Title: A Love Letter to Whiskey
Author: Kandi Steiner
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Cover Design: Quirky Bird
Photographer: Perrywinkle Photography
Release Date: October 13, 2016
Blurb
It’s crazy how fast the buzz comes back after you’ve been sober for so long.
Whiskey stood there, on my doorstep, just like he had one year before. Except this time, there was no rain, no anger, no wedding invitation — it was just us.
It was just him — the old friend, the easy smile, the twisted solace wrapped in a glittering bottle.
It was just me — the alcoholic, pretending like I didn’t want to taste him, realizing too quickly that months of being clean didn’t make me crave him any less.
But we can’t start here.
No, to tell this story right, we need to go back.
Back to the beginning.
Back to the very first drop.
This is my love letter to Whiskey. I only hope he reads it.
Excerpt
(pre-final edits)
The first time I tasted Whiskey, I fell flat on my face.
Literally.
I was drunk from the very first sip, and I guess that should have been my sign to stay away.
Jenna and I were running the trail around the lake near her house, sweat dripping into our eyes from the intense South Florida heat. It was early September, but in South Florida, it might as well have been July. There was no “boots and scarves” season, unless you counted the approximately six weeks in January and February where the temperature dropped below eighty degrees.
As it was, we were battling ninety-plus degrees, me trying to be a show off and prove I could keep up with Jenna’s cheerleading training program. She had finally made the varsity squad, and with that privilege came ridiculous standards she had to uphold. I hated running — absolutely loathed it. I would much rather have been on my surf board that day. But fortunately for Jenna, she had a competitive best friend who never turned down a challenge. So when she asked me to train with her, I’d agreed eagerly, even knowing I’d have screaming ribs and calves by the end of the day.
I saw him first.
I was just a few steps ahead of Jenna, and I’d been staring down at my hot pink sneakers as they hit the concrete. When I looked up, he was about fifty feet away, and even from that distance I could tell I was in trouble. He seemed sort of average at first — brown hair, lean build, soaked white running shirt — but the closer he got, the more I realized just how edible he was. I noticed the shift in the muscles of his legs as he ran, the way his hair bounced slightly, how he pressed his lips together in concentration as he neared us.
I looked over my shoulder, attempting to waggle my eyebrows at Jenna and give her the secret best friend code for “hot guy up ahead”, but she had stopped to tie her shoes. And when I turned back around, it was too late.
I smacked into him — hard — and fell to the pavement, rolling a bit to soften the fall. He cursed and I groaned, more from embarrassment than pain. I wish I could say I gracefully picked myself up, smiled radiantly, and asked him for his number, but the truth is I lost the ability to do anything the minute I looked up at him.
It was an unfamiliar, warm ache that spread through my chest as I used my hand to shield the sun streaming in behind his silhouette, just how you’d expect the first sip of whiskey to feel. He was bent over, hand outstretched, saying something that wasn’t registering because I had somehow managed to slip my hand into his and just that one touch had set my skin on fire.
Handsome wasn’t the right word to describe him, but it was all I kept thinking as I traced his features. His hair was a sort of mocha color, damp at the roots, falling onto his forehead just slightly. His eyes were wide — almost too round — and a mixture of gold, green, and the deepest brown. I didn’t coin the nickname Whiskey until much later, but it was that moment that I saw it for the first time — those were whiskey eyes. The kind of eyes you get lost in. The kind that drink you in. He had the longest lashes and a firm, square jaw. It was so hard, the edges so clean that I would have sworn he was angry with me if it weren’t for the smile on his face.He was still talking as my eyes fell over his broad chest before snapping back up to his sideways grin.
“Oh my God, are you fucking blind?!” Jenna’s voice snapped me from my haze as she shoved Whiskey out of the way and latched onto my hand, ripping me back to standing position. I’d barely caught my balance before she whipped around to continue her scolding. “How about you brush that long ass hair out of your eyes and watch where you’re going, huh champ?”
Oh no.
I didn’t even have time to call dibs, I couldn’t even think the word, let alone say it, before it was too late. I watched it, in slow motion, as Whiskey fell for my best friend before I even had the chance to say a single word to him.
Jenna was standing tall, arms crossed, one hip popped in her usual fashion as she waited for him to defend himself. This was her protocol — it was one of the reasons we got along. We were both what you’d call “spitfires”, but Jenna had the distinct advantage of being cripplingly gorgeous on top of having an attitude. She flipped her long, wavy blonde ponytail behind her and cocked a brow.
And then he did, too.
His smile grew wider as he met her eyes, and it was the same look I’d watched fall over guy after countless guy. Jenna was a unicorn, and men were enamored by her. As they should have been — she had platinum blonde hair, crystal blue eyes, legs for days and a personality to boot. Now, before you go thinking that I was the insecure best friend - I had it going on, too. I worked hard, I was talented - just not at the things traditional high school boys valued.
But we’ll get to that.
“Hi,” Whiskey finally said, extending his hand to Jenna this time. His eyes were warm, smile inviting — if I had to pick the right word for him, just one, I’d say charming. He just oozed charm. “I’m Jamie.”
