Q.T. Ruby makes her debut with the contemporary romance A Matter of Trust! Check out the cover, synopsis, and an excerpt from the new novel, then grab your copy today.
Synopsis:
She’s stuck in a rut, stuck in life and stuck in an elevator with Hollywood’s hottest actor. And of course she’s just come from the gym.
Claire Parelli just can’t seem to catch a break, well, except for heartbreak, that is. After a lifetime of following the rules, she winds up heartbroken, unfulfilled, and hiding from life. But she can’t hide for long.
After getting stuck aboard a broken elevator with Hollywood It-Boy, Daniel Chase, they begin a secret romance that pries Claire out of her element, out of her shell, and out of her sweatpants. But when their romance accidentally goes public, Claire’s life implodes, leaving her to choose to hunker down in the safety of her sweatpants, or risk her fragile heart on a chance at life, love, and the pursuit of better clothing.
Excerpt #1:
The doors unlock as I approach the car, and I scramble into the passenger seat and lock my door. Moments later, Dan slips into the car as the paparazzi swarm, flashing their cameras through the windows. I duck my head to my knees and cover my face. Finally, we pull away from the curb—and away from the paparazzi.
“Are you all right?” Dan asks, his focus shifting from me to the road.
“Yeah, I’m okay.” My voice is shaky, and I breathe deeply. “Does that really happen on a regular basis?”
He shakes his head. “It’s ridiculous sometimes. Believe it or not, that wasn’t all that bad.”
I blink, trying to erase the spots. “Are those going to be bad for business?”
“What?” He glances at me.
“You know—Daniel Chase is out with a female!” I wave my hands a little.
He snickers and shrugs playfully. “I’ll just say I was out with my granny.”
I swat his shoulder with my purse. “Very nice. I’ll report that the babysitting went well.”
Dan laughs. He glances in the rearview mirror then the side mirrors. “Looks like we’re clear. Where do you want to go?”
I shake my head. “Well, I’m not up for that again.”
He nods. We drive aimlessly without speaking for a few minutes.
Then . . .
“Hear me out, all right?” He glances at me nervously.
“All right.”
“There aren’t many private places to go. The same thing might happen at any other pub we go to, so that leaves us with two places—my hotel or your flat.”
Excerpt #2:
He nods. “Fair enough. So . . . when might I see you again?”
See me again? With a cautiously optimistic smile, I say, “You’re the one flying across the country. You tell me.”
“Well, I leave for L.A. after some meetings tomorrow, and my schedule is insane this week, but I believe I have a couple of days off at some point coming up in the next couple of weeks. I forget the exact dates. Anyway, maybe we’ll see each other then?”
“But you’ll be in L.A.”
“It’s not that far by plane.”
I shake my head. “I can’t call out of work.” I won’t blow off work to take a trip. Not for a guy. I’m smarter than that.
He nods. “Maybe I’ll fly back, then.”
My heart launches into my throat. “You’d fly back to see me? You must have a million girls at your disposal on the West Coast.” I’m teasing—sort of.
“True . . . but I’m running out.”
I laugh, enjoying how quickly he can make me laugh. “Oh, so I guess it’s time to move on to the East Coast women?”
He peers down at me through his long lashes, his full lips tugged up on one side. “Or woman.”
My heart flips and flops in my throat, but I won’t let myself buy it. “ ‘Woman,’ huh?”
He rolls his eyes. “Claire, really, how many women’s bedrooms do you think I just hang around in?”
I raise a “do you really want an answer?” eyebrow.
He shakes his head and chuckles. “For your information, if I was merely here for one thing, I’d have had you undressed long ago.”
I raise my eyebrows, smiling. “You think so, huh?”
“Yes, I do. I’m just . . . too polite.”
“Too polite?” I nearly bust out laughing.
“Or maybe I’m just an idiot.”
We both burst into laughter, releasing the tension in the room, and that’s when our eyes lock, speaking the same language, craving the same thing. The atmosphere shifts once again, this time instantly growing tight and thick with heat.
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About the Author:
Daydream believer and homecoming queen, Q.T. Ruby, can now add writer to her resume, which includes thinking in song lyrics. She began her writing career as a child, channeling her ideas into songs she wrote and performed for a bedroom full of Barbies and stuffed animals. She now serenades her children with her songs, like “Just Eat What’s On Your Plate” and “You Are the Cutest, but Pick Up Your Stuff.” Q.T. Ruby loves her mom’s homemade rice pudding, pizza and movie night at home with her family, and is lucky enough to teach middle school in Connecticut where she was born and raised.
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