Dream and Pretense: The Ramseys
by AlTonya Washington
by AlTonya Washington
Powerful, Beautiful, Scandalous, Sexy- they are the Ramseys. Step inside a world of glamour, danger and family secrets. Secrets that include many ugly things, among them...murder.
Dream…
When Michaela Sellars accepts a job to pen a family biography on the Ramseys of Seattle, Washington she is totally unprepared for the dramatic shift her life is about to take. The savvy investigative journalist turned successful author has caught the scent of a sensational story and has every intention of uncovering every ugly layer. Then she meets Quest Ramsey. Laid back and to-die-for land developer can set the most no-nonsense woman off kilter. Mick discovers she’s no different and has no weapon capable of fending off the insatiable attraction this man instills.
Quest Ramsey won’t deny that he is obsessively attracted to the curvy, chocolate beauty that waltzes without a care into his midst seemingly unaware of her devastating effect on him. In spite of his wants, Quest knows that to invite this particular woman in to his world could have equally devastating effects on his family-none of them good. The story the lovely author hopes to uncover is one certain Ramseys would see left buried. While Quest longs for justice; almost as much as he longs for Michaela, he has more to contend with. The story Mick Sellars hopes to uncover includes the person Quest loves most in the world, his twin brother Quaysar.
Pretense…
Quay Ramsey has lived with the fact that he’s cursed in love for many years. Of course one would never look at him and believe such a thing. Tall, dark and to-die-for, the man’s success with women is the stuff of legend. Sadly, that prowess with the opposite sex hasn’t brought Quay the one woman he desires above all others. Just as well, since he’s done everything he can think of to ensure that Tykira Lowery stays as far away from him as possible. Her very life depended on it. At least, that’s what has motivated Quay’s actions for the better part of fifteen years. Pushing Ty away had been the hardest thing he’d ever done but he had no intention of changing course then. Not when truths uncovered by the unlikely intervention of a tenacious investigative journalist rearrange everything Quay thought he knew.
When Tykira returns at the behest of his brother, Quay is torn between remaining cold and running hot as her very presence stirs his desire in tandem with an insatiable need to protect the only woman he’s ever loved. Yet, Quay can’t deny a very real fact- someone played a role in the disappearance of most every woman Quay has ever shown an interest in. While it’s insane to believe the culprit would target Tykira at such a late date, Quay can’t stop the possibility from waging war on his psyche. From his point of view, pushing Tykira away would be best. He’d done it before, but that ability had deserted him. All that remained was the desire to claim, love, cherish and protect but not from a distance-Never again from a distance.
5.0 out of 5 stars on Amazon. Written by FeversD
Although I have read these two books numerous times, it was a treat to get them together, as this is another one of those EPIC series that will live on far beyond the pages of the book! Altonya Washington is another one of those strategic, and very creative authors whose mind is phenomenal and genius at concocting such page turning, alpha male reading books, and who also writes with passion and a deep love for the characters she creates. This is a Highly Recommended read as it will have you up all night wanting to know how their unconditional love survives even the greatest of tragedies...as it will also have you re-reading the books that followed for this is approximately 17 books in the series to include several novellas, with two more left to come! Awesome job Altonya Washington!
CHAPTER EXCERPT
Mick was fluffing out the unruly thick dark curls across her head. She and County were scheduled to have dinner later and she was trying to decide whether to do anything different with the mop of riotous locks. The doorbell chimed and Mick took that as confirmation to let her hair alone. It’d never obey her wishes to stay pulled into an elaborate updo anyway, she thought with a disapproving snort.
Turning quickly, she shuffled toward the door. The long ears on her bunny slippers slapped the carpet as her steps quickened. She figured it was County, but looked out the peephole anyway. A quick ‘oh’ wisped past her lips when she glimpsed her visitor.
