Born On The Fourth Of July
June 18, 2010 | Filed under: Stuff
Okay, we’ve discussed this. I hate the cover. Let’s move on.
I mean sure I wish he looked like this:
But I also wish Santa Claus was real. Anyway, the book is hitting the shelves. SOON. So get thyself to a store or order online.
To entice you, I’m going to do something I don’t usually do. I’m going to paste in the entire first chapter here. Um … keep in mind that this first chapter is particularly NAUGHTY. So let’s just say NOT SAFE FOR WORK, ‘kay? 
So without further ado, chapter one from my story:
Chapter 1
Lexi McGowen stripped naked, bit her lip against the knowledge that she was trespassing, and stepped into Cord’s shower.
Uninvited.
She told herself it wasn’t breaking and entering if she had a key. It wasn’t sneaking either, not really, not when she’d been bringing in his mail every day anyway since she lived in the condo right next door. And it wasn’t rude—
Well, okay it was a little rude to break into her best friend’s place. It was just that her own showerhead had broken. She could have waited for a plumber, but the truth was that she was also here because …
She missed Cord, so very much. It was a little kernel of an ache that wouldn’t go away, so she used the broken showerhead as an excuse to be here in his space, to stand here and inhale his scent and feel a little closer to him.
She couldn’t help it, he’d been gone so long.
Too long.
She cranked the water to steamy hot and she reminded herself that Cord wouldn’t mind. He was Army, Special Forces actually, and was probably off saving the world. And hopefully keeping himself safe while hw was at it, because for weeks now she’d been having bad dreams about him, to the point that sleep was getting to be a rare commodity.
Coming here, being in his place, gave her a small sense of peace. He’d be okay. He’d been gone this long before and he always came home okay.
She played with the showerhead, which turned out to be a miracle marvel of engineering. Removing the nozzle, she ran it over her body. The sound of her own low, soft moan shocked her as it echoed off the tiles. She’d had no idea what she’d been missing. Heaven. This was heaven on earth. Adding to that sense was the scent of Cord’s soap. She could almost feel him in here with her.
Did he do this, did he run the massager over his gorgeous, hard, leanly muscled body? The thought gave her more than a tingle and she got warm in places that hadn’t been warmed in far too long. She moaned again, realizing she was completely overstepping the friend code, the invisible boundaries Cord had given her when he’d handed her his key eight months ago and asked her to keep an eye on his place during his fourth tour of duty. But truthfully, her mind had violated the “friend” code long ago, when her heart had first stepped over the “friend” line.
He didn’t know it. She intended for him to never know it, mostly because she wasn’t ready for those feelings anyway. She might feel guilty about not telling him, but standing there with his handheld, with the massager strategically aimed, Lexi was far closer to orgasmic bliss than guilt. Of course that might have been because she hadn’t had sex in months — her own fault. She worked alone on the early am shift at the grocery store designing and putting together floral arrangements for the convenience of their shoppers, and was gone before most of them ever even woke up. Hard to meet potential dates that way.
That’s not why you’re single, a little voice deep inside her whispered. You’re single because beyond the occasional mutually gratifying sexual release, you aren’t interested and haven’t been since losing Brad three years ago now.
Oh yeah. That. She closed her eyes. Except now … with Cord … only he was gone so much.
The water strategically aimed was making her body come alive. Maybe she wasn’t ready to face the fact she was falling for Cord, but her body was most definitely ready to be rocked again.
If only Cord could do the rocking. Just the thought took her body from warm to hot, and she promised herself if she ever had the opportunity to be naked with him, in or out of this shower, with or without this showerhead from heaven, she’d take it.
Standing there surrounded by the steamy heat, her body being gently pummeled with the delicious sting of the pulsing hot water felt a little decadent, and no matter how she rationalized it, a whole lot forbidden. She soaped up, then ran the water over her shoulders, which shuddered in pleasure. When she got to her breasts, her nipples hardened. Lower still, and the muscles in her belly quivered …
When the hot water rained on her thighs, they trembled too, and then in between–
Yowza.
