Just Once by Julianna Keyes
Publisher: Omnific Publishing
Release Date: October 29, 2013
Synopsis:
Kate Burke is done making bad decisions. Thirty years old
and belatedly determined to grow up, the successful travel
writer and one-time party girl returns to work at the remote
Ponderosa Pines Ranch to reassess her life.
Although her kitchen/cabin staff is lacking and the workload
never relents, Kate’s main challenge is Shane Maddox, the
ruggedly handsome and doggedly stubborn ranch foreman.
Instantly at odds, they battle over everything from ceiling fans
to
bothersome bats—studiously ignoring the sparks they
generate with each confrontation.
They can’t explain their explosive physical chemistry, but after a few frustrated weeks they can’t
deny it either. Their solution? Just once. They’ll get past their inconvenient lust and move on.
Kate’s been trying to think with her head instead of her hormones, but is this just another bad
decision in a lifetime of careless choices? Has she really changed at all?
Set in the striking and serene hills of southern Colorado, Julianna Keyes’ debut novel offers a
sizzling and satisfying tale of unexpected chemistry and the power of second chances. Her
characters will get under your skin and into your heart. Just once may not be enough for you
either.
Excerpt:
“What’s wrong with your shoulder?”
“Nothing.”
“Bullshit.”
I glance at him. “What do you care?”
“You’re spending the summer in the mountains. It’s only going to get worse if you don’t get it looked at.”
“What would you know?”
He shrugs. “I know.”
“Maybe I’ll see a doctor.”
“Come here.”
“Absolutely not.”
I hear him chuckle, and every instinct tells me to run, but even as I hear the dull thud of his workboots approach, I stand still. He stops when he’s next to me, close enough that I can hear his breathing.
“You mind?”
I look at him out the corner of my eye. “Mind what?”
He raises his hand, and it hovers above my shoulder for a split second, waiting for my refusal. When it’s not forthcoming he lifts his other hand, holds my shoulder in his fingers and probes gently, feeling around the base of my neck and down along my shoulder blade.
I stifle a groan. What he’s doing feels amazing, but I’ll never admit it.
“You’ve got a knot here,” he says, zeroing in on a spot that feels distinctly not-amazing.
I try to shift away but the hand on my shoulder tightens, holding me in place.
“You have to rub it out.”
I risk a look at his face but he’s concentrated on his task, presumably watching his fingers rub a hole in my skin—that’s how hard they’re pressing. I arch my back to move away but his grip is like iron.
“Take a deep breath,” he orders.
I realize I’m holding my breath so he doesn’t hear me whimper, and I quickly inhale.
He laughs softly. “Do you like it?” he asks.
“No,” I breathe.
“Because it hurts?”
“Yes.”
“It’ll get worse before it gets better.”
“That’s stupid.”
He presses harder, and I cry out, wrenching away. This time he lets me go.
“I can’t do this now,” I gasp, one hand wrapped over my shoulder to press on the now-tender spot.
“You have to work it out,” he says, but doesn’t try to come closer.
“Maybe another time,” I manage. “I have to work.”
Shane shrugs. “Any time.”
“No,” I say. “No other time. I’ll go to town, find a professional.”
He smiles faintly. “Suit yourself, Kate.”
