Colors of Us by Sandra
Bunino
Genre: Contemporary
Romance/New Adult
Release Date: August 2014
Hosted by: Book Enthusiast Promotions
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Synopsis
Everything she knew
to be true fell apart. Then fell apart again…
Michelle Willis is
running from her past. What better place to hide than in the anonymity of New
York City. Finding refuge in a tiny SoHo art gallery, she rebuilds her life one
painting at a time.
A wrong turn sends
Hunter McAvery on a crash course with disaster. He fights his own demons by
following his big brother’s lead - drinking and bed-hopping his way through
Manhattan.
A glance at
Michelle’s self-portrait triggers emotions Hunter can’t tamp down. Driven to
meet the artist, he discovers a fiery chemistry as their lives collide. But
when their past threatens to tear them apart, can their love survive?
Excerpt
“I
think pink is your color. It looks great against your dark hair.” Reaching past
her shoulder, he curled a strand of her hair between his fingers and tugged
gently before letting it fall onto her shoulder.
Meeting
his gaze, she smiled. “Thanks.” Michelle wasn’t used to compliments. It’d been
her goal to fade into the crowd and not to call attention to herself. But her
self-imposed rules seemed to float away around Hunter McAvery.
Returning
her smile, he continued the lesson. “After you slide your hands into the
opening, you’ll wind the long strap around your fingers and wrist like this.”
Holding her fingers in his hand, he wound the dangling strap around her palm
and over her knuckles. “You want to protect the part of your hand that meets
the bag.”
He stepped
closer as he slipped the strap around the base of her thumb. When he brushed
his fingertips against the sensitive area just below the fleshy part of her
palm, a shiver shot up her arm and traveled to her belly. His warm breath
ghosted her face as he circled the end of the strap around her wrist and
secured the Velcro tab. Before she knew it, strong fingers captured her left
hand and guided her arm to the warmth between their bodies. She itched to graze
her fingers along his muscled chest, capturing his heat with her palm. Her gaze
bounced to his neck and stubbled jaw, which clenched as he slid the other wrap
over her hand. Slowly wrapping her other wrist, he secured the strap and held
both of her gloved hands in his. “Make a fist,” he said huskily.
Tightening
her hands into a ball, she tucked her thumb around the outside of her fingers
like he showed her at the gym.
He
squeezed her fists. “They look good. You’re a badass.”
Michelle
snorted. “A badass in pink.”
“Let’s
see what you got. Show me some upper cuts. Right here.” He tapped his abs.
“You
want me to hit you?” She giggled.
“Sure.
I can take it.”
Turning
her palms up, she made a fist and alternated soft punches to his belly. His
rock-hard belly. Each strike made her aware of how alive he made her feel. The
force of impact sent ripples up his tight shirt, awakening the planes of his
muscular form. She gulped back the desire to open her fists and run her
fingertips along the line of each thick muscle.
His
hands came to rest on her forearms, halting her movement. The pads of his
thumbs stroked the sensitive skin near the inside of her elbow causing a
delicious shiver up her arm. Michelle’s eyes met his. The fire brewing in his
darkened gaze drew her in. Hunter stepped between her legs, nudging her back against
the wall next to the mural. She closed her eyes and choked back a groan,
wanting—no, needing—to grind her heat on his leg. Raising her arms above her,
he pinned them against the wall on either side of her head. His scent flooded
her senses as she lifted her chin to close the gap between them.
“I’m
trying like hell not to kiss you.” Hunter straightened his back but didn’t
loosen his grip on her arms.
Her
skin prickled from the nearness of his body. She let her gaze drift to his
lips. “Why?” she whispered.
He blew
a slow breath between his teeth. “Nothing good would come of it. I’m not
capable of giving or feeling… or offering anything much to you.” He shook his
head but he didn’t move from her body.
“I
don’t believe that.” Michelle wriggled her arms from his grasp. Her fingertips
lingered on his corded forearms, which flexed under her touch. Easing a trail
toward his shoulders, her fingers reminded her of a paintbrush’s first dab of
color on a fresh canvas. She’d always believed each canvas had a personality of
its own, and it was the symphony of the brush, artist, and canvas that created
the work of art. She wanted to explore the blank canvas of Hunter McAvery.
She
studied his arms, still caging her in. Protecting her. Wanting her. Her eyes
met his gaze. He stared at her, unmoving, but a spark burned in his eyes. She
held her breath, afraid to break his trance. Her palms smoothed over his
shoulders and down his chest, stopping at the center of his ribs. Pushing into
the muscles of his chest, she felt the strong beat of his heart on her fingers.
“Kiss me, Hunter.” Raising her eyebrows, she dared to look him in the eyes,
almost afraid of what she’d see.
“You
don’t understand. You’re too… good.” He averted his gaze.
“Maybe
you should let me decide what’s good for me.” She moved closer, his breath
burned hot on her face, and he squeezed his eyes closed.
“Michelle….”
Her
hands traveled up his chest and rested on the bulk of his strong shoulders.
Pulling him in, her breasts molded into his chest and, finally, he crashed his
lips down on hers. She met every stroke of his tongue as her fingers raked
through the ends of his hair. Moaning into his mouth, she straddled his
muscular thigh as warmth flooded her sex. She’d never felt more alive.
His
hand grazed her cheek before taking her chin between his thumb and index finger
and pulling away from their kiss. He tipped his forehead to hers, his raspy
breath hot on her mouth. “Shit.”
Michelle
widened her eyes. “What?” she whispered.
“You. Me. This just
can’t happen. Not now. Not like this.”
About the Author
Sandra Bunino is a
romance author of several novellas including The Satin Rose Experience series.
Her first full length novel, Colors of Us from the McAvery's Brothers series,
makes its debut during the summer of 2014. She makes her parents proud by putting
her MBA degree to good use dreaming up Alpha heroes who dominate the bedroom as
well as the boardroom.
When not staying up
past her bedtime torturing her oh-so-sexy heroes, she can be found shopping for
shoes or saving turtles.
She looks forward
to hearing from her readers and she may be contacted at sbunino@gmail.com. As a
social media junkie in need of a ten-step program, you can also follow her on
Facebook and Twitter (@sandrabunino). Join her book group, Bunino's
Bookalicious Babes, on Facebook!
Connect with the Author
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