Mary Lou Needs a Drink: The Start of a Love Story

“I’ll take my chances,” Phoebe declared, strutting her ass through ninety-plus degree heat toward an old, not-so-trusty clunker of a car.

The pink metal glistened in the searing noon sun, taunting her with the false allure of a cool, reliable vehicle. But the stuff beneath the hood told a different tale. The stupid car royally sucked. It couldn’t go farther than ten miles without a pit stop for a drink of water.

She should have known better than to trust it. Hell, even the old man who sold it to her had warned her not to take Mary Lou too far or push her too fast. He’d said his late wife’s Caddy, which he claimed still smelled like her perfume, might be pretty to look at, but was more decrepit than he. And that was saying something. The old geezer had one foot in the grave.

Honest Auto Mechanics, Next Exit...
“I think you should reconsider,” the hottie mechanic offered, trailing behind her. “It’s not safe. As I told you before—”

“Enough.” Phoebe stopped dead in her tracks and spun around. She stared him down—or up, if she wanted to get technical about it. “Look, I get it. But the truth is I don’t trust you. I think you’re trying to rip me off, and quite frankly, I’m sick of men trying to take advantage of little old me.”

Whistling to hide his laughter, the sex-on-legs mechanic clearly weighed her words, shaking his head and sucking in a loud breath. Strangely, he didn’t look offended; he just looked…disappointed, she guessed.

He wiped the back of his hand over his brow. “I like your bluntness, but I promise you, I’m being honest in my evaluation and fair in my pricing.”

With a roll of her eyes, she turned on her heels and continued toward the driver’s side.

“Miss Morris—”

“Dude, really. Even if I believed you, I couldn’t afford you.”

She opened the car door, squeaky hinges and all, and slid behind the steering wheel. She didn’t bother to put on the seatbelt. It was broken. She turned the key in the ignition, and with some persistent pedal pumping, the noisy engine finally flipped over.

Hottie sauntered to the open door and squatted, resting his elbows on his gorgeously thick thighs, showcasing the talent of ink on his arm. At six-foot something, in a sullied uniform that fit snug around greased-up muscles, her mind drifted to something other than her car trouble. In Phoebe’s fantasy, Hottie was offering her another way to pay him for his services.

And then he spoke and ruined it all.

“This vehicle is nothing short of a deathtrap. I’d prefer you didn’t get behind the wheel. Let me fix it. I think we can work something out—”

“Geez.” She held up her hand. “You’re hot and all, but seriously, let it go. While I was just imagining sleeping with you as well, I don’t think you could live up to my fantasy. Lord knows I don’t want you to spoil it any more than you already have, so I’m going to pass on your offer and get the hell out of here.”

Cocky amusement flickered over his face. His blue, almost-gray, eyes sparked. “Wow. I love your candor.”

New Release!
“Yeah, thanks,” she muttered, adjusting the mirrors. Now, if Hottie would just move out of her way so she could close the damn door.

“But,” he continued, “I was thinking more along the lines of a monthly payment plan on parts, and I would forgo the labor.”

Tapping her fingers on the steering wheel, she huffed out a frustrated breath. Hot and exhausted, Phoebe was in no mood to consider stacking more bills on her already considerable debt. No matter how good he looked, smelled and sounded, she had to move on.

She shook her head. “Look, I promise I’ll stop at the next town. The clunkette here will make it that far before she needs more water or something, right?”

“It’s not gonna happen, sweetheart. The next place worth stopping at is Sayville, sixty miles out.”

As if agreeing with his assessment, the car sputtered, coughed a few more times, and shuddered in the throes of a slow death.

Couldn’t anything go her way? Why wouldn’t the damn engine give her a tiny break?
Hottie cocked his head toward the shop. “Come inside and we’ll figure some numbers. I promise, no rip offs.”

“I appreciate the payment plan, but I’m not sure when I’d be able to pay you.” Scanning the desolate horizon, Phoebe swiped a drop of sweat trailing into her cleavage and fanned herself. “Hell, if I’m honest, I’ll probably never be able to pay you, and I don’t feel right about that. I think it’s best if I just leave, take my chances and pray that I make it to the next city where I can trade this beautiful POS for something uglier, but more reliable.”

