Title: Unexpected Fate
Author: Harper Sloan
Series: Hope Town
Release Date: February 17th 2015
Synopsis
Have you ever felt like you were living
your life for a future that was predetermined? Like there was some bigger
picture you just prayed you would someday see clearly? That picture has been
crystal clear to me since I was old enough to recognize it for just what it
was.
Or I should say recognize him for who he
was.
I’ve loved Cohen Cage since I was a small
child. He’s been my everything for the last twenty-two years. I’ve loved him
through every girlfriend he’s ever brought home. Through his college years and
then mine. I’ve loved him through two deployments. And ever since the day I
told him how I felt, he’s acted like I’m a stranger.
My name is Danielle Reid, and it’s time
for me to get my man.
Our future is an unexpected fate, and no
matter what our parents, siblings, and friends say…it’s going to be worth every
second of the fight to make it happen.
“Dani-girl.”
His voice, that rich rumble of masculine excellence, washes over me and
I shiver again before cursing under my breath.
The rumble of his low laughter tells me that he definitely didn’t miss
that little move.
Kill me now.
“Hey, Coh,” I say with a smile. “What brings you in? Last minute, I might add.” I pat the chair before walking around and
holding the back while he sits down.
When his scent hits my nose, I almost
come on the spot. Lord, he smells
good. I wonder what he would smell like
while his body covered mine, all sweaty from hours of good lovemaking. I run my fingers through the longer lengths
on the top and feel my cheeks heat slightly, thinking about doing the same when
his face is buried between my legs.
“…needed a trim.”
Shit.
I missed what he said because, naturally, I was thinking about him
naked. Naked and thrusting into my
body. Naked and feasting between my
spread thighs.
“You feeling okay? I thought Nate said you were better?”
“Uh, I’m fine. Just—is it hot in here?” I fan my face and avoid his eyes.
He’s silent, so I take that as a sign
that it’s safe to bring my attention back to him.
Big mistake there. His knowing eyes are boring right into
mine. The chocolate depths sparkling in
a way that makes it clear he has a good idea about where my mind was going.
“Did you hear what I said, Dani-girl?”
“Of course I did, Cohen. What, did you think I was standing here
daydreaming?” I joke.
“Well, yeah, that’s exactly what I
think.” His eyes darken and he smirks a
devilish grin. “Did you know you talk in
your sleep, Dani?” he asks, and I drop my comb.
Oh, God.
Shut up, shut up, shut up. This
is not happening. No way.
“No, I don’t,” I childishly snap.
“Dani, you do. So, yeah, I do think you were standing there
daydreaming. Want to know why?” He uses his booted foot to move his chair so that
he’s facing me, and then he leans in so that his face is dangerously close to
mine. Even when he’s seated, his head is
almost level with my own. Curse my
horizontally challenged self. “While you
were zoning off into space with your fingers running through my hair, you had
this smile on your lips. The same smile
you had the other day when you were dreaming.
About me, Dani. And don’t deny
it, because you don’t moan my name if you’re dreaming about another man. Yes, Dani, you very much do talk in your
sleep.” He smiles again before leaning
back and looking down to his phone.
“Clean up my neck please, cut the length off the top, and give me a buzz
on the sides. Other than that, you’re
clear to continue with your thoughts.”
I must have been standing there like an
idiot because he looks up from his phone, laughs to himself, and, with one tan
hand, reaches out and pushes my mouth closed.
“You’re going to catch flies that way,
Dani-girl. One day, maybe you can clue
me in on what those dreams are about.”
Drives me insane, the control he has over
me. There isn’t a single person in the
world, other than Cohen, who can turn me into a ridiculously stupid, sputtering
fool. My normal confidence
disappears. And clearly, he isn’t as
oblivious to my feelings as I originally thought.
How in the hell am I supposed to handle
this?
Wait a minute. Cohen or not, I’m not going to let him pull
my strings when I know he is just doing this to make me feel uncomfortable.
So, time to call his bluff.
“Why?
You planning on doing something about it?”
He looks up sharply, clearly not having
expected me to actually say something in return since he was going for shock
value.
“Try me,” he demands, his voice thick and
even deeper than normal.
I throw my head back and reach out to run
my fingers thought his hair again, just barely suppressing the shivers. Curling my fingers slightly so that I can
grab a good hold, I lean in and pull his head back at the same time. With my nose just a hair away from his and
our breaths mingling together, I say, “Cohen, you couldn’t handle the truth of
my thoughts when it comes to you and we both know it. So how about you let me know when
you’re ready for me to clue you in.” I give his hair a light tug and smile when he
swallows loudly and shifts in his seat.
