Allie Boniface's Blog, page 3

Heath's Service Dog

If you followed my blog earlier this year, you might remember I posted a series about the reality behind my book Soldier of Love, about a war veteran who comes home but struggles with PTSD as he's trying to assimilate back into civilian life. Writing this book was one of the toughest but most rewarding stories I've tackled so far, because of my research into veterans and PTSD and the things I learned. For many vets, a service dog provides them with a way to deal with their struggles and diagnoses while also re-entering everyday life. For Heath, the stray who shows up at his doorstep does just that:
**********


Heath froze as a fat skunk waddled from the underbrush.
“Oh, no. Oh, shit.” He’d been sprayed once as a kid and never forgot the horrible smell. It had lingered on his skin for days. I’m not a threat, he tried to telepathically tell the animal. You have a whole beach and a whole woods to walk around in.
But the skunk didn’t get the message. It waddled closer, then stopped, sniffed, and raised its tail to the sky.
Heath turned, ready to run. If he got a good enough jump, he might be out of range when the animal did let loose. Then something else rustled. Not another one. Leave it to him to stumble upon a pair of lovebird skunks pissed off and ganging up on him. He glanced back in time to see the three-legged stray dog hop toward the skunk. It growled, its teeth bared. Then, to Heath’s utter surprise, the skunk turned around. The dog barked, and at that, the skunk waddled back into the woods as fast as it could.
A rush of breath left Heath’s lungs. “Thanks, buddy.”
The dog eyed him. Heath expected it to growl again, but it must have recognized him from all the scraps he’d tossed it, because it hopped toward him with its tail wagging. Funny-looking thing, borderline ugly, black with some brown along its haunches and bright yellow eyes.
Heath reached out, and to his surprise, the dog let him pet it. He could feel every bone, ribs and hips and skull, and his hand came away caked with dirt and sand. “You’re a mess, buddy.”
The dog barked in response, though whether agreeing or protesting, Heath couldn’t tell. He squatted down and petted it again. This time the dog leaned into him, as if it hadn’t felt human touch in a long time. Maybe ever.
“I’m a mess too,” he added. His legs still shook with leftover adrenaline and the effort of bolting through the woods, and after a minute he dropped to a seat. He’d probably ruin a brand new pair of pants, but it didn’t matter. He wouldn’t be wearing them again anytime soon.
Two seagulls swooped low overhead, squawking and searching for food. Somewhere behind him, Heath could hear the low rush of cars driving by. Other than that, silence wrapped around him. His eyes drooped with exhaustion. The dog nestled next to him and nudged Heath’s leg with its nose.
He looked around, taking stock. Possibly, he was trespassing. Probably, he’d wake up with one hell of a backache. But right now, he didn’t have the energy to move. He yawned. The dog rested its chin on his leg, and that was all it took. Heath curled onto his side, found a swell in the ground to rest his head, and went to sleep.
**********

Soldier of Love is available right now at all major retailers, if you'd like to read the whole story. Animals really can change and save our lives, can't they? 

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Eddie's Kitten

Eddie West, the hero of The Promise of Paradise, has been called many delicious things by readers, but my favorite is "drool-worthy." Yum, and yes he is. But he also has a soft side, which Ash, the heroine, gets to see the morning he rescues a stray kitten:

**********
Eddie stood in the hallway, a hangdog look on his face. By himself. Ash peered over his shoulder. No model-thin woman hovered behind him. No scent of leftover perfume hung in the air, either. Ash narrowed her eyes. “What’s going on?”
Eddie raked his fingers through his hair, making it stand on end. Barefoot, he wore a pair of frayed sweats, cut off at the knees, and an old Patriots jersey with the sleeves torn off. A fuzz of pillowcase was stuck to his chin, and Ash had to pin her arms to her sides to keep from reaching up to brush it away.
“Can you help me?”
“With what? Sounds like you’re starting up a circus down there.”
“No, it’s…” He glanced over his shoulder, and worry wrinkled his face. When he looked back at her again, she thought she might fall right inside those eyes, those pools of blue, and not come up for a week.
“I found a kitten.” He ducked his chin. “Outside.”
“A what?”
“A kitten. A really small one. It was hanging around last night, and then when I went out to get the paper this morning it was still there, sitting in the middle of the sidewalk. Soaking wet.”
“So you brought it inside?” Ash began to smile. Not a woman after all down there. Just a scared fluff of fur that her strapping, six-foot neighbor had decided to bring in out of the storm. Oh, hell. She was already halfway to falling for this guy. Now he had to turn into a total softy on her?
Eddie shrugged. “Well, it was sort of…limping around. And crying. And I thought if I left it out there I’d be about the worst person in the entire world, so…”
Ash took one step into the hallway. “And now you can’t catch it.”
“Yeah. Thought I’d keep it in the bathroom, but it got out.”
“Come on.” She pushed past Eddie and made her way down the stairs barefoot. She was standing in front of his door before she considered if she should have changed into something more substantial than a cotton robe that barely came to her knees.
“I think he’s under the chair,” Eddie said. As they walked inside, he pointed to a leather recliner in the corner.
Ash tiptoed over and kneeled down, wondering if the breeze on the backs of her thighs meant her robe wasn’t covering much. She readjusted. “I don't see anything.”
“Well…” Eddie turned in a slow circle. “I closed the door. He couldn’t have gotten far.”
Ash pushed herself back up and leaned over a blue corduroy sofa with its tags still attached. A dust ball danced across the hardwood, but no cat. She looked under the end table, and behind Eddie’s entertainment center, which took up half the living room with its enormous television.
Nothing.
“Maybe in the bedroom?” She felt funny looking in there.
“Maybe.” Eddie strode past her down the hall. He whistled under his breath, a meek little coaxing tune that made her smile.
Ash hung back and watched as he looked in the corners of his sparsely furnished bedroom. This place could definitely use a woman’s touch. Someone had hung navy blue curtains on the windows, but otherwise the walls remained bare. A desk and matching chair were the only other pieces of furniture she could see, besides the box spring and mattress lying on the floor. A queen size, she noticed, not too big and not too narrow. Really, just the perfect size for two people to curl up in.
“Ash?” Eddie waved a hand in front of her face. “You still there? Thought you were gonna help me look.”
“Oh. Sorry.” She glanced around at a faint meow. Eddie cocked his head. The meow came again. “Bathroom.” In an instant, he had darted past Ash, and a moment later he emerged holding a soggy ball of black and white. “Got him.”
**********

Want to read more? The Promise of Paradise is actually FREE on all retailers right now, so you can read without spending a penny. And remember that I'm posting animal excerpts from my books all week long here to raise awareness of the Orphaned Wildlife Center, so please visit their website or Facebook page if you have a chance :) 

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All Creatures Great and Small...

Hey gang, if you follow me on social media, you already know I have the privilege of sponsoring the Orphaned Wildlife Center's 2017 calendar. And if you've never heard of the OWC, check them out! They are an amazing 3-person team who both rehabilitate wildlife with the goal of returning them to their natural habitats, AND provide a home to some very lucky, very loved, very LARGE bears.  Below are some pictures from the visit I took to the OWC last year. In honor of animal rescue, and general animal love, I'm devoting this week on my blog to those books I've written that feature a furry character. If you haven't read them, maybe you'll want to check them out ;) And I do hope that you hop over to the Orphaned Wildlife Center's website and consider ordering a calendar or two (they're almost out, so hurry!). Make sure to Like them on Facebook too, so you can see videos of their bears interacting with each other and their human caretakers. 

I'll see you back here tomorrow with my first animal excerpt of the week!

First Kiss Friday

Happy Friday, everyone! So I'm starting something new this month: one Friday each month, I'll be posting a "first kiss" scene here from one of my books. Today's featured kiss is from the very first book in the Pine Point series, Summer's Song. Enjoy! 

Blurb: 

​What if everything you knew about your past turns out to be…wrong?
Ten years after leaving home, the last thing Summer Thompson expects is to inherit her estranged father’s half-renovated mansion. And the last thing she wants is to face the memories of the night her brother died—sketchy as they may be. Now a San Francisco museum curator, she plans to stay east just long enough to settle the estate and get rid of the house. Until she finds it occupied by a hunky handyman who’s strangely reluctant to talk about his past.
Damian Knight has something to hide: his mother and sister from a brutal stalker. They’ve found a measure of peace and carefully guarded safety in Pine Point. Yet when the lonely, haunted Summer steals his heart, he finds himself opening up to her in ways he should never risk. Especially to a woman who’s planning to return to the west coast—after selling their refuge out from under them.
Summer’s mounting flashbacks leave her confused—and more determined than ever to find out the truth behind her brother’s death. But in a small town full of powerful secrets, finding out the truth could cost everything -- even their lives. 

