Every good scientist knows the second law of thermodynamics: the universe’s disorder, entropy, is always increasing. Professionally and personally speaking, Nairne’s familiar with the principle. After a streak of costly fame, now she’s set on saving the world, microscope in hand, and there’s no time for romance. Problem is, when a rude, despicably sexy Adonis shows up to run their board meeting, chemistry and its ensuing chaos become more than a formula—now they’re a burning hot reality.
Mafia prince. Professional footballer. Bad boy demeanor and a reputation for being as talented between the sheets as he is on the pitch. Rumors are the man’s an absolute brute. And he turns out to be just as demanding, controlling and vicious in person as he is on paper. The Law of Attraction’s proven true, as Nairne finds herself accepting Zed’s proposal: rough, wild stress release, more orgasms than she can count, and most importantly—no falling in love.
Agreement in place. End date secured.
No attachments. No forever.
What could possibly go wrong?
Book One in the Tough Love Series—an enemies to lovers, suspenseful romance, full of sexy Italians, bedroom negotiations, feisty heroines, and an ending that’ll both satisfy you and leave you ready for more!”
Her eyes caught candlelight like gemstones. Jade. Emerald. Glittering dark. She drank her whiskey and hummed while she scanned the menu. We needed to talk, because I’d told myself I wasn’t touching her until I knew more, and I couldn’t go much longer without contact.
“I ordered ahead,” I said. “Prix Fixe.”
She glanced up at me. “You just ordered without my input? What if I don’t like what you chose?”
I shifted in my seat until our knees knocked. Better. “Without your input, yes. But I certainly considered what I thought you’d like.”
She stared at me like I’d told her the moon was purple.
“Humor me,” I said. “Try what I picked, and we can go from there.”
Her head tilted to the side. “Are you…are you always like this?”
“Like what?” My jaw clenched as I braced myself for her contempt.
She leaned her elbows on the table. “Controlling doesn’t seem adequate.” Her tone was observational. Curious. A scientist poking around her environment. Judgment suspended, for now.
I picked up my wine and spoke into the glass. “Dominant.”
She froze, then leaned closer. “I’m sorry, what did you say?”
Even the littlest things that obeyed my need for order and regularity satisfied me. It scratched an itch, setting the base of the glass on its circular imprint on the tablecloth. “You heard me.”
She glanced around and dropped her voice. “Like whips and chains and—”
“You don’t have to whisper. This place is safe. And no. I don’t need props or any of that bullshit. I can use them, but they’re not necessary. It’s more about the lifestyle.”
She swallowed. “You’re a sadist?”
“No.” I drummed my fingers on the table and looked her over. “I tend to fuck rough, but I don’t want to hurt you. What I need is control. That’s it, really.”
Nairne’s eyes went to the ceiling as she threw back the rest of her whiskey. “That’s it really,” she muttered. “You’ve got to be joking me. Do I look like controllable material?”
“Not one fucking bit, which is why you’re presenting a real problem for me.” I leaned an elbow on the table and slid my other hand beneath it, up her skirt. So much for having a talk before I touched her. She was too tempting. I knew she wouldn’t speak freely here, so I did things old school—read her as I went.
Her eyes shut and then blinked slowly open. She liked it. My hand went higher and grasped her lean thigh. Her skin was impossibly smooth. Touching her made my cock stone.
“What’s the problem?” Her voice had gotten fainter. Smokier. Aroused.
“I have to have you, Nairne. And you want me, too.” She didn’t even bother denying it this time, which was nice. “But you’re the antithesis of what works in my life.”
I watched her throat as she swallowed again and imagined how it would feel to clasp her windpipe, drill into her with those long legs draped over my shoulders.
“Then why do you want me?” She shifted her leg slightly so that my thumb grazed the edge of her panties. Even while surrendering herself, she vied for control. Topping from the bottom. Saw that one coming from a mile away.
“I haven’t figured that out yet,” I admitted. “Neither have you.”
Her breath stuttered. “Meaning, this is a very bad idea,” she rasped. I couldn’t stop staring at her lips.
“Pretty much. But against my better judgment, I’m taking you anyway.”
“I ordered ahead,” I said. “Prix Fixe.”
She glanced up at me. “You just ordered without my input? What if I don’t like what you chose?”
I shifted in my seat until our knees knocked. Better. “Without your input, yes. But I certainly considered what I thought you’d like.”
She stared at me like I’d told her the moon was purple.
“Humor me,” I said. “Try what I picked, and we can go from there.”
Her head tilted to the side. “Are you…are you always like this?”
“Like what?” My jaw clenched as I braced myself for her contempt.
She leaned her elbows on the table. “Controlling doesn’t seem adequate.” Her tone was observational. Curious. A scientist poking around her environment. Judgment suspended, for now.
I picked up my wine and spoke into the glass. “Dominant.”
She froze, then leaned closer. “I’m sorry, what did you say?”
Even the littlest things that obeyed my need for order and regularity satisfied me. It scratched an itch, setting the base of the glass on its circular imprint on the tablecloth. “You heard me.”
She glanced around and dropped her voice. “Like whips and chains and—”
“You don’t have to whisper. This place is safe. And no. I don’t need props or any of that bullshit. I can use them, but they’re not necessary. It’s more about the lifestyle.”
She swallowed. “You’re a sadist?”
“No.” I drummed my fingers on the table and looked her over. “I tend to fuck rough, but I don’t want to hurt you. What I need is control. That’s it, really.”
