Excerpt: 'Not So New in Town' by Michele Summers

Michele Summers joins us to share a scene from her new Harmony Homecomings release, Not So New in Town.

About the book (courtesy of Sourcebooks Casablanca):

You can't go back, and you can't stand still...

Lucy Doolan is a marketing genius. She can sell rain to a frog and snow to a polar bear. Newly single and unemployed, she's lured back to her hometown of Harmony, North Carolina to help out her pregnant evil stepsister...only to find former crush heartthrob Brogan Reese has returned too, to open a new business in town. To add insult to injury, he's still hot.

If the thunder don't get you, then the lightning will...

Brogan never noticed Lucy much when they were young, but seventeen people have recommended her to help him. She's got his attention now. With her sweet personality, brilliant imagination, and penchant for doing the completely unpredictable, Brogan is finding a whole lot of excuses to spend his days-and nights-with Lucy.

Michele sets the scene for us …

Michele: Lucy Doolan is shanghaied into bowling by her best friend, not knowing Brogan Reese would be there. When she arrives at the bowling alley and realizes she's on Brogan's team, she tries to hightail it out of there before he confronts her.

She'd been avoiding him all day since he'd embarrassed her in front of the entire town of Harmony, N.C., by announcing he and only he had intentions of dating her. To extract her revenge, Lucy comes up with the one thing that will make health-nut Brogan cringe.

EXCERPT

A strong hand grabbed her upper arm. "Lucy, wait…please." Lucy cursed her pitter-pattering heart that reacted to his touch and his warm, husky voice. She didn't want to listen to him, and she certainly didn't want to look into her favorite green eyes or be persuaded by his charming, crooked smile. Brogan had other ideas as he turned her to face him with both hands weighing heavily on her shoulders.

"Lucy, please let me apologize… I never meant to say what I said. I never meant to hurt you." To be heard over the loud music and striking of balls hitting pins, he bent his head close…too close. If she'd been in a forgiving mood, she'd only have to lean about two inches, and she'd be pressed against his solid chest and touching his delicious lips. Ho, no, not this time. Lucy's head snapped back as if she'd almost kissed a warthog. Brogan's lips curled into a knowing smile that said, I know where your naughty mind wandered…

Lucy removed herself from his sexy aura and folded her arms. She fixed him with a stern gaze. "You didn't hurt me. More like embarrassed me to death. Were you drunk?"

The idea of lying must've crossed his mind as she detected numerous excuses pedaling through his brain. But in his favor, he manned up. "No. But I was provoked. When diphead Clancy wouldn't stop yammering on about fifty ways to get you in bed…well, I guess I kinda lost it."

Lucy gave him points for hanging his head and shoving his hands in the pockets of his cargo shorts. But not many.

"Will you let me make it up to you?" he asked, not looking quite as contrite as she would've preferred. He seemed to be fighting back a big grin.

"Sure. I want a raise. Forty bucks an hour."

"Done."

Too easy. And she didn't want to make anything easy for Brogan-Melt-My-Heart Reese. "And I want a new pair of shoes. Michael Kors sandals in black and gunmetal. They have them at Belk's. Size seven."

"You got it."

He didn't even hesitate. "They cost a hundred and fifty bucks."

"Fine. Are we good now?"

No. Lucy's mind scrambled for something to make him quake or cringe. Something that would set him off. Like he'd done to her with his embarrassing public speech about sleeping together. Brogan started to pull her toward the lanes when it hit her. "And you have to buy me a huge plate of nachos with that delicious processed yellow cheese, two hotdogs with chili and sauerkraut, fried pickles with ranch dressing, and…you have to eat it with me." That did it. Brogan stopped. Lucy thought he might go ballistic; his eyes bulged and steam whistled from his ears. "Add a hot fudge sundae and Mountain Dew, and then we'll be even."

Brogan's mouth worked, but no sound came out. Lucy took the time to admire the expanse of his strong shoulders stretching the neon-green T-shirt, and the slight brown stubble covering his square jaw. She appreciated the way his eyes blazed with outrage and then blazed with something even more dangerous, like desire, need, and craving all wrapped together and directed at her. This time he pulled her so close that nothing separated their matching T-shirts. Her breath lodged in her throat as he smashed her against his hard pecs.

"No deal," he growled just above her surprised open mouth. "Unless I'm eating hot fudge off your creamy skin, and dribbling caramel sauce over—"

"Stop." She tried wrenching away from his devil lips and the edgy words he breathed into her mouth, but his arm tightened around her waist. "Okay. Forget the hot f-fudge thing, but everything else…I want. And I want it now. I'm starved." She pressed her own lips together in case they went rogue and latched onto his.

Laugh lines crinkled around his eyes as he chuckled. "Everything but that nasty, nuclear nacho crap. I have to draw the line somewhere."

"Replace it with French fries, but no more substitutions."

Brogan dropped a quick kiss on her forehead. "Come on. You can clog your arteries while we bowl."

Find out more about Michele and her books at www.michelesummers.com.