It all felt so good, the water drumming out a beat on her heated flesh, the scent of Cord’s body wash on her limbs, fooling her brain into believing that he could be right here with her.
Touching her.
Kissing her.
Filling her …
Five minutes ago she’d been a shower massage virgin, and now here she was, losing that virginity with another moan and then a soft cry, which she tried to bite back but failed as she slumped against the shower wall, unable to hold herself upright as she rode out the unexpected orgasm.
Talk about pent-up tension …
The shower door flew open, and Lexi squealed in shock, making her jerk to try to cover herself. Her arm came up with the nozzle, spraying her intruder in the face and chest.
Except it wasn’t an intruder at all. “Cord,” she gasped.
He stood there, nearly unrecognizable to her. And not just because he now had water dripping from his hair and the tip of his nose and chin. He was just over six feet of solid muscle and testosterone on any given day, but always when he came back from one of his missions, that sinew and innate maleness came with a tough, dangerous edge, at least until he decompressed.
Given the almost feral look in his dark eyes now, the tight jaw, the lines of grimness around his mouth — not to mention the tense way he held his body — he hadn’t yet even begun the decompression process. He wore fatigue cargoes and an Army green t-shirt tight to his biceps and broad chest, loose over his flat belly. His dark hair was even shorter than his usual military short, revealing a fresh scar that cut from his left temple nearly to his jaw. He was leaning on crutches, his wide shoulders slightly hunched, exhaustion seeping from his every pore.
Her heart twisted and ached; for him, for whatever he’d had to see and do and be, and God. God, she loved him, ready or not.
He hadn’t moved a muscle since he’d opened the shower, not even to blink. Instead he stared at her as she stood there before him, nozzle in hand, naked, dripping wet, body still quivering from her own decompression process.
“You’re home,” she whispered, her joy at seeing him tempered by the gut-wrenching proof that he’d been injured. “And you’re hurt.”
His gaze lifted from the showerhead in her hands, ran briefly but heatedly over her flushed body, and then he shook his head, like he hadn’t heard her because he couldn’t quite believe the situation in front of him.
She couldn’t either. “I was just …”
Leaning forward past her, he turned off the shower with a quick flick of his wrist.
She stared at his back, watching his muscles flex and bunch beneath his shirt as he moved, and felt the heat of embarrassment. “I’m sorry. My shower’s broken. Well, not the shower, but the showerhead, and yours is—“ Perfect. “Not broken,” she finished lamely. “I didn’t think you’d mind, since mine can’t be fixed until tomorrow, and– And never mind,” she said, shaking her head at herself for babbling. “You’re home. And you’re hurt! What happened?”
Straightening back up, he handed her a towel and met her gaze. “What are you doing?”
She blinked. Had he not heard a thing she’d just said? “I just told you—“ And then it hit her– He couldn’t hear her clearly, if at all. The knowledge had her heart drumming again, dully now, in worry and fear for him. “My shower’s broken,” she repeated carefully.
And I missed you …
His eyes never left her lips. “Broken?”
“Yes. The showerhead– Cord,” she managed past her burning throat. “Are you okay?”
Again his gaze left her mouth, running slowly down, then back up as she worked to wrap the towel around her body with hands that still shook, which means it took longer than it should have. When she looked at him again, his eyes were closed, his jaw tight.
“I’ll wait for you out there, he said, and struggled to the door, making what appeared to be a very painful exit from the bathroom without another word.
#
Cord staggered into the hallway. His back hit the wall next to the bathroom door and he used it to prop himself up, for the first time in three weeks not feeling any pain. Nope, all he could feel was the blood flowing out of his brain for parts south. Leaning his head back, he took a slow deep breath. It didn’t help.
Lexi naked.
Lexi wet and naked.
Lexi wet and naked and gorgeous.
Pleasuring herself.
Jesus.
He swiped a shaky hand over his face.
