Indie Brits: In A Heartbeat by Liz King Blog Tour

Synopsis:

For the past eight years I haven't been living, just ... Existing.

The pain, the guilt, and the shame I carry have been locked away deep inside me for so long that it's impenetrable, until him. Until Connor Reeves.

With a sexy smile and seductive eyes the bad boy rocker walked right into my life without warning, and now the walls I built that hid all of my grief for so long are now crumbling at my feet.

Now I am left wondering if it's possible that just as life can cause pain, it can also heal wounds in a heartbeat.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18220868-in-a-heartbeat

Excerpt 1:

The DJ is playing some pretty good music to keep everyone entertained until Shameful Regret takes the stage. I can’t help but think that’s an interesting name for a band. There must be some reasoning behind it. The music that the DJ is playing has a nice beat to it, and I find myself closing my eyes letting the thumping take me away. I suddenly feel a buzz creep up my shoulders and open my eyes. Across the room I lock onto a pair of green eyes that feel like they could burn a hole right into me. This man is just standing there leaning against the amp set up on the stage. He has on dark rinse jeans that have a few holes in the legs, and a tight black t-shirt stretched across his broad chest. I can’t see much of his face because he has the hood of his jacket pulled up casting his features in a shadow, but his eyes are piercing.

I shake my head and turn back to Michelle. I can still feel his eyes on me, making my heart race as I tug on her arm. “Hey, lets go find Gabbi and sit down. These shoes are killing me, and I need a chair. See ya later, Trey.” I start to pull her away when she notices Mr. Brooding Stare looking our way, and she stops walking.

“Holy sex on a stick! He is fucking gorgeous!” Michelle says as she leans into my shoulder, then she adds, “He is totally eye fucking you Nae-Nae! You should go say hello!”

As I try to ignore the eyes I feel on me, I continue to drag Michelle along to find Gabbi. “Leave it alone Michelle, I’m not going over there. Besides, he’s probably not even looking at me. Just, come on.” I finally spot Gabbi at a table right by the dance floor to the right of the stage. She’s claimed our spot for the night. I’ll probably just stay at the table and let them go dance and jump around.

Excerpt 2:

Jolts of electricity surge through both of my shoulders as strong hands grab me and pull me back to an upright position. “Hey there sweetness, watch out. You don’t know who you can run into back here.” a deep voice said as I look up into the most intensely green eyes I have ever seen. This can’t be happening to me. I can’t be standing here with Mr. Brooding Stare’s hands on me.

“I, uh, um, excuse me. I’m sorry.” I mumble as I try to walk past him. He hasn’t moved his hands, but he maneuvers us to the side of the hall and my back is very close to the wall. I’m starting to feel trapped, but at the same time, I feel safe with him.

He moves his body closer to mine. He is so tall. I have to crane my neck to look up to his face despite my four-inch heels. He is even more handsome than I originally thought. A small dimple is set deep in his right cheek and pops as a little smirk forms on his lips. Oh, those lips. They look so full and soft. He has high cheekbones, and a strong jaw that is covered with a day’s worth of dark stubble. His face is so close to mine. He bends down until I can feel his lips near my earlobe. He licks his lips and says “Sweetness, you trying to get away from me? Come on, I don’t bite.” He pauses then adds, “Hard.”

My mouth drops open at that comment and I am at a complete loss for words. Did he just say that? I back away from him until my back hits the wall. I place my hands flat against the wall as if I can crawl inside and disappear. I look down and away again. If I keep looking into those emerald pools I will crumble right here. What is wrong with me? I can feel my face flush. “No, I was just going back to my table.” I answer, and I try to shrug off his hands that are still on my shoulders, although they have crept closer down to my arms.

I start walking in the direction I was going when he grabs my elbow again. “Sweetheart, the tables are that way.” He says pointing back over his shoulder, that smirk on his lips turning into a full-blown smile. Shit! I was still heading to the restrooms.

Excerpt 3:

“Good. Just go to the front of the line. Tell them that you’re with me.” Connor tells Michelle then picks up my cell phone from the table and starts typing. I hear his phone buzz in his pocket, then he hands my phone back to me.

I look down at the screen.

Me: Of I’d love to go out tonight! I will be ready at 7! Nae-Nae

That’s the text he sent to himself from my phone. He even programmed his number into my contacts.

My head snaps up and I cut my eyes at him. “If you don’t stop calling me Nae-Nae, I will seriously have your ass!” Oh shit! I can see by the look on his face that my feistiness is something he seems to enjoy.

“Babe, you can have my ass any time you want. All you have to do is ask.” Connor smirks getting out of his chair. He leans down placing his hands on the arm rails on both sides of my body. “What’s your address?” Connor is so close. If I lean forward just a few inches I could kiss him if I wanted to. I can feel his warm breath on my skin. I can smell the cinnamon on his breath. That and the scent of his cologne is enough to make my head spin.

Excerpt 4:

I run my fingers through his soft, dark hair. Taking a deep breath, I reply, “Connor, I know you didn’t know what you were doing. I wish you’d tell me what’s bothering you.” I reach down to tilt his face up to mine. “I love you, and I want to be there for you, but you can’t go off on me like that.”

Connor tightens his arms around my waist, pulling me towards the edge of my chair. “I can’t talk about it. Not now. I just need to make sure we’re okay. I need you, Sweetness.” He surges up on his knees, his mouth colliding with mine. I taste want, need and raw desire in his kiss. I can feel Connor pouring all of his apologies into this kiss.

I pull back from his lips to catch my breath. Connor looks deep into my eyes, pleading searching, asking. I don’t have a second to respond before his mouth is on mine again. His tongue exploring my mouth, licking, flicking, probing. I moan into his mouth as he pulls me off the chair and down into his lap. I am now straddling Connor, sitting on his bent knees. My mind doesn’t process the fact that we are in fact in the break room of my workplace. I let myself get pulled into Connor’s kiss. I kiss him back with all the built up tension that I have felt since I ran out of the apartment last night. I fist my hands in Connor’s shirt, holding him to me as I grind against the hard ridge that is forming behind the zipper of his jeans. I feel Connor’s hands slip underneath my scrub top at my back, inciting a fire along my skin.

Just as Connor starts to finger the hook of my bra, the break room door opens, making me remember where I am. “Jesus!” Michelle screams, leaving just as quickly as she entered, slamming the door closed behind her.

Author Bio:

Liz King is a wife, nurse and romance book blogger. In A Heartbeat is her debut novel. She lives in South Carolina with her family. Reading is a passion of hers, and writing is always something she wanted to do. Liz is addicted to gummy bears and coffee, even though her family and friends don’t think she needs caffeine to add to her already energetic personality. She’s obsessed with the 1980’s and loves to sing even though she can’t carry a tune. Liz loves college football and hiking in the Blue Ridge Mountains and the Great Smoky Mountains with her husband.

www.facebook.com/authorlizking

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7182350.Liz_King

Playlist:

Lips Of An Angel - Hinder

Take My Breath Away - Berlin

Alone - Heart

Crawling - Linkin Park

Colorblind - The Counting Crows

I'll Stand By You - Pretenders

Love Me Tender - Elvis

Everything - Lifehouse

Broken - Lifehouse