Release Day & Giveaway: The Best I Never Had by Loni Flowers
The
Best I Never Had
DeVine Winery # 1
DeVine Winery # 1
By:
Loni Flowers
Releasing
May 5, 2015
Self-Published
Blurb
New
job, new town, new people— new life.
That’s what Olivia Langston needed. At twenty eight, she was given a rare opportunity at an internship in the rolling valleys of Crystal Falls in California wine country, far away from her small town roots in North Carolina. It was an unexpected journey she desperately needed after her ex-husband crushed her.
At DeVine Winery, she expected a fresh start in a new environment to help let go of her past. Instead, she found Daniel Black and a hell of a lot of sexual tension she wasn’t prepared for. He was gorgeous, modestly wealthy, irresistible, and just happened to be part owner of DeVine, one of the largest vineyards in the country.
If only she knew that before she kissed him her first night in town.
That’s what Olivia Langston needed. At twenty eight, she was given a rare opportunity at an internship in the rolling valleys of Crystal Falls in California wine country, far away from her small town roots in North Carolina. It was an unexpected journey she desperately needed after her ex-husband crushed her.
At DeVine Winery, she expected a fresh start in a new environment to help let go of her past. Instead, she found Daniel Black and a hell of a lot of sexual tension she wasn’t prepared for. He was gorgeous, modestly wealthy, irresistible, and just happened to be part owner of DeVine, one of the largest vineyards in the country.
If only she knew that before she kissed him her first night in town.
Excerpt
We stood at the base of a Ferris
wheel, third in line as we waited for our turn. I was about to have
heart attack. At least
I’ll look good when
I die. A couple got off
the wheel as another got on, putting us second in line. My heart
raced remembering the last time I rode one while in college. I had a
panic attack once the wheel had finally made it to the top.
“Why did we get all dressed up to
come to a carnival? Are you sure we have to do this?” I questioned
in panic.
“This is just a pit stop. I want
you to see the view from the top.” He kissed the skin at the bend
in my neck, sending the two teenage girls behind us in to a swooning
fit.
“I can see the view from here just
fine.” I huffed.
He chuckled as the couple in front
of us boarded the next bucket on the wheel. “Trust
me, Olivia. You’ll be fine,” he assured me.
I did
trust him, but it didn’t
stop my hands from shaking. And I felt dumb getting so worked up over
a children’s ride. The next bucket came down, the ride operator
lifted the metal bar across the riders’ laps, and they hopped out,
exiting to the left. The operator motioned us forward, but I could
hardly move. Daniel put his arm around my back, encouraging me
forward. Once I was seated, he slipped my shoes from my feet and
placed them next to me on the seat before whispering something to the
ride operator. After he took his seat, the operator lowered the lap
bar and walked towards the control panel. My anxiety kicked into
gear. The bucket jolted forward and I gripped the bar, squeezing it
as if my life depended on it. I gasped and squeezed my eyes shut.
“I don’t even know why there’s
a bar here. Anyone could slip out underneath it. This can’t be safe
at all.”
“Olivia, open your eyes.”
I shook my head lightly, scared that
any movement would make us fall out and drop to our death. “Just
tell me when it’s over,” I whispered.
His palm brushed over my bare
shoulders in an attempt to soothe me when the bottom of our bucket
shifted forward, causing the back to tip backwards. “Oh
my God, stop moving. We’re going to fall. Please don’t move
anymore.” I was on the verge of tears and frozen like stone. His
palm pressed against my cheek and pulled my face in his direction.
“Open your eyes, baby. Just focus
on me.”
I did as he asked, cracking my lids
open and searching for the blue of his eyes. “I’m
sorry. I want to enjoy this, I really do. But…”
“Have you always been afraid of
heights?”
“Yes. It’s one of the reasons I
drove to California.”
“I see.” He gazed out at our
surroundings. “We are about to go around again until the operators
get everyone off except us. He’s going to let us stay at the top
for a while unless you want to get off now.”
“He’s going to let you do that?”
“Money talks just about anywhere.
Can you handle thirty more minutes with me up there?”
“I’ll do my best. Talk to me.
Keep me occupied. Just don’t move too much. Please.” I squeezed
my eyes tight and leaned into his shoulder as we made another full
rotation. It wasn’t so bad if we were steadily moving, but the
stopping and starting and the swaying of the bucket was ripping my
nerves apart. Despite the romantic situation Daniel had created, I
was too scared to accept the moment for what it was.
“We’ve stopped, and we’ll be
here for a while. Can you open your eyes now?”
I cracked them open, lifting my head
slightly to peek out in front of me. There was nothing except the
ocean and the great open sky coated in an array of bright oranges and
pinks as the sun prepared to slip into the ocean for the night. I
took a deep breath, trying to calm my nerves and relax my tense body.
“It really is beautiful up here.”
I marveled at the scenery. I peered in the opposite direction and
could see the entire amusement park and the wooden boardwalk that
stretched along the beach.
“Normally, I would agree.”
Daniel slipped his fingers up the side of my neck, encouraging me to
face him. “But I swear, nothing is more beautiful than you.”
“You’ll have to forgive me if I
disagree.”
“You can disagree all you like; it
won’t sway my opinion.”
Author
Info
Residing
in Eastern North Carolina with her husband, 2 girls, and couch-potato
dogs, Loni works a full-time professional job during the day and
writes in her free time. She never thought it was possible to have a
satisfying writing career, but with the love and support of her
family, she's made it part of her life.
Loni
searches for the tiniest speck of romance in any story and is a firm
believer in the happily-ever-after’s. She thrives off the sexual
tension, and gets a kick out of taking her characters on a
roller-coaster ride of drama-filled emotions. A romance that can
soothe the soul is her number one priority.
Giveaway Time! a Rafflecopter giveaway
This sounds like a sweet second chance romance - thanks for the spotlight and giveaway!
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