Today S.C.
Wynne stops by and gives us the skinny on her terrific new release, Painful
Lessons.
What’s
your name and your major? Brett Bridgeworth. I’m majoring
in business because that’s what my dad wants.
Is
college everything you’d hoped it would be? I have to say
it’s more than I hoped and scarier than I imagined.
What
is your biggest problem? Jeremy. No question it’s Jeremy.
If
you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be? I’d
be more confident. Like Sam. I never would have gotten involved with Jeremy if
I wasn’t such a needy mess.
Do
you prefer playing sports or video games? Video games.
Duh. I’m not the most athletic guy.
Who
is the person you dislike the most? Jeremy.
Is
there anyone special in your life? Sam. I’ve never had
anyone care about me like Sam seems to. It’s almost too good to be true. But
I’m trying not to think like that. I’m trying to be more open to good things
these days. Sam is a good thing.
What’s
your favorite meal, and do you fix it yourself or have someone fix it for you? Every
meal is my favorite meal. I like everything. I eat anything. Just ask Sam. He
can’t keep up so he picks on me instead.
~*~*~
BLURB:
As a freshman both in love and in college,
sometimes there are painful lessons to be learned.
Excited to begin his first year of college, Brett
Bridgeworth has just one problem: he sucks at math. Luckily there’s the sensual
and mysterious math tutor, Jeremy Price, to help him out. It isn't long before
Jeremy is tutoring Brett in more than just pie charts, but it isn’t until they
split up that Brett discovers Jeremy’s twisted, obsessive side.
Sam Hawthorne is two years ahead of Brett, and
they share a strong mutual attraction. When Brett breaks it off with Jeremy and
gets involved with Sam, disturbing things start happening. It soon becomes
obvious Jeremy isn't willing to let Brett go without a fight.
EXCERPT:
That was the night I met Jeremy. He
was barely visible in the dark, leaning against a birch to the side of the
path.
“Don’t look so sad, pretty boy.
There are plenty of other fish in the sea.”
His voice was sultry, deep, and it
startled the hell out of me because I had no idea anyone was there.
I pretended I hadn’t almost peed
myself and started to walk away without answering, but his voice stopped me.
“Wait up. Are you Brett?”
He approached now, and I was
surprised he knew my name. In the dingy yellow light of the streetlamp, I could
see he was slender, with wide shoulders and black hair that brushed his
collarbone. He had a sexy, dangerous vibe about him, and I took a step back as
he reached me.
“Let me guess. Ted didn’t mention I
was coming?”
I squinted at him, mystified by why
this beautiful vision thought I should know him. “Ted?” Yeah, remember your roommate, dummy?
He smiled and flashed perfect white
teeth. “I’m Jeremy,” he said confidently. “You look exactly how Ted described
you.”
I put a hand to my blond hair,
wondering what Ted had said about me.
“Ted said you’re looking for a math
tutor.” He didn’t seem to mind at all that I was tongue-tied.
I think I’d mentioned once to Ted
that I should get a tutor, but I’d
never really pursued it. And yet here before me was the most delicious tutor
anyone could ask for. My pulse sped up as I took his smooth hand in mine and something
came alive inside of me.
“Oh, yeah. I do need help. I’m
horrible at math.” He still held my hand, and I had the sensation of energy
passing between us. I remember being hugely relieved I didn’t gasp like a
little girl at the electric shock.
“But I needed to meet you first.”
Jeremy pulled me closer, and his
gaze never left my mouth. I should have known then that he was acting odd for a
math tutor, but hindsight is twenty-twenty, and I was blinded by a cloud of
youthful lust.
“I don’t take on just anybody. I
want you to know that.”
I remember I instantly felt special
and impressed he was even considering me. I look back on it now, and it
immediately strikes me that most math tutors weren’t in such high demand that
they would pick and choose their tutees so stringently. But for whatever
reason, I didn’t think twice about how strange he was. I was simply flattered I
had been deemed worthy.
Later I was able to see I’d been
chosen for reasons that had nothing to do with my being valuable. No, no. Far
more attractive to Jeremy was that I reeked of need and a desire to matter to
someone. I’m sure that’s why he wanted to meet me first before he agreed to
help me. His type can smell self-doubt a mile away. My palpable insecurities
were like blood in the water to a great white.
~*~*~
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