Excerpt #3:
“Would you do something for me?” She inched closer.
“What’s that?”
She patted the side of the bed. “Come here. Be next to me. We don’t have to sleep together to sleep together. Maybe I’m not ready to go whole hog, but what about cuddling?”
“Cuddling?” His breath sounded labored.
“Don’t be so dismissive.”
“I’m not, it’s just that … no one has ever asked me to before. I don’t exactly have a reputation as the warm and cuddly type.”
“Or no one’s ever bothered to look close enough.”
He froze before sitting on the edge of the bed, the mattress creaking from his weight.
“There we go, that’s a start,” she said encouragingly.
“Now what?”
“Now we both lie back on your pillows, get under the blankets.”
“What about shoes?”
“Right. Shoes. Very practical. Glad one of us handles the details. See? This is what makes me a terrible Virgo.”
“You nervous?” He slowly undid the zipper to her ankle boot, easing it off, giving her toes a squeeze before proceeding to the next boot. Her stomach muscles clenched. This guy would give amazing foot rubs; she knew it.
“A little, but in a good way.”
He considered her. “You’re strange.”
“And you are terrible at giving compliments.”
He chuckled at that, tossing her boots on the floor and pulling back the blankets, tucking her in.
“Aren’t you getting in too?”
“For my sanity, I’d rather have this as a barrier.” He tugged on the thick comforter,
“Otherwise, I’ll never fall asleep.”
“Am I that hard to resist?” She batted her lashes with a faux-seductive voice.
“Woman, you drive me crazy.” But he sounded happy or at least not angry, which was a change. And for not being a cuddler, he had an excellent way of putting his arm around the hollow of her waist and spooning her against him.
Best Worst Mistake Playlist
Spotify link: https://open.spotify.com/user/12150480907/playlist/1sOebaJjbYLWmmcEs630FJ
I usually make pretty long, involved playlists that serve as drafting inspiration but Best Worst Mistake is short and sweet. I listened to these four songs on repeat and feel like they each cut straight to the heart of the book. Whenever I hear any of these songs now I’m transported right back to Wilder and Quinn.
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Mason Jennings: Ulysses
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Passenger: Heart’s on Fire
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Bruce Springsteen: I’m on Fire
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Joshua Radin: Tomorrow is Going to Be Better
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A British literature fanatic at heart, Lia considers Mr. Darcy and Edward Rochester as her fictional boyfriends. Her very patient husband doesn't mind. Much. When not torturing heroes (because c'mon, who doesn't love a good tortured hero?), Lia herds unruly chickens, camps, beach combs, daydreams about future books, wades through a mile-high TBR pile and schemes yet another trip. Right now, Icelandic hot springs and Scottish castles sound mighty fine.
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