In celebration of the release of One Good Thing, I'm giving away a $25 Amazon Gift Card and an advanced copy of my upcoming release, Purrfect Harmony. 

Use the form below to enter. Contest ends February 28th at midnight CST.

When Greyson Forrester receives an invitation to his cousin’s wedding, he knows he can’t refuse—even if the groom is his ex-fiancé. If he doesn’t go, people might think he still cares, which he doesn’t, thank you very much. Showing up alone isn’t any better, but he has neither the time nor the inclination to jump back into the dating scene. So, what’s a guy to do? Hire a fake boyfriend, of course!

+One isn’t a dating agency. Fine. He’s not looking to make a love connection, just survive one week with even a shred of dignity intact. Then, Jace Harkin walks through the door, and Greyson knows he’s in trouble. Jace is the total package—successful, witty, gorgeous—but falling for him wasn’t supposed to happen. Yet, every smile, every touch, every whispered endearment pulls him in a little deeper until the line between reality and fantasy begins to blur. 
​
Too bad it can’t last. After all, it’s just make-believe, right?

Without waiting for a response, Jace Harkins strolled into the office with an easy, self-assured gait. “You summoned me?”

Sweet baby Jesus, his voice could melt the panties off a nun. Deep and smooth with just a hint of a southern drawl, it pierced right through me, and I kind of forgot how to breathe for a second. 

While his tone radiated sarcasm, the smile on his face when he looked at his sister belied his irritation. I’d thought he had a great smile from his photograph, but it was nothing compared to the real thing. Damn, that picture really hadn’t done him justice. 

“You’re late.” From behind the desk, Anna grinned back. “But since you brought coffee, I’m willing to forgive you.”

Too busy staring at the way his black T-shirt stretched around his bulging biceps, I hadn’t even noticed the drink carrier in his hands. Coming forward, he took one of the plastic cups and placed it on the desk with an unopened straw as he rattled off some complicated name that sounded like it was made of sugar and glitter. 

After thanking him, Anna reached for the drink with one hand while motioning toward me with the other. “Jace, I’d like you to meet Greyson Forrester. Mr. Forrester, this is Jace Harkin.”

“Nice to meet you, Mr. Forrester.” Instead of offering his hand, he nodded at the remaining drinks in the carrier. “I wasn’t sure what your poison was, but you’ve got some options. There’s plain black, an iced caramel macchiato, and a vanilla cold brew.”

I didn’t normally drink coffee, but his gesture was sweet, and I found myself not wanting to disappoint him. “Uh, whichever one tastes the least like coffee.” 

His laugh made my stomach flutter and my pulse skip, and I nearly melted into the floor when he winked at me. “Ah, not a big coffee fan, huh? No worries.” He took one of the plastic cups from the carrier and passed it to me. “Try the macchiato. I think you’ll like it.”

I thanked him as I opened the straw and stabbed it into the lid. Since he was still watching me, I bent my head and took a polite sip. He was right. I did like it. I could practically feel my glucose levels rising, but it was just the right blend of coffee, milk, and sugar. 

“Not bad,” I declared with a smile. “It’s actually pretty good. Thanks.”

Jace nodded as he eased his hip down on the corner of the desk. “So, Mr. Forrester, what is it you do?”

“Please, call me Greyson.” My nerves had mostly settled, making it easier to speak to him without hyperventilating. I couldn’t put my finger on exactly what had changed, but there was just something about him that felt…calming. “I own a shop in Wakefield. The Apothecary.”

He leaned back a little and folded his arms across his chest. “Like a pharmacy?”

I tilted my head from side to side and flopped my hand around in the universal symbol for “kind of, but not really.” I did sell remedies out of my shop, but they were homeopathic and made with organic ingredients. 

“I carry a lot of things in my store. Natural remedies. Organic bath products. Lotions. Lip balms. Things like that.”

As I spoke, I raked my gaze over the numerous tattoos that inked his arms. Part of me wondered how much they’d hurt. Another part of me—namely the part behind the zipper of my jeans—just found them sexy as hell. I’d expected skulls and flames, and while those things were represented in the art, there were also flowers, dragonflies, and an adorable pixie with dark hair and tattered wings. 

They weren’t random. That much I could tell. Some of his tattoos were dark and eerie, others surreal, and some just cute, but they all flowed together like parts of a story, like pieces of his life.