“Well, Jamie, maybe you should make an appointment with the eye doctor before you run over another innocent jogger. And you owe Brecks an apology.” She nodded to me then and I cringed at my name, wondering why she felt the need to spill it at all. She always called me B — everyone did — so why did she choose the moment I was face to face with the first boy to ever make my heart accelerate to use my full name?
Jamie was still grinning, eying Jenna, trying to figure her out, but he turned to me after a moment with that same crooked smile. “I’m sorry, I should have been watching where I was going.” He said the words with conviction, but lifted his brows on that last line because he and I both knew who wasn’t paying attention to the trail, and he wasn’t the guilty party.
“It’s fine,” I murmured, because for some reason I was still having a difficult time finding my voice. Jamie tilted his head just a fraction, his eyes hard on me this time, and I felt naked beneath his gaze. I’d never had anyone look at me that way — completely zeroed in. It was unnerving and exhilarating, too.
But before I could latch onto the feeling, he turned back to Jenna, their eyes meeting as slow smiles spread on both of their faces. I’d seen it a million times, but this was the first time I felt sick watching it happen.
I saw him first, but it didn’t matter.
Because he saw her.
Author Bio
Kandi Steiner is a Creative Writing and Advertising/Public Relations graduate from the University of Central Florida living in Tampa with her husband. Kandi works full time as a social media specialist, but also works part time as a Zumba fitness instructor and blackjack dealer.
Kandi started writing back in the 4th grade after reading the first Harry Potter installment. In 6th grade, she wrote and edited her own newspaper and distributed to her classmates. Eventually, the principal caught on and the newspaper was quickly halted, though Kandi tried fighting for her “freedom of press.” She took particular interest in writing romance after college, as she has always been a die hard hopeless romantic (like most girls brought up on Disney movies).
When Kandi isn’t working or writing, you can find her reading books of all kinds, talking with her extremely vocal cat, and spending time with her friends and family. She enjoys beach days, movie marathons, live music, craft beer and sweet wine – not necessarily in that order.
Author Links
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༺༻ Blurb ༺༻
The DarkSide Saga
Book 1 Fallen Angel
Fallen Angel charts the exploration of an unseen world by Nicole Cannock, an average working mum, who has discovered that her liking for more “alternative” sexual practices leaves her feeling unfulfilled. Having dabbled for a brief period in the past, she decides one quiet evening to see if there was something more… and that brings her to Der Unterworld, a chat-site that caters for the BDSM and alternative lifestyles.
After establishing herself as an obedient “submissive”, she draws the attention of DL, an enigmatic character that inspires fear within those chat rooms, yet that element of danger is irresistible for her. Despite warnings from the other women she allows herself to be pulled into his world, a world of dark desires, until the time comes where she has to meet him in person.
That first meeting opens something deep inside her…a longing and release of primal urges, and so begins a journey into a twilight world of sexual submission and control. He claims her for his own, a gesture that is stronger than marriage in that world, and he slowly begins to test her to the very limits of her imagination.
It was the last place she expected to find love; however the complex feelings that intense eroticism creates within both of them leads them down a path that cannot be denied. Nicole’s increasing frustration at the way DL keeps her at arm’s length, and his inability to express his feelings causes a rift that nearly becomes final; however, his growing realisation at how important she was to him makes him orchestrate a way for them to be together. Using his immense power and influence in the shadowy world he has created, he brings her back to his side in the amazing setting of a Grand Ball.
༺༻ Bio ༺༻
Douglas Vaughan
Known across social media as an author and poet, Douglas Vaughan brings you gritty contemporary adult stories that will keep you hooked for the whole series. Based around a group of people who inhabit a very real shadowy world, the 6-book DarkSide Saga is full of passion, adventure, drama and shocking events that will make you look at people around you in a whole new light. The last part of the series, DL: Reborn, is also available as an audio-book read by the Author himself!
To show his versatility, each Friday on Twitter at @Dvaughanauthor under the guise of The Scribe, Douglas Vaughan delves into the realms of poetry and prose. As well as entertaining his large following with "Flash Prose" created in 90 seconds from their prompts, he posts pre-prepared work for their delight, so come along and join in the #FridayFrolics!
Aged 55 and determined to grow old disgracefully with style, Douglas Vaughan resides in the Midlands of the UK.
༺༻ Follow Douglas Vaughan༺༻
Amazon Page: https://www.amazon.co.uk/-/e/B019KU9Y8O
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DVaughanAuthor/
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Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/ThisIsTheScribe/
༺༻Excerpt༺༻
She lay on the floor, holding the man next to her tightly. Her breathing had subsided to a quiet whisper, but her body still sang with the feelings she had experienced and every orifice she possessed felt bruised and tender. She looked down at him, and found he was looking back, his dark eyes searching her face, a smile on his lips. She opened her mouth to speak, but her throat was hoarse, dry, and by the time she had cleared her throat his finger had touched her lips.
“Shhhhhh my little one” he said “be still”,
and he had drawn her down against his chest. She pressed herself against the hairs, listened to the steady thump of his heart, and let the previous days wash over her again………
༺༻Buy Links༺༻
Book 1 is Free for a limited time only!
Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01J6G4KEK
Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01J6G4KEK
*******Twitter and Instagram post*********
FREE for a limited time! #FallenAngel by @DVaughanAuthor
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UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01J6G4KEK
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