Last Second Chance by Caisey Quinn ~ Excerpt & Giveaway

LAST SECOND CHANCE by Caisey Quinn
Released February 4th, 2014
Second Chance, #1
Contemporary Romance

BOOK SUMMARY:


When Stella Jo Chandler gets an offer to work at the Second Chance Ranch celebrity rehab facility right after graduating from Texas A&M, she’s tempted to turn it down. She wants to help real people with real problems, not spoiled celebrities going on vacation for publicity. But growing up on her family’s ranch left her with a love of horses that draws her to the opportunity. How bad can babysitting a bunch of strung out celebrities be?

What she didn’t count on was being roped into a tangled mess with infamous rocker and three-time rehab drop out Van Ransom on her first day. And she sure didn’t expect to feel the overwhelming attraction that pulls her to the man who has more issues than she can count on both hands. Like the hotel rooms and tour buses he’s famous for trashing, the havoc he could wreak on Stella’s heart would be irreparable.

Van isn’t at Second Chance for publicity or because he’s suffering from “exhaustion”. He’s on the brink of destruction, and he needs the kind of help Stella isn’t sure she can give. But without her, he'll lose everything. Because he’s on his last second chance.

Book two

Falling for Fate by Caisey Quinn

Fate Buchanan just wants to escape the constraints of her old life. After checking her mother into rehab and catching her fiancé with her maid of honor the night before their wedding, she ran. Angry and hurt, she’s aching to do something reckless.

Dean Maxwell is having one last summer of freedom before taking over his family’s multi-billion dollar medical conglomerate. When he sees a beautiful woman running down the beach alone after dark, he knows it’s not safe. So he does something impulsive.

When their paths cross unexpectedly after a night of unbridled passion, neither of them can forget the memory of the affair they shared. What began as one night is about to become a whole lot more.

Excerpt...

Falling for Fate Excerpt 

(Please note: this is from unedited copy and may contain errors and or material that will not appear in the final version)

ONE

“Come out to get some fresh air, handsome?” the redhead drawled as she stepped through the open patio doorway. Shannon? Sherry? Shelly? He couldn’t remember.

“Something like that.” Dean took a swig of his Michelob. Whatever her name was, she’d do. For tonight anyways. He let his eyes skim over her body. The snug green dress she wore was tight in all the right places. He suspected parts of her were manufactured overseas, but he didn’t really care either way.

“It’s crazy in there. Keaton said a ‘few friends’ were stopping by.” She laughed loudly. “So whose friend are you?”

Oh, how to answer. He was no one’s “friend.” This was his beach house, well, his family’s. Keaton was his college roommate and soon to be assistant financial advisor at his father’s company. The one Dean was about to be groomed to take over since he’d graduated from NYU a few weeks ago. This was his last summer of freedom. Relaxing at the beach house for a few months then off to the real world.

“I’m not sure I’d say I’m anyone’s friend.”

The redhead raised her heavily sculpted eyebrows. “Well, I’m always in the market for a new friend or two.” Her lips were full and thick with lipstick redder than her hair. She had the high-priced escort look about her that he liked in a woman. But something was off tonight. His heart wasn’t really in it. She’d made it too easy by coming to him. Oh well, no use letting a perfectly good piece go to waste.

He was about to tell her he wasn’t looking for friendship but he’d be happy to take her upstairs and give her the grand tour of he beach house. But something glinted out near the water, distracting him. Moonlight reflected off the hair of a small figure in a dress running down the shoreline.

It was damn near midnight, the woman was definitely wearing the wrong clothes for a run, and it wasn’t safe out here alone at night. He’d seen more than one story on the news about college co-eds washing up or flat out disappearing.

“Hey,” he said abruptly, setting his beer on the balcony. “Tell Keaton I went to check on something.” He was already over the ledge and treading sand when he realized he hadn’t even told Red his name. Oh well. Keaton was probably buried in a blonde somewhere anyways.

The figure ahead of him was shrinking by the minute. He picked up the pace, wishing he’d worn running shoes instead of Italian loafers. Thank God he worked out every morning. This woman was seriously moving. As he got closer, he slowed as not to scare the living shit out of her.

She stopped, still oblivious to his approach so far as he could tell, and he jogged close enough to see her shoulders were shaking slightly. In her left hand she carried a pair of heels. He was just about to call out and tell her not to freak out, when she flung the shoes straight into the ocean.

Okay. That was unexpected.

She let out a scream that she probably thought was ferocious but reminded him of a kitten impersonating a lion. He watched as she dropped down into the sand and pulled her knees to her chest.

Shit. This woman was obviously not having a good night. And he’d come out here to do what? He glanced behind him. It was dark as pitch but he could still see the lights from his beach house. Probably could still turn back. But there was something about her. Something broken and lost. It called to him as she stared at the ocean, waves dancing enticingly in her direction. Approaching and receding. Giving and taking. He’d never felt such a powerful draw to a woman. Hell, to anyone.

He stepped closer. “Hey um, I’m no expert, but you look like you could use a drink.”

She startled like he expected her to. Jumping to her feet, she began to back away like a frightened animal.

“Sorry. Didn’t mean to sneak up on you.” He smiled what he hoped wasn’t a creeper leer. “That’s my beach house,” he said, pointing to the lights in the distance. “I saw you and, uh, it’s not really safe out here at night. For a woman. Alone.” Jesus, he sounded like the police. “I mean, I was just going to see if you needed a ride somewhere or whatever. I could walk you to wherever you’re going, make sure you got there safe and all.” He shoved his hands in the pockets of his jeans and waited for her to tell him to fuck off. Surprisingly, she didn’t.

