Tory Richards's Blog, page 88
November 9, 2015
Relapse in Paradise by Roxanne Smith
Relapse in Paradiseby Roxanne Smith
BLURB:
Still stinging from her recent divorce, Emily Buzzly heads to majestic Hawaii to soothe her wounds. But once she arrives on Oahu, Emily discovers that a man she assumes is a beach bum is in fact her personal tour guide, hired by her sister. With his long hair and tattoos, Boston Rondibett is everything Emily detests—despite his sun-kissed surfer body. And with her straight-laced, executive persona, Emily is everything Boston rebels against. But both have a lot to learn about making snap judgments…
As it turns out, Boston’s real job, the one he truly cares about, is running his soup kitchen and homeless shelter. Embarrassed by her assumptions, rather than lazy beach days, Emily soon finds herself feeding the hungry, and even involved in the search for an AWOL soldier. And to Boston’s surprise, she’s loving every minute of it—and he’s loving seeing her loosen her chignon and be the admirable, beautiful woman she is. As each works through the challenges of the past, these two very different people just might find their hearts are on the very same page…
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
EXCERPT
She’d been small there for a minute. He’d acted like an insane person, and Emily had shrunk beneath it. Now, her back straightened, and she came to herself as if suddenly recalling she wasn’t the type to shrink. “Forget it. But at least we’ve discovered one thing we have in common.”
“What’s that?”
“I don’t care, either.”
Boston gritted his teeth. He wished she had the stones to yell it and scream it in his face like a mad woman, like Jordan would have. But not Emily, Miss Poised and Proper. Oh, no. She merely said it, flat and without a trace of inflection or emotion.
She stopped when she reached the door and pulled it open to let herself out. “By the way, your deduction is correct. I was with Ryder last night.” He gaped at her. Everything inside seemed to collapse until the air wasn’t filling his lungs completely. With her next words, she both saved and condemned him. “I paid Kale’s debt. You’ll never see Ryder again, and The Canopy is safe.” She searched his face while hers remained passive. “Until you find someone else to rescue, anyway.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
AUTHOR Bio and Links:
A Florida native, Roxanne Smith has called everywhere from Houston to Cheyenne home. Currently residing in Asheville, NC, she's an avid reader of every genre, a cat lover, pit bull advocate, and semi-geek. She loves video games, Doctor Who, and her dashing husband. Her two kids are the light of her life.
Website: www.roxannesmith.net
Twitter handle: thissmithrox
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/roxannesmith...
The author is hosting a "reader appreciation giveaway" on her blog.
Buy Links:
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Relapse-Paradis...
B & N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/relap...
Kobo: https://store.kobobooks.com/en-us/ebo...
Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/books/d...
I Tunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/rela...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
GIVEAWAY INFORMATION
Roxanne will be awarding a $25 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn commenter, and a $25 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn host. Follow the tour. The more you comment the more chances you have of winning.
Other tour dates can be found here:http://goddessfishpromotions.blogspot.com/2015/10/book-blast-relapse-in-paradise-by.html
a Rafflecopter giveaway
November 8, 2015
Sale Ends Monday!
There's still time to take advantage of the huge sale over at KOBO folks. Buy three ebooks (look for the special icon) and only pay for two. Wild Marauders MC is included in this sale. With over 200 participating authors, you're bound to discover some new reads. So stock up for those cold, winter nights by the fire when you're snowed in and all alone:)
November 7, 2015
FREE Today Only!
Smashwords
Promotional price: $0.00Coupon Code: FV86DExpires: November 8, 2015
I will be offering this free a couple of more times during November.
I will be offering this free a couple of more times during November.
November 6, 2015
Out of Control - Chapter One
This month's book focus
Buy Link
Chapter One
“Come on now, old girl, you have to keep up or we’ll miss the good doughnuts and end up with the ones with the holes in the middle!”The good doughnuts meaning the jelly and cream-filled ones. Libby rolled her eyes, fighting the urge to tell her grandmother that she could run circles around her and her old cronies, if she wanted to give herself away. Every five minutes she was forced to remind her grandmother that she was an old friend and supposed to be acting like a seventy-year-old woman. All of which usually fell on deaf ears.She bent to drag up a sagging knee high doing her best to catch up, imitating the surprisingly rapid gait of her grandmother, while at the same time trying to insert a little age into her step. Goodness, you’d think she hadn’t eaten a doughnut in a month, not just the Monday before. Libby thought about the pancakes they’d had on Friday. If this kept up she was sure her one hundred and ten pound weight was going to double by the end of the summer!“I’m doing the best I can, Gram…Margaret,” Libby said in the scratchiest voice she could muster. Even after a week she was still having a difficult time remembering to call her grandmother by her first name. Old habits were hard to break.“Good morning, Reba!” Libby shot a quick glance next door, waving gaily at the elderly man sitting on his porch sipping coffee. “Good morning,Vincent!”“Don’t encourage him or we’ll never get away from him!” her grandmother whispered harshly, uncaring if she was overheard.“Gram!” Libby scolded under her breath, skipping to catch up. “Be nice.”“The old fool is interested in you,” Margaret continued, not breaking her brisk stride. “I’ve seen the way he looks at you. You’re new meat. He’s nothing but a big flirt and he’s old enough to be your grandfather!”“Well, he doesn’t know that.” Libby chuckled, waving back at him one last time.Her grandmother made a disgusted sound beneath her breath and nearly swung the club house door off its hinges when she opened it to walk through. Libby remained on her heels, knowing the drill by now. No time to stop and chat with any of the fifty or so elderly who’d come to the meeting that morning.The first priority was the small buffet table someone had set up with hot coffee and a colorful array of every kind of doughnut one could think of.“Margaret…” An overweight woman close to Margaret’s age greeted her. “I was wondering—”“I’ll be right with you, Lois.” Margaret made a beeline for the table. Libby grinned beneath the heavy makeup she was wearing, watching her grandmother snatch up a paper plate and cream-filled sweet in one smooth swoop.Libby paused in the foyer to the large dining room, grimacing at her reflection in the mirrored wall. She’d gotten her money’s worth. The heavy theatrical makeup she’d purchased at the local theater certainly did what it was intended to. No one, unless they were looking for it, would be able to guess her secret. And with the age limit restriction of fifty plus, Libby knew the importance of that. She’d never be allowed to live there if anyone knew the truth.She took a moment to straighten her hair, which was really a wig in the prettiest shade of blue silver she could find. It hadn’t been easy stuffing her waist-length hair beneath it. She’d even contemplated cutting off the red gold locks, but she’d always had long hair and couldn’t bring herself to get rid of her best asset, or so she’d been told most of her life. Clear green eyes peered out from beneath a pair of fake bifocals that had the thickness and color of coke bottle glass.Libby glanced around and almost laughed out loud. Pedal pushers, as her grandmother referred to capris, and