Release Date: January 31st, 2020
Carter’s carefree, movie star lifestyle comes to an abrupt end when he becomes the guardian to a little girl he has never met before. Will his hot new neighbor Elijah prove to be the one thing he and Maisie need to make their family whole?
Carter Wilson has it all. A dazzling career, fame, fortune, and women falling at his feet. All that changes the day he becomes the guardian to his newly orphaned niece. When he moves to his hometown of Twilight Falls to give Maisie the stable life she deserves, the last thing Carter expects is a hot neighbor who is soon making him wish for things he has never wanted before.
After abandoning a promising career in Europe to fulfill the vow he made to his grandmother, pastry chef Elijah Davis is determined to make his new bakery business a success. What he doesn’t need is a distraction in the shape of the hunky movie star next door and the little girl who is fast worming her way into his heart.
But when an old flame chases Elijah to Twilight Falls and a bitter movie producer threatens to expose Carter’s secret bisexuality, both Elijah and Carter realize they will have to fight dirty if they want their relationship to survive.
Discover Carter and Elijah’s story in the bewitching second novel in Twilight Falls, the new series by the author of the bestselling, contemporary romance series Nights.
EXCERPT
“You look
like hell,” Sam said bluntly.
“Thanks,”
Elijah muttered. He finished folding the last puff pastry dough, wrapped the
batch in cling film, and popped them in the chiller.
Sam handed
him a cup of freshly brewed coffee. Elijah inhaled the smoky scent of roasted
French beans and savored the first sip with a tired sigh.
“You make
the best coffee.”
“You buy
the best coffee beans.” Sam frowned. “So, what’s up? The opening was a success
and we sold out within two hours. I know it’s only been three days, but I
thought you’d still be on cloud nine. By the way, I think we’re gonna need
another pair of hands out front if things stay as they are. Daisy is working
herself ragged serving the tables and I’m too busy behind the counter to help
her.”
Elijah
rubbed the back of his neck and winced at his stiff muscles. “I’m not getting
much sleep. And I agree. I thought we might have to hire a second waitress down
the line. I didn’t expect it would be this soon.”
“What can
I say? You make the best cakes on the West Coast and, according to most of the
women who visited the shop today, you’re sex on legs.” Sam raised an eyebrow.
“Why the lack of sleep? Too much fornicating?”
Elijah
groaned. “I wish. Besides, I’ve been single since I moved here.”
“There are
toys, Elijah,” Sam said bluntly.
“I worry
about you.” Elijah paused and pursed his lips. “My new neighbors have a child
who cries a lot at night.”
“Oh.” Sam
raised an eyebrow. “Have you spoken to them about it?”
“Not yet,”
Elijah murmured. “It looks like they’re struggling. Although, I’ve not really
seen the mom.”
“You tried
earplugs?” Sam said.
“I might
have to resort to that soon,” Elijah admitted.
They
closed shop a few hours later and headed their separate ways. Elijah considered
dining out before belatedly remembering the steak he had marinating in his
parents’ refrigerator.
God, I
must really be tired.
He drove
home, pulled up outside his parents’ house, and glanced at the lights blazing
out of the property opposite the road. There was a car parked at an angle on
the drive, as if its owner had come home in a hurry. It was a flashy, yellow
Maserati.
Elijah
frowned.
Not
exactly child friendly.
He went
inside, had the steak with a large glass of Cabernet Sauvignon, and plopped
down on the couch in the living room to catch a late night replay of a baseball
game. He must have fallen asleep as the next thing he knew, a loud shriek
jolted him awake. He bolted upright and almost fell off the couch.
“What
the—”
One of the
windows facing out front was open. A faint breeze stirred the curtains. It
brought with it the sound of crying.
Elijah
stared through the glass at the house across the way.
The scream
came again.
He jumped
up, snatched his cell and house keys, and ran outside. He was across the road
in seconds, took the porch stairs two steps at a time, and started pressing the
doorbell and banging on the door.
“Hey! Is
everything okay?!”
A child’s
sobs rose above the sound of the chimes of the bell from somewhere inside the
property.
Lights
were coming on in the adjacent house. An elderly couple appeared at a window,
faces pale, the woman’s hands clutching the top of her nightgown at her throat.
Elijah
gave them a reassuring wave where he stood under the porch light and resumed
knocking on the door.
The
child’s crying suddenly stopped.
A chill
filled his veins. Elijah wavered between calling the cops and kicking the damn
door open. He’d just raised his fist to strike it for the final time when it
opened unexpectedly.
Elijah
stumbled and almost fell inside. He grabbed the frame and righted himself at
the last second before staring at the man in the doorway.
The guy
was six feet tall, had dirty blond hair, arresting hazel eyes that were
currently glazed over with a mixture of exhaustion and frustration, and a body
and a face to die for.
Elijah’s
gaze dropped to the red blotches smeared across the man’s white T-shirt and the
bread knife in his hand. His stomach
clenched with fear.
Shit! Is
that—blood?!
A low sob
and a sniffle came from somewhere behind the guy. Anger overcame Elijah’s
dread. He drew his arm back and punched the guy in the face.
“You
bastard!” Elijah stormed inside the house, aware he was doing something
stupidly crazy. “Where is she?!”
A hiccup
came from down a hallway decorated in pale pastels. Elijah followed the sound
to the back of the house, his knuckles throbbing. The man mumbled something
incoherent and followed in his footsteps.
Elijah
entered a modern kitchen-diner that overlooked the property’s rear garden and
the evergreen forest that backed onto it, glanced around, and staggered to a
stop, his eyes rounding.
The little
girl with the blonde hair stood in the middle of the room, a teddy bear with
tattered ears and limbs in one hand and an upended bottle of ketchup in the
other. There was a petulant expression on her face.
Elijah’s
gaze moved from the puddles of red sauce on the floor, to the remains of what
looked like a butchered hot dog on a plate on the black marble island.
“What on
earth is going on?”
Fresh
tears gathered in the little girl’s blue eyes. She let out a loud bawl.
About the author:
Ava Marie Salinger is the pen name of an Amazon bestselling author who has always wanted to write scorching hot contemporary romance. In 2018, she finally decided to venture to the steamy side. NIGHTS is the first of several sizzling series featuring sweet, sexy men with dark pasts and a whole lot of love to give to the ones brave enough to fight for their hearts. When she’s not dreaming up hotties to write about, you’ll find Ava creating kickass music playlists to write to, spying on the wildlife in her garden, drooling over gadgets, and eating Chinese.
Want to be the first to know about Ava’s new releases and get access to exclusive content, sneak previews, sales, and giveaways? Then sign up to her Reader Group here and join her VIP Facebook Fan Group here.
Author's Giveaway
Very handsome cover. I enjoyed the excerpt and am looking forward to this novel.
ReplyDeletethe man on the cover is good looking
ReplyDeleteThis sounds like a great book.
ReplyDeleteLoved Alex (1st book in the series) and can't wait to start this one as well!!
ReplyDeleteGreat cover! Best wishes on the new release.
ReplyDeleteLooks good.
ReplyDelete