Built for Love Series by Chelle Pimblott

KamiI've spent the last few years getting my book shop up and running. I've left high school and all the horrible taunting behind me, now I’m a successful business owner.. but I can't forget the one guy that drew my attention. He drew everyone’s attention, the guys want to be him, and the girls wanted to be with him. He was completely out of my league and we all knew it... moreKamiI've spent the last few years getting my book shop up and running. I've left high school and all the horrible taunting behind me, now I’m a successful business owner.. but I can't forget the one guy that drew my attention. He drew everyone’s attention, the guys want to be him, and the girls wanted to be with him. He was completely out of my league and we all knew it.When I needed some renovations done at the shop, I asked around for recommendations and it was overwhelming how many people suggested Harvey Carpentry. I guess I should have put two and two together, being that we live in a small town, but I didn’t. Not until I walked up to the truck with the Harvey logo on the side and he turned to look at me. Damn, James freaking Harvey. Just my luck.JamesI'm working hard to make my own mark on this town. I don’t want the reputation of my father hanging over my head forever. I worked hard in my apprenticeship and now I have my own business, Harvey Carpentry. The only problem I have is men warn me to keep my hands to myself and women almost expect not, when they hire me. That’s what you get when your father’s is the town love rat, you get tarred with the same brush.When Kami Parker, the woman who filled my teenage years with many an uncomfortable night, walks up to and asks if I’ll give her a quote to do some work at her bookshop, I can’t agree fast enough. I even add some fun extra clauses into her contract. Can she see past the rumours and assumptions to find the real me?Kami Parker as a client? Damn that makes me a lucky son of a bitch.**EXCERPT**“Did you make an apple pie ... for me?” She asks. Here I was thinking that she’d gotten past my cooking skills, apparently not. “Yes Kami, I made an apple pie, from scratch, for dessert. For you, well yeah cause you're here but I also felt like eating an apple pie, so I made one.”“From scratch?” I slowly nod my head in answer to her question because I can't be bothered voicing the same answer, again. “Wow! Umm yes, please, can I have some cream on top?”I groan at the double meaning and dish us both up a slice of pie with cream on top. I can't even look at her, the thoughts that are rolling around my head, if I look at her I'm sure she'll be able to read my mind and go running out my door. Then I’ll have lost the only chance I have with this beautiful woman. I've waited so long to have this chance, an opportunity to prove to her that I'm not as bad as everyone thinks, I can't get ahead of myself. It may have been a mistake to cook dinner for her and bring her out to my home, but even if it is, I wouldn’t change it for anything. Well, except maybe an overnight stay with her, which included me getting to do all the things I want to with her.Her groan snaps me out of my head and makes my cock instantly hard. When I look across the table at her, she's got her eyes closed, and she's licking her lips. My spoon is hovering somewhere between my bowl and my mouth, while I watch Kami take another mouthful of my apple pie to her mouth, open wide and moan again as she closes her mouth around the spoon. Fuck me, she's killing me, but what a way to die.Her eyes open as she tells me, “Holy heck James, this is delicious. I swear it’s the best thing I've had in my mouth in, forever.” Then she realises what she's said as my jaw drops to the table and the cream starts to drip off my spoon. I should have changed out of my jeans, there isn’t enough fucking room in them to eat dinner with this woman. “I, ummm, didn’t mean that the way it came out. It’s ... you're a really good cook James.” less

Joe made Katy’s best friend’s life hell when they were at High School, but even then, there was still something that always drew her to him. When they start seeing each other at a local café where they both go for lunch, and share a table to, ‘save space’, they get to know each other as adults, and they like what they see.When Joe asks Katy out for dinner, a date is set. One that neither of them ever saw coming. Especially given their past, but sometimes things happen for a reason... moreJoe made Katy’s best friend’s life hell when they were at High School, but even then, there was still something that always drew her to him. When they start seeing each other at a local café where they both go for lunch, and share a table to, ‘save space’, they get to know each other as adults, and they like what they see.When Joe asks Katy out for dinner, a date is set. One that neither of them ever saw coming. Especially given their past, but sometimes things happen for a reason. The draw to one another is electric and unrelenting .... unforgiving.When Joe explains his reason for giving her best friend so much grief, something even more shocking is revealed in the process. Can their relationships survive all the pain and grief that these revelations cause? Will love win in the end? The love between a man and a woman. The love between friends? Built for trouble is book two in the built for love series. It is recommended they be read in order. **EXCERPT** “Excuse me, but can I grab my shoes please?” Joe asks. I realise then that I'm between him, his shoes, and his escape out of my house.“Why?” I ask him. I want to know why he's suddenly ready to leave me standing here in my underwear and heels.“Why? Because I want to put my shoes on and they're behind you.”“No. Why do you need them? Why am I standing here in my underwear and heels while you're dressed and ready to run out the door like nothing was happening a couple of minutes ago?” I take a shuddering breath, but don’t give him the chance to answer yet. “I mean I know talking to mother on the phone was a bit of buzzkill, but it was only for a few minutes and I'm more than sure we can get back to where we were before she called. I silenced the phone, so even if she tried to call back, we won't hear her now.” I sound desperate. I am desperate. He has me so wound up and ready for him and he's finding it so damned easy to walk away from me tonight.“It's not that we were interrupted or who you were talking to Katy. It's what you said to them that means I need to leave. We’re not going to work, you know it, and I know it, we were just kidding ourselves that anything could happen between us.” Joe takes a deep breath while closing his eyes and shaking his head like he's trying to clear it. “I'm sorry Katy, but I have to go, and to do that I need my shoes. Please.” He looks at me finally and his face is full of regret.Well, I'm not going to be anyone’s regret and I'm glad we didn’t go any further. I never thought I'd be grateful to get a phone call from my mother, ever. I step around him and grab a large cardigan I have resting over the back of the couch and wrap myself up in it. Shielding myself from him, from the pain and shame.“I'm sorry Katy, this isn’t how I wanted tonight to end.” He steps towards his shoes and slides his feet in them. “In fact, all I wanted was to take you out to dinner and get to know you.”“Well, then you shouldn’t have come inside my house, Joe. You should have walked away just like you'd planned and then none of it would have happened and you wouldn’t be regretting being here with me.” I step out of my heels and walk past him to open the door, so he can leave.“I don’t regret being with you tonight Kathryn.”Wrapping my cardigan around my body tighter as I say, “You should leave now Joseph.”“I'm sorry Katy...”“Yeah, I know you're sorry. Goodnight Joseph.”“Goodnight Katy.” He says and then he’s walking out my front door, closing it quietly behind him as he goes.I pick up my shoes with the intent of putting them away, only to throw them at the closed door in frustration. less