Title: The
Exception
Author: Adriana Locke
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Release Day: September 18th 2014
Synopsis:
They say there is an exception to every rule...
Jada Stanley is starting over, refusing to
repeat her past mistakes. Everything is going great until she meets Cane
Alexander. He is gorgeous, cocky, and everything she needs to avoid.
repeat her past mistakes. Everything is going great until she meets Cane
Alexander. He is gorgeous, cocky, and everything she needs to avoid.
Cane lives within a set of carefully constructed
guidelines to ensure his life remains uncomplicated. When he sets his eyes on
Jada, all of his rules are called into question.
guidelines to ensure his life remains uncomplicated. When he sets his eyes on
Jada, all of his rules are called into question.
As their worlds become intertwined, they find it
impossible to stay away from each other. Will they be able to maintain the
rules they've created to protect their hearts? Or will they make an exception?
impossible to stay away from each other. Will they be able to maintain the
rules they've created to protect their hearts? Or will they make an exception?
Prologue
CANE
If I close my eyes, maybe
she’ll disappear.
she’ll disappear.
“That
was amazing. So good, Cane.”
was amazing. So good, Cane.”
Maybe not.
The
woman nestled against me, her hand draping across my body. She stroked my skin,
the intimacy of the action curling my stomach.
woman nestled against me, her hand draping across my body. She stroked my skin,
the intimacy of the action curling my stomach.
I
switched on the bedside lamp, letting my eyes adjust to the bright light.
Glancing at the clock, I pushed her hand away.
switched on the bedside lamp, letting my eyes adjust to the bright light.
Glancing at the clock, I pushed her hand away.
It’s not too late. She can
still go home.
still go home.
Sitting
up, I swung my legs over the side of the bed; my body groaned in response. I
stretched my arms overhead in an attempt to work some life back into my
exhausted muscles.
up, I swung my legs over the side of the bed; my body groaned in response. I
stretched my arms overhead in an attempt to work some life back into my
exhausted muscles.
This
girl was a decent choice for a last minute decision. Memories of her contorted
in a variety of wicked ways, screaming my name, made my dick harden again.
girl was a decent choice for a last minute decision. Memories of her contorted
in a variety of wicked ways, screaming my name, made my dick harden again.
“Do
you want me to get us something to eat?” she asked.
you want me to get us something to eat?” she asked.
Her
nails grazed down my back and I moved out of her reach. Her touch, like her
voice, was more annoying than I remembered it being a few hours earlier.
nails grazed down my back and I moved out of her reach. Her touch, like her
voice, was more annoying than I remembered it being a few hours earlier.
That’s because you just
dumped a load.
dumped a load.
I
twisted around. Her blonde hair was spread across my pillows, black makeup
smeared across her face. A part of me wanted to tell her she looked like hell,
but a bigger part of me didn’t care enough to point it out. I just needed her
gone.
twisted around. Her blonde hair was spread across my pillows, black makeup
smeared across her face. A part of me wanted to tell her she looked like hell,
but a bigger part of me didn’t care enough to point it out. I just needed her
gone.
She
rolled onto her back, cheap perfume wafting through the air. She pulled the
sheets tight around her body.
rolled onto her back, cheap perfume wafting through the air. She pulled the
sheets tight around her body.
I’m going to have to do
laundry. Hell, I’ll probably just have to burn the sheets to get rid of that
smell.
laundry. Hell, I’ll probably just have to burn the sheets to get rid of that
smell.
“I
was thinking I would grab us some hamburgers. I could pick up some things for
breakfast while I’m out.”
was thinking I would grab us some hamburgers. I could pick up some things for
breakfast while I’m out.”
I
cringed at the implications saturating her voice. “You’re going to need to tone
that shit down.”
cringed at the implications saturating her voice. “You’re going to need to tone
that shit down.”
“What
are you talking about?”
are you talking about?”
“Look,
I have things to do tonight.” Her face was familiar but her name—not so much.
I have things to do tonight.” Her face was familiar but her name—not so much.
“Oh,
that’s fine. I can just wait here while you do what you need to do.” She
flashed me her biggest smile and settled back into the sheets, looking way too
comfortable in my bed.
that’s fine. I can just wait here while you do what you need to do.” She
flashed me her biggest smile and settled back into the sheets, looking way too
comfortable in my bed.
“No.
You’re going to need to get up, get dressed, and go home.” I massaged my temples
with my fingertips, a migraine inching its way into my skull.
You’re going to need to get up, get dressed, and go home.” I massaged my temples
with my fingertips, a migraine inching its way into my skull.
