T's Stuff: Chasing Ordinary by Pandora Spocks

Chasing Ordinary

By Pandora Spocks

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About the Book:

Red-haired Petey Cavanaugh is a sculptor who welds steel and glass creations. A young widow, she lives on her in-laws’ sheep ranch in Montana where she helps out during the day, working on her art at night.

Looking to raise money to expand the ranch’s business, she gratefully accepts her art school roommate’s offer of a gallery show in Manhattan. It’s been years since she was in the city, and she’s happy to visit her old friend.

Nik is in New York on business. He’s been traveling for nearly a month, enduring endless meetings, attending obligatory dinners, and battling jet-lag. On his way to yet another business dinner, his world collides with Petey's one rainy Manhattan night.

Their mutual attraction is immediate, but Nik’s skeptical. Could it possibly be that this gorgeous, enchanting artist has no idea that he’s Europe’s most eligible prince?

Spending time with Petey is Nik’s first-ever taste of ordinary. What will happen when she finds out the truth?

Release Date: February 13, 2018

Genres: Contemporary Erotic Romance

Heat Level: Erotic

Buy Links:
Amazon | Other Links Here

Excerpt:

Howard had been talking nonstop for twenty minutes. Each time Petey thought she’d found the opportunity to extricate herself, he continued his rambling, while edging ever closer, invading her personal space, and chatting about his work and his home in New Jersey. He seemed to be one of those individuals who was completely inept at picking up on social cues.

She’d just worked up the gumption to simply excuse herself the next time he came up for air, when she heard a familiar voice.

“There you are, darling!” Nik swooped in, handing her a glass of wine. “I’m so sorry I’m late. Will you ever forgive me?” He wrapped an arm around her waist and kissed her cheek.

Stunned, Petey stammered a bit. “Um, yes. Well…darling, yes, you certainly are late. What’s up with that? I’ve been waiting for you.”

“I know. But traffic was a nightmare, what with the rain. You just wouldn’t believe it.” Nik turned to Howard. “Who’s your friend?” He smiled pleasantly at the confused man.

“Oh, sorry. Nik, this is Howard. Howard, meet Nik.”

Howard worked his mouth, but was blissfully silent.

Nik reached to shake his hand. “So nice to meet you. If you’ll excuse us, I need to make up for lost time. Come, darling.”

He grasped Petey’s hand and led her to the opposite side of the gallery. When they reached a quiet corner, he turned and smiled at her.

She gave a relieved laugh. “Oh, my God, for the second time tonight, you saved my bacon.”

Nik laughed, too. “The exasperation on your face said that you needed rescuing. Who was he anyway?”

“Some guy that my friend Jules thought I should meet. I mean, he’s nice enough, but he had absolutely no sense of personal space. And he would notstop talking. Sheesh!”

“He’s probably just shy in the presence of such a pretty woman.” Nik’s blue eyes sparkled.

Petey rolled her eyes. “Yes, I’m sure that’s it,” she said sarcastically. “I guess you ditched your business dinner?”

Nik nodded. “I did.”

She eyed him curiously. “What kind of business are you in?”

He paused a beat. “I’m in international finance and development.”

Warmth flooded her face, and she knew she was blushing. A sheepish smile curled her lips. “I have no idea what that means.”

He smiled, too. “I travel and meet with business people, mostly, occasionally politicians, and we discuss ways to improve our national economies, and ways to assist developing economies as well.”

“Oh. I’m sure Jules would understand completely. She has a sharp business mind. I’m just so,” she gave a self-deprecating chuckle, “right-brained.”

She fanned herself lightly with her hand. “So, you’d had enough of finances and development for one night?”

Nik nodded agreeably. “I’ve worked all day. As I sat listening to more business conversation, all I could think was that I’d like to attend the gallery opening of a promising young sculptor.”

Petey’s eyes sparkled mischievously. “Well, if I hear of any, I’ll let you know.” They both laughed together.

“I just watched your video. Such an interesting way to introduce yourself to patrons.”

“Oh, that.” Petey blushed. “Jules flew out to Montana a couple of months ago. She hired a film crew to follow me for a day, do interviews and stuff. Then they just put it together.”

He regarded her curiously, eyes sparkling. “What are the chances you’d give me a guided tour of this incredible exhibit?”

She pretended to consider his request. “Well, you did see to it that I was put back together after being blasted by that tidal wave. And, you rescued me from being talked to death by a close-talking dentist. I’d say your odds are pretty good.” She laughed. “I think bringing me a glass of wine put you over the top, though.”

Nik laughed, too. “Lucky for me, then.”

“Lucky for you. Okay, let’s take a tour.”

Author Bio:

Pandora Spocks is a sassy ginger and hopeless romantic, living her happily ever after in South Florida. She enjoys reading and writing literary erotic romance.

