Sassy Southern Books: Bad Rules by Charlotte West

Release Date: July 11, 2018

Cover Designer: Sarah Hansen / Okay Creations

Synopsis

Feminist and all around world’s greatest best friend, Lily Philips-Thomas has a rule for everything.

Rule One No matter how many proposals you receive (seventeen to be exact) don’t ever get married. Marriage is a tool of the patriarchy. Rule Two Speaking of the patriarchy, don’t fall in love with an alpha a-hole rock star that believes the sun rises and sets with him. This will only lead to heartache. Rule Three Let’s say the alpha a-hole does break your heart. Do not ever forgive him. God could be a woman but the devil is most certainly a man. Rule Four Chicks before d*cks. Never let your best friend down even if it means coming face to face with the alpha a-hole who broke your heart and wants you back.

Goodreads

Excerpt

Before I could reply, I was spun around, back pressed against the counter. Ash’s hand held firm to the back of my neck. His mouth slammed down on mine. All objections fled my body. Desire erupted. His tongue slid into my mouth. And I gave myself over to it. The want. The need. I’d missed him. So much. Our kiss was rabid, raw, intense. Everything we’d once had was still there only better, bigger.

My leg hiked around his waist. I was bare beneath the robe, and the hard ridge of jeans and the bulge underneath rubbed against my core, adding a little bite to my pleasure. His hand cradled my head, kept me steady. God knows I was shaking in the best way possible. A strong arm held me firmly. The robe slipped from my shoulders and gapped opened. Guess I’d done terrible work on my knot job. My hands slipped under his T-shirt, feeling the solid planes of his abs and pecs. He seemed a bit leaner than before, but slightly more muscled. I didn’t mind at all. In fact, I couldn’t wait to see.

He pulled back, reached behind him, and yanked his shirt off. Chains hung around his neck—his father’s dog tags, a guitar pick from his first concert, a pinkie ring a girl had given him. (He didn’t remember her name, just the moment—the first time he’d heard The Who on the radio.)

My fingers traveled up his chest. God, his body felt so right under my hands. It was like coming home. All these years traveling, and Asher Price’s arms were the best place I’d ever been. My mouth found his again. He clutched me tighter, so we were skin to skin, my nipples pebbling from the cold chains and from being so very turned on. He pushed against me, grinding. I fumbled for his zipper. His hands slid under my ass and we were leaving the bathroom. Somehow he managed to keep a hold on me and open the door.

“Bed,” he grunted. “I’m not fucking you in bathrooms anymore.”

Sounded good to me. I threaded my fingers through the short strands on his head. His lips brushed my ear as he laid me on the bed. He came down on top of me. I trembled, opening my legs wider, giving him more room.

“I’ve been going out of my mind over you,” he said.

Ditto. Loving or hating, we drove one another to our highest heights.

“You’re the best thing I’ve ever fucking seen. My pretty Lily. Beautiful inside and out.” His mouth fixed on the side of my neck and sucked. I groaned. Blood rushed to my sex, making me ache for him.

A shuffling noise sounded outside the door. “Wait.” I struggled against Ash’s hold.

“Fuck no,” he said. His mouth laved a path over my collarbone, my neck, finishing by nibbling along my jaw.

“Did you hear that?” I asked. Was someone eavesdropping on us? Listening in was totally okay when I did it, but not when someone else did it to me.

Ash drew back, eyes cloudy. “What? No.”

A soft knock. Shit. What a crap time for someone to come calling. Or maybe it was the best. Regret hadn’t settled in yet, but it was lurking. Were Asher and I about to make a mistake?

“Ash?” It was Lix’s voice, unsure and hesitant.

“Go the fuck away,” Ash said. He lifted a fluffy pillow from the bed and launched it at the door. That man and throwing things.

“I think we should talk about your texts.”

Ash squeezed his eyes shut in a god-give-me-patience way. “I didn’t send them. Lily did.”

Lix’s reply was slow. “Riiight.”

“I’m serious.” Poor Ash, didn’t anyone ever tell him that the more you insisted on something, the less plausible it sounded?

“I totally believe you.” He totally did not. “Listen man, I get that you might have certain feelings. And I’m cool with it, but I don’t see you that way, all right?”

“All right.” Ash had no choice but to agree. He must have realized the shortest route to Lix going away was to cooperate.

“Just to be clear, I’m strictly into vagina.”

“Got it.”

“Good talk.”

“Sorry,” I mouthed to Ash, laughing silently.

Beyond the door stayed quiet. We waited a beat to make sure Lix had left. Then when the coast seemed clear, our gazes settled on each other. The heat of the moment had dissipated. Cold reality set in. I hated him. Right. Right? Nevertheless, Ash was still between my legs. My breasts were on full display. Awkward. I scooted up the bed and closed the robe.

Ash scowled.

I looked anywhere but at him. The awkwardness ratcheted up a notch. I picked at the duvet. “That was a mistake.”

His lips pinned shut; obviously he was not happy with my revelation. “No.” His voice was so low I almost didn’t hear him. My eyes darted to his profile.

He stood. His jaw tightened. Fuck he was good looking, beautiful really. Sculptors could have carved him. He’d been mine once.

“That wasn’t a mistake. Nothing we’ve ever done together was a mistake.” He knelt on the bed so he was close to me. He cupped my cheek.

I had nothing.

“Now, I’m going to kiss you again, and not because I’m pissed you sent some ridiculous texts from my phone. I’m going to kiss you because I want to. Because I want you. And you’re going to kiss me back.” He grazed my lips, softly but surely. “I’m going out of my mind over you,” he murmured against my mouth. A sigh swept through my body, my soul. I closed my eyes. Kissed Ash back.

And just like that, my sworn enemy turned into my friend with benefits.

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Good Lies - Book 1:

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Hard Lessons - Book 2:

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Giveaway

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About the Author

Charlotte West writes romance about strong heroines and the sexy alpha males who love them. She lives in Washington state with her husband and very large dog (think miniature pony size). She spends way too much money on books, and way too much time reading. When she’s not reading, she’s feeding her reality television addiction, eating chocolate, or traveling. She's been known to eat her weight in Girl Scout cookies.

She has a degree in Science and a Master's in Education, neither of which she is currently using but is still paying for. Occasionally, she moonlights as a YA author.