First Kiss: 

        Damian reached over and brushed a strand of hair from her forehead. Summer's skin sizzled. He left his hand resting against her cheek, and she wanted to lean into it, to feel the impression of his palm deep down, where she'd felt cold and empty for so long. 
        "You're..." He didn't finish the thought. Instead he leaned over and lifted her chin. Hungry lips met hers, and she wasn't sure in the next instant whose hands moved first or whose voice rumbled low in the throat. All she knew was that she couldn't get close enough to him. 
        Their legs tangled. His fingers entwined with hers. One thumb stroked the tender skin of her palm before reaching down to caress a soft spot at the small of her back. She ran a hand over his hair, over the soft ridges in his ear and the bulk of his shoulder. He murmured something into her skin, a humming that set her nerves on fire. She let her head fall back, let him move from her ear to her neck to her collarbone in steps so slow and sweet she thought she might die from anticipation. Pinks and blues danced behind her eyelids. 
       She didn't want to open her eyes when he pulled back and let his hands rest on her waist. She wanted his mouth on hers again. Hell, she wanted his mouth in other places, and if it meant bare floor and sawdust and a sleeping bag, then so be it. But he didn't move. When she finally gave in and peeked, she saw him staring at her. 
        "Sorry." One dimple popped out. "That probably wasn't what you had in mind when you asked me to stay for dinner."

*****

Haven't read Summer's Song yet? You can purchase it today at your favorite retailer :) 

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Join Me for Live Video Chats!

I've been dabbling in the world of Facebook Live Video, so if you'd like a peek, stop by my author page on Facebook this Wednesday, September 7, at 8:00 pm EST. I'll be reading a snippet from The Promise of Paradise, which is currently FREE on all retailers. If you're around, please stop by and say hello!

​Amazon: http://bit.ly/ParadiseKindle
B&N: http://bit.ly/ParadiseNook
Kobo: http://bit.ly/ParadiseKoboBooks
Apple: http://bit.ly/ParadiseonApple

Friday Flash Giveaway!

Hello readers! It's officially less than ONE MONTH until Autumn Allure releases, and I'm thrilled that early reviewers are saying this about it:

"A great summer read...a sweet romance between a perpetual party boy and the local librarian who bond over his four year old daughter."

"Great book! I fell in love with it and couldn't put it down until the very end!"

 "I really loved this book, it was heartwarming and sexy."



Today, I'm sharing an excerpt, and then you'll find the giveaway question below. This scene is from early in the book, when Maxine has just moved into Nate's house to help take care of his 4-year-old daughter, Autumn, until Autumn's aunt returns from a missionary trip. Hope you enjoy it! 
********************************************

Max walked inside on her tiptoes and then wondered why she was bothering to be quiet. Autumn would see her in a moment. She stopped inside the kitchen of the farmhouse, taking stock. It was bigger than the one at her mother’s. Actually, the whole house was bigger, probably by almost half, but it was also older, with crooked walls and creaky floors and a front door that didn’t close securely. The kitchen itself looked out onto the front lawn and Pine Point Lake. Wallpaper with fruits and vegetables covered every inch.

The living room stretched almost the entire length of the first floor, with a small half-bath to the right, stairs to the second floor, and French doors that she guessed opened into the guest room and bathroom, where Nate said he slept.

A funny feeling washed over her. She’d be sleeping upstairs, just above Nate. She wouldn’t see him, of course, but he’d be there. Did he sleep in the nude? She usually did, although for the next two months it would be pajamas all the way. She flushed at the thought and then put it out of her head. We’re roommates, that’s all. It was practically a business arrangement. Which meant in no way should she be thinking about Nate Hunter sleeping in the nude.

Even if he did have a pretty good body and a smile that lit up the room.

She shook the thoughts from her head and walked over to the only other room on the first floor. Autumn sat inside, her back to the doorway. Her tiny voice recited a story Max had read at story time the other day.

She remembers almost all of it, Max thought with surprise. She knocked on the open door. “Autumn?”

The little girl turned. Her mouth fell open, and she dropped the book. “Miss Max!” She scrambled to her feet and wrapped her arms around Max’s legs.

“I guess that’s hello?” Nate said from behind them.

“I guess so.” She hugged Autumn back and sank to her knees.

