A Love Deferred Chapter Six: “Stay And Eat With Me… Please”

A Love Deferred was written entirely for the readers. Initially, I hadn’t planned on continuing the story from Unsilent Knight—it was just a Christmas story I wanted to tell. Plus, Girl Code was due for release that month, and I wanted to include a sneak peek at the end of Unsilent Knight. But readers loved Cadence and Meki, and honestly, I did too. So, working on A Love Deferred to extend their story was a joy.

Their story explores what happens when enemies become lovers, with one falling slower than the other. In chapter six, a pivotal moment for Cadence and Meki unfolds—and it all begins with the smell of bacon in the air.

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When Life Gives You Sunsets Chapter 7: “I Just Saw Your D**k”

When it was time to work on the summer romance idea that had been on my mind since the year before When Life Gives You Sunsets was released, I knew I wanted the elements to be unmistakably summery. Sun, sand, fruity cocktails, and a group trip were where my mind went first. Hawaii, a destination I love writing about, was a no-brainer for a summer romance that feels like summer the moment the plane lands. A waterfall was always part of the plan, but the scene couldn’t just be about the waterfall. And in Chapter 7, it wasn’t.

The Setting

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Lust Chapter 7: “What is Pryce Doing Here?”

Lust is the second book in the Love is Cure series and introduces us to Pryce Williams. If you’ve read my Forbidden series, then you might remember Pryce from Meant to Be, where he was a friend of the main character, August. In his first appearance in Meant to Be, Pryce is escorting his one-night stand down the stairs and can barely remember her name until she reminds him. Suffice it to say, Pryce is a player—and not just on the basketball court.

Lust presents a different side of Pryce. Although in chapter one, he’s still up to his old ways, by the time he lands back in New York City from Oakland, he’s a man on a mission. He wants his ex-girlfriend Leelah back, and he’s willing to do anything to achieve that goal.

Setting

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Pride Chapter 18: “Why Would You Bring Me Here?”

There were many chapters I wanted to do commentary on, but this one stood out to me. Although it appears later in the book, it’s significant because Jayce brings Summer to his home to meet his family and, most importantly, to show her the place that shaped the man she was falling for.

Jayce had a deeper reason for bringing the pampered princess to his neighborhood. It was a move that truly demonstrated how Summer’s love for Jayce was blossoming, despite the fact that falling for him went completely against all her plans.

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When Luke Met Juliette Chapter Two: “There’s Only One Bed And Two Of Us”

When Luke Met Juliette was one of the stories in 2023 that wasn’t planned. The plan was to conclude my Love is Cure series; however, this story and the characters just wouldn’t let me be. The plan was to release it on Valentine’s Day. However, I was working on Gluttony’s release and didn’t want anything to get in the way of that story. So, I took a brief pause with WLMJ, and when I returned, I returned with this chapter, a chapter that does all the showing and very little telling. It shapes the foundation for characters Juliette Hart and Luke Lockett to never forget each other. It was the second chance that got fumbled.

The Setting

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Ebb & Flow Chapter 5: “It Just Happened”

Whew 🥺. This chapter was hard to write. I think of it often, especially because of Naazir’s reason, which has been heard all around the world by infidels of all shapes and sizes. “It just happened” gets a new meaning in Chapter 5 of Ebb & Flow. It comes with a lot to unpack and the age-old realization that forgiveness is easier said than done.

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My First, My Last Chapter 29: “I Slept With Marcus”

My First, My Last is one of my favorite stories. For one, it’s friends-to-lovers, and to know me is to know that friends-to-lovers is my favorite trope to read and write. And two, it’s about childhood friends, which brings a sense of comfort on the page whenever childhood friends interact. My First, My Last differs from my other friends-to-lovers stories in that both characters, Ayla and Hassani, were drawn to each other romantically at first sight. It’s not like they kept things platonic because they never saw each other that way. They did initially, but the people around them, their opinions, paired with unforeseen events, kept Ayla and Hassani apart for longer than they should have been.

In this chapter, Ayla and Hassani have reunited at, of all places, his pre-wedding dinner. There are still some unresolved feelings that stem from the weeks leading up to their college graduation. There was actually a specific moment after their graduation that pivots the story to here (which I would love to discuss if you want to in another chapter-by-chapter commentary). So this scene serves as another pivot. One you may have seen coming, but when it actually hits, boy does it hit on time!

Setting

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Wrath Chapter 11: “Let her go”

Let me start by saying that I love that we all agree on one thing – Asher is that guy. It usually is a toss-up when it comes to my book baes. I personally love them all, from the picture of perfection heroes to the flaws-and-all guys, but sometimes what I find to be redeeming qualities aren’t what some readers agree with, and I can respect that.

When I first developed Asher Truesdale’s character on the page, I fell in love with him. As his story in Wrath unfolded and he showed, more than told, just how incredible he was, he skyrocketed to the top of my book bae list, a spot that was kept warm for many, many years by my absolute fave, Amir Jones.

This scene in Wrath that appears in Chapter 11 is a testament to why I love this guy so much, and for two reasons. He’s not who you think he is at first sight and, as they say, he stands on business.

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Girl Code Chapter 8: “I don’t want to be your friend anymore, Mel”

On the heels of writing their anniversary short, I have to say, Melodee and Amir are still my favorites 🥰. I love them deeply. Their love is one that seems wrong on paper, but once you peel back the layers, you really can’t help but get all warm and cozy in what they are. Literally friends to lovers, in its purest form. And this chapter exuded that. 

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