Author: Allyson Lindt
Title: Conflict of Interest (Bits & Bytes #1)
Gere:Contemporary Romance
Kenzie propositions a sexy stranger in a coffee shop to prove to herself she’s capable of taking a risk. She doesn’t expect him to be sitting across from her the following Monday as her newest client. Even worse, she can’t stop thinking about what might have happened between them on a personal level if it weren’t for their professional relationship. He knows how to push her buttons, and she doesn’t want him to stop.
Scott has built his software company from the ground up to escape things like stuffy old men telling him how to behave, so he loathes his board of directors ordering him to make the public forget he doesn’t have a verbal filter. When his new publicity manager is the almost-fling he never expected to see again, he seizes the opportunity to have fun and still pretend he’s complying with the board’s edict.
Giving in to desire could mean both their jobs, but each “one last time” always leads to another. Now they have to decide what they’re willing to sacrifice to indulge this conflict of interest.
Geek is the new Sexy
For as long as I can remember, since I was kid, I’ve heard from TV, from books, from all manner of public media (we didn’t have internet back then, and our books only existed on paper), is that geeks and nerds are socially awkward, don’t know how to dress themselves, and use their pocket protectors as a shield to defend them from having to speak to not-nerds.
And then, right about the time I turned nineteen, I got a job at a technical support call center. My friends may not believe this, but I didn’t know anything about computers back then. Okay, I knew how to turn one on, and how to load the Digger game on our family computer. That was it.
But within two months, I had learned enough in training to answer phone calls. I also, for the first time in my life, found myself surrounded by geeks. The girl-to-guy ratio in a technical support call center is skewed. Dramatically skewed. Working night shift, there were ten of them for every one of us.
Not only that, but some of them were really cute. And intelligent. And knew how to flirt. And were kind. And on and on. Suddenly, everything I’d learned about the perfect, ideal hero from those romance novels I’d been sneaking since I was a kid flew out the window.
These guys had those same strong traits. I worked with (and dated, yes, I dated guys I worked with) men who had that perfect balance of aggressive and considerate. But they were happy to talk about everyday things with me. That horribly bad sci-fi movie that was only awesome because of the explosions and special effects. That fantasy book based on that game everyone plays, but no one admits to playing in polite circles. That game (*coughD&Dcough*).
I think it’s fair to say I was lost to ‘normals’ forever after that point. I’d seen the truth of the matter. Geeks could be sexy too. Which is probably why I write them.
Tell me, dear reader, whose your ideal romance hero?
“Do you want a lift?” Scott asked.
Her footsteps slowed, and she pulled away. “In the love van?”
He spun to face her, not sure what to make of the comment. She’d nicknamed his car? Fascinating. “Excuse me?”
She nodded at the Escalade in the back of the parking lot. “That one’s yours right? The Game God license plate? The tinted windows meant to keep out even the most penetrating light?”
She knew what the G4M3G0D on his plates meant. She was full of entertaining surprises. He bit back the urge to joke about the word penetrating. “That’s it, but love van, really?”
She fell into step beside him again. “No one’s ever accused you of that before?”
“Not to my face. Interesting assumption.” He moved closer, letting his bare arm brush hers.
“No worse than deciding I was reading some bodice ripper inside.”
He stopped at his SUV, spinning to face her and leaning back against it, one foot propped up on the rubber strip running along the bottom of the door. He looped his thumbs in his pockets. “Fair enough. We’re even on the inappropriate assumption front then?”
She kept her distance but didn’t seem in a hurry to leave. “I didn’t know we were keeping score.”
A gust of wind tore through the parking lot, whipping her ponytail into her face. She hugged herself and shivered as the clouds devoured the last traces of direct sunlight.
He forced his hands to stay by his side, biting his tongue before he could offer to warm her up. Or ask if she’d like to be the one biting his tongue. “Someone’s always keeping score.”
Her footsteps slowed, and she pulled away. “In the love van?”
He spun to face her, not sure what to make of the comment. She’d nicknamed his car? Fascinating. “Excuse me?”
She nodded at the Escalade in the back of the parking lot. “That one’s yours right? The Game God license plate? The tinted windows meant to keep out even the most penetrating light?”
She knew what the G4M3G0D on his plates meant. She was full of entertaining surprises. He bit back the urge to joke about the word penetrating. “That’s it, but love van, really?”
She fell into step beside him again. “No one’s ever accused you of that before?”
“Not to my face. Interesting assumption.” He moved closer, letting his bare arm brush hers.
“No worse than deciding I was reading some bodice ripper inside.”
He stopped at his SUV, spinning to face her and leaning back against it, one foot propped up on the rubber strip running along the bottom of the door. He looped his thumbs in his pockets. “Fair enough. We’re even on the inappropriate assumption front then?”
She kept her distance but didn’t seem in a hurry to leave. “I didn’t know we were keeping score.”
A gust of wind tore through the parking lot, whipping her ponytail into her face. She hugged herself and shivered as the clouds devoured the last traces of direct sunlight.
He forced his hands to stay by his side, biting his tongue before he could offer to warm her up. Or ask if she’d like to be the one biting his tongue. “Someone’s always keeping score.”
Allyson Lindt is a full-time geek and a fuller-time contemporary romance author. She prefers that her geeky heroes come with the alpha expansion pack and adores a heroine who can hold her own in a boardroom. She loves a sexy happily-ever-after and helping deserving cubicle dwellers find their futures together.
* Grand prize at the end of the four week tour - a Kindle paperwhite to one randomly drawn winner.
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Holding Her Close:
March 11: Musings and Ramblings
March 13: Love is a Mystery
Conflict of Interest:
March 17: Bitches Be Writn'
March 18: Sharing Links and Wisdom
March 18: Desire Me Only
March 18: Musings and Ramblings
March 20: Romance Novel Giveaways
March 21: Books and Other Spells
Toeing the Line:
March 24: It's Raining Books
March 25: Musings and Ramblings
March 26: Harlie's Books
March 27: Sharing Links and Wisdom
March 28: Welcome to My World of Dreams
Learning New Tricks:
March 31: Rachel Brimble Romance
April 1: Musings and Ramblings
April 3: Untamed Spirit
April 4: Harlie's Books
Thanks for hosting!
ReplyDeleteThanks for hosting me today!
ReplyDeleteSorry Allyson~ a geek is just not going to make the cut as my ideal romance hero; I am an Alpha lover all the way! I'm not saying that geeks can't be Alpha's because I've read a few book that would definitely discount that theory ~ Christine Feehan's Ghostwalker series comes to mind immediately. The problem with me is I am such a high functioning brainiac myself I just want pure beefcake and Dominance when it comes to a guy... in fantasy land of course ;)
ReplyDeleteilookfamous at yahoo dot com
I have to have both (gorgeous alpha, and geeky), but to each their own of course. It just means we're not fighting over the same guy ;) Love Christine Feehan's Ghostwalker series, btw!
DeleteGreat excerpt, thank you.
ReplyDeleteKit3247(at)aol(dot)com
Thanks for stopping by, Rita!
DeleteThis guy doesn't really sound like a geek. He sounds fascinating. Loved the excerpts.
ReplyDeleteI think he's interesting, MomJane ;) I completely suggest spending some time in his company, lol.
DeleteThanks!!!!! This is so great!
ReplyDeleteNice post and excerpt
ReplyDeleteLoved the guest post, geeks are uber sexy!
ReplyDeleteInteresting synopsis! I had a 'fling' with a co-worker years ago and while he wasn't my boss, it was still pretty exciting! Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDelete