Title: Cross
Series: The Gibson Boys #2.5
Author: Adriana Locke
Author: Adriana Locke
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Release Date: May 25, 2018
Blurb
Cross Jacobs was a screw-up.
Everyone knew it, especially him, and the point was hammered home when Kallie
Welch drove herself right out of his life.
But, she’s back.
Seeing Cross wasn’t on Kallie’s to-do list. She didn’t think she could avoid
him forever but trying never hurt anyone. One minute she’s standing by herself
and the next she’s accosted by a rich, velvety scent that could only belong to
one man: Cross.
At face value, he’s divine. All rugged and confident with a smile that melts
her right where she’s standing. It doesn’t take long to find him to be
charming, witty, and the owner of a few legitimate businesses. Not at all like
the mischievous boy she left.
He laughs and her heart flutters. With a touch of his hand, she’s dizzy. She’s
fairly certain she’s going to die when he pulls her into an embrace and touches
his lips to her forehead.
It feels right. It feels so right.
But is it?
Everyone knew it, especially him, and the point was hammered home when Kallie
Welch drove herself right out of his life.
But, she’s back.
Seeing Cross wasn’t on Kallie’s to-do list. She didn’t think she could avoid
him forever but trying never hurt anyone. One minute she’s standing by herself
and the next she’s accosted by a rich, velvety scent that could only belong to
one man: Cross.
At face value, he’s divine. All rugged and confident with a smile that melts
her right where she’s standing. It doesn’t take long to find him to be
charming, witty, and the owner of a few legitimate businesses. Not at all like
the mischievous boy she left.
He laughs and her heart flutters. With a touch of his hand, she’s dizzy. She’s
fairly certain she’s going to die when he pulls her into an embrace and touches
his lips to her forehead.
It feels right. It feels so right.
But is it?
Note: This novella was originally released in
the Team Player Anthology last winter. It has been updated a bit with a few new
chapters to round out the story.
the Team Player Anthology last winter. It has been updated a bit with a few new
chapters to round out the story.
Purchase Links
Free in Kindle Unlimited
Excerpt
Chapter One
Cross
“Where have
you been in that thing?” Machlan shouts.
you been in that thing?” Machlan shouts.
The roar of
his muscle car’s engine winds down and he clicks the transmission into park.
The purplish-black paint shines in the early afternoon sun.
his muscle car’s engine winds down and he clicks the transmission into park.
The purplish-black paint shines in the early afternoon sun.
Having just
backed out of a parking spot onto Main Street, I check my rearview mirror. No one
is coming. “Bluebird Hill,” I tell him. “After all that rain last night, I
figured I’d test the new tires Walker put on my truck last week.”
backed out of a parking spot onto Main Street, I check my rearview mirror. No one
is coming. “Bluebird Hill,” I tell him. “After all that rain last night, I
figured I’d test the new tires Walker put on my truck last week.”
“You’re a
fuckin’ kid.” He laughs.
fuckin’ kid.” He laughs.
“Says the
man driving that,” I tease, pointing at his ride.
man driving that,” I tease, pointing at his ride.
“I’m not
sure what your point is. This car is the baddest thing in town.” He punches the
gas, the motor roaring like a banshee.
sure what your point is. This car is the baddest thing in town.” He punches the
gas, the motor roaring like a banshee.
Glancing
around at Doc Burns’ office with two cars in the parking lot and the Linton
County History Museum across the street that only opens for the Water Festival
once a year, I grin. “That’s not saying much.”
around at Doc Burns’ office with two cars in the parking lot and the Linton
County History Museum across the street that only opens for the Water Festival
once a year, I grin. “That’s not saying much.”
“Go to
Hell.” His hand slips through his dark hair and over his chin. The amusement in
his features evaporates as I watch … and cringe.
Hell.” His hand slips through his dark hair and over his chin. The amusement in
his features evaporates as I watch … and cringe.
I know this
look. I know all of his looks, actually, a by-product of being his best friend
as long as I can remember. Many of them concern me and a lot of them worry me.
But this one? It’s a flashing red sign with Vegas-inspired lights.
look. I know all of his looks, actually, a by-product of being his best friend
as long as I can remember. Many of them concern me and a lot of them worry me.
