Hot Off the Press: A College Bully Romance

By Kori Blue

FROM EXCITING ROMANCE AUTHOR KORI BLUE

College reporter Jax North hates working with arrogant rich boy Lucas Hargrove, but there's an arsonist on the loose and the sparks are already flying.

Journalism major Jax North has her eye on a scoop that could launch her career, but getting stuck working with arrogant rich boy Lucas Hargrove wasn't part of the plan. Lucas is stubborn, sarcastic, privileged...all the things Jax can't stand. Unfortunately, he's also the hottest guy on campus. He drives Jax crazy in more ways than she could ever have imagined—despite her better judgment—and, when the unlikely duo's investigation wanders off the beaten track, Jax finds herself in serious trouble.

A series of blazes have broken out across the small college town of Dalesburg, and Jax is trapped with Lucas in a burning building, with more than one fire to put out.

As the heady mix of lust and danger rises higher, the prickling tension between Jax and Lucas reaches fever pitch, and the flames aren't going to be easy to extinguish.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Totally Bound Publishing
• Release date: Jun 9, 2020
• ISBN: 9781839434013

Book preview

Author

Totally Bound Publishing books by Kori Blue

Anthologies

Bully for You: Hot Off the Press

Due North

HOT OFF THE PRESS

KORI BLUE

Hot Off the Press

ISBN # 978-1-83943-401-3

©Copyright Kori Blue 2020

Cover Art by Claire Siemaszkiewicz ©Copyright June 2020

Interior text design by Claire Siemaszkiewicz

Totally Bound Publishing

This is a work of fiction. All characters, places and events are from the author’s imagination and should not be confused with fact. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, events or places is purely coincidental.

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The author and illustrator have asserted their respective rights under the Copyright Designs and Patents Acts 1988 (as amended) to be identified as the author of this book and illustrator of the artwork.

Published in 2020 by Totally Bound Publishing, United Kingdom.

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Book one in the Due North series

College reporter Jax North hates working with arrogant rich boy Lucas Hargrove, but there’s an arsonist on the loose and the sparks are already flying.

Journalism major Jax North has her eye on a scoop that could launch her career, but getting stuck working with arrogant rich boy Lucas Hargrove wasn’t part of the plan. Lucas is stubborn, sarcastic, privileged…all the things Jax can’t stand. Unfortunately, he’s also the hottest guy on campus. He drives Jax crazy in more ways than she could ever have imagined—despite her better judgment—and, when the unlikely duo’s investigation wanders off the beaten track, Jax finds herself in serious trouble.

A series of blazes have broken out across the small college town of Dalesburg, and Jax is trapped with Lucas in a burning building, with more than one fire to put out.

As the heady mix of lust and danger rises higher, the prickling tension between Jax and Lucas reaches fever pitch, and the flames aren’t going to be easy to extinguish.

Trademark Acknowledgements

The author acknowledges the trademarked status and trademark owners of the following wordmarks mentioned in this work of fiction:

Wikipedia: Wikimedia Foundation, Inc.

The New Yorker: Advance Magazine Publishers Inc.

Nissan Leaf: Nissan Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha TA Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.

Maserati: Maserati S.p.A.

Tesla Model S: Tesla, Inc.

Starbucks: Starbucks Corporation

Wi-Fi: The Wi-Fi Alliance

Chapter One

It was such a great dream. Jax was stretched out on a sandy beach, feeling the sun warm her skin and smelling the salt on the air—just like home. She could taste mango on her lips, and there was no sound but the waves and the distant chirping of birds. Sure, their calls were a little weird, but then she hadn’t been back to the island in a long time. Maybe she’d forgotten some of the details.

Slowly, Jax opened her eyes, watched her bedroom ceiling swim into focus, and realized where the noise was coming from.

Oh, shit!

She kicked off the covers and grabbed her phone, struggling to shut off the chirruping bleep that should have woken her thirty-five minutes ago. What in the hell had possessed her to use a new alarm app on a morning like this?

Heart pounding, Jax leaped out of bed in a flurry of swearing and panic, and almost tripped over her laundry hamper.

God damn it! she yelped, giving the wicker a solid kick.

Of course she’d oversleep today. Her interview with Paula Cox—design mogul, legendary entrepreneur and one of the biggest donors Stockard College had—was a coup for a humble student journalist, the kind of byline Jax had been working toward for her whole three years on the school’s prestigious media program. Of course she’d find a way to screw things up, or make it harder for herself, because when didn’t she?

A knock at the door sounded as Jax was halfway through stripping off her sleep cami and panties, and grabbing the day’s clothes from the hanger on the front of her wardrobe.

Um… Jax? You up? Ava’s voice came through the white-painted wood. It’s gone seven thirty and I didn’t see you yet, so—

Jax, still shimmying into her bra and trying to find a spare pair of hands to fasten her skirt, paused to wrench open the door.

Late! she squeaked. "So late! Oh, god…"

Her roommate, as put together as always, raised one perfect brow and pursed her