Title: December Rain
Genre: Erotic Contemporary
Romance
Author: A.L Goulden
Release Date: November 25,
2014
Synopsis:
Monica and Alex Waters have spent that last few months
working to repair a broken marriage and rekindle their passion. Just as they
start finding their spark, Quinn Matthews and his escalating career resurfaces,
but this time Alex makes the decision to let Monica go.
The devastation of losing her high school sweetheart, her
home, and even her dog twists Monica down a destructive path that alienates her
from her closest friends and lands her on Quinn’s couch. Despite her efforts to
resist jumping into his arms again, the spark between them reignites and sweeps
her away on a whirlwind holiday adventure. She finds that falling in love with
Quinn’s family and lifestyle is as easy as falling for his ocean colored eyes.
The problem is that it’s all too easy, and when she sees that Quinn’s reinvented
life has completely shifted towards her dreams, she starts to question whether
he’s too good to be true.
Quinn has a secret that was never meant to be kept this
long, but will Monica be able to trust another man who’s lied? And now that
Quinn’s got his happily ever after in sight, he’s not about to let her go or
share her with another man
→BUY NOW←
Excerpt...
The outdoor style shopping mall is bustling with tourist and
local art lovers. Rows of art galleries surround the courtyard where a stage
welcomes a local reggae band. Monica settles into a groove and starts dancing
with the crowd. Alex tries to hang in for a couple of songs before he starts
feeling claustrophobic and looks to the galleries and shops around them.
“Go ahead,” she says with a loving smile. “I’ll meet you
down there… after one more song.”
He gives her a little kiss on the cheek and glides his hand
across her behind before making his way out of the crowd. His attention is
pulled by various pieces in windows along the way. There’s a large glass sea
turtle in shades of green and gold followed by a painting of an autumn forest
with heavy texture. He stands there daydreaming for a minute until he’s
distracted by a reflection passing in the glass. It’s so brief he’s sure it’s
his imagination. He barely catches a glimpse down the mall as the backside of
the man disappears into another gallery.
Alex follows the ghost, dodging through happy couples and
pushy salespeople trying to get his attention. Before he can see inside a
painting that’s prominently displayed on a front wall stops him. A cold washes
over as he stands there staring at it. He slowly moves inside, mesmerized by
the familiar vibrant paint strokes until he sees a few people gathered in the
back. A man talking to two smiling women stills himself as Alex’s eyes freeze
on the back of his shaved head. No words were needed as the tropical air takes
a chill. Even the women sense a showdown and step back to give Quinn room.
Quinn turns. What do I say? Fuck! I thought that was him. I
hoped it wasn’t. Quinn moves very slowly towards Alex. Is he gonna hit me? I do
deserve it. Might as well get it over with. “Hey.” Quinn pauses near the center
of the room waiting.
Alex swallows hard, his nostrils flaring and fist clenched.
His jaw flexes as his breathing grows heavier, but the emotions just start to
turn to mush. His eyes fill as thoughts of his new friend’s betrayal wash over
and the painting draws his eyes again.
“I’m sorry Alex,” Quinn says quietly.
Monica nearly passes the gallery on her way to see their
friends when Alex’s shirt first catches her eye. She halts and shifts backwards
until she sees the painting and stops. It’s a female figure bent forward
reaching for her toes. The abstract form of her body in swirls of orange and
reds is cradled by a man swathed in blues and purple. Oh my God! That’s me.
That’s us, stretching. It can’t be. He’s...
She struggles for air as the tears swell, and she can
already feel him. As she stands there, not crossing the threshold, the two men
watch her. When her eyes finally land on Quinn, electricity fills the room. She
can only see him and the deep tan that backdrops the pale oceany eyes reaching
for her. A warm drop gently slides down her cheekbone as her breathing syncs
with his. His lips move slightly hinting at words that he can’t find while she
struggles not to run into his arms.
Alex’s discomfort is audible as he clears his clogged throat
to rattle her attention to his worried eyes. She steps in and touches his hand
briefly. “I’ll be outside,” she says, turning without another glance at Quinn.Her
feet move quick as her thoughts try to keep up. What are they doing? Alex is
gonna hit him. I can’t believe he’s here. What are the odds? Did he know we’d
be here? No. Maybe he moved here. That painting was him and I together. Would
Alex know that? It’s pretty abstract. Fuck! This can’t be happening. Before she
knows it, she’s at the other end of the mall near the parking lot. She settles
on a bench to wait for the world to stop crumbling around her.
About the Author:
Bio:
I'm a designer, author, wife and dog-lover living in the
South Pasadena area of California. I got my BFA in Film Production from the
Academy of Art University in San Francisco, but my love of a good story came
way before college. I remember writing my first full story in fifth grade on a
typewriter. I cut and pasted it into a book, complete with cardboard cover and
taped binding. Things have changed a lot since then. With the magnificent
digital age I can produce books and give them to the world without a sticky
mess.
In college numerous instructors and peers praised my
dialogue pushed me to hone my storytelling skills. Of course the need to cut
and paste was still there, so I went into the world of Production Design and
Art Direction for films and television. It gave me the ability to connect
design to storytelling in a way that no other career can. The past 18 years
have spun a unique perspective on visually emotional tales of relationships and
the thread that ties all things together. Now I'm shifting focus on the driving
force that brought me here... stories. I hope that I can share a unique
perspective on life, love and the pursuit in all of the above.
♦10 fun facts about A.L.♦
1. I not only like to design things like homes, gardens, and
interiors, I like to build them too. I built the redwood decks in our backyard
when our carpenter backed out at the last minute. Since I was off work for a
few weeks, I went for it. The best part was the neighbor's reaction to me out
there every day with power tools and very long planks of wood. I think working
with your hands gives you an immediate sense of accomplishment.
2. I'm a reluctant morning lover, which means I love getting
things get done early while it's quiet and calm, but my attitude when I first
roll out of bed is sour.
3. I've practiced bonsai for many years and have a garden
with 10 trees on display.
4. I love board games and try to organize game nights with
friends as often as possible. My family was always very competitive and had a
regular Sunday night usually filled with Yahtzee or UNO battles.
5. My favorite book as a kid was Pride and Prejudice, but I
was very Dyslexic so I hated reading. Eventually I got into an assistance
program that worked me through the difficulties and turned me into a bookworm.
6. I'm a hardcore Oakland A's fan. Baseball is the only
sport I follow.
7. We moved from Oklahoma when I was twelve to Las Vegas. It
was so completely twisted and unique to living anywhere else in the world,
especially in the early 90s when things were booming. I got a well-rounded
education on what I didn't want out of life by living there. I don't visit
unless I'm dragged there.
8. I have an English Setter and German Shorthair Pointer
that keep me on my toes.
9. I love road trips, but have to be the driver. I'm a
terrible passenger.
10. My husband and I are celebrating our 10th wedding
anniversary in 2015, but we've known each other since the summer of 1993 in
high school.
♦Book Trailer♦
Social Media Links:
Purchase
First Book in the Series...
→ BUY AUGUST FOG NOW←
No comments:
Post a Comment