Free Singed by Desiree Holt, Allie Standifer

 
    Singed
    Desiree Holt & Allie Standifer
     
    Book 3 in the Turn Up the Heat series.
     
    River Brody knows love exists, but every woman he dates seems to be lacking that special spark. Until he attends an engagement party for his brothers and sees the woman of his dreams.
    Kendra Jacobs is coming out of a bad relationship. When she sees River, Kendra thinks he may just be the guy to try her new wiles on. As long as she leaves before he does.
    After spending one memorable night together, River knows he’s found the one person he’s meant to spend the rest of his life with. However, convincing Kendra proves far from easy.
     

     
    An Ellora’s Cave Romantica Publication
     
    www.ellorascave.com
     
    Singed
     
    ISBN 9781419929342
    ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
    Singed Copyright © 2010 Desiree Holt & Allie Standifer
     
    Edited by Helen Woodall
    Cover art by Syneca
     
    Electronic book publication October 2010
     
    The terms Romantica® and Quickies® are registered trademarks of Ellora’s Cave Publishing.
     
    With the exception of quotes used in reviews, this book may not be reproduced or used in whole or in part by any means existing without written permission from the publisher, Ellora’s Cave Publishing, Inc.® 1056 Home Avenue, Akron OH 44310-3502.
     
    Warning: The unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal. No part of this book may be scanned, uploaded or distributed via the Internet or any other means, electronic or print, without the publisher’s permission. Criminal copyright infringement, including infringement without monetary gain, is investigated by the FBI and is punishable by up to 5 years in federal prison and a fine of $250,000. (http://www.fbi.gov/ipr/). Please purchase only authorized electronic or print editions and do not participate in or encourage the electronic piracy of copyrighted material. Your support of the author’s rights is appreciated.
     
    This book is a work of fiction and any resemblance to persons, living or dead, or places, events or locales is purely coincidental. The characters are productions of the author’s imagination and used fictitiously.
     
    SINGED
    Desiree Holt & Allie Standifer

Dedications
    To Tammie. Because you love animals, curse other drivers and in general make me laugh.
    ~Allie
     
    To Cerise Deland, who somehow manages to keep me sane.
    ~Desiree
     
    Trademarks Acknowledgement
     
    The author acknowledges the trademarked status and trademark owners of the following wordmarks mentioned in this work of fiction:
    Barbie: Mattel Corporation
    Coke: The Coca-Cola Corporation
    Godiva: Godiva Brands, Inc.
    Lone Star: Lone Star Brewing Corporation
     
    Desiree Holt & Allie Standifer

Chapter One
    So many women, so little interest, River Brody thought as he slowly sipped from his bottle of Lone Star beer. If he hadn’t known the exact source of his disinterest River would have been worried. As it stood he knew exactly who to blame for his nonexistent sex life.
    His brothers Skyler and Reed along with their fiancées danced by his table, secretive smiles on all four of their faces. Ever since his two older brothers met the loves of their lives nothing had been the same in the Brody household. And River wanted the same chaos and devotion he saw mirrored in his brothers’ eyes every time they looked at their chosen ladies.
    He wanted that connection. The bone-deep awareness that another person would always have your back. Someone to depend on and trust, someone he didn’t have to play games with or hide away from after a bad day at work.
    Fuck, just watching them made him ache with loneliness he’d never been aware of until now. My damn brothers, he mentally cursed. They couldn’t leave well enough alone. As happy as he was for them, River still wished things had remained as they’d had been.
    A quick slap to the back of his head jolted River out of his pool of self-pity. He flicked a dark look over his shoulder to find his only cousin,