Check out this late showing of Ash Monday by Nina Levine

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Hello! It's #AshtonMonday or as we like to call it around here, #AssholeMonday ;)  Unfortunately, I've been working flat out on my next release, Steal My Breath, and I haven't had time to put together a full episode of Ashton Scott for you. However, I do have a new chapter! And I'm pretty sure you're going to like it :) The more I write Ashton and the more I get to know him, the more I swoon. I love his contradictions and his vulnerabilities. And I LOVE that Lorelei brings them all out in him. Let me know what you think! In other news, you'll get to meet Luke Hardy and Callie St James soon. I'll be releasing their book, Steal My Breath, on the 31st May. All the info on this book is in this email. If you want to chat all things Ashton, join my reader group on Facebook here. Please feel free to share this email with your alpha-loving book friends so they can meet Ashton Scott too!!   Until next Monday!! xx He thought he knew it all. He knew nothing. Ashton Scott thinks everything is available for a price. That is, until he meets Lorelei Winters. She's going to teach him that not everything he craves can be bought. A new web serial from USA Today Bestselling author, Nina Levine. Warning: Contains a panty-melting, suit-wearing alpha & a sassy woman who argues way too much with her man for his liking.   Read the previous episodes on my website Download Episode One to your device Chapter Ten Ashton I settle into the driver’s seat of my Aston Martin and glance at Lorelei sitting next to me. She consumed a lot of wine at lunch and is pretty messy now. Unfortunately, it means we’re going to have to cut this date short so I can take her home. A shame, because we were finally getting somewhere. I’m hoping it wasn’t just the alcohol that loosened her up. She meets my gaze and smiles. “Thank you for driving me home.” Her words are a little slurred. “I would hardly leave you to catch public transport alone.” She informed me that while she can drive, she prefers public transport or cabs. I wouldn’t have left her here sober, let alone drunk. Her head lolls back against the headrest and she continues to smile. I’m fairly sure I could say anything at the moment and she’d give me that drunken smile. Lorelei is a happy drunk. I turn the key, but before we exit the carpark, my phone rings. Jack. “What’s up?” I ask as I answer it. “Assshhhton.” He’s drunk, too. I hear the sounds of a noisy pub in the background. “I need a lift. You far?” I lean my head back. “That depends on which pub you’re at, Jack.” “Oh, is it that one… No, it is that one near your office,” he says, laughing at his own mix up with his words. I check my watch. “I’ll be there in about fifteen minutes, depending on traffic. Try to stay away from the alcohol.” “Yes, boss.” He’s still laughing, clearly amused at himself. “We have to make a slight detour,” I say to Lorelei after I end the call. She shrugs. “I don’t have anywhere to be.” We drive in silence for most of the way to the pub. Lorelei seems content to stare out the window, taking in the busy Sydney streets. My mind has wandered to Jack, concerned at his mental state. “Who are you picking up?” Lorelei asks. I glance at her. She’s still watching me with that beautiful smile. “My best friend, Jack. He’s in town for a visit and by the sound of it he’s spent a fair bit of time today at the pub.” Her eyes narrow at me. “You sound disappointed by that.” I grip the steering wheel tighter. “I am.” “Because?” I come to a stop at a red light. Turning to give her my full attention while I have the chance, I say, “Because the last thing Jack needs right now is alcohol.” She’s quiet, thinking. “I like that,” she murmurs. I frown. “What?” “I like what I can hear when you talk about your friend. You obviously care deeply for him, because it’s right there in your voice.” A horn blares, diverting my attention from the conversation momentarily. When I turn back to Lorelei, she’s smiling at me. Jesus, this woman could get herself into trouble while out drinking. Her beauty is intoxicating and the way she loosens right up with some alcohol in her could lead men to try and take advantage of her. I make a mental note to keep track of her at all times going forward. We sit in silence, each simply watching the other. When the light turns red I miss it but she doesn’t. “Light’s green,” she murmurs. My gaze lingers on her for a second too long. The car behind honks to express their frustration. I finally drag my gaze away and concentrate on the traffic, which isn’t as bad today as I thought it might be. We arrive at the pub where Jack is within ten minutes. He’s waiting outside for us, leaning against the brick wall of the building. He eyes us instantly and stumbles across. “Ashton never told me he had a hot date today,” he says to Lorelei as he spreads out across the back seat. Facing him, she says. “And he never told me he had a hot-as-hell best friend either.” I glance in the rear-view mirror. He’s watching her like he wants to fuck her, but I know he never will. Jack and I have the same taste in women, and we’ve shared one before, but it’s not something we’ll ever do again. Lessons from the past guarantee that. “Do tell… how long have you two been seeing each other?” Jack