I stepped out of my office into the lobby as Michael got off the elevator. He walked toward me, angry as hell. “How come you didn’t tell me that you were recommending I see another therapist? I trusted you!”
“We explained everything to your management and team rep. They said it was fine that you will be meeting with my partner instead of me. I can’t be objective after what happened yesterday, and this is an important year for you. You need the best person for the job and I’m definitely not it.” I continued to walk toward the elevator.
“I don’t want to hear that bull!” He stopped and grabbed my arm. “You should have told me you didn’t want to see me again.”
“It’s not like that. I just felt you needed someone more qualified than me to help you get through this year. I’m used to rookies, and you are far from a rookie.”
“But what about what I feel I need? I’m not a rookie, so I know what I need, and it’s you.” He looked down at me, speaking with desperation in his voice. “I need you. I don’t want anyone else.”
I almost relented, but even then, the guilt of wanting him to kiss me ate at me. “It’s too late. We already spoke with your team.” I tried to walk away again.
He moved his rigid body in my path. “The hell it is. Whatever you need me to do to make this work, I’ll do it.” We were making a scene and drawing a small crowd. He seemed oblivious that people were looking and possibly even recording us. 
I impulsively grabbed his hand, unlocked the office, and pulled him past the reception area to my office. I opened my door and walked inside. Before I could say a word, he closed the door and roughly pushed me against it, kissing me desperately. 
At first, I was in shock and didn’t move as his mouth stroked over mine. Then he softly used his tongue, which sent a feverish heat through my veins. I responded, and his hands began exploring my body as he pressed against me.
When his hardness wedged against my stomach, I pushed him lightly and surprisingly, he didn’t resist and stopped kissing me. “I’m sorry.” He rested his forehead against mine.
I looked at him and whispered, “This is why I can’t be your therapist. I can’t resist you.”
 “I would rather you work with me than lose you, so I won’t kiss you again. You are so beautiful. When you grabbed my hand and brought me in here...” He shook his head. “That was some sexy shit and I couldn’t stop myself.”
I watched him, not sure what to say.
He stared at my lips, only inches from his. “Like I said, I won’t kiss you again, if you don’t want me to.” 
God knows, I really wanted him to do so much more. And when I bit my lip, with no response, he groaned and pushed my legs apart with his knee. He picked me up, wrapped my legs around his waist, and set me on my desk. He kissed me again, and this time I didn’t fight my attraction. His strong arms closed around me and I melted. Between kisses, he asked, “Can you feel how much I want you?”
“Yes.”

Is their love strong enough?

From the moment NFL Superstar Michael Carson walked into Dr. Zoe Broussard’s office, Zoe’s life has never been the same. Now that Michael and the Gators have won the Super Bowl and he openly professed his love for her to the world, Zoe is in the spotlight more than ever. As she adjusts to the newfound attention, practicing psychology again, and most importantly her new roles of wife and mother, she finds herself in the familiar struggle of maintaining her identity.  
​
Michael could not be happier with being at the top of his game on and off the field. He remains steadfast in his love for Zoe and ready to take on the challenges of fatherhood, when he receives disturbing news. In this game of life, is their love strong enough to overcome any obstacles—even sabotage at the hands of someone else?

Peggy Jordan had long ago closed the door on her heart’s desires, accepting she would never have a loving husband and family of her own. Then a friend asks her to care for an orphaned little girl, and she meets the child’s last living relative. With him, her patience is tested, her desires are unleashed, and she gets the first taste of a life she’d always felt was out of reach. 

Years ago, Trevor Duncan left Savannah and vowed never to return. He traveled to remote corners of the globe, helping people, and helping himself to countless women in emotionally-empty relationships. A phone call in the middle of the night changes his entire life. He has a niece who needs him, and when he meets the woman caring for her, he’s consumed with having her all to himself. 

Their desire is strong. Their love is instant. But can they learn to trust each other and survive the road to happily-ever-after? 

