Everyone met Maura and Zeke in A Little Harmless Lie. They were sent by Maura’s 
brother to check out Dee. It has been hinted in several books that they got together there and had a bit of a relationship. In Prelude to a Fantasy, I tell y’all what really happened.
It is now available for free just about everywhere but Kindle who makes me charge 🙁 So, it is .99 there.
From the moment I met Maura and Zeke, I knew that they would be together. There was this buzz whenever I wrote about them. And, the entered into one of my least favorite kind of relationships, the on again/off again types. I have figured that for the most part, if you break up, you should stay that way. But these two love each other so much, they just didn’t think they could give the other what they needed. It was kind of painful to be in their POVs knowing the way they felt about each other. The contest is after the excerpt:
Prelude to a Fantasy
“So, you just expect me to take you back there and watch you wander about to find a man for the night.”
The anger in his voice made her blink. “I-I’m not looking for a man for the night. I just want to look around more.”
“No.”
She blinked again. “What?”
“I forbid you.”
She settled her hands on her hips and glared at him. “You have no right to forbid me.”
In the next moment he exploded. “You cannot expect me to watch you there, strutting around…I can’t do it.”
The words were ground from some part of him as if it had been wrenched from somewhere dark and dangerous.
“I–”
“No.”
He started approached her and she backed up. “You cannot be so cruel to expect that from me.”
She couldn’t say anything. He continued to stalk toward her, his dark chocolate gaze centered on her. It was if she were the only thing in the world. The dangerous tone in his voice scared her a little but it also sent a thrill of excitement coursing through her veins.
She came up against the door leading into her bedroom. She held out her hand but he paid no attention to it.
He placed his hands beside her hand on the door. “I will not allow it. I can’t.”
She tried to swallow but she found her throat dry. “Y-you can’t?”
Without breaking eye contact, he nodded his head. “And I won’t.”
She swallowed. She knew Zeke was lethal and many people were frightened by just the look of him. He was tall, lean, muscled. Add in the dark skin and the dreads and people assumed he was a threat to their safety. But she had never really been scared of him.
Until now. Not that she thought he would hurt her, but he was threatening her sanity. She licked her lips and he moaned, bending his head closer. In that one instant their breaths mingled their lips only inches apart.
“Oh, fuck it,” Zeke said as if making some decision.
She wasn’t left long trying to figure out what he was all about. He crushed his mouth against her. For a second she couldn’t respond. Her brain had fizzled and all thought seemed to drain from it.
He pulled back and he was breathing heavily. “Maura?”
Her lips tingled, heat danced over her nerve endings. She looked at him and noticed her glasses were fogged up. Regret and embarrassment filled his expression.
“Listen, I’ll leave.”
She realized he was stepping back, moving away from her. It was her one chance. That thought pushed her to step forward, grab him by the shirt and jerk him back against her. She pulled off her glasses and threw them on the table next to the door.
“Yeah, fuck it, sounds about right.”
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So, what do you think about relationships like this in books? Do you like to see the hero and heroine beat the odds? Answer in the comments and your name goes in the hat for print copy choice of ALH Lie, Submission or Fascination and a swag pack!
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Hey Mel! I don’t like on/off relationships I generally like to see the H&H beat the odds…..except in this case. It’s pretty obvious that there’s a missing piece and I think in the long run sucking it up would make them feel like they were missing something and that never works.
These are the best kinds! The ones that have been fought for are the ones that seem to make it last longer… The know how many people they will affect by their relationship, and they have battled with themselves over it. Luckily their hearts win out. Rough ‘N Ready seems to give people that little push… It did it to Evan, so why not Zeke!
I do not like on/off relationships, but I do like the intensity of Maura and Zeke’s relationship and I was really cheering for them to get back together somehow, they seemed so right for each other.
Mel, you know I’ve been a huge fan of this series and I like all different types of scenarios in books. I do like when people have to work for a relationship, because normally when a relationship is work at the beginning the people know it will take work to keep it. Sometimes when things come to easy, people give up when the going gets tough.
