Spotlight & Giveaway: The Reluctant Flirt by Jennifer Probst

Today, HJ is pleased to share with you Jennifer Probst’s new release: The Reluctant Flirt

Hello, my lovelies! I’m thrilled to be here today to share a super exclusive, yummy excerpt from my newest romcom, The Reluctant Flirt! I hope you enjoy and add Kane & Sierra’s story to your summer reading!

Just one night…

After discovering her husband’s affair, Sierra Lourde flees to New York City for a little damage control—and a lot of wine. A tipsy night in a bar with a charming stranger seems like the perfect way to forget her troubles. No names, no promises, just one night to escape reality and regain her confidence. The next morning, mortified by her vulnerability, she flees without looking back. But who needs closure, right?

But one night changes everything…

Sierra has reinvented herself as the proud owner of Flirt, a trendy boutique in the Outer Banks. Life is good—until Kane Masterson, the man she left behind, walks back into town. And of course, he’s now the developer whose big new project threatens to bulldoze her beloved shop. Kane needs this deal to save his career (and his brother), but Sierra’s not about to let him demolish her hard-won success.

With sparks flying, sarcastic jabs turning into lingering looks, and a family wedding forcing them into close quarters, Sierra and Kane find themselves tangled in a battle of wills—and hearts. But now he has to choose: reclaim his career or risk everything for a second chance with the one woman he can’t forget.

