He goes silent, and I know he’s pondering my words.
“Even though,” I continue. “There were times I wanted to fly-kick you in the face for being such a jerk. And honestly, those manners of yours … terrible. We’re going to work on those. I’ll be having a word with your mother about it when I meet her.”
“What makes you think you get to meet her?” he teases, tugging my hair softly.
“Well, Ace, I’m going to have to meet her to explain why her son is in the hospital.”
“In the hospital?”
“Yes, after I kick you in the face, because I can guarantee it’ll take a few times to get you behaving like a well-mannered adult.”
“I’m not that bad,” he grumbles.
“You scare people. Lena only bakes for you because she’s probably scared of you. Give her a smile, maybe a wave.” I pause. “Actually, just start with a small wave. If you’re too nice to her, she’ll think you’re crazy and then she’ll likely fall and break a hip.”
His chest starts shaking. For a moment, I wonder what’s happening. One big arm circles my waist, the other slings over my back, and he keeps shaking as he hangs onto me. What the?
I look up, and a huge smile breaks over my face when I see his. Two big dimples greet me, and with those perfect white teeth and eyes so light, they could ignite a whole room. Ace Henderson is laughing, and it’s the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen in my life.
“I was right,” I say to him, my own body starting to shake.
“About what?” he wheezes.
“Your smile, it did stop the world, for just a second.”
A beautiful second.
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Bella Jewel
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Acclaim for the novels of Bella Jewel
“You can’t go wrong with a Bella Jewel book.”
—Lustful Literature
“The story was fresh, unique, sexy, and loaded with mystery and intrigue. The dynamic characters came to life and jumped off of the pages. Enthralling!”
—Smut Book Junkie
“A hot-as-hell ride … I expect nothing less from Bella.”
—A Hopeless Romantic’s Booklandia
“An entertaining, hot read that will keep you on your toes.”
—Rochelle’s Reviews
“A sexy, dramatic suspense that I didn’t want to put down!”
—Harlequin Junkies
“Fast-paced, action-packed, steamy story. Definitely grab it if you like strong, kick-butt heroines, an alpha hero who wants to care for her, and lots of action and romance!”
—Crystal’s Many Reviewers
“Bella Jewel knows how to write herself a female lead and bring us all with her for the ride.”
—Readful Things Blog
“Sexy, irresistible, this story was addicting! I read it all in one sitting and I couldn’t get enough.”
—The Novel Tease
“Brazen and a bit of a thrill, it just works on all cylinders.”
—Smexy Books
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
USA Today bestselling author Bella Jewel is a fun-loving Australian who lives in sunny Queensland with her two playful daughters. She’s been writing since she was fifteen and has authored a broad range of stories with wild characters ranging from bikers to pirates. When she’s not writing, Bella can be found kicking about on dirt bikes or riding horses. Bella has many more books planned for the future. Visit bellajewelbooks.com to learn more, or sign up for email updates here.
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BLIND DATE
Copyright © 2017 by Bella Jewel.
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St. Martin’s Paperbacks edition / August 2017
St. Martin’s Paperbacks are published by St. Martin’s Press, 175 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10010.
CONTENTS
Title Page
Copyright Notice
Prologue
One
Two
Three
Four
Five
Six
Seven
Eight
Nine
Ten
Eleven
Twelve
Thirteen
Fourteen
Fifteen
Sixteen
Seventeen
Eighteen
Nineteen
Twenty
Twenty-One
Twenty-Two
Twenty-Three
Twenty-Four
Twenty-Five
Twenty-Six
Twenty-Seven
Twenty-Eight
Also by Bella Jewel
Acclaim for the novels of Bella Jewel
About the Author
Copyright