PERFECTLY SKEPTICAL
by Linda O’Connor
Dr. Brianna Scott
looked forward to sleeping away her staycation, until a lucky windfall meant an
upgrade to palm trees, an ocean view . . . and the sexy Dr. Matt Gaelen. She’ll
play and have fun, but can a holiday fling really turn into a soul mate for
life? Doubtful.
Matt has no radar
for sniffing out gold-diggers and protecting his heart. Until now. Brianna is
more turned off than turned on by his wealth. What are his chances of getting
her to overlook it? Dubious at best.
Improbable and
uncertain, iffy and unlikely – the typical path to love.
Perfectly Skeptical . . . love when you least expect
it.
Excerpt:
She
stopped in her tracks and squealed, almost bumping into a man standing on her
porch. He put out his hand to steady her.
“Oh
my god, you scared me,” she said, taking a deep breath.
Laughing
blue eyes looked back at her. “Sorry about that. I was just about to knock, but
you beat me to it.” His eyes swept the length of her. “I was sent to see how
you’re doing.”
Brianna
stiffened. “I’m fine. Why?” She hadn’t advertised she was going away. Her
parents and Maisy were the only ones who knew where she was.
“You
haven’t been out and about.”
Who’s
keeping tabs? And who would send this dark-haired, all muscle, all-male hunk
with the relaxed island smile and disarming blue eyes? Not her parents, that’s
for sure. Maisy? It was entirely possible. Maisy’s reach was surprisingly long.
Don’t live a
little. Live a lot. Maisy, you’re a cheeky devil, sending a male escort. He looked at her
with a patient smile, waiting for her to catch up. Something about a tropical
paradise and his sexy bod made her consider. Brianna narrowed her eyes at him.
“Are you married?”
“Nope.”
“Do
you have nail fungus?”
He
blinked and his smile faltered. “No. Are you feeling okay?”
“I’m
feeling great.” She stepped closer to him. His eyes darkened. He didn’t step
away. What the hell – she could play this game. Be cool. Fake nonchalance.
Cultivate some of that swagger that came so easily to Maisy. Her heart pounded,
but he didn’t need to know.
She
went on her toes and brushed her lips against his. When he responded and took
control, Brianna felt a tingle from her head to her toes. She pressed closer
and felt the hard muscle of his chest through the thin shirt he wore. He
caressed the bare skin of her back and skimmed her waist. She opened her mouth
to take him deeper and their tongues danced. This wasn’t the kiss of a boy.
This was the kiss of experience. Maybe Maisy had it right – if you were going to
play, you might as well play with top-of-the-line equipment.
He
ran his hands down her arms and then gripped them gently and pushed her away,
breaking off the kiss. Brianna raised startled eyes to his and made a noise in
protest.
“I’m
sorry.” He stepped back, putting more distance between them, and cleared his
throat. “I think you have the wrong idea. I’m Matt Gaelen. Dr. Matt Gaelen.” He ran his hand through his hair. “Jerome and
Maria were worried because you hadn’t shown up at the restaurant, so they asked
me to come and check on you.”
“Jerome
and Maria. Owners of the villas?”
“Yes.”
Uh-oh. “You weren’t sent
by Maisy?”
“No,
I don’t know a Maisy.” He grinned. “Though I wish I did.”
She
felt a flush rise on her cheeks. So much for living it up. “I’m very sorry,”
she said stiffly. “That was a misunderstanding.” She grimaced. “It won’t happen
again.” She’d stay well and truly hidden under a rock of mortification.
He
raised an eyebrow. “Well, I’m happy to see you’re fine. Better than fine.” He
smiled. “I’ll let them know.” He turned and jogged down the steps. And then he
stopped and looked back. “But it does seem a shame that it won’t happen again.”
Brianna
blew out a breath and watched him go. That
wasn’t embarrassing. She cringed. This was precisely why she wanted
solitude and privacy. She shook her head at herself and picked up her towel.
The light was fading, but she still had time for a quick dip to cool off.
Let that be a
lesson learned – well two, really: don’t jump to conclusions, and Dr. Matt
Gaelen is an excellent kisser.
While a novella, this ‘perfectly’ story is my
favorite of the entire series.
And I have adored this series.
Linda O’Connor has truly mastered the art of a short
story. Everything was perfectly timed, humorously delivered, and emotionally
packed. To be honest I got a bit weepy near the end on several occasions.
While I won’t talk about the details, let me say this
delightful contemporary romance novella reads like a full length novel. Nothing
feels rushed or left out. Best news: you can enjoy it during an hour lunch
break and be happy and productive for the rest of the day. Much of the story is
spent on Little Caymen Island. It will make you want to take the next flight to
Caymen.
I highly recommend you read this. You can find it
within the Boxset: Tropical Trysts. I haven’t read the other books in the
boxset, but this one is a winner.
Buy Links:
Perfectly Skeptical, a Perfectly Series novella, will
be featured in the Tropical Tryst Boxed Set. Escape with 25 brand new and exclusive sexy
reads from NY Times, USA Today, and International bestselling authors. This set
is perfect for romance lovers of all kinds. Offering up passionate and enticing
tales, set in hot and tropical settings, this collection will feed your need
for summer sexiness! Available for pre-order for only 99 cents. Release
date Aug. 1!
Bonus:
Visit www.tropicaltryst.com for special pre-order giveaways and join the
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Barnes and Noble:
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/tropical-tryst-nicole-morgan/1126270355?ean=9781508076988
Pronoun:
https://books.pronoun.com/tropical-tryst/
Bio:
Linda O’Connor
started writing a few years ago when she needed a creative outlet other than
subtly rearranging the displays at the local home décor store. It turns out she
loves writing romantic comedies and has a few more stories to tell. When not
writing, she’s a physician at an Urgent Care Clinic (well, even when she is
writing she’s a physician, and it shows up in her stories :D ). She hangs out
at www.lindaoconnor.net.
Laugh every day.
Love every minute.
Social Media:
Website/Blog/Newsletter: http://www.lindaoconnor.net
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LindaOConnorAuthor
Twitter:
https://twitter.com/LindaOConnor98