PERFECT KIND OF TROUBLE by Chelsea Fine
(February 3, 2015; Forever Trade Paperback; $12.00)
Sometimes when perfect falls apart, a little trouble fixes everything . . .
Twenty-one-year-old Kayla Turner has lost everything. After spending most of her life taking care of her ailing mother, she just wants to spot a glimmer of light at the end of the tunnel. So when her late father-a man she barely knew-leaves her an inheritance, she finally breathes a sigh of relief . . . until she learns the inheritance comes with strings. Strings in the form of handsome playboy Daren Ackwood, her father's protégé. To see any of her inheritance, she's forced to team up with him. From his expensive car to those sexy dimples, Kayla's seen his type before. But Daren isn't who he seems to be . . .
Struggling to make amends for his family's mistakes, Daren has a life more Oliver Twist than Richie Rich these days. He's beyond grateful that James Turner included him in his will, but working with Turner's princess of a daughter to fulfill his cryptic last wish is making Daren wonder if being broke is really so bad. Still, she's just as beautiful as she is stubborn, and the more time he spends with Kayla, the less it feels right being without her. Soon Daren and Kayla begin to wonder if maybe the best gift Kayla's dad could have left them . . . was each other.
Twenty-one-year-old Kayla Turner has lost everything. After spending most of her life taking care of her ailing mother, she just wants to spot a glimmer of light at the end of the tunnel. So when her late father-a man she barely knew-leaves her an inheritance, she finally breathes a sigh of relief . . . until she learns the inheritance comes with strings. Strings in the form of handsome playboy Daren Ackwood, her father's protégé. To see any of her inheritance, she's forced to team up with him. From his expensive car to those sexy dimples, Kayla's seen his type before. But Daren isn't who he seems to be . . .
Struggling to make amends for his family's mistakes, Daren has a life more Oliver Twist than Richie Rich these days. He's beyond grateful that James Turner included him in his will, but working with Turner's princess of a daughter to fulfill his cryptic last wish is making Daren wonder if being broke is really so bad. Still, she's just as beautiful as she is stubborn, and the more time he spends with Kayla, the less it feels right being without her. Soon Daren and Kayla begin to wonder if maybe the best gift Kayla's dad could have left them . . . was each other.
“So this is where you work?” She gestures at the closed kitchen door behind me as she approaches.
I
step back so she can enter the courtyard then glance over my shoulder.
“It’s more like the place where I help out in the kitchen,
occasionally,” I say. “I like to cook so sometimes the owner, Jake,
let’s me jump on the line.”
She tilts her head. “I wouldn’t have pegged you as the cooking type.”
“No?” I arch a brow. “What type am I?”
“Well the professional lover type, obviously.”
I grin. “That too.”
The
teasing in her eyes along with the lightness of her smile does
something soft to my insides. This is a different Kayla than the one I
was sitting next to at the bar. That girl was stressed and burdened, but
this girl… this girl is hopeful and happy.
The only reason I can
think of for the change in her tone is the inheritance. Does the idea
of getting money please her so much that she’s suddenly this cheerful
person? Does it please me that much?
I remember Jake’s comment
earlier, about my being happy, and realize with a sinking feeling that
yes, the idea of an inheritance has made me happy. Money would alleviate
some of my problems and, therefore, it gives me a security in my future
that pleases me.
I’m not sure how I feel about money having so much control over my contentment. It makes me sound an awful lot like my dad.
“So what is this place?” she asks, nodding to the courtyard around us.
I
look up at the small twinkle lights strung above the area. “Right now
it’s just storage space. But Jake wants to make it into a dining patio.
You know, so people can rent it out for private parties or whatever.”
“It’s
cute.” She walks around, checking out the rose bushes that line the
fence and the Tuscany-inspired mural painted against the back wall.
“So where you off to?” I step closer so we’re both beside the painted wall. “Back to your humble abode at the Quickie Stop?”
She scoffs. “Humble indeed. But yeah.”
I
glance at the dark parking lot beyond the fence and the even darker
streets that lead to the edge of town, and frown. “By yourself?”
She faces me with a cocked eyebrow. “Yeah. I’ve got my own driver’s license and everything.”
I
smile at the ground. “Okay, that’s fair.” I glance at the dark streets
again. “I’m just a concerned citizen that wanted to make sure you got
home safely. That’s all.”
