Erin Nicholas's Blog - Posts Tagged "badges-of-the-bayou"
A hot, grumpy-sunny, opposites attract, sexy small town rom com!
Gotta Be Bayou
Spencer Landry was a lot of things. But simple wasn't one of them. He wasn't easy to define in any way. He had come into her life very unconventionally as the friend and cousin of her best friend's boyfriend. Max and Spencer had had immediate chemistry and a definite flirtation when they'd worked together.
Then they'd gone months before seeing each other again at Charlie and Griffin’s wedding. Where they’d flirted again. There’d been a kiss, and a hot make-out session that probably would've turned into more if he hadn't been too drunk.
Then he’d showed up on her doorstep the next day to apologize for being a cocky asshole. And had further cemented the fact that he was a cocky asshole.
But a cocky asshole who was really good in bed.
And now he was here. Not just here—and not here trying to win her over, or even try to get her into bed again—but he was here 𝘤𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨.
Yes, a bomb threat was kind of a big deal. But there was definitely something about him that seemed� wound up. More than she would expect a typical FBI agent to be at a potential victim's house. Especially when all was well. She'd like to think that all law enforcement cared about all victims, but she knew better. If nothing else, they were objective. Spencer Landry did not seem objective right now.
And it was making her heart beat fast.
He seemed legitimately freaked out. He'd used those words. And that was doing something to her. Something stupid.
It was softening her up.
“You're going to stay with me until we find this guy?� She took a deep breath. “This seems like a terrible idea.� An idea that she kind of liked.
Which made it a really terrible idea.
“It makes a lot of sense. You are a target, and the guy is still out there walking around. Until we find him, it makes sense for you to have someone
protecting you.�
“Is this standard operating procedure?�
“I would prefer if you didn't ask me questions like that.�
Well, that wasn’t an answer. “Because it's a secret operating procedure?�
“Because I don't want to answer the question.�
Ah. She had no idea what standard operating procedure for the FBI was in cases like this, but she was not that interested in delving into the details, maybe for the first time in her life. Maybe because she would find out that it𝘸𝘢𝘴 standard procedure. Which would take some of the stomach-flipping-this-is-kind-of-exciting-that-Spencer-wants-to-protect-me stuff away. Or maybe she would find out that it was not standard procedure, which would make things more confusing.
One of the reasons Max was an outstanding investigative journalist was because details were her catnip. She always wanted to know more about every situation. Who, what, when, where, and why were how she lived her life. But she was going to let this one go. That told her a lot about how she felt about Spencer.
“Well, you seem to have a hard time with how I 𝘴𝘮𝘦𝘭𝘭 and being close to my bedroom and seeing me in a towel.� She liked all of that. Maybe because seeing Spencer tortured was fun. Maybe because it had been a long time since she’d affected a man who affected her right back. But probably because torturing Spencer was fun. “So this could be awkward,� she pointed out.
“We’re going to Autre,� he said simply.
She frowned and processed his answer. “Autre? Why?�
“Because you don't live there. You're not from there. It would be hard for someone who doesn't know you well to trace you to that town. And because you’ll be surrounded by people I trust implicitly who can help watch your back.�
“I need a whole army of people watching my back?�
“It won't hurt.�
Autre, Louisiana, was a little town down by the bayou. Spencer's family was from there. She wasn’t completely clear on his direct tie to the town, but she knew some of his cousins lived there. She’d met them at the wedding where Spencer had kissed the hell out of her and they'd barely kept their clothes on.
It was only about a twenty-five-minute drive from New Orleans. It was a charming little town, and the people there, especially the Landry family, were an interesting, rowdy, fun, and loving bunch.
Would she feel safe there? Absolutely.
Was this a complete overreaction on Spencer's part? Definitely.
What did it mean that Spencer was overreacting about her safety? She had no idea.
“So we’re going to go to Autre together? Because you think that's the safest place for me to be so that you have help protecting me. And you're going to stay there with me?�
Spencer nodded. “Pretty much.�
“How are you going to work on this case while we’re there?�
“I won't be working on this case. Conflict of interest.�
She frowned. “How is it a conflict of interest?�
“I'm sleeping with the target.�
She ignored the way her pink panties said 𝘸𝘩𝘰𝘰 𝘩𝘰𝘰! “You are not. You have in the past, but that was before she was a target.�
“I'm going to be staying in very close confines with her.�
“I’m adding presumptuous to your list of character flaws,� Max said dryly.