Moist eyes a color he couldn’t immediately identify stared up at him, drawing him downward as if he were being pulled into the ocean next to them. Her creamy bronze skin begged to be touched. When she smiled, two tiny dimples formed at either side of her perfect mouth. His dick knocked on the zipper of his jeans.

Hey buddy, invite her back to the beach house please and thank you.

She sniffled and wiped the remnants of tears from her eyes. “Um, that’s really sweet of you. Provided you’re not planning to murder me and throw my body in the ocean or something.” Her sexy southern drawl made his knees go week. Women did not talk like this where he came from.

He forced a laugh, despite the odd buzzing sensation taking over his brain. “Nah. It’s been a long day. I was just going to ask if you wanted to come back to my place and have a drink with some…people, and then I could take you home. Wherever that may be.”

She grinned, but he didn’t miss that she wrapped her arms around herself in a protective gesture. “Savannah,” she said softly. “Georgia.”

Her smooth legs went on forever and it was everything he could do not to stare. He cleared his throat and focused on her beautiful face instead. “Well, that’s a mighty long drive from here. But I’ve got a car service and a company jet if you need a lift.” Nice, Maxwell. Way to sound like a cocky fuckwad. Just like dear old dad.

The woman arched a brow, waiting. She was waiting for him to say he was kidding. He’d bet his brand new Range Rover on it.

“No, I’m not kidding, and yes, I’m an arrogant ass. What can you do?” He lifted a shoulder and winked. And good God almighty, she laughed. The ocean had always been his favorite sound. Since he was a kid and his parents used to bring him here for vacation, the soft lull was one of the only sounds that brought him peace. Until now. “Can I ask what brings you to the Hamptons…?” He trailed off, hoping she’d offer her name. She didn’t. In fact, something dark flashed across her features and she looked at him like she wanted to murder him a little. Maybe he should be the one questioning if he was about to be thrown in the ocean. She shook her head. No.

Confusion bothered him. He liked to know what was what. Sort things out. Organize and categorize. She was a puzzle he had to figure out. But couldn’t. “Well, then, can I ask if you’re okay? Looked like you were having a rough night.” Far as he knew, women didn’t go around pitching their shoes into the ocean.

She stood and shook her head again. No. A strand of hair whipped into her face. He reached out to move it, but she took care of it before he could.

He huffed out a breath. “Is there anything I can do for you?”

            “Are you married?” she asked, stepping closer. His neck almost snapped from the abrupt subject change.

“Married?” His voice cracked. “God, no.” He fought the urge to back up a step. She was coming closer, like she was thinking about taking a bite out of him. For an instant he wondered if she might be one of those mythical creatures that devoured men. The breeze pulled her thin dress taut against her body and his dick stood at attention.

If she was, he was okay with it.

            “Girlfriend?” she asked quietly. One more step and they’d be touching.

He swallowed thickly and shook his head. He’d never actually had a girlfriend in his life. Just a string of women with a mutual understanding about meeting each other’s needs and moving on.

He clenched his jaw and squared his shoulders. She kind of looked like she might be plotting physical violence on all mankind. And he’d come out here running after her like an idiot. Ready to be her practice dummy. As fierce as she suddenly was, her eyes still held a certain softness. Hurt. He’d seen it before, though it had never bothered him as much as it did right now. Well, once it had. But he didn’t like to think about that anymore.

Screw it. He reached out and stroked her face. Unable to get enough of her soft warm skin, he palmed her cheek, using his fingers to tug her face closer to his. “Tell me what you need. Tell me what’s wrong. Just…tell me something.”

She pulled her full bottom lip in with her teeth and he went so hard it was painful. But he didn’t break eye contact.

“I need you,” she whispered.

The force of the emotion behind her words hit him like a fist to the chest. Normally that particular phrase sent him running. Fast and far. But this time, his body ignored the urge to turn away and head for the hills.

Lowering his lips to hers, he gave her a soft kiss. She opened to him and he let his tongue plunge into her warm wet mouth with everything he was worth. She didn’t back off, didn’t scream, slap him, or even try to stop him. She pressed her gentle curves against his body and wrapped her arms around his neck.

God, she tasted good. Felt so good against him, perfect actually. Her fingers slid into his hair and he grabbed her ass and lifted. She wrapped those long luscious legs around him and let out a little moan of pleasure that nearly broke him.

Woman knew what she wanted, he’d give her that. He walked them over to a dip in the sand where they wouldn’t get wet but wouldn’t be visible either, and lowered her onto a flat patch. She never once let loose of his mouth or his hair. This was nuts, but who was he to ignore the temptation of fate? 

COVER COMING AUGUST 7th

GOODREADS LINK:  https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/22088848-falling-for-fate

 

Giveaway...

3 winners will receive an eARC of FALLING FOR FATE (Second Chance, #2). 2 winners will receive a $10 Amazon Gift Card.


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About the Author...

Caisey Quinn lives in Birmingham, Alabama with her husband, daughter, and other assorted animals. She is the bestselling author of the Kylie Ryans series as well as several New Adult Romance novels featuring country girls finding love in unexpected places.

Author Links:
Website: http://www.caiseyquinnwrites.com/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7041163.Caisey_Quinn
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorCaiseyQuinn
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