Book Blast & Giveaway: The Mariner's Gift by Kaylie Newell
The
Mariner’s Gift
By:
Kaylie Newell
Released
July 21st,
2014
Beachwalk
Press
Blurb
Sometimes
the best gifts are the ones you least expect.
When
LA Times journalist Zola Mitchell decides to head home to San
Francisco in December, it's to write a piece on the legendary
Alcatraz prison. It has nothing to do with her high school crush
Oliver Tworek, who's recently moved back to start up a tour boat
business to The Rock. At least, that's what she keeps telling
herself.
But
when Oliver asks her to dinner, Zola can't refuse. And when he kisses
her under a display of Christmas fireworks from aboard his boat, she
can barely remember her own name.
After
twenty years, nothing seems to have changed. Oliver's still popular
and gorgeous, and Zola's still…well, Zola. Behind the successful
job, and underneath her shiny, new grown-up exterior, Zola still
feels like the skinny girl from junior year English class. Will she
ever be able to conquer those insecurities? And more importantly,
will she ever get to know the real Oliver—the one who might just
have a few secrets of his own?
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Excerpt
"Zo?"
She
smiled, feeling the blood rush to her cheeks. She hadn't told him she
was coming and hoped he wouldn't be irritated. The thought of
surprising him had seemed romantic and fun earlier. Now, with him
actually standing there, wearing nothing but a pair of loose-fitting
jeans and a sexy white t-shirt that left little to the imagination,
she wondered if she should have given him some notice.
"Oliver!
Hey." She took his hand and let him help her over the side of
the boat. "I hope I'm not interrupting anything. I know you're
working."
His
skin felt delicious on hers. He held on just a second longer than he
needed to before stepping back to take her in.
"Don't
be ridiculous. You know I wanted to see you."
He
looked fantastic. And very much in shape. The old Coast Guard t-shirt
fit just right across his chest, and was snug enough that his
nipples, hard from the cold night air, could be seen under the
fabric.
Zola
caught herself looking and shoved the cookies at him, flustered.
"Hope you like chocolate chip. They're kind of a Mitchell
tradition."
"Thank
you."
A
string of white lights hung behind him in the window, illuminating
him like some kind of angel. But unlike any angel she'd ever imagined
before. This angel made her want to discard her undergarments in the
bay and tackle him headfirst.
Touching
her elbow, he guided her toward the cabin. "You must be cold."
"I
really shouldn't stay. I just wanted to say hello."
He
grinned. "I think you can probably come inside for five minutes,
can't you? I won't bite."
Really?
At this point all she could think about was when he'd end up biting
and where that might be.
She
took the first step down, careful not to twist her ankle in the
heels. They were too much for a casual visit, but who was she kidding
anyway? She could feel him behind her and something about stepping
into the cabin of the boat, which was so secluded and sexy, made her
ovaries twitch. She had to bend slightly so as not to bump her head
through the doorframe, then straightened to look around.
The
small area was bathed in warm, yellow light from a miniature lamp in
the corner. A table top tree under one of the circular windows
smelled of pine and boasted shining glass balls of green, red, and
blue. Dark, cherry wood cabinets rose from floor to ceiling on either
side of her. There was a small bed and a tiny kitchen area, and next
to that a workspace where a pile of papers was spread out. The boat
was beautiful. It rocked seductively on the water, and even that
didn’t bother Zola, thanks to the magic of Dramamine.
Something
else was working its magic on her too. Maybe it was the temperature
inside the cabin, warm and cozy enough that she felt the need to
start unbuttoning her jacket. Or maybe it was the way Oliver stood
leaning against the doorway looking at her. Like he wanted to be the
one to work the buttons loose. His short, blond hair was messy and
soft looking. His eyes not holding much back.
Zola
laid her jacket on the bunk, trying her best to look composed and
confident. When in reality, big, clumsy butterflies were bumping
around in her belly. The air between them was charged. She knew he
wanted more than just the kiss they’d shared the last time they saw
each other. And she did too.
Author
Info
Kaylie
Newell lives at the base of the mountains in Southern Oregon with her
husband, two little girls, two cats, and a mutt named Pedro who goes
everywhere with her. When she isn't writing, she’s usually
watching a Channing Tatum movie or eating frozen waffles, or both.
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Sounds like a nice Second Chance story!
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