“What are you doing here?” The girl looked from Max to Nate and back again.

“Well,” Max said as she crossed her legs, your dad and I—Did Autumn call Nate Dad yet? She had no idea. “I’m going to be staying here in the house for a little while,” she said instead. She’d worked out a reason in her head on the drive here, an explanation that a child would understand, but now the words tied her tongue. “Do you think that would be alright?”

Autumn nodded, her eyes wide. “Do you think you could read to me sometimes? Like at the library?”

She smiled. “I’m sure I could.” She waited, but there were no other questions about sleeping arrangements or how long Max would be staying. She supposed to a four-year-old, those details didn’t matter...

“Rachael bought a bunch of groceries yesterday.” Nate broke into her thoughts. “We can come up with something for dinner.”

“What do you like?” The question sounded heavy with sexual innuendo, and Max felt herself blush. Get a grip on yourself.  “Or maybe I should ask what Autumn likes? Four-year-olds tend to be pickier.” She looked over her shoulder. Autumn stood in the spare room with her teddy bear held tight to her chest.

Max walked into the kitchen and opened a cabinet. “Where do you keep the pots and pans?”

“Uh, the other one. To your right. But I don’t think she’ll eat it if it’s warm. She seems to have an issue with that.”

“I can give it a try.” Max squatted and opened the other cabinet. She found one frying pan and one medium-sized pot. Neither had a lid. “Do you have anything else to cook in?”

“I think there might be a baking sheet. Somewhere.”

She looked up. Nate leaned against the refrigerator with a sheepish expression. “Your parents still come up here, don’t they? I’m surprised your mom didn’t keep this place fully equipped.”

“She did. I, uh, kind of threw a few things away.”

“Like pots and pans?”

“And maybe a few plastic containers. And a couple of plates.”

Max stood and started unwrapping a loaf of bread. “Why on earth are you throwing things away?”

He shrugged. “I didn’t feel like washing them.”

She didn’t know whether to laugh or run for the hills. Instead she bit her lip and tried not to smile as she took the package of cheese and carton of milk he handed her from the fridge. “I see. Well, I don’t mind washing dishes, so maybe I’ll pick up a few things next week to restock.”

“You don’t have to.”

“No. But it’ll make things a tad easier.”

“You think I’m an idiot.”

“I don’t.” At that, she did laugh. “I think you’re a bachelor who’s used to living by himself and whose sister or mother took care of the household chores for most of your life.”

He smiled. “That’s about right.”

She glanced over her shoulder at Autumn. “What do you say we change that up a little? It’d be good for her to see her father using a little elbow grease in the kitchen.”

He tugged at the bill of his baseball cap. “I guess I could try. If you’ll help me.”

“Deal. I’ll help you learn your way around a kitchen, and you convince my mother I’m not a lost cause when it comes to men.”

At that, his smile disappeared. His gaze moved from her face to her hips, lingering for longer than a second on her breasts. “I won’t have any trouble doing that,” he said, and a squiggly feeling moved through her.

Is he flirting with me?

No. He was being nice, the way he probably was to people at the bar, the same way she was being nice by moving in and helping out with Autumn. Silly to think it could be—would be—anything more. She found some paper plates in a cabinet and proceeded to make them each a cold cheese sandwich. Nate opened a bag of corn chips that weren’t too stale, Max sliced an apple, and the three of them ate outside as the sun went down.
********************************
This book will release on September 15, but it's also available for pre-order now, if you just can't wait!

Amazon Kindle
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And now for today's giveaway question: What is one of your earliest memories from when you met your significant other? Do you remember where you were or what you were doing? Did you think, when you first met him/her, that you'd end up falling in love? Share your story, and I'll choose one winner randomly from everyone who comments to win a $5 Amazon gift card. Can't wait to hear! 

Friday Flash Giveaway!

Welcome back, readers! I hope you're enjoying your summer.....is anyone watching the Olympics? I think my husband is one of the biggest fans. He watches everything from the prime-time swimming and gymnastics finals at night to the dressage, rowing, and judo that are on in the middle of the day. It's exciting to watch, isn't it? Especially when underdogs emerge. There have been some scary moments too, though, like when the Dutch cyclist crashed or the French gymnast broke his leg vaulting. Yikes. 

Still, it's fun to get swept away for a couple of weeks during the competition. I think I've asked this question before, but it's worth repeating, especially now. For a chance to win a $5 Amazon gift card today, answer me this:

What's your favorite Summer Olympics sport to watch? 

