Hot Alphas by Lora Leigh

ever wanted in an editor. Thank you for sharing our quirky enthusiasm for this series. It wouldn’t have been the same experience with anybody else.
    To the team at St. Martin’s Press—What a great group to work with! Thank you for inviting us into and embracing us in your tight-knit family.
    To Bob Diforio for making this deal happen and Rebecca Friedman for deals yet to be made. It’s the best feeling to have wonderful people in your corner.
    To Shanyn for keeping me together and KP for putting us together. It’s an honor to be called an InkSlinging Author.
    To Lisa—You gave me your idea. Ideas are gold. With this, you’ve given me the biggest gift anyone’s ever given me. Thank you.
    To Bethany—You ferry me through all the dark places. A particularly hard task when we both love the dimly lit moors so much. There’s a well of gratitude in my heart for you that never runs dry.
    To Gennifer—You named our book! It’s perfect. Thank you for that and more.
    The women who wrangle me—Wrahm, Naturals, FYW, and others (you know who you are): I make it through my days because of you. I also get distracted a lot because of you, but that’s another story.
    To my husband, Tom—Though I tease you for being flighty, you are my rock. Thank you for being so solid.
    To my children—I’m so proud of all you are. I hope you see me as an example for making your own dreams come true. I love you, my babies.
    To Mom—Finally, here’s a book I’ll let you read. Thanks for your never-ending support. Love you.
    To my Maker—Praise is always on my heart, even when it’s absent on my tongue.

 
    ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
    Kayti McGee
    First and foremost—Laurelin Paige. You took me on this crazy journey, for no other reason than that you are God’s angel on earth. No one can possibly convince me you aren’t the best person I have ever had the honor to meet, much less call my friend. I’m inspired by you every day, to write better, be more, be better. I love you so much. You are grace and generosity and talent personified.
    Eileen Rothschild took a chance on us that I could never have imagined, and then turned out to be the most badass editor ever. Bob DiForio sold her that chance, and Natalie Lakosil was so charmed by my Dream Dr Who Team (I assume) that she looked past my horribly awkward weirdness to become my agent. I am so lucky to have the best people in the business on my team.
    My mom taught me that reading is more important than anything, and without that I would never have become a writer. Dad, Kerry, Laura, and Dann backed that up. McGrigsby’s!
    My friends: Sara, my bestie, my first reader and still the prettiest. M Pierce, you redefined what friendship is for me. I’m so proud to be pub-siblings with such an incredible author and friend. Thank you for everything. The WrAHM girls, the Order, the Dirty Laundresses, Melanie Harlow, Gennifer Albin, Tamara Mataya, my guy, Tyler, my lunch buddy Jen, my late-night buddy Leah. I couldn’t live without our constant contact. I have to especially mention Bethany Hagen’s perfect edits, and Lisa Otto’s perfect idea. You truly made this all happen, and for that, no thanks can be enough.

 
    CHAPTER 1
    Jaylene didn’t even wait for her date to get out and open her door before she stepped out of the car. He seemed to be polished enough to attempt to do so, but she wasn’t that type of girl, which was probably a lot of the reason the night had gone so terribly. Even if it wasn’t the reason, she wanted to be out and gone from his arrogant presence ASAFP.
    Yeah, the date had definitely not been one of the best, even based on her track record. And she had a bone to pick about that very subject. A blind date, what had she been thinking? But having her neighbor as a matchmaker was just too strange to pass up. Seriously, who had a matchmaker for a neighbor? She hadn’t