The Man Cave Collection
Manservant, Man Flu, Man Handler, and Man Buns
Shari J. Ryan
Contents
The Man Cave Collection
About the Author
Manservant
Prologue
1. Chapter 1
2. Chapter 2
3. Chapter 3
4. Chapter 4
5. Chapter 5
6. Chapter 6
7. Chapter 7
8. Chapter 8
9. Chapter 9
10. Chapter 10
11. Chapter 11
12. Chapter 12
13. Chapter 13
14. Chapter 14
15. Chapter 15
16. Chapter 16
17. Chapter 17
18. Chapter 18
19. Chapter 19
20. Chapter 20
21. Chapter 21
22. Chapter 22
23. Chapter 23
24. Chapter 24
25. Chapter 25
26. Chapter 26
Epilogue
Man Flu
Acknowledgments
Because of you…
Prologue
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Epilogue
Man Handler
Prologue
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty-One
Chapter Twenty-Two
Chapter Twenty-Three
Chapter Twenty-Four
Chapter Twenty-Five
Chapter Twenty-Six
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Epilogue
Man Buns
Prologue
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Epilogue Part one
Epilogue Part Two
NEWSLETTER SIGN-UP
The Man Cave Collection
Each of The Man Cave books are a standalone, so feel free to skip around and read in any order you prefer!
MANSERVANT
I just wanted an easy summer job…
That didn’t happen. Now, I’m in a living nightmare as I work alongside this monster of a man with mesmerizing emerald eyes that look at me inappropriately every time I see him. To add insult to injury, he has a tan I just want to lick, and a butt worth drooling over every time he purposefully walks by me. But, he's an asshat, and looks are everything. I mean, aren't. LOOKS. ARE. NOT. EVERYTHING. Why do I have to keep reminding myself of this?
His job is to clean, cook, and tend to the house we work in. That's why I call him the manservant. Oh, and because it drives him nuts. That's what he gets for torturing me.
This is a story of little restraint, too much desire, questionable actions, no strength whatsoever, and the best sex I've ever had.
The question is: Do I fall for this crude manservant whose idea of a fun time is to tie people up and do obscene things, or do I give him a taste of his own medicine?
All I'm going to say is . . . Things get weird, twisted, then hot, then weird again, and—you get my drift.
Go ahead and laugh. It might not be so funny if it happened to you.
MAN FLU
I was trying to live every woman's dream, except my reality has been nothing but a nightmare job and a divorce at the age of thirty-two. Just when I thought things couldn't get any worse, my ex-husband, Rick, moved in next door with his life-size Barbie doll. So, that's been fun.
Then, life pitched me a curve-ball in the form of a retired major-league baseball player, Logan Grier. With his panty-dropping smile, he’s like an expertly photoshopped version of David Beckham, and he's single. Could life be perfect after all? Of course not. As always, there had to be a catch. Logan had a secret, and I couldn’t help feeling like the truth was dangling right in front of my face.
With Rick’s daily agenda of torturing me, Logan has been an enticing distraction, despite the little fact that he’s my temporary employee. Plus, I didn’t exactly care that his flirty behavior may have been a plan to get in good with the boss. In any case, I was willing to toss a few balls with him, seeing as my playing field hadn’t had any action in over a year.
That’s when it happened…my two worlds collided. Hot temp met the ex, and a full-on bromance was born, but that’s only the beginning.
The “man flu” has come out of nowhere and hit both Logan and Rick with a virus they’re claiming to be worse than childbirth. In fact, they’re pretty sure their end is near.
Will the “man flu” be the kiss of death, or will it be my window for an opportunistic change?
MAN HANDLER
I’m a Boston girl through and through, but when I was given an ultimatum that would determine whether I’d have income or not, I opted for the option with a roof over my head. The only problem was, I had to move down to a small town in South Carolina, leaving behind the only place I’ve ever called home.
Some may not consider my move to be a big deal, but it turns out that having a big mouth and being mildly impatient isn’t quite acceptable in small town. In other words, I pretty much stick out like a sore thumb, which is great when unknowingly attracting the most eligible bachelor in town.
There’s nothing quite like being mistaken for a damsel in distress and fainting in this man’s arms ... then saying a whole bunch of stupid things I’d regret later.
Thankfully, Austin isn’t like the other kind-natured locals; he’s a little dirty, kind of arrogant, and a way too good-looking for his own good.
In fact, we’re a bit like-minded with our attitudes, which causes a futile encounter that leads to a pair of handcuffs in a restaurant, and an embarrassing situation that may or may not be the end to any possibility of a romantic future t
ogether.
MAN BUNS
I got out of the Marine Corps to give my daughter a better life. I’m a strong and capable single dad. I got this, right? Not so much.
The one thing my daughter wants is the hardest to find—a mom. It’s not like they’re selling hot intelligent women at Walmart these days, and with the amount of baggage I’m carrying around, I might be out of luck.
Yeah, so.
We moved from Oahu to Maui. I needed a job, a place to live, and to get us settled. I thought it would be simple, but let’s just say . . . mistakes have been made.
· Mistake #1: I took the first job I was offered. (Should’ve probably asked a couple more questions about the required uniform.)
· Mistake #2: I flirted with Kai, the first attractive woman who crossed my path. (So far out of my league she might as well be a Hawaiian princess.)
·Mistake #3: I fell head over heels for that woman. (See Mistake #2.)