sneakers seemed to be the normal summer wear for most of the women around there, while the men opted for baggy knee-length shorts, white socks up to their knees and sandals. What was it with elderly men, socks and sandals anyway? Her own father had tried to sneak out of the house once wearing them and her mother had nearly had a heart attack!Well, Libby wasn’t making a fashion statement either in her borrowed clothes. She couldn’t get by with capri style pants; there wasn’t enough makeup in the world that would give her the lumps, wrinkled skin or varicose veins that seventy-year-old women wore like a badge of achievement. Libby was forced to wear baggie dresses that hung past her knees and thick ugly support hose, or long pants, which didn’t go well in the stifling Florida heat. And she had to wear a blouse with long sleeves too, or reveal the fact that her underarms didn’t flap like a free-blowing flag in the wind. The body suit she sported gave her figure a full, slightly sagging appearance.She tried not to make a face at the sight she presented in the multicolored dress hanging almost to her ankles and gold sandals, reminding herself it was all for a good cause. Every time she looked at the happy face of her grandmother she knew she’d made the right choice, even if her parents still had reservations. It had taken Libby a long time to convince them just to give her plan a try. Three months, her father had stated with authority, three months’ trial period and then they’d, meaning him, would make a final decision.“Reba, come get a doughnut!” her grandmother hollered, remembering her name for a change. She’d calmed down now that she had her breakfast and had joined some of her friends. They were making their way to one of the empty tables, laughing and talking as they moved along.“Yes, join us, dear,” Joan encouraged. “After we eat, Vincent’s grandson is going to talk to us about fire prevention and the different types of fire extinguishers.”“Yes, he’s going to tell us how to put a fire out,” Libby’s grandmother added, smiling.“He’s certainly lit a few fires around here!” Someone else chuckled.“Gertie!” Joan chastised, turning her head to hide her own smile.Is the woman actually blushing? Libby glanced around the room, looking for the retired Adonis that still had the power to make a woman turn pink at the mention of his name. If he was the same man who’d saved her grandmother, she wanted to thank him.“Good timing too, considering what almost happened here a couple weeks ago,” another of her grandmother’s friends mentioned.“Yes, thank God Logan was around then, too.”It sounded like Logan was around a lot. Libby vaguely wondered if he had a love interest living there. “What makes him an expert on fires? Just because he’s a fireman doesn’t mean he’s an expert on fires,” she teased. She looked the strawberries over for just the right one. She popped one into her mouth, her lips curving upward at their sweet and juicy taste. Maybe she wouldn’t double her weight by the end of August…After a couple seconds of devouring the delicious fruit, Libby glanced up and fell headfirst into a pair of laughing gray eyes. Her jaw dropped, and she knew for certain that she was staring into the face of Adonis himself. Oh my! She felt the heat spread up her neck and settle onto her strawberry stuffed cheeks. He looked wicked and wild, like something right off the cover of Playgirl. The gleam in his eyes was mesmerizing. There was nothing retired about this man—he was in the prime of life.His face was bronzed by the wind and sun, and it was obvious he spent a good deal of his occupation outdoors. His lips were firm and sensual and curved with humor over her remark. Laugh lines fanned out from his eyes. His handsome features were rugged beneath the thick unruly cut of his streaked, tawny-gold hair. Libby’s eyes continued her silent inspection of the man, taking in the powerful build of his six-foot-plus body dressed in a sleeveless tee-shirt that revealed the well-defined muscles of his powerful arms and faded jeans he looked like he was poured into. She couldn’t help dropping her curious gaze to the male attributes so clearly defined behind his straining zipper. There was actually a prominent bulge there! She caught her breath, praying her instant reaction to his charisma wasn’t noticeable.Dear Lord! No wonder Joan had blushed at the mention of his name. And what gave him the right to dress like some hot stud around a community full of elderly, weak-hearted women? Did he want to give them all heart failure? Libby’s gaze shot back up to his face. She began to choke on the strawberry when it slid down her throat the wrong way.Concern quickly spread across the man’s face. When he made a sudden move to come around the table she panicked and waved him back.“Let me help you, ma’am, I’m a firefighter,” he explained as Libby coughed out of control.Her eyes began to water and she felt her glasses slipping down her nose. She didn’t care what he was. She didn’t want him touching her in any way, shape or form. She shook her head, feeling her wig slip and grabbed for it wildly. “I’m not on fire,” she said between coughs, backing away from him. Her rump came in contact with a chair and she nearly stumbled to the floor.“You look red enough to be on fire to me,” someone had the nerve to say with a loud laugh.Was that her grandmother’s voice? Libby glanced in her direction to see the merriment dancing in her ageless eyes. “Gr—Margaret!” she stuttered in a shocked tone, praying her grandmother took the unspoken hint to behave herself.“The poor dear is choking!” a frail voice said, chastising her grandmother for being insensitive. “Do something, Logan, help her.”Adonis was moving closer and Libby knew if he touched her it would all be over. One attempt to dislodge the strawberry would send her padded boobs flying right out of the oversized bra she was wearing, and her secret would be exposed. She cleared her throat and reached for someone’s water glass—she didn’t care whose—and gulped enough down to cool her suddenly overheated body. She was actually sweating, and that was big trouble for someone wearing the amount of heavy-duty makeup she was!“Ma’am?”Libby forced herself to meet Logan’s eyes. Steel had replaced the humor, turning his eyes into charcoal as they moved over her quickly and efficiently, all with respect and concern and not the least bit interest. Libby was a little disappointed. Well, how did she think he was going to look at her? With the same lust in his heart as she had in hers?He was close, yet he kept his distance, obviously not sure of her. “I’m fine, young man. It just went down the wrong way.” For once Libby didn’t have to work at making her voice crack with age. “You can go put out someone else’s fire.” Laughter erupted around her and his brows rose and Libby realized what she said.“You all right, Reba?” Vincent, Logan’s grandfather, made his way to Libby’s side in an uneven gait that was characteristic of him. Compliments of an old war wound, he’d told her. “Logan’s trained to save people, honey. He can do CPR and mouth to mouth.”Mouth to mouth! Libby felt faint all of a sudden, her heart racing out of control by just the thought.“Oh for goodness sake, Vincent, she’s okay!” Margaret snapped from her chair. “Come sit down so we can listen to what Logan has to say about fires. And bring me one of those cream-filled doughnuts when you come.”“Guess I’m good for something around here,” he grumbled good-naturedly. He gave Libby a wink. “You go ahead, Logan. Say what you need to before the old fool burns herself up in a fire. She’s the reason you’re here.”Logan’s eyes moved over Libby one last time, as though to judge for himself that she was okay. Satisfied, he gave a slight nod and turned away. Libby released a sigh of relief, still thinking about what Vincent had said about mouth to mouth. Just the thought of Logan’s sensual mouth on hers sent a sharp rush of intense heat throughout her body.Goodness, she was already experiencing hot flashes!
