King of Me (28 page)

“If we must.” He reached and nuzzled my neck. “But then you’ll have to give me some other way to occupy my time.”

With pleasure, my King.
“Right after we go diving.”

THE END

AUTHOR’S NOTE

Hi All!

Welcome to the end of the book! I hope you enjoyed the King Trilogy. And before anyone asks, I am thinking about writing a story for Mack. No firm decision on that yet, though, as I already have so many exciting books planned for 2015 (revealed in the back of this book!).

Anyway, with each and every book I write for you, my goal is always to surprise. (It’s not easy! You folks read a lot of dang books!) To do this, sometimes I create characters who may leave you feeling conflicted. Sometimes, I create characters you downright want to strangle. (“No, stupid! Don’t go down into the basement! What are you thinking?!!) But one of my biggest thrills as a writer is getting the reader to change their minds about a character they hate as the real pieces fall into place. (Remember Chaam from
Accidentally…Evil
?) But even better is when a reader takes a leap of faith and continues reading when all seems hopeless. Hopefully, in the end, the story leaves you smoking a mental cigarette and wondering what the hell just happened. But in a good way.

I want to thank each and every reader who trusted me and came along for this journey. I hope you enjoyed the ride.

HAPPY READING!

Mimi

P.S. Want to listen to the music I had piping into my ears while writing this book? Here you go! Get out those hankies!

~~~

PLAY LIST

“Goodbye My Lover” by James Blunt

“Changing” by Airborne Toxic Event

“Black Sheep” by Gin Wigmore

“Wise Up” by Aimee Mann

“If Only” by Gin Wigmore

“Hold the Line” by Pilot Speed

“Bluff” by Pilot Speed

“Do You Feel Me” by Anthony Hamilton

“Feelings” by Maroon 5

“Unkiss Me” by Maroon 5

“Save me” by Aimee Mann

“My Heart is Open” by Maroon 5

“Be Still” by the Killers

“Won’t Go Home Without You” by Maroon 5

“Take Me to Church” by Hozier.

“Happy Ever After” by Gin Wigmore.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

A HUGE thank you to the folks who helped get this book out the dang door! (It was a tough one.) Vicki Randall (Oh look! I made you read another one! LOL), Dalitza Morales (I so love your OCD tendencies), and authors Kylie Gilmore and Elizabeth James (Thanks for taking time out of your busy writer schedules!).

Also, I really need to recognize the folks who put so much effort into the production part of this series: Su at Earthly Charms (awesome cover!), Stef at Writeintoprint.com (please don’t EVER retire, you’re the best), and the ladies who provided multiple layers of awesome editing—Latoya Smith (I miss you!), Tessa Shapcott (I hope that wasn’t too painful?) and Pauline Nolet (Did I seriously misspell that word? Oh Lord.).

AND…my guys. As always, you rock.

CHECK OUT OTHER MIMI JEAN TITLES

FATE BOOK TWO

COMING DECEMBER 2014

BE CAREFUL WHAT YOU WISH FOR…

Despite every bad guy in the world wanting her dead, nineteen-year-old Dakota Dane believes she’s finally found her “happy ever after.” Until Prince Charming (aka her hot Italian bodyguard) bolts from the church two minutes before the wedding.

Was it something she said?

Dakota doesn’t know, but she’s not about to let him off the hook. Because he loves her and she loves him.

Right?

But when Dakota finally catches up to Mr. Cold Feet, she’ll find herself wishing she’d let him go when she had the chance.

IMMORTAL MATCHMAKERS, INC.

COMING SPRING 2015!

BECAUSE…dysfunctional immortals need love, too.

ANDRUS

Once the most powerful immortal assassin ever to exist, this demigod now spends his days pining for the girl who got away: Helena. Doesn’t help that he’s also Helena’s full-time nanny slash bodyguard. But now that the apocalypse is over and her husband, the vampire general, has returned home for good, it’s time to move on.

But can Andrus let go of the woman he secretly loves?

Cimil, Goddess of the Underworld and owner of Immortal Matchmakers, Inc., knows the solution is finding another gal. The right gal. But getting a woman to date this callous, unrefined, cold-hearted warrior will prove to be the biggest challenge of her existence. Good thing they’re in L.A.

When aspiring actress Sadie Townsend finds herself one week away from being thrown out on the street, the call from her agent is like a gift from heaven. But when she learns the job is teaching the world’s biggest barbarian how to act like a gentleman, she wonders if she shouldn’t have asked for more money. He’s vulgar, uncaring, and rougher around the edges than a serrated bread knife. He’s also sexy, fierce, and undeniably tormented.

Will Sadie help him overcome his past, or will she find her heart hopelessly trapped by a man determined to self-destruct?

COMING 2015!

Don’t miss new release updates. Sign up for Mimi’s mailing list!

www.mimijean.net

“Woman, we are not fish. We are men. Mer. Men. Get used to it.”

FORGET EVERYTHING you’ve ever heard, and get ready to learn what real MEN are made of…

ACCIDENTALLY IN LOVE WITH…A GOD?
excerpt

(The Accidentally Yours Series, Book One.)

The entire series is now available!

