Mallory Rush - [Outlawsand Heroes 02] (27 page)

Excerpt from

Hurts So Good

by

Mallory Rush

Bestselling, Award-winning Author

"You don't think I can hurt, do you?"

"Can you?"

Neil frowned and uncapped the flask. There had been a sudden eagerness in her question that smacked of a newshound sniffing his tracks. Those story-mongers couldn't get it through their shifty heads that Neil Grey was old news. Tilting the flask to his lips, he paused. As many times as he'd been burned by the press, he wasn't taking chances. He'd make nice with Andrea, maybe tantalize her a tad, and find out in his own way whether she was up to no good.

"Make you a deal, I'll tell you. For a price."

She suspiciously eyed the flask that he'd extended.

"Name your price, and I'll decide if knowing's worth it."

"Best deal you ever cut,
chere
. I want four things from you. One: Join me for a drink. Two: Quit calling me Mr. Grey. Three: Tell me what brought you to the Big Easy when that accent of yours pegs you as a damn Yankee. And four: I could go for a good-morning kiss. Then, after that kiss, I'll answer your question. Deal?"

"The first three are fine, but that last one..."

"Aw, c'mon, be a good sport." He leaned in close and considered ditching the promised preliminaries if she was actually naïve enough to believe, "It's just a kiss."

Hurts So Good

by

Mallory Rush

~

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Hurts So Good

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Page forward and complete your journey

with an excerpt from

JUST A LITTLE LIE

Shades of Deception

Book One

Excerpt from

Just a Little Lie

Shades of Deception

Book One

by

Mallory Rush

Bestselling, Award-winning Author

Sol fingered his black eye patch self-consciously. "When you said 'I do,' this wasn't part of the bargain."

Mariah wasn't aware of her action until she'd actually gripped his wrist. It put her hand close to his eye patch. The strip that held it in place slashed his dark, frowning brow and looped behind his white dress cap.

Sol was too still; she wanted to move from his pinpoint glare, but fought the urge. The moment was too crucial for her to back down.

"I think that patch bothers you, Sol, a lot more than it does me."

"I don't doubt it, because it bothers me a helluva lot." He gazed hatefully at his crutches. "They say I'll never walk without these."

"Do you believe it?"

"I don't want to."

"But do you believe it?"

"No."

"Then neither do I." Somehow, she found the courage to find out exactly where she stood with him. "If you want out because you married me with the idea we'd never meet, or if I'm less than what you'd hoped for—"

"I didn't say that!"

"No, but that doesn't mean you didn't think it. If that's the reason you're trying to run me off, why you'd rather spend your time glaring at me instead of... of kissing me, then fine. We both know you bought into this marriage without either of us certain what we were going to end up with, and, and—" Her voice caught on a sharp emotional chord, her doubts rolling out before she could stop them.

"Mariah, please, don't do this."

"No,
you
please be quiet and just listen to me." She couldn't believe her own words, but she was glad to have them said and done with. "If you want out, consider yourself out. But if you expect me to jump ship because your body's taken some abuse, then you've got a lot to learn about the woman you took as wife, Mr. Standish."