Exclusive cover reveal and excerpt: 'Crossing Lines' by Elley Arden

HEA brings to you the reveal of the cover of Crossing Lines by Elley Arden, a contemporary romance coming our way on May 25. We're also sharing an excerpt! (To see a larger version of the cover, click on the blue arrow in the lower right corner of the image.)

About the book (courtesy of Crimson Romance):

Party girl and standout wide receiver Jillian Bell sees no problem with her "no rules" lifestyle as long as she's scoring on the field. But her sexy new offensive coordinator doesn't see it that way.

Former marine turned successful restaurateur Carter Howl agreed to whip his father's undisciplined women's full-tackle football team into shape out of guilt. But the job comes with more trouble than he bargained for thanks to one spitfire of a wide receiver who challenges his every play.

When Jillian's little sister begs her to come back to their small-minded hometown and be on her best behavior at a family event, she unexpectedly enlists prim and proper Carter to help her keep her cool. But two days and one pretend engagement later, this straight-laced former soldier is doing all sorts of things he normally wouldn't. Is the wrong girl the right girl for him?

EXCERPT

Carter scrolled through satellite radio stations as he guided the car through the mostly empty lot. He had his eyes off the road for only a second, when he looked up and saw a body complete with a pair of arms waving in his path.

Jillian. After the confrontation outside the locker room, she was the absolute last person he wanted to see. Her T-shirt rode up her belly as she flagged him down, and it was hard not to appreciate the smooth curves of her waist and the subtle hips that weren't enough to keep her jeans from sliding down. His throat tightened. His skin heated. And his brain gave him less-than-chivalrous advice. Drive right by. She's nothing but trouble. But the honorable half of him wondered if she wasn't in some kind of trouble. He slowed his car to a stop.

Her face wrinkled the minute she saw it was him. "Never mind." She waved him off and looked around the parking lot.

"What's wrong?" he asked out his open window.

"Nothing. At least nothing that concerns you."

That let him off the hook. He could drive away and not feel guilty. Except, he would, especially if there was something he could've done. "Bell, quit being a hard-ass and tell me what you need. If I can help, let me help."

She flashed a cocky look at him and then sauntered over to the car. The sudden change in her demeanor had him bracing for something.

Resting her forearms on the door, she leaned in the smallest bit. Her hair fell forward, carrying with it an unexpected floral scent. "Fine. If you want to play hero, then so be it." She reached in and traced her finger along the curve of his leather steering wheel. "I need a jump."

He sat a little straighter, and she shot him a dry but humored look, like she expected him to react this way. "I don't have jumper cables," he said. His throat was tight.

She pushed off his car, apparently having had her fun. "I do. I just need the juice." Her gaze ran the length of his car. "This bad boy looks like it has lots of juice. Dang." She drew out the word. "How can you afford this? Women's football pays squat, and the Marines can't be much better." But then she didn't seem to care about the answer, because she threw him a challenge with her wide eyes. "So, what's it gonna be? Are you gonna help me or not?"

He hesitated. She'd be better off calling a tow truck. He wasn't even sure a car like his should be used as a battery boost for—he glanced at the rust bucket she was driving—a car like that.

"Second thoughts, huh? Figures." She rolled her eyes. "Run along. I'll find somebody with a pair who isn't afraid to use them."

He knew she wasn't talking about a pair of jumper cables. The dig at his manhood irked him. "Move," he said gruffly. "So I can pull around. Or would you rather I come at you from behind?" He grinned when a smidgeon of shock registered on her face.

Off in the distance, he saw his father's car pulling away. Nothing to see here, he thought. Just a man helping out a woman in need. But as he maneuvered the car, he snuck another peek at Bell, who was leaning over the hood of her car like an oil-and-lube calendar pinup. His skin hummed. God, he hoped he didn't live to regret this. He was already breaking out into a cold sweat.

She was waiting for him with cables in hand when he put his car in park and exited the vehicle. A look of raised-brow superiority flashed across her face. "You need to kill your engine."

"Right." He reached in and hit the ignition button.

Her sarcastic smile said it all. "You've never done this before have you?"

Hell no. "Of course not. My car is reliable, and if it weren't, I would call roadside assistance."

She hummed knowingly. "Like my dad always said, 'Living in luxury makes a man weak.'" She winked. "Now, pop the hood."

Find out more about Elley and her books at www.elleyarden.com.