We so excited to be able to bring you the Review & Excerpt Tour for Laura Kaye's HARD AS STEEL!! HARD AS STEEL is a Hard Ink/Raven Riders Crossover Series Novella brought to you by 1001 Dark Nights. It is due to be released on September 22, 2015! Grab your copy of this sexy novella today!
After identifying her employer's dangerous enemies, Jessica Jakes takes refuge at the compound of the Raven Riders Motorcycle Club. Fellow Hard Ink tattooist and Raven leader Ike Young promises to keep Jess safe for as long as it takes, which would be perfect if his close, personal, round-the-clock protection didn't make it so hard to hide just how much she wants him—and always has.
Ike Young loved and lost a woman in trouble once before. The last thing he needs is alone time with the sexiest and feistiest woman he's ever known, one he's purposely kept at a distance for years. Now, Ike's not sure he can keep his hands or his heart to himself—or that he even wants to anymore. And that means he has to do whatever it takes to hold on to Jess forever.
My Thoughts:
Okay raise your hand, if you were excited to get one more story before we left the Hard Ink books. *Me, me, me, me* I'm excited that we get a little more of sassy mouth Jess. Oh my gosh she's such a fun character, but at same time sensitive. However, she masks her sensitivity with sass. So, much fun. Then we had Ike who is all broody. Gotta love a broody hero. The awesome part we get a little deeper into these two past. YES!
Anyway, we find out that Ike has a knack for finding damsels in distress, and Jess happens to be one. Of course, he's has feelings that are more than friendship, but he will never cross that line. *wink,wink* Actually, he goes through a lot of trouble keeping Jess in the friend zone, even though Jess would love nothing more than to cross that zone. Being kept in a cabin just happens to be the perfect way to break through that friend zone. I think so.
This story is great because we see more in depth these two characters and what makes them tick. I adore Jess for her sassiness, and willing to do whatever it takes to break through Ike's brick wall. Ike's character is amazing, because of his background and overcoming his past. However, that is not an easiest thing for him. Boy he almost ruining his friendship with Jess with some harsh callous words.
Man these two are hot and heavy one minute, next they are trying to figure out what they are. It's a great crossover story, because we get to see the Ravens compound. By the way I'm super excited for the next series. Time for a happy dance for Raven Riders. While the war is going on checkout what happens between these two friends as they decide if they want to go back the same old or forge new grounds for something amazing.
Copy provided by the author via InkSlinger PR
HARD AS STEEL EXCERPT:
Be Nice
I’m thrilled to be here
celebrating the release of my 21st book, HARD AS STEEL! After a
midnight break-in at her apartment, close friends and Hard Ink Tattoo
co-workers Ike Young and Jessica Jakes are forced into hiding—and forced to
confront the feelings they’ve always denied for one another. I have always adored
friends-to-lovers and forced proximity stories, and HARD AS STEEL delivers that
and more, including a taste of both my award-winning and best-selling Hard Ink
and upcoming Raven Riders series! Check out this excerpt:
“Any better?”
Ike asked, sitting on the edge of the bed.
Jess peered up
at him. “A little.”
His eyes
narrowed. “You’re still cold now, aren’t you?”
She shivered and
pulled the cover tighter around her shoulder. “Yeah.”
“Fuck.” Ike
scrubbed a hand over his bald head and mumbled something she couldn’t quite
make out. “Maybe I shouldn’t have put you in the tub after all.”
“I think it was
the right thing, Ike. I was so out of it. It is better than it was before.” She worked at a small smile. No
matter how bad she felt, the last thing she wanted was to make him feel bad
given everything he was doing for her. As if he hadn’t already gone out of his
way in giving her a place of refuge and his personal protection for as long as
she needed it, now he had to play freaking nursemaid to a sicky. Which, on top
of everything, was super attractive.
The only upside
to that ice-cold bath was that Ike had gotten wet and tossed his shirt, and
Jess thought she might be willing to be sick more often if it meant getting to
see him shirtless. Because, holy bad-ass tattooed biker on a stick, he was so
freaking hot. Cut muscles, ink everywhere, two insanely delicious indents low
on his waist. And scars Jess had never seen before and had no idea how Ike had
gotten.
All that
goodness and Jess couldn’t even see the big Ravens tat that she knew covered
Ike’s broad back. But she’d seen it before, back at Hard Ink when Jeremy
occasionally did a new piece for Ike. She’d seen it enough to know that she’d
love to have a good reason to dig her fingers into that tat…
Oh, for fuck’s
sake, even sick she couldn’t stop fantasizing about what it would be like to be
with Ike. Just once.
“Jess?”
Her gaze snapped
to his eyes. “Huh?” Hopefully the warmth crawling up her cheeks would pass for
a fevered flush. Because she was so busted.
“I, uh, asked if
you thought it would help if I got in with you.” The expression he wore said he
was dubious about the idea.
And as much as
Jess loved the idea, she didn’t want him doing anything with her that he didn’t
really want to do. “That’s okay. Why don’t you go get some sleep now? It’s
gotta be almost morning.”
He looked at her
for a long moment, and then he tapped his hand against her arm. “Scoot over.”
“Ike—”
“Damnit, scoot
your scrawny ass over already.” He cocked an eyebrow, humor sliding into his
eyes.
“Well, I’ll
scoot over,” she said as she made herself move. “But you and I both know there
ain’t anything scrawny about my ass.”
“Jessica?” Ike
said as he got in next to her wearing only his jeans.
“Yeah?” The
minute he was down, she nearly dove into the crook of his body, her forehead
against his neck, her breasts against his ribs, her bare legs intertwined with
his denim-clad ones. She wasn’t sure where to put her hand, because the
not-sick part of her brain wanted to touch
him everywhere right now oh my god I’m in bed with Ike! But she settled for
resting it on his chest, the hair on his pecs ticklish against her fingers.
“Shut up and go
to sleep.” He took the edge off the words by clasping her hand in his and
pressing it more firmly to his skin.
“Be nice to me.
I’m sick,” she said, burrowing in further.
Ike wrapped his
arm around her shoulders and pulled her tighter against him. God, he felt good,
warm and hard and strong. “Woman,” he said, his voice full of gravel. “This is me being nice.”
Laura is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of over twenty books in contemporary and paranormal romance and romantic suspense. Growing up, Laura’s large extended family believed in the supernatural, and family lore involving angels, ghosts, and evil-eye curses cemented in Laura a life-long fascination with storytelling and all things paranormal. She lives in Maryland with her husband, two daughters, and cute-but-bad dog, and appreciates her view of the Chesapeake Bay every day.
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