Retired at the age of 34, Dylan Parker packed up his life and bought a bar in Mustang Prairie. Small-town life would be an adjustment, or so he thought, until he met Sadie. As a deeply satisfying friendship grows between them, so does their mutual attraction. Readers who enjoy small-town, friends-to-lovers romances will fall in love with Feels Like Love by N.D. Jackson, a steamy, diverse romance.
Blurb
I just wanted to belong…
Sadie had never belonged anywhere other than on stage. A soulful singer and musician, she left home at a young age and never looked back. No one missed her anyhow. Traveling the country with one no good boyfriend after another for work, Sadie settled in New Orleans until another d-bag boyfriend decided she wasn’t enough…and the slutty new bartender was.
She left for Mustang Prairie and the open arms of her half-sister Amelia…or so she thought
I just wanted to protect her…
Dylan Parker retired at the ripe old age of 34. After catching a serial killer who’d tortured Chicago for a decade, he was ready to turn in his homicide detective’s shield.
Needing distance from his high society parents and their social climbing friends he packed up his truck and bought a bar in Mustang Prairie. Getting reacquainted with small town life would be an adjustment…until he met a copper haired amazon with a voice like warm honey.
Sadie was everything he wanted; a friend, a devil’s advocate, a sister, and a confidante. Theirs was a deeply satisfying friendship so Sadie and Dylan fought their mutual attraction.
Can Sadie & Dylan admit that their friendship feels more like love?
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Excerpt
Copyright 2025, N.D. Jackson
“Everyone gets sick.” She didn’t understand his tone but a moment later it all became clear. “What is this Ty? You think I did something to him? Is that what this is all about?”
He opened his mouth to respond but she didn’t want to hear it. She didn’t want to hear him deny it when they both knew it was the truth. So much for being one of them. She didn’t wait for a response, for him to figure out a way to soften the blow and tell her he didn’t meant it like that. She just threw her keys at him. “See for yourself that I didn’t kill your friend for whatever reason you think I’d do such a thing.” She turned and picked up the first box. It needed to go downstairs.
“Sadie I didn’t mean it like that!” He knew it was no use. She wouldn’t listen, so he took the keys and went to see about his friend.
Four boxes later, Karl was gone and Sadie was nearly finished stacking all the boxes downstairs. She would just finish them now. Hopefully, by the time she got home, Ty would be long gone. She wasn’t in the mood to see anyone right now but she needed to check on Dylan. He had to be sick to just skip out on a day like this.
She locked up and made the quick drive to Dylan’s house, running up the stairs and through the door calling out to him. She went straight up to his bedroom where he lay in a sweaty heap of sheets and blankets. Ty stood to one side of the room, looking concerned. “Dylan! Are you okay?” She felt his face, neck, and chest. He was clammy all over. “How do you feel?”
“He’s sick,” Ty said, very unhelpfully.
Sadie glared at him and then turned her back on him. “Dylan, tell me what you’re feeling.” She began stripping the covers back and bringing him to a sitting position.
“I’m feeling mighty glad you came to save me.” His smile was crooked and his words were slurred.
She gave him a tight smile while trying to keep them both upright. “Of course I came for you Dylan. You’re my guy.”
“Always babe. Now can you make the room stop spinning ‘cause it’s making me feel sick?”
“No problem big guy. I’m all over it.” She wrapped her arms around his waist. “Can you stand?” He tried but he was too wobbly, and her jaws clenched. Ty stood back, no help at all but she said nothing to him. “Okay stand again, but this time put as much of your weight on me as you can.”
This time he stood up but with most of his weight pressed against her. “Alright let’s get you in the bathroom.” They limped to the en suite bathroom and she sat him on the toilet while she ran a bath. “We need to bring down your temperature,” she told him as she flew back into the bedroom, stripping the sheets off the bed and tossing them down the laundry chute.
“Sadie,” he sang off-key over and over. “Where did my Sadie go?”
“He doesn’t sound too good.” Ty rubbed the back of head, sounding worried.
She inhaled a long breath and let it out slowly, keeping her mouth shut. Eventually, he would leave and she could feel good knowing she hadn’t caused any unnecessary drama for Dylan. Checking on the water, she tossed in a few aromatherapy balls to help. “Alright, Dylan we need to get you in there, okay? So I need you to help me. Hang on to me and don’t let go.” She removed his boxers, tossed them out the door, and helped guide him down.
“Ah, feels good.” The guttural sound of satisfaction vibrated inside the bathroom, echoing off the walls as he sank into the water.
She smiled. Luckily he was too big to possibly drown since Ty was no help at all. She found the bath sponge she bought for him under the sink. Unopened because according to him it was ‘girly shit’. Dipping the sponge in the water, she rubbed is face and chest. “We need to get you warm and reduce your fever. Stay put.” Inside the bedroom, she breezed past Ty and grabbed the bed spray and clean linens. The window was open, the bedding fresh and now scented. “Okay,” she muttered to herself thinking what else she would need. “Food, meds, juice. Trixie.” She pulled out her phone and dialed. “Hey Trix. Dylan’s got some type of bug or something and I need to keep an eye on him. Can you grab fresh fruit, tons of vegetables for soup, and meds to reduce fever, help sleep and clear congestion? I’m not sure what else he has because he’s pretty incoherent but grab whatever else you think he might need and I’ll pay you back when you get here.” She disconnected and went back to check on Dylan.
“I could’ve gotten that stuff for him,” Ty yelled from the safety of the bedroom.
She said nothing, just helped Dylan quickly wash so she could get him dressed and back into bed. He needed to rest. “Stand up for me big guy.”
“You think I’m too big?” His words were slurred and she smiled despite her worry.
“Naw, I think you’re just big enough.”
“That’s what she said,” he snickered.
“Very funny,” she grumbled as she quickly dried him off. He was a big guy and required a towel that was just as big and heavy. “Okay we need clothes.”
“I’m alright like this,” he swayed, wrapping his arm around her waist. “I only stopped sleeping naked because I didn’t want to freak you out.”
That was an image she did not need to think about now. Or ever. They walked into the room, him naked and talking nonsense and her trying to keep them both from wiping out on the hardwood floors. “That’s sweet of you Dyl, but it’s your house so make sure you’re comfortable.” She sat him on the bed and grabbed flannel pants and a t-shirt. “While you’re sick though, I have to insist on pajamas.”
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About N.D. Jackson
Wanderer. Lover of books. Romance author. Vegan. Those are just some of the things used to describe me! When I’m not spinning tales of small town and contemporary romance, I love to travel, cook, and watch/listen to true crime, history & strange documentaries and podcasts. I’m a native Chicagoan currently living in Europe who has been in love with books for as long as I can remember. My first book, Conflict of Interest, was published in 2014, and I’ve been writing books ever since! I’m a full-time writer and part-time author, traveler, vegan blogger, and obsessive fan of Dawson’s Creek.
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