A spy, a thief and a CEO…Be Accidentally Seduced Carmen Falcone!
Coming August 25th is the third novel in the Naked Truth series, Accidentally Seduced from Carmen Falcone! Read about a man trying to become the CEO, a assistant who is really spying on her boss and both are trying to stay ahead of a thief determined to rob the company blind.
Self-Published | August 25, 2015 | Contemporary Romance
The Naked Truth, book 3
★★★★1/2
SOURCE: BARCLAY
Devon Wilder wants to leave the scandal involving his name behind and focus on the race for the CEO title. Yet, his sexy assistant is an unexpected and dangerous liability—especially after he suspects she could be the one stealing money from the company.
Elena Moretti’s libido was comatose until Devon strode into her life. Ever since the end of a troubled marriage, she never wanted any man the way she does him. Unfortunately for her, Devon is also the man she’s been hired to spy on and find evidence to prove he’s embezzling and dragging Wilder & Co.’s name through the mud.
As the hunt for the real thief advances, they need to figure out if they’ll cling to old fears or throw themselves at the new, tempting opportunities—and each other.
{ about carmen falcone } .
Carmen Falcone learned at an early age that fantasizing about fictional characters beats doing math homework any day. Brazilian by birth and traveler by nature, she moved to Central Texas after college and met her broody Swiss husband—living proof that opposites attract. She found in writing her deepest passion and the best excuse to avoid the healthy lifestyle everyone keeps bragging about. When she’s not lost in the world of romance, she enjoys spending time with her two kids, being walked by her three crazy pugs, reading, catching up with friends, and chatting with random people in the checkout line.She loves to procrastinate, so please indulge her and drop her a line @ carmenauthor@yahoo.com. For more info, visit her website: carmenfalcone.com
{ excerpt } .
Showing up at Smolder, after work, without texting Devon, was a bad idea. Elena cemented her insecurity the minute a couple of tall women with fiery red hair strode into the club the same time as she. Everyone seemed to be way cool and too hip. She touched her fifties-style black dress—tight on top, with a flowing skirt down to her knees, and reached for her chunky pearl necklace. I look like a vintage Stepford wife.Ugh. Why had she changed her mind? Going far from her comfort zone was one thing. Visiting his second place of work carved a pitiful hole between them. She leaned across from the bartender, and waved at the bald chick with purple lipstick and dark clothes. “Red wine, please.”
The bartender nodded, and turned around to get the bottle. Some alcohol had to loosen her violin string-tight nerves. Right? She lifted her hands and fiddled with the pearls, and wondered if taking them off wouldn’t be a better choice. Ah. Might as well own it.
Her gaze zapped from the bar area to the dance floor. It was strangely intimate. The nightclub had a theater-like feel, with special VIP boxes that overlooked the dance floor like old-fashioned terraces, and several antique chandeliers dropping from the ceiling. Gorgeous GoGo girls dangling on trapezes and the ultramodern music—a tattooed DJ worked the tunes in a higher box—gave the place an edge.
A lot of the women could be models, and probably were, with their slinky bodies and sophisticated get-ups.
“Here,” the bartender said, and she turned to grab the drink.
She sipped the wine a tad too quickly. Was it too late to go home? No. Besides, her pragmatic side warned, she was checking out the club. Matthew had hinted Devon could be stealing from the company because of the other clubs he was about to open, but a glance at her surroundings was all she needed. Why would he need to embezzle money? This club was in full swing, and given the classy décor and overpriced drinks, she doubted Smolder was on its last legs.
She eyed Devon, before she was prepared. He was talking to a couple of gorgeous brunettes. Her heart raced. She lifted her shoulders, and finished the remains of her drink.
“Another.” She pointed her head in the direction of the glass to the bartender. “Please.”
The woman smiled and turned around to get the bottle.
