Blind Date, Checkmate (ePub)

NOTE: This is a novella with the length of appx 100 printed pages.

REVIEW
"There is something about a man who is famous and wants just a regular ol girl that I like to read about. The chemistry between these two leaps out at you and you really enjoy reading about Shelby resisting the urge to plunge into love." - Beck's Book Picks about Blind Date/Checkmate

BLIND DATE, CHECKMATE

Should a woman who's unable to forget her first love give "happily ever after" one more try?

Shelby Winters' one great love went sour. If she can't feel that way about a guy again, why bother? When Shelby's best friend sets her up on a blind date with Logan, the guy who broke her heart, he pursues her relentlessly, forcing her to make a choice: give her heart what it's always desired and risk total devastation or shut Logan out and lose her only shot at happiness. To Shelby, it's a lose-lose situation. Or is it?

EXCERPT
"I never stopped loving you," he said as we both got to the door.

Liar. I whirled around and glared. "I was seventeen and it's been nine years. We've both grown up. I'm not the same stupid kid and I won't be so gullible this time." Why did he keep drawing me into these conversations? "So far, Logan, you're all talk and no action. The story of your life. No follow-through."

I tried to get past him but he blocked the door. I backed up when I noticed his eyes ablaze, thinking maybe I'd pushed him too far. As if I were his prey, he caged me against the wall with his arms. I pressed my back into cold plaster so I wouldn't feel his thighs brushing mine. He only moved closer, a breath away, the friction of our bodies sending an inferno through me.

Oh, yes, that had definitely been missing in my life.

"You want me to follow through, I'm ready right now," he growled softly.

Me too. But Logan was the last guy I'd go there with. Although it wouldn't exactly be a hardship re-enacting certain moments with someone that gorgeous, deep down I was still bruised by his past rejection.

But I couldn't deny I was tempted.

I'd never had a relationship that lasted. If I was doomed to a life of loneliness, it almost seemed justifiable to take happiness where I could find it, even if only temporarily.

Logan inched toward me, his lips at my temple. My pulse spiked as he sucked my earlobe between his lips and I shuddered.

"I knew you still loved me," he whispered in my ear.

His words slapped me back to reality. A temporary fling with him would only bring me a lifetime of more pain. No. Way.

"Oh, honey, you're confusing love with lust." I patted his cheek a little harder than necessary and pushed on his chest. "A guy like you should know better. Let's go eat. I'm hungry."

I sailed past him knowing I'd thrown him a nice curve. I'd just taken his bishop. Score one point for me.

WHAT BOOK REVIEWERS ARE SAYING ABOUT VERONICA BLADE'S OTHER WORK:
"This book is delicious!"

"This book takes Twilight and others like it to the next level!"

"The dialogue and emotions are real and raw, there are some expletives and sexual fantasy scenes but I felt they worked with the characters and gave them more of an edge to their creation. Oftentimes the author used comedic wit to the scenes giving it an even more humanistic appeal to the characters."

"From teen to adult, I can't imagine anyone not absolutely adoring this book."