Hiding Out (The Davenport Agency Book 1)
~~~Blurb~~~
Samuel Davenport runs his family's New York based advertising agency. His brother, Adam, runs from responsibility and anything remotely boring. And his temp, Haley, runs so she'll never be caught and hurt again. She moved to the city New Year's Day to hide and recover, to build a new life far from her past. In an effort to lie low, Haley never expects to be more than a temp. What begins for Sam as an excuse to get to know her better, ends up being an opportunity for advancement and excitement for Haley. When Sam tries to uncover all of Haley's mysteries, he exposes her hiding place, endangers her life, and threatens to destroy any chance of them ever having a future together.
~~~Excerpt~~~
Haley had grabbed at her chest and was now attempting a smile, but couldn’t quite pull it off. “Damn it, Haley,” he murmured as he squatted next to her desk. “I’m sorry.” Samuel struggled against reaching out to her. He closed his eyes for a moment as he imagined crushing her to his chest and burying his face in her hair. He took a few deep calming breaths, then opened his eyes.
When his gaze met hers, he found her eyes welling up with tears and it was more than he could stand. “Come on,” he said quietly, grabbing her hand and leading her into his office. “Please sit down.” He gestured to the leather sofa that so frequently held his napping brother.
“No, I’m sorry,” Haley said, dabbing at her eyes. “I feel so silly. I don’t know why I’m crying.”
He passed her a Kleenex, then said, “Yes, you do. Take a moment, then explain it to me.”
She sighed, but soon her words came spilling out of her. “You looked so sorry and so sad and so helpless. And I can’t help but think that I put that look on your face.” She was exasperated. “All of a sudden you are treating me like blown glass, which is nice and scary and unfamiliar all at once. It’s like you really care or...” Haley faced him with a stricken look. “You know.” Her body shuddered and she eyed the door, something he had watched her do on more than one occasion.
And he now knew what it meant. “Don’t go,” he said quietly. Then he added seriously, “I don’t know anything for certain. All I know is that it is painfully obvious someone hurt you. And that,” he said almost whispering, “breaks my heart.”
Looking down at her lap, Haley sat stone still. Part of her wanted desperately to pour her heart out to him, but she feared that this knowledge would be too much for him. “Someday,” she whispered. “Someday I’d really like to tell you. But it can’t be today. And it can’t be now.” She swallowed and looked up at him with her glassy emerald eyes. “Can you be patient with
me?”That was what everyone he had come into contact with had warned him. The good doctor, her friend Ellen...and he knew he could. She was worth it. “Yes,” he responded.
~~~Hiding Out - Available here~~~
Finally Found (The Davenport Agency Book 2)
~~~Blurb~~~
Where one story ends, often another begins.
For some reason, Adam Davenport can’t see past the ending. The hit and run has forced him to slow down and stop running from the pain of losing his parents. He has tried to hide behind meaningless, superficial relationships and even more shallow friendships, but the time has come to face his loneliness. Now he is finally ready to start being a family with his brother Sam. However, Sam and Haley, who was once Sam’s personal assistant, are too busy basking in their new-found love. Though breaking the rules for the first time ever has changed Sam’s life for the better, Adam has always broken the rules, strayed from responsibility, and done as little as he could get away with.
One of the main reasons that he refused to believe that Cammie was more than friend material was because she was impervious to his charms.
She was so driven and determined to make her new catering company a success that she couldn’t see past her own dreams. Suddenly, Adam found himself behaving in ways he never imagined. He was working to impress a woman, but more than that, he was working to help make her dreams come true. He soon realizes that there are times in life when giving is more important than taking and when helping someone else is more important than what that person can do to reciprocate. He also learns there are times that the biggest risk is to stop hiding from emotions and to start allowing love to finally be found.
~~~Excerpt~~~
“Good morning, Cammie. Coffee, made just like you claim to be...light and sweet.” He leaned in and whispered, “Clearly you are a real blonde, so you know which part I’m still doubting, right?” He chuckled.
His words had her gripping the covers around her. He knew she was a real blonde? He must have seen the panic on her face.
“Your eyebrows and eyelashes.” He explained. “They never lie. Here,” he said as he set the tray around her. “You really need this. And I wasn’t sure what you normally ate, so I brought a selection.”
She stared at the tray while he propped up pillows behind her back. What the hell? Who was this guy? He was nothing like she had seen, imagined, or heard. He was...nice. “Are you still trying to charm me into bed?” She glanced at him with tilted head, trying to figure him out. “I may already be in bed, but there’s little chance of you joining me.”
“Why are you so determined to ruin this morning? Can’t you just say ‘thank you, Adam?’ I woke up from what was essentially a nap, went to the market and picked all this stuff up...” He was about to continue when she interrupted.
“You don’t have a car. And last time I checked you didn’t even have a bankcard or wallet. Your brother wiped you out. Or was all of that a lie?” She narrowed her eyes.
He cleared his throat and seemed nervous. “No, that was the truth. This morning was...an exaggeration. I always keep some emergency cash here.” He glanced down at her. “I was a boy scout.” She rewarded him with a half smile. “And saying I called the market for a delivery doesn’t quite hold the same punch as me somehow going there myself.” He threw his hands in the air. “I give up. Let me know if the aforementioned after effects of the coffee kick in.”
She looked at him utterly confused. “What?”
“Come talk to me when you’re ready to be nice,” he said from the hall. And with that, he shut the door behind him.
Cammie studied the tray. Everything was plated beautifully. The market couldn’t have done that. There was a selection of bagels and pastries, a bowl of freshly prepared fruit salad with honeydew, cantaloupe, pineapple, strawberries, and grapes. There was every breakfast condiment known to man...butter, jelly, cream cheese, sugar in a dish and cream in a mini white ceramic pitcher. There was even a copy of the Sunday paper in the side pocket of the tray. Damn. She was going to have to eat her words. She was going to have to be nice and apologetic. Damn. Damn damn damn. Well, this was no way to end a weekend or start a day. She leaned back after preparing a steaming mug of coffee...just the way she liked it. Her hands were wrapped around it. She liked the fit, and the way the warmth was spreading inside and out. He had even fluffed her pillows.
She sighed.
~~~Finally Found - Available here~~~
~~~Bio~~~
Nicole Andrews Moore
Nicole Andrews Moore has been an author since 2011, but it was after the birth of her daughter, Kenna in January of 2012, that she was determined to make it a full-time career. As the fourth smallest preemie in the world, Kenna’s medical needs would prevent her from ever going to day care. A fan introduced her to JB McGee, who became her mentor and best friend. They have been working together ever since, but The Traveler Series is their first collaboration. For fun, she spends time with those she cares about, cooks, reads, writes, and especially lives to travel. The current travel goal: visit every Margaritaville. Three down! (Eleven to go?) Her writing can also be found on Shine, where she is a Shine Parenting Guru and an award winning Yahoo! Contributor on YourWisdom as the relationship and dating expert. In addition, she has been published by McClatchy News in their syndicated papers. Her books can be found on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Kobo, Apple, and Smashwords in ebook, paperback, and even some audiobooks.
~~~Connect with Nicole Andrews Moore~~~
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