Get your copy of Psyched Out, a summer novelette, made for having fun. It’s a great beach read.
Here’s the back cover description:
When Lu Shenandoah and Philip Pines meet at a professional conference, there is an instant attraction. Unfortunately, Lu is sure that a famous guy like Philip wouldn’t be interested in a woman as awkward as she. And there’s her embarrassing interest in BDSM to deal with. She’s sure she could never admit that she’d secretly like to submit.
Philip, a very prominent author of a bestselling self-help book, is sure his BDSM dominance would overwhelm sweet and innocent Lu and it keeps him from pursuing her even though he’s drawn to her kittenish charm.
There are some really awkward moments when they run into each other at an all-inclusive island paradise, but how can they resist serendipity?
And, here is a tiny excerpt:
Lu juggled fifteen pounds of conference binders unsteadily. Her glasses slid down her nose, teetering at the end. She changed her grip on the cloth bag of conference shizzle she’d collected, and her purse fell off her shoulder. Fumbling became juggling, juggling became dropping, and the whole mess hit the floor in a heap of papers, conference-labeled pens, her glasses, and her purse which tumbled its contents in an embarrassing mess right there on the hotel’s low-pile carpet. With a sigh, she knelt down on the floor to start collecting her stuff. The hallway was empty for the moment, all the other conference attendees in session.
Except for one. “Let me help you, Miss.”
Lu looked up and put her glasses back on, her eyes focusing on a man with a deep, resonant voice. He was gorgeous. Drop dead hunk material. And here she was on her knees putting knit caps reading “I Went To PsychCon 2011, Or I Think I Did” into the swag bag.
The deep green of his gaze was as compelling as an Irish meadow. She wanted to hurtle through, swinging her arms like a dervish, laughing in the sunlight. Lu yanked herself back to reality. “Thank you, but I’ve got it,” she said, quickly lowering her eyes.
He wasn’t taking “no thanks” for an answer, however, and began picking up the contents of her purse.
It was then that Lu saw the two condoms on the floor next to a lipstick tube. Condoms! Oh my God! She was going to kill her roommate Mimi.
Horrified, Lu watched his hand as it moved toward a foil-wrapped contraceptive, and she quickly grabbed the pair and tucked them in her purse. “Those aren’t mine!”
He looked up at her and, although she kept her head tilted down, she saw his skeptical look through her eyelashes. “There are better brands,” he offered.
She tried not to groan, mortified to the tips of her toes. “My roommate Mimi put them in my purse, she had some crazy idea… With the conference and all… I mean-“
He patted her hand as she grasped a lipstick. “Sure. Roommate Mimi. I understand.”
His eyes held a twinkle of humor and a warm glow. She didn’t feel like he was laughing at her, exactly. It was friendlier than that. Her lips turned up a little at the corners. It was kind of funny, in a humiliating way.
He straightened the conference binders as she finished putting the rest of the stuff away. Then he offered his hand. “Philip Pines.” There was something familiar about his name. Pines, Pines, Pines?
Of course, the bag handles chose that moment to wrap around her fingers. After she fought them off, she shook his hand. “Lu Shenandoah.”
“Shenandoah like the author of ‘Juvenile Psychosis and Bullying Behavior?’” He asked, leaning back on his heel, his hands relaxed on his bent knee.
Her eyes dropped back to the floor. She’d written the paper because it simply had to be written, not for fame or professional acclaim. And yet, those two things came along with the publication. “Yes, that was me.”
His fingers felt warm on her chin as he tilted her head up so she’d look at his face. “Don’t be so modest. That was a brilliant monograph.”
A sneeze formed behind her nose and she twitched her face trying to hold it off. She was so allergic to the summer foliage outside. She wriggled her nose desperately but nothing helped Quickly, she turned her head and sneezed into the crook of her elbow. It left a wet smear on her blue suit coat.
Once again her face flamed. She glanced at Philip and he held out a handkerchief.
“Thank you,” was all she could master, deeply embarrassed.
Lu wiped her nose and then her sleeve—yuck!—and almost tried to hand the handkerchief back to him, then realized just how disgusting that would be. “Um, I’ll wash it and send it to you. Do you have a card with a business address on it or something?”
“You can just bring it to my room, Lu.”
A tingle of pure, feminine pleasure sped its way along Lu’s spine. This gorgeous man was propositioning her. Just like Mimi said, the guys at these conferences were horny and available. Of course, Lu didn’t know if she was really up to a one-night stand. Mixing her professional life with her private life might be imprudent. His brown hair and green eyes were so attractive, his shoulders broad under a well-tailored dark suit, shirt and tie combo well matched in shades of cream and gold. How could she resist?
It’s a novelette (longer than a short story, shorter than a novella) so it’s normally 99 cents, however, you can get it for free through June 5. If you “buy” it (for free) you get to keep it forever. But it’s also available on Kindle Unlimited anytime. Unfortunately, KU requires you to return books. Save yourself a buck now and own it. I assure you, you’ll read it twice at least.