The bathroom door opened and a glowing, dewy Lexi peeked out, wearing nothing but his towel wrapped around her body. Her auburn hair tumbled in wet wavy strands just past her shoulders. “Cord.” She looked him directly in the eyes, clearly having caught on that he needed to read her lips.
“Tell me what happened to you. Talk to me.”
He shook his head. Not going there. Not the least of which was because he was so unbelievably turned on by the sight of her, his good friend, his neighbor, a woman who trusted him enough to borrow his shower, that he couldn’t speak.
Worry etched lines in her face and propelled her forward to him, until she could set a hand on his chest. “Cord? Please?” Her hand moved over him.
He let go of one of the crutches propping him upright and wrapped his hand around her wrist. “Don’t.”
“Don’t touch you, or don’t ask what happened?”
“Yes.”
She hesitated, then slowly ran her gaze down his body, stopping at the obvious erection straining the front of his cargoes.
He gritted his back teeth. “It’s not what you think.”
“Really?” She laughed softly and actually reached out with her free hand to touch. She nearly accomplished it too, but he managed to drop his other crutch, and leaning his full weight against the wall, captured both of her hands.
“Christ, Lexi. You were in my shower.” He shook his head, which didn’t help clear it. “You were– You looked … amazing,” he finished softly. “It’s just my body reacting to normal stimulus after a long dry spell.”
“It’s a pretty spectacular reaction,” she murmured throatily.
“It’s my first … reaction since surgery,” he heard himself admit. “So you’ll have to give me a moment.”
“Surgery?”
“I’m fine.”
Her gaze ran down his clearly not fine body. “But—“
Something in his gaze must have warned her and she nibbled on her bottom lip. After a beat, she took the last step between them and rubbed her towel-clad body up against his own. Her moss green eyes were luminous, filled with both concern and a sexuality that made him close his. “Lexi. We’re just friends.”
“Your reaction to seeing me naked says otherwise.”
“I said we’re friends, not that I was dead.” He took in her beautiful face, her creamy skin, the way her breasts strained against the towel, and found his hands on her shoulders. God, she felt so good, and it’d been so long since he’d been touched by a woman’s hand. And this wasn’t just any woman either.
Lexi …
He pressed into her, rubbing his “reaction” up against the crux of her thighs.
“So you’re … enjoying your first hard-on,” she murmured.
“Let’s just say I’m not in a hurry to scare it off,” he admitted, letting his cheek brush her hair. When his fingers trailed down her arms, she shivered but stepped back. Holding his gaze, she slowly pulled the corner of the towel from between her breasts.
“Lexi—“
“We’ve been friends, Cord. Good friends. Let’s try something else to go with.” Loosened, the towel unraveled from her body and dropped to the floor.
The breath whooshed right out of Cord’s lungs. Any blood that his brain had managed to retain quickly drained in a flash flood, leaving him light-headed. She was soft and curvy and gorgeous.
“Consider me your welcome home present,” she said, holding his gaze. “Welcome home.”
There. No go forth and purchase. And if you love it, know that the hero’s brother gets his own story next month in The Heat Is On …
(And what’s with the low number of comments lately? My stats assure me that you’re all still here, you’re just so quiet. I miss hearing from ya! Talk to me … Don’t leave me out here gabbing to myself … 
)
Posted by Jill @ 1:00 am | Make a Comment
limecello says:
lol I had nothing to say! And um O_O *jaw drops* still nothing… ish.
Posted on June 18th, 2010 at 1:15 amJill, you did good by posting the first chapter. I haven’t been to harlequin’s site recently, and might have missed it! Am so buying it. Now.
limecello says:
*snicker* ok I was having a “brilz” moment – can I blame it on it being like 4:50 AM? I already bought the book. Would now be good if I *read* it.
Posted on June 18th, 2010 at 1:20 amAndey says:
So want this. NAO.
Posted on June 18th, 2010 at 2:10 amBabs says:
No time to comment…must go purchase…!