I too usually have a hard time with the on again/off again relationships but, when they are well written, it is great to see those couples find their HEA no matter the situation.
I’ve tried on/off relationships in my own life and they never worked out for me. I just couldn’t reach the same level of trust and intimacy as I could with an exclusive relationship. That’s not to say I don’t want to read about them 🙂 Just give me more Zeke and Maura (and throw in a little bit of Rory).
I don’t particularly care for on again/off again, but there are times when it works. The characters aren’t ready to be together yet, but the attraction is so strong that they can’t be apart. It frustrates me because I want to scream at them and say “Get over your crap already because you know you want to be together!”
The on again/off again type of relationship doesn’t normally appeal to me, however, when well written it works.
I am so glad that they finally found a way to make it work! I love the fact that they fought for each other and beat the odds. It was painful reading about them knowing how they felt for one another, yet not being able to fill the void each of them had when involved. I think the mix of different types of relationships is what makes the series so believable and engaging. I find myself cheering for the characters, no matter how long it takes them to figure out their heart’s desires and make things work.
Yes i do. Why not? Every relationship has it’s problems and some more than others. I love this excerpt. Sizzles right on the screen! lol
Thanks for sharing Mel.
Lisa B
If written correctly, I enjoy reading these types of relationships. Relationships are hard, these types of stories show that. The pain (& everything else the characters deal with) makes the HEA so much better!
I love this series and this story line in particular. It seems more realistic to me that they had to work for their HEA
I love the idea of thinking they have what they want just to lose it only to realize they want and need it to breathe only for them to have to fight to get it back….I felt that in fantasy and I absolutely LOVED it…
angelalove40@gmail.com
Fantasy was my favorite HEA in this series BECAUSE of the on again/off again/have to really want it aspect. Finding all the pieces to make it fit, very realistic!
I think this scenario shows that loves is not neat and pretty wrapped in bow and just handed to you. It takes a lot of work. And it appears they are working Hard!
Love this series.
Just ordered this. Please do not apologize for it costing 99 cents. I love all of your books and gladly pay for them no matter what the price.
Love the way they come together.
Love the dynamic of the two. They are crazy about each other but know something is missing. I love second chances at love.
Who doesn’t like to see people beat the odds.I know I do,it does my heart good to see that. It is a up hill battle for them and sometimes they over think it makes you want to shake them and say pay attention, it gets you involved.I cry with them as they try to make the right choice for them and the people in their life. Love wins out in the end it’s a beautiful thing!
I love characters beating the odds and figuring out what they need to be together. It makes them more believable and the idea of love conquering all seem possible.
I like any kind of relationship in the book, as long as it’s well written. It has to be believable. And there has to be some kind of struggle, to make the hero/heroine realise what they have and what they might lose. if they don’t fight for it.
I loved Fantasy.
I’m really not into the on/off again relationship. But in this case I wanna see it work out for the Maura and Zeke sometimes they just have to see what they are losing to realize they are meant to be together.
The best part for me is seeing two characters overcome their differences and let themselves love each other and have their HEA! If they have to struggle between wanting each other… the reward is seeing them finally admit to each other that they know they have found their other half.
I know from my very good friend, a submissive, just how difficult it is to have a vanilla relationship even with love involved. To read three people work through all their issues and have it work was the best part for me.
It can work if both people are invested in the relationship and want to get to see where it might lead to. Anything is possible if both are willing.
I like when they have to work at it, as a reader it also gives me a little thrill along with them I don’t know why but it does. I think in the harder they have worked the stronger they are in the end and for me it’s so much more satifying, as a reader.
I’m always rooting for a couple to beat the odds.
I do love a good happy ending!
I love seeing the hero and heroine beat the odds!
I love when they are fighting against their attraction. Love when love wins out in the end!!!
I like what they need to finally get together and have the forever after.
I love it when true love wins and the couple beats the odds. It shows how strong love can be and no matter what you cannot fight fate.
It gives people hope that it can happen for them. So yes I like to see H&H beat the odds.