“That’s amazing,” he answered, forcing me to pry my gaze away from the ink. “I’d love to see it sometime.”

His smile was warm, his tone genuine, and I preened a little, surprised by how much this stranger’s approval meant to me. “I’d like that.” I leaned to the side to look at Anna. “Your sister said you’re a business owner as well.”

He glanced over his shoulder, then shook his head as he turned back to me. “Yeah, something like that.” 

He didn’t elaborate, so I let the subject drop and floundered for something else to say. Eventually, I settled on honesty. “I’m guessing this is the part where you’re trying to decide if you’ll take the job or not. So, what else would you like to know?”

His gaze raked over me slowly, intimately, and I fought the urge to squirm under his scrutiny. “Tell me in three sentences or less why you’re here.”

I could do that. No rambling. No apologizing. 

“My ex and my cousin are getting married. I can’t get out of going to the wedding, and I don’t want everyone thinking I’m pathetic. I need someone to pretend to enjoy my company so I can get through it with even a shred of dignity intact.”
​
There, I’d said it. Now, all I could do was wait and hope it would be enough to convince him.

Only one more week before One Good Thing is released! I hope you're as excited as I am. Until then, here's a little peek at Greyson and Jace's story. :) 

“What about beer?”

He wrinkled his nose.

“Wine?”

Head shake. 

“Pizza?”

Shrug. “White sauce pizza is okay.”

The guy was killing me. “Bacon?”

He made a face and shook his head. 

I was beginning to think he was some kind of pod person sent to impersonate sentient beings. “Peanut butter?”

“I prefer almond or pecan butter, but peanut will do in a pinch.”

He was killing me. “Hot dogs?”

“Gross.”

“Cornbread.”

“Edible.”

“Biscuits and gravy?”

He rocked his head from side to side in a gesture I took to mean “sort of.” 

I thought back to the breakfast we’d shared. “Do you even like pancakes?”

His face split into a wide grin. “I love pancakes.” 

I was more of a waffle kind of guy myself, but I didn’t hate pancakes. It was a start anyway. “What about donuts?”

“I like the plain glazed ones.”

Finally! “Same here.”

“Is this practice for the wedding? Because the menu has already been decided. You have a choice between chicken, salmon, or vegetarian.”

I could lie and tell him my mini interrogation was absolutely related to the wedding that I had already forgotten we were attending. It would be the easiest explanation and maintain our professional boundaries. 

“Just getting to know you. Nothing wrong with that, is there?” 

“No.” Settling back in his chair, he crossed his ankles and folded his hands across his stomach. “Of course not, but I feel like it’s a little unbalanced. When do I get to ask questions?”

It was the most relaxed I’d ever seen him, and I found myself smiling as I finished off the cookie. “What do you want to know?”

“What’s your favorite color?”

I stared at him blankly as I processed the question. From him, I had expected something deeper, something more personal. If his smile was any indication, he knew that, too.

“Green.” What? No. For as long as I could remember, my favorite color had been purple. Those flecks of green in his eyes, though. Damn. So, instead of recanting, I doubled down. “Kelly green.”

Greyson nodded. “Silver or gold?”

Normally, I would have said silver, but that gold tie he was wearing had me feeling some kind of way. “Uh, gold?”

“Are you sure about that?” He smirked. Well, he tried, but he kind of ruined the effect by blushing clear the tips of his ears. 
​
Greyson was actually flirting with me. It was awkward and a bit clumsy, but it was definitely flirting. I grinned. I could work with this.

I had really hoped to get Fallout released before the end of Summer, but it looks like I'm going to miss that deadline by a couple of weeks. The book went a little longer than I had anticipated, and there have been a few setbacks since school started, but it will be off to my editor very soon! 

I should have a firm release date (in early October) for everyone by the end of next week! 

In other news, I'm feeling SO MUCH better these days, and I have several more books planned for the end of this year. Look for more details about those in coming posts! Again, I'm so sorry for the wait, and I can't tell you how much I appreciate everyone's understanding and patience while I was sick. 

Twisting around on the sofa, Luke tucked his socked feet under him and grinned like a Cheshire cat. “I want that one.”

Cameron snorted as Luke salivated over the security guy who had just entered the den. Not that he blamed him. Dressed in a black suit that molded to every muscled inch of him, the bodyguard was strikingly handsome. 

