Author’s Note
A few years back, I contracted two novellas, Lyrical Embrace and Harmony’s Embrace, with my former publisher and focused on Ruby’s brothers for those stories. I always felt a little bad that I never showed Ruby and Brad’s romance on page, so when I got the rights back to Dylan’s and Birley’s books to self-publish them, I was beyond excited and so ready to write this short story.
I mean, it’s about time Ruby Haynes gets her own book!
But when to set it? That was the big question. Since each of the other books in the new Embracing You series takes place on or near a holiday, I kept going back and forth between having this one on Halloween or Valentine’s Day. Getting trapped in an attic wouldn’t have been nearly as spooky or filled with ambiance on Love Day, so All Hallow’s Eve won out.
Blurb
When attraction leads to her heart’s desire, she knows she’s in trouble.
Music instructor Ruby Haynes is ready for the night to be over. Her Halloween plans are ruined, so she’s handing out candy to kids at her family’s music school, a converted Victorian with a mysterious history. Then Brad Emerson and his feisty grandmother show up with a wild story on their lips—there’s a secret room in the attic, which presumably holds Gran’s long-lost childhood doll.
Is Ruby destined for one steamy night with Brad, or something more?
– Book 1 in the steamy, small town, contemporary romance series, Embracing You.
– This 13k word novelette is a complete story with a HFN (happy for now) ending.
Mini Excerpt
Background for Scene: The door is jammed, trapping Ruby and Brad in the attic…
She rubbed at her jaw. “I’m sorry about this. The storm must be nasty to shake the house and send a power surge to blow the bulb. Hell, the lights downstairs might be out, too.”
Brad exhaled a sharp breath and forced a laugh to cover his aggravation. “Well, at least Gran is safe in bed and not locked up with us. She’ll sleep through until morning.” He hoped.
The storm raged, shaking the house again as though a sinkhole would swallow it into the dark depths of the earth. The rocking chair that Gran had rested in earlier now rocked on its own, each tremor of the house bringing it to life. Cold air seeped into the attic and pricked his skin while the whistling wind summoned the spirit of Halloween.
“It’s creepy up here,” Ruby murmured, inching closer to Brad. “I know we’re safe, but with the storm and darkness, my imagination is playing tricks on me.”
As was his. “Come here.” He wrapped his arm around her and stood straighter as she leaned against him. The vanilla bean scent of her hair teased his nostrils and curled heat in his veins. Yum. He could eat her right up. No, wait. He’d better stop those foolish thoughts. He barely knew Ruby. Seducing her in an attic of all places wasn’t on his to-do list.
Unless she was willing.
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About the Author
Amber Daulton is the author of the Lozano Cartel, the Arresting Onyx, the Embracing You, and the Ramseys in Time series, as well as several standalone novellas. Her books are available in ebook, print on demand, audio, and foreign language formats.
She lives in North Carolina with her husband and demanding cats.
Find her here: https://linktr.ee/AmberDaulton