~~~

CHAPTER ONE

Present Day

Wasn’t dating supposed to be fun? Because this was anything but. At any moment, a man I’d never met—approximately six foot three, brown hair, and soul-piercing blue eyes, according to his online profile—would walk through the door of the Conga Lounge, give his name to the hostess, and scream hysterically at the sight of me. Okay. He wouldn’t scream…aloud, anyway. Not that I was heinous, but anyone who looked closely enough might notice I was…different.

I eyeballed the door, contemplating a mad dash before he arrived.

No, you can do this
, I thought while staring at the condensation channeling down my glass of water, my leg bouncing under the table. Why had my date picked a corny-themed bar that looked like
Gilligan’s Island
threw up? What sort of man goes novelty on the first date?

Bad sign. Bad sign.

At least the other patrons seated around the faux torch-lit room, leisurely sipping Bahama Mamas and mai tais, were oblivious to my impending meltdown.

I felt the gentle whoosh of summer evening air as the door swung open, and the noise from the traffic-packed New York street poured in. A tall man with sun-kissed skin, broad shoulders, and tousled brown hair floated inside—yes, floated—as if he’d ridden in on a cloud straight from Hot Man Land. He wore a black, polished cotton shirt, which hugged his well-constructed chest, and low-slung jeans that molded to his lean physique. He wasn’t just good-looking, he was Milan runway edible.

“Oh, sweet Virgin of Guadalupe, please be Jake,” I muttered under my breath.

Like a cliché from a movie, our eyes met from across the room, and his face lit up with a dimple-framed smile. My heart nearly stopped. “Thank you, Virgin,” I said, releasing my breath.

He strutted across the restaurant, a magnet for every female in the room.

“Emma?” he said in a deep, slow-churned voice, then smiled and held out his hand. I stood up in a daze, mentally pinching myself.

“You
are
Emma, right? Curly, shoulder-length, red hair, five three. Several crazed female stalkers for best friends?”

Oh no.
What had my roommates done? Since the whole online-blind-date thing was their idea, they assured me they’d carefully “screened” the guy. But I thought they were just joking about breaking into his apartment and rummaging through his underwear drawer. And dammit, they hadn’t even bothered to dish.

Tighty-whities or boxers?

I looked down at his outstretched hand.
Oh, shoot. Shake hands.
“Sorry, it’s just—I wasn’t expecting someone so…” I swallowed and placed my palm in his. It was warm and inviting, like his eyes. “Um…so tall.”

“And I wasn’t expecting a woman so”—he paused to look me over like a dog eyeing a giant juicy steak—“adorable.”

“Adorable?” said the deep male voice inside my head. “What kind of moron compliments a woman with the word
adorable
? Does he think you’re a goddamned puppy?”

Couldn’t I have one, just one lousy day without the voice? My blood began to boil instantly, but I resisted the urge to snap back with something lame like, “Well, maybe Jake senses I want to lick him from head to toe. Maybe even have a go at his leg.” But then I thought better of myself. Because tonight, I was on a mission, and nothing would stop me from climbing my own mental Mount Everest: convince myself that I, Emma Keane, could feel attraction for a real live man with ten fingers, ten toes, arms and legs, and the other necessary, dangly bits needed to make a relationship normal. All I needed was the
right
man.

The catch?

The other person I had to prove this to wasn’t exactly a person. Okay, truth be told, he was a mysterious voice only I could hear. Yes, a luscious, deep, velvety voice so intriguing and seductive it could turn me into a quivering mindless puddle of need with one little sigh. I couldn’t get enough of it. Sound crazy? That wasn’t the half of it. But it was why I had to do this. If I wanted a shot at normal, I had to take this first step and break this annoying, lifelong addiction.

Jake and I held hands for several moments before we sank into our wicker seats. “You must be Jake.” Stupid statement, I know, but I had forgotten all of the witty icebreakers I’d painstakingly memorized.

He nodded and continued smiling.

“So.” I paused, trying to think of something clever to say. It didn’t happen. “My friends, they didn’t do anything crazy, did they?”
Other than a felony B and E?

Jake shook his head. “Aside from having me followed? No. They just sent an e-mail making it clear they’d remove both my testicles if I did anything wrong.”

I cringed inside, but at least he didn’t know about the home invasion.

“With a dull spoon,” Jake added.

The voice snickered. “I’ve changed my mind. I now officially approve of your friends.”

Jake continued, lowering his voice, “I’m glad I came. I thought your profile might have been exaggerating your looks. It didn’t.”

“What a cretin. You’re not falling for this crap, are you, Emma?”

I felt my temper percolating, but I hung on. “Thanks,” I said to Jake and then looked down at my hands.