His dark hair was cut conservatively in a high fade that emphasized his square jaw and high cheekbones. Cameron couldn’t tell what color eyes he had, but there was an unmistakable intensity to them he could practically feel from across the room.

Craning his neck, Nico turned to follow Luke’s gaze. “Dude,” he said with a snort of laughter. “It’s not a takeout menu.”

Still sandwiched between them, Cameron sank back into the cushions with a stifled yawn. “And he’s straight.”

Of course, he had no way of knowing that. He just liked fucking with Luke.

“Don’t say that,” Nico mumbled, covering his mouth to hide his own yawn. “You’ll just encourage him.”

“Hey!” Luke huffed indignantly, paused, then lifted one shoulder in a half-hearted shrug. “Yeah, okay, that’s fair.”

Everyone laughed.

“What’s fair?” Long fingers threaded through Cameron’s hair from behind, gently urging his head back. “Hey,” Asher murmured as he leaned over the sofa to steal a kiss.

“Hey,” Cameron echoed with a sappy grin. “Luke was just deciding which guy from Oz’s security team he wants to take home with him.” 

The fingers in his hair tightened briefly before releasing him, but otherwise, Asher didn’t react to the news. No eye roll. No hint of a smirk. He didn’t even glance in Luke’s direction. Cameron’s smile instantly dissolved as he pushed upright and shifted around to look at him directly. 

“Is everything okay?” 

Shoving his hands into the front pocket of his jeans, Asher took a couple of steps back and tilted his head to the side. “Let’s get out of here for a bit.”

Frowning, Cameron pushed himself up from the thick, leather cushions and took a few cautious steps. “Yeah, okay.”  Asher definitely looked like he could use a breather. “Did something else happen?” As he rounded the sofa, he slowed, his footsteps heavy and measured. “What about that guy from the—?”
​
“Cameron.” Asher held his hand out and stared pointedly until Cameron took it. “Just come with me. Please.”

It's been a long time. So long in fact, I'm sure many of you thought I would never write again. Sadly, I was beginning to feel that way as well. 

I posted around this time last year, and I was having a lot of personal things happening in my life. I was sick, and when I first went to the doctor, he thought it was just stress. So, I took it easy, but it only helped a little, and after a while, things steadily became worse. 

The long of the short of it is that I was sick. Really sick. It wasn't until I found a doctor willing to listen and run the right tests that I discovered just how sick I was. Add an undiagnosed anxiety disorder into the mix, and 2018 was basically a blur. Seriously, I remember some highlights, and I have some vague sense of doing "things" but otherwise, it's just a big blank. For most of last year, I was a zombie, and it took an extraordinary amount of effort just to function on the most basic level. 

But, I'm on the right medications now. I'm following the keto diet, which is freaking hard, but it's helping.

I kind of wonder if this is what bears feel like after hibernating all winter. 

So, what does all this mean for Fallout? I'm working on it, and it should be ready for release during the summer.

In conclusion, I just want to say that I'm so sorry that you've had to wait this long. I'm sorry that the book wasn't ready when it was supposed to be. Thank you so much for those who have expressed support, understanding, and encouragement. 

Please be patient just a little longer. I'm getting better. One day at a time.

If you're reading this, you're probably wondering where the hell "Fallout" is. Amiright? 

2018 was supposed to be THE year. You know the one. The year where everything goes right, I finally get my shit together, and well-laid plans fall perfectly into place. 

A death in the family, two emergency room visits, a sinus infection and two weeks of being down with a particularly nasty strain of the flu, and 2018 has been a freakin' hot mess. 

Several weeks after supposedly "getting over" the flu, I should have been recovered, but I still didn't feel right. I couldn't focus. I felt like I was in a constant fog. My memory was shit. 

Then my hair and eyebrows started to fall out, and my skin became so dry it cracked and bled. I couldn't sleep, but despite being awake, I couldn't seem to concentrate on even the most basic tasks. 

I was miserable.

Worse, my doctor couldn't find anything medically wrong with me, and eventually settled on a diagnosis of excessive stress. Considering everything that had been going on in my life since the beginning of the year, I was inclined to agree.

I can't tell you how disappointed I was to have to postpone the release of "Fallout." I'd promised it would release in March, and I really hate breaking promises. Physically and mentally, though, I just couldn't do it. 

I'm learning to rest when I need it and stop obsessing over the little things. I still have days where the brain fog gives me the attention span of a caffeinated squirrel, but mostly, I feel like me again. My eyebrows are even starting to grow back. Bonus!