“POS?”

“Piece of Shit.”

Click here to get your copy of "HOTTIE" by Demi Alex & Tia Fanning at Amazon.com.

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#love #romance #hottiemechanic #deercreek #demialex #tiafanning #wanttoreadmore


♥ Be My Hottie ♥


Now Available from Resplendence Publishing!

Homeless and heartbroken, Phoebe Morris is having a rough day. The old Cadillac she purchased with the last of her money, a vehicle meant to get her two states over to start her new life, is on the fritz and stalling in the sweltering heat. With no cash to pay for the costly repairs, Phoebe would sooner take her chances and keep on driving than become a charity case for the hottie mechanic trying to keep her safe.

A retired Navy SEAL, Dane West refuses to let the weary submissive that’s putt-putted her way into his life leave his garage in that deathtrap she calls a car. It’s too hot and too dangerous for the stubborn beauty to be stranded on the side of a desolate highway, and he’ll be damned if another woman in his care gets hurt by his failure to act. When a small tug on an engine cable ensures her stay — at least temporarily, Dane shows the lovely Miss Morris just how good a little TLC (and BDSM) can feel.

A New Release

Dear Readers, I know it's been a long time since I have posted to this blog. Please forgive me for that. Life is crazy sometimes. So why now? Well, after three long years, surprisingly, I have published a new story. It's really short, but it's a start. (Or in my case, a restart.) If you have a free moment, please check it out.

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AllSPANC by Tia Fanning The perfect assistant, Jessalyn Palmer is proud to work for Dr. Wilbur Stieran, a brilliant mechatronic scientist and world-renowned inventor. However, when her two years of flawless service is ruined by an unfortunate spelling error, Jessa finds herself over the boss’ knee.

A week later, Jessa is still trying to come to terms with the spanking and the conflicting feelings the punishment invoked. Embarrassed by her response to his loving discipline, she has avoided her boss as much as possible. Then the apprentices beg her to test drive Stern Stieran’s latest invention—his precious prototype, AllSPANC.

By the end of the journey, Jessa (the no-longer-perfect assistant) discovers that some mistakes are worth making, and that some lessons are worth learning the hard way.

Available Now from Stiff Rain Press

Looking Back On My First Book and Who I Have to Thank...

Dear Readers, My first book, Rules of Darkness, has been for over a year, and the second book in the series, Rules of Fire, just released earlier this week. Wow. I almost can’t believe it. I want to thank the readers out there, the reviewers who took the time to read my story, and Resplendence Publishing for believing in my work. ~Tia Fanning "Fanning the Flames of Romance" http://www.tiafanning.blogspot.com/

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In a remote forest settlement, a place almost untouched by the modern world, a baby girl is born with a powerful healing gift. But like all wondrous gifts, this one too comes at a high price.

Because of her special ability, Katia has to follow the twelve Rules of Darkness, rules she must abide by at all times, or else risk losing her soul forever. But when Katia accidentally breaks a rule, horrific repercussions ensue and an old love mysteriously appears at her door.

Katia will soon discover that things buried in the past can come back to haunt the present, that a promise made is a promise kept, and that no matter the circumstances, there are some rules that should never be broken.

REVIEWS

“Rules of Darkness is a marvelous novel bursting with supernatural thrills that had me turning the pages... It's a story I would enjoy revisiting. I'm hoping that the author will write a sequel, and there are no rules to say I can't keep my fingers crossed.”

--Patrice F, a Reviewer Recommended Read, Joyfully Reviewed

“Tia Fanning has written an exceptional novella. The relationship between Katia and Stoyan is realistically developed, and the rest of the characters bring much to the table. Fanning has fully developed Rules of Darkness, and the storyline is absolutely perfect. You’ll be laughing, and crying, but in the end, you’ll find yourself loving the story, and extremely happy with how things turned out. Rules of Darkness is a fantastic story, and Tia Fanning is an amazing author.”

