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Albert Camus

Don't walk behind me; I may not lead. Don't walk in front of me; I may not follow. Just walk beside me and be my friend.

Friday, February 20, 2015

The real reason - Playing Without Rules: A Baseball Romance by Rachelle Ayala

From Goodreads: "This book is heartbreaking yet through all the tears there is some light at the end of the tunnel. The book deals with some tough issues, like domestic abuse, but is done in a very tactful way. The emotions of the characters were raw and you felt all the pain that they did. The characters are believable and very well written!"

Description:

Published: February 3rd, 2015

A ballplayer's girlfriend hides his daughter from him because she fears he's like his abusive father.

Marcia Powers wants nothing to do with ballplayer Brock Carter, especially after she told him to go away and pursue his dreams. She has more than she can handle with an elderly father, a business to run, and a four-year-old daughter posing as her baby sister.

Brock Carter's back in town to rekindle his romance with Marcia, and this time, he's not letting her run him out of town. Marcia is unable to resist Brock, but determined to keep her secret.

Brock's already lost his heart to Marcia once. Will he lose every dream, including baseball, when he discovers the real reason Marcia sent him away?

EXCERPT



The last person Marcia wanted to see dancing with Brock was Jeanine. She’d rather sink into a sinkhole, but the sooner she showed Brock she didn’t care, the faster he’d leave her alone.

The crowd parted as Conrad pulled Marcia onto the floor to sway to the solo guitar riffs of Eric Clapton’s song, “Wonderful Tonight.”

Shit. Shit. Shit. Seeing Jeanine and Brock together squeezed all the blood from her veins.

They were dancing so close, pressed against each other like lovers. Marcia’s stomach revolted, and her heart pole-vaulted to her throat as nausea enveloped her in Conrad’s arms.

She wasn’t feeling wonderful at all. Not with Conrad’s creaky voice in her ear and her hands on his soft, hollow chest. As he sang in her ear, one word jumped and poked Marcia’s sodden heart. Conrad said “long blond,” but the singer sang “dark brown.”

At that moment, Brock turned toward Marcia and stared at her, his gaze penetrating through her core. As if in a daze, Jeanine unwrapped herself from him and claimed Conrad, while Brock reeled Marcia in.

All sorts of relief and fireworks and happy steps bounced and exploded over Marcia’s skin, nerves, and heart. She sank into Brock’s embrace, losing all muscle tone and would have collapsed if he hadn’t held her.

“Are you wonderful tonight?” he whispered, his hot breath fanning her ear.

Marcia could only nod in awe. Everything seemed sweeter. The colors brighter, the scents and sounds more vibrant, and she was enclosed in a warm and comforting bubble, isolated and clinging onto her lifeline, the only man who’d ever be enough for her.

“That’s good, Marcia, because sometimes I wonder if you don’t realize just how much I love you.”

Marcia wasn’t sure when the music stopped, or how the dance ended. Had Jeanine taken over at the bar? Where did Conrad go? Or did she even care?

Brock had her in his arms outside the bar, standing under a desert willow. His greenish-gray eyes glistened tenderly, focused on her, dark with desire, yet narrowed and questioning.

“Did you really believe I’d fall for your Jeanine trap?” He caressed the side of her lips with his index finger. “Did you have such little faith in me, or were you testing me?”

Marcia felt all kinds of caught, like pants-down on the toilet caught. All the worry and fears of Jeanine having her way with Brock tumbled like play bricks in a preschool romper room.

Whether Brock loved her or not wasn’t the issue. And yes, she’d been worried sick. As for Jeanine, she truly was the best friend ever, and Marcia shouldn’t have begrudged her eternal happiness, except not with Brock. Not ever.

“Seeing as how you’re speechless, I’ll take it as a win. Let’s go back to my place.”

He still wanted her? After the crap she’d just pulled?



About the author:
Rachelle Ayala is an author of dramatic romantic suspense and humorous, sexy contemporary romances. Her heroines are feisty and her heroes hot. She writes emotionally challenging stories but believes in the power of love and hope.

Subscribe to her mailing list for upcoming books and giveaways and find her books at online retailers 

Fiction: Michal’s Window, Broken Build, Hidden Under Her Heart, Chance for Love Boxed Set, Knowing Vera, Taming Romeo, Whole Latte Love, Played by Love, Playing the Rookie, A Father for Christmas, Claiming Carlos

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