.A Flawed Heart by April Emerson #SCP #blogtour

Claire Brighton has just finished college and is abandoning her warm, southern home in favor of gritty New York City. Her search for the perfect roommate leads her to Lydia Taylor. Lydia lives a life of privilege in her father's penthouse, but like Claire, she's ready to go out into the world on her own.

Claire and Lydia rent a little apartment in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, near Lydia's older brother, Jason. Claire is intrigued by Lydia's stories of Jason, who is the black sheep of the family—and a musician. The minute Claire hears him sing, she falls for him.

Claire thrives in her new urban surroundings, treasuring her time with Jason and exploring her new found sexuality, but both Claire and Jason carry shadows with them. They're each fighting wounds of their past. Will they defeat their demons? Will their feelings for each other last?

Excerpt 1:

Jason takes a sharp breath in, flicks his cigarette away and takes a step toward me. The intensity of his eye contact makes me apprehensive. I never talk about my daddy with anyone. I look down at my feet and Jason gently grabs and holds my wrist. The top of my head only reaches the base of his neck. I stare at his fresh tattoo. It’s black, white, and gray. It’s a Lilly with script around it. I can barely read it in the dim light but looking closer I see it says, ‘Never let go’.

“The tattoo. It’s for your mother?” I whisper.

Jason nods and leans down toward me. He presses his forehead against mine. The only sound is our breathing. I feel our pain in my chest. My heart is ripping open, and I want to comfort him and hold him and kiss him. I tilt my head back and look into Jason’s eyes. The current running between us is palpable. I part my lips and press them to his. The kiss is shy and tentative. His lips are so soft…they taste like beer and peppermint, and they’re warm and strong against mine. I realize how brazen I’m being and pull away. As I move back, Jason’s grip on me tightens and he places his hand on the small of my back so I can’t step away.

I smile and kiss him again. This time he presses my body to his and work his lips over mine, at first gentle and then rough. He lets go of my wrist and I’m free to touch his body. I place one hand over his heart and the other reaches up to touch his hair. He moans, grips my neck, and tilts my chin up with his thumb. The kiss becomes more desperate, more filled with desire—and warmth spreads through my body. He backs up against the wall and begins to kiss my neck. He tangles his hands in my hair.

I take this opportunity to breathe, but he kisses me again as he slides his hand down to my ass. I wrap one leg around his, craving more contact, wanting to ease the ache I’m feeling. He gets hard as my body rubs against his. He moans as I grind up against him and kisses me harder. I move my mouth to his shoulder and nibble at his flesh. I’ve never felt more aroused or been this forward. I feel as though could kiss him every day and never tire of the way our mouths and bodies fit together. His grip tightens, and I know he must be feeling it too.

“You’re so beautiful. You feel so good.” He knots his fingers in my hair and kisses me again.

Just then, I hear the worst possible sound. The emergency door opens and Ben is standing there.

Excerpt 2:

I grab my bag and my umbrella and head downstairs. My stomach is in knots. I light a cigarette and wait. The rain is just a drizzle now. My hair is getting too frizzy. I re-apply lip gloss. My eyes flash to every car that drives down the block. It’s been ten minutes. I start stomping my feet in the nearest puddle, out of frustration and boredom, and then I see a black car speeding down the block. It’s Jason’s Charger. His tires screech as he stops at the curb. I take a deep breath in a vain attempt to calm myself. I exhale, and open the door. When I slide into the seat, I’m immediately hit with his scent.

“Hey,” he greets me.

“Hey.”

“Were you enjoying that puddle?”

I look up at him and his grin takes my breath away. “Thanks for picking me up. I could have walked.”

“I’ve been Lydia’s big brother for a long time, and one thing I’ve learned. If she wants something, you give it to her.”

“I’ll have to remember that.”

We’re still parked at the curb. I try to read his face. He stares out of the windshield.

“So, Jason—”

“I like your boots.”

“What? Oh, thanks.”

A simple compliment makes me catch fire. He shifts the car into gear and we head down the avenue. The silence between us is heavy. Jason puts on the stereo and a song plays softly.

“What are you listening to?”

“May This Be Love by Jimi Hendrix. I can change it if you don’t like it.”

“No, it’s nice. I like it.”

He turns it up.

“This is one of my favorite songs actually. The soft drumming and the melody feel perfect in this weather.” I look out my window at the rain-soaked streets.

Jason starts speeding. He takes the car way above the thirty mile an hour limit, and I wonder if it’s because he can’t wait to get rid of me. We pull up in front of his building. Jason throws the car in park. The rain beats on the roof and on the windshield, and the beautiful music continues to play from Jason’s speakers. We sit there, silent except for the sound of our breathing. The car is filled with Jason’s cologne and unspoken tension. I start to feel that pull to him. He’s gripping the wheel and out of the corner of my eye I see him clenching his jaw. I’m chickening out. I can’t have this conversation, and he’s not going to start. I put my hand on the door handle to exit.

“You smell nice,” he says.

“What?”

“I like your perfume. It smells, sweet…” He runs his fingers over his face, still not looking at me.

“Thanks. You smell nice, too.”