* * * *
“Wasn’t that interesting? Logan sure is a handsome devil and he knows what he’s talking about too. If it weren’t for him I wouldn’t be here today.”Libby grinned, deciding not to remind her grandmother that the little grease fire she’d caused had hardly been life threatening since it had happened out of doors during a cookout at the pool.“Maybe next time you’ll make sure whatever you toss into a cardboard box isn’t still on fire,” Libby quipped, noticing how slowly her grandmother walked when there wasn’t the promise of free coffee and doughnuts at the end of her trek.She couldn’t argue with her comments concerning Logan. He was more handsome than any man had a right to be. And just thinking about him stirred Libby’s blood surprisingly fast. She reached up and wiped the sweat off her upper lip. If she didn’t get out of these clothes soon and cool down she was going to suffer heatstroke.Her grandmother decided to ignore her comment about the fire. “Did you happen to notice how gray Logan’s eyes were?”As gray as silver lightning and just as exciting. “Yes,” Libby responded.“Did you notice how tall he is?”At least six foot four. “Yes.”“And those manly muscles! Did you notice how well built he is?”Like the Viking warrior on the cover of the romance novel she was reading. “Yes.”“And that face. Have you ever seen such a strong, handsome face? You should see him when he’s all dressed up in his fireman garb. Vincent has pictures.”Finally her grandmother’s words got through to her.“Gram, if I didn’t know better I’d swear you have a crush on the man, when you should be interested in Vincent. He told me he’s been a widower for three years. I think he’s lonely.”Margaret snorted. “He’s a tomcat on the prowl, chases anything in skirts.”Libby’s brows arched high on her forehead. She’d been living with her grandmother for a week now and hadn’t seen anyone in a skirt. She started to pluck at her loose blouse. The heat was getting to her and it was only ten in the morning. She’d love to be able to throw on a tank top and pair of shorts.Wouldn’t that cause a stir!“Oh dear!” Libby followed her grandmother’s gaze, glancing up the huge oak tree until her eyes fell on the object of her interest, calmly sitting on a branch as though it was a throne.“So, that’s where Rufus has been. Poor dear is probably stuck up there and can’t get down.”“I’m sure he’ll come down when he gets hungry enough,” Libby pointed out, shooting the old tomcat a scowl. She and Rufus didn’t get along. And on top of that, she was tired of having to rescue him from the same predicament. Her grandmother seemed to have a selective memory when it came to remembering that Rufus had managed to come down the tree all by himself until she moved in.“But what if he doesn’t? I can’t bear the thought of him being hungry. He’s been up there for at least two days already.”“He’s probably made a meal of some poor old bird,” Libby said, continuing toward the house. “There’s probably a nest full of helpless babies he’s tormenting.”“Come on, Rufus, come on down, baby. Come to Mama.”Releasing a long breath, Libby halted when she heard her grandmother gently calling to her old cat. Guilt consumed her when she thought of how much her grandmother loved that beast. Libby couldn’t just go inside and not do something.“Here, kitty, kitty.”Libby frowned; Rufus hadn’t been a kitty for a long time. “Gram…” She quickly looked around when she realized her mistake. “Margaret, he’ll come down when he’s ready.”“No, he won’t. He’ll go hungry. Or maybe he’ll fall because he’s so weak from hunger.”“I can’t go up there after him, Gram,” Libby said beneath her breath. “I’m supposed to be an old woman, remember?”The sudden gleam in her grandmother’s eyes should have warned Libby. “No, but you can go up there as my visiting granddaughter,” she pointed out without hesitation. “You have before.”Libby glanced up at Rufus, then back at her worried grandmother. She couldn’t argue with that, and besides, she was hotter than heck. The thought of slipping into something cooler, if just for a few moments, decided it for her. “Just give me a few minutes while I run inside and change.” Maybe if she were lucky Rufus would come down while she was changing.It didn’t take her long to strip out of her clothes and peel the cumbersome body suit down. She groaned when the cool air hit her warm body, and then wiggled into a pair of cutoff jeans and a tank top. Snatching off the wig, she shook her hair free then quickly removed her makeup and washed her face before heading outside.“I haven’t climbed that tree in at least five days, Gram, so you might end up with both of us stuck up there,” Libby said sarcastically, grasping the first limb and hoisting her up.“I’ll call the fire department if that happens, dear.” Margaret laughed softly.Libby released a grunt when she slipped, just managing to grab a branch in time. It didn’t take her long to reach the limb Rufus was perched on. For a moment they eyed each other with disdain. “Come on, Rufus.” Libby reached for the overweight orange feline. But as soon as she held her arms out, he released a hiss and scampered further up the tree. “Rufus! You…” She bit down on her lip to keep from swearing. He was higher than he’d ever gone.“Careful, dear, don’t fall,” Margaret cautioned from below.“I’m okay,” Libby grumbled, glaring at Rufus, who remained just out of reach as if he knew the trouble he was causing and enjoying every second of it. “But I’m not making any promises about Rufus,” she finished in a low tone so her grandmother wouldn’t hear. “Come on, Rufus, give me a break. I just want to get you down so Gram will stop worrying about you. Aren’t you hungry?” He didn’t look hungry; he looked like he could miss a week of meals and be okay. Libby continued to climb. “If I didn’t love Gram, you’d stay up in this tree until Christmas.”“Not too high, dear!” Margaret warned loudly.Libby could hear muffled voices beneath her, aware someone had joined her grandmother. Probably one of her neighbors. She didn’t glance down, keeping Rufus in eyesight as she continued to climb the giant oak. Once again she was within grabbing distance, only this time she didn’t lunge. If he climbed much higher she wouldn’t be able to follow him.She offered the grinning cat a smile. “Hello, Rufus, you mean, ugly, smelly old cat,” Libby said in the sweetest voice she could muster. “You see that sweet little old lady down there? She loves you, so be a nice kitty and come here so we can both get out of this tree.”All of a sudden Rufus’s eyes got big, his back arched like a tightly strung bow, and he hissed like Libby had never heard him hiss. For a moment she reared back, afraid he was going to lunge at her with his exposed claws. She forgot where she was, losing her balance. As she fell back, she let out a scream of pure fright.
Buy LinkChapter One
“Come on now, old girl, you have to keep up or we’ll miss the good doughnuts and end up with the ones with the holes in the middle!”The good doughnuts meaning the jelly and cream-filled ones. Libby rolled her eyes, fighting the urge to tell her grandmother that she could run circles around her and her old cronies, if she wanted to give herself away. Every five minutes she was forced to remind her grandmother that she was an old friend and supposed to be acting like a seventy-year-old woman. All of which usually fell on deaf ears.She bent to drag up a sagging knee high doing her best to catch up, imitating the surprisingly rapid gait of her grandmother, while at the same time trying to insert a little age into her step. Goodness, you’d think she hadn’t eaten a doughnut in a month, not just the Monday before. Libby thought about the pancakes they’d had on Friday. If this kept up she was sure her one hundred and ten pound weight was going to double by the end of the summer!“I’m doing the best I can, Gram…Margaret,” Libby said in the scratchiest voice she could muster. Even after a week she was still having a difficult time remembering to call her grandmother by her first name. Old habits were hard to break.“Good morning, Reba!” Libby shot a quick glance next door, waving gaily at the elderly man sitting on his porch sipping coffee. “Good morning,Vincent!”“Don’t encourage him or we’ll never get away from him!” her grandmother whispered harshly, uncaring if she was overheard.“Gram!” Libby scolded under her breath, skipping to catch up. “Be nice.”“The old fool is interested in you,” Margaret continued, not breaking her brisk stride. “I’ve seen the way he looks at you. You’re new meat. He’s nothing but a big flirt and he’s old enough to be your grandfather!”“Well, he doesn’t know that.” Libby chuckled, waving back at him one last time.Her grandmother made a disgusted sound beneath her breath and nearly swung the club house door off its hinges when she opened it to walk through. Libby remained on her heels, knowing the drill by now. No time to stop and chat with any of the fifty or so elderly who’d come to the meeting that morning.The first priority was the small buffet table someone had set up with hot coffee and a colorful array of every kind of doughnut one could think of.