For fuck’s sake! Why isn’t
this ever as easy as they make it out to be? Maybe I should get them to sign
some shit, a ‘This is a Fuck and Only a Fuck’ disclaimer or something.
this ever as easy as they make it out to be? Maybe I should get them to sign
some shit, a ‘This is a Fuck and Only a Fuck’ disclaimer or something.
“I
really have no plans for tomorrow, Cane.” She licked her lips, still swollen
from moments before.
really have no plans for tomorrow, Cane.” She licked her lips, still swollen
from moments before.
“We
discussed this. We fuck. You leave. You know this.”
discussed this. We fuck. You leave. You know this.”
She
had the nerve to look hurt.
had the nerve to look hurt.
“I
didn’t think you were going to say that once we were done.”
didn’t think you were going to say that once we were done.”
“It
was amazing. It is always amazing with me.” I flashed her a grin and literally
watched her swoon.
was amazing. It is always amazing with me.” I flashed her a grin and literally
watched her swoon.
That never gets old.
“Look,
I don’t do this ‘sex and a sandwich’ thing, but that is not a newsflash.”
I don’t do this ‘sex and a sandwich’ thing, but that is not a newsflash.”
“But
…”
…”
“Why
does it feel like we’ve been here before?” Frustration took over and I took a
deep breath, trying to keep myself calm. All I needed was a hot little body to
dump my stress into for a little while and I had made no illusions otherwise.
She agreed to this before she followed me home.
does it feel like we’ve been here before?” Frustration took over and I took a
deep breath, trying to keep myself calm. All I needed was a hot little body to
dump my stress into for a little while and I had made no illusions otherwise.
She agreed to this before she followed me home.
Why does it have to be
complicated now?
I ran my fingers through my short blond hair, scrubbing my scalp in annoyance.
complicated now?
I ran my fingers through my short blond hair, scrubbing my scalp in annoyance.
“When
I was here a few months ago, we had lunch, too. Remember? We sat out on the
patio.”
I was here a few months ago, we had lunch, too. Remember? We sat out on the
patio.”
Remember her face. Do not
triple dip this one.
triple dip this one.
“You
don’t understand how this works.” I
glanced at her reclining against my pillows and fought hard to not sound as
brusque as I felt. “I have a bunch of shit to do. You really need to go.”
don’t understand how this works.” I
glanced at her reclining against my pillows and fought hard to not sound as
brusque as I felt. “I have a bunch of shit to do. You really need to go.”
She
sighed dramatically as she got up and found her jeans on the floor. I watched
her ass jiggle as she pulled them on slowly, undoubtedly for my benefit.
sighed dramatically as she got up and found her jeans on the floor. I watched
her ass jiggle as she pulled them on slowly, undoubtedly for my benefit.
It
worked.
worked.
I
had to restrain myself from grabbing her and fucking her one more time, just
for good measure.
had to restrain myself from grabbing her and fucking her one more time, just
for good measure.
That is only going to make
getting her out of here even harder and she simply isn’t good enough to waste
any more time on.
getting her out of here even harder and she simply isn’t good enough to waste
any more time on.
Instead,
I sat and enjoyed the show. She turned to face me as she pulled her shirt over
her head, her eyes never leaving mine. She tucked her bra in her purse.
I sat and enjoyed the show. She turned to face me as she pulled her shirt over
her head, her eyes never leaving mine. She tucked her bra in her purse.
With
a final glance over her shoulder, presumably to give me time to change my mind,
she was gone.
a final glance over her shoulder, presumably to give me time to change my mind,
she was gone.
And
I was alone again—just the way I liked it.
I was alone again—just the way I liked it.
About the Author:
Adriana Locke lives and breathes books. After
years of slightly obsessive relationships with the flawed bad boys created by
other authors, Adriana has created her own. The Exception is Adriana’s debut
novel and will be released on September 18th.
years of slightly obsessive relationships with the flawed bad boys created by
other authors, Adriana has created her own. The Exception is Adriana’s debut
novel and will be released on September 18th.
Adriana lives in the Midwest with her family.
She spends a large amount of time playing with her kids, drinking coffee, and
cooking. Her favorite things include sunshine, candy, and random quotes. Please
contact Adriana at www.adrianalocke.com. She loves to hear from readers.
She spends a large amount of time playing with her kids, drinking coffee, and
cooking. Her favorite things include sunshine, candy, and random quotes. Please
contact Adriana at www.adrianalocke.com. She loves to hear from readers.
Love this beautiful cover and the prologue has me wanting more! Thanks for the giveaway!!
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