One lucky commenter will be chosen randomly from everyone who chimes in, so stop back tomorrow to see if you're a winner. 

*****

P.S. We're just about a month away from the release of Autumn Allure, so I'll be posting lots of excerpts in the next 4 weeks. Please stop by and enjoy! 

Friday Flash Giveaway!

Welcome to another edition of the Friday Flash Giveaway! Please help me welcome a fellow Samhain author, Tina Donohue, as she gears up for a release next week. Today Tina is giving away your choice of ANY book from her backlist, so once you take a peek at her website, leave a comment and let us know which book you'd like! She'll pick one winner randomly to receive his/her choice of e-book. And don't forget to pre-order Disciplining the Beast, if you're a paranormal fan! Let's show Tina lots of love today :) 




Thank heaven for babes who like to raise hell.
 
Taming the Beast, Book 5
 
Wynona relishes her job as a reaper. Some jerkwad pisses her off? He’s toast. Any
douchebag who mistreats a woman better watch out. Lately, she’s been enjoying it a little
too much—and Heaven is not amused.
 
Wings temporarily clipped, she’s doing time working as an enforcer at From Crud to
Stud. The body count isn’t what she’s used to, but at least the scenery—that is, her celestial
parole officer—is tall, dark, and deliciously hot.
 
Rafael can’t take his eyes off Wynona. No, really. She’s a 24/7, one-on-one job. No matter
how hard this angel rides her, she begs for more. Finding a way to bring out her best side is
turning out to be the greatest challenge of his career.
 
She’s sassy and sexy, and she’s brought out a side of him he never knew existed—an
inner Dom that is only too willing to follow her down the garden path of unrestrained
indulgence. And once they set foot on that slippery slope, there’s no turning back.
 
Warning: Virtue has met its match. Celebrates bondage, discipline, voyeurism, and crazy
good sex in an office setting, fetish club, and everywhere else. The faint of heart are advised to
turn back now.

 
Excerpt:
 
Rafael stood.
The room dipped and swayed. He clutched the back of the chair and tried to clear his head. Impossible. Her flowery fragrance invaded his senses, calling to mind women from way back when with gentle smiles, modest gazes, impeccable morals.
Wynona was light years from that.
Her black top, jeans, and boots fit like skin, the leather molded to her slender yet curvy figure, her breasts ripe, hips lavish, legs long. No woman’s mouth was plusher. Sensuality poured from her. In the harsh overhead light, her hair was whiter than fresh snow, the ends dangling to her waist. Her silvery eyes were unearthly, her alabaster complexion the only delicate thing about her.
From reading her file, Rafael knew she was a creature of passion, not afraid to get her hands dirty, or any other part of her for that matter. He couldn’t imagine her in the missionary position unless she was on top, driving a man crazy, corrupting his soul.
Good times.
He shook his head to clear it. The room lurched worse than before. With his face down, he turned.
Her spike heels tapped the floor. “You’re not planning to go through my files, are you?”
He had one arm slung over the metal cabinet to steady himself. “Nope.”
“Then what are you doing?”
Pulling himself together, if he was lucky. “I need to make a report to my boss. Be right back.”
He walked through the wall. An easy matter for an angel. Not so good for the people on the other side.
There were four beings in this treatment room. Given the sulfur smell and flickering flames in their eyes, they were demons. One was a short female with a nice figure, though nowhere near as epic as Wynona’s.
He rubbed his forehead...

About Tina:
 
Tina is an Amazon and international bestselling novelist in erotic, paranormal, contemporary and historical romance for traditional publishers and indie. Booklist, Publisher’s Weekly, Romantic Times and numerous online sites have praised her work. Three of her erotic novels (Freeing the Beast, Come and Get Your Love, and Wicked Takeover) were Readers' Choice Award winners. Another three (Adored, Lush Velvet Nights, and Deep, Dark, Delicious) were named finalists in the EPIC competition. Sensual Stranger, her erotic contemporary romance, was chosen Book of the Year at the French review site Blue Moon reviews. The Golden Nib Award at Miz Love Loves Books was created specifically for her erotic romance Lush Velvet Nights. Two of her titles (The Yearning and Deep, Dark, Delicious) received an Award of Merit in the RWA Holt Medallion competition. Take Me Away and Adored both won second place in the NEC RWA contest (different years). Tina is featured in the Novel & Short Story Writer’s Market. Before penning romances, she worked at a major Hollywood production company in Story Direction.
 
