Adult Read - Romantic Suspense
Not suitable for those under the age of 18. *Strong language
She Rides by Adelle Laudan
Available on Amazon in print & ebook
Missy heads out on her vintage motorcycle for what proves to be a ride of a lifetime. Every new road brings with it new friends, new experiences and even a sexy romp with a tattoo artist. It's summers' end when Missy rides into the small town of Waverly for Bike Week, and sets sight on the most beautiful man she's ever seen on two wheels. Tommy marks the beginning of many hot, steamy nights. Is he Missy's, 'happy ever after', or is there a twist around the next bend in the road, nobody saw coming?
Originally She Rides & Mystified were written under the pseudonym, Elle Laudan. When it came time to renew my contract, I decided to publish both books on my own. Since then, the response has been incredible.
This is definitely the time for authors to take chances as far a self-publishing goes. I have self-published almost all of my titles now, giving me the freedom to set lucrative prices, which is what it takes to compete in the ebook industry. I can honestly say I made the right choice when I look at my sales. At this rate, I'll have sold as many copies in the first two weeks, than I did over the past 2+ years under Elle Laudan.
Here's a short excerpt from She Rides. I hope I entice you to buy my book!
Warning: Strong language
The Twilight Motel, a serious dive with rooms lined up in a horseshoe design and a small diner set in the center. Missy pulled up to the office, and several men at the diner bar turned to check her out through a nicotine-stained window.
Good thing I’m not hungry.
Missy shivered in disgust and kept Lady idling, in case she needed to make a quick getaway. A door banged shut, and a middle-aged man with dark, slicked back hair and a cigarette hanging from his mouth strutted across the asphalt.
He whistled long and low as his gaze traveled the length of Lady. “That sure is one purty motor sickle.”
Missy feigned a smile and tried to ignore the brazen once-over he gave her next.
“Hello there.” His brow arched suggestively. “Are you lookin’ for a room for the night? Just for yourself, or do you have the boyfriend joining you?”
It took great resolve not to vomit all over his Velcro runners. “I’m really very tired. I need a hot shower and a bed for the night. How much?”
“Jim” took her fifty bucks and gave her a key for the room beside the office. His hand lingered in hers a few seconds longer than necessary. “If you feel like some company, come on over and I’ll buy ya a beer.”
Missy offered a cursory nod and straddled Lady. She rode up the sidewalk and parked as close to the window as possible. It took a couple of tries before the key turned in the lock and she opened the door.
Her stomach heaved, and she stumbled back. “Holy crap!” With one hand over her mouth, the other waved the putrid stench away. Never in her life had she smelled anything like it. Bug spray, cigarette smoke, air fresheners and God only knew what else, all rolled into one.
Once the green fog disappeared, the room looked reasonably clean, and the bare mattress held a full set of bedding, still wrapped in plastic. For the first time in her life, she was actually grateful at having to make her own bed.
The decision to stay or go depended on the state of the bathroom. With the cuff of her sweatshirt pulled over her hand, she opened the door and flicked on the light.
Thank God.
In contrast to the motel in general, the bathroom sparkled. Exhausted and relieved she didn’t have to look for another room, she sniffled. In a matter of minutes, her bag sat at the end of the bed and Lady was locked up, with a nylon cover over her sleeping bag and the other things strapped to her backrest.
With the bed made and a vanilla-scented candle lit, she stripped off her clothes on the way to the bathroom. A shower never felt so good. She lathered her body from her toes to her neck and washed her hair twice with raspberry-scented shampoo and creme rinse. It wasn’t until the water ran cold that she reluctantly stepped out of the stall and wrapped an oversized towel around her body.
Cigar smoke alerted her to company on the other side of the door. Missy double-checked her hold on the towel and pushed open the bathroom door. Her eyes widened to find the owner, Jim, sat on the edge of the bed, smoking, in nothing more than boxer shorts and black socks. His cheap cigar hung out of the corner of his mouth.
“Well now, don’t you smell good enough to eat?”
Rage gurgled in the pit of her stomach and exploded. “What the f**k are you doing?”
Jim patted the space on the bed beside him. “Come on now, sweet cheeks. I saw the way you looked at me. Has it been a while since you had any lovin’? Come here and let Big Jim take care of you.” He took the cigar out of his mouth and grabbed a handful of boxer shorts with his freed hand, flashing his yellowed teeth.
“You’ve got ten seconds to get the f**k out of my room before ‘Big Jim’ becomes a trophy for my bike.”
Jim stood up slowly and raised his hands in defense. “Whoa there, little lady. I’m going.”
He stuffed the cigar back in his mouth and inched across the room to the door, not taking his eyes off of her for one second.
Jim paused. “You know, you’re lucky I’m a nice guy. Anyone else would’ve taken what he wanted from a *** tease like you.” He slammed the door shut behind him with such force it rattled the window.
“Erg!” Missy ran to the door, locked it, slid the chain across and took a desk chair and wedged it under the handle for good measure. The nerve of that asshole. Let’s hope he’s not stupid enough to f**k with Lady.
Still, the thought of him in her room while she showered left a bad taste in her mouth. So much for slipping between the sheets naked. There wasn’t a chance in hell of that happening now.
Missy dressed completely and grudgingly stepped back into her boots. Asshole. She yanked the top sheet off the bed and covered a faded armchair before pushing it right up to the window where Lady sat on the other side.
I just need a couple of hours sleep. Then I’ll haul ass out of this dump.
Missy stretched out her legs, leaned her head back and closed her eyes.
This isn’t how I pictured the end of my first day on the road.
My Website
My Blog
Welcome to Lindsay's Romantics, where we post on all kinds of romance topics.