But this one? It’s a flashing red sign with Vegas-inspired lights.
The thing
is, I can’t just ignore it. When this look comes, so does the topic of my
sister and, even though I love the both of them, I wouldn’t mind seeing them in
a padded room until they fix whatever it is between them that is so broken.
is, I can’t just ignore it. When this look comes, so does the topic of my
sister and, even though I love the both of them, I wouldn’t mind seeing them in
a padded room until they fix whatever it is between them that is so broken.
With a
sigh, I jam my truck into park too. “Yes,” I say, answering the question he’s
yet to ask. “Hadley called and isn’t coming home this weekend. She said maybe
next week.”
sigh, I jam my truck into park too. “Yes,” I say, answering the question he’s
yet to ask. “Hadley called and isn’t coming home this weekend. She said maybe
next week.”
His jaw
works back and forth as he stares down the street. “Why?”
works back and forth as he stares down the street. “Why?”
That single
word is spit with a lifetime of emotion. Machlan has loved my sister since the
day she moved to Linton with our father and me when our mother died. She was
fourteen and innocent and he was fifteen and infatuated. Through the years,
they were off and on and together and not—at least officially. Everyone knew
Machlan and Hadley were one and the same.
word is spit with a lifetime of emotion. Machlan has loved my sister since the
day she moved to Linton with our father and me when our mother died. She was
fourteen and innocent and he was fifteen and infatuated. Through the years,
they were off and on and together and not—at least officially. Everyone knew
Machlan and Hadley were one and the same.
I’m not
sure why she moved away from here. Being both her brother and his best
friend precluded me from certain information, which is for the best. They both
drive me nuts without having the
details.
sure why she moved away from here. Being both her brother and his best
friend precluded me from certain information, which is for the best. They both
drive me nuts without having the
details.
“Not sure,”
I reply. “She left a voicemail last night saying she wouldn’t be home today.
She didn’t pick up when I called her back.”
I reply. “She left a voicemail last night saying she wouldn’t be home today.
She didn’t pick up when I called her back.”
He flips
his gaze to me. “You didn’t talk to her after that?”
his gaze to me. “You didn’t talk to her after that?”
“She’s a
big girl, Mach,” I mock. “I’m sure she had shit to do.”
big girl, Mach,” I mock. “I’m sure she had shit to do.”
“Yeah.” His
fingers regrip the steering wheel as his jaw goes back to work again.
fingers regrip the steering wheel as his jaw goes back to work again.
“I’m gonna
go wash this before I head back to the gym—”
go wash this before I head back to the gym—”
“She’s all
right, though. Right?” he interrupts. His face is stone-cold sober. “I mean …”
right, though. Right?” he interrupts. His face is stone-cold sober. “I mean …”
“She’s
fine.”
fine.”
He waits.
Blinks. Re-grips the wheel again. “That’s it?”
Blinks. Re-grips the wheel again. “That’s it?”
Popping my
truck into drive, I blow out a breath. “Yeah, that’s it. You want to know more?
Call her. What a fucking amazing concept.”
truck into drive, I blow out a breath. “Yeah, that’s it. You want to know more?
Call her. What a fucking amazing concept.”
“Yeah. I’ll
get right on that,” he snips back.
get right on that,” he snips back.
“You
should. Then you could quit this whole thing.”
should. Then you could quit this whole thing.”
“Got
nothin’ to quit, man. Just being a decent guy.”
nothin’ to quit, man. Just being a decent guy.”
A decent guy. It’s my turn to turn my knuckles white on the
steering wheel.
steering wheel.
Machlan
isn’t a decent guy. He’s a fucking great one … much better than the guy Hadley
is seeing now. A guy I haven’t mentioned to Mach since I got home a couple of
weeks ago from visiting her. I’m not mentioning him, either. I’ll save the
boyfriend an ER bill and myself the bail money.
isn’t a decent guy. He’s a fucking great one … much better than the guy Hadley
is seeing now. A guy I haven’t mentioned to Mach since I got home a couple of
weeks ago from visiting her. I’m not mentioning him, either. I’ll save the
boyfriend an ER bill and myself the bail money.
