You know what's cool and dorky at the same time?
Me putting a print copy of No Matter What on my keeper shelf between Susan Elizabeth Phillip's Ain't She Sweet and Erin McCarthy's Date With the Other Side.
This is my first print book! I love, love, love e-books and honestly read electronically on my Kindle 90% of the time but... well, I have shelves and stacks of print books and okay, it's pretty neat to have one of my own!
It's also a little weird to talk about this book because for me it's actually been out for almost a year! :) It came out as an e-book in last November. But I love talking about it. This is a special book for a lot of reasons so I don't mind going on and on about it again!
Here's a little intro (or reminder?) for ya'!
Oh, and I'm giving away a copy!! All comments get entered-- include your e-mail-- and I'll choose a winner Saturday!
No Matter What
Erin Nicholas
The best doesn’t come cheap…and this time it could cost him his heart.
Adam Steele is good. Good at using his money to get his way. Money always works—until he realizes he can’t buy his daughter’s way out of her new wheelchair. Three private physical therapists later, he’s almost given up on Emily walking again. Then he meets Dr. Jaden Monroe. And his match.
Jaden doesn’t know the meaning of the word “quit”. But she knows a lot about “fired” after a public blowout with her ex jeopardizes the donation her hospital was counting on. Now the most tempting man she’s ever met has made her just the offer she needs to save the new children’s rehab wing—one million dollars to rehabilitate his daughter. In return she finds herself making Adam rash promises: that his daughter will walk in time to take the lead in the school play. And that he won’t entice her into his bed. No matter what.
But Jaden didn’t anticipate a teen whose injuries are more than physical. Or a man so passionate and devoted—and as tenacious as she is. As Adam wears down her defenses with kiss after kiss, the only thing harder than keeping her promise will be keeping a hold on her heart.
Warning: Contains heated arguments that erupt only slightly more often than hot kissing, a new perspective on kitchen appliances, and sizzling sex occurring everywhere BUT the bedroom (though they eventually make it there).
Excerpt:
“I didn’t realize I was under house arrest. I have things I have to do. And I did not ‘slip out’.”
“A million dollars is a lot to pay for an eight hour work day.” He lifted the coffee cup that she had not noticed until that moment.
She felt a wave of indignation wash over her but she held her expression stoically. “This is not exactly a typical business arrangement.”
A long silence followed her statement.
“You’re right.” His words took Jaden by surprise. “For instance, any other time I hire someone, I ask a lot of questions about them personally as well as professionally. I like to know about their families, their interests and hobbies. Their habits. I should have asked more questions about you. My primary concern at the time was that I hire the best therapist there was for Emily.”
“You did.”
“Yes, but I didn’t think beyond the therapy sessions. I didn’t fully consider all of the things you would mean to Emily besides being her therapist.”
Jaden frowned, wishing she could see his face more clearly. “What do you mean? And what did you mean by ‘their habits’?” She wasn’t sure why but she felt offended by the comment now that she replayed it in her head.
“I expect Emily will get very attached to you. You are a young, intelligent, successful woman and Emily will likely look up to you.”
“And that concerns you.”
“Frankly, yes.”
“Why?”
He came to his feet in one quick, fluid movement. “Because it’s one in the morning and you’re just getting home.”
Let him guess and assume about what you were doing. Make him a little crazy for a change.
“I don’t like that you’re assuming the worst about me. I have given you no reason not to trust me.”
He took a deep breath. “Okay, then, I have only one question for you. Where were you?”
She swallowed hard and tried to get a grip on the thoughts and responses that were stumbling over one another in their haste to make it to her mouth first.
“I was out, Adam. That’s all you need to know.” She added a flip of her hair to emphasize how casual she was about the whole thing.
“Jaden…” He took a deep breath and she saw him consciously work to unclench his fists. It struck her how personal her name sounded from his lips even when he was frustrated. That only increased her aggravation.
His voice slightly calmer, he spoke again. “It is important to me. At least tell me that you weren’t…”
“What? That I wasn’t… doing drugs? Drinking all night at the bars? That I’m not a call girl in the evenings when I’m not at the hospital? Smell my breath, Adam, if you don’t believe me. Diet cola was the strongest thing I had tonight.”
He came toward her quickly and she tipped her chin up to meet his gaze. He leaned in, braced his hands on the counter behind her on either side of her hips, and took a deep breath.
She held hers. Having him suddenly this close was overwhelming and she fought to remember what they had been talking about.
He reminded her quickly. “How about all of the above?” His voice was lower now, huskier, and his eyes studied hers closely. “How about reassuring me that you wouldn’t dream of doing any of those things?”
She didn’t like that he doubted her. She wanted to stomp and yell and demand that he believe in her. But, at the same time, this might just be perfect. She’d been off balance since meeting him. He shook her up, as much as she hated it. Clearly her conduct during off-duty hours interested him, and worried him. So, this might be her chance to turn the tables a bit. Not that getting a man like Adam off balance would be easy. But it would, very likely, be fun.
“I’ll tell you this much. Drugs and prostitution aren’t my thing.”
He pressed closer and she felt the edge of the counter against her low back. Perhaps it was her decision to try to overwhelm him for a change, but for the first time, when he got close to her, dropped his voice low and looked at her like he wanted to make all of her fantasies come true, she reveled in it.
She found the scent of his cologne and the warmth of the arm braced on the counter beside her appealing rather than aggressive. In fact, this close, she found that his blue eyes, swirling with emotion, were impossible to resist. He was a passionate man. He cared about his daughter, his household and stood firm in his convictions. It was his unflinching devotion that made her want to know more about him. For instance, what else stirred Adam Steele’s passions?
“So tell me, what is your kind of thing?”
The huskiness in his voice made her nerve endings dance.
She studied his full lips for a long moment before her eyes traced his strong jaw shadowed with dark stubble. Eventually, she moved up slowly to again meet the midnight blue eyes that seemed to pierce straight through to her soul.
“Arrogant millionaires evidently.”
As his lips met hers, she momentarily stopped disliking anything about him.
Another excerpt here or here
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