Rusty Nailed
by Alice Clayton
Published by Gallery Books
Book 2 in the Cocktail series
Playing house was never so much fun—or so confusing.
With her boss on her honeymoon, Caroline’s working crazy long hours to keep the interior design company running—especially since she’s also the lead designer for the renovation of a gorgeous old hotel on Sausalito. So with her hotshot photographer boyfriend gallivanting all over the world for his job, she and Simon are heavy-duty into “absence makes the heart grow fonder” mode. Neither has any complaints about the great reunion sex, though! Then Simon decides he’s tired of so much travelling, and he’s suddenly home more. A lot more. And wanting Caroline home more, too. Though their friends’ romantic lives provide plenty of welcome distraction, eventually Caroline and Simon have to sort their relationship out. Neither wants “out of sight, out of mind,” but can they create their own happy mid-ground cliché?
RATED: 18+ CATEGORY: MOOD:
Steamy Contemporary Romance Very funny & Sweet
Rusty Nailed is the second book in the Cocktail series, and once again centers around Caroline, who is happily in love with her Wallbanging neighbor, Simon. But what happens after the 'I love you's'? When Caroline's boss leaves for an extended honeymoon, leaving her in charge of running the highly successful design business, Caroline barely has time to sleep. Simon, suddenly starts cancelling multiple jobs, keeping him home more often then not, which wouldn't be a problem if Caroline could actually see him. And when it's men vs. women when their best friends break up, it adds another layer of stress. Is love enough to get them through this rough patch? Another short read from Alice Clayton, if you were missing Caroline and Simon, you will like this book. They still have chemistry, it has fun and flirty banter, and the sex is great. Some people don't like reading romances with an established couple, because romance is an escape, and established couples have problems and fights. Life gets in the way. And I'm sorta 50/50 on this. I like continuation stories if there is a purpose, but I don't really think we needed this. Rusty Nailed is definitely a fan service book. Not always a terrible thing, and it works for Simon and Caroline. It highlights the biggest obstacle in their relationship, and it isn't time. It's communication. Let's be honest, this is something MANY couples struggle with, so if you like an element of realism, Rusty Nailed has got it. I feel like I need to pick a side in the men vs women battle that is going on between the group of friends. And this is obviously a spoiler, so read on at your own risk. ----------> what the hell is up with the men in this book thinking that KISSING ANOTHER WOMAN, no matter if she was a random woman or an ex, is NOT cheating? OF COURSE IT IS!!! And I am sure if it was the other way around, they would feel the same way. Just ... ugh. <------------------- If you read Wallbanger, and you want more Simon and Caroline, you will enjoy this book. I don't think it's necessary to continue the series though. You do meet the MC in the next book for a brief moment. If you love Alice's writing style, but want to shelve Simon and Caroline's story though, you won't miss anything if you skip this, and start on Screwdriver.
Caroline giving Simon a boner when talking about sex when he is about to go through security at the airport
Games night
Simon coming home for Thanksgiving
The house
Clive coming back with a harem. Sophia and Neil getting back together
Caroline: "Seriously, this has gone on long enough. I don't want to go all Afterschool Special here, but my God, woman, wash your hair!"
Mimi: "Yeah!"
Caroline: "You're fucking hot, and you're fucking great, you're a fucking catch. And if fucking Neil doesn't get to have you anymore, who cares, because you're fucking awesome."
Sophia: "Okay, no more wallowing. I ordered it, so I'll eat it. But starting this afternoon, no more wallowing includes no more eating like a thirteen-year-old boy."
Mimi: "Boys that age have to eat like that. They have to keep up their strength for their many boners a day."
Sophia: "Can you believe I was ever worried about gaining a little weight? Look how great my tits look! Let's head over to the park and pick up hot boys. Let's see how many I can get to stop jogging with these."
Caroline: "I'll be back; don't let them cut the cake without me."
Simon: "Yes, I'll be sure to explain to the bride and groom, as well as all these good people here, that they have to wait on cake because of chitchat in the henhouse."
Sophia: "How much trouble would I get in for stealing the cake knife and castrating him?"
Caroline: "Lots. Can we talk about this without mentioning castration?"
Sophia: "Doubtful; right now I want his dick in a hot dog bun."
Oh, boy.
Caroline: "If I may interject just the tiniest bit of normal here, you need to settle down, missy, because you love Jillian. And no one wants their wedding to be known as the dick-in-a-hot-dog-bun wedding, right?" Sophie: "It would make the newspaper."
Caroline: "Good lord, how many games did you bring?"
Mimi: "I thought it would be best to plan for any and all hiccups. I brought plenty of booze."
Caroline: "Sure, because what goes better with tension than alcohol?"
Mimi: "Whiskey sours, martinis, and look! Wallbangers!"
Simon: "Perfect. Caroline was just saying before you two got here that she was dying for some more of me."
he teased, making me blush as the timer went off on my turnovers.
Caroline: "Mix yourself up there, Simon."
I said over my shoulder, pulling the flaky triangles from the oven. The look he gave me told me I would indeed be getting turned over later on that night.
You wouldn't catch me complaining.
In the end, Game Night totally sucked. Mimi almost passed out, still grumbling about being cheated out of Spongebob Handbird. Ryan spent the rest of the night memorizing the Pictionary rulebook for the next time, while Simon and I cleaned sour cream off the kitchen floor and picked cucumber seeds out from between the tiles.
Simon: "She squeezed the seeds right out, with her hand! It wasn't even peeled!"
he kept saying, amazed and more than a little scared.
And Frick and Frack? Made out with Tall and Tits. Actually made out with their dates in front of each other. I've never seen anything like it. I wanted to look away, I felt like I should look away, but I couldn't. Simon and I stood there, covered in seeds, watching the make-out contest. Sophia was pushed up against the wall, so then Tits got pushed up against a wall. Neil got an impromptu lap dance; so did Tall.
Simon: "It's like we're at some kind of swingers' party."
Simon whispered when a shoe flew by, kicked off by a Playboy bunny.
Caroline: "Or WrestleMania."
I whispered back when another shoe flew the other way. Don't think Sophia didn't notice Shoeless Tits.
When the groaning finally drowned out Mimi's muttering, it was time to stick a fork in the entire evening. And then never speak of that fork again.
Caroline: "Dammit, I hate when you're right."
Simon: "That's a lot of hating, then. I had no idea."
Caroline: "You haven't even seen the basement."
Simon: "So we'll go to the basement."
Caroline: "I'm scared of basements, Simon."
Simon: "Everyone's scared of basements, Caroline."
He laughed, and tugged me over to the window seat. For Christ's sake, a window seat. I never stood a chance.
Simon: "I adore you, and I want a home. Again. With you."
That did it. Cue the waterworks.
Caroline: "You're killing me, Simon."
Simon: "I know. I'm very cute when I'm vulnerable."
I whirled around and ran right into a sales guy. Throwing back my shoulders, I apologized, then said in a clear voice.
Caroline: "My boyfriend likes to fuck my brains out on our kitchen island. Which tile would you recommend for that?"
God bless him, the guy actually showed me some.
Check out the rest of the Cocktail Series below
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