Excerpt 3: ADULT CONTENT

“Jason, I have to go.”

He sighs and traces my ribs with his fingers. “Maybe you can stay just a little longer? I’ll drive you home.”

“Okay.”

“Good girl.” He rolls over and slides down into the warmth of the sheets. He brushes my collarbone with his lips and slides his hands down to my ass. I bury the tip of my nose in his hair and drink in his amazing scent. I shiver as he licks his way up my neck, to the base of my ear, and nibbles gently on my ear lobe.

“Claire, I want you.”

I close my eyes and run my fingernails down his back, telling him without words that I feel the same way. He grips my hips and positions me beneath him, then grinds into me and moans into the pillow. I kiss his neck and his shoulder. I run my hands into his hair and down his back. He increases the pressure and speed of his motion, and the added friction creates a delicious sensation for both of us. He straightens his forearms, pushing his upper body off of me, and looks into my eyes as he quickens his movements further. His tongue peeks out from between his lips, and he opens. I’m getting aroused, and he knows it. This sensation is so new for me. He’s hitting just the right spot. He knows exactly what he’s doing to me. My breath quickens, and I moan, but he stops. He leans back on his knees and jerks my underwear off and I lift my hips to help him. He slides his own underwear off and his cock bobs in the air. His expression is fierce as he looks down at my exposed flesh. Still on his knees, he plunges two fingers inside me, rubbing his thumb on my clit. The sensation is overwhelming, and I buck my hips up to meet the thrusts of his hands. I close my eyes, lost in the feeling.

“Open your eyes. Look at me.”

I do as he says. My whole body is on fire, and as my blood pulses through me I’m getting closer and closer to release. Just as I’m on the verge, he stops again and leans over me to reach the night table drawer. The ache between my legs is almost painful. I open my mouth and sink my teeth into his side as he fumbles in the drawer for a condom.

“Ow, fuck. Don’t dish out what you can’t take, Claire.”

He leans back on his knees again, sliding the condom over his length. His gaze invades mine. The newfound vixen inside me feels bold.

“Oh, I can take it, Jason.” I sit up.

“Yeah? Let’s see then, shall we?”

He grips my ass, and pulls me into his lap so that I’m straddling him. He pushes me down onto his cock and my breath leaves me as he thrusts up into me, pinching one of my nipples at the same time. His touch is rough, but the pleasure he’s making me feel only intensifies. I lean back trying to meet his thrusts, but my legs are too shaky. He grips the back of my neck and forces his hips into mine. He wraps his mouth around my breast, sucking and licking the skin.

“Mmm. Fuck, you taste so good.”

After pounding into me, he lays me down and grabs one of the many pillows on his bed, then stuffs it under the small of my back. He sits back on his knees again and grabs my hips, pulling me toward him as he thrusts inside me again. My breasts bounce rhythmically as he pounds against me hard. The angle he has created is too much for me to take and I climax. My center pulses and warms as my scalp prickles and my toes point. I bring my hand up to my mouth and bite my finger to stifle a scream.

Excerpt 4: ADULT CONTENT

He’s getting hard beneath me. His hands slide from my waist to my thighs, caressing my skin. He moves them up under my skirt, and his fingers push my thighs apart. He licks my neck—his breath is hot on my skin.

“Fuck, I want these clothes off. Stand up.”

I do as I’m told, and turn around to face him.

“Open your shirt.”

I unbutton my top as I look into Jason’s hungry eyes. I let the shirt fall away, and stand in front of him in just my bra. I feel exposed and anxious, and the emotion causes me to cast my gaze at the floor.

“Don’t do that. Don’t look away from me. You’re beautiful.” He grips my ass with his hands, squeezing and rubbing it as I stand above him. I breathe in the scent of his hair as he reaches down to my boots, and I hold onto his shoulders as he slips my feet out from each one. He puts them to the side and I open my skirt, letting it drop to the ground. He hooks his thumbs into the top of my panties, and his hands feel rough against my smooth skin. My breath quickens as he slips them down my legs while kissing and licking my waist. He turns me around and kisses the skin on my lower back and my heart thunders in my chest. I reach between my shoulder blades to unhook my bra, but Jason stands and replaces my hands with his. He opens the clasp and the fabric slides down my arms. He nibbles the skin on my shoulder and then kisses the place where he just sank his teeth in. He brings his mouth to mine as he opens the buttons of his own shirt. I reach my hands up to help him, and my fingers trace the black lines on his chest.

“I want to know what these all mean. I want to know each story.”

“And I want you to know. One day I’ll tell you. I promise.”

Amazon | Secret Cravings Publishing | Barnes and Noble | All Romance E-books | Bookstrand

 Bio:

April Emerson moved to New York City after graduating from college with a degree in literature . As a nature lover, living in the city was a culture shock, but she soon began to enjoy being surrounded by so much energy. Submerged in perpetual crowds, April developed a fondness for people  watching, which inspired her to start writing. Drawn to both the light and dark of humanity, she strives to tell sexy and romantic stories with exquisitely complex characters. When she isn’t writing, she loves listening to music or reading a good book while enjoying a glass of wine.

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