddle on the couch and watch a movie. But for a date
night, a nice dinner out is hard to beat. Especially because I love food so
much (I know, I know... who doesn't love food?). I'm also a total beach bum, so
if it's dinner on the beach or with a view of the beach? That may just
be my perfect night.
What is one interesting fact about you that readers don’t
know?
I used to be a child actress (and I'm coming to learn that
there are a LOT of writer/actor crossovers!). I've been in some movies (small
roles), commercials, and tons of theater. Every now and then, a member of my
street team will find footage of some film I did and share it with everyone
(ummmm, embarrassing! And yet, good for a laugh!).
Thanks so much for having me on the blog today, Sue!!!! Hope
you are keeping warm this winter (wherever you may be)!
About
the Author:
Katana Collins
splits her time evenly between photographing boudoir portraits and writing
steam-your-glasses romances. Between navigating life as a small business owner,
a first-time homeowner, and a newlywed, Kat is in a constant state of
"OHMYGODINEEDCOFFEENOW."
She is the author of the Soul
Stripper trilogy, Wicked Exposure, and the graphic novel, Cafe Racer,
co-written with Sean Murphy.
She and her comic book artist
husband commute back and forth as they please between Brooklyn, NY and
Portland, ME with their ever-growing family of rescue animals (up to two dogs
and a cat and still counting!). She can usually be found hunched over her
laptop in a cafe, guzzling gallons of coffee, and wearing fabulous (albeit
sometimes impractical) shoes.
Visit her on the web at www.katanacollins.com , on Twitter at Http://www.twitter.com/@katanacollins,
or find her on Facebook at www.facebook.com/KatanaCollins
Tour giveaway:
3 paperback bundles of the Soul
Stripper Series open to US Shipping
2 digital bundles
a Rafflecopter giveaway
A wonderful interview thank you.
ReplyDeleteCapturing You sounds like a great romance story. I love the cover. Thanks for having the giveaway.
ReplyDelete