Tags
THE
TROUBLE WITH LOVE
TROUBLE WITH LOVE
Sex, Love
& Stiletto’s #4
& Stiletto’s #4
Lauren
Layne
Layne
Loveswept
As Lauren Layne’s salacious Sex, Love&
Stiletto series returns,
a jaded columnist discovers a steamy way to get
Stiletto series returns,
a jaded columnist discovers a steamy way to get
over
an old flame: falling for him all over again.
an old flame: falling for him all over again.
As
Stiletto
magazine’s authority on all things breakup-and-heartache, Emma
magazine’s authority on all things breakup-and-heartache, Emma
Sinclair
writes from personal experience. Five years ago, Emma was Charlotte,
writes from personal experience. Five years ago, Emma was Charlotte,
North
Carolina’s darling debutante and a blushing bride-to-be. Now she’s the
Carolina’s darling debutante and a blushing bride-to-be. Now she’s the
ice
queen of the Manhattan dating scene. Emma left her sultry Southern drawl
queen of the Manhattan dating scene. Emma left her sultry Southern drawl
behind,
but not even her closest friends know that with it she left her heart.
but not even her closest friends know that with it she left her heart.
Now
Emma’s latest article forces her to face her demons—namely, the devilishly
Emma’s latest article forces her to face her demons—namely, the devilishly
sexy
guy who ditched her at the altar.
guy who ditched her at the altar.
After
giving
up everything for a pro-soccer career, Alex Cassidy watches his dreams
up everything for a pro-soccer career, Alex Cassidy watches his dreams
crumble
as a knee injury sidelines him for good. Now he’s hanging up his cleats
as a knee injury sidelines him for good. Now he’s hanging up his cleats
and
giving journalism a shot. It’s just a coincidence that he happens to pick a
giving journalism a shot. It’s just a coincidence that he happens to pick a
job
in the same field, and the same city, as his former fiancée . . . right?
in the same field, and the same city, as his former fiancée . . . right?
But
when Emma moves in next door, it’s no accident. It’s research. And Alex
when Emma moves in next door, it’s no accident. It’s research. And Alex
can’t
help wondering what might have been. Unlike the innocent girl he
help wondering what might have been. Unlike the innocent girl he
remembers,
this Emma is chic, sophisticated, and assertive—and she wants
this Emma is chic, sophisticated, and assertive—and she wants
absolutely
nothing to do with him. The trouble is, Alex has never wanted her
nothing to do with him. The trouble is, Alex has never wanted her
more.
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EXCERPT
“Why would I want to be editor in chief?”
Riley asked.
Riley asked.
“Exactly,” Camille said, looking pleased at
the lead-in. “It’s a thankless, tiresome job, and one I didn’t want to wish on
any of you while I’m gone for three months.”
the lead-in. “It’s a thankless, tiresome job, and one I didn’t want to wish on
any of you while I’m gone for three months.”
“Three months?” Julie asked.
“We’re leaderless for three months?”
“We’re leaderless for three months?”
“Not quite,” Camille said. “You need someone
to steer the ship, of course. So . . .”
to steer the ship, of course. So . . .”
She made a dramatic flourishing gesture in
Alex’s direction.
Alex’s direction.
He waited patiently for everything to
register with the Stiletto crew.
register with the Stiletto crew.
“No. A boy?!” Riley said,
scandalized.
scandalized.
“I saw him without his shirt once,” Grace
said, leaning over. “He’s not a boy.”
said, leaning over. “He’s not a boy.”
Emma leaned in toward her friends, speaking up
for the first time. “I saw him without his shirt once, too. Boy’s
actually not so far off. He’s a little scrawny, and the lower half . . . eek.”
for the first time. “I saw him without his shirt once, too. Boy’s
actually not so far off. He’s a little scrawny, and the lower half . . . eek.”
Emma’s voice was little more than a whisper,
but it reached his ears. It was meant to.
but it reached his ears. It was meant to.
Alex didn’t take the bait. Hell, back when
Emma had seen him naked, they’d been young. He had been
little more than a boy.