“Margaret…” An overweight woman close to Margaret’s age greeted her. “I was wondering—”“I’ll be right with you, Lois.” Margaret made a beeline for the table. Libby grinned beneath the heavy makeup she was wearing, watching her grandmother snatch up a paper plate and cream-filled sweet in one smooth swoop.Libby paused in the foyer to the large dining room, grimacing at her reflection in the mirrored wall. She’d gotten her money’s worth. The heavy theatrical makeup she’d purchased at the local theater certainly did what it was intended to. No one, unless they were looking for it, would be able to guess her secret. And with the age limit restriction of fifty plus, Libby knew the importance of that. She’d never be allowed to live there if anyone knew the truth.She took a moment to straighten her hair, which was really a wig in the prettiest shade of blue silver she could find. It hadn’t been easy stuffing her waist-length hair beneath it. She’d even contemplated cutting off the red gold locks, but she’d always had long hair and couldn’t bring herself to get rid of her best asset, or so she’d been told most of her life. Clear green eyes peered out from beneath a pair of fake bifocals that had the thickness and color of coke bottle glass.Libby glanced around and almost laughed out loud. Pedal pushers, as her grandmother referred to capris, and sneakers seemed to be the normal summer wear for most of the women around there, while the men opted for baggy knee-length shorts, white socks up to their knees and sandals. What was it with elderly men, socks and sandals anyway? Her own father had tried to sneak out of the house once wearing them and her mother had nearly had a heart attack!Well, Libby wasn’t making a fashion statement either in her borrowed clothes. She couldn’t get by with capri style pants; there wasn’t enough makeup in the world that would give her the lumps, wrinkled skin or varicose veins that seventy-year-old women wore like a badge of achievement. Libby was forced to wear baggie dresses that hung past her knees and thick ugly support hose, or long pants, which didn’t go well in the stifling Florida heat. And she had to wear a blouse with long sleeves too, or reveal the fact that her underarms didn’t flap like a free-blowing flag in the wind. The body suit she sported gave her figure a full, slightly sagging appearance.She tried not to make a face at the sight she presented in the multicolored dress hanging almost to her ankles and gold sandals, reminding herself it was all for a good cause. Every time she looked at the happy face of her grandmother she knew she’d made the right choice, even if her parents still had reservations. It had taken Libby a long time to convince them just to give her plan a try. Three months, her father had stated with authority, three months’ trial period and then they’d, meaning him, would make a final decision.“Reba, come get a doughnut!” her grandmother hollered, remembering her name for a change. She’d calmed down now that she had her breakfast and had joined some of her friends. They were making their way to one of the empty tables, laughing and talking as they moved along.“Yes, join us, dear,” Joan encouraged. “After we eat, Vincent’s grandson is going to talk to us about fire prevention and the different types of fire extinguishers.”“Yes, he’s going to tell us how to put a fire out,” Libby’s grandmother added, smiling.“He’s certainly lit a few fires around here!” Someone else chuckled.“Gertie!” Joan chastised, turning her head to hide her own smile.Is the woman actually blushing? Libby glanced around the room, looking for the retired Adonis that still had the power to make a woman turn pink at the mention of his name. If he was the same man who’d saved her grandmother, she wanted to thank him.“Good timing too, considering what almost happened here a couple weeks ago,” another of her grandmother’s friends mentioned.“Yes, thank God Logan was around then, too.”It sounded like Logan was around a lot. Libby vaguely wondered if he had a love interest living there. “What makes him an expert on fires? Just because he’s a fireman doesn’t mean he’s an expert on fires,” she teased. She looked the strawberries over for just the right one. She popped one into her mouth, her lips curving upward at their sweet and juicy taste. Maybe she wouldn’t double her weight by the end of August…After a couple seconds of devouring the delicious fruit, Libby glanced up and fell headfirst into a pair of laughing gray eyes. Her jaw dropped, and she knew for certain that she was staring into the face of Adonis himself. Oh my! She felt the heat spread up her neck and settle onto her strawberry stuffed cheeks. He looked wicked and wild, like something right off the cover of Playgirl. The gleam in his eyes was mesmerizing. There was nothing retired about this man—he was in the prime of life.His face was bronzed by the wind and sun, and it was obvious he spent a good deal of his occupation outdoors. His lips were firm and sensual and curved with humor over her remark. Laugh lines fanned out from his eyes. His handsome features were rugged beneath the thick unruly cut of his streaked, tawny-gold hair. Libby’s eyes continued her silent inspection of the man, taking in the powerful build of his six-foot-plus body dressed in a sleeveless tee-shirt that revealed the well-defined muscles of his powerful arms and faded jeans he looked like he was poured into. She couldn’t help dropping her curious gaze to the male attributes so clearly defined behind his straining zipper. There was actually a prominent bulge there! She caught her breath, praying her instant reaction to his charisma wasn’t noticeable.Dear Lord! No wonder Joan had blushed at the mention of his name. And what gave him the right to dress like some hot stud around a community full of elderly, weak-hearted women? Did he want to give them all heart failure? Libby’s gaze shot back up to his face. She began to choke on the strawberry when it slid down her throat the wrong way.Concern quickly spread across the man’s face. When he made a sudden move to come around the table she panicked and waved him back.“Let me help you, ma’am, I’m a firefighter,” he explained as Libby coughed out of control.Her eyes began to water and she felt her glasses slipping down her nose. She didn’t care what he was. She didn’t want him touching her in any way, shape or form. She shook her head, feeling her wig slip and grabbed for it wildly. “I’m not on fire,” she said between coughs, backing away from him. Her rump came in contact with a chair and she nearly stumbled to the floor.“You look red enough to be on fire to me,” someone had the nerve to say with a loud laugh.Was that her grandmother’s voice? Libby glanced in her direction to see the merriment dancing in her ageless eyes. “Gr—Margaret!” she stuttered in a shocked tone, praying her grandmother took the unspoken hint to behave herself.“The poor dear is choking!” a frail voice said, chastising her grandmother for being insensitive. “Do something, Logan, help her.”Adonis was moving closer and Libby knew if he touched her it would all be over. One attempt to dislodge the strawberry would send her padded boobs flying right out of the oversized bra she was wearing, and her secret would be exposed. She cleared her throat and reached for someone’s water glass—she didn’t care whose—and gulped enough down to cool her suddenly overheated body. She was actually sweating, and that was big trouble for someone wearing the amount of heavy-duty makeup she was!“Ma’am?”Libby forced herself to meet Logan’s eyes. Steel had replaced the humor, turning his eyes into charcoal as they moved over her quickly and efficiently, all with respect and concern and not the least bit interest. Libby was a little disappointed. Well, how did she think he was going to look at her? With the same lust in his heart as she had in hers?He was close, yet he kept his distance, obviously not sure of her. “I’m fine, young man. It just went down the wrong way.” For once Libby didn’t have to work at making her voice crack with age. “You can go put out someone else’s fire.” Laughter erupted around her and his brows rose and Libby realized what she said.“You all right, Reba?” Vincent, Logan’s grandfather, made his way to Libby’s side in an uneven gait that was characteristic of him. Compliments of an old war wound, he’d told her. “Logan’s trained to save people, honey. He can do CPR and mouth to mouth.”Mouth to mouth! Libby felt faint all of a sudden, her heart racing out of control by just the thought.“Oh for goodness sake, Vincent, she’s okay!” Margaret snapped from her chair. “Come sit down so we can listen to what Logan has to say about fires. And bring me one of those cream-filled doughnuts when you come.”“Guess I’m good for something around here,” he grumbled good-naturedly. He gave Libby a wink. “You go ahead, Logan. Say what you need to before the old fool burns herself up in a fire. She’s the reason you’re here.”Logan’s eyes moved over Libby one last time, as though to judge for himself that she was okay. Satisfied, he gave a slight nod and turned away. Libby released a sigh of relief, still thinking about what Vincent had said about mouth to mouth. Just the thought of Logan’s sensual mouth on hers sent a sharp rush of intense heat throughout her body.Goodness, she was already experiencing hot flashes!
