Just Friends | An Excerpt from DAWN OF ARIS

Image Posted on February 22, 2015

“You know we don’t have to be out of here for another two weeks right?” Deena asked Aris, shutting the door behind her. “What’s the rush?”

“No rush. Getting it out of the way, that’s all.”

“Well, the slacker in me will be waiting until the eleventh hour…unless I get a call to jet to work on location somewhere, preferably tropical.”

Aris laughed. “From your mouth to God’s ears.”

Deena opened her shopping bags and showed Aris the results of her afternoon at the mall. They spent the next twenty minutes debating the best outfit for a blind date Deena had later in the evening. Once the decision was made, Deena helped fold the rest of Aris’s laundry.

“Have you given any more thought to where you’re going to end up?” Deena asked as they carried baskets of clothing down the hall and entered Aris’s bedroom.

Aris shrugged. “Your guess is as good as mine.”

“Bullshit, honey,” Deena replied, shaking her head as she sat her basket next to Aris’s bed. “I will never understand why you just won’t go back to Dallas…and when I say Dallas, I mean Luke.”

“We’re just friends,” Aris replied in a sing-song voice to mask her exhaustion for having to explain this to Deena again for the hundredth time.

“Yeah, yeah, yeah…and he’s engaged to Black Barbie and all that. I got it.” Deena gave Aris a measured glance. “What I don’t get is how you can keep playing this game with him when the world can see that you’re both in love with each other.”

Aris stretched out on her bed. “Dee…don’t.”

“I’m just saying,” Deena replied, holding up her hands in surrender as she headed toward the door. “I love you girl, but you really need to get a clue before you lose what’s yours.”

“Mine?” Aris rolled her eyes. “For the last time, Luke and Jessica are to-ge-ther. Which means Luke and I should not be despite what the world sees. Besides, he already has a perfect life with a bright future all laid out for him…who am I to change that?”

Deena released another sigh, shaking her head again as she left the room. “Who are you, indeed?”

DAWN OF ARIS IS COMING MARCH 3!
Pre-Order Your Copy Today: www.amzn.com/B00TC1K3J6

Aris Collier is chasing her dreams…at a snail’s pace. With little money and big talent, she works tirelessly to perfect her craft…even at the expense of her relationships. When Aris walks away from yet another dead-end entanglement with the hopes of  finally getting her life on track, the last thing she expects is a fast friendship with her neighbor, Luke. They couldn’t be more different but soon the two become an inseparable pair, leaving Aris both surprised and disturbed that Luke understands her better than anyone else ever has…

Luke Donovan has it all—looks, career, money and status. Most importantly, he has the bold, brave and beautiful Jessica Knox, a woman he’s been building his impeccable life with since college. But as Luke continues his corporate climb, he soon realizes that the view from the top isn’t so great and the future laid out in front of him is very far from his true definition of happiness. For the first time in his life, Luke is unsure…until he meets his quirky neighbor, Aris, who just may help him discover what love and life are really all about…

And He Shall Name Her Moody | An Excerpt From DAWN OF ARIS

Image Posted on February 15, 2015

The words and graphs on the report were blurring together again and Luke blinked, his eyes drifting back to the clock. He wanted to call her but figured if Aris wanted to talk then she would have called him or at least responded to his texts by now. The fact that he was the only one initiating contact—stopping by her place, calling her, texting her—was an obvious sign. She hadn’t answered her door or returned his messages in days. He needed to take the hint and fall back if, in fact, those were hints. Luke was genuinely concerned but perhaps she was misinterpreting his persistence. It was clear to him that Aris wasn’t looking for more than a casual friendship and he was…what?

What was he looking for?

Leaning back in his chair, he pulled out his phone, glanced at the screen and laughed at himself…and the truth behind his actions.

He needed to get his shit together.