Posted on June 18th, 2010 at 2:11 amStacy ~ says:
OMFG, that was…WOW. I will definitely be betting this, which is rather redundant since I get all your books *g*
Whatcha reading Miss Jill? In case anyone cares, I’m re-reading the fabulous The Viscount Who Loved Me and I have an ARC for Chloe Neill’s 3rd Chicagoland Vampire book, Twice Bitten. And I have some Gerard Butler DVD’s to enjoy this weekend
Posted on June 18th, 2010 at 3:30 amLiza says:
My copy might just arrive at my house today(I hope).
Posted on June 18th, 2010 at 4:02 amJim says:
What a way to start the day.
Posted on June 18th, 2010 at 4:07 amPat L. says:
Nice eye candy. I dont care for the cover either. Why don’t you like it?
Posted on June 18th, 2010 at 4:16 amBooklover1335 says:
Regardless if you like the cover or not…that excerpt sold me. I’m definitely going to be watching for this one to hit the stores!
Posted on June 18th, 2010 at 4:40 amJudy F says:
wowza. I can’t wait to get this.
Lets go find the other guy. whose with me?
Posted on June 18th, 2010 at 4:50 amMJ says:
SOLD! Off to Amazon!
Posted on June 18th, 2010 at 5:05 amtennismom says:
You mean you’d rather read a dumb comment than none at all? Sometimes I just draw a blank. Be back after I read the excerpt.
Posted on June 18th, 2010 at 5:08 amtennismom says:
O M G. That was HOT!!. I’m still speechless.
Posted on June 18th, 2010 at 5:26 amAmy M says:
The cover is not so hot…holy smokes is the first chapter HOT. Whew, that was some good stuff
Posted on June 18th, 2010 at 5:26 amJaneen says:
I check every week to see if it is in. Can’t wait now that you have me hooked on the line!By the way I lurk around your site every day, you crack me up.I never comment.But love your ramblings of daily life.
Posted on June 18th, 2010 at 5:29 amladybugs203 says:
OMG!!!!
Posted on June 18th, 2010 at 5:38 amNatasha R says:
shoot! I’m at work! I can’t read the entire excerpt *cries* I did manage to take a sneak peak at the first and last few lines. O.O I want this book!! lol
Posted on June 18th, 2010 at 6:04 amJo says:
Sounds Great!!.. Gonna see if its available on EHarlequin yet!!!..
Posted on June 18th, 2010 at 6:05 amJennifer M says:
Jill, I like your cover idea better!
Posted on June 18th, 2010 at 6:47 amAs far as the first chapter, I’m buying this book now!
And Judy I’m with you on finding him!
rachael hardin says:
Dang girl! I have to wait a whole hour before the book store opens! I think im gonna need a dougnut in the mean time
http://www.lifeinacrazyhouse.blogspot.com
Posted on June 18th, 2010 at 7:02 amJackie C says:
Cover not so hot. At first glance I thought “What a marshmellow.” Your choice is better.
Posted on June 18th, 2010 at 7:23 amWill read excerpt when I’m not being stared at. LOL.
Sandra G. says:
Love the start! Talk about going from zero to sixty in a few seconds….
But, we can’t get these next two books in Kindle format? What gives?!?
Posted on June 18th, 2010 at 7:29 amJeanne C says:
Didn’t care for the cover, but LOVED the story. I agree with you on your choice of pics — he so could have been the hero.
Posted on June 18th, 2010 at 7:37 amD says:
Jeez-Louise..That was incredible…Think I need to call hubby and meet for “lunch”. That scene is gonna haunt me all day. Thanks for the great start of my day!!!
Posted on June 18th, 2010 at 8:26 amGENA says:
SO HOT!!!!
Posted on June 18th, 2010 at 8:33 amSonya says:
I’ve already bought read, reviewed this – AND complained about the cover!
It was a great read – everyone buy it!!
Posted on June 18th, 2010 at 9:58 amCaroline Storer says:
Me thinks that lack of comments is due to the fact that we are WAY TO BUSY fanning ourselves and trying to COOL OFF! Phew that was one *hot* first chapter….Caroline x
Posted on June 18th, 2010 at 11:20 amariana says:
I can’t wait for this one!! The first chapter was so great! Looking forward to reading more!