asks. “We’re not seeing each other. It’s more of a situation where Ashton thinks he’s going to get some, but he’s living in fantasyland.” I raise a brow at Lorelei. “Me and fantasyland have never been friends.” “Well, I think you’ve recently taken a detour.” “It’s a dead-end there and I’m not looking at a dead-end right now.” Her hand absently moves to her collarbone and she fiddles with the necklace she’s wearing. Jack chuckles. “Hate to break it to you, sweetheart, but from where I’m sitting you two are one step away from fucking.” He leans forward and shoves his hand at her. “I’m Jack.” She shakes his hand. “Lorelei. And I hate to break it to you, Jack, but I don’t enjoy casual sex, so it’s not going to happen.” “Ah, you’re more the commitment type?” “I’m more the find-a-man-who-is-satisfied-with-one-woman kind of woman.” “And you don’t think my friend here could be satisfied with one woman?” “I’ve only just met your friend, Jack. I don’t know him well enough to make that call, but he’s smooth as hell and that makes me think he’s a pro at wining and dining women.” “You might be pleasantly surprised, Lorelei,” Jack says. His eyes meet mine in the mirror. He always has my back. “So I can hear a slight accent there, Jack. Where are you from?” “I’m Aussie but I live in LA at the moment.” She’s silent for a moment and I glance at her to find her squinting at Jack. “Are you that actor?” I can hear the grin in his voice when he answers her. Jack’s ego loves recognition. “That would depend which one you’re thinking of.” She clicks her fingers as if the name is on the tip of her tongue. “Shit, I have it… help me out, Ashton.” Before I can reply, she exclaims, “No, wait! I have it. Jack Kingsley.” She swivels her body to look at him. “Am I right?” “I think I should perhaps be a little offended that you’re still not absolutely sure.” “Oh, God I’m sorry. It’s the damn alcohol. I never drink… well, clearly that’s not entirely true, because this is the second time in a week I’ve been drunk. And let’s just say the last time ended up far messier than today.” It seems alcohol really loosens Lorelei. I have a feeling we’re about to learn more about her than she’d perhaps prefer if Jack has anything to do with it. He has a way of getting women to reveal their innermost thoughts. “What does messy look like on you, sweetheart?” he asks, proving me correct. “You do not want to know.” “Try me.” I glance at her again. Her hand covers her face as she remembers. Jesus, I now need to know what it was if it’s causing this reaction in her. “Let’s just say I embarrassed myself by agreeing to something that, in the end, I didn’t go through with. The next morning was one of the most mortifying mornings of my life.” “And here I was thinking you don’t do casual sex,” Jack says, echoing my thoughts. “I didn’t end up sleeping with him.” “Ah, but you had the intent if you woke up with him the next morning.” “I was so damn drunk I didn’t know what I was doing.” And that right there proves my earlier thoughts correct—Lorelei drunk is a recipe for disaster. I’ve reached her apartment and I pull the car into a space that is conveniently empty right outside the complex. As I switch off the car, she says, “How did you know where I live? I didn’t tell you.” Jack chuckles. “Lorelei, sweetheart, you and I need to sit down and swap notes on Ashton. If you don’t think he knows everything there is to know about you, you’re the one living in fantasyland.” I exit the car and walk around to her side. She opens the door before I reach it, and I place my hand on her back to steady her after she stands. Her eyes find mine. “I can manage on my own.” “I’d rather make sure you don’t fall.” “I might be drunk, Ashton, but I’m still capable of looking out for myself.” “I have no doubt,” I murmur. My hand stays where it is as I walk her in. Jack comes with us, clearly attached to Lorelei already. When we reach her front door she fumbles in her bag for her keys. I take the bag out of her hands and locate the key for her, ignoring the irritation she levels on me. She puts her hand out and says, “Can I at least open my own door?” My lips twitch. Her fight turns me on more than I’ve been turned on in a long fucking time. I hold up the key and she swipes it from my hand. A moment later, she opens the door and I step into an apartment that is as different to my home as you could get. Lorelei’s home is colourful and cluttered. But not cluttered in a messy way; rather it’s immaculately tidy, just packed full with books, art, photos, plants, pillows on couches, candles, and more colour. So much colour. She leads us into her kitchen where I discover more plants, along with recipe books. Large windows line one wall in here and a window seat scattered with cushions sits under the windows. Lights hang low over a long wooden island bench and I can picture her cooking here. I imagine Lorelei to be an amazing cook from what I’m seeing so far. Jack whistles as he takes it in. “When are you having us over for dinner?” At her frown, he adds, “Tell me this isn’t all for show. You do cook, right?” “Oh, that… Yes, I love to cook. Nothing for show here.” She looks genuinely confused as to why anyone would bother to put on a show in their home. She hasn’t met the people Jack and I usually associate with. I track Lorelei’s movements while Jack wanders off