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Spencer Landry was a lot of things. But simple wasn't one of them. He wasn't easy to define in any way. He had come into her life very unconventionally as the friend and cousin of her best friend's boyfriend. Max and Spencer had had immediate chemistry and a definite flirtation when they'd worked together.
Then they'd gone months before seeing each other again at Charlie and Griffin’s wedding. Where they’d flirted again. There’d been a kiss, and a hot make-out session that probably would've turned into more if he hadn't been too drunk.
Then he’d showed up on her doorstep the next day to apologize for being a cocky asshole. And had further cemented the fact that he was a cocky asshole.
But a cocky asshole who was really good in bed.
And now he was here. Not just here—and not here trying to win her over, or even try to get her into bed again—but he was here 𝘤𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨.
Yes, a bomb threat was kind of a big deal. But there was definitely something about him that seemed� wound up. More than she would expect a typical FBI agent to be at a potential victim's house. Especially when all was well. She'd like to think that all law enforcement cared about all victims, but she knew better. If nothing else, they were objective. Spencer Landry did not seem objective right now.
And it was making her heart beat fast.
He seemed legitimately freaked out. He'd used those words. And that was doing something to her. Something stupid.
It was softening her up.
“You're going to stay with me until we find this guy?� She took a deep breath. “This seems like a terrible idea.� An idea that she kind of liked.
Which made it a really terrible idea.
“It makes a lot of sense. You are a target, and the guy is still out there walking around. Until we find him, it makes sense for you to have someone
protecting you.�
“Is this standard operating procedure?�
“I would prefer if you didn't ask me questions like that.�
Well, that wasn’t an answer. “Because it's a secret operating procedure?�
“Because I don't want to answer the question.�
Ah. She had no idea what standard operating procedure for the FBI was in cases like this, but she was not that interested in delving into the details, maybe for the first time in her life. Maybe because she would find out that it𝘸𝘢𝘴 standard procedure. Which would take some of the stomach-flipping-this-is-kind-of-exciting-that-Spencer-wants-to-protect-me stuff away. Or maybe she would find out that it was not standard procedure, which would make things more confusing.
One of the reasons Max was an outstanding investigative journalist was because details were her catnip. She always wanted to know more about every situation. Who, what, when, where, and why were how she lived her life. But she was going to let this one go. That told her a lot about how she felt about Spencer.
“Well, you seem to have a hard time with how I 𝘴𝘮𝘦𝘭𝘭 and being close to my bedroom and seeing me in a towel.� She liked all of that. Maybe because seeing Spencer tortured was fun. Maybe because it had been a long time since she’d affected a man who affected her right back. But probably because torturing Spencer was fun. “So this could be awkward,� she pointed out.
“We’re going to Autre,� he said simply.
She frowned and processed his answer. “Autre? Why?�
“Because you don't live there. You're not from there. It would be hard for someone who doesn't know you well to trace you to that town. And because you’ll be surrounded by people I trust implicitly who can help watch your back.�
“I need a whole army of people watching my back?�
“It won't hurt.�
Autre, Louisiana, was a little town down by the bayou. Spencer's family was from there. She wasn’t completely clear on his direct tie to the town, but she knew some of his cousins lived there. She’d met them at the wedding where Spencer had kissed the hell out of her and they'd barely kept their clothes on.
It was only about a twenty-five-minute drive from New Orleans. It was a charming little town, and the people there, especially the Landry family, were an interesting, rowdy, fun, and loving bunch.
Would she feel safe there? Absolutely.
Was this a complete overreaction on Spencer's part? Definitely.
What did it mean that Spencer was overreacting about her safety? She had no idea.
“So we’re going to go to Autre together? Because you think that's the safest place for me to be so that you have help protecting me. And you're going to stay there with me?�
Spencer nodded. “Pretty much.�
“How are you going to work on this case while we’re there?�
“I won't be working on this case. Conflict of interest.�
She frowned. “How is it a conflict of interest?�
“I'm sleeping with the target.�
She ignored the way her pink panties said 𝘸𝘩𝘰𝘰 𝘩𝘰𝘰! “You are not. You have in the past, but that was before she was a target.�
“I'm going to be staying in very close confines with her.�
“I’m adding presumptuous to your list of character flaws,� Max said dryly.
