Paper
Lipstick
by
Kelsey Elise Sparrow
Genre:
MC Contemporary Romance
Lipstick
kisses and caviar dreams don’t have a place in my life or his.
~
Max (Rebecca Robbins)
I'm
a bad ass bitch. It's a truth of mine. I live it and breathe that
shit. No, I'm not conceited or full of myself. It's just something
I've discovered over the years.
I'm
damn good by myself, always have been, always will. What I didn't
know is I can be improved upon.
Enter
the equally bad ass and hella charismatic Deckard Camden. Who, the
hell, told him to be this jaw-droppingly gorgeous, mountain of a man,
in comparison to my little self, projecting a wall of defense that
rivals my own?
Nobody
prepared me for the sensual words that would fall from his lips or
the massive ... peace he would bring to my life.
Damn
sure didn't get me ready to be Deckard Camden's wife … wait what?
I’m a bad ass bitch! This isn’t one of those moments where I’m encouraging myself or attempting to infuse my soul with courage. The statement is fact. There’s n question about it. Most know me as Max. They wanted me to have a masculine name because I tend to steer clear of the frilly and pretty.
I'm a tattoo artist who doesn’t allow bullshitters in her shop. You’re fucked if you come around just to take in the eye candy. If you’re occupying space then you’re a fucking customer. Otherwise get the hell out of my shop. Inked to the Maxisn’t a coffee shop, library, or any of those other cop-a-squat places.
I am a boss bad ass. It is who I am and what I exude. Living in Atlanta, Georgia. No, that’s a lie. I work in Atlanta. I live in Mableton. The parents live in Brookhaven. I grew up within the city limits and moved on to “greener pastures” for myself and no one else. I’m content, happy even, with what I’ve accomplished and I am.
Is it obvious I’m selling bullshit, even to myself? Yeah. I thought so.
I’ll deal with it later. It’s for the best. My every happiness is in having my own business. I fought against everything I had—under my parents’ watchful eye—to go after what I felt I needed. When the shop was doing well enough for me to snub my parents, I got out of the house as quickly as possible. Their expectation was for me to do something with my nursing degree. I chose to use a different type of needle to make my way in life. I could always fall back on the degree if times get hard with the shop. Not likely because I enjoy tattooing and piercing a little more than the average artist.
Hey Bliss!”
“Bliss?”
Three voices sing out in chorus simultaneously. With two words, I’m glad that the only people in the room are my friends, idiots that they are. Taking in the expressions on their faces maybe I’m not happy they are here to hear his nickname for me.
“Yes, Bliss. He calls me bliss,” I say in my best snarky voice. To him, I say, “Excuse me just a moment. I’ll be right back.”
I tilt my head towards the back room silently telling them to follow me. All of them dutifully do as I’ve requested. I know the only reason they aren’t protesting is because they’re all nosy, busy bodies. Once we’re in the lounge area, I turn to face them.
“Yeah, so he calls me bliss.”
“Once again this time with a little less of the signature Max cynicism,” Charise commands while pouring herself a cup of coffee.
“What we want to know is how the name came about,” Samuel tells me while batting his stupidly long eyelashes at me.
“Yeah, we he said,” Yasmeen pulls her long dark braid back and wraps it until it’s in a bun.
“You’ll leave me alone after I explain.”
“We’ll have to because he’s obviously here to take you to breakfast,” Zoe fluffs her curly puffs at the top of her head. “I, for one, am damn sure not going to wait until after he feeds you.”
You play video games?”
I don’t know why it shocks the shit out of people that I spend time in front of the damn Xbox. I enjoy taking out some of my aggression on some of those lifelike characters just as much as the next person. For the most part, it’s just a damn good way to kill time. Assholes in the crew talked so much shit about me not knowing what the fuck they were talking about last year that I promptly went out and purchased a system. I figured out what games they were playing and started practicing.
It took me too fucking long but I got good at them. The next time I was challenged in a wrestling game, football, some Star Wars, or Destiny challenge, I wiped the fucking floor with my opponent.
Some of the guys in the crew have this tournament going with a game called Tekken. It’s an advanced form of Street Fighter. There’s one name at the top all of us want decimated because he talks major shit. Jared is one of the few people whose big mouth I can actually tolerate. Not that he speaks often. When he does there’s no stopping him. It may go on for a good five minutes. Some meaningful shit comes out of his mouth, but it’s a rarity. His shit talking is worse because of the damn smirk. The smirk that says you know he’s better than you. I want to wipe that fucker off his face but I’m not good enough yet. I believe I may not have to be after spending my time with a certain gorgeous blonde.
Kelsey
Elise Sparrow, author of romance, MC, and fantasy novels. Imagination
takes flight and romance is free to breathe. Something sinister is
always lurking in the corner to snuff out the beauty. Join her on the
journey. She sees the world as one big opportunity to grow, discover,
and learn. The worlds she creates are based upon dreams and
imaginings that take the reader on a journey unlike any other.
“Imagination takes flight” isn’t just her tagline, it is her
way of living. Follow her on social media to discover where her
imagination will take you.
Lover
of all things beautiful. Fanatic of Chris Hemsworth and Benedict
Cumberbatch. Book in hand, purse, bag, and on phone ... always makes
her day along with her world a better place. This author calls Texas
her home, loves sweet tea and fantasy worlds. She is also a big kid.
Follow
the tour HERE
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Congrats on the tour and thank you for the book description and giveaway. I appreciate it!
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