Damn it. Of course he flirted with other women. The man had an open relationship before her, and what guarantee did she have he wasn’t planning on screwing any of them tonight? She had told him she wouldn’t come. Besides, they didn’t have anything concrete. Anything lasting.
Do you want to? No. Of course not. If she hadn’t been able to handle a man like Timothy, crazy and sick as he was, how about a man like Devon? He oozed sexiness. And trouble. Especially trouble.
She gave herself a mental slap on the forehead, and searched for him again. Her pulse spiked. Across from her, a few inches from the entrance to the VIP area, he still talked to the two women, and nodded. She zoomed on his face. No smile. A stupid part of her rejoiced. The women leaned forward, one of them laughing while the other batted her eyelashes. He shook his head and said something, then walked away from them. Well, if body language was anything to go by, he wasn’t interested in a threesome. Phew.
Stupid. Stupid, stupid. He also wasn’t interested in a long-term commitment. And neither was she—not with him. She longed to find someone for a meaningful relationship, and should be thankful Devon was giving her good sexual memories to cling to for the near future. Sex. Good. Hot. Sex.
His gaze found hers, and she shifted on her seat. While he erased the distance between them with long, graceful strides, she parted her mouth. All of a sudden, it was like she had a freaking cold. Air restricted in her lungs, she had to clear her throat. Twice.
“Look who’s here.”
“I… I was in the neighborhood.”
He threw his head back, and laughed. “That’s right. You were in the neighborhood,” he said, a silver spark in his eyes mocking her. “And no vagina dress?”
“A pity, I know.” Her lips broke into a smile, and she lifted her hand to her neckline. She was burning. “I changed my mind. Wanted to see how you can do this. Work all hours.”
“This is pleasure.”
She frowned. “How so?”
“I have a great team, they make it easy for me.”
“Yes. I noticed that besides the bouncers, they are all women,” she said, and wished she had a freaking filter. She coughed. “Which is nice. Great.”
He gave out his hand. “Wanna dance?”
“Oh, I’m not really the best dancer,” she said, and made a face she doubted came anywhere close to sexy. God. What was wrong with her? She had been out of the dating pool for too long. Now…now was the time to freaking change that. Live it up. Go girl.
“I’m not asking you to be Julliard material. You can move your hips, right?”
{ review } .
Right from the beginning, you are drawn in to the fact that this story is going to build off of deception -- first, Devon's mother has pulled him and his brother, Matthew, into the office, stating that the company has had money disappearing. Whoever finds the culprit will get the coveted CEO position. Second, though, we learn that Devon's assistant, Elena, was essentially planted in the company by Matthew in hopes of her finding Devon doing something wrong, so Matthew could get the CEO position.
Oy.
Vey.
That aside, Devon's attraction to Elena, and then his pursual and eventual falling in love, was lovely to watch. Here is a man who, due to family circumstance, was ostracized from his family more or less, and finally finding acceptance from someone. Devon has fears and phobias, and while he's never felt the need to share them, he finds himself opening up to Elena.
Elena doesn't expect to fall for her handsome boss, but when she does, she's literally stuck between a rock and hard place. I think it spoke great measures of her character, the way she proceeds throughout the book.
I have to say that Devon's need to prove himself to his family was slightly sad. However, I gave the man major props for working in such a hostile environment, as if his life, and therefore his father's choices, were his burden to bear.
Oy.
Vey.
That aside, Devon's attraction to Elena, and then his pursual and eventual falling in love, was lovely to watch. Here is a man who, due to family circumstance, was ostracized from his family more or less, and finally finding acceptance from someone. Devon has fears and phobias, and while he's never felt the need to share them, he finds himself opening up to Elena.
Elena doesn't expect to fall for her handsome boss, but when she does, she's literally stuck between a rock and hard place. I think it spoke great measures of her character, the way she proceeds throughout the book.
I have to say that Devon's need to prove himself to his family was slightly sad. However, I gave the man major props for working in such a hostile environment, as if his life, and therefore his father's choices, were his burden to bear.
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