One of my favorite things about writing is finding exactly the right mood music to go with the story I’m working on!
In my new novella, Beach Blanket Bridesmaid, part of the Feel the Heat anthology, waitress Ava Jordan is stuck at her brother’s beach wedding with her childhood crush, Grant—the man who walked away from her eighteen months ago after a one-night stand. She decides she wants an island fling, but doesn’t want anything serious. Unfortunately for her, Grant has decided that he can’t let her go again! Ultimately, all of the songs in this playlist represent Ava or Jake and their experiences—and they’re also the songs I listened to when I was writing the book.
I couldn’t write a book set in Antigua without listening to a lot of typical island music—Bob Marley, Harry Belafonte, Jimmy Buffet. But I also wanted to play with the fact that Ava and Grant are from a small town in Texas—this island trip is very much a departure from their usual lives. So this song is a mix of some of my favorite island songs and some of my favorite Texas country songs.
Enjoy the Beach Blanket Bridesmaid playlist, and be sure to check out the excerpt below! Don’t forget to pick up a copy of the anthology—Feel the Heat has 14 great stories!
Direct Link: https://open.spotify.com/user/12121922418/playlist/7M4ms4Za0ZMY4q54EC9Cxk
Beach Blanket Bridesmaid
by Margo Bond Collins
Excerpt:
I would feel a lot better about this if I had any idea at all how to conduct a seduction.
Finding this particular secluded spot was a good start. Now all she had to do was … the actual seducing.
The shallow cave was perfect for her plan.
If only I actually had a plan.
She considered simply turning to him and saying, “Okay. Do me now.” The thought nearly made her laugh out loud.
I’m no good at this. Maybe I should just give up.
How had they ended up together last time?
Oh. Right. New Year’s Eve.
The clock had struck midnight, and what started as a chaste peck on the lips had spun out of control, turning into a passionate embrace. They had slipped away from the party without a word.
And then had the best sex of my life.
Maybe if she reminded him of that night, she could prompt him to kiss her again. Glancing up from under her lashes, she found Grant staring out at the ocean, his lips flat and hard.
Was he upset? “Are you okay?”
He jumped a little at the sound of her voice. “Yeah. Just trying to figure something out.”
What if he was trying to decide how to let her down easy? “Want to talk about it?”
“No.” He turned and pulled her into his arms. “Talking isn’t what I have in mind.”
Words, Words, Words 