When the hell had his mild interest in Aris shifted to something more? In the beginning, she’d barely caught his eye. He’d seen her around, but there were dozens of pretty women in the neighborhood. Yet, she was the one who always shifted his attention. It was just something about her…but his curiosity was fleeting and never enough to make him go out of his way to say hello or want to know her name…

Until he saw her at the sports bar.

That urge to finally speak to her had surfaced out of nowhere, but everything afterwards had been completely driven by her. He’d simply gone along for the ride—from the botched breakfast at her apartment to her decision to upgrade them from neighbors to friends.

Luke smiled as he remembered the first time she called his place. He had gotten home late and saw he had a few messages. He figured they were from his mother and Jessica, the only two people who insisted on calling him at home before trying to reach him on his cell. He was right, of course. The second and third messages were from his mother and Jessica, but it was the first one that surprised him—a long message that was left around the time he’d left Aris’s apartment earlier that same day to grab food before the tow truck arrived to haul off her car.

“Hey, it’s me. Aris. I got your number out of the community directory…who knew the day would come when I would actually find myself using this thing? Anyway, I was just thinking…not too many people know that I have mutilated heads in my apartment, I’m a lousy cook and I eat like a man. In my mind, that makes you a friend…which means you get to have the number to my Droid. My land line is really only for bill collectors, but I see they listed it in this directory despite my request for them not to. The nerve…I ought to write a nice-nasty letter to the property manager about this…anyway, what was I sayin’? Oh yeah, my number…save it…”

Luke shook his head at the memory, grinning at how she could go from dismissive in one minute to declaring them friends shortly after. That night, he’d saved her number in his phone without hesitation. Instead of Aris, he had entered Moody as the name to appear in his Contacts list.

Straightening up in his chair, he put his phone away and shifted his gaze to the report in front of him that he didn’t care to read…grinning and still thinking of her…

Yeah.

Moody suited her perfectly.

DAWN OF ARIS IS COMING MARCH 3!
Pre-Order Your Copy Today: www.amzn.com/B00TC1K3J6

Aris Collier is chasing her dreams…at a snail’s pace. With little money and big talent, she works tirelessly to perfect her craft…even at the expense of her relationships. When she walks away from yet another dead-end entanglement with the hopes of  finally getting her life on track, the last thing she expects is a fast friendship with her neighbor, Luke. They couldn’t be more different but soon the two become an inseparable pair, leaving Aris both surprised and disturbed that Luke understands her better than anyone else ever has…

Luke Donovan has it all—looks, career, money and status. Most importantly, he has the bold, brave and beautiful Jessica Knox, a woman he’s been building his impeccable life with since college. But as Luke continues his corporate climb, he soon realizes that the view from the top isn’t so great and the future laid out in front of him is very far from his true definition of happiness. For the first time in his life, Luke is unsure…until he meets his quirky neighbor, Aris, who just may help him discover what love and life are really all about…

It’s My Thing | An Excerpt From DAWN OF ARIS

Image Posted on February 8, 2015

Luke followed Aris to her apartment, careful to keep a reasonable distance. Despite the dozen reasons why it wasn’t “cool” for him to be in this situation, he’d surprised himself by agreeing to breakfast anyway.

His evening had definitely not gone according to plan. When he saw Aris sitting at the bar right before kickoff, he recognized her immediately and figured it was a good opportunity to finally say hello. He had anticipated having a quick conversation with her before he eventually claimed an empty table to watch the game alone as he intended. Buying her a drink, driving her home and hanging out in her apartment after midnight were the absolute last things he would have expected to happen.

But here he was, still following her.

He had already involved himself more than he should have and he still didn’t understand why she refused to report her car stolen, but that was none of his business. The only thing left for him to do at this point was make sure she was safely locked inside.

He didn’t need breakfast.

He had enough problems.

When they reached her front door, Aris slipped her key into the lock and asked him to grab the large box in the corner of the entryway. Luke picked it up as she asked and placed it on the floor of her foyer. He could hear her moving in the darkness when she told him to close and lock the front door. Just as he was about to say goodnight and head to his own apartment, a soft light filled the room.

