Gabriella Davenport is a gorgeous, twenty-two-year-old virgin with a trust fund, vacationing in the Hamptons for the summer and running from family pressure to marry someone she doesn’t like, let alone love.

Maddox James is a sexy bar manager, older than Gabby by a decade. Though he made his fortune on Wall Street, he has returned to his working-class roots with a healthy distrust of wealthy women.

✔️ Grumpy Sunshine
✔️ Age Gap
✔️ Virgin
✔️ Good Girl/Bad Boy
✔️ Opposites Attract
✔️ Close Proximity

The last of the Dirty Dare series is here. Don’t miss this sexy standalone novella!

Every 1001 Dark Nights novella is a standalone story. For new readers, it’s an introduction to an author’s world. And for fans, it’s a bonus book in the author’s series. We hope you’ll enjoy each one as much as we do.

Book Type:

Romance

Excerpt: Just One Summer

“Hi yourself, princess.”

She perked up at the nickname. “Why can’t my parents want me to marry someone who looks like you?” Glassy emerald-green eyes fringed by long, black lashes, stared up at him longingly.

He shook his head and ignored her comment.

“Can I get another one please?” She pointed to her margarita glass, pursed her lips around the straw and sipped, making a loud slurping sound. “See? It’s empty!” The noise was unattractive but her subsequent giggle wasn’t.

He groaned. “I think you’ve had enough.”

She lifted one delicate shoulder. “I’ll ask Cal. He liked me.” She looked beyond him. “Oh Cal! Woo-hoo!” She waved a hand in the air to get the other man’s attention.

Maddox turned and shook his head at the bartender.

“Sorry,” Cal said loudly.

She sighed. “You’re mean.”

“And you’re drunk.” He picked up her glass, turned and put it in the rack before facing her again.

She sat with both elbows on the bar, a forlorn look on her face.

He sighed. “Okay, what’s the problem?” he asked, knowing if he was behind the bar, he had no choice but to play psychiatrist without a diploma.

First, he poured her a soda from the tap, then he walked over and placed it in front of her with a new straw, prepared to listen.

“My parents are pressuring me to get together with a guy of their choosing.” She made a disgusted face, letting him know what she thought of the man.

Maddox shook his head. Typical rich parents with 18th-century expectations. Marry off their beautiful daughter to someone equally wealthy and acceptable in their eyes. He’d seen it so often during his years on Wall Street, watched it up close at dinner parties he’d been invited to. Though he’d been new to their world, he’d also come up quickly, made a name for himself and had been considered a prime catch.

He almost felt sorry for the princess but he had no doubt with the right man, she’d be all in to do what her parents asked of her. All the women in her social circle did. And though he’d wanted the money, having grown up solidly lower middle class, it hadn’t been his scene. Something he’d learned pretty quickly.

“They had a party tonight with the typical Hamptons crowd,” she said, bringing him out of his thoughts. “I escaped to the library to get away from everyone and he found me.” She wiped her lips with the back of her hand and he stiffened.

“Did he touch you?”

She nodded. “He planted a big slobbery kiss on me. But I kicked him in the balls and ran out.”

Maddox was unable to stifle a laugh at her actions but the thought of any man putting a hand on her soft skin had his temper rising. Though she was definitely too young for him, he couldn’t deny the initial attraction. One he’d ignore.

She let out a loud sigh. “Now can I have another drink?”

He shook his head. “Sorry. You’re officially cut off for the night.”

“Boss, you’re needed in the kitchen,” one of the barbacks called out.

Maddox glanced at the young woman who was checking her phone. “I’ll be right back.”

He walked to the kitchen and through the swinging door where he found himself in the middle of an argument between a busboy and waitress who’d been dating. Doing his best not to lose his temper, Maddox reminded them that if they couldn’t get along, one of them would have to go. The duo, he wasn’t certain if they were still a couple, rushed back to work.

Another fifteen to twenty minutes passed, during which Maddox put out a few more fires, reminding him of why he preferred to have things run without him in the kitchen. Problems were typically solved by the staff if they didn’t have the manager to run interference.

By the time Maddox made his way back to the bar, the crowd had grown, the crowd was hopping and Cal had been joined by Eddie, the newest summer hire. While Cal was professionally moving between the patrons, removing full drinks and serving fresh ones, Eddie lingered at the far end of the bar.

It was obvious why. The pretty princess had an empty glass in front of her and Maddox watched as the bartender swapped it for a fresh margarita. Then, instead of moving to the next person waiting, he leaned closer and began to chat, while she fluttered her lashes and stirred the second drink she shouldn’t have been served.

Maddox strode over and swooped up the glass before she could put those slick, freshly glossed lips around the straw.

“Eddie, get back to work!” Maddox barked, tilting his head toward a point away from the customers. “We’ll talk soon.”

“Yeah, boss.” The man slunk away and Maddox turned to join him for a reprimand.

“Oh, come on, party pooper. Eddie had no issue serving me,” his princess complained.

Maddox ignored his automatic use of the pronoun. She was already on a first name basis with both his bartenders, and was now slurring her words, something that wouldn’t have happened if Eddie had been doing his job and not flirting with her instead.