Get it here!
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Gotta Be Bayou--Four Days!!
I'm so excited to be starting this new series!
It feels so good to be back in my favorite world of the Louisiana bayou and my favorite little town of Autre, with all the fun, familiarity of the places and people I know and love. But to have new people to get to know and to watch fall in love and figure out forever...*happy sigh* that's such a different rush.
Max and Spencer were a delight. I met them in Say It Like You Mane It (no, you don't have to read that book to read theirs... they show up as friends of the main (mane? ;) ) couple...) and I knew that they would be fun. The sparks, the snark, the...wait, a minute...there's grumpiness here and high walls and a lot of "I don't want that lovey dovey stuff" but... hold on...it was coming from HER!
I mean, yes, Spencer put on a show. He tried to fight it, sure. But he was gone, hard and fast. It might have taken him a second to realize it, but I saw it (and you will too) right away.
Max was different. She's a lone wolf. For good reason. She's funny and smart and likes Spencer--well, when he's not trying to boss her around which is...okay, kind of a lot of the time-- but cuddling and getting cozy and going on dates and all of that? Um...she not only doesn't think she wants that. She's not so sure she'd be good at it. She's had no practice. And no real roles models.
Watching Spencer turn his expectations and perspectives upside down because this fiery little redhead gets *so* under his skin was very fun and yes, swoony. I don't use that term lightly.
I hope you're excited for a new Autre chapter! Yes, it feels a little different, but I promise, from the baby goats to the life advice at Ellie's bar, you will feel right at home!
And if you're new to me and this bayou world, this is the perfect place to jump in! Sure, the water's a little muddy and there might be gators ;), but you're never alone in Autre. We've got your back!
Want to check it out early?
I've got 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞!
�
And you haven't read their 𝐅𝐑𝐄𝐄 𝐏𝐑𝐄𝐐𝐔𝐄𝐋, 𝐁𝐚𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐓𝐨𝐧𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭, yet?
Oh, let me help you out with that! Even with bonus content!!
�
𝐏𝐫𝐞𝐨𝐫𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐆𝐨𝐭𝐭𝐚 𝐁𝐞 𝐁𝐚𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐧𝐨𝐰!
➔A:
➔A:
£Ǵǰ:
➔KDz:
➔G:
➔Signed Paperback:
➱:
➔Add to ŷ:
Audio in production!
It feels so good to be back in my favorite world of the Louisiana bayou and my favorite little town of Autre, with all the fun, familiarity of the places and people I know and love. But to have new people to get to know and to watch fall in love and figure out forever...*happy sigh* that's such a different rush.
Max and Spencer were a delight. I met them in Say It Like You Mane It (no, you don't have to read that book to read theirs... they show up as friends of the main (mane? ;) ) couple...) and I knew that they would be fun. The sparks, the snark, the...wait, a minute...there's grumpiness here and high walls and a lot of "I don't want that lovey dovey stuff" but... hold on...it was coming from HER!
I mean, yes, Spencer put on a show. He tried to fight it, sure. But he was gone, hard and fast. It might have taken him a second to realize it, but I saw it (and you will too) right away.
Max was different. She's a lone wolf. For good reason. She's funny and smart and likes Spencer--well, when he's not trying to boss her around which is...okay, kind of a lot of the time-- but cuddling and getting cozy and going on dates and all of that? Um...she not only doesn't think she wants that. She's not so sure she'd be good at it. She's had no practice. And no real roles models.
Watching Spencer turn his expectations and perspectives upside down because this fiery little redhead gets *so* under his skin was very fun and yes, swoony. I don't use that term lightly.
I hope you're excited for a new Autre chapter! Yes, it feels a little different, but I promise, from the baby goats to the life advice at Ellie's bar, you will feel right at home!
And if you're new to me and this bayou world, this is the perfect place to jump in! Sure, the water's a little muddy and there might be gators ;), but you're never alone in Autre. We've got your back!
Want to check it out early?
I've got 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞!
�
And you haven't read their 𝐅𝐑𝐄𝐄 𝐏𝐑𝐄𝐐𝐔𝐄𝐋, 𝐁𝐚𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐓𝐨𝐧𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭, yet?
Oh, let me help you out with that! Even with bonus content!!