FB Fanpage: https://www.facebook.com/DonahueTina1/
Email: tinadonahuebooks@gmail.com
Website/Blog: http://tinadonahuebooks.blogspot.com/
Goodreads:  http://bit.ly/1wFmIu6
Twitter: http://bit.ly/1ziy4IU
Facebook: http://on.fb.me/1Dl8DHy
Triberr: http://bit.ly/1CE2ec7
Pinterest: http://bit.ly/1yFLeMx
Amazon author page: http://amzn.to/1ChWFkO
My page at TRR: http://bit.ly/1vb7eEc
EC Author Page: http://bit.ly/1Dh9wor
Samhain Author Page: http://bit.ly/1Bvw6mL
Sweet ‘n Sexy Divas:  http://bit.ly/1ChWN3K
Romance Books 4 US:  http://bit.ly/1JPtfeS

Friday Flash Giveaway!

Hello readers! After a wonderful vacation in California, during which I both soaked in the workshops and writer energy at the Romance Writers of America national convention and then spent 6 more days exploring the state with my hubby, I"m back at my keyboard, hard at work on edits for Autumn Allure. I can't wait to share this book with you. When my editor returned the manuscript to me late last week, her words were "I absolutely loved the hell out of this book!!! They're such great characters, and you hit all the major emotions. Such a great story from start to finish." 

*SO, for my blog readers, I have two giveaways today. First of all, you can now read the first 3 chapters of Autumn Allure absolutely free! All you have to do is click here for the link. 

Second of all, the Friday Flash Giveaway is back, which means one commenter today will be chosen randomly to receive a $5 Amazon gift card just for chiming in about today's question. Since it's been brutally hot in almost all of the United States (and since it was 110 degrees in Desert Hot Springs while we were there), that got me thinking...

What's your favorite way to stay cool? Do you stay inside and crank the AC? Sit in front of a fan with a tall cold drink? Go swimming? Dream of winter? 

Share your tricks for keeping cool in the summer, and I'll choose a winner tomorrow from everyone who comments. Stay chill, readers! 

Sneak Peek at Autumn Allure!

Woot! Autumn Allure is officially on its way to the editor, which means I think it's time for a sneak peek from Chapter 1. You met Nate Hunter in Spring Secrets (and in Summer's Song, where he goes by the high school nickname Catfish LOL). But now he's all grown up and tending bar, enjoying the single scene until a flash from the past walks in the front door..... 

BLURB: Nate Hunter is a small-town bartender who suddenly discovers a daughter he never knew existed. Librarian Maxine Abbott agrees to help him raise her, but only if he’ll pretend to be her boyfriend. This relationship of convenience works perfectly at first, until very real feelings begin to chip away at their fake romance. Will their budding love end in heartbreak before the last leaves fall?

CHAPTER 1 (*unedited)