​I’m passing the broom in my kitchen, attempting to clean up as much of the flour from my homemade pie crusts and pizza dough as I can. It’s another pizza and movie Saturday, and Trevor hasn’t come over with Adeline yet. I check the time again and it’s almost noon. 
Clarisse’s nanny will be here around two with the twins for the play date. Adeline has been so excited for this day all week. Before they took off last night, she promised to go to sleep fast so morning could come quicker. 
When Trevor wasn’t at my door bright and early with Adeline and a cup of Starbucks coffee, my first thought was to text him. Instead of, Are you still coming? I texted, Missing my morning cup of Joe. I have yet to receive a reply. 
After putting away the broom and dust pan, I walk over to the work desk in the corner of my kitchen and grab my cell from the charger. I pull up Trevor’s number, ready to call, when a hard knock to the front door startles me. I power walk to the front entry and open the heavy wood door. Adeline rushes in and hugs my legs so tight, as if she didn’t just leave me last night. Her hair is all over her head, and she’s wearing rubber boots with her night clothes. 
She looks a hot mess. I hold her face in my hands and lift it so I can see her expression. “Is everything okay?’
“No,” Trevor answers.
 “What happened?” I ask. 
“Water pipe broke sometime in the middle of the night.” He’s holding a cup of Starbucks coffee. I’m guessing he saw my text. I smile and take the cup. “We woke to water everywhere this morning. I’m thankful it only reached the top of the baseboards. Hate to think what could have happened if it touched the wall plugs in that old house.”
My blood runs cold and I feel lightheaded at the thought. I recall when I first laid eyes on that old house, I questioned Trevor’s logic. Here he is with enough money to purchase three of my houses with no discomfort, and he settles on renting a small, old house. 
“‘It’s my first home. We don’t need much, and it’s temporary,’” he had told me, and I realized Trevor was no typical rich asshole. 
I hold Adeline tight and move from in front the door. I’m squeezing her, repeatedly kissing her cheek, grateful to see her face. When I think I’ve composed myself, I pull back and ask her to head upstairs so she can cleanup and dress before her play date. She runs up the stairs to her room, and I rush into Trevor’s waiting arms. 
I’m holding him a little awkward because of my coffee cup, but Trevor has me completely engulfed in a strong embrace. “What are you going to do?”
He takes a breath before answering. “I reserved a room at a hotel in town.”
“Why?” I give him a confused look. “You know you can stay here. Adeline has gone through so many changes. Her room is familiar, and we have a routine.” I smile before adding, “The two of you are here over ninety percent of the day anyway.”
Trevor gives me a smile and I pray he agrees. I make one more attempt at getting my way, but this next statement is equally as true as the last. “I’m so happy you and Adeline are safe. To even give the smallest of my energy to the thoughts of what could have happened… I want to lock you both away so you’re safe forever. Right now I need you to say yes, Trevor.”
​

Do you like friends to lovers romance? Well, I have a treat for you! Reese Ryan and I have put our heads together to promote our friends to lovers romance novels with an awesome contest for readers.

​My book is Just Friends, currently part of the Johnson Family series 3-book box set. Hers is an interracial romance titled His Until Midnight. Before I tell you anymore about her book and give you the details about the contest, learn more about Reese in the interview below. 
​

​What was the first job you ever had? 
I had a paid summer writing internship during high school, which I completely forgot about until this question. LOL.
 
What are you currently reading and enjoying?  
I just finished RAFE: A Buff Male Nanny by Rebekah Weatherspoon, which I absolutely adored. And I’m currently reading Tikka Chance on Me by Suleikha Snyder.
 
Favorite romantic movie(s)? 
There are many. Pretty Woman, Brown Sugar, Hitch. The Wedding Planner, Wedding Date, My Best Friend’s Wedding, My Big Fat Greek Wedding. Notice a theme? ;-)
 
If you could only eat one meal every day for the rest of your life, what would it be? 
Salmon is one of the few foods I love enough to eat every day.
 
Is there anything you want to do this year that you’ve never done before? 
Yes. The idea for a romantic thriller series has been brewing in my head for the past five years or so. In 2019, I hope to finally plot the entire series and complete Book One.
 
His Until Midnight is a friends-to-lovers story. What makes Tessa and Ryan’s friendship so special? 
What I enjoy about writing friends-to-lovers stories is that the couple already has an established relationship and shared history to pull from. Tessa and Ryan have been best friends since they were very young children, plus they’re next door neighbors. So they’re incredibly close. That warmth, familiarity and history is evident in their teasing banter. As is the subconscious flirtation that’s constantly going on between these two.
 
What was your favorite scene in His Until Midnight? 
In this book, I don’t have a favorite single scene. I love the entire fantasy weekend that Tessa and Ryan spend together in Dallas. It’s sweet and romantic but also smoking hot. They know each other so well. Yet, in exploring this new aspect of their relationship, they’re both feeling vulnerable and unsure. Confession: I’ve read that section of the book five or six times and counting. 
 
What are your writing goals for 2019? 
The last few years, I’ve had a pretty ambitious writing schedule and 2019 is shaping up to be the same. I’ll be writing four books and at least one novella. I’m most excited about the April release of the next book in my Bourbon Brother series, writing the next books in my Bourbon Brothers series and an anthology with Brenda Jackson this summer. 
​

​Excerpt of His Until Midnight
 
“It’s time for the surprise you gents have been waiting for this evening. Fellas, please welcome our lone bachelorette, Miss Tessa Noble.”
 
Ryan pulled out his phone. He’d promised Tripp that he’d record his sister’s big debut.
 