“Ready for that trim?” I ask with a wink, and I’m rewarded with his
groan.
I have no idea how I do it, but I manage
to get through his cut without coming unglued.
I can see Lyn trying to get my attention from across the room. Stella had to leave after she overheard my
words to Cohen because her giggles were getting the best of her. Cohen has remained silent the whole time. His eyes though… They’re speaking louder than his words ever
could.
They haven’t left my reflection in the
mirror since I started. I can feel them
every time I shift. When I stopped to go
grab another comb after I dropped my fourth one, I felt his gaze follow me
across the room to Stella’s station. The
few times I stopped cutting to meet his eyes, the heated promise written all
over his face almost did me in. I almost
just said ‘fuck it’ and climbed on his lap to have a go regardless of the
people watching our every move.
I finish the last buzz of my clippers
around his right ear and move to brush all the stray hair off. “All done,” I say softly and unclip his cape.
He stands, shoving his phone in the back
pocket of his jeans, and walks over to stand in front of me. I continue to pretend I’m busy with the cape
I just removed, brushing stray hairs off here and there, when his hand comes
up, his finger and thumb hitting my chin, and my face is lifted until I have no
choice but to look in his eyes.
“Do not tease me, Dani. It’s not a game you want to play if you don’t
intend to follow through.”
“I-I wasn’t… I wouldn’t,” I stammer.
“You did, and I have no doubt you’ll have
the brilliant idea to do it again. The
next time you allude to those dirty thoughts I know you have about me, don’t
think for a second that I won’t drag you to the closest bed to show you just
how fucking dirty they’ll get.” He leans
close, his scent hitting my nostrils, and I involuntarily inhale deeply,
earning me a rumbled chuckle. “What you
don’t know, Dani—because contrary to what you think, you don’t know me well
enough to assume what having me would really be like. But I promise you this: every little thought
that you have had that causes you to moan my name while scissoring those
perfect legs back and forth, praying for completion—it would be so much hotter than
you could ever imagine.” He gives me a
soft, sweet kiss against my temple that has fire racing from that spot all over
my body until it ends in the awareness that I’m pretty sure I just came in my
pants.
Author Bio
Harper lives in small town Georgia just a short drive from
her hometown of Peachtree City. She (and her 3 daughters) enjoy ruling the
house they dubbed 'Estrogen Ocean', much to her husband’s chagrin. Harper has a
borderline unhealthy obsession with books; you can almost ALWAYS find her with
her eReader attached. She enjoys bad reality TV and cheesy romantic flicks. Her
favorite kind of hero--the super alpha kind!
Harper started using writing as a way to unwind when the
house went to sleep at night; and with a house full of crazy it was the perfect
way to just relax. It didn't take long before a head full of very demanding
alphas would stop at nothing to have their story told.
The happiness I felt when I heard there will be a spinoff series, with the CS kids grown up and the CS men all in their fifties and still Alpha and yummy... *swoon*
"Daddy."
"Dani."
"I'll cry."
"No, you won't. You have more balls than that."
"Want to bet?"
At first, Axel kinda pissed me off with his overprotective ways. Then, it started getting funny. Until a scene where I wanted to smack him.
"Cage Cohen owned my heart and I never wanted it back."
I loved Dani. She took crap from no one, even if that meant standing toe-to-toe with her behemoth dad. I also liked that she didn't give up, and tried getting what she wanted. Namely, Cohen. 'Cause the kid needed a wake-up call.
"One thing and one thing only is clear now. I want Danielle Reid. And right or wrong, I will have her."
Indeed. So, little Cohen grew up. And I do mean he grew up.
So, for me, all was well, I actually thought it was better than the CS series but certain parts were kind of cheesy. For me. I'm only talking in my name. And the reason why it didn't surpass the CS series was due to a slight repetition. When you'll read the book, you'll see what I mean, I'm not giving away anything.
But there was a pleasant surprise in the book and I can't wait to read more about that!
"It's you and me, baby. You and me against the world."
So yes, I liked the book. Yes, I would reread it. Yes, I recommend it, even though yes, I am giving it 4 stars. Am curious to see where this series goes.
P.S. I got a few glimpses of my man, Mr. Locke, which made me insanely happy.
***Copy provided by author and TRSOR in exchange for honest review for blog tour***
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