* * * *
“Wasn’t that interesting? Logan sure is a handsome devil and he knows what he’s talking about too. If it weren’t for him I wouldn’t be here today.”Libby grinned, deciding not to remind her grandmother that the little grease fire she’d caused had hardly been life threatening since it had happened out of doors during a cookout at the pool.“Maybe next time you’ll make sure whatever you toss into a cardboard box isn’t still on fire,” Libby quipped, noticing how slowly her grandmother walked when there wasn’t the promise of free coffee and doughnuts at the end of her trek.She couldn’t argue with her comments concerning Logan. He was more handsome than any man had a right to be. And just thinking about him stirred Libby’s blood surprisingly fast. She reached up and wiped the sweat off her upper lip. If she didn’t get out of these clothes soon and cool down she was going to suffer heatstroke.Her grandmother decided to ignore her comment about the fire. “Did you happen to notice how gray Logan’s eyes were?”As gray as silver lightning and just as exciting. “Yes,” Libby responded.“Did you notice how tall he is?”At least six foot four. “Yes.”“And those manly muscles! Did you notice how well built he is?”Like the Viking warrior on the cover of the romance novel she was reading. “Yes.”“And that face. Have you ever seen such a strong, handsome face? You should see him when he’s all dressed up in his fireman garb. Vincent has pictures.”Finally her grandmother’s words got through to her.“Gram, if I didn’t know better I’d swear you have a crush on the man, when you should be interested in Vincent. He told me he’s been a widower for three years. I think he’s lonely.”Margaret snorted. “He’s a tomcat on the prowl, chases anything in skirts.”Libby’s brows arched high on her forehead. She’d been living with her grandmother for a week now and hadn’t seen anyone in a skirt. She started to pluck at her loose blouse. The heat was getting to her and it was only ten in the morning. She’d love to be able to throw on a tank top and pair of shorts.Wouldn’t that cause a stir!“Oh dear!” Libby followed her grandmother’s gaze, glancing up the huge oak tree until her eyes fell on the object of her interest, calmly sitting on a branch as though it was a throne.“So, that’s where Rufus has been. Poor dear is probably stuck up there and can’t get down.”“I’m sure he’ll come down when he gets hungry enough,” Libby pointed out, shooting the old tomcat a scowl. She and Rufus didn’t get along. And on top of that, she was tired of having to rescue him from the same predicament. Her grandmother seemed to have a selective memory when it came to remembering that Rufus had managed to come down the tree all by himself until she moved in.“But what if he doesn’t? I can’t bear the thought of him being hungry. He’s been up there for at least two days already.”“He’s probably made a meal of some poor old bird,” Libby said, continuing toward the house. “There’s probably a nest full of helpless babies he’s tormenting.”“Come on, Rufus, come on down, baby. Come to Mama.”Releasing a long breath, Libby halted when she heard her grandmother gently calling to her old cat. Guilt consumed her when she thought of how much her grandmother loved that beast. Libby couldn’t just go inside and not do something.“Here, kitty, kitty.”Libby frowned; Rufus hadn’t been a kitty for a long time. “Gram…” She quickly looked around when she realized her mistake. “Margaret, he’ll come down when he’s ready.”“No, he won’t. He’ll go hungry. Or maybe he’ll fall because he’s so weak from hunger.”“I can’t go up there after him, Gram,” Libby said beneath her breath. “I’m supposed to be an old woman, remember?”The sudden gleam in her grandmother’s eyes should have warned Libby. “No, but you can go up there as my visiting granddaughter,” she pointed out without hesitation. “You have before.”Libby glanced up at Rufus, then back at her worried grandmother. She couldn’t argue with that, and besides, she was hotter than heck. The thought of slipping into something cooler, if just for a few moments, decided it for her. “Just give me a few minutes while I run inside and change.” Maybe if she were lucky Rufus would come down while she was changing.It didn’t take her long to strip out of her clothes and peel the cumbersome body suit down. She groaned when the cool air hit her warm body, and then wiggled into a pair of cutoff jeans and a tank top. Snatching off the wig, she shook her hair free then quickly removed her makeup and washed her face before heading outside.“I haven’t climbed that tree in at least five days, Gram, so you might end up with both of us stuck up there,” Libby said sarcastically, grasping the first limb and hoisting her up.“I’ll call the fire department if that happens, dear.” Margaret laughed softly.Libby released a grunt when she slipped, just managing to grab a branch in time. It didn’t take her long to reach the limb Rufus was perched on. For a moment they eyed each other with disdain. “Come on, Rufus.” Libby reached for the overweight orange feline. But as soon as she held her arms out, he released a hiss and scampered further up the tree. “Rufus! You…” She bit down on her lip to keep from swearing. He was higher than he’d ever gone.“Careful, dear, don’t fall,” Margaret cautioned from below.“I’m okay,” Libby grumbled, glaring at Rufus, who remained just out of reach as if he knew the trouble he was causing and enjoying every second of it. “But I’m not making any promises about Rufus,” she finished in a low tone so her grandmother wouldn’t hear. “Come on, Rufus, give me a break. I just want to get you down so Gram will stop worrying about you. Aren’t you hungry?” He didn’t look hungry; he looked like he could miss a week of meals and be okay. Libby continued to climb. “If I didn’t love Gram, you’d stay up in this tree until Christmas.”“Not too high, dear!” Margaret warned loudly.Libby could hear muffled voices beneath her, aware someone had joined her grandmother. Probably one of her neighbors. She didn’t glance down, keeping Rufus in eyesight as she continued to climb the giant oak. Once again she was within grabbing distance, only this time she didn’t lunge. If he climbed much higher she wouldn’t be able to follow him.She offered the grinning cat a smile. “Hello, Rufus, you mean, ugly, smelly old cat,” Libby said in the sweetest voice she could muster. “You see that sweet little old lady down there? She loves you, so be a nice kitty and come here so we can both get out of this tree.”All of a sudden Rufus’s eyes got big, his back arched like a tightly strung bow, and he hissed like Libby had never heard him hiss. For a moment she reared back, afraid he was going to lunge at her with his exposed claws. She forgot where she was, losing her balance. As she fell back, she let out a scream of pure fright.
November 5, 2015
Big Sale at Kobo!
Lookie! Lookie! Purchase 3 ebooks and only pay for 2 until Monday. Over 200 authors are participating in this huge event. More information here. Be sure and look for the special icon. Wild Marauders MC - Lynch is included in this sale!
November 3, 2015
November 1, 2015
All Romance Ebooks Best Sellers
I had a pleasant surprise while checking out my book page at
All Romance Ebooks
last night. Another one of my books, Nothing but Trouble, has a little star next to the title that indicates it's on their best sellers list! Cool! Below is my list of their best sellers.
Nothing but TroubleBig, Black and BeautifulThe Mercenary WayBishop's AngelTouch MeSEAL of ApprovalThe Mating RitualA Perfect Fit
Nothing but TroubleBig, Black and BeautifulThe Mercenary WayBishop's AngelTouch MeSEAL of ApprovalThe Mating RitualA Perfect Fit
November Book Focus
Buy LinkLogan Knight is recuperating from a fire that killed his two best friends. Libby Turner is on a mission to keep her beloved grandmother out of an assisted living facility. From the moment the two meet, sparks fly and they can't keep their hands off each other. Can they stick to their plan of keeping their relationship strictly sexual or do they give in to the love that claims their hearts?Excerpt-
Logan was thinking about how close he’d come to making that decision when a small sound penetrated his silent musings. He was resting against the edge of the pool, water lapping around his neck. He turned his head enough to see someone doing the very thing he’d done a few minutes earlier, only with a little more grace. Damn, all he’d wanted was a nice quiet swim alone. Maybe with a little luck they’d never notice he was there in the shadows. He remained quiet.
It was too dark to see who it was but once they stepped into the moonlight and dropped their towel Logan got a clear view of a slim form and jutting breasts. As the woman continued to the deep end he sucked in his breath, his heart literally ceased beating. Without hesitation she reached behind her to undo her bikini top, letting it float to the pool deck before shimmying out of her bottoms with enough hip action to make a belly dancer jealous. She stepped up onto the diving board, and for a moment she was suspended in a slim ray of moonlight.
He released a low whistle between his teeth, realizing at that moment the seductive nymph he was ogling was none other than Margaret’s granddaughter, Libby. He tried to swallow, almost choking on his tongue. Her form was willowy slim yet had all the right curves to tempt a man into losing his mind. Her long hair hid her breasts from his view, stopping just short of her belly button. The lower half of her body was hidden in the shadows. The fact he couldn’t see her clearly didn’t stop his cock from swelling.His body didn’t have any trouble recalling what her luscious bottom felt like against it. What her breasts had felt like smashed against his chest. His mouth ached to taste hers. Then suddenly she raised her arms and flipped that fiery mane behind her shoulders before diving gracefully into the cool water. It was the sound of her hitting the water that broke the spell Logan was in, and for the first time in what seemed a lifetime he sucked in air.
