For
years, I've lived by one simple rule: Don't Mess with the Ex.
It was an easy rule to follow when Laurence Kensington III was on the other
side of the country.
Now that he's shown up out of the blue to tell me we're still married? Not so
much.
I followed my heart into a whirlwind romance with him once, and it ended in a
heart-breaking annulment. Or at least, I thought it did. I don't know what to
think of the news we're still hitched.
I've vowed to never be so impulsive or reckless again. But when he brings me a
proposal that will help me achieve my dreams for Granville *and* refuse his
entitled family something they want, I'm once more put to the test.
Laurie is as handsome as I remember, and so damn tempting. His sweet gestures,
generous spirit, and open heart make it a challenge to stick to my rule.
But then, maybe messing with the ex wouldn't be all bad. Maybe it's time to
write new rules.
Is it really so wrong to follow my heart if my heart was right all along?
Don't Mess with the Ex is book 2 of Rules We Break, a spin-off series
from Games We Play, set in the small, quirky town of Granville, where nosy
residents meddle in one another's lives, great friendships are made, and silly
innuendos are a way of life.
Don’t miss our reviews of the rest of the Rules We Break series!
For book one, Don’t Date a DILF, click HERE.
Book
2
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When Laurie and I got married the first time, it had been a speedy elopement at a courthouse. I hadn’t cared, beyond a flicker of guilt that my mother would be disappointed. I’d never been one to want a lot of fanfare. But seeing everyone come together for us—everyone believing in us—made my stomach flip with a mix of nerves and excitement.
Laurie and I are just beginning to get to know each other again, I reminded myself. All of this is a performance.
But it didn’t feel that way, especially when my mother stood and raised a plastic glass filled with champagne. “To Tucker and Laurie! I’m so glad you boys have found your way back to each other. I don’t have to tell you to treasure each day together after nearly twenty years apart.”
LeRoy called from the crowd, “Imagine the fun of making up for all that lost time though!”
Everyone laughed, and I turned toward Laurie, a joke poised on my lips. The words evaporated and my heart nearly stopped at the sight of him.
The man’s smile was fucking magic, his eyes glowing with promise. This wedding reception might be for show, but I hoped we’d be enjoying a hell of a wedding night anyway, because I was done fighting this pull between us.
My mother scolded us playfully. “I know I don’t have to tell you two to never get married in secret again,” she said, wagging a playful finger at us. “You’re just lucky Laurie is such a delight, or I’d really be in a tizzy.”
“She was in a total tizzy,” my dad called out. “Don’t let her fool you! I heard about it for a solid week!”
My mother waved him off, wrapping up the speech with something a little more heartfelt. “I’m so happy to be able to celebrate this night with you, Tucker. And you too, Laurie. I’m so happy to witness this new chapter for the both of you and to see you looking so happy.” She lifted her cup again. “Let’s all drink to the next twenty years that Tucker and Laurie will spend side by side as true partners. I know you two are taking it a day at a time, and that’s good. It’s how all the best marriages work. I have no doubt, seeing you together like this, that you’ve got a very happy life ahead.”
We all dutifully sipped our champagne. The ringing of a bell sounded, followed by the chant of “Kiss kiss kiss.”
Well, hell, I wanted to kiss him anyway. I wanted to kiss him every minute of every day. I always had, since the very first moment I saw him on Hunter’s lawn, but now I could finally give in to the craving.
I leaned in, brushing his lips with mine—and even with the whole room watching—sparks shot through me and I had to fight the desire to deepen the kiss. Laurie caressed my jaw, his touch so loving and sensual I wanted to drag him beneath the table right here.
“Awww,” my sister crooned, rudely interrupting our moment. “Aren’t you two just sickening?”
I pulled away with a little laugh and shot her a mock glare. “Jealous?”
She glanced at Laurie. “Well, to be honest, a little. Laurie is one fine man.”
“Hey!” Her husband, Rusty, wrapped a possessive arm around her waist. “Maybe we’ve been together all fifteen years of our marriage, but don’t even think about trading me in for a flashier model.”
She turned a killer grin on him. “Just making sure you appreciate me.”
“I could help with that.” Wes Potter strolled up, a flirtatious smile on his handsome face. He usually wore grass-stained jeans and faded T-shirts, but he’d cleaned up fucking nice in a suit that molded to his muscled arms and chest. “Care to dance, Julie?”
His stepbrother, Beckett, was a step behind him, a scowl on his cute, freckled face. “Don’t the grooms get the first dance?”
Wes turned with a shit-eating grin. “My bad. Laurie, care to dance?”
Laurie tilted his head, gaze panning up and down Wes’s fine form, while Beckett looked skyward and shook his head, as if he was not the least bit surprised by Wes’s shit-stirring.
“Don’t even think about it,” I practically growled as I pushed my chair back and grabbed Laurie’s hand. “He’s dancing with me.”