She is the author of the three-novel epic romance Rannigan’s Redemption, and a naughty little romantic novella, Just One Night. Her Dream Dominant Collection is a series of light BDSM stand-alone novels featuring sexy Alpha males and the strong red-haired submissives who can’t resist them. The collection currently includes three novels: Luke & Bella, Lost & Bound, and For Sparrow.

Pandora is busy on her laptop, working on her next spicy romance.

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Interview with Pandora Spocks

Do your characters seem to hijack the story or do you feel like you have the reigns of the story?

A: I’m definitely a ‘plantser’, a combination of a planner and a pantser. When I start writing, I know where the story begins and where it will end. I have in mind the major plot points along the way. But I’m endlessly surprised when characters have conversations I didn’t see coming. When characters hijack the story, I’m happily along for the ride.

Convince us why you feel your book is a must read.

A: I’m really excited about Chasing Ordinary. It’s the modern adult fairy tale I’ve always wanted to read. Who hasn’t fantasized about being swept off your feet by Prince Charming?

Especially now, with Prince Harry and Meghan Markle tying the knot soon. I was in the middle of writing this book before I ever heard of the two as a couple, so I’ve been fascinated with their romance.

Writing this book was a bit of a risk, though. It’s a story that’s been told many times. My friend, erotica author Dr. J. told me that it was my job to take the familiar trope and make it my own. I thought that was terrific advice.

In putting my own spin on the story, I wanted to focus on Nik’s perspective. He has all the same insecurities as the rest of us, amped up by his position as the future king of his country. All his life, people have sought him out for his title, his fame, and his wealth. When he meets Petey, she has no idea who he is. For the first time in his life, he actually has to introduce himself. He’s utterly fascinated by the fact that she sees him for himself, Nik, not as a prince and future king.

He realizes that he needs to tell her the truth, but before he does, the pair is surprised by a gang of paparazzi. Petey is furious at his deception, and she refuses to have anything to do with him. Having enjoyed his first taste of ordinary, Nik is devastated, and he’s determined to win her back.

I think that makes for a heartfelt and sexy romance.

Have you written any other books that are not published?

A: I don’t have any completed books that are unpublished, but I have the beginnings of several. Sometimes as I’m working on a project, a different one pops into my head, and I have to drop everything and bang out the new idea before I forget it. Here’s an example, a book I’ll write one day. It’s called Invisible, and it’s the one my husband really wants me to finish.

Henry sat across the table watching her devour his hamburger and fries. When he’d asked, she’d said she wasn’t hungry, but when his food arrived, she hadn’t been able to take her eyes off of it.

The impromptu meal started when he’d asked if he could buy her a coffee. It seemed a small thing, seeing how she’d rescued him from an embarrassing predicament. He never should have tried to go after Joanne. He’d been a fool. She hadn’t just now decided to break up with him, it had been brewing for a while.

He’d found himself trapped in the door of her building, the sleeve of his overcoat caught when it slammed shut. He’d pulled and tugged, kicking at the door, but to no avail. He couldn’t even manage to take the damn thing off and the driving rain was soaking him anyway.

That’s when she’d appeared. “Are you stuck?” she’d called to him up the steps.

“No, I enjoy standing in the rain!” he’d fired back.

She’d shaken her head and bounded up the steps, pulling her soaked black fleece hoodie tighter around herself. “No reason to be an asshole,” she’d muttered. She’d begun pressing all of the buttons beside the door. “Let me in! It’s rainin’ out here!” The door had buzzed and he was free. She’d given an exaggerated bow and hurried down the steps, stopping under the awning of the building next door.

Sheepishly, Henry had followed, standing beside her under the awning. She’d glanced down at him then resumed looking out at the rain. “I’m sorry,” he’d said. “I didn’t mean to be an asshole.” She’d continued staring toward the street. “Can I buy you a coffee? My way of saying thanks.”

She’d looked back at him again seeming to think for a moment. Finally she’d sighed. “I guess I’m not goin’ anywhere until it stops rainin’ anyways,” she’d said. That was when he’d noticed her drawl. She certainly wasn’t from around here.

She must be homeless, he guessed. He figured her to be in her early twenties, twenty-three tops. She was pretty, too, as far as he could tell. Her long wet hair was plastered to her head, but it seemed to be red. She had huge blue eyes that were watchful, flitting all around the room as she ate. He’d never seen a woman eat like that. And she was skinny, too. “I’m Henry, by the way,” he told her.

She paused, french fry halfway to her mouth. “I’m Shelby.” She chewed thoughtfully and swallowed. “What were you doing stuck in that door, Henry?”

He looked down at his hands. “Acting like a fool, I suppose.”

She smiled knowingly. “It was a girl,” she said definitely. Henry declined to answer. “So what do you do, Henry?”

“I’m a professor of English Literature at Columbia,” he answered.

Shelby’s already large eyes grew bigger. “No shit?” she said softly, and she laughed to herself.