Damn! His hand moved down his body to adjust his boxer style swimsuit, but the wet material wouldn’t cooperate. It clung to his tingling shaft like a glove. He couldn’t remember getting a full-blown hard-on so fast. His gaze remained fixed on the water in front of him, wondering where Libby would appear. She surfaced about halfway in the middle, running her hands over her face to brush the hair out of her eyes. Logan was mildly surprised she hadn’t spotted him yet. Maybe she had a lot on her mind. He watched her wade to the other side of the pool, where a large tree grew close to the deck. For a moment she disappeared in the dark shadows it cast upon the water. His eyes narrowed, adjusting against the darkness until he could make her out again. He watched as she hoisted herself out of the water and headed back to the diving board.
This time when Libby stepped into the moonbeam Logan clearly saw everything the lady had to offer. Her hair was wet and slick, sticking to her body. He took in her lissome figure again, her shapely breasts and slim waist, the graceful curve of her hips and long, lithe legs. His eyes finally narrowed on the tuff of hair covering her mound. His shaft responded by throbbing painfully, hungry to slip inside her warm body. He had no doubt she’d sheathe him in tight, wet heat.
Hot.
As she dove a second time, Logan slowly waded forward until he knew he was in the moonlight when she surfaced. He sensed Libby’s awareness of him long before he heard her soft gasp of surprise.
“Oh my God!” She exclaimed. “I thought I was alone!”
October 30, 2015
Redemption River by Lindsay Cross
Title: Redemption River, Men of Mercy (book 1)
Author Name: Lindsay Cross
Series Name (or Stand Alone): Men of Mercy book 1
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Release Date: October 21st
Publisher (or Self): Cypress Bend Publishing
Word Count: approx. 74,000
Heat Level: Hot
Blurb:
Hunter James didn’t want or need redemption. Until one mission turns his world upside down. He left Mercy to fight for his country and escape a broken heart. Years later, he is hard. Cold. A man without mercy. Part of an elite Task Force, he tracks a brutal terrorist to his home town. And runs into the woman who betrayed him…
Evangeline Videl was destroyed when Hunter left. Determined to move on, she finds another man, but discovers too late the monster hidden beneath his smooth smile. Struggling to find the conviction to live, Evie finds her life spinning out of control.
Then Hunter returns…Forced to band together to find the terrorist before its too late, Hunter and Evie must learn to forgive or risk losing the promise of redemption and their lives…
Pre-Buy/Buy Links: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/26101055-redemption-river?from_search=true&search_version=service
Excerpt:
"Hey." His Southern drawl put Matthew McConaughey to shame. Slow. Sexy. And familiar.
Her gaze traveled up the muscled torso to a pair of dark chocolate-brown eyes.
Holy crap.
"Hunter James." His name breathed past her lips on a whisper.
For the second time that night her heart stuttered and her stomach clenched tight.
Hunter blocked her path, his towering six-foot-four frame packaged in a tight-fitting black T-shirt and jeans that showcased his muscles. His arms had to be twice the size they were the last time he’d been here. His gaze twice as intense. Her reaction twenty times that.
According to the town gossips, he’d been back in Mercy for a couple of weeks, but so far he’d avoided her. And she’d prayed daily he would stay away. Every time he came home on leave, he seemed to make it a point to show up here. At her bar. With another woman on his arm. Making sure she saw he’d moved on. And each time her heart broke a little more.
"Need some help?" he asked.
Her brain took a full minute to kick into gear, then another minute to reconnect to her mouth. "What?"
"You look like you could use some help. Can I do anything?" His serious voice passed through lips that were way too tempting.
She couldn't think. The man standing before her had gone AWOL with her heart over five years ago, like the tail end of a twister after a storm. Part of her had been happy he'd left. The other part had been devastated. Their love had been wild and crazy, but ultimately destructive.
She noticed the knotted wood cane leaning against the table beside him. "What's with the cane?"
Hunter grinned and shifted his weight to the side. "What's with the wet clothes?" He extinguished his cigarette and stepped away from the doorway leading to the upstairs apartment, his limp noticeable.
Evie crossed her arms over her chest, the action squeezing more beer out of her bra. Her lips pressed into a tight line and she forced herself to answer, "Wet T-shirt contest. It's a new thing we’re trying."Evie straightened her arms, clenching and unclenching her fists at her sides in time with the ticking in his jaw. A couple day’s stubble graced the hard planes of his face, only a little shorter than the black hair buzzed close to his scalp. He looked as if he’d been chiseled from steel.
Hunter leaned in close and Evie's stomach knotted. Lust built inside her, pushing against her dam of resistance. "I bet you won."
He wasn't staring at her chest, she had to give him that. No, his target appeared to be her mouth. His head lowered to hers and her mind went blank. If she had been thinking like a full-grown woman, she would have jerked back before his lips made contact. But tonight her brain had pointed and aimed but failed to fire.
Title: Resurrection River, Men of Mercy (book 2)
Author Name: Lindsay Cross
Series Name (or Stand Alone): Men of Mercy book 2
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Release Date: October 21st
Publisher (or Self): Cypress Bend Publishing
Word Count: approx. 85,000
Heat Level: Hot
Blurb:
Ranger James accepted his best friend’s death like a good soldier. With guilt. Regret. Vengeance. But a forbidden desire keeps pulling him from his mission…Desire for his best friend’s widow.
Killed in Action. That’s why Rachel Carter’s husband wasn’t coming home. A war widow, alone and broke, Rachel struggles to revive her family’s crop dusting service to survive. Now she takes to the skies to find escape. Escape from the pain. From the guilt. From the earth-shattering desire for her husband’s best friend.
Rachel and Ranger can’t fight the attraction between them any longer. But one fateful night cleaves their new found love in two...Can they find the will to fight for true love? Or will an evil so shocking destroy their lives for good?
Pre-Buy/Buy Links:
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/26101086-resurrection-river?from_search=true&search_version=service
Excerpt:
Rachel spun around, the yellow airplane a perfect backdrop to her beautiful face. “What are you doing here?”
Ranger let his gaze travel from her scruffy boots, torn jeans and gloriously figure hugging tank, to the top of her dark red head. Her pink cheeks flushed.
“Like what you see?”
Ranger approached, her green gaze turned wary. Good. She should be worried. She’d doused him in chemicals. His skin still itched. He reached forward, plucked an oil stick from her ponytail and sent her hair spilling to her shoulders. He caught the brief scent of flowers and oil.
Rachel grabbed her hair, lips parted. Angry. Stubborn. Sexy.
He held up the stick right in front of her face. “Oil stick.”
Rachel snatched it from his fingers and tossed it across the room. “I told you to stay away from me.”
Ranger shrugged, his brain still caught on the image of her jean-clad ass hanging out of that airplane. Forget Sports Illustrated. He had farm fucking fantastic right here.
"Don't you think dropping that all-natural excuse for chemicals on me is a bit dramatic? If you want to get me naked all you had to do is ask." Ranger gestured to himself, sweeping his hand from his head down to his torso, Rachel's eyes followed.
That definitely wasn't desperation or anger in her gaze.
The desire he’d been trying to hold in check for months reared up inside him.
"You think I want to see you naked?” Rachel snorted, lifted her chin. “Besides, I figured anything would be an improvement to your normal smell.” So much for her vulnerability.