Laurie chuckled good-naturedly, allowing me to drag him around the table. “I’ll have to send Wes a thank-you card.”
“For inviting you to dance?” I asked in disbelief.
“No,” he said, smiling up at me as we took our position on the dance floor. “For making you jealous enough to go all caveman on me.”
“Shit, sorry,” I said, glancing around self-consciously. “I might have let all this go to my head.”
Laurie took hold of my jaw, guiding my gaze back to him. “All of this?”
“The celebrating, the toasts, the congratulations. It feels…”
“Real?”
I nodded.
Laurie leaned in to brush a kiss to my cheek. “For me, it is.”
“Laurie…”
He wrapped his arms around my neck, pressing close, and spoke in my ear. “No, listen. I know we’re starting over and you’re not ready to make any promises. But we didn’t get this the first time, and… maybe we deserve to enjoy it. Just a little? What do you think?”
I gazed into his eyes, full of love for me. Full of understanding too. I was still a little afraid, taking this step, but Laurie knew where I stood. He accepted me and my reservations gracefully, just as he’d accepted my rejection, as flimsy as it was.
Every step of the way, Laurie took me as I was, I realized, and was grateful for whatever I offered.
And it was time I offered honesty. He deserved that much.
“Let’s enjoy it,” I agreed, dipping my head to kiss him. “I want to enjoy every moment we have together from now on.”
“Good, then go fucking caveman over me anytime you feel the urge,” he said, eyes hot. “Don’t hold back anymore. Please.”
The note of desperation in that plea nearly did me in. The reception was far from over, and all I wanted was to get this man alone and finally relearn the lean, gorgeous body that I’d once known so well.
Ruthie
– ☆☆☆☆
This is the second book in this series and a spin-off from the Games We Play
series, so you may find a number of familiar characters if you are a return
visitor to Granville. I would recommend that you read Don't Date DILF
first as this story follows on directly from the end of that book, and you will
be party to all the in jokes! You could still enjoy it as a standalone, I am
sure.
Tucker, the City Manager, is trying to revitalise Granville and secure its
future. When making an appeal for investors, he certainly didn't expect the man
he briefly married 20 years ago to speak up!
This is such a great set up for an intriguing romance, which is poignant,
romantic, and fun. It is difficult to understand how Laurie could be forgiven,
however, the author manages to convince us of his honesty and that he deserves
to be forgiven. The angst level is low, although the Kensington's certainly try
to stop their marriage getting a second chance.
By the way, I dare you not to laugh with the verbal gymnastics caused by the naming
of certain parts of Granville and the local retail establishments!
Shannan
– ☆☆☆☆
Don’t Mess with the Ex is the second book in the Rules We Break series.
I highly suggest you read this in the order that the author intended. It starts
right after book one ends.
Tucker is the city manager of Granville. He has spent so much time trying to
revitalize the town. When he is standing outside of Hunter's remodeled home
speaking to a crowd, the last person he expects to come forward is his ex-husband,
Laurie. They were married twenty years ago and ended because of Laurie's
overbearing grandfather. When Laurie explains that the annulment they said all
those years ago didn't get filed and they are still married, Tucker isn't
expecting the favor that Laurie asks of him.
I love this little town. The residents are all up in each other’s business but
in the best of ways. I so enjoyed the slow burn of this one, and Laurie doing
what he needed to do to make sure Tucker knew he came first and Laurie wasn't
walking away again. I can't wait for more from this fantastic little town.
Angie
– ☆☆☆☆
This is the second book in the series and even though you could read this as a
standalone, I highly recommend you read the first book first as those couples
are in this book as well and you'll have some back story. I started this book
at 11pm and stayed up to finish it, that's how hooked I was. I was drawn in
from the start and I just couldn't put the book down, I had to see how it
unfolded with Tucker and Laurie. These two are so good together. I hate how
they had so many years go by before they got their second chance. I loved the townspeople
and their cheeky innuendo names of their streets, fairs, and initiatives.
Remember the first book and Ball-Sack? LOL. This was a great addition to the
series. I loved watching Tucker and Laurie reconnect. I can't wait for the next
book.
DJ JAMISON writes romances about
everyday life and extraordinary love featuring a variety of queer characters,
from gay to bisexual to asexual. DJ grew up in the Midwest in a working-class
family, and those influences can be found in her writing through characters
coping with real-life problems: money troubles, workplace drama, family
conflicts and, of course, falling in love. DJ spent more than a decade in the
newspaper industry before chasing her first dream to write fiction. She spent a
lifetime reading before that and continues to avidly devour her fellow authors’
books each night. She lives in Kansas with her husband, two sons, one snake,
and a sadistic cat named Birdie.
Connect with DJ
Jamison
Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Instagram ~ Website ~ Goodreads
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Group: DJ and Company
Hosted by
Reviewers on the Wicked Reads Review Team were provided
a free copy of Don’t Mess with the Ex (Rules We Break #2) by DJ Jamison to read
and review.