and leaves us alone. She fusses for a few minutes, tidying the books and papers on the island bench. When she looks up at me, I’m surprised to see uncertainty in her eyes. I’ve never seen this emotion in her—Lorelei always appears confident and sure of herself. “Thank you for lunch,” she says softly. I close the distance between us. “It won’t be our last.” She stills and her breathing slows. “I am beginning to think you aren’t the man I assumed you were.” “What did you assume?” The uncertainty disappears from her gaze. “I thought you were an asshole. An arrogant asshole who pushed people around until you got what you wanted.” My lips quirk. Her honesty is refreshing. Most women just talk dirty to me. I’m all for dirty but this is far more interesting. “And now?” She cocks her head as she considers that. “Now I think you’re just a man who knows what he wants and your laser focus on it means you don’t always realise the things you are saying or doing brand you as an asshole.” She steps closer, which means our bodies are almost touching because we were already damn close. Her hand lands on my chest a second later and I take a deep breath to steady myself. “I think that although the world thinks you’re this put-together man with more money than he’ll ever need, you’re actually a man with issues just like the rest of us who can’t actually use that money to buy the things he needs in his life.” Our eyes lock. Those beautiful green eyes of hers see so much. I feel more exposed in this moment than I usually allow myself to be. “Do you want to know what I thought of you the first time I met you?” That damn uncertainty flares in her eyes again. “Sure, knock yourself out.” I shake my head. “Don’t do that, Lorelei.” She frowns. “Do what?” “Don’t doubt yourself.” Her chest rises as she takes a breath. “I don’t doubt myself.” “Yes, you do. But you have no reason to.” “Ashton, the day we met was not a good morning for me, so I can only imagine what you first thought.” “I’d love to see what you consider a good morning, because what I saw that day was a sexy woman who stands up for what she believes in and who doesn’t waver from her convictions.” She grips my shirt. I doubt she realises she’s doing it. “And now? What do you think now?” I lean my face a little closer. “Now I want to get to know you a hell of a lot better.” I dip my face so I can experience those lips of hers that have been driving me crazy in one way or another since I first saw them. I expect her to resist, but she doesn’t. Instead, she opens herself up to me. Fuck, she tastes so damn good. I sweep my tongue across hers and she moans as her body angles towards mine. I slide my hand around her waist and pull her hard against me while deepening the kiss. When her hands move to my neck and then up into my hair, I groan into her mouth. Lorelei’s lips are demanding. She can protest as much as she wants, but she’s in this as much as I am. When she ends the kiss she's breathless. I know she’s full of shit when she says, “I think it would be best if we didn’t get to know each other better.” I hold her close when she attempts to step out of my embrace. “Bullshit. You want this just as much as I do.” Her hands push against my chest. “I won’t deny I’m attracted to you, Ashton, and that that kiss was something else, but I told you where I stand on casual sex.” “You think that’s all I want from you?” She pauses, confused. “Isn’t it?” I tighten my grip on her waist and slide a hand down over her ass. “Lorelei, the last thing I want from you is casual sex. I can get that anywhere. I can’t get you anywhere. I want you in my bed just as much as I want you in my life.” I claim her lips again before adding, “I’m not taking no for an answer. You will learn that while I’ll allow you to fight me, I’ll never allow you to deny me when I truly want something.” I hope you loved this chapter of Ashton Scott! Thank you for being patient with me while I get my next book ready for publication.  N xx COMING SOON STEAL MY BREATH 31st May   A new sexy standalone from Nina Levine Are you ready for Luke to steal your breath? I let him steal my breath and I want to give him my heart too. But it’s complicated. Internet dating and Callie St James do not go together. 25. Desperate for sex. Earns shit money waitressing while desperately trying to get a publishing deal. Only does yoga to keep core muscles strong—trust me, guys thank me. Reads too much because gets no sex. Did I mention desperate for sex? She’s about to give up on love when the guy she’s been lusting after for a year breaks her three month sex drought. Luke Hardy. Mysterious, moody and all alpha, Luke is hiding a secret—one that Callie never saw coming. The secret, however, is nothing compared to the discovery she makes about Luke’s family when she starts a new job at the local paper. Callie finds herself caught between her morals and her desires. Whichever path she chooses, someone will lose. Is she ready to give up the man she’s just found or will she go against everything she believes in so she can finally have the love she’s always dreamt of?   PREORDER NOW iBOOKS AMAZON (Sign up to be notified when it releases) NOOK GOOGLE (Sign up to be notified when it releases) KOBO link coming soon   (If you’re already receiving my emails you don’t need to sign up again for the Amazon & Google alerts)