“Oops.” Taking in the scene, she giggled. “I forgot about them.”

“Yeah.” Luke watched cautiously as she scrambled to gather the mutilated mannequin heads scattered about the living room floor. They were in all shapes and sizes, the apparent victims of every grotesque injury imaginable. “I’m gonna go…”

Aris stopped collecting the heads and turned to face him, seemingly oblivious to the rubbery skin that fell from the faux flesh wound on the side of the head she clutched in her left hand. “Why?”

He shook his head at the absurdity of her standing in the middle of this freak show asking him such an obvious question.

“Oh. Because of this? ” She walked over to him so he could get a closer look. “It’s my thing. Given your reaction, I’m flattered. This isn’t even my best work.”

As Aris piled the heads in a corner on top of a dark, thick sheet, Luke watched her every move. She began talking nonstop, her voice animated as she went on and on about what she’d done to her — Mike, Carol, Greg, Peter, Bobby, Marcia, Jan and Cindy. She’d named each one, having carefully planned all of their horrific fates. Then, she rambled about how embarrassed she was that her apartment was so messy and how she never had time to clean up because she was always working.

Somewhat fascinated — and also satisfied that this wasn’t some cry for help on her part — Luke surprised himself for the second time in as many hours…

And decided to stick around.

DAWN OF ARIS IS COMING MARCH 3!
Pre-Order Your Copy Today: www.amzn.com/B00TC1K3J6

Aris Collier is chasing her dreams…at a snail’s pace. With little money and big talent, she works tirelessly to perfect her craft…even at the expense of her relationships. When she walks away from yet another dead-end entanglement with the hopes of  finally getting her life on track, the last thing she expects is a fast friendship with her neighbor, Luke. They couldn’t be more different but soon the two become an inseparable pair, leaving Aris both surprised and disturbed that Luke understands her better than anyone else ever has…

Luke Donovan has it all—looks, career, money and status. Most importantly, he has the bold, brave and beautiful Jessica Knox, a woman he’s been building his impeccable life with since college. But as Luke continues his corporate climb, he soon realizes that the view from the top isn’t so great and the future laid out in front of him is very far from his true definition of happiness. For the first time in his life, Luke is unsure…until he meets his quirky neighbor, Aris, who just may help him discover what love and life are really all about…

Mark Your Calendars for 20 Days of Romance!

Image Posted on February 2, 2015

Need something to heat up those cold winter nights?

Check out the 2nd Annual 20 Days of Romance!

Some of the hottest authors will be bringing you some of their sexiest excerpts from their latest or upcoming releases…and yes, I will be sharing an excerpt from DAWN OF ARIS on Friday, February 27th. Yay! 😀 You won’t want to miss it!

Hosted by Chelle Ramsey
Every Monday-Friday, February 2-27, 2015
Only @www.writingmydreams.com

Mark your calendars for this event! I’ll be there. How about you?

Dawn of Aris | Coming Winter 2015!

Image Posted on January 4, 2015 Updated on January 12, 2015

Dawn of Aris

A Novel by Rae Lamar

Aris Collier is chasing her dreams…at a snail’s pace. With little money and big talent, she works tirelessly to perfect her craft…even at the expense of her relationships. When she walks away from yet another dead-end entanglement with the hopes of  finally getting her life on track, the last thing she expects is a fast friendship with her neighbor, Luke. They couldn’t be more different but soon the two become an inseparable pair, leaving Aris both surprised and disturbed that Luke understands her better than anyone else ever has…

Luke Donovan has it all—looks, career, money and status. Most importantly, he has the bold, brave and beautiful Jessica Knox, a woman he’s been building his impeccable life with since college. But as Luke continues his corporate climb, he soon realizes that the view from the top isn’t so great and the future laid out in front of him is very far from his true definition of happiness. For the first time in his life, Luke is unsure…until he meets his quirky neighbor, Aris, who just may help him discover what love and life are really all about…