There was a collective gasp in the room as Tessa stepped out onto the stage. Ryan moved away from the bar, so he could get a better view of his friend.
 
His jaw dropped, and his phone nearly clattered to the ground.
 
“Tess?” Ryan choked out the word, then silently cursed himself, realizing his stunned reaction would end up on the video. He snapped his gaping mouth shut as he watched her strut across the stage in a glamorous red pantsuit that seemed to be designed for the express purpose of highlighting her killer curves.
 
Damn, she’s fine.
 
He wasn’t an idiot. Nor was he blind. So he wasn’t oblivious to the fact that his best friend also happened to be an extremely beautiful woman. And despite her tomboy wardrobe, he was fully aware of the hot body buried beneath relaxed fit clothing. But today...those curves had come out to play.
 
As if she was a professional runway model, Tess pranced to the end of the stage in strappy, glittery heels, put one hand on her hip and cocked it to the side. She seemed buoyed by the crowd’s raucous reaction.
 
First there was the collective gasp, followed by a chorus of Oh my Gods. Now the crowd was whooping and shouting.
 
A slow grin spread across her lips, painted a deep, flirtatious shade of red that made him desperate to taste them. She turned and walked back toward where Rachel stood, revealing a large, heart-shaped cutout that exposed the warm brown skin of her open back. A large bow was tied behind her graceful neck.
Tessa Noble was one gift he’d give just about anything to unwrap.
She was incredibly sexy with a fiercely confident demeanor that only made him hunger for her more.
 
Ryan surveyed the crowd. He obviously wasn’t the only man in the room drooling over Tessa 2.0. He stared at the large group of men who were wide-eyed, slack-jawed and obviously titillated by the woman on stage.
 
Tessa’s concerns that no one would bid on her were obviously misplaced. There were even a couple of women who seemed to be drooling over her.
 
Ryan’s heart thudded. Suddenly, there wasn’t enough air in the tented, outdoor space. He grabbed his auction paddle and crept closer to the stage.
 
Rachel read Tessa’s bio aloud, as Alexis had done with the bachelors who’d gone before her. Tessa stood tall with her back arched and one hand on her hip. She held her head high as she scanned the room.
 
Was she looking for him?
 
Ryan’s cheeks flushed with heat. A dozen emotions percolated in his chest, like some strange, volatile mixture, as he studied his friend on stage. Initially, he wanted to rush the stage and drape his jacket over her shoulders. Block the other men’s lurid stares. Then there was his own guttural reaction to seeing Tess this way. He wanted to devour her. Kiss every inch of the warm, brown skin on her back. Glide his hands over her luscious bottom. Taste those pouty lips.
 
He swallowed hard, conscious of his rapid breathing. He hoped the video wasn’t picking that up, too.

Get your copy here:​

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | iTunes | Google
Add to Goodreads  

Visit Reese's book page (www.reeseryan.com/books) and my book page (www.delaneydiamond.com/books) and enter the name of one of our series and a title from that series in the form below for a chance to win! Or click here to open the form in your browser. 

• 1st place: $25 winner's choice gift card (Amazon, B&N, iTunes, or Starbucks) and reader’s choice of an ebook from each of our backlists.
• 2nd place: Reader's choice of an ebook from each of our backlists.
• Eligibility: Open to U.S. and international readers.
• Deadline to enter: January 13, 2019 at 11:59 PM EST

Author Bio 
Reese Ryan, a panelist at the 2017 Los Angeles Times Festival of Books and the 2018 Donna Hill Breakout Author award winner, writes sexy, deeply emotional romances with family drama, surprising secrets, and a posse of deliciously-flawed characters.
 
Reese resides in semi-small town North Carolina where she’s an avid reader with a serious 1-click addiction and a music junkie with a thing for brilliant singer/songwriters and quirky musicals.
 
Visit Reese at ReeseRyan.com and join her VIP Readers email list for free reads, cover reveals, sneak peeks, reader giveaways, and more.  

Connect with Reese online 
Website: http://ReeseRyan.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ReeseRyanWrites
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ReeseRyanWrites/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/reeseryanwrites/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7048347.Reese_Ryan
Amazon: https://smile.amazon.com/Reese-Ryan/e/B00CD31WJ0/
BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/reese-ryan

I can count on one hand how many live interviews I've done over the years. So, when Kimberly Kaye of WFKX 96Kix in Tennessee invited me on the air as the Author of the Week to discuss Wild Thoughts and my other work, my initial thought was to decline. But I learned it's only a five-minute segment. I agreed to do it because I figured I could handle five minutes.

You know what, I didn't die. LOL. And five minutes goes by very quickly! The interview turned out to be seven minutes total, and it's below.  ​Hope you enjoy it! 
​