Dare to Desire Release Day!!!

I’m so excited about the Dare to Love series from Carly Phillips! I absolutely loved Dare to Love, the first book in the series and am over the moon the 2^nd book is out today!!! To celebrate the release of Dare to Desire, I’m spotlighting the book, sharing and excerpt, and giving away 3 digital copies of Dare to Desire to 3 lucky readers.

Dare to Desire is the 2^nd book in the amazing Dare to Love series from New York Times Bestselling author Carly Phillips. The release date is April 10, 2014 and it is a self-published work. From the back cover.~

Quarterback Alex Dare, had it all — an all-star football career with the Tampa Breakers and his choice of willing women — until a severe injury forces him into early retirement. When he is offered a ground-breaking position with a rival team, he’s intrigued, but there’s a catch. He’ll be working alongside the same woman he hasn’t been able to get out of his head for too long.

Social worker Madison Evans grew up in foster homes and knows first hand what it means to have-not. She isn’t impressed by Alex Dare’s wealth or charm. Not since she fell hard for him once before, only to discover she was just one of his too-easy conquests. This time around Madison refuses to succumb to Alex so easily.

But Alex wants Madison. And if there is one thing Alex does well, it’s to get what he wants. The playboy athlete must prove he’s got game in more places than on the field. He means to prove that he’s a changed man but no sooner does he begin to break through Madison’s defenses when a new opportunity comes knocking and threatens her new-found trust. Can he make Madison take a risk and dare to love?

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Excerpt:

He settled on the edge of her desk, too close for her peace of mind. 

“What are you doing?” she asked.

“Saying hello.”  His breath ruffled her hair, and she shivered.  “And catching up.”

This friendly Alex was new.  Up until now, he’d perfected being completely professional, but since they shared an office, the underlying sexual tension was ever present.  She couldn’t inhale without smelling Alex’s familiar scent, reminding her of hot, passionate nights in his bed. 

She couldn’t look up without catching a glimpse of his dark head bent over notes or his computer, bringing up memories of how she’d tangle her fingers in the long strands of his hair as her orgasm washed over her.  The low timbre of his voice echoed through her, causing every nerve ending in her body to tingle with awareness.  And they worked really well together, as it turned out, reminding her that their camaraderie had extended outside the bedroom as well.

On day one, when she’d accused him of not having staying power, it had been a subtle dig at his revolving door of women, not his work ethic.  So she wasn’t at all surprised he’d thrown himself into this job with the same dedication he’d shown in his football career.  She didn’t need anything to soften her toward him, but had to admit, she admired his enthusiasm for their project and the ideas he’d brought to the table so far.

Still, she’d expected him to leave at five.  Instead, he’d stay until seven or eight, always walking her to the parking lot at the end of the day.  What had happened to the parties at his house? The constant rotation of friends and teammates who came through his front door for poker, beer, and pizza?  The bars with the groupies? 

She frowned at the reminder.  Maybe he went there afterwards, but he didn’t seem like he was partying.  At all.

“What’s wrong?” he asked.  “You’re looking at me funny.”

She frowned at how well he read her.  “It’s just that you’re surprising me,” she grudgingly admitted.

“In a good way? Or bad?” He leaned in closer.

“Sit back,” she muttered.  “I need breathing room.”

He shot her a knowing grin.  “I don’t mind being so close to you.”  His brown eyes sparkled with mischief.  “You smell good.”  He deliberately inhaled, his nose close to the sensitive spot behind her ear.

“Stop!”  She slid her chair back from her desk. 

Chuckling, he raised both hands in the air.  “Fine.  Then spend time with me away from work, and I won’t push any agenda here.”

She raised her eyebrows high.  “So you admit you have an agenda?”

A dimple formed in his cheek.  “I admit I want to spend time with you.  Anything else I say can only get me in trouble.”  He grinned, surely intending to disarm her.  “Let’s go for dinner tonight.”

“I can’t.”

“You mean you won’t.”

“I mean I can’t.  I have a date.”  With her foster brother, Eric, but she wasn’t about to give Alex any information on her family issues.

His smile turned into a deadly scowl she’d only seen on the football field.  Did her after-work plans really bother him so much?

“Who’s the guy? Is it serious?” he asked, suddenly back in her personal space.

She felt lightheaded at his nearness, and the desire to throw herself against his hard body was strong.  “I’m meeting my foster brother,” she said, only realizing she’d buried herself with the truth.

A shimmer of light returned to his gaze.  “Okay, eat light with him, and we’ll go out after.”

She wrinkled her nose in confusion.  “What’s with the persistence? I mean, if you were anyone else, I’d think you don’t want to go home and eat alone.”  But Alex Dare was never alone.

He looked away and awareness dawned.  Could he be lonely? “Alex, what’s going on? Where are all the guys who came in and out of your house at all hours when I was there?” He was the most popular guy she’d ever met, never at a loss for company, male or female, whether in Miami or in Tampa.

“Things changed.”  He didn’t turn to meet her gaze.

This wasn’t the cocky Alex she remembered.  But she wasn’t letting him off the hook.  “Changed how?”

He was silent for so long she didn’t think he’d answer.  When he did, he spoke so low she had to strain to hear. 

 “After the hit, I wasn’t exactly in a good place.”

She knew that firsthand.  She bit her lip, refusing to snap back a retort because it just might give him insight into how much he’d hurt her. 

He glanced up at her, the knowledge already in his eyes.  “I was nasty to my family, my friends.  I didn’t want company.”

“You weren’t at your best,” she agreed.

“True.”  He grinned, the cockiness back. 

For some reason, that reassured her.  “And let me guess, not only didn’t you want their help, you didn’t want their pity.”

“Bingo.  And after a while, the guys stopped coming by.”  He shrugged like it didn’t matter. 

Without looking at his expression, she knew better.  Knew him better.  Scary, considering a few minutes ago she’d thought she didn’t know him that well at all. 

She cleared her throat.  “What about your siblings? I’m sure they were there for you.”

“They were.  They are. But if they think I need them, they’ll smother me.”

She shook her head at how easily he dismissed something so precious.  “You’re lucky you have a brother and sister who care.” Speaking of siblings reminded her of her meeting with her foster brother, and she glanced at her watch. 

“I don’t want to keep you,” he said, picking up on her cue.  He slid off the desk and walked to his own corner of the room, looking more isolated than she liked. 

She was torn over what to do.  Being with him outside of work was so dangerous to her peace of mind.  Most people she found easy to keep out.  Not Alex.

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