              “Leave the lights off.”
            Even with sunglasses and a baseball cap pulled over his forehead, the August sunlight stabbed through Nate Hunter’s eyelids and set his brain on fire. He buried his face in his arms. The cool wood of the bar eased the pounding inside his skull. A little. Not enough.
            “Late night?” Nicki Rodriguez, the other full-time bartender at Jimmy’s Watering Hole, scraped a barstool along the floor.
            Nate grunted.
            “You go to the Kincaides’ lake party?”
         He grunted again. Mistake. Actually, the party hadn’t been a mistake. Mellow scene, lots of booze and weed and good-looking girls home from college. Pine Point Lake was the perfect place for summer parties, with all the homes strung along both sides of the water. Swimming and water skiing during the day turned to bonfires and barbecues at night. No, the only mistake last night had been his fourth (or tenth?) tequila shot. Shit.
He sat up, opened one eye, and scrubbed his face with his hand. “I think I might be gettin’ too old for this.”
            Nicki laughed. “Used to be even a hangover wouldn’t keep you from opening this place at noon.” She straightened a few liquor bottles and began slicing limes and lemons for garnishes. “So yeah, maybe you are.”
            “Can you do that quieter?”
            Nicki raised one eyebrow, pierced with a silver ring, and sliced louder.
            “Thanks.”
            She dumped the fruit into containers along the bar. “You look like shit, by the way.”
            “Thanks.”
         “You’re welcome. No offense, of course.” She opened bags of chips and peanuts next and began filling small bowls. The bar’s front door opened, and Mac Herbert and Damian Knight walked inside.
            “None taken. Of course.” Nate pulled off his sunglasses to greet his friends. The sunlight, even filtered through the windows, continued to slice into his skull and set off miniature explosions. “You guys are in early.” Through slitted eyes, he checked the clock behind the bar. Quarter to four.
            “Finished the job at the Randall house earlier than we thought.” The two men pulled up stools and rested beefy, tanned arms on the bar. “Got anyone in the kitchen?”
            “Walter’s here.”
       They nodded and ordered burgers and fries. Nate poured them each a beer. He flipped on one overhead light but left the rest off.
            “You look like hell,” Mac observed.
            “So I’ve been told.”
         Nicki looked over from rolling silverware in napkins for the dinner crowd. Despite its afternoon emptiness, the place would be filled to capacity and beyond by nine o’clock. All summer long, The Davis Donaldson Band had been playing what they liked to call hillbilly rock every Saturday night, and it seemed like the three-guy group brought out everyone in Pine Point.
            “Were you at Kincaides’?” Damian asked.
            Nate popped two aspirin and nodded.
            “Heard that party didn’t break up until dawn.”
            Nate grinned and readjusted his baseball cap. “It didn’t.”
            “Shit.” Mac whistled through the gap in his front teeth. “I hit twenty-five and slowed down, man. Looks like you’re just getting started. Misty bring her sorority sisters to the party?”
            Nate lifted one shoulder and let it drop noncommittally.
            “Don’t tell me. You went home with at least one of ‘em. Maybe two.”
            Nate checked the taps and his stock of bottled beer. “Didn’t go home at all.”
       Mac guffawed. Damian smiled. “Good for you. Keep it up while you can. You’ll get old and settle down one of these days, and then you’ll wonder where all those late nights went.”
            “Nate Hunter is never settling down,” Nicki said as she took her place at the other end of the bar. “I can’t picture it. Picking just one woman? Working a regular nine-to-five job? No way.”    
       “Hey.” Nate poured himself a giant mug of black coffee. He’d need two of these, at least, to get through the next few hours. His second wind would hit him around ten, and then he’d sail through his shift until the place closed at two. “I went to college,” he reminded them. “Business degree. Took all that boring shit. I could get a regular job. Just don’t know why I’d want to.”
       The door opened before he could add that they all just envied him. He tossed a towel over his shoulder and peered across the bar. He didn’t recognize the woman who’d stepped inside, which was saying something, because Nate knew all the locals. He’d grown up in this town of five thousand people, give or take. He knew everyone who lived in Pine Point, everyone who lived in the hills between here and Silver Valley, and most of the students who lived in the community college dorms a couple miles south of town. Recalling names and faces had always been one of his talents, and it didn’t go to waste as a bartender.
            She was an outsider, he knew that at once. She walked with a stiff gait, as if she’d been sitting for a long time, or as if every step hurt. She wore jeans and a sweater, even though it had to be about eighty degrees outside, and a scarf wrapped around her head. No eyebrows. Chapped lips. Her eyes, a beautiful blue, stood out above high, sharp cheekbones.
         She was pretty -- or had been pretty, Nate amended, before chemo ravaged her. Shit. She couldn’t have been more than thirty years old. He shoved back his baseball cap. “Hi there. What can I get you?”
          She didn’t sit down. Her fingers fiddled with something inside the pockets of her sweater. “You look exactly the same.”
            Nate blinked. “I’m sorry?”
          “You don’t recognize me. Do you? Of course not. You wouldn’t.”
       He looked closer. Something about the eyes looked vaguely familiar, but the rest of her? No. “I’m sorry,” he said again.
      She nodded with a small, sad smile. “I didn’t think you would.” She looked down. “I don’t even recognize myself sometimes.”
        He leaned forward and rested his arms on the bar. “Don’t hold it against me. I’m an ass when it comes to women. But don’t keep me in suspense, beautiful.”
            A blush touched her cheeks. “Okay. Daytona Beach, spring break, five years ago.”
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Yes, I will be posting more excerpts here as I count down to the September 15 release date. If you want to preorder Autumn Allure early, though, it's available at the sale price of $2.99 over at iBooks, or you can get it everywhere on September 1st! 

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