The wind picked up, blew into the hangar. Ranger shifted, praying the wind wouldn’t open the fly on his boxers, and almost covered himself. Almost. Until he remembered she was the reason for his stench. Instead, he stood tall. “You’ve never had a problem with the way I smelled before.”
“My manners were just too good to say anything.” She strode past him, punishing him with the sexy sway of her hips.
Dammit, he was so hard up for her, even her walk had his mind blanking. He stood there, nearly naked, and drenched in herbicide, and she walked past him like a stranger on a sidewalk.
Running from him. Again.
“Rachel Ann.” He didn’t yell, but she stopped mid-stride. Turned. Lips parted.
“You did that on purpose,” Ranger said. She’d been hard headed even in high-school, when he tried to break up with her, explaining that he needed a little space to see if life in Mercy was what he really wanted. Jumping on the marriage and kids bandwagon at eighteen years old had scared the shit out of him. But he’d obliterated any chance for reconnecting with Rachel when she’d seen him making out with Tonya at the football game senior year.
He hadn’t thought that leaving her to sow the wild oats of his youth would be a self-fulfilling prophecy of regret. Or that his best friend would move in on Rachel so fast and fill the void that Ranger had left in her heart.
“You bet your ass I did.”
“What the hell for?” He couldn’t get her smell, her taste, her touch out of his head. But she’d dumped shit on him for the last time.
Her eyes narrowed and her lips flattened. “I warned you.”
Yeah, she’d warned him to stay away from her. He’d stayed with her for weeks, helping her after the funeral. She’d healed physically, but remained an emotional tomb.
“I promised Shane, if anything ever happened to him, I’d look out for you.” He wanted to take her in his arms and kiss that angry expression right off her face. He’d wanted her since high-school, but when she’d married Shane, he’d vowed to put those feelings away. Forever. But the attraction hadn’t disappeared. And he knew it never would. “I know the chemistry between us is weird. Scary. But dammit it’s real and it’s here and now. You’re just flying through the clouds because you don’t want to see what’s on the ground right in front of you.”
If he hadn’t been studying every minute expression on her face he would have missed the brief flash of vulnerability in her gaze. Then her anger slid back in place. “The only thing I feel is annoyance. Are you so desperate that you have to chase after what you can’t have? You dumped me first, remember?”
Him? Desperate? No. He’d never had a problem getting women. Until Rachel.
If he hadn’t been so young and stupid he would have been the one she’d married. Not Shane.
Now all he could think, all he could see, was the small sprinkle of freckles across her pert nose. He could be on a mission in a third world country or down the road. It didn’t matter. She affected him.
He had an all-consuming need for his best friend’s wife. He hadn’t counted on lust eating him alive.
But he had honor. He had loyalty. Ranger had vowed over Shane’s grave to take care of Rachel.
Title: Reckless River, Men of Mercy (book 3)
Author Name: Lindsay Cross
Series Name (or Stand Alone): Men of Mercy book 3
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Release Date: October 21st
Publisher (or Self): Cypress Bend Publishing
Word Count: approx. 78,000
Heat Level: Hot
Blurb:
They say you can’t go home again. Jared Crowe never wanted to.
Home meant facing memories of abuse and neglect. Of dark closets and evil nightmares. Of his own relatives intent on killing him. But now his brother’s kidnapping forces him to face those demons. Only this time, Jared isn’t a scared little boy. He’s a full-grown Special Forces operative bent on revenge.
As a little girl, Sparrow Pickney risked her life to free two abused boys. As a grown woman Sparrow needs to earn a place in her adopted family’s business or be forced into a life of degradation. The chance to prove her family loyalty comes when she catches Jared spying on the compound and captures him.
When Jared sees his captor, he realizes she’s the girl of his dreams and vows to rescue her from a life of poverty. What Jared doesn’t know is Sparrow may not be the savior he remembers…but the one responsible for abducting and torturing his brother.
Jared is determined to find the truth. But that truth may be more than his heart can take.
Pre-Buy/Buy Links:
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/26872928-reckless-river-men-of-mercy-book-3
Excerpt:
It had been nearly twenty years since he’d seen her, but Jared could never forget those golden eyes. Eyes that had haunted his dreams ever since. Had she joined up with Kay? Or was she simply one of those poor souls struggling to survive?
The thought of Sparrow slowly starving filled him with a sense of guilt. He should have made her leave with them. Even though they’d been children when she’d freed them, Jared had been big enough to drag her out, whether she’d wanted to go or not.
She leaned over him, reaching for his hands. Her floppy hat fell down, blinding her, and she ripped it off and tossed it across the room. Long caramel-colored hair, full of sun-kissed highlights, waterfalled down the sides of her face and tickled his nose. Her scent surrounded him now, flooding his senses. Honeysuckle and wildflowers. His cock swelled in an instant. Jared gnashed his teeth together, trying to quell his intense reaction to her nearness.
Sparrow leaned down further and her loose tank top gaped open, treating him to a glorious view of surprisingly plump breasts cupped in a plain sports bra. His gaze locked onto her beaded nipples through the cotton. Fuck he wanted to rip that bra down and reveal what was hidden beneath. The loose manly clothes she wore made her look stick thin, but womanly curves were concealed beneath them.
Sparrow sighed and sat up straight, leaving rope dangling uselessly on his wrists. Jared gripped the metal headboard with his hands, waiting for her next move. She stood there for a moment and studied him, trying to decide what to do. Well, he wasn't going to help her out one little bit.
"Keep your hands right there, got it?" Her voice was stern.
"Yes ma'am.” He had no intention of acting up. Yet.
She placed a knee on the mattress, and in one swift movement straddled him, settling on his belly. Jared groaned and closed his eyes thankful she hadn’t sat down lower on his body; otherwise, she would have gotten her own surprise. She leaned over him spreading her knees wider up his chest. His eyes popped open, unable to resist another view of her bare skin.
"You can stop with the theatrics right now, I know I’m not big enough to crush you."
If only that were his problem. Her shirt dipped down even more and he fixated on the pale mounds of her breasts straining against the material of her sports bra. It was a crime to lock those beauties up in serviceable cotton.
She should wear nothing but pure silk and lace, perfect for him to rip off her body.
Her hair curtained around him again, and her soft lips parted in concentration as she worked. He was aware of every inch of exposed skin—from the graceful hollow of her neck to her supple forearms peeking out from the rolled up sleeves of her checkered work shirt. Even more aware of the intense heat radiating from her core, pressed so intimately to his chest.
"There. All done." She sat back, a satisfied smile on her lips.
Jared tugged on the rope. He’d completely zoned out on anything other than her straddling him. It didn't give an inch—the knot she’d tied was worthy of a professional. A small ounce of foreboding seeped into him. “Where did you learn to tie knots?"
"Trapping. Working snares. Been doing it since I was a kid." Her words were so matter-of-fact, he had no doubt she spoke the truth. Holy shit. He yanked on the ropes, but they didn’t move.
“Impressive.” Jared wriggled his fingers and wrists, testing for any weakness. He found none.
“Might as well stop struggling. Nobody’s ever been able to get out of one of my knots. And I used my new rope too, so it wouldn’t snap easy.” She made a snapping motion with her fingers, the emphasis driving in just how stupid his plan had been. He should have used that easy opening she’d given him with the gun.
His foreboding turned to real worry. He had to get out of here to rescue his brother. Hoyt’s life depended on him. If he couldn’t get free… “Nice, now what?”
“Now you tell me who you are and why you’re here.” Sparrow sat back on her heels, the curve of her ass grazing the tip of his cock. He clenched his muscles, fighting to free himself from the pull of lust.
Remember, you’re the soldier trained in interrogation techniques. Now he just had to stop thinking with his dick for long enough to find out where Hoyt was being held. "My name is Jake."
