When writing Almost Taken, I first started
with the series title.
Two Weddings, One Funeral, & One Baby
It’s something very different than the erotic romance I had been writing for so long. I wanted something that would be catchy and straight to the point. The fun after that is how to connect all these stories and topics. For example, in Almost Taken, the two lead characters – Jared and Becky – aren’t the ones getting married! In fact, it’s a mutual friend’s wedding that brings them together, again, after they encounter one another before. The story was fun to write because it’s fast, flirty, and packed with romance. There’s no jumping straight to bed here. Mainly that’s because Becky has a relationship. Something Jared respects but pains him to see.
So, just how do they end up together? That’ll be your job to find out when you read the book!
Here’s an excerpt from Almost Taken (Two Weddings, One Funeral, & One Baby)…
Two Weddings, One Funeral, & One Baby Book 1: ALMOST TAKEN
Jared Crowley was supposed to sell the apartment to the rich, powerful Harry Pitt and his beautiful girlfriend, Becky... not fall in love with Becky.
When Harry shows up to the apartment again, this time with a different woman donning an engagement ring, Jared is thrown into a world of deceit, and Harry threatens to tarnish Jared's successful career. Jared battles his emotions on what to do next, which only gets more complicated when he's invited to be in the wedding party of a close friend whose fiancée has asked Becky to be a bridesmaid.
Secrets will be bared and hearts will be broken, but can a new love overcome it all? __________
Jared stepped from the steps, still smiling, still confident. “You know, now that you mention it, I’m going to look into it. That’s my car, I shouldn’t have parked there. But you will have at least one parking spot on the street and there’s a small lot out back for another.” Harry nodded, not really in approval, but that didn’t get to Jared. Jared walked down the sidewalk and met Harry who had a thick hand out, ready for one of those classic I’m-better-than-you handshakes. He grabbed Jared’s hand, squeezed, and moved it up and down. Jared endured for a few seconds until something else caught his attention. He didn’t realize Harry had brought someone with him. All Jared’s mind could do was what it had been trained to do for years. Pick out features. Auburn hair, just below the shoulders. Soft curls, some thicker than others, natural. Smooth skin and... brown eyes... “Damn, relax,” Harry said and pulled his hand away. Jared looked down and realized that he’d taken over the handshake, squeezing tighter than Harry cared for. “Sorry,” Jared said. “So you have company?” “Yes,” Harry said. He turned and put a hand out. Jared watched as the woman took Harry’s hand. She wore a pair of jeans, white shoes with blue stripes, and a dark blue t-shirt that hugged everywhere. Harry pulled her tight, always making the world aware he was the alpha male, and slid his arm around her. “She’s lucky I love her,” Harry said. “Messing up a good suit like this.” The woman smiled and her cheeks flushed. “I’m sorry I look this way. I was working all morning...” “You look fine,” Jared said. He cleared his throat and opened the leather folder, needing to keep his attention away from the woman. “She paints,” Harry said. “Of all things, right? I get mixed up with a painter.” Jared had to look up. He looked at Harry even though his eyes wanted to strain to look at the woman. He nodded. “Opposites, right?” “Yes, I suppose so.” Harry looked at the woman and she opened her eyes wide. “Oh, how ignorant can I be? Jared, this is Rebecca. Rebecca, this is Jared.” “Rebecca,” Jared said. He put his hand out and Rebecca took it. “Please, call me Becky,” she smiled. “Becky then. What do you paint?” “Right now...” “Anything she wants,” Harry cut in. “We met when I needed someone to paint a mural on one of my walls. It just looked so damn bare and I remember going to this Italian restaurant as a kid and the back wall was a mural. That’s what I wanted. Then Rebecca showed up. She painted the mural and stole my heart.” “Murals,” Jared said. “That’s quite impressive.” “Not just murals,” Becky said. “I paint everything.” “Plain walls?” Jared asked and smiled. “Of course.” “But she’s not for hire,” Harry said, squeezing Becky’s shoulder. “She’s working on her own art.” “That’s even better,” Jared said. “Well, you should be happy to hear the third bedroom can double as a loft, with the back window overlooking the park. Very...” “Inspirational?” Becky asked. “That’s the word,” Jared said. He wrote it down even though he had the word lingering on his tongue. “Standing outside isn’t going to make me buy the place,” Harry sniped. Jared watched Harry check his watch and look around again. The man never had any patience even though all he had was time. With a multi-million dollar hotel business now in his hands thanks to his father, Harry Pitt had nothing to worry about when it came to money Jared held the front door for Harry and Becky. He always lingered behind prospective buyers to allow them to explore a feeling of home. He didn’t want to be a tour guide and give off the appeal that people were just there to look. They were there to visualize themselves in the house. They were there to buy. Jared called out obvious features and details, noticing how Becky looked around with wide eyes, looking pretty and hopeful. Harry, however, eyeballed the place, pointing out things wrong. Jared went along with it, taking diligent notes, tempted to discuss with Harry the option to buy land and build a house. “I like it,” Harry announced as he stood just outside the third bedroom. Becky walked in circles inside the room. She touched the pale walls, then her fingertips. Jared could tell she was gaining her own inspiration by the second. “It’ll make a home after the wedding, for sure,” Harry said. For whatever reason, Jared felt his heart sting and for the first time in a long time, he actually felt a little jealousy in his blood. “Wedding?” Jared asked. He caught himself looking at Becky as she walked towards Harry, wanting to see her hand to see the diamond Harry must have purchased. “That’s the best time to get a new place. Then it’s yours, together.” “Exactly my thought,” Harry said. “But we’re not getting married soon,” Becky said. “Never a rush, right?” Jared asked. “We’re not engaged,” Becky said. Jared noted a little contempt in Becky’s voice and hurried to pull out a copy of the listing on the apartment. “What I’m thinking with the current owners...” “It’s not that we’re not engaged,” Harry cut in, “we’re planning on getting engaged. Soon.” “Planning on it,” Becky said. She smiled and when Harry looked at her, he bought it. Jared didn’t buy the smile, but then again, it wasn’t his concern. At all. It bothered Jared that it bothered him. Not the concept of marriage - which did scare the hell out of him - but the concept of promising to be engaged to be married. And coming from a guy like Harry, Jared could only assume that was Harry's way of keeping Becky close and in check. Jared turned and rubbed his face, wondering why this had gotten to him so badly.
Ana Fawkes
Two Weddings, One Funeral, & One Baby Book 1: ALMOST TAKEN
Jared Crowly was supposed to sell the apartment to the rich, powerful Harry Pitt and his beautiful girlfriend, Becky... not fall in love with Becky.
When Harry shows up to the apartment again, this time with a different woman donning an engagement ring, Jared is thrown into a world of deceit, and Harry threatens to tarnish Jared's successful career. Jared battles his emotions on what to do next, which only gets more complicated when he's invited to be in the wedding party of a close friend whose fiancee has asked Becky to be a bridesmaid.
Don't miss the second book in the Two Weddings, One Funeral, & One Baby series, titled Lifetime Proposal!
Jack and Riley really aren't engaged... or so Jack thinks. When Riley's competitive family puts her on the spot about the 'wedding', she begs Jack to help her. But what starts as a pretend fling soon becomes real. When hands touch, eyes meet, and hearts melt, anything can happen... even making fantasy a reality... Secrets will be bared and hearts will be broken, but can a new love overcome it all?
*COMING SEPTEMBER 2013!*
Almost Taken at amazon.com
Almost Taken at Barnes & Noble
Visit Ana on her site at AnaFawkes.com
Email Ana at [email protected]
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