You Got It.
I am super excited about my current WIP (work in progress)!
My One Christmas Wish is a friends to lovers, holiday romance.
I mean, what’s better than one of your favorite tropes? Two (of your favorite tropes!) lol
Okay, anyway, here are the important deets:
It’s available for preorder
It will available on December 19th (my birthday)!
Below is a small sample. enjoy! (loosely edited, subject to change)
WINTER
Apparently, getting dressed up and going out was what I needed. As I entered Nori and Roe, I sighed. My first date in seven years was possibly waiting for me at our table. I halted in my tracks once I realized I didn’t know whose name the reservation was under. Reaching in my purse, I pulled out my phone to call April.
“What’s his name?” I bit out. The hostess was staring at me waiting for me – the only other person in the waiting area – to meet her at the counter.
“Who?”
“My date! I have to give the hostess a name.”
April giggled. “Oh, yeah! It’s under your name.”
“Of course it is,” I groused then ended the call. The hostess escorted me to our booth for the night. A few minutes later, our waiter came and took my drink order.
I still couldn’t believe I was on a blind date. The fact that I was excitedly waiting for a man that I knew absolutely nothing about, was wild. His name was a mystery. I didn’t even know what he looked like. If anyone else had set me up on this date, I’d be worried. But I took some comfort in knowing my big sister would never put me in harm’s way.
Once the waiter arrived with my drink, I took a sip and settled into the booth.
He wasn’t punctual.
The initial excitement about this date had started to wither away.
Bringing my martini to my lips, I sipped the cool tangy drink. I moaned in delight and lowered my glass to the table. Nori and Roe had the best apple martini. They put just enough vodka to ease my nerves, and enough green apple schnapps to mask the taste of alcohol. I peered around the restaurant, hoping to catch him as he walked in. Growing frustrated from waiting, I grabbed my phone off the table and texted April.
Winter: He’s late. Definitely not a good first impression.
April: By five minutes… relax, Win. He might be stuck in traffic, or something.
Winter: How is he gonna be late when he picked the place and time!
I slammed my phone down, and waved to get the waiter’s attention. As he made his way over to me, I received another text from April. It was a screenshot of a thread she was in. She strategically cropped out the contact’s name. After rolling my eyes, I read their thread. April asked where he was and he simply replied, “Parking.”
April: He’ll be there any minute. Have fun and call me later!
“Whatever,” I mumbled.
After ordering another drink, I perused the menu. I never strayed too far from my usual, but it was nice to see if they updated the menu since my last visit.
“Winter,” came from behind me and my heart dropped to my stomach immediately. Turning slowly, my wide eyes met Gabriel’s. “Hey,” he said as he slid in the booth.
“Hey,” I drawled, glancing around the restaurant. “I’m actually meeting someone in a few.”
“I know. I’m… him,” he told me with a warm smile.
My eyebrows met and throat went dry. I pursed my lips together once I realized why April had been so equivocated yesterday. She literally couldn’t say anything about Gabriel without me guessing it was him.
“April,” I grumbled. “Why?”
“I knew after you canceled yesterday that I had to take matters into my own hands.”
“I was going to reschedule,” I tried.
“When?” His eyebrow rose, and a smirk formed on his lips. “You didn’t even text me back yesterday. Yet here you are on a blind date in your little dress. Looking like you tryna’ get chose.”
“Shut up.”
“Just sayin’.”
Gabriel’s fiery cocoa orbs swept over me reaffirming my decision to wear this dress.
My tongue swept across my bottom lip before I replied, “Gabe, I really was going to reschedule.”
When was I going to reschedule? I wasn’t sure. After Christmas maybe?
All knew what I wasn’t ready to be sitting this close to him while he looked and smelled this damn good. The fresh cut, smooth sienna colored skin, and heart-stopping smile were all too much for me to handle. i shuddered a sigh and tried to keep my cool.
“Yeah, okay.” Gabriel grabbed my menu and looked over it while I stared at him. “What made you come out tonight?” His attention remained on the menu in his hands, thankfully.
“I don’t know. I guess I wanted to see if I still had it.”
“It?”
I nodded, a slow smile spreading across my face. “I haven’t been on a first date in over seven years.”
“Trust me, Win. You still got it.” He gazed at me for a moment before going back to reading the menu.
My cheeks warmed as I brought the martini glass to my mouth to conceal another growing smile.
“Seriously, this was supposed to be like a test run. If it went well, then I’d go on a few dates when I got back to LA.”
Placing the menu down, Gabriel nodded. “I get it.”
The waiter returned to our table to take Gabriel’s drink order and an appetizer. Once he left, Gabriel’s pensive eyes were on me.
“So, how do first dates work?” I asked with a laugh.
He sat back and stretched his arms around the back of our booth. “Well, you ask me what I do, why I’m single, blah, blah, blah.”
“Sounds like you’ve been on a few bad dates.”
“Yeah,” he drawled. “When I broke up with Danica, I jumped back out there. I figured I had to make up for the years I lost while being with her.” He chuckled. “I had maybe one good date.”
“Why didn’t it last?”
Gabriel’s eyes narrowed. “She wasn’t you.”
An exhale fell from my lips and a chill ran down my spine. “I’m not ready for another relationship, Gabe.”
“I know.”
My eyebrows drew together as my lips formed a pout. “So, what are you expecting to happen after this date?”
“I just want to spend as much time as I can with you while we’re home. I understand that you just got out of something and I’m willing to wait. Shit, I waited this long. What’s a few more weeks or months?”
Shaking my head, I tried to calm my racing heart and throbbing pussy. Gabriel was so charming and if I didn’t already know him, I’d think he was running game on me.
“Gabe,” I pushed out.
“Seriously, you need a friend right now. Let me be that… and whatever else you need, let me handle that for you.”
“Whatever else I need?” I mocked before giggling.
“Yeah. Whatever. If you need to talk, want to go on a date, want a kiss, or want to cuddle. I’m here… as your friend.” Gabriel’s expression was deadpan for like a second before the corners of his mouth curved into a smile.
“You’re ridiculous.”
“I mean it, though.”