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A Sexy New Novella from Mellanie Szereto

Flavor of the Day

A taste for something sexy…

Roma Denata prefers spending her time inventing new flavors at her gelato shop and scratching her sexual itch on the run. Unfortunately, her annoying new landlord is a rash that won’t go away, no matter how often they take their clashes to an unexpected level. And more than her Italian temper reaches the boiling point.

A temporary return to his hometown forces Lucas Calloway to rethink his reasons for avoiding emotional ties. His tenant makes him want more than a daily dose of sleeping with the enemy, and revealing his own disturbing secret is the perfect way to convince her to share hers.

Guilt has destroyed Roma’s appetite for love and trust seems beyond her ability—even when Lucas’s revelation uncovers a common bond. Melting her heart is a challenge he must accept, but the collateral damage inflicted from events of the past may be too much to overcome.

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Excerpt:

I wonder if Mr. Landlord knows he’s stuck with me yet. The knowledge that Calloway was probably scrambling in his wingtips for a nonexistent loophole rejuvenated Roma as much as the post-sex nap.
     She stretched as she stood, confident she could easily smack the smugness off Lucas’s face with a cup of lemon gelato if he ever called her short stuff again. While she didn’t like wasting her tasty creations, it would fit his sour disposition perfectly.
     The smell of fresh waffle cones lured her to the service counter. A horde of noisy miniature soccer players crowded through the entrance as she washed and dried her hands. “Who won today?”
     The tallest of the under-ten mob smirked at her from beyond the step-up shelf. He was usually the loudest and the first to brag about his exploits on the field. “We did. I’d like a—”
     “Hold on.” She wielded a scoop and smirked right back at him. “Swing the end of the line over here to the counter. I’m playing my reverse card today. And quiet earns you an extra scoop of vanilla or chocolate.”
     A raucous cheer echoed off the walls and then silenced almost as quickly as the kids lined up through the tables curved around to the freezer case.
     “That’s not fair. You’re our sponsor.” The boy at the former head of the line frowned and crossed his arms at his chest.
     “My mood, my rules. It’s not like I’m going to run out even if you all order the same flavor. Besides, we already won the game. No need to be jerks by rubbing their noses in it.”
     He shrugged and sighed, clearly not happy with her reasoning.
     Less than ten minutes later, she handed him a waffle bowl with two scoops of chocolate “Thanks, I guess.”
     “You’re welcome, I guess.” She shared an eye roll with his coach at the grudging thanks before a scene on the sidewalk grabbed her interest.
     Glenn Frasier stood with his back partway to her in a pair of checked shorts and an orange golf shirt. Her nemesis wore the same bad-boy attitude he’d had on since the day she’d first crossed paths with him. The older man appeared to laugh at something his nephew said and Lucas jabbed his finger toward the shop.
     “Ooh, somebody looks ticked off.” Tess’s observation was likely an understatement. “It wouldn’t have anything to do with that envelope you took next door earlier, would it?”
     “I hope so.” Roma met her adversary’s glare through the window and waved. Serves you right for being an ass. “That was my intent after all.”
     He stormed toward the door, but Glenn caught him by the elbow. More pointing and one-sided discussion ensued before the old man dragged his nephew out of sight.
     Good riddance to egotistical trash.
     “Here’s the register tape from the soccer invasion.” Tess chuckled as she leaned in. “He’s the guy, isn’t he? Definite biker vibe and kinda hot for not being my type.”

When her fingers aren’t attached to her keyboard, Mellanie Szereto enjoys hiking, Pilates, cooking, gardening, and researching for her stories. Many times, the research partners with her other hobbies, taking her from the Hocking Hills region in Ohio to the Colorado Rockies and the Adirondacks of New York. Sometimes, the trip is no farther than her garden for ingredients and her kitchen to test recipes for her latest steamy tale. Mellanie makes her home in rural Indiana with her husband of thirty-two years and their son. She is a 2016 recipient of the RWA Service Award, RWA Chapter Advisor, and a member of Romance Writers of America, Indiana Romance Writers of America, Contemporary Romance Writers, and FF&P Romance Writers.
She greatly appreciates reviews and loves to hear from her readers! Contact Mellanie at mellanie@mellanieszereto.com.

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