Enjoy an exclusive excerpt from The Reluctant Flirt 

Kane watched her open the door like she was about to face her executioner. Irritation rippled through him, but he made sure to keep his face expressionless. Talk about an ego sting. The woman he was obsessed with didn’t even want to talk to him. She’d be happier to pretend they’d never spent the night together and move on as if they were strangers.
He studied her in the porch light. She hadn’t changed yet, but her hair was loose, the caramel strands tousled and soft. He remembered how he’d fisted her hair, a tangle of silk against his palm.
White tapered pants snugly hugged her curves. He remembered grasping her hips and lifting her over his body, then slowly lowering her to sink deeply inside her warm, clinging heat.
The silk t-shirt was patterned with yellow and white daisies. The V-neck plunged low in the front, emphasizing the golden tanned skin. He remembered cupping those lush breasts, watching as her nipples hardened and flushed a strawberry red, begging for his tongue.
Those hazel eyes were known to change with her mood, from a misty blue to a brown-green, and every shade in between, accented by thick lashes. He remembered the way her pupils dilated when she was on the edge of orgasm; the yearning intensity in those mysterious depths burning only for him and what he could give her.
Now, they were cool and narrowed in defense. Her aura pricked with edginess. Kane refused to acknowledge the hurt flaring inside at her dismissal. He needed to cling to the facts he’d gathered all these months while he bided his time. Over and over, his research always circled back to one thing.
She wanted him, too. She was just scared shitless.
“Can I come in or would you like to do this for your neighbors’ entertainment?”
Without a word, she swung the screen door open.
Kane walked in. It was the first time he was inside her house. He looked about, greedy for more information, noting the elegance and warmth amidst the classic southern beach vibe. Personal accents showed off the things she loved.
Artwork. Canvases of beach photography. Modern watercolors swirled with a free, heavy hand. Black and white photographs of her and Aspen in childhood and through the years. A framed wedding photo of her parents.
Curated knickknacks. Delicately blown glass figurines. Driftwood sculptures. Seashell-encrusted mirrors. Sea glass in colorful bowls.
Comfort. Oversized pillows, thick crocheted blankets, and coffee table books highlighting fashion and jewelry.
The décor matched her—he could easily picture Sierra in this space.
She stood a few feet away, watching him. Kane decided to wait her out, until the silence between them stretched with awareness. “Well?” she finally said.
He crossed his arms in front of his chest. Regarded her with a lazy deliberation he knew affected her. “Don’t you think it’s time to tell our truths?”
Her eyes widened. “Haven’t we done that? I thought we both agreed to move forward in our separate lives.”
“No, you did. I just decided to wait until I felt you were ready to stop hiding.”
She shook her head. “You’re delusional. I’m not hiding from anything or anyone. Especially you. I’ve been living my life, and from what I’ve heard, so have you.”
He deliberately pushed. “Meaning?”
“Are you kidding? You’re dating every woman in OBX. You’re certainly not brooding and carrying some torch for me so stop playing the role of victim.”
Satisfaction unfurled. Good, she was jealous. Still dialed in to his activities even if she pretended she didn’t care. It was time to finally start with a clean slate. “When we first met, the only thing I wanted to do was reconnect. I wasn’t the one pretending that night meant nothing. And after that amazing performance where you pretty much laughed in my face and said you barely remembered me except for a few orgasms. How do you think that made me feel, Sierra?”
The anguish that flashed in those beautiful eyes finally eased his own. “I thought it was best not to relive the past,” she said stiffly.
“For you, not me. Hell, you treated me like I had the fucking plague. Brick thinks I asked you out and was rejected. I guarantee Aspen believes you think I’m an arrogant jerk. Anyone around us jokes about how we can’t seem to be in the same room together without keeping our distance. If you didn’t mean to draw attention to us, your plan backfired.”
He watched the emotions flicker across her heart-shaped face. Kane sensed he needed to go hard in this confrontation or it would be too easy for her to hide behind neat rationalizations. But he wanted the truth.
She reached up to push her hair back. He noticed her hand trembled. “I was giving you an easy out. This is gossip central around here. If anyone realized we knew each other beforehand, they’d dig and probe until they found the truth.”
He arched a brow. “Why would that be bad?”
Her eyes widened. “Are you kidding? We had a one-night stand and didn’t even know each other’s name. Even my sister doesn’t know and I tell her everything. I assumed it was better for us both to move on.”
“You assumed wrong. I have no shame about that night. Do you?” Kane held his breath. If she denied it, something precious inside him would break.
The words trembled on her lips, but she couldn’t do it. “No.”
Relief loosened his muscles. He could work with the rest. “One thing we agree on.” He took in her defensive posture and sighed. “Sierra, do you know how many times I thought of you over the years? I woke up that morning thinking we shared something special, but you were gone. It was as if I’d been punched in the gut. You left me without an explanation or a goodbye. You made me question our night together and if it was real.”
“I’m sorry.” Regret edged her husky voice. “I realized when I woke up that it was impossible for us. We were in two different places in our life. I was a mess and I was afraid if we tried to have a rational conversation over something that was…that was like what I experienced…it may ruin everything.”
“So, you didn’t just fuck me to get revenge on your ex?”
Temper snapped her chin up. “No! Is that what you thought?”
He gave half a shrug, deliberately baiting her. “How would I know? You disappeared twice. Avoid me at every gathering and refuse to speak to me in private. What am I supposed to think?”
Blistering heat shot from her eyes. “Don’t pretend you didn’t know the rules. We agreed it was one night, and you sure as hell weren’t ready for some serious long-distance relationship. I did you a favor. I let you off the hook so we could both have the memory.”
“No. You ran for you—not me. I didn’t get a chance to make my choice. It wasn’t about a few great orgasms for me.”
“Me either!”
His voice was like a whiplash. “Then what was it?”
“Magic!” She spit out the word with a gorgeous feminine fury. Over the past months, he’d seen Sierra the ice queen, the professional businesswoman, and the supportive sister. But this was the woman he’d remembered—the wild, free spirit who took what she wanted without apology or fear.
Satisfaction gripped him. He took a few steps forward and closed the distance. The scent of wildflowers drifted from her skin. He locked down his attention before his body shut off his brain cells and he reached for her. “About damn time you admitted it. Because it was magic. I’ve spent months trying to figure out why you refused to even acknowledge me or what we shared.”
A shuddering breath escaped her bubblegum pink lips. He tried not to think how those same lips had opened for the thrust of his tongue; how her taste still flooded his senses in his dreams. But that was too much for now. She was like the wild horses, and Kane had no desire to tame her. He just craved the idea of her coming to him on her own terms. “Don’t you understand I’d never experienced anything like that night before? I didn’t know what to do with it, Kane. I had a life back here; one I needed to rebuild from scratch. You were on the quest to be a Manhattan billionaire and admitted relationships weren’t your thing. Did you want me to hang around for another rejection or false promises? Were we going to FaceTime each other a few days per week and have phone sex? What did you want from me?”
“A chance. I wanted a chance because losing you wrecked me, Sierra.”

Excerpt. ©Jennifer Probst. Posted by arrangement with the publisher. All rights reserved.
 
 

Giveaway: A print copy of Book of the Month (Outer Banks 1) by Jennifer Probst

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Meet the Author:

Jennifer Probst wrote her first book at twelve years old. She bound it in a folder, read it to her classmates, and hasn’t stopped writing since. She holds a masters in English Literature and lives in the beautiful Hudson Valley in upstate New York.
She is the New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal bestselling author of over fifty books in contemporary romance fiction.. She was thrilled her book, The Marriage Bargain, spent 26 weeks on the New York Times. Her work has been translated in over a dozen countries, sold over a million copies, and was dubbed a “romance phenom” by Kirkus Reviews. She loves hearing from readers. Subscribe to her newsletter to get a free book at www.jenniferprobst.com/subscribe