She nods. “How very kind of you, citizen. Would you rather I be going back to the Quickie Stop with someone?”
The
idea of Kayla going home with someone—anyone, other than me—rakes down
my spine like nails on a chalkboard. I don’t know when I got so
possessive of this girl but holy hell. My veins are on fire.
How very unexpected. And somewhat annoying.
I don’t get possessive of women. Ever. Sure, I care about Amber and
Pixie but that’s different. I care about them like sisters. I’m
protective of them. I couldn’t really give a damn who they, or any other
female in this town, go to bed with.
But Kayla?
Hot jealousy darts through my veins.
How very annoyingly unexpected.
I set my shoulders back in a casual manner. “Not particularly,” I say coolly. “I just wasn’t sure if you had a ride or not.”
“Oh.” She runs a finger over her lips. “And what, you were going to offer me a ride?”
I
watch the tip of her finger skim over the pink fullness of her bottom
lip and my breath hitches. She can’t say things like “give me a ride”
and touch her mouth at the same time. That’s just not fair.
“Well
I might have offered you a ride,” I say, inwardly cursing as I remember
sweet, precious Monique, “except I’m pretty sure you’re not supposed to
take rides from strangers. And since that’s what you and I are…” I sigh
dramatically. “It would have just been a waste of time to ask you.”
She smiles behind her moving fingers and I start to wonder if she’d let me kiss her. My guess is, yes. Maybe.
I
want to kiss Kayla. Badly. But the idea of kissing her, of touching her
at all, also makes me a little nervous. And I’m never nervous when it
comes to women.
Goddammit. Everything about this girl is unexpected.
“You’re so obsessed with us not being strangers,” she says, and her eyes shine. “That can’t be healthy.”
I
probably shouldn’t kiss her. We have an inheritance to claim tomorrow.
We have shit to follow through with. Kissing her is a bad idea. A very
bad idea.
“No. Probably not.” I step closer so we’re only inches apart. “But I can’t seem to let it go.”
She doesn’t move away. She doesn’t break eye contact.
Yes. She’d definitely let me kiss her. I’m sure of it.
My heart pounds and it’s all I can do to keep my nonchalant demeanor in place.
“Is that what we are, Kayla?” I lower my voice with a crooked grin. “Strangers?”
She
meets my crooked grin and raises me a tipped chin. Her eyes are steel
and sure, not giving anything away, and I suddenly feel unsure.
I lean in.
She doesn’t react. But she also doesn’t back away.
Kissing her is a bad idea.
Her
lips part, ever so slightly, a thin seam of wet flesh forming between
the soft skin of her pretty lips, and all my reservations vanish.
Chelsea Fine Answered A Few OF My Questions!!
An Aussie Girls Wild Book Addiction
Q&A
(Chelsea Fine)
1. When do you think of the book title? During the writing process or after?
After.
Always after. I don’t really know my stories until I’ve finished
writing them so I wait until they’re complete before giving them a
title.
2. What is your favorite book turned movie?
The
Notebook. Mostly because it’s just a great story and seeing it on the
big screen was really satisfying. But also because I thought Rachel
McAdams was a phenomenal Allie.
3. Do you have favorite characters in your book?
Yes!
I have favorites in all my books. I can’t help myself. Haha. I usually
like my secondary characters the most, but my favorite character in
Perfect Kind Of Trouble was the main guy, Daren. He’s hot and lost and
arrogant and lonely…le sigh. He was just a total mess and I loved being
in his head.
4. If any character from any book you have read could come to life for a day who would it be?
Oh
wow. Haha. This is a dangerous question. Um…you know, I just read this
great paranormal adventure called Chase The Dark by Annette Marie and I
fell in love with her character Ash. Ash is a daemon, so I’m not sure if
bringing him to life would be a stellar idea, but hey, it’s my fantasy
right? ;) So yeah. I’d want to hang out with Ash all day.
About Chelsea Fine
Chelsea lives in
Phoenix, Arizona, where she spends most of her time writing stories,
painting murals, and avoiding housework at all costs. She's ridiculously
bad at doing dishes and claims to be allergic
to laundry. Her obsessions include: superheroes, coffee, sleeping-in,
and crazy socks. She lives with her husband and two children, who
graciously tolerate her inability to resist teenage drama on TV and her
complete lack of skill in the kitchen.
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