Roxy's Reviews: Blog Tour; Excerpt + #Giveaway: Once Upon a Dare by Jennifer Bonds

The first night was a dare. The second night was trouble…

Advertising guru Olivia Masterson is all work and no play. But on the eve of earning her dream promotion, her best frienddares her to drop her ice queen façade for one night and seduce a sexy stranger. Olivia's worked her ass off to get where she is-why the hell not?

Cole Bennett never thought he'd run into his feisty one-night stand at the office, furious that he stole her promotion. No matter how hard she tries to ice him out, they can't seem to keep their hands to themselves...or their clothes on.

Olivia's talented-maybe even more than Cole-so when his dropped hints to the boss net her a promotion of her own, he's ready to celebrate...until she accuses him of fueling office rumors that she slept her way to the top. She wants to earn her own way? Fine. So what the hell does a guy have to do to permanently melt an ice queen?

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EXCERPT

“Are you in the habit of buying drinks for strangers?” she asked, crossing her legs and bumping his in the process. Their knees brushed and a current of electricity flowed through her, reminding her just how long it had been since a man had touched her.

“Only the pretty ones,” he returned, with a cocky grin.

Worst. Line. Ever. Olivia burst out laughing, releasing the nervous energy that had collected in the pit of her stomach. He might be to-die-for gorgeous, but his pick up game could use some work.

“If that’s the best you’ve got, it’s no wonder you’re sitting here alone on a Friday night,” she teased, relaxing in spite of herself.

“Oh, really? Sexy and sassy. A dangerous combination in my experience,” he mused as he studied her.

She gave him her best “Who me?” look and sipped her martini.

“Can I tell you a secret, Olivia?” His tone was conspiratorial as he leaned in, turning his smoky eyes on her. She didn’t know much about the fine art of seduction, but she knew shrinking wallflowers weren’t sexy. Refusing to back down and determined to make good on the dare, she closed the gap between them, leaning forward until their shoulders brushed. She raised her brow in reply.

“I thought your friend was never going to leave.”

“Is that right?” she asked, smiling as she drew out her inner flirt. “Better watch your manners, Cole Bennett, or a girl might get the sense you don’t play well with others.”

“I don’t,” he growled. His gaze rolled over Olivia, lingering on her mouth. There was no doubt about his meaning, or the tension simmering between them. She fought the urge to lick her lips, wondering if he tasted as sinfully good as he looked. “When I see something I want, I find a way to make it mine. And I’ll be damned if I’m going to share.”

His expression was hunger in its purest and basest form. She swallowed, not trusting her voice. Desire surged from between her legs. She couldn’t remember the last time a man had made her feel so sexy.

Forget the dare. She was riding a wave of pure, animalistic need that demanded to be unleashed. It didn’t make any sense. She was as straitlaced as they came, and Cole was a virtual stranger, but Olivia wanted him more than she’d wanted any man in a very long time. It didn’t matter that she didn’t know what he did or where he lived. It only mattered that she know what he felt like inside her.

She took a final sip from her martini glass, solidifying her resolve. Her heart hammered so hard in her chest she was sure he would know she was a fraud. She was probably the only twenty-eight-year-old in the city who couldn’t check the “one-night stand” box on her resume.

That was about to change.

“Your place or mine?”

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Jennifer Bonds writes sizzling contemporary romance with sassy heroines, sexy heroes, and a whole lot of mischief. When she’s not writing or wrangling toddlers, she can be found curled up with a good book and a bottle of wine. Jennifer lives in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, where her overactive imagination and weakness for reality TV keep life interesting. She’s lucky enough to live with her own real life hero, two adorable children, and a pair of rambunctious dogs. Loves Buffy, Mexican food, the Winchester brothers, and all things zombie. Sings off-key.