--Denise Kivett, a Reviewer *Must-Read* Award, Rogues and Romance

I just absolutely adored this story from the very first page. It had me sitting on the edge of my seat the entire time I was reading it. Ms. Fanning wrote with such detail and emotion that I was feeling everything that Katia was going through. Ms. Fanning did a superb job with the development of her characters and how she told the story... I highly recommend this story to everyone. You will not be disappointed!

--Diana Coyle, 5/5 and a Reviewer Top Pick, Night Owl Romance

The tug of self-preservation insisting I eat the damn soup...

Taken With the Enemy is the book of my heart. What does that mean, the book of my heart?

For me, that means it's the book an author has to write even if no one wants to publish it. It's the book that an author drops everything for, including their current projects, to complete because they are feeling the story that strongly. It's the story with characters and a plot that is so much a part of the author that if they didn't put it on paper, the story would haunt them and they would never be able to move on to write something else.

In the end, it's the book that an author loves best of all their work.

Taken With the Enemy is the book of my heart.

Inspired by a dream I had, Taken With the Enemy is a contemporary spin of those old historical novels where the heroine ends up falling in love with her captor. I had locked myself in my basement to write this book, completing it in about one month, during the holidays, knowing full well that the story might never see a printing press due to its "politically incorrect" nature.

I mean, this is the 21st century; you do not fall for your kidnapper.

But is it possible that true love could form under such circumstances? Could a solid, secure, healthy relationship develop around abduction? Especially in a modern world where psychological conditions like Stockholm syndrome exist—a term often used to describe any attachment a person might feel for their abductor?

I like to believe it’s possible, at least for the characters in my story. (LOL!)

I’m a hopeless romantic. I’m an avid believer in the concepts of love at first sight, of love conquering all, and that if two people are meant to be together, true love will bloom regardless of the circumstances.

I am a romance author.

Cheers!
~Tia

* * * * *

Yanking the covers away, he grasped my arm and pulled me off the mattress. I was so shocked, I didn’t object when he dragged my ass into the dining room. He shoved me down into the chair at the head of the table.

“You will eat. Now,” he growled.

Staring at the steaming bowl of chicken noodle soup and the glass of fruit juice before me, I instinctively touched the spoon resting on the napkin, but drew my hand back. The thought of putting something in my mouth made me feel queasy. I really just wanted to go back to sleep. I was exhausted.

At the other end of the table, he angrily slid the heavy wooden chair out, marring the air with the shriek of scratching marble. I flinched, hating the sound that echoed through the room.

He sat and stared me down. “I said eat.”

“I’m not hungry,” I mumbled.

“I don’t care.”

The edge in his voice, the hard set of his jaw, and the dark gleam in his eyes cautioned me not to press the issue. But amongst the inner chaos that consumed me—including the tug of self-preservation insisting I eat the damn soup—was the overwhelming urge to rebel against his demand.

“Don’t make me tell you again,” he warned, raising a dark brow.

What was I? A wayward child? If I wasn’t hungry, I wasn’t friggin hungry.

I shook my head.

“Eat.”

It was all too much.

Frustrated, I slammed my hands down on the table’s surface. “I’m not eating this.”

“Yes, you are.”

I swept my arm across, knocking the bowl and the glass off the edge. They hit the hard floor in a shattering, splattering mess.

The gratification was short-lived.

Quick as lightening, he was out of his chair and in my face, as dangerous as the first time we met.

“I’m going to let that slide,” he growled, “because apparently, not having food for five days has made you irrational and far braver than you should be, given the circumstances.”

I glanced away.

He pounded the tabletop. “Look at me!”

Flitching, my gaze immediately jumped back to his, my heart thumping in fear.

“I am going to get you another bowl and you are going to eat,” he continued, enunciating each syllable with careful restraint. “And if you don’t, I will tie you to that chair and force feed you. Am I making myself clear?”

~Excerpt from Taken With the Enemy by Tia Fanning

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Night Owl Romance


“I am a fan of Tia Fanning and her work. She pens wonderfully entertaining stories that don’t disappoint her readers. This story was extremely engrossing and had me wondering the entire time what was going to happen to Brenna. I will definitely add this one to my library...”

--Diana Coyle, 5/5 and a Reviewer Top Pick, Night Owl Romance