Title: Dazed (Connections #2.5)
Release date: April 1st, 2014
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DAZED SYNOPSIS:Jagger Kennedy never went looking for fame, he just fell into it. After scoring a major modeling contract, his clean-cut good looks and charm catapulted his career. But when his actress girlfriend breaks his heart, he moves to L.A. to try his hand at acting. He’s not looking for love—he just needs to make a change.Aerie Daniels is a woman in control … until she meets Jagger. Her surprising connection with him leaves her dazed and it’s unlike anything she’s ever felt. But just when she lets her walls fall, she makes a startling discovery about Jagger that breaks her fragile heart into a million pieces.To keep from losing the woman who’s changing his world, Jagger is willing to give up anything—including his career. But even that might not be enough to regain Aerie’s shattered trust…
Excerpt
Aerie Daniels
There’s something deliciously perverse
about staring through the clear glass. All of
my senses engage as I wait in line—the
fragrance that fills the air as the fire crackles
beneath the foil wrapped treats wafts
under my nose, the beauty in each and every small
package as they line the shelves with tiny
dots and colored sprinkles mesmerizes me, the
sound made as the silver sheet is peeled
back to reveal the magnificence it holds
captivates me, and the anticipation of the
taste makes my mouth water. Ummm… just
thinking of the first bite into the moist
brown exterior with its bittersweet Belgian
chocolate complimenting the flavor of the
Madagascar bourbon vanilla that oozes from
its inside has me trembling. The black and
white cupcake—it’s simply perfection.
Amidst the skyscrapers in Los Angeles’
South Park neighborhood, Sprinkles is a
gem tucked away for those of us who seek
out a small piece of heaven. I
don’t come here
often, but when I do it’s for that one
special treat. The menu describes it as, “Yin
and
Yang.” An ancient proverb that says, “Complementary opposites, such as light
and dark,
day and night, and masculine and
feminine, seemingly may exist as contrary
forces, but
are actually interconnected.” Simply put,
it says one gives rise to the other and it’s true—
opposites attract. Without the vanilla inside, one could
not possibly crave the chocolate
outside—looking at the two parts united
has me drooling.
“You know what they say about staring
through the glass,” a deep husky voice says
from behind me.
His words tingle my skin and my gaze
snaps up. “Excuse me?” I stop short, in a
daze, not even sure what he just said I
was so lost in my thoughts.
He chuckles. “You know what they say
about staring through the glass,” he repeats.
My eyes blink and come into focus on the
upward tilt of his full lips. Then my eyes
move to his smooth pale skin flecked
with a light stubble, his nose seemingly sculpted
even with a slight imperfection in its
slope, large eyes with the most unusual gray color
swirling from within, and chocolate
brown colored hair framing his face in pieces—I’m
not sure if he has just rolled out of
bed or if product molds it just so. Either way, he is
utterly beautiful.
“I’m sorry, I don’t know what you’re
talking about.”
“Just be careful so you don’t fall in
like Alice.” He smiles, displaying his bright
white teeth.
“Again, I’m sorry but I have no idea
what you’re talking about.” I notice his eyes
sweep over me and my heart starts
pounding.
“Through the Looking Glass,” he responds
in a dangerously husky voice.
This time when he speaks I catch an
accent, ever so slight but extremely sexy.
It reminds me of how Robert De Nero
talks, just not as loud or fast. I continue to stare,
unable to respond. I notice that his
physique is long and lean. He’s dressed in worn jeans
that fit him perfectly. His orange laced
hiking boots scream I don’t conform. A pair of
tortoiseshell sunglasses hang from the V
of his gray sweater, which clings to his body
perfectly. And an outdoor vest tops the
outfit. It throws me off. It makes him look more
like an Abercrombie model than a James
Dean type. It’s a navy blue down and quilted
one with a silver zipper. I don’t know
why, but something about his outfit, about this
man, captivates me.
“Number 98,” calls the girl from behind
the counter.
He steps closer. His warm breath
whispers across my neck. “Through the Looking
Glass is the sequel to Alice in
Wonderland. When Alice gets too close to the glass, she
falls in and starts on a crazy journey,”
he tells me as his arm waves in the air with a green
ticket on display. Stepping closer, his
gaze cuts from mine to the glass case as he hands
his number to the clerk whose wearing a
cute brown apron with the word Sprinkles
scripted across it.
“Can I have a dozen of the black and
white cupcakes?” he asks.
Suddenly alarmed, my eyes dart to the
case as I watch the single remaining row of
beautifully crafted cupcakes diminish
until there are none left. My irritation flares as I
glance at my number—97.
The beautiful stranger hands the clerk
his credit card and waits to sign the slip.
“I was number 97, my number was before
yours,” I say as he’s handed the bag that
holds his treasure.
“Oh, I’m sorry. Here let me get the
sales clerk’s attention so you don’t have to take
another number,” he says.
I want to stomp my feet. I want to
scream. I don’t want her attention. I don’t want
another number. I want the cupcakes that
he stole from me.
“Miss,” he calls draping his perfectly
fit body over the case. She looks his way and
with a charming grin he says, “Can you
help this lovely lady? She missed her number
being called.”
“Of course, I’m so sorry. How can I help
you?” the girl asks averting her eyes from
the man who looks like he should be on
the cover of GQ magazine, over to me.
He smiles at me with a face that belongs
on a billboard. “Don’t fall in.”
I swear he’s goading me. But then he
tips his chin and a sexy, smoldering grin passes
over his lips and I’m not so sure
anymore. He turns to look at me one more time before
he exits, and excitement flushes over my
face. I nod a slight cursory acknowledgement,
then he disappears and disappointment
washes over me—he’s gone. Crap. The cupcakes
are also gone. Double crap. And now I’m
left wondering if he saw me staring at that
flavor? Did he distract me on purpose so
he could purchase them first? Urrr…I’m so
angry right now I consider walking out,
but when the clerk asks me what I’d like I settle
for the Vanilla Milk Chocolate cakes—they
are the mirror reflection of the black and
whites, with vanilla cake and chocolate frosting, but they are not
nearly as good.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Kim Karr
- Website: http://www.
authorkimkarr.com/ - Facebook: https://www.
facebook.com/AuthorKimKarr - Twitter: https://twitter.com/
authorkimkarr -
Goodreads: http://www.
goodreads.com/author/show/ 6644044.Kim_Karr
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