She tapped her chin, staring down at him. Once again he was enthralled by the intense color of her eyes. They were golden, almost like a cat’s, with a darker brown ring around the edges. “Jake. You don't look like a Jake."
He enjoyed hearing the name on her lips. Would enjoy hearing his real name even better. Her soft accent and long vowels stretched it out slow. Sensual. "And what do I look like?"
"I don't know. Killer? Tiger?"
"That's what people name their cats.”
"True. Why are you here?"
"Why did you take me hostage?" he countered.
“You were spying on my family. Only our enemies do that.” She shifted, brushing against his tip again. Fuck he wanted to rip free of these bonds and throw her down beneath him. Where was his detached logic now? Something about her was making him lose control.
“I have no interest in you. I was looking for a family member who went missing, know anything about that?” He studied her reaction intently, watching for any flash of awareness, but she didn’t give away anything.
“Haven’t seen anybody new around here in a long time, and I would know. Sorry, but you plopped down on the wrong piece of land.”
“He told me he was coming here.” Not really, but Jared knew without the slightest shred of doubt that Hoyt had been taken by the Crowes. Miss Kay wanted to finish what she had started all those years ago, even if Jared didn’t know why. It was bad enough his parents had died when Jared was only nine, Hoyt six, but to have his aunt try to murder them....
Jared yanked on the bonds again, testing the bed frame. It screeched but held firm. Shit.
“What does he look like?” Every time Sparrow moved or shifted he felt her. Desire was holding him hostage as much as the damn ropes. Got to get free. Got to find Hoyt.
“What do I get if I tell you?”
“What do you get? You get to live.” Her brows shot down as if confused.
“You won’t kill me.”
“Try me.”
“How about we make a little trade—you give me something, I give you something.”
"Give? What do you want?" She laid her palms on her thighs, kneeling over his body, the position incredibly erotic.
Blushing aside, maybe she wasn’t so innocent after all. He had a plan and she was part of it. He knew he could get more information out of Sparrow than her giant ass brother. And he’d find it a hell of a lot more enjoyable too. "Kiss me."
She stopped moving all together and her eyes narrowed in on his mouth.
"Give me a kiss and I'll sing like a bird."
Author Bio: Lindsay Cross is the award-winning author of the Men of Mercy series. She is the fun loving mom of two beautiful daughters and one precocious Great Dane. Lindsay is happily married to the man of her dreams – a soldier and veteran. During one of her husband’s deployments from home, writing became her escape and motivation. An avid reader since childhood, reading and writing is in her blood. After years of reading, she discovered her true passion – writing. Her alpha military men are damaged, drop-dead gorgeous and determined to win the heart of the woman of their dreams.
Author Social Links:
FACEBOOK LINK AUTHOR PROFILE:
https://www.facebook.com/lindsay.cross.author
TWITTER LINK:
https://twitter.com/lindsaycross101
GOODREADS LINK:
https://www.goodreads.com/lindsaycrossauthor
AMAZON LINK:
https://www.amazon.com/author/lindsaycross
October 28, 2015
A holiday romance
Excerpt for A Soldier's Promise
“You want to help me, Shannon?” Something in his tone warned her she should turn and run back to her room, but that same something excited her into staying. “This is the only way you can help me.”
In one smooth move, Ryan pulled her over to the bed with him and pushed her down, following her until he covered her with his half-naked body. Gasping with surprise, Shannon found her mouth being ground beneath his. She struggled, but if he noticed, he didn’t let that or his split lip stop him from stealing her breath. Then his hands took hold of her wrists and pinned them to the bed. Against her will, she responded when he arched his hips into the lower half of her body.
His thick, hard cock slid into the crevice between her legs and brushed against her clit.
Shannon moaned and became aware of other sensations brought upon by her squirming. She arched in hunger, thrust against his erection with sharp accuracy, wishing they were naked and he was sliding into her. She moved her hips again, rewarded when Ryan ground his shaft against her.
He groaned and shuddered, slid his tongue inside her mouth, swallowing her sound of pleasure. For a spellbinding moment, they were caught up in the heat of the moment. She was no longer interested in freedom. Her hands weren’t pushing against his chest, but had gone to his shoulders and roamed his back in heated caresses, nails lightly scraping defined muscles. Her hips strained upwards to meet his as he ground his hard-on into the sweet, hot place between her thighs.
She welcomed his hand beneath her pajama top as he claimed her breast, palming the globe and flicking his thumb over the burgeoning nipple. Her response was wild and wanton, encouraged him to continue, as she silently begged him to do even more. Ryan tore his mouth from hers, pushed her top out of the way and took her nipple into his mouth.
“Oh, God!” Shannon hissed beneath him, in nothing more than a whisper. She arched her back, holding his head against her flesh. She was throbbing below, where his shaft provided enough friction on her clit to make her burst with sweet release.
His mouth returned to hers, and he kissed her savagely while his hand skimmed down her body, snaking inside her pajama bottoms and cupping her bottom. And Shannon thought, this is it, he was going to slide her bottoms down and take her.
All at once, a muffled noise penetrated their sounds of hunger. Ryan froze. And during those brief seconds of listening for the sound again sanity returned to both of them. Realizing she’d been about to let him make love to her, Shannon closed her eyes and willed the whole thing away. There was no way she could ignore Ryan’s hard body or his warm breath against her mouth. His warmth, coupled with the stimulating scent of their passion, would remain long after she went back to her room.
Amazon Buy Link
“You want to help me, Shannon?” Something in his tone warned her she should turn and run back to her room, but that same something excited her into staying. “This is the only way you can help me.”In one smooth move, Ryan pulled her over to the bed with him and pushed her down, following her until he covered her with his half-naked body. Gasping with surprise, Shannon found her mouth being ground beneath his. She struggled, but if he noticed, he didn’t let that or his split lip stop him from stealing her breath. Then his hands took hold of her wrists and pinned them to the bed. Against her will, she responded when he arched his hips into the lower half of her body.
His thick, hard cock slid into the crevice between her legs and brushed against her clit.
Shannon moaned and became aware of other sensations brought upon by her squirming. She arched in hunger, thrust against his erection with sharp accuracy, wishing they were naked and he was sliding into her. She moved her hips again, rewarded when Ryan ground his shaft against her.
He groaned and shuddered, slid his tongue inside her mouth, swallowing her sound of pleasure. For a spellbinding moment, they were caught up in the heat of the moment. She was no longer interested in freedom. Her hands weren’t pushing against his chest, but had gone to his shoulders and roamed his back in heated caresses, nails lightly scraping defined muscles. Her hips strained upwards to meet his as he ground his hard-on into the sweet, hot place between her thighs.
She welcomed his hand beneath her pajama top as he claimed her breast, palming the globe and flicking his thumb over the burgeoning nipple. Her response was wild and wanton, encouraged him to continue, as she silently begged him to do even more. Ryan tore his mouth from hers, pushed her top out of the way and took her nipple into his mouth.
“Oh, God!” Shannon hissed beneath him, in nothing more than a whisper. She arched her back, holding his head against her flesh. She was throbbing below, where his shaft provided enough friction on her clit to make her burst with sweet release.
His mouth returned to hers, and he kissed her savagely while his hand skimmed down her body, snaking inside her pajama bottoms and cupping her bottom. And Shannon thought, this is it, he was going to slide her bottoms down and take her.
All at once, a muffled noise penetrated their sounds of hunger. Ryan froze. And during those brief seconds of listening for the sound again sanity returned to both of them. Realizing she’d been about to let him make love to her, Shannon closed her eyes and willed the whole thing away. There was no way she could ignore Ryan’s hard body or his warm breath against her mouth. His warmth, coupled with the stimulating scent of their passion, would remain long after she went back to her room.
Amazon Buy Link