Nairne’s eyes went to the ceiling as she threw back the rest of her whiskey. “That’s it really,” she muttered. “You’ve got to be joking me. Do I look like controllable material?”
“Not one fucking bit, which is why you’re presenting a real problem for me.” I leaned an elbow on the table and slid my other hand beneath it, up her skirt. So much for having a talk before I touched her. She was too tempting. I knew she wouldn’t speak freely here, so I did things old school—read her as I went.
Her eyes shut and then blinked slowly open. She liked it. My hand went higher and grasped her lean thigh. Her skin was impossibly smooth. Touching her made my cock stone.
“What’s the problem?” Her voice had gotten fainter. Smokier. Aroused.
“I have to have you, Nairne. And you want me, too.” She didn’t even bother denying it this time, which was nice. “But you’re the antithesis of what works in my life.”
I watched her throat as she swallowed again and imagined how it would feel to clasp her windpipe, drill into her with those long legs draped over my shoulders.
“Then why do you want me?” She shifted her leg slightly so that my thumb grazed the edge of her panties. Even while surrendering herself, she vied for control. Topping from the bottom. Saw that one coming from a mile away.
“I haven’t figured that out yet,” I admitted. “Neither have you.”
Her breath stuttered. “Meaning, this is a very bad idea,” she rasped. I couldn’t stop staring at her lips.
“Pretty much. But against my better judgment, I’m taking you anyway.”
“What an amazing debut from Chloe Liese. This book is an incredible ride! Packed with emotion, struggles with obligations, riddled with wit & intellect, this was an amazing read I couldn’t put down.” – Molliesbookshelf
“I never knew I needed a soccer star/mafia prince/scientist romance but I’m 100% here for it.” – Mamajustwantstoread
“[T]his book was HOT. Not only was it HOT it also was a debut novel – which blew my mind.” – BookTwinsReviews
“A steamy romance between a soccer star and a female bioengineer? Sold.” – Kellisa, Ksquaredreads
“I LOVED Zed’s development throughout the book and how perfect he was for Nairne. The tension developed more and more throughout the story and the steam is there a la Fifty Shades. I can’t wait to read book two in this three part series when it comes out in June.” –NerdyBookNurse
“It made me laugh out loud, fall in love and get angry…Their relationship is a hate to love one, full of bickering and passion filled banter. Full of spankings and kisses. Full of every kind of emotion you can think of. What I am trying to say is that this is a one of a kind book you should read without hesitating.” – BooksandBoots Book Reviews
“I never knew I needed a soccer star/mafia prince/scientist romance but I’m 100% here for it.” – Mamajustwantstoread
“[T]his book was HOT. Not only was it HOT it also was a debut novel – which blew my mind.” – BookTwinsReviews
“A steamy romance between a soccer star and a female bioengineer? Sold.” – Kellisa, Ksquaredreads
“I LOVED Zed’s development throughout the book and how perfect he was for Nairne. The tension developed more and more throughout the story and the steam is there a la Fifty Shades. I can’t wait to read book two in this three part series when it comes out in June.” –NerdyBookNurse
“It made me laugh out loud, fall in love and get angry…Their relationship is a hate to love one, full of bickering and passion filled banter. Full of spankings and kisses. Full of every kind of emotion you can think of. What I am trying to say is that this is a one of a kind book you should read without hesitating.” – BooksandBoots Book Reviews
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One fiery-haired, sexy scientist finds her perfect complement in a dark and handsome soccer star. Opposites attract, and they’ve got chemistry that’s explosive—literally.
Physics calls it entropy. Philosophy calls it Murphy’s Law: If something can go wrong, eventually it will. Professionally and personally speaking, Zed’s familiar with the principle. After a decade of trying to alter the atomic makeup of the mafia from its nucleus, now he’s set on leaving The Life and pursuing his heart. Problem is, the sassy, hot-headed spitfire he can’t quit is meddling in his slow burn escape plan, and turning it into full-on combustion. Not to mention, Nairne’s got a painful history she won’t talk about and more secrets than she has lab instruments—which is really saying something. In an ideal world, the bad boy footballer would follow the brainy beauty overseas and they’d live happily ever after. But Murphy’s Law is proven true, as Zed finds his world imploding and his escape plan foiled. These enemies turned lovers end up discovering how costly it can be to meet the right person at the wrong time. A present he can’t escape. A past she can’t forget. A future they won’t stop fighting for. They say all’s fair in love…and war. Book Two in the Tough Love Series—an enemies to lovers, suspenseful romance, full of sexy Italians, feisty heroines, globe-trotting action, and an ending that’ll both satisfy you and leave you ready for more!
💕 To be released June 24 💕
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When she’s not writing, Chloe’s busy reading books of all genres, rereading Harry Potter (which she can’t help but make her characters similarly obsessed over), and playing catch-up with her bad@$$ little girls. She’s also been known to scramble around the pitch for a pick-up soccer match and run along the river while dreaming up her next book.
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Ooh, this sounds fun and sassy!
ReplyDeleteIt sounds lie a fun read, my kind of book! Thanks for sharing it.
ReplyDeleteThis sounds like a great summer read. I'm looking forward to it.
ReplyDeleteThe cover is so unique.
ReplyDeleteI would love to read this book, great cover
ReplyDeleteI liked the excerpt, and I have added this book to my book wishlist.
ReplyDeleteI can't wait to read this. Sounds amazing..
ReplyDelete