Title: Hot Chicken
A Man of the Month
Christmas in July Series Novella
Author: LM Fox
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Tropes: Unrequited Love/Small Town Beach Romance
Release Date: July 31, 2023
BLURB
Matt
Returning to my hometown to help care for my ailing mother
wasn’t on my radar at age twenty-eight.
But neither was Ellie Albright.
This small seaside town and its obsession with Christmas
had me packed and ready to leave at a moment’s notice.
Who knew a trip to the corner convenience store
could make this holiday grump want to grovel?
Because this girl is all I can think about,
and I’m not wasting my chance this time.
Ellie
It’s Christmas in July in Candy Cane Key.
However, winning Best on the Beach is the only thing
on my wishlist.
Definitely not my blazing hot high school crush
turned firefighter who’s come back home.
July is tourist season for our little beach town.
The entire community enjoys a lift in sales
as travelers visit for sun, surf, and holiday silliness.
Yet it’s not as easy when your place of business
is a run-down gas station.
But I’m keeping my eye on the prize.
Not on Matthew Hightower.
That’s one gift even Santa can’t deliver.
This steamy novella is a return to hometown,
unrequited love, small-town beach romance
with a guaranteed HEA!
This is a standalone, but stars characters from Naughty & Nice,
A 2022 Man of the Month Club Sycamore Mountain series novella.
PURCHASE LINKS
Free in Kindle Unlimited
EXCERPT
Matt
I put my truck in park and hop out, walking toward the door with trepidation. I hope the food tastes better than this place looks.
A metal bell chimes overhead as I open the door. I’m surprised to find the inside is quite different than what greets you in the service area of this place. The area is bright with white linoleum floors and shiny gunmetal countertops. There’s a soda fountain and coffee stations to the left and the cashier’s check out to the right. A portly appearing older gentleman appears to be reading the newspaper, sitting on a stool behind the counter.
“Hi. Are you Elliot? I’m working with my brother this summer and he sent me to pick up lunch for his crew.”
“Ah, Harry your brother?” he asks around a toothpick dangling from the corner of his mouth.
“Yes, sir.”
“Well, any brother of Harry’s is a friend of mine. I’m Jo.”
“Matt. Nice to meet you. Oh. Salty Jo is you?”
He grins, and I instantly have the feeling this man is a fixture in Candy Cane Key.
“I don’t recall this place from when I grew up here.”
“What’re you? Thirty?”
“Close. Twenty-eight.”
The bell chimes again, and I notice customers meandering around the place. No one seems the slightest bit concerned about the condition of the place. I’m sure they have to pass inspections with the health department, but I still can’t help being a tad concerned about eating lunch from a place like this.
“Well, we’ve been here as long as you’ve been on the planet, son. Although it probably looked a bit better back then. Time and multiple tropical storms have taken their toll on the place. After a while, it gets to feel silly sinking any more money into it. But your brother has come to our aid more than once for the important stuff.”
This makes me smile. My brother really is a good dude.
“Speaking of your brother, I guess we need to keep his boys fed.” Jo removes the toothpick that remains in place throughout our conversation and points toward his right. “Elliot’s over there. In the deli area.” A mischievous smirk curls the corner of his mouth.
What’s that about? “Thanks.”
“Nice to meet you, Matt. Hope to see you ‘round.”
I turn in the direction of the deli and feel my stomach grumble as I’m hit with the aroma of fried chicken. Now I live in a mountain town in North Carolina where home cooking is a staple. So for the scent of these gas station offerings before me to cause me to salivate says something.
Bending forward, I take in the options within the glass case. There are perfectly prepared pieces of chicken, both on and off the bone, macaroni and cheese, green beans, collard greens, baked apples, and an assortment of pies. Hell, they even have banana pudding here. As my eyes travel to the back of the display area, I find I’m drooling for an entirely different reason. A set of shapely calves, thick thighs, and the hottest backside I’ve ever seen is bent over before me. This girl is leaning into the oven while her tiny cut-off shorts ride up her legs, causing my dick to twitch.
Hell, is she on the menu?
As if on cue, she stands to her full height. She’s probably about five foot five, with generous curves in all the right places. Those perky tits have to be at least a C cup, if not more. They are perfectly proportioned to her rounded hips and trim waste. Her thick auburn hair is pulled up in a messy bun, covered with a hair net. Yet, I can’t help picturing it tumbling down her back toward that fantastic ass. Shit. I don’t remember anyone in Candy Cane Key looking like this when I lived here. Well, maybe one girl, but she was just that. A girl. While this one is all woman.
I barely finish my thought before said stunner turns to face me. While I stand here with my mouth hanging open at the beauty wielding silver tongs before me, I’m met with the biggest green eyes I’ve ever seen. She simply gives me the once over as if this happens all the time. This curvy girl has my mouth watering when it suddenly hits me.
Wait. Do these guys come here for the hot chicken or the hot chick?
AUTHOR BIO
Born and raised in Virginia, LM Fox currently lives in a suburb of Richmond with her husband, three kids, and a chocolate lab.
Her pastimes are traveling to new and favorite places, trying new foods, a swoony book with either a good cup of tea or coffee, margaritas on special occasions, and watching her kids participate in a variety of sports.
She has spent the majority of her adult life working in emergency medicine and her books are written in this setting. Her main characters are typically in the medical field, EMS, fire, and/or law enforcement. She enjoys writing angsty, contemporary romance starring headstrong, independent heroines you can’t help but love and the hot alpha men who fall hard for them.
AUTHOR LINKS
Hot Cover Reveal Alert! 
But be warned, this office romance comes with a surprise pregnancy and an enemies-to-lovers twist that will have your heart racing! 
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