I can’t
blame him. It has to be hard to see Hadley with another guy when, in Machlan’s
mind, she’s his girl.
blame him. It has to be hard to see Hadley with another guy when, in Machlan’s
mind, she’s his girl.
My stomach
twists like it always does when my mind goes down this road. At least my girl
didn’t bring other guys back with her. Hell, she didn’t even come back at all.
twists like it always does when my mind goes down this road. At least my girl
didn’t bring other guys back with her. Hell, she didn’t even come back at all.
“Here comes
Kip,” Machlan says, bringing me out of my reverie. Nodding toward the road in
front of him, he laughs. “I’m not moving.”
Kip,” Machlan says, bringing me out of my reverie. Nodding toward the road in
front of him, he laughs. “I’m not moving.”
I twist in
my seat to see the sheriff coming toward us. He blares the siren twice as if to
get us to move. We don’t.
my seat to see the sheriff coming toward us. He blares the siren twice as if to
get us to move. We don’t.
Machlan
pokes his head out of the window. “Need somethin’?” he shouts.
pokes his head out of the window. “Need somethin’?” he shouts.
Laughing, I
watch Kip’s car slide carefully between Machlan’s and the curb on the other
side.
watch Kip’s car slide carefully between Machlan’s and the curb on the other
side.
“You can’t
park in the street!” Kip yells.
park in the street!” Kip yells.
“What are
ya gonna do about it?” I holler.
ya gonna do about it?” I holler.
“Take ya
both in.”
both in.”
“Don’t you
have somewhere to be?” Machlan asks. “Someone to protect and serve? Or service, if I know you?”
have somewhere to be?” Machlan asks. “Someone to protect and serve? Or service, if I know you?”
Kip shakes
his head as Machlan flips him the bird. The sirens come on again before Kip
hits the gas and speeds off down the street and vanishes over the hill.
his head as Machlan flips him the bird. The sirens come on again before Kip
hits the gas and speeds off down the street and vanishes over the hill.
When I look
back at Machlan, his attention is on his phone.
back at Machlan, his attention is on his phone.
“What?” I
ask, curious about the smile on his face.
ask, curious about the smile on his face.
He looks at
me and laughs. Sticking the phone in the cup holder, he shrugs. “Nothing. But
can you do me a favor?”
me and laughs. Sticking the phone in the cup holder, he shrugs. “Nothing. But
can you do me a favor?”
“No.”
“I need
help moving a couple of things at Crave. Come help me. Just for a few.”
help moving a couple of things at Crave. Come help me. Just for a few.”
“What’s in
it for me?” I ask.
it for me?” I ask.
“A beer?”
Throwing
the truck in neutral, I rev the engine. It barely sounds before his is
screaming over top of mine and we jet off in opposite directions. I get to a
stop sign at the end of the street and do a quick one-eighty to head to Crave.
the truck in neutral, I rev the engine. It barely sounds before his is
screaming over top of mine and we jet off in opposite directions. I get to a
stop sign at the end of the street and do a quick one-eighty to head to Crave.
Also Available
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Author Bio
USA Today
Bestselling author Adriana Locke lives and breathes books. After years of
slightly obsessive relationships with the flawed bad boys created by other
authors, Adriana has created her own.
Bestselling author Adriana Locke lives and breathes books. After years of
slightly obsessive relationships with the flawed bad boys created by other
authors, Adriana has created her own.
She resides
in the Midwest with her husband, sons, and two dogs. She spends a large amount
of time playing with her kids, drinking coffee, and cooking. You can find her
outside if the weather's nice and there's always a piece of candy in her
pocket.
in the Midwest with her husband, sons, and two dogs. She spends a large amount
of time playing with her kids, drinking coffee, and cooking. You can find her
outside if the weather's nice and there's always a piece of candy in her
pocket.
For sneak peeks, giveaways, and more, please
join Adriana's Facebook Group, Books by Adriana Locke, or her Goodreads group,
All Locked Up.
join Adriana's Facebook Group, Books by Adriana Locke, or her Goodreads group,
All Locked Up.
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