Emma had seen him naked, they’d been young. He had been
little more than a boy.
And she little more than a girl.
A girl who could take his breath away with
little more than a smile.
little more than a smile.
And when she’d taken her
shirt off, he’d all but lost his mind.
shirt off, he’d all but lost his mind.
But that was a long time ago.
“Mr. Cassidy has graciously agreed to oversee
both Stiletto
and Oxford
for the next few months,” Camille said, jerking him back to the present.
both Stiletto
and Oxford
for the next few months,” Camille said, jerking him back to the present.
A present where he and Emma wouldn’t be
seeing each other shirtless . . . ever.
seeing each other shirtless . . . ever.
“Starting next week,” Camille continued, “He
will be the one you go to for story approval, PTO requests, relationship
advice—”
will be the one you go to for story approval, PTO requests, relationship
advice—”
“Wait, what?” Alex said, speaking up for the
first time.
first time.
Camille patted him on the head like he was a
child, and he caught Julie smirking at him.
child, and he caught Julie smirking at him.
Alex gave into a sigh. It was going to be a
very, very
long three months.
very, very
long three months.
“Any questions?” Camille asked.
Julie’s hand shot up. “Um, yes. Like a thousand
questions. Starting with, where are you going? Is everything okay? Are your
ovaries imploding? Are you having a crisis? Can I come?”
questions. Starting with, where are you going? Is everything okay? Are your
ovaries imploding? Are you having a crisis? Can I come?”
Alex hid a laugh behind a cough. From the
resigned look on Camille’s face, and the lack of shock on everyone else’s, it
was clear this group was used to Julie’s unabashed prying.
resigned look on Camille’s face, and the lack of shock on everyone else’s, it
was clear this group was used to Julie’s unabashed prying.
“Perfectly healthy. It’s a personal matter,”
Camille said, in a tone that indicated the conversation was over.
Camille said, in a tone that indicated the conversation was over.
Julie made a grunting noise that indicated
the conversation was not over.
the conversation was not over.
“Now, I’m sure you’re all itching with
theories you’d like to share with your colleagues, and I have plenty to catch
Mr. Cassidy up on, so if there are no other inappropriate questions—”
theories you’d like to share with your colleagues, and I have plenty to catch
Mr. Cassidy up on, so if there are no other inappropriate questions—”
“Wait,” a tiny blond woman next to Grace
said. “That’s it? We haven’t talked about the next issue, or story assignments,
and there are about a million letters to the editor thanks to that story we did
about Botox, and—”
said. “That’s it? We haven’t talked about the next issue, or story assignments,
and there are about a million letters to the editor thanks to that story we did
about Botox, and—”
Camille held up a hand. “Mr. Cassidy will be
holding a meeting on Monday morning to go over all of that, Dana.”
holding a meeting on Monday morning to go over all of that, Dana.”
Lauren
Layne is the USA Today Bestselling author of contemporary romance.
Layne is the USA Today Bestselling author of contemporary romance.
Prior to becoming an author, Lauren worked in e-commerce and
web-marketing. In 2011, she and her husband moved from Seattle to New York
City, where Lauren decided to pursue a full-time writing career. It took six
months to get her first book deal (despite ardent assurances to her husband
that it would only take three). Since then, Lauren’s gone on to publish ten
books, including the bestselling Stiletto series, with several more on the way
in 2015.
Lauren currently lives in Chicago with her
husband and spoiled Pomeranian. When not writing, you’ll find her at happy
hour, running at a doggedly slow pace, or trying to straighten her naturally
curly hair.
Start the Stiletto
Series from the Beginning
Series from the Beginning
AFTER
THE KISS
THE KISS
LOVE
THE ONE YOU’RE WITH
THE ONE YOU’RE WITH
JUST
ONE NIGHT
ONE NIGHT
Stiletto
Spin Off:
Spin Off:
IRRESISTIBLY
YOURS
YOURS
OXFORD
Series #1
Series #1
Coming
October 6th
October 6th