�
𝐏𝐫𝐞𝐨𝐫𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐆𝐨𝐭𝐭𝐚 𝐁𝐞 𝐁𝐚𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐧𝐨𝐰!
➔A:
➔A:
£Ǵǰ:
➔KDz:
➔G:
➔Signed Paperback:
➱:
➔Add to ŷ:
Audio in production!
Bayou With Benefits
Bayou With Benefits
His phone dinged with another text.
It was his sister.
Naomi:𝘐 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘬 𝘐 𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘨𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘢 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘴-𝘶𝘱.
Michael stopped walking and waited. Naomi was giving him a heads-up about something exactly when she knew he’d be getting home.
Naomi: 𝘈𝘮𝘪'𝘴 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘰𝘸𝘯.
Michael felt his heart trip, his stomach flip, and his whole body get a little weak. He’d known she would come back eventually. He just hadn't known how long it would take. And he hadn't known if he would be ready.
But like a switch had flipped, everything in him was suddenly straining to find her, see her, touch her, tell her all the things he needed to say.
He dropped his bag to the ground and texted back simply, 𝘞𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦?
He was already pulling his keys out of his pocket and preparing to head to her sister’s or grandmother’s house.
Naomi: 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘴𝘦.
Michael froze. His heart squeezed. His eyes went to the front door of his house. She was 𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦? Then he looked at the car. Pieces began slipping into place. Theo picking Andre up. The absence of Naomi and Donovan's truck.
He grabbed his bag and started for the front door. He heard another ding on his phone, but he ignored it. Nothing else mattered. Ami was here at his house. And no one else was.
He pushed the front door open harder than necessary, and it banged against the wall. He grabbed it as it bounced back, slamming it shut. He tossed his bag and was already to the kitchen doorway by the time she made it to the same spot.
She nearly ran into his chest.
She pulled up. And her eyes went wide. “Oh.�
He moved closer, and she took a couple of steps back. Michael could only imagine how he looked. His jaw was tight, his heart was pounding, and he probably looked like a man who was about to claim the woman he loved and hadn't seen in almost four months.
Because that was exactly what he was.
�
� friends to lovers
� firefighter
� single dad
� longing, pining, and slow burn goodness 🥰
� Ellie & Leo
� cameos!
� more Colin and JD! 😁
GRAB IT HERE�
ADD to your WANT TO READ shelf!�
His phone dinged with another text.
It was his sister.
Naomi:𝘐 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘬 𝘐 𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘨𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘢 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘴-𝘶𝘱.
Michael stopped walking and waited. Naomi was giving him a heads-up about something exactly when she knew he’d be getting home.
Naomi: 𝘈𝘮𝘪'𝘴 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘰𝘸𝘯.
Michael felt his heart trip, his stomach flip, and his whole body get a little weak. He’d known she would come back eventually. He just hadn't known how long it would take. And he hadn't known if he would be ready.
But like a switch had flipped, everything in him was suddenly straining to find her, see her, touch her, tell her all the things he needed to say.
He dropped his bag to the ground and texted back simply, 𝘞𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦?
He was already pulling his keys out of his pocket and preparing to head to her sister’s or grandmother’s house.
Naomi: 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘴𝘦.
Michael froze. His heart squeezed. His eyes went to the front door of his house. She was 𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦? Then he looked at the car. Pieces began slipping into place. Theo picking Andre up. The absence of Naomi and Donovan's truck.
He grabbed his bag and started for the front door. He heard another ding on his phone, but he ignored it. Nothing else mattered. Ami was here at his house. And no one else was.
He pushed the front door open harder than necessary, and it banged against the wall. He grabbed it as it bounced back, slamming it shut. He tossed his bag and was already to the kitchen doorway by the time she made it to the same spot.
She nearly ran into his chest.
She pulled up. And her eyes went wide. “Oh.�
He moved closer, and she took a couple of steps back. Michael could only imagine how he looked. His jaw was tight, his heart was pounding, and he probably looked like a man who was about to claim the woman he loved and hadn't seen in almost four months.
Because that was exactly what he was.
�
� friends to lovers
� firefighter
� single dad
� longing, pining, and slow burn goodness 🥰
� Ellie & Leo
� cameos!
� more Colin and JD! 😁
GRAB IT HERE�
ADD to your WANT TO READ shelf!�
