Independent, talented, and beautiful–inside and out–Haley Sloan knew exactly what she wanted out of life. With her designer lingerie business booming, her career was moving forward, but her heart stayed in the same place it had for four years…hopelessly in love with the single father across the street.
Former wild boy turned responsible adoring father, Eddie Thomas always made sure that the needs of his little girl Emily were his top priority. Being a single father meant sacrificing his wants and needs for that of his little girl and that meant sacrificing his want and need for Haley…no matter how tempting.
Will the oldest of the Sloan girls finally be able to break through to the heart of the man who has had hers prisoner for years? Will this single father finally realize that accepting his love for Haley may be just what his little girl needs to get the family they both deserve?
One choice. Three lives. All tempting.
One things that might surprise readers is that we often name our characters after important people in our lives. The characters are not actually based on the people, although they do often share some fun personality quirks with their real-life counterparts.
For instance, take Haley, who is the heroine of Tempting Love. She is named after our former neighbor and very good friend. Shawna initially moved next door to Haley’s family about ten years ago, when Haley was still a ‘tween’ (to torture an overused phrase). Now, she is a beautiful young lady who just celebrated her 21st birthday, and an accomplished actress who is a regular in a television series. We feel so incredibly privileged to have been able to witness that transformation!
The other members of The Quad Squad (Haley’s sisters) are also named after very special women. Jessie’s real-life counterpart is the daughter of Shawna’s childhood (and current!) best friend, Chelle - who also has her own namesake character, the heroine of My Last. We love Chelle so much - we often say that she is our third sister. Her daughter Jessie is just as special and precious. Next comes Krista, who is named after our hilarious and irreverent cousin, and Becca, who is named after a very good childhood friend of Shawna’s. Jamie and Amber from My Only and My Everything are also two of Shawna's best friends.
Then, beginning in August, we will be releasing a New Adult trilogy set at Winship University, a fictional college located on Northern California’s spectacular redwood coast - one of the most magical places in the world. These books introduce four characters who meet for the first time as freshman roommates, and they are names after four friends of Melanie’s.
Cat (the first heroine) is named after Melanie’s friend of almost 20 years, who is one of the most loyal and bold people you will ever meet. Next, we have Sandy, who is named after another one of Melanie’s longtime friends, a woman who is hilarious, brave, and insightful.
Next, we have the character of Sandy’s twin sister, Brandy - although their real-life counterparts have never actually met! Brandy and Melanie went to Pepperdine together, and even shared the same small major - although, amazingly, they never actually met there. They met a few years later on a John Mayer message board. Don’t judge. :)
Lastly, there is Evelyn, a character named after Melanie’s real-life college roommate. Much like the real Evelyn, the character is a voice major, loves musical theater, and has serious gourmet cooking skills. (Unlike the real person, the character ends up attracted to a tattooed bad boy! :D)
We love the characters in our books, many times as much as we would love real people! Naming them after actual people in our lives that we have so much love and affection for makes that connection all that much stronger.
For instance, take Haley, who is the heroine of Tempting Love. She is named after our former neighbor and very good friend. Shawna initially moved next door to Haley’s family about ten years ago, when Haley was still a ‘tween’ (to torture an overused phrase). Now, she is a beautiful young lady who just celebrated her 21st birthday, and an accomplished actress who is a regular in a television series. We feel so incredibly privileged to have been able to witness that transformation!
The other members of The Quad Squad (Haley’s sisters) are also named after very special women. Jessie’s real-life counterpart is the daughter of Shawna’s childhood (and current!) best friend, Chelle - who also has her own namesake character, the heroine of My Last. We love Chelle so much - we often say that she is our third sister. Her daughter Jessie is just as special and precious. Next comes Krista, who is named after our hilarious and irreverent cousin, and Becca, who is named after a very good childhood friend of Shawna’s. Jamie and Amber from My Only and My Everything are also two of Shawna's best friends.
Then, beginning in August, we will be releasing a New Adult trilogy set at Winship University, a fictional college located on Northern California’s spectacular redwood coast - one of the most magical places in the world. These books introduce four characters who meet for the first time as freshman roommates, and they are names after four friends of Melanie’s.
Cat (the first heroine) is named after Melanie’s friend of almost 20 years, who is one of the most loyal and bold people you will ever meet. Next, we have Sandy, who is named after another one of Melanie’s longtime friends, a woman who is hilarious, brave, and insightful.
Next, we have the character of Sandy’s twin sister, Brandy - although their real-life counterparts have never actually met! Brandy and Melanie went to Pepperdine together, and even shared the same small major - although, amazingly, they never actually met there. They met a few years later on a John Mayer message board. Don’t judge. :)
Lastly, there is Evelyn, a character named after Melanie’s real-life college roommate. Much like the real Evelyn, the character is a voice major, loves musical theater, and has serious gourmet cooking skills. (Unlike the real person, the character ends up attracted to a tattooed bad boy! :D)
We love the characters in our books, many times as much as we would love real people! Naming them after actual people in our lives that we have so much love and affection for makes that connection all that much stronger.
As he moved into the doorway that led into the kitchen, he saw Haley standing at the sink, her back to him, suds up to her elbows, barefoot, and singing softly but with enthusiasm. His pants grew tight as he watched her hips swaying back and forth to the rhythm of the music that was playing through the headphones she wore.
Damn, she looked like a pinup girl from the ’50s. His blood was not just heated; it was also quickly headed down south. Arousal, like he’d never felt before, crashed through him.
He needed to get her out of here. Now. While he could still think fairly straight and exercise some self-control.
“Hales.” He had heard the need in his voice as he spoke her name.
She, on the other hand, hadn’t. It seemed she hadn’t heard him at all. Singing into a large spoon, she whipped her head back and forth as she sang along with Prince…
I want to be your fantasy, maybe you could be mine.
You just leave it all up to me. We could have a good time.
You don’t have to be rich to be my girl.
Don’t have to be cool to rule my world.
Ain’t no particular sign I’m more compatible with
I just want your extra time and your…
Kiss
And with the word kiss, she rolled her body more seductively than any stripper he’d ever seen and Eddie thought he might explode in his pants. He was having trouble breathing. His thoughts were clouded with lust.
She had to go. Now.
Stepping forward, he hesitated. He was only a foot behind her, but he didn’t trust himself to touch her. He didn’t want to raise his voice to alert her to his presence because he might wake up Em and he didn’t want to scare Haley.
Before he had a chance to figure out a plan, Haley glanced up and caught his reflection in the window that sat above the sink. He saw the split second of panic in her eyes. Okay, so much for not scaring her.
“Haley, it’s me,” he said as she jumped about a foot off the ground and spun around, sucking in a terrified breath.
On instinct, his arms wrapped around her and he pulled her close to him. For a moment she was tense and poised to fight, but then her eyes softened with recognition as her body molded against his. She was clutching her hands to her chest, but he could still feel her full breasts pressed against his chest as he held her.
His hands spread out on the small of her back and his fingers rested against the delicate dip of her spine. For just a moment, Eddie closed his eyes and let himself feel.
Never before had they been this close. Body to body. Pressed up against each other. He’d made it a point never to touch her. Whenever she would hug him, he’d made sure that full-body contact had not occurred and he’d always done the one-arm pat move.
Now he knew for a fact that had been the right thing to do because the feel of her in his arms was…amazing. Right. Perfect.
“You scared me.” Her quiet voice drifted into his consciousness.
“I’m sorry,” he rasped as he opened his heavy-lidded eyes. Looking down, he was temporarily speechless at what he saw. Her huge baby blues were staring up at him through long, inky lashes. Her full, pink lips parted as she took in short pants of breath. The seductive line of her cleavage was heaving against him through labored breathing.
Need. Arousal. Desire. All of those things coursed through his veins like raging water in the rapids. His fingers tightened at the strength of it, pulling her body even closer to his. A groan ripped from his chest as a needy sigh escaped Haley’s perfect mouth.
Dammit. This had to stop.
Damn, she looked like a pinup girl from the ’50s. His blood was not just heated; it was also quickly headed down south. Arousal, like he’d never felt before, crashed through him.
He needed to get her out of here. Now. While he could still think fairly straight and exercise some self-control.
“Hales.” He had heard the need in his voice as he spoke her name.
She, on the other hand, hadn’t. It seemed she hadn’t heard him at all. Singing into a large spoon, she whipped her head back and forth as she sang along with Prince…
I want to be your fantasy, maybe you could be mine.
You just leave it all up to me. We could have a good time.
You don’t have to be rich to be my girl.
Don’t have to be cool to rule my world.
Ain’t no particular sign I’m more compatible with
I just want your extra time and your…
Kiss
And with the word kiss, she rolled her body more seductively than any stripper he’d ever seen and Eddie thought he might explode in his pants. He was having trouble breathing. His thoughts were clouded with lust.
She had to go. Now.
Stepping forward, he hesitated. He was only a foot behind her, but he didn’t trust himself to touch her. He didn’t want to raise his voice to alert her to his presence because he might wake up Em and he didn’t want to scare Haley.
Before he had a chance to figure out a plan, Haley glanced up and caught his reflection in the window that sat above the sink. He saw the split second of panic in her eyes. Okay, so much for not scaring her.
“Haley, it’s me,” he said as she jumped about a foot off the ground and spun around, sucking in a terrified breath.
On instinct, his arms wrapped around her and he pulled her close to him. For a moment she was tense and poised to fight, but then her eyes softened with recognition as her body molded against his. She was clutching her hands to her chest, but he could still feel her full breasts pressed against his chest as he held her.
His hands spread out on the small of her back and his fingers rested against the delicate dip of her spine. For just a moment, Eddie closed his eyes and let himself feel.
Never before had they been this close. Body to body. Pressed up against each other. He’d made it a point never to touch her. Whenever she would hug him, he’d made sure that full-body contact had not occurred and he’d always done the one-arm pat move.
Now he knew for a fact that had been the right thing to do because the feel of her in his arms was…amazing. Right. Perfect.
“You scared me.” Her quiet voice drifted into his consciousness.
“I’m sorry,” he rasped as he opened his heavy-lidded eyes. Looking down, he was temporarily speechless at what he saw. Her huge baby blues were staring up at him through long, inky lashes. Her full, pink lips parted as she took in short pants of breath. The seductive line of her cleavage was heaving against him through labored breathing.
Need. Arousal. Desire. All of those things coursed through his veins like raging water in the rapids. His fingers tightened at the strength of it, pulling her body even closer to his. A groan ripped from his chest as a needy sigh escaped Haley’s perfect mouth.
Dammit. This had to stop.
Melanie Shawn is the writing team of sister duo Melanie and Shawna. Originally from Northern California , they both migrated south and now call So Cal their home.
Growing up, Melanie constantly had her head in a book and was always working on short stories, manuscripts, plays and poetry. After graduating magna cum laude from Pepperdine University
Shawna always loved romance in any form – movie, song or literary. If it was a love story with a happy ending, Shawna was all about it! She proudly acknowledges that she is a romanceaholic. Her days are jam-packed with writing, being a wife, mom aka referee of two teens, and indulging in her second passion (dance!) as a Zumba instructor. In the little free time she has, she joins Melanie in marathon-watching DVDs of their favorite TV programs.
They have joined forces to create a world where True Love and Happily Ever After always has a Sexy Twist!
an eCopy of books 1-4 of the Crossroads series!
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