Posted on June 18th, 2010 at 11:55 amkc says:
Jeez. You’re such a tease! I have to wait 13 more days?!?! Argh!
Posted on June 18th, 2010 at 12:01 pmjean says:
Umm, I’m not sure what to say. Wow. I need to go get a new shower head. I’ll be back later.
Posted on June 18th, 2010 at 12:41 pmMel says:
Ughh! THAT’S just mean! To stop there, I mean…
Posted on June 18th, 2010 at 2:07 pmI shall definitely go forth and purchase as soon as it hits the shelves. (Along with a shower massager…)
Chelsea B. says:
Wow….So, um, when exactly did you say this would be in stores?
Posted on June 18th, 2010 at 2:14 pmmindy says:
Good. Lord. Woman! That was beyond tasty! I can’t wait almost 2 weeks until it comes out
*offers you big hugs and chocolate chip cookies*
Posted on June 18th, 2010 at 2:54 pmWendyG says:
WOW! That was a fun read! Yes, I’m purchasing!
Posted on June 18th, 2010 at 4:46 pmangie says:
ok so thats on the shopping list. I encased the list in a box. In a fire proof box because that was so hot. Well now I have something to read while nursing my sunburn and wait for tuesday when I get to vist with Ranger.
Posted on June 18th, 2010 at 6:26 pmMarty says:
Delish! This is going on my “must read” list. Thanks, Jill, for the great teaser.
Posted on June 18th, 2010 at 7:26 pmlisa s says:
OMG buff said.
I’ve waiting with bated breath but still haen’t been able to order fir my kindle. Off to check again.
Posted on June 19th, 2010 at 7:19 amAlison says:
Ok, so I must get this. If that was just the first chapter I can’t wait to read the rest.
Posted on June 19th, 2010 at 10:37 amLexi Connor says:
OMG, I LOVE your writing! I can’t wait to read this entire story! Thanks, Jill!
Posted on June 19th, 2010 at 1:58 pmDeb J says:
YOWZA!!! That was fab-O…gotta go out and buy it(wish I had it right NOW!!!)
Posted on June 19th, 2010 at 4:49 pmLyn says:
Wow! now where’s my debit card? I’m definitely buying that book.
Posted on June 19th, 2010 at 6:01 pmI prefer your pic to the actual cover.
I don’t comment on blogs unless I have something to say, plus I don’t like commenting when I’m not capable of putting cohesive sentences together (as is often the case by the time I get online).
kh says:
nice
Posted on June 19th, 2010 at 9:49 pmany winner june 1
Susanne says:
Ah, no time to chat. Grabbing my purse and heading to the bookstore where I’ll be breaking down the doors. Holy moly, Jill. That was good.
Susanne
Posted on June 20th, 2010 at 5:14 amAllie says:
Yow! I think my hair is on fire after reading that.
I do love a good friends-to-lovers story. Sigh.
Posted on June 20th, 2010 at 5:29 pmTammy says:
You wicked wench-hurry and release gotta finish this one!!!!!!!
Posted on June 21st, 2010 at 8:52 amJenFS says:
Yeow! Phew! Ok, I should have listened to you and not read this at work. Now I need to take a walk and get some nice *COLD* water…
Posted on June 21st, 2010 at 12:17 pmAshley says:
Oh…WOW! Definately buying this one! Wow! Can’t wait to find out what he does with his welcome home present!
Posted on June 21st, 2010 at 1:00 pmLynn says:
Can’t wait to read this one!
Posted on June 25th, 2010 at 10:56 amSandra says:
Wonder when this will be available in the UK? I think your Storm Watch is coming here next month but I already read it on holiday in New Zealand last month.
Love your stories. X
Posted on June 26th, 2010 at 8:57 amMary says:
:fans self:
Posted on June 27th, 2010 at 11:44 pmWhew!
And just when I promised the husband to slow down on the spending! This is mandatory, right? Right!