Now I’m standing here showing my butt—no, literally. It's the required uniform at Man Buns, the restaurant I’m working at. (See Mistake #1).
In any case, I can tell you one thing—it’s damn near impossible to convince the woman I can’t live without to take me seriously when I’m serving up burgers, half-naked, and women are constantly ogling my assets.
I’ve gotta try, though. Because Kai is the woman for me, and she’s perfect with Aya. I’ve just gotta get these man buns in gear and figure out how to win her over.
About the Author
Shari J. Ryan is an International Bestselling Author of heartbreakers and mind-benders. Shari was once told she tends to exaggerate often and sometimes talks too much, which would make a great foundation for fictional books. Four years later, Shari has written eleven novels that often leave readers either in tears from laughing, or crying.
With her loud Boston girl attitude, Shari isn't shy about her love for writing or the publishing industry. Along with writing several International bestsellers, Shari has split her time between writing and her longstanding passion for graphic design. In 2014, she started an indie-publishing resource company, MadHat Books, to help fellow authors with their book cover designs, as well as assistance in the self-publishing process.
While Shari may not find many hours to sleep, she still manages to make time for her family. She is a devoted wife to a great guy, and a mother to two little boys who remind her daily why she was put on this earth.
* * *
Make sure you join her Twisted Drifters Reader Group
Shari’s other books:
* * *
COMING SOON:
Romantic Comedy:
Milk Man
* * *
ALREADY AVAILABLE:
Romantic Comedies:
Man Buns
Man Handler
Man Flu
Manservant
Queen of the Throne
* * *
Women’s Fiction/Contemporary Romance:
Last Words
The Other Blue Sky
* * *
Darkest Perception
* * *
Raine’s Haven
* * *
A Heart of Time
A Missing Heart
A Change of Heart
* * *
No Way Out
* * *
Ravel
* * *
Red Nights
* * *
TAG
You’re It
Spiked Lemonade
* * *
You can find Shari at:
www.sharijryan.com
authorshariryan@gmail.com
Manservant
Copyright © 2017 by Shari J. Ryan
* * *
All rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof
may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever
without the express written permission of the publisher
except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.
Printed in the United States of America
* * *
Shari J. Ryan
P.O. Box 365
Northbridge, MA 01534
www.sharijryan.com
To Annelle
Everyone needs that one friend that can turn your whole day around with one simple eggplant emoji text message.
I am eternally grateful for our friendship and the fits of laughter you bring to my life every day.
xoxoxo
ONE YEAR EARLIER
One final exam left to go. Thank God. Then, I can forget about everything and spend the summer with my Andy. Our schedules haven’t allowed us to be together nearly enough this year, and I hope to make up for that over the break by spending most of our time in bed.
Since I’m two years behind Andy, it's been hard watching him get scooped up into the real world while I'm still living on campus, but he's here every weekend, and we talk a lot. Just one year to go, and then we can get an apartment together and finally be on the same life page.
“How did you do, girly?” Jade pops up behind me and wraps her arm around my neck as we make our way down the dorm hallway.
“Not too bad, but I felt like Professor Adams was staring at me the whole time I was taking my mass comm final. It was very distracting,” I tell her.
She shrugs her shoulders. “He totally wants to get in your pants. It could boost your final grade.” She squeezes me and shrieks, “One more day in this hell hole, and it’s summer vacation."
“That’s gross. He’s like sixty or seventy. Plus, that mole on his cheek has two hairs growing out of it, and the dried boogers he always has in his nose . . . how does he not know they’re there?”
“Yeah, good point. Don’t let him near your pants. A better grade isn’t worth it for that,” Jade says. “Oh crap, before I forget, do you have that dress I lent you last week? Chip is taking me out for our sexiversary tonight.”
I laugh at the way she accentuates the sex part of their anniversary. Jade and Chip celebrate every milestone, no matter how small, or how large it is. “Oooh la-la! Where are you going?” I ask, reaching into my back pocket for my room key.
“Probably a burger joint, but I still like to look nice. Plus, I don’t care if we just sit outside, and do nothing. It’s Chip," she says breathlessly. "I have no problem gazing into his eyes all night. That’s normal, right?”
“You have it so bad for him, Jade. Please shoot me if I ever end up like you,” I jest.
“Oh pa-lease, you and Andy are totally heading down the same path. He like totally worships the ground you walk on, and the air you breathe—all that crapola.”
“You think so?” I ask with a small smile, wondering whether I truly am following in Jade's footsteps. It's never been my thing to fall head over heels for someone the way Jade has, but Andy does have a particular charm to him. Plus, it's been a year, and we're in love, talking about future plans. So, maybe she is right. “He’s good to me. I think I lucked out there.”
“See, you thought all hotties were assholes. I told you that wasn’t the case,” she reminds me.
“I was wrong," I lament. "Feel better?”
Jade pats herself on the back. “I do feel better, as a matter of fact. Thanks.”
“Andy’s here packing up my stuff so we can take off right after my final tomorrow. He’ll be happy to see you,” I tell her.
“Oh, I didn’t know he was here,” Jade chirps. “Let me at the tough guy. He needs a Jade hug.”
“Maybe I should warn him first.” I laugh with a raised brow because it takes a certain type of person to handle Jade's eccentricity. “Take a deep breath first and calm down, so you don't startle him.” Andy calls her Crazy Jade, but I've kept that to myself.