“Damn it,” she whispered, glancing down at her attire, which consisted of a cap-sleeved tee with a pair of glittery pink lips emblazoned across her breasts. The sleep pants hugged her hips, while flattering her bottom in the most adoring manner, and were covered with hundreds of full pink lips. Then there were the bunny slippers…
“Oh what the hell, he’s already seen me dressed up,” she reasoned and flung open the door. Her expression was light and inviting as she prepared to greet Quaysar Ramsey. But the easy look in her amber stare turned questioning as she gazed up at the man who filled her doorway. Subconsciously, she took a step backward.
“Mr. Ramsey,” she greeted, her coolness returning a bit. “I was hoping to meet you before I left town.”
Now it was Quest’s turn to appear confused. “You know who I am?” he asked, obvious disbelief clinging to every word.
Mick nodded, her soft smile instantly drawing his eyes to her mouth.
“How?” he probed after commanding himself not to allow the woman’s X-rated lips to make him lose track of his senses.
Mick was surprised by her intuition as well, but realized that although the Ramsey twins were clearly identical, they possessed distinct differences. Especially Quest. For some reason, Mick believed she would know him anywhere, and that belief was more than a little disconcerting.
At last, she shrugged. “It’s my secret,” she said in a prim tone, her heart fluttering when his laughter touched her ears. Stop it, Mick! she demanded, feeling completely disgusted by her light-headed behavior.
“I’m sorry for keeping you in the hall, please come in,” she urged with a gracious wave as she stepped aside.
Quest stood just inside the suite. Mick closed the door and waited for him to precede her to the living room, but he didn’t move. Finally, she realized that he was waiting on her to precede him.
“Could I get you something or have something sent up?” Mick offered as she breezed into the living area.
Quest shook his head. “I’m good. Don’t go to any trouble.”
For a moment, they stood opposite one another in the room. Finally Mick nodded.
“Please have a seat,” she invited.
Quest simply waved one hand toward the cushiony cream furnishings and Mick saw that he was waiting for her to do so first. She responded slowly, almost stunned that this man could actually possess the rare- in her opinion, the extremely rare- quality of gallantry. She watched him settle into the armchair across from her and recalled the meeting with his brother.
Quest Ramsey, she surmised, moved far differently from his twin whose movements were bold and purpose-filled. Quest wasn’t slow, awkward or uncertain but smooth and relaxed. It was as though he had all the time in the world and the world was waiting on him.
In the golden light of the room, Mick could assess the package more clearly. County had called the twins chocolate-dipped, but Quest’s skin gave him the appearance of having been doused in rich molasses. Even at a distance, she could tell his midnight hair was silky, but close cut so that it appeared as a mass of waves across his head. Still, it was his eyes that most captivated her. They were an uncommon hazy gray and deep-set beneath the longest, straightest brows and fringed with even longer lashes. Those were lashes unfair for any man to have. A god indeed, she admitted.
Quest sat reclined in his chair. His massive hands rested along the arms as though he was waiting patiently for her to complete her assessment. When she smiled again, he couldn’t have been more stunned to feel his own heartbeat lose its steady rhythm in response.
“Michaela Sellars,” she saw fit to introduce herself then and watched as he grinned and inclined his head.
“Quest Ramsey,” was his soft reply.
( Continued... )
© 2014 All rights reserved. Book excerpt reprinted by permission of the author, AlTonya Washington. Do not reproduce, copy or use without the author's written permission. This excerpt is used for promotional purposes only.
About the Author
AlTonya Washington has been a published romance novelist for 10 years. In 2013, her Harlequin Kimani novel "His Texas Touch" won the Romantic Times Magazine Reviewer's Choice Award for Best Series Romance of 2012. This was the author’s second award from the national magazine. Writing as T. Onyx, AlTonya released her latest erotica "Ravenous: Ruler of Perfection II" in 2013.
In November of the same year she released "A Lover's Debt", the 17th title in the Ramsey Tesano saga. “When Ice Melts” is AlTonya’s latest indie novel and released in January 2014 to much acclaim. She will follow up this title with the much-anticipated release “Layers of the Past” the full length novel sequel to the novella “Layers”. AlTonya lives in North Carolina where she also works as a college reference librarian and mom- her favorite job.
Dream and Pretense: The Ramseys by AlTonya Washington
Paperback Link: http://amzn.com/0989145581
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