Henry felt his temper rising. Having been born with dwarfism, he’d faced ridicule all his life. “What, is it so unbelievable that someone like me could be a university professor?” he demanded.

Shelby stopped laughing. “That’s a hell of a chip on your shoulder, there. A chip that big ought to have its own name.” She shook her head.

“What I meant was, who would have thought that someone like me would ever meet a professor, let alone sit and have dinner with him?”

“What do you mean, someone like you?” he asked, realizing that he owed her another apology.

She shrugged. “I’m not very smart,” she said simply. “I never even finished the eighth grade. I don’t even know anybody who went to college, let alone anybody who teaches there.”

Henry let that thought sink in. I’m not very smart. “Where are you from, Shelby?”

She shook her head, grinning. “You never heard of it.”

“Try me.”

“I’m from Pine Grove, West Virginia,” she said, watching him carefully.

Henry smiled slowly. “You’re right, I never heard of it.”

She laughed. “Count yourself lucky, then. It’s smack in the middle of nowhere. Everybody there works at the Hastings plant, processing natural gas. They actually have red lights to stop the cars about a mile away from the plant, just in case the shit hits the fan.”

Henry nodded. “Is that why you left? You didn’t want to work in the plant?”

Shelby looked him dead in the eye. “I left in the middle of eighth grade because I was tired of getting fucked by my mama’s boyfriends.” She paused. “I figured if I was going to be doing it anyway, I might as well be getting paid for it.”

Henry’s eyes widened. “You’re a…” he stopped.

She narrowed her eyes. “Now who’s judging?” she asked.

Henry backpedaled. “No, I mean, I just…”

“I don’t do that anymore. I quit three years ago. I have a new gig,” she said. “I take pictures.” Henry noticed that she pronounced it pitchers. “I have a friend who sells postcards and shit to the tourists. He sells my postcards and splits the profits with me.”

“Really?” Henry said thoughtfully.

“I have a nice camera,” she said, for the first time opening up her jacket to reveal a small camera bag. She placed it on the table, opening it carefully. “It’s mine, I bought it at a pawn shop,” she said, slightly defensively.

Henry looked over the camera appreciatively before handing it back to her. “It’s very nice,” he said.

“That’s why I came uptown. Somebody told me that I’d like to take pictures at Columbia. Said there’s cool buildings there. I was pissed off and not thinkin’ straight. It was dark by the time I got here. Plus I didn’t know it was going to rain. I wasted a whole damn trip for nothing.”

“Where do you live?” Henry wondered.

Shelby rolled her eyes. “Long story,” she said, “but when I’m in between places, I usually stay at Grand Central.” He thought of the train station. “It’s pretty clean, and you can leave your stuff in a locker for two weeks before you have to move it. There’s a guy who lets me clear tables for a few dollars. Plus, you can eat what people leave on the trays. You wouldn’t believe how much food people just waste.”

Henry listened, astounded. He’d never known a moment when he didn’t know where his next meal was coming from. “So you came uptown to take pictures at the university?”

“Yeah,” she said around another mouthful. “Kind of stupid, I guess. It was too late to begin with and then when I came out of the subway the bottom just fell out of the sky.”

“So are you going to go back to Grand Central?” he probed.

Shelby shrugged. “I guess so. I’d better hurry, though. The good places get taken early.”

Henry sat back in his seat, picturing Shelby stalking through the train station dripping wet, trying to find a good place to settle down for the night. His own words surprised him. “You could stay with me for the night. I’ll take you to the university in the morning, give you a tour.”

Shelby’s eyes narrowed. “I don’t fuck for a place to sleep.”

Henry blushed furiously. “God, no! That’s not what I meant at all,” he stammered. “I just thought, you’re all the way here, you’re soaked, it’ll take you, what, another hour to get back to Grand Central. What if you can’t find a place?” He cleared his throat. “I’m just saying you could stay on my couch, go with me to work tomorrow. You can get your pictures and get back at a reasonable time.”

Shelby popped the last bite of hamburger into her mouth, gazing steadily at Henry. “Okay,” she finally said.

Pen or type writer or computer?

A: I work on a laptop, but I have a composition book with all my notes. They’re scribbled in every direction, and look amazingly like a madman’s manifesto, LOL!

Anything you would like to say to your readers and fans?

A: I hope you enjoy the stories I tell. And I love to interact with you. You can follow me all over the place.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PandoraSpocksAuthor/

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Website: https://PandoraSpocksAuthor.com

Book+Main Romance Bites: https://bookandmainbites.com/users/18186

Bellesa: Porn for Women: https://bellesa.co/story?id=216/rannigans-redemption-1-resisting-risk

Amazon: http://amzn.to/2u03Gcm

Authorgraph: https://www.authorgraph.com/authors/PandoraSpocksWP

Pandora’s Box Unleashed Newsletter: (Sign up and get a free book!) https://www.instafreebie.com/free/EvsRs