21 Days of Love, Rae Lamar...

Day 4 of 21 Days of Love is here! I've been waiting for the release of this novel, since I finished Rae Lamar's Dawn of Aris. So, I'm excited about featuring it here today. There's something about her character that, well, just read on...

RAE'S INTRO:

Hello! Today, I’m sharing my latest novel, The Aris Effect. It’s Book 2 in The Aris Series, about a twenty-something special effects make-up artist who happens to find love at the same time she’s trying to find herself.
 
In Dawn of Aris (Book 1), Aris and Luke had quite a few ups and downs as their relationship progressed from simply being neighbors to becoming friends and then…lovers. In The Aris Effect, there are even more hurdles for them to clear as they realize that falling in love with each other may have been easy, but the nuances of an intimate, committed relationship? Not so much.
 
In this sequel, readers get to see the next phase of Luke and Aris—the good, the bad and the ugly. The aftermath, if you will. Because I think that’s the part of the relationship when love is most real…when you show up, day after day, even when you don’t want to, even when you can’t stand each other and when it seems easier to leave than to stick around.
 
So that’s the book, basically. My attempt at capturing the transition from being in love to really loving another person…because they really are two totally different things.
 
I hope you enjoy the excerpt below…Happy Reading!
 
P.S. Thanks for stopping by! Be sure to post in the comments for your chance to win a free copy of The Aris Series. Yes, you heard that right…I’m giving away a free e-book copy of Dawn of Aris AND The Aris Effect to one lucky winner. It’s a two-fer…woo!

EXCERPT:

“I eat plums in summer.”

Aris’s words lingered in the air as she continued to poke the mixture of salad greens in her bowl with a shiny fork, fully appreciating the artistry of it all but really wishing it would magically transform into a plate of tacos.

Luke tapped his leg against hers underneath the table causing Aris to look up and glance at him. He raised a brow, the amusement in his eyes contradicting the serious look on his face. Her bratty behavior and flippant quips weren’t doing him any favors at the moment so Aris straightened in her chair and leaned forward, ready to deliver the more appropriate response that she had agreed to share when presented with the always-pretentious, “so…what do you do?” question that perfect strangers always ask each other for lack of more worthwhile conversation.

“I’m a make-up artist.”

More silence followed as the men at the table drew blank expressions while their wives seemed to silently assess the fact that outside of several strokes of mascara on her lashes and a few swipes of gloss across her lips, there wasn’t a drop of makeup on Aris’s fresh, flawless face.

“How…interesting,” Georgine Harris finally uttered with a pleasant smile. “Brides and models, I presume?”

“Ghouls and zombies, mostly,” Aris replied, sweetly. “Though I guess they’re all pretty much one and the same these days…wouldn’t you say?”

Georgine pressed her lips together in disapproval as her husband, Bart, and a few of the other men at the table released amused chuckles masked as hearty grunts. Aris felt another tap underneath the table and she risked another glance at Luke. He didn’t look her way this time, but his mouth twitched. Lifting his glass from the table, Luke took a long sip of water to hide his grin then lifted a dark linen napkin from his lap, swiped it across his mouth, relaxed his posture and expertly changed the subject.

As the group began yet another conversation that was above Aris’s pay-grade, she felt Luke’s hand on her thigh. He knew she hated suffering these boring business dinners as much as he did, but it was a necessary evil in his line of work. They would be on their way back to their hotel soon enough so Aris conjured up her most genuine smile and listened quietly as Luke engaged the other dinner guests in more stuffy conversation…and inched his hand up her thigh. Basically, his slick way of reminding her that—if she endured this for him just a while longer—there would be fun times ahead.

After suffering another hour, Aris was relieved when the other couples decided to turn in early for the night. Luke and Aris said their goodbyes and decided to forgo the cab ride and stroll down the strip to their hotel, stopping ever so often to enjoy the sights and beautiful night.

As soon Luke pushed the door of their suite open, Aris took off for the small kitchen.

“I’m starving!”

Observing her, Luke loosened his tie. “What are you about to mess up? You and that microwave have not been friends. Maybe you should just do room service.”

“Whatever,” Aris replied, flipping her hand. True, she’d ruined some leftovers the other night, heating up a plate of pasta into a shriveled, rubbery mess but that was then. She was certain the evil microwave would be kind to the Pad Thai Luke never finished from their earlier lunch.

“Bet it’ll still be better than the weeds and tree bark we had for dinner.” She turned away to reach into the refrigerator. “You know you want some…”

Straightening to her enhanced height from the four-inched heels on her feet, Aris stepped back and collided with Luke’s solid frame as she closed the door.

“Damn right,” he said, his voice rumbling in her ear, sending jolts through her body. “I do.”

Luke’s lips found her nape as his right hand fumbled with the side zipper of her dress while the other teased her taut nipple through the thin material. Aris bit her lip in response to the stimulation, still amazed by her natural, effortless reaction to him. No matter where they were—morning, noon or night—all he ever had to do was put his lips and hands in the right spot and sex was a foregone conclusion.

Every. Single. Time.

After several playful minutes, Luke had Aris on the edge of the counter, stripped her of everything except her heels and jewelry. She gasped the moment he filled her, moaned as he stroked her fast and deep, his mouth moving from her neck to her ear as he whispered everything he intended to do to her before they made it to the bed.

Closing her eyes, Aris held on as Luke continued rewarding her for a worthy showing and good behavior at that boring business dinner, a small smile touching her lips until Luke hit her spot, forcing a gasp and several melodic moans to escape her mouth.

Fun times, indeed.
 
A SNEAK PEEK AT GIVEAWAY #2:

 
Being in love?
REALLY loving someone??
Two totally different things…
 
Aris Collier is a masterful artist but, when it comes to the art of love, she couldn’t be further from her comfort zone…
 
For Luke and Aris, it’s all fun and games until their work and general differences get in the way. Soon, Aris is falling from cloud nine into the reality of a live-in life with Luke where she’s failing forward almost every day. On the flip side, Aris is thriving in her new career. It’s much easier to navigate and a lot less complicated…especially the synergy she finds with Troy Murphy, her partner-in-art whose mere presence begins to undermine her life with Luke.
 
As Aris struggles to maintain a practical balance, she learns that loving Luke Donovan is effortless…but maneuvering the nuances of a real relationship? Not so much. It’s a simple truth that she quickly discovers the hard way, forcing Aris to either confront the contradictions within herself or continue to take unnecessary gambles that just may end up costing her the love of her life…

BUY THE BOOK:

Kindle | www.amzn.com/B01ARDK9M8
NOOK | http://ow.ly/XGkiV
Kobo | http://ow.ly/XDKpy
Paperback | http://ow.ly/XDBJI

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Rae Lamar is a mild-mannered consultant by day and fiction writer by night who calls Atlanta home. On a perfect day, she can be found on the top floor of a swanky beach resort, sitting on the balcony of an ocean-front suite with a book in her hands and food at her fingertips.

Get to Know Rae @ http://raelamar.com
Friend Rae @ https://facebook.com/raelamar
Follow Rae @ https://instagram.com/rlbookworm
Follow Rae @ https://twitter.com/rlbookworm

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Living Life Beautifully Inspired!
Chelle Ramsey