Spotlight & Giveaway: Playing for Keeps by Jill Shalvis

Today, HJ is pleased to share with you Jill Shalvis’s new release: Playing for Keeps

If you’re planning on falling in love…

When it comes to the confident, charismatic Caleb Parker, Sadie Lane feels the spark—the kind that comes from rubbing each other the wrong way. She’s yoga pants, he’s a suit. She’s a tattoo artist, he’s a straight-laced mogul. But after they accidentally co-rescue an abandoned dog from a storm, Sadie sees a vulnerable side to the seemingly invincible hottie.

You’d better be sure…

Caleb doesn’t do emotions. Growing up the underdog, he’s learned the hard way to build up an impenetrable wall. Perfect for business. Disastrous for relationships. He’s never worried about it before—not until he finally gets behind Sadie’s armor and begins to fall.

Someone is there to catch you.

Both guarded and vulnerable, Sadie and Caleb are complete opposites. Or are they? Shocked at their undeniable connection, can they ever admit to wanting more? That all depends on what they’re each willing to risk.

Enjoy an exclusive excerpt from Playing for Keeps 

Caleb rubbed his jaw to the top of Lollipop’s soft head, which she tucked into his neck. “You bathed her,” he said.
Sadie nodded. “To help warm her up last night. We showered together. It was quite the adventure.”
Annnnnnnddd now he was picturing her in the shower. Naked… Lollipop squirmed to be freed and he let her go.
She immediately set about chasing her tail. She bashed into a wall and then a chair, which didn’t slow her down.
“Why is she chasing her tail?” he asked.
“Because she can.”
Lollipop stopped chasing her tail and toppled over. She panted for a few beats and then … went back to doing wheelies, stopping every few circles to smile up at him. She was excited to see him, he realized, and while she continued to go absolutely bonkers, he felt that same odd quiver in the region of his chest as he had last night. When she toppled over again, he scooped her up.
She immediately starting swimming through the air with her three legs, trying to get to his face, so he pulled her closer. She settled right in and set her head on his shoulder, and his heart rolled over and exposed its underbelly. He actually didn’t even know what to do with all the feelings. How the hell did people do this? “I thought I’d take her to get checked out,” he said. “Make sure she’s okay, and then—“
“I’m not giving her back to whatever asshole deserted her on the streets,” Sadie said.
“Agreed. But I want to get her to a vet and go from there.”
“How are you going to get her into a vet this early?”
“I’ve got her an appointment at seven.”
She just stared at him. “I can’t have this conversation in my pj’s.”
“And you’re in your pj’s because…?”
“Give me five minutes,” she said instead of answering.
He had no idea what kind of conversation required a change of clothing, but he’d grown up with four sisters. He wasn’t stupid. He just nodded and she vanished into the back. But five minutes, his ass. He’d never met a woman who could get ready to go out the door in less than an hour.
But sure enough, five minutes later, she re-appeared in a soft looking black sweater and jeans snugged to her curves with some strategic frayed holes in one thigh and the opposite knee, giving him peekaboo hints of skin. They were tucked into kickass boots that made a man think about what she’d look like in just those boots. She’d added some make up and piled her dark hair on top of her head, her blue highlights once again emphasizing her blue eyes.
“Impressive,” he said while thinking – why are you sleeping in the shop?
“You have your superhero armor,” she said, nodding to his suit. “And I’ve got mine.”
He wondered why she needed armor. He wondered a lot about her. “I was referring to the fact that you really only took ten minutes to get ready for your day.”
She shrugged. “I’m different.”
She absolutely was. And he was starting to realize how much he liked it. “Are you living here?”
“No.”
“You clearly slept here last night,” he pointed out.
She shrugged. “I do that sometimes when I work really late, that’s all.”
Okay. But he knew she rented an apartment in the Tenderloin, which wasn’t very far away. But if money was the problem, she’d no doubt be worrying about the cost of a vet, and probably also about having another mouth to feed.
Another pang in his chest, except this time it was for the two legged female in the room. He wanted to offer to help in some way, in any way, but she was so damn prickly, he didn’t dare risk her pride. “How about I take her? The vet’s a friend of mine who owes me a favor.”
“What did you do, get him on the QVC or something?”
He had to laugh. “Just what exactly is it that you think I do for a living?”
“You’re one of those genius Shark Tank investors who backs cool inventions.”
He laughed. “That’s actually shockingly accurate.”
She shrugged. “Ivy told me about some of what you and Spence have done together, and that now you’re also doing something for NASA. You’re working on a trash pick up system for space.” She paused, seemed to be embarrassed that she knew so much about him, and crossed her arms. “Or whatever.”
He went brows up. First, he’d never seen Sadie anything but utterly comfortable in her own skin. And second, Ivy was a friend of his as well. She operated the taco truck outside the building, and her food was amazing. When she’d recently run into some trouble with the person who’d owned the truck before her, he’d offered a lucrative business deal. Now she was the sole proprietor and he a silent partner on a deal that had turned out to be beneficial to them both. She got to be her own boss and he got the best food on the planet whenever he was here at the Pacific Pier Building.
He’d known Ivy and Sadie were tight, that didn’t surprise him, but what did was that he’d been the topic of discussion between them. “Until yesterday, you and I have barely said two words to each other. Why would you be gossiping about me?”
“It wasn’t gossip.” But she looked away, unable to hold his gaze.
Even more fascinating.
“My point being,” she said, “is that you’re probably too busy taking over the world to go to the vet.”
“I’ve made the time.”
“I don’t know,” she said. “What if you pass out from the still-to-be-seen dog allergy.”
“I’ll manage.” He scooped up Lollipop, who gave him a cheerful lick on his chin.
“I’m coming with.”
“Why?”
She shrugged. “If you stop breathing, who’s going to give you mouth to mouth?”
He stopped and met her gaze. “Are you saying you would?”
“I’m saying I don’t want you dead, is all.”
He’d take it.

Excerpt. ©Jill Shalvis. Posted by arrangement with the publisher. All rights reserved.

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Meet the Author:

New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Jill Shalvis writes warm, funny, sexy contemporary romances and women’s fiction. An Amazon, BN & iBooks bestseller, she’s also a two-time RITA winner and has more than 10 million copies of her books sold worldwide.

Buy Links
Kindle: https://amzn.to/2rBps2S
iBooks: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/playing-for-keeps/id1336069077?mt=11
Nook: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/playing-for-keeps-jill-shalvis/1128572949?ean=9780062741868#/
Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/playing-for-keeps-81
GPlay: https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Jill_Shalvis_Playing_for_Keeps?id=d3lbDwAAQBAJ
Paperback: https://jillshalvis.com/books/playing-for-keeps/#order
Series Buy Link: http://jillshalvis.com/books/#heartbreaker-series