Arresting Benjamin by Amber Daulton

A one-night stand, a surprise baby, and a mysterious stalker. Mechanic Benjamin Starwell can’t stop thinking about Belle Hamlin, the ballsy musician he slept with and skipped out on months earlier.

He never meant to get her pregnant, but he’ll do whatever it takes to win back her trust and be a part of his child’s life. His desire for Belle drives him to be a better man, but he’s worn thin with a garage to run and his estranged sister dumping her troubles on him.

Belle’s juggling impending motherhood, her indie rock career, and a stalker who’s determined to see her fail. Even though she’s desperate to get her priorities straight, she pushes aside her past hurt and welcomes Benji back into her bed. She never expects him to slip into her heart. When the danger escalates, they face the greatest challenge of all—protecting their unborn child.

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Give us the one to two sentence tagline for your book.

With enemies at every turn, how will they survive with their lives and love intact?

What is the sexiest trait of your hero(s)?

His dedication to his hodge-podge family. He loves his nephew and former brother-in-law as though they were blood brothers. He cares for his estranged sister and agrees to help her through her troubles, but he doesn’t trust her. After he reunites with Belle, he’s determined to marry her and give their child a loving home.

What is your favorite scene/moment in your book?

When Belle tells Benji she’s pregnant. It’s hilarious how she hits him over the head with a bouquet of roses.

What did you have to cut out of your book but wish you could have included?

A few scenes with Benji’s estranged sister, Meghan. She caused a lot of problems for him and Belle, but I felt as though she was taking away from their romance, so I had to cut some of her scenes.

Tropes get a bad name, but they’re often the biggest draw for readers. What tropes do you love to write and read?

I love the “one-night stand results in pregnancy” trope, but I swore I’d never write one because it’s been done so many times. It was just my luck that it happened in my latest novel, Arresting Benjamin. I didn’t plan it, but the idea worked so great I couldn’t not have it.

What are your favorite genres/sub-genres to write in? Are there any you love to read but cannot write in?

I love romantic suspense and paranormal romance. I write mostly RS, but I have a planned set of shifter books that will hopefully come out in the next year or two.

Which do you love to write best: dialogue, setting, action, love scenes, or other?

Dialogue scenes are the best. They come to me so easily.

Which do you hate to write: dialogue, setting, action, love scenes, or other?

The love scenes. I enjoy reading them, but it’s a drag to write because there’s not a lot of dialogue, which is my favorite to focus on.

As he drew to a stop beside Lando’s station wagon in the driveway, Belle parked along the curb. The motion detector light flashed on from the old shed, nearly blinding him. He climbed from the truck. Moonlight cast a stark, silvery glow over the yard as Belle hurried toward him.

“Cool. A duplex.” She tightened her scarf around her neck. “When was it built?”

“The 1940s. I live in the right-side unit, and my landlord lives in the other one.” He rubbed his hands together as a breeze rustled through the trees. “Lando’s children moved out east, so he converted the family home into a duplex about two decades ago. The old-timer is spry but pushing eighty. I take care of the house and grounds. In return, he deducts my rent.”

“Lando the landlord?”

“Hilarious, right?” Benji chuckled. “I’ve lived here for about fifteen years. God, I can’t believe it’s been so long.” Crickets chirped from the bushes lining the covered wooden porch as he guided her up the platform. The middle step creaked under his weight. Decorative fixtures lit each doorway, and he hesitated at the entrance of his home.

“Everything all right?”

“I should’ve told you this before now, but my sister has been staying with me. She’s barely crossed my mind, though. All I’ve cared about is making things right with you.”
Belle drew back. “I didn’t think you had any contact with her.”

“She called me from out of the blue. It’s a long story. I’ll tell you about it at dinner.”

“Is Meghan why you have those marks?”

“Unfortunately.” He rubbed his cheek, the bruise barely stinging.

After he ushered Belle inside, he flipped on a light and locked the door behind him. A staircase lined the dividing wall that separated Benji’s home from Lando’s. The hall stretched to the right of the stairs, leading deeper into the house.

“Feel free to look around. The door beneath the stairs opens into the basement and laundry room. The steps are steep, so be careful.”

“You expect me to snoop? What will I find in the basement—chains and whips?”

He groaned from the devilish gleam in her eyes. “If I’m gonna chain you, it’ll be to my bed.” He shifted sideways, trying to hide the sudden bulge in his jeans. “You’re welcome here anytime.”

“Thank you. That means a lot.”

Amber Daulton is the author of the romantic-suspense series Arresting Onyx and several standalone novellas. Her books are published through Daulton Publishing, The Wild Rose Press, and Books to Go Now, and are available in ebook, print on demand, audio, and foreign language formats.

She lives in North Carolina with her husband and demanding cats.

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