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The first time I met Jax Blackwood things went a little sideways.<\/p>\n
In my defense, I didn\u2019t know he was Jax Blackwood\u2014who expects a legendary rock star to be shopping for groceries? More importantly, a blizzard was coming and he was about to grab the last carton of mint-chocolate chip.<\/p>\n
Still, I might have walked away, but then he smugly dared me to try and take the coveted ice cream. So I kissed him. And distracted that mint-chip right out of his hands.<\/p>\n
Okay, it was a dirty move, but desperate times and all that. Besides, I never expected he\u2019d be my new neighbor.<\/p>\n
An annoying neighbor who takes great pleasure in reminding me that I owe him ice cream but would happily accept more kisses as payment. An irresistible neighbor who keeps me up while playing guitar naked\u2013spectacularly naked\u2013in his living room.<\/p>\n
Clearly, avoidance is key. Except nothing about Jax is easy to ignore\u2014not the way he makes me laugh, or that his particular brand of darkness matches mine, or how one look from him melts me faster than butter under a hot sun.<\/p>\n
Neither of us believes in love or forever. Yet we\u2019re quickly becoming each other\u2019s addiction. But we could be more. We could be everything.<\/p>\n
All we have to do is trust enough to fall.<\/p>\n
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I clear my throat. \u201cWhile I was eating my ice cream\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n
He snorts, but remains tense.<\/p>\n
\u201cI thought about how you looked familiar to me.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was the guilt haunting you.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cOr \u2026 And I\u2019m just throwing this out there. You\u2019re Jax Blackwood.\u201d<\/p>\n
He actually flinches. \u201cFuck. You recognized me.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was bound to happen. John? Really?\u201d<\/p>\n
His chin tips in a pugnacious angle. \u201cIt\u2019s my name. John is \u2026 me. Jax is who I am onstage.\u201d<\/p>\n
I picture him performing, all electric energy and raw passion and sheer talent. It\u2019s a sight to behold. Hell, a couple of really hot fantasies have been induced by that sight.<\/p>\n
While I\u2019m lost in a teen fantasy, his eyes dart around like he\u2019s expecting someone to pop out from behind a snow mound and take his picture. Then his gaze snags on me. My expression must be slightly punch drunk, because his entire body leans away from mine. Not exactly flattering to realize he\u2019s afraid I\u2019ll try to lick his face or something.<\/p>\n
I snap my gaping mouth closed. \u201cOh, calm down. It\u2019s not like I\u2019m going to start squealing and try to grab your junk.\u201d<\/p>\n
His expression lightens a little. \u201cI think if you grabbed my junk, I\u2019d be the one squealing.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cTrue. I have surprisingly strong hands.\u201d When he stares at me in horror, I hold them up and wiggle my fingers. \u201cYoga. It\u2019s highly effective.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cMy balls just flinched in terror.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cConsider yourself warned.\u201d<\/p>\n
He snorts but then glances at our building. \u201cYou really live here?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cDo you really think I hunted you<\/em> down?\u201d<\/p>\n John\u2014because I can\u2019t seem to think of him as Jax\u2014runs his hand through his damp hair, which makes his biceps bunch and twitch. \u201cYeah \u2026 that does sound crazy.\u201d<\/p>\n Crazy. This whole situation is. One day, I\u2019m offered a four-month home in a dream condo, the next I\u2019m standing on my stoop talking to a rock star. The biggest legend of my generation. I honestly don\u2019t know how I\u2019m not stammering right now.<\/p>\n \u201cI can\u2019t believe we\u2019re neighbors,\u201d I say without thinking.<\/p>\n His green eyes glint in the afternoon light, but he pauses and looks at me more closely. \u201cYou know, not to sound conceited here, but you\u2019re kind of leering at me right now.\u201d<\/p>\n My chin snaps up like I\u2019ve been hit, even as my body flushes with embarrassment. Shit. I totally had been leering. No, not leering<\/em>. But I had been staring at him in awe. Ugh. \u201cWell, you do sound conceited. I was simply making polite eye contact.\u201d<\/p>\n Liar McLiar-Face. <\/em><\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n The first time I met Jax Blackwood things went a little sideways. In my defense, I didn\u2019t know he was Jax Blackwood\u2014who expects a legendary rock star to be shopping for groceries? More importantly, a blizzard was coming and he was about to grab the last carton of mint-chocolate chip. Still, I…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-623","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.twobooksinashelf.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/623","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.twobooksinashelf.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.twobooksinashelf.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.twobooksinashelf.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.twobooksinashelf.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=623"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.twobooksinashelf.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/623\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":624,"href":"https:\/\/www.twobooksinashelf.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/623\/revisions\/624"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.twobooksinashelf.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=623"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.twobooksinashelf.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=623"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.twobooksinashelf.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=623"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}![\"\"](\"http:\/\/www.inkslingerpr.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/Fall-teaser2-1024x683.jpg\")
<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"http:\/\/www.inkslingerpr.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/KCauthor-209x300.jpg\")
Kristen Callihan is an author because there is nothing else she\u2019d rather be. She is a three-time RITA nominee and winner of two RT Reviewer\u2019s Choice awards. Her novels have garnered starred reviews from Publisher\u2019s Weekly and the Library Journal, as well as being awarded top picks by many reviewers. Her debut book FIRELIGHT received RT Magazine\u2019s Seal of Excellence, was named a best book of the year by Library Journal, best book of Spring 2012 by Publisher\u2019s Weekly, and was named the best romance book of 2012 by ALA RUSA. When she is not writing, she is reading.<\/p>\nWEBSITE<\/a> \/ FACEBOOK<\/a> \/ TWITTER<\/a> \/ AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE<\/a><\/h3>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"