With all that said, I know you're still waiting for the next part of Asher and Cameron's story, and I've been working hard to get it to you. 

​Again, I'm so sorry for the extended wait, and I appreciate everyone's patience and understanding. 

Until Next Time,
Arden

​

FLIRT is now available from Amazon! Read it free with Kindle Unlimited! 

EXCERPT

The off-limit places turned out to be a library, a large office, and the master suite, all on the upper level. Not being able to enter the library hadn’t stopped Cameron from pressing as close to the glass squares on the French doors as possible to see inside, though. The room was beautiful, a proper library straight from a fairytale with wall-to-wall bookshelves that stretched all the way to the ceiling.

“Would you like to go in?”

Cameron squeaked—actually fucking squeaked like a cartoon mouse—and spun around so quickly he lost his footing and stumbled backwards. The doors rattled in their frame, and he winced when one of the knobs dug into his hip. Heart pounding, throat tight, he lifted his head, his gaze locking with amber eyes so deep he felt as though the floor shifted beneath him.

Never had he experienced such a visceral reaction to mere eye contact, and it did nothing to ease the tightness in his throat or the thundering of his heart. Right then, those eyes sparkled with humor and a hint of mischief. Realizing he should say something instead of just staring like an idiot, he opened his mouth, but every thought he’d ever had abandoned him.

A war started between his body and his mind, and while his brain scrambled to catch up, his body took great pleasure in betraying him. His hands trembled, his legs shook, and a soft gasp escaped as his eyes drank in the sight of the man standing close enough to touch.

Thick, brown hair—wet and limp, likely from a recent shower—fell over a smooth brow. High, defined cheekbones created a perfect symmetry to his angular jaw and square chin, and the shadow of scruff, just a smidgen past five o’clock, added a ruggedness to the otherwise beautiful face.

A thin, white V-neck did little to hide his broad shoulders or muscular chest. The sleeves strained around defined biceps encased in smooth, bronzed skin, and even the fingers wrapped around a black, porcelain coffee mug flexed with a strength that made Cameron’s knees weak. The loose ash-gray sweats hung low on his narrow hips, but the baggy cotton couldn’t completely conceal a pair of thick, toned thighs.

“Take your time,” the stranger teased, his voice a flawless combination of husky and smooth, like raw honey chased by a shot of aged whiskey.
Cameron shivered, even as the heat of embarrassment stung his cheeks. Coughing twice to clear his throat, he pushed away from the library doors. “Sorry, you startled me.” Yes, that sounded reasonable. He held out his right hand. “Cameron Stone.”

The man stared for longer than necessary, a smirk playing at the edges of his mouth. Then he shifted his coffee cup to his opposite hand and took Cameron’s in a lingering embrace that felt too intimate for strangers.

“Asher Dare.”

Cameron had guessed as much, but he figured it would be rude to say so, especially after he’d just been caught checking out the guy. Instead, he settled on saying, “Nice to meet you. Your home is really amazing.” Taking his hand back, he shoved it into the pocket of his dress slacks and curled his fingers into a tight fist. “Why are you selling?”

For a long time, Asher didn’t speak, and Cameron fought not to squirm under the guy’s casual scrutiny. His expression gave away nothing, his features carefully arranged into a mask of neutrality that made Cameron more nervous than outright hostility.

What the hell is he thinking?

“I’m not selling,” Asher finally answered.

“So…the estate sale?”

His T-shirt strained when he lifted his shoulders. “I was bored, and needed a change.” He took a sip of his coffee, then ran his tongue over his full, pink lips. “I needed to make room for something new. This seemed like the simplest way.”

While he tried to match the guy’s indifference, Cameron could feel his brow scrunch together between his eyes. The way he’d said it sounded as though he didn’t really care about the money from the sale. He simply wanted to get rid of a style he no longer found appealing to clear space for new, likely more expensive, things. He made it sound a lot like boxing up a closet full of winter clothes to make room for a summer wardrobe.

“Oh.” Not intelligent or articulate, but it was the best he could do.

“Would you like a tour?”

Cameron couldn’t be sure, but he thought the man might be teasing him. “Thanks, but I’ve already seen everything not restricted.”
​
“You sure?” Yes, there was definitely a teasing lilt to his voice. “We could start with the master suite.”