I’m a Rust Belt writer with 3 sons, a Kindle Unlimited subscription, and big ears. I spend a lot of time just watching people and that’s where I get the inspiration for most of my stories. I also spend a lot of time chasing my sons down from trees, out from puddles, and away from questionable bits of trash they find in the park.

Filled Potential is the second of my Stag Brothers books. It’s a forbidden love story–she’s his lawyer, and he’s her client. He’s also her boss’s brother. Eep!

I love Ty and Juniper because, like Juniper, I’ve played team sports most of my life. I was never much good at them, but I still really enjoyed that outlet and the sense of calm I found working out with a team. I wanted the youngest Stag brother to meet a woman who “gets” him in that specific way.

Let’s Get To Know Lainey Davis
Q: What are the top five books that have influenced your career?

A: It’s hard to pick just 5 books…because I really get drawn into series! I love the Outlander series. I had had a rough time personally, and Outlander was the first series I was able to read again when life simmered down a bit. I also really, really love the Blue Moon series, Penny Reid’s rugby series, and the Landry Family series. The Harris Brothers series definitely influences my work–I love reading sports romance and brothers series and the Harris boys are all of those things!

Q: What’s the funniest thing a reader has ever said/emailed to you?

A: A reader once emailed me that one of my short stories really helped ignite a spark in his marriage. That’s not necessarily funny, but it really gave me a smile!

Q: What fictional character would you punch if the face if you thought you could get away with it without going to jail?

A: I don’t want to give too many spoilers to the world, but I’m so angry at Malva Christie from the Outlander series. I know, I know. She’s a victim. But she told such an awful lie. I wanted to punch her in the face for the gall.

Q: Pick a super-power and tell us what you’d do with it.

A: Oh man, doesn’t everyone wish they could fly? I’d just love to fly. I would never have to drive again. Even in bad weather, I could just fly to my destination in some dependable L. L. Bean all-weather gear. Think about it: no traffic. Running late? No problem–just soar to my destination and not worry about parking.

About Filled Potential by Lainey Davis

Blurb

He’s her client. She’s his lawyer. Nothing can happen between them. Except…it already did. Ty Stag is looking for redemption. A pro hockey player with a hot temper, he is a new addition to the Pittsburgh Fury thanks to his brother’s connections. Ty hits the clubs to celebrate his success and finds an irresistible woman looking for one night of wild passion. No names. Just heat. Juniper Jones needs a fresh start. She left behind her cheating boyfriend and wants to cut loose and forget about her problems. She finds just the right man to take her breath away. When she shows up at work on Monday, eager to meet her new client…the boss’s brother…she’s breathless for a different reason. Her new client and the man from the nightclub are one and the same. Can Juniper maintain her professional composure while Ty is in the room? Or will their sparks melt the ice and get Juniper disbarred? Filled Potential is a stand-alone contemporary romance with scorching heat and a guaranteed HEA.

Exclusive Excerpt

JUNIPER: “Why didn’t you tell me you were missing nationals,” he asks after a long silence. The truth is that I don’t know. I never considered competing at nationals solo…and Derrick knew that I couldn’t travel with the team, even as an alternate, because I had to be here with the Fury. I’ve been very disappointed that Murdo’s recklessness cost me something I care about so deeply. I think about how I’ll be flying back to a lonely apartment while the team will be out celebrating together, regardless of today’s race outcome.
“I haven’t finished deciding how I feel about it,” I tell him by way of response. When he kisses me, turning my cheek up toward his mouth with his big hand, it’s passionate and soft, pleading and apologetic all at once.
“Juniper,” he whispers against my face. As the car pulls into the hotel drive, I stiffen. There are people everywhere, most with cameras. I leap from the car before it has a chance to come to a complete stop, willing Ty not to shout after me from the open window.
I manage to rush to his room and grab my bag. I can’t do this. I can’t risk being seen. I’ve been foolish. I scrawl ‘I’m sorry’ on the hotel notepad on the desk in Ty’s room and scurry out the front door without passing him in the hall.

TY: She turns her head to look up at me. “We can’t keep doing this or I’ll get fired.”
“Juniper,” I say, my voice serious, “I’m going to figure something out. I want to be with you, baby. For real with you.”
She looks away and eventually starts to put her clothes back on. “Hey,” I say, tugging on her arm. “You’ve got to stop running away from me when things get real.”
She lets out a “humph,” but I keep going. “I’m serious, Juniper. You’ve been avoiding me for a week since we made love at the hotel. I fucking miss you. Let’s work on this thing together.”
“There’s nothing, Ty. There’s no way out of this. You should leave.”
I pull her back onto the couch beside me, half dressed. I don’t give a fuck what she is wearing. Or preferably not wearing. “I’m. Not. Leaving.” I punctuate each word with a kiss on her neck and shoulder. I feel her melt into me and I know, for a little at least, that I got her to forget about work shit and just be with me.
We turn on the television and just hang out until I realize I’m half starved. “You got any food, JJ?”
She wrinkles her brow and shakes her head. “I might have some protein bars…”
“Nah. I need a full meal. We’ll have to order in.”
I can see her hesitate about this, but there’s nothing to be done. “I’m staying overnight, Junebug, so you’d better feed me something. I’ll hide in the bedroom and you can answer the door for the delivery guy, ok?”
Except that when the food arrives, Juniper is in the shower, so it’s me answering the door for a young kid in a Fury jersey. A fan. Of course. “Holy shit! Ty Stag!” the kid practically drops my food, which I grab from him before disaster strikes.
“In the flesh,” I say, looking over my shoulder to make sure Juniper doesn’t hear any of this. “I’ll sign anything you want and snap a pic with you if you promise to forget my friend’s address here. What do you say?”
The kid’s jaw drops, so I grab his phone and snap a selfie of us together. Then I sign a receipt for him, scribbling his name from his nametag while he just stands there mute. I stuff an extra twenty in his fist and usher him out the door just as Juniper comes out of the bedroom with a towel wrapped around her head.
“You didn’t answer the door, did you, Ty?” She looks worried.
“Never fear, babe. The kid had no idea who I was and I paid cash.”

Favorite Quote

My favorite quote from Filled Potential is:

“This is what I want. I want to make love to this woman and just melt into her. I think back to the hotel and how good I felt after we finished, when I just got to hold her and talk with her about life. She’s collapsed against me on my lap now, and I just want to sit here with her until we grow old and creaky.”

Filled Potential by Lainey Davis
07/04/2018 –
GoodReads || Amazon || Barnes & Noble

The post Weekly Feature: Filled Potential by Lainey Davis appeared first on Fiction Vixen.